#I will be utilizing these types of shading in the future

[snowwtrapped34]

hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and scumbling my beloveds ❤️

[hughesyodaddy43]

Pizza solves everything ⎸ L.H

pairings: bf! Luke x fem!reader. Platonic!Ethan Edwards and Mark Estapa x reader Genre: fluff warnings: angst?,mentions of cheating, stressed reader, exam season synopsis: Lukes girlfriend gets worked up over finals. Ethan and Mark attempt to make her feel better. requested?: yes word count: 3.1k authors note: I am not from America so i don't know how exams and schooling work over there, i hope this still makes sense. i gave reader a nickname, 'missy' and will probably use that name for future Luke fics.

You groan as you type on your computer, sitting at your desk with mindless tv playing in the background. You currently live in a tiny apartment with your best friend, Ethan. It's a two bedroom and can only really house two people before feeling cramped. However it is right next to Umich and is far more convenient than living in the dorms. 

You only started living with Ethan last year, after your previous roommate moved out and you needed someone to share utilities with. Seeming as though Luke was leaving for New Jersey and Ethan never left your house anyway - it seemed only logical that he started paying rent.

Having a boyfriend in the NHL is both a blessing and a curse, the blessing being the fact that your hot boyfriend is in the NHL and the curse being that everyone else thinks he is hot too. 

You never were the jealous type, or at least not before you saw all the girls that crowded Luke when he went to parties. Something in you cringed when you saw how awkward he got when denying girls, it was common that you'd have to step in otherwise that man would have just stood there like a statue the entire encounter. It wasn't like he would ever cheat on you, you were confident that he wouldn't. However when your hair is fitted to a much darker shade then the girls he interacts with, it's hard to not think about him wanting a more ‘conventional’ Hockey Girlfriend. 

Luke is always first to tell you he doesn't care about that stuff and you believe him, but when you haven't called him in days, sometimes weeks, it gets less easy to control the unsettling feelings.

Everytime you call with Luke, it's always cut short, whether it’s Ethan banging on your door at 11 o’clock  for a ‘late night snack’ or Jack barging in to argue with Luke about something, you never get to talk about what you're really feeling. 

Because of the distance and lack of communication, the relationship has been a bit strained, it's not like you could tell if luke felt the same since he's too busy sleeping or playing hockey to communicate that with you. You were so proud of Luke, no doubt about it, however something in you boiled when he only ever mentioned hockey during the ten minute phone calls.

Since the last phone call you had with him, you've only really exchanged small text messages every couple hours. It was upsetting that you couldn't talk to your boyfriend about everything going on but it was also a nice way to get away so you can finish up and focus on all the upcoming exams.

You had your next one tomorrow and really needed to knuckle down and get studying for it. You've managed to get what you needed done for tonight so you thought you'd call Luke for a final call before bed.

After wriggling comfortably against your pillows, you lean against your head board. bringing your phone up close to your ear, you press the dial on luke's contact  listening closely to the ringing sound on the other end.

Ring 

Ring 

Ring 

Your breath hitches as you hear Lukes voice on the other end, only this time it was his voicemail. You take one last deep breath before shutting your phone off and sinking into your pillows. 

Your phone vibrates on your nightstand and you view a message from your best friend and biggest hater, Ethan.

House rat: the team got too much pizza, if you're still up I can bring you some?

House rat : Silence speaks volumes missy 

Pissy missy : no. i'm just asleep

Pissy missy : You're disturbing my slumber 

House rat: oh well pizza is good for your soul. Mark is coming too ;)

Pissy missy: Fuck.

You sigh and put your phone back down, wiping your eyes, you sit up against the headboard once again and pull your computer onto your lap, Resuming your place in your essay.

“MISSY  COME HERE GIRL” Ethan calls out from the front door, walking towards your room in long strides. He bursts through the door with a box of pizza in his hand and makes his way to sit at the end of your bed, Mark slowly entering behind him. Mark moves to sit further on the bed, next to Ethan, pulling out a piece of pizza from the box.

“How are you?” Mark asks as he stuffs his face with the crust.

You sigh, reaching to rip a piece of pizza from the rest, bringing it up close to your lips

“Been okay, I guess” you take a bite, avoiding eye contact with the two boys in front of you “are you sure? You've seemed a bit distant'' Mark asks “im fine.” you say, taking another big bite of the saucy crust “are you sur-” “I'm fine so quit asking” you yell, adding an edge of venom to your words. Taking the boys by surprise “wow, someones a bit extra pissy tonight” Ethan adds. 

That's when something in your throat tightens, you feel yourself bubbling over. You don't understand why, your whole nickname stems from the fact that you get pissy from time to time but it feels like that was the last straw.

Tears begin filling your eyes, vision goes blurry as you feel your cheeks burn up. Sniffles are heard as the boys go silent before you. Tears drip onto the final bite of your pizza.

“Im-sorry-i-just-so-stressed-and-upset-and-luke-hasnt-been-talking-to-me-and-i-miss-him-and-i-think-hes-gonna-breakup-with-me-and-im-just-so-sad-and-i-dont-mean-to-be-mean-but-im-just-so-angry” you hurry through muffled sobs as your eyes go red and your sinuses block up.

“Woah hey hey, Missy i didn't mean to make you upset.” Ethan says , leaning forward to meet your eyes

“Yeah, talk to us..but a bit slower please” Mark says softly, careful to not make you cry again.

You take a deep breath, lifting your head up to see the two young hockey boys worried faces, your lip quivers slightly as you breathe in and out, ready to spill out what has been hurting you.

“I don't know, I'm just so stressed with these exams and I think I'm gonna do fine but I'm just scared.” you start, trying to get one problem out at a time 

“I know for a fact that you'll do fine in your exams and assignments” Ethan comforts “yeah! you're like the smartest person i know!” Mark chimes

“Thanks.. It's not just that tho” you say, sniffling a bit as tears continue down your face and onto your swollen lips, the taste of salt sinks into your mouth. The Hockey players stay silent, waiting patiently for you to continue. 

“Luke and I haven't really been talking and I think he wants to break up.”

 The boys share a knowing glance but say nothing. 

“And you know i've seen all the girls jack brings home, the pretty blonde girls i mean what if luke met one of them and they fell in love” you say, growing more and more hysterical as each thought processes through your head.

Logically you new Luke would never cheat but with your emotions running high you couldnt help but think that  Luke had fucked the entire female poplutation of new jersey ranging from 18-25 by now.

“And all he every talks about when we do call is stupid fucking hockey” you rise your voice slightly before looking at the boys 

“no offence” you add, placing your hands in your lap and finishing your pizza

 “ he didn't even answer my call tonight” you finish, the last sentence being muffled as you swallow your food. 

To your surprise the boys stay silent and stare at each other with Ethan looking down at his phone then back up at mark then sharing a look back to you.

“OMG SO HE IS GONNA BREAK UP WITH ME” you scream, tears streaming down your face harder 

“WHAT NO NO NO” the boys choir, eyes wide.

“Then why are you looking at eachother like that? And who the fuck are you messaging at 12o’clock at night???” you yell pointing towards ethan. 

“No-no one” ethan adds, throwing his phone away to the end of the bed.

Mark moves to sit next to you, throwing an awkward arm around you in a comforting embrace 

“missy, he's probably not gonna break up with you'' Mark adds 

“PROBABLY??” you cry 

“NONO he means he is NOT going to break up with you” Ethan interjects, throwing a pointed look at Mark “oh yeah sorry that's what i meant” Mark stuttered

You groan loudly as your head flys back onto your pillows, you bury yourself into your blanket

“Okayyy so you're tired so we're gonna get outta here” Ethan says, dragging the pizza off your bed with Mark sliding off behind him.

“Good night, Missy'' Mark says, patting your head, peeking out slightly 

“Good night!!” Ethan yells from the kitchen with a mouthful of pizza.

X

X

You wake up to the blaring sound of your alarm, you look at your phone that reads ‘7 am’ and still you have no response from Luke. You sigh and remove yourself from your bed, making your way towards the shared bathroom you have with Ethan. 

You walk down the hall and pass Mark who is sleeping soundly on the couch, you continue walking and stop by  Ethan's room, you peer in to see him sprawled out on his bed, keeping note that you should keep quiet as you get ready so you don't wake the two up prematurely.

You take time in your shower to clear your mind, enjoying the warm hug as the water runs down your back and soothes your sore neck. You recite in your head that everything will be okay and to just focus on your exam first, then worry about whatever bullshit Luke is pulling.you finish your shower and get dressed in warm attire. You pair your favourite long sleeve shirt with your fav baggy sweats and continue on with your hair and makeup. Finishing up, you leave the bathroom and are met with the inviting smell of fresh breakfast.

Walking down the hallway you are met with Mark and Ethan who have both woken up and are now stuffing their faces with every breakfast food you own.

“Good morning” you say, giggling slightly 

“Morning” Mark says, eyes still drawn to the tv 

“Heyy, do you want a bagel?” Ethan asks, walking over towards you “you're gonna need some brain food” he adds 

“Maybe not, i'm too nervous to eat right now” you say

“Hmm, are you sure? What about I make you one for later?” he asks

“Maybe next time” you say as you turn on your heels back to your room, rummaging through your cupboard you find a comfy hoodie to throw over your body to keep you warm and toasty throughout your exam. You pack up your bag and walk back out into the kitchen. You then return back to your room, retrieving your charging phone. 

“Missy, do you need a ride?” Ethan asks 

“Nah, the walk will be nice for me, good way to clear my head” you add, walking back out of your room. 

You grab your bag and sling it over your shoulders 

“Thank you by the way, for last night” you add looking back towards Ethan and Mark 

“No problemo, i'm sure you'll feel better soon” Mark says, turning his head to give you a cheeky wink 

You giggle a bit as You look back at ethan confusion still evident in your face 

“Don't listen to him, he's weird” Ethan adds as he walks towards you to give you a pat on the back “you'll do great” 

“Thank you” you say as you move out the door and towards school.

X

X

The timer blares through the room as everyone stands , making their way towards the teachers desk to send off their papers. You sit there for a minute, staring down at your paper, revising everything you wrote down. The girl beside you nudges you out of your trance as she waits for you to stand up and hand you paper i with her. All you can do is quietly walk your way down the daring stares that lead to the front of the class. You hand in your work with a deep breath and make your way back to your previous seat, ready to go home and eat your feelings. 

“How do you think you went?” the girl beside you asks as you both walk out of the room,

“Um i think i did okay, passable i hope” you responde 

“I'm sure you did great, you wrote a lot more than i did”

“Hmm how do you think you went?” you ask 

“Good.. i hope”

“You did good, i know it”

“Thanks, missy. I was gonna ask before but how's everything going with Luke? Are you gonna see him soon?” she asks

“Maybe, idk. We haven't been talking too much recently”

“Aww thats a shame well i hope all goes well”

“Yeah, thanks”

“Bye missy” she exits the conversation, making her way over to her next class 

“Bye” you add, thankful that this was the only class you had scheduled for the day.

The walk home was calming , the cold breeze blowing on your face created a refreshing cooling to your hot body as you walked through the campus, passing a couple friends and saying hi briefly before separating.

You make your way to your apartment, trudging up the stairs in a final burst of energy. Unlocking the door you walk into your heated apartment, looking down as you remove your bag, take off your hoodie and hang your keys up, not making note of the tall figure sitting on the bar stools next to your kitchen. 

You turn around and are met with Luke - your boyfriend. The man who you love. The man who's been ignoring you. 

“Hey baby” he says, standing up to walk towards you

You take a step back, anger and confusion plastered on your face 

“Well at least you have the courtesy to do it in person” you say, crossing your arms over your body, sliding your sleeves over your knuckles.

Luke looms over at you, he stares in confusion, trying to read your emotions.

“What are you talking about?” 

Your gaze leaves the floor and meets his, anger bubbling inside your stomach 

“You wanna break up?” you say bluntly, mono toned and unnatural 

“What?? No ??Why would you think that?” Luke argues, voice becoming higher and his breath itching slightly at the information that his girlfriend thinks he drove 9 and a half hours just  to break up with her.

“Are you serious? No call? no text? no nothing, not even a stupid instagram reel and you think my mind wouldn’t wander to that?” you say, stepping forward at each word, announcing your words with a spit of fury.

“I did call and I did text” Luke defends, hands slapping against his sides.

“Barely, Luke we only called for ten minutes a week and all you talked about was stupid hockey and I love hockey but that's all you would talk about. And not to mention the dry messages I mean we barely even talked like normal people, just robots with no love for each other.” you rant on, eyes feeling heavy as tears glistened in your sockets, afraid to let them fall you do your best to blink them away before luke notices.

“Missy” Luke whispers, snaking his hands to your forearms 

“I was only trying to give you space, I knew you would get stressed with your upcoming finals so I wanted to give you as much time as you needed to study. I didn't mean to be dry and unloving towards you” his voice was soothing and calm, his fingers brushing lightly on your clothed arms.

“Well it was a dumb decision” you grumble, earning a snicker from luke 

“yeah , it was and I'm sorry.” he agrees 

“So why are you here then? If you aren't gonna break up with me?”

“I was planning to come down after your finals were finished, I was originally driving in tomorrow but Ethan messaged me last night telling me to come early” 

“Oh. so that's why they were acting weird” you say, reciting the events of last night in your head.

“Yeah, Do you know why he said that?” 

“Well i was a bit emotional last night, i was crying while stuffing my face with pizza” you laugh looking back up at luke.

“Oh my, so is that why Ethan sent me 43  messages at midnight?” Luke adds, smiling to himself before pulling up his phone to show you the absurdly concerning amount of texts from the boy.

“I'll take it that Ethan and Mark were not very good at comforting you?” he says, sitting back down on the bar stool and pulling you to stand in between his legs 

“They weren't too bad , maybe not the best tho” you say, giggling slightly at the situation 

Silence fills the room for a bit before luke speaks up 

“I'm sorry I caused you so much stress, I love you and I wouldn't trade you for the world. Maybe I should try and talk to you more and not just about hockey, hm?” he speaks, tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear 

“Yes please” you smile before leaning in to give him a deep kiss. You both pull away before going back in for a warm and comforting hug, swaying slightly.

“I don't know about you but i'm starving, do you wanna go get some food?” Luke asks, speaking into the crook of your neck 

“mhm, exams make me hungry and that breakfast bar Ethan snuck into my bag wasn't very filling” you add, moving so you can look at Luke once more, placing a delicate kiss on his lips 

“About Ethan, should I talk to him about how pizza doesn't solve every problem?” 

You giggle at his comment, staring softly into his muddy blue eyes before being interrupted by Ethan opening his door 

“PIZZA SOLVES EVERYTHING” he shouts just before slamming his bedroom door closed.

“He's been home this whole time?” I ask Luke 

“Who do you think let me in?” Luke chimes, smirking down at you.

wriggling out of his arms its not long till you're pulled back by a  gentle hand on your wrist 

“Wait, I  gotta ask how your exam went” Luke asks, hands sneaking around my waist and resting on my lower back.

“It went okay, i didn't give up so that's good” i say, shrugging.

“Mhm good, never give up” he says, finishing his comment by  patting my head.

Silence is left between us once again, eyes frowning as he tries to read my expression 

“I missed you, Lukey. Don't pull that shit again”

“I missed you too, and judging by how angry you were when you came home i definitely won't” he says as we both make our way out the door and down the stairs.

[storiesofsvu]

Solace in Solitude Ch 8

Future Emily Prentiss x reader Warnings: language, usual ptsd type situations/conversations, mentions of death. If this chapter had a title it would be "Trauma Bonding" our girls are finally breaking down the last of their walls and learning to rely on each other to get through it. I promise more actual comfort in future chapters! we've gone from enemies to friends, two more steps to go!

Emily shifted in her sleep, letting out a quiet grunt at whatever was trapped between her and the bed. She tugged at the sheet, thinking it was bunched up underneath her, praying she could hold onto the tired and be able to get back to sleep, knowing that if she opened her eyes she’d lose it. She shifted again and that resulted in a groan leaving her lips as she pushed it deeper into the mattress. She was acutely aware that it was warmer than usual in her bedroom and figured the weather was going to be nicer today. That was until something shifted behind her and she realized the last thing she could remember was you coming into her room mid nightmare.

“Ow…” You mumbled, voice thick with sleep, “get off me.” You nudged her and Emily jolted away from you to the other edge of the bed.

“What the fuck are you doing in my bed?!” She shrieked and you winced, sitting up as you rubbed your eyes.

“You asked me to stay.” You replied with a grumble, already pushing back the blankets.

“Yeah until I was calmed down, not all night!”

“I wasn’t the one having nightmares!” You shot back, “you fell asleep on my fucking arm and have been lying on it all night.” You shook out your arm, flexing your hand in an attempt to get some feeling back into it, “god you’re annoying.”

“We are never speaking of this again.” She warned.

“Already forgotten.”

You were through the door and it was swinging shut behind you before Emily could even think about trying to get another word in. Instead she let out a frustrated groan, clutching the blankets around her as she collapsed back into the pillows, her cheeks a bright shade of pink she desperately wanted to disappear. She wasn’t even sure if she was more embarrassed about being vulnerable the night before, or for feeling comfortable and safe enough around you to fall back asleep.

Either way, she was mad at herself. She was supposed to hate you.

Despite the utter embarrassment she did end up falling back asleep for a few more hours and was incredibly thankful that they were dreamless. She spent more than a few mindless hours marathoning a show and was only alerted of you when she heard the front door swing shut. Glancing at her watch she deduced that it was the usual time you hit the gym on your days off work and figured this was her chance to utilize the rest of the apartment.

There was a hot pot of coffee with just enough for two mugs left in it and a Tupperware container with a still warm brunch burrito on the counter, both no doubt left for her. She said a silent thank you and devoured both, spending a little bit of time tidying up around the apartment, specifically making sure the balcony was cleaned up from the night prior. It was mid afternoon by the time she heard the elevator ping and grabbed a snack to disappear back into her room until you were asleep.

You unlocked the apartment door and weren’t too surprised to find her still hiding, while you had no residual embarrassment about falling asleep in her bed it was clear she did and you weren’t about to push it. You did take it as a positive note that it was clear she had left her room while you were gone and continued into the kitchen to throw dinner into the oven before you jumped in the shower.

Knowing that night hours were usually the time Emily was awake you figured you’d leave the shared spaces open for her, plating up your dinner, grabbing a wine glass so you could tuck the bottle under your arm to hole up in your own room. You did leave the door open about a quarter in case she did end up being open for socializing or needed anything from you. You grabbed your tablet, propping it up and tossing on whatever your most recent binge had been to have on in the background while you ate dinner, scrolling through a few emails to get a handle on what your scheduled week looked like back at the hospital.

Emily heard the scrape of a fork on a bowl, followed by the clunk of said bowl being placed down on your nightstand. She let out a soft sigh, now that she had been fully awake she’d been able to piece together the nightmare and the conversation following it. She’d spent an hour untangling what she knew she said and what she figured she was imagining, de-fogging her brain if you will. Incredibly reluctantly she slipped from under the bedsheets, pulling her sweater tighter around her as she meandered the two feet from her bedroom door to yours, poking at it so it crept a couple more inches open. You were sitting against the headboard, your legs pulled up crisscross with your laptop balanced in front of them, your focus completely on it. You had glasses on she’d never seen you wear before, a notebook beside you as you typed away on your computer. You could sense that she was there and were waiting for her to say something but she continued to just linger awkwardly in the door way.

“The pan on the stove is for you.” You said, not looking up.

“What?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder.

“Dinner.” You replied, picking up a pen to scribble something down in the notebook, “I made double.”

“Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” She crossed her arms over her chest as her stomach growled lightly. When she didn’t move you finally glanced up at her, a brow cocked in her direction.

“You need something else?”

“I— uh.” She shuffled awkwardly, “yeah…”

“You’re hovering.” Your head titled, “I only had the one joint and if I’m gonna get you more you’re gonna swear you’re not gonna take your meds on top of it.”

“Oh.. no.” She quickly shook her head, “that’s not it at all.”

“You okay?”

She tugged her lower lip into her mouth, chewing on it as she stared at her feet, finally letting out a low breath. “Everything I said last night? I… I shouldn’t have told you, like, any of it.”

“It’s fine.” You shrugged, “it’s not exactly like I have anyone to tell it to anyways. You needed to get it off your chest.”

“I still shouldn’t have.” Her tone nearly changed to snapping at you, though she was more mad at herself at this point, “I never should have brought up Declan. No one’s supposed to know about him and I basically doxed him to you.”

“I’m trusted with keeping the fact that you’re alive a secret, at this point, what’s one more.” You shrugged again, turning back to the article in front of you. “Besides, didn’t you say Doyle thinks he’s dead?”

“No.” She sighed heavily, “I thought I had the upper hand, gave it up to Doyle in the last few minutes before…”

She trailed off and it was your turn to nod silently, “mmm. Yeah, you were getting pretty mumbly right before you fell asleep, I didn’t get everything.”

“It’s classified information.” This time she did nearly snap, though her gaze remained trained on the floor in front of her, “I said things that I don’t want you knowing…”

“Okay.” You raised your hands in surrender, “not another word.” You mimed zipping your mouth shut and throwing away the key.

“Thanks.” She muttered, letting out a shaky sigh.

“You know…” you pulled your laptop half shut, giving her your full attention, “you’re allowed to be scared. You’re allowed to feel vulnerable. I know it’s gotta be tough for anyone with your background in your field, you’re not any less of a person or weak just because you talked about your feelings. You don’t always need to be the bad ass.”

“Being the so called bad ass is exactly what got me here in the first place.” Emily felt the shame coating over her once again, attempting to hold back the tears, “I dealt with him on my own the first time, I thought I could handle it alone and I was stupid to believe that. I fucked things up and I’m solely responsible for it all.”

“First off, anyone who can do what you do is the furthest from stupid.” You scolded, “secondly, you don’t have to burden yourself with everything, you don’t have to do it all alone. You’ve got people you can rely on.”

“You’ve made a clear point of that.” She mumbled, gesturing over her shoulder to the kitchen, “at first I was mortified to have a babysitter but I clearly couldn’t have done it alone, and I was an asshole about it the entire time.”

“Is that an apology I hear hiding in there?” The corner of your lips curved up into a smirk and she huffed out a laugh accompanied with an eye roll.

“Thanks for dinner.” She turned away from your doorway and you called over her shoulder.

“Hey! Have you checked out that online scrabble app?”

“No.” She turned back to you with a perplexed look on her face.

“You might want to.” You opened your laptop again, getting settled back to where you were, “there’s Cheeto’s in the pantry, grab a bag, play a game tonight.”

**

While the environment in the apartment had definitely began to improve over the next few weeks, Emily noticed the way you started to isolate yourself even more. She wasn’t one to pry, especially with how withholding she’d been herself since meeting you, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious. It seemed you were either at the hospital or working on whatever research at home. She saw a list of names and phone numbers that looked like they were located all over the world and could hear you on the phone at strange hours of the night. The conversations were hushed, some in English, some in French and some in butchered foreign languages, lengthy pauses while you would google translate something to say only for the person on the other end of the line to have to do the same.

She noticed the caffeine consumption between the two of you skyrocket and it was clear you were exhausted and whatever was going on was dragging you down. The bags under your eyes ever apparent and after a week or two you weren’t bothering to try and cover them up with make up. She wondered if she should be worried the first night you didn’t come home from work, but her phone buzzed just before midnight with a brief apology explaining you’d be staying in an on call room the next two nights and to not stress about it.

When you did eventually get home from that stint you found a container of homemade cinnamon rolls with an ‘eat me’ label on them, a freshly stocked wine nook, a very clean apartment and new groceries in the fridge. You very gratefully took two of the buns before disappearing into your room that night and Emily had no problems picking up the duties that were continually slipping through the cracks. She was feeling more energetic and mobile now, so there was no reason she couldn’t be the one throwing together meals and keeping things clean.

She didn’t think much of it until she heard your phone ring in the middle of the night, jolting her from her nightly television marathon as her eyes flicked towards your bedroom door. She heard your answer groggily but could almost feel the tension in the building crack as you quickly found your voice and the entire mood shifted. Your voice was quiet, shaky and she heard you say something about sending money before there was a brief conversation followed by a solemn good bye and I love you. It was nearly an hour later she realized the noise she thought was coming from the air conditioner was actually coming from your room and it sounded an awful lot like you were doing your best not to cry too loudly.

Emily knew that your business was your business, so she kept her head down and let you isolate in your room or vanish off to whatever parts of Paris you were at while you were out of the house. She noticed that your late night phone calls had come to a halt, and the amount of research you appeared to be doing had decreased. It was just about two weeks later when she couldn’t sleep, a bird chirping directly outside her window waking her up around three in the afternoon when she was surprised to hear you in your room. It was almost like you were watching something, but the sound quality wasn’t as good as tv would be, and she could hear you sniffling every so often. Not wanting to eavesdrop, she popped her ear buds in and turned on her tablet to distract her.

An hour later you shut your laptop, wiping what was left of your tears off your cheeks, dropping back onto the bed with a heavy sigh. You didn’t want to move but you were out of Kleenex and figured it might help to wash your face with cold water and you needed to get started on dinner. So you powered through and wandered over to the bathroom, grabbing a fresh box of tissues to blow your nose a couple of times and dab at your eyes before splashing water on your face. You were turned toward the towel rack, drying off your face when your head tilted toward the door and you jumped, letting out a quiet shriek as Emily did the same, tearing the ear bud out of her ear.

“I’m so sorry!”

“Fuck!” You countered, taking a second to try and catch your breath, “I thought you’d still be asleep for another hour.”

“Noisy neighbour.” She shrugged with an awkward laugh, gesturing toward her room and your brow furrowed, causing her to stumble over her words as she tried to explain she didn’t mean you. “Uh, birds.”

“Oh. Okay.” You picked at the sleeve of your hoodie, gesturing past her toward the kitchen, “I was just gonna start dinner.”

“Oh, you don’t have to.” She waved you off, “I can do it. Or we can order, uh—I could order. Not like I do much around here anyway.”

“No, no…” You wrapped an arm around your waist, your gaze darting between just over Emily’s shoulder and the floor. “You’ve actually been doing a lot recently, thank you. I kinda dropped the ball majorly…” Your hand wrapped around the cuff of your hoodie, wiping at your nose quickly as you sniffed and Emily frowned, her voice impeccably soft when she spoke next.

“Hey… I don’t wanna stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, but are you… okay?”

You took a shaky breath, looking up at the ceiling to keep any fresh tears at bay, “uh.. my mom died about two weeks ago.” You risked a glance up at her and caught just the moment her face fell.

“Oh god. I’m so sorry.” Without even thinking she stepped forward and wrapped you into a tight hug, feeling relief flow through her at the way you relaxed into her arms, letting the embrace continue for a moment, endorphins slowly creeping their way into your system to calm you down before you gently pulled away, finally able to step out into the main apartment, not so trapped in the bathroom anymore.

“We knew it was coming, she’d been sick for a while and nothing her doctors were doing was helping much at this point, just delaying the inevitable.”

“I take it all that late night research wasn’t related to your project then?” She asked and you shook your head.

“No. I tracked down as many specialists as I could, there either wasn’t enough research to prove it or things weren’t FDA approved.” You suddenly reached out, squeezing at her elbow, “sorry, I didn’t want to drag you into all this, if I’d known you were up I would’ve declined the call or something.” She only looked at you with a quizzical expression on her features, “my sister face timed me for the service.” You gestured toward your bedroom, “you never think it’s gonna be that hard, like you’ve already had time to cope but it just….”

“Brings back more memories.” She frowned and you nodded, “can I do anything? You want a drink? A smoke?”

“Oh god, yes.” You groaned, “honestly if I knew where you’d stashed them I’d owe you a pack by now.”

That earned a small smile from Emily as she squeezed at your shoulder before disappearing into her room, unsurprised to find you waiting on the balcony with two glasses of liquor. It was quiet out on the balcony, she handed off the pack and lighter to you first as she settled in her chair, picking up the drink for a sip before lighting her own cigarette. About halfway through curiosity got the best of her and she looked your way,

“How come you didn’t go home? At least for a couple of days?”

An awkward air overtook the two of you as you avoided her gaze, taking a longer drag of the smoke before fiddling with the sleeve of your sweater.

“I wasn’t allowed.” You admitted, “I asked. I called the Suit, your boss, what’s his name?” You looked up at her and she could see the fresh shimmer of tears in your eyes.

“Hotch?”

“Yeah, him.” You sighed, “he told me that I cannot leave Paris until it’s cleared  by the FBI. Sent his deepest condolences and my sister said there was an anonymous donation that helped with funeral funds so he didn’t do nothing but it still sucks.”

“That’s bullshit.” Emily exclaimed, “what the fuck?”

“Something about how I can be traced back to the hospital, that my name was on your paperwork, I signed your death certificate. If I suddenly flew back to Boston for a couple of days and then got on a plane back here instead of Haiti I could lead people straight to you.” You looked over at her, “the entire thing would risk blowing your cover.”

Emily’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open for a moment while she processed everything, realizing now that you truly were trapped here just as much as she was. Her reckless behaviour hadn’t just messed with her team and sent her into hiding, it had uprooted your entire life too.

“I’m so sorry…”

“It’s fine.” You waved her off, “I’m pretty sure I could have said no about coming out here, fought it a little harder. I already knew she was sick, I just thought…” You stalled in your words, closing your eyes for a moment before you shook out of it, “it’s not like it’s your fault.”

“I mean—”

“No more of that!” You turned to her with a stern expression on your face and as taken aback as she was at first she realized where you were going with it, “as your unofficial shrink, that’s the homework I’m giving you, stop blaming yourself for everything. Learn to let things go.”

“Okay.” She held up her hands, leaning back in her chair, “message received, Dr. Carter.”

“Even if it is technically your shitty decision making that results in crap, make a sincere apology, and then it’s over.”

“Doesn’t help that I’ve been a bit of a cunt about the whole thing when you’ve just been keeping me alive.”

“Eh,” you took another drag of the smoke, “your taste in cigarettes has to make up for something. And those cinnamon rolls, did you sneak those out of the packaging or were they homemade?”

“From scratch.” She turned to you with a proud smile and you let out a small laugh.

“If they happen to appear on a weekly basis I’ll take a few numbers off your bitch tab.”

“Mark that as noted.” She laughed softly, relishing in the more relaxed feeling of the evening. Cautiously, she reached out, grabbing your free hand with hers to get your attention, squeezing gently, “hey, and I know I kinda suck majorly at the whole talking thing, but I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener, so anytime you wanna talk about this, I’m here.”

You smiled softly, nodding back at her and both of you felt the tensions from the previous months slowly melting as you continued to knock down each other’s walls.

“I know…”

_______________________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @daddy-heather-dunbar @mandy-asimp @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @supercriminalbean @daffodil-heart @its-soph-xx xx @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @hopelesslyfallenninlove @peanutbutterprincess @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @s1ut4nat @happenstnces @sapphicprentiss @geekyandgay98 @pagetboobstarcomments @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @desperate-gay @amypoehlfey @overtrred28 @theclassicgaycousin @regalmilfs4me @kalixxh @ara-a-bird @five-bi-five-mind @niyizh @inlovewithmiddleagewomen @tommyriddleobsessed @hotchs-bitch @ollysmulti @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @romanoffsho @ratsnestinmyhair @assgardangod @originalbrunettecharacter @elz-artzzz @hopedoesntknow @dj-bynum3718 @venromanova @waitaminuteashh @noahrex @imlike-so-gaydude @boimlers-gonna-boim @nachofriess @wittygutsy @cx-emerald-cx

[moonlight-tmd]

Alright new AU!

Cyberbeast AU.

Legends on Cybertron tell of various creatures; one legend in particular tells of great beasts whose power is unmatchable to anyone except themselves- the Cyberbeasts. It is said that only those chosen by Allspark itself receive the blessing. Many believe that Cyberbeasts are just a legend told by Creators to their Sparklings as a berthtime story.

Ok so- Cyberbeasts are generally stronger than an ordinary bot, even when they aren't in Beast Mode. They are unusually strong and durable in and out of combat.

It's almost impossible to tell if a Transformer is a Cyberbeast, the only way is to either witness them transform into Beast Mode or have an anomaly sensitive radar; Whenever a Cyberbeast transforms into Beast Mode, the anomaly is detected in the place they did it. Cyberbeast Hunters use them to hunt down and eliminate Cyberbeasts because they think they're dangerous, many others take them as crazy cuz it's a legend. Cyberbeasts live in hiding and only show up when absolutely necessary for their survival.

One doesn't realize they're a Cyberbeast until they are old enough to understand the concept; thru some important event they realize- once they have that Awakening about their true self, they are able to transform into their Beast Mode; think of it like werewolves- except they can change on command. When in Beast Mode, they can adapt to their envoroment; for example they can change their legs into a fin to swim or transform their arms into wings netted with holo-fabric(similar to wyvern wings). The rest of the frame also changes slightly to fit.

Few of the Cybertronian forged have this blessing, but from those we know; Megatron, Shockwave/Longarm, and Bumblebee are Cyberbeasts. Blitzwing counts as 1/3rd Cyberbeast because Blackarachnia used Cyberbeast blood to strengthen his triplechanger upgrade- he doesn't know he's part-cyberbeast tho. Nobody knows they are Cyberbeasts too.

The idea originally existed around Bumblebee: when he and his team first found the Allspark, he had his Awakening. Once they got to Earth, he started sneaking out to discover and explore his abilities.

I think his Beast Mode would look like these chinese dragons, except the body is short, the tail is hella long tho. Maybe i'll make a coherent picture of it in the future, right now you have a description:

-He has like, feathers of some sort- a great plume around his neck and a brush going from the half to the end his tail. The feathers are the same shade of blue as his optics and have a glow to them. The Autobot insignia is hidden by the plume. -Optics; when he is cybertronian they are normal(blue with white pupils), once he enters Beast Mode/goes feral(literally. not as in he's annoying gremlin) they turn black with blue ovals as the pupils. -His plating is still yellow, it also has a little more black to it. Maybe some biolight dots along his back. Plus some tiny white details for fun. Defo some pattern in there too. -His vehicle mode is kind of showing thru in Beast Mode- the tires are in his shoulders and hind legs, there's headlights n such. -His legs are digitigrade when is Beast Mode, despite more animalistic build, he can switch between walking on 2 or 4 limbs. -The 'nose' extends to be a beak and his horns are longer, kind of antler-like but no branching out, they are just long. -While his servos are clawed, his pedes are more like hooves but they're still clawed? It's weird.

here's some other things about Bee: -Very sharp denta(teeth). He can chew thru metal even while cybertronian. -Exeptionally durable during combat. Even when he's hit with lethal injury, somehow this fucker survives. Surprisingly high pain tolerance. -Electricity seems to do almost no damage to him, he is the type of Cyberbeast that utilize the electricity to their advantage and are immune to the damage it causes. -He can act as a light when it's dark. He'll make his feathers and biolights glow brightly to illuminate the surroundings. -He can make little lights that look like fireflies.

I imagine a time where the hunters came to earth with the intention of either killing or capturing Bee. He was out on patrol and bumped into the fellas. He came back to base impaled by a harpoon and 23 holo-bolts (arrows).

Just now i realize how fuckin miraculous Bee is XD Poor Ratchet, trying to figure out why the fuck this kid hasn't died yet.

[marisoft-paint-adventures]

Pgs. 309 - 384

so there’s this guy.

he has an intro.

and

he’s pretty cool.

he’s so cool he has a shitty galaxy reflection in his shades.

his name is David and his room looks like this.

Dave’s room is the most kind of guy room ever, I can just feel his entire personality here, and I can also feel the “this dude has no parental guidance outside of an equally unorganized brother” energy.

Dave is just a hyperspecific Guy, a real type of Guy, he’s even described as liking obscure bands and shit, Hussie was airing something out when making him.

Anyway, these are your copies of the beta you received in the mail recently. You've labeled them with your name in BOLD RED PRINT to distinguish them from your BRO's copies, who labeled his in kind. Neither of you really gives a shit about this game or has any intention of playing it, but you'll be damned if you'll let that get in the way of your campaign of one-upmanship.

the Lalondes and Striders have a lot of parallels going on between each other with their dynamics and situations. 1 thing that sets them apart is that the perception of an insane mindgame rivalry seems to be more truthful on Dave’s end compared to Rose. Rose thinks that even a fucking fancy pillow is some kind of symbol of scorn and spite in the waterfall of irony and insincerity. while there’s not much seen out of Dave and Bro’s relationship on a normal day, the stupid ass stealth moves that Bro pulls out in order to get Dave’s goat really implies that there is a genuine absurd rivalry going.

also they’re just brothers. when there’s brothers in fiction, they either hate each other or like each other but still fuck with each other just for the sake of Being Brothers.

Dave: Bleat like a goat and piss on your turntable.

You would never consider allowing any fluid even remotely resembling urine to touch your beloved TURNTABLES. That would risk breaking them, and a world without the gift of your godly science just doesn't sound like a place you want any part of. While you're at it, you might as well wipe out human civilization with a meteor or something ridiculous like that which will probably never happen. That sort of thing only happens in stupid idiot movies for stupid idiots.

You will however contemplate bleating like a goat for IRONICALLY HUMOROUS purposes at a later date.

Dave is so lame.

FUCKING APPLE JUICE BABY. YEAH LOVE THAT SHIT. TOP 3 FRUIT JUICES ON THE TIERLIST WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

he’s gonna say it, he’s gonna say the thing.

yeah this is the OS design I’m attached to the most, I grew up with Windows 7 which basically did everything Vista did but a bit more glassy, so this is up my fucking ally. look at those GRADIENTS, look at all that GLOSS, it’s so fucking good.

HE SAID IT.

I love Hussie’s fake UI I love it.

I also love Dave Strider’s blog, he said the n-word on it

not joking you can check for yourself.

FUCKING SWEET BRO AND HELLA JEFF YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

SBAHJ is so damn interesting because it’s the Homestuck thing that has the furthest reach out of the entire comic but at the same time people don’t even know it’s Homestuck.

true story: my 1st ever exposure to Homestuck without even knowing it was when I was like 12 years old and watched a fucking VanossGaming GMod video in which they played that masterpiece SBAHJ map.

seeing a giant shittily compressed texture that just said AIDS which spun around in a circle and fucking instantly killed anything it touched was literally formative for my sense of humor.

the backstory is also absolutely beautiful, imagine dropping your armature Gamer Webcomic™ on the Penny Arcade forums only for Future Homestuck Artist Andrew Hussie to come in and completely shit on your comic by turning it into the worst form of art you have ever seen which would then turn into its own popular comic.

I really like the utility of SBAHJ as an in-universe source of memes and in-jokes for all the kids to reference rather than forcing relevance by shoving in memes that were popular at the time. it really helps make Homestuck feel... not exactly timeless per say, but more relatable in way that supersedes generations.

I say this because I fucking know for a fact real ass memes come in later on in the comic and they get really fuckin annoying.

I would kill someone for a Midnight Crew adventure, you would not believe how far I would go for this to be real.

TT: In some cultures the persistent refusal of a lady's invitation to play a game with her would be a sign wanton disrespect. TT: Either that, or flagrant homosexuality.

STOP JOKING ABOUT DAVE LIKING MEN YOU DO NOT KNOW OF THE FUTURE CONSEQUENCES IT HAS.

it is here where Dave and Rose immediately become the best fucking character dynamic ever.

TT: Sometimes I wonder how you are ever allowed to pay for meals in restaurants. TT: It must be hard to keep a low profile when you're always overhearing awed voices whisper, "It's that guy who has a blog." TG: seriously TG: dudes be worshipping me left and right TG: i cant hardly walk down the street without stepping over torsos of the prostrate TT: Navigating the urban landscape I'm sure is difficult enough without an obstacle course of deferential flesh and skyward asses. TT: Perhaps adapting the art of parkour to your unique environment would help? TG: yeah! TG: i mean damn TG: like theres this scruffy little shit at my feet TG: an orphan or something i dont know TG: face flush on the pavement TG: im like dude you listening for a stampede of buffalo or something? TG: he braves a look at me then gives my shoe a little kiss and scurries the fuck off TT: Heavy is the crown. TG: yeah TG: not kicking oliver twist in the fucking face every day is my gift to the world i guess

also the little "yeah!" he does in excitement of parkour before he corrects himself back to serious coolguy mode is fucking perfect.

aw what the fuck put that shit away.

Dave’s Phat Beat Machine may be a silly joke about shitty fucking DJ machines that have weird pre-made beats and sound effects but some of this shit slaps when you play them at the same time ngl. 11 and 12 together is really fuckin good.

also Captain Planet is in this flash.

maybe Dave is cool, no one else could catch and open that apple juice with such finesse.

this is a really great series of expressions, he is so mad. he can’t stop thinking about PISS.

HE’S SO MAD.

oh god.

oh god they’re here.

You glance at one of the many RADICAL PUPPETS in your BRO'S collection and nod in approval. Is there anything not awesome about your BRO? No, you think not.

this is not cool this is very not cool.

why is the little man in the SHOWER, bro does not BATHE, he is made of WOOD.

he is simply having a terrible, terrible day.

why did he do this.

HOLY SHIT IT’S DAVE’S IRONIC SELF PORTRAIT.

this is why Dave’s sylladex shit is the best sylladex shit, sheer frustrating mathematics leading to renaming items into weird synonyms and yelling out shit to fucking send out swords.

LOOK AT HIM.

he changed his tune so fast, he went from imposing and about throw down to just...

:o

now how will he play the funny Sburb??? what will he do to get out of this situation- WIZARD.

GIANT, STONE, WIZARD.

girl is not having it.

it is here we get the entire downlow of this maddening mother-daughter relationship through the totally not biased eyes of Rose. I mean look at this shit:

Your mother clearly has no real affinity for these damnable things. She only collects them to spite you. If anything, she finds them even more repellent than you do. She's just a committed woman.

A while ago you gave this as an ironic gift to your MOM for mother's day. You even customized it with a drink holder to support one of her ubiquitous ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. She "liked" the gift so much, she had it bronzed and put on this pedestal. She even left it plugged in so it can still be turned on now and then. But never to do any cleaning. It never leaves this display.

The PRETTY PRINCESS DOLL has been sitting there for months, ever since your mother got this abomination for your birthday as a totally PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE gesture. You decided to make it much less abominable by knitting Her Majesty a new head and new arms. Now it brings a mischievous smile to your face whenever you walk by. Your mother hasn't removed the doll yet, and probably never will. She would never be the one to blink first.

This was a drawing you did of your cat JASPERS when you were younger, along with a poem about him. Your mother bought this ostentatious $15,000 frame for it, and had it welded to the door.

Using the colorful MAGNET LETTERS, you recently left a succinct message, which may or may not have been directed toward anyone in particular. But you couldn't find the letter W, so you just stuck two V's together.

Your mother then purchased a fresh pack of W's and left them there for your convenience. Appreciative of the thoughtful gesture, you left her a sincere THANK YOU NOTE, which you had legally notarized, and then marked with a drop of blood.

But part of it was touching the floor, so your mother was kind enough to lift the lower portion of the document with a VELVET PILLOW.

this entire cavalcade of fucking overly professional stupidity really just symbolizes the daily Lalonde struggle. again, way more of an actual thing compared to the baking menace in Washington, Rose does not feel loved enough, she projects contempt onto every action of her mother, even if they’re completely genuine, who’s also literally an alcoholic. but at the same time, this is ridiculous. I can bet that the mere thought of any of this coming off as mean-spirited to Rose is just flying over Mom’s head because she’s too busy cleaning shit or getting drunk. she’s so sincerely nice but also too damn ignorant, while at the same time going completely overboard in every sense just because she can. “oh look at this!! my daughter’s very own drawing!!! it’s so nice!!! let me put it in an expensive frame and then weld it straight onto the fridge!!! :)))))” and then Rose sees this and just goes “SHREW!!! DAMNED SHREW!!!” meanwhile Mom’s just taking this as “oh she’s spelling words on the fridge!!! :))))) but she has no Ws..... :((((( I’ll buy some for her!!! that will satisfy her needs!!! :)))))” and I guess Rose takes a break from the absolute scorn she’s building up in her system to make the most polite ass note all like “Dearest Mother Lalonde, I thank thee for this humble present.” and notarizing it with BLOOD. of course this has to end with Mom walking in, seeing this note and going “how thoughtful!!!” and then sliding a god damn pillow just for the presentation.

it is my firm belief that the Lalondes are just kind of off the fucking wall inherently, literally all of them just do wacky shit like this without question.

fandom mischaracterizations are so frequent that they’re not even a surprise, but this concept of Rose being this completely serious and levelheaded girl who’s always moody and brooding and never puts up with stupid shit is something I cannot understand how anyone picked up from her. she has a sense of humor, a really damn good one, a lot of the comedy can be attributed to her dialogue. she’s not dead serious, she literally knits Lovecraft monsters in purple for goofs and does something like the above while no one is around. and in no possible way is she running on full logic and reasoning because she plays weird mind games with her mom and later on just goes insane and destroys shit for the hell of it. there really is more to Rose than just “goth = serious smart.”

a lot of this extends to Kanaya as well because I guess people just write the 2 of them as the same person, as we all know, couples can’t be together unless they completely overlap on the Venn diagram of their personalities, hobbies, and interests, but that’s for later.

AND THEN SHE PAYS FOR THE FUCKIN MAGNET. WHO DOES THIS.

MOTHER JUMPSCARE.

And of all things to be doing during a power outage. She's up to her IRONIC HOUSEWIFE routine again. That mop bucket doesn't even have any water in it! What an absolute madwoman.

I like how Rose calls this some kind of weird irony chore that no sane individual would do without a hint of joking, she really expects too much out of Mom. a real core part of this relationship is how Rose assumes that her mother is operating on the same high level thinking as her, when in reality she’s just doing actual housewife stuff genuinely. the bucket being empty is even part of Rose overthinking all of this, Mom’s using a Swiffer, she doesn’t need water, she just brought the bucket because it completes the housewife look.

I don’t know if that latter part was intentional or if Hussie just didn’t know how Swiffers worked.

NYOOM.

SICK TRICKS.

ah fuck.

the Strider household is such a very specific home aesthetic of “complete fucking disaster, the likes of which you have never seen, owned by 2 dudebros who like Eminem.” this visual style is so poignant that the best way Dave fixes a window is with straight black tape, how classy.

big fan of how everyone talking to Jade starts to smile, she just has that energy. I mean look at Dave, you see that single raised pixel? that’s him smiling! he’s got joy! and he’s so much more genuine when he’s talking to her too, she’s literally the one person in the friend group where he can drop the whole image of “I am so fucking Cool and Real and Awesome and Swag.” they play off of each other really damn well, no wonder DaveJade is a really big ship.

TG: say hi to your grand dad for me too ok GG: ._. GG: yes i guess an encounter with him is almost certain GG: it is usually........ GG: intense!!! TG: well yeah isnt it always with family

this is the non-embarrassing parallel to John talking about Dad with Rose. Dave’s probably thinking to himself, “ah yes, she too knows of the struggle of high octane anime fights in the middle of the house.” meanwhile Jade’s talking about yelling at a corpse.

also JADE KNOWS THE FUTURE??? HUHHHH???? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE???????????

[sonofthedunes]

a list of random fluffy luke/andrie headcanons below the cut, bc i can :p

Luke loves Andrie’s hair. he loves the coppery color, he loves how soft it is. when they’re cuddling he usually can’t resist nuzzling against it or lacing his fingers through it. he’s very fond of watching her untangle it (sometimes with a comb that used to belong to her great-grandmother); on occasion he’ll do it for her because he says it helps him focus.

they have their own “i love you”/“i know.” it’s “you and me, down the line.” 🥹

they’re both early risers, a leftover habit from childhoods on farmsteads. if they’re not in a rush they’ll watch the sun(s) rise together.

one of Andrie’s very few luxuries during the galactic civil war is a tiny vial of perfume, found in the ruins of an imperial base during a reconnaissance mission. it has a floral fragrance (a bit reminiscent of jasmine and plum blossom)-she doesn’t wear it often, but Luke feels comforted by the smell. neither of them know that it came from naboo, and is in fact a scent Padme Amidala wore in her lifetime.

she likes to call him “starboy” and “hotshot.” he calls her “sunshine” and “pika” (a type of sweet acidic fruit native to tatooine). other nicknames they use include “flyboy,” “sweet girl,” “dear heart,” and their military titles (jokingly). years in the future, when they’ve both become jedi masters, they address each other as such in front of their padawans to teach them proper decorum…but if they’re in the right mood, they’ll use it privately too.

oh yes, it takes her some time to accept her path, but Andrie does become a jedi-she’s Luke’s very first student. her progress is slow at first due to years of suppressing her abilities (first by her family, and then by herself voluntarily), yet she persists and works hard to become as fine a jedi as anyone could wish. she eventually finds a niche in studying meditation and trances, though she’s also a renowned lightsaber combatant, her natural fierceness serving her well. at her physical peak, it’s said, she could have dueled Luke to a standstill.

speaking of her lightsaber, she constructs it herself on ossus over the course of four days (previously she used a training saber Luke made for her). the blade is cyan, a blueish-green color which combines the qualities both shades represent-wisdom, courage, peace and so on. the hilt is mostly silver, with thin black bands and a crimson toggle switch; the bottom is slightly flared to prevent it slipping out of its wielder’s hands.

the only way Andrie utilizes the force during the war is to gently nudge Luke’s mind when he returns from a mission, just to make sure he’s alright. he always, always nudges back. ♥️

Andrie and Luke are practically the same height (she’s about an inch shorter)-when they hug or kiss they fit together as puzzles pieces, two halves of a whole. this also makes certain…other things easy too. ;)

they marry in the early morning after the fall of the empire, in a forest clearing on endor, not long after Luke agrees to train Andrie as his apprentice. for the record, she proposes to him-it’s not that he doesn’t want to be with her, but he’s struggled with the old jedi rules of attachment and how they’ll be interpreted in the new order. together they make the monumental decision to live openly as husband and wife, building an equal partnership based on trust, respect, and the living force. and it is with the force as their only witness that they pledge themselves to one another, using what Andrie recalls of a handfasting ceremony performed by one of tatooine’s ancient nomadic tribes. they bind their wrists using a leather cord from her hair and (since she’s unsure of what words the tribe used) they pronounce their own vows. when they return to the ewok village and tell their friends the news, Han announces the milestone to Leia as “pipsqueak and the kid did some weird jedi shit in the woods and they’re married now?? the hell is this galaxy coming to”

and unbeknownst to the happy couple, they’d set the standard for many, many jedi weddings going forward.

[mizukagami-takamagahara]

The next member of Rachel’s team I’d like you to meet is Sylpheed, her Xatu!  This Pokemon has been with her for a long, long time.  I imagine Sylpheed as Rachel’s starter, back when Rachel was just a young girl and Sylpheed only a Natu. Ability:  Synchronize Moves: - Feather Dance - Tailwind - Night Shade - Fly

The other members of her team shown here are;

Nago (Alolan Persian) M Ability:  Fur Coat Moves: - Thunder Bolt - Throat Chop - Rest - Scratch

Gii (Woobat) M Ability: Unaware Moves: - Endure - Thunder Wave - Ally Switch - Zen Headbutt

Gypsophila (Pumpkaboo) F Ability:  Insomnia Moves: - Trick or Treat - Astonish - Seed Bomb - Dark Pulse

Sylpheed the Xatu was chosen to represent both Rachel’s famous wind-manipulating Drive, and her role as Onlooker/Observer Of The World.  I mean, the main thing the Pokemon is known for is having horrible knowledge of the future and being paralyzed by it.

I choose Synchronize as the ability because it reminded me a little of Phenomena Intervention.  I can’t entirely back that association I have, it just worked in my head.  That sort of ‘rewrite’ to force your enemy to suffer a fate that wasn’t supposed to be theirs.  Does that make sense?

Tailwind was an easy pick, both as a reference to all the utility of her in-game Drive, and as a supporting status move- Rachel was a support-type character in BBDW.  With that in mind, Feather Dance was also chosen as a support/utility move- specifically, Rachel’s Gerbera Weak skill from BBDW lowered the target’s attack, as does Feather Dance.  Also, I guess just the name and imagery of the move seems to fit Rachel’s elegant aesthetic, her twirling animations, the way she floats/drifts across the screen, etc.

The large focus on utility and not attack also comes back as a reference to how Rachel was meant to be an audience member or a vague support for the actors on the stage of BB- she was never meant to engage with them in any direct way.  We know what happened to her when she broke that rule...

For the attacking moves I did decide to give this Pokemon, Fly was another easy wind-based reference to the Sylpheed Drive.  I wanted it simply because Rachel’s Drive does, in fact, allow her to fly.  A very simple choice.

Lastly, Night Shade.  Night Shade is a Ghost-Type move that deals more damage the higher the level of the Pokemon using it.  I liked the idea of giving this Pokemon a Ghost-Type move in general, because I find it suits Rachel well, but this move really stuck out to me, reminding me of just how much power Rachel held at the beginning of the series.  That power was situational, like this move- in Rachel’s case, her status as Onlooker granted her incredible magical abilities, and her years of timelooping granted her power through knowledge others had no access to.

I like to think of Sylpheed as Rachel’s starter Pokemon specifically because, if I remember correctly, Rachel inherited her status as Onlooker from her father Clavis.  I felt that sense of ‘duty’ she would have, presumably at a very young age going off of Phase Shift, meant the Pokemon representing those aspects of her character (in this case, Natu/Xatu) would be the best choice as “someone who has been with her since the start of her journey.”

[menzoneacademy]

Unleash Your Inner Stylist: Finding the Perfect Hairdressing Course or Barber Shop Course Near You

May 03, 2024

The world of hairstyling is a vibrant tapestry woven with creativity, technical expertise, and the power to transform lives. Whether you envision yourself crafting intricate braids, wielding clippers with precision, or creating captivating color masterpieces, a career in hairstyling offers endless possibilities. But before embarking on this exciting journey, choosing the right training program is crucial. This guide explores both hairdressing courses and barber shop courses near you, helping you chart your perfect path.

Hairdressing Courses: Mastering Versatility and Technique

Hairdressing courses offer a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip you with a broad skill set catering to diverse clients. Here's what you can expect:

Core Knowledge: You'll delve into the fundamentals of hairstyling, including haircutting techniques for various hair types, blow-drying methods for achieving different textures, and essential knowledge about hair care and products.

Coloring Expertise: Learn the art and science of hair coloring, from selecting the right shades to applying coloring techniques like highlights, balayage, and ombre with precision and confidence.

Chemical Services: Gain an understanding of chemical treatments like perms, relaxers, and straightening techniques, ensuring you can cater to all your clients' hair goals.

Salon Operations: Many courses integrate modules on salon management, customer service, and business practices, preparing you for the professional environment.

Hairdressing courses often offer the additional benefit of specialization. If you have a particular passion, such as bridal hairstyling or advanced updos, many courses offer focused programs to refine your skills and cater to your niche.

Barber Shop Courses: Honing Precision for Men's Hairstyling

Barber shop courses are specifically designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to excel in men's hairstyling. Here's what you'll typically learn:

Fading Techniques: Master the art of creating seamless fades, a cornerstone of barbering, using various clippers and techniques.

Haircutting Expertise: Learn classic and modern men's haircutting styles, including scissor-over-comb techniques, beard shaping, and hot towel shaves.

Men's Grooming: Explore different shaving techniques, including straight razor shaves, and gain insights into men's grooming products and services.

Shop Management: Many barber shop courses offer modules on shop operations, customer service practices, and business management aspects specific to the barbering industry.

Similar to hairdressing courses, some barber shop courses may feature advanced training modules focusing on specific styles or advanced shaving techniques for experienced barbers.

Finding the Perfect Program: Location and Beyond

While finding a hairdressing course or barber shop course near you is convenient, consider these additional points when making your decision:

Career Goals: If you envision a career catering to both men and women, a hairdressing course offers a broader skill set. Conversely, barber shop courses are ideal if you're passionate about specializing in men's hairstyling.

Curriculum Content: Evaluate the programs' curriculum in detail to ensure it aligns with your interests. Hairdressing courses offer broader training, while barber shop courses focus on men's specific needs.

Learning Environment: Consider factors like class size, instructor experience, and the availability of hands-on training opportunities.

Utilize online resources like the National Cosmetology Association (NCA) and your state's licensing board website to locate accredited programs in your area. Talking to established hairdressers and barbers can also provide valuable insights into reputable courses near you.

Invest in Yourself: Shape Your Future in Hairstyling

Choosing the right hairdressing course or barber shop course is an investment in your future success. By carefully evaluating your interests, career goals, and program offerings, you'll be well-equipped to embark on a rewarding journey in the world of hairstyling. So, sharpen your tools, unleash your creativity, and get ready to transform looks and boost confidence, one haircut at a time!

To know more about the hairdressers course near me, or barber shop course, we recommend you to visit the Men Zone Academy , as it is the best  barber academy  in Canada.

#hairdresserscoursenearme #barbershopcourse

[universaltribalsimp]

[BASIC INFORMATION]

Name: Team Spectrum

Symbol: A black-outlined, titled S colored in magenta, light blue, yellow-green, and yellow

Motto: Acknowledge us

Types Used: Varies, but mostly Psychic

Leader: Sterling/Lord Rainboom

Admin: Claudia

Region: Hoenn

Base Location: Under Mauville City

Uniform Style:

All of the uniforms are white with some black and the same colors of the symbol

Grunts and the admin wear white hoodies, pants, different colored shades, and white face masks

Male grunts have blue shades, female grunts have magenta shades, and the admin has green shades

The leader wears a cloak over a sleeved shirt and pants and a helmet reminiscent of Mega Mewtwo Y

The leader's helmet deepens their voice to make them sound more masculine

All members wear silver Mega Gauntlets that utilize Mega Energy, allowing them to Mega Evolve more than once in battle

Grunts:

All grunts utilize Pokemon whose Mega form has a bst between 480 and 600

Use no more than three in battle

Every single one of them got each other's back, no matter what

Don't steal from or hurt anyone and will even go out of their way to help someone in need

Admin: Claudia

Also known as the Rainbow Terror - given to her by the leader

Pokemon Team: Venusaur, Lucario, Ampharos, Gardevoir, and Houndoom

Was the first person to sympathize with the leader and even came up with the idea of forming Team Spectrum

Often considered the "second mother" of the team - looks out for both the leader and younger grunts and even comforts them

Leader: Sterling/Lord Rainboom

Also known as the Mega Nightmare

Real identity is unknown to the rest of the region; only their team knows

Pokemon Team: Charizard Y, Gyarados, Sceptile, Aggron, Diancie, and Mewtwo Y

Treats Olivia and grunts with love and respect and expresses genuine pride in them, regardless if they win or lose

Listens to their team when they express concerns and knows when to back down from a dangerous situation

Befriended Rayquaza and even named it Yero, but didn't catch it permanently and only calls upon them when bored or extremely needed

[THE STORYLINE]

WARNING: Super long!!!

The story of Team Spectrum not only takes place in the Hoenn region, but if this were an official Pokemon game, it would be a spin-off game from the perspective of the future leader. I tried to think of a plot similar to Pokemon games of the past, but the more I thought of the concept of Team Spectrum, I realized that they weren't much of a threat like Team Rocket or Team Plasma. As you can tell, it's essentially the Team Skull of the Hoenn region. But then it hit me, what if we got a game where we saw firsthand the birth of an evil team? Allow me a little bit of your time to tell you the plot of the hypothetical game, Pokemon Rainbow Emerald. Also, for the record, if this game was real, not only would the graphics be similar to that of SM/USUM - mostly because, Alola bias incoming, I love those graphics - but there would also be VOICE ACTING! Because, by Arceus, is it about damn time! And of course, like any other Pokemon game, you'd be able to name both the the player character and their rival, but for the sake of simplicity in this story, let's just call them Sterling and Orville - female and male respectively.The story begins with 17-year-old Sterling being jolted awake by their sickly mother, demanding that they hurry and get dressed because today's the day they got off their butt and begin their journey to become the next Pokemon Champion. She's lived in Oldale Town for her entire life so far and never thought of leaving home for any notable reason. So far in life, she was happy where she was - hanging out with her friend Orville, chilling, and being herself. However, her mother wasn't. She was always so pushy and demanding of her and a good example of that is in yesterday's diary entry.

"I just don't get it with Mom. When I'm bad at something, she wants me to try harder. When I'm good at something, she wants me to be better. Now she wants me to be the next Champion? I wish she'd care about my wants for a change."

With all these years of being disregarded and ignored for all of their natural talents while simultaneously being pushed to do things she never asked to do, Sterling had almost had enough. She was practically itching to turn 18 so that she could start living her own life. However, her mother's health was getting worse by the day and the demands had gotten more and more desperate until Sterling finally gave in. If being the next Pokemon Champion was the only thing that could make her mother proud of her, then so be it. You make your way over to Professor Birch's house, and when you get there, you find his wife chatting it up with Orville. Both she and her friend go out to find Birch, only to find him being chased by a pack of five Zigzagoons - just like in the original Emerald version because some things never changed. Bitch asks the two to grab a Pokeball out of his bag that's lying on the ground. Sterling and Orville then choose their starter Pokemon - for the sake of simplicity, they choose Treecko and Torchic respectively, and a double battle begins between the pack of wild Zigzagoons. After rescuing Birch, he lets them keep the chosen Pokemon as thanks for saving him, then gives the two pointers on how to be a Trainer. Afterward, he gives Sterling and Orville a Pokedex, a PokeNav Plus, and some Pokeballs before sending them on their way. Just before they leave, however, Birch's wife suggests that the two challenge the region's Gym Leaders, and both of them agree. As they go through Route 103, Orville decides to strike up some conversation along the way.

Orville: You know, I just realized something. You said you'd never do this. So what made you change your mind?

Sterling: My mom, that's what. She's not getting any better. Might as well try to make her happy for once.

​And with that, the two best-friends-turned-friendly-rivals were off on their journeys. Along the way, Sterling would encounter both Team Aqua and Team Magma grunts like in the original Emerald version. However, since she's not the chosen one, she's just got to be an unfortunate witness to the main madness that unfolds. Instead, Sterling has to deal with her mother constantly blowing her phone up. Literally, after every single catch or battle - whether it be with her rival, a Gym Leader, or a grunt, she pesters her either through calls or text messages, bringing up rather pointless inquiries like "Did you catch anything worthwhile?" or "You better not lose to those Aqua/Magma grunts. Don't you embarrass me." Perhaps it was the comment relating to her rival battles that stung the most because whenever she lost, she only had this to say.

"Why am I not surprised? Honestly, whatever Orville is doing, you should do more of that."

Regardless of her mother's endless comments and Groudon and Kyogre going at it like they're siblings, Sterling was about to finally take on the Elite Four and the Champion. Although she was incredibly on edge, she had Orville by her side to give her that much-needed reassurance. By this time, the calls and texts have come to an abrupt stop, and although part of her is relieved, another part of her wonders if her mom is still alive. One by one, she took them on. Sidney, Phoebe, Glacia, and Drake. One by one, they all went down but then came Wallace. He has the same team as he did in the original Emerald and that Ludicolo with that bullshit ass Double Team. However, this time around, he has a Mega Gyarados. What's even worse is that it doesn't matter how much you grind or prepare for this final battle because, in the end, you're meant to lose. After getting her team healed up, as soon as she steps out of the Pokemon center, Sterling is called by her mom to come home immediately. Upon flying home, she walks in to find her mom in bed, barely hanging on for dear life. When she walks up to her, Mom grabs her daughter's hand and the following conversation takes place.

"Sterling… I know you came so far, but I gotta know… Are you the new champion?"

At this point, you have a couple of dialogue options to choose from. If you choose to say "no," she responds with "…Why am I not surprised?" If you choose to say "I got close," she responds with "…Not close enough." Regardless of what is chosen, Mom snatches her hand back and turns away from her daughter, weakly but firmly demanding that she "get out of her face." A teary-eyed Sterling pleads for her mother to be proud of her, only to get no such response. Or any response, for that matter. A few days later, Sterling is found in the backyard, standing over her mother's grave with a pair of watery eyes combined with that of a fiery glare. A saddened Orville approaches from behind and places a hand on his friend's shoulder, telling her that he's sorry for her loss. Sterling snatches her shoulder away, questioning why he was sorry and that "at least you're champion. She would've loved that for you - just as she's always loved you." And with that, Orville leaves her to her own devices. For an hour, Sterling stands there, staring intensely at the gravestone when something clicks and she has an epiphany. Her mom was never proud of her because she wasn't a strong trainer like Orville or the former champion Wallace. If she was to be respectful and acknowledged, then she needed to be the strongest of them all. The question is how? A few more minutes of thinking and then it hits her.

Mega Evolution.

Wallace and Orville had a Mega Pokemon and are among the region's strongest trainers. Sterling herself has a Mega Pokemon and has witnessed firsthand its extraordinary power. Perhaps if she could find a way to exploit that power to its maximum potential, she could be unstoppable. Of course, she could assemble a full team of Pokemon capable of Mega Evolution and acquire their compatible Mega Stones, but only Arceus knows how long that will take and Lady Luck isn't always on her side. However, after some further research on the subject, she discovered something groundbreaking. Rayquaza can Mega Evolve without a Mega Stone. This was perfect. If she finds a way to harness that ability, she will be set. But then arises a new problem: how could you possibly find such a project? After several more minutes of thinking, she decided to sell some things. And not only just a few valuable items in her house that were collecting dust, but she also decided to sell some Pokemon.

From here, the hypothetical game would switch from the traditional linear style gameplay into a more open-world style inspired by Scarlet and Violet. Not only would you as the player be able to traverse the Hoenn region freely, but you can go to and traverse other regions freely. This would not only allow you to visit your favorite spots and challenge some of your favorite characters from previous games, but this would also allow you to catch and sell Pokemon worthwhile that are only found in other regions and thus be able to find this grand new project. A project Sterling named the MEWS Project - MEWS stands for Mega Evolution Without Stones. After however long it takes for her to get enough cash, Sterling is finally able to fund the project. All that's needed now is Rayquaza. While all of the scientists in the work-in-progress underground base are working on the machine, Sterling traverses through the tower, battling so many Pokemon along the way, until she reaches the apex and pulls out a few Pokeballs from her bag. From the Pokeballs, three Minors are released, and then Sterling drops to her knees and begins to pray. Almost no sooner does she finish her prayer, the Sky High Pokemon graces the young woman with their presence, and to her surprise, they speak.

Rayquaza: (I gaze down at the trainer with a steely glare) Sterling of Oldale Town. You have summoned me for what purpose?

Sterling: (I anxiously look up at the Legendary dragon, still on my now trembling knees.) Rayquaza, I simply ask that you aid me in a project to become the strongest trainer in the world.

Rayquaza: And why do you wish to become the world's strongest trainer?

Sterling: (No response is made as I gaze to my right, almost not wanting to answer the question.)

Rayquaza: Your mother is gone, Sterling. (The younger looks up at me with a gasp and a stunned expression.) You don't owe her anything.

Sterling: …… (Once again, I hang my head and choose to say nothing because what do I say to that?)

Rayquaza: …… (I circle the silent trainer and the scared Miniors, tilting my head a couple of times.) I will not force you to reconsider, but remember this. True strength is not born from winning battle after battle. It comes from falling time and time again and still deciding to get back up.

Sterling: (I look up at Rayquaza and nod my head.) I'll keep that in mind.

Rayquaza: (I nod my head in return) Very well, then. If you truly require my assistance, you must prove to me in battle. But before we get started… (I point at the Minior trio.) Are those for me??

Sterling: Oh! Uh, yes, uh… (I chuckle lightly as I scramble back into my feet.) I caught these to convince you to help me, but… Perhaps they're not necessary--

No sooner do those words leave her mouth, the Sky High Pokemon zooms down and snatches up the now screaming Miniors, then devours them whole. Rayquaza then thanks Sterling for the offering and in a flash of a blinding light, they Mega Evolve, commencing the battle. It knows Extreme Speed, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Dance, and Dragon Ascent - the final being a Flying-type move and not a Dragon-type move as the name would suggest for some inexplicable reason. It would be quite the challenge, but eventually, Sterling prevails and Rayquaza allows her to catch it. Over the next couple of months, Sterling and her scientists make sure that the Legendary Sky Dragon is taken great care of while they work on the MEWS Project. It was given mandatory 30 breaks along and an hour-long lunch just like everyone. Speaking of lunch, it was given all of the meteorites, Miniors, and Rayquaza treats to its heart's content mostly thanks to the effort of Sterling. At one point, Rayquaza gives everyone a ride through the skies and Sterling even gives it a nickname: Yero - one of the many names of the Rainbow Serpent. Yero is treated less like a test subject and more like an equal member of the team. After months of experiments, all of everyone's work pays off in the form of a silver gauntlet with a small glass dome on the back swirling with some kind of strange magenta energy - the Mega Gauntlet. With her Pokemon team out and ready, Sterling presses the dome and her entire hand glows a bright magenta, trembling and aching in pain all the while. Despite the pain, a growling Sterling fights through and snaps her fingers, bringing out the Mega forms of all six Pokemon of her team at the same time. All of the scientists applaud and celebrate amongst each other, but Sterling. She walks over to her team and caresses her Sceptile with tears of pure joy.

Sterling: We did it. We actually did it. (I look up at the ceiling and dry my eyes.) I hope you're watching because from now on, you'll be looking at the reign of the Mega Nightmare.

Yero: (confused but intrigued) The Mega Nightmare??

Sterling: (I acknowledge the Sky High Pokemon with a nod.) Yeah. New dawn, new day, new life for me. I'm gonna need a name change. (I look down at my clothes and a disappointed frown is made.) …And a wardrobe change at that.

Yero: (I acknowledge her with a nod.) I see. I wish you luck in your endeavors, Sterling. I only wish that you heed my advice.

With Yero released back into its rightful place in the skies and the MEWS Project being a complete success, Sterling dons her gauntlet along with a new outfit and a new name to match: Lord Rainboom, the Mega Nightmare. Yes, Lord Rainboom, as in rainbow and doom. Don't laugh. Over the next few weeks, with her new persona and power, she takes on the Hoenn gym leaders again, defeating them all with far less difficulty than her very first attempt. All the while, she makes passionate speeches to anyone who would listen, declaring that all of Hoenn will acknowledge her might and the rest of the world will follow suit. Everyone in the region takes notice - especially a few people in particular. One of which is a young woman dressed in green shades along with a hoodie and pants that strangely have the same colors as the Mega Nightmare's. After defeating the seventh gym, Lord Rainboom is approached by the seemingly matching individual and a conversation is struck.

???: I know how you feel. (The Mega Nightmare turns towards me with a confused tilt of their head.) You try your very best and yet you still come up short. Now you want to prove everyone wrong.

Lord Rainboom: (One hand is on my hip as I gaze at the newcomer.) Uh-huh. And you are…??

???: Claudia. Nice to meet you. (We shake hands.) And while I'm here, let me tell you that I'm not the only one who feels the same way.

Lord Rainboom: Is that right? Prove it.

With a warm smile, Claudia leads the Mega Nightmare to her hometown, Mauvile City, and in the garage of her home sits a fairly large group of trainers - both boy and girl - patiently waiting for Claudia to return. The second they see Lord Rainboom, they all gasp both surprise and a hint of excitement and one of them even bows before her. Claudia goes on to explain that she and the trainers have been watching and listening to the Mega Nightmare and they agree with her wholeheartedly. Why? Every single one of the trainers has been through what Sterling had been through - their loved ones trying to live through them and being criticized regardless of whether they accomplished something or not. It is at this moment that Lord Rainboom has another epiphany. The world needs to acknowledge not just her, but everyone who feels ostracized despite their inner strength.

​​​​​​Lord Rainboom: Listen well, my dear friends. To our loved ones, we are nothing. But to us, we are their worst nightmares! We will show everyone that we are not as weak or useless as we're made out to be! We… are Team Spectrum! And we! Are here! To stay!

[TRIVIA]

Inspired by my love of Mega Evolution taken to a bit of an extreme.

The alias "Lord Rainboom" and the helmet are inspired by Lord Dominator from Wander Over Yonder.

[zappervangslibrary]

hello welcome to this blog (temporary pin)

This is where I keep a catalogue of really good art for reference for future artistic endeavors of mine, similar to a pinterest but with actual functioning credits that lead back to the original artists.

If the post is twitter exclusive and the artist is not on tumblr, I repost it linking back to their twitter page to the exact post being reposted. If the post does not exist on tumblr but the artist themself is on tumblr, I will link the twitter post but I will also @ the artist's tumblr blog. If the artist and post is both on tumblr, I will simply reblog, no reposting required. I will always ask for permission from the original artist before reposting. In the second case of the artist being on tumblr, but the post not, I will DM them first to see if they want to post it themself first.

The rest of this post is a list of active hashtags to help search through the artwork on the account.

(#Reblog) This is the largest category of the account. It shows every post that is not originally made by me to show I don't own credit to the artwork shown. (#Digital Art) This is the category for all art that is done using a digital paint program. (#Infographic) This is the category for posts that are display educational information for artistic endeavors in a visual format, aka: an infograph. These types of posts are usually mostly text based but use images to help better comprehend the information being provided. (#Great Colors) This is used as a label on artwork having very pleasing, interesting, or unique colors. It also can be used to label posts giving helpful/educational information about color theory. (#Unique Artstyle) This is used as a label on artwork that have out of the ordinary or unique, finely crafted artstyles. It can also be used as a label on "Avant Garde" art pieces that don't fall into a specific art medium category like Digital or Traditional art. (#Unique Shading) This is used as a label on artwork having very interesting shading. Whether it be very complex or something I personally haven't seen before/don't understand how to replicate. Therefore being intriguing and worth studying in my opinion. (#Character Design) This is the category for posts that include great character designs that are worth studying. It also includes educational information like anatomy studies and other references that help aid the character design process. (#Creature Design) This is the category for posts that can help inspire/inform how to make unique or realistic creature designs in art. Whether it be an original, fantasy creature, or a real living animal. (#Library Note) This is the category for posts original to this account, usually to explain the rules of the blog, or to act as a dev log and update on current events. (#Librarian's Favorite! 💜) This is the category for my personal favorite posts/artworks. :) (WIP)

There is also for convenience a variety of Fandom hashtags to browse from. Hashtags currently utilized are: (#Furry) (#D&D) (#Hazbin Hotel) (WIP)

[qucintly]

MORE RANDOM / USELESS MUSE FACTS

Did they believe in Santa?: Perhaps, at least for a little bit. It didn't take long for her to realize her parents were the ones giving her presents. Though was she mad about this revelation? No. Her parents just became nicknamed "Mr. and Mrs. Harris Claus" until her early adolescent years.

Were they a dinosaur or rock kid?: Both, given the cirucmstances in which she read multiple books as a child. Learning about the rock that killed the dinosaurs(metaphorically) mixed both interests together.

Bugs or slimy critters?:  What's the difference? They're both curious creatures that need to be learned. Both in knowledge and repelling.

Do they fidget? How?: Whenever she listens to something interesting, whether on the case or not, she makes a mental note of the situation by the obvious gesture of rubbing the bottom frame of her chin, side to side. This also occurs when she's thinking about something.

What were they frequently in trouble for as a child?: The "in trouble" portion didn't really involve being suspended from school, or rather, being grounded per say. This "in trouble" portion deals with her popularity in comparison to the rest of her elementary school. She would be standoffish, in a way that completely ignores bullies that would tell her how much of a "teacher's pet" she was. She ignores them to the point of getting in trouble with the most popular individuals in school, but is quickly resolved by said teachers defending her. Would that even count? I'm making it count.

What underwear do they like?: ...I abstain from answering this question.

Designs on clothing or no?: No. She wants her clothes to be plain and singular colored. The striped pants she wears is an exception due to the colors black and grey being shades of each other.

Birthmarks?: There is a small black birthmark on the bottom right side of her neck, shaped like a star. This indicates either her past self was shot in the back by an arrow (as a cause of death), or is a symbol of the rebirth Ms. Harris would have gone through during the "Burn Within" incident.

Do they have good self control?: Depending on her level of anger, Ms. Harris has pretty good self control. Though it is highly recommended to not get on her bad side. Her vocal and physical inflictions of violence is a certain if or whenever she reaches that point.

Favorite franchise?: As a child, Resse would indulge herself reading the "Magic Treehouse" book franchise, which involves two growing children, Jack and Annie, entering a magical treehouse and traveling through time and events on mystical adventures. She experiences the children growing up such as she has, despite her memory of the books she read in long past disappearing along with the rest of her memories.

Do they re-enact scenarios in the shower?: Resse is a "get-in and get-out" type of individual. Someone who gets in the shower, does all she needs to do, and get out. There are no thoughts in between.

Do they tell the waiter that their order is wrong?: Sometimes she does, depending on how wrong the order was. If she were to get a regular cheesecake instead of the strawberry cheesecake she had orders, she would let it pass, considering the strawberry to be a bonus of flavor to the already rich taste of the cheesecake on its own. If she were to get a cup of chai tea instead of a cup of chamomile tea, that is where it kindly crosses the line.

Stairs or elevator?: Stairs. Walking up and down the stairs towards her destination gives her more time to think, to process or come up with details she would utilize in future situations and conversations. Although if a building only has elevators, she wouldn't mind taking them.

Are they an exaggerator when telling stories?:  Extremely. Especially when it comes to childish folktales like "The Three Little Pigs". Depending on who she tells it too, she rather twist the ending of the folktale to brutally antagonize, well, the antagonist(s), making sure the ones involved understand just what kind of trouble they are putting themselves through.

Tagged by: @s-talking

Tagging: YOU. When you read this!!

[cazort]

This post is mostly accurate but it's not necessarily true that "almost the entirety" of North American ecosystems are dependent on fire. Fire was common in many different ecosystem types, but there are also numerous ecosystems, including rich mesic upland forests, moist bottomland forests, and certain types of swamps and other wetlands, which rarely to never experienced fire, and do not need fire to be healthy.

Of course, we've screwed up these ecosystems too. For example, in swamps and bottomland forests, flooding is a disturbance that kills plants and opens up space much the same way fire does on dry sites. Flooding doesn't need to be catastrophic to open up a forest; sometimes a series of wet months or a couple wetter-than-average years, or a slight change in drainage downstream, can lead to soil saturation that can slowly stress and eventually kill certain trees, leading to gaps in the canopy. Just as there are fire-adapted trees, there are also flood-adapted trees, and flooding and poor drainage is necessary for them to thrive, or else they will be replaced by more shade-tolerant trees that require better drainage.

And stream channelization, ditch-drainage of land for cropland and development, and damming of rivers have all reduced or eliminated natural flooding over huge areas of land. Killing of beavers has also massively eliminated wetlands because beavers create wetlands out of forested areas by their own small-scale damming.

Overall, the rich mesic forests, especially in isolated areas such as mountain ravines, have been better preserved than most ecosystems including both wetlands and fire-prone ecosystems. These mesic ecosystems were always protected from both fire and flooding, so modern humans' suppression of fire and flooding has helped, rather than hurt them. As such they have spread onto a wider range of sites. This process is called the "mesophication" of forests. So relatively fire-intolerant species like red maple, black cherry, and eastern redcedar are doing well, whereas fire-dependent species like longleaf pine, post oak, and blackjack oak, less so. Although bottomland species are doing better, some of them are also not doing great, like red mulberry or Atlantic whitecedar.

Basically, in order to protect wild ecosystems, we need to leave them as-is. Stop draining land to build or farm on it. Stop suppressing fire on land that naturally burns. Allow beavers to build dams. Allow wolves to control the populations of large herbivores.

I really think our gold-standard for environmental preservation needs to be to have humans limited to a small portion of the total land, and by limited I mean not just cities and towns, but also farms, and leave the rest wild. Maybe we can utilize this wild land in some ways, like by some degree of sustainable hunting, fishing, foraging, and even timber harvesting or mining. But we need to keep our impact small.

We could live better this way too. Our whole society is built around cars and it is much lower-density than would be optimal. Like I wish there were more within walking distance of me, I would love so much for the entire suburban area I live in to be squished together and take up half the space or even a third the space, and then the rest could be left wild, and then we could have things like feasible buses and trains and we could walk everywhere and I wouldn't need to own a car.

This is a realistic image of the future people. There are no practical limits holding it back, so much of the stuff causing environmental destruction is just stupid lose-lose decisions. It's time we move into a win-win space.

Hello would you like to learn about how Smokey the Bear ruined American ecosystems for decades?

Go for it

[koralatov]

This is an interesting machine: a Wikipedian counterpart to the NeXTcube that birthed the web without which Wikipedia, the iMac used to make it, and much else besides, wouldn’t exist.

These photos, taken from the Christie’s auction,1 are beautiful. The most especially beautiful is that well-travelled box: it has the natural patina that we’ve all spent 20 years trying to achieve quickly and artificially on our jeans and copper-bottom pots and everything ‘heirloom’.

Twenty-year-old plastics and electronics are interesting, but twenty-year-old cardboard is fascinating. iMacs and GameCubes survive in relatively large numbers because they’re a (mostly) functional object and an attractive one at that. Boxes rarely do because their function is nearly immediately outlived, and they take up disproportionate space for their expired utility.

That box is the kind of artefact that I’m deeply drawn to, but unable to create or own myself. Ephemera cannot survive in my environment – it falls victim to the manic, far-reaching purges that happens every few years, usually spurred on by a disruption or crisis. Fight Club had a deep and lasting effect on my outlook that applies inconsistently but intensely.2

And yet: I’m drawn to it and its kind, while also knowing I could not be trusted with it.

I also can’t really be trusted with the iMacs G3 that I’m in the process of upgrading with RAM and SSDs – there’s a strong possibility that, at some point in the future, they’ll be given away. But, while they’re here and while I’m passionate for them, I’ll enjoy the project and enjoy using these wonderful machines. I’ll even perversely enjoy the absolute frustration of opening them up to work on.

One of the things that makes the iMac G3 so especially attractive, so especially enjoyable, is the inconsistencies and joyousness embodied in their design and manufacture. These are machines from an earlier Apple – a pre-aluminium, pre-iPhone, pre-multiple-trillion-dollars Apple – and, like the company then, they’re not perfect.

They aren’t machined blocks of aluminium, crammed full of densely bespoke electronics: they’re a fragile, slightly wonky assembly of discrete parts, many of which you can replace yourself if you’re brave enough. And they really are fragile – I’ve had two disintegrate, horribly, into a snowstorm of internal beige plastic and wobbly CRTs during shipment. (One of those, tragically, the same colour as Wales’ historic machine; I hope its strawberry plastics prove salvageable.)

They have strange, charming inconsistencies in their design: pinstripes on the screen surround next to a slightly different shade of translucent plastic, unstriped, on the bottom housing. Handles in yet another kind and shade of translucent plastic. Snow-white iMacs shipped with black peripherals3. Two of them came in insane patterns. (Those two are my favourite, and my Blue Dalmatian arrived, thankfully, intact.)

They are, quite simply, beautiful, strange objects: very much of their time, very clearly far worse computers than Apple makes now, but also far nicer and more fun than anything Apple makes now.

The new 24″ iMac, which has been compared to the iMac G3, is beautiful and returns colour to the Mac – but it’s not fun. It’s perfect in its implementation, uniform in its materials, and sterile in its beauty. It is the product of what Gruber, whose site I no longer read, describes succinctly as “rigorous consistency”:

Type choices under Steve Jobs were excellent, but always a little ad hoc. Myriad for advertising and packaging, Lucida Grande for Mac OS X, Helvetica for the iPhone. I think it’s safe to say that Steve Jobs was far less rigorous than Jony Ive. The rigor necessary to develop a single type family that can work for everything from a digital watch face to a 100-foot billboard advertisement is extraordinary. And Ive has also brought that rigorous consistency to Apple’s architecture. Their new campus and their new retail stores are of the same design language – lighting, materials, furniture.

Ive’s tenure was one of rigour and constant polish. This led to some incredible devices, but simultaneously ended up polishing out character and warmth, leaving behind beautiful objects that were, at times, functionally impaired. We ended up with slabs of aluminium that are incredibly computers but forgettable objects.

The new iMac – beautiful, powerful, colourful – is rigorous in its design, and I’m glad it exists. I’m glad that it heralds colourful, powerful laptops in my price bracket. I’m glad of these things, but I’ll never look at it with the fondness I do the iMac G3.

Inexplicably, aggravatingly, Christie’s, who operate in a business that’s all about details, can’t seem to get their shit together and use proper apostrophes in their listing. This is so basic that I can’t even get Tumblr, a coding disaster all of its own, to stop overriding ' and replacing it with a real apostrophe!

I’m not expecting them to manually add the HTML character entities by hand (been there, done that, and would not recommend it) but I am expecting them to use a CMS that does this itself, or to type the fucking character. On a Mac, like the one they’re listing for sale, it’s ⌥⇧] – and has been for at least 30 years. ↩︎

Distressingly, I’m now older than either Edward Norton (30) or Brad Pitt (36) were when they made the film. Outliving Tyler Durden is a sort of generational rite-of-passage akin to outliving Kurt Cobain, and one that’s not without a little existential horror. Tyler is and remains perfect in his own way, while I simply age. ↩︎

The original black and white combo is actually pretty hard to find on Google’s image search nowadays – most people have swapped out the black Pro Mouse and Keyboard with later white ones, which jells better but isn’t period-correct. The A1048 keyboard is a common but anachronistic pairing; more appropriate would be the much rarer white M7803, which by this point in time is likely not very white. ↩︎

[simtanico]

Hi! I don't know if this is an annoying/difficult question, sorry if it is, but do you have any advice at all for modelling sims based off real people? Your sims are SO crazy good. When I try to make them they end up looking... eh... Vaguely like the person? But there's a huge gap between that and some kind of 'spark' some simmers seem to manage to capture.

Hello! Definitely not annoying. Difficult, as in how difficult it is to answer? Maybe. I'm gonna go off on a couple of tangents. But I'm gonna try my best to explain the process. Which isn't really much of one sorry.

There's a handful of tutorials and tips out there regarding reference photos and like... proportions and all that so I won't cover that.

I use that as a general guide of course, but mostly I just save some photos of the person at various angles and focus on one feature or two at a time. Literally going back and forth between reference photo and my game. I think if you try to get everything at the same time, it really makes it easy to get frustrated with whatever your sim looks like at the moment. Making sims in general is a combination of a LOT of things depending on your style.

I can point out ALL the flaws with my sims based on real people. In my experience, it’s about getting the defining features of a person close enough to the real thing so that it resembles them. I don't think you need a complete copy to get the point across, however i do think some people and features are harder to emulate than others. I've been working on some sims for YEARS, and they still don't work out lol

and take a look at this progression on my sim based on Z4ne H0ltz starting back in 2015!

that first screenshot:

Personally, I get a little lost if I work on a sim too much all at once. I find some time away makes me less tired and frustrated. Just pace yourself :)

Also if you need any help, shoot me a message here or on discord. I promise I don't judge or anything.. it's sims who cares lol

TO START...

I suggest starting with the head and its shape. Starting off with a game-generated sim, the first slider I get to is head width. It's usually too dang wide for my tastes. And then adjusting the general position of the the features. You can always change things later, so you don't have to know exactly what you're going to do, but as I've mentioned before, sculpting sims up in CAS is just practice with sliders! Also in the long run, you may want to use Pu+Chi House's Smooth Face Normals slider! I attempt to explain and show what it does here. I've uploaded the slider here: https://simfileshare.net/download/984204/

This is gonna be a doozy sorry in advance if the read more doesn't work

SLIDERS SLIDERS SLIDERS

Big sliders like Pu+Chi House’s face shape sliders dramatically change the face shape, and it could save you a lot of time! I highly suggest using these to get rid of the weird large jaw sims can get.

Play with different sliders and how they interact with one another! Example: jaw width and Cheek Fullness affect the same area. if you need a wide jaw and don’t want cheek distortion, you can use cheek fullness, lower the jaw width slider and then edit the cheekbones from there

 Knowing what sliders move what and how it can work to your advantage is key! I cover this in my reply post about noses.

For visual reference:

I start out with my nose but I want the nostrils to sit further on the outside

so i go in and use the nose width slider and raise it to widen the lower nose:

Then lower the nostril scale slider

Comparison:

as you can see, i kind of achieved what I wanted, but also widened the nose tip too! Welp, that takes another slider I have, Tip Width. And I'll adjust that accordingly! It's really just a matter of what you're going for and what you're going to have to compensate for as a result!

That said, our community has made some awesome sliders that open up so many possibilities and even eliminate the need to do that multi-slider tango. I wouldn't even know where to begin (wish I wanted to make videos because I could talk for an hour about sliders)

For example @pitheinfinite made sliders that can make sims look better and more realistic, I'm jealous at what they've achieved!

They have their Inner Corner to Nose slider that moves an area of the sim's face hat make eyebags and the shadows and lines appear farther out from the inner eye. It saves you from having to use cheek sliders to mimic the effect and thus ruining the face shape you have going

It's truly an INDISPENSABLE slider. One of many!

Since I make sliders, I usually just make some to specifically fix whatever issue I'm having. Granted they're made with general function in mind, which makes my cheater-y way of making things happen more useful in the future. I have about 50 experimental unfinished sliders in my game and can tell you that all my current sims use them for some reason or other. So I'm not working with nothing, I guess?

EYE SPY 👁

The best way to really get nice accurate looking sims is the eyes.

Pay attention to the slant of the eye, the shape and position of the upper and lower eyelids. you can use the game’s Eyelid Height slider, and AWT’s Eyelid width and height sliders (and many more)

and especially where the iris (green) sits relative to the eyelid. getting that shape and eyeball positioned correctly really makes a HUGE difference

I do suggest Bloom’s Eye slider (left and right) that rotate the eyes left and right. That along with their Lazy eye sliders can give your sims a less symmetric face and position the eyes to be FAR more accurate and realistic than the default.

I also recommend their vertical sliders (Eye lift or drop) to help with eye positioning.

I can't stress the importance of the right contacts or eyes for your sims. Of course it all depends on how you make your sims's eyes and all that. Take the last sim i posted about. It took forever and a half to find the right contacts that didn't need severe or intense editing to capture the same vibe the person he's based on. The problem is pretty persistent for me, and I am just speaking for myself when I say this is necessary. Iris size, shading, recolorability, detail, catch lights, and pupil position are things to consider for your play style and preferences.

In addition to seeing what eyes will do the trick, I do edit the catch lights in the screenshots to give the eyes a different emotion or look. (I use defaults that get rid of the game-generated catch lights, and supernatural eye glow.) It's nice when that's all it is and I don't have to go in and photoshop things in and out to make them look human lmao

Perfect, schmerfect

And just know that as long as you have the same vibe or look going on it doesn't need to be perfect! Things will evolve over time, and you can change and perfect things as you go along, but close is better than trying to achieve an exact replica. We are working with the limitations of sliders and the optimized meshes they work on! So yeah there might be jagged bits or the profile might not exactly match and some things might not be accurate, but that's okay! Considering what sims look like at their default, you should be proud! I use the same mf eyebrows on all my sims basically and I tell myself they're just placeholders (yeah, right), but I manage to make them work with what I have!

Sliders, Makeup, and Skins, oh my!

a good base skin is critical, but not the end of the world if you pick the wrong one. They determine kind of definition and types of features highlighted on a sim 100000% and you might lose a feature you like or dislike when you change them! Feel free to switch up between skins you have to find the best fit.

Makeup can be a game-changer though!!! Any details you can add and help make your sim look the most like the person you're basing them off can go MILES.

In some cases, I've actually gotten really interesting results trying to get my sculpt as close as possible to real life references so the makeup makes a difference but don't define the features by themselves. Still, though, I utilize makeup up a LOT. [remember that if you use Nraas, you can layer makeup. Right-clicking makeup will also remove it if it's applied :)]

Here's the last sim i posted about when removing makeup:

no nosemasks really replicates the face-claim's nose (too shiny at the lower part) but it'll do 🤷‍♀️

Freckles, eyebags, highlighters, face shadows, pores, nosemasks, etc are all great!!

The way you move your sliders WILL effect how these look, so don't rely on makeup that adds super-specific detail or goes over an area you know is a jumbled mess because of sliders!

I do have a mess of recommendations and wcifs for skins and makeup. replies tag | wcif tag

[also I love compiling wcif cc lists for my sims it's great]

Finally, I appreciate your comment about my sims, mainly because I know they're not ever really exact copies or as close as I want to be to their real life counterparts, so thanks!! I've seen fellow simmers get really good results without messing as much as I do and I love when people can make really good maxis match likenesses because it's just so damn cool! It's truly a talent. I'm not one of those lucky few, but I like to try my way at it anyway. After what feels like some good progress I'll post a pic here. Even after doing this forever I don't feel like I'm an expert or can get good results in a shorter amount of time, but it's just fun to see the progression (or regression) of how my sims look.

[bigskydreaming]

I’d say the thing about some characters lending themselves better to some stories than others actually can apply to the Batfam as well, and is a sign of how well-developed they actually are. I know I’ve ranted in the past about the tendency to try and fit the Batkids into niches like the smart one and the angry one and all of that, but in terms of story TYPES, I think they do have certain niche-like feels that mean some of them are better suited to certain GENRES of story than others.

For instance....I didn’t love Grayson, but that was more due to the overshadowing circumstances and the fact that I just think King and his writing suck. A lot. But the basic premise was not at all out of Dick’s wheelhouse. He IS well predisposed to kinda globe-trotting, spy versus spy, switching disguises like they’re outfits, making the most out of his ability to make friends everywhere he goes and turn enemies into allies.....those types of stories. Not saying these should be his only stories, by any means, or that he can’t center in all kinds of other types of stories, but I’m just saying, these kinds of stories do have more of a Dick Grayson feel than they do various other Batkids.

Similarly, Jason is better suited to gothic horror types of stories than the others, just in general. His history with the Lazarus Pit, his general disposition, his THEMES, like....they speak to the same kind of aims and tones that gothic horror both births from and embodies.

This might just be me, but to me, Tim is best suited to kinda oddball, off the wall sorta stories, and that’s part of why I’m so meh on him just being shelved into the uber-genius, mini-Bruce, heir to the best detective mantle kinda thing. I’ve spoken before about how much I miss 90s Tim, but to me, Tim was always at his best, and at his best-defined, most feeling like uniquely HIM, when he was playing the underdog. When he was just this well-intentioned kid who plunged into this world that was so much larger than viewing it through his camera lens had prepared him for, but he had spunk and determination and he wasn’t about to back down or let anyone think he was in over his head so he was gonna make it through whatever the superhero life threw at him even if flying by the seat of his pants the whole way. So to that end, I mean, I think Tim is at his best when just dealing with totally WTF kinds of stories. The cross-dimensional capers, the time travel mishaps, the ‘great, I was abducted by aliens on my lunch break and now apparently I have to save planet FUBAR with nothing but my pocket knife and scathing dry wit.’

I would fucking kill for Cass at the center of noir type stories where its like, idk, the Maltese Falcon and she’s the jaded but still optimistic-at-her-core PI when trouble walks into her derelict office wrapped up in an eggplant shawl and the name Stephanie. Maybe its just that I don’t think there’s enough focus on the fact that Cass is SMART and she’s as much a detective as any of the family, does plenty of investigative work and if she’s heir to the cowl she’d be just as good at the mystery side of things as Bruce is, but just......noir stories just FEEL like dappled shadows and eerie shades of blue and black with hints of moonlight spilling through slatted blinds and all of that just screams Cass to me, faint notes of jazz in the background, a wry smile on her lips as she plays her informant like a fiddle when chasing down clues.

Duke is another globe-trotter in feel to me, like his backstory and his family and his stories with the Outsiders, like, I really want to see Duke on more superhero teams than just the Outsiders now that that’s over, because he’s better suited to stories not confined just to Gotham, I think? Like, Duke fits the conspiracy theory chasing niche to me, like, his character really comes to life when pursuing leads all across the world, digging into his past, his family’s past, seeing how it all connects to various mysteries of the DC Earth that are generations old but still affect the present....like I don’t know how many people have read Planetary, but that to me is a PERFECT fit for Duke, and I would love to see him with his own Planetary style team or even just part of one.

Damian is best suited to coming of age stories, which sounds vague, but the thing is, it really is its own genre. So much of Damian’s character, the best parts I think, are about Damian FINDING himself, DEFINING himself......he more than any of the others, debuted so clearly defined by his origins, his parents, who he was CREATED to be.....and so he more than anyone else is perfectly poised to star in stories that are all about him breaking away from that mold, from parental expectations or preplanned destinies, or even just searching for things to define him on his own terms rather than through the eyes of others. Stories that are about choosing your own path, making a self-realization or having an epiphany about who you truly are or what you want to do with your life....that to me, is Damian’s best niche. Again, doesn’t mean that other characters can’t be great in these kinds of stories as well, just that if I’m pairing one character to one genre they lean into best, this is what’s that for Damian, IMO.

Steph is a bit of an oddball for me, and I don’t quite know how to describe this, but she’s best suited IMO to those kinds of stories that like......there’s not really a specific NAME for this type, but you know them when you see them. The best comparison I can think to make is like.....the kinds of stories Harley Quinn stars in? To be clear, I’m not drawing parallels between Steph or Harley or saying they’re the same kind of character at ALL, I’m just saying like.....Harley is another character who overall is very hard to pin down in specific concrete terms, but nevertheless is centered in various stories and adaptations that are nevertheless very clearly HER.....and that’s the kind of thing I picture for Steph. She fits that niche that isn’t really a niche for anyone BUT her, because nobody else can summon that type of feel for it......the kind of story that you can’t switch anybody else in for her because the story only works with her specific kinda....energy. Bleh. I really wish I could describe it better, like its very clear in my brain, but its a story that’s more of a kind of FEEL than it is a specific description? If that makes sense like at all? LOLOL. Whatevs.

And Babs, like, I would love love love to see her centered in a proper cyberthriller. I mean, they’ve done stories kinda like that with her as Oracle, but not to the extent I’m thinking. I mean just full on cyberpunk dialed up to 11. Give me Babs enlisted by the JLA because Brainiac is loose in the internet and she has to go into cyberspace utilizing different avatars of herself and calling in allies as needed as she relentlessly hunts a villain through landscapes of data she maps and molds and turns into traps. Babs hyper-fixating on her task, her hunt, to the degree that she has to be reminded to pull herself out at times and take care of her physical needs, has people grounding her so she doesn’t get lost in cyberspace and the lure of it all, this place that’s her domain and where she shines the brightest. And so it balances that razor edge that makes for the best cyberthrillers IMO. The ones where all the possibilities of the future as embodied in technology and cyberspace are balanced with the necessity of remaining human, of being human and with roots and history embedded outside of it, in the real world. And with there being a clear juxtaposition between the two even as the protagonist goes back and forth between the two extremes of their existence, the physical and the ephemeral.

Anyway. Like I said, you can mix and match and its not like Dick can’t star in gothic horror and Jason can’t do off-the-wall dimensional hijinks or noir detective stories and Tim and Cass can’t do coming of age, etc.....its just in terms of what I was talking about, how some characters lend themselves MORE easily to certain kinds of stories than others.....this is how I perceive the various Batkids.

[pastelpaperplanes]

do you have any tips on shading?

Yes! Though I will say that I work with cell shading like 99% of the time so my knowledge on proper blending and soft shading is a bit limited—BUT!! Here’s a few asks I’ve answered in the past regarding some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way

some flat colors look better when shaded with a another color and NOT pitch black—this ofc doesn’t mean that pure black shouldn’t ever be used to shade your work, but just try and experiment a little!

Here’s two different asks that kind explain my thought process/preferences on what colors I prefer to pair with others when I shade!

Honestly the most important think I recommend to keep in mind is that shading and scenery go hand-in-hand. Depending on where the type of mood you’d like to work with or what kind of environment you stage your piece in—the colors and shading techniques you use to show those settings can have a HUGE impact on meeting those goals!

Here’s two different asks I paired with some examples of that concept

For pieces with multiple light sources or low key lighting paired w uhh,,,a highlight of some sort? I like to do a mixture of both cell and soft shading, kinda gives a nice glowy look and shows more depth!

Another thing I’d recommend is to experiment with your layer settings! Often times changing a layer to like overlay, multiply, hard light, or even vivid light can make your shading process far more easy if you were looking to shade a layer with a whole palette of flats rather than taking each different color on a different layer, then shading one by one.

Haha I realize that probably sounds confusing—but uhh a cheat I like to use and abuse with for example this palette: blue, yellow, orange, and grey—is to take a saturated purple and set that as my shading color, then have that layer set to vivid light. It makes the flats still look saturated despite being cast in shadow—plus lmao I can manage to shade four colors in one layer so that’s literal eye candy to my lazy ass

So yes, experiment with your layer settings! Find what works for you and hey you just might cut your shading process time in half

also another thing I’ll say to someone out there who may be new to digital art, is to please, please love and appreciate that clipping mask setting. I wish I learned this from the get go because yes, I was absolutely the one to meticulously color in between the lines with NO mask for my shading. Took absolutely forever and I’m so glad those days are well behind me lmao.

Honestly I’m just gonna like THIS ASK as well on some key basics when working w digital art—clipping mask I gave my little spiel on and haha that basically pertains to this ask, but the others are always good to keep note of esp for someone starting out w digital!

Hope all this helps! I’m nowhere near perfect in my utilization of these shading techniques, all that I have picked up on this far is thanks to tutorials and tips from other artists. I’m always gonna be continuing to learn and hopefully practice new things! I hope my few recommendations will help you out a bit with your future pieces! Good luck ✨