#erica long

[joyhouse]

It's Our Time selected for International New York Film Festival

[patchworkgargoyle]

Steve would be an absolute menace (pun intended) with the fake, clunky, plastic lightsabers that start being sold when the Star Wars prequels come out.

He doesn't get one for himself, he steals one of Eddie's or Dustin's and twirls it in his hand before he whacks someone with it. The only people free from his viscous lightsaber attacks are Max and Erica.

Yes, this does devolve into Steve, Eddie, and the Party having giant lightsaber battles in somebody's backyard. Eddie has Darth Maul's double-ended one and smacks himself in the face with it more than he hits anyone else.

[lavenderstobins]

stranger tweets part 20

[previous] [next]

all previous parts: [part 1] [part 2] [part 3] [part 4] [part 5] [part 5.5] [part 6] [part 7] [part 8] [part 9] [part 10] [part 11] [part 12] [part 13] [part 14] [part 15] [part 16] [part 17] [part 18]

[throwback-town]

Fang ganggggg

on the way to rob the bank what bank? the BLOOD bank!

[close ups under the cut]

oh mai gawddddd it's been like a year since I've drawn anything let alone finish it to completion

bro i was so scared i was just gonna give up in the middle cuz I'm so rustyyy

it's like learning to ride a bike all over again (which i still need to remember how to do lmao)

im so proud of myself holy shit- also peep the background changes i think the bat one was pretty cool

also it inspired this gif so yeah

you guys have absolutely no idea what i was working with i had this as my pen for the first half no pressure sensitivity nothing

also shout out to moonvika and mothvamp for being my refs

[w0rmx0l0tlzzz]

please disregard my past fanart. that is not me anymore. (I figured out how to draw them in a way that doesn't look so weird)

also here's some of the drawings separated for those who are interested :3

i am usually pretty bad with backgrounds but I really like this one!! I think I need to do them line less a lot more

[love-takes-work]

Streamily.com Presents: The Steven Universe Cast Reunion Q&A Part 2

Here’s a complete overview of the Q&A that was put on by Streamily, hosted by Elijah (“Not-So-Average Fangirl”), featuring Rebecca Sugar as the showrunner/creator, Sarah Stiles as Spinel, Deedee Magno Hall as Pearl, AJ Michalka as Stevonnie, Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Grace Rolek as Connie, Jennifer Paz as Lapis Lazuli, Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, and Erica Luttrell as Sapphire/Padparadscha. Read below to see various insights and opinions, and lots of hilarious commentary from the cast about the experience of voicing characters on Steven Universe.

Everyone opened with intros. Elijah ("Not-So-Average Fangirl") is the mod.

Rebecca said they created and ran the show for 8 years.

Sarah Stiles says she played Spinel!

Deedee Magno Hall says she played Pearl.

AJ Michalka says she played Stevonnie.

Shelby Rabara says she played Peridot.

Grace Rolek says she played Connie.

Jennifer Paz says she played Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, and Bob.

Kimberly Brooks says she played Jasper.

Erica Luttrell says she played Sapphire and Padparadscha.

Elijah says the questions are largely taken from the audience.

Q (for Rebecca Sugar): If you could be a Gem that WASN'T in the show, what Gem would you be and what abilities would you have?

A (Rebecca): Says they put so many Gems in the show. They used to go to gemhut.com to pick new ones. There were so many Gems inserted that were an aspect of Rebecca. They like Titanium--you get to be all the colors! And they always liked writing for the Quartzes--the soldiers who had epiphanies to not fight and settle down. They think they'd be a Titanium Quartz.

Q (for Shelby Rabara from Greenie_507): How was voicing Peridot different from any other character she ever played?

A (Shelby): Peridot is her favorite, hands down. She had a lot of emotional range--it was interesting to start her off as stoic and militant and then go through the transformation of losing her limb enhancers and becoming cute. Playing Peridot was such a great opportunity to embody an awesome character who evolves, and says what she's thinking without worrying about repercussions. Such a huge arc for this character!

Q (for Jennifer Paz from BrookesNook087): Which parts of Lapis did she find easy to connect with and which, if any, did she find difficut when voicing her?

A (Jennifer): She's so happy to be here and reconnect. Lapis has range too--when you meet Lapis it's intense, and she came in with such back story--Jennifer wasn't sure if she was even a good guy or a bad guy. She related to her so many ways--she was going through her "second puberty" (aka perimenopause) so she represents rediscovering yourself after dealing with trauma--she didn't even realize until after watching it that this character was reentering the world. She was a new mom and trying for her next kid and immediately going through perimenopause--it all led to this brain fog that she didn't even realize how much story was packed into Lapis's character.

Q (for Kimberly Brooks from Marco_Syrup): What was her favorite moment/part of voice acting for Jasper?

A (Kimberly): There are a lot of favorite moments. The surprise where Rebecca was going with the character; at first Jasper was a straight-up bully, but then she got an arc. Kimberly loves working with everybody and loves being part of the show. When she mentions Steven Universe, that's the show she's worked on that gets the most response. For her, the favorite aspect is the impact the show had on young people--gender identity, things in the ether. She loved being part of a timely, cool movement that a lot of people were affected by. She felt special being a part of it. Jasper is just a fun character to voice and she had fun.

Q (for Grace Rolek from Sammie47): What was it like growing up with her character? Were there ever any similiarities betweeen her real life and Connie's?

A (Grace): Yes! She loves this question and she REALLY feels like she grew up with the character. She started working on the show at 15 and now she's 27. She was in high school, really figuring out who she was, and in a lot of ways the character growth of Connie did mirror hers. She wasn't a shy kid but she was a bookworm and was homeschooled. Connie's journey of finding herself, her voice, her confidence, mirrored her own. This was very special for Grace to see her become a badass sword-fighting character. It was amazing to have that outlet and this space to explore growing up in her acting. She can look back as a full-blown adult and see how it mirrored her journey. She did once try fencing at the Renaissance Faire but decided that's more Connie's thing.

Q (for Sarah Stiles from somestarlight22): What part of the movie was the most challenging to record?

A (Sarah): She couldn't go for more than 45 minutes because she'd lose her voice. It was also the most thrilling voice work by FAR that she's ever done. Emotionally it was one of the great gifts of her life. She jumped into the world that had already existed and she'd had no idea her character was so important to the movie when she first got the role. She thought it was such a beautiful world. Spinel is very close to home sometimes, unfortunately. Her niece has a Spinel costume.

Q (for AJ Michalka): If you could fuse with any character you've ever played or voiced, who would you pick and why?

A (AJ): Steven Universe was the first cartoon she'd ever worked on, and then not long after it was She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. She LOVES playing Stevonnie and Catra. Something about merging Stevonnie and Catra would be some badass complication would be amazing. There should be fanart. The name would be what? Stevonatra? Catronnie? Deedee thinks then that character would have to sing Cookie Cat.

Q (for Erica Luttrell from FluffyBee_93): Would you want Sapphire's future vision abilities? Why or why not?

A (Erica): No, no, nope. We don't know much about the mysteries of existence, and she doesn't even like to go to a psychic because the answers would worm their way into her psyche and she'd always think it would be bad. She would want to intervene. It's funny because Estelle was on the previous day and she very much DID want all the answers.

A (Rebecca): In the writers' room this was discussed a lot because they'd determined Sapphire's future vision was entirely passive and fixed on one future where she does not act. Ruby's so impulsive that she fractures potential futures. When they combine in Garnet, they see multiple futures, so these answers make sense to them. At the bachelorx party before Rebecca married Ian, they had a psychic, and their brother Steven said "this is bad."

Q (for Deedee Magno Hall from ennedept): "Volleyball" is one of the questioner's favorite episodes. How did Deedee like voicing four characters in one episode?

A (Deedee): She can't remember doing all four in one episode. (Elijah suggests there's a Fusion of four Pearls. Rebecca corrects saying the Fusion in that episode is Crystal Gem Pearl and Volleyball.) Deedee says it's difficult to do multiple Pearls--she'll need a previous recording played to voice match, and she prefers to do one character at a time all the way through. She considers it a good fun challenge. She relies on Rebecca.

A (Rebecca): They gave the direction that Blue Pearl is mousy and Yellow Pearl is more like an old-timey secretary.

A (Deedee): Deedee remembers being told that the sound to shoot for is more like Betty Boop or Marilyn Monroe. It was very helpful to have that direction when creating the voices.

Q (for all): Which scene had them the most emotional while voicing or writing it?

A (Rebecca): The song "Change Your Mind" was a personal song that wasn't supposed to be for the show. It was written at a difficult time when Rebecca was facing pushback on the show and trying to stand their ground. It was an emotional choice to include it in the show.

A (Sarah): Her audition for the movie involved singing "Drift Away." She remembers being on her bed in her apartment singing it into her phone and couldn't stop crying. Recording the song live was also really emotional. It's burned in her mind. In a good way.

A (Deedee): When she recorded "It's Over, Isn't It" because she was also doing Tommy the musical, and her voice was raw after doing that musical. She had to reschedule the recording to sing the song properly. When she did manage to go to the studio to record it, she was still doing the show, but she wasn't on during the week. She was so worried about the vocal performance that she wasn't as invested as much as she wanted to be. All the times she was able to sing that song again, it was far more emotional afterwards. She loved that it spoke to so many fans. There were so many other songs that she doesn't sing in the show that take her to an emotional place too. She loves "Love Like You." It's her all-time favorite. She loves the way Rebecca sang it.

[Pausing the question to ask Rebecca a question before they have to go]

Q (for Rebecca from DominoMuffin): What happened to Cactus Steven after running off?

A (Rebecca): The Crew talked about this. In a way, it foreshadows the end of Future, which is a character who's been through a lot and then has to go live their life and be free. Their goal was to call forward to the adventure Steven would be having. Cactus Steven is living life and figuring it out.

Anything to say from Rebecca before leaving?

A (Rebecca): They're so excited to see everyone, they miss everyone, and they're on TikTok @rebeccasugar. Just playing little covers of the songs and they have the EP Spiral Bound out. They can't thank the other participants enough for helping to encourage them to record personal music.

[Back to the "All" question about the most emotional recording moments.]

A (AJ): The introduction of Stevonnie in "Alone Together" and realizing they were a Fusion and an experience, and not really knowing what it would be like. That part really got her--she likes to tell people they're an experience now, that they're a moment in time. It made her tear up when she recorded it. And then recording "Here Comes a Thought" with Estelle was super special. The lyrics are deep and touched many people. She loved singing with Estelle after only really having duet experiences with her sister.

A (Shelby): Many emotional moments happened in the recording booth--crying and laughing, all of it. Her most emotional moment was in the "In Dreams" recording with Zach Callison. It felt a bit like a goodbye message to the Crew, too--that they want to be connected even if they have to leave and live far away. Zach is so talented and gave so much--they even held hands during the recording. She really felt like she was on the edge with Zach, that she could feel everything that happened. Such a cool moment as an artist. She feels fortunate to be connected to all the other actors through this beautiful piece of art.

A (Jennifer): She agrees with Shelby. Jennifer didn't feel like she got to record that much. She remembers being emotional during Lapis's opening scene of saying to the Crystal Gems, "You three knew I was in there and you didn't do anything." She remembers she was shaking when she recorded the scene. It was so heavy for a cartoon, and she hadn't known it would be like that since she hadn't really done too many cartoons. Rebecca told her she's playing someone who was trapped and she didn't know much else--she was alone in the booth and didn't know what was going on. Later when she saw the episode she was blown away. She also remembers an emotional recording when Lapis stands up to Jasper in "Alone at Sea." What she was tackling, with Lapis taking her agency, her power back, from being in this toxic situation--this is a lot for an eleven-minute piece of art. That in particular, she was emotional in the booth. It was a powerful message to those getting out of a horrible situation. She would meet fans from cons and they would share personal stories of getting out of their own horrible situations and reference that episode. Jennifer feels fortunate to have been part of a show that gives such great life lessons.

A (Erica): Erica can't find the episode name (it was "The Question"), but her emotional moment was when Ruby and Sapphire were separated and Ruby came back from being a cowboy. She knows how it is to be separated from a person who feels like a part of you. She connects easily with others and she hates when someone ends a connection.

A (Kimberly): She wishes she had a better memory. She has the same issue as Erica. She remembers also feeling like she's stepping into an existing world that she hadn't heard of when her character arrived. Her character was the abuser and the bully, and she didn't realize what the impact was. All of her scenes were emotional--with anger--but pain is always underneath it. She felt like EVERY scene she recorded was emotional--what is making Jasper so angry? what is missing from her life? Such a heavy character to represent. Once she had to record as a public service announcement about bullying and she thought it was so relevant.

A (Grace): Grace also tried to Google an episode name and it might have crashed her Wi-Fi. The episode was "Full Disclosure," where Steven is pushing Connie away. (Though she recognizes Connie also pushes Steven away elsewhere in the show.) She got choked up recording the episode--she knows the feeling of trying to be there for someone and they're pushing you away is familiar to her. At that age your friendships and relationships are so dramatic. There's also when Connie confronts her mom in "Nightmare Hospital" when she tells her mother she hadn't even noticed that her glasses don't have lenses. She kenw that feeling of growing up and not being a little girl anymore. She thought something similar to the others about how her concept of working on a cartoon was more like "We're going to go on adventures and fight bad guys!" and then before you know it you're crying in the recording booth and exploring your past.

Elijah the host says other messages from children's media (Rainbow Fish, The Giving Tree) taught people to give all of themselves away and encourage toxic relationships, but this show stood against that.

Q (for Shelby Rabara from Mylesjude2): In Little Homeschool, Peridot teaches gardening to students. What are her favorite plants to grow and why?

A (Shelby): Peridot loves growing pumpkins and she doesn't have to build anything for gourds to grow. She's a big bean fan and she likes to pick the pods off. How can there even be food scarcity? It's just logical!

Q (for Jennifer Paz from Kai): What element other than water would she like Lapis to manipulate and why?

A (Jennifer): She thinks she would love to be able to read minds. That's not really an element but wouldn't that be cool? She can tell sometimes when people aren't saying everything they mean and she'd like to be able to root it out. Maybe Lapis could be a therapist, taking what she learned evolving through trauma.

Q (for Kimberly Brooks from TheMaskedTaco): What does she think Jasper is doing now? Does she do anything in Little Homeworld?

A (Kimberly): She needs help with that answer. Did she learn any lessons? Did she move forward? Kimberly isn't sure. She needs some serious therapy. Let's just say she's getting some self help and is doing better, taking responsibility for her actions. That's what Kimberly wants to believe.

Elijah says they should take Jasper to a rage room and can break something every time she reveals something about herself. What if Lapis and Jasper went into business together to run a rage room? Maybe have a crying room? Include Peridot and make morps in the barn? Someone should draw that too. Deedee wants to know if someone can come to the rage room to clean and organize things too. Perhaps do laundry. It could be very therapeutic.

Q (for Grace Rolek from WhatIsJuan): What does she think Steven and Connie are up to now that the show is ended?

A (Grace): Connie's off to college and Steven visits. She remembers she went off to college at 18 and Zach visited her. It'd be similar adventures. And they'd probably get up to adventures as Stevonnie.

Q (for Sarah Stiles from Flowerz4Daises): What is Spinel up to since the movie?

A (Sarah): She's learned Cirque du Soleil tricks. Trapeze, skateboarding, hip-hop classes, cooking, baking; she's got endless energy and ideas, so she's doing a LOT of stuff. She'd have such chaotic colors and flavors! Maybe combine baking AND a circus! And hole up in the barn.

Q (for AJ Michalka from G70_Heart): What was the process like when voicing the conversations between Steven and Connie while they were Stevonnie?

A (AJ): It was tricky. There are things Grace does that AJ would pick up on, and then with Zach she'd think of the Steven laugh and mannerisms. Stevonnie is a whole person and she wanted to subtly reference aspects of how their components talked without it seeming like she's playing two people.

Q (for Erica Luttrell from Nachet): Was it fun playing two different kinds of Sapphire and was it hard to go from Sapphire to Padparadscha? (Everyone jokes about not being able to pronounce Padparadscha.)

A (Erica): It was not difficult at all because the two characters were in completely separate episodes. It was fun, especially since Padparadscha is SO different and cute. Sapphire is regal. She relates to the deep thinking Sapphire does and sometimes her wife doesn't want to listen to it.

Q (for Deedee Magno Hall from Bella): If Pearl could say one thing to Rose about how Steven turned out, what does she think she'd say?

A (Deedee): Rose would be so proud of him. That would be it. And he is loved.

Elijah's mom calls in from off camera to say they're all having too much fun. It's funny since they're just talking about moms. Erica says her nine-month-old just took a couple steps for the first time during the recording.

Q (for all from pulpypal953): Which Gem character's power would you want in real life?

A (Sarah): She would want to be big and strong. Like Jasper.

A (Deedee): As a mom, she would want the healing power.

A (AJ): She'd want to manipulate water like Lapis. She'd love to be able to save people from tsunamis.

A (Shelby): She wants future vision so she could prepare.

A (Jennifer): She remembers Steven healing Lapis with his spit. She wants to heal with spit.

A (Erica): She's giving it serious thought. She'd want to be strong like Jasper but also impervious, and she wants to be able to jump back a second or two in time to fix misses. She wants to shield those she loves and those who need it.

A (Kimberly): Invisibility. She's kind of a voyeur. Elijah thinks she could have Amethyst's shapeshifting power and become a small animal.

A (Grace): Shapeshifting. She'd love to be able to cause chaos.

Q (for all from HaoTamaLove): What animal does your character remind you of and why?

A (Sarah--Spinel): Maybe a little puppylike or bunnylike.

A (Deedee--Pearl): Bird. She adopted the loving term "Bird Mom." Maybe like a flamingo, but a flamingo beak isn't pointy. Kimberly thinks like a crane? A fusion of a flamingo and a crane. A cramingo! (Artists? A new prompt.)

A (AJ--Stevonnie): A Lion because of their mane. They're sturdy and reliable.

A (Shelby--Peridot): A squirrel. She'll do anything to get what she wants. (Artists??)

A (Jennifer--Lapis): Maybe Lapis's alter ego, Bob--Bob would be a regal cat. The cat would cause trouble. Lapis had dry one-liners.

A (Erica--Sapphire&Padparadscha): Padparadscha would be a "slemur." A sloth lemur. A hyper-aware but slow creature. Sapphire would be an antelope, but in the arctic.

A (Kimberly--Jasper): The African Bush Elephant, which is the strongest animal in the world. Then also maybe the Muskox.

A (Grace--Connie): A companion animal that's really smart, like an Australian Shepherd.

Q (for all): Share socials, other projects, and outros!

A (Sarah): She's on Instagram and she's in the first season of Hazbin Hotel, plus some hush-hush stuff.

A (Deedee): She's on Instagram and is voicing occasionally on Kiff. Thank you to Streamily.

A (AJ): She's on Instagram and is releasing a new album with her sister (Aly & AJ).

A (Shelby): She's on Instagram, and she just released a kids' book with her husband called Martee Dares to Dance. She directed her first short for a film festival and directing a music video. Also "mommin' so hard."

A (Jennifer): She is working on some secret projects. She did some voiceover on a game. She's developing a musical with her husband called Proud Marys. She's writing and producing things she can't talk about, but hopefully soon!

A (Erica): She's on Instagram and the bird site that shall remain nameless. She can't talk about her current projects. Things she's apeared on before will be involved.

A (Kimberly): She's on Instagram and can't talk about upcoming stuff and doesn't quite know the process for some of them. She's in a new thing: she is in Arcane as Sky. And she's done some work on The Simpsons and South Park.

A (Grace): She's on Instagram and worked on Clone Drone in the Hyperdome as Kata, and she plays bass in a band called Starling.

That's it! You can get signed prints at Streamily!

[existingonthisplane]

What’s a better way to celebrate the last day of black history month than with another Lucas and Erica drawing. I really wanted to make sure I got this done by today!!

Tried my hand at perspective,,,

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Charles and Sue Sinclair, after they find out that Steve took a plate to the head saving Lucas from Bully Hargrove: We're giving Lucas and Erica a brother.

Steve: Congratu-

Sue: *slams adoption papers in front of Steve* It's you. You're our son now. Sign here.

[whosaidsealscantfly]

My two cents on the whole situation

I think a lot of people in the Welcome Home fandom are misunderstanding the bigger picture here. It's resulting in a lot of people expressing disappointment and pointing fingers at people who aren't even the problem, and while the intentions mean well, it's causing the toxic environment Clown doesn't want.

In his post, which has now been privated, he talks about how overwhelming everything is. He even directly states that it's not just about boundaries, and while he has trouble putting it into words (and I will not put words in his mouth in the process either), Clown indicates that the sudden spotlight and attention is overwhelming him. And that's completely understandable - he's just one guy! Plus, he's been making stuff for Welcome Home for years, so it only makes sense to fluster over the sudden rush of attention in only a week. A week!!!

The reasons why boundaries come into play with all of this isn't just because his THREE rules were violated by garbage people. It's the fact that he had no time to establish boundaries beforehand, and it's stressful to suddenly have to think of EVERY facet of fandom culture and establish the dos and don'ts. But as Clown said, what's happened has happened, and all we can do is move on. Which leads me to my next point:

Clown explicitly said to not reprimand people on his behalf. He doesn't want the fandom to waste time and energy on people who have already crossed the line. What has happened, has happened. With that said, it's important to educate and point out when someone has crossed a boundary, but you shouldn't go through so much effort and anger over someone who clearly doesn't give a shit.

I've seen a lot of people who are making posts with a lot of "shame on you!"s and "You are all trash." I've also seen comments on harmless fanfics or art saying things like "You're the reason this fandom sucks." What awful things to say!

This fandom is probably one of the best fandoms I've been a part of. Why? Because a large majority, and I mean a LARGE majority, are respectful of Clown and want to do right by him. I've never seen a community band together so quickly to change their ways, apologize, spread the word, and evaluate the decisions they've made: not just in this fandom, but every fandom they've ever been a part of. That's HUGE. I've been on the internet for a very long time, and I don't think I've ever seen anything like that.

Yes, there are BAD eggs in this fandom, but there always is. What's important is that I haven't been seeing those bad eggs. Like, at all. I haven't seen a single explicit NSFW post, and I haven't seen a single piece of mass-produced merch. I've only heard about them through word-of-mouth, but I've never actually seen anything with my own eyes. Not that I doubt anyone, but I'm saying this to illustrate just how little bad eggs there are in the community. And this is a HUGE community.

In fact, I think we're so good, that we're starting to punish ourselves for making fandom content, and that is also awful. I want to reiterate what Clown's three major rules are:

Refrain from publicly posting NSFW content or content that wouldn't be safe for children to see/read.

Do not mass produce merch. Commissions and personal projects are fine, but they cannot be mass produced to be sold.

Do not impersonate and claim his art as yours. Give credit!! Don't trick people, and don't profit off of someone else's work!

And that's it! I've seen a lot of people taking down their fanfictions and art and AUs just because they're worried about Clown. That's super sweet and it warms my heart to hear that the community is so considerate, but remember, the three rules above are the only don'ts. Lots of people are scared of continuing to overwhelm him, and they're also scared that he might stop the project all together.

I assure you, he's not. Firstly, his fan works guideline is still pinned on his Tumblr blog!! If he wasn't sure of fanworks all together, he would have simply privated the post and write a new one with new rules. The rules have not changed. He loves to see fan interpretations, your AUs, your OCs, and your art! This is all explicitly stated! You can read it here incase you forgot -> https://www.tumblr.com/partycoffin/712519493403934720/apologies-if-this-has-already-been-asked-but-how?source=share

Secondly, he actually posted an update on his ko-fi that indicates that he's doing much better and that he's "elbow deep" into working on Welcome Home! I'm a member that gets to see all of his posts on ko-fi, and while I'm not going to show you the whole post (obviously), I will quote an important part you guys should see: "You have all been so delightful to me (Setbacks happen with an abrupt shift in attention, I realize, so roll I will with this newfound experience!) and I was like 'Oh, let's post a tasty preview!'"

Clown acknowledges all of the goodwill and kindness the community has shown. He even states that he's learned from the experience and he's working hard on Welcome Home to see it through!

This was a very long two cents, so I'll end it here.

tl;dr, You guys are being too harsh on each other/yourselves, and that's the last thing Clown wants. He's doing better, Welcome Home is still being worked on, and you shouldn't have to shame yourself or others for posting perfectly kosher fandom content. There's only three major rules, three, so you shouldn't have to feel bad about what makes you happy.

[generally-a-fan-of-stonefruits]

I love how the cast of Spy School is like 3 people and then just Erica’s entire bloodline

[s3when]

pajama party with the girls ╰(*°▽°*)╯

incredible that it took me 8 months to finish this. thank you for the request @mysticmoondancer it was fun to do :D

[vc55bughead]

oh this is a LAUCH- see how stress free it is, very demure, very mindful, they didn't wreck absolute chaos on the internet, very mindful very cutesy (IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM OMG 😭😭)

[clumsiestgiantess]

At last! A new Erica pov! I’ve been rather busy with life stuff since it’s the holiday season and whatnot, but I’ve seen interest in the Erica pov I wrote all the way back in October, so here it is!

I recommend reading the original Ruler of Everything AU before reading this one. While this short does happen before the events of the original, it’s written with the intent that you know about the world this AU takes place in.

(Warning: There’s a bit of gore but nothing too detailed)

[Erica pov of the Ruler of Everything AU]

Once I became a complete puppet for my unknown puppet master, I didn’t think things could possibly get worse, but boy was I wrong.

For her — some sort of gigantic all-powerful person — one puppet wasn’t good enough.  She’s got the whole city and everyone in and around it under some sort of mind manipulation.  She gives them whatever they want, but they forget about everything horrible she’s done.  They forget about every time she’s crushed cars or leveled homes — everything.  And I feel like I’m going insane, because I’m the only one who remembers.

For whatever reason, probably because I’m the first she’s controlled, my captor likes keeping me around.  She lets me remember everything, but she keeps telling me it doesn’t matter if I do, because nothing here is ‘real’.  I’m not sure what she means by that, but it’s.. upsetting.

Today, I’m at her desk.  I’m a little living figurine with a little corner of her desk set up with a beanbag chair and mini fridge just for me.  Her hand reached for me absentmindedly as she looked over a paper she’d slid through the growth machine.  What I wouldn’t give to slip into one of those myself — give my captor the wake-up-call she deserves.  However, the machine is built like a copier; the only thing that can fit in it is paper.  

I complained lamely as her gigantic fingers coiled around my torso.  There was no use trying to actually get my discomfort across to her.  Alexis doesn’t believe I’m real.  She won’t care how much I yell, though I can’t help but struggle.  I’m brought away from the safety of the desktop and pressed into her palm.  It’s slightly rough, and I wedge my shoulder against it.  I gasp — accidentally shifting myself out of a safe grip.  Grasping desperately at her skin, I begin slipping down her hand.

Seconds away from screaming for help, Alexis’ fingers quickly slide up behind me.  They tuck behind my back and beneath my arms, hauling me up into her hand again.  “I’ve got you,” she mumbles without taking her eyes off the paper.  My heart slams wildly around my ribcage in terror.  You’re fine, you’re ok, it’s fine, everything’s fine.  Despite her being.. her, Alexis had never once dropped me further than a few feet — and that was only because I’d writhed in her grip and struggled my way out.  She had quick reflexes for someone so unnaturally gigantic.  Even if they often lead to bruises, it was still infinitely better than letting me fall.

My throat choked shut as her fingers laced against me.  They slid across my arms, her thumb atop my chest.  A giant digit nestled between my legs to offer me a place to sit, causing me to squirm uncomfortably.  A rumbling chuckle causes the actual air around me to vibrate like a clap of thunder — stilling me instantly.  

“It can’t be that bad,” she sighed, bringing me in front of herself with a little smile.  I returned it nervously.  Alexis brushed her thumb gently over the top of my head, stroking my frazzled hair.  I had to bite my tongue to keep from snapping at her to stop petting me.  “You must know by now that I’m not going to hurt you.  I’ve been taking good care of you for so long, yet you still somehow don’t trust me.”  

Alexis giggled, squeezing and rubbing my limbs through her threaded fingers.  I swallowed my scream of helpless fear down to only a brief yelp.  She flinched at the sound, but continued massaging me around her hand like I was some kind of fidget toy.  I quickly shoved away the thought before I could think on it long enough to realize that I am a toy to her — or something of the sort, something that isn’t considered truly living in her eyes.

Fuck, it’s so awful.  My stomach churned nastily, reminding me exactly why I have to squash those thoughts before they develop any further.  All things considered, I was by no means in danger.  Alexis does take care of me — so much so I lose my mind over it.  Not having a shred of decision-making agency with what happens to me, where I go, or what I get to have is something I’d only wish on my worst enemies.  I’m not in physical danger, but mentally I’m on the verge of collapse.

I let Alexis do with me as she pleased — toying with me in her hand, threading me over and through her fingers, pinching my limbs to move them at her leisure.  Eventually Alexis truly focused on her work, and became all the more dangerous.  Unaware of what she was doing, the pads of her fingers suddenly dug into me; she squeezed inward, pinching little bits of my skin away from my body.  Almost instantly I felt bruises blooming across everywhere she touched.

It hurt so awfully my breath caught and crushed in my throat.  Her thumb pressed in on my stomach and chest, digging beneath my shirt and squeezing against my body.  I couldn’t even gasp a breath of air as my lungs crushed flat, followed by faint crackling noises that were likely my ribs detaching from me.  She rubbed her finger up and down my body as I tried desperately to breathe.  Her rough movements squishing and dragging my innards up and down with her stroking.

Finally managing to cry out in pain, I shoved uselessly at her.  “St- Stop!  You’re killing me!  PLEASE!”  Thankfully, Alexis quickly realized what she’d done and released me onto her desk.  “Oh!  I forgot I still had you in my hand!  It’s ok, I’ll put you back down,” she calmly told me as I fell to my knees.  I crumpled in on myself in agony, clutching my raw skin as hard as I dared.  Every breath hurt and came out as a wheeze.  “Why.. p-please…  Just make it stop!” I gasped out, the pain of it all making my eyes water.  A second later, I keeled over and vomited — just blood.

“Wait.. why are you-?”  Alexis gasped, “What did you do with it?”  The rumbling slide of wood on wood made the desktop shake as Alexis searched it for something.  “Why would you take it off?” she muttered, eyes rapidly scanning the desk.  “Where is-  Aha!”  Tearfully, I blinked up at her.  I could barely see through the black spots dancing in my vision.  Pinched between her fingers was a little bracelet.  Oh thank fuck.  Gently, Alexis held out a few fingers and I shakily placed my hand on them — coughing up blood because I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

The moment it slipped onto me, my whole body went numb until I felt like I wasn’t physically attached to anything at all, then every sensation came rushing back to me at once, this time perfectly fine and unhurt.

I lay there panting for a moment; my brain was still convinced I was deathly injured.  “Erica.”  Her stern voice commanded me upright.  “I gave this to you for a reason.  Remember when you asked me for it?”  I glared my strongest most hateful glare at her.  “I asked for you to stop using me like a toy!  I asked you not to hurt me!”  “So I gave you that bracelet!  You can’t be injured when you wear it!”  I shot to my feet, storming as close to her as I dared.  “I don’t want your dumbass magic shit!  I WANT YOU TO TREAT ME WITH AN OUNCE OF FUCKING RESPECT!  IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!”

Alexis stared at me, shook.  “I don’t give a damn if you think I’m ‘real’ or not, but you can clearly see I’m a person, right?  Treat me like one!”  She swallowed weakly, “but you.. are a toy.  I- I’ve seen what you are — what your world is.”  A brief drop of existential dread briefly halted my anger.  Too disoriented to continue arguing, I simply told her to put me down.  Alexis left me on the floor and I marched out of her room.

Really, I had no clue what she meant when she said those kinds of things, but they scared me.  Every time an argument leads down the path of ‘nothing you know is real; I’m the only real one, and no one you know including you can do anything that matters’ I end up with nightmares for days.  What does she know that I don’t?  Obviously it isn’t the truth… but what the hell has she seen to believe that?  What aren’t I seeing?  I sighed as I stepped into my ‘home’.  For fuck’s sake she makes me live in a goddamn dollhouse.

I sat heavily on the sofa just inside, staring down at the bracelet on my wrist.  Slowly, I reached down and felt around my torso, fearfully checking that everything really was alright.  If she’d pressed on me any harder I would’ve.. fuckin… burst.  If I died, would she let me live again?  Could she let me live again?  Do I even want to keep living like this?

All I could think of was how hellish my life would become the longer I stayed trapped in here.  It was only a matter of time before I snapped and started truly believing Alexis.  I didn’t know why she believed what she did, but there had to be a way to get her to see the truth.

God, that’s what she says to me.  ‘Isn’t there some way I can get you to believe me and see the truth?’  This is why I get fucking nightmares.  If- If I’m not real, what am I?  I’m living to one day escape this awful place, but what then?  Where do I go?  I don’t have money, I don’t have anything that hasn’t been given to me by Alexis.  

How did I manage to end up stuck with someone worse than John?  I hadn’t even finished getting away from him before she came and stole me.

Eventually, the sound of footsteps thundered through my sad excuse for a home — their tremors rattling things off of shelves.  I’m going to start leaving everything on the floor at this point.

I flung myself down the hallway and rushed for the little closet beneath the stairs.  My ‘home’ is actually quite nice — a gigantic mansion-like place that had several floors and everything you could ever want in a home, and even some things you’d never need.  However, the colossal building is nothing compared with the giant one it sits inside of, belonging to the person — if that’s even what she is — who just stepped in.

The frightening whack of something large hitting the wall rang repeatedly from the side of my house.  The horrible giantess rapped on the wall beyond my hiding place.  “Hello?  Anyone home?”  I flinched, though I knew it was coming.  Keeping silent would do me no good.  If she really wanted, Alexis could reach out with a horrifying sixth sense and immediately know how to get to me.  So instead, I answered her.  “No!  Go away!”  A brief silence deafened me, followed by a patronizing ‘aww’ that made me feel like strangling someone.  Preferably her.

“Still a bit worked up?” she asked me, voice raised like she was speaking to an animal or small child.  “Yeah, I’m fucking pissed at you!” I answered angrily.  “Go away.”  A creaking groan echoed ominously through the house; she had NOT went away.  My heart skipped a beat and bile heaved up my throat as I piled a few cleaning supplies in front of me, putting as many objects between me and her as I could.  That groan always happened every time she pulled out a wall.  

The single most awful thing about this place is that a giant like Alexis could open up the walls to any room she wanted like a, well, a dollhouse.  The only one she couldn’t get to was this one and one of the bathrooms.  A while ago I’d hidden in that bathroom; she’d crushed the connected bedroom and tore a gigantic hole in the place just to drag me out of hiding ‘accidentally’.  Either I believe it was an accident and she really has that kind of strength, or it was purposeful and she’ll claw her way through anything to get me.

God, I feel sick.  Please just let me have one hiding spot, please.  The feeling of hiding from someone bigger than me — locking myself in somewhere so I don’t get hurt — it brings back such nasty memories of my childhood.  I hate it here.  I hate it here so much.

“Erica?  Where are you?”  Sounds of furniture being carelessly knocked over rumbled through my little hiding place.  Closer and closer, the sound of scraping dragged its way to the door.  My eyes widened as splinters of wood cracked inward from outside — my eyes tearing up as I clasped my hands over my mouth to keep from shrieking.  “Ohh you’re in here,” I heard her quietly gasp in the same volume as a strong gust of wind.  The door cracked down the middle.  Pressure sent wooden shards flying into the room.

Sobbing, I buried my head between my legs — curled up in the far corner beneath every object I had in the cramped space.  “Don’t come in!  You can’t come in here!”

Silence.  The tension on the fractured door released.  “Why?”  I panted for breath, trying my best to speak instead of vomit.  “I- I don’t want you in here.  This place is mine.  You said it-” I had to close my mouth as an awful acidic taste hit my tongue.  Nervously, I swallowed it.  “You said I could have it to myself.”

“I.. guess I did say that, didn’t I?” Alexis mused.  “Alright, I’ll leave you in there.”  I breathed a heavy sigh of relief as the cracked wooden door groaned with the release of her finger.  

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry.  Even if you are a toy, you’re clearly sapient.”  Everything was so silent I felt like I was choking; a keening noise cut through the silence, abruptly stopping when she spoke again.  “You- You aren’t a doll.. in this world.  I’m sorry for treating you like one.  I’ll stop fiddling around with you, I- I’ll stop dressing you and carrying you from place to place.  You’re so cute sometimes I forget that you have autonomy.”

My face heated up in angry embarrassment.  It was really starting to feel like some sort of awful confession rather than an apology, though I knew all of it.  I was all too aware of what she’d done to me — how many lines she’d crossed and boundaries she’d overstepped.  How much of an object I am to her.  Or.. was?

“You’Ll-” my voice cracked.  “You’ll stop?  You’ll let me go home?”  “You are home,” she told me, “I can’t let you leave here, but I can let you have some space.”  I was such a mixture of overwhelmed by both disappointment and excitement that I toppled over as I tried to stand.  “You can start that right now!  Close the house!  Don’t open it again.  Just.. knock.  Carefully.  If you really have to.”  I peered out of the closet doorway just long enough to watch the wall fit back into place.  “Can I go outside or-”

“Don’t push it,” Alexis interrupted.  “You stay in here.  I’ll let you do whatever you want — to a degree, don’t burn the place down or anything,” she chuckled, “But you’re not allowed out there.  I can’t risk letting anyone besides you know what I’m doing.”  By ‘what I’m doing’ she meant the way she casually erased everyone’s minds of any events that might make people dislike her.  

No matter how many times I tried to convince her, or how many times I managed to prove that I was a real human being, she would never believe it.  She doesn’t want the truth.  That would make everything she’s doing horrific — not the fun little game that she sees it as.  She’s not going to stop.

I slept in the closet that night.

[lilyvines]

teen wolf post. at some point stiles starts a gsa he invites all the queer people he knows (scott. danny. unnamed extra #3) and it's mostly originally meant to ease his dad's worries that he's not being a "normal and well adjusted teen" but eventually he gets really into it. in his downtime between solving werewolf mysteries he makes advertisements and plans group socials. he tries to get everyone to advertise for him and hands out flyers and stickers. erica puts a sticker on her shirt across her chest on the basis of "everyone's going to look there anyway, so you'll get the advertising" (she's trying to be supportive). stiles rolls his eyes but allison signs up the next day so he guesses maybe erica had the right idea

[mirai-e-jump]

Animedia July 2023 Issue Erica Murakami x Yuzuki Hirakawa Interview (Translation below)

(Page 136)

"The Beautiful and Strong Kings have Arrived"

"We'll dig deep into their relationship" "Anatomy Practice"

In order to protect the peace of Chikyu, from the five king heroes of "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger" who fight alongside insect shaped mechanical life forms called "Shugods", comes Murakami-san, who plays the role of Queen Hymeno of Ishabana, and Hirakawa-san, who plays the role of Rita of the Kingdom of Gokkan. The two actors, who play heroes named after insects, report in as researchers on the "OO part" of each other that they have come to see through filming. Furthermore, they also talked about their character's strength and other highlights of the story.

(Page 137)

Discovered by Erica ⭐ Yuzuki's Anatomy Keywords

"Describe Yuzuki in one word…" FULL POWER BOY

Yuzuyan (Hirakawa) plays Rita, who is an immovable character, but she herself is full of energy like a boy! A person who is full of energy and never ceases to smile even at the shooting site. It also keeps me in high spirits. (-Murakami)

"The cute part is…" Making a happy face when eating sweets

When her favorite foods are served on the set, such as sweets and catered boxed lunches, Yuzuyan gets very happy! "Alright! I love these sweets! Oh man, what do I do!" I really love these moments when she doesn't hide her emotions. (-Murakami)

"The OO that only I know is…" Quick at learning the way! Can sing really well!

Toei's studio is quite spacious. I tend to get lost, but she guides me saying, "this way." She is the youngest of the "King-Ohger" members, but she is so mature that I don't believe she's the youngest! The other day we went to karaoke together, which I really enjoyed, but Yuzuyan sang so well that I thought I couldn't sing with her! It's a singing voice I want to listen to forever…💛 (-Murakami)

"The fascinating part is…" The gap between roles and a strong heart!

Isn't it fascinating to have a gap between a character role and the person themself? Rita doesn't talk much, so I really like the gap between them and Yuzuyan, who does talk a lot. Then, even on the most difficult shoots, I see her always trying her best as if saying "I won't be defeated by anything!." I feel the strength of her heart. (-Murakami)

"The surprising part is…" I don't do well with loud noises! Miss Scared

Yuzuyan is a tough, firm and dependable person…but is actually a real scaredy-cat. When there was an explosion shot being filmed right in front of her, she said, "What should I do?! Maybe I should I wear earplugs?" It was so cute! It seems that she doesn't like sudden loud sounds and lights. (-Murakami)

Discovered by Yuzuki ⭐ Erica's Anatomy Keywords

"Describe Erica in one word…" PRINCESS

Her reactions have always been cute, and her very existence is that of a princess! But it's not just about being that she's cute, like a queen, her words and actions are that of nobility. But, I would'nt say she's "selfish" like Hymeno! (-Hirakawa)

"The cute part is…" Feeling "fluffy" when I get sleepy

When we are shooting after lunch or late into the night, Marie (Murakami) goes into a state of mindlessness. When I say, "hey, hey" her response is sometimes delayed by about two tempos. Her spirit sometimes…goes somewhere (lol). (-Hirakawa)

"The OO that only I know is…" You're so brave and cool.

Marie is often thought of as girly, but in fact, she is actually quite courageous. For example, she is very quick to make holiday plans, and when she decides, "Tomorrow I'll do this and that!" she is able to act accordingly and not get distracted. If she were my boyfriend, she would definitely be the type to pull me along! (-Hirakawa)

"The fascinating part is…" I will put my all into everything

She says, "I have no experience in acting," but Marie faces what she's weak at with a straight face. She also always takes care of her health and physical condition, such as bringing her own packed lunch. Because this is a job where we are seen by other people, we try to manage our body shapes for filming. I want to learn from her professional attitude!! (-Hirakawa)

"The surprising part is…" She's a little clumsy

She often forgets things, and often returns to the dressing room right after leaving. She often stumbles over things in empty spaces. She has a firm, mature image, but she is still cute in that kind of way! (-Hirakawa)

(Page 138)

Hymeno and Rita, two people who seem like opposites but are quite similar

"Please tell each other what you like about the character the other is playing."

Murakami: As a judge, Rita's diplomatic approach to pursue the truth when they have doubts is admirable. I envy you for being able to look at things calmly like Rita.

Hirakawa: Hymeno is fashionable and girlishly cute.

Murakami: ahaha (lol)

Hirakawa: The "Queen" is a noble and scary figure, so it's easy to feel defensive, but the way she fights and the strength of her will to protect her people are cool. I also like the occasional moments when Hymeno shows that she is a true to life girl, and it's fun to watch her emotions change over and over again.

Murakami: Suddenly angry, then laughing.

Hirakawa: That's the kind of girl you can't let go.

"Hymeno and Rita, currently they haven't engaged much in the show, but what are your thoughts on their relationship?"

Murakami: Actually, there will be a story about the two of them in the future, but it's not yet at the stage where it is currently being aired.

Hirakawa: Right (lol)

Murakami: In the beginning, Hymeno was a lot more involved with Yanma, but in the future, she'll have relationships with other people, including Rita. When I read the script, among the other members, I felt that Hymeno has a strong sense of trust in Rita.

Hirakawa: Although People tend to think of them as polar opposites, they share the same desire of "protecting the peace of the people."

Murakami: I think they're both close enough to each other that they could talk to each other back to back without saying a single word. Both Hymeno and Rita have the personalities to sense each other's moods.

Hirakawa: It's true, we may not need many words to understand each other.

"We've also learnt that the animated play "Together with Moffun" was a common point"

Murakami: The Ishabana animation "Moffun" will be explored more in depth in the future…please look forward to it!

"I thought it was typical of Rita to say that spoilers are absolutely NG (No Good)."

Murakami: Because they talk passionately about "Moffun"

Hirakawa: Given the amount of work Rita has to do, I think it's the only thing they find both enjoyable and comforting. That's why they are so passionate about it.

"Please tell us what each of your personal favorite episodes are."

Murakami: I really liked the performance that comes out of Taisei-kun's "Let's do it!" tension scenes. In episode 4, I loved the expression on his face when he eats a raw daikon radish, and in episode 11 when Taisei-kun (Gira) was goofing around while everyone is making a strategy plan was the best.

Hirakawa: The "Archaic Smile" he made at the time was extreme!

Murakami: The way you paraphrased it, that explains it all perfectly!

Hirakawa: I was impressed with episode 12, in which we see the relationship between the additional warrior, Jeramie, and the King-Ohger members. The reaction of the five kings to Jeramie felt fresh. I felt like something new was born during that episodes filming, and I couldn't wait to see the finished product.

"Please tell us about episodes that opened on the boys' side where you found the scenes most memorable"

Murakami: It's the scene in episode 3 with Yanma, who still admires Hymeno, and Gira asks, "Don't tell me, are you in love (with Hymeno)?" When asked about it, I really liked how the president (Yanma) replied, "It's not like that!." I liked his shyness and how unaccustomed he is around girls, it was an unexpected performance.

Hirakawa: For me, it's the scene in episode 5 when Gira's trial took place. Rita's feelings were not that they patronized Gira, but when they looked straight into Gira's eyes, they were made to believe "he's a beloved character who can't be left alone."

"Finally, would you please give a message to our readers"

Murakami: The story develops very quickly, so first off, I would like you to follow along every week without missing a single episode! There will be more in depth stories about the characters in the future, so please look back at the past episodes and enjoy the story that will continue to unfold.

Hirakawa: With the introdction of Jeramie, the story is progressing at a rapid pace, but there is actually various foreshadowing scattered among the broadcasted episodes so far. Someone said something, or an action of a character who was not present in the scene…I hope you will pay attention to these details, as they will play a part in the future development of the story.

[mysticmoondancer]

🎃 Happy Halloween from the MBAV Crew! 🎃

Thought I'd have them all dress up in a group costume and their theme is of course DC superheroes. More specifically, those who were part of the Justice League! I originally wanted to do the founding (or rather the original) members who started the Justice League, but sadly couldn't, seeing as there was only one female member (Wonder Woman) that was part of the Justice League's creation. And of course, for the MBAV gang there are TWO females. So, it just wouldn't work. So, I just went with the more well known/popular members of the Justice League instead.

🔽 More down below about their costume choice and a better look at them individually, as well. 🔽

Rory is Flash because he lost to Benny in a game of "rock, paper, scissors" to see who gets to be Batman. After losing to Benny, he wanted to be Green Arrow, but no one trusted him enough to have a fake bow with arrows. Also, Erica really didn't want him to be the Green Arrow too because from what she remembers, the Green Arrow used to date Black Canary (her costume choice), and she didn't want to hear it from Rory or have him annoy her about that little fact all night long, as well. So, she STRONGLY had him choose another DC superhero to be, instead. Like the Green Lantern, but he didn't want to be the Green Lantern because he thinks his superpower is weak and lame due to having to rely on a ring that you have to recharge every now and then (which is stupid in his opinion, despite what Ethan may think). So, the Flash it is! Plus, he's super excited because now he can use his vampire speed to zip around everywhere like the Flash does!

Benny is Batman because he wanted to be all dark and mysterious. Plus, he thinks Bruce Wayne is awesome because of how rich he is and how he's a known playboy/lady's man to boot. Which is why I chose Benny to be Batman. I think he'd admire Bruce's lifestyle and also just like how Bruce has a bit of dark side to him, so does Benny too, as seen on a few occasions in the series. Oh! And he chose the costume with the fake abs because he wanted abs and thinks it makes him seem even more manly as Batman.

Ethan is Superman because he wanted to do a couple's costume with Sarah while also still doing the group one. And yes, I know that famously Superman's main romantic interest is technically Lois Lane. But it wouldn't work here if Sarah was going to be Wonder Woman and after some research, I found that in some rare instances there have been comics that had his love interest as Wonder Woman and NOT Lois, instead! Some even declared this rare pairing as the power couple of the DC universe! Anyway, that's why I picked Superman for Ethan. Plus, Ethan kind of has some of the same personality traits that Clark Kent/Superman does, as well. Depending on your version of Clark Kent/Superman that you choose, that is. For me, I was going for the Clark/Superman in the animated series "My Adventures with Superman".

Sarah is Wonder Woman because Ethan thought it would fit her, and she agreed. Plus, she gets to be a badass Amazonian warrior princess, as well! She also likes what Wonder Woman stands for (like justice and virtue) and can sort of see a bit of herself in her, as well. Like being a compassionate, strong, courageous, and honest person. If not a little bit stubborn, also.

Erica is Black Canary because she thinks she's badass and cool looking. Not to mention hot-looking, as well. Oh! And is a blonde like her, also! Originally, she was gonna be Wonder Woman but decided to let Sarah be her instead. Mainly because she too thought that Wonder Woman would be a better fit for her bestie rather than herself. Plus, Erica gets to mostly dress up in one of her favorite colors, too. Black. She also thinks that Black Canary has a way better fashion sense in the outfit department than Wonder Woman does when it comes to their superhero costume/look, anyway.