#Current Theme is Laurel

[qlossytbh]

𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 - 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 you and conrad had established no strings attached, that is until valentines fold up and conrad suddenly seeks more out of you.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 implications of sex, fwb, lots of fluff towards the end

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 3.1k by

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 back at it lol. i’m taking request!! feel free to send in any requests for any of the characters on my masterlist

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 | 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Valentines day. 

Some people are apprehensive when it comes to deciding what to spend the day doing on this particular holiday. For the lucky, it might be spending the day with their significant other or sitting around, basking in the simplicity of spending time with the person you love. For others, it was spending the day watching sappy rom-cons or moping around about the very fact of being single.

For you, Valentine's Day was the perfect excuse to show everyone how much you loved and cared for them. You were an overall extremely affectionate person, giving intricate gifts was a part of who you were. It was an extreme love language of yours— the feeling of running around, planning and buying different parts and pieces for each gift was something you found loads of fun in doing. 

For example, you had just finished baking and packing up your usual valentine themed cookie boxes to send out to all of your coworkers who worked with you at the local dog shelter. You had also sent out all of the small valentine themed envelopes to your family, who lived down the street from Susannah’s house here in Cousins, which reminded you not to forget her and Laurel's bouquets. You also put together the little treat bags with the group's favorite candy and other small things; one for Jeremiah, one for Steven, one for Belly, and one for Conrad.

It maybe was a lot, but you couldn't help yourself. You loved Valentine's Day. 

It was currently around four in the afternoon, and you were rushing around the kitchen of the Fisher household, scrolling through your tablet, checking off a few of the things you had left to do. 

Jeremiah walked into the room along with Belly, Steven, and Conrad.

"Hello Jeremiah." You looked up from your tablet and caught Jeremiah reaching for a cookie from one of the batches you were going to give out to your neighbours later on. His face twisted, laughing in embarrassment. You shook your head, looking down at the screen with a smile. 

"I left a batch of red velvet cupcakes near the fridge," Jeremiah and Stevens faces lit up. 

"You are the best person to step foot on this planet," Steven praised as they rounded the corner in attempts to get their hands on one of the cupcakes. 

"Seem's like you've been busy," Belly said, scanning the room as you set the tablet down on the counter. "I'll never get how you do it."

You shrugged, pulling your hand back and letting down the messy bun you had whipped up a few hours ago. "What can I say? Its Valentine’s Day."

"Not a valid answer, you don't see me running around gifting people random lovey shit, huh?" Conrad butted in as he leaned against the wall. You shot a glare at him.

"Well, you don't do lovey shit anyways," You teased with a smile, looking at your feet. "I dont know, I like seeing people happy, thats really all there is to it."

Belly looked at you with a smile. "That and your mind works at like, a thousand miles per hour."

It was true, you had a tendency to always need to be moving around. You barely sat still, not being able to stand the feeling of not being productive. You were always doing something, or you always had something to do. It was the main reason why you always ended burnt out. You loved doing things constantly, but it came with the heavy price of not knowing when you should stop doing things and rest. 

"People only usually do this stuff when they have boyfriends and shit like that," Belly insinuated. 

"You trying to tell us something, Y/n?" She said, gesturing towards her and Conrad. 

You cleared your throat, feeling a heat wave spread itself against your cheeks. You looked down only momentarily before shooting the pair a smile. "I do this every year Belly, if I had a special someone, you'd be able to tell."

It had been half true, given how you and Conrad weren't necessarily dating. 

It was complicated, at least if you explained it to others. You and Conrad had been best friends since you started coming to Cousins, which was since you were a baby. You loved Belly and Steven, and you loved Jeremiah, but things always felt different with Conrad. 

People had told you that Conrad was never an open book, and it surprised you at first, because he had always been more than open with you. It took very little, if not nothing, to guess with just a glance at what was going on in his head.

Many of the words that people used to describe Conrad Fisher, were the complete opposite of what you knew him to be. Conrad had a side of him that was reserved for only you, and you eventually started noticing it throughout your friendship. 

The two of you had many things that you preferred to leave unspoken. It had always worked like that with the two of you. When it came to how you felt about him, you couldn't put much into words. Words didn't do it justice most of the time.

But you and Conrad had been involved in this, thing, for about a year now. It started last summer, the two of you having one too many drinks at a party and hooking up accidentally. Or so you'd like to say it like that, because no one hooks up with their best friend drunk and says it was an accident. The two of you, not being able to communicate properly, ignored what happened that night for weeks.

But then it happened again

and again, 

and then again.

And none of the following times included alcohol. But for some reason, each time you saw each other after any sexual rendezvous, things would go completely back to normal. You guessed that was just your relationship with Conrad, it never got awkward or weird. 

You did however end up talking about it with him. 

"Can we talk?" You said, knocking on Conrad's door softly. He was lying down in his bed, book in hand. He sat up, placing it on the nightstand beside his bed. You looked at each other before he shook his head and ran a hand through his hair

"Sure," You walked in, feeling the cool air of the air conditioning hit your legs. You closed the door behind you, swallowing thickly as you could sense this conversation was going somewhere. You couldn't decipher if it was for the better or for the worse. 

You sat on the edge of his bed and looked into his eyes in silence. His gaze was just as locked on you as you were on him. That was before smiles started to grow on each of your faces before you threw your head back, laughing at the ridicule the situation presented. 

"I really don't know why we should talk about this," You said, turning to the side. 

Conrad sighed. "No, we probably should."

You looked at Conrad and focused on the blue in his eyes. "I dont regret what happened."

"Neither do I."

 "Is there a particular reason as to why it happened again after the first time?" You shifted your body and fiddled with your fingers. "And the second and third..

Conrad sighed heavily through his nose. He didn't get what was happening to him at all. He knew he cared about you; he knew he loved being near you and spending time with you. And he enjoyed what had happened between you two, 

A lot. 

But he didn't feel the need to put a title on what the two of you were. At this point, he was definitely opposed to the idea of dating, but he wasn't opposed to the idea of you. Maybe in the future? He didnt know, he was truly lost. 

And so were you. Which you hated. You couldn't stand not knowing what you wanted or what you were feeling. You needed to put titles onto everything—every feeling, every emotion, every situation—thats how your mind worked. But you knew you didn't want a relationship at this point in your life, but you loved spending time with Conrad the way you have recently.

"I don't know," He settled. "I don't see myself in a relationship, but I do love doing all the things we've been doing. 

You look at him and see a glint of something flashes through his eyes. "A lot."

You felt a rush of adrenaline pump through your veins as your cheeks went hot. You reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "I do too."

"I say," He pushed his body closer to yours, his knees lightly grazing against yours. You watched his movements with a sharp intensity. "Let's just be the friends we’ve been since we could talk, and ocacionally thing."

He placed a hand on your thigh. "Things have been normal so far, would you want to keep doing things?"

You nodded and smiled as he leaned forward. You said in a whisper, "What things are we talking about specifically?"

"Should I say it?" His breath fanned over your own. He then pressed a chaste kiss onto your lips, allowing your eyes to flutter close in delight as you smiled through the kiss. "Or do you want me to show you,"

With that you pressed your lips onto his, hungry for whatever you could have of him. 

For the rest of the summer it continued. The two of your manadged to keep it a secret, not wanting any complications of anyone else trying to put a name to whatever it was the two of you had. 

You didn't even know what it was. Friends with benefits? It was more than that, given how you two cuddled occasionally, kissed occasionally, and went on occasional dates. It stressed you out more to try to figure out what it was than just enjoying it. 

Plus, you knew Conrad cared for you, and you cared for him. That was all that really mattered to you anyway. 

Even when summer ended, you two talked all the time, which was not out of the norm for the two of you. The only difference was the occasional sexting. 

Things were occasional between the two of you, if you couldn't tell by now.

Winter break in Cousin's was your favorite, and when your college gave the students a week off, you were ecstatic. Every year, you never manadged to catch the Conklin and Fisher family, given how they were always given a few weeks off in January instead of February. You grabbed your keys, packed a bag, and headed straight for Cousin's.

Things with Conrad this week had been amazing, but you could tell things were a bit more romatic. Before it was easy to difirenciate when you were only friends and when you were in need of physical touch or intimacy, but now things were all fused and mixed together. 

It didnt bother you enough to talk about it though and neither did he, so you left it at that

You put the last bits of the dishes into the dryer before brushing your hands against the fabric of your cotton shorts. Jeremiah walked into the room with his keys in his hand. "Were headed out."

You looked over at him, grabing your phone and scanning it for any new messages. "Sounds okay,"

"We'll probably be back late, you and Conrad going to be okay?" You deadpanned at the boy.

"We'll be fine," You walked over to him, grabbing him by the shoulders and leading him towards the front door, where Steven and Belly stood. "You go have fun with Steven and Belly, god knows you need to take the poor girl out."

"Thank you," Belly said, agreeing with you. "Mom said she'd be back with Susanah in a few hours." 

You nodded, feeling the breeze of the cold air hit your bare shoulders as Steven opened the front door. Steven jumped. "Oh shit! Almost forgot." 

"That monstrousity came for you today," Steven said, pointing over to your left. "It had a small card, some sappy bullshit on it." 

"For me?" You looked over to the side, letting your jaw slack slightly. Placed perfectly in the middle of the table was a huge bouquet full of red roses and white tulips, both of your favorite flowers. They were carefully wrapped in white and silver paper, adorned almost perfectly with a pink satin bow. 

You never got much on Valentine's Day; you were used to giving the presents, not receiving them. You looked at the group aprehensively once more before walking carefully over to the table. You picked up the small card, reading it carefully: 'Happy Valentines Day pretty girl'

You felt your heart thump against your chest. You let out a small chuckle as your cheeks turned red, knowing exactly who these were from. "Dumbass.."

"What was that about not having a boyfriend?" Belly butted in, causing you to snap out of your lovesick trance. You turned to the three of them, who were eyeing you as you stumbled on your words. 

"Just- uhm, some guy thats been bothering me," You nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of your neck. The three of them looked at each other. 

"Conrad's gonna be pissed." Steven whispered before closing the door and heading out. You laughed to yourself and looked up the stairs, shaking your head. If only they knew. You placed the card down, looking back at the flowers once more before heading upstairs. 

You turned the corner, knocking softly on Conrad's door. With a hum on his side, you pushed the door open. He was standing near his bed with his shirt in his hand, and off of his body.

"Hey," He said, tossing the shirt into his already open closet. "I was just heading to bed." 

You smiled to yourself while crossing your arms, leaning against the door frame. "I thought you didn't do that lovey valentines day shit" 

He paused, looking at you with a perplexed look on his face. You rolled your eyes, walking into the room and closing the door behind you. Conrad eyed you carefully as you made your way to him. "Are you talking about the flowers?"

"Yes Conrad, I'm talking about the flowers," You said, placing a kiss onto his lips. He smiled into the kiss, letting his hands reach your waist, giving you the space your wrap your arms around his neck. You smiled widely into the kiss, not being able to contain your giddiness. 

Your heart was beating wrapidly in your chest, a feeling only Conrad gave you. You pushed into the kiss, deepening it as you directed his body towards his bed. The back of his knees hit the matress, forcing him to sit on the matress, which gave you the space to crawl onto his lap. 

You pulled away, looking down at the blonde boy whom you were currently straddling. "I'm guessing you liked them?”

"How'd you know roses and tulips were my favorite?" You said, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear as you admired the facial features you had grown to love. 

"I pay attention," He leaned forward, kissing the spot on your jaw just below your ear, causing a small giggle to erupt from your chest. 

"Thank you," You whispered, pulling away from him and looking into his eyes deeply. "You didn't have to, really."

He stared back at you, heart fluttering wildly. A feeling he was used to feeling around you, something only you brought out in him. It seemed that no matter how many girls would pop into his life or would come up to him at any frat party, you were always the first one on his mind. You were the only one on his mind.

"Of course I did," He kissed your cheek. "Its not even a quarter of what you deserve."

There it was again. He His your jaw again, trsiling soft delicate kissing up your neck. They were affectionate, none trying to iniciate something. Just soft pecks adorned with love and adoration. You let your hands enravel themselves into his hair, sighing in contentment. 

"Things have changed haven’t they?" You whispered as you pulled his body closer to yours. 

"Mhm," He agreed. You looked at the wall in front of you.

"Can we talk about it?" 

Conrad pulled away, looking at you with a look on his face. You stared back in silence. "Talk to me,"

You sighed, not really knowing what to say. Your heart fluttered at the sight of his attention, listening closely to what you had to say. 

The thing is you didnt know what to say. All you knew is that you cared about the boy in front of you a lot, and this ocassional thing has been going on for so long now. You knew you didnt want to end anything, fuck no. But you wanted more and you were scared it was a one paged thing. 

"Whyd you sent me the flowers?" You asked, paying close attention to his features. He smiled to himself, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. 

"Becuase," He started. "You love Valentines day, and you love recieving gifts, giving them as well, but not a lot of people know you like recieving them as well."

He continued. "You hate the color orange, you say it makes you squirmy and uncomfortable. Your favorite movies Rapunzel, great choice by the way,"

"You give so much to the people you love and I can vouch for that." He grabbed your hands, carresing them softly in his own. 

You looked at him in silence. "I don't want to do this thing occasionally anymore, I want it always.”

You and Conrad had always had a strong relationship, and its been a long time since it stopped being just platonic. You knew everything about him and so did he. Hell, it probably stopped being platonic before you even had sex with him for the first time.

Both of you could’ve saved yourselves months of time if you’d let yourself feel what you were meant to feel for each other sooner.

“So this mean what exactly? That you’re officially asking me to be your ‘girlfriend’” You asked, saying the word that felt so foreign. You knitted your eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

“If that’s something you want,” He said, hope and anxiety flooding his gaze. You stared down at him, smiling softly. You leaned in.

“I’d like that.” You closed the gap between the two of you, sighing deeply into the kiss.

Something inside you felt satisfied. As if your body had been longing for a confirmation that Conrad really was just yours.

He had always been.

You pulled away, hands resting at his bare shoulders as your foreheads rested against each other.

“Can we watch Tangled now?” You asked, voice laced with excitement. He rolled his eyes, pecking your lips softly.

“Duh.”

[synesthete-sylke]

i wanted to make a journal-themed entry for the victory curse, since i have smajor brainrot all of the time and i felt like it was a somewhat missed opportunity for angst :]

plus it's a cool concept, if people like it i might do the canary curse and a few others!

(shoutout to my brother for doing the 'laurel' and then proceeding to fail every other word he tried-)

text under cut because i was going for style, not legibility :P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The "Victory" Curse

Top: Cursebearer and allies are predisposed to victory in the Life games; often results in repetitive loss of allies or partners, as well as those who See attempting to take advantage of the cursebearer. Strong-willed and fiercely loyal, even to the death.

Note: Curse is warded off but not cancelled by Canary curse; effects unknown. Range is possibly extended?

Side: Resists Boogey curse!

Photo: Current recipient is aware; has become sacrificial and borderline su*cidal.

[gingermintpepper]

How’s Fields of Mistria? You mentioning it was the second time I heard of it, the first time being in passing, so I’m not too knowledgeable about the game.

AWWW THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING!!

Fields of Mistria is SUPER fun, since there's not much to do in it after you've completed the first year right now, I've dedicated myself to breeding and collecting all the seasonal variants of horses so I can name them after the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!

I also named all my barns after metamorphised lovers in greek myth because I have exactly one thought running through my head at any given point in time (Currently there's Crocus Coop where I keep my (gorgeous wonderful lovely adorable ouugh I LOVE THEMMM!!) blue chickens

Cypress Barn where I keep my wonderful cows (who have been with me the longest and whom I cherish immensely! I'm not sure if Autumn cows are possible but I'm definitely aiming for a barn of all red and autumnal cows for obvious reasons)

Minthe Barn where I keep all of my other large animals like sheep, alpacas and my very first beloved Chiron (black and white) and Iris (brown with spots) (the foal is Rigel) 🥺

And Hyacinthus Barn where I have a collection of small animals like rabbits, capybaras and my PRIZED DUCKS LEDA (the pretty blue and green duckie) AND CYCNUS (the pure white duck meant to mimic a swan!!) Even though it's technically a coop, I mistakenly labelled it a barn when I was inputting the name and I never changed it LOL

My farm is also named after THE metamorphosized lover, Daphne herself, so it's called Laurel Farm

And I'm planning for my Seasonal Horse barn to be named after the poplar since I quite like Leuke's story and I think she's fitting of housing the horses that will be the steeds of War, Pestilence, Conquest and Famine :)

Bonus: My house is still small and eclectically decorated, but keeping in theme with my farm, I do hope to go for a flower/garden theme

<33

[retribution-if]

-> Demo (TBA)

-> Playable Trailer

-> Character Appearances

-> Vibe Playlists (Part 1, Part 2)

You never really learned to let go.

Did you?

Hello, little godling, are you here to seek out an exchange? What is the phrase those mortals say? "Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth"? Are you here to exchange death for death? How counterproductive, no? Though it seems that you refuse to listen to any sort of reason nowadays.

A pity, really.

I expected better from you. However I can't blame you and the emotional storm you brought yourself into. Afterall, having the man you called "Grandfather" turn on you and slaughter your family one day is an understandable thing to fuss over. Personally, I could care any less if my brother died. Your aunt and I would be just fine, frankly. Everything would be better off with one less Primordial, but really, does that matter now with the problems he helped cause?

Regardless, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here you are, a child of barren nature and moving time, with the dagger of your wilted sister Spring, the sickle of your arid brother Summer, and the laurel of your decayed brother Autumn.

Now, tell me this, little godling.

How much blood must be shed until you think it's enough to satisfy your sense of naive justice? Until every enemy you'll make and have have their blood spilt and pooling by your feet? Until they are on their hands and knees, begging for mercy, for you to spare them, just so you can be the judge of their fate?

Whatever your choice is, I'll simply be here watching you struggle and fall, and drop what remains of chaos you choose to leave in your wake.

~•~•~

Retribution, He Cries is a revenge story set in the Dark Ages of the fictional world of [REDACTED] and other realms, and will be written in Twine. This IF is rated 18+ for heavy themes such as: talks, witnessing, planning, and execution of murder, mass genocide, graphic violence, graphic gore (dismemberment, mutilation, disembowelment, & beheading), body horror, blood, physical assault, witness, descriptions, and mentions of death, religious themes.

*Content Warnings will be updated when needed.

Customizable Winter deity—let your appearance be the last thing He sees

Command and control the howling spirits

Learn how to hunt like your siblings

Give head pats to your dire wolf

Avenge your mother and siblings—leave chaos in your wake

Romance or befriend 4 people that walk with you in this journey

Seek justice for those who have fallen

Don't forget to keep running, little rabbit.

◈ Despoina (Goddess of Magic, The Arcana, Mysteries) She/Her)

The former lover of the god of life. Your grandmother is a powerful goddess of magic, and the giver of it to her mortal disciples known as "Magi". She's been cast out of the Pantheon due to being blamed for her inability to stop your grandfather. Currently, she's been deem "mad" for her constant dreamy attitude despite the horrible circumstances occurring around her.

~•~•~

◈ Nyx (Goddess of the Moon, Peace, Strategy) She/Her)

Daughter of the primordial cosmic goddess Emmera and the [late] god of fate Karma. She is your cousin and a fellow traveller in your journey. For being the goddess of peace, she isn't a very tranquil person, often resorting to violence at every inconvenience. She holds a calm aura whenever she's around, a bit aloof and insensitive at times, though has a soft spot for loved ones.

~•~•~

◈ Sansone (God of the Sun, Wrath, War) He/Him)

Son of the primordial cosmic goddess Emmera and the [late] god of fate Karma. Nyx's older brother and your cousin as well. He's here for the same reason as you and his sister, though mostly just to keep an eye on you both. He has this underlying storm underneath his relaxed façade, but you know better than to provoke it. Often takes the more pacifist route in situations, an opposite to his sister.

~•~•~

◈ Ectorius (Deity of Art, Fae, The Forest) He/They) ♡

You never expected them to join you on this journey. A close confidante and dear friend of your sister, Ectorius is an eccentric and somewhat odd individual. Always blabbering on, and on about making his next greatest magnum opus whenever he can. Though despite how dramatic he is, they are extremely cunning, but he likes to call it "persuasive".

~•~•~

◈ Nakia (The Former Priestess) She/Her) ♡

Having lost her village to the same god she worshipped, her faith in the gods has diminished. Seeking justice for her people, she joins you in your journey, unaware of your origins. An astute and patient woman who is willing to risk all for what she thinks is right. You worry for her and her inability to pick up and swing a sword, preferring to use the way of words to handle conflict.

~•~•~

◈ Faisal (The Archangel of Justice) He/Him) ♡

A member of High Court, which is Malkiel's Fifteen Generals in Zion. He is sent down to assist you in your mission to avenge your family. You know him from your time growing up in Zion, one of your first and only friends after the tragedy. He's willing to lay down his life to protect you from anything, even if you won't do the same.

~•~•~

◈ Lilith of Locked Heart (The Sin of Pride) She/They) ♡

A demoness from Hell, and the personification of Pride. She is a Queen of a kingdom in Gehenna, and accidentally stumbled upon them when she was crawling out of a cave, bloodied, bruised, and broken limbed. Now she joins you in your journey to, in their words, "beat the bastard that ruined them", though you have doubts that it's simply just that.

~•~•~

◈ Abel (God of Life, Joy, Birth) He/Him)

Your grandfather. The catalyst of this madness.

◈ Horatio (God of Time, Wisdom, Change) He/Him)

Father Time himself, and well, your actual father. A scarred and grieving man that refuses to partake in your journey. He does not wish to seek the justice for your family, but instead chooses a more passive way instead.

~•~•~

◈ Emmera (Goddess of The Cosmos, The Unknown, Fear) She/Her)

Your aunt and one of the three Primordials. Grieving over the death of her husband, she has formed an everlasting rage towards your grandfather and grandmother. She has gone spiteful over the years, with a scowl and glare on her face.

~•~•~

◈ Samar (God of Stars, Childhood, Shepherding) He/Him)

Sansone and Nyx's younger brother. Traumatized and confined in the body of a child, he has gone fearful of many things. Samar is often found in the arms of your aunt, clutching a wooden sheep figurine in his hand that he refuses to let go.

~•~•~

◈ Malkiel (God of Aether, Order, Angels) He/Him)

One of the three Primordials and one of two of the oldest gods. He's the man who housed you and your remaining family in his realm. Your father and aunt often warn you to stay away from him whenever you can.

~•~•~

◈ Radian (God of Void, Bonds, Justice) He/Him)

Your uncle. You don't know much about him, since you rarely ever see him during family gatherings. A mysterious and stoic man, with a heavy weight on his shoulders and of few words.

~•~•~

◈ Blair (Goddess of Death, Grief, Funerals) She/Her)

You're not expecting to nor know that you have a grandaunt, and she's not the kind of woman you expect her to be.

[theycallmeratt]

Writer Interview

Tagged by the fantastic @beesht, @commander-krios, and @coreene!

(just realized I forgot to tag people ummmm @lolliputian, @aviatorasharak @bloobluebloo)

When did you start writing?

So long ago that I no longer recall when it was. I also like arranging and playing with words. It's a crutch for me; my brain often feels aimless and chaotic. Writing lets me lock down my thoughts so I can quit chasing them.Expressing myself face-to-face has always been a struggle; I hide behind screens, sunglasses and masks. I'm happiest when people don't know what I look or sound like, and writing is the easiest way to talk with people without my physical-ness getting in the way.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

Love horror, adore it. I'm not super great at writing it (yet!).

I also love heists. I keep trying to write a heist. It is not going well.

Finally, I love mythologies and folklore. I'm currently really into American Indigenous (specifically Inuit and I just got a book on Latin American mythologies) and Middle Eastern (specifically Iranian). Or, at least what I can find in English, from a reputable source. I would love to write about characters from these (Esfandiyār! Sedna!) but I'm a white American who is neither a part of those cultures nor educated enough to treat the subject with the respect it deserves.

But I will talk about them and encourage other people to learn because they're very cool.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Haha, I specifically don't read while I'm writing so I don't emulate anyone, but creativity doesn't happen in a vacuum so..

My writing style and content were influenced by the authors I grew up on: KA Applegate, Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Brooks, Sergio Lukyanenko, Neil Gaiman, Francesca Lia Blake, Anne Bishop, Terry Goodkind, Arthur C Clarke, Laurel K Hamilton. Some of those authors I was far too young to read, a lot I don't read or like anymore, but they definitely shaped my fascination with urban fantasy, people living normal lives in weird worlds, people finding the weird in normal worlds, horror and humor and how they fit together, how both are most effective when they're just reality taken slightly off-kilter, and how small any single person's perspective is.

I've also been on Tumblr for about a billion years and have the Tumblr/millennial accent and I'm too tired to change it. 

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

On my phone, swipe keyboard, usually while commuting or waiting in line or standing over the stove or late at night when I can't sleep. Writing isn't a priority in my life right now, so I squeeze it into all the empty spaces.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

I wrote about this here under "recharging when I'm not feeling creative" and here under "where do you get inspiration", but short answer is taking a complete break from creating anything, slogging through whatever is blocking me or interacting with my community.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Shifting identities and what defines a person. I was raised on the idea that the "soul" is a person's core unifying self. I'm fascinated by this concept because if you take away "soul" as an easy answer, then what is a person? What makes me the same person as who I was twenty years ago? As me, age 2 months? If I lost all my memories, am I still me? What if I only lose one thing, like my driving force, or a fundamental belief, or if I recover from trauma or receive treatment for a chronic condition? What if I was uploaded into a machine? 

Anyway, I'm rambling, but I think I probably assign my identity to experience: memory, skills, hobbies, achievements and failures, and those are the concepts I've been exploring a lot.

What is your reason for writing?

I get itchy otherwise.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

I like knowing the exact parts people like, so whenever anyone quotes part of a fic, I get excited. I also love hearing people's theories or if they noticed any Easter eggs or references. My writing is so self indulgent sometimes and meeting people who also like it feels like meeting people who would like me? (That sounds really pathetic haha but I'm leaving it because it's honest).

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Funny! And hopefully a bit creative. 

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Finishing a piece before I publish it, I guess. Writers have a right to bail on a piece for whatever reason, even for no reason. Writers have a right to publish incomplete work. But, personally, I'm a little proud that I put out completed pieces. 

I also try to write in a way that's uncomplicated. I avoid using oversized words, complex sentences, too many pronouns or vague references. Keep things simple, you know? I want to write things that people can read when they're distracted, or only have time for a few paragraphs, or if they aren't great readers.

Usually when I'm reading my head is already fried and I don't have the time or spoons to get assaulted by a thesaurus.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I'm only influenced if I'm doing a piece for someone, or if I know a specific person will read it and I want to make them smile. Beyond that, it's all for me :)

How do you feel about your own writing?

It's a little trite, but that's okay. I love happy endings, so I aim for that. I also love the bizarre, absurd and ridiculous.

I do overuse this sentence format, where it's two clauses together. I'd like to fix that. And like all my paragraphs are three sentences, gross.

Anyway, I like it overall.

[imaginary-regret-608]

[Maryverse] - My Take on the Timeline, A 2-for-1 Universe and Magical Marys

Before I actually begin with what's been described in the title of the post, I wanted to give context for what I'm planning to do, as well as the project which I'm doing this for (as this is something that I've never done before, both and being Non-Undertale/Deltarune content).

Maryverse is a project that I'd recently talked about in my most recent Artfight-Based Post, where I'd given context for the currently-known plot 'where the three members of 'Catgirl at Heart' (Mary Rosemary, Sasha Tones and Skylar McMilliwood) have to compete against bands of different music genres to play at the Tower of Melodies in the middle of Kitty City!'

This theory originally began after I had made my Artfight attack for @marnielovesyouu on Artfight.

While working on the attack, I had found that the Main Character of the project, Mary Rosemary, was originally only described as an unnamed 'sona' with this image as the first example of what she looks like:

I suggested about how the Current Design of Marnie's sona was an AU Version of Mary, with the two versions being seen interacting with eachother in two separate times, and the unnamed Mary (who I've been referring to as 'Surrealist' because of how her Reference Sheet is presented, as well as something later explained) being the source of eventually having the two separate versions. 'Surrealist' does have her place within the timeline that I was able to make.

Because the title to this post is longer than most other, I would reccomend abbreviation to 'Choker Theory', as it was the differences in (including designs which had returned in the later stages of Mary's life) and using to make assumptions for when and what would be happening during those times.

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The youngest we've seen of Mary is at 10 years old as one of ‘the wee ones’, where Mary and Skylar were confirmed to know eachother as childhood ‘best friends forever’. Mary at this age has been described as sounding similar to Sheldon Cooper, or Milhouse Van Houten as an alternative suggestion from an Anonymous Ask.

The usual purple accent in Mary's hair was red during this time (which caused the nickname of ‘Bloody Mary’ after a dyeing incident that was later solved by Skylar's Parents), as this was also the time when Mary had chosen to announce her transition to her parents, Laurel and Valentina. The change from her Currently-Unrevealed Deadname from to Mary could also potentially be symbolized by the accents changing from red to pink.

Mary's school life isn't very well-known, other than it's at a time when she still wore regular, red glasses and had a triangular hairpin. It's also where she begins dating Skylar and first meets Sasha in Highschool, as well as going to a Digigirl convention known as ‘PIXICON’ (who Marnie ‘replaced’ with Starlite meaning that it's now probably a Space Girls-Themed Convention instead).

I've recently been thinking of Mary's Highschool having ‘Hairball High’ as a Headcanon Name to fit in with the other cat-based areas seen in Kitty City, and that it's where she would often play Peggle on the school computers (referencing the ‘evil bjorn’ art posted to marnielovesyouu's Tumblr Account on July 2nd of 2024 with Mary riding on top of Bjorn as he shoots lasers from his eyes), although ‘KAT COLLEGE’ is already something that exists separately. This time could also be when Mary learns more about Creepypastas and discovering the alternative meaning to her younger self's ‘Bloody Mary’ nickname, but that is another Headcanon Suggestion that I'd made (although it is somewhat based on an older idea from marnielovesyouu before ‘the wee ones’ had been designed about Mary being a creepypasta kid).

Her time at KAT COLLEGE has mostly been focused on developing plot points, with Skylar meeting Brittany, Coral and Megan, who turned Skylar against Mary for her being uncomfortably ‘weird and quirky’ when compared to who Skylar could be spending her time with. This time in Mary's life is when I imagine Mary first heard about Kitty City's Gay Bar, which currently doesn't have a canon name, but I've thought of it either being known as ‘The Purrdy Lady’ or ‘Catfight Corner’. She wouldn't reintroduce herself to Sasha at this point as he wouldn't be seen there yet, but Mary is there to take her mind off of Skylar's new “friends” after everything said by them about Mary had pissed her off (which is also based on Mary's recently-decided rule of how ‘she gets one piss per episode’).

Mary begins her job at a Hot Topic-Inspired Shop (which currently doesn't have a final name decided for it by Marnie) soon after leaving KAT COLLEGE, putting her people-pleasing tendencies to the unfortunate retail test, and it's where the idea for Catgirl at Heart is first thought of as a one man band. This would be where the name of 'Surrealist' would first be considered, with it being planned as a stage name for Mary to use during solo acts.

Although she eventually prioritizes lyric writing and being the band's guitarist/singer in present day, she's also shown to have experience with a microphone from when Mary can be seen holding one in the ‘All sold out? I have an idea!’ post from January 2nd, 2024 as she was simultaneously taking her shirt off (which was suggested through an Anonymeous Ask based on the tags of an earlier post which said about how ‘Apparently she wears a shirt sometimes’ from December 29th of 2023 where ‘She should take it off’ and ’what who said that’), as well as playing the piano and keyboard as other instruments, from what is later revealed from a sketch of her room, which is also possibly the case that ‘Surrealist’ is carrying on the second piece of art of her from June 15th of 2021. Because it has the keyboard inside that has only ever been seen inside Mary's room with her current design, it's likely that the keyboard is the primary instrument used to make covers of Video Game SoundTracks.

However, after an overwhelming day of work and many crumpled pieces of paper later, Mary revisits the Gay Bar. And two seats along, likely two seats down and leaning on her elbow for the additional coolness factor, was Sasha Tones. Mary was quick to fall in multiple contexts, making an ass of herself as she clumsily lands on her face. It took multiple visits, minor accommodation and bite-sized interactions, but Sasha was eventually the one to make it official as Mary's BoyGirlfriend and behind-the-scenes guy for Catgirl at Heart (which Mary had forgotten to specify because of her moments of infodumping across various niche topics).

After Catgirl at Heart is formed as the one man band it was initially planned to be, Mary eventually receives her first fanart. It's a simple sketch of herself being seen leaving hearts around her, but with more emphasis on the ‘catgirl’ element of herself when performing. Likely because of the band's name, Mary had also been given a visible fang, as well as cat ears and a tail. But what really brought everything together in a bundle of emotion and felicity was the message attached, with ‘I 🤍 U’ written in the upper-left corner of the page. This is why she was making music. Not just for herself, but for others also.

After seeing this, Mary is quick to tell Sasha about it, which eventually has the idea of Sasha possibly joining Catgirl at Heart as more than just a behind-the-scenes guy. Although I'm not exactly sure how Mary and Sasha would be written because of the differences between my Writing Style and marnielovesyouu's, but I think that the idea of Sasha becoming the drummer would be described through how fitting it would be to what he has already presented herself doing as a biker and professionally chilled-out badass. But with a surprising opposite to how their dynamic was in the bar scene, it was Mary mentioning how good it would feel to see the two being drawn together that had settled it. After that conversation, flattery finds its drummer, if flattery's name was Catgirl at Heart.

Mary has been confirmed to keep every fanmade present that she's ever been given, which is why I think that she could also later embody these details from her first fanart, and will let her known silliness shine at times to make her guitar cable look like a cat's tail.

Finally, although they have the least information available for them, there have been two future versions of Mary, which are a 22-Year-Old Future AU Version and ‘grandma Mary’. The Future AU Mary may not be canon, as marnielovesyouu has said that she will likely remain 20 after Marnie herself turns 20 (which she already has, and the was very impressive Fanart seen as a result of it!) because she doesn't want ro be ‘drawing grandma Mary on my deathbed’, but the idea of her ageing further is still a possibility.

22-Year-Old/Future AU Mary is the only one of the two being mentioned in this segment to have a design, which uses the second choker design from when Mary was only known by ‘Surrealist’ (which would've been after thinking of Catgirl at Heart based on My Take of the Timeline), as well a Jacket Design similar to Mary's from when marnielovesyouu was ‘MarnieSurr’ on Tumblr and Artfight in 2021 but with additional hearts seen across its sleeves.

Although it isn't as timeline-focused as everything else described, ‘grandma Mary’ implies that Mary will eventually have children and grandchildren, meaning that Mary's body is still affected by traits of Alexandria's Genesis (‘Women also do not menstruate, but are fertile’) despite her purple eyes now being caused by contact lenses.

(Anything that hasn't been added to this description is either still quite unclear in regards to its canonicity, something that has definitely been retconned, or ideas likely to be expanded on in the potential Maryverse TV Series, such as how the Battle of the Bands will be presented.)

Everything under the 'Read More' is to marnielovesyouu's other project, Luluverse, which is another one of marnielovesyouu's projects based on Magical Girl animes such as Madoka Magica.

For a smaller, bonus theory, I also thought about the possibility of Luluverse and Maryverse being connected to eachother. Lulu has been shown to be a fan of Catgirl at Heart, saying that ‘their music has helped me a lot through some tough times’, even having a picture taken with all three band members. Mary and Lulu have also been seen together in two other posts, which include ‘OC universe…. CROSSOVER!!!’ and ’Lulu meets her favorite artist’, with Lulu even being seen wearing Catgirl at Heart merchandise.

Both also have forests that relate to the story of the Main Cast before a transformation (Mary and Skylar used to play in the forest when they were younger at a similar time to when Mary announced her transition, and Lulu finds Jam Packet at an abandoned house in The Dead Forest before her hair becomes ‘spikified’).

There isn't as much to this theory when compared to My Take on the Maryverse Timeline (as that was what the focus of this post was meant to be with other ideas coming from the Timeline Take when researching these projects), unless I planned to expand upon the suggestion of Mary potentially having one of the rarer ‘ancient familiars’ that appear as being closer to animals in nature, such as the white ‘Birdy Birdy’ that Mary is seen calling over to her through whistling. that the jacket often worn by Mary is her magical girl outfit (similarly to how Lulu is with Jam Packet), which is also why she leaves hearts wherever she goes.

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I'm not sure whether Maryverse and Luluverse have hand anything similar to this made for them, and I've never done this type of content before, so I hope that you liked My Take on the events that have been publicly-revealed so far!

Even though it was nearly a week before everything to be final, I did enjoy getting to work on this and my previous Artfight attack and I hope that more people will be able to interact with you and your work, even if it was through a series of Anonymous Asks like I did!

Maryverse, Luluverse and all art by @marnielovesyouu

Choker Theory by @imaginary-regret-608

[technovillain]

really curious about your ideas for the Truman mind DLC, care to share- you said you had wall of text and phone, and we always love to see those pour out- as alas we cannot dive into minds (yet).

Several people have asked for my wall of text now so I must oblige!!! I'll clean up my phone memo stuff a little bit for you all :] Here we go:

TRUMAN'S TOPIARY:

A twisting garden theme with a notably busy vibe. Lots of little mental workers ( the Trumen ) hard at work trimming all the tiny branches. Multi-tiered hedge maze setup that plays with different types of plants throughout, including different people from his life represented as different types of plants.

You start out in an endless grassy field with a giant topiary tree in it there are green needle weeds at the base of one side. A few censors and regrets burst out around this area to fight. As you approach the tree you can climb up it, and there are carvings in the wood akin to Truman's tattoos (I am a Truman cool hidden tattoos truther okay).

The first level is absolutely crawling with Trumen, little garden-gnome-esque Truman guys who would prune the trees in a very calculated manner....normally. Right now they are crazy busy at work pruning thousands of little gristol heads out of the woodwork...nasty bodysnatching side effects. There is a hub in this area with a big brainlike water feature reminiscent of the original motherlobe design. Warm dappled green lighting everywhere. 

Truman will talk to you inside his mind, like Sasha and Milla do. But he isn't so much present as just himself but rather sort of the whole tree is him in a way?? Or maybe just a certain part of the tree he is visible and speaks to you. The leaves around you can part and open and blink like his eyes. The ground rumbles a little when he talks and shakes a lot when he laughs or shouts.

There is an area full of flowers for Lili, and a lily flower version of Lili. His representation of her makes it entirely clear that she is an absolute ray of sunshine in his life. This area is somewhat reminiscent of a kid's bedroom mixed with a flower garden....something something flower bed.

There is a secondary area above the main hub where you can find Hollis (as well as a few other agents) as plant characters. This area covers his relationship with her and the other agents and also how he feels about the current state of the Psychonauts.

There is the Truman part of the Truman Tree at the top and that's where you learn more about him and you can hear all his thoughts. This is where you see how he really works. The Trumen are kind of like harmless censors in a way. As you observe them you realize they have a bit of a "hiding what the vibe really is" thing going on as they overwater, overprune, and overwork themselves. In this room is an access point to the main trunk piece of the Truman Tree. You can go inside and slide down it to the root system.

The roots area allows you to see a bit into Truman's past and this is where you see his relationships to Bob and Laurel (his mother). The main problem here is Bob being essentially buried alive. Thats what's causing the crazy weeds on the surface and all the strife in his head is his really shitty relationship with Bob and the heavy regrets he has about how he left things with him and feeling responsible for Bob's rapid decline.

We see that he can make a clean break, although it splinters pretty heavily with Delphine's area of the tree being pruned away, with Delphine connections being left mostly through the Lili section of the brain. [Memory vault in a part of the Lili section that goes through the rise and fall of their relationship quickly]

Anyways the root system shows us a memory vault of Truman's memories with his mother Laurel, with the last one implying her death from cancer. The physical version of Laurel is her as some sort of plant that has been closed in a book. Reminiscent of both a coffin and also the fond memory that goes along with a plant pressing. What book it is might be relevant in some way...haven't decided yet

The other part of the root system is Bob. The Bob, who is a very thorny cactus man in a closed in glass planter. It is cracked and the thorny weeds are breaking through it and up to the surface but no light comes in.

.... I honestly haven't thought a whole lot about gameplay mechanics other than that it relies heavily on Herbaphony, the new power that Truman teaches you. Levitation and mental connection doesn't really do anything for getting around in this level.

Herbaphony has two primary features and functions pretty similarly to mental connection. In a non combat setting it helps you get around into new areas. Using herbaphony on hotspots grows purple vines around them. Growing lots of vines next to each other connects them and you can climb up them. In combat, you can grow vines around enemies and the plants sap their energy and gives it to you.

[fountainpenguin]

Repeat

13, 9, 15, 11, 5

I hope it's not too many. Repeat is my favorite fic of yours so I might have gotten a little bit carried away.

Thanks for asking! I'm glad you enjoy that one.

[Current Ask game]

130 Prompts #70 - Repeat - Read on AO3

#ridspoilers

Also contains massive Fairly OddParents show spoilers, but it's been 12 years since "Timmy's Secret Wish" so. y'know.

---

13 - What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn't listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

I rarely listen to music while I write; I find it too distracting. If I do listen, then I listen to one song on repeat, and I usually have to already have listened to that song a few dozen times before I start writing something, so it's tuned out, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a song anyway.

However, I might put the song on while I cook or clean. Even if I don't listen to one during the writing process, when I post a chapter announcement on Tumblr, I like including lyrics from a song I associate with a piece.

One scene in "Repeat" depicts Cosmo's failed attempt to take a child under his wing. Jorgen interfered and swept the child off- a nod to Jorgen's future attempt to rip Poof himself away in the episode "Fairly Odd Baby."

"Repeat" is full of moments where Cosmo reflects on all the times things have been taken from him - including the memories he personally scrambled with his magic just so Jorgen couldn't take them from him first - and how he empathizes deeply with Timmy's fears of having his godparents ripped away.

This leads us to the final scene of this piece, where Cosmo grants Timmy's wish to freeze time, à la the episode "Timmy's Secret Wish".

The songs I associate most with "Repeat" are "Satisfied" and "Congratulations," both from Hamilton. These are not 1:1 plot matches, but I feel like the core themes are there (like memories, regret, sacrifice, and never feeling satisfied with what you have).

Specifically, I like to imagine that if Cosmo could go back in time, he'd warn his younger self that he'd never be satisfied if he tries to push too hard or "cut corners." Be patient, live for yourself, and let things happen when they will. Don't spend unnecessary centuries pining over someone at the expense of your own health and interests.

The line "I'd say 'I'm fine' (She'd be lying)" is a good fit here... Also, "Satisfied" doesn't just reflect Cosmo's fixation on memories in this piece, but it also fits Timmy's fear of letting go.

I LOVE "Timmy's Secret Wish" as an episode and how it paints Timmy as this abused, desperate kid who clings so hard to security and safety, he chooses to sacrifice the world and his chance at personal growth just to cling on a little longer. And he knows NOW that it was wrong, but back then he was just... scared. Timmy is such a character who's full of hope and desperation...

Anyway, "At least I keep his eyes in my life" is a great line for him here. Like, yeah- bro might've successfully frozen time for 50 years, but have you considered that I love him?

No matter how many times he wins Fairy World's favor, Timmy will never be satisfied with his laurels when there's always that threat that when he turns 18, he loses Cosmo and Wanda for good. Timmy is a good, good kid. But he'll never be satisfied with what little time he has left when Jorgen is forever taunting him.

[Cnt'd under the cut]

Cosmo's friendship with Blonda is one of my favorites in my work, even though "the main cast" aren't usually my focus, so it's not that obvious. In Frayed Knots, however, Blonda teeters back and forth trying to emotionally support both Cosmo and Anti-Cosmo, not to mention Wanda and herself on top of that - during high school and then an interspecies war - and I think it's funny. She has it rough.

"Congratulations" could either be Blonda and Cosmo having an argument, but it could also be Cosmo berating himself for some of his past secrets, and telling himself that no matter what, even if things get hard for him, he "owes it to Wanda" to do his best. Cosmo has a tendency to push himself, constantly trying to "make up for his past" and refusing to "burden others" by asking for help. He deflects a lot, but these two songs cut right to his core.

9 - Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

I think "Repeat" has the most alt versions of any 'fic I've ever written. I struggled a lot with deciding whether Cosmo, Poof, or Foop was the most fitting POV character in this one. There are several cut scenes (including the scene where Poof breaks his arm at the saucerbee field). In the end, I cut a lot and stuck with Cosmo as our POV character with just small Poof snippets.

I have a lot of scraps that depict Poof and Foop racing back in time to stop Cosmo from ever buying the car that Poof crashed in the first place.

I think that would have been a fun plot to follow, but every attempt I made at it just dragged things out and felt like it was getting farther from the core idea of "Cosmo's past" / "Cosmo's secrets." It also started tangling extra worldbuilding and plot points into this, and I just didn't like what was happening to my one-shot.

tl;dr - Overall, it just felt clunky, so I cut all of that out. But here's one of the scrapped scenes from this one:

“This is so illegal, this is so illegal,” Foop chanted as he and Poof raced through the timestream corridor. “Hey, you agreed,” Poof fired back at him. “If it’s so illegal, why do the Council let you keep timekeys on hand anyway?” “I stole them from my mom when she fell asleep watching the telly with me!” Foop threw his hands into the air, still clutching his keyring in one of them. “They’re silver-level keys anyway. We can only interfere with certain dates, certain places. If the Fairy Council have put anything stronger than a silver lock on the day we want, then I can’t help you. Are you sure it’s _[date]?” Poof couldn’t help but scoff at that. “Yeah, he’s only told me like a million times.”  Foop sniffed. “I just want you to realize that the only reason I’m accompanying you is to ensure you don’t do something peanut-brained in the past that will wipe us both out of existence. I have a limited supply of timekeys, so no detours. Poof? Are we clear?” “I suppose it doesn’t have to be the same date he got the car,” Poof mused, slowing his wingbeats. Up ahead, the hallway broke into eight paths in a cross like a wagon wheel. “Any of these dates will do. We could smash it or something.” “Are you listening to me?” “Huh? Oh, sure. No detours, got it.” Poof took another step down the hall, pointing to a to where it split ahead. “Foop, check it out. That one on the left there is glowing.” Foop frowned. He placed a hand to his wand. “So it is. Let’s stay far away from it.” “We should at least take a look.” Poof crept towards the crossroads, with Foop grumbling to himself behind him. The leftmost tunnel continued to glow white. As they neared it, Poof slowed. “Wait. I can sense someone down there.” “Charming,” was his counterpart’s dry comment. Poof tasted the scents in the air. “It’s a pixie.” “A pixie,” Foop repeated, wrinkling his nose. His ears went flat. His voice slipped into a whisper. “Wait. What time period is he from?” Poof whispered back, “I dunno. Does it matter?” “If he entered the timestream corridor after the Aspen Agreement between the Pixies and the Anti-Fairies was signed, then yes, that matters to me.” Foop leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “What’s he doing? Can you sense that?” “Maybe… He’s right at the edge of my range. Hang on a sec.” Poof closed his eyes and leaned a little closer. He tongued the tip of his nose. “I… can’t tell.” He could, however, tell when Foop rolled his eyes. “I thought you were majoring in long-distance essential sensories.” “I’m undeclared.” Poof cupped his hands around his ears. “Huh. Weird. I can’t get through the field. There’s some kind of ripple or something around him.” “Oh, goody. That’s not horrifying.” “Yeah, well, whatever that bubble shield thing around him is, it’s not letting me lock onto his magic any further than letting me know he’s a pixie. Should we risk peeking around the corner? He’s about halfway down the hall. I think he’s facing the other way.” “Try harder. And don’t let him sense you back” Poof shifted his weight between his wings. “I don’t think ‘trying harder’ will solve anything. I am trying. Do you see my eyes glowing yet? Listen, I just plain don’t have enough power to break through. Must be a more dominant gyne. Do you want to give me a little more juice and see if we can pierce that aura he’s got?” Foop smacked him (lightly) on the cheek with the back of his hand. “I’d be feeding you your own magic, snazzlebrain.” Poof shoved Foop away with his hand and turned to stare at the glowing hallway. “Maybe he can help us.” “You know what? He might. Or, maybe he’ll pat us up for timekeys, rob us blind, and leave us to spend the next couple of centuries wandering the time corridor until someone gets us out.” Foop tugged on his sleeve. “So let’s go.”

15 - What did you learn from writing this fic?

I think one of the most important things I learned was to make my endings and/or my dramatic moments more clear. I remember people thought Cosmo died at the end of this one. He doesn't (Just exhausted from using magic so he collapses), but I like the ending the way it is, so I didn't want to mess with it too much.

I'm proud of myself for choosing (correctly, I think) to cut all the things I did. This piece needed to be able to stand alone without all those other plot points hanging off it.

I did get feedback that this style of moving between the present and the past was confusing even with the divider lines, so I don't think I'll do such a heavy flashback piece again, but I do like how it worked out here. Cosmo is a character with a foggy mind in canon and I like the way I portrayed him drifting in and out of his memories.

There are also moments in this story that come from other one-shots I had. I wanted to do a whole 'fic about postpartum depression Cosmo, but it was really a downer and wasn't going anywhere. It starts with the line "He lied when Wanda asked if the baby had started kicking yet," which I incorporated into a flashback of this piece. I think I made the right choice in combining it here, when there would be fluffy moments to balance it out.

I do personally headcanon Cosmo with postpartum depression and I might write something for it specifically, but I'm happy with how this worked. I really like the moment where Wanda asks Cosmo why he's worried the baby won't like him and Cosmo says "Wanda, I don't even like me." It's one of my core ideas for Cosmo and I like it.

11 - What do you like best about this fic?

I think I did a good job writing Cosmo's voice. He is a very difficult character to capture, especially since this piece was one of my first times writing him (and I think my first from his POV?) but I'm happy with how I did it.

I love the subtle hints throughout this piece that time hasn't been frozen (Yet), and that Timmy is older and moving on. I like how upset Foop gets when Cosmo wants to go back and freeze time... He's my little paperwork prince.

I enjoy Dusty's characterization. He's a mini Cosmo with his "Yay, bottomless breakfast!" during the pancakes scene and I think he's great. I enjoy Cosmo charming Jorgen into leaving Foop alone to go do something else, which is a nod to how skillfully Cosmo distracts Jorgen in "Abracatastrophe" by confidently telling Jorgen he needs to "scramble the fairies."

I like the subtle inclusion of Sparky. He's not being annoying or in the way (Just resting in the garden), but he has a nice place to live and he still has his funky personality.

5 - What part was hardest to write?

I would say that the hardest thing about writing "Repeat" was trying to figure out what it was about and what needed to be cut. There were so many directions this could have gone, several different POVs, and several plot points. I really had to cut a lot.

I think the piece also struggles with not having Cosmo backstory context (because we haven't gotten there yet in Frayed Knots), but I still think it's effective for this story. Cosmo's backstory is marked with secrets. The reader isn't privy to the details because he doesn't want anyone to know exactly what happened in his younger years.

Trying to strike that balance of giving that impression without totally frustrating readers is difficult. I think I did okay, although I wish I were closer to revealing stuff in Knots.

I hope to write a lot more for Origin and Knots in 2024. I'd love to finish them both by next December, but that probably won't happen, so hopefully we'll get close, at least. Then my Cosmo backstory shall be revealed...

Thanks for your interest!

[Current Ask game]

[tipsycad147]

Moon Phases and Their Magical Meanings

The moon has long been an integral part of many pagan practices. Balanced by the male energy of the sun, the moon can be seen as a representation of the divine feminine. As it goes through its phases it can represent a cycle of rebirth just like the wheel of the year (this is a common theme, and with good reason, as it’s a common theme of our lives as humans as well!) However, each of the moon’s phases has its unique meaning and can be used for different kinds of magic. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at each of the unique moon phases and how you can use various times of the month to help guide or power your magical life. We’ll also go over a few of the different correspondences for the moon in each of its phases as we work our way through the cycle of the moon from the new moon all the way through to the full moon. 

General Moon Correspondences 

In general, the moon is considered the astrological body that is associated with the divine feminine. Like the cauldron, we can see the moon as a representation of the womb, fertility, and the cycle of life. Indeed, just as the cycle of the seasons can be seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. So too can the cycle of the moon. 

As one of the planets, the moon has a connection with the element of water. While gold is associated with the masculine sun, we find that silver is associated with the feminine moon. Herbs and plants associated with the moon include Blackberry, Gardenia, Jasmine, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Rosemary, and Sandalwood. Gemstones associated with the moon include Angelite, Calcite, Moonstone, Opal, Quartz, Selenite, and Turquoise. 

Many female deities have an association with the moon, including Aine, Ariadne, Artemis, Bendis, Cerridwen, Coyolxauhqui, Diana, Freya, Hecate, Heng-O, Isis, Ix Chel, Juno, Mawu, Persephone, Rhiannon, and Selene (Luna to the Romans). However, there are also some male deities associated with the moon such as Khonsu and Thoth from the Egyptian pantheon or Su-En from the Mesopotamian pantheon. Japan also has Tsuki-Yomi, a Shinto moon god.

The moon has an association with fairies and mermaids in some cultures. In addition, the lunar cycle is also believed to be associated with the Norns from Norse mythology, which makes it a great time for divination, self-reflection, and growth.  

Photo by nousnou iwasakion

The New Moon 

Deities: Artemis, Cerridwen, Diana, Hina, the Morrigan, Selene (Luna)   

Chakras: Crown, Heart 

Color: Black, White 

Plants: Basil, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Cloves, Hyssop, Mugwort, Myrrh, Sage, Vervain 

Gemstones: Aquamarine, Black Obsidian, Black tourmaline, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Selenite, Smoky Quartz

Animals: Hawk, Tiger, Dragon 

The new moon is considered the first phase of the moon cycle. This is the period of the month when the moon is only just visible in the sky (although sometimes it won’t be visible at all). It might be a tiny crescent or just a shadow depending on what day of the moon cycle it currently is. 

This moon phase can be thought of as the womb of creation (and not just of life, but also things like ideas, inspiration, wealth, etc). It is a time to work on things that you want to bring into your life. Perhaps you are looking for a new job or a new relationship. This phase of the moon is a great time to start any spell work for that. It’s also a great time to work on things such as optimism, creativity, self-work, psychic abilities, and wisdom. 

Photo by Dean Hayton

The Waxing Moon 

Deities: Artemis, Aine, Diana, Hina, Ishtar, Juno, Sadarnuna, Selene (Luna), Yemanya 

Chakras: Solar Plexus, Sacral 

Plants: Laurel, Nettle, Rose Hips, Peppermint

Gemstones: Ammonite, Carnelian, Citrine, Garnet, Jasper, Malachite, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Tiger’s Eye

The waxing moon phase is the period of the lunar cycle when the moon appears to be growing in the sky. It is the time when the moon goes from being practically invisible to being almost fully present and visible in the night sky. 

Just like the growing visibility of the moon, we can think of this moon phase as a great time to work on things we want to increase in our lives. It’s also a great time for attraction, luck, and abundance spells or anything that you want to draw to you. This could be in your personal life, spiritual life, or in business matters.  

Photo by Ganapathy Kumar

The Full Moon 

Deities: Artemis, Arianrhod, Selene (Luna), Rhiannon

Chakras:  Heart, Root

Color: Gold, Green, Red, Silver, White, 

Plants: Cedar, Sandalwood

Gemstones: Celestine, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Moonstone, Opal, Selenite, 

Animals: Cow, Hare, Peacock, Wolf

The full moon is the period ( usually about three days ) when the moon is completely visible in the night sky. Sometimes pagans refer to this phase as an esbat and treat each one as a special day in the pagan calendar. 

The night of the full moon (as well as the day before and the day after for some pagans) is believed to be a time of amplified power. Some choose to save all of their spells to do on the night of the full moon. Others only save the spells that need a little extra oomph for this night. Either way, it’s a great time to do magic of all kinds. However, it’s especially powerful when it comes to healing and transformations. 

n general terms, the full moon can be used for all different kinds of magick. However, each of the monthly full moons has a slightly different significance and particular workings that may do better than in other months.

You can plan out your spell work to use the monthly full moon in a specific way by focusing on the aspects of a particular month or you can simply focus on the fact that the full moon amplifies power to do spells as you need to do them. There is not really any right or wrong way here (although I’m sure there are at least a few out there who disagree with me). 

January (The Wolf Moon) – Great for healing spells, money spells, and spells for new beginnings 

February (The Snow Moon) – This moon is a good time for spells surrounding fertility and empowerment. It’s also a great moon for working in the astral. 

March (The Worm Moon) – The third full moon of the year is a great time for working on spells that focus on prosperity and success. 

April (The Pink Moon) – This moon that sees spring in full bloom is a wonderful time for fertility spells as well as those for growth. This could be personal growth, growth of spiritual powers, growth of a business, and so forth 

May (The Flower Moon) – This moon is a great time for self-reflection and introspection. Spellwork surrounding self-care, spiritual growth, and love of all kinds can be quite effective. 

June (The Strawberry Moon) – This is a moon of abundance. This could be in material things, such as possessions or money. It could also be abundance in terms of better and more meaningful relationships. 

July (The Thunder Moon) – A truly mystical moon, the July full moon is one that empowers things such as dream work and divination. 

August (The Sturgeon Moon) – As we move into fall, we find a full moon that is the perfect time for spell work and rituals surrounding wisdom, prophecy, and animal magick. 

September (The Harvest Moon) – Perhaps the best known of the full moon names, the Harvest moon is a great time to work on confidence, protection, and manifestation. 

October (The Hunter Moon) – This moon, which helps to fully move us into the dark part of the year, is a time when spells for courage, healing, and stability will be most powerful. 

November (The Beaver Moon) – Similar to the Hunter moon from October, the Beaver full moon in November is a great time for healing, hope, and cooperation. 

December (The Cold Moon) – The last full moon of the year is a time that enhances spells focused on love, devotion, and peace.                      

In general, however, the full moon is thought of as a time to work on spells of abundance, empowerment, inspiration, and transformation.  For some, it is also a time of preparation and housekeeping. This could include things such as collecting moon water or charging crystals. 

Photo by Luiz Felipe S. C.

The Waning Moon 

Deities: Cailleach Bheur, Cerridwen, the Morrigan, Rhiannon

Chakras: Third Eye, Throat 

Color: Black, Grey

Plants: Mint, St. John’s Wort

Gemstones: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Black Tourmaline, Bloodstone, Clear Quartz, Kunzite, Obsidian, Smoky Quartz

This is the moon phase where the shadow takes over once again. The moon slowly disappears from the sky as it makes its way back to the new moon, where the cycle will begin again. As you might have been able to guess, this period of the moon cycle is a great time to do magic on things you want to decrease in your life. 

Spells during this moon phase could include things like banishing, ending, purification, release, or renewal. It’s a great time for introspection and really noticing things that aren’t serving you. Once these things are identified, you can do magic to help decrease them and then follow up with the new moon on better habits and beliefs to take the place of those you purge during the waning moon. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading our article on moon phases! I hope it answered any questions you may have on working with the various phases of the moon or that it gives you a few ideas on how you can add a little more magick to your life by following the lunar cycle. 

If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on your favorite moon phase feel free to leave a comment or join our friendly Facebook group where we discuss full moon rituals, mythology, and all kinds of other witchy things! Be sure to join our mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest articles, events, and much more! 

Further Reading: 

Moon Magic: Pagan Portals by Rachel Patterson

Moon Spell Magic: Invocations, Incantations & Lunar Lore for a Happy Life by Cerridwen Greenleaf

Mansions of the Moon for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Lunar Magic by Ann Moura

The Witch’s Moon: A Collection of Lunar Magick and Rituals by Edain McCoy

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 27/11/2023

Electromeme Adventures

Season 3 Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume AI

Ripped by ChickenSuitGuy, Jack the Ripper, Lil Hairline

Man, collabs of this scale just always make me happy. Be it fusion collabs, or just collabs of any sort, or just one ripper having fun - or somewhere between it all like this rip, its hard not to adore rips that just throw all caution to the wind for the sake of maximizing the volume of jokes. Electromeme Adventures is a fantastic celebration of Geometry Dash as a whole, and is easily the game's best rip on the channel.

Though I haven't kept tabs much with the game itself, Geometry Dash always felt like the sort of game that really embraced and rewarded the creativity and dedication of its users with its user-created levels. It feels sort of like the Friday Night Funkin' of the 2010s, if I were to put it one way - and Electromeme Adventures is but one of several thousands fanworks that have kept the game going for so long. The bar of quality is so immensely high given just how talented many of its level creators are, yet ChickenSuitGuy and company matched it with an excellent display of quality. It's such a classic Season 3 rip with jokes like Despacito and Sean Kingston ebbing in and out with jokes from the early days like Soulja Boy and Grand Dad - yet those old jokes never rest on their laurels, and are polished to an absolute sheen. Jokes intersect and blend with one another in absolutely insane ways - the vocals of Beautiful Girls and Boulevard of Broken Dreams will be alternating in harmony with one another, as the instrumental carrying over from 10 seconds prior is built on the drums used in We Are Number One - the amount of layers that joke stack to in Electromeme Adventures is frankly absurd.

Its the kind of rip that, even as I'm sitting here cross-referencing the wiki's list of jokes whilst listening to it in real-time, there are so many small things I'm still only just noticing hidden in the mix. Like, at about a minute in, the vocal sample of MatPat introducing the Game Theory channel seems to at first just be a silly form of beatdrop/transition - but the actual Game Theory intro theme then begins playing quietly in the background, arranged with samples from Scatman's World! None of the jokes are left-field turns or sudden new jokes either, it's a barrage of jokes and themes you're already familiar with yet overlaid with one another in absolute sensory overload.

The appeal of "meme mashup" rips like this such as, say, Memey Hell, does absolutely feel a bit limited in just how dense they are - you've given so little time to actually process a joke or appreciate a harmony before things move on, and I feel like the currently ongoing series of Fusion Collab do a better job letting individual ideas shine for longer. Yet few of those have been looped on my playlist for quite as many times - its impossible for me to listen to Electromeme Adventures just once at a time due purely to how much damn STUFF is crammed into it, and the excellence its all pulled off with. The finishing segment, melody-swapping the backing synth into The Flintstones before switching to Brain Power, really does just close the rip out in the most perfect way possible. Electromeme Adventures is SiIvaGunner operating at FULL Brain Power.

[ksfoxwald]

Fire and Hemlock Readalong: Part 4 Chapter 1

Part Four: Nowhere

We return again to adult Polly, taking stock of her current reality and going about things very methodically in a way I don't see a lot in protagonists, and which I very much admire. Too many writers simply let their heroes go straight for the correct answer, and don't let them dwell on the problem. But of course, Diana is always asking 'how would a real person act in this situation?"

First Polly looks for her photo and her papers. She still has the Fire and Hemlock picture, but not Tom's photo.

We get some more clues from Granny, who as Diana explains in "The Heroic Ideal "Granny takes on the role of Fate and Wisdom quite overtly, shearing fish and explaining the riddle of the ballad of Tam Lin." She tells how every nine years, a funeral comes down from Hunsdon House at Halloween; every 81 years it is a woman, but all other times it is a man.

Polly runs into Nina and Leslie, neither of whom remember her, on her way to see Ivy. Polly is shocked to see that Ivy has transformed physically into Edna, although of course she has been all along. Ivy goes on about happiness again, saying "I'm only asking for what should be mine." To which Polly retorts "Who says it should be yours?" Because Ivy is Laurel, entitled to take what she wants from others, but still left empty from it.

As Polly leaves, Ivy asks where she is going. " 'Nowhere,' Polly replied, not thinking. Hearing herself say it, she gave a cackle of laughter as she hurried out of the house." She really is in search of Nowhere.

She hunts down David Bragge, who is at least able to confirm that she did receive mysterious packages of books during her childhood. Now that she's an adult, she realizes the implications of his over-friendliness and is more cynical than shocked by it.

We learn that in this new timeline, she met Seb when he crashed a party of Fiona's and sought her out immediately; that he "cajoled, bullied, and pleaded with her to get engaged to him"; that she met his parents, to which his father responded "Well, now, this is clever of you, Sebastian!" This is likely the "other way" that he was arguing for at the fair - get Polly under their control by marrying her, which is exactly Laurel's methods.

Seb also fills in a few gaps. "Laurel and my father used to be married before, you see, before my father met my mother." And that his mother died nine years ago.

So now we have a picture of Seb's life. Laurel and Morton are an immortal duo, but Morton leaves her for a mortal woman and has Seb. Laurel retaliates by taking Seb's mother - whose funeral Polly gate-crashed. Or rather, I always assumed the funeral was the whole "immortal periodically fakes their own death" trope, considering Laurel inherited basically everything, and Tom doesn't mention it; but Seb's mother would have been the one who actually died. You almost feel bad for him, thinking what that funeral must have been like from his perspective. How much did Tom know, I wonder?

Anyway, coming back to the themes of Nowhere:

Thomas Lynn, if he had ever existed, had been so separate from her everyday life that it had been an easy thing to slice him out of it - as easy as Granny fllleting plaice for Mintchoc. Except that he had not been separate at all. Almost everything Polly did in those five years went back to Mr. Lynn somehow. The four years after that had been formless and humdrum years. Polly had done things, true, but it had all been without shape, as if she had been filleted away from her own motives and the things which gave her shape.

Even her ordinary ventures like playing soccer (as hero training) and being in the school play (and inviting Tom) have all had strong connections to Tom and Nowhere. Diana brings us once again to the importance of imagination and creation in being a person; because what is a self but an imagined character, a hero, if you will?

With nothing conclusive, Polly goes back to Granny's to pack for college, but Granny, still in her aspect of wisdom, encourages her to keep trying. "If a book set you off, a book may help again," she advises.

[whistlingstarlight]

chia, nutmeg, papyrus :)

chia ⇢ what’s an inside joke you have with someone else?

"I'm going up on the roof" (Part of a quote from a Laurel and Hardy film, usually a joke with my dad)

nutmeg ⇢ how’s your room/home decorated? do you have a specific theme or style going on?

Uhhh currently it's styled like a warehouse! I'm in the process of moving so everything's a bit of a shambles. But when my furniture's all assembled and my things are out, I've got all-white furniture because that makes all my other items "pop" a bit more. I've got a few musical posters and game art prints up, amiibo figures, plushies and model trains on my bookcase and desk shelves, sort of homely but still neat/organised. Looking forward to having it back that way again!

papyrus ⇢ if you put your ‘on repeat’ playlist on shuffle, what’s the first song that comes up? what do you like about it / associate it with?

Motorvatin' by Hanoi Rocks. It's got a good beat to it, it's just a fun feel-good song, and the wordplay in the song name is always a plus

[jubatuslucifer]

—WHO AM I?

I am CERO and my pronouns are THEY/THEM. I am queer as fuck, (probably) neurodivergent, and write everything with my lovely partner Chrysi. I tend to write dark, queer, typically poly romance—fanfiction or otherwise. This blog does contain dark themes and will not be spoiler free for any fandom I am currently in. I love creating new characters, twisting canon to suit my purpose, and fleshing out background characters. I am excited to be sharing my writing with you all!

—WHAT AM I WRITING?

BAD MOON Harry Potter | Canon Divergent, Lightning Era The monster always dies in the end. Laurel refuses to give them the satisfaction. GLASS HOUSES Harry Potter | Canon Divergent, Marauders' Era Solomon Prince has been the thorn in Artemisia Nott's side for six years. Seventh Year doesn't promise to be any different. YOU & I (BOTH KNOW THIS ENDS IN BLOOD) Good Girls | Canon Divergent, OC-Insert When Elizabeth Marks is finally old enough to comprehend that she’s been reincarnated, she’s six years old and witnessing her dad smack her mom across the face. She doesn’t scream. She doesn’t cry. She just runs to her room and hides in her closet until her dad’s rage passes. Violence is normal for Beth Marks. It was normal for Evie Nash too. CURATIVE Harry Potter | Canon Divergent, Marauders' Era One accident and Beth's life is altered permanently. Her father's attempts to find a cure come at a cost, and Beth isn't sure she can bear to pay it. HEARTPRINTS Teen Wolf | Canon Divergent, Soulmate AU, OC-Insert Heartprints tell the story of the soul. Stiles would prefer to write her own.

—WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?

about ● navigation ● wips ● archiveofourown

updated ● 10/03/2024

[lonesomedotmp3]

2 and 14 for end of the year ask?

ty for the ask!!

2- Album of the year?

god you guys love music huh. so real!! i am struggling for any more current releases though... and what beats laurel hell anyway! i'll just say a song instead ig <3 remember what a colossal slay vegas by doja cat was? truly THEE sound of the fucking summer god bless 🫶

14- Favourite book you read this year?

GIOVANNI'S ROOM. ONE DAY I'LL WEEP FOR THIS. ONE DAY I'LL START TO CRY!!!! crazy INSANE book someone in my class was like yeah i didn't finish it it was boring i was like no YOUR boring... there's a guardian article (i think) that called it 'an antidote to shame' which has always stuck with me. it's true it is!!! i also really liked carmen maria machado's her body and other parties (i have ONE story left. so i'm not done. but i'm recommending it anyway) but particularly her especially heinous short story which is just so unbelievably compelling and despite the heavy themes was just a fucking blast. And i'll come back to you once i've read like ten more books before the new year (<- DELUSIONAL)

[wertheyouth-blog]

Hello Tumblr! Back from 2010-2018 we had a project called We Are the Yourh, photographing and interviewing LGBTQ youth in the United States, and the Tumblr community helped share the stories.

Now we’re back, a d We Are the Youth 2.0 is getting off the ground, we wanted to intro ourselves and give a little background on the project.

Over the years, we travelled to many states, published a book (TY @cameronrussell!) showed our work in museums and galleries and most importantly met hundreds of incredible queer folks who changed the way we think about so many things. We’re so excited to explore new queer stories / themes / intersections in 2022!

Laurel Golio is a photographer and visual anthropologist. Her work revolves around the examination of community and its various subcultures, with a focus on using portraiture to investigate issues of self-presentation and identity.

Diana Scholl is a writer and digital strategist who is interested in exploring the ways that the internet connects communities and encourages social change. She currently works at Google as a creative strategist and has worked for YouTube and the American Civil Liberties Union

📸 @caitoppermann / @yael_malka

[ebelal56-blog]

Desire for Success: Elon Musk's Innovation

Elon Musk, the name that has become synonymous with innovation, ambition, and controversy in the business world. From his humble beginnings in South Africa to his current status as one of the most influential figures in the tech industry, Musk's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1971, Musk showed an early interest in technology and entrepreneurship. At the age of 12, he sold his first video game, a space-themed shooter called Blastar, for $500. This early success foreshadowed Musk's future as a serial entrepreneur. After studying physics and economics at the University of Pennsylvania, Musk moved to California to pursue a Ph.D. in energy physics at Stanford University. However, he dropped out after just two days to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. In 1995, Musk co-founded Zip2, a software company that provided business directories and maps to newspapers. The company was eventually sold to Compaq for $307 million, netting Musk a substantial profit. With his newfound wealth, Musk went on to co-found X.com, an online payment company that would later become PayPal. In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion, making Musk even richer. But Musk was not content to rest on his laurels. In 2002, he founded SpaceX, a private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel and eventually colonizing Mars. Despite facing numerous setbacks and near-bankruptcy in the early years, SpaceX eventually became a major player in the aerospace industry. In 2008, SpaceX became the first privately-funded company to successfully launch a rocket into orbit. Since then, SpaceX has launched numerous successful missions, including resupply missions to the International Space Station and the deployment of the Starlink satellite constellation. In addition to SpaceX, Musk also co-founded Tesla Motors in 2003 with the goal of accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy. Tesla's electric cars quickly gained a reputation for their performance and innovation, with models like the Model S and Model 3 becoming best-sellers in their respective categories. In 2020, Tesla became the most valuable car company in the world, surpassing traditional automakers like Toyota and Volkswagen. But Musk's ambitions don't stop there. In 2016, he founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company focused on developing brain-computer interfaces. Musk believes that such technology is essential for humanity to keep pace with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. Similarly, Musk founded The Boring Company in 2016 with the goal of reducing traffic congestion through the construction of underground tunnels for transportation. Musk's success has not come without controversy, however. He has been criticized for his management style, which some describe as demanding and autocratic. Musk has also faced legal troubles, including a defamation lawsuit in 2018 and an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2019. Despite these challenges, Musk remains undeterred in his quest to push the boundaries of technology and innovation. In addition to his business ventures, Musk is also known for his outspoken presence on social media. With over 70 million followers on Twitter, Musk frequently shares his thoughts on a wide range of topics, from technology and space exploration to memes and cryptocurrency. His tweets have been known to move markets, with the price of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin often fluctuating in response to his posts. Musk's influence extends beyond the business world. In 2020, he made headlines for his efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including donating ventilators and personal protective equipment to hospitals. Musk has also been a vocal advocate for addressing climate change, promoting the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy sources. Despite his immense success, Musk remains a polarizing figure. Some view him as a visionary entrepreneur who is revolutionizing multiple industries, while others see him as a reckless showman whose grandiose promises often fall short. Regardless of where one stands on Musk, it is undeniable that he has left an indelible mark on the business world and beyond. As Elon Musk continues to push the boundaries of technology and innovation, one thing is certain: his impact will be felt for generations to come. Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Musk is a force to be reckoned with in the business world. And as he sets his sights on even more ambitious goals, the world can only wait and see what he will achieve next.