#adventures in illiteracy

[vorbarrsultana]

the vampire lestat reread, pt. 1 (lestat and nickistat)

also known as "i decided to reread tvl after the season finale because some takes i've seen online give me the impression i read a completely different book two years ago". i've finished it two days ago, and turns out i have more than 5000 words of notes that significally exceed tumblr character limit. so, i had to split them into three parts.

here is part one, all about dramatic theater kids full of love, sad violinists of infinite beauty, and friends-to-lovers romances doomed by the narrative.

i love lestat.

i forgot how fun and likable tvl lestat is from page one. and how different he is from his fanon characterization!

lestatposting is fun, i get it, but i am starting to get annoyed at the amount of fanfics where lestat needs someone to help him adapt to modern times. he is doing fine on his own, thank you. it took him less than two weeks to start a rock band.

(and the whole iphone thing from "prince lestat" is more about him not seeing it as something useful since he has a mind-skype ability to talk to any vamp on planet earth, and they cannot decline the call.)

lestat is not stupid. impulsive? yes. stubborn? of course. but clever, resourseful, and cunning when he needs to be. all of this makes him a great hunter! also, really thoughtful when the mood strikes, and his quiet, existential moments have some of the best prose in that book.

i wish someone smarter than me wrote a good meta about lestat & social class because he really seems to buy into the idea of "noblesse oblige" i.e. the belief that aristocrats are obliged to take care of those less fortunate. it's present in the way he kills the wolf pack for the villagers (who live on his father's land), and later takes responsibility for the theatre troupe & remnants of armand's coven, even though he doesn't owe them anything.

also, characterization of lestat as someone socially cluesless is simply untrue. sure, he plays dumb on occasion (and hates it every time because early life illiteracy trauma), but he is also good at reading people. like, he got a pretty accurate read of armand behind the angelic facade during their first face-to-face meeting. the only people he has trouble reading are those closest to him because he heavily projects his abandonment issues on them.

lestat's struggle of being "too much" contrasts nicely with the struggle of never being enough which is so crucial to louis. hashtag made for each other.

and juxtaposition of lestat's desire to be loved for who he is and louis's struggle with identity is also delicious.

this time i also related so much to lestat's "malady of mortality" and his search for meaning in the world. which ultimately fails because he is forcibly turned into a monster, and now every ounce of happiness he might bring into the world (and lestat desperately wants to do good!) is outweighed by him killing to survive.

and marius later reinforced the belief that vampirism has no higher purpose, and no wonder that nola!lestat is a shell of his former self.

lestat's turning is the most classic horror moment of the vampire chronicles to me. the mina harker of it all. the creature of night shrouded in terror snatching an innocent victim from the arms of their love right before bleak november sunrise.

also, all the implications of what magnus has done to lestat were even more clear during this reread, and i wonder if that was the reason rolin "i-love-narrative-parallels" jones added bruce into claudia's story.

the book also explains perfectly why lestat is so well suited for vampirism. his curiosity, thirst for new experiences, and adventuring spirit are his eternal engine on the devil's road :)

however, the downside of that personality facet is that lestat steamrolls over his trauma telling himself "this is fine! look, satan, i am making the best of it", which in turn leads to the iwtv nola mess.

and i feel like this constant search for positives in vampirism (that unwilligly turned lestat & claudia share) is why they can't really relate to louis, who chose it for himself. if these two start to get too existential, the temptation to throw themselves into the fire might become unbearable.

lestat equating his loneliness with his evilness is interesting, but i have nothing to say about that for now other than equation being there.

lestat's explosive temper is also present in the book. there is a constant pattern of lestat doing things he regrets the most (like the theater performance fiasco or eating people at notre dame's steps) when he is angry or upset.

let's talk about nicki. i love him, despite half of fandom hating on him for some reason.

lestat has a type, which is "good catholic boy" with narrow view of good and evil. except louis is of a parent's favorite, conforming variety, and nicki is the rebellious one, driven to the utmost cynicism by religious dogmas.

however, despite being a self-proclaimed cynic, nicki practically drowns in catholic guilt, almost reveling in the fact that everything he does, from playing violin in the boulevard theater to having an affair with lestat, is wrong. there is no meaning in anything, and he is doomed to die a sinner's death.

he is doomed! by the narrative though.

lestat and nicki's philosophical difference seems to be that nicki (unlike lestat) does not believe in inherent goodness of the positive emotions. for him, "sin always feels good", therefore happiness they bring performing = sin.

but still, nickistat's love is so touching. after lestat ghosts nicki to protect him, he still trusts lestat's love for him and the troupe, thinks best of him, and shuts down all nasty rumours. in turn, lestat equates all the good that was in his mortal life, all his hopes and dreams with nicki. he is a symbol of everything magnus took from him.

AND THEY COMMUNICATE THROUGH MUSIC, AND IT'S THEM AT THEIR BEST, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

nicki almost became lestat's charlie. when they meet face to face for the first time after lestat's transformation, he can barely contain his hunger magnified by attraction.

the most terribly sad thing about nicki is the unfairness of all that happened to him. he had seen lestat being shot right before him, then he disappeared with dying gabrielle, then the coven kidnapped and tortured him until he lost his mind.

and for nicki, the dark gift is a confirmation of everything he believes in being true. the meaninglessness of it all. evil being the only certain thing in the world. the way to fall into a deeper, darker abyss than the one that was before the mortal him. and it is a confirmation that lestat's inner light he loved so much will eventually burn out.

(his spark in the dark, if you will.)

(and lestat's dream before turning nicki hurts, because he dreams of growing up and growing old together, of maturing past magnus's eternal lelio with sunlight in his hair and summer sky in his eyes. oh, the lesdaughter of it all.)

there is certainly a parallel between nickistat's bitter "in darkness, we are equal now" vs loustat's comforting "in the quiet dark, we were equals".

[blessphemy]

@comment-bingo get me on that Blackout Prize List!!

These are all AO3 fics I commented on because.... I like fics. What about it. Perhaps on my next bingo card I'll remember to comment on some fanart and fanvids...

List of what I commented on under the cut! Because I'm a nerd.

Action/Adventure: Slapdash Neural Wiring by potatoturnipbean. This fic is part 2 of a series, but you can start by reading this one no problem. (That's what I did.) Featuring original construct characters set in the Murderbot Diaries universe, amazing heist fiction, drama, emotional turmoil, cool scifi gadgets, and line after line of hilarious, snappy prose. Do you want to be mercilessly punched in the emotions while laughing at the same time? Have you been craving a book that's exactly like Murderbot in tone and setting, but a littttle bit different? Do you want something gripping and fun and affecting? This fic is incredible and I'll tell anyone who listens. For free. Pleaes read Slapdash Neural Wiring it's an amazing work that needs love.

Poetry/Filk: Poetry installation: Untitled ("my friend always chooses the media") by borth. Very cool stuff. You have to actually read it to appreciate it I think... it's difficult to describe why I like it. In-universe poetry written in a bathroom stall.

Outsider POV: Cinema Verite by BoldlyNo. BoldyNo does it again with sensitive writing that explores canon and characters from various angles, this time it's Ratthi's perspective of creating The Video in System Collapse. Very good. Emotions.

Fave Trope: Road Trip For Science by Thirteen Primes. I don't know what my Fave Trope is, but I love Road Trips, and this fic has got a road trip. The author was inspired by a scene that came to them in a dream. There's something charming about this fic that is difficult to put my finger on. Featuring Mensah who'd done trucking to pay for school when she was younger, and Murderbot, driving a truck through a planet recently opening up to outside trade and which is being courted by corporate rim.

An Author You've Never Read: An Audacious Undertaking, Even to God by lumpy_space_princess. Featuring SecUnit 3, who is desperate to restore and re-upload the consciousnesses of SecUnits 1 and 2. Experience emotions from this fic or your money back. This fic is a multichapter and still updating!

Respond To Other Comment: On Constructs And Cats by ForestWren. Murderbot finds a kitten. What more do you want? It's exactly what you want.

Original Character: Happy Birthday by Jewels9162. Part of a prolific series about rogue Barish-Estranza units and their human handler. Bit of a nice slice-of-life here. About friends and birthdays.

Character Study: Sense of Belonging by ArtemisTheHuntress. Listen. I don't care what plans Martha Wells herself has for SecUnit Three. This fic is what truly happens with it in my heart after the events of System Collapse. It's such a good character study, about finding yourself in the context of a new strange social scene, about grieving what you've lost, about making a positive difference in the world using your specific skills and interests. So good.

Multi-Chapter: Slivers of Existence by musicofthespheres. A collection of loosely-connected ficlets. About Murderbot. It's very nice, okay. A bunch of pleasant scenes you can sip tea over as a pick-me-up. Enjoyable.

Long Fic (5k+ words): Family Portrait by ramshackle_fey. Are you ready to experience emotions about Murderbot and The Mensah Kids? Prepare yourself. Gird your heart.

Bharadwaj's Documentary: If You Want To Write by borth. This is a very neat concept. Chapter 1 is Murderbot and Bharadwaj talking to each other about the illiteracy enforced upon Murderbot by the company, and how Murderbot sneakily learned to read, and how its secretly-gained literacy is what allowed it to hack its governor module. Chapter 2 is a meta text exploring themes of literacy and worker control.

Old Favourite: In Another Life by Lick. Frankly it's impossible for me to pick only one favorite fic, so this is just one of many favorites. Frankly anything written by Lick is a favorite. This one is an AU in which Murderbot continued on its adventures for 4 years before returning to reunite with its humans on Preservation. The shifted dynamics with ART, SecUnit 3, and its humans, are a delight.

Free Space: do humans even dream by BWizard. A 4+1, times Mensah experiences nightmares, as noticed through the eyes of the people close to her. :')

Make a Rec Post: This post.

Crack: mining for copper (or ways to annoy your construct friend) by friendoftheJabberwock. Short and silly. Murderbot must do a very important infiltration at a costume party.

Canon Continuation: In Defense Of What I Never Had by Thylacine_Wishes. You ever want to ruminate on the Implications of Murderbot's shitty creation in comparison to ART's state-of-the-art University birthplace? Welcome. We have baby AIs.

Posted/Updated Pre-2023: precious cargo by FiannlyPhoebe babyfic. Fast forward some Years: Iris and Amena generate a human baby.

Fluff: people look east the time is near by BWizard. The secular space X-mas cookie making vibes. Sweet. Cookie decorating.

Hurt/Comfort: Memory Fault by Yellow. Murderbot and ART in the wake of the difficult events of Network Effect... talk it out.

Bot POV: Hints by i_have_loved_the_stars_too_fondly. Technically this is SecUnit POV. But I'm counting it. An exploration of how Amena may have come and done Murderbot's hair, pre-System Collapse. Made me feel a little sad :') I want them to feel connection and careeeeeee please.

Additional Canonized Tag: Third Dorm Mom by BoldlyNo. The canonized tag in question is "#Pansystem University of Mihira and New Tideland." Y'all this fic is AWESOME. If you love slice of life. If you love character and relationship studies. If you want a fic that is alllll about the relationship between Murderbot and Amena. It's this fic. Warm your heart over the coals, go on.

Fanart with <50 Notes: This collection of drawings by paging-possum. It had <50 notes when I reblogged it with commentary tags. You should check out this artist's works if you like Murderbot. Very nice drawings.

Podfic: [Podfic] Cog in the Machine, by FlipSpring by CompassRose and mistingsidekick on AO3. Come ruminate on the nihilistic POV of the Combat SecUnit that Murderbot faced off against in Exit Strategy.

Funny/Silly Tags: a comforting presence by afjakwrites. The tag in question: "#featuring secunit carrying ratthi bridal style." Consider, if you will: what if Murderbot is Objectively Hot.

Crossover: We Provide... Security by Blue_Bees. Very very good very good crossover!!!!! You don't need to know Leverage. Case fic + screw over Corporations time!

[supersouperman]

ive seen ppl calling clark from my adventures with superman a himbo and i do have to disagree. hes not stupid in the show. to be a himbo you have to be stupid. thats the core part of being a himbo. he doesn't fit that description in the slightest and its a little disheartening to see people claim hes stupid for like. acting awkward around his crush? or whatever? i know im complaining abt media literacy on the media illiteracy site but come on man this is like basic comprehension of the show.

[deedeedeedeedeedeedee]

This sounds incredibly pretentious, but the most apparent lack of media illiteracy I've ever seen is people who react to certain adventure time episodes and only take away the gags and "haha silly boy and dog show" and don't pick up on the significant philosophical themes of episode like "The Comet" and "Hall of Egress" and only react with a simple "that was weird, doesn't really connect to the plot at all." It frustrates me to no end that they cannot comprehend some of the most incredible writing in television and one of the most artistic journeys ever imaginable and not end the episode without a tear in their eyes and think about it for the rest of your life.

[ryuutchi]

I'm not even into Batcest! I like TimKon! The drama around batcest is just so so willfully obtuse about how many versions of Batman, the Robins, and BatFam there are, and how many interpretations of the dynamics there are EVEN IN THE COMICS. Comic fandom has ALWAYS has a "I choose which canon I want to use" attitude, and demanding other people utilize ONLY your idea of the canon and ONLY your interpretation of characters is unbelievably rude, self-centered, and bizarre.

It just makes me mad! Like, how DARE YOU accuse other people of sex crime shit for having the temerity to grow up with Adam West or George Clooney or Frank Miller's Batmans and have a different understanding of character from someone who has only read Wayne Family Adventures. It's self-righteousness and media illiteracy and little else

[yamayuandadu]

One of the most peculiar cases of complete and utter illiteracy of fringe authors is probably the persistent obsession with linking Mesopotamian mythology with Nephilim, the half-human offspring of a group of fallen angels in Genesis 6:4. Zecharia Sitchin’s unhinged hot takes were actually all originally spawned from an obsession with this specific fever dream of an idea, for instance, but you can also find it on any garden variety fringe christian site on facebook, next to the shocking reveal that autism is a sign of nephilim ancestry, homeschooling tutorials prepared by people with no teaching skills whatsoever and the like. The truth is that ultimately only major instance of a part divine, part human figure in Mesopotamian mythology whose ancestry is consistent and actually relevant in myths focused on him is Gilgamesh... and his status was clearly viewed as peculiar enough for there to be a separate myth where gods do not know what to do with him when he dies because of his peculiar origin, aptly titled The death of Gilgamesh (for additional context see this article and relevant sections of this monograph; note it was not incorporated into the later epic, though it does allude to many of Gilgamesh’s adventures which formed its basis, so you can easily read it even if that’s all you are familiar with). Contrary to what enthusiasts of ancient aliens, giants and indigo children believe, Mesopotamian gods do not make a good parallel to horny fallen angels of limited doctrinal relevance in any religion whatsoever.

[mararhodus]

Willy Wonka has starred in a bunch of bonkers shit, from the original novel to its Doctor Who fanfic of a sequel to a remake that imagined him as Michael Jackson-lite to my favorite YouTube Poop ever (thanks, @elliespectacular.)

Wonka, however, might edge most of them out, as his adventures here feature the likes of: overcoming his adult illiteracy, a landlord that makes him and other people screwed by the fine print work in her sweatshop, milking a giraffe, receiving police brutality at the hands of a cop working for the chocolate cartel, encountering a corrupt priest who forces you to see Rowan Atkinson's o-face, and being hunted by an Oompa Loompa played by Hugh Grant.

On top of all that, it's a pretty damn good musical too.

[gumgumvibecheck]

o u o! for the ask game: 1, 9, 12, 15, 23, 42, 58, annnnnd 60.

tysm for playin av!

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

i loooove coffee mugs deff have the most of those but i must admit i would be lost w/o my trusty water bottle

9. favorite smell in the summer?

theres the way air smells at elevation on summer mornings when its still cool and the pine is hanging on like the thin little suggestions of humidity they muster up in the mountain west and its the greatest thing in the world

12. name of your favorite playlist?

Nothing With Teeth (from the phrase 'trust nothing with teeth')

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. blew the doors clean off my brain

23. strange habits?

i mean fuckin millions of em but i am obsessive about cracking the binding of books (that i personally own) as i read them

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

i wear womens jeans mostly so the pocket offerings are abysmal. save me jacket pockets. jacket pockets save me

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

-the persian language skills i have manged to maintain

-rumors of my illiteracy are greatly exaggerated and im not a half terrible writer

-im a really good researcher

-proficient in library of congress and dewy decimal systems

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

battle shonnen that has more odyssey elements like one piece or hunter x hunter. give me the explosions and the adventure

[k-ru-h]

15 people 15 questions!!

thanks @glitchcel :3

1. Are you named after anyone?

my deadname was in the top five most popular baby names here lol and im kind of. in the gray area of not knowing what to call myself idfk

2. When was the last time you cried?

i think like yesterday watching adventure time TToTT

3. Do you have kids?

i have a very spoiled cat

4. What sports have you played/ do you play?

uhhh i switched between stuff a lot as a kid because i hated all sports but when i have the time and energy and hopefully if i ever get anything to help w POTS im 100% doing rock climbing because i think it's sick as fuck

5. Do you use sarcasm?

im autistic so i use a secret third thing

6. Whats the first thing you notice about people?

probably style? like, i tend to. not notice people lol but when i do its because theres something unique about them

7. Eye color?

brown:3

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

both??

9. Any talents?

i pick up crafts very very quickly i think? like, i start doing new crafty things very often and i always pick them up with minimal googling and a lot of bullshitting (probably autism related because pattern recognition). im in general very good at bullshiting my way through things

10. Where were you born?

trying so hard not to cringe over saying serbia

11. What are your hobbies?

too many!! too many crafts to list. obtaining any information. i love knowing things and i love knowing how to do things. many thoughts in my head and i get them out with every medium ever

12. Do you have any pets?

YES THE BEST ONE EVER

13. How tall are you?

183cm (fuck you glitchel for the 1cm </3)

14. Favorite subject in school?

i take ib............... sigh

15. Dream job?

*rubs hands together villain style* stealing your jobs with AI.... i will not go into my thoughts on AI and why i want to Do That because im on the illiteracy website and i appreciate my mental health^^

one upping glitchel as revenge for that one cm @vicugnapacos @deanilise @distantflickering @lemonandtheart

[mzminola]

Now I'm thinking about which comics titles I've read and what I'd recommend to people jumping into DC comics. These are all in the Post-Crisis Pre-Flashpoint era, so not only are they finished running, the universe they're in is closed too.

Robin minis I, II, III: 15 issues total, from 1991 - 1993.

Establishing character stories for Tim Drake as Robin, with some interesting geo-political time capsule elements because they're all from the very early 1990's. This is when Tim is a relatively new vigilante, and each story has a reason for Batman to be mostly out of the picture so we see what Tim is like by himself, rather than as Batman's Partner. Spoiler: Tim by himself will always find people to team up with, and not just other capes! Very much plays into the struggles of having a double life.

Also serves as a good introduction to the city of Gotham & the crime stories the Bats handle, covering the mafia, international organizations, and various levels of Rogues.

Young Justice 1998: 55 issues, 1998 - 2003.

Fun ensemble cast, whacky adventure stories, with a solid emotional core running through it. In an era when more adult oriented comics were trying for realism by going Grim & Gritty, Young Justice said "How about we tackle realistic Teen Issues by putting them in the zany shenanigans that the golden/silver age would've had?"

This can create some mood whiplash, but also really works. Probably because that's often what being a teenager is like.

Batgirl 2000: 73 issues, 2000- 2006.

Speaking of what being a teenager is like, Cassandra Cain's Batgirl run my beloved. Lots of snark. Both Cass and her primary mentor are disabled women, and though Cass's disability is based on Comics Logic, it's internally consistent for the story, and her illiteracy has real effects on the plot and her life. Coming of age story, gifted kid burnout, the lengths you'll go to to get being the best back, wrestling with guilt, heroism, & self-worth.

Cass has a language disability and is one of the deadliest physical fighters in the world. Her mentor Barbara Gordon is paraplegic, a librarian, and information specialist. They have some shared experiences and values, and some wildly different experiences and values, and they clash! They care about each other deeply! They tease each other! Barbara fucks up sometimes, and also sincerely apologizes when she does.

Huntress: Cry For Blood: 6 issues, published in 2000.

Solid short noir mystery & rehash of Helena's origin story. Has a very poetic vibe. I was able to follow it after only seeing Helena in crossovers rather than reading her solo series.

~

I got the number of issues from the fanwikis, and should note that Young Justice & Batgirl issue count does not include crossover events, where issues in other titles may be needed for the full story. I found Batgirl mostly understandable without reading the crossovers, but with Young Justice I needed to either track the issues down or search fanwikis for context.

What are some titles or story arcs you all recommend?

[balladetto]

✿ (for Zelda and Link?)

let ray yell about our muses / accepting / @sapientiiae

[nodding so hard i vibrate into molecules] yes YES, always up for discussing these two!! especially in the context where he returns to hyrule long after mm — literally like...suddenly reappearing after years of no contact. and that's less because he doesn't want to ( at least consciously. subconsciously is a different story with how his journey becomes something akin to running away ) and more he doesn't really have a means to with his illiteracy, but she's definitely one of the first friends he goes to reunite with again!

i don't think he'd stay in hyrule castle without an explicit invitation — even then, his presence would be less permanent than it was before he left for navi as someone who's distanced himself from the immediate trauma of his first adventure — but i can see frequent visits to her personally, and there's just this sweet image of them like...sharing experiences with each other? more than they would while he was piecing himself together in the aftermath of oot, at least!

like how link ingame could show her masks from the happy mask shop, but extend that further. he brings little trinkets and such back from places like zora's domain or death mountain, and is always so keen to listen to how her day went and what she might've learnt or whatever in any lessons she might have...even the most inane things! like how to pour tea or the proper conduct for a garden party, just so they can laugh over the silliness of the massive unnecessity ( to him ) of it all ♡

and this tidbit is connected to that adorable ask you sent in that i will be getting to soon, i swear, but the idea that link just. comes to feel comfortable enough around her to nap on the spot when his exhaustion is Too Much for him makes me so!! listen...this happens. this 100% happens. she's reading him something and when she looks up from the book he's just conked tf out, and it's not that she's boring, it's that she feels Safe!! and maybe it's also a bit of if she's here with him, that means he can keep her safe :')

[kyogre-blue]

So I’ve started on Faruzan’s hangout. And we get this: 

The local branch manager of the Adventurers Guild just casually drops that “many” members can’t even read. 

For context, the only other time we’ve seen illiteracy mentioned (that I’ve seen) is one guy in Liyue. Even random hunters in Mondstadt can read and write, and this is supposed to be the nation famous for their education and scholarship. 

Apparently, this might be because the Akademiya gatekeeps super hard. Do they allow access to some books, or none at all...? 

This part is unrelated. I’m just curious what each branch means. Is there more than one branch per nation? Because they’re talking about specifically Sumeru ruin mechanisms, I wouldn’t consider sharing with other branches to be terribly useful (iirc Faruzan specializes in Deshret’s ruins, not the primordial ones). 

This part is also unrelated. I just thought it was cure that the first ending I got applied Faruzan’s life philosophy that she stated earlier, that all knowledge is “useful” and worthwhile, even if you don’t yet know how it might come to be applied. 

[beaubambabey]

Confession times

Even though everyone and their mother (and so on back to the turn of the century abouts) knows about Sherlock Holmes and has had some exposure to either the original novels or one of the many adaptations, I never read the books because around the time I would've been interested in reading them, I got afflicted with the former gifted kid bookworm ADHD illiteracy and couldn't really do novels. Now I'm an audiobook guy but prior to that all my knowledge pertaining to Sherlock Holmes came from:

BBC Sherlock (the one with a tall gangly British guy)

Sherlock Holmes In The 22nd Century (the one with Watson as a cyborg)

The Great Mouse Detective (the one that's technically merely tangential to Sherlock Holmes but is just That Good)

Other media referencing it as a piece of popular culture

And of course, House.

The problem with this is that I'm bothered. Only a little. Specifically in the sense that I can identify some tiny bits that are referenced/adapted from the Sherlock Holmes novel canon into House but not all of them and its getting at me like a persistent itch.

So like. If you know some cool connections between scenes and plot points in House and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes off the top of your head, feel free to drop a reply or spam my inbox. Yknow. Hit me with your best stuff

[mirazartsstuff]

It's nice to look back on how your old characters change. Visually and personality-wise. Eva is one of those examples

TW: Suicide mention, detailed death description

This was her first design in the very first campaign.

She was a successful and amazing forger, even with her illiteracy. The event she stopped that business was when one of her forgeries left a man dead by suicide. It was a letter she wrote to the man. Due to her illiteracy she didn't realize what she was writing in the first place.

This left her emotionally scarred. She trained herself with a bow and sword to try and take on missions as a mercenary (for monsters of course)

Then she met a gnome named Mae. She wasn't particularly interested in her at first but gradually they both formed a great bond only over a few days. Some scenes were of them killing an orc that almost one-shotted Eva, her carrying the slower gnome on her back to run away from a sandstorm and... we'll get to that in a minute.

They were sent through the desert by an old woman who spoke with cryptic speech for Eva and Mae to get as quickly as they could. They eventually got into a city in the desert. All of the people had wings and hexagon-shaped goggles (which both Eva and Mae also wore through the desert).

They were suprised that food and sleep-inns in this city was free of charge. The due spoke to the mayor aswell over a cup of tea with honey and honey-beer. It was a strange encounter but eventually both went to sleep in a more secure inn (this one they did ask for money which wasn't a big issue).

The next day they spoke at the tavern barista who mentions that their honey savings were plundered by a beast, making their food rations run out quickly. The girls get to the bottom of this and open a secret door to the food vault. They hear growling as they decended.

Eva hears a voice that tells her to go back upstairs and so they did, meeting the mayor again. Eva explained the situation and both got away scott-free.

They go to the tavern again and meet a peculiar woman named Honey Badger. She talked with the barista who introduces the duo to her. She tells them she was on a mission to figure where the orcs are and promptly kill them. To skip ahead a bit all three killed most of the orcs who noticeably had a lot of honey oozing from their wounds like blood. When both Eva and Mae hide away with their stealth and quick feet they witness a fight between Honey and the loyal guard of the mayor, Artemis. They were estranged lovers that led to tragedy and sadly, Honey was killed during the fight between the two.

The mayor eventually calls in Eva and Mae. She asks if they wanted to join them. Eva politely declines and Mae does the same. Before they know it, her trusty guard, attempts to shoot at Eva and Mae, both dodging in time and shooting back at her, her wounds oozed with honey coming out of them.

The girls leg it as everyone in the city is warned of the two girls in the hivemind. They eventually hid in the cave systems Honey used to get to the orcs, but this time went in the other direction to escape.

However while running away, Mae was hit by a rogue arrow from the darkness of the cave system. Her orifices pussed out with honey and her eyes turned slowly green. Her last words at that time? Eva. Her friend. The last words that came out of her were the words of her closest and possibly only friend in a long time. Eva shot into the darkness, killing whoever shot her friend.

Eva eventually got back to the surface, dodging every arrow that guards and city-folk threw at her. Every arrow missed except the last one. She was hit and collapsed to the ground, honey oozing from her body and becoming part of the hive.

Fast forward to around a month.

Mae is on a mission to get more orcs to the Hive so they can have a reliable army. She gets promptly captured and kinda used as a slave.

A small group made of researchers and adventurers was captured later aswell and are given different tasks. The taller "recruits" homing the stables for some fucked up horses, while the shorter ones scoot up coal for a furnace/ritual.

The now bee was really secretive about about a person named "Eva" who she doesn'twant to dissapoint. Explaining she is just an imaginary friend.

Of course, she is real and comes after the crew to make them join the bees too. However one of the researchers, wanting to remove the infection, tricked her into getting a brain surgery. Sadly, due to the cursed pinkie promise, the researcher herself disintegrated afterwards.

The only words she spoke after surgery was Mae's name and and hugging her friend. A perfect parallel to how Mae screamed out her friends name when she was getting assimilated.

Now, both girls sort of cured (not connected to the hivemind anymore at least) they hung out with the other two adventurers.

Her current design now is a combination of before she became a bee and after.

Eva is now enjoying her life with her close friend Mae. They have each other and the rest doesn't matter.

She wanted to be a loner, since she did dodgy work and due to trauma, yet grew to understand others, especially someone like Mae, a seemingly helpless gnome, who wants company.

Eva was my first dnd character and I am happy she got her happy ending in the end.

Credit for Bee Eva art belongs to our dm @viperdarkness 💙

[syzxu]

Simeon in BATDR!

The seemingly impossible happened. Simeon got writer's block! How would Simeon write now? Luckily, Simeon has a friend that can help with this. But oh no, poor Simeon got tricked and is then pulled into a new world. A yellowish white and black world. Can Simeon escape this inky hell? Genre: Alternate Universe, Adventure Might contain spoilers for BATDR!

---------------------------------------

A group of friends entered the musuem, their eyes immediately drawn into the big paintings of artists from long ago. They quickly scramble close to it, reading the plaque under it. A beautiful chocolate colored-haired man chuckled as he saw this, finding the humans cute.

"Simeon! Look at that!" A short blonde child stood beside him, pulling on his shirt with his small hand and pointing towards a statue in the middle of the floor. "Let's get close to it!!" He said, excitingly.

"I'll come with you, Luke. Simeon has to talk to a friend first." A mischieveous looking man held on Luke's, the child, shoulder. He sent his usual grin towards Simeon.

"But..! I mean.. okay then." Luke opposed the idea but changed his mindset at the last second with the thought of "I'm being like a child right now! I have to act mature so Simeon can stop treating me like one."

Simeon smiled sweetly, patting on the child's head before getting swatted away gently. "I promise I'll be fast. I'll text you and Solomon if I get lost."

"Promise you'll look after Luke?" Simeon asked, watching the little angel walk towards the statue. So cute. "Of course, don't forget how to text us, alright?" Solomon teased, knowing the author's illiteracy in technology.

Simeon chuckled then left to find his friend.

-------------------------------------------------------

A tall, lanky looking man stand in front of a door with a sign saying "Staff Only". It seems like he's waiting for someone, his foot has been tapping impatiently.

He looked at his watch then caught sight of Simeon, the angelic author of TSL. His wrinkles finally loosen and he welcomed Simeon with open arms.

"Simeon! Glad to have you here, dear friend. I almost thought you weren't going to show up!" He patted Simeon's back as soon as he got closer, prompting the angel to smile sheepishly.

"Apologies, my close friends wanted to join me and I couldn't say no to them."

"Don't sweat it! Now then, you want something to find your passion for writing again, right?"

"I didn't really lose the passion to write.." Simeon mumbled, letting the human next to him walk him into the staff's only room. Unbeknownst to him, the door he just used to come in slowly melted into the floor.

They walked until they reached an elevator. Strange, its colors look pale compared to the elevators outside. But Simeon dismissed this thought, thinking it's probably like that because it's not being seen by the customers.

The human called for the elevator and when it did come up, the colors are even paler. Almost yellowish. Simeon and his friend then stepped into the lift.

BEEP! The lift sounded, indicating that the carriage was too heavy.

"Oh dear! I forgot that this elevator carries one person at a time.. Simeon, why don't you go first?" He suggested, his grin looking a bit too strained.

Simeon, although confused, nodded and watched as the human stepped off. He only just realized there were no buttons inside the lift. His suspicion only grew.

CLANG! Railings closed the only way out and this startled Simeon.

"What are you doing!?" He asked, panicking and trying to open the doors. How are the doors not opening?! He's an angel for godsakes!!

"Don't worry, bud. It's like that for..security reasons." The human sounded different now. He was cheerful and patient earlier but now, he seems so cold and distant.

Beep beep boop bap. The buttons created cute little noises as it was pressed but it did not help with Simeon's panicked state.

"Open this door right now, ******." Simeon threatens, making sure he's not unleashing his holy aura.

The human however, seemed indifferent. As he seemed like he expected this to happen. He glanced at the seething angel and smirked before looking back at the buttons.

"Oh, Alice is going to love you."

"Who's Al-"

The elevator suddenly dropped, knocking the angel over. He could hear the cogs go faster and faster. Smell something in the air that feels very familiar. Feel some weird sludgy liquid began to pool at his feet. Taste some weird liquid that he's never tasted before.

Smells like.. ink.

Then he lost consciousness, drowning to the pool of ink that submerged the elevator.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed prologue! Let me know if you guys want part two!

Edit: Changed the human's name to ***** to seem more mysterious.

[baekhvuns]

Whatever makes the royals uncomfortable is good imo 😉 back in the day I watched and read things about people who worked with them and I just couldn't believe (I mean I could, but still, wtf?!)

Winter is romanticised in general and I'm sick of it. Unless you live in Hallstatt or other places in the Alps don't give me that OMFG WINTER IS SO COOL. - I'm a hater, yes. Sure I love waking up to pure darkness and going home in total darkness as well (AT 4PM), love freezing at the bus stop or scrubbing my cars' windows early in the morning </3 be serious people. Something in the NYC air... yeah pollution kwhhsjdhsjshsha, if I were to move anywhere in the US I would choose NYC or SF.

I cannot remember the Shinee dream, all I know they were at my grandma's house and I was in pyjamas and Teamin didn't want to speak to me, while Key was cooking

I know you can vote and stream normally and if someone wants to do that then fine, but some people are fucking crazy and dramatic and make the experience so bothersome for everyone. Obviously not every user here reads and writes ff, but Twitter is full of sexual things as well, everytime I stumble upon NSFW kpop stan Twitter I wanna die 🤡

You can take my furries, good luck with them!

The smudged lipstick they know what they did and I'm thankful 😳 I might die, but it's fine. And the highlighter too, man is gloooooowing. I remember Atlantis yes! But I need a siren Hwa fic so so baaaad

Not an AU based on my dream 😭 I NEED IT

I actually told Yeo I would like to tattoo a Hehetmon, I feel like I need to do both, the OG and the Hwa one 😅

Baek illiteracy era <3 as long as you can write it's fine! I know, but I was so happy the sad ending wasn't the end game in Clannad it made me appreciate it more actually! Though some people were disappointed and preferred the tragic ending...🔫🔫🔫🔫 but you're right the angst was too much. Who would've fucking guessed 😢 I'm sorry Yunho stans 💔

Yes Teezers sang at someone's wedding! Reminds me of the recent Taemin wedding spotting, but the fact he was in a turtleneck?!

Models

Welcome user Seonghvws shshdhshsjsnshss

Our boy Seojun spent too much time mopping over Jugyeong, I don't know if he has anyone atm. He's busy being successful! Also her and Suho are so boring, seriously, every time I see Suho I wanna slap him 😭

No one in TXT went to the same event, Soobin was serving vampire though

I only know about that drama because of Jongho's OST. Oh the plot seems interesting and sad... I'll get to it one day ahahhaa

I did scream for the DC girls, yessss also some people were barking...

STOP THAT'S MODEL HWA I NEED HIS SUIT TAKE IT OFF MATE 🔫

Shinee's plagiarism is the only plagiarism I respect and adore 🥰

Boa comeback, Kara comeback soon too MISS NICOLEEEE

Did you take the Skz quiz? I got Seunglix lol, I don't think I'm cute like them 😭 - DV 💖

hi hello!!

Whatever makes the royals uncomfortable is good imo 😉 back in the day I watched and read things about people who worked with them and I just couldn't believe (I mean I could, but still, wtf?!)

LMFAOOOO UR RIGHT charles was right for once, the monarchy is so out of touch 😭😭 OH PLS DO ME A FAVOUR AND SPILL 🤲🏼🤲🏼 my late night quora and reddit adventures on the royal family always has me giggling gbendb

Winter is romanticised in general and I'm sick of it. Unless you live in Hallstatt or other places in the Alps don't give me that OMFG WINTER IS SO COOL. - I'm a hater, yes. Sure I love waking up to pure darkness and going home in total darkness as well (AT 4PM), love freezing at the bus stop or scrubbing my cars' windows early in the morning </3 be serious people. Something in the NYC air... yeah pollution kwhhsjdhsjshsha, if I were to move anywhere in the US I would choose NYC or SF.

I cannot remember the Shinee dream, all I know they were at my grandma's house and I was in pyjamas and Teamin didn't want to speak to me, while Key was cooking

omg ur so right 😭😭 fall >>>> winter,,, the snow??? the slush it makes, the amount of times u slip but the only good thing is when it’s a snowstorm and everything’s closed 😮‍💨IM A HATER RHWKDHWK STOPPP I HAVE BEEN FREEZING !!!! FREEZING AT BUS STOPS AND WE’VE HAD ABOUT 5 SNOWFALLS STARTING MF OCTOBER 😭😭😭 my uni’s in the mountains so it’s either fog or just f r e e z i n g wind,,, LMFAOOOO POLLUTION BFNWBD UR RIGHT UR RIGHT 😭😭😭 TAEMIN WHY DIDNT HE WANNA SPEAK DID U ASK 😭😭 THIS IS SO FUNNY IM INVESTED

I know you can vote and stream normally and if someone wants to do that then fine, but some people are fucking crazy and dramatic and make the experience so bothersome for everyone. Obviously not every user here reads and writes ff, but Twitter is full of sexual things as well, everytime I stumble upon NSFW kpop stan Twitter I wanna die 🤡

atp people are way over the line of over doing things,,, before 2017, this speaks facts (also the way ppl are attacking the op is vile) nothing was about streaming and voting it was more important to enjoy the music and get the concert experience and now??? it’s so embarrassing,,, sTOPPP TWITTER IS WORSE WITH NSFW BC SOMETHING BE TRENDING, SOMETHING SO INNOCENT AND THEN I CLICK IT AND BOOM COCKS EVERYWHERE 😭😭😭 thankfully ihave not stumbled upon nsfw kpop stan side i’d probably deactivate

You can take my furries, good luck with them! /// The smudged lipstick they know what they did and I'm thankful 😳 I might die, but it's fine. And the highlighter too, man is gloooooowing. I remember Atlantis yes! But I need a siren Hwa fic so so baaaad

IM ON MY WAY,,, whoever styled them, i need them to get a raise bc wow,, it’s so simple yet so iconic 😮‍💨😮‍💨 THE STYLIST BETTER PUT THIS SHOOT ON THEIR RESUME,,, MAN IS GLOWING UR RIGHT !!!! THE STYLING THE MAKEUP THE MELANIN 🤌🏼 siren hwa u got it bestie, but do u rmr the siren jk fic 👁👁 it was absolutely amazing show stopping mind blowing fantastic

Not an AU based on my dream 😭 I NEED IT /// I actually told Yeo I would like to tattoo a Hehetmon, I feel like I need to do both, the OG and the Hwa one 😅

I GOT U BC IVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT OFTEN ITS A NICE SLICE OF LIFE ,, PLS DO OMG THAT BE SO CUTE 😭😭 do that deranged yunho one too

Baek illiteracy era <3 as long as you can write it's fine! I know, but I was so happy the sad ending wasn't the end game in Clannad it made me appreciate it more actually! Though some people were disappointed and preferred the tragic ending...🔫🔫🔫🔫 but you're right the angst was too much. Who would've fucking guessed 😢 I'm sorry Yunho stans 💔

LMFAOOOO 😭😭😭 IN MY FLOP ERA <333 I think tbh im glad it ended bc the emotional damage it cost me, like even if the ending was nice the emotional damage has already been done I WASNT EVEN EXCITED ANYMORE I WAS SO PISSED FBHKWDHSK CLANNAD TRIGGERS ME !!!!!

Yes Teezers sang at someone's wedding! Reminds me of the recent Taemin wedding spotting, but the fact he was in a turtleneck?!

PLS THE CAMERA MAN FILMING THEM U KNOW THEY’RE GONNA BE IN THE WEDDING HIGHLIGHTS HAVING A SLOMO MOMENT OF THEMSELVES,,, taemin at a wedding 😔 when is TAEMIN AT HIS MANAGERS WEDDING IM WAITINGGG ITS BEEN TOO LONG FBFB

Models /// Welcome user Seonghvws shshdhshsjsnshss

stop it. mingi model au u say.

Our boy Seojun spent too much time mopping over Jugyeong, I don't know if he has anyone atm. He's busy being successful! Also her and Suho are so boring, seriously, every time I see Suho I wanna slap him 😭

IM SO GLAD BC HE DESERVES IT IDC IF SHE ENDS UP SUHO BUT IF SUHO AND HER BREAK UP AND SHE SKRTS TO SEOJUN ITS ON SIGHT 🔫🔫🔫 LMFAOOOO IVE NEVER SEEN A PAIRING BE THIS BAD SINCE BRIDE OF HABAEK 😭😭

No one in TXT went to the same event, Soobin was serving vampire though

YOURE RIGHT EVDJD this twt summarized it perfectly

I only know about that drama because of Jongho's OST. Oh the plot seems interesting and sad... I'll get to it one day ahahhaa

it really is! and jinyoung’s in it as well!!

I did scream for the DC girls, yessss also some people were barking...

LMFAOOOO AS THEY SHOULD !!!!! THROW A BARK FROM ME TOO AT DAMI

STOP THAT'S MODEL HWA I NEED HIS SUIT TAKE IT OFF MATE 🔫

FBWKDHWKDKK HE IS COMING TO LIFE AND IM SCREAMING BC I REREAD MODEL HWA LAST NIGHT AND FHWKFHQKFHWK everytime i see a picture of his hands it reminds me how yOUVE HELD THEM 🔫🔫🔫

Shinee's plagiarism is the only plagiarism I respect and adore 🥰

no but the solo debut teaser looks so good omg i hope he has some taemin influence on him

Boa comeback, Kara comeback soon too MISS NICOLEEEE

boa’s cb sounded like an avril lavigne song fbfb HELLO MISS MAIN DANCER DROP IT DOWWWNN STOP THEIR STAGE IS GONNA BE SO INSANE

Did you take the Skz quiz? I got Seunglix lol, I don't think I'm cute like them 😭 - DV 💖

I DID AND I GOT HYUNCHAN

, i found a new quiz! felt very called out <3

uh anon

😭😭???

pls read this first and then this…

ALSO SAUDI WINNING OVER ARGENTINA???? LMFAOOOO????

ANON

bestie is this not mr and mrs park au

so i started watching the vampire diaries, why is damon a bitch, but a really hot one 🤨

IF I REMEMBER U WERE A CAPRISUN WHAT IS THIS MISS CAPRISUN

did not sign up for this