#and I'm not saying he's ALWAYS like that but its a good dang chunk of time

[featheredmoonwings]

Here's a thought.

Sam has been irrevocably changed since his coming back from hell (and jumping in of course). So often I find myself looking at later season's Sam, a Sam who's not a firey rebel against what the world wants of him, a Sam who would fight for himself. This is a quietly submissive Sam who can't stand to disappoint Rock No.1. Someone who takes on pain again and again and again because he's so used to it.

Sam from the first seasons it's not the same Sam as the later. This is a broken, traumatized man who excels at being high functioning and I am SO sure of it.

He LOOKS resigned and tired a lot of the time. And it reminds me of hell!Sam begging himself not to remember. hell!Sam knew what he was talking about and what we're seeing in later seasons is his reflection.

And let me throw in a Silmarillion reference because why the heck not. Like the souls of elves go to Mando's halls, Sam's soul needed to go to heaven and heal from all the years of hell he suffered (earthly ones and hell ones). He was not ready to be reembodied in earth and now he's come wrong.

Like 5 different entities warned us about Sam's shredded to ribbons soul. To me, that doesn't sound like a soul that should've been put back in a body.

[fandom-puzzle-peaces]

Just a Thought about Cale

So I was thinking about a certain beloved redhead and the fact that he is on one hell of a crash course to godhood and it got me thinking.

No way in heck does he want to be a god (as we all know), but I'm not sure he's gonna have much of a choice in not turning into something more than just human by the end of everything. But then again its Cale, so he'll probably find some way to finagle himself out of the situation. However, regardless of what happens it will never disregard the fact that he has a ton of power and always will whether he becomes a god or not. So it got me thinking into what he could possibly turn into or be compared to.

spoilers for those in part 1 / new readers below!

I'm gonna get a little philosophical here.

What is it exactly that you would say Cale embodies? What concepts and such? To me it is 2 things:

Hope and Love

I am mainly going to talk about hope since that is the most important part for this post (if ya'll want to hear about the second point let me know and I'll make second post about it)

For those of us who have read a good chunk of part 2 know of the god of hope's interest in Cale. The god literally showed him (and by extension us) the hope Cale has instilled in those around him.

Cale himself is a very hopeful person. He lives off of it. It is literally the reason he is still alive. It's what has kept him going, made him able to survive, through the literal hell his life has been. Sure you can say he survived cause he's smart and knows what to do, which is true, but what is the point in surviving if there isn't a reason to do so?

What's his reason you may ask? He tells us all the freaking time. He wants to live a slacker life. He wants a nice house in a nice peaceful place with a ton of money so he can live out the rest of his days in bliss (which is a gosh dang mood). Sure Cale words it as "slacker life" and he does want all of those things I mentioned, but we all know what he actually means. (That and something is missing in the list I mentioned, but its part of the second point so I won't touch on it in this post)

Which is "the bad will end and everything I have worked so hard for, survived for for so long, will finally be mine." That thing, of course, being his long awaited slacker life. But I don't think that's his only reason, his only hope, for surviving so long and through what he did. At least at first.

(I would go deeper into this, but Good Lord this post is becoming an essay, so maybe I'll write on this more in the possible second post if ya'll want)

In other words, Cale is full of Hope and it spreads to others from him. So now that that part is out of the way, where am I going with this exactly? I'm glad you asked!

People place there hopes in a variety of things, from deities to objects and everything in between. However, what is something a person does when they want to place their hope in that thing? There are multiple answers to this question such as:

Pray to whichever deity you believe in

perform a ritual of some sort

create a bunch of something (like that thing with the paper stars or paper cranes)

etc.

There are plenty of other answers out there, some of which are personal and some that everyone does or has done. I am talking about that latter possibility. What is something that most likely everyone has heard of and done since we were kids?

wishing on stars

There is no way Cale would ever be a god, he would for sure find a way out of becoming one (F to the god of hope and Clopeh's delusions). He can't be an object since he is a living, breathing human being. And there is no way in heck Worlds, the gods, and literally everything else would let multiple Cales exist in an area at once.

But he can become a Star, or at least be compared to one.

For those of us in part 2, we already know that Cale's plate has/is becoming a World Plate (which is wild, way to go idiot). And what is a Star but another world seen from very far away? I don't think Cale will become a World, at least not fully, but I think he might become something pretty dang close.

Something along the same vein as Raon, who can remain himself regardless of whichever world and its rules he pops into. Who can bend said rules to his will. Raon is Raon and always will be, screw whatever tries to say otherwise. Cale is very much the same way, they mirror each other. I personally like to think that Cale will remain human after everything, but much like Raon he is his own world, his own guiding light, his own Star. And much like the stars, we cannot change them, only look at them from afar and wonder what they're like. Only able to make a wish. Only able to place our hopes and dreams in them in the hopes that it will be heard. Sounds a little familiar right?

In other words, in a shocking twist of events, Cale became the White Star

Anyways, I think I've rambled long enough. Hope this really long post made some semblance of sense. If you all want me to talk more about what I think Cale embodies let me know, and I'll do my best.

Hope ya'll enjoyed!

[risu5waffles]

i really, really liked this one. It reminded me a lot of chronos453's A Simple Platformer that we started this whole archive deal wiv. The material choices are pretty strong, and the abstacted-naturalistic shaping of them really goes far. Decorations and stickering are simple, but they serve quite well the need to give a little visual flair and distinction. The platforming maintains a good pace throughout and manages to be pretty fun the whole time. i really liked the little mechanical movements in the level as well. All in all a really strong example of simple level building. i'm a little confused about the providence of the level, rehp says it was actually created by their brother ruof, which is why i give double credit, but wivin the level it's only credited to ruof. So maybe he originally published it, and let his sib copy and republish? i don't know. Great level, tho'.

We talked about this one last week, and i don't really have much to add.

This one's alright enough, i guess? It feels kind of washed out and empty, and there's not much to distract you from the not much that's going on. The hedgehog bit was... well, the hedgehog was cute. The way it kept moving to block the launcher i needed, not so much.

i kinda wish i could put together a good survival challenge, but i've never quite wrapped my head around the logic needed to get it done. i'm also not entirely sure how to fill it so it stays interesting for folx who are actually good enough to keep going at it for a while. i was always able to hang in the ones in LBP2 to get the prizes, but usually once i crossed the score threshold, i'd bounce. Just no patience for it. But sometimes you run into these ones in community, where the top score is just absurdly up there, and i think to myself, "dang, that's some real dedication right there." This one was cute enough for what it was. i found the bounciness of the hazards added a little bit too much randomness for me to really enjoy myself, but i gave it a couple of good goes to come in halfway decent on the leaderboard.

This level is so danged good, and i have no idea how i missed out on it for so long; it just somehow completely passed under my radar. Really glad @mellangard suggested it a couple of streams back, or i might not have ever tried it. To be honest, i used to have a habit of avoiding Team Picked levels, 'cause i wouldn't use them for the old review show, and i didn't really have time to just play stuff for fun. It's taken me a bit to get out of the habit (and discouver the Team Picks are extremely hit-and-miss for quality), but the original show's idea was to try and focus on levels wivout many plays, to give them a bit of a chance in the limelight, and Team Picks always rack up numbers. The fact that this level manages to be quite presentation-heavy, while maintaining a fairly quick pace, wivout running into too much lag, or having objects not load in is fairly amazing all on its own. Then toss on that it's all good, and fun? Like, this is a gem.

i really wound up cottoning to this one. The shaping and presentation remind me quite favourably of Stocktown By Night from Track9, which we looked at way back on LittleBite-sizedPlanet episode 160. Holy crap, that was 2019?! Listening to the episode now, and... yeesh. As far as Insomniac Town, it's fun. Very nostalgic. Very LBP2. The only thing i didn't really like was the use of grabbable materials made non-grabbable. If it's the ground, yeah, sure, please make that non-grabbable. But if you give me a four by four chunk of fabric, i'm gonna try to drag it somewhere.

It took me a silly-long time to figure out the creator's name is supposed to be read as Satan. Ope. This one is so, so, so very kludgy, and i no lie kinda love it? It's very LBP1 era hard-adjacent. Goofy and edgy, but not so much that i felt like noping out of it. The dropping heads at the end were on a real weird timer, and kept killing me, but that's kinda par for the course for these. One issue i did have was because of the changes to the lighting engine, and how fire is displayed, it can be a bit hard to see things at times, and it can be really hard to tell just what is fire as hazard, and what is fire as decoration.

This one is so goofy, and i kinda love it too. i'm not sure if it was actually possible for me to save that guy, he seemed pretty well squished. i wonder if he was a little bit more survivable in the original LBP1 version, where he would have been made out of material. Sackbots can be quite delicate. Is this level scary? Absolutely not. Is killing the gator in a style reminiscent of ogRE2 a hoot? Oh heck yes.

Talked about this one yesterday. Go peep that post. Seriously. i'm falling asleep sitting up, and i still haven't taken a shower.

Honestly, i was a little worried making this level was a bit too much of a flex on the original creator, and that honestly wasn't intended. i really liked the chance to just throw together some simple gameplay bits and see how they run. i do feel like i should have done something better wiv that second Spring Bolt, tho'. That jump is just a ball of no fun.

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

Oh my dogs, i am legit so sleepy, and there is still a bunch i have left to do tonight. We did all that work on stream last night, and as soon as we wrapped up, the game crashed and i lost all that progress. i tried to put the cameras back together this morning, but i couldn't quite get them how we had them, so i'm going to have to actually watch the VoD on the side while i fix them up, and i honestly hate that.

[bones-of-a-rabbit]

Another gift for you Babbit, this one is a little darker, a little more spooky. I hope you enjoy it, or at the very least, you don't hate it. Thank you for your lovely stories, you're a real one :3c

I did it again, I can't stay away from this AU I'msosorry- It's my favorite spooky Babbit story and it lives rent free in my mind. New Afton virus art just dropped? You know the vibes 🙃

So, if you would, have a slice of feral and problematic Virus! Sun and Moon? Please don't hold it against them, you don't know what they've been through. (｡•́︿•̀｡)

(These super short one-shots contain semi-graphic depictions of violence. There is depictions of blood, minor amounts of gore, and implied death of humans. I don't think I'm good enough of a writer to really, properly scare anyone, but I also do not want to make anyone uncomfy. I would rate this at 13+, but if you're squeamish, then you might not like these. I'm hiding them under the cut.)

☼ ✴ ─────── ✧ ─────── ✴ ☼ Into the Swing of Things:

The hallway was bright, the lights blazed like white fire clinging to the ceiling. The hum of the electricity buzzed in the background, it's hard work going unnoticed. The initial swing had only been a tap, really. The bat had made more of a clatter when it hit the floor than the leg. Humans were so…fragile.

It made this so easy!

Yellow hands flew to rosy cheeks, a joyous laughter floated over the sniveling at his feet. Sun just couldn't contain his excitement, he was being so helpful! His eyes flashed fluorescent purple, pupils curled into hearts.

Absolutely anything, anything for you!

"Oh, gosh! That must've hurt, you're critically injured!" Sun giggled, pitching to static like a fizzy hiccup. "I'm getting better at this!"

"Please- please! Someone help me-!" Ah, the magic words. He really didn't have to shout, though. Sun gave a bemused smirk to the man slinking across the stained carpet. He really should've considered the consequences of working with Afton. Oh well. He could try to crawl away, but what's the point?

All he had to say was please!

"Yes, yes of course!" Another giggle ebbed into a wistful sigh. "I'm sorry, I was having too much fun. Where are my manners? Here, allow me!"

The animatronic's hands left his face, reaching down in a swift dip to pluck the bat off the floor by it's handle. With a twirl of his hand, he have the glossed wood a quick once-over. With a fake gasp, he theatrically flicked a previously dislodged chunk of Mr. Michael off of the bat, before a sharp nod of approval.

This part always went by so fast. Sun's processor almost had a hard time keeping up. The bat swung, a shattering crack as his target burst in a shower of splintered everything. The man went limp, what was left of his body rag-dolled to the floor in an obscenely wet plop. The handle of the bat practically disintegrated in the metal vice grip. Sun flexed his joints open, and emptied the remaining shards of wood onto the floor.

The silence threatened to swallow the room, before a light 'tsk tsk'ing hung in its place.

'Goodness, I really went overboard, didn't I?" Sun scolded himself, but he couldn't stop the wide grin stretched across his face plate. He was getting better at this. His thoughts drifted to you, his sweet, precious Sunshine. You were going to be so, so happy with him!

Sun wiggled in his casing, hands flapping in a little pulse of nervous, jubilant energy. The bells tied to his wrists chimed in unison, danging from shimmery, purple ribbons. He was almost lost in a fit of laughter before a small creak of metal caught his attention from the end of the hall.

It was a small cleaning cart, with a Staff bot in tow. The little fella had paused in the hall when he had seen Sun, patiently waiting to help with his new task.

'Oh hello there! Your timing in impeccable as always my dear friend!" Sun cooed at the modest bot, watching a small pink glow rise from its grey face. The sunny animatronic chuckled, sweet and fluffy, before his attention turned back to the mess he had made of the hall. The staff bot approached, stoic in the face of anything, as usual.

"Guess I really knocked him out of the park huh?" Sun poised, jabbing his thumb over at the leftovers scattered on the hallway floor, his eyes playfully sparkled at the staff bot. It's shoulders slumped, if only minutely, before it rolled out from behind the cart, deciding to start without Sun and his antics. Aw.

"You're right, I guess these jokes are kinda out of my league." The bright eyed animatronic tilted and bent around the staff bot, chest and legs facing the wrong ways against the arch of his spine. His rays spun with a silly whirl next to the staff bot, flashing his coy, expecting smirk. Sun was never one to give up so easily.

The staff bot let out a flitter of beeps, a laugh it had tried to hide from the jester bouncing next to it. Sun gave a pleased hum, satisfied with the reaction, for now. He untwisted, straightening with a series of clicks. Alright, alright, he had his fun.

Now, it was clean-up time.

 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ When the Stars Suffer Alone:

Moon had never considered himself very patient. He certainly did not fancy waiting on the last breath of trespassers either, especially when it was in the dingiest bathroom in the whole Plex.

But time didn't seem to matter when you were on his mind.

It was a little thing, really. Such a small, delicate strand of silk, yet it meant so much to the celestial animatronic. A smooth, purple ribbon hugged the palm of his hand, the tails of the tiny bow fluttered against the back of his wrist. Even in times like this, he felt his focus drift away to you. He wanted to hold you tight, keep you safe…

You had nothing to worry about, not when your Knight in Shining Nightcap was around.

A choked gurgle tugged Moon away from his thoughts. A lazy glimpse landed to the useless pile of human on the floor as it twitched like gelatin. His chest heaved, looking for any sliver of life left in his punctured body. Moon was not rushed or worried, this guy wasn't going anywhere. Not looking like a fresh slice of swiss cheese.

No where to go.

The gurgling breath continued, and Moon cocked an eyebrow at the mess. His eyes were heavy, a soft but a pretentious glint of pity shined through them.

"You didn't give me much choice, you know. You really should have held better company." Moon chuckled, his voice held it's vicious tone, despite the serene smile on his face. His hands clasped together, a dreamy sigh of artificial breath hissing out of his fan.

"But I suppose some people learn the easy way…"

A hand lifted off the floor, a desperate, shaky attempt at salvation. It gave a pathetic tug on Moon's silken pants, before the last bit of air finally escaped its bloodied prison. The hand fell, dejected, back into the pool of blood on the tile with a muted splat.

"And some people learn the hard way."

The long row of mirror along the titled wall glinted with a purple hue- Moon's vivid eyes were the only source of light in the pitch black of the bathroom. He had felt pretty clever, cornering this trespasser here in record time. And it was even on tile, so much easier to clean than carpet.

And away from his precious Starlight. You shouldn't need to fret over such intruders. You had better things to do. Moon's eyes fluttered at the thought of you and Sun, who was probably insisting you stay for another round of Hide and Seek. Midnight blue fingers drummed together in thought.

He wanted to play, too. Anything to spend time with you. Anything to keep you close…

Maybe you could hide together.

Moon's eyes shot down to his pants before he huffed. He was going to need to change before he could do anything with you. It wasn't a good look, running around with hand prints stained on his clothes. Infuriating rule breaker, his thoughts curdled at the sight of the meaty lump on the floor.

Humans were so…fragile. His hands clapped together, a nervous shutter rattled deep in his core. A memory file opened, unprompted; an unwanted video file blocking his vision input. Blood, so much blood, skin, a scream he never wanted to hear out of you again. Why now?

"Moon…hel-p…help me!"

The animatronic let out a growl, his head shook until the file closed. His sight returned to the cool of the dark room, but he found no comfort in the lonely shadows. It happened so often, his code would bug and open things he did not want to ever see again. No matter what he seemed to do, they were always there to haunt him. He couldn't seem to delete them, they always came back.

No one was ever going to take you away from him. Ever. Your Nightlight would always keep you safe.

Moon left the bathroom in a hurry, a sudden burning in his wires to see you overwhelmed his common sense. With a swift leap into the air he was clipped to his cord, before zipping to the Daycare like a bat out of hell.

Two wet floor bots obediently blocked the door to the bathroom in Moon's absence; as they awaited for the staff bots that were surely on the way. There was a lot of work to do, after all.

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ☼ ☾ :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

IM LIVING. IM ALIVE. AND IT IS A WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS DAY, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY TUMBLR USER @underhanded-lamb . MY CROPS ARE WATERED. MY SKIN IS CLEAR. There is so much love in my heart for these lil fics and for u who wrote them sdhfshdfj thank u