#anyways animations is a ton of work not as much as the dancing one but hey

[whosname]

The long weekend soon'll be over but I'm in denial.

[enlightenedrobot]

Other Characters you can legally use for your Mickey Mouse project

Mickey Mouse is in the public domain, as is Minnie Mouse and Peg-leg Pete. There's some caveats to that, and I talk about that more in this other post, but for now, let's talk about other characters who you can also use to fill out the cast.

These characters should all be in the public domain, though some characters still have treademarks. I'll get into how to use them safely as we go. Anyways, let's start.

Other Disney Characters

Disney obvciously doesn't advertise this, but there's actually quite a few Disney originals who've actually been in the public domain for a while.

The Mad Doctor never had it's copyright renewed, and so it's very technically the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to enter the public domain. Keep in mind, the version of Pluto featured in the short isn't in the domain just yet, but the Doctor himself is free to use.

What's funny is that Disney would later use a version of Doctor for Epic Mickey. Obviously don't use that version of the character.

Aside from the Mad Doctor, we also have Oswald and Ortensia

Yeah, as it turns out, Oswald's been in the public domain for quite a while, but he's still trademarked by Disney. Easy recommendation... use the original "fat" design of the character and have him go by Lucky.

But before Oswald, we have the Alice Comedies

Everything about the Alice Comedies is Public Domain for a long time, and the Disney corporation very rarely acknowlege these characters existence. Which is a shame because These shorts were some of the first shorts Walt ever produced, and they have the unique gimmick of featuring a live action girl in an animated world.

Everybody already knows about Oswald, but nobody talks about Oswald and Mickey's older brother from these shorts, Julius the Cat

Like... yeah no, it didn't all start with a mouse. Or a rabbit. It started with a cat.

Foxy and Milton Mouse

Both Foxy (top) and Milton (bottom, pictured with his girlfriend Rita Mouse) were characters created by Warner Brothers and Van Beuren respectively to cash in on Mickey's success, and both characters are also in the public domain.

In fact, all Van Beuren cartoons are apparently in the public domain, and I encourage you to find their cartoons and use them as you please.

Fleischer Characters

Betty Boop is probably in the Public Domain, but there's a few caveats with this. From what I can tell, the name Betty Boop is trademarked, but the character herself isn't. Most of the old Betty Cartoons are free to use, but newer incarnations, including the versions used in 1985's The Romance of Betty Boop and 1989's The Betty Boop Movie Mystery are still very much under copyright.

To avoid any legal trouble, I have two big recommendations. Although everybody remembers Betty as having Black hair, in one of the few early instances of Betty being shown in color, she's actually depicted as Redhead.

This is Betty Boop in 1934's Poor Cinderella, and her hair color is pretty clearly red.

The other option is to just make her black.

Though there's been some debate as to whether Betty Boop was intentionally modeled after Esther Lee Jones or not, there's still no denying the influence of Jazz on the character. Betty Boop is a Jazz singer and is often depicted dancing to Cab Calloway. Hell, the Betty Boop musical features Jasmine Amy Rogers as the titular character.

Betty Boop aside, there's an entire world of defunct Betty Boop characters who are definately public domain, including Bimbo and Koko the Clown.

Next year, Popeye's also gonna enter the Domain. So keep an eye out for him too.

Anyways, these are my picks, but obviously this list isn't meant to be comprehensive. There's a ton of old cartoon characters out there who can be freely reinterpreted into newer works. Feel free to add your own favorite public domain cartoon to the list.

[jazlynriddle-starwars]

Master Will Protect You Ch 1:

Summary:

Two months after Mustafar, Darth Vader meets his demise at the feet of a Kyber Crystal. Faced with the truth—that Obi-Wan never left him. That his Master still hasn’t. Seeking to be Anakin Skywalker again, he turns on Sidious, who curses him with his dying breath. Now Anakin is crippled, broken, haunted, and utterly dependent on Obi-Wan’s care. And Obi-Wan... Obi-Wan is struggling to balance being a good Jedi, doing his duty and taking care of Anakin. Because Anakin's trust is just so addictive, the word Master has too many meanings, and Obi-Wan no longer feels like a hero. He feels like he's becoming the one monster Anakin can’t see coming.

Warnings/Tags: Mild gore, erotic horror, psychological, trauma/character study, slow burn, angst with a happy ending!

You can also read on AO3! (chapter specific warnings below)

Notes:

Warnings: Gore, like, descriptive and medically accurate gore. It's not slasher-type gore, but it's descriptive enough to get across how the character is feeling. And it's enough that my dearly beloved partner has to skip sections while beta-ing. So, reader's discretion is advised. I did a butt ton of medical research and recovery from very specific types of injuries to write this shit lol

This work was inspired by sleep deprivation, my own grief for my dearly departed animal companion of almost 15 years, and some really really good art.

Honestly, I've been wanting to write a fic on the premise of; what-if Anakin had taken the Kyber Crystal's offer in the comic Darth Vader Issue #5 and turned on Sidious post-Mustafar and went to find Obi-Wan like the crystal showed, but I couldn't think of a way to swing it with Canon's setup. Darth Vader was just feeling too hurt and betrayed by Obi-Wan, too busy self-flagellating and self-hating to do what he wants to.

Then I saw one of @deliquesaint's incredible artworks and my brain immediately started churning the necessary alternative conditions and changes to Canon's events required to push Anakin into trusting and accepting the Kyber Crystal's promise that Obi-Wan would forgive him despite everything he's done. It was beautiful.

What's less beautiful is how fucked I'm making Obi-Wan. Look, after Mustafar, dude has every excuse to go loopy. The only thing standing between this guy and gothic horror insanity is the PG rating on the Star Wars franchise.

The track for this fic is Arcane's Wasteland by Royal & the Serpent. Ugh, the music from that series is just too perfect for any damn tragedy pair lol

This fic even kinda follows the lyrics of that song's arc, complete with the turn from the despair in the first half to the last stanza's hope, from “I know it's my fault that I'm here all alone” to “If it weren't for you, I'd be here all alone” and from “I used to have strength, but I ran out of hope” to “There's a beauty in changes. And I wanna try.”

But anyway, sorry, I yap too much–

I hereby present a tale of two broken souls and the ugly, unpleasant reality that sometimes, the only way to save someone... is to risk yourself, fall into the pit with them.

And climb out together.

“Anakin.”

His eyes open, when had he closed them? Obi-Wan? He'd heard the voice of his Maste– his...

He groans and shakes his head, no... his Master isn't Obi-Wan anymore. He's not Anakin. He's Vader. Darth... Vader...

“Anakin.”

Pain. It's... good. It is what gives him power.

“Anakin.”

“Stop!” Vader screams, clutching at his head. He can feel himself fracturing inside, the pain hurts. Grief, betrayal, regret, anger, bitter hate, and sorrow. But under it all, there's still something achingly sweet. Something soft, gentle, calling, longing, yearning.

He glares at the Kyber Crystal, the little green shard floating on the pedestal. The heart of the blade, the soul of a lightsaber, its soft yet powerful glow dancing off the cavern walls.

After everything he'd done, it dared tempt him back to his M– to Obi-Wan's side!? Dared give him this poisonous lie, that Obi-Wan would lower his blade, and call him Anakin. After Obi-Wan tried to kill him on Mustafar, after turning Padme against him. That Obi-Wan would forgive him for everything he's done. Take him back like some pathetic snivelling weak creature crawling on its knees for mercy!?

Vader wants to smash the crystal. Forget his mission to bleed a Jedi's Kyber Crystal, to pour his hate into it and break it, turn its green glow into the bloody broken red of the Sith. Kark the mission. He wants to destroy it. To shatter it, let it lie broken in the remains of its pathetic attempts to protect itself, to use his emotions to control him. Nobody controls Darth Vader.

This path he's on is all there is, all that's left to him. This is all the universe has ever seen fit to grant him. Suffering, pain, loss, betrayal, and misery.

Vader raises a hand towards it and a powerful pulse ripples through the Force, throbs through him.

“Anakin.”

“Aaaaarrrrhhhh!” He tears at his own hair, images flash through his mind without his permission. He feels a pull from the Kyber Crystal, as though it is dragging out the memories from the depths of his soul. He sees them, even though he doesn't want to look.

His Mast– Obi-Wan standing above him.

“It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground.”

“You underestimate my power.”

“Don't try it.”

He remembers jumping, seeing his former Master's blade, realising in that split second that he'd made a mistake. The blade cuts through his legs, a familiar pain. He remembers losing his arm. He was beside Obi-Wan when he lost it. He was defending Obi-Wan when he lost it.

What irony, that he would lose everything else to his former Master, the one who was always meant to be by his side. Obi-Wan's eyes widen, as though hearing his thoughts, and before the saber can slash through his left arm, he feels a push in the Force. It throws him to the side and he slams into one of the nearby structures.

Through the pain lancing through his skull and the sticky wetness trickling into one eye, he sees his former Master raise his blade over him. His memories had blurred after that. In the two months since, he could never make anything out.

After Mustafar, he'd awoken in a medical centre. Darth Sidious had told him that he had been found near death, and near enough to the rising lava that he'd have been on fire if he hadn't been rescued in time. That he had been in a coma for several days from a concussion and broken ribs. That his legs had been replaced with prosthetics. He now bears a burn scar on his neck that had clearly been left by a lightsaber.

Had his Ma– Obi-Wan not gotten a chance to finish him off before Sidious arrived?

Then he'd been caught in his grief over Padme and forgot about how strange that was. Never questioned his belief that Sidious had saved him from his former Master, simply felt hate and betrayal burn through him. But now, now... he sees—no, remembers—remembers what his concussion had buried.

He sees through hazy eyes, his Master's hand trembling, bringing his lightsaber down with a shout and stopping just an inch from his neck. He raises the blade again and takes a deep breath, steadies his grip and swings once more, only to halt midway. There's tears running down his face now, and Obi-Wan cries out in frustration, brings the blade up and swings again.

Once more it stops an inch away. He feels the heat bite into his flesh, sear the skin of his neck. Sees his Master pull his blade back up to hit himself in the head with its hilt, before bringing his saber down again, his eyes frenzied and teeth clenched like a beast.

It stops.

Again and again.

His Master keeps trying to cut through his neck, failing every single time, as though there is a ray shield over his throat. He understands now why there is a deep burn across his flesh, but nothing more.

He watches, helpless, unable to move as his Master's face becomes more of a mess, blood runs down his neat beard as he tears into his lip with his teeth. Obi-Wan cries out in agony when his saber halts again at Anakin's throat, but goes no further. The air hums with his swings and mournful cries.

When his Master finally gives up, Anakin feels relief. Not for himself, but for Obi-Wan. His Master kneels beside him, eyes blank and empty with defeat.

“I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I've... I failed you.” His voice is hoarse from screaming and Anakin's heart hurts. “I can't... I can't even release you...”

His Master cradles his face gently, wipes the blood from his cheek with painful tenderness. Then he looks at the rising lava near them, the dismembered limbs that lay closer to the liquid fire as they ignite, the way Anakin's clothes are starting to blacken from the heat.

“It... it will be over soon...” Obi-Wan mutters and places a hand over his eyes, darkness envelops him. “Sleep. Sleep and feel no pain. I'm sorry...”

“Anakin.”

He gasps, eyes flying open again. Obi-Wan...

He drags his gaze up, and the disappointment he feels when he sees a stone pedestal is deeper than any he's ever felt before. He looks at the green Kyber Crystal hovering over the stone. It sings and pulses with light. Calm and beautiful. Quiet in its call. Haunting.

He stands shakily, pushes himself to his mechanical feet, strides over to the unbled crystal.

And closes the saber hilt around it.

The Crystal hadn't lied.

He'd managed to kill Darth Sidious. It had been easier than he thought it would be. His Ma– Palpatine, Sidious, had always felt bigger than life to him. Chancellor of the Senate, power even above the Jedi, the one who saved Naboo, protected Padme's home. The dark lord that had puppeteered both sides of the war, the man who'd been there for him for so many years, a confident and mentor he'd trusted.

The man who promised him everything he loved, yet delivered nothing but power.

He's gone now. That God-like man is gone.

Or... at least the Sith's body.

He groans with pain, has to stop to hack gastric juices into the desert sand. It hurts, in his head. Screams of rage ringing endlessly within his skull, shaking his teeth and making his eyes ache.

When he confronted Sidious, the dark lord had tried to take his body when he cut the man down. Tried to force himself inside him. He can still feel the man's mind swirling and writhing in his insides. The Crystal hadn't warned him of this. It's nauseating, like having a snake inside him. Strangling him, snapping at the edges of his mind. The cage he'd locked the dark lord in.

He needs Obi-Wan. His Master would know what to do. It hurts. He can barely hold his mind together, barely see.

Master! He calls out into the Force, follows his instincts, his senses. He's always been able to find his Master when he needs him. There's something relieved in his chest when he finds that this is still true. Searching for Obi-Wan to kill him had never worked. Not when he wanted to kill him.

Now, longing for him, aching for him, needing his Master in his soul. He finds the thinnest red thread still clinging to them and follows it.

His ship had crashed into the desert of Tatooine.

Kriffing Tatooine.

It's always Tatooine. Of course his Master would choose to hide here. The one place he would sooner see swallowed by a black hole than return to. He hates this place. The desert only takes.

‘If he were willing to welcome you, he wouldn't have chosen a place you would never go to.’

He shakes his head. No, it's... it's because this is safe. Outer... outer rim. Neutral territory. Free of clone troopers. The Empire.

He groans in pain and stumbles, falling into the sand. It's so hard to think. He drags himself up, feet sinking into the grit. Master, he needs to find his Master. He struggles to breathe through the cloth covering his face. There's grains in his nose, caught in the hairs, in his mouth, gumming his saliva into mud. It's probably in his lungs too and definitely in his servos. He hates sand.

Then he hears the sound of an animal, he raises his head, his vision blurry. Lifting his leaden legs is one of the hardest things he's ever done, and he thinks his lungs will soon give out.

He can feel him close by. His Master. It's been months since he's felt Obi-Wan's presence. It feels warm. Safe. Right. He hears footsteps and then the familiar sound of a saber being lit. He drags his hazy eyes up to the figure before him.

It's the same. Completely the same as the vision he'd been given. Relief weakens his knees, though he'd always planned to kneel.

‘Fool! He'll kill us!’

Sidious screams in anger and fear in his mind. It's deafening, loud and terrible.

“Obi-Wan...” He wheezes. “Please...”

He's not sure if he's begging for forgiveness, or mercy, or even death. Anything. He will take whatever Obi-Wan is willing to give.

Then the saber dims and lowers.

“Anakin.”

Anakin feels, for the first time in years.

Peace.

The desert doesn't care who you used to be. Obi-Wan had learnt that quickly. Under its twin suns, all were equal. All had to fight to survive. Not live. Survive. Purpose? Meaning? There was none out here. Only the desperation to protect oneself or—if you're unlucky enough to have them—loved ones.

It's a lesson he'd never really had to learn. He was always meant to be something more, like his brethren, blessed by the Force. He was born a Jedi, taken into the Order before he even got to know his parents. Who he was, who he is, who he will be. He's always had meaning and purpose. He has doubted himself, his capabilities, but never his path. That has always been clear.

It's still clear.

Sort of.

His path is at his feet. Luke. He has a new child to watch over. The child of his.

But for the first time, he walks his path looking back.

He's never done this before. Not really. He'd felt sadness and pain. He'd felt longing and grief. He's glanced back. Stolen mournful glimpses and then taken a deep breath, and looked forward again. Set his eyes on the path and held them there through pure force of will.

Now, he walks with his eyes fixed behind him. He can't look away. He searches for the path with his toes, backs along it slowly. He might as well be a blind man, for he cannot see the path. His eyes are enraptured, fixed to him. Like he will vanish if Obi-Wan blinks. Like even his memory will be taken from him.

Those playful blue eyes, gradually replaced by bright yellow orbs that burned like the lava around them that day as he swung his blade down on his child.

“You brought him here to kill me.”

Not convince, kill. His boy had jumped to that. It hurt. It hurt like nothing before. That Anakin could think so little of his love after betraying him, bending the knee to another man. Calling him —their enemy, the one who ultimately took Master Qui-Gon from them—calling that evil man Master.

It hurt because Anakin was correct.

Obi-Wan had been tasked to kill him.

Obi-Wan had been angry and hurt. He’d let that bleed into his words, unable to hide or suppress his grief. Even though he'd wanted nothing more than to be Anakin's guide again. Yet how could he guide Anakin, in so pivotal a moment, when he himself could barely see through his tears?

The blind leading the blind.

He never knew what he was doing with Anakin. Raising him, training him. There were no instructions for a Padawan this young, this old. Nine. A Padawan that had never been an initiate. Had grown up in the outer rims. As a slave no less. He'd been afraid of Anakin, afraid for Anakin, and helplessly in awe of him. His boy learnt so fast, fought so hard.

Most students needed encouragement to try hard. His boy needed encouragement to try less hard. To be more gentle, softer. Obi-Wan hadn't been taught how to tame a wild beast. He had learnt how to love from Master Qui-Gon, but his Master never taught him how to stop loving. To slow his love and tamper it. There must have been a way.

He never found it.

He'd felt loss before. So many times. But these last few months have felt like nothing that had come before. The result of a love he couldn't restrain. It wasn't like losing something cherished, it wasn't like losing Satine, it wasn't like losing Master Qui-Gon, it wasn't even like losing a lightsaber. It was like losing his connection to the Force and all his limbs at the same time.

Made worse by actually having to cut off his connection to the Force, lest he make a ripple in it and draw the attention of the Sith. He would bury his lightsaber soon, alongside An... he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

For now, he needs it, as protection against Sand People. They still hadn't quite recognised his territory yet, small as it was, a simple cave cut into the underside of the mountain. He couldn't let anyone who attacked him and forced him to use his lightsaber live to tell the tale. So, establishing his claim on this space was slow and would require many lives to stake.

These... these were the rules and fears that Anakin had grown up with. The law of Power. Paid in blood.

He understands a bit better now. The humiliation and disgrace of being powerless. He's only been here for two months and it's already wearing at him. He's nobody now. This isn't an undercover mission where he pretends to be nobody. It's real. He no longer has a home to go back to. People he can trust. Laws to believe in.

He must stand by, and watch injustice occur. It bites. It was bearable when he was a Jedi, at least they were preventing what injustice they could. He could trust in the system, in procedures carved out by those wiser than he. It's another thing to be preventing nothing at all.

To have power and lose it. It’s really something he never thought he'd come to understand this well.

How must it have felt for his boy? To come from this and then suddenly taste power, more power than even the greatest warriors in the galaxy. It probably felt like nothing was impossible. A terrifying prospect, he now sees. It means that anything that goes wrong, must be your own fault then. Didn't it? Every injustice you see, you must fix.

His poor Anakin...

Master...

He flinches when he feels something familiar, a tender caress. Obi-Wan smothers his Force signature more carefully, though he knows that isn't possible. His boy was dead. And even if he wasn't, he wouldn't call out to Obi-Wan like that ever again.

He shoves his thoughts aside and checks the vaporator humming outside his cave in the light of the evening suns. Collects the two or three cans it had gathered and goes inside to store them away carefully. Water is precious here, on Tatooine.

He misses being able to shower. Even a sonic would be a blessing right about now. He now understands why Anakin had been so crazy about water for their first five years together. His boy had loved baths as a nine-year-old child. He would rub his squeaky-clean fingers against Obi-Wan's back in delight, squealed with happiness when Obi-Wan washed his hair in crystal clear water.

Those fond memories are just pain now. He thinks about Anakin, murmuring sleepily into his collar as the boy cuddled up to him in the night, saying he would love to die drowning. He hadn't understood then, as a twenty-five year old. Death was such a close companion to all here, young and old, that there was nothing morbid or horrifying about a child musing on their death.

Nothing strange or scary at all, for little Anakin to say something like that to the person he trusted most.

Obi-Wan sits by his workshop pile and starts fixing his backup vaporator, an old model he'd managed to trade for from a Jawa clan. It should be serviceable, the sensor array was just so badly misaligned that it was unable to detect when to operate to collect water, so it simply never moved.

Like him, fully operational, but rendered useless by blind ignorance.

He thinks about granting the boy his wish. Considering everything that had happened to Anakin and because of him. Perhaps it would have been a kindness, if he had just pushed the boy under the water of their baths with gentle hands. Let him burble, happy and playful, until the water flooded his narrow throat and filled his soft little lungs.

Drowning in the gentle cool water he loved, instead of boiling lava.

A low farting sound comes from the cave entrance, most likely from Akkani, his eopie. Obi-Wan stands and leaves his cave to go to his faithful mount.

“What is it, Akkani?” He asks, brushing the soft fur on its side and it gives him another farty sound from its snout. “Oh, is that what you think? Well, I wouldn't say you smell like a bed of roses either.”

Obi-Wan smiles, recalling the day he'd purchased it. The eopie had gotten excited and almost threw him off. Perhaps his brain had misfired and pulled the wrong file, but it had reminded him of Anakin's terrifying flying. So, by pure force of habit, he'd yelped, “ack Ani–”

He'd cut himself off halfway through his boy's name, but ever since then, the mount refused to respond to anything besides that sound. So, its name was thus, Akkani. A sad smile curls his mouth, his boy would have been tickled for years if he heard this story, he can almost hear his teasing.

Tears come to his eyes, and he scoffs bitterly. After how spectacularly he'd failed to command his thoughts today. That he would be brought to tears by this, is pathetic. No wonder he hadn't been able to commune with Master Qui-Gon. He's a mess. Still a mess.

Then he hears movement a short distance away. The sound of heavy footsteps, sand grating against rock, and he stiffens. Obi-Wan rushes back inside to grab his lightsaber, and comes back out quickly, ready to defend Akkani if necessary. He watches warily, hiding his saber hilt behind his back.

A hooded figure emerges up the rise. Lumbering slowly over the sand, it stumbles and totters towards him. Even though he has closed himself off to the Force, at this distance, Obi-Wan can feel the faintest yet undeniable whisp of the Dark Side. Panic seizes him and he raises his saber, lighting it immediately. How did they find him!?

Then he hears a voice he never thought would grace his ears again.

“Obi-Wan...” It sounds like him. The man raises his face and the hood drops away. There are tears spilling down his cheeks as he falls to his knees. “Please...”

Obi-Wan cannot believe it. He's afraid to believe it, but a trembling hand reaches out to him. He knows that face, worn and tired. He's alive. He's here. Calling for him, begging for him. Obi-Wan can't believe it, but his body can. Has rehearsed this in his sleep, night after night, for the last two months since Mustafar. The saber dims without his notice, and he steps forward.

“Anakin...” It's a plea, a question, and a prayer all in one.

The moment he's within reach, the boy latches onto his pant leg. Obi-Wan feels fear in his heart, fear that this is a trick, a trap. But the sob in Anakin's throat has Obi-Wan crouching and placing a gentle hand on his cheek.

“Master...” Anakin gasps, raising a hand to cling to his shirt. Obi-Wan brushes the tears from his boy's eyes, lifts his chin to better see him in the evening light.

His eyes are yellow.

Obi-Wan recoils.

Stumbles upright and reaches for his saber again.

“Help me... Master...” The boy begs, dropped back to the floor by his withdrawal. He looks pathetic, curled up on the floor like a worm. Pain and revulsion flare in Obi-Wan's heart again. How many times must this boy break it?

“It hurts... Master...” Such a pitiful whine. Calling him Master, when those eyes mark him as another's. Anger spikes within him. “Master... don't leave me...”

Obi-Wan swallows, steels himself to run, to take Luke and flee. The clone troopers would surely not be far behind, but it sounds too much like Anakin. Like he did as a child, sick with a cold, begging for comfort, for relief.

“Where's your new Master?” He can't help but ask, some part of Obi-Wan is praying that he is wrong. Praying he's right. Because he doesn't know which is scarier, that this is real or that it is a trick.

The boy shakes his head sluggishly, like he's drunk. That masochistic piece of himself remembers the first time he found his foolish boy drunk after they had a fight. He was fifteen, still a child. Still a child, his child, Obi-Wan had had to remind himself, over and over, when the boy grabbed him by the robes and pressed their lips together.

It was sloppy and terrible, as only a drunk child who had never kissed anything in his life could, but it had made every alarm in his body go off. Every warning siren wailed loudly and painfully as he struggled to put out the fire that it had ignited. He'd pulled the boy off him, forced the child's hands from his body and wrapped him in his robe. To halt his reaching hands.

And his own that itched to follow.

“I... I killed him...” He freezes as the boy reaches his hand out again. “For... for you... Master...”

He stares at that trembling hand, limp and tired. Anakin killed Sidious? Is this real?

A muffled moan slips out from Anakin's lips and the hand begins to fall. Obi-Wan catches it without thinking. The moment their skin touches, tears spring to his eyes. His boy's hand is warm, fingers rough and calloused from hours spent training with Obi-Wan and fighting beside him. He kneels, cupping the boy's jaw and helping him back onto his knees.

“What hurts?” Obi-Wan asks softly, flinching when Anakin's yellow eyes meet his own.

Nausea roils in his stomach at the sight, love and hate warring in him. Those eyes. Those disgusting yellow things. A symbol of everything he's lost. All his failures and regrets. They don't belong on his boy's beautiful face.

“He– Sidious... he's inside me...” Anakin whimpers in pain. “My head...”

The statement is so bewildering that, for a moment, Obi-Wan wonders if this is some horrifyingly broken way of saying he had been raped and tortured. Nausea hits him again. Had he– he had left Anakin there. Had he left Anakin to a fate worse than death? Was that how the evil creature broke his boy?

How long? Before? During the war? While he was a child? All those times Palpatine had taken Anakin from him, abused his authority over the Jedi to secret Anakin—his Padawan—away from Obi-Wan. The idea makes him want to vomit.

“In my mind... I– I managed to fight... his control...” Anakin chokes out, like the words pain him. “But I can't– can't get him... out...”

“Shh, let me see. Look at me.” Obi-Wan murmurs, takes Anakin by the sides of his face, cups his soft cheeks and presses their foreheads together. He forces himself to meet those ugly yellow orbs and opens himself to the Force for the first time in what feels like forever.

The first thing he feels is Anakin's signature, that majestic presence that always felt like the warmth of the sun and equally as blinding. The connection between them that feels like home. Like comfort and fire, like quiet rest and boundless passion. It's almost nostalgic now, and it brings tears to his eyes, to feel his gaping loneliness finally appeased.

Obi-Wan hears Anakin take a shuddering breath and feels the heat of it fan across his lips. It's difficult to remind himself that he's not here to bask in Anakin's presence, that he's looking for the source of his pain.

For better or for worse, he doesn't have to look very hard.

‘KENOBI!’

He flinches at the familiar voice of the Chancellor. Rage and darkness leak from the boy's mind, enshrouding Anakin's radiant and melodic signature, and his boy wails in pain. It's terrifying in its intensity.

Okay, so he had meant that quite literally.

Obi-Wan grips Anakin tighter, sweat beading on his brow as he tries to help his boy wrangle the foul creature from his mind. He wrenches and pulls at it with all his might, only to hear a scream from Anakin and feel his boy's presence in the Force flicker. Alarm shoots through him, watching in horror as that parasitical thing constricts around his boy.

Anakin is too drained, his signature too weak for Obi-Wan to remove Sidious without killing him.

The evil thing living inside his boy laughs maniacally, ‘will you do it? Kill your Padawan? Like you so desperately tried to before?’

Obi-Wan snarls in anger, this man had taken everything from him, and now, when his boy is ready to repent, Sidious is once again in-between them. He glares into those glazed over yellow eyes, he hates them so much. Hates that they are on Anakin's face, sitting there like they're natural. Like they were meant to be there. 

Like the blue he'd loved had always been an illusion.

Obi-Wan's anger is dark and overpowering, the kind that wants to hurt, rip, and tear. Then, he feels a barely noticeable tug on that Dark anger, cold creeping along it. Flinches when he feels Sidious attempt to latch onto it and travel into him.

He withdraws in alarm. Feels Anakin's presence in the Force buckle under the weight that had been dropped back onto his shoulders. Obi-Wan stares in horror at his boy. This new threat is even more dangerous. That the Sith might use his own anger to take over Obi-Wan's body instead.

Is killing Anakin the only way? Pain lances through him.

He can't.

Not again.

Anakin is here, on his knees for him. Anakin came to him. Killed Sidious for him. He can't kill Anakin now. Not like this.

But he can feel Anakin losing the battle of wills against the Sith Lord by the second.

If he lets Anakin live... that thing could take over, become the most powerful Sith in all history. There would be no hope. It's too early, Luke and Leia are too young. If this creature took Anakin's body or Obi-Wan's, the child would not be able to fight them off. Obi-Wan tries again to look at those yellow eyes, but the Dark anger within him comes rushing back and he averts his gaze.

It's too soon for him too. The wound is too raw.

Then an idea comes to him. A compromise. A small price to pay, surely. After everything Anakin had done. For his life. To buy them time. A safety net for the galaxy as well. In case he fails again. Obi-Wan is no longer so arrogant as to think he can hold back the end of the universe with half measures. For Anakin's own good, for the good of the galaxy.

For his own sanity.

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan breathes, cradles Anakin's chin in his hand.

The boy moans, his eyes squeezed closed in pain and Obi-Wan feels dizzy. A strange, unsettling heat throbs through his veins at the sound. He takes a deep breath and steels himself for what he must do. Then takes a moment to slip two fingers into his own mouth, cleaning the sand from them. This is the best they will get on such short notice.

There isn't time.

“You did well, coming to me.” Obi-Wan then murmurs, traces his thumb over the boy's chin, cups his face like he's always wanted to, like a lover. “Anakin...”

Those long lashes flutter open and, even through the yellow, the way Anakin looks at him, leans into his palm, is beautiful. Trusting, loving, serene despite the agony he must be in. Obi-Wan savours this moment, as poisoned as it is by yellow. Wishes and longs for the blue he will never see again. The windows to the soul.

He tells himself that he's just doing what is necessary, but his fingers twitch and itch for it.

“Master will...” Obi-Wan swallows, bringing his hand up with a reassuring smile. He holds two fingers out as though to brush the scar that goes across Anakin's eye. While he tightens his grip on the boy's jaw with the other, which finally seems to alert Anakin to the fact that something is off. “...protect you.”

With that promise, he stabs his fingers into the boy's eye.

Anakin shrieks.

His hands leave the floor to scrabble madly at Obi-Wan's wrist and forearm. His nails tear into Obi-Wan's skin, drawing blood, but he holds Anakin's entire upper body weight by his jaw, refusing to relinquish his grip.

Obi-Wan digs his fingers past that disgusting glowing yellow orb. Watches white fluids and viscera ooze out from the entry point as they sink into his skull's cavity. The boy's hot flesh swallows his digits, soft and squishy. Flesh and veins lodge themselves under his fingernails.

It's horrible. Crippling his child even further like this, so brutally, without even painkillers or the merciful swiftness of a saber. But his breath is heavier than it should be, as he viciously curls his fingers. Anakin's body jolts like he's been electrocuted. He'd stopped screeching a while ago. The boy simply trembles uncontrollably, his jaw hanging open in a silent scream, choked noises gurgling in his throat.

There's something about this moment. With the boy's neck in his grip, his fingers inside his skull, just inches from Anakin's brain. He's never done anything this grotesque before, with his own bare hands. It feels almost... intimate.

Obi-Wan swallows thickly and struggles to focus. Carefully coils his fingers around the slippery sphere resting in the mess of sticky goo, uses the Force to find the right angle to catch it securely. He doesn't want to have to stick his fingers inside again and put his boy through this pain more than necessary. He makes sure that it is firmly in his grip.

And pulls.

There's a wet pop as the squishy orb is ripped from Anakin's skull and his body goes limp. Passed out from the pain no doubt. Good. Better that, than to feel all the anguish he must be in... especially when Obi-Wan repeats the process with Anakin's other eye. He can't afford to not finish the job this time. Not when that would risk having to kill Anakin.

Again.

His brow is damp with sweat by the time he's done, it trickles down his neck and makes him shiver in the rapidly cooling desert night air.

Obi-Wan cradles the two slimy spheres in one hand, while the other manoeuvres the boy over his shoulder with the aid of the Force. Then he carries Anakin into the small cave he'd made his home for the last two months. He's ashamed to admit that a part of him is enjoying being free to reconnect with the Force once more.

No doubt the Empire is in havoc after the death of the Emperor, and the disappearance of his second in command. It will be some time before anyone has the time or inclination to search the outer rim for Force signatures.

He lowers Anakin onto his sad excuse of a bed, props him partially upright to reduce blood flow to the open wounds. His limbs are still twitching and spasming. Obi-Wan had felt strangely calm during the whole process, but now, watching his boy's unconscious body continue to react to what he has put it through. Seeing the tears of blood running down Anakin's face makes the guilt, horror, and nausea that he seemed to have misplaced come flooding back.

A sob forces its way out of his throat, choking him with it, the hand holding his boy's eyes trembles. His breathing is no longer heavy. It's short and panicked, clear tears run down his own face. What has he done? His boy, Anakin. He'd had to. Sidious was winning. He had to do something. He knows. But this was his child. The boy he was supposed to protect and care for.

A mournful sob shakes his shoulders, and when his grip tightens, he remembers the springy slimy orbs in it. Obi-Wan's own eyes gravitate slowly to the two in his hand and with stiff movements, he opens his trembling fist to see them.

His heart stops.

They're... blue.

Under the blood that is sliding off the glossy glass-like surface. Under smooth clear jelly, two perfect, beautiful blue irises. A shuddering breath leaves his lips. He raises them up, in the light of the lamp, and stares at them, glistening in the palm of his hand. He wets his lips and swallows thickly.

Beautiful crystal clear blue.

A hysterical laugh wheezes through Obi-Wan's throat, he cradles them to his chest tenderly, adoringly. Gazes into those precious gems, and breathes. “Anakin.”

Notes:

Well, that wasn't the penetration you were expecting ey? xP

Poor Ani, getting Essence Transferred into and fingers in his skull, all in the same day.

Please show @deliquesaint some love for letting me use the artwork that gave me a great starting place for a story I've been wanting to write for ages!

I think for Anakin, when you grow up in a world where might makes right, thinking “if only I had more power, I could protect my mom, my friends.” And then you get the type of pure Force power he had, plus Palps pushing him into the media spotlight to give him the illusion of political power. It makes you feel responsible to act. You HAVE to stop injustices and evil, because if you don't, then you were just lying to yourself when you said, “I would if I had the power”.

You go, “well now I do, so why isn't everything getting fixed?”

As kids we learn limits from our own failures and from the people around us. Our wisers caution us, “don't do that” and we do it and when it goes badly we say, “you were right about my limits” but in Anakin's case, most of the time his ‘limits’ were not due to a lack of power but a lack of maturity, experience, and a trauma-free nine year old brain.

For a kid who grew up with ‘might makes right’, it's confusing. Makes him feel, “if it's not because I wasn't strong enough, maybe it's because there's something wrong with me. Others can do more with less power/opportunity. Maybe I'm the problem. Maybe I'm just wrong.” and that HURTS. Because that's a grave. A dead end, not a lesson. No room for growth or improvement. That's despair.

That is the conclusion drawn from the conflicting world belief of ‘might makes right’ and his lack of limitations when he left Tatooine, the seemingly unreliable advice/predictions from the Jedi, since so many simply do not apply or work or come true in regards to him. “I'm exceptional, predicated beliefs held by most people, don't apply to me. Then... what do I do? Who can possibly guide me? I'm alone.” Exceptional doesn't mean better, it means isolated.

Especially with the whole Chosen One prophecy and Paperplane's brainwashing.

(Not to mention the Jedi's rules and distant stoic expressions of love are so different from what he grew up with.)

So he clings to what kept him alive for his first nine years, because it's easier, less depressing, less complicated or vast. “If things are still going wrong, I just need more power. It just means I'm not powerful enough. Nothing more. There's nothing wrong with me.”

His desperation for more power comes from this. The problem is, that's tiring. If you pin everything on the hope of getting more power, every indicator that you're not there yet is anxiety inducing because “if I don't have enough power, I'll lose everything”. Being so desperate is draining.

Like a gambler with all his chips on a weather roulette, reading the clouds anxiously.

So he tries to continuously check if he's reached ‘powerful enough to not need to keep looking at clouds’ because his neck hurts. Does more reckless and crazy things, tries to prove to himself that he's become powerful enough to not have to fear losing all his chips if it rains.

That's why he's so desperately and performatively arrogant and looking for approval. He's looking for someone to tell him he can stop being anxious. That he can stop trying so hard, stop feeling responsible for everything that goes wrong, every injustice he sees. That he doesn't have his entire identity on the line every damn day.

The sad thing is, he doesn't get that, because the Jedi are too insulated to understand what he needs. Instead he gets told he shouldn't feel that way to begin with. Great, where's the off switch then? Does that mean there's something wrong with me then?

No child should have to feel responsible for the suffering they see and that's not his fault. It's the failure of adults that is responsible, when a child sees or experiences suffering. The Chosen One was never a burden a nine-year-old should have to carry.

That's why it's important for us as a society to keep trying to make the world a better place, because children like Anakin grow into Darth Vader, and that just makes more Anakins.

A never ending ouroboros.

Also, if you're confused about Obi-Wan's reasons for performing such an eye-popping surgery, don't worry, he explains next chapter xP

Next Chapter

[the-fluff-piece]

I love ace a ton and your stuff is really perfect! Anyway can you please do something on how ace would react to the modern world? Like the pirate ace finds himself in modern world. Like how would he react to phones and cars lol

I @acpola01 , thank you for your fun request! I am sorry it took so long...I hope you still like it! Of course I made it a bit x reader because that's my jam

Ace gets isekai-ed to the modern world - headcanon

Ace fought a really strange uhm...thing(?) that seemed to barf colours that shouldn't exist - until he stepped in a pool of that stuff and fell for a looooong time until he passed out

He wakes up on hard stone. He looks around. Strange. He never heard of such an island - the floor is all paved, the houses are really tall and there's a shitload of people. Since he's still groggy, he'll just follow his nose, stumbling into the small cafè where you work (it smelled too delicious)

He orders almost everything the menu has to offer - until you want to close up and realize that that guy has no money you can put in the register. After a short argument and giving him the slap of his life, he gives in and promises to work off his debt

Since he seems clueless and absolutely adorable, you take care of him. Everything is new to him, like he doesn't know modern electronics at all. You offer him a place on your couch. When you get him to your car, he is at first confused what you want with that tin box. He holds on for dear life when you leave the parking lot and drive your usual speed through the city, but he loves it as soon as you drive through the illuminated streets. Completely silent, he stares and stares, occasionally asking about thinks like traffic lights, neon signs or strange people roaming the streets.

He marvels at your phone - he loves all the things it can do! Especially playing cute animal videos, he'swatching tiktok the whole night, laughing his ass off. "OMG Y/N DID YOU SEE THAT?" he wants to show you EVERYTHING he finds. Your previously well-trained algorithm is ruined.

As soon as he finds the food videos, he drags you to every fast food and trend food restaurant he can think of.

Cinema is one of his favourite activities, he loves superhero movies and science fiction. Even though he often falls asleep, head crashing in his popcorn bucket

He doesn't get public transport though - the subway map is too much for him, he also chats up people sitting next to him, a lot. He always has change for the musicians, because he loves to dance on the poles

[princess-of-the-corner]

Ooh, menial jobs for the miracuclass? Have my headcanons on generic teenage work everyone does for spending money!

Nino: I take his interest in directing/filming and specifically make him an indie film enjoyer so that he knows about Emilie and can connect with Adrien over it. He works at a movie theater to get discounts on his tickets. He also is available to hire as an amateur DJ for parties, and mostly ends out doing school dances or kids birthdays due to his low rates and small name.

Alya: Currently unemployed because they just moved and also the magical terrorism, but she eventually picks up a gig as a clerk at a beauty store.

Kim: Mostly just runs with his allowance or mooches off his friends, but he does work as a lifeguard during the summer and teaches little kids swim classes.

Max: Makes bank off of proofreading code/tutoring college students. Critically, this is only applicable in coding. One of his students asked if he could help with his literature essay and Max was like "I have not willingly read fiction since I was 5, say nothing about classic literature. Also I'm 16."

Nathaniel: Works at the art supply store where he buys all his stuff. Mostly in charge of stock because he's terrible with customers, but the owner likes him, so they find things for him to do.

Rose: Currently unemployed, but she does a ton of volunteer work for non-profit children's charities (especially around the hospital), and mostly relies on her allowance. Her medical disorder makes it harder to hold down a job because she gets most of her episodes after a long day of school. Eventually, one of the charities she works for offers her offers her a paid position doing some of their paperwork. This is both not too physically demanding on her and gives her a job with a VERY understanding group of people who knows she's a fantastic worker when she can be and don't begrudge her needs for breaks and calling out.

Juleka: Makeup artist for a local theatre troupe during the summer (that Mylene is also involved in), but that's more a hobby that doesn't pay a whole bunch. She makes most of her money by salvaging shit from the river, and then sells it online.

Ivan: Record store! He showed up to the interview in his usual attire and they were like "oh you're perfect for this," and got hired almost instantly.

Mylene: Animal shelter worker!

Alix: She's rich, but her dad very heavily encourages her and Jalil to get jobs anyway so they can have some work experience. She puts her skating skills to good use as a waiter at a restaurant.

Sabrina: She very seldom needs extra cash because her best friend is Chloe who is happy to buy her anything, but between her dad encouraging her to get involved in the community to help out and her and Chloe eventually agreeing they need away time from each other, she gets a job as a papery delivery girl. She also picks up a job at the local library when she starts wanting more actual money.

Chloe: Once she does enough work on herself to realize she is 1) an abuse victim and 2) has no money not attached to her parents and no work skills, she decides she needs a job. Unfortunately, most postions available to teens are customer service which she is INCREDIBLY unequipped for. Fortunately though the class works together to cast a wide net for job searching, and there is a nearby 24-hour coffee shop that needs someone with a strong personality to handle their night shift. Chloe works there during the summer and it does fuck her sleep schedule. The manager is so grateful to have someone who's legally untouchable when she judo flips the creepy pervs, that they're willing to coach her through her other eccentricities. She comes into the next school year much more capable of doing customer service and with much better people skills in general.

Adrien: Technically already has money from his modeling, but Tom hires him at the bakery in case he needs a source of income separate from his dad (plus it means Marinette and Adrien get to spend more time together). He's promised not to fire him if he and Mari ever break up and help him find another job (unless he does something really awful). Sabine has made no such promises and starts aggressively rolling dough whenever the subject of Adrien and Mari breaking up gets discussed. Adrien feels appropriately threatened.

Hell yeah

[mytardisiscoolerthanyours]

You've got Mail

Chapter 3: Did We Just Become Best Friends?

Ch. 2

Hey Tim, 

Do you just go by Tim? No fun nicknames? Timbo, Timote, Timberlake? 

Fear not, new bestie, I'll come up with something. Everyone deserves a cool nickname.

I'm sorry that my letter was a surprise. Thinking back, the website was a bit outdated - I guess I didn't notice. If you’re rethinking it or not interested in talking to a random stranger now that you’re older and wiser - poor young Timmy :( - I’d understand and you can stop reading right now. No strings attached, no hard feelings, just crumple up the paper and throw it away.

– 

But if you keep reading….

Yup, it's too late now. We're officially friends. It's like it was meant to be, because I seriously don't know anyone else who will be able to read your handwriting like I can. (joking…kinda.) I only had to turn the paper sideways like twice. I got the jist. 

You're brothers seem fun. You mentioned them a few times, I bet you have tons of stories. Did you want siblings before you were adopted? I know that I always wished for a few when I was little. They're like built in friends! What's not to love, right?

As for my game, I'll absolutely let you play. It's still in the beginning stages and I'm mapping out the story, but once I have that down it'll be smooth sailing (hopefully). Because you were so nice in your letter, I'll even tell you a little about it. Itsloosely based on a D&D game I played with my friends, so basically an open world, choose your own adventure kind of story. And since you're doing computer science, maybe you can help me with bugs and stuff while i'm working on it? Two letters in and I'm already using you for free labor, but don't worry I'll give you your own credit at the end. I can see it now…

 

Game Creator, Writer, Designer, Director, Editor, Publisher: Quinnley Rose 

(Now imagine the screen scrolling… a lot of scrolling - like the screen just keeps going and going while cute music plays and little animals dance around the screen, and then finally, at the bottom right before it fades to black and goes back to the main menu…)

The Help: Timberly (or whatever nickname we decide on, still a work in progress until I know more about you)

  

I probably shouldn't be joking so much with someone who knows three types of material arts…. But really, THREE Timmy? Seriously, you couldn't stop at just one? I sense a bit of an overachiever over here, I knew this was all too good to be true. But actually, why three? I get we live in Gotham, but that's still a bit overboard. (plz dont karate chop me for asking) 

You do kinda make up for it with the coffee recs though. The cafe I used to go to got bought out by the penguin. It was called Latte Fever, on Park Ave. He must have skimped out on the coffee beans and ordered from somewhere cheaper once he got it though because the coffee is complete ass now. Plus the baristas are so mean and they can never spell my name right. How hard is Quinn? Somehow they always throw a W in there. Like how? Where do you hear a W, I need to know. Anyway, excuse my (very well founded) rant… know anywhere near downtown that's good? Maybe we can go together when we start school.

As for your incredibly well thought out questions about my powers of choice, I'd be happy to elaborate. In my perfect world, where I have these powers and there's equal rights and world peace, I wouldn't age when I stopped time. It would basically be a full pause on everything, but my body and brain would continue to function. All aging, sickness, or processes would freeze too and I'd be free to go about my business. Think of all the pranks I’d be able to pull, it would be beautiful. So going with that, I'd say time would have to universally stop, since there would be contingencies and problems if time stopped in one city, but kept going somewhere else. I'd imagine that if I stopped it enough, Gotham would end up being stuck in the dark ages while everywhere else progressed. Uhh what else? Oh yeah, I don't think anyone would know about the time stops, just me. It makes it more fun. Now the real question is, would I be able to stop time with someone else? That's an interesting idea. (and yes, Timberella, I would let you have a turn too if it worked)

Also your Robin crush is sooo cute. I also went through a BIG hero phase. (I think we all did). I was a Nightwing girl though, but can you blame me? The man is fine as hell. I do like that you think regular people can be heroes though,  it makes the title a bit more special. 

And lastly, but certainly most importantly, your question. 

Of course pineapple does NOT belong on pizza. What kind of animal do you think I am? 

If I hear that you're a pineapple supporter, I might need to cease all communication right now. I don’t think I could get over it. We would be too different. 

Now for my question: Is a hotdog a sandwich?

I’ll need a detailed explanation to back up your answer. 

For real though, thanks for writing back. This is nice, and I hope we can keep talking. Checking the mailbox each day has helped with the whole, all my friends are gone thing. Hope it's helping you too. 

All blues, no clues, 

Quinn

-

Hope you enjoyed! What do we think Tim's nickname should be? Should we pick one or are we liking the variety? Let me know!

Check out the other chapters on my ao3, here!

[nikibogwater]

Ya girl's been SICK this week (my first time getting Covid, yaaaay), which sucked, but it did mean I finally had the time to properly binge the How to Train Your Dragon movies for the first time since The Hidden World released. I've never actually sat down and watched all three films back-to-back before, even though this was THE film franchise of my teenage years. But having finally done so, I have Thoughts™.

First movie is still arguably the best of the three, if only because it's an entirely self-contained narrative. The script is really tight and focused, and the whole thing is really well-paced. The animation actually looks way better than I remembered, but that might just be because this was my first time watching it on Blu-Ray instead of digital.

First movie also still has the best soundtrack of the three (which is saying a lot, considering John Powell was absolutely COOKING with all three movies). "Test Drive" is just too iconic to be outdone.

I really like Astrid's character arc in the first movie. I normally don't like tough-as-nails girlboss characters because they're so often one-dimensional and boring, but she works really well for me because her girboss-ness is as much a flaw as it is a strength. While she is athletic and competitive in her own nature, she's also under a lot of pressure to be a tough warrior, since that's what her society values. I love the way Hiccup brings out her softer side, how he shows her through Toothless that it's ok to be gentle, that compassion is a strength in its own right. I love the way she in turn becomes his pillar of support and comfort. Somehow I'd forgotten just how good Hiccstrid really is.

It's weird re-watching the second film as an adult, because I can still clearly remember a time when it was just the coolest thing ever. The second film was really what sold me on the series as a whole, to be honest. Like, don't get me wrong, I always loved the first one, but the second is where I really started getting into the worldbuilding and characters.

So it's weird to come back to it now and find out it's....actually the weakest of the three films (in my opinion, anyways). I can't quite put my finger on why, but the second film feels like it "drifts along" more than the other two. Like things "just happen" without as much input from the characters. Again, I'm not sure why it feels like that, because it's not like the characters aren't proactive and shaping the way the story unfolds.

None of that is to say that the second movie is bad by any stretch of the imagination. It introduces a bunch of really cool new concepts that do a great job of expanding the world and characters. It just had that weird drifty feeling to it that the other two lacked. Does anyone even know what I'm talking about here, or am I just crazy??

It's nuts how much of a touchstone "For the Dancing and the Dreaming" became in fandom culture. Ten years later, and I still see this song popping up in fics from every fandom under the sun. I think that's a testament to how beautiful Stoic and Valka's reunion was.

Unfortunately, Drago Bludvist is....not a very good villain, imo. He kinda just screams a lot, and that's it. His whole thing of imitating dragons in order to subdue them is cool, but it really needed to be backed up by a stronger personality. But it's not too much of an issue since really, his Bewilderbeast is the real obstacle for the heroes to overcome.

Now, The Hidden World is a weirdly controversial movie within the fandom. I still see people whose hatred for this film rivals that of the Tales of Arcadia fandom's hatred for Rise of the Titans. Which...I gotta admit, doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Like, I can understand not liking the bittersweet ending, but it's not as though THW went out of its way to ruin the entire series.

Looking at the series as a whole, I'd say THW feels like the most logical and organic conclusion to the series. Especially if you've read the books or seen the tie-in tv shows. I knew going into this movie that it would end with the dragons leaving--DeBlois even told us as much in an interview leading up to the film's release. And I'm okay with that.

The first movie touches on the theme of loss with Hiccup's leg. The second movie digs into that theme a bit more, with the loss of his parents (first Valka, who thankfully is found again, then Stoic). The Hidden World dives headfirst into the idea. Loss is no longer a mere consequence of the story's events, but the thematic backbone of the whole movie. And it's here that I realized the series has always been about loss, because the series has always been about growing up. You can't mature without losing something, whether it's a place, a person, or your childhood naivete.

HTTYD uses its fantastic premise to explore a painful reality of our own world, and it does so in a way that's entertaining, sincere, and encouraging. Hiccup has lost so much on his journey to adulthood, but he's also grown strong enough to be able to rise above it. He'll be okay. Toothless will be okay. And we'll all be okay too. Idk, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's my takeaway from the series, and it's definitely something that I've needed to hear more than once as I've grown up.

Grimmel is definitely a huge step up from Drago for me. He's essentially who Hiccup would have become if he'd lacked that compassion that caused him to spare Toothless in the first film. I also love his overall demeanor and presence. He's not a force of nature, or a feral war-lord. He's just a Guy who is very, very good at his job and knows it. Plus, F. Murray Abraham just has a really cool voice.

Unfortunately, as much as I like Grimmel as a villain, he's still outclassed by Viggo Grimborn from Race to the Edge.

I can't get over how insanely good the visuals are in this series. Especially the textures. Like, there's times in the first movie where the textures look so good that the actual models almost can't keep up. I can see what Toothless's scales feel like, the scratchy weave of Hiccup's tunic, the coarse fur of Stoic's cloak. HTTYD is the only series I can think of that seamlessly pulls off a "realistic" look with animation. The world feels real, without taking away from the suspension of disbelief that makes animation such a freeing medium. It's as if they came to the edge of the uncanny valley, then got into a hot air balloon and floated across without ever touching it.

Looking back, I think this was just the perfect series to be a teenager with. It's just the right blend of action, adventure, and emotion, all wrapped up in a wholesome and often heart-rending tale of a boy and his dragon growing up together. I really wish we could have more series like this.

(Edit) Also the Light Fury is my favorite dragon species in the entire series, no I will not take that back, she's super pretty and sparkly and I just want to pat her on her cute nubby head.

[triptychgrip]

I love reading/writing Yuri!!! on Ice stories that center around Viktor's insecurities around his "worthiness" of being w/ Yuuri.

The fandom has (understandably) created tons of content around Yuuri's insecurities, but I find it really compelling to ideate around this "Living Legend" superstar athlete -- who, prior to finding love, built up pretty much his entire life around his career -- and his worry that the love of his life will one day tire of him, especially the closer that Yuuri approaches retirement and no longer needs Viktor to be his coach.

It's the subject of an ongoing post-canon, married Viktuuri story I've been working on, which currently has three chapters out (of five total, but that chapter count could very well increase, lol). You'll see it's part of my larger series, but IMO, you can still enjoy/understand it without reading the other works.

It's a Viktor POV fic, whose premise is that Yuuri (who has now achieved certification to teach group pole dancing classes) one day gets approached by a fellow instructor around teaching one-one-one classes. He mentions this idea to Viktor, but appears underconfident around it, so Viktor volunteers to become his "trial student" in order to help his husband get used to the idea around someone he already knows/is comfortable around.

While the overall story might appear light-hearted (especially b/c this arrangement gives these two ample opportunity to be all flirty and eros with one another), a big theme in the story is Viktor's insecurity around being a beginner/bad at something. It's a concept that he's still not used to, post-retirement: not immediately being an expert at things, and having to accept that he can be bad at something, and still entirely lovable, anyway.

The other element of the story that's been exciting to explore is the idea that Viktor is approaching this arrangement with a somewhat ulterior motive that taps directly into his own insecurities. While, yes, he is ultimately hoping that being Yuuri's student will boost his husband's confidence in his own teaching skills, he also believes that he needs to find more and more ways to "hold" Yuuri's interest, especially given his student's approaching retirement (after the 2022 Beijing Olympics). Once Yuuri retires and no longer needs Viktor as his coach, what could Viktor have to possibly offer him? Maybe if he learns how to pole-dance, his husband will still find him sexy and inspirational and interesting.

It's easy for an outside observer to be like "Viktor, you idiot...Yuuri has been obsessed with you since he was twelve, he's not going to suddenly think you're boring when you're no longer his coach", but that's the thing about insecurities: they're rarely rational, or based in logic. Mine certainly aren't. 

As accomplished and impressive as he is, Viktor still needs reminders that who he is, inherently, is absolutely enough, whether that means he is an expert pole dancer like Yuuri, or a complete novice. A lot of this also taps into my headcanons around Viktor's childhood trauma and strained relationship with his parents, which has given him significant abandonment issues.

Gah, thinking about it really gets me in my feels; I can't wait to finish this WIP up, and hope you all would consider checking it out, now or once it's completed. 

[sillypiratelife]

Zoro and Luffy childhood friends au where Perona taught Luffy all about clothing confection and Uta taught Zoro how to dance and sing.

The funny part is that neither Zoro nor Luffy realize what the girls were doing until they were deep into the trap lol.

Perona started by giving Luffy random facts about bugs that produce material for webbing and then teaching him about bugs patterns and colors. She slowly roped him (ha!) into paying attention to all those details and explained that people are like bugs in the sense that they use clothing for many reasons: to protect themselves, to show they are dangerous or make people pay attention to them, to show their joy or freedom, etc etc etc.

She failed A LOT trying to make him take interest in any form of clothing confection tho. So much she was also in tears. If you wonder why she was dedicated, maybe she made a bet and her pride was on the line lol. Anyway, she followed by telling Luffy the relation between certain fabrics. Silk, leather, wool, mostly stuff related to animals and bugs, then found a way to connect those to other types of fabrics.

Perona was like "you need to recognize how some people dress to identify who has money, so you know who can pay you for more food" 😭😭😭

After a masterclass in manipulation techniques, Perona somehow made it. Gave herself an award and everything. Most important moment of their journey was when Perona taught Luffy how to fix his strawhat and told him that fixing your friends' clothing is a way to show love.

Uta's job was so much easier. She arrived one day and told Zoro she was teaching him breathing techniques to make him stronger. Then she went to teach him how to identify tones because (all according to her) sounds said a lot about the world around them and paying attention could make him a better fighter.

Next step was to convince the kid that dancing was almost like doing katas and that it was a good way to learn how to move along with things and still not hurt anyone. Uta gave him a million more reasons why to keep up with her plans: because adapting to any rhythm means he could adapt to any fighter, because he could learn to move each muscle individually, so Zoro could intimidate in a freaking party, to work on his space awareness, as workout routine, to become faster, to allow his body to flow for a better performance....

Uta convinced Zoro that he needed to take care of his throat and voice like he took care of his body. Warm up, practice, control it completely to your will. What is dancing if not the ability to tune your body to the sounds around you and become one with them?

I need to laugh. By the time they were teenagers, they were completely screwed. Being Luffy and Zoro, they just accepted it for what it was lol.

Perona can ask Luffy on the phone to describe Zoro's outfit if they have to go somewhere decent so he can change clothing accordingly.

Uta borrows Zoro sometimes because "the public loves the muscles!" and "you need to see their faces when Zoro's sing!" and also they win a ton of money on dubious bets.

Imagine the interactions with the rest of the Straw Hats... Imagine the chaos...

[canyouhearthevoices]

WORK MV First Reactions

Yet another ATEEZ music video released while I'm at work - love it....

Another thing I'm not keen on is the song itself. I haven't been super impressed with several of ATEEZ's new title tracks, musically. Luckily for ATEEZ, I don't really follow them for their actual music (although it is a shame that the newer stuff hasn't been my style). I'm especially unimpressed with the chorus, which reminds me of a combination of Australia's anthem, Down Under, and Bills, neither of which I am super keen on... I know ATEEZ's recent comebacks have been less serious, but... this just doesn't suit them in my opinion.

Luckily for them, their performance skills stand up, regardless of the quality of the music.

This MV is definitely more of a filler one - it has a lot of ATEEZ motifs and follows the story from the previous MVs, but doesn't add much else. I don't have that much to say about it, but let me say it anyway! Full analysis below the line.

So this music video seems to be mostly a lot of motifs to show that ATEEZ are becoming more and more successful, and that, through hard work, they will become even more so.

We can see this through the copious amounts of money they make, the copious amounts of work (or more like party-work) that they do, and through the MV showcasing signs like the Billboard sign. Seonghwa riding the ostrich at the beginning is another example of this - he has many different country flags in his bag, showing the many places ATEEZ have gone and will go.

This music video also continues thematics that originated with Dont Stop - first, the cowboy concept and 'Wild West,' which has ties to the anarchy that they're trying to create in the oppressive world of Strictland (omg change the name please ATEEZ I'm begging you). See my Bouncy analysis for the Wild West stuff.

We also get what I presume is the extension of the drug dealing in Bouncy and the heists in Don't Stop - the expansion of ATEEZ's business empire, which they will use to take over the world with partying and music.

I don't think there's anything super interesting visually story-wise which would require screenshots - Jongho being in the ground is a fun gag that shows how ATEEZ are fun, how they can literally work themselves into the ground, and is possibly a reference to Down Under, which has a man in the desert playing a flute-like instrument.

I mean, this is the only thing that I am aware of that it could be referencing, and this song is pretty famous as far as I know, and suits ATEEZ's themes well, but if you think it referenced something else, let me know.

The animals (mostly birds) vibing along to the song continues the animal imagery from Bouncy and other songs - even the animals will party along to ATEEZ's music, and of course, we have the golden eggs and the blessed hens which lay them - a symbol of wealth and also good fortune.

There's also the general outback imagery which contributes to the idea of the wild west, the office that Yunho and Yeosang occupy which shows work, sophistication, possibly some shady dealings, and so on. And the Motels show travel, which they are of course doing for their literal jobs.

I do like the scene with Hongjoong and Mingi looming over a city and showering down so much money that a money monster appears.

But it doesn't really have much deeper meaning as far as I can see - like, even if we consider it in relation to the Strictland storyline, it just shows that their presence looms over the city, and that they have tons of influence, perhaps even more than the Guardians and the government who occupy the tallest building.

Interestingly, as far as I can see, Hongjoong's armband doesn't appear in any of the scenes in the music video, although he does have his usual coat and cane.

The rest of the vide is just things we've seen before - the cars dance because the power of ATEEZ is so strong that even inanimate objects will work. The 'game over' screen when Hongjoong falls out of the car is reminiscent of the comic scenes in the Crazy Form MV... I just... did not find this music video particularly interesting or compelling. It doesn't feel like it has high production values, and it feels a little like it's trying to milk the virality and success of other music videos like Bouncy - but it just doesn't have what Bouncy does :( I can't even find any exciting Easter eggs or story tidbits in the props - like even the newspaper Yunho holds doesn't seem to be anything exciting. And although I'm sure they meant something by Seonghwa coming out of the egg, I'm not sure what, and I can't think of any potential storyline references.

Anyway, moving on to something that I was generally more happy with;

Lyric Analysis

Most of the lyrics are pretty standard and expected from this kind of song - about how cool and hardworking ATEEZ are and how successful they will be in the future. But there are some interesting things to note/ATEEZ lyrical motifs;

San saying that when he makes a move, the Guardians follow him.... like? Hello? What a massive potential storyline drop in the middle of this causal line. The reason this is weird is because there isn't really any other potential meaning of 'Guardians' here that makes sense that isn't the Guardians in the fencing masks. And it makes sense that those Guardians would follow them when they make a move, since, well, the Guardians are hunting them.

The Real is referenced in Hongjoong's rap - since they are the Real people, ie. genuine

Bright and blinding lights

Burning

Everyone dancing and getting involved

Everyone being unified as one humanity

Being unique and individual (this makes sense since in Strictland people can't be individuals)

Time

Fun fact, the phrase they say in the prechorus that I assume is in Spanish (Ganso que pone huevos de oro) apparently translated to 'goose that lays the golden eggs' or something similar - which, yeah, that makes sense, considering the music video.

Conclusions

It was pretty filler imo. It continued a lot of motifs from previous MVs and stories, but it didn't do anything unique or special itself, except for bury Jongho.

That said, it does seem to be building up to something where ATEEZ get power - a bit like a training montage - so my current prediction is that the next comeback is super storyline-heavy and super Gothic - because ATEEZ can (thankfully for me, based on their track record0 never stay away from the Gothic for long.

I mean, WORK is catchy - but so is almost any song that has a repetitive chorus.

[cactusdrinkstea]

hi! i was wondering if i could get romantic male twst matchup?

general info:

/ 19 / she/her / enfp / 7w8 /

appearance:

i have vintage, old hollywood type of beauty. i'm 6'2, hourglass figure. i have shaggy golden blonde thick curls. i never cut my hair, so it's very loong. my eyes are amber colored. i have skinny hands with long fingers

my clothing style is something between whimsigothic/bard/adventure/medievalcore and whatever emma from veil is wearing. i love wearing weird shaped rings, earrings, brooches. my favorites are the insect shaped and art nouveau ones.

personality:

i’m kind-hearted, compassionate and caring, but also elegant and ladylike. i'm calm, delicate and sweet, i treat everyone politely and with respect. i'm cheerful, optimistic, friendly and bright. i'm very caring and loving, especially when it comes to family. i'm energetic, bubbly and happy-go-lucky, but i can be very mature when the time comes. i have also very strong sense of duty. i don't take any nonsense and i'm not afraid to stand up to anyone who gets on my bad side. i'm very ambitious, enthusiastic and i like making friends. i find satisfaction in life's simplest gifts. i love adventures, exploring and enjoying the nature. i have morbid, dark and sharp sense of humor. i can be stubborn and overwork myself a lot. i love children. i always related to disney’s miss bianca, maid marian and duchess.

my love languages:

when it comes to giving, it's all five of them, because i'm full of love and i like showing my feelings in different ways

when it comes to recieving... i have no idea (⁠ㆁ⁠ω⁠ㆁ⁠)

also i don't have a type/prefered traits in partner

hobbies:

ballet. i train ballet dancing since i was 3, this strongly influenced my personality and is important part of my life. whether i'm dancing for myself, just because i feel like that or i'm performing for audience, it brings me great amount of joy.

playing on instruments and singing. i can play on violin, cello, piano, guitar, saxophone, harp, trumpet, drums and balalaika. i like to compose my own songs, sometimes they are full of emotion ballads that i put my whole heart into, and sometimes they are lullabys or silly little chants about most random things. my friends say that if i was a part of dnd campain, i'd be a bard.

archery, fencing, horse riding and survival. quite unusual, but i train and practice them since i was very young, so they are as natural to me as the ability to read or write and they bring me a lot of joy.

herbalism, kinda connected with survival, and gardening. i know herbal medicine, i make my own infusions and tinctures. i work in garden a lot, i grow flowers, vegetables and herbs. my whole house is filled with different kinds of plants, and some of rooms look more like a jungle than an actual room.

cooking and baking. i learn new recipes whenever i have the opportunity. my favorite things to bake are bread and cookies, i love shaping and decorating them in different ways. i also pick mushrooms and dry or pickle them.

learning. about world and universe or learning new skills. i'm deeply fascinated by space and oceans, they're still unknown to humanity, learning about them makes me sigh in wonder and admiration. i also love nature, i could spend days wandering in forests, observing and learning about animals, insects, plants.

sewing, knitting, embroidery, doll making.

i sew most of my clothes and i enjoy making amigurumi and plushies for my friends and family. i also love making dolls, puppets, marionettes. wooden, porcelain, rag, basically every type. i organize puppet theaters, sometimes i give my works as gifts to my loved ones.

art, any kind of art actually. i like to learn about artists and their work, and i like to try different types of art. sculpting, painting, ceramics, photography, filmmaking, i adore them all.

thank you so much for even reading this!

♡ Twisted Wonderland Matchup ♡

Sorry for taking so long! I had tons of requests. Anyway better late than never, so here it is!

┉┅━━━━━━━━━━┅┉

I match you with...

︵‿︵ʚɞ『 Vil Schoenheit 』ʚɞ︵‿︵

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊

┊ ┊ ✫ ˚♡ ⋆｡ ❀

┊ ☪︎⋆

⊹

┊ . ˚ ✧

So this one is quite the pick, but after so much thinking I think this fits just right.

I feel like at first you two may clash a lot, Vil has quite the high standards and is quite a no nonsense kind of person, so maybe he thinks you are just a bubbly girl with nothing else, but as he starts to know you he will slowly see how much beauty you truly have, in and out.

He cant help but be impressed in your own self and how elegant and mature you can be.

He will start to notice certain things. Your talent, your personality and how your own style is so unique and beautiful. Now you've got his attention.

Vil really appreciates beauty and elegance. Your own unique style may pique his interest and aligns perfectly with his love for sophistication and artistry. Both of you could inspire and admire each other’s aesthetic.

Your passion for ballet, music, and various forms of art would resonate deeply with Vil. He would be captivated by your musical talents and adore them. He likes someone who can appreciate that, specially as an actor and as a model.

While I don't imagine Vil in a garden, he would really like your talent in gardening and herbalism, specially if that either helps with potions or any sort of beauty product. He loves that.

Your tastes in sports like archery and fencing are quite elegant too, and he would really enjoy you taking care of your body by exercising.

Sewing? Hell yes, give that to the person that can appreciate fashion and aesthetic as well as he does. And if he ever gets his clothes damaged, he would turn for you to help him out.

I feel like you would really be someone who can stand up to him if he ever got to be too much, you would not back down and I feel like Vil will grow fond of that over time.

Sing with him, that would be way too adorable, plus he will grow fond of your voice overtime.

If you ever make a plushie of him, he may see it as not a big deal but will take it anyway. (He totally didn't keep it next to his bed and protects it from any dust, absolutely not)

Even with your quirks, Vil would eventually like them, even if he pretends to be annoyed.

I know he is absolutely affectionate in private, even if he tries to put a mature and elegant front in public. Behind closed doors, he is absolutely enamored by you and will let you know at all times.

Since you also enjoy any form of art, try taking pictures of him, if he likes any he will post them and praise you so much for your skill.

Overall you two would make a beautiful couple, even with quite the headbutting at first, you two would eventually be quite the pair.

⊷⊶⊷⊷⊶⊷《 ✮ 》⊷⊶⊷⊷⊶⊷

Closer runner ups!

Rook

Silver

I hope you like my pick! I really hope it was of your liking

[backtotheo]

(joe keery, he/him/his, cismale) who is theo clark anyways? ew. you don’t know about him, we’ll bet you want to. they’re feeling thirty and singing karaoke feels like a perfect night to them. rumor has it they’re indecisive and have low self-esteem because they care, but they’re also intelligent and adaptable in the best way. he works to make a little money as an employee at the animal shelter (...but he also walks dogs on rover on the side). they’ve rented on a place on cornelia street in the form of an an apartment. back to december and long live are the song they could dance to the beat of forevermore. (tw: cancer, about 3/4's of the way into the "backstory" section here!)

basics.

full name: theodore james clark. nicknames: honestly? most people just call him theo, though teddy is a family nickname he'd probably still respond to. gender/pronouns: cismale/he/him/his. sexual orientation: extremely bisexual. birthday: july 22nd. star sign: cancer. cancers are known to be highly intuitive, sensitive...and insecure. occupation: proud employee of the animal care center of new york...and he walks dogs for rover on the side.

personality.

positive traits: intelligent, adaptable, caring, honest, empathetic. negative traits: realistic pessimistic, indecisive, blunt, sensitive…but like not talking about those feelings ever?,  low self esteem while being self-centered. hogwarts house: i know jrk sucks and we do not claim her but the man is a hufflepuff…but a burned one. alignment: chaotic neutral. ennegram: 4w5. personality type: infj. 

backstory.

his childhood was normal. happy, even. except for the part where his parents never let him have a dog because they were 'too busy' for one.

because his parents both had pretty demanding jobs, he was put in a ton of after school activities, but he kind of sucked at sports. so he joined boy scouts and took a bunch of different music lessons. he's pretty decent at guitar and piano and can fake his way through some accordion in a pinch.

theo is the oldest of three and was the child his parents placed their hopes on. his mother is a well-known pediatric oncologist at pittsburgh children's hospital and his father teaches biology at carnegie mellon. everyone assumed that theo would follow in their footsteps. and he did...sort of

he studied biology even though it wasn't really his thing because he wasn't paying for college, his parents were...and he minored in both music theory and psychology, which he liked more.

he met one of he most important people in his life while attending duquesne university in caroline davis.

...they didn't hit it off right away. in fact, at first, she was a bit of a thorn in his side. but a little bonding over a mutual love of music (and the food trucks on campus...) and they clicked. he asked her out around homecoming that first year and the rest is history.

they dated for years. it was very serious. he was two weeks away from buying a ring, honestly. but they spent a really big chunk of their relationship long-distance and it was just...hard. he really fucking loves loved her. but you know what they say...if you love it, let it go. or whatever.

during college, he made spending money at a work study job at the school library, but he made more walking dogs so he quit the work study job and started pet-sitting and dog walking most evenings.

this is where his love of animals began and only started to grow the more he spent times with classmates' and neighbors' pets. he decided to apply to vet school instead of med school, much to his mom's chagrin.

he got in!

...and he dropped out 2 semesters in because he hated it.

theo kept up a pretty big lie for the better part of a year, working odd jobs around pittsburgh and maintaining his off-campus apartment and dodging his parents' questions...until his dad was a guest lecturer to one of his vet school classes and he was nowhere to be found.

his parents gave him two choices: go back to vet school or go back to college and get a degree he would use.

theo chose neither. he packed up his shit, hopped on a bus, and moved to new york city with a collection of cassette tapes, a duffel bag of clothes, and whatever was left in his bank account to his name.

his parents didn't exactly disown him during this period, but they didn't reach out. he found out his mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer about 2 months after his move...and she'd been diagnosed a month prior. he heard it from one of his siblings and tried to reach out, but didn't get a response.

she passed away eight months after her diagnosis. he never got a chance to make amends and it's one of his biggest regrets.

he has since reconciled with his dad, but that's something that just..you don't just get over that. he's struggled with it mightily and with the help of a good therapist, he's starting to forgive himself. some.

he intended on reconnecting with caroline when he got there but...well, that didn't turn out so well.

so he couch surfed for a while until he could accept the first non-sketchy craigslist roommate ad he could find and moved into his cornelia street apartment.

he's not sure what he wants to do, really, so he's worked a lot of odd jobs since moving to the city. he's worked at almost every starbucks in an eight block radius of his apartment, bartended for a while, tried his hand working a food truck...but nothing seemed to stick. he paid rent by ubereats-ing most months, until he started walking neighbors' dogs and found something he kind-of-doesn't-hate.

during this in-between time is when he sort of got back into music. one job, he played piano in a restaurant's main dining room. another was a bar where he sweet talked his way into a few gigs. probably ended up meeting the rest of the electric touch crew during this period!

now he's working at the animal shelter, walking dogs using rover, and playing some gigs on the side. thank god for dogs and music.

plots n' stuff.

a roommate. or a few? i could see him having a few to keep costs low and i didn't snag any of the premade skellies for this so if you're down i'm down

found family/besties. i love those vibes especially given he's essentially upped and move away from home knowing like 2 people in the entire city.

people with dogs. either people whose dogs he walks or neighbors who happen to have them. he's like a dog whisperer so if you need a pet sitter he's your guy.

or! shelter volunteers!!!

people from any and all odd job he used to have. like a regular at the coffee shop who can't get their order right now because he left or a co-worker who helped him create a sandwich that's still on a menu at a local restaurant?

random hookups would be an option tbh. he came to new york intending to, like, win back his ex in some kind of rom-com bullshit way, but...well, it hasn't worked out so far.

someone who thought their hookup was more serious than it was would be kind of funny too. we live for miscommunications.

would love some kind of enemies/animosity plot. we'd have to talk it through. could've started with something little and spiraled or maybe they're just besties with caroline and are on her side. or maybe he accidentally ran over your muse's dog's tail on his bike :/

i'm dani. 32. friendly, promise! and i'm open to plotting pretty much anything, honestly! DM's here or on discord are always open to figure some stuff out. i'm danisaurus. over on discord and i'm really looking forward to writing with you all!

[frankenhxmie]

jonathan ‘johnny’ loughran is based on jonathan from hotel transylvania. he is a 27 year old human, dj at neverland and uses he/him pronouns. he has no powers.

penned by HARPER.

reflection

face claim: hunter doohan sexuality: heterosexual height: 6' eye color: hazel hair color: light brown piercings: n/a tattoos: n/a

attitude

positive traits: ambitious, accepting, easygoing, funny, wholesome, playful negative traits: fantastical, gullible, scaredy-cat, nosy, nervous, impulsive likes: backpacking, the outdoors, his longboard, weird animal species, taking pictures, his mixing board, vintage teeshirts, the smell of pickles, sandwiches, house music, karaoke, spray paint, dancing like no one's watching, bats dislikes: being scared, the dark, country music, being lied to, uptight people, talking about his family, airplanes, cinnamon, sad commercials about puppies in shelters phobias:  n/a hobbies:  working on his house mixes, singing karaoke, long boarding around town, reading graphic novels, thrift shopping, listening to music and working on his air guitar solo, defending monsters of all kinds, trying to be friends with everyone, recounting his travels around the world aesthetic: the sound of a longboard rolling on the asphalt, the feeling of a club pulsing with bass-infused music, the snapping of fingers in a room where everyone is supposed to be quiet, the cracking open of an energy drink, sneakers with the laces never tied

relations

mother: linda loughran father: mike loughran sibling(s):  there's seven of them, he's a middle child, all that matters. pet(s): n/a... yet.

headcanons

🎧 johnny is a super laid back, go with the flow, vibe until you can’t no-more kind of person. it’s really hard to throw him off his rhythm, though evermore has thrown tons of wrenches into his tires to try to get him to spiral off the road. johnny just keeps letting it roll.  🎧 as much as he likes to consider himself an unbiased dj, the way he’s feeling tends to reflect itself in the music he plays. he’s gotten some… criticism for the questionable selections he makes sometimes, but he just thinks that everyone needs to relax and just trust him. or drink more so he sounds better. whichever was easier. 🎧 johnny’s got a thing for brunettes… well, more like girls with dark hair. dark hair and pale skin and big beautiful eyes he can stare at forever before his eyes start to sting because he forgot to blink. it also helps if they’re a vampire, toootttally helps if they’re a vampire. also if their name starts with an m. all letters are good letters but…. m is special. 🎧 johnny is a bit of an airhead sometimes, but in his heart he means well. he may not be the most textbook intelligent kind of guy but he cares too much for his own good sometimes. he’s willing to trust just about anyone and always assumes the best of people. even monsters — especially monsters. 🎧 he got used to wearing clothes that were too big on him, and it became a style that just kind of stuck. johnny holds a personal vendetta against the person who said parachute pants “aren’t in style” and always makes sure to buy his shirts two sizes too big. he prefers thrifting because it’s cheap, but also because you find some of the wildest shit on those tee-shirt racks…. and who doesn’t want a tee-shirt that has a big picture of a moth that says “uh, ya’ll got any lamps??” they’re crazy!! 🎧 johnny isn’t much of a drinker, but boy does he indulge in weed. johnny loooovveeess weed. He’ll smoke it anyway, at anytime, for any reason, with anyone.  🎧 johnny’s got a weird thing for nice smelling shampoo. the rest of his hygiene routine is pretty basic but he loves getting the overly-complex scented shampoos at the store. you can likely find him in the shower aisle of a store sniffing every bottle with a name that has more than two words in it. his favorite right now “passion flower rice milk”... since when did rice make milk?? that was sick.  🎧 as goofy and unserious as he finds himself to be sometimes, johnny has a big heart. he loves deeply, cares immensely, and even when he can’t find the words to say what he means — his eyes will speak it for him. then again, johnny is scared of his big feelings sometimes and will be the first to tuck them away for the sake of someone else. he’ll happily put himself and his feelings off to the side if it will make things easier on someone else. love’s all about sacrifice or something like that, right ?? 🎧 neverland is where he spends most of his time when he isn’t at the tavern or out looking for mavis. if he’s working, he’s obviously there. If he’s not, he’s likely still there. johnny loves karaoke and making a huge fool of himself on stage, feeling like the coolest guy in the world when he’s up and making people dance and sing and laugh. he wants to have a good time, so in turn, he wants others to have a good time too.

[vt-scribbles]

Y'know I know ask games are for people to, y'know, send in asks. But I don't see people often just. Fill it all out themselves. Fuck it I'll help out the shy people.

SO ASK GAME BELOW 'READMORE' LET'S GO

1. Art programs you have but don't use: MS Paint, Blender, I used to have WAY more like this one painting [like actual paint] program.

2. Is it easier to draw someone facing left or right (or forward even): Left is easiest, Right is in the middle, and forward is the hardest of those three for me.

3. What ideas come from when you were little: I was fascinated by G/T from like. 3 years old. I blame Super Mario Land 2 LMAO

4. Fav character/subject that's a bitch to draw: Handheld, perspective, monsters/creatures, and massive scale

5. Estimate of how much of your art you post online vs. the art you keep for yourself: Uhhh probably about 50/50? A lot of things I draw are spoilers, shitposts, and other study art I don't bother sharing.

6. Anything that might inspire you subconsciously (i.e. this horse wasn't supposed to look like the Last Unicorn but I see it): Not that I can think of? My art doesn't get analyzed super often. I think people think I study anime more than I do.

7. A medium of art you don't work in but appreciate: Charcoal, watercolors, sculpture, oil pastels, acrylic, copic markers

8. What's an old project idea that you've lost interest in: Originally I was going to make an AMV with my two characters, Nonny and Felicia, to the song 'shut up and dance with me'. These two aren't active OCs anymore, and the project was WAY too ambitious for my skill level 9 years ago lmao.

9. What are your file name conventions: 1: Name of song I listened to on loop while drawing. 2: An inside joke. 3: Literal rep of what's on the canvas like 'Hema doodles Aug 2023'.

10. Favorite piece of clothing to draw: Body suits, capes, scarves

11. Do you listen to anything while drawing? If so, what: TONS. My fave lyrical music, videogame soundtracks, sometimes just ambiance if I'm overwhelmed. Usually tho it's the same song on loop till I get the inspired piece out of my system.

12. Easiest part of body to draw: Eyes!

13. A creator who you admire but whose work isn't your thing: A lot of NSFW artists who I won't list here LMAO. I don't go to that school, but their art skills are top-notch.

14. Any favorite motifs: Mirrors, doppelgangers, leaving 1 eye absent for emotional effect, feathers/wings, falling, sinking into water, eyes, dark palettes with bright accents/light sources, glowing eyes, flowing hair, size difference/scale, fucked up version of self vs real version

15. *Where* do you draw (don't drop your ip address this just means do you doodle at a park or smth): Starbucks, home, parks if I'm feelin spicy, anywhere I take my tablet for the day.

16. Something you are good at but don't really have fun doing: A lot of my niche/kink stuff tends to get pretty dredge-y for me. I may be good at it, but it's not where my passion lies. That's in animation, fantasy, dramatic stuff, storytelling, etc.

17. Do you eat/drink when drawing? if so, what: Water or Snapple for the drink, milk if it's bedtime so I can settle down, and then usually the snacks are just whatever my lunch is for the day since we don't have a table.

18. An estimate of how much art supplies you've broken: Not many! Less than $100 I'd say. I'm very careful with my supplies, and I don't believe I've ever broken a tablet. The worst I've done was I busted 1 or 2 cheap tablet pens with stupidity.

19. Favorite inanimate objects to draw (food, nature, etc.): Definitely nature. Tree trunks and swirls therein, flowers, grass.

20. Something everyone else finds hard to draw but you enjoy: Humans! Not that it's an 'everyone' thing, I just run in some furry circles where human artists are a rarity. Eyes, too. Some people find expressions rly hard.

21. Art styles nothing like your own but you like anyways: Uhhh man damn, I don't follow a lot of art styles that aren't something I took inspo from? But I guess Wolf Walkers is my biggest one.

22. What physical exercises do you do before drawing, if any: Sooometimes I stretch, but I don't do it nearly often enough.

23. Do you use different layer modes: Yep! My most common ones are Multiply, Glow Dodge, Add, Add Glow, Overlay, Pin Light, and Color.

24. Do your references include stock images: Absolutely! Reference is important.

25. Something your art has been compared to that you were NOT inspired by: Not much! Most of my inspirations are pretty clear-cut and strong. Avatar, SU, Disney, Dreamworks, FMA, some Warner Brothers' movies, etc.

26. What's a piece that got a wildly different interpretation from what you intended: God, so, the G/T gif of mine that makes the rounds a lot? The one where VT finds someone small and it's their POV and he helps them and puts them in his shirt pocket??? Most people were completely normal about that post. But then there's one chuckle-head who was calling it pocket-vore, and I wanted to scream. I even chastised them like 'hey uh, no. That's not what this is.' and they argued back with 'well it's up to the eye of the beholder more than your opinion.' and I was like 'UH NO. I MADE THIS. MY OPINION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR WEIRD ONE???' I've also RAAARELY had people call my characters underaged when they're all well over 21, so those are always gross/wild LMAO.

27. Do you warm up before getting to the good stuff? If so, what is it you draw to warm up with: Sometimes! I usually do an anatomy study, brush stroke warm-ups, or just doodle something personal first.

28. Any art events you have participated in the past (like zines): I think Multi Animator Projects [MAPS] would count here! I was part of Starclan's Chosen, Change Your Mind [Brambleclaw], Levitating, Family of Me [fallenleaves], Goosebumps Warriors MAP, Pay No Mind MEP, LA Devotee [never finished], White Rabbit, and Fear Garden! Among others :>

29. Media you love, but doesn't inspire you artistically: Not much! Pretty much everything I love inspires me artistically. I guess some anime styles?

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated: Pretty much any of my animations. But I only feel that way cuz they take THE MOST dedication and work time. Also kiiiinda my writing? But a lot of people have trouble getting people to respond to literature, so.

[chronologicalhomestuck]

karkat pov liveblog: hivebent, part 4

karkat sees something very upsetting on his computer while on gamzee's planet. they dont have the viewports yet so this must be his sburb player. wow his hair kinda looks like anime badboy hair vents right now lmao

rip sollux :(

karkats dismay here is really sad when you get to it like this. like oh wow yeah. he tried so hard to make this work. he got so far. but sollux didnt QUITE make it. look he was SO CLOSE. he had his totem ready to make his entry item and everything!

damn thats harsh jack. cmon stop slapping him his bestie just died horribly. check out gamzee's cool rocket unicycle! looks like a wweird fishy guy is bothering both of them...i think we are skipping that from this pov tho.

very understandable reaction from karkat. that corpse looks pretty nasty! but hey at least sollux is ok.

CG: THIS IS AN EMPTY THREAT, BECAUSE IF YOU MADE A BOARD AT ANY POINT ON THE TIMELINE I WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT RIGHT HERE AND READ THE WHOLE THING ALREADY. CG: WAIT... CG: OH GOD, YOU ACTUALLY DID. GC: Y3SSSSS! GC: FUTUR3 T3R3Z1 1S LOOK1NG PR3TTY COOL R1GHT 4BOUT NOW >8]

i dont remember how much i should know about this right now (had i read this in the order it is written) but it is fun feeling like these characters trying to deal with this timeline shit.

CG: LOOK I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FRUITY RUMPUS ASSHOLE FACTORY. CG: WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT GOING AFTER THE QUEEN'S RING. GC: W3LL GC: TH3 TH1NG TH4T 1S 4LL 4BOUT 1T 1S GC: W3 H4V3 TO GO 4FT3R TH3 QU33NS R1NG GC: 1T 1S 4 N3W M1SS1ON CG: BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO PULL OFF REGISURP WITH JACK. CG: WHY DON'T WE TAKE IT ONE MISSION AT A TIME. GC: Y34H 4BOUT TH4T GC: TH3 WHOL3 PO1NT 1S TO D3STROY TH3 R1NG SO J4CK DO3SNT G3T 1T CG: WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DO THAT, JACK'S AN ALLY. GC: 4LSO GC: TH3 M1SS1ON SORT OF 1NVOLV3S 3X1L1NG J4CK TOO GC: >:|

regisurp is still in progress, but looks like it has been...terezisurped >:]

CG: THIS IS BULLSHIT. CG: WE'RE NOT EXILING JACK, HE'S COOL. GC: K4RK4T, H3 1S NOT TH4T COOL! CG: YES HE IS, HE'S A TOTAL BADASS WITH A FUCK TON OF BLADES AND SHIT, AND HE'S HELPING US OUT.

we did see jack speaking to karkat as his exile a few pages ago, so we know he needs to get exiled...but karkat is not on board with this plan!

CG: THE BOTTOM LINE IS I AM NOT GOING TO EXILE JACK BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN SMELL MALICE OFF AN INTERPRETIVE DANCE. GC: K4RK4T, H3S 4 J3RK! GC: H3 H4S ST4BB3D YOU ON MOR3 TH4N ON3 OCC4S1ON! CG: SOME OF THOSE STABBINGS WERE ACCIDENTAL! GC: >8| CG: OK, WELL I KNOW FOR A FACT THE THIRD TIME WAS ACCIDENTAL.

he has been stabbed by jack several times, and on purpose at least twice. and yet he still thinks they are besties. what is wrong with him.

CG: ANYWAY YOU'VE BEATEN THE SHIT OUT OF ME A FEW TIMES YOURSELF. GC: BUT 1 D1DN'T DR4W BLOOD!

getting a bit blackrom there, eh?

GC: 1 M34N 1 COULD H4V3 TO S4T1SFY MY CUR1OS1TY >:] GC: BUT 1 D1DNT 4S 4 COURT3SY TO YOU GC: S1NC3 YOU ST1LL W4NT TO K33P 1T 4 S3CR3T FROM M3 L1K3 4 P3TUL4NT L1TTL3 W1GGL3R >:P CG: HEY I PROMISED I'D TELL YOU. CG: I JUST CG: WASN'T READY OK GC: W3LL GC: 1TS OK GC: 1 KNOW WH4T COLOR YOUR BLOOD 1S 4NYW4Y >:]

as sweet as this is... very interesting, terezi...

GC: 1 F1GUR3D 1T OUT MYS3LF CG: HOW GC: 1 GOT 4 CLOS3R LOOK GC: R3M3MB3R >:] CG: NO GC: PFFF YOU 4R3 PL4Y1NG SO DUMB, YOU KNOW 3X4CTLY WH4T 1 4M T4LK1NG 4BOUT

...very interesting indeed...!

CG: I CLEANED UP MY WOUND AND CHANGED MY SHIRT BEFORE I EVEN MET YOU, I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY CAREFUL. CG: SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FILL ME IN. GC: 1T W4S WH3N 1 GOT CLOS3 3NOUGH GC: TO SM3LL 1T UND3R YOUR SK1N GC: PL34S3 K4RK4T, DO NOT PR3T3ND TH4T YOU FORGOT 4BOUT OUR L1TTL3 MOM3NT CG: WHOA CG: YOU MEAN CG: DURING CG: FUCK. CG: OK SHHHHHHHHHH SHH SHH SHH...

🤨🤨🤨 now what exactly do u mean by that karkat. 🤨🤨 yall make out? 🤨🤨🤨

CG: WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN PERSON. GC: HOW "1N P3RSON" DO YOU M34N?

🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

GC: YOU H4V3 NOT 3V3N S33N SK414 Y3T CG: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAKE UP. GC: 1 DONT KNOW! GC: SOM3TH1NG D1FF3R3NT DO3S 1T FOR 3V3RYBODY CG: HOW MANY OF US ARE AWAKE NOW?

its gonna be a while before that happens, buddy. and not under great circumstances, either.

GC: HOW 4BOUT 1F GC: 1 T3LL YOU 4LL 4BOUT TH4T STUFF N3XT T1M3 W3 4R3 "1N P3RSON" >;] GC: 1N F4CT, 1 W1LL T3LL YOU WH3N YOU W4K3 UP! GC: UNT1L TH3N 1 W1LL K33P T4BS ON YOU 1N YOUR TOW3R WH1L3 YOU SL33P L1K3 4 L1TTL3 HON3Y P4J4M4'D PUP4 N3STL3D 1N H1S COCOON CG: WAIT LET ME GUESS. CG: DO I LOOK ADORABLE????????? GC: 4CTU4LLY GC: YOU LOOK K1ND OF L1K3 4 B1G P1L3 OF SM3LLY B4RF CG: WOW, WHAT THE FUCK. GC: OF COOOOUUUUURS3 YOU DO, DUMB4SS >:]

gosh, i love them. i forgot how much i love them

GC: DONT WORRY 4BOUT TH3 R1NG M1SS1ON GC: YOU C4N ST4Y BUSY W1TH R3G1SURP GC: 1 W1LL ORG4N1Z3 TH3 N3W M1SS1ON MYS3LF

and so both missions begin to be carried out simultaneously! regisurp will still be in action, while terezi plans to destroy the ring and exile jack...i suppose they dont conflict yet?

ill be back after dinner with a conclusion to hivebent >:]

[the-firebird69]

It would seem that the board ship next door to the max really does not have much of an impact on you morons and the technology is advanced the clans had it but they did not have the unity to create such weaponry and we're tired of this dance you little idiots are doing so I'm going to turn it up here and get rid of the trash it's mind-boggling how awful it is this idiot next door doesn't understand he's going to be kicked out of California and the South because people can't stand him they need things they need it now they don't need some a****** telling them off from a head shop threatening them and threatening them because they want a simple return is the product doesn't represent what is shown and he's not going to use the tire he's going to sell it to you you're going to try and use it and you're going to die using the tire just as we said you're trying to implicate him like you have been any of the gosh darn sheriff and you can't do anything except get yourself killed you're a complete moron you're a moron back when you're working for Arnie you fill up your bike and your brain went all over those stupid Street you're a piece of s*** these people are all messians and their duties they have no clue what they're getting for what they're spending which is nothing don't put any effort in all day long you're a repulsive loser Dave stager we're going to take you to town and take it to task and we are already suing you for this ridiculous show obviously he can't send it back there's no guarantee to get any money at all now he has the product you can't do that with an animal like you she's going to sell it back to you and a decent price and if you don't pay it you won't get it ever and if you plan on the internet with the email sending him messages from Craigslist like you're some sort of high in the sky f****** loser really you don't have hardly anything left from what you had because of your stupid attitude and your dreamy lifestyle you're you're a nobody from start to finish doesn't matter what you have in the middle it's ridiculous you have the psychology of a cat

Thor Freya

I lost tons of stuff sitting here bothering him and I just keep doing it and nobody's stopping me he says

Trump

you should stop yourself are you going to lose the rest of it in your life and really it's going to happen anyways cuz you can't get away with what you've done to me you're a dead man Trump. Up on Titan you're gone that's the last one and the whole list of stops and that's what I require from people who mess around with me you're going to educate people on what's going to destroy them and I'm using you in that fashion either you leave and die or I use you up against your realm that's the choice for people who do what you do you tried to harm me badly many many times you have to leave Tommy f is in the cadre with you you and your band of Mary stupid pricks are going to educate people on what not to do and where to go to leave permanently you're killing your whole race your family and your kind for me you must feel some sort of guilt don't you think

Zues Hera

I sort of get this I don't think I know what I'm doing wrong or what's happening I sort of see something it doesn't matter if I know everybody else does and it is the point tons of people are making fun of me everywhere I go I threaten them I get hit it's a big joke

Trump

It actually is turning into a big joke you are getting your ass kicked and headed to you everywhere you go you're costing my son money and you're sitting there holding money off him like you said we need to take money from this a****** and hand it to me cuz he's putting me in the poor house and I need money. You working for the max and it's not working for them and it's not working for you Trump and you're a fool people are trying to get rid of you now they see how consrernating are needing it is they're trying to do things and they try and send things to you and it's horrible you're like a black hole and all that stuff goes in they're going back and getting it out your people are all dying and you can hardly care at all you're so dumb. You're going up there to pretend you're a vampire and so on you're just a retard but boy you dumb I have to give him credit for putting up with us it's awful and every time I look at it gets worse and he says this is what it's been my whole life it's always been like this the stupid s*** screwing up the trucks cooling system messing with me and the Delta 88 it's screwing around with me at school with the final exam I mean it's always the stupid moron that's probably him who's partner with me not bja and it's true and BJ's going to get rid of you Trump for doing that one thing cuz he was really angry about it and now I know about it and that's kind of an animal thing with him it's better it's more human you're so ridiculous you're a little puke. Her son said that question about the final project at Wentworth it's like a thesis and he was talking out his ass talking about people dying and he should not have now send in mind it's a rebel thing and it really is about safety he's been doing it his whole life this guy from has been telling our son about people getting killed doing things he's a winner this guy wants to use devices in like fight club and come up from nowhere when he's been sitting there trying to make them the whole time and alerted us the whole time he is a moron we're going to torture the s*** out of him. Yeah people are putting you into different body it's not you Trump you shit head

Thor Freya

I'm playing around with you Trump it's really cuz you won't leave you're going to die soon

Zues Hera

Olympus