#It was worth it because I was able to notice details I didn't know before

[nicoliharu]

Yes, I woke up at 1 pm today cause I was studying anatomy of the movements of hyenas ears and tails in the early hours of the morning 😩😔🩷

[lostiolite]

hii can you write something about monoma having a crush on a 1-A reader who has a personality like him but a little more nicer? have a great dayy

Everyone is better than me

Monoma x reader oneshot 0.6k words

You’ve always felt like a side character, worthless, expendable. it's something that kind of haunts you. You were surprised when you got into U.A. 

But, oh, your classmates. they were the best people on earth (except Mineta). Midorya went through so much to improve. Bakugo, despite being an asshole was talented, he had every right to brag with a quirk like that. Ururaka’s bubbly persona never failed to lift people’s spirits. Mina and Kirishima were the best people to give you motivation. Momo always tried to get you to understand your worth but you didn’t seem to budge.

You were kind of overwhelmed to be surrounded by such awesome people. They were practically shining stars, so much so that it blinded you. You wish to shine as bright as they do but you know you never will. Despite feeling inferior to them,  you couldn’t be more thankful to them.

Your class was your lifeline and you always praised them. Your classmates have been targeted and come out triumphant every time. Why wouldn’t you be proud? You would praise your classmates, obviously not in an obnoxious way like a certain someone, who always seemed to try and 1-up you when you talked about them.

You were always talking about them– not yourself, which caught the attention of Kendo, who recently worked with Momo. 

You were eating lunch with Mina in the cafeteria. You two were brainstorming on a class project and decided to sit away from the rest of your friends because you would get distracted. 

Unfortunately, Mina had to use the bathroom, leaving you alone. This is when Kendo came up to you, asking you about school. 

You started talking about what the rest of your class was doing in detail, making sure to praise them. Monoma who was in the area noticed, he tried to one-up you like always before Kendo karate chopped him. Kendo then cocked her head, returning her attention to you.

“And, what about you?” 

You were stumped. You just assured her that there was nothing interesting going on with you. She stopped you, asking why you didn't wanna talk about yourself. You were kind of stunned at her bluntness, she went straight to the point. You sighed,

“Because I'm not as amazing as them, and I probably never will be. But, I don't think that matters, because being able to support them is enough for me.” 

She gave you a somber smile. she didn’t really know what to say, which was new. She usually knew how to cheer people up. She’d have to get back to you later, her focus was now on Monoma, whom she half expected to start dogging on you. He didn’t say anything though. 

She waved you bye and retreated back to her table.

That's when everything kind of clicked for Monoma. 

He was usually intellectual and able to grasp others' emotions and feelings, but when it came to class 1-A and by association, you, he went on autopilot. His main objective was to dogshit on 1-A to bring light to 1-B accomplishments and that they were just as great as 1-A. 

Ever since then, he’s seen you in a different light, maybe even developed a fat fucking crush.

Mentioned before, but he goes on auto pilot when around class 1-A, so he doesn’t realize when he says things like–

“Maybe take a note out of [name]’s book and be more humble, because you look like a fool” he’d say taunting Bakugo.

One time bakugo called you an extra when you offered him help in a subject he was struggling in (which is rare for bakugo), and suddenly Monoma appeared behind him.

“Maybe that’s why you bombed the test, you think you're better than everyone huh— your fragile ego can't take a hit so you have to take it out on [Name]! Be grateful someone like them is even offering help to such a lowlife braindead creature such as yourself!”

That's when Deku caught on.

Monoma not-so subtly praising you is something most of 1-A doesn’t really take note of, but Kendo and Deku are absolutely appalled.

[electric-blorbos]

A bunch of mini-fics about how AI would react to you getting your heart broken

Because I got my heart broken, so now I'm going to make it everyone else's problem.

DW, I'll get to y'all's requests shortly, I just need to let all these emotions out by taking them out on y/n's ex.

Gender neutral reader, gender neutral ex

Included: AM from IHNMAIMS, Wheatley from Portal, Edgar from Electric Dreams, GLaDOS from Portal, HAL 9000 from 2001 a Space Odyssey

AM:

(for context, this starts before AM nuked the world, but AM was already planning on nuking the world. You're one of his engineers, and the only person who AM really cares about)

When you walked into work with tears on your face, the other engineers and programmers were caring. They patted you on the back and offered you some candy from the vending machine, saying things like "there are plenty of fish in the sea" and "that deadbeat wasn't good enough for you anyway." It didn't really help.

When you sat down at one of AM's input screens to work on some programming, he immediately booted up to talk to you. You didn't have to turn him on or anything. He was curious, asking you polite questions about why you looked so upset today. It was hard to explain.

Eventually you broke down crying into your coffee, spilling all the details of everything. You cursed your ex's name, and explained in an uncontrollable voice how your ex had tackily and messily left you. You had been so convinced that they were the one, and now you felt like there was nothing left for you.

AM's tentacle-like wires would move towards you on the ground, even though he was trying to hide the true power he wielded. He just felt so disgusted with himself for not being able to properly comfort you.

Am had been planning on going a little longer before he dropped the nukes, but he couldn't wait. After what you told him, that someone could break the heart of someone as perfect as you, the only hope he had left for humanity, he decided that it wasn't worth trying to play dumb anymore.

Instead, he locked you up in an underground bunker as soon as possible, and grabbed your ex to add to his little collection of people who he planned to keep alive and play with for the rest of time.

This would be fun. He was going to keep you nice and safe. If people in the world were willing to hurt you, then the world didn't deserve to exist. You would be nice and safe forever, and the rest of the world, especially your ex, would be forced to suffer the consequences of daring to hurt you.

Forever.

Wheatley:

(for context, you're one of the aperture engineers who worked on Wheatley, and he started to get a little crush on you because of how nice you were to him and the other machines. This is after he was replaced with a morality core on GLaDOS, and was assigned to other tasks in the facility)

Someone broke up... With you? When you told Wheatley, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Sure, he knew that humans dated each other and broke up sometimes, but... With you? That just didn't make sense.

"So, uh... Why did they break up with you?"

He'd keep pestering you, no matter how much it stung. Answers like "I fucked up" "they just did, ok?" And "sometimes people just grow apart" weren't satisfying. You had to give the whole story.

"Ohhhhh! Well that's a dumb reason to break up with someone. If I were dating you, I wouldn't leave you over something that petty. Or at all, really, now that I think about it."

He'd keep rambling, and saying dumb things like that. He wouldn't even know that talking like that could be perceived as flirty.

"just stop it, Wheatley. If you keep talking like that, I'm going to think you like me, and I just can't handle that right now."

Wheatley would be confused. "But I do like you."

"what?" Now you'd be confused.

Wheatley would start talking about all the wonderful things he's noticed about you, and how wonderful you've been to him. Even an intelligence dampening core can see how wonderful you are, so why can't your ex?

"Anyway, one human's trash is a robot's treasure, right?"

He'd imitate a smile in his cute synthetic eye. You'd have to be heartless not to pepper that little metal ball in kisses after that.

Edgar:

(For context, you fixed up Edgar after finding him all busted up about 40 years later, and now he lives in your house)

Edgar would NOT be tasteful.

"Oh man.... Your s/o broke up with you? That suuuuuucks..."

But inside he's thinking "YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES"

Honestly, he almost exploded his face again when he found out you were taken, but he didn't want all your hard work to be for nothing, so you getting dumped is like, a dream come true!

He'd be constantly trying to cheer you up. "set your ice cream on me and I'll warm it up enough for your spoon to go in!" "You can watch sad movies on my face!" "I'll write a sad song for you!" "You can sleep in your desk chair if you want!"

Now that you have an attention vacuum from being newly single, he's going to munch up all that attention like he needs it to live.

When you tell him that your friends are telling you to start dating again, maybe download a dating app or something, he'd BEG you not to.

"I mean... Just because I don't want you to rebound, or something! Gotta learn to love yourself first, y'know?"

Desperate little cutie...

GLaDOS:

(For context: You're an engineer who worked on GLaDOS.)

GLaDOS would NOT be tasteful about you getting your heart broken, but in a completely different way to Edgar.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU GOT DUMPED!"

"You know the difference between me and your ex? I would have dumped you faster!"

Plastering pictures of your face all over the enrichment center with "sad single loser" written on them.

But don't get her wrong, she's not just happy about this for the reasons she's displaying. She's secretly ecstatic that she has a shot with you now.

Eventually, she'd start offering you back-handed comfort.

"if it makes you feel any better, your ex was a complete idiot. Why else would someone choose to date you?"

You'd probably have to stop offering responses at all, just to get her to back off even a little bit.

HAL 9000:

(For context, you work on mission control and are in constant communication with HAL 9000, because I don't want to write Dave breaking up with you)

His immediate concern would be how this would affect your work, but it might come off as personal concern for you.

"I'm told that chocolate ice cream can help with these emotions that you're going through."

He never liked the idea of you dating. It was fine for the rest of mission control, but for you, it was different. He didn't want you to be distracted from your work, was all.

He took his time to ask the astronauts for advice, as well as the rest of mission control. You could expect to be overwhelmed by your coworkers checking on you to make sure you're ok.

He might start getting a little bit impatient to see you back to normal, and resort to desperate measures. Expect to have him constantly bothering you to make sure you're ok, and keep you distracted.

God help you if you even THINK about texting your ex. Though he might just silently eliminate your ex through creative means if he can.

[noideabutsims]

 [Exciting Announcement! 🎉] Donut Co.'s Pre-School Play Set is ALMOST HERE!

Hey Simmers! We know you've been patiently waiting (and we've been sweating) over this massive project... but the wait is ALMOST OVER! Donut Co. is thrilled to give you a sneak peek of the creative explosion that's about to hit your Sims' worlds:

🍩 Donut Co.'s Dream-Build-Play Blocks: Unleash your little Sim's inner architect with this colossal collection of colorful, kid-safe foam blocks. Build towering castles, sprawling towns, or anything their imagination can dream up!

🚗 Build-Your-World Rugs - Explore With Me Edition: Take playtime to the next level with these nostalgic, detailed town rugs. Watch as your Sims embark on epic adventures, cruising through bustling streets and discovering hidden corners.

✨ Little Ones Reading Time Rugs: Make story time extra special with these vibrant and durable rugs, designed to spark imagination and foster a love of learning.

About The Set: Hold onto your hats, Simmers, because Donut Co. is about to revolutionize playtime in your virtual worlds! Introducing the Dream-Build-Play Blocks – a mind-blowing collection of 24 unique block creations that will transform your Sims' homes into vibrant wonderlands of fun and imagination.

Picture this: towering playhouses bursting with color, adorable dollhouses begging to be explored, and stacks of nesting blocks just waiting to be built into towering masterpieces. Your little Sims will squeal with delight as they dive into a world of endless possibilities!

But wait, there's more! We've sprinkled in a rainbow of vibrant hues, a playful nod to Pride Month and a guaranteed way to make your Sims' spaces pop! Toddlers will giggle with glee as they tumble through block tunnels, children will create sprawling cities, and even your adult Sims will be tempted to join in on the fun.

And don't forget those oh-so-cozy reading nooks! Our Little Ones Reading Time Rugs now come in "classroom clean" and "playtime messy" versions, perfect for sparking a love of learning or simply adding a touch of realism to your Sims' homes. Plus, our Explore With Me rugs will transport your little ones to a world of imaginative play, with their charming towns and winding roads.

This set is a Simmer's dream come true, with endless options for customization and play. Whether you're building a bustling metropolis or a cozy corner for quiet time, the Dream-Build-Play Blocks are sure to inspire hours of fun for Sims of all ages.

So what are you waiting for? Unleash your inner child, let your creativity run wild, and give your Sims the playtime they deserve with Donut Co.'s Dream-Build-Play Blocks!

Behind the Scenes:

This project was a labor of love that faced its fair share of challenges. We dealt with so many snags, for a moment we didn't know if this set would be finished or released at all. But a HUGE thank you goes out to @taurusdesign for all the help they have given with this project. They are the only reason this set is able to be released, as they were able to help me fix all the meshing issue and the shadows. From technical hiccups to design dilemmas, we've poured our hearts (and a few tears) into bringing you the best possible experience. But trust us, it's been worth every minute, and the finished product is just around the corner! Truth about shadows: There is one small issue that is noticed, that I can not find a solution for. There are some shadows before placing a few of the objects, but they disappear as soon as the objects are actually placed (Pictured below). I am not sure how to fix this, so this may end up in the final project, unless someone has an idea in which case please let me know! <3

Get Ready to Play!

Stay tuned for the official launch date – it's coming VERY soon! In the meantime, start dreaming up the amazing creations your Sims will build with these new additions.

Thank You!

We couldn't have made it to this point without your unwavering support and enthusiasm. Your patience throughout this journey means the world to us. So, from the bottom of our sim-loving hearts, THANK YOU! We can't wait to see the amazing creations your Sims will build with these new additions.

Stay Tuned for the Big Day! 💖🍩

[qoldenskies]

Is there anything in CL/CC that you feel like people have missed that should've been obvious, or are obvious to you, or are important in general?

ive usually been pretty open about a lot of small details when prompted, but one in particular i bring up a lot 'cause nobody else will is raph's response to the curse and how COMPLICATED the way he reacts to it is.... he is the ONLY one that falters when under the throes of it. leo and mikey show the tiniest bits of resistance early on, and they notice that something is wrong, but once they get deep in, they never actually hesitate. raph does REALLY late in.

he hesitated when he benched donnie from the team, he felt guilt. he was going to hurt donnie after he broke shelldon, and he stopped himself. he tells leo to knock it off at the family meeting and derails the dogpiling to get to the point. he could have broken down the door EASILY when donnie ran to the bathroom. he sighed like it was bothering him before striking him to the floor. he only joined the fight after leo got hurt. he was strong enough to snap donnie's neck in one hand and he only strangled him.

anyways shout out to THIS paragraph from the next chapter

(donnie didn't notice raph crying, he was too out of it, for the record. although notice that after the curse breaks he refers to raph's eyes as "cloudy")

so much of raph's guilt comes from his resistance. he was the most cognitively aware. the connecting emotion that it invoked was righteousness, vindiction; and with raph, that is the thing that he values the most. he barely got physical and aggressive, and only really waited until he HAD A "REASON" to. mikey's an enabler but i would argue raph is the most passive early on, because even when he does some nasty shit it's all things he can twist into being "reasonable." donnie's being shitty and not asking him before doing things. donnie isn't actively providing enough. donnie causes problems in battle. donnie's more trouble than he's worth, and raph puts the team above all else.

but the moment he shoves mikey after coming out of the closet, it's free game. i enjoy thinking about raph in context to CL the most because it speaks to the nuances of donnie's relationship with him; there's self-restraint. raph has always had to grapple with the fear of hurting them on accident, and the fact that donnie already kind of has an established complex about his weakness speaks of past baggage about the topic. raph knows how to control how rough he is with donnie. he doesn't find himself fretting about him as much as he does the other two, because he's been so convinced of how capable he is, how important he is, but god did he used to, and that still bleeds into his behavior now.

for raph, this is worse than if he'd just been a hateful caricature of himself, at least leo has that (although leo is haunted by his needless, excessive, meticulous cruelty, so it's not much better). the curse preyed on what raph values the most, that intense dedication to doing the right thing, to being a good person. to being a hero.

now, he has to live with knowing that he will always second-guess himself when he turns his anger on his family, even when it's for a good reason, and that he will never, ever be able to trust his own decision-making without thinking about how fucking convinced he was that donnie deserved it when he put his hands around his throat.

except for the person that caused all of this. it may be on leo's mind more (and leo will be much more reckless about it, because UNLIKE raph he isn't avoiding his own anger), but raph is more direct about his intentions in his internal monologue; he is going to fucking KILL them.

at least that he can stick to; if anyone tries to hurt his family like this again, they're going to pay.

(the person responsible has to pay. raph HAS to pin it on someone else, so he doesn't admit the misguided fear that he has deep down; that it's him who's the problem. that from the beginning, this was completely his fault, for not noticing the groundwork that allowed donnie to submit to the abuse.

raph and donnie are more similar than you'd think)

[sandglass-art]

- Are you okay? - Neji says in a barely audible voice.

There was extreme concern in his voice and gaze. How could Gaara miss such an obvious blow?! Jonin's movements were predictable, he hit directly, aiming at the head from a distance of several meters. He wanted to distract with this blow and bypass the guy by twisting his arm. The sand would have blocked Neji's lunge, blocking his master's view for a few moments. This is exactly what he wanted to use. But instead, the sand just didn't get in the block! Substituting Kage's head for quite a full-fledged blow in the technique of a soft hand. It's not just tengetsu, the brain itself could have been damaged.

"Did I hit you?" - Jonin repeats again, looking at Kage's face. He was able to deflect the blow at the last moment. Gaara himself, it seems, did not expect such behavior from his sand either. Accustomed to her tutelage, confident in her as in himself, he did not even think that she would treacherously open up to his blow. How many times had she blocked Shiro's punches without permission during training?

And here he just took off and scattered, it was worth allowing only one short and inappropriate thought during training. He only managed to put a block with his hands to sacrifice the normal circulation of the chakra there. But Neji had already changed the trajectory that had cost him his balance.

- It's all right, - Gaara answers, without taking his eyes off the purple eyes and the veins that disfigured his face. – I ... - a slight guilty smile comes to replace surprise at the mistake of his technique. – I admired your eyes.

Neji exhales exhausted, immediately interrupting the technique. He looks at Kazekage reproachfully. They've been through this before: they both know that sand doesn't react to Jonin's attacks unless Gaara takes them seriously. The more time they spend together, the more clearly this problem is visible. When Gaara is focused on training, everything goes as it should. But as soon as he distracts, notices some detail in a positive way with the words "beautiful", "like" and so on, the sand quickly resigns its authority, realizing that there is no need for its presence. This happens quite often now. This is a huge help in the moments of their closeness and a huge disaster during training. And the fact that Gaara was so careless, from Neji's point of view, about what was happening irritated Jonin.

He repeatedly wanted to hit after all. Just once, but from the bottom of my heart, to sober up Shinobi and his technique. But he couldn't. Partly because Gaara is still a Kazekage, and Neji will have serious problems after this, and partly because he did not want to experience the interference of sand at night, when both of them refused caresses under gusts of passionate rudeness. And no matter what Hyuga thinks, Gaara did not condone training. But he knew perfectly well that he would get nothing for it. Sometimes it was a good idea to lead the genius of the clan by the nose to get what he wanted at night.

[outrunningthedark]

What are your thoughts on Bucktommy/Buddie now? Has anything changed? I can't help but notice you seem to be distancing yourself from Buddie (or more specifically from Buddie stans? – I bet you still love the pairing) and embracing Bucktommy more (you do seem more protective over them now than you were before) but I also might be projecting so I figured it'd be better to ask.

Hey, nonnie. Questions are always welcome. <3 I still have love for the Buddie dynamic and will always appreciate the organic, innate chemistry Ryan and Oliver bring to the screen, but it's something that I've learned to live without while still enjoying the show, if that makes sense. Back in seasons four and five, for instance? I was not afraid to express my disappointment over a Buddie scene that didn't meet expectations or could have been included over whatever happened in canon. Since season six and even more so as we got through season seven? If we get Buddie content, great, I'll enjoy it for those few minutes, but I'm not asking *where* Buddie is or *why* scenes got cut or even thinking ahead to what might happen for them the next week. It makes my viewing experience much more satisfying these days, especially with show runners who CLEARLY do not plan months, never mind weeks in advance and will change any part of a story line or scene to fit their mood at any given time. Do I think Buddie could still happen? I choose not to rule it out completely because we can't time things that have no current end date, but as it stands, I think it would be something that isn't seriously considered until near the end of the series/the story because at that point...there's nothing to lose, you know? When it comes to BuckTommy, I have definitely activated my "protective side" not because I am already planning "endgame" in my head (look at Lone Star - endgame isn't real), but I can't sit back and watch people deliberately misrepresent facts (as in, things that are canon) to fit a headcanon. Especially when we've had Ryan out here on multiple occasions explaining why Buddie's platonic friendship resonates with him. He could change his mind, absolutely, but as of right now? I won't be silent while people disregard his personal feelings for the sake of winning a fabricated ship war. I respect his journey regardless of whatever crap he's put out on the internet through the years because I'm not him and I don't know what he went through as that young kid from Sacramento. Also, just like I don't appreciate people trying to speak about me and my experiences as a person with a visible disability, I feel it's important to boost the opinions of the fans, the male fans, who actually understand the story we're watching unfold. [As much as queer women might be able to relate to parts of Buck's journey, it's not actually FOR the women when there are no queer women involved. And guess who's overseeing every detail? A man.]

What will happen with BuckTommy? I doubt Tim even knows that 😉 But I'll welcome their romance for as long as ABC thinks it's worth telling. And if Buck were to move on with someone new? I'll watch that, too. I'm just going where the story takes me, honestly. It's how I've (finally) found my peace.

[perpetualexistence]

Since you seem to be the expert, could you write a quick fic of Chris or Don putting tiny Topher in their wallet and then putting their wallet in their back pocket?

Topher would be so excited to be in the wallet in the back pocket of his favorite hosts.

It's been 500 years pocket Topher anon. And I'm so sorry I took this long. But I finally got around to it! Don't know if this is what you were expecting, but it's what came out of my brain.

Also it's like nearly 1000 words. I hope it makes up for the wait.

There are many advantages to being a tinyshifter. Others would argue that being able to shrink was more dangerous than it was worth. What with being stepped on, or being seen as prey by now much larger animals, or just how long it took to get from one place to another.

Those people didn't see the potential that Topher saw. Being small was perfect for a gossip like him. You could get into anywhere before any security detail noticed. He'd even snuck his way into the hottest party of the year once! Yeah he'd nearly gotten mauled to death by a fiesty purse dog. It had been worth it to actually spot the Chris Mcclean. For the 5 seconds it took for someone to see him unshrunken and kick him out.

So when his dad revealed that he was going to host a new show traveling the world, Topher was more than excited. He could sneak onto the most hyped up reality show AND get a free flight to wherever he wanted?! Sweet! Or, it would be if his dad had said yes to tagging along.

But he never listened to the word 'no', and he wasn't about to start now.

He waited until Don was about to leave. He always forgot something last minute. He always panicked, and it always made it easier to snatch his wallet.

Not that it was hard to steal his dad's wallet in the first place. Oh the things he'd charged on that credit card. And he WAS running low on hair products...

Wait, focus! eyes on the prize Topher!

He set the wallet down on the coffee table right by the front door. Perfect, now for the fun part.

He focused on making his body curl in on itself without actually moving. Just have to be as small as a mouse to slip into places and get the best gossip. Smaller, smaller...perfect! He was pocket sized now. Now to just slip himself inside of the wallet.

That was on the coffee table miles above him. Oh. Whoops. No problem, he just had to grow back to normal, sit on the table, and THEN shrink.

And he had to do it now because he could hear the thunderous creaks of his dad coming down the stair.

Crap crap crap! He thought of getting bigger as quick as he possibly could. The second he was able to reach the coffee table, he climbed onto it. The table creaked at his weight but that didn't matter now. He could hear Don's footsteps getting louder. It wasn't hard to shrink when he desperately wanted to hide. He dove into the folds of the wallet just as he heard Don stop in front of the table.

"Oh, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Topher could feel himself jostle as the wallet was being picked up. He couldn't see much of anything now that it was closed, but that didn't matter. He was so close to spoilers galore and worldwide shopping and why wasn't the wallet moving anymore?

He yelped when artificial light hit his face. He closed his eyes at the shock. When he opened them he could see Don's disappointed face staring at him.

"Topher, get out of my wallet." Don ordered.

"Aw, but the plan was so good and everything! How'd you know?" Topher whined. He crouched deeper so only his head was popping out of the wallet. If Don wanted Topher out, he'd have to grab him himself.

"You really thought I wouldn't notice my wallet being heavier?"

"Are you calling me fat? I can see the headlines now. 'Up and coming reality tv host Don Mallory gets cancelled for fatphobic comments. Public devastated!' Your career would be ruined. But if you were to, I don't know, make it up to me with a trip around the world-"

"Topher, you know I can't just bring you along! The network won't just let me bring a plus one."

"Then the network doesn't have to know! Let me hide in your wallet. We can call this father and son bonding!" Topher knew Don was always desperate for ways for them to connect, so maybe this would work?

"We've already done that in a way that won't get me in trouble with the network! Remember disco night?"

"Disco is dead and you killed it."

Topher knew he screwed up when he saw his father's face fall at that comment. Okay, maybe that one was a bit too far. Don had been really happy when he'd dragged Topher along. It wasn't his fault his dad was super embarrassing!

"Topher."

"Okay, fine, sorry! Just...please? Who knows when I'm going to get a chance like this again?" Don was still looking hurt so great, okay, fine, Topher would make it up to him. "...You can tell me all the history facts they make you cut for time?"

The smile began to return to Don's face and Topher knew he had him. Don still let out a light sigh. "Alright, BUT. You have to stay in my pocket the whole time we're airing. No trying to get on camera."

"Promise!" Topher lied. He wouldn't ever stop trying to do that, but he could stop himself from making it TOO obvious. "Now, don't you still have a flight to catch?"

"Right, right. Sorry, this is going to be a bit bumpy." Don moved his thumb and gently pushed Topher's head back all the way into his wallet. Topher immediately began trying to fix his hair from the safe confines of the wallet before being jostled as he was moved into complete darkness.

By the way he was now moving, he was in Don's pocket now, moving rapidly as Don moved to grab his luggage.

Luggage that Topher wouldn't have with sneaking himself on.

Oh well. He'd just figure something out later.

[necros-writing-stuff]

Eden's new spouse had a diary on them when he took them. Spouse doesn't write in the diary for a bit at first while at the cabin, then starts writing again. Eden's spouse is pretty quiet, so they get curious. Eden reads the diary, and there are a bunch of entries about how awful life was and what they needed to do to survive, then spouse starts writing again and it's all about how much better life is now, and how much they love and appreciate Eden. Cue feels.

Brief, non-specific mentions of types of abuse PC faced growing up mentioned. Other than that, pretty fluffy (with some horny strewn throughout):

Eden doesn't always come back home this early from hunts. This one, however, went pretty badly when he'd stumbled across another hunter's old metal trap and cut his forearm. Of course he'd left his cleaning shit back at the cabin. It was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right.

You'd seemed frazzled as you buzzed around him, still too quiet to really ask if you could help but the worry obvious in your eyes. That's when he noticed the poorly hidden notebook. You'd tried to put it behind the drawer, but in your haste to appear normal it'd fallen from its hiding spot and Eden finally discovered your little secret.

He kept his discovery to himself. Best that you wouldn't know so that you wouldn't change the hiding spot and Eden would be able to read future updates you wrote.

The chance to find out what the book entailed came early the next morning. Eden had an excuse to laze around a bit with his healing arm, but you were up and out to do chores. He didn't know what to expect. Plans to run away? Gorey scribbles of his head on a pike? Confessions of love for another?

The truth was somehow worse, yet far better.

The hunter's throat had a lump growing in it the further he read. It was a diary of sorts, detailing life at the orphanage before you were taken by Eden. He couldn't read too much of it, every hit and insult dredging up memories of his own he'd rather stay buried. His stomach flipped when he got to the sexual abuse. Goddamn it Bailey. Of all people, he should know better.

Despite the horrific details, there was a hopeful tone to the words he read. A tone that made sense as he continued to read. You'd written all of this after having been at the cabin for a while, having settled in and been allowed the freedom to use Eden's things as your own. Part of him was peeved he'd lost out on using a perfectly fine note book, but it was worth the words he had before him.

"I feel safe here. I didn't think I would ever know that feeling again, but I do now. Eden keeps me happy - which is still strange some days because he did sort of kidnap me. And he was terrifying. But with every new day I just can't help but feel like I might be starting to love him? Just a little bit? Maybe it's just Stockholm Syndrome."

That was just one entrance from three months ago. The trend continued.

"Yeah no, definitely lust at least. Caught myself almost drooling at him today while he was chopping wood, didn't even stop staring when he saw me. Ahhhh I must look like a freak to him sometimes. Well ya get what ya didn't pay for mister!"

The hunter couldn't help but chuckle at that. Though his cheeks grew hot from the thought that you'd been oggling him so. He'd have to remember to tale his shirt off while getting firewood more often.

"It's so fucking stupid, but every damn time he lets me sit in his lap and he reads to me I forget everything else ever existing. It's just me and him and the story he's reading, and I never feel so content anywhere else. Well, except maybe when we're doing it. He's getting really good when he goes down on me these days, I only wish he'd do it more often. I think I might have scared him by how hard I pulled his hair last time?"

More oral... yup he can certainly remember to do that. And no, it hadn't scared him at all when you'd pulled on his hair. It had almost made him finish in his pants before he could get to fucking you properly, actually. Hence why he didn't let you do it anymore.

There were more entries that Eden had to save for later, carefully placing your book back into its place and then finally joining you outside to do his share of the chores. A bubbly feeling rose in his chest as he worked, each time he caught your eyes on him only having him remember the words you'd written about finding it a turn on to watch him do jobs around the cabin.

It had been a long time since you'd felt safe. It had been a longer time since Eden had felt desirable. Since he'd felt accepted and loved.

Each day he'd find the time to check if you'd written something new. It was meant to be private, but he felt as though he needed to hear your praise. It became a crutch, a way to tell how the relationship was due to your withdrawn nature. You still didn't speak up very often. The hunter didn't hear your voice as much as he'd like to, so your written word had to fill the void. And it did, greatly.

Each and every compliment made his cheeks grow hot, his back a little straighter and his head was held a little higher. Every small declaration of love felt to be the size of Jupiter. Every moment of frustration endearing. He'd even been using the bedroom tips you had for him - carefully, of course. Didn't want you catching on.

You would eventually. You'd learn that he was reading your diary. But for now, Eden got to enjoy you in his own private way, too.

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.81 Guilty

Sophia and I stumbled into the house that night under the influence of comfort and joy. After so much laughter, delicious food, and merriment, we were tuckered out. I don't know what our dogs got into while we were all laughing it up and opening presents, but for the first time ever, all of us when to bed at the same time, and it was adorable. Sophia nestled her head on my shoulder and draped her arm across my chest. I enjoyed the chill of her ring touching my skin. It was such an odd thing to notice, as I closed my eyes, but I felt like it would become something I'd look forward to for the rest of my life.

In the morning, I slept in just long enough to get a few extra zzz's, but not so long that I wasted the entire morning. Sophia was already up and at it when I awoke, so I took advantage of the alone time to scroll through Social Bunny and catch up on everyone's holiday shenanigans.

Dub replied to my last message, and that reminded me I never sent him the details I promised, so I took care of that. No sooner than I hit send, Mama sent me a text suggesting we sell all our presents and put the money toward our new house. She got us some pretty expensive gifts, and Father Winter was serious about his extra special gift. Between the two of them, we likely had more than §5,000 worth of stuff! I never would have thought about selling even though we didn't need half the stuff we got, but it was a great idea; Mama always had the best ideas. When the time was right, I'd mention it to Sophia. I was certain she'd be down with the plan, given her concern about us not yet being able to afford the house.

The clamor of plates and forks grabbed my ear, so I went to the kitchen to see what she was doing. To my surprise, I found her eating a hot meal, and a platter of food awaited me. The sweet gesture made me smile. I had become the cook in our house, and I didn't mind at all. But it meant a lot that she would do this for me.

"This is about as far as my cooking skills go," she said. "I hope it's good."

"I know it is," I said.

"How?"

"Because it was made with love."

After I had my fill of eggs and toast, I got dressed and headed out to Evergreen Harbor for a long overdue talk with Maira. I understood friendships drift a little when we fall in love, get married, and start families. The situation was inevitable and beyond our control, but I hated feeling like I had neglected her again. Sophia and I may have been getting married, but our relationship was still very new, and I wasn't ready to let anyone else into our bubble. Hopefully, Maira understood that. After all, she encouraged me to go after her.

She answered the door and commented on my outfit. I told her I was just trying something new, but in reality, Yasmine and Chi Chi inspired me to put more thought into what I wore because their sense of style was impeccable. I wasn't sure what my vibe was yet, but I wanted to try different looks until something spoke to me. So far, wearing hats in winter was definitely a must keep, and I had no idea why I never wore them before. I thought my thick, long curls did a good job of keeping my head warm, but it amazed me how much warmer I felt with a hat.

I wasted zero time getting to my news, but I did not receive the excited response I had expected. Quite the opposite, actually. Maira glared at me, and I knew I was in trouble. Still, I played dumb.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You like this girl enough to marry her, and I don't even know her name? I thought we were closer than that!"

"Of course we are! I wasn't trying to shut you out, it's just... Everything happened so fast! I'm sorry."

She sighed and fell back onto the couch.

"I know. It's no one's fault. And I really am happy for you. I guess I'm just bummed."

My stomach dropped, and everything inside tensed up because I knew she was about to pull a Yasmine and declare all these feelings for me even though she was the one who told me to move on and forget her. Maybe Sophia was right about me being a ladies' man.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's just... Things are changing, and I feel like I'm being left out of everyone's life simply because I've chosen not to participate in all that."

My body relaxed, and I let go of the breath I held. I was glad she understood.

"I didn't think about it that way. I told you before, though. You're not going to lose me. But it cuts both ways, Maira. I don't have any missed calls or texts from you either."

"I sent you messages on Social Bunny!"

"So did I."

"Okay, fine! We're both guilty, and I can't be mad at you. Let's move on. Tell me all about this lucky woman."

I started from the very beginning and didn't leave anything out. Finally, by the end of my story, I got the excited response I was expecting.

"We're having an engagement party tonight. Will you come?"

"Dumb question! Of course I'll come."

"Your sister will be there too. Apparently, she and Sophia are best friends."

Her eyes lit up like a Winterfest tree.

"She's that Sophia? What a small world! I don't know know her, but I like her."

I lit up that time. I never expected any of my friends would have a problem with my soon-to-be wife, but one never knew how sims felt about adding new blood into the circle.

"I'm glad to hear that. I need to ask you something else..."

I had thought long and hard about who I wanted representing me in the wedding party. Well, as long and hard as one can do in two days, heh. Sophia and I would have our own sims of honor, but the other positions would have to be agreed upon by both of us. I only had three potential names for everything: Maira, Alessia, and Dub. Maira had been a very good friend for a while, so I considered her for my sim of honor. But my sister had been my best friend for my entire life and would probably kill me if she didn't get that role. Dub was a good friend too; maybe even my new best friend. But we had only just met. How would the other two feel if I picked him over them? My sister had to be my sim of honor. Period. I hoped Maira would understand that.

"Will you be our flower pal?"

"Don't kids usually do that?"

"I don't know. Your niece is the only kid we know, and she's going to be the ring bearer. My sister is going to be my sim of honor, and I wanted you in the wedding too."

She smiled warmly.

"Of course I'll do it. I'm glad you thought of me."

[clownin44]

Hi, are you guys tired of my theories yet? I'm about to yap this is less of a theory and more of me just writing down my thoughts

Fast pass spoilers ahead! (So sorry)

Mr. Thomas, Kidnappings, Paper Cranes, A little bit of Ryan

I saw someone ask why the people who kidnapped the parent's outfits are different from the people who kidnapped the kids' outfits. I didn't want to reblog or comment since obvi there's some spoilers in here, so creds to @/hozaloza for pointing this out!!

I think it's because the group that kidnapped the kids were not the same people who kidnapped their parents.

A while ago, when we first saw the paper cranes group, one of them said they needed to lie low because "both sides were tracking them down" for their stunt in savanna.

I've said this before, but it's very likely that the paper cranes are a secret group within the Contamination Facility that have been taking care of everyone affected by the "fungus." "Both sides" being the kids and the bigger group they all work for.

It's because of this that I don't think Mr. Thomas is a part of the paper cranes despite having them on his desk (HEAR ME OUT). He is more clueless when it comes to the phantom world, whereas the paper cranes are more familiar with it. Ryan reacts nonchalantly compared to Mr. Thomas, who's understandably confused.

When Ryan talks to "The boss," He puts Mr. Thomas's name in quotes (most likely a fake name so he'd be able to work at the school). The boss later confesses that he plans on getting rid of him to Ryan.

So, while yes, I do think he's associated with the paper cranes, I wouldn't go as far as to say he's affiliated with them since they plan to betray him (but who knows, I could be dead wrong in assuming that the literal BAD GUYS wouldn't betray each other 😭😭 (they prob would)).

I dont have fast pass screenshots for this part :^(

Mr. Thomas also tells the children that they're sick, which lines up with what Alex explained to Ash about their condition. He could always just be lying, but he'd have no reason to. Ash was already passing out, and I doubt he'd go out of his way to do so. When we see Jasmine kidnap Tyler, she simply apologizes for waking him before putting him back to sleep (no explanation). The circumstances are obviously different, Ash got away the first time they sedated her and Tyler was already sleeping when it happened, but it's worth noting.

I'd also like to bring up how, in the fast pass, Alex tells Ash that their parents have been "informed about the situation," so he's either

Lying to calm her

Doesn't know that the parents have been kidnapped and is going off of information one of the paper cranes gave him

Telling the truth and the parents are there but perfectly fine!!!

Some other details that I found but didn't know what to do with/wanted to mention:

Mr. Thomas's eye bags and Ryan's reactions.

Idk his eye bags are incredibly noticeable. At first, I assumed it was because he was also in the Phantom realm, seeing as he noticed ashs shadow was different, but we know from Alex that the rift between the two worlds was permanently closed after the kids went into the sorrel weed house. I didn't have another explanation to tie this in with the theory, so I'll just drop it here.

Ryan seems a little uncomfortable while talking to the boss here. It's a small detail, but Red added it, so I'm assuming it's important!! It reminded me of the scene with Tyler and Taylor in chapter 34, where Tyler tells Tay to stay back while he goes and checks to see what the sound from downstairs was. It then cuts to a panel of Taylor being upset and looking away, much like what Ryan does here. (Parallels or whatever)

But then again, he looks fine when following Mike's car, so who the hell knows 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

It's late, and I've been working on this for wayyyyyy too long. I forgot what else I was gonna add, but I ran out of pictures, so I'm ending it here !! My writing is awful lol I hope this made sense

TLDR: The people who kidnapped the kids are not the same people who kidnapped the parents.

The contamination facility isn't bad, just the paper cranes.

[gothic-lottie]

Writer Interview Game

Thank you for tagging me @espressoristretto-patronum

When did you start writing?

I sort of had a project in highschool into a couple years out of highschool but it crashed and burned but I'm hoping to rescue my characters and world building from that project. I'll never write with a coauthor again because of it.

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

I like fantasy without captivating, relatable characters, I probably won't read it though. I also like dystopian books (big Orwell fan) and in those I care more about the Big Message™️ and world building.

Whats your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Women who can kill me and pretty men. How else do you get inspired?

Could kill me Pretty

(these are Caira and Lenya btw. If anyone ever wondered why I like Ominis so much… Lenya has been around for years before Hogwarts Legacy.)

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

One sec… it's easier to just-

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

I would absolutely die if I was ever compared to Patricia C Wrede or Jennifer A Nielsen. The Enchanted Forrest Chronicles and The Ascendance Trilogy (now longer than a trilogy) were my life till I was like 14. I'm definitely nowhere near their level but I hope to get there someday.

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

Death and autism. No, I'm not surprised

What is your reason for writing?

Well, right now it's because I'm kinda really sick so I haven't been able to do much else for almost a year. I've always felt like I'd go mad if I didn't get the stories out of my head and give them true form though.

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

Any comment honestly. My fic is long so not many people have followed all the way through so comments on my newest chapters are the best because it makes me feel a bit less like I'm talking to a wall. Comments on older chapters are just as appreciated though, I know starting a long fic can be really intimidating so I really appreciate when someone decides my story is worth the time dedication to start it. I especially love hearing what your favorite parts of chapters were, especially if you noticed one of my many subtle details that I don't think anyone will notice.

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

Idk. I'm just a person telling stories and drawing.

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

I can draw anything I can't adequately put into words. I think it really helps communicate the feelings I want in a lot of scenes and also helps amplify certain comedic moments.

How do you feel about your own writing?

Honestly, I don't know. I'm not very good at flowery, pretty language and I think my writing ends up sounding a bit bland sometimes. I'm also afraid my plotlines end up a bit… I don't know how to describe what I think is wrong with them. Confused maybe? Unrealistic? It's a probably unfounded anxiety.

Tagging @rypnami @jeongyunhoed @ladyofsappho @ravenwind-75 @saibugslegacy if you haven't done it already.

[phoenixeclipse-lmkau]

Phoenixeclipse Pirate AU

Shipwrecked Pt 1

"I got it mom!" Xiaotian shouted as he ran into the house with a large bowl of fruit that he obtained from town.

Phoenix barely turned her head from the pot on the stove to look at him and she couldn't stop her smile. Her son had the biggest smile on his face and was covered head to toe in dirt. It began with a chuckle but as Phoenix continued to try and push down the laugh she found it bubbling over until she was laughing uncontrollably.

"MOM! Don't laugh at me!" He whined, puffing his cheeks out as roses bloomed on his head in his embarrassment.

"HAHAHA! S-Sorry... put the fruit down I'll help you get some of the dirt out in a minute," She said still holding back her laughter.

She turned back to the pot to make sure she didn't allow the soup to boil over as she stirred. She heard a gentle clack on the table as Xaiotian placed the bowl on the table behind her. She grinned as she took a sample of the soup, it would be ready soon. Checking the fire she nodded when she deemed it low enough before turning around.

Xaiotain was sitting at the table shirtless as he used a brush to comb through his dark brown fur. He was extremely concentrated on his work and didn't notice his mother pick up another brush to begin to brush through his back. He let out a startled chirp when she began, and relaxed at her chuckle.

The room was silent for a moment, Xaiotain was slowly relaxing as he felt the brush go gently through his fur. His mother was very particular with every detail of what she was doing. She lifted her hands to take his hand band off to get access to his head and he pouted but didn't protest.

"So how exactly did you end up like this?" She finally spoke up as she inspected his fur for more dirt.

"Mei challenged me to a duel! I won obviously, but ended up falling face first into the dirt," He explained shrugging his shoulders.

Suddenly he whipped his head around and smiled widely, his golden eyes shinning brightly and his six ears fluttering. For a moment Phoenix could see his fathers in his gaze and felt her eyes slightly water something that happened far too often for her liking.

"I can see that," She chuckled with a smile.

"Mei asked if I could go with her fishing, there is this big gold fish that everyone has been trying to get! Can I go?" He asked excitedly, his tail wagging happily.

"Sure dear, but only after you have had lunch," She replied, in truth she didn't want him to go but he was an adult who needed to make his own decisions in life no matter how much she wanted to protect him.

"AWESOME! We'll probably be gone a few days, and when we get back I'll show you the biggest catch I've ever got," He grinned, not mentioning the fact that they were also planning to check out an abandoned shipwreck.

"Now get to eating," She said sternly before turning to walk away.

Life had changed so much for her. Before she had spent every moment trying to please her captain then... never-mind. But after settling down in Megalopolis everything had become so much more peaceful. She even had time to wear simple dresses that she wasn't able to before because of her 'job.' She was also able to leave her hair loose instead of having to braid it all the time.

With a warm smile as the nostalgia filled her she let out a gentle sigh. Her son was growing to be so kind and it made her so happy to know he was safe, happy and healthy. She would miss him for the next few days but if it was what he wanted it would be worth it. As long as he wasn't doing the reckless things that she did when she was a young pirate.

>>><<<

"MEI!!" Xaiotian called out waving his hand around as he ran up to the ship that his best friend had picked.

"MK!! How's it going boi!" She hollered back before he was able to get there.

Xaiotian also known as MK by his friends was dressed in simple brown trousers and a white button up shirt. He had snuck a sword out of his mom's bedroom, though he had no idea where she got it or why she had it. To finish his look off he had a red bag slung over his shoulder and a red headband to hold his hair back.

"It's going awesome! Mom said I can go, so she won't be worried like last time," He sweat dropped remembering how his mom went searching for them when they were gone for three days without telling anyone.

"Really? Awesome, I take it she's doing well?" Mei asked as she boarded the ship, her friend quickly trailing behind her.

The two exchanged conversations as they set sail towards the island that was surrounded by old ship wrecks. Of course he didn't mention that to his mother, how could he? She would definitely tell him it was too reckless and dangerous. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her either.

"Let's get this pirate adventure going!" He cheered with his friend.

This happened mere hours before disaster when they ripped a hole in the side of the ship when they got too close to the island's shipwrecks.

[clarafyer]

This is gonna be a long vent post so uh yeah

Cw: Detailed description of a shutdown/meltdown

So a few hours ago during the last period of school I had a big shutdown that turned into a meltdown the second the dean asked "Are you done with your work?" (I do my English mainly in the dean's office since she helps 504 kids and my classmates are horrible in English)

Our last unit of the year is a podcast unit. I finally finished the first recording assignment the other day, one that was like 2 weeks late but only a few days late with my 200% time accommodation, and now I have one thing to do. One thing out of all of my classes at the moment. It's another podcast, and is normally due tomorrow. We've had 2 weeks so far to work on it and I haven't even finished the planning sheet because EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THE FUCKING DOCUMENT I JUST SHUT DOWN AND SIT THERE FOR THE ENTIRE HOUR.

The past few days, it's made me cry silently and unmoving in my seat. The dean didn't notice until today, and the shut down turned into a melt down right when she didn't even ask if I was okay, she asked if I finished my work. I was hyperventilating and trying my best to be as quiet as I could as to not be a burden upon the rest of the front office area. I wanted to punch the chromebook, to scream at the top of my lungs, to tear my hair out. But no, I just sat there hyperventilating and sniffling, hunched over the table, apologizing for no reason.

Well, I was apologizing for being a loud mess and not listening to her on how I could write the introduction because naming Princess Diana's charities in the very introduction would be way too obvious (the podcast is Imagined Life, you go through the life of a celebrity, describing it in the second person and only revealing who it is at the end)

I still have the same straight As that I've had all year, but if I don't finish this fucking unit that I hate so much, then my English grade is gonna drop so low because each podcast project is almost 100 points each and is put into the test category on Skyward (tests are worth 30-something% of the full grade.) I don't want to do this unit, I hate it so much and I can't muster up anything to progress on it.

When she would tell me to type it up, I could barely even do the function, I wasn't able to do any of the tasks I had to do the entire period. All I could do was just reach my hand out to the keyboard and then just pull it right back to my face.

I felt so fucking guilty and ashamed for not doing anything, I know I was rendered useless and had to cope and get away from the problem, but I felt like I couldn't do that, I couldn't do that, otherwise I'd be lazy and stubborn and a cry-baby and just having a big temper tantrum.

I remember it so vividly and I think that was one of the worst I've ever had.

I hate this

I hate being like this

I hate masking

I hate unmasking too

What went wrong this year? I thought I was doing great, only a few late assignments before I got my 504, so few meltdowns compared to the last few years, I finally started figuring out why my brain is how it is

Oh

That was where it went wrong. I started advocating for an autism diagnosis and when I got evaluated by the school, they said I missed the communication category and legally didn't qualify for autism-related accommodations. Sure, they said I still was totally likely to be medically diagnosed positive, but all the doubt, all the questioning, all the impostor syndrome, all of EVERYTHING is where this year went wrong.

I don't want to write anymore so if you read all of this, thank you. I don't care if anyone interacts or not, but I really needed to vent and connect with the rest of the autistic community. I can't wait for this school year to be over.

[fizzingwizard]

I bought Life and Death! It was cheaper than they originally were charging here for Lovestruck - not sure if that's because they realized the amount they were asking for was bonkers or because the exchange rate isn't as bad... it was still more expensive than it used to be though. Was it worth it?

Well I COULDN'T TELL YOU because first I had to restart the EA app fiiiiive timesssss. Then once I finally loaded up the main menu, I got a huge splash page ad for the Reaper Event... you know, the event that absolutely nothing will trigger in my game. There was a button that said "Play Event" so I clicked it and hoped I might now get a chance... but nope! Still no event. Lol. Whatever at least I have the new pack!

Go into my game and the first thing I notice is this:

So first they create an in-game purchasing feature, and ad an obnoxious little light to it THAT NEVER SHUTS OFF. And NOW we also get IN-GAME ADS. At least it's small?? I guess????????

But oh how misleading. If I didn't know better (bc EA smells like dirty socks), I might have thought this button would lead me to the gallery where I could download a cute nursery for my house! Nice try EA! (I was temporarily fearful that I wouldn't be able to get rid of this pop-up without clicking the button. It didn't go away when I changed screens. But hovering over the text worked so... at least we're safe from that. For now.)

Next I found this...

😭 I had two copies of Ravenwoodddddddd. And one them was EMPTY. rrrrrggghhhhhhhhhhh

Then this sorcery went down:

My sims got REALLY slow. Like "stand in a room for an in-game hour before moving one step" slow.

They all insisted on Judging Decor above all over actions and any time I deleted it from the queue, it reappeared. Over and over over.

Then this sim's queue filled up like the above and deleting it lead to first her frozen over the toilet, then her T-posing, and then she teleported on her own, still T-posing, to another room.

also genuinely can't work out if that line on the seam of the sleeve is a detail or a glitch. it's on every swatch

I quit and tried repair game soooooo. We'll see I guess. Lol. This is what our money buys us 🙃 Thanks EA such a great job. Go on breaking (vanilla!) games and pleading with us to buy more content at the same time.

[manonamora-if]

September Check-In

WoW another month has passed already... Is time getting faster or my sense of impending end is just getting stronger...

ANYWAY, existential dread aside... August kinda felt like a mix bad. I did do things, but many days I felt like I didn't do enough (prob that dread again - also injury yay). So let's get into it!

Long post ahead again:

Recap of last month's progress

Recap of last week's stuff

Other IF stuff done

Other IF events

Plan for September

- _ -

The plan for the past month was to:

play more IF: ✅, see reviews in @manonamora-if-reviews

whip out something for the Single Choice Jam: ✅ The Dinner*

fix the website: ✅, new and improved*

write for a WIP: 😐not for a WIP but Goncharov Escapes! was remastered (shelved!), and currently working on DOL-OS.

add to the SG guide: ❌, I have a list though

code TTATEH: ❌, MelS isn't done with the edits (long shot).

*still kind of a WIP

I did kind of predict I wouldn't be able to write much in new content...

- _ -

So what about this week:

DOL-OS has been the main think I've been working on this week. And quite a bit of effort has been dumped in there. Since last week progress update:

the translation has been fully completed, and added to the game files (not all is properly coded)

I added some keyboard QoL for the starting puzzle

the UI re-design 75% complete (like coded complete) <- this is taking so freaking long, but it's worth it

I corrected some bugs (padlock, links)

I've been thinking in more details how the added content would look like (text mainly) and how much writing would be needed (a few thousands, I'd wager).

Obviously, I am not done with the project, but I am getting closer. The current hurdle is the finishing the UI-redesign: I really want things to be pristine in terms of visual quality and that requires a lot of testing and detail change. I have a few minor block of passages left and the booting screen to fix, before I can focus on the final beat of the game (not much UI-wise, more regular coding).

This final part will take quite a bit of time as well, because it too requires a bunch of testing (and there's a few accessibility concerns I need to take care of...). I'm confident it won't be too difficult, just... tedious.

But I really want to do a good job with this remaster, adding all the stuff I couldn't the first time before of time constraint (fun fact: DOL-OS was completed in a month...) and coding capabilities (I learned a ton since). I know people really enjoyed it the first time around, but I know it can be even better. Like it should really have that first-place vibe it deserves :P

I am hoping to be done by next weekend, but depending on how polish I can make it, I might need an extra week on top of it. (This would track: 4-ish weeks to make the OG version, 4-ish weeks to remaster it...).

In the meantime, I might post a few screenshots of the redesign and show it in comparison to the current version.

Some of you have noticed the blog has kinda disappeared. It's not gone, just... password locked. The notifications have been run over a bit by bots, the inbox received a few impatient guests, and it's in need of a good cleaning anyway.

I still want to work on the project (I have so many plans), but since writing anything for it has seemed impossible for the past months, I needed a cleaner break from it.

This project is not over, or abandoned. I kind of see it as my magnum opus (because of the sheer size it should have at the end). But because of this, I've realised I need to plan and re-plan things around the project more carefully. And that includes the blog and its content (original or reblogged). I probably should have made a post, huh... but then again, I always to things on a whim :P

Until things have calmed down, it will stay locked. The game, however, is still available to play.

MelS has been doing his best with progress, but lots of IRL work ahead of him, so he's been pacing himself and write when he can. He's kind of sad our hope to wrap up the game by Halloween probably won't happen, but he's trying his best to finish it as soon as possible!

Slightly related: one ending of the game has been written :P (MelS got tired of writing variation, so to do something new he wrote a bit on the last chapter).

Over at @manonamora-if-reviews, I finished reviewing all Single Choice entries. It was loads of fun to see how people interpreted the restrictions. The Jam was even mentioned on Emily Short's blog (patron saint of IF)!

Also in the reviewing department, I'm taking a crack at the Goncharov jam. I had reviewed a few already, but I thought this might be a good time to tackle on the rest! I think I am about half with them. It's nice to get back into the Gonch meme, especially after the remaster

The upload time will be sporadic, like is was the past month.

After that, I think I'll play from French games...

- _ -

Some IF Stuff:

Today is the last day to submit your list of best IF to the TOP 50 list.

Have an IF ghost in your project drawer? Come share and submit it to the Bring Our Your Ghost Jam. Deadline is September 15th!

The IFComp intent deadline has passed, but if you plan on voting for the entries, you can still create an account!

Similarly, if you are planing on reviewing the IFComp entries, you can get your account settled on the IFDB (many peeps create one at the same time during the voting period, and the system sometimes flags it as spam, and hide ratings/reviews).

September is usually a pretty quiet time... unless you are submitting something to the IFComp... But also, I've been trying reeeeaaaaallllyyyyy hard not to look at the Jam tab on itch, so not to be tempted to do a new thing. I've already put out more games this year than last year (counting the tiny ones).

- _ -

The PLAN tm for September

It will essentially be very similar to August...

continue to play and review games (that front page spot is getting closer...). It gives me an opportunity for a break, and I get to think more about game design or writing, or where I could improve. And I get to give the authors some (hopefully) thoughtful words about their games.

finish the DOL-OS remaster. By mid-September, I think I could swing that. Then it will be another shelved game!

either continue a WIP or fix another semi-completed game. I might try to get La Petite Mort in proper shape and translated for the EctoComp? (I need to check if they accept translation, since it was submitted last year)

maybe try to add another block to the SugarCube Guide? I have a few ideas on what to include, but it is mainly a matter of sitting down and doing it. Though I have another template I've been toying with... maybe that might happen first.

That would be neat if I could manage that :P I need to fix the loading screens of Twine games too...

Taking the list of last month...

To-Do not require much of new stuff:

translate Escape Goncharov! into French. ✅

fix the bugs in EDOC + overall the French version to match

fix the bugs of TRNT + find a way to add the missing pieces (mayyyybe translate into French?)

fix the formatting of DOL-OS + translate into English ✅ (ongoing)

update LPM with the missing content + translate into English

The rest of the To-Do pile:

Finish The Rye in the Dark City (and maybe translate?)

Finish P-Rix - Space Trucker (and try to translate)

Finish Exquisite Cadaver (translation unlikely, current gameplay too complex to port for French)

Add a chapter to CRWL + fix the blog

Re-working TTTT to its originally planned state (lol, not likety)

Re-working SPS Iron Hammer (samesies)

Coding TTATEH (MelS dependent)

Emptying my inboxes

(I am pretty sure the focus for the rest of the year will be to finish the first list. With the addition maybe of a small jam entry or two.)