[part 1]

Quick question – why do the TCF fans keep portraying Bud Illis as an idiot?

It kind of bothers me, because in canon, Bud is not stupid.

Yes, he is a at times reckless (like that time he got captured by Jopis). And yes, he plays the "drunk idiot" role very well, to the point he completely fooled Raon when Cale and Bud met for the first time.

The problem is, for some reason, TCF fans remember that interaction between Cale & Bud in the inn and take it as his actual characterization, and not an act. Which it is.

Because Bud acts like a drunk blabbermouth idiot on purpose, there! Cale himself notices it almost instantly!!

Bud is an interesting character. He's someone who relies on his drunk act – which he does mostly to gather intel, just like OG Cale relied on his act to ruin his reputation – in order to be underestimated. And it works, because everyone is surprised just how much Bud knows, despite being from a different contient than Cale.

However, being drunk and supposedly recklessly talkative (even though I can tell he chose the information he told Cale in that first meeting very carefully, figuring Cale out at the same time), Bud also shows signs of very quick wit and spontaneous planning, just like Cale.

He figures out quickly that Cale and the others are no joke. He's willing to enter an alliance, and show Cale the Directory, and also makes the immediate decision to burn the Directory down, once he realizes that the White Star uses it for nefarious purposes.

We see his competence in the 1,001 mercenary squad rescue, how he's willing to do anything for his men, and isn't too stubborn to ask Cale for help, when he needs it. He's also compassionate and responsible enough to regret putting Cale in danger as he rushes in to save them.

Of course, I understand why the "idiot" part is what the fans actually remember of this character. He got captured by Jopis' "innocent" puppies. That.... wasn't his fault. He has an Ancient Power which should have warned him of potential danger, and yet, the puppies turned out one of the few immune exceptions to his senses. Bud's true mistake was going in alone, and doing so because the wanted to impress Cale. Which is why he gets no sympathy from Cale when they show up to "rescue" him and make a deal with Jopis.

Sorry, Bud, as much as I'm on your side, that was a hilariously stupid mistake on your part.

One incident shouldn't make fans believe that Bud is an idiot, though. The reason it does, however, is because of Glenn. Glenn Poeff's reaction to Bud getting stupidly captured shows us that this was not the first time when Bud was stupidly reckless. But it does fit his overall characterization. Bud is not stupid, but he's not as cautious as Cale, despite his justified paranoia about the White Star aiming to kill him.

Bud's attitude towards Cale's crazy shenanigans also reminds the audience of two specific characters: Toonka, and Archie. Both of which are, at the same time, the "violent thugs" of their society, who contrast Cale in being shocked by his "mad viciousness" and become ironically "the only sane man on board". But just because Bud is also one of the characters who react to Cale as "dude, are you crazy?? Wait, nevermind..." doesn't mean that Bud is at the same intelligence level as Toonka and Archie. In fact, Bud is much, much more intelligent than those two. So it's not really fair to put him together with them in that department.

Bud is also a Sword Master, and a Mercenary King. We can probably conclude two things about his personality from that: one, he loves adventure and swordmanship. Two, he is brave enough to lead and make risks in order to achieve his ambitions. Bud is intelligent and a good actor, but he does love alcohol – he just pretends he's a lightweight (again, just like OG Cale). Bud is a good strategist and fighter, but he does make reckless mistakes from time to time, much to Glenn's exasperation.

So here it is. My reasons why "Bud Illis isn't as stupid as fans portray him in the fandom". Just because he's funny, doesn't mean he's a complete idiot. He's a competent leader, who managed to defend the Mercenaries against Arm in the Eastern Contient for a significant amount of time. He was one of the last lines of resistance towards the White Star there. That says things about him.

Give Bud some love, guys, he deserves it.

silly little headcanon that is silly and that I definitely don’t get tomatoes thrown at me for

Warning: Major major one piece spoilers of wano and egghead!!!!!

Tw: death & blood

The idea of luffy’s vivre card flash-banging sabo in that pitch black bilge is making me laugh so much

Bonuses:

Full pic of that last page👇

Here’s the full pic of this since it being a gif absolutely tanked the quality of the image.

Some little notes:

I felt like it would be in sabo’s best interest to cover up those funky little wounds imu gave him so that he doesn’t, ya know, bleed out and die or something cringe like that. So I imagine he used his weird coat thing as impromptu bandages.

Has anyone else noticed that his reverie coat doesnt actually have arm sleeves????? That coat has no other purpose than to drape over Sabo’s shoulders to make him look cooler and by god is it working. I cannot knock the hustle.

tempus arknights au except i only thought abt the bettel/bettel2 side of things so far- more stuff under the cut

in my head hakka is a dp-on-kill vg and flay is a 2-block vg (he mans the r-trus) and shnr... perhaps also a 2-block vg i have to think abt it

tbh i need to think abt it out of the scope of just bettel twins AKGSDJKGWJ i will update and add stuff if i get any brainworms

it’s my comfort character and i get to decide to disability projection (i think his second death injured his wings and back and left him with lasting balance and mobility issues. so i gave him crutches and now he’s just like me fr)

There are plenty of small changes in Akane's behavior once the severance is over.

The one that caught my attention the most is this brand new habit of protecting himself.

Akane loves to be alive, but he has no fear of death or pain.

Teru bullies him every day and he keeps his guard down in the student council. Aoi stabbed him, the injury so severe that chapters later, it hurts Akane to even move, yet he kept himself wide open in battle.

This habit really is very new.

So what changed? What made him constantly be on the defensive?

It wasn't self-preservation. It's his duty.

He is needed alive.

The keeper of the present can't die.

Akane still isn't careful with himself. He isn't protecting himself, he is protecting the idea of a better present.

luzu and quackity please do a stream where yall talk about lore and how you guys worked on it and why it went this way and like a cozy lil hangout stream please I beg I wanna see you both talk about lore you can invite maximus too please I BEG

listen,, nostalgia made me do it, nostalgia and @quackityinc who came up with this au in the first place

feat. some bonus vice duo, because i have diseases. if you remember the characters they’re based on you are entitled to financial compensation

they r walking to csams house for mandatory family dinner (csam is their dad they are all adopted)