#i dabbled with trying to keep some concept elements

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

have I saved up enough gems for another character slot? no. but beta slots mean free dressup so here's a beta version of Flourish AU Mai.

say hello to Pact Admiral Mai Trin.

[ddarker-dreams]

As someone who loves writing and is somehow weak at it , I have to ask for advice. You've a captivating way of words , with a certain rhythm to them that snap in a unified tempo (I tend to relate literature with music). But enough of my bickering, what helps you to be such a good writer ? Are there any authors that inspire your style of writing.Have you taken any classes, or are you just someone who started to write since they were little ? Especially because you're incredible at replicating the attitudes/personality of characters . Is there a process you follow ?

Those are so many questions in one 😭 but again, thank you for putting pretty words out into the world

(I leave you this constipated looking horse)

aaa thank you so much!!! 😭😭😭

reading this ask made my day … i’ll go ahead and split up my response so i can best address your questions!! 

writing history

i’ve been obsessed with stories for my entire life tbh. ever since i was a little lock, after finishing a movie/tv show/what have you, it’d linger with me past the end credits. i’d spend hours thinking up new scenarios for the characters based on the rules of their world. i made stories throughout my childhood but it wasn’t until i was about 11 that i began dabbling with fanfiction. i’ve been writing rather consistently since then. 

writing inspiration(s) 

i’d say that the horror genre has influenced me the most over any particular author. i’ve always been fascinated by the macabre. there’s no other genre that’s so consistently captured my attention across every iteration of media (movies, tv shows, video games, books, music, etc). the stories are oftentimes unsightly, disturbing, and raw in how they convey their themes, which leaves a lasting impact. 

getting more specific, the gothic subgenre has been a primary inspiration to me these past few years. some of my favorite elements in gothic literature are isolation, omens, heightened emotions, repression, oppression, decay, and tragedy, to name a few. i try to create this sense of something being ‘off’ to keep the reader engaged as the story unravels. i start with what i’d personally find interesting and build from there. all of my stories were born from simple concepts that evolve as i flesh them out. 

additionally, my writing is very character-driven. i’ve learned the most about this strand of storytelling from my favorite author, fyodor dostoevsky. i could rave about the techniques he utilizes, but the two i find most important are;

stream-of-consciousness type inner monologues

dialectic exchanges between characters with opposing beliefs

this also influences how i go about characterization. putting characters under stress is a useful way to highlight who they are at their core. everything branches off that, whether it be what they do or don't say, their body language, etc. i often like putting characters in situations that serve as a personal challenge. whether their beliefs hold up under scrutiny or they start to bend — there are a lot of interesting paths to take.

ultimately, characterization takes time and will vary depending on the story you're writing.

i hope that any of this is helpful GJWNMEKFNW thank you once again for the words of encouragement !!!!

[lunariamv]

its time, im in my charon era

ive made my first three rpg horror games :DDD

there's three because two of them are parodies and then there's one actual legit one

all three are in authentic charon game format: rpg maker 2000, similar art style, similar horror premise, short story

i did it for the aesthetic OKAY

⚠️ Before venturing into any of my works, please heed my disclaimer/rules;; I don't want obstructive people engaging with me or my works ⚠️

✿ warning: running these games is a gamble because rpg maker 2000 is old software that windows is trying to assassinate (i cant even run it on my computer sometimes, i have to use a virtual machine or the game editor lol) so i apologize if it doesn't work ✿

the readme has troubleshooting solutions, and easyrpg exists to combat this, but it's not perfect. for example, it changes the text a little bit, which ruins the aesthetic

if ur like me and u care about the aesthetic a lot, then use a virtual machine, otherwise if you have a laptop and not a hardcore gaming pc, the game will probably run fine.

(the one time that having low quality graphics is good xD)

windows 11 users beware, im sticking with 10-

when all else fails i have gameplays available on my youtube

🌸 HERE IS THE GAME MASTERLIST 🌸 PLAY THEM HERE

✿ warning: running these games is a gamble because rpg maker 2000 is old software that windows is trying to assassinate (i cant even run it on my computer sometimes, i have to use a virtual machine or the game editor lol) so i apologize if it doesn't work ✿

!! please care and heed my content warnings when playing these games, as they contain dark subject matter; i promise ill make less edgy stuff in the future its just rn i REALLY WANNA MAKE CHARON GAMES FOR FUN !!

the first two (Akeno Delusion and Carousel) are strictly parody games on the genre, and Doom Stones is the authentic 100% serious charon game

looking back akeno delusion sucks to me but thats cuz its my first one and i gotta start somewhere, the quality only goes up from there

eventually ill stop using rpg maker 2000 and make games with the other makers for more versatility but rn im in love with the retro aesthetic im so sorry

*my art isnt that good but im getting there ok!!

also just a heads up, im not 1 to 1 charon; the aesthetic, artstyle, and story elements are the same, but i dabble in male yanderes instead and i go different places with the story;

🌸 mostly male yans

🌸 protagonist is actually a character

🌸 story goes a little more in depth

🌸 more focus on the horror aspect than sexual

so basically im like a female charon right now heheheh

i plan to make more rpg games, but for sure i want to make at least three more games with similar story beats.

its because i want my own take on the concepts -- doom stones is my take on makoto mobius, but i also wanna make a "scavenger hunt a person's house" type game like makoto nikki and a yanderella equivalent (but the love triangle has more drama)

AND…. MIX ORE BUT YANDERE BUBBLE TEA??????? :DDDD

once im done ill move onto dsp era cuz i wanna make some actual rpgs; like with the cute assets and pixel art

🌸 please follow and support me if you like these and want me to make more; this is just a small portion in the large list of games i wanna make <3

💮 please feel free to contact me regarding game ratings if you sincerely think they're off, im a noob when it comes to posting stuff;; and im just going off code of conduct, if it has any hint of explicit content its going to be 18+, whereas implicit would be like 17+ idk

im not taking any chances lol

🌸 I'd prefer if people don't contact me about troubleshooting problems, but if they have to, carefully go through my instructions first. even then keep in mind i might not be able to help;;

💮 I'm posting these games on tumblr only because they're short. If I make longer games, I'll crosspost them to itch.io or something.

🌸 I'll also make a website in the future, but for now I'll post the games on here. Thank you for stopping by!!

[transformers-fan-continuities]

Spotlight: Autobots Roll Out!

Not me forgetting for ages and ages to finish and post this! </3 Anyway, here’s the previous one, but today we’ve got Autobots Roll Out! over at @transformers-autobotsrollout !

Q) Give us a run down of your cont! What’s it about, what’s it called, what’s it like?

Autobots Roll Out! is arguably a black comedy/action Transformers series. We open with Optimus and his friends trying to get to another planet, only to be thwarted by the evil Decepticons who blow up their ship! Or, at least, that’s what Hot Rod’s nightmares consist of. There’s a mystery element to the predicament Optimus and his friends have found themselves in; everyone is convinced they’re dead with the exception of Hot Rod, who’s faith and optimism haven’t wavered a day in the cycles they’ve been gone. But trouble’s afoot in more ways than one, and both teams are going to have to confront everything they thought they knew to solve it.

Q) What characters take the lead here? Any personal favorites?

Well, you can’t have a Transformers series without Optimus Prime! He’s joined by Jazz, Bumblebee, and Perceptor! With Optimus’ social awkwardness, Perceptor’s lackadaisical glee, Jazz’s spirtuality, and Bumblebee’s teenage sass, you can imagine how they get along stuck on this distant mudball. Back on Cybertron, Hot Rod, Arcee, and Springer are an unbeatable triad… and hey, sometimes Blurr hangs around to make sure they don’t get themselves killed.

I was admittedly a little sick of Megatron ALWAYS being the main force of the Decepticons, so instead of him taking the spotlight, we get the motley crew of Blitzwing, Astraea, Motormaster, and Flamewar to harass the trio back on Cybertron. These creeps are a delight but not the biggest threat, though. That would have to go to the mysterious and beautiful Flipsides, who’s probably my favorite villain in the whole series. She’s got a LOT of baggage to go with that pretty face of hers, and I can’t wait for y’all to meet her. There are some other threats on the horizon, but let’s keep those under wraps until their moment in the spotlight.

On Earth, we have to deal with Sixshot, a modified superhunter who's been sent after Optimus to ensure the only way he'll be coming back is in a coffin. His young ward Chop Shop has a very fascinating relationship with the humans, too.  It's almost like he wants to become one of them... and peculiarly, Starscream's found his way onto Earth as well. Hmmmm.

Q) Is there a bigger point to this, like a theme or some catharsis? Or is it just fluffy fun?

[looks directly into the camera] War is bad and only benefits those who sell the weapons. Also, I wanted an excuse for my favorite characters to interact with each other, so there ya go.

Q) How long have you been working on it?

Back in August 2019, I dabbled in the idea of an original continuity. It was gonna be called Young Optimus Prime, and it was MASSIVELY different from any of this. It had been years since I’d consumed any Transformers content and I was going fully off TFwiki descriptions of random characters and secondhand info from my friends.

Batshit would be an understatement.

Blurr was a girl. Starscream was Megatron’s son that he brainwashed from Thundercracker into being an emotionless killing machine. Bumblebee was a baby robot that would grow up to be a Seeker. Arcee was going to be a stereotypical mean girl that bullied Elita One and tried to steal Optimus from her. Outback was a main character. There was an entire lake of Quintesson blood that turned people evil if you drank it. The true main villain was gonna be goddamn Tyrest. This story concept fizzled out quicker than a sparkler and frankly I don’t know if I regret it enough to keep it totally buried.

On October 12, 2020 Autobots Roll Out! started out the same way, with some utterly insane story elements that I made for the sake of being cool rather than linking together coherently. Plotlines such as an anarchist brigade led by Ultra Magnus, Beastformers being irradiated mutants that were the victims of a nuclear war, a direct depiction of police states, and most shocking of all – Starscream getting a redemption arc – are things that I knew I’d have to drop once I’d gotten the story on the road.

Q) Give us a behind-the-scenes look! Show us a secret ;))

Would you like to see Flipsides’ nightmares?

All noise vanished from the room. Every other bot had become faceless masses of twitching neon polygons, at least the ones that had been by her side. She couldn’t even tell what had happened to the rest, as the room had become an endless black void asides Megatron and the slab he was on. Beams of colored light shooting out from behind her squawked and chirped as they smacked into the once-living bots and slammed into invisible barriers.

Flipsides paid no mind to the chaos as she stepped forward, but the slab and he both seemed to get farther away. She tried to run and catch up to him, only to fall with an inelegant splash as what had once been the floor was now a reflective black pool of fluid. She resurfaced in an instant, trying to regain her bearings as she swam to Megatron’s side, the table somehow floating atop the still surface. He laid on the slab, spark exposed and optics dull grey, as if they’d never been alighted. Another version of herself was at his other side, one hand clutching his and the other holding his shoulder.

“Megatron?” she asked, pulling herself up. “Megatron, please.”

The other her raised her head and stared. The black fluid that covered the floor was seeping from her blank, featureless face.

Q) Where did you draw inspiration from? What canons, what other fiction, what parts of real life?

Oddly enough, this entire thing feels like a giant Kingdom Hearts fanfic at times. There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance about how you can’t lose yourself to despair and how the power of friendship is way past cool… in an anime way.

To be more serious, though, I took a lot of inspiration from Transformers Animated, Generation 2, Beast Wars, and Tranformers Cybertron. In hindsight, I wish I added more from Robots In Disguise 2001, but I’ve never been that big a fan of sentai shows, and RID 2001 was basically a Transformers sentai show despite how much I like it.

Q) Show off something you’re really proud of, a particular favorite part of your cont.

I love the character designs I’ve done for this series. I feel like I’ve improved so much with my artwork working on this series. Here’s my top five favorite designs in no particular order.

Q) What other fan canons do you love and why? Would you like to see them interviewed?

Man, I can’t really choose. I just get tickled seeing everyone’s interpretations and reimaginings of this series that I think there’s something special about every single one. Sorry if that’s a cop out!

Q) No worries, with such a menagerie of good content it’s tough to pick!

And that’s that! Thanks Orb for giving us a neat glimpse into ARO! Sorry for leaving this for so long oof. I gotta check my list for who’s up next for a spotlight, but stay tuned!

[archived-kin]

obey me cast + their genshin mains

i woke up at like three in the morning and scribbled this all down

not a formal writing piece so i haven’t formatted it like one, but i thought this was a fun idea!!

lucifer: diluc

they both have Fatherly Issues (in very different ways though)

probably inwardly makes fun of diluc for not liking wine

doesn’t really have any emotional attachment??? he just keeps diluc because he does a lot of damage and helps kill enemies quick

he actually has pretty good luck with getting 5 stars before he’s even hit pity, but he has awful luck on the event banners in terms of getting the featured 5 star - he’s never once won the 50/50 when he actually reaches it

gets really good artifact and weapon drops though so all of his levelled-up characters have super overpowered kits

he’s never actually looked up any recommended character builds, he’s just smart enough to figure out what all the stats mean and build his characters accordingly

has not touched his serenitea pot since he got it

not actually great with battle strategy and elemental reaction, he just tries to hit as hard as he can at all times

all of his characters are built dps because he doesn’t know how to build supports or healers

never teleports anywhere (he still hasn’t even unlocked half the waypoints)

didn’t realise the statues of seven healed until really late into the game

doesn’t bother with the reputation quests/bounties

all of his characters are still on that black glider that amber first gives you

it took him ages to finish the archon quest in mondstadt because he didn’t want to go into the cathedral

mammon: zhongli

accidentally got zhongli on like his very first event wish and has mained him ever since

he thinks it’s really funny that zhongli never has money (even though he also often has no money)

apart from that he likes the idea of playing the character that literally makes all the mora in teyvat

was actually considering switching after he finished the liyue archon quests because he absolutely hated how zhongli handled the whole thing but he didn’t want to give up that big pp damage

still doesn’t know that you can climb up onto dvalin in the stormterror battle

mixes and matches artifacts, but the ones he does use have really good stats and sub stats though so the lack of a set bonus doesn’t make much difference

didn’t realise you could increase talent levels until ar 50

loves doing the blossoms of wealth and hasn’t let his mora drop below 100k ever since he accidentally used it all up levelling his team to lv60

immediately does a wish as soon as he gets enough primos, unless it’s an event banner for a character he doesn’t like

he also ignores the story and hangout quests for the characters he doesn’t like

dabbles in the serenitea pot but doesn’t have the patience to really commit to it

forgets to do his commissions until the very last minute and lets his resin fill up to 160 before remembering that he’s not supposed to let it get full

is terrified of spiral abyss on a molecular level

levi: barbara

he loves idols so of course barbara is his favourite

has her built dps and does more vaporise damage with her charged attacks than some people’s 5 star bursts

ended up building lisa as a dps too because she makes fighting the oceanid for the cleansing hearts much easier

somehow still gets barbara to heal enormous chunks of hp as well??

has all three of her talents crowned, she’s lv90 and so is her 5 star weapon, plus all of her artifacts are +20

he likes getting the event 5 stars even if he’s never going to build them, they just make him feel superior in his luck

has really bad artifact drops which makes him really frustrated because he knows exactly how to build his characters with the perfect stats, he just can’t get the right artifacts!!!!!

keeps getting crit dmg, crit rate and atk% sub stats on defence circlets and it makes him die a little more on the inside each time

he despises jean because of how she makes barbara feel and desperately wants mihoyo to make a moment where jean tries to fight something but fails and barbara then steps in and takes it down immediately

never gets barbara’s constellations with makes him very upset because he wants c6 so BAD

nearly cried when he got barbara’s happy birthday voiceline

somehow got his serenitea pot to adeptal energy 20k within like two weeks but it doesn’t look good?? it’s just a whole bunch of 4 star furnishings shoved wherever there’s room

is pretty much always online at any given time

has nearly every single achievement in the game (goddammit just GIVE HIM THE RELIABLE HELPER COMMISSION)

satan: diona

this is not up for debate

he saw her in the character archive and immediately decided that if he didn’t get her he was quitting the game

luckily for him it was xiao’s banner around this time and he managed to get c3 diona from that alone

much like levi with barbara, he managed to build her so that she does enormous amounts of damage but still performs her shielding/healing really well

he prioritises her over everyone else but because of this diona is still his only fully-built character

all talents crowned, all artifacts +20, etc

hates draff with all his heart and refuses to buy anything from him

will murder you if you refer to diona as a loli in front of him

i’m aware keqing also sort of looks like she has cat ears but as far as i know that’s just her hair???

if anything i feel like satan wouldn’t like her because he’s offended that people think those chunk of hair look remotely like a cat’s cute lil ears

chose all his other team members based solely on whether or not their skill set would benefit diona

refuses to use any of the characters lucifer uses and got legitimately angry when he found out lucifer had started building diona to help with spiral abyss

spends like five minutes at a time making diona jump into water because he thinks the cannon ball animation is the cutest thing in the world

if a boss he’s fighting manages to kill diona, he gets so angry that he pretty much obliterates it immediately after

asmo: lisa

partially because she’s pretty and her personality is right up his alley, and partially out of pettiness because he sees so many people slandering her

doesn’t know how to build anyone, he’s only got a good lisa build out of sheer luck

none of his other characters have remotely good builds. like, maiden’s beloved on tartaglia?? really, asmo???

squealed when lisa called traveller a cutie

talks to her while he’s running about doing quests or battles

plays pretty sparingly so his ar is relatively low and he barely has any characters outside the starters

usually gets levi to one shot the bosses for him when he needs to ascend/upgrade the talents of his characters

(levi agrees because it gives him a pretty big power trip)

he also likes kaeya and has him in his team but lisa’s magic is just so pretty to him

spends all his primos on the standard banner trying to get lisa constellations but he still only has c4

all of the solo boss battles he’s won were only won out of sheer luck

adores the concept of the serenitea pot, but he doesn’t like a lot of the furnishings available

desperately wants a character customisation function

died seven times trying to do the stormterror fight and had to have levi do it for him in the end

still doesn’t done any of the story quests that you need a key for

spends most of his free time finding some pretty landscapes, changing the time, and taking pictures of lisa doing one of her idles against the sunset

beel: xiangling

decided he liked her as soon as he did her story quest

he’s only gotten up to floor 4 of spiral abyss because he only did floor 3 to get her

still only has c2 :((((

always has to have snacks with him while he’s gaming because xiangling’s voice lines remind him of how hungry he is

desperately wishes she was real because he wants to taste how good her food is for himself

likes cooking a bunch of dishes in-game, but he also gets frustrated because they all look so GOOD and he can’t eat them

doesn’t really know how building works but he does vaguely know what stats are good and how set bonuses work

doesn’t like hu tao because she’s mean to xiangling >:( plus belphie despises her and beel rarely likes anything his twin dislikes

is low-key upset that xiangling’s story quest was so early in the game because he didn’t appreciate it enough at the time and he hasn’t seeb her in-game for ages

still doesn’t have any 5 stars apart from the traveller, but he does have literally every 4 star in the game

is the type to bring xiangling to pyro domains but luckily she does some pretty good physical dmg as well so his teammates don’t get as mad

takes some time out of every day to find every food/ingredient vendor in the game and buy out their entire stock

still has never run out of mora somehow????

belphie: qiqi

i made this choice partially because of that one halloween belphie ur where he’s dressed up in a jiangshi costume

aside from that i feel like she just sends his big brother instincts haywire

he cried a little bit when he read her backstory, not gonna lie

like satan, he will kill you if you call qiqi a loli

somehow managed to build her as a physical dps that does like 5000 per hit?????

(he has unholy artifact luck and all of qiqi’s artis have atk, crit dmg and crit rate as their stats and sub-stats, plus aquila favonia)

he started out building her as an all-around dps but then he realised that her burst and skill couldn’t do much in terms of damage since they’re healing-oriented, so he decided to build her physical since that the only type of dmg she can constantly apply

and qiqi still heals reliably because her healing is scaled off her attack, which is like monstrously high???

qiqi hates hu tao so of course belphie does too

he still refuses to do her story quest and didn’t touch her banner or character trial

really really wants a qiqi banner for constellations but is aware that that is incredibly unlikely

doesn’t trust baizhu and wants zhongli to adopt qiqi since he seems like a much more reliable dad

heard the theory that xiao is the adeptus that killed qiqi and therefore also despises him even though it hasn’t even been concerned or anything

diavolo: eula

don’t get me wrong diavolo definitely gives me pyro vibes but i feel like he’d just feel so bad for how the mondstadters misunderstand and mistreat eula in her story quest that he’d immediately go to spend all his primos on wishing for her

he’s got r2 broken pines and a full pale flame artifact set with some pretty decent stats and substats on her so she does pretty enormous damage

it’s lucky that eula’s move set doesn’t require anything too strategic because all diavolo does is button mash

all of his characters are physical damage dealers because he doesn’t really know how to do elemental reactions

(because of this though he’s awful at fighting a lot of the bosses, especially the oceanid)

his favourite boss battle is the weekly golden house trounce domain because he can always smack childe down really quickly

he’s stinking rich so he can afford to spend just about as much money as he wants to get any character he wants

like he got all the way to pity on eula’s banner and lost the 50/50 to mona but he just bought more primos and got all the way to pity again to get eula

on the other hand he got broken pines twice in two ten rolls on the weapon banner and he wasn’t anywhere near pity for that

he joined levi along with satan and asmo to have a go at doing the golden house fight in co-op and he managed to pretty much oneshot a lv90 childe in phase 1 and phase 3 with just eula’s burst

(he spent phase 2 recharging it)

barbatos: venti

this is at least 70% because venti is also called barbatos

he somehow knows pretty much everything there is to know about building characters well and he’s built venti with both attack and elemental mastery

got venti on his first banner and managed to get to c4 on his rerun

doesn’t appreciate how much venti drinks and actively buys the non-alcoholic juices from angel’s share to give him as if that’ll help????

is terrified of fighting the wolf because it’s immune to anemo

(don’t ask how he managed to get the hurricane seeds for ascending venti)

can pretty much fire off venti’s burst as soon as it’s over because his energy recharge is somehow also insane

diligently collects all the recipes and masters every single one of them

his serenitea pot is literally so perfect looking????? i don’t know how to describe it everything just fits together flawlessly

diavolo offers to buy him primos because he’s got more than enough money but barbatos doesn’t wish a whole lot so he usually refuses

(diavolo knew he mained venti and liked him though so he bought him a bunch for the rerun anyway)

he still doesn’t have any five star weapons but stringless works really well on venti anyway so he doesn’t mind

doesn’t really like co-op, prefers to just wander around in his own world

simeon: yanfei

simeon definitely gives me hydro vibes and he probably mained a hydro before yanfei, but i feel like he happened to get her on zhongli’s banner and decided he really liked her as soon as he started trying her out

he adores her little ‘boom boom!’

she also works really well doing big damage with vaporise which is good because simeon plays a lot with luke, who mains barbara

he low key identifies with how yanfei doesn’t want to focus on her identity as an immortal half-adeptus because simeon himself often wants to forget the fact that he’s a divine being and just live peacefully

often forgets that yanfei gets a lot of her dmg from charged attacks and just keeps doing normal attack combos until he registers the scarlet seals and realises he needs to hold the button down

nearly all of his characters were basically backseat-built by levi and solomon

even though his team is pretty powerful he still dies a bunch because his battle strategy is just ‘stand there and keep hitting the attack button until it dies’

keeps running off of cliffs and forgetting to plunge/glide and just dying to fall damage

back when he was like ar20 he accidentally wandered into liyue early and immediately got killed by a treasure hoarder

spent like ten minutes of his first stormterror fight just running off the end of his platform before someone told him he was meant to glide

luke: barbara as well

if you’ve seen my post about barbara and luke being siblings you’ll understand why i’ve made this choice

aside from that luke just likes barbara because she’s one of the nicest characters in the game

plus she’s a deaconess in a church and he’s an angel so

unlike levi he’s got her built purely as a healer, but she heals so MUCH

luke’s entire team is just support characters?? but their support is so good that they kind of make each other dpses in their own right??

his strategy is to keep his whole team at full hp and deal relatively small but very steady increments of damage

unfortunately this means he isn’t great at the artifact and weapon/character enhancement domains because they’ve got time limits

wants to have a pretty serenitea pot but he just can’t get it to look how he wants it to

like levi, he doesn’t like jean because of how she makes barbara feel (and also how jean just refuses to take any sort of older sister role for her)

got her to c6 on a single event banner because she just kept coming home (he wasn’t complaining though)

is contemplating building her dps because he thinks it’d be cool if she did a bunch of damage like levi’s barbara

likes to just sit and wait for her to do her dancing idle because he thinks it’s cute (will immediately make her move and cut off the other one though because it’s about jean and he doesn’t like her)

solomon: albedo

they both look sensible but they’re both just mad scientists on the inside

doesn’t really know how albedo’s burst and skill work, just keeps tapping buttons whenever they’re available

if he didn’t have albedo he’d probably main a catalyst but he relates to how curious albedo is about just about everything

(plus he does like his design)

always gets the limited time 5 star on his first ten pull on the event banners????? is he using his magic somehow??????

and also somehow gets really good weapons and artifacts????

he knows enough about artifacts to know what to put on who so all of his characters are really well built

he’s the type with eight lv90 5-stars with lv90 5-star weapons and fully upgraded artifact sets in his character showcase

his signature is ‘hack me i dare you’

constantly getting friend requests from fellow players who want an op friend to help them in domains and against bosses

but unfortunately even if solomon has a bunch of overpowered characters he is very bad at using them

gets all the elemental reactions wrong, uses the wrong element against the wrong enemy, forgets to do things like putting albedo’s skill down before his ult, and he can’t aim with any of the archers

like i said he just taps buttons and hopes for the best

because of this he’s still at floor 6 in spiral abyss

[fairytalearista]

I posted 657 times in 2022

That's 657 more posts than 2021!

116 posts created (18%)

541 posts reblogged (82%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@taleweaver-ramblings

@lady-merian

@dangerously-human

@swinging-stars-from-satellites

@thrina-thrina-on-the-wall

I tagged 436 of my posts in 2022

Only 34% of my posts had no tags

#kendra e. ardnek - 41 posts

#books - 29 posts

#writing - 21 posts

#fairy tales - 18 posts

#austen fairy tale - 17 posts

#rizkaland legends - 14 posts

#the austen fairy tale - 13 posts

#cinderella - 11 posts

#pro life - 11 posts

#jane austen - 9 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#okay but i've been looking for a good version of much ado to watch ... for a project ... i think i need to go hunt down the full version...

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

So, I published a Cinderella / Pride and Prejudice mashup last week. And it's already my fifth-highest grossing book, as it just passed the royalty total for the book I published ten years ago...

So, um, if anyone else wants to help me see how many more of my back titles it can outsell by the end of the month, that would be fun. The title is Crown and Cinder, and it is the second book of a series of Austen / Fairy tale mashups. (By the end of next year, I do plan to have all six of Austen's novels retold, and I have a fairy tale picked out for every one of them). It's pseudo-medieval worldbuilding with elemental magic, and I think they're pretty fun.

And if you'd like to check out some other fun Cinderella retellings, I just published Cindy Ellen, a short and sweet western-esque retelling by my mother, and my friend Sarah Pennington released Mask of Scarlet, which is a mystery set in a Jazz-era world with fae. It's delicious and I highly recommend the whole series. Bastian is the Best, and you all need to fall in love with him as much as I have.

56 notes - Posted May 2, 2022

#4

Can y'all do a thing for me? Crown & Cinder, my Cinderella / Pride & Prejudice mashup, is currently 99 cents on kindle, and will be so for about a week. It's a countdown sale, meaning that I'm making the full 70% royalty.

I'd like to try to get 1,000 sales while it's a dollar. I'm currently sitting at one. So if the concept sounds intriguing to you (and it's a VERY fun story - Lizzy has fire magic!), please consider buying it - and sharing this post to spread the word. a thousand sales is a lofty goal, but I think if I can hit the algorithm right, it'll be possible. So, pretty please, go check it out.

(And, cough, book 1 will be 99 cents next week, but I dropped this one this week 'cause of scheduling issues. So keep an eye out for that.)

57 notes - Posted July 13, 2022

#3

"He's only mean to you because he likes you."

Like many girls, I was told this by my mother, but it was always with the caveat: "And he lacks the emotional maturity to properly handle the attraction." And I think that's an important caveat that most girls need to hear - you can take the complement, you can let it boost your self-esteem, but move on. He's just an immature boy who isn't worth your time.

And, honestly, it can work both ways. Girls can be just as mean when they don't want to admit attraction.

319 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

#2

"What your characters say is their motivation isn't in line with their character and actions."

Yup, it's called narrative dissonance. Homegirl ain't being honest enough with herself to admit what's actually driving her. Maybe she'll figure out over the course of the book, maybe we won't. Who knows. I love pitting show and tell against each other and seeing who comes out on top.

522 notes - Posted July 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The secret of creating good art isn't talent, it's patience.

I'm an author, my sister draws and paints, but we both dabble in the other's wheelhouse.

And, one day, I had just hastily thrown together my cartoonish attempt at a fairy (Not terrible, but I've just accepted that my art style is on the cartoon side of things), and my sister starts telling me all the tricks and stuff that improves proportions and style ... and I just look at her and go, "I don't have the patience for that."

And she just pulls back, blinking. "But you sit there, hours upon hours, stringing words together for your books. Don't tell me you don't have patience."

"I do have patience for writing. Every word I write is visible progress, and I've moved forward in the story. But art is static. And I don't have the patience that allows me to pour hours and hours into something static. You, however, focus on that one image and chip away at until you have it."

My other main craft is knit and crochet. My sister sews. And I realize that this holds true. My patience is linear. I'll spend weeks and years on a project, just so long as each word or stich is a visible step forward. My sister's patience is more abstract. She will polish the details on a image until it's perfect, constructing elements until it fits her vision - but she won't give it the time I will. She wants to get things done and have them be over.

And neither one is wrong. Neither is unreasonable. But if you have an art you want to pursue, you have to give it patience. The patience to do the craft, and the patience to learn how to do it well.

And yes, some of us have a bit of talent that means we need a little less patience ... but that talent is just a head start. We still have to run the rest of the race.

6,677 notes - Posted April 29, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

(Btw, C&C is officially now my second-highest grossing book, and it is slowly but steadily overtaking the record holder, Water Princess, Fire Prince)

[cartoonrival]

With the latest lore, what do you think would be the best way for Sam to incorporate this many bodies thing into his character to make it better?

At first I was excited because I found it an interesting concept but after I calmed down a little, I think it makes smp!Sam too op and would be better suited for another character that already doesn't have the large amount of development smp!Sam has.

I also kinda miss smp!Sam being just this normal overworked guy who is a horrible little man with too much on his shoulders despite the entertaining thought of him being a terrifying eldritch being.

(Preface that every time i say “human” i mean human in character and mentality because obviously c!sam is a creeper not a human lol) I think it kind of takes out the “you’re just a man, and men can die” aspect of sam’s character. he seems so powerful because he’s the warden of pandora’s vault, he’s singlehandedly securing the most horrible and dangerous person on the server, people are scared of him, etc, but really he’s a terrified and broken man who’s moral compass has been set askew because he bit off more than he could chew. He’s just a guy.

As far as how best to integrate this new element, i would say that it’s significant in relation to the revive book because now sam doesn’t need it anyway, but the problem with that is he was never really doing this (ruining himself in the name of keeping dream imprisoned) for himself in the first place. It’s always been for tommy and the safety of the server at large, so learning that he doesn’t need the book doesn’t do much because, for me at least, i never assumed he was doing it for himself to start with. The revelation could have a big impact on other characters: he becomes far more frightening once you learn that he can basically never die, which would be a significant realization for people like dream, quackity, or techno, which in itself i can’t decide if is a good thing or a bad thing or just a Thing.

Now actually answering your question: If quackity learns, i think it would be good if he took it as a sign that he can use sam for bigger, riskier tasks since he can’t die. This way, sam’s inhuman-ness would be countered by someone else taking advantage of him because of it, which i think could balance it out some. It could also be a good way to further push sam away from people he loves if they find out, since he’s been keeping a massive secret from them and they might feel lied to since the sam they’ve grown attached to isn’t “the original.” making him less human also might drive a wedge into how much other people feel like they can relate to him or connect with him. Again though, i prefer his relationships falling apart for self-inflicted reasons or because of other people’s supernatural attachments (the egg) clashing with his lack thereof. But i’m making the best of the situation here.

I don't think that integrating ancient magic elements into sam's character is necessarily a bad thing. when he first mentioned being interested in including it, i'll admit i was a little adverse because i was afraid of pretty much this exact situation lmao, but i think it could be fine and even good if he was dabbling in it, like he's curious and unfamiliar but he's trying to make his robots (like sam nook) better so he integrates them with a little magic. he needs to make pandora's vault more secure so he integrates a little magic into it. maybe using this sort of magic drains his psyche somehow like how dark magic affects people in fantasy books. i think it could be fine if we as viewers could witness how he was discovering it and slowly starting to use too much of it in a way that was dangerous to him and representative of his increasing paranoia. but this is erm not really that.

I do think quite highly of cc!sam’s ability to write characters, considering c!sam is one of the few characters on the smp who, generally speaking, i really do think is as deep as i talk about him, so i trust that he’s not going to do something horribly dreadful with this new element considering how hard he’s worked to get c!sam where he is rn. Obviously i can’t stop thinking about it though.

[lessonsinchastity]

Chastity - Worth a try!

Male chastity

If Your husband/boyfriend has asked You lock him in chastity, You may think he is asking you to do some sexually perverted, kinky, thing that You don’t understand and don’t want to understand because it is sick and perverted. The fact is, he is not sick and perverted, he just wants to have fun, sexually. There was a time in Your marriage when sex was fun and exciting for You, too. Wasn’t there? He just wants to get that back again. He is not asking You to do anything that is difficult, or perverted. He is asking You to play a game with him. A sexual game in which You control when and how he has sex. That’s all. So give it a chance. You may be surprised at how much fun You, Yourself, can have. Chastity is an amazing fetish. Most people think it’s some kind of punishment or chore, but it isn’t. The feelings you receive from abstaining from orgasm are just sublime. Guys feel aroused right up until the point where they orgasm, then everything is reset to zero after orgasm they’re no longer turned on and in order to become even remotely aroused they have to wait again for the feelings to kick in. Well, what if they didn’t orgasm. What if they didn’t masturbate every evening? What if they abstained from orgasms altogether? Would the feelings of arousal increase and increase? Yes. Yes they would. Which is why chastity is an immensely popular fetish. Chastity Popularity

It is such an intimate act to show trust in his partner for a man to hand over the key to his “crown jewels“ and to allow him to be locked up, to await “HER” pleasure. It is quite surprising that so many people have dabbled with the man wearing a chastity device, and they are the second most often bought sex toys after vibrators.

Chastity and Masturbation

All men, given the ability, masturbate and way more often than most women think they do. This is something that is difficult for him to control and even more difficult to part with. Young men have an abundance of testosterone so masturbation doesn’t seem to interfere with their pursuit of young women. However, as men grow older masturbating usually translates into the husband ignoring his wife for at least a couple days. Chastity puts a stop to the masturbation and works in many ways; it changes his mood, demeanor and libido. Most importantly it changes his desire to please you. It is not the goal for him to do the cooking or the cleaning or the laundry but you will find that it will happen, not routinely but it will happen because as he continues to build up his sexual energy that he no longer has the ability to release as he pleases he will divert that energy towards pleasing you. Your being the source of his sexual pleasure will change his feelings, he will adore you, love you in a way that you desire and he will be eager to please you because you are, as I said, the source of his release. He will find, over time, he is happier and that will be because you’re happier. He will love the emotional boost the two of you share.

This isn’t as Kinky as it Sounds!

If your sex life to date has been restricted to intercourse and perhaps mutual masturbation, chastity play can sound like something pretty weird. It isn’t. Nothing has to change about how you make love; what changes is when. The partner who wears the chastity belt has given the partner who has the “key” the ability to decide when sex can take place. Since most chastity devices effectively prevent masturbation, it means one partner gives the other control of all orgasms. This can be a great deal of fun for both people. Chastity play allows you to take sex out of the bedroom in a subtle way that only the two of you will know. For example, if a woman has her male partner locked up, they can agree on “rules” he should follow. If he forgets or breaks the rules, she can smile and hold some fingers up and he will know he stays locked up that many more days until he can get release. If you don’t think this is incredibly hot to both partners, just try it! You won’t believe how exciting a relationship can become overnight. Take a few minutes and use your imagination. Fun, huh?

Chastity Devices

Chastity devices have been used throughout the ages in order to prevent sexual intercourse. Classically, chastity has been forced upon someone using a belt type mechanic, but in recent times, more concealable and localized devices are able to be used in order to prevent the ability to touch and interact with sexual organs. In addition to the modern interpretation of how to perform chastity, a sexual fetish has developed. Individuals now enjoy the prospect of being locked up and unable to perform sexual activities unless the other person who’s chastised them allows it.

Chastity and Confinement for Men

Chastity for men is the most common form, with blocks of specially formed plastic being placed around the penis with a small lock attached for keeping it closed. Some male chastity devices make it impossible or highly painful to experience an erection, aiding the experience of being denied sexual pleasure. One major element of chastity is the understanding that eventually, the device will be removed. The sexual fetish is undesirable if the wearer believes that they will never be allowed to experience an orgasm again. As expected, chastity is an exchange of a power dynamic, with one person assuming the role of being in charge and the other being submissive and completely subject to the will of the other person.

Couple Chastity

There is no doubt about it, chastity play results in superior sexual satisfaction! Trying to earn a release, the wearer will be much more attentive to his partner’s needs. Without being distracted by his own selfish wants, his sole focus is pleasuring his Keyholder. He will demonstrate his ability and affection to his partner, going above and beyond in the hope of an ultimate ‘release’.. Remember; the couple that plays together stays together!

Primary Benefits of Enforced Male Chastity

1. It prevents him from masturbating. Male masturbation is a filthy habit. It’s addictive, selfish, and disrespectful to women. Chronic masturbation has the effect of substantially diminishing a man’s natural sexual desire for his wife of girlfriend. It unfortunately teaches him that his orgasm is primary, and hers is secondary. 2. Because he can’t even get an erection without her permission, it instantly changes the dynamics of the relationship. 3. It keeps his sexual focus and energy on his wife or girlfriend. 4. It will substantially increase his desire to orally service his wife or girlfriend. 5. It serves as a constant reminder to him of her authority. 6. Because it makes his orgasms entirely dependent on her generosity, it positively incentives him to honor her, respect her, and motivates him to please. 7. It gives him the time and opportunity to substantially improve and perfect his oral skills. 8. It reinforces the idea that pussy is a precious gift that must be earned, and is to be savored and appreciated on those rare occasions when he does get it. 9. It teaches him that sexual activity with his wife or girlfriend doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with his penis. 10. It deepens his submission to her, and will cause him to worship the ground she walks on. 11. It will significantly improve his attitude, and make him more generous, caring, kind, respectful, and loving. It will help soften the sharper edges of his me-first masculinity. It will make him more of a listener than a talker. 12. If his orgasms are consistently controlled and severely restricted, he will eventually get to the point where he will do just about anything to cum. You’ll be amazed by what he’ll do for you.

Chastity -  Power to the Woman This voluntary act in which the man shows his trust and hands over the key to his most precious possessions to her who will then decide when he is to be released. This is an action which gives enormous power to the woman in a relationship, or the supervisor on our course and it is a gift from him to her. It is a sexual act which frees him from the ability to pleasure himself and frees him to learn how to please his partner and thus be allowed pleasure himself. It sounds from this description a strange and “kinky “activity, but surprisingly the approach has wide acceptance as a method to improve male performance and pleasure.

Chastity and BDSM

Chastity is a fantastic pawn in the BDSM game. It is a great tool for tease and denial, and can be implemented as an incredibly effective punishment/reward scheme. Dominants that have never fully engaged in chastity play, will have almost certainly at some point employed a ‘permission to cum?’ policy. So, what’s the difference? Well chastity play takes this concept one step further and gives the Key Holder full control over their slave’s orgasms. Many people who love to engage in BDSM have not yet discovered the joys of chastity

Locked in Chastity for BDSM Key Holder is a term used to describe the dominant woman in a male chastity agreement. Many couples are into BDSM and male chastity is one of the many methods that these women use to dominate their men. Some men are more turned on the more they are ordered around. The woman will tease the man while he has a male chastity device on and she is the only one who has the key to open it and award him with a release. Discuss it with your partner in detail and decide if you want your chastity to be long term or short term. Remember, he will do *anything* to get out! You just decide what you want him to do for You. Household chores, DIY, and Your sexual satisfaction. And it the job isn’t done well enough - he stays locked up - until it is!

Enjoy! 

Source: auntiesuz

[patrickstargang]

The Firelord’s Promise (Kyoshi fic)

Chapter 1: Nomad’s Land

Chapter 2: A Bureaucrat's Word

Chapter 3: Throw Away Your Honor, Rally In The Streets

Chapter 4: Unfortunate Truths

Chapter 5: A Change For The Better

Chapter 6: The Roles We’re Given

Chapter 7: To Save A Life

Final Chapter: I’ll Always Be With You

*this fic contains massive spoilers for Shadow of Kyoshi

The distance from Yokoya to the Fire Nation wasn’t particularly far, but sometimes a sky bison could be unreliable in long distances. It didn’t help that everyone from the estate (minus Aunt Mui) decided to join in on Kyoshi’s “diplomatic” meeting with the Firelord. Even the Flying Opera Company begrudgingly tagged along as back up. They weren’t in support of dabbling with the authorities but they still swore loyalty to their brothers and sisters.

They found themselves in a canyon, the slightly rougher areas of the Fire Nation wilderness that bordered the capital. To get to the capital was about a day’s journey on foot, but it was already nearing dusk. Everyone made camp while the sun was beginning to set.

Kyoshi stood away from the camp, attempting to earthbend, something that should be more than familiar to her. While her state of bending improved since the day Hei-ran arrived at the estate, Kyoshi still found herself struggling with bending. She lifted up a large chunk of the ground in front of her, but it began to swivel around as she tried to push it forward. It was fragile and unbalanced, crumbling before it could make impact with anything. Her face strained as she tried again, feeling like it was more of an effort than it should be.

Rangi noticed Kyoshi struggling, seeing the Avatar having to face the obstacle of basic bending was a sorry sight. But Rangi remembered her promise, and she knew what to do in a moment like this.

She walked up behind Kyoshi, observing the towering girl as she tried to hold another chunk of stone before it collapsed. “Having trouble?”

Kyoshi shook her head with a stoic face. Rangi then stood in front of her with a knowing smirk. “Are you sure?”

Kyoshi then remembered the promise she made to Rangi, to be more honest with her when she needed to. She exhaled, letting the fourth attempt at shifting earth fall to the ground.

“I’ve just been having trouble with bending lately. Like yesterday, I couldn’t even bend a puddle, now I can’t even bend my native element.”

Rangi began to understand the severity of the situation. At first, she thought her superstition about the Avatar not learning the elements in order was becoming true, but she knew that saying that wouldn’t help. So she had other ideas.

Rangi lightly tugged on the sleeve of Kyoshi’s kimono, getting her attention. “How about some firebending practice? This time we can actually start with fire fists.”

Rangi stood back and reeled her arm behind her and swiftly let out a quick but forceful flame from her fist, like a sudden fiery jab. Kyoshi observed, noting the delicate details she might have missed the first time she properly learned the technique. She copied her motions to the best of her ability, only to have produced a light spark from her knuckles. She hid her face in her hands, filled with aggravation.

“I don’t understand! I was fine a few days ago, now it’s like my bending disappeared overnight.”

Rangi’s concern grew, she wasn’t sure if this was something that she could help with. Jinpa stood off to the side listening to their conversation, but after Kyoshi’s last statement he decided to join the group.

“Maybe it has something to do with your chi flow,” said Jinpa while stroking his chin.

Kyoshi remembered her lessons about chi flow at the Air Temples. She learned about its place as the energy that connects all life, more or less the ultimate life source. But she also learned that it is the life force of the bender , giving them the powers they possess. And as a result, she learned about chi block, an instance where bending is rendered almost useless by some physical or mental obstacle. She wasn’t being attacked in any way so she crossed off physical obstacles from the possibilities. All that was left was the more tricky of the two.

“Honestly I’m surprised you haven’t had a chi block sooner, especially with your run-in with the Yellow Necks.”

Kyoshi remembered the injuries she took from her fight with Xu Ping, which should have been a complete block of her chi from everything the Monks told her. Yet she was still able to bend after her recovery. So why was this happening now?

Rangi wasn’t entirely knowledgeable about chi, as it was a concept that was never taught in-depth at the Academy. However, she tried to move the conversation in the right direction. “Is there a way to unblock her chi?”

“Well, one way to do that is to connect to your spiritual side. Sometimes this could mean visiting a spiritual place or something as simple as clearing your mind and emotions through meditation. It all depends on how bad your chi block is.”

It was strange for Kyoshi. In terms of being the Avatar, she still had trouble connecting with the spiritual, mainly since most of her encounters with it left her in dire situations. But this gave her an idea.

“Maybe I can try going into the Spirit World, there's nothing more spiritual than talking with your past lives, right?”

Jinpa thought about it for a moment and quickly nodded in agreement. “I don’t see why it couldn’t work.”

But then an air of doubt came over Kyoshi, she looked down. “But at the same time, I’ve only gotten it to work on rare occasions. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I was able to enter the Spirit World whenever I was in a spiritual place, and as far as I know, there aren’t any spiritual places near he-”

Suddenly, a rustling came from the bushes next to camp that caught everyone off guard. It stopped for a moment before rustling again. It also sounded as if voices were coming from them. At that point everyone became alert. Rangi held out a ball of fire in her hand and Kirima brought a stream out from her water skin, ready to attack. Kyoshi got into her earthbending stance before she remembered her chi block, awkwardly dropping her hands.

Rangi stepped toward the bush, a stern authority in her voice. “Who's there! Show yourself!”

Suddenly, four different people rolled out from the small bush. They were wearing light Fire Nation clothing with long sleeves and carried small bags and satchels. One of them, a somewhat scrawny man with a big beard and spectacles, held up his hands trying to stop the tension.

“Hey, hey, we mean no harm! We didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Kirima raised an eyebrow. “Oh really, then why don’t you explain what you're doing out here in the first place. Who are you people?”

At that moment, Jinpa noticed something about the group. They were all wearing necklaces, more specifically necklaces made from fire lilies. Jinpa’s eyes widened. He moved past Rangi to meet the group.

“You-your all nomads, aren’t you.”

The bearded man smiled at the sudden recognition. “Yes my good man, more specifically we’re Fire Nation nomads.”

Kirimia and Rangi slowly let their guard down, both confused at Jinpa’s interaction. He shook the bearded man’s hand, keeping his polite demeanor.

Kirima walked up to the group of nomads. “That still doesn’t explain what you're doing out here.”

“Why, we’re out on a spiritual journey to find enlightenment. We’re here to find Szeto’s Pillar.”

A feeling of suspicion came over Kirima. “Szeto’s what?”

The bearded man turned off to the side and pointed out into the distance. “Szeto’s Pillar.”

Surrounded by a sea of cooled molten rock stood a towering, monolithic pillar of stone. With its height, it was able to partially block out the sun as it was setting.

The bearded man continued to gaze off into the distance. “During the age of Avatar Szeto, one of the volcanos near the Fire Nation capital was erupting, causing mass hysteria and panic for the people. But Szeto stopped the magma flow from the safety of his stone pillar. Now, these volcanoes will stay dormant for years to come. This pillar has become a sort of sacred spot, a place to stand where one of the great Avatars once stood.”

This gave Kyoshi an idea. Not only did she have a spiritual place to unblock her chi, but this could be an opportunity to speak with Szeto. She was able to contact Kuruk and Yangchen, this could be the next step.

She turned to Rangi, whispering so the nomads wouldn’t overhear. “This might be my chance, if I can get my chi flow back by tomorrow we’ll be able to make it into the capital safely.”

Rangi let out a light chuckle, realizing this was Kyoshi’s way of asking to leave. “You don’t have to tell me twice, go on ahead.”

Kyoshi smiled and kissed Rangi on her forehead before starting a light jog towards the Pillar.

The bearded man halted his conversation with Jinpa to note Kyoshi’s sudden leave. “Gee, your friend there is pretty excited to see the Pillar.”

Jinpa nervously rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, she can be a bit….enthusiastic sometimes.”

The bearded man let out a hearty laugh before surveying the area. “Well, it looks like you're all settled in pretty nicely, I guess our journey can wait till tomorrow. But in the meantime….”

The bearded man and the other three nomads all pulled out jars filled with a strange looking liquid.

“Who wants to drink cactus juice and find spiritual enlightenment!”

-----------------------------

Night quickly came over the canyon, the campfire lit up the darkness and spirits were high. Mostly. The nomads were already in full swing with some of their “spiritual” exercises. Jinpa decided to join in to varying degrees of success. He thought that cactus juice was a spiritual cleanser, like what onion-banana juice was back at the Air Temples. Now he was laughing hysterically at the wildlife and his own airbending while the nomads incoherently argued about who opened the most of their seven chakras.

Kirima and Wong were both amused and terrified at Jinpa’s state. The airbender was known to be somewhat of a stickler for good behavior, but now he had no regard for proper manners. Hei-ran looked as if her soul was leaving her body, watching everything that was unfolding alongside the other two members of the Flying Opera Company. She had her blackboard and chalk but even her words couldn’t communicate the confusion and distaste she felt. Atuat almost tried the cactus juice, but after seeing how Jinpa fared after trying it she decided against it.

Rangi half paid attention to the antics that were taking place, but part of her mind was elsewhere. There was a lot of uncertainty for what tomorrow would hold. Even though she was the Avatar’s bodyguard, she was also part of the Fire Nation military. Now she would have to face the idea of going against her own nation’s leader. She had fought to stop corruption in many other parts of the world, but it was a different beast to deal with corruption in her own home. If Zoryu had not kept his promise, then that means Rangi would have to go against her own code of honor.

But then another thought came to her. She had said before that she wished to share the greatness of the Fire Nation with the rest of the world, but with everything that was happening she was beginning to question how true that “greatness” really was. The more she thought about it, the more it upset her. The Saowan clan was charged not for the few people that were creating pushback, but for the entire clan itself. Chaejin and Huazo obviously had their hand in starting a commotion but there were those who were arrested without knowing what was even happening. It made her stomach churn.

But then she became much more grateful for Kyoshi, she could have pretended that Zoryu’s treatment of the Saowan clan never happened and let them all be imprisoned, or worse. But she didn’t. She became a headache for both Zoryu and the chancellors. The Firelord was trying to make an easy solution for a not so easy problem, which might cause greater harm to his people and his own status than he may realize. Kyoshi wasn’t out for what she believed was revenge, she was out for stopping injustice enacted by those who were the supposed preservers of justice. But the possibility of killing Zoryu was still a thorn in Rangi’s side, the consequences for it could be much greater than the Saowan’s imprisonment. What could Kyoshi be gaining if she went through with it?

Then on that thought, Rangi realized Kyoshi was still at the Pillar even though hours had already passed. She might be having trouble getting into the Spirit World. Rangi remembered her promise to Kyoshi, as she got up from her seat.

She leaned over to Atuat. “I’m going to go check up on her. Could you keep an eye on Jinpa for me?”

The healer chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll make sure he doesn’t embarrass himself...well any more than he already has.”

As she said that, Jinpa was reaching for another glass of cactus juice before Hei-ran took the drink out of his hands and threw it into the bushes.

------------------------------

The terrain of the cooled magma was uneven, like trying to maneuver through a valley filled with millions of small hills. Rangi skipped from the peak of each mound, getting closer to the Pillar. Once she arrived, she noticed a stone stairway around it, one that was built at some point after Szeto’s time. She ascended to the spiraling staircase, noting just how tall the Pillar actually was. Once she made it to the top, she found her Yokoya girl meditating.

At least that's what it looked like at first. As Rangi moved closer she could see the strain in Kyoshi’s brow, like someone trying their hardest to look as if they were at peace. Kyoshi let out a soft sigh and opened her eyes. She turned her head to see Rangi.

“Still having trouble?”

Kyoshi looked back out into the distance, feeling the soft breeze that such a high spot gave her. “Yeah….But I’m still not getting anywhere. I’m the only one who can bend the four elements and communicate with the Spirit World and right now I can do neither of those two things. Some Avatar I am, huh….”

Rangi gave her a concerned pout. “You seem to forget really quickly don’t you,” she said as she shifted to sit beside Kyoshi. “You may think that you have to face your Avatar duties alone, but you don’t. I’ll be here for you, even if I can only help a little.”

Kyoshi’s sardonic tone quickly changed to sincerity. She didn’t forget, but it was still nice to remember that Rangi meant what she said that night. “Thank you….”

“Now, maybe you just need a partner,” Rangi crossed her legs and put her hands together in the same position that Kyoshi was in. “Try breathing with me.”

Kyoshi straightened herself and closed her eyes, waiting for Rangi’s orders. It was like doing Horse stance again, except without the pain in her legs.

“Now do as I do…..In.”

Kyoshi inhaled at her command, letting it linger as long as it needed to.

“And out…..”

She exhaled through her nose. Already she had a greater sense of flow than she had when she was alone.

“In…..”

She inhaled again, she was fully in sync with Rangi. While the Avatar was uncertain of her many bending abilities, she felt comforted by the fact that she still had air on her side.

“And out….”

Kyoshi could feel Rangi’s warmth beside her, every breath like an ember slowly growing its flame. It was relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

Soon the words were fading out, but she still kept into the flow of her breathing before she was doing it instinctually. Sound began to fade out completely, her mind becoming clear. She stayed in that silence for a little bit.

Then she felt a cool air come over her, like that of a mist coming over the mountains. She slowly began to open her eyes, seeing the abstract clouds that enveloped the Spirit World before she heard a voice. A voice that sounded experienced yet rough.

“It’s about time you showed up, you're a few months late.”

[404fmdminjung]

famed idol life / career meme

notes: i started doing responses one by one, but then i thought it’d be better to do one big mass-post instead of flooding dash all at once. thank you to all that sent in! appreciate u all :~) (if anyone has any numbers they need, please feel free to like this or just let me know, even if i already sent in an ask!)

2. what are your favorite b-sides/non-title tracks you’ve released?

“i like diana. there’s something moody, sultry about it with a touch of elegance. it’s almost like cheap wine on a long friday — contrasting, but it somehow fits. plus, sooah helped out on that track which becomes the cherry icing on top. perhaps, there’s something better coming out on my next album, where there’s too many b-sides that i’d cherry pick myself to be my favorite. for that, look out at the sea, captain.”

3. what is your least favorite song (title track or b-side) you’ve released?

“i don’t think there’s a least favorite. if there were, then i wouldn’t have partook in any of it — my personality’s in it or out of it. there’s no in between, especially where my voice plays a part. i don’t want to touch things where my heart doesn’t lie, that’d just be cruel. wouldn’t it? if it doesn’t relieve my soul a bit, then i don’t think i’d dip my toes in those waters.”

6. what is one thing (a concept, a genre, an outfit, etc.) you would least like your company make you do?

“i’d like to do house funk, maybe house-pop. you’ve seen elements in it in knight’s old releases, and even the oldies like decipher’s done it. unity’s dabbled in it somewhat in their b-sides, and considering fuse has amassed a long bridge of different concepts — the spectrum’s large. i’d like to wear hawaiian t-shirts and prance around to some summer house-funk, and that’s something i think the general public can all dance around in their rooms to.”

8. if you could be in any idol group, which one would you choose?

“i’ve grown accustomed to fuse — i like being in fuse. i don’t think i’d fit anywhere else, though i would say bee would be a nice change for the summer fun. i’d even enjoy myself to be in unity had i been a boy. can you imagine? the fun that would come out of belting welcome to my playground, and singing the tunes to touch. that’d be a girl’s dream come true.”

9. if you could say one thing to your ceo, what would it be?

“you’re the prettiest person i’ve ever seen. in the whole country, out of all the women in the world — you’re the standard of beauty. but i’m sure the whole world knows that by now, don’t they? i thank you for giving fuse some of the best songs, and though i’ve never met you face by face, i’d like to believe you’re better than what’s shown from face value. but, still — my wannabe face is you but no amount of plastic surgery would turn me into you, would it?”

10. if you were auditioning for your company today, what would you perform for your audition, or what would you change from your original audition?

“i don’t think i’d repeat the dance, nor attempt to dance to something like seo taeji and boys. if i recall, i did h.o.t’s we are the future, and snsd’s kissing you with a ruler i had in my back pocket. in retrospect, that was my standard of dancing — if only i’d known it’d become a bad memory to highlight the work i have left. maybe, i’d only stick to kissing you, ruler version while singing something more melodically acceptable than finkl’s now.”

11. if you could do any special stage, what would it be and who would it be with?

“i don’t know — i don’t know many things when it comes to these mix and match scenarios. i know i’d like to make a stage where i can dance freely as if i’m in the comfort of my own home. perhaps to a song like gee, or even oh — even willing to dabble in lipstick’s genie if it means dressing up like a sailor and going ahoy. i’d want to do the stage with jeonghwa, sooah, and well — i don’t have that many friends to give you a special stage, oops.”

13. if you could become a model or ambassador for any brand, what would you choose?

”again, i’ve been blessed and satiated with each and every opportunity given. working with dior has been a smooth sailing ride as well as cartier — perhaps, given the option i wouldn’t opt for pathere de cartier but a different line. still, nothing really takes away from the heart and soul of their jewelry, which i appreciate with my cup of tea. i’d continue to work with dior, and if hermes would ever take the punch — i’d even have an affair with them.”

14. if you could be on any variety show, which one (or which type of one) would you want to be on?

“knowing brothers — i really watch that show. or even, 전지적 참견 시점 — those are the shows i keep tabs of on a weekly basis. i'd love my manager to have her time to shine and steal the hearts of the world with her variety work. she’s a very funny person you know. as for knowing brothers? that’s a given knowing how quick the crowd is on their feet and the little mini-games that come from each episode. i hurt my stomach each time from laughing along so many times.”

16. what changes would you implement if you were the ceo of your company?

“a free-for-all. i’ve never wanted to become a ceo, but had i been granted the opportunity to rule on all floors, i’d implement a few things. mandatory art classes, and creative freedom to the album jackets for all my artists. no dating-bans, let it all air out — most of all, i’d let them do as they wished as long has it harmed nobody else and they could handle the aftermath. no restrictions, roam free, bunnies.”

17. what do you do to relieve the stress of idol life?

“call me pretentious or call me a sell-out, i do what any other normal person does. i like sitting in the cafes with my notebook out, sketching. i sketch people that come in and out, or the people that decide to sit next to me. if i’m home, i’m painting on canvas with my record player crooning in the background or knitting a sweater to wear next winter. on a really adventurous day, you’ll see me playing the pole or stretching my limbs at pilates. but that’s on a non-lazy day.”

18. what tips would you give to a trainee about to debut?

“wear your skin like armor, and let it thicken as time goes on. no need to get hurt by words, and instead roll with the punches — learn to accept the hate that comes, and be scrutinized underneath a microscope. sometimes, you don’t know if it’s really reality, but the faster you assimilate yourself, the quicker you learn to glide past your career. think of everything as a catch-22, only there’s no real safety net.”

19. what was the hardest part of being a trainee?

“getting along with the other people and have them stay away from getting to know me. it’s obvious, the trainee life is temporary — there’s going to be those that debut and those that don’t, so why pry further than you have to? everyone should’ve been given the basic privacy instead of trying to play formalities and get along. other than that, i hated dance practice and i still do. dance isn’t a strong suit, and having someone force me to follow a tempo i can’t march to was no fun at all.”

20. did you enjoy the lifestyle of a trainee or of a debuted idol more?

“i liked being a debuted idol far better, only because there was a layer of privacy given to me. ironically, i was suddenly in the public eye. yet, it still allowed some layer of anonymity within the inner circle and the day to day people i interacted with. starting from a sea of trainees, and having it dwindle to a group of my members — it all made it easier to handle in the end. besides, i was getting no sleep regardless trainee or not.”

22. describe your dream sub-unit (members and concept).

“take the fuse darker concepts — peekaboo, bad boy, psycho. and merge it into one, all while getting rid of the dresses too short to dress in. wrap it all together, and you get my favorite concept. i like mystery, and latent meanings behind pretty tunes, and being able to do that each comeback would be a dream. surely, the audience might get bored of it, but i wouldn’t and i’m allowed to be selfish, aren’t i? my dream sub-unit, i’d take sooah. without sooah, i don’t know what i’d do, really. she’s like a mini-mom, three years younger. then, i’d take kiana for the dance that sooah and i can’t handle. i suppose i’d add suji in there because i don’t think anyone can belt like she does, no offense to kiana. but there’s a heartier belt when suji does it. sorry to our leader, i guess.”

23. out of the following six options, would you rather be allowed to play a major hand in the lyrics, production, choreography, styling, music videos, or concepts you release?

“i started off in lyrics, so i’ll stay loyal till the end. i’ll keep to the lyrics, so i can continue to write the stories my heart wants to say. sometimes, i’ll fall into cliches, but that’s okay. if it’s not in music production or the general content of the song, i suppose i’d take a dabble in styling — and stop dressing myself in the short skirts making it impossible to dance. really, those are the only two things i’ll be selfish for.”

25. what is your least favorite part of being an idol?

“waking up early, not having enough time to draw — those would just be the superficial things, right? but really, there’s pros and cons to any jobs, just ask any office worker with a nine to five. however, if i’m given a sliver of honesty to wave my grievances, i’d like to mention that i don’t like working in short skirts that get shorter each comeback. i don’t like getting mauled by the public of who i make eye contact with or who i work with — i don’t like getting over criticized and the list goes on.”

26. what is your favorite part of being an idol?

“i’ve always been a story teller. i like crafting stories and telling my world for how i see it, and given this opportunity in music, i’m able to do so. i like playing with instruments, sketching out things for an album idea — the creative process while meeting new people along the way. it’s a journey, an adventure and most of all, it avoids stagnation. i’m on the move, go go go.”

27. would you rather be incredibly famous with a terrible reputation and hated by most or be fairly unknown with a good reputation and adored by those who know of you? why?

“i’m already disliked by most — they don’t like the way i dress, who i’m friends with or the manner in which i present myself. but i’m given the opportunity to ignore these things along the way, and learn to handle things bit by bit. given the choice, i’d rather hide in anonymity with the few around me enjoying my presence. i’ve learned by now, public opinion doesn’t correlate to much as it’s nothing more than a crow perched far away as poe would say.”

29. what have you learned about yourself and/or society since becoming a celebrity?

“i’ve only been taught life skills, such as time management and patience. in hindsight, i’ve learned how cruel people are to judge things from what they see at surface level. the world’s superficial — that’s a bitter pill to swallow. i don’t know much about myself as i haven’t gotten that part figured out. instead, i’ve just learned that the world is cruel and the people in it amount to little to no positivity — go figure.”

[mlpdestinyverse]

Destinyverse - History of Magic and Tech

((If the text is too small, please right click and open both parts of the strip in a new tab to zoom in!))

*cries in world-building* Well then...for the first time, let's get into just a small piece of actual Destinyverse lore. I think that first panel alone gives away that there's a lot more to be known about this universe, but that information is for a later time. So! Beyond this point will be the finer details on the workings of rune enchantments and Sunset Shimmer's company, Uni-Tech~! 

Info Under The Cut

Magic (cont.)

Magic exists all around. It is within every creature, the atmosphere, and more importantly, the earth itself. Granted passive magic, earth ponies were designed to tend to the earth, and pegasi the weather and the expansive skies. But unicorns were intended to utilize and protect the very knowledge and power of spellcasting.

At first unicorns kept their findings to themselves, but after the three pony tribes united, mages shared their household light enchantments and magic barriers with society. Over time, Princess Celestia and Luna came into power, and Nightmare Moon’s defeat brought about a millennium of peace. Technology developed, as did wind turbines and hydropower for electricity. Both ultimately contributed to the declining necessity of rune enchantments. Only some studied mages utilized the art sporadically (Twilight Sparkle when enchanting Tank’s helicopter. Starlight Glimmer when creating a vault to seal away cutie marks).

Unicorns also no longer had a dire need to study and utilize spells for their own safety. Growing comfortable in modern society over the years, the average unicorn now only tends to learn basic spells for everyday living like telekinesis and light. Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, however, continues to pass down knowledge to newer generations of young ponies, encouraging young colts and fillies to dive into the mysteries and wonder of magic through study. Only a hoofful of ponies have managed to truly hone their talents and go on to become knowledgeable and trained mages, such as Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer.

---------------------------------------------

Runes

While normal spellcasting is typically instantaneous, rune enchantments tend to be used for long-term purposes:

For spell usage over an extended period of time without a need for concentration (ie. Light spells)

For casting on specific items or areas (ie. enchanted relics, magic traps, energy barriers)

Rune-etchings are also often written to have a trigger, (ie. motion, pressure) which requires specific rune combinations to accomplish.

While convenient, the art of rune-etching and enchanting is complex and requires a steady mind to guide one's magic into making clean and precise carvings with a tool. It also requires the intellect to create the best rune combinations and formulas for the desired result.

Rune-etchings alone hold no power. The true power comes from the magical energy poured into them, which allows them to trigger and work as instructions for said magic. Unicorns need to concentrate and pour in magic for varied periods of time to enchant a spell into an item or area of choice. Unless a specific trigger is written into the runic spell formula to tell the runes when and how to react, rune-etchings will activate the moment they reach their full energy capacity, which differs depending on the complexity of the spell. The more extra magic that is enchanted and stored into runes, the more energy the runes will have for multiple uses. Alternatively, a spell will have more time to stay active in one usage.

Ancient relics created by olden wizards are known for carrying powerful spells. It's been hypothesized that such high-magical artifacts were either enchanted by multiple wizards or by one wizard over the course of months.

If the magic within rune-etchings completely expends, it can be recharged periodically by a unicorn or with long concentration to store up magical energy. This tends to be dependent on the strength and complexity of the spell and the spell usage required by the user.

---------------------------------------------

Uni-Tech

The rise in technology in modern-day Equestria really began with Sunset Shimmer's return to her homeland. After refreshing herself on her magical studies in an effort to rediscover her purpose, the mare found herself missing the modern tech back in the alternate human universe. As someone who dabbled in multiple fields, from music to art to science, Sunset decided to try a hoof in contributing to what she felt were the beginnings of a tech evolution in Equestria. Using human builds as inspiration, Sunset helped introduce the first equestrian digital cameras, monitors, and computers. These creations first aided medical and scientific fields, but were quickly picked up by more creative fields. Seeing this, and by pushing festering ideas in the right direction, Sunset was able to inspire other creative minds. She helped encourage the creation of animated and live-action movies, shows, and major advancements in the videogame industry (to her utter nerdy delight). On the flip side, Sunset has also very meticulously worked to keep other human inventions away from Equestria. Through her experiences, she has come to hold one solid belief; just because one can, doesn't mean one should.

While she felt she was on the right path, Sunset believed there was more she could offer. A missing piece. Observation led her to notice a rise in the cost of electricity with the increase of household appliances and electronics. Her mind began churning through ideas of energy-efficiency, convenience, and - through personal-experience once upon a time - availability and affordability for families who were not so well-off. Deep down, Sunset knew incorporating magic would be the way to go. Recalling her old studies on the history of runic spell enchantments from her filly days, Sunset picked up old books, drew up blueprints for her ideas, and approached Twilight for further wisdom.

Twilight provided the knowledge of rune-etching and worked with Sunset to think up different spells for her ideas. Having never attempted rune-etching before, Twilight offered her friends lessons. For Sunset, who once had fiddled around with different spells and potions under Celestia's tutelage, carving runes had been a new and exciting experience. It took practice, but weeks of effort had the craft feeling almost natural for the mare.

If ancient artifacts from eras long past had proven anything, different natural materials such as metals and even gems possessed inherent magical properties that were especially reactive to magical interaction. Aiming to understand which materials could hold and even enhance spell enchantments best, both Sunset and Twilight dove into their experimentation. The two gathered a small group of practiced unicorns who had tampered with rune-etching before for their research team, including Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, and Moondancer. As they researched the best materials for Sunset's tech inventions and improvements, Sunset found herself naming their little team "Uni-Tech", the beginning stages of magitech in Equestria.

Prototypes followed. However, realizing the runes in their tech could only be powered by a unicorn's magic, Sunset and Twilight were momentarily stumped on how non-magical creatures would be able to recharge runes without aid. Sunset recognized the lack in convenience, however, a new discovery quickly came to them. As traces of magic exist in nearly everything within their world, Sunset discovered that the small amounts of magic within the very electricity that powered their tech created a unique reaction with the magic components in their metal builds. Alongside electricity powering their machines, the reaction created a steady build-up of magical energy for the added runes.

The discovery worked well with machines and tech-powered via cord to electrical socket. Even when unplugged, a machine’s runes would still hold the built-up magic it had stored previously until plugged back in again and used. Upon initial installation, the machine simply required to be plugged in for a number of hours for the initial storing of magic.

The Uni-Tech team grew with the need for professional engineers to finalize their builds and mass-produce products. And thus, Uni-Tech took off, greatly contributing to the booming era of technology with the union of magic and electronics. A facility for Uni-Tech was built not far from Twilight's own castle, and in time, they even developed a secondary location in Canterlot, overseen by Moondancer.

With the correct metals and the positive reactions to magic, Sunset was happy to observe the resulting amplification of power for her runic spells. This meant an increase in power output and a decrease in actual electricity usage in the long run. However, when it came to the concept of developing and improving portable devices (ie. laptops, handheld consoles), Sunset and Twilight ran into an issue. Even if made rechargeable, once a device's magical energy was spent, there was a huge inconvenience in the slow, gradual trickle of charging magic that would lead to far too many hours of waiting to even utilize the magical aspects of a device.

Thankfully a ground-breaking discovery was uncovered; information on elemental runes that had been lost to time was regained by chance. As it turned out, elemental arcane runes were unique in how they consumed the energy of their respective element when in proximity of it. More specifically, they converted this energy into magical energy. In old books, ancient ponies recalled attempting to build fires in uncharted areas, only for their fire to suddenly be snuffed out, followed by an explosion of flames from an undiscerned source. Hidden traps or forgotten runes, Sunset and Twilight had settled. In Sunset's case, electricity runes, when introduced to a steady source of electricity, could quickly charge up with magical and electrical energy.

That single discovery lead to the creation of the magi-battery. The magi-battery not only charged up devices with electricity, but with the correct rune formulas, allowed other spell runes to draw from its storage of magic. It proved to be fast-charging, powerful, efficient, environmental-friendly, and overall revolutionary to their efforts. Because of its huge success during its initial launch, Uni-Tech is now a supplier for companies in Canterlot and beyond.

Sunset continues to lead projects with her company to this day. With new ideas, she often works with Twilight to refine and brainstorm possible spell enchantments. Though they founded the company together, Sunset Shimmer is the true CEO of Uni-Tech, with Twilight assisting when she isn't busy with her own duties.

Uni-Tech inventions include and are not limited to:

Fireplaces lit by unique fire runes, fueled by electrical power. Fire behaves more like magic fire than real fire, thus heating the room without the need of a chimney for smoke release. Low maintenance, provides the experience of a real fireplace, and reduces air pollution. The addition of a gem (thanks to Astral Dusk’s research) allows runes to store more energy for usage if the power were to go out.

Microwaves using fire glyphs formulated for heat radiation as opposed to actual fire. Proven to provide better-balanced heating overall. 

Light runes in ceilings, which lessen the need for disposable light bulbs. Easy to control dimming. 

Shower installation of tankless water heaters, using water and fire-heating runes. Water runes transfer water directly from a reservoir and expel it, lessening the worry of pipe bursts. Instant and consistent warm showers, even in black-outs. 

 Security cameras that possess a complex spell that magically records, making recordings not as easy to alter or delete.  

This universe's Luster Dawn, who I'm nearly convinced is probably Starlight and Sunburst's kiddo, started working for Uni-Tech as a young and talented intern and has continued to work as a valued member of the company!

For clarification; while Astral Dusk's gem research aids his mother's company, he's technically not a worker for Uni-Tech and is generally just a royal scientist serving Princess Twilight alongside Sunset Shimmer.

[rainymeadows]

Tagged by @kirby-writes. This is a surprise! Been a while since I did one of these!

How would you describe your fanfic style?

I definitely try to keep my horizons relatively broad. My writing style is heavily influenced by the works of Terry Pratchett, of whom I’m a massive fan, but I crib my character arc ideals from works like FMA. The way I write tends towards short paragraphs rather than the long walls of text I see in a lot of novels, but that’s mostly because my autistic brain finds those more digestible.

What tropes would you never use?

That depends tbh. There are certainly lessons I’ve learned from past fics that I’m not too proud of, and the things I don’t do vary from story to story. I will, however, NEVER present any kind of abuse as a positive thing. Good shit is good shit and bad shit is bad shit. If I ever come across like I’m romanticising something, I sincerely apologise.

What tropes do you ALWAYS use?

I’ve noticed that I tend to use certain story elements quite a lot. There’ll be a female character with a strained relationship with her parents, with the strong possibility that she was raised by a single mother who suffers a tragic death. There’s also a chance for a slow-burn romance, cussing for emphasis, a character who normally avoids combat being left no choice but to engage in it and, in some of the longer works, amputation (my old readers from my Wayward Son days will remember that quite well).

Where do you write?

Typically in my house’s lounge room, but sometimes I’ll hide in my bedroom. I tend to keep my iPad - if not a pen/pencil and notebook - on hand to jot down ideas that come to me at random, and that tends to happen a lot. Most often late at night when I’m trying to sleep because of course.

How many names do you write under? Why?

I go by Rainy Meadows and all possible variants. Rainy-Meadows, RainyMeadows, rainymeadows, rainy_meadows, you get the point. It’s a play on my surname, but I won’t go into any more detail than that because it’s a relatively uncommon surname and I’m not about to dox myself.

What’s your usual rating level?

Given my content, it’s almost always T, although I have dabbled in M.

First fandom you wrote for?

Oh boy, this will be embarrassing...

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

I urge you guys not to seek out my old fics and accounts. I was 15. I didn’t know what good writing was. It was a VERY dark time for me (literally, since that’s when my mental illnesses really started getting bad)

How long did you read fics before you started writing them?

Surprisingly, it was only a few months, if not weeks. I’d tried my hardest for YEARS before then to write “original” stories that were mostly mediocre ripoffs of stuff I enjoyed, often replicating entire scenes verbatim, so when I discovered that it was actually acceptable to write one’s own content based on existing works, it was a massive relief. I wouldn’t be anywhere near the writer I am now had I not made that discovery.

Do you usually write chapter fics or one shots?

It depends on the magnitude of the ideas I have. If the concept is minor, more suited to a vignette than a larger story, I’ll make it a one-shot, but my most noteable works are the longer chapter-based ones. My previous major fic project, The McLinden Misadventures, was kind of a blend: a series of episodic minor fics rather than a single cohesive story, but it’s the sort where they’re all self-contained “episodes” of that story. You could read any one of them and get a complete story.

Your fandoms:

Right now? I’d say I’m active in Professor Layton, Phoenix Wright, Dr. Stone, One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100, Star vs The Forces of Evil (for which I have rejected canon and substituted my own), Stardew Valley, RWBY and Storm Hawks (please hmu if you remember that show, you can join the Discord server, it’s a lot of fun) although tbh most of my fandom interaction happens between friends and on Reddit. I’ve also been seriously enjoying Ascendance of a Bookworm lately.

The only person I can think of to tag is @actuallymin. Take it away, sis.

[yasxgamal]

Basic Information

Full name: Yasin Gamal Pronunciation: ee-ah-ceen gah-mah-l Nickname(s): Yas, E. Birthdate: November 20th, 1986 Age: 34 Zodiac: Scorpio Gender: Male Pronouns: He/him/his Romantic orientation: Panromantic Sexual orientation: Pansexual Nationality: English Ethnicity: Egyptian Current location: London, UK Living conditions: Yas' place is a one-bedroom mess. It's a good flat, spacious and in a good location, all things considered, but he's not the best at decorating. Apart from the very odd artwork or two hanging crookedly on the walls, there isn't much more to it. He keeps his space clean and tidy when he has the time to do that, but it's not a very personal place. Also probably smells like smoke most of the time -- or, air freshener if he's trying to impress you.

Background

Birthplace: London, UK Hometown: London, UK Social Class: Wealthy if you count the parents' money, Middle if you consider his own money and lifestyle currently, and his tendencies to waste it all on cigarettes. Educational achievements: A really fancy degree in Computer Sciences and Computer Engineering at the most expensive college in the UK Father: Omar Gamal Mother: Safiya Gamal Sibling(s): Samir Gamal and Aisha Gamal. Birth order: Samir, Yas, Aisha is the youngest. Pets: Ramen, the stray cat that crawls in through his window and occasionally spends weeks sleeping inside, and then disappears for months on end. Previous relationships: One big relationship in college for 3 years, a miserable breakup. Then mostly only casual things after that, none he would consider true relationships. Arrests: N/A Prison time: N/A

Occupation & Income

Current occupation: Programmer for the Time Machine project Dream occupation: Programmer for the first working Time Machine Past job(s): College Era: various internships, waiter, freelance photographer for kids' parties, freelance I.T., tech teacher for the elderly, tech teacher for children, coder and manager for a pornographic film company's website. Post-College Era: has helped coding and programming several apps and softwares independently, then a stable job at GoodCore Software Ltd. as SQA Lead. Spending habits: Yas spends a lot on cigarettes and technology, but everything else he doesn't care enough for. In debt?: No Most valuable possession: Emotionally, his own laptop or phone, and all the photos and memories stored in them, as well as his work. Legally and monetarily, though, it's the BAFTA statuette from his sister, which he now gets to keep for a year because he won a bet (it's fine, she has more than one).

Skills & Abilities

Physical strength: Average Speed: Average Intelligence: Above Average when it comes to all things technology, Average on some other subjects. Accuracy: Average Agility: Above Average Stamina: Above Average Teamwork: Great in environments where everyone is delegated a certain job and he gets to do his thing in his corner to add to the mix. When it comes to people wanting to mess with his codes, he gets a bit stubborn and difficult to deal with. Shortcomings: often lets his pride ruin things, a bit of an inflated ego when it comes to his work, bad at communicating. Languages spoken: English, Arabic Drive?: Yes Jump-start a car?: No Change a flat tyre?: Yes Ride a bicycle?: Poorly Swim?: Yes Play an instrument?: If you count the guitar lessons in his childhood (he does) Play chess?: Yes Braid hair?: No Tie a tie?: Yes Pick a lock?: No Cook?: Yes, the very bare minimum, and he hardly does it.

Physical Appearance & Characteristics

Faceclaim: Rami Malek Eye colour: Greyish green Hair colour: Black Hair type/style/length: Shaved on the sides, originally short on top but it grows out too fast and he can't be bothered to get a haircut, so it grows out curly. When it starts to become a mop and look like he has a helmet of hair on, he cuts it short again, and repeats that cycle. Glasses/contacts?: No, but they're needed. He has shit eyesight and no one ever forced him to get glasses so he never did. Don't ask him to read any signs that are far away. Dominant hand: Right Height: 5'9 / 175cm Weight: 154 lb / 70kg Build: Slim Exercise habits: Nonexistent, but he does a lot of walking Skin tone: Olive (Type IV) Tattoos: The initials of his siblings, A.S. in a simple font, on the bottom of his ribs on his right side. They all have matching ones. He continuously tells them the joke that they should get a fourth sibling with an S name, so he can get A.S.S. tattooed instead. Piercings: None Marks/scars: Several small scars around his legs and arms, from climbing around and getting into trouble as a middle child desperate for attention. A more notorious scar runs up behind his left elbow from a night in college when he got wasted with his friends and had an accident with a knife (don't ask). Clothing style: Black, a lot of black. The most colourful thing in his closet might be a dark grey jumper. Very minimalistic in the sense that he never wears patterns or colours or graphic tees, it's always just very dry and kind of bland. He probably could get into fashion if he wanted to, but he feels bad spending so much of his hard-earned money on the high-fashion stuff. Also he can frequently be spotted wearing those compression gloves/braces on his hands, for carpal tunnel syndrome Jewellery: A couple necklaces that have no emotional attachment besides "I thought they were cool so I bought them", but he's never without them, even when they mostly just hang inside his shirts. Dabbles in rings if he's feeling fancy. Allergies: None Diet: Consists of mostly snacks. He occasionally buys the healthy kind, like a couple granola bars or some fruit, but if he's going through a big project, he'll only snack. Anything easy to eat with one hand goes. He does, however, understand the value of nutrition and that he needs to fuel his body properly every once in a while; when that happens, he resorts to ordering food from some healthy restaurant nearby. It's basically a couple salads a month and then nothing but Doritos for days straight. Physical ailments: Carpal tunnel syndrome happens often enough that it's almost chronic, because he doesn't usually take breaks or stretch his wrists out like he's supposed to. Back pain from sitting all day (and bad posture) is also so present that he barely notices it anymore.

Psychology

MBTI type: INTJ Enneagram type: Type Five Moral Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Temperament: Somewhere between Phlegmatic and Melancholic? Element: Water Emotional stability: Who is she! Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert Obsession(s): Outdoing his siblings, no matter how much he loves them Compulsion(s): Working to the point of forgetting to take care of himself Phobia(s): Acrophobia and atychiphobia Addiction(s): Cigarettes/Vaping Drug use: Sometimes wrongly and terribly pops an Adderall when pulling all-nighters. Has smoked weed before, but he doesn't love the slowness of when he gets high. Alcohol use: Not very often nowadays, but the occasional blackout still happens. He's known to become a completely different person when he drinks, much more loose and fun and happy, so he does it sparingly Prone to violence?: No Prone to crying?: No Believe in love at first sight?: Yes, but doesn't think he's the type to ever experience that, since it takes a while for him to get close to people, so he believes in it as an abstract concept

Mannerisms

Accent: RP English Speech quirks: A lot of pauses between words and sentences, since he often thinks a lot before he speaks. The occasional ums and uhs and some stuttering if his mind is working faster than he can speak, too. Hobbies: Photography, playing video games, reading novels (graphic or otherwise), finding passive-aggressive memes to send into the Gamal siblings groupchat Habits: Stealing wifi, smoking and vaping, ordering delivery of everything instead of getting it himself Nervous ticks: lip chewing, tapping fingers, bouncing one knee, scratching his neck/jaw or touching his nose Drives/motivations: It's all for the glory, babey Fears: Never achieving anything grand Sense of humour?: It goes as far as memes and roasting his loved ones, but not much further than that. He's usually not comfortable enough to crack jokes, but you might get a sarcastic comment or two if you're lucky. Deep down, he can be sharp and quick-witted, but it doesn't come out often, unless he's having drinks. Do they curse often?: Hecc yes, probably as a form of rebellion against his posh parents

Favourites

Animal: Tarsier Beverage: Strong black coffee with two spoons of sugar Book: Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes Colour: Green Food: Zalabya Flower: Jasmine Gem: Peridot Mode of transportation: Walking, and if not, the metro Scent: Oranges Sport: Tennis Weather: Rainy enough that he doesn't feel anyone's judgement for staying inside all day Vacation destination: Japan

Attitudes

Greatest dream: Finally being famous for his work Greatest fear: Never achieving anything big enough to make him happy, and being forever miserable because of it Most at ease when: Left by himself or enjoying someone else's company that he's truly comfortable with, probably in silence, doing his own thing Least as ease when: Forced into environments where he has to put on fancy clothes and pretend to be enjoying himself when he's not. Alternatively: when he's going on hour 32 without any sleep and he's denied more coffee Worst possible thing that could happen: Achieving greatness but realising he needs something else in order to feel fulfilled and be happy Biggest achievement: His degree and hopefully the first working Time Machine Biggest regret: He doesn't like to say he regrets things, so there's nothing he'd call a huge regret. But if he had to say something, he'd probably say it was not telling that one high school crush that he liked them.

[millllenniawrites]

millllennia’s frequently asked questions

Last Update: November 19 2021

Who the heck are you?

I’m Mack (though there’s a couple people on here that have called me Milli which I thought was adorable and that is also a perfectly fine thing to call me) I’m a full-time uni student from Canada that’s been writing on here since 2016. I use she/her pronouns usually but like really what is a gender. I used to be fanfiction-trashpile (which is still my user on ao3). 

Can I translate your work? 

Short answer: no. 

Long answer: still no, but it’s more complicated than that. No one has permission to repost or translate my work. Even if you message me and offer to give me credit, I will say no. If you want to create for fandom, you should do it yourself and I will stand by that. 

I welcome fanart, podfic, and fanfic of my fics, and I’d love if y’all would message me/send it to me/tag me in it so that I can hype you up! 

If you decide to write with my original characters (the Helix universe or Dear Love of Mine) I will ask that you give me credit for the characters, but I don’t mine anyone else writing them. The only canon content created for the Helix universe belongs to myself and vampy ( @vampirewithbedsidemanners) but even we write alternate universes of the Helixverse, so it’s totally okay for other people to do that too.

Why are you so darn specific about the style you write in? 

Okay so there are a few things about this that I’m really picky about: 

I never use y/n or any other derivatives of the term (y/e/c or the like). For me, it’s much harder to avoid using those kinds of stand-ins for terms, so I like to challenge myself by never ever using them. If the fic calls for the reader’s name to be directly said, I’ll just give the reader a last name (like in dear love of mine where the reader’s last name is Dean) 

(NOTE: this is not to say that people that use y/n are taking the easy road or whatever. it’s entirely a personal decision and writers that use it are still good. it’s just not for me)

All my sfw fics are completely body/gender neutral unless otherwise specified

All my nsfw fics are with an afab reader (because I only know my own biology and I’d hate to try to write something for another biology type and end up getting it wrong and just alienating everyone)

I’m specific about these things because I do not look like the skinny/blonde/straight-haired/blue-eyed/wattpad version of a reader in RI fanfic. It alienated me back when I read on that platform and I’d hate to make anyone feel like that. I’m still learning, and I’m not perfect, but I really want people who read my content to feel like they can actually be immersed in the story, no matter what they look like. 

That being said, I do not write readers from specific backgrounds/with specific features because I am whiter than white and that’s not my place (though I have reblogged some stuff that has specific readers so there definitely is some on my page! check out the recommended tag) 

My own personal tastes obviously affect my writing (because everyone writes from their own experiences) so there is often dancing/hair touching in my fics because I like that stuff. There will be warnings for basically anything that could alienate the reader including but not limited to: hair mentions, the reader getting picked up, the reader’s clothing being mentioned, and abnormal physical activity (dancing, swimming, etc). If you

Are requests open?

Requests for moments, headcanons, one-shots and drabbles are open! please send me headcanons i love hearing what y’all are thinking! with that being said, i reserve the right to not write or respond to requests that i don’t want to do because at the end of the day, this is my space and my writing makes me happy. 

What fandoms do you write for?

I am currently writing for:

Star Wars (literally any character including rebels/CW) 

James Bond (Craig era) 

Dune (I love the books and the film so I write based on both!) 

Marvel (including all movies and the Punisher)

But I will generally write for any content I have consumed in the last 2 years (so I'd be super down to write for mortal instruments/shadowhunters, for example, it might just take longer). If you request something I am not currently writing for, I will keep your request until I recirculate that fandom/character/concept because I am basically a garbage disposal for fandom. 

Do I need to give you plot details in my requests?

Requests can be as simple as “Fluff with Poe Dameron!!” but can be as complex as you would like. Some formats include:

dialogue prompts (ie. “I missed you” with Jace)

type of fic (ie. I would love some Billy Russo angst)

relationships with canon characters (ie. can you write some reader x kylo ren where the reader is Rey’s sister?)

any amount of plot details (ie. thanksgiving at the Weasley’s where you and Percy get stuck hand washing dishes)

Moments Collection prompt (ie. I read your Poe “The moment they first saw you” fic. Can you write one with Dani from Prodigal son?)

Headcanon prompt (ie. how do you think Poe finding out you’re alive after thinking he had lost you would go?) 

Or any combination!! I like writing what you guys want to see and challenging myself with your ideas. 

What “out of the box” ideas are you willing to write?

Many writers will not write the following, so I wanted to be clear that anything on this list can be requested and will be written without being altered (assuming it’s in my lane). If any of these things are used in a work, they will be listed in the Warnings category at the top of the post.

graphic descriptions of violence (including but not limited to: injury, torture, emergency surgery)

death (major characters and reader included. I just won’t write drowning for my own personal safety) 

homophobia 

nightmares/night terrors/forced dream sequence/drug trips/things like in spiderman: far from home before peter gets hit by a train 

lemon/smut/that kind of thing (but I’m very new to this so take it easy on me folks)

panic attacks

dubcon/noncon/dark fic 

I will also write the following things that are not “warning” related but not all writers will dabble in: 

alternate universe (though I usually prefer canon-compliant work) 

crossover content 

polyamorous relationships 

What don't you write?

I absolutely will not write: 

suggestive content with underaged characters (I’ll age them up)

the act of self-harm (I will write post-getting clean or talking about self-harm vaguely, but won’t write the action or witnessing the action for my own safety)

drowning/water boarding/violence involving water (I know, very specific, but I don’t write this for my own safety)

readers that deal with transphobia/racism (I am blessed to not have experienced either of these things and it’s absolutely not my place to think I can write about these struggles. I will however reblog content I find and enjoy because it is so important to talk about these things and bring awareness to these communities)

mental illness other than anxiety/depression/ptsd (outside of canon determined elements)

specific pronoun requests. all of my sfw work is gender neutral. the reader insert/imagine space has been historically very heteronormative and I want everyone to be able to enjoy my writing, no matter how they identify and which pronouns they use. if a fic is requested with pronouns, I will still write the request. it will just be gender neutral

real life people. non-negotiable. this makes me feel icky. no judgement to those that do it. I just won’t

abo!AUs. not my jam. 

magic AUs.

I hope this clears some stuff up! I’m looking forward to hearing from you guys! my inbox is always open so feel free to come chat! 

[bleedingsandshq]

[ JESSICA ALBA, FEMALE, SHE/HER, 38 ] Whenever I hear TEAM by IGGY AZALEA it always makes me think of SIENNA FIERRO. They have been so  CHARISMATIC & STEADFAST, but occasionally they have gotten a little bit FORTHRIGHT & IMPETUOUS through the years. They currently work as an UNDERGROUND FIGHTER, a strangely fitting job for someone with loyalty to THE 19TH as a WEAPONS SPECIALIST. THE SCENT OF CHANEL PERFUME LINGERING IN THE AIR AS SHE FLOATS PAST, DEFT FINGERTIPS COILED AROUND THE PISTOL GRIP OF A GUN AND RED-BOTTOMED HEELS CLICKING AGAINST MARBLE FLOORS make them easy to spot on the strip.

CONNECTIONS.

Her Sister: Despite her attitude toward her parents, Sienna always remained close with her sister who always advised her to simply attempt to appease their parents. Though Sienna never took her sister’s advice, her sister was always there for her nonetheless. Throughout her years of struggling with addiction, her sister was right there by her side, the one constant in her life. You could say that her sister was Sienna’s rock; her salvation. Though her sister is the younger of the two, Sienna often feels as if her sister adopted the role of the big sister. Underneath, Sienna harbours a pang of guilt over not being the role model elder sister. She feels as if she let her little sister down. Even at their parent’s funerals, her sister kept it together better than Sienna did. Truthfully, in more ways than one, Sienna looks up to her younger sister and puts her on a pedestal.

Law Enforcement: Given her parent’s esteemed status and the fact that they travelled from various states to others, perhaps Sienna has bumped into various people from her parent’s lives. Perhaps there is one particular person who knew her parents better than the rest. This person could have been someone who worked alongside her mother or father and knew them personally. Due to their close relationship with her parents maybe this person secretly checks up on Sienna and keeps an eye on her from afar. Really, this connection has endless possibilities but I feel that Sienna having someone in her life who knew her family would help her feel closer to her parents.

Friend Turned Enemy: Maybe this person and Sienna were friends from New York in the form of one of the other teenagers Sienna hung around with and got involved in reckless behaviour with. Or maybe this person was someone Sienna befriended during her stint in rehab. Or they could be someone Sienna met when she moved to Las Vegas. Under whichever circumstance they met, one fact remains: the two are no longer on friendly terms. They were once close and trusted each other with anything but now, there is obvious hostility. Perhaps there was a betrayal, blackmail, a breach of trust, lack of communication, a simple misunderstanding. Whatever it was that cracked this relationship is set in stone and is unlikely to ever go back to how it once was. Some things are just too broken to be mended.

Toxic Relationship: Sienna has always had bad habits, has always gravitated to toxicity like a moth to a flame. It would be safe to assume that 90% of her relationships have also been bad for her. When she kicked her addiction to the side, the broken element inside her found itself magnetised to the darkness in people. More especially, attracted to men she knew were no good for her. Though, in the end, Sienna would always manage to break free and leave these men behind. However, there was always this one man she couldn’t seem to stay away from. She met him when she moved to Las Vegas and instantly she knew he would break her heart yet it didn’t deter her from continuing to crawl back to him. These two have what can only be described as a toxic relationship. Neither is good for the other yet neither can seem to walk away.

BACKGROUND.

Sienna Fierro was born in Mexico City where she resided for the first decade of her life with her adoring parents and her younger sister. Soon after her 10th birthday, the Fierro’s packed up their lives and headed for New York City.

Raised in Manhattan by two successful and entitled lawyers, the Fierro girls were seemingly also destined for greatness. Their parents cherished them and they led a life of luxury, wanting for nothing.

However, due to the line of work that their parents were involved in, the Fierro daughters spent the majority of their time living with their grandparents who held a great deal of responsibility for their upbringing. Although their grandparents were rather strict in manner, their environment remained enriched with love.

It was on her 13th birthday that Sienna received her grandmother’s most prized possession: a pair of ballet pumps. Despite her young age at the time, her grandmother firmly believed that Sienna was mature and wise enough to understand the concept of ballet and to one day desire pursue a career in the profession, just as her grandmother had.

Back then, Sienna would say her biggest influence at the time was indeed her grandmother, even more so than her own mother. Thus the instant that she set her eyes upon the ballet slippers, she believed that her fate had been sealed. That same year, her grandmother enrolled her in her old ballet school where a young Sienna spent the following two years dancing and practically living with her grandparents. It wasn’t long until Sienna possessed dreams of becoming a prima ballerina.

Unfortunately, at 16, Sienna’s hopes of further pursuing ballet tumbled down around her after sustaining a serious injury. During a rehearsal for a show, she had sprung into a Spanish pas de chat, a leap she was more than well acquainted with. However, her landing was less than smooth. After the accident, an orthopaedic surgeon had told the girl that it was likely that her knee would never fully heal, thus she would never be able to dance the same again. Ballet had been a passion for Sienna for so long. It acted as an emotional outlet. It was her form of art. Somewhere to place her competitive focus. And now, it was gone. Forever.

By the time Sienna turned eighteen, the grey cloud hanging over her had grown larger which led her to wind up involved with a group of her peers who were a bad influence. As a result of the lack of her parent’s presence in her life and her crushed ballet dreams, the girl spent her summers engaging in endless nights consisting of alcohol consumption and occasionally dabbling in various forms of drugs. Naturally, her parents were far from pleased by their daughter’s behaviour as they had a reputation to uphold. Yet this failed to deter Sienna as she continuously rebelled against her parents. She hung around with the wrong crowd, paid little to no attention to her education, and spent more time out of her home than in it. It wasn’t until her grandmother passed away that same year, that Sienna felt a real, human emotion.

After her grandmother’s passing, Sienna moved back into her parent’s house, enabling her to grow a little closer to them. Try as she did, she couldn’t help but rely on her parents when she found herself struggling further with her continuing drug addiction. Although they were disappointed, she was their daughter and they did everything in their power to ensure that she was safe and that she got the help she needed. During the course of two years, Sienna showed little to no signs of improvement forcing her parents to decide that it might be best to admit their daughter to a private drug rehab facility.

At first, Sienna had disagreed and promised them that she could kick her addiction to the curb if given more of a chance. However, after struggling for two years, deep down she realised that she was too far gone and needed help. It was the first time in a long time that Sienna felt like a child again. A child who needed and relied on her parents. A child who deeply regretted all her wrongdoings, getting tangled up in the wrong web of horrible friends, and disrespecting her parents who she constantly pushed away.

After completing her time in the facility, a then 21-year-old Sienna decided to get her life back on track and so she moved into her own apartment and obtained various educational certificates to try and alter her future career prospects. She was doing better and more importantly, she felt better. Until the following year when her parents had met their fatal end in a road traffic accident. Though it was a struggle for Sienna not to backtrack and break her sobriety, she managed to push through and steer herself away from her former addictions.

Following another year in New York, Sienna decided to pack up her belongings and head for Las Vegas where she had a promising career prospect. At the age of 23, she found herself working in Lady Luck Casino. Though it wasn’t long until she wound up caught up in underground fights where, much to even her own surprise, she excelled. It became another emotional outlet for her. One that replaced ballet from all those years prior.

It was through her keen fighting ability and technique that Sienna was recruited by The 19th. Initially, starting as an employee who regularly fought in various underground areas until she was promoted to a solider and now, finally, due to her strength as a soldier, she has been recruited to a weapons specialist. Although she continues to engage in fighting, her main priority is her role within The 19th thus she doesn’t fight as much as she once did.

Sienna has been in Las Vegas for 15 years, 13 of which she has worked under The 19th syndicate. Since childhood, she has been through a lot and has lost a lot but somehow, she was always able to build herself back up again. Is this the life that she had envisioned for herself? Not exactly. But was it better than any other alternative, especially one where she could have lost her life to a world of drugs? Yes. Where Sienna is now is exactly where she wants to be. And maybe this is exactly what she needs to fully emerge from the ashes of her haunting past.

SIENNA IS CURRENTLY CLOSED & WRITTEN BY CHRISSIE.

[rukakikuchi]

Dreamcatcher “Scream” MV analysis and Dystopia storyline theory

Or…

How Gahyeon (unintentionally) messed everything up!

Okay, all joking aside, I do think that Gahyeon does play a focal role in the story for this latest comeback. And these are all just my theories based on how I interpret the story shown in the MV, so keep an open mind when reading!

So without further ado, let’s get right into discussion of Dreamcatcher’s latest comeback!

…

With “Dystopia: The Tree of Language” opening up an entirely new storyline outside of the “Nightmare” series we had been following up until now, we must disregard what we have received from previous Dreamcatcher lore and examine the new possibilities for what could come next.

In the previous storylines we’ve gotten for Dreamcatcher, Yoohyeon was a focal role in the story of the “Nightmare” series. 

She was the one who killed the spider in “Fly High” that led to everyone becoming cursed and was the catalyst for her eventual fall to darkness. 

From “You and I”, to “Deja Vu”, Yoohyeon was a major focus of the story. 

But now, it appears that Gahyeon is the one serving as the catalyst for what we see happen in “Scream” and might become the main focus of this new “Dystopia” storyline.

But before we talk about Gahyeon and her role in the story, let’s see what we can gather of this new world we see in the music video.

Welcome to Dystopia

The world we see being depicted in “Scream” is a setting unlike anything we’ve seen thus far in Dreamcatcher’s music videos. 

While some videos had a few fantasy elements, notably “Deja Vu”, they primarily focused on horror/thriller themes and imagery (ghosts, curses, witchcraft, etc.)

But “Scream” has much heavier emphasis on the fantasy elements; specifically, dark fantasy, since it still contains the darker, horror concept that has been consistent with the group.

In the “Nightmare” series, although the girls are seen performing rituals and apparently dabbling in witchcraft, they were never actually called witches.

They were “Nightmares”, girls who were cursed by a strange dark force, some of them corrupted or possessed by this entity, to be trapped in a never-ending dream.

But in “Scream”, there is no doubt they are now a real circle of witches. We see the girls not only wearing matching robes that you’d see a coven of witches wear (and we’ve seen them wear before in “Good Night” and “Fly High”), but Siyeon and Yoohyeon actually release magic from within them.

JiU in particular seems to have a strong connection to the titular “tree of language” that appears throughout the video, several scenes of her shown in a temple that might represent the inside of the tree itself.

Considering JiU is the leader of Dreamcatcher in real life, perhaps she is the guardian of the tree, and gathered allies to help her protect it, thus forming Dreamcatcher.

In fact, if we look at the album story spoiler teaser...

We see two girls on opposite sides of the tree. A girl with white hair, who we shall discuss the identity of in a bit, and a girl with dark hair, who I believe is JiU.

In any case, the tree is clearly an important part of their world, and may likely be the source of the girls’ powers. But more than that, the tree is also connected to the power of words and language.

JiU actually said during their rooftop VLIVE: “When people say good things, the tree bears white fruit, but when they say bad things, it bears black fruit.”

Perhaps this tree actually holds ancient archives of every event in history, or that it holds a great influence over everyone and its presence is what keeps peace and balance in the world.

And JiU, as the guardian spirit of the tree, helps it bear fruit of good, virtue, and light, and protect the balance with the fruit born of evil, negativity, pain, and darkness.

The very first thing we are given at the start of the music video is this…

“One day suddenly the light did not come, People forgot how to say good things.”

This means something catastrophic happened that influenced the power of the tree of language, disrupted the balance, and thus changed everything in their world. People began to spread words of hatred to those around them, because something had corrupted the tree.

The world which was once a “utopia” became a “dystopia”, and chaos and war erupted everywhere.

And I think it was Gahyeon who did this, but why and how?

Pandora’s box opened

When they released the album story spoiler teaser, we were given a glimpse of the story that “Dystopia” is telling us.

We see a little girl, reading from a book as words seem to flow out from it. Perhaps this book is connected to the tree; it contains great power and influence due to the words written in it.

However, we then see a darkness within the book start to flow out and drain away the girl’s lifeforce. Eventually she dies, but from what we’re shown in the teaser, it appears she is either reincarnated as or possessed by something sinister.

(From this moment henceforth, we shall refer to this being as “the spirit of evil”.)

What if that book wasn’t meant to be opened? That whatever contents it held weren’t meant to be read because it could corrupt a person’s heart and unleash a great evil. (Think Pandora’s Box.)

More importantly, who is this girl supposed to be? Is she supposed to represent a younger version of Handong, who wasn’t present during the video?

Frankly, no, I don’t think that’s the case. Because we do see Handong’s presence within the video. There is one dancer who is wearing a full face mask, dancing with the girls, and clearly is meant to be for Handong when she eventually returns. 

So at the very least, we can assume she is also with the others as a member of Dreamcatcher, perhaps using the mask to hide her true identity.

And although we don’t see her, it’s very likely she will be incorporated into the story once she returns, so we’ll only know what Handong’s role in all of this is once that happens.

So for now, let’s just assume this little girl is someone else entirely. We see the girl is with Dreamcatcher, but they all appear sad when she dies.

They clearly cared about her deeply, but I just can’t figure out the relationship quite yet. Was she someone they were teaching magic to, or was it more of a familial bond, like a little sister?

We get these shots of JiU and Yoohyeon in the snow (which is often used to symbolize death), as well as shots later on of SuA in a black dress and umbrella. This shows all the members are in mourning over the little girl’s death.

However, I think Gahyeon takes the girl’s death the hardest. She doesn’t want to accept the fact that she’s gone; she wants to bring her back.

This leaves her vulnerable to the spirit of evil’s influence, as it lures her into the tree of language.

JiU can sense that something sinister has awakened, and hurries to try and stop Gahyeon, but as we see later, she didn’t make it in time.

When Gahyeon reaches the center of the tree, she finds a glowing crystal with strange symbols and a purple mist surrounding it. I think this represents the heart of the tree and source of its power.

Perhaps, under the influence of the spirit of evil, Gahyeon believed she could use the power of the crystal to change the events of the past and bring the girl back from the dead. But that’s an impossible wish, one that could never be granted.

And the moment Gahyeon touches it, it shatters and that’s when everything starts to go awry.

The inside of the temple represents the inside of the tree turns red, meaning it’s now starting to become corrupted by the spirit’s influence.

The purple flames that surrounded JiU (which represent the tree’s power) are red as well.

Strange red markings start covering the walls.

And a red burst of magic energy is unleashed from the tree. (Even the leaves turn blood red).

This is even reflected in the dance shots, as we see the girls dancing in a room lit up in red light, and choreography itself, as in the second chorus, Gahyeon stands at the center while everyone circles her and points at her.

So what happens now that the spirit of evil has corrupted the tree?

Seeds of evil

Although she might have had the best intent in mind, Gahyeon’s attempt at trying to revive a lost friend caused more bad than good. Because of this, her friends end up falling victim to the spirit of evil’s influence as well after it corrupts the tree.

During the first chorus, we are given a sequence of images:

Siyeon’s eye opening...

A vortex of dark purple clouds...

Siyeon walking through a forest covered in thick purple fog...

A black-and-white starry vortex...

SuA in a black dress, mask, and umbrella...

Another vortex of clouds, this time red...

The shot of the red hallway (look above).

Back shot of SuA’s umbrella...

And finally, a back shot of Gahyeon, though at a tilted angle. She’s in the same hallway, but this time it’s all white, meaning it was before the tree got corrupted.

Speaking of SuA, we also get a shot of her running through that same hallway, while being chased by a dark shadow. I believe this to be a result of the tree becoming corrupted by evil, and is now spreading to corrupt the girls.

SuA tried resisting it, but it clearly overpowered her.

Yoohyeon could sense there was danger, too, and tried to find her friends.

Now, as the darkness of the corrupted influence begins to erode the tree and spread to the girls, their memories become affected as well.

We are given shots of Gahyeon and Dami in black and white. I believe these are false memories of the two being implanted in the girls’ heads; a fake Gahyeon who spreads hurtful words, and a fake Dami who spreads lies.

This leads to Dreamcatcher breaking up.

JiU is trapped in the tree of language, Dami feels betrayed by her friends suddenly turning against her, while SuA goes to fight in the war.

Gahyeon feels immense guilt for what happened. Meanwhile, Handong goes missing (evident by her mask being left on the ground).

However, not all hope is lost.

Siyeon and Yoohyeon both feel deep down that their memories must be wrong, so they each go searching for answers on their own.

Siyeon searching through the thick fog is symbolic of her searching through her own memories, trying to find out what really happened, while Yoohyeon just wants to reunite with her friends.

So… What’s next for “Dystopia”?

The next chapter

This section will mostly just be predictions for how the next comeback will expand upon this new storyline.

Like mentioned previously, I believe that Gahyeon will play a big part in the story, as we saw her act as the catalyst for everything that went down in the video.

And as for Handong, there’s a chance that her inclusion following her return could add an interesting twist to the story, depending on what they decide to do with her role.

I also believe this new “Dystopia” storyline will continue to focus heavily on the dark fantasy aspects, and hopefully the next comeback can expand on this new world.

All we can say for now is... This is just the beginning.

I hope you guys enjoyed this analysis!

Until next time, sweet dreams! 🌙😴