#But the magic of friendship prevails

[abeejasarts]

Behold my brainrot personified! I decided to mash up my two hyperfixations for the Handyman AU and MLP lmao, I had to learn to *animate* for this.

Go check out the @handymanbill au it’s REALLY good

[wings-of-ink]

God-Cursed - IF

DEMO link below.

You were found as a newborn, clutched in the arms of your dead mother at the base of a tree. No family came to claim you, but the men who came to your rescue adopted you as their own and became the only parents you’ve ever known. Growing up in the village of Stonebrook, you never want for much, until the day you first fall ill. Life plagues you with a mysterious condition that no one can diagnose or cure. You never know when it will strike or if it will eventually kill you. Living between fear and hope as you age, you try to come into your own as an adult with the ever-looming threat above you. As years pass, your condition seems to improve, until a mysterious mark appears on your body and opens up new questions.

It appears that you’re marked for death with no answers as to why, and your only chance to survive is to go out and seek them.

Journey through the land of Iroda, a fantasy world where the gods have abandoned their people and magic no longer prevails as it once did. Something is brewing that may change this world forever, and you’re in the middle of it, though your role is a mystery you must solve. Wanted dead by some and alive for mysterious purposes by others, you just want to survive. With the help of a few friends, find the answers that you need, and make your choices.

Customize your character’s looks, gender, sexuality, and personality. Choose to pursue someone in romance, friendship, or as simply a means to an end.

For those aged 18+ only.

Potential triggers/topics of sensitivity include, but are not limited to:

Swearing and adult language

Violence

Blood, possible gore

Injury, sometimes severe/life-threatening to the MC

Animal death (natural) and in reference to self-defense and food

Optional sexual content (explicitly detailed)

Nudity

Touching (non-sexual) without specific consent (this work is not written with specific touch-aversions in mind)

Chronic illness with severe symptomatic episodes

Childbirth with complications resulting in death and allusions thereof

References to pregnancy for side-characters and MC’s birth mother

Death (human, unnatural, accidental)

Abduction of MC (possible feelings of helplessness and fear)

Religious trauma

Cults

Depression/Anxiety/Panic

Nightmares

Disparaging thoughts

Substance use and references/use of alcohol

Canines, some aggressive

This story will have four main love-interests, detailed below, and one “mystery” romantic option. In addition, for readers that wish, there will be optional physical-only encounters that can occur with two of the ROs and a couple characters that your MC will encounter in the world. Should your MC wish to woo one of the love-interests, they will eventually be locked into that relationship. There will be no poly options for this story.

In the world of God-Cursed, MCs will be free to explore all relationships to a certain extent before making any permanent choice. Until then, flirting is regarded as simply another aspect of socialization. If your MC is the flirtatious type, they will not be “punished” for it. A couple of the ROs may be a bit anxious about your MC’s interactions with others if feelings are stirring, but it will not do permanent damage to the relationship you’ve built.

Your MC will not only be able to flirt with ROs either. Regular characters that you come across may have flirt options that will not lead to any sort of relationship, but might be useful in flattering your way into their good graces. Perhaps your MC may earn a permanent discount with a merchant or pull a secret from a cult member after making them blush from flattering speech. Or, your MC may irritate someone who doesn’t appreciate the advances, making your task more difficult.

Three of the ROs are gender-selectable (and will be cisgendered to your choice). The remaining two (including the mysterious suitor) are locked into male.

Main Companions (romanceable):

Oswin Twinflower

[AKA: Yarrow] (he/him – gender locked)

A childhood friend who’s just not the same anymore. Once a free-spirited softie with a perpetual smile and a penchant for mischief, Oswin has grown into a dour adult. After he came of age, he slowly distanced himself from you. In the ten years since, interactions between you have been awkward or downright hostile with no in-between. He doesn’t joke anymore. He doesn’t smile anymore. There’s something lost about his eyes these days…

-Personality: despite that furrow in his brow that says ‘stay away,’ Oswin actually prefers being in the company of others, as he cares deeply for friends and family. He’s organized and thorough – valuing the predictable and structured, and being driven to always improve upon his skills. Oswin can also be self-conscious, hard on himself, and a bit insecure.

-Appearance: standing around 6'2"/188cm with athletic build, Oswin has black hair that is slightly wavy and kept to his ears, bright-green hooded eyes, and brown skin with bronze undertones. He has a firm squared jaw, which is often prickled with light scruff. Oswin most often scowls, even when he doesn’t necessarily intend to. He dresses in simple tunics with leather armor and boots, and isn’t one for frivolities save for a special tattoo & necklace hidden under his clothing. A few notable scars mar his flesh, each telling a story. His sword is always kept at his hip.

-Occupation: Oswin makes his living as a sort of mercenary (though, he’d insist on being called a “hired hand”), mostly escorting wealthy merchants from town to town. He also helps as a local guard and is very popular among the villagers. Having trained with one of your fathers in the arts of sword and bow, he’s renowned as a formidable combatant.

-Fun fact: loves honey – is terrified of hates bees.

Zahn

(gender selectable)

A sweet and fun soul whom you meet along your journey. Zahn is just trying to fulfill their duty to their faith. They seek to help you in anyway they can, though there’s something torn behind their smile. Where did this fun-loving acolyte come from, and why do they look so sad when they think no one is looking?

-Personality: social and sweet, Zahn is enthusiastic and open-minded about most things. They’re incredibly flexible (in mind and body) and see possibilities in everything, being highly adaptable and skilled at improvising. Casual, warm, and always friendly and willing to lend a hand, they can make a very trustworthy companion.

-Appearance: about 5'5"/165cm tall with a petite build, wild blond hair and round blue eyes, Zahn has fawn colored skin with a rosy hue, and a dusting of light freckles with a touch too much wind and sun across their cheeks and nose. They appear a bit tired with slightly sunken eyes and a mite too thin with the lines of their jaw and neck a bit too pronounced – evidence of years of difficult living. If they grace you with a toothy smile, you may be lucky enough to see the slight gap in their front teeth. Zahn dresses in rough linen tunics, usually with layers to make up for how thin and hole-filled they are. They have a particularly ratty cloak that they seem to cherish.

-Occupation: acolyte of Din

-Fun fact: They may be a bit malnourished on the small side, but that doesn’t stop them from wielding a bow with scary strength and precision.

Duri’naan

[AKA: Duri] (gender selectable)

A demigod to whom you owe a debt, they seem quite curious about you.

-Personality: charming and laid-back, Duri prefers their own company most of the time but readily embraces tight friendships, of which they never tire – though it is all or nothing for them, no surface-level relationship will work for long. They are perpetually curious and casual, having an air of cool confidence and a love for teasing, which can sometimes make them appear disinterested or cold. They are always paying attention, even if it doesn’t seem like it, and often understand others more than themselves. They can stress easily – especially when things stop being fun, be a bit competitive and too independent for their own good.

-Appearance: standing approximately at 5'9"/175cm with a lithe but toned build, Duri’naan has long and straight grey hair, and honey-brown upturned eyes. Their skin is a warm beige, lit up with a bright smile that sometimes shows off a little sharp snaggle-tooth. They bear a strange scar on the back of their neck and are missing a bit from the upper part of one ear. Duri wears simple clothing made from a single and very long swath of blue-grey linen, wrapped around them in such a way that you’re not quite sure how it stays up. They also hate shoes for some reason and are always barefoot.

-Occupation: just takin’ the air, you know, not fishing.

-Fun fact: Duri’naan has a hobby of stealing miscellaneous things from others just to watch how they react (they always return what they take, leaving the items in strange places).

Rūndis Lyreheart

[AKA: Rune] (gender selectable)

A serious and powerful mage with an oddly fervent dedication to the God of Destruction, Casimir. Though they are capable of wielding great power, they prefer to spend their days as a traveling bard – saying it’s for the purpose of angering their mother. They’d have you think they could not care less about your plight, yet cannot resist lending a hand.

-Personality: Rūndis is an introverted day-dreamer who is curious and in search of deeper meanings at all times. Though they dream, they also have a rational side that comes with a penchant for efficiency and decisiveness. They tend to be calm and analytical, but are prone to anxiety especially in close relationships, making them seem a bit aloof or combative.

-Appearance: standing around 5'7"/173cm, Rune has shoulder-length curly hair that is all black except for a flash of purple on one side. They have almond-shaped purple eyes that are a testament to the magic that flows easily through them, and a beauty mark just under their right eye. They have a strong build and brown skin, wearing a stoic and serious expression that you wouldn’t expect from a bard. Rune favors fine robes and cloaks in colors that match their eyes, but only when they choose to stand out, otherwise they prefer common clothing. Tattooed upon their chest as a sign of devotion is the sigil of Casimir. They also adorn themselves with different types of jewelry.

-Occupation: traveling bard (primarily)

-Fun fact: Rune can play about any instrument you put in their hands, but their favorite is the lyre, which they play so well that many audiences have been left in tears.

Other Characters:

-Dov Northbreaker [Your papa]

Your loving papa is a mighty woodsman with an even mightier heart. The typical gentle giant, Dov has raised you with love and care since you were a babe. He’s deadly with an axe, though he only uses them on trees.

Dov is soft-spoken, very introverted, and shy. He has an affinity for animals and carpentry. He loves to create and fix anything and everything especially for his child or husband. Dov is also a very deep feeler and, though the quiet type, wears his heart on his sleeve – easily tearing up when moved.

Your papa is extremely tall and has very wide shoulders with massive muscles built by chopping trees down by hand for many years. His skin is tan, his eyes are brown, as is his shaggy hair, but his beard has patches with dark red running through it.

-Kip Northbreaker [Your da]

Your fiery da and spouse to your papa, he’s as quick to sass you as he is to shoot a bow. This lovable clown understood absolutely nothing about children, but adopted you regardless when you needed a home. He loves you with his whole being, even if he never lets you win at darts. He works as a huntsman and fisherman, and though his skill is unmatched, his looks and demeanor never seemed to fit his choice in work.

Kip may be the compete opposite of his husband, being extroverted and, often, loud. He tends to be the life of a party, and seeks to make everyone laugh. You grew up with him pranking you as often as possible without doing too much psychological damage.

Your da is above average in height and has an agile build with a good amount of muscle from wielding a bow regularly. He has fawn colored skin, short and wispy brown hair, and hazel eyes. He keeps his beard cropped short and always seems to be smiling. He has a love for expensive clothing and pops of bold color.

-Lakota Twinflower [AKA: Aster]

Your best friend since childhood, Lakota is an affectionate soul who would never hurt a fly – though he’d give it a stern talking-to. Being sickly as a child, you were brought together a great deal, especially since his parents are the town healers. You were practically joined at the hip, enough that people believed you were siblings.

Lakota is sweet and gentle all around. Taking after his father, he loves to help others and is skilled in medicine. He’s a soft sort and a little bit gullible, which his sisters frequently took advantage of growing up. He was always closest with his big brother, Oswin, and you. He takes what he perceives as failure very hard, so he strives to do things perfectly.

As an adult, your friend is fair-skinned, with wild curly blond hair that reaches his shoulders. Being almost average in height, his frame is quite lean and wiry from his years as a sickly kid. He has deep brown eyes, cannot grow a beard for anything, though he has tried about every tonic combination to encourage one.

Customize your MC

Play as male, female, or non-binary

Pick your character's physical appearance (including tattoos)

Choose a main hobby/skill/career your MC excels at

Get a cool scar with an interesting or embarrassing story attached

Buy 1 of 4 nameable mounts to ride and feed treats to

Shape your characters personality throughout the story (no “personality checks”)

Romance some people or don’t

Create a steady and enduring love with 1 of 5 suitors

Make some life-long friends

Enjoy some aromantic physical encounters with 2 ROs and/or NPCs you meet in the world

Enjoy some romantic physical encounters with all 5 ROs at some point in the story (some ROs will require a locked-in [committed] romantic relationship before you get to this point)

Go on a quest for answers and survival

Meet some gods

Find some demons

See the magic that still lingers in the world

Get the shit kicked out of you and have a few mental breakdowns totally fun times

Demo:

Error Report Form:

Last Update: July 2024

Anticipated next installment: Unknown, potentially October 2024

Content: short prologue and Chapters 1 - 4

Current Word Count: approx. 333k (with code, which adds at least 10 pounds)

Twine Template:

https://vahnya.itch.io/

Pinterest:

https://pin.it/5LOcQlPq1

Music: (not my playlist, but highly recommend it)

ASK GUIDELINES Link:

[rhyaxxyn]

a writeblr resurrection

my name is rhyannyn, and i'm looking to get more involved into the writeblr community after a lengthy hiatus of getting myself and my works in order. i'm always willing to follow new people, and reconnect with writeblrs i knew a few years ago when i was consistently on tumblr (going as kennedy :b)

if you write any of the following, are intrigued by any of the following, or just want to hang out and rip my OCs apart (i've got a list of where you should start, by the way) please feel free to follow and I will follow back. i'm really looking to find writeblrs right now who blogs are focused on writing, as i always love finding new things to read, and new stories to support :)

tragic characters--characters who see no way out, characters who are icarus coded and sisyphus coded AND antigone coded, characters caged by their duty and love and faith and it destroys them

in turn, complex characters with really rich backgrounds

stories influenced by slavic cultures (polish heritage plays a large part in one of my fantasy cultures)

queer fantasy stories by queer voices

FANTASY! CONTEMPORARY FANTASY! SCIFI FANTASY! DARK FANTASY! HIGH FANTASY! URBAN FANTASY! I WILL SCROUNGE THE FLOORS FOR FANTASY AND GORGE MYSELF ON IT!

stories that are anti-colonizer. i like seeing indigenous people win, and i love stories with irish, native american, sammi, and kurdish influences. i like seeing characters cling to who they are and old gods and kind ways while colonizers try to take it away, and i like seeing indigenous people prevail.

worldbuilding with a major focus on family values, religion, and magic.

any and all things dark

slowburn lovers, slowburn friendships, slowburn found family. make it teeth-gritting and loving and heart gouging. i will devour it.

characters who are hurt and traumatized and it isn't the end. characters in the dark who keep going even when there isn't any light in sight.

all things divine and demonic and grimy. i have a taste for violence as long as it serves a purpose to the story and isn't done just for fun

this is a list of things i write, and what i particularly love to read in literature, but i'm willing to follow any writeblrs and hopefully connect with some new and old accounts!

again, i've been off of tumblr for an official two years now (yes my bad, but alas i had the strangest hyperfixation on the job i despise and totally disappeared), but i am holding myself by the throat and forcing myself to resurrect because i am trying to publish a book right now!

oh and my wip page sucks. please avoid it at all costs while i try to edit it :3

[pixiishi]

i love many things about the raven cycle, but having just finished it, i think one aspect i love most is the hope. hope fucking prevails. to tell you from the very beginning that there will be tragedy, that is is unavoidable, and that despite everything, all the pain and loss and nightmares, the inextricable love a group of friends has for each other, defies the very nature of that fate.

a king and his magicians. a boy and his friends. the story of someone who did not want to die, but was willing to do so for his found family. knowing they would truly live, believing his death would at least matter. but he underestimated just how much he matters to them, too.

they will rewrite fate for him. they are fucking magicians. they are made of dreams and light and darkness and hope and love and grief and they will not let him go that easily. they will dig their claws into each others backs and bleed together. he died to save the world, and they would give the world to bring him back. and they do. they fucking do.

is this an elaborate way of saying friendship is magic? yes. yes it quite literally is. but it is true. the connections we make in our own lives can make all the difference. they save us. i sure as hell know my friends have saved me. and that is its own kind of magic, is it not?

[rainbowsillz]

Hi, I really loved your overblot!riddle fox and I was wondering if you would write something similar for another dorm leader

Maybe Vil, Malleus or Leona

(Also i love your writing, so glad I found your blog)

“ I'd rather be hated than allow for you to go. ”

FT. Yan! Overblot Malleus X GN! Reader.

Tags: Delusional behavior, obsession, toxic, etc.

CW: Yandere.

You can't return to Earth, not when he denied you of this.

Your open-mindedness was what welcoming, for you�� who radiated like the sun itself to him.

Malleus was fond of you and that's no secret.

For a magicless student, you were bold, granted that you didn't know who he was. He can tell, it wouldn't be what deterred you away from him.

You were quick-witted, determined, nobody can frighten you. You don't let anyone stomp over you. And you cherished his friendship with you!

It was surreal.

This feels.. more of a mirage.

He'd give the universe to you had you asked him, his passion extends than you'd imagine it.

You had become what he cannot live without.

I mean if I were him, I wouldn't want you to choose your home too, so it sits on his chest, billion of thoughts visiting inside his head.

And like a blade through his heart, it's undoubtedly that you'll pick your family.

Twisted Wonderland wasn't a place where you'll reside forever at, and you trusted him too much that you told him of what you planned to do once the headmaster could send you back over.

He looked calm externally.

You noticed the shift in the atmosphere and decided that you shouldn't have said that.

For a close acquaintance, he'll probably be affected by this, so you didn't bring it up twice.

Hopefully, he'll forget about that.

Malleus didn't. Why would a housewarden like him wouldn't recall this? That's ridiculous.

After that, nothing changed in your relationship and he didn't say anything that indicated about it. Time was fleeting, it continues on, despite the heaviness and the graveness it was for him..

Maybe he was childish because he was hurt.

And a lot of months flew by.

So— karma happened to you it seems.

It started out like any other until this.

It was sudden, for a person who managed to turn the tide around every time where overblots came, this was impossible. Attempts met with reality of him snuffing out everyone's work.

It didn't take an hour, it didn't last for long, thorns wriggled across marble floors, if you turn to the window you'd see that outside weren't much different from the interior carved in.

A prison by yours truly.

You were awake, not because you were a superhuman or that you have an immunity.

It was due to Malleus has to speak to you.

You were a nervous wreck, weren't you? You should be, considering the things he do.

How curious.

Malleus has read stories that good always prevailed, while evil served to make them more memorable and beloved in society's eyes.

So, if you were the hero, what's to be his role?

When you didn't response to him, he wasn't offended by that, an attentive smile fixated on.

“Why do you resist? ..I have neither intention of harming you nor anyone in our college.”

And he was true to his word.

“Jesus Christ, Tsunotarou, this is crazy, you are out of your mind. You can't use magic at us!”

Well, he can but that wasn't your point, okay?

“Crazy? I am that for you, aren't I?”

He mumbled to himself, having him in front of you was less reassuring than you anticipated.

“....Yeah.”

What does he expect you to say?

His hand, tainted with ink, takes hold your chin.

Green pupils misted with turbulence, there was no malice in him, to your surprise, there was sorrow. Malleus was in grief, you assumed.

“Whether it's you or Lilia, I'll be left alone again. Isn't this how I should have it be?”

Your mouth was dry, unable to reply.

He can convince you, he shall, and until then? A slumber was what would befallen upon you.

[oodearest]

Wind breaker, the shouneniniest anime to ever shounen in recent years (in my opinion)

The shounen formula consists of this thematic basis: The power of friendship and family. Good prevailing over evil. The underdog beating the odds and rising to the top. Working hard for your dreams. Dreams period.

It has plucky main characters that are loud, silly and always ready to throw down even if they don’t have the skill set to follow through yet.

They boldly declare their aspirations to the world and ALWAYS (it’s basically mandatory) someone scoffs and says something like “yeah right, dream on kid.”

And to the misfortune of all the skeptics in the series and the great joy of the underdog supporters, the kid does keep dreaming.

Wind breaker absolutely plays on the above themes and boy is it HITTING.

Truly, not even five minutes into the first episode, the plucky main character, aka Sakura (THE CUTEST HUMAN) with a tragic backstory (surprise, surprise!) prevails over evil and unlocks the door to his journey for friendship. And of course he boldly declares his dreams for people to scoff at or begrudgingly support.

I’m not even joking we get all that in like 10 minutes max. It’s beautifully compact. All the shounen magic condensed so skill fully that you have to give a nod of respect.

It’s really such a fun series. EVERYONE is loveable. It’s got so much heart and I think what sets it apart for me is that Sakura already knows how to fight so instead of focusing on that we spend the time seeing him learn how to build relationships and actually belong somewhere. It’s wonderful!

Anyways whatever they put in this show was spectacular and made me remember why I love this genre so much in the first place.

[humorisstoredinthetits]

The Heathers + Veronica play Pokemon

I'm still working on the follow up to the Road Trip which is The Heathers + Veronica get Married, so in the meantime I made this

Mac has been a fan of Pokemon as long as she can remember

When her mom would stick in her front of the TV because she was tired of dealing with her, she would turn the channel to Cartoon Network, which was often playing episodes of the Pokemon Anime

Specifically it was the Black/White series and later the X/Y series

She was engrossed in this magical world where she could go on adventures with friends and her pokemon companions and where the power of friendship would always prevail

Plus Ash's mom was a kind caring person who wanted the best for her son, literally the exact opposite of her mom

She became hyperfixated on it

During class she would draw pictures of pokemon, she would daydream of being a pokemon trainer and during recess she would force Chandler to play pokemon with her

She even had a book called Pokemon; The Essential Guide, which she read so often that she could recall it from memory

Eventually after much begging Mac's mom eventually said 'If it will get you to shut the fuck up' and bought Mac a 3DS with X and Y and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

She blitzed through these games, playing them whenever she had a second that she didn't have to be doing anything else

Even when Chandler would come over to hang out Mac would just not acknowledge her existence and just keep playing

Her obsession started to really bother Chandler, she just wanted to spend time with her best friend, and she was spending all of her time on this stupid Chinese monster game!

She tried to not-so-gently tell Mac to put the stupid game away and hang out with her but Mac got upset so she reluctantly dropped it

Eventually Mac finished all of the games and wasn't so fixated on them, but she still played them a lot

She would even sneak it into school and play it at lunch

Of course, the more popular students saw it and started to make fun of her for it, calling her a baby and a nerd

One of them even tried grabbing the 3DS, causing it to bump into the lunch table and creating a small dent in the corner

This caused Mac to start crying, which only increased the taunts against her

Chandler, who up to that point had been telling Mac to just ignore it, launched into a fit of rage, beating the ever loving shit out of the bullies

Both her and Mac got suspended, her for obvious reasons and Mac for brining the 3DS to school

The bullies played dumb and because they were popular and well-liked they got off scot-free

That was one of many events that made Chandler realize that for her and Mac to survive school, they would have to be the popular ones

With the time she had while suspended, Chandler had time to think about how she was treating Mac and her newfound love for pokemon

She realized that she was being an awful friend, she wanted Mac to stop doing something she loves just so she could get what she wanted

She thought about how when Mac would try and talk to her about the game and what she was doing, trying to include her while she played, and how she just ignored it because she wasn't interested, not even considering how it would hurt Mac to realize that her best friend doesn't care about the things she likes and wouldn't even pretend to care

She realized that she would have to make it up to her

While her parents were sleeping she went down, found their credit cards, and went to amazon and searched for 'Pokemon'

Chandler knows she's not the best with words, she knows that if she tried to apologize to Mac she wouldn't be able to convey everything that she wanted to, and even worse she might say something wrong and only upset her more

Knowing that, she decided to make it up to her by doing what she knows how to do, and that's buying things

She searched the amazon pages, seeing cards, various toys, some really nasty posters with something called a Vaporeon? before finding the plushies

She knows that Mac likes those, so she picked some of the ones she recognized and ordered them

Luckily for her, her parents were so fucking rich that they didn't notice a few bucks missing

A few days later, once the package arrived, she went over to Mac's house to apologize

Mac was still really upset, not only was she suspended from school, but her mom was angry at her and lets just say that if you thought her mom was a bitch normally, she was even worse when angry

She went into her room, hiding the plushes behind her back

Mac was lying in bed, staring at the wall, not even acknowledging her presence

Chandler tried telling her that she wanted to apologize but before she could even show the plushes Mac started shouting

She yelled about how awful her mom was and that she took away her games and threatened to smash them with a hammer

Before Chandler could even get a word of condolence in Mac continued about how she knows when they go back to school things are gonna be even worse because those kids are gonna spread rumors about them

And again before Chandler can say a word Mac says that on top of all of that her best friend has been distant ever since she started liking pokemon and she's terrified that she's gonna lose her over it and she doesn't wanna lose her she's the best friend she's ever had and and

She starts sobbing

Chandler quickly rushes over to Mac, pulling her into a hug while she sobs into her shoulder

Once she calms down Chandler shows her the plushies, upon which Mac squeals in delight before hugging her and saying thank you thank you thank you, before they talk about what transpired

Chandler apologizes, saying that Mac was right and that she was being distant, but that was in the past and she would change and would listen when she talked about pokemon

It wasn't a great apology by any means, but it was good enough for Mac, and she pulled up Cartoon Network and made Chandler watch a bunch of episodes of the anime with her

She didn't really get it or find it all that interesting, but she knew how much it meant to Mac that she do this with her, so she asked some questions and listened when Mac went on tangents about aspects of the world

Throughout the years, Mac continued to love and play Pokemon

It toned down over time, as most childhood obsessions do, but she still never stopped loving it

She stopped playing all-together around when Sword/Shield came out, it was around when they started to become really popular and so Chandler made them drop any nerdish hobbies that could be used to ridicule them

Mac was ok with it because that was when Dexit happened and she was really upset that she wouldn't be able to transfer her previous teams to the newest generation

But then Veronica joined the Heathers, Mac and Chandler's relationship expanded to include Duke and Veronica, high school ended and popularity didn't mean a thing anymore, so Mac was free to pick up Pokemon again

It took her a while to get over Dexit (she was really upset that she couldn't bring her Delphox into Sword/Shield, it was her first pokemon damnit!) but she eventually did

It was around this time that Scarlet/Violet were about to come out and the hype was real

Duke is in the same boat as Chandler, she doesn't really get it but Mac loves it so she'll go along with it, but Veronica is only slightly less into it than Mac

She was similar to Mac, playing up until Sword/Shield and then stopping due to Dexit and a lack of interest, but bc she wasn't popular there wasn't the pressure to stop playing entirely, and once the DLC came out she became interested once again and picked up the games

She had a lot of fun teaching Mac about the gen 8 stuff, and they played and battled together while waiting for Scarlet/Violet to come out

**Line Break**

The day it came out they woke up at some ridiculous hour and waited outside Gamestop for hours in the dark and freezing temperatures until the store opened

There wasn't even anyone else waiting and they had pre-ordered copies, there was literally no reason to do it, they were just that excited

Mac got Scarlet and Veronica got Violet so they would be able to trade with the other for the version exclusives

Mac told her Dad that she wasn't coming in today and Veronica is self-employed, so they both spend the entire day playing the game

Eventually Chandler takes their switches and forces them to go to bed because "you two fucks have been playing this game for 14 hours straight with no breaks. Go. The Fuck. To. Bed."

They did go to bed, but they got up at 4am to keep playing

Chandler was about to ground them like children if they didn't put up the game for 5 minutes to eat something and take a shower, but Duke stepped in and said she would talk to them about maybe slowing down a little

Chandler waits for Duke to come back and let her know how it went

She waits, and waits, and waits some more, until she has had enough and goes out to the living room to see whats taking her so long

Duke is laying on the couch with them, her own switch in hand

During the time Chandler waited, Duke went down, tried talking to them only to see them having fun, asked a few questions, got super interested and forgot about why she went down there, got so interested that she went to the store, bought a switch and a game, and came back and started playing

Chandler is about to start beating her head against the wall

The three of them try for months and months to get her to actually play it, but she just isn't that interested

They need a fourth person for raids, and the only other person they know who plays is JD but he does le epic troll and will do stupid shit like bringing a Mewtwo knowing only metronome

Veronica eventually wins her over by appealing to her massive ego, saying that the whole point of the game is becoming better at everyone else, and that if she play she could eventually beat them too

Between that, Mac's puppy-dog eyes, and her getting tired of the relentless begging, she eventually picks up a game and starts playing

She gets more into it than Mac ever was or is

What draws her in is the sheer amount of different strategy that is available to her

There are just so many different pokemon, each of which has multiple different strategies that work for them, not to mention items and movesets and all of that

She thought pokemon was rather simple, but there was much more depth than she could've even imagined, and she gets lost in it

She blitzes not only through Scarlet/Violet and their DLC (She got both, she had to have access to every pokemon and you can't just do that in one version) but also Sword/Shield + DLC and Legends Arceus

And when it finally came time for them to battle, Chandler wiped the floor with the rest of them, it wasn't even close

It was so one-sided that it wasn't fun for the rest of them

Chandler sees this and starts to feel bad, she knows that she overdoes things sometimes, especially when her pride is on the line

She thinks about toning it down so they're on a more even playing field, but she doesn't think her fiancees would have fun winning if they knew that she was essentially allowing them to win

So instead on a lazy day she sits down with them and explains the basics of competitive battling, that way they'll all be on an even playing field

It works, and now when they battle together there's a chance for any of them to win

Now I'm just gonna go over some of their favorites about pokemon

Chandler

Game: B2W2, she loves the PWT and the strategy needed to beat the Champion's Cup

Pokemon: Blaziken, when she played ORAS she fell in love with Mega Blaziken, Speed Boost, and just how good it was

Part about Pokemon: Definitely strategy, its what drew her into the franchise in the first place. She loves trying out new and different strategies, and follows the VCG to keep up to date with all the newest ideas being put out

Duke

Game: USUM, it was the last game to have the National Dex, and so it was the game to contain the most pokemon in it

Pokemon: Sceptile, she just thinks that it's really cool. Plus its a lizard, and she loves lizards and has tried to convince Chandler to let her get a Madagascar Giant Day Gecko

Chandler can barely stand the snake so there's no way in hell that she will ever agree to getting a gecko, plus they're really creepy

Part about Pokemon: Collecting/Catching Pokemon, she loves completing Pokedexes, and its why she was so upset when she found out about dexit, there was less to collect and evolve

Mac

Game: XY, it was her first game, and even if it isn't the best game in the series, it holds a lot of nostalgia for her

Pokemon: Ampharos, she loves the entire line

She thinks Mareep is just sooooo cute, he's a tiny little sheep and he's so flufffffffy

She had one on her first ever playthough team and she was able to get a mega stone for it so it could mega evolve

She thinks the mega is just so ridiculous and it's a dragon?? but that's why she loves it so much

Plus, one of the first gifts Duke ever got for her when they started their relationship was a Mareep plush (Chandler gave her some pointers on what Mac would like)

She keeps it at a place of honor on her shelf and often sleeps with it

Part of Pokemon: Bonding with the Pokemon, she loves all the little minigames like Refresh and Amie where you can brush and pet and feed your pokemon

And even though she knows they're just lines of code, she does feel like she bonds with her Pokemon as she goes along a journey with them

Veronica

Game: SV, she has fond memories of her and Mac playing it when it came out, memories which she treasures dearly

Pokemon: Blastoise, to her its a perfect pokemon. It's simple yet effective, its a cute turtle that becomes a big turtle with freakin cannons on its back

Part of Pokemon: The interconnectivity. She loves battling and trading with her fiancees and just being able to bond with them over it, its something they can all do together that they all enjoy

Just kidding, she loves the cards

She is fucking addicted to opening cards, the Heathers have to drag her away from the card section every time they go to the store

JD enables it, him and Veronica will go buy packs and slushies and just sit and open them

She has boxes and boxes of commons sitting in her room that she refuses to get rid of

[thedemonofcat]

Following Geralt's impassioned shouts echoing down the mountainside, Jaskier found himself shattered, his heart heavy with sorrow. Convinced that his departure from this world would bring some form of solace, Jaskier cast himself into the arms of the ocean's embrace, seeking an end to his pain.

Yet, contrary to his expectations, death eluded him. Instead, a metamorphosis began to unfurl. Unbeknownst to Jaskier, the strands of his destiny were woven with an ancient tale – one that began when he was a mere child, abandoned by a mother who was far more than she seemed. The truth emerged: Jaskier's mother was no ordinary woman, but a mermaid ensnared by his father's grasp. And in the crucible of his despair, Jaskier's latent heritage awakened, birthing his transformation into a being of both land and sea.

Immersing himself in the aquatic realm, Jaskier discovered the enchanting facets of his newfound existence as a merman. Yet, amidst the ebb and flow of his aquatic curiosity, a fateful day unfolded where Jaskier's fate took an unexpected turn – he was captured.

Meanwhile, Geralt remained shackled by the remorse that had clung to him since his heated words tore through their friendship years ago. Even as he reunited with Ciri and rekindled his bond with Yennefer, his yearning to seek Jaskier's forgiveness endured. Yet, silence prevailed, leaving Geralt to resign himself to the likelihood of Jaskier's passing with the passage of time.

As the world shifted into a modern era and the need for witchers waned, Geralt found a semblance of tranquility, although his heart still ached for the lost bard. A single call from Yennefer shattered the quietude, announcing a discovery that defied all reason – Jaskier had returned.

On a local shoreline, Jaskier lay sleeping, his human legs an incongruous sight. Yennefer's magic confirmed his identity, and Geralt's familiarity with the bard's scent dispelled any doubts. Mysterious gaps in Jaskier's memories and an unexpected muteness veiled his ordeal, rendering his story a puzzle with missing pieces.

Despite the enigma surrounding Jaskier's return, Geralt welcomed his bard with open arms, ushering him into a world drastically changed by time. Guiding Jaskier through modern marvels, Geralt revelled in their shared moments while Jaskier savoured the companionship he thought lost forever.

Unbeknownst to them, the shadows of Jaskier's past were creeping ever closer. The one responsible for his captivity and voicelessness moved relentlessly to reclaim their mermaid. The looming threat cast a dark cloud over the newfound joy as Jaskier and Geralt faced an uncertain future, one where the struggles of the past collided with the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

[fireolin]

The Wishing Hunt 𝕏𝕏 Ch 28 𝕏𝕏

I Need A Hero

This chapter: Gon is forced to spend time with Marigold, when he'd rather chase Killua. It appears that Marigold considers Gon a hero and wishes to impress Killua by proving themself one too.

Gon hadn’t the faintest interest in whatever ‘fae-style gathering’ Marigold had in mind. It was a rotten idea, insensitive to the dark mood that would surely prevail after disposing of the enchanter’s body, and if carried out, would exhaust anyone who attended when they needed to save their wits and strength to embark on a life-threatening journey. As for the ‘other pleasures’ to which Marigold alluded—put bluntly, no doubt they meant sex. Probably, they hoped to seduce Killua. In fact, this entire feast was a probable ruse for their attempt. Read on

Rating: E (mostly M) Hunter x Hunter fic, Fae Au Killugon, where your votes help direct the story.

About: Prince Gon Freecss and his reluctant bodyguard, Killua Zoldyck, embark on a fake relationship to save them from predatory fae advances as they travel into the realm of Aiai. Gon has no idea Killua is only pretending to be human and is actually on the run from his fae family. Neither of them understand why Gon, who, despite being gifted, is definitely human, develops a mysterious knack for fae magic along the way. A group of magically talented murderers are travelling in the same direction and will kill them on sight. Even if Killua and Gon survive, they must eventually part, so falling in love is out of the question. Or so they both say, at the start.

Slow burn. Unconfessed love. Jealousy and possessiveness. Deepening friendship and desire. Chapter 1 on Ao3

[platonic-pals-punchout]

Buddy Daddies (anime) | Doctor Who (tv show)

Rei Suwa & Kazuki Kurusu:

I think that their friendship should prevail because the name of the anime is Buddy daddies first of all…they are buddies!!! And fathers!!! They helped raise their adopted daughter together!! Also unrelated to the fact that they have a daughter but their friendship is so strong that Kazuki saved Rei from his old abusive life and pit of depression solely because he didn’t like seeing his friend live like that. And he gave Rei a reason to live and to leave his past of organized crime!!! They have gone through hell and back with one another and were both there for each other when dealing with their respective childhood traumas (they had some very heartfelt conversations with one another on a car ride home when Rei was asking if they could change despite their poor upbringings). Also they are literally in a platonic marriage with each other at the end of the show! They both have similar/matching rings but Kazuki says that he was with other girls, and they weren’t in romantic love with each-other throughout the show!

The Doctor & Donna Noble:

They literally saved the universe together and they did it with the power of friendship, found Family and maybe a lil timelord magic :D

Note: This blog is run & followed by aromantics. Insisting any pairs are ~actually romantic~ will not only cause you to be blocked on the spot, but you’ll out yourself as someone not safe to be queer around. No one wants to hear how stupid you look with those shipping goggles on.

[wulvert]

idk much abt mlp lore past where i stopped watching as a kid but wtf do u mean its now canon that all magic gets obliterated when rainbow dash is like 50 and she never gets to fly ever again. fuck you. that sucks so hard. i hate that. magic of friendship not prevailing is stupid its called my little pony friendship is magic if u make magic die friendships fucking off too what is this. I feel sorry for my little pony i wish bronies never happened.

[sonkitty]

Six years ago today, I posted on Twitter that David Tennant with black-feathered wings caught my interest.

The journey into my own GO fandom after that was a little strange, and I will indulge myself into sharing that here and now.

I read the Good Omens book shortly after posting that tweet. While I had mixed thoughts and feelings on the book, one prevailing thought was, "Oh yes. David Tennant would be perfect for Crowley."

And I set that thought aside for years.

Around this same time as finishing up that book, I caught up on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and fell into a surprising (to me) obsession with Rainbow Dash, one of the show's six main characters. MLPFIM, as a TV show, ended the following year. With its end, I found the Austraeoh series, truly an amazing read.

Shortly after, I began my first and main MLPFIM fanfic that took up a good chunk of the next two years. Once it was done, while mildly tempted to try writing a not-fanfic novel (or fanfic based on public domain), I shifted my energy and attention to an Austraeoh audiobook reading.

Due to personal events in my life, the Austraeoh audiobook reading had to be put on hold.

Twitter was also driving users away for various reasons, myself included, and so I ended up here on Tumblr more than I had been for some years. As such, at least one person I follow reblogged some screenshots from Good Omens season 2 with Crowley talking to Shax in the park. I didn't know her name or the context of the scene at the time.

With said personal events in my life happening, I took to playing Persona 4 Golden again, this time on the Switch. Eventually, the thought struck me that I still hadn't gotten around to Good Omens, and things happening made it so that then was a good time.

And so I watched Good Omens season 1.

I hesitated on watching Good Omens 2, read up on what to expect, and took my chances. David Tennant was indeed perfect as Crowley after all, and it would at least have more of that.

And so I watched Good Omens season 2.

I was left annoyed, confused, and unsatisfied.

Lucky for me I found those posts about Crowley's sideburns, and before I knew it, I was taking screenshots, compiling images, and thinking thoughts at such an interesting thing happening in the story.

I actually don't spend much time on literary puzzles, preferring to be spoiled ahead of time, and don't watch much TV, but I had no such luxury of spoilers for the sideburns.

And well, it's been an adventure since then in discovering and playing two games within the story. I'm still annoyed and confused by GO2, but I have found great satisfaction in the challenges I have passed in those games.

The story recognized that David Tennant is so perfect for Crowley, it gave him six Threshold Tricks, and The Perfect Entrance Trick among them.

I do tend to go through obsession phases, and I don't know when this one will end. Theoretically, this one could indeed end soon for various reasons, but I've still got ideas and still find the energy to spend on them. I am at least going to finish reading the main Discworld books. I'm almost done with the next-to-last one, Raising Steam. You can bet Crowley saying, "Why don't you just go by train? You love trains," is echoing in my head as I read this one.

[goldensunset]

thoughts on the first two volumes of the black and white pokespe:

•i think i recall riya mentioning this a while ago but man if it isn’t true. black is the most guy ever. quite literally has a hyperfixation and needs the help of a creature with magical mind powers to temporarily dampen those thoughts from time to time in order to focus on anything. wish i had one of those. i stan an adhd king

•white is just doing her best. but why does she have her own company aren’t these guys like teenagers lol. ok girlboss

•cheren and bianca are a complete mess. especially bianca. good for them. her not knowing the basic type effectiveness triangle is cute to me honestly. but the power of friendship prevails

•the way they draw n is EXCELLENT. combination of incredibly pretty and ridiculously creepy. like this man’s intense death stare and tendency to just sneak up on you suddenly is excellent. they perfectly captured the n jumpscare experience i kept feeling

•something about him literally crying while venting out his feelings (pretty-crying of course.) and black’s response just being like ayo shut up dork. incredible writing

•also n does NOT realize his privilege. buddy it is NOT normal to be able to speak pokémon that’s just you. it’s not other people’s fault they can’t. that’s uh

•i like that they do a better job of portraying team plasma as sympathetic and convincing. like the way they actually do get people on their side… part of the reason they’re one of the scariest evil teams tbh. instead of being blatantly evil terrorists or thieves they present themselves as good guys and plan to gain power through swaying hearts. with only a little bit of terrorism and theft on the side in the background lol

[the-90s-music-colosseum]

*cracks knuckles* ok here we go abt the damon albarn/graham coxon thing.

damon has never seriously come out as queer or anything to my knowledge. the "intellectual bi" thing was jsut to piss off brett andersen forget about it. justine did say damon went through a period of snogging lads idk what was up with that.

were they ever a thing? no. not officially, explicitly, quoted in public atleast.

but was/is their relationship far more closer than one would assume conventional male friendships to be? also yes. they met when they were pre-teens, their journey as musicians started each other, the core of blur as a band has always been their friendship. they both had matching friendship necklaces for god sakes. they've both, and particularly damon, have always spoken of their relationship in really reverent, intimate terms: you can find interviews from the 90s full of quotes about how much they love each other, how protective damon is of graham, how deep and fluid their connection is blah blah blah. and yes the kissing. they did that, though at the time damon was like yeah we kiss we homies so what. they kissed at their wembley gig in july as well. y'know just guy thingz.

but their relationship has been complex. im sure u can find the details if u dig around a little. by the late 90s their friendship was kinda falling apart. substance abuse issues, issues in their own relationships, differences in ideas about where blur should go next etc etc. but even at the worst point of this, their intimacy in songwriting prevailed. 13, damon's great grand breakup album, is as much about graham as much as it is about justine

damon has written atleast two songs about/for graham "sweet song" from think thank- which was written when graham left the band. and "my terracotta heart" from magic whip- when they got back together. he's on record saying these are about graham. incredibly heartbreaking both of them. graham said he felt like pattie harrison having songs written about him. im sure there are other songs scattered throughout blur, solo damon and solo graham discography that could be read as being about each other.

also ive never EVER heard a man speak about his friendship breakup with such openness and vulnerability as damon did during the early 2000s. they eventually made up after not talking for years, and that making up story is rather dramatic and sweet as well. they wouldn't shut up abt how happy they were to be back in each others lives and how much they still loved each other. etc etc etc. all very sappy and sweet.

their relationship took ages to mend and i suppose its a lot different now compared to the intensity it had back in the day. damon though is back in form mentioning the story of how they met each other and how well graham understands and communicates with him through writing songs together and all that in every interview possible. damon has recently split from his partner of 25 years and the latest blur record is mostly about that. its really poignant to me that out of all his projects, he chose to go back to his oldest friend and oldest creative partner to bring these songs to life.

tl;dr: they werent boyfriends they werent friends they were a secret third thing.

Britpop lore 2. They were a secret third thing.

[heartfullofpony]

CHANGE FROM BELOW

Let's take a moment to talk about what an incredible ending that Make Your Mark, Chapter 5, The Root of All Evil: Pt 2 had.  Not only did Misty finally confront her abusive mother figure; not only was a Tirek-scale threat to all Equestria averted with a wave of bright shiny hope, and a bright shiny song...but the power of friendship prevailed in the profoundest way possible.

Every ideal that Sunny Starcout ever believed in was put into practice - not just by her or her friends, but by the entire world.  (Or at least the known world).

Think about the very beginning - how MLP: ANG started with an Equestria deeply divided.  How it ended with earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi daring to take a brave step forward - to abandon the racialized fears they'd all grown up to internalize.  How the earth ponies of Maretime Bay turned their backs on the fascist demagoguery of Sprout, and the racist fear-based economy of his mother, to take a brave step forward into the unknown.

...A world where the three pony races might kinda sorta maybe start to get along.

Then, in the Make Your Mark series, we saw that dream hit multiple speed bumps. Posey and her Karenhood.  Resentment of unicorn and pegasus magic.  We saw Sunny continue to try to show others the way - not through pedantry, but through participation in the struggles of others.

She built a community garden to bring folks together.  She turned the local military weapons facility into a television studio owned and operated by and for the citizenry, and she did so - not as a maternalistic authority figure, but by turning to the community itself, and taking its feedback seriously (even if the populace wasn't entirely sure what they wanted).

And then there's Pipp - the princess who often comes off as a self-obsessed, and egoic social media influencer.  Here, she strives to use that influence for good.  Even though her musical number in front of Princess Opaline failed to accomplish anything directly, it was the reprise of that same song that got all of Equestria singing.  It was the voice of a child who looked up to Pipp, and believed.

My Little Pony, both G4 and G5, always emphasized friendship, and how it's power was in the unity of its diverse peoples (horses).    The Tree of Harmony acted as a sort of Divine Will that chose to condense the very special magic of this very loving civilization into the Elements of Harmony, and bestow them to a chosen few to wield on behalf of the many.

Here, in the gathering of ordinary ponies around the trees, we see Equestrian magic come full circle.  The song that that child sings - the song that all of Equestria sings - it is the root of their very civilization.  It is the magic that powers everything! 

It doesn't derive from the magical trees, but rather, feeds them, and nourishes them.

The beauty of this finale is that nothing the main characters do actually saves Equestria at all.  At least not directly.  It's the masses of ponies in Bridlewood, Zephyr Heights, and Maretime Bay who save themselves with the simple lessons that they've clearly taken to heart.

Think about what a huge leap this moment is from the beginning of A Next Generation, when Sunny first stormed the expo and attempted to convince the citizens of Maretime Bay through preaching and sign-waving.  

The best thing about the great victory over Opaline is that it showed just how much had changed since friendship returned to Equestria - not just in ponies' adoption of Sunny's model of interracial equality, but in Sunny herself - her willingness to grow as a leader amongst, and alongside them.  Her only role in any of this has been to give folks a nudge in the right direction - to get involved in their struggles, and to help them to see the best in themselves.  

As fantastical as rainbow lasers and friendship trees may be, this is actually a pretty darn realistic look at how social progress actually happens.

If you, like so many of us, take a look at the state of the world, and feel heartbreak and despair, remember: change starts at home - in your community.  Make a difference.  Get involved.

- Sprocket

If you enjoy my stories and my essays, please consider Supporting Me on Patreon. (I'm donating all Patreon earnings from this particular post to the Middle East Children's Alliance, to help those impacted by war).

You can also follow me on FimFic.

[haha-artblog]

Birds of a feather flock together (or, the magic of friendship always prevails) :D

May Dr. Flock and Thomson sweep the polls together in the @ahatintime-oc-competition!

(Thomson belongs to @ratcandy!)

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