#We keep moving

[sapphic-mad-scientist]

Yeah this panel study was a bit late, but hey, at least I got the piece done, even if it was absolute AGONY

[silly-songs-with-saph]

I had a ring picked out for her...

[tallymarksystem]

Recently found out our ex told their most recent ex massive lies about us and our relationship with them. Incredibly frustrating. It would have been better for everyone involved if we had not trusted them from the start, but what's happened has happened and what we can do now is move forward and work on knowing better in the future. At least we can do that.

[ace-disgrace-on-the-case]

*Me experiencing the consequences of isolating myself* Wow there really was just no way to avoid feeling like this, I guess this is the way it is always forever

[levy120]

Dream Catcher Masterpost

Entire Series

Language: English | Total Words: ~ 70,000 Mainstory + ~ 6,300 Bonus | Works: 6 Main + 4 Bonus

♦

Index Summarized

Dream Catcher: The Main Story, setting up the lore for the rest.

Dream Catcher Aftermaths: A deeper look into "Rayman was fished out of the sea and no one knows where he comes from."

We keep Moving: What is going on with the Origins Retcon and how can everything still work if we take this into consideration?

Paved With Good Intentions: Rayman is determined to find out how that first clash with Jano went and dives into the Guardian's mind.

The Wool Over Your Eyes (Paved Aftermath): The Comfort after the Hurt for Paved.

♦

Last Updates: May 9th 2024: Chapter 3 released (Writers block crushed) April 12th 2024: Chapter 2 of Reverb released March 20th 2024: Chapter 1 of “Reverb” released (Happy Two Year Anniversary Dream Catcher!) December 24th 2023: Bonus Story “Sit in My Shadows With Me” added ♦

Part 1: Dream Catcher

Characters: Rayman, Jano, Murfy, Globox, Teensies, Ly, Polokus Setting: The Cave of Bad Dreams (mostly) Rating: Teens / FSK12 (due to some horror elements) Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Nice Job Breaking It Hero, Enemies to Friends

Summary: When the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams has a favor to ask, Rayman might be in for more than he bargained for. The benefit of the doubt is hard to give when your friends are held hostage. Lore: Mostly focused on Rayman 2 lore but borrowing elements from other games in the series where our main antagonist makes an appearance (like Rayman 3 GBA or the Origins manual). Setting up a consitent Canon for the following stories.

Makros: Words: ~ 19,500 | Chapters: 7/7

Bonus: “Dream Catcher” Inspirational Playlist

♦ 

Part 2: Dream Catcher Aftermaths

Characters: Rayman, Ly, Jano, Globox, Carmen the Whale, Teensies Setting: The Glade (the Council and Whalebay get featured a lot) Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Politics

Summary: Plagued by the consequences of the recent incidents and his own mysterious Nightmare, Rayman struggles to find peace in the aftermath. Luckily he has old and new friends to support him. Lore: A deeper look into "Rayman was fished out of the sea and no one knows where he comes from."

Makros: Words: ~ 8,500 | Chapters: 6/6

♦ 

Part 3: We Keep Moving

Characters: Rayman, Globox, Murfy, Teensies, Polokus, Betilla, Ales Mansay, Jano, Ly, various characters from R1 and Origins Setting: The archipelago (Rayman Origins)/The Valley (Rayman 1) Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Comfort/Hurt/Comfort, Amnesia

Summary: Rayman returns home, but home is no longer what he remembers it to be. The terrible flood that dragged him to the Glade several years ago has turned the valley into an archipelago and our limbless wonder tries to get used to the change. Lore: Post!R3 Ray returns to the valley. He expects to find what he left behind in R1 but comes across the world as it’s portrayed in Origins. Uses the Setup from the previous Dream Catcher Stories but can easily be read on its own.

Makros: Words: ~ 19,000 | Chapters: 36/36 Bonus: "We Keep Moving” Inspirational Playlist

♦

Part 4: Paved with Good Intentions

Characters: Rayman, Jano Setting: The Snoring Tree, The Cave of Bad Dreams, The Forgotten Temple Rating: hard T to mild M / FSK 14-16 range Genre: Horror, Whump, Friends to Enemies to Friends, Nice Job Breaking it Hero, Angst with a Happy Ending READ THE TAGS!!! This story will embrace the horror genre and tackle some sensible topics! Trigger Warnings to expect: “Body Horror”, “Dysphoria”, “Self Hate”, “Self Harm”, “PTSD”, “Depression”

Summary: In which Rayman learns the hard way that dredging up other people's trauma is bound to have repercussions. Or: A mindscape dive into what the first confrontation between Rayman and Jano had been like Lore: Dream Catcher Canon up to this point. Can NOT be read in a vacuum. Makros: Words: ~ 17,800 | Chapters: 7

Bonus: “Paved With Good Intentions” Inspirational Playlist

FANART

[The First Nightmare] by Blachalkar (chapter 4)

[Jano Doodles] by @dark-roasted-kestel​ ​ (chapter 6)

♦

Part 5: The Wool Over Your Eyes (Paved Aftermath)

Characters: Rayman, Jano Setting: Jano’s Nest/The Swamps of Awakening, the Snoring Tree Rating: G Genre: Comfort, Fluff Summary: In which Jano gets a Hobby and Rayman keeps a promise (This is... literally just fluff and comfort after the last story) Lore: Straight after Paved with Good Intentions Makros: Words: ~ 5,600 | Chapters: 4

♦

Part 6: Reverb

Characters: Rayman, Jano, Raymesis, Ly, Globox, Polokus, Surprise Villain, Surprise Support Rating: likely T Summary: Rayman promised Jano to help if ever he were in need of it. What if push comes to shove? Makros:  As of May 2024: Chapters: approx. 13 planned, 4 published As of Feb 2024: Words: 23.093 | Chapters: approx. 12 planned As of Dec 2023: Words: 13.300 | Chapters: approx. 7 planned

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Bonus 1: The Forgotten Temple

Characters: Rayman, Jano, a Mini-Jano Setting: The Sanctuary of Stone and Fire + Bonus Temple, the Forgotten Dungeon Rating: PG / FSK6, maaaybe T / FSK12 for one little horror-moment Genre: Fetchquest, Fluff, slight Horror concerning the Nightmares

Summary: Jano asks Rayman to retrieve something for him because he's stuck with guard-duty and can't go looking for it himself. Lore: Rayman 2, Rayman Arena, Dream Catcher AU (Rayman and Jano are friends, but the Timeline is wonky as this plays between R2 and M/Arena)

Makros: Words: ~ 2,000  | Chapters: Oneshot

♦ 

Bonus 2: Smile

Characters: Rayman, Globox Setting: The Glade of Dreams Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Fluff

Summary: Rayman ponders, Globox joins him. Lore: Rayman 2, Originally written for the 100 prompts challenge on dA in 2019, but it’s already referencing the themes of this series so much it might as well be a Prequel

Makros: Words: ~ 650  | Chapters: Oneshot

♦

Bonus 3: Runes

Characters: Ly, Umber Setting: The Sanctuary of Stone and Fire Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Worldbuilding (Headcanons, Theorizing)

Summary: Ly mulls over Rayman’s connection to the Masks Lore: Rayman 2, Spin-Off Sequel that happens right after “We keep Moving”

Makros: Words: ~ 1,100  | Chapters: Oneshot Story has been written as a Gift to Blachalkar on dA

♦

Bonus 4: Swim

Characters: Rayman, Ly (also feat Globox, his kids, and Carmen) Setting: The Beach / a Lake Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Character Introspection, Lore, Continuity

Summary: Ly teaches Rayman how to swim Lore: A little bit of everything, set After R1 and before R2

Makros: Words: ~ 2,600 | Chapters: Oneshot

♦

Bonus 5: Just Sit in My Shadows With Me

Characters: Jano, Rayman Setting: Jano’s Nest Rating: PG / FSK6 Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: A minor accident rekindles Jano's doubts, but Rayman refuses to let him spiral. Lore: After “Wool Over Your Eyes”

Makros: Words: ~ 1,100 | Chapters: Oneshot

[local-magpie]

sometimes these days i think about who I was in 2017, compare them to who I am now. i've come so far, in so many ways, and I can't help but see that person as someone else entirely. They were so helpless, too proud to accept help or even that they needed help. They couldn't cook, couldn't keep a single thing clean - the guy I was dating back then once found a not-quite-empty half gallon of milk ready to explode behind my desk - and they couldn't make it to class, hardly ever. They went to OSU for two semesters, a different major each one because they couldn't decide what to do with themselves, and promptly failed out because they could not make it to class. There's similarities, I was still there under the skin; I've always been a fighter, never willing to give up, but back then I didn't even have a vision of what I wanted. I was just flailing around, determined to keep my head above water and convinced that was the whole end goal of my life.

It's like to that person, nothing better was even imagineable, which is probably why this year has been so surreal. Am I making any sales yet on my stock art? No, lol, I'm not even marketing enough for half my friends to know I'm in the ttrpg sphere professionally, as it turns out. But I'm doing it. I'm doing regular releases, actually keeping to a professional goal - I have a trade name, I'm networking, I've already had one paid project this year. I fought tooth and claw to finally get my degree, and now I have a salaried job. It's not perfect, but I finally fucking figured out what I'm fighting for, and it's not settling for being able to breathe. The last few years I've been so much happier than like... any other time in my life, even while dealing with some seriously crushing medical issues that STILL affect me today, and while I've been sort of confused but not questioning it this whole time, I think this is the root of it.

I'm not trying to go it alone, I'm not accepting anything less than happiness. I'm setting goals based on what will make me happy and satisfied with my life, instead of what I think I can convince life to give me. It's not easy, nothing worthwhile is, but I think I'd actually rather die than go back to who I was back then, wallowing in my circumstances and telling myself it was enough.

[circuitousvulture]

From my mom: *gasp* silver lining! He can't run again.

[lonepower]

yes i Am paying real money to make you all look at our new dog. we've had her for 3 hours and if anything happened to her I'd kill everyone in this room and then myself. her name is Tater Tot

[bacchuschucklefuck]

no more fan-ta-sizing about it! everything's already changed~

[bixels]

Learning that fans hated Applejack and called her "boring" is crazyyy to me because I genuinely, unironically believe AJ's the most complex character in the main six.

Backstory-wise, she was born into a family of famers/blue collar workers who helped found the town she lives in. She grew up a habitual liar until she had the bad habit traumatized outta her. She lost both her parents and was orphaned at a young age, having to step up as her baby sister's mother figure. She's the only person in the main gang who's experienced this level of loss and grief (A Royal Problem reveals that AJ dreams about memories of being held by her parents as a baby). She moved to Manhattan to live with her wealthy family members, only to realize she'll never fit in or be accepted, even amongst her own family. The earlier seasons imply she and her family had money problems too (In The Ticket Master, AJ wants to go to the gala to earn money to buy new farm equipment and afford hip surgery for her grandma).

Personality-wise, she's a total people-pleaser/steamroller (with an occasional savior complex) who places her self worth on her independence and usefulness for other people, causing her to become a complete workaholic. In Applebuck Season, AJ stops taking care of herself because of her obsessive responsibilities for others and becomes completely dysfunctional. In Apple Family Reunion, AJ has a tearful breakdown because in she thinks she dishonored her family and tarnished her reputation as a potential leader –– an expectation and anxiety that's directly tied to her deceased parents, as shown in the episode's ending scene. In The Last Roundup, AJ abandons her family and friends out of shame because believes she failed them by not earning 1st place in a rodeo competition. She completely spirals emotionally when she isn't able to fulfill her duties toward others. Her need to be the best manifests in intense pride and competitiveness when others challenge her. And when her pride's broken, she cowers and physically hides herself.

Moreover, it's strongly implied that AJ has a deep-seated anger. The comics explore her ranting outbursts more. EQG also obviously has AJ yelling at and insulting Rarity in a jealous fit just to hurt her feelings (with a line that I could write a whole dissection on). And I'm certain I read in a post somewhere that in a Gameloft event, AJ's negative traits are listed as anger.

Subtextually, a lot of these flaws and anxieties can be (retroactively) linked to her parents' death, forcing her to grow up too quickly to become the adult/caregiver of the family (especially after her big brother becomes semiverbal). Notice how throughout the series, she's constantly acting as the "mom friend" of the group (despite everything, she manages to be the most emotionally mature of the bunch). Notice how AJ'll switch to a quieter, calmer tone when her friends are panicking and use soothing prompts and questions to talk them through their emotions/problems; something she'd definitely pick up while raising a child. Same with her stoicism and reluctance at crying or releasing emotions (something Pinkie explicitly points out). She also had a childhood relationship with Rara (which, if you were to give a queer reading, could easy be interpreted as her first 'aha' crush), who eventually left her life. (Interestingly enough, AJ also has an angry outburst with Rara for the same exact reasons as with EQG Rarity; jealous, upset that someone else is using and changing her). It's not hard to imagine an AJ with separation anxiety stemming from her mother and childhood friend/crush leaving. I'm also not above reading into AJ's relationship with her little sister (Y'all ever think about how AB never got to know her parents, even though she shares her father's colors and her mother's curly hair?).

AJ's stubbornness is a symptom of growing up too quickly as well. Who else to play with your baby sister when your brother goes nonverbal (not to discount Big Mac's role in raising AB)? Who else to wake up in the middle of the night to care for your crying baby sister when your grandma needs her rest? When you need to be 100% all the time for your family, you tend to become hard-stuck with a sense of moral superiority. You know what's best because you have to be your best because if you're aren't your best, then everything'll inevitably fall apart and it'll be your fault. And if you don't know what's best –– if you've been wrong the whole time –– that means you haven't been your best, which means you've failed the people who rely on you, which means you can't fulfill your role in the family/society, which makes you worthless . We've seen time and time again how this compulsive need to be right for the sake of others becomes self-destructive (Apple Family Reunion, Sound of Silence, all competitions against RD). We've seen in The Last Roundup how, when no longer at her best, AJ would rather remove herself from her community than confront them because she no longer feels of use to them.

But I guess it is kinda weird that AJ has "masculine" traits and isn't interested in men at all. It's totally justified that an aggressively straight, misogynistic male fandom would characterize her as a "boring background character." /s

At the time of writing this, it's 4:46AM.

[ruporas]

your love returns in tragedy (ID in alt)

[lotus-pear]

mourning black and the death of ideals

[telanadasvhenan]

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Lan Wangji goes to Lotus Pier (No relation to the AU of the same name)

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[longingquiet]

THE BITE OF '73 — Luke Brandon Field as Daniel Molloy & Assad Zaman as Armand

Interview with the Vampire, AMC - Series 2, Episode 5

[jomeimei421]

Felt a bit nostalgic watching RT shut down…Here are the og faves again for old times sake 💙