#and i don't have access to visually take it apart. if i did i might just use it

[olderthannetfic]

I keep being baffled by the amounts of readers who seem to have fits whenever a fic doesn't have chapters. How do they deal with all the Real Literature TM that doesn't have chapters?

Apart from the very simple "don't like, don't read" approach, if it's because you lose your place because the browser reloads, several options have already been suggested, and I sincerely hope it helps whoever feels that was the big problem.

I am one of those who post all in one go, regardless of the length, so I don't see the point of chapters. Yes, I know, "Post chapter by chapter anyways to improve readership and max your comment count and be more popular" or whatever the equivalent of "Game the algorithm" is on AO3. It feels like cheating to me; it's already all written down, and I am not here to play a numbers game. I crave feedback and interaction, of course; that's why I'm posting, but I don't want to use that kind of trick if it's already, well. All there already. Readers can take breaks whenever they want if they like breaks; I'm not their parent.

I also don't like reading WIPs because I will not have the immersion I prefer, or will forget half of what happened before, and I don't have time to reread everything each time I pick it up again, so I guess I don't see the appeal. You do you, etc. To each their preferences. (As a reader, I am team finished work + full_work or, more often, just download it all. That's how *I* roll; it doesn't mean *you* have to do the same, you know?).

I did try to post chapters a few times. Once, I inverted two of them while posting (still smarting over that years later), and another time, I was posting once a day to follow a daily prompt list… which gave me Big Angst because what if I dropped dead partway? (Yes, someone had access to my AO3 to post the drafted chapters if I croaked). Each time, I was really anxious about where to put the cutoff, or change the POV - at this point it makes the chapters more balanced length-wise, but it would be more interesting to have this scene from X's POV! This scene ends a chapter's subplot, but thematically goes with the next chapter's prompt! It might be stupid, but it is what it is, and I don't see why I should choose to torture myself for something I, as a reader, couldn't care less about.

I just… don't know when to break things up. I write linearly, and while I know the rough idea of where I'm going, I don't have a definite plan and sometimes things will be shaken up as I write. I use visual markers for scene changes and POV changes (not the same markers, actually), but sometimes a scene or POV will be much longer/shorter, so it would all make chapters super unbalanced, so??? Choices? I have to make choices? Nope. Visual marker it is, and I can breathe.

If that's grounds for muting/blocking me, then go for it, I guess? I just don't get the virulence of some of these anons on the topic - it's a you do you situation, and sometimes we just don't get why people do things differently, but that's how it's like sometimes. No need to be mad at people for not doing things the way YOU like.

--

I don't care about maximizing readership, but chapters are the norm in many styles of writing. I prefer to divide a longer work into them instead of using anemic little section dividers. I save those for a sub-chapter division, should I need one.

Honestly, genre fiction is mostly divided into chapters. Yes, there are famous authors who don't use them, and I'm sure you're about to pull five out of your butt, but I think their work reads more poorly than the many, many authors who do use them. Yes, even Mr. Extra Famous And Loved By Fandom, whomever he is this time.

I don't particularly care about non-genre fiction, but plenty of multi-POV literary fiction does use chapters to divide the points of view.

It is common for chapters to be different lengths—desirable even. If a writer can't figure out how to divide something, I think that's a failure of skill... but no, I don't think it's that big of a deal in fic, and I'll read whatever has my blorbos and looks good even if it's formatted poorly and/or in a way I don't prefer.

[luminous-kitten]

Ray's Route Day 9 Walkthrough

Good Ending answers are labeled as (Saeran), while Bad Ending answers are labeled (Saeran...)

I have made heart answers bold and colored for easy access, as follows: (707), (Jaehee), (Yoosung), (V), (Saeran), (Jumin), (Zen)

To achieve a Normal Ending, following the Good Ending without answering emails.

To achieve the Bad Story Ending 2 & 3, select the (Saeran...) answers.

To achieve the Bad Relationship Ending 2, participate in as little chats as possible. I would recommend not participating in any chats at all.

Good Ending Tips:

Where necessary, I will label better (nothing) answers as (nothing - better) and worse answers as (nothing - worse)

Do not be scared of or submissive to Saeran. Be confident, but don't not aggressive with him or Rika.

In the Visual Novels: Don't treat V with suspicion, care for Saeran's well-being, and don't worship Rika.

01:29 Didn't you want to try this?

...The savior is the same person as 'Rika,' isn't she? The one who supposedly committed suicide? (Saeran)

I'm too hungry to sleep... (Saeran...)

You should eat well.... You're so thin. (Saeran)

I want it.... (nothing)

...You can't torment me. It won't work. (nothing)

She said you need me.... She said you must have someone weaker with you. (Saeran)

Please don't throw me away... (Saeran...)

I want to stay here as long as I can... (Saeran...)

Can't you tell me what's happening at the RFA...? (Saeran)

...I think this is the only place that will accept me. (Saeran...)

The RFA will not leave me here like this. (Saeran)

Then you'd be able to show how strong you are. (Saeran...)

It's only because Luciel is in trouble. They won't surrender. (Saeran)

That's not true. (nothing)

Doesn't matter... As long as someone recognizes that I'm useful. (Saeran...)

The RFA will never be part of the Mint Eye. (Saeran)

Now I don't miss Ray anymore. (Saeran...)

Though you look the same, I know that you're not him. (Saeran)

I know that Ray is still in there. (nothing)

03:37 What have you done to me?

Ray...!? (nothing)

Saeran... (nothing - better)

But you were Ray back then...! (nothing - better)

You're right, Saeran... (nothing)

Saeran, don't be scared... Everything will be alright. (Saeran)

I think you're right... Don't let Ray beat you. (Saeran...)

Give me back Ray...! You're not real! (nothing)

Saeran, you're just trying to protect yourself. I know it...! (Saeran)

You're right. More than anyone else... (Saeran...)

Let's just calm down. Where is Ray? (nothing)

I'm not the reason why you're suffering right now... You're tormenting yourself. (Saeran)

Please don't throw me away! (Saeran...)

Ray will be back again. You're scared, aren't you? (nothing)

06:18 Self-Inflicted

Is Saeran alright...? (Saeran)

I didn't mean to bring back Ray! It's not my fault! (Saeran...)

I brought Ray back! (nothing)

Saeran's trauma is so deep... As deep as Ray's trauma... (Saeran)

That's what I did! (Saeran...)

I'm going to take Ray out of here with me. (nothing)

Saeran might look strong, but it seems he'd fall apart any moment... (Saeran)

Can't you give me a chance? (Saeran...)

Ray will save me. (nothing)

...What will happen to Saeran? (Saeran)

But without me, who would serve as the weak for Saeran...? (Saeran...)

Are you also afraid of me? Is the why you want to get rid of me? (Saeran)

Can't you give me one last chance...? (Saeran...)

When will the ceremony be held...? (nothing)

Your darkness is much stronger than Saeran's... (Saeran)

Once Ray is back, he'll never forgive you. (nothing)

Wait... (nothing)

09:11 Now Alone

...Do you feel better now? (Saeran)

Saeran, please don't throw me away! (Saeran...)

Nobody. (Saeran)

It was V. (Saeran...)

How did you know? (nothing)

Will you be alright... even if I'm not here anymore? (Saeran)

Once I'm cleansed, can I stay here? (Saeran...)

...Now I leave everything to my fate. (nothing)

She's probably afraid that you'll start to fall apart again if you see me there... (Saeran)

I really wished you'd be there... (Saeran...)

This place isn't normal... Both you and the savior are not normal... (nothing)

The world can change whenever I want it to, depending on how I look at it... (Saeran)

You're right... I want to be strong too... (Saeran...)

I was happy when I was all alone with Ray! (nothing)

But if you won't get to see me anymore very soon... why would you tell me all of this now? (Saeran)

I think you're right! Please believe in me! (Saeran...)

You'll soon realize that you're the one who's wrong. (nothing)

I'm not a loner. (Saeran)

I'm lonely... (Saeran...)

Ray will be back for me! (nothing)

I want to see you one last time... (Saeran)

Everyone here pretends to be okay... But it looks like they're all shivering in fear... (Saeran...)

Maybe it's because you might raise a disturbance... (nothing)

Saeran, please calm down... (Saeran)

Please come see me right now... (Saeran)

Is being angry all you can do? (nothing)

Are you afraid that you'll lose me...? (nothing)

Maybe you're not torturing me... Maybe you're torturing yourself. (Saeran)

I'm sorry... I'll try to be more entertaining. (Saeran...)

You're the one who's ruined... (nothing)

12:16 Don't Need You Anymore

Why did you create the RFA? (Saeran)

What's going to happen tonight? (nothing)

Rika, I also think you're full of potentials. If only you had stayed on the right path... (Saeran)

Please let me stay here... (Saeran...)

Freedom is true salvation for Saeran or Ray. (nothing)

Can you help Saeran... to be one day secure enough even without hurting other people? (Saeran)

Then I might still be use useful...! (Saeran...)

You'll need me too. (nothing)

Ray... (nothing - better)

It's now useless. (nothing)

Both of us are trying to truly protect Saeran... (Saeran)

Don't tag me to that man in comparison...! (Saeran...)

We both hate you. (nothing)

Have you ever experienced such love? (V)

Then what's your definition of true love? (nothing)

Ray has become stronger in the warm embrace of love... You're the one who decided that is weak. (Saeran)

I agree... Not all people deserve love. (Saeran...)

What about you? Have you succeeded in love? (nothing)

...This isn't the end of it. (Saeran)

I'm sure I'm still useful...! (Saeran...)

Now it's time for Ray to come back. (nothing)

[Game branches here -> Towards Good Ending]

14:31 How Does It Feel?

I miss you... (Saeran)

Are you asking me how I feel now? That was fast. (Saeran...)

I feel excited (nothing)

Even the ceremony won't be as sad as watching you. (Saeran)

I'm scared... (Saeran...)

Are you jealous? (nothing)

I miss both of you... You and Ray... (nothing)

Saeran, you sound a little different. (Saeran)

Why won't she let you see me...? (Saeran)

That's not a true honor... She said so that she can continue to manipulate you. (Saeran)

I'm so honored... I want to stay your toy. (Saeran...)

You actually believe that? (nothing)

Are you sure you hate Ray? (Saeran)

I want to stay with you and you only... (Saeran...)

Ray is still in there, isn't he...? (nothing)

You're tormenting other because you're afraid someone will torment you... Isn't that right? (Saeran)

You're so different from Ray... (nothing)

But you're already strong... No one can hurt you. (nothing)

What do you remember about Ray? (Saeran)

I prefer you than Ray. (Saeran...)

Who's a better hacker between you two? (nothing)

He was such a pure person who was fond of flowers. He was truly fond of me... (Saeran)

That's not all... He was so frustrating. (Saeran...)

I think everyone's useful as long as they're good-looking. (nothing)

Things would've been different... if Ray realized how precious a person he is. (Saeran)

That's why he was no longer needed. (Saeran...)

I prefer Ray. (nothing)

Do you feel nervous unless you keep telling yourself that you're strong...? (Saeran)

That's right! You're strong! (Saeran...)

You're scared that Ray will beat you, aren't you? (nothing)

Saeran, you don't sound well... Are you alright? (Saeran)

No! Please stay here, Saeran! (Saeran...)

Of course. (nothing)

Please calm down, Saeran... (Saeran)

I know that. So please come see me... (Saeran...)

You say you're strong, but why do you sound so unstable? (nothing)

16:56 Get Right Into It!

Is the savior going to be here soon? (nothing)

What's going on? (nothing - better)

Saeran, could you tell me what's going on...? (Saeran)

For eternal paradise! (Saeran...)

Is RFA in a crisis...? (Saeran)

So Mint Eye's victory is near. (Saeran...)

Did something happen at the RFA...? (Saeran)

He's right! We should get the RFA right now! (Saeran...)

Saeran... Is it because you don't want to lose me? (Saeran)

I'll greatly appreciate it if you could postpone the ceremony...! (Saeran)

I don't think she'll change her mind... (Saeran)

I can be more faithful to the Mint Eye! (Saeran...)

Saeran, are you not feeling well? (Saeran)

I think she's compromising your judgement with the drug and forcing you to believe her... (Saeran - better)

Could you please give me that elixir too...? (Saeran...)

This is a sign that Ray will be back. (nothing)

Please talk to her some more! (nothing)

Saeran... (nothing - better)

Saeran will never be happy by your side. (Saeran)

Please save me. I want to stay here! (Saeran...)

Everything is going as you planned. Are you happy now? (nothing)

17:39 It's not too late

There is no winning and losing here... (Saeran)

I'll find him and send him back to you! (Saeran...)

Where is Saeran? (nothing)

Didn't you say I won't be able to influence Saeran, no matter what I run into? (Saeran)

I'm sorry... This is all my fault... I'll do what I can. (Saeran...)

Ray is coming back! Hahaha! (nothing)

I didn't want to manipulate him... I was only trying to help him. (Saeran)

You can use me if you find me useful. (Saeran...)

Ray loves me. That's why you're tormenting Saeran. (nothing)

I won't manipulate Saeran or Ray. (Saeran)

It'd be an honor. (Saeran...)

No, thank you. I'll soon run away from here with Ray. (nothing)

You say it's love, but it's nothing but manipulating people with conditions as you'd like. (Saeran)

You mean giving love only to strong ans useful people? I agree with your method. (Saeran...)

Love is impossible without courage to devote yourself like Ray. (nothing)

Just because you don't abandon Saeran doesn't mean you can manipulate him however you want. (Saeran)

You're going to take care of him until the end? That's so noble of you, my savior. (Saeran...)

It sounds like somebody once abandoned or neglected you, Rika. (nothing)

I won't give up on him, either. (nothing)

I'll help him defeat his demon of doubt. Deep down inside he truly longs for unconditional love. (Saeran)

Unconditional love is reserved for people who had lots of possessions, lots of love... (Saeran...)

If people question themselves, we can provide a respite for them with our hearts. (nothing)

You're the one who rendered this place a heartless, heartbreaking place full of suffering. Is this really a paradise? (Saeran)

Now I can do whatever you want me to. Now I've completely understood the Mint Eye! (Saeran...)

Both Ray and I would've been happy if Saeran didn't arise. (nothing)

Stop manipulating him. You cannot possess and forge a human being. (Saeran)

I'll stand with you...! (Saeran...)

I'll bring Ray back and be happy together... That's my dream. (nothing)

Now you're trying to manipulate me... (Saeran)

I'm all set to go. (Saeran...)

All troubles will be gone once Ray and I run somewhere your interference can't reach. (nothing)

...I hope he wouldn't suffer anymore. (Saeran)

For eternal paradise... (Saeran...)

I'm sure he's back to Ray. (nothing)

19:47 Empty Shell

Saeran, are you alright? (Saeran)

I should tell the savior. (Saeran...)

Ray...? (nothing)

Are you feeling sick...? I'm so worried about you. (Saeran)

I think you need the elixir again... (Saeran...)

Ray must be coming back! (nothing)

I see you've had such a hard time until now... (Saeran)

Why do you think this place is hell? This place will soon be a paradise! (Saeran...)

And... I wish my pure, innocent Ray were here... (nothing)

Saeran... Can't we start over from the beginning? (Saeran)

You didn't have enough faith from the beginning... (Saeran...)

It looks like your persona is disappearing. (nothing)

It's a dangerous world out there. You know that. (Saeran...)

Please don't throw up Ray as well... (nothing)

You can start again whenever you want. I'll help you. (nothing - better)

Because I like you, as much as I like Ray... (Saeran)

I want to help you... (Saeran)

Of course you can... You're free to choose that. (Saeran)

Then you can't secure your future. You'll be scared. (Saeran...)

Don't let the world distract you. I want you to look at me. (nothing)

Weak and strong? Why don't you yourself come up with a new definition of weak and strong? (Saeran)

No. If you live like that, you'll be a loner and waste your time. (Saeran...)

Then who'd make money? (nothing)

If we decide to think differently, even a weed will be a beautiful flower for us. (Saeran)

But you were born as a tragic human being. You don't have a choice. (Saeran...)

Let's forget about weeds. They're lame. (nothing)

21:31 An Okay Suggestion

He threw up he drug. I think now he's regained the power to think for himself. (Saeran)

This is bad. I'll do what I can! (Saeran...)

That means Ray is waking up! (nothing)

...I think he's slowly breaking away from your boundaries and opening his eyes to the truth. (Saeran)

He's coming back as Ray. He's confused because of the elixir's side effect. (nothing)

...I see. (Saeran)

I'll let you know right away once Saeran comes back. (Saeran...)

Oh dear. He must have liked me. (nothing)

You're going to capture him by force. (Saeran)

I'll cooperate, my savior. (Saeran...)

Ray will be back like a prince. (nothing)

I can't do that. I know what he wants... (Saeran)

I'll do my best, my savior! (Saeran...)

That's not good enough. I need a house to live with Ray. (nothing)

You seem to be used to exploiting pain. (Saeran)

That won't happen. Please trust me. (Saeran...)

Rika, you don't happen to enjoy this, do you? (nothing)

I hope... such a circle will no longer make Saeran suffer. (Saeran)

When that happens, I'll witness it with a solemn heart. (Saeran...)

Amen...? (nothing)

Visual Novel Good Ending Answers

Saeran...?

What happened?

I thought that you were being mean to me because you were terribly wounded in the past.

But even if you said those cruel words, you were the one to get hurt.

Can't you become one with Ray?

If both of them are you...

Saeran, wait!

23:13 Are You Okay?

Jaehee...? (nothing)

My messenger is back! (nothing)

Can you tell me what's new so far? (nothing)

Please tell Luciel and the unit about me! (nothing)

Please tell V and Jumin! (nothing)

They didn't get Seven yet? (nothing)

What interview? (nothing)

Don't tell me... Is the prosecution's investigation not over yet? (nothing)

Oh, no need to mind this place. Jaehee. Are you sure we're not having the party? (nothing)

...I can't tell you what happened, but I think now things will be better. (Saeran)

No we didn't talk much. (Saeran...)

Yes, don't worry. (nothing)

Yes, I am! (Saeran)

No... My body and mind are no good. (Saeran...)

I was a little sick, but I'm alright. (nothing)

Zen! Is everyone alright? (nothing)

Long time no see. (nothing)

I can't tell you yet. Please give me some time. (Saeran)

Why do I have to tell you? I'm tired. (Saeran...)

The hacker. It was his whim. But I can handle him. (nothing)

That's okay. You were caring for me! (Saeran)

Forget everything else. Could you tell me what happened to the rest of the RFA? (Saeran...)

Seven's absent? (707)

Let's understand V... He'll probably be busy. (V)

When is Jumin coming back? (Jumin)

I wanna try Yoosung's stew once I'm back! (Yoosung)

You've done so well, Jaehee. (Jaehee)

Show me! (Zen)

No, that's alright. (nothing)

I'm so glad I'm back. (Zen)

There you go again... (nothing)

I think I saw someone who looks even better. (Saeran)

What shampoo do you use? (nothing)

Thank you for your concerns... I think I could come back thanks to you all. (Saeran)

I made a close call here. But now I gotta be strong too. (nothing)

Don't bother. (nothing)

I'm sure he has complicated stories... Let's understand him. (Saeran)

It's fine, as long as he didn't run off to somewhere. (Saeran...)

I just hope he's not sick or something... (nothing)

Yes, please do. I wish I could talk to him all bright and cheery. (Saeran)

Let's call him and find out what he's hiding! (Saeran...)

Uh, thank you...? (Saeran...)

I agree lolol (nothing)

Bye, Jaehee. (nothing)

I will survive, wherever I end up. (nothing)

I could come back because everyone cared for me. I'm glad there's not huge trouble with the RFA. (nothing)

It could've been worse. Like, kidnapped in group by a strange religious cult..? (nothing)

I'm a little disappointed the party won't be held. The guests would be disappointed. (nothing)

You don't get to run a giant company without guts like his. (nothing)

I wonder if his stitching is complete lolol (nothing)

What happened to your practice, Zen? (nothing)

I can take care of myself. You don't have to care about me... (Saeran...)

...I'll tell you everything soon. Please, go tell him I'm back. (Saeran)

Don't worry. (nothing)

Promise! (nothing)

Ray's Route Day 10

[jenuinedog]

Hi! Anon from before who asked about fluidity and such, I have another question: How do you learn to angle heads / do different perspectives?

Did you take classes, use 3D models, or something else?

So sorry for all the questions, I really want to get better at angles and posing and such - facial expressions are a breeze for me, but I just can't keep proportions, anatomy, or poses right in my head.

TL,dr, how did you learn about all this stuff?

Don't be sorry! Asking questions is how u learn! Lil disclaimer that i'm sorry in advance if this answer seems kinda vapid and lackadaisical :")

I've never taken art classes of any kind in my life. A lot of what I know is from observing how other artists draw and tweaking their processes to something that'll suit my workflow and style better. I admittedly don't use 3D models as often as I should, but they speed up the process IMMENSELY. Sometimes i'll load up a model posing program and use it for just the hands/fingers LOL. It's actually helped me be more aware of how to segment parts of the body so I can "memorize" them a bit better. I actually cannot picture most things in my head properly, so I struggle with keeping tabs on proportions and angles of shapes and poses mentally too 😭

A fun lil trick I do to help with head angles tho that might help is i'll draw a "sheet" of paper over my main head form:

For some reason, i've found that this helps me visualize where the face goes and where it fits within a 3D space. As long as i know the general direction the oc is facing, I can bend and stretch stuff to fit as need be. IDK it's a simple way for me to keep track while drawing, and pretty effective too! 👇🏽

ok these are sloppy n off model a bit, but hopefully you can see what i'm getting at ghjsdfg. I've found making the "sheet" bigger/smaller to suit whatever you're drawing can help narrow down the angle better if you're struggling. Thinking of the construction of shapes and how they sit in a 3D space is helpful too. Most art programs have perspective rulers that you can use to keep a kind of guide of where your drawing is sitting on a perspective plane/grid. I use them when trying to do more dynamic postures!

Other than that, I literally just google/youtube whatever it is i'm trying to work on and click through as many resources as I can. Make notes of what works for me, what doesnt, what I can pick apart and reconstruct. I got my start in art by tracing other people's art onto printer paper when i was younger (never shared 'em, obvs) before learning people posted step-by-step processes of how they draw on dA (it's how I learned what "guidelines" where and how to use them in sketching) and using those. I spent a lot of my more formative years just mimicking other people's drawing habits and quirks until I found a set that worked for me, and expanded on that with just messing around in my spare time. Sometimes the only thing that helps is working through it until I get a result I like.

If you are looking for a more technical approach and wouldn't mind some critique on your stuff, I recommend a site called Drawabox.com ! I've never personally used it, but I have artist friends who have, and while it does cost a fee to access some of the video lessons, there are still a bit of free resources you can take a peek on that might help!!

SORRY FOR THIS LAME ANSWER HFGSHDF I have a very flippant approach to my art. Work smart, not hard as I always say 👌🏽👏🏽

Good luck!!

[surely-galena]

NXX Boys as the Mystery Gang

I have no clue if someone has already done this, but this has been on my mind and I see no way where I can stick this pitch into an ao3 fic

I don't actually know the Mystery Gang as well as I think I do, but hey! I like analyzing things

WC: ~0.9K

DAVIS/the roomba as: Scooby-Doo

They're friendly and lovable sidekicks!

DAVIS, much like Scooby, is insanely overpowered (for good reason in canon, considering he's a powerful but benevolent AI)

They're both able to find things: DAVIS has access to cameras, internet history, and anything vaguely computer network related. If DAVIS wants to solve mysteries, I'm fairly certain he could

But here's where my pitch for the roomba comes in: did the cat find the roomba, or did the roomba find the cat? Maybe the roomba is actually secretly very good at scouting out clues. Anyway, the roomba has a lot of potential and I'm wondering if there are any further plans for it in canon

Luke Pearce as: Shaggy

If DAVIS is Scooby-Doo, then I pitch Luke as Shaggy purely because out of all the NXX boys, he's the most likely to be pals with DAVIS.

Also, if we also draw in Shaggy's love of food as Luke being happy to eat practically anything (SR 'Among the Great Blue', the goose card, the crabs) then that's another comparison I am willing to make

Shaggy is also occasionally the gang mechanic, which is fantastic for my point because Luke is always happy to take things apart and put them back together (computers, machines, I mean he owns an ANTIQUE SHOP)

AND! If you argue that Shaggy is the face of the Mystery Gang (I mean it's either him or Scooby) then I am copying and pasting Luke's dream of becoming a detective onto him. Both of them can be associated with solving mysteries! Luke adores the Sherlock Holmes series but I bet he and MC also grew up on Scooby-Doo!

Marius von Hagen as: Daphne

Daphne is fashionable, BUT

If we look at later versions of Daphne, it's shown that she is excellently skilled in martial arts (not quite sure which, I think it might be karate?) and that she's more than just a pretty face

So we have pretty pretty Marius von Hagen who does enjoy looking good and dressing well, but also hides his real interests, passions, feelings, etc. behind his shallow façade. Most people look at him and see someone who doesn't seem to take things seriously, who doesn't know anything about the world, etc., but this all tends to work in Marius' advantage -- he uses his presumed inexperience to make everyone let their guard down, thus allowing him to get what he needs, whether that be deals, information, that kind of thing.

We also know Marius can be absolutely vicious in the business world if he needs to be

And that's the dichotomy that I am placing on him: a pretty face who is far more dangerous than they seem.

Do not underestimate him at any cost

Vyn Richter as: Velma

If the NXX Investigation Team decide to go as the Mystery Gang for a costume party or [insert event], then at least he can keep his glasses as Velma

All of the NXX members are insanely intelligent, but Vyn "I have two doctorate degrees, whereas Artem has only one" Richter stands out

Velma is often linked to knowledge in science, and so is Vyn

Plus, Vyn's degree in psychology allows him to read people much more easily, and I argue that he's able to put together clues like Velma in this way.

I can also see him getting excited about learning new things, perhaps not visually, but internally he's genuinely ecstatic; knowledge is power but the process of collecting it is fun!! (cue odd look from Marius when Vyn mentions this)

Which leaves Artem Wing as... Fred

Okay, hear me out on this.

On his Which Scooby-Doo Character is the Best? video, JelloApocalypse states: "Fred is nothing, and that means Fred can be anything."

And to sort of draw back a little and look at Fred from a meta lens, Fred is boring because there are next to no personality traits attached to him -- hence the statement "Fred is nothing".

Artem, from your general Stellis citizen's point of view, is also boring. He's a workaholic who doesn't seem to think about anything else but his job. If you were to conduct a vertical cross-section of his brain, you would predict that you'd only find coffee and law books. No thoughts, head empty, just law.

But this, as we know, is untrue

Because as "Fred is everything", so is Artem

This is the sci-fi nerd we're talking about. This guy not only has a 99% win rate, is not only the youngest senior attorney, but also, along with an assortment of other things: reviews movies, fishes (and is good at it), is an excellent home cook for some reason, and knows how to use a gun

His resume is filled to the brim with so many skills that he might as well be Toodles from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, ever present and somehow helpful

The only thing he Cannot Do is art

Fred can generally also be classified as a himbo, but unfortunately, with the NXX boys' extreme individual intelligence, I don't think I can draw that parallel here

But! Fred does pretty well in positions of leadership, and so does Artem (not necessarily in the NXX because they're all equal there, but in the law firm)

oh yeah also Fred's classic ascot could easily translate into Artem's tie

[siren-virus]

Ok, first question about Luckyboy!AU, Rook has a girlfriend? As far as I know in cannon he doesn't even have a love interest? thought that might be my fault since it's been years since I've watched any Ben 10 series (really have to rewatch some eppisodes here :P) Who is she and what is she like? Has Rook ever taken her girlfriend in a date to the coffee shop? How much of a tease is Ben with Rook when he isn't on a date? And how much of a wingman is he when he is in one?

How is Ben's social life outside his Nekomata persona by the way? I imagine he still has some friends since he's a charismatic extrovert, but with how different everything is here compared to the prime timeline, I can't see who he might be friends with besides Julie.

Now, let's make some questions that aren't about Ben :D With the amount of invasions that Earth has had over the years is the general public privy of the existence of aliens as something more than just tourists that one almost never sees, or do they know but only aknowledge it when they see an alien in person? How is the general people view of aliens regardless?

Also, does Gwen 10 have good or bad public relations? Like, does Will Harangue berate her and turn the public against her, or is she lucky enough that he's focused on Nekomata and not her? How do the humans see her, as a hero, a child soldier, a menace, a necessary evil?

Also also, how do the Plumbers play in the whole PR thing? Do they manipulate everything so the humans have the view they think is the healthiest between humans and aliens? Do they only play damage control whenever alien activity is reported to the public? Are they known or are they still an underground organization? How does the public view them as, considering they're basically intergalactic police that aren't the most competent, specially considering that some countries have beef with their own police forces?

Now, to leave all of the political and heavy talk behind, how often does Ben play with Ship and Julie? Like, they're friends, obviously Ben gets petting privilegies and becomes a pet sitter whenever Julie has to go on a tournament and can't take care of them herself. PET SHENANNIGANS MUST ENSUE THERE, AND YOU CAN'T CONVINSE ME OTHERWISE XD

Also, I imagine a scenario where Kevin and Gwen enter the coffee shop unaware that the other is in there and Ben does everything in his power to force them to sit on the same table, reminding both of them that this is a true neutral zone and "Please don't break anything here and remember to play nice, if you manage to get through this without punching eachother I'll give you a discount on your next coffee", which is a very good offer if they think about it. Meanwhile Argit is waiting at the bar watching over the situation "Bet you 10 bucks they'll be shouting over eachother in 5 minutes" "Bet you it takes them 10 minutes"... It takes them 7 and a half minutes exactly and they can't decide who wins the bet. "There's no way they're getting out of this hating eachother any less" "As long as they don't break anything and don't bother the other clients, I count it as a win"

So Rook had an established relationship in Omniverse with Rayonna, she was introduced abit later in the series when Ben and Rook with to Revonnah. It was a very 2D relationship, just put there maybe cause of the whole shipping fiasco between Ben and Rook(?) don't take my word for it ;;

For the Lucky Boy! AU, they're together, but it's been years since Rooks been to Revonnah, crime never takes a break, neither does he. So his relationship with Rayonna is very flakey, they're on the verge of breaking up, buuut due to Revonnahgander traditions, they're together still. (pulling this out of my ass ;; )

Rook ends up mentioning he has a girlfriend at some point, it was just a casual thing, Ben won't bring up the topic because the way Rook talks about Rayonna makes him feel a little bit iffy towards the subject.

Outside of work and the Nekomata persona Ben's a little awkward in the social circumstances. At that point his social battery's almost completely clocked out. So unless he's dragged out by his friends, Julie, his old soccer mates - although it's happening a lot less now, since school finished a while ago and they're moving on with their own lives- (i refuse to call it football), Alan, if they both end up clocking out at the same time. OR, Rook. Sometimes Max if he's around will invite Ben for lunch or an afternoon snack run. (Mr smoothies, with a "healthy" dose of chillie fries. Best way to lure Ben out.)

Hell yeah, let's get down to the world building buisness, my favourite cup of tea.

Humans are very knowledgeable about alien existence, you'd have to be pretty ignorant to not believe in aliens. (I mean, lets face it, in the world we live in today, I bet, that if aliens did show themselves, some group would just say they're government actors, or russian/chinese spies. Comical, but sadly a realistic scenario...)

With the amount of invasions that have happened, and the daily attacks- normally done by humans with access to alien tech- Humans are quite fearful of them. Which has urged the plumbers to keep the aliens that live on earth down underTown.

It's not all humans of course, just most. Media influence has also pushed the feardar way up.

Will Harangue, surprisingly uplifts Gwen 10 to the eyes of the public, he's also much more focused on Nekomata. (bad news= views= good news). In Harangues personal opinion though, he'd prefer no aliens at all. So he does let his badmouthing of Gwen slip sometimes.

They do a lot of damage control, their original goal was to keep alien life hidden from the public until they(the people) were deemed ready, however, not so easy when an invasion happens nearly once a month. At least it's all limited to Bellwood. For now...

The plumbers are known to the public but aren't like your typical police force- you can't just call them. But they're always around on patrol. The police aren't exactly fond of them cause "They're terking our jerbs". But they have a joint thing going on, the police handle the human crimes, unless alien tech is involved, and the plumbers handle the alien crimes.

The public views them as an iffy subject, not exactly hailed as heroes, but more of a neutral, they're here to stay I guess, kinda thing. The focus is on Gwen mostly, as the poster child(adult) of the plumbers. (this is where I really wanna separate reality and fantasy, cause like, the issues with the police at the moment is major sooo, eh, it's a touchy subject matter)

Yes to this one. When Julie's away Ben and Ship play. Ben and Julie don't meet up often, work and the vigilante life make Ben way too busy, buuut when they do meet up Julie will pop by Bens apartment - Ben makes sure nothing incriminating is around if that's the case - , or they'll hang out at the dog park, and watch the dogs go ballistic around Ship.

For the pet scenarios, visualize them to your hearts content. I got some cats laying around for my reference... even though they mostly sleep- lazy bastards.

Yes to this too! Argit and Ben would totally make bets- Ben being an anodite can sense Kevin and Gwens emotions and when they're gonna break out into a fight- So he always wins the bets. Argit has learned to not bet too high when it comes to that- if he actually forks up in the first place- .

In the case Kevin and Gwen had broken out into a fist fight, Kevin obsorbing the marble counter, Gwen turning into fourarms. Ben nearly broke his cover trying to prevent any fights, until a coworker had stepped in and promptly kicked them both out. (maybe I'll design some coworkers)

Now to get me some mint tea, cause my fingers are about to freeze off ;;

[pbandjesse]

Today was a pretty good day. There was a big stressful part of the beginning but the majority of the day was very good. There was even a special surprise. And yoga.

I slept super poorly last night. I couldn't fall asleep for forever because I felt sick and nauseous and bad. And then when I did fall asleep I woke up a few times again. Air conditioner turned off in the middle of the night and James rollover next to me and I woke up just horribly uncomfortable. He wouldn't turn the air conditioning back on that because he always takes care of me. And I was able to sleep until about 7.

James was awake and told me I could keep sleeping but I didn't really want to. I wanted to lay there so I just played on my phone for a while. And then I got up. I got cleaned up and dressed and I felt okay.

I hung in my hammock for a little bit and then James told me he made a waffle. And I was like okay. And I was confused because he had asked me what I wanted for breakfast last night and I said I was going to have the avocado scramble thing I made the other day. And then he remembered that after he made the waffle and felt very bad. But it was fine. He made the thing I wanted and he had the waffle for breakfast instead.

I got the best boyfriend.

We hung out for a while and then left to go to the bus. James walked me there. And then bus proceeded not to show up for almost a half an hour. I was very frustrated. Because it was supposed to be there at 9: 30 but it didn't come until almost 9:50. And we had been there since 920. So I was very stressed out and I hate being late!! I texted Tiffany and let her know and I was just very distressed.

I was about 15 minutes late in the end. Sucks. I'm going to try to get an earlier bus tomorrow. So even if it runs late I will hopefully have the same issue. Because seriously we were three blocks away from access art and our bus driver saw someone on the street that he knew and he park the bus and got off to go have a conversation with him. I was losing my mind.

But I got there and everyone was fine. We're just lesson planning so it wasn't like I was missing anything yet but I hate being late. We all kind of bullshitted and talked for a little bit and then the teacher from holistic Life Center came.

He was a really nice guy. He told really funny stories and he was young and covered in tattoos and wearing a Orioles yoga shirt. He mostly talked about mindfulness. A little bit of yoga. And we learned a lot about breathing exercises. I felt very Vindicated and validated about the types of breathing exercises I already do with the kids when they're upset or hurt. But I learned some really interesting ones today. Specifically that I breathe wrong and I'm trying to retrain myself but it's very hard. It was very enjoyable even though I hated sitting in the folding chairs for that long. My feet don't reach the ground and it's uncomfortable.

But we also played a couple mindfulness games at the end of that was cool. Stuff that we can use in the classroom and it's awesome. I'm really glad that we were able to do that.

We had a late lunch. Marcus went down the street and got me a spring roll. Was very good. And I worked on my lesson plan. Almost out. I think I'll probably end up finishing it tomorrow. And then I'll go back in and make sure it's all good. I also think I want to use a couple other visual things for the classroom. And maybe add some tutorial images of some kind. We have tomorrow and Friday to finish lesson plans. And even with my brain breaks where I sketched tattoo ideas I still got a lot done.

While I was taking a break on my lesson plan I was looking at eBay and I got a crazy good deal on a Furby buddy. Something that I've been trying to get for 2 months now there's a little plush versions of the Furbies. I don't absolutely love them but people use them to make the long Furbies. And I'd like to try my hand at that. And I got one for $5. Usually they go for $35 to $40. I am very excited. I think I'm going to use it slightly as part of my example for my quilt making lesson. I'm going to make its belly pattern based off of Victorian crazy quilts. I'm very excited.

At 3 we finished up. We all decided on which weeks we should be teaching our lessons and when. Was decided that my quilt project would go first which makes me slightly nervous but it's probably a good idea. Because it's community building project we're going to kind of have all the kids get out there art things right away before they jump into other projects and I think that will work out nicely.

And then me and fitsum went home. His driving kind of makes me nauseous. Lot of fast speed up and then stopping. But we had a nice conversation about capitalism and its downfalls. And talked about apartments because he's moving as well. We saw a couple meet cars that we pointed out and talked about. It was a good time.

He dropped me off and I made some food. Did a couple packing things. Made a pile of the furniture and getting rid of. And just kind of hung out. Me and James were going to have dinner together but I kind of just wanted to be by myself a little bit. My dad's going to come visit this weekend and he's going to take the bed. So really these are the last couple days I'm ever going to live alone if all goes according to plan. And it feels very strange. I've lived alone for a long time. But I am excited. Nervous but excited.

I was just kind of chilling. Even though it was too humid in here to call it chilling. Playing Animal Crossing and watching videos. And then I decided to go check the mail.

I was excited because I had a package. But then I saw that there was a letter in there as well from the Minneapolis Apartment project. Which means it's from the class action settlement. Which means it's a check. When we won the settlement last year they said that we would get all of our rent back. But of course it was going to go into appeals. So we would probably just get a portion of our rent back. And honestly getting any amount of money from living in those apartments would be fine. But I was so nervous about opening this check. So he opened my package first. And it was socks! very exciting. I was looking forward to those socks. They're black and they have little hearts on them.

But I couldn't put off opening the check any longer. And I did and if I did my math right I thought about nine months worth of rent back. And the checks that this might not be the only check. That I might get more? Like after all the lawyers and fees are paid if there's anything left over there going to send another check. That's wild. And like all of my money stress. The $40 me and James got scammed out of the other day. James his bike breaking. Moving. All of it. This kind of feels like a buffer. We don't have to worry about it now. Least for a while. And I'm making more money and if he gets this job he's going to be at making more money. And even if he doesn't get this job he's going to keep looking until he does get something good. Don't have to be so stressed out and nickel-and-diming ourselves all the time. it's exciting. It feels Like the universe is telling me everything's going to be okay. That means using my white privilege to help make the lives of my neighbors and Minneapolis better is being rewarded. And that sometimes being a good person and trying to help other people does pay off in the end. And sometimes in cash.

I kind of didn't know what to say when I open the check. So I called James and let him know. And then I called my dad. We talked about taxes and he's going to check with the tax lady to make sure that I have put enough aside next year. I don't want to have an issue. But yeah it's exciting. And it was good to hear dad. He sounds a lot better. And he's looking forward to coming on Sunday and I'm looking forward to having him here. We're going to patch holes but hopefully we'll also do something else. Maybe we'll eat some good food and maybe we'll go see something interesting. Unsure of what yet but I'll figure that out.

I called Jess next to let her know. And she was very excited for me. And then I went back to packing. I brought more stuff from the basement. I broke down all of my Furby boxes. I don't know why I'm keeping them but it feels weird to throw them away. So flat in the Middle East to put them in storage. And I use the box that I have been storing them in to put kitchen stuff in. Paper towels and Ziploc bags. That one bottle of alcohol I always have. And then I took a shower. I painted my toenails and I'm just watching videos and enjoying my night.

Back to lesson planning tomorrow. And then I think falafels with James. No matter what it's going to be a good day. I can feel it. Hope you all have a good night tonight. Be kind to each other. Go out of your way for someone else. Don't expect anything in return. Good night

[voicesfromthelight]

Channeled Lessons in Psychic Development 7: On The Importance of Humility and Discipline in Protecting Your Energetic Integrity (Don't Dabble with Darkness)

When we first begin searching for greater knowledge and understanding of the spirit world, it can be easy to get confused about which paths to explore, especially in the current age of nearly unlimited access to information. There is a smorgasbord of practices to choose from out there. What will be in our highest interest? What is real, what is our imagination? What traditions are legitimate? What constitutes tangible evidence of the spirit world? Furthermore, how do we define our ethical and spiritual boundaries with the greatest integrity in a world where lines can quickly become blurred? With all the different styles of spiritual practice available to us, it is increasingly common to see people do away with scruples, with practices such as manipulative spell-casting, conjuration, hexing and tool-driven paranormal research becoming increasingly mainstream. If we are meditating regularly, have a strong spiritual practice, and keep our psychic protection strong, is it safe for us to engage with darker forces in the spiritual or occult world? Can we trust ourselves to keep negative repercussions at bay? While my guides always stress the importance of confidence, trust and fearlessness, it turns out that the answer to this last question isn’t always that simple.

A while ago, I learned a helpful lesson about this, when, after years of being curious about the subject since having a memorable dream of a similar contraption as a child, I decided to test a “ghost box” app on my phone. Yes, there were reasons to be skeptical, and I had other misgivings, but I was curious to see if anything would come out of it. (Did I listen to my gut that time? No!) The idea behind the app, based on an analogue counterpart, is to provide the spirit world with static noise that can be manipulated to form words. The trouble with this kind of thing, of course, as opposed to when channeling loved ones or spirit guides mentally or energetically, is that those intelligences able to work with this kind of apparatus will generally be of the “stuck” variety, hanging around the physical dimension out of fear, addiction, or unfinished business.

In short, the app seemed to work, and some of what came through was not too pretty. Some words that cropped up, as I was testing the app near a park, revolved around the theme of drugs. I figured that I was better off not using it. When I asked Natalie what she thought, as expected, the verdict was simple: “Bad energy. Don’t use it.” Uncharacteristically side-stepping her advice, out of continued curiosity, I used it a second time, with the idea that my psychic protection and prayers to cross over any earth-bound entities would neutralize whatever lower vibrations I might pick up. That night, I ended up with vivid nightmares of my home being invaded by a gang of drug addicts, in a manner similar to when I have experienced hauntings. I smudged my apartment, meditated, said some prayers, and did my best to send my uninvited guests into the light. When I spoke to my guides later that day, after gently rebuking me for letting my curiosity get the better of me, Natalie informed me that these hungry souls, indeed more than a dream, were merely on vacation from my home, and might return despite my corrective measures. “Why do you return to fearful energy before giving yourself time to recover? Do not listen to fearful voices. Fear needs energy to grow. Don’t use the app."  she reiterated. How to cross them over for good, then? “Love more,” she said. She then walked me through a crossing-over meditation in which, after a couple of attempts, I succeeded in raising my vibration high enough to send my spiritual squatters home to Source. This protocol for crossing over spirits, which I will share with you in greater detail in my next post, has become one of the most useful tools in my spiritual arsenal. So, in the end, my spiritual hubris served a higher purpose in teaching me this valuable lesson.

That day, Natalie stressed to me that it is important to recognize the limits of our power as psychic practitioners, not in the sense of how much we can be of service, or how high we can reach for guidance, but in the sense of having the humility to protect our energy by not dabbling in practices that entertain entities or energies that excite fear or morbid fascination in us, even if we think our psychic protection is strong enough to handle it. “Some psychics believe that power is all-important. This is wrong. When the energy is bad enough, power doesn’t help. When you listen to fearful voices, you diminish your energy. Words are good for protection, but not enough.” We shouldn’t let our curiosity, or in worse cases, desperation, lead us astray. Anything that inspires feelings in us, however subtle, of anxiety, trepidation or helplessness will interfere with our ability to be clear channels. We must be disciplined about where we direct our thoughts, what emotions we choose to nurture, what spiritual company we keep, and the standard of integrity to which we hold ourselves as practitioners. This is how we keep our connection to the highest possible realm of guidance open and strong.

“But wait,” you might say. “Aren’t we supposed to be able to help souls in need of crossing over? A scared person isn’t necessarily evil. I thought love was stronger than fear!” While this is true, in accordance with the earlier lesson on exchanging energy vs. exchanging information, what Natalie has explained to me is that it is not necessary for us to engage with lower vibration energies in an extended way in order to help them. Any work done in this capacity should be done as quickly and efficiently as possible, through focusing on raising one’s vibration high enough through love, excitement and gratitude to Source to a) render your own vibration incompatible with that of the entity and b) catapult them into a higher dimension themselves. (As one of my mentors, the Huna healer Evelyn Wakeman once told me: “The person with the biggest aura wins!”) Dwelling on this type of exchange any longer than necessary will needlessly taint the spiritual worker’s energy through feeding the lower vibration with attention, and also probably stem from an ego-based need to “prove” something, either about the ability of the practitioner, or the reality of the spirit world.

Here are some quick tips for keeping your energetic integrity strong and your channel clear, even if you sometimes accidentally pick up nuisances. Each one of them could be the subject of an entire post all on their own, but these general concepts should still be helpful:

Always do your mediumistic or channeling work from within a “closed circuit” built with your spirit guides and protectors. (Sandy Anastasi has some great instructional videos on this.)

Meditate and pray regularly, and include visualizations of a strong but flexible bubble of white light, or another type of shield that suits you, enveloping your aura.

Take good care of your physical body. Eat in a way that makes you feel healthy, exercise in a way that brings you joy, dress in a way that makes you feel happy and comfortable, tend to any physical ailments, and especially importantly, get adequate sleep as consistently as possible.

Take regular, intentionally charged baths or showers for energy purification, while visualizing the water showering blessings and healing on you.

Natalie says, “To expect me is to invite me.”  In her case, it is comforting to know my sweet, wise guide is a thought away, but the heart of the lesson is that spirit moves swiftly, and your thoughts invite their energetic match. Avoid thinking about scary stories or disturbing spiritual concepts. Orient yourself to thoughts of love, compassion, humor,  gratitude and excitement. Laugh often. Thank your guides, guardians and Source for elevating and protecting you. If you are at a development circle, and someone ill-advisedly starts talking about some scary apparition they saw, mentally close off your energy field and if possible, leave the room. Do not listen to it. On the other hand, if you find yourself entertaining troubling thoughts, do not dwell on it as a failure and thereby turn it into a vicious cycle. “Forgive yourself,” says Natalie, and move on quickly.

Regularly meditate on releasing any emotional blockages you might be harboring in your body or energy field. (Shamanic drum meditations are great for this.)

If you engage in a disturbing activity such as watching a horror movie, do something joyful to counteract it, such as dancing vigorously with friends, and consider taking a day or two off from channeling before resuming your practice.

Always properly open and close out any type of psychic work sessions with opening and closing prayers. Forgetting to close out a session properly is the easiest way to end up with spirits pestering you outside “office hours,” and doing so is neither productive nor sustainable. Do not let your ego trick you into thinking that being constantly open to any spirit that wants your attention makes you a better medium.

Did you ever have an experience that taught you a valuable lesson about psychic discipline? What practices would you add to these tips?

[epicdogymoment]

hey!! hope you don’t mind me contacting you - I saw in a tag that you found my literacy comic hard to read and really appreciated hearing that. organizing information clearly and accessibly is something I’m always trying to work on. I made the comic with my own visual/reading needs in mind, but I obviously only have my limited and personal experience!

I didn’t expect the comic to get traction before I edited in a transcript today, so I’m very grateful someone added an ID.

no pressure to answer, but if you have the bandwidth, do you mind telling me what made the comic hard for you to read? (layout, size or style of lettering, style of writing, color contrast, or something else?)

if you have extra bandwidth, besides including plaintext ID, do you have any suggestions about what tends to make things easier to read for you?

just gathering info for future projects, but I completely get if you’re not feeling like answering in detail. thanks so much either way! hope your day is going well.

hi! would like to start off by saying: i totally don't mind at all, and i'm glad you've decided to send this in, really.

link to the comic mentioned

[rest of the answer under the cut]

i should probably mention that i am in no way an expert in comicking or layout, just someone who struggles with reading comics sometimes, so definitely feel free to take all of this with a grain of salt

i'd say that the first thing that jumps out at me is that it's a lot of small text. it does read better on a computer screen (which is what i assume it was originally drawn on/meant to be read from) but on a phone screen, it really is hard to read

^ especially this section from the second page. while i do think the panelling here is quite smart, the text in the leftmost panel (the "tweet") and the rightmost panel (the "text messages") is far too small to read comfortably compared to the rest of the text, especially since they're both tilted

^ another textbox that's a little hard, also because of the slight odd angle combined with the size of the text

^ although, i found this one comparatively easier to read. the larger text really does help.

another thing that made it more difficult for me to read was that the order of textboxes was obscured by the layout sometimes, most obviously in the first page

^ after looking at this page for a while, it's obvious that the rightmost panel is supposed to be read, then the middle panel. but at a glance, it's not really visually clear, and the flow of the text is already a little harder to follow

it might be clearer to shift things around a little like this:

where either the entire middle panel begins lower, or the text and images start a little lower down.

^ similarly for this panel, it's a small thing, but the order is slightly obscured because the left panel (the first panel) is noticeably lower than the right panel (the second panel)

i've spent a lot of time picking apart your comic.... so i'd like to at least end off by saying that i really did enjoy it, even if it was a little difficult to visually latch onto for me! it is really lovely to look at visually, the colours are pleasing, i love the texture, and i was definitely happy to see an adapted version of that essay (which i just so happened to read recently. funny how that works)

anyway. once again i'm glad you decided to send this ask in, and i'm very, very happy to help. i sincerely hope that you found this helpful!

[inevitably-johnlocked]

[221B#1] Hey Steph, there is one thing I don't understand and I really want to know what you think about it. Baker Street has two more floors over Sherlock's floor. Mrs Hudson says there's a room upstairs, which I suppose means the floor just above Sherlock's. But that leaves a whole floor empty, not to mention that John's floor has floor has to be as big as Sherlock's. So I'm wondering, is the last floor another flat, 221D, probably empty? Or is 221B your average property in central London +

[221B#2] with too many bedrooms, where the living room and the kitchen would be common rooms to whoever rented those rooms? I know they probably never even thought about that when making the show and as they picked an existing building they couldn’t exactly take a floor down or anything, but I’ve been wondering. In fics, it always seems that there’s not enough room for Sherlock + John + baby, but really there is a whole floor and a half empty for John to move in? Ah well, it’s been nagging

[221B#3] me for a bit, thought I’d share :) I’m curious if anybody addressed this before or if there’s some headcanon for this I’m not aware of.

Hi Nonny!

Ah, I think you are correct! 221 Baker Street is thin and tall, not wide like most apartments we think of here in NA. 221A is Mrs. Hudson’s small flat. 221C is the Basement, and 221B is 2 floors, which consist of the common area, kitchen, and master bedroom, and the floor above which is John’s room, and then probably access to an attic room. I would imagine it’s actually used as an attic, but it has been suggested on the multitude of floor plans I found that Mrs. Hudson could possibly live up there (which makes no sense because of her hip).

So yes, John’s bedroom might be the bigger of the two bedrooms, and he probably has also has an ensuite bathroom as well (just a toilet and sink). I did a google search for ‘221 baker street floor plans’, and I found this interesting website that made a diagram for a dollhouse they are / have made, so perhaps those visuals will help you a bit better. Sherlockology also has a floorplan (this is the one I’ve seen) but it doesn’t address the mysterious top floor.

I think the top floor has been a mystery for us for awhile, especially since in fandom we usually make John’s room the top-most floor that’s always leaky and draughty LOL. I headcanon the top floor is an attic / storage floor, since I would imagine in a building as old as 221 it would be rather uninhabitable or insulated very well. A lot of older buildings seem to have that top attic floor for storage. 

[traumabrained]

Tw for abuse So my parents abuse me, mostly physical from my mother, mostly verbal from my father. I've always coped with the abuse by acting calm and taking it, hiding, or attempting to descalate it and hoping I don't piss them off further. But recently I've started to act out with anger. Not just with them, with my little sister who yells as much as my father, and with animals. Not the ones I own, though. I'm afraid. What's happening to me? I shouldn't be angry. Being angry gets you killed.

while its certainly frightening, its also (as far as i can tell, with my own experiences and the experiences of others i’ve talked to) a normal response. essentially, either your brain thinks it’s safer and is deciding to start processing trauma (which doesn’t seem likely), or else you and your brain are both fed up. there’s really always a limit to how much someone can take, and it looks like you’ve reached that limit. since that can get you in trouble and also cause collateral damage (to the animals, or to your little sister, though “collateral damage” doesnt include self defense), i’m going to give you a few tips that might help you deal with the anger in a way that won’t make your parents abuse even worse.

 (please note that since i dont know your exact situation, some or all of these might not be feasible; if that’s the case, you can message me again with more details if you want? and i’ll look for some different things)

exercise: i know this sounds like everyone’s irritating neurotypical relative but i promise you that if you can do it, it will help. exercise:

  decreases stress and anger

 helps you feel in control (even if you’re not. but it gives you hope, which is very valuable in abusive situations, right?) and 

prepares you for physical attacks, if they get so bad that your options are fight back, run, or die.

im going to assume that you don’t have equipment that you can use, but if you do, use it. if not:

running--can be done anywhere, and it costs no money. if you think you will need to hide it from your parents, then go out very early in the morning, if possible (or late at night, but the morning is usually a lot safer, and no-one will be paying attention to you. literally anyone you pass will be pre-ocupied with going to work or school, and they will usually be too tired to even look up from their coffee). also try to use a specific pair of clothes--t-shirt, shorts if you have them, one sports bra if you use those, to minimize the amount of sweaty clothes you’ll be putting in the wash. during exercise is a good time to maybe think about your abusers--let yourself get mad. let yourself get pissed, if you can, and use the anger to run even harder. i did this a lot when i still lived with my parents, and it probably saved my life.

weights--you can often buy them pretty cheap on amazon or in a store, but if your parents are monitoring your purchases then you can use gallon jugs of water/milk (if they dont buy galons of water/milk then u can buy 1 gallon of water for around 1USD in most stores, which would be easier to hide and explain than any purchase of exercise equipment). fill the gallons with water, and lift them--you can google “dumbbell exercises” for some exercise routines. do this in the early morning if possible.

push-ups/sit-ups--these are probably the least satisfying to do, at least for me? but also the easiest if you aren’t able to get outside early morning, or if you’re absolutely not going to be able to buy any kind of weights. if you can’t do a full push-up, try working up to it by putting your weight on your knees, instead of your toes.

i recommend that you look into proper technique before you do any of these--im just trying to give you ideas.

if exercise isn’t feasible for any reason, then art is the next way to go. a lot of trauma survivors (especially child abuse survivors) write poetry. visual art is also a good outlet but i’ve found that it’s usually a bit less cathartic. if your parents go through your things regularly, then either make a new tumblr account and tell nobody about it, and write your stuff there, or (if tumblr isnt safe) write only on single sheets of printer/notebook paper and burn or shred them immediately after you’re done. 

if you think you’re not a good enough writer to do this, then listen: you’re not writing this for it to be good. you’re not. it doesn’t matter at all. no-one else will ever read it. you don’t even have to read it again. it doesnt have to look or sound good. the only objective is to process your trauma and anger. the plus side is that no matter what, you will improve your writing by doing this, so if you are interested in being a poet, or already are, then writing trauma poetry will only help you. i recommend poetry instead of prose (prose is anything that isn’t poetry) because you don’t have to worry about structure, or about it making sense/having a plot. it can be really hard at first, especially if you don’t usually write a lot. if you need to, you can try using these prompts (they probably arent all applicable but if you can finish any of these sentences in your head, then you can write a poem about it) (possible trigger warning, skip the bullet points if you need to)(i’m just going to use “they” because any gender of person could do this and i don’t want to make assumptions but you can swap out the pronouns if necessary)

they wouldn’t stop ...

i don’t feel safe ...

they hit me when ...

i feel like i stopped existing at [age]...

i don’t want to be here ...

when you are writing, let yourself get mad, if possible. nothing you write will have any consequences if you burn the page, right? nothing is out of bounds. write anything and everything. write about how they’ll burn in hell. about how you hope they get murdered gruesomely. about how you’ll rip them into pieces the next time they touch you. anything. if you can’t summon anger, that’s okay. you can also write about how you feel like you’re rotting. you can write about how you miss when they were good to you. or how they were never good to you, but you miss it anyway. about how when you get out, you’ll have a nice apartment with someone you love (platonically or romantically, it doesnt matter), and maybe a pet, and how you’ll go to the bakery down the street sometimes and get croissants and sit in the sun and how it will be okay. how you’ll never have to see them again. how safe you’ll be. how happy you’ll be.

any of that will be cathartic, i promise you. i started writing poetry at the age of 12, and all of it was about my abuse. it was bad--i went back and read it a few months ago, and i’ve improved a hell of a lot since then. i’ve worked through a lot of my trauma, partially with a therapist, but mostly with my writing. it’s easier than therapy for me, because no-one else can see me while i do it. it’s easier to break down every part of the abuse, to analyze it. and after writing a poem, i always feel drained, like i just lanced an infection or something. i dont know. but writing works. i promise.

therapy is the last thing thing on my list here because its very inaccessable to a lot of people. minors, anyone without insurance, or anyone in a rural area is going to have a hell of a time getting therapy, you know? so that’s why its last. if you have a good therapist, it’ll probably be the most helpful of all of these, but even that is a hit and miss (i’ve seen at least a dozen therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and mixtures of both, and i always seem to get the people who don’t believe me, who think that yelling at me will fix problems, who report everything to my parents. but not everyone’s like that--i just have some incredibly shit luck).

if you can get a therapist, do. they can help immensely. if you can’t, then try the other things until you can get to a position where therapy is accessable for you.

i hope this helped, im sorry its so long? and im sorry it took like a week gah

[barnegat67-blog]

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