#! bellringer's tune

[moskalsbluntrotation]

Kinich Tumblr Layout.

F2U with credits !.

i have such an big "edit block" rn... i dont even have motivation to make stuff for myself...

[mimiscoiningcafe]

NPD Flag Color-Picked From The Bellringer/Benjamin Biggs from Toontown: Corporate Clash

So I was drawing something for my fandom blog and I realized that Bellringer almost perfectly fit the NPD flag, so we decided to do a flag color picked from him!!

*holds up him and Brian/Prethinker* NPD and PPD solidarity :)

honestly that does make me want to do PPD flag color picked from prethinker...who knows :3c

[moskalsbluntrotation]

im less gay. and ill retheme!!!! eventually...

whys yr new theme so.... gay.....also hai eris welcum on yr new accpuntt 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

why r u asking me that, as if ur layout isn't so gay Yuri too... Also yay hi moskal:33

[satoshi-mochida]

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell coming to PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch in early 2025 - Gematsu

Publisher PLAYISM and developer Bombservice will release PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Switch versions of Metroidvania game Momodora: Moonlit Farewell in early 2025, the companies announced. Physical editions will be available via Limited Run Games, with further details to be announced. The Switch version will be playable at Tokyo Game Show 2024, which will run from September 26 to 29 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell first launched for PC via Steam on January 11.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

About

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is the latest installment in the Momodora series and takes place five years after the events of Momodora III. Join Momo, High Priestess of the village of Koho, as she embarks on a divine mission to save her people from imminent destruction at the hands of the demon hordes summoned by a malevolent bellringer.

Story

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell presents the account of the greatest calamity to befall the village of Koho, five years after the events of Momodora III. Once the toll of an ominous bell is heard, the village is soon threatened by a demon invasion. The village’s matriarch sends Momo Reinol, their most capable priestess, to investigate the bell and find the bellringer responsible for summoning the demons. It is their hope that by finding the culprit, they will also be able to secure the village’s safety, and most importantly, the sacred Lun Tree’s, a source of life and healing for Koho…

Key Features

Gorgeous pixel art and animation.

Action-packed gameplay focusing on melee combos, dodging enemy attacks, and firing arrows at enemies.

The “Sigil” system, which allows for greatly customizable play styles.

Intense and core-shaking boss battles.

Deep exploration into a world rich in lore and atmosphere.

Freely adjustable difficulty levels, allowing you to relax and explore the alluring world at your own pace or take on mighty foes for a real challenge.

Developer Comment by rdein from Bomb Service

Hello everyone! This is rdein, creator of the Momodora series. Recently my team and I have announced the latest installment in the series, Moonlit Farewell. This is a concluding story, following through from the events of Momodora III. With this new tale, I also intend to close the book on many of the past games’ mysteries and questions. I’m aware that many players are more familiar with the story of Kaho, which is set in a distant past. As such, I’m designing Moonlit Farewell to be as enjoyable as possible without prior knowledge of Momodora I to III���s stories. Moreover, the series has always been focused on action and minimal stories. So please, don’t worry too much about “catching up”! Lastly, we hope to bring you our best game with this new title, using all the knowledge we’ve learned in the past ten years. So please don’t forget to head over to the Steam page and hit that wishlist button, and stay tuned for the Momodora: Moonlit Farewell!

[viviennevermillion]

a song for you

notes: listen- we're just uh, not gonna talk about the recent increase in rollo content on my blog. though there's something about the idea of hate-dancing with him that's just very fun to write. i'll probably write another version of this with malmal playing how does a moment last forever on the violin.

prompt: you accidentally catch him playing a song on the piano

contains: rollo flamm x gn!reader

word count: 2.3k

warnings: glorious masquerade spoilers

dark content creators & consumers do not interact

Song: Someday • The Hunchback of Notre Dame

You wandered the streets of the City of Flowers in the early evening hours. The sun had already set, as days were shorter during the winter holidays. The streets were as busy as always as you and your friend walked along the paths that the heart of the city opened for you. Cafe’s and restaurants were lit up by fairy lights that had been hung inside the shops and buildings as well as on the trees to support the ambience of this historic town at this time of the day. It had rained a couple of hours ago and the streets were still wet; some of the puddles reflecting the streetlights and family homes. 

The distant chatter of people seemed to blend with the sounds of water from the river the more you got away from the crowds. It had become an almost relaxing tune and you closed your eyes for a bit to relish in the atmosphere. Putting your arms on the balustrade overlooking the river, you could see your school from the other side of the waterway. Noble Bell College, as well as the City of Flowers, had given you quite the experiences this year; some better than others. Nevertheless, you couldn’t help but smile when looking back on it; despite the bumps in the road.

“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”, your friend sighed when they noticed your peaceful smile. “Who?”, you asked, earning an eyebrow-raise from them. “Rollo Flamm. Who else would I be talking about?”, they chuckled. 

You hesitated, remembering the way the city had been covered in crimson flowers in October. Your friend, as well as everyone else at Noble Bell College, had no idea what truly happened that night. Who was behind the shock and chaos caused by the plant that had been thought to be extinct for hundreds of years. You hadn’t really talked to Rollo ever since. You didn’t even know what the two of you were. Officially, you hated each other. You had, as one would call it, a rivalry of sorts. Always bantering, always driving each other up the wall. He was driving you insane, in more ways than one. 

There was Rollo, who would point out mistakes in your essays and presentations just to get a reaction out of you. The student body president who made sure he always was at the top of his class; having no problem throwing you under the bus in class to show off. The person who always had a condescending counter-argument ready whenever you expressed your perspective on anything. But if you were to be honest, he hadn’t done these things in quite a while. Most of what he said towards you now were dry remarks you knew were supposed to tease you. And statements that sounded less mean-spirited and more like he was deeply in denial about something. Just like me, you thought but pushed that thought down just as quickly as it came.

And then there was that version of Rollo that made your heart flutter. The Rollo who had given you a small necklace with a purple liquid and stars inside it; mirroring the silk scarf a friend of the kind bellringer was said to have as she captivated the people of the city with her beautiful dancing. He had argued that he had won it at the Topsy Turvy festival and saw no use for it. You would have believed him if it hadn’t been for the blush on his cheeks when he gave it to you.

There was also the dance the two of you had shared at the masquerade ball. Despite everything, Rollo had managed to make you smile that evening. Although his facial expression looked shameful and you had the feeling he couldn’t look you in the eyes that night. 

There were all the times the two of you, despite your “hatred” for one another, had walked to your classes together and talked about whatever came to mind. Although his words hardly spoke for it, you knew in a way he was looking out for you as you did for him. You’d be lying if you were to say that you hadn’t gazed up to the night sky from your bedroom window during the holidays and wondered whether he was thinking of you even slightly as much as you thought about him. 

“I’m not sure what you’re implying”, you finally answered your friend, visibly flustered, “it’s not like I have a crush on him or something.” “Sure…”, they raised their eyebrows in doubt as the wind blew a little harder and you clutched the jacket you were wearing tighter, “that’s his jacket, isn’t it?” You avoided their gaze, clearly pouting. “Listen-”, you protested, “our class teacher sent us out to pick up potion ingredients for the school from the city; it was really cold and he gave it to me because I, and I quote, ‘wouldn’t stop making a fuss about it’. That’s all. It just happens to be very comfortable. He’s not getting it back if he doesn’t ask.” You smirked and your friend laughed. “I don’t even think he wants it back”, they giggled, “like, have you seen the way he looks at you when you wear it? Like he’s one smile away from going down on one knee and promising you his eternal and undying love.” You grimaced and the two of you continued your walk. “I would appreciate it if we could drop the recurring scenarios of me marrying Rollo Flamm”, you said and your friend just sighed, mumbling something about ‘denial’ and ‘stubbornness’. 

You walked for a while before eventually hearing a beautiful piano tune. It perfectly matched the evening atmosphere of the City of Flowers and it seemed so full of emotion and passion, that you couldn’t help but want to stay for a while. The song was coming from a narrow alleyway and you grabbed your friend by the arm, dragging them towards the melody. You entered a small courtyard that seemed to belong to a restaurant, as its backdoor was the only other way to access the place aside from the alleyway you and your friend had entered through. The courtyard was decorated by so many lights being spun from tree to tree. There was a small marble stage in the middle of it; solely meant for the grand piano and the musicians who came and went to play on it. And at the piano was sitting none other than Rollo Flamm, playing the beautiful song you were so enchanted by. You had to admit he looked quite handsome, being dressed in a turtleneck shirt, a long winter coat and a cozy scarf wrapped around his neck. The people sitting outside of the restaurant were watching him play just as you and your friend were.

“Speak of the devil”, your friend took a sip from the coffee they had gotten themselves, “your boyfriend’s good though.” “He’s NOT my boyfriend”, you hissed and shook your head in disappointment. But they were right, he was good. You didn’t even know he could play.

“Anyway”, your friend patted your back with a mischievous grin on your face, “I just remembered I still have somewhere to be this evening. You should have a good time with piano boy over there.” They winked and were about to leave as you held them back by their coat. “Let me come with you”, you plead. “To drive my grandma with dementia to her foot waxing appointment?”, they raised an eyebrow. “You’re making this up”, you gestured wildly as they pushed you a step closer to Rollo with a chuckle. Just as you were about to continue arguing, your eyes locked with his as he was close to finishing his piano piece. You just looked at each other for a while before you attempted to turn around to your friend again, only to notice they were long gone.

Rollo finished playing his song and then stood up to walk over to you. Oh no, not good…, you thought. “Y/n”, he acknowledged you with a nod, “what are you doing here? Don’t you have someone to entertain with your little magic tricks?” You rolled your eyes. “Charming as ever”, you hissed under your breath and Rollo covered his angry expression halfway by putting his handkerchief over his mouth. “What were you expecting?”, he let out a bitter laugh, “flowers and chocolate?” 

“Rollo…”, you began, left a dramatic pause and then spoke very slowly but clearly, “you of all people should know that I’ve had it with flowers for a while.”

He didn’t answer for a while so you took the initiative to speak again. “I didn’t know you could play an instrument”, you remarked. Rollo shrugged. “Who do you think plays that organ at school all the time?” “That’s you? I loved listening to that”, you exclaimed excitedly, then remembered just who exactly you were talking to and tried to cover it up, “though I’m not sure I still will from now on.” “Well that sounds like a you problem”, he spat back. You regretted your words when he seemed genuinely hurt and didn’t look into your eyes anymore. “I liked the song you just played”, you said quietly, causing him to look up to you again, “it was beautiful.” “Thanks, I guess”, he mumbled with a flushed face.

An awkward silence fell between the two of you, neither of you was quite sure on how to proceed and the longer you remained silent, the weirder the situation got. One of the men sharing a dinner with his family at the restaurant had noticed the tense atmosphere between you and got up to play another song at the piano. Rollo still remained silent for a moment before he spoke, simply listening to the man playing the piano. 

“Would you like to dance?”, Rollo asked quietly. His question caught you off guard. “What?” “I said ‘Would you like to dance?’; goodness y/n, are you deaf?”, he blushed furiously as you grabbed his hand and wrapped an arm around his waist, beginning to dance with him. “This takes me back”, you reminisced, “reminds me of the masquerade ball. That could have been such a nice evening if you hadn’t decided to put the whole town in a state of shock and terror the day prior.” “Tsk”, Rollo pulled you closer and rested his head against yours so you couldn’t see his facial expression and so that only you could hear him when he whispered. “I can’t believe you decided to team up with with those annoying Night Raven College students.”

“Well, I witnessed the whole fiasco and thought to myself ‘I am going to drag this man down from that belltower and knock some sense into him and if I have to do it as a magicless pedestrian’”, you chuckled and Rollo closed his eyes, remembering the dance you shared at the masquerade ball and how intimate it felt emotionally despite how angry you two were at each other. “To be honest, you only made me confused”, he whispered back. “Likewise”, you sighed, admittedly, “so…what’s with this place? It’s pretty secluded.”

Rollo hesitated for a moment. “My brother and I used to sneak out of the house as kids a lot and we’d end up here at night. We came here a lot. He loved to dance, even as a little child, so I’d often play the piano for him while he danced when no one else was around”, Rollo smiled fondly, a tear running down his cheek, “though, I have to admit, I didn’t have as much of an idea what I was doing as I do now.” He let out a quiet laugh as he remembered how many mistakes he had made, playing the piano as a kid. But his brother had loved it anyway. 

You looked at him with a surprised expression, your eyes meeting his again. “You have a nice laugh”, you confessed before you could think about it, “you should laugh more often.” Rollo would have taken your statement as teasing if it hadn’t been for the genuine tone in your voice; making him hope that you simply wanted to see him happy. You continued dancing in silence for a while. Your eyes wandered to Rollo’s lips, as did his to yours. You leaned in closer, waiting for him to make a move. Your suspicions were proven correctly when Rollo leaned closer as well. “Can I-”, you whispered but Rollo interrupted you. “Goddammit y/n, just kiss me already”, he hissed and your lips met his own. Unlike his words, the kiss was gentle. Your lips plucked at his lower lip lightly and you could hear his breath shaking before he leaned in once more, giving you a quick taste of his tongue before pulling back again. He was blushing but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

“I really have to go now”, you whispered after glancing at the clock, “I’ll see you after the holidays. Maybe I could listen to you play the piano again sometime.” Rollo nodded. “I’d like that.” “Oh”, you remembered, “I still have to give you your jacket back-” He held his hand up. “Keep it. It looks better on you anyway.” “Very well then”, you smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek; feeling how soft but cold his skin was under your lips. I could get used to this, you thought before waving him goodbye, maybe next time I should be the one bringing him flowers.

[ttccprojectoverdrive]

Quick summary of this AU

CONTENT WARNINGS: experimentation, death, body horror, mental/physical torture/abuse, mental health and physical health issues

Basic Summary

2 years after the game’s current time, the war between toons and cogs is going in favor of the toons. The chairman is getting both nervous and desperate. Prethinker, who'd been quite aware of the whole situation, had a plan. That plan was a project he wanted to propose known as project overdrive. It had been his secret passion project he'd been working on with his husband Bellringer.

Prethinker had discovered a way to harness pure “toon energy” from the gags of toons and toons themselves, and after a complicated process was able to combine it with cog technology to create what’s essentially an upgraded override. Cogs who are given the overdrive chip, otherwise known as changnium, can achieve an overdrive state. Overdrive is a monstrous form that has animal traits based on random animals if toon energy from gags is used, and specific animals if toons are used.

Prethinker suggests sending these monstrous cogs out at night to take out resistance members. The chairman, who again is desperate and under blackmail shortly into the project’s company endorsement, puts more funding and research into this project. He was worried that the very limited energy from gags would make the project difficult, but then prethinker’s husband bellringer suggested using toons themselves. With the help of dip of course. The chairman, much to the secret horror of the VP and CFO, agrees to this and using some of the managers as test subjects if regular cog test subjects work. They do, so after six months to a year the managers the chairman is willing to let get experimented on get overdrive forms.

What no one but the chairman, Brian, Ben, and Brian’s “suppliers” (his family) know is that the chairman was blackmailed into letting this project happen. He'd wanted to back out when Ben and Brian revealed that the idea of using gag energy had been scrapped a long time ago, and that toons were being used. As it turns out, Brian has been working on Project Overdrive ever since his failed tune-up on Buck. During that time Brian discovered that toons themselves were better than gags as “toon fuel”. The narrative of the chairman being concerned about gags not providing enough energy and agreeing to using toons is a fabrication. Ben and Brian hold over the chairman’s head that they could go and tell everyone back in Suitopia that none of this was their idea in the first place, and that the chairman forced them to do it. Ben was good at fabricating evidence and acting after all. The chairman basically made a deal with the devil without fully realizing what he was getting into. To make things even worse, the CLO and CEO end up promoting and support Ben and Brian once they learn all the juicy details. The VP and CFO are forced to stay under threat of harm.

Overdrive, like override, is an AI. Unfortunately for Prethinker and Bellringer, the overdrive AIs become sentient. They're animalistic in mind at first, but over time the managers that have them and the managers that don't manage to “tame” and befriend them as the AIs become more intelligent. It's a battle for the afflicted managers and the AIs sharing a body with them (think Eda and the owl beast) to retain control and to not bring too much harm to toons. Thankfully, secretly of course, an alliance is forming between some resistance members (thanks to Rain) and the managers in order to take down cogs.ink for good.

Supporting Details

-Chip, Spruce, Bubble, Buck, and Dave are the leaders of the eventual revolution

-so far the ones who have overdrive are Chip, Dave, Graham, Misty, Mary, Holly, William, and Flint

- the monstrous cogs are only sent out either at night, or during missions where toon groups are fighting in buildings

- there's very little known about monstrous cogs by the general public, half of them thinking that they're just rumors

-the toon resistance is trying to learn as much as they can with the help of the managers, though at first a lot of them didn't even want to associate with cogs. Rain had to convince them to work in secret with the managers, and in the process earned ire from some of them for dating a cog manager.

-threats against the managers and their loved ones are the only reason the managers haven't blasted this all out to the public

-Prethinker thought that the managers would be too afraid of the overdrive entities to do anything about them, so he was Big Mad ™️ when they pulled a How to Train Your Dragon on his ass

-secret groups in the resistance are established and coined as “cog control”, a play on animal control

These groups are made of only the resistance’s strongest warriors

They're sent out either to seek out overdrive threats in the night and to come to the aid of weaker toons that have encountered them while in a building

They wear special uniforms and voice modulators that conceal their identities so that cogs.ink can't target them outside of work

They're also the ones that help the managers when it comes to getting over the “kill initiative” of the overdrive

Non afflicted, afflicted, and tamed overdrives also assist when there isn't the threat of being caught

Multislacker helps immensely with avoiding security detection, and if possible the managers try to obscure their identities (some such as Alton can't really do that)

Rain is the leader of the strongest cog control group and the tutor of all cog control groups, bubble (oc partner of chip) providing assistance when not busy with helping with taming overdrives

-”kill initiative” is coding that activates in the presence of a toon that has gags on hand. It heightens the fear and aggression of overdrive, making it so they're more likely to deal fatal damage rather than merely self defense when fighting toons.

This coding was put in as merely a safeguard against rebellion at first, as during training overdrives were told to fear toons

After realizing that the overdrives were becoming more sentient and less cooperative, Brian made it so the coding would be activated more easily

The resistance and the other managers work through this by helping them “fight” their programming, something Chip is most familiar with considering his past with override

Ways to activate overdrive

Instant loss of control: Prethinker speaking the word “resistance”

Slower loss of control: kill initiative overpowering both the manager and the overdrive, great emotional and/or physical distress being experienced by both, ben saying resistance

Giving over control: the managers and the overdrives can decide who's in control. This only happens either when both parties are in control/calm, or in a dire situation where overdrive is needed and can control itself

Overdrive forms produce dip, which is how they're able to kill toons

Overdrive forms have the animal traits of the toons that were killed in order to make the changium core that the overdrive chip resides in

There are toons known as “specialized toons”, which are toons with very powerful and unique gags. These toons are the primary targets for overdrive forms.

Important Notes

- the overdrive concept was originally made for @linxprime giants AU, so check out this page if you wanna see more cool art and AU stuff!

[moskalsbluntrotation]

Congrats on 7 followrrs!!!!!.

‧₊˚౨ৎ good evening, patrons. I have returned from work, and if nothing appears tomorrow, then I will be able to open my requests again for the week. before that, I would like to sincerely thank you for 70+ followers. I was going to thank you all at 60, but due to my schedule, I ended up missing it by only a tad. the support I have received on my sudden start here is extremely positive, and I thank you all kindly. may your days and nights be full of joy. thank you again, patrons.

[ghastlyghost0w0]

This isn't cannon. This is just a theory!

So, like, are the songs in the album Hayfields dedicated to the Harkers? I know that the Larkers are dedicated to them, but I've been listening to the songs a lot, and I'm wondering if there's a connection.

I don't know if maybe this has already been confirmed and I'm maybe just a little stupid, but here's some of my thoughts anyway!

Neath the grove is a heart:

First off the bat, I think 'Neath the grove is a heart' is dedicated to the bellringer. I think this is seen in both the fact that it has the tune of 'Harpy Hare' in it - which I think is dedicated to the storyteller, which is (as far as I'm aware) the bellringer's significant other - and the fact that bells can be heard in the background of the song, you can hear this the best from 2:43 onwards. Also, the lyrics "will you stay and tell a tale" perhaps being directed at the storyteller may also back this up.

Harpy Hare:

Harpy Hare is definitely much harder to explain and is heavily just based on the fact that I think 'Neath the grove is a heart' is dedicated to the bellringer. It's more of a shot in the dark, you could say. Of course, the fact 'Hare' is in the title could be connected to Cole, who represents the storyteller, but again, that's kind of flimsy evidence. This one's more just based on a feeling.

And the hound:

I think 'And the hound' is dedicated to the Croon. This is more so found through the repeated lyrics of "The hound is humming.." As in Harpy Hare, we can see that Perrine, who represents the Croon, hums instead of sings for the most part. Maybe humming in general might represent the Croon. Furthermore, there is a lyric in 'And the hound' where they say, "Hear me here, listen to Croons and a calling" but this is flimsy evidence and may just be a coincidence in the lyrics, since Harpy Hare is referenced and the word Kindling is used near the beginning.

Hartebeest:

'Hartebeest' is the last one to cover, and that means I believe it represents the enkindled. This, of course, is also very flimsy. I think it's thrown off by the fact that "little rabbit" is a repeated lyric, and we know Cole wears a rabbit mask. But the song itself starts and finishes with the sound of nature, which I'm pretty sure is what Kingsley's mask is meant to represent.

There's no confirmation on any of this (as far as I'm aware) so this is all just some fun theories, please don't take it too seriously. For all I know each album could be dedicated to just one of the harkers, this is only the start of Yaelorke's project after all.

[rosyrosethorns]

part 3

୨ ——- ♡ ——- ୧

“A witch… But a weak one nonetheless~”

From the way the ghost of Frollo loomed over Madi’s collapsed form, darkness in his eyes and a coy smirk on his face, the girl understood in that moment how so many people could have feared him in his life… There was a twinge of helplessness there; enough for her to grasp it as the memory of the timid bellringer she just met crossed her mind…

He was prepared to use the candle stand to strike her down. Despite how her body ached, she knew she had to act quickly.

“… I told you…” The ballerina waved her hand… “I’m not a witch…!”

Candles flew onto the ghost’s back; the flames leaving burns on his translucent body as his eyes widened and a groan of pain escaped his throat. Despite it not being enough to disarm him, it was still enough to delay his actions and give the girl time to stumble back onto her feet.

Frollo glared up at her as he took a moment to recover from the pain those burns caused him. “You expect me to believe such a statement… after you so blatantly mocked His will, used witchcraft against me… and even clad yourself in something so… primal??”

Both duelists were affected by their physical injuries to the point of inaccuracy. The malicious spirit swung the candle stand once again, yet a delay and slight miscalculation resulted in a sore Madi just barely evading his attack. “What? Ballet’s not primal!” the girl huffed.

“It’s all those feathers!… You resemble one of those wild men from faraway lands!” The ghost swung, yet missed again.

“I… Okay, you know what, I don’t—“ The ballerina was interrupted by another swing as she hastily ducked out of the way. “I don’t wanna argue anymore; I just… wanna deal with you quickly.”

Frollo swung twice in a second’s span of time; catching Madi off guard as the second swing whacked her on the head. With a yelp and a whimper, the poor girl held her aching head as she found herself more vulnerable now.

“The feeling is mutual,” the ghost replied with a sneer, “my little heretic witch~”

He raised the candle stand above his head as he prepared to deal a fatal blow… but a strange sound caused him to freeze as he dropped the makeshift weapon.

No—Not just a sound, but a musical tune. Music emitting from a flute. And Frollo found himself unable to control his spectral body as he spun across the cathedral floor.

Madi looked up with teary relieved eyes. Her lover, the Pied Piper, had made his way into the church—and he looked most displeased with the spirit as he played his flute.

“No…! No! More witchcraft!!” Frollo cried in disbelief as he found himself helpless in the Piper’s trance. “More heresy!! You’re all villains!!”

But what really upset the ghost was seeing Quasimodo and Phoebus following the mute Piper from a distance… Two of three people who he held the strongest grudges towards—now watching him dance in the Piper’s hands like a puppet. Despite how he turned his head and let out an enraged yell, there was nothing he could do to resist the flute’s power.

“At this point, this feels like a matter of perspective,” he heard the ballerina grumble before he turned back to her. Her outfit had changed color as she recovered from the blow to the head… What used to be white with a pink rose was now black with a red rose.

“And your perspective,” the girl continued as she opened the brooch, “is two-dimensional as fuck.”

A little jar materialized in her hand before she held it up, reciting these words: “I curse you to be condemned to this jar for the rest of your afterlife… Only when you come to peace with yourself and everyone else will your soul be free again!”

Frollo’s face paled. The moment the Piper stopped playing the ghost tried to move, but he was too physically exhausted to act fast enough before he was pulled into the jar; clawing at the air and hollering in the last second everyone saw him…

A cork was shoved into the jar, which was now emitting the same blue glow that the ghost had around himself as a light rapidly flickered inside. Madi’s outfit reverted back to its original white color as relief made her finally unravel, tears streaming down her face as she approached her boyfriend with a whimper.

“Darling,” she whined pitifully as she tightly hugged the mute Piper… “He hit me on the head…”

Her lover wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her head in silent reassurance with a sympathetic expression on his face. Judge Phoebus and Quasimodo approached the couple, simultaneously relieved the girl was alive and pitying the injuries she sustained from the battle.

“… I didn’t mean for you to stand off against him alone like that,” Phoebus apologized when Madi had pulled away from the Piper. “If… any of us knew he’d lock us out like he did, I’d have—“

“It’s okay…” A small reassuring smile appeared on the girl’s face amidst the tears. “I don’t think… anyone did.” She handed the jar to the judge with both of her hands. “But he won’t bother you guys anymore, like I promised…”

… The strained smile and furrowed brow Phoebus wore showed his obvious concern for her wellbeing despite his relief, but he took the little jar from her with a nod. “Thank you… Miss Madilyn.”

Quasimodo, however, was more sensitive to her pain as he approached her: gently taking her hands. “But—But are you going to be alright?” he timidly inquired.

The concern was touching, admittedly… Madi found herself melting in response to his empathy as she embraced him also.

“Oh… Thank you… I just… need to lie down… and decompress,” she whimpered. “That was… a lot.”

“Literally no one here can blame you,” Phoebus commented. “I was right when I thought bringing your boyfriend along was a good idea~ And Quasi…” He patted his friend on the shoulder… “Thanks for getting us in~”

The hunchback looked up at the judge as he pulled away from the hug, a smile crossing his lips in response to the gratitude.

“Well,” Phoebus continued after a brief pause, “let’s get that door unlatched, then we can all rest up” He held up the jar, watching the light inside continue to flicker. “It already feels like today was a loooong day.”

୨ ——- ♡ ——- ୧

Madilyn and the Piper left for home the next day, and the girl even made sure to ask Quasimodo for a way to keep in touch from how quickly they became friends. But when she was alone with her boyfriend, she made a confession regarding their recent job in Paris:

“That was… the most exhausting and slightly-traumatizing job I’ve done so far…”

[mouthpiece-simp]

Bellringer x Reader Headcanons

🔔You knew toons were supposed to hate Cogs, but somehow one of them managed to catch your eye. His name was Benjamin and you couldn't keep yourself from getting a little flustered around him. Fighting him and he calls you love? Your face would go RED.

🔔Ben knew you had a crush on him because, let's be honest, you did not do a good job at hiding it. And he may or may not have listened to the whisper conversation you had with your friend outside a building in Daffodil Gardens where you two were talking about the Cogs you secretly had crushes on. {I HC that he hears any and all whispers to and from toons around him.}

🔔He knows he also likes you back, so he decides to be a bit subtle about it at first and send you letters from "an admirer." How did he get your address? He's a door to door salesman, he has a big book of the name and address of every homeowner so he can personally address them when he goes to their door. He just had to look at the section sorted by names alphabetically and there you were...

🔔You didn't know who your admirer was at first until they decided to tell you who they were. And he included a little bell in the envelope.

🔔So the next day you pulled him aside and confronted him about it, and he admitted the letters were from him and asked you out on a date. You said yes, and that's how the two of you started dating.

🔔Literally everybody knows about your relationship with Ben. He told everyone :)

🔔How many pet names do you get called? Yes.

🔔You get called cutie, sweetie, sweetheart, muffin, love, honey, honeybun, angel, future wife/husband/spouse, [insert 50 nicknames related to your name]... and more. Dude even makes up his own pet names to call you.

🔔Ben will constantly flirt with you. He ALWAYS has the smoothest thing to say that will make your face go red.

🔔If you're feeling stressed or anxious, he traps you in a really tight hug and plays a soft tune with his bell until you settle down.

🔔Honestly you hear his bell a LOT.

🔔He loudly rings his bell for a lot of reasons... anger, surprise, drowning someone out in conversation, being really excited... the list goes on. But around you he plays specific rhythms or tunes that you have memorized by heart by now. You know what each of them mean.

🔔Speaking of talking to you, he does that a lot. Like, a lot. You feel like you know everything about all of his coworkers, friends, acquaintances, relatives, and literally anyone he's ever interacted with without even seeing their face.

🔔He also wants the gossip about your toony friends and if you tell him, chances are everyone he's ever talked to will know about it within 24 hours.

🔔Ben's way of kissing you is letting his clapper touch you, usually the top of your head because it's easiest for him to reach. Technically that's him licking you but let's not get into technicalities...

🔔He will want to go through a lot of your stuff to learn about you, but he doesn't want you to think he's just snooping around to be a creep so he'll ask your permission beforehand.

🔔Enjoy your relationship with your gossipping, flirtatious boyfriend!

[moskalsbluntrotation]

idk if this is what you meant but... ...

Then you click on the blog youu wanna log into

HOW DO U GO ONTO A SECONDARY BLOG ON THE TUMGLR APP SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME I ONLY HAVE BEEN ON THE COMPUTER/DESKTOP VERSION HELPP ME

I DONT UNDERSTAND

[moskalsbluntrotation]

CYNO THEME PACK!!!! , NFU UNLESS ERIS!!!!

Gift for @s-sanite !!!i hope you like it you little bug. does a little happy jig

[homesteadchronicles]

KINGDOM COME: Writing Excerpt (”One Way Onward”)

So, guess what? Ya boi moved out of his parent’s home and into his own apartment this past week! Emotions abounded, which resulted in this. What better way to process change than through your characters, right?

In honor of my move, I wanted to present you all with an excerpt you would not have read otherwise. While this event happens mid-canon, the travel sequence itself is skipped over. As such, you get a glimpse into an overlooked moment in the midst of the story, have a chance to see through the eyes of a non-POV character, and you get to hear my a cappella pipes! I hope you all enjoy.

___

E X C E R P T   D E T A I L S 

PROJECT: Kingdom Come CHARACTERS: - Nadielle Sincairn: Norian Spymaster, wife of Elyk and mother of Oeden - Oeden Sincairn: Norian bellringer-turned-priest’s apprentice, son of Nadielle - Elyk Sincairn: Norian Knight Commander, husband of Nadielle SETTING: - Inside a carriage on the road to First Haven in Selhearth, the nation’s capital and the neighboring kingdom of their snowy homeland, Norire. CONTEXT: - The Sincairns are on a carriage ride headed for a worldwide festival, the events of which Nadielle believes will tear her son from her forever. The Way of the Sealed God awaits him in First Haven. Recognizing the sign of the times, she wishes for one last moment of comfort with her only child.

___

To the unknowing eye, the carriage escorting Nadielle and Oeden Sincairn from their home in Norire to the Havinic Convention would have become a common sight. Merchants, innkeepers, highwaymen: all manner of folk welcomed the traffic, what with half the world on their way towards their continent’s capital at once. None could resist the call of a festival.

Nadielle, however, had never followed the path of men. She tread the Way of Seals - and none could call its roads kind. By dawn, her son would follow in her bloodied footsteps.

The time to turn back had long since passed.

Nadielle knew: the tie between them loosened more by the minute, each moment lost a reminder of their imminent separation. Destiny had set a noose about her son’s neck and pulled it taut each turn of the moon. The apocalypse would have roped him into its approach eventually, had Oeden not tightened the knot himself.

Why, she mused, must I have made a boy as stubborn as me?

Could she even call him “boy” anymore? All baby fat had faded from his face, once-plump skin fading into haunted hollows. The youthful lilt of his lips had sunken from prejudice she could not protect him from. Even his hair had grown half as much as him!

At least his chin steered clear of stubble. Had that too betrayed her, she could envision the catastrophe to follow: Oeden, eyes arched and arms crossed, standing opposite his father. Elyk, blade raised in determination, would trim every last lock from his son’s throat…only to nick the skin and start a feud. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d fought.

And it won’t be the only sword at his throat, a memory reminded her. How could she forget? Nadielle did not need the Timekeeper’s Seal to know the clock counted down to Oeden’s endangerment. It ticked in time with her heart.

A sword might one day rest at his throat, but until then, it made its home in her soul.

Ignorance, at least, still graced Oeden. For now. Revelation would visit him as soon as their ride arrived. But here, he was just her baby. Just her boy. Just hers.

Hers to hold one last time.

Nadielle reached across the carriage and clung to Oeden’s hand. The unexpected contact caused Oeden to rear back, fearing an unforeseen vision. When no portent of tragedy showed itself, he eased into her touch. “What, did we hit a bump?”

“The only bumps I see,” she said, with a waggle of her fingers, “are under your eyes! You need sleep.” Nadielle patted the space beside her. It was not a request. “Come on - better rest while you can.”

Oeden cocked a brow but did not otherwise protest. He stuffed himself into the cramped confines of their now-shared seating until a pool of flame-kissed hair coalesced about her feet. The bells on his chains rung out as he laid his head in her lap.

How she wished she could silence those bells forever.

“You’re hiding something,” Oeden noted. He need not question her: the Spymaster of Norire preferred to keep clandestine at all times - even from family. Even still, he searched her face for a secret he could not find.

“Can’t a mother want to hold her son?”

“Can’t a son want to hold his mom accountable?” His eyes abandoned their hunt. They sought the ceiling instead. “Neither of us have ever been the touchy type.”

“True,” Nadielle agreed. But only one of us regrets it. She threaded her hands through his hair and imagined each strand was a wisp of fire. If she let it burn the wagon down, would it keep them from the coming maelstrom? “You’ll understand one day, when ‘am’ becomes ‘was’ before you’re ready. Then, you’ll remember this moment, and cling to whatever still is.”

Oeden scoffed. “Well, I ‘was’ at home and now I ‘am’ going to a convention - one you will also be at, might I add. Does the clinginess come on the ride home or…?”

“It will not come at all if you keep flapping that mouth of yours,” she corrected. It will not come at all either way. “Aren’t you supposed to be napping? How can you rest when you keep disrespecting your mother?”

“You know I can’t sleep.”

I know. Nadielle had endured a lifelong nightmare, but nothing compared to the terrors in her child’s mind. And I know why.

“Not without a lullaby, you can’t!” Nadielle countered his snorted retort with a cluck of her tongue. “Don’t doubt your elders - my mother passed this song onto me, before I left home, and now it will guide you on your Way, too.”

That caught Oeden’s attention. “You never talk about Grandma.”

“I never want to,” she admitted. “God willing, I’ll never have to again. But I am willing to make an exception: for your last night with me.”

Whatever discretion Oeden carried surrendered to his curiosity. One longwinded exhale later and his entire form stilled. He awaited his serenade.

When you walk away Will you walk the Way? When you cannot stay Will you go astray?

For the wolves ahead devour sheep And the nightmares hunt you as you sleep Although you I can no longer keep I pray that you walk the Way I pray you won’t walk away

Oeden peeked open an eye. “Is this supposed to soothe me or scare me?”

Nadielle hushed his sarcastic inquiry. The Way would bring him both, she knew, but he need only know the warning for now and await the blessing to be. 

When you walk away Will you walk the Way? If you leave my home Where now will you roam?

For I’ve kept you safe here in my arms Far from the world that wished you harm When wanderlust has all but lost its charm I pray that you walk the Way I pray you won’t walk away

Each completed lyric eased the limbs bundled into her lap. Oeden’s breath evened with every beat, even as Nadielle’s hitched in her throat. This song plucked at heartstrings she assumed had long since snapped inside of her. How out of tune she was with her own heart’s cry.

But only the benediction remained. If her son could not hear it, she prayed that God, at least, would heed it.

May Waymaker see and Seal you When you set forth from His throne May you follow in His footsteps Until His Way becomes your own Until His Way becomes your own

I pray that you walk the Way I pray you won’t walk away I pray, I pray the Way

The mournful lament continued until its lyrics ushered Oeden into a still-troubled sleep and its sentiments sent Nadielle into a hushed, heaving grief. The only noise left to soothe them came from the coachman. His whip did not wait for their wailing to relent. It did not anticipate another needed night together. It drove them on, and on, and on. No matter what.

Nadielle would have hated that sound, if its absence did not herald the end of her world.

___

Thank you for reading! This both pained and pleased me to write.

If you would like to listen to a recording of Nadielle’s song, performed by yours truly, please click here! Fair warning: I am not a songwriter, nor is the a cappella track particularly well-mastered. But it’s all for fun, right?

[jezahna]

Zev Bellringer ft. 790⠀⠀

It’s been really fun drawing out these characters! Definitely very motivated to show this challenge what I’m made of 💪⠀

⠀

Stay tuned for more :)⠀

[mightymelancholy]

Disclaimer 🛑: The story of "Meadowlark" isn't complete yet, I'm simply analyzing the current songs. Also if you're gonna be a part of the fandom don't be demanding of Keath or weird, especially with the four child characters.

These were some of my starting theories for the two songs. Plus the one by amanda-519 which I think was more on point lol I know now that "Harpy Hare" at least is probably about a mother who's overly protective of her children that others begin to tell her that sheltering will only hurt them. My initial thoughts on the past songs:

"Hartebeest" trying to eat a rabbit

"Harpy Hare" a bird keeping secrets from the hare.

My analysis from a few days ago for the two new "Songs of Origin":

"My Farewells to The Fields"

Yarrow a white corymbose Eurasian flower. First Cole then Clēm, Perrine, Kingsley and all together they “Where the yarrow grows”. They all seem fond of the flower, like they're re-remembering wonderful memories together. Next Vole sings “Find me beneath the Grove”. With less gentleness and saying home almost in desperation to remember the Grove they used to reside.

This chorus of the song is where we see the potential trauma of Cole or the tradgey of the in-universe tale. “The hills were left quiet and I am in hiding. They've forgotten, they've forgotten. I do not want to see”. The hills usually filled with chatter and laughs were now quiet. Cole presumably hid when they entered the Grove and noticed the silence or was already there and there was sudden silence. Either way they hid and what ever happened that day ended, everyone forgot. Maybe due to the distressing event being one the people rather forget. However, Cole didn't want people to forget they didn't to be the only one to remember.

“I could hear and that's enough. The clashing of the hoards. Hoof by hoof, horn by horn. Raging song and an encore.” Now left to their thoughts and with no one to confide in, Cole is being tormented by the horrible clashing and enraged song (shouts and violence maybe).

Then both Cole and Clēmentine sing “I could barely speak. I could only hum a tune And with that I am with a chorus I am soon”. The two or the characters they're singing about both experienced similar shock to whatever tradgey. Shutting down they only hummed. And once hearing of chorus of the raging song again or of something else they're again surprised by how soon their time has come. This could be in line with “Bird Cage Blue and Yellow” with how the future is inevitable and scary. However, sounds more calm or else expectant of this outcome while Cole wanted to practice caution to avoid it.

“Sought and safe behind a wing. My farewells to the fields. To the man made of straws. To my name”. The character searched for someone, either a literal bird or just a symbol of freedom that guided them. The person or thing that helped Cole probably protected them for some time or once they left the hills then entity was already gone. Cole says goodbye to the fields, and to their name. Their identity of the past. I don't know much about “the man made of straws”. I believe this could be the one who brought harm to Cole and the Grove or possibly a friend they left behind.

"Bird Cage Blue and Yellow"

This song focuses on Clēmentine wanting to be free from the baroness (lowest ranked peerage: holding a honorary title). The baroness seems to have some wealth considering how Clem is dressed along with keeping the bird in gold cage.

Finndu mig i framtidinni is Icelandic for “Find me in the future.” Clēmentine wants to be found by someone who won't cage them again. Who won't puppet them. Hoping in the future someone will understand and listen to them.

And Rōdd eins oh bjalla heldur okkur öruggum frá framtidinni Icelandic meaning “A voice like a bell keeps us safe from the future.” Bells are meant to alert people, this is a warning to what may come. And the bellringer which Clēmentine’s goat mask and themselves represents. The goat wants to keep them safe.

While Clēmentine wants to be found, Clem and Cole are cautious probably due to how scared and nervous Cole was when recounting their or the Harkers origin in “My farewells to the fields”. Clēm: In search for freedom while both them and Cole are cautious of the future.

Malayang Maya Filipino meaning “free sparrow”. And malayo-layo means “far away”. When Kingsley and Perrine sing this part Cole and Clēm chime in to say Rōdd eins oh bjalla heldur okkur öruggum frá framtidinni. It's a response to Kingsley and Perrine. Yes, a sparrow is free but the world is dangerous. Even if you go far away the past (baroness and the raging hoards) will come haunting.

Summary:

The past (Cole/Storyteller) shows fear and anxiety in “My Farewells to The Fields”. Probably because they already experienced the past events and wanted to warn people with its stories. Clēm seems more passive in its warnings of the future. Maybe knowing the audience has been warned in the past by Cole, so whatever happens in the future is no fault but the listeners.

Clementine's song in Songs of Origin is so interesting to me!! I had to theorize about what it means. Do spoilers for the song!! I'm going to analyze each and every lyric to understand what Clementine's childhood was like.

Starting off with the lyrics:

"Bird cage blue and yellow"

The lyrics start off with a bird cage, something that traps which is supposed to be free. I think in this song the bird cage is Clem's old home, and bird, in a sense, is them. I think the entrapment is more emotional than physical, but I'll get into that soon.

As for "blue and yellow" I think it symbolizes opposing emotions, like blue for sadness and happiness for yellow. Maybe it describes how sometimes Clemie was happy in the house (but still trapped) and sometimes sad.

"Candles warm and windows bare" continue on his dual nature. The candles bring warmth, but the bare windows suggest that Clem felt vulnerable, or isolated. It represents warmth but also exposure/emptiness.

"Tracing upturned smiles of portraits/drawn to disappear" the first line could be read in two ways I think. The first is that Clemie is tracing the smiles on portraits because they don't feel happy/feel that it's fake. Like, that the smiles are fake or forced, and that outside of the portraits they disappear.

And my other interpretation is Clemie's family used to be happy, but maybe something happened (like a death) and the smiles that once existed in the photos are now gone, ans Clemie is reminiscing on them.

"Flowers never talk, they never want/they never need" this line suggests to me that Clemie was seen as a flower. Pretty, but neglected (which is more clear in the next verse).

"In a cradle gilded, they are left/to rot yet never bleed" again I think in the song Clemie is the flowers. They were treated as something precious but neglected. I think the neglect is mainly emotional, since the sing also has themes of isolation. Like Clemie was left alone or maybe even isolated from other people.

I also think the "never bleed" line is about how Clemie wasn't supposed to show their pain. Like they're been "left to rot" yet they're expected to "never bleed" (show pain)

"Eyes of silver, mirror, mirror/Thread on wood and steel" These lines actually threw me a bit. Clemie has silver eyes, and this is a shot in the dark, but maybe Clemie's parent(s) also have silver eyes, and the "mirror, mirror" part is the parent seeing themselves in Clemie, and thus thinking they are beautiful, but neglecting them or keeping them away from their peers?

I'm not quite sure what "Thread on wood and steel" is supposed to mean. Maybe something mechanical that contrasts with Clemie's natural association with flowers?

Maybe it's about how Clemie was woven into a harsh, unfeeling life?? Like, wood and steel being harsh materials, and how the rest of the song is about how Clemie was controlled in their previous environment.

"Keep what can be kept" this ties to into my (mostly unfounded) theory that Clemie is the child of a dead parent, and their other parent, in a effort to preserve the dead parent, is "keeping" them, maybe even putting them in a glided cage, something pretty but still a cage, in a effort to protect them?

"And heave to see which one will kneel" this line suggests some kind of fight for control. Maybe Clemie eventually got sick of living in a glided cage and tried to fight back?

"I've been told to wait/but why should there be silence" finally! A less ambiguous line. Maybe Clemie, after getting tried of living in a glided cage, rebelled, and was told to wait/be slient. I'm not quite sure what they're being told to wait for, though. Maybe it's more of a general dismissal, like "ask me about this later" when "later" being "never".

"Dawning pretty laces/Weaving capes of gold/and framing muffled faces" these lines tie into the rest of the songs themes, with beauty, weaving, gold, and being silenced.

I think Clemie's parent(s) had a lot of money, and thus they lived a life of "luxury". They were seen as something pretty, like a flower, and wore pretty laces and gold, but their issues were silenced (muffled).

"I can be different" this line suggests a breaking of a cycle. Maybe, since Clemie's family was rich, they were expected to act a certain way, and this is them claiming that they're allowed to be different from their family.

"I can't be puppeted!" (Funnily, I actually missed this line the first time I wrote this out because I was going off the description lyrics, and the description is missing this lyric).

Pretty self explanatory. Clemie is saying that they can't be controlled. This is they fully fighting against their "gilded cage".

"Garden evergreen/was what I thought I would see" garden symbolism, which ties into Clemie's nature/flower symbolism. Maybe when Clemie was young they liked their home, but as they were controlled more and more, and isolated, it became both "yellow" and "blue". But they once saw it as a place of peace/growth.

"Branches meet my steps/their kisses open up ravines" As Clemie walks through their home, now feeling controlled, they find branches. Maybe the "garden evergreen" they once pictured has died, and all that is left are branches.

"Their kisses" could represent their family or parent(s). How they might try to comfort Clemie, but all it does it create a bigger wedge (ravine) between them.

"Fences frozen in a dance/they're yet to perform" this could symbolize how rigid Clemie's old life was. I was pretty stuck on what "fences" could represent.

A wall between them and the outside world? A boundary? A barrier?

And how that ties into the rest of the line/song.

Like did Clemie feel like they had barriers in their previous life that made them frozen? What about "in a dance"?

I eventually settled on the idea that this line implies tension between freedom and restriction. A fence is a boundary, but it's ready to move/dance, but it's frozen. It's yet to preform, but it wants to.

"I leave the house and the Baroness/buried in before" this all but confirms that Clemie came from a house with money, maybe they're the child of a baroness?

Or, it might not be so literal, with the baroness simply being Clemie's mother that is strict on them, playing the part of a baroness.

The "buried in before" line represents Clemie leaving behind their old life.

The line "Finndu mig í framtíðinni", according to Google translate, means "find me in tbe future". This could be Clemie saying that they have completely abandoned their previous life, that you will only find them in the "future".

"Rödd eins og bjalla/heldur okkur öruggum/ frá framtíðinni" means "A voice like a bell/keeps us safe/from the future" this line is really interesting to me.

The "voice like a bell" represents, to me at least, the Bellringer, someone Clemie feels a connection to and looks up to. Though I'm not sure "keeps us safe/from the future" in this context means, why would Clemie need to be kept safe from the future? If what they're left buried is the past? Maybe Clemie just feels anxious about the future.

--

In conclusion, to me Clemie's song tells the story in which they grew up in a rich house (maybe even as a child of a baroness). They were seen as pretty, but emotional neglected by their family and isolated.

At first Clemie liked their life, but as they grew up and their family became more controlling, they found that their life wasn't "evergreen". They started having conflicting emotions about their life, feeling trapped inside a glided cage, but still warm.

Until it becomes too much and they start rebelling against their family, until they finally run away.

What do you think? If you have any ideas/thoughts, please send me an ask or reblog with your thoughts!! I loved the new songs so much!! Who knows, I might even do something similar for Cole's song!

[garden-ghoul]

goods barge, bads barge

because our editing and transcription capabilities canNOT keep up with all the evil city content we keep producing, a special treat for you all tonight: a look at some of the important shop-type institutions in the evil city! join me under the cut for various awful types of barges, a riot, the most sinister drugstore logo, and the anarchist punk’s dream copy shop.

so this morning I learned about the murder kroger in atlanta, and very soon after this I learned that they just started naming krogers with weird epithets. I was enchanted. I kicked vera awake and said “I HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT MURDER KROGER.”

once they had become more or less conscious I started trying to name a grocery store chain. our grocery store of choice is food lion: a lion that brings you food?? exceptional! evil country, being founded on port cities, of course has a barge. thus:

the very first goods barge with an epithet was the one in the north end (in north ward. yeah, I’m sorry, we have wards now. I can post a map if you want). this was the Bads Barge, because they only ever seemed to have things you didn’t want. every time you came, the shelves were half empty and only the bullshit knockoff cereals remained.

this was followed by the Actually Goods Barge (in south ward; not actually better but fuck the north ward); Cutthroat Barge (a name that makes no sense but when you live in kill neck you have to make do); Drugs Barge (no, it doesn’t have a pharmacy); Coke Barge (known for jeering at the nerds who say they are going to buy ‘drugs’, and its double entendre relating to iron smelting); and Ice Barge (surprisingly not in the neighborhood of cold end but rather in bellringers, where the ice shipments from upriver used to come in).

just like murder kroger, the parent company was not thrilled with one of its locations being known as Bads Barge, so they knocked it down. or tried to.

(this tee shirt has a riff on the old goods barge logo from the 50s, of course, featuring a truly pissed off bargeman!) bads barge now sells sanitized versions of this shirt because hey, money.

while considering buskers we decided we also needed a drugstore, because where else are you going to hang out than outside of a CVS that is inexplicably in a building that used to be a bank? I struggled to name it and, thinking about Wall Drug, said “we should call it x-drug. like, I don’t know... something drug?” vera made some chemical x jokes and here we are. powerpuff girls in the evil city.

what really delights me about this is that X-Drug is the most sinister possible name for a drug store, just as Goods Barge is the silliest possible name for a grocery store. nobody in the evil city seems to notice, though.

finally, for no particular reason either of us can remember, we thought it was fun to imagine orion meadowsweet hanging out at a print and copy shop, probably accompanying an old man on an errand, to be neighborly. I said, “what’s a thing print and copy shops commonly have in this country that they don’t in our world?” vera said “there is exactly one notary who works there but it’s just a random clerk.” I said “they also copy cassettes and VHSs.” thus, 30cent prints copies & tunes.

looking for why kinko’s is freakin’ named that I came across this delightful quote from “copy machines and downtown scenes: deterritorializing urban culture in a pre-digital era” by kate eichhorn:

At its height of popularity between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, Kinko's outlets in urban centres across North America were catch basins for writers, artists, anarchists, punks, insomniacs, graduate students, DIY bookmakers, zinesters, obsessive compulsive hobbyists, scam artists, people living on the street, and people just living on the edge. Whether you were promoting a new band or publishing a pamphlet on DIY gynaecology or making a fake ID for an underage friend, Kinko's was the place to be.

so the punks and anarchists of the evil city have a grand old time at 30cent. some musicians will pay to have cassettes copied and then stick them with the pop cassettes the store is actually selling, sometimes going to great lengths to make them seem like commercial albums. then they come back to see whose cassette sold fastest. 30cent doesn’t mind, because the punks are paying to copy the cassettes and then... letting the store collect the money? is this some kind of long con?

this has been popular shops in the evil city, circa 1985. thank you for reading. bonus costco/walmart analogue: not cleaned up but hey, live a little.