#1. you can always tell when I'm into something new because I start recommending it to everyone

[becaexists]

Doing the lord's work by commenting under pinterest posts about other popular audio drama podcasts recommendations of Night shift

[maxwell-grant]

The Penguin: Episode 1 Breakdown

Thank you Lauren LeFranc, Mike Marino, Colin Farrell and Matt Reeves, we owe you the world for this, good God. It's finally here everyone and I've decided I'm gonna give each episode it's own post/breakdown of thoughts, because hahaha holy shit you guys this is beyond what I even dreamed of, and we're gonna be covering this for a while I think. I've worked out enough madness about this out of my system by talking with friends and I can't seem to be able to work on anything else till I get this done, so let's do it.

Bottom line: This isn't even just a must-watch if you like the Penguin or if you like The Batman, this is something I'd recommend to just about anyone in a heartbeat, something I can point to when people ask "why do you like The Penguin so much" and, instead of the elaborate nerd ramble that usually turns them off, I can just tell them to watch this. A friend of mine (who already loves Batman and digs the Penguin quite a bit) even told me as much, that he's starting to get why I love the character so much, and truly, is there a better feeling than this? Well, there is, and it's watching the show. Let's dig into this first episode:

Right upfront I'm gonna say that this doesn't really seem to be the Sopranos rip-off that people have been calling it before release, although there are definitely Sopranos comparisons to make here. I've spent the past months finally watching The Sopranos in order to get the comparison and definitely want to talk about those comparisons after I finish it (and this show ends). This thing aims to stand on it's own legs as a crime show and it's smashing out of the gate with an extremely promising first episode.

So this just casually opens with the reveal that all along, there was a second rich Gotham the whole time that was completely unaffected by everything we saw in the movie, already throwing a great twist on the events of that movie, and further reinforcing how fucking full of shit The Riddler was. All we saw Batman and the others deal with in the movie was just affecting the poorer parts of the city. All Eddie did was drown rats, and make life worse for the people already in the bottom, while never even getting close to targeting the systemic rot that ruined his life. He retains ideological worshippers in subways obsessed with the corruption of the city without doing anything to actually improve it, and because of him, the streets of Gotham are waterlogged shitholes while the rich Falcone suburbs are doing just fine, peachy even.

I said a while back that, in spite of having about 6 scenes/10 minutes of Penguin runtime, The Batman managed to squeeze impeccably controlled Penguin Trademark Scenes, and this show opens with the last one they didn't get to then: Penguin killing someone for making fun of him. In the movie, he tries doing that with Falcone and is beaten to the punch, so here he gets to actually do it to disastrous consequences.

Fucking adore that the inciting incident of the show is based on the fallout of Oswald killing someone for making fun of him. He pours his heart about the dream he lives his life for, his new boss makes fun of him for being an embarassment to their profession and then he does the most typical Penguin thing by killing him for it and laughing afterwards. And then he realizes how badly he fucked up, and then we get a fucking perfect titledrop with his musical theme, the exact moment we finish The Batman and enter The Penguin.

God it is so fucking cool how the make-up/lighting, the scar across his face, makes it look like he's got a genuine beak from certain angles, how they're able to achieve that effect without giving him a more literal beak for a nose. Everytime they talk about the character, Reeves and Farrell always emphasize how integral the make-up was to them figuring out what to do with Oz, how little they knew what to make of his six scenes until Marino created their monster and suddenly everything fell into place. Mike Marino fully deserves co-credit for the creation of Oz.

Pretty amusing that Victor, as designed to be Penguin's Robin, has exactly the same origin as Jason Todd, a poor street kid trying to steal the hubcaps off the Penguinmobile (I'm sure this bodes very well for his odds at survival), as is the way in which Oz goes on about his recruitment. He press-gangs this kid at gunpoint to help him bury a body arguing with himself and eventually the kid why shouldn't he just kill him to be safe, while trying to impress the kid with his car and air freshener and later that bullshit about "What, you think I hire any schmuck off the street?". From the tile drop onwards, he's doing everything on the fly while also spinning long-term plans set in motion as soon as he's on screen, he's taking this kid in out of sympathy and because he enjoys a power dynamic over someone weaker than him and because he very much needs someone to help him get stuff done. I'm extremely interested in exploring Penguin having a mentorship dynamic and I'm beyond curious as to what happens with Victor from this point onwards, but that poor kid is in for a terrible fucking time.

Found it very funny how much he half-asses the murder threat to Victor. Like it's his first time actually doing it and he's trying to be serious, but not too scary because he's already seeing himself in the poor kid with a stutter and wants the kid to think he's also a cool guy like he wants everyone to think he's a cool guy. I also think having Victor as the POV helps to sell moments like these, because it's still terrifying to him. Even as we follow their stories, these power players of Gotham are still big scary monsters to people caught in the dregs and Victor helps to reinforce that.

I enjoy Oz being friends with sex workers and drag queens off the street as much as I enjoy Oz being depicted as the kind of guy who deludes himself into thinking the prostitute he's with actually likes him, Lauren and Farrell launched into a bit about in on the podcast and I'm curious to see what's going on with him and Eve here.

Lots of perfect funny little character moments across the whole thing. Oz insulted by the idea of taking extra pickles off a poor kid's dirty mouth, but with zero hesitation whatsoever for picking jewelry off his boss' corpse. Dude is governed by principles even as he actively has to break them to survive.

"Technically it's plum." "He is the - or was the - new kingpin", "He's got nurse-like qualities." The show is not overtly trying to get you to find Penguin likeable as much as it wants you to find him engaging - making you think he's likeable is Colin Farrell's job and he's masterful at it, definitely a lot more matured within the character compared to the movie.

If there's anything in particular I'm thankful for regarding Gotham (well okay Gotham led directly to Telltale Penguin which was the basis for this one, so really I do have a lot more to be thankful with Gotham), it's the decision to give him a legit waddle via the broken foot, but the way they incorporate it here with the club foot does so much for him, so much as a modern day reinvention of The Penguin. Adds so much to why he's never been a serious candidate for mob leadership, why he kinda had to spend all his time in the Lounge, why he actually needs someone to help him run affairs, why he has such a gaping ego wound and is so murderously angry at people making fun of him / calling him a goddamn penguin, adds so much validation and so much darkness and nuance to Oswald's overwhelming anger and bitterness over how the world treats him (and so much power should he opt to reclaim it, in turn). It's the kind of thing that frankly feels like it should have always been part of the character, like what all the previous versions were itching closer to or trying to get at. Of course this is a guy gets called a penguin and he hates it badly enough to murder people over it, of course.

This gets to really highlight how differently Oz acts depending on who he's with. Traditionally, one of my favorite things about The Penguin, and one of the things that puts him above the other villains, is that, due to his position, he has to interact with a lot more people than the other Bat-villains. He has to manage a lot more relationships and dynamics, he has to play peacekeeper and puppetmaster. he's the only one in the United Underworld who's regularly interacting with and recruiting other villains to do business with. He's the guy who you pin stuff on like the Gangland Guardians, Team Penguin, doing betting pools with the Rogues taking cover in his Lounge while Joker War is happening, having to rig games to keep good standing with Maxie Zeus and Frenchy Blake in Batman Audio Adventures, and so on. So I greatly enjoy this beat here of him talking about how makes himself smaller before the Falcones, and that moment of him adjusting his outfit and practicing expressions in the mirror before meeting with them. How he contorts himself is present in all of his relationships, and retroactively adds to the way he carries himself in The Batman.

It seems that Oz is functionally regarded as the Paulie Walnuts of the Falcones: useful muscle, loyal for the most part and amusing to keep around, but largely an unstable self-serving dumb asskisser kept where he belongs, a liability if not kept on a short leash. I think the show does a good job of highlighting all the reasons why Oz has never been seriously regarded as a viable option for a boss, even putting aside his disability. He is a fundamentally embarassing person for these serious respectable criminals to be around and of course, the joke is ultimately on them..

Of course, there is only two people in the show who actually know what he's capable of, Francis Cobb and Sofia Falcone, said to be the central relationships defining the show moving forward. Both of them also a defining commonality with Oswald, being people who are looked down on and dehumanized, and characters who are underestimated until it's time to bear their fangs.

Extremely invested in where they're going with Sofia Falcone, Cristine Milioti's been killing it, and will in fact not stop killing it. What a perfect villain for Penguin they've set up with her, someone who has his Kryptonite: she does not underestimate him. Although we know in advance that Oz is going to live and be in the next movie, the question here isn't even so much who's going to win the gang war, and rather how much damage these two freaks will do to the city until Batman gets back. In many ways, Sofia represents the shape of things to come just as much as he does.

She is this embodiment of both the pristine unfathomable wealth and privilege and power that he both detests and strives for, as well as this brutal new breed of madness and violence attacking the streets that he has to survive against and make deals with (and is himself very much a part of, however he denies it). She is Falcone's legacy in every way that matters, both a Kingpin of Gotham whose existence creates the oppressive conditions under which a Batman or a Riddler are created, as well as the Arkham Rogue, the larger-than-life sadist with a tragic origin and a signature torture-murder method and an embarassing name for the papers.

Even the fact that she is The Hangman, and Carmine was defined around his penchant for brutally strangling women - regardless of whether or not she did the crimes that got her in Arkham, she's become this larger-than-life themed expression of a violent obsession in a way that sets her up as every bit the Batman villain that The Penguin is. The two champions of the two Gothams, duking it out in this new world The Batman and The Riddler made, The Penguin vs The Hangman.

I am so glad Lauren LeFranc made the call for binning Alberto in the first five minutes so the rest of the show can focus on Sofia and make a real character out of her in a way nobody's ever really done before, every step of the way so far LeFranc has been perfectly on the ball about where to take these characters and their conflict. And speaking of those,

I feel very confident in saying that this is the first time anyone's ever really had something worth doing with Oswald's mother as a character in her own right and not just a source of anguish for Penguin (Gotham was almost onto something with Gertrude, but not nearly enough). When it comes to Penguin origin stories, my favorite's always been the Pre-Crisis one, where he's poor and bullied but happy with his mom and birds until she dies and the government seizes everything he has, which doesn't necessarily involve her much. But here? Francine Cobb is a real character in what little time we get to know her, and what a character she is. We quickly understand the role she's playing in Oz's life, not just as his mom and person he loves and strives to protect, but the person who's sculpting him into the man he's going to become.

She is vulnerable and she does need meds and she's not quite all there, and Penguin's need to care for her is visible in other actions of his. But then they turn it around by showing how strong and demanding she is, how she is fiercely ambitious and pushing him to be something he would otherwise not be, how much she loves him and sees greatness in him. She knows he's a people pleaser, she knows how to push his buttons, and she wants him to be more, so of course he's going to be more, because he lives to please his mom.

Related to this is this absolute bullseye of a summation of The Penguin, that Lauren LeFranc delivered in the podcast: "Perhaps his greatest fear is that love is transactional. And that yet, everything he does, every decision he makes, is as if that's true. As if "love is transactional" is a truth he abides by". Oswald's conception of power is being loved and revered like Rex Calabrese, and the love he wants most in all the world is the one from his mother. So in turn this, and all extensions of it, drive him to greater and darker lengths.

He doesn't have that ambition quite down yet, it's his mom that does. She who's pushing him to take over the city and not just be a guy scraping by for survival. He's smart and ambitious and extremely good at slipping out of trouble, but she's pushing him to be the guy who will be taking the city by the horns because that's what he has to be for their sake. Her legacy to her son is nurturing him having that dog in him that will make him the supervillain who picks fights with Vengeance. She is the force that's turning Oswald into The Goddamn Penguin and I can't wait to see how she's developed.

Of course he reprimands Victor in that scene for lacking ambition, who do you think he gets it from?

Really love what they've done with Sal Maroni in here so far. I like adaptations that take these throwaway Batman backstory gangsters and make something out of them, in this case, with Clancy Brown lending his power and voice and reputation as The Grand Boss of Villainy to play the last Respectable Gangster of Gotham, this intimidating principled old tiger who's inversely proportional to how much of a petty and scummy piece of shit Carmine Falcone was. Extremely a guy I'd want to see playing a hand in the creation of Two-Face. Just as crucial is the fact that he is the one who gets the most effortlessly outplayed by Oz here, because this is The Penguin Show: no room for traditional or respectable gangsters anymore, their purpose is to be crapped all over by our wacko birdman.

There's a lot about this that re-contextualizes his behavior in The Batman and the one I'm gonna point out is: even though he can't be sure his plan didn't completely go to shit, he is still keeping his wits and not being terribly scared about being beaten up and tortured and staring down the scariest Falcone with a gun shoved in his throat. But he craps his pants at the sight of the Batmobile. He gets pain, he gets indignity, but he doesn't get Vengeance, what kind of sick freak would come up with the stuff that guy does. A gun in his mouth and Falcone torture is just Tuesday, but a car that wants to eat his soul is some psycho shit he's just not ready to deal with.

It is the delicious tasty fucking irony that Oswald thinks Vengeance is this weird freak who doesn't play or bend to any rules and is here to fuck up everything, just like the madman who flooded the city, and thinks of himself in turn as a justifiable guy standing for the respectable old-fashioned empathetic way of doing things, instead of the exact same thing that Riddler and Batman are. Only Sofia gets what he really is, the same thing as her, and that's why she is the arch-enemy / the biggest thing he's gotta defeat in life for now.

God, how fucking PERFECT it is that he gets caught and tortured because he, after stabbing out a man's eye and causing him to get run over by a schoolbus, stops to wave at the kids in that schoolbus while covered in blood. Just the Rex Calabrese of it all, the self-image, this guy who's both a mean nasty son of a bitch and also a real bleeding heart softie and in ways that ruin his life and allow him to slip and wriggle his way out of shit he has no right to, as demonstrated by the finale.

Thinking about Sofia chastizing Oz saying he thinks she is a toy to play with, while rattling off the ways in which she owns him and everything he has, all the ridiculous little accessories her daddy let him play him, and he in turn is a ridiculous little accessory for the family she is twisting until it breaks. Perfect fucking villain for him. Can't wait to see how badly these two are gonna burn Gotham.

I knew deep in my heart that all I wanted out of a Penguin show, the thing that I simply needed to have in it, was Penguin pulling a heist set-up in advance, and it fucking delivered. He doesn't even complain at Victor for being late, because if anything, getting captured and tortured while the car crashed was even better for him. No, he complains at Victor for not being sufficiently gruesome with the body. See, unlike other cowardly anti-hero reinventions of Bat-villains, the show never wants you to forget that Oz is a weird freak and a disgusting piece of shit, even if he is a very likeable and even aspirational one. Only by the most random stroke of fate it wasn't Victor that he fed to the wolves at that moment, that he sees himself in the kid isn't exactly ensuring that he's gonna make out of this in one piece.

Mr. Vengeance gets Nirvana, and Mr. Boniface gets Dolly Parton, perfect credits.

In conclusion: Out of everything they could have done following the thunderous success of The Batman and it's ensuing influence over the DCU, out of all the offers Reeves must have gotten to helm their new universe after delivering a megahit reinvention of their breadwinner blockbuster character, Matt Reeves went "Nah, I listened to my crew, and what we really want to do is 8 hours of television about the waddling freak who's in my movie for 10 minutes", and he and his crew deserve the world for that. I dreamed as a kid of getting to make a big Penguin story or show, a wild impossible idea that would never actually happen, and now it's here and it's better than anything I'd ever imagined.

I'm fit to burst with joy and riding a high of no longer having to hunt for scraps and washing away decades of put-downs for the character and enjoying a Penguin renaissance like one I never imagined happening. I am extremely not an unbiased reviewer here, this show rules and I've waited for it since I was a kid and it's here, drink it the fuck in cause it's only the beginning.

[arisuworld]

HOW TO PERSIST?

So, now we all know how self concept is one of the most important key to manifestation. How you view yourself in relation to the world around you is extremely important and can greatly affect how you manifest. However, persistence is another key to manifestation that often gets overlooked. It is as important as self concept.

Now, I know why it can be hard. At some point of my life, i couldn't persist no matter what. It was hard for me. 3D and circumstances made it hard for me to persist. However, Manifesting in general is very easy but it does require a certain amount of discipline and mental work. It truly gets difficult for most people, when an unfavorable circumstance happens in 3D. Everything seems to be going well but then all of a sudden everything starts falling and you start seeing the opposite of your desires. Then circumstances and everything going on around you, makes you question, doubt yourself and even start spiraling, not knowing what to do. 

Everyone has been in this kind of situation and they don't know what to do. So, now I'm gonna tell you what you should do when you're in this situation, no matter what the circumstances are.

• WHAT DOES PERSISTING MEANS?

per·sist  /pərˈsist/ verb

continue firmly or obstinately in an opinion or a course of action in spite of difficulty, opposition, or failure.

Basically, persisting means to continue to dwell in the new assumptions despite the difficulties or obstacles that may come in the way.  

• WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

"An assumption, though false, if persisted in will harden into fact" — Neville Goddard

No matter how crazy your assumption sounds, no matter how delusional you sound, if you PERSIST into it, it will harden into fact. The 3D will always conform it in front of your eyes.

• IS BEING PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT SAME?

People often confuse persistence with consistently. Affirming 24/7 till they pass out or their head hurts which is so wrong. Persisting isn’t affirming, it's knowing that your desire is inevitable. You feel safe and secure knowing THAT CREATION IS FINISHED. The moment you’ve finished your visualisation, affirmations, SATs or have just simply stated that your desire is yours, then your desire has already been completed. Your “job” is to just continue KNOWING that it’s yours, which is basically PERSISTING.

• HOW TO PERSIST?

Persisting means to live in the end, to completely live in your imagination (4D) and to ignore any unfavorable circumstances that the 3D may throw at you. Live in your imagination as it is the ONLY true reality that matters to you. When you see something you don't like in the 3D, turn inwards to your imagination and live within.

1. TAKE A BREAK: The main cause of a spiral is usually a result of seeing something unfavorable in the 3D and becoming overwhelmed. You feel like doing something to change the situation, to make it better somehow. Therefore you panic and try different techniques, methods at a time to fix the circumstances. However doing this will not help you fix anything. It will only manifest the opposite. No, let me ask you something. If you had your desire, would any difficult circumstance trouble you? Would it affect you negatively? No right?. All you're doing is interfering with your manifestations. Instead of trying to make it happen, you just have to let it happen. So, i would recommend you to take a break from ALL manifesting-related things for a few days for a week. Like delete tumblr, instagram, unsubscribe from LOA youtube channels. In this time period, i suggest you to do meditation, yoga nidra and journal out your feelings. Let yourself feel any emotions and vent out whatever’s bothering you. Don’t keep it all bottled up. Let it out for once and all.

2. DON'T SEEK VALIDATION FROM 3D: When you’re truly in the state of KNOWING (you already have your desires), you will be much less likely to spiral. Why? well, as i stated in the first point, we spiral primarily because we experience something unfavorable in the 3D. But when we’re in the state of knowing, we KNOW that the 3D is temporary and that our desires ARE COMING, no matter what, it’s inevitable. No matter what happens, your desires are already yours, is all you need to understand.

3. IMPROVE YOUR SELF CONCEPT: Self concept is the only thing you need to manifest. If your self concept is good then nothing can stop you from getting your desires. Now, after you feel like you’ve taken enough time “off” from manifesting consciously, now you can start easing back in. I recommend you to do a mental diet. It's easy, simple and so effective. All you have to do is be conscious of your thoughts, and flip your negative thoughts to positive. Whenever you get a negative thought related to your manifestation, just flip it around and be like "no, i already have my desire". That's it's, it's that easy.

• CONCLUSION

Persistence can be very hard sometimes but it is extremely important in order to manifest your desires! The best thing to do is to remember that you're the god and remind yourself that circumstances do not matter. Always, remain faithful to your new assumptions and don't let outer circumstances rattle you. Circumstances are temporary, they change in seconds. And, You are the god of your reality and everything has to go your way, no matter what! Never give up. Always persist, persist and persist. The 3D will always conform in front of your eyes.

[gg-pedro]

can you hear the music (ch. 1) - joel miller x reader

masterlist

even here, at the end of all things, some things persisted. one thing in particular, throughout all the places you had been. music.

summary: everyone in jackson is trying to distract themselves from something. you teach ellie piano and find yourself trying to help more than one miller settle into their new world.

warnings: post outbreak!joel, jackson!era, platonic!ellie x reader, implied age gap, joel x reader, AFAB!reader, they kiss lolz, smut to come, pining, feelings.

words: 1.8k

a/n: a little sweet, a little bitter, a little self indulgent. I'm planning on this being a series! I hope you enjoy. warning tags only apply to this chapter.

-

Two knocks. Three. More knocking, hushed squabbling from outside your door. You got up from your seat at the kitchen table, a piling mess of sheet music and scribbled notes.

Opening the door revealed your newest student, Ellie, looking very much like Joel was leading her to the gallows with that scowl on her face. 

“Can we just get this over with? I’m fucking hungry.” Ellie pushed past you, shrugging off her coat and kicking off her boots. 

“I’m sorry… ‘bout her. She likes doin’ this, I swear. Always comes back talking about it. Just give her some time to warm up to you.”

Joel had this particular look on his face whenever he talked about that little girl. His dark eyes would soften and he’d push a hand through his graying hair, his thoughts seeming like they were somewhere else entirely from his surroundings. The most he ever said to you was about Ellie. Everything you knew about Joel was from Ellie, naturally.

He was from Texas. He was fairly older than you– you didn’t have much experience from when it was before the end of the fucking world. He sounded tightly wound. He could play the guitar, and he’d taught Ellie a few things. Once, she’d said that he only liked piano music if Billy Joel was playing it, whoever that was. That made you laugh.

You gave him a thin smile, crossing your arms over your chest to ward off the draft that was blowing through the open door. “I know. She’s a great kid, I can tell she wants to learn. I think it helps her– you know, keeping busy.”

Joel met your eyes for the first time since the conversation had started, something painful and poignant seeping into his expression. 

“Yeah. I think so.” He was quiet for a few seconds before looking straight over you to grab Ellie’s attention. “I’ll be back in an hour. I’m down the street helpin’ Tommy with that old building. Be good,” he warned, before giving you a grateful nod and turning back. 

And that was your routine. Joel was usually short with you, a little quiet, a little shy. You thought he was a sweet man– and a painfully attractive one at that. All southern and rough, broad shouldered, puppy-dog eyed. He seemed like he would do anything to keep that girl safe. You were glad the community had someone like him.

You had started teaching Ellie a few weeks after they had settled into Jackson. It was mostly because of Maria’s recommendation, who you were fairly close with. Ellie had hated taking lessons from you more vehemently in the beginning, but the more you worked at it, the more comfortable you saw her get. 

“Come on, kid. This is good for your brain,” you would say, beckoning her to sit next to you on the piano bench. 

She scoffed, but yet she obliged. “This is dumb. I could be doing something useful. Like shooting guns.”

“Art is as important, Ellie. More important than shooting guns. For you, anyway."

Her fingers tapped gingerly on the keys and she played a scale they had learned the week before. “How would you know? You aren’t even old,” she countered. “How long have you been playing?”

You glanced over at the clock. You two were wasting time, but at least she was talking. “My whole life, give or take. I tried to hold onto it whenever I could. It was my favorite thing in the entire world.”

She nodded, seeming to understand. “That’s cool. I get why Joel likes you.”

You didn’t think Joel was someone who particularly liked you. He didn’t dislike you, clearly, but if he had given any hints, they had been falling on deaf ears. You tried your best to keep your expression neutral. “And why’s that?”

She giggled to herself as she flipped through the pages of her sheet music booklet. “‘Cause you’re both fucking weird.”

You laughed too, punching her gently in the arm. “Fair. Now stop stalling and play me whatever you remember.”

Life was special nowadays. More precious than it ever had been. You would have to cherish moments like these. Loss was all around, and loving always risked the hurt. You were really, really fucking tired of hurting. 

-

Walking back to your home, trudging through the snow, you were tired. Working in Jackson’s small clinic was easy enough, but it was draining. You saw to children mainly, bandaging up wounds and dosing out rations of antibiotics when needed. The kids liked you, the parents liked you, and that was rewarding, but plastering on a smile and a light-hearted tone all day sometimes felt like too fucking much. 

So naturally, you were ready to pick a fight when you felt a broad hand consume your shoulder. 

You turned around to match the disembodied hand to a face, only to see Joel Miller. He looked tired, more tired than you, and a little sad. 

“Sorry, I wasn’t tryin’ to scare you. I saw you, and I…” He paused, looking down at the two sets of footprints that had outlined both of your paths. “Ellie isn’t feeling well. I think it’s best she skips y’alls lesson tomorrow.”

She released the breath she'd been holding. For some reason, he had the tendency to precede the things he said as if he was about to tell you that the world was ending. Again.

“That’s fine, don’t worry about it. Is she alright?” 

“Yeah, she’s alright. This whole things a big fuckin’ adjustment, and I… I worry she’ll push herself too much if nobody stops her,” he explained. “She’s been with Maria all day. But yeah, she’ll be okay.”

Ah. He was worried about her. It seemed like he was always worrying about her. “I understand. Can’t imagine what it must be like for her. And you.”

She’ll push herself if nobody stops her. Who stopped Joel? Who looked out for him? His brother, surely, but was it like that? Did those two, hardened and stretched thin, have the time to be concerned about things like that? How long had he just been… going?

You reached a hand out to touch his upper arm, rubbing it a little before pulling away. “You’re a good man, Joel. I really think that, and I hope you know it.”

He laughed a little at that. “I haven't done any good, trust me on that.”

You dropped your gaze and looked away. You knew that everyone here, without a shadow of a doubt, had done things they weren’t proud of. Things they never would’ve done if not at the end of the world.

You were maybe 20 steps from your front door, standing out in the Wyoming cold with him. You tried to meet his eyes before speaking again, but he wouldn’t face you. 

“Come in. Please, I insist. Warm up, I just traded for coffee.”

He looked like he was fighting with himself for a few seconds, raising his head and looking off to the side. “Yeah, alright. Why not.”

-

Joel Miller was sitting in your living room, sipping from a mug so carefully that you’d think he was afraid he’d break it. The fire was lit and casting warm shadows across the dim room. It was endearing. You hadn’t felt like this in a lifetime. 

“I couldn’t do it. What you do. Dealing with all those kids,” he said after a long lapse of quiet.

You shrugged, sipping on your own cup. “I love it. I never thought I’d have the chance to play music again, much less teach. It’s not perfect, but it's something,” you said. “Ellie tells me you play guitar.”

Joel rolled his eyes and finally sunk back into his chair instead of hunching over. He groaned a little as he did it, as if he stored all of his tension in his back. “Yeah, used to. I ain’t good at it anymore.”

“But you used to be?” You pried.

He finally looked at you, his eyes infinitely more dark in this light. “Maybe. Don’t think I’d be able to forget how to play even if I tried, so might as well put it to some use.”

You smiled. “I know. Funny how things stick with you. Muscle memory.”

He nodded. “Somethin’ like that.”

And it was true. There were lots of things neither of you would forget how to do, no matter how much time had lapsed in between the before and the now. And sure, most of what you had learned happened after the world had ended, but that was irrelevant. The most important things had always been there. You’d known how to love for your entire life.

His eyes wandered over to the old upright piano situated on the wall in the living room. “Is she any good on that thing?” He asked.

You thought about Ellie, who would curse everytime she slipped on a scale, who would argue fervently about how that squiggly shit on the sheet music could possibly mean anything, who learned faster than any of your other kids.

“She is. She’s impressive. She picked up Old McDonald Had a Farm like that.” You grinned, snapping your fingers for effect. 

He smiled thinly, his mind clearly somewhere else. “Explains why she won’t stop humming that shit. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“My pleasure, Joel.” You laughed. “You finished with that?” You gestured to his empty mug.

“Yeah. Hey, I’ll help you.”

You were elbow to elbow with each other at the sink, cleaning out the liquid and the scattered coffee grounds from the bottoms of your respective cups. Joel took yours and placed it on the drying rack, wiping his hands off with the towel you passed to him.

You leaned back against the island as he turned his back to the sink. He was so tall, so rugged, so handsome. His age only added to it. He had a softness around his eyes now, his features slightly obscured by the absence of much light.

“Should probably take off… Thank you. For the drink,” Joel began.

“Don’t thank me, I’d do it anytime. Tell Ellie that I hope she’s feeling better soon.”

He nodded, and he swallowed. He wasn’t making any moves to leave, save for his eyes on the door. They flicked back to you, watching you, scanning you up and down until he finally said, 

“You’re gonna kill me, sweetheart, lookin’ at me like that.”

You weren’t really sure of how it all happened, but in an instant your bodies were pressed together with your lower back digging into the dull edge of the island counter, Joel’s lips pressed to yours like he was seeking oxygen.

His free hand felt up your body, and your skin was on fire. A match thrown onto a pool of gasoline. Everything was electric. He kissed you like he’d learned it in another life, back when love was free, when forever was a tangible thing, when strings weren’t attached. You felt it all on your lips and tongue, in the bonfire that was being fanned in your abdomen.

When he stepped back, you pulled him in for more. The opposite reaction to the Earth pulling down on you is you pulling the Earth back up. You tangled your hands in his soft hair, and his dug into the fabric of your jeans on your hips.

You both came up for air after a while, having migrated to the entrance of the kitchen. He had you backed up against the beam of the open doorway, tucking both sides of your hair behind you ear to see your face.

"Shouldn't be doing this," he mumbled, nipping at the warm skin on your neck.

"Maybe not," you conceded. I didn't mean you couldn't want it– what he could give you. You'd all done wrong things. "You could still stay."

"Yeah," he responded, pressing his body against yours and sweeping a hand over to cradle your lower back. "Still could."

Maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe that glassy, far off look wouldn't be permanent. It could be like this. You could have a reason.

And yeah, maybe Joel knew more than he let on. Some things never really left him.

-

[creeativesimmer]

Pretty Guardians Legacy Challenge

A Sailor Moon inspired legacy challenge for the Sims 4

I have always enjoyed playing Legacy Challenges and wanted to one day attempt to make my own. While I am certain there are Sailor Moon Legacy challenges out there, I couldn't find one that suited my fancy, so I decided to create my own updated version. I'm also trying to utilize as many packs/gameplay that I don't usually use. So here goes.

~~This is currently in gen 1 of playtesting, so things might get changed or updated. If you have any feedback feel free to share as some changes may be in order. Also stay tuned for my documentation of the playtest.~~

Basic Rules:

Money cheats can be used, but I wouldn't recommend using it extensively since that's half the fun. But who am I to tell you how you like to play

Mods and CC are okay to use. Feel free to make the heirs look as similar or as different than their counterpart.

You may live wherever you please unless something is specified in the rules of a generation.

All heirs must have a human lifespan unless otherwise stated. Heirs can be either male or female. Just because you're a Pretty Guardian, doesn't mean you have to be a girl. c:

You may have as many children and you'd like unless otherwise stated. Marriage and Live-in Partners are optional, unless otherwise stated in the challenge.

Every generation is supposed to complete both the career and aspiration of the heir unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Would recommend keeping the lifespan on normal, but you may play on whatever lifespan or custom lifespan if you so desire.

Feel free to accept any additional self discoveries, just don't switch personalities unless otherwise stated.

Please take advantage of the Reward traits and potions to help you through each generation

Have fun. I personally like challenges, so I'm adding some additional requirements for each generation for a challenge mode. Feel free to adjust the rules to suit your own playstyle better and complete as much or as little of the generation as you please.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 1: Pluto

Optional Colors: Black, Red, Maroon

You are the Keeper of Time and this legacy. The timeline has shifted, and the Moon Kingdom is in danger. You and your companion have been allowed to leave your post in order to correct it. This world is different that what you are familiar with. It isn't the Moon Kingdom, nor is it Tokyo. But you do learn there is a place that teaches you the things you need to know, and you find yourself enrolled in school. You must compile this knowledge to develop a new Door of Space and Time to guard for all of eternity from this new world. But not everything is doom and gloom. When you're not trying to fix the world, you find yourself relaxing by playing chess and making things to wear.

Optional: Start off or Become a Vampire, the goal is to eventually become immortal (You may also cheat this if you prefer to remain human) Optional: Have a feline companion who also gains immortality (with the power of many, many age down treats) and lives with each generation to provide them with the wisdom and knowledge. Traits: Gloomy, Genius, Vegetarian? Aspirations: Academic, (Optional) Good Vampire Career: Scientist Skills: Research & Debate, Knitting or Gemology, (Optional) Veterinarian 

Complete Academic aspiration and get a degree in Physics

Max Scientist Career along with Research & Debate and either Gemology or Knitting Skills

Create and Upgrade the Door of Space and Time (aka the Wormhole Generator) and place on home lot.

Travel to the Moon Kingdom (Sixam) at least once.

Must adopt at least one child

Heir must be human or have human lifespan (can be adopted sim)

Challenge mode:

(Optional) In order to achieve immortality: Become a Vampire and complete the Good Vampire Aspiration

(Optional) Create all the serums in the scientist career

(Optional) In order to achieve immortality for your feline companion, master the Veterinarian skill and create the Age Down Treats. (Purchasing them is also okay, especially in later generations)

(Optional) Have a garden where you grow most of your food source and death flowers

(Optional) Gift at least 3 knitted items or jewelry to friends or family

(Optional) Complete both Knitting and Gemology skills

(Optional) Use the gemology skill to make you immortal

(Optional) Complete the crystal and geodes collection

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 2: Saturn

Optional Colors: Purple, Maroon, White

Your guardian was always locked up in a lab seeking answers to life's greatest questions. While they still loved and cared for you, their ultimate focus was on their own goals and mission, leaving you alone with your thoughts. The voices in your head make it hard to be alone, so you spend most of your time reading. When you finally meet someone new, you become close friends. But one day when you have a maniac episode where you completely black out, you ruin the only friendship you had. And to save your friend and anyone else from your unstable personality, you become a shut-in with just you and your books. You dream of traveling, but never trust yourself to leave. So you travel through books and fantasy, writing about the adventures you'll never take.

Traits: Erratic, Loner, Paranoid Aspiration: Best-Selling Author Career: Freelance Writer Skills: Writing, Selvadoran Culture, Vampire Lore, + 1 skill of your choice

Complete Best-Selling Author aspiration and write Book of Life for Gen one.

Max Writing, Selvadoran Culture (will likely need to attend classes to sit on to gain the initial skill), Vampire Lore, & 1 skill of your choosing (preferably one that you wouldn't ever use like herbalism, rock climbing, skiing, etc.) that you must master via skill book only.

Only make your money from Royalties and/or Freelance Work.

Make a BFF and and eventually loose your BFF status due to the decline of your friendship

Never leave your lot (unless for a rabbithole event or absolutely necessary)

Complete the Postcard collection.

Challenge Mode:

(Optional: As a child) Become best friends with the first child (or younger) sim that you meet. Can be a Non-blood related sibling, if you're having trouble.

(Optional Mod) Be homeschooled

(Optional: As a teen) Have a falling out with your friend that goes from BFF into the red.

(Optional: After falling out) Never leave your lot (unless for a rabbithole event or absolutely necessary)

(Optional: As a YA) If you decide to move out, you must stay in the same neighborhood as you grew up. Alternative: Stay in your family's home or Turn your family home into a residential rental and stay there.

(Optional: As an adult) You settle the voices in your head. Should you desire, you may replace the erratic trait with a trait of your choosing (as an adult) or via self-discovery prompt (at any point as a YA or older)

(Optional) After accepting your new self, rekindle your friendship with your former childhood BFF.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 3: Uranus

Optional Colors: Navy & Yellow

Your guardian was a complete shut-in. Always talking about adventures, but refusing to leave home. You're tired of being surrounded by all these books about action and adventure, you want to live and experience it. You develop a need for speed. And since there's no cars in this world, you want learn how to ride. Your guardian begrudgingly allows you to have a horse, but only because they thought it was one of those "I wanna a pony" stages. Turns out, you're pretty decent of a rider, so much so that you can build a living off of it. As soon as you're old enough, you move out of your parent's home and set off on your own adventure. With your career, you have the flexibility to work when you want and travel the rest of the time. While you enjoy riding horses, you're not really about the farm/ranch life. You gain a little fame from work and your adventuring, so you find yourself having to disguise yourself when going out, but it doesn't slow your adventures in the slightest.

Traits: Adventurous, Active, Horse LoverAspiration: Championship Rider Career: None - Make your money competing in horse riding competitions (Alternatively, you can join the Athlete career) Skills: Fitness, Horse Riding, 1 Extreme sport skill (skiing, rock climbing, snowboarding)

Max out skills: Fitness, Horse Riding, 1 Extreme sport skill (skiing, rock climbing, snowboarding)

Finish the Championship Rider Aspiration.

Have at least 2-star fame

Travel more than you work. (ie. compete in competitions 3 days of the week and then vacation 4)

Meet your partner/spouse when traveling

Challenge Mode:

(Optional) Live in at least two additional worlds outside of the one you grew up in. Start in Chestnut Ridge and then move somewhere else.

(Optional) Reach 5-star celebrity and wear disguises when going out. (alternatively create an additional look in CAS for your disguise)

(Optional) Climb Mt. Komorebi

(Optional) Complete 2 of the following additional aspirations: Extreme Sports Enthusiast, Jungle Explorer, Body Builder

(Optional) Gain the Adrenaline Seeker and/or Frequent Traveler Lifestyle.

(Optional) Complete the Omniscan Treasures collection

(Optional) Vacation in Sulani at least once with your children.

(Optional) Marry someone of the same gender.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 4: Neptune

Optional Colors: Sea green & Navy

You spent a lot of your childhood traveling. While it was enjoyable traveling the world, it was the beach that managed to capture your heart. You heard the ocean's call and you answered with your own. You develop a passion for music and the ocean that you move to Sulani live out your dream to become the siren of the sea.

Traits: Child of the Island, Music Lover, Perfectionist Career: Entertainer - Musician Aspiration: Musical Genius Skills: Violin, Singing, Painting

Master skills for Violin, Painting, & Singing

Max out the Musician Branch of the Entertainer Career.

Complete the Musical Genius Aspiration

Live in Sulani

Summon and Befriend an Island Elemental

Have your heir with another partner before meeting your spouse.

Become a mermaid

Challenge Mode:

(Optional) Become a mermaid after maxing the singing skill

(Optional) Complete the Beach Life Aspiration

(Optional) Have a child with an Island Elemental

(Optional) Befriend a mermaid

(Optional) Seduce a local and marry them after becoming a mermaid.

(Optional) Paint pictures of the Ocean and decorate your house with them.

(Optional) Heir should ideally be human, but if you want to keep playing with mermaids, feel free

(Optional) Complete the Buried Treasure and Seashell collection.

(Optional) Clean up the islands and see the turtle hatching at least once.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 5: Mercury

Optional Colors: Blue & Light Blue

You grew up listening to your guardian's voice singing into the night. It made you wonder what all was out there. So you took to the books to study what you could. You were a nerd in all senses, with your nose always stuck in a book. You had an absentee parent, so it made you admire your guardian that much more being able to raise you solo and still dedicate so much to their career and passions. It motivated you enough that you wanted to become a doctor, but along the way in your studies you discovered your love of technology.

Traits: Bookworm, Ambitious, Generous Career: Doctor Aspiration: Nerd Brain Skills: Logic, Programming, Handiness

Max out the Doctor career

Get all A's in school

Complete the Nerd Brain Aspiration

Max Logic, Handiness, & Programming Skills

Challenge Mode

(Optional) Gain the Workaholic and Techie Lifestyle

(Optional) Complete Whiz Kid aspiration as a child.

(Optional) Graduate early if you can.

(Optional) Get a degree in Computer Science before joining the Doctor career at entry level.

(Optional) Join the Bot Savants in Uni.

(Optional) Max out either Rocket Science or Robotics Skill

(Optional) Build a rocket and give it all the upgrades/ Build a servo and all the bots.

(Optional) Complete the Space Prints, Aliens, & Space Rocks Collection

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 6: Venus

Optional Colors: Orange & Blue

You grew up surrounded by all the latest technology. But you could care less about the robots and rocket ships, your obsession came in the form of video games and computers. Though despite your knowledge on computers, you were too good for school. You usually would stay up too late at night gaming that you would get caught sleeping in school more than you did actually studying. While you present yourself as lazy in appearance and in nature, you still try to maintain your figure. Because when you aren't gaming, you're fawning over potential interests at the arcade or at school. You seem to cycle through relationships, never maintaining a solid relationship for long. Despite some accidental or unplanned pregnancies, you are determined to be provide a good life for your children, even if it takes a bit of discipline.

Traits: Geek, Romantic, Non-Committal Career: Video Game Streamer, Tech Guru Aspiration: Computer Whiz Skills: Fitness, Video Gaming, Parenting, (Optional) Romance

Must finish the Computer Whiz aspiration

You are a slacker in school so you never get over a C.

Get a part time job as a Video Game Streamer and maintain it at least until your first child is born.

Join the Tech Guru career after quitting the Streamer career. (You don't need to max this out)

Marry at least two different sims

Never have more than one pregnancy with the same partner.

Create a video game based off your alter ego.

Challenge Mode

(Optional) Drop out or get expelled from school. Get your GED before turning into an adult.

(Optional) Finish the Serial Romantic Aspiration

(Optional) Max the Romance Skill

(Optional) Maintain the Streamer Career until you've reached your adult birthday.

(Optional) Max out the Tech Guru Career (eSport Branch)

(Optional) Win the Ultimate Gaming Test and Hackathon at Geekcon at least once.

(Optional) Have a least 3 pregnancies.

(Optional) Always use the highest level of discipline with your children whenever they misbehave. But also encourage them whenever they do something good.

(Optional) Gain either the Supportive or Strict family dynamic with most of your children, but Strict Family dynamic with your heir.

(Optional) Finish the My Sims and Voidcritter Collections.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 7: Mars

Optional Colors: Red & Purple

You grew up listening to the sounds of your guardian yelling at the tv late into the night as they worked to achieve the highest score. Not to mention the revolving door of men and women that would stay over, some of which stuck around long enough to label themselves as step-parent. Even though you still aimed to make your parents proud, you swore you'd never become them. A failed attempt to set you up with another politician to 'assist' your career was the final straw for you. You cut ties with your parents and seek to better yourself. On your path of self discovery, you learn that you are a vessel of power. You diverge from your current path to follow the unknown, learning more about yourself then you ever imagined discovering. You never wanted children, but somehow you ended up with one. You manage but not without a little help.

Traits: Hot-headed, Self-Assured, Proper (Hates Children) Career: Politician, Freelance - Paranormal Investigator Aspiration: Inner Peace, Spellcraft & Sorcery Skills: Charisma, Wellness, & Medium

Complete the Inner Peace Aspiration.

Master Charisma, Wellness & Medium Skills

Join the Politician Career and stick with it until you reach adulthood or both of your parents pass away.

Go on 2 dates with a co-worker, and realize that this wasn't how you wanted to get ahead.

Never marry.

Have only one child(/pregnancy)

'Discover' your inner power by becoming a spellcaster (may also be born as one, you just never use any powers until finishing the Inner Peace aspiration)

Summon Bonehilda and befriend her

Challenge Mode:

(Optional) Have a good relationship with your grandparent if your grandparents are still alive.

(Optional) Complete the Inner Peace Aspiration before leaving your politician career.

(Optional) Complete the Spellcraft & Sorcery Aspiration.

(Optional) Move into a haunted house after starting Paranormal Investigator.

(Optional) Live in a technology free home (no tvs, no computers, etc.)

(Optional) Complete at least one of each level gigs within the freelance career.

(Optional) Befriend Guidry.

(Optional) Collect a Sugar Skull from every lot that you encounter a tombstone on.

(Optional) Gain the Hates Children personality trait

(Optional) Purchase the Brave reward trait.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 8: Jupiter

Optional Colors: Green & Pink

You had an odd childhood, growing up surround by spirits both good and evil. You spent more time in the care of a living skeleton than you did with your own guardian. Your other parent is no where to be seen. You learned to fend for yourself rather early on. You found comfort and enjoyment in cooking. Your perfect soulmate is someone who is kind and loyal and enjoys to eat your cooking. And after meeting that perfect mate, you are determined to give your children the best upbringing you could possibly give them.

Traits: Foodie, Loyal, Loves the Outdoors Career: Either Chef or Gardening (Floral arranging) careers, eventually own a retail shop Aspiration: Soulmate Skills: Baking, Gardening, & Floral Arranging

Complete the Soulmate Aspiration

Choose between either the Chef or Floral Designer Career

Master Baking, Cooking, Gardening, and Floral Arranging skills.

Buy and own a retail shop to sell your floral arrangements and cakes.

Marry someone with either the Loyal or Glutton traits

Have at least two children.

Challenge Mode:

(Optional) Complete the Appliance Wiz, Master Chef, and/or Freelance Botanist Aspiration.

(Optional) Live on a lot with Simple Living and you grow most of your food and flowers for your arrangements

(Optional) Complete the Gardening and Magic Bean Collections.

(Optional) Master the Gourmet Cooking Skill as well.

(Optional) Take family photos regularly and hang them all over the house.

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 9: Moon

Optional Colors: Blue & Red

You had the perfect upbringing. With parents who loved and cared for you. Even so, you're still a little scatterbrained and quite the klutz. You have a strong justice for your friends, and will stand up for them in any situation. Your grades suffered in school cause you were out late fighting the forces of evil. You secretly fight for justice, but your family is none the wiser and only thinks you're an innocent teacher.

Traits: Childish, Clumsy, Good Career: Secret Agent (Diamond Agent)/Detective or Education Aspiration: Friend of the World Skills: Research and Debate, Charisma, Cooking

Complete Friend of the World Aspiration.

Master either the Secret Agent (Diamond Agent Branch)/Detective or Education Career.

Have 4 Good friends/BFFs that you meet in high school.

Spend several evenings as a teen out on the town with your 4 close friends or partner.

Have two romantic interests, but one of them starts out with your friendship in the negative.

Befriend and eventually marry the romantic interest you disliked initially.

Challenge Mode:

(Optional) Achieve mediocre grades in school. Never do homework or study for exams.

(Optional) Confront anyone who is mean to you, your friends, or partner. Fighting is an option too

(Optional) You fight justice in secret, but everyone just thinks your a simple teacher. Master the Detective or Secret Agent (DA), then quit to join the Education career.

(Optional) Also master the Education career.

(Optional) Complete the Super Parent Aspiration

(Optional) Have your spouse maintain a better relationship with your heir then with you. (doesn't have to be much)

(Optional) Accept the Jealous personality trait if prompted.

(Optional) Make at least 3 enemies with sims who wrong your friends or family, but later mend your relationships with them.

(Optional) Complete the Holiday Cracker Plushie, Marbles, & Frog Collections

~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~*☆*★*☆*~~~~

Generation 10: Chibi Moon

Optional Colors: Pink & Red/Pink & Black

You loved and adored your parents growing up, especially one more so than the other. You were sweet and innocent for your favorite parent, and little mischievous with the other. But you still were on good terms with both parents. You enjoy drawing pictures as a child and gifting them to your parent. As a teen, you start to be jealous of the attention your guardian seeks from your other parent. You start to be a little rebellious. You become friends with an unlikely individual who sends you down a dark path as a young adult.

Traits: Self-absorbed, Evil, Goofball Career: Criminal Aspiration: Public Enemy, Werewolf Initiate Skills: Mischief, Painting

As a child complete the Artistic Prodigy aspiration

As a teen, meet and befriend a werewolf.

Follow a path of evil as a young adult and master the Criminal Career.

Complete the Public Enemy Aspiration.

Become a werewolf either towards the end of your teenhood or at the beginning of your YA-hood.

Complete the Werewolf Initiate Aspiration

After completing the above, feel free to accept any personality swaps away from your negative traits.

After completing the above, feel free to change Careers to a career of your choice.

After completing the above, change your aspiration to Strangerville Mystery.

Challenge Mode

(Optional) Befriend a rabbit in your youth.

(Optional) Join Drama Club as a Child/Teen

(Optional) Age up with positive character values.

(Optional) Complete one of the following additional werewolf aspirations: Lone Wolf, Wildfang Renegade, or Emissary of the Collective

(Optional) Complete the Cure Seeker Aspiration.

(Optional) Complete the Strangerville Mystery and repel the forces of evil.

(Bonus) Recruit Pluto in your battle against the Mother.

If you do plan to play this legacy, please share your adventures using #prettyguardianslegacy

[cerastes]

hey, i'm planning to get armored core 6 despite never playing any of those games before and since you seem pretty knowledgeable about them i was wondering if you have any tips for someone totally new to the series?

Sorry for the super late answer!

The first thing I can tell you about Armored Core is that you have to get comfy because half of the game is high speed intense high octane combat, and the other half is accounting. Brother, I know how much you want to go back to the part where rifles go bang and swords go swoosh and you have enough Gs on your body that you could passably cosplay a plate of mashed of potatoes, but you gotta do the Excel spreadsheet part, too.

It's really not as bad as it seems, and once it clicks, you know exactly what to look for. But if you want to get all the juice out of the tenga, you have to sit down and take a deep gander at how the systems click. Once you do, trust me on this one, an endless horizon of options will stretch before you because that's when you'll know exactly how to tailor your big death machine to your exact specifications and playstyle. It's deep, but also deeply rewarding!

Next up, something universally useful in Armored Core: Turning Speed. If you can mod, upgrade, or otherwise improve your "Turning Speed" (or equivalent) stat, crank that up as often as you can. It's always a powerful tool, it's always very useful, it's never superfluous. This ties in to the next point:

Your strongest weapon is your camera. When fighting other ACs, player controlled or otherwise, your strongest tool, throughout the games, has been to keep your opponent in your camera, and to stay out of your opponent's camera. Movement is huge in Armored Core, you need to move so as to 1) keep your enemy in your sights, 2) stay out of your enemy's sights, and 3) line up shots. We call this "lining up a vector" or "keeping the enemy in a vector". What this means is that you want to set up your enemy in such a way that they are moving in a direct vector relative to you -- directly towards you or away from you -- so that your shot with stronger, single shot weaponry will land and deal significant damage. You set up this vector while also trying to not be 'caught' in one yourself, and as you may think, this is hard, because if they are in your vector, you are in most situations also in theirs. So, the solution? Be outside of their camera while they are in yours. Can't shoot what they aren't aiming at, right? This is a lot to take in, I know, but you don't have to commit all of this to execution off rip, just keep it in mind, develop your playstyle and learn naturally with this in the back of your head until it clicks and you start being able to see, through your own playstyle, how it is you'll do that.

One final thing I want to recommend is that you don't fall for the allure of The Big Damage Number without considering other factors. Especially when learning, you want to make a balanced build: Have your single shot strong weapons, like a grenade launcher or sniper rifle, paired with a weaker but easier to land weapon, like assault rifles or machine guns, and compliment this further with some sort of auxiliary tool or weapon, like flares that give you leeway, or missiles that can put further pressure on your enemy. In general, when starting out their Armored Core journey, I recommend to people the following loadout: Grenade launcher, assault rifle, laser sword, missile launcher. This is a well rounded toolkit that'll keep you effective at most ranges, and more importantly, will reveal to you, your own preferences. Once you become a super Newtype ace pilot fuckhouse, you'll doubtlessly make your own deathkaiser machine with quadruple railguns or missileboats or pure melee builds, but to get to that point where you know exactly what you want to do, a balanced build helps in letting you learn where your heart leans, what kind of movement-to-bulk ratio works best for you, which weapons are your favorite, etc.

[hillbillyoracle]

What Made My Life Better in 2023

One of the things I'm thinking about a lot as I get ready for 2024 is what actually made an impact for me in the last year. It was interesting to think through because it was neither what I expected nor what I had always heard would help me. Instead it was often small changes that stacked into something much more helpful and interesting when put together.

I wanted to share them in case it's helpful for anyone else.

#1 - Adaptive Cleaning

While I still use elements of other cleaning systems, the base of what I do is firmly rooted in Sarah McGlory's Adaptive Cleaning ideas. I started implementing it about halfway through the year in earnest, though I stumbled upon it a year or two ago, and it's made a huge difference. This is the cleanest my space has ever been and the fewest flares I've ever had and I genuinely do credit her ideas for being a big reason for that.

#2 - My Care Kit

About halfway through the year I also threw together this care kit that I keep by my bed. It has everything I need to do my skincare, brush my teeth, and do my makeup - all without leaving my bed. While I've felt embarrassed at just how much it's done for me, I think it's a great example of "do what works." I just don't like get up once I've sat down for the evening. And it's easier to get up if I already have all that stuff done. Not only have I kept up with skincare and other habits probably the best out of any point in my life, but the mood and self esteem boost it gives me has allowed me to do more of what I want in other areas too.

#3 - 750 Words

I start using 750 Words on a whim. I had liked doing morning pages but could never really keep up with them, especially on days when I was really struggling with my hands. I wound up really taking to it and have only missed a few days since I started in November. I wound up paying for a year of it because I'm that certain of it's benefit. I've written way more for my zines, my mental health is a little better, and it serves as an anchor habit for several others. I love the simplicity of it. I can usually crank out my freewrite for the day in about 10 minutes - I like 10 minutes being my new minimum versus the zero it was.

#4 - Laundry Day

This might seem obvious or silly to you but as someone who has tried a lot of cleaning routines, I was so used to the a load a day rule that I never questioned it. That is until I read Dana K. White's book How To Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. She talks about her laundry system and it just completely changed my perspective. Laundry day has given me so much of my time back and I more regularly do more of our laundry. I'm sure other people were aware this was an option but I guess I needed someone to tell me.

#5 - Connecting with a Sangha

I'd been putting off connecting with a Sangha for a while. I knew I wasn't going to be in a place to go in person (I'm about an hour and a half any moderate sized city) and only meeting online felt like a pale imitation. But I was wrong. I got connected with the Furnace Mountain Zen Center based here in Kentucky and started attending more of their weekday meditation sessions and at home day retreats as I was able. It really deepened my practice and has remained a touchstone to return back to when I got through times life pulls me away. I wish I would have done it sooner. If you're Buddhist leaning in any way, I really recommend finding a Sangha - even if it's online.

I hope this sparks some ideas for other people. None of the "productivity" stuff I tried this year "worked" in the sense of sticking or allowing me to do more. The closest was probably pomodoros on a visual timer, which are genuinely helpful. But mostly it was acts of nurturance, curiosity, and care that really elevated my life this year.

May 2024 be even better!

[blackbatcass]

I really really wanna know more about Donna Troyyy, so far I love her so much but I don't wanna be the type of person who claims they love a character then can't name 5 things about them. I wanna do her justice and really understand her character and purpose. I also don't wanna read something that completely mischaracterizes her because I'm aware that there's a LOT of that these days. I was hoping you could give me some recommendations to read after my tests?

Thank you so much if you do, and have a wonderful day! <3

I think I can help with that! Luckily donna's characterization is pretty solid & consistent in any comic up to around 2006. i would be wary of more modern interpretations of her but for most of her older appearances you don't really have to worry about bad writing.

The number 1 rec for donna is always New Teen Titans, that's where pretty much the majority of her appearances and character development take place in the 80s and 90s. The whole series is very long though so if you want more specific recommendations that focus on her I would definitely read ntt vol 1 #38, vol 2 #7-9, #18-21, #47, and #50-55. Issues 18-21 especially are probably my number one rec for donna if you're interested in seeing her flaws and struggles; those four issues took place when the titans were kind of falling apart, donna had to step up and call the shots, and it's a really neat insight into her character that i don't think gets quite as much attention as arcs like her origin stories. You'll probably honestly get a good feel for her if you pick any couple of arcs from NTT and read them through.

Wonder Woman (1987) #126-136 is a very important arc that reiterates donna's borderline horror dimension-bending origin weirdness. Titans '99 is a must-read for her, and jumping off that the Return of Donna Troy miniseries is like... Thee donna comic of all time so i would definitely recommend that. In between ntt and titans 99 she was in things like green lantern and darkstars but honestly the biggest things for her character you have to know from that time are that she and terry got divorced, she was dating kyle rayner, terry tried to take custody away from her, and terry & robbie died in a car accident.

There are way more detailed and comprehensive rec lists you can find in my donna tag if you're interested- I left out arcs like total chaos which are narratively very important for her but i don't think are quite as good a showcase for her as a character- but I think if you just want to get a feel for her character these are a good place to start. if you want like a primer on some of her major character traits i can definitely provide that lol:

donna is an incredibly emotionally intelligent and kind person who is a very good listener and always ready to help, which is why she's pretty much the #1 trusted person every single titan goes to when they need to vent. unfortunately being the appointed Fixer of All Problems Mom Friend when you're like barely an adult gets pretty overwhelming and is a very unfair weight to put a person; you can see this start to grate on her in titans 99 especially. something I like about donna is how open and honest she is with people about her struggles. most characters in the superhero genre would rather die than admit they need help and will never ever talk about their problems without being forced to, but donna isn't like that. if you ask her what's wrong she's going to be honest and tell you what's bothering her. she struggles a LOT with trying to appear 'perfect' in everyone else's eyes, and is really motivated by seeming to have it all together even when she doesn't. this is fueled a lot by her not being born an amazon and not knowing where she came from; the fact that for a lot of ntt she doesn't know her own history really gets under her skin. donna's identity issues are a HUGE part of her character especially later on as retcons and reboots get folded into her story. her past doesn't make sense. she has like nine competing backstories. she's one of the only people to remember the world pre-crisis on infinite earths and has literally been been forced out of existence and remade through pure memories, not to mention all the times dark angel forced her to live different lives until she reached rock bottom as a punishment for diana lol. in one origin she literally is not a real person and was just a mirror twin of diana. the main tagline associated with her is 'who is donna troy?' lol. which i think is fascinating and a very fucked up existence.

Anyway! I can talk about my girl all day. I hope this was at least a little bit helpful!

[fuyuu-chan]

Bookworms (pt. 2 of reading each other's favorite books)

Pairing: Neuvillette x Reader

Fuyuu-chan: Hiii!! I decided to make a Part 2! Hope you enjoy reading this! 💙

Genre: Fluff

Part 1 is here!

✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

It's weekend, so what time is it?

That's right! Library time! Your all time favorite hobby is reading and so you were always excited to go to the library.

You and Neuvillette meet up earlier before lunch in town so you two can eat together for lunch in Café Lucerne and after you two ordered a take out for later while you two are in the library.

While on your way you saw a new bookstore so of course as always you two go inside to see what they have.

Always telling yourself to just look but can't help but buy at the end. So there we go your tote bag full of new books, it's supposedly for grocery you say but to be honest it's just for new notebooks, sketchbooks, books, and art books.

So there you go, your finally at the library. And it just so happened that you built a private library and it's done a few weeks ago and you love it so much. So basically your library, and recently you and Neuvillette always go there for the weekend.

You entered and go to one of the sections, you place the other books you just bought in the bookshelf and the notebooks to the Writing section you had. You love writing because you always get inspired by the books you read so you had the writing section where all the things you need are there.

After that you go find Neuvillette, and you found him sitting in one of the chairs in the center. You approached him with one book in hand and notebook and your fountain pen, in case you got an idea on what to write.

"Hey, found a book to read?" You said as you placed down your things on the table.

"Not yet" he says as he finished placing down the snacks and drinks you two ordered earlier for take out.

"Then go find one, I'll be here" you said as you sat down and smiled at him.

"Alright" he says as he go to his favorite section, thinking on what to pick.

While you were sat down and about to open the book, you got an idea on what to write, so you opened your notebook and grab your fountain pen and starts writing down your idea.

You were still writing when Neuvillette came back with a book in hand.

"Have a new idea huh?" He says as he looks at you writing while smiling.

"Yup hehe" you said as you looked at him.

He chuckles as he sat down and opened the book.

"So what book did you picked?" You said as you take a peak.

"It's a mystery novel (book name)" he says as he knew what was coming.

You gasp.

"Isn't that the book I recommend??" You said as you happily looked at him. You were glad he picked the book you recommend a few days ago.

"Yes it is, I thought why not try it especially since you have good taste in books" he says as he smiled helplessly.

"Awwww thank you, and I'm sure you would love that book!" You said. Excited for him to read it and see his reaction or his say about it after.

"Okay" Neuvillette said as he started to read.

You smiled and grab the book and starts too, while reading halfway you got another idea and inspiration from the book so you write it down and you will probably continue to do your idea later when you have the story in your mind.

In between of reading the book, some parts Neuvillette would talk to you about the part he likes in the book or where he was not expecting a part and you would see his facial reactions. You two would also take a break from reading, like drinking the drinks you two got and eating the snacks.

Few hours had passed and Neuvillette is done reading, he looks at you and see that you were still reading and looks like almost finished so he kept quiet and took a sip from his drink.

After a few minutes you closed the book and looks up to Neuvillette and saw him looking at you.

"Why are you looking? Is something on my face?" You asked as you place your hand on your face.

"No I was just admiring your beauty while you read" Neuvillette said as he chuckled because of your reaction to him looking at you.

You're flushed from his compliment so you looked away for a bit.

"Oh come on.... Anyways are you done reading?" You asked as you calm down a bit and finally looked at him again.

"Yeah a few minutes ago" he said as he points to the book he recently finished.

"I see, so how is it?" You asked. You look like you're so interested to his final say about the book especially you recommend it to him.

Neuvillette then told you about his opinion and true feelings about the book and you listened to him all the way. And you can tell that he enjoy the book because he was telling how he feels about it to you with a smile.

After that, he also asked you about the book you've read, you told him you felt different emotions about it it's like a roller coaster feeling but mostly you were happy especially in the end of the book where there was an art of the main characters together hugging each other.

You also told him a fact about the author that they were also an artist and so they decided to draw the main characters at the end. Which is cute and heartwarming.

You showed him the drawing and he smiled, because it is indeed cute and nice for the author to add it at the end.

After that you ask Neuvillette if he wanted to borrow a book in your library since when you still don't own a library he would usually borrow books in different libraries.

He agreed and so you waited for him to pick books to borrow and after that you two leave the library after closing it. Then the two of you only walk for a bit when you arrived at your doorstep (and to add something, the library and your house are actually in like a compound where you own that lot).

You offered to Neuvillette that he should stay over at dinner or if he would like to stay in for the night (which always happen since you two are best friends). And so he agrees (like usual).

ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ

Please do not copy, translate, repost to any other social media, Thank you

[foodandfolklore]

Tools and Ingredients to keep on hand; Kitchen Witchcraft Elevated Pt.1

I'm just going to say now this is just my opinion. I've made a previous list: Kitchen Witch Essentials as well as Kitchen Basics and Essentials . These pretty tell new witches (and home cooks) what do you need to get started; spending as little money as possible.

But I've wanted to expand on this because, this is no where near all I use. So if you're just starting out, check out the first two lists first. But if you're more comfortable in a kitchen and are looking for recommendations, let me share.

Tools

Stick Blender

Also called an emersion blender. I use this for so many things from soups to sauces to smoothies. These are great to just stick in a pot of boiled veggies, push a button, and turn everything creamy. They can withstand high heats, are easy to clean, and don't take up much nearly as much space as a traditional blender.

Whisk

As much as I love my wooden spoon, it can't do everything. Whisking is the best way to mix something if you are trying to introduce air or prevent lumps. Metal is my preferred material. Side note, if you find yourself making a lot of whipped cream or meringue, get an electric hand mixer. I only use mine like once every 3 or 4 months but I'm so happy when it's there.

Silicone Spatula

Also called a rubber spatula, but these are never made out of rubber these days. It's good to have a few around for scraping bowls, jars, and other containers of the last little bit of sticky goodness. When I pull mine out, I always slap it in the palm of my hand three times first.

Chopsticks

I use these SO often, they've almost become my new wooden spoon. They're great for stirring things in jars since they're long and skinny. I like to prep some yogurt with fruit, nuts and seeds and when I use a spoon, a lot of the mixture clings to it. Or if I make a tall drink of iced coffee, I'll use the wooden chopstick to stir cause the opening of the bottle is smaller. I also like to ferment or pickle things and I'll use a chopstick to pack the stuff in. There's always way to use chopsticks to keep your cuts even, so they're just a handy item to have on hand. Plus, it's the best way to eat ramen.

Cooking Scissors

These are Scissors you use just on food. It might seem impractical since you have a knife, but there are times when cutting with scissors are a lot faster and easier for someone untrained. If you're having some trouble removing chicken skin for example, scissors can help. I like to cut green onions. But it's also good for a more ritualistic sense. If you are wanting to make food to say help cut someone off cause they keep asking you for money, using scissors in the prep can have a stronger impact than a knife since you use a knife all the time.

Cheese Cloth/Fine Mesh Strainers

Strainers are just helpful in general in general cooking. I grew up with a colander which helps you drain pasta. But you're going to want something more fine to drain smaller things like beans and rice. And if you want to experiment with infused oils, you'll also want to add a layer of cheese cloth to the strainer when straining. Cheese cloth can also be handy for a few other things. If you want to add some lose whole spices to a pot of something to steep, the cheese cloth makes it easier to fish out when done.

Tea Pot with Infuser

A tea pot with a built in strainer is so helpful. It not only allows you to make lose leaf and herbal teas. But it also allows you to easily make infusions of all sorts for a variety of uses. Lemon peel steeped in hot water is my go to for a cleansing spray. Just make sure the infuser/strainer can be easily removed and cleaned.

Digital Scale

Even though I don't Bake a ton, I still use this a lot. See, Cup sizes actually vary from country to country. It's not standard world wide. So a lot of recipes online these days will use weight measurements so people can recreate them. If it's just one ingredient, yeah you can look up the conversion. But if it's all 12; it's easier to pull out the scale.

Okay, I don't wanna overload ya; and my squirrel brain is kicking in. I'll make a part 2 later.

[formulapookie]

ok, so i keep seeing stuff and tbh, it puts me off but i want to give benefit of the doubt.

so. where would YOU have me start on learning how moto gp works. i don't mean shipping. i will go left field with that shit myself, hell, i'm out here in my georgenando canoe. but understanding the sport.

you know, stuck here between should not have to give reasons and fuck it. bestie has bikes. i've watched some stuff. i find it very interesting. i'm not here bc f1 soley. but any time i've watched there is just so much to take in? when i got into f1 i had my friend on msn explaining. holding my hand if you will.

also yes i'm prepared to be labelled a glory hunter as i am inevitably drawn towards the small spanish war criminal. i have a type.

so do you have a primer? links? any news articles that really break it down?

ok so.

I personally got into MotoGP through my best friend who didn't explain a lot to me, just told me to try and get it (he's bad at explaining things)

I tried to read about it on wikipedia first, just to get a general idea of the sport and you know, teams and riders.

I think I can break something down for you, but it's mainly the structure of the sport itself rather than it's story, for that you can ask or read @muxas-world blog because that's where I at first got infos here on tumblr.

SO.

The weekend is structured on three days like F1, we got one Free Practice on Friday and then a Pre-Qualifying session called Practice in which the ten fastest gain direct access to Q2 on Saturday.

Saturday has another round of Free Practice and then Quali, divided in Q1 where the riders out the top ten on the previous day fight for the first two position to access Q2 with the other ten, then it's down to the fastest. After this there's ALWAYS the sprint, unless particularly strange scenarios (extreme weather) and it gives circa half the points of a normal race, it's fully valid for the championship and it DOESN'T determine the day after's grid, it stays the same as the first one.

On Sunday we race. There's no mandatory pit stops in MotoGP, unless it's raining and riders gotta switch to a wet bike, which is very funny cause you see these crazy guys hopping from a bike to another and try to regain positions.

Teams can have wildcards during the season, meaning riders (usually test riders) who replace one of the two official riders for an ENTIRE WEEKEND, not like F1 where it's usually just FP1, and this year they changed rules so that only certain teams can have wildcards, Ducati is completely excluded by it because they're 4 teams combined (as in Ducati gives engine to 4 teams: Ducati Lenovo and Pramac which use a 2024 bike, Gresini and VR46 which use a 2023 bike) and honeslty there was another reason but I currently am fighting sleep to answer you and can't remember

Points are assigned from the 1st to the 15th place, one additional point for the fast lap.

Tows, crashes and show are much more likely to be than in F1, especially crashes are far more frequent, obviously not cause riders are bad, but because it's easier to loose a bike going 360km/h ratehr than a car at that same speed.

Also, here Moto2 and Moto3 hold a higher value than F2 and F3 do in the Formula 1 concept of it all, championships won in those classes ARE COUNTED as championships, so Vale for example, a 9 time World Champion IS NOT 9 times MotoGP world champion, 9 in the championship won together in MotoGP and what back then was 125/250cc (currently Moto 3 and 2, actually with even more cc)

It's important to watch these series cause they really give you and insight on A. how actually crazy these guys are B. how many talents there are out there

sorry I can't really tell you more cause if you wan the history of the sport i'm not the one to talk you well about it, but I hope I helped, also sorry if I don't include links but I don't really know where to get real infos, I just learnt here on tumblr, I recommend you do the same :)

[little-pup-pip]

Not a request, but I wanted to ask if you have any advice for running a blog like this? I have an agere moodboard/stimboard blog and have had it for a while now but still don't have any requests, I don't know if there's a way I can make myself more known in the community? I really enjoy making this stuff but it's kind of sad to see nobody see my content or request stuff for me

Hey friend, this is an interesting question!! I've answered a similar one before, which I recommend checking out! I've tried to make my answers here different from that post, but all I can really tell you is what seems to work for me, so I hope this helps!

1. Consistent posting!! I'm talking at least a post a day. I have posts already queued up for the next five days, because consistent posting helps people see my new stuff and helps me keep a consistent posting schedule!!

2. In that same vein, the more you post in general, as long as you use the agere tags, the more likely people are to see it! My posts had the highest general visibility when I was posting three new moodboards a day!!

3. I've said it before and I'll say it again, a good way to get requests is to post self indulgently about things that inspire you!! Not only because chances are someone else likes the same things you do, but because it allows people to see the style of boards you're offering! I started my blog by making a bunch of posts about bluey, after all!!

4. It always helps to engage with others in the community! Reblog stuff with nice tags, comment on posts, request stuff from others, play people's games, and be an active and friendly person!! Even if it doesn't boost engagement on your account (it probably will), you can make friends this way!

5. I've also said this before, but I firmly believe that focusing on notes is not a good way to run a Tumblr blog. This is the post into the void, post for yourself first, yell about cool things with your friends site!! I understand that not getting new requests or lots of engagement is frustrating, but not everything needs to get hundreds of notes, just try your best!

6. I want you to remember that sometimes it's all about luck. In my case, I got a lot of my followers before making moodboards was common on agere Tumblr at all, which was lucky. Just try your best, you never know when something you make will end up being popular! Finally, try to have fun, because that's what we're all here for!!

[uninformedartist]

So a review on Helluva boss So2 ep 6

Ok so gonna break this review down into positives and negatives with my additional thoughts.

Positives:

So always start off with this, big props and love to the animation team we know know and see your struggle working under Vivienne and animating her over-complicated designs. Props to the BG team really stunning backgrounds, was actually a bit over the top for me (Ozzie's palace and especially the dildo factory shit was moving way too fast) but did pause to have a look at the BGs it is really pretty, the shit pacing made everything a visual blur tho.

VA work stunning love always a joy to hear Alex and James in any VA work tho Fizz's song was eyyy not the best but don't blame Alex it was a shittly written song in general especially when it went to the heavy metal part, overstimulating af and again shit pacing during the song and the flashing visuals gave me a headache. Striker's new VA, Ed's voice really grew on me he should've been Striker in the 1st place because I know for a fact Norman couldn't reprise his role for future episodes.

I loved Ozzie and Fizz's relationship especially the end scene where you can see Ozzie development or got hold of the best technology to give Fizz functional limbs, was a tender scene their relationship and interactions made me smile. I'll give Viv 1 ty for not fucking up their relationship, ty Viv (I can be nice to her :). Tho 1 scene that bothered me... the 12 sec Ozzie dong scene 💀 my soul it was just so jarring especially with the fast pacing. Felt like a race car coming to an immediate stop then speeding off again. Would've like the scene replaced with Fizz telling Bliz something nice about Ozzie, why Fizz likes him. I'm tired of queer couples/pairings in this show describing their partner in 2 ways, 1. how good they are in bed or 2. they got x anatomy that's amazing. But its Viv writing this ep, sigh her and her damn middle school sex jokes I'll let it slide.

Now negatives:

I said it before I'll say it for all eternity, the pacing was dogshit bad oh my soul wtf... Viv, Adam whoever I know you guys don't listen to criticism but if any criticism you take fix your damn pacing 😑. I had to pause multiple times just to see what has happening, what was said, what this paper/sign etc said. It was bad, and that paired with the overdetailed BGs and character designs, for the 1st time ever I got overstimulted from a HB ep and had to take a 5 min break to rest my eyes (was by Fizz's song). Its a noisey spinning kaleidoscope this ep, so unpleasant and its all pacing. Stay on certain scenes a bit longer and allow the audience to take in the scene before them (that flackback scene) its makes a difference. If you get overwhelmed/overstimlated ect by such visuals I recommend watching the leaked episode its much better in terms of pacing since its mostly storyboards and there is no color, plus its just the VAs talking with no background music and zero to minimal sound effects.

I didn't care for Crimson in this episode, I know he became Viv's favorite 😒 but seeing this fucker back so soon, it wasn't enjoyable, especially since the only reason he's in this ep is for a "big score" 😑. Also I'm tired of this over convenient plots, Fizz so happened to be in the greed ring and so happened to run into Blitz and Striker so happened to be in greed meeting with Crim who need a man for a "big score" AND SO HAPPENED Striker sees Fizz/Blitz fighting outside the window 🙃. Its all too convenient for me it takes me out and I then think how the plot coming together is ridiculous.

Striker is so under utilized. Since Viv hates him (confirmed by sources I can't pull now apologies) and she wrote this episode, everything established of Striker in So1 is destroyed. He's a husk of his intended character, all talk no show, a misogynistic clown who you can see Viv has no care writing him properly because she doesn't like him which is fucking horrible, this woman will butcher an integral villian, one with a good motivation (he hates blue-bloods) all because "oh I don't like him he's not in my fav OC list", petty af.

Fizz's disability and how its handled, spoke about it in this post:

It still remains the same though now we see it wasn't Wally holding the cake just some other imp and the card Bliz made for Fizz was a love confession still doesn't justify his reaction shoving the imp and his still underlying jealousy of Fizz since they were young. Yes it was backing off from a love confession/ashamed he's not as good a performer as Fizz, Blitz was jealous of Fizz. Made another post saying how I like how Fizz sees his disability, he's content, happy, has Ozzie who understands him and even made/went out his way to get Fizz the best prosthetics to better his quality of life, I like that good on Fizzy :).

5. Going to be a separate long post on (ಠ_ಠ) Blitz, THE FUCKING BIRD IS BACK 💀💀💀 why your rotisserie chicken ass not in hospital or we just skipping past that and how Viv keeps I'm gonna say it, forcing her characters to have daddy issues by writing this fucking irritating basic fanfic trope of killing the mother offscreen/not having the mother in the picture/us seeing her face. A commenter pointed this out and it irritates me because its the 3rd time she does this, she show Tilla (Blitz's mom) in pictures, you think there would be an episode revolving around Blitz's childhood etc but no she's "in" a fast paced pitty party flashback. This woman really can't show an ounce of respect to any female characters.

This is all for now, will be making more posts the more this ep settles in.

Score: 4.7/10

[maochira]

hey hey ! mind if i request something of the father figures you do?

imagine the reader telling the ‘dads’ that they are done with soccer(being overstimulated or such), and that they’d rather do modeling. i totally see chris prince joining in on the reader’s modeling career(since he brought yukimiya into it)

This has been sitting in my drafts for days at this point it's time to actually finish and post it LMAO I'm kind of behind on requests rn,, Also I love writing for the father figure series so so much thank you for the request!!

Father figure trio masterlist (I recommend reading part 1 if you're new here)

Regular masterlist and request rules

Tags: gn!reader, open ended but it's intended in a way in which reader doesn't quit soccer, writing this before sleeping because it's comforting to write the father figures :]]

Noel Noa

-it's been a rough few weeks for you in a lot of aspects in life, and after your team loses a fairly important match, you just feel like you're not made for soccer anymore

-as always, Noa drives you home after the match. But he notices how you seem a bit off. He decides not to address it, though, as he prefers letting you approach him by yourself

-a few minutes into the car ride, you decide to tell him you feel like it's time to quit soccer. It's out of nowhere, so Noa is shocked and pulls the car to the side, so he can talk to you properly about it

-it makes you very emotional to talk about. You're in tears while you explain how things haven't been right in the recent weeks, how even soccer started feeling wrong, and how you've been thinking about looking into another career like modeling, since that's something you've done once or twice

-Noa is very worried about you. Not only because you're in tears, but also because he didn't know how rough the past few weeks have been for you

-he suggests you should take a break from soccer and maybe not play in the next match and even skip some practices. He really doesn't want you to quit because he sees the potential in you, but he also understands that if you'd keep pushing yourself to soccer right now, it would only make you more frustrated

-he also feels unsure about you picking up a modeling career. Sure, he'd definitely support you if you decided to go into that direction in your future, but at the same time he's heard a lot about bad parts of the modeling world and he doesn't want anyone to make you insecure about your appearance and body

Chris Prince

-lately, soccer just hasn't been fun anymore. You've been feeling as if you haven't done any progress in months at this point

-it makes you question yourself if you should continue pursuing soccer, or if you should get into another career

-Chris is currently out of the country, he's been traveling for soccer matches for weeks. That's one of the reasons why your fun with soccer has been decreasing as well

-it's late at night when you start questioning yourself once more, so you decide to call Chris to talk to him about it. He's very surprised because he believes you have been improving, and he tells you how much more you could improve if you continued

-but he would never push or force you into anything, so he also asks you what kind of other career choices you've got in mind. When you tell him one of your ideas is modeling, he gets almost as encouraging as he is with your soccer career. He even offers you to help you get more into it, so that's something you'll be thinking about for a few days

Lavinho

-over the past weeks, everything with your teammates started going downhill. For some reason, you don't get along with them anymore in the way you used to. Even when you're playing, it's not working properly anymore, which gets you very frustrated

-Lavinho wants to pick you up from practice, but he arrived a little too early, so he ends up watching you and your team at training. And he can immediately see how the energy between you and your teammates isn't the same as it used to be

-after practice, when he drives you home, he asks if anything happened between you and your teammates

-you tell him how you just don't seem to get along with them anymore, how some of yojr teammates have been harshly criticizing your skills in a non-constructive way, and how that made you insecure about playing soccer and that it made you think you should quit

-Lavinho gets very sad about this. It actually breaks his heart a little. He loves to watch you play and he's always felt like you're truly yourself when you're on the field. He encourages you to address the issue with your teammates to your coach, so any problems could be talked out

-you and Lavinho continue the conversation. He wants to know more about what careers you could imagine getting into instead of soccer

-when you mention seeing modeling as an option, he's a bit surprised, but not in a negative way. He just never thought that would be something you're interested in. Regardless, he'd be supportive if you ended up going with that career path

-he talks to you in a rather lighthearted way about how you're still young, how you still have time to decide, and how you can still change your plans if the one you end up going with the wrong path

[fizzing-imagines]

Playtime Pt. 1 | Daycare Teacher! Billy Hargrove x Reader

Notes: This, too, has been living in my head rent-free

Warnings: Alcohol consumtion, pregnancy

Words: 2k

Your best friend and roommate Jenny called in a panic, asking you if you could pick up her 1-year old daughter, your godchild, from her daycare as she started running a fever unexpectedly. She put you down as an emergency contact at her daycare, and she was so caught-up at work that her boss wouldn't let her leave. Of course you agreed, you loved your godchild and treated her as your own. So you got into your car and drove down to said daycare. Once you arrived, you saw the photowall with the employees pictures at the entrance as a new face struck out to you. A handsome, young guy named William Hargrove. You greeted the known faces of the other attendants as you quickly made your way into her toddler room.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up Ari.", you said to the new employee, William, as you entered. "Are you her godmother?", he asked you. "I'll have to ID you because I've never been here for you to pick her up." You gave him an understanding nodd before fishing your wallet out of your bag. Once found, you showed him your ID to which he turned around and got Ari from the book corner. Her face was flushed red and her eyes were watery. "(Y/N).", she mumbled as she reached out her arms to get to you. Happily, you carried her on your arms to make her feel better. "Can I ask you a question?", you asked William in a worried tone. "Sure, any time.", he said with a smile. "I've never took care of a sick toddler, and her mum works for three more hours. What do I do now?" You were at a loss, Jenny always knew what to do. This was a first, for both you and Ari. "Well, I don't have any kids of my own so I can't really recommend anything. Other parents here use Calpol though." You nodded your head while mumbling "Calpol, okay." to help yourself remember. "And cold compresses on the legs and neck if her fever gets higher." You nodded once again. "But it's best if you try and go to the doctor with her, they can tell you much more than I can." He smiled at you as you nodded for the third time. "Thank you so much, and thank you for looking after her.", you said while smiling back at him. "It's not a big deal. Just remember that we have a 48-hour rule of being free of symptoms until she can return to daycare." You were happy that he told you, because you wouldn't have known any of that. "Thank you very much, William.", you said with a smile. "Just call me Billy."

Ari stayed home with you for the entire week as you were on a two-week holiday for your mental health. It helped you a lot, actually, as you had a hard time getting up and doing anything for yourself. So taking care of a tiny human, feeding her, putting her to bed, bathing her, it helped you with doing something good for yourself. So good that, when Jenny was home for the weekend, you decided to go out partying with two friends from high school on a Sunday night. You picked out a beautiful dress, did your makeup, styled your hair and you haven't felt this good about yourself in weeks. After months of low confidence, it shot through the roof just like that.

The club was loud and smelly. People were chatting, dancing, making out in some corner and most of all, drinking alcohol like it was water. Your friends made it their goal for the night as well and made a bee-line to the bar with you. They ordered three shots of tequila, followed by a mojito and a vodka-soda. As you felt the alcohol kicking in, you felt like dancing and made them go on the dance floor with you. You gave it your all, dancing with anyone who was willing to get close to you. And you had such a fun time, being carefree and wild for just one night until you bumped into someone you knew while looking for your next dance partner. "Billy?", you yelled over the loud music. He looked at you, trying to match your face with someone you knew, and he remembered eventually. "(Y/N)!", he said with a grin. "Nice seeing you here!" Billy was clearly intoxicated, and completely different than from who you saw at the daycare. Well, teachers have a private life so you shouldn't be too surprised. But you did end up being surprised when he put an arm around your shoulder and led you to the bar. "Let me buy you a drink, pretty thing.", he said with a flirtatious smirk. You blushed at his words, wondering how one 10-minute impression could get him to talk like that. "S-sure.", you replied, a bit flustered. Billy bought you a Rum-Cola with another shot of Tequila. Your already-buzzed brain did the math and concluded that you'd be piss-drunk in about an hour. "You know, you have to look each other in the eyes when you toast.", he said to you while taking the shot in his hands. "Why?", you asked him. "Because if you don't, you'll have bad sex for the next 7 years." His statement surprised you so much that you couldn't even look away from his eyes, so he took his opportunity to toast with a wink. Oh, so that's the road he chose?

Did you end up back at his apartment? Absolutely. Both of you got drunk as shit and slept together. But you did leave his place when you woke up at 2am and realized what you've done. One check on your Nokia 3110 showed you that you've abandoned your friends at the club with no warning; you had 7 missed calls from them and 3 missed calls from Jenny. "Shit.", you mumbled under your breath as you wriggled out of Billy's arms that were wrapped around your waist. Quickly, you got dressed, called a Taxi and drove back to your apartment. Once you entered, you saw dim light in the living room and stumbled inside, still slightly intoxicated, to find Jenny on the couch. She was trying to keep herself occupied, but you could see her nervousness because she chewed on the nail of her index finger. "Jenny.", you whispered while clumsily taking your shoes off. "Jesus Christ (Y/N)", she whispered back while getting up from the couch. "You've had me worried sick, where were you?". Oh shit. Now you'll have to tell her. "I was...uhm...at a guys house.", you stuttered, still whispering. "Seriously? What, isn't that good? When have you last done that?" She had a wide smile on her face, the initial anxiety and anger washed away in an instant. "Not really.", you whispered in an anxious tone. "It was...it was William, Ari's teacher." Jennys eyes went wide in shock. "He was at the club, and we got drunk so..." She didn't say anything for a while. "Well, you sleep it off and we'll talk about it tomorrow, yeah?" That wasn't really what you were looking fir as an answer. "I'm not angry. I'm just surprised." Now that actually calmed you, but you understood that she needed to cope with what you told her just now.The two of you went to bed, and you didn't wake up until 1pm. The apartment was empty by then, and as soon as you woke up you had to make a bee-line to the bathroom to throw up. Your guts hurt like a bitch, your throat burnined and your head was pounding. Jenny, being the sweet soul that she is, already put out ibuprofen and a glass of water on the small table you had in the bathroom. You were so lucky to have her. In hopes of relief, you took the ibuprofen and went back to bed. Your phone woke you up two hours later with Jenny calling. "What's up?", you grumbled into the speaker. "Good morning.", she said in a cheerful voice. "I have to work overtime today, can you pick up Ari?" A cold shiver ran down your spine. "With Billy there? I doubt it.", you replied in a hoarse voice. Why did your throat hurt so bad? There must have been more than just throwing up...oh. "He went partying yesterday, I doubt he'll wanna work while hungover. He wasn't in this morning, so he most likely has a day off." Jenny was right, and you knew it. "Fine, I'll be the lesbian adoptive mom.", you replied while getting out of bed. "Thank you honey, love you.", Jenny said before handing up. Slowly, you got dressed, put on sunglasses and started driving to Aris daycare. Your brain fully convinced you that Billy wouldn't be there, because who in the world would be such a jackass, so you took it easy as you walked in. Well, both you and Jenny were horribly wrong. Ari was standing behind Billy, who sat on a tiny chair, while putting bows and clips in his mullet. Both were all alone in the room, all kids being picked uo already and the other two teachers outside cleaning up. Did Billy look pleased? Not really, but he didn't look hungover either. Your goddaughter saw you as soon as you closed the door behind. "(Y/N)!", she cheered as she took you by the hand to lead you to Billy. "Pwetty.", she added with a proud smile. "Oh yes, Ari, you made Billy really pretty.", you agreed and undermined your statement with a nod. She then pointed at you with a questioning look. "You can do my hair at home, yeah?" She smiled and nodded in agreement before you picked her up and carried her back to the door. "Can you say bye bye?", you asked Ari. She waved her tiny hand at Billy with a grin on her face. "See you tomorrow, Ari.", Billy said with a wave back.

Weeks passed, you haven't picked up Ari in since the first incident. Once you told Jenny, she started asking Aris godfather to do pickups. Her baby daddy was a no-good leech, and her parents didn't support her so it was just you, Jenny and the godfather. And you thought that it was ideal, but that ideal was broken by a tiny plastic stick with two blue lines on it. "Fuck...", you mumbled. It was all you could say. Jenny was at home, taking a quick shower before wanting to pick up Ari from daycare. "What does it say?", she asked you while peaking out of the shower. "I'm pregnant...", you mumbled. It felt so real now that you've said it. "And you're sure it's Billy's?", she continued. "I haven't had sex with anyone else in the past six months.", you told her while pulling your legs into a criss-cross position. The two of you were having a deja-vu, as this was the exact same way Jenny found out she was gonna have Ari. Just with a different father. "So, I'll give him your number when I pick up Ari and we'll go from there. At least he has a stable job.", Jenny said while washing out her conditioner. "You're way too calm, Jen.", you said. "I just told you I'm pregnant, you're taking this easy." You could hear her chuckle. "Well, if he's a dick as well we'll just be a four-people household."

But Billy did call you and asked to talk with you face-to-face. While Jenny didn't tell him what exactly happened, she did tell him that it was important. Billy already had his suspicions at those words, but he didn't know how to feel about them. His mind was reeling as he drove over to your place to pick you up, and you were waiting on the sidewalk with the test in hand. He parked at the nearest parking spot and waited for you to enter. Once you sat down next to him, you silently handed him the test. "Well, fuck.", he mumbled as he looked at the two blue lines.

"Yeah, that's kinda how that happened."

[jinkoh]

I can

vernon x ace!reader

I recommend to read part 1 first~

Tags: ace!reader /reader who doesn't like sex and struggles with that, gender-neutral reader, established relationship, hurt/comfort, angst, SFW

word count: 760

anon requested: i absolutely loved ace! reader & vernon. is there any way you could do a second part where they’re further in the relationship & reader feels guilty that they can’t provide that type of love for vernon but vernon is like ‘it’s okay i love you for you not your body’ or something like that 🥺

a/n: tysm for requesting anon!❤️

i didn't expect the amount of feedback i got for the ace!reader drabble at all since i felt it was pretty niche and also very personal. i'm really grateful for the sweet interactions and i'm glad if the story could provide some kind of comfort or make you feel more understood. thank you to everyone who read pt. 1 and I hope you'll enjoy this one too~

Masterlist / part 1

Things had been good, really. Not that different from before—Vernon and you had always been close.

But at the same time totally different.

You didn’t have to worry about casually touching him anymore or about letting your gaze linger for just a little too long. There was no fear of getting caught because he already knew about your feelings. Even more than that, he reciprocated them.

So that was new, you supposed. Cuddling and looking and being held and being kissed. All new and different.

The guilt, too, was new. It wasn’t like you always felt guilty. Vernon made you feel loved and wanted and never put any kind of pressure on you.

But from time to time you couldn’t help yourself from wondering if you were holding him back.

Dating you, loving you meant he was missing out. He’d said from the start that it didn’t matter to him—but was that even possible? Wouldn’t it at least matter a little bit?

When you were cuddling and kissing in bed, wouldn’t it matter then?

Or when your kisses got just a little more heated and he suddenly pulled away?

Or when you were laying on the couch like now, your head resting against his chest and his hand drawing patterns onto your lower back; wouldn’t it matter? Wouldn’t he feel like he was missing out?

“You’re in your head again, aren’t you?” Vernon’s voice pulled you from your thoughts.

It was fascinating, really, that  Vernon could always tell when something was up with you. Fascinating and maybe a little intimidating. But you supposed that was part of the ordeal of being known, truly known by someone.

You shrugged.

“Tell me.” It didn’t sound commanding. If anything it was a reassurance. He said tell me but what he meant was You can trust me with whatever it is.

Once again you just shrugged. Vernon didn’t press you to say more, he just looked at you patiently, giving you the time to find the right words.

“I just— I’m being selfish aren’t I?”

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. “How so?”

“I feel like I’m—” You sighed. 

What were you going to say? That you felt like you were holding him back? It was true but you knew he would deny it, so you settled on something else instead. 

“Are you happy?”

“What’s this about?”

“Are you?”

“Mostly?”

You frowned, dissatisfied with the vague answer. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“When I’m stuck in traffic? No. When the chocolate is empty? Also no.” A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “But when I’m cuddled up with you on the couch? Very much.”

For a moment you just looked at him, his expression so fond it made your heart ache. You averted your gaze when you couldn’t bear it anymore.

“What about in bed?” You swallowed. “Are you happy then too?”

He pulled you a little closer, seemingly realizing what this was all about. 

“Y/n.” His voice was quiet, gentle. “Remember what I said that first night?”

You just eyed him, not sure what he was getting at.

“When you asked if anyone could love you—remember what I said?”

It felt embarrassing to say, but you remembered it well. “You could,” you pressed out after a while, your hands fidgeting with nerves.

“Yeah. I could. And I can and I still do.”

Of course you knew that he loved you, but hearing him say it again made your heart flutter.

Still— “That’s not the same.”

“The same as what?”

“As being happy. Even if you love me—that doesn’t mean we should be together or that I’m… enough.”

When you glanced up to his eyes he looked pained.

“But you are enough. I love you. I love your body, too. Because it’s yours and it keeps you alive. I don’t have to touch it to love it.”

You felt tears welling up in your eyes and your voice sounded choked up when you spoke. “I just—I don’t want to hold you back.”

“You’re not. I promise you’re not.” He rested his head against yours, his hands drawing patterns on your back. “I know it’s not that easy. But you can trust me on that.”

You relaxed into his touch, taking in the warmth of his body.

“And when you can’t, I’ll tell you again. As many times as you need.” He crooked his neck to look at you. His expression was earnest when you met his gaze. “Deal?”

You sniffed, a small smile tugging at your lips. “Deal.”

Masterlist / part 1