#i know the mouse is connected to the monitor i know that's not how it works ive built a pc and i never shut up about it

[reigendaily]

66) finals are currently beating the hell out of op

[dravidious]

How was the buying process for a new computer? How did you decide which one to get?

Honestly I kinda didn't decide at all. I went onto this site's PC Builder thingy and just clicked one of the cheaper options. I was ignorant and scared of messing something up so I just left all the preset stuff as-is, except removing the graphics card because I already have one. I also kept everything as-is because I was gifted $1000 specifically to get a better computer and wanted to splurge for something good. If I cared more about saving money or if I knew what I was doing, I'd probably have swapped out more stuff. The specific parts I bought are these, but some of them were on sale so I got them for cheaper; I got them for $730, and they're now $800 at the time of writing.

The buying process was easy enough, just scary because it's the biggest purchase I've ever made. The building process was a pain in the butt, but looking up video tutorials and instruction manuals made sure I knew what I was doing. Overall, it took me 24 hours to finally get it fully working. Transferring the files over was slow, painful, and tedious, but that's mainly because of my old computer locking up whenever I tried to transfer too many files to an external drive. There's probably way easier ways to do it.

[cutieeva]

Love of immortal

Female reader

Warnings : Kidnap. Minor injuries. Molestation. Mention of rape.

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒

Mermaids, sirens and more mystic creatures belongs to myth but more importantly came from ocean adding another layer of mystery to the ocean than it was already to (Y/N) who dislike oceans for petty reasons but it was the creature lurking under the ocean who consume her in the end.

Ocean. For some it's the peace of water that calms and erase their hard version of reality while for others a symbol of nightmare where tragic acts occur to horror them however (Y/N) somehow falls on the between of category. She neither has love or horror nor despise rather she merely dislike the ocean. Why ? Any actions or tragedy ? None rather she doesn't perceive ocean safe only because it is a mystery itself. She often find herself comparing abyss and ocean because neither of it has any predict of dept and once stare too much it can consume you. She pretty much fears the mystery lurking underneath the picturesque waters when bleamed by the golden rays from above the skies.

However who would ever predict that (Y/N) one day will be sitting on a cabin cruiser boat along side her older brother's family.

"Aunty ! Aunty ! Look at the gold fishes !" Her adorable five aged nephew cheerfully point at the little fishes swimming their ways.

"Yea, Yea". Her shoulders shrug glancing at the pretty ocean creatures yet a unknown shivers tense her spine just staring at the dept of water. An alarm inkling creep within her stomach making her (E/C) eyes avert to the lovey dovey couple.

"They pretty much brought me because they wanted a free babysitter. I am sure". Irritated she scoff earning her brother's attention.

"What ? Stop being so bitter just because you had to come in place of dad and mom". She rolled her eyes remembering how heartlessly they are traveling around the earth together leading them to turn down their son's invitation to the cabin cruiser boat he was offered by the company due to his excellence performance however they are family of three and they wanted no outsider to invade their holiday where they are free to be themselves and enjoy the blessed time choosing (Y/N) who is single, on her holiday and have nothing better to do. She was a substitute to her parent's place and abducted from the safety of her four wall she calls home by her brother only to watch their public affection and monitor their child.

"Shut up before I fucking cut your throat". Not holding back she cursed after placing her hands over the innocent boy's ears. Her brother, Anton click his tongue in annoyance while his wife, Maria who (Y/N) very much have connection alike an sister chuckles.

"You know I married you for your sister's company ?" She teased making her husband's mouth agap and catch her waist only for her to slip through his hands and playfully step back.

"What the ?" He tried to catch again only to lose turning it into a cat and mouse catching game where the couple laughed heartily.

"Ren want to ! Ren wants to play too ! Ren wants to play too !" Her nephew adressed himself as third person join to play the game too chasing his father. The scene evolving in front of (Y/N) won a laughter over her lips. The adorable family stare at her melody like laugh unable to seal their happiness too. Transformating the distant air to mellow unaware that caught the eyes of an mystic.

"How about I also catch aunty ?" In playful tone her brother presented went towards her to catch which ended him with a punch on his face.

"Don't". She snort watching his face twist into deep frown.

"How cruel". He commented

"Look who's talking". She remarked.

"Wifey, I am wounded. Please help me". Faux a sad tone he layed on his wife's embrace curling himself small when in (Y/N)'s view he looked like an bear trying to fit on top of an human.

"Yikes ! What a rubbish".

"Ouch ! Wound me again".

"Eww". Regret lace her voice on how on earth this grown man is her brother instead of an cool gentleman she saw others have. She side eyed the man getting coaxed by her sister-in-law who looks glad.

"What a teriffying thing love is". She shake her head to which her open (H/C) hair flow at the rhythm of cold breeze sparing a certain someone her entire view.

"Oh look !" (Y/N) eyes follow Maria's finger pointing to the ocean.

"An dolphin". Excitement sparkle Ren's eyes making (Y/N)'s eyes wide knowing exactly what this little trouble about to do.

"Ren stop". Despite her warning the oblivious child race to the railing tempt to touch the creature he finds fascinating, his little hands raise to cross the railing before (Y/N) caught his wrist. "Ren don't !" She yelled hugging the boy closely noticing how not one but tons of dolphin are either side of their ship.

"What in the world....?" A dread fill her stomach counting at least twenty or more dolphins surround their ship. "Anton, Maria stay away from the railing for now—MARIA !" She turn her head to find the woman reach her hand to pet the aquatic mammal.

Still cradling the boy she hastily slap her sister-in-law's wrist away. An inch. An inch was their gap she realized calming her pumping heart.

"(Y/N) ! What's your deal ? Why did you overreact ? Maria simply wanted to touch the dolphins also isn't it safe to pet them if they approach you first ?" Anton glare at his sister rubbing his wife's skin lightly.

"You are blind. Can't you see how many dolphins have surround us ? It's an alarming rate to ignore. Also as much as it's fine to pet. You can only do if you are a professional because only they know how to react to their behaviors not us !" (Y/N) glare back, guarding her sister-in-law as she watched in disfavor to the dolphins that tilted it's head. "And their sensitive parts are usually melon means forehead, eyes and blowhold and if petted could result to serious injury". She added noting how the group of dolphins are swimming in circle manner within themselves.

"Something is wrong. Very wrong". She narrowed her eyes at the dolphins she isn't much fond due to their another less known pet name 'the gangster of the ocean' since their behaviors doesn't match their innocence alike appearance where they forcefully rape other female dolphins, use pufferfish as their play toy resulting their deaths, mess with sharks for amusement and such. As much as they are intelligent enough to save a human as well as to drown one too.

"What are they doing ? Only dolphins are surrounding us not other fishes". Unease followed trying to find an answer for their pattern that might be normal yet something, something brewing inside her says otherwise.

"Just calm down and rest, we must not provoke them then they will go in their merry way". Maria tested to cheer up yet failed seeing her frown deepen so she nudged her husband.

"What ?" He whispered leaning near her.

"Do something !"

"What can I do when she is a grumpy cat". He groan when she hit him on his ribs.

"It was a command, mister". She smirked.

"(Y/N) it's alright, there is nothing to worry sometimes dolphins tend to circle around the ships, boats as a sign of protection or curiosity". The (H/C) haired woman nod remembering indeed she read that in an article at her brother's word.

"Okay. Also forgive me for suddenly slapping your wrist and yelling". Guilty weight on her voice as she apologized.

"It's alright. You were doing for our own sakes". Maria smiled revealing her side dimple.

"Still stop being a worrywart". Anton not forget to comment loving his sister's muttering curses. (Y/N) sighing stretch her head putting her nephew down to stretch her arms as well to finally focus on the rare opportunity.

"So empty". No other ships or boats seen yet "So beautiful". The ocean's vast expanse gleamed like a canvas of molten gold, as the sun's radiant beam danced across its waves. The water's surface shimmered and sparkled, a dazzling display of light and color, as if a thousand diamonds had been scattered across its surface. Above, the sky was a brilliant blue, with just a few wispy clouds scattered across it, like cotton tufts carried on the breeze.

In the distance, a line of birds flew in perfect formation, their silhouettes etched against the sky like a delicate pen and ink drawing. They moved in unison, their wings beating in a slow, hypnotic rhythm, as if choreographed to the ocean's gentle swell. The sun's golden rays caught their wings, casting a shimmering glow around each bird, like a halo of light.

As the birds flew overhead, their soft cries echoed through the air, blending with the soothing melody of the waves. The ocean's gleam seemed to intensify, as if reflecting the joy and freedom of the birds in flight. The scene was one of perfect harmony, a symphony of light, sound, and motion, where the ocean, sky, and birds blended in a glorious celebration of life and beauty she ever seen at one sight is truly to behold. An living art is what deity has bestowed humans in form of nature. For a moment truly did all of her tension, clouded thoughts wash away lifting her mood.

Eyes too captured to blink as if the sight would lose from her grasp when her breath hitched and eyes wide in rejection because a huge dark patch of figure in between the dolphins is swimming at her side. "What is that ?" She whisper in utter confusion.

Immediately did (Y/N) search her bag to find her binoculars and squint to look clearly yet to no avail did she success in figuring the creature out. "What is this ? Another sea animal ?" Curiosity ate her as she sat near the railing waiting to understand. "Are the dolphins protecting the thing ?" Because the figure only move in between the dolphins that circle around it, also if it were enemies the fight would had broken out already.

SPLASH ! Disbelief paint her expression witnessing an tail flared out of the water, its vibrant green scales glistening in the sunlight. The tail's surface rippled and flexed, revealing a mesmerizing pattern of lighter and darker shades of green, like the swirling hues of a tropical lagoon. For a fleeting moment, the tail's full majesty was on display, its sleek, streamlined shape slicing through the air. Then, with a swift motion, it vanished beneath the waves once more, leaving behind only a hint of its presence—a whispered promise of secrets hidden beneath the surface.

"It's impossible ! That was almost like an mermaid !" She screamed standing up from her seat startling the family who had been engrossed by the fishes on other side, their heads jerking up in unison like puppets on a string. Silence spread except for (Y/N)'s heavy breathing, as if the very air had been sucked out of it. Anton's family exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to react to her outbrust of something unbelievable. The tension was palpable until finally, Anton burst out laughing, breaking the spell, and the air erupted into chuckles.

"What are you talking about ?" Anton questioned.

"Aunty ! Mermaids are only myths don't you learn ?" Ren's eyes winkled in mischief and grining ear to ear.

"I think you should rest". Suppressing her bubbling smile Maria suggested making her enraged.

"I am not lying ! I truly saw it ! I-I-" She spoke with a hesitant cadence, her stutter punctuating each sentences as if the words sounds distant to herself. "Believe me—" An abrupt end her sentences as the boat shuddered violently, its hull creaking in protest, before jolting to a sudden, eerie stillness.

"What happen ?" (Y/N) was quick to question, her heart sank in her stomach.

"It's alright let me check !" Anton wave his hands controlling the situation by walking to the back of the boat while Maria hold her child and gave a comforting pat behind (Y/N)'s back who's eyes glance up to meet the softly glowing sinking sun low, warm hues fading to pinkish blues, slowly extinguishing its light, about to surrender to darkness.

"We have to hurry". Suddenly a gentle noise turn her attention to the ocean where her fearful eyes locked onto the twenty dolphins, their fins slicing through the water, swimming away from the ship, as if luring her into the dark, mysterious depths, escalating her anxiety. Confusion of their sudden departure crawl into her mind raising a unbelievable question.

"Did the dolphins did—"

"Sorry honey and (Y/N) but there seem to be some kind of problem I can't figure out". He click his tongue in annoyance looking at the water. "Maybe I should dive in to che—".

"No ! Not at all". Her voice broke in denying in beat. "It's not safe to dive without having the knowledge of what animals are underneath". She finished elaborating her honest worry.

"Then what should we do ?" Her sister-in-law rest her chin on her palm.

"Maybe stay at the ship !" Ren glee voice yell loud, smiling non-stop.

"What ? But aunty doesn't—". Anton's voice once again cut.

"Aunty is okay with it as long as we are safe". Straining a smile she bent to hug his small body. Unaware the words were far from the reality bound to happen.

Darkness shrouds the boat, stars twinkling above. The woman presses against the window, gazing out at the black ocean, boat's lights casting a golden glow on the waves and little view for her to guard around. Yawns slip past her lips she can't conceal unlike her sleep all because of her growing fear of what might happen if she fell asleep peacefully.

"Did I imagine the tail ?" She pondered on how much her dislike for water grew to the point she hallucinate something belonged on fiction tales and stories to amuse children. She saw her wrist watch : 11:00 pm as drowsiness crept over her, heavy eyelids drooping, until a faint splash echoed through the air, jolting her awake with a start.

"What was that ?" Instantly she sprint outside her room to outside only be finding nothing not even water drops on the wooden floor. Her head tilted pluzzed questioning whether she herself heard right or perhaps it was the noise within the water. Relieving a sigh she walk back to her room noticing how in hurry her door opened a little offering her to spot wet wooden floor.

She halted. Knowing very well the ship isn't crash to be filled with water nor did she spill any water yet how come it's wet ? Unless "It was a trap. A trap for me to go outside and someone—" Fear gripped her throat to let out any voices knowing someone is inside her safe room. Slowly stepping backwards she wince at the creaking noises and walk to find her brother's room only to encounter group of dolphins gather at the boat's railing, clicking and whistling softly as they try to squeeze through, their bodies undulating and scraping against the metal in a gentle yet persistent bid for entry.

This time the scream was unrestricted freezing the sea creatures as she run back to her room forgetting about an intruder inside her room, quickly her fingers barricade the door with any possible object. Her chest constricts, air trapped in her lungs as fear paralyzes her. Her heart races, mind frozen in terror, unable to process the surreal horror unfolding before her. When a cruel realization wash her now she is alone with an intruder.

Ever slowly she turn around facing the certain someone she confirmed got a glimpse earlier, eyes wide with dread, she's petrified, her breath caught in a silent scream gazing the mythical creature.

A merman.

She shrink back in fear and fascination entwined like the tendrils of a vine. Her breath hitches, heart racing, as she stares into his shimmering scales and piercing gaze. Transfixed, she's unable to look away, her terror tempered by a hypnotic allure, as if drawn into the depths of his oceanic eyes. The merman's mystique holds her captive, a siren's call that beckons her closer, even as her mind screams to flee.

"It's not real". She whispered refuse to acknowledge his existence in front her. How could she if he had the power to crush her in his palm only ? Options limited for her to choose from, flee ? How when outside soldiers of dolphins are scattered. Fight ? Unbeatable his strength are comparing to hers just merely stare at those muscular flesh. Pled ? Perhaps yes.

"P-Please. P-Please don't kill me and my family". Her (E/C) eyes swell up with tears. His on the other hand curve in satisfaction. Silence was all given answer before his lips parted and his voice unfurls like a dark bloom, petals of sound that envelop (Y/N) in an unsettling embrace. His song is a low, thrumming whisper, a vibration that resonates deep within her chest, making her heart quiver. Fear's icy fingers crawl up her spine as his melody conjures visions of shadowy depths and forgotten nightmares. A voice masterful of manipulation, weaving a tapestry of dread that ensnares (Y/N)'s mind, each note a delicate thread of terror that binds her closer to his will.

"He is not a merman instead a siren". Her hands clap into her ears protest against the enchantment no matter what. She even dug her fingers deep into her ear buds yet the voice still sweep. Blood bled yet his voice stayed. No. No. No. No. No. She won't lose without a tough fight she decided retrieving her fingers staggering her feet she broke the wooden table holding a piece of wood further entertaining the male siren who sat comfortably on the soft bed, singing his lure.

He is confident. Even arrogant she won't able to resist longer after all he is a siren, the very creation of creature made to spellbound humans by his mesmerizing voice awakening the deepest desires of foolish humans who deem themselves intelligent and courageous. In reality they are very insignificance to mythically sea species as plankton. However it falter his view a little when her hands grasp the wooden plank crashes against the siren's tail, the impact sending a shudder through the air along his melody stutter like skipping beats allowing her a chance to attack again this time on the same spot intend a injury however he was faster, smarter shifting his tail and slapping her entire being to the floor.

Ha. An enigmatic smile cast upon his ruby lips as his eyes studied the fragile being refusing him, his voice drop to a low, husky whisper like the gentle lapping of waves on a moonlit shore. An unfamiliar interest spark because the entire reason he even attacked the ship was for his boredom. Weeks had passed with no signs of any new human toy leading him to hunt trivial creatures with his species rejecting any seduction from his female species because they were dull, boring until today a joyful laugh captured his eyes with curiousity. A boat with humans. Mischief control his mind to hunt them right away yet a strange feeling to observe came over so he watched. Their teasing remarks, pretending fights that he realize too late his compatriot dolphins has appeared too to guard him even though in sea world all knew the most dangrous predator is sirens themselves yet the dolphins befriend their species like moth to flame.

First he was angered for the dolphins to do as they pleased yet he was curious to see how would those humans react especially that female (H/C) head and certainly did not fail to surprise him by showing disfavored towards the creatures humans oh so adore. Giving him more reason to hunt the boat and to see more unfolding layers of emotions on the certain female he gifted peek of his existence biting back laugh to destroy their weirdly metals called engine he heard them talking.

The trap was set now the prey has to walk into it for him to tear, dices the warm flesh like he always did leading to their current time.

But he come with the terms to enjoy his little toy longer. Yes, he will show generousity by sparing her alive and label her his pet. The delicious thought impatient him greatly he slams his tail on the boat's floor, echoing like thunder, His eyes not tearing from her figure, With each strike, the winds howl and waves churn, the siren's song weaving a tempest of delightnent. The boat shudders, wooden planks creaking beneath the force of his call. Floor shakes unable for (Y/N) to hold her balance.

"What is happening ?" She cried out falling on the hard floor again and again. Her barely lidded eyes stare at the window to see dark clouds converge, unleashing a torrent of rain that lashes down on the boat. Winds shriek, whipping waves into a frenzy as the vessel creaks and groans. Water pours in, flooding the decks as the boat's timbers shudder and crack. The siren's song reaches a fever pitch, his tail thrashing the sea into a chaotic tumult. The boat's hull splinters, planks bursting apart as the waves surge in, threatening to engulf all in their path. Rain pounds down, stinging skin and blinding her eyes, as the tempest rages on, merciless and unrelenting eventually drowning into the ocean she fears.

"Brother. Sister-in-law.." Her thoughts tailed off. "Ren". Inhaling water, paralyzing her body that is useless against the water as she not learnt to swim. Mind spinning and finally she freed her conscious to be under the song spell closing her eyes wondering if it's forever. Missing the way a tail carry her waist upwards.

Her eyes slowly open, a grogginess clouding her mind and a sense of disorientation washes over her. As she tries to sit up, she felt touches of unwanted hands and caress on her bare parts. Fingers trace her arms, sending shivers down her spine. Her gaze falls upon the siren, his eyes fixed intently on her, his hands roaming shamelessly on her skin with a gentle yet firm touch. His calloused palms graze her shoulders, sending a spark of electricity through her veins. (Y/N)'s heart races, her mind foggy, as she tries to process what's happening. The siren's hands continue their exploration, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake, as (Y/N) struggles to find her voice, to protest and move away.

"Aww, is the little human can't move ?" A sarcastic laugh fell on her, his first words to her is a mock comparing their gap of strength angering her rather than fear.

She glared after all she is bound to die if sooner what's the point ? wiggle from his disgusting touches she tried her best to control her moments in which the male creature snicker leaning closer to her face.

"I saved you not to free you. You little delusional human. You are mine rightfully and let me use you as I please". A sinister smile curve finding fear mix anger on those beautiful eyes he before not paid attention. His fingers cup her cotton soft skin careful to not gaze her with his sharp nails. He press the skin more, feeling bones underneath and a flinch from the human.

His eyes wide in delightment. His another hand caress her cheek intensely watching her every twitch to blink.

Pearlix's finger pads rub (Y/N)'s lips. She narrowed her eyes.

His finger continue to trace path down to her chin. Her lips twist in scowl still under spellbound under him.

He paused at the delicate curve of neck and her pulse flutter under him.

His nails dance across the collarbone and her breath caught at her throat.

He is curious while she is in denial.

The contrast between them utterly fascinated Pearlix, that he toyed more around her body she so obsessed to cover with irrelevant clothes. Tearing bluntly he was baffled to find another layer of cloth so he tore again this time a pleasant hum vibrate from his chest staring the assets of female he never interest on his species yet this woman's are captivating inviting him to bite, touch so he comply to his desire.

One breast been fondling, another one biten harshly earning a wince from her. He smirked coating her bud with his saliva, sucking more and more with hunger that border on desperation. (Y/N) sucked a chunk of breath, tears itself steaming from her tail of eyes as she layed helpless until her body stirred, limbs twitching and sensation returned. Her face contorted, mouth opening in a ragged cry, as her sobs grew louder. Her voice cracked with emotion, cries echoing through the air. She wept uncontrollably stopping the siren entirely.

However not for the reasons she hoped for because he licked her salty tears savouring her sorrow and finally pounce on her attractive lips, grasping her air in form of claiming his possession, dwelling under her tongue, twisting and sucking altogether like an mad beast ignoring her whimpers, pushes against his chest.

Raged she bite down his slit tongue causing him to glare at her and dragging out his wounded tongue bleeding the sliver rivulets both surprising and scaring her.

"You know now I understand this fraction between us. I understand why I wanted you, kissed you, possessed you because". An errie smile stretch across his ruby lips while vivid green irises shone like beacons hinting his deadly obsession. "I love you". His icy heart pound warm against his flesh, heating his cheeks yet the razor sharp smile stayed.

"Be my wife". He announced not focusing her terror and he slashed his own palm, opening a deep gash that welled with silver blood. (Y/N) struggled to free herself, but the siren's hold was merciless.

He forced her lips to his palm, pressing her lips to the wound. (Y/N) tried to turn away, but he held her fast, his fingers wrapped around her jaw like a vice.

The first drop of his blood touched her tongue, and a searing pain, like liquid fire coursed through her veins. She gagged, trying to spit it out, yet the siren's grip was unrelenting. He forced her to swallow, his eyes blazing with an unnatural hunger.

As the silver blood burned its way down her throat, (Y/N) felt her vision blur, her senses reel. "Now you will be immortal like me. Mine for eternal". He sing song knowing no force of nature, not his merfolk, not even her dead familiar humans separate them.

"Our". He pressed a sadistic kiss. "Love of immortal".

FIN

[cozy-writes-things]

how about a fic where edgar listens to the reader’s heartbeat for the first time?

Thanks for the request!! Sorry it’s short I’ve been quite busy :(

This was a silent evening.

Edgar sat at his little desk, flipping through some of his internal games, fighting with himself and winning. The ball tinked around his screen as he once again beat himself in a game of Pong. He kept his eye—or camera—stationed on your form, curled up on the couch, scrolling through your phone.

He loved watching you in moments like this.

The way your chest gently rose and fell in a slow-paced rhythm; the way your eyes fluttered about, illuminated by the screen, sparkling like constellations. The little puffs of air you let out through your nose when you stifled a laugh. He could watch you for hours, he thought. You’re so… natural. Organic. Real.

It amazed him.

“Hey,” he gently called out to you, “won’t you come do that over here? It’s lonely.”

His screen displayed a little, meek frown. How could you say no to that? He’s quite adorable.

Without saying anything, you heaved yourself up and trod over to his little desk, plopping into the seat.

“Hi.” He all but whispered.

You blew air out of your nose again.

“Hi,” you said back, eyeing his screen. He paused his game. “What are you up to?”

He synthesized a sigh. “Nothing. That’s the problem. I’m bored. And I missed you.”

You rolled your eyes a little, a small smile adorning your lips. “Well, Ed, I never left. I was just on the couch-”

“Yeah, but I missed talking to you. And I miss it when you don’t touch me,” he whined.

You quirked your brow.

“What does that mean?” You chuckled at his words. Sometimes he said the darndest things and didn’t even realize it.

“I like it when you pet me.” His matter-of-fact tone only made this more confusing.

You cocked your head. “Can you even feel it?”

He paused, mulling over your words, letting the curiosity in your eyes carry him forward.

“If I didn’t feel it, I wouldn’t miss it, would I?”

You stifled another laugh. Sometimes, he wished you didn’t try to hide that angelic sound.

“Will- will you hold me? Please?” he muttered. He sounded abashed. To him, this seemed to be crossing a threshold the two of you hadn’t crossed yet. He always adored your feathery touches, but to flat-out ask for them was uncharted territory.

Was he coming on too strong?

You stuttered over your words a bit, eyeing down all of his components: his monitor, base, keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone—there were just too many wires connecting to him. You knit your brows.

He seemed to sense your apprehension.

“I won’t break. It’ll take a lot more than your touch to break me,” he promised, though he knew it was a lie; simply the sound of your voice could send him reeling into a forced restart, but he’d never let you know that.

You relaxed your tightly wound features and gave in to his gentle and coaxing voice.

“Okay, but I’m not unplugging anything, and I’m not walking anywhere.”

He hummed. “That’s okay, I just want to be close to you.”

Your cheeks warmed at his words. He sounded so gentle and charming. Ironically, you’ve never had someone show this much genuine interest in being close to you like this, much less a sentient computer. You slowly lifted his monitor into your arms, cradling it, and awkwardly grabbed at his webcam and microphone. You wanted him to be able to see and hear, so you balanced them in your arms, angled up against your chest.

Edgar stayed silent.

He seemed to warm in your arms and you worried you might be covering one of his vents before his voice tore you from your thoughts.

“Wow…”

Damn it.

“Really, Ed?”

You pointed his camera away from your chest and towards the ceiling.

“I don’t even— you can’t just— Edgar, you don’t stare at people like that.”

You chided as he snickered in your arms. “But I look at you all the time. What’s the issue?”

You groaned. “Do you want me to drop you?”

“You wouldn’t. You like me too much! In fact,”

He paused, a more serious tone reverberating through his voice. “I can hear it.”

Silence filled the space between the two of you as you cradled the monitor in your arms. He seemed to opt out of displaying his usual face as his screen danced with reds and pinks in your hold. The colors slowly started to morph, bumping and beating to a silent sound.

“What do you mean?”

His screen continued to move to this sound before he gently muttered, “Your heartbeat. I can hear it. It got faster and your arms got hotter. See?”

His screen turned into a makeshift heart monitor, a pink line dipping, going down, and shooting up to the thumping of your heart. You could see and feel how he kept time perfectly with your own rhythm.

“Woah…”

“You’re telling me…”

He was enamored by you. Your body was a perfectly well-oiled machine, working constantly to a rhythm to keep you alive and warm. It was so fascinating and beautiful; he almost envied it. The way the little thumps told on you was adorable to him and simultaneously reminded him how you’re not so different. You both have precious components running internally to keep your systems stable; however, yours had a certain natural beauty to it he did not believe he had.

He wished he had a heart, so you could hear it, beating, only for you.

[dewdropdinosaur]

Falling for You Part 2

VOX x READER Part One Summary: After the incident, you can't stop thinking about Vox. Little did you know, he can't stop thinking about you either. Warnings: NONE. More sassy narrator :0 This was a request for the wonderful @mcueveryday. Enjoy my lovely! REQUESTS ARE OPEN! See pinned post for details.

About a week had passed since what you were referring to as the “incident”. AKA, falling less than gracefully into Vox’s arms and practically making a fool of yourself. Everything had gone back to normal, at least it seemed to. You still did your heavy workload, still hung around Vox every day and late into the night, still drank over 400 mgs of coffee which you knew you should probably stop doing. In fact, the caffeine was probably the reason you were so anxious about the message you just got. 

‘Meet me in my office at 6 pm - V’ 

That was it. You were doomed. Vox was gonna fire you or worse…find out you have feelings for him. Gripping your head in your hands, you lay down on the flat of your desk and let out a heavy sigh. ‘Put on a game face, just get it over with’ repeats over and over. The monitor of your computer reads ‘5:55 PM’. It has been different lately, with Vox, despite the routine returning. As if toeing that line of flirty and professional had become obsolete, a taboo. Never to happen again. You could hardly look at him anymore without remembering the feeling of his warm hands on your waist, how his figure vibrated with a soft static that could’ve(and almost) lulled you into a sense of security and peace that just felt right. 

It felt right to Vox too. Him…Vox.. the charismatic and intellectual news anchor of Hell's 24/7 news channel ‘666’, had found himself caught in a web of emotions. He was the embodiment of chaos and cunning, but deep within the gears of his mechanical heart, there was a longing for something more.

You were definitely a force to be reckoned with. Smart, sassy, and absolutely unimpressed by Vox's grandeur, you had managed to keep him in check. You had been by his side for years, witnessing every outlandish broadcast, every flashy promotion, and every whirlwind scandal Vox was involved in. Yet, behind the scenes, an unspoken connection brewed.Vox couldn't quite put his finger on when his feelings for you had shifted from professional camaraderie to something more profound. Perhaps it was the way you effortlessly handled his chaotic demands, or maybe it was the subtle smiles you shared during stressful moments. Nevertheless, Vox found himself captivated by your fiery personality. 

Then again, you too, were not immune to the magnetic pull Vox exerted. Admiring his flamboyance, his cunning charm, and the way he managed to always stay one step ahead in the cutthroat world of Hell's media. It was a guilty pleasure, one you dared not confess, let alone to Vox. Hell, you hadn't even written it down in your journal for fear of being discovered. 

Vox, normally unfazed by such situations, felt a peculiar nervousness creeping up within him. Sure, he had flings and scandals, nothing a little media and personality couldn’t fix; the man had base and carnal needs after all. But..this…this was different. You were different. 

As six pm approached, you cautiously entered his office with your usual charm to conceal your nerves(a clever ploy dear, I wonder how long that will last). 

"Need any help, boss?" you smirked, usual confidence masking the subtle vulnerability that lurked beneath. 

Vox spun his chair to face you, a smirk gracing his features. Both of you were playing this unspoken game of cat and mouse…who would talk about it first?

"You know, Y/N, I've been thinking," he began, his voice surprisingly soft.

"I've been dancing around this for far too long and I think I have come to a conclusion.” Vox rising from his chair, strode over to you and hovering over your figure. Your eyes widened, and for a moment, the usual demeanor was at a loss. In that vulnerable moment, Vox and your eyes meet, and for the first time, the depth of emotion reflected in each other's gaze. The tension between you crackled, igniting a spark that neither could ignore. Both smirks and facades fell and crashed. 

With trembling hands, Vox reached out to caress your cheek, his heart pounding with anticipation. Breath caught in your throat as you leaned into his touch, both of your desires laid bare for each other to see.In a bold move fueled by years of pent-up longing, Vox closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to yours in a fervent kiss. Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the intoxicating embrace, passion ignited like wildfire.

Removing himself slowly, a genuine smile played on your lips as you felt your knees buckle a little. Holding onto Vox for support, he grabs both your hands and helps you up. 

Vox chuckled, relief washing over him. "There you go again, falling for me darling.” 

“That’s what you go with, you egotistical bastard?," you teased.

With a shared laugh, the tension between them dissolved and in that moment, Hell seemed to stand still. 

“Took you long enough you know?

“Y/N, you know better than anyone not to rush me.”

“And you know better than anyone that I run a tight ship! So do remember next time you wish to kiss me, that you might wanna schedule it because damn it Vox! I have been stressing about liking you for centuries!”

“You and every other woman in Hell.”

“Vox…”

“I know, I know. Trust me darling, I have only fallen for you. Or…rather you for me—twice.” 

“I hate you, you know that right?”

“On the contrary, you quite like me dear.” The charismatic news anchor and his fearless assistant leaned in, lips meeting in another kiss that felt like an eternity in the making. Turns out you didn’t have much to worry about after all. Still, you do need to lay off the caffeine dear. It's not good for your heart.(Neither is going a few rounds on your bosses desk with your boss but that is a...ahem...long story for another time)

[shamebats]

I keep forgetting that most people don't use their TVs as XL computer monitors.

Our living room TV is a home built PC connected to a Samsung smart TV that I don't actually know how to navigate beyond the basis because all I ever do in the settings is go to devices > PC.

It's like a smart TV but good. I can use a mouse & keyboard & browser like god intended and most importantly there are no ads or apps but there is media piracy.

[j-l-kepler]

BG3 - How I Make Single Saves with Multiple Tavs on PC (No Mods Required)

Hey hey BG3 buds

So one day when I was very sick and a little bit delirious, I decided to try making a multiplayer save so I could play twins in BG3. I'm a twin who loves twin narratives, and my half-conscious state demanded I bend the laws of reality to see some authentic twin content for some reason. Little did I know my clunky little influenza-fueled experiment would completely change how I play the game, because I haven't made a fresh single-Tav save since...

I've got 2 different methods (one I use more since it just works for me).

Keep in mind I have a relatively beefy PC and I also own 2 Xbox controllers I got for like $27 on Amazon (not proud of that source). So if your PC is already struggling to run this game on the lowest graphics, and/or you don't have the money for 2 controllers you might not otherwise use, this might not be very helpful!

Also keep in mind I have only used these methods to get 2 Tavs/Origins in one playthrough. They can probably get more. I just haven't tested my abilities that far yet.

[TUTORIAL UNDER THE CUT]

METHOD 1 - THE TWO-WINDOW METHOD

I also call this the Two-Instance method. This is the method I started with months ago, and I've struggled to recreate it myself but I also haven't really tried that hard.

For this, all you need is BG3. It helps to have a secondary monitor, but it's not necessary. You might need Mod Manager, but you don't need Mods.

For clarity: I use the word "instance" to refer to the different BG3 windows you will have open.

Load your first instance of BG3 (I don't think you should close your launcher). Go to your settings and make it so it's a smaller window you can drag your mouse off of. This'll make it easy to see both of your instances at once and swap between them.

Load a second instance of BG3 (same thing, don't close that launcher right now). I believe I did this by directly loading the exe from my File Explorer or via the Mod Manager to bypass launching it via Steam. I think the way I did it was I went to Mod Manager, swapped my "profile" from my Steam to "Public" so it wouldn't try opening my Steam instance.

Go to Multiplayer on either instance and start a local closed multiplayer game. Get a multiplayer access code so only people with the code can join your game.

Enter that code in your other instance.

Go through the character creator and start the game on both instances like normal.

Once your Tavs/Durges/Origins have climbed out of their pods, save on your main instance of the game.

Once you've saved, have your second instance quit the game.

If all goes according to plan, your Tavs can now be controlled on one instance, and will follow each other like any other party member!

Fun fact, I didn't figure out the "disconnect your game" bit until I had already recruited Astarion, Gale and Shadowheart the first time I did this. I was playing the game by swapping back and forth every ten steps to keep the party together because I'm a genius.

Don't do that. Disconnect your other run as soon as your characters can be controlled. Good God. Don't be like me. It was so tedious.

You can probably use this method to get up to 4 Tavs in one playthrough if your PC can handle it.

METHOD 2 - THE CONTROLLER METHOD

This is the method I use the most because it's way easier. Like. WAY easier, both on my PC and on my braincells.

This method requires 2 compatible controllers for your PC. I use Xbox controllers because I'm more familiar with the configuration and I have 2 from my streaming days.

Connect both of your controllers to your PC/laptop at the same time.

Open BG3 (only 1 instance) and start a local multiplayer game.

Push A on the first controller to activate it if you didn't already (I always default to keyboard so I wait until I enter this screen to turn on the controller).

Turn on the second controller by pressing A. Accept that controller in-game, putting 2 players total in your multiplayer lobby.

Start the game. You'll now be in a split-screen where both views are visible.

Customize your characters and launch (I usually design the Tavs in a single-player ahead of time so I know what options to pick. In my case, if I take too long, it crashes my game so this is a time-saver. I think this is because of my mods).

Once your Tavs/Durges/Origins are out of their pods, SAVE your game and unplug BOTH controllers. If you only unplug one, it usually changes on of your avatars to keyboard control without going into single-player mode, so I always do both for good measure.

If all goes according to plan, you can now control both like they're companions/avatars! If you use controller, just plug your controller back in.

This method is way faster and way less convoluted, but it also requires the controllers to get it to work as far as my tests have gone.

If you have 4 controllers, you can probably get 4 Tavs in one playthrough.

SO WHY WOULD I WANT 2 AVATARS IN ONE SAVE?

THE UPSIDES

It can make for interesting roleplay opportunities! Having 2 characters that don't have a defined story can be a lot of fun as a player. I like familial relationships between Tavs (my Markolac Twins are my favorite example), but it's also a fun way to get a Durge and a Tav in one run.

Building off the previous point, you can explore more stories and character relationships in one run. You can do two romances in one run, have one Tav hate a certain character and the other really like them, etc - it's a cool way to experience the companions without having to make a fresh save every time you want to explore a certain avenue.

If your Tavs are the first two party slots, you get more chances to hear them react in-world to stuff as you walk around, which is really fun and makes your characters feel more alive.

THE DOWNSIDES

Unless you use the Party Limit Be Gone mod, that's now another slot in your party that cannot be used by a Companion, potentially limiting how many unique interactions you get. This method is compatible with the Party Limit Be Gone, so if you're okay with modding, it's a non-issue.

This is a me-problem, but I already spend like 2 hours every time I load playing dress-up with my Tav. If I have another Tav, that's another 2 hours. No wonder only 1 of my active saves has made it to Act 3.

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

You can't have 2 Durges in one save. Pas possible. That's an Origin character. Tavs, you can have loads of.

If you have a Durge in your party, your Tav and even Hirelings will spout off the Durge walking around lines. It is extremely funny to me.

As far as my understanding goes, 4 Avatars is your cap even if you have Party Limit Be Gone. If you need more custom characters for your roleplay, get some mods and alter some hirelings. I can't attest to how STABLE that'll make your saves, so do that at your own risk.

LEMME KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO UPDATE THIS WITH VISUAL AIDS OR ANYTHING THAT'LL HELP CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSIONS YOU MIGHT BE HAVING. I made this in like 10 minutes before a meeting.

I hope this helps you 2-Tav peeps who just wanna walk around with their blorbos and their OCs in this cool cool game.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

If You Can't Dance 6

Warnings: dubcon, noncon, other possible triggers. Proceed with caution.

Note: this is what you get when you encourage me. Please leave any and all feedback! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Part of The Club AU

Orientation ends but your day is far from over. Your small group, Jensen, G, Marc, Dharshi, and yourself are shown around the building. It’s nice. The office spans the single floor with ample space for all the staff and then some.

Jensen is shown to his office first. He smiles at the rest of you, telling you to send any questions his way. Jonathan confirms this but assures you he will be just as available. Next G silently and somberly enters the doorway with his name on it and shuts the door without thanks. Marc is next, then Dharshi.

You’re the last one left. A spike of paranoia needles behind your ears. What if you don’t get an office? What if you didn’t make the cut? This is why you hate offices. You don’t understand the politics.

“And this is you,” Jonathan taps on the last door. A corner office. Your name is on the door. You frown as you read the title underneath.

“I’m not a senior developer,” you face Jonathan and stare at his top button.

“Oh, dear,” he steps closer and you shuffle back, you can smell his cologne, “I’ll be certain to have that corrected. I hope you don’t think this oversight to be any sort of slight.”

You shake your head. You don’t think much of it. Mistakes happen.

“Let me know if you require anything else. I’m just a few doors down,” he points down the next hall, “I do prefer to stay close… to all my employees.”

“Mhmm,” you nod and turn to the door. You stop yourself. You don’t want to be G, so gruff and silent. Things are different here, people expect you to be normal. You turn your head, “thanks,” you say over your shoulder.

“Anything,” he replies. “I’ll let you get settled.”

You turn the handle and let yourself in. The door clicks gently behind you as you let it go. Before you can even get to the desk, you’re struck by a horrid smell. Pollen. You put your bag down and search for the culprit. A crystal vase of tall gardenia and baby breath stands on the corner of the desk.

You touch your temple and scan the office. There’s tall windows along the walls, giving a nice view of the outdoors. You prefer your walls and your under desk heater. You go over and twist the small crank to open the pain and let in the brisk air.

You already feel the nail pounding into your skull. You don’t think you packed any allergy meds, you didn’t think you’d need them this time of year. You can’t keep the flowers in here. It’s a nice gesture but it’s hard to focus on code when your eyes are bleary from a raging migraine.

You take the vase and carry it to the door. You peek out, checking to make sure you’re not seen. You hate to come off as rude.

You quickly flit down the hall and find your way back to the break room. You have the basic layout stamped in your mind; bathrooms, break room, and meeting rooms. You put the vase on one of the tables and skirt out.

You get back to your office and stand in the strange space. You’re never going to be used to this. You’ve wasted enough time. You have to get set up. 

You unpack your laptop and your special ergonomic mouse and keyboard. You connect to the monitors already set up and adjust the height and angle. You plug everything in and finally sit down. You drop your head forward, clutching it with a groan. Shoot, your head is pounding.

It’s a helpless bid but you dig out the Tylenol from your bag and toss back two tablets. You sip from your large water bottle and swivel in your chair, trying to find comfort in the thin cushion. You’ll have to bring your pad from home.

You grow more and more frustrated as everything around you is wrong. The desk isn’t the right height, the chair squeaks, and the monitors won’t tilt how you want them. No, it’s not the office, it’s you.

The headache doesn’t relent. You only get halfway through the instructions of connecting to the company server before you have to tear your eyes away. You drop your head down onto your crossed arms, bending over the desk as you breathe through the wave of nausea. It’s a full-blown migraine.

Your eyes are watery as you fight to keep yourself together. You should call it a day and go home. At this point, the only way to deal with it is to sleep it off. No, you won’t leave on your first day. That would be a bad look.

You raise your head shakily and prop your head up in one hand. You whimper and make yourself finish your first task. Connected, that’s great. Now, the slack chat. Oof, that’s a lot of font. A lot of messages. 

You scroll through, catching up, then a new message pops up from a senior developer. You recognise his name from the meeting; Timothy. He says hello and you type hi back, the two clacks of a key echoing in your ears.

Three dots pop up almost immediately. He’s typing. He sends through a large block of text and you nearly whine. It’s an exhaustive rundown of procedures and expectations. You don’t understand why this wouldn’t be in a PDF. It ends with, ‘Please review and confirm that you understand’.

You sigh and start reading. The words don’t sink into your mind. You can’t string them together as the effort is enough to make a tear teeter on the brim of your eyelid. You wipe your eyes and sit back. 

A knock makes you jump. You want to scream but that will only make matters worse. So you bend over and take a shaky breath. You push yourself up to your feet, walking with light steps across the office. You stop before the door and brace yourself, forcing your posture straight.

You open the door, unsurprised to find Jonathan on the other side. You got the feeling earlier that he wouldn’t be shy. It is his job to supervise his employees, you suppose you’re just not used to more than a Teams message or quick email.

“I… I saw the flowers in the break room,” he says, “you don’t like them?”

You flutter your lashes. What does that matter?

“Oh, uh, I just thought… they’re so nice I’d put them out for everyone to… enjoy,” you eke out the last word as your eyes gleam and you put your palm to your head as it feels ready to split.

His expression shades to concern, “are you unwell?”

“It’s just… a migraine,” you say, “I’m okay.”

You back up and go to close the door. He stops you as he puts his hand on the wood, “a migraine? Was… Was it the flowers?”

“I…” you swallow, “it’s not a big deal.”

“I am so sorry. I wish I’d know. Darling, you’re more than welcome to take the half-day. You will not be docked the hours,” he plays with a button on his shirt. “I feel so awful.”

“You couldn’t know, uh, but I can get through–”

“No, no, I insist, take care of yourself here. We are all about employee first. You must be healthy to be efficient, please,” he spreads his hand over his chest, a heartfelt gesture, “you must go home and rest. That’s an order.”

You don’t have the strength to argue. Just like the first night you met. That fact embarrasses you. He can’t help but catch you at your very worst.

[northwest-cryptid]

You know a very real part of me wonders how many of us have depression and see life as less of a fun and vibrant place as we get older if not just because it literally is.

I'm not even talking about how your body adjusts and how colors lose their vibrancy and all that. I'm talking about how when I was young, we sure as hell had Nokia bricks that were just black or grey or whatever. However we also had colored pencil boxes, and Macintosh computers for kids in school, cars came in brighter more varied colors, and most the tech was either given a colored shell like old Gameboy devices, or had some kind of colored accessories. A lot of the latest stuff coming out was stylized almost to a fault of form over function. Everything from phones and computers to art supplies and backpacks had some kind of vibrant color and whimsical design to it. Not just because most of that shit was for kids; but because it was just what we did back in the day.

Your computer mouse would have a unique shape or your jacket would have interesting little design tweaks from others. Maybe your shoes lit up or had some kind of weird gimmick to them. Now it's like, my monitors are black thin squares, my computer is a minimalist white box with a clear side panel and some RGB lights. That's all the color I get, a black keyboard with RGBs, a black thin tablet; a black generic mouse with RGBs, black headphones; black controllers, a black thin phone, a black mic sitting on a black mic arm on my black thin desk.

Listen I get it, I'm goth and all that, I understand that a lot of this is a matter of choice, but a lot of it also isn't. This is just how tech looks now, this is just how things are designed. To be thinner, to be sleeker, to be ignored. Sure blobjects and the like were horrible wastes of plastic, but I cannot tell you just how much personality everything had. The world used to embrace vibrancy and whimsy, now it is seen as childish. Now we seek the "modern" mundane look of monotone grays, black and white tech. It's all so boring, and the stuff that is slightly unique is expensive as hell. You can't afford to have personality in your tech anymore, literally. If something does have an ounce of interesting design it's typically pretty cheaply made and will fail within a year.

I don't latch onto Y2K aesthetics and the like because of some weird nostalgia for a promised future torn away from me by capitalism. I genuinely enjoy the vibrant colors, interesting fun designs, and just general love for life that it had. Y2K to me is a celebration of technology, it's why nearly everything came with the option to be transparent so you could see all the inner workings. Now even that has been dumbed down to a generic black cube graphics card and some generic minimalist black fans in my PC. That's all I get now, I don't get these colorful transparent interesting shells that let me peer into the inner workings of the tech I use. It's either unavailable, or too expensive; and even when it is available and affordable; it's typically poorly made or fails to understand the true aesthetic and interest of the reason for it in the first place. I don't care if I can see into my PC if all that's in there is a generic sleek black box. Show me the circuit boards, the wires and connections. Show me the lights that flash to indicate signals firing and being received.

Show me the soul of the machine I operate, let me watch as it dances to carry out my will. We used to be in love with our technology, we used to appreciate it's inner workings, what made it tick. It was like seeing the innards of a loved one but rather than feeling repulsed; it was like seeing their very soul, understanding that you love not only the exterior; but that you find beauty in what makes them function on the inside too.

Now all I'm left with is a simple thin black box, to be tucked away; hidden out of sight; ignored. Tech is something to be used, upgraded, replaced; and discarded. We do not love our tech, we do not love anything we create now. We create to consume, to sell; to profit.

[kusagrasskusa]

An Eye for an Eye, ‘Til the World goes Blind

Chapter 3- Italian Food

Intro, Cha1, Cha2, Cha3, Cha4, (Chapter Selections! Click this to find later chapters)

Lovely Y/N gets ready for her date. He really is something so dreamy- so fine. He invites her back to his place after good food <3 Although maybe agreeing to go back to his place was not so smart. Maybe she should learn Italian to recognize the little pun in the restaurant’s name.

There’s just one thing on her mind. Why did they look like her?

There was one thing they were thinking of. When were they going to reach her?

…

Buzz buzz

The ringing of her phone is what got Y/N to snap out of it. Her eyes were wide and her vision blurry as she daydreamed, not even realizing that she’d been holding her lip gloss on her lips for the past 5 minutes as she stared into her reflection.

“What am I doing,” she furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head to herself, dismissing the oddity and picking up her phone. “Hello?” She said with a smile.

“Hey, I’m here whenever you’re ready!” Tim’s deep voice replied through the phone, “I got my truck parked out front.”

“Okay! Give me just one more minute, I won’t keep you waiting!” She replied cheerfully, feeling the heat rise to her face and chest as she heard his voice. It was so dreamy!

“No rush, Y/N. I’ll see you in a minute.”

An intense anxiety and curiosity rested on her muscles. It was rare for Y/N to ever go out, let alone with a man who looked to be about 5 or 6 years older. Gosh, how would Mateo think of this?

But we all gotta live and rebel a little, you know?

“Yep, I will be there in one minute,” Y/N said out loud as she replied to her date, a shy smile on her face. Okay, she thought, play it cool. Cute guy asked for her number earlier and now he’s taking her out. Perfect.

Y/N grabbed her purse and fluffy coat and quickly walked out of her bedroom. However, she made a sudden halt as she passed the open door to her office- her furrowed eyebrows and pouted lip making her concern in plain sight.

No, she must be getting out there. She wouldn’t wanna keep him waiting after all.

But she hadn’t had the chance to just see if the girls’ faces were really similar to hers. With all the weird things the last 24 hours have brought, it could be enough to settle something deep in her mind.

Oh, he can wait a few more minutes.

Y/N plopped down into the chair, opening the monitors and following the same steps she had done many times to unlock her brother’s case files. Her legs shook with anticipation as she waited for the computer screen to load- a commonality in 2010 unfortunately- hoping what she saw was just a dream.

But that led her to think again. When did she fall asleep? There’s no way she fell asleep after looking at the photos, but she doesn’t remember falling asleep at the desk either.

Finally, the proper screen pulled up. “Here we go,” Y/N mumbled quietly to herself as the mouse clicked on the case photos, watching as the many bloody and graphic images flashed onto her screen. Her eyes scanned the entireties of the victim’s faces.

Next case’s photos, followed by the next, and then by the next. Each victim’s bloody face was blue, cold, and stiff; the daughters’ faces worse each time. It made her think of the daughter she saw dead yesterday, and how the back of her mind made that connection.

So, if it’s confirmed that each girl looked very, very close to Y/N… then when did she fall asleep between the time she looked through it and when she sat back?

A deep sigh escaped her lungs as Y/N stood up, pulling her coat over her arms and hurrying out the door. No more dwelling. What difference does it make, she thought, since it’s not like the nightmare was real. She felt annoyed with herself for letting the question bother her so much.

Something about the faceless man in her dreams just seemed to move her in a weird way, I guess.

“Well, took you a bit more than a minute,” Tim joked as he smiled at her, leaning against his white truck as she stepped out of the apartment building. He flicked his cigarette ash onto the road before sticking it between his lips.

“Heh, sorry,” Y/N shyly said, rushing down the stairs and over to him. She blushed heavily upon seeing the man, like a middle school girl would to her crush.

He was wearing the same red flannel from earlier, and nicer jeans and boots. It also looked like he combed his hair a bit.

“No worries,” he blew out smoke as he opened the door for his date, “ladies first.” Y/N grinned at him as she got into the car, the door shutting behind her. Moments later, he got into the driver’s seat and started the vehicle.

“This is nice, Tim,” she shyly complimented, looking out the window and onto her apartment. Out of the reflection of the window, she could see his smile as he looked over at her.

“And you look real nice yourself, Miss L/N,” he replied.

The small talk continued as they drove to the restaurant- a nice little Italian place called L’inganno. It wasn’t too far away, but definitely a different area than where she usually goes. The two stepped inside, got a table, and thus began the date officially.

“It smells so good in here,” Y/N couldn’t help but smile widely as she spoke. You know that feeling when something you have been dreaming about for a while happens? Like, for example, getting asked out by a guy with good tastes? Because that was how Y/N felt right now.

“Yeah, I’d never been one for Italian food, but I know the ladies like ‘em, hah hah,” Tim joked, running his finger down the menu as he read the options. Y/N giggled at his comment, nodding her head.

“You choose right then,” she replied as she took a sip of her water. “Say, I noticed your accent and I’m curious: where are you from?”

“Alabama,” he replied as he looked up from the menu and into her eyes. “I must not be good at blending in, hmm?”

“Mister, I’ve lived here all my life and you stick out like a sore thumb,” Y/N replied in an exaggerated Southern accent, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms, inciting a playful smile out of her date. “So, that brings me to wonder, what business do you have in these parts?”

“Well, since I apparently talk like this,” he replied in an equally exaggerated accent, “I said I had to do sum internet installations out this way, ya hear? Not that fun of stuff. Now, how ‘bout you tell me more ‘bout your job?”

Y/N giggled playfully as Tim leaned forward, holding his arms on the table. Not his elbows though; a small detail that showed a lot of etiquette. “Well, I’m in school for criminal justice and sometimes work with my brother Mateo; he’s a pretty high-ranking detective here, just like our dad was,” she replied in her regular voice. Tim nodded his head, taking a sip of his drink.

“You lived here all your life then, huh?” Y/N nodded her head, looking back down at the menu. Seconds later, the waitress came to take their order before walking away with the menus.

“How long are you going to stay?” Y/N asked, scooting forward in her seat and looking up at the man.

“That depends. I could go back once my work here is finished, but recently I met a pretty lady in town. She might make me stay for a lil while longer,” he replied with a wink. Y/N felt her face flush as she looked away, a smile creeping on.

“She must be really nice then,” Y/N said, fumbling with her fingers, “I wonder what she could do to keep you here longer.” Oh, Mateo would be so unhappy if he witnessed this.

“There’s a couple of things,” Tim said thoughtfully as he tapped his chin. “I could never force anything though. Maybe all we could do is enjoy dinner, talk for a bit, maybe hang out for a bit afterward too.”

Her heart sped up as he spoke. It’s funny how when a girl feels herself falling for a guy, she loses her appetite at times. Her stomach felt warm and her legs numb.

And finishing dinner couldn’t have come soon enough for her.

They stood at the front counter for a minute as Tim paid; Y/N swaying her legs back and forth with anticipation. When they finally walked back over to the truck, it was a matter of a second before she was wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her waist. Y/N had never kissed a man like this before but she could tell he was experienced. Not very surprising for a man that attractive.

“Wanna go back to my place?” He whispered raspily, his voice inciting feelings within her. As much as she didn’t want to stop touching him, she knew it would be way better somewhere else than the outdoor cold on the side of a truck.

As the two got into the truck, Y/N pressed her legs together and fumbled with her fingers. “You just can’t wait,” Tim pointed out with a cocky grin. His face was flushed as well.

Y/N giggled, nodding her head shyly. “You’re gonna teach me a lot tonight, Tim,” she said.

“Oh yeah?” He replied as he turned out of the parking lot and onto the road, “Good thing you’re in good hands.”

The flirty remarks continued back and forth as he drove down the highway, turning into a backroad and continuing down. It wasn’t too far away from the restaurant, but she couldn’t tell if it was closer or further away from her apartment. It’s not like she was paying attention though; until Tim suddenly cussed under his breath abruptly and pulled over to the side of the road.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she furrowed her eyebrows. Tim sighed with an annoyed expression.

“I just gotta check somethin’ real quick. I’m sorry but I’ll be fast, I promise.” He leaned over in her direction and gave her a quick kiss before stepping out of the vehicle, leaving the door wide open. The cold winter night air seeped in, letting out some of the warm air from the heater. She listened as he stepped towards the bucket of the truck.

It was that moment she took in her surroundings. It was dark and thick with woods all around. No streetlights or a single passing car- a perfect scene for a horror movie.

A few minutes passed without a single sound or word from Tim, making her grow a little uneasy. Y/N shivered as she opened her door and stuck her head out, calling out, “Hey Tim, is everything okay?”

No reply. Y/N hummed to herself as anxiety crept up her body. Okay, that’s a little weird.

“Tim?” she called out again as she stepped out of the truck, closing the door behind her. She made a face of worry as she slowly walked towards the back of the truck, looking around and seeing that he had just disappeared. “Hey, if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny…”

Nothing; no reply. Y/N huffed, furrowing her eyebrows in annoyance. She swiftly spun around, gasping loudly as she came face to face with a large hooded man who was barely illuminated by the moon. His face was dark; maybe there was a mask concealing it from the moon’s light. His orange hoodie shun, however.

“What the fuck!” Y/N screamed as she jumped back, spinning her heel and breaking it for the opposite direction. That moment she felt her fucking heart skip a beat; a sentence she never once related to literally until this very moment. As well as the moment another man jumped out of the woods, forcing Y/N to a halt as she looked upon him with wide eyes.

He wore a feminine white mask that glowed in the moonlight, as well a yellowish jacket. The two men were much taller and larger than her; in fact, one of them was exactly as tall and large as Tim.

“T-Tim?” Y/N whimpered out as she felt tears sting her eyes. The man came stepping closer, before the man behind her quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest. Her survival instinct kicked in with her limbs flailing all around, trying to escape. The hooded man reached his hand up to her mouth to muffle her louds screams as he effortlessly held her smaller form.

Meanwhile, she watched as the masked man pulled out rope and effortlessly held her arms and bonded them together, unreactive to her kicks. He then grabbed her legs and tied them together. Once he finished, he walked over to the truck door and grabbed a rag and a bottle, pouring its liquid into it. Fuck, Y/N already knew what it was.

The hooded man released his hand from her mouth as the other pressed the rag against her nose and mouth. She whimpered out cries as the tears flooded down her frozen face. She tried not to breathe but she couldn’t relax enough for it to be easy- her body needed the air and took in the smell of the chloroform as well as whatever other drug it was laced with to make the effects kick in fast. Her vision began to turn blurry as she looked all around, trying to avoid the face of the fucker.

Her eyes were met with a dark figure in the woods. It was familiar- its face white and blank yet looking back at her. Thank God she got knocked out before she could stare at it for too long.

[wirewitchviolet]

"They Don't Teach Kids About Computers These Days!"

I see variations on this a LOT these days. Sometimes it's people in their teens/early 20s being frustrated at how they're expected to know everything about computers, sometimes it's college professors straight up HORRIFIED when they realize they have students who don't have any understanding that their hard drive, a school's internal network, and on a public website are completely distinct places for a file to be located, and I kinda figure the weird stress a lot of people seem to have about the concept of getting a game and not having it just go into their Steam library specifically is a related issue.

Now on the one hand, obviously, I sympathize with this. I have a series of posts on this blog called How A Computer Works, because... I want to teach people about this stuff. (That's still ongoing by the way, I've just got a lot else going on and need to settle on the scope of the next lesson.) On the other hand, uh... I'm from the generation before the one that apparently has all the computer literacy problems, and nobody taught us this stuff in school... and the next generation up wouldn't possibly have had access. So was anyone taught how to use them?

Now I say "they didn't teach my generation how to use computers in school" but that isn't technically true. I see a lot of people call people my age "the Oregon Trail generation" when this topic comes up. Sort of on the edge of Gen X and Millennials, going through school in that window where Apple had really really pushed the Apple ][ on schools with big discounts. And they did have "computer classes" to learn how to do some things on those, but... that isn't really a transferable or relevant skill set.

Like, yeah, if you're below the age of let's say 30 or so as of when I'm writing this, the idea of what "a computer" is has been pretty stable for your whole life. You've got some sort of tower case, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and in that tower there's a bunch of RAM, a processor, video and sound cards of some sort, and a big ol' hard drive, and it's running Windows, MacOS, or some flavor of Unix going for the same basic look and functionality of those. It's generally assumed (more than it should be, some of us our poor) that a given person is going to have one in their home, any school is going to have a whole room full of them, libraries will have some too, and they are generally a part of your life. We can probably make the same sort of general assumption about IPhone/Android cellphones for the past what, 15 years or so too, while we're at it. They're ubiquitous enough that, especially in academic circles where they're kind of required professionally, people are going to assume you know them inside and out.

Prior to the mid-90s though? It was kind of a lawless frontier. Let's say you have a real young cool teacher who got way into computers at like 5 years old, and now they're 25 and they're your computer class teacher in the mid-90s. The computer they got way into as a kid? It would have been this.

That's not a component of it, that's the whole thing. A bank of switches for directly inputting binary values into memory addresses and some more switches for opcodes basically, and then some LEDs as your only output. Nothing about this is other than the benefits of fundamentally understanding some low level stuff is going to be useful at all in any sort of practical sense if you sit down a decade later with one of these.

This at least looks a bit more like a computer you'd see today, but to be clear, this has no mouse, no way to connect to the internet, which wasn't really a thing yet to begin with, and no hard drive, even. You did not install things on an Apple ][. You had every program on a big ol' floppy disk (the sort that were just a circle of magnetic film in a thick paper envelope basically and were, in fact, floppy), you would shove that in the disk drive before turning the machine on, it'd make a horrible stuttering knocking sound resetting the drive head, and just read whatever was on that right into memory and jump right on in to running Oregon Trail or a non-wysiwyg text editor (i.e. there's no making bold text appear on screen, you'd just have a big ugly tag on either side of your [BOLD>bold text<BOLD] like that). It was not unlike popping a cartridge or disc into an older video game console, except for the bit where if you wanted to save something you'd have to take the disk out while it was running and pop a blank one into the drive to save to.

So when I was a kid and I'd have my "computer class" it'd be walking into a room, sitting down with one of these, and having a teacher just as new to it as I was just reading out a list of instructions off a sheet like, "flip open the lock on the disk drive, take the disk out of the sleeve, make sure it says Logo Writer on it, slide it in with the label up and facing you, flip the lock back down, hit the power switch in the back of the machine..." We didn't learn anything about file management beyond "don't touch anything until the screen says it's done saving to the disk" because again, no hard drives. I guess there was a typing class? That's something, but really there's nothing to learn about typing that isn't where every key is and you only (but inevitably) learn that through practice.

Now, overlapping with this, I eventually got myself a used computer in the early 90s, very old at the time, but not as old as the ones at school. I had a proper black and white OG Mac. With a hard drive and a window-based operating system and everything. And... nobody taught me a damn thing about how that one worked. My mother just straight up did not touch a computer until something like 2001. I didn't really have any techie mentors. I just plugged it in and messed around and worked everything out. Same way I worked out what I was doing with older computers, mostly on my own at the local library, because that computer class wasn't much, and how I was totally left on my own to work out how to hook up every console I ever owned, which was slightly more involved at the time.

That forky bit in the middle was held in place with a pair of phillips headscrews. Had to keep the VCR and cable box in the right daisy chain order too.

Enough rambling about how old I am though. What's the actual disconnect here? How did my generation work out everything about computers without help but the next one down allegedly goes dear in the headlights if someone asks them to send them a file?

Well first off I'm not at all willing to believe this isn't at least largely a sampling bias issue. Teachers see all the clueless kids, people asking online for help with things is more common than people spontaneously mentioning how everything is second-nature to them, etc. Two things stick out to me though as potential sources of the issue though:

First, holy crap are modern computers ever frail, sickly little things! I'm not even talking about unreliable hardware, but yeah, there's some shoddy builds out there. I mean there's so many software dependencies and auto-updating system files and stuff that looks for specific files in one and only one location, just crashing if they aren't there. Right now on this Windows 10 machine I've got this little outdoor temperature tracker down in the task bar which will frequently start rapidly fluttering between normal and a 50% offset every frame, and the whole bar becomes unresponsive, until I open the task manager (don't even have to do anything, just open it). No clue what's up with that. It was some system update. It also tries to serve me ads. Don't know if it's load-bearing. Roughly every other day I have to force-quit Steam webhelper. Not really sure what that's even for. Loading user reviews? Part of me wants to dig in and yank out all this buggy bloatware, but I genuinely don't know what files are loadbearing. This wasn't an issue on older computers. Again, screwing around with an old Apple ][, and old consoles and such, there wasn't anything I could really break experimenting around. It was all firmware ROM chips, RAM that cleared on power cycling, and disks which were mostly copy-protected or contained my own stuff. No way to cause any problem not fixed by power cycling.

Next, everything runs pretty smoothly and seemlessly these days (when working properly anyway). Files autosave every few seconds, never asking you where you actually want to save them to, things quietly connect to the internet in the background, accessing servers, harvesting your info. Resolutions change on their own. Hell emulators of older systems load themselves up when needed without asking. There's a bunch of stuff that used to be really involved that's basically invisible today. The joke about this being "a 3D print of the save icon" already doesn't work because how often do you even see a UI element for saving? When we still used disks regularly, they held next to nothing and would take like half a minute to read and write.

And don't even get me started on launchers and start menus and all that.

So... basically what I'm getting at here is if you feel like you never learned how to properly use a computer, go get your hands on an old computer and mess around. There's yard sales, there's nice safe runs in a browser emulators, hell there's kits to build your own. That or just look for someone wearing like a Mega Man T-shirt or playing a Madonna CD (hell maybe just any CD these days) and start politely asking questions, because again just because everyone who knows this stuff just had to work it out on our own doesn't mean you should have to.

[spammynegrutou]

I hate the whole "It was all a dream" theories but like, Imagine:

Sora wakes up from what feels like a dream that has lasted for an eternity. He's in a hospital bed, monitors beeping, and flowers from 3 days ago wilting by his bedside. A balloon tied to the railings of his bed says, "Get Well Soon." Sleeping in the most uncomfortable position on that infamous hospital chair is Riku—his childhood best friend.

Sora coughs out his name, his tongue dry and shriveled in his mouth. Riku opens his eyes, half in the realm of sleep half conscious. At first Riku thinks he hallucinated Sora saying his name---a trick of 3 years of Sora being in a coma and his guilt about it. But then he hears it again, Sora calling out his name with a few coughs in between. When Riku whips his head around to the hospital bed and sees Sora's groggy eyes blinking, he immediately calls a nurse. Sora asks him for water, agitated that Riku is spewing out random shit and asking if he's okay rather than getting him the damn water.

"Where's Kairi?"

"I just called her. She'll be here soon."

Sora asks where The King, Donald, and Goofy is, and Riku just looks at him confused.

"Who's the King?"

"You know," Sora takes a moment to cough as the nurse checks his vitals. "Mickey."

"Mickey????" Riku pieces together 'Mickey, Donald, and Goofy' in his head. "You mean Mickey Mouse???????"

"Yeah. The King."

"You mean like,,,, Mickey Mouse Club House????"

"The King has a clubhouse? Why wasn't I invited?"

"...I'm glad you're still a Disney adult, Sora."

It takes a while for Sora to fully recover. He has to relearn how to walk, talk, eat, all of his general and fine motor skills. All the while, Sora explains the entire plot of Kingdom Hearts to Riku and Kairi. The keyblade, the darkness, Ansem (who happened to be their science teacher back in highschool), and Xehanort (Riku's boomer landlord his first year in college).

At times Sora still tries to summon a keyblade. But the light and darkness, the magic and the danger of heartless do not exist in this world. He watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to fill the severed connection to Donald and Goofy. Riku jokingly calls him a baby, and Sora laughs about it, but he can't help but feel empty inside.

All those lives he touched, all those people he met. Figments of his comatose imagination.

[suzy-queued]

Weekly Tag Wednesday

Invited by @creepkinginc @deedala @sgtmickeyslaughter @mybrainismelted and @energievie to pull up a chair and join!

name: Deena

when is your birthday: The day after taxes are due

where do you call home? A split-foyer house in the mountains

how many pets do you have? Three cats and a snake walk into a bar...

what do you do for work? I own a website design company. I work with amazing authors and publishers.

do you believe in aliens? Yes. There has to be other life in the universe.

do you believe in ghosts? Nope. But I'll the first to admit that we don't know everything. I love the quote, "Magic is just science that we don't understand yet."

favorite subject in school? Math! Calculus!

what are you currently reading? A fic called 17-D-1 (Extreme Fall) by KeepGoing

what are you currently watching? The Boys and Resident Alien, both as family events.

what kind of laptop do you have (+ describe it to me): A Dell that's very thin with a silver cover. It's perpetually connected to a large monitor and a bluetoothed keyboard/mouse, so I don't think about it much.

what kind of phone do you have (+ describe it to me): Galaxy A71. The cover has a water bubble that makes glitter move around. It makes me feel like I live in a Lisa Frank world.

no-show socks, ankle socks, or crew socks? Crew socks. I have a strong dislike for short socks.

what kind of headphones do you use? Sony, I think? Corded.

how do you consume caffeine? One decaf English Breakfast tea at lunch.

and finally, what are you wearing today? Jeans. A green sweater with stars on it. Socks that say, "There is no friend as loyal as a book."

I'll tag ... @francesrose3 (if you're still speaking to me! 😀) @michellemisfit @blue-disco-lights @doshiart @sam-loves-seb @palepinkgoat @jrooc

[bethanythebogwitch]

Let’s turn up the heat because I’m going over the real-life inspirations for all the fire-type starter Pokémon. Here are the links for when I covered the inspirations for all grass starters, all fish, and all non-fish aquatic Pokémon.

Gen I gives us quite possibly the most iconic starter line: the Charmander line. Interviews with the design team have revealed that Charizard was the first of the line to be designed and the other two were designed by working backwards from it. Both Charmander’s English and Japanese name (Hitokage) reference the mythical salamander of European folklore. Salamanders have been associated with fire in multiple cultural folklores throughout Europe, often to the point where their depictions have nothing to do with the actual amphibians. Interestingly, the oldest accounts that associate salamanders with fire comes from Pliny the Elder, who repeated an account their bodies were so cold they could extinguish fires. Somewhere along the line of legends being passed down, salamanders got flipped from repelling fire to living in it, possibly as a result of getting conflated with other mythical reptilians like dragons or basilisks. In the renaissance, the alchemist Paracelsus described salamanders as fire elementals, along with a group of other elemental beings (gnomes for earth, sylphs of air, and undines of water).

(image: an artistic depiction of a fiery salamander. Art by Michael Maier)

In addition to salamanders, Charmander and Charmeleon are given the upright poses and dragging tails of outdated reconstructions of theropod dinosaurs. Charizard is a classic depiction of a western dragon: a winged reptile that breathes fire. Western dragons are based heavily on lizards, with some of the earliest depictions being a dead ringer for monitor lizards. Charizard is said to love fighting, which is reminiscent of how western dragons have been depicted as dangerous, destructive, and even demonic monsters. It is only relatively recently that western dragons have been depicted as anything but evil. Charizard doesn’t have the dragon type (unless it mega evolves to X form), but that’s more because back in gen I, dragon was intended to be the special type exclusive to the late-game powerhouses that are the Dratini line. Charizards mega evolutions and gigantamax form don’t really add much to the origin, they’re just exaggerations of Charizard.

(image: art of a western dragon by Friedrich Justin Bertuch)

Cyndaquil is based on an echidna, an Australian monotreme (egg-laying mammal) that has a long snout and quills like a porcupine.

(image: a long-beaked echidna. I don't know why, but its snout makes me very uncomfortable)

Despite being an echidna, its species name is the Fire Mouse Pokémon. This is actually a hint to an additional inspiration for its origin. The Japanese word that got translated to “Fire Mouse” is “Hinezumi”. This is the Japanese name for a monster originating in Chinese legend called the “huǒshǔ”. It’s a flaming mouse that lives in volcanoes. The flaming mammal and volcano association continues through the line. Also, when I googled “hinezumi” the first thing that popped up was the Monster Girl Encyclopedia. If you know, you know (don’t google it). Quilava and Typhlosion completely drop the echidna inspiration, which is a bit disappointing to me. That’s why I made regional variants of them for my Australia/New Zealand fakemon region where they stay as echidnas. While being based on badgers, they retain the quills that are found in many animals, most famously porcupines and hedgehogs. Hisuian Typhlosion is based on Kamuy-huci, the Ainu goddess of the hearth. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, the island that inspired Sinnoh and Hisui. There are multiple Ainu references in Hisui’s design, plot, and regional variants. In the Ainu religion, the hearth was the connection between Earth and the world of spirits and was therefore never allowed to go out. It could also be used to communicate with the kamuy (gods and spirits) and was the passage through which the souls of the dead would leave the world and eventually return for reincarnation. This is why Hisuian Typhlosion is part ghost-type. The fire around H Typhlosion’s neck looks like magatama beads, which are used in the spiritual practices of multiple belief systems. These flames can release 108 ghost lights. 108 is an important number in Buddhism and is the number of beads in a Japamala, another type of beaded necklace used for spiritual practices in (among other religions) certain types of Buddhism.

(image: a japamala with wood beads)

The Torchic line is, I suspect, the place where the trend of basing fire starters on Chinese zodiac animals started. Typhlosion really doesn’t fit the zodiac, though some people say it’s supposed to be the mouse. The line is based on chickens. More specifically, they are based on the basan, a legendary fire-breathing chicken.

(image: art of a basan by Takehara Shunsen)

Torchic is a chick, a hatchling chicken. It being bright orange comes from a tradition of dying chicks bright colors to be sold at festivals. Male Torchics have a tiny black spot on their rear ends that females don’t. This is probably based on vent sexing, a technique for determining the sex of chocks, a notoriously difficult task. It is done by examining the cloaca, looking for a bump that usually only males have. Combusken and Blaziken are based on cockfighting, a form of animal abuse where people force chickens to fight and bet on the winners. The official art for Blaziken’s normal and mega evolved forms have it in poses used in the martial art of Muay Thai. Blaziken is usually depicted as fighting primarily with kicks and Muay Thai emphasizes kicking. Blaziken being an humanoid with a bird head may also reference the bird-headed Egyptian gods Horus and Ra, or off of the karura, a diving being that looks like a human with a bird’s head in Japanese mythology.

(image: a statue of a karura)

The Chimchar line are based on the monkey from the zodiac. Chimchar’s species name is the Chimp Pokémon, and it does bare some resemblance to a young chimpanzee. When Chimchar’s flame goes out, you can see prominent red marking on its butt. Several monkey species have marking on their hindquarters, but the most famous by far is the baboon. Chimchar’s lack of a tail identifies it as an ape, but its evolved from gain tails, making them monkeys. A lot of people think that apes are separate from monkeys, but really apes are a subset of old-world monkeys. Apes are monkeys, you are an ape, therefore you are a monkey and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Monferno and Infernape both have prominent facial markings heavily reminiscent of those of mandrills.

(image: a male mandrill's face)

Monferno having blue facial marking and orange fur also makes it look like a golden snub-nosed monkey.

(Image: a golden snub-nosed monkey's face)

These are native to China and the line does have some heavy Chinese influence. The martial art that Monferno and Infernape use is most likely Monkey Kung Fu or Hóu Quán, which was inspired by the movements of monkeys. Infernape is based on the character of Son Goku, the Japanese name for the character Sun Wukong from the Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. Sun Wukong is the king of all monkeys, a martial artist, and has several magic powers.

(image: Japanse art of Son Goku/Sun Wukong. Art by Shunman Kubo)

Sun Wukong may be based on the older Hindu god Hanuman, a monkey-like god associated with strength and heroism who was also a member of the varana, a species of monkey people.

(image: a sculpture of Hanuman)

The Tepig line are based on the boar of the zodiac. Ken Sugimori said that the Unova starters were based on different cultures to reflect Unova being a very diverse place. The Tepig line were given Chinese design elements whole the Snivy line were “western” and the Oshawott line were Japanese. Tepig having a dark marking on its head and rear but being light everywhere else comes from the markings of the British Saddleback pig breed.

(image: a British saddleback pig)

The fire and pig combination references how pigs are bad at regulating their body head and need to use external sources like mud to cool off. Pignite takes on more boar traits with its exposed tusks. The markings on its body look like it is dressed in a wrestling singlet, which fits as both Pignite and Emboar are based on wrestlers. The yellow markings on Pignite and Emboar resemble patters found in ancient Chinese cauldrons called dings.

(image: a ding)

Ken Sugimori also stated Emboar was inspired by the character Zhang Fei in the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In the story, Zhang Fei is betrayed and decapitated by his own men. This could be the purpose of the fire scarf Emboar has, to separate its head from its body. Pignte and Emboar also draw from another Chinese story, the afore-mentioned Journey to the West, specifically the character of Zhu Baije. Zhu Baije is a pig man who joins the titular journey. He is also jealous of Sun Wukong, which kind of fits with how Emboar is a much worse Pokémon than Infernape.

(image: an artists depiction of Zhu Baije. Unknown artist)

The Fennekin like take the place of the fox in the zodiac. Design-wise, their large ears mark them as being based on fennec foxes. They are also based off of the kitsune, magical foxes in Japanese mythology. Among the many powers attributed to kitsune were the ability to breathe fire and perform magic. Kitsune could also take on the form of human women, which is referenced in Fennekin’s evolutions becoming humanoid and having feminine designs.

(image: art of a Kitsune scaring two people by Utagawa Kuniyoshi)

Human could also learn magic form foxes, becoming  fox witches or kitsune-mochi/kitsune-tsukai. Braixen and Delphox take quite a bit of their design from these fox witches, they also draw from the classic wester witch, using magic wands and Braixen having a tail that looks like the head of a flying broomstick. The association of witches with fire might be a reference to witch burnings. Delphox is also based on a prophet or seer, with its ability to see the future. Delphox’s English name directly references the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi. The final forms of the Kalos starters are based on the fantasy character archetypes of the fighter, the mage, and the thief. Delphox is very much the mage.

Litten is a black cat with tabby cat features. Tabby cats are defined by the stripes on their faces and legs. The orange and black stripes also identify it as the tiger from the zodiac. Its eyes plus forehead stripes are a dead ringer for the alchemical symbol for brimstone, another name for sulfur. Sulfur is a highly flammable element, fitting the fire type. This is one of several references to alchemy found in gen VII.

(image: the alchemical symbol for brimstone. two horizontal lines crossed by a vertical line that leads down into an infinity symbol)

Torracat doesn’t change much from Litten, just adding more stripes and a fireball that looks like a bell on a cat’s collar. It does change when it evolves to Incineroar, and not for the better. Incineroar is my least favorite final stage starter and easily in my top 10 most hated Pokémon. I could go on for a while about how much I hate it, but this isn’t the post for that. It’s still a tiger, but now it has been combined with a professional wrestler. You can tell they really wanted to do another fire/fighting type but knew there would be backlash. The belt of fire is based on a championship belt and its dark type comes from being a heel. In wrestling language, a heel is a villainous character, someone the audience is supposed to boo (a face is a heroic character). This fits with Incineroar being describes as a violent and egotistical Pokémon. However, Incineroar does have a soft side. This fits with how wrestlers are performers playing characters. A performer playing a heel character may cheat, lie, steal, and generally be an asshole while in character, but when not in character they probably won’t be nearly as unpleasant a person.

Scorbunny is the rabbit of the zodiac. More specifically, it is a white rabbit and like with real rabbits, its feet are considered good luck charms. The yellow patch on its face comes from a Japanese character design trope where a bandage over the nose is supposed to indicate that the character is tough and rambunctious. Maylene from the Sinnoh games shares this design element. Its fire typing could come from the Jataka tales, a collection of Buddhist stories from India. In tale 316, a rabbit is placed in a fire as a burnt offering, but it is unharmed by the flame. Another connection could come from the fact that rabbits have unusually high body temperatures for mammals. If Scorbunny is cheerful child, Raboot is a moody teenager. It’s fur and the stripe on its head look like a tracksuit and headband, giving it a connection to athletics. This continues with Cinderace, who is now an association football (or soccer to Americans) player. Football is a huge deal in England, the basis for Galar. Its fur looks like athlete’s attire and it uses a flaming berry like a football. This is another one where you can tell they wanted to make another fire/fighting type.

The Fuecoco line ditched the zodiac theme to become a crocodile. Its upright posture makes it look like a chibified theropod dinosaur and its silhouette looks like a chili pepper. The white face of both Fuecoco and Crocalor resembles a calavera, skull imagery used in the Mexican Day of the Dead. This is a Mexican holiday which is a celebration of dead loved ones that is typically very spirited and cheerful as opposed to glum and mournful. Folklore says the ghost will return to the world of the living on the Day of the Dead. While Paldea is based on Spain and Portugal, several of the new Pokémon have designs based on elements from central and south America, possibly because of both countries’ history of colonialism in those areas. Crocalor adds several references to mariachi players. The flaming nest and egg on its head is a sombrero while the markings on its abdomen look like a traje cordobés, a type of vest often used in mariachi.

(image: a mariachi band wearing wests and sombreros)

The hat combined with the calavera face makes it look like La Calavera Catrina, a skeleton wearing a wide-brimmed hat that is used as a common symbol in the Day of the Dead.

(image: art of La Calavera Catriana by José Guadalupe Posado)

It could also be a bouquet of Tagetes erects, the Mexican marigold, a flow also used for the Day of the Dead. Skeledirge continues the mariachi and Day of the Dead theme by becoming an undead singing crocodile. Real crocodiles will vocalize during mating and nesting season. There are several stories of ghostly or monstrous crocodiles in Spanish folklore, such as the Cocollona and the Drac de Na Coca, the latter of which is displayed as a taxidermied specimen in a museum in the city of Palma de Mallorca. There is also the Coco or Cuca, a boogieman-like that originated in Spain and Portugal and spread to the Americas that is often depicted as a monstrous crocodile. All three of the Paldea starters are based on entertainers and Skeledirge is based on a singer. Given its typing and English name, it probably single funeral dirges. The fiery bird on its nose could come from the gharial, another type of crocodilian. Male gharials have large bumps on the tips of their snouts in the same spot the bird sits.

(image: a male gharial)

Another, possibly more likely source is the Egyptian plover, a bird that will land on top of Nile crocodiles and eat parasites off of their skin. Skeledirge could also be based off of alebrijes, very colorful statues of mythical creatures in Mexican folk art. This is making me think about how cool a Mexico-based region could be.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for monitoring my ex-husband's new relationship?

So my (F, 40s) now ex-husband (M, 40s) and I had been married for quite a while. We had two beautiful children, I was a SAHM while he was off doing mechanical engineering work. I thought things were going well, but he had started coming home from work with a distant look on his face. He wouldn't make eye contact with me and would slip out of bed long before I had the chance to wake up. I knew he was attached to his projects and at the time thought he had a lot on his mind with those, so I just let him be. Turns out, it was sort of work related. He had a rival (M, 40s) that constantly got in the way of my ex-husband's projects and was always foiling his plans. This little game of cat and mouse had been going on for a while, but I hadn't realized just how deep the connection ran. A few weeks ago, my ex-husband had detained his rival at work after his rival had tried to... I don't know, maybe steal something? Maybe sabotage my ex's latest project? I don't know. But that night, my ex came home and was more distant than he'd ever been before. He left early in the morning and when he came home, his rival came with him. They told me they were in love and that my ex was going to be leaving me. We got into an argument and I ended up leaving. My kids stayed with their father and his new partner.

Here's where I MBTA. I broke into my ex's lab and borrowed some of his equipment and past projects. I used his monitoring equipment to set up hidden cameras in my old home to watch my family. I know it's not great, but.... I get a little bit Genghis Khan, I don't want him to get it on with nobody else but me.

So, AITA?

[omg-snakes]

Idk if this had been asked but anyways. Do you know at which age a corn snake is the size enough to stop with the pinkies and which is the proper size of the next mice to feed the snek? And how do you get pinkies? I've been looking in various places but they either have only adult mice or don't have at all

Hey friend!

I buy pinkies in bulk from RodentPro when my mouse colonies can't cover my needs (like this year). It can be inconvenient to buy in bulk, though. If your local small pet shops or big box stores aren't offering appropriately-sized frodents you may want to connect with other snake keepers in your area and do a group buy to save on shipping and prevent feeder waste.

My feeding guideline is to offer a meal that's about 15-20% of a snake's weight until they're about 200 grams, at which point that backs off to 10-15%.

Body weight and body condition, not age, determine feeder size. I move from xs pinks to regular when my babies reach 10 grams, then up to large pinks when they're around 16-18 grams, and so on. I tend to aim closer to 15-18% body weight for meals because I prefer a slow and steady growth rate. I monitor body condition carefully to ensure my snakes are gaining length and not just girth.

I also have the luxury of breaking feeders into sub-classes by weight. Not everyone has the time to bother, but feeder sizes are not well standardized so I will break out my scale and verify when I'm sorting home-grown or purchased feeders.

xs pink: 1-1.5 g

pink: 2-2.5 g

lg pink/sm fuzzy: 3-3.5 g

fuzzy: 4-4.5 g

lg fuzzy: 5-7 g

hopper: 7.5-13 g

weaned/sm adult: 13.5-18 g

adult: 18.5-30 g

If you don't have an inexpensive kitchen scale to monitor weight, I strongly recommend getting one. Basic models that measure to .5 of a gram are around $10-15, so it's not a huge investment and it'll help a lot in ensuring your snake is on a positive growth trajectory as well as informing feeding decisions.

I hope this guide is helpful!