#▸ the real world is where the monsters are [ verse | found ]

[kuroneko1815]

Tyranny of a lost love

Callisto loved her but he had known that too late. As he stared out at the beautiful day, he cursed it too. Behind him the bed was empty, a proof of his failure. Her absence like a monster gnawing on his very being, the silence haunting him. There would be no more smiles, no more sharp words, no taunts luring him in until he made her beg, spread out on his bed, tangled together and her words of devotion only for him.

He had bid her a final goodbye today, watched as her body was forever entombed in a grave for the two of them, their child dead with her. The Eckharts hadn’t come, too busy fawning over their newly returned daughter, over the girl that had caused all of this. That miserable wretch who had accused his Princess of all manner of wicked misdeeds, he had stopped them but not in time for them to beat the life out of her.

Her broken body etched forever in his mind and soul. The Eckharts had made a nuisance of themselves in the meantime, celebrating the engagement between their precious real daughter and the Marquis, joining his brother’s faction and slandering him.

He cared not for it.

“Your highness?” Porter asked him from where he stood on the other side of his room. Baroness Eloise by his side.

“I love her.” He said dully, voice devoid of life and emotion, just as he now was. “I wanted to protect her, protect them, forever.”

Porter was silent for a moment.

“What do you wish to do?” The aide asked.

“Burn them all to the ground.” He said, a flame lighting up in him. Penelope had wished him to be the perfect emperor, but he couldn’t do that with those filth still walking about.

“As you wish.” Both Porter and the Baroness replied.

-

-

Cedric watched his Liege as he issued out commands. He’d known this to be a possibility for years. Perhaps he should be against this, others certainly would. But Cedric had been sixteen when he followed a twelve year old crown Prince into battle, watched as he stained his hands with blood, destroyed his innocence, butchered his own soul in order to obey the commands given to him by the Emperor and to prove himself to a thankless empire.

The Crown Prince who kept his studies even in the battlefield, who did his work as both the leader of the military and the crown prince, had done the work of practically every other Imperial family member, and yet all he received from high society was scorn and ridicule, the barbarian prince, and assassins every other day or so.

And to see him fall for the first time, to see shades of the boy he’d been resurface around the woman he loved had been so very uplifting. To see the shadows and darkness chased away as he gazed at the Lady, the gentleness with which he held her, the excitement upon his upcoming nuptials, and of his secret impending fatherhood. And then too see it all ripped away, Cedric hadn’t been surprised by the path that the Prince chose to take.

There were many who would follow him to such a course of action, Cedric included. Not just for his liege but for the sake of his friends among the mages as well. His friends who had been trampled on for generations because of their magic when they were so very useful. Far more useful than those corrupt, insolent, uppity nobles in their gilded homes who knew little of the world beyond their halls and balls.

-

-

He had made sure to make a nuisance of himself, a bigger, more effective nuisance. One that constantly undermined his brother and his faction. Destroying the relations between the citizens and those certain nobles further, sowing seeds of distrust and discontent.

He bid his time, he chased down any rumours from Penelope’s days in the streets, his informants more well versed in the art of street gossip and the shadier sides of the world. And he found one in particular. The pink monster, a tale of a little girl with pink hair and blue eyes, angelic in face, but would devour a man whole, sucking the life from them and leaving them as ashes.

Now which demon did he know of that did that? The Laila was known to be a goddess this time around, and that description was quite specific, narrowing it down to two girls within the capital at the time. Penelope and Ivonne Eckhart.

But Penelope had been well known and still well loved among the people of the street, that meant that the monster had to be Ivonne.

He found a wicked sense of humour in the fact that the Marquis, the pure white gentleman of high society would soon be sharing his bed with such a vile thing.

And then he heard tales of his brother’s movements and he smirked. A coup was it?

-

-

In the end, the Marquis brought his bride to be into the Palace, had supported the coup in such a state. Whether he did so willingly was no matter to him. The Eckharts had participated and so doomed themselves as well.

Callisto played the part of hero and caught them in the act. What he discovered was that the Laila could heal the host body with life forces, he threw the brothers in first, made the Duke watch what his daughter had done to his sons. Made him remember how he’d cast out his other child.

He had no sympathy.

The Marquis had escaped his grasp but he hunted him even now. It wouldn’t be much more until he caught him.

Outside the doors, the new Emperor was hailed, the golden hero of the Empire. Many families had been purged from nobility, many more loyal servants and soldiers uplifted into nobilities ranks.

-

-

Winter Verdandi watched it all from a cave far away. Too late had he awoken from the thrall. He had destroyed an innocent girl, the Crown Prince… no, the new Emperor’s love. And had inadvertently caused her death.

It set about a path of silver tongued tyranny for the Golden Prince.

He looked out at the capital, at the buildings being rebuilt after the Laila had unleashed the Golden Dragon. So many… so many lives had been destroyed by his actions, so many lives lost. The faces of his apprentices appeared in his mind, the fear and betrayed looks they’d given him as he allowed Ivonne to take them, to devour them, it was too much.

He set about making things right as he stepped into the ritual’s circle and felt the flames lick in to his skin.

-

-

The spell had been done too many times. Far too many to even be counted. The soul that had suffered so many agonizing deaths and moments had shattered long before the spell had even been cast.

Time froze, unable to accommodate the glaring absence needed to complete the reversal.

Fate compensated.

The soul was remade, a child was born in a new world. Parallel experiences mirroring the ones she had suffered through in one world, only this time, she was born in a place and time where she had a choice.

Fate decreed only in death. Death came, but could not fully reap.

The child grew into a woman who fell unconscious and woke up in the other life.

And so time reset, now able to proceed along the many paths it could take.

Obviously I’m on to my angst phase again. I guess I’ve been working on too much fluff behind the scenes too, including a new Imperial Domesticity instalment. So I needed to balance it out.

[rosesradio]

Piper McLean in Ceaseless Eve: Let's Discuss

⚠️ The following contains spoilers for any & all of Ceaseless Eve ⚠️

At first, I was not planning a whole lot for Piper.

Of course, I didn't want to do nothing with her, leaving her to be essentially a cardboard cutout carried around by the boys as a prop for 90k words. She was there, and she was cool—the girl that knew what to do around the pegasi, the girl that Leo crushed on but never had a chance with. But as I continued to write with her and discover more about how she fit into the story and the ceaseless-verse in general, I realized that she wasn't laid back at all. It was a facade, and she was terrified.

I hadn't planned her arc, it kind of formed on its own over the course of the story.

Piper is a character who spends this story recovering and reassessing her past. She's very similar to Leo in that way, as she had an uncertain grasp on her abilities and how they fit into her life and who she wanted to be. But unlike Leo, there comes to be a point when she reaches a certain age, where she is able to identify the implications of her abilities, and how she can control others...and yet she uses her abilities anyways to get what she wants.

Piper is a selfish character in her youth, a person whose development is altered as she is used to continuously getting what she wants. It isn't until her early teens that she begins to realize that by continuously using her Charmspeak, she is taking away the free will of others, especially people she cares about. She begins to realize that most of the people in her life don't actually love her or even like her. She realizes she's never actually had a real friend that she had not manipulated before.

"I have what I need now. I know my Charmspeak is a gift, and I should use it in emergencies. And, I mean...I made some real friends while I was here. I didn't have to ask you, or Leo, or Hazel to be my friend using Charmspeak. You guys really like me..."

—Piper McLean, Ceaseless Eve, Chapter 20.

(As I'm writing this I realize with a bit of bitter humor that fandom really doesn't like selfish female characters. In Piper's arc, even at the beginning of CE, she is opposed to using her abilities for malicious intent at her point of introduction. I'm very grateful that many of CE's readers understood her nuance and loved her in spite of her past and flaws. Not everyone did. I can't help but wonder how different the fandom would see her/her arc if she were a boy, but alas...)

The only person who remains there for her is her father. She stopped using Charmspeak on him altogether quite a while before she stopped for everyone else. Though she felt tempted to in darker moments, she also found he was easy-going, and some of the only honesty she had experienced—good or bad.

That is, until her dad became busy, and the paparazzi buzzed with a nervous, unsettling energy—and Hollywood was going to Hollywood.

So, Piper tried to pull him away in the only way she knew how—using her Charmspeak to get into trouble. It is at this point where her character arc aligns the closet with canon and the familiarity of other demigod arcs: she steals the BMW, gets sent to the Wilderness School, though she escapes after a monster attack and makes her way to CHB with the help of a dove from her mother.

It was then that she met Nico.

One of the most important aspects of Piper and Nico's stories is their relationship to each other. She comes to CHB in search of protection from monsters, an escape from her previous life, and a restart. Despite how hardened Nico can be, it wasn't hard for her to become friends with him due to a moment of vulnerability after a monster attack. They become an outlet to each other, even if it's not often that they delve into things that are too serious. In a way, their friendship is an opportunity for them to both be normal teenagers in a world that does not often provide that peace for demigods.

As the group started towards the camp's entrance, Piper grabbed Nico's arm. "That was the longest car ride I have ever been subjected to in my entire life." She whispered, and her eyes displayed the extent of her suffering. Nico, suppressing a laugh, allowed her to link her arm in his as they headed up the hill towards home.

—Ceaseless Eve, Chapter 18.

Piper's friendship with Leo is also particularly important to the ceaseless trio's dynamic. Although I wrote Leo as less of a, uh, ladies man from the start, I contributed his friendship with Piper as the thing that broke him out of his desperation for a girlfriend. They are able to be open with each other easily, vulnerable from the start in a way that most demigods are due to their environment. Piper is seen as easy to talk to, so if she is friends with Nico, how bad can Nico be?

Overall, her arc comes to a close with her decision to go back to her dad. Admittedly, this is partially done to follow Richard's "rotating cast" method, but also because I feel it is best for her character. By resolving to only use her Charmspeak in emergencies, and by making friends by simply being herself, she builds up the skills needed to get back out there and mend things with her father. There might be even more mortal-type adventures in store for her in Hollywood, though we will have to wait and check in on her in Ivory Rain.

Bonus: a small fashion tip from Piper: the color-changing eyeshadow ✨

I love Piper's color-changing eyeshadow ! I decided to alter the canon of her eyes changing color like a kaleidoscope; I've heard in the past that it was an element of HoO that did not age well or was problematic, though I don't think I am the right person to delve into why that is. I decided instead to have her eyes stay brown, and gave her color-changing eyeshadow. Where did she get it from? Her mom? Iris? That's up to you. ✨

Bonus character! Apollo: Let's Discuss

Apollo has always been one of my favorite gods—he's kind of the Barney Stinson of the bunch; you feel like you should hate him, but he satirizes the things you'd hate about him so well, you can't help but feel the opposite.

I knew from the initial plot points that I wanted something to happen with "kidnapping the sun" and a dark aesthetic, think Titan's Curse. Still, I will admit that the bit about him falling for a trap at a music festival came a bit later than I'd like to admit. It does sound like him though, lol.

From what I have seen of canon, Apollo seems slightly more caring than other godly parents of the series. That's one of several reasons why I had him be Sarah's godly parent. Also, I made a few comments throughout the story about how uncaring Apollo might seem about demigods that aren't his kids. In spite of this, I'd like to think he does care about all demigods at the end of the day, especially heroes that have helped him out. He's still a bit of an asshole, but hey, maybe he could return the favor and help out our friends in Ivory Rain.

[juniorig0327]

Mostly just a brainstorming post tbh.

Thinking about the different Demigod factions in the random AUs pushed all into one verse AU lol ( I don’t have a name for it, oops)

Cuz like obviously we have Camp Half-Blood, which I feel like for the sake of having no mist would have to be more professional as I think demigod discrimination is real so they’d have their own specialized schools, CHB and CJ would just be the big Greco-Roman ones (kinda like how there are other wizarding schools in HP?) but they’re pretty minor I’d say.

Like CHB would be the equivalent of a public school for Demigods so most people in the area go there I’d say because there’s no extra things required. And I also feel like CHB would be faced with a lot more discrimination as basically they aren’t CJ lol. They’re not military coded and training them to be soldiers, not really. Chiron’s just preparing them for battle using things similar to the mortal world activities just like in canon.

Then there’s CJ. CJ is basically a private military school and is where everyone would LIKE demigods to be sent to but because they’re so prestigious that’s obviously not the case.

Anyways, I think that demigod quests have to be approved by some sort of government officials otherwise it would be considered an act of vigilantism.

Law authorities wouldn’t like demigods that much but I feel like they would have mythical related weapons through magic. (Although uou can’t tell me that they didn’t try to experiment on demigods AND MONSTERS probably when the mist first lifted)

I feel like goddess like Apollo, Hestia, Hecate, Hera, Artemis, and Hermes would be more worshipped by society as they’re important aspects. Hecate specifically because through magic is a way for mortals to defend themselves although not everyone can just casually learn it.

Then there’s the TA which kinda has two branches, the main Greek branch and the Roman branch who’s kinda allowed to do their own thing unless given direct orders from Luke or Saturn/Kronos. They’d be considered vigilantes but it would be like, cops vs any superhero’s villains type situation.

Would cops have a demigod unit? Probably but I don’t think they’d like to bring them out, simply because the overall consensus is that demigods are inferior (not to mention them having learning disabilities which would make this worse) and society probably molding them for battle once they’re claiming or found.

So the TA isn’t JUST going for the gods, they want to take out the mortals that’s been oppressing them for so long. So like not only cycle of abuse, but oppression too, fun!

So yeah, definitely planning on making other factions and camps for other parts of the world because the mist dropped for the WHOLE world. Also not to mention government definitely trying to breed and make weapons from different pantheons because once a gods blood in engraved within a bloodline, you just have to pull it out of them.

Yeah I definitely think from unit 731 did/is going on with demigods and that will also play a role.

Also thinking about when Percy would go to camp and I think maybe around TTC. Maybe he has his first encounter with CHB in SoM. And the camps in this AU know of each other but they don’t really interact cuz they have a really bitter rivalry.

I also can’t wait for finish writing the prologue because I feel like the situation I made with Percy and Sally is really interesting and makes his parallels w Luke in this AU that much stronger.

[cosmic-eye]

Psychonauts the Musical Act I

because I'm more awake now. With some inspiration from @loudlychoppedbread's comments.

Opening song: "Welcome to Whispering Rock" --- A lighthearted and fun number --- Starts with the campers & counselors singing separately, then coming together when they reach the campfire. Basically an exposition song for what the camp is, with some minor plot info thrown in (one or two lines about the lake monster). Ends with Oleander getting cut off as Raz falls from a tree.

The I Want Song: "Raz, the Psychonaut" --- A more serious, wistful song, but still somewhat lighthearted --- After being permitted to stay for the night, Raz explains to Dogan how badly he wants to be a Psychonaut. The mood is lightened by Dogan's input (And then you'll make their heads explode?). Takes place on the steps of the boy's cabin & ends before they enter together. However, after getting into his bunk, Raz sings two or three more lines to himself.

Basic Braining: "Battlezone" --- A very generic boot camp song --- The campers start the song on their way to class, mentioning how scary the training is supposed to be (A kid got killed last year). Upon entering Oleander's mind, he takes over as lead singer, going on about his experiences in the war as he guides the campers through his obstacle course. The campers sing backup, but as they get kicked out of Oleander's mind, their voices diminish until they're gone completely and Raz has reached the end.

Camper's song, pt I: Currently, I have no good name --- Mostly lighthearted, but with some darker/sadder undertones when appropriate --- While searching for Sasha's secret lab, Raz runs into various campers. The different groups each get their own verse about their lives. Campers would be those found at the kid's cabin area, around the main lodge, and in the GPC & wilderness area.

Sasha's Shooting Gallary: "Sasha's Immaculate Mind" (that title is way too good I'll never come up with anything better so I'm just going to steal it) --- A simple, structured song that slowly grows more chaotic --- Sasha explains to Raz the importance of controlling one's emotions, pretending to lose control as Raz battles the censors. However, once the Mega Censor appears, his control is gone for real.

Lili's song: "Not Like the Old Days" --- A number that's constantly trying to be a downer, but Raz keeps changing it back to optimistic --- Right after leaving Sasha's lab to go see Milla, he bumps into Lili, and she goes on about how the world doesn't need the Psychonauts anymore, while Raz brings up exciting missions he's read about. Plays out almost like a battle/argument between the two (but a low-stakes one). Ends with Lili's "shut up and kiss me" bit.

Camper's song, pt II: Still no name for this --- Again, mostly lighthearted but with darker/sadder undertones when appropriate --- Raz encounters more campers on his way to the docks. This is a continuation of the previous camper's song, with some of the campers reappearing to give a brief update about themselves. Campers included are those found in GPC & wilderness and at the lake. Ends when Raz sees Dogan coming out of the water, brainless.

Milla's Dance Party: "Roll With It" --- A cheery, disco number with a brief serious bit in the middle --- Milla sings about levitation, with some backup from the campers and/or the party dancers. When Raz stumbles upon the nightmare room, Milla gets serious & explains a bit about the nightmares before encouraging him back to the party and resuming the song as normal.

Brain Tumblr Experiment/Loboto's song: "Why Are You Screaming?" --- Way too upbeat for the subject matter --- Loboto singing about dentistry & removing Dogan's brain while Raz watches on in horror. Ends with Dogan sneezing out his brain.

Lili & Raz song: "Psychic Emergency" --- A fast-paced song brimming with urgency and excitement --- Raz meets Lili by the docks and they compare notes. A bit of a reversal of "Not Like the Old Days," where Lili is enthusiastic and Raz is a little more serious than before. The song derails with Lili's "let's make out" line, and ends with her being abducted by Linda.

End of Act I. Act II here.

[teecupangel]

Just saw the Yu Gi Oh post where you gave Desmond a deck based around Ezio being one of his main cards and it reminded me that when i finished reading Esama's Loose Ends, i wrote down an idea i got. XD

Basically, Desmond gets sent to the Yu Gi Oh verse as a card and in a fun twist, we can send Shaun, Rebecca and Bill after him some months later. In this AU, Abstergo never got Desmonds body, there was just some blood stains near the Eye(enough for Sample 17). This leads Bill to desperatly search for his son and in the beginning Shaun and Rebecca help him, but as the months go by and nothing comes up, they start losing hope.

Not Bill though. He is adamant that his son is still alive, the Apple told him so. Eventually the Brotherhood send Shaun and Rebecca after him to get the Apple back and to stop this madness. Bill though, has found out that his son is in an alternate reality and there is a PoE that can get him there. Just as he activatesthe device, Shaun and co. catch up to him and gets transported too.

All of them wake up to a world where children fight multi million dollar tournaments with real monsters summoned from cards... WTF??? Bill is still adamantly searching for Desmond and when asking around, he hears people talk about "hoping to see Desmond in action" at the next tournament. When they get there though, it is not just Desmond he sees, but a bunch of Assassins... as the monsters controlled by people. All their eyes are a soulless white and then everyone goes wild as Desmond gets summonee to the field... Bill found his son. Now he needs to free him.

.

So yeah, the idea is that Desmond and his ancestors are being controlled by whatever evil corporation rules in the Yu Gi Oh verse(sorry, my knowledge about this series is very limited XD) and it's up to Bill, Shaun and Rebecca to save Desmond and stop the evil guys, with the help of these random children that insist they can help.

"Do you guys even know how to play Dual Monsters?"

"... Fiiiiine, you can help"

Heres's the wall of text i wrote down in a flurry of words about Desmond as the card. XD

Yu gi oh x AC crossover idea: After the Eye Desmond ends up in the Yu Gi Oh verse as a card. He has multiple stages to his card and his theme is that at first he can't attack and monsters are forced to defend him until a certain number has been met and he transforms into a form that can attack. His first form is a chained up ball of golden feathers called Desmond The Chained One. His 2nd form is called Desmond The Free One and has him sever his chains and fly free, but the chains remain on him(he is in simple clothes reminiscent of his hoodie and jeans). His 3rd form is called Desmond The Awakened One and has him hold an Apple of Eden and his clothes become the robes of the Assassins. His last form is Desmond The Sacrificed One and along with the Apple, he has the Eye in front if him. In this form his chains are finally gone and the player can choose to either sacrifice him to protect every card on the battle field from a spell or effect that would destroy a monster or they can sacrifice everything and let Desmond remain. In his 2nd form he gains the ability to summon other Assassin cards(Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad The Eagle, Ezio Auditore The Hunter, Ratonhnhaké:ton The Furious, Edward Kenway The Pirate, Haytham Kenway The Leader etc) to aid him. His 3rd also gains the ability to sacrifice a card to take control of an enemy until the end of the turn.

Here’s the link to the Altaïr possesses Desmond ala Yami Yugi idea and my idea for Desmond’s OP deck for those curious

I only fully watched the series with Yugi in it so I’ll suggest that, instead of an evil corporation, we just have Desmond be part of the new cards that are part of some kind of ‘promotional tournament’. This way we can put this in any of the series/season you want and it’ll become more or less a ‘filler arc’ XD

Okay, my suggestion is for the criteria to change forms is that ‘discarding’ or ‘losing’ a number of cards to ‘evolve’ Desmond.

For Desmond to become Desmond The Free One, 3 cards must be discarded or lose regardless of who lost it (the player or the opponent). BUT Desmond must already be in the field for those cards to count. Any cards lost before Desmond is in the field is not part of the count. This includes magic and trap cards.

To get Desmond the Awakened One, the player must discard or lose 3 cards (this includes the cards that the player has already sacrificed for Desmond’s 2nd form).

And for Desmond to become the Desmond The Sacrificed One, it’s more specific: the cards Altaïr, Ezio, and Ratonhnhaké:ton must be discarded or defeated in the field. Of course, if they have already been sacrificed, that still counts. But here’s the thing though…

Desmond the Sacrificed One doesn’t summon any Assassin cards. He forces the players to summon them as long as they are in the player’s hand and there is a free spot in the field. Any time he summons an Assassin, he can no longer attack or use his control skill and he prioritizes summoning Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton.

AND he has a special ‘passive skill’ with the Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton cards. He will always take the first hit of those cards per turn. This means that, the opponent could easily whittle down Desmond’s health by attacking Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton only once.

This is mitigated by:

Desmond cannot be directly attacked or removed from the field as long as there is an Assassin card in the field

He heals 10% of his total HP for every Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton cards in the field per start of the player's turn.

The Aegis shield can be equipped to Desmond and it will take 50% of any damages that is aimed at Desmond until its shield is depleted.

Edward’s passive skill “Protecting the Future” where Edward can take the damage that would prove to be a killing blow for the cards Ratonhnhaké:ton, Haytham Kenway and Jennifer Scott also applies to Desmond.

The magic card “You are an Auditore” which heals 30% of the health of any Auditore cards in the field and that includes any ‘Kenway’ on the field also affects Desmond.

Equipping Altaïr or Ezio with the Armor of Altaïr (there’s also two copies of them in the deck) halves all damages they take and Desmond only receives 1/3 of the damage when his passive activates.

Keeping Desmond the Sacrificed One also heralds a permanent field effect. All monsters other than Desmond take damage every start of the turn. The field is called ‘Remnants of the Sun’s Wrath”.

[misfxts]

(I’m on mobile. Unfortunately the site is ass. For ichisada in her Pokémon verse if that’s okay)

Glimpses of the Past @brrnedoutbrrista

As a young girl, Uncle often regaled Ichisada with stories of his early life, her favorite was the story of what spurred him into becoming a professor in the first place:

Uncle was a young adult from Unova living in Johto when the infamous slowpoke incident happened, it was a shock and Uncle was as horrified as anyone else to learn what Team Rocket was doing in that well.

But what upset Uncle more was the fact that any chef from a region where slowpoke tails were considered a delicacy were chased out of the region-- locals dismissing the dish as cruel, meaningless abuse of the creature; and that these people opening these restaurants that served slowpoke tails were surely monsters-- which justified witch hunts, vandalism, and general discrimination.. right?

No, Uncle knew better, they were a delicacy-- you just had to do it right, cut a few inches away from the base and the tail grows back in half the time, any closer could result in stunted growth-- or no growth at all.

The people had to know, he refused to let those Team Rocket bastards ruin something that people was an integral part of other region's cultures.

So, with spite in his heart, he hit the books, and soon became the Pokemon Goods Professor. With his research easily accessible to all, to make sure no one would be discriminated because of what they ate.

Ichisada thought of that story often when she herself was running through the gauntlet to become a professor; the sleepless nights, heavy coursework, internships.. residencies.. you needed some sort motivation to get through it, lest you'd lose your mind and drop out.

Uncle's motivation was spite.. what was Ichisada's motivation?

She leans back from her desk in her dorm room, staring at the ceiling. This thought wasn't productive-- she needed to get that assignment done.. but fuck. She needed the break.

Ichisada stands up and starts to stretch-- she'd sitting too long at that desk-- and thinks about the question she posed to herself.

Well.. she was surrendered at birth, she was told her mother was just a teenager and signed the papers to surrender her to the region without a second thought. Her mom must have made that choice well in advance, if that was the case.

Then, she went from home to home, a couple different foster parents being kind enough to give Ichisada her first Pokemon-- Buneary. She couldn't believe that the foster system let her keep it, even after she was transferred to a different home. It was nice having some sort of constant as she was shuffled throughout Kalos, through foster parents who became foster parents for the wrong reasons, or through the other kids, who decided Ichisada was the odd one out.

Eventually, she found herself in Uncle's home. She was distrustful at first, but soon warmed right up to Uncle. To say that they got along like a house on fire was an understatement-- Ichisada had never felt so at ease, so safe with an adult before. She almost didn't believe it was real.

She also didn't believe it when Uncle made the choice to adopt her, and even gifted her a Litten from a business trip in Alola to celebrate her new home.

Ichisada was so, so thankful. So happy that she finally had stability, love, schedule. Everything a kid left to the whims of the foster system could ever want; she didn't have to fight for her place in the world, she didn't have to prove herself worthy-- she was. Uncle made sure she knew that every day.

No longer surviving, now thriving. Ichisada had awakened an interest in Uncle's work-- she always had as a kid, but never had the time to really look into it.. and the two quickly discovered how easily Ichisada understood the work that went into his research. Uncle had never intended for Ichisada to become his successor, it would ultimately had been her choice to do so or not.. but he couldn't hide his excitement!

Everything was coming up aces.. until.. it happened.

Those damn brutes, breaking in, demanding research that Ichisada had never heard of before as she hid behind a cabinet as Uncle tried to reason with them... and where did it get him?

Dead.

Ichisada shakes her head, she doesn't want to think about it. His body, the noises.. no. Not useful right now. She pushes through the memories, the funeral, everything up until now.

Why is she doing this?

...It's love.

She loved Uncle, one of the first adults she cared for and they cared for her just as much. Uncle wanted to be called Uncle because he thought being called dad was weird... but no, for all intents and purposes-- that was her dad, DNA be damned, that was her fucking dad.

And she was going to do him proud, take over his research. Because she loved him.

Ichisada smiled, finding her answer. She took back to her research.

And it was love that got her to walk across that stage, holding that funny piece of paper that declared her a professor.

She felt proud, she just hoped that Uncle-- wherever he may be-- was proud of her too.

[hargrove]

🎥 single dad verse

Send 🎥 for a random scene of my muse’s life

➠ info on his single dad verse can be found here

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.  It was midmorning, the sun was shining bright. The sound of waves breaking on the sand intertwined with distant laughter, talking, and someone's boombox playing The Cure's, Friday, I'm in Love. Where was Def Leppard when you needed them, Billy wondered to himself. The lawn chair he sat in was old and creaky, but he didn't care. He was basking in the feel of the sun drying water from his body, leaving behind the salt that stuck to his skin and hair. The twenty-five year old was enjoying his day off. Surfing in the morning, now lazing about until he had to think about lunch.

That wasn't to say he had no responsibilities, though. The source of all of his focus lay in his lap, head resting against his chest, completely passed out. His four year old daughter was tuckered out, hidden under a damp towel that shielded her from the sun. Blonde curls still stuck out, though, blowing lightly in the breeze. Sandy was his whole world. Her mom had skipped town when she was barely a month old, leaving Billy to raise her on his own. Being a parent wasn't something he was necessarily, good at. It's not as though he even knew what a good parent looked like. But he knew one thing for certain: he'd never abandon or hurt his little girl the way his own parents had done to him.

That point was only driven home by the thoughts that burdened his mind at that very moment. Eyes gazed out at the ocean as he breathed in the nearly tangible peace it brought him. He'd had to give up his home once before when he was forced to move to Hawkins, Indiana. That was only the beginning of the nightmare, of course. He learned all about monsters and just how real they were. He'd barely made it out of there alive. Glancing down, he could see faint tendrils of the scar in the middle of his chest that was mostly obscured by Sandy's sleeping head. The thought of going back there scared the hell out of him, but as his eyes moved to the toddler shaped towel on his torso, he knew that it was the best option.

Max and Susan knew all about Sandy. Despite him not actually being related to the Mayfields, they considered him family. And both of them wanted to help him in raising his energetic bundle of chaotic joy. He tried doing it on his own, but as he she grew, it was getting harder. Maybe a dad wasn't enough. Maybe a girl needed her aunt and grandmother, too. He'd be giving up everything, though. The only place in the world that he felt peace. His home. Only to return to his biggest nightmare.

As the four year old began to stir, though, Billy knew it wasn't even a question if it meant her happiness and well being. San Diego was hardly his everything. His real home was curled up in his arms in that very moment. Small, bluish-green eyes blinked up at him from where they peeked out under the towel. "Hey Heathen," he said quietly with a little smile.

She perked up at the familiar nickname. "Hi Daddy."

"You want to go on an adventure?" he asked.

That instantly got her attention and she sat up a little, the towel falling to her shoulders. "To space?" she asked excitedly.

"No." He shook his head with an amused smirk.

"Cannland?"

He actually chuckled as she tried to say Candyland. "Nope. We're going to Hawkins."

Sandy blinked, looking utterly confused. "Hos- Hop- Hokt- -Tins?"

"You're gonna get to meet your Auntie Max. And if you're nice, she might even teach you how to skateboard like the big kids."

That did it. Sandy lit up and grinned, her tiny teeth shining in the sun.

"It means we have to say goodbye to the beach, though. But we'll get snow." He hated snow, but Sandy had never experienced it, so he knew it might sound exciting to her. "We'll get woods. We'll get..." There really wasn't much going for Hawkins, was there?

"Tanty Mass!"

"Auntie Max," Billy confirmed. "So what do you say, Heathen? You in?"

The toddler took a moment, looking to the ocean as though it were a friend she'd have to leave. She looked sad for a moment, and Billy could relate. But then she turned her attention back to him, the spitfire energy ablaze in her eyes that he knew all too well. "Yes!"

"Alright then. Hawkins, here we come."

[ijustkindalikebooks]

I read thirty books in September, which I consider a slump but I also know I am not a normal reader, but oh my god I've read some books this month I hated, and not just bad but like offensively bad? I've read way too much racism by accident this month and I mean maybe one could be considered a classic so normal for the time, but it isn't my normal, you can get that out of here.

I have read though on the flip 6 five star books as well this month, and they are a variety of books ranging from graphic novels, mangas, non fiction and full on novels and I hope that something in my five stars intrigues you as well.

Red, White And Whole by Rajanni LaRocca - A novel told in verse, Red, White And Whole tells the story of a young girl living in two worlds and trying to make them balance while her mother is diagnosed with Leaukeamia. It's beautifully told and makes you root for Reha as she goes through this with her family but also reaches milestones in her own life and being young but also sticking to the traditions of her Indian family. I found this on Scribd and it's only a few hours, if I recall, and I highly recommend it.

In Universes by Emet North - One of the most intriguing stories I've read this year, this book tells the story of one woman living her life in different universes, be that a universe where the animals have taken over and become monsters to one where her girlfriend has an octopus living inside her. I do love a strange book and this is probably one of them strangest but it's brilliantly told and every universe pulls you in with curiousity and tenderness, I adored this book.

A Little Devil In America: In Praise Of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib - A collection of essays about black performance and entertainment? I'm not sure how to explain it, as it is a mix of memoir and essay this book educates, entertains and provokes feeling and thought from the moment it begins. The chapter on Josephine Baker comes to mind but there is an essay in this called 'It's Safe To Say I've Lost A Lot Games Of Spades' that alone is five stars. It's magnificently written and makes me need to read more from as soon as possible.

Dead End Memories by Banana Yoshimoto - A collection of short stories about women and love, Dead End Memories is beautifully written and emanates a feeling that captures something incredibly real. The title story is definitely my favourite of the stories but they are all worth reading as the autumnal vibe of this book is perfect for the weather that is coming. Yoshimoto has such a distinctive voice and these stories allow it to shine, as she brings to life people and allows for the humanity to glow in her stories.

Garlic And The Vampire by Bree Paulsen - It's the perfect book for autumn. It's cosey, it's cute, it's about vegetables who run a vegetable patch, it has a celery without a spine and a carrot who cares and a brave little garlic who goes to visit a vampire - what more do you need from a book?! The artwork is beautiful and I need to find Garlic and The Witch as soon as possible.

The Girl From The Other Side Volume 8 by Nagabe - I've mentioned this series before, but every time I think I know what is going to happen the author is laughing in my face. Kudos to you Nagabe, kudos to you.

What have you been reading in September? Do you have any recommendations? Please let me know!

Thank you,

Vee xo

[de-fright-ful]

❝   SEPTEMBER HAS ARRIVED, LOVELY IN ITS WEAKENING LIGHT. ❞

AN INDEPENDENT & NON-SELECTIVE portrayal of an original character, AMITY DE CLAIRE - JOY, based out of the POKEMON UNIVERSE with extensive ORIGINAL & CANON-COMPLIANT LORE. Extremely verse flexible with dozens of established verses available. STRICTLY 18+ FOR MUN COMFORT

Laid to rest by BUNNIGHULEH ( they/it/she & 22 ).

THEMES OF Mourning for a reality that never was, Grief and girlhood intertwined, Conflict of Identity — IS THE PERSON THAT STARES BACK IN THE MIRROR REALLY YOU? DID IT EVER MATTER? — Time as a flat circle doomed to repeat, but finding freedom in the nihilism of it. The unforgiving ruthlessness that comes from trying to protect the people you love. Can a person be damned from conception? & Hope in the face of the starkest possibilities.

& EXPLORING CLASSIC HORROR TROPES such as A DECONSTRUCTED TAKE ON THE BULLIED CHILD COMING HOME AS A SLASHER/MONSTER, EVIL CLOSER TO HOME, THE IMPORTANCE & POWER OF TRADITION, THE DANGER OF SPIRITS LEFT UNHEEDED, REVENGE and more

DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM: Trick 'R Treat, Soul Eater, early 2000s goth aesthetics, the works of Junji Ito, Early 2000s RPG-Horror games, Hollywood Horror Tropes, Fully Embracing all aspects of a magical Pokemon world, Ghost Stories & all of the Haunts, Urban Legends, and Folklore spread around behind the beat covers of library books.

ALSO SEEN ON. Dcwnthercbbithcle & Rvnawaytrain

 MOBILE MUSE ABOUT | PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE KNOWLEDGE | POKEMON TEAM + LORE | INTEREST CHECKER | MEMES/PROMPTS | PLAYLIST | MULTI-MUSE

OF NOTE, this blog contains POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING CONTENT, including depictions of violence, death, derealization, trauma, discussion of repeating cycles & traditions, and psychological themes. Reader discretion is advised. PLEASE READ AHEAD AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION

RULES BENEATH THE CUT

Hello Hello ! Good morning, afternoon or night, depending on where you are! I see you've found my rules list! Thank you! I really appreciate you coming down here to read this for me! I'll try to spare you from having to read me prattling on, but I'd just like to get an introduction for myself out of the way; then we can get into the fun stuff!

Also, though it's not vital, please know I WILL NEVER BE MAD AT YOU IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY BREAK A RULE. I know it's easy to look at these rules as an ' if you cross, you die , ' sort of deal; however, trust me, I get it! I've accidentally broken rules, and I've had my rules broken; to err is to be human. If you make a mistake, we can always move past it. Just try your best, okay? It's all about respect and trying!

BASICS

Respect my muses’ boundaries.

Respect my personal boundaries.

If there’s one thing I am, it’s slow; please respect that. It's nothing personal. I am just a perfectionist, I study full-time and my interest and energy are fleeting.

Please be nice! This is non-negotiable. I don't care if your muses are rude; I mean, I play Kondraki for god's sake. However, OOC, I expect you to at least give me common courtesy. Rudeness is not tolerated.

Please, please, please don't use me as a meme/musing source! The occasional reblog is not a big deal; however, I've recently experienced problems with backlogs of reblogs clogging up my notifications, so please go directly to the source!

I am multi-ship and a bit of a shipping whore to be honest. However, I do not auto-ship based on the canon; sometimes, I will ship my muses with one another and give them interwoven stories. Sometimes, this will mean my muses are not open to being shipped with; other times, this means those characters can't be interacted with unless you accept this pre-established relationship. Of course- I will never force these relationships on you. However, please respect them and my ability to ship or not ship my characters.

I also do what I want! It sounds silly, but my blog is highly canon-divergent and headcanon-based. If you don't like that, that's okay, but don't try to get on my back over it!

I am very crossover friendly! If a verse isn't outright written about in the characters, then ask me about it! I can always whip something up for you!

I am 21+, and all of my muses are 18+ ( and often horror-centred ), so NSFW in terms of uncomfortable themes and sometimes straight-up smut WILL occur. If this isn't alright with you, please leave now!

Like I said before, I am uncomfortable with minors interacting because of the sheer nature of this blog, so please, if you are under 18, leave now.

Likewise, I do explore triggering topics regarding mental illness and trauma. If you are uncomfortable, please leave now.

Mun opinion and muse opinion are two different things!! Some of my characters are actually the fucking worst, but I'd like to think I'm not! Haha

I DO…

Encourage you to send asks, prompts, ideas, anything!

Encourage you to choose a muse, or several!

Encourage you to shoot me an ooc ask for any reason, even just to say hi! Especially just to say hi! Haha

Encourage you to not stress and take your time!

Encourage you to read up on my muses and lore!

Encourage you to remind me if you think I've forgotten!

[bustyasianbeautiespod]

Do you guys have podcast recommendations? I'm caught up on everything I listen to, but you guys are my favorite podcast, so I assume we have similar tastes

AWWW i'm so honored that we're your faves! grey is no longer a podcast listener so i (crystal) shall be the only answerer

in terms of people-watching-a-thing podcasts, i've enjoyed:

doctor huh- two brothers, one a former doctor who watcher and one who... only knows about it from social media... watch nuwho eps in a random order

zero to zero- three friends watch dc/marvel properties and respond w fun and funny levels of haterism. i have enjoyed ALL of this despite never once touching something they reviewed. on maybe-permanent hiatus

LMNOP- the only good cbs elementary podcast. also on maybe-permanent hiatus

i've been meaning to watch that- i've listened to less of this one, but it's hosted by manika dulcio, who we had on our s4 wrapped, so if you liked her there check her out on her home base!

as for fiction podcasts, listing my fave subscribeds below! for some of these, the first few eps are kinda rough but i've found them all resoundingly Worth It eventually! also if you, babpod listener, care about this, all of these have queer main characters and i'll bold the ones where the main char is explicitly a poc:

hi nay- "a supernatural horror fictional podcast about Filipina immigrant Mari Datuin, whose babaylan (shaman) family background accidentally gets her involved in stopping dangerous supernatural events in Toronto." v rich lore v good at being creepy! (ongoing)

the silt verses- what if every single folk deity was real and hungry and society ran on ppl being sacrificed on telephone poles? incredibly sexy writing like SO sexy (ongoing)

midnight burger- space diner adventures and friendships! they recently dropped a 3-hour beautifully audio-engineered season finale they've grown so much since the beginning. great cast and fills you w so much wonder about The Universe (ongoing)

greater boston- an expanding cast of chars tell the story of the forming of a new city on the boston red line train cars. makes u wild about community and interconnectedness and local politics and how no one is beyond compassion while also having like. cheese robots (ongoing)

within the wires- what if a world war led to a worldwide cultural shift that decried all tribalism starting at the family unit and babies were separated from their parents at birth? extremely interesting world and formats though i do think it's kinda tired after s4. i think listening to s1 then reading the companion novel might be the Move (ongoing)

unwell, a midwestern gothic mystery- what it says on the tin! lily returns to the fading small town she grew up in to care for her mom. there are ghosts and town history and wolves in the woods. some rlly beautiful and complex family relationships and friendships, great vibe and sound design (complete)

parkdale haunt- p classic haunted house horror (well i say classic. there's also an influencers cult) which i also consider a Top Friendship-Focused Media (complete)

alice isn't dead- usamerican road trip show about the horrors of freedom. spn wishes. love jasika nicole as a VA (complete)

the pasithea powder- epistolary space bisexuals after a war that left them on opposite sides. excellent interpersonal drama and aliens (complete)

wooden overcoats- v funny british funeral home rivalry show antigone funn is the weirdgirl extraordinaire (complete)

monstrous agonies- nice soothing ten-minute segments of a supernatural advice show. i think i've mentioned it as being the anti-spn in terms of the monster rights and monster-human cohabitation background of the world (complete)

midnight radio- ten-episode small town radio show ghost romance. it's an excellent annual fall listen if you have a saturday free (complete)

mabel podcast- ONE OF THE PODCASTS OF ALL TIME. if you care about women you will like this podcast. i've always found anna and mabel so revolutionary and freeing to listen to. horror podcast about fairies and a house that loves (creepy edition?) you (long hiatus)

brimstone valley mall- silly delightful y2k demons in a mall (long hiatus)

the far meridian- magical realism story about a girl living in a teleporting lighthouse. sweet and melancholic (long hiatus)

khôra podcast- greek myths in space. i need to hug all the characters (long hiatus)

ty for this ask i love podcasts i need to catch up on them!

- Crystal :)

[dollarbin]

Dollar Bin #31:

Linda Thompson's One Clear Moment

I don't know a sweeter moment in feminist pop music history than Linda Thompson's rebound after being dumped by her guitar god husband in 1982. Here they are before the crash landing.

Richard found himself a solo artist that no one wanted to see without his glorious wife, stuck on a dead end label and (correctly) deemed the villain. Linda, who was pregnant with their third child when he bailed, was taken in by Linda Ronstadt and was immediately offered a big deal record contract with Warner Brothers. Not bad.

It's no wonder why Linda was the bigger draw than Richard at that point. Check out this unspeakably brilliant performance; good luck ever seeing Richard get upstaged by someone anywhere else:

The story gets pretty sad from there; Linda literally lost her voice from the trauma of it all and was unable to make the big deal, cherished solo record she deserved; it was a full three years before she was able to settle in and record One Clear Moment.

And then the album tanked. 82's momentum was long gone: tastes had changed; Kate Bush had been replaced by Madonna; people wanted Born in the USA not Strange Affair. Linda Thompson lost her voice all over again in the aftermath and wouldn't return to performing until the new century. If you want to see the sad depths it all google her 88 Grammy appearance, where she has to lip sync her own song and looks lost at sea. I'm not pasting the video here; it's just too damn sad.

The only bright spot along the way (which led to her Grammy appearance) was thanks once again to Linda Ronstadt, who brought One Clear Moment's monster track of righteous feminism, Telling Me Lies, to the Trio sessions in 87, thereby tapping the public on the shoulder and reminding anyone who would listen that Linda Thompson was the real deal.

The ladies' version is wonderful, full of pathos and soaring vocals. But they were the world's biggest female stars at that point outside of Whitney Houston and Madonna, and they were finally making a record together that the men in their lives had blocked them from making for a full decade: even while they're singing such a sad song I can hear the joy in their voices.

Not so with Linda's own, original version: witness a woman scorned. She's wounded, yes. But she's also empowered and totally pissed:

I love how she takes the song to church, organ swelling. I love how slowly and directly she sings it. Has Richard ever listened to this? How has he ever stopped blushing? In his autobiography he basically refuses to write about it all. I was in the wrong, he tells his readers, in about half a sentence. He goes on to say that he's apologized to everyone involved and that means he's not apologizing to us. Fair enough.

But let's do our part to make things right: let's reconsider the straight-to-the-dollar-bin album that surrounds Linda's most famous song. Sure, the record doesn't include Richard and it does include three dull stinkers (most especially Best of Friends, which sounds intended for the My Little Pony Movie Soundtrack; Stephen Stills is probably watching that movie, if there actually is one, as we speak) on the B Side, but everything else within its grooves is alternatively powerful, ebullient and graceful. Let's set aside a clear moment to sing the record's praises.

Side One opens with Linda channeling Cindi Lauper with Can't Stop the Girl. Had Thompson been 15 years younger, willing to learn a few dance moves, and willing to wear her bra outside her shirt she could have joined Lauper on the Goonies soundtrack.

But it's during the title track, which follows, when things get vital. One Clear Moment sets the tone for everything memorable about this lost gem of a record; it marries 80's synth pop to sophisticated female empowerment; no wonder no one bought the record.

Thompson's lyrics on such songs are biting, fun and tight. Hell, High Water and Heartache includes the following verse, delivered without any flinching:

Some men make weak in the knees / You make me weak in the head / And if that's what you all passion / check your pulse you just might be dead.

Some men drive me wild / You drive me to despair / if i close my eyes and count to ten / promise you won't be there.

And take a listen to the sparse, lovely and biting Only a Boy, in which Linda puts Richard in his childish place then orders him to rot in hell.

Meanwhile the album contains two long forgotten tracks I think we are finally ready for. Take Me On The Subway is dense, dynamic and weird enough to serve as the opening credits track for some new zombie show. I feel commanded to obey her every command, ready to eat manflesh.

Finally, some savvy teen ought to cover In Love With the Flame in their bedroom, throw it on snapchat or whatever and get a million likes. It's bizarre to me how songs like this have not been turned into hits by cool kids once a decade ever since.

Don't you want to light a candle and shake your hips to this song? I know Linda and Richard had a miserable few years leading up to the record but it all made for some groovy tunes. And rest assured, their story has a happy ending.

Linda eventually recovered and has made 3 or 4 solid records in the last 20 years, each with Richard (occasionally) and their son (consistently) backing her. Both men do so with humility and understatement. They know Linda has always deserved center stage. It took some time, but the clear moment eventually came for her steady, majestic and powerful voice.

Let's give it another moment in 2024.

[sonicasura]

I'm tempted to make a Mer!Leon S Kennedy based on Monster Hunter's Narkarkos.

For those who don't play MH, Narkarkos is a 116 ft massive monster classified as an Elder Dragon with the title Corpse Dragon. Walking natural disasters that can devastate entire ecosystems and some even capable of world ending destruction. Narkarkos is one such force as its entire nest is made from its victims' bones but it also uses those very items for armor to even weapons.

There is a particular quest info in the Corpse Dragon's debut game, Monster Hunter Generations, where it devoured an entire village within one night leaving a single lucky survivor. Narkarkos is so dangerous that in Monster Hunter lore hunters need special permits just to hunt one and a sighting is immediate all hands on deck. You aren't even safe if the air or land either since its crafty enough to sink AIRSHIPS.

Perfect for Resident Evil verse as a bone cloak wearing squid/cuttlefish mer can fit right in alongside the undead hordes. Whether Leon will be a natural born who awakens into his nature, already lives a merman lifestyle or became one from viral infection is unknown. I can guarantee that he's a Leviathan type Mer around 169 ft in size and a huge disturbance ends up causing him to leave his den.

Blame Umbrella or another Resident Evil antagonist such as Simmons for Leon's emergence. Most of his body except for his head and upper chest are covered in bone armor with a massive skull from an unknown species being the Narkarkos Mer's shell. This skull is often mistaken for a 'bone island' since only those underwater can glimpse Leon's true appearance.

It mainly serves as cover or temporary shelter while the two smaller Mosasaurus skulls adorned at the end of his two main tentacles serve for attacks. Leon uses a sticky blue mucus to not only attach his armor and build his nest but also keep the bones from corroding alongside capturing prey.

A string of plane and ship disappearances already has the government on edge as they believe the cause is B.O.W related. It's only when a submarine alerts to base about a 'bone island' and a 'giant two headed dragon cover in bones' then communication is suddenly cut do they launch into action. The Redfield siblings are sent to investigate completely unaware of the real monster under those skeletal remains.

If anyone wants to write or draw using this Mer!Leon then go ahead. Honestly love to see what people can come up with! That's it for now! Until next time folks, continue to thrive in the wake of Raccoon City! Enjoy this Narkarkos boss fight alongside some basic and ecology info though!

Edit: I FINALLY found a vid that has all of the roars and attacks from our dear Corpse Dragon, especially the instant death laser. Someone better not piss off Narkarkos Mer!Leon or else they're literally getting the "IMA FIRIN MAH LAZOR" Shoop Da Whoop meme. Enjoy.

[susandsnell]

Coco!! 💕 hope you had something good to eat today, friend. Okay we know your thoughts (and thots) on hot vampire ladies, but where do u stand on werewolves/lycanthropy in horror as a vehicle for coming of age and queer actualization narratives? Do u have a top 5 transformation sequences in film? Any themes u think are particularly compelling or underexplored in that specific flavor of body horror?

Hi lovely!!! <3 I had some really nice corn on the cob at dinner, and it's just the right time of year for it, thankfully! I'm admittedly not as well-versed in werewolf/lycanthropy lore (just a matter of taste), but I think they're a very potent metaphor/vehicle for a lot of different experiences. The body as undergoing monstrous transformation is a classic puberty allegory, and as a creature that does not conform to the laws of man or beast, unrestrained after repression and yet forever in-between, sometimes unwilling and other times relieved to be seen, is very resonant with LGBT+ actualization narratives, among a lot of other things. That the werewolves are often unjustly hunted rather than nurtured is particularly poignant for me. As with any monster-as-human narrative, I can't help but note that this is a double-edged sword; there is baggage inherent in these allegories due to the dehumanization/animalistic comparisons for various marginalized groups, particularly in terms of race or sexuality/gender identity, though I recognize the space for reclamation here as I do with vampires. As well, there's always that nebulousness that exists between allowing yourself to embrace the imperfection and the anger and the totality of yourself, and what I refer to as the "X-Men Conundrum": wherein the metaphorical bigotry has in-universe justification because the fantastical creature poses a legitimate threat, whereas real-life forms of oppression operate frequently through deeming a group of people a threat in order to justify violence against, and exploitation of them. (Case in point: Disney' Zootopia, where they thought it was somehow a good idea to equate herbivore animals being frightened of carnivores to real-world racism, or The Breed, which went so far as to have vampires - not vegetarian ones, mind you! - as a stand-in for Jewish people during WWII. Like. Guys, think it through.) A skilful enough writer with enough compassion or lived experience can navigate this with the sensitivity and nuance it requires, but it's forever a challenge in my mind when it comes to writing monsters as the Other. I don't know that I have a top 5 werewolf transformation sequences, but off the top of my head, I really like the ones in An American Werewolf in London, Ginger Snaps, Trick r Treat, The Company of Wolves, and...does Fright Night count? Sort of? It's unclear if that's what happened to poor Evil Ed, but a wolf is involved! (I'm cheating by shoving vampires back in here...and my Fright Night bias, to boot!) For this specific flavour of body horror, the more visceral the better if it's in a visual medium. I want to see teeth falling out and being replaced, I want to understand the agony of suddenly sprouting fur and having it burst through your skin in clumps, and I want to hear the bones cracking as a body twists and contorts, abjection of what your own form does to you, perverse pride in what you become. Thematically, too; I want a battle between horror and joy, and perhaps it's the Cenobites talking, but I wonder if there can ever be happiness found in the pain of the transformation because that pain is experience, and that pain is the act of becoming. If you wanted to be topical about it you could even connect it to the ideas of Beauty Is Pain and what we subject ourselves to to fit certain standards, only in the inverse here for the monstrous and the grotesque yet the true.

Hope this answered your questions, and thanks for stretching my mind like this!!! Have a lovely one. <3

[mermaidsirennikita]

I’ve seen you rec some paranormal romances but do you have any a/b/o recs? I’ve been wanting to try them out but I really want to start with a good one

This one is tricky for me, because to be honest, I don't think I've read a true a/b/o book that I really like. I think that for me, it's always thisclose to what I'm truly seeking (werewolves) without actually being it. The alpha/beta/omega social structure (which, as a childhood Wolf Nerd, I must add has been disregarded by the scientific community, I think lol) feels so removed from people who are ultimately just people with slightly modified anatomy.

That said, I think the closest I've gotten is Run Run Rabbit by C.M. Nascosta. It's a werewolf romance set in her Cambric Creek world (though it's a lot less fluffy, which is probably why it's my favorite thing I'e read by her) and there is stuff like heat cycles, suppressants, and yes, knotting. The hero and heroine are both werewolves and lawyers, and they hate each other. He's super alpha (and a dick) and she bites back; the book begins with him saying she smells like prey, basically, and they end up in a situationship where they meet up every month or so to fuck it out while avoiding the feeeeeelings developing. Very good if you enjoy a hatefucking scene, especially. Even though everything is very civilized, I found this book had a super animalistic edge at points--there's primal chasing, the heroine is very drawn to how dominant the hero is on a super base level, there's definitely a hierarchal structure in terms of his alpha-ness intimidating other wolves.

There's another book about that hero's brother called Moon-Blooded Breeding Clinic--in that 'verse, werewolves are SUPER fertile, and women can go to this clinic and have heat cycles triggered artificially so that the werewolves can (voluntarily) breed them. Obviously, for optimal results, you should do it the old-fashioned way. For the knotting. This one was waaaay too fluffy for me, hero is NOT the jackass his brother is... Which lol. Is a problem for me, as I tend to love a jackass hero. But if you want something fluffier, this may work.

Then there's How to Marry a Marble Marquis, also by Nascosta, which is a Regency (I think) monster romance--gargoyle hero. Mostly recommending this because gargoyles have knots as well, apparently, and the sex scenes are real good. Especially if you like a bit of somnophilia. He "sleeps" in his stone form, and like........ maybe the heroine uses him a bit. With his permission, of course.

[psychicdreamfriendoperator]

Thoughts on bugs being a stand-in for supernatural beings in religion, mythology, and folklore in the Beastars verse? I could imagine them being used to portray gods, spirits, angels/demons, monsters + fantastical beasts, and powerful sapient figures in animalkind's texts. Heck, they could even be Yokai or fairies/Fae folk at the bare minimum.

If stand-ins are to be used, I feel like they’d get the ‘Adler’ treatment (i.e. a regular animal with something different about them), use an extinct species (like the dinosaurs) or make a hybrid (a lion + eagle hybrid could pass for a griffon, for example).

To me, bugs seem more suited to be low-ranking spirits or maybe, guardians of nature of some sort (à la Papa Bois or Mami Wata).

I've tried my best to put my rambling into words. I hope this is all right!

— Psychic

preface

Most people treat bugs indifferently. There's a beastkind-wide understanding that bugs are imagined differently in popular culture.

what measure is a non-beast?

I’ve personally found it a little weird that bugs are just sapient. To me, it feels like, if anything, they would be on the level of non-mammalian sea creatures: sentient to the point of being able to communicate with the rest of animalkind, with a different understanding of the "predator versus prey" concept to go along with it.

What separates insects from sea creatures? Who is to say that insects aren't sentient? For all beastkind knows, bugs could be communicating in a way they don't understand. Living in a world where you could eaten at any point ... I feel like living in a world like that makes you extremely conscious of such questions.

So, I think that those questions — what separates insects from beastkind, and vice versa — provide a lot of fuel for literature and other forms of popular culture.

bugs as gods

I've always leaned towards beastkind worshipping dinosaurs, and other, suitably extinct creatures.

If bugs are revered as gods, I feel like you'd see it in smaller faiths and religions. Even then, I do not think the insects would literally be interpreted as a god per se. Maybe more as a representation of a god — like a shadow instead of the real thing.

bugs as messengers + spirits

Insects are incapable of understanding beastkind, but the reverse is also true: beastkind is incapable of understanding insects. To me, that gives them this sort of “higher power” vibe to them, without any of the godhood that's usually associated with it.

In my mind, insects are better suited to the role of messengers: heralds for the gods they serve, psychopomps, spirtual guides, etc.

bugs in popular culture

Some productions of ‘Adler’ feature moths as a recurring motif; a symbol that appears wherever there is death.

Many children’s books use bugs as stand-ins when explaining the conflict between carnivores and herbivores.

[untowonder-gone]

over the course of writing multiple ocs who all share a world in some way,  shape or form,  i’ve come to finally see their universes,  [ LOOKING GLASS ]  and  [ MIDNIGHT CITY ]  ,  as two different properties,  even though they were actually initially thought up as being one and the same. 

[ MIDNIGHT CITY ]  ,  the older project,  has become akin to more of a  [ palimpsest ; catherynne m valente ]  experience;  a world of gods and monsters,  with heavy religious themes,  with sexual exploitation and experiences and reflections,  and reflections of religious trauma masquerading as a dive into some fantastical otherworld where only humans who were magically inclined could visit or stay at the cost of disappearing from the real world.  holding within it a purer reflection of the hellish queen who exists within the neighboring,  almost reflection,  Looking Glass.

[ LOOKING GLASS ]  ,  which was to be  new  root of the former  [ QUEEN OF ROT ] verse,  was just going to be used as something to explain the existence of a girl who was never real,  but created through the violent death of a magically inclined boy who was tortured by those who loved him,  RED KING and QUEEN.  now this world exists on another continent,  across from Midnight City like some hellish reflection.  a world for fairy tale things,  those beings that weren’t found rooted in religions,  but merely reflected the properties of religious symbolism.  an existence for things in limbo,  as it were.

but since actually attempting to put all my thoughts to paper or to digital form,  both properties and the verses they’ve borne,  have actually changed pretty drastically.  they’ve become something easier to manage.  there’s a lot of stuff i have to retcon,  especially in the lore for marianne,  that i have to do,  and will do,  as time goes on.

and since these are both as original creations with heavy,  heavy influences from my varied interests,  these two heavily fantasy based worlds will become something like the default verses for this blog as i no longer feel content with twi.sted wo.nderland being the default.  i want marianne to stand on her own two legs,  and i want to go back to my roots as writing from my own properties instead of fandom verses.