#October incoming

[shannaraisles]

Update on my situation:

The good news is- I have been offered a job!

The bad news - I don’t start until 16th September, which means no pay heck until the end of October.

So here I am again, asking for help. I have raised £140.00 of the £400 I need in order to pay rent and utilities on September 1st.

My commissions are open - they may be slightly delayed as I scramble to try and pick up bartending shifts anywhere that will take me, but I will fulfil them as quickly as I can.

Please help if you can, reblog as far as you can. Every little bit of help is so appreciated.

[hywi2n]

vampy vampy

ghost ghost

[lil-lemon-snails]

I spent way too long on this!!!! But i've been thinking about them dressing up for halloween and couldn't help myself 🎃 I think Sun would have fun sewing their costumes/doing their makeup :'3

If someone wants to draw y/n as Zero to match pls I lost stamina

[asexualbookbird]

Hm. Okay. So I didn't read a lot this last month. I've been fighting chronic illness and the brain fog that comes with it so really it's a miracle I read what I did. Didn't do any drawing challenge this year, but I DID knit a half dozen cool little things I can't yet share but am very excited about! I also had fun with the Tricking Treats this year. Yall really came through for that game this year, thanks! Acquired a nice new monitor for computer and it's been wonderful. Next step is speakers so I can watch things!

I feel like I made a pretty decent dent in my yearly reading list and while I don't think I'll finish it (waitlist for Jasmine Throne audio is still about sixteen weeks long), I'm happy with where I am. Three (3!!) books I read this month were from the list and I think that's very cool and executive functioning of me.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan ⭐⭐⭐½ - A friend has been trying to get me to read this since it came out and I've always put it off because our tastes are SO different, but I didn't hate this! I mostly enjoyed it! It missed a few marks for me and I wouldn't really want to read it again, but I'm glad I experienced it. Love a good gremlin of a main character.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence ⭐ - Yawn. Snore. Boring. Read for book club, but I wasn't exactly not interested in it on my own. IT just. Didn't hit right. Mark Lawrence needs to stop being afraid of aging up his characters because there is no way a nine year old is doing all that. Was this scifi? Where those space ships?? Is the moon haunted??? Who knows. Who cares. Not I.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I am forever a Daughter of Smoke and Bone girlie (gender neutral) so I've been avoiding this because what if I don't like it?? Spoiler! I did like it! It somehow scratched the hole left in my heart after DoSaB, but still felt distinct and unique. Did not like the insta love going on, yall have known each other for like twelve hours what do you mean you're In Love. Visuals were great and world building stunning as always. I wish Laini Taylor published more books, I love the worlds she creates.

Once & Future by AR Capetta and Cory McCarthy ⭐ - I'm never reading another book with Jimmy Pees name on it ever again. I meant to do a full review on this one, but time slipped away. I think this could be SO GOOD if it was reworked to two books where book one stopped at the time skip and book two took more time to overthrow the Evil Capitalist. It was too on the nose. It felt like middle grade, it dealt with older young adult topics. Merlin fucking sucked. I find it icky that everyone was paired off except for the ace character who EVERYONE HATED. Sure they came around to her, but ONLY AFTER IT WAS MADE CLEAR SHE WASN'T INTO GWEN. Ick. Full of potential, and yet.

Not a great reading month. Maybe November will be kinder. I'm slowly getting through Sunbringer, and am enjoying what I'm read so far so things are looking up. Going to see Nerd Squad soon. Still making knitted things I can't share until after the holidays. Tricking Treats also made me excited to do art again and because there were so many I ended up learning a lot about how CSP works which is fun! So hey! November is looking good! November is looking fun! I WILL MAKE IT FUN!

[mushyooms]

day 1. dream

[turtleduckscribbles]

Close to Home

“No matter where I go to offer aid, Link remains at my side…”

After a hundred year battle waged against the incarnation of evil, Princess Zelda has finally returned from the brink, brought back by her faithful and devoted knight companion, Link. But a lot has changed between now and yesteryear. The kingdom is healing, and with her work cut out for her, it’s all Zelda can do to stay afloat. A lifetime of fighting has sapped her strength, and rest has evaded her for too long.

As princess and knight work together to restore a devastated Hyrule, they must also reacquaint themselves with one another after a century of misplaced memories and time spent apart. What’s more, Zelda struggles to reconcile the grief of her past with the pressing demands of the present. With the castle laid to waste and her former life buried beneath the rubble, she’s never felt more displaced, so far removed from any refuge she might call home.

But with Link at her side, Zelda comes to find that the future may not be as fearsome as she once imagined, and sometimes, home is closer than we think.

~A brief exploration of Zelda’s personal journey toward home, and how she finds it in Link.

Read on AO3 or continue below.

~o~o~o~o~o~

PART ONE

Chapter 1: "The Princess and the Frog"

The late morning sunlight crowning the slick rocks of the Zodobon Highlands cast the lush glen in a brilliant, dreamlike glow. Stripes of dewy green stroked the land like a painter’s brush on a textured canvas. Far below, the Zora River wended its way down the valley, its low murmur barely discernible amidst the rustling of juniper shrubs. Tranquility at its finest.

Princess Zelda shut her eyes and inhaled, drawing it all in, every trace of nightshade and hint of mint amongst the overwhelming stretch of evergreen. The remedy of the wilds. She pictured it filling her, restoring her, allaying the burn in her lungs from the laborious hike up Ruto Mountain. A damp breeze tossed her waist-length hair, the perfect salve for her flushed skin. This was it. This was what they had fought so hard to preserve: a Hyrule at peace.

Her people at peace…

Zelda’s eyes snapped open. As if pulled by an invisible hook, she looked out across the valley from whence she came. The distended eyes of the large stone fish ogled her from its lofty perch, visible even from this vast distance.

Seeing it, fixed unblinkingly on her, doused Zelda in a familiar wave of anguish. She would never, could never, escape that gaze. The gnawing guilt that had spawned within her ever since the Calamity’s defeat threatened to return in full force, just as it had during her visit to the Domain. Standing before the Zora Royal Court again… Mipha’s father, and Sidon—now quite the imposing and mighty prince—all beaming brightly down at her… It had finally proven too much.

They were, of course, nothing but kind. They always had been, Mipha and her relations. They had been astonished, elated even, to see Hyrule’s princess again, to find her alive and well after such an extended absence. But seeing them, witnessing their magnanimity with her own eyes, in spite of all that transpired one hundred years ago, had broken something inside of her.

She had cried without restraint then, losing herself in her sobs. There in the throne room, in full view of the entire nobility, her tears took her by storm, leaving her flayed open in a way that her recent trip to Kakariko had not. A mortifying display of vulnerability. Taken aback, the Zora king and prince had succored her as best they could, quelling her tear-choked apologies, offering the warmest words of solace. Insisting wholeheartedly that they did not blame her for past traumas. They did not blame her for the loss of their kin.

And yet, Zelda couldn’t help but feel that the one who stood before them was the wrong princess.

A light tap on her arm lifted her from her reverie. She turned with a start. Link proffered her water canteen, his bright blue eyes searching her face.

“Oh, yes… Thank you, Link.” With a small, grateful smile, she accepted it and brought it to her lips. The first draft hit her throat like an icy spring plunge. Clearly she hadn’t realized how parched she was. She replaced the cap and returned it to him, her fingers lightly brushing the leather of his glove.

Link stayed put with her half-empty water canteen, his eyes raptly taking in the minutiae of her expression. Warming under his scrutiny, Zelda tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, and the wind—impish sprite that it was—untucked it just as quickly.

As if suddenly aware of his effect on her, Link gave a single hard blink, severing his concentration. He turned in the direction of the cooking pot and raised a quizzical brow.

Nodding reassuringly, Zelda followed him away from the cliff’s edge toward the abandoned monster camp ensconced in a rocky alcove. It appeared to have been deserted for some time: moldering fruit rinds and splintered fish bones littered the pebbly ground at her feet. Picking her way over the debris, she chose a seat on a log next to a heap of dulled, rusted weaponry—lizalfos, from the look of it—and placed her hands neatly in her lap. Link crouched at the opposite side of the fire, pulling sundry herbs from his packs.

“Right,” she began. “We’ll need to decide what our next course of action will be. So then, I suppose the question becomes, once again: Where to next?”

From his squatted position, Link tossed a few sprigs of armoranth into the searing pot. A handful of wild greens followed. Zelda watched him work before discreetly clearing her throat, straightening in her seat.

“...I’ve reevaluated our trajectory and believe it’s in everyone’s best interest if we shift our primary focus to rebuilding efforts. Surveying ancient technology will only get us so far at the present. With Divine Beast Vah Ruta inoperative, it would appear that the Champions have… have gone on. But…” She took a shaky breath before continuing. “But that’s not to say the machines are obsolete. There is still much this technology can do for us. It’s just, without aid from fellow researchers, it will be difficult to begin the repurposing process on our own. Disassembling the machinery en masse may prove to be quite the challenge, and with Hyrule so scattered, we don’t want to overwhelm ourselves. So our first order of business should be opening lines of communication between groups. We’ll also need to establish some sort of main innovation center. As the Royal Ancient Laboratory is no longer serviceable, I’m not sure where that should be…” She sucked on her lip. “But for now, let’s direct our efforts on outreach. The Zora have already lent us their support, so that’s an encouraging start. Perhaps we should head to Goron City, or… Tarrey Town, was it called? From here, the northern settlements are most practical since they—”

“Hateno.”

Zelda’s speech came to a screeching halt. Link used a wooden spoon to stir around the contents of the pot. His voice was fleeting, barely heard above the sizzling ingredients, but all the same, she latched onto it like a castaway to a liferaft.

“...Hateno Village? In Necluda?”

Link nodded, his attention on his task. “Purah’s there. And it’s safe.”

Zelda considered this as Link adjusted seasonings. Safe. There was weight to the word, but to what degree, she couldn’t say…

It struck her as somewhat odd. Was the land not already safe, due to the end of the Calamity? With the blood moon gone, the bulk of the monster population had followed it, allowing for safer territories all around. So what did he mean?

It wasn’t that the remote farming community had slipped her mind; far from it. She knew Hateno was a sizable Hylian settlement—probably the largest standing, come to think of it—and it was true that a research facility now resided there. Genuinely, the thought of a countryside sojourn sounded remarkably appealing. And yes… she was elated at the prospect of seeing Purah again, truly… But, well, after a succession of emotionally taxing reunions back-to-back, Zelda had to admit that the idea gave her pause. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure she was ready for another.

“Well… I suppose. Having an ancient technology center in our vicinity would be useful. And I really would love to reunite with Purah. It’s just… the other races…”

A fragrant bowl of sautéed herbs and mushrooms suddenly filled her vision. Before she knew what was happening, Link had placed it into her open palms and plopped himself on the log at her side, heartily digging into his own dish.

“All in time,” he said between mouthfuls of mushroom.

Zelda looked down at her bowl. She drew in a ravenous breath; the savory, nutty scent went straight to her stomach. After thanking him profusely, the two of them tucked into their meals in silence.

Slyly, she watched him from the corner of her eye. Link sat close to her on the log—not touching, exactly, but close enough that she could think of little else. She wondered what drove him to suggest Hateno as their next destination. Was there a particular need there that had arisen during his ventures across Hyrule? She had witnessed his journey in her mind’s eye over the past year whilst beating back the Calamity; doubtless she would have known if there was business there to attend to. But at the moment, Zelda couldn’t recall anything pressing about the isolated village. She couldn’t see why he’d set his sights there, of all places, when there was work to be done elsewhere.

Although, if Link suggested it… Surely the option had merit… 

From out of nowhere, a hot-footed frog leapt onto her foot. Zelda gasped and instinctively kicked out, nearly upsetting her bowl of sautéed vegetables. The frog clung steadfastly to her boot, undeterred, as if hitching a ride on a flailing Hylian leg was a regular occurrence for it. Mouth open, Zelda froze in place, her fingers gripping her bowl.

Time hung suspended by a thread. Princess, hero, and frog all gawked at each other in a droll imitation of a plot twist. With her leg awkwardly extended before her, Zelda eyed the tiny intruder incredulously, stiff as stone. The frog eyed her back, its bobbing vocal sac the only point of movement among them.

After a rather charged pause, the frog seemed to concede its mistake. With what could only be described as a sheepish croak, the creature turned tail and hopped from her foot, disappearing into the surrounding bushes.

Stunned silence. Zelda sat gaping at her recently vacated boot. She turned toward her knight companion.

Link gazed thoughtfully at the shrub where the frog had vanished, his empty bowl resting in his lap. A few seconds passed before his eyes drifted over to her, straight-faced and collected.

“Sorry. Missed my chance.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow at this. Link shrugged.

“A rare delicacy got away.”

Zelda stared at him. In her haste to comprehend his meaning, her tongue seemed wholly unable to formulate words. A small smile was forming at the corners of his lips. Then, it dawned on her, the realization striking her like a thunderclap.

He remembers! she thought.

Without warning, a torrent of emotion swept through her. Link’s face, so mild and unguarded, plucked a chord hidden within her, catching her entirely off balance. Unable to bear it, she broke contact, swallowing to quell the tide that had risen in her throat.

Sensing her distress, Link too looked away, his expression reverting to default impassivity. He stood quickly and brought his dirtied dish over to the nearby mountain stream. As he rinsed it out in the brisk water, Zelda took a moment to compose herself. Taking in a steadying breath, she rolled back her shoulders and addressed him once more, her unfinished lunch tucked close.

“I appreciate your input about our goals. And I agree; Hateno Village is a fitting next stop on our journey. We’ll speak with Purah and go from there.” Pausing, she nodded to herself. “Yes… That is what we’ll do.”

Finished with his washing, Link packed his bowl and made his way back over to her. He resumed his seat beside her on the log and held out his hand, palm up. Obliging, Zelda handed him her half-eaten meal, and Link wasted no time scarfing down the remainder of her food.

In the midst of his munching, she caught his eye. Even with bulging cheeks, it was easy to spot the care in his expression, the endearing quirk of his mouth that fortified her spirit more than any elixir could. Warmth blossomed unrestrained in her chest.

Despite all the unknowns the future held, the one thing Zelda knew with unequivocal certainty was that she would be okay with Link. Safe, with Link.

Wherever they went, it mattered not, so long as she was with him.

~o~o~o~o~o~

>> Chap 2 >>

[korrasamibottles]

There's probably a lot of explanations for why tlok fandom generally feels much chiller than atla but I think a significant factor is that the infighting back in the Handmaiden/Feudal Lord era was genuinely so fucking nasty that most of us who remain just want to mind our own business and let other people do their thing and instead direct our mental energy toward stubbornly resisting turning on the heat in our homes until we're in literal physical danger or the pipes are on the verge of freezing.

[travelinginenvelope]

October 11th 2024

Incredibly generous giveaway prize incoming :')

[theninjamouse]

I signed up for plasma donations because I'm at that point of needing money but I have been told that my veins are too itty bitty to be eligible >:(

I am incredibly frustrated with the situation going on right now, as I was promoted to year round social media manager for the camp group but still haven't gotten any sort of permissions for the accounts or even a monthly plan, let alone getting paid the agreed amount.

I tried almost every day for the last 2 weeks of camp to talk plans with this guy, and he was never in his office. Since I've been home I've sent several messages and the most I've gotten is a 'yeah we'll talk soon'.

Oh sure, let me just sit here twiddling my thumbs while my funds run out. And while I'm at it, give me my freaking $500 travel reimbursement

Sometimes being a contract and freelance worker really, really sucks. I just sent over an email and if I don't get a response this week, I'm dropping them. Which still leaves me in the 'oh god how do I survive til the dance travel starts again/I get the grant funding but at least I won't be just waiting

[philcoulsonismyhero]

I keep getting rejected from conventions that I've been doing for multiple years this year and I heard on Friday that I didn't get Scotland Comic Con, which I've relied on for the last two years to be able to pay my fucking rent over the winter when there's no events, and it makes me want to scream because what the fuck am I supposed to do about it?? I'm making new stuff reasonably regularly, I make really good sales when I get into cons, I go out of my way to be reliable and show up on time and do everything they want exhibitors to do, and it's just flat rejection after flat rejection, sometimes without even the courtesy of a spot on a waiting list or a cursory 'sorry, we got a lot of applicants and we've got limited space'.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I don't think I even am doing anything wrong, I'm just getting repeatedly fucked over by event organisers who just see me as a way of increasing their own ticket sales rather than a human being trying to make a living.

And, like, part of me gets that I've been doing this for a while and folks who are new to it deserve a chance to get a foot in the door, but my ability to be charitable runs out when the biggest convention in the country decides no, we don't have enough room in our fuck-off huge venue for everyone so bye, fuck you, that ~15% of your yearly income that you rely on making at this con is just going up in smoke.

I like doing conventions, I'm good at it and it's fun, but it's getting Really Fucking Stressful to have my ability to eat and pay bills decided increasingly arbitrarily by the same five events companies who don't seem to give the slightest shit about anyone.

And I don't know what to do about it because the reason I'm doing this is because I'm too fucking autistic to get a real job, and I got kicked to the kerb by the benefits lot a few years ago because that system's fucking broken too, and the more effort I put in the less work I seem to actually get and frankly I want to fucking break something

[cafe-smut]

SUPERTOBER!

Hello my dear readers! I'm a bit late to the game, but I've decided to participate in my first month of writing prompts! As a longtime lover and reader of things like Whumptober, Flufftober, and the ever infamous Kinktober, I couldn't decide between them, thus, I've decided to combine all three into my own month of prompts!

The pairs and couples featured in this month are going to be focused on ones from fics I've already posted, such as Man, Y'all Need Therapy, Xie Lian and his Hot Rogue Cultivators, and Demon Bats. There will be some ships not yet introduced fully but planned for those fics (or their universes), or at least have been hinted at in cannon. I hope you all enjoy, and if anyone wished to use this list themselves, my only request is to tag me for them, I'd love to see what is done with it!

(I'm aware I filled in more days than there are in the month, I forgot part way I only needed 31 spots and got really into filling in the whole grid. Please enjoy the extra days I guess, lol.)

[hello-from-nrc-infirmary]

Ss... sststs shshu stssht

(... I sense a disturbance...)

[7rashstar]

10-25-2024

[king-wens-king]

i lost so hard

[geneticcatalyst]

.

[garygoldenbignaturals]

Bit the bullet the demons won etc etc i got a secondhand samsung s6 tablet. i dont want to have to carry my laptop that only has a 10% chance of its screen turning on when i boot it up and a bigass tablet with wonky connection around everywhere anymore