#this character has changed her name nearly three times now!

[importantdestinydefendor]

So, here is the poll for the "evil" aunts name I talked about in the ask-post. I also put the actual Arabic writing form for the names as that seems appropriate.

(My source is the behind-the-name-website: https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/persian)

#arslan senki #the heroic legend of arslan #heroic legend of arslan #maaren au #firelight au #oc #names are always so hard #this character has changed her name nearly three times now! #the only one whos name has persisted is Azars

[littlejuicebox]

Midnight Chimes 2 / Three years

Background: I plan for this to be a series based off the premise/epilogue from my piece "Midnight Chimes." I’ve changed the character from GN to F because… well, I’m F and I have an easier time writing from that angle. Additionally, I gave Tav a different name... I wanted to give her an identity of her own, I suppose. As a disclaimer, she is a Great Old One Warlock, and I am learning about this class as I go, so it may not exactly follow lore.

Summary: You and Astarion have met before, though you think it meant more to you than it did to him. You are an apothecary shop owner that has recently gained some mysterious Warlock powers; Astarion is, in your eyes, a rake that you wouldn’t trust as far as you can throw him. You two run into one another again after the nautiloid crash.

Pairing: Astarion x F!Reader Warlock.

Word Count: 1,292

-----

He’s got a blade to your neck.

A blade. To your neck.

The bastard doesn’t recognize you at all, does he?

“And you! Keep your distance. No need for this to get messy.” The pale elf warns your companion, Gale, an amiable wizard you’d pulled out of a strange portal not more than a half hour ago.

“Couldn’t agree more. But if you use that knife, I will incinerate you.” Gale responds, surprisingly calm for the situation at hand. Perhaps there’s more to the wizard than meets the eye; if you weren’t stuck with your jugular millimeters from a sharp dagger, you would’ve laughed.

Astarion is distracted by your companion, countering his warning with some asinine threat of his own.

Yes, you unfortunately know the elf's name. He’d frequented your parents’ tavern for years when you worked there as a server in your twenties, and then you two had a pleasant conversation in that same tavern – what was it, three? – three years back. He’d meandered in after being banned for years, while you were on Midwinter holiday visiting your family.

You’d thought it had been a meet-cute, but the rake never did write to your apothecary shop address, in the end. He’d had you fooled, for a moment, but your initial impressions had been correct. It was probably nothing to him. You ultimately figured Astarion had been a rake through and through, and you hadn’t been an easy lay, so he’d dismissed you and decimated your pride in the process.

Bastard.

You supposed the chance encounter had meant more to you than it had him, though you wouldn’t dare to admit you waited for a letter for far too long. Months of checking the post with a glimmer of hope in your lonely heart… how pitiful, honestly.

You feel your patron laugh in amusement… if the celestial being can laugh, or perhaps that’s just the way they translate it to you. They must think this run-in is entertaining… for all you know, they orchestrated it. Hadn’t they been the reason you felt pushed to leave your apothecary shop in the hands of your assistant and travel to Baldur’s Gate, intending to visit your parents on a whim? 

You’d never done an impromptu trip to Baldur's Gate in the all the years you’d been gone. But then you bought that blasted ring with the strange cosmic stone at the antique shop, slipped it on your pinky, and suddenly your mind was not your own. Deep in the recesses of your psyche, something else lurked. Something ancient and unfathomable… you didn’t even know if the thing had a name. And every once in a while, it would compel you to perform an action with nearly obsessive thoughts and visions.

Nothing would stop the psychic barrage apart from acting in the being's interest, not even removing the ring because... well, you couldn't. It was stuck on your pinky. And you weren’t about to maim yourself by chopping off your own finger.

Then, almost unbelievably, you had been kidnapped, infected with a parasite and placed in the path of the insufferable rake, yet again. And now this arrogant elf has a blade pressed to your “darling” neck.

The beautiful bastard even has the gall to wear a knock off of the cologne sample that had been attached to your business card all those years ago. Bergamot, rosemary… and is that brandy?

You had to admit it was a close duplication, but not quite as good as yours. You laugh at the ludicrousness of it all, and the elf’s attention jerks back to you. You must be crazy to be laughing in the face of such a threat… but perhaps you are crazy, after all.

“Don’t recognize me, Astarion? Can’t say I’m surprised.” 

Astarion’s eyes narrow at you. You can see him trying to place your face, scanning it for something familiar, even though the dagger is still pressed flush against your jugular.

“You may not remember me, but I remember you,” You start, and the celestial being in your mind chuckles again, flashing a memory from three years back, when you’d said the exact same thing to this elf in your parents’ tavern. Gods, were you cursed to remember him for all eternity while the rake forgot you after every run in?

“My name is Demi. Demitria?”

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The cold sharpness of the dagger against your neck is starting to make you nervous.

“We met at my parents’ tavern in Baldur's Gate? The Drunken Dragon?”

Astarion is still staring at you suspiciously, tightly gripping the dagger as he searches his memories for any sign of you. You can tell he doesn’t believe you. Gods damn this elf! He didn’t remember you one bit and you’d thought of him more than you’d ever admit to anyone.

Suddenly a sharp sensation ripples through your mind, connecting you to the pale elf’s. At first you think this is a strange trick from your patron, but then you realize it’s something caused by the parasite. You feel its sickening wriggles behind your skull.

It’s the same memory flashing through two perspectives; the night you two met. You see Astarion enter and feel your wary judgment of him, he sees you in a corner booth and you pick up on something predatory about his nature – damn rake – as he sits next to you. You are annoyed by him; he is entertained and intrigued by you.

The conversation ensues and both of you are thoroughly enjoying yourselves, until the bell tower chimes and then – fear, gut-wrenching, all-consuming fear in Astarion’s mind. You two say your goodbyes and then he’s bursting out the door, down the alley, running, panicking, searching for something, someone–

“Agh what the hells!” The silver-haired rake shouts, dropping his dagger and clutching his head in his hands. 

You take the opportunity to roll away and stand up on your own two feet. You get a sense that your patron is protecting you from some of the parasite’s abilities, since you aren’t wriggling in pain on the ground like Astarion… it seems they don’t like another alien entity vying for control of your mind. Gale is swiftly by your side, hands filling with colorful waves of magical energy; you snatch the dagger from the earth. 

When the vision is over, Astarion is blinking up at you. He glosses over your face one more time and then you see it… recognition. The man quickly scrambles to his feet, now unarmed, and splays his hands wide in a signal of truce.

“My sincerest apologies, Demetria. I’m not good with faces; I meet a lot of people, darling, and well, many of you humans look quite similar. I trust we can put this entire misunderstanding behind us?” The silver-haired elf murmurs, flashing you his signature, alluring smile. It must work on nearly everyone.

The gall. The absolute fucking gall.

You want to say no, to laugh in his face; part of you considers stabbing him, just for kicks. But then there is your patron, once again, compelling you to say yes. You have the inexplicable feeling that if you don’t, something terrible will happen to your parents. Why does the entity always make you feel like something will happen to them if you don’t follow these ridiculous urges? What would happen if you didn’t? Are you willing to risk it?

Your jaw locks up as you try to fight back the words, you look to Gale hoping the wizard will say no on your behalf.

“I will leave the matter of this decision to you, Demetria. You were the one with the blade to your neck.” The human man responds with a kindly, relaxed air. How unbothered can one person be, in the face of a parasite and a stab-happy rogue?

Damn the geniality of this wizard. 

“Fine,” You manage to choke out, and you feel the cosmic entity’s hold on your psyche relax. You spin the blade in your hand and return it to its owner, pressing the hilt into his outstretched palm. “But anymore of your bullshit, Astarion, and both Gale and I will blast you into the hells.” 

Astarion grins, all vulpine and pomp, before wrapping his hand around the dagger. He gives the weapon a few spins between his fingers before sheathing the blade on his thigh, “Cross my heart, I’ll behave myself. Seems we have a mutual interest of returning to Baldur’s Gate, and we will need all the allies we can get, after all.” 

“Yes… seems that way.” You agree reluctantly, before sighing and turning to continue your journey along the beach. You and Gale had been scrounging up supplies before you two were rudely interrupted by the rake. 

Fate is a cruel, cruel mistress. And you’re beginning to believe your patron might be even crueler. 

#astarion x tav #baulders gate 3 #baulders gate astarion #astarion fanfic #astarion fic #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 fanfic idea #astarion x reader #astarion x you #astarion x oc #astarion romance #astarion x named tav #astarion x named reader #astarion fluff #astarion angst #bg 3 fanfic #bg3 series #astarion series #bg3 astarion #baldurs gate astarion

[whatsaudreythinkingabout]

yellowfang thoughts

the more i think about it, the more i realize how much of a deeply, deeply tragic character yellowfang is. everyone talks about how much she fucking sucks after she becomes a starclan cat, and they’re absolutely correct; she goes from the cool grouchy grandma to a complete fucking hypocrite. and for the longest time i thought this was completely OOC for her, but it recently hit me over the head that it might not be. to say that this change in character was intentional would be giving the erins WAY too much credit knowing who they are, but the more you think about her life and what she went through, the more it makes sense in a twisted sort of way.

starclan forced her into a life she never wanted. she wants to train as a warrior, but she is cursed with the power to feel other cats’ physical pain and badgered into becoming a medicine cat by sagewhisker until she gives in. she falls in love with raggedstar, but as as soon as things go south for her he offers no support. when she dares to go against the destiny that was laid out for her, when she continues to meet with him and becomes pregnant by him, starclan punishes her; not just by having two of her kits die, but by condemning the surviving kit to become a tyrant and a child murderer. he turns against his parents; he kills his father and frames his mother for his own crimes not knowing who she truly is, and yellowfang is forced to watch this all unfold from a distance, unable to tell her son the truth and wondering how things could be different if he knew. and finally, for the good of the clans, she has no other choice but to rip out his eyes and then poison him. her own son, the kit she herself bore, dead at her own claws. a cruel twist of fate for a cat who never wanted any of this, who just wanted her own life.

so by the time she gets to starclan, her experiences have changed her. so many innocent lives were lost and the clans were nearly destroyed because she disobeyed, because she went against their will. she even forgives sagewhisker for being so shitty to her because now she’s convinced that she was the one in the wrong and her mentor, a messenger for starclan, was acting in her best interests all along. she’s become so thoroughly traumatized by everything she went through that she decides she cannot let another cat experience what she experienced. now that she’s a part of starclan, she has the power to prevent something like this from ever happening again. but that’s just the thing. she’s a part of starclan. she’s a part of the system now; the very same system that screwed her over. and the system chews people up and spits them out until they become just another cog in the machine. so instead of going to the root of the problem and questioning the level of influence starclan has over living cats, she not only perpetuates the cycle but becomes an active participant in it.

and because firestar is the son she should have had, she sets her sights on his descendants.

she cannot prevent leafpool from bearing kits, as these kits have their own destiny they must fulfill. so she tells leafpool she must give up her kits, just as she had to. she lies to squirrelflight that she will never have kits of her own and that the three are her only chance to be a mother so that she will take them in. when they arrive in starclan moons later, she and others have the audacity to judge whether they are worthy to join their ranks or should be damned to the dark forest for their actions when they not only did exactly what they were told to do, but did the same things that she did and still went to starclan for (though to give her some credit, she is at least more sympathetic than the other judges and even defends them; perhaps out of guilt?). she allows ashfur into starclan on the basis that he “loved too much,” because her relationship with raggedstar warped her view of what healthy love should look like. she forces the kin of firestar’s kin—namely, jayfeather and dovewing—into destinies they want no part of; they’ll learn to love it, just like she did.

and she thinks she’s doing the right thing. she’s learned the hard way that going against starclan will only lead to more suffering. she’s convinced that she’s helping them, that by acting this way she will be able to prevent them from making the same mistakes that she made. but she cannot see that she is only inflicting on other cats the exact same suffering that starclan inflicted on her.

and if that isn’t tragic, i don’t know what is

#warriors #warrior cats #yellowfang #erin hunter #brokenstar #raggedstar #squirrelflight #leafpool #ashfur #jayfeather #dovewing #sagewhisker #starclan #audrey thoughts #headcanon

[mimicha-arts]

Qian Jin

Hello and sorry. I’m here again with my “catch the details faster than the frame changes.” Let's talk about Qian Jin! I'm pretty sure we'll learn new information in the next episode because of the flashback, so I want to get ahead of things a little and play bingo ;)

SPOILERS FOR S2

1. Romeo and Juliet Many have discussed this, but we will go deeper. One of the main key points in the s2 is the Romeo and Juliet theme and poster, which we now know is related to Qian Jin's story.

In my opinion, his whole scene with the poster looked very personal, hardly just "symbolism" of his feelings after losing his wife or something like that. And here I will try to explain why. Because, most likely, the actress on the poster is Qian Jin's wife. Her name was shown for such a brief moment that I actually nearly lost my mind while trying to capture the frame. So, her name is probably Chen Nan (陈楠). And I really don't think it was necessary to include such details if they are minor.

Well. Pure speculations. We all remember that initially everything was wrong with the case, the suspect in the murder of Qian Jin‘s wife after some time committed suicide and left a note with a confession. Although I can read some words, I can't rely on my eyes, so I can't string them together into complete sentences. But what I can guess is that there are two characters in the signature, and the surname kinda looks like Zhuang (庄).

So. Which character also has the surname Zhuang, who has already been "shown" in the series… On the same poster of "Romeo and Juliet", where the actress, theoretically, was Qian Jin's wife… Yeah. Zhuang Shuai (庄帅)

Okay, this could all be a coincidence, my imagination, speculation. But is these details actually connected, for now, until this has been refuted, I suspect that the story of the murder of Qian Jin's wife was much more personal and deep. Like, now we are convinced that after he found out about Cheng Xiaoshi's ability, his motivation is obviously to capture Cheng Xiaoshi in order to rewrite the past. Likely to save his wife (?). But I'm not sure how much more complex it will be?

If any of this is confirmed, I rather think that Qian Jin's wife was killed by Zhuang Shuai out of jealousy. I also need to say, for now I don't think that 戴绿帽子 is a possible situation here, seems TOO cruel for me, but who knows.

2. Qian Jin and details Eyes. We were all confused because Qian Jin's eyes were not common, but icy yellow. In fact, his eyes can be said to have three states. I also note that sometimes pupils are not drawn or too small because of 2D graphics, so I take into account only obvious close-ups. First type: present, yellow eyes with a vertical pupil. We see that kind of his eyes in most of his scenes. The same type of eyes are in his character design pictures and intro.

Second type: present, yellow with a round pupil. This type of eyes appears specifically in episode 4.

(Technically) third type: the past, yellow eyes with a round pupil. In all the close-up scenes in flashbacks, his pupils are round.

Abilities: It's hard to guess, but at the moment I don't think he personally has any special abilities. It seems to me, given his one line, that Qian Jin relies more on his skills, plans and his people, treating abilities (at least in this situation) in a rather lenient way. Also, his real words sound more special and poetic - If there is a way to reach the sky, it will be difficult to fly away even with wings (friendly reminder, I'm not a translator or native speaker)

But there is one dubious detail. OK. Speaking of gloves, he probably uses gloves to avoid accidentally touching Li Tianchen and getting controlled, which is a pretty logical conclusion after episode 8. But. At some point, while talking to Li Tianchen, when the frame points to Qian Jin, there is a rather small movement of the hand and the sound of either the rustle of clothes, or the sound of something being handed over (ep 7, 1:22-1:28). This was weird.

This may be a trick, but at some point, when it gets to 7pm, Qian Jin claps his hands. And given to Cheng Xiaoshi's abilities, we know that clapping can be a means of activating/disabling an ability.

Speculation: Since we can't fully rely on changing the shape of the eyes, pupil, eye color, due to the change in visual "rules" compared to season 1 + animation errors, but for now I'll make assumptions.

In fact, in some of these scenes, Qian Jin may be possessed by Cheng Xiaoshi (which is trite, but possible)

Someone uses their abilities on Qian Jin, they are in cooperation. This person either possess him either they watches events through Qian Jin's eyes from time to time, as if through a camera.

Qian Jin gave something to Li Tianchen in the car, and that will play a role in the plot.

The change of eyes is an attempt to show the change in his personality, but I don't think it's that simple.

3. Something beyond my understanding

The man with a hat. They are obviously connected, and I already wrote a big theory about this, if the man in the hat turns out to be Liu Xiao, let's not dwell on this, if you want to read, click on - Person in the shadows.

Dates In his intro, although there is some information, as always, the year is not indicated. Obviously, the current year is still 2021 (according to s1). But in the second season, we are not shown specific dates anywhere (even with the twins, although we can find out their year of birth by literally subtracting 19), and here. There is an event, there is a blurry date. Not specified. I guess something is wrong with time already or is this a hint that it doesn’t matter, because the events are looped / will be erased.

Player and music And probably the most ??????? thing. When Qian Jin is in the car, there is a VERY short frame before he takes the call. If you catch it... here is a player on the screen. The music is Symphony of Fate (生命交响乐). And the player does not have a "back" button, only forward.

Time is like music, yeah. Thank you for reading once again ~ I hope episode 9 gives us more information and answers some questions though… *cries*. Feel free to discuss!

#link click #link click s2 #link click spoilers #shiguang dailiren #qian jin #mimicha.lc #my moment of insanity

[druidshollow]

Am I allowed to ask who Dune is? Or is that a secret for later, love your art and your storys are super cool!

DUNE POST TIME DUNE POST TIME

im the "hahaha yes.... yes" sicko guy rn

dune is a character for a self indulgent iterators but the puppets can leave their bodies au and is entirely irrelevant to the actual corners group story, so shes not at all a secret and ill post everything about her lmao. ive actually only had her for *checks watch* three days so anything i say here is subject to possible change

as per usual, first its fast fact time

"The Gift" was a heavily encrypted data file that was sent en masse across the world to some iterators, almost entirely group seniors. it included two things; how to make mobile puppets, and how to create micro rarefaction cells (necessary to power these puppets). the information on building the puppets is widely understood and the only real requirements (besides raw material) are the iterator receiving the new body's blueprints (getting these can sometimes serve a real problem depending on the iterator's past relationship with the ancients), and a functional iterator can capable of powerful purposing and processing. (the host's body can work for this so long as the iterator with the Gift is there to help).

creating the micro rarefaction cells is a much better kept secret. the information is encrypted in a way so that the iterators who received the Gift cant speak about it (this functions similarly to taboo buffers), presumably because they could easily be used to make devastating weapons. but these cells are necessary for a mobile puppet to live, so the first piece of information is nearly useless without the second.

dune received a single cell for freeing herself with as well as the blueprints for mobile puppets from an iterator from a different group that she knew well. after freeing herself she stole cells from wandering iterators and freed some members of her group. this is her group when rivers and phrases run by them;

meet space, whimsy, forks and compass! space is the only one with real relevance i think

anyhow, there are still quite a few nearby iterators from dune's local group who need rescuing in her eyes, so her and her group intercept strangers and steal their cells and neuron flies, hoping to one day catch a developer (devs are the ones who received the Gift). unfortunately for phrases and rivers, phrases iiiiiis a developer!

dune had to have killded atleast four guys before she met phrases . thats some bad karma man arent you like an iterator or

she has fun with violence, part as a genuine cruel part of her personality, but i think mostly (at least at first) as a coping mechanism for the horrid things she was doing. her bloodlust was a front, and she adopted this violent personality she forged for herself the more time went by, until she had mostly lost herself and become encompassed by it.

(( thanks @nickeeree and @zarithial for letting me kill your kids!!! you guys submitted yr refs at like the exact same time so i was like eh fuck it dune can axe them both LMAO ))

dune's little group lives in an old city complex near a still in-tact iterator named vibrant sound. (sound is uninterested in being freed; instead he helps dune track down mobile iterators travelling through their territory)

thats basically all ive got, dune still has some development to go through but for a quick tldr she's an old group senior whos kidnapping and stealing people's hearts so she can give her family legs. amidst the heart stealing she began to enjoy the heart stealing and now violence is kind of her thing. if you support womens wrongs then you have to support adamant dune. sorry

#rain world oc #iterator oc #rw downpour #druid draw #oc posting #off string au #os dune #heheheheheheheh. hahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA #i fucking adore making these posts btw its so fun #sequential #guy post #edit december: this guy post is decently outdated now lol

[netherworldpost]

Been following you since the Evil Supply Co days, was very pleased to place my first order from Netherworld Post recently! I love the "hope this fireball finds you failing to save" design so much! A few people in my d&d group are definitely getting that one.

I hope you have an awesome day and something nice happens to you!

I am incredibly honored that so many folks have been following since Evil Supply Co.

It was nearly four years to do the day from when I first emailed friends "What do you think of this business name change?" to flipping the switch to launch.

One thing that hasn't made it through the transition

(I emphasize)

...yet...

...is the stories.

I used to write 3 - 6 very short stories a week. Sometimes a few paragraphs, sometimes longer. Most got posted here -- started here, on Tumblr!

The structures needed work, more connectivity. The genre, the characters and locations, the softness? All remain. But the structures needed work.

This will take time.

Not four years of time (length of shop closure to rebuild).

But they will come back.

I'm rambling. I'm a bit nervous over how all of this is operating. The nerves are not based in evidence -- the roll out has been smooth, the response bigger than expected. Just personality quirk, I suppose.

Back to sense-making.

I'm grateful you're here and that I am able to do all of this.

Phase One (where we are now) is to launch the shop and get the initial orders out the door. The presses are pressing ink to paper, first batch of orders goes out late next week. Continues onwards at a steady pace forever.

Phase Two (rest of the year) will be slowly adding more. Both to the shop for pay and the downloads "pay if you want."

Phase Three (next year, probably) is when I think we'll have stories again. It won't take that long to launch them -- launch will be part of Phase Two -- but I think it'll be next year until I'm at a steady pace.

I'm rambling again. I'll cut this to the end.

The primary availability of stories for Evil Supply Co. was free via social media posts.

I want to keep that availability. I don't trust social media to maintain its presence as it stands in the next several years (I'm looking at 3, 5, 10, 15 years forward).

The zero-cost-to-read prohibited basic structures such as "hm I like Strawberry, this mermaid, I wish to read more about her wacky antics." There simply wasn't funding to build out any of the million ways to do that.

Part of Phase Three is solving that, finding the balance. There are a million options, with strengths and drawbacks and costs. I'll have a better answer for it as the year progresses.

As I say, I am wary of social media (all platforms) direction -- they will continue to exist, I'll continue to use them to their fullest advantage, but they are growing increasingly hostile to independent creators. I don't work for Tumblr, Tumblr doesn't owe me continued access to audiences at the current pace.

Ultimately, I work for the moon and you come to the Post for the things you're interested in -- neither of us work for a social media platform -- and I'm keeping that tightly in mind to ensure I can continue to service your desires + build new things you'll love but didn't know existed yet.

Thank you for being here.

The something nice you hoped for came true in two ways.

Your note and an afternoon pulling together notes on how to independently publish myths and legends and stories and rambles about the Netherworld.

The scale of this equation is...

...significant.

Fortunately. So is my willingness to tackle it. :)

Cheers to you and thank you again for being here.

Long may we sip potions, in the moonlight, while sitting on our folded cloaks, listening to ghosts, telling stories of dryads and mermaids and witches and more, as the jack-o-lanterns surrounding us wile away the hours with their flickering tongues of flame and smoke.

#evil supply co #evil supply co. #evilsupplyco

[generallysapphic]

put you at ease +18 (king valkyrie x reader)

you and your king celebrate three years together, deciding to take a week long vacation far away from new asgard, spending all the missed time together.

currently obsessed with king valkyrie, really, like she has completely taken over my brain and i wanted a change in pace in characters im writing for and then i watched the newest thor today and left throbbing so here we are.

reader is originally from asgard! ofc she’s black with a short coily fro, just a little taller than val.

warning as usually i’m so so consistent; overstim, praise, pet names, spanking, role play, housewife treatment, strap on sex, multiple orgasms, thigh riding, giver! valkyrie, sub! reader, pregnancy kink, breeding kink,

dedicated to my loves; @vlkyriesverse and HAPPY BIRTHDAY @verachii MWAH MWAH❣️

tag list: @letitias-fav @rxcently @thatrichhoe @blackgcomica @dejaonline @no-oneelsebutnsu @inmyheadimobsessed @blackgirlfariy @mocha-aya @satincherub @dailydiaru @g4yforu @letitiasleftfoot @shuriszn @chatitajens @imaginativethinking

you feel yourself pulse around valkyrie’s fingers, sighing with her other hand over your mouth as she tries to get off a conference call, you in her lap, practically jumping on her thigh for release.

“yep, uh huh. i told you the budget would be done before september, what kind of king do you think i am?” she moves her fingers again, brushing right past your g-spot as she says the last part, smirking coyly at the phone that’s under her shoulder, holding it at her ear. you’re a cruel one, you think, huffing and shaking against her, still not cumming just yet.

“yea, and i like i said, thor’ll be here, it’s just three weeks, alright? new asgard will be totally fine. okay, yes, bye now.” and she finally, finally hangs up and puts the phone, moving her hand from your mouth and settling all her attention on you, and you gasp out, whining. “oh i know my love, i know sweetheart, you were so good, so good,” she coos in your ear, holding you taught, still rutting against her thigh, you feel her muscles flex under your clit and moan louder, finally so close.

“i’m— im cumming, ohhh fuckkkk, i’m cummingggg, please—!” and you feel your clit pulse under her fingers, your pussy squeezing around her and you toss your head back, bracing yourself in her shoulder and the other hand on her desk and moan loudly, squirting and pulsing under her, still moving against her thigh and sighing. “good girl, so lovely,” she whispers into your skin, still holding you waist and you moan in overstimulation after your orgasm settles and passes, and she takes her fingers out, sighing and looking at your cum on her fingers.

you whimper and hide in her neck as she licks you off of her hand, smiling, “you’re so sweet, my love, thank you,” she sighs, kissing you deeply and you moan against her mouth, weak and docile after cumming so hard. she rubs up and down your back, soothing you over and pulls away and looks into your eyes. you smile, “what?” and she smiles too, “just happy is all, love,”

you laugh shyly and agree, sitting more comfortably on her lap now, before it dawns on you that you’re completely naked in her office on the last day before her vacation, “oh gods, val, i’m totally naked! we still haven’t packed fuck!” and suddenly you’re up, scrapping together your skirt and top off the floor and valkyrie huffs at you, “i mean we still have four hours till the flight,” and you gape at her, “four hours too little! and you’re not wearing any suits on vacation, so i know you need to pack!” she sighs and puts her arms up in defeat, standing up and adjusting her suit. you’re nearly out the door when she calls to you, “you made a mess on my favorite pants, love!” and you feel your face heat, storming off.

you get to your room, suitcase on the bed, open and barely packed. you sigh, valkyrie had called you into her office for “something very important” and just ended up fucking you on a conference call. she completely interrupted your pack process and it had you huffing as you finished, grabbing clothes from your drawers and shoving them in your suitcase.

despite your fake anger, you were more than happy to finally get away with your king. you two had both deserved it, more valkyrie than you, as you mostly were her gorgeous eye candy. but you did your best wherever you could; giving her inputs on which laws mattered and what she should vote on next, but you were mostly home, cooking, reading, cleaning, and all that sort of thing, waiting for her to come home after meetings.

you gasp when you come to the realization, and valkyrie is stepping into the room, “what?” she asks behind you standing at the door, her pair of pants in her hands.

you turn, “you’ve turned me into a housewife!” you accuse and she laughs, all the way deep in her stomach. “well yes, i suppose i did, but i told you you wouldn’t get much done marrying me; you’d just be my wife,” she says smugly and you walk around the room, grabbing your clothes and such, “i can’t believe this, what would my mother think?” you ask yourself as you head to the bathroom, grabbing both of your toothbrushes.

valkyrie answers you, “i’m sure she’d be more than happy to know you’ve married a king with an incredible skill set,” and you laugh, “yes, you have every skill except packing, go!” and she laughs again, coming behind you and kissing your neck before heading for her luggage as well. you sigh again, the smile you have on your face spreading. your king was so sweet to you, always making you laugh and keeping you happy. though you had begrudgingly accepted being a housewife, being with her all in all made you the happiest you had been in a while.

she comes back, “you’re smiling pretty hard there, love, thinking about me?” and she’s at your side and you smirk, shoving her a bit, “are you packed then?” and she presents her ‘packed’ suitcase to you proudly and you raise an eyebrow, “if i open this thing and see a single suit, i’m leaving you,” she fakes hurt on her face and slowly backs away and you yell after her, “i swear if you aren’t packed in the next hour, no sex for a week!” and it’s the only threat you can make that she’d take seriously. you laugh a bit to yourself once your hear drawer and drawer flying open and her suitcase unzipping.

the flight is quick, you and valkyrie luckily made it in time despite her terrible packing. the resort is gorgeous, water that stretches across the sand far and wide with some of the clearest reflections you’ve seen. it’s nothing like new asgard, you can say confidently, there’s little people and much more peace, something so calming about finally being away from home with the person who married you had you smiling on the sand.

valkyrie comes next to you, a margarita in her hand for you and a beer in the other and she sits down, sighing, watching the waves with you. you smile more, taking your drink and leaning on her shoulder, sighing. “it’s beautiful here, right?” you say and she nods, taking a swig and wrapping her other arm around you. “i’m just happy to have gotten away, really needed it,” and you nod, agreeing.

“how do you feel now that you’re away, my king?” you tease and she laughs a bit, taking another swig, “you only call me that in bed, don’t say it out here,” and you laugh at her explicit language, nearly spitting out your margarita. “what shall we do first then, hmm? maybe go for a swim or exchange gifts?”

valkyrie shrugs, “what have you gotten me then?” and you giggle, “gifts it is. mines still in the hotel, but you’ll love it,” and she raises her eyebrows clearly interested, and smiles. “well, mines in my pocket you want it now?” and you nod, sitting up and looking at her and setting your drink down on your towel. she reaches in her pocket, sighing a bit before she holds her hand out with a fist.

“okay, i know you’re going to do that thing where you tell me not to do something but ive wanted to get you this for a very long time so just, hear me out okay?” and you smile shyly, “okay,” and she pulls out a small box.

you take it in your hands, opening it and revels a small ring, something you can’t even recognize before it hits you. your eyes swell, “val, no, you didn’t..” and she cuts you off, “nope, i told you not to, just … okay, i know it’s a lot,” and you’re fully crying now, nodding and trying to listen, “but, it’s in my culture to do this for a life partner and i consider you that, so, yeah,”

you smile and the ring slides on your finger easily, and it’s the perfect size because of course it is. it says her name, brunnhilde, made from the same stone and silver from her own home of true asgard, stone that was in currency right before hela attacked. your heart swells, the only other person she had given anything like this to was her past partner, someone she so rarely talks about. but you heard it, how important it was to her and how special it meant you were to the other person.

it makes you sigh out and cry again, “i know you don’t want me to make a big deal, but i literally can’t think right now,” you stttuer out and she laughs, grabbing your face and wiping away your tears. “okay well can you at least stop crying, my love? it was supposed to make you happy,” she jokes and you laugh again and nod, wiping your nose and leaning forward to capture her mouth. she kisses you sweetly, and you can slightly taste the beer on her lips. you sigh and smile into it, grabbing at her hands in your face.

once you pull away you laugh, “now i feel like mine isn’t worth shit,” and she snorts with you, shaking her head as the sun sets over the waves, “no i’m sure it’s great, my love. do you want to go back and open it for me?” and you nod, starting to stand and valkyrie stands before you. you get up but your legs are weak, and you smile, “look at what you did, making me all soft inside,” and she laughs, extending her hand to help you.

you’re walking back, you’re attached to her hip entirely, smiling and holding her hand with the ring in yours. “you really like it, huh?” she jokes and you laugh with her, nodding unabashedly, “incredibly so, i think it’s better than my wedding ring,” and she laughs once you reach the door to your hotel room and she smacks your ass slightly making you jolt and laugh, “you better wear both,” she says and you nod, turning towards her and wrapping your arms around her smiling, “i’ll wear whatever you want, my king,” you say it again and she smirks, wrapping her hands around your waist.

“can i get my gift before i keep you in that bed?” and you gasp a bit, nodding before heading to your luggage and opening it. “okay, so you had you wanted to try it a while ago so i looked into it, so,” you pull out a purple box, the big IVF letters exposing the gift to valkyrie’s eyes and she gasps. “oh gods,” and you laugh a bit, walking towards her, “now you can get me pregnant and make me the housewife you’ve always wanted me to be,” you joke but she’s speechless, blinking wordlessly as she flips over the box and reads the instructions.

you look at for a moment, “are you okay?” you say to her and she finally looks up, one of her braids in her face, “i am going to fuck you so hard,” she practically promises and you laugh a bit, nodding, “you’re laughing but i’m so serious,” she says again and she’s smirking now, placing the box down and grabbing your waist once more, albeit a bit roughly. you smirk a bit, “yeah? gonna fuck me and get me pregnant?” you joke back but you can tell she’s serious, she doesn’t say anything back, she pushes her mouth against yours, silencing whatever you were going to say next.

you moan against her mouth, sighing and running your fingers through her braids. valkyrie keeps you close, rubbing all over your skin and pushing you back against the bed. you sigh as she pushes you down and you find yourself laying down, valkyrie smiling down at you. you sit up slightly, “before we start, i wanna try something,” you whisper out and valkyrie smiles and leans down, kissing you softly, “what did you have in mind, love?”

you but your lip, not really ready to admit it. “i really wanna be your housewife, val. like, you treat me like it and i know i say i don’t like it but… i really do, so can you—?” and she agrees, nearly breathless, “yeah, yeah. i can, you wanna be my pretty housewife? you want me to keep you and fuck you over and over and over again?”

you nod, breathless and biting your lips, “yeah, yes i do, please, please—” valkyrie licks her lips and climbs on top of you, kissing at your mouth and stripping away your clothes and exposing your skin to the coldness of the room. she attacks your nipples first, playing with one bud in her hand the other in her mouth. you moan and lift yourself to her mouth, sighing and your legs move together, squeezing around your arousal. she moves her hand against your legs, sliding her fingers against your drenched pussy. you moan a bit, hips stuttering at the pressure like you haven’t felt her before.

she moves away from your nipple, it’s wet and hard once it touches the cold air. you huff, feeling her spread your legs more, “lemme see, love, open up for me,” and you do, spreading your legs and she maneuvers you to take off your shorts and underwear, your pussy is suddenly out in the open, and you can feel yourself leaking on the sheets below. you sigh and thrusts your hips up, and valkyrie sighs, “oh, so pretty my love, so fucking gorgeous,” and you nod, looking at her with hooded eyes. she leans forward and kisses your clit, the nub pulsing under her mouth. she sucks a bit, keeping your legs open when you gasp out in surprise.

valkyrie holds you there, sucking on your clit softly, not giving you the pressure you’re used to. you moan softly, “val— please, please more, i want more,” you whimper out and she pulls away, a wet noise leaving your pussy. “you want more, huh? she teases, sliding her finger against you and you nod, whining, “yeah—!” and she smiles, “then what do you say, baby?”

you gasp once you feel her fingers inside you, the digits moving in and out slowly, still teasing. “please— haaa, oh please, my king, i need you, i need more, ohhhh please—!” and she sighs, adding her other hand to your pussy and putting pressure on your foot while her other hand works inside of you, “there we go, baby, that’s it, say it again for me,” and you buck, head tossing back as you feel your orgasm flow through your body slowly. “please! my king, please pleasee— i, i’m cumming, oh val—!” and you pussy clenches around her fingers, your clit pulsing under her thumb. you moan out, high pitched sounds escaping you, and she coaxes you through it, body convulsing and your pussy squirting slightly.

she pulls her fingers out, bringing them to her mouth and licking your cum off her hand. you sigh and watch her, spreading your legs a bit more to show you still needed attention. “please, i— i want more please,” and she nods, leaning over you and her braids falling on you. “i know, baby, i know, i’ll fuck you soon, okay? just be good for me, alright?” and you nod, she kisses you swiftly, sucking slightly on your lips and you can taste yourself on her mouth.

she gets up from above you, presumably to get her strap, and you smile. “v?” you call and she responds from the bathroom, “can you get the one i like?” and she laughs a bit, “i’ve already read your mind, baby, i got it,” and you chuckle a bit, moving around to get on your knees, presenting your pussy to her as you level yourself on your forearms. she comes back, smirking, “wow, look at you, all spread out for me huh?” and you nod, spreading your legs a bit more. you look back at her, “gotta be a good wife right?” and she smiles, getting behind you and kissing your back and butt, sliding her fingers against your clit and you gasp, moaning, “yeah, you are a good wife, aren’t you, baby? i should just fuck you and get you pretty and pregnant, huh?”

you gasp out and nod, feeling her strap slide on your pussy. you moan, “yes, yes! please, please, my king, fuck me, get me pregnant i need it—!” and she’s inside you by the time your finished rambling, moaning when you feel the ribbed edges move against your walls, breaching you all the way till the hilt. you gasp out, drool falling from your mouth which hangs open. she sighs, kissing at your shoulders, and moving her hand against your lower stomach, and feeling her strap bulge against your body. you groan and she does too, “you feel me, love?” and you nod, the words dying in your throat, not being able to speak anymore.

valkyrie smirks, before pulling out and slides back in, you gasp out and twist. she thrusts again, one hand holding your hip and the other feeling the bulge that pokes your stomach. you whine and your forearms give out as she starts a harsher pace, “ouhhh— fuck me, fuck me, please harder,” and your mumbling, completely lost because of valkyrie’s dick. she mocks you, “such a good little housewife huh? you like my dick, baby?” and you nod, slurring and drooling. she holds you tighter, hands gripping your waist harder and harder and you feel it, your pussy starts to convulse around her and you moan, trying to keep it down.

she knows your body better than anyone though, and she murmurs against you softly, “you gonna cum, my love? gonna cum all over me, yeah?” and you nod, whimpering and sighing, she leans forward and puts her fingers in your mouth, hand slipping away from your stomach and you suck on them, so happy to have the anchor. you moan unabashedly around them, slurring out, “cumming, i’m cumming, oh please, please i— i’m so close, FUCK!” and you cum once more, squeezing around her dick and pulsing again. you feel your pussy squirt again, the fluid leaving you as you gasp out silently and she groans against your back, thrusts coming to a stop as you twitch in overstimulation.

she sighs against your back, and you groan, your orgasm subsiding and you feel her pull out, the sound of pussy and heavy breathing left in the room. you fall to your side, signing and moaning against the cool air and valkyrie comes to your side, kissing the dent she left in your hip and opening your legs after slapping your ass a couple of times.

you groan, and she smiles against your skin, “come on love, one more, yeah? gotta fill you up again?” and you huff and nod, laying in your back and spreading once more. valkyrie wastes no time, sliding her strap inside you once more, grinning at your hip and you groan out, hands grabbing the sheets.

she gives you no rest, fucking into you once more, deep and hard and you gasp out, back arching and body moving against her, “ughhhhhfffffuucccckkkk— val, valkyrieeee, i’m, im —!” your mind was mush, she felt like she was everywhere inside you, her hands playing with your tits and her thrusts slapping against your core, you felt full. she groans at the sight of you, moaning, and leaning down to capture your drooling mouth, “want me to cum inside tou, love?” she gasps against your wet lips and you nod, twisting your thighs to pull her closer, locking her with your wrapping legs. you feel her smile against your lips and you nod more aggressively now, “please, please, please my king, i— i want it, i want it, so bad, cum inside me, please, haaaughhh, fuck—!”

valkyrie nods, her hips stuttering a bit as her own orgasm approaches and you whine, feeling yours creep through your pussy as well. she holds your position, thrusting to get there, “cum for me, be my good girl and cum with me, yeah? can you?” and you nod, her voice piercing your bloodstream and you can’t help it when your feel your pussy clench around her again, your clit pulsing and she halts her thrusts as well, hips stuttering against yours as she cums, eyes closed and biting her lip, groaning against yours.

her orgasm lasts for a bit, she’s still moaning and moving by the time you’ve come back to earth. you hear her sigh and exhale above you, your eyes still twisted shut after the over stimulation. she leans down to kiss you properly, you can feel the bite marks she left on her own lips against yours and you sigh, declawing yourself from the sheets and wrapping around her, moaning in her mouth. she wraps herself around you, your legs still locked onto hers and she’s all around you now, her muscles vibing all your body.

when she finally pulls away your eyes blink open and there’s a drunk smile on her face as there is yours, “hi,” you whisper and she laughs a bit, and whispers is back, “hi,” you smile and she kisses you again, slowly pulling out and you whimper against her mouth, and calming you by rubbing up and down your body.

once she’s finally pulled out, she pulls away and lays next to you, breathing deep and relaxing. her muscles are still flexed once you lay next to her and cuddle up, “you alright?” you whisper first and she laughs a bit, “i should ask you that, love, i think you squirted like three times,” you lean up and cover her mouth in embarrassment, cheeks hot and a shy smile on your face, “you don’t need to say it,” you whisper and she laughs again, putting her hands up in surrender. you remove yours and lay down again, “i’m fine, thank you,” and she nods, “and i am as well, thank you checking on me,” she says sweetly.

you mumble and lean up to kiss her, rubbing up and down her tight stomach, the sweat and likely your cum that lay there being rubbed into her skin. she pulls away again, gasping, “oh and thank you love,” you cock your head at her, “for?”

valkyrie jerks her head towards the bedside table towards the IVF kit and you shy up, looking back at her, “it’s no big deal, i just knew you’d been talking about it for a while, is all.” and valkyrie grabs your chin to silence you, “it is a big deal,” she retorts and you listen, “i’m… i’m not ready now, but i’m so happy you want to at least try with me, my love. it means a lot.” before you can say anything back, she’s kissing you again, sighing into your mouth and keeping you there.

the security feeling of valkyrie so close to you has you sighing and your eyelids feeling heavy. you pull away, “we should get some rest, do it all again tomorrow, yeah?” and valkyrie laughs, “yeah, do it all over again, huh?” and you smile, settling in her shoulder as she cuts the bedside light off, snuggling up against you too. there’s a small whisper of ‘i love you,’ you hear in the night and it brings another bright smile to your face as sleep overcomes you.

when you wake, you hear fumbling and paper crumbling. you blink open at the sunlight in your room and feel around for valkyrie, who’s not next to you anymore. you sigh and sit up and find your wife and king, on the floor with the IVF package discombobulated and all over the floor.

you squint, your bonnet blocking some of your vision, “what’re you doing?” you groan out and valkyrie looks at you, confused with the instructions in hand.

“i know you’re gonna laugh at me but, i thought this was like a temporary dick package or something, i thought i’d actually cum inside you! i didn’t know it was just a DNA shot, that’s not as fun,” and she truly sounds disappointed, like a little kid who was just told they can’t go to the park because it’s raining. you feel a mocking smile form on your face and she catches it, “okay, yeah it’s funny but did you know that?”

and you try to hide your smile and nod, “yes, well, i did buy the kit. i— i definitely knew,” you try to explain and valkyrie sighs, “whatever, i’m sure i’ll find someway to make that sexy,” and she grumbles as she climbs back into bed, slumping next to you and you laugh a bit, snuggling back next to her under the covers. “you’re so weird,”

she smiles, “and yet, you married me. i can’t believe it— letting me make a housewife out of you,” you smack your lips and hit her with a stray pillow, valkyrie’s laughs still heard through the cotton.

DONE AND DONE !!! @verachii I HOPE YOU LIKED IT AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BBYYY you looked absolutely gorgeous!!! I hope you had fun and enjoyed your day!!!

MWAH MWAH rmb to like and leave replies and reblog!! bye goodnight ❣️🫶🏽

#king valkyrie x reader #valkyrie x reader #valkyrie Thor: love and thunder #brunnhilde x reader #deijah wrote #my story

[starrclownshazbinblog]

Valerie i liked this backstory on her. Considering she's brown skin latina and lesbian of course she's an easy target of abuse and bullying then she's also emo. The backstory of her was actually quite good in vivzie lore but the constant joke about genitalia and her view of sex worker is disgusting. So thank you changing her name also giving her proper backstory

Of course! When I started doing this obviously the show hadn't come out yet and we didn't know Valerie (not calling her her original name) was a exterminator. Honestly, I think they should have kept her a human sinner. Yeah I think a fallen angel finding redemption at the Hotel could have been a really good plot line! But personally I think they should have used that on a ESTABLISHED angel.

How fucked up would it be that Emily, someone who is heavens ideal angel, gets outlasted because she's sided with the child of the man that caused all the pain and suffering on humanity. Hell it wouldn't just effect her, it would effect Sera too. Sera obviously doesn't like the extermination but doesn't have the power to stop them. Imagine the FEAR and PANIC that she would be feeling now that her precious little sister is in hell, where she could be exterminated.

Sorry that was a ramble 🙏🏿

Valerie is a character I don't spend nearly enough time on and it's not because I don't like her, her background is increasingly sensitive though. The three most important parts of her background I would argue is her: Salvadoran identity, her LGBTQ identity, and her abusive relationship.

I am White. I have never experienced racial discrimination, something I am increasingly grateful for. How I write racism has to be sensitive because I could spew some racist bullshit if I'm not careful. (Actually my best friend T (not using their real name) is Mexican and has told me about their experiences as being a WOC in my, VERY white southern school. It's so sorry you moved here)

Her LGBTQ background is something I have more experience with. I am a Pansexual but no one respects that. The best I get labeled with is Bisexual and half the time people think I'm a lesbian because my one relationship was a girl. It's alot easier for me to write homophobia because I've experienced homophobia.

Her abusive relationship is something I need to research more. Same things with racism, I've never experiences a abusive relationship.

Valerie is someone I have to include more because I love her so much 💜

Asks are always open, art is always here, commissions are open, clock racists in the face with a rock and or heavy stick.

- ⭐️StarClown⭐️

#hazbin hotel rewrite #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel criticism #hazbin hotel rewrite blog #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel redesign #vivziepop critical #vivziepop criticism #hazbin hotel valerie #vivziepop critique #hazbin hotel critique #art blog

[wits-writing]

“A Wonderful Experience”: Why Transformers: EarthSpark and Nightshade Matter

I’ve been a Transformers fan to one degree or another for as long as I can remember. Whether it’s early memories of watching Beast Wars, renting the G1 animated film on VHS from Blockbuster, or reading the numerous excellent comics that have come over the years, I’ve always found something to love about this franchise. So, I was probably going to find time to check out the 2022 CGI animated series Transformers: EarthSpark eventually no matter what. But one little bird changed that from an “I’ll get around to it eventually” to “I need to make watching this show a priority.”

A little bird by the name of Nightshade (voiced by Z Infante)!

I’d already heard from people I trust about EarthSpark’s quality as a series, but finding out about the franchise’s first prominent, explicitly nonbinary Transformer got me eager to dive in. I’ve discussed characters I relate to and read nonbinary themes into in the past, but getting a chance to see a show in a franchise I love feature that kind of representation with intent was exciting. Given the fact I’ve written 3000 words analyzing the character of Nightshade now, it’s easy to say I wasn’t disappointed!

The topic of gender and how it relates to the Transformers as characters has been one of many long, exhausting fandom debates over the franchise’s nearly four decade history. I’m not here to relitigate any of that, so take it as read from here on out that the Transformers as characters do have and express gendered identities throughout the history of all its incarnations. 

To give a quick primer on EarthSpark as a whole (and why it’s great) before digging into Nightshade’s character in specific:

The series is set fifteen years after the end of the Autobot/Decepticon War. The bots that managed to survive the fighting and remain on Earth are presumed to be the last of their species. All of them are stuck in a holding pattern where the only options currently viable are a life in hiding or working alongside the government-funded alien threat detection/response agency GHOST. Optimus Prime and Megatron head up the latter efforts, in the hope of finding some peaceful balance between humans and Transformers going into the future (though neither of them are fully at ease with the situation, as GHOST clearly has ulterior motives of their own.)

The grim outlook for the Cybertronians takes a turn for the better with the birth of two new Transformers. The Earth-sparks of the show’s title (called “Terrans” throughout the series), Twitch and Thrash, who are bonded to the human children Robby and Mo Malto. Helped by Optimus, Megatron, and the Malto kids’ parents, GHOST agent Dot and her husband Alex, the decision is made to keep the Terrans a secret until the extent of what their existence could mean for the Transformers future as a species is fully understood. The Terrans become an official part of the Malto Family (lovingly referred to as “Malto-bots” by the other characters.) At the halfway point of the first season, in the episode “Age of Evolution”, this unconventional family unit expands further with the birth of three more Terrans, including Nightshade.

Between puzzling out the Terrans’ existence, hiding from GHOST, and fighting threats like the human mad scientist Mandroid, there’s a lot of thematic meat on the bone of this series’ setup. The main one I’m interested in digging into through the lens of Nightshade’s characterization is how the Terrans are written to feel like kids figuring out who they want to be as they grow up. Transformers has a history of designating one or more bots in its series central casts as the rookie/kid character, not insignificantly the Terrans’ primary mentor, Bumblebee, has been traditionally positioned as that very rookie. EarthSpark adding the narrative weight of representing a potential for all Transformers, particularly in how they’ll relate to humans while living on Earth, onto these characters gives more meaning to them being under that role.

The Terrans learn lessons about who they want to be and who they can/can’t trust (not always determined by old alliances like Autobot/Decepticon) from the older Transformers and humans alike. Also proving through their actions everything new they’ll have to offer the world they call home through the gift of their existence. Each Terran has been given the appropriate space so far to have their characters develop, each in their own directions, through this theme. 

Nightshade is exemplary of this, best understood through looking at how they’re characterized before/after their first focus episode “Missed Connection”, about them forming a bond with Decepticon scientist Tarantulas.

[SPOILERS for EarthSpark beyond this point]

Before “Missed Connection”

Something that genuinely impressed me going back through EarthSpark for the sake of writing this piece is how immediately Nightshade is fully themself from their earliest bits of screentime in “Age of Evolution.” While the other two members of the second batch of Terran Transformers, Hashtag and Jawbreaker, have their names confirmed upon them by their connection to Robby and Mo, Nightshade actively introduces themself with a bow and a flourish (“It is a delight and a surprise to meet you all!”) This beat quickly establishes their self-assuredness in their identity and that, while they’re later shown to have occasional introverted tendencies, they are anything but shy. I’m also fond of how the scene establishing their pronouns as Optimus lays out their plan of attack also foreshadows their eventual alt-mode, since they ask to be represented by an owl-bobblehead during the planning. The one scene serving as a contrast to their outgoing demeanor, as they recoil at the sight of Mandroid’s cruelty, gives the first hint towards their eventual desire to protect those in need.

There’s only two episodes between Nightshade’s debut in “Age of Evolution” and their first focus episode; “Hashtag: Oops” and “Outtakes.” Since neither is their focus episode, there’s not much to say about how they’re portrayed in either one (in fact, Nightshade’s entirely absent from “Outtakes” as anything but a brief visual cameo.) “Hashtag: Oops” does still manage to establish some key parts of Nightshade’s personality. Firstly, their comfort in themselves as they proclaim they don’t need an alt-mode (“I like who I am as I am.”) Secondly, their inclination towards tech and engineering as they secretly build a new underground base to surprise their family and give everyone more room to operate within. The latter also indicates their “better to ask forgiveness than permission” approach to their tinkering and scientific work. Which comes back around in a big way during “Missed Connection.”

Which finally brings us to the episode that’s the primary reason I’m writing this piece at all!

“Missed Connection”

Being Nightshade’s first proper focus episode in the series, their current state as part of the ensemble cast gets reestablished in short order. Namely, how they feel out of place around their siblings. Their affinity for science and technology leads to them making their own fun separate from the rest of the family. A pattern that gets highlighted by Nightshade working to perfect a new training drone while the rest of their siblings are playing a game of tag outdoors in celebration of Robby and Mo having the day off school. When later questioned by Alex and Dot about why they don’t spend more time with the rest of the family, Nightshade says it feels like their siblings treat them like they’re “speaking another language.”

This sense of isolation informs why Nightshade is so eager later in the episode when they find a connection with Tarantulas’ own work with tech. Simultaneously providing an opportunity for Alex to offer them something they can connect with while trying to figure out how to connect with others. Like any good nerdy dad, he does it through the magic of reading. He offers Nightshade a copy of his favorite book from when he was growing up, “Winged Sentinel”, an in-universe fantasy/sci-fi series they immediately connect with and find new aspirations. Which we hear as they repeatedly call back to the books like about its hero “protecting those in need.” Their connection to this book quickly leads to the one they find working with Tarantulas, as they were in the local cemetery since it was the “last known address” of Winged Sentinel’s author.

(Quick aside: First time I watched this episode, that detail had me thinking the show was going to do a “Nightshade learns about mortality” type of story. I was relieved when not only did Nightshade grok what happened to the author pretty fast, but the episode in turn swiftly shifted to the dynamic between Tarantulas and them.)

“Missed Connection” finds its central theme in Nightshade and Tarantulas’ discussions on identity and finding one’s place within that world rife with conflict that can be directly hostile to those like them. There’s a recurrent motif in the dialogue of Tarantulas’ cynicism born from eons of experience and Nightshade’s youthful enthusiasm. Though cynicism is far from all the elder Transformer has to offer, as he also provides Nightshade with a new perspective on alt-modes they hadn’t considered and ultimately guides them to their choice.

Nightshade: Aren’t I sufficient as I am? Tarantulas: Alt-forms aren’t meant to complete you, as though you have a missing part, they further express who you already are.

Combining that with Tarantulas’ frustration at the “constrictive labels” of Autobot/Decepticon adds to the resonance this episode has with the nonbinary experience. The concept of “passing” gets explicitly evoked by him while discussing his plan to create a hard-light hologram projector so he can live freely as a human while evading GHOST’s forces. Which is the first proper disguise Tarantulas has taken in his life. While his giant spider alt-mode may provide plenty of utility, it’s anything but discreet.

His plan and attitude informing on it connects back to the broader central theme of EarthSpark as a series of the Transformers finding a new way to live on Earth among humanity with the Terrans representing the way forward. He can’t see a way forward besides hiding who he is and the only safety he can think to offer Nightshade is to join him in that life of discretion. His outlook’s best emphasized by his assuredness that the Autobot/Decepticon War resuming is inevitable, alongside that eventuality dragging him out of whatever peace he does find.

However, cracks in Tarantulas’ bleak worldview show as he begins to admire Nightshade’s exuberant demeanor and determination to be a protector. That admiration for a Transformer with the potential to live unburdened by all the hardships he’s seen leads to him delivering the best, most resonant line in the episode:

“It is a gift to know yourself so well, so young. Take pride in that.”

A beautiful sentiment aimed directly at members of EarthSpark’s target demographic on their own journeys to express their identities.

Unfortunately, the bond these characters have found can’t last. When Tarantulas recognizes Dot as an agent of GHOST, he acts rashly under the assumption that she’s holding Nightshade prisoner. He kidnaps Alex and her, planning to erase Nightshade from their memories so they can go into hiding with him. As a fight between the bots eventually breaks out, Nightshade commits to acting like the protector they aspire to be and chooses the alt-mode of a green armored owl, based on the hero of Winged Sentinel. (Alex’s proud declaration of “You read the book!” while witnessing this is great.) A form that isn’t a disguise but expresses themself as they are and what they want to be going forward.

Nightshade and Tarantulas’ conflict has grown intense enough by this point that the elder Transformer’s admiration for the young bot doesn’t come through in his reaction. Rather he flips it into an insult providing Nightshade their opportunity for a sharp, direct retort (and other best line in the episode):

Tarantulas: You’re still just the lost protoform I first met! Nightshade: You’ve just proven you don’t really know me, because I was never lost!

When the fight ends with Tarantulas’ hologram projector destroyed in the skirmish, Nightshade reflects on words Dot offered them earlier about how everyone deserves a second chance and convinces their family not to hurt Tarantulas any further. However, it seems to be a decision out of their hands as GHOST is drawn to their location by the fight. Tarantulas, finally understanding Nightshade’s situation as well as who they are, offers himself up as bait to lure GHOST away from the Maltos. Running off into the forest as Nightshade reflects on the broken hologram projector the two of them made.

Multiple rewatches of this episode, as well as the first season of EarthSpark as a whole, has reaffirmed it as my favorite episode of the show so far. The tight focus of the dynamic between Nightshade and Tarantulas, alongside the deeper meaning that can be taken from pretty much every exchange between the two, is exemplary of what makes this series standout wonderfully as part of the vast Transformers canon.

After “Missed Connection”

Since there’s not that much of the first season left after “Missed Connection”, Nightshade’s once again mostly off to the side doing their own thing. But there are small bits that show how their experiences in that episode have changed them. They actively spend more time around the rest of the Malto Family, like helping Bumblebee train for an upcoming race and showing that they’ve formed a bond built on mutual tech-obsession with their sister, Hashtag, as they work together to further upgrade the underground headquarters. 

We also get a fun minor bit of their “better to ask forgiveness…” way of operating when they add some high tech bells and whistles to Dot’s prosthetic leg as a Mother’s Day present in the episode “Bear Necessities.” A plot point that later gives the show an opportunity for Dot and Nightshade to have a nice mother-child bonding moment as she explains to them why she liked her leg the way it was in terms they can understand (“something like this is personal”) while not completely shutting them down over it (“I’m open to some small changes, but they’ll have to be ones we come up with together.”)

Though the biggest moment post “Missed Connection” moment for the character, as well as my personal favorite single scene in EarthSpark so far, comes from their subplot in the season 1 two-parter episode “Home.” As the Malto kids and the Terrans go into Philadelphia to see more of the wider world, we get to see Nightshade continue acting as a protector for those in need as they save a young person named Sam from getting mugged in an alley. Nightshade notices a pin that says “SHE/THEY” on Sam’s handbag and tells her their pronouns in return. The two end up having a conversation about how the things that make them who they are can also make them targets for intolerantly minded people. This interaction ends with Sam affirming they feel safe around Nightshade and giving the young Transformer a simple but effective explanation of what being nonbinary means.

This not only gives Nightshade further context to understand themself, but also has the important touch from a metaperspective of having a human character be the one to explain the concept. An effective dodge of what’s frequently cited as a pitfall of using aliens/robots to explore these facets of human identity, making it as clear as possible for anyone watching (especially the target demographic of kids) that Nightshade’s nonbinary identity is in no way just a product of their being an alien robot. Rather, it's an identity that simply feels right for some people living in the world. One that people who identify with it and explore their connections to it can find immensely fulfilling. 

Or, as Nightshade puts it at the end of this conversation:

“What a wonderful word, for a wonderful experience.”

(Before I dive into my conclusion, I want to say I deeply hope this isn’t the last we see of Sam in the series. Both for representation’s sake and because I like seeing the Terrans bond with humans outside of their immediate family circle.)

It would feel wrong to end this look at Nightshade’s character and how that reflects on the best qualities of EarthSpark as a series without giving proper credit to the creative voices involved in bringing them to life. Namely, writer Mae Catt (she/they) who wrote the episode “Missed Connection” and one of the three writers on “Home”, the other two being showrunners Nicole Dubuc and Dale Malinkowski. While fundamentally I believe anyone could write any kind of story, authenticity comes through stronger when writers from the same background are involved. Catt’s passion for writing this show comes through beautifully in these episodes and in how they’ve discussed the show on social media.

Her understanding for what these characters and stories can mean to the young people watching gets clearly reflected in recurrent elements of EarthSpark’s story. Aside from Nightshade’s admiration for the main character of the Winged Sentinel novels, we also see moments in other episodes of their siblings trying to figure out what being a Transformers means through in-universe Transformers comic books telling the story of the Autobot/Decepticon War. 

It’s also what drove me to write this piece. I see Nightshade in all their creative, expressive glory and it makes me happy for the kids watching Transformers: EarthSpark, seeing them, and relating to them. Every story has the potential to be a guide someone out there can use to move closer to their heart. Nightshade’s being that guide to nonbinary kids now in a way I never could’ve dreamed of growing up is, simply put, wonderful.

Happy Pride! 💛🤍💜🖤

If you like what you’ve read here, please like/reblog or share elsewhere online, follow me on Twitter (@WC_WIT), and consider throwing some support my way at either Ko-Fi.com or Patreon.com at the extension “/witswriting”

#transformers earthspark #transformers #nightshade #nightshade earthspark #Wit's Writing #tv review #nonbinary #lgbtqia #queer #nightshade malto #nightshade transformers #pride #happy pride

[angelkitty54]

Yet another Sonic AU idea, coz I can never focus on a single one for very long! Also, was rewatching the Incredibles movies and had thoughts(tm)!

So! An AU set in a world kinda like the Incredibles wherein Sonic and the other hero characters were like proper Superheroes, but then were forced to retire and go into hiding when laws were passed that made superheroes illegal.

Sonic is in a committed relationship with Sally and Shadow, the three of them being former Supers now trying their best to live as a "normal" family with their four kids. All of which have powers, except for the baby.

Sally was one of the few Superheroes without any powers. A lot of people forget that about her, partly coz she later gained cybernetics after a terrible accident (ironically unrelated to her hero work) that took her limbs nearly took her life too. Still thinking abut her hero name but she spent many years struggling to balance her superhero career with her civilian life. She has a lot of complicated feelings about it all now that she's been forced to give up one side of her life. These days she reluctantly works at her father's company, trying very hard not to draw any attention to herself, or her family.

(Nicole is also here, integrated into Sally's cybernetics. She's quite literally in Sally's head, which kinda makes them a package deal. Her bond with Sally is incredibly strong, tho neither see it as romantic, same goes for Sonic and Shadow. They all consider her as part of the family, and the unofficial fourth parent.)

Sonic and Shadow didn't really have secret identities. Shadow had to invent an identity, going by Terios while dyeing the red parts of his fur and quills black to blend in better. He now works a boring desk job and also tends to wears grey sweaters or plain button down shirts. Shadow is very dissatisfied with his life. He's supposed to be the Ultimate Lifeform! He was meant to protect the world! He made a promise! And now he's just Terry, a boring guy working a mind-numbingly dull office job, barely able to protect his own family much less anybody else. (Yeah, Shadow be Mr Incredible here.)

Now Sonic, he pretty much lived as his superhero identity full time, so very few people actually knew he even had a secret identity. See Sonic used to be Nicky (like from the manga), a quiet, timid kid with freaky powers that always got picked on. One day he ran away from the orphanage he lived in, changed his hair, changed his whole look, changed his attitude, and started calling himself "Sonic". Becoming a superhero was never the intention, but after his first run in with Eggman, well, it all just snowballed from there.

Sonic had the hardest time adjusting to the new status quo in the beginning, having always thought he'd just be Sonic forever, even if he ever got the chance to retire from the hero life. He's had part time jobs, but was never able to hold one for very long. His lack of formal education makes things a little harder on that front too. These days he's settled down as a househusband, being the primary caretaker for their children. He loves his kids and wants to give them all the things he never got to have growing up, like loving parents and a stable home. It would be a lie to say he didn't miss his old life, but if was a choice between that and the life he has with his family, he'd pick his family every time.

I feel like Infinite would fit the role of Syndrome here. With Gadget (that's what the custom avatar is called right?) as Mirage.

Thinking maybe Knuckles and Julie-su would be Frozone and his wife?

Can't really decide who would be Edna. Maybe Rouge?? She kinda has the style for it... There's also Honey the Cat who is a designer I think? Dunno if she fits the Edna Mode vibe tho...

#sonic au #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #sally acorn #sonadow #sonally #shadally #sonic x shadow x sally #nicole the holo lynx #incredibles au #Imma maybe do art for this later

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

Linguistics post!!

I'm sure it'll come as a surprise to everyone, but just about all my fantasy short stories take place in the same universe (it was inexplicably named Triworld by my younger self, and I haven't seen fit to change it since) across different times! I've been cultivating the little universe since I was 6, and it's basically become a sprawling mess.

Nonetheless, I want to set the lore down in stone, once and for all. And where better to start than with the linguistics?

Now, in modern Triworld, there are 4 main languages. They're generally divided by species, though there is some geopolitical leakage.

Trade-tongue (occasionally known as humani, Lingua Franca of everywhere except the Cescere/Syvniko)

Spirit/Fae (more commonly known as Cescereli)

Angelic/Demonic/Sirenic (generally called Angelic)

Ghoulish (also used by the nearly extinct shifters)

Trade-tongue:

You can operate on the assumption that Trade-tongue will be considered the default. The Humans, and to a lesser extent, the elves, use it exclusively. It is a mish-mash of a variety of different languages, from the days when different tribes worshipped different gods, with a great deal of influence from the now-archaic Elvish tongue. To a non-native speaker it will have a rolling cadence, with rounded words than the a spirit or ghoul would be comfortable with.

Interestingly, it contains some Greek/Latin prefixes in it, as seen by the countries Luxatia and Nyctomachia. (As a writer, it's because younger me loved her fancy language and never saw what a pain it would be for older me. The lore reason is that a Wanderer found his/her way into Triworld and messed up human linguistics in the process)

Cescereli:

Oh dear. Where do I even begin? This is by far the most detailed of my languages, and I would go so far as to call it a conlang. It operates on a character based format, similar to Chinese, and any depictions of Cescereli in my writing will be limited to phonetic transcriptions until I work out how to input made-up symbols into my writing.

Sentence structure is fairly variable, given that it has dozens of dialects, and some linguists have (very hesitantly) suggested that the linguistic drift might be so great that they ought to be considered several languages. The spirits, being a very United people, cannot and will never accept that, and the Fae's pidgin of trade-tongue and Cescereli is remarkably faithful to what is known as the Imperial dialect.

Cescereli uses a great deal of compound words, with each character being seperated by a ' or a -, or nothing at all, depending on the type of character in use. Something that would incorporate all three might be Cescere'nari-ilra, which is what spirits use to refer to mountain elves.

Directly translated, it would mean Our (ces) Mountain (Cere) Long-eared (nari, also a term used to refer to donkeys and rabbits) Mortals (ilra, with ilre being the immortal version). As you can tell, it is my darling. I could write its own post about it, and about the spirits in general)

Now, the elves, being geographically close to the spirit Capital, share quite a bit of vocabulary with the spirits, so spirits often find themselves shocked to hear Cescereli within trade-tongue. Spirits are fiercely protective of their language and insist on speaking it amongst themselves. Any being that wishes to work amongst spirits, or to a lesser extent, Far, has to have at least some modicum of Cescereli proficiency.

To a non-native speaker, it sounds like a teakettle hissing. This has been the source of rage for many spirits.

Angelic:

A dot-based language, it has the greatest tonal variation of any tongue on Triworld. Angelic requires the speaker to transverse as far as three octaves across a single sentence, leading it to be known as song-tongue colloquially.

Few species have the vocal chords to actually pronounce the words, with sirens, angels, demons, and spirits (who refuse to speak it due to an ancient rivalry with the sirens) being the only ones truly able to speak it fluently. The remaining species, when trying to learn Angelic, use a variant known as Lesser Enochian (another remnant of a long-gone Wanderer), which has far less warbling.

It is known as the most beautiful language in existence, and sirens take great pleasure in reciting Angelic poetry to honoured guests. Demons, on the other hand, delight in their dialect, Infernal (which has its own set of sub-dialects), as a method of mocking those without sufficiently high ranges of hearing to catch their words. Angels prefer pretending they do not have to share their language with two other species, and insist their dialect is the only 'true' one.

Ghoulish:

As languages go, Ghoulish is a mess. It has a basis of shifter-speak, with a dash of Cescereli, some elven, a remarkable amount of Goddish, vampiric to taste, and what might actually be the original human tongue, or perhaps ancient ghoulish.

It came of the Lich-Queen of Ceredell (yes, you do note the Cescereli Cere being mixed with the trade-tongue Dell) wanting to cut her ties to humanity. As a tribute to the people who visited her coronation (I'm currently writing this story up now, so spoiler alert for the Lich-Queen!), she named her capital after the spirits, made shifter-tongue the national language, devoted a quarter of every mortal city to the Gods, industrialised the blood-substitute industry for the vampires, and offered free and safe immigration for all the above species.

The result was... This. Ghoulish growls and snaps and whistles and bounces of the walls like it's high on booze-berry. It technically uses the trade-tongue alphabet, but with each letter having indentations and inflections, it might as well be its own language.

Well, that's about it! I'm sorry to anyone who made it this far, that's 5 minutes of your life that you're not getting back. I could talk endlessly on my world building, but I try to obey the principle of Show, not Tell. Next up, Geography!!!

#wordbuilding #writeblr #my writing #writing #creative writing #writerscommunity #writing community #fantasy #spilled ink #writer stuff #conlang #fictional language #Me when I write articles about my writing instead of actually finishing my 50 wips #Triworld

[blood-mocha-latte]

~ miscellaneous tag game ~

tagged by the lovely @mutantmanifesto and @dontirrigateme <3

Favorite place in the world you’ve visited?

rough draw but munich! 'twas gorgeous and also where I got engaged

Something you’re proud of yourself for?

dragging my ass through college in two years and double majoring. nearly killed me but by god it's done

Favorite books?

the awakening by kate chopin - the woman in white by wilkie collins - all quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque - a tree grows in brooklyn by betty smith - letters from the 442nd by min masuda

Something that makes your heart happy when thinking about it?

mah wife (borat voice)

Favorite thing about your culture?

god what even is my culture. how unhinged would i sound if i said swamps and rigatoni

When did you join the HBO War fandom? What was the first show you watched?

joined about three years ago but not on tumblr, but watched the pacific first

Have you read any of Easy Company’s books? If so, which ones were your favorite?

no because i. have a reading list and they aren't up in the queue lmao

Favorite HBO War character and your favorite moment with them?

leckie. he’s like. webster if webster was a wet cat what’s not to love. favorite moment is all moments ever EXCEPT for the sex scenes because what kind of hallucinogen did i take to have to watch that

Do you make content for any fandoms, if so; what sort of content?

i write fic and am. a little consumed by it at all times. i also make edits but am going through a bit of a rut with that so for now only writing thank you

Favorite actor/actress and your favorite film of theirs?

eliza dushku for her wonderful performances in buffy the vampire slayer and angel (i'm gay. can you tell)

Favorite quote/s that you wish to share with others?

just this entire dick allen poem which is luztoye coded forever and ever

Random fact your mutuals/followers don’t know about you?

hm. idk. i once got bit by a raccoon in a bayou and had to get rabies shots for the next two weeks

If you’re a writer, do you need a beta reader (say yes so I can be your beta reader 🤭)?

i write everything by hand and then put in in the Computer which is like. a built in beta edit. and then mah wife (borat voice) betas for me because she's wonderful

Three things that make you smile?

mah wife (borat voice) (i'm predictable)

our air purifier (i’m old)

our vintage dog teapot

Any nicknames you like?

my name is three letters long like there's not a lot of leeway there. i went by adelasia for a while which is my middle name but like. that's it. does papera count

List some people you love to see around on tumblr!

@lamialamia is the pillar of my entire person at all times and genuinely one of the nicest people i’ve ever met. linh wrote this wonderful fic for the secret santa exchange, which i am currently reading and fawning over

@staud is easily one of the talented people in the entire hbo war fandom and has the fucking VISION for gifs and videos. most recent of which i’ve watched (and panicked about) being an incredible eugene sledge video. erin is also just fucking funny bro idk what to tell you

@mutantmanifesto is someone that is like. genuinely a celebrity to me. every time i see lenora’s drawings anywhere i have flashbacks like i’m in the louvre. also just a wonderful person with incredible taste

@ep6bastogne is on a tumblr hiatus right now but always deserves a shoutout. she did incredible edits of skinny sisk, eugene roe, ron speirs, and david webster for the secret santa exchange that changed my brain chemistry forever and is one of the warmest people i’ve ever talked to

@ewipandora is someone that i’m ALWAYS holding hands with <3. both a genuinely funny and wonderful person and has incredible taste in reblogs. ewi is currently doing a band of brothers ship series that i plan to Consume as soon as possible because i have no doubt that they’re incredible

@dcyllom is an incredibly underrated and kind part of my Dashboard Experience™ and is also just wonderful and one of my favorite Tumblr People :)

@educationalporpoises is a genius and an INCREDIBLE writer. zee was my secret santa gifter and this luztoye fic knocked it all the way out of the park and into the cemetery, which is how hard it slayed. also wins for best mutual handle

@almost-a-class-act is ridiculously supportive and kind, and a backbone of the hbo war fandom forever and always. sam’s also one of the best fucking writers to ever grace this earth, with the most recent thing i’ve read being this top notch luztoye fic <3

What would you do during a zombie apocalypse?

die. girl i work in an er i'd be the first to go

Favorite movie?

ladri di biciclette for all time favorite movie ever. a perfect movie

Do you like horror movies?

it depends entirely on the level of homoerotism that can be found in those movies. and also if matthew lillard is in it

Tagging:

everyone mentioned above as well as anyone who wants to do it since i have no clue who’s been tagged :)

#rie talks #tag games

[bonefall]

Better Bones WindClan Family Tree: Draft 1

[ID: The WindClan family tree for Better Bones. It's a color-coded chart of over 122 cats, with all of the cats alive as of the newest arc marked in green, and the 'progenitors' of each line marked in yellow.]

You may also want to see:

The Three Strict Rules

The Canon WindClan Diagnosis (for comparison)

ThunderClan

RiverClan

SkyClan

For the past few days, I've been trying to make ends meet with this tree. WindClan's biggest problem is how very few cats it has in-canon, with the Erins practically forgetting an entire generation between Tallstar's Revenge and TPB. As a result, I had to make this thing nearly from scratch.

The result is before you; there are 122 cats on this chart at the moment! I've used Missing Kits to try and patch the "bald spot" in the timeline, but I admittedly did have to scrounge up a couple cats here. There are still no OCs on this tree, but some unnamed background characters have been given names.

(I am also watching authorial statements like a HAWK in the hopes they will drop more names I can use to pad out some of the single-kit litters, like Appledawn's single kid Adderstone there)

I also have tried to balance the size of this Clan with BB!ThunderClan's count by ASC. There's now a little over 30 cats in this Clan.

Most of these trees have renamings, removals, and a changelog-- this one's going to be a bit different. Below the cut, you will see Renamings, Reserves, and a Changelog.

RENAMINGS: Format: Old Name (Origin) -> New Name (Reason)

Stagleap (WC) -> Stagfur (conflict)

Robinwing (WC) -> Robinflight (conflict)

Gorsetail (Po3) -> Whintail (Serious conflict with a Gorsetail in the very next arc)

Hickorynose -> Chicorynose (ecological accuracy)

Tornear -> Torear (Minor change to prevent him from being born Tornkit)

"Brown Tabby Tom" (Fire and Ice) -> Sparrowspeck (unnamed)

Whitetail's first sibling (OSC) -> Blackfur (unnamed; will update to canon name when revealed)

Whitetail's second sibling (OSC) -> Grayfoot (unnamed; will update to canon name when revealed)

Eaglekit (SSMK) -> Eagleswoop (save)

Storkkit (SSMK) -> Storkfeather (save)

Quailkit (SSMK) -> Quailheart (save)

Downkit (SSMK) -> Downwind (save)

Hillkit (SSMK) -> Hillrunner (save)

Adderkit (Cats of the Clans) -> Adderstone (save)

Galekit (OSC) -> Galerunner (save)

Buzzardkit (Po3) -> Buzzardclaw (save)

Drizzlepaw (SSMK) -> Drizzlefall (save)

Rustlepaw (SSMK) -> Rustlebush* (save) = Suffix might change, I'm not satisfied with it

Cranberrypaw (SSMK) -> Cranberrysplash (save)

Milkfur (FQ) -> Milktooth (conflict)

Snapper (Ravenpaw's Path) -> Snapstorm (MASSIVELY repurposed.)

Brushpaw (OSC) -> Brushblaze (save/repurpose)

Quickpaw (CotC) -> Quickclaw (shuffle)

Thistlepaw (CotC) -> Thistleseed (shuffle)

Pricklekit (CotC) -> Pricklepelt (shuffle)

(SSMK = Su Susann's Missing Kits)

RESERVES: There weren't enough cats for me to even consider cutting any; instead, here are some extra characters from field guides and unnamed in the background who could possibly show up again.

"Tortoiseshell Queen" from Fire and Ice; may just be Quailheart or Storkfeather, if not, her name will be Ruffclaw

"Gray Tom" from Fire and Ice; if named, he will be called Chipstone.

Swiftstar, Dalestar, Thrushbreeze, and Larkstripe's unnamed honor sire are all characters in Ripplestar's Rot, but they're just a bit too far back to be relevant at the moment.

Hareflight (FQ) is from the same time period. If they show up again, their name will be Harefrost.

Whitetail from Tigerclaw's leader ceremony was a WindClan cat in BB; she doesn't show up to his ceremony in this story, but she could appear on the tree at some point. If she does, her name will be Whitetuft.

From Code of the Clans, I am holding onto; Pebblefur, Acorntail, Morningcloud, Cloversplash, and Gorseclaw who would be renamed to Whinclaw.

Several leaders and Clerics could appear if BB ever went further back than Ripplestar's Rot. Swiftfoot, Stonestar, Duststar, Dovestar, Featherstar, Fallowstar, Rabbitstar... plus Mudpuddle, an ancient deputy.

Wanderkit and Muddyclaw from the Adventure Game are from WindClan; but currently not needed

Brightheart's surrogate kittens, Ambermoon, Snowbush, and Dewnose. Some could show up here if needed.

NOTE: If any of these characters show up again in canon, or are confirmed by authorial statement to have a different name, I will abide by that and update accordingly (unless the name is, of course, a conflict).

CHANGELOG: I tell you why I did the things and also point out what's different

Because this Clan was so empty and full of orphan warriors, I was able to completely make it however I wanted.

I also tried to make sure that MODERN WindClan is still VERY clean. Most of canon's "orphan warriors" are totally capable of being mixed with just about anyone else who's around in WindClan.

This is so I can accommodate just about whatever the Erins throw at us... within reason of course. Never doubt the Erin's ability to ruin a family tree.

In BB, Sunstrike and Furzepelt have expanded roles and survive to at least TBC, so I decided they would get Slightfoot. They're the kind of girls who would raise a rebel like him.

Ryestalk has been moved out of the Mist/Hare family. I have more need for her as a clean cat; and a better story to tell of her being afraid of tunneling. Her mother, Leafshine, died in a collapse.

I wanted to find some sort of in-between cat for Pigeonflight and Cranberrysplash, but unfortunately, I ran out of cats. She is probably adopted; found abandoned.

Fernstripe might move around in the future; for now she is a later birth to CranberryxDrizzle. If she moves, it'll probably be to SunxFurze.

Whiskernose is older now because I reworked his purpose in the Dark Forest

Drizzlefall was initially Runningbrook's child. When she dies in TNP, Webfoot raised her alongside his own kid, Rustlebush. They are marked as siblings for that purpose.

Mudclaw and Whitewater of ShadowClan had an unimportant fling during the journey. They both agreed it was an honor siring and would be kept quiet-- but Whitewater became a supporter of his during the rebellion.

When Mudclaw was smote by StarClan, she felt that the kittens were cursed.

She contacted Torear and arranged for him to take his nespring, but the night of the meeting, a snowstorm tore through the Clans. She couldn't take the runt, else he would freeze.

So, she kept Owlclaw of ShadowClan, and Harestar and Kestrelflight went to WindClan.

Brushblaze and Snapstorm are both ex-BloodClan, they did trading with WindClan just after the BloodClan battle, when Tallstar and Firestar opened up peace talks with the defeated Scourge.

Hareheatherbreeze and the Onestar Drama

So of course, one of the bigger changes in BB is that Harestar, Heathertail, and Breezepelt are in a polycule. I did a LOT with this fix in mind.

Onestar is now a single kitten. In Clanmew, his prefix is "Ul-arra," a whole fraction.

This was an expression of grief, as his mother Larksplash died in childbirth, along with his siblings. Cloudrunner was distant, unfortunately never recovering from the ordeal.

Him and Larksplash were quite old to be having a litter, and they knew the risks, but Onestar always felt like Cloudrunner blamed him, in a way.

Eventually, he wanted to raise a child. Whitetail honor dammed for him, and offered open coparentage, but Onestar politely declined. It was known Whitetail was Heathertail's parent, but they weren't very close.

Probably through a shared grievance with Onestar and feelings of responsibility over Heather, Whitetail and Brushblaze became very close. They eventually had two kittens-- Smokekit and Galekit.

Onestar interpreted this as them both trying to tell him they knew about Smoke, slipping further into paranoia towards the end.

Heathertail LOVED the two of them right away.

Unfortunately, Brushblaze laid down his life saving Kin refugees, including Heathertail and Breezepelt, by collapsing an escape tunnel on top of himself.

Galerunner and Smokehaze were only a few months old at the time.

Hareheatherbreeze will be keeping Brindlewing, Appleshine, and Woodsong! Brindlewing was first, with Apple and Wood coming in a second litter.

Tallstar's Family

In Tallstar's Collapse, Talltail leaves WindClan for a long period of time. He wandered with Jake and his family of nomads, eventually finding foundling kittens and deciding to adopt them with him.

But, eventually, he couldn't resist the pull of homesickness, and the desire to try and fix things in WindClan. He tried to leave the family he'd made behind-- but Fly followed him.

Talltail, naively, believed that Fly would remain innocent. That the kid would be above the battle culture of the Clans. He was wrong.

Fly became a ferocious warrior, even competing with him for the deputy position. If Talltail hadn't been quick or keen enough to kill an adder that was going for Heatherstar's grand-nephew, Flytail may have become leader of WindClan.

The kit was named Adderkit for this event, later becoming Adderstone.

Flytail, his mate Eagleswoop, and one of his daughters died in the WindClan Massacre. Talltail had already lost two half-siblings in the war.

What was once a large family was reduced to Tallstar, Stoneclaw, Wrenflight and her children.

Stoneclaw put off having kits for a time, eventually having two one-kit litters with her mate, Snapstorm; Buzzardclaw and Crouchfoot.

#This one is still free to use like all my other trees btw #Though I did do a lot more BB specific fixes this time around #Since I committed to the HareHeatherBreeze polycule and such #The tree is so barren in-canon that you really need to make something out of it #If you plan to tell WindClan stories #Lest you write another OSC where nothing happens and no one cares about anything #Better bones au #WindClan Family Tree #Family Tree #I prolly missed something BUT FOR NOW #DONE #I DID IT

[ashes-writing]

at last | ahs - freak show ; j.darling

tag list babes || req. rules / fandoms+characters || got a req? || masterlist

CHAPTERS ; 

This is a one shot... for now. Masterlist for AHS can be found here.

AUTHORS NOTES;

This was inspired by the fact that I woke up and chose violence in the form of angst, there not being nearly enough love for Jimmy Darling on this hellsite and oldies on Spotify and maybe just a smidge of The Notebook. Oh and a prompts list which is this one right here

SUMMARY;

-- you grew up with him and somewhere along the way, you fell in love. aka, the one where unrequited love becomes requited.

PAIRING;

Jimmy Darling x Fem!Reader (aside from having female parts, this one is a bit better of a blank slate I am uh.. still transitioning from writing OC works to writing Reader works so yeah.)

WARNINGS;

Angst. That is the warning.

TAGLIST;

There's nobody on my American Horror Story taglist. If you'd like to be, please click the little link up top and add yourself or tell me and I'll do it.

OTHER STUFF;

Reader has been adopted by Elsa Mars and raised as her own from a young age. None of the plot of Freak Show is mentioned here save for Jimmy losing his mother and Maggie being in the first half. This is all I have for this particular thing so if you want to see more or maybe you want me to make a series out of this please lmk. Otherwise, this is a one shot.

“Let me go, Jimmy.”

You give him a pleading look. The suitcases are already packed, and a taxi is on its way. You tried so hard to stick around, the carnival is your only family and it’s the only thing you’ve ever known because Elsa Mars adopted you when you were no older than three.

But you’re 19 now.

All grown up.

You’ve been in love with Jimmy Darling for years and you can’t take another second pining away in secret.

“So you’re just gonna leave, doll? That it? We’re family til we ain’t anymore?” Jimmy looks so hurt. So oblivious. And he sounds so cold when he says it. “Maggie, she was right. You were always too good for this place.”

Maybe hearing her name come out of the mouth of the man you love for the millionth time is what prompts you to do it. And you figure there’s no harm, it’s not like he’ll return the feelings and it’s not like it’ll change anything that you’ve decided.

“I’m so sick of her.” you say it without thinking. Bitterness welling up from deep within as you shake your head when Jimmy goes to speak up, to say something. “Look.” you rub the bridge of your nose and you sigh, taking a deep breath. “I can’t pretend anymore, alright?”

Jimmy steps up, blocking your path when you step over with every intention of grabbing your suitcase and leaving the rest of what you’ve stopped yourself from saying unsaid.

Elsa, your adoptive mother peeks in. “Your taxi is almost here, darling. Have you said your goodbyes to everyone?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“She’s going t’ go off and make a name for herself, Jimmy! Aren’t y’ so excited for her?” the words are said with a hint of mocking as brown eyes linger on Jimmy Darling. He’s just lost his mother and now, he’s losing you. The love of his life. The one girl he’s always wanted, always put on a pedestal and told himself he’d never have because he’s disfigured, he’s a freak. You’re too good for him, he could never give you the life you deserve.

“Yeah. Real excited.” Jimmy’s tone is flat. 

“Make your last goodbye quick, my little darling! It’s almost time to go.” and with this, Elsa Mars is gone, the door swinging shut soft behind her.

“Why are you even here? Doesn’t Maggie need something?” you say it quiet and you say it with what you hope is a voice that doesn’t contain a hint of jealousy or bitterness. “Aren’t you in love with her now?”

This is the exact reason you know you can’t stay here. Pining away in secret ultimately leads to bitterness and anger and that’s not a way you want to live your life. It’s already started, you’ve bent over backwards since her arrival to try to find something wrong with her, something that’ll get her run off. Away from him. Away from your family.

You step around him to grab your suitcase one last time and you can’t help or stop it when the words come tumbling out. “I’ve loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you, Jimmy.” you want to disappear on the spot, but you swallow down the lump in your throat and you keep going, “It hurts, ya know? I ache for you. And you don’t even… It’s like I’m not good enough because I’ve tried so hard.”

You pick up the suitcase and start to make your way out of the little silver camper. As you’re walking towards the road to wait for the taxi, Maggie stops you and you sigh, defeated. “You win. Just… take care of him, please?” you mumble, “Take care of him.”

You hurry towards the road and you’ve made it halfway, but you’re stopped. Whirled around with force that catapults you straight into him. Webbed fingers grip either side of your face clumsily and he’s leaning down, his forehead against your own. “Baby no… c’mon doll, you don’t have t’ do this, please stay. C’mon,” he’s pleading frantically and rough lips attack your softer ones hungrily as he continues to beg, “Don’t leave me too. I love you. I really love you, I mean it.”

You pull away because you’re wary of it at first. But he’s just about to cry and you can’t take it. “Jimmy..” you trail off, raising a hand to wipe at your eyes. “You’re just saying that. You’ll be fine, you’ll see. You’ll..” you wipe your eyes again, “You’ll forget all about me and it won’t take long, either.”

The taxi comes to a slow and screeching halt and you get into it, paying the driver as you light up a cigarette with shaking hands. “Where to, miss?”

“The train station. I’m leaving for New York today.” you manage a weak smile. And the whole time, your heart is breaking into a million pieces on the inside.

Jimmy watches you leave and Maggie wanders up. “You loved her, huh?”

“She’s the reason I wasn’t leavin yet. I.. stayed t’ be close to her. Just told myself I couldn’t have her.”

“Where’s she going?”

“Elsa said somethin’ about New York.”

Maggie isn’t stupid, she knows their brief and fleeting thing is over, right then, on the spot. She sighs and gets him looking at her. “I don’t love you. Not like her.”

And somehow, hearing her say it doesn’t hurt at all. Not nearly as much as you leaving.

“Remember everything you told me? About the future? About a little house in the middle of town? I think you know who you really imagined all of that with. Let her go for now.. But go to her.”

Jimmy thinks it over and he takes a shaky breath.

– ( 2 years later )

You’re exhausted. All you want to do is go up to your little studio apartment and sleep. You’re pushing your way through a crowded street a block away from your place and you think you see him in the crowd but you quickly put the thought out of your head. Elsa’s last letter hinted that the show had broken up and you can only assume that Jimmy went on to build his dream life with his dream girl.

Because when he tried to stop you from leaving that day, you’re almost certain that when he said he loved you he meant like family. Like a friend or a sister, because that’s essentially how you’d been raised with him.

So you’re almost completely certain that seeing him in crowds and catching hints of that cheap cologne and the pomade he used in his hair are just residuals and you tell yourself that one day, this won’t happen anymore. One day, you’ll forget all about him.

You know it’s a lie but it keeps you going.

You’re just about to step into the lobby of your building when you feel hands on your hips and you whirl around, ready to attack.

Jimmy is standing there. Wild flowers in one hand and a weak smile.

It takes a second for you to process. You blink twice and he doesn’t disappear in front of you.

“I’ve loved y’ since the first time I laid eyes on ya, doll. Are you almost done with this shit?” he gestures to the busy sidewalk and the crowded street you live on. You’re frozen, mouth and brain utterly useless because neither one wants to work on their own, let alone together. “Jimmy..”

“Yeah, kitten?” he steps closer, towering over you. Pulling you close by wrapping an arm around your waist. “I hate this place. It’s too noisy, doll. Let me take y’ home?” he mutters, closing the distance between his mouth and yours.

“Jimmy, what about…” you’re not allowed to finish what you were about to ask because he’s pulled you up his body, your legs around his waist. “Darlin..” he coaxes, teeth locking on your bottom lip as he deepens the kiss, “I tried t’ let you go, alright? I..I can’t. I love you. It’s you, okay? It’s always been you.”

“Take me home, Jimmy.” you gasp out as your mouths crash against each other all over again…

#jimmy darling #jimmy darling imagine #jimmy darling fanfiction #jimmy darling x reader #jimmy darling x fem!reader

[fostersffff]

The Big Gundam Watch, Part 14: Mobile Suit Victory Gundam

What a mistake it would have been for me to skip this series.

I observed in my last post that opinions on Victory Gundam seem more volatile than ZZ, and now I understand why. Like F91 before it, Victory Gundam is an attempt at soft rebooting the Universal Century, but obviously unlike F91, it had the chance to be a full, ~50 episode TV series. I can say with confidence now that this is the format in which Yoshiyuki Tomino is at his most powerful.

For better and for worse, Victory Gundam takes the essence of nearly everything that came before and refines it into a more pure, undiluted version of itself. I'm of the opinion that this works brilliantly for the most part, although when it does fall flat, it really hits with an echoing thud. Even so, Victory Gundam has usurped ZZ when it comes to my opinion on "the true successor" to 0079. A lot of that is down to executing on a most of ZZ's plot beats and character archetypes better, but it also adds some new elements that improve upon it as well. With that said, I can think of no better element to start with than with the belle of the ball herself, Katejina Loos.

CATEGORY 5 WHITE WOMAN

I have been thoroughly enchanted by the story of Katejina Loos. I knew, via osmosis, that she was a Bad Woman who does Bad Things, but I wasn't exactly sure what that really meant. That descriptor applies to characters like Haman Karn- who I love- Reccoa Londe- who I hate (affectionate)- and Michele Luio- who I hate (derogatory). She has a little bit in common with all three, because she's all the most stereotypical "evil woman" traits wrapped into a single character, but what makes that so engaging is watching how those traits get worse and worse and fucking worse over time, in a way that is kind of disturbingly mundane.

Katejina starts out as what I can most succinctly describe as a Privileged White Liberal; she's from money, but because she hates most of the wealthy people around her- including her own dad- she considers herself wholly different from them. Because of how they shuffled the first few episodes, her introduction is literally "I'm glad all those rich assholes died", glazing over both the grotesque cruelty of the situation because she thought they were bad people who deserved to die anyway and also that she is, in fact, one of those rich assholes.

At first she goes along with the League Militaire, mainly because there's nowhere else to go anyway, but she often bristles against most of the other members. This is because they pretty willing to point out that she's a rich asshole, but also more importantly because she disagrees with them using Uso as a pilot for the Victory. It's entirely possible this may have been amicably resolved- especially considering her initial attitude towards the Zanscare Empire is "they're obviously bad guys"- if not for her abduction by Cronicle Asher (who, by the way, may have The Most Tomino Name).

At this point I need to take a detour to talk about him, and how one of the other smartest things Tomino did was make Victory's Char completely unlike Char. While he is scheming against the Zanscare Empire's military dictatorship, he's a genuine believer in Mariaism- a matriarchal doctrine advocating for peace in space- and wants to elevate his sister (the titular Maria from Mariaism and Queen of the Zanscare Empire) from merely being a figurehead to the actual ruler of the empire. However, instead of subterfuge and betrayals, he's trying to change the system from within, doing his duty as a soldier with the utmost diligence so he can rise through the ranks, which will allow him to achieve his goals while not inadvertently destabilizing the empire (and thus Maria's access to power). He's maybe the most Straight-Edge Good Boy I've seen in a Gundam series, but unfortunately, all of that Good Boy Energy is being used in service of the genocidal military dictatorship. He regularly expresses distaste for the methods Zanscare's military regularly employs, but he carries out those cruel tasks anyway, because ultimately, the end will justify the means.

With all that in mind, Cronicle being the one to abduct Katejina is legitimately the point of no return for her. That genuine Straight-Edge Good Boyness of his endears her to him immediately, which leads her to reconsider what she thought of the Zanscare Empire; after all, Cronicle treats her with such a great deal of kindness and respect, so surely they can't all be bad. That one commanding officer even shot the subordinate who tried to feel her up, even! Combine that with the fact that the members of the League Militaire were mean to her, and that they have to use an innocent little baby boy like Uso to fight for them... maybe she was wrong about who the bad guys were.

I'll speed it along here, but what is essentially a corruption arc is on full display from this point forward. Slowly, she starts to integrate herself more and more within the Zanscare Empire's military, halfheartedly trying to justify what she's doing as "spying" to Uso and company until she doesn't even care to bother with that anymore, more and more convinced that Cronicle is just, and his plan to elevate Maria as the true ruler is for the greater good. The last act of kindness she musters for Uso is letting him know Shahkti and the others are safe, but the next time we see her after that is in a Zanscare dress uniform, and then later in the same episode, in a Zanscare mobile suit.

And once that threshold has been crossed, she continues to sink lower, going from "maybe we can just... capture Uso, and bring him over to our side" to "he's gotta go". And then she starts employing increasingly depraved methods of "he's gotta go", sliding from simply killing him in combat, to ordering the all-female imperial guard to fight him on foot and naked (or as naked as early 90's Japanese TV would allow) to try to fuck with his head, to finally faking a surrender after she's already lost everything so she can stab him, because fuck him.

If the League Militaire (and Uso as its spearhead) had just fucked off and let Zanscare achieve their goals, Cronicle would have eventually usurped the military dictatorship, given Maria the freedom to enact her will, and everything would have been perfect. It would've been like a fairy tale: she's swept off her feet by a handsome prince who enlists her aid to rescue to queen, and in saving her, they save the whole kingdom, and then they live happily ever after. The only minor caveat was the mountains of innocent corpses it was all built upon.

Uso- the innocent little baby boy no more- took all that away from her- the prince was dead, the queen was dead, and the kingdom had fallen apart- and rather than actually admit defeat or commit suicide, she instead continues to try to kill him, until her brain basically poisons itself as a self-preservation tactic- it's not the V2's Wings of Light that blind her, it's literally her own rage.

And, shockingly, that's where she ends up. Still alive, but unable to see the world around her anymore and with no memory of anything but where she lived. Karlmann's name evokes a memory she can't access anymore, which makes her cry for reasons she can't understand. Shahkti gives her a replacement compass so she can make her way back to Uwig and continue to live, and presumably just live... assuming Uwig has even been rebuilt, considering this series seems to take place within the span of a year (if Marbet's pregnancy is anything to go by). It's honestly a much crueler fate than I was expecting, but it's hard to argue it's not one she earned.

All of this is to say: it's possible I may change my opinion once recency bias wears off, but I think Katejina Loos is maybe my favorite single character in a Gundam show to date. A perfectly executed villainess, top to bottom.

And, you know, nice thick eyebrows, which is terrific.

Now that I've finished gushing, let's get to the normal segments:

THE STUFF I LIKED

This series is just ripe with Tomino names. Cronicle Asher, Maria Pure Armonia, Karlmann Dukatus, Junko Jenka, Duker Iq... and I would be remiss not to mention that while not explicitly said in the series, Marbet's last name is Fingerhat.

I adore the technology level of UC 0153. We've advanced forward from F91 and now goddamn near everything is beam-based; even things that aren't mobile suits use beams because the technology is so normalized. I'm also of the opinion that it's enhanced further by Tomino's obvious appreciation of the aesthetic of Pastoral European Landscapes and 20th Century European Cities; the visual clash of super futuristic robots and old-timey environments worked in F91, it worked better here, and I imagine it'll continue to be just as strong- if not stronger- in Turn A and Reconguista in G

I know on a meta level that Victory Gundam was pushed even harder than previous Gundams in the direction of MAKE TOY, which sounds like a nightmare creatively, but fuck if they didn't make it work. The in-universe justification for most of the wheel-based weapons is goofy, but damned if they don't make the Einerad (The Tire) one of the most devastatingly effective support units in the franchise. And, to be honest, if I had access to a toy as a kid that was just a cool robot inside of a wheel, it would've been, like, my favorite toy.

Plus, despite my noted dislike of the Zakrello from 0079 for being a Goofy Snake Ship, having most of the Zanscare's mobile suits have the dogu statue eyes that open into vertical slits is a great unifying aspect that is also super different from Zeon's monoeyes.

One of the coolest things about this series is how it flips the formula from 0079, Zeta, and ZZ with regards to setting. It starts on Earth, which frames space and the colonies as different and scary. Like, it was fascinating in 0079 to see the White Base crew react the way they did to a thunderstorm and other Earth phenomena we obviously take for granted, but here's it's like: hey man, space is fucking scary! I was genuinely anxious watching Shahkti and Suzy trying to get Karl and Flanders into normal suits.

This also extends to the finale taking place on Earth, which is a genuine first for the franchise. You'd think this would make things slightly less deadly overall, but man Cronicle goes out in a bad fuckin' way.

Following up on that: I love Angel Halo as the ultimate threat (with one caveat I'll mention that in the next section). "Total Human Regression as performed by Warhammer 40k's Golden Throne" is much more horrifying than what I was expecting (which was A Super Duper Space Laser), especially considering they showed what happens if everyone in an arbitrary area suddenly falls asleep, and that every time someone blew up a section of Angel Halo, civilian bodies would just FLOOD out.

I also really liked how the memories Angel Ring was evoking when Maria was trying to pacify Uso were just ever so slightly wrong, in terms of what the characters are saying. That's a very tiny detail to address in such a long series, where most people wouldn't even remember what was actually said as it was airing, but it's appreciated.

At this point I consider Tomino to be pretty masterful at a lot of things, but I think one of his strongest abilities is writing mascot characters who are good. Victory Gundam has a baby, a dog, and the most talkative Haro yet, and all three of them are great. Karl and Flanders are just a normal baby and dog who primarily either enhance hijinks or raise stakes, and Haro earns the extra lines it has by constantly being in MVP in bad situations.

THE STUFF I LIKED LESS:

It was dumb that they arbitrarily had Episode 4 as the first episode so they could show the completed Victory Gundam right away, and then spend the next three episodes framed with Shahkti going "well Karl, as you know...". I know this ties back to toys, but surely it could've just been written differently in the first place.

While I did like Zanscare's refusal to acknowledge the Victory, Hexa, and V2 as Gundams, I'm so mad they were mainly referred to as "the white ones" instead of "white devils". "The White Devil" is my favorite name for the RX-78-2 and I hate that it doesn't get used more referencing Gundams, especially in contexts like this.

So obviously from a series composition point of view it was never going to be the case, but I was bummed out that in-universe, Marbet was intended to be the League Militaire's ace and got sidelined due to her injury. This isn't such a big deal, because she contributes regularly and actually lives through to the end in what I would consider to be the best possible circumstances (Oliver is dead and instead she has Uso, Shahkti, Karl, and Flanders as a family), but it's was just like "aw no you're so much cooler than this dumb kid with a bowl cut!"

I straight-up don't like Oliver. He just shows up randomly but everyone knows who he is, he's revealed to be the commander of the Shrike Team (who actually are foreshadowed in an earlier episode!) but arrives without them for some reason, he has a strained romantic history with Marbet, and he gets a completely unearned Bright Slap shortly after showing up, which is already something I hate outside of its original context in 0079. Then despite denying it, it really seems like he shacks up with Marbet because Junko died and she wins by default, and then after nutting inside he just killed himself in spectacular fashion, achieving nothing. Fuckin'... bad vibes, all around.

Lupe Cineau, huh? My complaint here isn't that she's a weird pedophile, bur rather that she really shouldn't have been? Her introduction is that she's a Stone Cold Bitch, murdering the guys in the bar she just got information from when she first shows up. And her tactic to try to seduce Uso into joining up with Zanscare seemed less like "oh my, a cute little boy, I know exactly what to do..." and more of a dismissive "he's like 12, all I need to do is show hole and he'll be in our pockets forever". Like, 'she fails at seducing a 12 year old because she's too much of a Stone Cold Bitch' is the point of that entire scene! Statistically, not every antagonist could be a quality one, but it felt like they just scrambled to figure out how to reintroduce and get rid of her, and the bath scene was the most memorable thing about her, so: pedophile.

There sure is a lot of biology in this series! Most of it has to do with Karlmann, naturally, but I was taken aback at the scene of Shahkti washing the diapers in the river and you see his poop get washed away. Odelo pissing himself and it filling up the bottom of his normal suit was gross but like... kind of informative on how that works? But then the scene where Cronicle redirects Suzy to the bathroom when she sleepwalks to pee in the hallways was just... eugh.

I don't know why they felt compelled to allude to the threat of Angel Halo's psycommu physically degenerating people as well. "Everyone on Earth will mentally become an infant, and if they don't die in the initial collapse of infrastructure that causes, they'll eventually starve to death because they lack the capacity for self-preservation" is scary enough!

I can't really begrudge Tomino for reusing it, because it's a powerful scene, and Karl was much more important to this story, but the fact that Karl has the same origin story as the F91 baby was just like "you can't just do that again, man". It's not even as good a moment because the pilot intentionally shoots down Karl's mother, versus F91 baby's mom just accidentally getting brained by a spent shell. They're even wearing similar outfits!

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

I've read that this is, or was at the time, Hideaki Anno's favorite Gundam series, and lines up with when he would've been making Evangelion- and I definitely think he cribbed some things. As soon as I saw the episode title "Beneath the Ultra-High Altitude Attack" my eyes narrowed, and I can't be convinced that Arael wasn't inspired by the Zanneck and Fuala's mental instability. Also: Angel Ring and Human Instrumentality and the associated Christian imagery.

Speaking of Fuala Griffon, she is Victory Gundam's winner of the "fucking insane fit" award, wearing an oversized suit and porkpie hat while riding a dirtbike with the biggest case of resting bitchface I've seen since Monsly in Future Boy Conan.

I kind of regret learning about trigger discipline (keeping your trigger finger extended along the side of the barrel of a gun until you're actually going to fire) because now it's one of those things I look for everywhere, but in this case I do think it's the second most telling detail about Cronicle's character. The other being the fact that Flanders is cool with him.

Speaking of Cronicle and guns, for however out of character it may have been I was hootin' and hollerin' when Shahkti stole his gun and shot him.

Final note on Cronicle: My favorite thing about his mask that I only realized in writing this post is that it's the inverse of Char's, covering everything but his eyes and hair.

I really like the Eyecatch Flipbook they must have made to include as an extra for the laserdisc release of the series, but it does kinda... disrupt some things. Most notably in the last episode where you get the very violently abrupt shot Cronicle slamming into a piece of Angel Halo before cutting to HARO WORLDWIDE with the cute little jingle.

I legitimately thought Maria's demonstration where she healed the sick was staged. Like, it would be revealed that Maria was a low-level Newtype with some genuine power, but all the people who claimed to have been healed during that demonstration were crisis actors designed to make the public fall in line. In hindsight, I don't even know if "crisis actors" was a concept anyone had ever thought of before the turn of the century.

I alluded to it in another post, but due to the scant few memes that have circulated about this series, I was shocked to learn the Shrike Team were protagonist-aligned. I thought that they were the ones who did the Bikini Bazooka Attack, because a second faction made up entirely of beautiful women just seemed unlikely, and I kept trying to figure out at one point they were going to turn on Uso, especially considering most of them are dead before the halfway point.

I'm really proud of the image I used for the header, and was initially planning on doing a full video of the clip, but video editing is hard. Then I was going to photoshop in more characters' faces but I didn't want to hunt for images of the right angle for that many characters. But that was a really good Shahkti face, so I left it in.

IN CONCLUSION

Victory Gundam is without a doubt my favorite of the Tomino-directed TV shows thus far, and in the upper eschelon of favorite Gundam shows. For however much he hated doing the series and may still hate it in hindsight, it's not like he just phoned it in. It's got a good cast, good conflict, good mobile suit designs, and despite a massive kill count and some really fucked up parts, it doesn't strike me as being particularly edgy or even mean-spirited. It's absolutely not going to hit the same for everyone, but I think if Tomino's other Gundams clicked with you, it's more than worth a shot.

Next up: considering I've already watched the next two entries in chronological order, I'll be moving ahead to the third Gundam OVA series, The 08th MS Team, notable for being the first new entry in the Universal Century timeline following G Gundam and Gundam Wing and for often being recommended in the same breath as War in the Pocket. Considering how that turned out, I'm optimistic that this will also be good, and if nothing else, it's sure to have that 90's Anime OVA budget going for it, much like Stardust Memory.

#Gundam #Mobile Suit Gundam #Victory Gundam #Mobile Suit Victory Gundam #Yoshiyuki Tomino #The Big Gundam Watch #anime #blu-ray #long post

[strawberry-cowmilk]

I'm sorry but I have this really good scenario (in my opinion) stuck in my head and I must tell it.

Ok so soloman is making a potion{not cooking lucky} and everyone is there(don't question it). Anyways Soloman wanted to try and make a special potion that could make you see into the possible future for fun.

MC then needs to go to the bathroom and leaves the room with the door shut. However just a few minutes after she left l. The potion in the coulderen explodes.

Thick bronze smoke surrounds everyone, but eventually it slowly disappears, but they are shock to see that they had been teleported to Diavolo's garden.

"What the hell did that damn potion do soloman!"

"I think, if then potion worker transported all of us to a likely possible future for a short while"

"And how long is a while?"

"20 or 10 minutes."

I wondered what kind of future we are in? Barbtous do you maybe know the answer to that?" Diavolo asked.

"Yes my Lord, we are 350 years in the future, in this future you are now king, the three worlds have come to peace. And MC has died and become a demon."

"Man it only to- MC IS A DEMON!!!!" Mammon shrieked.

"Yes."

"HAH!"

" MC had died and became a demon and works for Diavolo." Barbtous said with a proud smile.

"Oi be more-"

Luke who was next to siman was still in half shocked because MC had turned into a demon and half pout becuae MC couldent be an angle with him and Simeon.

However soon Luke heard someone approaching them. When he looked to see who it was.

"WOW MC!"

Everyone immediately turned their heads.

MC grew taller, and her once brown eyes had turned into a dark gold. She wore velvet purple dress that perfectly hugged her figure and looked very nice against her natural tan brown skin. And her fluffy brown hair was now perfectly straight that nearly touched the ground. She also carried a long pipe that produces purple smoke.

Reaction?

(Also the mc I describe later on is based on what I think my mc would look like as a demon.)

Hello, welcome back, my loyal requester! No need to apologise, I'm going to try my best on this request too! Enjoy

the cast finds out mc will become a demon

-> brothers and side characters x mc (luke platonic)

mc's gender is not mentioned, not proof read

content warnings: mentions of death, lesson 16 spoilers

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Lucifer

at first, he was very angry with solomon, yet again had he created some potion that was nothing but a waste of time

but, when he laid eyes on you, everything changed

he wasn't happy with the fact that you'd die one day, but seeing how you'd find your way back to his realm was a huge comfort

Mammon

his first thought when he found out he was in the future was to check whether he's still in debt or not (he probably is)

but then he saw you, his face went red and he forgot his own name

his greatest fear has become losing you, after you died in his arms thanks to belphie, but now he sees that you'll always find your way back to him

Leviathan

he wants to go home, to present day

he wants to go home even more after having seen how you look as a demon, because he was beyond flustered and embarrassed

but, the question is why you became a demon instead of an angel, did you fall? well, as long as you're with him

Satan

350 years in the future? oh no, is the cat cafè still here?

the question died in his throat when he saw how you looked, he'd give up any cat cafè just to see you shining like that every day

satan did wonder why you ended up in the devildom after your death, but he doesn't pay it much mind

Asmodeus

if you hadn't showed up, he would have ran off to find his future self

he went classic asmo mode when he saw your new look 'oh my, mc! you look so beautiful!'

he needs some pictures of future you, so he can show present you how stunning you end up becoming

Beelzebub

'where is akudonald's? I can't see akudonald's, it's usually visible from here-'

nevermind cheeseburgers, his full attention is towards you now

he's so glad and relieved seeing you as a demon, that means he won't have to lose you later on

Belphegor

what a waste of time, he could be sleeping right now, thanks solomon

his first instinct was to sit out the 10 to 20 minutes until he can go again, but then he saw you

he never wants to leave this place now, demon mc became his new favorite thing

Diavolo

he's the king now? what happened to his father? 350 years is too soon

diavolo was worried, but seeing you melted all stress away

and you work for him? he sees this as a chance to get closer to you, the future isn't so scary after all

Barbatos

he kind of spoiled your new look for himself when he used his powers, but oh my it hits different when he actually saw it in person

'mc, you look positively radiant' ironic, you were a demon

you work for diavolo? great, you're now co-workers!

Simeon

when he saw you, he decided he would march into michael's office and announce his desire to become a demon to be with you

but, luke wouldn't like that, would he? he still has to look after and mentor the young angel

well, at least 350 years is a long way, he still has tons of time to spend with you

Luke

he's kind of upset and confused, because he'd be sure you'd turn into an angel

you never did anything bad, does that mean you fell from the celestial realm? were you an angel at first?

regardless of luke's confusion, you seemed happy here, that's what matters

Solomon

he messed up, the potion was not supposed to explode and do this

but, his mistake seemed to turn into something good after he saw you, it was a happy accident

oh he wants a pact with demon you so bad, guess that has to wait a few years

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me swd #omswd #obey me scenarios #obey me imagines #om #gn!mc #lucifer #mammon #leviathan #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphegor #obey me leviathan #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #belphegor obey me #beelzebub obey me #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me simeon #obey me luke #obey me solomon #diavolo #barbatos #simeon #solomon