#and everyone was extremely respectful of the crabs

[fingertipsmp3]

Had a dream they made a movie of the Locked Tomb and the actor they cast to play Palamedes was absolutely STACKED and also Camilla had necro ability suddenly? And also there was a tenth house but the inhabitants of it were just crabs

[starleska]

HOWDY HEY FOR ONCE IM THE ONE ASKING A QUESTION!!! I’ve wondered this myself.. but what do you think Nordic’s specific PLANS are after becoming ahem “Grand Imperial Emperor And Most Extreme Bearer Of Awesomeness Who Has Lots Of Friends And Never Has To Hang Out Alone”?

I MEANNN COULD IT REALLY BE THAT BADDDD :33?

Though honestly I’m just so curious! Would he turn humanity all into crabs or hope they like him (like we do already lol)!

OHHH what a great question!!!! 👀👀👀 i think in order to answer this, we have to consider Nordic Bunny's title of 'Ruler of the Galaxy and Nightmare to Humanity'. at the time of the pilot, how much of the galaxy has he actually conquered? is this a title that anyone other than his minions bestow upon him, or is it aspirational? my headcanon is that Nordic Bunny actually isn't that frightening in the grand scheme of things, and that his title is very much one he gave himself 😂 he definitely has conquered at least one planet...perhaps he has a solar system or two, or even dominates a specific arm of the galaxy. but i don't think he really is the grand evil overlord that everyone fears...above all else he wants to be loved and respected, but he's so deranged that he thinks this is the only way he can get it 💔😭 that's his end goal - and i don't think Nordic would know what to do with love and attention if he got it!

i also think that Nordic Bunny isn't really that great at strategising...i think he has lots of lofty goals, and a ridiculous amount of self-confidence, but he hasn't put much thought into the steps needed to genuinely become an evil overlord/dictator/etc. that's why he keeps getting distracted by Shred Force's taunts, and is so fixated on overtaking Earth specifically...he can't take any attack on his ego!! it's possible that Nordic could conquer the galaxy if he wanted, but he's so set on conquering Earth (and so bad at doing exactly that) that he never progresses 🙈

[initiala]

Time for Flags

My “””long awaited””” US state flag rant.

So in the US, state flags can broadly be put into two categories: flags that fuck, and flags that do not fuck. Typically, when you see someone complaining “why do they put their flag on EVERYTHING”, they’re usually from a state that has a flag that does not fuck (or they’re from a “rival” state -- look, the US is a weird amalgamation of microcultures shoved into one trench coat and acting like a single country)

Because the truth is, if the state flag fucks, it deserves to be on everything.

THESE FLAGS FUCK:

THESE FLAGS DO NOT FUCK:

We can also separate them into even further categories: this rules, this should rule more than it does, you tried?, and why haven’t we fixed this yet. 

Some of them I wavered on, because there are some states like Mississippi that had *extremely* racist flags until literally three years ago -- remnants of the rebel Confederacy flags included in the design. And it’s updated! Yay! We’re moving forward! But….. the design leaves me wanting a little more. Then there’s Alabama and Florida -- or rather, “Alabama with a seal in the middle”, still calling to the rebel battle flag in their design, who are all under the “why haven’t we fixed this yet” category. 

What surprises me most about the state flags is how many of them have their own damn name on the flag. Arkansas has little else but it’s name and some stars. Montana’s, Wisconsin’s and Kansas’ names are a third of their own flag.

Before we get into the minor categories, a quick RIP to some flags that were in use, even briefly, before the current roster. Utah’s commemorative flag should have been sworn in as the new state flag, bees rule.

THIS RULES:

Come on. COME ON. These are so immediately recognizable and eye-catching, and that’s what you want in a flag. Alaska’s flag was designed by an orphaned 14-year old Alaskan Native! You’re immediately swallowed by the huge Alaskan sky, hanging out with these immediately recognizable stars.

Wyoming was a surprise choice for me too, since it’s a state seal and most of my negative picks are state seals, but the bison turned everything around. Your state is mostly populated by megafauna, you gotta put the megafauna on the flag.

Hawaii’s inclusion of the United Kingdom’s flag is an excellent middle finger to her incorporation into the US. I was mostly impressed with South Carolina’s long dedication to both the crescent moon and the palm tree, both of which have been incorporated at some point or other throughout its history.

THERE IS A BEAR. ON CALIFORNIA’S FLAG. A BEAR. IT AUTOMATICALLY RULES.

I’ve always loved the simple but bold design in New Mexico’s flag, one of two of the only flags in the US to include Native American symbology. Same with Arizona, it gives you the feeling of a desert sunset.

And Ohio’s is a simple and common design, BUT. It is a non-quadrilateral flag, which it shares with only Nepal as an official civil flag! That automatically elevates it.

Someone in Maryland got drunk and tossed every extra scrap of fabric together to make their flag and I respect that. It’s an eyesore and you’re gonna remember it. Mostly because everyone here has the flag on their car, either as the license plate or as some sticker on the back (usually in the shape of a crab)

THIS SHOULD RULE MORE THAN IT DOES:

Honestly, Louisiana having pelicans rules. But it should rule more. It’s a little… wanting. “Union Justice Confidence”? I mean sure. But when Louisiana has a 60-40 white to black population that gets swapped in its prison systems, while boasting one of the largest prison populations in the entire country…. Does not inspire confidence or a sense of justice. Do better, Louisiana.

As stated before, Mississippi only recently got rid of it’s historically racist flag. Like, way too recently. But they did it, finally, so here we are. It calls back to the state’s first flag with the magnolia blossom, and I really like the shade of dark blue chosen. We did, however, miss out on an option to have the shape of the state carved by the Mississippi river on the flag, and I for one think that one would have ruled more:

I want to like Indiana and Oklahoma more. Oklahoma is the other state, besides New Mexico, to feature Native American symbology, with a Choctaw blue field, an Osage bison-skin shield, and a ceremonial pipe to represent other Plains nations. I think it’s just having the name of the state on the flag that throws me off. And Indiana is just. It’s there. I want to like it so much more, because they’re really trying with the symbology of “19 stars for the 19th state!” but also its name is on there, and much like the state of Indiana itself… it’s fine. It’s just okay.

As for Texas… look, I lived there for five years. Texas has a whole long history with flags, and this is the one they finally ended up with? Seriously, look at the Flag of Texas Wikipedia page and there have been SO MANY (also it’s where the theme park Six Flags gets its name, even though clearly there have been so many more than six flags over Texas) and so many past or proposed ones that look nicer -- I VEHEMENTLY disagree with the North American Vexillological Association ranking Texas in second place. Seriously what??

We should change Texas to these ones, just to piss off Abbott:

YOU TRIED?

Look, these are mostly unoffensive. I know I put Colorado in the large category of “this fucks” but I did say begrudgingly, because at least it’s A Thing. But now we’re getting down into like. Just a state name (ARKANSAS) or seals and stars and just regular US symbology. And yeah, Missouri also has bears on it, but they’re bears for a state seal, like how some later ones have deer or horses, and not just “FUCK YOU WE’RE GRIZZLY BEARS” like California.

Unoffensive, but not really inspiring.

WHY HAVEN’T WE FIXED THIS YET?

And then there’s…. These.

They’re just seals. I know there’s a whole “which state flags show feet or tits” thing, but said feet and tits are TINY. These are your generally uninspiring, bleh flags with just a seal and/or the state’s name. Bonus points now added because we’re seeing some reflect when the state was admitted to the union! But not many bonus points.

Also again, Florida and Alabama harken back to Confederate symbology. Blah blah blah the saltire is actually for the Cross of St Andrew and there’s nothing written down in legislative history about it being a reference to the Confederacy, but both flags have been in use as is since post-Reformation and I get to say what I want on my own damn post. (and the North American Vexillological Association ranked them pretty mid too, so there)

Anyway. These don’t fuck in the least and need jazzed up. Come on, gimme something fun to look at.

SOME HONORABLE MENTIONS:

There’s a lot of other flags for various US territories and Native nations, and some of them are really fun! I have nothing other to say other than “LOOK AT THESE I LIKE THEM”

[gifsbysimplysonia]

Feliz cumpleaños to my favorite lead singer who for some reason is still wearing the American Eagle Dip Dye flannel I bought him in 2018 🥰 that Rafaela threw to Diony who has always been SO kind to me and my friends when it came to a7x. What a run on sentence 😄 And after the cut is way more nonsensical but intensely personal rambling about this dude. You've been warned.

I been a fan of this dude for coming up on 18 years now- wtaf!!!! And for a very nice stretch of time, I was extremely blessed to see him after shows to talk for a minute or three (though to be honest, i was tongue tied most of the time and just 👀 lol).

At that time in my life, people I admired didn't treat me that great. I was constantly looked at or treated in a way that made me extremely self conscious; I was constantly the oldest fan at shows without kids and I've always been fat and not too attractive in the face. Then I'd be meeting musicians or wrestlers I was so excited to be supporting only to have them act like it was a chore to take a photo with me or keep a distance when doing so...only to hug and smile and be super enthused when moving onto the skinny pretty fans next in line. My self esteem was non existent.

Then I met this dude for the first time, on a sunny warm day in April 2006, Houston Texas. He waved me and my friend across the street, signed our stuff, was fine to take photos with us, and when it was my turn he put his arm around me without hesitation. That one tiny gesture that I'm betting he didn't think about at all meant so much to me. All he did was treat me like he treated everyone else (which I saw that night after the show as he was the only one from the band to come to the group of fans waiting around, and he signed all the things and took so many photos), and something in my heart shifted a bit. Spesh after I looked down and realized he was barefoot? Dude stood there for 4 or 5 minutes, in bare feet, on warm concrete as he signed stuff and took pics before he went onto his bus. Liiiiiiike....

After that, every run in was the same or better as his behavior remained consistently kind and respectful. For me and my friends, Shadows became a kind of unofficial mascot cuz if we didn't see any of his band mates after a show, we seemed to always see him. He always was attentive to whomever was speaking to him, and even when it was the same question for the one millionth time (when are you gonna scream again?!?! 🙄), he would patiently answer. Dude constantly made time for fans, and even in the more recent years when the band wasn't touring, he has demonstrated that he cares A LOT about fans and wants to try and give them the best experience possible (even if they fight him tooth and nail).

I haven't had the pleasure of seeing him face-to-face since April 2011 and to be an absolute brat for a moment 😫😫😫 But my 2 besties got to meet the band when their last album, The Stage, was released. I think October 2016 but, like, don't quote me cuz I'm the worst with dates if they aren't on my list, ha. There were meet n greets in NY and LA; @psycholunatics went to NY and @jillybean1217 went to LA and both had wonderful experiences. I'm always grateful when my besties are treated like the Queens that they are🙏🏼🙏🏼

Back in January 2018, my friend at the time Rafaela went with me to a show in Green Bay Wisconsin despite not being a fan of the band (forever grateful to her for helping me drive AND for being the one to use her magic to make stuff happen, as she did for me CONSTANTLY in life). Thanks to her, the American Eagle Dip Dye flannel I bought him - cuz his other ones at the time looked wrecked:

Got into the hands of their tour manager. And IMAGINE MY ELATION AND DISBELIEF when HE WORE IT THE NEXT DANG NIGHT?!?!? From my IG post at the time it happened:

I'm cringe and I know that. But, like, joy? Is so difficult to find so when I find it, I have a habit of clinging to it like a crab. Cuz it often seems to come out of nowhere, so randomly, and for SO LONG I believed myself to be a person who wasn't WORTHY of good things happening to them, or who was conditioned by how I was treated to think I wasn't WORTHY of basic respect. And honestly, this dude is just someone who has been SO consistently kind and things he had NO CLUE would mean anything to me (like wearing this shirt) would happen & hit me at times in life I really needed a pick-me-up or reminder that there is good in the world.

Since January 2018, my friends and I have spotted the flannel out in the world 13 times, with the 13th being JUST LAST WEEK at a show in Canada. I will forever be impressed with Shadows actually keeping and wearing stuff til he can't wear it anymore (that white Metallica tee? Who knows which one I mean? 😄) AND I will forever shake my head in disbelief anytime I see him wearing this American Eagle Dip Dye flannel cuz like....🥰

Here's wishing him the happiest of birthdays, sending him gratitude for the person that he is and the extreme generosity he's shown myself and my friends repeatedly, and hopes for him receiving all of the good he sends to so many other people 🙏🏼💜

Happy Birthday and thank you for everything, M Shadows 🎊🎉🎂🥳

[astro-wrld1]

Findings

On the day of Wednesday April 21st, 2024 we had the opportunity to present our findings to a variety of different. STARS stands for student arts and research symposium. This presentation had a variety of different students and professors that were supporting their students work. Everyone had an opportunity to present and share their findings. It was surprising to me that there was that many people able to present at once instead of turn based presentations. The venue was a little confusing and had 3 people to one board. It's extremely interesting that we had such a diverse spread of information in such a compact area. Being able to interact with students of other majors was the most fun for me. I had interacted with a multitude of other presenters and learned that everyone was extremely welcoming. The organizers were also kind enough to offer beverages and food to those presenting. Thanks to those who organized the event and gave all the students chances to share something they're passionate about.

Before starting my presentation I had to find my way to the venue. I was across campus about 5 minutes before starting due to my unpreparedness. I hadn't been to RSU and was convinced that it was Burnell Hall. After zooming across campus I had to quickly set up my poster on the bulletin boards provided. I had come in with wrong information about where my board would be located so I mistakingly accused someone of stealing my spot. After clearing up the mishaps I set up my poster and was ready to present. During the course of my presentation I had a ton of different people approach me. Two of these people happened to be really close friends that were also presenting that day. It was interesting because they didn't take the same course as me however we were able to present at the same event. The stARS event was very diverse and inclusive having all types of majors. Another person that had approached me was another professor on campus named Thayaparan Paramanathan. He informed me of an offer on campus during the summer to do research regarding your major. After discussing more with him I have come to find out that you can be payed as well for the research you provide. I am gonna meet with him later this week to discuss more, but I am extremely grateful for his information and assistance. The rest of the presentation was very laid back. Everyone who approached was extremely respectful of the work you put into their posters. Fortunately I was well informed enough to answer any questions that people had.

My poster included information about the M1, M82, and M42. These three galaxies were all worked on by me throughout the semester. The Crab Nebula was the very first Nebula I had the opportunity to edit. This base line was established in order to help our class understand the basics of editing photos such as brightness adjustment, Colorizing, and stacking the photos. The first picture was obviously different from what the Nebula should like, but that is due to in-experience. After finishing The Crab Nebula, I moved onto the M82(Crab Nebula). The Crab Nebula we got more into depth regarding the process of obtaining the pictures we stack. While obtaining the pictures there is a lengthy process that involved using a separate program called MaxIm DL. This helpful application calibrated images that we hadn't known existed. These were the flats and darks that the main images were made of. We calibrated the flats using the darks. Then stacked the flats on top of one another in order to get the main photos. After getting the full process I worked on the Pleiades. This was the final photo that I had spent my time editing and was the one that took the longest. After finding out the proper way to make these photos I took it upon myself to do my absolute best and try and replicate the process. It was my best looking photo as the cluster is usually pretty bland anyway. I also had nailed the brightness while editing the original photos.

Ultimately this class has taught me a lot regarding not only the galaxy but editing as a whole. With the introduction of GIMP I now have access to a free editing software. I can use this not only while editing for My professor, but I can now edit personal photos as well. MaxIM DL won't be of use unfortunately, because the application is so confusing to me even now. We stayed in a very specific part of the software and wasn't able to explore much. I will continue to get better overtime as I have gained an interest in it. It's very interesting that you can take a class you don't expect to like and end up falling in love with it. Originally I was hesitant to take this class as I didn't understand the topic or know anyone. However I am very happy that I ended up following through. I have met a lot of amazing people and gained experience that I wouldn't have before. The knowledge that I gained in this class will continue to be useful to me as I take pictures for friends and edit them. I also will occasionally be taking pictures of the sky knowing that there is a much more lengthy process to getting the correct color and image shown.

[lordadmiralfarsight]

Well, that was painful to read, specifically because it's true.

The topic of my Master's degree was marketing, and I did my Master's paper on tribal marketing, so I have opinions on that. @three--rings you wonder why corporations fail to interact correctly with fandoms ? Well, that falls directly into what is called tribal marketing, that is the use of marketing techniques to interact, cooperate and coordinate with a community of interests centered on a product, intellectual property, value, etc ... Basically, almost anything can be the focus of an internet community (or "tribe") and, if it's related to a product, the company selling the product can use tribal marketing to enhance it's standing and, if it's used correctly, cooperate with the consummers to better answer their needs.

Problem : Apple. Why is Apple a problem in this specific context ? Because study of their marketing strategy basically created the concept of Tribal Marketing and as a result it's almost all you can see. And Apple's tribal marketing strategy is, frankly speaking, ruthlessly exploitative. New Iphone on the reg, outrageous prices, threat of loss of status if the New Thing isn't acquired, etc. It's not the case for the entire community, mind you, but the Apple community has some extremely toxic elements, and as those elements are the most profitable, they are the most studied, too. Once again, profit over longevity.

And there is the sticking point : Apple's tribal marketing strategy works for a status symbol, something that you are willing to put cash in to look good and acquire respectability and social status. Anime or series or viedo-games memorabilia and clothing and other side products are NOT status symbols. Oh, there are exceptions, like in the most rancid otaku incellish communities where everyone has a self-esteem burried so deep into the ground that the only thing giving even a modicum of status is whether you have the exclusive ultra-limited rare exceptional bikini asuka statuette that cost 50$ to make and was paid 1500$. But that's the exception, the rule is that those side products aren't status symbols, and as such people aren't as willing to put in loads of cash.

And due to this difference, Western corporations don't apply that strategy and don't particularly look for an alternative tribal marketing strategy. Because they can't form a cult with violent bucket-of-crab social dynamics to force mass consumption. And this relates to an issue I've seen when looking at marketing strategies : corporations ape the winning strat, but most often stop at the surface elements.

We all know the red flag on job offers, "here we like to have fun" (lmao), or "we have a foosball/equivalent game in our breakroom" (see that shit never get used). But why did these clichés first appear ? Because a company genuinely implemented them and got success out of it. the foosball thing started because a company decided that it was a good idea to give break time and comfort and avenues of fun to their employees, and got positive results in return. So clearly it had to be emulated. But doing an in-depth change is too hard and costly, and all those breaks can't be good for the bottom line, clearly it's the mere presence of the foosball table. "We are a familly" started with bosses that genuinely treated their employee like familly members, gave them breaks as needed, was accomodating when kids had problems, etc ... but that lowers productivity and cash inflow, so clearly the action isn't what works, it must be the incantation.

It's like that, all the way down. Monkey see, monkey do, but monkey no understand. Monkey only see $ signs. Monkey no thought about complicated stuff. It's frankly baffling that people trained in such complex matters, that can show such intelligence sometimes, and have genuine skills in analysis can be so fucking moronic and goddam blind.

So, why do they not try to foster a good relation with their communities ? Because their Model of tribal marketing does not apply, and they don't have the time/energy/commitment/interest in creating their own model. And also, far too often, because the higher ups aren't interesting in a new model, they want a get-rich-quick scheme that rewards their stock market gambles, as you rightly identified.

Stock markets take so much room in Western strategic business thinking that everything ends up going back to it, and as it demands growth with as low risks as possible, well, all anyone can do is feebly ape the winning strats, because more risks would not go over well. The white collar could get punished severely or even fired, the CEO could loose his precious bonus, some connections and the chance to get an even bigger pay in another company, and the shareholder could fail to see his number go up.

Meanwhile, the Chinese model is far less constrained, in part because their capitalist market is still extremely young, and thus far less ossified. Mind you, it has its own downsides, like the many scandals about using dangerous chemicals, etc ...

So, in conclusion, the reason why Western companies seem so shit at actually getting the money they claim to want is a complex mix monkey-see-monkey-do approach with no added reflexion, a stock-market focused way of managing companies focused on reducing risk and increasing profit (AKA Excel-sheet-management), plain laziness and smug self-assured shortsightedness.

And if you reached the end of this rant, congratulations ! Have a cookie, you deserve it.

The thing I can't help thinking about in the wake of yet another preemptive TV show murder, is how terribly BAD these execs are at Making Money!

Like, okay, you have a show with great word of mouth and a loyal and passionate fanbase...

Do you make that show available to be paid for all over the world? No. If people outside the US want it, they can pirate it I guess.

Do you give people the opportunity to pay you twice by releasing physical copies?

No.

Do you merchandise the FUCK out of this property you own, that was the most popular new fandom on AO3 for a year?

No. Oh wait, after a year they released a couple T-shirts.

Being in Chinese fandoms has forever changed my idea of what actual people who want your money look like. Trying to watch a Chinese show? Cool, there's a partner to take your subscription fee for wherever you are in the world and episodes are released same day in most cases.

Want merch? Good cause you're going to get literally every type of possible merch from cheap plastic stuff to fashion lines and fine jewelry and candles and books and soundtracks and collector's editions, and it will keep coming for years and years.

Like, how do these people think Star Wars makes money? It's not tickets or Disney + subscriptions. It's fucking merch.

You could have SO MUCH MONEY if you wanted to actually make it. But what you want isn't money, it's Amorphous Cool Points you can turn into temporary stock increases and a better CEO job.

These networks have no interest in building fandoms and properties that continue to rake in cash over time. They just want to keep rolling the dice until they suddenly get a lightning strike of the biggest show in the world, and if it doesn't happen they lose interest.

And fewer and fewer people watch their new shows because they know it'll be two seasons and then cancelled unfinished like every other fucking thing.

These people are SO BAD AT CAPITALISM and it OFFENDS ME.

[savieem]

This month is really a month of extreme emotions. My team and I are so busy for our upcoming event. Every meeting is so drilling. People are so impossible with their attitudes and most of the time its challenging my evil inner self. And I so hate it because I know as much as I'm trying I will and don't want to be that kind of person. I grew up with full of patient and taught to "understand first before you want to be understood" that's what I do all the time. But somehow, lately, I've realized not everyone deserved to be treated right because if you will just keep bowing on someone’s own desire and not being their mirror. They will just keep on trying to boil your temper until to your top limit. Until you’ve had enough and you become their own mirror. I feel guilty naman showing the attitude but you know maybe its adulting showing us sometimes it’s okay to show were just human being triggered and that doesn’t mean you’re a bad one. Just showing others what they deserved and being their own karma. These past few months also taught me, no matter how much education you received, no matter how your rank is so high than others. If you can’t be humane to others, your education is nothing compare to a trash not being recycled just ruining the beauty of the world. It’s useless. I understand that some officials are also pressured to prove their positions but is it understandable that order to prove this you need to be a crab that pull other down (even you know you’re wrong) just to prove you’re the greatest among others? Ranks and titles if used more than it served to be does not deserved to be respected. If that’s the case I rather be a simple citizen of the community and die this way than to face the heaven being the unhuman person alive.

[talisidekick]

Hi! It is me again! Please tell Watch that she is perfect and I love her and I am glad she is doing better! My cats say hi to her (and to you)! Please give her a pat/kiss on the head for me.

Thank you very much for the catear help! :)

Thank you even more for the gender paragraph! It is really great and awesome and amazing and the best and thank you so so much!!!

And again: you look extremely pretty and cute and feminine and cool and yay! When I imagine model photos (though I almost never look at or imagine them (and imagining them is far more common)) what I imagine is pretty close to your photos with a different background and probably also filter. Maybe a different pose too. Also no catears, but in my opinion the cat ears are a marked improvement so that's an extra point for you! Keep being awesome and great! (Also if you told me you were finished with HRT, I'd believe you)

:)

^@^

Answering in order!

Watch is back to being her usual Queen-like self. She eats a little slower now, so I have to run protection so the other cats don't steal her food. But she's back to being all snuggly and playful.

I hope the catear advice pans out for you! I never thought I'd be an advocate for the production and use of catears as an accessory but ... it's a thing now.

I hope my advice on gender helps? Everyone has their own journey so don't just take mine alone.

Thank you for the compliments, but I'm only 2 years in, going on my third as of June 29th so ... supposedly 7 more years of HRT if the science is correct! Not done yet though, but I'm ... glad you think I look so good. ♥

Wait ... did I miss crab day?

The crabs thing is just a tumbler April Fools joke, I think, where you could summon crabs, but it came back because people liked it for some specific reason. I wasn't on tumblr at the time this happened so I'm not an expert! But once Twitter started burning the checkmarks were added and now you can send people crabs to assault their dash if they wish.

Rambling is fine. I do it often on my own streams.

Absolutely! Just be respectful, but I don't mind answering most questions that are polite. If you're rude, I will just delete the ask and pretend it never existed.

HEARTS! ♥♥♥♥♥

Compliments are always appreciated. I was just surprised I'm already that far along. I have self image issues so what you said was a huge boost to my confidence. So thank you again!

Okay, I think I got all of them! Also, Watch gave me a confused look at the head kiss, don't think I've ever done that to her before.

[jorob702]

Our zodiac sign is the Crab for a reason. We give more than we receive and take more than we need to. It's simultaneously our gift and our curse. We love hard and care deeply because we are beautiful, but the most misunderstood people. We are the Ocean, vast and infinite, but yet to unlock the hidden treasure within ourselves. The very fact that we go so hard for our loved ones, including our external relationships is what makes us unique. No one will truly understand the depths of a CANCERIANS love except for the creator and the cancer itself. Never be ashamed or discouraged for loving or caring the way you do because it is our TRUEST strength, but it is also our GREATEST weakness. We have to learn to establish boundaries and those who want us to be a part their lives, to RESPECT them. That includes everyone, internal relationships, immediate family, or external relationships. Our feelings as CANCERIANS are strong, but they are fragile. Those who handle us should be warned ahead of time to HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE. #MyOpinion Be blessed! #cancer #cancerian #crabnation #zodiac ♋️🦀 https://www.instagram.com/p/Co0AJNNJ80i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[waywardsalt]

figured id write run downs of each of them lol

elden ring valwynd: tarnished fighting everything that moves because she's bored. her past is fuzzy but she does have recollections of fighting in some civil war in samurai garb and is really just stoked to be able to keep fighting without permanently dying. dropped the whole samurai thing the moment she got her hands on two straight swords and is probably emotionally attached to her bloody broadsword and crystal sword. delved lightly into magic but didn't really commit. lesbian, probably got her hair braided by roderika, not sure where she got the eyepatch. pledged loyalty to ranni without a second thought. her vision in her left eye is very cloudy and the skin around it is very sensitive to touch and the wind. more or less hunting down every worthwhile fight in the lands between but feels a great deal of respect for each opponent at the end of everything. joined volcano manor so she could fight more people because she was bored. really enjoys her time in the lands between despite the copious amounts of murder. probably has a masochistic streak. has contracted the scarlet rot several times because who give a shit it goes away when she dies anyways. uses random herbs and plants she’s picked up to ‘season’ the prawn and crab she buys from big boggart. absolutely falling in love with malenia over the course of her many attempts and mixing it up with her admiration for her fighting style and prowess.

d&d valwynd: lawful evil wood elf rogue assassin. currently at level 20, max dexterity, intelligence, and wisdom, quick thinking and quick reflexes, skilled in a variety of things including utilizing their rapier to ward off attacks. ideally wishes to sulk in the shadows and charge out for a strong single attack and return to those shadows. enby regent of minding their business, if it sucks hit da bricks unless they’re in especially deep shit or it would cause a new problem to leave. probably would love to be in bloodborne, gets a borderline euphoric reaction to murder and takes abject pleasure from inflicting pain and shedding blood, especially the latter. despises being the center of attention and generally does not give a shit about other people unless they serve a purpose. greatly comfortable and familiar in natural areas, but also enjoys the chaos of urban locations- plus, they can get paid to kill someone in urban locations. doesn’t think hard about their own sexuality and if they start to think that they’re attracted to someone it becomes a strong motivator to kill the object of that attraction because they are not interested and likely not equipped to manage their own emotions at around 250 years old. valwynd is their ‘professional’ name and not their real name.

bloodborne valwynd: little bit of a nervous shaking wet cat, the wetness caused by blood while he drags himself whimpering through early yharnam. extremely foggy memories of his past, mostly just knows that his childhood was a troubled one. when his adrenaline kicks in he can find himself somewhat enjoying fights but overestimates just how fast… most things are. not necessarily upset by killing people, more upset by how much of a nightmare yharnam seems to be. everyone is so mean to him. he’s probably going to discover things about himself the further he goes. he’s likely already starting to suspect things after the father gascoigne fight. hates being so wet and cold all of the time. not particularly afraid of the dark, more extremely paranoid about something jumping out at him. he whines about the way the water reeks in the city’s canals and complains about how gross his clothes are going to get while he cuts through a crowd of rotted corpses. just about every time he finds the doll sleeping, he worries that something may be wrong with her. he thinks the messengers are really cute and makes a point to frequently thank them. he’s good with repairing and upgrading his tools. he’s more afraid of contracting regular rabies than whatever actual affliction is plaguing the city.

i do think its fun that my elden ring, bloodborne, and favorite dnd character all have the same name and are all very different people

[thezoraprince]

Prince Sidon meeting your parents for the first time

Okay, you know I have a BIG crush on this handsome shark prince (who doesn't, honestly). That is all.

Asking King Dorephan for permission to take Sidon to meet your family was top priority 

But you didn’t actually think he’d say yes

Telling Sidon feels so surreal 

And he definitely doesn’t believe you, so he asks his father himself

You both pack as light as you can

Because it’s a long trek to Hateno Village (though it is the closest village to Zora’s Domain)

The children are so sad to see you leave, but they know you’ll be back in a couple weeks with lots of trinkets for them

Sidon is extremely nervous about traveling

And every moment you get, you’re sure to hold his hand, for... emotional support

You’re the one hunting game and finding fruits/vegetables for dinner

And he’s the one catching fish, crabs, and snails

Every day is a new experience 

You teach him how to use a bow 

And he makes the trip faster by letting you sit on his back while he swims across all the bigger streams of water

When you get tired from all the walking, he carries you on his back

At some point, you both decide it’s time to settle down for the night

He holds you close, and he tells you the favorite parts about the day you’ve had together

You both fall asleep tangled in each other’s arms

When you FINALLY reach Hateno Village, everyone is so excited to see you

Before going to see your family, you decide to take Sidon to every shop to meet the owners

They absolutely adore him

But of course they’re asking questions on why you’re dating a Zora

And Sidon wins them over with a smile

“How could I not be with the most beautiful person in all of Hyrule?”

You make your way to your childhood home, leaving Sidon with the shop owners, to have a quick talk with your parents before they meet him

“So, a couple things… please treat him with the utmost respect.”

Upon meeting Sidon, they are more than confused

“What do you do?”

“Being the Zora Prince, I have a lot of duties within the domain.”

“I’m sorry… Prince?”

Your parents being astounded that you’ve landed royalty

Sidon and your father get along very well

But your mother is having a hard time warming up to the idea of you two together

As you're helping your mother with dinner, your father is sharing so many stories with Sidon about when you were little

And boy does he LOVE to hear them

After dinner, you’re both ready for bed (and extremely happy to be sleeping in a bed)

Of course he has to ask you about all of the things your father told him

“Did you really set hot-footed frogs loose in the kitchen?”

Quiet conversations that go on for what feels like hours

“Do you have an idea of when your mother will warm up to me?”

“I’m sure my father’s speaking to her about it right now.”

And eventually falling asleep with his arms wrapped around you

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Xiao

CR 2

Chaotic Neutral Tiny Magical Beast

Bestiary 5, pg. 284

Inquisitive, friendly, and flighty, the Xiao are winged monkeys found in Chinese myth on Earth and at the forests surrounding the base of mountains on Golarion. When one thinks ‘flying monkeys with fire powers,’ one can usually land on one of two scenarios: mischievous pyromaniacs, or terrors of the skies that can pick whole villages of people down to the bone. Realistically, any ape or ape-adjacent creature should be treated with completely justifiable caution by people who want to keep all their limbs attached (especially on Golarion, where even seemingly mundane apes can be the herald of something else), but in this extremely specific case, overt caution can slide and anxieties can be put to rest.

Scarcely ever more than a foot tall, Xiao are omnivorous little beasties that nibble on whatever nuts and berries they can get ahold of, but they’re no stranger to catching and eating smaller animals, even catching fish, crabs, and digging up shellfish if needed. However, as Magical Beasts, they possess a bit more intelligence than a common ape, up to and including crafting and using tools to feed themselves, build shelters, and make fire. I find it charming that the book states Xiao are motivated by a love of cuisine and a drive to taste the exotic, being adventurous eaters who rarely ever eat their meals raw, using their 3/day Spark to create small fires to cook their foods over and creating brand new dishes. Endlessly experimental and adorably willing to learn, human civilizations bordering Xiao territory may find the tiny creatures alighting on their windows, watching them cook and learning from them as they do. They can even understand Common!

Infinitely curious of the human creations of flour and sugar, many pantries in forest towns can find themselves raided by the dexterous little apes, their +8 to Disable Device checks usually making short work of whatever locks are in place as they run off with whatever flour sacks and sugar boxes they can carry. I have the image in my head of the little creatures attempting to bake little loaves of bread and sweetened pancakes to varying degrees of success, which is what made me want to introduce everyone to them in the first place. These little buggers are good atmospheric monsters, rather than threats... but don’t think they can’t be threatening. While their CCB attack won’t likely kill anything but a Commoner that’s already been knocked out (their bite deals 1d4-3 damage, their claws 1d3-3), they have Burning Hands 3/day to deal 3d4 Fire damage to everything in a 15ft cone, which can be startling for anyone who sees this tiny pixie-like monkey and expects only painful bites or flung dung.

Don’t forget, however, that Xiao can use tools. This includes weapons if needed; whether created from wood or stone or stolen from homes, Xiao can use their Weapon Finesse feat to give them a shot with whatever they can get their hands on. They have +1d6 Sneak Attack, meaning if they manage to get the drop on someone (like from above), they can do a surprising amount of damage for such a small creature! ... for like, one round anyway. Strike fast to send a message, then fly away.

Xiao aren’t especially dangerous in direct combat, even with their tool use and flaming spell-likes, but those very same fires make them extremely dangerous if offended. With an Int of 7 and a noted tendency to hold grudges, Xiao that are offended, attacked, or who witness members of their colony being mistreated may use their ability to start fires and dart away on their colorful wings (30ft Fly speed!) to cause outbreaks of arson against the offenders and steal away things far more valuable than just food. 

Live in peace with them, and they will with you. Some Xiao, in fact, can form close bonds with people who respect them (and share their food) in a manner akin to friends or even siblings. If that person happens to be a caster of 7th level or higher, they can even mystically bond with them to become a Familiar! And suddenly, the world has to be on the lookout of a tiny, highly-intelligent flying monkey with access to scrolls, wands, magic weapons, and Thieves Tools.

You can read more about them here.

[roach-works]

a haphazard explanation of blaseball

SO YOU SAW PEOPLE FLIPPING OUT ABOUT NIGHTMARE SPORTS ON TWITTER and you’re like, okay, what the heck? 

what the heck is right. it doesn’t get less weird, but it does get more fun. 

disclaimer: im tired and don’t feel like digging up a lot of links so some of this could be somewhat inaccurate. 

BLASEBALL started a couple months ago, and it started out small. it was mostly of interest to statistics nerds and sports fans looking for something to poke at while regular baseball was cancelled. but then the ttrpg nerds found it, and some writers and game designers started noticing how interesting it was, and people started developing lore around the players, which attracted fanartists and ficcers, and now there’s a thriving discord community and an FAQ and a wiki and a score of twitter rp accounts, and the fandom is where the party’s really at, generating an astonishingly intricate meta/paranarrative in tandem with the core site. 

but what IS blaseball? how do you play? how do you even get started?

well, the mechanics of the game are, on the face of it, very simple and kind of boring. this is because it’s not a baseball simulator, it’s a sports fan simulator. the actual ‘players’ are randomly generated entities with deranged names like jessica telephone and boyfriend monreal, and (somewhat) random playing stats. however, like real life, there are no mechanisms for fans to directly affect the players as they play their games against each other. the blaseball servers run all the math, while you sit back and watch. 

the website is simple and mostly text-based. you, a splorts fan, bet on the outcome of games using coins, which can’t be bought with real world money (though if you run out you can beg the gods for a little more). there are 20 teams who play 99 games in a season, which runs from monday to friday, with playoffs on saturday. once you win enough coins, you can buy votes. 

we—the fans—vote on sunday, and this is where it gets fun: the blessings and decrees we vote for affects the rules of the games for the following season. each season has thus been significantly more deranged than the one before.  

decrees change the rules of play for everyone, while blessings confer singular advantages to players and teams. a decree might be ‘add a fifth base’, while a blessing could be ‘fireproof jacket that renders a player invulnerable to incineration by rogue umpires’.  

blessing votes work like raffle tickets, so factions of fans that all vote to get a blessing for their team gain a statistical—but not guaranteed—advantage over other voters. this is good, because some teams have way more fans than others. everyone’s been hating on the crabs lately because they had a good season a week or two ago and a lot of fans. 

however, heckling, trolling, and griefing fans of other teams is considered extremely against the spirit of blaseball, and is always shut down fast. everyone is here to have a good time, and the vast majority of fans enthusiastically adhere to ideals of good splortsmanship, collaboration, and mutual respect. we all desperately want to have a good time and get along with each other, and in my opinion we’re doing a darn good job of it. 

back to history: the first decree after the first week opened the book of forbidden knowledge, letting us see a partial set of rules for the game of blaseball. it also released rogue umpires that sometimes incinerate players during games with ‘solar eclipse’ weather. the second decree introduced peanuts, as something you could buy and eat on the website, as well as a mysterious and somewhat malevolent peanut god, the ‘lots of birds’ weather, and peanut allergies in some players. season three’s decree to grant the players interviews led to the ‘idols’ mechanism, where you could chose a player to idolize and gain coins when they scored, and a ranked idols leaderboard that has kicked off an epic saga of defiance against the blaseball gods. 

there’s a lot of lore. there’s been a lot of incinerations, peanuts shenanigans, human and taco sacrifices, and now we have a giant squid from some kind of nether dimension hanging around. season eight promises to be even crazier. 

in the end, blaseball is a horror game, by the developers’ own admission. there’s chaos and ominous portents and puzzles we’ve repeatedly failed and a hell of a lot of incinerated players. it invites fans’ attempts to gain control or even understanding, but it doesn’t make it easy. it’s about having fun in the middle of confusion and fear and loss, and about making whatever meaning we can out of the chaos. 

it’s blaseball. it’s pointless. it’s weird. it’s incredibly fun. 

come and play. 

[sophieinwonderland]

hey! we wanna add a mixed origin (trauma based) system to the list of reasons why endo systems aren’t monsters!

start of story:

so, prior to our last therapy session, we’ve been identifying as endogenic. when we first found out about our plurality, we thought we were endo cuz we thought our trauma wasn’t “bad enough”, like sysmeds say.

we had an amazing time in the endo community because they were so accepting of all origins. as we started to figure out that we were most likely trauma based, we were scared.

we were scared because we didn’t want to be associated with the sysmeds who told us our trauma wasn’t bad enough.

all in all,

the only thing that sysmeds do while “trying to make endo’s realize they’re actually traumagenic”, is scaring people away. all that sysmeds do it hurt people.

i fucking hate sysmeds for all the hate they give endo’s and making trauma based systems scared to id that way.

sysmeds can suck our balls

also here’s a permit crab :3

and i genuinely thank you (sophie) for battling sysmeds and giving other systems more info. thank you so much /gen /pos

LOL! (at the crab)

Thanks for the addition and the support!

Just tossing this out there, but the endogenic and traumagenic labels were coined by an endogenic system. The term "traumagenic" isn't an anti-endo word. They don't own the label. If you'd like to identify as traumagenic, don't let anyone scare you away or make you feel like that label doesn't fit just because you aren't a part of their clique. If your system formed from trauma, you have as much right to that terminology as they do.

One thing I want to note is that trauma is highly personal. Everyone has different thresholds for trauma and not everyone is affected the same way by the same events. No one has a right to tell someone else what is or isn't traumatic for them. And this goes in both directions.

A couple days ago in the syscourse tag, I saw an anti-endo basically say that if you experienced any sort of neurodivergency, disability or isolation then you're automatically traumatized. The next, I see someone dismissively replying to someone who had formed a system to cope with isolation with "U DIDN’T SPLIT BC UR MOMMY AND DADDY TOOK YOUR PHONE ONCE FOR 3 HOURS," suggesting that isolation can't be traumatizing at all, further pushing the "your trauma isn't bad enough" narrative.

Both of these instances are making the same exact mistakes in completely different directions. Trauma isn't a bad thing that happens to you. Trauma is the emotional response to a bad thing that happens to you. And those emotional responses are extremely subjective and personal.

These polar opposite viewpoints are both rooted in this same toxic mentality, thinking that they can know what's going on in someone else's head better than they do. Both are trying to dictate the personal experiences of others.

I think in the same way we preach that plurality is different for everyone, it's equally important to preach that trauma is different for everyone. If someone says something traumatized them that you wouldn't find traumatizing to yourself, believe them. Likewise, if someone says they weren't traumatized by their experiences, they probably know. (Or, at least, aren't ready to deal with their trauma at that point.)

I just think this basic level of respect for people to know what's going on in their own brain is lacking from a lot of syscourse right now, and that's sad.

[lukasspookas]

My Linked Universe headcanons that are DEFINITELY NOT just me projecting

Time:

Has trouble seeing himself as an actual person, often feels like he's living someone else's life

Loves to sing, sneaks it in wherever he can, much to either the delight or annoyance of the rest of the chain

Plays the guitar, likes to duet with Malon

Has suppressed his emotions so much for so long he has trouble fully feeling them

Dissociates a lot, relates to Wild with this as well as shared trauma over involuntary time travel and permanent loss of certain life experiences and feeling as though they were "too late"

Makes a lot of those "Dad Grunts" where he makes a sound every time he even slightly exerts himself

Speaks fairy language, sometimes has secret little conversations with Hyrule that no one else gets

Feels responsible for everyone, as though he has to protect and defend each and every one of them despite the fact they are all quite capable

Talks to animals a lot, has that in common with Twilight and Hyrule

Got his armor engraved by the Gorons as a gift for helping them

Twilight

Allergic to cats but doesn't care

Has horrible handwriting, writes emo poems about Midna, shared them with Shad once who loved his writing and encouraged him to keep it up

Cannot. Dance.

Will growl at you like that one furry kid in middle school

Really awkward relationship with Zelda, never knows what to say because their only shared experiences are their relationship with Midna and traumatic experiences with Ganondorf and Zant

Very much an older brother sort to Wild and Wind especially

Talks to animals a lot, especially cats, goats, dogs, birds, and bugs

Herds the others like a sheepdog (shocker!)

Not very fond of social interaction, much much much prefers books and animals

Kids either think he is really cool or terrifying, either way it's a confidence boost

Sky

Taps his fingers, flaps his hands, and stims a lot when he's happy

Speaks eloquently until he stutters and his voice cracks horribly and he gets flustered

Loves simple but nice things, especially handmade things, really gets along with Four because of their shared love of handmade goods

Has ADHD, spaces out a lot

Loves feeling cozy, bundles up at every opportunity

Tends to think his problems aren't as important as the others'

Has athsma and terrible stamina, can't run for more than a few seconds

Feels obligated to fix and help everything because he feels like every thing bad in the others' lives is his fault

Sleep is his go-to coping mechanism

All of his dreams are about Sun, some are fluffy and sweet, others are dark and disturbing

Has OCD, does a lot of rituals like counting and having to fold all his clothes a specific way

Feels happiest when he's helping others

Wind

Can accidentally be very loud when he gets excited during a conversation

Can't tell the difference between a lobster and a crab

ADHD to the max

Surprisingly good at giving advice (he is a big brother after all)

Loves spending time with the others, but feels guilty for taking up their time

Passionate about a lot of things that he never really gets the chance to talk about, tends to overshare accidentally

Feels like he's annoying to the others, which is quickly reacted to with reassurance and kindness

Hates dry air with a passion

Very respectful to the elderly unless they're jerks

Four

Middle child syndrome, very good at solving problems

Overly critical of himself, never satisfied with his own work

Can't eat anything even remotely spicy (thinks bell peppers, cinnamon, and some cheeses are spicy, which Wild finds ridiculous)

Has a special interest in smithing and swordsmanship, knows everything there is to know about metal and weapons

Makes gifts for the others all the time

Eats lots of little snacks throughout the day as opposed to a few large meals

Embroiders his clothing as a coping mechanism for stress

Has OCD, constantly checking to make sure his swords aren't broken or rusted, won't step on cracks in the dirt or road, has to sheath his sword a certain amount of time

Really bad tinnitus caused by the colors constantly buzzing in his brain, likes to listen to Time sing and Sky play the harp to cope

Warriors

Feels bad for the others because of how unlucky they are and how underappreciated they were, has some guilt over the hero worship he received

Goes out of his way to make sure others know they're appreciated and important

Always on edge, can't relax, always anticipating the next fight anxiously

Doesn't know anything outside of war and battle

Treats others kindly because making others happy makes him feel confident and happy

Has anxiety over measuring up to the expectations of being "The Hero" and "The Captain," acts confident because he thinks it'll make him confident

Doesn't care for rich or sweet foods

Always giving the others advice and compliments in order to make sure they feel appreciated

Legend

Emotionally distant with the others because he's lost so many people that he doesn't want to get too attached for fear of losing them too

Wishes he didn't care as much about the others as he does

Swears a lot, often in other languages

Gives the others "anonymous" gifts (everyone knows it's him, they just don't say anything)

Severely touch starved but also scared of physical contact

Hates the sound of his own voice, wishes and often imagines he had a voice like Sky or Time but would never admit it

Loves sweets

Can tell you an extensive story about every single item in his collection

He collects items because he's been on so many adventures that without souvenirs he fears he would forget them altogether

Likes doing art but thinks all his art is bad

Will not tolerate self deprecating comments, aggressive positivity

Allergic to flowers

Wild

Extreme insomnia, scared if he sleeps he will wake up with no memory again

Not great at emotional vulnerability, but will always try to be there for the others when he can, even if he doesn't know exactly what to say

Wants to try everything because he is afraid of truly dying and losing the opportunity to do so, makes the most of every moment

Loves colors and sounds, tries to appreciate every little detail of life that he can

Asks a lot of questions, doesn't want to miss anything

Keeps a journal for fear of forgetting things again

Utterly and completely tone deaf, can't sing or play any instrument whatsoever

Despite this, quite likes music as it eases his tinnitus, sustained from his injuries from 100 years ago

Doesn't really understand gender or sexuality, doesn't use labels for himself

Loves architecture, takes pictures of it whenever he can, wants to become an architect to help rebuild his world

Hyrule

Easily drained by social interaction but enjoys it nonetheless

Loves animals, especially bugs, will hold them and talk to them for hours

Sees the others as stronger and nobler and more heroic than himself

Very strong ADHD, often wanders off by accident because he thought he saw or heard something

Swears a lot (even more than Legend) but not to be mean, it's just how he talks

Tries not to swear around Sky because he knows it makes him uncomfortable but still slips every now and then, he apologizes furiously but Sky assures him it's ok

Very good at singing but very insecure about singing in front of others, loves learning folk songs and stories, has them memorized

Doesn't ask for help very much because it makes him feel weak, when he does, he goes to Time, who counsels him with understanding, patience, and kindness

Wears loose clothing, hates it when his clothes cling tightly to him

Feels he doesn't deserve comfort or luxury

Gets panic attacks randomly, hides up in trees and sings to himself softly when they happen

Likes to compare he and Wild's bone collections

Dyslexia and nearsightedness, couldn't read or do math to save his life

Can't cook, prefers to just eat herbs and fruit straight from the source

Like Legend, is severely touch starved but isn't fond of physical contact

Doesn't find anyone annoying

Sorry this is really long

[squarefriend]

Mermay ended yesterday, but I’m sitting on the beach at this very moment so let’s fucking do this:

🌴🐬BEACH HEAD CANNONS!!!🐬🌴

Chara

❤️ They are actually rather neutral over the ocean. Far more of a skipping stones and playing in the lake kind of kid. Though, they do have a respect for the water’s raw power and changing tides. (Also seeing how much Undyne loves it made them want to appreciate the ocean more)

❤️ Thanks to being attached to Frisk’s soul, they kinda have to go to the beach all the time now. They like to go out as far as they can and walk along to the bottom, or float above Frisk and try to freak them out.

❤️ All that being said, they ADORE sharks. They nerd out every time they get to go to the aquarium. (Then get kinda embarrassed about it).

❤️ They have (on more than one occasion) convinced Frisk that because they’re a ghost they can see all the ghosts of everyone who’s drowned, and that yes, pirates ARE coming to get them...... It backfired at the notion that now Frisk WANTED to go meet the ghost pirates.

❤️ Had a brief period of wanting to be a mermaid, purely because A) Not a human and B) Typically man eaters. It suited their style

Frisk

❤️ They LOVE the ocean.... or rather, they love the beach. There’s one right at the edge of Ebbott City, so in the summer, they get to go up every weekend or so. And you can bet on that weekend, they have an absolute ball with whomever family/friend took them this time.

❤️ Their favorite part is exploring. They love to run around on the beach, looking for shells or any critters, as well as going out into as deep as the can in the ocean (usually only to be called back by their mom). Speak of the devil, Toriel bought them a snorkeling kit for their gotcha day and that thing has been used religiously ever since!

❤️ Every time they go the the car to go home, Frisk has to be checked by an adult (not either of the skelebros, they are WAY to lenient on this one) to make sure that they don’t have any stow away sea critters. One too many times of Frisk trying to keep a pet crab.

❤️ They take swimming lessons from Undyne! There were only a couple of misunderstandings over wether or not a humans could breathe underwater, but its all been sorted out! They’re doing really well!

❤️ They refuse to learn how to dive. Undyne has been trying to teach them for MONTHS now. It’s cannon ball or nothing, and they’re determined to keep it that way.

Flowey

❤️ Back when he was Asriel, he’d wanted to see the ocean. They don’t exactly have HUGE bodies of water in the underground like that, basically only the river. And no one swims in the river. Add in Chara’s talk of mermaids and their stories about lakes and skipping stones and all that.... It had been a big goal of his. Now that he’s there, and without the capabilities to swim or get in the water, and without the person who said they’d show him the surf.... it’s uh, it’s lost its appeal.

❤️ Frisk and Papyrus tried to get him to go out in one of those dog floaties. It looked pretty ridiculous and nearly tipped over a couple of times. Inevitably it was decided that it was just best to just keep him on the shore or in the shallows strapped to someone’s chest.

❤️ Usually he just sits on the shore with Paps, Frisk, or Toriel. He (begrudgingly) likes to make sand castles. He’s actually gotten quite good at them. Either that or eat nice cream.

❤️ Papyrus made him tiny sunglasses. He wears them every time they go to the beach.

❤️ When he does go into the water, he likes to stick his head under the serf and try to find fish. He actually managed to catch one in his mouth once, both impressive and terrifying.

Toriel

❤️ She is fond of the beach. Not so much the water, but she does enjoy the occasional swim with Frisk. Would probably like going out on a boat, though she has never tried it.

❤️ Usually while the rest of the family swims, she’s on the shore in her beach chair, reading a good book and keeping a watchful eye on her kids. She can usually get through half of the thing before its time to go home.

❤️ That being said, when she does go out in the water (usually to cool off or check on Frisk and/or Flowey) she is remarkably good at floating along. That, and she’s abit of a beast when it comes to X-treme monkey in the middle. That lady is huge and can use that height when she needs to. Also she has to shake off when she gets out of the water.

❤️ She ALWAYS has a beach bag on her, and in that beach bag is pretty much anything you’d ever hope to need. Pool toys, goggles, fresh water, extra sunscreen, at least three books, money, Your scocial security number, you name it.

❤️ Toriel’s usually the go to ‘hold tired swimmer gently’ person. And has done so for everyone in the main cast but Mettaton and Undyne. You could just fall asleep in those big ole’ arms.

Sans

❤️ He’s, as with most things, pretty nuetral about the ocean. Though, he adores the fact that it’s a day he can just slack off and relax in the sun (and sometimes water). He’s usually on the beach in a beach chair or sitting in a pool floaty, just drifting along. Sometimes he’s just latched onto Paps or Toriel, it’s kinda a wild card where he is at any given time.

❤️ He has never been sober ONCE while at the beach with the family. Mostly thanks to the fact that he somehow always has a martini in hand. No one knows where he gets it, let alone how it is almost always at least half way full. Needless to say, he’s at least buzzed by the end of the day.

❤️ Every time they go to the beach, he wears the most insane sunglasses. I’m talking Elton John style, but if they came from dollar tree. Normally it’s a pineapple pair, but they change on a whim. Once again, no ones entirely sure where they come from.

❤️ He briefly moved the illegal hotdog stand to beach, before the threat of getting fined was close enough to scadattle. This, the limited addition ‘Colddogs’ (now for 5g, wait he meant 50g, actually its 500-) became a thing. They were followed shortly by ‘Frozendogs’ (available in 50 flavors!)

❤️ The two never breathe a word of it, but every once in awhile Papyrus will rent a canoe and the two of them will go out on the water. They only do this at the dead of night, when the water is still and clear. Way out past the buoys, where it’s hard to see the shore, the moon and the stars bounce off the water in a shifting, funhouse esc reflection. Being out there, together, in practically silence..... It brings a lot of comfort to the two of them. It reminds Sans that yeah, this is real, and some things are worth remembering.

Papyrus

❤️ Paps is very fond of the shallows, but not a huge fan off big, open water. Unless he’s in the comfort of a canoe or boat. It’s just too big of a space. One can feel so... alone out there. But!! If he’s in chest or higher or with a group of close friends, he’s good!!

❤️ He bought special spandex gloves to wear in the water, ones that cover his fingers and palms without being skin (bone???) tight. They help him tread the water better, since he’s the opposite of buoyant. Which is definitely the only reason he bought them! No other reason in sight! Why would you even ask that?!

❤️ He, Undyne, and Frisk play ALOT of beach games, all far more extreme than their originals. The current turnomemt is over X-Treme volleyball, this time featuring antigravity magic and spears. Frisk is, somehow, winning.

❤️ A good portion of the time, he eats nice cream and makes sand castles with Flowey. Their creations are startlingly structurally sound and flourished. Though, they are also usually next to a life sized sand-Papyrus. No one knows where the sand came from.

❤️ He tried catch and realease shark fishing with Undyne once. It um, got interesting to say the least. Especially when they tried to use Papyrus as live bait. They only had to go to the ER twice!

Undyne (Aka my entire reason for writing this)

❤️ Undyne doesn’t love the ocean. She doesn’t even like the ocean. She ADORES the ocean. You can find her there almost every day after work, sun or storm. She never realized how much she would thrive in salt water until she was there, and now she can’t believe she lived without it. Its so raw and passionate and buetiful, and she’s just at home in the waves.

❤️ Her favorite time to be out is during a good storm, when the ocean is at her roughest. Undyne has learned how to boogie board and body surf since she got on the surface, and uses those huge waves to catch some air. She WANTS to learn how to surf, but has yet to find someone to teach her. Storms are also the best for letting the water roll over her and letting herself drift in the tides, both are pretty damn amazing feelings.

❤️ Because she can breathe and see under the water, she also likes to swim out really deep into the open ocean. No one in the family can follow, but it gives her a lot of time to think. Also, there are sometimes HUGE fish out there, which she greatly enjoys seeing and interacting with. She’s. she’s fought a tiger shark before. And probably other, larger and more dangerous things. (Also when she gets home, Alphys always talks about how her kisses taste like salt. Undyne loves it).

❤️ Before she became Asgore’s body gaurd, Undyne was pretty much out of work. Not a whole lot of people wanted a massive, sharp toothed, she-shark selling retail in their stores. But, being a fish and all, she got managed to get a job as a life gaurd over the summer! This ended in her actually giving swim lessons to a couple of kids (starting with Frisk)!! She is actually a pretty good trainer and still teaches a few kids every once in awhile over summer breaks.

❤️ Her and Asgore went on a fishing trip once! The boat nearly capsized, Undyne ended up going in to fish instead of using the pole, there were life lessons taught about patience, and Asgore got horrendously away sick. Needless to say, it was a good trip. They still have pictures on Asgore’s fridge!

Alphys

❤️ As much as her girlfriend loves it, she’s not actually a huge fan of the water. It’s overwhelming and dries out her scales, and when she’s in super deep it makes her really uncomfortable. She’s stared into oblivion before and, well, it’s not a good feeling. The deep sea reminds her of that.

❤️ That being said, she LOVES the beach itself. She could sun bathe for hours while Undyne is swimming. Just pop on her head phones, lay on the sand, and embrace her lizard heratage! Also, she likes to watch her hot girlfriend do hot things like catch fish in her teeth and throw skeletons, so it’s a win win.

❤️ Naturally, this means a lot of her and Undyne’s date end up at the beach one way or anouther. Every time they go now, Alphy makes a point of collecting a seashell. They all hang on a string over her bed, it’s her favorite part of the room.

❤️ More times than not, if the sand is particularly nice and warm, Alphys falls asleep on it. Like, hard core passed out asleep. She just loves the fluffy parts of the sand so much??? And it’s so comfortable??? And she’s gotten more than afew overheating from sleeping ALL day, but she can’t help herself. It’s just too cozy!

❤️ Her favorite thing about the ocean is always going to be seeing Undyne’s smile though. She loves it. She loves the way her girlfriend’s kisses taste after she’s been in the sea. She loves how content the girl is after a good swim, and how cuddly they get in the living room. She loves smelling the air and holding her hand and seeing the sun on the water. She wants to spend forever in her arms, on the sand, eating nice cream and watching the sun set.

Mettaton

❤️ So. He’s a robot. Alphys is currently working on waterproofing his body, but until then he’s shore bound. That doesn’t mean he won’t done his best sun hat and glasses, steal a life gaurd’s chair, and pose dramatically on the beach though!

❤️ Truth be told, he actually quite enjoys long walks on the beach. His boots are well protected enough to go a way into the water as well, so he takes them sometimes with Alphys. Also, night time on the beach holds SPECTACULAR song writing material! There’s something so inspirational about the atmosphere.

❤️ That being said, summer concerts are the bomb. Litterally. There’s pyrotechnics. He’s not as big a star as he was in the underground, but some local beach performances are well within his pay grade. The thrill of the stage! The cries of the people! The personality and connection to his adoring fans! The one time he crowd surfed! The fashion! It’s all just perfect!

❤️ He also frequents beach side shops, thanks to the atmosphere and outfit selection. One can NEVER go wrong with a floppy hat and a sheer coverup. It’s just impossible.

❤️ He relates WAY too hard to the little mermaid, both in the original story and Disney. There’s just something that hits too close to home about longing for humanity and a new, more comfortable body... He gets Ariel man, he gets her.

Asgore

❤️ He likes to go on long morning walks on the beach alone. There’s something comforting about the sun rise and the sound of the waves rolling around him. There’s something even more sweet about the rare conversations, only lasting a hello and small talk, all few and far between. Sometimes he finds himself wishing he had a dog to walk with him, but in the end decides against it. He’s been alone a long time, he can last one more day.

❤️ He really enjoys going shelling. Sometimes, he even likes to paint his finds and put them up in his windows. Frisk helps him, he likes that.

❤️ He’s become a vollenteer to help find and aid sea turtles’ hatch sites. He loves watching them hatch and get to the sea safely. Though he’s not supposed to, he’ll protect them from the gulls.

❤️ Thanks to being in so close to the sea, he had a brief phase of being rather in love with verities of seaweed and kelps. He tried to keep afew using water tanks, but could never quite get them right. Ah well, at least the petunias and roses are doing nicely.

❤️ He has a hard time reading or watching things about mermaids. They make him sad.