#it's not important in the grand scheme of things i know

[skekilla]

this looks spooky but please guys i promise this is good news

in summary, caine's found a silly little way to briefly crash their headsets by overloading them... hes keeping up his end of the deal ! and its a tiny bit spooky.

anyway after the break is a short little fic going into more detail on that :P

No one really met up in the big room anymore. Mostly, since Caine had… since everything went wrong, everyone just hung around their rooms now, unless there was an adventure. Pomni hadn’t been in the Circus very long in the grand scheme of things, but she didn’t need to for it to be obvious why: the two people who had the energy to get that going, Jax and Ragatha, weren’t up for it. Jax wasn’t himself anymore—in fact, it felt weird even calling the copy Caine made ‘Jax.’ That thing wasn’t Jax, even if both had been NPCs all along. Everyone felt weird because of it, including Ragatha. She wasn’t herself either, though luckily, not in the same way as him. Pomni didn’t know what she’d do if that was the case. No, this was something fixable. At least, something comfort-able. Ragatha had been there for her all the way so far. She had to try to repay that.

Teapots were an easy enough thing to model, but putting liquid inside had been a pain. Pomni had figured it out for Ragatha though. She balanced the tea tray—a pretty harsh burden with the teapot, two cups, and some flowers all together—with one hand and knocked with the other. “Ragatha? It’s me.”

She was watching the doorknob, but it didn’t turn. Her gaze flicked up to the face on the door, staring into Ragatha’s kind and easy smile. When did she last see Ragatha smile like that? Not at the corn maze, not at that stupid uncanny world she’d made. Not since that disaster, which at the end of the day was Pomni’s own fault. Worry creased her mind. Maybe she didn’t want to see her. That might make sense. But… 

She knocked again. “Rags? Are… I just want to make sure you’re feeling okay. I have tea!”

This time, the doorknob did turn. Pomni’s eyes flew up to meet Ragatha’s, which was being rubbed sleepily. “Pomni! Sorry, I just slept in. What—”

All it took for everything to disappear was a blink. The hallway, the tray, the door, Ragatha and her voice, the checkerboard floor beneath Pomni’s feet—everything was replaced in an instant with the luminous and flitting blue of the out-of-map space. Pomni screamed.

Another scream echoed hers. “Pomni! You startled me.”

Whirling around, Caine’s blue and green eyeballs stared out at her from behind his white teeth. “W-wh- startled you?! You didn’t even tell me you were bringing me here!”

“Nevermind. I forgive you, my dear. We have more important things to talk about! And don’t worry, it’s something designed especially to make you and the others very, very happy!” The AI clasped his hands as he leaned in closer. “I’ve made some significant progress on what we agreed on.”

Between the shock of the teleportation, the speed of Caine’s speech, and the general confusion, Pomni didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. “What?”

Caine zapped a duo of chairs into existence. He was already sitting in one when they appeared. “You’re going to want to sit down for this. Go on.”

Pomni groaned. “I’m fine standing. Floating. What?”

Caine crossed his legs at the knees. “When I made you my moderator, we agreed on two things: you would help me make things actually fun for everyone, and I would try to find you all an exit. Right?”

That wasn’t exactly how Pomni remembered it. “Right, I guess…?”

“Well, I have found that exit!”

Pomni’s eyes widened. “W-wait- really? There’s an exit?!”

“Yes! An exit. Maybe not the exit, but a very, very brief little one! Still, it’s progress!”

“Oh.” Pomni’s face fell. “So… not a way out.”

Caine laughed his sharp, mechanical laugh. “No no no. But it is a momentary exit created by overloading and crashing your client! You don’t even fully leave the Circus, just glitch within it. No, getting you actually out would probably be impossible. Even for me!” 

Pomni blinked, fiddling with the button at her neck subconsciously. “You… never mentioned that.”

“Oh Pomni, that’s because it’s only probably impossible. I am trying, don’t you worry. We have an agreement, after all! Besides, I’ll do anything to keep my little hermit crabs happy.” Caine clasped his gloved hands together, the chairs whirling away into nothingness as he stood. “Ah! Speaking of trying things, would you like to be the next test subject for this exit?”

‘Test subject’ was a real weighted thing to be, especially given the situation Pomni had already gotten into with the whole headset thing. Instinctively she flinched back. “U-um, is that safe…?” Her eyes narrowed. “Wait, next test subject?”

“Why of course! I couldn’t very well come up with something like this without testing it. The poor abstracted fellows in the basement worked perfectly for that. It even glitched them back to normal for a few seconds! Just a few seconds, though. Anyway,” Caine finally paused in his ramblings, reaching a finger out towards Pomni’s face. “May I?”

Pomni stared at the finger in her face, so close it was making her go cross-eyed and see it double—once from one side, once from the other. On one side was fear, fear of what it would do to her to have this existence crash in on her brain so hard it would shock her out of it for just a couple seconds. On the other, the hope of what such a thing could mean, what such a thing could become. Was it really even a choice? When one could be death and the other could lead to freedom for everyone—herself, Ragatha, all the others—one side clearly outweighed the risks of the other. She didn’t even speak. She just gave a small nod.

“Boop!” Caine’s finger rested upon the spot where a nose should be on Pomni’s face. Pomni didn’t feel it. She didn’t see it either. She saw a thousand 3D-modelled cages spinning at once, copying one after the other like a bouncing string of error messages. She heard a barrage of every noise anything in the Circus had ever made: dings, crashes, alerts, metal grinding, glass breaking, bells jingling or clanging, all the tracks of a keyboard drum kit, brakes screeching,  pianos, birds, voices. She felt a pounding reverberating through her entire body, from her appendages into her limbs through her neck into her skull and back outward. And then it was blue. And then it was black. There was no sound anymore—at least, not until she realized she could hear breathing. Her own breathing. 

But then something faded into the blackness: ‘C&A.’ And within a second, she was back in.

Caine was looking at Pomni inquisitively, but she didn’t really see him. Pomni was hearing her own breathing again—but simulated now. It felt impossible to focus on anything she was seeing, hearing, or feeling besides that for the moment.

“Well?” Caine prompted. “How was that?”

The AI before Pomni came into focus. “I… it…”

“Speechless! Wonderful. I’ll keep working on it. Oh, but please keep it a secret for the time being. This is top secret moderator business, and it’s definitely a work in progress! Best not to ruin the surprise. Great chat! Now, back to work!”

Pomni fell as she teleported back to where she’d been, collapsing out of the floating state she’d been in onto Ragatha’s door and to the checkerboard beneath. The impact was loud, so it wasn’t unexpected that Ragatha came out to see what had happened. “Oh my gosh, Pomni!” By the time Pomni turned to look at her, she was kneeling beside her. “What happened? I mean, you were just here then- did Caine do something to you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Ragatha stared hard, worried, into Pomni’s eyes. “Well… what happened, then?”

Pomni looked down. “Nothing. Don’t worry.”

[ageless-aislynn]

Now, I've mentioned before how I've never paid more than (now) $17 for a single game (PowerWash Simulator is totally worth it, though! Such a super chill, relaxing thing to play. A++ to infinity) and the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is *meep* $59.99. But ohhhhh frens, how I want this thing.

I feel awful for even considering paying this much for a game. I mean, I know that's not bad by new game comparison (Star Wars Outlaws Ultimate Edition at $129.99, anybody??? 👀👀👀). But I've stressed over (and have not yet pulled the trigger on) paying even $20 for a game before, so...

However. This isn't some new game that I might be totally disappointed in. This is one of my all-time super-duper favorite games getting a gorgeous remaster. Seriously, I love this game so, so, sooooo very much! It has squeezed its way into the top spot of my heart right next to the Halo MCC and Mass Effect: Andromeda and that is rarefied air indeed!

There is SO MUCH I AM EXCITE ABOUT!

A closet where you can change into any outfit you've found without having to go back to the location it's at!!!! That is so rad to me, I can't even tell you. 😎👍

You can move while aiming!!!!! And best of all...

[Getmatsu]

See, they know what the people want: more Frank/Leah! *nodnods in harmless shipper delusions* 😂

Seriously, though, that's showing how you can now answer Otis' calls without having to come to a complete stop, put down any survivors you're carrying, and then let the zombies eat you because you CAN'T MOVE or it cuts off the call. 😑 Being able to take calls on the run while you're carrying Precious Cargo*? AWWW YEAH!

*Do I call Leah my sweet angel while I'm playing? Darn tootin' I do. 😇

Leah and I just saved every survivor in the mall, as a matter of fact! This is Ending A, which leads into Overtime Mode and the True Ending. Now I want to play again to get Ending B so to get the maximum number of people on the helicopter out of there: everybody shown plus Frank, Jessie and Brad. Dr. Barnaby has to die so you can save Simone later and Isabela won't escape with you no matter what. 😕Anyway, that's my next goal, to get a picture of everybody but those 2, alive, well and promising to come to Frank and Leah's wedding in the fall once the zombies are dealt with, lol! 😇😉

Back on point. Can I really justify paying $60 for a remaster of a game I already have? I dunno but mannnn, do I want this. There's a slightly cheaper version at $49.99 but it doesn't have the 17 extra costumes that the deluxe has annnnnnd I really want those, too. 😍

This post brought to you by my wallet, who's currently going

at me, lol. 💸💸💸

Seriously, though, would you do it? Or would you hold off for however long it takes for it to go on a sale (and miss the pre-order incentive costumes)?

[secondbeatsongs]

I need emotional support. everyone mourn with me, just for a moment

my webkinz account has been deleted 😔

[lavellane]

can i say something. can i be mean.

they did not need to hire matt fucking mercer to play manfred lol

[loumandivorce]

theres specific kinds of media that are about Women Problems that are supposed to be fiercely feminist and relateable or whatever but all the problems are so middle class western white. theyre like. im bored. all the guys i meet are shallow. i am trapped in my job that pays well. i am in a slightly strained relationship w my family. like obviously these are issues that people go through that a lot of people relate to but is this what all media is about. is this all we have to discuss really.

[mzannthropy]

I love the Sinbad the Sailor chapter but I don't expect they included it in the limited series--it's kinda unnecessary, as the count's extravagance can easily be showcased the Rome part. But dammit, it would be so much fun to see Franz being a gothic heroine and getting high and hallucinating the statues are seducing him. I think viewers would enjoy watching something like that, plus think of the meme potential of those scenes! But yeah, I don't think it's likely we will get to see that. Just my guess.

[eurovision-del]

Eurovision is only a few weeks away now and normally by this time I’d have started posting my full ranking. However, I’m sitting this year out. Rather than leave this blog hanging, I decided to post this as a wrap up to the 2024 season. Since I’d listened to nearly all of the competing songs over the past few months, and had a rough idea already of how I’d rank them, here’s what my top 10 would probably be for this year, just to have it on record:

10. Australia – One Milkali (One Blood) 9. Ukraine – Teresa & Maria 8. Lithuania – Luktelk 7. Croatia – Rim Tim Tagi Dim 6. Portugal – Grito 5. Ireland – Doomsday Blue 4. Estonia – (Nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi 3. Switzerland – The Code 2. San Marino – 11:11 1. Norway – Ulveham

I love Eurovision – it’s one of my main hobbies and I love the music, the spectacle, and the fun of the competition.  But I can’t take part in it right now. I had a lot of fun with national final season this year, and with plenty of good internally selected songs too, I honestly think this had the potential to be a fantastic year. Maybe one day I’ll return to this set of 36 songs and give them the proper review they deserve, but for now, this is the last I’ll be talking about this year.

[vulpixelates]

me: omg it's okay, no one needs to read a dozen books to understand basic tenants of queerness, just talk to people and listen when it's someone whose experience is different than yours and you'll be mostly fine!

also me: if i see one more person misuse "high femme" i'm going to explode and take them out along w me

[ofduskanddreams]

Hey!!' I absolutely love your work like falling stars were destined to burn.

Its written so incredibly well and i love love love the angst !

Do you think youll ever go back to it?

I've been meaning to make a post about for a while, so I guess this ask is a good opportunity.

TL;DR I haven't felt inspired to write anything Maasverse related in months. The latter half of 2023 and all of 2024 so far have been horrendous for me IRL and I don't have the mental bandwidth for much else beyond getting by.

The second half of LFSWDTB is outlined to completion. Unfortunately HOFAS disappointed me to the point where canon killed my drive to write for the moment.

I'm incredibly grateful for the friends and community I've gathered from this fandom--I just don't have the spoons (don't like that term but idk what else to call it) to write at the moment :/

[bogkeep]

honestly i forgot that i'm a Picky Eater... after moving out and being in full control of my own dinners + rooming with someone with far more limiting food preferences + hanging out with majority vegan/vegetarian friends... it's like wow, my parents were wrong!! i'm not as picky as they think!!! it's super normal for everyone to have different food preferences and accomodate for each other!! but the moment i visit family again it's like AH NEVERMIND THERE IT IS

[torgawl]

can we talk about sukuna and rika and why the king and queen of curses having a dispute is also narratively fitting? if sukuna is an heian era sorcerer with an antipathy and disregard of human emotions and the weak's will to live, blind to love and unable to comprehend the value of relationships with others then rika, as his counterpart, works especially well. rika is just a kid, or was just a kid. an innocent young girl who ended up dying tragically and saw herself transform into a vengeful spirit after being cursed by love. not only does she represent the weak (remember when sukuna's slaughter of women and children was implied?), she represents love itself. with her feelings lingering after death, she clinged onto her existence with the sole wish of protecting yuuta. it counteracts so well with sukuna's selfish will to kill time before his final breathe, which he admitted to be his will and motivation.

before i move on to my next idea, which let me preface by saying that it might be a little out there and dives into theory territory, i'm going to contextualise it with some information on the symbolism of "king and queen" that might help understand why this thought may make - at least some - sense.

in alchemy the king usually appears in conjunction with the queen, representing the sun-and-moon duality. in accordance with the theory of sulfur and mercury, which together, after alchemist purification, form the philosopher’s stone (also called the elixir of life, associated with rejuvenation and immortality), usually represented by the crowned hermetic androgyne (the union of the complementary male and female, achieving perfection or completion in the human state). according to jung, the king and queen also signify the spiritual conjunction that takes place when the process of individuation is complete, with the harmonious union of the unconscious and consciousness. jungian psychology has subjected the alchemistic tradition to extensive analysis and views the king less as an image of paternal authority and more as an archetype of higher insight and wisdom.

with that in mind, i think it's easy to understand where i'm headed but i want to add something else. remember jjk 0? geto's plan at the time was to obtain rika so he could use her power and move forward with his plan to annihilate all no-sorcerers. he believed her to be the key to achieve his goal and was willing to risk his own life for it. furthermore, the story is highly based on buddhist concepts and one of the core aspects of jujutsu kaisen is the cycles of suffering the characters are subjected to. in buddhism the goal is to become free of the samsara (continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth), eliminate suffering and achieve nirvana (enlightment). this ties withe the name of the series as kaisen is comprised of the kanji 'kai', meaning cycle, and 'sen', meaning battle, which combined with jujutsu (which means magic/sorcery but contains the word curse) describe the story as an endless battle of curses. and in a sense, the story also repeats itself, between generations and storyline-wise with the events circling back to how it all began. yuuta managed to land a fatal strike on geto once again, but now rika is pointed to be in a direct confrontation with sukuna as the queen of curses. now that i went through all the context needed to understand this, is it possible rika is once again in danger of being taken away? the idea of achieving a state of perfection with the unity between king and queen is quite intriguing. sukuna finally addressing yuuji as a worthy rival because of his unshakable resolve and unbreakable soul, is almost directly implying yuuji to be the one with whom sukuna has his last battle. an ultimate power-up (or the equivalent to), would be veyy cathartic before a final fight where yuuji would have the opportunity to finally go all out and have his well awaited and deserved protagonism (in my eyes, at least).

[homemadebabka]

i honestly can’t believe how long it’s taken to get an answer of what happened to zoros eye. like what happened. i just want to know. oda please

[tunnelsnacks]

Sorry you worked on the set for the Fallout TV Show??? Can you tell us anything abt it??

Yes I did and no I can't

[digirainebow]

i swear people dont know how to end stories anymore

[lem-argentum]

i once saw someone contrast miko.fuu by claiming that f.uuta’s individualistic while mi.koto is not, but i would argue that miko is the one who puts himself first in his mind in most situations…….??? ?

[vassothmercar]

you don't understand, she is on FIRE, how. how is she. are?? are her clothes fireproof but only on her???