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thevoidcannotbefilled · 4 years

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Can you talk some more about this FMA-in-TMA-'verse AU? If you don't want it on this blog, then I'd be fine with something on your other blog, so long as you send me the link to the post (because I wouldn't otherwise see it prolly).

I’m fine with it here!

Okay there’s two versions. 1) Non-Archivist version. The journey is the same but there’s a statement at best. 2) The version where in his research to get his body back to normal, Ed ends up at an Institute possibly even The Magnus Institute or at least, the German branch of the Magnus Institute (bc Amestris is based vaguely on Germany), where Ed ends up as a researcher and then possibly as an Archivist.

Either way the backstory is the same:

Ed and Al are very young when their Father leaves them with their mother left behind. Hoenheim was a strange man, memorable, but still, every strange. He had this gaze, not unkind, but it seemed far too long and far too sharp, and as far as anyone could tell, at the very least, Pinako would say, he seemed as old as he was the day they met him. But some people just age differently…right? Right.

Either way, Trisha raises Ed and Al alone, and the two are free to explore their house…and eventually their father’s study. In there, they find various odd things. Books especially, some of which say from the Library of Jorgen Leitner…?

Trisha finds them before they get a chance to read too far.

But their interest in the supernatural is peaked, and in the little research they saw, they found a fascination with the power it could hold, but to use and to be wary of. They don’t go far, but they look into little things, ghosts, Leitners, even vampires, and with it, they gain knowledge that children shouldn’t have at their ages.

And then Trisha dies.

Now, they know ghosts exist. They know powers beyond their imagining exists. They’re children, and they love their mother…so they try to bring her back.

From here, idk the exact series of events. Maybe they still would go learn from Izumi (which since this is probably modern times, it wouldn’t be as okay to take children, but she probably would send them info. She probably would be Slaughter or Hunt aligned, I’d think? Maybe Beholding, but Hunt seems the best of the three).

I think they’d try to research End specific things and a little bit of Flesh…and of course, it goes wrong. Their mother…she doesn’t come back.

Tbh, I would find it most interesting if they accidentally created a creature..and it lived. A weird combination of Flesh and End, not really living but living enough to have a heart and be made from the ingredients of what makes “people”. There wouldn’t be a door or Truth… just the End and the Flesh mixing and Al and Ed paying the consequences of it.

I can’t think of a way where Al’s soul could be bound. I just can’t. The only way it could work… if we go FMA canon, where Al is in the body of the creature they made… but instead of dying the moment it was created, Al is just stuck in it. Ed meanwhile loses a couple limbs, but more importantly, he’s marked by the End and the Flesh….maybe gaining ability from the End in its mark.

From here, Ed probably journey’s his brother. Al can’t come along because of the new monster form, so Ed would be alone.

If Ed becomes an Archivist and researcher…well, he’s already marked by the End and the Flesh, he would make for a good Archive, no?

I’m gonna go a little bit on the first one, not too much. But just imagine Ed, Roy, Riza, and all the others being stuck in a room together in an Archive with ED as their boss. Or or or, Roy was being trained as an Archivist bc he was marked by the Slaughter and later Desolation, and Ed being put with him as a back-up Archivist/researcher.

King Bradley is probably the head of the Institute, with Father being a Web Avatar with a bunch of other avatars under his beck and control (all based off different powers. Envy: Stranger. Lust: Web or Hunt. Gluttony: Flesh. Greed: Vast Bradley: Beholding but with Slaughter tendencies. Sloth: Buried with a side of Flesh and Lonely. Pride: Dark). Father put Bradley there on purpose in order to keep an eye for any good contenders.

Hoenheim and Father were twins years ago. Father manipulated Hoenheim into being a part of a Web ritual, and ended up making him an avatar in the process. The ritual, of course, failed, and Father after years of observation realized that bringing one person wasn’t enough, he needed many.

Hoenheim left Trisha for similar reasons as in canon: he wanted to become human for him family. He just ended up being too late.

Quick fire things in no particular order:

- Moral conflict between Ed and the others. He is a character who’s main thing isn’t killing in a killed or be killed world, so he’ll have to deal with that.

-Riza’s dad was probably involved in some desolation shit, and as a result, Riza got a fire tattoo on her back to which Roy burned off for her.

-Listen I want Olivia in this but idk how, but she’d be marked by the Slaughter just by how hardcore she is. Alex Louis Armstrong might be a member the Archives as well, or he might just be a random dude? Hmmm. Maybe he would join the Archives later.

-Hughes is def a part of the Archives. He realized something was fishy about this whole Institute business, but he got killed before he could tell anyone the details he found.

-Nina and Alexander is part of a Flesh thing, and it’s just as horrific as canon.

-Ed has HIGH empathy for all monsters, even the worst ones because of Al’s state. As a result, he nearly gets himself killed a lot trying to see the humanity in avatars that don’t want to be human anymore.

-Al is at home getting used to his form. Possibly if there’s a scene where they have to hide or at the very least, get away from the Institute, they go to their place, and everyone in the Archives realizes what Ed’s been fighting for this entire time. Al is in fact, coherent in his new body, if in constant pain, and can barely speak. I feel like he does a lot of research while Ed is gone, in a different way.

-Pinako and Winry are physical therapists. They help Al in whatever way they can.

-Oh! When Ed first loses his limbs, they don’t bleed. They just cut off perfectly, so he doesn’t bleed out. He gets prosthetics.

-Baby faced Ed says he’s 18. Keep in mind, he probably tries to join the institute when he’s 12. He is somehow let in to the bafflement of everyone and his own smugness. At 14, he’s moved down to the Archives.

-Idk if his crew would lead to the end of the world, but it could easily lead to the end of the world with the Web at its center.

#pomrania #the magnus archives #tma #fma #fma:b #body horror #long post #THIS GOT WAY TOO DETAILED #ask the void

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lpdwillwrite4coffee · 6 years

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sselinaaaa replied to your post “Oooh so for the Halloween Asks: 1—5—11—12”

Oh man!! I thought I was the only one that like the smell of rotting leaves. 😂😂😂 I’m super intrigued that ghosts love you btw....have you had experiences?? If that’s too personal def don’t feel pressured to answer...I totally get it. ❤️❤️

GIRL. LET ME TELL YOU A TALE. Okay so ghosts and spirits have been a huge part of my life since I was 4 (didn’t know what was up, had no idea, was terrified of seeing and hearing them and then found people like me and a spiritual path that honored my gifts instead of telling me to ignore/hide them, now I’m good and I LOVE what I can do. anyway, fast forward to adulthood). So my most recent fun tale about ghosties loving me is when I went on a paranormal investigation with my friend who is a journalist (she was writing about it and wanted me there for support and because she knows I’m good with this stuff and also will call hella bullshit on people if I smell something fishy). So this team was your classic investigation group-- lots of cameras and equipment, very professional, they all kinda looked like 90s goths grown up and covering their grey with manic panic. But their tech team of about 3 dudes were ages 18 to 30. The investigating ladies were in their 50s, and very lovely. So we start investigating and I keep out of their way, just observing and not saying much other than “maybe look in that room?” when I felt something. But I made a point not to insert myself into their investigation. So about 2 hours in, we’re doing an EVP session in one room, and the walls are thin so we’re all practically holding our breath to keep from contaminating the evidence. And we hear one of the tech guys coming up the stairs, he knocks and says “Hey, something’s going on...” and the ladies open the door and they all start talking to him. One of the women was named Laura, so I think I hear him say “We caught something following Laura.” And even the investigator named Laura was like “Oh, me?” and the tech guy goes, “No, no, *Lauren*. Her.” and he points at me. Cue everyone turning to look at me, the newbie lol. And he goes “All night, something has been following her. We keep catching weird stuff on camera.” The investigating ladies all look at me like I’ve suddenly sprouted a baby arm out of my head. My friend who was writing about the whole thing grabs my knee and does a nervous laugh. My reaction? “Oh okay, cool.” Again, everyone STARED. And then the tech guy goes “Can we put you in a room alone and see if this thing shows itself? Or at least see if we get more on camera?” And the women are GAPING like “oh shiiiiiit” and I just hopped right up like “yeah, of course, where do you want me?” In hindsight I was a little too chill about ghosts following me.... but whatever, I was fine with it lol. So they set up two cameras in this one room and have me sit in there. They keep all the other cameras in the halls and everything. And the tech guy explains the mic and the infared and all that and says “Just sit right here and talk. We’re right in there, so don’t be nervous.” and I just went “I’m fine, don’t worry. Just tell me if I’m moving too much, I fidget.” and he gave me this look like “.... you’re handling this too well......” So I settle in and start talking, basically introducing myself, saying they thought they saw them following me, blah blah blah. I say out loud “If you want to come talk to me, you can. I promise I’m not scary. You can come visit.” And about 5 seconds later I hear in the room with the tech people (AND my friend btw, since she was in there with them) “Wait, what was that?” and “I saw it, I saw it too.” But I don’t want to respond to the tech guys, so I keep talking to the ghosties. And as I’m talking, I *feel* my thumb ring being tugged and I say “Oh, you want to see my ring? Here you go” and take it off and hold it in my palm. And about 5 seconds later I hear the tech guys say “mark that time, you saw that right?” and I hear my FRIEND go “what was that???” But I’m not feeling anything scary or intimidating, just... a few presences. Really gentle and a little scared. So I try to stay even and calm, despite wondering WTF they’re seeing and reacting to (again, THIN ASS WALLS). So. After about 15 minutes and multiple reactions from the guys, they pull me out and wrap up. And the tech guys, all of them, AND the investigators are just....... O.O staring at me. And they’re treating me kinda funny, like they’re nervous. So I go “What? Did I do okay?” And the tech guy-- the oldest, the one who pulled me out of the EVP session to begin with-- goes “Okay so... We caught the biggest light anomalies I’ve ever seen on an investigation. And I’ve been doing this for years.” And I turned to my friend and she went “Girl. They were following your directions.” and I just went ???excuse?? explain??? TURNS OUT at the exact time I said “you can come talk to me” they caught a light in the hallway about the size of a baseball zip down the hall, STOP, turn, and come into the room I was in. I didn’t see this with my eyes, but I felt it. AND THEN, when I started feeling and talking about my ring, that same light was hovering at my hand, and THEN apparently grew in size, went right up to my chest/throat area, and then zipped straight up to the ceiling and disappeared. And it was All On Tape. The tech guys were SHOOK HUNNY. I’VE NEVER SEEN GROWN MEN STARE AT ME LIKE I HAD THE POWER TO SMITE THEM IF I WANTED, BUT THAT’S HOW THEY WERE REACTING. And meanwhile, my totally chill ass was like “omg how fun!!! That’s so cool!!!” and they all just “O.O .....fun? cool? umummmm” My friend laughed her ass off. I also got invited to work with them more (but I was moving so, lol) and every one of them shook my hand and kept saying they’d never seen something like that before blah blah blah. I really didn’t know how to respond because it’s kinda part of the gig for me??? But it was really nice and fun to have other people see and to have evidence. SO THAT’S THE TALE OF HOW SOMEWHERE OUT THERE THERE’S VIDEO OF A GHOST LIGHT PLAYING WITH MY THUMB RING AND HOVERING AROUND ME, AND HOW GHOSTIES LOVE ME. **roll credits**

#I'm sorry this is so long #it was just a really detailed story haha #for the record I'm ALWAYS up for talking about ghosts and spirits don't you worry hun <333 #sselinaaaa

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xyloophones · 6 years

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hi! :) music anon here - i just read your reply and pls give me allllll the (gay) music recs!!

this is gonna be a long list anon pls buckle up. also note that im not gonna link anything bc theres a lot but all of these songs are on youtube/spotify

🌈 xylo’s super gay, super incoherent music rec list 🌈

the basics / the popular ones

troye sivan. i know. I KNOW. half the playlist was already him but listen ive been a troye fan since he put out happy little pill & let me tell u all his songs have such a VIBE. blue neighborhood???? an iconic album. got me thru my last 2 years of high school. to this DAY i cannot listen to suburbia without thinking about driving to watch the sunrise on my first day of senior year w my best friend, sitting in the parking lot in her car n holding hands over the center console bc we were so scared of growing up. he just EVOKES that kind of MOOD u know??

listen to: fools–– talk me down–– heaven

frank ocean !!!! a bi ICON. i waited so long for new music n he blessed us with TWO ALBUMS. not only is his music spectacular and literally lyrically genius (”see both sides like chanel?? c on both sides like chanel???“ as a metaphor for bisexuality???? BEAUTIFUL. INCREDIBLE. LITERALLY AMAZING.) but he also just has sUCH an aesthetic.

listen to: thinkin bout you if ur feelin soft; ivy ––chanel–– nights if u want his newer stuff

lesbian jesus herself hayley kiyoko. anon. ANON. listen to me when i tell u that her music will change ur life. she is so RELATABLE and her songs are SO CATCHY. the girls like girls music video single handedly raised my gpa and cleared my acne.

listen to: everything uhh girls like girls–– palace–– gravel to the tempo

kehlani. im literally so obsessed. shes again another #bi icon. her gf is really cute. im in luv w her. sweetsexysavage is her latest album n its honestly??? driving my life force???? her voice is also just so lush & smooth while also bein slightly gravely in a way that makes me blush in public a lot like how can i be so gay for just her voice??? shes also just so charming n has the cutest smile and, again, i’m gay

listen to: honey is my fav song bc it reminds me of my gf (AGAIN: IM GAY) but distraction is v cute n flirty n a longtime fav. listen to in my feelings if ur ex is awful. also: keep on –– piece of mind –– the way feat. chance are all really good. just listen to her entire discography honestly

DODIE. ive been a dodie fan since i, a repressed baby gay, stumbled upon “she” on youtube and was filled with such immense love that i immediately stanned and here we are, 2 EPs later. nothing more relatable than pining for ur str8 best friend. pls listen to “she” it literally kickstarted my gay awakening

listen to: ill say it again, she –– also sick of losing soulmates–– her cover of somebody else by the 1975

against me. i dont know if ur into punk anon but even if ur not, consider checking out against me. lead singer laura jane grace is a super badass trans woman & trans dysphoria blues is an album with. suCH EMOTION.

listen to: black me out , a song to plan a revolution to. im here, im queer, im angry and its a midterm election year #registertovote

lesser known artists + singles + lgbtq+ artists that i know but am not a big fan of under the cut

let me go by tunde olaniran. i regularly cried listening to this song after a break up. if u wanna be emotional n gay this is a good one.

somebody loves you by betty who. ok not specifically gay (i dont think???) but it was used in a rlly cute gay marriage proposal (look it up on youtube im begging i guarantee u will be smiling for the rest of the day) and they are. ALWAYS. playing this one at pride. a bop.

boyfriend by tegan and sara. ok i know theyre technically popular but no one talks about their last album and boyfriend is a good song ok?? ok.

jenny by studio killers. another song about pining after ur best friend. can u tell i went THRU SOME STUFF in high school

ok aGAIN i know that halsey is also technically mainstream but i didnt wanna write a whole paragraph about her. listen to strangers feat. lauren jauregui. #unpopularopinion but her last album was just “ok” dont @ me

HEART ATTACK BY LOONA. do u like k pop??? do u like gay girls???? do u like cute music videos???? my friend do i have the song for u

mary lambert. she did the hook in that macklemore song. pls listen to her other stuff its so good n soft n “i cant think straight / im so gay / sometimes i cry the whole day” #relataBLE

everyone knows who sam smith is right?? anyway prayers is good. his entire last album is honestly so good but hes not a particular fav of mine.

elton john. a LEGEND. he’s like 150 years old but im hoping the sheer love of the gay community will keep him alive for another 150 years

ANGEL HAZE. ive been a long time fan. v emotional n the lyrics r heavy but honestly?? so important??? one of my fav rap artists

i know a place by muna. i listened to this on the way to pride n almost cried in front of my mom, my friends, and an entire BART station full of pride goers. its a v upbeat song, im just emotional

zolita. uhh not a big fan tbh, just not my musical style

girls/girls/boys by p!atd. ok also not technically gay (?? maybe??? there are some Bi Rumors but thats not my place to say) but anyways def a bi anthem. dont watch the music video its very “lets have two girls kiss for views” which is like. not the msg of the song but whatever i aired my salt about that in 2013 n im not going back now

idk what kina grannis’s sexuality is (again, not my business) but she does a lot of good covers and never changes pronouns. i like sweater weather and shut up and dance with me a lot.

oh !! ben j pierce !! 2 v good songs about how gender roles r bullshit n heteronormativity is awful. hes also like my exact age n i luv his makeup tutorials.

there are honestly so many more. also a lot im forgetting. im so sorry you had to read thru this long incoherent post w my awful typing

anyway if u want my full gay playlist on spotify just msg me off anon and ill give u a link (this goes for anyone btw !!) im currently adding + taking things out n its a constant work in progress but u know, its at least not the same 8 songs over and over again (no shade at 8tracks tho….ha …)

#xylo speaks #sick beats #anon #ask #i know tumblr will mess up n put this in the tags of all these artists #im sorry in advanced #the only reason im not putting slashes thru all their names #is bc this post is hard enough to read already #sorry!!! dont mind me!!!!#this is btw not including songs that are like #gay but not really ??#gay bops by straight artists i mean #so like #example: its raining men by the weather girls #also these are all pretty modern #but dont think im missing out on george michael #im a big 80s fan #and ever since i came out my mom has been aggressively suggesting gay 80s music #in an attempt to relate #its sweet #but also means my playlists are all either #1980s synth or 2017 edm #and no in between #Anonymous #its 4 am btw #i swear im an adult w a functioning sleep schedule #this really is a mess im so sorry #i went back to schedule this for earlier since i forgot to change my time oopsie doopsie

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walkinsauce · 6 years

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Becoming Poly- Chapter 14: My Turn

Sorry I didn’t blog last week. Do you know how hard it is to write about polyamory under the same roof as your parents? I was scared one of them was going to pop in and ask,

“Christina, why do you need that bottle of wine in your room?”

“Paper weight.”

So, ya, I’m sure hundreds of self help books would call that an “excuse” for not writing, but trust me: it felt TOO CREEPY. You try to write about sex while your parents are in the next room watching My Three Sons. See how you feel. I would, however, like to thank all my Tumblr readers for hitting the heart button on all my blogs. Quick shout outs to:

ilove-seductive-mature attractive-milf-girls hot-elder-chamber fat-milf-foxy-imgs bimbo-slutty-girlz fuck-sexy-fat-pussies fucking-amazing-fat-cunts jugs-nice-pictures

It’s good to know I’ve found my audience. Though I do wish you guys would put some capital letters in your names. You’re better than that.

I’ve calmed down from my boyfriend’s first “other sex” in our relationship. I’m pretty lucky that I have so many people reaching out to me, who are better versed in open relationships than I am. A particular comic friend in Florida always sums it up so well:

“Your primary is your home. These other people are the Disneylands and carnivals of the world. Fun day excursions, but you don’t want it every day.”

I think that’s my problem: Part of me would prefer to be the Disneyland. And good news for you, I’m way cheaper.

I still have a crush on the one guy I texted at O’Brien’s the day of my breakdown. I know he’s wary of the poly thing, and knowing my boyfriend, but I can’t help it. I’ve known him for years. I’ve had a crush on him for a year. I can’t help it if I’m a coward, and don’t know how to approach him. (Especially considering the circumstances.) Me sending him Snapchats that he’ll never open is enough of a rush for me.

It’s Friday night. I’m sitting at Ollo, as I often do during happy hour, wondering what I’m going to do when all the regulars go home at 8pm. It’s not a party city. We could use a Malibu’s Most Wanted reboot out here. But with the tiny bit of confidence I get from deep fried zucchini sticks and house wine, I decide to text my crush:

“Do you ever open Snapchat anymore, or am I sending things to an archive…?”

(With a smirky face emoji, obvi.)

He writes back minutes later.

“Hahahaha! I just watched the snaps! They made me laugh!”

It was at least a month’s worth of events, even capturing his own roommates. It must have been quite the montage.

“Thanks for sending them! I’m sorry I’m the worst. They were really funny. How long have you been sending them?”

Oh months. They’re my favorite seed I’ve ever planted.

“You might have just gotten something from me.”

I open Snapchat and see his name light up in full arrowed purple. I’m ridiculously excited for a girl my age. I’m starting to tune out the old man beside me bragging about how he gave Rosie O’Donnell her big break. That’s how you can tell I keep it real in this town- I’d much rather chase romance than my own career. (GOOD MOVE, EH?)

He writes again:

“I just finished a show in Hermosa Beach and I got to watch a lady heckle another comedian by saying, “we’re never going to be friends.”

Wow. The edginess of Hermosa Beach hecklers. What’s next? No tip? Shocking. I’m walking home, past people sleeping in their cars. At least my career is going better than theirs. But it’s a good reminder there’s no parking restrictions on PCH. Man, if any road needs some street cleaning…

It takes us another 18 texts to finally figure out we should meet up, but when he writes,

“I’d be down to meet up somewhere!”

I’m immediately wet. (It happens fast at my age.) He suggests the exact two bars in Santa Monica I was going to suggest. Power of the Leo and Sagittarius. (I probs just lost nine readers by referencing astrology.)

I get to Rick’s on Main Street slightly before him. I don’t have my real glasses on me, cuz I’ve been wearing my prescription sunglasses all day. Didn’t expect to be out past sunset, cuz that’s Malibu “night life.” So I’m going to be mildly blind all night. People always tell me,

“You should get laser eye surgery.”

Why the fuck would I do that? My glasses cover at least a dozen lines on my face. I’m thinking about getting a new pair, with thicker rims. I’m growing out bangs next. The date will be fine as long as I don’t send him into the kitchen when he asks where the bathroom is.

Now here’s the grey area…

Do I tell my bf right now that I’m going to meet this crush? I don’t know anything is going to happen. There’s a good chance we will just be two (ASTROLOGICAL PERFECT MATCHES) drinking buddies in a bar. Two comics, talking shop. Do we really need to set off the alarm before there’s a fire? As per my communication skills, I think def not. Like this blog, I will leave it till the last minute. (Typed at 3:13am, 4:45am after proofreading.)

I’m pretty sure I look like shit, but the good thing about somebody knowing me through comedy, is they always see me looking like shit. I’ve never been super comfortable looking “good” on stage. Maybe this comes from starting stand up 19 years ago, and always fearing women wouldn’t like me if I looked pretty. Most of the women in a comedy club are on dates, and I would literally get glares as they gripped their men. So early in my career, I started to wear hoodies on stage, and cover as much skin as possible. It was my passive aggressive way of saying,

“Don’t look at me. Listen to me.”

(Also, “I’m not here to steal your boyfriend. I’m here to make forty bucks.”)

This is another reason I love the rise of feminism: I pray it means the death of catty-ism. (An energy I sadly grew up with.)

So ya, back to the poly stuff: I’m on an impromptu date with my crush, my bf doesn’t really know, I look like shit, but can’t see that cuz I left my glasses at home. He walks in the bar and I’m almost in shock that we’re together. I think it’s been months since we’ve been in the same room together. And since when did I start going after things I want…?

I’m shockingly comfortable around him. That’s a plus about bonding with someone while you’re in a relationship. You don’t try as hard to sell yourself as when you’re single. You’re just you, and if they don’t like it, who cares? (I admire people who are like this all the time.)

He suggests we go to Chez Jay next. Ooooooooh, I love a new bar. Never been. So excited. Even more excited that he’s ditched his car, and will get it in the morning. I love a man who drinks responsibly. (Is this how I book a MADD commercial, or do I still need to have babies?)

Chez Jay is great. I like having bars like this on my radar. The conversation is going steady, tho I’m praying my primary and polyamory doesn’t come up. I just want to enjoy this night, as it is. The same way I did as a single person. I really don’t want to dive into the politics of it all. I think I’m more terrified that talking about it will scare him away…

When Chez Jay closes, he asks me if I wanna come over for some porch beers.

Yup. You know I do.

Again… is this the moment I text my bf and let him know I’m going over to a guy’s house? I mean technically, there’s a good chance nothing will happen. Seems too soon to ring the alarm. And if there’s one expression comedians know, it’s “too soon.”

He gets us an Uber/Lyft, whichever- most cars in town have both stickers. When we get to his house, I hit the bathroom. Every girl’s most investigative move in a dude’s house. Is his hand towel also his bath towel? Is this a one towel wonder situation? Does he own toilet paper? I don’t make it that far, because I’ve sprayed surprise period all over my undies. (If those Tumblr names didn’t scare you away, this surely will, eh?)

I search the cupboards for anything remotely handy in this moment. There’s nothing. Maybe I should hit the kitchen, and look for coffee filters. Those should work, right?

Nah, I’ll just do the ol’ “tie toilet paper around my underwear” move. It’s the move you do when you first get your period, in case you don’t know. (I FEEL SO YOUNG AGAIN! MAYBE I DON’T NEED BANGS!)

Porch beers are the best. I’m a fan of his roommates. We’re all having a great time, but then…

Something more unexpected than my bloody kitty happens. This beautiful, young blonde chick walks up to the porch.

“Hey, I live across the street. All my friends went to sleep, so I thought I’d come introduce myself.”

Holy. Mother. Trucker. It’s 3:00am. This isn’t the moment I was expecting competition…

But here we are.

The guys grab her a beer. Now again, I am not into “catty-ism.” BUT- I am a share holder of “insecurity-ism.” And if I were any one of these guys on this porch, I would def hit on this chick instead of me. She’s legit extremely cool. There’s a part of me that wonders if this is fate’s little way of saying,

You’re not ready to pop your poly cherry yet.

I never rang the alarm. I can still get out of this… innocently?

Either way, I think she might be might be my personal savior (another word I spell wrong cuz I’m Canadian and think there’s a “u” in it.)

“Do you have a tampon?”

“Of course! Come on over!”

She takes me over to her apartment, and literally gives me all her pads cuz she doesn’t use them. Bonus. My favourite sleep aid. I fucking love this girl.

We head back over to the boys, and I know I’m drunk, bleeding and tired. I ask my crush if there’s a place I can crash. He escorts me to his roommate’s room, and tucks me in. (Don’t worry- the roommate wasn’t there. That would have been the real poly, eh?)

As I fall asleep, like a loser at a slumber party who goes to bed first, I can’t help but think,

“He’s a great guy. She’s a great girl. If they hook up, I’m fine with it.”

PRACTICE COMPERSION! Why is compersion so much easier when you’re not dating someone? I fall asleep/pass out- which ever you like to believe at this hour. In the morning, I wake up in a super funny comedian’s bed. Alone. I make the bed, as a sure fire way to say “a chick was here” and text my crush.

“Oh I wanna say bye, but I don’t know what room is yours.”

I can’t just knock on random doors… Plus he might not be alone. I def don’t want to interrupt kinky times with the pad donor. All of a sudden, one of the roommates pops out of his room. I ask him which room is _______’s and he shows me. In this moment, I know I’m risking becoming a piece of gossip my boyfriend might hear…

And not through me…

I lightly knock on the door. When I hear a groggy “come in” I open the door.

There’s NO hot, cool, tampon savior chick in his bed. He’s just sleeping, post drinking style, alone.

“Oh, I just wanted to say goodbye…”

And then, without saying another word, I crawl into bed with him.

#polyamory #poly #relationships #ollo #malibu #snapchat #comedians #comedians who date #Chez Jay #Santa Monica #Too Soon #MADD #polyam positivity #polyamourous #polyamorous #christina Walkinshaw #walkinsauce

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wavemaker9 · 7 years

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re the latest reveal about cloned bodies for teh xover

There was a post that kind of addressed the idea of each of the boys dying various times + that static portion of each of their lives, i’m linking here. Basically how even though it’s only focussing on magnus atm, it’s likely all the boys were/are liches due to their all dying in different ways and they’ve each had new bodies created for them over time like barry as tehy all die either on their own or together when the world ends. Relistening, i heard barry says that he just found the item a few years ago and says he's been using it to bring himself back instead of framing it like he’s used it for all of them. though it could also be a different method used in the past and/or griffin trying to keep that the others have used it/items similar to it low key atm, justified maybe in barry knowing he’d have to explain more shit if he used ‘we’. Idk it might be handled later in a different way but it all works better for what i want it to with this implication so that’s the theory i’m following until contradicted. i mean with the shit covered below it could be that way because it wasn’t used in this world on any of them anyway. just. also kyle.

basically like i kind of really like this because it should make things easier for the xover. i’d mentioned previously, it was trouble for kyle because he’s younger than the youngest of the group by ~10 (now ~20) years at the time of the current story’s events. The static was set in a part of their lives where kyle’d be in his super early teens or so I think? Maybe preteens. Hold on lemme see if i wrote it down in my prev notes. Wow, okay 12 years. He was 20 at the time of the seeing that, just turned after crystal kingdom arc, so he’d be about 8 with that logic? Around there at least. No way is he doing whatever. But basically, because of the way the static and them likely being all liches who keep getting into new bodies would be handled, kyle wouldn't /have/ to have started out on his own the same 12 years ago the others did. If barry died early on accident and then has to restart now back at the previous age, why couldn’t that happen to the others too. Like actually with that logic, it wouldn’t be 12 years back that the static occurs for kyle when the cup is reviewing his memories. Maybe only a couple/few years back at max. Because we know the sizzle it up shit happened in this world since people acknowledge it and merle’s kids were in that range too, hold on. Okay mavis was 12 years old but she wasn’t his blood kid, only mookie was who is portrayed as younger, so that still checks more or less. And i don’t remember an exact year for the revolution and then fall of raven’s roost but i’m 90% sure it was in the 12 year range too, especially if magnus is only 32 by the suffering game, no way he was younger than 19-20 doing that revolution shit. So that all tracks, everything that affects this world explicitly happened in that 12 year range and anything before that is less concrete on where it was and who was involved with it.

Because assuming anything prior to the static is automatically on another world/plane, that’s a lotta shit that’s going to need to be reworked in kyle’s bg for this to make it work. I think for kyle it’ll be right after he ran away, so I might work ria later to be after that and per his memories it was almost right after he ran away but there was the time of the static between them, mainly because i did have her as the reason he can get the magical items as he needs to as gifts in this world plus i’d like him to meet her again and be able to keep her memory in his head again. Old ones still gone, but he can keep the new ones. Have to remove her having heard about the news of what happened to his sibling and being aware of that when he shows up, but i might like that more. Young teen kyle suspicious of this woman who seems to not be suspicious of him despite how close her town is to his and how the whole town knew what he did. I can also still have him viewing this town selbra as his hometown even if it wasn’t actually his home town. Also have to adjust because i did say on his second visit back home was when he lost track of his parents and both visits were going to be some time after leaving, but could remove first one or maybe make it very recent, sees he’s not really missed or anything, gets all upset and angry and reckless which leads him to eventually trying to work his way into this group even while still relatively young (if the BOB lets in 11 yr olds, the IPRE could let in a very determined teenager is all i’m saying, he’d only be 15-16 range probably when starting? i have to work out what would be best as we get more info). Then when he goes back home later, he goes to where he expects to see his house and family and they’re not there because they never were there, that was some other place entirely. I was gonna have dark be pre-static but he was after ria and within a couple years recent. Also i’ll get into this later but i’ll probably make him even more recent. Man i feel like i should be mad having to rework so much stuff but i’m honestly real excited, this is interesting to do to make it work with this new idea i have and since the new idea makes other shit work i’m super happy about this, it’s chill.

So everyone got bodies on this plane at the same time 12 years ago to start the plan, and kyle started at a 17-18 year range (Another age thing I still have to figure out what the best age for that would be), with the plan being that he’d be 29-30 by the time shit kicked in, only a little younger than magnus would be excluding the sacrifice. But it’s kyle. Barry’s not the only one who’s stubborn. Kyle is stubborn and reckless and self sacrificial and if he loses all memories post a couple years after running away, he’s going to def go back to that and just. Just be that reckless ‘who cares if i live or die’ sort of person. That’s where he was at when he met the boys and part of that was on dark, but it wasn’t a far leap for his brain to get there and he’d likely been tehre or similar before meeting dark too. It’d get less so as he gets older but he doesn’t really chill out as a person until mid-30s and later, so basically kyle living his standardly reckless life and absolutely ending up dying before able to meet the other boys at the bar or whatever. A year or so before probably, since it’s about another year or so between here there be gerblins and crystal kingdom and i want at least about 2-3 years for darkness shit and some time before/after that. He dies and needs to get a new body cloned so starts back out at young late-teens age which isn’t ideal but there isn’t much that can be done.

On top of that, can use his friendship with dark for plot shit. Him dying in time where he could be cloned again in time to meet the bar works out, it’s probably cutting it close, but he’s set up to do it and then fucking just like everything else in every other au, doug fucking ruins it. I’m basically moving up the time frame a bit so that it’s much less time between when he loses dark and finds the boys, maybe only a month or so instead of a full year. all it’d do is make him more desperate for replacement friends. Bit more vulnerable to better explain him putting up with a lot of weird shit and these three morally-gray assholes because it gives him something to do and be heroic at while having friends and a place to stay that will temporarily be his. Still more or less a year though when he meets dark, and basically the plan was still him making it to the bar like the others, but he ran into dark a little before that instead. Maybe tries to steal from him so he sees kyle’s useful for that or genuinely just runs into him bumping style and that gets them talking until kyle shows off what skills he has another way. Maybe both, bumping into people /is/ a standard pickpocket trick. Whatever reason he’d have originally, i don’t think that would change, i just don’t think i gave a reason they stuck together yet. I. love the idea of Kyle stealing from him, take that doug you ass. You’ve stolen all of kyle’s self confidence in every au you’re in but this one time around kyle stole your wallet first! Anyway, some sort of plot convenience happens and dark talks kyle into joining him, probably guilting/blackmailing him into it or just basic manipulation, dark’s got a lot of ways to manipulate him. If the bar storyline for their history is still canon,they don’t explain how they all knew went at the right time besides barry planning some shit, but i imagine whatever it is, kyle wouldn’t trust it. If he doesn’t remember the reason he needs to do this thing himself, how can he be sure it’s legit. Sticks with dark for a while as with before before splitting and ending up in the bar that leads him to the job that leads him to meeting the boys. Thus the 12 years not needing to be adjusted i don’t think, but kyle not being one of the red robe group people while he was 8 years old.

Also kyle wouldn’t be too much younger than magnus would have to have started at, but i like him very insistent that even if they can clone him older at any point, if they can not, they don’t. Kyle low-key hates the thought of being old, he’d accept it once he was there past his 50s and later, but as a youngun, and an energetic and good looking one at that, the idea is a hard eugh. he wants to stay young. It’s part of the reason he’s so comfortable with expecting to die at a young age. Not only the bad self esteem and (in this au) missing his dead family, but like. Everything anyone hears about aging is how much it sucks. you don’t look as good, you can’t do as much, you’re much more fragile. Why would he want that? What’s the pro of that??? If he dies before he’s 30 or 40 he never has to deal with that and that’s not a bad trade off, yeah? (disclaimer: prolly nah) so like in this au if he can control how his body is cloned, like needing to update whatever dna or whatever it’s being cloned from if you want to end up being older, him not. Doing that, again, even when given teh chance to. Depending on how much you remember, there’s likely no pro like keeping levels you’ve gained. You’re just older at your start next time, closer to going gray and all the oher shit. He accidentally made it to 34 once before he died and was very upset about that. all i’m saying is that this has become twilight now because when someone asks kyle how long he’s been 19/20 (not continuously though) he can accurately say “a while” which is literally all i’ve ever wanted. I already mentioned how kyle is perpetually 19 in my head, like i literally can’t picture him as older because he resists the idea of growing old and maturing so much, so this is perfect.

Again, i’m really kinda happy with this. Still not perfect but def better. I was learning to just accept he would be outside the group and him being able to resist the relics wouldn’t be able to be explained like it likely would with the others, but this works so much more smoothly into the story, i am very glad for this idea. Thank god griffin just really wanted to bring barry back for the fans.

The only /real/ downside is it cuts out the kyle & taako exchange “I could have gone to one of your shows when I was really young but like. Stealing, mate.” “No, no, I get you, my dude.” because i really loved that. Taako wasn’t doing the shows more recently than 5-6 years ago if memories serves so that may have happened but kyle wouldn’t remember it. Alternatively, now that i think about it, i do love the idea of taako’s being famous brought up a number of times and kyle really just. Does not remember ever seeing it. Might have heard it in passing but never saw any actual shows advertised or anything like that. Kinda thoguht it was like a fucking. Fantasy world version of the candle cove or whatever situation where everyone just imagined these shows happened until actually meeting taako. Still isn’t 100% sure. I do kind of like that, just because i think that’d get >( fast for taako considering how much he values his fame. What fucking rock did kyle live under where he never even heard of taako’s show until recent years? His home town is a ways away but not that fucking far, cmon my dude. Taako knows human ages are weird but like. Kyle’s not that young right? How old are you again? 20? No, you have to have heard of it, what the fuck?

(ALSO. Barry seems to be the one in charge of how shit rolls since he has the coin thing. I mean, none of the other boys got coins telling them what to do, right? A stray thought was what if he was the only one who knew enough to handle the cloning shit so lich kyle interfering in some way or another to lead barry to dying early to get his help. I have no idea how and there’s no real reason for only barry knowing how at this point, but i like kyle being that asshole.)

#ignore this #amusing muse musings #crossovers! unlimited crossovers!#crossovers taz edition

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captaindoubled · 7 years

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So I was thinking about the Virmire Survivor plot, how much I hate it on terms of weak story writing but also because it just doesn't make sense for Kaidan and Ashley to have to exact same reactions to Shepard asking them to join.

Bioware couldn't be bothered to remember that they are individual characters and so it came off as shit compared to the rest.

Liara and Wrex both says they couldn't join for very valid reasons that were really no different from Ash and Kaidan's. They missed Shep and all but they got shit to do without them. Life didn't stop moving when they died. Big difference tho is that A/K had the added bonus of almost disgust and distrust in Shep, which again, shit on both as characters.

Not to say they couldn't worry that Shep was a clone. On the contrary, that's a pretty solid question and should have been a major source of personal conflict for the Shep dawg anyway. (You know, maybe instead of being just a self sacrificing hero, the idea that they aren't even the real Shepard makes it easier to throw life and limb into a cluster fuck of black holes, ya know, bit more depth and growth there). But they should have been given their own individual spin is all.

Spit balling but just to improve it:

Ashley, no matter what you do or say can't be recruited in ME2, while, depending on how you played in ME1, you got a shot in recruiting Kaiden.

Why?

Ashley's backstory makes sense for her lack of recruitment chances, not just to join Shepard but to leave the Alliance, to be absolutely believable. She's trying her damnest to rebuild the Williams name in the Alliance after her grandfather's surrender to the turians. And she feels like she has to make up for that. After being part of the group that saved the Citadel, and moving up in the ranks, there is no question: she would be absolutely against the idea of throwing that away to join up with Cerberus under their flag.

She also has 4 sisters to take care of that's she's raised most of their life and her own. I can not see her willingly joining onto a suicide mission when she does have family back home that she feels need her protection as their big sister. And def that should be a conversation prompt that comes up if you bring Miranda to the Horizon mission in order to give Miranda something to chew on later for her loyalty mission and help push her away from Cerberus faster.

For ME2, it would be one of those all roads lead to one point things for her, matter how pro or anti alien you push her in conversation either. She's a locked out squad mate in ME2.

Kaidan on the other hand, I could see that as something that can happen. Kaidan doesn't have the same pro alliance loyalty as Ashely does. And even if Kaidan is super pro alliance loyalty, his blood will literally never been as blue and silver and Ashley's. Also Kaidan's biotic school was not Cerberus run so that distrust of Cerberus other than past mission stuff shouldn't out way his trust in Shepard. The biotic school fact tho should def should be a dialogue prompt if Jack joins that mission, same way as Miranda, for something to chew on later. In ME1, the same way you can either confirm Ashley's alien Bias or make her deal with them, you can push Kaidan into more xenophobic views too. This could be def a reason why he could be recruitable but even if that wasn't, Kaidan's a pretty loyal guy. To people, not groups per say. They could def play on that and make it so that his loyalty to Shepard and choices you the player made in ME1 can effect the chance to get him as a squad mate. Like a strong red or blue Shepard in the previous games makes this path easier. If Shepard was wish washy in the middle, then Kaidan wouldn't follow them because they didn't hold strongly enough to their guns to be someone Kaidan could drop their life for, or him to join in on a suicide mission for. (Hard Blue Shepard and non Xenophobic Kaidan or Hard Red Shepard and Xenophobic Kaidan) If you can pass those checks, you get a bonus squad mate but also Shepard gets a chance for closure that they didn't lose as much as they thought in their death. And that worry of being a clone, at least in ME2, is lesser.

Even more changes to give A/K their own personal stories. Different locations!

Ashley can stay on Horizon to protect a settlement of folk because she's fucking tank of a woman. She's be a good fit to help protect folk like that because in the previous game she had armor stats higher than Wrex sometimes and he's a fucking Krogan.

Kaidan can go to a different colony for a different function. Maybe a research group in need of smaller, localized protection within the building. He's a biotic and a strong one but story wise he's still an L2. Sending him off the bumble snatch west fuck alone is just bad on the writing part because if he strained himself protecting folk without proper medical help, there goes Kaidan. Even if that doesn't happen, you gotta write with the possibility that it could.

You can't send someone in a snake pit, have them walk through fine and then don't acknowledge the danger of the situation because you didn't think of a scenario of where they got bit.

Ashley being a literal tank puts her in danger from the collectors because she can't punch and shoot the paralyzing bugs away. But she's got all those bunkers to get in. She's a good solider she'll be in danger but it doesn't kill her.

Kaidan in the other hand has a mega advantage considering biotic shields main plot device used to get through the fucking swarm in the end.

(Hell, Kaidan throwing up a shield bubble during that mission at any point would have been a bad ass way to introduce the concept early without saying it. Something that, in an Ashley play through, doesn't happen and puts back that how the fuck do we get past the swarm in the end. It makes the game slightly different and changes the difficulty a bit and make your choices really matter in ways other than characters you get. )

Just, he needs something else make it so he's in danger but doesn't KO him permanently. Also it gives Kaidan his own story line.

Because tbh, the Virmire Survivor plot sounds like it was written for a Male Shep who romanced Ashley so they banked on her sticking around. Or at the very least, a Male Shep player who at some point romanced Ashley or Liara (because Bioware pushed hard on that Liara romance) so again just having to account for the fact she'd be the most likely one alive out of Kaidan or Ashley. The stuff Ashley does makes sense, what she's doing and her even being sent out to a piss hole terminus system because of her name makes sense as a sort of punishment. I don't even like Kaidan that much but, while Ash's actions may seem like dick moves in ME2 they are understandable to her character backstory, Kaidan's make no fucking sense to him as a person and only make him look like an ass.

Now in ME3 though they could have flipped the script.

Ashley and Kaidan both go on the mission with Shepard to Mars Ashley and Kaidan having wildly different ideas on who Shep is.

Why?

Because of how non Shepard centric most of the plot of ME2 was. I enjoy the fuck out of ME2 for the same reason I love Dragon Age 2 (and I'll fight you on this game). You have to be emotionally invested in the growth of your team mates in order to make it through that last mission with them. It's very squad centric and forming that bond as a team I love that in story with a group dynamic element. The Citadel DLC in ME3 was peak that and the little moments just in ME3 they expanded on were even better.

But ME2 was missing something that DA2 had.

Moments devoted to the player character. In DA2, who you were as Hawke changed your party dynamic from the start and set up the pin of Hawke being a centric figure in the narrative of the story. If you were a Mage, say fuck off to your Mage sister. And if you weren't, bye bro. You picked who you wanted to be tacked on to in order to work in Kirkwall, your choices to take your brother or sister to the deep roads decided their life or death and subsequently, was also dependent on if you picked Anders as well. Your character's emotional investment for their family, can fuck up their life, and hurt their mother if done wrong but still lose that party member done right. But at least you still get letters from your sibling if you can keep them alive.

Then there is the plot line about the mother's boyfriend and her subsequent death that came in the form of small but in your face fetch missions. Like say what you want about that game, but at least all the little things you did to get gold in the first act built up and grew into their own stories across the next two acts. You feel a lot more for Hawke, understanding who Hawke is, what they are going through, each act taking away family members one by one until it is just Hawke in a mansion alone. But you walk around the house and touch things, books Varric recommended, wine and a mask that remind them of Fenris and their morbid sense of humor, Anders manifestos all over the damn place, and Isabela's dick scribbles all over the place. So even when you have that moment where Hawke can't go in their mother's room, the house still has family and love in it. It's fucking noice! 👌🏿👌🏿

Mass Effect 2 was one mission after the other for Shep to do but nothing really to grow as a character. And while you were out there getting folk, the game doesn't really stop to make them moments that Shep can relate to other than throwing a bone to the previous game. Por ejemplo:

Garrus and his missions. It is rightfully framed around Garrus' pain and loss of not just Shepard, but his life back home, his team, and his future. Getting through to him in one way or another is important for the mission but there isn't a moment of humanizing for Shep in it. If Shepard's backstory was Sole Survivor, Shep should have had a dialogue option to bringing that up and talk to Garrus to work through that pain. It brings Shepard the character, not just Shepard the player' character, back to the forefront. Like I said about Shep maybe being a clone should have been the major source of emotional conflict for Shep in ME2. It would have made moments where Shep has to be a person and relate to their squad mates as that person and not just the beacon of hope leader. You are going into a suicide mission and you barely get to know Shep's feelings on it aside from pissed off and "Duty".

Other moments could have been: Earth/Colonist Shep relating to Tali on the loss of their parents. Shepard talking to Thane about their own death and mortality. Sole Survivor Shep having major disadvantage on Grunt's loyalty mission. Moments where Shepard talks about their lack of a father in any bg with Jacob or even, for god honest Christ sake mention that Anderson played that role and a father that gave you DNA doesn't have to be your dad. You can find someone else. (Which could have set up for Jacob finding a mentor in ME3 but we aren't gonna talk about that 😤😤) Spacer Shep relating to Grunt and even envying the fact Grunt finds a place among the Urdnots when Shep never had a home planet to call home and all that. A Ruthless Shep or War Hero Shep having major conflicts with Mordin's mission because both Mordin and dude that worked under him thought they were doing was right by it was also a terrible path. I could go on! But the point is, ME1 gave the player little moments to have their back stories mean something and be specific to the player, even if it was one or two of them.

ME2, they were background hum on radios that you can ignore or just not pay attention to because you got fucking lost on Omega for the 10th time.

But why would all this matter in a Kaidan/Ashley story line?

Because they could have serviced as their loyalty mission but in different games. For Kaidan it would have been in ME2 and literally the boss battle before the boss battle. Joker has his own shit going on in ME2 (which I enjoyed the fuck out of) so someone has to be that ultimate question asker, are you the real Shepard? If Shep couldn't show they were the real Shepard, Kaidan isn't loyal. He doesn't die, he'd be the one life guaranteed character but it would fuck over your playthrough of ME3 if you can't convince him otherwise. You can be pissy, mad Shepard and not provide proof because who does Kaidan think he is? Loyalty failed. You can be emotionally detached soldier Shep and never had those moments. Loyalty failed. If you can't just gain the loyalty of enough members of your crew?? Failed! Who's Shepard if not the ultimate commander. If Shep can't get folks loyal to their cause, fucking that ain't Shepard. Least not in Kaidan's head. And as the player, now your thrown for a loop wondering the same thing going into a suicide mission! Imagine having to play the game and remember who Shepard is! Not just paragon or renegade pointed checks but actually Shep the character! What Shepard you made in ME1, why you chose that backstory and how it relates to the character you created and the folks around them. That would have been epic. Hell, it could have been put in that Kaidan only gets a partial loyalty and that's as high as you can get. Because Kaidan is still in mourning for Shepard and no matter how much like Shepard you are, it isn't enough to convince him that his friend is back!

Going into ME3, Ashley could still very much think that Shepard is a clone and doesn't have those major moments to test for herself if Shep is real or not before the robot rock misfortune. So in ME3, now Ashley is going to go through the same moments like Kaidan where observing and wondering if Shepard is real or not. There can be moments where how you acted toward folks in the loyalty mission comes into play in her decision. And since ME3 let your squad mates piss off to do what they wanted, moments where you go the hospital for example and find Garrus sitting with Ash and talking, but stopping when you enter the room, would create heart pounding suspense. Because since Ashley wasn't on the Normandy in the last hypothetical better Virmire Survivor plot, you don't know it's a loyalty check until it's the Udina show down. The part where Shepard insists they are the real Shep and not Cerberus and telling the truth is undercut by the fact Ashley (or Kaidan in the boring bad Virmire Plot as well) never got to check on if Shep was Shep, in just a really more complex paragon/renegade check. Give Ash a chance to check Shepard and also make the player play the Shep they created!

Again, Kaidan can have an entirely different show down point. Hell, he can have Udina and Ashley something else, just give their characters moments where they are doing something different if they are following the sameish plot line.

If you recruited Kaidan but failed his loyalty, you're fucked. You got the advantage of having an extra squad mate in ME2 so not that advantage is a disadvantage. Because if you failed his loyalty out right, you are probably going to have to shoot him or fuck over the mission . Same way there is jack shit you can do other than some complicated duck and dodge maneuvers with Wrex if you betray him and don't cure the genophage. If your at passed or in the hypothetical, just partial passed a Kaidan loyalty in 3, Shep has an easier time and doesn't have a moment of stand off at all. If you already paid your dues once, you don't have to do it again.

But even if you don't recruit Kaidan, you probably shouldn't have to go through so many hoops just because of Kaidan's character. The only way you get screwed in the end is if you don't play true to your character Shepard but insist on having him in ME2.

Again: just spit balling and the ideas can probably use some polishing on their own and I somehow ended up taking about another major flaw in Mass Effect but it's all good.

Because the major point is: the Virmire plot should have still let Kaidan and Ashley play their own characters and have their choices make sense, and also instead of just making the Virmire Survivor plot a thing that happened where you get characters one or character two, they serve as a check for your character to play true to who they are.

Because unlike the dragon age franchise, Shep is the main through line of that trilogy so there had gotta make the stories connect not just by the main lead but how they interact with the world.

Games like that came from the table top esk mechanics. You can modify your stats over time and make up for short comings and balance stuff out, but you gotta play the character you made.

Story wise, the fact that I can make a Ruthless Colonist Shepard and end with the franchise with them having more Paragon points than sin is fun and good Meta story telling for me and my fic purposes, but I should have had more resistance in game. I should have had the hardest time recruiting any sort of Batarians aid. The fact that I blew up the relay in the dlc and killed even more Batarians should have just sealed my fucking fate with them.

There is a moment in the Omega DLC that is my absolute favorite where if your Shep is an engineer, you can disable that barrier with no fucking problem at all with only the snuggest of comments. It is, out of all the moments in the game probably my favorite. Because that was my first Shep before I really got into the fandom and found out that Vanguard was actually the fandom favorite class. Most people didn't even pick engineer, biotic mains were the thing and there were like 3ish in the game. I didn't even play a biotic until my next run with a new Shep just to see what those powers were all about. But there were folks that I talked to that played and didn't know in the you could hack and fuck over mechs and how much fun that was for me.

I really like when choices like that, especially ones that are supposed to just matter in combat, work their way back into the story.

Because even though it was a choice I made for my Shep, it was so little, I barely remembered it was important to her backstory just the same as her being sole survivor and a spacer. I made me wish there were more times where the fact my Shep was an Engineer came into play with hacking mechanics in the game. She could have bypassed them entirely or had a slightly easier game compared to other classes.

Joker is thick and thin loyal but he spends most of his time at the front of the ship. The first characters you fight with on a team are Ashley and Kaidan (Jenkins) and their characters, Shepard, Ashley and Kaidan, should really connect more story wise.

I hate the Virmire plot so much because it takes two very important characters to Shepard and makes them 1D dlc characters and so only after you go through all the same checks and balances and gun point and yelling do you have moments to bond again in ME3 as individual like before. It's sad. And should have been ingrained in the plot before. Hell! Liara gets a whole dlc where you and her can talk about wtf happened while also doing shit again together. Fucking Ash and Kaidan get a letter and a big middle finger till 3 where they spend 1/3rd tof the game in a coma.

They would have been a good reminder that Shepard is who you made them in 1, the Shepard they remembered and loved and mourned and for the rest of the game, that's the Shepard you play. You could have not done that, just to see if the grass is greener on the other side, but there should have been a punishment system them. And they would have been a great checks and balances system to put it.

#mass Effect #Me thinking too much about how much I hate the virmire survior plot #If they had done that good #I wouldn't have even given a single fuck about the ending tbh #Because at least the trip to the end was satisfying

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