#-hopefully someday i develop some sort of useful life skill so i can get a different job and get out of everybody's way

[hoofpeet]

If I wasn't in the middle of an eviction trial I'd refund all the commissions I just took; it's a complete embarrassment to even think about charging money for the dogshit I pump out.. sorry regardless and I will readily refund any slots if anyone comes to their senses

[tisorridalamor]

OC-tober Day 18: Swap!

I'm choosing to interpret "swap" as characters swapping setting/genre :)

The Girls if they were in different settings!

Fantasy:

Only Delta and GG aren't originally from fantasy settings. I can see Delta living in a large fantasy castle city. I don't think she'd be an adventurer but I could see her working alongside adventurers in a guild on the administrative / information side of things. She'd be wrapped up in internal politicking and would probably eventually climb the ranks to a position of power. GG on the other hand would be very similar to how she is in her actual setting - a traveling adventurer pursuing her own interests, probably searching for lost magic or some sort of ancient artifact.

Modern / "Real life":

Lark would not excel at school but would be interested in sports like basketball or soccer. If she attends uni she'd probably drop out end end up doing odd jobs in her area. She'd be from a rural area and spend a lot of time watching videos about cool places in the world but never thinking of going there herself, always feeling like that's for other people not her.

Cadence would be a "gifted kid" and apply to high level universities, where she would struggle in the same way she does in her story but without being a magical girl to help :( I hope she'd make it through... I imagine she'd be studying something like chemical engineering.

Kama would be super popular and well liked by pretty much everyone. She'd go to a uni close to home and probably still get a little homesick about it. She'd do well, probably become a teacher. I imagine she still meets her star crossed lover while there and they live happily together :>

Micha would be on like... the olympic track for a major sport, then get caught in scandal either there or before going and give up on her dreams and work a boring, shitty job that she hates. Hopefully she heals someday, but I imagine it'd be easy for her to ignore her family.

GG would be like. An insanely talented travel influencer who uses her clout to explore and see really cool stuff. I think her actual content would be pretty surface level and basic as to appeal to wide audiences but when she's invited on podcasts and interviews people realize she's wicked smart. Maybe she writes a bestselling book. She absolutely has an anthropology degree or two but doesn't advertise it.

Sci Fi / Future:

Lark would live in a remote area / planet and not have as much familiarity with complicated tech, probably growing up around reworked scrap. Another situation where she'd work a lot of odd jobs and would probably pick up basic mechanical skills. Similar to modern life she'd watch a lot of videos of distant places but not have motivation to travel.

Cadence would pursue advanced technical education and hopefully become a respected scientist / developer. Again, no magical girling here so not sure if she'd properly her fears. I can see her as a movie scientist who ends up being forced to build an evil robot or something lol

I'm having a fun time reimagining Kama's love story in sci fi terms... maybe her family moves to an alien planet and her love is a high ranking alien... It would be cool for the two of them to pioneer relationships between humans and aliens <3

Micha would fit well in a grungy cyberpunk dystopia where people look out for themselves more than each other. She'd become a much darker character in that setting, extra ruthless and less ashamed of letting down her family.

To maintain her everygirl status, I bet Delta would get time traveled to the future where she'd be a fish out of water trying to navigate a strange new world. She'd adapt quickly though and her story would be about her trying to return to her own time!

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tag @kaylinalexanderbooks!

OC Interview

I'll answer for Avymere, since I don't think I've really introduced them properly

.

1. Are you named after anyone?

"I'm the fifth Avymere of the Spearsong family. The first Avymere actually ruled Skysheer as regent briefly and was given the city of Salis as a reward when the Silverwind monarch they ruled for grew up. It's a name with much history attached."

2. When was the last time you cried?

"A few months ago, I was sparring with some of my guards and got kicked in a rather... sensitive area. I held it together until they left, but once I was alone, by the gods, I was on the floor."

3. Do you have kids?

"No, but I suppose I will someday. My father will rule for at least another hundred years, so I have until then to find a partner and produce an heir. By that time, I'll hopefully be a little more eager."

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

"I can't help it in front of the court sometimes, but I think it comes off as too subtle and they usually just assume I'm actually dumb. That's beneficial though, as it helps my disguise. My father always laughs, at least."

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

"I notice how they're dangerous. A few tell-tale burns let me know that someone is a rune smith. A certain twitch of the hands reads as sorcerer. Fighters are easy - they always stand a certain way when pressed. Even socially dangerous people have their tells."

6. What's your eye colour?

"A pale gray. I wear glasses as well - everyone in my family is terribly nearsighted."

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

"In front of the court, I'd certainly say happy endings, but I don't know, I sort of enjoy the catharsis of fictional terror."

8. Any special talents?

"Other than my fighting skills? I play the piano very well, though I'm a little out of practice. I had more time to play when I was younger."

9. Where were you born?

"In my family's palace, one hundred and thirty three years ago."

10. Do you have any pets?

"My father keeps falcons and sometimes I'll pick one to train, but it's hard to get attached when they die so quickly. I've heard parrots live almost as long as humans, however, it would be cruel to keep a tropical bird so far north. I don't have time for a pet anyhow."

11. What sort of sports do you play?

"I'm an adherent of Talmel Valkys. It's one of the oldest forms of elven martial arts, having been invented back before Nabafyr and Skysheer were even proper nations. While Nabafyr developed many styles of open hand fighting later on, my people frown on physical violence, so Talmel Valkys is one of the only styles to have survived to the modern day here. I've always wanted to travel to Nabafyr and learn some of their styles, through I doubt they'd want a Skysheerian poking around their martial arts, especially when the most renowned styles are passed down family lines exclusively. Oh my, I've been talking for a while, haven't I? My apologies."

12. How tall are you?

"5'8". That's tall for an elf, though I'm only of a middling height when surrounded by humans."

13. What was your favorite subject in school?

"History, of course. It's the story of our world, more incredible and convoluted than any fiction. Every lord must study the victories and mistakes of those who came before them if they want to rule well."

14. What is your dream job?

"Ruling Salis after my father steps down is my sworn duty. It's my purpose as a child of the Spearsong line. ...If I'm being honest though, I've always envied the people who are free to travel. Maybe, in another life, I would've been happy to see the world as a caravan guard. However, this is not another life, so I will wear the mantle I was born to and rule Salis with all the fairness and grace I can manage."

.

I'll tag @rkmoon @amandacanwrite @apolline-lucy @televisionjester and anyone else who wants in :)

Blanks under the cut

1. Are you named after anyone?

2. When was the last time you cried?

3. Do you have kids?

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

6. What's your eye colour?

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

8. Any special talents?

9. Where were you born?

10. Do you have any pets?

11. What sort of sports do you play?

12. How tall are you?

13. What was your favorite subject in school?

14. What is your dream job?

[my-practiceblog]

If I could start all over

This is going to be a long one.  And it has no practical purpose, just getting my thoughts out.  I saw a post on Facebook a while back that asked if you would choose $1 million now, or start your life over at 12 years old, knowing all that you do now.  The obvious choice, assuming you’re trying to build your best life and don’t mind reliving all those years, is of course to go back to 12.  Now middle school/high school was not the best tie for me, but reading this I just keep thinking about what I would and wouldn’t change if I went back.  There are some things, like my camp, that I enjoyed, but looking back didn’t have any sort of positive impact on my life, where replacing it with something else could have.  There are other things, like where I went to school, that while I am sure there are schools out there that would have been better for me, but I don’t think I’d be willing to risk my friendships and experiences I had there without getting a glimpse of what things would look like if I replaced them.

So I am going to go into all that I can think of, what I would and would not change.  I am going to think of this in a way that I have all the knowledge I have today (and hopefully also the confidence and social skills, because those were highly lacking before college), but still feel the age that I am so that I can have friends and relationships with people my own age without it being weird.  

Let’s see what’s first.  I think 7th grade, the only big thing I would have liked to change was my friendships.  Currently, I speak to no one I went to high school with.  And I am perfectly fine with that.  However, I think if I had some better friends when I was in middle school/high school it would have been a much more enjoyable experience for me.  I think the only friend I definitely should have dropped at that time was this girl Sarah.  We had been friends I think since fourth grade (maybe earlier?) and in real life our friendship ended within a year of graduating from college.  But I am pretty sure it was as early as 7th grade that she stopped being a good friend towards me, and I think ending that sooner would have been very good for me.  Then there are a bunch of girls that I was friendly with, who I think could have been actual friends of mine, even if those friendships still wouldn’t have lasted past graduation.

The next thing I would work on at that time would be hobbies.  I’d like to take up a hobby that could somehow monetarily benefit me at this point, maybe ceramics?  I feel like that’s something that I would enjoy, and after enough years of doing it I would be able to sell pieces that I made.  Or maybe photography.  Graduation shots and likewise could bring in some nice money.  I also wish I started dance lessons (would have been much better prepared for TikTok) and improved my swimming skills so that I could become a lifeguard when I turned 16.  Currently I try swimming laps for exercise, but according to my mom, no one who watched me swim would ever guess I grew up with a pool.  Oops.  But I think being a lifeguard is a fun summer job for a kid, that also pays well, so if I started developing my skills when I was 12 I would be more than prepared for the lifeguard exam at 16.  Maybe even prior to that I would get my scuba license (apparently something you only have to be 10 for a junior license, and 15 for a real license) which is something I’m looking into getting now, but have not found the time.

Last thing I think I’d focus on starting in 7th grade (or 8th, depending on timing of seasons, but I could at least start developing some skills in 7th) is joining school sports.  It looks like all of the sports I wish I did may have been in the fall, but the number one sport I wish I joined was tennis.  Again, something I’m looking into now, but I need to find time and someone to teach me.  I also don’t want to have to pay someone to teach me.  So many things I wish I learned when my parents were willing to pay for them, haha.  But I think it’s a great skill to have because it’s a good workout, it’s social (if you play doubles, or casually against a friend) and it’s the perfect sport for when I am someday a country club wife.  The next sport I wish I did was volleyball.  I remember I tried the first day of try outs and the coach said we would get bruises and I was just like ABSOLUTELY not.  And then years later I told my mom that I was mad at her for not forcing me to continue.  I just think it would have been a fun team to be apart of.  Also, I could have used volleyball skills both social in college at the sand volleyball court we had outside my dorm, and now in one of the social leagues they have in the city.  Besides those two, maybe in the other season I would have tried track and field or lacrosse, but honestly I probably would have hated both, so probably not worth it.

Adding on to the sports section, there was one sport that I did for a season, and would 100% change.  It was 8th or 9th grade I was on the JV softball team, and I would have never done it if I knew how it was going to turn out.  This was not long after I got my braces off, and I was really bad.  Not only did I hate it, but once during practice I was having a catch and missed.  It hit me in the mouth, and slightly shifted my teeth that I had just spent years, and my parents spent so much money to finally get perfect.  So yes, joining that sport was a mistake, and not one I would make again.

Also not sports related, but just wanted to add this in.  I did a school play in 8th grade, and that was actually a very good experience for me.  I am not sure whether the sports I would be doing would overlap with the play, but even if it did I definitely want to do both.  That play is one of the only things I remember from back then that I specifically would not want to change.

Anyway, this post is getting so long, and I have much more to add, but I feel like I can end part one here.  I feel like these things are mostly ongoing until I graduate from high school, while the rest of my things might be more specific, at specific times.

[dear-selena]

Sketchbook (Peter Parker x Stark!Reader): Chapter 2

Peter Parker x Stark!Reader (Female) 

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | ?

Summary: (Y/N) never understood science based subjects, despite putting all her efforts into studying them. Kids at school bullied her, her father, Tony Stark, was disappointed in her, and the Avengers looked the other way. Peter Parker, her best friend and secret crush for almost two years, was always there supporting her when she needed someone. However, since he became an Avenger and her dad’s ‘favorite kid’, (Y/N) doesn’t know how much longer he’ll be around. 

You find yourself struggling to exist with everything working against you, and instead of asking others for help, you turn to your sketchbook.

Warnings: Favoritism, fighting (battle wise), mentions of depression

A/N: Hey guys! thank you all so much for the support on my first chapter. School has been extremely crazy for me, so I’ve been struggling to write, but I really wanted to update tonight. Like I said before, updates for this story will be sparce because of my school schedule, so please be patient with me. 

Also, I’ve been experiencing extreme writer’s block with this story, so please be patient with me as I work through it. I think I’ve come up with a good path for this story to go, and feedback will be much appreciated. Thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoy chapter 2! 

Chapter 2: Whipped Into Shape

Words: 2097

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The ride home from school couldn’t have been any quicker. 

Happy always waits for you when school ends to drive you home. Normally, you would talk up a storm to him about how frustrating classes were, and he’d listen contently, chiming in sometimes to give you advice. However, today you stay silent, thinking about how you had to face your father at home and tell him about your D+ in chemistry. 

Hopefully everyone forgot you got your grades back today. 

“Everything alright back there kiddo?” You hear happy ask you, snapping you out of any negative thoughts that started to form. “Is it about grades again?”

You slowly nod, admitting defeat. “I failed my chem midterm. Again.” 

Happy looks at you through the rear-view window, pity evident in his eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

You shake your head, not wanting to breakdown in front of your family’s head of security. 

Once Happy reaches the Avengers Compound, you thank him and quickly make your way inside. When you reach the common room, you find Bucky and Sam playing video games on the big screen, nodding at you when they see you’ve come back home. 

“Hey (Y/N), how’d the test go?” Sam asks without taking his eyes off the screen. Dammit they remember. 

You try to act dumb. “What test? I didn’t take any test…” 

Bucky turns to glance at you before giving his attention back to the game. “She probably failed again. Hope Tony doesn’t freak.” He mumbles. However, you heard everything he said, and quietly left the room before they could say anymore hurtful words. Bucky always liked saying things bluntly. But you weren’t in the mood to deal with him today. The truth hurt too much. 

Making a quick pitstop in your bedroom, you drop your backpack and quickly change into some training gear. After school you would train with Natasha, learning self-defense, fighting tactics, and how to use certain weapons. You started this routine when you entered your freshman year of high school as a privilege. Your father refused to have your trained when you were younger despite your constant begging. However, when he enrolled you into Midtown High, he started having Natasha training you as a way to keep you in check. If you did well in school, you were allowed to train, simple as that. 

Natasha was always so patient with you, no matter how inconsistent training you has been. Sometimes, your father would forbid you from training when you’re grades were at an all time low in order to make you study more, so you weren’t as skilled as you wished. However, your skills have gotten better over the past few months, and you thought that developing these skills might finally land you a spot with the Avengers. 

When your father allows it, training gave you a new sense of life. It made you feel as if you could do anything, even stop your bad thoughts from ever returning. You weren’t sure how it happened, but fighting alongside Natasha felt great, even if you weren’t the best. Natasha was a great teacher. 

But you secretly wish your father would be there helping you learn. 

Tying your hair into a high ponytail and giving yourself another look in the mirror, you grab your boxing tape and start the trek to the training room. On your way to the room however, you can’t help but get distracted by the lab. It was in the direction you were taking, and its walls were glass, so you could see everything. Normally, Bruce and your father were in there upgrading suits and weapons, drafting new tech, or testing gear. However, neither one were in sight, and the lab doors were wide open. 

Tony had strict rules about who was allowed in the lab, especially with you. You’ve always wanted to help your father build things and learn from him, but he simply didn’t allow it, not until you got your grades up. You understood why he was so strict with you, but you couldn’t help but yearn to get your hands on some of his prototypes. It especially stung when he started allowing Peter into the lab, teaching him how to use the equipment like you always dreamed of him teaching you. 

Peter was obviously his favorite child, and he wasn’t even a Stark. 

Walking through the large glass doors, you look around in awe at your father’s work. Despite being here 24/7, your father manages to keep this place in tip-top shape. Looking around, you notice that he’s currently working on upgrades for Peter’s Iron-Spider suit, giving his A.I. an upgrade and fixing his web shooters that he recently blew out in a recent mission. Of course. You also notice that him and Bruce have started drafting new weapons, and from the looks of it, it seems they’re trying to make these weapons unique for certain climates on Earth. 

“What did I say about coming in here?” 

Jumping out of your skin, you whip around to see your father at the lab doors, arms folded in front of him and staring at you intensely. “I-I’m sorry dad. I didn’t know you were here.”

“And I don’t know why you’re here (Y/N),” Your father retorts, making you shrink in place. “You didn’t touch anything, did you?” 

You shake your head rather quickly. “No sir.” 

“Good, now get out of here before you do. Natasha is waiting for you.” 

Before you could move, Peter speed walks through the doors. “Hi Mr. Stark, sorry I’m late I was-” Peter’s eyes land on you, his eyes lighting up. “Oh! (Y/N), are you joining us today?” 

You went to answer, but your father beat you to it. “Sorry kid, (Y/N) hasn’t earned that privilege yet.” 

Ouch. 

You look down as you make your way out of the lab, your eyes meeting Peter’s. He stares at you with a look of pity, a look you hated coming from anyone, especially your best friend. Hopefully training would distract you from the ache that formed in your heart. 

“Hey (Y/N)?” You hear your father call out before you were out of range. Turning around, you see that Peter and your father were getting ready to work on the Iron-Spider suit. “How did your chemistry test go?” 

You freeze in place, body going numb at the thought of your failure. Your father instantly notices and eyes you, disappointment evident in his expression. “Let me guess. Another C?”

You blink rapidly, trying to hold back tears. “Worse than that.” Your voice barely came out as a whisper. 

Peter lifts his head from what he’s doing, eyes widening at your statement. He didn’t realize your test went that poorly. Your father on the other hand, looks down and nods, expecting that answer from you. “Just… just go train.” 

You immediately run out of the lab and all the way to the training room, seeing Natasha and Steve in the middle of a sparring match. You breathe a sigh of relief, being away from you father and all. 

Hopefully some training will help your negative thoughts. 

------------

“Oof!” You gasp out as you fall flat on your face. 

Natasha currently has you sparring with Steve, and much to your dismay, he was winning. Avoiding his swings had gotten easier for you, but in a moment where you got a little too confident, Steve surprises you and kicks in your legs, knocking you off balance. 

Putting her hand to her head and rubbing her temples, Natasha sighs. “C’mon (Y/N),” She urges. “You can’t get too cocky.” 

You look up and see Steve extending a hand to you, pulling you off the mat with ease. “I’m sorry Miss Romanoff.” 

“It’s okay, but if you really want to go on missions someday, you’ll need to find a way to focus.” Natasha lectures. You nod sadly. She was right after all. “You’ve been getting better since your training has become routine, so is there anything you know you can do to help you focus better?” 

You take a good moment to think about this. Normally drawing and writing in your sketchbook helps you, but that definitely wouldn’t help in a battle. However, you do know that holding something in your hands helps you stay attentive. “May I try sparring with a weapon?” 

Natasha’s eyebrows raise, a small smile forming on her lips. “I hoped you’d say that.” 

You walk over to the training equipment as Steve goes to to grab his shield. The spar needed to be fair after all. When you use a weapon to train, you find a sense of comfort that you don’t get fighting with only your hands. Luckily, Natasha has picked up on this too. 

Looking through all the weapons Bruce and your father has provided for training purposes, you think about every weapon you’ve used thus far. You were fairly decent with staffs, guns weren’t particularly your favorite, and shields felt sort of like dinner plates to you. However, there was one weapon you’ve become quite fond of, smiling as your eyes landed on it. 

“A whip?” Natasha questions as you take the piece of rope off the hook and wrap the handle around your right wrist. “You really like that one don’t you?” 

You turn and smile at your mentor, playfully snapping the whip in response. Just then, Steve came back with his famous shield. “Ready to go (Y/N)?” 

“More ready than before,” you say confidently, despite what Natasha said about cockiness earlier. You and Steve go back on the sparring mat, taking up each side. Taking a deep breath, you swing your whip around a little, getting used to the feeling of the rope.

“Okay. 3, 2, 1, go!” 

With that, you open your eyes to see Steve lunge at you. Starting as well, you run directly at him and attempt snap the whip in his face. Steve quickly blocks your attack with his shield and slides under you, trying to knock you off your feet again. Luckily, you saw this coming and jump out of his way, turning to see him get back up again. 

The battle continues for a little while. Steve blocking your whips and swinging his shield as you roll around his attacks. The whip starts to feel like an extension of your arm, and even though you’re fairly decent with it, you smack yourself with it a few times, accidentally burning the skin on your stomach and thighs. However, you were more focused than ever. 

In a lucky snap, you wrap your whip around Steve’s shield, sliding it out of his hands and across the floor, shocked by your sudden move, Steve didn’t expect you to snap the whip around his legs and send him crashing into the mat. You yank the rope, sliding Captain America to your side and out your foot in his back. Steve’s eyes widen as he realizes his defeat, and your mouth goes agape. 

“Whoa, did I just do that?” 

“Yes!” You hear Natasha say, and you look up to see her start to clap, a proud expression on her face. “I’ve never seen you do something like that. I’m impressed.” 

Unwrapping Steve from the rope, you help him up. “Same, I have to say (Y/N), that was the best match I’ve had with anyone in a while, I’m pleasantly surprised.” 

Radiating happiness, you shake Steve’s hand. “Thank you Mr. America.” 

“I think it’s a good time to call it quits,” Natasha says, patting your back. “Good job (Y/N), I’ll make sure to tell Tony about your improvements.” 

You’re eyes light up. Maybe your father will finally be proud of you. “You will?” 

Natasha nods. “Just don’t get too confident now. I heard about your… recent grade, so I’m going to try and convince your father to let you keep training now that I see the potential.” 

Your smile falters a little. You completely forgot about that. 

With one last pat on the back, you run off to the kitchen to grab some water and back to your room for a well deserved shower. Even though you didn’t do well in school today, you felt immensely proud of yourself for taking down the one and only Captain America. Sure, you got lucky, but this was the exact type of luck you needed as motivation. 

This moment gave you another reason to keep going.

-----------

-Sketchbook Tag List-

@randomfanders-blog // @freestarlight // @depressing-as-shit // @sweetmilki // @supernerdycookietrashblr // @supermassiveblackhope

-Peter Parker Tag List-

@sweetcoffeeblandtea // @house-arya // @jovialpeanut 

-Permanent Tag List-  

@mindset-jupiter // @romance-geek // @imcharishope // @fakindob // @cutiekoa // @wowursofunny

[docholligay]

Cheaters Prosper

I totally left my drive at home and so when I started working today I didn’t get very far before it was like “oh shit” and also no one gave me suggestions for today so I’ll do some more work tomorrow (episodes 37-40, if anyone has topics) but today I wrapped up a fic about Pharah thinking of proposing to Mercy, because both moonlight and sunspot like Pharah/Mercy, so hopefully it’s not a terrible consolation prize for the day. 1900 words

Fareeha Amari was nervous. 

It was more unsettling for her than most, as she was not accustomed to the feeling. You could put Pharah into the middle of a battlefield, bombs going off around her, and be treated only to her calm. Her eyes would remain straight ahead, her brow relaxed, as some higher-up demanded answers. Her Raptora suit might fail in the middle of a test, and she would simply guide herself to the ground as delicately as possible. 

But all of those things were known, and had clear consequences. Even the worst outcome was one Pharah had prepared herself for time and again, running the plans and permutations over and over. This was different. Pharah could  not know how she would react if the plan failed, and this gave her a sense of unease that was quite foreign to her. What would be the follow-up plan? Who could know? This was the most terrifying plan Pharah had ever hatched. 

She was going to propose to Mercy. 

Pharah had looked over the options, time and again. It seemed a reasonable risk to take. Mercy had suggested the idea of them moving in together when her contract with Harvard was up in the spring. They very much enjoyed each other’s company, and had spent large spans of time together. She knew Mercy’s imperfections, and Mercy knew hers, and they seemed to be able to fit the puzzle pieces together. The formula in Pharah’s head seemed to suggest that success was likely, very likely.

So why was she afraid? 

She looked down at the very simple ring she had selected, one that would glide easily under a surgical glove, the small but star-bright diamond set into the band so that there was no worry of things trapped under the stone. It was rose gold, which Pharah had determined Mercy liked very much, carefully watching her this last year. 

Pharah nearly blushed as she thought it, if she was the sort of person who allowed that. Had she really been thinking of marrying her that long? So soon after having met her? But it was true, however silly Pharah might have thought it was. She had known she wanted to marry Angela Zeigler within the first week of knowing her. It had been terrifying, to be so sure of something she had never wanted for herself. 

It was terrifying now, even with that long to know it. 

She had told no one. If Mercy turned her down, she was not sure she could bear the shame of it, of having guessed so badly, and she had to be open to the possibility. People were never her specific gift. Sometimes she said too much, or not enough, and hurt someone without knowing it. In the past, she had thought others should simply assume her intentions were honest, and not put so much stock in their emotions. But there were a few times, though, she tried to assure herself, not too many, that she had hurt Mercy with her brashness and silence, and she had resolved to do better. She had done better. Pharah worked hard at the things she desired. 

Mercy would like the ring. She had taken great care to ensure it, and if Mercy didn’t, she could have it returned, and get something better. She would tell Mercy that, of course. But Mercy would like the ring. Of course she would. 

If only she could speak to Tracer. 

She hated the thought as soon as it came into her mind. She had gotten used to Tracer, it was true, much like one develops a callus with constant friction, but it still annoyed her that Tracer was her best source of information on what Mercy might and might not like. Tracer was good with words and people in a way Pharah was not, and she had helped Pharah in her early days with Mercy, but she had also teased Pharah over her awkwardness with the tenderer things. Tracer had been a spoiled child, told she was special and held tight, and had no idea what it was to stumble over a gentle feeling. She would never tell Tracer she was doing this. 

But at least Tracer would have known what to say. 

She turned the ring again in the light, the perfect facets catching even the dim glow at the bar top, throwing off bright rainbows. It was nearly perfect. She had forced the jeweler to go over each one, asking for vetted paperwork on their provenance--Mercy would worry that it had come from some sort of conflict---looking for the one that was brightest, most beautiful. She had paid well for it, but she had expected to, and Mercy was worth it. Her words would not be so shining, or so sparkling, and so the ring had to be. 

“I love you,” she murmured to herself, “I would never want to live without you.” 

She sighed, and took a drink of her Labatt. What a stupid thing to say. Of course she loved Mercy. Of course she didn’t want to be without her. What was the purpose of getting married otherwise? 

She should call Sam. He’d proposed to her mother, hadn’t he? And he was a kind man, and loved Mercy, and would be so excite to hear the news. But, then again, he must not have said the right thing, because her mother had turned him down flat, over and over again, until she’d simply moved back to Egypt and had Pharah--

“You okay?” The bartender looked at her, wiping his hands, fresh from cutting citrus, the sour brightness of it still hanging in the air. 

She nodded, but he looked down at the ring box open in her hand and smiled. 

“It’s pretty,” he nodded to her, “she’ll like it.” 

Pharah let out a small chuckle. “How do you know she did not already tell me no?” 

He set another Labatt in front of her. “Because you’re not drinking the hard stuff. Am I wrong?” 

“Very clever.” She took the beer appreciatively, and looked to his hand. A ring of his own. ‘What did you say? When you asked?” 

“Oh,” he scratched his head, “You know, I can’t remember? Been so damn long.” 

Pharah closed the ring box and slipped in back into her pocket, making sure the button snapped tightly over it. She had carried it all the way from Egypt, telling herself that she was going to do it on this trip, that nothing would stop her, that she was Fareeha Amari, callsign Pharah, fearless and commanding in the face of anything life had to throw at her. She had come here to see Mercy, and to start a new life with her. She liked rose gold, and she wanted a chuppah at the wedding, and Pharah might not have the right words, but she could give Mercy all of that. 

“You know,” the bartender said, leaning across the back of the bar and giving her a long look, “do you love her?” 

“Of course I do,” Pharah scowled a moment, insulted, “I...there is no one else, in my life, that makes me feel this, this thing, I know…” she gave a small puff of frustration at her own weakness, “I feel like coming home, when I see her.” 

“Just tell her that,” he laughed, “I have no idea what I said, and that’s the truth, but we’ve been through everything together. Someday, you won’t be nervous to tell her things. I promise. She’ll be the only person you always want to tell. It’s kinda fun, young love, but,” he sighed, “it’s no replacement for just being married. For always being, like you said, at home. Do your best. She loves you, she’ll see it.” 

“I want to give her things.” 

Suddenly it seemed strangely safe, to tell someone what she wanted, and the edge went out of her voice, She couldn’t remember the last time that had happened, with a stranger, and this man could be nothing but a stranger to her. But he looked on her with generosity, and that did not count for nothing in Pharah’s mind. And so, she continued, looking at the woodgrain looping on the bar top. 

“She should have beauty, and poetry. She very much--she’s very fond of poetry. I am no poet.” She looked up quickly. “This is not to discount my skill, or my work ethic, or the many things I do. I am not feeling sorry for myself.” 

He laughed, shaking his head. “I didn’t say you were.” 

She closed her eyes a moment, chastened. “I apologize. I was reminding myself.” She peeled at the edge of the beer bottle label, something she was certain she had never done in her life but felt the only way forward. “But it is true. She loves poetry. Beauty. I am no poet, or artist. I am...reliable. Efficient. Loyal.”

“And I’ll bet you,” you tossed the dishcloth on the counter, “she knows that. And likes it enough so far. I know a lot of women who’d kill for that. I’ll bet you, that she loves the fact that you’re probably, what a little bit of a neat freak? Like to be early? Color-coded schedules? I bet that’s nice for her. Maybe it’s something she needs, you know, that sort of, happens every day thing.Maybe she loves that most of all” He patted her hand. “Come back in after you ask her, I’ll give you a free bottle of bubbles.” 

She arched her eyebrow? “You’re so sure?” 

He grinned. “Tell you what, if I’m wrong, I’ll give you that bottle of Glenfidditch 30 year up on the top shelf, never opened.” 

Pharah cocked her head. Her father would love the scotch, even if he balked at what it would have cost her, and so, even if she said no, there would be a bonus. 

“And if I worried for nothing?” 

He thought a moment. ‘Then you owe me a favor, and I can always use a favor.” 

“Fair.” 

A little bell rung high over the bar, and Mercy came in, smiling brightly, hair a mess from the wind and cheeks bright pink, like some sort of tousled blush rose against the dark wood of the place. Her blue eyes glittered when she saw Pharah, and she set her bag by the side of the bar, kissing Pharah softly. 

“You’re here!” she put her hand on the back of Pharah’s neck, “Sorry I was having some meeting, and--” 

Pharah took both of her hands in hers. “You are so cold.” 

“Oh, you know, the wind, is so--oh, I need to go wash my hands, I was just leaving the meeting so quickly, I didn’t stop,” she kissed Pharah on the cheek, “I will be right back.” 

“Angela honey,” the bartender called to her as she left, “Brandy toddy? You want the apple brandy?” 

“Oh, yes, thank you Ernie!” She smiled, and then turned around toward the bathroom. 

Pharah scowled and indicated with the tip of her beer. “You cheated.” 

“You didn’t ask,” The grin took over the whole of his face, “but I might have heard of you.” He laughed and grabbed the apple brandy off the shelf. “You’ll be just fine.” 

Pharah felt at the ring box in her pocket, but could not stop herself from smiling. She was happy enough to be tricked, if it meant that she knew it was time to come home.

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Two Hundred Eighty-Four: Apple Pie ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

Though he never would have thought as much when he was first shoehorned into this class, Sasuke has to admit...Home Ec has grown on him. While he’s still a good student and honestly enjoys most of his classes at least somewhat, there’s just something really...nice about that class in particular. Sure, it’s not just baking cookies everyday, but it’s become a nice change of pace compared to everything else.

He tells himself it’s because the class is just so...different. He’s actually learning some handy skills, even if most guys wouldn’t bother. He’s handier in the kitchen than ever, knows several ways to sew by hand (and how to use a machine), and they’ve even broached into things like human development. Never did he think he’d know so much about babies...but, well, you never know. Maybe he’ll have to...deal with one someday.

But if he’s honest with himself - truly honest - there’s another very big factor to why he’s come to enjoy the class as much as he does.

Strolling into his last block of the day, Sasuke finds himself to be a little early, and almost alone. There’s an away basketball game, and several of the girls typically present are absent, either as part of the team, or the cheer squad. Along the whiteboard, he reads the daily instructions. Apparently, given the low class percentage, they’re just having a free day.

Before he can stop himself, Sasuke perks up...because he knows exactly what that’s going to mean.

“Hi, everyone!”

Turning, he gives a lax wave to the only other senior in the class: Hinata Hyūga. “Hey. Seems we’ve got a free day with the game today.”

“Oh?” Like him, she seems to brighten at the notion. “That’s great! I’ve had a recipe I’ve been wanting to try with you!”

“Yeah?” Sasuke does his best to temper his reaction, despite the warmth the notion brings him. “Something we can finish in class?”

“Well...it might go a little over...is that okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing to do. A few teachers lightened up because of the game, so I’ve got hardly any homework.”

“Me too! O-okay, we’ll do it then!” Digging into her binder, she pulls out a recipe with a grin. “Apple pie!”

Sasuke blinks, looking the paper over. “...is it very sweet?”

“Well, sort of...but the apples are a bit sour, so that sort of...balances it out?”

“...okay.” He won’t admit it, but he’s not quite so put off by sweets anymore. Not since meeting Hinata.

The pair move to the kitchen wall, first gathering their ingredients and a pie plate. “So I actually use a different pie crust recipe...it’s just a few ingredients you mix and press in the plate, and bake with the rest of the pie! It’s so much easier than rolling stuff out,” Hinata offers, flipping the page over and showing the separate crust instructions. “You want to do that, first?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Great! I’ll start peeling and cutting the apples!”

Having not actually made a pie yet, Sasuke follows the recipe carefully, wary of messing something up. But true to Hinata’s word, it’s actually pretty simple. Mixing up the handful of ingredients, he smoothes it along the bottom before announcing, “Okay, now what?”

“Here, mix up the spices and sugar for the apples - I’m almost done!”

He does as asked, not bothering to quip or question. By now, the pair have done enough baking together to just know how to go about it. Hinata leads, and Sasuke follows. In all reality, he’s probably gotten enough practice to lead himself, but...well, he hasn’t given that a try just yet.

Hinata pours his mix over the sliced apples, coating them well and putting them in the pie plate atop the crust. “All right, I think we’ll do the Dutch style topping.”

“...what’s that mean?”

“It’s a crumbly sort of top, rather than a solid sheet of crust!” She shows him how, pulsing the ingredients in a food processor until they form, well...crumbles! “Now we just spread this over the top...and there we have a pie! It has to bake for about fifty minutes, so...we’ll run over class by a little bit. But I don’t think the teacher minds.”

With the oven already hot, it’s Sasuke who puts it in, setting the timer. They tidy up, and then...it’s time to wait.

As per usual, they pass the time on their phones, the instructor hardly caring on such a relaxed day. Hinata plays a mobile game, Sasuke browsing a forum he frequents.

But eventually they get bored.

“So...what’s your favorite kind of pie?”

“I honestly don’t eat much of it. Too sweet most of the time.”

Hinata makes a face. “I still don’t understand that…”

“Well what about you?”

“I’d say...lemon meringue.”

“Lemon?”

“Mhm!”

“What’s...meringue?”

“It’s egg whites and sugar, beaten together until it’s light and fluffy! You bake it, and the tops turn a light brown...it’s so good. Maybe we’ll try one next time! It’s actually pretty simple.”

“I could maybe do lemon if it isn’t too sweetened.”

The bell eventually rings, and the pair linger, their teacher more than used to them staying past the bell. It’s not too long before the timer dings, and Sasuke retrieves the pie. It actually smells...really good! Cinnamon and nutmeg just might make it tolerable.

“Want some ice cream?”

“Is...pie really not enough?”

“Apple pie and vanilla ice cream are like...a match made in heaven!”

“I’ll pass.”

“How about caramel sauce?”

Sasuke blinks owlishly. “...I think it’ll be sweet enough.”

Hinata dishes some up, indulging in a little bit of some ice cream left over from the day they all made a batch by hand. And then she seems to hover in wait, eager as always to see his reaction.

Sasuke takes a bite of his own, chewing thoughtfully. “...I like it.”

“Yay!”

“It’s not so sweet.”

“I went a little light on the sugar for you.” Hinata then digs into hers, humming happily.

“...you know...I’m gonna be really sad when this class is over.”

That makes her pause. “...are you...switching next semester?”

“Dunno yet. But I only needed the half a credit.”

“Oh...well, I was going to stay. There aren’t really any classes I need in this block next semester.” She gives a halfhearted smile. “It’ll be sort of l-lonely without you.”

“Yeah...I’ll have to see what the guidance counselor says. My dad’s riding me pretty hard about pumping up my grades for applications.”

“Well, that makes sense. It’s important. I’m still not sure what I’m doing next year, so...I’ll admit I took a bit of an easier road than I could have.”

“It’s different for everybody. Gotta do what makes you happy, too.”

“Yeah…”

The pair sink into a slightly awkward silence. In truth, he’d be more than happy to stay. And surely his mother would support it. His father, on the other hand…

“Well, if you do switch, I’m still glad you were in here,” Hinata then offers, smiling a bit more warmly. “It’s been a lot of f-fun teaching you stuff!”

“Yeah? It’s been nice learning it. Maybe we can still make some stuff after school sometimes, when we’re not too bogged down.”

“I...I’d like that!”

“Then consider it a plan.”

The atmosphere then lightens until he gives the clock a glance. “But, speaking of...it’s getting kinda late. Think we should go?”

“Probably...want to take some pie home?”

“Sure.”

They each take a few slices, Sasuke sure his mother would like some. If only Itachi were home, but...well, that won’t be until Winter break. The pair part ways in the hallway, Sasuke going to pack up his stuff for the evening. The thought returns as to what to do come the end of the semester.

He really does want to stay...and surely half a credit won’t make that big of a difference, right? Maybe he’ll talk to Mikoto about it...sighing and picking up his bag, he leaves the school behind, apple pie carefully nestled in his backpack.

                                                       .oOo.

     (This is a sequel to days 98, 108, 139, and 227!)      I have...fallen another day behind OTL Yesterday was just exhausting, in more ways than one, so...I took the night off. I'm sorry ;n; I probably won't have time to catch up until at least the end of October since I have another challenge going on, but! Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be done on the last day, aha~      Anyway! More of our cute lil Home Ec AU. I really do love this one, it's just so stinkin' sweet. But it seems we have a little bit of a plot conflict...Sasuke might be leaving the class? Say it ain't so! We'll have to see what his decision is come the end of the semester, but...at least he and Hinata will keep on keepin' on no matter what!      But with that, I really need to get to bed, lol - thanks for reading!

[rfhusnik]

Tripping Over One’s Feet Out By The Airplane

Written By:  Marshall Lawe

  This is my second submission to this forum. And again, as was the case the first time, I’m writing this reluctantly, but at the behest of my city’s mayor George Jennifer. And I’m writing this because of what our mayor rightly calls the crises at both our nation’s southern border, and inside our White House. And Charles Platt’s second letter to Ralph Hawk from Paris, which was supposed to have appeared here at this time, will be (hopefully) posted next time.

When I was a youngster I did and said what I felt I needed to do and say at every juncture. And I never concerned myself much with philosophy, or psychology, or any of those other usually mental, but sometimes physical phenomena which many times begin with a p and end with a y. But why didn’t I concern myself much with them? Well, first I suppose, as a child my mind wasn’t developed yet then to a point which allowed for much critical analysis of anything, and secondly, in the environment I knew as a child, my only goal was to get by from day to day. And on each of those days my hope and prayer was that life would transpire peacefully upon Planet Earth.

And now, although much has changed, much of that just mentioned mode of conduct remains. Yet years ago it seemed that at least whatever mistakes we made were wrong actions we committed. Today however, as a white male, I can see that according to all liberals, minorities and most women, I and those like me are to blame for all the evils currently present in modern day life. And although neighboring nations apparently can’t control their population growth, and then send massive numbers of (and let’s face it, whether you approve of the term or not) invaders into our nation, many of whom have coronavirus or aren’t even adults, I and other white males, who are only trying to live our lives in peace, are to blame. And we’re likewise guilty if a mayor somewhere does or doesn’t commit sexual harassment. And we’re to blame if rioters commit vicious acts on city streets, or police cut off the breathing capabilities of people lying on those streets, or people attack a capitol building, or a presidential election is marred by illegal actions, or someone enters a building and mass murders numbers of innocent individuals.

But today we have a plastic man to tell us about our sins, and to blame all evils upon us and the man who had his job before him. Yes, he really “tears into” us. He says he’ll make us pay. And then he trips over his own feet on the airplane entrance.

And it makes one wonder if people have no shame anymore today. Don’t they care about what the rest of the world thinks about someone who supposedly leads the free world?

And although most would agree that for a number of reasons (primarily the Coronavirus) 2020 was not a good year in The United States of America, 2021 is looking to be even worse. And the rate at which life has deteriorated in the U.S. since the swearing in of its forty sixth president seems almost unfathomable. Prices for the various forms of energy necessary to sustain the nation’s economy continue to rise because some leaders of apparently low intellect are shutting off oil pipelines and curtailing other means of energy production, while telling Americans there are new energy sources. Well, yes, those leaders have new sources – in their minds – and that’s where they’ll remain, because they’re not economically feasible. And don’t forget the oil turn down has cost many jobs which, contrary to what’s being said, will most likely never be replaced.

But then, as we leave the increased prices at the gas pump, we learn of how one political party is today evidently attempting to grasp hold of unending power in the U.S. Adding various left-wing areas as states will ensure a majority in the U.S. Senate, which will last probably as long as the nation does. And adding extra seats on the Supreme Court will turn that body liberal or radical. And driving a wedge between the various races and ethnicities which inhabit the U.S. will probably be another successful means of power grabbing. After all, everyone knows that according to the media, whites are to blame for all current American problems. Well, sure, the president is a white male, but he has a vice president who’s female and apparently non-white, and besides, those airplane entrance steps can be tricky!

So, we’ve seen the riots. We’ve seen the statues torn down. We’ve heard the police called pigs, and we’re aware that some want the salaries of law enforcement officers lowered or completely defunded. And we know that conservatives have been called fascists and children of Satan. But although conservatism is greatly hated by left-wing radicals today, that ism will never disappear from Planet Earth – nor will liberalism. If nothing else, if dictatorship someday is installed as the mode of government in the U.S., as it now appears it will be perhaps a few decades from now, there will always be a more liberal and a more conservative approach that may be taken toward every national problem, even if that approach is directly decided upon by a dictator from the Democratic Party.

And, let’s not forget the most egregious of travesties that’s been forced upon American citizens over the last few months. Unknown, and almost countless numbers of illegal aliens have gained entrance to the U.S. by one means or another. And if they’ve gotten across the Rio Grande, they’ve been coddled here. They’ve been given food and vaccinations which many real Americans still haven’t received. And many have been housed in hotels. And some have been granted a forum with members of Congress, whom they’ve apparently told that they want to be treated with dignity here! Well, my goodness! They want us to show them dignity after they violate our borders and our way of life!

And if these foreigners are going to stay in the U.S., what will become of them here? Many are children who will overcrowd our school systems in years to come. Others have no actual skills and can’t, or can barely speak English. And what effect will that have in the U.S.? Will all American children soon be required to learn Spanish?

Only so many non-productive people can be “carried” by any economic system, no matter be it ultra-right or ultra-left wing, or anywhere in between. And as the unemployment these illegals bring with them intensifies, so will crime and disease.

And those people who hide illegal aliens in so-called “Sanctuary Cities” should be made to pay the bills those “cities” generate. But instead, it appears areas of the nation which have tried to be fiscally efficient will now be required to reimburse those areas which recklessly and foolishly spent taxpayer dollars on non-essentials and illegal aliens. And a massive government bailout bill will apparently reward those areas of the nation which have fiscally “stuck it to” the more responsible areas.

And knowing that illegal aliens have brought disease, illegal drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, and only God knows whatever other evils to the U.S., is it wrong for Americans to ask why their nation’s borders can’t be secured from uninvited foreigners? And what sort of parents send unaccompanied minors into a foreign land? And what types of nations apparently do nothing to stem a tide of over-population within their borders?

And I’d like to close this piece by mentioning what I believe to be five ancillary developments or non-developments tied to the illegal immigrant and unfit to be president situations. ONE:  Although the real truth of the matter is that no certain race or sex is solely responsible for the crisis at America’s border with Mexico, white males receive almost the entire blame for it. And whenever the crisis is talked about by America’s left-wing media, no responsibility is ever assessed to the people who are actually breaking the law and living carelessly and dangerously; no, of course the blame lies with men living far away who are only trying to support themselves and their families. TWO:  The Democratic Party is now engaged in a “power play” in the U.S.. Various laws, especially H.R.1, if passed, will most likely doom the Republican Party. And that party will then no longer elect representatives, senators, or presidents, to which many liberals will probably say “Hooray”; but when Republicans are gone, Democrats will fight amongst themselves, and they’ll also need to fight a trend toward dictatorship, which will surely be present then. THREE:  Have you noticed how emboldened foreign enemies of America have become since President forty six took office? And unfortunately, lately mass murderers also seem willing to act. And FOUR:  Why doesn’t the “environmental movement” comment on the recent mass immigration into the U.S.? You would think that the massive increase in U.S. population, accrued from this assault on our borders, would greatly increase the demand for energy in time to come. And FIVE:  What will life be like for whites in America if and when they become a minority in the U.S.?  

[xavierfiles-blog]

Entry 076 – Shatterstar

Art by Jusko

Name: Gaveedra Seven

Code Names: Shatterstar

First Appearance: New Mutants #99 (March ’91)

Powers: Enhanced physical features, limited teleportation

Teams Affiliation: New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor

About

Yesterday it was announced that Rob Liefeld would be the inaugural inductee into the Wizard World Hall of Legends. If you know anything about Wizard Magazine, it makes perfect sense. The Rob’s influence on comics in the early 90’s can’t be understated. He took the mix of cartooning, Asian influence, and the insane amount of lines that Art Adams pioneered in the 80’s and combined them with action first dynamisms of a Jim Lee or Marc Silvestri. His influences on 90’s art, and jean commercials cannot be understated. But more than his most famous creations like Cable and Deadpool, Liefeld’s style was best distilled in a warrior from another dimension, Shatterstar.

Shatterstar was a warrior without equal. He battled the oppressive ruler of his world, Mojo V alongside the Cadre Alliance. He fought bravely, but the resistance was on its’ last legs. Shatterstar had heard the tales through the Mojoverse of the legendary team from a century past, the X-Men. He thought, if he could just reach them in the past, they could be the missing X factor needed to help the resistance. He volunteered to go back in time and recruit them, but the records were a little hazy. He returned to that house of Greymalkin Lane, yes, but the X-Men weren’t there. Cable and the New Mutants were.

Art by Rob Liefeld and Brad Vancata

After the standard initial battle, Cable leveled with Shatterstar. He needed a soldier now, and in exchange Cable’s team would go to his future and overthrow the oppressive Spineless Ones. Star agreed and soon the New Mutants were reborn as X-Force. Shatterstar knew he was a better fighter than his teammates. He admired Feral’s ferocity and Cable’s tactics, but none could hold a candle to Shatterstar’s skill with a blade. Well, I guess it’s two blades with only one hilt. Frankly, Shatterstar’s sword both astounds and confuses me. Regardless, Shatterstar’s combat prowess and willingness to kill made him a key asset to X-Force.

Art by Rob Liefeld and Brian Murray

Shatterstar found a warrior he respected in Adam-X the X-Treme and looked forward to opportunities to challenge him. The villain Arcade captured Shatterstar and Adam-X the X-Treme and pitted them in a deathmatch. Shatterstar would normally have refused to battle someone without cause, however, Arcade somehow captured Shatterstar’s wife, Windsong. Windsong was a fellow member of the Cadre Alliance and genetically bonded to Shatterstar. Shatterstar knew she would have killed herself before being captured by the likes of Arcade. This had to be some sort of illusion and he worked with Adam X to take Arcade down.

Art by Tony Daniel and Jon Holdredge

There was another that Shatterstar found kinship with, his teammate Rictor. Rictor took an interest in Star as a person and Shatterstar opened up to him. He told Rictor about Windsong and even learned Spanish in an effort to better connect with Ric. Shaterstar told Ric that love was never something he was engineered to feel and that he desperately wanted to feel something. Their friendship grew into something deeper, not intimacy but something close. When the team disbanded after Operation: Zero Tolerance, Shatterstar decided to follow Ric back to Mexico where the battled gun runners together.

Art by Adam Pollina, Mark Farmer, and Marie Javins

Somehow, the two drifted apart and Shatterstar resigned himself to a life of prize fighting in Madripoor. After battling Spiral and some ninjas, Shatterstar went on his own personal Eat, Pray, Love in Tibet. He was kicked out for not actually finding peace and soon joined a new incarnation of X-Force. They assisted their old friend Caliban in escaping the mutant reservation on the lawn of the X-Mansion and were instrumental in getting freedom for the 198 after M-Day. He was eventually found by Cortex and mind controlled to assassinate X-Factor member Rictor. He tried to kill Rictor, but the mind control shorted out at just the right moment. Instead he grabbed Ric and brought him in for a passionate kiss.

Art by Marco Santucci, Pat Davidson, and Andy Troy

Let’s pull back on this for a bit because queer characters in comics are a big deal. The retconning of Shatterstar’s sexuality, regardless of how much subtext there had been, rubbed some people the wrong way. In 2009, right after it happened, Rob Liefeld was quoted as saying

“Nothing against gays, I have gay family, nuthin’ but love here. Ditto gay characters if that’s what their true origins are. As the guy that created, designed and wrote his first dozen appearances, Shatterstar is not gay. Sorry. Can’t wait to someday undo this. Seems totally contrived.”

However, as it was developed, attitudes changed and Ric/Star became a very important relationship to fans. Even Rob came around in 2015 telling a worried fan

“Shatterstar’s sexual preferences are not my concern and will not be changed.”

Shatterstar chose to stay by Rictor’s side and join the X-Factor Investigations. The two struggled to define their relationship. Shatterstar wanted to be adventurous, polyamorous. Not because he didn’t love Rictor, but because he wanted to experience this strange emotion with as many people as he could. The two eventually reconciled their differences by talking about what they wanted in this relationship. If would have worked if Rictor’s old flame Wolfsbane didn’t immediately show up pregnant and saying that Rictor was the father. Shatterstar was unsure what to do but he wanted to support Rictor. When Shatterstar discovered that Rhane was lying he doubled his resolved and stood by his man.

Art by Emanuela Lupacchino, Pat Davidson, and Chris Chuckry

As X-Factor fell apart in the Hell on Earth War, Shatterstar and Rictor were transported to Mojoworld and found out the bizarre truth about Shatterstar’s history. When Shatterstar appeared, the great Spineless One scientist Arize used his genetic material in the creation of his great rebel weapon, Longshot. Star and Ric were sent further into the future where they found Dazzler, heavy with Longshot’s child. They helped her deliver the baby and son Shatterstar held himself in his arms. He created his father and his father created him.

Art by Max Carleton

Must Read

This is where I do my standard disclaimer where I say that I’m not a huge fan of David’s X-Factor. Honestly, I struggle to divorce Shatterstar with the 90’s and my recommendation reflects that. X-Force #29 – #30, on the other hand, has some stuff that is peak Shatterstar. Adam X the X-Treme, Arcade, good stuff with Rictor? It is about as good as a Shatterstar story can get and really nails the core of the character.

Art by Tony Daniel and Jon Holdredge

Ranking

Last week I was worried that people would be mad at how high I ranked Doop. I have the opposite problem this week. I just can’t take Shatterstar seriously. I know his relationship with Rictor is important to many people but it just didn’t click with me. I don’t think he is the worst member of either team he was associated with, but he wasn’t close to my favorite. I like his dad/son Longshot better and I think Layla Miller was a more engaging character in X-Factor. He is better than Darwin though. He is oddly comparable to Skullfire from X-Men 2099. They are both extreme 90’s characters who I don’t actively dislike, but I don’t really enjoy, but I think Shatterstar’s history gives him an edge. That put him as the new number 57 in the Xavier Files.

Oh and this doesn’t fit anywhere but I love this Final Fantasy 7-ass redesign from Sanford Green

Shatterstar was requested by /u/downwithlevers and others. Thank you for the request. If you have a request for how about you send it below? If you want to cut to the front of the two-year long line, we have a Patreon you can support Xavier Files for just $1 to get a line cutting reward.

Click here if you want to see the full ranked list, with links to every entry in the Xavier Files so far.

If you liked what you read be sure to follow Xavier Files on twitter, Tumblr, Facebook!

My next two weeks are crazy so hopefully I can get a couple articles out. See you then!

Character Request

Who do you want me to write about? *

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Entry Key

Entry 076 – Shatterstar was originally published on Xavier Files

[themachiavellianpig]

The Walking Dead, Episode 13: Roads Not Taken

Episode 13 of The Walking Dead, and it’s the end of an era. Safe travels, Michonne; hopefully we’ll see you again someday. 

Full review and extensive spoilers below. 

Throughout this episode, the last for Danai Gurira, we follow Michonne’s attempts to help out the mysterious Virgil in exchange for the weapons which are absolutely definitely somewhere on his island, promise. 

Really, were any of us surprised when the weapons turned out to be a lie? Virgil didn’t have anything to trade, but he was perfectly willing to take advantage of Michonne’s well-honed survival techniques to clear out the walkers from his island and, at long last, put his family to rest. 

It’s a shame that we only get to see the shattered remains of this community - it was isolated from hordes of walkers, growing their own food and with their own solar power set-up, and and it may have been a pretty decent place to try and ride out the apocalypse, once upon a time. The early sign that things were not quite so utopian as all that, however, comes in the form of a map of the island, with clearly defined ‘Groups’ labelled on it. Whoever was living here, they were not a united community. 

The overrun building containing a whole mess of walkers and, allegedly, Virgil’s family, was suitably creepy. The fact that Michonne could clear it single-handed and with a handicap in the form of someone who - a decade into the end of the world - still hasn’t learnt how to stay quiet or kill walkers, speaks volumes as to her skills - and also to the difficulty in maintaining an air of danger in a world where most people are pretty well-equipped to take care of themselves. It’s been a long time since any of our survivors ran and hid from a handful of the dead. 

The overrun building also has a deeply creepy room, in which a large number of survivors chose to hang themselves rather than face the undead. Canonically, that’s where Virgil’s family ended up. And while I do understand “the better to die than be killed” mindset, especially in a world where far too many people die by being eaten alive by the undead, it’s another sign that something went terribly, terribly wrong here - why couldn’t the people escape from the building? Why didn’t the rest of the community come to get them? 

The sense of niggling unease seems to affect Michonne as much as it affected me - when told to wait until morning to search the rest of the island for important supplies, she instead goes for a wander, and finds something rather surprising. 

I have to admit, while I fully expected Virgil to be lying about the weapons, I was not expecting him to be a former scientist who had trapped some of his former colleagues in some sort of cell, or for him to then lock Michonne in a cell when she discovered his dark and terrible secret. 

Fortunately, the three helpful co-workers (Jeremiah, Celeste, and Lucy) fill in some of the blanks in Virgil’s story. The island was, instead, once a thriving community - one which even took people in. But when a fight broke out over dwindling resources, Virgil’s solution was to seal the entire group in and wait for the dust to settle. 

To make such a choice seems monstrous. To make it without knowing where your family is seems somehow even worse. 

Virgil helpfully continues to lean into his new Bond Villain persona by drugging the holy heck out of Michonne, forcing her to go on some sort of messed-up vision quest to help her "see the truth." Unfortunately, while Virgil's drug fuelled experiences seem to be of the positive sort, Michonne's take her on a much darker journey. 

Specifically, it takes her down the road-not-taken, which is such a weakness of mine. The choice of defining moment for Michonne is a beautiful one - for Michonne, the single moment that changed her entire life for the better was the moment she chose to save Andrea, way back at the very end of Season 2, the first time we as an audience ever saw her. The decision to save Andrea brought Michonne back into the land of the living, which then eventually led her to Rick's group and to the creation of her own new family with the Grimeses. 

Without that decision to save Andrea, Michonne stays alone in that dark place that used to be her existence; a later attempt to rejoin civilisation goes badly when Michonne becomes the person with the orange backpack that Rick refused to help - although as Andrew Lincoln has left the show by this point, it's actually Daryl that gets the car moving again before Michonne can catch them up. Finally, AU!Michonne runs into the Saviours, and has a decent attempt at decapitating Negan before agreeing to join this new outfit. She ends up at the Satellite Outpost, and kills Glenn and Heath when they hesitate over killing sleeping Saviours. She raises the alarm against the Alexandrians, and takes her revenge for her murdered friends at the line-up, when Negan hands Lucille to his "right-hand woman". Finally, she's shot and killed during the war by Daryl and Rick. 

The whole sequence is beautifully put together, reusing old footage from previous episodes and slicing it together with new footage of Michonne the Saviour - it was deeply, deeply weird to see Rick back on the screen, even if only for a moment, and opens up all sorts of questions about what happened to Rick's group in that alternate timeline - their presence in the Saviour War would imply that they still lost the prison, so maybe the Governor was still a problem even when the group wasn't harbouring Michonne. Glenn's death at the Satellite Outpost would change Maggie's storyline significantly, and raises the question of if there was a second victim at the lineup. 

Ultimately, the whole sequence just reinforces the idea that the single biggest factor in this new world is the people who end up around you - Judith told Mary/Gamma that she would have been a better person if she'd found a better leader than Alpha to follow, and obviously the reverse is true - Michonne, or indeed any of our heroes, would have been far, far worse if they'd fallen in with different crowds. 

When the drugs wear off, leaving Michonne back in the actual hell of her cell rather than the metaphorical hell of the road-not-taken, Michonne understandable decides that she's had enough of all of this and promptly stabs Virgil with some cutlery and escapes. She released the trapped colleagues, hunts down Virgil on the Island (but not before he manages to torch the only boat in a moment of pure idiotic spite), and then convinces Virgil's newly-freed victims not to kill him for what he did to them. Amazingly, they listen. 

And then the episode starts to take a real turn. 

While gathering her equipment back up, Michonne finds a very, very familiar set of boots - the very worn cowboy boots that saw Rick Grimes through almost 9 seasons of The Walking Dead. Of course, one pair of boots does not really a mystery make - but an old phone, with a portrait of Michonne and Judith on the front with the name Rick Grimes and "Believe a little bit longer" in Japanese, that's definitely a mystery. A mystery which, for the record, Virgil denies having anything to do with - he never knew the people who were once on the boat where the boots and the phone were stored, the boat just washed up after a storm. 

But Virgil agrees to get the boat working again, and the groups sets off for the mainland again - leaving Virgil behind on the Island with his family, at his own request. 

And then we come to Michonne's big decision. Faced with proof that Rick didn't die on the bridge, she has a terrible choice to make - staying with her children or abandoning Rick to whatever bad situation he's found himself in. 

Fortunately, it is not a decision that she has to make alone. She finally gets Judith back on the radio, telling her daughter what she has found, and it's ultimately Judith who tells her to go and find Rick. They're in perfect agreement that Rick would not have stayed away for so long voluntarily - someone or something must be keeping him away, and so he must need help. What if he's trying to get home, Judith asks, but no one will help him? 

It's the permission that Michonne needs - she heads off to find Rick, taking a few Walker buddies along for protection. 

And in the final scene of the episode, and presumably our last sighting of Michonne for quite some time, we get to see her abandoning her dead companions once again in order to help the living - to help two humans, in danger of being left behind by their group because they can't move quickly enough - and what a group it is, a full-on exodus of humans moving in columns and herding what looks like horses or cows along with them. Post-apocalyptic cowboys, perhaps? 

Ever since Danai Gurira's departure from the show was announced, I was curious about how they would manage it without killing her off - for Michonne to leave the community without her children seemed unrealistic at the beginning of the season, and taking the remaining Grimes children out of the show would change the world of the Walking Dead in a way which I wasn't entirely sure would work, especially given my lingering disappointment with the decision to kill of Carl and rob us of the chance to see how people grow and develop in this bold new world. But the decision to have Michonne follow Rick, with her daughter's blessing, was a good balance, and opens the door very firmly for Michonne to make an appearance in those Rick Grimes films we've been promised. 

Lord knows I would dearly like to see Michonne on the big screen as well, when that time finally comes. 

Previous Season 10 reviews are available here. 

[itsyourturnblog]

My two sons, Aaron, Tommy, and their Cross Country Team**

June 6, 1990

Principal, Hopewell Junior School Lakota School District West Chester, Ohio

Dear Dr. Taylor,

This year Tommy and some of his friends joined the cross country team.

Recently my nephew, Robert, (not real name) started laughing hysterically when I mentioned his cousin Aaron also going to be on the school cross country team. “What’s Aaron going to do? Bite and push all the kids at the starting line so he can win?”

I was deeply hurt but tried to explain it wasn’t all about the winning, but rather, the trying that was important.

Robert was shocked! “But why would you even try if you knew you couldn’t win?”

Different Kinds of Winners and Losers

I explained there were different kinds of “winning.”

Aaron has autism… but he also has the need for belonging to a group and he needs regular exercise to be healthy. Robert stared back at me blank-faced, and after several uncomfortable minutes, I changed the subject. To this gifted 14-year-old, who has above-average good looks, athletic ability, and intelligence, this made no sense. Sigh.

Robert, Tommy, and their peers are the people on whom Aaron will always be dependent. They are the next generation of parents, professionals, neighbors, and…coaches.

The experiences and value systems they are developing in school, in the community, on the cross country teams–right this minute — will directly affect Aaron’s future.

Robert has never gone to public school, run on an inclusive cross country team or been friends with people with physical and intellectual challenges. Even though he got A’s in a private school, I think he has a deficit in his education, personal experience, and values. Obviously, even his experiences with his cousin have made little impact. This will impact his future as a member of his family and community. It’s not a visible “D” on his report card, but it is an invisible “deficit” and loser in the race of life.

Who are the Winners and Losers?

How do we teach that the person who comes in first is not always the biggest winner? Can children learn it takes courage for not just children with challenges, but for all the boys and girls who finish near the end?

WINNERS are sometimes those who RISK losing…being laughed at…coming in last.

Learning and Teaching Values

Each nation decides what is normal, average and gifted. They decide who are the winners and the losers.

Recently, we’ve been stunned by news accounts which demonstrate how the values in Iran, China, and Russia are different from our own. We have also witnessed incredible changes in philosophy, public opinion, and policy. Values are fluid, changing and dependent on multiple factors.

Shaping those values and rights is something we do every day, consciously, or unconsciously. Sometimes value changes are dramatic like the Berlin Wall coming down–winners. Sometimes value changes are dramatic like Tiananmen Square-winners/losers depending on your point of reference.

The rights of citizens are gifts from a nation to their citizens. These rights and freedoms cannot be taken for granted.

The tragedy of having a child with a disability has nothing to do with the child, a syndrome, disease or label. The tragedy comes from the struggle with people in your family, community, country who decide if they will accept and support your family or rejected and isolate you:

· Whether the differences are overlooked or emphasized.

· Whether the winners are only the ones who come in first.

“But Wait until Junior High”

When we went to court in 1979 (Cincinnati Public Schools) to allow Aaron, and other children with IQ scores below 50, to go to the public school the doomsayers predicted, “MAYBE it would work in elementary school…But wait until Junior High!” “The teachers and coaches care only about academics, the sports are so competitive, the kids are so cruel–during lunch, they will put drugs in your child’s milk”. They hatefully wanted to frighten us into accepting the segregated school for only children with disabilities and a segregated life with “his own kind.”

Last Day of Junior School

Today is our last day at Hopewell Junior School and happily, those predictions are laughable. Thanks to the vision and caring of the administration, staff, teachers–especially Miss Linda Lee–and the other students in the school Aaron and his classmates have had a great experience.

They are the first class of people with significant disabilities who have been able to attend a regular public school. It has been a new experience for everyone and it has been a success.

Aaron has had many opportunities for learning functional skills which will help him live, work and participate in the community. But more importantly, he has had opportunities to be “included as a regular student.”

There were some who wondered why a kid, who can hardly talk, much less sing, would practice and perform on stage with the school chorus?

Why someone who has severe balance and flexibility problems would try to participate in the cross-country and track team?

They wonder if it be would have been safer if Aaron rode the “handicapped bus” with an extra aide, instead of the regular bus with his brother and neighbors?

They will never understand why we hate Special Olympics?

These parents, students and community members can’t figure out what could Aaron possibly get out of an assembly, or six minutes in regular homeroom?

The answer to most of these questions then and now is really WE Don’t KNOW the future!

The schools are changing the future

Aaron has gifts, strengths, and talents and when given opportunities for learning–determination and pride. Someday research may give us the answers, but for today we do have our observations:

· Each time a schoolmate says, “Hi” and forces Aaron to give eye contact, each time a teammate said, “Go, Aaron, you can make it!” or gives him a high 5–it is a victory.

· Each time they see Aaron make it over a creek or down a hill we celebrate.

· Every time they see him complete his vocational job stacking juice cartons in the lunchroom, sorting the silverware, filling the pop machines–it is a value-enhancing experience. Aaron can learn to do jobs, that if he didn’t do them, someone else would.

· This year Aaron’s picture is in the yearbook next to his brother’s. He and Tommy’s picture is in also with the athletes for Cross Country and Track. A First!

· A general education high school student cared enough to help Aaron participate in a bowling league. And then, he took him to the Eighth Grade Dance whose theme was “That’s What Friends are For.” A First!

· Aaron’ name (granted it was a name stamp) was on the class t-shirt. A First!

· Aaron got a school letter in cross country and track, including being in the team picture. A First!

· Aaron got his first paycheck ($18.54) from his vocational training site, Grote bakery, allowing him to become a taxpayer. A jump-up-and-down first!

A whole lot of Learning

To me, these shifts in school philosophy, values and focus on inclusion are every bit as dramatic and hard-fought as the Berlin wall coming down.

In the current evolution to merge special and general education, to change special separate classes into a system of inclusive classes with support services for ALL children–the new ideas, opportunities, choices, risks, and freedoms are truly exciting.

Hopewell Junior School has given both Aaron and Tommy the chance to be winners. The chance to show that sometimes the biggest lessons are not just in the classroom.

Their success has been a victory.

Hopefully, in this human race, our world will become a better place because of the mix of people who grow up more fully with the experiences of community inclusion. The winners are everyone who was part of this cross-country experience.

Thanks for your continued support. Thanks for making Hopewell — a Well of Hope.

Sincerely,

The Ulrich Family

Epilogue: 20 years later

Junior High turned out to be one of the best times in Aaron and Tommy’s lives. They both had caring teachers who looked at each of their individual needs. I wish we could find out what memories the other students had of their time with Aaron and Tommy in cross-country, track, bowling, choir, gym… I bet they would have some funny stories. I wish them all well.

ps. We often think of how the students are going to grow up and be the next voters, taxpayers, citizens… but we often forget the school staff also evolves. Aaron’s teacher, Miss Lee went on to become a district supervisor and Dr. Taylor, the principal, is the current Superintendent of Lakota. I like to think about their experiences with Aaron and Tommy influence that they are today.

Comments:

Were kids with autism and severe disabilities included in your school? Do you have any thoughts to share? What do you think the future looks like?

An original article from Mary E. Ulrich ClimbingEveryMountain.com

Some edits to the original letter

Tommy is in the third row and Aaron is the redhead in the middle of the picture that refused to look at the camera

Letter to Principal on the last day of Junior High School* was originally published in It's Your Turn on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Mary Ulrich via It's Your Turn - Medium #itsyourturn #altMBA #SethGodin #quotes #inspiration #stories #change #transformation #writers #writing #self #shipping #personaldevelopment #growth #education #marketing #entrepreneurship #leadership #personaldev #wellness #medium #blogging #quoteoftheday #inspirationoftheday

[canvaswolfdoll]

CanvasWatches: New Game!

Oh no, it’s one of those Moe Blob shows. I’d hoped i was better than that.

Well, to be honest, I was just looking for easy viewing garbage while up late busy with not sleeping.[1] New Game! was on Funimation’s streaming service, and a few youtube reviewers have mentioned it with generic positivity. It’s… okay. Very much fills the ‘Cute girls doing stuff as if they’re real people, but in a softer world’ mold. In this case, Video Game design! Yay. Sarcastic Jazz hands.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a Manga/4koma series called QuickStart!! which is about girls playing tabletop RPGs. I quite liked it. It’d be nice to see it get an anime of its own someday.

How to even describe New Game!...

Well, it’s about a girl named Aoba Suzukaze who, fresh out of high school, lands her dream job of doing art for the game studio that made her favorite video game, working directly under her personal idol, Ko Yagami.

Which, coming from a western perspective, seems insane. Who lands that sort of job right out of high school, with no college degree or industry experience? I mean, there’s the One Big Lie, then there’s unreasonable expectations. I’m a great writer,[2] and even I can’t find footing to do this for a living.

So Aoba arrives to work and meets the coworkers she shares cubicle space with: Hifumi the shy one; Hajime the energetic one; and Yun… last one. While the OP makes you think that these four will form a K-On! like dynamic, in truth the focus doesn’t drift from Aoba until her friend Nene takes a larger role.

While the trials and tribulations of working for a small Japanese Game studio are interesting, and Aoba’s struggles to get used to the life of a office worker is nice, I’d have liked character development for anyone besides Aoba (whose arc consists of achieving her goals) and Ko (who’s learning to be a mentor. Before leaving the country.)

Later, Aoba’s High School pal Nene gets hired on as a QA Tester for the summer, and the story shifts to Nene wandering around and being distracting. But it’s okay, when she’s actually working, she finds all the bugs!

Nene’s voice is also annoying.

The first season concludes with the cast releasing a game, which is well received. Yay!

The second season is when I suddenly realize that, somewhere along the line, the show became Kaleido Star, but with lower stakes and flatter characters. Which, if you’ve seen Kaleido Star,[3] is saying something.

Upon reaching the level of her blond idol, who is being forced into a new supporting role, our protagonist finds themselves in need of a rival that resents the protagonist’s ascent to glory and their relationship with the blond idol.

However, while Kaleido Star’s May barked her way into my heart by being just so bizarre and ridiculous, New Game! Instead brings in Momiji Mochizuki, who is… there. I guess.

Momiji’s quirk is she eats a bunch and resents Aoba for having success while being a year ahead in her career.

It’s not a well written conflict!

Don’t worry, though. Nene also gets a rival in the form Tsubame Narumi, who is introduced as being Momiji’s calmer and more amicable friend, but turns out be kind of petty and resentful of Nene getting a job through nepotism.

Which… okay, fair, Nene did kind of get hired on due to her connections, but by the same token, it’s made clear that Nene’s in more of a training role while Tsubame is given actual assignments.

Since Nene isn’t my favorite character, the conflict with the programming team is just unnotable.

Momiji’s unlikable from the get go, and Tsubame loses all her endearing traits upon being exposed to Nene. Momiji and Tsubame are so unprofessional, and we see so little of the actual projects being assigned in the second season, that I found myself rooting for them to get fired at the end, as a wake up call to both characters and to have actual consequences.

But it’s a Moe-blob show. Everyone needs to be friends by the end, no lessons get learned, and everyone’s going to be fine because the world of moe has kid gloves.

As I have awkwardly found myself commenting on more and more, New Game! of course had an amount of fan service. It was relatively tame, mostly around Ko’s tendency towards pantslessness and brief fantasy inserts. Nothing to deeply analyze beyond noting the fantasy inserts were mostly egregious and the fanservice wasn’t particularly exciting.

Also, it broke the ‘Establish the limit in the first episode’ rule I mentioned in my Dagashi Kashi review, though the particular break happened midway through the second season, so perhaps I need to consider a ruling for subsequent seasons. What amount of escalation is fair play for viewer retention, and does it break trust?

Food for future thought, if I can’t pull myself away from the topic.[4]

I watched New Game! during a particular period of my life. I had left a retail job, spent a couple months not working, then got a job for a call center contracted to service accounts for a credit card company,[5] and I decided to watch this anime after watching Sakura Quest,[6] so I’d watched two work-based animes while training for a job that, by all signs, would be monotonous, creatively-stifling, and utterly miserable.

And, during the nights while I was dreading going back the next day, I watched an anime based in an office where the cast were doing what they loved, had varied tasks, and a relaxed pace. Quite the escape from my call center job with a maximum 5-minute reprieve from idiots confused by the concept of interest and no paper allowed just in case I wanted to moonlight with a little identity theft.[7]

It’s a bad job. Avoid it.

So, New Game! helped stoked the flames of wanting a better job. One where I don’t have to directly deal with the public, have a consistent schedule, and get some variety. The show also made it clear that I have no viable method into such a job. I’m creatively minded, sure, but I don’t have the actual skills for professional art,[8] I lack the memory to learn programing, and I certainly lack the networking capabilities to find opportunities.

There was an undercurrent of resentment for these stupid girls and their easy lives. I know real life game development is far less cozy than what New Game! displays, but even a taste of that ideal would be better than where I am now.

Anyways, since finishing the series, I discovered it was easier to get a different job than request a day off,[9] so hopefully I can start an upward climb.

Maybe you can help? I do have a patreon, after all.

I also accept questions and comments, and produce other reviews, writings, and a webcomic, so check those out. Any positive reaction to things I feel passionate about would be peachy.

Kinda a downer ending for a review of such an upbeat anime. Oh well.

Kataal kataal.

[1] Really should try and find one of those graveyard shift jobs. I seem naturally predisposed to it… [2] Amazing even. Fight me. [3] Which is glorious garbage that I actually recommend. [4] I’m essentially a grumpy old man waiting to happen. Less Master Roshi and more harsh but fair paternal figure. [5] No, I won’t say which one. [6] Good show, but I didn’t really have anything to talk about in regards to it, hence no review. Still, highly recommend! [7] Had I stayed, I probably would’ve begun strategizing how to get away with such a caper just to fill the tedium. [8] I hate english academia far too much to get a degree, and Theater was a clear path to jobs in the local area. [9] This and other policies made quitting two weeks after finishing training so easy.

[lmm17ca]

Lasse Milling Madsen Letter of Intention for The Animation Workshop 2017

Hello my name is Lasse, I'm currently 23 years old, and I would like to apply for TAW's Character Animation course.

Creating characters and imaginative worlds is something I find very fulfilling and fun. Its very enjoyable to me to play around with shape language, and the unique expressions that you can get from animation, that you cant get from traditional film media. For these reasons I’m very interested in working with animation, and would like want to apply for TAW to expand my skills and eventually open up opportunities to work professionally with animation within the industry or independently. I have applied to the course 3 times before, but I'm not deterred from applying again.

Ive always enjoyed animated media, and never really ”grew out of it”. Drawing has always been something I greatly enjoyed doing. When I had trouble concentrating in school, I would always be doodling in my school papers instead. When asked what line of education I wanted to pursue, I wasn't sure, but I mentioned I liked drawing and was sendt to try out the animation course at Odense Fagskole. Here I tried out animation for the first time, and within a week of being in a creative environment and working seriously with art, I was hooked.

Later I attended the same course along with a 10th grade course at Odense Fagskole, and learned all the basics of animation, this year was very important to my development as an artist and person, and I look fondly back at it. Working with animation on a daily basis, was a really positive experience, it makes me want to seek out similar environments and possibilities of working creatively on a daily basis, other than as a hobby. I later took a 3 year HF course with special classes in Art, Design and Media, here I learned a lot about different creative media, and gathered a wide range of skills. I've also taken courses in film, and media design.

Last year I attended Mercantecs Digital media course, which included a 4 week drawing course in collaboration with The Drawing academy, and 2 weeks of computer graphics in collaboration with The Animation Workshop. These courses really expanded my drawing skills, and made me consider new ways and methods of working creatively.

I have taught animation at Odense Fagskoles børneskole for 3 years, where I taught children and young adult from the age 8 to 16 in the basics of animation. I was in charge of a new class every semester and taught 2 hours a week, and had to plan the lessons myself and help the students understand and finish the assignments, at the end of each semester the school would hold an open house, where my class presented their work, this included a show-reel of the students animations which I organised. Last year I substituted the daily animation class at Odense Fagskole everyday for a month, I taught aspiring animation students from the age 16 and up in basic animation and animation techniques. I had to collaborate with the regular teacher, as he had lessons planned, which I had to organise and execute, I also had to plan relevant lessons, to fit with their other classes.

For 5 years I attended amateur theater. Here we had to work as a team to set up a play once a year, we worked on acting techniques and improv workshops when not rehearsing a play. Before theater I was very introverted, but felt I have really grown through theater. Many of the skills learned here, I feel translate very well into animation. I have used the skills and lessons learned here to organise theater lessons and improv workshops myself. Id like to continue to work within theater, and I want to continue to run improv workshops, since I find acting and expression  in that way very fulfilling and a constant growing experience, and I want to keep sharing these experiences with others.

In the future I see myself continuing to work creatively, preferably with animation.  Creating, unique personal animated short stories, games or maybe even feature length movies is something I strive to do. I see myself working at a smaller studio, perhaps start one myself. I want to continue to bring imaginative worlds to life through animation, and develop new expressive media. I could see myself working at Cartoon Saloon, their incredible works have inspired and shaped my art, especially their amazing work with shapes and stylized line-work really speak to me. Working on animated features which such interesting art-styles, and explore the limits of abstract and creative art-styles in animated media would be something I would enjoy. I also want to continue to work with theater as a hobby, and use it to guide my creative work. I could also see myself continuing my teaching profession, perhaps also within animation. If I am not applied to the animation workshop, I have aspirations to apply for the teacher bachelor, I enjoy working in a class environment, and inspiring students and seeing them develop new skills.

Hopefully animated movies continue to thrive in the public media and art scene. A hand drawn 2D animation renaissance would be amazing. Although 3D CGI movies are great, I would love to see major animated movies have a wider range of styles and mediums and it would be really interesting to see major studios like Disney deviate from their style and experiment more. Disney movies are good, but very ”safe”. Other studios like Pixar are suffering from the same mentality by not deviating from their established style. I’d like to see more animated media targeting adults specifically, having interesting and deep stories and well developed characters, and not just crude jokes.

I have a wide range of software knowledge after my history of different digital courses.

Photoshop & Ilustrator- well acquainted

Flash - Well acquainted

Premiere & Aftereffects - Intermediate

Paint tool Sai - Expert

Maya – Basic knowladge

Aseprite - Well acquainted

What I enjoy most is watching animated media and playing video games. Some of my favorite work is Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke and Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series. I like them for many of the same reasons. I would say that Princess Mononoke is the closest we get to an animated Zelda movie and the newest installment of The Legend of Zelda resembles a Ghibli movie in video game form. To me, there’s just something about the magical world painted in both, which takes place in our real world. Exploring the beauty of nature, in a world that invites for adventure, exploration and magical discoveries. The magical creatures seen in Princess Mononoke are somewhat relatable to real life creatures, but just has that extra push of surreal features, it almost feels like I could encounter similar creature, if I wandered too deeply off path in a forest. I am also a sucker for classical heroes Journey stories, and I feel Princess Mononoke and Zelda executes them very well.

I've grown up with the Legend of Zelda, and I feel a close bond to the series, and the way that it manages to explore different art-styles while maintaining the same sense of adventure and wonder, impresses me. I can only aspire to creative as iconic designs and concepts as appear in the Legend of Zelda.

Another favorite work of mine is Tove Janssons Moomin Troll. I grew up with the Moomin anime from the 90s, but have since fallen in love with Tove’s original comic strip and books! The Moomin universe delivers something I don’t find in similar childerens media. Perhaps because there’s something about the Moomin characters that I can deeply relate to, but also because of Tove’s ability to put deep emotions and themes in her work, like melanchony and poetry, despite its target audience being all ages. When people ask me what fictional world I would like to live in, I always answer Moomin Valley. During the colder seasons, I get the urge to rewatch and reread Moomin, like it’s part of my winter hibernation.

Tove Jansson is definitely one of my biggest inspirations, her unique ink work has inspired me so much and made me challenge myself to replicate her unique almost crude style. Another one of my favorites is the musician Tom Waits, his crooked music style with glorification of imperfection inspires me a lot. His musical The Black Rider is one of my favorite creative works and I dream of animating it someday! Tom Waits has also inspired one of my favorite band Kaizers Orchestra, who in turn have also inspired me. They have a special way of telling stories through their songs and by banging all sorts of items together they make metallic sounds. They have an unique stage presence which feels like a form of theater at times. Tyson Hesse is one of my favorite comic artists, ive been following his work since his early beginnings and his comics still capture me with his fun style. Shmorky is also an artist I look up to a lot, they mostly do cutesy drawings of small blobish characters, but their unique mix of cuteness and edge, really speaks to me. Some of my other favorite artists include Scottie Young, Emmy Cicierega, Niel Cicirega ,Ken Sugimori, Justin Chan, Rebecca Sugar, Temmie Chang, Jamie Hewlett and many more.

There's a few works that I just cannot relate to. Worst of all is Sausage party, Seth Rogan's adult animated movie. Its a shame that a lot of animated work targeted to adults, ends up being nothing more than a children movie with dick and fart humor, no real substance to them. I'm all for some dirty humor once in a while, but sausage party just is non stop stupid food puns and sexual innuendos, its story makes no sense, and none of the characters are likable. For some of the same reasons I hate sausage party I also dislike Family guy, and similar shows. Family guy to me is the worst kind of humor, its often offensive, and very sexist or problematic in other ways. Its animation is boring and stiff, and is streamlined down to a point where its so drained of creativity that its barely even ”animated” at all. I also dislike animated movies targeted for children, that just feel like a marketing ploy, and the movies usually don't have much more substance than some funny random jokes. The worst offender being Minions, and the despicable me movies. I don't think minions are interesting characters, and their gibberish language, makes them very unrelatable.

Traveling isn’t something I have done often, since I come from a fairly poor family, vacations abroad wasn’t a thing I had the luxury to grow up with. I have been to Lyon, France and Berlin, Germany during schooltrips. My trip to France was my first real experience outside of Denmark. In Berlin I had some interesting experiences with underground art, took a street-art tour throught the city and went to see the museum of bizarre objects! Such fun and inspriring experiences! During the holiday season, I visited my wonderfull girlfriend in The Netherlands for the first time. It was my first time travelling alone so it was all very exciting. I stayed for a month and saw a lot of the country. It’s fun to see a culture that’s so close to my own, yet so much more urban and international! I’m going back to The Netherlands in April and I plan to visit more often. Now that I know what it’s like, travelling is really fun and I would love to visit Japan and Australia someday.

I plan on financing the education with the danish SU system, and taking an SU loan.

I look very much forward to hearing back from you, Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Best regards

Lasse Milling Madsen

Grønnegade 11. 1st th 8800 viborg

+45 28 21 17 56

c0ke964@hotmail.com

(coke as in cola but with a zero instead of an o)