#everyone’s favourite fan fiction platform

[under-your-bed-not-in-it]

the best part about reading wenclair werewolf soulmate au’s is when enid just starts describing what wednesday’s scent is and it’s different every fanfic. i just imagine that’s what the authors think wednesday smells like and i just die every time.

ah yes, the goth smells like pine in one, dead roses in the next then something so victorian gothic like pen ink and old books and i thrive off these descriptions.

shoutout to these authors, i love you.

[emeryhiro]

My thoughts on TBOC 206 script & Caryl canon.

Before I get into my thought I want to clarify a few things, and this may come across as blunt, however, I feel that bluntness is nessary in this instance.

Firstly, I wasn't planning on adressing the leaked script pages, however, after reading some of the positive and negative posts about it, I feel like I should also share my thoughts and clarify some things that may be misunderstood about me as well.

Secondly, (and this may not sound relevant right now but bear with me for a second) I'm an engineer who works in the construction industry, I'm also a post grad architecture student, both of which are roles that require at the very least a competent level of critical thinking as a baseline skill. Why I'm sharing this information is becasue those skills are what I use to develop the thoughts and opinions that I share. I also want to say that I'm in no way familiar with the way things are run in the entertainment industry, whether that's production companies, directors, producers, or actors, I'm just a fan of the arts who loves delving deep into lore-rich stories and sharing my thoughts with others who also love the same things.

So now that you have my cridentials😅 you can come to your own decisions on how you approach and what you take away from the thoughts I share.

Where I stand on Carol and Daryl's relationship.

Over the past few months, I've had several messages saying that my opinion may be biased or that I'm just being overly optimistic because I'm a Caryl fan. So the first thing that i want to say is that this fandom is very dear to me. And even though I have only in the past year begun to be more vocal on these tags, I have been on this platform and a part of the fandom for a very long time.

As someone who had the opportunity to see episode one early, I feel that I have a responsibility to be honest with everyone who's relying on my opinion. I would never want to give false hope to those who (similar to me) love Caryl and are excited about canon, only for them to be even more disappointed in the end.

I respect and understand that everyone has their own reasons for watching/not watching and loving/hating a show. However, I myself will 100% still be watching season 2 and all the seasons to come, even if we never get canon. I love Carol and Daryl as individual characters, and I watched twd because I loved the show and it's premise. Daryl and Carol are a massive part of why I loved the show, they also happen to be my favourite characters in fiction, and Caryl canon is what I've always wanted for them, BUT I'm not, never have, and never will be watching for Caryl canon alone. Will I be disappointed if it never happens? Yes, definitely! But I'll still be watching because of everything else that I love about the show and the characters.

Even if the show was just about Daryl, or just about Carol I'd still be watching every single episode and loving it. So to summarise what I'm trying to say, the thoughts and opinions that I share publicly are not biased (at least not consciously) by my love for the idea of Caryl unless I specifically say that I'm "fangirling" which you may have notice me clarifiying in some of my posts.

SPOILER WARNING - Thoughts on the leaked ep 206 script below the line.

TBOC 206 Script

Implications on Caryl canon:

I don't see anything in these pages that implies whether or not canon has or hasn't happened, the whole scene that it describes can't be more than 5-10 minutes long, which is why there is no point assuming either way.

If canon has happened, I don't expect them to be mentioning it in a scene where they're seperated for the most of it, with one of them getting almost beat/shot to death, the other fighting several walkers and collapsing, and both of them most probably inhaling poisonous gas. Not exactly the type of scene where you can create the perfect romantic Caryl moments. And not so different from the TOWL finale scene between Rick and Michonne as they escape the walkers/gas.

~~~

The Parallel:

One thing I haven't seen anyone talk about is the parrallel of the scene between Daryl and his hallucination of Isabelle, and the scene between Carol and her hallucination of Alpha from S10 EP14.

Firstly, I don't think Isabelle is meant to represent an angel to Daryl in this moment, just like how Alpha didn't represent a demon to Carol. Neither actually represents the characters themselves, and both are just personification of the conflicts that's going on in each of their minds, and perhaps another similarity is that they're both personifications of people who they believe got them to the situation they're in.

Secondly, In both scenes Daryl and Carol seem completely overwhlmed by guilt and ready to let go and give up. The scene from S10EP14 didn't mean that Carol didn't love Daryl, on the contrary a reminder of him was what snapped her out of the physical and mental trap she was in and gave her the motivation and drive to fight again.

I think the same can be said about Daryl in the TBOC EP06 scene, he's "ready to let go" and this isn't becasue he doesn't love Carol but it's becasue he feels as though he's constantly failing everyone who relies on him, including Merle, Beth, Glenn, Isabelle and in his mind Carol could be next. But what gets him to fight again? Isabelle saying:

"Not like him."

refering to his grandfather. In season 1 we learnt exactly what Daryl didn't want to do and in what way's he didn't want to be like his grandfather. The main one being that his granfather left his family behind, which resulted in generational trauma that he couldn't protect his family from, only becasue he went to fight someone else's war.

What I've taken away from this is that in that moment he believes it's too late, he failed the ones he was supposed to protect from the Nest, and now by losing and dying the fight in that moment it would mean that he also failed his real family and won't be able to protect them. Like everything he did was in vain.

This is exactly what "Isabelle" reminds him of, that yes maybe he did fail to protect her and the people from his past, but unlike his grandfather who died "bloody and bullet riddled" Daryl is still breathing and as long as he's alive there's still the possibility and "hope" of protecting his family. He becomes determined and starts to fight back becasue he's reminded to "Bet on hope".

~~~

The fight scenes:

It appears that Carol and Daryl are in a tunnel with Cordon, and two new characters named Angus and Fiona. I want to point out that it looks like the fight between Codron and Daryl is once again becasue Codron blames Daryl for killing his brother, however, I find it hard to believe that we're in episode 206 and that issue hasn't been resolved yet, which leads me to believe that perhaps there's something paticular about the gas in the tunnel that's causing helusination and all at the same time making:

Codron see his dead brother and run after him like he's hipnotised

Carol seeing, speaking and interacting with Sofia

Daryl seeing and speaking with Isabelle

The pages also show that the fight between Angus, Fiona, and Daryl was about gas masks. It sounds to me like Angus and Fiona perhaps used Daryl to help them get the masks and when finding that there's only two masks, they try to knock him out and have to kill him so that they can take the masks for themselves, gas masks that Carol and him need to get through the tunnel to get home.

I can't wait to see how that fight scene plays on screen! I have a weakness for the way Daryl and Carol become so brutal when fighting to protect each other. Because Angus and Fiona don't sound like antagonists when they're speaking with Daryl, and saying:

"Sorry, friend, ain't enough masks for the lot of us." "Got people waiting back home."

They just sounds like two people who, like Carol and Daryl, are trying to get back to the people waiting for them.

This is more of a personal guess than a proper thought: after the fight as Daryl hands one of the masks to Carol he says "It was us or them." and what I think he really meant was "it was you or them" because he was ready to die moments earlier until he was reminded of her, emphasising my earlier points on how they fight for eachother and live for each other.

~~~

The Tunnel:

Lastly, and probably most importantly, these script pages don't tell us how Daryl and Carol ended up in that situation or which part of the episode this is in, without that context there's no way to know what anything really means.

Some of the questions that I think are important and thoughts that I have:

What events lead up to the fight?

We know that Carol is outside the "camp" as described in the script, and that Carol faught at least 3 walkers and collapsed on the ground, but did Daryl know where she was or if she was okay before he saw her after his fight?

Why would his first thought/guess be of Carol when he saw a "blurry figure approaching."

Would they really end the episode like this, leaving Codrons fate as a huge questions mark? (I don't think they would, seems harsh and like they're throwing away such an interesting character)

As seen in the trailer, the tunnel that they're in is the Channel Tunnel which connects France and England, BUT, we also know as it has been offically announced that season 3 is set in Spain not England, so logcially Carol and Daryl aren't gonna be going all the way through the tunnel only to turn all the way back, which leads me to believe that either they don't end up going through, the season ends as they're walking further into the tunnel, and season 3 will explain how/when they turned around, OR, this isn't actually the final scene 🤷‍♀️

LITTLE (hopefully interesting) HINT ABOUT THE OPENING CREDITS: There's a scene that's described in one of these script pages that's also included in the opening credits.

~~~

Some additional thoughts:

The fireflies that appear as Isabelle walks away. I have a few different ideas on what this could mean but it's impossible to tell without the visual context. Also Dary's "wtf?" reaction to the fireflies had me laughing out loud! That right there reads like some good comedic timing.

We're getting another "You okay?" moment!! Those moments are some of my favourite and most tender/affectionate moments between Carol and Daryl. I can't wait to see how they play this one 😭💖

Sorry but I can sense more tension between Codron and Daryl in their fight scene than all the Isabelle and Daryl scenes combined... 🤣

~~~

To Summarise:

These scripts don't cover enough for any level of resonable doubt or concern. How something reads on a script can turn out sooo different on screen, and what I know from all the other season of twd, is that Norman and Melissa can turn something that may come across as basic, misleading or confusing on script into something incredibly magical on screen which also often turns into some of our favourite scenes between the two of them.

I completely trust Norman and Melissa with the story, and if the story never goes to canon and we end up getting something different I know that it's still gonna be an incredible story.

Although, I do still stand by my thoughts that we're heading towards canon. If Carol and Daryl need season 2 to finally heal and then approach canon on more solid ground in season 3 than so be it, because that would make sense and it would be a fair way to begin a canon relationship between the two. However I can also see the beginnings of a conversation about canon, or even actual canon happening in season 2.

It all seems possible to me and it's now all up to how Norman and Melissa want to tell the story, which I'll be anxiously waiting for and respect no matter what.

~~~

Thank you @celtic-crossbow for giving me the push I needed to share my thoughts on these matters🩵🩵

And thank you to all of you who read through this extensive post. I appreciate all of you who read my thoughts, engage with it, share your thoughts in return, ask me questions. I'm sorry for my bluntness in some areas within this post, I think it was important for me to address and clarify some things in order to avoid further confusion.

I'm so excited that we are now only 8 weeks away from the offical premiere of season 2!!! After a long wait we're finally gonna have our favourite characters sharing a frame on our screen again, and if that in itself isn't a reason to celebrate than I don't know what is.

[irradiatedbearchewtoy]

this is written with the intention of being accessible to people who have only watched post-2005 doctor who but who knows how that will go

i want to talk about a really cool controversial-but-not-in-the-way-where-people-are-arguing-about-if-bigotry-is-acceptable-way classic doctor who serial. if you sit until the end, you get to see a selection of alien designs from other 60s serials

if you're familiar with this story, happy humming! if you're not, hopefully you will know exactly what i mean by that very soon.

if you haven't seen classic who—or at least 60s who—before, this may not be the best serial to convince you of how exciting it is, but i'm running on no sleep, a newly released episode, caffeine, and audhd so i'm at least going to try. my apologies for the stream on consciousness; i have tried to make myself somewhat coherent...

the serial in question is the 1966 pure historical 4-parter 'the gunfighters'. pure historical here meaning set in the past with no science fiction elements.

these were standard in the first few years of the show but stopped after 'the highlanders' in late '66/early '67. there was one after that—'black orchid', in '82—but the time period was less relevant and it wasn't to do with any notable historical events or figures.

the first doctor, steven, and dodo land in tombstone, arizona because the doctor has a toothache after eating a sweet in the previous serial, 'the celestial toymaker'—a serial a lot more revival-only fans are now somewhat aware of since the toymaker's appearance in the 60th anniversary special 'the giggle'—and wants to see a dentist. steven and dodo put on awful american accents the whole time. they get caught up with doc holliday (who ends up pulling the doctor's tooth) and wyatt earp, among others.

a song called 'the ballad of the last chance saloon' plays over (almost?) every transition shot. i love it, but not everyone does; people have very strong opinions about that song. if you don't like it, this serial is a lot to swallow, as it plays over 30 times in less than 2 hours. steven is forced to sing this song at gunpoint while dodo plays the piano. i wanted to just insert a still of that but i think some of you who wont watch the serial or search out clips need to see it.

speaking of the gunpoint thing, there's a good chunk of violence in this one. people get shot with actual non-laser guns and someone almost gets hanged, noose around the neck and all. this isn't abnormal for 60s who. before colour came into the picture, the doctor used to whack people around all the time. a personal favourite of mine is in 'the highlanders' when the second doctor beats up a lawyer, gags him, and locks him in a closet. even in the very first serial, 'an unearthly child', a guy is stoned to death on-screen.

'the ballad of the last chance saloon' has been released officially, most widely when it was released on streaming platforms in 2013 as part of a 50th anniversary album. that version was pulled from streaming a while ago, leaving a very sad gap in many of my playlists. even before removal, that version was cut down from the full 10:34 to 3:51!! which is probably a good thing, because that track can be a powerful weapon against the right target. here is the full version, for your listening pleasure.

on top of it just being a fun story that sticks in people's minds because of the music, there are some cool notable production/show lore moments linked to the serial. yes, you can find these all on tardis wiki, shh

doc holliday's actor, anthony jacobs, brought his 10-year-old son to set, as a treat for his birthday (the birthday detail is mentioned in this ABC radio interview from 2022). that son was named matthew jacobs and went on to write the 1996 tv film starring paul mcgann as the eighth doctor.

it was the only (on-screen) story to take place fully in the united states of america until... the tv film!

it marked the last serial for every episode to have its own name. after this, episodes are simply numbered. there are some exceptions later on in the show, but this was the end of the standard practice.

it hosts the only episode title in classic, 'a holiday for the Doctor', to refer to the character of the Doctor as such instead of Doctor Who

was this a big pile of nothing? maybe? but here are your 60s alien photos, as promised. all photos are from the tragical history tour collection! x x

finally, this is an open invitation to reblog adding as much as you wish about the gunfighters or any other classic/wilderness stories that you want to talk about. my only request is that you make it an unhinged as possible. ik that's tall talk considered this post and episode aren't notably unhinged but just go with it, okay?

i kind of want to do a bunch of these just rambling about classic stories to try and get people to actually watch it but i'm not committing to that so. we'll see.

[haboshimairo]

If it wasn’t clear before my main guy is Tohma of course I have my other two top favourites which are Zenji and Subaru.

In all honesty I really don’t dislike any of the ghouls.

Well….Except Kaito. He can go eat rocks and get shot by Romeo for all I care I almost gave up reading the prologue/episode zero because of him. Thank god for Jin, Tohma and Luca breaking up his awful dialogue with his character in episode one. (I dislike him like most of you dislike Leo. While I can tolerate Leo.)

But Tohma is kinda my bais or at lest some form of it I really like the two sided cunning right hand man trope even better if he has secrets or is actually strong (or has long hair lol) which Tohma is all those things minus the hair haha.

I have a small group of fictional men that truly itch my ideal of that certain character and after episode one Tohma slid right in. (He’s very kyoya ohshc coded idk how to explain why)

——————

So in true fangirl fashion I created an OC; Mairo as you have met her in other post. Here is a bit about her.

She is a third year as of now and the idea of the how her and Tohma meet, is they met on the first day they came to darkwick. She becomes good friends with Alan and Tohma even though she was placed in a different house. (She’s a Hotarubi ghoulie)

She beat up a third years who were harassing her on her first day. Thus how she met Alan and Tohma. So everyone thought she be place in vagastorm because of said “fight” and along with some of her fashion decisions; platform creepers, choker and gloves unkempt loose uniform. She looked like a delinquent.

But surprise she’s an art kid.

Like all ghouls they are stronger then your average human and she no different she is strong not as strong as are top few that we know of being pretty strong like Alan, Tohma and jiro.

But she can hold her own on mission if need be this being said she never likes to fight unless provoked or is defending herself, she is a bit passive that way.

She try’s to see the brighter side of things in most cases. That goes for people too she makes friends easily and if she doesn’t like you or if you wrong her she will hold you to it for a long while, unless you own up to it.

She doesn’t just keep to her house with her friendships. Mairo does strongly believes they are all in this together and should just get along, whether they’re in different house or not. 

She loves art, fine art, painting, crafts, pottery, poetry. If it’s creative outlet she’ll try it. This why she was placed in Hotarubi, and she loves the house grounds and colors. (Her favorite color is purple)

She has a fascination with astronomy after her deals with her demon she dives even more into it. Her stigma is dowsing which is a type of divination ability also feeds into this fascination with folk culture and rituals.

Her stigma helps find lost things-truths and lies she has to use tools to let it work, a pendulum is her preferred method.

Her artifact is a feathered fan (metal handle and base with feathers used by ancient strategist like photo) not sure what I want it it’s little ability to be yet

As for the clash she was with Zenji when it went down she was injured trying to help him. After he is announced dead in hospital she goes into shock along with her injuries to her head and body she slips into a semi comatose coma for a few months she comes too a month into her third year and when MC is now there; and has to navigate all the changes that happen in those months, and the clashes aftermath with how it effected her fellow third years.

The school board does try to do some things to her when she is in her coma but is stopped by a series of odd events (aka Zenji doing ghost stuff) of course Haku finds out because of Zenji which then profession Nicholas and Yuri finds out by then she is moved to Mortranken for better protection until she awakes.

Thank you for coming to my ramble about my oc.

[ruthlesslistener]

Not all who headcanon the vessels as adults mentally are doing it for ship! I do it cause I hate how everyone already infantalizes them, disabled little bugs. It makes me deeply uncomfortable to see, because disabled people always get infantalize even in fiction. So you believing that those who headcanon them as adults are sus also makes me uncomfortable. I'm just trying to enjoy my favourite character...

By your "proof" that the vessels are children mentally cause time doesn't matter or something like that... then Hornet is a child. She looks pretty short to me, and looks like she isn't done growing. In a land filled with infected bugs and animal bugs, I'm sure Hornet didn't get a lot to eat to grow. There is a chance she's a child mentally as well, who just talks in a mature manner.

.

Don't hate on those who headcanon differently for the vessels. Cause at the end of the day, its a headcanon. And no, not everyone headcanons that for shipping. Heck, you saying that its Canon that the vessels are children mentally ignores the fact that TC didn't take real life reference when writing HK. It's all "rule of cool" for them. I'm pretty sure your own preferences and biases are sneaking through in your little crusade against "problematic fans". This is all for fun and fans like you who insists that those who headcanon differently are sus are redtagging them as enemies like the antis.

.

Those "followers" you are referring to in your vessel child headcanon are the antis. You... side with them...?

.

Bruhhhh some fans headcanon the vessels not being children cause they like the idea of a cool tiny dude in case you are wondering. Calling them sus isn't fair for them 💀💀💀

.

Siding with the antis makes you an anti. I absolutely hate proshippers, but even I know to never hold hands with the antis just because we agree on some things. It not a good think for you either, since you have such a big platform.

.

Siding with your anti followers makes you an anti though. Which is how you are acting now. I don't support those things either and agree with you on your stance. But I wouldnt side with those antis even if my life depends on it. Even if we agree on some stuff. Neutral forever baby.

.

My take is that Team Cherry didn't write an age in mind for The Knight. Because they are normal people lmao. If they wanted the Knight to be a child, they would have made that more obvious. All the vessels though, died as children so thats true.

.

Hmmmm I wouldn't side with those kind of fans of yours. Too much of them are rancid and for someone who claims to hate antis... you sure do sound like an anti in a small way. Sus if you ask me.

.

But by your explanation... then Hollow is a child mentally too. Therefore a child. We don't have proof they either aged rapidly or aged normally, but either way - Hollow is the same age as the other vessels. They died at the same time as them.

...

Compiling all of these here so I don't have to deal with all of 'em. First and foremost: I actually legitimately had no idea that people thought Ghost was mentally an adult until I started talking about it in a writing discord I'm in and more and more people explained that they always thought they were an adult but didn't ship them with anybody. There must have been a shift in fanon since the last time I interacted with any Ghost content, them being seen as a small child was the norm. I was actually the outlier in that I viewed them as an autistic 11-year-old who was more than capable of taking care of themselves out of a mix of neglect and them just being a bug. So my apologies to anyone who just thought they were an adult, because I legitimately didn't realize that was a popular hc. Serves me right for not diving into much Ghost fan content! They're more of a sideline character for me so the only times I saw people arguing about their age in the past was when it was shipping discourse, which left a bad taste in my mouth. My bad.

After some thinking about it, here's my verdict on mentally adult Ghost (no shipping content/nsfw): Neutral leaning to bored. It takes away a lot of the tragedy for me and turns them into Just Another Short Silent Protagonist, which isn't bad but just kinda blends them in with Link and all the Fromsoft protags to me.

Shipping: hell to the fuck no for me. They still have an immature body. I'm not going to do anything but block and avoid content that I don't like, because at the end of the day sending death threats over fake fucking bugs is incredibly childish and harmful behavior (nor have I ever felt the desire to do so). But I am still very uncomfortable with it and me saying that it's fucking weird isn't me siding with antis at all. This is why I fucking DESPISE shipping discourse- because you cannot dispute or share an idea with one side without people AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMING that just because you happen to have a discomfort that others weaponize, it means you're an anti. I'm not, because as it turns out, when someone has been writing a character as a child for fuckin years its pretty goddamn normal to assume that they would also be uncomfortable with them in a shipping context, which is EXACTLY THE TYPE OF CONTEXT in my original post.

Also some notes about vessel aging:

-The vessels at hatching all had soft, blobby bodies and round faces. This is canon. So that is the marker of immaturity

-PV is physically an adult. This is canon- they were 'raised to prime form'. They show clear evidence of a hardened carapace and have the sharply angular face shared by PK, WL, and Hornet. Their limbs are also long and slender rather than short and stubby, which indicates 'adult' more than it does 'grub/nymph'

-Hornet is also an adult, or very near to being an adult. She very literally has the same proportions as Hollow and is the same size as PK. So unless you want to argue that PK is also a child, I really don't see how anyone can see her as being younger than, say, 16 at max. She's in her 20's to me but that's pure hc. PK's height and the tapered facial structure do indicate that she's hit maturity though

-Lost Kin is where I would mark as being a teenager, since they have PK's proportions but still retain that stumpy body and round baby face. They might have been one moult away from full adulthood or so, but that's just speculation

-Ghost still has the stumpy, round body with the round face. They are physically stunted and still in the body they were at hatching. What you want to do with that information is up to you. Personally, since I use a 'void mimicking biological bug' model for writing the vessels, that would mean that they are still mentally stunted as well, but that is entirely headcanon. Doesn't change the fact that they are most certainly stunted though.

I'm not gonna tell anyone how to live their lives bc its fucking fake bugs, and I'm not a cop. Different takes exist, and that's fine- I've never hated on people who write Ghost as an adult, and I'm not going to do so now. But it's also fucking fake bugs and a fanon thing to do for fun, which means being an adult and staying the fuck away from shit that bothers you. For me that's just avoiding or blocking the tags of shit I don't like, and not following the people who make that sort of stuff. If you don't agree with me, then you don't need to follow my blog.

(If I really do have followers that are antis though, don't use this as an excuse to harrass people for 'pedophilia' though, because this sort of scenario of a goo-adult in a child's body doesn't exist irl and thus is of no actual risk to real children. Go outside and touch grass instead)

[scuderlia]

thanks for the tag jo @liamlawsonlesbian <3

star sign: aries sun, capricorn moon, virgo rising. being chill and normal was never an option.

favorite holiday: probably Halloween 💀 as someone who loves horror and is a recovering theatre kid, it's perfect. plus, i'm gay.

last meal: three twizzlers & a litre of ginger kombucha

current favorite musician: i've been listening to a lot of Wolf Alice and SASAMI recently.

last song listened to: 'No Girl So Sweet' (PJ Harvey)

(a tangent... but if any of my mutuals want to stalk each other on Spotify pls lmk...)

last movie watched: Talk to Me (2023) dir. Danny & Michael Philippou. i watched it on my flight and it was honestly a lot better than i anticipated. even though gore isn't typically my favourite, i was pleasantly surprised by how they managed to integrate it into a possession film. loved the grief-driven storylines, and the characters charmed me. rating: ☆☆☆☆

last tv show watched: Betty (HBO) !!! i have debilitating crushes on everyone from Skate Kitchen.

last book finished: Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline. it was assigned in one of my first year uni courses and i sped through it without really taking the time to read it properly. now that i have it's been rotting my brain non-stop. her use of simile is insane.

i also recently finished An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks. one of my all-time favourite authors and academics, would highly recommend this as a foray into 'medical' non-fiction.

last book abandoned: i don't think i've ever abandoned a book in my life, but i recently had to choke down this technical document about building codes that i can't be bothered to remember the title of.

edit: just remembered the absolute chore that was reading Outlawed by Anna North. i feel cheated and lied to by the cover because i love the cover, but the book is honestly unbelievably boring. i’m tired of the evangelical horse girl narrators, i had enough of those where i grew up. i did finish this because i hate quitting, but it tested my patience and made me feel like pulling my hair out.

currently reading: Milk Fed by Melissa Broder (for like the third time). this book is sooo weird and kind of gross, in the best way. it's definitely not going to appease everyone but i have a sick fascination with it and keep coming back. i've also been having a love affair with the cover design for a while now.

last thing researched for writing/art/hyperfixation: common apartment floorplans in Italy (if anyone has this info, hmu). i'm also in an internet sinkhole of background on the 2024 F2 grid and their respective karting histories.

favorite online fandom memory: when i was 15 i had public beef with a bunch of conservatives in a politician's comment section over pipelines and green policy and then said politician blocked me on every platform. this wouldn't be fandom related if not for the fact that i used my fan account to do all of this, so [redacted] had to search my cringe username multiple times... like omg are you a fan?

favorite old fandom you wish would drag you back in/have a resurgence: the euphoria that i felt being a part of the haikyuu fandom during quarantine will never be replicated, but i think about it every day.

favorite thing you enjoy that never had an active or big fandom, but you wish it did: i'm really into the original, morbid Grimm fairytales and wish that someone would produce a proper remake of Cinderella already. let the doves pick out the step sisters' eyes, cowards.

tempting project you don't have time for: this is a trick question because i always give into temptation regardless of whether i have time for it or not. i really want to do a series of deep-dive posts about track design and the 'architects' of f1... i've been fixated on it for a while now and haven't seen a lot of discussion about it, plus it seems like it would be fun to put all the research together :)

~ all the people i would tag have already posted, but pls do it if you'd like!

[circlejourney]

In defence of art that no one sees

I'm having a lot thoughts emerging from @koyoba's Twitter thread about how social media has made the experience of fiction a compulsory public practice, and how it's been leveraged as "organic advertising"--but specifically on the subject of fanart.

I used to force out fanart for exposure. I spent literal years playing to the algorithm: I'd see that a work of fiction I liked was popular in the current zeitgeist, and think, "an opportunity to earn Social Media Points and get more visible!" Around 2014-2016, I made it a personal rule to post at least 2 pieces of fanart a week.

And like, it worked. I got thousands of followers out of it. I was a half-competent artist, had ideas, and did sincerely love those stories--and also very much felt a need to capitalise on that love. So a lot (not all, but a lot) of the fanart I made began as a fleeting thought, inflated into a full project solely by the prospect of likes and shares.

This tendency is made quite clear when I think about what stories I chose to make fanart for. Steven Universe and Homestuck? I loved them both, and both had very active fandoms, so I spent years of my life making fanwork--there was an ecosystem, a captive audience. But my actual favourite works of fiction--typically standalone films (Inception, WALL-E) and books (Lord of the Rings)? I quietly read, watched, revisited them for years without drawing a single thing for them. Fanwork production was not my default mode of engagement with stories I liked--it was one I was slowly absorbed into as I observed these active networks of shared imagination and the resultant high levels of engagement. The first few pieces of fanart were always sincere, and then it gradually lapsed into the territory of obligation.

It was such a dishonest reflection of the pattern of my interests, though. I've rarely stayed at the "actively conceptualise and make fanwork" phase of fiction investment for more than a year. It's just not how I work. I skate from one story to another, and eventually end up back at my own narrative projects, which are infinitely more rewarding to me.

But other people do find an equal fulfillment in fanwork. In the past, I'd come back to someone's profile years later and be surprised that they were still actively producing fanwork for it. Now I understand that this is because the niche filled by original work (for me) is where fanwork sits in many other people's creative repertoires, and I respect that completely--this post isn't about those people or a criticism of their work.

But also, and here is where I would broaden the scope a little: fanart is heavily incentivised over other kinds of art. (Specifically fanart, I don't think fanfiction has quite the same sort of ecosystem.) It's free advertising for franchise fiction--consider how Overwatch's publicity managers released character sheets, hired cosplayers to dress as their characters, and generally supported fan work--it's a seemingly benevolent gesture, but it is also very much an advertising strategy that works. Organic, word-of-mouth publicity. Publishers, social media platforms, and even we ourselves, have a vested interest in keeping franchise fiction in the minds of artists and rewarding the production of fanart: it's "content" that'll get clicks, impressions, followers and ultimately money for everyone along the food chain of creation and dissemination.

And when the algorithm is designed to amplify click-attracting content, art that people can consume and forget quickly become orders of magnitude more visible than art that means something to just a handful of people (sans any additional effort to research and bond with it). With fanart, there's no barrier to entry, since you already know the characters and relationships--no need to find out more and form a connection with the work they're from--and you can simply hit "like" and "share" and get the full experience out of the art within a minute. And it becomes so, so much more popular.

And this wouldn't all be so insidious if we (or at least I) haven't been trained by these platforms--by unread badges, push notifications, follower counts--to crave engagement. I've felt the pull of that compulsion, to make more fanart I don't really care for, every time I wake up to hundreds of interactions on fanart I posted months ago and none on original art I posted the day before. Or every time I post original art and lose a follower. The numbers get translated in my mind into relative indicators of like/dislike. So just like people repost comedic or outrageous takes because they get popular, I (and surely people like myself) make more fanart than I would if it weren't incentivised by revenue-motivated social media algorithms.

I know in some cases, attracting engagement is a necessary evil, such as when you're hoping to make your living off of art. If this is your publicity strategy, I'd say go for your life, we need to put food on the table and we deserve to do so with a job we like. I also can't deny the pleasure of having someone engage with one's work fully invested in it. But l think there's nothing trivial about even one person being genuinely invested in your original work, particularly without the boost of publicity channels, and numbers belie that. One person taking the time to think about your original characters is so much more valuable than one fanart reblog.

How does my thinking outlined here affect how I'll approach art and fanwork, and what do I think would be a good response to algorithmic bullshit? I don't think the point is to guilt trip people into reblogging original art if they don't otherwise feel a desire to. Like, it would be really cool to make it a social norm to reblog any art you like--but we kind of have to accept that by the force of platform algorithms amplifying the statistical tendencies of users, fanart is always going to attract more visibility.

I just hope that anyone who's read this far is willing to look into any original work that crosses their feed, if the person who made it is someone they like. Also, those ad hoc grassroots efforts to make original work more visible--"share your OC art"/publicity threads and events--have actually been great for discovering others. And as much as Toyhouse sucks sometimes, it has the highest concentration of people who will go to the extra effort to learn about the original projects behind the art, out of anywhere on the internet that I've been.

I'm a person with shifting interests. Im the sort who will draw a handful of pieces for one fandom, and then quietly enjoy the rest of the fanwork while moving on creatively. The fact that I feel a need to ossify and continually perform my interest in franchise fiction to "hold" followers is frankly depressing. Realising that it's all part of hostile platform design has helped me wean myself of the need to do things for the algorithm, but I still have some way to go.

And well, you're gonna keep seeing my OC art, because that's where my love lies, and the joy I feel when others engage with those is rarely motivated by numerical success. I would like to commit to interacting more actively with others' works too, and maybe emphasise how cool I think it is that we're materialising entire lifetimes from our minds. If people wanna unfollow me for that, then I guess they can be my guest. This blog is my sanctuary for posting whatever the hell I want, including my ongoing OC project brainrot :)

[house-of-mirrors]

🥃 "If your OC was in this universe, what would be their favourite show/book/band/social media platform?" for Orsino!!

This speaks to the modern AU, "everyone lives no one dies" timeline I hold dear to my heart

I have joked in the past that he gets into fights with Mr Wines on twitter but he very much is the person who lives under a rock when it comes to the internet lmao

He'd enjoy some alternative music, and he'd still enjoy the classical and folk music he likes in canon.

He's a fan of folk stories, fantasies, and illegal science in canon, so he'd love the wealth of speculative fiction books we have in the current era.

Shows? Honestly the murder mysteries from the 80s and 90s, I can imagine him laying on the couch and avoiding his problems while Murder, She Wrote plays or doing marathons with his brother Horatio

[diviinitatis]

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍.

— BASICS! ♡

NAME: Giulia / g

PRONOUNS: She/her

ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus

TAKEN OR SINGLE: Single ✨

— THREE FACTS! ♡

I'm currently hyperfixated on Di/sco Ely/sium and it's the first and only media that I've ever fixated on as much as I have CoVT. It was also my very first video game so it'll forever have a special place in my heart❤️

I finally got an ADHD diagnosis and have unfortunately realized that I project it (or some form of neurodivergency) on most of my favorite characters-- D'Ablo most notably, turns out I've been writing him as ADHD for YEARS and just now realized it.

The cat that I say is my cat isn't actually mine, he's a family member's with some I live. However he is my baby and I love him so he's my cat ❤️ It's also mandatory that everyone sees him so pasted a picture under a read more at the end of this post you're welcome.

— EXPERIENCE! ♡

PLATFORMS USED: Only tumblr. I joined tumblr rp in 2014 and I just like the slow pace, low-pressure format. Discord is too fast (and scary), twitter is too short-form and I am wordy as fuck, also it's twitter so gross.

PLOTTING / WINGING IT / MEMES: I like a combination of plotting and winging it! Usually the plots come from a meme or an unhinged 3 am message of "guess what I just thought of" and then we cry and scream for a while, and maybe it'll come to fruition, maybe not (and if it doesn't I treasure it regardless).

— MUSE PREFERENCE! ♡

GENDER: I tend to write male characters more easily, not sure why, but I have no preference in terms of what gender my partners' muses are! Give me all the muses.

MULTI OR SINGLE MUSE: I love running a multi and I don't want to go back. Organization is so much easier, and it's all in one place. There is the trade-off that some people just don't want to interact with multis but we're all entitled to our preferences! I usually tend to interact more with multis as well but I'm not at all opposed to writing with single-muse blogs.

LEAST FAVOURITE FACECLAIM(S): I am not a fan of animated face claims.

— FLUFF / ANGST / SMUT! ♡

FLUFF: I love me some fluff. I love slice of life interactions, some feel-good stuff, some character exploration that doesn't end in trauma.

ANGST: Speaking of trauma, I do love inflicting horrible trauma on fictional characters, even more than I like slice of life. Instead of slice of life, make it a slice off their body. Or, if that's not available, a slice off their mental wellbeing.

SMUT: I've come to appreciate smut as a good character development tool, so yes I am down for smut.

And to wrap up my kitty is below the cut ❤️

[superstar49]

Hi!! Saw you were doing f1 hot takes so though why not sharing one I have.

Haters make this fandom less and less enjoyable. Idk why so many people act like hating is normal and an expected part of the sport, specially with the recent events its showing so many disrespectful and imo even disgusting behaviours of the fans.

I'm not condemning criticism, or even disliking a driver, everyone has a right to not like a driver but I think we should all trace a line when the hate is to much which imo is what is happening but most of the people act like it's okay.

This are REAL people, and HUMANS, yes maybe they're also rich boys who drive fast cars but still, they're NOT fictional people whom you can wish death and harass.

Also hating and harassing other fans for having an opinion or liking a certain driver is also fucking disgusting. Period. Idc you think the driver did something irremediable, it's still fucking horrendous to bash on other people for having a different opinion to yours. And if you want to be treated with respect, you need to also respect others, so then dont be surprised those people wont respect you, like I've seen lately.

Sorry for any mistakes my English is not the best! Im not taking here any side of the conflict that is happening on the fandom, so it about both sides. Btw nothing is directed to you, just to some people on this fandom that REALLY need to hear this :)

honestly yeah i do agree with this one, which might come as a surprise to some people who know me. i’m definitely a big hater about some drivers and i’ve got some intense opinions, but the difference is i keep them to tumblr or my personal messages with friends. it’s one thing to post about not liking a driver on a blog website that i doubt half the drivers even know about, or to talk shit with your friends in messages nobody else will see, but it’s crossing the line to go and post on twitter or instagram or tiktok, all of which are extremely public platforms that almost every single driver uses, and post death threats and the like. the truth is that driver hate has always been part of the sport, but it’s been on the side of too much for years now. and the hate against other fans, like you mentioned, is ridiculous. there are a couple of drivers on the grid that i really can’t stand, but i follow and am friends with plenty of folks who are fans of those drivers, and i’m not in their ask boxes or dms or text messages shitting on them for liking drivers that i’m not a fan of. it works the opposite way, too. if someone is hating on your favourite driver, just ignore them or block them if you don’t want to hear it. there’s no reason to harass people.

the big takeaway is, people just need to mind their manners and their business and understand what the limit is.

send me your f1 hot takes

[itsayaze]

Day One - Touchdown

After a 13-hour flight, I landed at Haneda Airport at 7AM local time. Haneda is an airport I like a lot. It’s open and airy; with floor-to-ceiling windows through entire hallways that take considerable time to walk down. Travelators are chiming, and nice Japanese voices advise you to be careful when using them. A man operating a cart to ferry passengers around drove past with a jingle adjacent to an ice cream truck.

Immigration is always going to be one of the longer parts of getting through an airport, sure, but getting to the front was almost an hour. And this is after disembarking the plane much before the rest of the passengers. Thankfully, I had filled out the customs and immigration forms much ahead of time online, which gave me a QR code to speed the process up. 

As soon as I hit the front, I flew through immigration. The plus side of the queue being so long is that by the time you get out, your luggage is already spinning its way down the carousel. Using my recently acquired AirTags, I didn’t need to squint and wait for a bunch of bags to drift past; A helpful arrow in the Find My app set me straight. I grabbed my suitcase and headed straight for nothing to declare. I didn’t even get stopped and searched for gold bullion this time!

The arrivals hall was bustling. People stand around holding signs for parties to get chauffeured around their opening hours in the country. I’ve done Haneda before, so I knew what I needed to do, but this time there was an extra complication: I needed to find the JAL baggage delivery counter.

I was hellbent on getting this suitcase out of my hands and delivered to the hotel I'm staying at. But I couldn't find it anywhere. Looked on the maps around the airport? Nothin'. So I took out my phone and looked it up. It's on 1F! That's... where I just came from after the sign told me it was on 2F... etc. etc.

After about 30 minutes of aimlessly wandering around, I conceded and made my way over to one of my favourite parts of the country: the rail system.

Haneda has a monorail that will take you to the Yamanote Line, where you can make most of your connections in Central Tokyo. They run frequently and have many stops along the way. I let a few go past because it was the Haneda Express I was truly after.

You get on, and it goes. Straight to Hamamatsucho. No stopping on the way, just hauling ass across the monorail, drinking in the sights. It's still technically Sakura season, so I did see some Sakura trees along the river. I happened to pick a week to travel here that conveniently has a really nice weather forecast, so it was clear skies and sun all day; a comically drastic difference from the weather I'd left behind in England.

So, at Hamamatsucho then. I make my way through the station, touch out of the Monorail section and drag this huge-ass suitcase to the Yamanote line. On the platform, an all too familiar jingle rang out, and what I often describe as "a fine boy" arrived - the E235. The unit. The lad. I love him.

There are plenty of E235s in the rolling stock, but the Yamanote green one is particularly striking to me. As a Densha de GO! fan, I'm having a ball. I hop on and put myself into a corner out of everyone's way.

I leave the train at what I have consistently described as "real clown shit" - Shinjuku station. I gotta leave from the East exit. So I follow the signs pointing to the East exit... Am I at the East exit? You bet your ass I'm not! So I go back the way I came like a fool and try again. Eventually, I get it, all whilst my buddy whom I'm meeting up with goes through a similar experience on the other end of the station.

Now that we've met up, we walk through Shinjuku, down towards Kabukicho. I saw the iconic red gates and walked up that street constantly drawing comparisons to its fictional Kamurocho counterpart. Mostly, it's strikingly similar! I've managed to make my way around based on the knowledge I've accrued being a franchise fan, which is hilarious to me. We walk past the Toho cinema and wave at Godzilla.

Bags were dropped off, and we had some time to kill until 3PM check-in. So, the short version of those events:

Coffee in Kabukicho Tower.

Cheese Gyudon at Matsuya. The Chigyu championship starts today.

Game Panic Kabukicho (or Club Sega in Kamurocho if ya nasty)

Buy an eAmusement card, because I left mine at home.

It gets stuck, but one QR code and a quick message to a staff member sorts that out.

IIDX. Sound Voltex. First time I've played a Lightning/Valkyrie cabinet, which was a very pleasant experience.

Buy a BanaPassport for fun. We'll probably play MaxiTune soon.

Played some new Konami Chunithm bootleg with influencers and v-tubers all over the gaff. (I did not like it much)

Walkabout Shinjuku aimlessly for fun.

We check in at long last, and I'm finally bed-adjacent. I lay down for a bit and let a hot bath run. Normally, I prefer showers, but I was recreating an event from my last trip to Japan in 2018: a strong-zero in a lovely warm bath. I soak for a good while, dry off and then have a quick nap. That was the beginning of the end.

On waking up a few hours later, we make our way over to Torikizoku, a real nice yakitori place. There was quite a wait, but that was fine. I needed some more time to get PROPERLY hungry anyway. By the time we were seated and we ordered our food, I was ready. A quick breakdown again:

A comically large "MEGA Lemon Sour"

Potato salad, cabbage, and edamame.

Tsukune Cheese Yaki... (chicken meatballs drowning in cheese...)

Mune Kizokuyaki (chicken & leek skewers)

More chicken

Another MEGA Lemon Sour... but they brought me two!

More tsukune cheese yaki (fuck me, it's so good man)

Then we ventured Kabukicho until 1AM. A very unusual occurrence for me, being out that late. But the "dangerous" part of Tokyo really is much safer than London. Back at the hotel, I pretty much immediately KO'd on the pillow, exhausted from a day on my feet.

[4dself]

Chronicles of a Fandom Luminary: My Journey as a Renowned Fan Fiction Writer. (and an obsessed fan)

Journey into Fandom: I've been in a few fandoms throughout but I believe this was the first fandom that was probably the deepest I'd ever been. And when I say deep I mean deep. I most definitely won't be dropping any specific names but I'm sure you'll be able to pick up along the way some hints here and there about what I'm talking about.

I was on YouTube in 2016 or 2017 and had come across a few videos on YouTube, then couldn't get enough and was watching reactions of other groups reacting to other groups. I'm sure you get it by now. lol.

My memory from this time is a bit foggy about how I got into this fandom exactly but this is how I discovered them.

There were two within the group and I really loved their dynamic with one another; along with the other thousands of people. I loved how they interacted, talked, and were cool with one another. I was obsessed. I watched YouTube compilation videos that others had made of them and it garnered lots of views, I loved everything about their bond and was genuinely obsessed to an insane amount.

I realized I had too much love for them and an overwhelming affection for the two especially one of them. My entire being literally overflowed with love and obsession and I needed an outlet for all this. This is when I came across Wattpad.

Discovering Fanfiction

I had used Wattpad in the past to read normal/regular stories from authors--never actually using the app as an author myself, but mainly as a reader.

I saw that the fandom I was in had specific tags and names for my OTP. I saw that the tags/names would be paired with drawings, vdeos, etc. I then realized I could use those same names/hashtags to search for content on other platforms. So I searched on wp andd I was surprised but filled with happiness and excitement as I saw that my otp had so many stories written about them. I added these books to my library and read and read and read. I would read until 3AM just engulfing myself into their universe of love.

It wasn't long until I had a favourite dynamic of who was the top and who was the bottom; then only reading and enjoying that specific dynamic. I was mainly obsessed with one of them though and read every single thing related to him. him x the others, it didn't matter because it was him. Though my favourite otp above all the rest was him x the other guy.

I was very, very happy with the authors I followed and supported and all, as so many of them created so much amazing and good content. I had so many stories in my library saved and I had read all of them more than 20 times. (no joke). I had two absolute favourite authors and I was more than obsessed with their works as they only ever posted about the otp and did so beautifully. it was clear they were just as obsessed. One of them did eventually went mia for a while due to some things happening, and she came back a year later with an update to one of the stories and was more than active. the other favourite author went mia until their account eventually got deleted. She was my #1 writer and me and the other 15k+ followers were more than obsessed with everything she released.

It also wasn't long for me to start getting into writing the stories myself. I remember writing my first ever story of my otp and finishing it at 4AM on a school night. I was filled with joy and adrenaline because I was simply so happy to be writing things about them and obsessing over them.

I shared the story with my best friend and she helped me edit it, read it over for me, gave me suggestions etc. before finally publishing it. That story did extraordinarily well on the platform and it wasn't long before I started pumping out more work. Every work I shared and finished did better than the next. I had gained over 1.2k followers in a span of 2 months and it only continued to grow from there. Engagements were high, everyone was active, it was more than amazing.

I realized I loved writing my otp because I was in complete control of the story. I could write about absolutely anything and could feed the hunger within me that was so obsessed with them. I had so many ideas and fantasies that I was able to publish and it seemed there were just as many people waiting for it as those stories did extrodinarily well. I wasn't only obsessed with my otp but again with him and so many of my stories consisted of him x xyz in the group simply because I loved the dynamic he had with the others as well; and also watched content regarding any of his ships.

I had published so many stories until the point I stopped reading on wattpad and became a main author myself on that platform when it came to the otp. I was starving for some new content about my otp, something fresh, something clean and brand new that I had never seen before but it came to a point where wattpad simply did not have what I was looking for. The quality I wanted, I could not find on wattpad. I had eventually slowed down my writing and barely published new works; but updated chapters here and there times.

Twitter and AO3

I craved some new content really bad but didn't know where to look. I went to wattpad to try to fill parts of the cravings but it did not work anymore. I got bored of reading the same thing over and over but couldn't go a day without not indulging.

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon twitter, but this was also the very first time I was introduced to stan twitter. My wp handle and twitter handle were the same. I updated my followers on wp that I now had a twitter account and told them I would be more active there. Quickly I found content regarding my otp and his numerous ships, and the dynamic I enjoyed. I followed accounts that also loved and were obsessed with him and his other ships as well. The community was huge.

I believe this was when I came across AO3. I'm not sure exactly how I found it but I was in love. AO3 was levels above wattpad. It was and still is in a leauge of it's own. The writing quality was absolutely beautiful, the mountains of stories and stories regarding my ships and especially my otp made my mouth water. I was amazed and in awe that such a platform existed and it was only now that I came across it. I believe my friend knew about it long before I did and helped me get use to the platform. I quickly created an AO3 account which had the same handle as my wp and twt.

It did not take long for me at all to start publishing. My first work and gained many kudos and love from so many, so many comments I received were written in paragraphs; it's as if they wrote an entire story in my comments. Quickly, my following on twitter grew exponentially. I loved writing so much and loved that there was a large community for all of this. I soon found other writers on twitter and fanartists and what not, and I read all their content and reposted it all too. It was amazing. I couldn't ask for anything better. Everyday there was something new for me to induldge in regarding my otp and any of his ships. I truly couldn't believe it. Even if it was in another language I would find a translation for it.

It was interesting to learn that there were people more obsessed than I was on an entirely different level.

I published more content and gained lots of exposure--even becoming twitter mutuals with one of my all time favourite writers of my otp. She was very well known for her works about the otp and I was so excited that she loved my stories just as much. I had moved from wp to twitter and AO3. I would receive so many dms of people saying they loved my works and how thankful they were about me and the content and ideas I would produce. People also dm'd me suggestions about what to write and a story line they would love to see and of course I took so many things into consideration and would publish them. My best friend even helped me work on some stories together, we brainstormed and wrote it together, it was very fun. She wasn't in the fandom or anything like that but liked helping me out fomr time to time or whenever I needed it.

Eventually, not only did I publish fics but started posting fanart as well. (I used to be an artist until it no longer interested me) I posted lots of otp art, and it gained lots of traction as well.

I even participated in kinktober (for fanfics) and wrote something every single day and published it. It did well of course. I never wanted to do it again as it was also draining.

Things could only go up from there. I was well known within the community, my works were being shared amongst others and were included in threads regarding reccomendations. Every single day there was new content regarding my otp and any of his ships, the fan art from fanartists was of insane and highest quality, writing from writers was of amazing and highest quality it was just an amazing sight. I was even surprised my favourite fanartist had a twitter as well since I only found her on tumblr, and of course her following was just as grand on both platforms. I would go through all the art she published everyday as it was just too good. She was and is still very popular.

I literally could not go a day without my otp. Every day I was indulging in anything and everything about them and was utterly obsessed. It legitamatly was one of the main things that brought me happiness (lol).

I also realized much later on that I only cared about my otp and his other ships. If it was any other ships that included someone in my main otp in their ship, I wouldn't even engage with it or bother to acknowledge it but it brought me annoyance. Yes, this literally would drop my mood down and make me upset. So, to lighten my mood again I would go back and simply engage with my otp content. I realized that majority of the community did not like that other communties otp as they would harass us as they solely wanted their otp to be the main one. It was out of some sort of jealousy since our otp announced many things together, worked together in duo projects, and always paired together in everything.

Curious cat

Moving forward, I had eventually created a curious cat as I had seen it was something a lot of content creators within stan twitter had. I would recieve hundreads of anonymous messages everyday and would respond to them. 98% of it was very, very posititve and had nice things to say about my writing and etc. the other 2% were low lifes, bottom of the barrel individuals who sent odd things about the otp and my writing because they wanted me to write about their otp. I made it clear that if they were that upset, they should go write it on their own. I would even get dt because some people were that upset.

Majority of the community was on my side when it came to any rude messages from anonymous', and would defend me.

It was fun but eventually I closed down my curious cat due to receiving too many messages on a daily bases and not being able to respond to them at once.

Closing Twitter

Twitter was very toxic in general. Even amongst the main group fandom it was just weird. I loved the community and everything having to do with our otp but twitter was just not the vibe for me. Despite having many devout followers, I didn't like being on the platform anymore; so I closed my account down and remained only on AO3. Of course people were very upset about my account closing as I had lots of content on my account that many would revisit daily, and it wasn't on AO3.

I still regined without a twitter account. I published and eveyrone was content and just glad that I was still active.

Present

I am no longer obsessed. Though, I did publish something this October since I hadn't published something in a very long time and of course it's doing numbers.

I skipped quite a few things in this story since I don't consider them to be too relevent to this story. I have many more stories to tell regarding stan twitter and being a solo at one point but those are stories for another day.

I'm wondering if anyone knows the ship. I don't think I said anything specific at all; the information provided is so broad.

[hhssyyaa]

Content Warning: This article addresses sensitive topics, including cyberbullying, suicide, etc. Reader discretion is advised. If these discussions are distressing, consider skipping this content. The intention here is to raise awareness and foster understanding, not to spread hate or target any individuals or parties involved.

INTRODUCTION *.~

Hi there folks and welcome back! So today we are going to dive into the realm where pop culture and social activism collides. Yes, that’s right – a topic that I think that is not only intriguing but also relevant. Theres no doubt that everyone and anyone who is online has heard of the word fandom and what it consists of. However, to formally define what it is, according to Cambridge University Press (n.d.), it is a community of supporters - who are typically the more devoted ones, of something or someone. From BTS to Harry Potter, fandoms have become one of the driving forces behind many significant social and political movements. It’s not just about loving your favourite characters; it’s about leveraging that love to make a difference.

Fandom as Supportive Communities 彡

One of the most significant instances fandoms have impact in social activism is through charity events and fundraising. Fans from different backgrounds and different nationalities pool together their resources and raise substantial amounts of money for causes they’re passionate about. One that is most notable was the Black Lives Movement where the BTS army donated more than $1 million dollars through campaigning in Twitter. The charity named One in an Army was trending on Twitter with their hashtag #MatchAMillion where hundreds and thousands donated in support (Madden, 2020). Hence, shows that the sense of belonging in a community that fandoms usually create provides a powerful motivator for activism. People are more likely to engage in social issues when they feel like they are a part of a supportive community that share the same values. It’s not just about being a fan; it’s about finding a community that shares your passion for change.

Fandom, Pop Culture and Activism ✎

Pop culture references are often adopted by fandoms to highlight social issues. They use their favourite characters and tales as a platform for discussion and change advocacy in their fan fiction, fan art, and other works of material. The discussions made can help increase public awareness and also be used to influence public opinion, bring about social change and have an impact on political choices (Chowdhury, 2023). It can affect the attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs of people and is frequently viewed as a reflection of societal views and values. Pop culture, for instance, can have a significant impact on how young people perceive gender roles, relationships, and body image.  In a way, it could be a platform, or a hub for education and advocacy where fans can share information, resources and research on important issues to help inform and mobilise their communities.  It's a brilliant way to connect with a broader audience and show how even fictional worlds can reflect and influence real-world issues.

Media representation : ̗̀➛

“Representation in the fictional world signifies social existence. Absence means symbolic annihilation.” - George Gerbner

In many ways, fandoms could also influence the media by advocating for better representation. The impact goes beyond the screen. When fans rally behind a call for representation, it sends a clear message to the entertainment industry that their target audiences crave authenticity and relatability.  This pushes creators and the media landscape to more diverse and inclusive characters and storylines. For instance, Black Panther and Shang Chi which represents the black and Asian community in the big screens. The value of one's own identity, culture, and ancestry is emphasised in both films (Raafeke, 2021). It’s natural for fans to long for their cultures or something that fans can see in themselves in the big screens and being represented. And fandoms give a platform to voice these concerns to the entertainment industry for better representation. So, the next time you see a campaign for better representation, remember: it's not just a call for diversity; it's a demand for authenticity and a celebration of the myriad voices that make our world extraordinary.

Challenges and controversies -ˋˏ✄

But of course, no community is free of faults. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows in the world of fandom-driven activism. Differences between fandoms can lead to conflicts or promote toxic behaviour. It has been well documented that fandoms can have harmful effects. So, what are these harmful effects? Well, the most common and highly known to people are increased fan involvement in bullying – or rather cyberbullying. Threats of murder, sexist remarks, slurs about race, and intimidation are sadly common in the fan group culture even though some may disagree. One of the most popular cyberbullying cases we know would be of Selena Gomez. Selena Gomez, one of the most followed people on Instagram faces cyberbullying by Justin Bieber’s fans but now, inclusive of Haily Bieber’s fans. According to reports, cyberbullies are significantly more destructive since they are able to specifically target parts of her that she finds undesirable (ABC News, 2017). Balancing the positive impact with the challenges is a tightrope act that every fandom must navigate.

Long-term commitment ╰┈➤

Now, let's talk about a crucial aspect often overlooked in the world of fandom-driven activism – the long-term commitment. It's not just about a momentary spark; it's about sustaining that flame over time, turning a movement into a lasting force for change. Especially now, in the era of the internet, it’s so easy to get swept up in the initial wave of activism. Hashtag trends, charity campaigns that goes viral, but what happens when it’s no longer trending? Some fandoms may understand the issues they care about are not solved overnight and needs continuous engagement even though the spotlight dims.

CONCLUSION ツ

So, there you have it folks. Fandoms are more than just a gathering of fans; they’re a force to be reckoned with for change, a platform for education, and a catalyst for social activism. Keep that in mind the next time you join your favourite fandom. Your passion could be the key to making the world a better place. And remember, whether it’s fighting for justice in a fictional world or the real one, you can make a difference. Until next time!

REFERENCES

ABC News. (2017, March 23). Selena Gomex Explains How Online Bullying Affects Her, ‘They Want to Cut to Your Soul’. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/selena-gomez-explains-online-bullying-affects-cut-soul/story?id=46325132.

Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Fandom. In Cambridge dictionary. Retrieved November 8, 2023 from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fandom.

Chowdhury, R. (2023, February 15). Are young people of a society more influenced by pop culture?. Reader’s Blog. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/areyoungpeopleofasocietymoreinfluencedabypopculture/are-young-people-of-a-society-more-influenced-by-pop-culture-50519/.

Madden, E. (2020, June 11). The BTS Army and the Transformative Power of FandomAs Activism. The Ringer. https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/6/11/21287283/bts-army-black-lives-matter-fandom-activism.

Raafeke. (2021, September 13). The importance of Shang-Chi and Black Panther. Medium. https://medium.com/media-eye/the-importance-of-shang-chi-and-black-panther-a04e02291ab8.

[prithvi69]

Into The Anime Verse

Greetings from the anime verse! In this realm, anything is possible, including battling enormous robots and travelling to magical lands. All kinds of fascinating people can be found here, from brave heroes to cunning villains. There is something for everyone among the diverse selection of anime.

This block page is for you whether you've been an anime fan for a long time or are just starting to start. You may learn a tonne of stuff about the anime verse here, such as:

A synopsis of anime's history

a list of well-known anime

Advice on how to start watching anime

sources for further information about anime

So why are you still waiting? Enter the anime world now to begin your quest!

The many anime genres

Action, humour, drama, romance, and sci-fi are just a few of the many genres that fall under the umbrella label "anime." Among the most well-liked anime subgenres are:

Action anime is known for its thrilling fights, brutal combat, and risk-taking escapades. A few well-known action anime include "Dragon Ball Z," "Naruto Shippuden," and "Attack on Titan."

Comedy anime is distinguished by its humour, ridiculous plots, and extravagant characters. A few well-known comedic anime include "One Punch Man," "Konosuba," and "The Disastrous Life of Saiki K."

Character growth, relationships, and emotional turmoil are the main themes of drama anime. Popular drama anime titles include "Your Lie in April," "A Silent Voice," and "Violet Evergarden."

Finding your soul match, love, and relationships are the central themes of romance anime. "Fruits Basket," "Toradora!" and "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" are a few examples of well-known romance anime.

Science fiction anime investigates exotic species, future settings, and cutting-edge technology. Popular sci-fi anime series include "Steins;Gate," "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood," and "Code Geass."

The origins of anime in Japan and its appeal to audiences worldwide

Early in the 20th century, Japan is where anime first appeared. It was first developed to advance Japanese culture and ideals. However, because to its distinctive artistic approach, captivating narratives, and likeable characters, anime swiftly became well-known throughout the globe.

An international phenomenon, anime is now. People of all ages and from all walks of life appreciate it. Around the world, anime conventions are conducted, and goods related to the genre are available in shops.

the numerous anime viewing options

Watching anime can be done in a variety of ways. It is available on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and other streaming platforms. Anime DVDs and Blu-rays are also available. Additionally, if you're feeling daring, you may watch anime on shady streaming websites.

The world of anime

The anime community is a thriving and friendly one. Around the world, you may meet other anime lovers and talk about your favourite shows at anime clubs and groups. Additionally, you can meet voice actors, artists, and other business experts at anime conventions.

[jefelen-presents]

“Xanadu Hellfire” (2023)

Sunday, April 9th, 2023 (15:51) JEFELEN was delighted to sign up with The Nitwit Consortium™ to serve as Executive Producer on Justin Armao's fantastical action-comedy, "Xanadu Hellfire" (the latest feature-length instalment in his "Bloodsucka Jones" movie trilogy), which is now available to purchase on region-free blu-ray through the Etsy™ e-commerce platform:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/xanaduhellfire

An eight-year-old girl discovers an improbable means through which to miraculously summon the warrior heroine of her favourite comic book series, "Xanadu Hellfire", from the future to the present, and moreover, from the illustrated pages of fiction to reality!  Xanadu's evil sister manages to follow, and things get a bit crazy from there.  Inspired by everything from "Conan" to "Thor", "Mad Max" to "Clerks" -- there's bound to be a little something for everyone here.  Unless you're a fan of energy beams being emitted from people's hands -- the movie probably could have benefitted from MORE of those, in hindsight...

Independently produced and distributed, "Xanadu Hellfire" is either available on its own, or packaged as part of an Atomic Cotton™ t-shirt & disc collector's bundle.  But do take considered note of the disclaimer presented upon the reversible cover sleeve: this film contains a lot of cursing... but it's okay because it was done by nine-year-olds.  M'yeah.

Streaming options to follow in June sometime -- watch for future updates...

#XanaduHellfire  #BloodsuckaJones  #TheNitwitConsortium  #JustinArmao  #AvailableNOW  #SupportIndependentCinema

BREAK!!**

{X}

Monday, April 10th, 2023 (15:51) In addition to the aforementioned Etsy™ retail outlet, there is also an official Bloodsucka Jones storefront to be found on TeePublic.com, which incidentally plays host to a variety of fetching "Xanadu Hellfire" merchandised garments as well:

http://www.teepublic.com/user/bloodsuckajones

Among the assortment of themed designs (which each come in your choice of fit and style, from an impressive array of fabric colours) is the original title logo:

http://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/24433817

Then there's the movie poster shirt:

http://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/33662043

Sucka's Badass Burgers™ branded employee shirt:

http://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/25333999

And surely EVERYBODY needs their very own Becky shirt:

http://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/34324330

Join the club -- all the COOL kids are wearing those (just ask Chloe Sligar!).  But need help selecting your appropriate size?  Then look no further: 

http://www.teepublic.com/sizechart

And as a bonus Easter incentive, for the next hour, the price for all of these great fashion items is reduced by 27% -- NOW'S THE TIME TO BUY!!  Don't miss out.  #SupportIndependentCinema

Tuesday, June 6th, 2023 (15:51) Well now, look what arrived in the mail!

In addition to my consignment of garments from TeePublic.com, see here an Atomic Cotton™ t-shirt, Sucka's Badass Burgers™ paraphernalia (including burger and fries packaging, along with an assortment of five thermal colour-change tumblers), hand-drawn storyboards (which appear relatively blank in this photograph, due to their grey lead constitution), a shooting breakdown, a used clapperboard (signed by the cast & crew on the reverse side), and a copy of the movie on blu-ray -- what is this, Christmas?!  Huge thanks again to Justin and his Nitwit Consortium™ for getting this lot to me, all the way from the other side of the planet!  Champion.  #IndependentCinemaSupported

Tuesday, April 11th, 2023 (15:51) If that particular short-time offer wasn't music to your ears, then perhaps this will be: the delightfully infectious "Xanadu Hellfire" theme song by Benjamin "Benjiphonik" Stewart is available on the Bandcamp™ online audio distribution platform:

http://benjiphonik.bandcamp.com/track/xanadu-hellfire

Conversely, it can also be enjoyed through the following:

SoundCloud™: http://soundcloud.com/benjiphonik/xanadu-hellfire

YouTube™: http://music.youtube.com/watch?v=6mToFk6hFZc

Amazon Music™: http://music.amazon.com/albums/B0BHBY7LNR

Apple Music™: http://music.apple.com/.../xanadu-hellfire-single/1648403137

Spotify™: http://open.spotify.com/track/5x4ERR31i1kQx7szUJ92g5

Shazam™: http://www.shazam.com/track/635771636/xanadu-hellfire

Deezer™: http://www.deezer.com/album/363575027

Qobuz™: http://www.qobuz.com/.../xanadu-hellfire.../qxmftrlmbxsgb

So crank up the volume and rock out with those gravelly paragogic vowels!

Wednesday,

{X}

Saturday, April 15th, 2023 (15:51) When producing an independent sci-fi epic on a tight micro-budget (developed in conjunction with a faux tie-in comic book prop, no less), innovative revenue-raising techniques must be called into play.

Disclosure: the substantial proceeds of the Swear Jar™ in point of fact went directly to the two young starlets of the movie (at their expletive-laden insistence!).

Sunday, April 16th, 2023 (15:51) Close-up focus on the comic cover and stamp corner box illustrations, revealing late-'90s stylistic sensibilities in detail.  The identities of the artists responsible have since been lost to the wasteland sands of time, as they were individually problematic to deal with, and thus elicited further utilisation of the Swear Jar™...

Fun fact: only a half dozen sequential pages were produced for this singular publication, which were then repeated several times over to fill out the bulk of the printed issue.  #MovieMagic  #AshcanTechnique  #ComicsCodeApproved

Monday, April 17th, 2023 (15:51) The initial pitch poster, seen here as it was presented to me back in 2021:

Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 (15:51) Anyone out there who has already acquired a "Xanadu Hellfire" blu-ray would be familiar with this, as it effectively serves as one side of the reversible cover inlay card, but here is the finalised promotional one-sheet:

Wednesday, April 19th, 2023 (15:51) Design B, serving as the reverse blu-ray packaging option which, if I'm to be subjectively honest, I prefer of the two, personally, with its amethyst colour palette and crafty integration of the original key art as part of its ensemble showcasing:

{X}

Thursday, April 20th, 2023 (15:51) And finally (for now...), anyone who's not only seen "Xanadu Hellfire", but watched through the closing credits in their entirety, would have surely noticed this little teaser tucked away at the end there -- indeed, the conceptual seeds have been tantelisingly sewn, ladies and gents, so if popular demand might happen to ensue, we'd be gladly obliged to look into the prospect of making a SEQUEL...!  #LetUsKnow

Sunday, July 9th, 2023 (15:51) Okay, so as an update, it's been three months since I announced the physical release of "Xanadu Hellfire", and while discs absolutely remain available to the consumer public (so be sure to get your orders in!), it's now also possible to download the movie from Apple TV™, either as a rental or purchase:

http://tv.apple.com/movie/umc.cmc.4ofzynbuwykza5l32lqruqs1e

With more digital platforms to follow...

{x}

Friday, March 15th, 2024 (15:51) 2024 UPDATE: more digital platforms have indeed followed, with "Xanadu Hellfire" now available to stream through the following providers:

Tubi™: http://www.tubitv.com/movies/100005478

Plex™: http://watch.plex.tv/watch/movie/xanadu-hellfire

Reveel™: http://www.reveel.net/programs/1301008/1301008

STARZPLAY™: http://www.starzplay.com/en/movies/459770920008

Feel FREE to take your pick!

[catboii]

(( hi to anyone who forgot they were following this DEADass blog!!

I've obviously not been on here, or on any RP blog at all, in forever. I'm gonna put this weird update(? more like a note to myself) under a cut, in case it gets kinda long... I might add updates to it later because there's alot I want to say. but I doubt anyone who would've been interested back when I was active, is still around (not to be negative! I don't expect them to be, I hope everyone I hung out with is living their best life!!) but I don't really know where else to collect my mess of thoughts on this character (I only sort of use twitter atm? and char limit lol), so for now, I'll post it here, and if I ever wanna link back to it, it's all neat and together...

if you've forgotten what this blog used to be since I changed URL and icons etc the last couple times it was active, it was Catboii, then before that SolicitorC. I have no idea if this character is actually dead, or if it is still out there somewhere, living it's best life (hopefully) maybe one day I'll tie up the loose ends, and finally set it free.... who knows

the reason I'm here, thinking about this character so fondly again, is I've actually been tentatively thinking about. writing things. again. I've been reading Homestuck fanfics again recently (i know right? in 2023?? what the shit) I doubt anyone who followed me on this blog knew me back on my other RP blogs, where I occasionally mentioned my fanfics (from 10 years ago aparently, mostly 2013 wow)..... most of which I'm embaressed about today so some I've orphaned, but the experience and practice was good in the long run

but the point is I've been thinking about writing something in my spare time (which I don't have much of, and I have multiple mental things that mean I have to re-read and correct and rearrange things I write like a million times. so far I've taken nearly 2 hours <now nearly 4 including eating and moving from upstairs to downstairs back upstairs...> to write and re-read this post, and I'm nowhere near done yet.... I'm gonna try to not be so anal about how this lays out because I've moved some paragraphs around and it sometimes doesn't make sense, but it literally doesn't matter! this is mostly just so I can look back on it in the future and be like, "oh yeah, I did that...")

I was thinking about trying to write some original fiction about one particular set of fantasy characters I have, and I like to remember the inspiration for their origins, so here we are.....

people who actually know me know I'm a HUGE slut for recycling characters. I have OCs who've been in literal hundreds of AUs, with either the same characters as always, or some different ones. and alot of my OCs, surprise surprise, started off as Tumblr RP muses.

I actually have a new version of this character, completely off tumblr or any other platform as of yet. although now he's completely diverged and I've created an entirely new timeline, new history, some actual lore of where he's come from and WHAT HE IS (finally) and how some of my other characters fit into the "universe". and I'll be honest, I did take some inspiration from some chatacters we met along the way. they have different names, I've changed their personalities somewhat, some are just loosely based off of the "concept" of a character we met, or the kind of relationship or interactions they had with my/other characters around,,, and they may not fit together with each other in this universe the way they did on Tumblr because they're not them, but the inspiration that I got from the interactions our characters had, had a big impact on the way this character has evetually turned out. I have BPD and "favourite people" reaches to more than just actual real life people for me, it reaches to characters, and I did have some "favourite muses" that really stuck with me, even if my muse wasn't a fan or they didn't really interact. there were also characters that my muse was really into, that I personally wasn't a fan of, but still mean alot to me and our progression

I obviously don't wanna just straight up plagierise someone else's character, and that wouldn't make sense anyway.... I can't copy someone else's character, and even if I COULD, they were probably fandom muses, which wouldn't work here in our new world. I can make up new characters, self indulge for the purposes of progressing my other character's stories... but that feels empty and pointless. these characters STILL hold a special place in my heart? and so some kind of weird tribute, without actually telling the person who made them, just makes sense to me I guess.... I wasn't gonna out mysef like this tbh, because to some people it might sound bad, I have alot of other characters who I've basically done the same thing with, took some loose inspiration from some OCs/fandom muses someone else made, and put some bits and pieces of them together in a completely different character of my own. I have a couple who are still mildly reminiscent of the originals, or are a very close paralell (with my own quirks), which I actually did get permission from the original creators to use and change... sometimes I think about actual TV or book characters who these smaller characters remind me of, and other RP blog characters or OCs, put bits of these characters together, then pick them apart, thinking about how they grew up, their family, friends, how that would've formed them as a person... frankensteining them together into some kind of guilt-free brain baby. this is essentially how you make characters, right? they're even initially inspired by real people, or real people's traits or personalities... then you squish them up and mould them into something else? it's not like I'm profiting off someone else's hard work and creativity... idk I don't really know how I feel about it.

for me, making characters is more than just "welp I need someone to be this guy's friend for a few chapters", they're a big part of the story, each one of my characters need to have some kind of background. even if that background is that we don't know anything about them for whatever reason.

anyway... back to the point I was getting to.

Tii, or Kiity, started off as... sort of a weird social experiment (at least that's what I'm calling it as a joke) on how out of character I can make a "normal" homestuck AU character, and not feel even the slightest bit bad about it. until I did.

the full timeline from when I was actually active is here but if you're not into long rambling explanations, here's, something..... (spoiler this turned into way longer than the timeline page, but this one has actual me in it, and my thoughts, rather than a sorta,,, emotionless list) if you DON'T wanna read the full timeline, but would like to read about my NEW character, I'll put this between these squigglies, and you can just skip it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

homestuck stuff (so if you don't get HS then I'm sorry!): he started as just a normal post-game Sollux but he was god tier, didn't remember anything from the game or where his friends were, but couldn't die! fun! while he'd had the blog he got one of those pesky magin anons which turned him into a literal catboy, which he was actually really into bc people gave him alot of attention, so we made it permanent, there was some stuff with an Alternian uprising, human troll experimentation, he had his own lab, did experiments with parasites, especially brain worm type deals, I think this Sollux (I've had a few) didn't have Psionics? bc I'm a sucker for broken bois, it's been such a long time that I don't remember much myself. there was a phase with quadrant prostitution, hence the blog title "Solicitor". the first URL is where the nickname Lit came from. totally accidental but "it's Lit" was a great tag line. there was alot of memory loss in here, a universe's Signless manipulating Lit's memories to his own advantage... I have a terrible memory myself, and forgetting important things is a big fear of mine, so I thought I'd vent it out as a plot point, again, fun! it was also a handy plot ploint to let Lit forget muses who went inactive, rather than waiting around for them to return (since he was clingy but I'm realistic and have no problem if someone has a real life)

no more homestuck: there's a climax point where Lit was manipulated by a demonic creature called Kreed, which mostly happened off-blog. partially because I was too cringe thinking "lol demons" to actually go very far with it publicly. but in the end it worked out in my favour, because the story was getting REALLY DEPRESSING, and it was sorta going stale... this is where I dropped fandom and made Tii an OC, I was sort of feeling weird about the whole fandom thing since the character didn't feel like the actual canon character at all, with the memory loss and the manipulation. it was totally in character and it was story/character progression, but it didn't feel right calling it Sollux anymore, and honestly it was a little restricting.... it wasn't out of place though, because other people were making their fandom characters OCs around this time, rather than just starting up a whole new blog for the OC, having to get followers/interaction from scratch... you know, the grind.

there was a while at this point where Tii thought it was happy? but honestly no, it wasn't, and it was dragging me down a bit, which is why I kept dipping out, and I made a couple of ther blogs around this point. in general the blog experience was good, most of the interactions were great, but I'd put too much,,,,, brain? into emotions and the afterthoughts. I got too in my head, and in Tii's head, about the past. there were toxic muses that Tii dwelled on, and even if I tried to erase the memories, they would still pop up on it's dash and it would start a spiral, there would be posts on the vent blog regarding these people and Tii would be like "WHO DIS??" which was partially funny, but in the end exhausting.... it turned out, what I was *hoping* would be a superpower (forgetting traumatic events) turned out to be Tii's downfall.... I decided to go no-contact with my own character at some point. mostly I was just genuinely too busy, but I started to pop back on every now and again on mobile to see how things were going, say hi to a couple people, but eventually it would all start spiralling again, and it just wasn't enjoyable. I tried making another blog for an OC, which I don't think I even finished setting up before I decided I just didn't have the time or energy to start up.... but that's not Tii stuff, so nevermind that

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

today, Furui is a Nekomata (with some shapeshifting abilities), in a world where maybe 2% of the population is some kind of fantasy creature, living in hiding. most can blend in with general society, so humans think it's WAY less than that, although they know they're around...

I have a few "main characters", including Keisuke, who was a boy who grew up at the family temple/shrine (I'm not too familiar with Japanese culture, and I'm not about to pretend I am, so I forget which it is) where Furui lived back when he was an actual, literal cat. he frequented the site, even though his family told him not to go alone as the ghost of a black cat haunted it. it was actually just a Yokai. so much better... the Yokai grew quite fond of Keisuke, and hung around him, let him put a handmade collar on him so he could hear the tinkling bell when he was around. although Keisuke moved abroad to study when he was older, and when he returned after several years, the cat was gone. at some point, Furui, not understanding human language, so thinking Keisuke had just forgetten about him (even though he did try multiple times to say he was leaving,,, )and other humans pestering him and trying to chase him out, had gotten fed up, and turned into a malevolent spirit, burning down the temple/shrine, and killing several humans who'd tried to harm him

on a lighter note, fast farward a couple years, there's some goofy intro where Keisuke meets Furui in a human form, but he's an absolutely terrible human impersonator. they somehow end up being buddies and Keisuke teaches him how to person etc etc story things.

there are other main characters like Lyric the sweet but secretly manipulative Siren, or "Lyra" to humans. then there's Denali the reluctant Werewolf who I've actually toyed with being the protagonist. they have a complicated relationship where Lyric doesn't want Denali to be so self destructive (drinking and sleeping around), and doesnt actually know that he's a literal werewolf. because he won't tell her. he's worried she'll absolutely freak out about him getting hurt or hurting people... what he doesn't realise is she's just using him and has got him wrapped around her little finger, because she thinks he's just another stupid human. he, of course knows she's NOT a human, but think he's special, and she would NEVER use her powers on him.

Furui and Keisuke move abroad to [wherever I decide this takes place] where Lyric, Denali, and a bunch of other characters live. Furui quickly befriends Lyric because he can smell non-humans, being a cat and all, meets Denali and finds out he hasn't told Lyric his secret, so (as he's not a human, so doesn't have human values of trust and camaraderie, and is... not a nice person in general) threatens to out him if he doesn't play along with his games.. those games, being he's been the dark creature slowly picking off the werewolf packs roaming the streets killing people. one of those packs, being Denali's own. Furui takes great pleasure in making the guy choose between his relationship with Lyric, who he thinks he feels more than just platonically for, or his pack. this of course has alot of ways it could go, and I haven't fully decided.... but it's fun to theorise.

originally, Furui had a huge crush on Denali (which was gonna end in some kinda violent throwndown between him and Lyric), because in my mind he started out as this huge confident wolf boy, and who doesn't wanna fuck a werewolf, but as time's been going, he's been showing his vulnerabilities, and Furui will absolutely not be into anyone who is scared of anything, especially if it's not tangible... he's a ilteral spirit, he can't die or be killed. he toys with death on the daily, and I have a couple of quick little drabble scenes written up already (to get it out of my system) of him being absolutely annihilated, only to grotesquely and noisily pull his dislocated/broken limbs back into their sockets, and raise up from the ground gushing blood and bits of his insides all over the pavement.... you can't be second guessing your words in case you hurt someone's feelings around someone like that, if you want them to respect your physical prowess. on one hand, I like big confident scary Denali, but I also like confidence being a front, and secretly vulnerable doggo boi. it's a hard life.

anyway I'm just ranting now, and it's been.... like literally over 5 hours. I started writing this at half 4ish? and it's 10pm now. I feel better though, like I got something out of my system, and I got some of my story thoughts down, instead of just letting them swim around in my head then be forgotten.

if anyone did read all this for whatever reason, then I hope you have a great day, and thankyou for sharing this with me ...