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dazais-guardian-angel · 9 months

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Chapter 110 is 13 pages long welcome to hell!!! so in a lot of ways this is just more fuel for a theory that I've had for a few weeks now, that's only gotten stronger with each recent season 5 episode, which is that the last episode of the season is gonna end on 110, and that Asagiri/Harukawa and Bones have been collaborating to make this happen, specifically because it's a major turning point that would be the only good place to end the season on.

When we started getting especially long chapters again (like from 25-35ish pages, with the exception of 107.5, the last two being some of the longest we've ever had), at first I just assumed that Asagiri/Harukawa got freed up from some other obligations they'd been having to cause the extremely short/half chapters, like promotional stuff for the anime/Beast movie, or working on light novels. But then 109 happened, with the "supposed" death of Dazai, and heavy emphasis at the end on how literally everyone is at their lowest point right now, and I got to thinking. 11 episodes is a strangely specific number for an anime season -- why not 12, or 13, or even 10, like you'd usually see? Why have we gotten suddenly gotten two 35 page chapters out of nowhere, that's almost unheard of at this point? They're both beautiful chapters, don't get me wrong (as always), and maybe A/H simply just didn't want to cut them in halves because they felt like the full emotional impact wouldn't hit/that there were no good cutoff points in them, but you can't deny that it's surprising, after all the shorter chapters we've been getting. Why has the anime been going at such insanely breakneck pacing for the most part ever since around the Sunday Tragedy chapters, even more so than it has in the past? So much so that it feels dangerously close to overtaking the manga?

Well, maybe, just maybe, it's because..... Asagiri decided a long time ago that whatever happens in 110 is the only point that feels "season finale"-worthy enough, in an arc that still isn't anywhere close to being completely wrapped up, and so both the manga and the anime have been specifically coordinated to reach that part within 2 and a half weeks of each other?

I've seen a lot of people now think season 5 will end with 109, and as much as my sadistic side would find that hilarious, I honestly don't think they'd do that and realistically don't want it to happen; it'd be so cruel to cliffhanger the anime for years like that, and just doesn't feel like a season cliffhanger BSD would do, a series that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting. Seasons 2 and 3 had a positive, conclusive ending; the only reasons seasons 1 and 4 didn't was because they're technically not really full seasons of their own, and are more like the first cour of another "season" that also came out that same year (seasons 1 and 2 both aired in 2016, so they're more like one big season, and seasons 4 and 5 have both aired this year, so they're also more like one big season, again taking into account how episodes 12 and 50 are not satisfying finales like episodes 24, 37, and hypothetically, 61, are). I really can't see season 5 ending with Dazai and Fukuzawa's supposed deaths, Sigma being unconscious and maybe close to death, Atsushi being vulnerable and limbless again, everyone we love still vampires, and the entire world being basically doomed; that's just too depressing and not like BSD at all. However, having said that, if it doesn't end there, there really isn't any good place to end the season before that, either, that feels in any way satisfying or like a finale at all. And so, to me, that only leaves after 109: chapter 110.

I think things are really gonna turn around next chapter. Like I said, everyone is at their lowest point right now, it cannot possibly get any worse, the framing of Dazai, Fukuzawa, and sskk at the end of 109 is telling us that; this is the time for the heroes to finally start winning again, with Aya being so close to pulling out the sword, and for all the thematic reasons other people have talked about to death that I don't need to go into here again. This upcoming chapter being so short again makes a part of me wary of 110 being "the one", so to speak, I won't lie, but at the same time, it's very possible that it needs to be that short because that's all the final episode of the season will be able to reasonably fit in, since it's already gonna be VERY close if they do make it all the way to 109. And at the end of the day, I don't doubt at all that Asagiri and Harukawa can make these the most monumental and game-changing mere 13 pages ever if they wanted to; a chapter does not at all need to be extremely long in order to be an important and impactful one, even if short ones we've gotten in the past haven't felt the most important.

An additional thought I've had, though this is much more crack territory than all this already is, is that since we know from Anime Expo that a Stormbringer movie at some point is highly likely (judging from Asagiri's reaction when someone brought it up), it's possible that chapter 110 and thus the final episode will involve the long-anticipated return of Verlaine and/or Adam, or at least some other major reference to Stormbringer, that would naturally and smoothly lead into a Stormbringer movie to explain things to people who haven't read the novel. It would make a lot of sense, especially since the s4 OP has the Old World sign behind Chuuya, which might be a hint that this has been in the works ever since seasons 4/5 were first in planning with Asagiri. We also know that Dazai and Chuuya's voice actors apparently struggled to record their lines together this season, which probably relates to 101 and possibly 109, but it could be 110 too.... I could be very wrong, as I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but I kinda doubt they would bring Chuuya's actor in for just the vampire growls, and Asagiri placing heavy emphasis on Chuuya's importance this season in that one interview gives me the impression that he's talking about much more than just 101/109. But that's the least solid evidence I have, that's just mostly based on vibes I get.

So basically, I think a lot of factors -- the unusual episode count, how close the anime is to catching up to the manga with three whole episodes left, the seemingly arbitrary recent chapter lengths, and the climactic events of 109 -- can tell us that 110 might be a very, VERY big deal. Again, there's of course no way this arc is anywhere near close to being finished, with so much left to address and resolve, but since it is currently incomplete in the manga, unlike the previously adapted arcs, if the anime was going to adapt it at all, they'd have to find a place that feels satisfying enough to end this season, knowing there won't be more anime for a long time after this, and so I think they specifically planned for that, from both Bones' and A/H's sides. 10 episodes might not have been enough to reach that point, but 12 or 13 might have been too many it wouldn't have been if Bones actually decided to slow down and let the story breathe the way it needs to, but this post isn't meant to criticize the anime, so maybe 11 was just right. And maybe Asagiri and Harukawa specifically pushed to make recent chapters longer than usual, in order to make sure that the manga reached the story content in 110 the monthly release right before season 5 was to end.

Is this just copium? Absolutely. Am I going to look like an absolute clown in two days when this post ages like milk? Probably. But the evidence is There, so let me just enjoy my delusions until Sunday, okay 🥂🫡

#bungou stray dogs #seriously call me a clown and point and laugh at me if I'm proven wrong all you want #but I really feel like there's solid evidence for this #either s5 isn't gonna reach 109 at all (but I seriously cannot fathom where you would want to stop before then) or they'll go beyond it #if they really do end it with 109....... well i'll give Bones kudos for having the balls to do that ig lol #maybe i'm underestimating (overestimating???) them idk #also just to clarify I don't wanna make it sound like I think Asagiri let the anime/Bones dictate the manga's pacing #like I'm sure these were his/their (him and Harukawa's) own decisions first and foremost #not that (if this theory is true) the anime had a major impact on how the chapters were split and that it-#-would have been extremely different otherwise #i'm pretty confident in that Asagiri does not do anything with BSD he isn't comfortable with #and he doesn't let anyone tell him how to write his story #I just feel like he worked with Bones to make this near-simultaneous release happen #BUT if this is the case I don't feel like it had any major effect on the writing/final product that is the manga #like the last handful of chapters have been so incredible #so I at least am still perfectly happy lol #(i mean i'm devastated and a nervous wreck but u know 🫡 in a good way lmao)#anyway 110 in two days please let this theory be true because I need some fucking hope already #please let Oda show up as Dazai's guardian angel to help (see what I did there-)#it would be the perfect way to end the collective season that is 4/5 with s4 beginning with Oda and now ending with Oda #Asagiri are you reading me are you picking up what I'm putting down please please a ghost Oda is long overdue please-#Oda Verlaine Adam just GIVE ME SOMEONE ALREADY 😭😭😭#MAYBE EVEN A TASTE OF THE FYODOR BACKSTORY TO TIE INTO HIM BEING IN ANIME UNTOLD ORIGINS. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

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westwindy1 · 4 months

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I'm getting tired of HTTYD hate actually. I have my own things but now it just feels like we're all jumping on a bandwagon because it's trendy and I'm kind of too exhausted to have to deal with that.

#the hate is slowly getting more extreme and has completely dertailed itself i think #also media literacy is low #httyd #how to train your dragon #chat if you feel the need to nitpick other people are you really confident in your own opinion??#no

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baby-xemnas · 11 months

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How many times he will have to reassure him? As many as Bepo needs ♥

#lawbepo #one piece #bepo is always gonna be a little 👉👈#law can be an extreme loser but hes a cocky son of a bitch but you know bepo loves him that way #law has confidence for the both of them #he is so used to bepo being shy and overwhelmed #its just endearing #he doesnt doubt bepo just knows bepo doubts himself plenty #and bepo forever feeling like a weak baby with law despite being three times his size #their roles got established when the moment they met #i love them #my art

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jadeazora · 11 months

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It's really funny to me how Lysandre, despite being my personal WORST villain from the games until Rose came along, has somehow ended up with one of the best villain arc chapters in Masters (imo) and generally feels better handled as a character overall there, the best villain team portrayal in the manga, and the best villain arc in the anime.

This guy be winning everywhere else at least.

#lysandre #team flare #pokemon xy #pokemon xy&z #pokemon masters #pokemas #pokeani #anipoke #i liked rose before that stupid forced conflict #like there were so many better ways the writers could have introduced eternatus #like have it break confinement on its own #or have leon mainly lose to it because he's undergoing a crisis of confidence after losing to the player #but no #instead we got “i'm salty you're making me wait this extra day so I unleashed it anyway. this is your fault btw.”#my issue with Lys was mostly how he's played off despite his extremely troubling rhetoric #and his wasted potential #masters fixes him somewhat with the latter and it does feel like he's more open to sycamore and the kids #he's still dangerous and brutal to those who he sees as unworthy to live in his new world #but his interactions with sycamore and the kids are more positive than they were in xy

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the-everqueen · 2 months

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Wondering your thoughts on something I’ve noticed a lot in the Sandman fandom - namely, that every fanart or fanfic involving Daniel (based on the show!!) always portrays/describes him as white, despite the fact that show!Danny’s dad is a black man…

i think there's a few factors at work. first (and foremost) people trying to incorporate bits of the comix in the absence of "official" casting (almost every fanart and a lot of fanfics defaulted to Destruction as a white, red-haired man before the actor was announced). Danny in the comix is a blonde baby and then a sort of...ghostly amalgam of a young man who never existed and Morpheus as we knew him (disheveled hair, gaunt figure, sharp cheekbones, dark eyes). what would that look like in the show? i don't know! i'm hoping there's at least a nod to Daniel's human parentage (he's blonde in the comix BECAUSE he's Lyta Hall's son, and in the comix she's blonde), but i think there are a few ways that it could be cast. Danny!Dream as mixed, light-skinned, and/or racially ambiguous could be both really tragic and really compelling: the erasure of where he came from as metaphor for his personal losses (of family, of childhood, of "personhood" in a human sense), and the insistence on some reminder of his parents, his past, as a counter to his "function." i'd love to see that explored in fic! (as someone who also defaults to comix!Daniel - though there IS a reasoning behind this choice in the LA guard dog universe and non-Dreaming aus.)

at the same time, i think it's partially a function of fans getting attached to Tom Sturridge's portrayal of Dream. when s1 came out, i saw some discourse circulating about how already people weren't ready to "lose" him (and i think some of this filtered into the whole "retired" Dream headcanons, though that's another discussion). and i get that if someone else is cast as Danny, there's going to be a...reaction to both the actor figured as a "replacement" for Tom and the character as a "replacement" for the Dream that fans became attached to. which then becomes a possible burden on the actor. Rose's actor, Vanesu Samunyai, got significant backlash for being a Black woman to play a character who was white and blonde in the comix, and i could see that kind of racism seeping into people's reactions to Daniel. (also a fan grief/sadness at the tragic ending used as a "justification" for racism.) it's not clear to me how much support nonwhite actors like Vanesu get when they're cast in these roles where fans might "expect" a white actor. (like...Riordan told Leah Jeffries in the new PJO series not to listen to the haters because he chose her, which is great and all, but...is production working to ensure that she has someone she can safely process her experiences with, is she given reasonable accommodations, is someone else moderating her socials so she doesn't have to deal with trolls?) so that's another consideration.

(obviously the "solution" isn't to never cast nonwhite actors, but there's been an increase in "diverse representation" in media without a discussion of how these predominantly white spaces have material impact on nonwhite creatives.)

last thing is just that i've noticed the sandman fandom generally seems...more reluctant to engage in alt. casting than say, musical theater fandoms, where there's an expectation that the principal actor won't always be in a role or present when you witness the performance. there's this automatic turn toward finding someone who fits, for example, Delirium from the comix in the absence of an official show casting, rather than playing around with the uncertainty. (personally i'm out here championing Bailey Bass as my Delirium face cast, and tbh if they cast the rest of the Endless sibs as white, she and Stephanie Hsu will remain my primary Del references.) which i think is common in fandoms that rely on a visual "text" for reference, and even more so for Neilman tv fandoms, where fans seem to want/expect "word of god" affirmation. again, another discussion, but i'll just say for now i think the fandom suffers for it.

#sandman #sandman netflix #part of me DOES think it would be funny to just slap a white wig on Tom Porridge for TKO and just end it there #as a sort of...refusal to engage #it'd also be extremely lazy and i think unfair to Danny as a character and who he's been set up to be #but also...let's see if the show makes it that far #i'm already tentative given how much the neilman seems willing to bend to fans in adaptations #and given how gomens has gone...i don't feel 100% confident he'll commit to the story he's already told #ask box

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good-beanswrites · 9 months

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A drabble for Honesty with Yuno and Muu for @amugoffandoms! Thank you for the request -- not only was I really inspired by the concept, but writing this FINALLY made everything click in my brain about Muu's character. As Yuno is making realizations about her, so am I lmao 😂

Yuno was good at breaking people down. Given a bit of time, she could pick them apart -- what they wanted, what made them tick, what was going on behind the scenes. There were many methods to get them to give in and open up to her. Milgram had given her a challenge, though. Try as she might, she could not break Muu Kusunoki. And boy, did she try.

As soon as they met, Yuno could see her for what she was. The two were the same, she thought with a bit of satisfaction. Yuno saw a bit of herself every time Muu read the room and responded accordingly, nudging people in a certain direction to get what she wanted.

She tried everything in her power to connect. After all, they were just two actresses trying to make it through this ordeal. But Muu never seemed to reciprocate. She delved into personal secrets in the hopes of seeing the other unmasked as well. She offered attention and praise. She grew chatty. She shut up and listened. She became more forceful, asking questions about her crime. Each time, Muu was far more focused on Haruka than anything else. There was something going on, and Yuno would get to the bottom of it.

Yuno knew there was only one option left to try. She’d always hated the honest route, though.

The pair had just seen Haruka off with sweet smiles. They had a quick moment to themselves in the dining hall. Yuno rested her cheek on her palm.

“Why do you do that?”

Muu took a sip of her drink, avoiding her eyes. “Do what?”

“String Haruka along like that.”

“He’s Muu’s friend. Of course we hang out.”

“He won't do anything for you in the long run. He can't.”

“Do anything…?” She giggled sweetly, knowing exactly how to angle her head to appear oblivious. “Isn’t being my friend enough?”

Yuno sat up straight. She was tired lying in circles around each other.

“Come on. Just be honest with me. What are you trying to gain in all this?”

Her face scrunched in confusion. “I told you, I want a friend. Someone who likes me and treats me well. Haruka gives Muu lots of attention. He tells me I’m pretty, and nice.” She smirked, but it was the kind of smile that showed she knew she was pretty and nice. “And I like him, too! He’s cute. Like a sad little puppy, you know? I’m less lonely with him.”

At that moment Yuno was hit with a sudden and painful realization. It was a rare occasion in which she had been wrong about someone: unlike her, Muu was an honest girl.

All of their past conversations made sense, now. Muu never lied, she just stayed quiet. She didn't twist any truths, she just offered different ones. She may have been giving others exactly what they wanted, but she never had to fake parts of herself to do so.

Muu squinted at her. “Don’t you have friends that are just… well… friends?” Yuno’s gaping expression must have gone unnoticed, because she simply laughed. “You’re funny, you know that?”

“Mm…”

The two sat in awkward silence. Well, it was to Yuno. Muu seemed perfectly untouched as she finished her drink.

She stood. “Muu is going to go see what the others are doing.”

“Alright, have fun,” Yuno said distantly. “It was nice talking with you.”

“Oh, was it? I thought it was kinda weird.”

A dry laugh escaped her. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Muu made it to the doorway before Yuno blurted. “Hey.” She had one last question, and knew she’d get an honest answer. “Why did the warden forgive you? I heard it was a really tough decision for them.”

“Hmph, I still think they should have forgiven Muu very easily…” She tapped a finger to her lips, thinking cutely. It was a practiced pose of Yuno’s, but she made it look effortless. It probably was. “I guess they finally understood that what I did was to protect myself, and that I was worth it. I mean, you were forgiven too, so you understand.”

She left with a dainty wave. And that’s when Yuno was hit with a second painful realization. Another rare occasion: she was jealous.

#milgram #yuno kashiki #muu kusunoki #thank you pal aah!#i really loved the idea of two young girls who know how to read the room/manipulate people into treating them well #and having a lot of self love/worth #but one uses complete honesty and the other uses only lies to do so #im not claiming im good at writing muu lol but she finally clicked in my brain and i feel more confident about characterizing her #she felt very contradictory but its starting to make sense...#she is incredibly honest but in a clever way #she comes across as very manipulative and sneaky but shes actually extremely genuine #and genuinely frustratingly cute lol #drabbles

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lhrry · 1 year

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#aotv spoilers #ok you’re asking for my opinions let’s do it #i love louis!!!! im so proud of him and im so happy i got to watch him on his journey for so long and can’t wait for what’s to come for him #and i think my love for him and for his music and for my time in the fandím and for one d etc is what makes this a good watch and why i #liked it because otherwise i have my reservations to the movie and im not going to get into the babygate stuff #apart from the fact that louis trying to get freddie to hug him was extremely awkward and ive never seen less organic thing than the beach #scene and i find it funny they tried to push that as organic so hard #my issue is that it just had a potential to be a much better film is all sksmsk #it is good but it feels a bit rushed and kind of cheap in some ways and i get that’s the style of these biopics sometimes but #like it was such a shame the bg music was not really gold and was always exaggeratedly emotional because it made it cheesy and cheap and #kind of forced #i think it would have a great potential to get many people to say wow this is a strong talented guy and i think it is a great intro but i #think they undersold the movie so it’s not going to have a chance to reach an audience much wider than his current fanbase which is a shame #for his current fanbase it is a solidification and reiteration of his promo season and it is very clear where they want louis to stand and #what they want his image to be like and i think it’s absolutely amazing how they managed to show his growth as an artist and as a human and #and place him in a position where he’s now confident and secure and ready to embark on a new journey etc. although for the fans there’s #nothing new there and i think it’s worth considering how exactly they’re portraying and that they completely left out his relationships #aside from his family and the band #i think it’s important that it was noted he was undersestimated and pushed down and i think they made obvious how much he’s worked on #himself #i think it’s kinda clear they’re using it as a faith in the future promo with the new songs even though the doc ends with the end of the #tour #i think it’s interesting how many rainbow flags they chose to include without addressing the way his shows and fanbase look at all because #if i were from Gp id wonder what’s up with that esp when he only acknowledged the kmm project again #generally i think it’s a good watch that’s very transparent in what it’s trying to do for louis promo and image wise and it doesn’t tell #you anything new but it reminds you why you love this man so much while also leaving you a bit disappointed because this had a much #greater cinematic potential and a lot of it feels either rushed or underfinanced or forced and that’s a shame

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iknaenmal · 1 year

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okay. today i will go on a difficult mission. i might not come back (will ask i friend if they want to hang out)

#IN MY DEFENSE ILL SAY THAT SHES A REALLY COOL FRIEND OKAY ?#shes like. so easy to talk to and shes so cool and she is so funny and shes the only person i know irl who is into homestuck!!!#well kinda #and she has had an extremely good impact in my life as in !! idk she has made me more confident? idk how to explain that #THE THING IS. i met her less than a year ago but shes extremely important to me and i love talking to her #and i would love hanging out with her more #SO. today. im gonna tell her that im gonna go watch spiderverse this aaturday and im gonna ask her if she wants to come #i will see her today bc we both go to a club for neurodivergent people #but im not gonna ask her there that would be stupid. also i would feel bad for not inviting the rest of our clubmates (? as well #i already do but hngggn. idk #anyways im gonna ask her later when i come back home it will probably be p late but thats okay #or hm. i usually stay longer than im supposed to stay and she does too i could ask her then but i probably wont :/#WELL WHATEVER.#honestly im p sure i wont actually ask her.. the idea is nice but i dont have enough skills for that i think. oh well we will see #ikna talks #oops sorry for rambling. sorry sjssnsjskl

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goblingirlpicnic · 2 months

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✨❤️😃Please put me down 😃❤️✨

#literally feel so gross #I think I’m just feeling extremely self conscious #idk I just feel like no matter how far I come in my transition I still haven’t reached a point where I feel like fulfilled.#there’s this like idea of the girl I should be but I feel like I can’t attain it #like I want to be this intelligent and confident woman but I can’t even make eye contact with my friends #sorry for the rant #I’m just a silly girl :3 #trans girl #Dysphoria #queer #Tgirl rotting #transexual failure #they call me the clockiest budtender

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naranjapetrificada · 10 months

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Consider this your opportunity to be an Astrology Bitch and go off about Leo Stede!

(signed, a Virgo sun, Cancer moon, Capricorn rising who simultaneously is and is not an Astrology Bitch, more of a Tarot Bitch tbh)

Okay! You asked for it lol.

I should start by saying that I'm an August Leo sun. Stede is a July Leo, as confirmed by the show:

July Leos are...different somehow? It's not a bad thing and it's not their fault, and if anybody else comes for them we August Leo's will throw down for our siblings, but there's something about the vibes! Maybe it's the Cancer proximity, idk. If anything my anecdata suggests that they're more well adjusted than the rest of us. 🦁❤️🦁

Anyway, I immediately sat up and noticed when they cut to the gravestones because it's second nature for me as an Astrology Gay. Obviously I didn't know Stede at the time and I don't actually know what went down as the character was developed, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if I learned that at least one person in the writers room was a fellow Astrology Gay.

So I completely forgot about his birthdate because a) ADHD and b) swooniest romance I'd ever seen, but I started thinking about it again when I showed up like a year late to the fandom and saw people talk about whether they were Ed coded or Stede coded. I am heavily, heavily Stede coded for neurodivergent reasons, but he also exhibits certain Very Leo traits that I recognized immediately.

Leo stereotypes:

Let's get the stereotypes out of the way because while they do apply sometimes (especially for Stede), there's no need to rehash them in detail.

Leadership, which he struggles with at first but a) takes up the mantle of it anyway and b) improves enough that by the end of the season the crew that wanted to mutiny saves his life.

Good hair. Nuff said.

The man has an auxiliary wardrobe for fucks sake.

His "theatrical instincts are finely honed" and while Izzy says it to encourage the fuckery, it's not a lie.

The Revenge

If an 18th century Leo was going to custom build a pirate ship and money was no object, they would 1000% build the Revenge. I could see arguing that a Taurus might build something similar, but honestly I'm not sure a Taurus would become a pirate by choice. Maybe a Taurus might build like, a pleasure yacht or something. A Libra might build a ship that's as good-looking as the Revenge but sharing expensive tastes isn't enough to convince me either. Stede's money allowed him to build and decorate luxuriously, but plenty of rich people used to comfort didn't have ships like the Revenge. As Nigel says during his tour, it's just so incredibly him.

Now for some feelings stuff:

Leos love it when other people are happy, and when we can be involved in fostering that at all for people we care about we are ON IT. Stede wants to create space for others to get what they need to make that happen. Literally in the first episode he talks about the Revenge as somewhere for his crew to work on their trauma and communicate their feelings.

The above is also an extension of Stede's instinctive generosity. Canon doesn't tell us where Ed got his clothes for the French boat party in episode 5, but given that Stede has an auxiliary wardrobe (which he shared with Ed almost immediately) the most likely scenario seems like he loaned (or maybe even gave!) it to Ed. Another possibility is that it was on the ship where Frenchie found his and Oluwande's outfits, but the purple jacket in particular seems very extra in a way that says "Stede" to me.

Speaking of episode 5, let's talk about the party game. Obviously the main takeaway is that Stede has enough of a handle on passive aggression to make the French assholes tear each other apart, but it's not just the passive aggression, it's in the delivery. With sufficient motivation (Ed's hurt feelings, if not his own) we see Stede command the room with confidence. He chooses his targets well. He knows just what to say to get them to agree to play the game at all. The fire wasn't part of the original plan but it shows just how powerful those hard-won skills are when he wants to apply them. (This doesn't feel like it merits its own bullet point but Leos are protective, ride-or-die friends, something else we see in this episode.)

Stede's love language, imo, is quality time. There are arguments for others (there's also a really good meta about his love language causing miscommunication with our touchy-feely boy Ed, if I can find the link I'll edit) but quality time seems the most appropriate to me. Another part of the whole generosity of spirit thing is that he seems to enjoy what a friend of mine called "engineering experiences" for people i.e. crafting activities and jam sessions for the crew. The most obvious of these is the treasure hunt for Ed, which of course comes out of his fear of Ed leaving, but it's also a way for them to spend time together. I'm not at all surprised that a lonely, bullied kid would grow up to value quality time.

I would also extend this to the clearly routine (but still extravagant) breakfast for two that we see Calico Jack crashing in episode 8. Not to mention the first breakfast he and Ed ever share up on the maintop in episode 4. It's not fancy, but he wakes Ed up to share in that moment because he's enjoying the sunrise and the marmalade, and I can't think of anything more Leo than enjoying something then immediately wanting to share it because someone else might enjoy it too.

Stede's not perfect of course, despite all those seemingly positive things I just said. In the way of some Leos he is frequently thoughtless, up to and including when he didn't make to the dock. I can't speak for every Leo but I have definitely accidentally flirted with/been read as flirting with people before, whether I was attracted to them or not. And yeah his quarters are nice but he could have used some of that space for more crew quarters, right? And how could a Leo possibly misread "what makes Ed happy is you" as badly as he did?

Well I may be an Astrology Binch but I mostly like it (and anything else that puts personalities into discrete groups) as an analysis tool. It's just a fun lens to examine behaviors through, IRL and with fictional characters. Also, the show is clearly trying to examine things like trauma and self-loathing in ways that are gonna inform character behavior way more than a hypothetical astrology enthusiast in the (admittedly pretty queer) writers room. But the vibes? The vibes are so there.

#There's also an entire essay I could write about Leo traits people don't notice or care about but I can do that later #Rhys isn't a Leo though Taika is #Rhys is an Aries and Aries/Leo friendships and relationships can work out extremely well #I appreciate Taika for his Leo vibes #which are not the expected ones #I love seeing a Leo who seems occasionally bored during interviews and stuff #more grumpy Leo representation please #stede bonnet #because this next one came up in the results for Stede's name I'll add it too #stede bonnet has a caretaking kink #which isn't not a Leo thing either lol #ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd meta #our flag means death meta #character meta #astrology is fake but #fictional character astrology #oh also let's not forget all that sunny Leo energy that's part of so much Stede fanon #that feels relevant #afaik we don't have a birthdate for Ed #but it wouldn't surprise me at all to learn he was a Scorpio because the man can BROOD #I can also see him as a couple other signs though so I would need to think about it for a bit longer first #also I couldn't shoehorn it in but something about the difference between confidence and self esteem #Leos can definitely have one but not the other #*points to self*

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avirael · 7 months

Text

Never Go Back

“You’ll have to go alone.”, A’viloh stated like it was a simple fact.

“Excuse me??”, Rael retorted though they had understood him perfectly fine.

Ashamed A’viloh lowered his eyes. “I cannot go to the Forgotten Springs. I’m sorry but I just cannot…”

Rael squinted at him. They knew the Miqo’te good enough by now to notice that something was bothering him. “Why?”, they simply asked and hoped that they didn’t have to pry that information out of him.

The Viera’s stern look made A’viloh fold or maybe he had simply understood by now that he could confide in Rael no matter what it was.

“You remember how I told you that Laqa and me lived in Little Ala Mhigo for a while, right?”

“I’m not amnesic, A’vi.”, Rael answered before picking up on where this was going. „What does this place have to do with it?“

“We grew up at the Forgotten Springs.” A’viloh just said and then looked away again. “And we did not exactly part on good terms. Laqa was their leader‘s son and they don’t know what happened to him…”

Rael raised a brow. “Don’t you think they deserve to know that?…”

“Of course, but…”, A’viloh started but his voice trailed off.

“But??”, Rael repeated insistently.

The Miqo’te glimpsed at them. “But I was the reason he left.”

Rael sighed deeply. “Okay… but this doesn’t change that they deserve to know...”

“I feared you would say something like that…”, A‘viloh said with a dark expression on his face.

“You don’t owe them all the details, A‘vi. Just U‘laqa‘s fate… And I‘ll stay with you the whole time if you wish so.“, Rael reached out to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

A’viloh nodded slowly. “I know…but they’ll blame me for it. Then U‘odh will never help us…“

“Maybe…“, Rael shrugged. “But then we’ll find another way.“

For a while neither of them said anything, A‘viloh thinking about what might happen and Rael waiting for his approval.

“Alright?“, the Viera finally asked.

A little fearful A‘viloh looked up to them, before he put on a brave face and nodded. “Alright.“

So it happened that both of them first traveled back to Ul‘dah and from there to the Forgotten Springs, since Rael had never been there before.

It was very different from their last visit to Southern Thanalan. The return to Little Ala Mhigo had caused regret but mostly melancholy in A’viloh, a great longing to the past and the way his life had been.

However seeing the Forgotten Springs, the place where he grew up, his home, again for the first time in more than three years made his stomach turn. He had loved this place and it’s people and he still did. But returning here now, alone, without Laqa, made him feel nothing but shame. How could he possible look them in the eyes and tell them what happened? Why should they not just chase him away immediately?

It was around noon when they arrived and as they walked into the town A‘viloh could feel the eyes of the bystanders on him. A lot of them had just been curious about the unexpected arrival of two strangers but some had probably recognised him at least at second glance.

“It’s a beautiful place.“, Rael noted as they looked around and A‘viloh nodded in agreement. “It is.“

They paused at the Aetheryte for a moment so Rael could attune to it, when A‘viloh noticed a familiar face from the corner of his eye. He tried to stay inconspicuous but as the other Miqo’te stepped closer to see who the new visitors were, their eyes met.

“A’vi?“, the other one asked with a friendly tone. Reluctantly A‘vi looked up and forced himself to smile at his boyfriend’s younger brother. “Hello, U’tykha.“

U‘tykha had always been a warm and friendly person. While most of the other kids in town had mostly been friends with Laqa and hadn’t spent more time than strictly necessary talking to someone as unremarkable as A‘viloh, U‘tykha had always been a good friend to him. He had changed a little since A‘viloh had seen him last, he was taller now and an unfamiliar scar ran over his right eye but he still greeted A‘viloh with a wide smile like nothing had ever happened.

“A‘vi! Is it truly you?“, he asked and embraced his childhood friend in a tight hug which A‘viloh returned hesitantly. “What a nice surprise to see you again! You look so different! How are you? Who is your companion?“

He ignored the first question and instead proceeded to introduce Rael. The two of them shook hands, introduced each other and Rael complimented their settlement. Then U‘tykha returned his attention to A‘viloh and asked the question he had dreaded all this time.

“Is Laqa here too?“

A’viloh’s face froze and then shattered to a horrified grimace. He shrinked back and the pained expression on his face said more than any words could. “No… He…Laqa is…“, A‘viloh struggled. “I…I am sorry, U‘tykha…“

Now U’tykha‘s amiable smile slowly slipped and turned into shock. “No… that can’t be true. My brother can’t be dead…?“

To see him struggle with that information, the shock making place for pain and grief as realisation set in, made A‘viloh feel nauseous.

„I am so sorry…“, he repeated and against his will tears started to run down his face.

U’tykha visibly fought with himself too, his voice strange and hoarse as he finally spoke again. “Let us sit down, please. You have to tell me everything…“

With a gesture he led them to one of the houses at the side of town. Only a woman was there, working on some gear, but U‘tykha send her away in a friendly manner.

“Should I leave you alone too?“, Rael asked unsure what to do or say but A‘viloh pleaded for them stay. U’tykha offered them something to drink and they sat down to talk.

At first A‘viloh struggled, not knowing what to say or where to begin at all. But once U‘tykha had suggested to start from the very beginning everything got a little easier. For Rael’s sake A‘viloh began with a few facts about their early life at the Forgotten Springs, how he got there and how him, Laqa and Thyka had grown up together. Then the dispute that had made them leave, all things U‘tykha knew while Rael didn’t. The easy part.

“Why did you keep it a secret for so long anyway?“, U‘tykha asked.

“I was scared. You know how Laqa was, everybody loved him. Me on the other hand? I was more of a burden than use to you all. I feared U‘odh was already planning to send me away the way things were. But this place was my home, Thyka, you people were my family. I was so scared to loose all of that. And when Laqa agreed that your father would likely be angry if he knew, we decided to keep it a secret until the moment was better but of course that moment never came…“

U‘tykha shook his head and couldn’t help but smile a little. “But A‘vi, I wasn’t much better at fighting and hunting than you back then. We all looked like failures compared to Laqa and Khuba…“

That didn’t convince A‘viloh though. “You were three years younger than me and you weren’t some kid from another tribe U‘odh only had tolerated for so long due his beloved wife’s pleading…“

“Maybe…“, the white-haired Miqo’te pondered. “But in retrospect it‘s so weird that no one noticed earlier. If I remember these years now, everybody with their eyes working should have seen that the two of you were in love. Really, it shouldn’t have surprised anyone at all…“

A’viloh laughed weakly. “Well, it took us long enough to figure it out ourselves…“

A moment they stayed silent, both of them clinging to their memories of better times. Finally U‘tykha took a deep breath and dared to ask: „So, what happened to my brother?“

Then he got to the bits of his story that were news to U‘tykha and that A‘viloh feared to talk about. But with Rael by his side and a sympathetic listener as Thyka it turned out less horrible than he imagined. To his own surprise he managed to tell the whole story up to the point of Laqa‘s death without much trouble.

“I wish it wasn’t true but that’s what happened to him.“, A‘viloh finished his story with glazed eyes but bravely holding back more tears. “I would understand if you are angry with me now or if you want me to leave.“

“Angry?“, U‘tykha, who had silently listened with a more and more horrified expression on his face. “Are you mad? Why would I be angry with you? It wasn’t you who did that to him!“

“But it was my fault what happened to him…“, A‘vi repeated but U‘tykha shook his head. “No, it wasn’t. You didn’t do this to him. I don’t blame you, A‘vi, and neither should you.“

For a moment A‘viloh stared at him speechless, still silently disagreeing until the other Miqo’te asked: “What about you?“

“Me?“, A’viloh asked in confusion.

“Yes, you. If you were captured, how are you here now?“, U‘tykha repeated and reached across the table to take his hand. “One look at you right now is enough to see that you’re unwell. My brother is gone, I cannot help him anymore. But your as much my brother as he was, related by blood or not, and I care about your wellbeing.“

Shocked A‘viloh stared at him and finally the tears overwhelmed him. For another long hour they spoke. A’viloh didn’t mention all of the horrible details or terrible thoughts that had crossed his mind but enough so U‘tykha understood.

After A’viloh’s story was finished, U‘tykha fixed his gaze on the tabletop with a gloomy expression on his face. “I‘m so sorry A‘vi. Can you ever forgive us after all of this?“

Puzzled A‘vi looked up. “Forgive you? For what?“

Slowly the white-haired Miqo’te raised his head and looked him in the eyes. “You suffered so much. We were your family, we should have protected you instead of driving you away. All of this just because father was so stubborn…“

A’viloh couldn’t help but scoff at that. “Stubborn? You say that like it was just a bad mood but U‘odh made quite clear what he thought of me…“

With an apologetic look on his face U’tykha slowly nodded. “His words were harsh but make no mistake, A‘vi. I know he will say otherwise but he regretted them the very moment you two left. Parting this way with his most beloved son hurt him deeply, but you know him well enough to know that he would never show it. So he went on like your argument never happened, like neither of you ever existed. Asked about it he would say that Laqa would soon realise his mistake and return home but I don’t think he ever believed that himself. He knew he had gone to far with his words, and such insult Laqa would not easily forgive. He was too much his fathers son for that…“

To hear him say that made A‘viloh angry. Not at Thyka. He wasn’t even sure if he had any right to be angry at U‘odh, since he had never disagreed with the nuhn‘s assessment of himself. But the idea that all of this would have been avoidable if he just had been better….

For a moment A‘viloh struggled to find an answer but in the end he just shook his head remembering something Rael had told him.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done… Just know that I never blamed you for any of it.“ A‘viloh felt like it was a cruel thing to say, it gave all of it such a sense of finality. But then again death was final and no one could give him back everything he lost.

U‘tykha nodded and a pained silence settled between them. Just when it started to become uncomfortable Rael spoke up. „I don’t want to seem tactless, but the news of your brother wasn’t the only reason that brought us here.“

With a few precise sentences Rael summarised their work with the Scions and the last few weeks of their journey, before stating what they were looking for.

Knowingly U‘tykha nodded. “Ah, Wellwick worm meat… Your reasoning seems important enough and since A‘viloh is basically family I don’t see any reason not to help you. But you know, I don’t make the rules here. You‘ll have to speak to father even though I can understand if you‘d rather not.“

“No, it’s fine.“, A’viloh said plainly. “I didn’t expect to be able to spare myself that conversation. I just fear he will be less sympathetic than you…“

The other Miqo’te shrugged. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he just treats you like a stranger. He doesn’t know what happened yet and he will not show any weakness towards you and ask about it. He‘d have to admit that he cares to do that… If I‘m right, please let me tell him the truth. I don’t know how he will react but I think it’s safer if it’s not you who delivers the bad news.“

A‘viloh wasn’t sure if this was the right course of action but he was more than grateful for Thyka‘s offer. Having to talk about all of this once had been depressing enough, he couldn’t imagine having this conversation a second time today and on top of that with someone who‘s reaction he was terribly afraid of. Speaking to him at all would take more courage than he probably possessed…

Rael seemed to feel his doubt. Reassuringly they grabbed his hands. “You can do this A‘vi. I‘m right here with you and we will find a way no matter what happens. Take that anger and make it your shield. Show him that you are not the same person you were back then. You are stronger than he thinks, stronger even than you think yourself.“

Weakly A‘viloh smiled at the Viera. He didn’t understand were all of their confidence in him came from but their words gave him strength. „Alright, let’s go.“

#ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #final fantasy 14 #ffxiv writing #ff14 screenshots #ffxiv screenshots #ffxiv gpose #gpose #Aviloh Tia #Rael Hyskaris #forgotten springs #sometimes my writing just doesn't do what I want #the title is inspired by the song with the same name by evanescence #I have a playlist with songs that remind me of my characters and I will maybe sometimes post some of them...#like A'vi always has been an insecure person but after everything he's been through he's extremely fearful about pretty much everything #just ignoring all of it seems so much easier because talking about it makes it feel real #and now he's forced to come to terms with all of it and “relearn” how to trust people and himself #which is especially difficult because he never had much self-confidence to begin with...#He's certain he wouldn't be able to do any of this without Rael #ffxiv scenery

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coquelicoq · 5 months

Text

crying laughing @ this edition of le fantôme de l'opéra that my dad got me for christmas it's just. i don't know how to describe it. every page is a scan of a page of the 1926 edition, with like 1-2 inches of margin around it??? and the letters are so small and the scan is not of very great quality so it's kind of hard to see the words?? interspersed with scans of pictures but some of them are upside down??? there's one page where the scan didn't really work in the upper left corner so it's just totally black???

the back of the book says

Le présent ouvrage s'inscrit dans une politique de conservation patrimoniale des ouvrages de la littérature Française mise en place avec la BNF. HACHETTE LIVRE et la BNF proposent ainsi un catalogue de titres indisponibles, la BNF ayant numérisé ces œuvres et HACHETTE LIVRE les imprimant à la demande.

(my rough translation: This publication is in line with a policy instituted in conjunction with the BNF (National Library of France) for the conservation of important works of French literature. In service of this goal, Hachette Livre and the BNF are offering a catalogue of unavailable titles digitized by the BNF which Hachette Livre will print upon request.)

so like this is on purpose but i have so many questions. first of all why the margins. okay i guess that is my most important question. why not just make the book correspond to the size of the pages in the original? or, if the size of the book is fixed, you could at least size up the images to use as much of that wasted space as possible, no?

i want to say how ridiculous this is and how there's no market for it but there clearly is one because i asked my dad to get it for me! i'm the market!! i told him to buy this edition because it was the only french-language print edition i could find to buy in the us for less than $50 (outside of amazon because fuck amazon). but like, why is that the case? the full text of this book, in plain text which could easily and legibly be printed, is available for free on the internet. why isn't there some publisher who's just printing that out and binding it? seems easier to do than printing scans. not to mention a lot easier to read!!

(to see what i'm talking about, go to the hachette BNF webpage for this book and click on feuilleter to download a sample of the pages in PDF)

#is there like. some copyright reason??? i'm really baffled by this #i get needing to scan the pictures but the text???#even if you wanted to preserve the page numbers and so forth i'm sure you could make that happen...#just print it in the same font with the same page size as the original. right??? i feel like i'm losing my mind here #it's just. this is an extremely famous work of literature and a manipulable printable plain text version is available for free #on the internet. why is no one printing that??? or why is everyone charging so much money for it???#books #french #my posts #oftentimes when i'm trying to order a work of classic french lit from my local bookstore #the hachette bnf version comes up in the search results. and sometimes it's the only version that does #i've always avoided buying one though because i could tell there was something off about them. the covers look very...#idk. unprofessional? not unprofessional but clearly they are not important. no one is trying to make them appealing #so i was like. not at all confident that they would be any good. but i finally decided to get one because there were no other options #and lo and behold i open it up. and it's this. i guess i was right to judge this book by its cover #gonna try to read this now because i certainly won't be able to read it when i'm old and my near eyesight is bad lol #my near eyesight is already getting worse so i better get cracking

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