#// them not knowing the way out the area they're in

[lackadaisycats]

Miss Tracy, do u have any advice on researching a specific time period?

(also I know u probably won't see this, but I love your art and you are awesome)

Look for books about the time period, but also books written contemporaneous to the time period, whether fiction or non-fiction. Check used book stores for out of print gems at good prices.

If photography was a technology that existed in the time period you're researching, look for photos of people doing everyday things. Take in the context, the geography, the economic situation. Look at how they're dressed and what their clothes say about them.

Newspaper archives. Sometimes newspapers of the past are free to browse. Sometimes you have to pay for access. Old shopping catalogue collections - if they exist for your time period - are great too.

Documentary films about time periods, or specific events in a given time period can be useful, even if only for a broad overview.

Museum exhibits - helpful whether you're looking for famous paintings or artifacts of past civilizations in a world renowned institution, or trying to dig up something impossibly unique in an oddity denture museum in some forgotten place in the Midwest. If you can't go in person, check online. You can find museums with vintage clothing or household appliance collections from even a few decades ago. Some museums have extensive, searchable online collections too. Take the Metropolitan Museum for instance.

If you can visit historical sites relevant to your area of interest, do it! Do those little guided walking tours. Do the ghost tours even - they're often fairly history-centric with some paranormal folklore for added spice. Sometimes they get you access to places you otherwise can't enter. Check historical societies local to cities or towns of interest.

If you need information about something deeply specific, check the internet for communities that form around that deeply specific topic. I've found tidbits of useful info searching around old forum posts from radio enthusiasts, Model T owners, and people who collect old telephone booths. (Granted, it's getting harder to search for this kind of stuff nowadays.)

-----------

Be careful of AI trash, whether it's generative images, text descriptions, or entire articles. Don't rely much on film or television for accuracy. Some things are more interested in being accurate than others, but there's almost always some artistic license taken. If you're trying to be particularly accurate about something, triple check it for confirmation. Misinformation has had a way of spreading like insidious mildew even before AI started disseminating it with delusory authority.

Lastly, if you don't enjoy doing this kind of historical research like a weird little detective-creature, consider loosening up on the 'historical' aspect of your writing. It's okay to not focus on historicity in your fiction. But if you're going to dive in whole-hog on history, bear in mind it's an ongoing, often time-consuming adventure in information-finding.

(Thank you for the kind words!)

[woso-dreamzzz]

Surgery: Christmas

Mapi Leon x Ingrid Engen x Child!Reader

Summary: Christmas with Cub

"We could get her another cat?"

"We're not getting her another cat!"

It's strangely difficult to find ideas for Christmas presents to give a little girl that's only obsessed with cats, the washing machine and baking.

Your mothers can't exactly buy you your own washing machine or an electric mixer or, god forbid, another massive cat for you to carry around and insist isn't fat, isn't a complete monster or isn't the absolutely worst enemy of your mothers.

One of those worst enemies, your incredibly fat tabby Garfield, sits on the kitchen counter attempting to bat open a box of cereal to feed his never ending hunger.

Mapi and Ingrid ignore him, knowing that sooner or later this burst of energy will leave and he will amble off to a sunspot so he can nap away the rest of the day.

"Mami!" A call comes from your bedroom. "I'm stuck again!"

Mapi scrubs a hand over her face. "Just a minute, cub! I'm coming!" She turns back to Ingrid. "Definitely a no to the cat?"

Ingrid sighs. "No more cats."

"Just trying to make it easier on us!"

"Go and help our kid put on her t-shirt. I've got this."

But Ingrid very much doesn't have this. It shouldn't be this difficult to find a Christmas present for you but you're such a content kid. You've already got toys and the tv and the washing machine and the cats.

There's not really much else you want or need.

You're no help either, of course, because when Ingrid asks, you just reply with a simple:

"Er...I can get more time in yours and Mami's bed?"

So, it was very clear that you didn't quite know what you wanted for Christmas either apart from, clearly, curling up in Mapi and Ingrid's bed with them and probably kicking Mapi in her sleep.

Ingrid spends weeks stewing over what she and Mapi could get you. They'd gotten you a few throw away things like a new yellow digger after your last one fall off the balcony and smashed into the pavement below and a cute little necklace that doubled as identification with things like your name and had Mapi and Ingrid's numbers on them in case you ever went missing in a crowded area.

In the end, it's Frido that comes to her and Mapi's rescue, throwing out an idea at random during lunch when Aitana takes you up to the buffet to find some chicken.

It's a throwaway comment but with Mapi and Ingrid struggling to work out what else they could get you, they cling to it like a lifeline. They're fairly easy presents to source, something that Ingrid is glad for because she's cutting it abnormally close to Christmas day to get everything sorted.

"Mami..."

There's a crackle on the monitor that has Mapi stirring awake.

"Maaaami."

Mapi counts to ten in her mind before rolling out of bed, kissing a still sleeping Ingrid on the cheek and making her way out to your room.

"Merry Christmas, cub," She says as she pushes open your bedroom door," I see you've got company."

All of the cats seem to have migrated to your bed overnight.

Garfield, as usual, is laying on his back after (presumably) being used as a stuff animal for most of the night. Bagheera sits by your feet, grooming herself primly while the monstrous León-León stands nearby, tail flicking from side to side as he stares.

"We had Christmas cuddles," You say happily," And now we have the gingerbread?"

"We'll have to wait. Mama is still asleep."

"Why?"

"Huh? Why is Mama still asleep? She's tired."

"But why?"

"Because she was busy making sure everything was good for today."

"But why?"

Mapi scrubs a hand over her face. "You know what, let's go eat that gingerbread. Then we'll go and get your Mama."

You wiggle happily all the way to the kitchen, where Mapi lifts you up onto the counter so you can have a breakfast of the gingerbread you and Ingrid made last night and so Mapi can stop you from running into their room before Ingrid is awake enough to function.

The cats come running in as soon as they hear the rattling of their dishes - though Garfield kind of lumbers in, far behind León-León and Bagheera but still manages to steal most of the food.

Mapi does a pretty good job of stopping you going for the presents until Ingrid finally gets up, a nice warm mug of coffee waiting for her and an overly excited child trying to shove some gingerbread into her mouth.

"Tha-Thanks, Cub," Ingrid laughs as she pushes away one of your sticky little hands from where it's trying to shove biscuit into her mouth," But I'm fine with my coffee."

"It's good," You say through your own full mouth and Ingrid laughs.

"I know because it was made by us, with lots of love." Ingrid kisses the tip of your nose. "But really you should eat it all yourself."

"Really?"

"Really-really," Ingrid insists and you giggle, kicking your feet happily as you finally settle on her lap, sprinkling gingerbread crumbs everywhere as you move.

Garfield, as he always does whenever there's food to spare, comes ambling over to eat them all up.

Usually, Ingrid would scold him but Mapi's coming over with presents and she decides that even the cats can get away with things they usually wouldn't today.

"Are you ready for presents?" Ingrid asks, bouncing her knee so you burst into a round of giggles.

"Presents!"

Mapi and Ingrid exchange triumphant looks as you tear open your presents.

Your new ID necklace is placed snugly around your neck immediately, ready for in case you get lost during the walk your mothers have planned later that day.

You take great delight in placing your new yellow digger with all of your other construction toys in the corner of the room next to your little wooden set of tools.

"Mama! Mami! It's CAT!"

It's truly a surprise how many CAT themed things the club has managed to make in such a short amount of time. It's even more surprising just how much stuff they can buy for so cheap a price with their team member discounts.

But, perhaps the most surprising of all is how much the club was willing to just straight up give to them in return for just a few pictures of you with CAT the mascot.

It's not shocking to the staff and fans alike who the biggest CAT fan is and, while you do regularly appear on Mapi and Ingrid's Instagrams, it's a rarer feat to see you featured on the team's.

But, with just three pictures of you with CAT and a very cute video of you nearly taking the mascot of their feet in an attempt to hug them, Mapi and Ingrid received a bundle of CAT merch in return.

"It is CAT," Mapi laughs," It's a t-shirt with CAT on it!"

"And a keyring! And a new mug!" Ingrid continues as you rip open your presents, getting more and more excited the more CAT things you see.

"CAT's my second best friend," You tell Mapi and Ingrid earnestly in the next hour as you all take a nice walk together through the park.

"Oh, yeah?" Mapi says," And who's your best friend?"

"You and Mama," You reply.

"Oh, cub," Ingrid coos," That's so swe-"

"And Bagheera and Garfield and León-León."

Mapi laughs. "There it is."

[mistyjessart]

The Odyssey Modern AU: Christmas edition

For your consideration: the Odyssey but as a Hallmark Christmas movie where Odysseus travels to New York for work and is trying to get home to Hawaii?? (I needed a long domestic flight shhhhh it was either this or Vancouver to Newfoundland) in time for Christmas dinner with Penelope and Telemachus after missing it for the last 20 years straight

The Trojan War is some really big business venture or something that took literally forever for them to sign but they finally did it!!

Polyphemus keeps them after work threatening to get HR involved because they accidentally ate his lunch that he left in the fridge, Polites and some of his other coworkers get stuck there but Ody and the rest manage to escape the office

Athena is Odysseus' boss (and childhood friend) who told him to get everything done more efficiently so he could leave earlier but noooooo he didn't listen and guess who's cutting it close again

The wind bag: Aeolus (from another department, maybe distribution??) sends them home with snacks that they forget to declare and Poseidon the airport security guard sees them after Eurylochus opens the bag in the waiting area and pulls them into the security room until they miss their flight

Circe owns a local motel and wanted to kick them out because she doesn't trust so many dudes around her employees after past incidents, but her and Athena's mutual friend Hermes gives Odysseus some of her favourite tea as a peace offering and he tells her about his wife and kid and she's just like "fineeeeee okay you're a wife guy, I guess I can find you a room"

She calls them a taxi to the airport the next day and the driver Tiresias just keeps giving them ominous life advice and seems to know like... way too much about them and also they're not entirely sure he actually has his license

Odysseus gets a call from his mom like "where are you we're waiting for you" and he's like "I'm on my way home I promiseeeeeeeeee I'll be there this time"

The sirens are various sales reps at the airport

Scylla (baggage check employee) keeps some of them cuz their bags are too heavy so Ody and the rest head to the gate without them

Eurylochus brings snacks again (thinking Chicharron-style snacks, ones you're not supposed to bring on a plane) and Zeus detains them

The suitors are just the neighbourhours who bully Telemachus like "oooOOOOhhhhh ssuuuUUURrreee your dad is tOOOOtally gonna show up to Christmas this year" and making jokes about his mom

Athena (who did leave early and catch the original flight) scares them away and reassures Telemachus that his dad is on his way (while texting Odysseus "see I told you so")

She finds out Zeus is the one detaining them so she calls her dad like "please can you at least send Odysseus on his way, you literally know him, he's just a dumbass sometimes" so Zeus let's Odysseus go catch his flight but keeps the rest of them in security

Calypso is some lady he's seated next to on the plane who hits on him for the entire ten-hour flight

Poseidon, who got transferred to the other airport, recognizes Odysseus from before and pulls him into security again and Odysseus just rips into him until he lets him go

The neighbours are bullying Telemachus while he's out getting last-minute ingredients for dinner when some dude turns up and tells them off and threatens to get their parents so they all run off

Penelope's just like... "who are you and what have you done with my husband, how are you actually on time"

Insert sweet and sappy Christmas dinner with the entire family until Odysseus' sister goes "wait... where's Eurylochus?"

Eurylochus turns up at the door the next morning like "ODYSSEUS YOU MF I HAD TO CATCH ANOTHER FLIGHT-"

[covid-safer-hotties]

I’m aware the current CDC recommendations for isolation seem to be woefully inadequate, but im embarrassed to say… I don’t know why? Like, what evidence supports a quarantine period of 14 days, vs something else?

I’m studying up on viral shedding to try to see how long people remain contagious, but you are way more familiar with this material than me.

Viral shedding for covid is highly variable: People can be completely asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and varying levels and types of symptomatic. Asymptomatic people tend to shed less, but they're less likely to take precautions because of that, and they account for nearly half of total covid spread. Presymptomatic people add another 15-20% of spread, because they shed more as the infection grows into something symptomatic. The record for presymptomatic covid is about 8 days, but the average onset of symptoms tends to be 2 or 3 days after infection (and this varies from strain to strain). There's been some study into all of the kinds of spread, but not enough. What we do know is each variant has a different virulence: Some are easier and harder to spread in any type of case. The best we can say is that people are infectious on average 2 or 3 days before symptom onset and somewhere in the ballpark of 8 or 9 days after they feel them, and plenty of people have no clue they've been infected. It's why we need public masking, especially in critical areas like public transit and grocery/pharmacy/etc as well as test to exit policies for quarantine instead of a set number of days. Some people pass an infection very quickly, while in some extreme cases, others have been contagious for weeks or even months. It was either in Baltimore or Pittsburgh where wastewater technitians found a cryptic strain that one person was shedding from an active long-term infection for over a year. I think the person finally passed the infection earlier this year.

I guess what I'm saying is early on, two weeks was seen as enough time to quarantine a sick person to ensure they wouldn't spread the infection to others, but even that isn't enough in some cases. The policy we need is free testing so people can exit a quarantine after they've had a (or a couple) negative tests (Depending on the type of test) to assure they are no longer going to spread the virus to others. We also need a social safety net to care for these people while they stay out of contact with others, but our government would never do that. We can't even feed kids without charging them.

[officialnighttime]

I have 7 cats. Jacqueline, Smudge, Hank, Daisy, Nala, Sammy and Lil Boo Thang.

All except smudge, Jacque and Hank came from shelters. Hank was given to me after mums friend moved to a rental that didn't allow pets. Jacque and Smudge are actually half siblings and I took in their mother as a stray. Blossom passed away last year but her babies are well and happy, Obi is another of her last litter and lives with my mothers son's ex girlfriend. She's lovely and taking great care of him and sends me regular updates.

I love them all. But having seven is a bit much I have to admit. One cat is great and you don't need a second to keep it company. I just take in strays cause hey I have the room and the money for the food so why not.

I'd reccomend before you get one, take a look at the videos of 'do's and don'ts' cause they are helpful and I watched some after having my cats for a while and it was stuff I'd learned along the way that would have been good at the very beginning.

I can't remember if it's true but I believe wet food has more nutrition than dry food. I give mine some kibble in the morning and wet food as dinner.

Toys. Toys are important. it might seem like they don't play with them but they will eventually and they're only a few dollars for some balls and jingly things for them to chase. All of my seven have at some point lost interest in toys. so I'd get two lots and rotate some out every now and again so it's like they're new.

Get them used to a harness. I put each one in a harnness for 10 min a day until they were able to walk comfortably in it to get them used to it. If I need to I can get them into a harness and then into the carrier far easier. makes for smoother vet trips and such.

Mine are indoor outdoor so I don't leash walk much. But a couple of them do enjoy coming with me to the shops and chilling outside while I grab some things. Cats walk a set route and mark it as their territory so they don't walk as far as the shops and it's a good novelty for them. Also since walking them I don't worry too much about them getting spooked and lost because they know the outer area of their territory better. If your cat will be indoor, it's still a good idea to leash train and walk them so if they get out, they know where to go and it's good exercise for you both.

Training them in general is good. It's just good bonding and creates better relationships. Clicker training them is just cool. I don't have a clicker but I'm autistic and the click noise I make with my tongue works just fine (yes I figured this out cause I was stress stimming and my cats knew the flurry of clicks was not happy and I was burried under a mountain of fur and purrs. daisy even ran out and came back with Hank lol). But clicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth makes a good enough noise. I use one to signal stay, two for sit, one and a twirling finger to get them to spin.

and if you work from home or use your computer a lot, it's worth investing in one of those cardboard cat laptops. They bother you cause they want to mimic you. It's a form of bonding for them. So the cardboard one they can play with themselves is a good way for them to do that without pissing you off

Ngl I am biased towards getting cats from a shelter. especially if you've never had one, cause often you can find 3 - 5 year old cats whose owners just didn't want to/couldn't care for them any longer and a kitten is not something I'd recommend starting with.

Anyways, I'm done infodumping about cat care. I hope you get a kitty you love that loves you <3

Do you like cats? Do want one/have one?

I DOOOOOOOOO like cats!

but I specifically like taking care of ONE cat.

I babysat two cats recently, it's a big NOOO for me (they weren't even bad cats, I just don't think I am meant to have two cats).

But I want one cat (I don't have one/have never had a pet. The closest I got to a pet was a goldfish I won at a church fair....that died the next day.😬)

And before somebody asks, yes between cat vs, dog, I choose cats HANDS DOWN!

Historically, dogs and I have not gotten along. This person in my neighborhood has had the same iteration of a small gray dog for 18 years now and it HAS jumped the fence, it IS aggressive, and it BARKS AT EVERYTHINGGGGGGGGG

Also generally in my neighborhood it seems people don't like to keep their dogs inside or on leashes...

I've been getting better at liking dogs (tolerating them) but my history with them has led me to love cats more.

Cats leave me alone or cuddle up when they want to.

I respect that.

🙌🏾 may the cat distribution system find me 🙌🏾

-🔒🐱

[sepdet]

Killing Time excerpts #2: the boys compare dreams over breakfast

(from that totally canon Star Trek novel that Pocket Books rapidly recalled from stores to scrub certain Kirk/Spock scenes, but my Mom beat the censors to a first edition!)

Kirk poked at the eggs on his plate with the tip of his fork, but it was blatantly obvious to Spock that the captain had little interest in the food.

"I don't know who I was, but ... I wasn't who I was supposed to be." He laid the fork aside and took a healthy gulp of the reconstituted orange juice. "And that's not exactly right either," he continued, not quite looking at the Vulcan. "It was as if I was still James Kirk—the same James Kirk I've always been—but I wasn't in the right. . . place." He shook his head in frustration. "I can't explain it, Spock."

Spock eyed his friend carefully. "Dreams of alienation are not unusual," he pointed out. "In situations such as exist onboard starships, they are, in fact, extremely common." Taking a sip of the hot herb tea, he pushed his own plate of untouched tood aside. He couldn't help remembering that he, too, had been experiencing dreams of alienation and displacement for nearly a full solar week; but something restrained him from mentioning it. "In your dream, Captain," he continued cautiously, "was it as if you were ... not how you would normally envision yourself to be?" Kirk frowned thoughtfully, then glanced up as his open palm slapped the table.

"That's exactly it!" he exclaimed, then lowered his voice as he noticed a young yeoman at the next table cast a quick look in his direction. He leaned closer to the Vulcan, feeling vaguely ridiculous for the outburst, but somehow

7

closer to the solution. "I was on the Enterprise— but it wasn't even the Enterprise—at least not like I know her," he added as an afterthought. "And... I kept seeing you." At last, he looked up. "But you were different, too, Spock," he stated emphatically. "I'm not sure, but... I think you were the captain."

He shuddered internally, as the haunting quality of the dreams sharpened. He thought he saw a faint smile come to the young yeoman's face as she stood and quickly left the dining area, but he no longer cared. At least it might alleviate her boredom. "And I didn't know who I was." He shrugged uncomfortably. "I must've been an ensign or something, because I remember trying to think of some way to approach you—to tell you that things weren't the way they're supposed to be."

He grinned without looking up, and took another swallow of the orange juice, tasting it for the first time. It only strengthened his resolve to put in a formal request to Admiral Nogura for fresh orange juice at the next opportunity. "And I also remember thinking that you would never believe me. After all," he added as the smile broadened, "you were the ship's captain— and a Vulcan! What chance would a lowly human ensign have of trying to inform the Vulcan commander that he (meaning me!) was supposed to be the cap-tain?" He laughed aloud, feeling some of the tension ebb away just in the act of telling Spock about the absurdity of it all.

The Vulcan leaned forward, and their eyes met across the table. "Jim," he murmured in a tone suddenly deep and foreboding, "I also dreamed." Kirk swallowed the lump of nervousness which rose in his throat, but he could only stare mutely at his first officer. Guiltily, he looked around to see if the yeoman was still eavesdropping. Bad enough that the captain's having anything but delusions of grandeur, he thought. But if Spock buckles... He let the thought drift into silence.

The Vulcan steepled his fingers in front of him. "At

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first, I believed the dreams were attributable to the somewhat uneventful mission currently assigned to the Enterprise. However, I am no longer convinced that such is the case."

Kirk looked at his friend for a long time, their eyes holding them together. "What did you dream, Spock?" he asked, forcing his tone to remain neutral.

But he didn't need to hear the answer; it was clearly inscribed in the dark eyes, carved in the angular features, written in the almost tangible conviction with which the Vulcan spoke.

One eyebrow arched, and it seemed for a moment as if the first officer might surrender to the human urge of shrugging. He did not. "I do not believe it is worth concerning yourself, Captain," he said as if attempting to dismiss his own statement. Somehow, it sounded far less logical in reality than it had in his own thoughts. "We have observed in the past that our minds have developed a telepathic rapport of sorts. Perhaps I was merely receiving fragments of your dreams, thereby—"

"Spock," Kirk interrupted with an exasperated sigh. He reached across the table, resting his fingers lightly on his friend's arm. "I know it's an inconvenience to your Vulcan logic to have this link with a human, but just tell me!" But the gentle smile robbed the words of any harsh implications.

After a moment, Spock nodded almost imperceptibly and took a deep breath. "I dreamed that you were an ensign," he stated, "and that I was ... captain of the Enterprise."

Kirk leaned heavily back in the chair, letting his hand fall back to his side. He could think of nothing to say.

"Perhaps we should inform Doctor McCoy," Spock suggested. "Since Vulcans do not normally dream whatsoever, and since our dreams do bear remarkable similarity ..." His voice drifted into silence.

Kirk glanced at the chronometer on the wall, then nodded. "You're probably right," he agreed. "As a

9

precautionary measure, we probably should tell Bones. But..." He put one hand to his forehead, sensing a headache struggling to break through. "Just keep it to yourself today, Spock. I'm going to talk to a few other people and see what I can come up with first."

Spock's head inclined in acknowledgment, and he rose from the chair as Kirk stood and followed him toward the door.

Once inside the lift. Kirk tried to shake the feeling of uneasiness with a deep breath. His success was marginal. But when the double doors opened to reveal the familiar refuge of the bridge, he stepped back, smiling deceptively at Spock's apparent confusion. "After you ... Captain Spock," he offered graciously.

The Vulcan turned, both brows climbing in a moment of surprise. "Illogical," he noted, but nonetheless stepped onto the bridge first. "Captain, I need not point out that it would be irrational to base rank solely on the basis of dreams—regardless of the fact that I would, no doubt, make an excellent commander.*

Kirk shrugged, scrutinizing his first officer dis-creetly. "Maybe," he conceded, stepping onto the bridge and pulling the professional air of command into place. But he couldn't resist one final urge. "But keep in mind that I'd make one hell of a lousy ensign, Spock!*

The Vulcan stopped, meeting Kirk's eyes warmly. "Of that," he readily agreed, "I have no doubt."

10

—•—

Next Time

Things get steamy (literally) as Kirk dons a lumberjack shirt and invites Spock to stroll with him in a garden.)

[sarcasticace]

What if (and i realized this might not fit within the confines of the 3-episode per act structure, but stay with me) Viktor stumbles upon the golem that would be Blitzcrank. Partially buried somewhere in the area that would become his commune. Uncovered as they started cleaning up the place. Maybe we pretend Caitlyn's strike team caused a bit more pollution than they were hoping. Some actual consequences. Maybe now under martial law, they use it more from time to time. Just to eliminate major threats. Only sometimes... and it's for the greater good. They're actually helping Zaun when you think about it. Trust them. don't trust them. Viktor knows the golems were used pre-ventilation system to help out. Not just with the Gray, but with general toxic runoff. Can't just 'stop' polluting the undercity, but they might as well clean up after themselves. So thoughtful. Viktor fixes them up. Going back into some science and mechanical engineering. He's been out of touch, but aided with some hexcore magic, baby Blitzcrank is working great! Not the Blitzcrank we know though, but he's getting there. Sometimes, Viktor sends Blitzcrank out on his own. Clean up some areas in the undercity. Maybe encounters Isha once or twice. Maybe she doodles on them. But Blitzcrank isn't quite Blitzcrank just yet.

Skip ahead a few episodes, Jayce literally claws his way out of that pit. That's when he encounters Blitzcrank. Scares him at first, but Blitzcrank is a friend. He is friend shaped. But there's something... different... about him. Something more. The way they reacts to Jayce. The way they moves. The way they follows along when people talk. Blitzcrank helps Jayce reach the peak where they both encounter Wizard Viktor.

Fast forward. We're reaching the finale. The enforcers have captured Blitzcrank.... somehow. Actually, I got it, Blitzcrank was helping Jinx, Vi, and the gang. As he's not fully sentient yet, Viktor didn't have a connection with him, so he was unaffected when Viktor was shot through the heart. When everything was going to shit, Blitzcrank's programming was like... welp, time to go. And tries to help everyone escape, but then everything got worse. In addition to Jinx, Blitzcrank was taken into custody by the Enforcers. They were gonna trash them, but Jayce intervenes. Jayce knows them. This is blitzcrank, a friend, but... not as he remembers them. Anyways, Blitzcrank is under custody. There's a moment of peace before the war happens. Calm before the storm. To relax, Jayce begins tinkering with Blitzcrank. It's been so long. It almost seems like forever ago since he was in the lab, creating Hextech with Viktor. And he's just so curious about Blitzcrank. He notices Viktor's handiwork immediately. Jayce replaces some old tech with modern hextech. Leaving a bit of Viktor's improvements behind. But Blitzcrank won't turn on. Huh. Strange. Jayce ponders this for a moment, but then his attention is drawn to his hammer. Not his hammer, the other him, but still... his hammer. Both originally built as tools. To help people. Now used as a weapon. To hurt and kill. He's made so many weapons. More than he ever intended. Hextech was meant to help people. Oh! An idea. There must be one here somewhere. Jayce finds a hexcrystal. Places it within Blitzcrank's core. And Blitcrank, finally, awakens. New to this world. Equal parts Jayce and Viktor. Their final creation together. Not a weapon, but intelligent life.

Blitzcrank follows Jayce around. If anyone asks, Jayce reprogrammed Blitzcrank. Personal bodyguard. No one questions him. They've got no time. Blitzcrank is present when Viktor arrives. At first, he hardly gives Blitzcrank a second glance. And they are left behind when Viktor takes Jayce upwards. That's a long way up, but Blitzcrank has to follow. He... wants to follow. Strange. He wants? Blitcrank tries making his way to the top. The big boy tries so hard. But what's this? Someone is hurt. An unconscious body on his way to the top. Blitzcrank was programmed to help Zaunnites, but.... that's not it. Something more. He... wants to help. He will help.

Just when all hope seems lost. Viktor is about to win. In comes Ekko to save the day. But he's not alone. Blitzcrank is there too. Following after Ekko on his short, heavy legs. Oh, sweet boy. He's trying his best. This is still very much Ekko's fight. Not going take away from that. Ekko is the MVP after-all. Hero of Arcane.

Perhaps Blitzcrank saves Ekko, just once, before getting overwhelmed. They helped a little bit. On impulse, let's say, Viktor's mannequin doll-soldiers tries to assimilate them. And it... works? Viktor connects to Blitzcrank. How strange, but he can't actually control him. He's kinda just... there. Well, doesn't matter, he's captured Ekko too now and nothing can- [rewind] Ekko just disappeared. Where did he... oh, there he is and he's throwing the concentrated power of time at my face.

Epilogue time. Jayce and Viktor are gone. Maybe dead, maybe in another plane of existence. Who knows? That's sad, but Blitzcrank is okay. He returns to Zaun. Maybe he's welcome by the Firelights. Who's to say? But Blitzcrank knows that's where he belongs. Patrolling the streets of the undercity. Helping people. Just like his dads wanted. Zaun has a long path ahead to becoming the greatest city Valoran has ever seen.

What do you think? I know Blitzcrank being the lovechild creation of both Viktor and Jayce isn't anything new or original, but I think I came up with something fun that could fit within Arcane canon. You know, if you just... pushed it into place real hard.

[aymayzing]

I don't know if I'm gonna canonize it for Sotiris and Emmrich but I've been thinking about this and the way I'd apply it to them:

Some time before the War of the Banners, Emmrich and Myrna are working on. something. don't know yet. And they figure out they need info from a specific undead. Except this guy is known to attack Watchers and hang out in the more dangerous area and, actually, after the last shuffle of the Necropolis chambers, they don't even know where that area is exactly.

So Myrna says 'let's ask Ingellvar for help' and then only says that he's a fellow Watcher who's like oddly good at finding his way around the Necropolis. So they go get Ingellvar and he's maybe sparring with someone so he's all hot and sweaty and I wanna say shirtless and breathing hard and he pulls back his long hair and smiles and what was I talking about. Right, and Emmrich is already like 👀. They set out on their journey and Sotiris turns out to be a skilled warrior but also just simply kind and courteous and sweet, generally good company. And he ends up saving the day when both Emmrich and Myrna fail to get this undead to cooperate but Sotiris, being the only warrior on the team, decides to try and lean on the fact that this guy used to be a famous knight and challenges him to a duel. And wins. Only then does Myrna mention that Ingellvar is her former student and it clicks for Emmrich that oh, this guy is like much younger than me. But at this point he already has just a bit of a crush.

Emmrich and Sotiris then don't see each other for a few months until there's a conference they're both presenting on. They have a lovely chat over the table with food about their respective research and oh, he's hot and smart and the conversation flows very well.

Then the War of the Banners happens, Ingellvar is exiled, a year passes and bam! He's back, along with the talented young woman Emmrich has been corresponding with and oh no, he's still hot! And he's on some grand adventure and wants to whisk Emmrich away to join him. And Emmrich decides to say yes before Sotiris even fully explains what's it all about

I love the 'Mourn Watcher Rook had a crush on Emmrich since before the events of the game' as much as the next person BUT

What about Emmrich having had a crush on Mourn Watcher Rook?

[reallifetangent]

ARCANE S2 RELATED CONTENT ALSO TRANSISTOR GAME RELATED CONTENT

Transistor x JayVik AU(? Where they actually after the finale end up in Cloudbank, but before the events of Transistor. Even before Royce Bracket's birth. Because they're his parents.

I've seen Miguel O'Hara being a JayVik Kid, Blitzcrank being the Canon JayVik Kid, I've seen Venture from Overwatch being another Kid, but with a friend we tied some points.

I'mma die on that hill.

Continuing with the Headcanons!!!:

- they notice that Hextech doesn't exist there, Viktor is more weakened than Jayce about the lack of it.

- somehow they manage to get with the process and the Transistor. Probably they created the Transistor as an attempt to save Viktor, again. They didn't learn that much from their mistakes, or they found out about the Process too late.

- Viktor's leg gets processed in the way, and they had to put away the Transistor Project. He wears the leg brace to weigh his leg and be able to walk normally, but the leg makes him kinda float and walk weird. He also has part of his abdominal area processed, he's slowly being processed.

- they have Royce. Either adoption or some magic-science thing happens and they had Royce biologically.

- Royce adopts both traits from his parents. The whole Loner Scientist from Viktor, the involving with politics from Jayce.

- They loved Royce. He was a loved kid, and they enjoyed that he liked science and technology, and he tried to help his father to stop the Process, but he didn't know back then.

- Jayce probably founded The Camerata, or him and Viktor belonged to the first team, but just as Scientists and staying that way. They wanted to change and help the world, but this time in a different and more direct way.

- When Viktor starts becoming more Processed, they back off from The Camerata, only Royce knew where did they go or what happened to them.

- When Viktor is almost processed, Jayce decides to manipulate and use the Transistor to save their traces together, to share the burden of the Process, dying together again as one with the same death. (Each time they "die", they just change universes to live a new life together again). Probably had a similar reaction to Asher and Grant. They couldn't bear to live without the other. They left a recording or their traces for Royce to find, but I guess he couldn't read them, not getting his parents' last words.

- Royce years later finds the Transistor, but never relates it to his parents. I'm re listening his voicelines and he said he can't remember how did he find the Transistor, so he doesn't know his parents were involved.

Bonus: some sketches I made about this random Crossover, starting with Them as Proxys talking with Royce, they as Grant and Asher Kendrell, their Trace versions (I'm digitalizing those two), Viktor's Body Processed and his Fully Processed form (like Sybil's at her boss battle)

Idk, I'm delulu and missing Transistor

[fluentisonus]

chiens-loups

[galehowl]

Been passively thinking about my Digimon pet project and realized what a nightmare it'd honestly be for the Tamer characters in the setting to just exist, due to social media rip.

I can just imagine constantly having videos and pictures of them plastered all over the internet and every soc media site and app, whenever they have to go out and do their job, not to mention the total lack of privacy and some people definitely finding out where they live and all your information and being unhinged about it. Since that's kind of the reality of things as is.

Not to mention that people would probably try to film everything on their phones or whatever, whenever there's a rogue/wild Digimon spotted, or something interesting ( read: dangerous ) is going on, with no regard for their own safety

Should probably consider giving the characters some kind of disguise or something, now that I think about it lol

[megumi-fm]

.

[legless-fish-on-rollerskates]

Um. Brett?

I was under the impression that the Phil/Brett stuff was a running joke, but there comes a point where you've gone beyond committing to the bit into just straight-up dating. like, this lowkey reads like a relationship announcement, is that on purpose?? Hello???

[racke7]

As I don't want to leave negativity on someone else's post, but saw something WILDLY out-of-character, when an actual in-character relationship is RIGHT FUCKING THERE.

Sakura and Shirou's kitchen-relationship:

Shirou: "I need to get there first and start breakfast, or-"

Sakura: *innocently smug* "Hello senpai, I got started without you"

Shirou internally: "Noooo, my kitchen-time is being stolen"

Shirou externally: "Ah. Well, if you've already started, how can I help?"

Sakura internally: "Yay! I won first-place, and I get to make senpai happy with my cooking now!"

Rin and Archer's kitchen-relationship:

Rin: "How dare you-!"

Archer: *smirking like a bastard* "Oh? Have I touched a nerve, Rin? Were you under the mistaken impression that your chocolate-chip cookies are in any way adequate beyond the bargain-bin at a kindergarten bake-sale?"

Rin: "... I will fucking END YOU"

Archer: *scoffs* "I should be so lucky"

[silc0-shimmer]

/OOC QUICK REMINDER THIS IS THE SAME AU AS CLOSETED FTM SILCO :3

"I shall have you one for tomorrow. Here's your breakfast, by the way. If you'd like more, feel free to ask at any point"

*I hand you a granola bar before taking you downstairs to the basement*

*The basement was unusually decorated for a basement, more than just a makeshift science lab. It was a proper laboratory, there were bubbling beakers - all being tended by my lab assistant and business partner, Singed - proper sanitation areas (sinks and hand sanitizer), and a large, glowing vat of violet liquid, with no name marked on the side*

"This is Singed. He helps me out with all of the sciencey stuff down here, in our lab. This is your workspace, so familiarise yourself with it."

"Oh, I should probably let you know I have two adopted children, Zastan and Jinx. They're out at the moment, but I'm sure you'll meet them eventually."

*I amble towards Singed, tapping him on the shoulder*

"This is our new assistant and test subject."

Look, I’m a little lost, n out of my luck. Enforcers may or may not have beat the crap out of me n smashed where I live to pieces.

Heard you needed Shimmer test subjects? Asked around n you seemed to be the one to call to.

I’ve not got much else around now, so I’m in need o somethin.

-🪻

Which enforcers were they, do you remember what they looked like? I'd like to prioritise revenge.

However, of course you may become a Shimmer test subject, you would live alongside me as I unfortunately do not have a spare house, and you would be paid a substantial amount every Friday. Does that sound good?

[icewindandboringhorror]

Lineup of all of the characters that appear long enough to need a visual representation of them in the game lol