#expecting the lines not to really show up and the color distinctions to be the whole deal. Turns out they showed up just as well as my blac

[andalon-historian]

Day 8: Beast! The Northumbrian Dragon

Arthur, Lancelot, Gawaine, Morgan, and Guinevere encounter a monstrous beast on a visit to King Aethelfrith

Awesome

Done for @kulttuurinkurittama 's October Round Table art challenge

[jaewritesfic]

Melon!AU

Actual writing now, based on this post:

“What,” Tim breathes out faintly, “the fuck is that?”

Language, Bruce thinks faintly, though he doesn't manage to get it past his lips.

He is a man who prides himself on being ready for anything, but he most certainly didn't expect something like this when responding to the Batsignal tonight.

“That is a Pit Demon,” Damian's voice asserts through comms, grave in a way that betrays his collected mask. He's unnerved. “There is nothing else that could be.”

Bruce is unnerved too, though he refuses to show it.

Gordon had half the block cordoned off so no civilians would come through by the time Bruce and Tim - the closest at the time - had arrived on scene. The alley itself is blocked in by police cruisers, though the officers are staying very firmly behind the line and not approaching.

It's no wonder why.

The…thing backed into a dead end alley looks like it's made of smoke and shadow, all long sinuous lines and dangerous angles.

It's vaguely Humanoid in the sense that it has a long torso, arms and a head. The arms are too long, the fingers curved and wickedly sharp. The face is a well of deep shadow, a smooth slate broken only when it opens its jagged mouth to show off a full arsenal of fangs.

The only other facial features are the solid, glowing Lazarus green eyes. Wide and lamp-like, they give the distinct feeling that the creature's sights will not miss anything.

There are no legs. Just the sinuous curves and overlaps of a long smokey tail. It whips about with agitation.

Floating like mist on the water is a head of white hair, edges fuzzy and undefined like it can't decide whether it's a solid or a gas.

The creature lays with its chest nearly flat to the ground, propped up only by those horrifically sharp hands and poised like a predator ready to push off into a sprint.

Glowing Lazarus water seems to pool slowly beneath it, streaked here and there as evidence of past movement.

Bruce finally finds his tongue to question Damian. He can see his youngest standing on the opposite roof of he and Tim, the two buildings that form the alley their perch.

“You've seen something like this before?”

Damian hesitates. “...no. But there are stories of things coming out of the Pits. I doubt I need to explain why this seems to be one of them.”

With that color green shining out of its face and streaked across the alley? No. No, he doesn't.

“Do your stories have any clues on what to do when one shows up?” Tim asks, unable to tear his eyes away from the creature.

Damian scoffs. “Close your eyes and hope your end is quick.”

“Lovely,” Tim bites out, voice a little higher pitched than normal.

“We won't be doing that,” Bruce responds dryly, two taps coming through the comms notifying them of Black Bat's arrival.

Bruce looks up and has to search for her for a few seconds before he can make her out in the shadows of Damian's rooftop.

“I'm still five minutes out,” Dick comms in. “What exactly are we looking at here? Can Oracle give a visual with any cams?”

“I wish,” Oracle chimes in. “Even through the mask footage I have no idea what they're seeing. The feed is corrupted to hell and back whenever it's in frame.”

“Really? In person it looks like-”

Tim is cut off when the officers below make some kind of movement the monster clearly takes issue with, the snarl that almost physically ricochets off the brick walls making everyone wince.

It's like TV static and the crackle of lightning striking a tree, like glaciers cracking and shifting underwater all rolled into one.

The hair on the back of Bruce's neck stands on end.

“Fuck. It's like a living shadow, but all sharp and wrong and angry-”

“No,” Cass cuts in quietly, silencing everyone.

“...Black Bat?” Bruce questions lowly.

“Not angry,” she responds, as sure as ever when assessing a target - no matter what kind of target.

“Scared, hurt. Guarding chest, trying to hide it. Wants to scare us away, but making no move to attack. Posturing.”

The thing about Cass is that they trust her reads implicitly - her reads of people.

She wouldn't speak up if she wasn't certain, and she wouldn't be certain if she didn't see something painfully human in the creature below.

“...what do you suggest?” Bruce asks after a moment of tense silence, trying to reassess the creature and see what she sees.

He at the very least wants her opinion, so they can weigh it in formulating a plan here.

Cass keeps looking for a long moment, before she looks across the gap at him. “Needs help. Reach out - at least try.”

Masterpost

[lovebugism]

Random conversations with rockstar eddie while high that obviously lead to something dirty 👀

ty for requesting :D — eddie asks you who you'd most want to have a threesome with and confessions are shared (band!au, established relationship, mentions of weed and smut 18+, 1.2k)

fictober (㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)

It started out all cute, in your defense. 

The tour bus was parked in Colorado for the next couple of nights, and the mountains and trees were aflame with a very distinct golden color. You and Eddie chose to bask in the orange while the rest of the band spent the evening in the hotel.

Your night alone was an innocent one — despite the cheeky taunts and whistles from the rest of Corroded Coffin. Squished together in your bunk, the two of you got high and proceeded to talk about everything and nothing all at once. 

You share one pillow, noses mere inches apart, just barely fitting together on the small mattress. The skunky smell of weed and Eddie’s musky cologne is all-consuming, suffocating in the best way. 

Your poorly concealed giggles fill the silence of the bus as you press your palm against Eddie’s pale one, comparing the size difference between the two. It shouldn’t amuse you as much as it does.

“Would you still love me if Roger Taylor asked you out?” Eddie blurts, growing suddenly serious about the question that only just popped into his mind. 

He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. He thought it, and the words just sorta spilled from his mouth.

Your brows pinch at the sudden question, though there’s still a small smile on your face. You can’t be sure where he’s coming from — if it’s the weed or if he remembers the one time you very drunkenly confessed to having a decade-long obsession with the blonde-haired drummer in your girlhood.

“What?” you wonder, still giggling.

“I mean, like, if he showed up to one of our shows and asked you out, would you say yes?”

You ponder the question. For a few seconds too long, maybe. Mostly because it takes you a little while to understand him through the brain fog.

“Well… no,” you answer finally, voice wavering as your eyes flit to the darkened ceiling.

“No?”

“No,” you repeat, more firmly this time. Your gaze returns to his chocolate one, made a darker shade from the black night — they sparkle, still. A grin blooms on your face. “But I think if you really loved me, you’d let me fuck him. Just one time.”

You’re obviously kidding. It’s just a stupid joke made more evident by the dumb, lopsided smile on your face and the pointer finger you hold up to your nose.

Eddie knows this, and he’s sporting his own rosy grin accordingly. A fleeting thought sears his brain. It bubbles up in his throat and tumbles out before he can stop it.

“Only if I get to watch,” he retorts, all boyish and quiet. 

It’s hard to tell if he’s joking or not. But then again, it usually is. You decide to toe the line, anyway. “Really?” you hum, shifting on the mattress to face him more intently.

The boy shrugs while you smooth ornery curls from his temple. “Yeah. You’re hot. He’s hot. One plus one equals two… Or whatever that expression is.”

“Fair,” you concede, laughing still.

“Alright. Your turn.”

“My turn?”

“Mhmm,” he nods sloppily against the pillow. “Who would you wanna have a threesome with? Like, in a different universe or whatever, ‘cause I don’t think I’m strong enough to share you in real life.”

Again, you giggle. You can’t seem to stop, apparently. You answer quicker than either of you expect.

“Umm… Maybe Nancy,” you answer with a strange sort of nonchalance. “She’s hot… And also she looks like she slaps really hard.”

Eddie’s brain goes blank. And not from the weed this time.

He knew Nancy. Vaguely. Mostly from you. She’s your old friend from high school that you reconnect with every couple of months. You don’t talk crazy often — ‘cause life is too busy for an up-and-coming rockstar and Indiana’s best journalist — but the connection is never truly lost.

And it’s not just that you chose Nancy without having to think about it very hard. He just wasn’t expecting it to be someone you knew in real life. Someone so tangible. That Roger Taylor scenario would only ever happen in wet dreams — his, namely — but Nancy Wheeler? That could be arranged.

The thought alone has him reeling.

You watch him get in his head about the whole thing, though maybe the faraway look in his eyes is just from the weed.

“Well?” you press with an urging lilt and a girlish grin. “You’re turn, Eds. Don’t leave me hangin’ here.”

He goes quiet, which is very unlike your loudmouth boy. He thinks before he speaks, measures his reply before he answers. His absentminded fingers trace up and down the length of your arm all the while, leaving prickling goosebumps in their wake.

“What about Steve?” he wonders with a painfully nonchalant inflection.

Your face screws up instantaneously. You don’t mean to act as shocked as you do, but you can’t help it. “Steve?” you blurt, louder than you meant to. “Like… Steve Steve?”

As in your ex-boyfriend Steve.

As in one of his best friends Steve.

As in roommate Steve the couple weeks out of the year you two aren’t on the road.

It makes your head spin something fierce.

“There another Steve I don’t know about?” Eddie jokes.

Brows still pinched and face still twisted, you question, “So you wanna… fuck Steve? Like, Steve The Hair Harrington?”

“You did,” the boy shrugs, then fakes a soft pout. “Sometimes I feel left out…”

You press your palm to his chest, pushing him playfully away. His arm curls around your back to pull you close again. The proximity is lesser now, so much so that the tips of your nose brush together and your skunky breaths entwine.

It all feels so much heavier now. The intensity of the moment makes you fight back a shiver crawling up your spine. Eddie’s palm smooths up and down the length of it in a slow and measured rhythm. It does little to ease your breathlessness.

“I don’t know. I just think it could be fun,” the boy concludes with a sudden seriousness. His voice is as low as his eyelids. “And I think it’d be real hot to watch him fuck you… ‘Cause we both know he can’t make you cum like I can. Can he, doll?”

Your thighs clench together instinctually, as though to quell the sudden ache pounding between them. You nod slowly, wordlessly.

Eddie’s rosy lips quirk in a cheeky half-smile at your honeyed reaction. He continues — half because the high has loosened his tongue and half because he wants to see how flustered he can make you.

“And then he can watch you fall apart on my dick after, yeah?” he questions like you’re in any space to answer him. “Maybe I can give him a few pointers… Teach him how to fuck you properly, you know?”

The distant ache between your thighs has grown to a full bloom now. It’s a little embarrassing how effortlessly he can drive you crazy — how quickly he can make you drench your panties. You might’ve been a little shameful about it if you couldn’t feel his cock stiffening against your hip.

“Fuck, Eds…” you sigh, the words tumbling from your mouth without thinking. 

With parted lips, you drift towards the boy and his unkissed mouth. He juts his chin slightly backward, only lets your plush bottom lips graze together. You don’t know why he’s teasing you. You’re already a puddle at his feet.

With a smirk and an all-consuming touch along your spine, he makes a quiet promise. “And maybe, if you’re real good, you can watch me fuck him, too…”

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Mino

Debut: Tetris

Tetris is all about blocks! You know that! Did you know that those blocks are called Tetriminos? Maybe you did! Geometrically, they are tetrominoes, shapes formed from four squares connected at the edges. "Tetrimino" is the official spelling of the ones used in Tetris specifically, which is a little confusing, but it's ok. Don't worry about it unless you are making your own game about tetrominoes! If you do that, be careful.

But what about the little blocks that make up the Tetrimino? These are geometrically called monominoes, but in Tetris, they are simply Minos! Humble little things. The game is named after Four, so what place does a measly One have?

If you ask me, they have all the place, because they are all over the place! There are no Tetriminos without Minos. Together, Minos are powerful, some of the most iconic and recognizable shape clusters in the world! Even in the form of a plush, The Tetris Company almost ALWAYS ensures that the individual Minos are visible. It is a part of the Tetriminos' designs at this point! The only exception I can think of is in situations unable to use their distinct colors, where other design factors are used to distinguish each. In this case, all but the I Tetrimino have their Minos visible, while I is just a solid color. Come on now, I. The most universally beloved Tetrimino, and you can't show some appreciation for the little guys who made you who you are? Sheesh!

While yes, Minos are a bit overlooked, they do indeed get the spotlight every once in a while! In game modes with items, you can expect that there will be one that turns all of your pieces into Minos, allowing you to instantly fill in gaps wherever you like. They are not particularly powerful, only able to clear one line at a time, but they ARE very convenient and easy to use!

Tetris Friends, my dearly beloved and departed Tetris Friends, uses Minos as the base for most of its avatars! I have already talked about these specifically, but I just want to point out these VERY default ones, each a piece of one of the classic Tetriminos, based on color... until the end, where we get what appears to be a Domesticated Mammal Mino! What are the implications of this? Have members of an intelligent species selectively bred the most docile of Minos together? Do Minos reproduce? Am I way off the mark, and is this Mino actually made of cookies and cream ice cream?

Finally, the reason I've been thinking of Minos in the first place! Here is a photo of the Tetris board game, with a single gray square in the Matrix. That's right! A Mino! In my opinion, this game is the most special Minos have ever felt. In this version, Tetriminos are dropped straight down into columns in the Matrix, and so they aren't as maneuverable as virtual ones. They can't be rotated while falling, and can't be slid into place to fill in any little notches.

This is where Minos come in! They are a sort of compensation for the lack of extra control, and can be placed to fill in extra space before dropping a Tetrimino. This is especially useful if you start with a Z or S block, since in this game, dropping one on a flat surface would leave a space no matter what! With a Mino, you can make a nice little ledge for your block to land neatly on.

This game's use of Minos really stood out to me! They're a major gameplay mechanic, they are explicitly named in the instruction manual, and, most importantly, they get their own PIECES. Physical, officially licensed, single Mino objects! They even get their very own color! A humble gray, not flashy like the rest, but distinct among all the others, and practical. A gray not to indicate a lack of interesting qualities, but instead, great potential!

There is no "official art" for Mino, so I just made the post's top image by editing some official Tetrimino art. Also, I have distinct memory of SOME official Tetris game, possibly Tetris Friends, referring to them as Tetrimonos. Does anyone else remember this? Please tell me if you do!

With that, we have reached the end of this post. But this is not the end of my fascination with Minos. In a way, it's only the beginning. In my Mino research, I have discovered some truly incredible things. Look forward to reading about them next week in Minos post part 2!

[estellan0vella]

Beauty In Simplicity ❀ Choso Kamo Masterlist

You step into the quiet, dimly lit entrance of the aquarium, the gentle hum of filtration systems a soothing background noise. Beside you, Choso Kamo, tall and imposing with his distinctive facial markings and somber demeanor, looks around with a mix of curiosity and reserve. This date is your idea, a chance to show him the simpler, beautiful side of life. His life has been filled with chaos and pain, and you want to offer him a moment of peace and wonder.

As you walk through the arched glass tunnel that leads into the heart of the aquarium, the first display catches your eye. Neon-lit jellyfish drift gracefully in their tanks, their bioluminescence creating an ethereal glow. You glance at Choso, watching his usually stoic face soften slightly in the soft light.

"Look at these," you say, pointing to a particularly vibrant jellyfish. "They're like living art, don’t you think?"

Choso nods, his gaze fixed on the drifting creatures. "They move so slowly, like they're dancing."

You smile at his observation, feeling a small victory in seeing him appreciate the beauty. Moving further, you reach the main attraction: a massive tank that houses a diverse array of marine life. Schools of fish dart and weave through the water, while larger creatures like rays and sharks glide effortlessly. Choso stands beside you, his eyes wide with awe.

"It's incredible," he murmurs, almost to himself.

You lean closer to him, feeling the warmth of his presence. "It really is. Sometimes, we forget how amazing the world can be."

His eyes meet yours, and for a moment, the weight of his past seems to lift. The two of you stand there, side by side, simply enjoying the scene. You decide to take him on a tour of your favorite parts of the aquarium, starting with the coral reef exhibit.

The tank is a riot of color, teeming with life. Tiny clownfish dart among the anemones, while vibrant corals sway with the water's gentle currents. Choso seems particularly taken with a pair of seahorses, their tails entwined as they float together.

"They mate for life," you tell him softly. "Once they find their partner, they stay together."

He nods, a contemplative look on his face. "It's...nice to know that kind of bond exists in the world."

You reach out and gently squeeze his hand. "It does. And it's worth finding."

As you move to the next exhibit, you guide Choso towards the touch tank. It's filled with various sea creatures that visitors can gently touch under the guidance of the staff. You can see the hesitation in his eyes, but you give him an encouraging smile.

"Come on, it's safe. You'll like it."

He watches as you reach into the tank, your fingers brushing against a starfish. His reluctance slowly fades as he follows your lead, tentatively reaching out. The look of surprise on his face when he feels the starfish's rough texture is priceless.

"It's...different than I expected," he says, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

You laugh softly. "See? There's so much to discover when you take a moment to experience it."

Choso seems more relaxed now, the rigid lines of tension easing from his posture. The next stop is the tunnel that passes through the shark tank. As you walk through, sharks and rays swim overhead, their sleek bodies casting shadows on the floor.

"These creatures are so powerful, yet they move with such grace," Choso observes, his voice filled with wonder.

"Yes," you agree, "they're perfectly adapted to their environment. It's a reminder that strength and beauty can coexist."

He nods, his eyes tracking the movement of a particularly large shark. "It's a good reminder."

As you continue through the aquarium, you share stories and facts about the different species, each one bringing a new spark of interest to Choso's eyes. You can see him slowly opening up, his usual guarded demeanor giving way to a more relaxed and curious side.

Eventually, you reach the final exhibit: a tranquil tank filled with glowing, bioluminescent creatures. The room is dark, the only light coming from the soft glow of the organisms in the water. It's like stepping into another world.

Choso stands in the center of the room, mesmerized by the sight. "This is...breathtaking."

You stand beside him, taking in the beauty of the moment. "It's moments like these that remind me why life is so precious."

He turns to you, his expression softening. "Thank you for bringing me here. I didn't realize how much I needed this."

You smile, your heart swelling with warmth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes, we all need a reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple things."

As you leave the aquarium, the sun is setting, casting a golden glow over the city. You walk side by side, the experience of the day leaving a lingering sense of peace and connection. Choso reaches for your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours.

"Today was...different," he says, his voice thoughtful. "But it was good. Thank you."

You squeeze his hand gently. "Anytime, Choso. There's so much more to see and experience. Life can be beautiful, even in its simplest moments."

He nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'd like to see more of it. With you."

Your heart skips a beat at his words. "I'd like that too."

As you walk together into the evening, you can't help but feel hopeful for the future. Today was just the beginning, a small step towards healing and discovering the beauty in life. With Choso by your side, you're ready to face whatever comes next, one simple, beautiful moment at a time.

The next weekend, you plan another simple outing, a picnic in the park. Choso arrives punctually, as always, but there’s a noticeable difference in his demeanor. He’s carrying a small bouquet of wildflowers, his awkward attempt at reciprocating the kindness you showed him at the aquarium. Your heart melts at the gesture, and you thank him with a kiss on the cheek that makes him blush.

You find a quiet spot under a large oak tree, its branches providing a cool shade. Spreading out the picnic blanket, you unpack the food you’ve prepared: sandwiches, fresh fruit, and homemade cookies. Choso helps, his movements careful and deliberate, as if he’s still getting used to this new normalcy.

As you eat, you talk about everything and nothing. You share funny anecdotes from your childhood, and Choso listens intently, occasionally sharing a rare laugh. You notice he’s becoming more expressive, his smiles more frequent and genuine.

After lunch, you suggest a stroll around the park. The air is filled with the scent of blooming flowers, and the sound of children playing in the distance adds a joyful background to your walk. Choso seems more at ease in this natural setting, his steps lighter and his gaze softer.

You lead him to a small pond, where ducks paddle lazily and lily pads float on the surface. Sitting on the grassy bank, you both watch the tranquil scene. A mother duck leads her ducklings in a line, their tiny bodies creating ripples in the water.

"Look at them," you say, pointing to the ducklings. "So small, yet so determined."

Choso watches them, a thoughtful expression on his face. "They remind me of you," he says quietly.

You turn to him, surprised. "Me?"

He nods. "You’re small, but you have a strong spirit. You lead with kindness, just like that mother duck."

His words touch you deeply, and you reach for his hand, holding it tightly. "Thank you, Choso. That means a lot to me."

You sit there in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence. It’s moments like these that you cherish, the simple beauty of life that you’re helping Choso discover.

As the months pass, you and Choso continue to explore the simpler joys of life together. You take him to a local farmer’s market, where he marvels at the variety of fresh produce and homemade goods. You spend afternoons at the library, getting lost in different worlds through books. You even introduce him to the joy of baking, his serious concentration on measuring ingredients a source of endless amusement for you.

Each experience brings you closer, the bond between you growing stronger. Choso begins to open up more about his past, and you listen without judgment, offering support and understanding. You can see the change in him, the way his eyes light up with curiosity and his smiles come more easily.

One evening, after a particularly enjoyable day at a botanical garden, Choso surprises you with a question.

"Why do you do this?" he asks, his tone serious but gentle. "Why do you show me these things?"

You take a moment to gather your thoughts before answering. "Because I care about you, Choso. I want you to see that there’s more to life than pain and struggle. There’s beauty and joy in the simplest things, and you deserve to experience that."

He looks at you, his eyes filled with an emotion you can’t quite decipher. "Thank you," he says softly. "For everything."

You smile, reaching out to cup his cheek. "You don’t have to thank me. Just promise me that you’ll keep looking for the beauty in life, no matter what."

He covers your hand with his, his expression earnest. "I promise."

And with that promise, you know that you’ve made a difference. Choso is beginning to see the world through new eyes, finding hope and beauty in the everyday. It’s a journey, one that you’re both on together, discovering the simple, beautiful side of life one day at a time.

REQUESTS ARE OPEN

[bittybuttersliceontoast]

Percy Jackson Thoughts

Spoilers under the cut!!

i LOVE that Sally does not "silently endure" Gabe's abuse (mostly verbal, and honestly kind of comedic, which i appreciate bc the show is for kids and it opens up the idea of abuse without having to show women and children be hurt)

like. No?? She yells right back at him and kinda lays down the law??? but they also do a good job in the scene where he's picking on Percy of reminding you that this dude is not sympathetic.

Also, Sally lowk slipped a New York accent in while she was yelling at him and im about that.

"Like Jesus?" I WAS CACKLING.

Episode Two I was sick and obsessed. I really like that the show feels in line with the pacing of the books, because it always felt like everything was moving very fast plot-wise.

I'm obsessed with Clarisse. Please, PLEASE let young pretty girls of color be mean. It is my only wish in life. The YA television scene owes us for how you people treated Katara having even a single emotion (no I haven't let that go).

Clarisse really inspires fear in the show without ever feeling unnatural, and even in the first two episodes we can see her turmoil and how that will manifest throughout the series.

Annabeth with the one-word "yes. no. yes." is so adorable and I get the feeling that's going to be a reoccurring thing as we watch her grow up.

On the same note, her calling Percy sunshine, adjusting his armor, and openly admitting to stalking him. Ooh girl we're in for the long haul.

Grover is precious. Enough said.

I really, REALLY liked Charlie's portrayal of Luke. It really sold why Percy (and the readers) had COMPLETE faith in him in the book, and why we were shocked at the betrayal.

I also loved seeing Chris Rodriguez, which I was not expecting??? For me, Chris felt like he just appeared in Titans Curse so seeing him speak and feel alive was really enjoyable. I was always very anti Chris and Clarisse because it felt like they were shunting her off to a corner with a random name we'd never heard of, so giving Chris a more interesting role while still keeping him as a minor character (he has lines!!) was really fun to me. If they do decide to go the chris and clarisse route in the show (they might not, of course) i would probably be more onboard.

I'm SO glad they state, early on, as soon as possible, that Annabeth is Luke's SISTER. Trust me, I was in the discourse trenches with Lukabeth shippers, and I fought that last "i love you" tooth and nail. Honestly, based on what we've seen, the sibling thing seems reciprocal. Thank god. War is over.

My last thing is that if you guys are talking about the show, please stop calling Annabeth Leah or Leahbeth. I understand making the distinction for art or fanfic but the more yall separate her from the character in all its forms, the less it feels like you respect her. I only say this because I haven't seen it happening with Aryan or Walker really and it's kind of weirding me out.

[thesteamhunk]

Hey folks! This post is the post regarding the lore of each of the 'races' currently in WHTPA ! If you'd like to read the first post I made about the lore, please check it out here! Same as before, all lore will be under the cut!

So before going in depth about the 'races', I should explain why I'm putting quotes around the word! For my lore, I'm really using 'race' in a way DnD or other TTRPGs may use it, where things like robots and other inorganics are considered as such. There are distinct human races in the story, though they are completely different to the races of Earth, so while humans look like they do here, they will have different names, cultures and languages, due to the differences between Ezex and Earth ! That being said, lets get into it!! Humans

Humans are one of the main eight races in the current lore of Ezex, and are as you expect, at least visually! There are cases of humans having traits from other 'races' (for a variety of reasons) but for the most part, they are as you imagine, with little differences to this Earth visually! Necrobots

The Necrobots are essentially humans brought back to life by mechanical means, in a Frankenstein's Monster type of way. A family member or loved one can sign a form, giving the Hawkes Corporation permission to graft skin and hair the best they can to the robots and “rebuild” the loved ones, giving them “renewed life”. There are still a lot of flaws in the Necrobots. A lot of them come back with trouble processing thoughts or emotions, lost memories, or in some cases experiencing intense and untameable agony. There have been issues in the past, especially with the first Necrobot, or Proto Necrobot as he is sometimes referred. Dolls

Dolls are entirely inorganic clockwork creatures, most commonly made of porcelain, but also made of brass, copper, gold, wood, glass, and plastic. They do not need to eat or sleep, and can not feel physical touch, though many of them engage in these activities for their own enjoyment. Dolls were originally designed and created by Lady Juliette Howlett (he/him), though are now more frequently made by Lady Howlett & Co Dollmakers, a company Lady Howlett runs, but is not directly in the product line of unless it is regarding new material for the Dolls. Vampyres

Vampyres are a race of energy and emotion feeders. No one knows where they came from, but considering they are yet to cause many problems, no one really questions them or their motives. Originally thought to be the vampires of Ezex myth (hence the name they have adopted), Vampyres feed not on blood, but on intense emotions or on the energy around them, most often steam energy. They are very similar to humans, though they can have nonhuman aspects, such as claws, pointed ears, and unnatural eye colors. Lycanthrope

Lycanthrope are a race of animal like folk, often with more hair on their bodies, tails, pointed ears, padding on the feet and hands, claws, unnatural eyes, and fangs. Commonly canine in appearance, though coming in many different shapes, Lycanthrope originally hail from Ivorham and Meckburn, some of the colder parts of Ezex. Lycanthrope are known to be faster, have more sensitive senses of hearing and smell, and tend to hold heat more than most other races do. They speak a language called Lycan Tongue. C.H.A.Ps and B.L.O.K.Es

C.H.A.Ps, or Collection and Helper Automaton Pals, are robots built by Cogsworth Robotics to help those who aren’t able to help themselves (disabled, the elderly, young children ect) and are built to do little tasks like getting food, delivering packages,  getting clothes and things of that nature. B.L.O.K.Es are similar, but are more personal, around the house helpers, built to do more heavy duty tasks like Gardening, cleaning and house repairs. It is generally accepted that if a C.H.A.Ps or B.L.O.K.Es shows up to collect something for the person they are helping without funds that you hand off the goods anyway.

Peacekeepers

Not much is known about the Peacekeepers. Organic or inorganic, from Ezex or not, all that is known about the Peacekeepers is that they showed up in many of the major cities one day, dubbed themselves Peacekeepers, and starting protecting the people of Ezex.

[howthesleeplesswander]

“Stay down, Childe.” Percy was tempted to add a “please” in there. Against his pride, and definitely against his character, or maybe just his image in the violent blue eyes staring up at him now— He’d sooner be caught dead than begging, but it took until this second to really feel the effects of their battle. Blinding and deafening adrenaline petered away just enough to allow a few aches to seep through: a faint tremor in his legs, a burning in his lungs while he chased his breath . . . Percy knew Childe was no pushover. Distantly, he had been aware of a few attacks hitting their mark. Something dull but fresh gnawed at his waist: warm, wet, stinging with every inhale—

If the harbinger kept pushing this—and Archons knew he would—Percy would meet him halfway, sure. But how long could he go before crumpling to his own knees . . . ?

As long as I have to, he told himself. No more questions.

He flexed his fingers, and the tendrils of water encircling Childe’s wrists, pinning his arms behind his back, tightened into something solid enough to pass for rope, yanked him down further into that kneel. In Percy’s other hand, Riptide was aimed readily at an exposed throat; he pressed it just close enough to draw a thin line of red as he moved a single step in. “I’m not gonna tell you again.”

// (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ from @tidaltow, obviously~ maaaaaybe a less friendly lil duel? Childe’s getting up to shit and percy’s just you have been stopped ✋

Answered! || @tidaltow

He hadn't expected this to be so thrilling.

The kid was tougher than he looked; Childe would give him that much. Water clashed in relentless, vicious blows, dappling the grass around them with droplets that would have resembled the early morning dew, if not for the occasional splatters of crimson.

It was hard to say how long they'd been at it, but their battle finally came to a pause thanks to the clever little trap now binding Childe's arms. Though his limbs were restricted, it had the opposite effect on the fire in his veins: surging hotter, howling louder. The wildness in his eyes never faltered.

"You don't really think this is over, do you?" the Harbinger taunted, full of maniacal glee even as he felt a prick at his throat and a heated drip of blood ooze down towards his collar. His grin cleaved wider. "Tell you what: I'll give you to the count of three. By then, you'd better give your best shot at cutting me down...or run while you have the chance."

For Childe to show even a shred of mercy was a rarity—no, more like a miracle. But there was something about this kid that made the Harbinger want to give him a fighting chance. Sure, he looked unassuming, but there was a distinct brutality behind his strikes, a spark of something vicious behind wide, blue eyes. Something that reminded Childe of himself.

"I'd take the offer, one way or the other." He inclined his chin, fearlessly edging delicate skin against the other's blade in a clear challenge. "Wait too long, and it'll be too late to back down."

As he spoke, a new color joined the oceanic glow of his Vision: purple spilled from within his coat, a malicious prelude of the consequences should Percy refuse.

"One..." Black pigment crept over his clothes, like snakes slithering over the fabric until the darker shade took over.

"Two..." Static electricity filled the air, raising the hairs on the back of his neck, shocks prickling in the water surrounding his wrists.

In the bated breath before the trigger, Childe stared unblinking at his opponent. Expectant. Eager.

The tension stretched just long enough to give the kid one last chance. Then—

"Three!"

A burst of wicked purple illuminated the battlefield as lightning arced across Childe's body. Electro gathered at his wrists—burning red, swollen rings on his skin that didn't even register through the adrenaline—until the shackles broke with a thunderous crack. In an instant, his spear materialized in hand, and he swept the blade at Percy's legs as he rolled back onto his feet. "Come on, then!" he shouted in delight. "I'll teach you not to interfere!"

[quibliography]

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 🎣

Synopsis:  This novel is a memoir about the life of Trevor Noah growing up in a post-apartheid South Africa. He was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother during a time when it was forbidden for these two people to so much as interact with each other. But even with the end of apartheid, Trevor Noah still had to learn how to live in a fractured world, navigating the differences between being white, being black, being colored, being many of these things, and being none of them.

My Quibs: I already adore Trevor Noah, as a comedian and a storyteller. Seriously, even a short clip of an episode of his run as host of the Daily Show or his podcast What Now, it's so clear how well spoken he is. So obviously, a whole book of it? Sign me up! But I would also recommend listening to it (even maybe reading along as you listen) because 1) the presentation of his words makes the story so much more impactful but 2) I couldn't even imagine how to pronounce the various African languages and names he uses. I think I've learned how to pronounce Xhosa by now though🤞. So just to preface, I came into this memoir with a hint of what to expect and an undying love for the author.

I really believe everyone should read this book. There are so many points that initially is about apartheid and South African history/culture, but actually has a larger message about race relations and how we connect to each other as humans. He tells a story about how his school playground was divided in groups by white/black/colored/other. And how even among the black kids, because Africa of course has its own diversity, there was division by spoken language. And it's not an uncommon experience, considering how America can do that as well. I mean, just as a stupid example, the Mean Girls cafeteria scene when the "cliques" are explained to her. In reality we also divide social lines by what we see and what we hear. It's a universal experience. But his message was how to cross those lines. Trevor Noah is good with languages and uses communication as a means to connect across these divides. He quotes Nelson Mandela saying "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."

But because Trevor Noah is also a comedian, he balances out the seriousness with outrageous stories of the hijinks he got up to. From having to covertly poop in front of his blind grandmother to his "Long, Awkward, Occasionally Tragic, and Frequently Humiliating Education in Affairs of the Heart" (in three parts). Everything he writes is so endearing and feels so relatable despite it being an entirely different life experience than I know. And I've heard many people say now that it's a gateway to wanting to learn more about that part of the world. Americans, at least, have so little education about international history and Trevor Noah provides a great sample of a world that we should be more aware of.

Should you read it? Yes. No conditionals. Just yes. Can't read? Listen to it. Actually, if you can read, listen to it too.

Similar reads? I don't read many memoirs so it's hard to compare. Any one that I have read is distinct in their voice and personality. But if you already like watching him on the Daily Show or on his podcast What Now, I guarantee you'll like this book.

(Spoiler Alert!) He's alluded to his mother being shot in the head when he talks to the audience or his guest on the Daily Show, off air. So I was aware this was not only an event in his life, but obviously a very significant one. So the entire time I was waiting for the full story. To those who didn't know what was coming, apparently it was such an intense ending. (Someone literally had to pause it while they were driving because they wanted to devote their whole attention to this last chapter.) For me whom it was a long time coming, it was still pretty gripping. And dammit, it made me want to keep reading. I need a sequel, Trevor!! Please! Or can his mother write a book about what it was like raising Trevor? I'll take that too, thank you!

What did you think of Born A Crime?

[autistic-autumn]

Music Rambling #4

I figured it was probably best for everyone if I learnt how to use paragraph breaks this time. Previously avoided because didn't want to type out more than a paragraph per piece but it turns out I suck at brevity. Enjoying having readable paragraphs before every one of these turns into a 400 page essay. Turns out it's actually hard to try condense my thoughts on a 40 minute long 5-part symphony. I've also added lengths to all the pieces because there is a such a wide range here.

Iesu/虻瀬とテナテル by abuse-ken ~5 minutes This was a recommendation by @aroace-poly-show. There are three versions of this apparently, the original, a remix, and a cover by vflower. I particularly like the piano motif in the original, and the point comes back in with the bass is particularly cool. There are a few very nice cutoff points, one of which the vocals are dropped 2(?) octaves. The remix has a more dense and rich texture but does loss some of the nice rhythms of the original. The final chorus in the remix is particularity powerful, although the original still has it very strong. They are both strong in different aspects and I'm not entirely sure which one I prefer. I don't really know vocaloid enough to comment on the differences with the vflower cover. It sounds a little less shrill to me and generally articulates better, although sounds a bit odd in the higher register (?). The better articulation does give a bit more color I think but I really don't know enough about all of it. I don't particularly understand japanese at all, or the lyrics even after reading the translation but I think I gathered enough to understand and it's sort of what I expected. From the pieces I've heard by Abuse-ken I get the feeling they quite like the repetitive almost circular melodies, something that can get fairly repetitive and dull if done wrong. They however do it very effectively and seem to lean into it a lot with the rest of the arrangement. This style fits very well with the themes of what I can gather from the lyrics and is something they pull of well.

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony no. 7 - Sinfonia Antartica ~42 minutes I saw this one on the shelf and decided the name seemed to cool not to take it. Definitely worth giving a listen to as a piece and glad I found. Apparently it's spelt like that because it's the Italian spelling, although I have no idea why Vaughan Williams put the title in Italian. Maybe just to sound kind of fancy. It's a large 42 minute orchestral piece broken into five movements. It's a fairly large orchestra and happens to have an additional SSA choir, with each movement having unique text in the program notes. The texts are from various different place, such as plays, poems, the bible and Captain Scott's last journal, the captain who lead multiple voyages to Antarctic. If you aren't familiar with the second trip Captain Scott made to Antarctica then all you really need to know is it didn't go well due to bad weather and failing to be retrieved by the ship that was to pick them up.

The first movement is very nice and there is some really nice use of celeste, glock and xylophone to create some nice textures. Additionally the use of the choir and soprano soloist to simply add texture by only singing 'ahh' rather than any distinctive words really adds to the effect here. The second movement is a scherzo, and once again uses the extended orchestra and percussion instruments to great effect, particularly with some nice polyrhythms in there to get the texture nice and thick. The third movement is wild. The title itself, 'Landscape: Lento (slow)' is already very evocative of the harsh environment of Antarctica. All the slow moving lines that slowly go in different directions in some of the more dense choral sections are very cool, and the organ solo towards the end is phenomenal, something that would be far more power in person with the full effect of an organ. There is no break between the third and fourth movement. Nothing really unique to comment on this one but it's very good and plenty of nice melodies and textures here. The final movement was far more explosive than I was anticipating, particularly knowing how Scott's story ends and reading the text that goes along with this movement. The return of the choir singing without words is a very nice touch. The choir and the wind machine in combination is such a fascinating sound and not one I've ever seen written into music like this.

Overall an incredible piece really. It so vividly paints the harrowing and frigid scene of Antarctica. Would recommend sitting down with headphones and listening, perhaps reading up on the text that goes with the pieces and some of the history behind it because it really adds an extra layer of the depth to the music.

Tolga Yayalar - Nell'estate un paradiso, nell'inverno un INFERNO (after Vivaldi) ~ 11 minutes Following the previous symphony, I was reminded of this piece I remember hearing a while back. The title translates to "In summer a paradise, in winter a hell". It's fairly recently and is arranged for four string quartets in different locations around a room, for extra spacial sound details that are unfortunately lost somewhat on a computer. This piece is to describe the harsh and cruel landscape of Antarctica in the winter. The piece uses motifs from Vivaldi's famous four seasons, specifically the winter movement. However instead of the luscious harmonies and generally more bright atmosphere Vivaldi brings, the piece here quickly deteriorates. All sorts of extended techniques are used to pull Vivaldi apart into this harrowing soundscape, that at many points is barely more than white noise. The intro I think is one of the most hard hitting parts of this piece really but there is some nice other stuff towards the end. The piece has really fallen apart so much by then that it almost looses the strong effect the start had I think. A very strange piece however and a good example of the stark difference between Vivaldi and contemporary classical music.

Samuel Barber - Piano Concerto Op Op.38 ~26 minutes Very excited for this one. Been big on Samuel Barber binge recently and was very excited to learn that he wrote a piano concerto. Immediately some odd things on the score. Trumpets are above the horns and the horns are written in alto clef? The score I have is in C, yet still uses the traditional notation of not giving the horns a key signature, despite being written in the 60's. I believe this is the original publisher, and I assume first edition so no idea what is up with that. The english horn is also written in alto clef which is odd by not entirely unusual, less than the french horn anyways.

The first movement is fine really. Didn't particularly grab me and I thought starting off with a mini-cadenza is odd. Some of the phrasing just didn't feel right and at one point I just forgot it was a piano concerto with how long it had been without the piano doing anything notable. I know part of that is just the style of the piece but didn't care for it regardless. The second movement is great. The slower pace and sparse texture was extremely well managed and it's very nice to listen to. The second is easily the best movement of the three here. The final movement is also very strong, although didn't capture me as much as the second. Manages texture and colors very well and the 5/8 rhythm was very cool. The section with xylophone and clarinet was particularly interesting.

Overall was a nice concerto but not one I would be desperate to see in person, particularly not with the huge amount of piano concerto repertoire from the era that I believe is far stronger. As a side note the book smells extremely old, much older than 60ish year it claims to be. Oldest stamp I can find in the book is from 1965 and piece was only published in 1962. Very interesting though.

[jinkx-monswoon]

le boudoir (anarcia valentine's day oneshot)

Taking quick, eager little steps, Marcia race-walks down the hall. Anetra trails behind her, with a sly smirk of which Marcia is unaware.

Upon reaching a double-door at the end of the hall, the smaller queen whips around and looks up at Anetra with a prideful smile. Ever-swift in her reflexes, Anetra has already wiped the covert expression from her face.

"Alright!” Marcia puts her hands on her hips. “You ready for this, Neetch?”

“Only if you never call me that again, Marsh.”

“Touché,” ‘Marsh’ snickers as she turns back around. By throwing her arms out with dramatic flourish, the doors swing open.

“Welcome to…Le Boudoir du Marcia~!”

The room to which the doors give way is sunlit, spacious (more so than Anetra had expected, at least) and lined wall-to-wall with clothing of all cuts, contours and colors, in addition to wigs of…well, significantly less variety. Upon entering, this is the first thing Anetra notices, and she voices it so:

“...Wow. That’s a lot of blonde.”

“Heh! You like? This room is the crown jewel of my humble abode,” Marcia boastfully declares through her theatrics. "But I digress! Your Valentine’s Day needs saving, and Marcia is here to answer the call."

"Oh, my hero," Anetra replies, with an affect of pretend sweetness.

Marcia scurries to the wall on the opposite end of the room and gestures to the shelves of wigs. "So what are you looking for? And yes, it is a lot of blonde, but with a nice red piece, I know any of it will look good on you.”

Any of it will look good on you. Anetra totally catches that.

Approaching the wigs herself, she pokes her head around each one inquisitively. There’s a clear distinction between those that can be worn in any situation, and those that are less conventionally styled, with the purpose of being worn for an ensemble meant for a show or photoshoot.

Eventually, she settles on a blown-out, shoulder-length honey-blonde wig, which the self-proclaimed hero wastes no time packing up for her.

Anetra watches her for a moment as she prepares it to be safely placed in a special bag. Once she sees that Marcia is sufficiently pre-occupied, she begins to quietly back away, moving toward the doors again. Without looking up from what she's doing, Marcia obliviously starts to make small talk.

"So, this Valentine's date! Knowing you, I bet you've got something sexy planned, huh?”

“Actually…not really? I think I’m just gonna keep it lowkey,” says Anetra, her voice just a bit louder to hide her distance.

“Wait, for real? Then what do you need the wig for?”

“Just to buy time.”

Marcia doesn’t bat an eye—she’s misheard Anetra over the zipping-shut of the bag. “Ohh, okay. I guess if I had enough time before a lowkey date, I’d probably drag myself up a little bit too.”

“Right? Like, I’m too hot not to do that,” Anetra jokes. Just go with it, she thinks, because now her hand is on the doorknob and she can finally drop the façade.

“Well, I guess if you still have enough time, I can help you apply it! When’s your date, then?” asks Marcia.

“Hopefully, right about…”

CLICK!

“Now.”

Marcia lifts her head, her attention finally caught by the sound of the doors being shut. Anetra stands in front of them, smirking just as she had been on the way here—except now, Marcia is actually seeing it for herself.

She doesn't know why.

“A…netra?”

No response. Instead, Anetra starts from the other side of the room. As she slowly draws closer, Marcia nearly questions her again, but she stops herself. She doesn’t know why, but there’s just something about this silence that she doesn’t want to break.

The pair come face-to-face, and the longer they stand in silence, the more Marcia's confusion fades away, replaced by intrigue.

Anetra reaches into her bag, and from it, she presents a small red rose.

In spite of herself, a soft "oh" from Marcia infiltrates the quiet lull.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Anetra whispers in her ear, behind which she then delicately places the rose so that it adorns Marcia's hair.

Marcia goes to touch the petals, but she's stopped by Anetra's own hand nestling into her flushed cheek.

There's no going back after that.

Marcia's hand falls over Anetra's, keeping her from letting go. From there, the contact between them quickly deepens: Anetra's other hand slides down to Marcia's waist; with Marcia using her own free hand to pull herself up by the shoulder of the taller queen; who leans down as her head tilts and her eyelids fall…

Marcia melts at the touch of Anetra's lips, warmer than the sunlight cascading through the window behind them. The kiss is brief, but magical—so much so that when they part, Marcia is completely entranced. Under Anetra's spell, she simply can't bring herself to do anything other than kiss her again.

This time, she doesn't let her get away so easily. She responds with a deep, longing kiss, through which they share the infinite bliss of this moment.

A good few minutes pass before they're both finally satisfied. Once she catches her breath, Marcia opens her eyes and smiles lovingly at Anetra.

"Happy Valentine's Day…"

Her voice lowers to a playful whisper.

"...you sneaky bitch."

[ksfreckles]

Sometimes my life seems divided in so many small pieces I find it hard to believe that either of those people were really me. How did such a distinct variety of starts and ends fit into this carapace, how did I have so much strenght and so much weakeness concealed into my soul? 32 years isn't that long. I feel like I've lived the lives of a thousand people, like I've walked paths I was never meant to cross.

The internet is, of course, a big part of it, with its fast happenings and its hundreds of people and so much color and sounds and light, and I have friends all across the globe!

It's intoxicating, really. Sideways realities, fears I don't remember fearing, conversations I don't remember having and it's all here, a big smudge of lines and lifes and lies and I'm all of them and none at all.

An e-mail telling a friend about us moving into this city tells me something "amazing" was about to happen! December 3rd was the date. December 6th mom was gone. I haven't talked to this same friend in the past two or three years., it's just life and it happens I guess.

Some old messages on another app, encouraging words, helpful thoughts. I'll be always here, the message reads. Of course "always" isn't immune to cancer, always couldn't make her stay. She never saw Kristen's nomination.

The pictures on my phone show month-old dogs in an empty house, and those same dogs have lived in four different houses now, their seven-year-old tails wiggling side to side, their cat-brother wrapped up watching them from afar. Those little lifes, the endless energy and the mischiefs are all coming to an end, and where did this time go? Where does the time ever go?

My sister has a boyfriend. Her own house, a different address, a life I don't know everything about. I have a wife. My own house, a different address, a life she doesn't know everything about. And it's ok, and we're all good, but at some point in space-time the two of us are sitting on a balcony telling each other we'll die together, we'll grow old together, we'll travel the world together.

At some point in space-time I'm flooded with such love nothing ever could compare. And this love makes me come out of imaginary closets and daydream during harsh days and this love keeps me full of fire and bravery and it's something that keeps me going. At some point in space-time, for a nanossecond, for a split moment, I'm loved back by this distant stranger all the way in France, and my stomach is full of butterflies, and I'm happy, and I'm worthy, and I am me.

I found such love years later. And it was different and more mature, and the me today looks back at the me who loved like that before and shakes her head cause that wasn't right love, that wasn't good love, that love hurt me and hurt her and it quite possibly destroyed the pure beautiful friendship we once had. And I'm married to someone new today, and it's a different love, a calm love, a strong love, the kind of love I know will last.

And all of these are me. The scared little girl, the dog mom, the cat mom, my sister's mom, my sister's sister, the one in love with Julia, the one in love with Bruna, Claudia's daughter, Maria Augusta's daughter, Selene's friend, Fotini's friend, Yoav's friend, a million different pieces, a never ending puzzle. And I'm as big as a grain on sand in this scary world, and how - oh, how - can I possibly expect to predict tomorrow if I could never imagine I would be all of this? How can one single person fit all of this?

And I'm exhausted, and intoxicaded, and deeply happy, and wonderfully clean. For a moment, somewhere in space-time, I am finally free.

[booksandwords]

Stealing the Show by Lucy Lennox

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 3/5

The quote: I bit my lip. I didn’t know how to explain that the kiss onstage wasn’t actually Dawson kissing Jem; it was Lucky kissing Trigger. I wasn’t sure I really understood the difference myself, but there was one. — Jem Sinclair

This is a wonderful take on enemies to lovers. I appreciate the miscommunication that starts it. Using the kiss as a method of forced proximity is new to me but I appreciate it, it makes excellent use of the setting. The kiss and the overheard conversation are a great way to execute the trope in a novella. Actually, enemies to lovers in a theatre is just an interesting and effective choice. The support cast gossiping live fishwives, it is a fairly small community and you have to work with whoever is in your production.

As characters, protagonists Jem Sinclair and Dawson Priest will likely be forgettable for me. There is nothing ultimately distinctive about them or their setting. I wasn't a massive fan of their smexy dynamic and there are some moments of line crossing, they feel like waving red flags, like semaphore-size flags. The plot would likely have been better served being a bit longer, maybe not quite full length. There is an unexplored plot point that I wish had been mentioned. Assuming my guess was right. Along with that, there is just a feeling like something is missing, perhaps unachieved potential in the plot. These are the reasons I rated Stealing the Show 3🌟. There are some reasonable echoes in speech and some moments of Oh me too babe, me too. Both of which are important in a book being able to pull me in.

Some quotes I liked

The kiss was different every night. Some nights it was a quick peck, and some nights it was a comically exaggerated snog for laughs. There were some shows where Dawson hammed it up for the audience by dipping me dramatically or twirling me before planting one on me. We never rehearsed it or even discussed it in advance. I was as surprised as they were from show to show. — This is the opening, it's beautiful and I love it. It pulls the reader in and sets the setting with ease. It also raises the questions it needs to. (Jem)

I never knew what to expect. Which Dawson would I see out there under the lights? — This pairs with the previous quote. It makes me want this kind of relationship with someone. There is no toxicity to it, just fun and living life. (Jem)

Seeing him dressed in his pinstriped suit with spats confused me for a split second every night. For that quick moment, he looked hot as fuck. Tall with a strong jaw and head of thick, dark hair. He was commanding, sexy, competent, and delicious. Someone I could want. — All I will say to this you and me both babes. Because damn that is a look and it takes style to pull off that look. I'm fine, look I had a moment okay.

He had a tiny tattoo over his heart with the number 525,600 painted in rainbow colors. I grinned at the familiar reference to the opening song from Rent. He was a theater boy through and through. Like I was. — Passion is a big thing for Lucy. If you are new to her this is one of the better examples of it. They have a shared passion for acting and performance. But in all cases her protagonists always have respect for their recreational or professional passions even if they aren't shared. Oh and yeah I really like this quote. RENT will always be important to me. As a millennial who was not shown any LGBTQ people in education RENT was an eye opener and a doorway to a world that I needed to see. (Jem)

What I will say is that it's not a bad sample of Lucy Lennox's work if she is an author you are interested in reading but don't want to try something short first (always a good idea btw). While Stealing the Show stands alone, characters from one of Lucy Lennox's other series, Aster Valley, are used in the closing chapters and epilogue. Specifically Finn (Hot as Heller), Tiller (Right as Raine) and Gentry (Winter Waites). It is a smart choice that anyone who knows romance will pick even if they don't know the series.

I want to say as I write this review (Jul 2023) Stealing the Show appears to only be available through Lucy Lennox's website (direct link to store page).

2nd quote: Jem was quiet for a long time before he murmured, “I like kissing you.” I let out a soft snort. “I guess that’s a good thing since it’s basically what you do for a living.” “No. I mean… I mean having you all to myself. Kissing you here. Alone. Dawson and Jem, not Lucky and Trigger.” Could my heart hold this much joy and affection? And what happened if Jem didn’t return my feelings? What if he didn’t want this to be a real thing? — Dawson Priest

[t045tbr0t]

Disclaimer: I have seen some of these on „best games“ lists by people with exceptional taste.

Rez: This is a (successful, IMO) attempt to make Synesthesia, a condition where your senses merge (seeing sounds, tasting colors, etc.) into a video game. It takes the form of a rails shooter a la Panzer Dragoon, but what makes it special is that the soundtrack builds up in direct response to your gameplay. Don’t sleep on its spiritual successor, Child of Eden, either (though that’s really hard to play these days). See also: Everyday Shooter, which did a similar thing, but more indie and as a twinstick shooter. It's really hard, too!

Absolute Drift: An indie, top-down drift racing game. This one is all about learning how to perfectly control the car, with minute adjustments to throttle, brakes and steering. Leaderboards give an otherwise pretty zen experience a nice competitive tang.

TIS-100 / Opus Magnum / Shenzhen IO ("Zachtronics games"): Speaking of leaderboards! These games are so distinctive that "zachtronics" has almost become a genre unto itself: They make you do engineering tasks, like programming a weird computers, building assembly lines to do alchemy, or plugging together electronics modules. After you're done, they show you a set of leaderboards so you can see how much room there is to optimize. Someone finished this task twice as fast? Someone else only used 5 blocks to do it? Surely, I can do better too! (best with a group of friends who are about as competitive as you are)

Yoku's Island Express: Adorable Pinball Metroidvania. If those three words haven't sold you on it, I'll add that it has some of the smoothest controls I've experienced.

Dust: An Elysian Tail: Another sort-of Metroidvania, with beautiful graphics and a deep combat system. Would be amazing either way, but it’s also a solo dev project, which just blows my mind.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes: A turn-based competitive puzzler, with the lush hand-drawn graphics you’d expect from a Capy game. There’s not too many games like it, and it’s one of my favorite ways to introduce people to competitive video games - there’s all the time in the world to decide your next move, but the decision space isn’t as huge as something like Civilization

Flower: This was what thatgamecompany did before Journey. It’s one of the few games I replay semi-regularly, a beautiful, emotional experience. You play the wind, guiding flower petals around to revive a barren world. The final level is some of the most cathartic gaming I’ve seen.

Split/Second: My favorite arcade racer, bar none (eat it, Burnout). Some madmen have set up tracks filled with bombs and setpieces, and you can trigger them once you drift enough. You haven’t lived until you’ve dropped a 747 onto four other cars, watching the wreckage in your rear view mirror.

Marlow Briggs: The quintessential 360 era AA game. We have God of War at home, and it rules, actually!

Strike Suit Zero: Space dog fights with a transforming mecha. This was a kickstarter project, and the result is really really good!

Sayonara Wild Hearts: Another game that’s actually an EP, this takes you on a rhythm gaming quest to reconcile with all of the protagonist‘s exes. Awesome soundtrack, tight gameplay, and some really inventive stage gimmicks.

Every time I read a “Top 100 Best Games Of All Time” list:

[darkwood-sleddog]

If you would like, please talk to us about the strains and the different Visible Traits, because I am a genetics freak and am fascinated by small differences in populations

I am finally getting around to being able to answer asks in more detail again! Thanks for your patience :) To begin there are three "strains" of Malamute and by that I mean there are three separate populations of dogs that were developed on their own to make up the breed today. During World War II sled dogs were used in abundance. The war, in addition to the previous Antarctic expeditions the original strain had been bred for, decimated the breed population to the point the breed was no longer sustainable (around 30 VERY related individuals), so studbooks were opened in the late 1940's and early 1950s with the breed standard being rewritten to adjust for the variation these new genetics allowed in the 1960s.

The three strains are: Kotzebue (developed by Eva Seeley for the Byrd Antarctic Expeditions and accepted as a breed by the AKC in 1935), M'Loot (developed by Paul Voelker for companionship and not registered with the AKC), and the Hinman-Irwin (co-owned (modern description of what occured) between Dick Hinman and Dave Irwin, who was an Arctic Explorer).

Now I must mention that the Hinman-Irwin dogs were very few, more like a concentrated family of dogs and not really a strain. They only make up a very small percentage of modern dogs (often less than 1% depending on pedigree).

Below are dogs of each strain prior to the popularity of strain mixing:

We can use our general knowledge and photographs of pure strain dogs to inform us of modern dogs. There are no modern strain dogs left (some frozen pure Kotzebue semen, but no pure Kotzebue females to put it to).

Kotzebue dogs tend to be smaller, shorter on leg and more broad in the chest. Typically grey & white (domino), agouti or black and tan in color with little other variation. Smaller ears, more blunt muzzle shape, tend to be straighter in the rear (as we often see with Inuit dogs as well). Many modern dogs with heavy Kotzebue pedigrees also fit within the original 1935 standard which is often why you'll get some M'Loot influenced folks complaining that certain malamutes are being bred too small and fast. With Kotzebue heavy pedigree dogs I expect energetic temperaments with good drive to work as the line was so concentrated and set type so fast in the beginning (less variation).

M'Loot dogs tend to be bigger and taller on leg. They have narrower chests and come in a wider variety of colors (white and red come from this line typically). Larger, often lower set ears and a rear with better angulation. Even though they and the other strains are clearly of one dog type, they fall less within the Inuit dog silhouette and size than Kotzebue dogs. The standard had to be adjusted specifically to accommodate the size difference between this strain and the original dogs as they are often significantly larger (Large Kotzebue males are in the 85 pound range and large M'Loot males are within the 100+ pound range with their ideal being in that 85...thus why the desirable compromised size is 85 pounds for a male in the modern standard). M'Loot dogs also tend to be more dog aggressive.

The traits of the Hinman-Irwin dogs are less distinct and their influence on the breed is very small so I typically stick to Kotzebue vs M'Loot when talking about pedigrees in which one strain dominates. There just is no modern dog where Hinman-Irwin even makes up a double digit percentage.

Above are two related bitches with good (if not excellent) show results, I think even here it is clear what dog has more Kotzebue in her pedigree and which has more M'Loot just based on their heads and angulation.

Meanwhile I feel this bitch is VERY M'Loot-ey:

and this bitch is very Kotzebue:

(note that I have chosen short coat bitches in show stacks to most equally illustrate this, many pet bred Malamutes tend to be exaggerated M'Loot type and overly heavy so not used as an example here).

I understand that for some folks this narrowing down of subtle traits seems deranged or even non-existent, but these things become really easily seen when you're more familiar with the breed. It's not definitive either, because genetics work in a way that is often beyond human prediction you get dogs like Sigurd (very M'Loot looking) out of a heavy Kotzebue pedigree from a breeder looking to produce dogs to that original Kotzebue 1935 standard. All dogs are mixed strain though so these things happen and they're not bad either, it's a good thing that the breed has a wide range of phenotypes available. It's a good thing that we opened our studbook to increase our diversity, but people are also allowed to have preferences between what 'type' they prefer. I just happen to prefer Kotzebue, but others might prefer M'Loot influenced dogs and that's perfectly fine too!

[adobe-outdesign]

What are your thoughts on hisuian arcanine?

I have a lot of thoughts about Hisuian Arcanine, but I'll start off by saying that I like it a lot. In fact, I actually like it better than the original Arcanine (which I already liked), if for no other reason that the prominent lion dog theme is much more visually interesting than just a large regular dog.

There's also some really nice things going on in the design in general. The bright red looks great and really shows off the fire-typing, the way the fur looks like curled smoke is perfect, and even the way the fur on the front paws is drawn seems to be a reference to Arcanine's beta design, (which was just known as "wing", because you know, it had wings on its legs):

Admittedly, I did expect it to gain a few more lion dog features--lip markings, longer fangs, ect--but that's not a big deal, and what we got still looks solid. The artwork has also been improved on, with a much more dynamic pose. Overall, good stuff.

With that said however, there are a few things visually that don’t gel with me, the biggest thing being the colors.

Don't get me wrong; the red looks great against the dark grey and it really helps the design pop. However, the thing about regionals is that there's a careful balancing act between not making it look to similar to the original (Alolan Meowth) and not making it look completely unrelated (Galarian Meowth). Now don't get me wrong: sometimes different colors can help make regionals more visually distinct, and there are some Hisuian designs that I think could actually use a palette change.

However, Hisian Growlithe already has a different palette than regular Growlithe, being more red and white instead of orange and cream. Because H. Arcanine already changes a ton about the design, this palette would've been enough on its own. By making the mane--the part of the design that changed most--dark, it pushes the design a bit too far away from the original line. To show what I mean, here's a quick mockup of it with the red and white palette next to OG Arcanine:

It's still very visually distinct, but now doesn't look quite so disconnected.

And speaking of which, it also looks disconnected from Hisuian Growlithe because of this. Why does the mane suddenly change colors instead of just staying consistent? If you're going to make the mane dark, at least do so across the board (original on left):

Also, if you must keep the grey, at least make it darker, both to match the stripes and to add contrast. Like this (original on left):

The muzzle also feels like it should've been red and the inside of the ears should've been pink like the mouth, but that's not as big of a deal.

Like I said, the grey looks great, and symbolically fits with statues, the rock typing, volcanic ash, ect. But it could've been kept in a different way: just make the white the default and the grey the shiny. Have your cake and eat it too.

Anyway, aside from the colors, the horns look weirdly tacked on. I thought that they would get bigger and more craggy at this stage to reflect the rock-typing, but instead it just... adds two very small ones. Either do something with them or drop them, but this isn't quite working as-is.

Additionally, the eyebrows have a weird shape to them. I think they were referencing lion dogs' eyebrows, but the diamond shape of the forehead creates some unpleasant negative space compared to the original, which had the shape around the eyes reflected by the ear shape. Just make the entire forehead grey.

And finally, considering that lion dogs have curly manes, H. Growlithe has a curly mane, and half of H. Arcanine's mane is curly, it feels like the mane should've had more curls to it instead of mostly being straight "petals". You can have large curls and still retain the layered look and red inside marks, so I don't know why they felt the need to change the style there. Not to mention the same diamond shape shows up again in the front fur in a way that looks very unnatural and doesn't quite flow right.

As a whole, Hisuian Arcanine has a really striking and elegant design with a lot of good thematic elements and thought put into it; it's just the colors that aren't quite working. But even with that said, I'd still consider it a worthy successor to the original.