#<- the last two are only at the very bottom in a section with separate content warnings.

[rawbin-hsr]

Hiiiiii!! Ehmm are your requests open? If they are, could you share your thoughts about aventurine NSFW headcanons in a romantic relationship? Hope I'm not asking for too much. If you don't want to no worries!! just ignore me hehe. Still, i wanted to tell you that I really love how you write aventurine, you made me wanna listen to all his voice lines again lmao. Anyway sorry for my english, it's not my mother tongue, and have a nice day!

A/N: Ok so I decided to separate this hc into two parts (both parts are in this post just a little separated !!) because half of it is me kinda digging into his brain a little with more general stuff and the other is just more specific kinks and scenarios and stuff like that for people who are only here for the freakiness *smirks* Didn’t go in depth about anything here but feel free to send in another ask if you want me to dig deeper into something more specific 🐺

I had penis-haver reader in mind, but nothing specific is stated so reader is technically gender neutral !!

─ ⊹ ⊱꒰☆꒱⊰ ⊹ ─

CWs first section: Self destructive tendencies, mentions of hard kinks (not enacted), Aventurine not setting up proper sexual boundaries, switch Aventurine but I focus on when he subs

CWs last section: lingerie (for both Aventurine and reader), sex toys, semi-public sex, phone sex, overstimulation

Only slight aftercare mentions because any deeper digging into that will get sad real quick and I kinda wanted to keep this as not-sad as possible, but I’d be happy to talk more about it in another ask !!

─ ⊹ ⊱꒰☆꒱⊰ ⊹ ─

Like most people I think Aventurine is pretty open to a lot of things, but I think he also has a lot of hard limits and a lot of boundaries he hasn’t really thought about himself yet

Hard limits include hurting you, you hurting him, anything with leather, anything that makes either of you bleed, most types of bondage (esp handcuffs), any roleplay that put either of you in a position of authority over the other

(These are limits you discover a little into the relationship, because at the beginning, Aventurine claims he’s okay with everything and he would keep claiming that if he wasn’t in a very loving and stable relationship. He only feels comfortable establishing those boundaries when you’ve made it clear it’s safe to do so. 🙁)

Idk if you want me to go in depth about those hard limits because I have Thoughts about all of them but I’m assuming you want to get your freak on so I won’t go into too much detail about it, if anyone wants me to elaborate on it though feel free to send in an ask !!

I think a really big downside with him is he doesn’t really know himself how far these limits go and he doesn’t always communicate about it either. Like he’ll think light spanking is fine but then you’ll notice he kind of freezes up if you go for it during sex and after he’ll only admit he didn’t like it if you kind of push him to 😭

I think he’s a switch. I hate to say this because I know it plays into the fandom’s tendency of like,, further feminising and sexualising effeminate men and making them “bottoms” and all that but I do think he has a sort of sub lean. Or like power bottom sort of ? A brat basically. It makes me feel kind of gross to call him by these terms considering what the fandom likes to do to him but I’m using it as shorthand forgive me 💀

Or maybe I’m projecting because I have Issues and will only ever read and write dom reader idk

Like I think he likes having control, but with a partner he genuinely loves, he finds so much comfort in sort of just falling back and letting you take the lead. It’s a nice break because in his day-to-day life, he either needs to be in perfect control constantly or, when he does lose control, it’s never something good and/or a sort of loss of control he purposely takes to in order to punish himself (like when he gambles. Sure there’s a good chance he’ll win, but can he be sure? He’s always afraid he’ll lose. It’s ultimately out of his hands, since he doesn’t cheat). With you, he’s safe when he does it. It is not a gamble, it is not a bet. You unquestioningly just take care of him and it just feels nice. 

At the same time, I think he won’t be as eager to let you lead at the beginning of your relationship. He doesn’t fully trust you so he won’t leave himself as vulnerable to you. Again, I think he has a lot of issues with control and power so that really plays into it. 

(Please god don’t take this as me saying that Aventurine is ‘naturally submissive’ or some weird shit like that I will ACTUALLY shoot myself !!!! I will commit I’ll do it !!!!!!)

I imagine his libido is pretty low in the beginning. He’ll go whenever you want to, sure, but he doesn’t initiate a lot. 

Quickly changes when he grows comfortable with you though. Once he actually really does love you he’d be more than happy to go like once a day or something wild like that he’s like an animal in heat for you dawg 😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏

Happy to go at your pace though, because I really really don’t think sex is that important to him. I think he’d prefer to have sex (in the beginning because it’s exciting, and then once you two are closer it’s because the intimacy is nice), but I don’t think it would be a dealbreaker at all if you don’t wanna have sex much/at all. He’s got a hand lol

Freaky part below 😈 ngh

─ ⊹ ⊱꒰☆꒱⊰ ⊹ ─

I think he definitely prefers having more ‘playful’ sex most of the time. Passionate and exciting and high-energy, lots of flirting while you’re doing it too <3

I bet he’s so annoying bru teasing you and purposely saying things to get you riled up with a stupid cocky grin on his face 😒 I need him sooo bad

Enjoys dressing up sexy for you and enjoys it even more when you do it back for him. I knowww everyone says this but he’d love to buy you lingerie as random gifts every now and then. 

Loves toys. Whether you’re using them on him or he’s using them on you he’s game 😇 Fun way to switch things up !!

Ngh imagine using a vibrator on him,,, drooling,,,,,,,, anyways

Not above semi-public sex, but only when there’s barely any risk of really getting caught. Things typical for fanfiction LMAO like getting it on in a janitor’s closet. Just gotta be quiet and it should be safe, since the door’s got a lock.

Lotsss of phone sex for sure. Guy’s away a lot of the time, so if you’re okay with it he’s definitely not above sending/asking for nudes. Has a bad habit of calling you with little to no warning while he’s in the middle of masturbating too. 

Panting into the receiver, saying he needs you, begging you to talk him through it. Happy to switch to a video call if you ask for it. Super good at it too, getting the best angles and everything (unless he’s getting so desperate he doesn’t have the mind to remember things like that <3)

Doesn’t like edging LMAO he’s too impatient for that. Except every now and then and ngh it’s so rewarding once he does want it he gets soo needy so quick

Bet he enjoys overstimulation too,,, somebody put me in a mental hospital the image of him sooo fucked out he’s whimpering and drooling and mindlessly rutting up against you,,,,,,, shoot me like actually

Would fall asleep so quick after that. Barely even awake enough to put on his pyjamas after ugh he’s so cute :((

Would probably not want to wear it after anyways he likes the feeling of your bare skin against his own I bet

Make sure to cuddle and reassure him lots after you have sex tho he’ll need it. Getting him a bath and a meal wouldn’t be bad ideas either

Super sorry about how short this was I definitely think he has a lot more turn-ons and stuff that I just forgot to write here but I’m very bad at answering such broad questions my bad 😞😞 Feel free to send in more asks asking about more specific things !!!

[rjalker]

crochet hat very basic pattern that you can color in to figure out where to put stripes. Public domain images. They'll be uploaded to the beloved Internet Archive once they're fully functional again. You are explicitly encouraged to download and share these.

Every row ends with slip stitching to close and then chaining two to start the next one but I Forgot to put that in.

Pro tip: Have more rows of the same color towards the top than at the bottom if it's only going to show up once, otherwise it will get drowned out.

[ID: A black and white diagram of a beanie separated into eighteen stripes, with arrows on each section giving the instructions to crochet it. Stripe 1, at the top center of the hat: "Ch3, double crochet 8 times into first chain. Slip stitch to close (S S T C)." An arrow points from this to a simple diagram of three circles representing chain stitches, with a hook at the top with a loop of yarn around it, and another arrow pointing from the hook down to the first chain. The chains are colored in with teal circles. Next to the instructions is a teal circle with eight sections in it. Stripe 2: "DC 2 times in each stitch. S S TC." In teal below this are two V shapes to indicate two stitches into the same spot. Stripe 3: Dc 1 time, then two times, repeating". In teal is a straight line and a V. Stripe 4: DC 1, 1, 2, repeating. The teal shows two straight lines, then a V. Stripe 5: DC 1, 1, 1, 2, repeating. The teal has three lines and then a V. Stripe 6: DC 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, repeating. The teal shows four lines and then a V. Stripe 8 through 18: DC one time, repeating, until hat is desired length. The teal now only shows straight lines, and an arrow points all the way to the bottom of the hat. End ID.]

some quickly thrown together pride flag templates from whatever colors I happened to have on my phone:

[ID: 12 versions of the same image as above, the same except that text has been added on the side reading, "18 row example. 5mm hook, size 4 yarn.", and each hat is now colored in stripes of a differen pride flag, in vaguely alphabetical order. The first is the asexual flag, with the first 6 stripes in black, the next 4 in grey, the next 4 in white, then the last 4 in purple. Then the aromantic flag, with the first 5 stripes in dark green, then the next 4 in light green, then the next 3 in white, the next 3 in grey, and the final 3 in black. Next is the aroace flag, with the first 5 stripes in orange, the next 4 in yellow, the next 3 in white, 3 light blue, and 3 navy blue. Then the bi flag, with the first 9 stripes in dark blue, then 5 in purple, then the last 4 in reddishpink. Next is the intersex flag, with the first 7 stripes in gold, then 3 dark purple, then the remaining stripes in gold. Next is the lesbian flag with the first 4 stripes in reddishpink, then 4 light pink, 4 pale yellow, 3 light purple, and 3 very dark blue. Next is the nonbinary flag, with 5 stripes of yellow, 4 stripes of white, 5 stripes of purple, and 4 stripes of black. Next is the pan flag, with 6 stripes of bubblegum pink, 6 stripes of gold, and 5 stripes of light blue. Next is the quoiromantic flag, with 6 stripes of black, 4 stripes of lime green, 4 stripes of light blue, and 4 stripes of light grey. Next is the pride flag, with 3 stripes each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Next is the progress trans flag, with 5 stripes of purple, 3 stripes of black, 2 stripes of blue, 2 stripes of pink, 2 stripes of white, 2 stripes of yellow, and 2 stripes of brown. The last is the pastel xenogender flag, with 4 stripes of pinkishred, 2 stripes of pastel pink, 3 stripes of pastel orange, 2 stripes of pale yellow, 2 stripes of light blue, 2 stripes of light purple, and 3 stripes of dark purple. End ID.]

pride flags with fewer shades of the same color are easier to make. A lesson for flag makers everywhere. Good luck trying to find all the shades necessary to make the pastel xenogender flag. I have yet to accomplish it. This is also why gradient flags are just. a bad idea if you want people to actually be able to make it outside of computers.

I used a 5mm crochet hook with aproximately size 4 yarn since that's what I got for free.

[junipernight]

Yangvik Week 2024 - Days 2 and 4

Prompts: Touch Starved, Family, and Hair

___________________________________________

Balm

“Alright, I’m ready,” said Yangchen, stepping out from behind the finned-caribou hide that partitioned the tent.

Kavik squinted at her. She was dressed in the blue furs of the water tribe, in a knee-length parka with a moon motif on the front panel. Her hair had been swept up and folded into a bun, with two strands on either side of her face hanging in braids and adorned with bone beads. Her arrows were completely covered by the warm mittens on her hands and the thick fringe over her forehead.

She looked every inch a Northern Water Tribe girl - even her eyes, normally a dark gray, seemed to have taken on a slightly icy hue, as if they were reflecting the arctic world around them—but there was something off about the disguise.

Kavik snapped his fingers as he figured it out. “You look like my gran-gran!” he said. Then his thoughts caught up with his mouth, and he said, “Wait, that didn’t come out right.”

Luckily, Yangchen seemed more amused than offended. “How was it supposed to come out, then?”

Kavik poked the bun at the nape of her neck. “Your hair. No one younger than my gran-gran wears their hair like that.”

Yangchen frowned. This had been her favorite way to do her hair, in one past life or another. She hadn’t even thought about it before tying her hair up—her fingers had remembered all on their own.

Thinking back on her time training in Agna Qel’a, however, she realized Kavik was right. She would stick out if she wore her hair like this, and it was very important that she blend in for the sake of the mission: Today, she was meeting Kavik’s extended family in Long Stretch.

And if everything went well, they would never suspect that “Ilagik” was the Avatar. 

Yangchen  peeked out the tent flap: the tundra greeted her, wide open and vibrant and abuzz with the frenetic energy of late summer. The sun was obscured by a light mist, but she could make out a bright spot low on the eastern horizon. “We have some time before we have to leave,” she said. “I can try again.”

“Let me help you,” Kavik offered.

Yangchen raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

“My cousin taught me how to braid when I was little,” he said defensively, as if he were offended that she doubted him.

Yangchen shrugged, and flounced onto the nearest bedroll. “Ok then. You do it.”

Kavik took off his mittens and sat behind her. He pulled out the beads, untied the ribbons, and unpinned the fake fringe. Then he began to comb her hair. He started at the bottom, gently running his fingers through the strands and gently teasing apart tangles. Gradually he worked his way up to the roots of her hair.

Without meaning to, Yangchen leaned back into his touch, her eyes drifting shut. Having her hair brushed felt nice, nicer than she would have expected. It wasn’t an experience she was accustomed to; the last time someone had brushed her hair would have been back at the Western Air Temple. The older Air Nomad girls taught the younger ones how to deal with hair after they turned old enough; growing one’s hair out was an important marker of growing up. Yangchen didn’t remember whose hands had brushed her hair and taught her how to hold the comb, only that it hadn’t been Jetsun.

Yangchen winced. 

“Sorry,” said Kavik, thinking the motion had been in response to something he did.

Yangchen suddenly noticed that there wasn’t much braiding going on. “Are you playing with my hair?”

Kavik paused guiltily, “... maybe.”

“Keep doing it, it feels nice.”

Kavik was happy to oblige. He ran his hands through her hair some more, watching the silky strands slip through his fingers.

“Tell me about your cousin,” she said. “The one who taught you how to braid.”

Kavik began to separate her hair into sections. “I have a lot of cousins, but my favorite is Yuka. Every year, we used to see each other at fish camp, and we’d all go everywhere together like a pack of porcupine seals. Yuka is the oldest, and Kalyann and I used to think that cloudberries sprouted wherever she walked. She’s really smart, and she always had the best ideas for games.

“One summer, she was teaching my girl cousins how to braid their hair, and I cried until she let me learn too.”

Yangchen grinned as she imagined Kavik, baby-cheeked and innocent and tearful about being excluded.

“Real tears?” she inquired. “Or were you a master liar even then?”

“Very real tears,” Kavik assured her solemnly. . “I would never lie to Yuka.” 

Yangchen snorted, not believing him for a minute. “Will I get to meet Yuka?”

“I hope so. I heard she’s married now; hopefully she didn’t move away.”

“Do you mind if I use a little hair grease?” Kavik asked, holding up a small jar. 

“Umm...” Yangchen was willing to eat meat, if that was what was available. She was aware that the clothes she wore and the tent they were sheltered in were made from the hides of dead animals… hides which had been carefully waterproofed with the same animal fat Kavik now held up, no doubt. And yet, it still made her uncomfortable, the idea of rubbing cooked animal remains directly on her person.

She was about to say yes anyway, for the disguise and because it wasn’t really a big deal, when Kavik surprised her.

“It’s from Taku,” he said, twisting open the lid. Instead of the stench of animal fat, a fruity and sweet aroma filled the air, taking her by surprise. “I think it’s some kind of fruit oil.”

Yangchen’s shoulders relaxed. “Sure.”

Kavik rubbed the grease onto his hands and began to massage it into her hair. Whatever fruit it was, it was familiar. The scent called her back to some other place, in some other lifetime, but Yangchen resisted, focusing on the soft patter of rain on the tent and the gentle tugging of her companion’s hands through her hair; he was massaging her scalp now, digging his fingers into the roots of her hair; this was even better than the brushing.

No one touched Yangchen anymore, outside of occasional bouts of physical combat. In the western air temple, she had grown up in close proximity to dozens of girls, with whom she’d had very little physical boundaries. Her sisters and she had piled on the same beds, and huddled for warmth during festivals at the northern temple, and tackled each other both on and off the air ball court. And of course Jetsun had always been her greatest source of comfort, holding her close and anchoring her to the present when she was wracked by the grief and anguish of a thousand past lives. After Jetsun had died and Yangchen had left the temple, she’d been left with almost no one. Just a lonely figure at the top of an air spout, suspended in front of  an audience.

(Except for Nu Jian, when she still had him. Nu Jian couldn’t hug her, but at least she could hug Nu Jian.)

When had Kavik become the exception to her isolation? When had Kavik become the one that casually lifted her up and spun her around?

She was almost sad when he finally began braiding her hair, but they did have somewhere to be, and a long ride ahead of them. 

Kavik froze a thin sheet of ice, and held it up to her when he was done.

“What do you think?” He asked.

Kavik had braided the bulk of her hair into one long braid and pulled it into a loop that dangled from the crown of her head. He’d also redone the face-framing qilliqti that she had tried to do before. Yangchen had struggled to thread the thin braids through the beads, and her earlier attempt had been frizzy because of it. The hair grease combined with Kavik's skill had made the braids sleek and elegant.

Yangchen turned to thank him, and then immediately dodged a greasy finger aimed right for her nose. Another greasy hand came at her, and she grabbed Kavik’s wrists.

“Stop that!” She laughed.

“But you like my hands,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’m trying to give you a hug!”

“Oh!” It was Kavik’s turn to be surprised. “Okay.”

She hugged him. And then she directed his greasy hands back at his face.

“Hey!”

.

.

.

(They were slightly late to dinner with Kavik’s parents.)

[kancelolol]

What's Mine is Yours

Content Kenma x OC; Slowburn?; Unexpected friends to lovers; Follows the original Haikyuu storyline; Fluff

Summary Kenma and Kanami seem to live in separate worlds. But it all collides when they find themselves bickering over the last case of the latest version of a video game series, not fully realizing who the other person was.

Prologue Dimming Light

<Prev Masterlist Next>

■□■□■□■

"Forget it. I need to head to my shift," An older woman sighed in frustration as she grabbed her purse and keys, stomping out of the apartment.

It was meant to be summer, but the space felt cold for the girl standing amidst it.

"...Tsk. Can't even ask questions anymore..." she grumbled to no one in particular. Her voice was slightly shaky from the rare yelling she did, and also from the impending tears.

She walked into her bedroom, but it wasn't much better in there. The dull, lifeless room seemed to mock her as she tossed her school bag onto her desk, and it landed next to the only colorful thing in her room.

Her shelf. Which, had a mix of textbooks, regular books, and at the very bottom, a row of umd discs with her psp charging nearby.

Seeing this, she recalled something.

'...The selling period for the 3rd season of Lebrius is ending soon...' she checked her calender.

She zoned out, staring at her shelf while she had a mental debate.

On one hand, it was one of her favorite rpgs. The storyline and gameplay have been amazing for the last two versions, and there were a lot of unanswered plot questions that she hoped this verison would answer.

But on the other hand, she wanted to save her allowance in case her friends dragged her to hangout again.

She glared at the shelf, as if hoping that it would make the decision for her.

Of course, it did not.

●○●○●○●

The girl got a few stares as she walked down the street. She didn't blame the people staring though. She supposed that anyone would be weirded out seeing a teenage girl walking around in basketball shorts, an oversized t-shirt, and a tear-stained face.

Initially, she pushed her longing for the game away, trying to distract herself by taking a shower and studying.

But that was all thrown out the window when she sat down and couldn't focus no matter how hard she tried. That frustration mixed with emotions from her early fight made her breakdown and drop the studying, giving into her temptations.

'I'll do my work later...' she sighed before shutting her eyes as her hair blew into her face. As much as she appreciated the wind during this heat, she felt instant regret for not drying her hair before impulsively leaving her house.

The humidity was already bad enough, but she could already tell that her stupid, wavy hair was definitely going to be all frizzled by the time it completely dried, especially her bangs.

She finally arrives at the game shop closest to her home. She never really visited this specific place since the one she frequented was near her favorite crafts store, but she didn't exactly feel like traveling all that way while looking like a mess.

The breeze from the air conditioner hit her from above as she entered. The bell rung and an employee greeted her, to which she slightly bowed in response before strolling through the sections.

She spent some time looking for the game, her focus only broken when she hears a light—

Ding!

—As another person entered the shop. She curiously peered behind her and saw a guy who looked like he was close to death. Strands of his dyed blonde hair clung to his cheeks, as he let out a sigh of contentment while standing underneath the air conditioner at the front doors.

'...who the hell wears a jacket in this heat?' She raised a brow but chose not to judge any further, resuming her search.

A couple minutes later, she catches a glimpse of the familiar game cover out of the corner of her eyes. She feels a sense of relief as she reaches out to grab it...only to accidentally touch someone's hand.

She noticed them jolt back, and she wonders if she should just let them have it.

...But then she remembers why she even bothered coming here, and quickly shut the idea down, pulling it off the shelf.

Just as she's about to leave, a meek voice speaks up.

"Uhm—sorry—I think I had that first."

She finally gets a clear look at the guy, the same one from earlier.

His voice was soft and quiet, and he seemed to be about her height.

Well...he probably would be if he fixed that posture of his...

However, what caught her eye the most was his jacket. She noticed earlier that it was a red windbreaker, but seeing it up closer now triggered a sense of familiarity.

"....We literally got here at the same time," she decided to respond to his claim instead.

"Uh. But I touched it first," he replied, a hint of annoyance in his tone now.

"Well, then you let go of it."

"Cause you touched me?"

"Didn't mean to. You were quicker to reach out," she shrugged.

"So you admit that I touched it first."

"I didnt deny that you did, I just denied that you had it first. Cause you didn't. You didn't pull it out."

"How is there a difference?"

"It wasn't in your possession."

The guy's eye twitches as he stares at her in disbelief.

She quickly turned on her heels and walked to the counter, wanting to go home and avoid this tiring situation.

But perhaps if she had stayed longer, she would've gotten a glimpse at the back of his jacket that read the word, NEKOMA, in white lettering.

[del-sol-diminutives]

Review: The World of Sylvanian Families The Official Guide

This book is relatively new; it debuted around Christmas, 2023. It’s 110 pages, hardbound, and written with children in mind, but with value for adult collectors.

You can find some sample pictures of the interior on Amazon, but I wanted to talk a bit about what they do and don’t include, so you can decide for yourself if it’s a worthwhile addition to your own collection.

The book contains a story of the origin of Sylvania, which is heartwarming and sweet, with cute illustrations. The illustrations are the only time some of the vintage families appear in the book.

It also contains a section on the families themselves, including photos of the figures, their names, and the description of each member that you would usually find on the bottom of the box.

(Please forgive this photo’s strange lighting; the weather changed while I was writing.)

The most popular families get their own page and the Chocolate rabbits actually have a two-page spread. The families included are:

the Chocolate Rabbits

the Walnut Squirrels

the Persian Cats (the Persians)

the Huskies (the Huskys)

the Fennec Foxes (the Fennecs)

the Milk Rabbits (the Periwinkles)

the Ponies (the Manelys, plus Bella Chestnut and Giselle Silver)

the Bears (this is the Petite family of bears)

the Hedgehogs (the Brambles)

the Koalas (the Outbacks)

the Highbranch Giraffes

the Penguins (the Waddles)

the Snow Rabbits

the Toy Poodles (the Cakebreads)

the Sheep (the Dales)

the Maple Cats

the Pookie Pandas

the Marshmallow Mice

the Caramel Dogs

the Midnight Cats

the Kangaroos (the Hoppers)

the Yellow Labradors (the Fentons)

the Red Deer (the Buckleys)

the Reindeer (the Snowdrifts)

the Tuxedo Cats (the Marlowes)

the Bubblebrook Elephants

the Goats (the Brightfields)

and the Splashy Otters

The older brothers and sisters have their own page called “In The Town”, separate from the families. Interestingly, this includes Lionel Grand, who I hadn’t considered to be an older sibling. I might have to check his figure now.

The book also includes maps of Sylvanian Village, Sylvania Town, Seabreeze Cape, and Sylvanian Land, the amusement park for the babies. I think this is a fine bit of inspiration for designing your own layouts.

The book also includes descriptions of the seasons and Sylvanian holidays, including both Christmas and Easter.

In the back is a short timeline of Sylvanian Families history.

It is necessarily incomplete, given the target audience and the amount they’d probably have to pack into a book if they weren’t being general. Unfortunately it does not contain the full information on each of the various families and when they were released. There is definitely still room for a collector’s book for adults that includes information on the vintage families and sets.

Finally, the last page in the book is a delightful encapsulation of Sylvanian Families values.

I think this is a wonderful addition and a perfect capstone to the book, and I am very happy with owning it. I do hope that someday there will be a book for adult collectors, with the same kind of aesthetic, but with the full details we would love to have.

[stargazeraldroth]

Cookie Run OCs: Beast Cookies

I literally cannot stop thinking about these little abominations that invaded my head one day and have refused to leave me be ever since. So, rather than suffering in absolute silence (and continuously subjecting Lix to my nonsensical ramblings), I've decided to make a little summary/introduction post to yap about these little lads.

As always, feel free to send any questions into my inbox. Honestly, I am VERY nervous to post this stuff. Not because I think they're bad or anything, but because I'm just nervous to share my stuff and put myself out there.

Also, please note that the quotes I included are experimental. To test how the Cookies might talk.

~Crystalline Water Cookie~

Type: Ambush. Position: Middle. Pronouns: She/Her. Virtue: Justice. Successor: Sea Fairy Cookie receives her authority over water, but her Soul Jam/Virtue has no successor. Status: Deceased. Inspiration: Focalors/Furina (Genshin Impact).

The Cookie imbued with the Virtue of Justice, commonly referred to as the Lady of the Waters. She is one of the only two Virtues who did not fall to corruption, and was the second to perish. She assisted the Witches in imprisoning the other Beast Cookies and, following her discovery of Beast-Yeast's corrupted Life Energy and consultation with Millennial Tree Cookie, sacrificed both her Life Powder and her Virtue to remove the impurities created by her old companions. She is the creator of Sea Fairy Cookie, who she transferred her authority over all bodies of water to and dubbed the new guardian.

She's blind, and has been from her creation. In-universe, this is where the saying of "justice is blind" comes from. However, she does have the ability to see Cookies' souls with the power of her Virtue, which allows her to see through lies and deception.

Her Soul Jam takes the form of an azure droplet, and is positioned in the middle of her chest.

Her body is buried at the bottom of the Silver Tree, and the roots grew around it.

Although she's long deceased and doesn't make a proper appearance, she would have several cameos across Beast-Yeast-related portions of the story. She would be especially prominent during the section for Shadow Milk Cookie.

"From the moment I was baked, I have walked a fine line between right and wrong. I have seen many evil deeds and have faced many villains. I never thought... I would see my own friends as my enemies."

~Abundant Butter Cookie~

Type: N/A. Position: N/A. Pronouns: She/Her. Virtue: Compassion. Successor: Frosted Sugar Cookie (reincarnation). Status: Deceased. Inspiration: First Grain Cookie (Witch's Castle).

The Cookie imbued with the Virtue of Compassion, commonly referred to as the Guardian of the Fields. She is one of the only two Virtues who did not fall to corruption, and was the first to perish. She was the first to take a stand against the other Beasts for their acts of villainy and, after a fierce battle that lasted for many days, ended up crumbling at their hands. An act that, although accidental, set them apart from Crystalline Water Cookie forever. Her physical form crumbled away, but her Life Powder- and her Virtue- eventually found their way to the gentle embrace of the Sugar Swan.

Although Frosted Sugar Cookie is her reincarnation, she does not have any of Abundant Butter Cookie's memories, and the two should be treated as separate individuals. (Also, as an aside, Frosted Sugar Cookie is NOT considered an Ancient Hero)

Her Soul Jam takes the form of a golden sphere, which vaguely resembles the shape of an apple. It's positioned atop her head, fixed to a crown-like headpiece.

She's a supporter, not a fighter herself. While she is capable of holding her own, this is a large part of why she was ultimately crumbled by the others.

If she were to (hypothetically) be playable, she would most likely be of the Healing type. The reason she lacks that information is because Frosted Sugar Cookie, being her reincarnation and harboring her Virtue, would essentially fill the playable role for her.

"The land's resources should be shared amongst everyone! If we live as a community, we should be willing to help those in need! Come, come- let us prepare a hearty, satisfying feast for when the others arrive!"

~Resplendent Oil Cookie~

Type: Support. Position: Rear. Pronouns: They/Them. Virtue: Beauty. Successor: Candied Pecan Cookie. Status: Alive. Inspiration: Black Sugar Swan Cookie (Ovenbreak).

The Cookie imbued with the Virtue of Beauty, commonly referred to as the Jewel of True Beauty. Once upon a time, when the world of Earthbread was still young, they could find beauty and value in anyone or anything. But as time went on, the imperfections of Cookiekind became clear to them, and they grew disdainful and judgemental. After all, why should the embodiment of Beauty have to find the value of such feeble Cookies? A world where beauty prevails is a world where the hideous cannot persist, and all that is deemed filthy or ugly will be eradicated.

Following their imprisonment, their Virtue of Beauty was split into two. They wield the Light of Vanity, the counterpart to their successor's Light of Acceptance.

Their Soul Jam takes the form of a green oval on their stomach.

They were one of the last Beast Cookies to become corrupted.

As of right now, they're the least developed of the four.

"Why should I look for pieces of beauty in others when I can see complete beauty in my own reflection? If Cookies want me to gaze upon them, they should work on meeting my standards."

~Aromatic Extract Cookie~

Type: Ranged. Position: Rear. Pronouns: He/Him. Virtue: Creativity. Successor: Maple Honey Cookie. Status: Alive. Inspiration: Strawberry Crepe Cookie (Kingdom), Alice (Alice in Wonderland; also, "I Only Paint in Red Now" by Lydia the Bard)

The Cookie imbued with the Virtue of Creativity, commonly referred to as the Champion of the Arts. Gifted with a vivid imagination and a natural talent for creation, he was the inventor of many of Cookiekind's fundamental pieces of technology. He showed Cookies how to tap into their creative side and bring their ideas to fruition. Alas, it would only be so long before he began to experiment with less noble ideas, regardless of the disasters left behind by his handiwork. For one's creativity to truly flourish, they must free themself from the binds of reality.

Following his imprisonment, his Virtue of Creativity was split into two. He wields the Light of Exhaustion, the counterpart to his successor's Light of Innovation.

His Soul Jam takes the form of a black octagon, which is embedded in his forehead.

He was one of the first Beast Cookies to become corrupted.

He is the most drastically different from his initial concept, where he wielded the Light of Perfection.

"Oh, this next idea is gonna be so much fun! The possibilities are nearly endless! Endless, I tell you! ... Eh? What's that? We're running low on resources already!? Then we'll just have to pay some of our dear 'friends' a visit! I need those materials more than those short-lived wastes of dough!"

~Afterword~

Since these are, obviously, OCs and would have a significant impact on the lore, it's safe to say that many of the canon characters are also different in this universe because of their existence. For starters, Shadow Milk Cookie is the most dramatically different as of right now. Eternal Sugar Cookie is a close second, but due to the very limited information we have regarding her character, all that I have for her is largely speculation and derived from fanmade content.

Coming up with the Virtues, and then splitting them into positive and negative qualities, was the hardest part of this process. That's a big part of why I decided to do something different with the Virtue of Justice and the Virtue of Compassion; it just made it more convenient for me to... not have to worry about the corruption aspect. But before I got to the Virtues, deciding what standard baking ingredients I wanted to use was a hassle on its own. That brings me to my next point, which is an honorable mention to a Beast Cookie OC who did not make the cut.

Nocturnal Molasses Cookie, the Virtue of Determination. He didn't make it very far in his development, primarily because I simply didn't want to deal with 5 Beast Cookie OCs as opposed to 4, and also because his character was giving me SO much trouble during conceptualization. However, his intended successor, Ghost Mushroom Cookie, has a very good chance of being kept. And that's not to say that Nocturnal Molasses is getting scrapped entirely- he may get recycled into a new character, one that isn't a Beast Cookie. But for right now, he's just... nonexistent. He exists in my heart but not in my lore.

ANYWAY, if you made it all the way to the end of this, thank you for taking the time to read about my sillies!!! Honestly, I have so many Cookie Run OCs (probably too many), but my Beast Cookie OCs are very special to me. I care more about them than I do my Ancient Hero OCs, who I honestly kinda made only out of the obligation to have successors for the Beasts' Soul Jams.

So, I guess this is it for now. Like I said in the beginning, feel free to pop into my inbox with any questions to have about these sillies (or perhaps my other ocs)!!!!

[bluegekk0]

How big is the Vyrm household? I’d imagine it’s quite Considering how big the family has gotten I’d assume it has went through some of vyrms renovations as the years passed and several rooms have been added. Like does hornet have her own room or does she share it with holly for example? Idk if you got plans to look into this in further detail like home design and all that since that’s obv not the point of the AU but from what we’ve seen from some artwork it does look quite cozy and I’m just curious about the home.

I had some rough plans of the house made on one of those house planner websites and I tried to make their house in Minecraft, but it took way more effort than anticipated. I might still return to it, but right now I'm considering doing something similar in The Sims 4, since it has a much more efficient build mode for house plans.

But since this ask has been in the inbox for so long I might as well share some written details of what I have in mind (which may change once I get to actually create it visually)

The outside of the house would be very similar to the general architectural style of Dirtmouth for the AU, which I envision to be a mix of the canon dome-like huts and a lot of elements inspired by medieval Scandinavian architecture or similar styles. Relatively simple, made of logs and stone, with strong roofs adapted for snowfall.

The Vyrm family house in particular would be one of the largest in Dirtmouth. The ground floor can be accessed from three points: the main entrance which connects to the rest of the town, the back door which leads to the garden, and Vyrm's shop and his workshop which connect to the house. The floor consists on one large room separated by archways into smaller sections. The main one is the living room area, with a fireplace and places to sit and relax. The kitchen and dining area connect to it with archways. The exact details on where everything is located is up to change, I only have a few pictures of the recreation in Minecraft to give a general idea of how it looks (it excludes the fireplace and the separate dining area since I never ended up making them)

I also want there to be an entrance to the basement, though I haven't decided where it would be placed yet. Next to the living room there is a door leading to Vyrm's workshop, which then connects to the shop part with an additional door. The little hallway between the main floor and the workshop is used as storage.

(the door to the shop is in the back of the last pic, though I never ended up building it)

There is also a small bathroom on this floor, which includes everything you'd expect from a bathroom, but the one on the bottom floor has a shower as opposed to the second bathroom on the upper floor.

Before I get to the upper floor, I can't forget about the two symmetrical rooms near the staircase. They belong to Hornet and Holly respectively, and are roughly the same in size (though Hornet's room is a lot more messy so it looks smaller on the inside). Next to Holly's room there is the door to the back garden.

The staircase leads to the upper floor, which is where the remaining bedrooms are. The biggest of them belongs to Vyrm and Grimm, and it has an entrance to the balcony. Three smaller rooms on this floor are intended to be bedrooms, but for now only one is in use: this is the shared room for Lewk and the twins. The other two rooms are currently serving the purpose of storage rooms, but in the future they will most likely become Asta and Milo's bedrooms. There is also a second bathroom here, this one has a bathtub. It's placed directly above the ground floor bathroom as the water pipes were simply extended upwards.

So as you can see from the Minecraft pics, the house is still cozy inside, but the number of rooms makes it look really big on the outside. I don't think it will be expanded much in the future, if Grimm and Vyrm ever decide to have more children, the grown up ones (especially Hornet and Holly) would most likely have already moved out by then (I quite like the idea of them building their own houses nearby, so you'd have a whole little section of Dirtmouth where the family lives haha)

Again, things are very likely to change, but this is the general idea that I'm going with for now.

[vvivacious101]

Mere liye pyaar ka matlab ho tum!

Radhe & Tamanna from Bandish Bandits

Let's talk about this viral moment from season 2 episode 7 of Bandish Bandits befittingly titled "Bandish Bandits".

I NEED to talk about this moment because god, do people have opinions on it.

But first a little background, I saw this video on youtube and it immediately intrigued me. I quickly discovered the show it was from and started to binge the whole series. I binged all ten episodes of season 1 on 31st January well into the night and then repeated the experience for season 2 on 1st February and have been very unwell ever since.

I was looking forward to finding a fandom for this show and talking about it but I haven't really found the stuff I was looking for so here's my attempt to fill that gap.

Even though I definitely want to give my opinions on the Jugalbandi moment that has the YouTube comments section on any video referencing this moment to be full of hate for Tamanna, first I have to establish my thoughts on this relationship because nothing I think about this moment makes sense if you don't know how I see these two.

Radhe & Tamanna

I am quickly realising that I will have to delve into season 1 to properly set up how the events of season 2 unfold. We might be here for a while, get comfortable.

I think we should just establish this that I am ride or die for this couple and I will not accept any ending as happy unless it has them together. Period.

Also, kudos to the costume designers on this show because never has a couple from such different backgrounds looked so visually like they belong to different worlds. When these two come together it satisfies my soul because it feels like a blend of worlds that lives inside me. Radhe is always dressed in a very stereotypical small-town Indian boy look while Tamanna is effortlessly modern you know she can be anywhere in the world and still fit in. The fact that this show has me convinced that they belong with each other despite how every time they appear on screen it couldn't be more obvious how different they are is a testament to how good it is.

So in season one, Radhe and Tamanna come together to collab on a song, during the process of which they fall in love. The song known as 'Phas Gaye (Sajan Bin)' in-universe is a hit but it is very difficult to ignore how vastly talented Radhe is compared to Tamanna which starts to sow seeds of discord between them as Tamanna's fans increasingly seem to favour Radhe.

Even as work on their second song begins, JP the production company/label Tamanna is signed to attempts to sideline her in favour of Radhe before the release of their second collab as is evident from the tagline of the 'Bandish Bandits' poster they create - Masked Man feat. Tamanna Sharma.

The second song '#CoupleGoals' is another hit and with it comes the worst blow to Tamanna's already shattered ego, Queen Eli loves the song and wants to collaborate with Radhe, not Tamanna. In a last-ditch effort, a live concert is proposed to show off Tamanna's skills but Radhe increasingly entrapped by his family's musical legacy and his grandfather's demands can't make it. This along with Tamanna discovering how her mother was the reason JP (her production company/label) signed her in the first place leaves Tamanna absolutely devastated. She decides she needs to start from scratch and she needs to leave Radhe behind to do that.

That's a wrap on season 1

I read an idiotic opinion on Reddit that said that Bandish Bandits was intended to only be a season-long and I was intensely furious at the blatant misogyny of that thought. Though given how rampant misogyny is I don't think even the author of that opinion realised that their statement was in fact misogynistic because season 1 ends on a high for Radhe he achieves his goal but look at the story from Tamanna's POV she is at rock bottom surely that's not her story.

And am I glad that TV shows and films in India don't like to leave couples separated because this definitely isn't the end of Tamanna & Radhe. Season 1 literally ends with Radhe being conferred gifts on attaining the title of 'Sangeet Samrat' but having eyes only for Tamanna as she walks away.

Tamanna's toxic realtionship

So, I'm going to be honest and admit that every time Tamanna referred to her relationship with Radhe as toxic, I interpreted it as hyperbole.

I WAS VERY VERY WRONG!

Before I wrote this post, I came across this post and what I found interesting was how the author of that post interpreted Tamanna's toxic relationship, it made me realise that Tamanna might be a little right.

I WAS STILL WAY OFF COURSE.

To write this post I skimmed through season 1 and realised that Tamanna is RIGHT. Her relationship with Radhe is toxic just because they both still love each other doesn't negate how toxic the relationship was.

Because I just realised that Tamanna left that relationship completely devastated with no self-esteem at all and Radhe does that. Some of it was because of the music but a lot of it wasn't. Radhe often abandons Tamanna to focus on his family's crises and he isn't wrong but it constantly leads Tamanna to be priority two in Radhe's life and it would be fine if on occasion when she needed it she would be Radhe's top priority but that wasn't the case.

He gets engaged to another girl while leading Tamanna on, multiple times belittles Tamanna for her mediocrity and to top it all off he should have shown up for the concert but he didn't.

She isn't wrong when she says this relationship is toxic because it is for her. Instead of this relationship building her up, it completely dismantles her, while Radhe gains so much. He gets a platform to showcase his music that he could have never accomplished on his own, which helps him immensely when it comes to cashing it all to help his family's dwindling finances and all the while, Tamanna is so supportive of him and his musical journey. There is a moment in season 1 when Arghya tells Radhe that Tamanna loves Radhe so much that she won't ask for his help even when she is drowning because she knows how much the Sangeet Samrat means to him and that says it all.

When season 2 starts Tamanna and Radhe are very broken up. I feel like people forget this and the first time they meet Radhe is very rude to her. He does apologise for it later but at this point it's practically his MO.

Meanwhile, Tamanna is always going out of her way to help Radhe, she doesn't want Radhe to get replaced in the music video of 'Phas Gaye' even though he was engaged to someone for most of their relationship and didn't even tell her because she knew he needed the money and then again in season 2, when she picks up on the plagiarism and gets it reported because she knows it might help Radhe (she knows this because that is exactly what she tells Arghya).

Fuck, I might have to admit that I have just created doubts in my mind about Tamanna and Radhe.

How about we continue this in Part Two? I need to think!

Part One I Part Two I Part Three I Part Four I Conclusion

[filth-burps-writing]

Pigs Banquet part two ; the maid costume

⚠️⚠️Don’t read this section if your triggered by bullying or by feminine things being used as a punishment⚠️⚠️

It was the week after the hangover and the fateful origin of his new nickname and Arlo felt great. It was 11:30am, the earliest he’d woken up in years. In between a breakfast in bed, consisting of sheet cake and red bull, his T-shot last night and his evil plan he felt powerful . He climbed onto his paramour and awoke her with a hearty belch in the face. “Hmm morning Arlo”. “ morning my sweet. It’s plan day!” “Plan day?”. Mercy was just as excited for the plan as Arlo. Less because she shared the seething resentment for Reginald but because of what the plan was. She slipped her clothes on as Arlo buttoned up his shirt. His heaving gut needed to packed into his jeans even after he had sized up recently. Mercy swooned. Her boyfriend’s expanding gut had increasingly become the topic of her thoughts.

Arlo and mercy strode into work with their tools of destruction in hand. The meeting went a lot faster thinking about how funny their prank was. And how much Reginald would hate it. Eventually the meeting broke up and Arlo and Mercy went to their separate locations to execute their scheme; Mercy around a corner with her phone hidden and propped up in her cleavage and Arlo by the walk-in freezer. Reginald had one creepy but very helpful quirk; during each shift after the meeting he would go to the walk-in, strip naked and sit there for a full ten minutes and close his eyes. Was he napping? Praying? No one knew. But right now all Arlo had to do was wait. Two minutes. Four minutes. Six minutes. He had to wait for Reginald to become enraptured in whatever he was doing. Eight minutes. It was time.

Arlo slipped through the door. Then he carefully padded across the room and gathered Reginald’s clothes. Then he left the clothes for Reginald that were the subject of the prank; a black dress, a white apron, fishnet stockings and black shoes. No underwear. He slipped out unnoticed. Then he went out and got busy with the dish tray. Two and half minutes later a loud yelp could be heard through the whole restaurant. Then there was hushed conversation and Ronald came out the kitchen smirking. Trailing behind him, Reginald came out in the outfit. A maid costume. He looked like he wanted to jump out the building. He was blushing violently. It was kind of cute. Mercy came out, snapping pictures. The staff looked on, collapsing with laughter. Reginald walked toward the bar and sat crossed legged on the stool to cover himself. Arlo looked. Oh my god. He was sat like a girl!

Arlo stood in front of him, smirking. Was this how having a dick felt? If so he should definitely get bottom surgery. Then he opened his mouth “hello Reginald. For the past two and a half years you have blurred the line in between bully and flirt. I’m not mad at that. You have been deeply pretentious and treated me like I’m stupid. I’m not mad at that. You have been all around unpleasant to be around. I’m not mad at that. I’ve excused a lot over the years because we all make fun of each other and it did make me a little horny. But you crossed a line. You were transphobic. You have seen me struggle. You helped me administer my T-shot. You knew how that nickname would make me feel. But you still made the cheap shot when I felt weak. So I made a cheap shot. Cis man in a dress. Classic comedy. So now everyone’s laughing. And you feel my pain.” Reginald absorbed the monologue sheepishly. He knew he deserved this. Arlo completed his rant with the deepest, loudest, beefiest, most masculine belch he could muster. Reginald slumped against his chair defeated.

All of the staff took prolonged glances throughout their shift. The costume got increasingly tight and stained as Reginald chugged down whiskey and cokes in between patrons but that only made the leering guests hornier and therefore Reginald much more uncomfortable. This was officially Arlo’s favourite ever shift. Every time he went over to the bar he grinned. The chest was so tight after a while it looked like he had breasts. Arlo didn’t bring it up. He was the better man.

That night after his shift Arlo found Reginald in the smoking area with his regular clothes back on. “So Mercy gave you your clothes”. “I nabbed them when she went to go pee I just didn’t have time to change. Bbbuuuuuuurrrppp. You wanna know something shitty?” “What.” “I made an extra hundred dollars in tips.” Arlo farted and cackled as he opened his cigarettes and lit one. “Wait really?” “Yes. I’m going to get you know.” “It would be more misgendering if you didn’t.” They smoked in silence as their changed dynamic hung in the air.

[styrmwb]

I beat Persona 5 Royal

aaaaaaa AAAAAAAA a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a

a

Knocking another game off the list of games I should have played a long time ago, and this one is just... so so so so good. Ever since I booted it up I was absolutely absorbed into the game the entire way through. I don't think I really had Persona in my sight until Joker was announced for Smash a while back, and then this game was always like "I really need to at least interact with it like I have every other character in Smash", but that obviously took a while. I am glad I waited though, cause from what I've heard, Royal is just objectively the better experience. For what is my first entry into the series, it completely hooked me and I am in for the rest (and also SMT but that's later)

Gameplay

Turn! Based! RPG! Of course I'm gonna fucking like it I love turn based RPGs. But like actual shit, there's two aspects to this game and I love them both.

Battling/Hanging out in the Metaverse is very fun. All turn based needs to really pop off in the modern day is fun options, and I feel as though I am given that. Baton passing alone is all I really needed, as it makes me think of the optimal order to take down each enemy for the best result. I absolutely loved the magical elements used. Like yeah you got the classic Fire, Ice, Wind, Electricity, but then you also got fucking Psy, Bless, Curse, and my new favorite of all time Nuke???? I love Nuke so much it's such a cool concept! They each have like, their own unmentioned counters/duos which is super cool! Also Almighty goes incredibly hard. Then you add on the buffs and debuffs. I FREQUENTLY used all of them and felt like they were critical to fights which is awesome. Combine these two for technicals, certain statuses making a weakness when hit with certain elements, it's just such a joy and it makes battles where I can actively use all of these something I look forward to (and then when you have a stupid bullshit fight and your name is Okumura, I hate you forever and I'm going to date your daughter in revenge, FUCK that fight eternally it was the only boss I actively disliked).

The other half of the game is your slice of life student simulator. The other half of the game is also like crack, and I swear they put demons in the game cause something would possess me whenever I got to roam the world. Despite the limited clock, I relished managing my time. I loved thinking of who to spend my time with, when to focus on skills rather than confidants, how to optimize my Mementos trips, knocking out an entire Palace all at once so I could have maximum time for the rest of the month, it was so addictive! It really came to a head in the Royal Third Semester section where I literally created saves and calculated if I had enough time to do everything I wanted to, and finished it on Literally the last free day. Also, when like 75% of your game is writing, it helps when the writing is good, and I absolutely loved reading everything, but maybe I'll talk about that more later.

Last bit that I'm gonna expand on why I love more later, but I was NOT expecting this game to be a monster collector. Regardless, I loved the flow of collecting new guys, then seeing what I could fuse together to obtain.

Characters

I! Love! This! Cast! I love them to the bottom of my heart! The best way to make me love an RPG is by making me care about the core group to the bottom of my heart and I do. When I write these, I mean the tag of game ramblings literally cause this is all just stream of thought, so I have a feeling this is gonna be the longest section. Sorry in advance.

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts is a name that goes incredibly hard (and I wish they didn't make me name the group separately cause I just stuck with the default anyways (I'm a default daniel)), and a group that I hope keeps their group chat open for the rest of their lives and is always friends.

Ryuji is my fucking BOY. I don't care if he's an idiot and needs to keep his damn mouth shut sometimes, I'm ride or die with that dude for life. I thought his backstory as a former track star now dealing with his physical disability and ruined record was really interesting, and added an extra layer to the usual delinquent + stupid best friend energy. In battles, I would bring him in when I needed to smash shit, cause he does that Very well. Captain Kidd is a sick design and namesake, and I really wish I could have kept the basic design.

Morgana :) kitty (despite what he says). I'll admit, he's not my Favorite of the bunch (this does not mean he is bad! B tier is still good, but it is ultimately below A and S!) as his bits of I'm NOT A CAT and Lady Ann~ didn't really hit it for me, and I didn't usually use him in battles, as Joker tended to take over the wind damage role (although I always used him for healing outside, or in harder battles), but I cannot deny that he's a very good companion. It was nice to have your little buddy always by your side. He's with you when you're playing games. He's cheering you on while you eat a big burger. He lays on top of you at night like a cat is best at doing and he confides his secrets in you. I get why he had his moment of weakness and insecurity, but if that was me in there, I'd be giving Morgana as much love and appreciation as I could.

Ann is so strong, both story wise and game wise. Seeing her rise up against the constant bullshit she has to deal with, from the teacher, her best friend's struggles, and other models, was inspiring, and I rooted for her constantly. I essentially always had her in battle, with the magic SP usage down passive, her fire damage being usually relevant, and her buffs/debuffs being Very useful. Ann was the goat in the whole playthrough. I almost chose her as the romance but sadly I held out and was rewarded for doing so. Also, her third awakening Persona SLAPS

Yusuke is... probably my least favorite member of the group. Again, not bad. Not hated. Just least favorite. I rarely ever used him in battle, but his up to evasion did very much come in clutch. I couldn't really mesh with his love for the arts, but that's mainly on me over the actual writing of the character I think. I did, however, really appreciate the fact that he was clearly struggling in life and had a group to back him up. I also quite enjoyed his literal starving artist shtick. Poor guy, let him eat the sushi and have more than sugar water and slice of toast for dinner.

Makoto is amazing. Such a sudden turn around from stuck up student president to the MVP of the group. Her design is so cool, I loved the biker aesthetic, the fist weapons, the fucking motorcycle! Her role as someone to bring thoughts and logic to the group, as well as the connection to an "antagonist" with her relation to Sae was very needed. I wish her confidant storyline focused a little more on her, but that's ok. The girl's an absolute badass, and a joy to have in the group. She was another essential part of the team, usually being my team buffer, but also nuke damage is goated (again it's like, my favorite element in this game). Plus both of her showtimes are amazing lmao

Futaba is my little sister, and deserves a hug. Her palace is absolutely heartbreaking, and it is something that makes me so so glad to see what happens to her afterward. Seeing her grow from a severely traumatized teen wanting to die to someone that enjoys and loves life and her friends makes me so happy. She didn't deserve ANYTHING that happened to her. Gameplay wise, once I started to get her levels up and max her confidant, she absolutely came in clutch, and somehow always consistently gave me whatever support I needed. I also quite enjoyed her constant nerd references that came really close to lawsuits (she straight up said gym leader)

Haru :) <3 I love Haru. The moment I saw her, acting like a dramatic masked hero, and then she fuckin pulls out an axe and grenade launcher, it was over. I've seen a lot of people lamenting her screen time, and while I do wish she got more, it certainly didn't stop me from enjoying her character (although maybe Royal helps that?). She's sweet, silly, caring, soft, and somehow brutal. Like Kirby in human form. I feel like she really got it rough out of the party, her dad getting assassinated, and still having to deal with the burdens of a company, but she still made it through. She's the best. Gameplay, I feel like she very much came in clutch with her Psy affinity constantly comboing for technicals, and her reflect spells protecting Joker from dying. Fuck you Okumura and the stupid fiancee you picked I'M GONNA GIVE HARU THE BEST LIFE EVER TO SPITE YOU

Akechi is interesting. The moment I see this fucker, my brain connects him to Light from Death Note. I'm constantly waiting for him to hit his villain arc. Then he joins the party, and I'm surprised! Oh shit, that's the second big rpg I've played this year that has a surprise party member I didn't know about! How cool :) Then pancakes happen, and I realize the game sucker punched me into forgetting that THE DUDE WAS SUS AS FUCK FROM THE START THE BASTARD! I really enjoyed him in the third semester though. Completely dropping the act, and powering through full of anger and spite regardless of his inevitable fate. Akechi is a cool character. I didn't use him much in battle, but he was great for big physical/gun numbers. Also Loki is a sick ass Persona.

Then the last member, Sumire. i do feel like she felt... a little forced in? Like I could definitely tell she was extra Royal content. I wish she had more scenes with the group, and longer playability. Regardless though, I still enjoyed her character. A story of someone dealing with self-esteem and aspirations of death really hits close to home, and I loved seeing her accept herself, still walk forward in life, and thrive, finding a group she belongs in. I can't say much gameplay wise cause she just wasn't there for long, but her big physical moves were very appreciated in the final battle.

Now everyone else. The other confidants were very enjoyable. Sojiro is like, EASILY the best one out of the whole group. He's my actual literal dad, and I wish Joker could have stayed with him cause fuck his real parents, if no one got me I know Sojiro got me! I also really enjoyed Iwai I'm just a sucker for dad type characters. While I don't really fuck with the whole maid-master shit, I did still really like Kawakami too. The only one I didn't really care for was Ohya. I just like... couldn't lock in with her or her story line (we love Lala though!) Everyone else, even Shinya, I wanted to see through their story, and was excited for each bit I got. (Shoutouts to Yoshida, the ONLY good politician. This is how you can tell this is a fictional game)

The villains as I look back, aren't exactly the peak of characters compared to most of the list, but they were still enjoyable. Kamoshida was the perfect introduction, an absolute scumbag the game made sure you would hate, and someone that set the tone for me of what the rest of the game would look like. Like, once I noticed the middle name of his boss fight being one of the princes of hell, I got really excited. Madarame and Kaneshiro were fine, I more appreciated what they served narratively over their actual characters. Okumura is a piece of shit and I hate him forever (but jokes aside there was something very cathartic about a game presenting a CEO as a cartoonishly evil pile of garbage), and Shido I felt was a nice way to tie everyone together, having connections to everyone from the start. I can't really call Sae a villain per se, but I will put her here anyways. I thought her palace was super cool, and her turn from antagonist to support was appreciated. Yaldabaoth I think was a cool reveal character, and an awesome classic JRPG ending, but overall I think I appreciated Shido more.

Now since this is Royal, the real MVP is Maruki. I love this dude. I appreciated him at the start, a therapist character I feel like, isn't something super common? I loved how much it seemed like he genuinely cared about people. And that was his whole deal, even to the end. He wasn't a bad guy, he honest to god cared about people. Like yeah, he wasn't doing anything the right way, and even his outfit being like a bishop or a pope showed that he was Not there mentally, but he was such a cool character. A hurt and sad man who lost too much, wanting to prevent others from feeling the same way. I think he especially makes me appreciate how the Phantom Thieves' methods don't kill, because it gave him a semi happy ending. Now, I think I've rambled about characters long enough, but again, I did really enjoy this whole cast.

Story

I think the fact that I played this game at this time in my life rather than when it came out is nothing but a benefit, because the story of a group of people hurt by society fighting back against the shitheads and taking down the corrupt really hits different (although it does have a bit of an FFVII effect where the mass popularity and marketing of the game kinda goes against the original message, I can't help but think of the possible Okumura or Kaneshiro in the background). But regardless. I was locked in the whole way through. Most of my love for the writing of this game comes with the characters and their interactions and stories, but that major theming of rebellion, fighting for the people, just sits well in my heart.

Like I mentioned before, this was my first Persona game. It also feels weird to like, Say this, but I am a big fan of Jojo as well, Part 4 being my favorite. Persona hits that same itch, that slice of life setting, a group of high schoolers having fun, enjoying their life, but also fighting against the people harming their city and way of life. It's like, a venn diagram that's a circle (I've heard 4 is even more similar and I'm looking forward to playing that next).

The writing felt very modern, like whoever was behind it was in tune with what they were portraying. The dialogue, the subjects, things that felt real, even if they were caricatured or something like that, I could see that this was a real world, and I really appreciated that.

The Look. The Vibe.

Holy fuck this game is aesthetic incarnate. The style imbued into every single pixel; the menus, the transitions, the bits where the model of like Joker, or Iwai, or Takemi moving around; the ransom letter aesthetic with the flat colors and everything MY GOD it's such a good looking game!

The music is an essential part of this as well. There's a joke I've seen occasionally (it might just be exclusive to a community I'm in but I could be wrong) that Persona 5 invented jazz, and I'd believe it honestly. The soundtrack feels like, perfect background music. It's usually not the Highlight of the scene (save for any vocal track stealing the show), but it's ALWAYS the enhancer of any moment. I can feel the stress of battle, I can feel the chill vibes of a rainy day, I get hyped when we're stealing a treasure, etc.

This game is an A+ class example of style, making any activity you're doing enjoyable.

Hoo Boy.

I mean. Fuck. I don't think I've felt this entranced by a game in a good while. VII Rebirth was up there for sure, but something about Persona just felt addicting.

Something I really really really loved about this game that I couldn't quite fit anywhere else, but makes me super excited to check out the rest of the series, is the usage of mythology. Mythology is sick as fuck. But what really got me hooked, is how EVERY sort of mythology was used. You got your classic Greek and Egyptian. You have plenty of Japanese Yokai, but then you also have gods and monsters from like... things that people still actively worship??? From religions that are in my head as "religion" and not "mythology". Seeing angels and demons from Abrahamic religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and even seeing some old Zoroastrianism in there? Also like, to bring it back to the start, using mythical creatures from everywhere! I saw European monsters, Celtic creatures, American cryptids, the whole thing was so cool! This alone is a huge part of what made me addicted to this game. I wanted to keep seeing just where they would pull inspiration from, and I was constantly surprised and overjoyed, reading the backgrounds for everything, and going to look up where some of them came from, trying to guess what else would be next. I genuinely cannot wait to play more Persona and later Shin Megami Tensei to get more of this kind of stuff, but also I think I need to take a break so I don't get burned out hahaha

I loved my time playing this game. I can see why it's so loved. Sure, there were a couple things that I wish hit my heart or I connected to a little more, but overall I am very satisfied with my experience.

9.7/10. Great characters, great concept, amazing style and super cool inspiration. Some things just needed a little extra to really hit home for me for a perfect 10, but still an experience that will stick with me.

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 220 Trivia

The chapter cover is a redraw of Ryusui on the final pages, I thought it was a neat detail!

The rocket's various part's functions are a little clearer in the model: the top section is similar to the Soyuz capsules shown throughout the story, with visible shielding and hatch that probably closes when it's not attached to the rest of the satellite.

The bottom two sections are most likely the lunar lander, and the middle two sections are the main part of the satellite holding the bulk of the communication gear and supplies.

This is an approximate flashback to chapter 150 when Stanley first attacks the KoS. The panels exist, but the words are said in separate panels by Ukyo and Kohaku.

Very simplified medusa-shaped aliens and circular petri-beams! This game seems a lot easier to program compared to the flight simulator.

Historically, they've been rushing to their deaths and then relying on the power of petrification to bring them back. This has been happening since chapter 10.

For Chrome's sake, I hope it was filled with water for the demonstration. Getting revival fluid/nital on your skin is a baaad idea since it's highly corrosive, among other things.

I'm happy they have the devices now, but I feel like the creator should have been Chrome…

Neat how Joel's revival fluid watch has the same font and hour/minute hand design as his outfit! Was this a collaboration with Yuzuriha, or did he just really like the clothing he was given?

Unlike modern net launchers, this one fires like a rocket launcher, with a bullet that splits apart to expose the net. This is probably because net will be destroyed in the explosion (thus not reusable), and packing both a net and grenades together properly is delicate work.

You can clearly see the outer protective layer of the medusa is separate from the delicate inner workings here.

I'm sure Matsukaze would have appreciated having the grenade-laden net launcher back in his time.

You can see how steady each shooter is: Ryusui is perfectly still thanks to his previous practice, Kohaku's hand is the only part of her moving, and Senku is shaking all over.

Kohaku is a natural, managing to nick the medusa with her bullet but doesn't destroy it. This is to be expected with her physical prowess and moving-target training from fishing without a pole.

Senku, on the other hand, completely misses.*

By the way, guns do work in space. Bullets contain their own oxidizer, which means they don't need oxygen from the atmosphere to ignite.

A bigger problem may be the effect of heat (or lack thereof) depending on sunlight, since that'll be more extreme without an atmosphere.

A reminder that the Ishigami villagers do in fact wear underclothes.

Where else would Chrome have gotten his white flag from?

Stanley was still clothed last we saw him (at least partially)… Why'd they strip him and leave him for the plants to take over!? Surely there was a better option here.

I'm assuming the next chapter will be mostly about Stanley and/or his reaction to the situation (his childhood friend is now several years older than him!)… I'm quite excited :) (*I realized when rewriting this that the direction the bullets are going is unclear, and Senku may have been the one to nick the medusa)

[kscosplaycatalog]

No. 19 - 2013

Character: Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear Series: Tales of the Abyss by Bandai-Namco

Cosplayer Credits: - Luke : My brother

Photog Credits: - Middle pic: Keishi Cosplay Photography

==========

This is another costume done mostly for my brother (I also made his Luke fon Fabre pictured here). I was supposed to wear this costume to ShadoCon in 2012, but my dad died and I put a lot of stuff on hold. I ended up debuting it the following year at MetroCon. First and last time I ever con-crunched. 😂

==========

I used my Belgium wig for this costume, (but I did get a new one at some point) and made her headband in the same way I make Belgium's as well (cardboard, craft wire, fabric, fabric glue, staples, and hairpins).

Her under shirt is a modified pattern of Simplicity's 4059. The top dress is a VERY heavily modified pattern of Simplicity's 4014; I used two different fabrics for each section needed and added the button-down section in the front that loops around separately with a handmade pattern. It is a very complicated procedure that I really wouldn't recommend to anyone prone to ripping their hair out. Those front buttons do nothing to keep the dress closed, by the way--that's a job for the hooks and eyes I sewed in.

Ruffles for both the neck and shoulders were sewn separate and then on the pieces they are attached to. Front buttons were sewn into front piece before front piece was stitched into place on the top dress. All trim happened before final stitch as well. Those circle bits on the front piece... I used appliqué and made a circular pillow onto the piece, hemmed as slowly and neatly as I could, used a white pencil to mark the center hole, hemmed it ahead of time and cut it out.

The gloves and brown tights were bought, not made. Gloves from Gloves Online Inc. on Amazon; tights from We Love Colors. The cravat is actually just one, rectangular piece of hemmed fabric. I wanted it to be wispy and flowy and I didn't want to make something that would be stressful and complicated to put on. So it is one piece that I tie like a necktie only I don't pull it through, I let it hang freely and it works very well.

The thigh/boot covers were made with a handmade pattern as well. I put my leg on the fabric, out lined my leg with several inches of space (especially around the thigh area), cut and sewed to fit. For the bottom area that wraps around the foot... I made the back heel portion look like a Ո, but had the bottoms curve into to touch, and I made the front flare out a bit. The back piece has the trim and Velcro is installed on the little leg bits that attach under the arch of the boot. Brown fabric was added at the top.

The bow is her Elfin Bow and was made by my brother!

I don't remember too much about what I did for my brother here, to be honest. I don't even have many WIP pics of his coat (the thing I mostly made). I know it was mostly white broadcloth. The demon motif was black broadcloth and applique. The bias was gold poly-cotton leftover from Natsu. We used a regular T-shirt and cut to shape. He bought the pants and I just added a bit of the gold to the "pockets." I think the wig was from Arda? I know we got a different one at first, but that didn't work out the way we wanted. I really don't remember. He made his own Key of Lorelei though!

==========

Natalia: Cost: $100 Time: 36 hrs

Luke: IDK, Probably the same-ish.

[nakasumi-sims]

✩ Can you do the Miscellaneous section from the Ultimate Relationship list for Hikaru & Toshio? Thanks 😊 (or the whole list if you want! I just didn’t want to overwhelm you)

Ah I see you've chosen the characters from my main project of the last 12 years. The original brain rot that is Shuriken Souls. In that case, imma have to go with the whole list 🤣 I would've gone in game to take a sims pic but since I wanna make them better I'm just gonna go with their actual artwork and maybe some sim pics sprinkled in.

Hikaru & Toshio

🌟 Disagreements:

Who is more likely to raise their voice?

Toshio

Who threatens to leave but never actually does?

Hikaru

Who actually keeps their word and leaves?

Toshio

Who trashes the house?

Neither of them because they're above that. Plus Hikaru owns way too many priceless artifacts and valuables that he's over protective of so...

Do either of them get physical?

Hikaru might if his demonic side comes out, but he usually has it under control unless he's plastered.

How often do they argue/disagree?

Very rarely, but when it actually happens, it can be quite big. At the start of Shuriken Souls (not the prequel/Freshman Year), they're taking a break due to a fight.

Who is the first to apologise?

Depends on what the fight was about, but neither of them are going to be first if they believe they're in the right.

🌟 Sex:

Who is on top? Who is on the bottom?

They're switches

Who has the strangest desires?

Probably Toshio because he actually likes getting whipped with Hikaru's chain whip. There's definitely a non sexual desire for punishment for loving Hikaru which is also part of it, but he'd keep that to himself.

Any kinks?

Both of them are sadistic, but as above and really just with Hikaru, Toshio can be masochistic.

Specific kinks...uhhh Hikaru likes banging in front of mirrors (if it's convenient enough) so he can show off how good he's making you feel and can get the best views of you. Just a little conceited. The only thing I can really think of for both of them is they both just love loving on each other since Hikaru is more used to occasional sex with humans he doesn't give a crap about and Toshio hasn't been with anyone since his ex wife 15 years prior.

Who’s dominant in bed?

Depends on their moods, but usually Hikaru

Is head ever in the equation?

Absolutely. They be wining, dining, 69ing

If so, who is better at performing it?

Hikaru, but that's just because he has more experience being over 2,000 yrs old

Ever had sex in public?

Sorta? Public place, but it was private due to it being after hours. Their first time was in Toshio’s classroom and they did get caught in the morning. It's known as the Lab Incident (and yes it is available to read if asked because it is nsfw, but I've been told it'sa good read)

Who moans the most?

Toshio

Who leaves the most marks?

Hikaru

Who screams the loudest?

Toshio

Who is the more experienced of the two?

Hikaru

Do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’?

Both but more 'make love'

Rough or soft?

Usually softer but they have their more wild nights

How long do they usually last?

They can go for hours

Is protection used?

Toshio insists even though Hikaru

Does it ever get boring?

Nah

Where is the strangest place they’d have sex? 

Classroom after hours

🌟 Family:

Do your muses plan on having children/or have children?

Toshio has a son, Michio, from a previous marriage. He's 16 yrs old. Hikaru has no kids and doesn't want any

If so, how many children do your muses want/have?

Just one (Michio) but Hikaru never plans on doing any sort of parenting with him or actually being a stepdad if they get married. Toshio is content with just one and doesn't expect or want Hikaru to do any parenting. Toshio hasn't done much parenting in awhile and finds Michio to be self sufficient. Michio and Toshio have lived separately since Michio left for a mission and didn't return for 2 years. Hikaru didn't even know about Michio until he, Kaori, and Ryo rescued Michio and Sumiko from under a giant boulder.

Who is the favorite parent?

Toshio

Who is the authoritative parent?

Toshio

Who is more likely to allow the children to have a day off school?

Toshio, but only for special circumstances and it wouldn't be a real day off

Who lets the children indulge in sweets and junk food when the other isn’t around?

Neither

Who turns up to extra curricular activities to support their children?

Toshio used to, but either he doesn't show up now or he only shows up to judge his son's progress

Who goes to parent teacher interviews?

Toshio

Who changes the diapers?

Toshio (single dad life)

Who gets up in the middle of the night to feed the baby?

Toshio

Who spends the most time with the children?

Toshio

Who packs their lunch boxes?

Toshio. Well he hasn't for a long time, but he used to

Who gives their children ‘the talk’?

Toshio

Who cleans up after the kids?

Toshio

Who worries the most?

Toshio used to worry but not anymore

Who are the children more likely to learn their first swear word from?

Toshio

🌟 Affection:

Who likes to cuddle?

Toshio is definitely more of the cuddler. Hikaru still has some trouble getting used to it since he's not used to being intimate with someone he's in love with.

Who is the little spoon?

They take turns

Who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places?

Hikaru

Who struggles to keep their hands to themself?  

Toshio

How long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable?

Hikaru usually gets uncomfortable after a couple hours but he pushes through it to get more used to the feelings even though he does have the desire to hold onto Toshio. Toshio could either be cuddled by Hikaru or hold him for hours even if it gets uncomfortable

Who gives the most kisses?

Hikaru

What is their favourite non-sexual activity?

Slow dancing

Where is their favourite place to cuddle?

In Hikaru's living room because the couch is really comfy and the atmosphere all over is very nice. But rarely do they get to cuddle there because of Ryo and Kaori also living there. It's just best for Toshio not to be over when Ryo is home cause they despise each other and it'll cause problems

Who is more likely to playfully grope the other? 

Hikaru

How often do they get time to themselves?

Quite rarely due to Toshio being a professor with classes in multiple subjects and supervising a club and Hikaru having to deal with Ryo's shenanigans on top of attending classes at the Academy, going on missions, and having to travel for work. They usually make time when they can at night when Toshio shows up drunk or they make plans to go get drunk.

🌟 Sleeping:

Who snores?

Neither. Toshio did used to snore when he was younger, but he had to train himself to stop for reasons

If both do, who snores the loudest?

Neither

Do they share a bed or sleep separately?

They share the bed when they can, but normally sleep separately since they don't live together and live in different districts within Tamashi Tera.

If they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart?

They cozy up at the start, but Hikaru will separate from him after a couple hours, but then Toshio will end up migrating back to cuddle

Who talks in their sleep?

Neither

What do they wear to bed?

They both wear pajama sets though Hikaru's are a lot nicer fabrics

Are either of your muses insomniacs?

No they both sleep well. Very rarely, but Hikaru can get insomnia when his memories bother him. It's great for his job, but terrible for being able to recall everything vividly. He's gotten over most of it though

Can sleeping pills be found by the bedside?

Nope

Do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side?

Mostly side by side unless Toshio is getting cuddly

Who wakes up with bed hair?

Toshio. Hikaru is too perfect and having silk pillowcases helps

Who wakes up first?

Toshio

Who prepares breakfast in bed for the other?

They'd rather order in than cook, but if someone was prepping it, it would be Toshio because Hikaru is used to Ryo doing the cooking. Not that he's bad at it or anything

What is their favourite sleeping position?

Toshio likes when Hikaru lays on his chest so he can hold him close. Hikaru prefers spooning or lying on his side holding hands with a little hand caressing until he falls asleep

Who hogs the sheets?

Hikaru

Do they set an alarm each night?

Yes because Toshio has work and Hikaru has work/school

Can a television be found in their bedroom?

Hikaru has one in a separate sitting area of his room. Toshio doesn't have a tv in his room

Who has nightmares?

Hikaru

Who has ridiculous dreams?

They both do, but Hikaru's are ridiculous in the sense of wacky things that have happened in the past. Toshio’s got normally wacky dreams when he has them

Who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed? 

Neither

Who makes the bed? 

They both make their beds

What time is bed time? 

Depends what they're doing. If it's a normal night, around 11pm-12am. If they've been out, then around 4am

Any routines/rituals before bed?

Hikaru has a shower and useless skincare routine. He doesn't need it as a demon, but he just likes it. Toshio has a drink, prays, but keeps it to himself

Who’s the grumpiest when they wake up?

Hikaru because he has to deal with Ryo

🌟 Work:

Who is the busiest?

I would say Toshio is, but only by a slight margin. Hikaru is usually just about as busy.

Who rakes in the highest income?

Hikaru by a looooooong shot

Are any of your muses unemployed?

They're both employed

Who takes the most sick days?

Toshio just because he can actually get sick since he's human. He does have a good immune system from being a father and working at the Academy though so it is rare he uses a sick day for actually being sick. He'll usually use them for other reasons.

Who is more likely to turn up late to work?

Toshio

Who sucks up to their boss?

Neither of them are suck ups per se, but they'll be manipulative in their jobs if needed to get something done. Usually Hikaru has to do it more in his line of work

What are their jobs?

Toshio is a professor at Southern Temple Academy in Tamashi Tera. He has classes in most of the sciences, maths, computer science, combat, and is the advisor of the sewing club (the club was forced on him cause no one would take it)

Hikaru is a historian and works with and as a museum curator in many museums across the world. He's also an archeologist, but the reality of that is that he's just "finding" things he's hidden around the world over his centuries of travels and digs them up/finds them again once they're of value depending on the time period. Most of the antiquities he's recovered, stay in his own private collection which he keeps in multiple floors of his building and then he loans the artifacts out. He also gives talks on them and writes history books. At the same time, he attends Southern Temple Academy as a student even though he really doesn't need to, but he does it for Kaori and it has some benefits even if it's dangerous as a demon.

Who stresses the most?

They're equally stressed and bond over how much Ryo stresses them out

Do your muses enjoy or despise their careers/occupations?

They both love their jobs. The only thing Toshio hates about his job in recent years is dealing with Ryo because, like Hikaru, he doesn't need to be there so he puts in zero effort (except combat for fun) and is a nuisance.

Are your muses financially stable? 

Yes

🌟 Home:

Who does the washing?

They both do their own washing

Who takes out the trash?

They both do their own

Who does the ironing?

They both do their own. Hikaru does typically goes for dry cleaning though for most of his clothes

Who does the cooking?

Neither

Who is more likely to burn the house down just trying?

They're both competent enough not to burn the house down, but I'd say Hikaru just because Ryo might prank him or something

Who is messier? 

Toshio, but he's barely messy

Who leaves the toilet roll empty?

Neither

Who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor?

Toshio

Who forgets to flush the toilet?

Toshio

Who is the prankster around the house?

Neither, but if Toshio is over at Hikaru's and Ryo is bothering them then he might pull a prank as revenge

Who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere?

Toshio. Neither of them actually own a car though. They both can drive, but Hikaru hasn't driven in decades and Toshio doesn't really need a car in Tamashi Tera cause it's walkable and has excellent public transportation

Who mows the lawn?

Neither of them have lawns

Who answers the telephone?

Hikaru is more likely to answer

Who does the vacuuming?

Hikaru hires a cleaning service and Toshio does his own

Who does the groceries?

They each do their own

Who takes the longest to shower?

Toshio because he's often dirtier after working on his inventions

Who spends the most time in the bathroom?

Hikaru. He's gotta get his hair styled juuuust right

🌟 Miscellaneous:

Is money a problem?

For Hikaru, hell no, he's ridiculously wealthy, but unlike rich humans he uses a lot of his money for good. For Toshio, he's comfortable enough

How many cars do they own?

0

Do they own their home or do they rent?

Hikaru owns the building he, Ryo, and Kaori live in the East District as its only occupants while the rest of the space is for his collection. Toshio rents a condo in the Southern District closer to the Academy

Do they live near the coast or deep in the countryside?

Sort of coast? Tamashi Tera is its own partially man made land mass (lots of lore stuff)

Do they live in the city or in the country? 

City

Do they enjoy their surroundings?

They do. It's really one of the only nice places left even if there is some problems

What’s their song?

Mmm I'd probably say La Vie En Rose

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Focus on work, but they'll often text each other when it's convenient. They both know that they're busy people and mostly respect that

Where did they first meet?

At Southern Temple Academy! Here's a doodle comic of it! (Right to left)

How did they first meet?

See above

Who spends the most money when out shopping?

Hikaru

Who’s more likely to flash their assets?

Hikaru

Who finds it amusing when the other trips over?

Toshio just because it's nice to see that Hikaru isn't always perfect

Any mental issues?

Hikaru has a lot of unaddressed trauma from his childhood, maybe a little ptsd, but he's mostly over what happened and gets rare nightmares. Toshio....uhhhhhh idk if there's anything to truly label him with

Who’s terrified of bugs?

Neither

Who kills the spiders around the house?

Either

Their favourite place?

A little live music cafe not too far from Hikaru's place in the East District

Who pays the bills?

They each pay their own. (Ryo technically splits with Hikaru though as they are brothers)

Do they have any fears for their future?

The both have fears for the future of their relationship. Each for different reasons which are extreme spoilers

Who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner?

Hikaru

Who uses up all of the hot water? 

Toshio probably on an experiment vs showering etc

Who’s the tallest?

Hikaru by an inch

Who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other?

Hikaru

Who wanders around in their underwear?

Neither, but if it's a lazy morning in a hotel room, Toshio might

Who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio?

Hikaru

What do they tease each other about?

Dealing with Ryo mostly

Who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times?

Hikaru, even though it's like boi you've 100% worn some wacky ass shit over the last couple of millennia

Do they have mutual friends?

Not really

Who crushed first? 

Toshio

Any alcohol or substance related problems?

They're both alcoholics. It affects Hikaru differently with him being a demon and even more so being a sin of gluttony demon. Toshio also smokes cigarettes.

Who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am?

Toshio

Who swears the most?

Probably Toshio. Hikaru does swear, but he tries not to so he comes off as more eloquent and poised

[hookahbong]

Lookah Zero Review: A good Hidden 510 Thread Vape Cart Battery​

The Lookah Zero is a cleverly disguised 510 battery styled like a Box Mod, concealing the cartridge within its sleek body for ultimate discretion.

It is designed to users who want to enjoy their sessions without drawing attention. But this battery is not only stealthy, it is also functioning pretty well.

In this review, I will go over its overall functionality while considering its design, build and build quality, as well as price compared to its more direct competitors.

Let’s dive into this 510 Thread Vape Battery review and determine if it’s a worthy contender.

Discreet Design

One of the standout aspects of the Lookah Zero is its concealed cartridge system.

Instead of exposing your cart like traditional vape pens, the Lookah Zero hides it within the “O” shape shell, providing a level of discretion that many users will appreciate.

This design not only enhances privacy but also protects the cartridge from potential damage.

It also looks a heck of a lot like a nicotine vape when the top portion is snapped over the 510 cartridge.

Compact and Portable

My first takeaway when I saw the Lookah Zero 510 Concealed battery was how small and portable the device was.

At just 97mm tall, 39mm wide, and 19.7mm deep the device is great for taking on-the-go. It is made of all plastic and has a soft-touch coating that makes it very comfortable to hold while also adding grip.

It's easy to hide in the palm of my hand when I want to be discreet, and it's small enough to go into my pocket with ease. I can pull it out, take a few draws, and put it back in my pocket all without being obvious to anyone around me and that's a huge plus.

Universal Compatibility

The Lookah Zero consists of two sections, with the top portion magnetically attaching to the bottom.

The device separates at different points on either side: one side, where the battery is located, separates near the top, while the cartridge side separates near the bottom. Removing this top portion allows access to the 510 connector.

The Lookah Zero houses the entire cartridge inside of the device so there are limitations on the size of cartridges that can fit.

You will be able to use the majority of carts on the market, such as 0.5ml and 1.0ml carts.

However, it will not hold oversized cartridges like 2ml that are wider than 11.5mm in diameter.

Battery Life

The Lookah Zero has 650mAh of capacity packed inside. Battery life is solid, lasting about a full day of heavy use.

Additionally, it uses USB-C charging. This means you don’t need to carry extra cables, and the battery charges quickly - about 1 hour. It significantly reduces waiting times.

Variable Voltage Settings

The main feature of the Lookah Zero is its variable voltage which allows you to cater the temperature to your liking.

There are three temperature settings, each one appropriate for different user needs. The “L” (low) setting is set at 3.4V, the “M” (medium) setting is set at 3.7V and the “H” (high) setting is set at 4.0V.

Whether you prefer light, flavorful hits or powerful clouds, the Lookah Zero can accommodate your preference.

Adjusting the voltage is simple, simply press the power button on the bottom. The LED indicator light makes it easy to see your settings at a glance: Green, Blue, and White.

Inhale and Button activation support

The Lookah Zero offers both auto-draw and button activation, giving users flexibility in how they vape.

The draw activation is spot on. You don’t have to pull too hard to get it to activate and it works consistently, every time. It's just so easy to use and that's one thing that I really like about it. Just drop in a cartridge and draw on the mouthpiece and you’re getting vapor.

On the other hand, the placement of the power button on the bottom of the device can be a bit awkward for those who prefer button activation.

Performance and Experience

I tested the Lookah Zero with both thick and thin oil cartridges, and it delivered smooth, flavorful hits across all voltage settings.

Lower voltages (3.4V) preserve terpenes for flavor, while higher settings (4.0V) produce dense vapor.

The 10s preheat function, activated by a two-button click, is especially useful for thicker oils, warming them up for more smooth and consistent hits.

I was surprised by how easy the airflow was on the Lookah Zero. On the bottom of the vape, you can see the air intake hole, and it makes a difference!

The Lookah Zero also has a 10-second draw limit, which helps save battery life and prevents the cartridge from overheating. This makes it safer and more efficient to use.

Ease of Use

Like most Lookah 510 vape batteries, the zero is very straightforward when it comes to its operation.

LED indicator light, Single-button operation, and even draw-to-activate. About as simple and brainless as you can imagine.

Its magnetic connection shell not only simplifies the setup but also enhances the overall reliability of the device.

Cleaning isn’t necessary as it’s the cartridges that just get swapped out.

How to Use the Lookah Zero 510 Vape Battery?

Step 1: Remove the Magnetic Shell Closure of the Lookah Zero.

Step 2: Screw your pre-filled 510-thread oil vape cartridge into the slot of the Lookah Zero battery.

After securing the cartridge, put the top portion back onto the battery.

Step 3: Turn the device on by pressing the unlock button five times quickly.

Step 4: Adjust the voltage by clicking two times. The voltage setting is indicated by the LED indicator light with the corresponding color.

Voltage 1: Green - 3.4V - Low Voltage 2: Blue - 3.7V - Medium Voltage 3: White - 4.0V - High.

Step 4.5: Activate preheat mode by clicking three times. The indicator light will flash pink for 10 seconds while the device is preheating.

Step 5: Press and hold down the button, Inhale vapor from the mouthpiece and enjoy!

Auto-draw activation mode: In auto mode, that through inhale activation without pressing the power button.

The LOOKAH Zero battery can also be used in auto mode that through inhale activation without pressing the power button.

If the auto draw-mode fails to activate (e.g., due to a clogged cartridge), you can press and hold the power button to use the device in manual mode.

Step 6: When you are done, Click the power button five times quickly to turn off the device. The indicator light will flash white three times.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a 510 vape battery that offers discreetness, simplicity, beginner friendliness, and which offers excellent performance, the Lookah Zero is worth checking out.

It is easy to use, convenient to carry, and reliable to perform with a robust 650mAh capacity. The hidden cart design makes it ideal for discreet vaping, and the sleek shell adds a little more security in case you drop it.

The LED indicator light, variable voltage, 650 capacity, USB-C charging, and preheat mode make it a top-tier choice for vapers who want more control without unnecessary complexity.

At its price point, it easily outperforms most standard 510 thread batteries, making it one of the best options of 2025.

[seekerreads]

2025 reading journal set-up ✨

i've decided to keep a digital reading journal for next year because i've watched a ton of videos of booktubers keeping pretty journals with lovely spreads and trackers and i wanted to do it myself! i'm keeping it digital because i have terrible handwriting and because i'm very nitpicky about how things are decorated so a digital medium gives me as much freedom to tweak things as i want. i thought i'd walk through all of the set-up spreads i've made so far because i'm just really proud of them!

first up is my cover page, which i guess i don't really need since this is a digital journal, but i wanted to make one anyway just for aesthetics!! i put in a little quote for deco and added in my rating system just for posterity. i really love this spread, it might be my favorite of the whole lot!

here's my series tracker! kept this one simple so i could have room to add more i might want to include as the year goes on, and i limited myself to series i know for SURE i'm going to finish, not ones i'm only considering finishing. i only left off one series because it's long and the reading order is a bit confusing (the Nine Worlds by Victoria Goddard) but this is what i'm working with!

my anticipated releases spread! not too many books here and they're almost all parts of the series listed in my tracker because i don't normally fully anticipate books i don't know if i'll like. the only exception is Sunrise on the Reaping because OBVIOUSLY i'm reading that lol. i left some stickers at the bottom that i can easily delete if i want to add new ones as the year goes on and more books get announced.

monthly favorites spread! this one is definitely my most simple and yet somehow my most elegant design? i just really like what i did with this one. the colors, the borders, the font, i really like it all! i'm just planning on putting pics of book covers here, maybe captions if the title is hard to make out in the pic.

tried to keep my Books Read spread as compact as possible to leave as much room as i could, because i'm for sure going to have to make at least another page after this one to be able to list all the books i read, maybe even more after that. truly depends on length of the titles i pick up. again, not much deco so i can have as much room as possible.

purely an aesthetic spread to demarcate my tracker/stats spreads and my individual book spreads, which i obviously don't have any to put in yet. i just thought it'd be a cool little marker to separate sections! i might make another one at the end of the year to bookend the section before my last two stats pages.

someone else did this spread and i just HAD to make one of my own. i saw the words 'DNF Graveyard' and knew it was a wonderful opportunity to make a little halloween/spooky-themed spread. kept it simple and left a lot of room because, while i don't DNF too often (because i try not to read books i don't think i'll have a strong chance of liking at least enough to finish), i'm planning to just put in pics of book covers here.

and my end-of-year stats spread! this one's pretty customizable since i've seen plenty of people do it but i only included the stats i, myself, would personally be interested in. storygraph generates all this info for you so i'm planning to just plug it in at the end of the year!

and that's a wrap for that! i plan on making individual spreads for each book i read if i can (i already made a test one with my last read and it was super fun so i hope i can do many more) and i'll probably post them here when i finish them! for anyone interested, i'm making this on canva using presentation mode! you could probably make it on any of the other modes, i just like the wide space a presentation gave and how easy it is to flip through the pages. can't wait to start using this for real next year!

[mi5018tomberry]

Wall Smash Test 2

After learning about Houdini's capabilites I decided to try it out for the first time to see if I could make something similar myself. Only Houdini Apprentice was available for free so I started off with that.

This was the tutorial I followed for the wall destruction because although it differed slightly, it should be something I could use to created realistic destruction.

This video shows all the different stages of the destruction that I made using the tutorial. I decided to use a torus instead of a sphere because the final intention is to have the giant robot hand which is shaped like a lego hand so I thought it would work better. I tried fiddling about with different velocity and density settings and the final one felt like it was about right for my idea.

Here's some of the early stages of the process, I was brand new to Houdini so I had to get used to the node based workflow which I liked once I figured out what things actually did. I noticed at this stage that the version I was using was different to the one in the tutorial and started to have some difficulties when painting the focal point of the voronoi fracture which would make the painted section divide into the smallest pieces.

I came into another roadblock in that Houdini apprentice did not have the Glue adjacent option in the Rigid Bodies menu which was very important to holding the individual pieces of the wall together before they come in contact with the torus. The bottom image is from the tutorial and the third icon from the right (the orange and white PVA bottle) is what was missing in the apprentice version. I had to try and work around this by creating my own Glue Constraint Network using the tutorial above but as I hadn't used Houdini before it took a while to figure this out and it didn't work perfectly.

These are what's inside three of the OBJ nodes after the DOP network was created.

This is the inside of the Dynamic Wall node which broke the wall into segments using the Voronoi fracture and two blast nodes which separated the pieces that was going to be destroyed from the rest of the wall. The attribpaint node was used to choose an area of the wall segment which would be broken apart the most and the scatter nodes were used to randomise and choose the amount of fragments within the painted area and the last Voronoi Fracture created the fragments from the points plotted using the scatter nodes.

This is the inside of the DOP network which is created to control the destruction of the wall. The Static objects are exactly that; these nodes are for the portions of wall which act as colliding surfaces but don't break apart themselves. The RBD objects are the torus and the Dynamic wall which both play a role in the destruction and the constraint networks dictate how the RBD objects interact with one another. The glue constraint is used to hold the individual pieces together until the torus collides with the wall and then the SOP solver acts as a controller for the Dynamic wall when the resting state is changed.

I started to get lost later on in the tutorial due to the disparate interfaces between Houdini Apprentice and the one used in the tutorial but I reached a stage which was usable for my project although I wanted to see if there were any other tutorials which were better suited.