SadArtemis

Personally, Seabed can come across as a bit of a slog (but in a good way- and in a way appropriate to the themes of grief, of mental processing and memory issues, etc). And it can be very heavy. I played it during a time when I was dealing with grief among other things myself and I loved it- I intend to play it again someday (ideally soon), but needless to say it won't be for everyone.

The extra chapters (generally noticeable as something like "chapter 23.5" instead of being an outright "chapter 23" for instance) can be even moreso questionably/maybe "NSFW/18+" (though if you ask me that's all "western puritanism and backwardness/regressiveness" which they then infected many other parts of the world with)

Both fics, I feel, correlate with my own defining experiences on many levels- whether it be Ranma's growth and the liberating feeling of finding a positive, comfy space and escaping the small, shitty, abusive world she was raised in prior, or in Akane's own growth and rejection of that same small world, as well as the permanence of one's actions having come from and having been a part of what made that world so small and unhealthy to begin with, and growing past that and coming to terms with it.

"Hikaru" is, while not quite a blank slate, extremely new to the concept of even just "being" in the sense that mortal creatures and individual organisms(?) do. They've had to learn (and Yoshiki has had to confront them about) the value and significance of life and death; they've increasingly established boundaries, and they approach the world with a liveliness and curiousity that is really cute (the original Hikaru was also lively FWIW, but "Hikaru" is experiencing everything anew even if they retain the memories).

Yoshiki, on the other hand, is both grappling with his grief and loss of Hikaru, while finding comfort (and discomfort alike) in his imposter, and in guiding them through a new world or state of being. He's finding his resolve and moral/ethical backbone interacting with "Hikaru" (very blue-and-orange morality dynamics, though they're learning), he's experiencing what could be described as a rocky but determined romance and queer experimentation at the same time "Hikaru" is being introduced to notions of attraction and desire (beyond instinctual desire to consume).

Their pairing in so many ways should not work (or rather would be usually destined for a tragic end). From the start, there have been several points where by all means it should have met such an end. But their determination and willingness to meet the other where they're at and gradually be understanding with the other is both fascinating and something I'd feel optimistic for (and interested in seeing play out further).

I'm rather new to Hexbear, but on the 'grad (and on Hexbear as well) as well as other chats- I think we all have noticed, and probably felt as well, a great deal of alienation in the broader society, as well as the stressors of the 'grad/Hexbear being among the few truly and primarily decent spaces online that get things, as well.

And we've all also experienced how it is like dealing with ghoulishness prevalent elsewhere, and probably also seeing others banned or being banned ourselves from reddit as well as other spaces, having our communities dismantled. I imagine between this and the alienation- it has taken a toll on many of our lives.

The Hexbear/Lemmygrad formats also have their limitations; while I'd not call them an org, the truth is that almost everyone needs a breather from as well as life and social inclusion outside of such spaces that focus on political issues, effortposting, and struggle sessions. My point here being that it sucks, when two of the only "truly decent" spaces online which get it are also often spaces that can take quite a bit of energy and mental availability to fully participate in. And it sucks even more that, for many of us, being largely alienated from other spaces outside of these inherently deeply political (not that anything is "not political") spaces, we might have withdrawn from liberal-infested spaces (online and IRL) that previously held other activities with little stress nor effort involved- from gaming, fandoms, music, and all sorts of other spaces.

Frankly it sucks that, in the current political climate, being driven into the Fediverse and elsewhere, we've lost these mostly peaceful, chill spaces. And it sucks that even in the Fediverse (as well as elsewhere), due to our political understanding and discussion, our communities are actively- well, persecuted is the honest word.

I think that it's about time that we (Hexbear and Lemmygrad) made a third, mostly disconnected space (and probably with the intent of not having direct connections beyond vetting/etc with the processes of Hexbear and the 'grad) for non-political socializing. We should have this disconnected space with whatever distance is deemed best (open for discussion, I'm not really a opsec person and have decent caution, that's about that generally) from Hexbear and Lemmygrad, but from there we should be able to branch out with wholly ""non-political"" social activites and chilling perhaps even in other spaces.

Also if anyone can word this better than me (I'm generally already likely/almost definitely deeply autistic- and I don't say that as a bad thing, but it also is a certain way as I imagine this reads- but my mind is somewhere weird but not bad right now) I say please go for it. Hell, make another post about this. TBH I also don't really want to be at the center of such developments though I'm open to being a part of making it and amongst those starting it- but basically knowing myself while I tend to have these kinds of ideas and also when I'm in a good space in life tend to get people together, etc- so far I've never had such energy sustainably (working on it) and I'm just a hot wreck/dumpster fire in so many ways, and NOT someone who knows much about the any of the things necessary for this (if people wanted to figure out a VC or discord or Steam group or whatnot I could probably handle though).

actually. hm. while I'd hesitate to take a leading role in it as I'm a hot mess as an understatement and rarely sustainable (want to work on being better) I should see about pushing for some hexbear/grad chill non-pol (mostly non-pol) space. was talking in tracha about it tbh non-pol as in """"non-political""" as bullshit as that concept is, but basically because struggle sessions and/or getting infiltrated or etc sucks

while I never sustain them (because I'm a dumpster fire lol... working on stopping that cycle) I do get people together sometimes when in an upswing (energetic) phase think it's def needed esp in these times

tbh got to talking w another friend and gonna see about proposing and pushing for a third (hangout/"""non-pol""" or low-pol/also less stress) space, perhaps between Hex and the Grad and whoever is not a lib ghoul from elsewhere since sometimes some of the rest of the fediverse and the internet, I suppose, are good people (though they aren't sending their best) lol gonna write up a proposal or some sort tho don't think I want to be central to it as while I can be good at sorting these things out sometimes I'm also a dumpster fire and unsustainable historically but we should make some sorta space. in the fediverse, maybe even outside it o hm that wasn't the whatchamacallit uh crossout thingy like as in, idk. could have voice training, vrchat if anyone does, gaming, karaoke, IK there's already the tv watching etc spaces... tbh also if it were separate enough ish could even hypothetically be "less" (still probs best to be at least considerably) worried about opsec or could even utilize easier/etc platforms with vetting from the grad/hex like for instance steam groups, twitch, discord, hell if I know what else. mmos etc. because by having the political stuff elsewhere (still connected and whatnot and absolutely necessary, but I think so are some such- idk more chill spaces for comrades to chill) it becomes just a whole lot less- risky as well granted I ain't one of those who is all 👌about that opsec, I have decent caution and that's about it. but could be discussed since def some people (myself) would want to use such platforms probs also

like for instance, saw a reddit (acquaintance? well someone I messaged a bit once, trans commie who sadly I never recced to come to the grad or hex, but who had moved from the US to China) was banned recently. no way to contact we oughta get some non-pol spaces which are tied adjacently to the old pol spaces

if that makes sense. no more getting swept under the rug, until other platforms are fully adopted and have all the means we can use what exists (separately and alongside hex and grad)