#aranea am I right

[remma-demma]

> checks op’s blog of a post I don’t like

> same godtier

Oh.

[creatureimages]

waugh

[inkyu]

I am fighting art block with still looking drawings

(Left side is Karako Hiveswap) (and right side are OC's)

[blackbirdsblackberries]

I HATE THE NEW HERO

PT 1 - What teacher assigns a group project for a poster?!

Pt 1 (You're here) - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4 - Pt 5 - Pt 6 - Pt 7 - Pt 8 - Pt 9 - Pt 10

Classes were always boring for you, don't get you wrong - you love the subjects, you just hate how it's being taught.

To sum it up, here is your lessons for today, Friday.

Literature, Methods Math, Biology, Ancient History, Engineering and finally Chemistry.

It's a lot and frankly you're regretting choosing half of those subjects. Even more so because of a certain billionaire playboy's ward. Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne.

You're pretty sure he's a massive fanboy of Aranea, the new spider-themed hero of Gotham who you detest with your very being.

The costume is ugly, they're too optimistic - it's Gotham, who on Earth is happy in Gotham? Most of all however, they're a two-faced bitch. You should know, after all you are them.

It's not that you hate yourself and your nightlife, just that you need to look unconnected to them at all costs. There can't be any correlation between you and your persona. You use a voice modulator while on patrol and missions, you wear a wig while in your costume and any defining features are covered by either the costume or makeup.

So, whenever Aranea is brought up you take the chance to make fun of it. The comments aren't anything horrible, mean sure.

"Ew, they're more of a roach than a spider.."

"They're actually ugly enough to be the next Joker"

"I hope they humiliate themself and everyone sees how gross they really are."

But not horrible.

Despite this Timothy seems to have thought you were the devil himself in the form of a teenager. Glares were thrown at you, false reports were made to the principal's office, public shaming on Chitter and more.

You won't lie and say it gets to you sometimes but at the same time he's being a manchild. You can't expect everyone to like who you like.

You're snapped out of your thoughts by a paper being slammed onto the desk. Your head snaps up and you glare at the person.

Timothy may as well be the devil with the way he's staring at you now, a sneer paints his pale features. His nose held high enough that you swore he was about to snort on you.

You grit your teeth and look down at the paper he slammed on your desk. You're actually going to scream and cry right now.

Scratch that, you're actually going to jump out of the window and hope to perish.

You hate Chemistry. You hate this school. You hate Gotham. You hate Timothy Jackson Drake.

You pray he'll think you're incompetent and not bother with actually working together for this group project.

A group project on Titration! Who even does a group project outside of school for that?

You look around, hoping there will be others in the group but because your luck is so thin it might snap everyone else already were in groups of 3s. Meaning Timothy and you would just be a duo.

Instead of doing what you wished you instead sighed and grabbed your pencil, probing at Timothy's hand until it stopped holding the paper against the desk.

"A poster on bases and acids in titration? Why does this need to be a two-person job?!" You huff out. Timothy's features turn more hate filled, kinda petty to hate someone for different tastes Timothy...

"Because lazy people like you won't do the work otherwise!"

"I'm not lazy! Fine, fuck you! I'll do it myself!"

"No way! I need the marks - plus you'll do it wrong!"

you take a deep breath, trying desperately to not snap your pencil in half.

"... Fine. We'll do it at my place then once school lets out. No way am I going to your place where I'm sure you'll set your family on me." You respond calmly, still glaring up at him.

After a moment Timothy nods.

Your shoulders slump in relief.

"I'll meet you at the front gate then."

"Fine. But if you're late I'm doing the project on my own." With that Timothy walks away. You feel a migraine coming on - seriously, what is wrong with him? There wasn't even a proper time set!

Some people think that Damian kid is the rudest - those people clearly haven't been on the bad, petty side of Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne.

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

Why the Alpha Timeline is the Alpha Timeline

I figured I'd make a post, since it's pretty subtle and I think it genuinely passed a lot of people by? Homestuck is made up of a lot of words, haha.

The alpha timeline is described by Doc Scratch, functionally, as "the timeline that causes LE to exist."

The path which alone has my absolute mastery is the alpha timeline, a continuum I define as that which boasts exclusive rights both to my birth and to my death, two circumstantially simultaneous events.

Aranea also gives the explanation that the alpha timeline is the one where reality is perpetuated.

AG: Reality itself is using you and many others to propagate its own existence. Strictly speaking, there is only one path to its successful propagation. 8ut it still permits you to make choices.

Caliborn also states that his quest as a Lord of Time is coming to terms with the inevitability that everything, ever, in all of time, will be because of him - that he'll be the one to shape it, including the circumstances of his own defeat.

uu: AS A LORD OF TIME. I THINK I'M GOING TO MASTER TIME. NOT WITH MY BRAIN. WHICH WOULD BE TOO HARD. BUT WITH MY INSTINCTS. uu: LIKE IN A WAY THAT WORKS WITH MY NATURAL IMPULSES. SUCH AS MY AMBITION. MY WILL TO COMMIT MAYHEM. MY DESIRE TO PUNISH THOSE I DESPISE. uu: SO IF I WANT YOU TO BECOME STRONG. SO YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME LATER. AND I SEE EVIDENCE. THAT YOU PROBABLY BECOME SUCCESSFUL. uu: I THINK TO MYSELF. WHY SHOULDN'T I BE THE ONE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? IF IT'S GOING TO ANYWAY. uu: I THINK PART OF MY PERSONAL QUEST. IS TO BECOME AT EASE WITH THE FORCES OF INEVITABILITY. uu: INEVITABILITY THAT ALL THINGS SHOULD AND WILL FALL IN MY FAVOR. THAT ALL CAUSALITY ANSWERS TO ME. AND THAT ALL OUTCOMES NOT ONLY SERVE ME. BUT CONSIST OF MY BEING. uu: SO I FEEL THAT. THE MORE I GROW IN POWER. uu: THE MORE STUFF IT SHOULD TURN OUT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR. uu: UP TO AND INCLUDING. EVERYTHING THAT EVER HAPPENS. uu: EVEN IF IT HAS TO BE. uu: RETROACTIVELY.

Aradia's stint as stewardess of the afterlife is explicitly described as "service to the lord of double death," and Dave explains that he acts instinctively - like Caliborn does - to fulfill the conditions of the alpha timeline. It's also worth noting that their classes, Maid and Knight, are roles that directly serve a Lord in the real world.

TEREZI: LUCK1LY YOU M4K3 4N 4DOR4BL3 H4NDM41D TO TH3 M4ST3R OF D34TH, 3SP3C14LLY 1N YOUR CUT3 CH3RRY P1X13 3NS3MBL3 ARADIA: you think so?

GG: well youre from the future right? GG: dont you know already if itll work? TG: yeah more or less TG: i never really studied how it went down all that closely TG: i just figured when the time came to sort it out the right thing to do would be obvious TG: like it is now TG: managing the loops is a balance of careful planning and just rolling with your in the moment decisions TG: and trusting they were the ones you were always supposed to make TG: by now im pretty used to having my intuition woven into the fabric of the alpha timeline

I'm starting with all that so I can explain that the GAME OVER timeline doesn't end when the time players disappear from it, like doomed timeline offshoots normally do, because it IS the alpha timeline: the sequence of events that causes GAME OVER to occur is the sequence of events that Caliborn/Lord English have chosen: one where (nearly) everyone dies, all hope of victory is lost, and his servant, the Condesce, gets to claim the Ultimate Reward, perpetuating the same misery and oppression in the new universe, and presumably all universes to come.

We see from Caliborn's chess match with Calliope that his (and by extension, LE)'s modus operandi is to follow the rules to the letter, while manipulating his opponent, tricking them with "shitty twists". It's always been explained that LE's actions have been "sanctioned by paradox space," that is, everything he's doing is explicitly allowed, nothing he's doing is against the rules - including the fact that he must be defeated. He has, via his mastery of time, perfectly engineered a situation where the only viable reality is the one where yes, he IS defeated... in the dream bubbles, by the dead and doomed, whom he sent to the dream bubbles in the first place via Condy, Jack English, and all the other boss fights. And his will, his ideals, are imposed on the new universe in spite of his defeat.

In a completely Watsonian read of the text, Lord English is an incredible villain because - subtly and unsublty - he IS basically responsible for every bad thing that ever happens, ever, to everyone. He has legitimately been the puppetmaster pulling the strings the entire time, pretty much all because Caliborn is a huge asshole who loves to hurt other people, and wants to do it as much as he can, to as many people as he can, for as long as he can.

But I think he's especially interesting through a Doylist perspective, through a reading of the text as a coming of age. Homestuck is a worth riddled with theme and symbolism, and thematically, Lord English represents everything that these kids need to overcome in order to mature into kind, empathetic adults who will be one day responsible for the care and oversight of a new universe. He represents selfishness, sadism, greed, destruction, oppression, fascism, murder, genocide, and hatred. And also literally the patriarchy.

And, you know what? Don't take my word for it. Here's Andrew Hussie's commentary from Book 6 Act 5 Act 2 Part 2:

Much of the logic [for who contributes to Lord English] orbits around these negative traits associated with men, or more specifically, the “toxically masculine” aspects often linked to certain male personalities. Dirk has a lot of these traits, which are central to Dave’s feelings of tension and abuse concerning his bro. The intellectual aggression, the power of assertion, the knowitall-ism, the mansplaining. That’s a lot of Dirk stuff when he’s at his worst. Equius shares a lot of those traits too, with some different points of emphasis. Both of them have this creepy-guy streak running through them, with strange or offputting interests, and seem to get a quiet kick out of making others uncomfortable through demonstrations of these fascinations. They are actually pretty similar characters in this way.

He's invited into the trolls' universe (and, by extension, the kids' universe) via the Dancestors, in an original sin kind of way. I'll let Hussie explain on their Formspring (emphasis mine):

We learn more about the troll race, as a once peaceful species and such before kid-ancestors as players scratched their session, though the short term relevance of this is mainly as a preamble to Scratch's religious story. Establishing an Eden-like paradise from which there is some departure through sin is sort of the boilerplate basis for religious lore. ... The failed players from peaceful Alternia made a classic "deal with the devil" move by causing the scratch after being given a choice by the mother of all monsters. (Echidna. Hey, she's a big snake!) By doing so they brought Scratch into their universe, and therefore all the things you'd expect that comes with summoning the devil.

The Dancestor's "departure through sin"? It was the fact that they couldn't get their shit together and grew up inside the Medium. That's why they're the age they are, 9 sweeps - adulthood by troll standards. They aren't kids anymore because that's the ultimate sign of having failed to do a coming of age. Symbolically, the Dancestors represent a prior generation of grown-ups that fucked everything up, leaving a huge mess for their descendents to clean up after. In fact, Doc Scratch even describes the alternate choice Echidna gave them:

The heroes could either accept their defeat along with the extinction of their race, and put no others at risk.

In other words, they could have stopped LE if they'd simply chosen not to Scratch. But once more, in line with their behavior up until that point, they chose the selfish option, and bore descendants into the world they ruined. They're immature, nasty, mean-spirited, cruel, callous, and shallow on purpose, because their role in the story is antagonistic. They're aligned (even if unwittingly) with Lord English, as they're the ones who directly invited him in via their failure to grow the fuck up.

There's also a reason why SBURB/SGRUB directly tie achieving godhood and reaching the Ultimate Reward to planetary quests fundamentally designed to help children mature. God-tiering is supposed to come at the end of one's quest, as achieving it directly teleports you to the Battlefield for the final boss.

AG: I really think how successfully they mature is tied to success in the game. It challenges the players in all the ways they need to 8e challenged to grow, which is different for every individual, and veeeeeeeery different for every race. AG: I don't think we were so hot at that aspect of the game. In fact, I'm sure we were quite awful. Hell, even I wasn't that gr8 at it! I actually just kinda fell ass 8ackwards into the god tier, to 8e honest.

And there's a perfectly functional Watsonian explanation for this - in order to increase the odds that the new universe will successfully propagate new universes, it's ideal to leave it in the hands of kind, mature people. But the Doylist explanation is, again, even more interesting.

Hussie has spoken extensively about the comic having always been about two things at its core: first, a creation myth... and second, a coming-of-age. These are complimentary themes, as Homestuck also makes statements about society and its effects on kids. In the real world, the kids of today become the voters, revolutionaries, and lawmakers of tomorrow. In Homestuck, they create, and are responsible for, a new universe.

I always saw HS as an exploration of young people developing relationships over the internet […] There’s a lot more to HS than just that obviously, but if there’s anything which it’s been about through and through, it’s modern kids relating to each other from afar, developing as people and growing up.

In fact, all the initial kids' entry artifacts are metaphors for "departures, loss of innocence, and sometimes the journey from childhood to adulthood outright." John biting an apple, symbolizing the act that cast Adam and Even from Eden. Rose breaking a bottle, the act of christening a boat, and an item integral to the main means by which she relates to her mother, alcohol - an adult substance. Dave hatching an egg, literally the act of bringing new life into the world. Jade shooting an effigy of her dog, both symbolic of Old Yeller, and of breaking a pinata, an act often done at quinceneras.

There comes a point in childhood where the child stops being a child - the safe, familiar, comfortable world that they knew stops existing, and they can never get it back. They are thrust into a world that is alien and massive, and forced to grapple with the weight of their future duties. They deal with losing their guardians and finding direction in their absence. They must decide how they want to grow up, and then are responsible for shaping the society that comes after them. In other words, SBURB/SGRUB in this metaphor represent adolescence.

Within that context, God-tiering is actually interesting because it symbolizes adulthood - a semi-permanent state that a child is supposed to reach at the end of their SBURB/SGRUB journey. And, in fact, it's treated that way - none of the characters reach god-tiering the "proper" way... and of our god-tiered characters, nearly all of them have some sort of emotional struggle with growing up too fast. Vriska with the expectations of her shitty society, Rose with her emulation of her mother, Dave with his abusive brother, and the Alpha kids with substance abuse (the jujus) and romantic drama.

Anyway, sometimes when Mario's running sideways he gets a star that makes him magic and invincible. OH. YOU MEAN HE BECOMES TRICKSTER MARIO. Yes, but less stupid. So for a while he becomes flashy and hyperactive and nothing's challenging anymore. He just starts barreling over mushrooms and leaping over pits as fast as he can, then gets to the end and jumps on the flagpole and that's it. Mario "wins". But the point is, he didn't really win. That magic star was actually devastating to his development as a human being. WHY. Because he skipped over many critical trials on his spiritual journey. Mario NEEDS to stomp on all those mushrooms. He NEEDS to bonk those bricks with his head, for the sake of his personal growth. By using the star, he is denying himself many powerful moments of catharsis.

Like... I dunno... seems pretty blatant to me!

So with Homestuck so firmly being a coming of age, and with the Dancestors - whose primary failure is that of unrelenting immaturity - being cast in an antagonistic role, doesn't that make Caliborn's position of ultimate final boss extremely fitting when we take this conversation into account?

You may be destined for bigger things, but you’re still an atrocious, stupid child. And you may have won the “game” with your sister, but that doesn’t mean it was the best thing for your development as a person. You had her dream self killed, which is not an opportunity your species typically gets. So she died prematurely, instead of allowing the conflict within you to settle itself naturally. In short, you forced your predomination to happen a little too early, and now you’re stuck. STUCK? Yes. Your personality is stuck in some sort of cantankerous prepubescent limbo. You are going to be a stunted, miserable tool forever.

He's literally a child who chose to stunt his own growth so that he could reap all the game's rewards for himself. Someone who so stubbornly desired the selfish, greedy, and immature option that he was willing to hurt himself to achieve it. Caliborn - and by extension, Lord English - is a direct symbol for the refusal to mature, to be kind, to care about other people. By including Dirk, Gamzee, and Equius at their worst, he also comes to represent misogyny, toxic masculinity, the patriarchy. He's the Condesce's master, and so by extension, he represents fascism and oppression; as Doc Scratch, he gets off on abusing girls, and so he also represents predators and abusers. And his goal is to perpetuate himself, his ideals, what he symbolically represents, down every successive generation. Much like how these cycles of abuse and oppression seek to perpetuate themselves in the real world!

And that's why the alpha timeline, the GAME OVER timeline, is the way that it is: it's one where Lord English WINS. In Lord English's version of the story, everything is fucked up forever. He might be defeated, as is the timeline's inevitability, but his politics, his bigotry, and his ideals live on.

Except.

Our Breath player gains a power that literally unsticks him from time.

Now, personally, I don't believe that the ending we got is the one that was originally intended. I don't feel the need to elaborate upon that here, but suffice to say, given how clearly and consistently these themes are set up throughout the entire rest of the comic, it just makes sense to me that the ending we got, where characters stay dead, never finish their character development, etc. etc., is a MASSIVE tonal and thematic departure, which smacks of external pressures and influences. Everything after [S] GAME OVER is soft canon to me for this reason. But there's things that survive in it that are really really interesting, so I'll mention some.

First, the pre-retcon versions of the characters still exist, as we see from (Vriska). That means that everyone who died in GAME OVER would not necessarily have stopped mattering to the plot. I firmly believe that the original ending would've seen Lord English confronted by the GAME OVER (characters), who would also have the most karmic claim to beating Lord English's face in. This would also satisfy his whole deal of playing by the rules - he knows he HAS to be defeated, he just gets to choose the circumstances of his defeat; without realizing that John's retcon powers can rewrite a timeline, he would've set up his own death to be in the bubbles, at the hands of the already-dead, while Condy claims the Ultimate Reward - thus making it so that he still wins in the end.

But Breath represents freedom, choices - and the retcon powers are something John gains mastery over after completing his personal quest, which we've established is directly tied, both literally and symbolically, into growing up and maturing. By becoming a kind, empathetic, mature adult, John is able to choose something else.

Second, that the Ultimate Self is brought up at all, which seems to me like it would mitigate the bittersweetness of the (characters) from GAME OVER staying dead - because, in my head, the original plan for the retcon was that it would bring everyone back, and therefore, all the (characters) from GAME OVER would live on through the surviving post-retcon gang, who will eventually achieve Ultimate Selfhood, as Davepetasprite^2 says they will. This would also directly mirror the words Godtier!Calliope gives to her counterpart:

CALLIOPE: bUt then... CALLIOPE: what shoUld i do? CALLIOPE: you don't need to do anything. CALLIOPE: be who you've become, and who i didn't. CALLIOPE: consume the fruits of an existence i could never understand. CALLIOPE: live.

Third, there's just so many outstanding plot threads, even for the characters that DO survive. Jake's prophesized to defeat Lord English, Dave never actually gets over his hesitance about time travel and defeating Lord English, Karkat has multiple means of bringing his dead friends back to life and doesn't say anything, Vriska and Terezi still aren't 100% reconciled, Gamzee's tragedy is never addressed, Jane, Dirk, Jake, and Roxy never really figure out their situationship, etc. etc. etc. ... to say nothing about all the plot threads left dangling for the characters that stay dead.

And finally...

Isn't that just kind of a better story? One where the kids get to grow, change, learn from their mistakes, and create a better, kinder universe, after defeating the avatars of cruelty, oppression, and immaturity?

Is it just me? Haha.

[bestanimal]

Round 2 - Arthropoda - Arachnida

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Arachnida is a highly diverse class, ranging from the Demodex mites living on you (yes, you) right now, to the Triassic-surviving horseshoe crabs (yes, a 2019 genetics-based analysis places them within Arachnida, though this is still debated), to your friendly pest-controlling house spider. They live worldwide, mainly on land, but some also in freshwater and marine environments. There are over 110,000 named species, with more being discovered every year. They comprise the Ricinulei (“Hooded Tickspiders”), Xiphosura (“Horseshoe Crabs”), Opiliones (“Harvestmen”), Solifugae (“Camel Spiders”), Acariformes (“Acariform Mites”), Parasitiformes (“Parasitiform Mites and Ticks”), Palpigradi (“Microwhip Scorpions”), Pseudoscorpiones (“Book Scorpions”), Scorpiones (“Scorpions”), Amblypygi (“Tailless Whip Scorpions”), Schizomida (“Short-tailed Whip Scorpions”), Uropygi (“Vinegaroons”), and Araneae (“Spiders”).

Adult arachnids have 8 legs attached to a head/thorax segment called the cephalothorax. Their abdomen contains their heart and respiratory organs. Arachnids also have two other pairs of appendages that vary in function between orders. The chelicerae are mainly used in feeding and defense. In spiders, they are used to deliver venom. The second pair, called pedipalps, are used for feeding, locomotion, defense, and/or reproduction. Scorpions, Pseudoscorpions, Ricinuleids, and Horseshoe Crabs have pedipalps that end in a pair of pinchers used for defense and manipulating food. Pseudoscorpions also have a venom gland in their pinchers which they use to immobilize prey. Vinegaroons, Schizomids, Amblypygids, and most Harvestmen have raptorial pedipalps that are used for capturing prey. Solifugids use their palps as another set of legs, and spiders use theirs like hands, while the males also use theirs for mating. Mites and ticks use their palps to sense their surroundings. Mites are more diverse than other arachnids, some only having 6 or even 4 legs. Adult females of Podapolipidae only have a single pair of legs. Some arachnids have a tail-like structure called a telson. Horseshoe Crabs use their telson to flip themselves over if they are turned on their backs. Scorpions use their telson as a stinger to deliver venom, while Palpigrades, Schizomids, and Vinegaroons use theirs as sensory structures. Schizomids and Vinegaroons can also produce acetic acid at the base of their telsons, which they use as a chemical defense sprayed at attackers. Instead of a telson, spiders have spinnerets on their abdomen which they use to create silk. Some have no eyes; some have up to six. Some only have very simple eyes which detect light and shadow, while others have very advanced eyesight.

Arachnids are so diverse that it would be impossible for me to provide a general summary of their behavior here. Some lay eggs, some bear live young. Some have intensive courtship rituals. In most, mothers provide parental care, but in some this falls on the fathers. They can be predators, scavengers, carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, parasites, and everything in between.

Arachnids are one of the oldest living Classes of land animals. Xiphosurans first appeared in the Late Ordovician, with modern horseshoe crabs appearing in the Carboniferous and becoming more common in the Triassic. The spider-like Order Uraraneida first appeared in the Permian, with true spiders appearing in the Carboniferous. There’s a lot of talk about how horseshoe crabs predate the dinosaurs, and that’s true, but so do other arachnids… and most other arthropods as well!

Propaganda under the cut:

While only Spiders, Scorpions, and Pseudoscorpions have venom, they all have different methods of injecting it, meaning they likely independently evolved venom. Which is wild to me.

Spiders tend to get a bad rap (mostly due to western media banking on arachnophobia and spreading misinformation) but they are incredibly beneficial to humans, eating many of the species we consider pests. Some crops, such as cranberries, tomatoes, and potatoes, rely on spiders for pest control. It has been found that wherever farmers release spiders, their crop yields increase, while also cutting down on the use of chemical pesticides by 80%.

There are around 50,000 species of spider and all but one family (Uloboridae) is venomous. However, this venom is mainly used to capture prey, and only 10 genera have venom considered medically significant to humans. Bites are rarer than the media would have you think, and deaths are even more rare, as they are usually a result of secondary infections, allergic reaction, or pre-existing conditions. You are more likely to die from a mosquito bite.

Even if they weren’t super important and helpful to humans, spiders are still just small animals living their lives and are all too often unfairly demonized. I’ll get off my soapbox now but listen… I’m Love Them. They are just little guys.

Anyway, Ricinuleids have a hood, called a cucullus, which can be raised or lowered over their head. This hood is also where females will carry their eggs until they hatch. Baby hoodie.

Horseshoe Crab blood is blue due to a copper-based respiratory pigment called hemocyanin. It is often harvested for its unique reactions to bacterial contamination and is thus used in FDA testing. Horseshoe Crab blood has saved millions of human lives, however, overharvesting for their blood as well as for fishing bait has put their populations into decline, which has in turn affected populations of shorebirds which depend on their eggs as migratory fuel. Many areas have enacted regulations on harvesting and established captive breeding programs.

Harvestmen are sometimes referred to as spiders, but they are actually closer related to scorpions!

Harvestmen are unique among arachnids for their high diversity of feeding behavior. Many species are omnivorous, eating small insects, fungi, and plants. Some species are scavengers. Some species feed on fecal matter! Unlike most other arachnids, they do not have sucking mouthparts, and instead chew their food with tiny pinching jaws.

Many arachnids, especially most scorpions, are biofluorescent, glowing under UV light. There are many hypotheses for why this is, but it may allow them to detect the presence of UV light themselves, letting them know when there is a full moon vs a new moon.

Scorpions can also detect light through sensors in their tail!

Scorpion claws and tails are reinforced with iron and nickel

Mites are incredibly diverse and live everywhere. Many live in the soil and aid in decomposing, some live in water, some live on plants, some live in plants and create galls, some eat fungi, some eat lichen, some eat carrion, some are predators, some are parasites. Almost every species on land (mammals, reptiles, ants, plants, etc) has at least one mite species associated with it.

Vinegaroon courtship rituals involve a dance that can last up to 12 hours of the female testing the male’s endurance. Female vinegaroons invest a lot into their children, often starving themselves in the process, so they must be absolutely certain the male has good fitness.

[nemo-in-wonderland]

and here you have Raphael's side profile, after I did his daddy dearest's one.

This man has a gorgeous nose and jaw that I just ADORE. They are so aesthetically pleasing to my eyes, fml, he has no right being as handsome as he is.

and fml, eh also has one great pair of horns. Majestic.

Anyway, lemme go back and try to draw some more. I got some ideas of Zaynab and Karam, Mephisto and Aranea's children, and I am curious to see where my brain will lead me (plus, tbh this is an EXCELLENT exercise for me into learning how to speed up my artworking process. One of my biggest pet peeves toward myself is that I am too slow, so I am trying to work on figuring out how to draw a tad faster while also managing to learn more! baby steps <3)

I am excited to see how Raphael's pestering siblings will turn out lololol

--Nemo

[haologram]

altair's 2024 wrapped!

— naturally, i got fomo. everyone was tagging me, and those who didn't tag me had such good spreads. as we see 2024 come to a close, i cannot say how happy i am to be done with this shitty year. however, good things did come out of it: i finally allowed myself to be dragged into caratland after casually stanning for the last five years, and i've succumbed to the fact that i write too many words per oneshot. 2025 resolution: get a grip! — thank you to everyone who has supported my writing in this year, though i've only posted a few works on this blog (as well as on @babeyun), but i am eternally grateful for all the friends i've made along the way. here's to 2024, i'm glad you're over soon. 2025, be kind, i beg. — if you've been tagged: you're likely either one of the reader reviews, one of my favorite reads or i'm tagging you so you can do this too! thank you for reading this. — all my love, altair. ♡

— 2024 fic stats:

— total words published: 130k!! — number of fics posted: 5 (trust me, 2025 i will post more!) — number of wips: 13 (like...ones that are actively being written.)

— most popular fics of 2024:

— first place: how to be a latin lover - joshua hong [x fem!reader.]

— posted: 16 september. — notes: 633 — favorite reader reactions: "i skipped a class to read this and I don't regret it one bit" by @aloeshit || ""Ah, ah, ah! We need to speak, Miss Y/N. Turn around." - the tension in this one line.. I GASPED.. i had to close my tabs because of how much this one line got me and it was just the beginning stages.." by @tusswrites || @mingycr's entire reblog, it was my first ever review like that and i cried. — comments from the author: this fic was my debut onto caratblr! i still cannot believe that people liked it, but i put so much effort into this as both a latin spanish speaker and for my namesake.

— second place: araneae - kwon soonyoung [x fem!reader.]

— posted: 3 october. — notes: 543 — favorite reader reactions: "i locked the fuck in for this one an hour later i’m crying" by my dearest @mercif4l || "i also liked the aquarium scene, 'which one are you? the male one' lol" by @flowershu — comments from the author: funnily enough, this fic is one i'm not entirely satisfied with, but i love it endlessly. i love love love writing hoshi, he's such a diverse character and it makes me emotional as fuck sometimes.

— third place: stairway to the stars - lee jihoon [x fem!reader.]

— posted: 23 december. — notes: 514 — favorite reader reactions: @monamipencil's entire reblog, as the drabble was literally for her LOL || "need to grab Jihoon by the neck and shake him like a maraca" by my beloved @gyuswhore — comments from the author: the way i was FIGHTING to keep this under 1.5k was INSANE. i fear that i cut it off right at the highest tension and kept the shitty smut for myself because why are you looking at my man?

— longest fic of 2024:

unforgiven - boo seungkwan [x fem!reader]

— posted: 29 november. — word count: 40,812 words! — favorite reader reactions: the entire reblog by @diamond-reads. i fucking SOBBED reading that review. || "when i lock my husband out of our bedroom to read this in peace at late hours of the night, then what." by @nanareadings (i cackled) — comments from the author: i think this is genuinely one of my favorite things i've ever written. i have never been so proud of a dynamic or pairing, because athena!seungkwan x arachne!reader was definitely my flex. this fic took me two months to write because i was so nervous about making sure the dynamics and power play played out correctly and i'm proud to say that i am so incredibly satisfied with this fic.

— most recent fic of 2024:

between you and me - lee chan [x fem!reader]

—posted: 24 december. — word count: 40,489 words! — favorite reader reactions: "finally a good chan fic i feel so whole today" by @neodanceology (i cried like a fucking baby reading that) || "i'm hitting them with a newspaper and screaming at them to cOMMUNICATE" by @nebulousbookshelf (me freaking too trust me) — comments from the author: god, i loved writing this. it was so deliciously stressful and the first time ever that smut came easily to me. i think that writing such a complex relationship (that is slightly based off my own personal experiences) that boils down to both people just being fucking idiots is absolutely my favorite trope. i can truly say that i love how my mind created this within TWO WEEKS. TWO!! isn't that fucking insane?? i'm appalled.

— favorite reads:

— note from haologram: these are in member order. that being said, i have read and reread each of these fics at least three times. i hold them near and dear to my heart so i will gladly say pleasepleaseplease never delete them or i will cry an ocean and flood your house. thank you! [any fics with a ☆ contain nsfw content, do not engage if you are not 18+, or if the author specifically states such on their blog.] — ex-conomics by @ugh-yoongi [c.seungcheol] — full throttle (p1) (p2) by @diamonddaze01 [y.jeonghan] ☆ — distracted by @eomayas [h. joshua] ☆ — the boy who lives on the moon by @miniseokminnies [w.junhui] — elevatory by @wqnwoos [k. soonyoung] — endpoint by @highvern [j. wonwoo] ☆ — steam (p1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 4 ; bonus) by @highvern [j. wonwoo] ☆ — ave, general by @amourcheol [l.jihoon] ☆ — raw by @ourdawnishotterthanourday [l. seokmin] ☆ — when i kissed the teacher by @highvern [k. mingyu] — sit down by @gyuswhore [k. mingyu] ☆ — orbit by @tomodachiii [x. minghao] — perspective by @tomodachiii [x. minghao] — wanted u by @hannieehaee [x. minghao] ☆ — hi (i love you) by @wheeboo [x. minghao] — office hours by @seungkw1 [b. seungkwan] ☆ — favorite coworker by @sescoups [c. hansol] ☆ — rivers & roads by @miniseokminnies [c. hansol] ☆ — rates of change by @wqnwoos [l.chan]

— top songs of 2024:

— orbit by the8, jinjibewater_隼. — eat it by megan thee stallion. — contigo quiero estar by selena. — 7pm by bss, peder elias. — maiochiruhanabira (fallin' flower) by seventeen. — jealousy by pale waves. — habit by seventeen. — circles by pierce the veil. — i found a boy by adele. — item by stray kids.

— 2025 goals:

— oof, this is a doozy. as for this blog, i'm hoping to keep posting and build my masterlist. back when i launched it, i launched a project that i haven't published yet and i want to get that done. as a writer i find myself starting projects and stopping them when i've convinced myself that no one will like them, but 2025 is the year of stopping self doubt and pushing forward. — as for myself outside of haologram, i'm looking forward to a better year overall. 2024 was not kind to me and neither were the people i allowed back into my life, but i digress. i hope that in 2025 i can implement what i've learned this year, and that's to not give a fuck what anyone has to say about me because at the end of the day they do not define my self worth. in 2025 i hope to build more lasting friendships, write to my hearts content and actually enjoy my summer this year instead of rotting in my bed because i let depression overtake me again. i am stronger than 2024 me is, and if you're reading this, so are you!! keep going!! keep on truckin' dude!!

— thank you to everyone who was by my side this year. i could not have made it through this treacherous year without you, and i am glad to have you all with me, and i hope 2025 is good to you as i am praying it will be to me.

— tags: [feel free to ignore!] @ressjeon @jenoslutie @lavnderwonu @diamonddaze01 & whoever else wants to do this!

[conceptofjoy]

How is Aranea wrong abt this? It was a loooong when i last read the openbound

misinformation is handled so interesting in hs, the main three perpetrators that i can think of r doc scratch, aranea, and callie. scratch is actively malicious w his misinfo, using deception and his unreal debate bro strats to dance around outright lying.

... i was going to screenshot some of his text but its like actually impossible.

in order he says:

Jokes are only temporary lies. If the falsehood is never exposed, there is no punchline. If the punchline is never delivered, the lie is sealed forever, regardless of initial humorous intent. Lies are not funny.

My joke was objectively funny. Who would know better than I?

Basically.

No, that would be something closer to a prank. I don't play pranks very often.

I am allowed to do whatever I want. I choose never to lie. I also choose to tell jokes now and then, and to play pranks quite sparingly. But I can say that I have never played a prank on you, and no statement I have made to you thus far, or will make in this conversation, will contain any trace of falsehood for the sake of setting up a joke or a prank, with the exception of the joke I just made, and another one I will make very soon.

he plays fast n loose w his speech to get his way, using the audience's automatic trust in a narrator to get away with saying things that feel like are obvious.

like the lecture he gave damara, it was entirely self serving. damara didn't need to hear it, he was talking to US. every bit of twisted information about alternia's "history" was essentially propaganda to insert the world view of LE into our perception of the story. his speech is even ended by him getting jumped by hussie as if it wasn't something he wanted in the first place.

both aranea and callie's information comes from this tainted backlog of history. it's almost comical how aranea wears the signless' symbol despite not being a follower. its not a symbol of the signless to him, but what he wants to strive for regarding ancestors and heroism. despite being genetically the same as mindfang, he looks up to her like saaaaay. dirk does his bro. while dirk realizes its not possible for him (though by thinking that its his fault, and not that its not an attainable nor healthy ideal), aranea goes off the deep end and learns this the HARD way.

he has rose tinted glasses about the happenings on alternia, and the values reflect his view on his friends and their relationships towards one another. he doesn't inspect power structures and how they would manifest, only reading them surface level. his exposition is just like what scratch was doing in the aforementioned speech, but HE'S the sucker here. he believes it.

callie is representative of the fanbase obvs. there's quite a bit of above, being duped by the clown tome right. but she adds something else to her readings. she analyzes general alternia and sburb happenings based off of that misinfo, which um. has some consequences. despite having a viewport into the lives of the humans, her view is tinted by expectations of how they'd act or what she thinks she knows. its rlly funny how so many of what callie said got wedged into fan theories despite being a commentary on said fan theories.

so the lesson is, DO NOT TRUST MOTHER FUCKERS ON THE INTERNET WITH INFORMATION. EVEN ME. GO READ HOMESTUCK AND

[nemo-of-house-hamartia]

I have to be honest, and this post is going to be without my buffoonery or tomfoolery.

I am entertaining the idea of getting back into writing a bit more, because my eyes really can use a bit of rest from the long hours I spend artworking.

But , and I am not exaggerating when I tell you this, the idea literally make me paralyzed with anxiety.

Yesterday night I managed to write those 400+ words for the artwork because I felt like "the main protagonist of the post is going to be the drawing anyway, so even if I fumble, it's going to be ok".

Also, while I am just a hobbyist, I am still a seasoned artist that has been working on her skill for more than 23 years. So, in a way, I feel, if not entirely confident in my skills, at the very least competent enough to know that I can create something pleasant to look at; but even then, I have always my anxiety hanging on my back like a freaking monke that has nothing better to do but bother me.

But with writing, I just become paralyzed with what I assume is fear.

Of what, I am still figuring out.

Because I feel this specific fear and block when it comes to writing an original character with a canon character (specifically, this was caused by my resurgence for Ardyn and Luscinia).

For example, when I was brainstorming for Aranea, even if my knowledge of the setting was limited to BG3 and before I started to actually deep dive into Forgotten Realms, I felt I was going like a breeze, with no fear, no uncertitude, just the brain never stopping talking and branching out by itself (which made my work immensely easier to be honest).

With Luscinia and Ardyn (but it can be even extended to Jacob and Dorothea, if one wants to talk about OC/Canon pairing), the same doesn't happen.

There is a block, a literal wall of nothingness that prevents me from writing and entertaining myself, despite all my willingness and WANT to just dive right into it, and allowing myself to have fun, and it's HORRIBLE. It feels like a freaking bubble in my chest that doesn't leave enough space for my lungs to breathe.

And while yesterday I was too tired to actually do some self-analyses of what the reason might be, this morning, after a good dose of coffee, I think I found one possible reason.

With canon characters there are limits that sometimes cannot be crossed, lest one goes OOC with them.

They are pre-made characters, with set personalities that one must respect in order to write them, and that, I found, put a crapton of pressure over me that only fan and fuel my anxiety, and this without even considering the high standards that I set for myself EACH and EVERY time.

Also, take in consideration that when it comes to creating and imagining, the only limits I like are the one I set for myself, not the one set by others (as it had happened with Dottie and Jacob, something that has partially ruined the fun I had with them), and that do WONDERS (*sarcasm*) for my ADHD.

On top of that, add the fact that if I see someone else with even a remotely similar idea as mine, I have the tendency of not pursuing it anymore because then my inner saboteur starts doing numbers.

Sometimes I am extremely good at ignoring the voices and doubt in my head that just mock me and ridicule me and fuel my anxiety, but sometimes they are just there to stay, like unpleasant roommates that cannot keep the kitchen clean and party at all times of the night😂

All this to say that I am basically a ball of anxiety in my little corner, rocking back and forth until this too shall pass, because I want to pick up the pen again for Ardyn and Luscinia, and I am utterly terrified by the idea.

But I so want to get back on track and write. I miss that so much.

[ask-unstuck]

More for the author, but could you tell us more about everyone’s typing quirks?

gracefulCalamity: i am kanaya i use no punctuation or capitalization and i also do not use contractions

tiltedTchotchke: !’m john. ! use proper grammar and punctuat!on, but no caps. ! also replace the letter “i” with an exclamat!on po!nt.

gradedCarbon: I’m Porrim. I use the right punctuation, grammar, and caps, but I kinda talk with, like, a valley-girl accent?

textbookTenacity. I’m jane. I use proper grammar except i’m fond of run on sentences and i only capitalize the beginning of a sentence and i also tend to favour the british spelling of things.

astatineGallic: i’m karkat. i use correct grammar and punctuation, but no caps unless i’m REALLY ANGRY!!! and THEN i usually type three of whatever punctuation mark i use.

temperedGuardian: I am Rose. I use proper Grammar and Punctuation, and I also capitalize all Nouns, even if they aren’t proper Nouns.

artificialGenome: I’m Kankri. I type with correct grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

taciturnGadfly: im roxy…i type with no punctuation or caps…and i use a lot of ellipses

cynicalGainster: i’m Vriska. i type with correct punctuation everywhere except the end of a message, and no capital letters aside from proper nouns

goldenGambit: I’m dave I type with no punctuation a$ide from apo$trophe$ I only capitalize po$$e$$ive pronoun$ and I replace the letter “S” with a dollar $ign

clandestineGadgetry: I’m Aranea. I type with correct grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

galvanizedGenius: {I_m value=Dirk, (I) type in a (purposeful)ly complex and difficult.to.comprehend 8astardization of varProgrammingLanguage. (I) also replace the letter = B with.the number = 8.}

gibberishAficionado: Im terezi I dont use punctuation and I only capitalize possessive pronouns or the beginning of a sentence

galacticTitanium: 1. 1m jade! 1 number my messages 1f 1 send mult1ple 1n a row use punctuat1on/caps spar1ngly and replace the letter “i” w1th the number 1

gaslitAmbivert: i’m latulaaaa i don’t use caps buuuut i do use some punctuation and i sometimes draw words outttttt because i like how they sound

gnarlyTerminant: im Jake, i dΩnt use caps cept Ωn names, and i make lΩng sentences with cΩmmas a lΩt, and i like tΩ shΩrten wΩrds cuz its less effΩrt, and i replace the letter O with an Ωmega

[nekropsii]

hello! sorry if this is a stupid question, but i recall seeing someone claim that aranea was pedophilic/predatory towards jake— is that true? if not, do you know where that idea may have come from?

Hi, Anon! Considering the question is prompted by the claims of another, and this claim has an extreme amount of gravity attached to it, this is not a stupid question whatsoever. I appreciate that you're trying to fact check this, rather than just spreading that idea with zero regard. A lot of people online tend to get really caught up in the immediate emotional response that an Accusation of Sexual Misconduct gives them, and fail to do their due diligence. I can't fault anyone for feeling distressed upon hearing that anyone is a Pedophile or a Sexual Predator, but it's irresponsible and disrespectful to not... Y'know, check the evidence, if there's even any there.

I'm going to put this all under a cut due to the subject matter. You understand, I hope!

Content Warning: Discussion of Pedophilia, Assault, and Dubious Consent.

Let's get this out of the way right off the bat: No, Aranea is not a Pedophile, and I do not believe she has ever sexually or romantically predated on Jake.

I am not saying this to blame who is being understandably perceived as the victim of the situation. Jake is, by all accounts, the target of a lot of Non-Consenting and Dubiously Consenting advances… So it makes a lot of sense to immediately be on the offensive with regards to anyone's conduct towards Jake. I get it. Jake is living in the tragedy of being seen as an object by his peers- some kind of prize to be won, something that exists only to provide some kind of romantic or sexual catharsis. It's horrible, genuinely, and I totally understand the urge to instantly jump on anything that veers even slightly in that direction and take it to extremes…

…But that just… Did not happen with Aranea. Because Jake was not the target of attraction here. Aranea was. Aranea never pursued Jake, to my knowledge, save for one single scene. Put a pin in that. She was not interested in him, he was interested in her. He labelled Aranea as his Dream Girl very quickly after meeting her, and at no point does she... Reciprocate his feelings.

The immediate counterpoint to that is that Pedophiles do not love their victims. And I would typically completely agree with it!! This is true!! Bringing up anything akin to "True Love" in defense of an act of Child Predation is absolutely disgusting!!

...But Aranea is not a Pedophile. In no universe would Aranea ever be considered a Pedophile, even if she had feelings for and sexually pursued Jake. She wouldn't be a Pedophile even if she straight up assaulted him on screen. She is 19 years old, and he is 16 years old. That does not even come close to counting as Pedophilia. Their ages are way too close for that. If Jake was 13 years old or younger, and she was attracted to him, then yes, this would be an entirely valid point to make. That practically wouldn't even be an accusation, that would be an observation. It would be extremely fucked up if that was the case, as it is with Cronus and Meenah, but that's just... Not true here.

But then there's the claim of Predation left, which is an entirely ageless concept. There's no implication of an immoral age discrepancy in the label of "Predator".

...But Aranea never sexually predated on Jake. She just plain was not interested in him, not even as a friend. Jake was more or less just a tool to her, a mere cog in the machine of her plan to Fuck Shit Up. Is that fucked up? Sure!! But that's average Villain Behavior, and it's not inherently Predatory. Especially not in the way that's implied when paired with a Pedophilia Accusation.

Remember that scene I said to put a pin in, though? The one where she actually does make an unwanted advance on Jake? We're bringing it up again now. That, conceptually, sounds like a counterpoint to what I'm saying here at first, but just bear with me. There's a scene in which, just prior to her making Jake Hope-splode, Aranea tries to kiss him. This was actually how she was initially going to "heal" him. The advance was made, and right before she actually did kiss him, he started flailing and wildly professing how much he does not consent to the situation.

[Homestuck, page 6582.]

It's clear from what he's saying and how he's behaving that the severity of this reaction has been building up over the course of his story. Even if that wasn't the case, his lack of consent is fair...

...And goes completely uncontested.

[Homestuck, page 6582.]

This is the problem. This is the biggest issue I have with the claim that she was predating upon Jake. Not as a child, but as a person. I have to assume that it was about this scene- there's no other place in the story in which you could make that claim and have it be any level of grounded. But taking a moment to read the text makes the entire argument that this was an act of Sexual Predation completely fall apart, because his lack of consent to being kissed goes instantly respected and totally unchallenged.

She drops him... And says this.

[Homestuck, page 6583.]

This... Is not Pedophilia. This is not Sexual Predation. This is two teenagers experiencing a messy situation.

Aranea knew Jake was into her, and assumed that that meant he would've enjoyed her making a move on him. It is, by all means, a valid assumption to make- it's understandable. It's a completely average train of thought. Jake, however, is tired of people making moves on him, and despite being attracted to her, did not accept this advance.

...To which she immediately accepts "No" as an answer, ceases physical contact, apologizes, explains herself, and then says that her advances were inappropriate, and that she will try to be better in the future.

This is... A fantastic response to someone expressing a lack of consent. Especially considering she's Beforan! By all accounts, she's the most normal person out of that whole group because of this!!

The only thing that puts a damper on this is that she immediately turns around and heals him. But... That's not an inherently sexual act. Yes, he did not give express verbal consent to being healed, but it's also just straight up not something you can quantify as Sexual Predation. It's not even a metaphor for it!

I don't know. Calling her a Pedophile is abhorrent. It is way too far and entirely inaccurate. Calling her a Sexual Predator is less egregious, but the bar for what's okay is being used in a limbo competition in Hell.

To me, this is just an instance of messy teenage sexuality. It's just... A misunderstanding that was immediately resolved, and then followed up by some Video Game Villain behavior. If their age gap in the context of any romantic advances makes you uncomfortable, that's completely and utterly fine. More than okay. It's a perfectly respectable boundary to have. But that boundary doesn't mean that it's fine to randomly stick a label as loaded and utterly despicable as "Pedophile" onto anything. A misunderstanding left unescalated isn't a crime, and Video Game Villain Behavior isn't sexually predatory.

I hope this response finds you well. Have a lovely day.

[celestiall0tus]

How many aus do you have ones that are in the works/ not in the works( that been place on hold)? Get a lot of rest Celestia <3

Pulls up master list

Let's have a little fun and crack into this:

Miraculous AU has been put on indefinite hold because I quite literally burnt myself out on this AU. I love, I intend to finish it, I know what comes next, I just don't have the mental drive to do it.

Salvation has also been put on a more indefinite hiatus, but I will get the will to write that. It just can be very draining as it's not actually one of my favorites to write right now.

Paradise I should get back to writing, but is currently on back burner. I wanna say I had started the next chapter, but stopped until I had Araneae and Sith's designs done. They are in fact sketched, but need to be outlined and colored. Once I have them, I should be good to continue Paradise and hopefully finish it.

Absolution is a very dark, very taxing au that requires a weird ass moon phase for me to write just like before, for on hold.

Separate Worlds is on hold for the just because I don't want to write

All that Remained is an interesting one. With Lady and the Scoundrel's completion, I will be bringing in other side adventures to build up to the arrival of Volpina and bat! Tomoe. So, it'll be hitting an intermission soon. Once I'm recovered.

Court of Miracles reached it's natural wind down as I was preparing to move into other projects.

Scions I need to get that shit back together and get on writing that up again. I have a more concrete idea for events moving forward, but am paused because I don't have Marc designed just yet.

Bloody Bug I need to mentally prepare myself for what's to come. This is the falling action part of the plot and the part I need to start wrap up and getting groundwork laid out for season 4.

Siren's Song I just haven't been feeling yet. I think moreso about getting more designs done.

Rapture is one I'll be writing directly with Gamer's assistance as I am not good writing just fluff, while he is really good with fluff.

Of Virtue and Sin is nearing its production. Just need to finish designs.

Say My Name I haven't really done much and is still very much in early development.

Belle is honestly ready to be written. I have the design, the world, the "story" ready, just injured, so I can't.

And of course Into Another World for all the crossover fun.

So, all in all, that should make 15 works in total.

[kitkat-the-muffin]

Time to post my favorite Cloutchase Screenshots

OH MY GOD I HAD A BLAST! I was expecting camp and cringe but it was so well-made and really beautiful both visually and musically! I HIGHLY recommend playing it before looking at these screenshots, but I’ll put a couple spoiler-free ones above the cut to entice you heheh

Ok time for the spoilers

Gotta love the Karkat crab cameo on 6/12 very iconic

When this happened I said out loud “this is what happens when you spend too much time gossiping”

CUTE LIL PAINT BUDDIES :D

Shoutout to MYSELF for making a cameo in the background of this photo, omg I love the cat headphones—can we keep that in the design? That’s canon now I now canonically have cat headphones-

Also I’d like to meet whoever made the design with the pink visor and white hair in the purple hoodie, they are so pretty. That is peak character design right there

This made me burst out laughing so hard oh my god it’s so true this is so Twitter, Tumblr was right he just like Aranea fr

THIS WAS SO FUNNY TOO HAHAHAHAHAH you guys should code the Vine Boom sound effect to play when he appears if you haven’t already hahahahah (I may have been laughing over the sound effect if you did hahahahahah)

Twitter out here with the SICKEST burns known to man, this was an amazing line I am KEEPING this

TWITTER BACK AT IT AGAIN ISTG XD

I had plenty more screenshots but this is the post limit so too bad so sad

Just know that this was an incredibly amazing experience and I cannot WAIT for the next installment

I convinced a couple friends to download this too hahah maybe we can amass an army of contributors

[seldomdrawncherubs]

Is sylph of mind a bad classpect,by chance?

Btw,y'all are cool :)

uu: ONE OF THE WORST. BY A LONG SHOT.

uu: OOH TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY AND GO OuTSIDE

uu: IN CASE YOu DIDN'T REALIZE. I AM STuCK. IN A HOME.

uu: GOING OuTSIDE IS IMPOSSIBLE. BESIDES. I HAVE ALPHA CHAD THINGS TO DO INDOORS.

uu: MIND PLAYERS ALREADY NEED TO MIND THEIR OWB BuSINESS. INSTEAD OF INTERFERING AND NAGGING EVERYONE.

uu: THIS GETS EVEN WORSE. FOR SYLPHS. WHO ACT LIKE THEY CAN FIX ANYTHING AND ANYONE.

uu: YOu CAN'T.

uu: IF YOu THINK YOu KNOW EVERYTHING. YOu ARE PRONE TO DESTROYING EVERYTHING.

uu: uNLIKE ME. I KNOW I KNOW EVERYTHING. SO STAY OuT OF MY WAY. AND STOP TRYING TO FIX PEOPLE.

***

UU: rUde!

UU: sylphs are always trying to do their best for the greater good. that is admirable, not inherently awfUl. jUst becaUse aranea sabotaged a timeline doesn't mean every sylph will, and the mind aspect may relate to others' minds and trickery, bUt a sylph of mind will not necessarily become her.

UU: and yoU are one to talk aboUt hUbris!

UU: yoU cannot fix everything...

UU: this may be better advice. mind players know all about others' expectations and struggles, and sylphs often try to fix people. perhaps it is in the definition of a "maker and fixer for others"

UU: bUt don't tear yoUrself apart for what yoU can't fix, all right?

[callmearcturus]

someone asked me if I knew what the Eye of the Duck for any of my fics was.

Eye of the Duck is a movie analysis podcast that's really tremendous, and revolves around this concept borrowed from David Lynch. Basically, when you look at a duck, you can look at its bill and it's feathers but if you want to understand it, you have to look into its eye. In the context of analysis, the podcast posits that the Eye of the Duck is the one scene of a movie that encapsulates everything that film is, the core of its thesis.

Okay so what the fuck are my Eyes of the Duck?

so we don't kill the ones we love: jesus this is so fucking hard i gotta come back to it

you can only take what you can carry to the edge of the sea: in "The Sixth Pentacle of Mars", the climax of Dirk's adventure is when he enters the volcano to save the island, and its explicitly something only he can do as a noble. The ailment that has haunted him his entire life and made him a pariah of society is the key to saving the first place that's ever been home to him. He is, for te entirety of the story, associated almost exclusively with water, and he tacitly becomes the water that douses the fire, the water of life.

The Eurydice Suite, 2.0: Karkat and Roxy in the neon courtyard of the labyrinthian dream. The way Karkat has spent the entire story keeping his emotions in check and just losing his cool for a moment is balanced by Roxy putting her panic and grief away to do what Karkat needs her to do. They're my faves, if it wasn't obvious.

Chamomile, rose water, and other unlikely intoxicants: Jake finding Dirk after the sacrifice. It is the death of Jake's former self and the rebirth of him into a vengeful man who has put away his childish things to affect destiny itself. Chamomile is about many deaths.

gushing gold: I HAVE NO IDEA, I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IT AND NOTHING COMES TO MIND.

out here the good girls die: that moment when Rose tacitly offers Karkat sex in return for him finding her brother and instead Karkat embraces her and gives her a chance to cry. As much as that story is a romance between Karkat and Dave, it's also a different kind of romance between Karkat and Rose, and in many ways Rose's trust is harder won.

ready to start the conquest of spaces: idk this one feels obvious to me, but it's Vriska's one and only scene in the story. I'm a Leftist that is tired of the specific twitter-poisoning of my comrades, and the revenant AU is very much about that. While the Alternia of the revenant AU is better than canon, its problems are still present, and its a reflection of the idea "Okay but when The Revolution happens, who will take care of the worst person you know?"

all the world is earth and water: The Bread Scene. I thought it might be the scene where Karkat explains to Dave that all the things in his care are whole and kept, that that's his right, but really: its about the Bread. That's what the whole story is about.

a steady hand, a delicate man: ODD CHOICE I AM SURE but the moment Martin observes Jon giving Daisy the apology bouquet after he failed to safeword out of the scene.

dustsceawung: The held reveal of Martin's white hair, how the Weaver took the color of his hair from him and how it acts as an instantly, unshakeable marker that he is fae-touched. The story is very much about the things people refuse to say, from the moment Martin carefully doesn't introduce himself to Gerry all the way to the end.

SWDKTOWL: okay I cannot escape it any longer. What the fuck is the Eye of the Duck of KTOWL? I am torn between two options. First, the Act Two Finale and the specific way Karkat handles the confrontation with Aranea. Karkat's entire purpose in the story is that he refuses to play by the same rules as everyone else, and when he's facing Aranea, his trust in Kanaya is what saves his life. IF NOT THAT then... It is the conversation Jake and Karkat have before Karkat is knocked out in the penultimate chapter. That is the Eye of the Duck. I think.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. And i'm probably wrong on a lot of these BUT great question.