#and Halloween is forever relevant

[morbethgames]

Halloween Special, Current Projects, New Patreon Content

I am so sorry about the radio silence as of late. Between the stuff earlier this week (yes, that stuff), dealing with deaths of people, and university; I've been very busy and mentally drained. However, the good news is, you can play the mini game of The Bureau, "Witchy Woman" right now! The link is at the bottom of this post! Eventually I'll integrate it into the main game, or put it out as potential free DLC or something, but for now there are no stats and it's not tied to choices from the base game.

Tonight is a special case. The MCT has been called in as a favor after finishing up our most recent case. A friend of Kris's reached out, and the local P.D. has let the MCT take the lead on this one. A house party in the beginning of October up in Maine has turned sour. A party-goer has been reported deceased.

We just finished a job, but in this line of work, there's always another case to solve. So here I am, approaching the residence with my team, about to find out exactly what happened on this cold, damp night.

Because it's not part of a bigger game or story, and the only pacing I had to worry about was that of the investigation, this is much more freeflow than other investigations in the main story. Go back and forth between the crime scene, the perimeter of the house, interrogations, and more! The more you discover evidence, the more new options will unlock in conversations, and you have an evidence log in the stats section that updates every time you find out something relevant to the case.

I'm only promoting this now, even though it's been done for a couple of weeks, because it was part of a Jam and I didn't think it would be fair if I got votes from a community built over a few years when others in the Jam would not have had that same benefit. I wanted it to be an even playing field, even if it meant holding out for a bit. So, I apologize for making you all wait.

There are still things I'd like to do for this game, things I'll end up adding, but it is at the very least ready to play. It's 40k words, so have at it!

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Right, next up, something I'd like to announce. I'm working on a serialized fiction that I'm (hopefully) planning to turn into a book. The first 3 chapters are going to be posted for free, both here on my blog and on my Patreon, though not quite yet. Chapters after that will be released on Patreon for the people who pay the $5 tier.

I'll be honest, it has been extremely cathartic to go from writing an IF where the chapters are all pretty much the length of a book themselves, to writing an actual book where a chapter is about 4k words. It's a very nice breath of fresh air, and it by no means, entails that I will stop working on Bureau. In fact, it may even help speed up rate of production, funnily enough. Having something to keep my mind turning while having writer's block about a scene in the IF will help me constantly generate ideas, and that's really nice to think about.

A small college town is rocked by a horrific murder. In wake of the events, a couple of friends begin investigating this personal tragedy, determined to get to the bottom of what happened at the Scribe City college. The lesson is quickly thrust upon them that loss leads to pain, but pain is temporary, and loss can be forever. So what comes after the pain? They need to explore that journey together, and in the process, navigate the complicated things feelings that have started to bloom.

The book (serialized fiction for now) , called Love In Stasis, is going to be a 'WLW romance small town college murder mystery'. You will explore the relationships that these characters have and continue to form, and just how messy things get when tragedy sparks love. I have almost 25k words done for it, about six and a half chapters, and I'm going to try to get 50k words done with it by the end of the month. A writing challenge that's totally not tied to the name of any organizations.

If this works out, I could reward patrons with static fiction while not having to worry about providing everyone with constant things tied to the IF itself, and I could work on The Bureau at a pace I'm very comfortable with.

I'm still learning as a writer. I'm still learning new things I like, and how I like to produce content. All I know is that I like producing art in the form of writing, and I most certainly will not stop doing that anytime soon, and now that the Halloween Special is done, I will be getting back to the base game.

Which will start with a complete recoding of the gender variables. I've already started on that process, so no more multiple versions of each chapter. One version. One set of gender variables. Much more condensed coding and script. So, people out there who said that wasn't going to change, I just have to say what I'd said all along. My coding was indeed bad. However I will also say something else I've said all along. I do take criticism.

That being said I'm never using multi-replace and you can't make me. I like being able to read what I'm writing.

More to come in the near future.

Stay Brilliant,

-Vi

https://cogdemos.ink/play/viisbae/the-bureau-halloween-special-witchy-woman

Patreon Link

[kissesandarsenic]

One favorite fantasy of mine is exploring, walking around a magical forest and getting trapped by tendrils/vines. I love bondage, struggling against restraints, tease, edging and denial, also ruined orgasms, and the idea of being trapped like this and not knowing when I'll be free (if at all)

Treat please Mistress 🎃

Happy Halloween in advance 👻

(If this info is relevant: I'm 28, enby, they/them, clit haver)

You're part of a group of scientists that have travelled to an uninhabited island to research the native flora and fauna.

You're new to the team. Over-excited, frustrated by all the semantics in play and how slow everything moves as your supervisors follow the strict guidelines in place. You're constantly being scolded for skipping steps, for peeling off without alerting anyone and putting the party at risk.

Despite their warnings, it doesn't stop you from wandering out alone into the wilderness one night to sate your nagging curiosity.

You don't tell anyone where you're going. That's mistake number one.

Mistake number two comes when you venture out further than you intended. You're too caught up in your own world to notice something watching you. You figure the shudder crawling up your spine is merely the breeze and not a primal instinct. An inate warning.

The third and final mistake comes when you don't start running when the first tendril curls around your leg.

You trip, but are hoisted high up into the air before you can hit the ground. You try to scream but something thick and firm pushes into your mouth, gagging you. Every protest is muffled, and your mouth floods with the taste of bitter green vegetation. A vine. They writhe on the ground beneath you, shifting and bloating. Too many to count. Far too many to fight off.

The vines coil tight around your wrists and ankles, leaving you feeling off balance as you try to wriggle free. Another separates from the pile and makes quick work tearing at your clothing. In seconds, you're naked and utterly vulnerable.

And despite the fear, you're starting to become aroused.

You always were a fan of restraints, and maybe watched a few too many hentai clips. You could blame it on the cool air against your exposed body if you really need an excuse.

But that desire is made worse when a tendril slithers up your leg and rubs at your clit. Slowly at first, but building more and more. More tendrils rise and graze against every erogenous zone on your body, tearing what feeble reservations you have to shreads.

Heat floods your face and those muffled screams for help suddenly veer off into moans. Fuck, this is mortifying. But it feels so good to be held in place and fondled in the dark by sentient, alien plantlife.

A familiar feeling coils in the pit of your stomach and you close your eyes, leaning into that fast approaching release that'll maybe set your brain in order. Let you think properly and plan an escape. But just as you're reaching your finish, the vine on your clit pulls away.

You're left teetering on the edge. Needy, unfulfilled and so fucking foggy with want.

After a minute, the vine returns to rubbing you, building you right back up to that edge. It does it over and over. Ignoring your struggle, your moans and somehow always knowing the exact second to stop before you tumble towards completion.

With the last of your wits about you, you consider what would be worse:

Being found in this desperate, humiliating state by your coworkers, or being enslaved by the vines forever.

Trick or Treat Ask Game! Send in a fantasy with a "Trick" or "Treat" attached and I'll elaborate on it!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

best friends forever <3 ✌️

***Spoilers for White Rabbit Fest!!***

So far, there have been four hometown events (if you include White Rabbit Fest): In Silk City, we met Najma, Jamil's little sister. In Harveston, we met Marja, Epel's grandmother. In Sunset Savanna, we met Kifaji, the Grand Chamberlin of the country (and Cheka, Leona's nephew that we first saw at the end of book 2, had a cameo). Now, in Clock Town, we've met Dylla, Deuce's mom.

I noticed that of the hometown events, White Rabbit Fest was the only one so far where the SSR boy actually demonstrates a strong bond with Yuu and Grim that extends beyond "they're my classmate". Dylla specifically notes that Deuce talks about hanging out with Yuu and Grim both in and out of class. It kind of makes sense for Jamil and Leona to not be buddy-buddy enough with Yuu and Grim to talk about them with their family + head of the royal household, respectively. Beyond helping them in their respective books + asking for their help in the book proceeding their own, Yuu and Grim did not interact with them much. Even when Leona appears later in book 5, he seemed slightly annoyed at Grim approaching him in his homeroom and acting friendly. As for Jamil, he clarifies to Najma that the guests he has over for the fireworks festival are "classmates, not friends" and that "there is a difference". He clearly draws the boundary between those two labels. Epel is more debatable in terms of intimacy, since Yuu and Grim are most often depicted as being close with the first year group more than the second or third years. There's also a very strong story emphasis on Epel as a part of the group in book 5, as well as parts deep in the main story (Ortho's Fairy Gear vignettes, brainstorming ideas to catch Mickey, being relevant at Lilia's farewell party around the same time rather than being relevant at the same times as their respective dorms) and events (like the party at the end of the first Halloween event) where Jack, Ortho, Sebek, and Epel are also portrayed as being part of the "main" group. However, when Epel introduces his classmates to Marja, Marja never makes mention of Epel talking about Yuu or Grim before to her. She just greets them just the same as the other classmates that Epel brought back with him for the sledding race.

Deuce's mom is the only new character we've met in the hometown events that makes an explicit point to mention that Deuce has actively talked about Yuu and Grim (and Ace) before to her. She's even sort of surprised that Ace didn't join them for the trip to Clock Town for the White Rabbit Fest. Furthermore, other event characters (Silver and Epel) comment on the tight bond between Adeuce, Grim, and Yuu. This further cements the idea that Yuu, Grim, Ace, and Deuce are the "core" group (an idea which was first introduced in the prologue), while the other first years are sort of secondary (still friends, just not as close as the first four are), which makes sense with their less frequent appearances in the main story.

ahjbayodybqer For as much as Deuce and Ace argue, it sounds like he still talks a ton about his rival 😅 That's how you know it's true friendship/j

[chaos0pikachu]

Filmmaking? In My BL? - The Horror Influences of Dead Friend Forever

Okay off the bat I'ma say that this isn't me definitively saying these specific films or tv series are what inspired 100% DFF. I simply do not know what stuff the screenwriters were pulling from influence wise when writing the script, nor what the director was pulling from when directing the series, with 100% flawless certainty.

Rather, this is a chance to talk more about horror, from films, comics, visuals, and sub-genres and how these various mediums are what I see in the fabric of DFF's horror makeup. Also, general point, this post will be discussing minor spoilers of: Scream, DFF, and Girl from Nowhere. So like, be aware~~

This post is partially inspired by an ask from @italianpersonwithashippersheart in which the anon had mentioned Scream.

I couldn't really respond to this in detail before cause I hadn't watched the series, but I have now and I can say that the show is very thoroughly nothing at all like Scream. I'm not confident in much - other than my inability to reach the top shelf at the market - but I am confident in saying that lol

But this got me thinking, what type of horror IS DFF? I've seen a lot of folks say it's a slasher, and I both agree and disagree.

Horror as a genre is vast with sub-genres, it's probably one of the most universal and popular genres globally, and every culture has their own horror legends, cult classics, mainstays and shlock.

So that's what I'm going to talk about in this post, the slasher genre, why I don't think DFF 100% can be boxed into that sub-genre, what type of horror I think DFF is, and the influences I see in DFF's filmmaking and thematics.

So if we start anywhere, we gotta start with Scream (1996) since that's a comparison I've seen being made a lot.

The main reason I disagree in the comparisons to Scream is that Scream is considered a work of satire first and foremost. Through the power of capitalism and franchising, it's also consider a "whodunit" series.

“Scream” is the first movie of its kind to execute a satire genre within a horror movie, which is one of the most iconic and memorable elements of the film. The original movie makes many references to other well-known horror films and mocks them, while simultaneously leading the same plot points. [...] Although the following films in the “Scream” franchise do not follow as much of the same mockery of horror films, they are still considered to be satirical because of their use of mockery toward the movie franchise. “Scream 2” mocks film sequels and “Scream 3” mocks film trilogies." (source)

[sidenote one of my favorite examples of satirical meta horror is Wes Craven's New Nightmare]

DFF isn't satirizing anything in horror, it's almost entirely self-serious. Sure there's a couple of moments of hilarity - dick biting, and scooter snatchin' - but overall the show plays things pretty straight (gay sex notwithstanding). I've seen some folks claim it's subverting horror tropes, but I don't see that either (would be interested in discussing that tho cause I'm curious).

I get why people make this comparison though, Scream is a 27 yr old franchise, and probably the most relevant slasher franchise currently. The new Halloween movies were...cute but aside from the first Halloween (2018) the rest of the reboot franchise had diminishing returns; each film made less than the previous, and received lower critical scores.

However, Scream has actually grown as a franchise in the States in terms of box office draw. That said, Scream is actually not a huge earner overseas, Scream IV (2023) earned more than 60% of it's box office revenue domestically. In Thailand, according to reports, it only earned about 300,000 (compared to other international territories like Brazil where it earned around 4,600,000).

So I don't think DFF is pulling much from Scream in terms of setting, tone, or story. I do think the show most resembles Scream in directorial style, specifically in the imagery of the Killer's design and in the slow-crawl mask reveals that have happened so far.

[very obviously spoilers for all the scream films watch at your own risk etc, gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses]

So what is a slasher film or story?

"A slasher movie is a horror sub-genre that involves the murdering of a number of people by a psychopathic killer, typically via a knife or bladed tool (such as a scythe).

In general, the horror genre is known for its fear, violence and terror. It will typically feature a menacing villain, whether it be a monster or a supernatural evil spirit, for example." (source)

Other common but not inherent secondary characteristics of a slasher story will include: young adults as central characters, sex (typically as a means of punishment "sex gets you killed"), the killer is motivated by revenge, lots of gore and/or violent kills and a "final girl".

I point out common but not inherent because the main tenants of a slasher story is the overall body count, female protagonist and a mysterious (typically masked) killer.

For example, in Scream (96) Ghostface is motivated by revenge, however in Halloween (1978), Texas Chainsaw (1974), Prom Night (2008), You're Next (2011) and Wrong Turn (2003) the killers are not.

If there is a western horror franchise or film that the setting of DFF more closely aligns with, it's Friday the 13th (2009). Which was a sequel/reboot to the original Friday the 13th (1980) starring Tumblr's own Jared Padalecki as one of the leads (that was an interesting year as Jensen Ackles also starred in a remake of a classic 80s horror film My Blood Valentine).

In Friday (09) the bulk of the story takes place at a mansion styled cabin in the woods near Crystal Lake owned by one of the characters rich parents. Jason eventually hunts down each of the characters, killing them in various ways, and they even find his home with a shrine to his mother there. There's also like, a lot of sex and nudity in Friday (09) none of it fun or sexy as it's pretty, unfortunately, misogynistic.

Being in an isolated area, like the cabin in the woods in DFF and Friday (09) is also not a requirement within the slasher sub-genre.

Many slasher films, especially American classics during the genres 80s peak, actually take place more often in suburbia rather than in isolated locations like the woods. Which reflected real world anxieties from predominately white communities and a turn towards more conservative politics of that era in America.

"Those same well-kept neighborhoods and quiet backyards of my childhood were also the battlegrounds of the ’80s horror movie, a radical pivot in the genre’s history. The decade’s opening years were bracketed by the kidnappings of Etan Patz (which inspired the Missing Kids on a Milk Carton program) and Adam Walsh (which inspired his father John Walsh to later create the TV show "America’s Most Wanted"). Combined with the conservative turn in crime and punishment law brought on by the Reagan administration, horror appeared to turn from the supernatural curses of the decade before ("The Exorcist," "The Omen") to a homegrown product of our own sins. Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger are psychotic loons but also human beings who come not from afar but from down the street. The possibility that one of them could be lurking just beyond the sliding back door of a sleepover birthday seems too darkly delicious to pass up, a fictional killer standing in for a warning your parents and society gave you about “stranger danger,” real-life evil lurking in the dark." (source)

Isolated settings, while can be a setting in slashers are more often found in psychological horror films: The Strangers (2008), When A Stranger Calls (1979, 2006), Hush (2016). Also the Evil Dead (1981, 1987, 2013).

[The latter has it's own interesting history of wanting to be psychological body horror, to horror comedy cult classic, back to psychological body horror. Honestly if any franchise has influenced the "horror set in a cabin in the woods" it's Evil Dead, which is paid major homage to in Cabin in the Woods (2011).]

Sooooo is DFF a slasher?

Hm, for me, yes and no. Slashers require a high body count and pretty gory deaths. So far we've only had 3 deaths, only two of which were even committed by the killer themselves and not even by their own hand (ie directly).

For me, the slasher elements of DFF exist in the directorial styling of the film, meant invoke a classic slasher film but that's not where the true horror of the story exists.

I'm a big slasher fan, so I'm not trying to discount the sub-genre at all, lots of slasher films are good, and when done well, they're truly scary. But they also tend to be straight forward in design, the fear comes from the feature of being stalked by an unseeable and unstoppable force infiltrating what should be a safe space (your home, your school, your neighborhood, your camp grounds etc).

Which is why slasher films are also the most common horror sub-genre to be parodied (Scary Movie franchise) or made into horror comedies like Freaky (2020), The Final Girls (2015), Happy Death Day (2017), and Totally Killer (2023).

[sidenote slashers have this in common with the zombie sub-genre of horror as zombie films in America have also tended in recent years to be horror comedies or horror action like: Little Monsters (2019), Cooties (2014), Zombieland (2009), Pride Prejudice and Zombies (2016)]

I'd argue that DFF is much more in line with psychological horror than slasher horror. Because it is anything but straightforward and also has a strong emphasis on relationships and isolation as does most psychological horror.

Films like: It Comes At Night (2017), Us (2019), Perfect Blue (1997), A Tale of Two Sisters (2004), The Forgotten (2017), Dark Water (2002) all have similar elements in terms of tone as DFF.

The isolated setting, the allure of the mundane normality being a veneer for the violence lurking beneath the surface, the existence of the paranormal, the use of drugs to increase fear, the unsettling paranoia, and slow burn crawl towards all the characters being unteathered from themselves, the growing distrust between them and their loved ones, the plot twists and turns, the emphasis on human relationships and the horror that comes from those.

The backstory with Non is what pushed the show past slasher horror to psychological horror for me. Because Non's "downfall" as it were, feels more akin to the slow burn psych horror rooted in a lot of Japanese, Thai films/tv shows, and modern A24 style horror films.

The horror of Midsommar (2019) doesn't come from jump scares, or violence, but in slowly watching the protagonist grow more and more unteathered, mistreated, gaslit, more and more with each passing moment, slowly inducted into a horrific cult and being able to do nothing to stop her descent.

A big influence I saw in DFF was Girl from Nowhere (2018); the school setting, the crimes committed by a group of students against a singular student, class exploration, structural violence, the exploration of retribution are all topics explored in the first season of Girl from Nowhere.

Even the series trailer for GFN and the pre-release trailer for DFF are similar in production design and tone:

Titled "BFF" the two-part finale from season 01, is about a high school reunion, where a group of now established adults come back together for a party (their reunion) only to be confronted by their past via Nanno (the shows protagonist for lack of a better term).

Through Nanno we learn about the chars past misdeeds in high school - bullying, physical assault, stealing, the works - and their current crimes as adults. As more and more layers of the truth, lies, and betrayal are revealed, the friend group begins to crack, fracture and turn against each other, growing more and more paranoid and angry.

Nanno tells the group that they've also all been drugged with poison and there's only one vial of antidote left, the "friends" all horrifically murder each other in order to get the antidote. In the end, no one survives. EXCEPT, it was all a mass hallucinate and the group wakes up, remembering everything, and quietly leave one-by-one. No longer friends, no longer not-friends, everyone forever changed by the experience.

It's an unsettling ending that leaves things open ended. This group of friends were responsible for the bullying and death of Nanno (she's fine she's like immortal or something I'm pretty sure GFN was partially influenced by Tomie by Junji Ito) and they simply refused to acknowledge what they did to her, nor talk about her, eventually forgetting she existed until forced too through a traumatic retribution by Nanno herself.

[Nanno from Girl from Nowhere, Tomie from Junji Ito's Tomie series]

DFF has a lot in common, from my perspective, with GFN in terms of tone, themes and even parts of it's story.

Nanno isn't doling out "justice" she doles out retributions, punishments, sometimes they're outright torturous. Whether the recipients "deserve" these punishments or not, is really up to the viewer. The show does a good job of showcasing a wide variety of characters who are unrepentant, sympathetic, and somewhere in between. The fears it plays upon are more slow burn, it boils the characters rather than setting them on fire like slashers do.

DFF is similar in this aspect, it boils the characters. Watching Non's story, you already know at the start it's nothing good. We know from the first flashback something bad has happened to Non, but it's not really something, it's many things - so many things - that have led to whatever tragedy the main group must pay for.

It's these compounding factors one after another that brings Non to a boil, and the same thing happens with Tan/New. The horror of DFF is more about getting under the skin, causing the characters discomfort by forcing them to confront the sins they've committed (is there anything more horrific than being seen? Especially if you ugly?).

I mentioned Junji Ito in reference to Girl from Nowhere, to say Ito has been influential on horror feels like an understatement. His series Tomie has been adapted into 7 different Japanese films, he's won 3 Eisner awards (the highest award you can win in America for comics publishing), along with a slew of awards in Japan, his series Uzumaki has been referenced in super popular anime like Jujustu Kaisen.

A big factor of Ito's work is body horror and psychological horror. His work unsettles, and is very visceral. Since Uzumaki was referenced in DFF I think rather than being influenced by specifically Uzumaki (which DFF doesn't have much in common with in regards to general story) I'd argue the show is more influenced by Ito's desire to unsettle.

[from Uzumaki], 1998]

Also potentially to take symbols of piety, faith and protection (the temple, the cross at the chars high school) and turn them into places of horror for the characters.

Like Ito did with the spiral motifs in Uzumaki, said Ito in an interview:

"The "spiral pattern" is not normally associated with horror fiction. Usually spiral patterns mark character’s cheeks in Japanese comedy cartoons, representing an effect of warmth. However, I thought it could be used in horror if I drew it a different way." (source)

[I am also begging y'all to check out Junji Ito's book Cat Diary it's hilarious, even more so b/c his style of art is so rooted in horror]

I think DFF is actually very Thai in it's exploration of what's unsettling and horrific to youth culture in Thailand currently. The feeling of haplessness, judgement, an inability to exert control over one's circumstances, mental health, consent, bullying, these were themes and topics explored in both seasons of GFN but also some of these were explored in The Whole Truth (2021) a Thai horror/mystery film.

There's a scene in The Whole Truth in which one of the protagonists school friends secretly films their younger sister getting undressed without her knowledge, and when caught, the classmate threatens to release the clip publicly and claim the sister is "a slut". One of the protagonists is also bullied at school - including by this disgusting classmate who they still consider "a friend" - but puts up with it in order to be in a friend group at all (this bullied char also has a physical disability which contributes to their mistreatment at school).

I think DFF is exploring a lot of these same topics but most of the characters are just gay this time around.

Okay I'm losing steam here a bit, this has gotten very long, but overall I'd argue that DFF is much more psychological horror than a slasher, in terms of it's tone, and story. Whilst invoking slasher imagery in it's directorial style.

That said it's much more in line with Thai and Japanese horror than American horror in regards to it's themes. If the series was going to be boiled down just to the basics, I'd quantify it as psychological horror mystery.

And those are my thoughts on DFF and horror, I guess lol I'm not 100% satisfied with this but god damn I'm tired this took forever lmao if y'all made it this far, bless and stay safe out there cause the ship wars are wildin out in these parts.

Check out other posts in the series:

Film Making? In My BL? - The Sign ep01 Edition | Aspect Ratio in Love for Love's Sake | Cinematography in My BL - Our Skyy2 vs kinnporsche, 2gether vs semantic error, 1000 Stars vs The Sign | How The Sign Uses CGI | Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes? | Trends in BL (Sorta): Genre Trends

[like these posts? drop me a couple pennies on ko-fi]

[maybeimamuppet]

Do you believe Regina is redeemable?

ohhhhh buddy the whole can of worms this opened

to make a long story short: yes.

to make a long story longer with a tw for mentioned child abuse/neglect and suicidal ideation

i think every iteration of her deserves a shot at redemption.

canonically regina is at most seventeen years old. yes, she’s almost an adult. yes, she does and has done despicable things at this age and even younger. but she is still young. she is still a child. to completely, black and white say, that she is at her core an unredeemable monster who doesn’t even deserve to try does a complete and utter disservice both to her and the people she’s hurt in her past. to say she will be the way she is forever negates all the suffering she goes through and puts others through in canon, misguided though it is.

regina is also basically the textbook for a personality disorder and specifically bpd. borderline is (in a lot of cases i’ll say rightfully) very harshly judged. there’s a lot of stigma around it and cluster b disorders as a whole. but bpd is also caused for the most part by neglect and abuse in childhood. we only ever see regina’s dad in 2004 canon, for a single scene, crying over regina wearing the rabbit halloween costume. he’s completely absent in both the stage show and 2024. and looking at her mom, it is very obvious something has happened to the both of them and that this child (or neither of these children if you include kylie from 2004) is/are not getting the emotional guidance, support, and attention they need. who knows what happened before canon as well. who knows what her dad was like.

speaking as someone who also probably has bpd (which i discovered through doing research to write her better) i can say it is a terrifying experience. i’m lucky in that i’m able to resist my compulsions most of the time, but having them at all is beyond terrifying sometimes. i am filled with rage on a hair trigger these days. sometimes i’m able to process this anger in a healthy way. i can rationalize. i can think through it. i can calm myself down.

other times i can’t. i can only glance through the mean girls tag on ao3 now because if i look at numbers or think for too long about it, i compare the new fics that have come with the 2024 movie to things i’ve written. to see these fics that, while fantastic, are much shorter or don’t have as much effort put into them as what i do get literally ten times the love does hurt, as much as i adore and appreciate what i do get.

by nature with my other illnesses i have to pour my entire heart and soul, blood sweat and tears into every word i put on a page. every fic i’ve done is a piece of me that sometimes feels like i’ve torn it out of myself and given you to read. sometimes seeing that get 150 hits compared to a cadina fic that’s half as long (but again, still amazing! they all deserve every hit and kudos and comment and whatever) getting up to 1, 10, 50k hits just latches to a particularly sadistic part of my brain and it’s all i can think about for weeks. and it makes me want to quit. either writing or living.

and that sounds dramatic because IT IS. and i’m fully aware having those thoughts and urges is irrational. i don’t want them. i miss feeling like i have a community on ao3 (i absolutely have one here and i love all of you in my little circle with my entire being.) i hate having to avoid reading about my favorite characters because it does that much damage to my mental health. i am afraid that it takes something that small for me to have these massive thoughts.

all of that to say is that bpd makes switches easier to flip. it makes bad choices easier to make.

the reason i’m still here. the reason i still write and i haven’t deleted everything i’ve ever done. the reason i haven’t done a number of other things that i won’t say because they aren’t really relevant. is because i have chosen not to. it is incredibly hard sometimes. but it is still a choice you have to consciously make. you have to consciously decide to hurt someone. you have to consciously decide to say things. you have to consciously decide to humiliate your best friend in front of countless other people.

regina did make those choices.

and for that she does deserve consequences. she deserves repercussions and she deserves flack. she does not deserve to get hit by a bus (except for it being the catalyst to help her realize she needs to change) or being force fed to reach her biggest insecurity and fear without her knowledge.

she made the earliest choice when she was either eleven or twelve years old, that we know of.

that is a child.

regina is a child who is clearly suffering in some way we don’t see. she absolutely should be held accountable for what she does and what she has done. but she also deserves to be allowed to apologize and try to make amends. she deserves to be allowed the opportunity for growth and to heal and to become a functional adult who is capable of meaningful relationships and success. she deserves to be allowed to try.

does she deserve immediate or any forgiveness? no. the people around her also deserve the ability to make the choices with her that they will. she has caused harm, people are allowed to process the harm she has put upon them however they will.

but she deserves the opportunity to make it a choice for them.

she deserves a chance at redemption.

[casualwriters]

"Best friends" | Richie Valdovinos x reader

summary - After the Accident at the Halloween party you find Richie upset at the beach and you comfort him not figuring out he used to have a crush on you growing up as next-store neighbors.

Warning- none

- All the gifs go to the right full owners support them pls 💗

SPOILERS FOR RISE OF PINK LADIES EPISOSE 5

Falling on the ground as the emergency alarm howls in the light, next to you was Hazel and Wally, "Are you okay!" You dropped your arms from covering Hazel, she nodded towards you and Wally. "You okay Y/n," Wally asked you nodding then looking out the window to see fireworks, "fireworks?" You said to the two of them who were watching them with you

"I have to go," you say to the other two trying to find your friends, as you bolted out of the party, everyone was leaving thinking this was the real war coming but it was some stupid prank. Stepping outside you saw Jane and Richie, arguing "What is going on" you whisper running into Richie who already turned around on Jane. His face was sad and disappointed maybe because of Jane, you and Richie grew up together childhood best friend Olivia and him, but all three of you grew out of touch when you hit high school,

the cliches and being a Square or a Greeser you guys grew apart and you regretted that seeing Richie looking at you a smile came across your face "i have a place that cheer you up" saying to him Richie Scoffed "Doll i don't think the Frosty Palace, will cheer me up" he scoffs. Punching his shoulder you glared at him snagging Gill Keys from the tire "not there" you laughed twirling the keys around your index fingers "i show you". The car ride was quiet for the time of driving to the beach not far from you and Richie neighborhood it was a peaceful drive the radio was playing some Blues music that was popular for the time parking the car on the beach you looked at him he was smiling

"Wow doll dame i haven't been here in forever." Chuckling "since all of us were twelve" Both of you remembered the memories " oh man don't forget when i dump both you in the water! " Folding your arms annoyed " Richie Valdovinos! I had water in my ears for a week! " He shrugs " good you couldn't hear Oliva blabbing away" laughing " oh be nice,

"what happened tonight Rich " you asked him. Richie always appreciates you cutting to the chase and being straight up with him, it was one of the things he missed about you.

"Jane only cares about this fucking Election, i am like a dog she calls whenever i am relevant" Listening to him you Knew Jane She was such a sweet girl but throughout the weeks and dealing, with the election she wasn't the same girl!" he kicked the front of the car "and I saw her and Buddy, all cuddling She made a fool out of me Y/n!"

"Rich hey ever she did you don't know her side of it, you can't just jump the gun" Richie knew you were right, you were always right mending fights with him and Olivia, or separating conflict or fights. "I know, I know he looked over to see your hands covering your costume like you were cold he frowned and said.

"Here" he shakes off his T-Bird Jacket and drapes it over your shoulder. "but" he scoffs " No Buts or If's" he says "why did you give this to me wouldn't you rather, give it to Jane." he chuckled "I tried you were my second choice" he grins grabbing his Comb and brushing the strands of hair out of his face. "What do you mean by that?" you said your cheeks were flushing red right now. Richie looked over "it so stupid how clueless you were when we were younger "

"I had a crush on you a y/n" he chuckled putting the comb back in its rightful place. You stayed quiet listening to him talking it wasn't just one sided you thought to yourself.

"but I knew you were too good for me, sweet and caring that's why we stopped talking well, till tonight, what made me happy was even. When we were in a different, clicks or friend group you saw me upset and still wanted to check up on me, doll ." "it what I do" you smile at him "it wasn't one sided" you said to him, causing him to laugh nervously "oh all right" he saw you yawning has he chuckled " want me to drive, you home Princessa" nodding " yes please".

The drive back was laughing and talking just trying to catch up and make Richie's night better, he pulled into your driveway and smiled "See you later alright" You opened the door and got out

"only if you're lucky,"

you say to him he started the car up and drove away hoping, this could happen again.

[silentmagi]

Halloween Dream

A little haunted delight for you this wonderful night.

Ao3

“People talk about the holidays being a romantic time of year, but normally they speak of Christmas or Valentines, but never really about Halloween,” a quiet girl who had been coming to the cafe for months stated as she stared across the street, watching an old abandoned store with a longing look to her eyes. “But there is something there… when the masks hide us, and slowly allow us to reveal ourselves…”

The blonde waitress topped off her cup of coffee, following her gaze across the road. “Still thinking about that girl?”

“Raven, yeah,” she answered as she pushed up her glasses to reveal the blush of her cheeks. “I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since last year…”

Carmen let out a soft laugh as she patted the early morning customer on the shoulder. “Don’t worry there Amber, if it is to be, you’ll see her again,” the waitress offered warmly giving her a tight lipped smile. Over the past year of her coming in almost daily, she’d come to like the shy romantic girl, and was rooting for her to get her heart’s desire.

“Thank you,” the girl answered, wrapping her hands around the mug and lifting it up for a sip. “I would just be happy talking to her again. I probably seem like a stalker to constantly come here.”

Carmen gave her a warm smile before going to check on the other tables. Meanwhile, Amber found her mind driving to the first meeting with the enigmatic Raven. It had been days before Halloween, and she had been on her way to a costume party hosted by some friends of hers.

Yes, it was an attempt to hook her up with someone, but that’s not relevant to the story.

She had seen the store on her way to the big box store a few blocks further, and decided to take a chance on getting a costume from the specialty store. It was in that fateful choice that she knew her life was going to be changed forever.

Walking through the door to the echoing chime of a funeral knell, she found herself walking into Jack Skellington’s land, and at the counter, in her obsidian witch’s dress with large hat and fishnet sleeves was Raven, watching her with a curious expression.

Before she could speak, the woman waved her towards an aisle. “Costumes are down aisle three, I think you should look under the red sign,” she offered, a knowing look in her eyes. “I’ll be along after I ring up this customer.”

Just as she finished speaking, a cart ladened with candies, decorations, and so much else rolled around the far corner and beelined to the counter. The bubbly blonde girl pushing the cart was beaming to her dark haired friend that was helping keep everything from spilling out. At least, she thought they were friends, though thinking about it, the way they bantered and looked at each other, she wasn’t sure anymore.

There was something magical between them.

Leaving them to their shopping, she went down the costume aisles, and found a wall of choices. Looking up she swore they stretched onwards into the sky. Focusing on the directions given to her, she pressed onwards, and searched for the red sign that had been mentioned.

Getting to the right section, she found that they were mostly women’s costumes, and in her size. She just had to narrow it down from there. Was she feeling like being a princess, a witch, a cat, or something else? They looked like they’d be comfortable enough, and came with make up kits to help complete the look.

She was about to give up, when she saw it, the gleaming bronze colored scale, the curled horns that framed the face and swept back over her shoulders, and the gloriously cheesy looking wings. The Dragon Queen of her favorite book series The Dragoncrown Saga.

She hadn’t even known they made costumes for that series!

Plucking if off of the hook, she double checked the sizing, and found that it was just perfect for her, she just wished she cou-

“You can try it on if you’d like my queen,” the cashier offered from behind her, giving her a start. Turning around, she could see her smirking as if she’d caught her doing something. “I think you’ll look simply regal in this.”

“R-really?” Amber had squeaked, not sounding like the confident and bold queen the costume would have her pretending to be.

The cashier walked over, smiling as she waved her towards the back of the store. “Come on, let’s go try this on, I think we have some makeup to help complete the look if you’d like,” she insisted as she led the way towards the back, where a full make-up counter was set up, an artist leaning against the stall.

“Hey Raven, got a newbie?” the artist asked, looking her over. “I hope it’s something interesting.”

“The Dragon Queen, face scales and cheek scar?”

“Oh, I love it, go on and try it on dear, we’ll get you all set for any costume party you need,” the artist gushed as she held open the door to the changing room. Raven guided her in by the hand, giving her a playful smirk and devastating wink before the door shut behind her.

Half an hour and $50 later, Amber was gone, and in her place was an imposing, confident, and indomitable Dragon Queen, first of her name. The latex scales around her eyes and across her nose were comfortable, and she could barely feel the fangs in her mouth.

Raven and the artist gave each other fist bumps as she walked away to her car, getting almost to the party before she realized that she had been thinking about the goth clerk the entire time. She knew she’d never be able to handle a woman like that, but she wanted to take the risk, to dare to dance.

Unfortunately, the next time she’d had the chance to go to the store again, it was the day after Halloween, and the store was gone. Not just gone, but transformed. Where once a stately gothic manor stood, now it was a drab and bland concrete monolith to consumerism.

Sighing into her coffee, Amber tapped the claw of the metal finger ring she had picked up for herself for Christmas against the mug and stared at the cursed building. She was going to be brave, she was going to face this trial with courage and humility. She was going to ask out the big titted goth woman, come dragon fire or arctic chill.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the scent of the coffee, and felt something change in the air. Opening her eyes, she saw the black spires rising into the sky, the sharp, angular arches and facades. And there, causing her heart to skip a beat was a vision of obsidian and crimson, staring directly into the window she was staring out of, as if she could see her.

Raven.

The goth turned with a wave as the door opened, and she saw the artist that she’d never gotten the name of, and the lights flickered on throughout the four stories of the mansion, large orange letters proclaiming that the Halloween Dream was open.

Turning, Amber found Carmen there with a knowing smile and the bill. “I believe you have somewhere to be, it’s on me today sugar. Go on.”

“Thank you!” Amber offered as she rushed away, her mind so focused on the girl that had bewitched her for nearly a year that she never saw the fanged smile on Carmen’s face, as she waved a hand, and the other patrons began chattering and eating their foods, like they’d wakened from some thrall.

“Oh no, thank you,” Carmen purred as she watched the girl heading over to her daughter’s store. “She needs a good girl like you.”

[fabuloustrash05]

I just finished s4(finally) of 2012 and... Holy shit bruh those last few episodes huh, like I knew what was gonna happen but the in-between really caught me off guard .

It took forever for me to finish space arc because several samurai rabbits took over my brain, so

I had question... In s5 are there any skippable(non plot relevant eps?) I skipped a couple in earlier seasons because they were aprite*#,lo capril drama so I want to be prepared

I just thought to ask you since you seem the most knowledgeable of this subject

(also raphmona in the space arc was amazing, like I knew they got together but not that fast, and I knew Raph fell hard but i hadn't known Mona had too! What the fuck! They're so cute!?)

TMNT 2012 Season 5, also known as “Tales of the TMNT”, overall is skippable because none of the arcs are connected, nor is it truly a continuation of the last 4 seasons and its story. I consider the season 4 finale the true ending of the series with season 5 being bonus stories/epilogues to certain characters and dynamics.

Season 5 isn’t a requirement to watch, but if you are interested, here’s my recommended arc/episode order:

Kavaxas Arc

Scroll of the Demodragon

The Forgotten Swordsman

Heart of Evil

End Times

Halloween Arc

The Curse of Savanti Romero

The Crypt of Dracula

The Frankenstein Experiment

Monsters Among Us

When Worlds Collide

Part 1 & 2

Usagi Arc

Yojimbo

Osoroshi no Tabi

Kagayake! Kintaro

80s Crossover Arc

Wanted: Bebop and Rocksteady

The Foot Walks Again!

The Big Blowout

Lone Rat and Cubs

(This ep is the perfect way to end the series)

If you want a more angsty ending then end the series with the Mutant Apocalypse arc ("The Wasteland Warrior", "The Impossible Desert", & Carmageddon"), but personally l'd just skip it cause it just leaves you a little unsatisfied, a bad taste in your mouth and leaves you with way more questions than answers. It’s also considered non canon, not just by fans but by the writers themselves, stating it’s one of many possible futures for the Turtles.

Personally, it's not a good way to end franchise so I would say have your last episode be Lone Rat and Cubs.

[mxlfoydraco]

Do you happen to know any good Drarry fic with the "De-aging" trope? I've read Away Childish Things and was wondering if there are other similar stories out there

I was so sure I already had a list but apparently not? I'll add ACT as well for future reference, it's one of my all time favorites! I'm also including de-aging a few years, not to a child. Linking a relevant list of mine: Age Difference

Away Childish Things by lettered (153k)

Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

Malfoy Child by Vorabiza (94k)

A potions accident turns Draco into a four-year-old and Harry takes over his care for the next four months.

Pinky Promises Are Powerful Magic by megyal (12k)

Ickle Harry wants to stay with his newest hero.

Teddy Bear Troubles and Other Such Oddities by Kandakicksass (61k)

During potions tutoring with a certain blonde, Harry makes a big mistake. Now he's stuck with a four year old aging a year a week, and he's not sure the boy will make it back to eighteen without turning his world upside down in all sorts of ways.

You Send Me (Honest You Do) by firethesound (37k)

As far as potion accidents go in general, and deaging incidents go in particular, Draco knew this could have been so much worse. Harry only lost about ten years, and all his memories are still intact. But the sight of him looking as if he’s stepped straight out of Draco’s Hogwarts memories has dredged up a whole mess of complicated feelings Draco thought he’d buried years ago, and Draco really doesn’t know what to do with any of it.

'Twixt the Sun and Sward by November Snowflake (30k)

A potions mishap has Harry and Draco meeting on entirely new—or is it old?—ground.

Not Nineteen Forever by @sorrybutblog (5k)

A rogue charm hits on a mission and suddenly, Draco is nineteen again. Harry is still thirty-five and doing his best to look after his de-aged Auror partner (and forget about his long unrequited crush) until St. Mungo’s can brew the antidote. Only, Draco insists on wandering around Harry’s flat wearing nothing but Harry’s pants, flirting like his life depends on it and in the end, Harry’s only human after all.

Christmas with Draco by dracogotgame (9k)

Harry tries to give a two year old Draco the best Christmas ever.

Auld Acquaintance by @aibidil (2k)

All Draco wants for Christmas is for Harry to get home so they can charm their holiday cards and make four different lasagnas to meet their children's and grandchildren's varied food needs. What he does not want is for Harry to get home wearing red Christmas joggers and looking eighteen years old.

Chrysalis by Elfflame (55k)

After the war, the Ministry decides to reform the Death Eaters, and Draco Malfoy is one of the first chosen for the program.

Halloween Night by @dorthyanndrarry (3k)

Halloween only tends to remind Harry of his parents death, there's nothing happy or fun about it. Its a dark day for him. Draco decides to try and change that, to take Harry out and experiences something new. To make new memories. Together.

Growing Pains by SensiblyTainted (190k)

The summer after Sirius’ death: the abuse at the Dursley’s leaves him broken. Snape is asked to try and help, and discovers that the key to saving Harry may be Draco, who has returned after his own difficult summer.

A Change In Perspective by Roozette (121k)

Once there was a potions accident... Ha! Harry turns five, much to the distress of the I don't want to be a Death Eater brigade.

To the Moon by VCCV (35k)

Draco is turned into a child. Harry takes care of him.

Life From the Start by LunaParvulus (74k)

A botched up de-aging potion and Harry suffers from the results. Now, Draco is hands full of one adorable Harry. What if Draco came to like Harry in his baby-state? Can both pretend nothing happened when Harry is back to normal?

P.S. This trope used to be more popular, I got to link from ffnet again since forever ago!

[coolbutnotthere]

Tumble: *stomping up the stair up to the top of the mother tree. Slamming open the doors to the place Cool personally resided* “WHY DI— Why are you in a bucket?”

Cool: *Said bucket was filled with a black goopy substance, eventually with a very heavy sigh a head solidifies and breaks to the surface of the bucket not taking away from the original mass of goop inside of it. With the groggiest and laziness voice possible Cool spoke* I was trying to sleep, did you need something?

Tumble: YA, WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME I WAS COLORBLIND

Cool: I did tell you, you just never took the hint. Besides, not my job to tell you how your body works…

Tumble: YOU NEVER TOLD ME THAT, I WOULD KNOW THAN! IM AMAZING AT LISTENING!

Cool: *giving Tumble a very heavy sigh that just sounded like a groan at the end* I taught the children about colorblindness in color class

Tumble: I DON’T SEE HOW THATS RELEVANT

Cool: You where the example

Tumble: HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW, YOU USE PLENTY OF EXAMPLES!

Cool: Tumble, I love you but I don’t have the energy or patience for this. So I’ll give you two options, leaving with your dignity, or being thrown out.

Tumble: Fine... we're talking about this later though *Tumble grumbled as they left*

*Then promptly as Tumble leaves, the door slams shut, a number of branches that weren't previously there reaching inward and blocking the door... one of said branches had managed to curl into a shape resembling a hand with the middle finger promptly up*

Tumble: Fuck you too tree! *Tumble said promptly, flipping the tree off despite being fully aware the tree couldn’t see them do it. It still gave them some satisfaction as they made their way back down the large amount of steps in the tree. *

(This took forever and it doesn’t help that the first one didn’t save 😭, anyway we got another little interaction between Cool and Tumble. This is the day after Halloween by the way for context.)

( @tumbletwin @mainazure )

[altocat]

I saw you guys talking about Seph’s bit of introspection about making conscious decisions and I wanted to offer the Japanese insight again because the English makes everything so cryptic and confusing lol. I think this is why everyone is hesitating to dive in, but translation stuff may aid us.

(I’m glad you guys appreciate these btw! Happy to help!)

Here is roughly the discussion in Japanese after Matt explains that a large percentage of decisions are unconsciously made. (He is referencing a legitimate scientific study).

Seph replies to Matt: “Even if the unconscious is apart of you, that means you can’t take responsibility for what you do.”

So, he acknowledges the obvious, which is that we can’t really have free will if all of our decisions are unconscious.

Then he basically says: “I intend to make my own decisions/I have my own will.”

He says this as something he wants/intends/will do…not something he necessarily does yet. That’s why the English is confusing. He does acknowledge that his will is his own, but not necessarily that he is “conscious of every decision he makes.”

He is saying “I will do this” and it almost feels as though he is telling himself that.

Lucia comments that such a thing would be difficult to do as a solider and Matt says that “Sephiroth could probably do it.”

So yes, this was a relevant moment for sure.

—

Now, we could dive in and analyze this endlessly, bringing up foreshadowing for everything from Crisis Core to Nibelheim to Jenova lol, but within the immediate context, it feels more like a simple bit of implication about what is to come in the First Soldier.

Seph is being influenced by his new team, specifically Glenn, in almost every scene we have seen with them so far. He is learning to socialize and laugh and have fun, maybe to learn how to be compassionate in battle, how to lighten up, not be so serious, etc..

He was very strict and stern in this Harvest Story at the start, but amusingly enough, this comment he made about making his own decisions came directly after this fun adventure with Glenn that culminated with them almost “slacking off” and going to get food at the festival.

An added dash of irony is that he says this thing about making conscious decisions after being “unconsciously influenced” a little bit by Glenn on the other side of the portal. I say “unconsciously” because neither of them can remember what happened, but it still clearly affected them.

It was a silly Halloween tale yes, but it showed us a little more about how Seph is learning to exercise his own will and not be so bound by the rules. If this continues, then we will likely be led to that Rosen scene where a choice is presented to Sephiroth and for once, he will make a decision on his own accord, going against everything he was raised to do.

“Sephiroth could probably do it” could have been further foreshadowing. He is going to decide something in the future and it will shape the story.

Now the question remains:

How will that end?

I’m afraid I don’t have high hopes for this all ending in sunshine and rainbows lol.

Random Bonus: Seph says, “I wish I could have tried the pumpkin soup” after Glenn is gone in the Japanese and the poor guy sounds so wistful. Please give him another chance Square!

There's SO many ways this could be foreshadowing things...I really wouldn't know where to start.

If I HAD to guess, it's probably in relation to the choice Rosen was talking about in the trailer. I'm thinking Sephiroth will make a conscious decision...only for it to backfire and haunt him forever, as well as influences why he continues to avoid fighting Angeal and Genesis in CC. It would tie in well with him calling Genesis at the beginning, probably making the conscious decision again to keep letting him off in the future.

[9800sblog]

https://www.tumblr.com/9800sblog/752490189676560384/httpswwwtumblrcom9800sblog752413680504897536?source=share

Can you do the same with P1harmony?

p1harmony tarot reading

current vibes

all

10 of pentacles, the tower reversed, wheel of fortune, the sun

they're all up to something, not about money, being the most famous singer or having the most likes, notice the 10 of pentacles is about the material, not money exclusively. some people don't notice that fandoms are alternative culture, they're making up their own society of people who think, feel and create similarly to them, so they're being careful of what they're letting out to the public, their fans get it tho. they're not underrated, messy or lame, they know what they're doing by not being completely mainstream yet ;)

shuffled song:

keeho

9 of pentacles reversed, ace of pentacles reversed, the star

"good luck trying to figure me out", I see a lot of research in here about things people may think don't affect him but are directly linked to him. he gives old money vibes, old school jazz clubs, etc. he's purposefully being messy and confusing, like how your room has a disorganization that you understand tho. I think behind the scenes people are expecting/asking him to build an empire he already has.

shuffled song:

theo

4 of wands, 10 of wands, ace of swords reversed (hidden beneath the), judgement, ace of wands

may be preparing for a new comeback, hiding a lot of who he really is, his ideas and projects, "got plans we ain't made yet". he holds a lot of creative control, more than people think, which is interesting and very beneficial to him, he's connecting to family, blood or found and lying a lot!!!! hahahah

shuffled song:

jiung

4 of pentacles reversed, ace of cups reversed, the sun, the fool

also being misleading on purpose, their next release may have a lot to do with that + superheroes/60's science fiction concept. he's having a good time lately, chilling, lying, enjoying classics (things that never die), he may be reading a lot, drawing, and not really trying a lot, being lazy. as if people keep yelling at him for unnecessary things that have nothing but also everything to do with him. he may be excited for halloween.

shuffled song:

intak

5 of swords, knight of swords, page of wands, death reversed

exactly the same vibes as jiung but in his own style, he looks like a very very lazy person, aka looks for the easiest, simplest ways to do incredibly difficult things, and relaxes while doing them. like fishing, demands a lot of knowledge, patience, time and physical strength, but you just sit and wait for the fish to do the work for you.

shuffled song:

soul

6 of cups, the high priestess, 8 of pentacles reversed, the devil

first love vibes, this is one lazy group of people tho omg. he's doing a big big mess while doing nothing, he may be trying to get back to who he used to be as a kid, in hopes to have back what he used to have. the song explains the entire spread and vibes, just listen.

shuffled song:

jongseob

3 of pentacles, the empress, 8 of swords, 2 of cups

they're very lazy, but I wouldn't wanna have them as an enemy, let that be a warning. they're working together, with other people, friends and family towards a common goal, "at the end, we only pursue the value of goodwill", will being the keyword here. consciousness is important business for them, he wants to live an easy and simple life, and that's what he's doing, "why aren't others just doing whatever they want?", yellow submarine - the beatles another relevant song.

shuffled song:

[b0ard1ngsch00l]

(boss crush anon) thanks :D i'll start with context, im 28 and hes 48..funnily enough i had a dream recently where i was back in high school and he was my teacher LOL, thought that was relevant. ive had this crush for a few months now and have been writing about every little interaction i have with him. one of your posts that rly spoke to me was "i want to mean something to him", bc girl no joke ive written that exact sentiment about him before. every time i talk to him feels special, i get a legit high thinking about seeing him every day. hes so painfully handsome and nice to me, sometimes when he sees me his whole face just lights up and he gives me this HUGE smile. hes also the only person i work with who calls me by a shortened version of my name <3 one of my other coworkers even noticed that he did that and i was like 0///0 yeah he has a nickname for me so what?

there was an after-work happy hour that i went to once, i brought a friend and asked her to watch how he acted around me bc he can be hard for me to read sometimes, i cant see his behavior objectively when i have so much wishful thinking going on lol. she told me later that when we walked in, he made a beeline straight for me right away, and seemed sorta shy when talking to me. she asked how i was doing at my job (i was new at the time) and he said something like "shes awesome! every day that shes here is a great day!" and my face mustve been beet red..he kept showing up in our conversations with other people and standing near me, something ive noticed he does a lot in group situations. just recently, we had an premiere with lots of people and since i was on the clock i was standing by myself in the back of the room, watching in case someone needed anything. fr he comes over and stands RIGHT next to me. there was no one else around that area, he chose to stand right beside me while we watched the premiere.

he was out of the office for a whole week once (work related reasons) and i angsted so hard..not seeing him on weekends is bad enough but this was like 10 days and i was going feral. we followed each other on instagram after that happy hour and during that week he was gone he randomly liked one of my posts late at night. i have to wonder if he was missing me too..the next day he came by my work area to ask "whats new?", like he just wanted to catch up after being away which i thought was sweet. yesterday he was teasing me about hiding some of our work halloween decorations in my car to scare me (cute lol), today he was showing me how to tape a package with a confusing tape dispenser and our hands brushed multiple times while handing the tape back and forth, and god only knows whatll happen tomorrow!!

hes so wonderful and i rly want to know more about him, i want to be around him constantly and any time i get with him is instant dopamine. hes intoxicating and i feel selfish wishing he'd break a million rules for me (boss/employee relations, 20 year age gap, and yeah you guessed it hes also married) but i just cant help myself......im not planning on making a move bc i love my job too much to risk getting fired for that, but if HE did you know id reciprocate in an instant. but im glad to just know him even if things remain the same as they are forever, as much as i wish theyd escalate. THANK YOU for letting me get this all out of my system, theres even more i could say but this is long enough lol. have an amazing day, G <333333333

This was very enjoyable to read thank you! The way you both are seems sooo cute! I’m so glad you can relate to me <33 I so get you, and everything you’re feeling yk. It’s hard being obsessed with middle aged men who deep down you know you can’t have😭 but also there’s no other feeling like it and it’s kinda the best! Any time you need to rant about him I’d love to hear!💕

[green-socks]

TOTD diary 3

@ryebecca's wonderful Dagger Squad as Star Wars characters moodboards came across my dash again and I (still) felt especially excited about Javy as Lando Calrissian. And you just can't have one without the other, which is why I love Jake as Han(g) Solo. It's just brilliant all around!! Couldn't stop thinking about how much they'd slay in those fits, and then I thought "yeah, they should dress up as the characters for halloween. every year." and it grew from there.

Welcome to a quick recap of macheresin halloweens through the years!

Coyote x Hangman - Halloween Anniversaries

They first started the tradition in high school, thinking that dressing up as the duo would be a fun bff costume and easy to pull off. [Because it's a party in high school, I'm imagining there had to be a classic game or two.] Perhaps they were dared to play seven minutes in heaven with each other. Perhaps they got reaaaally into it.

They've been together ever since.

And to commemorate their anniversary, they dress up in those same costumes every. year. The first time they celebrate Halloween with the daggers, they all think it's pretty cute. Second year in a row raises eyebrows, but whatever, they've got bigger problems.

Namely, Jake and Javy, tipsy and excited to be celebrating their 15th anniversary go through the most elaborate flirty routine. Again, every year they do this. Jake steals Javy's cape at some point, Javy calls him a "slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler" for his stealing. Every time. Except it's far too fond. And flirty. It's a weird foreplay they do.

Daggers have seen quite enough thanks, and lock them in a closet, unknowing that this was how their relationship started all those years ago. They give that cursed closet a wide berth, because, jeez.

Han(g) and Lando emerge somewhat disheveled and having decided that they want to get married. Immediately, please. Mav can do it, because why couldn't he. That man can do anything.

So they get married on their 15th anniversary, on Halloween. (Less anniversary dates to remember if they're all one and same).

Years later, their kids will ask why their dads always wear those same old, lame costumes. [I'm only hoping Disney isn't pumping out insane amounts of content still at that point so it's not like they're super relevant in their costumes.] But it's relevant to them <3. They can't very well go breaking their anniversary tradition can they.

Except. One year, decades after their first Halloween together, it finally happens. Jake's dad bod has gotten too big to fit in the costume he's been wearing for most of his adult years. He has a crisis. Half of it is mourning his youth and his abs, the other half is worried their marriage will now somehow fall apart because he can't keep up his end of the tradition. Regardless, the crisis is real.

Obviously, Javy knows to appreciate a dilf like any sane person. He's absolutely feral over Jake's dad bod. So what if Jake can't fit in a costume that's way older than their children? They were honestly getting kind of threadbare anyway. Javy finds a way to soothe his husband, remind him that his worth isn't defined by how defined his muscles are, and that their marriage is a solid as ever, nothing bad will happen. They can still try to figure out a new Han costume for Jake, or they can come up with something totally new. After that year they were a new matching costume every year. Let's be real, their family and friends are grateful for the change after having to suffer the same shit for forever. Although, they are still pretty gross and obsessed with each other. That would never change.

[deuterosapiens]

It's been a few years since I've watched it, but yeah, the movie (mostly) holds up. Praise be to practical effects!

The most notable difference between the book (or "novelette" as the film so humorously calls it) and the movie is one of focus. Structurally, Cycle of the Werewolf is mostly episodic vignettes. Each month is a mostly self-contained mini story, with the connective thread being that each focuses on a victim of the wolf's. There's a fairly consistent plot thread running through this, a character or two who are fairly important in that they are relevant to discovering the wolf's identity, and to killing the wolf. Seeing as the book started its life as a werewolf-themed calendar, it's not too surprising that a true plot-line isn't as present as it could be.

The film obviously cannot follow this structure, so it wisely doesn't. The time frame of the book, which plays from January First to December Thirty-first, is compressed significantly from late spring to Halloween. This is fine, it's slightly tighter this way.

What's most interesting is that Reverend Lowe as a character had undergone a rather drastic change in personality between the two. In the book, he's not entirely aware of his condition until considerably later, and even then, he mostly plays as a scared animal attempting to avoid capture.

The film gives him a fair amount of Menace, by presenting him as completely aware of his condition. He attempts to justify his bloodlust as a weapon of God. He seems to use the Beast as a mask to escape into sadism.

W(h)ere the book is fairly matter-of-fact, the movie goes into delicious eighties camp. If you aren't familiar with it, check out Mr Kincaid's rant about "private justice" (justified as he had just lost his son to the werewolf), and the absolutely hilarious scene of the wolf killing the vigilantes afterwards. The thing with the baseball bat will forever be the funniest thing I've ever seen in a horror movie ever.

Seeing as basically no one has a significant amount of characterization in the book (with the exception of Reverend Lowe), the movie does the Eighties thing and makes Corey Haim play basically the same character he's played in every other Eighties movie. Gary Busey (yikes, this didn't age well, did it?) is obnoxious but incredibly fun. He amounts to perhaps eighty-five percent of the ham in this movie. The rest can be found in Everett McGill's villain rant about saving one of his victim's life eternal. This entire bridge scene should be tense but it's so damn funny due to the over the top acting.

Praise be practical effects!

Yes, the Werewolf is clearly a costume. No it doesn't particularly look real ever. However, the transformation effects do look remarkably good, all things considered. The reverse transformation after Lowe's death is still very pleasing to my eyes (jump scare notwithstanding).

It's still a good bit of fun. Worse werewolf movies exist:

I'm in a wolfy mood tonight. I think I'll finally watch An American Werewolf in London.

[something-about-sunflowers]

Genuinely don't understand why a lot of speculation/rumor/update theme park youtube channels seem so confused by Universal's Dark Universe?

The classic Universal Monsters are timeless. Everybody knows who the fuck Dracula and Frankenstein('s Monster) are.

They have much much more staying power than a lot of new horror franchises and that's what you need if you're dedicating an entire section of a new park to an IP. Of fucking course they're not going to go for something more modern like Stranger Things or Five Nights At Freddies, those work for temporary attractions like at Halloween Horror Nights but they are not at all adaptable the way the classic Monsters are. You can't do as much with them to extend the longevity of their relevance in the pop culture public eye.

You go with a timeless IP so you can go longer in between changing out/renovating the worlds you put in your parks. Stranger Things or FNAF or whatever the current popular media is is not going to stay popular forever and Universal is smart enough to not waste their money on franchises that they'd have to replace sooner than later.