#also validated that it IS a cool concept xD

[leafdrake-haven]

Lol I'm delighted but also weirdly jealous about the seasonal calamity beasts in Bloomburrow. And the seasonal full art basic lands xD

*stares in Perenian*

[demetriandelibinaryboyfriends]

@allvalley100

Prompt: Wildcard

Friendships: Demetri & Miguel & Eli (ft. Sam & Yasmine)

So I saw this week's prompt, and all I could think of was the IASIP episode where they try to sell gas door-to-door XD CW for pretty explicit sexual mentions that were...pretty inevitable, considering the source material XD Also CW for some (lighthearted) sexism, although it's kinda played for comedy/absurdity.

This a 6-parter--600 words total! Takes place in S4 or S5, when the entirety of the OG loser trio are fighting against Cobra Kai.

***

“As the brains of this operation, I think��”

“You’re the brains?” Miguel sounds a little heartbroken. “I thought I was the brains.”

“No, no, you’re the looks!”

“So…I’m not smart?” Miguel looks even more crushed.

“It’s not that!” Demetri gestures frantically, trying to salvage the situation. “You’re the looks, I’m the brains, Eli’s the wildcard.”

“I’m the wildcard?” Eli lights up. “That’s fucking awesome!”

“It’s the iconic formula, right?” Demetri grins. “Can’t fail with it. The Scooby Gang never did!”

“So…by not playing into that dynamic, we’re limiting our potential?” Miguel looks intrigued.

“Exactly. Can’t mess with a classic.”

*

“So Cobra Kai’s plowing us in the ass, right?”

Miguel’s dubious. “Don’t know if I’d put it like that—”

“Their stupid merchandise! Their flashy ads!” Demetri scoffs. “They’re ruining our lives with their synchronized kicks and their rotten ass-plowing hearts! As the brains, I’ve concocted a plan that involves oiling our asses and doing a little plowing of our own.”

His accompanying gestures are met with concern.

“Not gay sex,” he clarifies.

“Oh, good! I was sorta worried.” Eli sounds almost insultingly relieved. “What did you mean?”

“Gentlemen…” Demetri smirks. “We’re going to sell more merch than Cobra Kai.”

*

“We’ll need a bank loan to order and print the merchandise. I’ll spin the proposal to sound sensible, and Miguel’ll sit there looking pretty…and possibly providing sad puppy-dog eyes if needed.”

“This plan sucks.” Eli scowls. “I don’t get to do anything!”

“Untrue!” Demetri retorts. “You’re the wildcard—you sit there looking unhinged. Like you could snap should our proposal be rejected.”

“Like this?”

Although Demetri appreciates Eli’s reluctance to re-awaken The Hawk, a little pout isn’t very wildcard-esque.

“Pretend the bank left Miyagi-Fang a bad Yelp review. You’re plotting revenge.”

Ah. There’s that slasher smile.

“That I can do.”

*

As Miguel presses the gas, his eyes flick between Demetri and Eli.

“What the hell happened?”

“Eli tried showcasing the merch with karate moves, and we kicked our first potential customer in the face. She called the cops.”

Miguel groans.

“Demetri, you said this plan was flawless.”

“Hey! I did exactly what a wildcard would do!” Eli protests.

Miguel sighs. “So Demetri as the brains isn’t working, so I’ll be the brains and Demetri can be the muscle.”

Despite himself, Demetri blushes.

“You…think I could be the muscle?”

“Yes, sure, if it means I make the plans from now on.”

*

“Don’t you see? That’s why the plans weren’t working! We were operating on an incomplete crew!”

Miguel gestures frantically at Sam and Yasmine, whom the boys have doggedly hunted down in Forever 21. When Miguel unexpectedly changed course to the Valley mall, all Demetri and Eli could do was confusedly follow their new leader.

“Sam’s the muscle,” Miguel explains. “I’m the looks, Demetri’s the brains, Hawk’s the wildcard. It’s a full set!”

“You’re going to steal my only shopping buddy?” Yasmine complains. “Moon’s in the Maldives all week!”

“Come along!” Demetri says brightly. “We still need a Token Useless Chick!”

*

Demetri loves being the brains again.

“Sam, once we kidnap Kyler, beat him up until he confesses to some Cobra Kai felony.”

“My pleasure.”

“Miguel, use your puppy-dog eyes and sweet-talk the cops into giving us reward money for turning Kyler in.”

“Will do!”

“Yasmine, continue being useless and complaining about everything.”

“Ugh.”

“Reward money goes toward making merch, and—hey, what’s with the brakes?”

“I CUT THE BRAKES!”

Eli’s shriek fills the car.

“WILDCARD, BITCHES!”

The Sentra’s evacuated in seconds, albeit with much screaming and cursing. But let it never be said Eli Moskowitz doesn’t commit to the bit.

[katyspersonal]

What is a piece of soulsborne lore that just utterly drives you mad?

Not going to lie, it is a hard question.. I just like or at least accept everything in these games? There ARE some "would have been more fun/deep/interesting" moments on my end, but canon decision is never BAD in my eyes! But my mind is legit blank in terms of "getting mad"! (Unless you meant mad as in, madness and not as in, anger?)

The closest to being angry I've gotten was the thing about Radahn as Miquella's consort! And, no, it is not about hassle of some Malenia-hating Redditors "getting validated 😥" or #shouldhavebeengodwyn thing! The story is NOT concerned by petty fandom infighting and its perception should not be dependent on it! And Godwyn was ALREADY in love with Fortissax! When he wasn't, he was getting so gay with his Knights that they straight up rebranded into Death Knights instead of complaining about something-something against the order! He was TAKEN!!! Cope and SEATH! xD /hs

It is... hard to explain, but it felt like a wasted concept! I realized that I'd prefer Miquella of all characters to not have a pair in canon. The God that wants to embrace everyone and love everyone should not pick a favourite. He is not ALLOWED to pick a favourite! Conceptually! It appears that Greater Will set up a standard for anyone who wants to shape the laws of nature to have a pair, right? Placidusax was a partner of previous Elden Ring's owner, Marika had two consorts and Two Fingers sent you to be the third... Looks like the rule is unbreakable, right? Except for one character...

Ranni was set on walking her "dark path" to Godhood alone, and we had to do a bit of insisting to join her! So, all in all, Miquella needed a consort because he wanted a consort! Divinity is scary, and it must be even scarier in solitude, so, I understand! Like, I sure can't even tell the guy to "grow up" for AT LEAST two reasons hfhfjdjg

But, I think he should have forsaken the biases. To love everyone or no one, to be omnipresent... Heck, keep the whole plot about a vow and clinging to Radahn, just with the plot twist of him getting "enlightnment" that he should not embrace one above everyone else! I know that he discarded his love, not his promise. Well? Discard it NOW, then? He should not at least because Radahn would be his weapon? But he wants a world WITHOUT war and battles! I don't know, I just feel a strange type of jealousy I can't explain well... Having a fav doesn't fit his concept of divinity for me. In fact, it strains the vibe of being "embraced" by him because there is always this Third Guy just standing there (menacingly). What, he will force everyone to not just be friends, but also polyamorous now? I mean he might as welllol hfhggvfj Argh. Him not being able to overcome some weakness, fear, clinginess and bias in spite of all is not a BAD story, but it could have been better? Yet I still wonder whether I am right or my preferred idea is a boring cliché and I misunderstood Miyazaki's genius of subverting it! Nor I know why what I am feeling is def a type of jealousy. Oh nooo, has he charmed ME? LITTLE PRICK!!!

Here are a few other things that I am not as happy with, but nothing critical:

Fanart sabotage: Like not making it clear enough that the guy from Scholar of the First Sin cover that holds the crown is Aldia, not Vendrick! He misses Vendrick's trademark braids (that were present even in his youth, mind you!) and has wizardy aesthetic instead of Vendrick's warrior one! Or making the idea of the statue behind Memory Altar in Bloodborne being Caryll easily skippable because this asset is also used literally everywhere in Chalice Dungeons! Or not placing Gold Pendant on the bearded guy's statue in Research Hall, so one has to admit Laurence had a beautiful beard gfhhfj Little things like this, that guaranteed absence of some cool fanart rooted in the source material! Not lore but Fromsoft's way to present things, but still!

Skipping what Demigods Vyke and Bernahl fought: I love, love, LOVE the way Miyazaki deliberately removes some pieces of the puzzle from the story that IS full in his head, to imitate his childhood experience of reading foreign books but not knowing many words! It is an interesting approach, allowing people to fill the gaps with their own imagination! But in THIS case particularly, I didn't like it. 🤔 This is a bit TOO important to miss out on. Like, bro... there were 4 deceased Shardbearers nothing and no one ever mentioned! The whole lore acts as if they never existed! They erased this part of lore so hard it ripped a HOLE in the page!

Creighton reappearing in DS3: I do not dislike what the writers ended up doing to him, but.. at the DS2 time, there was a room to speculate that Creighton was not the unhinged murderer he appeared as! But instead, a trope of a guy who just has negative charisma and SPEAKS like a serial killer! And that maybe Pate actually framed him or something like that! Creighton's lore was kind of vague in DS2! Creighton doesn't even have Mirrah accent, ffs! You know who does though? Pate! Buuuuuut, in DS3, they just straight up confirmed that yeah, he just likes killing. There is no mystery or complexity to him now, he is JUST like that. Sure, why not, but also why? ;-;

Gnarrl being patched out: Keeping the concept of Dragonic Sentinel to a unique character was a way cooler idea! Even if they just could not come up with a better boss to gatekeep Leyendell/Death, at least keep his name as someone who started the trend and others followed!

Put him back. NOW.

Characters disappearing: Again, not really a lore thing, but a presentation thing! But I am talking things like, missing out that the "female archer" in the woods in Dark Souls 1 IS Pharis herself, or that there is a stated female character Knight Amerix amongst the Forest covenant! Why people need to look through Japanese guide to know this info? Or missing the fact that Queen of Lothric is not Gwynevere? (Granted, this is a fault of English localization...) I'll dig out every single obscure gremlin from under the ground!!! Don't fuck with me!!!!!

Priscilla being discarded at birth: I can't criticize this idea at all, it works for the story and as a perfect reflection of how society of Light worked! But I can FEEL mad about it! Gwyn spared a baby dragon (Midir) on condition of having them be of help, Gwyndolin is here, Yorshka is here despite also being half-dragon and also having connection with Lifehunt ability, so tell me why-

Tell me why ONE baby of Seath just straight up got abandoned? Based on what feature others never got? This is needlessly cruel! Like, yes, it works for what it does, but I still will strangle all of the characters involved in this decision! Granted, I gave it a bandaid of saying Seath and Caitha had Yorshka after Gwyn's death now that they were left together in grief, but it doesn't exempt Seath from Priscilla being ditched! Shira I think is also his daughter ("daughter of the duke", also has white hair in concept art and Sam hair as Yorshka in game) but she is doing fine! So, he just dislikes children who remind him of his mortality? What about Yorshka, then? Is she here because she formed as a dragon "differently"? Full disrespect to this cringe looser 🤦‍♂️

Hilde being dead: They've ruined perfect Moonrithyll x Hilde yuri is what they did. Literally the only Fire Knight to be dead and it had to be her. Why could not we have just fought her as a unique mob? :pensive:

_______________

Okaaaay I think this should be it! If you wanted me to finally say something besides devout praise to Soulsborne, I hope that was enough? xD

[letmerambleplease]

So I just listened to Eminems new Album and wanted to write down some initial thoughts. Honestly it was completely coincidental that I even found out that it was released, I think I saw the tweet about it being a concept album on insta and went to check it out? (Honestly it's a good thing I saw that post, otherwise I would have been seriously concerned ^^') After I listened to it I went on literally one reddit forum and saw some more people with similar opinions, so I feel kinda validated (and not like I misunderstood something completely) Anyways... let's start with some positives: Musically I like pretty much most/all of the Songs, which I was delighted about. Also, "Guilty Conscience 2" is freakin amazing and my favorite track by far. It reminded me a lot of "My Darling", which is also one of my all-time favorite Eminem Songs. To me at least the Song felt like the turning-point of the album, as well as some sort of heart piece? If you can say it like that. Honestly it's the one Song that made the whole Album make sense to me. I think it's a shame that it's placed relatively late. This is something I saw other people talk about as well but the I guess "Slim Shady-Half" of the Album feels a bit long. I really think that in art we need to give space for morally bad or "incorrect" characters but you really do need to be patient with this album. And I gotta admit towards the end my concentration was dwindling (I tried to read the lyrics while listening). I also saw people say that he kinda has his cake and eat it too. And I think what they mean is that he spends a lot of time "punching down" while in persona and then tries to remedy the statements. And I definitely understand that. (Again, I think this would have been less of an issue with less tracks in the first half). However "Trouble" genuinely has me cackling every time I hear that "fuck blind people!" because it is just soooo over the top and pretty clearly satire (Like what did blind people do to you????? XD). With other lines it is however not that obvious... (For example, this is something I don't get about a lot of people but why are they so insistent on saying offensive stuff about people who probably already have to deal with that on a daily basis, when there are actual people in power that are making everyones lives worse? Get your priorities straight! ) There is probably a lot more to say about that but honestly a lot went over my head (a lot of the references (to his older Songs and other public figures) especially... I mean who are all these people he's talking about? I had to google who Christopher Reeve was, because I had never heard of him before ^^' Poor guy though... but! apparently he starred in a remake of "Rear Window" in the 90s, even after his accident, that's pretty cool! I didn't even know there was a remake...) So yeah, my opinions will probably change when I hear some more arguments from other people but I guess all in all I still liked it.

[sovereignspades]

hey, u do batim and cuphead art and i just wanted to ask a question like i don't want to sound rude it's something i want to be sure of myself even for personal reasons but.... it's understandable that I'm afraid to look at blogs of BATIM x Cuphead crossover AU's because I was into a specific ask comic in the past whose creator was a horrible degenerate human being that I'm disgusted to have been a fan of, and now I'm afraid to look at blogs with similar concept to that AU because the designs of the characters (and occasionally the art style in general) chosen by the artists are very similar? or am i just being a dramatic asshole?

I'm afraid I'm judging innocent people simply for using the same designs and art style on all the AU's I've seen. like, bendy with the goggles, Cuphead with the bangs, both boris and Mugs having scarves(?) around their necks(I guess that counts as a scarf?) are designs that just remind me of that artist and their comic… and because Of the things that artist did, I end up liking that comic and the designs with them…

I'm very afraid to look deep into these blogs because of that and I don't want to! I just don't feel very comfortable… I want to appreciate that part of the communities, the artists and everything they do, but the mere use of the designs makes me uncomfortable because of the bad memories about that artist…

I just want to hear from you artists about my fears and whether I'm being immature or just being an asshole. I don't mean to be rude to you guys, I see these are iconic designs and I like them too! I'm also a hypocrite because I've been inspired by these designs in the past, but I just want to hear from you guys. Is it wrong the way I feel? I feel like I shouldn't feel this way, but I just do...

Sorry for the long text, I just want to be able to open up about this issue of mine at the moment (I also want to remain anonymous, I don't feel comfortable talking about it…)

Hey Anon! Your not being dramatic, immature or rude, your feelings are totally valid and It's completely understandable ^^! The comic in question is Bendy and Boris in The Quest For The Ink Machine, and yes the original creator is absolutely horrid.

For me, I really liked the story, the style, the characters, the designs, so... I separate the content from the creator. (we take the cool stuff back ya know?) A lot of people do this with the content they like that have not great creators, a popular example is Harry Potter. Some like the story and the characters and the concept, but despise the creator because they aren't a good person.

The only thing I will say is curate you own internet environment and don't go out and attack people who enjoy it, get inspired by it, want to make their own spin off/continuation, or have a similar concept, stuff like that ^^ (and I'm not saying that is what you're doing here bud).

For any fandom in general, and I'll try to explain this as best as I can, but someone can probably say this better xD Every fandom has good and bad eggs, I think it's good to remember that especially if the original creator is not great? That not everyone who enjoys the story, the art style, and the characters, are as bad as the creator, and that they can recognize the bad things and acknowledge they are bad and don't agree with/condone them.

But hey, if you don't feel comfortable and are pretty weary about something, then that is how it is, no one is forcing you to stick around or change your way of thinking. Only you, yourself have the power to do that. You have the power to close out and look at something else, to mold your internet experience to be one that will be enjoyable for you. If you don't want to be feeling that way anymore then take healthy step towards that if that is what you want to do. If you like what you see but want to look more into just to be safe then do it, do your own research ^^ and you can decide whether you want to stick around or not.

There are a lot of things that come into play, like the time frame, how people are in the past vs. the now, change and stuff like that, however I think this is a good two of my cents.

I hope this helps ^^

~♠️

[seyaryminamoto]

Alright, after Haru and Ty Lee’s wedding I started to ship Toph/Shoji and I know I’m not the only one. Jet is cool and all, but it would be amazing to see our favorite earthbender with the adorably shy guy who worked on the dome.

Hahaha, valid, valid xD I'm glad you don't hate Jet with Toph anyway! I admit, I always had the idea of bringing those two together because it made perfect sense for Jet to be involved with the actual war side of things once we got there. It was a concept that I planted a long time ago but I wasn't 100% committed to it for a loooong time.

... Meanwhile, Shoji and Toph was definitely not a concept I planted in your minds on purpose, but I find it quite funny that so many people latched onto that one xD their interactions in the wedding were pretty damn fun to write. Toph's pseudo-flirt with him when it looks like she's going to dance with him, but then just ends up training him in earthbending when he's not an earthbender at all... that cracks me up to this day.

But admittedly, I wasn't 100% set on a pairing for Toph for the bulk of building her character arc, because frankly, romance isn't exactly her priority in life. Jet himself knows that he's not even close to Toph's #1 most important person in the world, regardless of their current relationship status. Toph will always strike me as someone for whom friendships will always come first over any romantic relationships. What she's got going on with Jet is slightly chaotic, though what I really enjoy about it is how it also fully subverts the typical way in which people tend to write Jet in romantic scenarios, because he's a lot more attached to Toph than she is to him, whereas he's typically "the playboy" who can even go on to be a two-timer and such. Here? He tries to act nonchalant, but he's basically swooning over her while 100% aware of the fact that she is NOT as attached to what they have as he is.

Anyway, there will be more development for Toph and Jet, hopefully enough to make their relationship enjoyable even for those who don't feel too strongly about it... but I'll say that I won't pretend to know if Toph would stay with Jet forever anyhow xD I also don't know if she'd ever think to pursue anything with Shoji, sorry to not give you much hope on that front, but it's very possible that she'll reconnect with him again in the future due to their Gladiator League connection, naturally. But ultimately, being a character who's so strongly connected to freedom, I really don't see Toph as someone who would settle down fully with somebody, even if she feels strongly about them. She prizes her freedom and prizes her connections in a different way, perhaps a less traditional one than that of a lot of our characters do in this story.

[live-love-laugh-lesbian]

helloooo how are youuu!!

omg so real with rainbow dash and aj?? i saw this poll and she was the least liked and i was appalled how can someone NOT like applejack???????

im sure your gift receiver will love theirs!!

i mainly drink coffee for the caffeine andnrnsnf but i like the flavour too! id much rather drink a coffee with good flavour and not as much caffeine rather than one woth bad flavour but pure caffeine yk?

and fun fact!!! electric violins are a thing (but maybe you already knew that and i misunderstood?) theyre really cool sounding anything electric sounds awesome to me tho so maybe im biased akfjjrsjfj

okay three careers: id be a games designer, animator and an author! i want to pursue all of those in my one life but that seems unrealistic ajdjrjsjf i really wish i did have three lives to pursue each of them!! and your careers seem so cool!! my mums a teacher and she respects the ta's that help special needs kids so much!! and honestly i do too!! ooh medicine!! medicine was fascinating to me as a child i always either wanted to be a fashion designer or work in the medicine industry!! and we are SOOO twins with animating ajdjejsjf i love art and also yours is sooo good omg your velvette art>>>>>>>>>> akkdjejsd

for me!! dogss but im biased bc a) my mum had three dogs and my aunt has dogs and dogs in family so im used to being around them <3 and b) a dog didnt try to kill me!! (i will not elaborate ajdjrjsjfn) and omg your cats sound sooo cutee and i love how so many cat owners i know are like 'yeah shes unhelpful but shes cute!!' because honestly thats so valid ajdjrnsjfjr

oh yeah i totally get warm colours sorta stuff! my fav colours are either grey or lilac ajdjrjsjd so aksjdjsjd

hmm see this is hard because id love to control fire just bc itd look cool ajdjrjsjfj but also i think mainly air? bc if i hate someone i can just mess their hair up /j ksjdjejsjd but i think airs cool! but also lile fire because it looks cool but im biased bc im a fire sign so i think im supposed to be loyal to fire ajdjrnsnf but if i had to choose one, probably air! what about you?

and my question to you: what is the best compliment youve ever gotten and whats your fav way to spend a day off?

byeee!!!! this is so long sorry ajfjrndnf

-swiftie spring exchange anon

So first you don't need to apologise for length!! I love long messages XD

I think people like her the least because she's like..."normal"? She doesn't necessarily stand out as much as the others do, and I get the impression that makes people pay less attention to her :( But she's lovely!! She's a loyal friend, hardworking, and I love her family relationships too!! I'm super close to my siblings and love seeing those bonds in media XD

That makes sense!! I imagine coffee is like tea, wherein some is just like...a better taste. Okay sure I only do herbal tea, but some herbal teas are better than others XD

I did not know electric violins were a thing!! Worldview changing news right there. (sincere in a mildly hyperbolic way) I need to know what other electric instruments exist now however...I want an electric saxophone. Do those exist? I need to find out. (Okay turns out YES oh my god I love it. Some of them feel faintly cursed but that's ok I love a cursed instrument.)

It's cool how much we have in common X'D If you wanna keep talking post exchange I'd be up for that! Tbh at one point I too wanted to be a games designer...I tried to make a visual novel once. I did not have the patience for it. (It's funny cause my job requires a lot of patience, but then often I do not have patience?? I joke that my job uses up my patience but tbh I think it's just a different type of patience. Explaining concepts to a child repeatedly feels different from learning to code or play an instrument. I imagine there's many people who have the patience for the latter who would not for the former.)

I ALSO at one point wanted to go into fashion design - specifically, wedding dress designs!! I basically went from STEM careers to art careers then settled in education XD If I could do all three I would. But for now I'm satisfied with art as a hobby and education as a job. My mum also works with kids, but like, early years so before school aged XD I guess I sort of take after her in that regard.

Re: dogs and cats! My uncles both have dogs XD I think I'm kinda wary of dogs because I know many poorly trained dogs. But then like...one of my uncles has the most chill dog ever? Kinda a dumb dog too. They got burgled once and on camera they found that the dog had been awake and the burglar just stepped over the dog. She's just a very docile dog that doesn't feel a need to get worked up over things XD

I am very sorry about the cat trying to kill you tho!! Some cats can be vicious, to be fair. My two are very sweet thankfully - a black and white one who is 5 in October, and a tabby who turns 2 in May! The older one is generally more chill, she just likes to sleep and cuddle and judge others. And then the younger one wants to run around and cause trouble (nothing major, to be fair, worst she does is steal my post) and play all the time lol. She also wants to cuddle a lot, but she finds it hard to sit still long enough.

Fun fact I am making a pair of lilac trousers atm XD They're corduroy and I'm gonna add sequined hearts on afterwards.

Ooh which fire sign? I'm a scorpio XD I'd probably go for water. As a kid I wanted to do earth because I was a fan of Toph from ATLA, but I think I'd find water easier...am I looking at ATLA to decide? Yes. Yes I am. But yeah I think water! Also if I could control water I could swim maybe...

My favourite way to spend a day off is basically art, time with my sister (and friends, but usually I have to text because we live a few hours apart), and then a date with my gf. I like a bit of gaming too (found out Stardew Valley updated so been on that today after I finished work). It's also less energy consuming, so it's nice to use light gaming as a break inbetween art stuff. Providing it's single player games. I am extremely competitive when it's multiplayer, woops. My family and I once ended up contacting a monopoly helpline because my uncle and I got into such a debate over one of the rules lol. And as for compliment...not really sure? Sometimes I have people ask me where I got my clothes, or ask if I got them from specific brands, and that feels like a compliment because it means I made something that looks at least vaguely professional XD Honestly compliments on my art always make me happy. Oh, and compliments professionally - whenever a child or parent has positive things to say about me I'm like :D. I think I just like to know that others appreciate the things I can do? What about you??

My turn for a question...do you have a "bucket list" of sorts? Like are there any things you wanna do in life in particular? And do you think you'll get those things done?

[acircusfullofdemons]

*kicks down door* I LOVE MAKING OCS HI!!!!! ironically i kind of have the opposite problem. I care more about my OCs than Canon Characters. I've been yoinking fake people out of thin air since i was a baby XD

So, yeah. Sometimes an OC just doesn't vibe with you. You can think of a cool concept but not know how to execute it, or not sure which direction to take it in. Totally valid.

Since you're more into pre-existing characters, try this:

take 1-3 characters you like from any piece of media (you can choose more, but it can make the next steps difficult) (you can also choose genres/concepts instead of characters)

figure out what you like about them. does their job seem cool? is their design neat? do you find them funny?

figure out what you don't like about them. do you find them annoying? are they mean to other characters?

take all these aspects and combine them. Say Character A is a detective, Character B is a ghost, and Character C is a fox. boom. now you have a fox that solves ghost crimes.

HOPEFULLY, since this OC is a combo of your favorite characters, it will make your brain want to think about them more often. You can take bits and pieces of each character's backstory and Frankenstein them together.

Another way is to just put your fav in so many AUs they become unrecognizable. make an AU then an AU of that AU and keep going until you reach the point where if you told someone that was a Canon Characters they'd think you're insane.

THE most important thing to remember is that your OC is YOURS. YOU set the rules. they're basically your own personal barbie. they can be anything! anyone! you can change their backstory up or put them in as many AUs as you can think of.

I hope this helps!! I love making up new guys (gender neutral) and putting them in Situations. they're like bugs to me I want to study them

How do people make such detailed OC’s?? How do you do it??

I have such a hard time expanding the backstory of my OC’s, and I don’t know if it’s because I just don’t like them enough or if I’m not thinking about them enough or both. But I wish I could come up with more OC’s that I’m as passionate about and know as much about as the existing fictional characters in my fics.

[embersrevived]

// Okay but ... how awkward / unconventional / inadvisable would it be if I just kinda began depicting Orlok Dracule as a sort of ‘npc background character/muse’ at first in a few mini ic drabbles (or even paragraph opens) though? 

[citrus-cactus]

👀👀 i would LOVE to hear more about the harujin Dante's journey concept (if that's cool with you)

Oh yes, of COURSE that’s cool! Though I should say it’s less of an AU and more of… well, a vibe, I suppose, or a framing of their relationship that I’ve had for a while but never tried to explain outside of my own head. Also, my reason for feeling this way might not be that valid of an interpretation, since I’ve never actually read the Divine Comedy (but there is a substack book club for it now, and I have very seriously considered joining XD). But the broad-strokes concept of a character wandering alone, mourning for their lost love, stumbling into the underworld, journeying through all the levels of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, and getting to see that person in some form again just feels very Haru/Yuujin to me… that, or there is just a part of me that wants to relate Harujin back to some sort of mythic/fairytale journey, or possibly something Utena-esque. But it doesn’t hurt that Appmon (imo) really sets up the Deep Web as being the App equivalent to the Underworld, with its own threshold guardians in the form of a three-headed Cerberus and Dante(mon).

I can even see something of the Divine Comedy being alluded to in the quest to rescue Yuujin and Offmon in the Ultimate Four arc: the “Hell” of the Ultimate Four’s domain is accessible through a graveyard, it is split into its own visually district subsections, and Haru needs to climb upwards in order to rescue Yuujin in time. As a 14-year-old, I doubt Haru would have actually read the Divine Comedy(??) (and Yuujin most certainly hasn’t!), but I did at one point want to write a little missing scene for them after the rescue that was absolutely going to have Haru muse on going through Hell in order to regain some sense of Paradise for himself, because if any character was going to notice a literary parallel like that, it would be Haru :3

More + spoilers under the cut

I really do love the theme of this type of journey for them though, so much so that this is how I keep framing my own attempt at a Yuujin-is-resurrected fic (I absolutely adore your take on the concept though, and I would read the heck out of that!!!).

This idea has been germinating in my head for several years, and I’m not sure it will ever bear fruit in the form of a fic, but it’s something I’ll think about/tinker with from time to time. Using the conceit of “appmon(/digimon) never really die,” my thought is, post-Application Project, Yuujin’s data is not actually gone, just… incomplete. He wakes up in the Appmon Graveyard (I mean, he’s kind of like a defunct app) with an in-tact sense of his digital self but no memories, save for a vague notion that he needs to get back to someone. Thus, Yuujin begins his own journey through and out of the Underworld, which of course involves him coming to terms with everything he is and everything that he was as he starts to remember everything leading up to how he got there. To circle back to Dante—and because I have been thinking about their relationship using this framework for far too long—as Yuujin starts to remember Haru and what happened, he would start to see Haru as some sort of idyllic abstraction of a real person (his Beatrice, if you will): pure, ascended, angelic, and wholly above him, someone whose love Yuujin does not feel worthy of anymore… until the end when it is revealed that Haru has been trying just as hard to find him just because that kind of resolution really f*cks me up. Ahem.

Oooough, an Orpheus and Eurydice AU would be brutally good though. Here’s the thing: the romantic in me genuinely want the final scene of the series to be true (in some sense) and for the two of them to have a happy ending… but there are just so many juicy things that could get in the way, and I love thinking about those as well.

Also, nobody asked for this, but as soon as I heard this song it became my post-canon Harujin anthem:

So yeah, mythic journeys. The Underworld. Harujin. I YEARN.

Thanks for the ask, I really appreciate having the opportunity to talk about this!

[teaveetamer]

If you don't mind me ranting about 3H, I want to take issue into the devs mentioning that they expected the player to play one route and then share their experiences with the other players who potentially played the other routes so that they could get different perspectives and understanding. That could maybe work if they didn't keep the lore a mystery that only gets some explanation in two routes. Cause the players won't play only one route and then ask the other players for their perspectives; they'll instead be content with what they played and see it as "heroic" and then if someone else say their route was good, especially if the character portrayed in said route was the villain here but playable in the other route, then the players will engage in fights and arguments which is basically what happened here (at least in the west).

I've also seen some argue that the point of the game was that the player doesn't know the full lore and they're supposed to act on the information provided to them, therefore every perspective is valid in a sense. And I'm sorry, but that in my opinion is a one way ticket into believing all sorts of conspiracy theories. Cause if one believes in one perspective of the game's lore over another, then what's stopping them from believing all sorts of theories about the illuminati being real or any other uncomfortable stuff; cause again, all perspectives are valid right? /s

That said, I don't think the devs were being malicious or anything like that. They wanted to make a game to entertain their audience and that's fine and all, but I think they should've at the very least taken into account the implications of what they wrote and how they're presenting it. Again, I don't think it was intentional, it's just a questionable execution of a questionable concept. Anyways, sorry for the rant. XD

No problem, I love the rants haha

While I still find it extremely hard to believe that the devs expected people to only play 3H once... I think their biggest issue with the whole "make people talk to each other to discover the truth" thing is that they just didn't make the truth that interesting or difficult to find. Feels kind of like they wanted the FNAF-like community fervor around uncovering the lore but like... then the lore is just a lore dump that tells us exactly everything we need to know, great, moving on. If you wanna talk to someone else about the lore it's basically:

"Hey what happened with this?"

"Oh it's X. Rhea says so in VW."

"Ok cool thanks."

End of discussion.

Like I'm 1,000% sure FNAF wouldn't have caught on as hard as it did if the first game just ended with a .jpg that said "also lol the animatronics are dead kids, here's exactly who killed them and why."

[schadenfredde]

YEEEESSS PANSEXUAL HOL HORSE SUPREMACY

Listen

They both came the closest to taking out a Crusader during their journey (Avdol and Kakyoin) yet they couldn't be more different from each other. Hol Horse's self preservation and cowardice prevents him from being loyal or brave, and N'Doul is devoted to the point where he will carelessly throw his own life away for anyone who sees worth in him.

If they got together N'Doul could inspire Hol to have confidence in himself and fight for ones he loves even if the odds seem stacked against him.

And on the other hand, Hol could encourage N'Doul to take care of himself and learn to open up and accept help sometimes.

ALSO I actually wrote a short drabble about that funny concept a while back XD

It's under the cut if you're interested-

☆☆☆☆☆☆

"Trust me. You'll be a lot happier when you stop caring for people's opinions."

Hol snorted. "That's the fastest way to fail wooing a lady. It's like advising someone to 'be themselves' when they want to ask out someone they like. It does not work."

"Oh..." N'Doul gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm so sorry."

"What for?" Hol lifted a brow.

"I just think it's really sad that you based your entire personality around chasing after girls..."

"Excuse you!" Hol looked offended again, placing his hands on his hips. "You think you know better- how many girlfriends have you ever gotten, hmm??"

N'Doul's face comically blanked and he fell silent for several seconds. Then before Hol could make a remark about that being exactly what he thought, he shook his head to snap himself out of it. "I don't like women that way."

"Nonsense, there has to be some gal-"

"Hol Horse." N'Doul opened his pale eyes slightly, looking a little annoyed. "I'm gay." There was a hint of a challenge in his tone.

"Oh- OH-!" Hol's jaw dropped and he froze. "N-nothing wrong with that. You're plenty valid. I've met some people like that and they're cool, you're pretty cool too, I didn't mean t-"

N'Doul definitely did not expect that reaction either. His gaze softened slightly. Though rather than grace him with a response, he continued in the direction of the kitchen without another word, leaving the cowboy to ramble awkwardly before he ran to catch up with him.

This is stupid but here's a crackship I've been hyperfixating over XD

N'Doul and Hol Horse

huh. I've never heard of that one but it sounds pretty cute

now I have this mental image

Hol Horse, the most in denial pansexual you will ever meet: So N'doul, what kind of women do you-

N'doul: Men

[twink-between-worlds]

The Wind Sees Ghosts (Chain) idea is SO COOL

Like there are so many ways you can go about that!!! Questions:

If the ghosts can't communicate the cause of their death but can give hints,,, like what's the logistics of that? Maybe they have amnesia and can't remember how they died, or maybe, although Wind can see them, Wind can't actually hear anything they say, it's just soundless for him... Or, given that they were "unnatural" deaths, maybe they're cursed and are magically forced not to utter words that are in any way revealing to their cause of death???? These are just a few of the ideas that popped into my head, and I am INTENSELY interested.

How would Wind go about figuring out their deaths? Like would you find a way to bunch everybody into one timeline? If so, would the deceased heroes be recently deceased or just utterly ancient? OR would it follow the Portals Element of the LU comics and be Wind jumping from era to era via portals to the Heroes' Hyrules? That'd be a great way to completely centralize Wind and make him both THE Hero of the whole adventure, provide a good-vs-evil plotline basis, AND would be an interesting way to go about him finding out where these ghosts all come from and why, and how they got killed

Gahhhh and I also immediately thought, upon reading that he'd give them all proper burials/funerals, that it'd be sad if there was nothing left of the Heroes' bodies to bury (unless they're magically preserved via the same thing that killed them). BUT that also opens opportunity for Wind to find the things left by each hero and to memorialize then all. Just imagine Wind, after the whole kerfufle, finds all these things (the favourite weapons of each hero, pieces of their outfits, recipes from wild, buckles and horseshoes and weapons made by Four, Sky's sailcloth and educational certificate, etc.) and takes them and then opens a memorial house of sorts at his home world, which sort of doubles as a museum, where he preserved these Important Things along side full descriptions of everything he learned about them and their homes!

And then OH NO MY BRAIN WON'T SHUT UP SO I also thought about how it'd be kinda funny if the deaths were actually not connected in anyway at all, but that, nonetheless, the reason the ghosts are unable to communicate their causes of death (especially if by ammnesia) and that they need Wind to figure it out is because their deaths are already automaticlly unnatural, because they share the Hero's Spirit. Their souls depart like normal, but are then bound to the mortal realm because the Spirit that makes each hero "whole" doesn't completely belong to them. This, then, leaving them stuck between the current home of the Hero's Spirit and... wherever they'd pass onto after death.

Orrrrrr maybe every single idea I just spouted off was COMPLETELY off point and just not at all how you were thinking of it all...

But as soon as I saw the concept my brain just kinda exploded with ideas and I REALLY wanted to share them!!! Like a little kid who drew a boxy house with a yellow sun in the corner of the page and HAS to show their parents RIGHT NOW or it isn't valid XD

And either way, I WANNA KNOW WHAT YOUR REAL PLANS ARE??! IF ANY?? Like my curiosity is what lead me to having so many of my own ideas, and I NEED to know what spawned the idea and how it works in your head!!!!

If it's not too much to ask of course

Anyway, love ya, thanks for dealing with me XDDD

ahh ty! okay;

The ghosts can't say it because whenever they try, Wind suddenly stops hearing their voices. They can't say exactly what happened because their voices cut out when they try, but they can give locations for example; Vio. They got killed in an old arcade, so Vio could only say they were in an arcade when it happened, but they can't say how they died or who did it!

Since it's a modern au, I was planning on making them all in one 'city' of sorts, BUT in different timeframes like Vio was killed in the 80's, Time in the 90's, Wild and Legend in the early 2000's, etc! so, i actually plan on Wind being able to time travel between the timeframes Hyrule is the most recent death (this'll probably take place in the current year of 2022, and Hyrule died in 2015), and the oldest death is Blue (who dies in the 70's)

some of them (vio, mainly, because vios death is one of, if not the most brutal) don't have physical bodies left, or full bodies, so the ghosts probably give Wind something dear to them just in the events of no body being found, which Wind would absolutely make a display out of and note down everything he learns about the ghosts like their ages when they died, their birthdays, family, all that stuff

you're not entirely incorrect about this! none of the deaths are connected, not even the colours have the same murderer! they're all just drawn to Wind because he is the only one that can see and help them move on

this whole idea spawned from me listening to Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon for 5 hours straight and thinking "what if vio is the cabinet man?" and here we are, me planning ; Time's second death Legend's...4th death? 5th? idk ive killed him a lot Red, Blue n Green's second deaths Vio's third death and the first deaths of everyone else!

im glad youre interested in this!!! its a bit of a passion project now i think aha

[katyspersonal]

So this new fantasy anime this year, Delicious in Dungeon, is great, it's both a comedy and a dark fantasy. I saw a few clips of it and now I'm hooked, currently watching ep 1

I gotta say it has interesting concepts of fantasy and magic

Considering how Black Magic isn't bad in this Fantasy World, it's really just ancient magic that is dangerous to use if you're not careful which begs the opinion that Magic isn't bad or good, it's just Magic, which is a nice revelation to me

Aww.. To be honest I like receiving asks like these, even if don't always answer them, because they're like admission that people find me 'approachable' enough to talk about their interests with! Despite what my posts seem I do like to listen too, not only talk xD

That being said, I do see Dungeon Meshi cross my dashboard sometimes and it already seems like a really cool thing for me too! I love designs and art style a lot! Though so far my only pins are the fact that there is that really autistic guy who is probably relatable and does 'that' face that I fucking love anime characters doing very often, that there are lesbians (?), that the creator is very meticulous with details consistency and very good with body types and that one of the characters becomes a monster or something...? (BASED dragon with feathers added in which I developed the taste for after Sоulsborne lol). All valid even if they're just bits and pieces

I assume that my dashboard hasn't been very spoilery then which is good? Because the bit you mentioned is not what I heard of before! It is exactly the type of dichotomy that I prefer everywhere; 'limiting but safe and checked' vs 'has more potential but you have to be strong/careful Or Else' rather than 'good or evil'. If this story also has 'light' magic and addresses the potential of using it for evil too my respect is going to shoot OVER the roof, I think xD Having classic AtLA show flashback where "evil destructive" fire magic was at the same time warmth and light, whereas "good healing" water magic could be used for twisted things like blood manipulation from what you've mentioned! I loved that idea on powers even since then. There are no good or bad tools, just good or bad uses of them!

Maybe I'll look into it.. I haven't watched any show in suuuuch a long while.

[birdsong-warriors]

I love and hate the armor idea at the same time. xD I love it because it looks cool and I'd love to see it being used in a comic, but I hate it because I wouldn't want to see it in THIS comic. It being so unrealistic feels completely out of place, so far even for both comics (Brick's and Swift's I mean). A third unrelated comic could do them justice, but it feels like clawed socks and skull facemask would ruin the more realistic SC and RC universe. :c

This is an incredibly valid point, and I'm very glad you were willing to send me honest critique about it! It's just meant to be a loose concept, it's okay. :D I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this critique, because I really did need feedback on the ideas!

The full "armor" is just kind of a test to see how far I can take the concept, and then I can dial it back from there. I still want there to be some kind of way to detach/attach the claws at will, as keeping them on all the time would both wear down their sharpness and be quite uncomfortable. I still have no idea how they're supposed to work, though. I wish there was some kind of easily accessible object BloodClan could use to secure them in place, but I have yet to figure out something realistic that makes sense. It’s an awesome and iconic concept I really want to keep but I have yet to figure out a way to make it work. And there's really no way to attach the skull headgear in a logical realistic way either, plus it's way too extra LOL.

I will be keeping Swift owning a dog skull, to use in conjuction with his and Bright's scars to educate apprentices on how and why they're so dangerous. It also adds a fun layer to another headcanon I haven't shared yet. So that idea as well as the collar design and the basic idea of the extra claws will be staying, it's just trying to figure it all out that's the issue.

[eldritch-araneae]

Bumblebee

Welcome to my long post about this boi because he's my fav ahah!

First impression:

In 2011 it I watched the first Transfromers baymovie. It was the "ohh he's an alien who quickly befriended a hum that so cool I love him!" thing, I so easy to please when it comes to interspecies relationships. I enjoyed the movies and Bumblebee quickly became my fav.

Then love for him solidified more and I found out about his G1 version and his info immediately spoke to me om personal level. He's cute, getting along human and seem gentle, but he also struggles with hiS place in the world and among his own friends.

It hit close to home.

Impression now:

I know I keep repeating myself a lot, but Bumblebee deserves a good writing! I want to see this original self with his struggles to be properly explored!

It only he wouldn't fall into " cute mascot of the show" box =/

He has so much potential for incredible character arc. This subject rarely appears, and if it does, it usually resolved quickly, which is not how it works.

In Plight of the Bumblebee from old marvel comics, he gets depressed ( yes, not just upset) about he don't feel belong among Autobots. He feels useless and even responsible for losing the battle ("If I were more help" ), firmly believing no one will notice if he's gone. He wishes to be a human because humans are weak, and if he was a human, someone would need him.

Then he just runs away without a word.

And then much later in Go for a Gold & Win if You Dare he compares himself to meteors, that burn in atmosphere before making any impact. And even if they do - they crush to pieces. Not to mention he constantly talks himself down ( "I'm not smart as Wheeljack", "I'm not strong as Grimlock") almost through entire the comic.

This this depressing as fuck, and believe me, just because your friends saved you or because you realized the importance of teamwork those feelings will not go away. Sure you will feel validated for few day, but they will come again, and again, and again.

He feels alienated from his own people, he feels weak, useless and unwanted, he has a constant need to prove himself, even if it kills him. His highest stat is courage, and this is probably why!

All this brings up an important question I haven't found a answer: what happened to him?!

Insecurities, especially like these, never appear out of thin air!

He shows signs of neglect at best, or abuse at worst.

Dreamwave's Guide said that Sunstreaker is bulling him and constantly makes fun of his failures in front other Autobots who laugh, believing it's just teasing. But cmon, I don't need tell you how damaging this shit is, especially when it's done for years.

But sadly, it's just a guide, it's not even a comic, so why?? Why not explore this??? Like seriously!

Even in TFA where it was shown that Bumblebee was abused in bootcamp, but the show never, ever made it a trauma, which is ridiculous! Optimus, Ratchet and Prowl had their own struggles, but Bumblebee must remain okay? As if being constantly picked up, and his legs being detached while he was locked isn't traumatizing enough??? I swear, people don't realized how bulling can break people and drive them to suicide ugh.

Another thing that bothers me is why Bumblebee needs to die (Goldbug) in order to become mature and stop stressing about what others thinks? And if he reverts back to Bumblebee, his insecurities are suddenly back as if nothing happened??

This is why I will not calm down until I see proper writing for him. I will demand his presence in each TF media and I don't care if fandom hates him xD

Because cmon, you can have a character with struggles and dark secrets who is also is full of hear and tender =/

Seriously, hire me Hasbro!

Favorite moment:

Ohhh there are so many across multiple continuities! I love every moment when he interact with his human friends and Windblade! ))) And generally Bumblebee is such delight to see, even if I picky about his looks ahah.

Idea for a story:

This is entirety of Sparkpulse! He not only has insecurities, but he has to deal with horrific trauma and phobias. He' not just a cute mascot or angry boi - this Bumblebee can do both!

He's like force of nature, a benevolent being who will bear many blessings to people he care about, to people who treat him kindness and respect...but if you wrong him, you will pay in full.

I explore a lot for ideas here. Like anger is not being inherently evil emotion, but a useful and powerful tool if controlled.

Or the fact that cute and kind character can be genially terrifying if he want to be.

He has so much compassion, but at the same time he can be relentless and merciless. Yet even here, he knows the price of life and will only resort to killing if literally anything else failed.

He's dedicated and wise, but also too hard on himself.

He's incredibly strong, but this strength is not limitless. Bumblebee must learn to rely on others, that it's okay to be weak, that he doesn't have to be useful in order to live.

This journey is long and full of hardship, but he's not alone and with his friends help he will let himself to make a first step towards healing.

Unpopular opinion:

I would only say that Bee is not bad character and actually can very complex. It's just Hasbro refuses to write him properly, sadly not many ppl see it and explore possibilities.

Oh well, I will have to do it myself then)

Favorite relationship:

I love his relationship with Windblade, like said in her post, it's very Ghibli like and full of love. I also love his relationships with humans! I would say much more, but I'm a bit tired and I don't know where to start.

Also his relationship with Starscream is such fun concept, that I will dive into it in my cont!

Favorite headcanon:

Oh gosh, there are way too many of them, the entire Sparkpusle is build on headcanons and ideas xD