#Floyd birthday takeover

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Floyd Leech: Cinderella Step

GOOD GOD, FLOYD 😭 Put your grippers AWAY, I don’t wanna see those… (flashbacks to the horror of Dorm Uniform Jade groovy)

P.S. You should listen to Cinderella Step by Daoko :)) I enjoy it a lot, and it’s also the song that I named this ficlet after. I feel like that first full line (“Though you are the worst, I can’t help but love you”) is very evocative of the NRC boys 😂

Rise and Shine!

It was easy to tell which side of the room was Floyd's. It always looked like a hurricane had run through, scattering clothes all over every avaliable surface. Snack crumbs are sprinkled like a generous garnish on his desk and shelf. His belongings—interesting odds and ends he had collected over the weeks—were similarly strewn haphazardly, wherever there was free space to be occupied.

There was only one thing that the storm seemed to have missed.

His shoes.

A glossy black--patent leather. Large yet sleek, tapering into pointed toes. It was the same pair he wore every day with his school uniform, yet there was not so much as a scratch or a speck of dirt on them.

Pristine.

The one thing he takes good care of, you thought. Must be magic.

Other shoes sat in neat rows on a rack. Boots, sneakers, sandals, in shapes and colors you've never even imagined. The variety astounded you.

Floyd bounded about the room collecting his things. He hopped around on one leg, slipping on a sock, then alternated to the other leg. Next he slung his blazer, still slightly wrinkled from having been crumpled and tossed over a chair last night, on over his prim grey-lilac vest. His striped tie was forgotten, left forlorn on his bed as he yoinked the patent leather shoes and slipped them on.

“‘K, I’m ready," Floyd announced cheerily. "Let’s get going, koebi-chan~"

You stared at his messy room. "You're not going to tidy up a little before heading out?"

He blinked. "Hmm? Why would I? Stuff's gonna shift around anyway, so there's no point in doing that."

Floyd strolled out, hands casually tucked in his pockets. You followed after him, falling in time with his footsteps. Today, they were long and languid, like waves lazily combing the beach.

You knew what that meant; good mood, best to not disturb it.

"... Right." You offered a small, reassuring smile. “Hey, I noticed that you have a lot of shoes—and you take such good care of them.”

“Yeah. Cuz we don’t really have’m where I come from. Gotta make the most of my human experience and all.”

"You don't exactly dress in a shirt and pants under the sea either," you pointed out with a shrug.

“Shoes are special.” He said it with surprisingly conviction, an uncharacteristic seriousness set in his eyes. "You kinda need them to do the things humans do every day, least without getting nagged at. Jumping, dancing, strolling down the street."

“All this talk about footwear… You sound like Cinderella.”

“Ehh… Do I give you those vibes?” There was a crackle entangled with his words.

“You’re the kind of guy that would sneak out if Azul told you to stay put.” You paused, then added, “just to prove a point.”

He gave a razor-sharp grin in response. “Touché.”

Floyd glanced down at his feet. His eyes barely lingered there for half a second before they flicked to yours. “Glass slippers sound cool though.”

“Glass slippers? Really? You’re not scared they’d break…? I thought you’d be into more durable shoes. Something easy to move around in.”

“I’d try’m on at least once, as long as it’s not lame lookin’. I’ll try anything at least once. Glass slippers, a puss’s boots, ballet flats from twelve dancing princesses, shoes made by elves…”

“Even cursed shoes?” you asked. “Professor Trein was telling us about them the other day. Put them on, and you’re cursed to dance forever and ever—or at least until you collapse from exhaustion.”

Floyd made a face. “Nah. Dancing’s fun, but not if you do it all the time. I’d get sick of it.”

"There’s more than one way of dancing.”

“Duh. I know that. But it’ll still get pretty boring after a while.”

“I don’t think so.” You shook your head, your feet coming to a stop. “Dancing’s a lot like having a conversation, except your mouth doesn’t ever need to move. You just let your body do the talking.”

Your legs criss-crossed in a quick jig. "This is being excited." Standing on your toes, you carefully elevated yourself. "This is whispering." Putting all your weight into your feet, you stomped. "And this is shouting!"

Floyd watched your demonstration in silence. Gold, right. Olive, left. Together, mysterious and mirthful.

“Sounds fun,” he piped up at last. “I want in on this."

Before you had the chance to respond, Floyd's had had already latched onto yours. The other wrapped around your waist, tugging you against his chest. You lurched against him, and the sound of his raspy laughter filling your eardrums.

“You wanna dance? Let’s dance. Then you tell me what my dancing says to you.”

“W-Wait, Floyd…!”

He didn’t.

Floyd strung you along and down the street, swinging you erratically in his arms. With his long limbs swaying, he moved as naturally as a fish amid coral. For a creature of the sea, he had such grace on land that you could never tell his true origins.

He was the wind, a water current, a wayward traveler. Constantly changing and never truly contained.

Your panic and surprise easily melted into light-hearted laughter. And your feet, too, began to weave freely, as if wading on the shoreline, drawing indiscriminate shapes in the sand.

Realization struck you when you looked at him again. Your heart went thump-thump-thump, in a frantic little dance of its own.

What he’s trying to convey is…

Floyd met your gaze, sparks flying. His fingers interlocked with yours, he leaned in and grinned. Cheeks ruddy, eyes shining with exhibition.

“We don’t need words. Just our dancin’ shoes and each other!”

[dollxmania]

ㅤㅤㅤ ❝ 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 ❞

— WRITING LIST.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: nail vibes: snippet undecided.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: .iii summoning reactions: feat. leona, ruggie, jack.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: pucker up!: snippet riddle, leona, azul, kalim, vil, idia, malleus.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: the lost records of the court: oc lore feat. ren

— 3O DAYS OF WONDERLAND.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day three: move night. poly!fic ace, deuce.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day four: dorm takeover. fic ignihyde.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day five: game au. fic leona.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day six: the lead. fic heartslabyul.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day seven: merfolk. fic azul.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day eight: plushies. fic idia.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day nine: rainy day. fic rook.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day ten: soulmates au. fic sebek.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day eleven: massage. fic ruggie.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twelve: father’s day. fic crewel.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day thirteen: telephone game. fic vil.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day fourteen: club. fic silver.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day fifteen: daycare au. fic pomefiore, scarabia.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day sixteen: potion mishap. fic epel.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day seventeen: detention. fic trein.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day eighteen: fright night. fic jade.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day nineteen: fae. fic malleus.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty: mafia au. fic diasomnia.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-one: lost. fic neige.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-two: culinary crucible. fic trey.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-three: sick. fic lilia.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-four: mystery shop. fic sam.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-five: self-aware au. fic riddle.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-six: teacher’s conference. fic crowley,

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-seven: cat’s life. fic grim.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-eight: teacher’s assistant. fic vargas.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day twenty-nine: flying high. fic kalim.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day thirty: freebie. fic cater.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ❝ 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄！ ❞

ㅤㅤㅤ ❝ 𝐈’𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐃 ❞

— WRITTEN WORKS.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ : cr!au series: as the name suggests, contrary roles, the player is the character who takes their place, and the character takes the player’s place. au created by dollxmania / chocodollxren.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: .i summoning reactions: feat. riddle, trey, cater.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: .ii summoning reactions: feat. ace, deuce.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ : misc: works not apart of any specific series, one shots, snippets, headcanons, or others. may range from over a thousand words, to a mere paragraph per character.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: happy birthday, mon cherie / mein liebling: poly!fic vil, rook.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: kiss, please!: snippet trey, ruggie, jade, jamil, rook, lilia.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: happy birthday, your highness: fic leona.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: the delicious taste of you with the sauce☆: fic jamil.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: kabedonning them: snippet riddle, leona, floyd, jamil, vil, idia, sebek.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: merform snippets!: snippet azul, jade, floyd.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: vampire bites!: snippet vil, rook, epel.

— 3O DAYS OF WONDERLAND.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day one: amusement park. fic floyd.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ —: day two: overblot. fic jamil.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ❝ 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑！ ❞

do not request.

[eelussy-enthusiast]

remember how i said that for f/ovember, id do individual takeovers?

well, here it is!

in honor of floyds birthday (and also me getting his bday card ❤️) today will be the official floyd takeover!!!

feel free to ask him all kinds of questions, about my s/i or just in general!

ill be sure to reblog more ask games for this too :)

love yall have fun baiiii

[cicatriz-exp]

TOP 100: canciones interpretadas por mujeres:

Joanna Newsom - Only Skin

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill

Pink Floyd (Clare Torry) - The Great Gig in the Sky 

Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks) - The Chain (dúo)

Nico - These Days   

Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Björk - All is Full of Love

PJ Harvey - The Dancer

Portishead - Glory Box

ABBA - Dancing Queen

Aretha Franklin - Think

Nina Simone - Feeling Good

Big Brother And The Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Piece Of My Heart

The Rolling Stones (Merry Clayton) - Gimme Shelter (participación)

Led Zeppelin (Sandy Denny) - The Battle Of Evermore (dúo)

The Breeders - Cannonball

Joni Mitchell - Blue

Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walking

Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin - Je t'aime... moi non plus (dúo)

The Ronettes - Be My Baby

The Crystals - Then He Kissed Me 

The Chiffons - He´s So Fine  

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Dancing in the Street

The Shangri-Las - Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (dúo)

Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U

Blondie - Heart Of Glass

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own

LaBelle - Lady Marmalade

Dolly Parton - Jolene

Patti Smith - Dancing Barefoot

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Happy House  

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Donna Summer - I Feel Love

No Doubt - Don't Speak

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'N Roll

The Carpenters - Close to You

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Tom The Model       

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Etta James - At Last

Dido - Here with Me

Britney Spears - Toxic

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

The B-52's - Love Shack (dúo)

The Cranberries - Dreams

Alanis Morissette - Ironic

Sonic Youth - Kool Thing

M.I.A. - Paper Planes

Fiona Apple - Hot Knife

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date With The Night

Cat Power - Nude As The News

Kylie Minogue - Love At First Sight

Suzanne Vega - Toms Diner

Mariah Carey - Fantasy

FKA Twigs - Two Weeks

Alicia Keys - Fallin’

Joss Stone - Fell In Love With A Boy

Enya - Caribbean Blue

Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why

Daughter - Youth

Sia - Chandelier

Lykke Li - Sadness Is a Blessing

Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Sharon Van Etten - Tarifa

Annie Lennox - No More "I Love You's"

Bat For Lashes - Siren Song

The Knife - Silent Shout

Fever Ray - Keep The Streets Empty For Me

First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining

Warpaint - Undertow

Lorde - Buzzcut Season

The Sugarcubes - Birthday

Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move

Lana Del Rey - Video Games

HAIM - If I Could Change Your Mind

Florence + The Machine - Queen of Peace

Julia Holter - Betsy On The Roof

Santigold - Disparate Youth

Blood Orange - You’re Not Good Enough

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope

Agnes Obel - Familiar

Lali Puna - Faking The Books

Melody’s Echo Chamber - I Follow You

St. Vincent - Your Lips Are Red

Angel Olsen - Lights Out

Laura Marling - Worship Me

Blonde Redhead - 23

Wolf Alice - Silk

Lower Dens - Brains

Savages - Husbands

E.M.A – California

Beach House - Norway

Empress Of - Water Water

Hundred Waters - Takeover

Grimes - Genesis

[radiofreejro]

BYOV - LIBC & Sand City Tap Takeover 1/20/17

BYOV - LIBC & Sand City Tap Takeover 1/20/17 (TEN HOURS)

*SET ONE*

BadBadNotGood - Confessions Pt. II/Lavender/Chompy's Paradise King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - I'm In Your Mind/I'm Not In Your Mind/Cellophane/       I'm In Your Mind Fuzz/Empty/Hot Water Snake Oil - Seidel In The Salt Flats/Travels Light Moog Machine - Jumping Jack Flash Return To Forever - Sorceress Space Needle - Where the Fucks My Wallet? Notwist - Messier Objects 10-11 Wendy Carlos - William Tell Overture Yes - Heart of the Sunrise XTC - Making Plans For Nigel Primus - Too Many Puppies Parliament - Give Up the Funk Mike Watt - Maggot Brain Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart - Willie the Pimp DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (extended overhaul) dälek - Spiritual Healing Stevie Wonder - Superstition Yo La Tengo - Nuclear War #2 Shriekback - Nemesis Gang Of Four - I Love A Man In Uniform Pink Floyd - One of These Days Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers DEVO - Beautiful World A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran Lou Reed - Sweet Jane (live) The Doors - The Wasp (Big Beat & Texas Radio) The Wipers - Is This Real? Mission of Burma - This Is Not a Photograph Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Not Sleeping Around Violent Femmes - Kiss Off* The Monroes - What Do All the People Know?* Poison - Talk Dirty To Me The Vapors - Turning Japanese Stetsasonic - A.F.R.I.C.A. Public Image Ltd - The Body INXS - Original Sin Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion The Housemartins - Happy Hour Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Balloon Man ——————————————————————————— *SET TWO*

RJD2 - Ghosthunter Genius/GZA - Duel of the Iron Mic A Tribe Called Quest - We the People/Whateva Will Be The Fugees - Killing Me Softly* Glass Animals - Youth Tom Tom Club - Sunshine and Ecstasy (sunshine + sensi mix) Prince - Little Red Corvette Thunderclap Newman - Something In the Air The Upsetters - Curly Dub Men Without Hats - Safety Dance Weird Al Yankovic - Brady Bunch Madness - One Step Beyond The Time - Jungle Love Luscious Jackson - Strongman Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth Beck - The New Pollution The Bølshøi - Happy Boy The Beatles - I Want To Tell You The Breeders - When I Was a Painter The Smithereens - Blood & Roses The Jesus & Mary Chain - Head On Social Distortion - When the Angels Sing Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy Cursive - Driftwood Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love The Cure - Like Cockatoos The Sugarcubes - Birthday The English Beat - Tears of a Clown Squeeze - Up the Junction Supertramp - The Logical Song Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Symphony of the Nymph Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is the Man T'Pau - Heart and Soul San Cisco - Awkward Siousxie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust Chapterhouse - Pearl Brian Jonestown Massacre - Lantern David Bowie - Space Oddity Modest Mouse - The Ocean Breathes Salty Neil Young - Down By the River Built To Spill - Carry the Zero Bongwater - His Old Look Yo La Tengo - Ohm The Boo Radleys - Wish I Was Skinny Al Green - Tired of Being Alone Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up Pt. 1 Rufus Thomas - Can Your Monkey Do the Dog? Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine Major Lance - Crying in the Rain The Drifters - There Goes My Baby Sam Cooke - Chain Gang Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Isaac Hayes - By the Time I Get to Phoenix Chaka Khan - I Feel For You Prince & The Revolution - Raspberry Beret The Box Tops - I'm Your Puppet Stevie Ray Vaughan - Voodoo Chile Heart - Crazy On You The Clash - Card Cheat The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays The Undertones - Get Over You Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love? Social Distortion - Story of My Life Camper Van Beethoven - (I Was Born In A) Laundromat The Jim Carroll Band - People Who Died Frank Turner - I Am Disappeared Bouncing Souls - The Something Special Fred Schneider - Monster Love & Rockets - Ball of Confusion Flaming Lips - Evil Will Prevail John Williams - Star Wars Main Title Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart New Order - Weirdo Mumford & Sons - There Will Be a Time* Courtney Barnett - Lance Jr. The Rave-Ups - She Says (Come Around) Bangles - In Your Mind R.E.M. - Life and How To Live It The Mountain Goats - No Children Dire Straits - Romeo & Juliet Bob Dylan - Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues Elliott Smith - Twilight Emmitt Rhodes - Somebody Made For Me Destroyer - No Cease Fires! (Crimes Against The State Of Our Love, Baby) David Bowie - Starman Yazoo - Nobody's Diary Depeche Mode - Stripped (Highland Mix) Bowery Electric - Beat Tom Waits - The One That Got Away/Diamonds On My Windshield Kurt Vile - Pretty Pimpin' The Replacements - Here Comes A Regular Flaming Lips - Five Stop Mother Superior Rain

[themovingturtle-blog]

9.29.18

Punk rock is one of the most influential artistic movements of the late 20th century. It sparked a firestorm of energy, artistic freedom, and DIY mentality that is still rippling through popular and independent music today.

The origins of punk rock are debatable. Some consider the Detroit garage rock of the MC5, Alice Cooper, or the Stooges to be the beginning. Others say that the Ramones or the New York Dolls are the first punk band. Still others consider the U.K. bands like the Sex Pistols or the Clash to be the birth of punk. As with most artistic movements, it's almost impossible to pinpoint a single band or album as the start.

It's worth noting, as an interesting aside, that the Sex Pistols, who are widely considered the first “true” punk band, were in many ways a commercial act comparable to a modern boy band. The band's manager, Malcolm McLaren, was a fashion designer and boutique owner. He had previous experience managing and designing clothes for the New York Dolls, a proto-glam metal band. McLaren changed the name of his boutique to SEX and focused on provocation and shock tactics in art. He met members of the Sex Pistols and later introduced them to John Lydon, the singer more famously known as Johnny Rotten. McLaren organized the band while also selling punk style clothes in his boutique. Many of the band's controversial actions, like playing “God Save the Queen” on a boat near Buckingham Palace, were planned ahead by McLaren to maximize the band's promotion through shock and outrage.

In many ways punk music in the mid 1970s was a rejection of the popular rock music of the time. Progressive rock bands like Yes, Genesis, and King Crimson were famous for long, masterfully played, multi-part songs that took up entire sides of records. Arena rock was also quickly approaching it's peak. While this is all well and good, this musical trajectory had taken rock and roll, which began as a youth-centric, everyman's music and made it more elitist. Brian Tatler, the guitarist for Diamond Head, described the feeling of a young rock fan in the 70s as “You didn't breathe the same air as Led Zeppelin.”

Punk rock was a rudimentary style that relied on volume and energy. This made it a more accessible genre in terms of fans and musicians. An appreciation of complex music theory was not necessary to enjoy or play punk.

Generally, younger musicians are not as skilled as older ones. It takes time to practice and develop one's craft. This new form of music lowered the bar enough that a young band could write and perform their own songs without having to reach such a high level of peers. Only master musicians can play on the level of Rush or Pink Floyd. By widening the parameters of what constituted “good music”, more people were allowed in the proverbial door.

In many ways, punk was a complete artistic movement as much as a purely musical one. It rejected all established norms, not just musical, and embraced experimentation.

Consider the variety of sound in the early American punk bands. Patti Smith recited poetry over jamming bands like a reanimated Jim Morrison. The Ramones played Beach Boys songs on meth. The Velvet Underground sang about social transgressions over droning violins and guitars. Blondie was a straight up pop band. All these groups played at CBGB's and all were considered punk. There were no established rules or definitions yet for what was or wasn't allowed. In many ways, punk was the progressive music of it's time.

Bands like Suicide, Throbbing Gristle, the Birthday Party, and Swans all started in the late 70s or early 80s and provided the starting point for noise rock and industrial. In the U.K., Caribbean immigrants introduced reggae and dub to other working class punks and created ska. Elsewhere in the U.K., fans of established rock bands like Black Sabbath were being inspired by the speed and energy of punk to create the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The N.W.O.B.H.M. included bands like Iron Maiden, Motorhead, and Venom. It's the point of origin for all extreme metal. Thrash bands like Slayer and Metallica  listened to N.W.O.B.H.M bands as well as hardcore punk [which we'll get to later] groups like the Dead Kennedys and the Circle Jerks, further blending the two genres.

As the years went on, some punk musicians grew tired of the constraints of simple, immediate, aggressive music and tried to evolve. This is where we get post-punk. Artists like the Smiths, the Cure, and Joy Division were part of this movement. They added keyboards, guitar effects, and nontraditional song structures to their sound. Evolution beyond punk is a common thread in a lot of great bands from the 1980s onward like Fugazi, Nirvana, Neurosis, and most thrash metal bands. Punk rock is, by it's nature, a fairly limited style of music. It's a fantastic starting point. It's easy, intense, and liberating but it can become formulaic over time.

This danger of being formulaic and unimaginative also carries the danger of stagnation. As more people flocked to punk, the amount of creativity and experimentation started to dwindle. As punk started to get mainstream media attention people started coming to shows with preconceived and often inaccurate notions of what the punk concerts and fans were like. A sense of uniformity began to take hold. To identify yourself as part of the tribe, you had to dress and act a certain way and only listen to certain records. As the goth kids in South Park say “If you wanna be one of the non-conformists, all you have to do is dress just like us and listen to the same music we do.”  This attitude can breed exclusivity and elitism, which are the enemy of creativity and free thinking.

There was another branch of punk that, rather than evolving outward, chose to distill the key ingredients of punk: speed, simplicity, and aggression, into an even faster, more intense breed of hardcore punk. These groups, like Black Flag, the Bad Brains, and Minor Threat, learned to play based off of the records of the first wave punk bands, especially the Ramones. As mentioned before, these groups would inspire the progenitors of extreme metal like Slayer and Napalm Death.

Another lasting effect of hardcore punk was the popularization of the D.I.Y., or do it yourself, mentality. The music that hardcore bands played is not easy listening. Record labels had no interest in trying to sell it.

Since no one would  record, promote, or distribute their records, bands and/or fans did it themselves. There's a famous story of the Teen Idles, an early hardcore band from Washington D.C., unfolding a 7” record sleeve, tracing it on paper, printing 1000 copies of the outline, cutting them out with scissors, then folding and gluing them all together to use for their own records.

There were also countless fanzines where fans and bands alike would write, copy edit, and publish magazines often dedicated to their local scene. These fanzines also often had pen pal sections that allowed readers write to each other and mail tapes of their favorite bands all over the country. Two of the most famous fanzines were Flipside and Maximumrocknroll.

Due to the intense, often violent nature of hardcore shows, few venues or promoters wanted anything to do with the scene. This forced bands to book their own shows at V.F.W. halls, abandoned houses, and any other available space.

The reason punk spread as far and grew as big as it did was the community of devoted musicians and fans who were willing to do whatever it took to play or hear their music. This D.I.Y. network unquestionably set the template and business model for independent music from the 1980s onward. D.I.Y. empowered a generation of artists and fans in ways that are still seen today.

With the advent of the internet, anyone can make and distribute any kind of music, but it takes devotion and drive to make something great. This drive is seen in other fandoms not even related to music. Fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, pop culture, and comics have been organizing conventions on a grassroots level for decades.

Punk rock is the nexus of four decades of creativity, empowerment, grassroots organization, and youth community. At its best, it is the soundtrack to forging one's own path under one's own power.

Try These Songs

Suicide – Frankie Teardrop

Black Flag – Rise Above

Bad Brains – Big Takeover

Bikini Kill – Feels Blind

Joy Division - New Dawn Fades

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Floyd, Kalim: The Way of Water

I was wondering how the artwork would frame the sitting boys, but I guess having Floyd floating there on his butt is fine fjeviwgxkwjwhfoen I don’t know what the alternative would be…

It's nice to learn more about the land boot camp the Octatrio went to; Floyd's vignettes indicate that merpeople need passports and that they went to a zoo as part of the program.

A Tale as Old as Time.

Museums could be such snore fests sometimes. Sure, the place had an entire section dedicated to merpeople history, but it was nothing compared to what the Atlantica Memorial Museum boasted under the sea: the Mermaid Princess's silver comb, a replica of the Sea Witch's cauldron, bones of a sea dragon, a statue of the Sea King...

Here? All they had were some crummy paintings.

Floyd tilted his head back, taking in merman arriving in a dolphin-drawn chariot. He was an older man that sported bushy brows and a grand white beard that flowed in the water, his physique muscular and imposing. There was a regal presence about him, perhaps in how upright he stood, or in the glisten of the crown upon his head or the gauntlets cuffing his wrists. With his trident in hand, it was clear who he was.

The ruler of all the oceans. The waves obeyed his every whim, the sea and all its spoils bowing to his power. He, the Sea King.

Meh, what’s so great about him? So stiff and uptight. It’s be so much better workin’ for the Sea Witch.

Floyd's eyes flickered to the boy next to him, who seemed far more interested in the painting than he was. A steady grin crept onto his face, and he leaned in close.

Floyd pounced, hooking a long arm around Kalim's shoulder and yanking him over. The eel peered down at him, a single golden orb colliding with a pair of garnets. Leering, Floyd jerked his head at the depiction of the Sea King.

"Ne, ne, Otter-chan. What'cha think of this one?"

Any sane person might have been paralyzed with fear encountering Floyd in a dimly lit room, but not Kalim. No, Kalim was not sane at all.

The dorm leader greeted his peer with a smile so wide it could fill the horizon. "Floyd!! I'm so excited I get to see more of your history."

He blinked. "You actually like studying this kinda thing? Are you even any good at it?"

"Nope, not really!!" Kalim confessed (perhaps a little too easily). "I was looking at this painting and going, 'His beard's so impressive!' It reminds me of the one my dad has. I won't remember all the details later, but I'll always remember how cool the Sea King looks."

"It goes in one ear and out the other. Why bother then? Just dedicate your time and energy to stuff that actually interests ya."

"But it does interest me. It's fun learning about where your classmates come from! I heard humans and merpeople weren't always on good terms."

"Yeah. Back when the Sea King still ruled, there were tooons of rules forbidding merpeople from coming into contact with humans." Floyd held up a finger for each one he counted off. "No going to the surface world, no owning human stuff, no exploring shipwrecks... even no music at one point. You'd think Goldfishy wrote the lawbook."

Of course, even if those rules were in place, he would still totally disregard them. No one—not royalty, not his parents—could stop Floyd from venturing into the unknown.

"Whoa, the Sea King sounds like he was super strict and scary! I don't think I could live without music..." Kalim's face dropped. "He looks like such a nice person in the painting though."

Floyd rolled his eyes. "Cuz he lost his wife to a human ship. After that, he got all paranoid, thinking himans and merpeople are too different to coexist. He got especially protective over his daughters. The Sea King had seven of 'm and he breathed down all of their necks.”

"Ooooh!" Kalim didn't even bat an eye at the number (Floyd was sure it paled next to the number of siblings he had running around in his home.) "So the Sea King just wanted to protect his loved ones and make sure nothing sad like that ever happened again. He's a good guy after all!"

He now regarded Floyd with eager, sparkling eyes. "Wow, you know so much about this!! It's crazy thinking about how different things were in the past."

"Duh. It'd be boring if things stayed the same all the time." The eel smirked. He let go of Kalim and stepped back, giving a playful twirl, arms stretching out above him. "Ehehehe! Good thing the Mermaid Princess ended up opening doors for us to come onto land~"

Kalim beamed. "That's right!! She did! We wouldn’t be able to be friends without the Mermaid Princess’s help.”

The word gave Floyd pause, a rock tossed along his path as he brought his foot down upon it, snagging his step. Friend. He didn’t like spoken in that saccharine, trusting tone.

It was sticky and sweet, stuck in his teeth. Like cotton candy residue yet to be washed away by the waves, or sweat accumulated from summer heat. A gross feeling.

“You’re bein’ way too generous with your definitions again,” Floyd groaned, peeling away. “Cut it out, or I’ll get annoyed.”

Kalim (unwisely) laughed. Not at Floyd, but with him. “Oh, hey. When you think about it, we’re not really that different.”

“Mmm? What are you saying now, Otter-chan? Did all the sunbathing finally melt your brain?”

“In the Scalding Sands, waterways are really important. We use them for trade and travel. It’s the same for the Coral Sea. With all that water, it’s convenient for those sorts of things.” Kalim said matter-of-factly. “We’re using those same waterways now. We’re connected by water.”

“A good part of Twisted Wonderland is water,” Floyd pointed out. “You sayin’ everyone can be friends with everyone?”

Kalim nodded eagerly. “The Sea King was probably wrong. Humans and merpeople are actually very similar. I think the Mermaid Princess knew that too, and she wanted to help others recognize it.”

Floyd stared at Kalim, the moment long and hard. He wasn’t irritated anymore, only a little disappointed. Maybe mildly disgusted. “… Otter-chan, you’re so happy it hurts.”

“Thanks!”

“That wasn’t a compliment.” Floyd sighed. The energy and fight had been rapidly drained from in over the course of the short exchange, leaving him as wilted as a salted slug. “Aaaah, whatever. I’m tired of this already. I’m bailing.”

He turned on his heel and made for the exit and into the adjacent room. Already, Floyd could see a platinum frame of the Sorcerer of the Sand in the distance, bony fingers clasping a golden scarab.

“Wait up, I’m come with!” Kalim called after him. “I can teach you about my country’s history too!

That was how water was—always seeking to follow the flow. One body leading straight into another.

Floyd picked up his pace, arms pumping. (No running in the museum? Screw the rules.) Adrenaline deposited into his bloodstream, and he was hit with a rush.

Suddenly excited again, maybe a little interested in what a certain otter had to offer. A game, a chase, a thrill.

This is what he had come to the surface for.

Not rules or restrictions or a royal bossing him about. Not even friendship, as Kalim had suggested. Just fun, plain and simple.

It looked like he was going to get it.

Floyd grinned and shouted back, “Catch me if you can then!!”

And hurled right into the next room over.

Bless the Mermaid Princess.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Leona, Floyd: Feud within the Family

They caught him mid-yawn in the initial art 😭 I SAID THIS TO SOME FRIENDS (not even in a thirsty way, just a casual comment) AND THEY INSTANTLY JUMPED ON ME OTL (if any of them are reading this, yes, I am calling your asses OUT for bullying/j)

I thought the Groovy was of Mufasa, Sarabi, and baby Simba but apparently it’s adult Simba, Nala, and their daughter, Kiara?? 😭 Most animated lions look the same to me, so I never would have caught that… Anyway, L*ona looks absolutely unhinged and super smug there… Bro looks like he’s talking down to someone groveling at his feet for mercy—

A Tale as Old as Time.

"Heeeeeey~"

Leona turned away from the call. Cool, nonchalant—theoretically, anyway.

"Heeey."

He pretended to be absorbed in a stone bust of the King of Beasts. The meddling source of the sound (unfortunately) followed him, much as he tried to shunt it out of his ears.

Leona sighed deeply.

Aaaah, what a pain in the ass. I’m really not in the mood for seafood.

"HEY."

A growl threaded through Floyd’s voice as he stomped over, thrusting his face into Leona’s. The lion beastman groaned. He recognized that fire in Floyd’s eyes all too well.

Determination.

“Quit runnin’ away and fight me already,” Floyd gruffly demanded.

He had been tailing Leona all day, pelting him with the same challenge over and over—alas, to no avail. Now he had the third year boxed in a dark, isolated corner. Floyd gleefully gnashed his teeth, raring to go for a scrap.

He won’t take a regular old ‘no’ for an answer. If it’s come to this then…

He’d lead his pursuer off the beaten path.

“Hmph, how rude,” Leona grunted, at last granting the eel his attention. “Can’t a man appreciate the arts without being accosted? I’d rather not be bothered while I’m in the middle of browsing.”

“You? An art aficionado?” Floyd scoffed in disbelief. “Fat chance, Sea Lion-senpai. You’ve never been into that stuff. It’s not nice to lie to your juniors like that.”

“Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do,” Leona drawled, his voice as smooth as liquid velvet. He took to telling untruths so easily, it was an innate skill. “I’m a prince with refined taste. Can’t you tell I’m over the moon and stars to be at this exhibition?”

Floyd deadpanned. “You look like you’re about to fall asleep standing up just like Jellyfish-chan.”

“Nonsense. I’m absolutely thrilled. In fact, i can hardly contain my excitement. It’s taking every ounce of my energy to not talk my classmates’ ears off about the illustrious history of Sunset Savanna.”

“Yeah? Prove it, then.”

Tch. Should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. Leona grimaced internally.

He was careful to maintain his relaxed poise as he gestured to the painting that was mounted along the wall. “Take a look at that.”

“Huh, what is it?”

Underneath a cornflower sky and thin, cottony clouds, was a red-maned lion and his lioness. Between them, a mandrill cradled a wide-eyed cub. The composition made it clear: it was a painting of a family.

“One of the great kings of the past,” Leona simpered, irony oozing from his every word, “and one of the great kings of the future, if that furball is anything to go by. The parents must cherish their child a great deal. Spoiled and pampered like that… surely the cub will make for a splendid ruler.”

“Ehehehe~ You sound so salty there, Sea Lion-senpai.” Floyd leaned closer, taunting him. “Reciting sappy stories like that don’t suit you.”

“So I’ve been told.” Leona folded his arms and snorted. When he beheld the painting, disgust and envy curled in the pit of his stomach. “… Reminds me of my brother. His life’s always been one big fairy tale—and now he’s got a wife and a kid of his own.”

“Heh. So Sea Lion-senpai definitely feels like the odd one out.”

Leona glared at his junior. “… You don’t have a lick of tact, do you?”

“Ahahah!” Floyd cackled, all too carefree. “What’re you so mad about? ‘S not a bad thing.”

Leona watched him with a wary eye. Floyd paced lazily, as though he were a lion himself. Stewing in the shade, waiting for his next meal to skitter into his waiting paw.

“Who wants to fit in with family? That’s boring. It’s better to just do what you want and be yourself. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

“I hate it when people say Jade and I are the same or they mix us up. Jade’s Jade and I’m me. Two different people.”

“I’m sure your dear brother would shed a tear hearing you talk like that.”

Floyd just shrugged. “I don’t get it. You wanna be like that? It’d be weird.”

“But it’s not about fitting in,” he wanted to snap. “It’s about wanting to shine, to stand out, to be seen. For that moment out of the shadows and basking in the sun.”

They look at me, but they don’t see me.

They never will.

People played in the daytime while sleeping through the lovely night. In the savanna governed by the sun, shadows were scorned and casted aside.

Leona’s throat dried. The moisture gone, as if hungrily devoured by his King’s Roar.

He forced his voice to come again, snarky and sarcastic.

“Hmph, I never said that. You slimy bunch grew up at the bottom of the sea, where the light cannot touch. I’d think you understand what it’s like clawing and kicking and fighting every day to survive.”

And just barely making it out in one piece.

His hand drifted toward the scar over his left eye.

“… Anyway, I wasn’t askin’ for your advice. You should stick to annoying that octopunk.” Leona smirked. Again, concealing. “Keep it in the ‘family’, you know.”

Floyd stared at him intently. Then he let out a burst of laughter. “You’re a riot, Sea Lion-senpai! I don’t even feel light fighting you anymore. It’s just as fun to shoot the shit with ya.”

“That so? You flatter me. Surely there are better conversationalists in Octavinelle, with all those silver tongues.” Leona made a shooting motion with his hands. “You should run back to your school of fish to compare.”

Another fit of sporadic giggles. When they, at last, died down to an eerie quiet, Floyd’s whisper was as loud as a shout in a cavern.

“At the end of the day… we’re both beings that lurk in the dark~”

Leona grunted. “… Who needs the light anyway?”

Deep down, he knew the truth.

It was him who needed that light the most.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Sebek, Trey: Sugar Sweet and Bitter Step

Finally 👀 Sebek interacting with the dude that reminds him of his father… This is the juicy content I’ve been waiting for 😌 (It fucking slapped btw, did NOT disappoint 🦷 ✨ I especially loved when Sebek was describing the new candies he has tried and he describes pop rocks as candies that fucking attack you asduqbdoas) ASHDBAIDAIDqwehqbyoe8y IT WAS REALLY CUTE WHEN MALLEUS, LILIA, CATER, AND VIL'S VAS WISHED SEBEK-KUN HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN THE TWST YEAR III ANNI LIVESTREAM...

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

“What do you do on your days off?”

"Hmph, I'm glad you asked, human!" Sebek's laughter was smug and resounding. "I spend days off training!"

"You... train to relax? That sounds like an oxymoron."

The birthday boy scoffed. "As a knight and an attendant, there is no such thing as 'relaxing'! I must remain vigilant so as to best protect and serve the young master!!"

"I get that, but... your muscles would be sore after working out so much, right? You'd need to take some time off to recover, otherwise you'd be pushing your body to the brink and risk injuring yourself," Trey calmly pointed out. "I used to train back when I played soccer. Had to cut that short when I worked myself too hard, so I wouldn't want that to happen to you."

A sound like rumbling thunder collected in Sebek's throat. "O-Of course I know something as basic as that! I know to take breaks!! Don't belittle me, human!!

"When I say 'training', I don't mean it purely in a physical capacity! If I am not able to train my body, then I train my mind! As Lilia-sama says, tactical might has changed the course in many critical battles in the history of--"

"Oooh, I get it. You mean general self-improvement." His interviewer snapped his fingers as the clues all neatly fit together in his head. "So you like to read? What sorts of things do you usually go for?"

"A variety. I frequent the Mystery Shop to browse their selection, but Diasomnia and the school archives also contain a number of older volumes.

"Lilia-sama has advised that I expand my worldview, so I have taken it upon myself to read literature from many genres and eras. 'Even picture books have merit, Sebek! You should open your heart to them!' ... so he said."

"No kidding." Trey raised his brows. It certainly sounds like something Lilia would say... though I'm not sure how serious he was about it. "Hey, I've read some books to my little brother and sister before, so I could recommend a few to you."

"Picture books from the Queendom of Roses... I've yet to read those. I dislike having to make requests of others, but... on Lilia-sama's orders, I have no other option. You will provide a list of acceptable readings to me the day after today, understood?!"

"Sure, leave it to me." Trey offered a patient smile. "I gotta say though, I didn't think you'd be concerned about being so worldly. You seem a little too set in your own ways."

Ace and Deuce described him as hard-headed. Even Riddle said Sebek has a hard time handling horses in Equestrian Club because of his attitude.

Sebek looked as though he'd be struck in the heart. He recoiled, his face crumpling with upset.

"Hnngh!! I-I've heard as much from Lilia-sama that this would be a detriment if I am to serve the young master, who will no doubt face many diplomatic issues with other countries. That is why I'm making efforts to expand my horizons by diversifying my reading materials and experiencing new things."

"Such as...?"

"I have read in some texts that a good way to learn about other cultures is to consume their cuisine. I have taken to snacking on baked goods and sweets from different regions of Twisted Wonderland to this end. Cookies, muffins, and candies that the Mystery Shop stocks.

"There are lollipops in various shapes, candy so sour it makes your mouth bleed and colors it bright blue, and little granular candies that assault the taste buds with explosions when they hit your tongue...! Hard candies flavored with apples from different farms in Harveston, chewy taffies made with salt from the Coral Sea, gummy bugs from the Afterglow Savanna that gets stuck between my teeth, candied flowers from the Queendom of Roses..."

"Has the snacking helped you learn anything new about those places or the people that live there?" Trey asked, cocking his head.

Sebek paused to think. Moments later, he, with his full chest, proudly replied, "An Octavinelle student was monopolizing all the peppermint sticks in the shop, so I saw it fit to liberate them from his grasp!!"

"... In other words, you picked a fight with him." Trey sighed. "It’s… a start. A small one, but still a start if it gets you to interact with those outside of Diasomnia. You'll just have to keep working on that—baby steps now so you can be where you want to be in the future, yeah?"

"Indeed...!!" Sebek slammed the end of his broom into the ground, the motion hard and resolute. "If I wish to stand by Malleus-sama's side, I must do all that I can to be worthy of him. To go wherever the young master is... that is my greatest dream!!"

He grinned with his teeth, displaying prominent canines. poking out from between two rows of pearly whites. It was a smile as radiant as the sun.

"Oh, that reminds me." Trey indicated his own mouth. "I hope you're remembering to properly floss and to brush your teeth well after eating all those candies. It's important to take care of your dental hygiene, especially after eating sugary snacks."

"Grrgh...!! Where do you get off on, giving me orders!?"

"I wouldn't call them orders. They were just suggestions--though I think your teeth would be happier if you followed them," Trey joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Sebek's expression creased all the same.

"That you would see fit to suggest anything of the sort to me is offensive!!" the birthday boy grumbled. "My father makes similar remarks, no matter how often I remind him that I am a grown man!"

"Ahahah... I'm sure that's just his way of showing you that he cares. It's hard for any parent to watch their kid grow up. To them, that kid will always be their baby.

"Hmph! R-Ridiculous," Sebek declared. He haughtily turned away, his cheeks tinged pink. There was hesitation, and then an uncharacteristically quiet voice that slipped out. "You... really are like him in every conceivable way. I cannot fathom humans like you sort."

"Exactly why you're trying so hard now." Trey nodded to the sky above. It was a cornflower blue morning with a healthy sprinkling of clouds. "You've been training hard, so let's see you in action."

"D-Do not presume to understand my skill! I'll show you just how powerful I am!! Faster than light, stronger than lightning... I AM HE WHO HAS SWORN TO PROTECT THE YOUNG MASTER!!"

The vow was made, his ambitions announced.

In response to his decree, the broom fizzled to life. It lifted off the ground in a single strong stroke, Sebek easily swinging on. His robes fanned out behind him, fabric flapping loudly in an errant spring breeze.

Magic crackled in the air around them, hot as sparks, bright as stars. His spells matched his energy: loud and proud.

His grip on the handle was as steady as his resolve.

His fierce gaze, focused on the future.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Cater, Floyd: New Year, New Me

Cater Diamond has some of the most consistently photogenic initial artwork 😩 Everyone else, take notes!!

bxsvsjwbwk The reasoning Cater gave for why astrology is his best subject… I didn’t think he’d bring up horoscopes as icebreakers, but in hindsight it makes a lot of sense for his character! I feel like I’ve really come to appreciate Cater’s character these past few years, especially his social intelligence.

For this piece, I wanted Floyd to pose a challenge to Cater! There’s less of a focus on Cater’s thoughts and feelings and more on how he deals with his interviewer and uses his abilities to be evasive against such a formidable foe.

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

"What do you want to do in the coming year?"

“Ooh, that’s a toughie!” Cater curled a lock of hair around one finger, contemplating. “There’s just so many places I want to see and so many things I want to try out!“

“Well, just pick one. Shouldn’t matter which it is. Or you can just shout’m all out, that works too.”

“Ahaha, something tells me you aren’t taking this interview all that seriously, Floyd-kun!” Cater’s gaze trailed his tresses—the tangerine-colored strands wrapped around a forefinger. “… Mmm, okay. I’ve got it now! I think I’d like to try out different hairstyles 🎵

“I’m always wearing my hair the same few ways, down or in a pompadour. It might be fun to experiment and change up my look. Maybe I’ll go for something that totally changes my image! I was flipping through a fashion mag the other day and say some awesome looks.”

Floyd’s eyes glinted with interest. “I say go big or go home. Fully commit to the bid, Sea Bream-kun. Why stop at just the hair? Surprise us all. Make it as dramatic as you can, then pick out cool duds to go with it. Some spiked leather boots oughtta go nice with a spiked hairdo!! Slap on some heavy stage makeup too, you’ll look crazy cool.”

“Whoa, whoa, that’s a bit much, isn’t it?!”

“… Hah?” A dark shadow crossed Floyd’s lax features. “You sayin’ you don’t like my ideas?”

Cater paled and hastily backpedaled. “Nah, it’s not that! It’s just that what’s in fashion comes and goes so fast, it’s hard to keep up with it.”

“Oh. Well, I don’t really get that.” Floyd (thankfully) let the topic drop, but he soon moved to another one. “You care too much about what other people think. You should just wear whatever you feel like.“

“Image is so important when you’re a Magicammer!” Cater sighed. “Everything you post on your account gets seen by thousands and thousands of people, you know?”

“I just kinda post whatever."

"For real?! But your social media profile's how a lot of people will get their first impression of you. It tells your story. That's why I work so hard on mine! I'm always looking up fads so I can have something to share.”

“You really care too much,” Floyd griped, carefully eyeing his upperclassman. “What, you not happy with how people think of you now? You gotta change yourself to be what they want you to be?”

“That's... Man, you're putting me on the spot here! Chill out, this is an interview, not an interrogation," Cater joked, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

Floyd shrugged. "I don't see what's so great about doin' stuff just because other people want you to. I ignore Azul and Jade all the time, and that makes things way more fun for me."

“It sounds like it also makes things way less fun for them... It's nice that you can be so free-spirited though!"

“You should try it sometime. Bail out on Goldfishy and see how red in the face he gets~ That’ll be something new and interesting for your followers to see!!”

“I think I’d like to keep my head, thanks.”

It was a back and forth between them, aggressive strikes from Floyd that Cater tip-toed around with social grace. With each exchange, the tension tightened and tightened, until it was so taut that it threatened to snap.

And snap it did.

“Not cool, Sea Bream-kun.” Floyd suddenly frowned and folded his arms. “You’re such a liar. You talked big about how you tell your story online, but really you cherry pick. You hide tons of the other stuff cuz you’re afraid to cut loose and show it all.”

“Eeeeh, Cay-kun’s got nothing to hide!”

The birthday boy flashed his most winsome smile. His heart thundered in spite of it, the cards close to his chest rattling.

“Food pics, selfies, and cool scenery just get more likes and shares than other things do. They’re relatable content. That’s how you get those clicks, strike up a convo, and find new friends! It’s all about matching their pace and making those connections.”

“Bleh.” Floyd’s nose crinkled as he made a face. “First all the horoscope junk as icebreakers, now this… You sure are weird.”

“We’ve been talking for this long though. I’d still call that mission successful, horoscopes or not,” Cater teased with a wink, “so I’ll forgive you this once, okay?”

“Do whatever. It’s not my problem.” The merman threw his arms up, stretching. “We done yet? I did my job, and I’m getting bored of this already.”

“You’re dropping me faster than yesterday’s trending tags?! Harsh…”

The boys were interrupted by a beam of light breaking the horizon. One by one, rays of sun streaked the sky, chasing away the darkness.

It was the dawn of a new day beckoning to them.

To him.

“Looks like that’s my cue.” Cater slid onto his broom and crossed his legs—but passed Floyd a bright-eye look. The broom fluttered with magical sparks, floating a few centimeters off the ground. “Oh, right! Can you do me a huge favor?”

“Depends on what it is and if I’m feeling nice or not.”

“Be sure to take some good shots of me as I’m flying the Birthday Road! Send them over or tag me in them!”

“What happened to changing your style? Gave up on it already?”

“My looks, not my whole Magicam! And besides…”

Cater’s mouth twisted with mischief, his snaggle tooth peering out—and for a second, Floyd swore he saw someone different. The real Cater Diamond.

“This is a once-a-year spectacle you won’t want to miss.”

He sailed on high, the wind throwing back his hair, the sunrise spilling onto his skin. Fabric billowed out behind him, his wizarding cap flailing. The world unfolded below him like a hand of playing cards, and he, a mere suit in it.

Cater raised a hand and shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. It was harsh and discerning, yet warm and comforting against the cold winter. Many things at once, and ever changing.

His smile was soft and quiet.

Here, there was no Magicam, no mask he needed to wear. No gaudy personas, no bubbly pretenses.

Only every single side of him converging as one, just like the rays of the sun.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Birthday Bash Masterlist

***Please note: there are spoilers for initial artwork and groovy artworks! There may also be spoilers for the related vignettes.***

2020-2021: Birthday Boy Suit interactions

For reference, these are the rules for the interactions here.

The links in this section will take you to the "welcome story" for each boy; to read all of the interactions associated with that character, follow the appropriate tag. For example, Riddle's is #Riddle birthday takeover. Some boys may have as many as 40+ interactions which would take up several masterlists by themselves.

Heartslabyul: Riddle / Trey / Cater / Ace / Deuce

Savanaclaw: Leona / Ruggie / Jack

Octavinelle: Azul / Jade and Floyd

Scarabia: Kalim / Jamil

Pomefiore: Vil / Rook / Epel

Ignihyde: Idia / Ortho

Diasomnia: Malleus / Lilia / Silver / Sebek

Other: Raven / Rollo

2021-2022: Union Birthday Jacket ficlets These pieces focus on the bond between, and the influence of, the birthday boy and his interviewer.

Heartslabyul: Riddle / Trey / Cater / Ace / Deuce

Savanaclaw: Leona / Ruggie / Jack

Octavinelle: Azul / Jade / Floyd

Scarabia: Kalim / Jamil

Pomefiore: Vil / Rook / Epel

Ignihyde: Idia / Ortho

Diasomnia: Malleus / Lilia / Silver / Sebek

Other: Raven

2022-2023: Birthday Broomquet ficlets

These pieces focus on the respective boy's goals for the future.

Heartslabyul: Riddle / Trey / Cater / Ace / Deuce

Savanaclaw: Leona / Ruggie / Jack

Octavinelle: Azul / Jade / Floyd

Scarabia: Kalim / Jamil

Pomefiore: Vil / Rook / Epel

Ignihyde: Idia / Ortho

Diasomnia: Malleus / Lilia / Silver / Sebek

Other: Raven

2023-2024: Platinum Jacket ficlets These pieces focus on the respective boy's thoughts and feelings about the Disney figures they see in their vignettes, and how they relate to those figures.

Heartslabyul: Riddle / Trey / Cater / Ace / Deuce

Savanaclaw: Leona / Ruggie / Jack

Octavinelle: Azul / Jade / Floyd

Scarabia: Kalim / Jamil

Pomefiore: Vil / Rook / Epel

Ignihyde: Idia / Ortho

Diasomnia: Malleus / Lilia / Silver / Sebek

Other: Raven

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi! Sorry i’m new here but is your “Floyd, Kalim: The Way of Water” post is vignette translation of Floyd’s new card or..? I’m a but lost here

[Referencing this post!]

Hi and welcome!

To be clear, I don’t do translations of any kind. That’s not what this blog is for. I do creative writing (+ writing requests when I feel like it!) and just generally talk/theorize about TWST.

The post you’re referring to is a one-shot that I write for fun to celebrate each of the boys’ birthdays. I have done similar fics and interactions for the last 3 years. These kinds of posts are denoted by the hashtag #[character’s first name] birthday takeover. (See #Floyd birthday takeover as an example.) The birthday fics borrow ideas, concepts, and lore mentioned in the actual card vignettes, but are not meant to be full-on translations.

In the Platinum Suit cards, each boy has maybe a few lines total related to the painting in the groovy illustration and does not involve the secondary character (in this case, Kalim). In the birthday fic I write for each boy, I take the groovy illustration and expand on those few lines of dialogue into a full fic and include interactions with the secondary character (Kalim). The purpose is to expand on the relationship, similarities, and/or differences between the pairs.

Hope that clarifies things! ^^

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Floyd, Ortho: Surpassing the Sky

Finally 😈 Floyd is allowed to be a Terrible Influence on the robot child... I think Floyd and Ortho’s dynamic is super interesting! Ortho’s a being of logic and calculations, whereas Floyd likes to be free and random. Their very natures clash!

Floyd looks like he’s having so much fun in his Groovy~ cnksbsjsndkd and I like how he’s not only flying so dangerously, but that it isn’t stopping him from reaching out to tug on Jade’s hat!

(Special thanks goes out to my friends M and Haki for helping to clarify the details of Floyd’s interview! ^^ I couldn’t have written this without them.)

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

“What do you want to do in the coming year?”

“Hah?” Floyd’s face crinkled with disinterest. “I dunno, it depends on how I’m feelin’ that day. How am I supposed to know what I’ll be feelin’ in a year? No way can I decide on it now.”

Once those words had been chucked out, his expression changed, settling on a serrated smile. “Okaaay, interview’s over!” 

Floyd stuck out his hand expectantly. “Hand over the broom bouquet, Kurione-chan! I wanna get going already!”

“Eeeh?! But you didn’t give a proper response!!” Ortho hovered out of the towering eel’s reach, taking the broom with him. (Floyd glowered and attempted to grab him, only for Ortho to easily float out of the way. A growl escaped the second year.) “That doesn’t count. Please give me a real answer!”

“Fine,” Floyd grumped, crossing his arms. “... I wanna be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, without people complaining or tellin’ me off about it.”

Ortho blinked. “Does that happen a lot?”

“Yeah, all the time.” The birthday boy rolled his eyes. “But so what if I skip class or mess up some of Azul’s clothes or plant glitter bombs in the Basketball Team’s lockers?”

“What was that last one?”

“... Mess up some of Azul’s clothes?” Floyd offered innocently--though his slimy smile was anything but that. “Anyway, it’s not like he can’t change it back with magic. I wanted to have fun and try new stuff out, so I did. Azul just happened to be in range the last time an idea struck me~”

“Ooh, I understand how you feel, Floyd Leech-san! I get excited when my big brother installs an update or a power up!” Ortho thumped his metal chest. “The best feeling in the world is when I’m suited up in a new gear and testing out its functionality!”

“Heeee~ So you like fashion too, huh?”

Ortho nodded eagerly.

“That’s pretty cool, little dude--but it’s kinda lame that you only wear stuff your brother designs for you. It’s a lot more fun to pick out your own threads!! C’mon, don’t ‘cha wanna be like a real boy?”

“You really think I can?” Hope rose in Ortho’s voice. He lowered himself to meet Floyd at eye level, curiously peering at him—searching for signs of a lie. “Really really?”

His prey was right where he wanted him to be. Floyd grinned to himself.

“Yup~ Sure you can. Anyone can do anything they want.”

“There are hard limits for both man and machine. Humans cannot surpass the sky. Robots cannot override their own programming. ‘Anything’ is an impossibility.”

“If you play by others’ rules, then you’re holding yourself back. That’s on you.” Floyd jabbed a thumb up. “The sky’s the limit? Then just break it. Problem solved.”

“Break the limit…?! But that’s—”

Floyd groaned. “Aren’t you tired of being nice, Kurione-chan? Don’t you just wanna go ape shit? Then you’d be able to have tons of fun, just like me…!!”

His hand darted out, tearing the broom free from Ortho in a clean motion.

The robot rocketed back in shock. “Uwah…!!”

Throaty laughter exploded from Floyd. He twirled his treasure triumphantly, relishing in Ortho’s reaction.

“Should’ve kept your guard up!” Floyd pointed the end of the handle at his junior. “What’d I tell ya? The impossible’s possible.”

All you need to do is make it so.

Ortho gawked at him, eyes as wide as saucers.

“Welp, the interview’s done since I gave you that ‘proper answer’, right?” Floyd chirped. “So I’ll be on my way~”

He clung to his broom, which had already begun levitating off of the ground—and slipped with a hoot. Floyd dangled off of the broom as it shot off. His farewell, a cackle.

The pointed spires of the school’s towers pierced a startling blue backdrop. A color that remained unchanged both rightside up and upside down, as bold and as fearless as a sailor braving the seas.

Daring the unknown.

“Floyd Leech-san!”

“Mmm? That’s…” Floyd looked back—

—and there was Ortho, hands cupped over his mouth guard, shouting after him. His pale complexion had brightened, illuminated by a light from within. Ortho’s voice, projected loudly by his built-in speaker system, rattled Floyd down to his very bones.

“I... I wanna to do it too! I want to be as undaunted as you are, I want to try out lots and lots of new things!”

I want to shatter that sky and surpass my own limits.

“Now you’re talkin’!”

Floyd’s laughter crescendoed into a mad fit. His magic—responsible for steering the broom—spiked, and the broom bucked with it, rocketing off into the sky.

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling.

Floyd opened his mouth wide and shrieked. Air cut at his skin, hair flew in his face. He relished every moment of it right down to his descent, as fast as a falling meteor.

Floyd tore through the atmosphere, diving toward the students and staff writhing like plankton. His sights were set on a blot of inky indigo embroidered with gold thread—a boy in robes that matched his own, struggling to fly up a flight of stairs.

“Jaaaaaade!”

He turned up too late; Floyd, floating upside down, had already fisted his hat. He grinned at his twin like a cat fat on cream.

“Ehehehe. Made ya look!”

“Fufufu. Indeed you did.”

Together, the twins released their joy into the sky. Each laugh, each joke, like a balloon set free, drifting far beyond the sun, and setting their hopes into the stars.

And maybe somewhere even further than that.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Floyd, Deuce: Flying Free

Thank goodness Deuce didn’t die...

Also! This was a detail I couldn’t fit into this imagine, but think of how funny it would be if the basketball team member that got Floyd’s lemon water was Jamil 😂

***Floyd Union Birthday card spoilers!***

Imagine this...

“Ne, Saba-chan.”

“You called for me, Leech-senpai?”

“This Magical Wheel thing.” Floyd waved around the flimsy scrap that Deuce had so lovingly decorated for him. The sheet of notebook paper had been hastily and imperfectly torn out along its perforation and colored in to appear golden, words inked in by a ballpoint pen. I’ll take you for a ride on a Magical Wheel.

“Yes!” Deuce stood at attention, spine straightening. “I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have about them...! Shroud-senpai would probably be a better source of information if you need more technical explan--”

"Just tell me what it’s like again, riding a Magical Wheel.”

“Eh?” Deuce blinked. “Uh, sure. I mean, I personally really like it. You get to see the world pass by you so fast, and there’s nothing to really block your view of it. A Magical Wheel isn’t as big or bulky as a car or something, so you feel light on your feet while you’re on it. It really feels like flying. It’s so liberating!”

“Like flying?” Floyd’s eyes lit up, his mouth stretching into a grin. “So you’re saying that fish can fly without broomsticks?”

“Kind of. Are you particularly interested in flying, Leech-senpai? I’ve seen you on your broomstick a few times in flying class, and you seem like you really enjoy yourself when you are.”

Meanwhile, Ashengrotto-senpai and the other Leech-senpai always look like they want to curl up and die right on the spot. (Deuce tactfully avoided saying that out loud.)

“It’s not the flying, I just like trying out new stuff. We can’t exactly fly in the Coral Sea. There’s a lot of things you can only do on land--and that’s what makes it so interesting~”

“Well, I’m glad that you’re enjoying your time with us...” Deuce paused, feeling the heat of his upperclassman’s eyes bearing into him. “... Er, is there something on my face? Have I offended you somehow, senpai?”

He took a tentative step back, his body tensing. “If so...! I apologize for upsetting you on your special day! Let me know what I can do to make it up to you!”

“You know what, Saba-chan?” Floyd prodded Deuce in the bicep. “You’re so stiff. Loosen up, will ya? You don’t have to be a goody-goody all the damn time. Sometimes you just gotta let it go~”

“There’s no way I can afford to do that!”

“Mmm? Why not?” Floyd leaned in, gnashing his teeth. A frightful gleam danced along the pointed ends. “I thought you liked flying and feeling free.”

“That’s totally different. There are times when you need to get a grip on yourself and stay grounded, too. I’ve got people counting on me, so I can’t let them down.”

“But think of how good it’d feel! Like riding a Magical Wheel, times a hundred!” Floyd pushed, his eyes shining excitedly. “Soaring, flying. Not a star in the sky that you wouldn’t be able to reach. Breaking free. No one’s rules or expectations holding you back.”

“Then I’d lose myself in that feeling. I’d fly and fly and fly... and then what? I’d never stop. I’d be out of control.” Just like how I was back then.

“Tch. Borrring~” Floyd stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and groaned, turning away. “If you keep limiting yourself, you’ll never know just how high you can go. That’s what makes you a small fry, not even worth a squeeze.”

Deuce clenched his fists, meeting the eel with a hard gaze. “I’m willing to bet on that limit. No matter what you or anyone else says, I’ll do it my own way.”

Floyd looked back at the first year and cackled. “Ehehe~ Maybe you aren’t so boring after all, Saba-chan!”

He took a menacing step toward Deuce. “Well? What’re you gonna do if I do get in your way? You wanna fight? You wanna be squeezed?”

“N-Now wait just a minute--”

“Nope! I’m not gonna wait.” The birthday boy’s smile was decidedly more sinister than sunny. “C’mere, Saba-chan...! I’ll give you a hug that you’ll never forget.”

“No hugs, NO HUGS!!!”

Deuce stumbled back, his rear colliding with a sweets-laden table. He scrambled to grab two pies--and, whipping around to face a fast-approaching predator, Deuce grinned. “Here!! Have some, Leech-senpai...!!”

SPLAT!! SPLAT!!

The pies were launched like projectiles, one landing in Floyd’s hair, and the other over his heart. Thick rivers of whipped cream ran down the front of his jacket and along the length of his face. A sickeningly sweet smell curled against his nostrils as he wiped the stickiness from his skin.

“You...” Floyd’s pupils were pinpricks as he closed the distance between him and Deuce. His voice was low and chilling, causing all of the hairs on the back of the first year’s neck to rise and freeze over.

Deuce held up both hands. “B-Before you kill me, let me have one phone call to my mom and grandma!!”

“Hah? What’re you talking about?”

“... Huh?”

“That was pretty fun! You should do it again!!” Floyd nodded to the waiting table of pies. “This time, I’ll dodge, okay? So try your best to hit me! It’s fine if you miss and we get the others caught in the crossfires, though~”

“Okay...? Whatever you say, Leech-senpai.”

Happy birthday and thanks for not ending me on the spot.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Happy birthday Leech twins, I brought you Russian roulette cupcakes. Most of them are normal chocolate cupcakes with crepe inside, but one has a mystery flavor in it, so be wise to choose and enjoy your birthday, bye bye. *marches out of here*

Together, they stare down at the platter of mystery cupcakes.

“Floyd.”

“Jade.”

“I think we both know what must be done, yes?”

“Mmhm! It’s the only thing we can do~”

They nod and pick up the platter.

“Dear birthday party attendees, who would care for a cupcake, right from the birthday boys themselves?”

“Eheheh! They’re really tasty~ Everyone should try one!”

... Azul is the poor, unfortunate soul that gets the durian and onion flavored cupcake. This is why he dislikes games of chance.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

“I am sorry I just had to.”

Uwaaaah~ I’m happy to see that my response inspired fan art~