#I have one and I've assembled it and I am going to hang it in my ART ROOM tomorrow

[afniel]

Big Ikea Leaf

Big Ikea Leaf

[emperorundying]

💀The Locked Tomb Dashboard Simulator Part 4💀

🤐 necromancer-confessions

Anonymous asked:

i'm a third house non magic user and i've started hanging out with more necros lately and... i think i didnt realize how much of hanging out consisted of talking about the eroticism of the flesh !! and i dont want to judge them but u hear the words 'viscera' 'adipose' and 'sounding' in the same sentence one too many times and u kinda wonder why yr there as someone who cannot manipulate nerves :( ig im just feeling kind of left out

#anon this is totally regular for necros esp 3rd housers #if they dont understand that you feel left out, maybe have one use their necromancy on you? #there are many ways to assemble a skeleton

(112 notes)

💉 se7en Follow

bc these have been going around :3

( 1,829 notes )

💀 6ske-le-un9 Follow

#SOOOO SICK OF SPIRIT MAGICIANS IN MY INBOX ACTING LIKE THEY KNOW BONES BETTER THAN ME #get boned bitch grrrrrr

(1,002 notes)

♱ midnighthagette Follow

this edible aint shit

♱ midnighthagette Follow

why is the seventh saint to serve the emperor undying under my bed.

💎 saintofawe ☑️

Again with the insaneposting? How unfortunate, Harry, I thought we were past this.

(21,871 notes)

🐱 cohortcatgirl Follow

V important thread!!!

Idc how much anon hate i get 4 this, we need 2 be able to appreciate the loving hand that guidez us💗

#sick 2 my stomach seeing all of these posts against the necrolord prime without knowing the context of the beautiful things he's done for us :((((((( #mr undying i am yr biggest fan u deserve better than this....

(2,023 notes)

👤 foundations-of-decay-deactivated-8172202

if one more person unprompted asks me for blood pics again i swear to the bones above i will stab myself or smth

🩸 ab-justmytype-o Follow

stabbing pics queen?

(9,308 notes)

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

i would've requested something so much earlier but for some reason your ask box wasn't showing on my mobile at all?? very strange

soo since i was helping my mom assemble some garden chairs recently, how about drabbles about M6 dealing with assembling ikea furniture and how good/bad they're at it:3

The Arcana Drabbles: M6 building IKEA furniture

You'd like to say that you've seen the shop in worse condition, but ... you really haven't. The six adults scattered across the the floor and scrabbling through the pile of flat-pack boxes that arrived earlier aren't helping (though you can tell they're really, really trying to -).

"UGH!" Lucio groans, crumpling an ill-fated leaflet in his golden hand, "this makes no SENSE!"

"Of course it wouldn't," Nadia calmly responds from her chair. Did she drag that out of the back room? "it has writing on it, and I've never seen you patient enough to read."

"I CAN READ -"

"I can't, apparently." Julian hangs his head mournfully over the pile of screws he's laid out. You're pretty sure half the pieces don't belong to the kit he's currently crouched over, and they're arranged in a fashion eerily similar to surgical tools. "The first step calls for piece 'a'! I can't find piece 'a'! How am I supposed to build this if I can't find piece 'a'?"

You step cautiously past Nadia's pristine workspace and peer at Julian's leaflet. You're pretty sure you saw piece 'a' a minute ago scattered in the wreckage that is Lucio's general vicinity and you don't know how to break that news to the languishing doctor.

"Hah! I did it!"

Portia pops up from where she's been sitting behind the counter, triumphantly twirling her little metal screwdriver. "Tadaa! I don't know how to pronounce the official name of this, but here are your new cabinets, oh great magician shopkeeper." She gives you a giggling bow and waves her hand at the finished piece. "Where do you want me to put it?"

"You can leave it where it is for now, I still need to decide - Asra? What's that?"

"Hm?"

The magician looks at you over their shoulder, sitting cross-legged on the countertop with their back hiding whatever it is they're working on against the wall. "I'm almost done."

That's cryptic. "Done with what?"

He smirks. "This." The structure they reveal may have started as furniture, but currently resembles a modern art piece. You don't know what it is.

"What is it?"

"Ah ..." His voice trails off, and he flushes sheepishly. "Well, it's going to be shelves when it's done, I just took the less conventional route." They flash you a dimpled grin. "I'll keep working on it."

It's as you're turning away that you notice piece 'a' must have just been plucked from Lucio's floor space and creatively attached to the structure. Thankfully, Julian still doesn't seem to have noticed.

"WHERE ARE MY PIECES GOING?!"

... however, it seems like Lucio did notice. You approach the whirlwind of screws and random wooden pieces, the ex-count sitting at the center of the chaos like a loud, confused island. "Which pieces are you missing?"

"I don't know! I just took apart the thing I was working on -" he waves his crumpled leaflet with a pout, "- and now I have less than I started with! Asraaa -"

"Don't look in my direction." Asra gives Lucio an uncharacteristically cold scowl and makes a show of pulling piece 'a' from the artwork that is, to their credit, starting to look more like a shelving unit. It drops on the floor and rolls into Julian's pile.

"A-ha! I've found it! You've fled from my grasp for long enough, you scoundrel. Finally, I can begin!" The doctor snatches it up in delight and flips excitedly through his leaflet.

"JULES!" You'd think Lucio had gotten sunburned with how red he's turning.

"I'm pretty sure that wasn't one of your pieces, Lucio. Why don't you show me what the first step was, again?"

Lucio grumbles and begins un-crumpling his instruction manual. It's while he's distracted that you see the large hand reaching into the sea of his pieces and snatching a tiny screw. You follow it back to the corner where its owner has been sitting silently the whole time, and your jaw drops.

Three completed furniture pieces are neatly arranged in a row, a fourth one quickly reaching completion in Muriel's lap. You knew he was a good craftsman, but it's almost like the screws dance into place under his precise touch. You watch him glance at his open manual, spot the cross-shaped piece under Lucio's knee, and then silently snap it up as soon as the ex-count's head is turned. A small, smug smile dances across his bent face when another confused shriek follows shortly after.

"ANOTHER ONE DISAPPEARED! IT WAS CROSS-SHAPED, IT WAS HERE AND NOW IT'S NOT -"

"Silence."

Nadia massages her temples, clearly fighting off a migraine.

"Noddy, I -"

"Enough." Nadia leans back and sighs. She's pulled out a set of trays and organized each unused manual with all the screws and small pieces needed, laid out in order of use. She holds out one hand and Muriel silently flicks the piece she's looking for into her palm - right after pulling it from under Lucio's boot. "I've been taking your pieces, in order to better organize our endeavors."

"Noddy, how could you?!"

"How about some tea? Doesn't that sound nice?!"

Portia's aggressive sunshine smile overrides the growing storm, giving Nadia a moment to massage her temples and momentarily cowing Lucio. You smile. "Tea sounds nice right now."

Portia claps her hands, skipping around the counter. "Great! Do you have any snacks?"

You shake your head slowly. "I ran out this morning, but if anyone wants to buy cookies I can give you some -"

"Cookies?!" Lucio stands bolt upright, heading straight for the door. "Don't worry about it! I'll get them!"

The door slams shut behind him and the room is suddenly quiet, his excited shouting fading around an outside street corner. To your surprise, it's Muriel who breaks the silence.

"Cookies? ... that's all it takes?"

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA for kicking someone out of my D&D campaign for reasons not entirely related to the game?

This is long but the context is important I swear.

About a year ago, I (30X) tried to assemble a D&D group with my coworkers. After a whole lot of fucking around, the guy who was going to DM moving across the country, and a bunch of people quitting or getting fired, it ended up being me as the DM, my brother, a few other people who I met through a different campaign, and one guy who used to work with me.

This guy, J (23M), had a lot of personal problems when he worked for us, most of which contributed to him being let go. He had a lot of family issues that led to him missing a lot of work (and I mean A Lot. We have a Very good PTO system for the US that basically amounts to accruing one day off for every 50 hours you work, earning more the longer you stay with the company, and more allowance for attendance infractions than any company I've ever heard of in the states). He also had a lot of interpersonal issues with some of the employees, one in particular, K (21F), with whom he had some kind of situationship. I try not to get involved in work drama, so I don't know all the details.

J also has issues with money, transportation, and depression/suicidal tendencies. I'm not judging him for any of those, as I have experience with them as well, but he has been leaning on me pretty heavily around every time we hang out to play D&D. I would cover his 120$+ Uber rides home, which he would sometimes pay me back but sometimes not (if I couldn't afford it once a month, I wouldn't do it, but he insists he's going to pay me back; since he has lost yet another job I am not expecting it at all and don't hold it against him really, but I do think it's kind of shitty to insist you're going to when you clearly won't be able to), pay for his food, work with my family members to get him home, and let him crash at my house to avoid ordering an Uber. He also messaged me when he was feeling suicidal - bad enough to be institutionalized after I sent him the number for the suicide hotline. Again, no judgement, but it made me uncomfortable because I struggle with the same things. He seemed bothered that I told him I wasn't able to talk him through it, but that may have just been the crisis talking.

After all that, we come to a game session that involves more than just navigating dangerous spaces and fighting off wild animals. The rest of the party does fine, but J really botches the social interaction part, despite everyone telling him what he's doing is a bad idea and me doing my best as a DM to communicate that he should change tactics. He does not change tactics and instead doubles down and goes full murderhobo, which is not the kind of player I'm interested in playing with, something I thought J understood from previous conversations.

My original plan was to say something to the table at our next session about removing themselves from the game if the themes weren't something they were interested in engaging with, but then I get some additional info today about J and K.

Apparently J has been incredibly possessive towards K - someone who, again, he was not dating in any meaningful capacity - for weeks or months, to the point that she has blocked him on social media off and on. And then this past week, J has sent her screenshots of her location, contacted her ex who she still lives with for logistical reasons, made him upset to the point that K thought he was going to kick her out of his apartment, and harassed K's brother to try to get her to talk to him again. K is seriously considering taking out a restraining order against him at this point. J has also been updating his social media to imply that he is going to kill himself.

To say this behavior raises some red flags is an understatement. Clearly J needs help, but as a regular guy, that's really not something I'm able to provide beyond sending mental health hotlines, and I don't feel comfortable being his support system in the way he obviously needs.

All that said, I feel like I might be an asshole for kicking him out of the campaign full stop, because he's been really excited to play this whole time. But the combination of all this really worrisome, potentially dangerous behavior and the mundane reality of him just being a really annoying player kind of has me at my wits end, so, WIBTA?

What are these acronyms?

[dragonmuse]

Demystifying Writing

(or There Is No Wrong Way, but Here's One Way)

One of the things I've noticed as I've bobbled through twenty years of fanfic spaces (this happens in traditional writing as well, but this is where I hang out) is a lot of talk of 'muses' and 'this character told me that this is how it'll go'. Or 'I can't say how I got my ideas'.

And I do know that feeling! Sometimes you are just in the flow or it feels like you got struck by lightening and it's a great feeling. You know exactly what this character wants and it even seems to guide against your original plan. It's a beautiful feeling!

But that very feeling can make us feel like writing springs from some deep unknowable place that we cannot possibly reach voluntarily. By creating that mystic feeling, you also need to become an oracle who is in touch with that other side.

For myself, I do have those moments of feeling like my blorbo is just whispering in my ear. But for the most part, it's something else altogether: construction.

I am not an outline writer, I generally do not have a huge plan, but I do have scenes I'm considering, things I'm working towards. And I tend to think of a story as a mission-based project. I have posed myself a few questions, usually 'in this given circumstance, how do these characters find each other and what impact do they have on each other once they do?' Usually I already have an answer in mind 'they fall in love and both wind up in a happier situation' for romantic fics for instance. All right, so what gets them to that place while not changing the core of what I perceive as their personalities.

Writing can be mystic, but writing can also be as pragmatic as brick and mortar assembly. I am standing on the island of beginning and I am looking at the island of ending. What do I need to do build the bridge from here to there?

So if you don't have a muse and you don't feel inspired by things beyond fragile human understanding...so what? Your writing is just as valid if you're someone who sits and thinks it over and can explain exactly where your ideas came from. Inspiration can be very clear and concrete. 'This coffee shop seems like a fun place to work, what if my blorbos worked here?' is a perfectly fine way to start thinking about a story. From there if you write each scene with a workmanlike attention 'what sort of event would pull them closer together?' etc etc.

And hey, maybe you want to write something about two writers with different approaches to writing. See? Anything can get you started!

[thepupperino]

Weekly Tag Wednesday

Hello again!!! Thank you @energievie for the game and @lupeloto, @spacerockwriting, @jrooc, and @spookygingerr for the tags!

A little game for you today: imagine you're friends with both Ian and Mickey (I'm talking hanging out at their apartment, going out for drinks, the whole nine yards). Which one of them would you take with you for the following activities and why? No cheating 😅 Only of them because I promise you the other won't get upset.

But first...

Name: Keely

Age: 29

Location: Utah

And now, for the activities:

Fishing: What if I don't want to go fishing? Stealing Jess' answer and bringing Mickey so we can get drunk on a boat

Rom-com marathon in the park: Ian is my rom-com buddy

Clubbing: Ian (I hate Caleb but I love that little screenshot of Ian dancing at the wedding--you know the one I mean right?)

Wine tasting: Mickey? Idk I've always wanted to do a tasting and I feel like I would have fun with Mickey

Escape room: Mickey but he'd probably make me feel stupid (for context I am bad at escape rooms)

A day at the spa: Ian, give that man a break

Office Christmas party: I'm new at this job and feel like Ian would be on his best behavior

Darts competition: Like as my competition or like as a partner? As a partner I'll pick Mickey because that man grew up in a bar

Treasure hunt: Ian, I feel like it could be fun

Assembling IKEA furniture: Hear me out, for some reason I believe Mickey is very good at furniture assembly? And if not then at least we'll get frustrated together

Tags below :)

@sleepyheadgallavich @too-schoolforcool @heymacy @deedala @gallapiech

@wehangout @catgrassplantdad @rereadanon @callivich @sam-loves-seb

@samantitheos @bawlbrayker @deathclassic @mybrainismelted @crossmydna

[kanonavi]

2023 XVX Fic Recs!

Hi, all, I hope you're having a lovely holiday season! Around the beginning of this year, just for fun, I decided that I would record all of the fanfics that I read this year, and during the summer I had the idea to take some of the best fics I read in 2023 and compile them at the end of the year into a rec list. Since xiaoven was the ship I read the most fics for, I've decided to just do a rec list for them this year, but maybe in the future I'll branch out more!

As with any rec list, please take note of the ratings and the tags for any given fic! Just because something suited my taste doesn't necessarily mean it will suit yours, please take care of yourselves. Now, here are 10* fics that I read this year and think that other xiaoven fans should read too! (Also uh. Sorry for how much I'm about to talk in the reviews lol)

*Keep an eye out for a few bonuses that I've peppered in ;)

~

We Creatures of Fate, by Wackachu

[Ongoing, Teen, 57.9k, 7/?]

Xiao is a weapon forged from red, carved from the hearts of weeping souls and etched into the memories of grieving mothers. While free under the care of a new God, he finds salvation, yet feels as trapped as the day the chains first clamped down onto his wrists. Venti is a God, one born from the wishes of others as opposed to his own. After losing his loved ones, he can't help but feel lost, high on a throne all alone, built upon all things he despised. The two find each other by chance, yet the rest can only be described as fate. ---------- A telling of Xiao and Venti's story with a hefty load of lore

If there is any fic on this list that should be read, it’s this one. I am an absolute sucker for speculative lore when it comes to Genshin, and the picture that the author has assembled of Archon War-era Liyue is absolutely masterful. Within the threads of that beautiful tapestry, they’ve also been interweaving Xiao and Venti’s developing relationship all the way from when they were a newly-freed Adeptus and young Archon respectively. They have a long journey ahead of them (the burn is slow, folks), and I think that said journey is an absolute must-read.

~

Extra Recs: Wackachu has also written two other xiaoven one-shots, which I highly recommend for more bite-size pieces of their excellent taste!

~

the holy light of your single lantern, by boxofcrows (@miralia)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 6/6]

“Long divided by river and sea, For years we two have failed to meet – And suddenly to find you seems like a dream.” Thousands of years of silence, broken by a single visit.

This fic wrapped up recently, so it’s a great time to go and show it some love! One of my biggest sorrows is that xiaoven is rather lacking in really good canon universe fics compared to other Genshin ships, but this fic managed to fill that hole in my heart. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the way that Xiao and Venti’s conflicting natures and ideals can cause friction between them, all while maintaining the undeniable magnetism that they feel towards each other.

~

Relax In My Arms, by alphaparrot (@aparrotandaqrow)

[Queerplatonic XiaoVen, General Audiences, 5.9k, One-Shot]

As Lantern Rite arrives, Xiao is found exhausted and spent by Qiqi of Bubu Pharmacy, who brings him back to Liyue. Upon awaking, Xiao quickly makes his exit and returns to Wangshu Inn, where Venti is waiting for him on the balcony. Xiao isn't in the mood to party, but maybe a chill hang-out would help him relax. Venti knows just the thing to help Xiao relax and recuperate, and as they both get comfortable, they begin to reflect....

Author's Original Promo Post!

Queerplatonic xiaoven was a flavor of their relationship that I hadn’t tried before this fic, but it really sold me on it. What I’ve always loved about xiaoven so much is the inherent intimacy that can be achieved between them once all of the emotional barriers between them have been stripped away, and I think that those ideas are explored very beautifully here. Xiao and Venti trust and love each other so deeply here, and it shows in every word and touch that they exchange, and I think that it’s a must-read for anyone whose brain chemistry was altered by the ‘Endless Suffering’ trailer (so basically, every xiaoven fan ever lol)

~

i can not save us (but you can), by anemowisp (@sillygirl19)

[Teen, 19.4k, One-Shot]

two boys figure out what the hell they're doing

In the midst of one of the most turbulent times in my life, one particular line in this fic really hit me where it hurt, and it’s one of the few times that I’ve actually cried reading a fic. In my xiaoven-enjoying friend groups, we sometimes call Xiao and Venti old men with teenager problems, which means they don't always work when turned into actual teenagers/young adults with those problems, but I think this fic pulls it off really well.

~

what queer sins stain thy soul, by Anonymous (@sincerelyandyourstruly)

[Mature, 3.2k, One-Shot]

In which Xiao, long-established asexual, learns that identity is not as stable as he’d like to believe.

As an ace person myself, I feel it’s so rare to find a really good asexual character study where the asexuality is actually one of the central focuses of the intimacy taking place (if anyone has any recs of that variety please hit me up!), but I think that this fic pulled that off really well. It also delves into that particular vibe of when one’s identity might be shifting, which can be a really scary thing, but Xiao in this fic is lucky enough to have someone he loves and trusts to support him as he explores his new desires, which was really comforting to read about.

~

Where Words Fail, by kavvueh (@kavvueh)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 12/12]

Author's Original Promo Post!

"You're Barbatos," Xiao repeats breathlessly. The young man in front of him nods. "Yep." "But..." Xiao cuts himself off and tries again. "You're the God of songs and poetry." The Anemo Archon nods his head sagely. "More or less." Xiao fixes Lord Barbatos with the most incredulous look he can manage. "... You're failing Music Theory."

As someone who was also suffering through music theory alongside Venti as this fic was publishing, all of the attention to detail in the musical aspects of this fic absolutely tickled me. But all of that was merely a foundation for a lovely story about a pair of souls finding their partner in a new life. The musical connection that xiaoven have is one of the essential tenets of the ship, and this fic did a beautiful job of using that idea to its fullest potential.

~

Extra Rec: kavvueh has recently started publishing a new xiaoven fic with a similar setting, so if you enjoy these kinds of fluffy modern aus, give that one some love as well!

~

The Stars in Teyvat are a Lie, and So Is the Sky, by yueyunn

[Complete, Teen, 148.2k, 13/13]

There were several issues that Xiao immediately took with Ningguang’s proposition for him to produce for Barbatos: his other artists had upcoming comebacks and year-end stages that required his attention, he was overworked enough as it were already, and Ningguang was not exactly someone he was looking to do any favors for. While her persistence to overlook all this was one matter, nothing aggravated him more than Ningguang completely ignoring the obstinate fact that he. doesn’t. work. with. idols.

Perhaps I was a bit like Xiao in this fic at the beginning of this year, because I approached the two idol/celebrity aus on my to-read list with open skepticism, and then ended up absolutely adoring them both. What I loved about this fic the most was how much care was put into actually translating the character’s canon backstories into the modern idol au setting. The author clearly has so much love for the characters, and it really shows through in the way that everyone has their chance to shine, even the side characters. This fic also updated recently with 15k words of extras, so it’s a great time to visit or revisit it!

~

Extra Rec: gold rush, by underthethousandstars was the other idol/celebrity au I read this year and really enjoyed, so if those aus are up your alley, I highly recommend it!

~

low-key (no pressure!), by windrise (Twitter - @/wyndrise)

[Ongoing, Teen, 75.7k, 11/?]

Following his friend’s questionable suggestion, Venti partners with Xiao—the resident grouch of his early morning stats class—for his music project.

If you want to sit down with a fic that will give you the warm fuzzies, this is definitely the one to pick. As alluded to previously, I don’t really go for modern aus as much, but this fic absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. I was getting the ‘squee’s as I read about Xiao and Venti growing closer over the course of working on Venti’s project, as the author has an excellent grasp of the deep inner kindness that the two of them hold, and how that kindness would naturally draw them together.

~

bouquet of lies, by underthethousandstars (Twitter - @/zhongliorder)

[Complete, Mature, 85.9k, 12/12]

In a world where humans can use elemental magic, Xiao uses his to move through the shadows becoming Liyue’s phantom killer. Known to the public as Alatus, he is their most notorious assassin. One day Xiao secures his biggest job yet: kill the Crown Prince of Mondstadt, Venti. Harbouring no love towards any royal family Xiao pulls off his mission with success. Or so he thought.

This fic falls solidly on the darker end of xiaoven stories (the ‘Dark Fantasy’ tag is there for a reason!), so if you happen to like your ships with an enemies to lovers flare, this is definitely one to check out. This is one of those stories that really managed to pull me into the world of assassins and political intrigue that the author has crafted, and on top of that it puts a fun spin on exploring Xiao and Venti’s individual guilt and the way that it affects them as people. The first fic in the series is finished, but the second installment is currently in progress, so I highly recommend checking that one out as well!

~

every morning in the dark, by magicites (Twitter - @/bribird_wings)

[Complete, Mature, 77.1k, 34/34]

Stuck in a time loop where he succumbs to his karmic debt, Xiao struggles to see the point in moving forward. Venti struggles to save him.

While by far the heaviest of any of the fics I’ve recommended so far (mind the warnings and the tags!!), if you can stomach the subject matter, this is one of those fics that I would refer to as XiaoVen Essential Reading. The author has a pitch-perfect grasp of what makes xiaoven, qualities which are pushed to their limits as the two of them struggle to break free of the loop that they’re trapped in. I took severe emotional damage while reading it, but my only regret was that I hadn’t read it sooner. It’s definitely A Lot, but it’s so, so worth it for anyone who really enjoys this pairing.

~

And with that, we reach the end of the list! If you've made it this far, thank you so much, and I hope I've given you some fics to add to your to-read list for the coming year! I tried to incorporate some newer fics with some classics, so hopefully there's something here you haven't heard from before.

With that said, I'll hopefully be back next year with some more xiaoven or other Genshin fic recs! <3

[bassettmemes]

PRINCESS CHARM SCHOOL. ↳ quotes from the barbie cinematic universe's princess charm school.

"i hope you're doing your homework and not just watching that parade."

"you'll hurt your eyes looking at this."

"i am so not a princess!"

"every girl’s a princess, some of them just have fancier crowns."

"it's time! it's time! it's princess charm school lottery time!"

"who’s a lady royal? [name]’s a lady royal! who works at the palace? [name] works at the palace!"

"i don’t belong with a bunch of fancy princesses and lady royals. look at me, I’m a waitress. i've got straws in my pocket and ketchup on my socks."

"great. i've already flunked carriage riding."

"you’ll notice that all of our students carry themselves with dignity and sophistication."

"i understand that the lottery is a joke. isn’t it obvious? commoners like you just don’t belong here."

"oh, pretty as a princess! i mean, lady royal!"

"all princesses-in-training and lady royals-in-training are due for assembly for the starlight welcome in one minute."

"fail as a princess-in-training and you will lose crown privileges."

"i'd like a proper introduction!"

"there is a legend that queen isabella and her family didn’t all die in that accident."

"that's lovely if you want to be the crazy princess who hears music in her head."

"you're practising being a princess, not being a migrating duck!"

"did you get those shoes at a garage sale?"

"a true lady royal never hangs her head."

"you should be expelled from this school, you are an utter disgrace!"

"you know what really bugs me? when commoners like [name] come to princess charm school. they make it less special. she makes US less special."

"princess charm school is the best, royal skills put to the test! we learn grace and we learn poise, now it’s time to make some noise! go princess charm school!"

"who am I kidding? i don’t fit in at all! i’m like a burp in a symphony."

"everyone thinks i don't belong. everyone except you guys."

"do you know what it takes to be a princess?"

"lt’s said, that the crown glows on the true heir of gardenia. it glowed when queen isabella was crowned, but hasn’t been seen since."

"i didn’t know PEOPLE made clothes. i thought they came from elves, like toast."

"okay, that's the craziest thing i've ever heard."

" i wouldn’t be wearing this crown without your help. will you accept being my lady royal?"

"there's a princess in every girl."

[norcalbruja]

Met another potential anito, and the avengers have assembled for... vengeance?

I do not know what the fuck keeps happening with my attempts to contact other Filipinos, but it's happening again.

My friend's friend who I contacted for spiritual help just seems to keep losing track of me for WEEKS at a time. I've been trying to schedule a consultation and recently asked her if she was busy and I should talk to someone else, but she just said "thank you for being patient with me," so... I don't actually know if she's busy.

I don't want to keep hounding her every week for a CONSULT before I can actually get help, so I asked her now if it's easier to just pay her a bit for the phone consultation, and then I'll pay her more for a proper spiritual session, when we actually figure out what the hell is wrong with me.

So I've been dealing with pest issues in the apartment, and this is REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING, considering my landlords raised the rent when all they did was fix the counters and give the apartment building a shitty boring paint-job to make the outside "look nicer."

--

Meanwhile, Haik Number Four has constantly been remarking on how miserable I am and he's said something a couple of times like, "This is evil, what people have done to you."

So I was like, "Haik, technically nobody's done anything to me. I email or message folks in the art business for help and most people just don't answer. Neither do most of the anito." And he went, "Doing nothing IS evil! You specifically ask people for help, but they can't even tell you 'I'm sorry, but we don't have time!' They leave you floating around for weeks with no answer!"

Meanwhile, Tatay the ancestral spirit says Haik Number Four is just "being dramatic," but... yeah, Haik obviously doesn't agree with that.

But late one night, Tony Stark stepped into my spiritual "room" and he was like, "God, your life is a mess. It shouldn't have taken you ten fucking years to get your art off the ground! Your friends are doing okay, but you're just stuck in a day-job and living with your mom! You're AT LEAST as talented as the Fifty Shades of Grey author who filed the copyrighted parts off her FANFICTION, but you can't even get your own place, or recognition from RICH people!"

So I was like, "Yes, Tony, I know. You helped me with my laptop, at least. I just need... more help, unfortunately."

So he said, "And that's why I'm here, Cyborg. To avenge those ten fucking years."

And I'm just thinking, 'Damn, Tony, that's class-traitor AND Green Goblin talk."

--

So a few days ago, Haik Number 4 brought me to this stone boulder/pillar thing, and it turned into a handsome Filipino guy, Who Calls Himself Dumakulem, the Tagalog mountain-god. His wife Anagolay also showed up and said hello.

Tealdeer, it ended the same way it ends with other spirits who say they want to help, but I'm just tired of hearing it. I don't want to get my hopes up and end up stuck in this same shitty apartment for another three years.

Behind the read-more button for, like... desperate screaming. And Eric Draven being brutally honest about my fears of "dying and THEN having people suddenly pay attention to my work, as if I haven't been begging people to read it constantly while I was alive."

--

So I tried to be polite with Possible-Dumakulem and Possible-Anagolay, but soon they started talking about how my situation is so alarming again.

I knew they were going to say they wanted to "help" or something, so I told them, "NO. DON'T SAY IT. PLEASE. I can tolerate spirits calling themselves the anito, but don't fucking tell me you want to help. Nobody ever does that! They feel bad for me, they say my life sounds boring and unfulfilled, but nothing changes anyway. My heart hurts all the time. I don't want to hear you'll help if you can't ACTUALLY HELP ME. Get me a briefcase full of money, or an art career where I can travel and hang out with people, just--JUST GIVE ME MY OWN FUCKING LIFE! IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME, JUST FUCKING DO IT!!! CHANGE ONE OF THE MANY SHITTY THINGS IN MY LIFE SO I CAN BE A BIT LESS MISERABLE! AND IF YOU CAN'T HELP ME YOURSELF, FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN! PLEASE!!!"

Lola Buwaya was, um... irritated at Possible-Dumakulem and Possible-Anagolay again. But they unfortunately switched to Tagalog, so now I've just got the half-understood gist of Lola ranting. She said something like, "Hayop siya na! Tony Stark heard her before you did! If you won't treat her like a person, don't be upset when she doesn't treat you like gods! You left her with a squid for years, and a sailing-god was the only one to answer her! But now you don't want to hear unkind words?! Do you want her to be a person again?! Then you must act like gods, and give her what she asks!"

Meanwhile, Spirit-Me just devolved into flailing and screaming "LET ME OUT!!! LET ME OUTTTTTTTTTTT!!!! LET ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING HELLHOLE!!!! PLEASE!!!! I SWEAR I'LL PAY YOU BACK IF SOMEONE HELPS ME!!!! JUST LETTTTTTTT MEEEEEEE OUTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!"

As noted with Hera, I've lost my shit and just started "screaming to anyone who's listening" in my meditations before, but I really don't like if that happens in "public," with SPIRITS around (unless they're close spirits, like the Water-Spirit or Dionysus).

Unfortunately, Spirit-Me started coughing up blood again, and THAT was obviously not good.

So various spirits heard Spirit-Me and were trying to calm me down (again), ranging from Dionysus, to Tony Stark, to Tatay.

Eric Draven stepped in and he was like, "You know what I'm thinking about this mess with her people's gods? That it's just an excuse for people to wring their hands. None of you actually want to get off your ass and fucking help her."

And Tatay said, "Naku! The dead man again! And Haik is here--is he not one of the anito?!"

Eric told him, "You really think a squid and a sailing god can help her so much with art? Or buying a house? She's not afraid she's going to die: She's afraid she'll die AND THEN people will finally read her stuff, like she begged them to for years. They'll talk about how much POTENTIAL it had, and 'all the things she could have done,' and they'll pretend she wasn't ready to jump in and do it.

"They'll see her social-media and her blog, where her baking posts get more likes than her art posts, and then they'll feel guilty about never clicking the Share button or leaving a comment. It won't help her OR them at that point. So none of you should bother calming her down anymore. Just let her scream and bleed and wander the forest like an orphaned girl. If you won't help, that's okay--just let her find someone she can pawn her soul off to, or some shit. How much money is a soul worth? "

So the room just went DEAD silent and I think it actually got cold for a bit. Eric Draven doesn't fucking play around with... warnings about a needlessly wasted life???

--

So regarding Lola's rant to Possible-Dumakulem and Possible-Anagolay: 'Hayop ka' is normally a Tagalog insult and literally translates to "you're a beast/wild-animal." It's mostly used for when people aren't acting right. IE, if you're being rude or obnoxious, someone's gonna yell at you, "hayop ka!"

It's often used in tandem with "walang hiya" (shameless / you have no shame) or "walang utang na loob" (no responsibility / you're being ungrateful). In English, it would be something like "were you raised in a barn?!" or "you're running wild / you've turned feral," but as I understand it, 'hayop ka' has a REALLY distinct undertone of 'you have lost your humanity/civilization' as opposed to the English analogs mostly meaning 'you have no manners/respect."

So 'Hayop siya na' means "she's become an animal now," but Lola's basically saying that the anito's lack-of-action/support turned me spiritually "feral," so the unspoken part is "she's become an animal BECAUSE OF YOU." And now she thinks they're just swooping in and thinking/hoping that I have JUST enough humanity left to 'treat them like gods," despite running around for so long with snakes, crocodiles, and giant squid.

Honestly, there has been a constant theme in my spiritual shittiness regarding "what makes you human?" or "how much damage/neglect can a soul take?" and then there's the issues of "well, you're doing the same things that everyone else is. You're literally not doing anything unusual. But since you never got anywhere with it, now people keep thinking you're crazy and talking to yourself (or to 'spirits pretending to be gods'), but the actual issue seems to be that you have incredibly bad luck."

Like, a lot of spirits are consistent about how it should never have taken TEN YEARS for me to get my projects off the ground, because with all the stuff I write about the anito, SOMEONE should have stepped in and helped me out (besides a giant squid who is God-LEVEL in strength, but he can't actually grant wishes), and it's cruel/unnecessary/evil for me to basically keep doing this on my own.

I have a theater script called "Takotsubo: The Story of A Superhero" that I've been trying to get off the ground. It's a deconstruction of the 'superhero' genre that heavily involves "when white people suit up and start taking on criminals, they're heroes, but when Black and Brown people do it, they're gangsters/vigilantes."

Everyone I've asked about it tends to say, "well, this sounds really cool! But it's also gonna be expensive and you're an unpublished writer, so not many people will risk this for you," and I was like... "Well... Guess I have to win the lottery or find a rich comic fan, then?"

I was thinking of converting the script to an actual comic series after I finish it. Because as expensive as relearning how to draw is, or finding an artist to pay for that, drawings don't need fight training or insurance for medical bills.

And like... whenever I look at that group of documents and grumble about how I need to practice drawing again, the spirits are upset that I'm basically thinking of "starting over" and doing this by myself... as I've done with my PROSE works, and we all know that hasn't gone anywhere, either.

[mrslandgraab]

Simblr Goals 2024

Hi! Err...hello...*clears throat *, hope ya'll doing well and made it through the year? I think my biggest goal for 2023 was to just make it till 2023. I wanted to finish my Master's (did not whoops) and started a new job (still there!) and then somehow depression hit somewhat and eh... I got a new PC, started playing Baldur's Gate 3 and Pathologic Classic HD and had barely the time to just devote myself to the Sims...and now it's the holidays and I notice - I really miss it and I miss hanging with you guys :) Therefore, I decided to give myself some small, achievable goals this year. I don't need to fulfill all of them - but I wanna motivate myself. And the fact that I am on vacation next week means I might be able to do just that.

Finish Setting Up On Win11 As I mentioned, I did buy a new PC. I still have my very beloved old laptop that has a bunch of CC and the Trepes and all on there -it's time to find out who I want to take with me, and what I need to say goodbye too. But ideally I want to be able to run this darling completely on Win11. By now I can already run the game - it's all about assembling mods, cc and clean neighbourhoods by now!

2. Start Something New Because I need to think about where I go with the Trepes (who I love but that pet wish is killing me but I love the lore I built around this), I think the best way is to just start something new - maybe build a neighbourhood I do not play after all? Choosing a college FIRST and playing just that before starting one of the mainhoods attached to it?

3. Write "brutal." "brutal." was actually a project I prepped for this year and scrapped because I had too much going on - it's a premade-focused story with Angela as a protagonist (because she is my favourite) and I really want to write that story. I wanted to experiement a bit more with the screenshot-style I've seen in some ts4 posts - my goal is to at least shoot and publish one chapter! :)

4. Have Fun! I always want to have fun with the game - and then I get too caught up in "omg I need to upload THIS or I am not allowed to play anymore" or "oh this screenshot ain't so good". NONE OF THAT! We'll play! That's what counts!

[maleficentmrsofallevil]

Project Journal - The Wall of Doll

I am exceptionally lucky to have two rooms in this house that are mine to do with as I please. This Project Journal is for my home office, where I spend 99 percent of my day. Therefore, it needs to have the greatest concentration of happy go-go-brain-juice decorations.

The room is 9 feet by 11 feet with one window and a closet. This mock-up is already inaccurate, because the round blue circle up top (trash can) will fit under the desk. I'm going to get a little kid chair and put Elysia in it instead. Also, I've mocked up a wall of shelves from IKEA's room planner that will stretch to cover the entire wall:

Sure, that seems like a lot of money. But considering how much I've paid for a new Iplehouse doll? Yeah. Not bad. My ceilings are 8 feet up from the floor, so I should be able to fit big girls on even the top shelves. I'm hoping to get my monsters (Rita mantitaur) to stand on the bottom shelves, which are 15 inches deep.

Behind the shelves, I'm putting up a peel-and-stick wallpaper mural.

I like this one so far.

The enormous desk that's currently in here will be perfect for Craftorama room (future project). But before I can even start the fun stuff (order the mural and shelves, decorate), there's so much boring crap to do.

Remove dolls, MLPs, cardboard, packing stuff, and empty the closet of BJD boxes. I've made an executive decision: the dolls stay out where I can see them, and the boxes are going in the trash. All respect to the careful BJD owners who keep their dolls in boxes and only remove them to photograph and dress them. I am not you. I need to see my dollies.

Trash and shred old paperwork in the cabinet. There are years and years of old documents in there. They gotta go. Easily the worst part of this project. The good thing to come out of this will be more storage for doll stuff.

Steam off the gawdawful wallpaper border in this room. It's very country cottage-chic. I hate it.

Pick a paint color I like from the mural, and paint the other three walls. Actually, I'm thinking two colors. One dark "accent" wall (I've heard those are a thing) and two light colors. Reinstall door trim.

I'm also thinking of some over-the-door organizers, like those shoe organizers that are terrible for shoes (they get dirty and stinky quickly). Washing them is also a nightmare - I know. I've tried. I ended up trashing it. So, it will have to be for non-shoe storage.

Install and hang curtains to protect dollies/MLPs from sun.

Assemble new desk and install.

Concurrently, disassemble monster desk and remove. Oh, and move all the computer stuff from one desk to the other, which is another task I am dreading.

Assemble the bookshelf that has been sitting in a box for 3 years now and put it in one corner. I don't remember what it looks like, other than it's weirdly geometric. I can't remember if it's black or wood color. It may need painted.

Order and install mural and wall of shelves.

And the best part - fill shelves with dollies and MLPs (the little row of shelves).

None of this, of course, can interfere with work. Considering that I spend most of my weekends sleeping, and I have to complete a certification for work during my "free" time (ha ha ha - free time), this should be interesting.

[20dollarlolita]

hi! me again. cut/sew 015 has me in the trenches. if you don't mind, do you think you could look at the instructions and tell me if they're setting me up for failure? specifically steps 9, 10, and 18. i've tried pinning the shirring to the bodice in every way i can & it either doesn't turn out the way that step 18 indicates OR the straps come out twisted. i'm not sure if i did something wrong at steps 9 and 10 (i've triple and quadruple checked and don't think i have) or if it's a misprint. ty!

So, I have the instructions here, but the instructions do not specify notches, so I'm doing a little bit of guessing here.

Quick note from someone who's been doing amateur lolita sewing tutorials for almost 9 years now: when you make a design that will be lined, write the instructions such that you treat the lining as if it's a different fabric from the face. Even if the end user decides to line the garment with its self, it will help people understand what is going on. This is because a lining in the mirror version of the face fabric. When you have four pieces that are identical, except that some of them are mirrored, things get very confusing very quickly.

Anyway, for everyone new to the party:

Cut/Sew dot Co is an indie pattern brand. They're basically one incredibly dedicated woman who designs, patterns, cams, builds, tests, writes instructions for, markets, and distributes the patterns. She's made nearly 100 different patterns, as far as my counting goes. Their goal is to make alternative j-fashion inspired patterns available for everyone, especially beginners who don't have a lot of technical sewing experience.

They're relevant to this blog because 1) they make patterns that they claim are lolita fashion patterns and 2) one incident in 2020 where the designer had a go at the lolita fashion community because we said her designs weren't actually lolita and 3) someone specifically asked me about this pattern.

I've previously made one of her patterns, and the main issue that I had with it was that none of the images of the pattern actually properly represent what the pattern will actually make. My other issue is that the patterns seem to have 1/4" seam allowance, which is a really bad seam allowance to use when you're sewing a garment that needs to be adjusted and have techniques like gathering and zipper application. 1/4" seams are usually used in quilt piecing, where they're being used on stable plainweave cotton and not on curved, load-bearing seams.

Anyway, CUT/SEW 15: Lolita JSK appears to be a self-lined JSK with a 1/4 back shirring panel and a 12" invisible side zipper closure. It has a front faux-lacing panel, and princess seams with trim along the princess line that extends all the way to the hem. The hem has two wide ruffles.

I'm not here to critique this pattern. That will be later.

So the questioner here has kindly provided me with the instructions, and here's my best ability to help them. The question is that steps 9 and 10 explain how to assemble the bodice, which is then set aside until step 18. When we pick the bodice back up in step 18, it feels like it has somehow changed and does not line up with step 10.

I am posting the instructions here in the hopes that my input will help other people who bought this pattern use it effectively. These instructions and images are posted to help cut/sew's customer base use their product without frustration.

STEP 9:

9. Place the sewn bodice front face up in your work space, making sure the dress straps are laying flat. Take a bodice side back piece and lay it under one of the dress straps so one edge of the strap just meets the notch along the top edge of the bodice side back. With the angle of the straps, the other edge of the strap should hang off past the bodice side back by about 3/4” - that’s okay! Pin this strap in place right at the notch, then take it to your sewing machine and baste the strap in place, sewing 1/4“ away from the edge..

Lay the sewn bodice front face up in your work space, then take another bodice side back piece and lay it over top, face down. Match it to one of the basted bodice side back pieces on all sides, then pin the two together. Take the pinned bodice to your sewing machine and stitch the two together along the top, sewing 1/2” away from the edge. Pull out the basting stitch underneath, then press out this seam.

Repeat this entire step with the second set of bodice side back pieces on the opposite strap. When finished, flip both bodice side back pieces out so they’re face up, then press the seams you’ve just sewn flat.

Okay so this makes plenty of sense to me, once you remember that this is self-lined. This means that there are four side-back pieces in play. We're going to call that left-sideback-face, left-sideback-lining, right-sideback-face, and right-sideback-lining. LSF, LSL, RSF, and RSL, if you will.

The image up there shows the in-progress picture, but here's what I think it'll look like when you've finished everything, and you're at " flip both bodice side back pieces out so they’re face up, then press the seams you’ve just sewn flat.":

The important thing to note is that, from my understanding of these images, you will have the straps attached with the short end (where is says SA in my drawing) facing the center.

For the record, this is where commercial patterns have notches. You notch the side seams on all patterns so that you don't get confused about what pieces connect to the side seams. Notches make patterns easier.

10. Place the shirred bodice center back face up in your work space. Lay a sewn bodice side back piece over top, face down, and match the edge with the notch and strap to one raw edge of the bodice center back. Pin the two together along this side, then take the pinned bodice to your sewing machine and stitch, sewing 1” away from the edge.

Repeat this step on the opposite side with the second bodice side back piece to create one continuous bodice.

So here is where the instruction diagrams confused me a little bit. I added some color to clarify things: The PINK line is the back sewn to the shirring panel. The GREEN line is not sewn to anything.

When this step is over, and we lay the complete bodice out, it will look like this:

If this is what your bodice looks like at step 10, when we pick back up in step 18:

18. Place the bodice front face up in your work space. Lay the bodice back over top, face down, and match the two together on the right side. Pin them at this seam, then sew both together by stitching 1” away from the edge. Trim the raw seam with your pinking scissors, then press open this seam.

Note that you're only going to sew one side seam here, because the other one will have the zipper installed. We can't actually lay the piece flat anymore, but if we could magically lengthen one of the straps so that it was suuuper long, it'd look like this:

I think your part is getting twisted because that image up there that I had to add the green/pink line on isn't very clear about what side is being sewn. If you look at that and sew the sides that LOOK like they're lined up in the picture, you'll sew your side backs backward.

I just want to emphasize that THIS is what notches are for. Notches are a means of communication between the pattern developer and the user. Placing your standard one notch on your side seams will allow the person who uses the pattern to know for sure what pieces are being connected to what pieces, and where those should be. The decision to not notch the common things (back and front, side seams, sleeve holes and sleeve caps) is just something that makes no sense to me.

While not directly asked, I am also VERY confused about the instructions for placing an invisible zipper in this dress.

I really, really want to like cut/sew as a company. Their mentality is in line with my own: make things easy for beginners, and make the environment they're in accepting and supportive, and people will be able to build things and have fun. I regularly have to remind myself that just because something didn't get done my way, it doesn't mean it wasn't done effectively. Cut/Sew has put out something like 100 patterns, which were all the work of one incredibly dedicated individual. My general complaints with the company have been with social media presence and marketing, as well as not having clear images of the garments and/or technically usable fashion flats. My other beef that I had with them, the 1/4" seam allowance, seems to be resolved in this pattern. It looks like they've gone up to 1/2".

If there's enough demand, I can buy this pattern, make it, and provide a technically accurate flat as well as complete images of the garment. Just let me know if you want to see that and then get ready to wait possibly literal years until I acutally get it done.

Hope this helps somehow. G'night.

[jaggedwolf]

pll rewatch 2x01-2x03

new season, a forced separation, an unexplained greenhouse set

the introduction of one Dr Anne Sullivan. Shares a name with Helen Keller's instructor for no discernible reason, she is played by an actor known to the contemporaneous recappers I've been reading, because more than one of them go "Oh, it's Annabeth Gish!"

She was in 27 episodes of The X-Files and 6 episodes of The West Wings, both shows I'd expect TV recappers to have watched

Another sleepover, featuring the liars revolting against the strength of Spencer's coffee

They don't even get to have coffee because all non-military and non-Tom parents are assembled to tell the girls (1) yeah we think you're making shit up (2) you have to go to grief counseling because you are too obsessed with your friend's death

Our 2010s suburban teenagers are like we don't want to go therapy because we are not crazy (note: Spencer and Hanna are most negative on this topic)

Emily is traumatizing herself by rewatching the Jenna-Toby video, and then gets traumatized by Pam letting a broker go "get rid of all personality from this room asap". Pam work on your scheduling

Spencer on one couch while her parents + Melissa are on the opposite: will this framing ever change?

I'm just saying, in the supposedly unlikely event your daughter and her friends aren't lying...she almost fucking died! Give her a little comfort!

Caleb's apology is very good sad boy, but more than that or Hanna not getting back with him, what I enjoy in this early season era is that there is no secret noble motivation. He did a shitty thing for selfish reasons, because he dismissed everyone involved as rich pretty girls, it isn't more complicated than that and doesn't need to be

Spencer trying on sexy(?) shirts for Toby when it's like. The dude's hair has gotten worse and you know he just put on a random t-shirt and jeans. Also he won't care.

Anw the show has remembered that Toby and Emily are friends. would love for them to be able to hang out without a Spencer motivator, but you know, custody's been transferred

It is a sweet scene, I like Toby immediately taking out his knife and Emily going :0 and Toby going it's okay, I've already gotten my teen carpenter upgrades, I will fix it up (and he does, as we see in the background later)

only Ezra comment is that they painted on his abs LOL please that man does not go to the gym

Jar of Hearts plays as all the girls are really emo about Sullivan-endorsed and parent-enforced separation between them. love that they are so distraught by this

and Spencer freaking out so badly once she hears a sound outside. Spencer :(

I say "parent-enforced" very loosely because all four girls sneak out at night to meet at a greenhouse. It's a great-looking set but where is this greenhouse whose is this greenhouse why is this greenhouse. Is this a public property. Did they break into the local botanical gardens.

It's probably abandoned. Classic.

Okay later episodes show them constantly passing Alison's house when leaving the greenhouse. Do Spencer's parents own a greenhouse nearby.

Emily should be more upset about her laptop being wiped, beyond the videos, like that's all her shit!!!

okay i guess Emily doesn't use her laptop that much, I am projecting

very funny to me that the first Emily/Samara scene this season is at a swim meet. does Paige notice this or is she too busy going insane because there is a scout here and her dad is going well there's the scout too bad you aren't anchor huh

Probably she does not notice because she is laser-focused on swimming and in her "ignore Emily unless we are literally doing a relay together" era. Good/bad for her

Sorry you will continue to get my theories on what Paige is up to when not on-screen. Until I crack and fic it.

Random break-ins happen, reported by Pam. god 2024 pam would be on NextDoor huh

A ring camera would solve a lot of problems in rosewood

Toby is the saddest unemployed boy in the world and Spencer would like to be his sugar mommy. 100% believe Spencer would be good at that

Honestly who cares if she lost Melissa's ring, Melissa sucks, so does Ian, the Hastings can easily afford another ring.

Spencer saying "I wanted to say it first" in response to Toby's ILU and still not saying "I love you too"....Spencer will Win even at love

Aria got fucking shoved into that lamp holy hell, forget her wrist her torso probably should get iced

Samara and Emily have a conversation about first girlfriends

Samara is already kind of boring, I'm surprised they don't kiss in this episode

There's a flashback where Spencer and Emily were going to have a sleepover before Ali crashed. i should be commenting something intelligent about this being the rare chink in Ali's armor, instead i want to know everything about flashback-era Spemily sleepovers

Look it's rare evidence of the liars having individual friendships back then, and they are quite cute in their little sleepover outfits of Spencer's pajamas and Emily's hoodie

Spencer is so fragile-looking when she asks Melissa if she'd protect her....oh Spencer, I'm glad you have Toby and his abs right now

I am also glad you have nightmares where you discuss theories with your friends at the movie theatre while a black-and-white horror film plays. Going to count this as Emily influence

Emily tells her mom it's Paige calling when the landline rings and Pam goes sure and moves on, and like, I have so many questions. obviously the Fields and the McCullers know each other from the swimming but last time Pam saw Paige's dad, he was being a real dick.

has Emily told her mom that Paige isn't a real dick, was Pam at home when Paige came over in 1x20? many possibilities, given that Pam is not confused or disturbed by the phone call claim

Emily you could have said any random swim teammate

I still really like the Aria-Jenna scene, that Aria's forced to listen to what Jenna lost and that Jenna is tricked into revealing this vulnerability to one of the liars - very pretty lighting here too

Hanna's plot is kinda whatever to me these episodes, it's her parents flirting, Mona, Lucas

I like that she and Lucas are friends again already, but I am doubtful of her strategy in getting Lucas a date. love him and Caleb being bros though, I wonder what Caleb wanted from the hardware store

When A was petting the dog all I could think was that in a darker show, A would've snapped that dog's neck at the end of it...

Pam talks to Emily about her sexuality again after looking at Emily's kid stuff and that makes Emily tear up the forged letter - I forgot that Pam brings it up of her own accord here, and it is nice that don't have it be and all settled thing after yelling at Nick McCullers

was distracted in the whole car scene about the forged letter because (1) is this the first hanna-aria-emily scene we get where it's not because spencer is off somewhere else getting almost murdered? (2) hanna somehow thinks emily's forgery skills can get her into harvard. hanna wants emily to re-use a stamp from an old letter she has. hanna what the hell

[gaviicreates]

Journeys in Amigurumi (Bingo Roll 1)

Spoiler: This was a challenge!

For my first roll of the bingo card, I got "make an amigurumi" - and as someone who is most comfortable with flat 2D projects with little sewing, I knew this one would really be taking me out of my comfort zone. I'm not happy when I have to sew, and I am incredibly not happy when I have to attempt embroidery.

I may not do a full blog post for each bingo roll, but as this is so completely new to me and a large part of this bingo is the journey, here we go!

For full disclosure, I've made ONE amigurumi project before this, and I haven't picked up the technique once since. So before we dive in - have a quick picture of where I started 12 years ago.

I had to dig some really old photo archives for this one.

This lil' guy was made to be a warbler for my fandom at the time. I am sure he was based off a pattern, but it's unlikely I'll be able to find it now. I also don't think I know where this lil birb is anymore; he's gotten lost in the shuffle of moving a few times since.

Step 1: Research

Research - Before even choosing a pattern to begin this challenge, I wanted to first understand more about amigurumi, so I took to Youtube, which is my usual place to learn all things.

For my intro to amigurumi, I started with a few channels:

LePetitSaint Crochet, especially this Amigurumi fundamentals playlist; olliehollycrochet, especially this beginner tutorial video; For inspiration, I've also found Skein Spider

There are quite a few amigurumi channels out there - these are just a few that I enjoyed across my youtube dashboard.

The next step of research was finding a pattern, and I feel as though this is the part of the rabbit hole I am going to ADORE continuing to explore.

Step 2: Practice

Before I started "the" project, I wanted to first get a sense of the tension and play around with a project. Just something small. In effort to avoid buying more materials, I took to stash busting some of my scrap cotton. For the test piece, I found the pattern Octobuddy by the blog, Sweet Softies.

As someone with already pretty tight tension, working with a smaller hook took some getting used to, but I liked the way this pattern was written - he's an adorable little Octopus, but it also helped me get used to the shaping and stuffing process. I used household cotton balls since poly-fil isn't the type of thing I just have on hand. I did end up buying some for the final project.

This was a good exercise for me, as I started to feel comfortable with the actual crochet and using a tighter gauge. As I was sewing the eyes, I ended up pulling the cotton up or not being able to push the needle through. He was a bit overstuffed, or maybe I tried to assemble out of order, or maybe it's just my lack of sewing experience striking again.

Beyond that, the hardest part was in fact the the embroidery of the eyes, and his are quite... something. I was not originally going for the wink, but as the two sides became less uniform, I decided to lean into it. They still turned out pretty shoddy, and I can NOT stand doing this. I told myself never again, but for another spoiler... I did it again.

My Octobuddy might still be a bit overstuffed, but he's super squishy and relaxing to squeeze, just like a stress ball, the perfect size for my palm. So he's been hanging with me at my work desk.

Step 3: Do the thing

I won't say I was ready for the next thing, per se, but I also wasn't getting anywhere just looking at the cool things that could be made with this technique. So why not jump right in?

For my actual pattern selection, I chose "Hubble" by Projectarian, available on ravelry. I love me an aquatic creature, and it called to me that not only was this pattern free, it also came with a beginner friendly pdf, quick reference, and an entire selection of written tips for the new-to-amigurumi crafter.

Squid time!

Again, I wanted to use up scraps, so my first challenge with this pattern was adjusting it for the yarn weight I had on hand to use. As a result, the eyes were made with a way too tight tension. The pattern called for some crochet for the sleeping pupil lines, but there was no way I was going to get my hook in there. For the second time, I took up a sewing needle and attempted embroidery. This time turned out a bit better than the Octopus. I adore how soft he looks with the brown cotton yarn I decided to use when I couldn't find black.

At some point in attaching the legs and tentacles, I did lose track of where I was - but that was on me since I got lazy with the stitch markers. It was so close to the end, I was able to wing it to decrease the final row and stitch up the center. Before then, I added a bit more poly-fil.

I chose not to add pom-poms at the end of the legs for the same reason as I didn't add tassels to the blanket I made. Being a mom of three dogs makes you super aware of the types of things the furbabies will get into. You should've seen their faces when I brought home the poly-fil.

But I'm ranting away and you haven't even seen him yet!!

Step 4: Finished Object!

Body: Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 - Rosewood, 3.5mm Eyes: Hobbii Rainbow Glitter Gold 8/4 - Natural White, Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 - Light Brown, 2.00mm Legs and Tentacles: Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 - Rosewood, 3.25mm Pattern: Hubble the Squid by Projectarian I call him Hubblet since I made him so small. Sleeeepy squid baby.

Make an Amigurumi✔️

[jocrude]

THE EGG IN THE BELL JAR

A POEM I WROTE TO REFLECT UPON MY YEAR

It's such a strange state of mind. In that hang time between Christmas Eve and New Years, as every year draws to a close, drawing to a crawl sometime after the anniversary comes around of the day that I was born in late October after 9/11 to a world that mightn't yet have realised just how it was going to change, in that hang time between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day I ask myself, well, how did I get here? And just where am I going, and why?

As a trans woman who mostly still presents male, as a Marxist who's not yet done more than read the books and change the way they think, as a nascent little philosopher reading, page by page line by line when I can be bothered to read Schopenhauer or Zappfe or Leopardi, those pessimists who thunk themselves into corners, figuring it all out and using too many words to say that it's really not very good but can't even have the distinction of saying it's all pointless. As a nascent artist figuring it all out and learning the trades who's so long struggled with creative block, as a victim of mental illness and physical illness and chronic pain and complex trauma, who can't decide whether her first brush with death should be marked as the fever as a baby that she barely survived or the first time her brother picked up a weapon in his violence acted out upon her or that time a few years after Mum (we were so very close) vomited up her blood and died that she wrestled there for months in the bed she'd slept with mother in for far beyond her childhood years and thought up a plan and decided that suicide really WOULD be the better option and saw the headlights of the car upon her at night cutting the dark until she could feel them and then walked home. As after all this still a lonely bastard. I ask myself again.

It's going to get worse. Mostly things beyond your control, but some things you choose to do and the path you choose to follow, walking a line across the knife's edge the hard way when the precipice is just right there on each side and you can see your destination drawing up to a point beneath you as you walk. I'm mentally strong enough that through all the things I've been through that everyone from the past doesn't matter and that no one in that falesly imagined cruelly imagined cruelly inflicted but cruelly real future gives a damn about if I won't pay them therapist's wages or wages paid in art and clever words that most won't read. I'm mentally strong enough that after all that I keep choosing to take the path of most resistance. Even past the point when I can't get the drugs to numb myself anymore. Why is my brain strong enough now to keep ticking? To not learn its limits? To endure all the things that it does to itself? And why is it weak enough to do those things in the first place?

It's such a strange state of mind. Such a strange state of affairs. In some writing I did previously, I can't remember the context, I keep having the vision of an egg inside a bell jar.

You're a mad inventor, or a sorceror, an alchemist. You've ingeniously found a way to put all the energies of an explosion within an eggshell. Of course, this miracle can only exist in that state for an instant before the shell can no longer contain it and it breaks and blows you and maybe whoever is around apart. So you put it in an ingenious little bell jar, worked up from thin glass. The bell jar stops time, like someone has paused a video and gotten up off the couch to wander out the door distracted, and time goes on in space all around it. Anything just slightly too careless or cruel, you worry, could shatter this marvellous assembly to pieces and the rest of the world would only see the violence. See a mad sorceror, a mad man in a dress, who was silly and learned through all his life silliness and should've known better but now is gone, and some will say what a shame and maybe some will say good riddance. But anyways The World, seeing only the violence, and being well accustomed to violence and energy far greater than that little spark which is all that you can muster up and scratch together, well it just turns its head to the past and moves on. You are left with this miracle, just this explosion within an egg inside a bell jar, and so you put it away so care-full, on a pillow, with the other little kitsches in your cabinet. In your drawer by the pillow where you rest your tired head, and until you fall asleep, restless, to face the sun again you ask Yourself,

Well,

Why?

And then you write a little in your diary and you shut your eyes again.

[umbralsound-xiv]

Small Changes.

Though we work together, it's rare we ever get to sit down for... Any kind of conversation. Which is why i wasn't all that surprised when Adelle asked me to join her for a chat.

Adellenne Hocoleux leans back from the tea tray she's assembled, fidgeting slightly with her gloves. Dozer sleeps across the room beneath her desk and, at the sound of the door opening, she sits up just a bit straighter. "Hello, Mist. I prepared the grapefruit tea you seemed to enjoy so much. There's also some of those sesame biscuits." She shifts, smoothing down her skirt. "You have been well, I hope?"

Mistienne Aurloix: "Well enough. No one is dying, all our people are accounted for, and i'm on top of paperwork. I've even had enough time to take Ouryu out for a run." The latter comment brings a smile to her lips, eyeing the tea as she takes a seat on the sofa. "Thank you, Adelle. Were all my friends so considerate, i might consider having more of them." Huffing a note of amusement, she reaches for the teacup to cradle in her hands, settling it on her knee. "And yourself? We've barely had chance to speak aside passing notes back and forth and occasional nods in the hallway."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I am doing far better than I have before," she admits with a little laugh. She takes her own up up, adds honey and a bit of candied lemon. "I have been doing a bit of thinking, actually, with Khu's visit wrapping up." Her thumb brushes over the lip of the cup. "I thought about making a little change, but I wished to speak with you first."

Mistienne Aurloix: "A… Change?" Mist's words hang with trepidation, gaze immediately darting from where it had idly wandered to her tea, immediately to Adelle's sapphire gaze. "About the company? In what way?" She doesn't drink. Only listens.

...Now the reason for such a social meeting becomes more apparent. Not that i'd have been upset if it was simply to catch up, i do enjoy it. But, busy though we are, we never have so much time to do so...

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Less about the company, more about me." Her smile is gentle. "Ever since I came to join this company, I have treated it as though I owe it some great debt. You are not the only one to joke about how little time I spend away," Adelle drinks while it's still piping hot, having to blow away steam that rises in fine curls toward her face. "I am going to take an extended leave. A holiday, if you will. With Khu. I did not want to just leave a letter or tell you over the linkpearl."

...Extended leave? ...How long for? Gods, not a cycle. I think i'll go mad before summer if that's the case. ...She had best come back. She has to come back.

Mistienne Aurloix: "Adelle…" She trails, taking the time to formulate a proper response. She slowly edges a finger along the rim of the teacup, before offering a small tap to set tiny ripples into the liquid. "…How long for? I by no means plan to stop you going, and i think time away will be… Good, for you. For both of us, i think. Just…" Her brow knits at words she doesn't say.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "A quarter of a cycle there, then we will hopefully both return for another, and then…so on and so forth." Her shoulders rise in a small shrug. "So long as they do not chase me out, and so long as he is permitted to come back with me. Waiting another cycle to see one another was too hard agree to again."

Mistienne Aurloix seems to visibly relax as Adelle elaborates, nodding slowly. "There's no qualms about him coming here with you, unless you mean from the Hydrae themselves. I'll admit, i don't know too much of them. This… It's serious, then?" A brow lofts.

Adellenne Hocoleux nods to you.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I care about him deeply, in a way that I have not quite understood before. It would not be fair to either of us if we did not give ourselves the proper time to explore that." She chuckles. "We leave soon. Our bags are already packed, and our route is decided on. I have even considered who might keep up with my part of the paperwork, so you will not have it entirely on your shoulders."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…I mentioned you were considerate?" Mist echoes her previous words, and a faint yet present smile tugs at her lips. "…If they're selected by your hand, i won't have any issue, i imagine. Who?"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Elizar Brucemont. He is an author who has been staying here, and I have employed him as a retainer unofficially. He has formal education, and I have had him assisting with quite a bit of the legal language lately. He can be somewhat naive, but thankfully not in this. He should do quite well for you," She takes another sip, thoughtful for a time. "He is a bit excitable though."

I trust her decision wholeheartedly, of course i do. I... Look. Matters of the heart have never been something that i enjoy thinking or speaking about, but i think Adelle of all people deserves her own slice of happiness for all she's endured. If she wants to chase that, i encourage it.

Mistienne Aurloix: "…Excitable." The joy drains somewhat from Mist's expression, but she doesn't let it get the better of her. "I trust your choices as much as i ever have. I never liked the idea of working with anyone, but you've proven it can be enjoyable. Just… Adelle?" Her gaze fixes on her, allowing the moment to hang. "…Please come back. I'm not saying i couldn't run the company without you, i could. But the truth is, i don't really want to."

Adellenne Hocoleux beams with delight at you.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I do not plan to be away forever. In truth, the moment we get there they may very well chase me out. I will find out one way or another when we arrive." She heaves a sigh but relaxes back into the sofa. "I could not stay away forever. This is my home."

Mistienne Aurloix: "And you will always be welcomed into it as such." Finally, she takes a sip of tea. "…What are they so opposed to as to want to chase you out?"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Everything, actually. My magick, my scars, the fact that I am an elezen woman, all of it tends to weigh rather heavily against me. I am hopeful things will eventually change, but I have little idea when that will be. They opposed Neoma when they met her as well."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…Even Neoma? Gods…" The usual frown takes her expression, then. "…Surely Khu will vouch for you? He holds some sway?" She asks, hopefully. "I never knew their customs were so… Strict."

If even someone as sweet as Neoma was opposed to visiting, it sets some apprehension for Adelle. Of course, she's a lovely and capable woman, and i admire her greatly, but Adelle has a manner of caution about her that Neoma distinctly lacks. ...She knows what she's doing, though. She's one of the smartest people i know.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "They are strict, yes, in a way I cannot fathom. Khu is their priest, so he can usually convince them of things he would otherwise be unable to. His brother and uncle are two of the leaders of the tribe, so it is mostly convincing -them-." She shrugs, shoulders rising and falling on a sigh. "I love him, though, and such a thing is worth it if it means spending more time with him."

Mistienne Aurloix pulls her lips to a line at the word, but doesn't protest it. "If you're both going, he must be confident enough that he stands a chance of convincing them, yes?"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "He has convinced them of many things. We hope that this will be the start of something long lasting. There is always the chance that they will refuse to permit me to continue returning with him, and if that is the case, then we will need to decide what to do then. Have you ever encountered a people like that?"

Mistienne Aurloix: "Ishgardian nobility?" Mist lofts a brow, offering a crooked grin that's half serious about her answer. "…What will your plans be, if… They refuse?"

Well, i'm not wrong, exactly. So set in their ways and so stubborn about having anything different than their own exacting standards, the less pleasant nobles of Ishgard fit that description fairly well.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I will find that answer when I have to. For now, I have hope, and so does he. It is not a complication that we have to worry ourselves with on the journey, at least. The two of us are ready to weather some rather chilly camping. Dozer is coming along this time, too." She looks toward the window and finally seems to be aware enough of her tea to take another sip. "It is not summer so, hopefully everyone remains in one piece."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…Nothing more than the usual wear and tear. We'll be fine, i'll… Try not to send them anywhere dangerous…" Mist sighs, frowning to her tea. "They're plenty good about finding trouble themselves…" She looks to Adelle again, then. "…Anywhere notable you'll be going, on the way?"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "It would be marvelous if they stopped for a while. Maybe picked up a new hobby or two?" The suggestion was hopeful even if she clearly didn't believe her own words. "Not that I know of. We will be trying to get there before the main snowfall, so that the tribe can migrate to other camps. The areas change, based upon the stars. Do you think you will be able to keep yourself entertained while I am away? I know we have such marvelous, exciting times together."

Adellenne Hocoleux beams with delight at you.

Mistienne Aurloix: "I'll find something. If not, i think this Elizar man will find it for me, by the sounds of it. Or Bexy will." She makes a face at even the suggestion. "Does she know you're going? Know to stay out of too much trouble because you won't be here to put her back together?"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I mean to speak with her, at least to let her know what she aught to be doing to take care of herself while I am away. I do not wish for my work to fall on Neoma and Mhira's shoulders, but I trust them. We have had smooth sailing so far. If all goes according to plan, I will be back not long after Heavensturn."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…I trust you already have the gift for our niece in hand, already? I can't believe she'll be three. Three cycles old!" Even speaking of her seems to bring some warmth to Mist's features. "…Bexy will do as she wishes. Though the company on an official basis can't deal with the ongoing situation with the slavers… I know Bexy and some of the others are far from done with them."

...For reasons i didn't enjoy but had to abide by, i couldn't exactly speak with Bexy on a ready basis when all the chaos was at the thickest. I got little glimpses, here and there. And i know her tone well when she isn't done. She's merely granted them a reprieve, and with Sayuri back and others with her, i know she wants to do... More. Gods, Bexy... How much blood is on your hands, now? Guilty blood, but... ...Does she still even count them?

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Could you speak to her about it? I am concerned that she will get in over her head, or someone else will following after her. Their numbers vastly outnumber us, and if even a handful of them wanted to make an example of her? Together? She is isolating herself to try to solve this problem. I…worry. She listens to you in a way she does not listen to me."

Adellenne Hocoleux expresses her worry with you.

Mistienne Aurloix: "…How i wish that were true. Bexy's whims are her own, and though it frustrates me, i'd much sooner have her on our side than anywhere else. Their numbers… Do outnumber us, yes. But she's far from alone. I'm… Not sure how much you know of the situation. She only tells me when i specifically ask. I think… She knows i'll try to find out more. Try to help, so she cuts off that temptation from me." Mist sighs, "It's probably for the best."

Adellenne Hocoleux slowly nods. "I know what I heard, and what I hear in Ul'dah. My home is in the Goblet after all, and I hear what the locals gossip about in the markets. Please, if you think she is getting in over her head, remind her that there are other ways we could go about this. There are, what, hundreds of them? She is fighting with a handful." Adelle took another sip of her tea and set the cup aside. "I will bring her back souvenirs, and our niece. I have presents already decided for everyone really.

Mistienne Aurloix: "…We can't do anything. Not you or me. Or the company, officially. Adelle… She's killed almost a quarter of their number; probably about that, if you include Sayuri and… What was the other woman's name? Vex? She's been about the house, but i've not had chance to meet her. She's hunting them still, and while i can't argue that the world would be a better place if the worst of the slavers were dead, i just…" Another sigh, as she nurses her tea. "Same as you. I worry. But i'll remind her, all the same. You know we'd be fools to get in the way of something she wants. Especially if it pertains to the safety and well being of the company."

Adellenne Hocoleux nods and rubs a hand at the back of her neck. "I understand that, even so much as I wish she cared for her own well being that much more. I cannot revive her if I am halfway across the star." Adelle offers her a weak smile. "Speaking of, you will keep the workroom in the basement locked, I trust?"

...I know well what Adelle is implying, but i really don't want to think about it. One of the ways i see her in a similar light as Bexy. I don't exactly... Approve of what she's doing, but i'd rather she does it here where i vaguely know what is happening, than somewhere else. At least i know she does it for the right reasons.

Mistienne Aurloix: "Locked and undisturbed." Mist nods assertively. "…It will be fine, Adelle. Though i know we'll be in your thoughts, that doesn't mean that we always have to be at the forefront of them. In truth… I'm somewhat jealous. I wish i could go to some far-flung land for a few moons. But i'd be bored within a moon, and come running right back."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "You did it once, ages ago. You were gone for quite some time. Perhaps when I return, you can go spend some time in Kugane?" Her hand falls again to her lap. "You would hardly be bored there."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…Perhaps. I just… I don't want to leave it all to you. You know who i'd leave in my shoes, in the interim…"

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I would be happy to run things at her side, you know I would. She simply…is growing. She is asking for help, at least. That is growth."

Mistienne Aurloix: "I just wish she'd grow faster than a sodding cactus. Even with your green fingers, she…" Mist sighs, lips pursed into a frown. "At least i wouldn't have to worry about you two disagreeing. I know she's… Better than she was. Or at least, i hope so. It's hard to tell, sometimes."

The truth is, i don't know. She's killed so many, and i know it's because... They had Sayuri and Eir. I thought it would all stop, at least for a time, when she got them back, but she only seems to want to keep going. Bexy, you surely can't mean to kill all of them. There were hundreds... ...Surely not. Not even with help...

Adellenne Hocoleux: "She is. She knows how it feels to want to stay, now. She knows how it feels to want to see another sun." She leans back fully against the sofa. "Along those lines, I think we aught to start really thinking about what we want for the company moving forward. We are still helpful, still mercenaries to a degree, but I think we really should move forward as more."

Mistienne Aurloix: "…So many of us know only that life, though. Assuming you're meaning we continue doing as we are, and we simply… Branch out? Work with other people, do other things? That sort of thing? It's been nice having our own chefs and craftspeople in-house, and not needing to outsource that. Have you any ideas?"

Adellenne Hocoleux nods to you.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Branching out is exactly what I mean. We might only know this life, but everyone has the capability to learn and expand, or even to desire more. We can move forward with opening the bar, perhaps host cooking classes? Ways to teach people new skills to grow their life."

Mistienne Aurloix: "I'm all for it, though i wager my duties will remain largely the same. We… Can think on it? As in, what it will exactly entail, when you are home from your travels? It your mean those skilled in other things can host their skills to a wider audience… And perhaps we can get some new skills through the door? As a sort of… Collective, i suppose?"

I'm not against it. Things will remain the same or better for those already here, and it encourages new talent and skills beneath our roof, which are always nice to have on hand. Being a bounty hunter, or... Well, mercenary i suppose, has told me i should really be prepared to expect anything.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "That would be a spectacular way to help the star, I think. We have been a home for so long, and now we can do more. We have the means, we have the knowledge. We simply need to do it. It was what ERA started as, was it not? A way to help?"

Mistienne Aurloix: "…A way to help. Be it those who we go out to aid, or… Those that come to us seeking better for themselves. There's no reason we can't build on that. Make it encompass all sorts of things, rather than solely mercenary work. Though i'm not fond of people in the bar… People often come with information, and i'm sure there's plenty to be learned."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I will see what thoughts Khu has about it as we travel. He may have a different perspective. We might even find things along the way that we would like to have on the menu. If there are those who wish to continue mercenary work, we have those options, but now we will easier find things for those who know how to do otherwise. Like Alari, for example."

Mistienne Aurloix: "It's certainly something to bear in mind. When we've our plan for moving forward, we can formally change the company name, and… Well, who only knows where we'll go from there, hm?" Finishing her tea, Mist drains her cup, settling it back on the table. "But, that's for something when you return. For now, you have much more exciting things to look forward to, hm?"

Adellenne Hocoleux smiles at you.

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I am looking forward to the traveling very much. Is there anything in particular you would like upon my return?" She shifted the tray away from them and shifts, so that she can rise alongside Mist. "I am not above making detours."

Mistienne Aurloix: "Just for you to come back." Mist smiles, a little wryly. "Maybe something handmade?" Steadily, Mist rises to her feet. "You'll know it when you see it, i'm sure."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "I will return before you know it. I am sure everyone will hardly notice I am away, so long as there are no corpses we need answers from." Adelle smiles. "We leave soon. I will send word when we have arrived safely, if that is a comfort."

Mistienne Aurloix returns the smile, though a long sigh accompanies her. "Please, do. I hope it's everything you want it to be, Adelle. You deserve that much, at the very least. I'll be waiting. And trying to not lose my mind in the meantime."

Adellenne Hocoleux: "Have a lovely evening, Mist. I will see you shortly."

Mistienne Aurloix dips her head, and after looking over Adelle with a small, yet genuine smile, she heads for the door. "And you, Adelle. Be well, until i see you next." And with that, Mist slips through the door.

See, this is where she's wrong. We will notice she's gone. In the way the tea doesn't dwindle as fast as it usually does. In the way people will have to ask for what they would like making. In the unfamiliar hand paperwork is written in, and the caution i hope people choose to take in her absence. She's entitled to her freedom, and i'm glad she's taking it, but... Sometimes, i don't think she appreciates how important she is to us. Both as a part of the company, and... A friend.