#the effects make it difficult to see the full animation

[thanksvideogames]

unlike other skills, every traveler has a unique animation for when they use the ‘bewildering grace’ dancer ability

#chase plays octopath #octopath traveler 2 #the effects make it difficult to see the full animation #castti does an arm roll before her last strut #osvald also does one before finishing in... whatever that pose is #hikari and partitio are also doing a lot being those music notes #unfortunately there is no way for me to make it clearer at this time #for the record my favorite is ochette's #octopath traveler ii

[plaguedocboi]

Bottomless Pits

We post holes here, sir.

Sinkholes, pit caves, wells and cenotes all have one thing in common; sometimes they’re bottomless. Not truly “bottomless”, of course, but in appearance, reputation, or of incredible depth. We’ve seen a few of these “bottomless pits” in prior lists such as the Lost Sea in Tennessee or the Devil’s Hole in Nevada, but today we will focus on those strange places in the earth that seem to be endless.

1. Laguna Kaan Luum, Mexico

This one threw me for a loop because I was originally only seeing pictures like the one above, so I was like ‘oh, that’s cool, so it’s kinda like Dean’s Blue Hole, where it’s an ocean sinkhole right off the shore…’

No. It’s not that. Let’s zoom out a bit.

Yeah. This is a lake with one giant sinkhole in the middle! It’s about 2,000 feet across and reaches depths of 278 feet, with the surrounding shallows a very pleasant 4 feet deep! I’m mostly including it on the list because the full image hit me like a bus.

2. Sima Humboldt, Venezuela

Tepuis are large plateau mountains found across Venezuela, often with sheer sides and inaccessible tops that inspired explorers to imagine dinosaurs still surviving on these isolated mesas. Even on their own, tepuis are incredible, beautiful and mysterious. Add a sinkhole with an even more isolated forest at the bottom, and you have all the ingredients for some crazy shit to happen. Sima Humboldt and Sima Martel are two enormous sinkholes at the top of Cerro Sarisariñama. Humboldt is the largest at over a thousand feet across and nearly the same in depth, with a jungle flourishing at the bottom. The sinkhole forests are home to many endemic species of both plant and animals, but so far, no prehistoric monsters have been found in any of them.

3. Well of Barhout, Yemen

The “well of hell” is a massive sinkhole in the desert, measuring about 100 feet in diameter and plunging down over 300 feet. Understandably, there are many myths and legends about this place, including a story about an evil djinn which lives at the bottom and takes the head of anyone foolish enough to climb in. In fact, so pervasive are these legends that the sinkhole was only formally explored in 2021! Luckily they did not find any evil spirits, but they did find stalagmites which reached 30 feet tall, cave pearls, and waterfalls which provided refuge for frogs and snakes.

4. Myakka sinkhole, Florida

This murky abyss is filled with more than just water, it is also home to over a hundred alligators. Due to the poor visibility and very high concentration of large carnivores, it is very difficult to study this pit. Only a few people have ever glimpsed the bottom of this 134-foot deep sinkhole, but apparently we aren’t missing much because the water down there is stagnant and inhospitable to most life. Exactly why this area is so popular among alligators is still unknown, but it’s likely due to a combination of food availability and ideal temperatures.

5. The Pit cenote, Mexico

Like Cenote Angelita, The Pit is a layered cenote. The first 88 feet is freshwater, then there is a “fog” of hydrogen sulfide, below which lies over 300 feet of brackish water. The Pit is a spectacular-looking cenote, with an almost otherworldly quality, which makes it very popular among divers. So far, this pit has been explored to a depth of 390 feet, but unexplored passages extend further.

6. Thor’s well, Oregon

Like a drainpipe continuously swallowing an unbroken stream of ocean water, Thor’s well is often likened to a bottomless pit. However, it is actually only about 20 feet deep, and the drain effect is due to the fact that it connects back to the ocean, not swallowing the water but simply rerouting it. This does not mean that there is no danger, though. The rocks are slippery and sharp, and this area sees a higher than average number of ‘sneaker waves’; waves that look normal as they roll in but are actually much larger than they appear, potentially sweeping people out to sea as they retreat. The true danger here is the ocean, not the well.

7. Vouliagmeni Lake, Greece

This incredibly beautiful saltwater lake has been rumored to have healing properties for thousands of years, and today continues to draw in visitors for its medicinal minerals and “doctor fish”. But this famous lake hides a secret; a labyrinth of caves whose depths have never been fully explored, and whose connection to the ocean remains undiscovered. Passages stretch over a mile into the mountains, with an average depth of 260 feet. The largest of these caverns is nearly 500 feet wide and full of warm sea water. Although a spectacular diving spot, these unknown caverns are best not underestimated.

8. Santa Rosa blue hole, New Mexico

A gorgeous natural swimming hole, this cenote is roughly 80 feet wide and 80 feet deep (in most places) and is a popular destination for tourists. It was also used for diving certification tests, until an incident in 1976. There is one spot in this picturesque cenote that goes down much further than 80 feet; the entrance to a cave. In the dark, twisting passages, two young divers got lost and died, and the cave was later sealed with a metal grate to prevent other divers from attempting to enter. The cave was mostly forgotten about until 2013, when cave divers were given permission to attempt to map the area. The blue hole is at least 200 feet deep, but the bottom of the cave still has not been found.

9. Roaring River Spring, Missouri

This turquoise river bubbles up from a ten-foot wide pool of deep water hidden within a sheer-sided canyon. But despite its peaceful appearance, this spring discharges 20 million gallons of water a day, and the exact source is still unknown. In 1979, divers attempted to map the cave, but reached a point 225 feet down where the passage constricted and had a water flow like “the force of an open fire hydrant”, preventing them from going any further. In 2020, divers waited until the water flow was lowest in the summer and descended to a depth of 472 feet with no bottom in sight, making this the deepest spring in the US!

10. Your Mom.

I jest, of course. Here’s the real one:

Hranice Abyss, Czech Republic

A tiny greenish lake in the forest is the opening to the deepest freshwater cave in the world, deeper than the Empire State Building is high and still seemingly bottomless. It is so deep that scientists think it may have been formed by a totally different process than most freshwater caves; instead of water eroding away the ground from above, it may have been created by acidic groundwater coming up from below. And this water is extremely acidic, able to burn a diver’s skin if not covered properly. This, combined with fallen trees and other debris, poor visibility, and the sheer vertical drop of the cave, creates incredibly dangerous conditions for diving. Because of this, no diver or ROV has reached the bottom yet. But with a recent study using seismic sensors, scientists have estimated that the abyss may be over a kilometer deep, twice what was previously thought.

#long post #water rating #bathophobia

[slightly-gay-pogohammer]

I haven't played less of p, but can keep asking questions!

Do you have any propaganda for playing the game?

hi welcome to the lies of p propaganda

literally a mix of bloodborne and american mcgee's alice when it comes to aesthetic, vibes, themes and battle systems. if you liked either of them and are upset that bloodborne won't get a port and alice won't get a sequel this is a good alternative

the devs confirmed a sequel and a dlc btw. and they're indie so they shouldn't have many problems

INCREDIBLE soundtrack, and here's some examples of my favorites because i need to share quixotic, memory of beach, shattered memories, hall of fame and arche abbey everywhere

the boss fights are difficult, but most of them are very fair and easy to learn the patterns of. while some are clearly fodder... anyone who played a soulsborne game know that every now and then you have to deal with a curse-rotted greatwood or a witch of hemwick if it means you can have a pontiff sulyvan or a lady maria in return!! if you don't mind spoilers i highly recommend checking out the battles with the king of puppets or with champion victor

tackles themes of overcoming grief, different ways to deal with it, rebirth, what it means to be human, being your own person and honestly and lies, with the latter especially being the most prominent one and heavily implying that even if honesty is good, sometimes a lie is a much better option for everyone

INCREDIBLE visuals hello

i need to talk about how good the monsters design is because body and mechanical horror fans rise UP

you can actually mix-n-match every single weapons you can find around, not including very overpowered boss weapons, and you can have a cannon arm?? like yes it's far from being the fastest weapon but consider: i can either hit and dash or i can make the boss explode

Your Choices Matter you know when a game promises you that they don't. well they do they DOOO literally every single choice starting with your very first one matter HEAVILY in the end

i can't stress enough how good the characters are, they're all full of life and energy and Love. you get a puppet in love, a beautiful charismatic old woman, a spunky young mechanic, whatever the fuck venigni my dad venigni has going on, an actually pretty fun version of the cricket and even pinocchio, who like most soulsborne seems to have little to no personality, is way more human from the get-go, with a lot of characters noting that he's so easily annoyed by their bigger-than-life personality and dramatique

this game made me cry SO many times between the music the lore and the incredible writing and voice acting. it's weird to say i didn't expect that much from it, like when the first trailer arrived we all went haha bishounen pinocchio bloodborne game, but the various npcs and even some bosses feel so human that inevitably seeing them going through situation destroyed me fr fr

but seriously the small details fuck me up so bad. the fact that pinocchio starts by making heavy mechanical noises whenever he moves and occasionally twitches and makes no noise when he attacks and the more "good ending" choices you make the less mechanical noises he makes and the more he occasionally grunts whenever he's hit is so nice?? they literally change every single one of his animation if you aim for that ending and it's so!!!!! aaaa

and also you can play fashionsouls the clothes have no effect other than being fancy so you can literally wear whatever the fuck you want and i, personally, find it very fun. big fan of the workshop master clothes btw that was my main until i unlocked the white clothes

i could go on but it would fall in spoilers territory fnasdmg point is. play lies of p

#gio replies #lies of p

[caw4brandon]

The Power of Stop-Motion

Media in today's standard is quick and easy. Rarely is a show more than 2 hours long or 13-epiodes per-season. With that, animated movies are a lot slower than the typical films.

There is a discussion on if animation is suitable for film purposes and while it is often shunned by the Golden Globes or the Oscars or other awards. The very few outliers can prove these awards and the world very wrong.

But that is not what we will be talking about today. Because while animation is popular, there is a dark horse among its sphere. One with a rich history and strong filmography that should be shared. Let's talk about;

- Have I possibly gone daffy? -

Stop-motion is a film making style that compiles multiple still images of an object being physically manipulated in small movements into one whole scene.

Majority of Stop-motion films and videos use [Clay Animation] or [Paper Animation] with several more varieties of new innovations emerging under the umbrella of stop-motion. The most popular of them in the modern era towards kids is [Lego animation] which is the manipulation of Lego models in motion.

The earliest trace of Stop-motion in films is the 1898 short [The Humpty Dumpty Circus] by Albert E. Smith and James Stuart Blackton which is said to be a lost media. To compensate, please watch [A Tribute to Stop Motion]

In its early concept, Stop-motion was used as a method to create impossible things or do practical effects under budget constrains. Such as the iconic King Kong scene at the Empire State building. Since then, Stop-motion has evolved into a full production industry. From Indies; [Righteous Robot] to Juggernauts; [Laika Studios]

- Shimmer a Little at The Edges -

Unconventional media such as stop-motion is often not a style suited for every story. Its a rather expensive type of media that requires worthy innovations top break the niche barrier. Just looking at Laika Studios alone, we see that they've develop a lot of interesting ways to improve visual effects while staying to their stop-motion roots.

One perfect example is seen in < Kubo and the Two Strings > where the animators need to create water in a still image world that feels natural. [A Perfect Storm] one other part of the stop-motion puzzle is the iron-willed discipline it to conceptualize, animate and edit a production that can take about 3 to 5 years to complete. More so of a time frame than a normal film.

This difficult curve lead to budgeted methods such as using models that already exist to tell new stories. Such as; Legos or with crude multi-jointed figures of existing characters. [MOONSHINE]

While I may say its crude, the low budget production is the selling point. Assisted with sound bites taken from gaming sessions or from shows featuring a lot of inside jokes and memes. Also, its hilarious to see a Teletubby turned into a Eldritch monster.

These attempts to make stop-motion productions accessible has captured the attention of other like-minded channels to collaborate and elevate one another. [ERB: Harry Potter vs Luke Skywalker]

- For Better Tomorrows -

With all that is said, what is the power of stop-motion? As a media that is tediously overlapping across processes. What are the better tomorrows for our inanimate subjects?

I like to think, that as filmmaking grows. Stop-motion will continue to remain as a sacred tug against live action films and traditional animation. It can be used to tell complicated stories with concepts that may look strange if its adapted in a live action.

As I have mentioned in [The Beautiful World of Hilda] animation's greatest strength is simplification. Stop-motion takes the opposite side of that philosophy.

Its a higher level of world building of the materials with willingness to accept mistakes and ruggedness that gives them that little flavor of life. As an actual touchable thing, the various cartoonish styles can take on a whole new dimension to heighten the style and give it that detail that is less polished.

Stop-motion shows that filmmaking magic can still exist despite already knowing the tricks. Its a media where every frame shown has a significant purpose that invokes a specific flow. That's the power of stop-motion.

#stop motion #stop motion animation #coraline #coraline jones #lego animation #clay animation #paper animation #laika studios #paranorman #norman babcock #the lego movie #emirichu #daidus #moonshine animations #pinocchio #guillermo del toro #wendell and wild #Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

[battle-acs-official]

I'm about to go on a rant about Sasquatch.

I'm not sorry.

So.

Sasquatch. Bigfoot. Big hairy thing in the woods. What is it, and why is it so fucking hard to find?

Honestly, the simplest and most effective answer to basically any question asked about it is: "It's an Ape. Duh."

Okay, what is it? It's an Ape. A Great Ape. What specific branch is unknown, but it DEFINITELY ISN'T A GIGANTOPITHECUS DESCENDANT!!! Giganto was an Orangutan relative and Sasquatch is clearly more related to Apes like Gorilla and Chimpanzee. Stop that. Just because it was big doesn't mean that that's the only animal Sasquatch could be related to.

On the point of bigness, first, Giganto is good precedent for Apes being able to get that big, so the argument that Sasquatch couldn't as big as it's reported to be is already dead.

Why would it get so big, though? Well, why did everything else that came across the Bering land bridge get so damn big? Bountiful resources, need to adapt, freedom for experimental forms to arise due to lack of competition. Everything in the Ice Age Species Exchange did 2 things: Got really fucking big and got really fucking weird, so an ape coming over would experience the same lack of competition and adaptive pressures.

So why would we have such a hard time finding them if they've been here the whole time? Well, for starters, we do find them. Often. You just stick your fingers in your ears, close your eyes, and chant "Hoaxes and Bears! Hoaxes and Bears!". So... That's a you problem. Also, let's put ourselves in the mindset of a Sasquatch for a minute here:

You're a Sasquatch.

You're probably somewhere between Gorilla and Chimpanzee levels of intelligence.

You're hanging out, doing your thing, walking through the woods, and you enter a clearing.

The clearing is full of dead shit, fires and screaming, hairless murderous cryptids that can kill basically anything it wants.

You recognize that this thing is a threat.

You also recognize that they usually stay in or near the plains.

You also recognize that they usually don't come out at night.

You also recognize that if they can see it, they can kill it.

You make the easy connection that the best method for not being killed by these things is to go where they don't (Deep forests and inaccessible mountains) and do your thing when they're inactive (Night).

Now, practice this habit for an absolute bare minimum of the last 10,000 years (the last time the Bering land bridge was accessible, but they likely would have came over on one of the earlier openings, which was up to several million years ago) and you have an animal that is very well adapted to seeing Humans as an existential threat and keeping well the fuck away from them.

Alright, well, if they're real, why haven't we found fossils? ... My guy, do you have any idea how ludicrously difficult it is to find ANY Primate fossils? We have functionally 0 Chimpanzee fossils. We have a handful of teeth for Gorillas. Orangutans, also mostly just a couple dozen teeth. Gigantopithecus, the guy that everyone points to (erroneously) as an ancestor of Sasquatch, is only known from a partial jaw bone. Most of it's anatomy is just speculation.

For all practical purposes, there may as well not be any Primate fossils.

So now tell me why you would expect to find any Sasquatch fossils?

Well, why are primate fossils so hard to find? Forests. For a fossil to be preserved, the animal needs to either be buried swiftly after death in mostly light sediment, like sand and silt, or have their bones picked clean and, still, buried in some form of sediment quickly (like burial in a grave).

Forests rarely ever have such conditions. Most bodies are left in open air, humid, bioactive, scavenger filled conditions with very few chances to be buried (unless they end up falling in a river).

Oh, and North American forests are possibly the worst possible forests for fossil preservation, if for no other reason than fucking porcupines. Little bastards actively EAT BONES. So, yeah, finding fossils in NA forests is nigh impossible for an already nigh impossible animal to expect a fossil from.

Alright, but that doesn't explain why we can't find them. Well, for starters, we do, you guys just call all the witnesses liars, drunks or idiots. And expecting that kind of reaction tends to dampen one's enthusiasm to tell people what you've seen...

... So that's your fault, when you really think about it.

Also, who's gonna fund a multiple years expedition into the most remote reaches of the continent, with people the scientific (ha, ironic) community has made a habit of condemning as quacks and hoaxers, with military grade search and reconnaissance equipment, trying to build an entirely new field of study from scratch, to find an animal that is deliberately, consciously, trying to not be found.

Oh, so you just conveniently just can't find any evidence, but it totally exists? We have hair, which is call hoaxes. We have foot, hand and full body prints, which you call hoaxes. We have dermal ridges (the stuff that makes your fingerprint, but they exist on your hands and feet), which you call hoaxes. We have photos, which you call hoaxes. We have videos, which you call hoaxes. We have audio recordings, which you call hoaxes. We have basically everything short of a physical specimen.

Well then get a physical specimen!

A) Again, they are actively trying to stay away from humans. They likely don't visit the same places twice when they see humans around.

B) Sightings are rare, brief and probably deliberate on the Sasquatch's part as a way to scare you off. You're not going to be running around the forest on your normal hike with a tranquilizer gun to quick-draw at a moment's notice and that animal is definitely not going to let itself be seen for very long.

C) Hunters usually have a habit of NOT shooting the upright, human-shaped things in the woods. Even if it very obviously looks like a Sasquatch, most people would likely hold their fire in case it's an asshole in a suit.

D) Even if you manage to shoot one, do you have a chopper to haul it out? No? Well good luck dragging a 6-10 foot tall, 400-700 pound behemoth out of the woods with nothing but your bare hands.

And finally E) I'd like to at least hope that most people would be hesitant to kill something that looks so much like a human. If you saw a mother and young, could you really bring yourself to killing them?

Any debate is welcome, just be civil.

#sasquatch #bigfoot #yeti #cryptid #cryptids #cryptozoology #cryptozoolologist

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

wow man why did the new chapter have to be for sponsorship? it was difficult to control my anxiety. any post I thought was a new chapter. when the notice appeared my happiness fell into a hole full of depression. Man I waited for so long for a new chapter to come out. that it wasn't long before I started to freak out, I'm serious I almost freaked out! I got angry and then sad. my mother was even worried, asking: what happened son? why are you locked in the bathroom? (I lock myself in the bathroom with my stuffed animal when I'm having a crisis) I'm autistic.

Buddy I'm going to be honest here:

That isn't healthy.

I love people reading my comic, and I'm glad you and other people enjoy it a whole lot. I want to keep making it!

But I'm one person, and I need money to live. I understand this might be hard to conceptualize if you're young and still living with your mom, but MY emotional health hinges on having enough money to eat for the month. So if YOUR emotional health hinges on me not posting my Patreon once in a while (a thing I promote because it greatly helps me financially) then we are inherently at an odds.

It's not anyone's fault... but it's not a good place for either of us.

I don't want to discourage you from reading the comic, but also, if it's hurting you to see me post specific things and not others, then you're probably not in a stable enough mental place to enjoy the webcomics in general, which are often updated only when my time allows me to, in between my other responsibilities which take precedence (like my main irl job and tasks).

I sincerely hope you can find a way to build a healthier relationship with media, because I have seen other people allow this sort of thing to destroy their mental health, and I don't think it needs to happen to anyone. My comics are not - and will never be - a clockwork thing. I cannot break myself in order to keep you calm.

I am posting a reply to your ask not because I want to make you feel bad, but because you deemed your feelings strong enough to send this to me, so I believe you probably care enough to understand my perspective:

It's not a healthy thing to hinge your emotional stability on one person or thing. It will eat you up from the inside, and you will starve yourself more effectively this way.

#chekhov answers

[runabout-river]

Thoughts on JJK chapter 260 (spoilers)

We get to see what Todo had hidden under his bandages and the reveal is both underwhelming because of its simplicity and absurdity (never heard of a vibraslap before in my life) and it's overwhelming because of the sheer mileage and fighting skill Todo can pull out of it.

Typical Gege move on that part. Take one CT and go into the nitty-gritty of its abilities even if it looks silly sometimes.

The vibraslap changes Todo's ability from clapping to making that sound that swaps people. The biggest change? He can now swap things about 50 times in a single second.

This is the current fighting gang being swapped around in that second and I'm sure anyone else would throw up when subjected to that.

For reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the end of the chapter, I've only now realized that Todo can swap Gojo too. He wouldn't be able to do anything against infinity though.

Just the same as when they tag teamed against Hanami and Mahito, those two Brothers™ are now going against Sukuna as well and Sukuna knows how bothersome and nearly impossible it is to fight effectively against (Re-)Boogie Woogie and he says himself that Todo came at an inopportune time.

The narrator says that Todo successfully transported the others out of MS so the question of Maki getting out is basically answered. She'll probably make a comment on that later on when she suddenly stabs Sukuna from the back again

The animators are going to have their hands full with this part of the fight. For Gege it's also difficult to draw this kind of CT on static paper so he opted for those white lines to show where RBW was active.

Sukuna also jumped on air again and Todo had no idea how he did that. Why didn't Maki show them what that is about 🧐

With all the debris, it was also difficult sometimes to understand the panels but here we have Yuji imitating a pillar while ramming himself into Sukuna

Later on Sukuna gets hols of Yuji's face with his giant hands, stuff I find extremely funny, but Todo saves Yuji before Sukuna can do something to him.

Then Sukuna makes a fatal mistake! He thinks he can outsmart 500,000 IQ Todo and fails miserably (RIP Mei-Mei's crow). Yuji gets another black flash in.

Then Yuji grabs Sukuna's chest where his injured heart is and the chapter tries to deceive us at that point.

The "JJK ...ch.260/END" box appears and it looks like that's it for the week BUT we have one extra page left and that page starts HUGE with Sukuna making Gojo's handsign for his DE again and it ends even BIGGER with GOJO being BACK!!

But hold on a second!

Can we be sure that this is Gojo? 🤔

Actually yes, because we have an entire catalog of clues on how he would've survived the World Ending Slash from Sukuna.

There still is the possibility that this is a trick that someone is playing against Sukuna though. Uro's CT of manipulating air might e.g. cause an illusion like this and even the narrator talks about a "spirit" which raises some questions.

But it's also said that his eyes are unmistakable and Sukuna himself seems convinced that he's the real deal.

I'm going to make a post on all the clues we got about how he survived and I'm going to refer to my original post on his survival from way back when he got bisected.

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #sukuna #yuji itadori #itadori yuuji #gojo satoru #satoru gojou #ryomen Sukuna #meta

[frankie-bell]

An Essay Exploring Psycho-Pass's Most Controversial Character

I know I’m opening a huge, slimy can of worms and potentially incurring the wrath of half the Psycho-Pass fandom, but I feel compelled to share my feelings on Mika Shimotsuki and how I believe she serves as a lightning rod for fan culture misogyny. Now, before I start, let me just say that this essay isn’t targeted at any one individual, and it’s just my personal opinion, which you are more than welcome to disagree with. I’d also like to stress that, despite my love for Mika’s character, I’m going to try my very best to approach this topic from an academic standpoint rather than an emotional one. I recently picked Parasocial Relationships and their effect on female celebrities and fictional characters as a thesis for my Gender and Media course, and it really got me thinking about this anime in particular, so here we go…

Let’s tackle the female side of things first, because it’s the one that shocks and disappoints me the most. Don’t get me wrong -- I think fandoms with a strong female presence are awesome, complex, uplifting, and oftentimes incredibly positive and inclusive spaces. I love being a female genre fan and interacting with other female genre fans. That said, I’ve noticed female fandom can sometimes fall prey to online bullying and misogynistic groupthink when it comes to (a) female characters they find arrogant, bossy, mean, etc. and (b) female characters who are positioned as potential love interests for their collective male "blorbos," "husbandos," "faves," whatever the term may be. These two things very often overlap, which I’ll touch on later, but for now, let’s talk about the first point.

There was a big movement online several years ago urging creators to “let women be mean. Let them be angry. Let them be petty and complex and difficult. Let them be messy.” I fully support this idea in both theory and practice and wish it were that simple, but unfortunately, it’s not, because uncomfortably large swaths of fandom don’t like/appreciate unapologetically mean female characters the way they do male characters. Men in fiction are allowed to be cutthroat, selfish, cruel, narcissistic, arrogant, and even evil without garnering even a fraction of the judgement that female characters receive for simply being “difficult” or “unlikable.”

Take, for instance, Shougo Makishima. The Psycho-Pass fandom at large adores this character (myself included), despite the fact that he’s a remorseless sociopath who touts the importance of free will as a wholesale excuse for murder. He is a bad person, full-stop, and yet he garners love -- even sympathy -- in abundance. He’s the subject of fawning fan fiction, chibi art, thirst tweets, and endless Reddit analysis. Fans are capable of seeing him, murderous warts and all, as a product of the warped dystopian society Sibyl has created. But Mika? Nope. Just “a bitch, a whiner, an arrogant little girl who deserves to get slapped in the mouth.” (I am not making this up. These are the type of comments I see *female* fans making left and right about her character). She receives far more hate for giving up the location of Akane’s grandmother as a blackmailed, frightened teenager than Makishima does for slashing Yuki’s throat or blowing up Masaoka. Hell, she catches more heat for Akane’s grandmother than Sakuya Togane, the woman’s actual murderer and -- I can’t stress this enough -- a 41-year-old adult man.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking -- Makishima and Togane are villains, so their personality flaws (putting it lightly) and horrible actions are essential to the narrative and indicative of good storytelling. We’re meant to “love to hate them.” All correct, and yet this doesn’t change or excuse the fact that their standing in the fandom, when compared to the equally complex and emotionally fractured Mika, is textbook pernicious misogyny. But, for the sake of argument, let’s compare Mika to another character ostensibly on the side of good -- Nobuchika Ginoza. [Note: Ginoza is my favorite character in Psycho-Pass, and any commentary regarding his PP1 shittiness is made with pure love and appreciation for him and nuanced character growth in general.]

When we first meet Ginoza, he is rude, terse, unyielding, intellectually smug, and totally unforgiving of those closest to him. He’s a brilliant character, and his behavior, no matter how insufferable and seemingly cruel, is the result of compounded trauma -- the trauma of having his father ripped away when he was only nine, the trauma of being unfairly judged for the “sins” of said latent criminal father, the trauma of his mother numbing her pain with medication and eventually becoming something akin to a human corpse, the trauma of finding a new support system and best friend in Kougami only to once again be “abandoned” for the other side of the law. In many ways, he’s still a hurt child lashing out at the world, unwilling to see it for the complicated, morally gray place that it is, because being mad is easier. Telling himself that Enforcers are nothing more than dogs for him to guide and use as shields is easier. Blindly trusting the judgements handed down by Sibyl is easier.

In this way, he and Mika are remarkably similar. When she first joins the MWPSB, she’s a 17-year-old minor whose best friend (and probably first love) was dismembered by a latent criminal under the direction of a serial killer disguising himself as a teacher -- a trusted authority figure. She’s filled with guilt and self-loathing over her failure to act, and the easiest way for her to sort out her feelings and ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again is to harden herself to all latent criminals. Distrusting them, treating them as “other,” is her form of self-preservation. Yes, it makes her come across as mean, as closed-minded, as unlikable, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s good storytelling, and it presents her with plenty of potential for growth, which she is certainly given.

[Upon discovering that her best friend, fellow Oso Academy student Kagami Kawarazaki, has been murdered by Rikako Oryo, Mika breaks down in tears, blaming herself for the tragedy. This is the moment her distrust of latent criminals is solidified.]

But, unlike Ginoza (a 28-year-old adult man), over half the fandom decided that Mika was so awful, so totally unforgivable, such a “heinous cunt,” that they were unwilling to allow her the time and space to grow beyond her trauma and immaturity. But why? Is it because we’ve been taught to judge women, even fictional ones, based on a different set of criteria than men? I think the answer is obvious, and I urge fans who dislike Mika’s character with such intensity to seriously examine their reasoning. I don’t mean to say that she’s infallible (hardly) or that it’s wrong to dislike her. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and no one person’s take is more valid than another’s, but it’s definitely something to think about in the larger conversation that is media analysis.

Which brings me to Akane Tsunemori, someone who fits all the abovementioned criteria for a “likeable” female character. [Another note: I love Akane, and none of this is meant to disparage her. I am simply trying to point out that she’s a more easily digestible female when viewed through the patriarchal lens of pop culture.] She’s smart but not arrogant about it, strong-willed but never disagreeable, empathetic but not easily led by her emotions, and most importantly, she’s always kind to the fandom’s male faves. She is, in almost every way, trademark "Best Girl" material, and Mika is her foil (at least in PP2). She’s set up to be the anti-Akane, both in personality and narrative function. If Akane trusts someone, Mika doesn’t. If Akane wants to bend the rules, Mika is rigid in upholding them. If Akane isn’t afraid of clouding her Hue, Mika is downright terrified.

Though it’s never stated outright, she probably hoped her senior Inspector would serve as a mentor figure, yet we see none of that from Akane, who often abandons Mika to chase down seemingly wild leads and appears to be stuck in the past, yearning for the original Division 01. (Mika even says as much to Ginoza in a novelization of the first film.) On top of that, I think it’s important to remember that we’re predisposed to side with Akane, as she is both our POV protagonist *and* the hero of the narrative. We have unprecedented access to her private moments, motivations, and methodology. We know she means well and trust that her unconventional strategy will pay off in the end. Mika does not. All she knows is that her direct superior is habitually breaking the rules, overloading her team with what feels like excessive busywork, and ignoring the more bureaucratic side of the job in favor of unconventional/unsanctioned detective work. If I’m being perfectly honest, I would also be submitting concerned reports to my boss.

[When Akane blatantly disregards Sibyl's judgement of bomber Akira Kitazawa, talking him down from a Crime Coefficient of 302 to 299, Mika confronts her for putting both their colleagues and nearby civilians in danger. This later proves to be the right call, as Kitazawa attacks Inspector Risa Aoyanagi and escapes police custody.]

[While investigating Kirito Kamui, Akane keeps her suspicions/theories close to the chest, leaving Mika and the rest of Division 01 in the dark as to her game plan.]

[Although Akane's decision to entrust Hinakawa with all 185 Halos proves to be the right one, it's understandable why Mika is taken aback by her placing so much responsibility on a single subordinate -- especially one with Hinakawa's history.]

Now, that’s not to say Mika’s feelings about Akane are purely altruistic. She’s definitely jealous of her senior Inspector and resents her standing within the Bureau, which makes her behave in ways both petty and vindictive. But I’d argue that this, too, is understandable, if not wholly forgivable, when viewed through Mika’s eyes. Picture this: You’re the youngest-ever recruit to a highly coveted position. You follow protocol to a T, are deferential to your superiors, and show a genuine aptitude for the job. Even your callousness toward the Enforcers (again, your childhood best friend was butchered by a latent criminal) is in accordance with Sybil’s will. Shitty, yes, but standard for someone raised within the Orwellian hellscape of 2100s Japan. And yet, everyone around you prefers your senior Inspector. Your subordinates defer to her when you’re the officer in charge (Hinakawa) and even help her game the system (Ginoza). The Chief tells you you’re boring, but displays obvious favoritism toward her. This severely harms your self-esteem and colors the way you interact with everyone around you. After all, it’s hard to feel like a valued member of the team when you’re being undermined and lectured at every turn. This doesn’t excuse Mika’s behavior, and if she didn’t evolve, I might understand some of the hate, but she does evolve. Spectacularly. She’s just not Akane, and that’s okay.

[While dealing with the hostage situation in PP2, Mika notices Hinakawa working on something off to the side. When she confronts him about it, he admits that he's acting on Akane's orders, even though Mika is technically the officer in charge.]

[A similar incident occurs in Sinners of the System: Case. 1, when Ginoza shoots down Mika's (admittedly ridiculous) plan, which she interprets as him once again siding with Akane over her.]

Again, this is good storytelling at work, and you can acknowledge that these two women are diametrically opposed and still appreciate -- hell, even like -- both of them for the well-written characters they are. After all, most Psycho-Pass fans like both Kougami and Ginoza in PP1 despite their many differences, not to mention the fact that Ginoza is (and I say this with love) a giant asshole. Let’s not forget, he was *this close* to microwaving Kougami at Chief Kasei’s behest. You can tell yourself he wouldn’t have, but are you sure? Are you really sure? But we forgive him, because he’s a man. Anyway, back to Akane and Mika. For reasons I’ll never understand, many fans find it borderline impossible to love two women with beef, whether it’s one-sided or mutual. There can only be one Best Girl, and everyone better be on her team. It reminds me of the Sansa vs. Daenerys discourse that gripped the Game of Thrones fandom in its last few seasons. This is doubly ridiculous in Psycho-Pass’s case, because Akane and Mika come to trust, respect, and depend on each other. But people decided to hate this 19-year-old forever, so none of that matters.

[Notice how Ginoza's gaze narrows ominously in the last frame, suggesting he might actually have pulled the trigger, thereby killing his best friend, had Akane not intervened.]

Now, let’s return to my earlier point about certain fans irrationally hating any female character they deem unworthy of their blorbo, husbando, etc. This is where Parasocial Relationships become extremely interesting. As mentioned above, Ginoza is my favorite character in Psycho-Pass, which I think is pretty common. While I myself have never been one for self-insertion or creating OCs to pair with my favorite characters, I understand that it’s a popular trend, and if you enjoy it, more power to you. It becomes problematic, however, when those who engage in self-shipping/OC-shipping decide to collectively gang up on the female character creators have paired (or hinted at pairing) with the object of their affection. Enter GinoMika. Now, I know what you’re thinking -- “But Mika’s a lesbian!” I don’t necessarily agree. Do I think she was in love with her best friend at Oso Academy? Yes. Do I think she had a crush on Yayoi at the beginning of PP2? Yes. Do I also think it’s obvious she currently has feelings for Ginoza, which have been steadily growing since Sinners of the System? Absolutely. For this reason, I interpret her as being both bisexual and demisexual. But that’s beside the point --

The point is that many Ginoza fans who ship him with themselves, their OCs, or Akane (remember, she’s Best Girl) seem to enjoy trashing on Mika like it’s an Olympic sport. And when I say “trashing,” I don’t mean your normal yet still disappointing level of ship nonsense; I mean unhinged, violent rhetoric that makes me feel like the Internet is a place where women can never win. And why? Because she was mean to him when she first started working for the MWPSB? As if he was oh-so-kind to the Enforcers who worked under him. I seem to recall him screaming at his father and threatening to “make him pay” for visiting his sick wife without permission. Oh, and then there was the time he introduced Akane to her new colleagues by telling her, “Don’t think that the guys you’re about to meet are humans like us.” But yes, Mika once told him that she didn’t want his opinion as a latent criminal, which is so much worse. And before you can say that she’s still a bitch to him, let me point out that she is a textbook tsundere. That’s how she flirts, shows affection, etc. She can never come right out and say what she means, because that would make her vulnerable. But she can surreptitiously tell Ginoza he better come back alive by insisting he return her special Dominator. You know, because it would be a real hassle if she had to replace that thing.

[The language Ginoza uses when introducing Akane to the Enforcers, including his own best friend and father, is deeply dehumanizing.]

[When Aoyanagi takes Masaoka to visit his estranged wife, Ginoza reacts with explosive anger, reprimanding his father in front of their colleagues and threatening to retaliate should he do it again.]

Which brings us, at long last, to the male portion of the fandom. While many female fans like to call Mika out for her more negative character traits, completely ignoring any and all growth she’s experienced since PP2, male fans tend to direct their anger, dislike, etc. in a much more aggressive manner. I wish I was exaggerating when I say that I’ve seen multiple posts praying for Mika’s rape and subsequent murder. You can’t dive into a single “Season 4 Wish List” thread without finding at least one person wishing extreme ill on Mika Shimotsuki. It's pure misogyny, classic “I’ll fuck the bitch right out of her” rhetoric, and it has no place in this fandom or any other. You would never see a male character being talked about in these terms. Consider this: There’s more fan fiction featuring Mika being raped or coerced into sex by her tormentor, Sakuya Togane, than her having a positive, consensual experience with any other character. Love her or hate her, that is extremely fucked up. We as a fandom need to do better, because once this type of misogyny can be weaponized against fictional characters, it becomes much easier to use against real people. Fan culture, though it might seem trivial, says a lot about us and our values.

[This is just a sampling of the comments you'll find on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, and other social media sites.]

That said, I’d like to end this essay on a more positive note, so let’s take a look at all the ways in which Mika has become a better, more compassionate human being over the course of the series...

By PP3, she shows obvious concern for her Enforcers, values their opinions, and treats them like integral members of her team. In an especially cute scene, she even fist-bumps Tenma Todoroki after they work seamlessly to defeat Koichi Azusawa’s henchmen. She also makes a point to attend the party thrown in the Enforcers’ quarters, as she now longs to be part of the gang -- a gang she would have actively shunned in PP2. 

[During First Inspector, Mika shows time and again that she's willing to work with and for her Enforcers.]

[As Chief, Mika realizes that Enforcers deserve respect and gratitude from their superiors. They are no longer dogs to her.]

[In PP2, Mika tells Ginoza she doesn't care what the Enforcers think of her. By PP3, however, we see her display concern that her team might find her dull. She wants to be liked and accepted by them.]

She becomes far more flexible with her co-workers, allowing Inspectors Arata Shindo and Kei Mikhail Ignatov plenty of freedom to conduct investigations as they see fit. Yes, she consistently scolds them (textbook tsundere behavior), but this is done in a manner far more humorous than anything else. We know she actually trusts them and has their best interests at heart; she just can’t bring herself to say it aloud. She also repeatedly takes heat from Chief Hosorogi on their behalf and is genuinely worried for Arata when it seems like Sibyl might “eliminate” him. The palpable relief on her face when she finds out he’s allowed to remain an Inspector speaks volumes.

[Throughout PP3, Mika allows Kei and Arata to play to their individual strengths, even if it means bending the rules -- something she would never have done in PP2 or the first film.]

[Just look at that excited face. No caption necessary.]

She goes out of her way to make sure the immigrant prostitutes saved by religious leader Joseph Auma are protected following his death. This is an especially big deal, since many of these individuals are latent criminals, and Mika is forced to ask her newfound nemesis, Frederica Hanashiro, for a favor in order to secure their safety. When she tries to pretend it’s no big deal, Frederica calls her bluff by pointing out that no one would stoop to asking someone they hate for help in order to protect people whose fates they don’t care about.

[Even though Mika detests Frederica, she puts the well-being of the immigrants before her own pride.]

In Sinners of the System: Case. 1, her distrust of latent criminals is permanently altered after dealing with Izumi Yasaka, whom she works tirelessly to rescue and comes to view as brave, capable, and worthy of reintegration into society. She also displays genuine concern for and lack of discrimination toward Takeya Kukuri, the young son of a latent criminal, and is horrified to discover that the latent criminal inmates at Sanctuary are being used as disposable tools to move nuclear waste canisters.

[Sinners of the System: Case. 1 marks a decided shift in the way Mika views latent criminals. Instead of lumping them all together, she begins to see them as individuals who deserve basic human rights.]

[Even though Mika is unable to save all the latent criminals at Sanctuary, she does everything in her power to ensure Yasaka and Takeya walk away clean.]

When Enforcer Mao Kisaragi turns out to be the “fox within the CID,” Mika and the rest of Division 01 are united in supporting her claim of innocence. Mika trusts (without concrete proof, mind you) that she’s telling the truth about being an unwitting accomplice, something she never would have done in PP2 or even the first film.  

[While the old Mika would have been the first person to distrust Kisaragi, here we see her standing up for the beleaguered Enforcer.]

She comes to respect Division 01 (Akane, Ginoza, Sugo, Hinakawa, Kunizuka, and Shion), views them as a surrogate family, and misses them once their unit is disbanded. In Sinners of the System: Case. 3, Frederica Hanashiro, who temporarily worked as part of their unit, says, “CID Division 01… They’re not just capable; they have a rare teamwork that overcomes the barrier between Inspectors and Enforcers.” Yes, this is mostly due to Akane’s guiding influence, but it’s clear Frederica is talking about the whole team. It’s taken Mika years to get there, but she is now definitely part of the group, not a jealous outsider looking in. In fact, even Mika’s obvious dislike of Frederica in PP3 is a clear result of this affection. After finally finding a place to belong, she feels as though Frederica swooped in and stole her found family, leaving her right back where she started -- on the outside.

[Though she'll never admit it, Mika views Ginoza as both a mentor and a friend. When he leaves the PSB to join SAD/MOFA, she misses having him around.]

[During her lowest moment in PP2, a jealous Mika actually hopes that Akane's Hue will darken. In Sinners of the System: Case. 2, she pleads with her to take her own safety more seriously. It's clear a big change has occurred in the intervening years.]

[Instead of feeling constant competition with Akane, by PP3, Mika is finally able to give her her due. It's clear they trust and respect each other despite their many differences.]

She’s grown from an immature young woman who couldn’t bring herself to take responsibility for her failures -- most notably her involvement in Akane’s grandmother’s murder -- to a responsible PSB Chief who holds herself accountable for anything that goes wrong with her Inspectors and Enforcers. This is most evident in her reaction to Koichi Azusawa taking control of Nona Tower and subsequently endangering the lives of MWPSB faculty and agents. We first see inklings of this change near the end of PP2, when Kunizuka tells Mika she’ll never forgive the person who gave up Aoi Tsunemori’s location, and Mika responds in kind. It’s clear that she’s not merely parroting a response to save her own skin but is deeply troubled and filled with regret over her own actions.

[In PP2, Mika is constantly blaming others for her mistakes. By First Inspector, she's owning mistakes she didn't even make.]

[Mika trusts her team so much, she's willing to put her job on the line.]

[Although Mika doesn't come clean to Kunizuka about her role in Aoi Tsunemori's death, it's clear she’s haunted by it. Later, when she confesses the truth to Ginoza, he admits to feeling a similar guilt over the way he treated his late father, telling Mika they'll have to bear their respective shame silently for the rest of their lives.]

And lastly, I believe the biggest example of Mika's growth can be found in what is arguably her most important relationship -- the one she shares with Ginoza. Whether you view them as mentor/mentee, begrudging friends, potential love interests, or all three, you can't deny that they have one of the most interesting and entertaining dynamics in the series. As mentioned above, when Mika first meets Ginoza, she views him as a cautionary tale. His demotion from Inspector to Enforcer is her worst nightmare, something that could conceivably happen to her, though she'll never admit it. Because of this, she treats him with hostility, disregarding his opinions and shunning his advice. But the longer they work together, the more we realize that Ginoza brings out the best in Mika -- and vice-versa. His calm, cool demeanor tempers her fiery spirit, and her enthusiasm makes him feel like he still has a purpose. By the time PP3 rolls around, he's become her #1 confidant, the person she calls whenever she has intel to share, grievances to air, etc. And you can't deny that Mika is the one person who makes Ginoza funny. Their flirtatious banter is genuinely charming and shows the softer, more human side of both their characters.

[Given her history with latent criminals, Mika refuses to listen to Ginoza, even when he's coming from a place of experience and genuinely trying to help her.]

[After working together for several years, Mika learns to value Ginoza's opinion and even feels proud when he compliments her.]

[During the Sanctuary case, Ginoza admits to both Akane and himself that being an Enforcer isn't so bad, as long as Mika is the one calling the shots. He knows she has a good heart, and working for her reminds him why he joined the MWPSB in the first place.]

[Notice how Mika's body language changes from PP2 to Sinners of the System. She now looks at Ginoza with appreciation and, in certain instances, affection. The fact that he views her the same way speaks volumes about how far their relationship has come.]

If you made it to the end of this mammoth post, thank you for sticking with me. Hopefully, we can all treat Mika with a little more patience, kindness, and respect when PP4 arrives.

#psycho pass #psycho-pass #pp #shimotsuki mika #tsunemori akane #ginoza nobuchika #ginomika #ginoza x mika #anime #animanga #anime meta #women in anime #women in media #feminism #tsundere #my meta #text post #fandom discourse #did i really write a 4000 word essay defending an anime character? #you fucking bet i did #and i brought receipts

[mrsdesade]

golden frames and watercolor (headcanons of a museum date with Loki)

Timeline: after Thor Ragnarok

TW: no one

Pairing: Loki x female!y/n

Note: I always thought about Loki being fascinated by human art and poetry, so what is going to happen If you decide to bring him to a museum date? Let's see 🎨

he's so curious when you tell him that you've organised something special just for the two of us for the day

but he was offended when you revealed him that you paid for his ticket, he still has difficult to accept gifts event from you (but inside he's melting and he's so grateful)

when Loki leads you through the museum, his hidden malice is evident in the way he points out subtle details in the artworks

when you both pause in front of a surrealist painting, he offers an unconventional interpretation that leaves you both laughing

"My dear, look, the art of deception. These paintings tell stories, just like you and I."

"Hopefully, our story has a happier ending than some of these artworks."

always hold your hand as you navigate through the art-filled halls

when you find a hidden corner in the museum, Loki conjures a small illusion, and make the painting looks animated just for seeing your eyes shining in admiration

with his enchantments he deactivated the alarm and let you touch the canvas so you can feel the ancient texture

you can catch him looking silently at some little painting, realizing that even the God of Mischief can be captivated by simple beauty

"Loki, I never thought I'd see you admire a watercolor."

"Watercolor has a delicate beauty, much like... vulnerability. Don't tell anyone I said that."

he's mesmerized by all the golden frames full of baroques details, at the point he wants to buy some for himself

"Would you like me to buy one of these my dear?"

"LOKI THIS IS AN ORIGINAL FRAGONARD."

he might challenges you to a friendly competition of finding the most beautiful canvas (of course he's going to support only his opinion)

he definitely wraps his long coat around your shoulders as you both explore a section of the museum with a chill in the air

sometimes he whispering you how beautiful you are, just to making you smile and adding a bit of sweetness

"These paintings capture the essence of mortals and their fleeting emotions."

"Is that a hint of sentiment I detect, Loki?"

"Sentiment? No, just an observation. Though, I must admit, the company does add a certain warmth to the experience."

as you explore a contemporary art exhibit, Loki playfully mimics some of the avant-garde poses of the sculptures, making you laugh

spotting an interactive exhibit, Loki challenges you to a friendly game of art-related trivia, showcasing his extensive knowledge with a mischievous grin

when you both stumble upon a live art performance, Loki, appreciating the theatrics, subtly incorporates some magical effects to enhance the experience

If the museum has a VR art installation, and you insist on trying it together he's going to make fun of you because he thought it's something just for children, but then he's going to try it just for you

"I can do thousands times better with my magic, how could you enjoy such a simple thing? It's like a little TV too close to your eyes."

in a quiet moment he create with magic two sketchbooks and pencils, inviting you to sketching together, each capturing your unique perspectives on the exhibits

you come across a mirror exhibit, and Loki can't resist making a few illusions within the mirrors, creating a mesmerizing dance of reflections

"Loki, do you have a favorite piece so far?"

"Much like love, art is a complex emotion. But that landscape over there has a certain charm."

as the day comes to a close, Loki surprises you with a classic red rose and something bought at the art shop just for you, it's his way to thank you for the date together

the funny thing is that you bought something for him as well (probably a book of poetry) so it's a funny moment of you two exchanging gifts outside the museum

"But...you know dear, mixed with silence, there was a certain chaos inside this building."

"Are you referring to the art exhibition or our relationship?

"Perhaps both. Chaos keeps things interesting."

the results is that from that day, he started to bringing you to all most famous museums on Earth

That's it! 💚 As an artist this post came out straight from my heart, hope you enjoyed as much I did while I was writing it~

#loki laufeyson #loki series #marvel #my post #loki fanfic #loki fluff #loki x female reader #loki x y/n #loki x you #loki headcanons #loki x reader #loki #writers on tumblr #marvel fanfiction #marvel headcanons #writing

[shankschewtoy]

HIIII!!! How are you today ??? Me it’s fine, the school is soooooo boring 😩!!!!

BUT it’s not my request 😂

I wish I have a hcs with ace, sanji, zoro and (if you want) your favourite anime character.💃✨

I want to know you better!🙈🙈

with an s/o that is REALLY hard to make her blush, like they are never see the s/o blush! But one day the boys give/say some relatively simple things (ex: they give them a flower or they say "I like your smell") and the s/o *poof* she’s red, like really, when it is EXTREMELY difficult to make her blush !

If your not like it ignore it! I don’t want to you feel uncomfortable 😣

SOOO!!! Take care of youuuu! 💜

a/n - HI HI! <3 I always love seeing your requests 🥺 I’m doing alright thank you!! :0 my FAVORITE CHARACTER? omg you’re giving me too much freedom- 😭 I’d love to get to know you better as well 💜 tysm for this request, I hope you like it, take care <3

Warnings ⚠️ - fem reader, fluff, honestly this is just plain happiness :)

It’s the small things <3

Ace

- ace tries so hard to get you to blush, but has had no success with you

- He’s tried everything! Flirty words, classic pickup lines (they’re rlly bad ones btw lmao) everything!

- the poor fire boy has been defeated :(

- He’s given up in his endeavors, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love on you any less!!

- today, when you both were just relaxing outside, shoulder to shoulder as happy as can be

- Ace smiled at you, he couldn’t believe how he found someone as perfect as you. Not just beautiful, but perfect for him

- who else would deal with this man’s narcolepsy?!

- … mhm that’s right.

- he took his hat off with one hand, and put it on your head with a grin, keeping his hand on top of your head while he leaned close to you, placing a kiss on your lips

- It was just a kiss, like the many before.. yet why was this one so- different?

- it was passionate even though it was only a second, the warmth and love of it spread throughout your body like wildfire, making your cheeks heat up

- Ace looked at your cheeks, and he looked shocked

- You.. Were blushing?!

- His pride was short lived because he collapsed face first into you, snoring away like many times before

- You were still flustered by his actions

- This man had the audacity to just do that and fall asleep?!

- welp- that was your man after all. Fire fist ace. He’ll fall asleep at the absolute worst possible times just for comedic effect 👍

Sanji

- this man is ROMANTIC

- you know what I mean lmao

- he doesn’t miss a beat on doing things for you, he’ll do anything for you and you don’t even have to think about asking for it

- tea/coffee? Of course

- A full course meal? Easy

- this man LIVES to do things for you

- You never really get flustered by all of his actions though, and he’s gotten used to that

- it’s not that you don’t appreciate him! It’s just that it’s extremely hard to get you to blush

- he knows that, but- he’s absolutely dying to see you blush just once in his life, then he can die a happy cook

- You were sitting down on a chair, back from a long day of work that wore out your body

- Sanji was in the kitchen, making dinner for the both of you, but you smelled something familiar

- Almost the scent of your favorite childhood meal? (Mine was musubi :) but just picture yours hehe)

- maybe you were just so tired that you were “smelling” things??

- you didn’t even know if that was possible but- it was happening

- Sanji wouldn’t know of that right?

- He brought out a plate of food, and he leaned over from behind your chair, placing a kiss to your forehead like the gentleman he is

- “Dinner, darling.” He said with a smile, sitting down on the sofa next to you

- He took notice of your lack of energy pretty quickly, and decided to try and help out a bit

- He held a piece of food in front of your mouth, much to your surprise

- He was- hand feeding you.. like a child.

- your cheeks immediately flushed a deep red, how long had it been since someone had fed you?!

- Sanji looked concerned, “My love, do you not like the smell?”

- “Wh- no! It’s just that I haven’t been.. hand fed in a really long time.. and I haven’t eaten this in a long while.” You replied, trying to hide your flushed cheeks

- Sanji could die a happy man, at least he knew he did something right :)

- your face was absolutely adorable to him- he wished he could’ve taken a picture and engraved it into his memory

- he smiled at you, and continued to feed you slowly, asking about your other favorite meals and how to make them so he could make them for you in the future

- The food was absolutely delicious like usual, but with Sanji feeding you, it was 10x better lmao

- moral of the story? Sanji made your favorite foods from your childhood, and even present more often :D

Zoro

- he’s not the romantic type of guy like Sanji, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t demonstrate his love!

- Zoro prefers to just hold hands, or just have you near him, so none of his actions have really provoked or caused you to blush

- He’s not a perverted love cook, nothing wrong with that!

- He’s a pretty chill guy, and is perfectly happy with napping next to you, cuddling with you, holding hands, and just sitting together!

- He appreciates the loving silence you two have together :)

- As you know, Zoro is a very strong guy, so his arms are pretty bulky and muscular

- after he finished his training session for the day, he walked towards you, without a shirt and a towel wrapped around his neck

- you waved to him before going back to whatever you were doing, but it seemed as though Zoro needed more attention today

- his hand wrapped around your waist from behind and he whispered into your ear, “Can you meet me in the room in a bit? I wanna nap with you.” Is all he said

- But it was how he said it

- His low voice almost rang in your ears, sending chills down your spine, your face heating up and already turning red without Zoro noticing

- He didn’t even say anything weird- he just wanted a nap- 😭

- oh the things this moss head could do to you

- (yes don’t worry you napped with Zoro lmao)

Koby

- this boy is already flustered by every single one of your actions 💀

- he’s a little baby and kind of gets flustered with any kind of contact he has with you still

- maybe not hugs and cuddles, but DEFINITELY kisses and such

- One time you were worried he was turning blue because he stopped breathing from shock (actually he was as red as a tomato-)

- He was leaving soon on a mission for the marines

- As a captain, Koby did have a lot of responsibilities, but you were still his top priority, so it was hard for him to leave you for a little while

- Koby looked a bit nervous about something other than his mission, so you asked him about it before he left

- “Here! Y/n.. I have something to give you.” He took out a bandana almost identical to his, daisies and all, just your favorite color :)

- “I thought that maybe.. we could match! It’s ok if you don’t want it though.” He said with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head nervously

- Your cheeks were tinted pink, almost like his hair as you stared at the thoughtful gift

- Your heart was about to melt. Koby had made this just for you! And he took the time to make it your favorite color 🥺

- “I love it! Can you put it on my head?” You asked him with a smile, your cheeks flushed a bright red

- He looked like his whole world just lit up from your smile, he excitedly started tying it on your head, making sure it wasn’t uncomfortable for you

- “Thank you Koby, I love it.” You said, kissing his cheek, leaving him speechless, as well as the color of a tomato

- “KOBY! WE HAVE TO GO!” Helmeppo’s voice shouted from afar. Koby reluctantly gave you one last tight squeeze before he finally got the guts to pull you close to him, slamming his lips against yours

- The kiss was longing, you could tell it was a goodbye

- It left you breathless, blushing madly as Koby waved goodbye to you as he ran towards the departing ship of soldiers

- Koby did it, he made you blush :)

a/n - koby’s one of my favorite one piece characters :) sorry for the wait! I’ve been a bit busy with school 💀

#one piece #one piece x reader #one piece hcs #anime hcs #roronoa zoro #zoro x reader #zoro x y/n #zoro one piece #sanji one piece #sanji x y/n #sanji x reader #sanji headcanons #vinsmoke sanji #ace x y/n #ace x reader #ace one piece #portgas d. ace #koby one piece #koby x reader

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Absolutely banger content!! Love it! When Kaz calls Inej "treasure of my heart" he's cheapening an otherwise meaningful phrase. Do you think he is being totally sarcastic or is he deadpanning his feelings to a degree? Because a little later he describes another time he said something cold-blooded to Inej and says to himself "in moments like that he thought she might hate him." Can the second quote be used as context to explain the "treasure of my heart" quote?

Hi, thank you so much!

I definitely think that this is a prime example of using sarcasm as a defence mechanism, so although he comes across completely sarcastic - as confirmed by Inej’s reaction, which is to look pointedly at his cane and wish him a long trip down the stairs before she herself slides down the bannister - I would agree that to some degree he is voicing his genuine feelings. It could be viewed in a somewhat self-destructive nature, because by voicing these feelings in a manner that he knows will elicit a negative response from Inej he can use it as evidence for her not returning his affection and therefore use it as a reason not express his feelings in any real way - claiming that she won’t be interested, when actually he simply has a massively debilitating fear of being vulnerable bred in him by Rollins and the general attitudes/environment of the gangs in the Barrel (and arguably to some degree Jordie as well; by trying to protect his younger brother he doesn’t necessarily convey the full severity of their situation when they first arrive in Ketterdam, inadvertently leading to the belief that such vulnerabilities should never be spoken of or discussed becoming a highly complex and difficult aspect of Kaz’s character)

When Kaz comments “in moments like that, he thought she might hate him” it’s coming off the back of him effectively defending the appropriation of Inej’s culture. She is horrified to see the Suli Jackal masks on sale and being worn by pleasure seekers in Ketterdam, because they should only be worn by Suli seers and are “sacred symbols”. In return, Kaz says that he’s seen the seers “ply their trade on party boats and in pleasure houses” and that “they didn’t seem very holy”, and when she says that “they are pretenders” and “they’re laughing at you behind those masks” he responds coolly that he would never pay to have his fortune told, whether it was from a conman or a holy man. When Inej is visibly upset by this conversation, he comments that he wonders if she hates him, and I think that a large aspect of this is because he is the only person who knows what she went through to its fullest extent. And the specifically relevant aspect of what he knows here, is that Inej was forced to appropriate her culture herself when she was at the Menagerie (slight tangent, but so was Nina, it’s very interesting, I’ve mentioned it in a post before). Inej describes her room at the Menagerie to be a farcical mockery of a Suli caravan, she was forced to “donn false Suli silks”, and it’s even mentioned that the only reason she was ‘the lynx’ is that the Jackal masks were seen as unattractive - “but what man would want to bed a Jackal? So instead, the Suli girl - and the Menagerie always stocked a Suli girl - wore the lynx”. What a quote. What. A. Quote. Starting with the Jackal, it makes it clear that there are no lines that won’t be crossed, and that’s emphasised by other girls at the Menagerie wearing animals sacred to their countries such as the Fjerdan woman being the wolf, and that the only reason Inej didn’t have to wear an outfit similar to the one she’s so horrified by here is that it couldn’t be sexualised and exploited the same way the lynx could. And then we have “and the Menagerie always stocked a Suli girl”. Wow. That gets me every time I read it. There are two main things I want to comment on in this quote, so I’ll start with “stocked”. This singular world is so dehumanising; the idea that the women and girls at the Menagerie are seen as stock, produce, literal consumables that can be bought and traded and sold. There’s also the point that Inej herself is the one using this word, and I think it’s left purposefully ambiguous as to whether this is a satirical usage of the word on her behalf as a criticism of the culture surrounding pleasure houses and cultural appropriation in Kerch (although more specifically Ketterdam), or if it’s the product of indoctrination to this toxic culture - similar to Nina’s horror at releasing that the appropriation and disdain for foreigners she’s been surrounded by has actually led her to judge traditional Ravkan dress as old-fashioned in Crooked Kingdom (I think it’s chapter 13). The second thing about this quote I want to mention is “always”. “Always”. It so subtly introduces so early on in the books the deeply ingrained over-sexualisation of Suli culture, which is evidenced time and time again but most specifically in the ‘Rare Spices’ billboard that Inej describes un Crooked Kingdom. I could talk about that billboard for DAYS so I won’t go into it here because this is already a long post.

But I think it’s incredibly important that Kaz knows all of this when he makes these comments, every time he mocks her gods or her “depressing Suli wisdom”, he knows that he is part of a culture that dehumanises and sexualises and appropriates and reduces everything about who she is, and he knows that it’s hurting her, of course it would hurt her anyway, but especially hurting her because she was forced to do it herself as a cherry on top of the worst year in Inej’s life, a year made of unending pain and terror. But arguably this is once again all that self-destructive nature; the pushing her away, similarly to the sarcasm as a defence mechanism, because it is easier to hate than to love, and because if she hates him then he never has to be vulnerable with her.

Oh wow I just looked at that and realised it’s way longer than I thought, sorry about that… Thank you for reading it, and thank you so much for the question this was really interesting to think about! :)

#grishaverse #leigh bardugo #six of crows #crooked kingdom #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #nina zenik #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #kanej #kanej brainrot #kanej my beloved #kanej supremacy #analysis #fantasy books #book analysis #long post #amita suman #freddy carter

[elliemarchetti]

Comfort in Times of Pain

A longish entry for prompt 21 of @wolfstarmicrofic

Prompt: Magical Accidents

Words: 962

When he threw the hex, Sirius was convinced it would hit the target. He had invented the spell with James, and although he was certain it would work, he needed someone to test its effects on, and who better than a member of the Slytherin Gang? The only problem was that, although he didn't like to admit it, he had been wrong, and now he found himself with terrible wounds similar to cold burns that tormented his right arm.

“It was just a little accident, there’s no need to worry,” he had told Remus when his roommate had found him in the midst of medicating himself with an ointment they made during Potions. The mixture was already dampening his pain, but it was difficult to apply the right amount in the desired places with his left hand while he was busy preventing the liquid bleeding from his injuries from staining his uniform and sheets.

“An accident you won’t repeat because you will never try to use that enchantment again,” Moony muttered as he sat next to him, and despite the serious expression on his face, he had rolled up the sleeves of his already crumpled shirt and had begun, with delicate and expert fingers, accustomed to the injuries he often inflicted on himself during his monthly transformations, to cover him with the milky coloured lotion.

“I don’t understand how could you be so reckless after…” he started, but words died on his tongue when he met Sirius’ grey eyes. In normal situations, when they only acted as friends and were with the rest of the Marauders, Sirius managed to hide the enormous crush he had on Remus. He wasn’t sure when it had started, perhaps when he had consoled him after his disastrous breakup with Marlene, which occurred solely because of him and his damned passion for flirting with anything that breathed. It was his way of masking the countless insecurities that living in Grimmauld Place, under the same roof as Walburga and with relatives like Bellatrix and her parents coming and going every day, left him, but the beautiful blonde didn’t like it, and in the end jealousy had led them to no longer be able to even look at each other without shouting insults. When everyone else, anyone with a crumble of sense, had agreed with her, Moony was understanding, and to calm him down he had taken him for a long walk on the shores of the Great Lake. They had competed to see who bounced the flats stones the most times on the water’s surface, and Sirius had forgotten about his problems when Remus had started telling him interesting facts about everything around them. He was like an encyclopaedia, full of knowledge about the plants, the animals, the history, and the geography of the place, and it made Sirius ponder more about his character, how there was a quiet passion in everything he pursued, which also spilled over into his way of loving others. Within a few months, Sirius had found himself wanting to be on the receiving end of his love, and not just the platonic kind.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, his voice lower than before, a hint of blush creeping on his scarred cheeks.

“Like what?” replied Sirius, but he was quite sure he already knew the answer. Usually, he didn’t allow himself to focus too much on the aesthetic details that made Remus Lupin a living work of art, but when he was sure he couldn’t notice, like when they watched James’ Quidditch matches and he was so absorbed in the game, or when they studied in the library, he casted furtive glances at him to imprint in his mind the precise location of his freckles – scarce, but he was sure he had at least three on his nose – or the exact hint of green of his perpetually tired eyes. Although no one, not even his best friend, knew it, Sirius was an excellent painter. It was a suitable pastime for someone of his rank, or at least that’s what his family though, as long as he didn’t plan on making it a profession. Anyway, he had never cared too much about the opinion of those who considered him little more than a disgrace they had to erase from the family tree, so he had continued to follow his passion in secret, sketching the faces of everyone he loved in a notebook he took out from its hiding place between the mattress and the bed slats only when night had long fallen and everyone else was asleep. He rarely portrayed the same subject twice, with the exception of Moony, of whom he had started at least a dozen portraits without ever managing to finish them, dissatisfied with how the pencil made his features too harsh and at the same time too mundane. Remus was contemplative beauty, the tragic outcome of pride mixed with innocence, someone who had been touched by cruelty and came out even kinder and wiser. All of this was written in his subdued smile, in the way his eyelashes touched the top of his cheeks when he looked down in embarrassment, and try as he might, there was no way to convey this on paper, but it was still sacrilege not to make an attempt.

“Like you want to kiss me,” he answered, the exact words Sirius dreamed to hear him pronounce a thousand times.

“Maybe I do,” was all he could muster to say, all the other words he knew flying out of his brain. Was it just his imagination, or was he really leaning in?

“Maybe you should,” whispered Remus, and before he could change his mind, Sirius covered the distance between their lips.

#wolfstarmicrofic #sirius black #remus lupin #marauders era #actually i'm kinda proud of this one #even if it's unbetaed #hope you enjoy

[kaeyx]

Seeing the talk about cat boys and the few mentions of Atsushi being a regular catboy is crazy because that man is already a tiger catboy and everyone is sleeping on the concept of a feral little catboy. he’s only sweet in personality even if he never intents to be mean or scary. Like I think he’s have sharp claws and sandpaper tongue and sharp yellow eyes that make people weary to approach him even if he tries his hardest to play nice and hide them. He chuffs (tigers can’t purr) and full body rubs against you when he’s happy and content and wants to show you he loves you. He doesn’t need to do anything but bare his teeth and claws (barely even hisses, it’s that effective) at someone else when they make either of you uncomfortable or he gets jealous that they’re getting to close. They do say tigers are solitary animals so perhaps he is happy with just you and a few other dear ones in his life. He naps most of the time under the sun or under the bed (warm places) but he loses all fatigue when he hears the door open and sees you walk in after a long day. Sometimes he scares the shit out of you when you look into a dark hallways and see bright yellow eyes glowing the dark.

He hates wearing clothes cause he’s so much more sensitive and the clothes are itchy so you buy him very very soft and often sheer clothes that do little to hide his cute, fat little peach and thick thighs, soft nipples poking through the fabric and pretty cock on display. I really can’t decide if I want him to be hung like a horse and more than capable of rearranging a few of your organs, or have a cute little cock (or a pretty little tdick!!!) that you can play with or slap or ignore when Fucking him with a huge monster strap with an equally huge knot at the base. Maybe a huge cock that you use to a replica dildo, telling him how he’s getting fucked by his own cock and asking him if he’s enjoying being bred like a bitch in heat. His heats are unbearable and he has a whole collection of toys he needs to make it easy on you. Tons of unrealistically huge toys he loves to fuck himself on (that you’re sure would kill someone if they weren’t atsushi) and plug himself with cause he hates being empty. Many princess fat princess plugs and vibrators and fleshlights to use when you’re too busy or when you’re too tired and need s break.

N knee ways, I think he’d be a monster in bed but too in love and too sweet to go loose fully. Or at least not for a long time. He loses himself once in a while when he’s too stressed and lost in the sauce, claws scraping and slicing against skin, fangs digging themselves anywhere they can, and cock bruising your insides from how hard he’s fucking you. It would be so so easy for him to crush and kill you if he’s not careful with it. You will be a walking bruise when he comes back to it and apologizes so much. Licks you up with his tongue and if you want, licks all his cum out of you. Body incredibly physically strong despite being deceptively slender or covered in soft muscle and fat. If he’s feeling bratty or needy he uses it against you—holding you down and laying on top of you or making you late to work. Will even fuck you hard enough you can’t walk the next few days. If you have a cock it will feel like it’s going to fall off. It’s hard to punish him though, he’s always trying to be so good and only does what he does as a last resort measure. Also because overstim is a reward (never ending stamina and stupidly small refractory period) and edging/denial doesn’t work for long when he hits you with those teary eyes and raspy whines.

Over all incredibly expensive, pretty dangerous, and difficult to own and have such a sweet sweet boy who loves you very much

Oh Anon I am obsessed with all of this.....thankyou.....

#asks.answered #atsushi.bsd #atsushi smut #atsushi x reader

[arx-aru]

War-Dead Catacombs

This is honestly an incredible dungeon, in terms of all the subtext.

For reference! It's the one hidden in the corner of Radahn's arena where spectral Cleanrot Knights make battle with equally bodiless Radahn soldiers--

There's a number of fascinating details in here:

Like all catacombs, the halls are littered with human remains. However, these are presumably older than those of the Battle of Aeonia (because the corpses in Radahn's arena, exposed to the elements (and his cannibalistic frenzy) still have tattered surcoats, waistcloths, et cetera. These bodies, however, are mere skeletons, bereft of any clothing). So far as I can find, there's not actually any of the Radahn and Malenian battle debris assets that litter Caelid inside here. Given how ubiquitous they are, this must have been intentional. None of the bodies entombed here belong to these soldiers.

Naturally, Radahn himself is simply too large to get inside, so this place isn't actually so much a tomb as the singular point of refuge in the Wailing Dunes.

So. They've lost their flesh by the time they entered, evidently--meaning their bodies are still outside, being gorged upon by Radahn.

These are spirits of, presumably, the same variety as the Headless Knights or Latenna; that is, they are the essence of their dying will--their continued animation(as opposed to the crestfallen one-sentence spirits elsewhere) is reflective of a degree of resolve and intention at their time of death.

The final moments of the Radahn and Malenian armies, then, was to make it to this location. There are no spirits roaming outside, after all. They tried to escape Radahn and preserve, if nothing else, their dignity in death... but failed, one and all. Tricky to outrun a man who would hold up the very stars, after all.

And, of course, this is one of the very few instances of AI factions actively fighting each other... and they were near-certainly concerned, primarily, with escaping Radahn when they died. Yet they fight on. So deep is the loathing between the Radahn and Malenian hosts that they'd forgive each-other not even in death, not even having their bodily dignity violated by both their lords. Whether this is borne of unshakeable faith or hatred is difficult to say, of course, but the item descriptions of their respective armor sets might shed light(the Cleanrot Knights knew full well what would happen to them but accepted it, whereas the Radahn knights struck their lord's crest from their hearts when everything fell apart, even though Radahn's frenzy wasn't necessarily his fault. Importantly, the reliability of lordsworn armor descriptions in general seems shaky at best, so I don't put huge coin to that exact conclusion).

The movesets all these guys use is, as far as I can tell, the same as their surviving counterparts. That is to say, the cited sources of their battle arts, skills, and abilities in item descriptions hold true to their spiritual essence. In other words: so intrinsic is the rot and disability to the Cleanrot Knights that they yet retain their limp, their wings, and the rotten acid they cough and heave upon their foes. So fundamental was the martial prowess of Radahn's men that they keep Artorias spinning and spamming combo attacks--they are not in the least phased by their own death. So unshakeable is the faith of Malenia's vassals in their two gods that they still cast Miquellan magics and proc the Malenian sword insignia effects.

They actually respawn, when they finally manage to "kill" one another. Indeed, none of these people were equipped to kill the bodiless. So they'll keep fighting, again and again and forevermore, until true death do them part--if ever, even, it finds its way to their forgotten Tartarus.

Basically! After the player finally defeats Radahn and offers a small measure of closure to the Shattering, they're allowed to see what war does to the everyman's very soul.

These gods were family, once.

These soldiers, beholden to the private affairs of strangers, were comrades. Many were probably friends.

It all begs the question--was Ranni's scheme to begin the Age of Stars worth it? Is the era she'll usher in, should she even succeed, of greater meaning than how the people of the Lands Between were molested, body and soul?

Well, maybe. It's hard to say. Impossible, really.

But we might imagine what the dead would answer, if they'd not been robbed their chance to speak.

#elden ring #elden ring lore #elden ring theory #malenia #malenia blade of miquella #radahn #starscourge radahn #cleanrot knight #I like Ranni and Radahn a lot #to be clear #but the narrative they (and malenia) serve asks a more important question #than like #who best girl is #or who's right or what have you #I LIKE THIS GAME #caelid cant stop bringing in the Ws on environmental storytelling what can b said

[danshive]

Some My Next Life as a Villainess ranting inspired by seeing that volume 12 is out (and not having read it yet, only the preview text for it).

My current issue with the My Next Life as a Villainess light novels is I’m genuinely interested in Katarina’s story entirely separate from suitors, and I honestly find Geordo and Keith pursuing her more annoying than fun.

I’m interested in her friendship with Maria, and a bunch of things in the story, but I’ve felt like the “romance” with the others has been secondary, if not a distraction, for a while now.

Which probably sounds weird to some people. One of the biggest selling points of the anime was Katarina’s harem.

For me, I was heavily invested in the series before I even realized that was what it was doing (I got embarrassingly far in the manga before realizing she was going to end up with a harem), and it was because of Katarina and her kindness.

She took an axe to my sadness on a very bad day, and I’ve been invested in the series for her, not because there are women interested in her.

I mean, yes, I absolutely want her to marry Maria, but that was something I decided after several volumes of the light novel, which I read after season one of the anime.

Also, I know Katarina has a massive shield up about attraction, effectively making it difficult to confess to her and have her actually get it, but ye gods, Katarina’s harem, just spell it out for the poor girl already. Like, full on intervention.

Maybe I’ll read volume 12 this weekend and be pleasantly surprised, but I’m worried it’s going to be a Geordo-Keith fest. Maybe those two could just elope? They’d have my blessing.

#dan shive says stuff #my next life as a villainess

[marvelmusing]

An Era of Power

Part One

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Fem!Reader

Summary: Your unique ability to manipulate time has always made life difficult, forcing you to live alone for centuries. When the General of the Second Army discovers your power, your life changes forever.

Word Count: 1.4K

A/N: this series was inspired by an idea from the amazing @blanchedelioncourt who kindly allowed me to adopt the idea and create this little fic.

My Masterlist • Series Masterlist

You can remember a time before the Fold. Life had always been hard for Grisha, full of danger and fear of being discovered. When the King had appointed a Grisha as his military advisor, you had a brief glimmer of hope. That this would be the turning point for your people.

It wasn’t long before this hope was shattered. After the war in the North was won, King Anastas turned on his advisor and all Grisha suspected of following him in a supposed coup. Neighbours turned on each other, outing Grisha fugitives to the King’s army.

At the height of this uncertainty, the Fold was created, dividing Ravka with a dark curtain of shadows, and unleashing the vicious creatures - soon named Volcra - that made crossing the darkness almost impossible.

You have been lucky enough to have never entered the Fold, not in the nearly five hundred years since it was created. Your power was easy enough to disguise - discrete enough for you to use it without people’s knowledge but still remain unaffected by the wasting sickness. Your power was unique, a result of one of Morozova’s experiments with merzost when you were young. You were able to manipulate matter, and revert things to their original, or a previous state. Some might refer to it as time manipulation, if you ever trusted someone enough to show them your power. As long as you understood how something had occurred, you could reverse it. Or you could encourage something to develop at a faster speed than it would naturally. This made you particularly gifted in the gardens of the Little Palace.

If a plant had died from a lack of sunlight or water, you could reverse the effects of these ailments and find a place better suited for these plants. If a plant had become diseased, you could revert it to its healthy state. As long as no one was watching you, of course. Living amongst Grisha made you feel at home, but they could never see you as anything more than the Otkazat’sya gardener.

Because of your work in the gardens, you often helped with cleaning the stables and attending to the horses. The General’s horse, Midnight, was one of your favourites. A magnificent, black horse that has been favoured by General Kirigan over the last few years. You have also become rather fond of Midnight.

So, when you hear that he’s been injured, and that the Healers have little hope for him, you go and visit him in the stables.

The place is empty at this time in the afternoon. The stablehands prefer to work in the mornings when it’s cooler. You hum quietly to yourself as you make your way along the hay covered, stone floor. You open up the pen that Midnight’s been enclosed in, and close the gate behind you.

He’s lying down on the floor, and you quickly sit beside him.

“Hello Midnight. Heard you had a fall.” His only response is a laboured huff. Your brows crinkle in concern, and an uncomfortable pain prickles in your chest at the thought of such a gentle, loyal creature being in such pain. You reach out, stroking a hand over his neck and he attempts to lift his head up to meet your eyes.

You stare down at him, feeling incredibly downhearted at the sight of him. You know that in the long run, you will outlive this horse by several hundred years. But you’ve always struggled with staying detached from animals and people.

You lift your head up, peering into the rest of the stable, ears straining as you listen for the sound of anyone else in the vicinity. When you don’t find any, some of the tension leaves your shoulders.

Linking your fingers together, you concentrate on the break in Midnight’s leg. You know how it happened - during a Drüskelle raid the General had required a swift escape which Midnight had delivered at the expense of his leg. Since you know what happened, it makes it easier for you to reverse the break, guiding the fractured pieces back to rejoin the bone and return it to its proper place.

Midnight grunts in pain, before moving away immediately. With his leg healed, he seizes the opportunity to stand. A flood of triumph surges through you, it has been quite some time since you had used your power in such a manner, and you are thoroughly impressed with your small victory. You smile widely at the sight of Midnight trotting around the small pen he had been confined to after his injury. Remembering his lack of appetite over the past few days, you tug a small sack of apples over and drop them to the floor for him to eat from.

You pat his side affectionately, and he nuzzles his head against your body as you retreat to the gate of his enclosure. Living in the Little Palace has made you less cautious. It’s only once you’ve slid the lock into the bolt that you realise there’s someone behind you.

General Kirigan. The Darkling. He steps forward, grasping hold of your arm tightly and pushing your back against the gate.

“What did you do?” He asks in a low voice, his grip on you tightening. Your eyes widen, stumbling slightly as he pulls you back towards him.

“General Kirigan?” He disregards your confused expression, his eyes widening as he looks down at where his fingers are curled around your bare wrist.

“The break was too fractured for a Healer to fix. How did you heal him?” Your face drops as you realise what you’ve done.

“I didn’t, he was like that when I arrived.” You attempt to convince him, but your voice shakes.

“Don’t lie to me.”

You really are a fool. Your mother was right - your kindness would be your undoing. After remaining undiscovered for hundreds of years, you heal the Darkling’s horse and reveal your power to the most powerful Grisha in Ravka.

“What are you?” He demands.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You insist, but you know there is no one more determined than the man in front of you. His eyes remain fixed on your face, a resolute expression colouring his features.

“When were you tested?” You decide to tell the truth, or at least some of it.

“I wasn’t.” He releases your wrist, but you’re still cornered, and attempting to outrun a shadow summoner would only reap disaster. He reaches down to slide his ring from his smallest finger, turning it around to slot on the tip of his thumb.

“Well, I’m sure you won’t be adverse to my testing you now.”

You know how the test works. A prick of pain to release whatever latent power hides under a Grisha’s skin. You’ve never been tested before, though centuries of mastering your power should give you some ability to overlook such a minor wound and remain in control.

But there’s something about the General’s touch. When his fingers curl around your wrist again, sliding your sleeve up to reveal your upper arm, you can’t fight the shiver that runs through you. You’ve met some Grisha philosophers over the years, often working as an assistant for scholars. One of the most important concepts among Grisha theory is that like calls to like. Despite your unusual power, you can’t help but feel a likeness with the General. That, despite your obvious differences, you have the distinct impression that the two of you are the same.

His eyes remain fixed on your face as he presses the claw point to your skin, drawing a faint line down your arm. You clench your jaw, trying to stop your power from escaping. He raises a brow at you, noticing the fight hidden in your eyes. His hold on you tightens briefly, in an almost reassuring squeeze. Then his thumb brushes tenderly over the reddened line left by his ring. You breathe in sharply at the light sting of pain, and your control slips.

The apples on the floor by your feet wobble, and the seeds inside the fruit burst into small sprouts. The apple closest to you grows into a young tree, perhaps a year old. You tug the General aside to prevent either of you from being struck by a rapidly growing branch.

You stare at the small tree, cursing yourself. Not once, in over five hundred years, has your control slipped. But the handsome General pays you two minutes of intense attention and you’re creating an orchard.

A timid expression fills your face as you glance over at the General. His own eyes are wide, staring at the trees before looking back at you. There’s a spark of curiosity, and awe in his gaze and his mouth parts as he looks back at the trees. His voice has softened considerably, as he asks you again,

“What are you?”

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