#wow this was a lot

[right-there-ride-on]

A "Brief" Analysis of Religion and Johnny Joestar

Introduction

I would be remiss not to begin by addressing Stone Ocean. I believe SO was where Araki really began playing with the idea of faith. Enrico Pucci is a priest, and his outfit is emblazoned with a giant cross. While there is something to be said about Pucci's repurposing of religion to suit his own goals (there are several good discussions of Pucci's character with relation to his faith that others have made, though I don't have them on hand), for my purposes there are only two aspects of Pucci's connection to Christianity that are relevant here:

a) His actual religious faith is somewhat disingenuous (Pucci listens to Dio's Heaven Plan because it serves his own aims - like Hot Pants)

b) He belongs to organized religion (introduced in a church, works in a prison chapel, 'Father' Pucci)

And one aspect of his character that is relevant:

a) He fully believed the Heaven Plan was righteous and would be a boon to humanity

Given that Pucci is the villain of the part, I think it's safe to say that we are supposed to take away that all of these are negative qualities.

I bring this up specifically to juxtapose SO's depiction of Christianity to SBR's. Steel Ball Run is a natural evolution of Stone Ocean's religious theming that represents both a critique and affirmation of faith. This analysis will focus on the character I think best represents SBR's religious themes: Johnny.

Unlike Pucci, Johnny's faith isn't immediately obvious. He wears no crosses and, if it weren't for his own narration, we likely wouldn't know he was religious. After all, Jesus appears to multiple people throughout the part, not just Johnny. It is possible to reduce Jesus' manifestation to simply being the work of corpse parts, but working in tandem with Johnny's character, it becomes plain there's stronger themes about Christianity and religion at work in the narrative.

(It's also very telling when even ten years later (as seen in Jojolion Chapter 22: Morioh, Year 1901) one of the few panels we get of Johnny is him in prayer.)

Johnny's character is extremely rich, but for this analysis I'll choose one of the more prominent overarching themes for his arc: the search for forgiveness. The concept has another name too - redemption. I'll be using them interchangeably.

Section I - An introduction to Johnny Joestar

I'll start with a quick rundown of Johnny's backstory.

Here's a few panels to representative of George's parenting:

And here's a few of Nicholas. After several panels of darkness, from Johnny's POV we're given this:

Johnny admires him greatly, but already feels a great sense of inferiority toward him.

"Maybe I'm not your real brother?" Gee, I wonder who put that in his head.

Here's what we learn about the Joestar family:

(a) George Joestar is a Grade-A asshole. This will be a running theme.

And (b) Nicholas was everything to Johnny.

I want to point out this panel:

Even with George essentially physically threatening him to kill his pet, Johnny's kindness still wins out. His kindness toward animals is a consistent trait and also functions as indicator that, at some point in the past, he was far less aloof than he is in SBR. As readers, we find out this is because of Nicholas' death, which Johnny believes himself to be responsible for.

Johnny's perception of his own guilt in the accident is not helped by George's constant criticizing and reinforcement of Nicholas' amazingness:

It is made abundantly clear that Johnny isn't good enough for George.

And Johnny never will be good enough. He's already the youngest person to ever win the Kentucky Derby (one of the qualifying races for the Triple Crown, which it's previously stated his father won several times) but George doesn't care. You can explain this with grief, but it seems clear that Johnny was always the unfavorite. Nicholas' death just cemented things.

The death of his brother and his relationship with George severely damaged Johnny's beliefs about himself.

Chapter 42: A Silent Way (Part 2)

From a very young age, Nicholas' death caused Johnny to perceive himself as a murderer, willing or not. In other words, he has almost always considered himself a sinner. The 'sin' he committed of killing his brother is why he believes he is undeserving of happiness (Cain and Abel anyone?).

Because he is a 'sinner' - an unforgivable sinner - Johnny cannot fathom his life through any other mechanism but karma. He will always deserve the awful things that happened to him, because his sin is too great to forgive. God just hasn't noticed his mistake yet.

Section II - Broader themes in SBR

These are two main themes I will discuss here:

Individualism

2. Religion

My discussion on individualism in SBR will be limited to its connection to the religious theming. If you want a more in-depth look at this theme in general, check out this video.

As noted above, in Stone Ocean Father Pucci was a member of organized religion. Yet his faith was not truly in the church, but in the 'Heaven Plan', the completion of which would enable people to know their fate. They could not deviate from their set course, but the intention was that they would be able to find 'peace of mind' in that idea. This is how things are supposed to be.

We can also look at the Heaven Plan through the lens of "God has a plan for you". No matter what struggles you endure, you are supposed to be able to find comfort in the idea that some unknowable thing has it all taken care of. Is it a trial of your character? A test of your faith? If you accept God has a plan, then no matter what happens you can be assured you made the right decision (and alleviate your guilty conscience). If you live your life according to the Bible, then you have nothing to fear. If your life sucked in particular, then don't worry, because Heaven's waiting. Faith is based on the idea of "hope". That's what a prayer is - hope that someone is listening.

These ideas of religion and God's plan (i.e. fate) are also present in SBR, in a more subtle capacity. Most obviously, we have the corpse parts. The corpse is understood to be an object of power and value by most everyone in the story.

Here are a few panels of how different characters perceive the corpse.

Chapter 27: Tusk (Part 3)

Gyro understand the corpse in the capacity of its ability to grant power and glory to the nations of the world. Still, he acknowledges "saints exist for the common people".

Chapter 57: Civil War (Part 2)

Chapter 75: D4C (Part 8)

Hot Pants initially seems to have a similar impression of the corpse as Gyro. However, as the story progresses, we learn that they and Johnny's motivations to collect the corpse are quite similar. The difference is that while HP wants the corpse for themselves (to earn forgiveness), they believe they can accomplish this forgiveness by giving the corpse to a higher cause (the Vatican). Hot Pants, too, acknowledges that the miracle of the corpse is supposed to belong to the people.

Meanwhile, Valentine uses the corpse as proof of the 'napkin law'. Whoever has the corpse will have the power to influence the rest of the world. This is representative of religion as an influencer and indication of power.

Chapter 78: D4C (Part 11)

Valentine quite literally claims the power of the corpse - the power to control the right to good fortune, to decide who deserves good things and who doesn't - as his own. He even decides this power doesn't belong to the corpse, but was his all along, his own potential just waiting to be drawn out. He compares this new ability to that of God himself. Valentine is putting himself in the position of God.

All of these characters consider the corpse in terms of what it means to a larger cause. The corpse, and thus religion, is a tool to grant power to those who possess it. It enables whatever entity possessing it to impose "God's plan" (I use that liberally) onto others, supposedly for their own good. Even HP, who has the motivation closest to Johnny's own (even mirroring his 'any means necessary' approach), still views the corpse in terms of its wider applicability. These viewpoints are starkly contrasted by Johnny's own; he just wants the corpse to be able to walk again. Johnny's motivation is very base, but out of the everyone in the cast, it is the humblest and I would argue the most sincere. It's a wish that would affect only himself. The corpse - and thus religion - is something deeply personal to him.

This relatively deterministic stance on religion - as a power related to fate and a tool to control the fates of others - would be in strong contrast with SBR's individualistic themes, were it not for Johnny.

Section III - Understanding Johnny's Search for Redemption

Now I will take a moment to address the unfortunate elephant in the room, namely Araki's treatment of Johnny's disability as a metaphor. I'm not happy with it, and I think magically healing his injury was kind of bullshit when the narrative had reached a point and almost spelled out that it wasn't necessary, but it is what it is so I'll be discussing his disability in this essay in that capacity.

On a related note, I’ll say something kind of controversial: Johnny’s hunt for the corpse was never really about his legs, though that was certainly part of it. As discussed in my Civil War analysis, the parallels between HP and Johnny reveal something else: narratively, gathering the corpse is shortcut to characters earning forgiveness. I’m not sure Johnny himself realized it before Philadelphia, but at some point the corpse became less about his disability and more about spiritual redemption. Healing his legs is representative of cleansing himself from his 'original sin' of "killing" Nicholas.

Chapter 72: Ticket to Ride (Part 2)

Johnny perceives his shooting as the ultimate payment for Nicholas' death. He ran from George after their falling out, pretending he was living the good life without actually forming genuine relationships with anyone. He ran from the guilt he felt toward Nicholas' death for even longer, only recently truly facing his trauma in the Civil War arc. His disability prevented him from being able to run away anymore and forced him into further isolation. It was the final proof he needed that he is someone not allowed to be happy - not allowed to be forgiven. As he is, he's not worth anything to anyone. That's why he's so desperate to walk again. Johnny has been in the 'negative' his entire life. The corpse granting him mobility would be the ultimate proof that he is a person worth healing / saving.

I'll also suggest that his statement of "not giving a fuck if the corpse is a saint or whatever" is less how he feels about religion and moreso about the apparent reverence everyone around him has for it, namely Hot Pants, Valentine and even Gyro. They all believe the corpse to be something valuable because of what it means to a larger cause or organization. For Johnny, it's a means to an end. At this point in the story, it's become clear that the one thing Johnny wants most of all is to be forgiven for his 'sin' - a chance to wipe the slate clean.

Section IV - Johnny and Faith

Firstly, Johnny was raised in a religious household. As seen above, his father is obviously religious to some extent, and when Gyro initially questions him about the corpse he's able to list off a few Saints.

Chapter 27: Tusk (Part 3)

At the same time, however, I believe there's enough evidence to suggest he's in a crisis of faith. As per evidence I'll show later, he may simply think God has abandoned him like everyone else.

I'll move on to Johnny's perception of himself and how that relates to the religious themes in the story.

Chapter 41: A Silent Way (Part 1)

Stands are reflective of their user's fighting spirit, or, more literally, their soul. Tusk's bullets being destroyed so quickly is reflective of the weight of Johnny's guilt against his goal of forgiveness. At this point, Tusk is still in Act 1. Johnny feels any progress he makes towards forgiveness simply... fizzles out. Forgiveness means he can be happy, but he can never be truly happy because he has always been a sinner.

The dinosaurs here function as a metaphor for Johnny's guilt (isn't that a sentence?). He was able to start down the road to forgiveness through the hunt for the corpse parts and gaining Tusk, but at this point he still doesn't feel like he's truly earned the right to have them. 'Fate' will catch up with him before he can be forgiven, because he doesn't deserve to be forgiven.

Contrary to popular readings, as much as Johnny appears rather cold most of the time, he's actually an extremely caring person. His kindness with Danny backfired on him in a big way, which I why I think he tries to shut down the softer part of himself so hard, but it still comes through. We can see it in his loyalty to Gyro, putting up with his jokes and even playing along, as well as putting his life on the line to protect him several times when the easier option would have been to run away. He feeds the stray wolf in Wrecking Ball because he felt bad for it. He's also one of the only people to be genuinely kind to Lucy, even defending her to Gyro and protesting her involvement in the corpse hunt. Think about that - Johnny, Mr. "Get the Corpse at any cost" Joestar, was obviously willing to put Lucy's safety before his determination to get the corpse. Much of his coldness can be attributed to walls he built due to those he cares about frequently abandoning him, voluntarily or otherwise.

Chapter 42: A Silent Way (Part 2)

And if everyone has abandoned Johnny - because he has never been worth anything, because he is a sinner - then God surely has too. Very early in his life, he closed himself off to other people (and we can infer, by extension, closed himself off to God).

Because of this - because of his lack of connections to others, because of his low self-worth, because he feels he isn't someone who deserves happiness - Johnny's conviction to collect the corpse parts frequently wavers.

Chapter 44: A Silent Way (Part 5)

His 'dark determination', first seen in True Man's World, demonstrates that he does have the motivation to collect the corpse parts at any cost. At the same time, A Silent Way highlights his tendency to give up on himself. That's the struggle he must overcome in that arc. Johnny must harden his resolve, because despite still feeling like he doesn't deserve anything, he does want the corpse parts so that he can be someone worth something - to Gyro, at the very least. And because of his strengthening bond with Gyro, Johnny finds the resolve to fight on not just for Gyro, but for himself as well, evolving Tusk into Act 2. Even so, at the end of this arc, Johnny is still wavering. His still isn't sure of his worth because he has yet to pay for his 'sin'. Deep down, he believes he is not and never will be worth forgiveness.

But he keeps trying.

Johnny is the first to explicitly recognize the corpse as Jesus Christ, and Johnny is the only one to whom Jesus speaks directly and addresses by name.

Chapter 58: Civil War (Part 3)

As discussed in my Civil War analysis, his connection to Jesus, and Christ's words to him, are critical in Johnny realizing that Nicholas' death was not his fault. At the end of the arc, Johnny is purified, because Nicholas' death was never his sin to bear. Furthermore, despite threatening it several times, Johnny has never murdered in cold blood. Each and every time was self-defense against Valentine's minions (ironically, Gyro probably has a higher kill count.) When Axl Ro kills Johnny, his old self quite literally dies, and he is reborn purified of past sins (hey, that's a familiar story).

What we learn here is that it was the one man who was collecting the corpse - again, representative of a shortcut to forgiveness - for his 'selfish' goal of spiritual redemption that Christ deemed worthy of showing himself too. By reading Civil War as Johnny reconnecting with his faith through finding forgiveness for his sins in both himself and Christ, we understand that he isn't wavering anymore - now, he does believe himself someone worthy of redemption. But even with his faith in God and Christ solidified, Johnny still believes he hasn't been completely forgiven, as his legs are still not healed. Hence why he fights so desperately to reclaim the corpse in the D4C arc.

Section V - The Two Sides of Religion

First, the corpse siding with Valentine causes Johnny to have another crisis of faith.

Chapter 79: D4C (Part 12)

Valentine and Johnny's stances on faith are opposed to one another throughout the final confrontation. Valentine is trying to impose his version of "righteousness" onto the world. Valentine believes that, through the corpse (religion), he has the right to decide who is worthy and who is not. Johnny, by contrast, is fighting to save Lucy and reclaim the corpse - to make himself someone 'worth something' again. Yet we see that even Johnny isn't completely sure of that his path is the 'righteous' one. Does someone like him (someone still unworthy, a sinner) even have the right to oppose Valentine's vision? Is he worthy of forgiveness?

Chapter 88: Break My Heart, Break Your Heart (Part 1) - quick side note: notice how Johnny still has very low self-worth and continues to condemn himself as a 'sinner' (someone evil) frequently and without much cause. Even after Valentine literally killed his best friend, Johnny struggles to see himself as someone who even at the bare minimum deserves to judge others. George Joestar when I get you...

Valentine assumes a similar role to Pucci. In this final confrontation, he is representative of the use of religion as a tool of power.

Quick aside here:

The comparison of those involved in the race to a lamb - famously associated with Jesus Christ himself - is curious.

Chapter 85: Ball Breaker (Part 3)

Valentine indirectly refers to Johnny as his 'greatest challenge' and moreover attempts to force him to attack first (Chapter 85: Ball Breaker (Part 3)). Valentine is trying to force Johnny to become a sinner again before he condemns him to death for being unworthy of Valentine's 'righteous' world. Valentine is literally acting in God's place as judge, jury and executioner by determining who is 'worthy' and 'unworthy'.

Johnny, on the other hand, is representative of religion as a healing influence. He doesn't want to influence large groups of people or protect any nation. His connection to God and Christ through his faith is far more individualistic and personal. I think it's very telling that he's the winner here.

Section VI - Conclusion

At the end of SBR, we learn that despite everything - even through his crisis of faith - still, Johnny prays. He's always been praying.

Chapter 95: The World of Stars and Stripes

The story of Steel Ball Run is about finding your faith again. Johnny always prayed, even when he thought he’d never be forgiven, even when he believed God wasn’t listening. He is the kind of person that miracles are for (as alluded to by Gyro and Hot Pants in Section II). Johnny is the only religious character to escape the narrative unscathed, largely because religion was something so deeply personal to him. Rather than simply being 'selfish', his goal was personal, spiritual redemption. Faith carried him across the continent, helped him overcome his trauma, helped him connect with Gyro, and showed him how to find self-worth again after his lowest point. His faith was sincere and for himself, in contrast to most everyone else in the story who tried to impose their beliefs onto others.

Hot Pants, a member of organized religion, used it as a means to an end but never found the forgiveness they were looking for because their faith was performative. Pucci too failed because he used his faith (in the Heaven Plan) to try and assume control of the fate of others (similar to Valentine).

In contrast to Pucci and Valentine, Johnny absolutely wavered in his faith. Several times, in fact. He believed for most of his life that no one, least of all God, was listening. God had no plan for him, because his life was a mistake. Even so, he found comfort in praying for himself and Gyro, and by the end at last believed himself someone worth forgiving. And he was forgiven - cleansed, if you will. His being able to walk at the end of SBR is indicative that he no longer considers himself a sinner, but someone worthy of a new beginning as a person.

By the end of SBR, it’s apparent that the corpse itself isn’t what Johnny needed. It was because of his relationship with Gyro and the trials they faced together that he was able to gain a better understanding of himself, where he fucked up in the past, and learned how to be a better person. Lesson 5 is the key. "The detour was the shortest past." (Chapter 84: Ball Breaker (Part 2)) Johnny never fully possessed the corpse, preventing him from using it as a shortcut to redemption. It wasn't the corpse, but the corpse hunt itself that enabled Johnny to find forgiveness in himself and reconnect with his faith.

Narratively, Hot Pants, Valentine and Pucci were punished because they were not sincere in their proclaimed beliefs or otherwise abused religion in a position of power. Yet religion itself still isn't represented as a negative thing. Johnny's character carefully combines themes of individualism and religion to demonstrate the healing influence of personal faith.

Closing Notes

This essay was a much bigger undertaking than my previous analyses, primarily because I feel I am not the person to be writing it. I wasn't raised particularly religious (I barely know the cliff notes of Christianity), but at the very least I hope this is valuable jumping off point for others.

I apologize if I repeated myself too much. This was a very messy essay and I tried to clean it up a bit, but I'm sure I missed some things.

Based on some brief scanning of different Christian denominations and what occurs in SBR, I'd say Johnny was probably raised Lutheran. What do you guys think?

Also, shoutout to Johnny’s little devil horns.

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to share your thoughts as well.

#johnny joestar #steel ball run #sbr #sbr analysis #funny valentine #hot pants #jojo's bizarre adventure #jjba #jjba part 7 #jojo's bizarre adventure part 7 #wow this was a lot #i love u johnny joestar... #my posts #johnny joestar character analysis #hopefully my last sbr analysis... yippee! #ofc this is only one aspect of johnny's character but i feel it's one often overlooked #when it's almost critically important to understanding him #steel ball run analysis

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

IPKKND SS: There’s More To Her #9

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Awakening

An overconfident Khushi had correctly assumed that Arnav Singh Raizada would be absolutely helpless when it came to finding a location for Akash and Payal’s first date. And Devi Maiya always sided with her favorite devotee, until that devotee gloated in the ego she accused the atheist for.

It was funny that the atheist had no idea how often Devi Maiya sided with him.

Hence, the final, accident free date location was Akash’s office with a variety of snacks that a closed office canteen could offer. Pre packaged brownies, coffee from a coffee maker, tea in a to-go cup and some favourless, tasteless digestive biscuits from Arnav Singh Raizada’s personal stash of snacks along with two bottles of mineral water - of course.

Khushi, though, had worked her magic into Akash’s office. White rose petals scattered on the dark table, all lights were switched off except the fairy light trees and a lone office desk lamp.

Although the effect never reached its recipients as Akash and Payal took their sweet time gazing at each other. Despite her upbringing, Payal let her eyes wander over the well fitted chocolate suit and white shirt on Akash. He was taller and more muscular than she thought. White really was Akash’s color.

Akash was not indifferent to female gaze. While his brother benefitted from the don’t-you-fucking-stare-at-me face, Akash’s politeness and Raizada-ness left him to awkward thank yous and exit strategies from press meetings.

But this was Payal, and all he could feel was dhak dhak.

Khushi, oblivious to her nauseated partner of third wheeling the love birds, played with the fairy lights and begrudgingly accepted that Arnav had otherwise done splendid work.

But before Arnav could recover from his nausea at the puppy eyes Akash and Payal exchanged, he balked at the outfit Akash held for Khushi.

Red saree

“Yeh?” Akash snapped out of his trance at Khushi’s question.

“Oh, yes Khushi ji, isn’t it wonderful that I found this in the wardrobe? Although it is last season,” Akash mused.

Arnav stood rooted to his spot, memories assailing his heart and mind without a drop of mercy.

“Nevermind, I thought you’ll be comfortable in this because you modeled-”

“Modeled?” Payal frowned.

“Haan, that’s why Khushi came home late-” Akash stopped, belatedly realizing Payal had absolutely no knowledge of the disastrous calendar photoshoot that took place on her birthday. Payal shot a look at her younger sister, waiting for an explanation that was overdue.

“Woh, Jiji… I was responsible for looking after Liza-”

“That snooty model?” Payal scrunched her nose in disgust. Khushi nodded,

“Yeah wohi, so I was responsible for her fur coat. I had to hold it still until the shoot was done but somehow it got spoiled so as punishment I had to model in place of her.” Khushi concluded. Payal frowned, Khushi usually told stories that had no head or tails and this one simply took the cake.

Of course there was one man responsible for this.

Arnav Singh Raizada

That man had the grace to look away.

“I appreciate what you have done for me and your brother Arnav-ji, but you’re telling me that a fashion house does not have a single cupboard-” Payal began but Arnav and Khushi sneezed at once, shivering in their wet, unchanged clothes.

“As I was saying-”

“Jiji, there’s no need for this. You and Akash-ji enjoy your date. And if I change my outfit any later then I’ll catch a cold and you don’t want that right!” Khushi grabbed Payal’s arm, begging her to let go of the matter. At the end of the day despite the horrible memories of the day at the office, what mattered more to Khushi was her sister’s office. After months she needed no revival of the challenging days, nor any apologies.

Payal sighed and tapped her hand with reassurance. Khushi smiled and hugged her sister gently, careful her wet clothes didn’t ruin Payal’s new ones, patted Akash’s back and whispered ‘good luck’ before skipping out of the office. Arnav waited until Khushi was out of sight.

“Payall, I know how it seems….” Arnav started. Payal closed her eyes and willed patience.

“I crossed multiple lines-” Arnav said.

“The one to whom  you owe any apology or explanation isn’t in this room Mr. Raizada.” Payal snapped, “and the explanations provided out of questioning instead of conscience have no value in my eyes.” Payal concluded. Arnav’s jaws tightened. For once he wished Payal yelled or debated, it gave him ground to fight.

But one rarely could if they were confronted with righteous anger and dignity. Arnav looked at Akash who chose to remain silent. For many times Arnav counted on Akash’s silence, be it keeping things private or taking reprieve that at least one member of his family wouldn’t harp on him about marriage.

But now, seeing Akash’s silence when he too knew what the events were, left Arnav all alone to face Payal’s anger. Arnav finally realized why Akash rarely involved himself in others’ battles.

It forced accountability.

Payal waited for Arnav to come up with a reason regardless. If he’d launch into long paragraphs, her remaining respect for him would touch the grounds. Because ever since the day her sister came home unconscious in his arms, Payal stopped giving any heed to Arnav Singh Raizada.

It was his love for his family and the lengths he went to get her and Akash together that made him an average man.

So when Arnav said no further and headed for the door, Payal stopped him.

“A final word, if you don’t mind.” Arnav stood still, giving her his attention “I don’t ever want you to respect my sister because there might be a relationship between the two families one day. I don’t want you to think anymore that she’s behind money because it has been proven that every assumption you’ve ever had of her was wrong.”

“When you do respect her, let it be for the fact that a 20  years old middle class woman with a third of your education, wealth and experience has been providing for a family of five which involves three aged people and a sister with a broken marriage.” Payal said, tears betraying the potent love for her sister.

Arnav briefly nodded and left the room.

“You know right, your broken marriage doesn’t define you.” Akash began, giving Payal a glass of water. Payal softly smiled, not having the energy in her tonight to explain it to him that it is how the society defined her.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve started this on a better note.” Payal said after a moment.

“Payal ji, never apologize for doing the right thing. A part of me loves you because of who you are and how fiercely you love your sister.” Akash pulled a seat for her held her smaller hands in his.

“Then what does the other part of you love me for?” Payal added, her reddened cheeks and soft smile mirrored on Akash’s face.

He leaned in as her eyes closed at their proximity, “For how beautiful you are.”

Payal’s eyes flashed open and her nose brushed against his. She removed her hands and played with the hem of her saree, “Really?”

“No, it’s actually the way you scold Bhai.” Payal stared at his blatant response and broke into a laugh as he chuckled at his statement.

– – –

Arnav sat in the cafe in a fresh suit, Payal’s words playing in his mind in a loop. He closed his eyes and sighed. She was right. Every single assumption he had of Khushi Kumari Gupta had been proven false. From the moment she fell into his arms at Sheesh Mahal to when he’d accuse her of visiting Shantivan to charge extra money from his family.

Speaking of Khushi, where was she?

A familiar prick of awareness seeped through him. Goosebumps broke on his flesh. His heart pumped in a staccato rhythm.

“Khushi,” He whispered even before he saw her. With a soft turn he watched her in the darkness of his office. Little beads of sequins reflected the dim lights. The gossamer red saree left little to imagination.

Khushi stopped still, feeling the heat of his eyes on her. She clenched her fists and sat on the nearest chair she could find - farthest away from him. She prayed, prayed to calm her racing heart, feel the chill of the air instead, to stop the dastardly pull towards the one man who would push her off the cliff.

She barely looked behind and sighed in relief and disappointment when he looked away.

For how long must she rot in these emotions?

– – –

“Akash ji, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask  you a few questions before we…” go any further. Payal hesitated. Akash was more than the man of her dreams and she wondered if she tested his and Devi Maiyya’s patience by putting every single obstacle instead of accepting the gift of love.

From denial to innumerable questions, was she jinxing her relationship even before it began?

“Please do Payal ji.” Akash smiled, worried at her hesitation. As much as he believed love was at first sight and that he would never regret having Payal in his life, he wondered if he had pushed her into accepting her love. He should’ve waited. True love didn’t come from desperation, it came from patience.

There was still a great distance between them. It was strange. He had thought an ‘I love you’ from both the ends sealed the deal. But now that they lapsed into awkward silence around difficult questions, he wondered if he had ruptured things by hastening it out of fear.

“Akash ji, I do… love you,” Payal confessed, worried at his sudden silence, “but I won’t find any comfort in this love until certain things are clear. Please understand.”

“I absolutely do Payal ji. Please feel free to ask about anything.” Akash reassured her.

“What’s yours and your family’s take on dowry?” For a second Akash was offended at her question. Didn’t she know how much he loved her? How he and his family would never take a cent for such a crime! But looking at her frightened eyes he was ashamed at feeling offended. He had the luxury of never being associated with such folks. She had lived through this.

“The Raizadas have never given nor taken a cent. We did make the mistake of offering a property and farm lands as gifts for one wedding, it is perhaps no surprise things didn’t end up well.” Akash’s mouth soured at the memory of the Maliks. He had never liked that side of the family, even as a child. When he had helped Arnav get back his mother’s property from the Maliks - one Arnav’s uncle had in possession - Akash was glad that his cousin never grew up in that environment.

His Dadi’s friendship and care for Arnav’s Dadi was the only sorepoint between Arnav and Akash. Akash never approved of his brother spending hard earned money behind a member of the family that had only hurt the Raizadas and above all, hurt his dearest cousins. Although his inner emotions couldn’t be revealed to Arnav at a worse time.

“I cannot believe this Papa. Dadi-ji sent Anjali-di to dissuade Bhai from buying Sheesh Mahal!” Akash fumed, clenching his fists to reign in his temper.

“Subhadra Devi-Ji had called Amma. It is the last house her son has.” Mahinder sighed, weary of the fight he had with his own mother, “And Amma said it’s not right for Arnav bitwa to treat ancestral property as a tool for revenge-”

“That property is ours. Phupha-ji got it as dowry. If anything, Bhai and Di deserve to have it back. We’re paying for that woman’s extravagant ashram, it’s enough.” Akash said.

Mahinder shook his head and patted his young son’s shoulder. It was rare to see him so worked up, even for the right reasons, “Akash bitwa, aisa nahi bolte. You know that Amma believes her friend has a good heart after all-”

“I won’t let them misuse Bhai’s newfound fame. I don’t know why Dadi forgets she’s a Malik. That family sucked us dry. I hate it that we have an association with them-” Akash stopped, noticing Arnav on the door, his face ashen.

Arnav said nothing, nearly pretended he heard nothing. He simply lavished Mami with an unlimited access of jewelry from his bank account, Mama was given a significant share from his company, and stopped any of the Raizadas from contributing to Subhadra Malik’s expenses.

Akash knew. That even in a slip of tongue, Arnav took the words to heart and paid the Raizadas ten fold for any kindness they ever showed.

And because Arnav wouldn't accept any apology - for his side of the family was terrible - Akash vowed to stand next to him and never make him feel ‘othered’.

Payal held Akash’s hand, her heart melting at Akash’s sincerity and stories of the extent Arnav went for the family.

“Bhai has quietly become the head of the family. It’s not arrogance, it’s a fact. He looks after everything. And when he has his blessings over this relationship, no one and nothing can come in between because he simply won’t allow it.” Akash reassured her. Payal smiled, finding some hope in the marriage ahead of her.

Perhaps Arnav’s rejection of tradition and Akash’s genuine love was all she needed. To think of it no one apart from his mother scrunch their noses about their class difference. True, at times they were a bit blind in privilege, but that also stemmed from harmlessness.

– – –

Arnav kept looking behind, losing his heart every time he saw the flash of red. He had rarely seen Khushi so quiet. After ten uncomfortably silent minutes, he turned to find her engrossed in some books, highlighting something with a pencil.

It was a mathematics textbook. For children.

Khushi looked up, aware of his questioning gaze and cleared her throat, “Woh… I tutor kids so I’m preparing materials in advance.” Arnav took that as an offer to walk towards her. Khushi tucked back a strand, nervous at their little talk.

“Mathematics?” He asked.

“Yes, I was studying financial management so mathematics had to be my favorite subject. According to Babuji finance is the backbone of any successful venture.” Khushi smiled, recalling her days in college and at the sweet shop. Arnav realized he truly didn’t think about Khushi’s life before they met.

“But I haven’t seen you attend college…” Arnav said, sitting next to her.

“I dropped out.” Khushi said and plastered a big smile on her face, “Anyways according to Babuji real life experiences shape you more than education. So between running a sweet shop in the morning, tutoring kids in the evening and managing orders for Buaji’s chikankari sarees, I’m running quite the enterprise here.” Khushi went back to her book, happy at the way her life shaped. Of course, she’d never want Babuji's ill health, but if she was in Lucknow then she would’ve happily left her college to marry right after Payal did.

It never crossed her mind that there was more to life. There was more to her.

Arnav couldn’t manage to return her smile. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why she couldn’t complete her college. Between the scandal, the loans, resettling to a new city, financial pressure and her father’s health - Khushi’s education would’ve taken the back seat.

And he was responsible for nearly all of it.

“You know, AR is hiring-”

“No.” Khushi said, “I cannot work here.”

“No one refuses Arnav Singh Raizada.” Arnav glared.

“Accha. No, no, no, no.” Khushi stuck her tongue. If only Khushi knew that she was far from annoying, rather quite adorable.

“So what happened to your Babuji’s business… now that you’re running on your own?” Khushi couldn’t believe if Arnav was actually engaging in small talk. It felt new. It felt good. It had been too long since anyone asked her about her life.

“Well they were seized by the loan sharks-” Arnav frowned, “-woh Babuji had given it up for loan for Jiji’s dowry to loan sharks. And then the people refused to return the store back considering Babuji’s fallen goodwill. The scandal-” Khushi grew quiet and Arnav cursed under his breath.

The more he spoke to either of the sisters, the more he learned about the things he wished he didn't.

– – – – – – – –  

“I genuinely loved the dupatta!” Payal gushed over the intricate fabric designing and detail with Akash, enjoying the moment as they bonded over their shared love of textiles. Akash was the finance man, but he was enamored by the beauty of embroidery and the texture of fabrics - except he never had the talent to actually make anything out of it. Although to Arnav that was an asset, Akash would always know if their materials were genuine or if they were being scammed.

“If I knew it was you I would’ve packaged it better!” He confessed. Payal was touched. The fact that Akash was ready to give it a stranger because it would brighten Khushi’s day meant everything. She had seen fate play on someone’s goodness, it was surprising to see someone’s goodness move fate.

“Would you mind if I worked after marriage?” Payal asked.

“Do you want to?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen myself there. I’ve never had ambitious dreams,” Payal admitted. Akash empathized. Ambition was never his asset. On the other hand Khushi and Arnav had heaps of it.

“Payal ji, I might’ve been born with a silver spoon but all I’ve ever wanted is good work and a happy life. Really. And maybe a dog one day.” Akash mused.

“A dog? In a house where there’s a lamb?” Payal chuckled.

“Why, don’t you want one?” Akash asked.

“I’d get another lamb, or maybe a little dove. Khushi loves doves and seeing doves would remind me of her. But… I wouldn’t want them in a cage.” Payal said.

“Bhai’s garden is big enough for a sanctuary for a few birds, but I’m wondering what he would say when they would leave droppings in his pool!” Akash laughed.

“Aur kya kahenge? What the?” Payal growled, imitating Arnav to perfection. Akash clapped at the mimicry and shook his head, “It looks like I’ll have to create a garden for the doves.”

“And I’ll have to teach the dog to be calm - especially around the doves, Lakshmi and future children.” Payal dreamed.

“Children?” Akash asked.

“Kyun, you don’t want any?” She questioned. Akash did look like he’d be an excellent father. Graceful, patient, calm and a listener. If that wasn’t like Babuji, who else was?

“Only if they look like you.” He smiled as Payal turned a pretty red in shyness. Akash brushed a tendril away from her face and stroked her cheek with the back of her fingers.

“Akash-” the lights went off, leaving them in the darkness.

– – – – – – – –

“Hey Devi Maiyya!” Khushi gasped as she couldn’t see anything. Before she could move, Arnav's hand found hers.

“It’s ok Khushi. The generator should kick in soon.” Arnav’s firm voice instantly calmed her nerves. It was alright. He was here. She is not alone. Her nails dug into his skin. Her palms had turned clammy.

To Khushi’s relief Arnav switched on his phone’s flashlight.

“Fuck,” Arnav swore under his breath. His phone battery was at ten percent. Why wasn’t the generator working?

“Khushi, wait here. I’ll go the studio and grab some candles-”

“Nahi, please…” Khushi gripped his hand tighter.

Arnav tugged her along. They made it to the fusebox, a candle in place of the dying flashlight. For a moment Khushi was arrested by his face lighting up by the flame. His expressionless face was scrunched in worry. Arnav realized he was being watched.

“Kya hua? Tum theek ho?” Khushi nodded and looked at the board. Strange, everything looked fine. Even the fuse was intact.

Arnav leaned by her, Khushi stiffened at the proximity. He bent to her eye level, looking at all the switches. She could feel his breathing, the heat his body emanated.

“Oh of course! I completely forgot that we had the electricity maintenance-” Arnav stopped as his nose brushed against hers, their faces close up next to each other. Words died out as her large eyes looked deep into his. His eyes flickered to her lips and her breath hitched.

He gulped as her lips parted. It had been so long since something right had happened. Memories of Diwali and the photoshoot intermingled with his hidden fantasies. Time lost its essence to Khushi. All she could see was him, his eyes and his lips. Desire flowed like blood through her veins. There was so much tension in his face. If she could only brush it away.

Arnav leaned in, without rationale, and Khushi inched up, on instinct. His arm slipped to her waist and her hand rose to his cheek. Arnav closed his eyes at the touch of her fingertips but froze, feeling the metal band of her ring on his cheek.

Khushi’s trance snapped, the diamond of her engagement ring shining brightly in the candlelight. Horror flooded her face. What was she about to do? Arnav sprang back, his breath harsh. What had he just done? The lights came back to life, revealing their darkest desires to each other. Without a word Arnav turned around and rushed out of the room.

– – – – – – – – – –

Akash and Payal exchanged the sweetest glances across the rearview mirror as Arnav drove them all home. A slow romantic ballad played on the radio and Arnav held the steering wheel in a tight grip. Khushi stared out of the window, bothered by her own immorality.

He was Lavanya’s! She was betraying her best friend.

Khushi saw the stars above, twinkling in the clear night and she didn’t have the courage to meet them. She had sinned. For he was anothers.

Who would help her in this crisis? Who could?

Payal reached out and squeezed Khushi’s hands. She had seen Khushi look lost throughout the day. She gestured if everything was alright with her - Khushi only smiled back in response. She didn’t even realize when they stopped near Preeto’s house at an alley where they could be safely dropped off without any nosy neighbors.

Akash led Payal down the SUV, his heart hammering with joy and anticipation. So much was said and so much was left to be said. Payal’s mind urged her to hug before they left, but her sensibilities of society prevented her from doing so.

Khushi realized after a moment that she and Arnav were alone in the car. She immediately tried to remove her seatbelt but fumbled in her nervousness. Arnav walked around, opened the door and removed her seatbelt. His eyes no longer bore warmth. Khushi knew very well what that look meant. She ignored his hand and stepped out of his car.

“Just so you-”

“For the love of God don’t say anything.” Khushi warned him, anger sitting as tears in her eyes. She could not bear another word. Arnav stood still, clenching his jaw. He didn’t know if he intended to give an explanation to her or to himself.

“Akash!” Payal called out to Akash, and the shy lovers met for a hidden hug behind the car. At first there was hesitation, which slowly melted as he leaned awkwardly to match her height.

Khushi pulled the edge of her saree, it was minutes away from ripping. Arnav rolled his eyes and moved to tug it free but she stepped away,

“Stay away,” She hushed, aware of Akash and Payal.

“It would’ve ripped-”

“Then let it rip, aapko kya farak padta hai?” She snapped, pulling off her saree that left a little tear. Arnav growled, he wasn’t an idiot to not realize that this conversation was a painful continuation of the ones left abruptly before.

Yet, his ego stung.

“Don’t get any ideas, you mean nothing-”

“Exactly! You’re Lavanya ji’s, we must never meet again.” Khushi decided, tears of anger flowing down her cheeks. Burned, Arnav got into the car and slammed it shut - shocking Akash and Payal who embarrassedly pulled away, cheeks tinged in red.

Payal mistook Khushi’s urgency as the threat of Buaji questioning the delay and Akash misunderstood Arnav’s urgency as his usual nausea to affection.

Long after Arnav reached Shantivan, he paced throughout his room, a niggling doubt solidifying over time. Ever since he and Khushi were engaged - to different people - Khushi always mentioned his engagement. For someone very chatty, she spoke about anyone and anything except her fiance.  

You’re Lavanya ji’s…

So what about Khushi? Who did she belong to in this world of commitment? Arnav was aware of the arranged setup that seemed to have been exchanged between Khushi and her fiance… but if he could read her well, she just didn’t want to not marry, she despised it.

She despised her fiance.

“Khushi… what the hell are you doing?” He murmured, unaware of the irony.

But it wasn’t lost on Akash who stood by the door, listening to Arnav’s murmur. The discord he long suspected between Arnav and Lavanya was not due to the former’s commitment issues or the latter’s drastic change of opinion of marriage. 

Arnav had tragically fallen in love with the wrong person at the wrong time.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Payal paced in front of the bathroom, her concern growing as Khushi took a late evening shower in cold water.

“Haye re Nandkisore! We barely have water saved and the queen needs to take a bath after a simple outing!” Madhumati complained. She was touched by the exclusive gifts Preeto had given Payal and Khushi - the yellow and red saree looked exquisite! And laughed at the kids' childishness to wear the gifted outfits and come home.

“Buaji, let Khushi ji be.” Shyam sweet talked to Madhumati, both sharing a secret smile over what happened minutes ago. And for all his honeyed words - he couldn’t match Payal’s suspicious eyes.

“Khushi, you look beautiful.” Khushi was startled as Shyam dropped the ji, walking incredibly close to her. Panicked, she looked around to find Buaji smiling and turning around - giving the couple their ‘privacy’. After all, to-be-newlyweds must spend some time together!

Shyam looked around and then grabbed her wrist,

“No one is watching us, don’t worry.” His fingers traced her arm.

“S-Shyam ji, this isn’t right!” Khushi snatched her hand back.

“Why? We’re engaged aren’t we?” He smiled. Khushi balked at the predatory glint in his eyes and started to sweat. A hand moved to her face-

Khushi splashed the water over herself, shaking as the cold seeped into her body. What if Payal hadn’t interrupted him? She scrubbed the soap over her wrist multiple times. The touch… it felt wrong. She muffled her sob, cleaned up and got out of the washroom - giving Payal her best smile.

Payal couldn’t return it. Shyam and Khushi were a couple. Yet what she saw, even in the flicker of a second, frightened her.

It looked anything but romantic.

Madhumati and Garima were deep into a conversation, they saw Khushi and stood up. Fear crawled in Khushi’s stomach. Every single time the two had something to say to Khushi it was the worst.

“Khushi, Lata saw you and Shyam babua together at the patio. Granted you two are marrying but everyone must keep boundaries. Shyam babua is very kind and mature enough to promise not to visit anymore in the evening.” Khushi wanted to protest, minutes ago Madhumati had been the one who left them alone!

“And hence, a decision has been made.” Madhumati spoke, giving little room to anyone else present.

“In three weeks you and Shyam babua will be married.”

- - - 

A/N: Hey there! Thank just in case if you actually remember the story! I’m finally back with an update and I sincerely hope you liked it - just a couple of chapters left for me to wrap this up!

- JWB

Tagging: @butaneandthebeast @shaonsim @shiyaravi @myloveforstuff @leila1 @lostafpanda@laadgovernorandsankadevi @laad-governess @thenainitaldisaster @maansiloves@chutkiandchotte @honeybellexox @bigfatreader @simplycurlz @thecharlesboyle@sapnokiduniyaisalwaysbetter @zaphbeeblebrox @shehzaadimira @pakki-ya-nahin@mindpdnim @jaanedil @pandora-678 @featheredclover @rae-blogging @goals1024@onadaanparindey @magicfeltmybloop @acroakingbird @blogenana @starzin8s@exosexosekai @noor1025 @ijustchangedmyname@delicatecloudfestivalweasel @sankititaliya @dvk-ok @roqiaposts​ @white-thebeauty​ @childofsquidward​ @maansiloves​ @shehzaadimira​ 

[if you want to be added/removed from tags lemme know!]

#ipkknd #iss pyaar ko kya naam doon #arnav #khushi #jalebi writes #there's more to her #ipkknd ff #wow this was a lot #lemme know!

[sskim-milkk]

Bad Batch season 2 thoughts

This was originally going to be my thoughts about the finale, but it seems like everything I want to say has already been said so here are my thoughts about the season as a whole :) (quick warning this is going to be all over the place lol)

Such an amazing season, oh my goodness! I loved the first season so much, and I think this one is even better!

I love that each character had their own development, with Tech, Echo and Crosshair being in the spotlight, as opposed to really only Hunter, Omega and a little bit of Wrecker last season

Tech: this dude is literally the best! I’ve always been a Hunter girly but this season they were neck and neck 👀 I love that even though Tech’s the brainiac of the group he seemed to learn so, so much. He learned a lot about people and himself. In the cave with Omega he was able to understand her more and her upset about Echo leaving, get her to understand his own thoughts about everything that’s happened so far, and figure out for himself some of these thoughts that he has. And through Phee he’s learned the importance of preserving things, not for monetary value, but for sentimentality. I’m sure with being a soldier, sentimental things were few and far between. It was important to travel lightly. Another thing I love with Tech is just how much of a badass he is. There are just so many times throughout the season where he was doing the coolest things and being confident during it. Ahh I love him! And lastly, his sacrifice, Omg it’s hurts. It hurts so much. I’m praying praying praying that he didn’t actually die. It shows how much he loves his family though 🥹 so yeah, Tech is amazing, I'm in denial about his death, and I want him and Phee to be together forever.

Speaking of Phee, I love her SO much! She's so fun and I love how important preserving people's cultures are to her. She seems like a great adventurer, even if she stretches the truth during the retelling of the stories. Ugh, I want those two nerds to be together forever!

Echo: I’m so happy that Echo found a new purpose this season. I missed him so much when he left, but based on his stances through the first season and this season, it makes so much sense. This isn’t to fault Hunter for not wanting to join him and Rex though. It’s clear how important this is to Echo, and I'm so happy he listened to his heart and went to go fight for his brothers with Rex.

Hunter: what a cautious, caring and calculating guy. I think it’s clear from the start of the season that Hunter wants to stay out of the radar of the Empire. I think he was a bit lost season. A solider’s life is the only thing he’s ever known. He’s good at it, and that’s how they make money. But with the empire growing and Cid becoming more suspicious with each episode, it’s clear that Hunter wants something different, better for his family and for Omega. Once he got to Pabu, I think that vision became clearer. He saw how happy everyone was, how happy Omega was; what more could a leader hope for? Sadly, THE FINALE TOOK THAT AWAY! 😭😭😭 now Hunter has to do exactly what he was avoiding all this season: face the empire. It’s worth it for his girl and brothers though 🥹 also side note Hunter was so pretty this season 😍so pretty and so buff and so fatherly hnnnggg

Omega: ahhhhh the bebo is not such a bebo anymore 🥹 I’m so proud of how much she’s grown. I’ll admit, in the first season I was annoyed when she kept running away and putting herself into danger that could have been avoided. However, I think that now makes her character growth this season so much more satisfying. She can really hold her own now! And she’s grown so much in maturity! I love that there were plenty of opportunities for her to still be a kid though. Getting excited for treasure, being a bit gullible with Phee’s (maybe true) stories, making new friends, and so much more. I wish we got to see more of her training. It’s clear she’s made a lot of progress; I would have loved to see her brothers training her with her and how to be stealthy and stuff like that. I just love this girl so much and she’s so smart and just a little ray of sunshine and I just hope everything will be okay next season 🥹

Wrecker: I love this man SO MUCH! Even though we didn’t get immense character growth, I think he still showed a lot of instances with more maturity than last season. I’m completely okay with him not getting a full character arc or something. He’s just such a fun-loving character, it would be difficult to see him go through a whole arc, in my opinion. Anyway, he gave Gungi his food when he noticed Gungi looking at it, as opposed to last season when he almost took Omega’s food until Hunter stepped in. He’s better at stealth now, and made that rocket launcher or whatever out of scraps?! Ahh that was so cool! I just hope after everything that’s happened this season, that Wrecker is still light hearted and fun 🥺

Crosshair: oh goodness. What a doozy. I think Crosshair is one of the most interesting characters ever written in Star Wars. Even though we only got about 3 episodes with him, he grew so much. Cody got him questioning the empire, and then the outpost and Hemlock going after the Batch really sealed the deal for him. All while having plenty of badass moments! I’m so scared to figure out what’s going to happen to him next season. It’s clear how much he cares about his brothers and sister, going through TORTURE and being POISONED just to not give up information about them 😭 what a guy. He's lost so much even though he thought being a soldier for the empire was the right thing to do. He's done so much for the empire and what have they given him in return? Nothing. Heck, he waited for a MONTH on that platform. I'm glad he's beginning to realize that he truly is just a number to the empire, like Hunter said. Crosshair I love you. I feel like there’s so much more I could say about him but I would be rambling even more than I already am.

Also, the music this season was out of this world! Need More Speed is an absolute banger and I'm so glad Tech got to be the reason for it

I think next season will take on a darker tone. Tech is presumed dead for now, Crosshair and Omega are with the Empire, Cid is out of the picture, and Wrecker, Hunter and Echo are grieving while trying to find a lead on where Omega might be. It's seeming like there will be a few plots going on at once too.

I'm very interested to learn more about Omega's 'sister' too! And why she's working with the Empire.

It's safe to say waiting for the next season will be grueling! I can't wait though

#wow this was a lot #no one's going to read this probably lol #oh well #good way for me to mentally process everything that happened #star wars #star wars tbb #the bad batch #tbb hunter #tbb omega #tbb tech #tbb crosshair #tbb echo #tbb wrecker #the bad batch season 2 #tbb spoliers #word vomit #brain rot #probably

[amommymilf]

💘💓💐

💘 you would fall in love with someone who... & what's your have a type?

someone who makes me laugh and i can be completely comfortable and open around (i know that’s a little basic but for me it’s a huge thing). someone who is passionate about anything, funny, loyal, cute to me (i don’t have a specific type per say but more like qualities i look for in someone)

💓 what do people do that makes your heart skip a beat? what makes your heart melt?

honestly noticing/remembering the little things i do or say and being complimented in anyway again so basic but bc of things ✨ that means a lot to me.

again the little things in life which puts a smile on my face, someone making a meal i love, someone taking the time out for me, a hug from my bestest friend (fuckshjsjdk not very helpful)

💐 how would you woo someone? how do you flirt? gosh idk perhaps taking them on dates catered to things they love, paying attention to random things they mention they like and doing that for them, buying them cute presents that remind me of them, complimenting them any chance i get to see them blush (I’ve never been wooed or had to woo someone so honestly idk but that’s just some things on my mind)

by being a little silly goofy idk being my self a little 🤪

lovecore asks

#wow this was a lot #but ty for sending 🥺 #this is me rambling too #answered 🪼

[spintheiterator]

Your vultures are quite interesting

Avian creatures ..

mine are more like mollusks and have little social structure, except who can beat each other in a fight

would you happen to record the mutations over time of your vultures

I would like the data

-eternal anomaly

SPIN: Wow it’s so interesting to know such similarly named creatures are the complete opposites. And of course I have the records for the mutations over generations.

SPIN: The species started with purposed organisms, as most do. They were scouting creatures, originally intended to scope out the areas for new cans and sent out in pairs. But that didn’t last long, blame the mass exodus of the Ancients. After that most just stuck around my can and settled in the abandoned buildings.

SPIN: The first generation didn’t have much change, aside from lacking the mechanical parts of their parents. They were very social , although lacked much of the complexity of today. With most relationships only revolving around pairs. They’d started to become much more group focused by the 5-6th generation. Mask complexity also increased with this much more social environment. I hypothesize that this was because they needed this to help distinguish between each other.

SPIN: They also grew bigger, until about the 8th generation when this petered out. This size protected them from the lizards they routinely fought and brought about much more colorful pigmentations.

SPIN: Most major mutations stoped around this time. Probably because the more highly mutable genes had died out. So the ones today look pretty similar to the ones four generations back.

SPIN: Oh, they’re also very long lived. Which is why so few generations have happened since the founding group.

SPIN: I’ll try to get diagrams and references to you sometime soon. They’re just fairly old and buried under all my files so it might take awhile.

#rain world #rainworld #rw oc #rw iterator #rp #rw vulture #kinda #wow this was a lot #but absolutely lovely to world build

[minty-mumbles]

I love your monster AU! Is Wind the type of psychic that can fall into trances to see the future? I would be funny if I’m the middle of a normal conversation he just says an ominous prophecy then jumps back into the conversation like nothing.

This reminds me that I need to make a lore dump for the different species and what they can do lmao.

Okay. So. Psychics aren’t the only brand of mostly Hylian magic users. There are also witches. (I know this has nothing to do with what you asked but you’ve given me a chance to talk about how psychics and witches use magic so I’m taking it. I’ll talk about seeing the future down at the end of the post. This post is under a read more because I went on a bit of a tangent)

The two groups can do different things with their magic, although there is a lot of overlap where they can get the same effect with different methods. This is mostly due to the different ways they “source” their magic.

Witch Magic:

Witches come with their own innate supply of magic. When they’re born they have a very small amount of that magic, let’s say a cup full. Then as they grow, that well of magic grows with them. So a teenager would have a bathtub's worth of magic. A very old witch would have, say, a swimming pools worth of magic, etc. They can use this magic however they want, but when they drain all their magic, they have to wait for it to slowly replenish over a few days. If they use too much at one time, it can lead to magical exhaustion, which has a whole host of symptoms, including death in worst case scenarios.

So a witch can enchant an object or person to do pretty much anything, as long as it is within their scope of power. (A baby could levitate their sippy cup towards them, but not the tv, for example.) However, their pool of magic is limited. Their spells need a constant source of magic to be upkept which is why most Witch magic is not permanent. Of course, if you cut down a tree, that's over and done with, a one time thing, but it's different if you want a prolonged affect.

The caster can give the spell a pool of their magic to feed on, and cut off their connection to the spell. Then, when that magic runs out, the spell automatically shuts down, no interference form the witch needed. Alternatively, they can let the spell feed on their own magic, which will also run dry eventually. (This is dangerous, as powerful spell will keep taking magic, even if a witch has none left to give, so they have to be careful)

Witches do not need a wand or verbal incantation to do what they want, they just have to be good enough at controlling their magic. (Although sometimes young kids get items they use to focus their magic through.)

Their magic is good for temporary effects. Things such as elemental control, controlling plants, levitating objects, are all with in their scope of ability. Things such as wards, which you would want to be permanent, are best left for psychics.

Psychic Magic:

Psychic magic is different because they aren't really sourcing magic from themselves. The way psychics perform magic is through the viewing of the fabric of reality, to use another metaphor. They can see the threads of the universe, and manipulate them. (Like witches, their abilities grow with age.) This is why psychics can see ghosts when most other races can't. They can see the threads of magic lingering around their forms. (Technically ghosts exists on a different plane of existence than living creatures, but that's a different post)

However, seeing ghosts is not the extent of a psychics power, nor is it even their main ability. Witches use spells to perform magic, but psychics use runes. Runes are the language of the universe, and the way psychics manipulate the strands of the universe. Runes range in complexity from simple symbols painted on skin, to giant arrays carved into the foundation of a house to ward it. (A non psychic could paint on the same rune, and it would have no affect.)

The runes will continue to have their affect as long as the symbols stay intact with no drain on the psychics. So if you carve a rune into the handle of your knife to make sure it never gets lost, you will never lose that knife unless you burn off the rune, or otherwise damage it. If you wanted to relieve someone of a headache, you would be better off just using a washable paint to draw on the rune. (Yes, there are several psychic tattooers that only give tattoos and semi-permanent tattoos to magical creatures. That's like... a valid occupation.)

What you use to make a rune matters too. Using a non magical substance, like as marker, will make a weaker rune than using something that has its own magical energy, such as carving a rune into wood (living wood works even better.) The most powerful material would be the blood of a magical creature. A notice-me-not rune drawn with a marker will have a weaker affect than if someone used their own blood to draw it.

Seeing the Future:

Seeing the future is a very difficult craft to master, which is only available to Psychics. Most don't even try. Those who do attempt to practice this usually come from families where it is a tradition, of which Wind's family is not one.

Basically, a psychic attempts to see the future would grasp onto the stands coming from an object or person, and try and follow it into the future. (You also have to have the object in front of you. Can't see the future of someone not in the room.) This is very difficult, as that requires not only good magic sense, but also the ability to project yourself into the future. Some say that you need the blessing of the god of time to even achieve this. (Time would have no idea if you asked. He might have blessed those families in the past? How is he supposed to remember that?)

You can't see very far in the future, a day at most, and what you see is basically "where is the object, what are its surrounding, does it still exist, etc." You couldn't be asked to specifically read the romantic future of someone, for example.

So, no, Wind could not see the future in the middle of a conversation, despite how funny that would be. He would have to set up a bunch of runes before hand, and it would take a lot of concentration. He would probably be able to do it after a while practicing, not only because he's exceptionally powerful for a psychic, but he has an in with the god of time. That doesn't mean he would ever think to try through. Too much effort for not a lot of reward.

#wow this was a lot #sorry it took a while I just got set off on a ramble #here there be monsters #asks open anon on #linked universe

[brown-little-robin]

Jason Todd Playlist

This is for Lu. Ily and I love your music ramblings so here’s some of mine. My Jason Todd playlist, in order, the main sections explained:

1) Behind the Wall to Fast Car: Jason Todd’s early childhood. Gotham police corruption (Behind the Wall), Jason’s endurance in a dissonant world (middle three songs: first one about being born to a world that will hit you and keep hitting, and the second two featuring some fairly harsh sounds, at least to my ears), and then Fast Car:

You got a fast car Is it fast enough so we can fly away? We gotta make a decision Leave tonight or live and die this way...

Fast car?? get it?? like the Batmobile? But also, starting from zero, got nothing to lose... finally see what it means to be living. Jason’s reckoning with his own awful life here. And the section about taking care of her father the alcoholic?? Jason with his mother. It’s perfect.

2) Jason becoming Robin. Charge of the Batmobile, of course. Then I’m ready. Jason is impatient!! Then Little Birdie, which just kills me (in a good way) applied to Robin. Little birdie, little birdie, why do you fly so high? It’s because I am a true birdie / and I do not fear to die. And finally she’s got her ticket / I think she’s gonna use it / think she’s gonna fly away... no one should try to stop her / persuade her with their power... Jason is set on this road and nothing can stop him. He’s going to fly.

3) Troubles with Robin. Jason argues with Batman, as do all of the Robins. Why do the babies starve? There’s enough food to feed the world! Well, in this one he’s arguing with Bruce Wayne, I guess. He’s passionate about wealth distribution. Then Batman Is Mad At Me Again (remix) my beloved, no notes. Shout by Tears For Fears! Jason speaks up when he wants to. Irrepressible. But also? this song is about speaking out when things Aren’t Right. you shouldn’t have to jump for joy. Then the Bond theme because Jason is a nerd. Then the Finale from Trio for horn, violin and piano, foreshadowing. Then Jason finally asking for love, doing what he does best: making a demand.

You can wait 'til morning comes You can wait for the new day You can wait and lose this heart You can wait and soon be sorry

Now love's the only thing that's free We must take it where it's found Pretty soon it may be costly

Love costs him his life in the next section.

4) A Death In the Family, the actual soundtrack to Jason’s death. Then the resurrection, the soundtrack to Wolverine getting his metal bones. Agonizing. But it’s fun music nonetheless.

5) The white-hot heat of Lazarus rage. Screaming, near-nonsensical songs. Very punk.

(note the bird imagery in Novocaine, too!)

6) Red Hood’s debut. Down the River, full of righteous rage; When The Coyote Comes, a song celebrating a predator and his devilish, fear-inspiring approach. These are a little calmer than the Lazarus songs, but still he is dead-set on his terrible path.

7) Jason being called back to the family. A window opens up / and someone calls your name / but I can tell you don’t know how to play this game... Actually, here:

So now you’re on your own Won't you come back home To see you're not that kind And find the strength To find the strength To find another way

And then a song for Jason’s response to that: Broken, mostly wailing, wordless guitar, but with a heartbreaking little set of lyrics at the end:

Broken We are broken

In my mind's eye One little boy anger one little man Funny how time flies

Then Achilles Come Down, which I have in the clean version because I don’t like listening to swearing. I imagine this one specifically as Tim’s near-suicidal plea for Jason to come back: if you go I’m going / so jump and I’m jumping.

8) Jason’s slow path to building relationships again. First a rejection in Howl: I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground. Titans Tower near-killing of Tim, much? Then Freedom—he’s realizing he just wants to be allowed to have his own perspective. Then he’s becoming softer, but still fighting for himself in My life:

I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm alright I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home I don't care what you say anymore this is my life Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone

Then, for the first time, acceptance. A house is a home even when there's ghosts / Even when you gotta run from the ones who love you most. Jason realizing that he was in the wrong.

And then, finally, one last song:

Forgive me Is all that you can't say Years gone by and still Words don't come easily Like forgive me, forgive me

But you can say baby Baby, can I hold you tonight?

Baby bird, baby bird, can I hold you. Baby bird, will you forgive me. And! We bring it back to Tracy Chapman in the end.

9) Jason outro: The Bat’s True Calling, slow and mournful, regretful, but dignified. Acceptance of his own grief. And, finally, of course, Batman Theme Reprise. Back to that breathless, whirling experience of the Batmobile, Jason’s first taste of freedom in this playlist. Jason’s passionate spirit simply cannot be repressed.

#wow this was A Lot #jason todd #if you're a mutual / close friend you can ask for the playlist if you want #but I am Not just giving the link to anyone #OH fun fact!! I found the song 'come back home' because of an amazing thad fic with a title from the lyrics. #'A window opens up / and someone calls your name' #that line haunts me partially because of the association with That Particular Story

[alynnl]

for the character ask, of course your guys, Olberic and Cyrus, but also...you're favorite Octopath NPC! And two random Triangle Strategy characters you feel like talking about!

Wow! Really hitting all the bases I see!

Olberic Eisenberg

First impression: Big, strong guy. Probably has a dark past and is on a revenge quest. Learns the value of life and chooses to defend it? Meat shield.

Impression now: Still big, strong guy, but soft. So very soft. He does have a dark past but not exactly a revenge quest. More of a finding-his-purpose quest. Chooses to protect the weak and helpless, and is very laid back around those he considers friends.

Favorite moment: The duel he has with Erhardt in his chapter 3. it was one of the climaxes of his tale (the battle against Werner in chapter 4 being the other) and it really just showed, at the core, what Olberic's journey was all about. The decision Olberic makes to spare Erhardt in the end also left quite an impression on me, and I thought it was rather inspirational.

Idea for a story: You mean I have to pick just one? Well, if we're going for a story that's set in Olberic's point of view, I have this idea rotating in my brain like a rotisserie chicken. It's postgame, established (long distance, with some visits) relationship. Olberic basically puts together a little study for Cyrus in his modest house in Cobbleston by collecting books from traveling merchants and building a bookshelf and other furniture. It is so much domestic fluff and I adore it.

Unpopular opinion: I guess I'll stand by what I've said in other posts in that I don't romantically ship him with Erhardt. I don't see it going beyond platonic because of their baggage and I stand by this view!

Favorite relationship: If we're talking romantic ships, well, I ship him with Cyrus, plain and simple. Their travel banters and group/tavern banters give me just enough interaction to realize how well they compliment one another and how much admiration Olberic has for Cyrus's wisdom. Good stuff right there.

Favorite headcanon: Again, I have to pick only one? Okay I'll go for one I included in part 1 of my Oath Keepers AU series. Olberic falls into the habit of marching, as he did when he went to war when he's on a serious mission. It's one of his old instincts to go at that steady pace to get to the action, but be ready to fight once he gets there.

Cyrus Albright

First impression: Smart guy, maybe a bit full of himself? Looks a bit like an aristocrat. Might have a bit of a superiority complex and has to learn to be humble. Easy on the eyes.

Impression now: Very smart guy but NOT full of himself. His whole philosophy is not lording the knowledge he has over others and instead spreading it to anyone who might listen (and even those who don't.) A true champion for public education. Fights against those who would use knowledge to harm others for their own selfish gain, so he's definitely a fave for this reason alone!

Favorite moment: His rebuttal to Lucia in his chapter 4. How she goes on and on about being a genius and how those who are mediocre cannot hope to measure up to her, but Cyrus retorts on how he hasn't given up on mediocrity. While his journey might have been to solve the mystery behind the missing book, Cyrus's discoveries in the Ruins of Eld (all those forsaken tomes) and his refusal to join Lucia up in her ivory tower speak volumes for his character. I believe he'd be one of those spearheading an Age of Enlightenment in Orsterra of such a thing came to pass in their world.

Idea for a story: I have so many but I have to narrow it down to just one! This one is from early game. Victor's Hollow to be exact. Cyrus wants to learn to better defend himself so he spars with Olberic to at least get proficient with a short sword. By the the time the tournament rolls around, Cyrus is no expert but he knows the fundamentals enough to be quite capable.

Unpopular opinion: Those who know me and my rambles will know this. I believe that since Cyrus is one of the eight playable characters and very much a hero of his own story, he could stand to be the hero of a few more fan works too. Let him be strong! Let him come up with clever strategies! Let him truly support the other travelers even if he's not the most physically strong! There is more to strength than (bladed) weapons!

Favorite relationship: Since I already covered Eisenbright with Olberic's entry, I'd say Cyrus's friendship with Odette is one of my favorites. She teases him and while he's exasperated he take it in stride because Odette is wise and she does give him warnings! She knows the type of trouble Cyrus could get into and really is trying to help. It's also shown that Odette is in tune to Cyrus's mystery-solving traits, since she asks for his help in Quarrycrest and he's able to crack the case! Gotta love a trusted friend who knows both his personal life and abilities.

Favorite headcanon: Cyrus knows so much history from his studies he can share new facts about every single town the travelers land in. Yes, even Orewell and Clearbrook. Any facts he doesn't know off-hand he seeks out on his own. Cyrus is more or less a living encyclopedia, and probably goes on to update Atlasdam's actual encyclopedias after his travels.

Erhardt

First impression: Olberic's final boss? Olberic's final boss. The guy just did a regicide on screen. He's probably going to gain all this power and killing the king was just the start. But Olberic will triumph over him because he cares more about protecting people than gaining power. Yep, this guy is definitely the Big Bad.

Impression now: Not the Big Bad, but definitely thoughtless? The man had years to question whether the King of Hornburg truly abandoned his hometown or not. He does some good deeds (like saving the merchants in Wellspring and coming to Olberic's aid in Riverford) but that doesn't erase the fact that his actions played a part in wiping out an entire kingdom. He's complicated for sure. Probably textbook morally gray Anti-Villain turned Anti-Hero.

Favorite moment: The aforementioned moment where he shows up as reinforcements for Olberic in Riverford. Seeing the two swordsmen in action was really something. And it's even better that he holds off the guards and allows Olberic to settle the score with Werner. Good on him.

Idea for a story: A one-shot where he saves the merchant caravan and meets Captain Bale and the people of Wellspring would be nice.

Unpopular opinion: He's pretty but he's still a war criminal. I'm willing to bet he had at least one wanted poster out for his arrest? But maybe Werner made all that disappear with the gold that he assembled (he basically bought his way out of all loose ends.)

Favorite relationship: This is a bit understated, but his friendship with Gaston and Gustav. Especially Gustav. You're telling me that after all these years, Gustav is the only one who actually knows about Erhardt's Tragic Backstory? And that he trusted the Black Knight enough to share it even when they were in the sellsword company together? They have to be rather close, I think (could be platonic, could be otherwise, it's up to interpretation.)

Favorite headcanon: This is more of an AU head canon, but I have this idea that he actually deserted Werner the day after the Fall of Hornburg. That he didn't realize, until it was too late that unarmed civilians (children included) were going to be caught up in Werner's plot to destroy Hornburg. Erhardt was under the impression that only King Alfred, his guards, and his royal court needed to die, but it was a massacre and it broke him, since the fires in Hornburg's town gave him direct flashbacks to the fires of Grynd. Needless to say, he doesn't take this well.

Frederica Aesfrost

First impression: Soft spoken, proper noble girl who is marrying into another noble house. She'll probably have some mysterious power that makes her a MacGuffin of sorts? Mostly wants to marry Serenoa out of duty.

Impression now: My beloved fire nuke! Destroy all the battlefields! YES. Character-wise, she started off as quiet and soft spoken but found her voice when it came to standing up for herself and fighting for her people. Absolute girl boss (affectionate.) She really grows throughout the course of the story, no matter which route you pick.

Favorite moment: The moment where she stands up to Erika and Thalas on the bridge battle. Gameplay wise it was hard but the dialogue that she shares with her siblings when she finally starts fighting back against their taunts is *chef's kiss* perfection. Now if she had this sorta dialogue vs. Gustadolph it would've been the icing on the cake but alas. Missed opportunity.

Idea for a story: Nobody Dies, Everybody Lives, No War AU. The entire plot centers around her and Serenoa's wedding and how there is family in-fighting and Frederica finally decides she's going to uninvite her siblings for acting so rude to her new family-to-be. Her dear cousin Dragan and uncle Svarog can stay though. And she walks down the aisle with her uncle's blessing and her cousin drunk and shedding tears about how grown up she's become.

Unpopular opinion: I don't know many popular opinions to really say what's unpopular. I just know I appreciate her writing a heck of a lot and she at least doesn't take a sudden left turn (unlike a certain someone who shall not be named.)

Favorite relationship: Her war time slow burn with Serenoa. Even though their wedding is more or less put on hold because of a war suddenly breaking out between nations, she sticks by her husband-to-be. She fights alongside him, shares conversations with him, and they grow to understand one another. It's why the chapter 17 split hits so hard if you choose the path she can't follow. It's evident in the other chapters she truly cares for Serenoa but she also has her beliefs and she's willing to fight for them. At least from what I understand in the Golden Route, those two traits are compatible and she's fighting alongside Serenoa for his convictions and beliefs.

Favorite headcanon: Frederica is a survivor. No matter which route she's in, she finds a way to endure through her hardships and keep hope alive. In the Golden Route she absolutely gives it her all "for a better world."

Erador

First impression: Loud, impulsive, maybe not the brightest (affectionate)? Fiercely loyal and might clash with Benedict on occasion.

Impression now: Absolute MVP in story and in gameplay. He's always there to support Serenoa and the rest of House Wolffort. Knows how to spend his downtime, often seeing Hossabara for a drink and interacting with a lot of the recruits. A real people person.

Favorite moment: His early story moment where he's getting excited about the tournament. I loved his enthusiasm! And even when the war rages on he doesn't let anything get him down. A true optimist if I ever saw one, even if he doesn't shy away from remembering his life and times in the Saltiron War.

Idea for a story: A small one. More drunken conversations with Corentin about how to better use his ice magic research. Maybe they try the never-melting ice in their drinks.

Unpopular opinion: I'm not sure if I want him in a romantic relationship with Benedict given the tactician's tendencies to do the whole "manipulate mansplain" act. Let's just say that the Liberty ending left me very, very sour to Benedict/Erador since I feel that Benedict wouldn't be above using Erador in one of his schemes.

Favorite relationship: His friendship with Hossabara. They seem to go way back and have a lot of stories to share. He also knows when to tone down his usual cheeriness (like when Hossabara mentions her son) - he gets more subdued. They have an "old friends" sort of vibe that I like very much.

Favorite headcanon: Extremely light sleeper, much to Benedict's annoyance. Since he's trained to be a shield bearing soldier all his life (ready to defend House/Castle Wolffort at a moment's notice), Erador reacts to the slightest sounds even when it isn't warranted. Some examples are stray dogs and cats, crickets, and even a dream that Lord Symon called him to arms. Despite all this, Benedict has chosen to remain in the bedroom next to Erador's in case of the event of an actual attack, where they can both be ready to face it head-on.

#ask game #replied #wow this was a lot #long post #Octopath Traveler #Triangle Strategy #Olberic Eisenberg #Cyrus Albright #Frederica Aesfrost #Erador #Forgive typos it's 10 PM

[ot3]

i love the artistic stylings of studio ghibli as much as anyone else does but im kind of sick of anything with like vivid environments and big blue skies being branded as ghibliesque. because its like. you know where else you can hypothetically find some vivid environments with big blue skies? my friend the great and wonderful outdoors are here for you

#in general just assuming all media is drawing from The Most Popular Example Of A Thing #rather than being like hey maybe both these things took inspiration from the same parts of our world #just feels kind of unfair and reductive a lot of the time #not to say its bad when something IS inspired by ghibli but its kind of the professional version of being asked 'wow is that anime'

[bixels]

I watched Starship Troopers tonight.

#personal #dumb #my art #immediately after finishing i was pumped to watch some analysis vids on it #cuz i heard a lot of the drama about the original author being a pro military fascist and the director going “fuck that” and making a satir #scrolling through youtube search results was not promising. lots of male film buffs i would Not trust even on a first glance. #“The Critical Drinker” (pfp of a bearded man drinking alcohol) lol. #and then I saw cinemawins did a video on it and was like oh nice i haven't seen his stuff in a while but he's a pretty leftist creator #scrolled through the comments #second panel face #this sucks i'm outta here. #just leagues and leagues and leagues of anime pfps and right leaning people dogpiling on him for “not understanding what fascism is” #idk it's pretty alien and weird to me watching this movie and going “wow yeah that was pretty obvious huh” like literally the from opening #to the teacher preaching militance and only giving voting rights to “those who serve their nation first and earn it” #and then seeing droves of people online going #WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? It's not anti-fascist and even if it was it's #the director's fault for desecrating heinlein's incredible sci-fi epic vision. ermm media literacy is dead.

[enluv]

i have to work today 💔

#and i absolutamente have to go #okay that autocorrected I meant absolutely* #autocorrect i am using english keyboard pls leave me alone 🫵🏽 #ANWYAS #I HAVE TO GO #ABSOLUTELY because I’m calling in tomorrow for my favorite leads going away dinner #so I HAVE to go today #but i feel so weak I’m actually so 💔💔 #i called my abuela because she has this remedy for sore throats but she’s out of town #like where are you girl you have work 🫵🏽 #okay i have to be out the house by 3:00 #so in ten minutes #wow this was a lot #see y’all later 🫶🏽 #chit chat with coco <3

[thee-radio-host-is-a-kookaburra]

how we thought gos2 was gonna go vs how it actually went

#good omens #good omens spoilers #gos2 spoilers #go2 spoilers #ineffable bureaucracy #ineffable husbands #crowley #anthony j crowley #aziracrow #aziraphale #archangel gabriel #lord beelzebub #wow that’s a lot of tags

[nazumichi]

neurotypicals are so funny sometimes. “well, just don’t forget it next time.” holy shit. you’ve done it. you’ve fixed me. who knew memory problems could be solved so simply? i am no longer autistic, i am ready to join you at the social function. by god.

#/sar #raii talks a lot #i think it’s a combination of the autism and the adhd but an irl said “i am no longer autistic” yesterday when she got through small talk #and i haven’t stopped thinking about it. anyway if i’d known i could “just remember” i wouldn’t have signed up for this oh wow /j #attacking my math professor is always morally correct. it is always the right thing to do

[shatouto]

両片思い

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tav #astarion #tav x astarion #bg3 oc #oc: lorame #caption in jpn bc 'mutual pining' doesn't hit as hard and 'mutual one-sided love' makes no sense #ryoukataomoi just hits different ok #edit: oh wow a lot of you found this huh ;w; thanks for all the notes !! #i'm happy you're looking at my silly son and son in law #.....man this post was rly popular with y'all huh. thanks for 5k!

[lookitsstevie]

I'm finally playing bg3. here's my mandatory campsite art 😇 first. alfira version

this one is with my tav instead of alfira. I call them stav (stevietav). stav is a big guy and nothing like real stevie it's delightful

#baldur's gate 3 #alfira #tav #halsin #astarion #gale #wyll #karlach #shadowheart #scratch #owlbear cub #lae'zel #wow that's a lot of people #and animals #and one druid-bear #baldurs gate fanart

[ryssbelle]

Drew a bunch of Marinettes in a bunch of different artists styles it was a lot of fun!!

Artists who's styles I mimicked: @buggachat @hamsternamedmarinette @ladybeug @sabertoothwalrus and @anna-scribbles all epic artists 🤟😎

#my art #marinette dupain cheng #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanart #style mimic #sorry for the @s btw #yall should go follow those artists if you dont already also #this was sort of inspired by a post the three artists on the top row made #i think they all got together and drew with one another #which is really cool #but i was genuinely confused because i mimic styles a lot #and ive seen others do it too so i was just like #wow they really know each others styles really well #until i thought about it and read their posts some more #style mimicking is really freaking fun and i think its really good practice #and a good way to explore other ways of doing things #like you really have to learn new techniques and get out of your comfort zone #also anna scribbles i could not find a recent pic of marinette in her main outfit #so thats the only marinette i drew in different clothes cuz i couldnt find a more recent ref of you drawing it #anna scribble marinette has privileges thats the others dont #but ye #i also threw my own style in there as a frame of reference to what me draw like #ive drawn marinette before just not in a loooong while #sabertooth walrus was the hardest for me to mimic cuz they have a broad range in their style #so its like which sabertooth do i wanna be in this pic #Buggachat has such a distinct style thats very clean and consistent which is amazing so they were easy #being easy or hard arent bad things either it also has to do with like styles meeting up with one another #buggachats and mine arent too too different in some shapes and aspects #so yeah itd be easier plus they drew marinette like 3 sec ago so i have more recent of a ref #as opposed to sabertooth who i have a recent ref of ladybug but not marinette so we got two diff styles in one