#poorly made memes strike back

[catdoingblep]

#poorly made memes strike back #kaz brekker #shadow and bone #six of crows #grishaverse #pekka rollins #kazzle dazzle #shadow and bone s2

[springbloggy]

The secret of Nimh was Don Bluth's debut as an independent animator, fresh out of working at Disney and disappointed with how Disney storytelling was going.

"We haven't been telling better stories than Snow White, and we should be. We're doing the same thing over and over again, but we're not doing it any better. Yet we know enough now so that we should be preparing the films in which the color and the music and the layouts and the backgrounds all change to fit the moods of a story in which everything combines to touch you. The pictures now are entertaining, they're fast-paced, and they're clear. Walt had all those things, and he touched you besides."

-interview with Don Bluth

So does the movie hold up to these ideals? Well after watching it, I'd say yes and no. First of all, the art is fantastic, it's absolutely beautiful and there were many moments that made me go "wow". Nimh absolutely holds up in terms of art and animation, with little details in the background that would catch my eye that made the world feel really "alive". The soundtrack also added to the feel of the movie, with orchestral scores that added to many of the beautiful visuals. But I am not here for just the animation and the music, I also watched for the story, and the story simply does not hold up. The first half of the movie has poor pacing, and the characters don't hold much appeal. Specific ones that caught my attention were Jeremy the crow and Mrs. Brisby, the main character. Jeremy might be one of the most insufferable characters in all of animation, if you haven't watched Nimh, picture Genie from Aladdin with all his charm removed. Every scene Jeremy appeared in, I immediately wanted to dart away from the movie. He is just insufferable as a character, not charming, nor funny, nor entertaining. Mrs. Brisby is the opposite, where the problem is for the majority of the movie, her character is pretty blank, and I consider her one of the blandest main characters of all time. Most of her character is being concerned about her son Timmy and being the wife of Mr. Brisby. The Bechdel test is a meme these days, but watching this movie made me understand why it was made. The rest of characters range from unlikable to bland, there isn't much of a reason for you to feel for any of them, root for the heroes, or feel anger towards the villain. Even if you don't mind the characters, the story as a whole doesn't really get interesting until halfway through, when Mrs. Brisby finally gets into the Rats of Nimh's hideout and learns the backstory of them. I remember watching this movie once as a kid as a Blockbuster rental and the backstory scene was the one that stuck with me and still is striking to me as an adult. If there's one specific scene from this movie to seek out, it's that. Sadly even after the backstory, there's still a lot of empty holes in the movie's story that aren't patched out and a lot of questions left about the world that are never answered. I like a good mystery, but NIMH has too many and the audience will go in and out of the experience with as much information as Mrs. Brisby does. Which is next-to-nothing.

------

TLDR;

✅ What I liked:

Great animation

Great score

Fantastic backstory scene

❌ What I didn't like:

Left too many questions

Characters range from outright insufferable to bland

Doesn't pick up until halfway through

Overall ranking:

At the end of these I like to ask: "is it a good replacement for Disney movie?" For those who want to live a hypothetical Disney-free life for themselves and their children.

For The Secret of Nimh, I think it solely depends on which era of Disney you are referring to. It's a good replacement for a 70s Disney movie, back when they were releasing stuff like "The Rescuers" and "Robin Hood". Not so much for any other Disney eras. The fantastic animation is the highlight of Nimh, but everything else, sadly, has aged poorly and no longer holds up in the modern era of animation storytelling.

#don bluth #the secret of nimh #secret of nimh #animation #cartoon #review #springy thoughts #b

[dearlittlefandom-stalker]

2024 Predictions By Me—

Whataburger opens in more states

Animators Strike

AI gets Sued

A Sasquatch movie is made

Joe Biden has a Health Scare

Something else is named ‘X’ 

Cornbread becomes a Meme

America gets involved in another war we have no business in

A Major Meteor Event

Bon Jovi hits mainstream again (either he releases a new song or an older song gets used in something or memed and becomes big again)

ACME Vs Coyote gets a theatrical release

Din Djarin comes back from the war (The Mandalorian season 4 comes out)

Ahsoka series gets a season 2

There’s a recall on canned soup

Duolingo does a ridiculously funny PR prank/stunt/marketing scheme AND IT WORKS

Barbie’s Princess and the Pauper becomes a meme

On that note, a new Barbie movie is announced/made

Big ~Presidential Race Debate Scandal~

Another Life Series (season 6!) (Bonus points if season 7 also begins!)

Also Hermitcraft Season 10 begins (Bonus if multiple Hermits base together)

A  world leader gets ousted/exposed and flees or is killed

Owl City releases a new song

Skillet releases a new album (bonus points if they have a crossover hit)

A 1920s-based or inspired movie is made

“Dice” becomes a slang term

Another poorly covered up government-caused catastrophe takes place 

A church service or livestream lasts for more than three days and sparks a revival

Tanera Double Chocolate (Everybody’s So Creative!) will make a video showing people how to actually cook

Something happens to before or during the Summer Olympics schedule that causes a delay or pause

At least two artists will release a movie in theaters of their live concerts (a la Taylor Swift and Beyonce)

New averse side affects of vaping are revealed

Some obscure holiday gets memed

The World Map changes (a country that exists now is dismantled or a new country is formed)

The Spanish-American war becomes relevant somehow

Something Weird is going to happen on February 29th 

#2024 #predictions #predictions by me #2024 bingo #bingo

[ultramori]

Hello, Tumblr! I'm Ultra

If I ever told you I knew how to set up an introduction post, I was lying. So uhhhh let's go.

Personal-ish info:

Name: Ultra, Spirit

Age: 15

Gender: Trans male

Fandoms I'm in:

Omori!!!!!!

Mob Psycho 100!!!!!!

Yume Nikki

Danganronpa sometimes, not all that often

Same with Cookie Run, I used to be obsessed with it but not anymore

Deltarune is cool!

YTTD will always be a legendary video game

Most analog horror series, like TWF, MC, and L58

OFF!!!!!!!!!!

Ngl. Welcome Home is pretty dope.

DHMIS!!!!!!

Elevator Hitch!!!!!!!!

FNAF!!!!

Omori AUs and fanfictions I've made:

My own OMARI AU

RTOF (Red Thread Of Fate)

SLIAOFH (Sunny Lives In A One Floor House)

Self indulgent AU (Ultramori)

OMORI AU I made with my buddies (also called Ultramori)

Heartache

Fantasy AU

Hero's perspective (still oughta make a name for it)

MP143

Endspace AU

The Start Of SOMETHING

Back Home

DR MONO SPACE

But for OFF AUs, I have the First Strike AU, the King AU, the roleswap AU, and the stupid ass Christmas Carol thing I made on a whim lol

I am also the original creator of the OFF ECU! :)

Also also home of the Aubasil/Photobomb Ship Week!! Yippee!!

Comfort ships!!!!!

Heromari (OMORI)

Aubasil (OMORI)

Suntan (OMORI)

Ekurei (MP100) (I have mixed feelings about it lol)

Terumob (MP100)

Batterie (OFF)

Whatever it's called. Dedan × Enoch from OFF but mostly as a joke

Pablo × his favorite cat chow brand (OFF)

What to expect on my blog:

Reblogs. A lot.

My own art

Maybe snippets of my stories and fanfictions??? Maybe?????

Some videos I've made

Text posts and memes

Random shower thoughts and shit

DNI:

NSFW

Gore is a bit complicated with me, because really poorly drawn gore (like, REALLY poorly drawn) is fine, but detailed gore and/or real life gore is horrifying so no thank you!

Pedophiles and proshippers

Any of the following ships: Saiouma (DR), Kimsil (OMORI), Reimob (MP100), Spaceheart (OMORI)

Racists or homophobes or anything of that nature

WARNING FOR MY BLOG:

I sometimes reblog content with blood, gore maybe, and just general disturbing stuff! If you're not cool with that stuff then either enter with caution or don't at all! Stay safe my dude!

To anyone who managed to read this, hi. Here's a cookie: 🍪

#introductory post #hello world

[etinarcadiabayego]

Do you have any controversial life is strange opinions?:)

The fact that I like Nathan Prescott is probably controversial enough in this fandom, but...

I like Max and Chloe as best friends more than lovers. Which leads to the next one where...

I think, despite the toxicity that is there initially, that Rachel and Chloe make the better couple.

I get why he does for some, but for me, Warren doesn't creep me out. He just strikes me as very forward with a shaky confidence, and can be inappropriate and awkward to boot.

I feel like Warren needs more exploration of his character, too, since he gets treated even worse than Nathan--in and out of the fandom. Which is an...amazing feat, to say the least, imo. He's hardly in any promotional material, his voice actor never seems to be asked to come back for interviews and/or podcasts, etc. Idk. It makes me sad, because, to me, his character is clearly meant to be a potential love interest for Max, just without the proper balance given like it is with Chloe.

After years of thinking, growing, and changing opinions, I don't think the polarizing ending of the first game is bad anymore. Not as bad as many think, that is. Of course, the name of the chapter itself is "Polarized"--a play on words, and a hint towards the grueling decision for the end. But I think it works for the structure and themes the developers are trying to present in the game. I don't think there's a right or wrong ending, but an ending where Max finally has to face the consequences of her actions, of leaving the past behind and going on to an uncertain future. No matter what she chooses, she can't have it all. Anyway... I thought I'd share a link to a video that explains it in the same way I think instead of putting a huge ass paragraph here if anyone's interested in seeing it how I see it.

Other than a few moments of interesting character development, I think Before the Storm is a pointless existence of a game. No hate on Deck Nine or their team--it looks pretty, and it gave us Steph and Mikey and Samantha--but otherwise it's feels like a fanfiction that became an official game with a lot of inconsistencies that didn't add enough or were a poor "prequelization" with the existing canon. However, I do think Deck Nine made up for it with True Colors lol.

[Insert meme here] Life is Strange 2 is good, y'all are just mean. But, seriously, I get it, it's a depressing sad-fest of a game for the most part, but it's not any less of a story worth telling. There are imperfect aspects to it, but I think people are delusional if they don't think the same for the others just because it doesn't have female/lesbian leads or they think it's "too political." If anything, I just wish we got more of Captain Spirit, Finn, and Cassidy lol. And my girl, Lyla.

Ryan is just as important as Steph and deserves just as much love. Not sure if this is controversial, really, but I'm saying it anyway. Fav. male character by far right next to Gabe and Sean Diaz.

After consideration, I don't think Jed's turn-of-heel in character in True Colors was done poorly. We've seen it before with Jefferson, sure, but this time it was done well and had a backstory that made sense in context instead of it being out of nowhere accompanied by a badly-utilized red herring. It would have been interesting to see what the shadowy Typhon corporation was doing behind everyone's backs, for sure, but it would have deterred from the small community we have gotten to know (and suspect) in the long run. And it really goes to show how much pressure can be put on a single community, a single person, in order to keep their lives comfortable and avoid the hard truth.

The LARP in True Colors was perfection. Don't bother trying to change my mind, naysayers.

The comics aren't as bad as I initially thought, but they still lack a lot that would make people interested outside of the "Bae" ending.

#ehhh idk what else to put at the moment #but here's some things that've been recently bouncing in my head #they may even change in the future who knows #i know i've changed my mind about a bit since 2015/2016 soooo lol #asks #EDIT: I reworded the bit about Before the Storm as I reread it and felt like I not only wasn't clear but also insulted us fanfic writers #and i apologize #trust me some fanfics are better than new york times bestsellers nowadays and it just felt bad for me to repeat it the way i worded it

[themattress]

My Top 30 Favorite Video Games

Inspired by @ultraericthered’s Top 30 Favorite Anime post. 

Although I’m doing mine in countdown form, ‘cause it’s more fun that way!

30. Super Mario Bros. - Arguably the first “blockbuster” game to be released, not only does Super Mario Bros. still hold up over 35 years later but it’s a gift that keeps on giving with how many different incarnations, remixes, fan games using its assets, etc. that we have now.

29. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - OBJECTION! While I cherish the entire original Phoenix Wright trilogy of the Ace Attorney franchise, I’ll always be the most partial to the original outing. The sheer audacity and hilarity of the concept, which is grounded by endearing characters and compelling mysteries, shines brilliantly in this little, easily accessible game. 

28. Trigger Happy Havoc: Danganronpa - While similar in many ways to Ace Attorney, Danganronpa boasts a variety of more actual gameplay than mere point-and-click text scrolling. But what really makes this stand out, beyond gameplay or even the strength of its concept, story and characters, is the atmosphere it creates. For good and for ill, traversing the pristine, neon-lit hallways of the abandoned Hopes Peak Academy looking for clues as I’m forced to play by Monokuma’s twisted rules is an experience that will stay with me forever.

27. Star Fox 64 - Beyond all the entertainment this game provides through memes, it’s really just a fun, reasonably simple but just moderately complicated enough game that’s accessible to any player even if they usually don’t go for aerial shooters. It’s also one of the earliest console games that I ever played, so of course it’s going to hold a special place in my heart.

26. Batman: Arkham City - It’s an impressive feat when an open world game can still feel so claustrophobic in all the right ways, and that’s what Arkham City accomplishes. This game is essentially The Dark Knight to Arkham Asylum’s Batman Begins, escalating the action, suspense and sheer Batman-ness, providing unlimited opportunities to enjoy yourself playing as Gotham’s defender and facing down the greatest Rogues Gallery in comic book history.

25. Red Dead Redemption - Look, I know that Red Dead Redemption 2 is technically the superior game. But its complicated story, sprawling cast of characters, and vast canvas of a world can be pretty daunting, whereas I feel like the original Red Dead Redemption struck a much better balance. Allowing open world freedom within the confines of the straight-forward story of John Marston’s redemption really makes you feel like you’re in an old Western film, and the way that choices you make as a player impact the way that film ultimately turns out is one of the strongest arguments for video games being worthy of consideration as true art.

24. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - So, ten years ago an open world adventure video game series releases its fifth entry...and to this day, we’ve had no sixth, in favor of expansions and updated re-releases of said fifth entry. But that’s not a sign of laziness; it’s a sign the developers know they hit such a peak in quality that they have no need to rush anything further out the gate, as Skyrim is a gift that keeps on giving. Addictive in how unlimited in possibilities it is, with each playthrough never being the same as the one before, Skyrim is a gaming masterpiece that I don’t think I’m going to get bored with playing anytime soon.

23. Super Paper Mario - This may be an unpopular opinion, but I vastly prefer this game’s action-platform-RPG hybrid gameplay style to the prior installments’ traditional turn-based RPG style, which feels more at home in stuff like Super Mario RPG and the Mario & Luigi series. But gameplay aside, I think this has the strongest story of any Mario game, trading in the usual “save the kingdom/princess” fare for saving all of reality, with legitimate emotion and drama and even character development. It’s one of the Wii’s shining gems, to be sure.

22. Epic Mickey - This game’s graphics are by and large unremarkable, its gameplay is fraught with issues (that camera is unforgivable), and it’s nowhere close to the best on its system or genre. But Epic Mickey is a case study in where the effort put into crafting the game’s world and story, not to mention the obvious love and respect for the material being worked with, pays off. Any Disney fan will love this game for its story, which puts Mickey front and center as an actual character rather than a mascot and dives deep into his history as he meets his “half-brother” Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and its mystical, unique atmosphere - what the graphics can’t deliver, the fucking music more than makes up for. All of the game’s flaws mean nothing compared to the sheer heart on display, and I treasure it greatly as a result.

21. Batman: Arkham Asylum - I already mentioned that Arkham City is the superior game, but as was the case with Red Dead Redemption and its sequel, personal preference strikes again. The simpler story and narrower confines of Arkham Asylum just appeal to me slightly more, and I feel like the borderline horror atmosphere this game has could never fully be replicated by all of its sequels and spin-offs. Also, you can play as the Joker in this. WIN.

20. Metal Gear Solid - And on the subject of Arkham Asylum, it owes much to this game, which created the template of a lone badass hero having to use stealth and weaponry to liberate a government-owned island from the lunatic terrorists that have taken over. Hideo Kojima famously never wanted this game to have any sequels, and I can definitely see his point, as it’s a complete and wholly satisfying experience in of itself and I don’t feel like it’s ever been topped. At the very least, it’s certainly the most enjoyable of the series to me.

19. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Also, speaking of “borderline horror atmosphere”, we have the freakiest game that the Legend of Zelda series ever put out. What was supposed to just be a gaiden to Ocarina of Time mutated into this beautiful monstrosity that’s become just as iconic. Nobody who plays this game is ever going to forget that fucking moon and all the constant jumping back and forth in time across three days as you try to prevent the apocalypse of Termina. It’s the kind of gaming trauma that’s well worth experiencing.

18. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories - Like Majora’s Mask, this game is a case study where you can take a bunch of recycled assets and gameplay, and then make something unique from it if you have a well-crafted story with a dark and disturbing atmosphere. It’s hard to experience or appreciate the transition between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II without playing this midquel, which takes the narrative and characters to deeper levels without being pretentious about it and sets the stage for the proper console sequel perfectly. And if you can’t get into it being on Gameboy Advance, then just play the PS2 remake (which is arguably the superior version anyway) and you’re good! Just...don’t mind the cards, OK?

17. Sonic CD - And now we have another game about jumping back and forth through time to prevent an apocalypse! See the common threads at play here by this point? Sonic the Hedgehog is at his best in 2D gameplay, and I personally enjoy this the best out of all the 2D games in the series. As obscure as the Sega CD was as a system, it was powerful enough to take the blue blur’s speed to its maximum level, set alongside beautiful graphics and a kick-ass soundtrack (well, two different kick-ass soundtracks; and I actually prefer the US one). 

16. Pokemon Black & White - While there were advancements made to story and graphics and gameplay features in the third and fourth generations of the Pokemon series, nothing felt as truly ground-breaking as the second generation games until the fifth gen with its Black & White games. This was arguably the game series’ peak in quality on all fronts, but its specifically the story that lands it on this list, as its well-written and paced, subverts many formulaic elements from the previous games, is set in one of the most unique regions in the Pokemon world, and has a timeless message that has only grown more relevant with age. 

15. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - The whole series could really go here, but fortunately the most recent entry is the perfect embodiment of said series, with every playable character there’s ever been and then some. The sheer variety is unmatched by any other fighting game out there, and its story mode, “World of Light”, is quite possibly the greatest video game crossover in history given how many characters are featured as both fighters and spirits.

14. Super Mario 64 - I’m pretty sure this game used to be higher in my favor, but replaying it on the Nintendo Switch recently has made me aware of how, as the first game on the Nintendo 64 and the first 3D platformer, it’s poorly aged in several areas. However, I must stress that it is still a very good game. The fun of going to the various worlds within paintings in Peach’s Castle hasn’t changed, nor has how smoothly and seamlessly Mario managed to make the jump from 2D to 3D. Just like Super Mario Bros., the number of games that owe something to this one is too great to count, and that’s an achievement that remains timeless.

13. Dark Chronicle - Also known as Dark Cloud 2. I hadn’t heard a damn thing about this game before renting it on a whim many years ago, and I was caught off guard by just how good it was. It’s got a simple but effective story and likable characters, a timeless atmosphere, beautifully cel-shaded graphics, dungeon-crawling gameplay, action-RPG combat gameplay, literal world-building gameplay, and even a fishing minigame! This game can actually stand besides the Zelda series without shame; it’s truly an underrated gem.

12. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Oh, speaking of Zelda, this game goes full Lord of the Rings-style epic fantasy with it and it is glorious. Between the near perfect gameplay, beautiful 3D graphics, and one of the best stories in the series (with one of the best characters: Midna), Twilight Princess’ most prevalent complaint from critics all the way up to its own developers is that it wasn’t even MORE expansive and awesome given how long it was hyped, and if that’s the biggest issue with the game then I’d say it’s in pretty good shape.

11. Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario 64 may be held back a little by how its aged, but no such thing is holding back Super Mario Galaxy. Super Mario Odyssey might be as good or possibly even better, but I just don’t hold the same feelings of amazement and respect toward it that I do for this game. From the blitzkrieg-style attack on the Mushroom Kingdom by Bowser to the discovery of Rosalina’s space station, this game had me hooked from the first few minutes, especially with it blaring that awesome orchestral score the whole way through. To this day, I maintain that this is Mario’s greatest 3D adventure. It’s simply magnificent.

10. Final Fantasy X - Ha! See what I did there? This game has caught flak for some of the awkwardness that comes from being the first fully 3D entry in the series, but I think that’s tantamount to nitpicking when compared to all it does right. To me, this was the last really good installment of the main Final Fantasy series, with a story and world so brilliantly developed that the game earned the immediate breakthrough success and acclaim that it found in its native Japan. 20 years later and, as the HD remaster has shown, it still holds up as one of the most engaging JRPG experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of having.

9. Banjo-Kazooie - At the time, this was basically Rare’s copycat version of Super Mario 64, although considered about as good. Now, however, there’s a difference: the aging issues I mentioned for Super Mario 64 don’t apply for Banjo-Kazooie. Whether replaying it on the Nintendo 64 or on whichever Xbox you’ve got, this game is still just as fun, imaginative and hilarious now as it was back then. It’s quite possibly the greatest 3D platformer ever made.

8. Pokemon Crystal - The definitive edition of the Gold & Silver games of Pokemon’s second generation, taking what was already a phenomenal advancement and improvement to the first generation and making it even better with additional features such as the ability to play as a girl for the first time and a more clearly defined storyline centered around the legendary Pokemon featured on the game’s box art. Pokemon had been written off as just a passing fad up until this point. This was when its staying power as a video game juggernaut was proven.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Talk about a win right out of the gate for the Nintendo Switch! This game returns the Legend of Zelda series to its roots while also applying all that has been made possible in video games since the original game’s release, and the result is an enthralling, addictive, open world masterpiece that has set a new standard of quality for both the Zelda series and for many modern video games in general.

6. Kingdom Hearts II - The Final Mix edition to be precise, although in this day and age that’s basically the only edition people are playing anyway. This game is the apotheosis of Kingdom Hearts as both a video game series and as a concept; filled to the brim with Disney magic and Square Enix RPG expertise and paired with some of the most refined action-based gameplay there is. And when it comes to bringing the original Kingdom Hearts trilogy’s story to a close, does this game ever stick the landing. The series could have ended right here and I would have been completely satisfied (and its reputation would be a lot better off, too!)

5. Pokemon Yellow - While I maintain that this game, the definitive edition of the original first generation Pokemon games, still holds up as fun to play even now, I’ll admit that it’s pure bias that it ranks so high. It was the first proper video game I ever played, there was no way I was leaving it off the top 5! Its blissful nostalgic atmosphere is always such a delight to return to.

4. Banjo-Tooie - Remember when I said Banjo-Kazooie was “quite possibly the greatest 3D platformer ever made”? The “quite possibly” is because its in stiff competition with its own sequel! And personally, I’m in Banjo-Tooie’s corner; something about how inter-connected its worlds are and the addition of so many things to do all while maintaining your full moveset from the original game is just beautiful to me. Both it and its predecessor are like obstacle courses that I never tire of running through, which is the hallmark of brilliant game design.

3. Kingdom Hearts - Another case where the sequel may be the superior game, but my own personal preference leans toward the original. And in this case, it’s a highly personal preference: this game and my memories of playing it for the first time are so very dear to me. The characters and worlds of Disney put into an epic crossover RPG was like a dream come true for me and no matter how far the series it spawned has deteriorated, nothing can detract from the magic of this game. It’s got a certain, indescribable feel and atmosphere that’s never truly been replicated, and that feel and atmosphere still holds up whenever I revisit it. The gameplay may not be the best, particularly when compared to Kingdom Hearts II’s, but the charm of the story and the characters and the world and the very concept more than makes up for that. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of Disney and Square’s greatest masterpieces.

2. Final Fantasy VII - I was aware of the hype this game got and was totally ready to call it overrated, but damn it, it got me! I don’t know what it is about this game with its blocky early 3D graphics, poor sound quality to its excellent soundtrack, and frequently mistranslated script that proved to be so gripping and enjoyable to play through, but man did it ever Limit Break its way into my heart. This is considered a JRPG classic for a damn good reason.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Do I really need to explain this one? It’s famous for being frequently cited as one of the greatest video games ever made, and like Final Fantasy VII, its hype is well-deserved and totally justified. Whether you’re playing it on the Nintendo 64, the Gamecube, the Wii, the 3DS, and hopefully the Nintendo Switch in the future, there is a magic quality to this game that permeates through every step you take in its fully 3D world. It’s a triumph that has stood the test of time, cementing the Zelda series as truly legendary.

#Video Games #Opinion #Analysis

[vegalocity]

11/41 from 76 Kisses for Spicynoodleshipping? (Love that secret relationship trope!)

Prompt meme

11. “I almost lost you” Kiss // 41. Forbidden Kiss   

Ya love to see it! 

--

They had rules. They had precautions. Stipulations and regulations and all the damn words that Red Son had thought up when they'd discussed how they decided their arrangement should go. And those rules, precautions, stipulations and regulations, Xiaotian was fine with. It wouldn't be ideal if his friends found out about them, of course, but it would be downright dangerous if Red Son's family found out. So it was okay. No matter how any times he'd called himself a fucking idiot for wanting to grab hold of Red Son's sleeve and ask him to stay when he began to get dressed again, it was okay. Because that soft sincere smile that only showed up in the dark of the night—only when the barriers of 'heroes and villains' fell away and the two of them were allowed to simply breathe together—never ceased to make his insides feel like goop and his head light and dizzy.

They had to be extremely careful with any and all physical evidence of their escapades, Xiaotian had to hide the dozen doodles he'd unconciously scribbled into his sketchbook in a shoebox haphazardly wedged between his bed and the wall. Red Son had presented him with a burner phone for proper coordination some time ago, and that stayed wrapped in a T-Shirt he didn't really wear anymore except when in use. They were careful, they were subtle, outside of the quiet of the nights, they were enemies. And sometimes sure, it felt like a lot, the secrets and the hiding, it made him want to do something very stupid, like beg Red Son to leave his parents, they don't treat him right anyway.  To essentially run away with him. But that was stupid. To ask Red Son to give up his everything when Xiaotian wasn't willing to do the same would be terribly selfish.

But all of that didn't matter anymore. No not anymore. Because Red Son had made his choice. The demon clan that his parents had decided to make allies with for access to their magical artifacts, in exchange for access to their (Red Son's) Technology, had been a topic of idle pillow chatter for a time during their meetups, Xiaotian had turned out to be the only person Red Son could speak to about it without being reprimanded for questioning his parent's choice in allies. And Red Son had NOT liked these guys from day one. Words like 'slimy' and 'scheming' were common as he'd paced about the messy apartment, still full of frustration that wasn't ready to turn to lust just yet as he'd insist that he knew this clan wouldn't be easy to handle. And he'd been right. His Parents had chosen poorly in their growing desperation for power and their allies, now armed with tech Red Son had not wanted to make for them, had decided to test it out by laying waste to the city.

And these guys were POWERFUL. It was probably the most advanced tech that he'd ever seen Red Son's handiwork on. He'd been in the middle of taking stock of himself, wondering if he could pull off the monkey mech with how drained he already was when the leader of the clan—big enough to be able to crush Xiaotian's ribcase with one hand—had went to strike.

And there was a hard shove to his side and a flash of fire, and Xiaotian had found himself on the edge of the crater he'd been thrown into instead of where he'd been in the center. Wisps of smoke clinging to his jacket and the thick smell of clove in his shirt, and Xiaotian realized that Red must have used his teleportation power on him. But if that was true then were was he-

He saw a flash of red in the demon's grasp. Red Son gripped in the demon's hand, and Xiaotian... couldn't see if he was breathing from here. He looked like a doll, hanging limp, even his hair was without its usual volume, swinging with the motions of the Demon as he sneered that he'd 'gotten in the way'.

At least when Xiaotian raced forward, he was not the only one, nor was he the most dangerous. Iron Fan and DBK were on the other side of the crater and he doubted they even saw him as they both rushed the demon. Xiaotian still didn't think they treated Red Son right, but at least he was comforted that family really did come first for them.

The two demon royals made quick work of their former ally, but it was Xiaotian that was positioned right beneath him to catch Red Son as he was shaken loose from the grip. And he knew they had to be careful, he knew this was the worst time to let stupid selfish emotions rule, his parents were RIGHT THERE. Though their attention seemed to be on having the demon pay back his crime of hurting Red Son in a pound of flesh. Princess Iron Fan spared him exactly one glance, narrowed eyes and suspicions high, but she didn't stop Xiaotian from taking Red out of the crater and onto more stable ground.

“Red! Red, come on...” He was breathing, the relief almost knocked him over. “Red come on man, wake up, let me know you're not in a demon coma or something!” he gently patted Red Son's cheek, and for once for once it seemed like he was lucky because Red Son let out a thin groan, face scrunching up as he no doubt came to with a wicked headache.

“Did... Did I fall asleep here again?” his voice was hazy with sleep and absolutely gorgeous to Xiaotian's ears. And yes, this was the worst time, and if either of his parents even glanced slightly to the side this whole thing would be up in smoke-

But he didn't care. He kissed Red Son.  Red Son's confused noises trailed quickly into a surprised yelp, and he felt those hands scramble up his arms before gripping hold of his shoulders. They parted only for a moment, and he heard Red Son's voice, barely above a whisper. “Xiaotian...?”

“How can someone so smart be so fucking stupid?!” Xiaotian found his voice rising a pitch as he pulled away from Red Son. “You could have just grabbed me and teleported both of us you didn't need to take that! You didn't even need to save me I could have tanked that hit!”

Red Son blinked twice before glancing to the side and apparently only now realizing where they were. Face paling before turning scarlet and weakly scrambling to try and escape his grip.

“Let go of me Noodle Boy! I didn't do that for you! I never trusted these men and I was going to prove to my family that they never meant us well! D-Don't think yourself special that would be Ludicrous let me go!” There was real anger there and if his parents didn't find out about them tonight Red Son would rake him over the coals for this, but...

But he didn't fucking care.

“Shut up, You almost died, and you almost died saving me.” Red Son's face softened just a bit, the mostly forced fury still in place but there wasn't an ounce of regret hidden in the mask. In fact everything about him beneath the veneer of fury read 'And I'd do it again' And Xiaotian held him as tight as he dared to without possibly hurting him further. He glanced into the crater and Princess Iron Fan was staring at them again, too far away to read.

“I don't care if it wasn't because you wanted to save me, you did save me, and you nearly died doing it, so you're gonna get this damn hug even if we're enemies!” he stated it as loud as he possibly could. He was being stupid, but he wasn't gonna ruin this for Red Son if he could. They must have missed the kiss or they would have reacted, the secret was still theirs to keep.

“I'd do it a million times over.” Red Son's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

“Please don't.”

--

Send me stuff!

#Spicynoodleshipping #vega writes stories too #letters to vega #no betas we die like men #Anonymous #The Arrangement AU

[swtorpadawan]

😎 😳 for whoever you want

They Come in Threes - Head Canon Meme Thanks for the asks, @grandninjamasterren !

I think I shall mix it up....

😳 - Three Embarrassing Head Canons

All three are a result of sheltered childhoods.

Corellan Halcyon grew up isolated and sheltered, even by Jedi standarads. He lacked many nuances for things that many people took for granted. Fortunately, he had Kira's street smarts and Teeseven's decades of experiences to help keep him afloat on his early adventures.

But when his relationship with Kira began... well, he was acutely aware of just how little he knew about the practical aspects of certain things. He was very embarrassed about that, and he doesn't embarrass easily.

(Yes, this means sex. He understood the biology but not the... you know what? I'm explaining too much.)

Fortunately, Kira was more than willing to help him through those early days.

Deviah Sarnova shared one common quality to Corellan's upbringing: She was sheltered.

Despite being highly intelligent and even compassionate, she had a completely justification ready for every questionable policy within the Empire, each of them completely rationale and logical... from her world view. Slavery, conquest, the war with the Jedi ... all of it made sense.

And then she was exposed to the rest of the galaxy and saw how poorly that all worked in practice.

She felt stupid. And embarrassed.

When Rhi’khi was rescued from being a slave to the Hutts, there were so many basic things she didn't know that embarrassed her. She didn't know how to cut food with a knife and fork, for example. It was very humbling, and took time to work through.

😎 - Wildcard Three Random Head Canons

Kael Nosrol Krannus was a Tenebrae true believer. He was genuinely devoted, like the Servants, Children, and Imperial Guard among others. It was only when Zu'fanda told him (proved I should say) that Tenebrae was plotting to destroy the galaxy that he flipped. Having his faith destroyed broke him on a level he never recovered from.

Xadya's favorite alcohol is Merenzane Gold, which was introduced in an EU Boba Fett short story back in the day. It seemed to fit her, even though its her sole luxury.

Moyraah Gargun was a niece to Commander Gargun, an officer in Imperial Intelligence. The Commander and a strike team were sent into the Dark Temple not long before Moyraah was transferred to Dromund Kaas, and unfortunately, they were all driven insane. An Intelligence Captain then hired a bounty hunter to hunt down Gargun for professional reasons. (That bounty hunter eventually became the Champion of the Great Hunt. So the OC Hunter is required to kill Moyraah's uncle every playthrough.) Moyraah truly regrets not getting to kill Medle. She hopes to hunt down the bounty hunter someday.

Thanks for the asks!

#swtorpadawan asks #oc: corellan halcyon #oc: deviah sarnova #oc: rhi'khi #oc: moyraah gargun #oc: xadya #oc: kael nosrol krannus #They Come in Threes - Head Canon Meme #grandninjamasterren

[tigerkirby215]

5e Viego, the Ruined King build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Pan Chengwei. Made for Riot Games.)

What? Did you expect me not to make this? It’s the goddamn Ruined King! He’s finally out after all these years! I mean sure he’s a goddamn twink but still; he’s finally out! Also Samira build is coming out 35 years from now.

And even though I put a Warlock TikTok meme in my last video, here’s a whole bunch of them because... yeah no shit he’s a Hexblade... Of the Ruined King.

GOALS

Ruin to all! - MIST'S EDGE: Basic attacks deal a percentage of the target's current health bonus physical damage on-hit.

Serve me in death - If you ever wanted to play as the enemy for a bit Viego will let you take a ghost or two; as a treat.

The mist is my great unending sadness - Foggy days are typical for an edgy boy, and King Ruin is so edgy he wants to cover the entire world with fog! Yeah that “mist is sadness” quote is real; I got it from the Wiki.

RACE

Viego is a human... but he has a great degree of variance. We’ll be going for yet another Variant Human because we’re not allowed any monster champions anymore. As a Variant Human you get a +1 in two different stats of your choice: increase your Charisma and Strength by 1 for the strength to be beautiful for your queen. You also get proficiency in a skill of your choice: Perception will let you see through the mist and search far-and-wide for your queen. And you get a language of your choice: Abyssal seems reasonable to speak to the mist.

Of course the main appeal of Variant Human is the feat at level 1, and to swing the Blade of the Ruined King Great Weapon Master will let you cut through a percentage of the enemy’s health! When you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon (such as a greatsword), you can choose to take a -5 penalty to your hit chance. If you do hit you’ll do an extra 10 damage with your strike! And as an added bonus when you score a critical hit (with a melee weapon) or kill a creature, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action!

ABILITY SCORES

15; CHARISMA - League of shirtless anime boys amIrite? Gotta look good for Isolde.

14; DEXTERITY - Repeat after me: “something something Medium Armor.”

13; STRENGTH - This is a requirement for another one of the classes we’ll be taking. Yup this isn’t just straight 20 levels in Hexblade!

12; CONSTITUTION - A ruined king with a blackened heart is still allowed to have some health.

10; WISDOM - Destroying the entire planet just to simp for your wife isn’t the wisest move.

8; INTELLIGENCE - Nor is it the smartest.

BACKGROUND

You were the king of a long-forgotten nation, so unfortunately noble wouldn’t work. But you still have servants! The Knight background grants proficiency in the History that you lived through as well as Persuasion to get Isolde back. You also get proficiency with a Gaming Set and Language of your choice, which I’d say pick your fancy.

But the main reason we’re taking Knight (and not Noble) is for Retainers! You get three knights sworn to your kingdom (Kalista, Hecarim, and the third one) who will do mundane tasks for you. While Hecarim may be up for a slaughter unfortunately your retainers can’t do anything in combat and won’t follow you into dangerous locations. And of course if you treat your subjects poorly they will leave you. But it can always be useful to have more spirits in the mist to search for her!

(Artwork by @thejenneralchen on Twitter)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - PALADIN 1

Hah! Did you think we’d be starting with Warlock? Put simply we need things from Paladin more, notably the proficiencies as well as starting equipment. Dude imagine having to spend 3200 gold to buy the sword literally named after you? But for now you might just want to grab a Longsword to start. Regardless Paladins get proficiency in two skills from the Paladin list: Athletics are required in the jungle, and Intimidation will let everyone meet know that you will stop at nothing for her! You fucking simp...

You also get Divine Sense to sense the beasts of the mist, or your queen. As an action you can know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the creature type, but not its identity. Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated. (Have a feeling you’ll find a lot of desecrated areas.) You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier plus 1, and regain all uses at the end of a Long Rest.

And you can restore a bit of health thanks to Lay on Hands. You have a pool of healing equal to 5 times your Paladin level that comes back at the end of a Long Rest. You can heal a creature for any number of hitpoints from that pool as an action when you touch them, or cure a disease / poison affecting them with 5 hitpoints. Man that would’ve been useful a couple of thousand years ago, huhn?

LEVEL 2 - WARLOCK 1

Time to pick up the Sword of the Ruler of the Mist. Hm... There has to be a better way of saying that. Regardless Warlocks get to choose their subclass at level 1 and to get a comedically large sword that saps peoples’ lifeforce we’ll be opting for the one, the only Hexblade patron! As a Hex Warrior you can wield martial weapons as well as medium armor (which you already could cause Paladin), but can also choose to swing a sword with your Charisma instead of your Strength or Dexterity. Which is great because you’re not exactly the buff sort. Unfortunately you can’t use a two-handed greatsword just yet, which is why I said you’d do good to grab a longsword instead.

But if you are locked in combat Hexblade’s Curse will make sure that you can dispose of them quickly. As a bonus action you can mark a target for 1 minute. During that time you do bonus damage equal to your proficiency bonus to the cursed target, crit on a 19 or a 20, and regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier when you kill them. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated.

And of course as a Warlock you get Pact Magic. You learn two cantrips and two leveled spells: Eldritch Blast will let you manipulate the mists for a ranged attack, and Prestidigitation will help you keep clean and kingly despite all the black mist flowing out of that gaping stab wound in your chest. As for leveled spells Armor of Agathys will let you put on some Thornmail to keep your health up and hit your foes back, and I mean Shield is on the Hexblade expanded spell list anyways so we may as well use it.

LEVEL 3 - WARLOCK 2

Second level Warlocks get Eldritch Invocations as the mist manipulates your body and soul. For now take Devil’s Sight to see through your Harrowed Path with your dumb human eyes, and we’ll be leaving the other invocation slot open for a level.

You also get another spell but all the other first level spells don’t really interest me. Yeah we’re not taking Hex you’re going to have to live with it!

LEVEL 4 - WARLOCK 3

Third level Warlocks get their Pact Boon for a particular tool of the Warlock trade, and to wield a weapon of spectral steel grab Pact of the Blade! The long and short of it is you can make yourself any melee weapon, and Hex Warrior affects any weapon you summon with this feature! This means that you can actually wield a two-handed Greatsword, but feel free to choose other options. Especially now that you can take the Improved Pact Weapon invocation to turn that Cutlass of the Twink King into a +1 weapon, and also summon yourself a gun (shortbow / longbow / light crossbow / heavy crossbow) if you so desire. But I mean, why would you when you have Eldritch Blast?

You can also add some second level spells to your list like Darkness to walk a Harrowed Path through the mist, though remember that even if you can see through the mist your allies probably can’t. And Misty Step, because something something Flash.

LEVEL 5 - WARLOCK 4

4th level means the first of many Ability Score Improvements. Charisma is used for everything that you do so... maybe increase that?

You also get another spell and another cantrip! For your cantrip Mage Hand is helpful to manipulate the mist to grab things from high places. As for leveled spells Blur is on the Hexblade list... but why would you take that instead of Mirror Image, which doesn’t require Concentration.

(Artwork by @WetHamster1 on Twitter)

LEVEL 6 - WARLOCK 5

5th level Warlocks get more Eldritch Invocations. To knock a foe down with Spectral Maw take Eldritch Smite, letting you channel a spell slot into a particularly deadly slash of your Viego’s Edge.

If you want an extra attack early you can also replace Improved Pact Weapon with Thirsting Blade, which is now available. But we will be getting Extra Attack from other sources later.

You can also now learn third level spells like Vampiric Touch for a bit of lifesteal. As a treat.

LEVEL 7 - WARLOCK 6

6th level Hexblades can put their passive to work, and have spirits serve your Sovereign's Domination. Accursed Specter lets you use the soul of a humanoid you killed and make it serve you, using the stats of a specter with temporary hit points equal to half your Warlock level and a bonus to hit equal to your Charisma modifier. The specter remains in your service until the end of your next long rest, which is good because you can use the ability once per Long Rest. The specter rolls initiative separately from you, and obeys your commands.

And hey: you’ve already got ghosts fighting for you, so why not summon your depression to fight as well? Summon Shadowspawn from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (requires a 300 gold gemstone containing tears and) summons a spirit of Fury, Despair, or Fear to fight alongside you. There’s a lot of specifics to this spell that I don’t want to go into (its actual description does a far better job than I ever could) but the important thing to note is that it’ll give you another loyal follower.

LEVEL 8 - PALADIN 2

Time for a few levels in that other class we have. Second level Paladins can choose their Fighting Style and of course to swing a Shank of the Former Blessed Isles Great Weapon Fighting (style) will let you reroll low die to more reliably cut through the mists.

Paladins also get Spellcasting at level 2, and unlike with Warlock casting you actually get some spell slots! You can prepare a number of spells equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your Paladin level (rounded down.) Divine Favor will let you do a bit more damage with your titular blade, and if you want more of a burst of damage then either Thunderous Smite or Wrathful Smite will do some more damage along with additional effects. To protect yourself from the mists and others who’d want to keep you from Isolde take Protection from Evil and Good. And to borrow a death realm from the other world-ending lord of Runeterra take Compelled Duel.

Of course you could ignore all that spellcasting stuff for even more Damage of the Ruined Blade! Divine Smite will let you do 2d8 damage with a first level spell slot, plus an additional 1d8 per spell slot above first, up to a maximum of 5d8 (with a 4th level slot.) Additionally if you hit an undead or fiend you’ll do an extra d8, meaning that with a 4th level spell slot you can do 6d8 damage!

The real neat thing is that this works with Smite spells as well as the Eldritch Smite invocation, allowing you to effectively use two spell slots at once to smite if you so desire.

LEVEL 9 - PALADIN 3

3rd level Paladins get to choose their Divine Oath and nothing will stop your Oath of Conquest to save your queen. You get to add the Command spell to your spell list, as well as Armor of Agathys... Uh woups. Uh we’ll address that when we go back to Warlock.

You get two Channel Divinity options: to keep others from stopping you from reaching your queen Conquering Presence will let you force a Wisdom save on units of your choice within 30 feet to frighten them! Alternatively Guided Strike is like Great Weapon Master but in reverse, giving you +10 to hit. This means that if you use Great Weapon Master as well you’d have a +5 to hit and do +10 damage! But remember that you only have one Channel Divinity per short rest.

You also get Divine Health, because simps don’t take sick days.

LEVEL 10 - PALADIN 4

4th level Paladins get another Ability Score Improvement, and we still use Charisma for basically everything so with this you can cap it off completely!

You can also prepare two more spells but... there isn’t much I want from first level? I mean you can take Cure Wounds for a bit of healing... as treat.

LEVEL 11 - PALADIN 5

5th level Paladins get an Extra Attack. If you took Thirsting Blade from Warlock you might want to replace that too.

You can also prepare second level Paladin spells now! As a Conquest Paladin you get Hold Person to stun with Spectral Maw, and Spiritual Weapon for more soldiers from the mist. You can also prepare Aid to strengthen your army and Branding Smite to see your foes through the mist.

(Artwork by @vmatbox on Twitter)

LEVEL 12 - WARLOCK 7

Back to Warlock to replace a lot of things. But firstly you get another Eldritch Invocation: take Trickster's Escape for an emergency QSS.

You also get 4th level spells like Shadow of Moil to become a creature of the mist, and also to get an upgrade from the Darkness spell (which you might want to replace.) Speaking of replacing spells: you got Armor of Agathys from Paladin so replace it with Hallucinatory Terrain to cover the land with mist.

LEVEL 13 - WARLOCK 8

8th level Warlocks get another Ability Score Improvement or a Feat. We’ll be taking the Eldritch Adept feat for more Eldritch Invocations. Which Eldritch Invocation? Why Undying Servitude of course, for more servants of the mist!

D&D Beyond tip: Replace Devil’s Sight and then give yourself 120 feet of Darkvision on the sheet.

You can also get another 4th level spell like Dimension Door, to travel far and wide in a flash to reach your queen.

LEVEL 14 - WARLOCK 9

Hey more Eldritch Invocations! Whispers of the Grave will let you speak to the fragments of Isolde’s soul.

LEVEL 15 - WARLOCK 10

And hey: 5th level spells finally! To strike a foe with Heartbreaker take 

Negative Energy Flood, sundering their health and making them rise to serve you if you end up killing them.

10th level Hexblades get Armor of Hexes. If the target affected by your Hexblade’s Curse hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, the attack instead misses you, regardless of its roll. Naturally this ability makes you particularly good in a 1v1 with whoever you target for Ruination.

You don’t get another spell but you do get a cantrip. Take Toll the Dead to deal with enemies who have high armor, for the mist comes for all.

(Artwork by @stingrae36 on Twitter)

LEVEL 16 - WARLOCK 11

11th level Warlocks get their 6th level Mystic Arcanum, which looks like a spell slot and acts like a spell slot (IE it comes back after a Long Rest, not a Short one) but can’t be used to upcast your other spells. You can only use it to cast one spell, and for an AoE Heartbreaker take good ol’ Circle of Death.

Also more spells known from your regular Warlock slots: Banishing Smite is on the Hexblade list, and can be used to send any demons back to whence they came.

LEVEL 17 - WARLOCK 12

12th level Warlocks get an Ability Score Improvement or a Feat. I have no idea what else to grab so take the Tough feat for a much needed 24 hitpoint increase to a primarily melee-based character.

You also get another Eldritch Invocation so it’s finally time to get the true Blade of the Ruined King damage with Lifedrinker! This will make any foe struck by your Pact Weapon take an additional 5 necrotic damage. This means that you should be doing 2d6 + 11 damage with every swing of a (+1) Greatsword!

LEVEL 18 - WARLOCK 13

More Mystic Arcanum, this time at 7th level! Power Word Pain will let you subjugate the weak.

And more regular spells: Danse Macabre lets you get more servants forever loyal at your side!

LEVEL 19 - WARLOCK 14

14th level Hexblades are Master of Hexes. Put simply: when a creature affected by Hexblade’s Curse dies, you can apply the curse to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of you. (Though you won’t be healed for the last foe’s death.) This will let you bounce your curse around and reap all its benefits constantly, becoming a master of your own blade.

LEVEL 20 - WARLOCK 15

Our last level is the 15th level of Warlock for a handful of benefits. Firstly we can get an 8th level Mystic Arcanum: Feeblemind is the ultimate tool to truly sunder the weak and discard the chaff.

Secondly you can get your level 15 Eldritch Invocations, and to never mistake Isolde’s face Witch Sight will let you see through any illusion that may be hiding her!

You may also want to replace Improved Pact Weapon as by this point you’ve likely found something better than a regular old +1 greatsword. Visions of Distant Realms and Shroud of Shadows are both very good options.

And we can finally get our last spell: as you gather enough information on the new world Scrying will help you expand your search further beyond!

FINAL BUILD

PROS

Surrender to me! - Two smites plus Great Weapon Master on an already deadly blade results in absolutely devastating spikes of damage with your sword. God forbid you crit!

The black mist flows from me like a tide - You also have plenty of tricks to give you an upper hand in longer combats. Hexblade’s Curse of course, but also Armor of Agathys, Shadow of Moil, and Spiritual Weapon.

Fight, puppet; fight for your king! - You can summon all manner of ghosts, ghouls, skeletons, zombies, and everything in between to serve in your search for your queen.

CONS

The world denied my happiness - Low ability scores mean that your skills won’t be amazing. The ones you’re proficient in are alright but you aren’t much help outside of being deadly and being royal.

Answer for your crimes, death; answer me! - We didn’t take the 6th level of Paladin which means we didn’t get Aura of Protection. As a result your saving throws are rather low, and while I tried to avoid grabbing too many Concentration spells yo do still have quite a few, which is not at all helped by your meager +1 to CON.

She remains in this world; I can feel it - All the melee tools in the world don’t mean much when you lack any proper way to get close. You have Eldritch blast sure but beyond Dimension Door (which granted is very strong) enemies can easily keep their distance from the mad king with a big blade. Even if you want to use Dimension Door you have a very limited amount of spell slots.

But the world can only hide from the Ruination for so long. The black mist comes, and with it you come to search for your queen. Nothing can stop you; nothing will stop you until you have her again. The world shall be torn to shreds and shattered beyond repair, as long as you can have your queen... Or like, just find a Wish spell or something? Shame you’re a couple thousand years old because True Resurrection doesn’t even work anymore.

(Artwork by Bo “chenbowow” Chen. Made for Riot Games.)

#dnd #dnd build #dnd guide #League of Legends #League of Legends Viego #League of Legends Ruined King #Ruined King #LoL Ruined King #Blade of the Ruined King #dnd warlock

[lofi-or-something]

camping thing i said i was gonna write

@sociallyawkwardfirefly & @viridi-cass

“Snacks?”

“I forgot.”

Firefly sighs. “I knew you would. So I got them instead!” she says, opening her backpack to fish through it. “Uh…” Firefly blinked blankly. Viridi winces. “What?” 

“I didn’t bring snacks either.” Firefly said sheepishly, staring into the deep abyss of the backpack. “Well, until the bus comes to pick us up, I think we’ll starve,” Viridi whispered, looking down into the backpack as well. “Well!” she stood. “Good thing I brought my bow and arrow!” she pulls the large weapon out of a green backpack. Firefly deadpans. “What...what are we gonna do with a bow and arrow, pray tell,” Firefly puzzled. Viridi grins. “We’re gonna hunt of course!” Viridi said cheerfully. Firefly took a moment or two to process this. She grimaces. “Okay...this is a campsite though, are we really gonna find like….deer and stuff?” she points out skeptically. Viridi grins. “We’ll hunt bear if we don't,” she said simply, already walking towards the edge of the dense woodland away from the safe clearing. Firefly didn’t give much as a second thought as she followed.

Viridi picked out an arrow and flung it. It whisked past a tree, and Viridi raced after where it went excitedly. She returned hauling a whole deer. The wound was thankfully, clean, and it wasn’t hard to cook to an edible degree, since Firefly had a basic camping manual.

“This would be so much easier if we just brought food…” Firefly murmured, taking her chosen piece of the deer as Viridi did as well. She sat on a log, “what about,” Viridi said, sitting next to her and striking sticks against each other repeatedly to no avail. Finally it caught a small flame and Viridi tossed it into the pile, smiling. “Scary stories!” She made jazz hands.

Firefly knew it wouldn't be the same without s’mores, but the deer was surprisingly really good. Firefly needed time to formulate her story, even though Viridi suggested she just make it up on the spot.

“Okay…” Viridi considered a minute or two. “Once upon a time in these very pine woods lived a skeleton with a crack in his skull and a red eye-”

 “isn’t that horror-”

 “yes. Anyway, this skeleton didn’t know about the holidays. The snow covering the ground brought back old memories though, from snowdin and his struggle, so he was quickly filled with spite. Holiday camping got popular, and Horror got angrier. Soon all those in this woods were gobbled up! Only bones left on the cold snow! The cheer about the holidays were all lost, as this skeleton ran loose! His spirit was in now way jolly, even with the slow growing of holly. A very merry plant, you know. Horror huffed, and puffed, and wondered what was going on. He went back to the castle where a fuss was rising with dawn-”

“Are you only now rhyming??”

“Yes. Anyway, he consulted Nightmare, who explained the joys of december. He and Error were missing november. The positivity reigning supreme, and Error not able to find a quality goddamn meme… nothing was looking good for no bad they could do because nobody DARES BREAK THE PEACE OF THE HOLIDAYS. The stars were becoming tougher with their patrols, hurting their poorly thought-out roles. The holidays quite angered these stowaways. So they plotted, and planned, and decided up something to do, something they can! In days within days and weeks out of weeks, the plan was in action, it’d be a terrifying feat! To take away the snow, a place of darkness nobody dared go, would certainly ruin the holidays, which were even worse than mondays. Killer and Dust vacuum the snow. Error had somewhere important to go. Nightmare watched with a smirk on his face. Horror was shocked by the quickness in their pace. To get rid of the snow, and that's what they did! Soon the entire country was rid. An evil plan, it was indeed. They got rid of the snow, right there in straight greed. 

But here's the thing, the diddly darn twing, that everyone knows. Nobody needs snow, it’s all just a show, what we really need is presents and wrapped up gifts. Nobody cares for the breaking of rifts. So to put it shortly, in a calm chill manner, quite frankly they continued on with banter, watering the plants in boot-shaped planters. In one way or other, they didn’t give a shit, because who needs snow when you have GIFTS?”

Firefly smiled. It wasn’t scary, but it was a stupid story. The kind of stupid that made you laugh because of the sheer stupidity poured into it, to a point it was laughable and funny, nice to listen to.

And it just loops back to the friendship, and making each other laugh, because in the end, that's the sole value, not what’s pouring down from the sky.

i promised to make this like… around halloween. Well gUESS WHAT ITS HOLIDAY SEASON NOW SO-

h o l i d a y t h e m e 

also excuse my poor attempt at rhyming-

[catdoingblep]

Crows as random google search suggestions (pt2)

#shadow and bone #six of crows #grishaverse #wylan van eck #jesper fahey #kaz brekker #nina zenik #matthias helvar #inej ghafa #kaz brekker x inej ghafa #poorly made memes strike back #soc #sab season 2

[dokuhebi]

[ poppy / oro being the injured one ]

Angst Meme: Flowers [ poppy ]: one of our muses has been wounded in a fight or battle, either physically or mentally. the other must help them heal. // @s-talking It isn’t the kind of weather to be walking in the dark hours, chilly and speckled in drizzle, which started to gain weight with every passing minute. Until finally that light patter becomes a heavier thudding, rain spilling from the black sky and flooding the streets. The sound of the harsh downfall drowns out the rest of the towns bustling, clearing the roads of life as most seek shelter wisely.  Wandering alone was hardly the best decision regardless of the weather forewarning disaster. Yet the serpent walks on their own anyhow. Despite the rather large bounty on their head, where even mere leads to their location could earn someone a pretty penny.   Being infamous was a double edged sword, and on this occasion, the serpent would surely find themself on the cutting end. Crimes such as theirs where viewed as punishable by death, and be it a morally charged citizen seeking the end to a heinous criminal, or a money hungry one seeking the payment of bringing the viper to justice, most eyes would be able to recognize a face as unique as theirs. Perhaps that is why they stick to these unpleasant hours of winter, where their hatred of the cold must be put aside in order to move around. Where nobody would suspect them for drawing a hood over their svelte figure and face. Only long hair pooling out from the cloak they don, as they cut through less populated areas. It just so happened however, that these dark corners of the town attracted much of the same. They were not the only criminal electing a isolated location and evening. Despite their deadly reputation, they had always relied on outsmarting people, rather than overpowering them with any physical abilities. Their mood starts out irritated, annoyed when they find themself surrounded and outnumbered, wishing they didn’t have to waste their time taking down nameless thugs who chose poorly when selecting someone to harass. But that mood derails in to a less confident sort of anger, when the scrap in the alleyway falls out of their favor, when one injury forces them to throw the fight almost instantly. The sharp end of a knife drawing a clean line from one side of their face to the other. A long cut slashed across their golden eyes. They had stumbled back, slender digits cupping over their eyes in some desperation to seek relief from the pain, as tear like streaks of blood fall down their face. Feeling the wet sensation of blood being quickly washed up by the falling rain. By the time they feel a blunt pain in their ribs, they can only blindly retreat from the sensation, only to feel a body behind them, earning yet another sudden jolt of pain. Impossible to see their enemies, it is an agonizingly nerve-wracking few seconds of staggering sightlessly away from the newest source of pain. Until they briefly feel as if the bodies surrounding them have vanished, hearing strange protests from their attackers, before the next body they stumble in to seems to be more gentle a landing. An arm drawn around their figure as if to guide them a step away. As if to pull them to the safety of the chest they lean against. Still, they fight the hold instinctively, until the voice telling them to settle sparks familiarity. Causing them to pause a moment, and to piece together what they had heard and who they were now hearing. A quick guess, and one most accurate, was that the more experienced killer in these streets had won, that Envy now drawing them away from the assault, had disposed of their attackers one way or another. The serpents next guess, in a more final manner. It may be strange to seek comfort in the fact that they have been gathered in to the hold of someone notoriously as dangerous, if not more, than themself. Yet that is precisely what they do, a relief that causes all adrenaline to flee from their body, and to induce a light shaking caused by the fright and cold, “I can’t see,” it comes across as if they are almost insisting he do something about that, as if him saving them from the brutality of their attackers meant he might be able to free them of this handicap. Their hand has slipped away from their own eyes to reveal the deep lacerations, blindness more likely than not even when they had recovered. With all the disorientation of the fight, and the injuries leaving them feeling rather sickened, they find the journey out of the rain is a blur. Made more confusing perhaps, now that they do not have their vision for even semi conscious memory. They doubt they had managed to walk anywhere, assuming Envy must have carried them, assuming they must have been taken to his abode or refuge, when the texture of the furniture they run their hands over in search of balance and learning their environment is all foreign. By the time they have awoken properly, only two hours later, their injuries have been patched up to the best of the serial killers ability. A rather good job all in all, yet that fact brings no satisfaction to the wounded party. They can only guess they are on a bed, as they reach up to wince at the tugging on their sensitive ribs, to feel a bandage wrapped around their eyes, covering the most grave injury they had. When they sit up, they do not manage to refrain from a soft sound of discomfort, it escapes their lips, echoing pitifully and striking self disdain in the proud serpent. It prompts them to try and stand however, even when their balance is no longer nearly as graceful as it was. Yet they are kept from falling by a supportive arm once more arriving at their aid. Without the haze of rain and outside air, they can recognize his scent a little easier. But just to be sure, they allow their hand to explore a moment, tracing his face in search of the piercings they knew he had, ghostly cold touches caressing his ivory skin to count the items of metal, to assure themself it is truly him. Unaware that the blood they had put on their hands when exploring the bandage around their eyes was now being painted across Envy’s pale skin, like red on snow. They can finally be satisfied it is the man they know, and step closer so his form becomes their guide and balance. Their svelte body leans against his well muscled one, deceptively strong with the slender males prettier appearance. Their own slim arms wrap around one of his, nails digging lightly in to the fabric of his dark clothes to keep a hold on him, so they can be helped during their crippled moment of weakness, “the men who attacked me,” their voice is quiet, but it does not lack a fire of hostility, as they make their most pressing and spiteful concern known, “did they suffer when you killed them?”

#s-talking #毒蛇 IMMORTAL; the curse is broken (post war) #/blood #/gore #/eye gore #their priorities are questionable :') #蛇 QUEUE; lie to the liars; steal from the thieves

[ivyontheholodeck]

Love your writing! For the ask meme, what would you do with Juno/Peter, #60 Poorly Timed Confession and #67 Character in Peril? (I have a hurt/comfort streak a mile wide)

Oh my god!! Thank you so much for asking, this legit made my night. :D I spent about five minutes going “poorly timed confession… peril… confession… peril…” and then this whole thing hit me like a bus.

I might, uh, have forgotten the ‘comfort’ aspect…

~

First rule of thieving, Pete: only use equipment you’d bet your life on.

In Nureyev’s defense, he’d hardly had time to browse, what with the dozen security guards stampeding after him. Not even Mag, rest the old man’s soul, could blame him for hopping the first ride he could find. Unfortunately, it’s beginning to seem like it’ll be the last ride he’ll ever find.

“Engines at one-sixth power and dropping,” the computer’s automated voice announces with disturbing enthusiasm. 

“Vespa,” Buddy snaps over the comm line, “I need a lock on his pod now.”

“The spatial rift’s causing too much interference.” There’s a clang, likely Vespa striking something. “Shitty good for nothing piece of fucking garbage tractor beam.”

“Less cursing, more calibrating, please. Ransom, what’s the status of the CureMother Prime?”

“Snug as an Arkasian dustmoth in its cocoon.” Nureyev strokes a hand over the protective case in his lap, the corner of his mouth curling up. For all their hiccups, this has been the heist of the century. He doesn’t know how he’ll top this one. Heaven forbid he find himself on a decline. Perhaps it’s time for him to consider retirement.

His gaze strays to the spatial anomaly on the viewscreen, pulling him relentlessly closer. Its edges flare with jagged light. No knowing what’s on the other side - another dimension? A wormhole? Pressure beyond his comprehension, crushing him instantly?

“Engines at one-eighth power and dropping.”

“We’re back,” says a voice over the comms, out of breath. “What’s going on, where’s Ransom?”

Nureyev closes his eyes. He’d hoped Juno wouldn’t have to witness this.

“Were you successful?” Buddy asks. 

“We found enough dirt on the CEO to tank their stocks a dozen times over. If Okhra wanted their fingers in any more illegal pies they’d need extras grafted on,” Juno says, impatient. “Where’s Ransom?”

Nureyev swallows the lump in his throat. He’s proud of how even his voice sounds when he says, “Captain Aurinko, my pod’s computers are estimating that I will collide with the anomaly in three minutes.” Which means he needs to prioritize. While Buddy gives Juno the rundown - Nureyev’s firefight with Okhra’s hired muscle, the prototype weapon they’d brandished and regretted, the rift in space-time as a result of the explosion, the screams as the mercenaries were dragged in - Nureyev combs his hair and retouches his makeup. With the necessities tended to, he snaps his compact shut. “If I might make an observation.”

“You know I welcome input, darling, but we’re a bit busy at the moment.”

Nureyev inhales, filling his diaphragm the way Mag taught him. A glass shield around his mind, untouchable. “Captain Aurinko, my pod’s engines are insufficient to propel me away from the anomaly. However, they could provide sufficient force to expel a single small mass. Say, the CureMother Prime’s case.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Juno snaps. “Like hell is anyone sacrificing you for momentum.”

“It’s the reasonable choice, Juno. I can either waste fuel spinning my wheels in a relentless backslide, or I can deliver you the CureMother as planned.”

“No prize,” Buddy says in a low voice, “is worth more than a member of my crew.”

“Were I carrying sapphires and sculptures, Captain, I might agree with you. However, the value of the CureMother is measured not in creds, but in human lives.”

Letting the CureMother Prime be destroyed by the anomaly would doom every individual living with a debtor’s tag or medical bills beyond their ability to pay. Nureyev’s survived for years on the hope that someday he’d be free of his debts. He cannot kill that hope for all the other souls who share his plight. 

Static crackles over the comm line.

Juno’s voice edges toward hysterical in the face of Buddy’s silence. “You can’t tell me you’re considering this.”

“Vespa?” Buddy asks.

“No good, Bud,” Vespa says. Nureyev’s never heard her sound so tired. “I can’t reach him.” 

“Captain, I would ask you to respect what is looking to be my final request.”

“Your pod doesn’t have an ejection system, Ransom. You’ll have to open the doors to release the CureMother.”

Nureyev gazes into the anomaly’s flickering maw. “Frankly, I think that might be the kinder option.”

“Ransom, don’t. We’ll come up with something,” Juno pleads. Nureyev can picture him, desperation written across his lovely face. An eye crafted to burn, a mouth equally capable of snarling and smirking. A sense of humor quicker even than his aim, and a moral core so solid not even the Martian sands could erode it. An arm slung over Nureyev’s shoulder during Rita’s most recent movie night, with a glance checking whether this was okay. 

Nureyev begins typing in calculations. He won’t be able to activate the firing sequence manually once the pod decompresses. “You once closed a door to save the world, Juno. It only seems right that I should open a hatch for the same purpose.”

“To hell with the world! I’m sick of sacrificing everything in the name of doing good. I’m being selfish, and it feels great.”

Nureyev’s fingers tremble on the touchscreen. Just a few more lines - 

“Nureyev,” Juno says, voice breaking, “I can’t do this without you.”

They could have had so much time together. Nureyev wishes he could have brought Juno to see the Festival of Flowers on Brahma, petals on the streets and nectar in the air.

The pod computer beeps as it executes its commands. Nureyev rises to his feet. Securing the CureMother under one arm, he keys the opening sequence into the pod hatch. “Juno. You’ve always been perfectly capable without me. You’d have to be quite a fool to think otherwise.” He pauses, his fingers over the opening lever, and a smile plays about his lips. “But if you’re a fool, that makes two of us.”

The vacuum of space pours in to the sound of Juno calling his name.

#tpp #the penumbra podcast #ask prompt #jupeter fanfic #jupeter #thank you so much for asking!! #juno steel #peter nureyev #angst #don't worry he'd get rescued but that's a story for another day #buddy aurinko #vespa #penumbra s3 #penumbra season 3 #also posted on ao3

[friendlyneighborhoodamara]

Star Wars Movies Ranked (Best to Worst)

It’s been a while since I’ve seen all the movies, so I’m going off memory.

(Also, if you’re upset about the prequels’ low scores, allow me to elaborate: the prequels honestly have the best story ideas of any SW movie, it’s just those ideas are executed poorly.)

(Also, I know that there was 0 consistency to the length of each mini-review.)

1. The Force Awakens (2015): I adore this movie. Almost everything is perfect. The protagonists are all likable and surprisingly layered and interesting, Kylo Ren (pre-TRoS) is the best movie villain, the old characters play roles in this story that make sense and aren’t just here to be pandering, the effects and lighting are beautiful, the action scenes are fast, hard-hitting and exciting (that lightsaber duel in the wintry forest is my third favorite duel in the series!!). This movie ... it’s a masterpiece.

This would have gotten a perfect score if they leaned into the First Order as the alt-right to the Empire’s Nazi Germany angle, because I feel they’re too strong here. Maybe limit their power so they can only destroy cities instead of galaxies? Also replace the laser on Starkiller Base with fleets of MASSIVE Rathtars, because that’s cooler. Otherwise ... this film is wonderful.

Go watch it. That’s not a request.

- Score: A

2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980): Shorten the Hoth sequence and this film is basically perfect. I feel sorry for any poor soul named Luke who was subjected to jokes about their name, though.

- Score: A-

3. Return of the Jedi (1983): The Jabba sequence is fun, if a bit long, don’t @ me. Every thing else is great. The effects have gotten way better and we get to see the fruits of Luke’s training and maturation as a Jedi.

- Score: B+

4. A New Hope (1977): This movie always gets me in a good mood. I love how it feels less like a summer blockbuster action movie and more like a light-hearted fantasy movie; less MCU and more Wizard of Oz. While the story is one of the most naked attempts to ape on Joseph Campbell I’ve ever seen, it remains entertaining more than forty years later. Special effects are a sight to behold too.

- Score: B 

5. The Last Jedi (2017): 

Rian Johnson gets way too much flack for this movie. He did his best to make a subversive, audacious take on a Star Wars movie, and it was - for the most part - a success. 

Of the three main plots, Rey’s story is the best, obviously. It’s fascinating to watch her develop as a Jedi, to discover Kylo Ren’s past, and to see how Luke has changed since Return of the Jedi. That being said, Finn and Rey’s adventure to deactivate the tracking device is still good (yes, I’m serious) and did develop Finn’s character arc further from TFA. Poe’s plot may have been a bust, but hey, you win some, you lose some. 

Plus, we get the same great score and effects from last time! Still needs Poe x Finn.

- Score: B-

6. Revenge of the Sith (2005): 

Best musical score and best memes of any film in the franchise. That has to mean something. But in all seriousness, this is the best of the Star Wars prequels (and the only one of that trio that I’d call a good movie). The acting, while not amazing, is a step up from the previous prequels (even if the effects have taken a nosedive). 

Similarly, the story is more interesting, although far from perfect, because Lucas made the wise decision to focus more on Anakin’s character struggle than any other aspect. You could honestly skip both of the previous films. 

Also Ewan McGregor is hawt.

- Score: C

7. Rogue One (2016): Eh. S’alright. I like the darker edge to the story, the action scenes are some of the best in the franchise, and the music is good despite not being John Williams, but the characters (sans Jyn Erso, K-20 and Director Krennic, they’re a blast) are pretty bland, in part due to the staid acting. Great effects, though.

My advice is to skip to the awesome fight scene at the end.

- Score: C-

8. The Phantom Menace (1999): This movie is bad but I love watching it (especially with friends!) anyways. The acting is the worst in the series, bar none. The storyline isn’t necessarily complicated, but because of the bland acting, it’s hard to get invested in these characters. 

For example, Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn acts with as little gravitas or energy as Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, yet Qui-Gon is supposed to be more unorthodox and rebellious than his more conservative apprentice. The bungling of that specific dynamic is especially disappointing because it’s rare for mainstream films to have a “Maverick Master, Serious Student” duo. 

Furthermore, there’s a lot of telling and not showing: we get holographic reports of Naboo officials saying “The death toll is catastrophic”, but we never see any civilians die or get rounded up. It sucks your interest away. That being said, we got the best lightsaber fight in the series, Jake Lloyd as Anakin is the most precious bean, and Ewan McGregor as one of the hottest man to exist.

- Score: D+

9. The Rise of Skywalker (2019): This movie was actually mediocre at worst, I just hate Reylo. Also Palpatine coming back makes about as much sense as Bardock surviving the explosion of Planet Vegeta and ending up in the past.

Also needs Poe x Finn.

- Score: D+

10. Solo (2018): Boring as tar. 

- Score: D-

11. Attack of the Clones (2002): Not even the memes were good. Also the lightsaber duel against Count Dooku is awful. CGI is awful. All other criticisms from The Phantom Menace apply here

Ewan McGregor isn’t even hot, he has like weird long hair and it’s gross.

- Score: F-

[fizzpixie]

LeviHan Highschool AU

Requested from @appleblondie0397

Is it bad that I initially imagined Levi as a hot senior boy and Hanji as one of  those lil freshman girls that he has a huge thing for? I’ve been seeing memes floating around about that lately.

They aren’t in this story tho I swear

I’m very excited about this prompt, thank u so much. This ended up being a lengthy monster because I got super into it so I kinda cut the ending a little short. 

Levihan Highschool AU Title: Prompted Request: Levihan with the context of them being in highschool and levi and hanji having a sleepover at Levi's place (doesn't have to be anything rated r or sexual) Summary: Hanji (a junior) is head over heels for the short boy (a senior) she sits behind in her literature class. Their friendship blossoms over the course of the semester, until one day he invites her over to work on an essay together. Little does she know, he has been paying close attention to her, too. Word count: 2882 Warnings: very seldom vulgar language, mentions of sexual themes (none related to levi or hanji)

“And remember, this is all due by next wednesday. Late work is unacceptable.” Mr. Pixis exaggerated as he passed out papers to the front row, having the front students cascade the worksheets down to the people behind them. Levi groaned as he slipped a sheet for himself when the pile came his way and handed the stack behind him without turning around. Hanji subconsciously took a sheet and passed on the stack. She stopped scribbling in her notebook, glanced at it, and then tapped Levi’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, what did he say? I wasn’t paying attention.” Levi rolled his eyes.

“This sheet has the prompt for our next essay, it’s due this upcoming Wednesday--,” He paused for a fleeting moment after processing what she had said, then swiveled around to give Hanji a quizzical look, “now what on god’s green earth could possibly keep four-eyes from paying attention in class?” She was quick to cover the contents of her notebook from his unwelcome eyes.

“None ya.” She promptly responded. Hanji was pretty protective of her journal that she used for her advanced placement literature class. Inside she had spent a collection of hours doodling Levi’s name in little hearts within the page margins. Levi had tried to peek at it before, but to no avail. Hanji would always snatch it from his view and say ‘none ya’ as in ‘none ya business’.

Their literature class was small, with maybe a little less than twenty people in it. Their mutual best friend, Erwin, sat in the farthest front corner. There was no seating chart on the first day of school but it was created as soon as everyone picked a seat. Erwin showed up late for class on the first day of school. Hanji, on the other hand, strategically showed up to class as early as she could, then proceeded to drum up mindless conversation with the teacher until a specific person showed up for class. When Levi finally crossed the classroom’s threshold right before class started, Hanji prayed to the gods that he wouldn’t pick a spot where she couldn’t sit next to him. She abruptly ended her conversation with Mr. Pixis just to see Levi had picked an obscure spot completely shrouded by other classmates. However, she was fortunate enough to snag a spot directly behind him. It wasn’t ideal. She was typically the type of student to sit front and center to help her pay attention and perform better in class. But she had been eyeing Levi in the hallways all of last semester. When she found out they finally had a class together -- a literature class, of all things-- she was beyond thrilled.

Yes, Levi was short. But he was still entirely masculine. He fashioned a more casual-gothic look. Hanji couldn’t tell if it was unintentional or not, because naturally, his hair was darker colored and he was always a bit more pale with heavy eye bags. Though he did seem to have a preference for the color black. He often wore black skinny jeans and boots, but when he wasn’t wearing a casual t-shirt he would sometimes pose in a nice button up or polo. Whenever Levi wore his jean jacket, Hanji would melt. But despite her admiration towards the quiet boy in black, she had a deep sinking feeling that she wasn’t his type. It seemed unorthodox for an ambitious, overly intelligent, and reckless girl who followed her impulses to be his type. Not to forget, she was entirely loud and obnoxious. He seemed to like quiet and logical girls who kept to themselves.

They were coming up to the end of the second semester for summertime. Levi and Hanji’s friendship grew exponentially when they first met in Mr. Pixis’ notorious class of literature, all with Hanji’s efforts of initiating conversation with him. This was one of their final essays before their upcoming final. 

“Alright. Well, Miss. ‘None ya’, I’m getting some food with Erwin after class and then going home to start this essay. Would you like to come over to my place to work together?”

Hanji felt her heart skip a beat.

“Would Erwin be there?” Surely this was too good to be true.

“Nah. He told Marie that he would hangout with her tonight to catch up on homework. We both know what they’re actually gonna do, though.” It wasn’t. Hanji tried to act casual.

“I mean like, yeah, I’d be down to come over.” Levi gave a small nod with his head. The bell then suddenly blared, signaling the end of the school day. Levi stood and neatly tucked the sheet in between some folders in his backpack.

“Cool. You have my number, I’ll text you the address and you can come over around 9 or so.” Hanji glanced up at him.

“9? Doesn’t that seem a little late?”

“Yeah, my bad. I have a lot of errands to run after getting food with Erwin so I’m not free until then. Is that okay?” It wasn’t okay. Hanji prefered to go to bed at 10 pm sharp so she could wake up at 6 am and get a full eight hours of sleep.

“Yeah, that’s fine!” It didn’t matter. She had never been over to his house before. Looking back on it, she didn’t recall anyone ever going to his place before. Not even Erwin. She could afford to lose one night of a full eight hours.

***

Hanji parked in front of a busted apartment on the outskirts of downtown. She noticed how Levi lived an astonishing distance away from school. She checked her text again to reread the address, then scanned the address plate etched into the brick. She was definitely at the right place. She tried the front door of the apartment-- which are traditionally supposed to be locked at all times for residents safety-- that slid open with ease. Hanji also noted the gaping hole shattered in the glass on the side panel by the door, as  if someone had kicked it.

‘Okay, third floor, apartment 304.’ She anxiously thought to herself. With each creaky step up, her heart rate only got faster. The lights flickered inconsistently over her head, buzzing as if they would burn out any second. ‘I can do this. We’re literally just doing homework. I like homework. It will be fun.’ She tried to calm herself as she ambled down the dim hallway and approached his apartment.

She stood in front of the door for several seconds before knocking. She examined the walls and floors of the hallway. The walls were white and dirty with a checkered patterned accent on the baseboard. The floor was concrete. It felt like a poorly kept, horror movie hospital.

As she raised her arm to knock, the door suddenly swung open. Levi stood there with a large trash bag slung over his shoulder.

“Oh, hey Hanji. How long were you there for?” He paused, “actually, nevermind. I need to take out the trash really quick, but feel free to let yourself in and sit on the couch. I’ll be back in a sec.” He moved passed her and trudged down the hallway. Hanji didn’t say anything, and watched him as he disappeared beneath the stairs below. When she was by herself, she turned to face the entrance to his place and with a cautious step, she entered.

It wasn’t very big at all. At first she thought it was a studio apartment, but she then noticed a narrow hallways that branched off into three rooms with closed doors. She located the couch and sat down, setting her backpack to her side. To her surprise, the apartment was spotless. The floor was a dark grey carpet that seemed permanently stained with age, but there was a rug thoughtfully placed and vacuumed in the center of the room. The sink was free of dishes, the few pictures and decorations on the walls were symmetrical and clean. Even the kitchen counters had been polished. To her surprise, there were two glasses of water on the coffee table, resting on home-made cork coasters.

‘He got me water. That’s very nice of him’. It was a basic courtesy, but she appreciated it. She gingerly picked up the glass and took a sip as she examined more of the apartment. The walls were a dark green with wooden shelves that hung up and displayed odd ornaments, such as old weapons and antiques. As she continued to observe the base of the apartment, her eyes landed on a picture that was not like the rest. It was a portrait. A smaller portrait of a woman with raven hair and grey eyes. Despite looking tired, she was smiling. She seemed very happy, and she was incredibly beautiful. She also had a striking resemblance to Levi.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Levi came back into the room unannounced.

“Sorry about that. My uncle didn’t take out the trash like he said he would. He’s a bum.” Hanji chuckled.

“No it’s totally cool. I was just chillin’ here. Thank you for the water.” She remarked. He replied with a solemn ‘mhmm’ then found a spot next to her on the polyester couch. With how close they were sitting together, Hanji nearly died. He pulled out a cheap laptop from his backpack and proceeded to log on as he simultaneously checked the sheet with the prompt.

“Okay, so the prompt is ‘Life is full of opinions and people differing from you. Everyone has and will encounter times when someone they meet has a different perspective from them. What are  the most effective ways to communicate ideas? What do you do when those ideas aren’t relayed properly, then argumentation breaks out? When was there a time you met someone completely different from yourself? How did it turn out?’” He began to read, but Hanji had zoned out as he was speaking, staring intently at the portrait of the mystery woman.

“Who’s that?” Hanji blurted out and pointed at the frame. Levi glanced up at her.

“Who’s what?”

“That. That woman on the wall.” He followed her finger to the portrait.

“Oh. That’s my mom. My uncle happened to have an old photo of her, we don’t have many of them.” It made sense. He was a spitting image of her.

“She’s very beautiful. Will I ever get to meet her?” Levi responded bluntly.

“She’s dead.” Hanji felt the blood leave her face, making her grow pale.

“Oh my god, Levi I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to--”

“Don’t be,” he started, “she’s been dead for a long time. I think I was like, what, four years old? I don’t remember. Either way, I’ve healed from it now,” Hanji frowned. Even if what he said could be true, there is permanent damage when missing an important figure in your life. And it’s affecting him whether he knew it or not, “Anyway, we should continue. It’s getting late.

***

The antique clock on the wall read 12:04 pm. They had spent at least a full hour writing, but the last two hours were spent vicariously sharing stories and talking about unrelated things to the prompt. Hanji was learning a plethora of new things about Levi, and she couldn’t be more satisfied. She felt sadness swell in her heart when she peered at the clock. Her eyes were growing heavy, and she knew she couldn’t write anymore for the night. Nothing when she was tired was as quality as she would like. Levi was continuing a story.

“But yeah, my uncle can be an asshole sometimes. There was this one time when he stole my computer to watch porn on some sketch website and he infected it with 12 different viruses. It also wasn’t cool because he didn’t tell me he used it for porn, so when I opened my computer at school--”

“Hey Levi? I’m sorry to interrupt, but I really think I should go home, it’s really late and I’m incredibly tired.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” He glanced at the window to see rain pouring down outside. They didn’t notice it started to storm while they were writing.

Hanji packed her things slowly to relish her final moments in his apartment. She wasn’t too sure if she’d ever be here again. When she finished, she approached the door. Levi saw her out.

“Thanks for coming over, I think we got a lot done.” He thanked her as she stood at the door.

“Yeah, I think so too. Thanks for having me.”

***

Hanji dashed to her car parked on the side of the road to avoid getting wet.

‘I knew I shoulda got my keys out before going outside’ She scolded herself mentally as she desperately fished in her pocket to find her car keys, only to notice they weren’t there. She gave up trying to do everything with haste, being that she was already soaking wet. She knelt down to rummage through her backpack, but they didn’t seem to be there, either.

‘Maybe I left them in his apartment?’ She started to question herself as she peered inside her car window. She sighed in disbelief. She had locked her car keys inside of her car. The keys mocked her as they sat in perfect view on the passenger seat. Hanji, not really knowing what to do, took a slow walk of shame back inside the apartment to tell Levi. She trudged up the stairs and to room 304. She knocked quietly. Levi opened the door pretty quick with a confused look apparent in the bend of his brow as he observed her standing there, completely drenched.

“Is something wrong Hanji? Did you leave your keys here or something?” Hanji sighed.

“I wish. I locked them in my car…” She took a beat to think about what to say next. She didn’t think about what to ask him while she was walking up the stairs, “could you maybe drive me home?” Levi shook his head.

“That would be dumb. It’s pretty late and I know you get up in like 5 hours. Why don’t you just spend the night?”

Hanji had to take a second to process what he had said. Then another second.

“Your uncle wouldn’t mind?”

“Kenny isn’t home. He won’t be until tomorrow.” Hanji toyed with the idea in her head. She absolutely wanted to, more than anything. She didn’t even bother with the pros and cons, she just went with her impulsive gut.

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

***

“Here, you can sleep in my bed. I’m familiar with the couch we have, anyway,” He guided Hanji through the hallway into the door on the right, “the bathroom is across the hall. The closed door at the end is Kenny’s room, don’t go in there,” He continued to instruct, “If you need anything let me know.” He handed her a small stack of dry clothes. Hanji set her bag down on the floor. His room was like the rest of the  place -- spotless, but a little worn with time.

“I feel bad that you’re sleeping on the couch.” Hanji started.

“Don’t,” he paused for a moment. They shared the silence for a beat, “but keep in mind, I don't have to use the couch.” Hanji didn’t physically react to his proposal, but felt like her stomach was knotting itself.

“You mean like, sharing the bed?” Levi scoffed.

“It’s a good thing you’re cute, four-eyes. Yes, we can in fact share the bed. There are no physical limitations to us sharing a twin sized bed--”

“Oh, shut up. I know there aren’t any physical barriers, but it just feels, I don’t know, intimate.” Hanji felt her face going pale. She was making a fool out of herself. Levi crossed his arms, with the faintest shit-eating grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Oh, darn. Now what ever will we do? We don’t have to, of course. It’s just a suggestion.” He reminded her. Hanji didn’t want to give herself time to think about it, knowing she would over analyze the situation. It was just a night of sleep.

***

Underneath the sheets, Hanji curled up into a ball. Levi was on the other side of her, their backs touching each other as they were facing away from each other on the tight bed.

“Thank you for the dry clothes.” She said as they lay in the darkness in silence for a little while. She was sporting a pair of his old grey sweat shorts and a baggy band t shirt.

“Yeah, I didn’t want you getting my bed all wet.” She was aware. But despite being in dry clothes and wrapped in sheets, she was shivering cold. Levi could feel her body tremble next to his.

Without a word, Levi rolled over so he was facing her back, and slowly snaked one arm over her waist and another underneath her pillow to wrap himself onto her. Hanji completely froze at the abrupt feeling of warmth pressing onto her back and legs. Levi noticed her quivers completely cease.

“Are you okay with this?” Hanji noted how he noticed she was cold. She didn’t smile, but instead felt her arm search for his, lacing her fingers with his warm hand. She was entirely grateful.

“Yes. Definitely.”

#i kinda feel like levi would be an eboy in highschool #but like #unintentionally #im sorry this is so long wtf #but anyway aren't they just the cutest #levi ackerman #hanji zoe #hanje zoe #corporal levi #lance corporal levi #rivalle ackerman #Levi Heichou #levi #levihan #hanji #levi x hanji #hanji x levi #levi ackerman x hanji zoe #hanji zoe x levi ackerman #aot #snk #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #levihan fanficition #attack on titan fanfiction #attack on titan imagines #erwin smith #dot pixis #eren jaeger #armin arlert

[alistairs-raven]

My ranking of all 11 Star Wars films in order.

Disclaimer: I actually like all the SW films in some way except my least favorite. But there are definitely some that have more that I dislike about them. Also my opinions are 100% the only opinions one can have, and if this list offends you, it was meant to offend you personally.

11: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I have watched this movie twice, once in the theater and once during a marathon. I also have never seen this movie in it's entirety because I cannot focus on it. It bores me so much that I keep blanking out and daydreaming. I cannot tell you anyone's name except the main character and the main imperial officer. I just could not get into this movie, but I will say if nothing else, it had the best Darth Vader scene ever.

10: Star Wars 9: Rise of Skywalker

It took me days to figure out if I liked this movie or not. There are actually a lot of things that I like, but the things I didn't like I REALLY didn't like. So much so, that this movie actually really hurt me to think about. And apart from a movie being boring, it shouldn't feel like personal stab to what matters to you. I liked Palpatine (pointless as that plot was), Kylo Ren and Rey's amazing acting, and seeing old friends again. This movie also had good humor. The bad things are too many to count, but mainly this film was poorly directed, full of 3 films worth of plot that make no sense, and the worst offender is that it felt like the director (JJ Abrams) did not care about these characters at all. I had fallen so in love with pretty much everyone in the ST, and to see almost all of them sidelined, stereotyped, and departing from any previous character development just hurt. This film made me cry, and not in a good way.

9: Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace

I don't hate this movie. In fact when it first came out, I enjoyed it. Sure I was a dumb little kid, but I rewatched it a lot. Sadly, as an adult I see now all the issues with it, none I have to really get into since everyone knows at this point. The parts I enjoy are Darth Maul (hell yea), the podrace, and this film also probably has the best score of the entire series.

8: Solo: A Star Wars story

This one was good, it just wasn't great. The actor's portrayal of Han Solo was perfect, Lando was perfect, I loved seeing places that you only hear about in passing in the films. Freakin Darth Maul (hell yea). The not so good was this movie had a very generic heist plot, it felt incomplete, and I didn't really connect with anyone besides Han and Lando.

7: Star Wars 6: Return of the Jedi

This one also falls into the 'just okay' category. There's no real plot except a recycled one from episode 4, Luke has no personality in it, Leia is sidelined. The goods are that Vader's sacrifice to save his son was so unexpected and beautifully done (at least in the original cut), the Jabba Palace scene is one of my favorite parts of the entire series, and the rebel characters in this movie are super fun (Ackbar, Lando, ect). Also the ghosts at the end was a very nice touch.

6: Star Wars 2: Attack of the Clones

I HATED this movie when it first came out. I only saw it once and not again until last year when my friend insisted we marathon the SW movies. Now I love this movie, because it's the good kind of bad. The whole thing is just a meme, with some of the worst dialogue of the entire series. However, the characters are all super fun. Rewatching it years later, I was pleasantly surprised that I now love Hayden's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker. His character is by far the best part of the movie. He brought so much energy to the character, and I actually really connected and felt for him. I always loved Kamino, and I think it's very creative. The effects were also a lot better. The bad is the poor directing, horrible dialogue (sand), and that this movie killed Boba Fett for me.

5: Star Wars 4: A New Hope

These next three are hard for me to rank. Episode 4 is fun, creative, makes you feel like a kid again, has effects that were so groundbreaking that they held up for 40 years, changed filmmaking itself, introduced us all to a universe that has touched so many lives around the world. I am convinced that the Lightsaber sound is the best sound design in history. All the characters are likeable, the score is the best in all of cinema, and there is such a sense of satisfaction when this movie ends. It's hard to find faults with this movie, but of course our dear Mr. Lucas had to change this movie that was perfect, so now it's full of ugly cgi. That added Jabba scene is so dumb.

4: Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith

I loved this movie when it came out and I am still very fond of it. When it came out we all thought it was going to be the last SW (lol) and I was determined to enjoy it as much as I could. It has the best effects of the prequels, all the characters are well acted, there's so much emotion and heart in it, and it has some of the coolest planets and settings in it. I LOVE the opening scene, I still can't watch it without my jaw dropping a little. There was a lot of hype leading up to it, and I grew really fond of General Grievous and was disappointed to see him barely used. It also suffered from the bad dialogue issues that plague Lucas films. Despite the good acting, there were awkward moments that I feel were a case of bad directing. Padme dying from a 'broken heart' despite now having babies makes me feel that Lucas doesn't understand people.

3: Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens

This movie is very special to me for personal reasons - I almost didn't live to see it. But it was well worth staying alive for and gave me a new reason to live. It introduced me to Rey, a nobody who has had to deal with being alone for so long. Something that I can relate to. And it also introduced me to Kylo Ren, the angry and also very alone character that quickly became my favorite character of all time. I even legally changed my name to Ren. Finn, Poe, BB-8, Hux, Phasma... so many characters that I all love and have spent hours talking about, roleplaying, reading about, drawing, and just enjoying. My complaint is the plot, which is simply a remake of episode 4. I also am not the biggest fan of JJ Abrams directing style, as I feel he can make movies very well, but he's not a very creative storyteller and is infamous for simply repolishing things other people have done. Also Rey's theme is my favorite song in the entire SW score.

2: Star Wars 5: The Empire Strikes Back

Before the ST, I had watched this one more than all the others. Hoth, the battles, Yoda, the asteroid field, cloud city, Vader, Lando, I am your father moment, Leia being force sensitive, the list goes on. Also this movie gave us the BEST bad guy theme (until dual of the fates that is). This movie felt a lot cleaner than the one before it and the one after it. It also had good dialogue, character development, and depth that's missing when Lucas is directing. It was less fanservice and more just a good film. However I never understood the tree scene (wtf was that). And it always bothered me that Lando allowed them to hurt his friend, granted it wasn't what he originally thought was going to happen.

1: Star Wars 8: The Last Jedi

I went to this movie 10 times in the theater and have seen it countless times since it came out. I LOVE everything about this movie. It's creative, full of new ideas and concepts, has so many emotions, beautiful art direction, and deepened every single character in it. Rarely does a movie come along where every character develops and is different at the end. Rarely do we get a movie in a huge series that focuses on being a good movie rather than fanservice. I could not predict this movie, and was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing wondering what in the world was going to happen next. The director, Rian, is clearly a fantastic storyteller who can also do subtlety. The first 4-5 times I saw this movie I was still seeing new things. It revived a love of Star Wars in me and I dreaded what would come after because I doubt anything will ever be this good again. I certainly hope we get something as good or maybe better one day. This movie solidified Rey as my favorite SW protagonist.

#star was #ranked #rogue one #phantom menace #attack of the clones #revenge of the sith #a new hope #empire strikes back #solo #return of the jedi #force awakens #the last jedi #rise of skywalker #luke skywalker #rey #finn #poe #hux #kylo ren #han solo #leia #boba fett #grievous #chewbaca #lando