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anditendshowyoudexpect · 3 years

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my favorite thing about Viktor Mironov visiting Shtolman in his hotel room in the "wrong people keep finding Shtolman in the state of disarray" episode, apart from the obvious pleasure of seeing them finally sharing a scene again, is how Shtolman goes from demure acceptance of the father's righteous anger to silent pain to firm refusal to give Anna up to something i can't define in fewer words than "so, this happened, i should have seen it coming and i kinda did but it still sucks". the actor's face is fascinating to watch - the character almost doesn't have to speak.

Anna may be behaving... unreasonably, Anna may be occasionally intentionally petty and spiteful, but he knows she never stopped loving him - nothing in her behavior suggests indifference, however hard she tries to feign it.

hence the awkwardness of this conversation between the two men who love Anna more than anyone in her world, a conversation neither wanted to but ultimately had to have. it's both a lose-lose situation and the long overdue clearing of the air, even if everybody's unhappy about saying some things out loud and hearing them.

poor Viktor Ivanovich though, there's only so much he can do without challenging his daughter's beau to a duel, which i honestly can't imagine... like, we know what it'd be like, don't we? :D Shtolman firing into the air, that's what. obviously, Daddy either would have to do the same - or kill him, thus effectively killing Anna... there's really no point grabbing a gun when your heart is so full of love ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

anyhow, unlike the hurting and, essentially, humiliated father of his bride-hopefully-to-be-someday, Shtolman has it easy, this uncomfortable confrontation notwithstanding and whatever the hell his circumstances are. it couldn't be clearer: he knows this is his woman and he isn't going anywhere. this is not a man prone to agonizing self-reflection. he could drink himself to sleep after their big fight and Anna's tearful promise to leave town back in s1 but he would have moved on eventually (let's not forget how much his job means to him) if she had indeed left, maybe remembering her with a sort of aching fondness as the one who got away, wistful about what might have been - that is, if he'd even survived. but at this point, after everything they've been through together, he simply loves her too much to give her up.

if he ever thought himself unworthy of her, i didn't notice it torment him or affect his choices much (okay, there was that exchange at the cemetery at the end of ep50, when the writers or the script editor forgot the previous episode or all of them and who the characters were, like, the only somewhat valid explanation that comes to mind is that the prince can demand satisfaction and shoot him) - maybe it was more in the line of "i'd better stay away from this girl, she doesn't need my shit", but we saw how good he was at that. and btw now that i think about it, i'm not really sure if it was her life he didn't want to burden or if it was his own. maybe both.

basically, once he knows his own feelings, he acts on them depending on the context. scoffing and snapping if there's a real rival. unbridled fucking joy and heart eyes all the way if the road is clear. he said it once and he meant it: they need to be together now. and nothing and no one - no one! not even her father - but some stupid unthinkable threat to Anna's safety and, most importantly, Anna herself can get in his way. he isn't taking her no for an answer as long as it's only words.

in terms of the relationship between the protagonists (and lbr this is what we're here for), this may be the most important takeaway from this scene and possibly from all eight episodes of s2.

so in my musical, The Waltz We Never Danced would definitely be performed by Shtolman. even though he has absolutely no clue about all those waltzes they never danced. it was never about dancing anyway.

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#detective anna #shtolman #character study #sort of #dmitriy frid #2x04 #detective anna the musical

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rpgmgames · 4 years

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November’s Featured Game: Grimm's Hollow

DEVELOPER(S): ghosthunter ENGINE: RPG Maker 2003 GENRE: Indie RPG, Adventure WARNINGS: Discussions of death, losing a loved one, grief SUMMARY: Grimm’s Hollow is a spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.

Download the game here! Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! *BB: My name's Bruno and I did some of the music along with Nat! I’m super happy to have participated in this game! *NW: I’m Nat Wesley, a.k.a. Natbird! I’m a composer available for hire with a few projects in the works. I’m honored to have had the chance to work on the soundtrack to Grimm’s Hollow! *GH: Hello! I go by ghosthunter online; I started developing RPGs with a friend in school when we found out that we both enjoyed RPG Horror. I enjoy art, webcomics, cartoons and narrative-driven indie games a lot. I bought RM2K3 on sale and started pouring pixel art into it, before learning how to do things like chase scenes, cutscenes, etc. I used to fantasize about making my own game, drawing dungeons and ghosts in the back of my sketchbooks, before I finally started Grimm’s Hollow. Now I’m near the end of high-school, and I’m hoping the best for uni!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially? *GH: Grimm’s Hollow, originally, wasn’t as ambitious or personal. It was simply just going to be “my first game”, something that I could finally put my doodles and RM2K3 skills to. I wanted a game that a younger me would have enjoyed, back when I first discovered the classic RPGMaker games and replayed them constantly for those endings. That was my initial inspiration. It eventually evolved into an action turn-based RPG that relies on timing, yet it’s mostly narrative-driven. You traverse death in search of your sibling, and try to make an escape. There are unexpected pieces of me that ended up in this game, some of which I’m still noticing even now.

How long have you been working on your project? *GH: Since the summer of June 2018.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *GH: Standstill Girl, OFF by Mortis Ghost, Undertale, Over The Garden Wall, and the animation medium in general.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *GH: Many! Making your first game is such a giant learning curve, that the list of challenges goes on. I would say that the most difficult issue I encountered (and that, in some ways, I am still facing after release) is working around the limitations of the game engine I am using. I wanted to see whether creating an engaging but simple 1-party RPG in RM2K3 (without going completely custom) was feasible, and I experimented with quick time events as part of that. I worked around the engine’s built-in formulae so players could see progress when they upgraded their stats - although the game might display as defence as “10”, in reality the game stores it as 40 since the engine splits defence by 4. Since I did not want to create an RPG which was too complex for my first game, I also scrapped traditional staples such as armour or weapons. There were also issues such as having an appropriate “game over” handling event which wouldn’t shoot you back to the title screen after you lost a battle; getting RM2K3 to play a small cutscene where you faint and respawn somewhere else was tricky. I felt that if the player had to reload after a loss, it would disrupt the game flow.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *GH: Like I mentioned before, the game started off impersonal. I just had a soft spot for a spooky cute aesthetic, and I wanted to indulge in that. It was (and in its essence, still is) meant to be a short story, to keep the player invested for the short game length - nothing grandiose. The original draft did not have Baker play a role in the narrative - he was just an ordinary shopkeeper NPC. For a long time during development, Lavender did not even have a name. In the very first draft, she was a silent protagonist the player could name and customize. But she played a very active role in the final outline, so it was hard not to give her own unique voice when one emerged from the narrative naturally. I am glad I did; she grew on me quite quickly! Grimm was virtually unchanged from beginning to end. The only difference was that a close friend suggested that he seemed like he would be into drinking Oolong tea - so that’s what he offers you when you meet him. Timmy also did not go under massive overhauls like Lavender and Baker did, but his relationship with Lavender became much more fleshed out as I wrote the narrative. In other facets of the game’s design, there were not many changes to the original prototype.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *GH: It was just myself, doing the art, writing, programming, etc. But halfway through creating the second cave, I realised I would need a very specific sound for Grimm’s Hollow. So, I contacted Nat for music, but I also created a post on tumblr calling for a composer since there were many tracks to make. I met Bruno as a result! I am very happy with their work and I am so grateful I’ve got to work with them! (Some players are asking for an OST release, which is in the works).

What is the best part of developing a game? *GH: I really enjoyed the early stages of development: creating new tilesets, sprites and maps and piecing them together in the editor, then taking a small screenshot and sharing it with my friend over summer vacation … It was nice to see the game’s world slowly come together. I think that’s what I enjoyed the most from beginning to end: that sense of world-building, that sense of relaxation from making a small cosy game. The latter started to disappear as work and other responsibilities started to intrude, and pressure began to seep into development time - but I never stopped loving making the world and characters. I also want to say that, by lucky chance, I have met a lot of kind people from making my first game. I’m very grateful for that, so thank you to everyone.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *GH: All the time! Other RPG Maker 2003 projects are great inspirations for pixel art tilesets, as well as how to code harder features such as custom menus. They’re also just fun to play.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *GH: Lavender and Timmy are relatable to me in multiple ways. I can’t elaborate on Timmy since that would go into spoiler territory, but I somewhat relate to Lavender’s insistence on managing her life on her own - sometimes to her own detriment. I’d say the most fun character to write for was Grimm. He can be unintentionally silly while speaking in the most formal way, but also very caring too. Everything he does and says was easy to write, whereas I had to think harder for the interactions between everyone else - especially for very crucial scenes regarding their development. That being said, my favourite is still the game’s central two siblings. I can not pick between them for the life of me.

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *GH: I wish I started testing even earlier! Not only does it give you a good sense of what’s missing, but seeing people enjoy what you’ve made yet get hindered by bugs is a very strong incentive to fix your game immediately. When I was lacking motivation or was stuck, I found that good feedback and support made me motivated again. I also wish that I could have pushed the deadline a little further, or perhaps released the game on Early Access since it will take me a while to refine post-release bugs - but as it is, the 31st of October really was the deadline for my game due to external circumstances (no, that deadline wasn’t just because it was Halloween!). Other than that, I wonder if using an updated version of RPG Maker would have produced the same game …? It’s hard to tell, but I hope people enjoy it for what it is - I will be working on that post-release patch soon!

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *GH: There are no current plans, but I would be happy to have the opportunity to improve and expand on the game. As it is, the game’s released for free and done as a hobby, so I would struggle to do that by myself.

What do you most look forward to now that you have finished the game? *GH: Earlier on, I was really looking forward to players’ reactions. Games are made to be fun, and I would have felt distraught if my game didn’t achieve what it was set out to do. Yet it was not just about the gameplay; it was about the narrative. I hoped that what I found funny, the player would too; what was heartfelt to me, was heartfelt to the player as well. Like sharing a laugh, or just a good experience together. I hoped they would enjoy the feeling that went into it, despite the struggle of making it against circumstance and limitations. Now, I look forward to resting and sleeping once this over. I want to explore my other interests, improve, and explore new media. I want to relax, and refocus again like I was before the heat of development.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *GH: Bugs! Some are easy to fix, but others are harder due to the limitations of the engine (e.g an error in one ending is caused by an overflow error).

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *GH: Show your game as early as possible, to as many people as possible. As soon as you have something playable, it’s ready for feedback. You’ll see if that game mechanic you spent hours refining works, or if it doesn’t work and why. You’ll understand what players enjoy and what they want more of, but also what they don’t like or don’t enjoy. And you will definitely encounter bugs. You’ll be able to pinpoint and fix minor problems early on that can easily become a larger issue later. You’ll be able to fine-tune your game so its best bits shine, and the difficulty is just right.

Question from last month's featured dev @dead-dreams-dev: Is there anything you’ve added to your game for no other reason than because you’re hoping fans will get a kick out of it? Fanservice, fourth wall breakage, references to other games, jokes, abilities that are just ridiculously overpowered and badass, etc? *GH: It’s hard to say; game design is trying to find the intersection between what’s good for the player, what the developer enjoys, and what’s feasible to implement. Every decision made should be conscious of that … I think a lot of the game’s early light-hearted jokes was not only made because I enjoyed it, but I hoped the player would “get a kick out of it” too. But more so, I think it’s because I would struggle to write a story which is serious and bleak from beginning to end. The game is a little self-indulgent in the narrative that way.

We mods would like to thank ghosthunter & team for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Grimm's Hollow if you haven’t already! See you next month!

- Mods Gold & Platinum

#rpgmaker #rpg maker games #indie games #pixel games #rpg #adventure #cute #grimms hollow #grimm's hollow #gotm #game of the month #gotm 2019 #2019 #game of the month 2019 #november #november 2019

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morkofday · 3 years

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thank you once again @yibobibo for tagging me ♥ even if, like I said, this is pure torture. I have so many sons that I’ve given up on counting them sigh but here goes.

favourite male fictional characters.

I took it that this meant ten so am going with that (tho am not gonna try and put them into order). am also sticking to all the characters I loved this year. and gonna ramble and add gifs so cutting it here.

1. Liu Sang

The Lost Tomb Reboot/Reunion: The Sound of The Providence

I have so much love for this boy it’s not even healthy. it’s a bit funny tho bc once I started tltr, I didn’t really like him and almost forgot about him as the first season ended. he just felt so annoying and bitter in what I saw him, even if I did get that he had a Tragic BackstoryTM (I felt for him but well. tltr really made him hard to like at first). but then they brought him back in the second season with his sad puppy eyes and inability to handle his thoughts on wu xie and being all touch-starved and pitiful and whatnot and baam, I had the adoption papers ready. he’s wonderful and so strong and so smart and amazing. and liu chang as his actor has been wonderful (and he’s so pretty my god, have you seen him??)

2. Shen Wei

Guardian

never did I expect to just. fall into this hole after a year? I remember what a mess I was when I first watched guardian over a year ago, right after finishing the untamed. I was in shambles even as I knew how it would end. and now I’ve done this all again while also reading the novel and. my love for shen wei, especially bc it’s zhu yilong acting as shen wei? astronomical. I want to write poetry about him and his stupid responsibilities that he chooses to carry silently and his devotion to zhao yunlan and his love for his ppl and his didi and. I hope that one day I manage to write weilan bc I have this one idea and you can come pry it from my cold, dead fingers if it doesn’t get out there (am also super happy about the edit I made bc my god does he deserve at least that)

3. Cloud Strife

Final Fantasy VII

ok so stepping into the video games territory now. I was waiting for the remake like crazy and it was everything to me once the quarantine hit during spring. the game is so beautiful and I felt like I looked at this gorgeous boy once and was ready to give him my heart (tbh am quite sure he owned my heart before I even learned to know him). he is tragic in so many ways (I’ve only scratched the surface of all of his pain I know) and I wish I could just. hug him a lot. he is kind and cares very deeply even if he hates to show it and I love it how remake showed him also just being a human disaster (some of his scenes are just. peak comedy). I would kill for his smile (I have already cried for it a dozen)

4. Geralt of Rivia

The Witcher (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)

if there’s one grumpy, brickwall of a man I love, it’s geralt. I affectionately call him “papa wolf” while playing witcher 3 and his voice in it does things to me (I am just so fond of him ok, begone you dirty fuckers). I got introduced to him through the books and adored him in them bc he is so prickly and sarcastic and still so full of love even if he will never admit to it. he is the father figure I wish I could have in real life. (and yes, I’ve seen the tv series (or at least a couple of the first episodes) and it looks stunning but. this is my version of geralt and that’s the hill I will die on)

5. Xiaoge

Zhang Qiling, Daomu Biji (The Lost Tomb 2)

(wow finding a gif for him was a pain, apparently I gotta learn how to gif or?) ah, my dear boy who I’ve ended up just calling xiaoge bc he seems to prefer it over his real name/title/whatever zhang qiling really is. I got introduced to him through tltr where we really didn’t get to know that much about him bc he was just... there. huang junjie was absolutely stunning tho and his soft smiles made me super fond, but only in the lost tomb 2 did I really fall in love with xiaoge as a character. I was surprised tbh bc I didn’t expect it to be this drama? I had so many doubts about the cast in tlt2 but they all delivered! and I think cheng yi’s xiaoge is now my favorite bc he somehow captured that softness and the pain of him? (and we do not talk about that buxun storyline tyvm) tho now that ultimate note is on the way, I gotta say that xiao yuliang does a wonderful job as xiaoge too!

6. Wu Xie

Daomu Biji (Ultimate Note)

(sorry we have to go with a pingxie gif now but maybe it’s only fitting) tbh it’s hard to choose my favorite version of wu xie. I think all of the actors for him have done amazing job showing wu xie in different parts of his life (all of them are very distinct but still feel like the same person) but currently zheng shunxi takes the lead. I really wanted to put the reboot version of him here (bc I love that mature, relaxed and somehow very soft version of him and the angst is phenomenal and the thoughts he has about death... yeah) but I already have zhu yilong’s face here once so :’D wu xie is just one of those characters you cannot not like. he is so strong, so kind, so stubborn, so wonderfully stupid sometimes and in need of careful protection. I also adore it how smart he is and I could listen to him spew history facts for 10 hours straight (even if it was in a tomb full of blood zombies) ♥

7. Jiang Cheng

Jiang Wanyin, The Untamed

my darling boy! my beautiful angry grape! I love him beyond words. I love him in all of his raging, misunderstood, stupid, sassy, constipated, abused, tragic, bitter, big hearted glory. I could write novels about him (and I did and am still writing oh boy) and his love for ppl and his inability to show that love and his loneliness and his issues. I could also write another novel for all of his outfits etc. bc damn, what a fashion king. he is just so great. he owns my soul. he deserves happiness and in this essay I will

8. Isana Yashiro

Adolf K. Weismann, K Project

I rewatched k project this spring bc a) it’s one of my favorite animes ever (it just looks stunning with all the colors) and b) I love yashiro to bits. I remember falling in love with him when I first watched k project many years ago bc he was just so kind and bright. this time though, I ended up seeing another side of him and my god did I cry. he is... so sweet. he cares for others so deeply and is ready to sacrifice so much for them and his love for his two clansmen... yeah. I think I finally saw the tragedy of him too, all the pain and loneliness and insecurity he decides to hide behind his smile and obnoxious personality. he reminded me a lot of myself and watching him made my heart bleed in a good way

9. Qi Tiezui

Ba Ye, The Mystic Nine

(wow am going to riot for the lack of all the gifs hhh) yes, we’re continuing with the dmbj universe that sucked me in big time this year. the drama of the mystic nine wasn’t probably that earth shattering for me as it somehow got boring more than once but I did love ba ye to bits. he was just... so nice? I got it that he was somehow this “comedic relief” in the drama with all of his funny scenes and ridiculous mannerisms but I could see the brilliance of him. he is warm and smart and kind of a romantic too and he cares for all of his friends so deeply? it was also sweet how protective of him his two zhangs were (does that run in the family? the tendency to imprint into one smart but disastrous man and keep him safe? maybe) and I really hope I knew more about him bc he seemed to have a lot of knowledge and a lot of impact to ppl’s lives (I yelled when they mentioned him in ultimate note, I miss him ;;)

10. Dorian Pavus

Dragon Age Inquisition

(yes I’ve been replaying DA:I this year, this counts!) another darling boy! my lovely sass master son! I have so much love for him and his story in DA:I. he is my favorite companion (and his romance is my favorite too, probably obvious in the way am currently romancing him for the third time) and he has given me a lot of strength. the way he stands up against his father, how he’s ready to reform his homeland instead of walking away, how he’s so caring for those he sees struggling... it’s very warming and I feel like I’m safe with him. it feels a bit silly to say that but he really is that comfort character I will seek out when I just want to know am doing fine :’) (and I am so excited to see him again in DA4! probably?)

+ 11. Li Cu

Tomb of the Sea

yes I cheated a bit (with my own rules lol) to fit li cu here. I didn’t really expect to like him or tomb of the sea as much as I did once I started it? I’ve seen leo wu elsewhere before this (battle through the heavens, nirvana in fire) and his face always makes me think about a sad puppy so maybe I just grew fond over li cu instantly bc he was... so hurt? the first episode really slaps you in the face with all of it, showing him being abused, wounded, kidnapped, tortured, used and then just very, very scared and broken. he continues being that throughout the whole drama and I feel like tomb of the sea (or sand sea or sha hai idk) is the darkest and angstiest story in the dmbj universe. I know it deserves to be bc this is a dark time for wu xie but... my darling li cu. I wish him only happiness ;; he was so strong and smart and wonderful in this and it was just so amazing to watch him grow and find his own place in the world just bc he did something himself (even when he got dragged into all of this bc of wu xie) also I support the wu xie adopts li cu -agenda

Honorary mentions:

Zhang Rishan, Xie Yuchen and Hei Xiazi from DMBJ universe. The Twin Jades of Gusu and Ouyang Zizhen from The Untamed. The Iron Bull and Fenris from Dragon Age games. Thane Krios, Kaidan Alenko and Jaal from Mass Effect games. The whole lot of Assassin’s Creed protagonists (especially Ezio Auditore and Shay Cormac). Adam Parrish and Ronan Lynch from The Raven Cycle. Neil Josten from All For The Game. Eduon and March from The Smoke Thieves. Qiling from L.O.R.D. Critical World. Luo Fei from Detective L (played by Bai Yu).

well, with this I can really see that I have a thing for those who are tragic :’D I have a thing for grumpy, prickly and antisocial guys or those who hide their pain behind a smile. maybe it’s bc I am somehow both, even if I can’t show my anger or be mean to others and even if I feel like my smile never sticks either. I just find kinship in all of the characters who are on this list. and I feel like I aspire to be as strong and as kind and as loving despite all the pain I’ve been put through.

thank you, this was so much fun! and sorry I made this so long and so complicated ^^’ but well, there are just way too many male characters I love haha

at the end I want to tag @i-am-just-a-kiddo @ashenwren @kholran @tiesanjiao @lan-xichens @aheartfullofjolllly @manhasetardis and @lzswy ♥ feel free to do this in your own way or not at all! and thank you if you managed to read through my rambling :’D

#tag game #wow this was something #i've been waiting for one #bc there is so much love in me #and this year i've discovered so many #new characters to just gush over #about me #random #edit: added a few characters #and tagged some more ppl sorry #also mobile tumblr wouldnt let me edit so lol

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herkawaiinovels · 4 years

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[SS] Chapter 1 Part 1

T/N: Hi everyone! It’s my first time translating so please bear with me. This is one of my favorite novels among the Korean novels I personally bought from Google Play and Ridibooks. It’s a cute and heartwarming novel. Hope you all enjoy!

[One. The novel, The Duke's Lover]

「“It doesn’t matter if I die, as long as you are safe.”

Ver kissed Cecia's hand while his other hand lay on his chest.

A knight's vow. It was something a knight could give only once in their life.

Of course, there were knights that abused these oaths. But for Ver, it was his one and only chance. Even from before, it was something he swore he'd give to her once he became an imperial knight.

A surprised look was seen on Cecia's face. Ver knew the meaning of that expression.

Not his own lover, Ver was in love with someone else's woman. But whether it was in the past or even in the future, the fact remained unchanged that Cecia was someone he wanted to protect. Even if she was another man's woman. 」

“Oh why?”

Lying in the room reading a novel, an unhappy yell came from Arim. She was heartbroken by the dejected expression of the most affectionate character, Ver Grant, from her favorite novel <The Duke's Lover>.

Ver Grant, a man who watches the woman he likes from afar. However, the man's love was not reciprocated.

Ver, who had always stayed with Cecia, the heroine, and was the first to step forward when it came to Cecia, was never present during the crucial moments.

He only existed for the protagonist at the moment for the male lead to shine. Arim swept over the sentences on paper, as if she could see his face.

Everyone was the protagonist of their life, but there always seemed to be certain people who were worthy of the spotlight. They were always shining. And those who were not were in the crowd and looked at them from afar.

It seemed to indicate the existence of a fixed position. Like 'center' and 'side'.

She knew how the world worked – some people were meant to be unnoticed. Just like the most inconspicuous back corner seat among the many chairs. And just like a supporting character who helps in the background, rather than the hero who is always at the center of events.

The reason why she especially admired Ver was because she found herself quite similar to him. He was a man whose life was a supporting role, who thought that even his heart was like a supporting role for the main characters.

A heart that can't be expressed to the person you love, yet still wants to be next to that person. Nevertheless, for fear of hurting them, you can't get closer. She understood that heart.

So while reading the novel, she read it with the hope that Ver would achieve happiness in the end. Arim swept through the sentences as if comforting Ver. She hoped he would be happy with his beloved, although she knew it would not come true.

Arim also had a man she had loved but only watched from a distance for a very long time. Yet as the man's girlfriend changed many times, she didn't deliver a small piece of her heart. No, rather, she couldn't.

Afraid that she wouldn't even be allowed to be next to him as a friend, Arim couldn't tell him. She might have decided to give up on her own, thinking, 'I'm thankful that he's next to me as a friend.'

“Not today.”

-Why? Today seems like a perfect day to drink.

“I have to stay sober this week. Just drink by yourself.”

-Hey, y…

Arim hung up without hearing Hyun Woo's subsequent words. Contrary to how she had ended the phone call, a pleasant smile was at the edge of Arim's lips. It was good that the reason for his contact was only because of drinks.

Arim was a woman Hyun Woo’s girlfriend disliked. Although Arim was always rational around Hyun Woo, his girlfriend did not like her being next to him.

Arim could understand the woman’s heart. So, while Hyun Woo had a girlfriend, she tried not to meet with him as much as possible.

This refusal was one of those actions. A bitter smile hung on her mouth.

Like a jammer who interferes with the main character's love, Arim could not be located next to the main character.

“Hey, Song Arim-! Do you really like Hyun Woo?”

The woman and her friends vigorously opened the door, wearing their usual scathing expressions.

“You had dinner with Hyun Woo recently, hadn’t you?”

“I heard you confessed."

“Don't you think they're on and off?”

“Is she laughing in front of us? It's creepy.”

Although it was not true, Arim had nothing to say in front of the group who were already talking about it.

The answer was already out, and it would end with them calling her a b*tch.

“Don’t say that…would Arim do this on purpose?”

Hyun Woo's girlfriend, wearing an innocent face, asked her friends. But Arim knew. The girl was laughing on the inside. Her proud eyes were something that Arim never missed the moment she entered the room.

Arim stood there without saying a word. The eyes in the room were sharp. And the sharp gazes clawed at her unseen heart. Her feelings that had never been seen by anyone were suddenly on display for everyone to see.

“He already has a girlfriend but she still liked him……it's filthy, that heart.”

Someone finally said the words everyone was silently thinking on their heads.

With her at the center, everyone's faces frowned all at once. Like they were seeing something really dirty. Like their eyes were defiled by Arim’s feelings.

Arim, who couldn't stand it any longer, hid her trembling hands and ran out of the room towards her home.

“There’s a lecture right now. Where are you rushing off to?”

Hyun Woo blocked Arim as she tried to quickly run away. He looked at her as she tried to catch her breath.

It occurred to Arim that maybe all that happened was for the best. Otherwise her unexpressed feelings might not have been caught.

That’s right. It cannot be. Arim nodded and rationalized with herself.

“What’s wrong?”

Hyun Woo's voice brought Arim back to reality. She wanted to deny it, but everything was real. Hyun Woo in front of her, in the same classroom. If he hears the story, this might be the last time she can face him. Arim extended her trembling hand to Hyun Woo.

The thought that it might be the last time she would see him encouraged her. But she stopped right before her hand reached him. Suddenly, someone’s voice reverberated in her ear.

"Seriously……It's filthy, that heart. "

Arim took back her trembling hand and instead swept her hair. Her hands quivered worse than before.

“Are you okay?”

Hyun Woo thrust out his hand, but this time Arim avoided it.

“Nothing’s wrong. Don’t overreact.”

Arim spoke without thinking. As always, it was her own defense mechanism.

“It’s really nothing"

“Hey, Song Arim!”

Hyun Woo's voice ran behind her.

‘I wish I could get away from here’

TOC | Next

If you can, please support the author by purchasing the raws here or here.

#Side Story

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princeescaluswords · 4 years

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No One Needed Werewolf Jesus

I was going through AO3 this morning, when I came across a work that managed to sneak it’s way past my tag filters, which is easy when the author doesn’t use them. I chuckled a little, because it’s not the first time I’ve seen this sentiment in my fandom.

There’s an element in fandoms that hate moral and/or altruistic characters. They want to worship the white male serial killer du jour or the privileged manchild and, part of their ritual while doing so is pointing out every singe flaw in the hero protagonists, for the explicit goal of arguing that they’re no better than anyone else and thus their favorites can’t be held responsible for things like multiple murder, casual brutality, or endangering all life on the planet.

As I’ve said before, to me there’s nothing more tiresome than hero protagonists being held to a different and higher standard than any other character, yet when they succeed at that higher standard, they're boring; when they struggle to meet that standard, they're whiny or black-and-white thinkers; or when they fail to meet their standard, they are worthy of crucifixion.

But do you know what these elements of the fandom never do? They never really say that they want the hero protagonist to stop acting like a hero protagonist. They just want permission to hate them.

Everyone complains about Scott’s initial reluctance or how long it took Scott to retrieve the bullet from the Argent House. But not one of them says that Scott should not have bothered to sneak into Kate’s bedroom and find the bullet, because it was too dangerous. “He’ll be fine with one arm.”

Everyone talks about how Peter should not be held accountable for killing eight people, including his niece, his colleague Nurse Jennifer, and the innocent bystander janitor, because he was out of his mind and he deserved his revenge. Of course, they don’t want to consider that part of this revenge was tryingto bring Scott to his side, and that it was only Scott’s force of will that prevented him from murdering Stiles, Allison, Lydia, and Jackson, as Peter wanted him to when he drove Scott out of his mind.

Everyone complains about how Scott should just listen to Derek, but I don’t think a single one of them would have liked Derek murdering Boyd and Cora in Fireflies (3x03) if Scott had said “If you think it’s best, Derek.”

Everyone complains about how Scott never listens to Stiles, who is always right, but they are strangely silent in their complaints when it comes to Stiles demanding that they let him die or let him kill himself in Season 03B when he was possessed. I mean, how dare Scott think he knows better than Stiles?

You see, they absolutely needed “Werewolf Jesus.” They wanted someone who would protect Stiles no matter what, save the lives of chacters who bullied them and other characters he didn’t even know, defeat the bad guys without killing them (remembering that Peter and Derek and Stiles and Theo were all bad guys at one time or another). They just wished he looked a little different.

Not a single member of this fandom would have been okay with there not being a “Werewolf Jesus” because that would have meant that most of the characters they like so much better than Scott would be in the ground. Every single white male serial killer, brutal white trauma victim, and white neurodiverse character would be dead without a character like Scott McCall, and they know it.

So what’s the problem with the way Scott looked? I think you know exactly what the problem is.

#teen wolf fandom problems #scott mccall defense squad #fandom racism

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therealkatekane · 4 years

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My Journey through Yuri, Part II

So, to be fair, this is the first anime that kicked off my midlife discovery of anime. And while Symphogear holds the top spot in my heart, Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid is a very, very close second. Symphogear fulfills my need for warm fluffy fuzzies and adventure. Valkyrie fulfills my need for... everything else: lesbians, sex, lesbian sex, humor, over-the-top-ridiculous premises, zero male characters, and just... literally everything. If Symphogear is comfort food, then Valkyrie is my favorite meal that is hella bad for me, but I just don’t care.

I don’t even remember how I stumbled onto this anime, but I thank the fucking gods that I did. I found it, watched the entire series one night, and again the next two nights with the girls. Also, thanks to this show, Diana taught me two important anime terms: ecchi and oppai. We’ll start here:

And so it begins...

Let me start here: you best be grown for this post. And you best be grown if you’re watching this show because damn they is a lot of sex.

The whole premise of this show is that girls infected with the Arm Virus are quarantined on islands away from the rest of the world. Infected girls can be either Extars or Liberators. Extars transform into weapons (”Arms”) that Liberators use or “drive.” And in order to transform, Extars must be sexually stimulated by a compatible Liberator. Yup.

I was actually concerned at first because I thought this setup had a lot of potential to have all the attitudes and ideas I find super squicky in anime (and in media in general): questionable consent, objectification, toxic relationships, etc. But I was pleasantly surprised that consent is actually addressed really well in the series, and overall, I thought it handled excellently so I wasn’t squicked out at all.

So, onto the characters:

Above you see our two main characters: Mamori, the red head, is an Extar. The blond, Mirei, is a Liberator. And as is seen above, they were meant for each other. That being said, bless Mirei and her heart of gold, because Mamori is real simple. If I have one complaint about this show, it’s that Mamori is that annoyingly innocent and oblivious and simple protagonist. You know the one. She’s that dog you have that can’t figure out how to push open a door with its nose even though it’s already mostly open anyway and whines until you get up and cross the room and push it open the remaining three inches so she can come in. Lord love her, she’s adorable and sweet, but just... not bright.

But Mirei is phenomenal. Despite Mamori’s obliviousness, Mirei is immediately staunchly devoted to her. All she wants to do is protect Mamori. She is tall and mysterious and proves to be a badass fighter in her first thirty seconds on screen. You can’t help but fall in love with her strength and stubbornness. And I’m a sucker for the strong but silent and awkward types.

What I like best about their relationship is how Mirei automatically does whatever she thinks is in Mamori’s best interests or aligns with her desires from word one. She sees Mamori under attack, she places herself between her and her attacker. Mamori complains about a character being cruel to another, Mirei moves to put a stop to it. Mamori asks Mirei not to hurt some one, so she doesn’t. I’m not a big fan of “love at first sight” type shit, but I can’t help but just fucking adore Mirei’s instant devotion to Mamori. Not just her, but to her thoughts and feelings.

Next up, we have the dynamic duo referred to as “Lady Lady.”

Oh, I cannot say enough about these two. Lady Rain and Lady J. Both are both Liberators and Extars, able to switch between roles as the situation dictates. SWITCH, get it?? One transforms into a sword/gun and the other a badass motorcycle. They claim it isn’t the sex that allows them transform but the strength of their bond. It’s actually quite beautiful how dedicated they are to one another. Former members of a paramilitary government organization, they chose exile and quarantine over being tools of others.

Next up, we’ve got Meifon. Meifon is a schemer obsessed with making a buck. What I adore about her is that she is an asexual/aromantic character. On an island where everyone is fucking everyone all the time. It is such an interesting idea of how someone who doesn’t experience sexual arousal/stimulation in a “typical” way functions on an island where sex is so highly prioritized. It was a really neat idea that I was surprised to see the show tackle. While it isn’t addressed in a super deep or meaningful way, it is an unexpected and nice touch.

The “Governor.” Normally, I am all about avoiding spoilers, but I was surprised that we were supposed to think the governor is a dude. I know sometimes it can be hard to tell in anime, and I am guilty of more than once being like “What a super hot lady!” and it ended up being a fella and cue disappointment. But Akira was clearly a woman from the first time we see her. It wasn’t until the fourth episode that I learned she was supposed to be a “man.” She is so clearly a lady. If you can’t figure that out in ten seconds, you’re as simple as Mamori, bless your heart.

I feel it’s a missed opportunity for Akira not to be trans, but she’s not. She’s just pretending to be a fella for power, to stand out on an island full of women. It would have been a lot more interesting and compelling in my humble opinion. But whatever.

I could go on and on about all the many fantastic characters on this show, but there are a few other things I want to talk about.

1. I usually prefer the original Japanese voice actors, but this is one of the rare times when the opposite is true. The English voice acting is on point, very well acted, and an utter delight. Mirei in particular has a fantastic dead-pan delivery that I adore.

2. This show is hysterically funny. I laughed so hard so many times. Especially during the episode “Giant Girl, Little Heart.” I mean... just look at this:

The giant girl’s name is Nimi Minimi. I can’t even. Dear god. It’s so funny. I have a great appreciation for anything that can make me laugh. There are a lot of jokes about pitching and catching. And this is an actual quote from this episode: “Nimi, you’re the only one who can catch my fastball. Only you can catch my body and soul!” It’s classic.

3. The power and relationship dynamics are very interesting. Poly seems to be a pretty readily accepted practice. Platonic “driving” seems to be a thing. Consent is approached several different ways, and each is very interesting. Another thing this show does well is examine the problems inherent in such a system. It isn’t all girls kissing girls and touchy touchy fun times. There is a lot included on how that power can be abused and what corruption may look like in a hyper-sexualized state. So, maybe trigger warning? I’m pretty sensitive, but I did not find it trigger-y. It was actually nice to see such abuse of power highlighted as abuse without a veiled attempt to make it okay because it’s sexy times between two (or more) women.

4. Story/plot/etc - I’ll be real. The bar was really low when I initially started this. I mean, I didn’t expect much given the premise, but ended up being very pleasantly surprised. The story is reasonably compelling and more thought out than expected. There are more complexities than I anticipated, and it all wraps up neatly at the end of the series in a satisfying way.

So, I guess that wraps up Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid. Conclusion: Watch it. It’s beautifully NSFW and unashamedly queer. There needs to be more anime like it. I think next I’ll write about Flip Flappers as it was recommended to me on my last post, and it currently holds the number three spot in my heart.

Today marks the fourth week of working from home, so please please please keep the recommendations coming. I have literally nothing to do but work and watch anime, and I’m super grateful for the recs I received already. Thanks. :-)

#valkyrie drive #mirei shikishima #mamori x mirei #yuri #anime #mamori tokonome #lesbians everywhere #i am shameless about how much i love this show

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purplesurveys · 4 years

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961

What was the most unsettling film you’ve seen? Unsettling films are my jam, man. To name a few, there’s Eraserhead, Room, Midsommar, Eyes Wide Shut, Misery, and most recently, I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Eraserhead takes the cake though. That movie always makes me queasy...

What unethical experiment would have the biggest positive impact on society as a whole? I’m a firm believer in nothing good ever comes out of unethical practices. I’ll never forget reading about an experiment where a group of newborn babies were given basic needs like food and being bathed, but weren’t shown any affection whatsoever and it was meant to see if humans can survive with just the most basic physiological needs. By the end of the experiment period half of the babies were dead. The results were honestly a lot bleaker than how I’ve put it, but I don’t wanna be a downer lol. Suffice it to say that experiment haunted me for days after reading it.

When was the last time you were snooping, and found something you wish you hadn’t? It was around a week or so ago, I’m pretty sure.

Which celebrity or band has the worst fan base? My sister is into K-pop and I hear insights from her all the time, but her one constant is that BTS breeds the most annoying, toxic fans. I’d have to agree. Ariana Grande’s fandom was also annoying at one point, but I haven’t heard much from them making a mess these days.

What are you interested in that most people aren’t? Autobiographies.

If you were given a PhD degree, but had no more knowledge of the subject of the degree besides what you have now, what degree would you want to be given to you? Why would I deserve a PhD on something I’m clearly not qualified for...I’m not sure I’m following this question right, but I don’t feel like thinking too hard about it.

What smartphone feature would you actually be excited for a company to implement? I’m happy with the features that are widespread now, but I wish companies adhere more to countries other than the common ones like US, UK, Australia, etc. I always see ads about phones being able to tell you how much movie tickets cost or track boarding passes, but those are all irrelevant here. It makes a lot of Apple’s basic apps useless on this side of the world haha.

What’s something people don’t worry about but really should? Long-term effects of poor habits like not getting enough sleep or drinking too many cups of coffee. I know because I’m guilty of this.

What movie quotes do you use on a regular basis? “I won’t think about that now, I’ll think about it tomorrow,” but I usually say it to myself, especially when I feel stressed.

Do you think that children born today will have better or worse lives than their parents? Better, but idk if that’s just me being biased because my generation will be the next parents lol. I just think that a lot of Gen X parents still have a lot of dated prejudices and mindsets that my generation was able to learn better from. For example my mom doesn’t like using people’s preferred names, especially if they’ve transitioned -_____- and I know I’d never want to set such an example for my kids.

What’s the funniest joke you know by heart? I know I’ve come across hilarious ones but I always fail to come up with one when asked on the spot.

When was the last time you felt you had a new lease on life? LOL RIGHT NOW

What’s the funniest actual name you’ve heard of someone having? It’s more stupid than funny and I know I’ve already mentioned this before, but Covid Bryant as a first and second name still takes the cake for me. My sister went to school with a girl whose name is just her surname backwards, and for a time I was really weirded out by it. But in the times I’ve seen her she really owns her name and never looks bothered by it, so I quickly stopped caring.

Which charity or charitable cause is most deserving of money? For me it would have to be organizations for animal welfare.

What TV show character would it be the most fun to change places with for a week? Post-El Camino Jesse Pinkman. I wouldn’t want to live through his chaotic shit from Breaking Bad, but his fate after El Camino is something I’m super envious of.

What was cool when you were young but isn’t cool now? Flip phones, Blackberry phones, Roshes, Frappuccinos.

If you were moving to another country, but could only pack one carry-on sized bag, what would you pack? Phone, laptop, their chargers, important IDs, some of my favorite tops and jeans, underwear, essential toiletries, wallet, a family photo, a journal and pen, earphones, certain knickknacks to remember Gab and my dogs by. Minus the clothes, all of these are pretty tiny so I think these would all fit in the bag just fine.

What’s the most ironic thing you’ve seen happen? I don’t know. I’m not really a fan of rating the most/worst this and that stuff in my life, either. I feel like I unnecessarily rack my brain too hard for them when I take surveys to have a chill time.

If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first? Probably something that’d keep my dogs from dying.

If you were a ghost and could possess people, what would you make them do? No thanks. I’d be the chillest ghost tbh, I’d like to just sneak up on people’s business and hang out but never interfere in them.

What goal do you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving? Climate change, global warming, alleviation of poverty. Corporations and the few people who actually have the power and money to change things only ever come up with short-term shit like donations and never look at the big picture. What problem are you currently grappling with? So many personal ones. But just like the recurring theme of my surveys so far, “I don’t want to get into it.”

What character in a movie could have been great, but the actor they cast didn’t fit the role? As much as I love Kristen Stewart, I heard she was cast as Princess Diana for an upcoming film and I’m not really feeling that decision. They could’ve gone with a British actress for starters?????? The movie is still in production but it is pretty annoying to think about lmao.

What game have you spent the most hours playing? Probably GTA: San Andreas as a kid.

What’s the most comfortable bed or chair you’ve ever been in? Luxury hotel beds are always so fluffy and comfortable.

What’s the craziest conversation you’ve overheard? Omg one time at a coffee shop Gabie and I sat beside this older couple that obviously was going through some heavy SHIT. There was a lot of animosity and tension between them and I caught the lady silently break into tears a few times. I never overheard anything but then again they sat in silence for hours until the lady finally walked out on him. Never knew what it was about but I’ve always guessed that the man did something crappy, like cheat, and was discovered. It was a really sad sight and a crazy situation to witness and I think I felt even more sorry because they were obviously in their 50s or 60s. I hope the woman is in a better place now as she looked rough as fuck that evening.

What’s the hardest you’ve ever worked? I wore a lot of hats when I was in my college org, and that was on top of balancing my acads as well.

What movie, picture, or video always makes you laugh no matter how often you watch it? That scene from Friends where Ross plays the keyboard for Chandler, Phoebe, Monica, and Rachel.

What artist or band do you always recommend when someone asks for a music recommendation? It depends on what music they’re into and if I have actually have a recommendation in mind for them. I obviously can’t suggest Paramore to someone who mainly listens to metal.

If you could have an all-expenses paid trip to see any famous world monument, which monument would you choose? I’m down for any monuments that are super ancient like Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza.

If animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying? I’d go with frogs, but only because they get annoyingly loud in the evening.

What’s the most addicted to a game you’ve ever been? Playing The Sims, Mario Kart, Rock Band, or games in the Burnout franchise.

What’s the coldest you’ve ever been? Japan was so fucking cold when I was there. Didn’t do my research and ended up being dressed poorly, and I was so cold I could barely talk to my parents or fully enjoy my time. Sagada was also nearly unbearable in the early morning.

Which protagonist from a book or movie would make the worst roommate? Not from a book or movie, but BoJack Horseman. Diane can also be in the running as I always found her too whiny. I get that she had her personal shit to deal with, but I don’t think living with her would be good for my own sanity and mental health.

Do you eat food that’s past its expiration date if it still smells and looks fine? It annoys my chef dad to death that I don’t lol. No matter how great it looks, I’d bounce. I once ate expired Kit Kats that tasted like cardboard and that scared me off of expired food forever.

What’s the most ridiculous thing you have bought? I once bought a stupid novelty soap that to this day I’ve never even opened. It’s in one of my drawers, and I plan to just throw it out at some point.

What’s the funniest comedy skit you’ve seen? Not a fan of these but one that got to me is Dear Sister from SNL.

What’s the most depressing meal you’ve eaten? A few years ago there was a local breakfast place that offered red velvet pancakes for a limited time and I was all over that crap, so I went and ordered. The actual pancakes ended up not being any bigger than my palm, and I remember not being able to hide my disappointment once the server placed the dish on my table haha. I felt so scammed. I had to order something else to feel full, because those pancakes were stupidly small.

What tips or tricks have you picked up from your job/jobs? One of my superiors, when she was presenting a pitch to our director yesterday, kept asking questions and picking at the director’s brain so that she can get suggestions and answers straight from the director herself and so that she didn’t have to do any brainstorming anymore. I thought that was a pretty nifty and clever hack.

What outdoor activity haven’t you tried, but would like to? Hiking a mountain!

What songs hit you with a wave of nostalgia every time you hear them? Umbrella by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z.

What’s the worst backhanded compliment you could give someone? Idk, anything can be the worst depending on the context. I’m not a fan of giving those, though.

What’s the most interesting documentary you’ve ever watched? Unsolved Mysteries’ Dupont de Ligonnès episode was a lot of fun to watch.

What was the last song you sang along to? I think it was Thinking of You by Katy Perry? but I’m not entirely sure. I haven’t sung along to anything in a while.

What app can you not believe someone hasn’t made yet? I don’t really download and use a lot of apps other than the basic ones, so I don’t care too much.

When was the last time you face palmed? Last night.

If you were given five million dollars to open a small museum, what kind of museum would you create? I’d give it away to the Martial Law museum currently being made near my university so that it can do more to show the atrocities of the Marcoses. And so that I can piss off my pro-Marcos relatives.

Which of your vices or bad habits would be the hardest to give up? Uh hating myself, if that counts.

What really needs to be modernized? Public transportation systems in this country.

#survey #surveys

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naysaltysalmon · 4 years

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Shoutout to @tiburme for tagging me~!

Rules: Name 10 favorite characters from 10 different things and then tag 10 people.

Oh, massive spoilers below btw.

1. Gon Freecss from Hunter x Hunter: My favorite shounen protagonist by far. At first you think he’s your typical happy-go-lucky bouncy boye :D who definitely doesn’t have abandonment issues or self-destructive tendencies that literally actually almost kill him later on, and then, uwu... The amount of complexity that Gon has as a protagonist who hardly ever has stand-alone development is nothing short of astounding. How during the Chimera Ant Art his characterization totally dips off to the side to become an unknowable entity even to the audience, while still retaining amazing character development regardless -- not to mention how brilliantly daring his decision to threaten Komugi is that nearly every other author with such a happy-go-lucky protagonist would shy away from in cowardice -- is absolutely surreal to me. The more I think and write about Gon, the more I fall in love with him. If I ever meet his father, and by that I mean his real father, the creator, Togashi, I have nothing else to say but,,, well done, sir.

2. Tanjirou Kamado from Demon Slayer: I’m really hoping the Demon Slayer movie comes out soon because I absolutely love this boy and how charming he is. Unlike most protagonists, not just of shounen anime but of seemingly macho story lines that involve power-ups and training in general, Tanjirou never lets go of his kind heart. (Welp, except maybe in some cases when he’s facing the Upper Moons later on -- I haven’t caught up yet -- but WE’RE GONNA IGNORE THAT for now.) From the beginning, Tanjirou’s kindness isn’t an obstacle holding back his power, though other characters pose it that way, but rather he cultivates his empathy to grant peace to the demons he faces. He smiles in the face of anyone who treats him poorly because of his cluelessness, and that’s just so heartwarming to see, and dare I say subversive to the hardened, calculating, and cocky male protagonists we so often get. Good job, Gotouge.

3. Joseph Joestar from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Giorno Giovanna was a close second, but I gotta go with Joseph. He’s the one who made me fall in love with the series, and with the later parts too. Unlike Jonathan Joestar, who was chivalrous and manly, Joseph was a riot: colorful, arrogant, funny, but also extremely clever. I absolutely loved his, “Next you’ll say...!” because at first I expected it to just be him being an overconfident asshole and eventually he’d be proven wrong at the ~Dai Pinchi Moment~ (please excuse my weeb speech, I legit didn’t know what else to call it), but then he hit the mark every time and eventually I was just waiting for when he’d pull that out and it was so hype. Also I surely can’t forget his transformation as an old dude in Part 3 -- him screaming “OOHHHH MY GAAAWDDDA!” and “HOLY SHIIIT!” murdered me every time. And of course, last but not least, the raw fucking emotion when Caeser died -- the dude actually gave a shit and wasn’t made entirely of wit and absurdity, but heart too. Joseph set the tone for what JJBA was as a whole for me (fuck off with that “but Part 3/Part 4 is the best Part” bullshit, Part 2 will always be top tier for me because of Joseph Joestar’s brilliant, bright, and beautiful absurdity -- but Part 5 was really good too). Araki really is a genius.

4. Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: My love for this series is a bit older than the series I’ve already mentioned, and TLoZ: TP was actually probably the first time I got seriously obsessed with a fandom. I love all the Links in their own ways, but Twilight Princess really drove home the “lone wolf chosen by the gods, fighting against the world” narrative for me. It made me feel important and strong at a time when no one cared about me. Seeing Link struggle silently through his quest with villagers who meant well but did nothing for him, and Midna who started out as a reluctant acquaintance and eventually became so much more, meant so much to me at the time I played the game. I will always love Twilight Princess the most because of what it did for me at one of the darkest times in my life, and because I felt completely and utterly immersed in every part of the story and gameplay through Link’s character, who was, and in many ways, still is, so relatable to me: Silent courage really is what I use to get through every day.

5. Greedling from Fullmetal Alchemist (Brotherhood): For once I’m not naming the protagonist of a series! Lissen, I still smile whenever I see the slightest reference to Edward Elric, but now he’s more of my childhood love. He’s just a part of my personality already? LOL. Anyway, FMA(B) has so many good characters that choosing just one doesn’t feel right (I mean, same with HxH tho). I say Greedling because that encompasses both Ling and Greed though, two of my favorite characters from the series! Ling’s apparent childishness in constantly running away from fights, making other people pay for his food, and failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation (until Lan Fan’s arm gets cut off lol oops) is so adorable and entertaining. He’s the best kind of idiot asshole, and I especially love how he teases Ed. After him and Greed fuse, Ling’s stout heart becomes even more apparent, as he constantly eggs Greed on to remember his past life, his friends, and become someone outside of Father/the Dwarf in the Flask. Conversely, Greed’s nonchalance and (of course) avarice are nothing short of entertaining and heartbreaking. Greed’s realization at the end, when he finally admitted to himself that what he wanted all along were “friends like these,” completely crushed me the first few times I watched FMAB. And when he’s screaming in the tunnels under Central after having killed Bido, remembering his friends, and he doesn’t understand why, and later attacks Wrath/King Bradley... that shit was so entertaining and cathartic to watch. None of his development feels like forced redemption, nor like it was too little development, since it mostly happens in the background and away from the “validating eyes” of the protagonists other than Ling. And at the end, when Ling and Greed work together to take down Bradley and all the soldiers invading Central HQ... it’s so beautiful. Many have said this before but I’ll say it again: Hiromu Arakawa wrote the perfect series.

6. Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler: Another protagonist! And another older obsession of mine. Ciel remains in my mind to this day mainly for his heartlessness in relation to his age, and the fluidity with which Toboso tells his story. Normally when authors write younger characters into their serious stories, they make “child adults” of sorts, but Ciel feels totally realistic to the extent that he is both childish and adult to me. Obviously, Ciel is responsible and (normally) level-headed due to being the head of the Phantomhive household, but also from trauma. Yet, his cruelty at times is what sticks in my mind the most: You really feel that he’s someone who feels he’s been abandoned by the entire world, given his experiences, and that makes him disregard or use others sometimes in order to reach his own ends. Normally, authors would be too cowardly to let their protagonists, let alone child protagonists, go to such lengths to avenge their family, or carry out their duty as the dog of the military (looking at you, Arakawa -- she’s still a goddess tho). But Ciel is unforgiving. He lies to Snake and tells him his troupe is still alive. He murders the entire troupe because he’s triggered -- a childish decision, but driven with adult-like power due to trauma. It’s devastatingly riveting, and I cannot forget his unrelenting, contained rage to this day.

7. Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars: This one may come as a shock to most of you, because I hardly ever post Star Wars let alone Ahsoka content on here -- but it’s true. Other than the blatant, half-assedly inserted heteroromantic partner they gave Ahsoka in, like, idk season 3??, Ahsoka is a fucking goddess. From her origin as a wee baby in the earlier seasons who didn’t really know what she was doing and was a bit of a cocky brat, to how she matures and becomes wise, resourceful, and fierce in the later seasons, I just love Ahsoka’s design and character to this day. The episodes that stick in my mind aside from the obvious are when she’s possessed by the Dark Side of the Force on that Force balance planet and her arrogance becomes so exaggerated that she threatens and attacks Anakin, her teacher. It was so fucking cathartic. Normally female characters, let alone young protagonist female characters, are never allowed to show the ugly sides of themselves in fiction, since women are always portrayed as perfect beautiful majestic angels or some bullshit like that. (Or they’re cocky/sexy/slutty villain women. ‘Kay then.) Seeing Ahsoka devolve into her basal desires and come out of it like hardly anything happened and she’s still a perfectly valid character was so amazing to see on a meta level; it wasn’t about her learning a lesson or anything, it was a thing that happened like any other character and then they moved the fuck on. I also distinctly remember the episode where she was trapped on that island/planet and she had to take out the aliens that were after her all by herself. That was so fucking empowering to watch and god fucking dammit I need to rewatch this series now. And of course, let us not forget the fact that the entire time, we were all expecting Ahsoka to just be another domino in Anakin’s downfall -- and she was, but not through the refrigerator -- but through walking away from it all. That was so powerful and moving -- and heartbreaking. By the end of TCW, her character carried weight and agency in the narrative, and god, I only wish whoever wrote her could write more female characters in the future.

8. Tigress from Kung Fu Panda: Maybe another surprise, but I think she deserves this spot. Tigress is a female character who starts out as kind of an antagonist, given how she outright tells Po to leave the kung fu temple within the first day of him arriving. She’s even jealous of the fact that he’s chosen as the Dragon Warrior rather than her -- but that’s due to the backwash of years of trying to live up to the memory of Tai Lung in order to please Shifu (which means “master” in Chinese but ok I’ll shut up now), her master and mentor over the years. She never says this out loud in the movie, which is what makes her character more believable. Others even joke about how stoic she is (and not in bad taste). Her character development is definitely present for those who are looking -- but I put her on this list because I’m so happy the movie doesn’t make it some huge dramatic emotional thing, because so often in media women are depicted as being overly-emotional and here Tigress is just a hurt child trying to make her mentor happy. But, she gets over it, her and Po become allies, even friends to each other -- she and Po talk like equals in the second and third movies, and she even tells him to back out of the fight with Lord Shen and he listens (I mean he doesn’t stay put but he doesn’t undermine her opinion either lol, like most jokesy protagonists of Western media would -- looking at you, Marvel). I like Tigress because she’s an antagonist without being a bitch, she’s powerful without being overpowered, and she’s not sexualized despite being a well-trained, at times jealous, and even emotionally awkward kung fu master. And I almost forgot to mention the best part: There is never an indication of romance between her and Po, or any other character, for that matter. She’s perfectly capable, complex, and lovely on her own terms. And that’s that on THAT.

9. Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit: I wanted to include at least one character protagonist from a live-action movie/book, lol. I feel like Bilbo’s pretty self-explanatory. He doesn’t wanna go on an adventure because he likes his doilies and warm sheets, but then Gandalf seduces him with the call to the outside world and possible death (LOL), and he fucking goes for it, grumbling the entire time. Isn’t that what any of us would do if given such a proposition? I like to think so. Bilbo obviously has his own gradual, evil transformation with the One Ring, becomes murderous and uses it to disappear, and grows a strong bromance with the King Under the Mountain (which happens in both the movie and the book), but I think what I like about him is that he really feels... down-to-earth? Like even though the adventure changes him, it never feels like he’s been stretched in a way that makes his core character traits of grumbling and bluntness disappear. He gets better at the whole adventuring thing, for sure, but he remains Bilbo, at least, to me, throughout the journey. It was heartwrenching watching him try to save Thorin in The Battle of Five Armies, honestly, but Bilbo’s the kind of character that I feel like has his own story and mythology aside from The Hobbit, and maybe that’s just the result of J.R.R. Tolkien writing the lore for every aspect of his universe, but My Point Still Stands. He feels like his own man apart from the series he’s in, yet he’s still so much fun in his series.

10. Barley Lightfoot from Onward: And last, this one is because I saw Onward yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the characterization in it -- and anyone who thinks differently can kiss my *ss. :) I was not expecting the movie to take the twist of fleshing out the “annoying” (more like adorable) overconfident nerdy big brother. Normally those characters are swiped to the side because God Forbid The Comic Relief Have Any Sadness In Them. I was expecting the movie to focus on Ian’s journey to meet his fatha and that the movie would pull something stupid at the end like “oh actually there’s another phoenix gem underneath the school” or “actually since only his legs appeared then you still have 24 hours with him” or some shit like that, but I guess this isn’t an anime so those absurdist explanations wouldn’t hold water anyway. But still, for a kid’s movie, I was NOT expecting this movie to go so hard with the characterization. For once, the main character doesn’t get what he wants at the end, and instead realizes it’s his big brother, Barley, who’s been looking out for him his entire life. Meeting his dad would betray that reality. What happens instead is that the lovable big brother never actually said goodbye to their dad before he died, because when their dad got sick, said brother ran away from the hospital room in fear of all the life-sustaining equipment. (Is this some meta thing about Chris Pratt and Guardians of the Galaxy? Off topic and call me stupid, but I didn’t realize Chris Pratt plays him until I saw everyone freaking out about it afterward on Tumblr laksjdflak.) So instead, the lovable big brother talks to the dad at the end, and unconfident younger brother grows confidence and thanks big bro for being with him his entire life. It was so touching, dude. I cry. But the moment that sticks in my mind the most was when Ian was crossing the invisible bridge... Ian needed to have confidence in himself to be able to cross over a chasm in their path, and Barley knew that if Ian didn’t believe in himself, he would fall and die. They tie a rope around Ian for good measure, and Barley encourages him the entire way, but halfway over, the rope comes loose and slips off. Barley sees this and starts panicking, but of course continues to encourage Ian so that Ian will get to the other side. What got to me wasn’t the fact that he faked it for Ian, but that there are actual tears running down his face as he’s encouraging Ian to get to the other side, because he knows otherwise Ian wouldn’t have the confidence and would fall to his death. Like dude, that raw, complex emotion in a kid’s movie?! DUDE?! I was fucking surprised. The clear anxiety and grief in Barley’s face as Ian’s totally clueless and even dancing around in the air was just too much, omfg. Of course, then it’s played off for laughs, but... I guess that makes sense for the annoying overconfident nerdy big bro character. :’)

Okay these are way longer than I anticipated and I’m sorry, but also I’m really not. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on my favs!

Seems I don’t talk to that many people on here anymore: @stupidbluejay @mirycactusito @chronicstarlight

#Nay talks #a lot #i'm sorry but not sorry #TL;DR: Deku isn't on here because Tanjirou is a better boy sorry #Fullmetal Alchemist #Hunter x Hunter #The Legend of Zelda #The Hobbit #Onward #Kung Fu Panda #Star Wars: The Clone Wars #Black Butler #JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #Demon Slayer

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arsenicpanda · 4 years

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Ok, so, tumblr fucking ATE MY ASK, but @hellodinoflower asked for #7, #8, and #37 for the Writer’s Meme like a month ago, so here we go.

7.) Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Ok, from chapter 1 of The Looming Fog and Other Strange Happenings:

For the past five years, Jughead Jones had loudly argued that Arkham was haunted. The exact words he had used were “an unholy seat of unknowable, otherworldly horrors,” but “haunted” had been close enough for most of Jughead’s friends, family, and displeased acquaintances. Betty listened to him long enough to drag him off to explore one of the abandoned houses that littered Arkham, but Betty was a better person than most and also very, very into the investigative aspects of it, so he didn’t question it.

But now that a fog loomed over the city, covering it in a pungent yet sweet stench unlike any earthly smell, and every tree bled maple syrup, it was becoming increasingly clear that Jughead was right about Arkham. And no one was happy that Jughead was right about Arkham because it meant Jughead was smug about being right about Arkham. And a smug Jughead Jones was unbearable to everyone except FP, who found it endearing, and Betty, who found it one part annoying, two parts attractive.

(No one was particularly pleased with Betty either, as she had been determinedly arguing on the side of "Arkham is a city of nightmares and eldritch terrors" for a good two months now. She had the grace not to look smug, but she did have a certain “I told you so” air about her that others described as “bordering on insufferable” and Jughead considered “beyond attractive.”)

I’m actually pretty fond of this whole chapter, which definitely has a different vibe from the rest of the fic but whatever, but this is my favorite part. For one, I called Jughead believing insane things about his town before season 3 even aired. This was July 2018, baby! For another, I like describing people who know Jughead but aren’t close to him as “displeased acquaintances”. But mainly, I like the part where Betty and Jughead are attracted to parts of each other that others would call character flaws. I just feel it’s very them.

8.) Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Ok, from (day)dreams can come true, here’s one of the cleanest parts I could find (I’m quite fond of the whole fic, to the point that I held off on answering this until I could finish and publish it). It’s kinda long because I wanted to get the whole part, but still, here:

He stumbles back to sit on the bed. “Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever come that hard.”Fand “Me either,” she says, still panting and reeling from her orgasm.

He looks down at his hands, his left covered in left-over lotion and his right in come. Wiping his left hand off on his leg, he stares at his right while flexing it. “But it was really reckless. I almost came on the window.”

“Mm, I like you reckless,” she says blissfully, and he looks up and smiles at her.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

They’re silent for a while, but as she begins to come down from her high, she realizes everything they just said, and she can’t but blush. Thinking back to his words at the end, she fidgets a bit, trying to build her confidence up to ask, “When I...That is, did you…”

“When you…?”

“When I...came...Did you like it?” she asks, voice small despite herself, and she looks away.

“Betty. Look at me,” he says, and he sounds so gentle, the way he does when he squeezes her shoulder in comfort and wraps her up in his arms. She always feels safe when he uses that voice.

She turns back to him, and his eyes are warm and smiling, she can see it even from here. “It was p—It was better than anything anyone could ever imagine.”

“That’s not what I—”

“I loved it. I love—” and he stumbles over himself here, though she doesn’t know why, “—d it.”

“You were pretty great to see too,” she tells him with renewed confidence.

“Oh, uh, thank, thank you,” he mutters, and now he’s the one to look away red-faced.

They sit in silence again as Betty tries to process everything that just happened, everything they said, if anything is different. It’s comfortable somehow, only slightly awkward despite the lewdness of what they just did.

“Hey, do you...do you want to go to Pop’s?” His voice would sound casual to most people, but she can hear the nervousness mixed with hope and her heart aches for him and oh, this boy.

For context, this is post 1x10 when Jughead is still living with Archi, and Betty and Jughead just had phone sex while staring at each other jerking off through each other’s windows. For starters, I got to answer “Why does he say she likes him reckless?” and that was fun. But more than that, I like having them go from the confidence that comes with overwhelming horniness to a certain increased vulnerability in the aftermath. Betty is increasingly comfortable with her sexuality, but is Jughead comfortable with it? The answer is hell yes, don’t worry, Betty, and I enjoyed that. I liked getting to have Jughead almost call her perfect--because hell yeah, that’s a pretty perfect scenario for a horny teenager--just because he knows she hates the word. Also, the little dumbass almost confessed his love to her, and I find that hilarious. But ultimately, this is just another part of them, so why not go to Pop’s? It’s like it’s normal, even though, yeah, no, guys, that’s not a normal thing to do.

Also, this doesn’t fit as dialogue or prose, but I’m going to include it anyway as a bonus because it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. From wet dreams may come:

But BettyBettyBetty spills from his lips as he spills into his hand.

He stares at the shame coating his fingers and palm. Would she lick it off him, hungry for his cum and with that look of fondness in her eyes as she fingers—

“I’m so fucked up.”

Ok, two things:

1.) I love “spills from his lips as he spills into his hand”. It’s not quite a zeugma--I couldn’t make it work as one without it being mega awkward, unfortunately--but it’s close! I just really like the way it sounds. It kept repeating in my head, very insistent, and it’s one of two things that got me to sit down and write this fic.

2.) Do you know how much I love that I got to include “I’m so fucked up”? No, of course not, because like five of you watch anime. Ok, so this is from an (in)famous (and perhaps even iconic) scene in The End of Evangelion, where our protagonist Shinji masturbates to completion over his not-friend/ally/whatever Asuka’s comatose body in the hospital and then feels bad because you’re goddamn right you should. It’s not an in-universe reference because if Jughead was an anime guy, we would very much know by now because he would be annoying about it.

But I felt it was a very Jughead thing to have that level of dramatic reaction to having some (very) explicit fantasies about Betty--a girl he’s been crazy about for years and only just started dating--because he feels it violates her privacy somehow. Like, it’s not that he thinks she’s ~pure~, but that he thinks it’s not his place because their relationship isn’t like that yet. It made sense that that would be his feeling, and I feel the allusion hammers that home. Bonus: I got to come back to that, to a certain extent, in (day)dreams can come true, where Jughead is having his own interior struggles with what’s ok to do and to say.

37. Talk about your current wips.

Ok, how are we defining WIPs? Because the only thing that’s partially published is The Looming Fog and Other Strange Happenings, and I have no idea how to unstick myself from that one. I want Betty’s chapter to be having an adventure with Kevin in the woods, but I’m not sure what they should be doing there. Also, ultimately, I’m not a horror writer or even reader, really, so I’ve got some self-consciouness there. It’s a pity, because I like what bit of her plot I have, and I actually finished Kevin’s chapter, which I very much enjoy.

As for other things in the works, I’ve got two smut and one fluff-ish, the latter of which I summed up here, but who knows if they’ll ever be finished. I’ll say this about the smut fics though: Bret, Donna, and the sex tape are involved.

#asks #hellodinoflower #fanfiction #I have a lot of thoughts about things I've written #thank you for letting me talk about it it's super fun

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michaelgodbless · 5 years

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CoffeShop!Calum

word count: 2801 warnings: none. just cute fluff summary: just cute coffee shop date with cal hehe

The early September air was crisp, the wind still managing to nip at your nose through the thin barrier of your scarf. This type of weather was your favorite. Chilly enough for a light coat and scarf, but still warm and bright enough for dresses and sunglasses. It was too soon into the month to really feel like autumn, but the craze of summer had definitely died down. The leaves were still green and the sun struggled to set anytime past 7pm, a silent promise that everyone’s favorite time of the year was coming soon. The heels of your favorite little brown booties clicked onto the cement as you walked to the cozy little coffee shop downtown, the one you’ve always gone to since you moved to the small city you now called home. You’ve grown familiar with the ringing of the bell whenever the door opened, knowing as soon as you heard it you’d be welcomed with the smell of sweet freshly baked pastries and roasted coffee. Your visits had managed to make their way into your daily routine, except this time was different. You were meeting someone.

Calum. Calum Hood. He was also a fellow regular at your favorite place to get your daily fix of caffeine, and over time you two had gone from strangers to acquaintances. To be quite honest, it’d be safe to argue that Calum had become the first familiar face in a town full of strangers. You first saw him one evening strumming his guitar singing poetry at an open mic night, and then started to notice him on your early morning trips. Avoiding eye contact turned into welcoming warm smiles, and warm smiles turned into quick greetings. The simple “good mornings” turned into small talk, until finally Calum voiced his interest in actually getting to know you. You were just as much interested as you were flattered, and had agreed. Which brought you to where you were today. As you walked into the small cafe, you were pleasantly surprised to find Calum already inside, seated at your favorite table in the back corner. As soon as your eyes meet his he stands and motions you over, a gleaming smile on his face.

“You’re early,” You note teasingly, as he pulls the chair out for you to take a seat. “thank you.”

“And you’re right on time.” He teases back, helping you into the seat, taking your coat off your shoulders and draping it over your chair. “Did you expect me to be late?”

“I had my suspicions.” You admit, sending him a sly smirk. “Have you gotten your drink yet?” You grab for the small laminated menu, even though you already know you’re going to order your usual mocha cappuccino.

“No actually,” He takes a seat in front of you, leaning on the table, “I was waiting because I wasn’t sure what you’d want.” You look up from the menu to see him smiling softly at you, causing your cheeks to warm up.

“That’s very sweet of you.” You return with a smile, “You didn’t have to do that.”

He chuckles, taking the menu from you. “What kind of impression would I be making if you had arrived and I was already sipping on a drink? Surely not the right kind. Besides, what kind of man would make you pay for your own drink while out on a date that he had asked you out on?” You watch his face as he speaks and reads, noticing the crinkles in his forehead as he raises an eyebrow. His comment makes you laugh out loud.

“You’d be surprised.” You can’t help but mutter, tone bitter with the memory of horror dates of the past.

“Well, I can assure you, whatever kind of man that is, I am not one of them.” He shoots you another wide smile, sliding the menu away from him. “Have you made up your mind? I think I’m going to be getting an Iced Caramel Latte, try to embrace these last few days of summer as I can before I’m forced to order strictly hot drinks again.”

You’re impressed with his choice of drink, because during the hot summer days your go to is usually an iced latte, trade the caramel for mocha of course. “Well,” you click your tongue against the roof of your mouth, “I was going to get a mocha cappuccino, but you’ve got me second guessing myself.” You huff dramatically, causing Calum to release the cutest giggle you’re pretty sure you’ve ever heard in your entire life.

“Well, if my opinion means anything to you, which it seems like it does-” his playful tone makes it your turn to giggle, and you can see his eyes light up as you do. “-I say go with the ice, because soon enough the only ice we’ll both be having will be out in the roads while we sit in here drinking our hot coffees trying to defrost our cold hands.”

You take his words into account until deciding you agree with him. “You’re right,” you admit nodding your head “I should get as much ice-cold drinks in as I can.”

“That’s the spirit!” He chuckles, putting the menu back in its rightful place. He stands, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. “Did you want to grab anything to eat as well?” You shake your head, which is enough of an answer for him. “Great, I’ll be right back.” You watch as he orders the drinks, making jokes and small talk with the baristas as he waits. You wonder how long he’s been coming here, how many open mic nights have heard the strums of his guitar. Maybe he grew up in this town, been coming here before he was even old enough to order himself a coffee. The thought of him taking other girls out on dates here crosses your mind but quickly leaves as soon as it came. You don’t want to think about that right now. Or maybe he was once a newcomer just like you, the only familiar faces for him being the baristas who served him his coffee every day. Just in time Calum pulls you out of your own head, placing your drink in front of you. “An iced mocha latte for the lady, and an iced caramel latte for me.” He sits back down, taking a sip of his drink before speaking. “So., I guess this is the part where we get to know each other.” He masks his nervousness with a chuckle, but you can see right through it as he scratches the back of his neck.

“Do you want to hear about my childhood traumas first, or the mind crippling anxieties that keep me up at night?” You joke, bringing the straw to your lips. His genuine reaction takes you by surprise, as he throws his head back letting out a laugh that causes butterflies to stir in places in your chest that you forgot existed. It nearly makes you choke, laughing along with him. It’s nice for someone to finally get your humor.

“Do I get bonus points if there’s an anxiety that stems from any said childhood.” He finally speaks, laughter dying down but leaving evidence in the tears in his eyes.

“Maybe.” You try to keep a straight face, putting your drink down. There’s a red stain on the straw from your lipstick. “But I’m actually more interested in you. How long have you been coming here?”

He sits back, getting comfortable in the chair. “The first time I came in here I think I was a senior in high school, and my good friend Luke, wanted to take a shot at open mic night. So, I brought my guitar and we did a cover of She Will Be Loved—hey! Don’t laugh! —and I just remember the coffee tasting really good but the atmosphere being exactly what I needed at the time. I’ve been coming here ever since.” He takes another sip of his drink, nodding in your direction. “What’s your story?”

You sigh, stirring the ice around your cup with the straw. You debate telling him the full story, but decide not to, not yet at least. “Well, as you can obviously tell I was new to the city, and wanted somewhere that I felt like I belonged? Someplace that felt familiar. I don’t live to far from the block and as an avid coffee drinker it only seemed fit to spend my free time in a café.” Calum nodded, it being clear that he was paying attention. “Plus, the main character in everyindie coming of age movie has a café as a hangout place and it only seemed fit to act as if I was starring in one to make me feel a bit better about being alone somewhere new.” And there he goes again, eyes glistening as he throws his head back laughing. Each time he does that you can feel your heart strings being pulled. You pout jokingly. “Hey! Don’t laugh, I’m serious.”

His laughter is still dying down as he speaks, “You’re allowed to laugh at high school me performing covers of Maroon 5 but I can’t laugh at the fact that you pretend you’re the protagonist of an indie film?”

“Precisely.”

“You’re definitely something else.” That sentence would normally send your mind into a frenzy, but you’re calmed by the tone of his voice and playful smile on his lips. “So, miss Star of An Indie Film, if you could insert yourself into one, which would it be?”

“Perks of Being a Wallflower.” You respond without missing a beat. “I don’t care how cliché or cringe worthy it may be to you or anyone else in the world, that book and movie resonate with me in ways I don’t think anything else ever could.” To your surprise Calum doesn’t even attempt to poke fun at you or your answer, instead there’s a look on his face, a mixture of curiosity and understanding. You let out a tense breath you didn’t even realize you were holding. “What about you?”

“I don’t think I could call your answer cliché without sounding like a hypocrite.” He admits, raising his glass to you. “It’s a tie between The Breakfast Club and Pulp Fiction for me. Breakfast Club had me crying by the end, but Pulp Fiction earns the role of one of my favorite films.” Excitedly you slam your hand down on the table.

“Me too! For both. I think The Breakfast Club has meant something to everyone at at least one point of their lives. It’s just one of those movies. Pulp Fiction is also a classic I don’t think I’ve ever met one person who hasn’t watched it. I love too many movies to be able to pick a favorite. I don’t even think I could narrow it down to a top 5. But I do know that The Spectacular Now is high up on the list. I cry every single time. It’s just one of those movies. It’s so real and reminds you not all love stories have a happy ending. Same thing with 500 days of Summer. I’ll never forget hearing ‘this is not a love story this is a story about love’ and not understanding the difference once upon a time. Isn’t it funny how a movie can hit you differently each time you watch it just because you’ve experienced more and more of life and get wiser and you’re never the same person you were the last time you watched something?” You could feel the excitement bubble up in the pit of your stomach, could feel all of the word vomit pour out of your mouth. You turn red, shrinking into yourself sitting back. “Sorry. I uh, just get really excited and passionate about certain things.” You feel embarrassed for coming off so strong, mentally kicking yourself.

Calum, however, isn’t having any of it. “What? No don’t apologize! I love the energy. What’s the point of feeling things if we don’t feel passionately?! No need to water yourself down. I could listen to you talk all day.” He admits, looking completely baffled that you would even be sorry for simply feeling. “Seriously. Don’t go all shy on me now that I know this side of you exists. Go on.”

And his answer takes you so off guard, you almost don’t know how to respond. It’s been so long since someone had cared so much about what you think. Your brain struggles to remember what it felt like to feel so… validated. All you can think about his how it’s already so clear that Calum is nothing like the man you left behind. Suddenly you snap back into reality at the sound of the bell going off. “Well,” you start, taking another sip of your drink. “lucky for you I can go on and on for ages. Not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse.” You admit.

“I for sure believe it’s a blessing.” Calum smiles at you, and you can’t help but fall in love with the crinkles in his eyes when he does. A piece of you wonders why you waited so long being afraid to get close with anyone. Why you didn’t ask Calum out for a coffee weeks ago. The bigger piece of you however, reminds you to tread carefully, remembering the past eight months were those of healing, learning and forgetting. You hadn’t realized until now that in the process you had also built up a wall around your heart. A defense mechanism, no doubt. But sitting here, allowing yourself to open up to someone new, put things into perspective. “What else are you passionate about?” Your heart just about soars at the sincerity of his voice.

“Music. Believe it or not I’m actually more passionate about music than I am movies. But basically anything, I’m a very ‘feel it all at once fiercely or don’t feel it at all’ type of person. Nothing in black and white to me. I kind of like it that way though, it gives life more depth. I can’t imagine feeling half assed about things.” You chuckle, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Do you have any passions of your own?” You ask, because you are curious as to what makes Calum the person he is, but also because your cheeks are starting to heat up again and you want all attention off of yourself.

“Music is definitely a passion, if that weren’t obvious. I’m big on poetry too, but for me those go hand and hand. I’m really good at Soccer but it’s not as serious to me anymore.” He scratches at his chin, and for the first time you notice the little stubble growing in. “Family is pretty important too, especially my dog. I feel like I’m a simple guy.” He chuckles and you can see his eyes crinkling again. You make it your mission to make those little lines appear as often as possible. “But the few things that do matter, matter a lot to me.”

You listen intently, silently sipping away until your cup is empty. You know for sure there is much more to Calum that he’s letting on, but it seems as if even he himself is unaware of it. The second mission you make yourself is to get to know the Calum that’s underneath. “Poetry is nice,” you note, setting the empty cup of ice down on the table. “I don’t do a whole lot of writing it, but I do love reading it. Actually, add reading to things I’m passionate about. I love books.”

“Ah, I’m not much of an avid reader, but I can appreciate a good book. I’ve only ever got into poetry because it was basically like song writing to me. Songs are just sung poetry, aren’t they?” He smiles, and takes a sip of his drink. “D’ya have a favorite book?” You notice the smallest hint of a smirk, as he tries to get you to talk more about yourself.

“Uh-uh.” You click your tongue. “None of that, I want to hear more about you.” Shaking your head at him, you playfully stick out your tongue. “Don’t think you can fool me that fast.”

He chuckles back at you, carding a hand through his curls. “There really isn’t much to me, I swear! I’m a quiet guy. Music and coffee is all I really got going.”

“Now, I don’t believe that for a second.” You smirk, leaning in closer. “I’m sure there’s a lot more of you to unravel.”

He smiles, practically grins, and leans in closer too, mirroring your actions. “I guess the real question is, are you willing to try?”

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #5 seconds of summer fanfic #5 seconds of summer imagines #calum hood #calum hood 5sos #calum hood imagines #calum fanfiction #calum imagines #calum blurb #calum hood blurbs #cal imagine #cal fanfic #cal blurb #calum hood fanfiction #5sos calum hood #cal 5sos #calum 5sos

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thefandomsurfer · 5 years

Text

My top 20 favorite Tokyo Ghoul characters

I usually only do top 10s but like...I love so many characters in Tokyo Ghoul it was really hard for me to do?? So I did more. Also DO NOT GET offended. Even my honorable mentions are very...very dear to me. (Also the places are just how mush I, myself, enjoyed the character not how great the character is or that your opinion isnt valid. And I skipped most of the Suzuya squad because they would probably dominate my top six or something and that wouldnt be fair haha )

Honerable mentions:

Hide:

Itori:

Arima:

Matsumae

Kimi

Nishiki:

Shirazu ginishi

THE ENTIRE SUZUYA SQUAD (Nakarai, Mikage, Mizurou, Hanbee.)

Now onto my list!

20. Shuu Tsukiyama

I really didnt like him much at first. He made me uncomfortable and really annoyed. I mean, yeah, certain times I thought he was pretty funny but he made me more and more unnerved the longer I saw him. But then when I saw his nicer side and especially during seeing his loyalty and love for his family he started to grow on me. And now hes on this list!

19. Rize Kamishiro

Rize always was interesting to me. I wondered how she got to where she was, why she was so important in the ghoul world and just how she got to be so strong. Not to mention her characters personality made me very compiled to her. Then I got her backstory and understood her more. I liked her even more and began to respect her character.

18. Renj Yomo

I always liked his ‘silent protector’ vibe even before finding out his backstory. I thought he was loyal and smart. And then it was revealed that he was the uncle to some very improtant characters and it made me love him even more. His backstory contributed to his gruffness and protective nature and not to mention his kagune is freaking AWESOME.

17. Ayato Kirishima

Hes grown into someone I really enjoy. I...really didnt like him. He hurt Touka and acted like an ass the whole time. Then I saw a softer side when it came to Hinami. He was so concerned and cared about her so much that it touched me a lot. And he was a little more calm and controlled compared to what he had been in the first series as well. He developed into someone who not only cared for his love interest but his family and those important to both of them as well.

16. Amon Koutarou

Amon, poor poor Amon. This guy has went through a whole lot during his time in the series. And hes accepted a lot as well. I always liked Amon even before everything like changed him. He seemed like a really cool guy who truly did what he thought was best. Then he learned what we the audience already knew. That ghouls weren’t as bad as everyone thought they were. And then fought for peace. And that coupled with how much he tried to help Seidou and loved Akira made be like and respect his character even more.

15. Kurona Yasuhisa

Another character I really liked from the beginning. See, I have a weakness for twins. I always loved the idea of one and think that no matter the relationship they are always interesting to watch in media. And her relationship with Nashiro, while not explored a whole lot, was still prominent and known. And her denial about her death and the form of insanity she went through because of it was both sad and entertaining to watch. The fact that she started to think about forgiving the person who killed her as well was...amazing. Over all I wish she was explored a bit more but am happy with what I got.

14. Urie Kuki

Another character that I slowly learned to appreciate. He started out as someone who cared only for his own motives but after losing someone who he hadnt realized he cared for he begun to care for his team and mant to protect them as much as he can. Becoming someone worthy of their loyalty and love. Going as far as to save one of the ones who betrayed him and tried to kill him just to get them all together again and keep his promise to his dead friend.

13. Ui Koori

Im not sure what made me drawn to him? Maybe his relationship with Hairu or his sense of Justice? I dont know but I do know that I like seeing his appearances. His fights and thought process was always fun as well. Over all Im not sure why I like him all I know is that I really do haha

12. Ken Kaneki

Okay I know, its basically illegal to have him so low on my list but honestly? I never really got that deep into his character? I mean he was sweet at first but then he was kind of boring? And I liked Haise a lot but really didnt like the reaper? The OEK one is cool and all but I still never got overly attached? I dont know. But I will say he is cool and I love how dedicated he is to his loved ones. And how honest he is about his flaws. Its really nice to see a protagonist that admires that he is selfish in certain ways and isnt always trying to do things for ‘the greater good’. And will do cruel and horrible things when push comes to shove. It makes him seem...a lot more human and tragic. Yet the fact he still had his happy ending made me happy for him. After the hell hes been through he deserves it.

11. Seidou Tawkizawa

Seidou. He...certainly needs a little help. Poor guy was such a innocent kid before his whole life was turnt upsidedown. I’ll be honest...I thought he was kind of annoying at first and then very scary later on. But after seeing a bit of his side of how everything went down and how much he cared for Akira and Amon my liking for him skyrocketed and I couldn't wait to see him again in the next chapter. How he sees himself and his future...it just hit to close to home for me. And soon enough he became one of my favorite characters.

10. Haise sasaki

Ahh, my favorite of all the Nekis. I really, really liked him. How parental he was with his squad and his storyline always interested me. The amnesia thing has always been one of my favorite tropes. He, to me, was a perfect mix of Kuroneki and Shironeki. Having the lightheartedness and empathy of Kuroneki and having the toughness and ability to fight as Shironeki. I liked how goofy he could be (i.e dressing up as women) and all his little moments with Akira, Arima and Juuzou. But he was a dream, nothing meant to last, so he had to go. But that does NOT mean I didnt enjoy watching him the most.

9. Kanae

I just really like her. I think her backstory is sad but not overdoing it and her dedication to Tsukiyama was certainly something that drew me to her. At first I thought I’d hate her but found myself sorely mistaken. And I cried a whole lot at her death and the touching moment when Tsukiyama, the person she loved so much, called her by her real name and accepted her despite

the fact she thought she never deserved anything even similar to perhaps she’d be even higher had she stayed longer but she left far to soon.

8. Eto Yoshimura

Eto is very interesting and fun to watch. Cruel and mean, yes, but also unpredictable! She never failed to make a impression on me everytime I saw a panel of her. I was always wondering ‘what will she do next?’ you know? I absolutly loved watching\reading her. Her backstory made me love her even more seeing as she had a bit of a struggle to get to were she is now.

7. Hairu Ihei.

Hairu is someone else I dont know why I like so much? We didnt see her much at all and what we did see of her was little. But something about her drew me in. She was cute and I didnt expect much from her but found out she was pretty strong. Also with how sweet and air headed she acted I already liked her a little, the strength was only a added bonus. I only wish we got to see more of her.

6. Uta

Uta, someone who I already liked, only grew on me as time went on. I thought he was funny, unique and very good looking. And as time whent on, and seeing how twisted he could be, it only made be want to see what would happen next with him. Whose side he was really on. Things like that. But then his fight with Yomo made be see him in a more emotional light. Seeing how close he was to him and still was in in a way. It was sweet and only made me like him even more.

5. Akira Mado

Akira Mado. At first I never thought much of her. Just a sort of bland character who had lost her father. Nothing new, nothing interesting. But her relationship with Amon certainly made be feel a little closer to her and made be pity her at the end of the first manga. But then in Re: I grew a lot closer to her really quickly. Her character seemed more open to others and friendly. Her realtionship Haise especially made me like her a whole lot. Then all her confusion and journey forgiving and accepting ghouls made he so interested and caring of her character. How much she wanted to protect Seidou and the fact she still loved Amon-It just...Made he love her. So much.

4. Saiko Yonebayashi

Saiko is a very funny individual that I didnt like much at first. I thought she was more or less dead weight and didnt understand why she was their to begin with. But the more we got to know her the more that I grew to love her development and character. Shes funny and kind but also strong and determined. I love her a whole lot. How determined she is to do what she thought was right and how much she cared for everyone in her squad despite her own initial unwillingness to try and work. All things I love about her.

3. Tooru Mutsuki

Now I know how much this character is hated...And I understand too. He did a lot of twisted and messed up things. Stayed on the bad side a long time, attacked Touka and his squad helped turn Kaneki into a monster...But his backstory and the personality we were originally introduced to made me love him so...so much. It didnt matter much to me what he did because I knew why he did it and not to mention...Mutsukis one of the most interesting characters to analyze because of his mindset. Also the fact he tried to redeem himself and felt guilty about everything he did...It shows that he is trying to do better and he is. I just....really, really love Mutsuki.

2. Touka Kirishima

Touka is a very rough character, and I get that some people just dont like her, But I loved every second of her. The person with a rough outside slowly breaking out of their shell and becoming gentler as time goes on- its something I have a soft spot for. Loyal, selfless, strong and knows what she wants. A woman who is strong without being controlling or mary sue. I never got annoyed or bored of her and looked forward to seeing her every single time a new chapter was put out. And also her protectivness towards Kaneki, her child, Ayato, and Hinami made me love her all the more. Shes also got my favorite Kagune of the whole series-Yet another thing I love about this character.

1. Juuzou Suzuya

By FAR my absolute favorite character in Tokyo ghoul. Now dont get me wrong-Im well aware of his faults. And I know he wasnt on the good side for a while either, But even though these things are there, I love him anyway. Hes so interesting and his backstory was so heartbreaking. When I first saw him I was indeed mildly creeped out but it also made me curious. The more I saw of him the more I wanted to analyze and get to know his character more. And right when I thought I got to know him-The one person who saw him as a person and treated him as he should be treated was taken away. This caused Juuzou to experience his first emotional loss in a very long time. And he changed. I personally enjoy his more mature personality compared to his more bloodthirsty one but love both either way tbh. And hes also very adorable when he wants to be so thats always a plus.

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protezioni · 5 years

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"stop saying i look like chicken little. he’s dumb, and he’s a coward. and i am NOT a coward!" for Maemi/Zuro and "yes, she is a bitch. b i c t … h." for Shima/Ko :3

Yes of course! Thank you for sending this ask and I enjoyed writing it a ton omg Love you!

STAN ZETA @zetacomic !! SOME CHARACTERS THAT WERE SEEN IN THE STORY BELONGS TO THE CREATOR SUCH AS MAEMI AND SHIMA!!!

Zuro/Maemi

Day count of suffering? Still the same. The amount of suffering he feels every day? Increased. Yes, sure- the Protezioni were somewhat like new siblings to them, but he cannot ignore the fact that they could sometimes be as annoying as some other members of Zygos. A lot of the Protezioni members may have been welcoming, and some even encouraged to be close to them--- but as months passed by, he only got to notice how some other members masked their more ridiculous side through acting like such. Well, what was to be expected from them? They may have been in the mafia, but they were certainly like normal people... They acted like a bunch of students who were glad there were no classes tomorrow...

I mean, they even had this movie night where they invited the entirety of Zygos Academy! Where? In their living room! It was easy to tell their place was bigger than the academy... Maybe even too big. Sure, whatever. Everyone was down to watch movies together... But of course, one of the more loud and obnoxious members had to bring something up- Which he, of course, did not expect. Disappointed but not surprised? Absolutely. That was a good summary of how he felt at this exact same moment when someone decided to bring up an inaccurate comparison between him and... a character from the movie. A children's movie. About a chicken discovering aliens existed. How pathetic was that?! Who in their right mind would compare him to that character?!

Maemi was staring at Zuro who was leaning on the couch, with a bowl of Doritos. He munched on the chips as he continued to look at Maemi in the eye. Once he swallowed, he coughed to capture some people's attention. "You sure you aren't Chicken Little?" He wasn't satisfied with Maemi's squinting as an answer, so he only repeated the question. "Chicken Little ain't that bad, Maemi!" Is he seriously trying to tell him that it wasn't bad at all? I mean... who the hell gets compared to a weak chicken who can hardly do shit at first? "You see, there are pros in being that little chick! He's got some cool-looking glasses!"

Maemi sighed, his heads in his hands... Wasn't this supposed to be movie night? Why were they just sitting down in the living room and making theories about how he is just a black feathered Chicken Little who somehow got red eyes? "This whole thing is dumb." Maemi rolled his eyes, refusing to sit beside Zuro who only patted the empty space beside him. "No thank you. I'll rather not stay beside you and be teased during the whole movie." It wasn't that hard to figure out that he would actually do that if he were to sit beside him. There was just a smirk written all over his face once he rejected his offer... What does that mean? "What are you smirking at?"

"Wanna know?"

"I'm curious."

Zuro handed the bowl to Sepheir, who was sitting beside him for the whole time. He cleared his throat for a moment before gesturing to Maemi. "You look like Chicken Little." That was all he said. Nothing less, nothing more. He sighed louder and tugged on his longer bang in annoyance. They were right. This man was someone who always joked around, and he was a little shit. He had enough proof of that as spent a longer time with him... Now that he was aimed at him, he could only understand it better. Of course he'd aim at him.

Shoya began smirking and he nodded in agreement. "Never thought about Mae being Chicken Little until you brought it up, bro!"

"See? Someone agrees with my theories!"

Finally, the strategist responded, irritation obvious in his voice.

"Stop saying I look like Chicken Little. He’s dumb, and he’s a coward. and I am NOT a coward!" There was silence in the room as all eyes landed on Maemi and Zuro... There were some people who laughed, some people who agreed, some others disagreed and some people only looking at the scenario before them. That was a weird line to say, but it sounded way too familiar... Was it from those Kine videos? Kine was deleted some years ago! Whatever, the scenario before them was surely interesting to experience... Even if he knew there was a reference to that or not. Now, the people only got more quiet as they noticed how even the two were silent.

"Okay yeah, you're not a coward." Even if Zuro had such a personality, he wouldn't call him a coward. "But--- Chicken Little wasn't a coward by the end of the movie! Therefore, you being Chicken Little? Still valid, I suppose!" He hated the enthustiastic grin which was still on the face of his even if he said those words. Goddamn it- did he have to diagree with this man forever? He won't even budge! You know what? What's the point of arguing with him if it would definitely lead to nothing at all. He wouldn't change. "Got anything else to say?" He crossed his arms with a playful chuckle, while Maemi just began picking a book from the shelf.

He got a book, schemed through the pages to see how long it was then decided to read it. He placed the book slightly higher so the person could read the title of the book he was reading... His face was clearly done with Zuro's bullshit, and he had no ideas how to respond to him so he could finally drop the Chicken Little subject. Zuro only read the book with his eyes before bursting into laughter. "Did you get the message, or should I get another book?" His voice was passive agressive in a way, but he didn't sound mad at all.

"I don't know, Maemi. Why are Little Shits such blockheads is a good enough title."

Shima/Ko

They were waiting for the rest of the members of the BQ Thieves inside the restaurant itself. Shima was casually eating the burger, enjoying the coupons which he got from Aki after saying some words to someone... It wasn't that big of a deal... I mean, what could get better than some coupons to one of his favorite restaurants? He took another bite from the burger and he noticed how Ko was just sipping some coke float from his straw as he dipped his fries on ketchup-- but his mind didn't seem to be with him right now. "Hey, Morga--- Ko. Something up?" Jesus Christ, he almost called him by that chatacter from his favorite game. No answer from him. "Ko?" He repeated his name and Ko jumped up from his seat.

"I apologize for not noticing you sooner, Shima." He laughed nervously as he finally began to eat... Damn, what the hell was wrong? He usually spoke more than usual, and his topics ranged from tips, things about himself, mafia life or questions about how Zygos really works... Now he was more silent than usual. "I began to think about other things, I should have paid attention to my surroundings." He personally apologized and Shima placed the wrapper of the burger away before placed his arms on top of the table. This only caused the man who was still eating his fries to only observe what he was doing and wonder what his movements meant.

He didn't remember being this caring, or at least- he didn't remember showing his kindess so easily. But well, being more of a protagonist could be fun! There were bonus positive feelings that made him feel proud of himself, so there's that. "Want to talk about it?" His face was bland for a second before he looked away for a short moment. "I mean, we still have the others to wait for, and we don't really have anything else to do..." He tried to make up several excuses to hide that he may have been a bit worried for the male he was eating with... And well, his words did work. Hell yeah, protagonist powers always worked.

"Thank you for understanding, Shima. But I prefer not talking about this specific person in public. All I have to say is I feel pretty upset over the fact she did so much and she had no warning signs." Ko's eyes suddenly became a bit sad. "She has broken several members, but they all chose to forgive or forget her. In my case, it isn't easy to do that if she..." Woah Ko, that's going to spoiler territory... "... Yeah. Anyway, why I am like this is because I decided to go to the attic and see if there are any objects I could have used for training, but instead, I gained some unwanted memories and it's been affecting me." He closes his eyes before raising a finger. "But perhaps I could forget about it, people can be much more deceiving than you expect they are."

"Yeah, people can be bitches sometimes."

"Agreed."

"And deceiving? Holy crap, I should tell you about how one of my teammate can go from "I'm cute" to "die" real quick. That's fucking deceiving."

Ko laughed a bit, knowing who he was talking about. "Go ahead, hearing your stories would certainly be interesting.

"You see..." Shima began trying to look for an explanation before placing his hands on top of the table. "One time, I said something out loud by accident and the next time I knew it, Hamlet was dramatically crying over my supposedly dead corpse as he wrapped bandages around my room." One out of the many experiences with someone from Team Omega. "Then later on, I knew Haru did it. Who else could have done it? I was fucked up with a damn knife. Just for saying shit out loud by accident." Shima shivered at the mere flashback he had with his head and it ended up making Ko burst out in laughter.

"I know who that is... I have to admit, she is fairly pretty. But as people in Zygos act, she is also deadly." He began wiping his hands with a tissue. "She's injured you, as I've heard. Also, you have a story about her so there's that. She gave Sepheir more work that one time she stabbed Ace... She truly is a wild woman." He recalled some moments he had with her, and he admitted that she wasn't someone who he talked to a lot--- but through other people he knew how she acted. "Indeed, her looks may deceiving... But I cannot fully deny that I am quite attracted to her--- Wait no, more of curiousity than attraction." Ko brought this up and Shima only placed his two hands on his shoulder like a main character from an anime.

"You wouldn't want to be curious or attracted to her."

"Oh?"

"I don't want to attend to a cat's- I mean, person's funeral."

"Is she that much of a bitch to be able to hurt someone like me?"

"Yes, she is a bitch. B i c t … h." Shima began shaking hkm slightly, as if he was trying to snap out Ko from a dream. "Did you not hear me? She almost killed me! Not only once, so that makes you not a single chance to be protected by her wrath. I don't want you to die." He finally released him before sighing. "Fuck. Why the hell do you Protezioni have some guts to be close to someone so fucking dangerous? She can probably bite your head off." A chuckle from the person he was talking to. "I'm fucking serious! She can! She's like the dam Hulk!" He began to tall about hlw she worked again. "Decent and all until she gets fucking angry!"

"Thank you for the warnings, maybe I will stop being curious." Ko said this calmly as he only continued to sip his soda. This conversation was wild, talking about girls was... surely a topic to to enjoy. Hey, at least he got to enjoy this moment because of him. If not, the whole BQ Thieves could have found him all upset over something that shouldn't even be brought up. "Additionally, thank you for talking to me about such..." His words trailed off to something else as a smirk was seen on his face. "Joker." It was a complete reference to a game Shima played and he only felt the success sharpen in his mind.

"Mission Accomplished."

"That's right... I should call you that again sometimes."

"WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME TO SEE MT DEAREST FRIENDS IN SUCH A PLACE FILLED WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND AROMAS---"

"Sorry, we were late!! I and Ren stopped in a flower shop, we bought a bouquet."

"Yarohe and Ren decided to look at the flowers and Ren posed as she read the name of the flowers out loud. It was funny to watch!"

"About time you all came... We should order shit again... MOVE OUT!"

#ask #writing #zuro #ko #protezioni #maemi #shima #zeta comic #STAN ZETA

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themattress · 5 years

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Wow. Tomoko Kanemaki SUCKS!

I decided to be masochistic and read back through the KH2 novels by Tomoko Kanemaki. And I just have to say: that there are actually people out there who like her writing and consider it to be in as good or superior to the games astounds me. These books are awful.

When they just straight-up adapt the game to text like the KH novels and the COM novels (except for the R/R one, but R/R sucks anyway), it’s fine. They even do the visits to Land of Dragons, Beast’s Castle and Olympus Coliseum better than the KH2 manga does, plus swaps in Agrabah for the far more important Port Royal. But that’s the only good thing I can say about them. In literally every other regard, the game and manga are infinitely superior.

The main problem is simple to sum up: Kanemaki is a fanfic writer. A pretty stereotypical KH fangirl. This in of itself wouldn’t be a problem if she weren’t adapting the games, but she is, and when she combines the game adaptations with her own fanfic based on what she wants to see, there is inevitably going to be a clash between them. The story written by Kazushige Nojima that she is adapting to novel form does not gel at all with what she writes, and as a result she has to either change that story (to the detriment of both it and its characters) or she neglects to change it even when it directly contradicts her own writing. This happens so much that it really makes for an excruciating reading experience. So let me list all of my problems with these novels point by point, to clarify just why Kanemaki’s writing fails so hard.

- I’ll get the biggest one out of the way right off the bat: Kanemaki is obsessed - and I mean obsessed - with the existential plight of the Nobodies, which includes the Draco in Leather Pants treatment to Organization XIII (”Is it really wrong to seek what you’ve lost?” is asked at one point, as though it’s a profound question. Um, when you’re doing so by inflicting that exact same loss upon millions of innocent people, yes it is!) The worst part is that characters (usually Namine, but Axel, Riku, Saix, Xemnas and even Ansem the Wise get on it at some points) are constantly repeating the exact same angsty inner monologues and internal (and sometime external) quasi-philosophical debates about Nobodies. I’m not kidding, it’s usually word-for-word. “Is it right for Nobodies to exist?” “Nobodies have nowhere to go or call home”. “Do Nobodies really lack hearts?” “What defines a heart?” “If Nobodies don’t have hearts, then why do they feel such-and-such?” “Why were Nobodies even born?” “Nobodies aren’t meant to exist, but does that still mean...?” And so on and so on, blah, blah, BLAH. Hearing this over and over and over and OVER again throughout my reading of the novels doesn’t make me more sympathetic of the Nobodies, it actually makes me less sympathetic and want them to go away so I don’t have to keep reading the same damn woe-is-me grade school-level existentialism! I want to keep reading about Sora, Donald and Goofy, damn it!

- Three characters who were mostly on the sidelines in KH2 somehow get a majority of time and focus here: Riku, Axel and Namine. They are even forced into an apocryphal trio together. They are basically treated as the de-facto secondary main characters next to Sora, Donald and Goofy, with their actions and development being given equal importance. Actually, that’s a lie - Riku, Axel and Namine are honestly given more importance. There is so much wrong about this - not only does the trio not feel organic and reek of bad fanfic, but each character in it isn’t well portrayed at all compared to the game or even the manga.

- Riku had the most potential, since he’s always a major character and a more talented writer could’ve come up with more feasible things for him to have been doing off-screen during KH2. But what Kanemaki has him do is ridiculous. If it’s not just stalking Sora, Donald and Goofy as a silent protector (which is the least interesting thing you could do with him), it’s bullshit with Axel and Namine, or fighting Saix midway through even though Kanemaki still keeps Saix’s later line of “Didn’t Roxas take care of you?”, or having him fight Xemnas in the Old Mansion only for Ansem the Wise to show up and Xemnas then just...retreat for no reason, letting Ansem live and thus ensuring the later destruction of his Kingdom Hearts like a dumbass! And through all of this, she frequently makes Riku default back into snarky, arrogant asshole mode, which doesn’t fit his character at this point at all. Also, while I saw no deliberate yaoi bait in the writing of the KH2 game, it’s definitely present in these novels.

- Axel. Oh my God. Anyone who hates what was done with him as Lea in the games, you should blame Kanemaki, since she actually ran with that kind of writing and characterization for him in these novels long before that happened in the games. He is treated as a totally trustworthy good guy who is a great friend to Roxas, Riku and Namine. The one dick move Kanemaki has him make is quickly backtracked on and then swept under the rug. His whole villainous role is whitewashed at every turn, from both what he intended with Roxas (legit deciding to kill him is changed to attempting a murder/suicide so that he can die with his best friend) to everything concerning Kairi (no, he didn’t kidnap her at all, that point is hammered in frequently, he was going to take her to Namine and they’d then see Sora together! And he didn’t want to turn Sora into a Heartless, that was a wrongful assumption on Saix’s part! And Saix summoned those Dusks on Destiny Islands, not Axel! Axel is chivalrous and heroic and does everything possible to protect and save Kairi! Gag me.) It’s so obnoxious, and beyond removing all of the character’s edge, it’s a blatant case of giving a character a major role in a story that they aren’t supposed to have one in just because he’s a favorite of the writer.

- Namine is an equally blatant case of this, but her case might be even worse. Not only is she THE source of the repetitive woe-is-me existential Nobody monologues and debates, with her whole character arc being changed to revolve around this which honestly makes her unintentionally unsympathetic and annoying, but this portrayal of her has a negative effect on her in both fandom and canon. In terms of fandom, a cult of bad apples (usually yaoi fangirls who already hated Kairi) arose around Namine following KH2, declaring her as superior to Kairi in every way and worthy of being the real main heroine of the KH series. Not only is this false, but it arguably got started because of these novels (translations of which had made their way online long before they were localized), where a character who literally only got 10 minutes of screentime in the game literally gets transformed into the main heroine and one of the most frequently appearing characters in general, even if her “character development” is horribly written and amounts to her being a mouthpiece for Kanemaki’s views. Then again, maybe they just projected onto Namine due to her introverted, fond-of-drawing nature, and Kanemaki was just one of them and thus produced something that kept them going. It’s a Chicken/Egg type of thing, I guess. But whatever the case, what it did in canon was worse. Kanemaki was the first to write for Namine after KH2, in 358/2 Days, and her characterization of her translated in game form to the stagnant caricatured plot device that Nomura then realized was easy to write for and convenient for making other convoluted plot turns happen.

- Come to think of it, Kanemaki’s partnering up with Nomura for Days probably did a lot more harm than just with Namine. Because her obsession with the “What Measure is a Non-Human?” trope never truly leaves the series after Days. It doesn’t pop up in BBS, since that was being worked on before Days, but everything afterwards is sure to feature it in some abysmal way or another, whether it be Nobodies, replicas, data copies or beings of pure darkness. The “Nobodies have hearts after all” comes straight from her writing (even if she had it as a needless overcomplication of the original idea that strong hearts can share feelings with those without it and thus serve as a heart for them too, while Nomura’s retcon is just “Nah, the body can regrow a heart, Xemnas lied”.) A lot of KH3′s worst writing might have not existed had Nomura not picked up on Kanemaki’s fixation with woobified “non-beings”.

- Sora honestly feels like an afterthought for Kanemaki. She’s so eager to write new fanficcy material for other characters, but not for the actual main protagonist, who only gets straight-up game adaptation. Oh, except that some of his lines that were “mean” to the Nobodies (and thus “OOC”, as both KH2-hating anon and Kanemaki seem to think) are changed or cut out.

- Y’know how the KH2 manga made Kairi even better than her game portrayal? Yeah, well this novel makes her far worse. First off, her defiant “you’re not acting very friendly!” to Axel is cut because Axel is whitewashed in that moment (he even readies himself to defend Kairi from the Dusks which Saix summons). Later, she does not get away from Axel because he was never kidnapping her to begin with here. She then realizes that he’s really a good person before Saix kidnaps her, with Axel desperately trying to protect her. She then only shows up toward the end when Axel once again comes to be her hero (again thwarted by that dastardly Saix), with her moping about how she can do nothing to help the brave, noble Axel. (I feel sick just typing this...) In the finale, not only does Kanemaki not take advantage of the potential Kairi development that the game relegated to optional text boxes, but she actually destroys Kairi’s entire arc long before BBS did by making one of her few additions to Kairi be an inner monologue she has on the shore of Destiny Islands alongside Mickey, Donald and Goofy just before Sora and Riku make it back, where she’s just wishing with all her heart that they’ll come back because “We’re here waiting for you. We’ll always wait for you.” BULL-FUCKING-SHIT. Kanemaki, just like Nomura and Oka, clearly has no interest in Kairi as a character on her own. She is used here as a plot device for the character development of Axel and Namine, characters she is interested in, even though Kairi had more significance and screentime than them by far in the actual KH2 game. Geez, even Nojima tried with her!

- Roxas is written just fine during the prologue, since his scenes are just lifted from the game. But when he resurfaces in the final novel, added material make Axel be the most important thing on his mind. Even his final thoughts as he makes the full merging with Sora is that he hopes to meet Axel again. More deliberate yaoi-baiting, and more shoving Axel down our throats. Hell, that last novel is even named “Anthem - Meet Again / Axel Last Stand”. God damn it, Kanemaki, Axel was not important to KH2. It’s not his story. Get over it already!

- Hey, remember how in the game DiZ/ Ansem the Wise did a total character 180 due to offscreen reasons when he came back after the prologue? That was dumb. The novels add new scenes for him, so Kanemaki could actually rectify this issue....OR she just repeats it, since the first new scene she gives him also has him in 180 mode due to offscreen reasons!

- Xemnas and Saix both have their levels of menace neutered thanks to the existential angst of the Nobodies affecting them too, with none of their inner monologues bemoaning their fates really adding up with their actions. The game let you make up your own mind as to whether you found them sympathetic despite their monstrous behavior, but Kanemaki is clearly trying to force the sympathy angle, and it really lessens them, especially Xemnas.

- Really, only Xigbar, Xaldin, Demyx, Luxord, and the trio of Hayner, Pence and Olette were written completely accurately out of the KH-original cast. Nothing felt out of place with them.

- Other nonsensical fanficcy events besides what I’ve already mentioned include bringing stuff from COM (like Repliku) back up frequently instead of keeping focus on the story at hand, a totally different version of how Namine and Axel split from Riku following the prologue (one that continues making Namine unintentionally unsympathetic), Riku having Mickey make the promise after the prologue before Kanemaki’s own 358/2 Days retcons this to happening before it, Riku meeting with Maleficent in Hollow Bastion, Mickey meeting with Axel in Hollow Bastion, Axel being the one to wake Goofy up after his “death”, Axel having a sort of odd friendship with Pluto, Ansem the Wise being the one to provide the box of clues for Riku to give, Axel pretending to betray Riku and Namine so that he gets let back into the Organization and thus be able to rescue Kairi, meetings between the Organization where they talk about totally different and less interesting matters than they did in the game, and having Namine stalk the group throughout the finale as she thinks her last pretentious inner monologues. Also, given its subject matter and how it plays during Days’ opening, I swear to God that Kanemaki created the Axel/Roxas ghost scene that Nomura added to KH2:FM. That it shows up in the last novel, word-for-word, a month before KH2:FM’s release, proves this.

- The misplacement of Disney Castle. This one REALLY bothers me. She places Disney Castle between Beast’s Castle and Port Royal in the third novel. This makes no sense whatsoever, since not only was this meant to be Maleficent’s re-introduction to Sora, Donald and Goofy, but now it comes after Maleficent already made an alliance with Sora and his friends at Hollow Bastion! And then all of a sudden, she’s no longer keeping the Nobodies at bay and is back to self-interested villainy! And there isn’t any dialogue explaining this away or anything! We still have Maleficent saying “If it isn't the wretched Keyblade holder and his pitiful lackeys!” as if she hadn’t agreed to temporarily join forces with said wretched Keyblade holder and his pitiful lackeys! Way to ruin one of the best Disney world visits, Kanemaki!

- The whole finale and especially the ending itself, which were so powerful in both the game and even the manga, has no power in the light novel style of writing Kanemaki uses. Part of that isn’t Kanemaki’s fault, since so much of the finale’s greatness is visual and that obviously can’t be recaptured in text form. And yet she still makes some baffling pacing decisions, with stuff like the aforementioned Namine stalking passages throwing the whole thing off, LOL moments such as Riku himself outright admitting that he has no idea where he got Kairi’s Keyblade also breaking the immersion, character alterations like to Xemnas and Kairi ruining the effectiveness of things they do, and a truly WTF-inducing final chapter where the entire Secret Ansem Report is put before a novelization of both the credits scene where Sora sees Kairi’s drawing in the Secret Place and the epilogue scene where they get the King’s letter.

Overall, these novels just don’t feel like Kingdom Hearts II to me. Even the KH2 manga, the middle of its first half notwithstanding, felt like it. This does not. And that’s because whatever the faults in its narrative, KH2′s story was first and foremost a fun Disney/Square crossover adventure starring Sora, Donald and Goofy, with angsty existentialism merely being one of its themes and meant more for players to think about and discuss rather than the characters. The novels tell a story about angsty existentialism starring characters who think about and discuss it, with Sora, Donald and Goofy’s adventures being a passionless afterthought. That there are people who honestly think that Kanemaki doing this “fleshes out the characters” is shameful. Constant angst and grade school-level philosophical circle-jerking is not character depth. It is pretension of depth, hence the word “pretentious” which fits perfectly here. It takes a lot more than talking and expressing feelings at length to constitute character development. It requires meaningful actions, and it requires some form of growth and change. Kanemaki’s characters are largely static, simplistically characterized beings who spin their wheels in terms of both actions and growth. Riku does not change: you can barely tell he has any kind of depression or has experienced any kind of humbling. Axel does not change: he’s a great guy from the start and has no internal problems to overcome, only the external one of being separated from Roxas. Namine does not change, she goes through the same questioning and angsting over her existence and the existence of other Nobodies until the last minute where the answer just suddenly comes to her (in fact, it was apparently in her all along and she just forgot it. Shades of Sora’s dumbass “Power of Waking” arc in KH3 here...) Any actual development that happens with some characters (like Ansem the Wise) comes straight from the game...and Nojima didn’t write that all too well either! There is just very little that’s enjoyable about the KH2 novels to me, and Tomoko Kanemaki’s writing is to blame for that.

In the words of Lemony Snicket: I highly advise you to not read these books.

#Disney #Square Enix #Kingdom Hearts #Kingdom Hearts II #Anti-Tomoko Kanemaki #Bad Writing #Opinion #Analysis #Truthbomb #This has been a PSA

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amairawrites · 6 years

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Writing your opening scene

A functional first scene in any story needs to accomplish a few things.

Introduce your protagonist and their current situation

Kick off the plot, create the major conflict, and/or introduce the antagonist

End on a note that makes the reader want to keep reading

Behind the cut, I’ll go into more detail, using To Be Vulnerable as my primary example, along with Splanky by @ladymac111 and for the things you tame by @decidedlysarah (many thanks to both of them for allowing me to use their stories as examples), and explaining why a light touch often works the best. Heads up, this will be really long. And, in keeping with my usual style, it’s just a bunch of barely-organized rambling.

Introducing your protagonist and their current situation

The goal here is not to describe your protagonist so well that the reader knows everything about them, or to bombard your reader with every facet of your protagonist’s inner struggle. Rather, you want the reader to care about the protagonist. Superficial detail, like hair color or parents’ names or favorite food, bog down the flow of the scene and distract from the reader’s focus on the protagonist. These things can be left out entirely until they are directly relevant.

Here’s how I approached Keith’s introduction in TBV:

Hands in his pockets, Keith shuffled down the nameless streets of the run-down city he reluctantly called home. The sky was dark with an evening sun obscured by clouds, threatening a cold winter rain, but business had been slow the past few weeks and, well, he needed to eat eventually. He had $20 in his pocket, though, from a quiet customer who only wanted a handjob.

Obviously, as the writer, I knew everything about Keith’s life and character at this point. I had to select the detail that was the most appropriate and made the most sense. Keith “needed to eat eventually,” so he was food insecure, and occasionally prostituted himself when he got desperate enough. He had no real attachment to where he was living. He walked in a way meant to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

As the scene unfolded, I dropped a few more details about Keith when they became relevant. He didn’t own much of anything. Despite being an occasional prostitute, he was uncomfortable with doing anything beyond oral sex.

Shiro’s introduction in for the things you tame was much more violent and bleak.

This was probably the day he died, Shiro reflected. If he was lucky. If he was unlucky, he would die sometime in the next week after several more days of torture. Sure, he could draw it out—feed the Don's goons some bad information, stall for time. The force might—might—negotiate a deal for his release. If they were smart, they'd wash their hands of him. He wasn't worth it; just a low level cop who got caught undercover. He'd fought for time for his partner, Matt, to get out, and that was worth it. He could die silent and with his honor: no regrets.

We got a few clear details about him, chief among them that he expected to die. His characterization there, as someone who was at peace with that because he believed he was doing the right thing, made him a very sympathetic character right off the bat.

@decidedlysarah then jumped straight into making the reader’s heart hurt even more for Shiro: he’d been whipped, he was in intense pain, and he was so close to blacking out that he could barely hear.

One of the advantages of fanfiction is that the reader base already knows who the characters are. @ladymac111 used this to her advantage in Splanky, with a short and heavily dialogue-driven opening scene that introduced everything via text messages and friendly snarking between siblings. There, the focus in introducing Pidge as main character was on setting up what we didn’t already know about her from the show.

Pidge's phone whistled in her pocket, a familiar riff that never failed to make her smile every time one of her dancing friends texted her.

"Ugh." Matt flopped over dramatically and put his feet in her lap. "There's nothing interesting in your life since you broke up with Kate."

"Good riddance to her."

We could glean just from this that the main characters from VLD were recast in a group of friends who all danced together. Also that Pidge had dated women in the past – that becomes relevant later in the story.

In all of these stories, the protagonist’s introduction is short, simple, and effective. Details appeared as they become relevant: Keith’s clothing in TBV when he changed his jacket and Shiro’s clothing when he noted the suit sticking to his wounds. Pidge’s religious beliefs when she and Hunk were shown playfully respecting each other’s.

But none of these stories are plotless character studies, so the authors all need to do something with them.

Kicking off the plot, creating the major conflict, and/or introducing the antagonist

This is often referred to as creating the significant situation. Something has to happen to make the story move; that is what you want to trigger here. Again, simpler is better. If there’s a political intrigue, lay out just enough to shake up the protagonist’s corner of the world; after all, they won’t necessarily know everything else that’s going on. If there’s a romance, introduce it without delving into the love interest’s life story – or even consider the Pride and Prejudice approach, where Mr. Bingley is mentioned only in name and rumor long before he meets Jane, but his possible influence is undeniable.

TBV has multiple aspects to it, and the opening scene is quite long compared to the other two examples.

Keith was immediately thrust into a sense of upheaval when he discovered his hideout was no longer private.

Another pile of rags indicated that another vagrant had taken up residence against the opposite wall.

Keith sighed. He’d have to move again. He’d need even more money to tide him over until he could build up a new customer base.

Back on the street, then.

With the loss of that stability, he went back out to work the streets again, where he came across the antagonist. The antagonist was the second character introduced, though Keith already knew him and his status as antagonist (rather than throwaway character) wouldn’t become clear until much later. He was pushy with Keith about sexual acts –

“Been a while, Pretty Boy,” the driver said, blue eyes narrowed. “What’s on offer tonight?”

Keith scowled. “Same as always. Handjobs for twenty and blowjobs for fifty.”

[...]

“And for, say, three hundred?”

“A lot of blowjobs or handjobs,” Keith answered flatly.

The guy waved a dismissive hand at him. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Blowjob. Get in.”

– eventually to the point of attempted assault to get what he wanted.

He yanked Keith off of him and nearly threw him against the passenger seat. A hand clamped down on Keith’s neck, sending his heart racing. His limbs ached with the panic flooding through them.

“I’ve been patient, and I’ve been generous. Now, Pretty Boy, you’re going to give me what I really want.”

Keith trembled. “No.”

A meaty hand pawed at his jeans, then unzipped them. “Don’t worry, you’ll be compensated fairly.”

These traits will hold true later, even as his character develops into something more complex.

The attack left Keith scared and unsure, another layer of upheaval. He retreated to the only place he considered safe (Vinny’s), and there he saw an advertisement for the Garrison and came to a decision about what he wanted to do.

Keith looked up from his gyros, staring at the commercial in confusion. Uniformed teenagers and adults alike stood in the desert, leaned over airplane cockpits, sat in classrooms filled with all manner of technical charts. A shuttle launched. A team of fighter jets wove complicated patterns through the sky.

“Go to one of those military schools. They’ll straighten your shit out.” He turned up the volume enough for Keith to hear the tail end of it.

“– at the Galaxy Garrison in Garrison, Arizona. Together, working for a brighter future.”

Strips of meat slid out of the pita and onto the plate, but Keith barely noticed that his next bite was all bread and onion. Arizona was only one state over; he could jump on one of those long-haul buses and be there the next day, if he wanted to.

An odd, heavy feeling that had nothing to do with the gyros settled in his gut.

Working for a brighter future.

He could use a brighter future.

That choice, that decision, kicked off the rest of the story.

The opening scene in for the things you tame is much shorter, as it is a short story (22k words, rather than my estimate of 150k for TBV when it’s eventually finished).

Shiro’s situation was already examined in the previous section. He expected to die; he didn’t expect to be saved from that death by someone dangerous.

But he recognized the voice, didn't he? He tried to focus. That one, just now, was the Don's son. Lotor? But he was talking to... Kay. Shit.

Kay was standing next to him now. He had a knife and he used the tip to force Shiro's chin up. Kay's lips curled in a dark smile.

“Can I keep him?” he asked. This to Lotor.

Shiro couldn't hear what Lotor said, but he definitely caught Kay's response: “He won't turn me down this time.”

And thus the plot burst into being: Shiro was afraid of Kay (implied by the internal reaction of ‘shit’ when he recognized the voice), and Kay wanted to keep him.

It’s not all dark, depressing, and violent. Splanky is an adorable story of friendship growing into love. There’s little in the way of direct conflict, and no one is an antagonist. So in the first scene, @ladymac111 had to drop just enough detail about the coming relationship growth for the reader to pick up on it. As Hunk texted Pidge:

Question for you. So you know I'm teaching the beginner drag blues class at Lindyfest this year like I always do, but I need a partner.

Pidge's heart thumped weirdly in her chest. Shay isn't doing it??

And, after getting a few more details, Pidge responded and then worried about her word choice:

"You're weirdly quiet," Matt said.

"Shut up." She stared at the phone for a little too long before she could will her thumbs to move. That sounds good. I'd love to teach the class with you. Shit, shouldn't have said love.

Between the racing heart, staring at the phone, and the immediate concern about using the word ‘love,’ it was clear that love was something Pidge tended to overthink in relation to Hunk. And, more specifically, the idea that she would love slotting herself into the role usually occupied by Hunk’s girlfriend. At no point is any of that openly stated; it was implied, simply and cleanly, by the minimal details around their text messages.

@ladymac111 even dropped a hint of the secondary plot arc, the different religious beliefs characters held (all treated incredibly respectfully throughout the story, so major props for that), as Hunk wished Pidge a happy Hanukkah.

But these stories are all more than just their first scenes, and now that they’ve drawn the reader in, they all need something to keep them.

Ending on a note that makes the reader want to keep reading

By the end of your first scene, your protagonist should have changed from who they were at the start, and the world should be just a little different to them. If they’re exactly the same, you wrote a character study and not the beginning of a story. If there is no remaining conflict, if the antagonist is already defeated, or if the plot has no direction by the time the first scene is over, you just wrote a one-shot and not the opening of a larger work. Readers only want to keep reading if there is something still at stake, something still on the horizon.

All three opening scenes built up some kind of dramatic tension: in TBV, it’s the huge and ambitious change that Keith was faced with; in for the things you tame, it’s Shiro’s expected death sentence being commuted into some unclear servitude to Kay; in Splanky, it’s Pidge taking on a role in Hunk’s class that she hadn’t before.

And all three had an open ending, where the choices and changes were left unexplored, and the reader would want to keep reading to see what happens next.

Keith considered leaving for the Garrison, but the scene ended before he actually did so.

Shiro blacked out before he could hear any more, and before his internal perspective could process Kay’s comment of “He won't turn me down this time.”

Pidge distracted herself from her internal conflict by snarking with Matt, thus avoiding thinking on the feelings long enough to make sense of them.

And in all of those, there’s something new at stake, something the reader wants to know more about.

Thanks for reading, everyone, and I definitely recommend you take a look at the fics I referenced here!

To Be Vulnerable – by yours truly

for the things you tame – by @decidedlysarah

Splanky – by @ladymac111

#ramblings #to be vulnerable #story development #fanfic #splanky #for the things you tame #writing tips

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