#fellow kids energy is strong here as well

[thankstothe]

[xxxnightcorequeenxxxv3]

More Lore Stuff magical girl AU

I had a back-and-forth with @dannyphantom-justiceleauge on Discord. I got some more video recommanations for more stuff. And we chatted a lot about lore stuff they were curious about after my first post, so here is the summary of what we discussed + some extra bits. Their magical forms Regarding their magical forms, they do gain a bit of heightened flexibility. But they have to train in it to unlock more power-up forms. They do not change with them as they age; they are in the limbo stage at almost adulthood. (Insert joke about Tim forever being 17, blaming the magical girl curse for his stature. p.s it's not the curses doing) It's a curse and not a blessing, so why? First of all, the curse is all about self-preservation over the well-being of its Robins; it will heal them from lethal wounds as it needs them to be as strong as it is, but their mental healing is neglected. It is partly self-aware to the point that it wants to grow stronger. How does it get stronger? by having more people cursed into magical girls. But it can't curse people in quick succession. It has to recharge. It heals by forcing the Robin to transform when they are not in view of interference. the magical veil kicks in hard drive. So, the only one who can see her for the rescue portion is a fellow Robin. And the cursed has stay as magical girl form for the duration of the healing prosses. As the curse comes with an unwanted genderswap for everyone. it takes a toll on some of them harder than others. Can't exactly reassure the family you're fine when you're not you; they are lucky they can text. (Good thing Dick got a big apartment) The side effects of healing are also no joke. They are felt as phantom pains for every Robin, sharing the burden of hurt and taking energy to heal. In magical form, this manifests as a white streak on the individual who has had a prolonged stay in their magical form to heal. Babs, Jay, Tim, and Dami, I'm pretty sure, are in Got streaks club. The curse is also a danger magnet. The stronger it's Robins, the stronger it gets, you know. It also comes with the side effect of not being able to speak about the curse or warn anyone about it. The only one they can communicate about the curse freely is a fellow Robin. This is part of the magical veil I talked about. It makes people unable to connect the dots on who the Robins are as civilians. but it can also hide them from detection if they get badly hurt for eveyone but thier fellow Robins. Or for shorter times when to be in public as normal is needed. The Curse also makes them forget where they got the powers from. So, they have a hard time keeping track of the cursed music box. However, it usually stays close unless it wants more Robins. Living situation. They are more spread out, such as Cass staying with Babs. Tim gets smuggled into the manor under the pretense he can stay until his parents return from their trip. (it's been months) Dick gets his apartment still as they need some to go, not under Bruce's watch. How did it get to that point? Well, someone accidentally took the OG cured box with them to school on "accident". That's how Tim found it after it got " lost". Bruce is a bit of a better parent in this AU; got therapy for kids, as he saw them struggling and them "not" being vigilantes meant they could make use of therapy, unlike him. Though the Curse's Gaise is keeping them mum about their identity. So, they have to speak in metaphors if they want help from the therapists. So I read this book, I had a nightmare, on the news, scary game. Not to mention the body dysphoria. But that one is a bit of a sliding scale for who took it worse.

as @dannyphantom-justiceleauge put it; "I could see Tim being more fluid, and Cass being agender. Dick isn't as bothered by it as he feels he should be but that's more because he has a healthy relationship with gender than because he's comfortable with the.. changed parts. Hes him no matter the body even if its a bit weird Tim and Cass are fully in the, eh it doesnt matter camp. Babs, Jason, Damien, and Steph are having struggles tho

Duke also strikes me as less bothered by it. He has different priorities."

Jay may not have had to deal with voice cracks for his extended stay as a magical girl, but the growing he did, but not know it, it was a bit of a shock to him. bigger body and different voice when he finally got turned back into a guy really rocked his mental health. But on the positive side of things where, they could adapt the coping skills they learned in therapy. Bruce don't know what the kids are up to with the magic thing. He just thing they got close sibling bonds and likes to hang out. Alfred knows the kids are up to something but can't say for sure what they are up. His best guess is they are hanging out with friends doing gymnastics with friends as a sort of club thing. Bruce's thoughts on the Magical girls. Of course, he is worried for their safety, as he has been repeatedly saved from peril by them, who would jump in the way of lethal attacks to protect him. He is under the misconception that they are using tech and not magic. He made the mistake of commenting on the white streak in someone's hair. And got the explanation that it's a side effect of them kinda dying for a bit. causing him to jump to the conclusion that if their hair turns all white, they'll die. (They won't, but he doesn't know that) all in all, causing him grey hair. He likes that the use non lethal attacks, and kinda has a mini freak out when he learns they got a lethal mode. Who are they fighting? Rouges, mostly, But they are trying to Cleanse Gotham of curses cuz that's the only way to break their curse. We talked about weapons having 3 forms. The initial one you see in the first post is an alt mode and their lethal mode. Because i planned on doing power ups. The weapons also come with sound effects. Think Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha's weapon with voice effects. Also, on a side note, Dami was not happy with his base form weapon, only to be likewise annoyed when a long time after he found out the lethal version of his weapon is a sword. The first one to unlock lethal mode is Dick after what Joker did to Jay and Babs. (when the gloves come of their is penance to pay clown) Think escrima sticks with eclectic blades attached. His alt mode is just bigger flags. Babs i've also fully wotk out it starts as a hula hoop, turs cyr wheel in alt mode then a Giant Shuriken for lethal mode. But to make it up to you, I'll tell you Tim's full weapon sequence.

Base form twirling baton, alt mode is a more extended staff, and lethal mode is a scythe. and a bonus vids for @dannyphantom-justiceleauge suggestions that gets included in the AU.

[boxbugdotcom]

I TOLD you all my last post wouldn't be the last I rambled about the Buttercubs band AU. I wanna talk about some of the characters more because they will NOT leave my brain !!!! (As I mentioned, this isn't just my AU, fellow creators will be tagged at the bottom)

Specifically I wanna talk about Doc. I mentioned him briefly last post, and even though this AU focuses mainly on the Buttercubs, a LOT (if not all) of the side characters have their own storylines and arcs and are just generally all fleshed out really well. I won't list all of the characters here lol, mainly because there's a lot and more might be added as time goes, plus I've got a big ol' google doc I'm working on organizing, but a character list will be made eventually!!

Anyways. Doc. In this, as mentioned, Doc is a goat/creeper hybrid. One of his arms is mechanical and so is, like, most of the left half of his face. He's also SCARILY tall, coming in at like, 7 feet tall, about. He's got sharp canines and he's hard to read and he's just weird. He doesn't know how to express emotions well, he has bad tone control, he has a hard time being vulnerable. Most of this comes from just.... being how he is. The world isn't kind to different things, especially when that thing was born with sharp teeth and horns. Maybe in subtle ways, maybe in obvious ways, the world has always reminded Doc that he's not like them. He's different and Other, even when he was a kid and he wasn't half machine he was still odd. He made creeper sounds when upset, he gnawed on things that he shouldn't have (cans, wood, cloth, etc. He IS part goat, after all), he stared and smiled with all his teeth. My point is, he's spent nearly all his life being Othered, and then suddenly he's half machine, and it all gets worse, because he's not Human (that's been made abundantly clear to him), he's not Machine, he's some ugly mix of the two that people only call monsterous. And maybe he's fine with it, or he tells himself he is, because he's acted okay with it for this long- he even leans into it a LOT.

But that's so distinctly not what Doc wants. Sure, he doesn't get bothered when someone says it, but late at night, in the moments he won't tell anyone about, he does wish he could just be... soft. It's all he wants; Doc isn't scared of murderers or ghosts or anything ordinary quite as much as he's scared of how badly he wants to be soft. And, if you remember, I mentioned that he and Grian dated for a few months while they were in Uni (which I could make a whole post about that era on its own). And it wasn't... great... for them, to say the least. Not that they were abusive or anything like that! They just both had undiagnosed/untreated bpd and that heavily influenced the relationship. Doc wanted (still wants) something steady and strong and stable and gentle and domestic, he wants his love to feel slow and warm and dependable. But he'd never gotten that, so this was brand-new to him and he had no frame of reference. Grian, at the time, was going through hell and back because of his family, and the only two things keeping him even remotely stable/grounded was Mumbo (because Mumbo was always going to be there for Grian, no matter what) and Uni, and Grian was clingy and needy because all of the love he had experience in the past was ripped away. And then Grian met Doc, someone who matched his intense energy, and they collieded in a firey explosion of messy emotions and unhealthy attachments. Grian would collapse, sobbing, into Doc's arms, tearing into him with claws because that's the only way Grian felt secure, and Doc would hold on tight and talk him down despite the nagging feeling that this wasn't right. And Grian's avoidant-attachment issues were acting up, so all he could do was hold Doc's hand and keep him at arms length. And when it finally ends, Doc never blames Grian, and it all goes inward, and he sits there and he wonders if, maybe, if he'd been different, if he'd been anyone else, if he'd been better, maybe it would have turned out okay. Maybe that was what love was supposed to be like! This was all Doc had experienced in the way of love, so maybe it was all like this, this was all he could get, this was the best it ever got.

That was years ago. Now, they're both doing well for themselves- better, anyways. As well as they can be, of course. Grian's with his band, and Doc... well, Doc sort of stopped looking for anything after Uni. He focused on his redstone, his music, anything other than what happened and finding something better. He and Grian are still friends, they're close, Doc is friends with all the Buttercubs at this point. Then, Doc meets Ren. He's not sure when, or how. He just knows that there was life before Ren, then life with Ren. He can't remember the in-between period. And Ren is made of soft ears and hands and he's social and kind and funny and interesting. And Doc... well, he's Doc, he's made of sharp teeth and claws and horns and it doesn't matter that Ren wiggled his way into Doc's heart like it was nothing, because what's the point of doing anything about his little crush? He only borught it up at all because Grian pushed him to. And! Ren feels the same! And Doc wants, more than anything, he wants to make this work. It's about someone who's been told they're a monster all their life, who's begun to lean into it because if the world will flinch when you smile then why try and fight it? It's about the monster meeting someone who's not scared, who should be scared because everyone else has always been, but they are not and they see the world in this person. It's about soft paws holding deadly claws and realizing that the paws have claws too. It's about realizing that if someone like this, someone as beautiful as this can love you as you are, then maybe it doesn't matter what the world has thought. It's about finding someone who has sharp teeth and doesn't flinch when you smile.

(fellow au creators: @las--nevadas @pndrax)

[vibratingskull]

Hey! :) saw you were taking requests and I got one for you. 👀

Thrawn's Jedi wife (she/her) takes herself and Thrawn away from Lothal (like Ezra does) with the help from Purgils. They're both stranded alone together, they talk about a lot of things and they make love and just decide to start a family together during the 10+ years. 👀👀

Thrawnxf!reader

You turn off your lightsaber and wince in pain.

Your baby just gave you a new kick in your stomach. You caress your tummy tenderly, sighing dreamily, they are already so strong! You regret that the Chimaera isn't equipped for pregnant women, it would make things easier.

But you have the Force to guide you. So it will be okay.

You didn’t tell it to Thrawn yet but the Force whispered to you they are twins. You go sit on the bench of the dojo to wipe your sweat off with a towel. Exercising with a pregnant belly truly is something else! But you don’t want to lose your touch so you grit your teeth and continue to train.

“I was sure you would be here, cha’cah.” Thrawn voice raises next to you.

You look up to him and smile tiredly.

“Do not overwork yourself.” He gently chides, sitting next to you. “We do not have the equipment in case something goes wrong.”

“I know, dear. But I know what I’m doing, do not worry.” you soothe him, wiping your face.

“I trust you. I am simply encouraging you to be more attentive to details.” He pushes a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Everything is okay! They even gave me a kick!.”

His gaze lowers to your swollen tummy and presses his warm palm on it. The babies give another hit and his smile grows larger. You look at him with love pouring out of your eyes.

“They already so full of energy…” He mutters almost to himself.

“Yes.” you smile blissfully. “They are like you, I can feel it.”

“I hope they are more like you, it would be best for them.” He counters.

“No, why? I want an army of little clone of you! That would be adorable.” You nudge him.

“It would be absolute chaos, cha’cah.” He leans forward and kisses your stomach reverently.

“Yurk. Are you doing your disgusting adult things?” a little voice makes you both jump of your skins.

At the door of the dojo your daughter looks at you, pouting, disgusted by this physical demonstration of affection. She pinches her nose, sticking her tongue out.

“Well, hello to you too, miss.” you gently mock.

The little girl took so much from her father, blue skin, red eyes and regal features but her hairs are unmistakably yours.

“Can I play with your lightsaber, mom?”

“Absolutely not, miss.”

“Pleaaaaaaase…” She pleads, joining her two hand in prayer.

“Your mother told you no.” Thrawn intervene, “But I can train with you if you want.”

She looks at him with a deeply focused expression.

“Alright!” She exclaims joyfully.

Thrawn get rids of his white jacket and seizes a staff on the wall, joining her on the tatami. You cross your legs in a meditative position and stretch your back. You terribly need a back massage…

You make your spine pop as your husband and daughter exchange staff hits, circling each other in the dojo. Since you ended up on this wretched planet thanks to Bridger, training became a survival essential, even for the kids of the Chimaera.

You’re not the only couple that started a family, quite a number of stormtroopers and officers got together and babies started to pop up everywhere. Not enough to fill a class, around ten little ones started roaming around the corridors of the Chimaera. Thrawn wasn’t too sure about that but you only felt relief, knowing your baby daughter would not be alone, you know the presence of fellow kids is so important for a child brain’s formation. You made him the remark that it was pretty hypocritical of him to deny his troop the right of a family while starting his own. He recognized it and since accepted the situation. 

It is so new to you all, this mess of a situation forced everyone to adopt new roles and take on new responsibilities. As the highest authority Thrawn had to marry people and conduct ceremonies. It is not his field of expertise, not at all! His place is in the battle room, strategizing campaigns, not direct weddings… But he stepped up and accepted his new role. You remember him coming to you to help him for a speech, completely lost and on the verge of panic. Everything went well in the end, the ceremony was short but really touching, after the disaster the troops needed good news for morale, weddings and birth were perfect!

But you know what they really crave is Bridger’s demise and returning to the Empire…

It’s been 6 years already…

You never spoke about it with Thrawn, but you helped Ezra escape the Chimaera when you crashed on Peridea. A last nice gesture between jedis. You warned him next time you would cross paths as enemies, he nodded and disappeared into the night.

In your heart you know Thrawn is aware of that.

But he never confronted you or punished you.

Simply remained silent and started the hunt.

Because he knew you already had enough on your plate on your own. Making his troops accept a jedi as his fiance was hard enough as it was.

You’ve never been too popular on the Chimaera, and still are now. You are only tolerated.

You accepted it.

“Look mom! I hit him!” Your daughter shouts excitedly.

“My! Congrats, dear.” You applaud.

She throws herself at him with the ardor of youth and naivety, and Thrawn seizes her by the hips to throw her on his shoulder. She cries, indignant, but he only chuckles. You laugh with him at this charming display.

“Not fair! Put me down, dad!”

“No. You should not have plough forward without thinking.” He spins on himself.

“Haaaaaaa! Mom! Help!”

“You should have thought about it further, sweetie.” you laugh.

She screams as he spins, threatening to puke on him. He pulls her in his arms and throws her in the air. Your eyes follow her as she flies in the room before getting caught by her father. He launch her again and you catch her in the air with the Force.

“Alright, that’s enough I think.” You let her come down on the ground gently. She’s completely disheveled now.

“That was not fair, dad!” she complains again.

“May this be your lesson. Think before throwing yourself to an adversary.” He counters.

She walks wobbly to the bench and sits next to you, your circle her shoulders with your arm and press her against your form.

“It is for your good, sweety. There is danger outside of the Chimaera.” you explain.

“I know.” She growls, slicking her hair back. “I know, mom…”

Thrawn sits next to her, sandwiching her between you two.

“It will also be your role to protect your little brother or sister, you have to be ready.”

She looks up to him perplexed.

“Enoch won’t protect us?”

“Captain Enoch may die, as will me and your mother. We are preparing you for the future, dear.”

She let herself fall against his shoulder.

“Alright, dad.”

“Good girl.” And he encircles both of you in his arms for a big hug like you love them so much.

@Bluechiss @thrawnalani @justanothersadperson93 @al-astakbar

@thrawnspetgoose @readinglistfics @elise2174 @debonaire-princess @twilekchiss

[enden-k]

Question: does saran show himself to others when vika's at work? More specifically around azai (i think i spelt it right)

I assume it's the case where saran can choose who can see him (and i 100% believe saran would let azai catch glimpses of him just to fuck with him) otherwise it would be pretty awkward hiring a guy that just so happens to have your old coworker that you murdered following him around

Also, what do vika's coworkers think of saran? Like i know everyone thinks he's just a fear vika made a contract with, but do they have any thoughts beyond that?

i answered/said smth abt this before

he manifests whenever and wherever he pleases but since vika likes it when hes able to see him hes in his manifested form most of the time. he doesnt walk around in the amygdala buildings tho where all the workers are out (only when theyre in the office) - unless someone approaches vika w bad intent

heres a bit i answered about azai, it prolly answers your question too

when azai happens to be in region 9, saran does not come out bc if azai would learn that saran returned and has a contract with vika, it would put vikas life at danger; to azai vika is a nobody he wouldnt mind to kill to have saran back and chain him to him for good. saran is aware amygdala has smth going on and theres lots of other things he wants to take care of before he comes for azai; hes really carefui and makes sure he and vika do not engage w him or get noticed by him until theyre ready and prepared for the worst. in some way, theyre like spies/undercover in azais shady ghost hunter business

azai is not aware of vika and he did not personally hire him as he has other ppl do it in his stead for their designated regions. azai only deals with those higher ups of each region

coworkers.....do you mean the rest of E9 or just all the ppl working in the 9th section of amygdala? bc i answered smth similar here already (altho its abt their relationship specifically)

noah is a huge fan of saran, he thinks hes pretty cool and strong (saran didnt show his full power but only a fraction) and is very respectful, treating him like a fellow team member and not a tool. he shows like a kids admiration

suyo and saran get along quite well since they have similar energy; theyre still quite careful abt each other bc they both like to play dumb but are incredibly smart and perceptive; shes still wary of him bc hes a ghost after all and hes wary of her bc she works for amygdala obviously. at a certain point in story they step over that line tho

that certain point is also the point where saran - who naturally hates humans and only likes vika - takes suyo and noah under his protection too and grows fond of them, also bc for vikas sake

rest of the workers beneath E9 who caught a glimpse of saran are terrified of him, esp those who pick on vika or made him do all the shit work before he joined the elite

[thesymphonytrue]

SHxWC

okay here is a draft of the first meeting between Sherlock&John and Peter&Neal. Sherlock comes off really strong here, but I feel like he always does tho???

Let me know if the characters are tracking, my fellow fans:

Moments later, two men came into John and Sherlock’s living room. One had dark brown hair, brown eyes that seemed to be in constant concern. He wore a khaki colored trench coat, a dark suit underneath. The other man had dark hair styled to perfection, brilliant blue eyes and donned a fitted pea-coat complete with a scarf and…fedora? 

Oh Sherlock’s gonna love this, John thought sarcastically, then pondered, Yes, Mrs. Hudson is right, he does favor Henry Cavill…

“Hello,” Sherlock greeted them, “Sherlock Holmes. And this is Dr. John Watson.” 

John stood and nodded cordially. Sherlock held out his hand to the man in the trench coat.

“Special Agent Peter Burke, FBI,” he said, gripping Sherlock’s hand firmly and shaking it. 

Before Peter could introduce the other man, the blue eyed kid (seriously, how old was this fellow? 22?), grinned and held out his hand. 

“Neal Caffrey, artistic consultant,” his eyes glimmered with mischief. 

Peter rolled his eyes, “He’s my CI.” 

“Yes, yes, I know. Criminal informant,” Sherlock said, eyeing Neal. 

Oh dear here we go, John thought, I hope they are ready for this. 

Sherlock’s first impression deductions were always humbling, but John felt like for these two, it would be like dunking them head first into arctic water. Even John could see their affection for each other sparking back and forth like circuit energy.

With utter glee, Sherlock pulled a badge out of his pocket and examined it.

“Peter Burke…FBI…” he mused.

Peter patted his coat where his badge would be and immediately glared at Neal, who shrugged, equally annoyed, and glared at Sherlock. 

“That’s my move,” Neal muttered to himself, jamming his hands in his pockets and looking at the floor. 

“Just like Lestrade,” Sherlock murmured to John, chuckling.

He handed the badge back to Peter. 

“You’d think you would keep this in a more secure place considering how many times Neal Caffrey has slipped it from your pockets,” Sherlock said. 

Peter smiled, embarrassed, and stuffed the badge back into his pocket. 

“A past baseball player who joined the FBI as a plan B career. So fascinating,” Sherlock paced around Peter and Neal, circling them like a lion, “Shoddy coat, wedding ring, hair that has been cut in the same way for ten years based on your hair tan lines,” 

Sherlock paused, eyes scanning, brain filing away every piece of Peter Burke it could get its hands on. 

“Devoted husband, honest to a fault, and…often bored. Had to get a CI to keep work interesting for you. Now that you have your wife in a marital commitment, there is no longer a chase and you have a need to chase someone. I gather you have running shoes in that duffle bag and your dress shoes are scuffed on either side—revealing that you chase well and chase often.” 

Peter’s eyes were wide with astonishment and Neal was grinning wildly, impressed, but also seeming to adore seeing Peter put under a microscope. 

“And of course, you have deep affection for the man next to you. Not only because he runs and chasing him is addictive, but you've grown fond of him. You stand close enough to defend him if necessary, but not so close that he can pick your pocket at will. Your eyes move to him once every thirty seconds, meaning he is almost never out of your sight. I saw you tense as I opened the door and you stepped in between Neal Caffrey and myself, in case I was a threat to his safety.  He is your weakness and you know it and you do your best to keep that weakness under control.”

Silence filled the room as Sherlock’s deductions hung in the air.

“Damn, Peter, he’s got you pegged,” Neal whispered, but then gave Peter what John could describe best as “puppy dog eyes,” “ Do you really have deep affection for me?” 

Neal was teasing, but Peter blushed nonetheless and swatted him away. 

“And Neal Caffrey, prolific crime artist and conman,” Sherlock broke their banter and his icy blue eyes turned to Neal. 

John shuddered inwardly. Sherlock did not like criminals. He dedicated his entire life to eradicate them. The fact that someone like Peter was working willingly with someone like Neal, probably baffled the genius of a man. John had already prepared himself for lengthy venting sessions from Sherlock once this case started. 

“You are wearing a mask for me, but I will see right through it,” Sherlock said and then nodded to Peter, “He certainly can see right through you and yet, here you are…solving crimes together.”

“Sherlock,” John started.

“I can handle it,” Neal said, straightening his stance.

“You carry a scientifically calculated outward appearance. You call yourself an artist, but the mask you have designed is nothing more than a mathematical formula.  I can find nothing amiss. Right up to the starchy collar of your dress shirt, everything is neat and clean and…perfect,” Sherlock stepped closer to Neal, squinting to examine him, to find the flaw that would give away the interests of his heart.

John could see that Sherlock found nothing. Absolutely nothing to deduce on Neal Caffrey. He was a clean slate. Other than the lingering glances at Peter Burke, that betrayed much more than Neal probably thought, there was nothing that Sherlock could find. 

Sherlock stepped back. 

“Other than viewing Agent Burke as a pseudo father figure but also somehow a soulmate, don't ask me to deduce that I'm very confused myself at the notion--- I can’t find anything to deduce on you. Well done, Neal Caffrey.” 

John thought that perhaps this would delight Neal, but it did quite the opposite. Neal’s shoulder shrunk and his once charming grin melted into neutral lips. Peter, on the other hand, was dazzled, watching Sherlock Holmes with awe and reverence. 

Ahh yes, the Sherlock spell, John thought. 

He knew Peter would snap out of it soon, though, 

Everyone always did, especially smart ones like Peter Burke.

Soon enough, Sherlock’s quirks and observations would hit a nerve and send sparks (harmful sparks) flying. Everyone was outstanded with Sherlock, but very few could handle him on a daily basis. 

John could. 

John always would.

He still felt as though he was under the Sherlock spell sometimes, amazed at what that man could do. 

“So, the case at hand,” John started, ready to get on with business.

“It’s tantalizing!” Sherlock said, eyes growing round with excitement. 

“Ignore him,” John mouthed to Peter and Neal, bringing a tiny hint of a smile to Neal’s face and that warmed John’s heart. He felt for the kid. 

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Hello! I am here from your post of the BG3 matchups / hcs!

I was reading fanfics when I should be sleeping for college and I came across this and figured this might quell my indecisiveness.

So I guess a bit about my Tav / Me:

My Tav/OC is named Maelyra, and her traits are that she is really outgoing, adventurous, kind, you know, the usual (Given that she is a Bard and a Half-Elf). She's very optimistic and friendly and welcoming to new people (a bit ADHD). She is also smol, not dwarf small, but she is 5'1. She also tends to give one too many second chances to people regardless of how much they hurt her. The only time she does not give second chances is if they hurt anyone she cares about because she is insanely loyal and would lay her life on the line for an in an instant for her friends.

She also tends to be a little bit of a hypocrite in some regards, as she spends a lot of time taking care of people and telling them that they are always worth it, no matter what and they should never feel ashamed of anything or that they have to hide parts of themselves. Yet she does not like to tell people about her past and usually masks her pain with happiness (not to say she isn't ever geuninley happy b/c 99% of the time she is actually happy), because she's afraid it would make them look at her differently (she is usually the sunshine of the group).

Her hobbies and skills are mainly on the artistic side. Dancing, singing, drawing, painting, playing music. Anything that is in that regard. Hence, the Bard stuff. She loves, loves, LOVES kids - thinks they are the most cute things to ever exist. And she also tends to daydream a lot. She tends to have a strong dislike for insanely physical activities if it isn't for fun and gets bored easily if the activity isn't something she is interested in.

(Sorry if that's long, I get carried away a lot)

Anyway!

I am fine with boys and girls (coming in a bi-queen!), but I would like them separate if that's alright :)

Thank you so much, and sorry if this is so long!

A/N: Reading fanfics when I should be sleeping is practically my life story lol. Because you (as a fellow bisexual queen!) specified you wanted separate male and female answers, I’ve got two companions for you down below.

For you @seanymphcalypso , I think your best matches in companions would be Astarion (Male) and Karlach (Female)!

⭒ Astarion is a great match for Maelyra, even if it may not look so on paper. At first glance, the two have more differences than similarities, however, if you look closer, their differences are perfect counterbalances for one another.

Astarion may put on the charm, but a good amount of that is a facade- one he was forced to wear to lure victims to Cazador. He’s more introverted than he lets on. Although I do believe deep down, he truly is an extrovert, he’s less of a conspicuous one. He would do well with someone friendly and outgoing enough to initiate, within a relationship- and that’s where Maelyra comes in. She’s friendly, kind and very sociable. There’s no doubt in my mind her extroversion would enable her to slowly unpeel the many walls and guarded layers of Astarion’s heart. He is rather disarmed by someone who is genuinely cordial all the time- it’s sort of refreshing to think there are people out there who are sincerely kind and not just feigning kindness or interest to get something later on.

Astarion himself isn’t a big guy. He’s slender, and not incredibly tall so Maelyra’s shorter stature wouldn’t bother him in the slightest. He finds it rather adorable- that so much energy and personality could be stored in such a small person.

If anyone could use a boatload of second chances, it’s Astarion. He wasn't exactly the kindest person before his capture, and he still isn’t exactly the kindest person now. He’s endured 200 years of nonstop trauma and torture. So much of how he thinks, how he acts, and how he reacts is based on survival, not on personality. He lashes out, and he’s probably going to lash out often, even when he knows better. It’s not that he wants to hurt his new companions, and he especially doesn’t want to upset Maelyra, it’s just that he’s not used to having permission to experience all the newfound emotions. He’s inexperienced when it comes to processing them, compartmentalizing, and responding to them appropriately. He’s so grateful that she understands how hard he’s tried, how hard he’s trying to be better. He thinks she must be part celestial or aasimar to have the level of patience and forgiveness she does.

It’s also so meaningful to Asatrion that she refuses to let people cross the line with him and with her friends. No one has stuck their neck out for him like that before. (Huh, get it? Neck??) He used to believe he wasn’t worthy of such defenses. But thanks to Maelyra’s affection, he’s starting to think differently.

Astarion understands Maelyra’s hesitance to share who she truly is, so he won't push her to open up until she’s ready. He may bug her with some teasing questions here and there, but as long as she takes what he says to her on faith, he figures it’s the least he could do to return the favor. But whenever she is ready to share, he’s ready to listen. And he promises to do his best not to judge.

He loves that she’s interested in art. Back as a magistrate, Astarion found he quite enjoyed the fine arts- the theater, art shows, higher fashion- all that sorts. Especially the way Maelyra manages to capture his appearance on paper or canvas. After he was turned, he never thought he’d see his appearance ever again. But thanks to her talent, he can see himself through her eyes: with such precise brush strokes, and detail, he can tell he’s loved just by looking at her depictions of him.

Astarion may not be the fondest of children at the moment, mainly because they bring back horrible memories of what Cazador forced him to do. But he does like how happy Maelyra is when she’s around them. It fills his undead heart with glee every time he sees how her face lights up around a baby. Honestly, the idea of having or raising children never used to cross his mind. But now that he’s free, and now that he’s with her, the idea doesn’t seem so impossible. He doesn’t feel ready yet- and he probably won't be for quite some time. So in the meantime, he just grins and bears it as Maelyra makes him sit amongst the children for song/story time. And he tries his hardest to maintain a stoic, indifferent disposition, even as some of the little ones weave flowers into his hair.

Astarion doesn’t mind taking it easy, as a matter of fact, he prefers it. A lazy day spent lounging in each other’s company sounds much better than hiking through humid weather or getting trapped amongst an unruly village crowd. He’s very similar in that if he doesn’t want to do something, he’ll make sure to let everyone around him know. The two of them can be quite stubborn that way, much to some of the other companions’ chagrin.

At the end of the day, Astarion feels great love for Maelyra. And he knows she loves him in return. And thanks in part to her love, he’s beginning to think he might one day love himself.

♨ Karlach is such a great match for Maelyra because they’re like two peas in a pod! Karlach is loud, outgoing, and extroverted as well, making her able to match Maelyra’s more sociable energy. They’re both optimists and choose to look on the bright side, despite the darkness in their past. That’s not to say being hopeful comes easy to either one of them, but with Maelyra and her infectious eagerness by her side, Karlach feels empowered to choose happiness all the more.

Karlach is big and tall. She’s a tall glass of water for sure. And she thinks it’s adorable that Maelyra’s shorter than her. She loves their height difference and how it makes Maelyra the perfect height for forehead kisses. Plus, it boosts Karlach’s ego when she can lift Maelyra and carry her around on her shoulders as if she weighs nothing. It’s also Karlach’s way of letting Maelyra know she can defend and protect her from harm. If any evil thing comes Maelyra’s way, she can just step behind her giant barbarian girlfriend.

Karlach is also fairly forgiving when it comes to second chances. Despite being a barbarian, she’s empathetic and thoughtful before going in for the attack. She chose to reason with Wyll rather than engage him in battle when he first hunted her down. She isn’t the bloodthirsty devil people think she is, and she wants people to know that. So she forgives. That being said, Karlach certainly doesn’t forget. If someone dares try to take or hurt her friends, she will go into a rage. God help anyone who dares try to hurt Maelyra.

Karlach is truly impressive in that while she does often take on the burden of her friends, she also manages to put her needs first. It’s great for Maelyra to be with someone who knows how to balance goodwill and self-care as it sets an example for her to follow. With Karlach reminding Maelyra to take time for herself, Maelyra is even more effective at caring for her friends. Sleep and proper care for yourself does wonders, and it makes you all the more ready to tackle the day. And Karlach loves that Maelyra knows how to have fun. Fun is super important, especially when you’re tasked with saving the world. It’s the only thing that keeps you from going completely crazy. So KArlach and Maelyra are often the ones to initiate game nights or visits to a local tavern. (They may also be the only two left standing after a couple rounds of shots lol.) However, just because Karlach is extroverted and happy-go-lucky more often than not, doesn’t mean she isn’t serious. She knows when to be positive, and she also knows when people just need to vent. She’s willing to listen if Maelyra is ever willing to talk. She wants Maelyra to feel safe with her- in both happy moments and in bad ones.

And ooh boy, kids! Karlach lights up around kids! Did you see how wistful she got when meeting Jaheria’s family? She’d love nothing more for her life to be about protecting and nurturing as opposed to destroying and claiming. She and Maelyrn would have hour-long conversations, dreaming about what their family might look like in the future. Sure, there’d be a ton of logistics to work out, but in the meantime, that doesn't mean they can’t dream.

Karlach needs physical activity. She needs tons of movement or else she’s gonna go crazy. So to work Maelyra into her workouts, Karlach will either use her as excess weight or as someone to count her reps. Maelyra could get comfortable on Karlach’s back, reading or writing, or even drawing as Karlach continues to do push ups. Sometimes Karlach will alter the count, just to see if Maelyra’s listening. “24… 200… 201” “Don’t you mean 26?” “Of course love, what did you think I said?”

They’re basically couple goals. Everyone else in camp is lowkey jealous af.

...

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[boxmorelover232]

Batman: TB&TB Infection AU Characters (The Green Beans)

So, I only intended for Green Arrow and Guy Gardner to be a part of this, but then thought I'd add Hal Jordan because why not?

The planet mentioned here is not part of any DC continuity, as far as I know. I intended for Guy to be in the Far Sector, but then figured it wouldn't be the best place for Guy to be. The planet he's on is VERY LOOSELY BASED on Africa, but IS NOT MEANT TO BE PUNCHING DOWN ON AFRICA, ITS PEOPLE, OR ITS CULTURE. I INTENTIONALLY KEPT THINGS VAGUE AND A MELTING POT OF ATTRIBUTES SO OTHER PEOPLE COULD BUILD OFF OF IT.

Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)

Guy was in a fight on the other side of the galaxy when the JLI were called for a meeting, thankfully with a space criminal and not a fellow Lantern. Guy didn't check his ring until after he got the scum to a Sciencell on Oa but didn't get a chance to fly to the Watchtower when he was called by the Guardians. Guy was annoyed, but went regardless; a part of him wishes he didn't.

The meeting with the Guardians had Martian Manhunter on call as well. Guy was a bit surprised but didn't think much of it. He half-expected some big-headed shmuck or news on Sinestro's whereabouts, but that wasn't it. Manhunter had called to inform the Guardians of the Vampiric Outbreak happening in Gotham and of the deaths of the JLI. Guy's jaw hit the floor, but denial was a strong thing; he shook his head, barking out a forced laugh as he asked Manhunter to stop joking. It wasn't funny. No one's laughing, so CUT THE BULLCRAP. Manhunter's brow crinkled, shook his head, and solemnly confirmed it. No. No, that's not true. There's no way that could be true!! Everyone there may not be as strong as Guy, but they can still fight! There's no way they'd let themselves fall to some stupid Vampire. There's no way in hell Batman would-

"Batman was the first to turn."

...what? No. No! Nononononononono- NO!!!!!!!

Guy felt like he couldn't breathe. His heart was pounding in his head, his muscles clenched and shaking, sweat rolling down his temples, and HE COULDN'T BREATHE. Guy doesn't remember shooting out of there, but the vague feeling of flying and the wordless cries of the Guardians and Manhunter lingered in his ears as he calmed down on a far-off planet from where the Lanterns didn't go. Guy doesn't remember how long he spent there, curled up and stubbornly refusing to cry (he did, but refuses to admit it), but when he did, the sun had set and Guy immediately knew he had to find shelter.

Guy's ring was low on energy and in his rush, he had left his lantern back on Oa. There was enough left to translate languages, and Guy just happened to have been found by a local child. Guy was taken into her house, introduced himself as Guy Gardner to the girl's family (a mother, father, and older brother), and explained his situation without getting into details. They allowed him to stay and offered to teach him their language if he helped their farm. Not having any better options, Guy agreed.

The family, the Allexas, were good people (technically they're Staik'its, but who cares?) They lived a simple life, milking Bovins, raising Chi-kens, and harvesting crops; it was something Guy found he appreciated. He spent his mornings getting up early and working to the bone, afternoons helping with the market stand, and evenings with the Allexas. It was a nice change of pace, and learning a different language from scratch once his ring ran out was interesting. He was even able to teach some English to the kids (T'Lea the youngest, and T'Chanka the oldest); he did let loose a few swears in English, however, and the look he got from the A'Dersan (father) and U'Vona ensured he wouldn't make the same mistakes again. (Guy was proud of how well little T'Lea enunciated and secretly patted the girl on the back).

Time moves faster on this planet, so while only about a month has passed on Earth, Guy's been on that planet, Ortiga, for the equivalent of a year. Guy doesn't know this, nor does he have any plans to leave and head back to Earth. That place was filled with bad memories and the old, hot-tempered him; the Guy there was an ass who could never be honest with himself or others, always trying to put up a strong front and never allowed to falter. Now that Guy's made his home in Ortiga, he's free of the burdens of his past and as a Lantern. He's dating T'Chanka with marriage in mind and plans to start a school teaching English to the Ortigans with T'Lea as a tutor (who knew the age to get a job here was thirteen?).

A small part of Guy does wonder what's happening on Earth, but he always shoves that aside in favor of his life on Ortiga. He knows the Guardians would've sent someone to look for him after leaving like that, and Guy knows if that happened (if those blue asses even cared enough to do so), someone would've found him by now. He loves it here and doesn't want to ruin it for a world that's probably forgotten about him now.

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

Hal Jordan was there when the meeting was called. Guy didn't notice him, not that he blamed him. The news of the JLI's death rocked Hal, but it seemed Guy took it the hardest. He recalled overhearing Guy talk about a girl he liked on the team, but he couldn't remember her name. Maybe that's why Guy was so upset? Whatever the reason, Guy flew out and ignored J'onn's and the Guaridans' cries for him to stop. Attention was temporarily directed to discussions on how the Earth would need to be under lockdown and how to go about it. Hal doesn't remember the specifics, but he knows he's not the one guarding the planet; Hal had the more important job of finding Guy.

It took about two days, but Hal traced Guy's route and found him on Ortiga. Hal hid himself and tried to find a red-haired human male matching Guy's appearance. Hal found him on the Allexas Farm, where Guy looked...different.

Hal observed Guy from a distance, watching as the hot-blooded, "punch-first-ask-questions-never" Green Lantern worked on the farm. Guy interacted with surprising comfort and relaxation Hal had never seen in the man. Playing with the children, chatting with the locals in fluent Oramo, and being friendly with a male Ortigan. Guy had even grown out his hair and tied it back.

Hal was confused. He asked his ring, and it confirmed the human male to be Guy Gardner with a dead ring hanging around his neck. The ring then elaborated that time moved differently here, as while it seemed only two days had passed, it had already been two months. Hal was torn. His mission was to find Guy and bring him back, but Guy seemed happier here. Guy had built a life for himself here. Guy never complained about being a Lantern, reveling every chance he got to brag about his accomplishments, but Hal suspected Guy was struggling. Maybe not with living situations or fiances, such as with Hal, but he always seemed on edge. Maybe...

Hal made a decision at that moment, a reckless one that could cost him his ring and reputation as a Green Lantern, but he stuck with it. Once one of those kids was alone, Hal convinced her to bring Guy's ring to him; he had to make up an excuse that Guy was being hunted for that ring and if she brought the ring here, Hal could lead away the people after it. (It wasn't a lie, technically). The kid agreed right away, not wanting her "brother's boyfriend" to be in danger. Hal watched as she asked Guy if she could play with his ring for a bit, and Guy surprisingly handed it over without question. The girl ran around the fields a bit, acting out a battle Guy must've told them about before she called for her friends to play "Hide and Seek" in the woods Hal was concealing himself in. It took a few minutes for the girl to find him and hand him the ring. Hal thanked her and was off on his way.

It wasn't that hard for Hal to fake Guy's death. A few minutes spent on a sandy war planet made it look like Hal had been in the middle of a battle and found Guy's ring on a criminal's neck. It was fairly easy for Hal to spin a tale of his capture, the villain's appearance, and death at the hands of the creatures there. Sure, the ring said he was still alive, but the Guardians attributed that to the ring being dead for so long. It was disturbing how the Guardians took his words at face value, but Hal was called away to help with the construction of the Gotham Barricade soon after.

Hal returned to his duties as the Green Lantern of Earth and had time to sort out his life and improve it. Things have changed since Hal left, but they're strangely the same. At night, when everything's quiet and Carol's nuzzled into his chest, Hal wonders if he did the right thing with Guy.

Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)

Oliver was in a bad place when J'onn contacted him about Dala and the deaths of Batman and the JLI. He had a fight with his girlfriend, Dinah L. Lance, a few days prior and ended with them on a break; Roy was busy with Dick and Garth, so he couldn't turn to him. Bats and Green Arrow had a strong bond, and while they'd always had their hiccups, they always had each other's backs. Green Arrow sunk into a depression, one where he was able to still get out of bed in the morning, but a depression nonetheless; Ollie neglected sleep and shaving, so he had stubble on his face and felt exhausted more than usual. The world seemed muted to him, almost like the colors had lost their shine. The news was reporting about the Vampires taking over Gotham, and while J'onn and Etrigan were busy devising a cure to the outbreak, Ollie hadn't heard from Dinah in a while. Maybe she's just busy. Yeah, that's it.

When he got the alert from the Star City Bank, Green Arrow almost wanted to ignore it. But he's a hero, and despite his somber mood, he has to protect Star City. Even though the fighting started to become more of a chore. When he got to the bank, spotting none other than his rival, the Clock King, the last thing Arrow expected was for the Clock King to want to talk. It was almost enough to make him laugh, but the villain seemed genuinely concerned about what was happening, especially with no Batman or substitute in sight. Green Arrow was hesitant to believe that was all there was to it, but Clock King saw them as friends. Or, friendly, at least.

So, against his better judgment (combined with fatigue and a desperate need to just talk to someone), Green Arrow caved. He told the Clock King everything he knew and vented a bit. His best friend was dead, his personal and professional lives were a complete mess, and part of him was just waiting for the Vampires to take over Star City so he could just. Stop thinking. Arrow felt guilty for thinking it, but it was the truth.

When Clock King took his helmet off and proposed a team-up Green Arrow was suspicious. Sure, all the points he made were likely true, and Clock King's plan seemed like it could work, but. Ollie asked why, and his answer seemed honest enough. So, Ollie teamed up with his nemesis.

Clock King- William pulled some strings to get some grade-A material (and some legal papers confirming such) and a high-quality design from the elusive David Hyde, and Ollie called up every contact he could to help with the Gotham Barricade. Thanks to William and Mr. Hyde's efforts, the outbreak was contained and the various systems were up and running. Ollie did think William was going overboard with the guard vetting process, but understood after a long lecture from his enemy-turned-partner.

The entire time, Ollie kept an eye on Tockman's actions and worked his way backward from every piece of info he was given. Everything seemed to check out. Ollie began trusting Will, which allowed them to work well together while crimefighting. Of course, crime rates have dropped since the Gotham Barricade's completion, with several villains turning a new leaf. The ones who don't however, are easily taken down by Green Arrow and The Clock King (Will says he let Ollie have top billing).

Strangely enough, despite Will revealing himself to Ollie, the man doesn't want to know who Green Arrow is. He tried once, but was immediately shut down by Will. Arrow found it odd the man didn't want to know, despite the fact they're friends now and Will has stated he doesn't care who's under the mask. But, Ollie figured he could use it to his advantage.

While Ollie trusts Will, he does want to know the man more; he has some lingering doubt that he wants to cast aside for good. So, he heads to the Clock Shop Will works at, as billionaire Oliver Queen to see what he can find out. Business has been on the uptick and Will's part in the Gotham Barricade is not secret, so it wouldn't be unusual for someone like Oliver to visit. Plus, Ollie did have a few clocks he needed to fix up. Will's usually busy with orders and other customers, so Oliver asks about the man with the other workers present. They all say the same: "Will's a smart guy, the sweetest to be around, best to work with, and he likes genuine German foods." Ollie doesn't know what that last part is about, but it seems like Will's a good guy. He's tried asking Will to meet outside of work as Oliver, but he's always turned down for some reason.

More interestingly, Ollie's been looking into the Tockman family and discovered Will had a sister, Beverley, who died at a nursing home. The COD doesn't state what caused it, but her being sent there coincides with Will's debut as the Clock King. He might have to look into things if Will doesn't give him straight answers.

Ollie hasn't heard from Dinah for over a month and is starting to worry about her. She didn't tell him where she'd be, so for all he knew, Dinah's on vacation in the Bahamas. It'd explain why Ollie didn't see her during the construction. He's been getting static-filled calls for the past two weeks but tries to ignore them. Speedy has started coming around after hearing about his partnership with Will (he's started seeing him as a cool uncle after moving past initial distrust), and sometimes brings Nightwing or Garth with him. They get along surprisingly well, often giving advice to his ward and his friends on gear and potential upgrades.

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[seyoonlgc]

A new project? The company was looking for eligible male trainees? Hell yeah, of course, he would be auditioning!

Seyoon straightened his shirt, smoothed down his jeans, ran a comb down his messy blonde hair, and waltzed into his interview session. He chose a morning slot because the sun gave him POWER and he intended to outshine his competition to the best of his ability.

"Good morning," he greeted, bowing his head with a smile. "I am Kim Seyoon, here for my interview!"

Why are you interested in being in NEWKIDS NEWDREAMS? [135]

Let's start with a refreshing bit of honesty then, shall we?

I want to be famous, wanna be a star, and be in magazines. Also want to see the world, drive nice cars, and have groupies-

No, that would be too much honesty.

"This project is a debut opportunity and will give me a chance to fulfill my dream of becoming an idol. As a hopeful trainee, I would be kicking myself if I didn't try to take advantage of every opportunity I am presented!" If this project was called OLDMEN OLDFARTNIGHTMARES, Seyoon would still be auditioning. As a man who worshipped at the altar of beauty, Seyoon was very well aware of just how fleeting youth was. He only had a few years to make his debut happen, otherwise, all of these past years spent on training would have been a waste of time.

"While we don't know much about the project, I do think the concept would fit me, judging by the name alone." Seyoon laughed. "To me, New Kids sounds like the company is looking for younger trainees. People who give off a bright, energetic vibe maybe. I think I am a good fit for that!" If there was one thing Seyoon did not lack, it would be stamina. He was constantly bouncing off the walls, and if they observed him in the practice room, they'd definitely see that aspect of his personality.

"Also...I guess I just want a chance to be seen at my best," Seyoon admitted brightly. "I want my parents, grandparents, and younger brothers in Canada to hear the new songs I learned. And my high school friends, scouts buddies, and fried chicken shop regulars too." My mother also. I want to be so goddamn famous that she could not avoid the sight of my face because it would be everywhere. I want her to know despite the fact she won't acknowledge me, I exist.

Considering the current confirmed members, what can you add on and off the stage? [160]

"Off-stage...Uhhh...I mean, I know all of the people in the group and get along with them? BK and I are friends." Fellow partygoers, yeehaw. "I've worked with Noeul on different things before. Misaki and I are buddies, we were also dormmates before. I love Wenjun so much- Sorry, am I answering this question wrong?" Seyoon tapped on his temple, prompting his noggin for more useful tidbits. "Right. I got in a workshop about commercial acting and was pretty good at that so maybe when we are not performing as a group, I could pick up commercials or minor acting roles to boost our popularity?"

"On stage-wise, I can bring my energy, enthusiasm, and good singing! From what I can remember in the practice rooms, BK and Noeul are good rappers. Misaki is a strong dancer, and Yichen is an excellent performer. Wenjun sings beautifully but no group could stand with just one great singer, right? There was always room for another! Oh, also, I am from Canada and fully fluent in English. Do we need an English speaker?"

which skill do you want to be known for & why? [163]

"I would like to be known for my singing because that's where my talent lies, I believe." Seyoon rubbed the back of his head. "I've been singing since I was a child. No lessons, of course, we couldn't afford those since my parents ended up having more kids than they initially planned, and my grandfather on my dad's side was not in good health. I was always in some sort of choir though. Both in schools and at the church. My stepmom always told me I had a far-reaching voice." He made quotations with his fingers. "I think what she meant was she could always hear me from all the way at the back of a room. But if I debut, then those words could take on a different meaning - my voice would be far-reaching because it will be heard by more people and maybe touch some hearts." He laughed. "Seriously, the moment I make it into a permanent group, I am going to call her and tell her that she's predicted it...That she had special powers and knew all along."

what kind of concepts are you good & bad at? [86]

"When it comes to concepts, I think I can do cute, energetic...dark too. Oh, I don't think I will excel at elegant. I am not going to lie - I am not really the princely type." Instead, he was a questionable man who hid his unwashed shorts under his bed and constantly had mud on his shoes. "I think that has to do with growing up on farmland. Sometimes expensive restaurants and formal events can make me feel out of place. I can learn, though! Just put me through a few classes and show me an example of how I should behave. I am a fast learner, I promise."

what kind of group would you ideally want to be part of and why? [87]

"Group-wise, I think being known for great live vocals would be nice because I love those performances the most." He thought about it harder. "To be honest, I just really want to be in a group that is...successful." Would he risk sounding too ambitious with that? "I enjoy groups that have great live vocals. The ones with strong stage presence are amazing too! Ultimately it won't matter, though, if the group doesn't last. Ideally, I would want to debut in a group that has longevity. One that is versatile, can adapt to the trends, and stay relevant for as long as possible."

Seyoon just wanted money. Sometimes he wondered if it was wrong of him to be focused on the financial aspect when a good number of the other kids were entirely invested in their dreams. He supposed everything would be different if he was like some of the other trainees in this company. CEO connections, famous parents. Waving around their black cards while waiting for their chauffeurs in their well-tailored coats. They had more opportunities. If this whole idol situation failed, they could start businesses, go back to school, or even just lie around because their parents could afford to feed them for the rest of their lives. Ugh, sometimes he felt so envious of those people that it hurt.

And that was the end of the interview.

"Thanks for the chat," Seyoon said, bowing first to show his respect, then straightening his back to do a big over-the-head heart. "I am sure there will be a lot more trainees interviewing after but don't forget me, okay?" He grinned. "I really want this!"

[a-force-dyad-in-space]

I'm still not allowing myself to be excited for the One Piece live action but after having seen the trailer a few more times I'll say that as long as the pacing is good (bad pacing trips me up so hard) and the show captures the essence and spirit of the story, I won't hate it.

I just hope the rest of the writing is better than that "Not a crew" scene, I'm still not very happy with that. Sure, a lot of the comedy from the manga and the anime doesn't translate very well into live action but they can still bring out the silly parts without relying on the same kind of 0815 quips that are used by every action adventure movie since the beginning of the MCU.

Something I didn't learn until today is that Oda himself was heavily involved in the adaptation, including greenlighting the cast, which I guess gives me a little more confidence that the show won't be a trashfire.

I really like the cast (and now that I know Oda gave his okay for Nami's and Sanji's actors I'm putting my earlier reservations to the side), I like their energy, I highly appreciate their love for the One Piece universe, so I have a feeling they may be my favorite part of the adaptation.

Something that's also been pointed out is that the characters are wearing a lot of outfits from color spreads from the manga, which is really cool, I like that a lot, it gives them realistic costume changes while still staying true to their designs.

As for some of the criticism I've seen float around the tag:

"WHY ISN'T LUFFY WEARING FLIP FLOPS????" I was a little put off by that at first, too, but I honestly doubt that we'll pay a whole lot of attention to his feet when we watch the actual show (and who knows, maybe they'll show up at some point)

"WHERE IS SANJI'S CURLY BROW??????" This is probably completely a Me thing but when I watched the trailer for the first time I didn't even notice that because I was honestly much more worried about his hair before the trailer was released; I totally get that him not having the curly brow is a little disappointing and leaves out some of the greatest bickering between him and Zoro, but it's still possible that they'll bring it into the show some other way, even if he doesn't have it all the time; same goes for the smoking (which, given that it's an American production that is aimed at kids, isn't really surprising, since smoking/tobacco is its own content warning on American TV), we might see him light a cigarette here and there but we were never gonna see him chainsmoke the way he does in the manga/anime

"WHAT ABOUT USOPP'S NOSE????" Okay, let's be real here, had they given Usopp his Pinocchio nose through either CGI or VFX make-up, everyone probably would have complained how stupid and cringe it looks translated into live action; Jacob has a very expressive face that more than makes up for the lack of the Pinocchio nose in my opinion, but maybe that's just me (Jacob was also the first cast member I was fully on board with from the start, so maybe I'm biased, but that's how I feel)

"BUGGY LOOKS TOO SCARY" Guys, we only got one shot of him and we don't know the context for it; maybe this is his introductory shot, maybe this is a special dramatic shot, maybe this is how other people describe him, we just don't know; just wait until the show is out

"THE FOOTAGE IS TOO YELLOW" While it is likely that this is the final color grading, it's also possible that the final color grading wasn't done by the time they put the trailer together (like, some of the shots look like the yellow isn't as strong), they still have more than two months until release, they could still be doing final tweaks until then; and maybe they wanted to emphasize Luffy's sunny personality, who knows, the cinematography probably looks different in emotional scenes

Also, and this is only of interest to my fellow Germans, the German anime voice cast is dubbing the show, so I might actually watch it both in the original version and with the German voices because the nostalgia is reaaaaaaaallll

Be still, my heart, so you won't be disappointed, but be hopeful, be so so hopeful 🥲

[maharghaideovate]

How Educational Administration Are Shaping the Future with Distance Education Symbiosis

Ever wonder who is at the helm in our schools? Well, let's get down to business and discuss educational administrators and why they matter in today's world of distance education. Symbiosis Distance MBA leads the way in this area and is changing the way things are done. Here is the lowdown.

Today's Education: It's a Whole New Ball Game

Education isn't like it used to be. Here is what is shaking things up:

Educational Administrators: More Than Just Big Desks and Titles

So who works on these problems? Enter the educational administrator. They're the architects of change, and Symbiosis is preparing them for the digital age in the field of distance education. So here's what they do:

Big Picture Thinkers: Teachers focus on today; administrators plan for the future.

Money Magicians: Every dollar counts when they make a budget.

People Connectors: Students, teachers, parents—you name it—on the same page.

New Idea Ninjas: They aren't afraid of new ideas, including the latest in distance education. Symbiosis is teaching them how.

Problem Crushers: When things go sideways, they straighten them out.

Real-World Wins: Administrators in Action

Let's look at some examples where educational administrators, including those trained in distance education by Symbiosis, knocked it out of the park:

The Digital Divide Conqueror

Problem: Kids without computers at home falling behind.

Solution: Teamed up with technology businesses to give every student a laptop.

Result: Higher grades, fewer dropouts.

The Teacher Keeper

Problem: Droves of teachers leaving the school.

Solution: Started mentorship, improved work-life balance, listened to teachers.

Result: 40 percent more teachers stuck around.

The Community Glue

Problem: Parents not involved with school.

Solution: Organized events, initiated volunteer programs, opened classes for adults.

Result: School became a community hub. Kids did better in class.

The Budget Wizard

Problem: Running out of money.

Solution: Initiated energy-saving programs, renegotiated contracts, mastered grant-writing.

Result: Retained all the teachers and began new programs.

The Online Learning Pro

Problem: COVID-19 shut schools down.

Solution: Trained teachers quickly on the online platforms; set up tech support for families; delivered meals to students.

Result: Learning kept going - from home.

Distance Education Symbiosis: Training Tomorrow's Admin Superstars

Now, let us discuss how Symbiosis Correspondence Courses is changing it all in becoming an aspiring educational administrator:

Flexible Learning: Study when it works for you. Perfect for working professionals looking to level up.

Real-World Focus: Everything you learn at Symbiosis is stuff you'll actually use in the real world.

Global Classroom: Connect with future education leaders from around the globe. It's like a worldwide brainstorming session.

Cutting-Edge Content: The education world keeps on changing, and so do courses at Symbiosis.

Tech-Savvy Training: Learn to manage schools in the digital age. Symbiosis does distance education in practice.

Leadership Lab: Try out your new skills in the virtual environment. It is like a flight simulator for school management.

Network Building: Build a network that will stay with you throughout your career. Your fellow classmates today could be your collaborators tomorrow.

Why this matters to you

Be it a parent, teacher, or anyone who cares about the future, good educational administration affects us all. Symbiosis is ensuring that, with distance education, these skills reach every corner of the world.

The Bottom Line

At a time when the world is changing faster than one can say "distance learning," the requirement for strong educational leadership is on every lip. And that is exactly what Symbiosis Centre For Distance Education is creating in distance education.

Next time you hear about some school or killer online learning program someone's doing, chances are there's a rockstar administrator behind it. They don't wear capes, but they're the closest thing to superheroes in this world of education.

Want to be among them? Well, it's Symbiosis Distance Learning that may get you on the road to becoming that game-changer in education.

[archivistofnerddom]

Yes. Omega has very strong “You’re trapped in here with me” energy. Hemlock put her in a room with a bunch of kids who are being used as science experiments. We all know that this isn’t going to sit well with Omega. If anything, that’s extra motivation for her to burn it all down.

It’s going to be a bloodbath as she saves these kids, her fellow clones, and herself. I cannot wait to see it.

Hemlock is a fucking DUMBASS if he thinks Omega’s just gonna chill in the Vault like it’s nothing. Did y’all SEE her when she got back to Tantiss? Baby girl was turning her head every which way to map her surroundings. Hemlock just doubled Omega’s motive to escape and burn Tantiss to the ground, and trust me she HAS the means

[cognition-and-the-workplace]

How to Turn From the Burn of Burnout

Where There’s Smoke, There’s a Fire!

Like a candle left unattended for too long, burnout is a hazard that can create extensive exhaustion and detachment if not attended to. If you're a manager smelling the smoke, fear not! This guide is your secret weapon to not only extinguish burnout and combat depersonalization, but to send them packing like disgraced party crashers.

Picture this: your team is a well-oiled machine, but suddenly, there's a creak in the gears. That's burnout – a chronic state of stress-induced exhaustion, often accompanied by depersonalization, where colleagues start looking like cardboard cutouts rather than fellow humans.

Research has well-documented data to support why you should be concerned about stress-induced exhaustion and depersonalization in your workforce. If you’ve experienced burnout, you would know how impactful it can be to the work-related domain and your personal life. It depletes your energy, diminishes work performance, and can ruin the quality of your relationships with others. That is NOT something you want to deal with.

Shedding Light on the Shadows: Operationalizing Burnout

Now, let's get practical. How do you manufacture a workplace without burnout and depersonalization? With the proper tools, of course! The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is your trusty temperature gauge that can check the wellness of your organization. It breaks down burnout into three parts: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. This gauge helps identify where the heat is coming from.

To understand why your team is feeling the burn, the Conservation of Resources (COR) model can serve as your guide. It's like the GPS that tells you when your resources – like time, skills, and emotional support – are running on empty. Stress happens when there's a threat of resource loss or when your employees don’t have the mental, physical, and emotional resources needed to perform in the first place. Another way that burnout and depersonalization can occur is through the multidimensional appraisal of stressors and their subsequent responses to them. In this view, individuals go through an appraisal of their situation, and then go through an appraisal of their options in responding and coping with their stressors. At work, you can imagine how it may feel if you were to ask your subordinates to stay a couple of extra hours to finish up some work. Do they hesitate to agree? Are their kids waiting at home? Does this overtime help them pay for that new couch they bought? Do they feel a strong commitment to the project? These factors all contribute to how your workers appraise their situation. If they are feeling the burn in burnout because of the stress that this may induce, then these workers may not have the necessary resources or adaptive skills to handle what is being asked of them. Be mindful of this, and always ask questions! Once the symptoms of stress infect your crew, it can be troublesome to ameliorate these effects and get your plans back on track. So, what can you do about this?

Keep it a Fad: Burnout is out

Here are some mighty suggestions:

Walk the talk and lead by example. If you're on the brink of burnout, chances are your team isn't far behind. Show them it's okay to take breaks, set boundaries, and prioritize well-being. I promise this is a game-changer!

A pat on the back works wonders. Recognize efforts and celebrate wins – big or small. It's not just a morale boost; it's a resource refill.

Bottling up stress is so last season. Create an environment where your team feels comfy expressing concerns. It's like a pressure valve – release the steam before the pot boils over. You can spot the warning signs. I would keep an eye on changes in behavior, energy levels, and interpersonal dynamics. Addressing issues in their infancy is like catching a cold before it turns into the flu.

Life outside work is not just a rumor. Embrace flexible schedules and offer stress management programs. A balanced life is the antidote to burnout.

Finally, adopt a resilience mindset. I firmly believe that resilience doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, but the benefits of adapting to stress can be enormous. You can encourage a growth mindset, emphasizing that setbacks are opportunities to learn and bounce back stronger.

[antlersacornsandallium]

Got back from Earthskills Rendezvous and boy oh boy do I have thoughts!

So, Earthskills Rendezvous is a non-profit organization that facilitates a large week-long event twice a year. This has been going on for decades. The event is centered on... well, earth skills. A smattering of survivalist skills like fire building, a lot of foraging and wild craft like bowl and spoon carving and tanning leathers, and also some workshops on the more... let's say spiritual side of things.

Basically it's a free-range adult summer camp.

It's a very cool event and it has a strong community with wonderful elders and experiences that you don’t normally get in your day to day life - unless you're one of the people within that group who have made it your lifestyle. More on that later.

Now, why am I posting about this on my heathen blog? What does this have to do with paganism? Well, see, I have opinions, and here they are.

I came to this event for a couple of reasons. The first was to learn how to make cool shit. Which I did! So much cool shit.

(deerskin moccasins, wisteria vine coiled baskets, recycled leather sheath for an axe, an awl in-progress, and a set of crochet hooks made from roadkill deer bones)

Is there anywhere in my life I will wear deerskin moccasins? No. But they were fun to make. And the rest of it I do actually use frequently, so there’s that. The baskets I use for gathering up garden fruits!

The other reason I went was to try and connect with other pagans. That went... not as great.

To be honest, most of the spirituality expressed at this place was in the form of energy work, group therapy (there was a grief circle) and vague non-denominational new age. Which is fine! Not a problem with that.

Except... well. There’s a bit of a problem with it. And it may be just my perception, biases based on experiences! But just in case it’s not...

Yeah, this place was very, very insular. Welcoming! But uh... the perception was young, white, heterosexual. At least on the week I went. And a lot of the side conversations I either participated in or overheard were, to put it lightly, shallow.

Which is to say: a conversation about shadow work that completely divorces the concept from spirituality and does not acknowledge the spiritual traditions they come from... does not lend itself to meaningful work. As an example.

Being there for almost a week, I could not identify a single other pagan. I saw more earth-centered spirituality representation at my local ren faire. Which blows my mind, because if there’s anywhere I should be seeing fellow pagans, it should be at an event whose emphasis is on earth skills and connectivity.

But what I saw was a lot of well-meaning but cringey younger white kids who talked about their spiritual “experiences” in the same ways that the kid who studied abroad for a semester comes back and dreamily talks about how the experience changed his life. I’m sure that it did, but it’s tourist talk. It’s a shallow understanding of a broader world. They’re better for the experience, but they’ve idealized it and it’s now divorced from any real-world context. They talk about spirituality like they read about it in a book one time, took a “shamanic journey” for 8 weeks with someone they paid a couple thousand dollars to teach them, and now they don’t know what to do with it.

It’s annoying and frustrating, is what I’m trying to say.

It’s a very neo-liberal kind of thing, I think? For lack of a better way to describe it. Welcoming and accepting to the point of blandness. The event leadership makes efforts to attract POC to the event, but from what I observed it’s not been very successful so far. As far as queerness - I saw very little of that either. Overall it reminded me of a hippy commune vibe: plenty of naked babies and packs of children running around freely and a loose community sense, drum circles and blankets laid out on the grass and communal fires. But for the dozen or so obvious het couples (I say obvious meaning cuddling at the very least) I saw exactly one queer couple other than myself and my wife. It honestly made me slightly uneasy, despite knowing this was a safe and welcoming space.

Anyway, I’ll attend again because it is honestly a fun and interesting event with great people - but the next time I’ll know not to expect anything deeper than “come learn how to make a wood bowl”.

[eelfuneral]

Protips for Folks Adopting Bully Breeds and Bully Breed Mixes

For transparency, I live in the United States and have a Pit Bull Terrier mix myself, so this is based on firsthand experience from that specific perspective.

1. Your dog may not like other dogs, and that’s normal for a lot of these breeds. While some bullies do fine with fellow canines, others are dog selective or even dog aggressive. This does not mean that they are “bad dogs”, just think of them as introverts! If you end up with a dog aggressive dog, keep him on a leash at all times when not at home and always be mindful of other dogs that may be around so that you can give them a wide berth. Dog parks are also a really bad idea in this situation. If your dog likes some or most dogs, then you should still ALWAYS supervise his playtime with his pals. Learn dog body language and know how to see (and stop) a potential fight before it begins.

2. A healthy pittie or other bully breed will be friendly with people. Animal aggression =\= human aggression. That said, always supervise your pet around kids. Dogs basically have the mental capacity of toddlers, and kids don’t always understand how to safely interact with dogs. Accidents can happen with unsupervised kids and dogs of any breed, so keep an eye on everyone.

3. Your dog will likely have a good bit of energy and need lots of exercise, so be prepared to get up on your feet and only bring home a bully breed if you can provide her with an active lifestyle.

4. Lots of apartment complexes and some HOAs and cities have blanket “pit bull” bans that extend to all or most bully breeds or mixes. Research before moving somewhere. If you need help (and live in the US) check out this dog-inclusive rental property database.

5. Your dog, being a terrier, will probably enjoy chasing critters. He might very well zoom after a squirrel, which brings me to my next point…

6. Bully breeds are strong and tend to have a low center of gravity, so when they pull, they REALLY pull. If you want to keep your arm, invest in a good harness for your dog and work to train her to walk politely on a leash. You will thank me later.

7. Renters and Home Owners insurance can be hard to come by for bully breed owners, but know that State Farm will not deny you coverage based on your dog’s breed.

8. These guys are prone to skin allergies, so ask your vet if they think it’s okay for you to keep Benadryl in your home just in case. Here is how to safely dose it for dogs.

9. Not everyone will like your dog and they are unlikely to change their minds. You know and love your dog and that’s ultimately what matters so ignore rude people and don’t even engage with them if you can help it. They are not worth you or your pup’s time. That said, there are plenty of people who love bully breeds and will be excited to meet your dog.

[rockheadcd]

[ Roark ] Thanks a bunch! I look forward to later :D

The young foreman finds himself a little extra giddy for the remainder of ( one of ) his jobs, a normal energy that comes from his interests, shared among his fellow rock pals and scientists alike. What a beautiful community is was, to be able to take all of their passions for history and the unknown and to turn it into scientific marvels..

Ah, right. He's got tasks to do before he needs to head back to the gym. More specifically, he needs to look over the submission for the gym battle scheduled itself to align with what team to pick...

The battle Cynthia sneaks into is that of a rookie fresh from Jubilife, eager to take on Roark as his first gym battle—a Shinx on the opposing side of the field growls at the Cranidos on Roark's side, the fossil shuddering under the intensity of static crackling in intimidation. Roark himself nods approvingly, happy to see a young trainer actually utilize status effects rather than rush immediately headlong into trying to take down Cranidos. "There you go, making sure Cranidos here can't hit Shinx with his full strength by giving him a good spook!" he calls, happy with the battle thus far as a learning exercise.

The young fossils Roark raises find much of their exposure to battling and different species of 'mons through these matches with young, aspiring trainers. His intent is two-fold and his strategy in battle relies solely upon the 'mons themselves. After all, the restoration process did not create carbon copies upon carbon copies! This Cranidos was more agile, so despite this Shinx's feline reflexes, the little dinosaur could match up if given an ample opportunity.

There was, of course, Roark's knowledge gained from a certain partner in crime of all things pantscat, but that was besides the point. His focus is momentarily captured by the sudden awe coming from the other youngsters in the stands, schoolmates and friends of this young challenger, and Roark can tell in his peripheral that the two-toned figure is Cynthia herself, likely done with her evaluations that don't require his personal testimony. Roark doesn't mind in the slightest, as nothing needed to be a secret with her—another facet that proved the tight bond Sinnoh's champion would have with the gym leaders of the region. Unspoken trust simply goes miles.

He smiles some. Now, now, he can't just lose an entry level battle with his boss in the room, now can he?

"Alright, Cranidos, hit 'em with a mud slap!" The fossil cries in confidence, and he rushes up slap some of the dirt and dust to disorient the poor Shinx. "Follow up with earth power!" Ah, so that's the workaround for a highly offensive adversary. If Cranidos' physical attack was on par with his special, did it make much of a difference what he chose, then? The poor feline endures the super-effective hit to no avail, eventually flopped right over and the match is finally declared in the gym leader's favor. "Good job, buddy!" Roark beams, like a proud father, as Cranidos runs circles in excitement before being picked up and cradled like a Swanna in one arm. Eventually, he comes to give the young student a strong, friendly handshake after Shinx is returned. "You did really well under the pressure! You'll be even better next time, I'm sure of it—C'mon, let's get your team all healed up, yeah?"

Now he can give Cynthia a proper, excited wave to let her know she's free to come with. After all, she had a nice shiny somewhere on her person, and he's been daydreaming about! Luckily, challengers don't often stick around after the fact. He's just a little bit of a busy bee. "I passed, right? Ehehe—" What a goofy guy. Somehow, battles seemed to keep him energized rather than exhaust him.

—When the kids finally leave, Cynthia has his full attention rather instantly, tuscan positively sparkling with curiosity. "So—to the museum, right? Unless there's anything else here in particular to discuss...?" Maybe he's a little impatient. It's for science. It's fine. It's so normal.

@rockheadcd // monthly check-in continued from here!!

[sms: Cynthia] Excellent, I'll see you later this afternoon. Best of luck in your battles today.

[sms: Cynthia] The Amber will be our little secret until you can see it for yourself, of course. Restoration isn't out of the question, but I'll let you be the judge of that once you look it over.

[sms: Cynthia] This specimen requires an expert's appreciation, after all.

And with those parting texts fired off, Cynthia officially sets the rest of her travel day into motion: a quick stop at the Resort Area villa to clean up, followed by a long-overdue visit to Sinnoh's industrious mining town. (With the fossil securely wrapped and stored in her jet-black carrying bag, the champion can't help but feel excited for later--Roark's enthusiasm is certainly contagious!)

---

The Oreburgh Gym Leader is in the thick of battle with an upstart challenger when Cynthia casually sweeps into the craggy establishment, a smile already on her lips as she takes in the action. Despite the League limiting the levels of his Gym-sanctioned team, Roark's penchant for battling is on full display, as always. (That Cranidos can pack a serious punch...)

The young trainers sitting in the arena's humble stands try their best to play it cool, but--the champion is visiting here, oh my gosh--many fail to hide their starstruck expressions. Cynthia offers all of them a courteous wave and nod before making her usual check-in rounds, scanning the Gym's dusty perimeter and peeking into Roark's...cluttered office.

By the time she's done with her quick evaluation, the Gym battle is reaching its conclusion as well. Cynthia takes a seat with the rest of the audience, watching with rapt, invested attention as the match reaches its climax. Even now, this battle--and the intensity and skill informing it--makes her veins thrum with electricity, her fingers instinctively twitching towards her own Pokemon belt. God.

This feeling, this thrill...it never gets old.