#I just had the idea and couldn't stop thinking about it xp

[machathecat]

#twomp #the world of mr plant #twomrp #world of mr plant #argos twomp #argos #I just had the idea and couldn't stop thinking about it xp #Also sorry if someone already made that joke TwT

[gamebunny-advance]

Kun3h0 Accessories DLC + Patch Notes v.1.0.1

Added:

GAB accessory

Karrot-98 accessory

Changed:

Updated top.

Fixed hair bug. (Hair would easily slip off model.)

Minor improvements.

(More pics and notes under the cut.)

So I finally finished up Kun3h0's accessories and fixed up her top.

So, we've got her GAB and her drill, the Karrot-98.

GAB started out as this little dino thing that I just cut up and sculpted onto.

The original plan was to sculpt onto the original arms after I cut off the wings, but they kept bumping into the head, so I opted to completely resculpt them.

Now they can still turn their head, but that's the only point of articulation. I really should have sanded it more, you can really see the texture still in the clay, but such as it is.

The collar isn't the most elegant thing in the world, but at least it's there~ It's also disappointing that I couldn't get the edges of her screen completely straight and even, but it is what it is.

Overall, I think it's a decent recreation of the original design, even if the purples aren't quite right.

I should take a pic of them next to my other GAB recreations so y'all can really see the difference in scale. I believe this is the smallest GAB I've made so far, and also the only one that has the big heart-shaped tail~

Next is the Karrot-98, Kun3h0's magical drill. I don't have any "before" pictures, but it's made from another accessory that came with the doll, a little clay, and a piping tip that I had lying around + extras.

I don't have a set design for the Karrot yet, so I just kinda painted it with colors I already mixed. When Kun3h0's holding it, it does kinda get lost in the pinks of her outfit, but by itself I think it looks fine. If I come up with a better color scheme for it, then maybe I'll repaint it.

Next, I completely re-did her top. This time, I doused all the fabric in fray-check first to keep it from pulling apart while I was sewing it together, and I completely redid the sleeves. Originally, I had painted the arm guards onto the sleeves because I didn't think of any other way to do it. This time I tried making them with craft foam to better replicate that they're supposed to be two different materials. I'd say it was mostly successful.

Since it's kind of a pain to slip the sleeve into the guards, I don't have any pics of the top without them on, but the sleeves are more form fitting, so the top looks more like a proper tracksuit without the guards on. It's a slightly better look than the original IMO, but it's still not perfect: the guards are basically like a Miku sleeve, so you can still see into them even though the only opening is supposed to be through the cuff (which are barely visible in this pic, but they can stick out for a more accurate look.)

I would show the new top next to the old one, but I kinda destroyed the old one trying to test ideas for this new one XP (in fact, the collar IS from the old one, I just ripped it off and reapplied it to this one).

Lastly, I fixed her wig a little bit.

I don't have pics of it, but I just stuck some velcro to her scalp and the inside of the wig, so now it should stop slipping off while still being removable.

I'm just against completely gluing it down because I still have a lot of yarn left from this project, so I would eventually like to make her some alternate hairstyle wigs just to use up the yarn.

Now I feel pretty confident in saying that she's actually "done." There are a few places that I could touch up with paint, but as for "making" anything else for this doll, I did everything I really wanted to do.

Admittedly, Kun3h0 is one of my most self-indulgent designs (as though everything I make isn't in some way self-indulgent), so to have a physical object which embodies so much of what I like, truly satisfies me. We'll see if I still feel that way about her a week from now, but at the moment, she is the culmination of almost every creative skill I have, and I'm very pleased with the results of that effort, more so than possibly anything else I've ever made~ <3

I may post more pics of her when I can actually dedicate some time to making a proper scene and/or backdrop. There's a lot of little details that I like that I haven't really taken pics of. I dunno if I have the courage to do it, but it'd be cool to take some pics in an actual arcade with her~

#gbunny makes #gbunny draws #OCs #kun3h0 #GAB #custom doll #doll custom #ooak doll #i'll post about the other one soon #he just has one last thing that I'm working on #and i can probably finish it tomorrow #(or later today since i'm queueing this post) #maybe i've already posted about it by the time this post goes up

[bisexualshakespeare]

latest fic asks: 13. Are there any cut lines/scenes from this work? Why did you cut them? 14. Explain your writing process for this work. 15. What is one question you wish someone would ask you about this work? Ask it and answer it.

My Latest fic: Nymph Butter! Porn arguably with Plot

13. Yes! Initially Elora showed up further into the sex and Boorman was way more chatty. It was also going to have it so only Graydon could hear her through a magical mental connection and Boorman couldn't. It just felt unwieldy if Boorman was going to talk and then Elora was talking but he couldn't hear it and Graydon was going to have to think to Elora and speak outloud to Boorman. Just too much! So I had to throw out a lot of stuff that I had started with that premise.

14. So this is Part 2 of my tanthamore-tober series where I try to fit as many NSFW prompts into a single series as I can so I started with combining the prompts. I thought combining magic and voyeurism made sense as like unintentional magical peeping tom or something. I figured that made the most sense with Elora magically spying on Graydon. Then I thought adding Mirror Sex in with the magic would make sense, often times scrying needs a mirror or a bowl of water or something. And the fact that they're not in the same room automatically makes it long distance! (it's not technically mirror sex though cause the mirror isn't a mirror for most of it XP)

Then I started on the path I said before and started writing some thoughts on how Elora might react to them, how would Graydon feel having the girl he's in love with watch him have sex with another man, how to make this voyeurism consensual, and I just kinda wrote bits of dialogue trying to work that out.

Then I messaged one of my friends (you) about it and they suggested Boorman could be quiet if he was told do in a D/s situation and that really informed how the smut was gonna work. Then Elora and I had a little break down and i had to figure out how she worked in this dynamic. That was a lot of just rotating her in my brain like 'would she fucking say that???'

Once I was happy with Elora's journey then I just added on the bookends of why they're fucking in front of a mirror and voila! Nymph Butter was complete.

15. the first question actually! It's possible I'd want to use the original concept in a new fic but honestly I have so many other ideas it's probably best to throw this into the wind. Here's my excerpts, below the cut because porny

“No! It’s-” It was difficult to answer questions in his mind while also being given a very, very good blow job. “Boorman?” He said out loud. “Are you upset I'm in love with someone else and having sex with you?”

Boorman pulled off. “Oh yeah, devastated.” He said sarcastically. “I don't know how my fragile ego will recover.”

He swallowed Graydon’s cock all the way down.

“Oh fuck!” Graydon moaned. “Yes yes yes.”

Boorman pulled back and let Graydon's dick slap against his stomach. “Will you look at that? Ego recovered.”

Graydon giggled and grabbed a handful of Boorman's hair. He pulled him up for a long hot kiss. He felt Elora’s soft wanting through their connection.

I'm sorry. I should go…

"Wait! Graydon called out magically and to his surprise, also with his mouth. He licked his lips and locked eyes with Boorman. “Are you okay with Elora watching us?”

"Our Semprum Sorceress, a bit of a voyeur is she?"

Graydon could feel her blush through the connection, flush with embarrassment but still turned on.

"Should we stop?" Graydon asked.

"Let her watch. She should know what you like. She can use it when she finally realizes what an idiotic move it is to let a great guy like you slip through her fingers."

Elora’s mind emanated an offended gasp at the ‘idiotic’ comment.

Stay. he thought to her and he wondered if she was getting his emotions through the connection too. Could she feel his longing for her to see him like this, desired and desiring?

#thanks for the ask #ask game

[ladylilithprime]

A, B, F, I, L, V, Z

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Geez, do you have a couple of hours?? Sastiel, Wincest, Wincestiel, Sabriel, Casabriel, Sauck, SaRaph, SaMichael, Samwena (I'm sensing a theme here), Debriel, Drowley, Dreamhunter, Dodio, Deonna, Samchit (also your fault), Otayuri, Viktuuri, MilaSara, WinterIron, IronHawk, SpideyTorch, Buckchester (Bucky/Sam Winchester, because crossover ships are too fun sometimes), Asushin, Shinworu, Asurei, Reiworu, Kajisato, Drarry, Rorry, Twincest (Fred and George edition), Twins/Harry, Charlie/Harry, Bill/Harry, Bleur, Percy/Oliver, Ozander, Xander/Spike, Willow/Tara, Xandelia, uhh.... Yeah, there's a number of fandoms where I don't have ships for one reason or another, too, so. That's not it, but it's all I feel like admitting to. XD

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

Answered here, and I blame you. XP

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

Do you mean active participation in., or from inception? Because I don't really consider myself as having left very many fandoms even if my participation in them faltered and lay fallow for a while. For active participation, Supernatural is probably the longest I've been continuously a part of, which is funny since it's the one I resisted getting into the most. From inception, though, probably Animorphs.

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

Tumblr actually made me dislike a fandom before I was even in it to the point that I refused to even watch the series for ten years before a crossover fanfic piqued my interest in the characters enough to go looking for more and eventually reading fanfic for it without the crossover element, and even then I resisted actually getting into the fandom until I started getting plot bunnies I couldn't ignore anymore and now I've been in the Supernatural fandom for seven years and counting. Go figure.

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

Lucifer had the potential to be an amazing, complex character full of head-twisting theological implications of free will and the nature of angels, the incredible and infuriatingly human potential to grow beyond the limits of what he was created to be, and he deserved better than to be Bucklemming's yoyo.

V - Which character do you relate to most?

In which fandom? I don't think I could pick just one, anyway. Online quizzes have put me as "Sam-coded", if that helps?

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

Gah! Every time someone asks me to talk about some unspecified "something", even with the codifier of "fan-related", my mind goes blank. I have no idea. I'm tired and need more sleep than I get and I could really use a hug. One of the best hugs I ever got was from Jared Padalecki at JAXCon in December of 2018. It was warm and solid and felt like hugging a flannel-wrapped tree, and I'm amazed my eyes were actually open in the photo op. Second to that was also the hug I got from Misha Collins that same weekend during an earlier op. Something about him, his presence, was just so incredibly calming that I felt like I had been dropped into a liminal space where a full thirty-minute meditation was compressed into one and a half seconds, and it left me feeling so relaxed for the whole rest of the day. Hugs are really nice, and those two in particular had to have hugged a LOT of people just that weekend alone, but it still felt special and briefly connecting. Good memories, and I'm glad all of us were in the right places within ourselves to make those memories. (I rather doubt I stand out in their memories at all, or at least I hope I don't, I was an awkward bean that weekend and I just hope I'm part of the more positive background blur in their minds.)

#ask-abets

[penname-artist]

Dusty & Ripslinger, not meant to be a ship but you can view it like that if you feel so moved XP

Rated G, very angsty-fluffy

World of Cars (whaaaat, they're NOT people??)

-

Rip was sure he would reach sleep soon, his body beginning to relax and shut down as he switched rhythms...

That is, until a small voice came out from his side.

"Rip...?"

The green and black Mustang groaned. 'Now what...', he thought. Shifting on his wheels, he turned to look towards the familiar airplane,

"What, Dusty? Did you have another nightm-" his mockery stopped cold in their tracks at Dusty's face, pale with palpable fear. He looked like he'd just had a near-death experience.

"Are you...okay?"

Dusty sniffled, trembling like a leaf. "...no..."

Ripslinger sighed, looking away. Yeah, like he knew what to do. The twins would get nightmares sometimes and demand to sleep with him, but for one thing their nightmares didn't actually scare them, they just made excuses, and for two...he knew them, at least. He was always around them. He didn't feel like he knew Dusty all that well. They'd only fixed their bridge what, two months ago now? The crop duster was still a foreign concept to the Mustang.

Skipper was practically on the other side of town. Dottie was almost equal distance. Rip had no idea where the fuck Chug and whatsitsname, Scratchy, lived. And to be honest...he didn't have the heart to push Dusty away. Not after what he'd done to him before. This was a new beginning, and a fragile one at that. He couldn't afford to make such a careless mistake.

He lifted his wing for the younger male. "Well, c'mon, quit standing there."

Dusty hesitated, dipping low to the ground as he sneaked under Rip's wing. The P-51 could only imagine why. How many folks go from nearly being drowned by someone to confiding in them for comfort? No one with an ounce of self-preservation in them, that was for sure.

He didn't deserve the second chance. It was all some freak turn of events anyways, what was he even doing, thinking he could turn around and make it up to the air tractor for near-murder, for everything he'd said and did-

Dusty snuggled under his frame, releasing a sigh as the tremors in his body started to ebb away. He was a lot warmer than Rip expected, especially against his back and down his flanks.

"Do you...want to talk about it?" Rip ventured, hyperaware of the awkward silence between them.

"...not really." Dusty said, "it's just the...same old junk it always is."

"I can't say I know what the junk is. But I could guess..."

"Its not about you." Dusty said. Rip glanced down at him,

"What...else would it be??"

Dusty's lip tightened. He fumbled his tire into the ground, focusing on the soft breaths through their exhausts slowly grazing over his paint.

"...I told you about the firefighting thing, yes?"

"At some point, yeah."

"And that there was a big park fire? Like, bigger than its ever been?"

Ripslinger looked away, "Ssssomething like that? Maybe?"

"Okay, well, um...I was...I had been trying to contain it in one area with the chief. But I was messed up, I did some stupid shit, and...he got hurt, because of me. I just can't put it down. I know it's fine now, I know he doesn't blame me for it, but...it doesn't change the fact that it still happened..."

Dusty's voice grew shakey, "I just...don't know how to handle it, how am I supposed to forgive myself for being the reason someone else got hurt..."

"I can't imagine how that must feel. Oh, wait." Ripslinger said. Dusty scoffed,

"Well you don't have to be an ass about it, I can just go-"

"No no," Rip corrected, "I get it. I really do. Ah, fuck it...you think I don't feel bad about 2013?"

"I...honestly never thought you would..." Dusty said.

"Uh, yeah," Rip continued, "and it's been eating me alive for I don't know how fucking long now. I didn't expect I'd ever get the chance to fix that. I don't deserve to get another chance. I don't even know what compelled you to let me."

"Don't say that, of course you deserve another chance." Dusty said, "because I know you've changed. You don't have to beat your..self up, about...something in the past aughhh, it's the same-..."

"Tch, and you didn't believe me when I said I understood."

Dusty smiled, faintly. "Yeah. I guess it's a good thing you're here. Skip's been kind of saying the same thing, "don't worry about it" and "don't blame yourself", and I do believe him, I just...I could never do it. I never understood how."

He tilted up to look at Rip, their bodies touching a little more firmly,

"How did you manage to overcome the guilt?"

The corner of Rip's mouth pulled, "I...haven't. Yet. Not fully. But...I know that it's in the past. And it's not right now. And I just have to...I don't know. Remember that. I'm not the same bastard. You're not the same bastard. I'm a whole new shade of bastard."

Dusty gave the meekest little chuckle, "I like the new bastard though. He's pretty cool."

Rip rolled his eyes, "don't make me regret letting you sleep over here."

"Yeah yeah, keep your bad guy image." Dusty said. He yawned, stretching himself out before settling back down into the mat.

"Thanks for sticking around. I'm glad to have someone that understands..."

Ripslinger watched the orange and white planes eyes slip closed.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm glad for that, too."

#disney planes #disneyplanes #planes fire and rescue #disney planes 2 #dusty crophopper #ripslinger

[lemondelightful]

Together Again

Dsmp Fanfic. Niki Nihachu x Reader

===================================

You ran as fast as you could you were on half a heart and you sure as hell not losing 105 levels of XP to a zombie horde. As you started to regenerate, the sounds of the undead groans grew closer. You took a breath before going in for round two. All you were trying to do was get back to the Syndicate room because Technoblade wanted to meet with you but no, you were dealing with this. God, Technoblade is going to give you a scolding when you tell him about this.

=============

You finally made it to the Syndicate room where Phil and Techno were discussing something. It was really none of your business to know what they were talking about, most likely it wasn't anything that concerns you.

"Woden, your finally here." Techno joked, using your code name as well was just an insult.

"Okay, I get the code names but seriously couldn't I have gotten a better one?" You asked, slouching your shoulders forward.

"Well Y/N we had a limited options for you." Techno said, making Phil snicker. You gave him a look, Techno nodded knowingly. "Anyways, Y/N, we you to gather intel on Niki."

"Nemesis, why would you need Intel on her?" You asked, usually you wouldn't ask this question, but Niki is apart of the Syndicate and is one of the most trustworthy person on the server. Just like Phil was reading your mind, he interjected.

"She might be trustworthy but she's also gullible. I mean you saw what happened." Phil said shrugging his shoulders.

"Wow, Phil, way to put salt in the wound." You said, crossing your arms, silently judging him. Phil pressed his lips together, nodded and looked away.

"Rember Woden, Niki doesn't know that you're apart of the Syndicate. So she might not suspect anything."

"And if she does?" You asked, he smirked, looking at Phil.

"We make her gather Intel, on you."

=============================

You were off to find Niki, you didn't know where she could be, you knew she had an underground city but you had no idea where it was located.

So you went to Niki's old bake place. It was more even more destroyed than last time you'd seen it, you weren't there but from what you heard, she went insane when L'manburg blew up a second time. It's not like you don't feel bad, it just sounds like a sob story you'd tell to win a talent show.

Sighing, you went on again to find Niki, ending up in Las Nevadas for a few days, you knew the chanes of Niki being here was low but that's why you came and checked.

Turns out, Quakity had a side slime who is really bad at trying to convince people that they're human. Did it shock you to think that Quakity wouldn't stoop to this low of a level as to manipulate such a pure young man, no, of course not. It was fun hanging out Foolish though, it's always a pleasure with him.

But not long after Las Nevadas, Snowchester was your next stop, knowing Niki, Snowchester isn't a bad place to be, it's safe and calm until something happens to Tommy or Micheal. It was good catching up with them, although you completely forgot about the whole mission you were on.

Your next stop was Kinoko kingdom, that's where Ranboo told you she had been staying near, or at least around the area. Thank God Ranboo has a memory book or else you would have no fuckin lead.

Of course, when you got there you were bombarded with questions from Karl, he hadn't seen you since the whole eggpire thing. Sapnap was way to quiet for you, it seemed like something was wrong but it didn't want to question him, and George, well, he's just George.

Sapnap, after a few hours for your stay, confronted you about what has been happening with Karl, about how hes been forgetting things and people around him and how he's stressed out about Karl forgetting him too. You weren't the best at comforting people but you did your best trying to sooth him and his worries, you didn't know if they worked but, hey you tried and that's all that matters because now he knows you care.

You, obviously not seeing any signs of Niki being there, you left and started to walk back to the Syndicate room. It was a waste of time, you found nothing about Niki and have no idea where she has been hiding out.

===============

You sat in the Syndicate room, waiting for Technoblade to come and see you. Of course whose voice you didn't except to hear was Niki's, followed by Techno's. You didn't know he bringing guests over. You waited a little longer until they were both staring at you, sitting in Niki's seat.

"Hey guys. Missed me much." You said smiling. Niki looked at Techno panicked, picking up her bow. "Wow, Niki, it's just me your old friend."

"You're not my friend, I don't even know you anymore." She said, pulling back her bow, ready to fire. Techno walked over to his seat and broke the news to Niki.

"Niki, Woden is the newest member of the Syndicate." Techo said, holing his hands in front of him. "You can't get rid of them forever, it was only time."

"Yeah, babe, didn't you miss me." Niki gritted her teeth, holding back what she wanted to say as you smiled with passion. "Now, come give me a hug, I know you missed me." You held out your arms excepting for Niki to run into them, and you were right.

She was holding you tightly, sobbing into your arms, she really did miss you, I mean, you knew that, she was to predicable, it was fun running around the sever though, even if it was a waste of time that you could've been using taking care of other more important things, but this makes up for it.

#fiction #fanfic #writing #dsmp #dsmp niki #x reader #mcyt

[gracemyheart]

KaguMyu Act I ~ RANT REACTION

Okay, so I watched act 1 of the new Sailor Moon Musical "Kaguya Hime no Koibito" and spoiler: it felt like wasted time. Even NewMyu is more exciting to watch and I say that as an official NewMyu-hater-disliker...

You can watch the musical full for free on vk.

I included screenshots to make my little notes a bit more exciting. Disclaimer again: I am and will forever be honest with my opinions. If I think something sucks, I'll say that it sucks. (Spoiler: This was even too boring to suck lmao). Tbh. I have no idea how the manga handeled this story so I will make references from the S-movie.

- The musical starts with the song "You are my universe" and I have to say, it reminds me strongly of Tsukiiro no Chainon. That is not particularly a good thing because those random J-Pop songs these days have a bad thing in common: There is not really a melody in them? Like it feels too mechanical and not like music anymore. I couldn't really follow the melody because it was actually not existing. A good thing is that every Senshi has some solo lines in the song but that doesn't make it better. I am for example not sure if I could sing it with that lack of melody and rhythm.

- Next thing is the costumes. Was there really not enough money to make them look not THAT cheap? Also, Chibimoon's costume looks so baggy? And her wig looks, I quote @vampiru-chan "like a burst sofa cushion" xD.

- What annoys me too is that we got those no-name background-dancer demons again. SO boring like wtf finally get something interesting like in Banitimes again!

- However, the choreography wasn't as bad as it usually is in NewMyu and with that I mean they were not swinging their arms like crazy while running and walking from on end to the other end of the stage. So I grant a bonus point for the choreography.

- Yuuka-Saturn NAILED her solo-line. Good girl.

- I am still annoyed, that we got that all-female cast again! It might be rare, but I am still a straight girl in this fandom and I need real men again xD And I think all the lovely gay fanboys in the fandom agree xP.

- After the dance-fight-song-scene we see how Kakeru finds Snow Princess Kaguya's ice crystal as he does in the movie and then we get to know that it is winter and the Senshi will celebrate Mako's, Mina's and Setsuna's birthdays all together. And I have to say, she doesn't do ANYTHING, she is only a side character and simply...well there - BUT I LOVE Shinjyu-Haruka so much, omg. Finally a good Uranus! Her face reminds me of Asako but she is stronger and her male-like acting does not feel that forced. Too bad she was in a musical that was not about the Senshi at all :(

- Again I have to say, WHO, WHO thought it was a good idea to cast a Sailor Moon with that kind of face? Like, literally wtf. Tbh I would sue the surgeon who is responsible for this.

- Okay, now we found out why the costumes are so cheap: The whole budget was spent on the civilian outfits. They are so sweet and so pretty, omg. I want to have them all!

- But because all the money was spent on the outfits, there was no budget left for Artemis >:( He is only mentioned.

- Then lemme ask why our Usagi-chan is so bitchy here? She pushed Minako to the side in a very-not-Usagi-like style??

- Okay, birthday goes on and we get a birthday song and then some kind of idol-song by Mina and Mako. And the songs are not memorable at all :(

- What I liked was this little scene between Rei and Usagi. Looks like a reference to the anime where both quarrel a lot and it feld refreshing.

- And I have to say, that the lovely voice of Kisara-Mako/Jupiter reminds me SO MUCH of my friend's voice @missemperor you gotta cover her, nobody would notice the difference lol.

- Okay, now Himeko sings a song of how Kakeru developed as a professor or something and it makes no sense because Himeko is just so unimportant. Oh, yes and I never liked her in the movie because she was such a fkn bitch to Luna? I mean, I don't like Luna either but stop bullying the cat, bitch.

- as I mentioned in my last post about KaguMyu - we do not have a real setting again :/ But they tried to compensate that with heavy projections even from thought bubbles. I'd liked it better if there had actually been a setting but okay, we live in the century of technology and not of proper requisites.

- I also wonder why Michiru always has such a cute voice in Nelke productions? Ever watched the anime? She has a normal adult voice which sounds very elegant but not cute. But besides being a side character, Ayana plays a decent Neptune/Michiru.

- The rest of the musical is basically Luna and Kakeru doing stuff? But it feels like nothing happens T_T. Btw. the actress of Kakeru reminds me STRONGLY of a Zuka actress too. Apropos Takarazuka: Riku Sorahana is a cool Mamoru. Maybe a bit too cool for Mamoru but I like her.

- Another thing I noticed: The birthday scene, in the beginning, was just to show that this musical actually has the Senshi in it. Because after that scene... they are gone. There is that one scene with Usagi and Luna à la how does a kiss taste and then Chibiusa sings (very badly, omg. Why not casting a child that can sing?) a very annoying song, of how Luna is in love.

Overall:

- It was so boring. Literally, nothing happened. It felt like wasted time and yes, I know that the story is mainly about Luna but....geez no. I had a bit of hope that this musical might be better than the last ones but I have to say out of the new musicals - NogiMyu stays the best.

- Those songs were really not good and not memorable at all. They feel like the typical mass-production these days. Maybe BaniMyu was so good because back then it was a rare thing for anime/manga to turn into stage plays? I mean, today almost every anime/manga which is a bit popular gets a musical. Plus BaniMyu had Akiko Kosaka for the songs (and Queen Ado for the choreo <3).

- Funny thing: Usually in the new musicals it is that the first act is rather good or at least ok while the second one is boring af - but in this case, I doubt that this can get even more boring - maybe act 2 will be good then? Ewwww, we'll see but I do not have big hopes, tbh.

- If I had to rate it with points while 10 points would be super good and 0 points super bad, I'd give it so far 2 points. (LR, PE and UNV would even get 3 to 4 points, wtf it's really so bad xD. Okay, no they'd get at least 3 but still xD).

Today I'll watch the second act but I doubt it will get any better... :(

BANDAI! GET SERA MYU BACK AND DO GOOD STUFF AGAIN!

#sailor moon #sailor moon musical #sailor moon 2021 #kaguya hime's beloved #kaguya hime no koibito #kagumyu #sera myu #reaction

[xiyao-feels]

So, this started off as a shipping bingo for MDZS nie//lan; I've added the bingo meme above so that you know what you're getting into. What it evolved into, however, is several thousand words of close reading of the NMJ+LXC relationship, getting some into the 3//zun dynamics and comparing it with LXC and JGY's relationship to help demonstrate my point. If that sounds interesting to you, read away! Fair warning: as you might gather from the bingo above I am not very gentle, not only on the idea of a romantic relationship but also on their friendship.

Originally, I imagined I'd be saying something like, while of course they were very good friends and LXC grieves for NMJ, there's no evidence of romantic interest. But I wanted to look over the scenes first, to get a handle on them properly and to pick out some quotes; and what I found, when I looked at it closely, startled me—I couldn't believe how little there actually was.

My methodology for this review, by the way: I searched the entire text for every variation on their name I could think of, and then read over the chapter for chapters they were both mentioned in. I also reviewed chapters where only one of them is mentioned (that's how I caught the reference in ch 16, where NMJ is only referred to as NHS' brother). I might have missed something, or I might have read it and not registered it, etc etc. I definitely don't have JGY's memory XP But I've done my best to be thorough.

Also, a heads up: while I've done a little bit of addressing NMJ's emotions, this is mostly focused on what LXC feels, because otherwise this would be even more ridiculously long and because that's where my interest lies.

I'll state my conclusions up front, in case you just want to know what I think and not have to wade through [mumble] thousand words to get there. But it's far enough off from even the standard non-shippy take on their relationship that I really did think it was worth walking through the evidence.

It seems to me that while NMJ and LXC were to some extent close before the war, they grew apart during the war and very much so afterwards. There are a few moments that suggest NMJ might feel unusually tender towards LXC, there is nothing similar on LXC's part, and frankly their post-Sunshot interactions that we see suggest that—while LXC certainly cares about him—he does not at all feel close to him.

Moreover, his personal grief for NMJ's death, and whatever personal betrayal he may feel about JGY killing his, LXC's, friend, are not the drivers of his emotional difficulties with respect to JGY.

Okay, now the evidence. This has been divided up into two parts, NMJ alive and NMJ dead.

Pt I: NMJ alive

LXC and NMJ were friends before Sunshot; while we don't have a lot of evidence to guess how close they were, we can certainly see signs of long familiarity with each other in their later interactions, and it's worth noting that we don't see either of them having other friends beyond, in LXC's case, JGY.*

*NMJ got along with his subordinate MY very well, but except for one incident it was purely in the context of a superior/subordinate relationship, and he does not seem to have been interested in MY as a person, so I'm not classing them as friends.

Nevertheless, during Sunshot, we can see LXC begin to grow apart from him, and in their post-Sunshot interactions they start not very close and end up quite distant. By the time if NMJ's death, it's clear that while LXC cares about him, he is not emotionally close to him at all.

A brief discussion of NMJ's feelings, before I spend most of the rest of the post focusing on LXC's. As I mentioned above, LXC seems to be NMJ's only friend, and he does react to him in ways he doesn't really seem to anyone else. In the teacups scene, for example, we're told that "while Nie MingJue had never been one for humor," nevertheless "in front of Lan XiChen, his expression eased." Later, towards the end of the stairs incident, LXC is able to dissuade him from immediately pursuing JGY's death, which I believe is as much as we see anyone ever do with NMJ's anger. Finally, in ch 46, when LXC and LWJ are playing music to deal with NMJ's headless corpse, WWX thinks that NMJ might particularly be responding to LXC playing Liebing: "Wei WuXian didn’t know if it was only his imagination, but as soon as the soft, serene tone of the xiao appeared, the corpse’s movement paused. For a moment, he seemed to have stood still and listened, then turned around, as though he wanted to see who was the one playing the music."

If you wanted to say that NMJ has romantic or quasi-romantic feelings about LXC, then I don't think that would be an unreasonable extrapolation from the text, although I also don't think it's a necessary one; friendship and minor romantic feelings are I think pretty much equally fair readings.

Even so, LXC is not his priority; rather, he prioritizes NHS and (probably not unrelatedly) JGY's moral rectitude. In Ch  48, the friendly 3zun conversation only happens because NMJ was seeking LXC out to bring him NHS' saber, which he'd left behind, and when he qi deviates it's NHS and not LXC who manages to bring him some calm just before he dies, and whose features he can recognize (ch 50). At the Phoenix Mountain Hunt (ch 69-70), we see no sign that either he or LXC sought each other out, and on those occasions we do see NMJ initiate discussion with LXC it's usually about JGY's moral rectitude (ch 73, his sarcastic remark about JGY's hard work after the conference about WWX; ch 49, his interjection during the guqin scene; ch 49, the beginning of the stairs incident). 

And what about what LXC feels? Let's take a close look at the progression of their relationship.

In chapter 16, when NHS is studying at Cloud Recesses, we see LXC run into him and convey NMJ's query into his studies, having apparently recently returned from Qinghe. While he doesn't say what he was doing there, it seems reasonable to infer that he was either visiting NMJ or at least visited him while he was there. (ETA: NHS also hopes that LXC will put in some good words for him to NMJ, which also suggests that he expects they'll be in contact.) This establishes a baseline of closeness from before the war, however much they drift apart during and after. However, we never see any of their interactions before the war, or anything else about their relationship; this is all we get.

The high point of the NMJ and LXC interactions that we see on page happen during Sunshot, where we see them have three conversations (all in ch 48). High point, however, is a relative phrase. In order, there's the teacups scene; there's their conversation (including MY) after NMJ agrees to release MY from his service, with a recommendation letter no less; and there's their conversation where NMJ recounts what happened with MY in Langya.

Let's start with the teacups scene. NMJ and LXC do talk, but it's part of a group conversation with other cultivators—at least three and as many as six of whom we see interject,* one of whom is another sect leader—and it seems mostly about practical or immediate matters. The exchange on the page isn't long and "Soon afterward, Lan XiChen and the rest stood up" and are led to their resting areas by MY. Moreover, interestingly, it's NMJ who asks all the questions; LXC answers him, but doesn't ask him questions in turn, or comment on his situation. 

*there are two separate occasions where there cultivators per chime in

(Note also that the focus of the conversation suggests that NMJ and LXC aren't communicating extensively through letters or anything, as does LXC not knowing MY is NMJ's deputy. I don't think this is hugely significant, given that there's a war on and presumably they don't want information leaking everywhere and LXC doesn't seem to have a fixed address, but it does seem worth noting—as does the implication, perhaps more significant, that LXC only stops at Hejian when he's escorting other cultivators: "Everytime Lan XiChen passed Hejian as he was escorting other cultivators, he would rest shortly[.]")

NMJ and LXC's conversation in the teacups scene stands in really stark contrast to the conversation between LXC and MY that NMJ is about to overhear. That conversation is very much private; it's in LXC's private resting area, and MY is sitting in the presence of Zewu-Jun. The conversation is sort of about the war, but really only as it relates to MY's dream of "earn[ing] a proper place in the LanlingJin Sect" and "receiv[ing] the approval of [his] father." The very first thing we hear LXC say is a comment on MY's situation ("What a coincidence. You joined MingJue-xiong’s force and became his deputy")! He is of course going to go on to raise the possibility of MY going to Langya (to serve his father), and independently volunteer to talk to NMJ if NMJ isn't willing to let MY go. And even after NMJ joins them, some things are kept private between LXC and MY; when he asks them how they know each other, LXC refuses to answer, and then when he asks MY to answer as LXC will not, MY also refuses him, since LXC doesn't want it spoken.

The two conversations are simply very different, in a way that suggests a strong contrast between LXC's feelings for and interest in NMJ and LXC's feelings for and interest in MY. It's also worth noting, as I mentioned above, that it seems that NMJ sought LXC out because he was bringing LXC NHS' sabre, so LXC can bring it on to NHS. 

Now, let's look at the conversation the three of them have after NMJ volunteers to give MY a letter of recommendation and send him to serve his father in Langya. This conversation is, I think, the high point of the interactions they have that we actually see. LXC expresses a positive evaluation of NMJ: "Look, I told you that MingJue-xiong would respect your decision." He smiles at NHS' sabre, and responds directly to NMJ. And then of course there's this famous paragraph:

The three chatted back and forth, at times serious, yet at times light. The conversation was much more relaxed than when they had been in the living room. Listening to their chatter, Wei WuXian often wanted to get a word in as well, yet he was unable to do so.

That said...well. Again, there's nothing about anything here that suggests romance, and if you look at the reasons I give for it being the high point, that's not actually very high. As to the paragraph—again, I do think they're friends! But I think it's also noteworthy that the easiest conversation we see/hear about them having is one that is early in the war,* and where MY is also present, and one where NMJ has just done something good for MY.

*MY is noted as having joined the Nie forces "right after" Sunshot begins, and to have been promoted to NMJ's deputy after not many interactions; LXC also seems surprised at least by MY being NMJ's deputy, which suggests that he hasn't stopped there before while this was the case, and he comes by in the paragraph immediately after MY is promoted. Finally, after MY vanishes after his confrontation with NMJ in Langya, we're told that "during the next few years" no traces could be found of him. All taken together, this suggests to me that MY was NMJ's deputy for 1-2 months early in the war, and the conversation of course takes place at the very end of that period

(As ever, I recommend confusion-and-more's close reading of the second scene, here.)

The next interaction that's mentioned in the text is after MY tricks and immobilizes NMJ and flees, when NMJ describes what happened with him to LXC. I think it's worth noting exactly how the exchange is introduced:

Even when Lan XiChen had the time to assist Langya, a few days later, his anger hadn’t died down one bit. As soon as he came, Lan XiChen laughed, “MingJue-xiong, what a temper you seem to be in. Where is Meng Yao? Why does he not come and douse your flames?”

"As soon as he came," note! It seems to be literally the first thing LXC says. And while it is a comment on NMJ's state, its primary function seems to be as a lead-in to asking about the state/whereabouts of MY. Their exchange as the text shows us is /entirely/ about MY, and he's clearly the focus of LXC's interest. We also have this from LXC, which I think is interesting as it shows the contrast between his morality and NMJ's:

"Judging from his words, the person whom he killed had definitely done wrong. However, he should not have taken his life either. We are in harsh times, so it is quite difficult to determine who was at fault."

Their next interaction is in chapter 49, LXC defending MY from NMJ post Sun Palace—and I don't just mean verbally, he's defending against Baxia with an unsheathed Shuoyue through this whole conversation. At this point, he still has some faith in NMJ's ability to act rationally towards MY, as he asks MY if MY hadn't told NMJ about his being the spy, and NMJ displays familiarity with LXC, knowing that he rarely interrupted people. I'll note that unlike in CQL, LXC does not seem particularly angry at this point—MDZS LXC is almost never angry, including at multiple points where CQL LXC /is/—but overall it's hardly an example of particular closeness, and we see that LXC's morality continues to differ from NMJ's: "MingJue-xiong," he says of MY, "he was undercover in Qishan, and sometimes there would be some things that… could not have been helped." 

Later in the chapter, just before the Flower Banquet, it's mentioned (possibly as inference from WWX) that LXC brought up the sworn brotherhood to NMJ, "having always hoped that the two [NMJ and JGY] would reconcile." Obviously we can infer things about their closeness from the fact that LXC does in fact swear brotherhood with NMJ, but we have no direct textual statement as to why he wanted to swear /himself/ to NMJ, be that personal or political or both.

Next comes the Flower Banquet. NMJ seeks JGY out, first, for his usual concerns with JGY's moral rectitude. Shortly after, LWJ and LXC come over; shortly after that, JC and WWX come over, though they soon move on. There are two things I want to note here. First, it's the only time we see LXC seek NMJ out (and one of only two times we see one of them seek the other out—the other will be in ch 73, after the conference about WWX, when NMJ comes over to him and JGY talking). Second, this is the only time we see LXC respond to NMJ verbally post-Sunshot in a way that isn't about defending someone, either JGY (the usual case) or WQ (at the conference in ch 73)—although it is to some degree a defense of WWX, and it's not quite directly in reply to NMJ, as NMJ and LWJ have a brief exchange on the subject first. These positive signs will not occur again, and I think it's significant that this is the earliest post-Sunshot scene we see.

The next scene for this analysis (chronologically speaking; it's in an entirely different chapter) is the Phoenix Mountain Hunt. Although we see NMJ and LXC arrive to the hunt in ch 69, NMJ arrives after the Twin Jades have started slowly riding into the distance and we don't actually see them interact at all; nor do we see them together in ch 70, the rest of the hunt. Moreover, there doesn't really seem to be any suggestion that they /did/ interact. When JGY says he's not sure if he'll be able to expand the hunting ground in two hours, LXC asks him why, instead of saying something like "oh right da-ge was doing all that hunting too." Moreover, when JGY answers him ("not only did Young Master Wei keep a third of the prey to himself, our eldest brother has eliminated over half of the fays and the monsters as well"), LXC's response doesn't indicate that he saw NMJ earlier, or knew what he was doing, though it does suggest a general familiarity with Nie Mingjue's character: 'Hearing this, Lan XiChen laughed, “That is how Brother is like, after all.”' 

Now, this hardly rules out the idea that they had any interaction, but I think it at least suggests they didn't have any significant interaction, or any interaction after the hunt began. This is in contrast (again!) to his relationship with JGY—he was with him earlier for who knows how long, as they arrive on the scene together, and after this is going to go help expand the hunting grounds. They do have LWJ with them for this last, but he's helping them at LXC's request, and the framing of that request is very—well: "WangJi, should we leave, or would you like to help as well?" So LWJ can come help them, but if he doesn't want to, LXC is simply going to go off with JGY again.

If the Flower Banquet was the high point of their actual interactions on the page, post-Sunshot, then this is I think the most purely emotionally positive we see LXC feel about NMJ post-Sunshot. Significantly, it's based on an apparently older familiarity, and it's when they don't seem to have interacted recently and NMJ isn't even on the page.

The next scene they're in together, again chronologically, is in chapter 73. They're seated together in the first row, but that's explicitly because of their status, and they're grouped with LWJ and JC: "In the front row sat sect leaders and famed cultivators like Nie MingJue, Jiang Cheng, Lan XiChen, and Lan WangJi." During the conference, they have a brief conflict about WQ's culpability, which LXC leaves off explicitly because he's familiar with NMJ's hatred for the Wen. After the conference, we're told "the Venerated Trio gathered," but what this looks like in practice is LXC and JGY talking together and then NMJ coming over. LXC observed that JGY has worked hard, JGY is amused by the destruction JC wrought on his table, and then NMJ interrupts with a negative comment about JGY*: "All clever talk—hard work indeed." LXC smiles but doesn't reply. JGY tries to change the subject by asking LXC where LWJ is, and LXC gestures to the front, where LWJ and Mianmian are finishing up their conversation. NMJ compliments Mianmian, and JGY agrees. That's the end of the scene. I noted for the Flower Banquet that that scene unusually involves LXC replying verbally to NMJ in a way that isn't /just/ about defending someone; here, LXC does not speak a single word after NMJ joins them.

*In the interests of not being unfair I will note that NMJ did observe JGY lie; this doesn't really matter to the NMJ-LXC stuff except that it's a lie that LXC would also have noticed, as it involved contradicting LWJ.

NMJ and LXC are once again in the same scene in ch 78, for the swearing ceremony, and even speak one after the other. However, they don't seem to interact in any way, and their speech seems to be an important sect leader thing; we're told of their responses to JGS' toast, and then JC is explicitly contrasted in not speaking: 

Nie MingJue, “May their souls live on.”

Lan XiChen, “Rest in peace.”

Jiang Cheng, however, still had on a darkened expression. He didn’t say anything even after he poured the wine.

Now we're back in the Empathy chapters, after a not insignificant gap: the next scene is the guqin scene, in chapter 49. Although LXC is playing guqin in the Unclean Realm, and is going to offer to teach JGY the Song of Clarity which he can use on NMJ, LXC and NMJ barely interact at all—they only have one very brief exchange, where NMJ objects to LXC teaching JGY the SoC (because it's leaking Lan techniques), LXC defends his decision, and NMJ realizes he's not going to change his mind so he doesn't say anything. Again, in contrast, LXC is very focused on JGY, asking him questions about his background, complimenting his playing, and independently offering to help him improve his guqin and even teach him an "exclusive teaching" of the Lan! The contrast is very noticeable.

A little after this, it's revealed that LXC left a guqin at the UR, apparently for JGY to use to play the SoC to NMJ. This is ostensibly because he is busy with the rebuilding of CR, although WWX speculates that this is just an excuse and that he "simply wanted to give Nie MingJue and Jin GuangYao a chance to ease their tension."

In chapter 30, it's revealed that at a Discussion Conference in the past, NMJ (who we are told otherwise would not have shown up, note, although it would have been an opportunity to see LXC) confronts the Jin about their refusal to sentence XY to death. He draws his sabre with the intent of killing XY, and gives JGY "a harsh scolding," causing JGY to "hid[e] behind Lan XiChen, not daring to say anything else." It seems likely that LXC defends JGY and/or helps to calm NMJ down, although nevertheless the Jin Sect has to (temporarily) give in on the matter of XY's death sentence; nothing about any further interaction they may have is noted.

Their next interaction is at the stairs incident, back in chapter 49. NMJ charges in on LXC and JGY, who are discussing the watchtower plans together, and tells LXC to stay there and JGY to come out with him. LXC's "face disclose[s] his worry," but JGY stops him and follows NMJ out. Some time later, LXC shows up at the conflict, coming to see what's happening, "concerned after having waited for long." He manages to calm NMJ down and prevent him from further trying to kill JGY, by talking about the work JGY has put in with the Song of Clarity, pointing out that he really is in a terrible situation, and urging NMJ to give him more time. Nothing he says particularly suggests that he feels close to NMJ; if anything, he seems kind of in denial about just how much NMJ is set against JGY.

Finally, there is their last interaction, just before NMJ's death. LXC is defending—well, not so much NMJ as the idea that NMJ hasn't rejected JGY completely, to JGY. His arguments are as follows: NMJ chose to become sworn brothers with JGY, which means he approves of JGY; when NMJ included in the oath stuff about "face a thousand accusing fingers, be torn from limb to limb," and so forth, he /also/ included "if one were to think otherwise," and since JGY doesn't think otherwise, he doesn't need to worry about it too much; that NMJ has always cherished JGY's talent and hoped he would choose the right path; and finally, that he's really really troubled by the saber spirit, that "[h]is anger was simply too great for him to have thought before speaking," and that JGY must not provoke him again (presumably by talking back, as he did at the stairs). As shining defenses of character go, this... isn't one. Again, he seems like he's kind of in denial about how much NMJ is set against JGY—notably, he didn't see all of the stairs incident, certainly not the part before JGY talked back—but it also doesn't exactly contain a strong positive assessment of NMJ. Forget his defense of JGY to Wangxian: this doesn't even compare to his confidence in NMJ in the conversation NMJ overhears and then joins at the Hejian front.

I realize all this is a lot, so to sum up their post-Sunshot interactions: we only see LXC seek out NMJ once, early post-Sunshot, and that's at a party. The fondest LXC seems of NMJ is one line during the Phoenix Mountain Hunt, when NMJ isn't even on-page. We do not see them spend any time privately together when JGY is not also there, and every time they interact publically JGY is also present at the party or gathering. When we do see them interact, the only time LXC responds verbally directly to NMJ is in defense of someone; if we include his indirect defense of WWX at the Flower Banquet, then that becomes 'the only time we see LXC respond verbally to NMJ at all.'

This is not of course to say that they don't have interactions we don't see. Given the time gaps, they must! But there's nothing about the interactions we *do* see to suggest that the ones we don't are in any way actually emotionally close, certainly not on LXC's part. Again, a contrast with his interactions with JGY is instructive; as with NMJ, we certainly don't see all of their interactions, but what we do see signals their closeness, mutual respect, and tendency to spend time together. 

PT II: NMJ dead

Okay, you say, but wait! What about the depth of his renewed grief after he finds NMJ's body!! What about his deep personal betrayal about JGY killing his close friend!!!

Yes, I say, wild-eyed, having tried to find anything in the text for just that. what /about/ all that.

My problem is, how do I prove a negative? In the chapters with NMJ alive, LXC's presence and his interactions with NMJ are short enough that I could reasonably if lengthily discuss and summarize; that's just not going to work here (there are twelve and a half temple chapters!), not least because some of it is a matter of context or interpretation. So I'm doing two things. First, where we do see him actively upset, I'm going to show you what he seems upset about, and second, I'm going to point out places where we might expect him to react if he's feeling a deep personal grief about NMJ specifically, and instead he does not, or reacts differently.

Let's start with chapter 46, where LXC sees NMJ's moving corpse for the first time. I've seen the idea around that LXC recognized NMJ by his abs, but this doesn't really seem to be the case; it's either the shape of his (headless) body or his saber-fighting movements. Significantly, LWJ also recognizes it at the exact same time: "As they saw the headless shadow, both [LXC and LWJ] paused shortly." LXC's reaction to this recognition is extreme surprise, "almost to the point of shocked," and he takes a bit to resume playing Liebing, joining LWJ on the guqin (to deal with the headless corpse that's going around). 'Shock' is hardly incompatible with immense personal grief, but I will note that in this section he is also not described as anything other than shocked, although it is his first time seeing NMJ's body in ten years. 

In a few paragraphs they deal with the corpse, attacking its energy enough that it falls back into pieces. As WWX seals the pieces back into his qiankun pouch, LXC asks him to wait: he wants to look at the corpse first, and he's described as having an "ashen" complexion. In context, though, both of these things seem to me to be about the likely identity of NMJ's killer, rather than NMJ himself; when LXC says he want to look at the corpse, WWX asks him if he recognizes the corpse, but it's not LXC who replies: "Before Lan XiChen could reply, Lan WangJi already nodded slowly." Moreover, as WWX points out, LWJ has already given LXC all the evidence that points at JGY as the killer—and also, after they do start talking about the identity of the killer, LXC shows no further interest in the corpse. This, from WWX, seems to me to sum up LXC's emotional conflict in this conversation: "Sect Leader Lan, you know who is the most suspicious person. You’re just refusing to admit it." It's not about NMJ being the corpse per se; it's what NMJ being the corpse suggests JGY did. ETA: I look at this scene in more detail here.

(I'll also note that the very first time we see LXC have anything to do with NMJ's corpse, it's in chapter 11, in the context of LWJ asking if LXC is visiting JGY "again" and a paragraph on JGY from WWX which includes the revelation that he and LXC are sworn brothers on the one hand, and LXC talking about LWJ being in good spirits and bringing guests home on the other. Meanwhile, NMJ's arm: 'Lan XiChen spoke, “Uncle has taken and examined what you brought back from Mo Village.”'

Now obviously we can't infer LXC's feelings about NMJ from this directly, given that he doesn't know it's NMJ's arm at the time, but it's certainly textually suggestive, and it very much fits in with a pattern of LXC prioritizing JGY and LWJ.)

That's most of the end of chapter 46; the next chapter has LXC, LWJ, and WWX going to the discussion conference at Carp Tower. Again, it's kind of hard to prove a negative, and LXC's reactions aren't really described at great length (though he does of course greet JGY with a smile); the only thing that seems unusual is that he seems "absent-minded." 

Chapters 48 and 49, and part of 50, are the Empathy chapters. After WWX escapes from the flashback and returns to LWJ, he and LWJ start causing a ruckus trying to get into JGY's bedchamber (to get to his secret room). An audience is attracted, including LXC. Taking a cue from LWJ, he pressures his way into the treasure room; he seems relieved when NMJ's head isn't behind the curtain WWX lifts. He has—well, he certainly has a few emotional reactions, but at no point does he seem driven by grief over NMJ instead of uncertainty about JGY. At one point he "nod[s] heavily" to confirm to NHS that he's talking about NMJ. Or consider this exchange:

Jin GuangYao’s eyes still held tears, but appeared as if they were red with anger. He clenched his hands into fists and shouted with both grief and resentment, “Dismembered… Dismembered! Who in this world could’ve done such an insane act?!”

Lan XiChen shook his head, “I do not know. When we were searching for the head, the clues disappeared.”

Now obviously JGY is acting—but he's acting the role of someone who /is/ personally mourning NMJ, and he's showing more anger than LXC ever does about it. Now—to be fair, MDZS LXC gets angry even less than CQL LXC, who is hardly an angry person. But there are a few times we do see him angry—certain moments confronting JGY in the temple, in the temple courtyard when he's angry at WWX for how he's treated LWJ—and what happens to NMJ's body, never mind the fact of the death itself, doesn't seem to make the list.

In chapter 63, WWX wakes up in CR, having been recovering for four days. In this chapter and the next two, LXC becomes increasingly distressed as they discover the Song of Turmoil and the evidence seems to weigh against Jin Guangyao, enough that it's not really feasible to review every instance of it. Nevertheless, there are a couple of parts I think it's worth looking at directly.

In chapter 64, we get something extremely valuable: LXC's statement of his own emotional quandary.

Lan XiChen supported his head on his hand. His voice was low, as though he was trying to hold something back, “WangJi, the version of Jin GuangYao that I know is entirely different compared to the version that you know and the version that the world knows! Throughout all these years, in my eyes, he has always been… enduring his suffer, caring for all people, treating everyone with respect. I have always believed, without a doubt, that the criticism he received from others all came from misunderstandings, that what I knew how he truly is. Now, you want me to believe, at once, that everything about this person is fake, that he planned to kill one of his sworn brothers, that I was also a part of his plan and even helped him… Could you please allow me some more discretion before I make my own judgement?”

So, what is he distressed by here? It's quite clearly the idea that he /doesn't/ know JGY, that the JGY he knows is fake, a falsehood, and relatedly that their relationship is not as he understands it ("that I was also a part of his plan and even helped him"). JGY killing NMJ is obviously what inspires this crisis, but it's not at all what's centered in his speech here, and even the half-sentence mention that it gets doesn't frame it at all in terms of NMJ's relationship to LXC. "He planned to kill one of his sworn brothers," he says, not "our sworn brother" or "my sworn brother" or even "my friend." 

(The paragraph immediately following reads to me more like WWX's conclusions than narrative certainty, but either way, it's not about his personal relationship with NMJ: "Lan XiChen had taught Jin GuangYao the Song of Clarity, keeping in mind the grudge between Jin GuangYao and Nie MingJue, hoping that they could be how they used to be. He requested Jin GuangYao to help calm Nie MingJue in place of him. Who would’ve known that his kindness made possible Jin GuangYao’s cruelty? How should he face himself now?") 

Later in the chapter, there's the famous section where he tells WWX about his and LWJ's parents' story. I do think part of this is about telling WWX something about LWJ (although not that LWJ has feelings for him, which MDZS LXC thinks he already knows), but it's also pretty transparently about his own uncertainty re: JGY.

He paused before speaking again, “Young Master Wei, can you understand why he did such a thing?”

Wei WuXian answered after a moment of silence, “He could neither forgive the one who killed his teacher nor watch the death of the woman who he loved. He could only marry her to protect her life and force himself not to see her.”

Lan XiChen, “Do you think that this was right?”

Wei WuXian, “I don’t know.”

Lan XiChen looked somewhat lost, “Then, what do you think would be right?”

Wei WuXian, “I don’t know.”

A while later, [Lan Xichen speaks again, in a whisper]

He spoke, “Madam Lan must’ve been a very gentle woman.”

Lan XiChen, “In my memories, Mother had indeed been so. I do not know why she did such a thing back then. And, in truth, I…”

He took in a deep breath before confessing, “Do not want to know either.”

It's not what you might call subtle.

But it's also worth noting, I think, exactly what LXC focuses on telling the story. It was one of his father's teachers that his mother killed—and while that is absolutely a very important position, and obviously would have mattered and indeed did matter to QHJ a great deal—that's literally all the information we get about him, that he was QHJ's teacher. He lingers on why QHJ did what he did, and whether it was the right thing; he talks about the crime his mother committed, and his response to that. He does not focus at all on the teacher, the clear NMJ-analogue in this scenario. He's not QHJ's beloved teacher, or his favourite teacher, or anything like that—he's not even just "his teacher," he's "one of his teachers." And maybe that's all the information he has about him, but he doesn't linger on that question either! Again, there's nothing here to suggest that his conflict is about his personal connection with NMJ.

ETA: I actually missed something here. Thanks to some critique in the notes (and which I discuss more extensively in the post linked at the bottom of the page), I looked at the Chinese here, and the word LXC uses for teacher is 恩师, which Pleco gives me as “mentor; one’s kind and respected master (or teacher).” So on the one hand, that's not nothing. On the other hand, the point remains that it's only one word, LXC isn't adding lots of adjectives on to describe the teacher, and as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, simply doesn't linger on the teacher in his conversation with WWX; the focus is elsewhere. I think the point as a whole stands.

Now to the temple chapters. I think it's fairly well-known, at this point, that he doesn't bring up NMJ to JGY in the temple chapters, but I'm going to point it out again—he doesn't bring up NMJ to JGY in the temple chapters! And this is, I feel, even more significant in MDZS, where he's seen NMJ's fierce corpse. That said, there are a few instances where he reacts to NMJ/NMJ's corpse; I'm going to look at all of them.

First of all, in ch 104 when WWX says "Looks like being called the son of a prostitute is really Sect Leader Jin’s weak spot. No wonder you killed ChiFeng-Zun," we're told that "With the mention of Nie MingJue, Lan XiChen’s expression changed." No further details are provided; we don't know what it changes into, and the only hint we have as to what it changes /from/ is that LXC's last described reaction, only two paragraphs previous, was calling "Sect Leader Jin" because he knew JGY was about to fuck with JC. Also interestingly, LXC does /not/ have any reaction described when JGY and JC have the "isn't it hard being your shixiong/isn't it even harder being your sworn brother" exchange, earlier in chapter 101. Perhaps his reaction is simply not noted by the text—it seems unlikely he has literally zero reaction to it—but if we're looking for a difference, it seems like it's either the explicit reference to killing NMJ, or the reminder of NMJ calling JGY the son of a prostitute.

Second, there's the moment NMJ('s fierce corpse) shows up (ch 106). He, JGY, and NHS all say "Brother."  JGY and LXC's responses are one paragraph after the other, and the punctuation is the same: "… Brother."* Meanwhile, NHS reacts first, a few paragraphs earlier, and he cries out, "Brother!!!" We're told that "[their] three tones were drastically different," which is interesting as well. NHS seems in the grip of some strong, active emotion—excitement? grief? We're explicitly told that JGY is scared. Whatever LXC's tone is, it's hard to say—but it's not like NHS'.

*(In the original text it looks like LXC's is "…Brother." and JGY's is "…Brother...", but either way they're significantly more similar to each other's than either is to NHS'.)

Thirdly and finally, when the Jin cultivators are fighting NMJ's corpse (ch 107), NHS peers out from behind LXC's back and calls out to NMJ ("both frightened and eager"), leading NMJ to charge at them. LXC stops him by playing Liebing, then then tries to get him to recognize identifying NHS ("Brother, this is Huaisang!"); the latter unfortunately does not work, NMJ being totally overcome by resentful energy. This section does actually have some evidence of grief: when he plays Liebing, it's described as "with a sob of Liebing."

He'll continue to try and deal with NMJ's corpse, notably with LWJ and WWX, but those three moments are the only times he reacts to NMJ (as NMJ, as opposed to as a fierce corpse that needs to be dealt with). That's not a lot, and each moment is very brief, not to mention fairly ambiguous about LXC's emotional reaction. If he /was/ being driven by his grief for NMJ's death, you would think we'd see more of it.

Furthermore, there's one moment I think it's important to pull out as explicitly not about NMJ. LXC tells JGY (and had told him previously) not to call LXC er-ge, /not/ because he killed da-ge (which you might expect!) but because of the second siege: “Sect Leader Jin, I have already said, when you went your own way to scheme such havoc at Burial Mound, that there was no longer the need to call me ‘Brother.’” 

Now, to be clear, it's not that LXC's reactions to things just aren't described in the temple sequence in general. Obviously we see him react when he's telling LWJ about WWX's feelings, but even beyond that, even when he's occupying a more background role in the narrative, we're given his reaction quite a few times. He sighs when LWJ seals his spiritual powers (ch 100); he tends to NHS, covering with his outer robe (ch 102), comforting him when he's disturbed at the sight of the coffin (ch 103), protecting him from SMS (after NHS frames him for stabbing him, ch. 107) and from NMJ (ch 107), and comforting him and giving him pain medicine about the wound in his leg (ch 108); along with LWJ, he's distressed by the sound of JC's sword-scraping technique against JGY's music (ch 101); he tries to warn JC a couple of times when JC is fighting JGY (ch 101), cautions JL (ch 101) and later JC (ch 102) about worsening JC's injuries, and along with JL, WWX, and LWJ freezes when JC slaps JL to the ground (ch 102); he asks Minshan why he's being rude to LWJ, and a little later, with SMS and JL, pauses in astonishment when LWJ laughs (ch 100); he averts his gaze from and seems perhaps embarassed by the ghosts that WWX summons (ch 104); he calls out to WWX to remind him that his current body is closely related to JGY, and will therefore attract NMJ's fierce corpse (ch 107). He actually has a couple of entertaining reactions to Wangxian being Wangxian: he coughs and tells WWX it is maybe not the best time and place for this when WWX is about to repeat "I really wanted to sleep with you," and then later he and Jin Ling inexplicably! move their sitting cushions far away from Wangxian's and gaze into the distance (ch 100).

And more than anything else—in what I think is a very instructive contrast—he reacts to JGY, in a way that reflects an ongoing continual emotional investment. He is, quite notably, consistently worried about JGY and unable to stand the sight of him in pain, even when he thinks he shouldn't be. When the coffin trap goes off, and they overhear Jin cultivators wailing and a pungent smoke emerges, there's worry in LXC's eyes; after JGY and Minshan make it out, and JGY takes some medicine against the poison, LXC hesitates for a moment and then asks what happened (ch 103). After LWJ cuts JGY's hand off—which means /after/ he's taken JL hostage, note—LXC "seemed as though he wanted to help him for an instant," though "in the end he dared not" (ch 106). When Minshan asks him for medicine for JGY, seeing how terrible JGY looks, he hesitates slightly before they're interrupted by NMJ's success fighting the Jin cultivators (ch 107). After they've defeated NMJ, he treats JGY's wrist; moreover, "Seeing that Jin GuangYao almost passed out from the pain, Lan XiChen, who in the beginning wanted to use this to punish him, still didn’t have the heart to bear it," and goes for the pain-relief medicine from NHS. And this is all not even accounting for his reactions to JGY either during his questioning of JGY or post-stabbing!

And what about when he's distressed by JGY? When he's reacting with upset or anger? There seem to be two consistent threads: first, that JGY did awful things/hurt people /not/ under constraint, and second, the idea that he doesn't know JGY after all and their relationship was a lie. 

For the first, he calls out Sect Leader Jin when JGY starts in on JC after JC calls him the son of a prostitute (ch 104), although notably he does not do the same in their earlier confrontation when JGY is distracting JC in order to defeat him, only warning JC (ch 101); when JGY confesses to having burned down the brothel, he's distressed when JGY says that it wasn't entirely to remove the traces (ch 105); he becomes /less/ angry about the second siege and about QS when it turns out that he was operating under constraint in those conditions (ch 106); and of course, the thing he's angriest about is JGY killing his father, "and even in such a way" (ch 106). In ch 103, looking down at the coffin he is shocked that JGY buried something that caused such horror to its surroundings, but without further information about JGY's reasons this does not metamorphose into anger.

For the second, when WWX him asks why there's no light shining from Shuoyue, he tells him "It's quite a shame," and that he "was fooled by lies" and had his cultivation sealed (ch 99); when JGY assures him that he'll let him and NHS go without harm when the time comes, he asks if he should believe him (ch 100); when JGY asks if LXC isn't going to ask him /why/ he set the fire (since it wasn't entirely to erace the traces), we have this important excerpt (ch 105):

“In the past, it was not that I did not know what you did, but that I believed you had your reasons behind doing them.”

He continued, “But, you have done too much. And I… no longer know if I should believe you.”

Fatigue and disappointment sunk heavily into his tone.

And then after JGY takes JL hostage (ch 106), this one:

Lan XiChen spoke slowly, “Sect Leader Jin, you lied again.”

Jin GuangYao, “Just this once. There’ll be no next time.”

Lan XiChen, “This was what you said last time. I can no longer tell which of your words are true.”

LXC asks him about the letter in the first place because "whenever he heard there might be hiddenmight hidden reasons, he just had to hear it" (ch 105); when WWX challenges him before he tends to JGY's wounds, he says "Many things still remain unanswered" (ch 108).

His upset at JGY "attacking" him is in ch 108, I think, a combination of the two—in CQL, it reads more like he's angry that JGY took an action that made him need to attack JGY than anything else, but in MDZS he experiences it as a real betrayal: "As he saw Nie HuaiSang’s expression along with the warning, he felt something in his heart go cold." Because it would have been one; it's a line that JGY hasn't crossed, and as it turns out it's a line that JGY hadn't crossed, and would never.

And lastly, after JGY's death, we have once again LXC's explicit statement of his difficulties—and while LXC's post-stabbing difficulties could be different from his pre-stabbing ones, it's at least an important consideration, and it is in line with the rest of what we see:

“… Just what does he want to do? I once thought I knew him well, and then I realized I did not. Before tonight, I thought I knew him well once more, but now I do not.” Nobody could give him an answer. Lan XiChen repeated in frustration, “Just what does he want to do?”

Looking over the evidence, he's hurt and angry that JGY would do awful things not under constraint, and about the idea that he doesn't know JGY after all/their relationship is a lie. I do think it's unlikely that he's zero percent upset about JGY contributing to NMJ's death—I tend to think they talked about if offscreen, between LXC leaving with him from Gusu and WWX finding them in the temple, and that's why LXC doesn't bring him up in the temple sequence. But whatever he's feeling, his reactions to JGY don't seem to be about his own personal grief for or relationship with NMJ, and if they /had/ been about that I think there's several moments in the temple that would have played out differently.

One last note: I see often the idea that LXC going into seclusion after JGY's death is for his grief about /both/ his sworn brothers. At this point, you're probably unsurprised to learn that I don't think the evidence supports this. Not only, again, do we have very little evidence of his personal grief for NMJ post-timeskip—ten years past NMJ's death!—even after NMJ shows up again, but there's a distinct change in him after JGY dies. Before that, he's obviously distressed, but he's still tracking and on top of things; afterwards, on the other hand, we're told that "If it were the usual ZeWu-Jun, he couldn’t have failed to fathom [what WWX was suggesting the letter be intended to cause]. But right now, it was likely he had no more space in his mind to think" (ch 109), which tracks pretty well with his absent-mindedness at the banquet a few months down the line (ch 116). Nothing about LWJ's discussion with WWX of LXC's state suggests it's at all precedented (ch 115), and in fact when LQR talks to him immediately after JGY dies, we're told that "Lan XiChen’s face was full of an unspeakable grief" and that "Lan QiRen had never seen Lan XiChen, a child he single-handedly brought up, look so agitated and discomposed" (ch 110). JGY's death is a breaking point; NMJ's death, at the time or now, simply is not.

In conclusion, while he was certainly friends with NMJ pre-Sunshot, and that is genuinely rare for LXC, they began to grow apart during Sunshot; and while LXC continued to care for NMJ, he was not at all intimate with him, and showed no sign of particularly enjoying or seeking out his company. Later, while he is certainly disturbed at the idea that JGY might have killed NMJ, this is because it suggests that he /doesn't/ know JGY after all, and his reactions to JGY then and at the temple are not driven by his personal grief for or relationship with NMJ, nor is his seclusion in any way related to his feelings for NMJ.

ETA: All quotes taken from the Exiled Rebels translation.

ETA: I discuss some critique of this by @/hqfeels here.

#ship negativity cw #ship meme #I'm done!!! #good fucking god this took me a month #that damn bingo post #long meta #profound philosophical differences #anger burned in his heart #the best of men #a gentle warmth filling the deepest of needs

[zu-is-here]

Hi Zu!

Oh the cinnamon challenge was very popular a few years ago. I remember my friend tried and and threw up :'-) it was kind of funny at the time.

Apple pie! Yesss! I love apple pie! Do you like it best with cream, ice-cream or custard?

Choco powder was because I was too chicken to do the cinnamon challenge XD the power get everywhere.

Yay! I'm glad you think so! Dammm I wanna draw it so bad but too many wips!

Just imagine Cross letting dream stay with him for the night and dream comes in while cross is using the shower like "oh wow! You are magnificent! You make it rain indoors! So powerful!"

Or dream just picking up a banana from the fruit bowl and eating it with the skin on.

Or maybe killer is one of cross' neighbours, in the flat next door and asks about dream and cross just tells killer he's his cousin. Meanwhile dream is repeatedly ringing the door bell because of the fun noise.

This who au is making me laugh XD, do you have anything to add?

I saw your art today BTW! I love it! It's adorable, I love error's face! It's amazing!

How are you doing today? How's it going?

Hi Gayfish!

Oh poor guy ;3; Better be careful with such things! <3

Ikr!! It tastes amazing with ice cream *^* How does custard taste like? (・∀・) Oh my god,,, :')

PFFF— Dream is such a pure and naive bean! Gonna give Cross a heart attack (≧∀≦)♡ and make him blushhh— Eating a banana as it is tho,,, :D and mb trying to peel grapes then xd YESSS— hoo boi must protecc ♡

I can imagine him playing with the light and water switches (after Cross showed how it works) like "Now I'm a wizard too!!" or watching the TV with O_O eyes cause "You can see any place in the world??" and talking with newsmen thinking they're talking to him— someone stop me XD <3

Awww thanks a lot! (〃ω〃) I loved the idea so much I couldn't resist drawing it weeks later XD

Today was pretty lazy xp Had a nice family time and now am watching Jakei's animating stream listening to Italy's (Eurovision's winner) song on repeat *w*

How are you today? ♡

UPD:

True! <3 Not the latest one but clotred cream looks really yummy, like cream cheese I guess? *^* So many delicious additions! Oh I can imagine the taste, interesting to try (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

Awww a frightened boy! <3 and Nightmare OMG xd Heck yeah fluffynight ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) where Ccino plays along to calm Nightmare and help him to find whatever this handsome stranger want—

Yes! \(//∇//)\ Underverse 0.6 fight scene was animated, no spoilers but angry Killer looks ssso good ♪

Oh same here! Stop motion animations was such a fun to do, mweh nostalgia <3

Their song didn't hook me at first, but now I can't stop listening to it *^* And yesterday was great, France and Switzerland were in the lead, and it was SO intense until Italy just shot to the top and everyone went crazy \(//∇//)\ I love it more for the atmosphere and real emotions ♡

Was something bothering you this morning? (ó3ò) Glad to hear you're doing better now! (ówò)

Oh WOW!! Looks so soft and tasty (⁎⁍̴̀﹃ ⁍̴́⁎) You did amazing! ☆ How was it? I like sweet bread better, have made a banana bread once~ What's your choice? *^*

Idk much about mlp but their songs are really nice indeed! <3 What's your favorite one(s)? ♪( ´▽｀)

Awww I'm such a music lover I listen to literally everything, from lofi to rock and more, whatever hooks me <3 And you?

OMG the whole year?? (°▽°) Wow— what an enviable endurance heh! I imagine the anon's face when they sees their ask in a year if they sees it at all XD But thank you, that's really the least I can do for everyone here╰(*´︶`*)╯ 'sides, you all are a part of my life ♡

#updated #guess we can continue here since that ask was my late reply— #ask

[fireopal-tash]

How everything started...

If only everybody could see you

Through my eyes

We wouldn't have to worry and leave it all behind

I know it isn't easy but I think we need a brand new start

I'll hold your heart

It was not a good start, nor a bad one. It was not an impulsive moment, much less a thoughtful one.

Spinel spent a week with Steven on Earth, after the Crystal Gems received a message from the Diamonds. Something about a mission, and making peace (peace treaty) with other species. They couldn't take Spinel with them, so they decided that it was best for her to stay on Earth. With Steven. Protected. That was it. Nothing happened, and Spinel returned to Homeworld soon after. Nothing changed... Or so everyone believed.

It wasn't until in Little Homeworld a healed corrupted gem saw them holding hands, laughing and having a good time that things went downhill. They explained they were simply spending some time together, like any friends, but the crystal gems were still upset that the hybrid never told them anything about where he went and with whom. Pearl, specially, freaked out when she saw it was Spinel with whom he was spending time. He couldn't understand why.

Steven was with Connie (it was one of those days when Connie had free time for him), and the boy asked his best friend her opinion about Spinel.

"Steven... I don't think it's a good idea" she started carefully.

"What? Why?" the young hybrid asked without showing his anguish.

"Because she tried to kill you. You and the Crystal Gems" she pointed out "Look, I know you want to help her, but maybe you should let someone else do it" she explained softly.

"No, you don't understand" he shook his head "It's my responsibility. I have to help her. No one else can because... Because no one else can understand her. Only me. And she is not the only gem that tried to kill us, you know? At least she knew it was me, not Pink Diamond"

"She was… trapped, wasn't she? Then Lapis would be the most suitable. Also, she tried to kill you because of your mum" she countered.

"You see!? You don't understand either. Aghhh" he suddenly stood up, anxiety gnawing at his mind "She was abandoned, not trapped. She faithfully waited for my mom for thousands of years!"

"And how about Pearl?" the brunette tried.

Steven groaned, increasingly annoyed that no one could understand him. But that wasn't true, was it? Someone understood him. And that someone was Spinel.. Steven ran away, glowing pink.

"Steven...!" Connie called.

All of my friends and family

Keep saying you're no good

Now that I'm finally happy

Wish that they understood

They may be disapproving

But that ain't tearing us apart

I'll hold your heart

Spinel couldn't meet with Steven after that hasty goodbye. She could still hear the shouting. Such horrible words. She didn't like that one bit. He was her friend, their family. Why were they being so cruel to him? Why wouldn't they let her calm him down.

So what if they were having a good time?

So what if they wanted to be friends?

What difference did it make to them?

What rights did they have to spoil something that was just beginning to flourish?

All those questions were echoing over and over again in her mind, fueling her anger, her contempt for those gems. Towards everyone. But never to Steven. He needed her. And she needed him.

"Spinel, we know that you only wanted to see Steven. We do to. But, surely you understand that it is not right for you to leave without saying a word to us"

Oh, she knew that very well. But it was exactly for that reason that neither of them said anything. They wanted to test their friendship first, before rushing headfirst. They didn't want interference of any kind. It was their life after all.

It was not fair.

Where did everything went so wrong?

Exhausted every option

It's time to run away

Won't even pack a suitcase

I don't need anything

As long as you're besides me

I know that it'll be okay

We'll be okay

Weeks later, after sneaking away from Homeworld again, Spinel managed to speak to Steven, in his room, while everyone else was asleep (or in the case of the gems, in their own room)

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. He was so nervous. What if the gems find out? They would be separated!

Spinel nodded enthusiastically. She had been planning it carefully. Today they were going to leave, they were going to their new home, a home of their own. Far from responsibilities. Away from people who only saw someone else in them. No more Pink Diamond. They were going to be free at last.

"Ok. I trust you. I hope everything works out. How are we going to get there?"

"With Little Homeworld's portal, of course. We will be caught immediately if we use yours. Although, we have to go undercover, just in case" She smirk, satisfied with her plan. She was not stupid, after all. Just a fool.

Steven shared her smile, feeling excited.

Cuz if it's us

Against the world we'll fight it

And win as long as we're united

"Steven?" Pearl called from the bottom of the stairs. Receiving no answer, she went upstairs, determined to wake Steven up. Upon opening the door, however, there was no one in there. Thinking that maybe he would be in the bathroom, she went downstairs again and headed for the other room. She knocked a couple of times. Nobody answered. The fear was taking over the pale gem. Steven was surely fine. These past few weeks he seemed fine, at least. But what if...?

"Steven?" she called again.

"Is he still in the bathroom?" Amethyst said, noticing the other gem in concern.

"I think so... But he would have already answered me" she scowled.

"Maybe he's drowned in the bathtub," joked the purple gem.

"Don't joke about it, Amethyst!"

"Seriously, what's wrong with taking a little more time in the bathroom? Besides, maybe he's still annoyed with us" she said seemingly exasperated.

"Annoyed? Why would he be annoyed with us?" the purple gem rolled her eyes, tired of the tallest blindness.

"Maybe because we are overwhelming? Overprotective? And by "we" I mean you, and maybe Garnet" she finished, with irritation. She really needed to let out everything she thought about this situation.

Take my hand and don't you let it go now

We'll find our way out when we are faced with danger

Steven and Spinel were in the garden. No one was around as expected, but still, they waited holding their breath and their hands. Nothing was happening. The portal didn't activate. They were alone. Together. They smiled widely. And laughed.

And eyes that stares at us in anger

Take my hand and don't you let it go now

"Garnet. Do you know where he...?" Pearl tried to ask the fusion. She was stopped.

"Not now"

"But Garnet!" she complained.

"I said not now. I don't know where he is. I can't even..." She let out a painful cry before a light appeared, separating both gems.

"Oh no. What have we done?" whispered Sapphire, both oh her hands covering her mouth. Her blue orb full of guilt and fear.

We'll find our way out

I'm tired of all the hiding

When the gems told Greg what happened, for the first time ever, he yelled at them. Worse than the time they kidnapped baby Steven in the middle of a snowstorm.

Unspoken secrecy

Cuz nothing's more exciting

When they talked to Lapis, Peridot and Bismuth, they were yelled at again. Never had the crystal gems felt worse than now. They knew it was their fault Steven ran away.

When you're right next to me

I'm captured by the feeling

Connie was the last one to know about their mistake. She just looked at them, disappointed. She waited for Steven. She had faith in him. He would return to her. He always did.

Of when you're wrapped up in my arms

In my arms

Despite all the searching, they never found him. Nothing. No one knew anything about him, nor did he ever came back home.

But one day, they found a little Spinel, far from Homeworld, whistling while looking at some dresses and shorts, shopping apparently.

I don't have all the answers

Not sure what we should do

But it doesn't really matter

I'm so in love with you

As long as you're besides me

I know it'll be okay

We'll be okay

"Our way out" song by Nico Collins

IMPORTANT: Steven and Spinel didn't rushed their decision, but they didn't think it through either. Don't be too harsh on them. They are still young (in fact, worse. Because he is a teenager and Spinel acts like a teenager too, so it was expected xD And Steven almost did the same with Connie, when they were younger)

Another thing. No one thought that Steven was with Spinel because of the time they spent apart, and because they tried to appear like nothing changed. It may sound logic to us, readers, but it's not. That's life without a narrator xD

Also: if it's a ship, or just friends, or family, it depends on the reader~ See them as you want xD I don't care~ xP

People tend to forget the most obvious clues ^w^'

Here a FanArt!

(why I'm always drawing the wrong hand to hold? xD Oh well~)

#steven universe #su #su spinel #steven universe fanart #spinel #steven quartz universe #FireOpal-tash #short fiction #short story #oneshot #steven universe connie #su garnet #su pearl #su amethyst #su connie #su greg #su lapis #su peridot #su bismuth #su diamonds #song fic #steven and spinel #ship or not ship? #friend or not friend? #family or not family? #I don't care xD

[launchsteinward]

This is for the MB challenge by @somebodyalreadytookthis2

Tuesday:

By Moonlight

Once upon a time...

There was a Hero. There he stood, infront of his greatest challenge yet. Bravery and determination burning in his eyes.

His companion stood by him, a flicker of mischief in his smirk.

"Let's go"

Ignoring the dark flowers in full bloom, the duo snuck upto the castle under the cover of darkness: guided by moonlight.

Quietly but surely, the duo snuck into the castle through the back door which had conveniently been left open.

-And so, their journey to save the prince and kill the Demon king began.

___________________________________________

He slowly opened his eyes, a headache pounding against his skull. "W-where am I?"

The prince growled in annoyance as he racked his throbbing (nonexistent) brain for awnsers. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of what appeared to be a rather well kept cobble stone dungeon, he decided that it was time to leave.

With a small grunt, he pulled at the chains chaining him to the wall: the chains instantly snapping with a loud 'SNAP!'

___________________________________________

"AHHH- F#CK F#CK F#CK F#CK F#-"

"You sure you dont need help, Cross?"

Blue asked, eyebrow cocked and leaning against the castle wall. Cross ran, dodging attacks for the 13th time. Yes. He had actually died to this demon grunt 12 times and this was his 13th time fighting it.

"NO IM FIN- SH#T-"

'As amusing as this is, This has gone on long enough' mentally sighing for the XX time, he summoned his makeshift sword and ran forward. In one swift motion he stabbed the demon in its eye and cut a huge gash in its face. Soon enough, the demon dissolved into a pile of dust.

*you gained XXX exp.

*The rest of your party gained exp due to XP

share.

*you gained 37 gold

"...How-"

"That was a Swiggityswooty, Idiot. Their weak points are their eyes."

Blue stated

"..I knew that"

Cross grumbled before stalking off as though he was sulking.

"Alright" Blue smirked, amusement lacing his voice causing Cross to pout even more.

It was almost cute in a way.

___________________________________________

The Guards looked at each other. So the loud snap wasnt just their imagination. Nodding to each other: a silent message being exchanged, the pair if Demons held their spears and approached the cell carefully.

According to their lord this was one of their most dangerous prisoners yet, and they had to be very careful when approaching them. One motioned towards the steel door and the other turned the key, slowly and silently.

"STOP WHATEVER YOUR DOING AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR"

They burst into the cell, spears pointed outwards as they stood back to back. They looked around the cell, only to find it empty.

The two demons eyes widened. One stood up from his crouched position and approached the broken chains while the other pulled out his walkie talkie.

A pair of golden eyes glistened in the corner above the door.

Before the guard could even turn on the device, he was knocked out, head smashing against the stone cold floor.

The other guard turned around as fast as he could at the sound of the thump. He saw a dark figure look at him. Gold eyes where the last thing he saw.

___________________________________________

Dream rubbed his hands on his pants, smearing a purple substance all over it. Did he care? No.

He was very slightly irritated that one of the guards had ripped the sleeve off his shit, making one of his arms completely visible. His blood lust gauge was a quarter way full and he hadn't lost any of his stamina. He was ready to kick some demon ass.

Quickly, he reached into a small secret pocket on the inside of his boots. From it- he pulled out a small black tube. After unscrewing it, he looked at his reflection in the (now unconscious) guard's armour. Carefully with a steady hand, he drew across his eye perfecting his eyeliner.

Now- He was ready to kick some demon ass.

___________________________________________

"WTF is that!"

Cross screeched clinging onto Blue and pointing at the demon they had just come aCross. Said demon was black with white spots- or was it the other way around? No matter. It had two golden horns and eminated a terrifying low howl: MOOOOOO-

Cross screamed once again, pulling himself closer to Blue. Blue tried to hold back his laughter as he looked upon the so called beast that struck such fear in the great hero.

A cow demon. One of the weakest types of demons there is. Even Blue knew that someone as 'bright' as Cross could take on this demon with ease.

Blue held Cross in a comforting manner as he contemplated killing the demon himself- or letting Cross kill the demon himself and get over this seemingly ridiculous fear of his.

As Blue was hung up between these choices, Cross pulled himself closer to Blue, fear prowling his mind and looking for some sort of protection from this foul monstrosity of a demon.

Neither seemed to notice the demon dissolving into a poof of smoke and a purple clad skeleton approaching them curiously.

"Umm.. hi?"

Both Blue and Cross jumped at the appearance of the new skeleton.

Cross quickly scampering out of Blue's hold: cheekbones red in embarrassment.

After collecting himself, Cross eyed the newcomer: taking in his royal purple clothes and golden crown. His eyes widened and he froze as he realized the stranger matched the princes description perfectly.

Cross was brought back to reality by Blue's voice.

"- yeah, strange you wouldn't know where you are. The Demon King's castle isn't really a forgettable place. I'm Blue by the way. The monochrome guy is Cross."

Blue shrugged pointing his thumb back at Cross.

"I- I'm Nightmare. It's a pleasure to meet you, Blue and Cross" The skeleton: now dubbed as Nightmare said giving a bow.

"What's with the formality? Theres no need for it here. We're all friends right?" Blue said giving Nightmare a pat on the shoulder.

'YOU CANT DO THAT TO A PRINCE BLUE!' Cross mentally gasped in horror, the tables turning for a brief moment in time.

"O-oh. I see.I-if you don't mind me asking, w-what are you two doing here?" Nightmare asked, tilting his head in a questionable manner.

"Actually we're here on a mission. You see, I'm a hero and we were sent to kill the demon king and rescue the kidnapped prince" Cross decided to speak up.

"A-actually I'm a prince." Nightmare whispered hesitantly.

"SWEET! That's one thing down. Guess we're going to have to find the Demon King next" Cross said excitedly taking off ina random direction.

'So we're not going to question how he got free in the first place?... seems legit' Blue thought.

Nightmare looked in the direction Cross went before looking at Blue quizzically. "...is he allways like this?"

"I'm afraid so. Just roll with it."

___________________________________________

Dream walked through yet another hall. He had no idea where he was and when he tried to threaten ask any demon he came across after beating them up, they would faint before they could even spit out a word. It was frustrating to say the least.

'Why isnt there an exit sign?' Dream mentally grumbled stopping as he heard something. Quietly but swiftly he made his way forward: making sure to stay unseen in the shadows. The sound of humming seemed to get louder as he saw a figure, cruising their way down the hall in the direction he was going. Not thinking much of it, Dream ran forward and pinned the figure below him, his elbow to the others throat.

It was only then that the prince got a good look at the person under him. Surprisingly, it wasnt a demon, but a skeleton monster. Clad in maroon clothes: an assortment of charms hanging off his neck as well as a pointy hat, Dream could only assume that he was a spell caster. That or a witch.

The stranger sneezed: sort like a kitten, eyelights changing shape and colour as he did so. 'Strange.' Dream thought to himself before noticing a rainbow hue on the strangers cheekbones.

"U-uh, hi? You gonna get off me or...? not that I mind" The stranger said, mumbling the last part so that Dream couldn't hear.

"Oh- yeah, sorry about that. Thought you were another demon scum." Dream said getting off and helping the stranger up.

"Its fine- I'm Ink if you wanted to know or- if not. You're Dream right?" Ink said eyes changing shape once again.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Dream said immediately on guard again.

"Oh, c'mon. Your a prince. Of course I know who you are. That and they won't stop yelling about it" Ink once gain mumbled he last part.

"What was that?" Dream asked, guard dropping a bit at the logical reasoning Ink had presented him.

"Nothing" Ink quickly shook his head before mumbling again, quieter than last time: "shut up guys, your getting really noisy"

Dream shrugged before realizing the whole purpose of this encounter. "By any chance, do you know where we are exactly?"

"In the west wing of the Demon Kings Castle, last I checked." Ink shrugged pulling out an odd looking staff from his inventory.

"I see. Where's the exit?" Dream questioned earning another shrug from the smaller. "In the north wing I suppose"

"And which way is the north wing?" Dream sounded exasperated. "That way." Ink said pointing his staff towards the hall Dream just came from. Dream groaned in annoyance before picking Ink up and putting him on his shoulder like a potato sack. The smaller was lighter than Dream expected, making it easier to hold him down with one hand as the other struggled to get free.

"Stop struggling. Your showing me the way out of this place. Then your free to do whatever you want." Dreams sturn voice cause Ink to freeze.

Dream was shocked as he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. Looking to where Ink had just been he realized the other had vanished.

"Looking for someone?"

Dream instinctively turned around and punched whatever had just snuck up on him. He opened his eyes when he felt the hard yet smooth surface of polished wood against his knuckles. He immediately made eye contact with a pair of somewhat familiar mismatched eyes.

"Hi again."

Dream pulled back and sighed in annoyance. "Warn me next time you do that. I may actually end up taking off your head."

Ink giggled slightly before shrugging. "Whatev. Just, dont carry me again. I guess I'll tag along for now as this could be fun but don't be expecting too much from me"

___________________________________________

"Hey! I think I almost finished the puzzle!" Cross yelled triumphantly as he moved the last stone onto a platform.

Blue chuckled while Nightmare giggled at Cross's enthusiasm. It wasnt even a hard puzzle but they let Cross do it due to the shimmer in his eyes. So here they where, half an hour later with Cross finishing the puzzle.

As the door to the next room appeared, the trio made their way over to it. When Nightmare accidentally stepped on a hidden pressure plate activating a pitfall trap, causing Cross and his companions to fall down into the floor below them.

___________________________________________

"So your a wandering trader?" Dream asked curiosly as he beat another demon into a pulp.

"Yup! Mainly magic weapons and potions" Ink said, leaning against the wall and playing a flute.

"Huh, Cool. If you dont mind me asking, why did you become a wandering trader rather than just, you know- a regular trader?" Dream through the passed out demon to the floor: his bloodlust gauge reaching half.

Ink stopped playing the flute, his expression serious. "Let's just say I made a vow. A vow never to get attached to anything."

There was an ominous shadow hanging on Inks face, preventing Dream from seeing the smallers expression.

Ink felt a haunting warmth surround him.

*Dream used hug on Ink!

He couldn't stop the tears pricking at his eyelights. It had been so many years since he had felt warmth familiar to this.

Dream rubbed the smallers back in a comforting manner as Ink seemingly broke down.

"I-I tried so- so hard to s-stop it" Ink hiccups, burying his face in Dream's blood stained chest.

"B-b-but it s-still hap-pened an-nyways. Now t-their a-a-all go-ne a-and itss a-lll my fa-fault! I-if only I-I wa-warned t-them- they cou-uld have e-escaped." Ink chocked, his voice cracking as Dream pulled him closer.

"Shhhhhhh" Dream whispered as he started to gently sway them: in Hope's of calming the other down. He always did this whenever Nightmare had a breakdown.

Soon enough, the smaller had stopped sobbing: letting out little hiccups here and there."Ink..." Dream started, feeling the other stiffen against him.

"I dont know what happened to you in your past but I can tell you this. Dont let your past weigh you down. You may have lost some very important people to you in the past- but that doesn't mean you should make new ones. I'm sure that whoever you've lost would want you to be happy and make new relationships rather than avoid people and travel constantly." Dream said, an usual softness: only used on Nighty, in his voice.

After holding Ink for a few more minutes, Dream spotted another demon start to approach them from the corner of his eye. Carefully nudging the smaller off him, he motioned to the demon before heading off to kill it: not seeing the light blush and small smile playing on Inks lips.

___________________________________________

"- and then I told them 'that's not an emo, that's my brother!'" Dream exclaimed earning a giggle from Ink. "You can imagine their faces when they found out that was their prince" Dream ended with a chuckle.

Ink in the other hand looked like he was having an extreme giggle attack. He was clenching his stomach while giggling and letting out strangely adorable snorts in the process.

Dream couldn't help the slight heat burning on his face as Ink continued to giggle and snort.

"Wh-" was all Dream managed to get out of his mouth before the floor below him gave away and they both fell into a pit below them.

___________________________________________

Extra:

Dream groaned. 'Where am I now?'

His eyes once again had to get used to the familiar darkness of the dungeons. Exept: that wasn't where he was. He seemed to be in some sort of underground chamber with little to no lighting. He could just make out thousands of wide pillars holding the chamber up.

He groaned in annoyance. Now he needed to find a way out of here. If only he had a guid- Ink! Dream looked around frantically: looking for the trader's staff or even hat. After finding nothing in the darkness, he sighed. He could only hope that Ink was alright.

Thats when he heard it: a set of voices. One extremely familiar. Using his heightened sense of hearing, he headed in that direction. Creeping behind a pillar: he could barely make out a party of 3 silhouettes. One similar to his own.

"Nighty?"

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