#day in the life of pando

[pandoa]

i, too, am part of the poor who remain in the abyss known as the styx towers

sobs

I wish all of you a good "Diasomnia is coming and coming strong" (and also tag your spoilers). And my feelings and prayers to my fellow players/watchers that are still in ch6 despite knowing a bit of what's going to happen, myself included

so this is from a popular old video in Brazil and as I was watching it for the first time, I just saw this scene and... suddenly had a epiphany. feel free to use it as template for something if you like it <3

[literaticat]

Dear Jen, Do you know why are all the editors are leaving Chronicle? Should authors be wary of subbing there? What is going on??? Thanks

(Jenn, or Jennifer. Thx!)

Yes, there's been a fair amount of churn at Chronicle. I can give you a little timeline, but please know (ESPECIALLY if you are any of the people I'm alluding to!) -- I TRULY LOVE CHRONICLE, I love every editor who was there and is there, I count them among my friends, I have MANY successful and beautiful books with Chronicle, more coming, and I hope to have many more in the future. I am not talking trash or giving any particular "inside scoop" here, this is just an outside perspective that I think/hope is at least relatively accurate and neutral.

So first of all: Many editors leave the publishers they start with at some point, because sometimes, that's how you get a promotion if you are in a rut where you are, and if you are in NYC, you can just apply to another job down the street. This tended to happen LESS often at Chronicle than at most NYC publishers, because pre-pandemic especially, if you live in San Francisco and you want to stay in San Francisco... that's the publisher in San Francisco! So many editors who started there never left the way a NYC editor might. But then the pando happened, and lots of work got remote, and it was less imperative to be tethered to one location. This is where our tale begins.

A couple (few?) years back they lost an editor who had a lot of books. (For a good reason, she got a different job, yay for her). However, they didn't replace her, and all those books got assigned to the remaining editors on top of their pretty full workloads. That's a lot -- but OK, so far so good.

Then there was some kind of upper-management rearrangement or something (way above the editor's pay grade, nothing to do with them) -- but the result is, they lost a couple of key managerial positions and didn't replace them for a while, so there was a power vacuum -- nobody was really in charge or able to hire more people to help.

Meanwhile (at least as far as I can tell), there were too many books and not enough editors, burnout / fatigue / life changes happened to cause a diabolical domino effect where one editor left so the others had EVEN MORE books and burnt out even faster, another left, burnout faster, another one left. So now, very unfortunately, many of the "original" Chronicle editors (by which I mean people that had been there about as long as I've been agenting or longer) are gone.

The good news is, there's a new boss, who seems to know what's what, there are still a couple folks left who have institutional knowledge, and there has been at least one great new hire, with I'm sure more on the horizon.

SO: The metaphorical Good Ship Chronicle hit a storm and sustained some damage, lost a captain and some crew, and was starting to capsize, but now has somebody new at the helm and is in the process of being righted. This is not a process that will or can happen quickly -- but it's happening. The passengers on board are hanging tight. I don't know if new passengers need to be WARY per se -- but I would suspect that the ship wouldn't really WANT to take on a bunch of new passengers until there's some more crew on board and they are sure it is smooth sailing. So, you know. Expect delays. (publishing, amirite?!)

(PS: I don't know too much about boats, but you get the picture!)

(PPS: Do you know the difference between "flotsam" and "jetsam"? THAT, I do know. Flotsam describes debris of a boat -- after a shipwreck, say -- cargo or bits of wood or whatever that are floating around. Jetsam describes things that are deliberately thrown off a boat by sailors when they have to lighten the load because they are in distress and sinking or something. You can remember because "floating = flotsam / jettison = jetsam". That's your fun fact for the day!)

[f1-disaster-bi]

pls after sad today I have soft and cute prince and pauper pando au pretty pls

I got you @f1-birb 😘

"You're home!" Pierre had barely gotten inside the door when there were arms wrapping tightly around him. Curls tickled his cheek, and Pierre didn't hesitate to wrap his arms tightly around Lando, sighing softly as he did because he was finally home. He'd been away for over two weeks. This was the longest he had been away in the last year, and it had been hard but Pierre knew Lando loved and supported him. It might be hard to be apart, but Lando would never resent or stop him from doing what needed to be done to help those in need, even if it kept them apart at times. "I missed you", Pierre whispered into his curls as he felt Lando place a kiss on his shoulder. "I missed you too", Lando smiled and as he pulled back he frowned. One of his hands came up to cup Pierre's cheek, and while Pierre leaned into it, he knew what Lando was looking at, "What happened to your face, love?" Pierre turned his head to press a kiss against Lando's palm. His hand reached up to wrap around Lando's wrist, gently squeezing it in reassurance. "Those in power did not take kindly to what I had to say", Pierre replied softly as Lando looked at him with worried eyes, "I'm okay, it's just a bruise, and with Max and Lewis's help, it was easy to help free them from those contracts" Lando nodded softly, probably having already heard the tales that always followed where ever Pierre went. It never took long for news to travel no matter how far Pierre travelled from their home. Still, the worry lingered on his husbands face and Pierre tucked him back into his arms, kissing him softly as Lando's hand slipped from his cheel to his neck, squeezing softly to reassure him before they seperated. "Promise you're okay?", Lando whispered, waiting until Pierre nodded before he smiled, "Good, because I'm not the only one that missed you, and think I hear them coming" Pierre could only grin down at his husband as he heard the sound of little feet running through the hallway as Lando stepped aside with a laugh. Pierre had enough time time to crouch down before two little bodies were colliding with his own. "Papa!" Little arms grabbed at him, and Pierre didn't flinch when a wayward elbow hit his bruised ribs. He was too busy kissing the twin's foreheads, holding them close against his chest as they clung to him, chattering excitedly over each other in excitement. "They've been checking the local stables for your horse every day after we get back from the school", Lando smiled and there was nothing but pure love in his gaze that had Pierre's heart skipping a beat with how much he adored the family they had created. It had been over two years now since Lando had found the twins abandoned outside the orphange his own Papa, Sebastian, ran with Lando's help. They'd only been two years old and had instantly bonded with Lando and Pierre. They hadn't been looking to expand their family, not at that moment, but it felt right. "We missed you", Claudia mumbled, her little face tucked into his neck and her arms tight around his neck. Her twin, Julian, had let go of Pierre to wrap himself around Lando's leg, smiling as Lando played with his hair, soothing down his little waves and curls. Pierre kissed their daughter's temple softly, his hand reaching out Lando who offered his own hand instantly, squeezing Pierre's softly because he knew exactly how and what Pierre was feeling. He knew that this was everything Pierre had grown up thinking he would never have because all his life until he was an adult and able to fight back, people had let Pierre down and made him feel less than but here he was. A local hero. A husband to the sweetest, kindest and bravest person he had ever met. A father to two adorable four year olds that would never suffer the way Pierre had. He had a family who loved him, and Pierre would never not be excited to come home to this.

[yeetspace]

Family: Godzilladae

Genus: Eschatolossus

A species originally thought to only have artificial specimens as the first 5 decades of research had insinuated through the Family's emergence at places of extreme man-made fallout, but it's ecological definition has broadened in recent times.

The first specimen of a mid-life male (Eschatolossus basilieus) washed up deceased, having seeming chocked to death on what was found to be the Eiko-Maru, a half-eaten freighter that had gone missing off the coast of the eastern Tokyo bay.

Following this the Bingo Maru was sent to investigate the area this vessel had registered last. All communications with the crew of the Bingo Maru ceased following an unusually delayed nightfall and a spike on all local measurement devices, no matter what they were meant to read. It was registered as lost within the hour.

Within days, these events were followed by a living specimen of the same species, a female, possibly it's mate, was seen climbing out of the horizon of Tokyo, making landfall and laying waste to the city.

The specimen was finally terminated after multiple hours of rampaging, though a means of medically induced coma, via it's entanglement in a power station's lines and exposure to high amounts of phosgene gas, leading to the creature's asphyxiation and death.

This event would lead to the creation of the EDF, which would later be turned into M̴̠͉̜̂ͅƠ̶̼̪̅͗̐̾N̵̜̥̭͖̞͍̠͌̈́̀Á̷̰͐̋R̴̬̍̾̔̋C̵̢̨̖̳̝̹̃̂̈́͜͠H̵̜̰̔̽̀. Creating a charter, a taxonomical guide to the being that were emerging amongst the Kaijuia Class, in the family of Godzilladae. Very specifically today, we shall be reviewing the files of the Eschatolossus Genus, along with some new, albeit under researched specimens.

New emergences from impossibly natural means have occurred in recent times enough so that, while not fitting what we previously designated as a prerequisite to be considered in this classification-that being evolutionary processes directly marred by man-made environmental hazards to an extent of reaching prehistoric megafauna-esque sizes- but still shows to be possession of all other defining characteristics. So much so in recent times we have take the initiative to remove the stipulation of "Human intervention" henceforth.

So, many previously sub-categorized or completely uncategorized specimens that, due to the aforementioned stipulation, were being monitored due to relevance but could not definitively fit our definitions, and so research of was not properly funded beyond discovery:

A handful of mutant creatures asexually reproducing at such rapid speeds it could literally force it's evolution into the Godzilladae classification (Eschatolossus inactus). - New York, New York; Progenitor specimen, Specimen A, terminated via low yield ordinance due to public safety factor. Multiple incubating offspring were taken into M̴̠͉̜̂ͅƠ̶̼̪̅͗̐̾N̵̜̥̭͖̞͍̠͌̈́̀Á̷̰͐̋R̴̬̍̾̔̋C̵̢̨̖̳̝̹̃̂̈́͜͠H̵̜̰̔̽̀ custody for further research. -Sydney, Australia; Specimen B, No progeny discovered. possible death before maturation due to slight physical difference between itself and Specimen A. Killed by another Godzilladae specimen that's been on file since the earliest years of this organization during its EDF time. Specimen B having been rendered paralyzed, possibly having it's thoracic vertebrae severed from the blunt force when attacked by (Eschatolossus Bellator). It was then killed when it was immolated by (Eschatolossus Bellator)'s "atomic breath", an exhalation of nuclear gasses that most members of the Godzilladea family have in some capacity.

Extra-terrestrial/Extra-planar Specimens: -An alien creature observed via Voyager 1, who fits all new classifications, the largest specimen both within the Godzilladea family, but possibly ever, dwarfing even The Pando Aspen 100-fold. Little can be researched, but it has been given the classification (Eschatolossus mundus rex) -A seperate, much smaller alien creature, having cragy, stone like malformations on it's back seperate from the dorsal plates, seemingly moving from one asteroid to the next. Being imaged on Voyager 2, seemingly following it. No more has been observed, but it has now been given the classification (Eschatolossus Mal Longinquus) - If not for the fact we are mathematically incapable of quantifying it's existence, beyond having footage and eye-witness accounts, this remains our most unknown member of the family (Eschatolossus incomprehensibilis vultus).

It is... scary. Truly. It is the most tangibly intangible, conceivable form that could be given to confoundment. The godly visage at which the stagnation of knowledge for it's barrier exeeds the knowedge neede to go beyond it lay as a foundation to ever begining to understand it.

[lemonidae]

Love Me Not by Pando

나를 사랑하지 않아도 / Even If You Don't Love Me

Jiwook’s more than used to poverty’s myriad of miseries. All his life he’s had to deal with debt, so he’s used to barely getting by. Now he’s determined to get out of this financial hell hole and when he gets into Daehan High school, things look like they’re taking a turn for the better. This prestigious school usually only welcomes the wealthy, but Jiwook managed to get in by pure grit. Now there’s nothing stopping him from his hike toward success…or is there? On his first day back to school, he somehow grabs the attention of Ju Seung-eon, who is everything that Jiwook isn’t. Despite their differences, Seung-eon starts to take a special interest in Jiwook. Little do they know what consequences a little curiosity will bring…

110 Chapters + Extras

[all-the-things-2020]

Further Along the Way - Chapter Six

Summary: Din starts his new job.

Rating: PG

Din spent the weekend going over his class rosters and the notes that Dunbar had left. He had approximately 250 students, mostly the first and second year students who were required to learn basic fighting and weapons skills, but there were about 50 upperclassmen who were in the advanced classes. Each basic class had between 45 and 50 students, and he would have an assistant in those, a young corporal who had been covering the classes since Captain Dunbar had left. He wasn’t as worried about them; it was the two advanced classes, with roughly 25 students each that he was concerned about.

Mariana helped him go over Dunbar’s notes. “In every class, there are three kinds of students,” she said. “There are the ones who are going to do well no matter who the teacher is because they just get it; you don’t have to worry about them. And there are the ones who need a little bit of guidance to grasp the concept but will be okay once you give them a nudge. Then there are the ones who are going to struggle no matter what because they just don’t get it; those are the ones you have to concentrate on.”

She laid out the roster for the third year class. “Like here. These three are naturals. They’re going to be fine. I wouldn’t worry about them.” She put a check mark next to their names on the printout, then looked back at the notes. She put a star next to two more names. “These two … they’re the ones you’re going to have to spend extra time on. Everyone else improved from one skills test to the next, even if it was just a little bit, but they didn’t. This one even got worse. Fighting isn’t their strong suit, so it’s going to take some extra work to get them up to speed.”

Din nodded. “Glenna Laren and Pando Florenz. Looks like she’s okay with weapons but her hand to hand skills are practically non-existent. And he’s decent at hand to hand but can’t shoot straight to save his life.”

“So, put them together and you get one decent fighter and … well, me,” Mariana laughed. “And you managed to teach me how to shoot, more or less, so I think you’ll be okay there.”

She pulled out the roster for the fourth year class and put check marks next to five names. “These are your standouts in this class. You’ll have fun with them. But these three …” She starred three names. “Nandoo Bendar, Helix Shandilon, and Klaarmat X’intari. They consistently score low on every assessment.”

Din grunted. “Klaarmat is Bendaski. He should be able to fight rings around these kids, and Bendaski eyesight is legendary among sharpshooters. Garrick told me there aren’t many non-humans in the city, and some of the locals are pretty xenophobic.” He tapped his data pad. “His grades in other classes are okay, but not great. But his intake scores were very high.”

“What about the other two?” Mariana asked.

“Looks like Shandilon is a bit of a slacker, but Bendar had decent grades and progress reports.” He clicked deeper in Shandilon’s record. “Hmm … Shandilon’s parents donated a lot of money to the Academy. There’s a note here from one of his instructors last year saying he technically failed the class but was allowed to pass over the objection of the instructor. Who was not asked back this year.”

Mariana frowned. “There’s one at every school. At least he’s in his final year, so you’ll only have to deal with him until the end of the term. But still … be careful with that one.”

Din rubbed his hand over his face. “I hate politics,” he muttered.

“Welcome to academia,” Mariana said wryly, kissing his cheek.

**********************************

The first three class periods of the day went by easily enough. Corporal Fennic had them well in hand and all Din had to do was introduce himself and watch as the students ran through the exercises. The fourth period, which preceded the lunch break, was his third year class. Fennic shooed the last of the younglings out and gave Din a nod. “Good luck, sir,” he said.

The students began to trickle in, all of them openly curious about their new instructor. Din stood quietly until the final bell rang and then pulled out his data pad to take roll call. Each cadet barked out a crisp “Here, sir,” and stood at attention as he called their names.

Glenna Laren was tall and lanky, with a long blonde braid that reached halfway down her back. She looked awkward, as if she hadn’t grown into her limbs yet, which probably explained her lack of skill at hand to hand fighting. She avoided eye contact, and blushed when Din did catch her eye for a moment. Well, she saw the holovid, he sighed.

Pando Florenz was compact, dark haired and a bit nervous. Even standing at attention, the boy could not quite stay still, one hand fidgeting at his side and one foot tapping gently against the floor. No wonder he had a hard time hitting a target; that infinitesimal moment of stillness that was necessary before pulling the trigger was likely nearly impossible for Florenz.

“Good morning, cadets,” Din began once he’d finished taking roll.

“Good morning, sir,” they chorused.

“At ease,” Din said. He watched as they all transitioned into a more relaxed stance. Florenz’ foot kept tapping.

“As you know, I’m your new weapons master, Mr. Djarin,” Din went on. “As this is our first day together, I’d like to take the time to assess where you all are in your training and find out what your goals are. If I can’t get to all of you today, we’ll continue tomorrow. But first, I’m sure you’re all curious about me.”

The class perked up at that. Din clasped his hands behind his back, mimicking their at ease position, and began to walk back and forth in front of them, like his old drill instructor had done. “Colonel Braxden told you that I’m not with the Thantosian military, so you may be wondering what my qualifications are. My parents were killed during the Clone Wars, and I was taken in as a foundling by a clan of Mandalorians.” There was a sharp intake of breath from several of the cadets. “I was raised by them and swore the Creed as soon as I was old enough. I was trained in all the ways of combat known to the Mando’ade. I’ve fought as a soldier, as a mercenary, and spent many years as a member of the Guild of Bounty Hunters.”

A tall dark-skinned cadet raised his hand. “Yes, Cadet … Robbins, is it?”

“Yes, sir. May I ask a question, sir?”

“Of course.”

“If you’re a Mandalorian, where’s your helmet?” The cadet next to him tried to shush him, but Din waved his hand.

“No, it’s a legitimate question,” he said. “I’m dar’manda, which means I’ve abandoned the Creed. That’s why I no longer wear a helmet or armor.” He rubbed his thumb against his ring.

“May I ask why?” Robbins went on.

“I decided to abandon the Creed once I took on the responsibility of a family,” Din said carefully. “I adopted a foundling, and I got married. Neither my son nor my wife are Mando’ade, and I felt it was best if I wasn’t either.”

Robbins nodded. “Okay, that makes sense. Sorry for being nosy, sir, but I’ve always heard that Mandalorians are these incredibly dedicated warriors and …”

“And you wondered why anyone would give that up,” Din finished for him. “Many would not. Others have given it up for less.” He looked each of the cadets in the eye. “We are all individuals. We all have our own reasons for everything we do. I’m sure you all have a different reason for choosing the Academy, a different reason for choosing the officer training track. Whatever your reason, I will respect it. And I will respect your differences.” He nodded at them. “But I will still expect you all to do your best, even if something doesn’t come easily or naturally to you. Combat training is a valuable skill; it can literally mean the difference between life and death.”

“Yes, sir,” the cadets murmured.

“Very well,” Din said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s get started. Cadet Bex, you’re up first.”

****************************

After lunch, Din had another second year class, which he mostly turned over to Fennic so that he had time to go over the fourth year class roster one more time. Because of Shandilon and Klaarmat, this was going to be his toughest class.

When the bell rang for the final period of the day, the second years scurried off. Fennic gave Din a fist bump and said, “See you tomorrow, boss.”

The senior cadets arrived promptly and stood respectfully against the wall until the final bell rang. Klaarmat was easy to pick out, the only non-human in the class. He stood a bit further apart from the rest of the class. Din hadn’t seen many Bendaski but the boy looked typical for the species. Greenish skin with a vaguely reptilian look to it, a slight ridge running from the top of the head down the back, keen orange eyes like a predatory bird, and delicately cupped ears that looked far too fragile for the rest of his body.

As Din pulled out his data pad to take roll, a final student sauntered in, a tall boy with light brown, almost blond hair and an arrogant look about him. His uniform jacket had one button undone and his tie was crooked. He slipped into place beside one of the girls, whispering something she apparently found distasteful.

“Cadet Helix Shandilon, I presume,” Din said, raising an eyebrow.

“Got it in one,” Shandilon said with a grin. “You’re sharp.”

Din stepped closer. The boy was only a few inches shorter than he was, but Din was much bulkier and although the smirk stayed on Shandilon’s face, he did take a half-step back, much to Din’s satisfaction. “Is this how you address all your instructors, Cadet?” He spoke evenly but with a hint of a growl.

“No,” Shandilon said. “Just the ones I don’t like.”

Din barked out a laugh. “How do you know you don’t like me? You just met me.” He circled the boy, who was beginning to sweat just a little. Good, thought Din. Be afraid.

“You’re a civilian,” the cadet said with a shrug. “Most of them don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t see why Braxden hires non-military personnel to teach us if we’re supposed to be learning how to be officers.”

“I can assure you that I know what I’m doing,” Din said, coming to a stop in front of the boy. “I learned how to fight from the Mando’ade who took me in as a foundling. I fought the Empire, I chased bounties from one side of the galaxy to another. I even took down a Moff using only a borrowed lightsaber.” He stepped closer, looking the boy in the eye. “I was the Mand’alor, the supreme leader of the Mando’ade.”

Shandilon swallowed, but then lifted his chin. “And yet here you are, teaching combat skills to a bunch of kids on Thantos Prime. Guess you weren’t a very good Mand’alor, then, huh?”

The other cadets shifted nervously. Din simply laughed. “You’re right, I wasn’t. It wasn’t what I wanted to be. So I gave up the Darksaber to someone who was better suited to the job.”

Shandilon’s eyes narrowed a bit as he absorbed this information. “And they kicked you out? ‘Cause I don’t see a helmet or beskar or anything.”

“I renounced the Creed,” Din said quietly. “Of my own volition. I gave up that life to make a better one for my family.” He held up his left hand. “And I do still wear beskar, just not as much as I used to.”

He stepped back so that he could address the entire class. “I adopted a foundling of my own, and I found my riddur. My son and my wife are more important to me than anything else. I know how to fight, and I’ll teach you everything I know, so that you can protect yourselves, your planet, and your own families. I’m not that kind of warrior anymore, but believe me, I will do anything to protect them.” He looked pointedly at Shandilon. “Whether you like me or not, I am your instructor, and I expect to be treated with respect. Which means you will address me as ‘Mr. Djarin’ or ‘Sir,’ is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the class chorused. Shandilon hesitated just a moment, so that his “sir” rang out clearly, just a tinge of mockery in his tone.

“Now,” said Din, “I’ll take roll and then we’ll start getting to know each other. I want to meet with each of you individually to see where you stand, what you already know and what you want to learn before you leave.”

He turned his back on Shandilon and consulted his data pad.

**************************************

“How’d it go?” Mariana asked as soon as he walked in the door.

“Not bad,” Din admitted. “You were right about Shandilon. He’s got an attitude the size of the Death Star, but hopefully I put him in his place. It’ll take me a few days to get a handle on all of the third and fourth year cadets, but I got a good start. And Fennic is amazing. He runs the lower level classes so well I hardly have to do anything.”

Ad’ika toddled in with Froggy in his hand. “Da!,” he cried. Din swooped him up into his arms, which made the child laugh.

“I missed you, ad,” Din said.

Mariana cleared her throat pointedly. “And I missed you, too, cyar’ika,” he said with a wink. “And you,” he said, stroking her belly with his free hand. “I missed you all.”

“Well, we didn’t miss you much,” Mariana said playfully. “We played blocks, and watched frog vids, and cleaned the ‘fresher, and walked to the market to get some cakes for dessert, and Ad’ika helped me prep the veggies for dinner by floating them from the basket into my hand.”

“Did you do that?” He asked the child. Ad’ika nodded and gestured with his tiny, three-fingered hand. Din smiled over his head at Mariana, who smiled back. He had told his students the truth: nothing was as important to him as this right here: his family.

[wolfsbanesbite]

Em, it's birb, please may I have pando with song 19 in these trying (for me) times <3

Friday I'm in love - The Cure

Lando looked forward to Fridays.

He loved being an F1 driver and the chaotic life he led. But Fridays seemed much more special for him. Much more fun.

Because on Fridays he was in love. It was the one day of his busy week he could see Pierre and no one would say anything.

Thursday was always so busy with media, Saturday was busy with quail and of course Sunday was busy with the race.

But Friday free practice sessions meant Lando and Pierre could meet up between sessions and talk. It wasn't anything special but for Pierre and Lando it meant they could share a quick kiss and soft words. It wasn't much but it was something and that's all that mattered.

[pandoa]

♡ Blossom Grove Prompt Event: The Conclusion ♡

i.... i finally... finished

guys oh my god I ACTUALLY FINISHED????? MY FIRST WRITING EVENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO ONLY GO ON FOR TWO MONTHS- IT'S A MIRACLE

it's been a long time coming, in all honesty, and i am proud (and relieved lol) to say that Blossom Grove: a 100 Followers Special has finally ended. it would have ended sooner, but because life does what it does, requests were always held back throughout these 7-ish months </3

not many of you will get to read this, but i'd still like to thank every single one of you who requested, followed, liked, commented, reblogged, and simply enjoyed the things that i wrote for you all. i think this goes to all writers and artists alike when i say that your presence and little comments make our day so much brighter, so thank you so so much for just enjoying the thing we all make.

i swear when planning this event back in late july, i thought like 10 of you guys would request MAX. i was a really small blog with a dry inbox, so that seemed the most likely at the time. but after getting 30 instead of 10 i knew this would take longer than i thought lolol

throughout the event, i noticed a lot of the things many of you tended to like. some of those included the popularly-requested yellow pansies and anemones prompts, as well as octavinelle gaining the most rqs for this event lmao. which is kinda funny because i feel like octavinelle is the main dorm i struggle writing for the most but anyways 💀

what will i be doing now?

there is one more non-event request i'm working on, but then after that all rqs will be finished. afterward, i'll mainly be writing a lot of the drafts/ideas i had that i wanted to work on during the event but didn't have a chance to. because of this, regular requests will still be closed lol (sorry). they'll be open whenever i feel like i'm ready to take requests again; i'm giving myself a break <3 i'll also be reorganizing the blog because some of my rules are outdated and i want to put some things into order

guys we went from 100 followers to 500. 500. 500 people saw this blog and made it their choice to follow it for whatever reason, and i love each and every one of you regardless of whether you interact or not. and because i'm chronically checking all of my notifs, i know for sure that i've seen your name at least once in my life. you're somewhere there in my memories and i hold you precious to my heart. oh and before i close this, i'd also like to show my mutuals some appreciation too <33 all of you are lovely souls that are a big part of my motivation to keep writing and i'm extremely honored to be mutuals with such amazing people~

and finally, to everyone, thank you for being patient and staying here with me throughout this whole event. Blossom Grove will always be special to me and i can't wait to show you all what else i have in store ♡♡

—sincerely yours, pando

→ → ♡Twisted Wonderland Masterlist♡

[peoplehavealwaysbeenpeople]

hello! I just came across this blog looking for posts for a blog I started recently, @evidence-of-life!! Quite pleased to see a fellow blog of similar concept :3 keep up the good work, and have a wonderful day!

-Pando

Ooh, hello, nice to meet you! Love your name.

[jesterday00]

How I would Fix Disney's "Strange World", Part 1

All information shared is either paraphrased from the story of Strange World or is my own personal opinion! This is not made to say I am a better writer than those who worked on Strange World, rather me sharing an opinion on what I think would improve the story.

Strange World was a movie that struck me as interesting when I saw the previews, like. a week before it's theatrical (or Disney Plus) release. Then when I decided to sit down and watch it, i managed to get the full story while skipping through it. Spoilers if you care.

Generational trauma father and son, son grows up and is successful in life and love, son is Protag now, Protag faces his barrier preventing his continuation of the status quo, Protag's son gets mad that his father won't put his life at risk.

Protag heads out on his journey, wife shows up, Protag discovers his son and for some reason their dog on the ship, they get attacked (a man is brutally killed and nobody talks about it ever), they end up in the "Strange World" and are of course separated, ship is damaged; Protag meets his father who was assumed dead for 25 years, we find out Protag's son has left the ship to find his father, Protag's son meets Splat - the unofficial mascot for the movie that will likely be a lot of toys - and nearly dies, Protag finds his son, they make a great chase to get back to the ship.

They fix the ship, head out, Protag's son tries to introduce Protag and grandfather to a modern game, "hilarious" argument ensues, (I blank on what exactly happens in this void of time), they cross a sea of acid, get to the main part of the conflict.

Protag and son find out that the thing their home has been this whole time was a giant creature rather than an island, and they've been experiencing it's internal functions attempting to keep it alive from the discovery the Protag made 25 years ago. They both go back to help the creature and put an end to the sapping of the creatures energy, Protag's father tries to go and finish his lifelong goal but then shows up miraculously to save the day, sudden creature death fakeout, then it's all fine. The supposed detrimental loss to the island's only power source is not detrimental at all, the son gets a scene with his same sex crush, and the movie's over.

So. it's something. It all of course keeps on the Generational Trauma train, but it does the lazy version - "I'm not you, Dad, so stop trying to make me be you!" x 2. Couldn't even give the son and Protag a unique conflict, just the same thing as before.

Now, how would I fix it?

I think I would start with the characters. They're not all bad, just off.

Jaegar Clade - Jaegar is a character you AREN'T supposed to like, I would say. He's driven and focused on his journeys, but is entirely selfish and only focuses on his fame. On the surface to everyone else it looks like he's driven to help the people of their home get off the island. However I'd write him to only desire to achieve the one thing that would make him the MOST famous on the island. Maybe he dies, maybe he doesn't. I haven't yet decided. Jaegar is not bothered that he's attempting to force his son into the same profession he loves, when Searcher clearly prefers science and plant-studies.

Searcher Clade - I hate his name and now so does he - after the intro, he goes by Archer. He seems like a down-to-earth guy but is entirely driven by profit, to ensure his family can be comfortable in the future and to keep him at home more often. After finding Pando at 15, the thought of riches and fame got to his head, just like it did his father. Archer's character arc is driven by his son, Ethan, convincing him that the family and the life of the creature they live on is more important than the riches and fame the Clade's already have. When Archer finally comes to terms with the fact that he loves his son and wife more than his fame and riches, he and Ethan work to remove Pando from the creature's heart and succeed without a fake-out death. Archer in the epilogue has used his wealth to aid those on the island to find a smoother transition from Pando energy to natural energy. Archer also supports Ethan and knows that he has a personal passion; he still plans to pass the farm on to Ethan in the future, but makes it clear it's ownership he's passing down, not necessarily the work unless Ethan wants it. Archer WILL NOT try to force Ethan to be something he isn't.

Meridian Clade - I love Meridian, she's very spunky and goofy in the movie. I think it would be cool to have Meridian be one of the top engineers and designers that created a lot of the Pando-powered flying machines. She is fiercely protective of her family, which leads up to her and Archer having a disagreement about Ethan. While Meridian does continue to pilot the ship, she is frustrated that Archer won't listen to her or Ethan, whom she believes when he tells her they're living on a giant creature. She and Archer have a moment in the climax where he apologizes for not listening to his family, those who would never lie to him, and being blinded by wanting something he already had. Meridian doesn't necessarily forgive him, but she says they'll talk more later when lives aren't at stake. They end up patching the cracks caused by their disagreement and are able to return to their lives even happier than before.

Ethan Clade - well-known and popular son of Archer, Ethan is popular in Avalonia and has a large group of "friends," i.e. people who want to be on his good side thinking he'll give them money, and a close-knit group of best friends who both enjoy his company and genuinely like him as he is. Ethan takes a lot after his grandmother Penelope (who those who write the fandom wiki assumes was once an animal tamer, so I'm using that for the rewrite) and is an avid animal lover. He's the one that took in Legend, though Meridian named him and sometimes calls him "Leg End"; Ethan has a lot of animals he cares for on the farm and even in his room. Before they leave to enter the Strange World, Ethan is often busy caring for an injured rodent or a bird of some kind, perhaps even caring for orphaned baby animals of some sort. He is also NOT stupid and does not get upset when his father literally says "I will not risk my son's life." He stows away because he's curious, not because he's rebellious. Ethan is the first to realize the world is an internal ecosystem of a creature, and spends a long portion of the movie trying to convince everyone this world is alive and that keeping it alive is more important than Pando. Ethan and Archer do still find themselves outside the creature, and Archer realizes Ethan wasn't making anything up. He see's the beauty and majesty of the creature and sadly agrees to help Ethan save it. In the Epilogue, we find out Ethan is heading the research efforts of the creature they live on and the care to remove the Pando still hiding away on Avalonia. Also no, I love Legend but he doesn't go to the Strange World.

Callisto Mal - Outwardly, Callisto is a caring individual - she's often among the citizens of Avalonia finding interpersonal issues at the source and trying to fix it however it's necessary; she holds a brief memorial service to the pilot/crew that was killed as they entered the Strange World. However, Callisto is also driven by profits and success, though she's actually antagonistic about it. She actively silences Ethan and convinces Archer that Ethan is lying and making up the story about the creature. She thinks that without Pando, she won't be able to win elections anymore and earn money. Even after Archer and Ethan return from seeing the creature's face/eye, she is willing to kill the internal ecosystem and the two of them as well. Meridian is forced to knock her out to save her family. The crew jumps in to help the Clade's remove the Pando from the creatures heart, and then use their testimonies to prevent Callisto from being re-elected. They can't really have her arrested, but they can cause what she feared would come to pass to do so. The movie ends with her approaching Archer to apologize and offer a hand; Archer, being kinder than before, accepts her help.

With this post getting long, I'll explain the story changes in part 2 in a more concise manner. There are snippets in each character's rewrite, but they're all over the place.

[abigail-abridged-summaries]

Ronan studied his friend, understanding his life and deaths better than before. At some point, he thought, he'd ask Gansey to talk about it, what it felt like to be him now, but now wasn't the place. They had time. Years. Instead, he said, "Yeah. I missed you and Sargent droning on about shit."

"I missed your witty repartee."

"Aglionby taught me well. I'm glad you didn't get killed during that whole Pando thing last year."

"I'm glad you didn't get killed during that whole apocalypse thing," Gansey said. He paused, watching hummingbirds circle the flowers growing up over the garage roof. "It occurred to Blue and me the other day that being a teenager really sucked."

Ronan just drew his breath in through his nostrils and blew it out through his mouth. "Yeah."

After a moment, Gansey nodded to himself, and then he reached over to fist-bump Ronan. It felt like a language of a faraway country.

[literaticat]

I know you don’t speak for everyone, but from your experience, how do people feel about mentions of the pandemic? I want to write about someone who is trying to readjust to life after the worst of it, but I know some people just never want to hear about it again.

I mean, there are whole-ass books about the pandemic, never mind just mentions of it. (THE SENTENCE by Louise Erdrich and TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett are grownup bestsellers that come to mind! My client Stephanie Lucianovic's MG book HUMMINGBIRD SEASON came out recently and is set entirely in the Pando. ETC.)

So, while there are certainly people who don't want to hear about it, there are other people who don't mind. And I'm pretty sure few people would mind your MENTIONING it. Like, it was a real thing, so... books set in our world in the modern day might well mention it, and those characters might have been affected by it!

[f1-disaster-bi]

Pando and relief? 🩵

Hmmm

Pierre didn't feel the ball of fear in his chest ease away until he finally laid eyes on Lando again.

He didn't know why the young man he had been tasked to find and bring home was eliciting such strong emotions in him, but Pierre cared about him. He may have only known him for a few days, but there was something about Lando that made Pierre come to life in a way he hadn't felt in years.

It also meant that the guilt of basically being his jailer lingered in his bones and made his teeth ache yet the relief he felt at finding the other unscathed as he sat by the pond outweighed that feeling right now.

"I'm sorry for pushing you", Pierre admitted, sitting down beside him,leaving a little room between them as Lando held his knees to his chest, "And I'm sorry that I have to bring you back"

Lando just turned his head slightly, and looked at Pierre. His eyes were still a little red from the angry tears but it was the defeat in them that made Pierre want to turn around and pretend he had never found him.

"It's okay. You didn't say anything but the truth. I wasn't thinking when I ran, I just wanted out", Lando sighed and then he did something that surprised Pierre. He shifted closer, and rested his head on Pierre’s shoulders. Curls tickled his cheek and he felt the other relax slightly.

And Pierre, as he wrapped a lose around around the younger man, decided then and there that he wouldn't be like Lando’s family and forcing an unwanted reality on the younger.

"I'll tell them that I lost your trail, and I'll help you to the nearest town. I know some people that will take you in and help you get started on creating a life for yourself", Pierre offered as he closed his eyes, "You'd be free to make your own choices. Although you'd have to change your name"

Lando let out a soft breath and a warm hand covered Pierre’s.

"No, but thank you. My family might have hurt me, but they're still family. I shouldn't have run from my problems, it doesn't solve anything", Lando admitted as he curled closer to Pierre, "But maybe we could stay here a while longer?"

Pierre hid his smile in Lando’s curls and resisted the urge to kiss him.

"Of course, Lando"

[redrawthecolorlessworld]

(not exactly) poorly explaining rhymix characters' backstories (part 3)

hi everyone

———

1. Colorless

how convenient that he's first...!

guy who has seen The Horrors of the World™ and loses all hope in everything and basically views the world as colorless.........do you get it now

a lot more might be elaborated during main story. who knows tho lol

2. Lea

i don't have much to say other than the fact that she had connections with spasmodic...... (lesbianism????!!!!! /hj)

3. Pandora Paradox

used to be The One Who Transcends All until she decided to do something that may have already been mentioned in past fic posts (aka her wanting to end the world because she thought that it's imperfect and shit like that). she got stopped by tsunagite and then boom. into prison realm she goes. after centuries or smth idk she gets released by tsuna because tsuna feels bad and misses her :(( let's go lesbians let's go. YURIIIIIII

4. Tsunagite

was a normal human being at first. also met pandora and bonded with her for like a full year or smth i forgor. pandora tries to fuck shit up and then tsuna stops her and seals her away into her prison realm. pandora ends up transferring some of her powers of tsunagite, entrusting her with the task of finding a successor for her. also tsuna misses her so she lets pando out like. a long time later. this is incomprehensible.

5. Mope Mope

was in an abusive household. watched her dad kill her mom right infront of her. the dad eventually gets arrested but she just. hates him a lot. eventually craves violence. lol

6. Mayoeru

she had a loved one. they live far away from memoria, though. she only met them once during a summer festival and never saw them again ever since. that's all

7. Trap Crow

.....will be elaborated in side story 1.

8. Aria

Nothing™

9. Suito

one of the first living beings to set foot onto rhymix. has lived a long life, and even got to know many people. his life isn't too interesting, aside from the very obvious beef between the elves and the humans of gyroscopia.

10. Ling Hao Cheliang

used to be a very upbeat and actually emotional kid, but then the experiments and the prosthesis replacements kind of fucked with his memories and his ability to feel emotions so. whoops

11. Ether Second

is simply here to complement with ether strike

12. Nhelv

explained in his introductory:

he used to like composing music but then after entering music contests and losing all of the time he gets really burnt out. do you see the reference and inspiration here yet

13. Random

dude idfk he's just there living his life taking whatever comes at him as if his playing baseball or smth idfk

14. #D3D3D3

sort of explained in her introductory??

the experiments related to the prosthesis led her to view the world and the universe in general as nothing. just blank. a Blank Universe.

Heh.

15. World Vanquisher

idk yet L

16. Convergence

i can't tell you this early, y'know? you gotta find out through something else. just wait until that time arrives.

17. Defection

worked for testify for a long time. that's all

18. Infinite Strife

has beef with world ender ever since they first met. that is literally all

also she actually has her own fear. nobody else should know about it yet.

19. Frey

sort of explained in his character teaser post

used to be a bright young kid who others would think would grow up to become someone remarkable one day. he said a lot of philosophical things too. however notalano lost its color, and at the same time, frey lost his parents. so he became more quiet and reserved ever since.

20. Horizon Blue and Bloody Marquis

used to be close friends, and even blue had feelings for marquis. but then they got taken in but uhhhhh astaroth, i guess???? and then marquis changed and blue is sad :(

21. The 90's Decision

she doesn't have too much shit going on with her. dw abt it. she's having fun

22. Pure

i don't really know yet ouch

23. solips

has always been curious of the world around him, including being curious of Himself???? damn bro what the fuck. idk what else to say i haven't really fleshed him out that much yet

24. Vulcanus

used to be friends with technicolour, and during the horrible accident in their hometown, he managed to escape and survive. now he resides in gyroscopia, waiting for the day where he and techni can reunite again

also he befriended inverted world. lol

speaking of inverted world...

25. Inverted World

she doesn't have much going on with her. she just really wants to travel all over the world, and maybe even go into parallel universes herself. that's all

THAT'S ALL OF THEM YAYYYYY

[astrid-delacour]

more things my friends have said as marauders quotes

Barty: sperm shaped drinks are the best kind of drinks

Lily: I do what I want /DEBAUCHERY

Pandora: did you just use debauchery as tone tag

James: sleep paralysis possum

Remus: I'm like a functional alcoholic

Evan: I'm not edgy but my friend had a dream last year

Marlene: he's so basic I can't see him

Sirius: do they make foot lingerie

Sirius: you look like the grinches dog

Evan: I would never call the ace alliance it's legal name in casual conversation

Mary: your hair is the colour of the devil

Sirius: it's not gay if we both have girlfriends

Regulus: I am better at the tism cause I make the noise

Lily: who drew balls on my board?!

James: I'm like Thomas Edison and you're that welsh dude

Remus: Stalin?

Regulus: I'm mean but not detriment to dental hygiene mean

Sirius: this is the one thing the Catholic Church would back me up on

Marlene: she's so mommy, I want to use her thighs as earmuffs

James: give me the fucking magnet back you hoe

James: we do not call 12 ear olds hot in this establishment

Barty: are you a Rick or morty?

Evan: idk

Barty: I feel like you're a rick cause you're autistic

Barty: I'm a whore for jack skellington

Dorcas: I'm a whore for sally

Lily: omg we're literally the bubonic plague

James: whatever fruits your loops

Sirius: I'm not to gay for anything, except heterosexual relationships

Remus: that takes a level of common sense I don't have

Barty: I've added a sneeze for every year of my life

Sirius: "*takes dramatic bow and twirls hair like a Renaissance girl who's secretly a witch*"

Marlene: fuck you and your two prong fork I have a seven prong fork

Marlene: she's a bitch but I love her that's my opinion of her (about dorcas)

Regulus: take an IQ test rn and while you're at it take an "am I gay" quiz

Regulus: ok 1684 the men were being whores and the girls were being whores (describing his family)

Mary: can you guys stop being horny on main please? (Talking about Canada)

Lily: nothing goes harder than the electoral college at homecoming

Pandora: I'm still on my autism high

James: you never know how fast you're walking until you body check a wall

Barty: it's really hot when you hear the tortured screams of a child predator dying

James: no one pulls my leg on leg day

James: thank sweet cheesus

Dorcas: it's a requirement

Evan: THATS A LIE. That is a LIE

Dorcas: it definitely is....

Evan: sweet lord Jesus

first year: vou have to come vou stand in line and have chicken fingers

Dorcas: I'm signing you up for Tuesday

Evan: I hate you

(In a baby voice) Sirius: I'm wubber wou're gwue what ever bounces off me stwicks to WOU

(Also baby voice) Marlene: jwokes on wou I'm cement *closes door and leaves*

Sirius: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!? MARLENE! MARLENEEEE

James: so we've got a white a black and a Hispanic. I love cultural diversity 

Mary: ohhhh so he PlaysTM golf

Mary: right person wrong time except by wrong time you just don't like him and right person you mean he's ugly

Mary: I hot girl summered a little too close to the sun

Lily: you would put an e minor in there

Mary: Marlene needs to be spayed

Marlene: you're like garage band

Dorcas: Lily I think my song is killing Marry

Lily: good

Lily: it needs a little more work and by a little I mean I haven't started it

Dorcas: this is not a no judgement zone, this is a very judgement zone

Sirius: dairy-free, gluten-free, uhh vegan-free, it's all the frees

Dorcas: how self sabotagey are we feeling today

James: .... functionable

Peter/Remus: what? did you just say functionable?

James: ....veah

Peter: it's functional

James: seriously?!?!

Remus: yeahhhh

James: I was homeschooled ok!

Remus: how long have you been saying it like that?

James: anyways...

Dorcas: I'm not getting that sappy! They don't deserve that!!

Mary: your eyebrows are like 3 business days from your eyelids

Marlene: that is the bassiest bass

Mary: sometimes you just have to accept the crack

Peter: James would be a court jester

Pandora: that's very hannon-y

Pandora: like power ballad but make it cats

Lily: how loving should be as easy as ...?

Marlene: COW

Marlene: like cow eat grass

Mary: loving should be as easy as 'insert metaphor here'

[thegaytraveler]

Pride Journey: Columbus, Ohio

By Joey Amato, Guest Contributor

Columbus, Ohio, a city known for its friendly and diverse atmosphere, has emerged as a thriving hub for LGBTQ culture in the Midwest. This vibrant community has grown exponentially in recent years, drawing people from all walks of life to experience its inclusivity, acceptance, and celebration of diversity. In this article, we delve into the rich LGBTQ culture in Columbus, exploring its history, events, organizations, and the city's ongoing efforts to create a welcoming environment for all.

Columbus has a long history of supporting LGBTQ rights and fostering an accepting environment. The city's Pride Parade, established in 1981, is one of the oldest in the Midwest. This annual event brings together thousands of LGBTQ individuals, allies, and supporters to celebrate and advocate for equal rights, visibility, and social acceptance.

Additionally, Columbus has a thriving LGBTQ neighborhood, known as the Short North. This eclectic and artsy area is home to numerous LGBTQ-friendly bars, restaurants, galleries, and shops. The Short North is not only a place to socialize and enjoy nightlife, but also a symbol of the city's commitment to LGBTQ inclusion and representation. From popular bars like Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub to LGBTQ-owned cafes and art galleries, this neighborhood offers a safe environment for community members to express themselves authentically. The Columbus LGBTQ Community Center, known as "The Center on High," is a vital resource for the community. It serves as a gathering place for meetings, support groups, educational workshops, and social events, fostering connections and a sense of belonging.

Although the Short North is definitely the city’s most vibrant area, I urge you to check out the Franklinton neighborhood, just a short drive away. The area is home to new shops, restaurants, the Center of Science and Industry, or COSI for short, as well as The Junto, a new independent lifestyle hotel where I stayed for the weekend.

The Junto serves up a very trendy but comfortable vibe in a part of Columbus that is quickly emerging as one of the most sought-after addresses in the city. Aside from the hotel, new apartments and condos are popping up throughout the neighborhood.

The rooms at the hotel feature luxury linens, a separate living room space as well as a super-sized bathroom with a soaking tub in the shower area. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a massive space large enough to fit about a dozen people.

One of the highlights of the hotel is Maudine’s, a lovely café named after a cow. Maudine wasn’t just any cow. She was named Ohio State Homecoming Queen back in 1926. Maudine’s makes its own syrups for their beverages, and you can clearly taste the difference. I ordered a vanilla latte, and it was probably one of the best I’ve ever had. You can clearly taste the difference between Maudine’s version verse the chain store version.

Another highlight of the pet-friendly property is the Gear Garage where guests can rent anything from bikes or kayaks to vintage Polaroid cameras.

After checking into the hotel, my boyfriend and I decided to explore the Franklinton neighborhood. A short walk away is The Bee Collective. The owner Luke was gracious enough to give us a tour of the property and show us the inner workings of the extensive hives, some of which contain thousands of bees. We even got a chance to taste some local honey, which beats out the store-bought variety any day.

A few blocks away from The Bee Collective is Makers Social, a gathering space where visitors can create a variety of leather products all while indulging in delicious cocktails, or in our case, mocktails. I made a beautiful leather-bound journal while my guest decided to create a wallet. And don’t worry, all of the projects come with detailed instructions and the friendly staff will also be more than happy to assist if you get stuck. The business was founded by Megan Pando in 2020 and serves as one of the key gathering spaces for the Franklinton community.

Next, check out a new fashion district called Common Thread, located in downtown Columbus, home to local designers and boutiques including Gerardo Encinas, Xantha, and Alex Vinash.

For dinner, head to Speck, a modern Italian eatery located downtown. We decided to start with an order of the Blistered Shishitos, which were served with parmesan, malden sea salt, and a lemon aioli as well as the Mussels special prepared in a delicious white wine broth. For our entrée, we shared the Fungi pasta, which consisted of a variety of sauteed mushrooms served over pasta in a delicate cream sauce.

Every time I visit Columbus, I have a good time, but if you happen to visit in June, check out the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and Parade. Held every June, in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, this festival showcases the vibrancy, resilience, and unity of the LGBTQ community. Participants enjoy live performances, food vendors, workshops, and a powerful parade that brings together people from all backgrounds to march for equality and justice.

Numerous organizations in Columbus are dedicated to providing support, resources, and advocacy for LGBTQ individuals. Among these, Stonewall Columbus is a prominent nonprofit that offers a wide range of services, including support groups, counseling, health services, and youth programs. The Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) is another crucial organization working to combat violence against LGBTQ individuals and provide assistance to survivors.

As Columbus continues to evolve and champion LGBTQ rights, it serves as a reminder to other communities around the world that embracing diversity is not only the right thing to do but also a catalyst for creating a richer, more harmonious society for all.