#i miss them but i still don't have the motivation or energy to draw them like i used to ;_;

[tiredsurvivoronmain]

Got lucky and met a masquerade Ghostface with the cat mask

[seth-whumps]

Any tips for writing the scenes you don't want to write to get to the scenes you do want to write?

Writing When It Sucks: A Quickstart Guide to the Scenes That Hate You Personally

by seth-whumps / sethlost

So, you've got a thousand-word gap between the good scenes, and you've gotta fill it with something. We've all been there—that one sentence in the outline, filling you with irreversible dread—but don’t lose hope. We do have some solutions! I've got three pieces of advice for this situation:

-> Skip The Hard Parts

-> Check Your Variables

-> Change It Up

Long post ahead, folks—you’ve been warned!

Let's start easy, with—

AVOIDANCE

Don't force yourself to write the parts you hate! If it's a scene that's not your thing, just... skip it! If you think it's boring, chances are your readers will feel it, too. If you'd skip it, they'd skip it. Famous authors do this alllllll the time. Don't deny yourself the privilege.

Remember, you don’t have to write chronologically. Write the good parts when you want to write them.

You gotta get to December? Skip to it.

You have a long ass captivity scene you don't want to bore yourself with? Skip it.

Does this scene just inspire you to stop writing forever? SKIP IT.

Now, I hear you. "But if I do that with every scene that troubles me, I'll have hardly any scenes at all!"

If it sucks, hit da bricks, as we Tumblrinas say.

Welcome to writing. It sucks. However, I'll let you in on the best tip I have ever learned from Reddit Dot Com—

CHECK YOUR VARIABLES

Your story, whether big or small, is built from several puzzle pieces! We'll call these your Story Variables. They can include:

Physical:

-> Heroes - your main people!

-> Villains - you’ve gotta have an antagonist somewhere, yknow?

-> Setting/Genre - solarpunk? ancient Arthurian myth? literally just New York City?

-> Locations - home base, headquarters, the villain’s lair, high school, etc

Narrative:

-> Main plot - getting the hero from point A to Z

-> Sideplots - character development, romance, betrayal and redemption arcs

-> Motivations - what do your characters want? what does your setting want?

-> Ending - where is it all going towards?

Audience:

-> Morals/messages - what’s the point of the story? what are you discussing or exploring throughout?

-> Metaphors - what’s the language you’re using to paint a picture?

-> Emotions - and the language you’re using to invoke a feeling?

-> Satisfaction - do you want your audience to feel satisfied? do you not? where and why?

If you're stuck on a scene, you may have an underdeveloped variable, or a missing one altogether. You can fix this by interrogating the absolute hell out of your story. Here's a few questions to get you started:

Do you know your ending? Is this scene guiding you towards it?

What emotions are you trying to portray? Where can you show that in this scene?

Where's your current location? Are you using it as a character in your story?

What drives your heroes? Your villains? How can you make them more obvious?

Are you considering your side plots and character development arcs?

You might be saying, "But wait! I'm only writing a little thing! I don't have the time/energy to think about all that!"

Is this scene contributing to the satisfaction of your story?

That's okay! I hear you. But it's not hopeless. I've still got something to help—

CHANGING IT UP

Hobbyists work in styles. It's hard to develop one, and often it comes from years of practice and study, but there's a way you can streamline it to your advantage. Think of it this way:

-> If you don't like drawing noses, change the way you draw them.

-> If your crocheting tools don't feel right, find ones that suit you.

-> If a chord on the guitar is too difficult, use an alternate fingering.

NEWS FLASH: it's the same for writing.

Physical movements? Blocking? You might be having trouble visualizing what the scene needs to contain.

If something isn't working, you have every ability to do it differently. There's very little right and wrong, here. Don't confine yourself to one generalized "type" of writing--branch out until you find what works for you. Let's start by thinking about what you're struggling on.

Draw the layout of your location. Use random pieces to represent your characters. Play dolls.

Keep it simple. Write exactly what happens, no more and no less.

Another post on Tumblr blew up, advising you to try writing the scene with only dialogue, and adding the actions later.

Emotional weight? Prose? This one's tricky, but I've got some advice regardless.

Change your sentence structure. Focus on the rhythm of the words. Worry less about grammar, and pay attention to the picture, the painting, the music.

Or, in opposition, write it exactly like it is. Come back to prose it up once you've got the scene skeletonized.

Organization? The actual, nitty-gritty content of the scene? Think about what the purpose of the scene is, then consider the following.

What's your moral/metaphor? Thread it throughout. Come back to it often. This'll tie up the story into something cohesive and cinematic.

Start with a bullet point list of everything you want to include. Think of details, interactions, and movements. Spam as many as you can think of, until you've got a substantial list of meat and seasoning you can sprinkle in as necessary.

Check in on your variables. Where does the scene need to end? What's the most convoluted path it could take to get there?

Introduce a new variable. Treat everything like a character in the story. Is the location an old building? Have it collapse. Is the ending too close for comfort? Drive the story in the opposite direction.

Most of all, mess around. Do what comes naturally, and if something isn't working, do it differently until it does. Writing is fun, despite everything about writing--so workshop it until it's fun again.

Whoops! That got very long. I hope this helps at least a bit, and if you've got any questions at all, Anon, feel free to ask! I'm sorry for the wait on this ask, by the way. I wanted to give it justice.

I'd be happy to go more in depth on anything mentioned here. I love talking through my thought processes while writing.

And as a disclaimer, none of what is said here is law. It's just what I've gathered through practice, and through following incredible people. There's no rules! Do what feels right!

Anyway! Thanks for reading, folks. See you in the next one [salutes]

Seth, signing off!

dividers by @/saradika-graphics, link in pinned post

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

I admire your patience with those readers who need you to spoon feed them the story. Everything is in the comics but they still manage to go pass it. I can't help but feel a bit sad for them? Do they not understand what they read? Are they not attentive when reading it? I'm legitimately concerned because I function so differently I can't fathom this. If you like a story, isn't it normal to make your best to grasp it's essence and reflect on it? I know I project a lot about this, everyone works and registers things differentely of course but sometimes it's very frustrating to see people consume any media and just completely miss all the important messages in it, or even just fail to get the scenario sometimes, and it feels like it's very common now... Idk I just wanted maybe to have your perspective on this? Sorry for the long post (Been here for a few years now and your a true inspiration to me. All my luv to you! ❤️)

You know, I'm gonna be honest. I used to stress out about this... a LOT.

As a story-brained person, this is definitely something that comes naturally to me, and perhaps to you, and to many other people who are wired similarly. To us, following the path of a story in an analytic, highly detail-motivated manner and unwrapping the themes can be as exciting as lifting up a rock to see the bugs underneath. It's an exciting mental activity that's stimulating and feels effortless.

And yes, as an author who spends literally 60% of my day thinking about this comic and how to draw it, panel it, script it, make it better (I script and panel in my head constantly)........ I have trouble realizing/dealing with the fact that some people are just here to CASUALLY enjoy the story that I am lowkey obsessed with.

But I've come to realize that... that's NORMAL! And healthy.

People have different attention spans for different things.

People have varied ways to read a story and engage with it.

People have unique interests.

People don't have the same amounts of energy to devote to reading!

Maybe someone missed a detail I lovingly and painstakingly put into the dialogue because they're reading the update late at night after a long shift at work. And maybe someone scrolled past the dialogue completely and just got the gist from looking at the art, because they're in a hurry to get to practice at their favorite sportsball.

And maybe someone just had a really bad day with a really bad encounter, and they're reading the update in a terrible mood and instead of seeing MY grey-morality narrative, they're focusing on all the negative points and misread the vibes because of their own biases that stem from places of hurt.

The thing is, I have to be okay with that as an author, because I will NEVER be able to get into my audience's heads and read this comic 'correctly' for my own sake.

They will always have a slightly different interpretation of things, and they will always misunderstand details and miss clues. And sometimes, they will be wrong about the way they read a character's motivations... and sometimes maybe they won't be! That's just a part of communication. That's a part of telling a story.

An imperfect delivery, and an imperfect reception should, in my opinion, be a natural and accepted part of storytelling. We're human, and we all have a different lived experience, and we will ALL have different takes on a comic, even if it's so close that we THINK we are both getting the exact same thing. That small human interpretation variation is a home-made touch that makes it feel more organic.

In short.... Not all light particles make it here from the sun, but damn the result is stunning anyway.

[queerponcho]

Transfixed | part 1

collage made by me with pictures from pinterest

moonknight!system x female!reader

a/n: been writing this fic for about a year now so it's nerve-wrecking to finally post the first chapter. I hope you'll like it!! (pls be gentle...)

thanks to the lovely @nexusnyx for motivating me a few weeks ago, would've never considered posting without having our convo the other day!! Thank you so much<33

Warnings: no use of Y/N, fluff, NOT beta read, gushing about the moonboys, flustered awkward dorks, plot-twists, (eventual smut, the chapters will be marked individually), inaccurate depictions of DID, egyptian mythology and religion (although I did extensive research I took liberty in changing some things to adhere to my plot...), if I missed anything or made any spelling mistakes pls don't hesitate to tell me!

Summary: You're a woman who as been visiting the same library for all your life. One day a handsome new face comes walking in. That's the moment when the ball starts rolling and your entire life changes. Will you accept the new challanges coming your way...?

2,200 words

You have been visiting the same library all your life. While you were in school you  would go there to have a quiet place to study. Since at home you always had a lot of family and busy energy around, you needed the library as sort of an...escape from all the noise. Later when you got into university, the library had become kind of a safe space for you. So you would rather sit in the bus for half an hour to and back to study there instead of the grimy and packed library on campus.

Even now that you work and have enough books at home to basically open your own library, you still can't part from your little paradise. Everyone knows you here and a few months ago the owners of the library even adopted a cat that seemed to really like you. So chances of moving on from here had definitely been ruined.

You loved reading all kinds of story based books, but spending so much time here made you curious, so you also picked up a few skill based ones. you had read a few gardening and science books but the ones you would actually start applying were the books that had to-do with art. Autobiographies of different artists and painters, different studies and research on colour and brushes. You became almost a bit obsessed at some point. So you started sketching and drawing things around you based on the knowledge you'd gathered from your extensive research. you would draw people around the library after work or before meeting friends in the nearby café. You'd never claim to be an artist but you were proud of your drawings nonetheless. for the past few weeks you had started to draw one very specific person. You saw them for the first time a bit over a month ago…

It was a rainy day and you'd just finished lunch with a friend. You said goodbye and you decided to head to the library to continue on with your sketches of the cute ginger kitten. After saying hello to the owners and giving the kitten a treat, you made your way to your usual corner in the back. Since the library wasn't very big you had a good view of the entrance and a few tables. you'd been sitting and drawing for about ten minutes when you noticed the kitten smelling your coat pocket in search of more treats. You smiled down at her 'hiiii kitty!' you picked her up and placed her on your little round table. 'you want another treat huh?' She looked back with big shiny eyes 'alright alright...there you go'. She happily chewed on the fish-shaped cookie while you continued drawing her. 

The familiar noise of the door opening caught your attention....a man came in, he was wearing a brown flat-cap which was obscuring your vision of his face. He reached to take it off with a gloved hand and pushed his black curls back to reveal the face, of what you could only describe, a Greek god. He had strong and angular features, a sharp jawline and a beautiful slightly crooked nose which you felt the need to trace over with your finger. He had crows feet decorating his eyes, you'd assume he had them from laughing but seeing his resting facial expression, smiling almost seemed to be a foreign task to him. He brushed the remaining rain off his shoulders and made his way to the history section. When he disappeared behind a shelf you were brought back from your trance and took the first breath in what seemed like minutes. 

You wondered what he would be looking for in the history section of this old library. You were in London, a place with alot of people, then again this library was old and in a secluded part of town so it was usually the same people walking in and out. You would definitely remember his face if you had seen it before. Whatever it was that he was looking for he had apparently found since he was making his way to the register with a thick leather bound book in his glove covered hand. You had a bit of a thing for hands and you knew you'd be sketching hands for the next few hours because of this stranger. He hastily left the library and was gone as fast and suddenly as he appeared. After that day you couldn't stop drawing that pretty stranger, you'd given him multiple names during this time. His name had been Jack, Edward, Steve, Malcom and many more. you'd started just drawing his gloved hands and his forearms but quickly you would switch to drawing his intense gaze and soft curls. The amount of times you fantasised about running your fingers through them and tugging slightly had you embarrassed. It had been weeks since you'd seen him and you wouldn't stop imagining him in your apartment just sitting next to you, sometimes you would also imagine him a bit closer and wearing a little less clothing…

A month had passed since you'd seen him and you finally managed to stop drawing him and went back to drawing people around the library. Though you still looked up when the door opened and a new customer came in hoping for your handsome stranger to come in and maybe stay a little this time so you could find out more about him and his movements, for drawing references of course...nothing else. It seemed the universe wanted to help you out, because the next time the bell chimed and a customer walked in, the familiar brown flat-cap wearing stranger entered. This time it was warm and sunny outside so he wasn't wearing any gloves and wore a white fitted polo. His muscles were visibly moving underneath the fabric of his sleeves when he reached up to take off his hat and ruffle through his hair with the same intention as last time. He was also holding the same thick leather bound book from his last visit to the library.

 According to the owners he couldn't buy that one since it was rare literature, so he got to borrow it for a month...you knew this because you may have asked about him and his purchase after he left. This was also when you found out that the book he borrowed was about an Egyptian god. During your time in this library you have read books on Egyptian history and it did peak your interest. All this time you’d never even noticed that book before? Recently, you’d been spending a lot more time studying in that part of the library, so overseeing such a unique looking book was very strange of you.

You see him talking to the owners, it was quiet enough to make out parts of the conversation. It was 10am on a Tuesday so you were pretty much the only customer here. He had a pretty strong Latin accent and you were pretty sure he was from mexico. part of your family is from south America so you grew up learning Spanish and you remember hearing them speak English with that exact same accent. 

He was thanking them for the book and asking if he could take a look around the library again. The owners kindly told him to go ahead and that he didn't even need to ask. He briefly nodded his head mumbling a quick 'gracias' and went over to the history section. You watched intently and spontaneously decided to head in the same direction. You felt a bit creepy lurking on this man but you were sure you wouldn't get caught since you were rarely a very visible person. it's not that you didn't have a strong presence but you know how to blend in really well and when to use that to your advantage. You hid behind the shelf of the history section facing his profile. He really was a pretty man, his eyes were squinting and his bold eyebrows furrowed. There was a stray curl hanging over them and you badly wanted to brush it back and feel his thick hair between your fingers...you couldn't of course, since you were too preoccupied drawing him at the moment. The window was creating beautiful shadows beneath his hooded eyes and high cheekbones. His jaw looked sharper than ever and his neck extremely kissable. His lips needed an honourable mention, they were like two squishy pillows that were begging to be bitten. You've been paying special interest to them and trying to get the details just right, so you didn't notice that he had moved from his previous spot. 

You couldn't see him anywhere and were actually kind of disappointed to think he probably left. you were about to turn around and go back to your discarded belongings when you accidentally bumped into someone while moving backwards. 'ohssshit! i- i am so so sorry um- i didn't mean to wal-'

you had managed to pick up your pencil, sketchbook, and hopefully all of the scattered pages- when you finally looked up just to be faced with the god-like looking man you had been fawning over for a month now. he was practically towering over you and… was that a smirk? If you weren't already kneeling on the floor right now you would've probably lost your balance. 'hola~ I don't mind this view but do you need help standing up, muñeca?' This is when you realised that you were on your knees in front of the most attractive man you have ever seen and you quickly scrambled to your feet 'nono um thank you-' 

'Jake, my name's Jake' he stuck out his hand and you introduced yourself after thanking him again. So his name was jake...huh pretty basic for a man like him. You were kind of joking when you temporarily gave him very basic names but you guess his parents weren't much more creative than you are. 

You realised you were staring when he raised his left eyebrow and started grinning.

 'So...why were you spying on me?' He asked cockily and it had you word-vomiting all over the place 'what? i wasn't-? I-I was just…drawing-?' pretty hard to sound convincing when finishing every statement with a question mark... 'yeah I know-' he looked you up and down and coming a bit closer 'I saw you get lost in your notebook and I just had to come see what you are drawing that garnered all of your precious attention, hermosa' 

The nicknames were really starting to get to you, making you feel all sweaty and nervous. you were clenching the book to your chest accidentally pushing up your breasts and making your cleavage much more noticeable. you saw him glancing down, taking his time in bringing his eyes back up your neck and finally to your face. This entire time you were basically pressed into his chest, you were leaning on the shelf and he didn't seem like he wanted to move anytime soon 'h-how long were you looking over my shoulder exactly?'

 'Long enough to see what had you so...como se dice...transfixed' Your breath hitched and he answered with a toothy grin. 

'I am flattered, preciosa. I really am, didn't think someone as pretty as you would follow me around the library just to draw my hands and ass' 

You push him back- 'I did NOT draw your ass! I-' You were interrupted by his chuckle and him moving closer again and grabbing your chin between his fingers and caging you in with his other arm. 'I know muñeca , I just like seeing you flustered...toda nerviosilla...it's cute.' At this point you’ve decided it's best if you just don't speak. '...maybe next time you can draw me shirtless? I would love to see you solely focused on my abs for half an hour.' He flashes you a toothy grin. Oh he’s getting too cocky…somehow you manage to move away from the bookshelf, momentarily getting even closer to him. After seeing his eyes flicker with surprise you move to the side, backing away from him. Turn around finally being able to take a breath of normal air that wasn't deliciously tinted with his aftershave. 

'Sure, next time you can waltz into the library without a shirt on and we will see how far you get before being kicked out' you say while looking over your shoulder. 

 'Seeing your reaction would be worth it, nena' he called after you, not even registering your feet carrying you back to your corner. you took a deep breath replaying what just happened. He should not have this effect on you, it's almost embarrassing how easily he got so close to you. You are a grown woman, damnit! How did you not shove him away and get mad at his advances? You should be creeped out but you notice how you’re wishing to bump into him again soon...you hear the doorbell ring and see him walk out. He takes one look back and holds up a piece of paper. ‘Oh fuck me’ you feel your feet glued to the floor when you see what it is…its a drawing you made of him. It was a closeup of his torso upwards. You had drawn him from above and he was laying in your bed with heavy lidded eyes and parted lips. you were absolutely mortified- he was grinning like an idiot and winked at you before storing the drawing in his back pocket, crossing the street and vanishing from your eye-line. leaving you in the library, plagued by his stupid masculine scent and his dumb pretty face.

a/n: I really hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I've got a few already locked and loaded sooo the next one should be posted soon. Pls like and reblog if you liked it<3 it would mean the world!

part two

[k-nayee]

CHAPTER 2. THE FOX AND THE FLAME

❝Even among the unpolished stones, a rare gem can shine brightest.❞

Warrior M.List | Act One

Previous | Next

˚＊˚✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ・・✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ⚔️・⚔️・⚔️・⚔️・✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ・・✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ˚＊˚

Countdown: 16 years remaining

The courtyard bustled with life in the golden warmth of mid-morning.

Metallic clinks of swords meeting shields was accompanied by the rhythmic crunch of boots against the dry earth.

Soldiers—some seasoned and hardened, others still fresh-faced and eager—were sparring in pairs; each clash a testament to their discipline.

It was a place alive with energy—where strength and skill were on full display.

You stood at the edge of it all with a jug of water balanced carefully in your hands. Beads of sweat glistened on your brow, though not from exertion.

The summer heat was oppressive and unrelenting; tempered only by the occasional breeze that stirred the scents of sweat, leather, and oiled metal.

A playful grin spread across your lips as you approached the soldiers, your steps light and purposeful.

The worn hem of your chiton swished around your legs, the sun catching the vibrant undertones of your skin, drawing more than a few lingering glances.

"Thirsty boys?" you called while tilting the jug invitingly.

Heads turned. First one soldier, then another, until a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on you.

Some even paused mid-swing in sparring to glance your way, their expressions ranged from amused to openly appreciative.

"You know we are," teased a soldier named Lycomedes; a man in his late twenties with a crooked smile that revealed a missing tooth. "But don't think we don't know your game. You bring the water and we teach you tricks, eh?"

You giggled, your eyes sparkling with mischief as you handed him a cup. "You wound me Lycomedes. Can't I simply care for our brave protectors without an ulterior motive?"

A wiry soldier named Andron laughed as he wiped sweat from his brow, his fingers brushing yours when reaching for a cup.

"Careful lads. She's got the eyes of a fox and the tongue of a bard. Flatter her too much and she'll have ya doing her chores while she steals your heart!"

"Steal your hearts?" you repeated, feigning offense as you tipped the jug to fill the cup. "I'd never dream of such a thing. Now chores on the other hand..."

The soldiers laughed, the sound mingling with the clang of practice swords. 

"You're trouble that's what you are," Lycomedes said with a widening grin. "But we wouldn't have it any other way."

You simply grin in response, moving through the group, pouring water as you felt a familiar warmth settle over you.

These men—so fierce on the battlefield—softened in your presence; their gruff exteriors melting away under the weight of your charm.

 "Hey Orion," you sweetly call out one of the newer recruits' name, your lashes fluttering coyly. "You mind showing me that move again? You know, the one where you disarmed Theras yesterday."

The young boy flushed under your gaze but quickly put up a front of confidence. "You mean this?" In a flash, his hand darted out, catching the hilt of his practice sword.

With a swift flick of his wrist he mimed a move that sent his imaginary opponent's weapon flying.

You clapped your hands, eyes wide with mock admiration. "So fast! You'll have to show me step by step. How else am I to defend myself against ruffians?"

"Ruffians? You're more likely to charm them into surrender." Orion teased with a smirk.

The banter continued light and teasing as you continue to pass out water and absorb every tidbit of advice they offered.

Each time they demonstrated a move you mimicked it, sometimes with surprising accuracy, sometimes drawing laughter with your exaggerated failures.

It was in these moments that you thrived—a delicate dance of innocence and cunning, endearing yourself to the grizzled warriors who couldn't resist your infectious spirit.

As you spun around to refill another cup, the sound of soft footfalls on stone drew your attention to the walkway above the courtyard.

Penelope.

The sun caught the intricate embroidery of her lilac gown as she walked ahead with her head held high; a vision of serene authority.

Her long dark hair framed her face with strays of elegant braids decorated throughout.

She carried herself like a Queen in waiting—untouchable, unshakable.

Beside her, Iphthime was the picture of youthful exuberance. She gestured animatedly as she spoke, her voice carrying faintly on the breeze.

She too was radiant; the quintessential Spartan beauty with features soft and delicate.

You couldn't help but marvel at the contrast between the sisters.

Penelope, ever composed, seemed like a marble statue come to life while Iphthime was fire that drew others to her warmth.

"Little fox!" Andron barked, jolting you back to the present.

"She's distracted by loftier sights," Lycomedes teased, following your gaze to the walkway. "Can't say I blame her."

You grinned unashamed. "Lady Penelope moves like she's stepping through the stars. How could anyone look away?"

Before he could reply further, Andron tapped your shoulder. "Come on! Show me what you've learned. Let's see if Lycomedes has been teaching you anything useful or if you're just collecting compliments."

A wooden practice sword was tossed your way. Eager to prove yourself, you stepped forward and caught it.

It was heavier than you expected, the weight causing you to stumble slightly as you squared your shoulders.

A few nearby soldiers formed a loose circle, their laughter and cheers encouraging you as you mimicked the stances they demonstrated.

And even though your form was far from perfect the soldiers still clapped and cheered as you managed a somewhat decent swing.

"Not bad for someone your size," Andron teased, ruffling your hair.

"Give me a year," you retorted puffing out your chest. "I'll be better than all of you."

For a moment you forgot the weight of the world beyond the courtyard.

Here—surrounded by the clang of steel and the warmth of camaraderie—you felt almost invincible.

Above, Penelope lingered at the edge of the walkway, her sharp eyes observing the scene below. Iphthime had moved ahead, but Penelope stayed.

Her expression unreadable. Was she annoyed by your antics? Amused? It was impossible to tell.

You caught her gaze and offered a quick playful salute with your sword.

For a moment her face remained impassive. Then, just barely, the corner of her mouth twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile.

You turn back as other soldiers took turns showing you techniques.

Some were practical—basic footwork and defensive maneuvers—while others were purely for show, meant to impress and amuse.

*･:*:★☽✧⚔️✧☾★:*:･*

The air was different at night.

It is when the heat of the day gave way to the cool caress of the evening breeze. When the moon hung high, casting silver light across the cobblestone and grass.

In a hidden clearing just outside the palace walls, you and Penelope stood face-to-face, wooden practice swords gripped tightly in your hands.

"So," Penelope began, a smirk tugging at her lips, "what did you learn today?"

You grinned, twirling your practice sword with exaggerated flair. "Something new," you replied. "Let's see if it works on you."

Her smirk widened. "Confidence suits you. But don't forget, I've beaten you every time."

"There's a first time for everything," you shot back, lunging forward.

The clash of wood against wood echoed through the clearing as she parried your strike, her movements quick and precise.

It went on like this for what felt like hours—quips and counters, blades clashing in a rhythm that neither of you wanted to break.

"Again," Penelope said firmly, her chest rising and falling with exertion.

Stray strands of her dark hair stuck to her forehead, loosened from the braid that hung down her back.

You smile sharpened as you raise your sword. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to bruise your pride any more than I already have tonight."

"Don't flatter yourself," she shot back, adjusting her stance. "I'm still ahead by six wins this week."

"Only because you cheat," you teased, sidestepping her feint as her blade sliced through the air just shy of your shoulder.

"I do not cheat!" she snapped, eyes narrowing.

"You distract me with all your noblewoman grace," you said, parrying her next swing. "It's unfair. How's a humble servant like me supposed to concentrate?"

"Maybe try focusing instead of running your mouth!" she countered, driving forward with a quick jab that caught you off guard.

The tip of her wooden blade hit your side, eliciting a grunt as you staggered back. Penelope grinned triumphantly but her moment of victory was short-lived.

"Nice one," you said, shifting your stance and lunging forward with speed that surprised even you.

Your blade tapped her shoulder, and she stumbled slightly, her grin fading into a scowl.

Recovering swiftly, Penelope lunges, her strikes swift and precise. You barely dodged, twisting your body to avoid the sharp edge of her practice sword.

"That move again?" you taunt as you step back just out of her reach. "You've done it three times already tonight. Maybe I haven't done as good of a job on reciting the soldiers' lessons."

Her laugh was soft but carried an edge. "Very funny."

She surged forward again. Each swing forced you to retreat, your feet scuffing against the cool stone.

You parried as best you could, gritting your teeth as the force of her blows reverberated through your arms.

"Not bad," Penelope admitted, her eyes gleaming in the torchlight. "But you're leaving your left side wide open."

You grinned, taking advantage of her momentary distraction. With a quick pivot you ducked under her guard and swept her legs out from under her.

She hit the ground with a startled gasp, her sword skittering away.

Standing over her with your practice sword pointed at her chest, you couldn't resist a triumphant smirk. "Wide open you say?"

Penelope's glare melted into a begrudging smile. "Beginner's luck," she muttered, accepting your hand as you helped her to her feet.

You both stood there drenched in sweat, your chests heaving as you stood apart panting and grinning, the tension of the match giving way to camaraderie.

"That's a draw," Penelope said reluctantly, falling to the ground with a huff.

"A draw?" you echoed, feigning shock as you toss sword aside and collapsed onto the cool grass beside her. "That's practically a win for me. You never let me get this close."

"Don't let it go to your head," she replied, sitting beside you and wiping her brow with the edge of her tunic. "You're only improving because I'm an excellent spar partner."

You laughed, leaning back on your hands as you looked up at the stars. The silence between you was comfortable, the kind born of shared struggle and trust.

After a moment of silence, Penelope suddenly pulls a small leather-bound book from her satchel. "Here. This just arrived in the library. Thought you'd want first dibs."

Your eyes lit up as you snatched it from her hands and run your fingers over the embossed cover. "A treatise on naval strategy?" you breathed, flipping through the pages. "Penelope you spoil me." 

"Hardly," Penelope replied as she lean back on her hands. "You're the only one who reads half these things anyway."

Ever since that fateful night on the balcony, your lives had followed this unspoken rhythm.

By day, Penelope is the perfect noblewoman—poised, graceful, and dutiful. She endures Icarus's wrath without complaint, bearing the weight of the family's expectations as a good daughter should.

At night, however, everything changes.

The confines of nobility fall away; replaced by the freedom of sparring, learning, and growing.

Penelope would bring books and scrolls from the library, teaching you to read and write in stolen moments.

And in return you share what you've learned from the soldiers—new techniques, strategies, and stories of battles long past.

With only the Moon and Stars as witness, the two of you practiced. Every parry, every strike, every strategic maneuver was tested and refined in your moonlit sessions.

Over time Penelope's strikes had grown sharper, her movements more deliberate. Her body—once slender and delicate, now bore the lean muscles of a warrior.

You, on the other hand, had discovered a deep love for the art of strategy.

The battles you read about became puzzles to solve, the lessons from the soldiers a foundation for crafting your own mock skirmishes.

You'd recreate famous conflicts for you and Penelope to fight through, testing each other's minds as well as your bodies.

Your efforts did not go unnoticed.

"Mind if I join you?" A deep voice calls out from the shadows, startling you and Penelope from your nightly lessons.

You both break away and stand next to each other with hardened faces. Though it was hard to see, you could make out a tall form wearing a baggy cloak.

"Who are you?" Penelope demanded, her sword raised defensively. "Show yourself."

The deep voice chuckled. "No need for such hostility." Stepping into the light, it was revealed to be an old man with a rugged face and eyes that gleamed like molten gold.

"I am simply a mere traveler," he said, his voice deep and wispy. "A mere traveler who couldn't help but notice such dedication."

"Leave," you said sharply, stepping in front of Penelope as he takes another step. "This isn't your concern."

The man chuckled once again, his gaze flicking between the two of you. "Fiery and bold. I like that." He looked to Penelope. "Would you care to indulge me in a match?"

Penelope hesitates, glancing at you before ultimately nodding. "If you think you can keep up," she said boldly despite the wariness in her eyes.

Knowing her say is final, you simply take a step back, hands gripped on your sword and eyes lingering on the man in case of sudden movements.

A gleeful smile decorated his wrinkled face as he yanks off his cloak to reveal a sword of his own attached to his hip.

"Ready when you are~" the old man teases. He grabs the sword and gives it a couple of experimental swings as he moves into a relaxed stance.

The sparring match that followed was brutal.

Penelope met his challenge head-on, her sword flashing in the pale moonlight as she lunged, parried, and struck.

But the old man was on a level neither of you could have anticipated.

His strikes came with blinding speed, movements so fluid they seemed almost supernatural.

Within moments Penelope was on the defensive, her breath coming in sharp bursts as she fought to keep up.

Every time her blade met his and the force of the impact rattled through her arms she held firm.

And even when the old man's strikes sent her sprawling, her body hitting the dirt with a sickening thud, she picked herself up without hesitation.

Her determination blazed like a fire, the spark in her eyes refusing to be extinguished.

"You've got spirit," the man remarked mid-swing, his voice even and composed despite their fierce exchange.

Penelope gritted her teeth, blocking another attack. "You'll need more than that to break me."

You stood at the edge as you watched. It took everything in you not to intervene. Your fists clenched as instincts screamed at you to protect her, but you knew better.

Penelope wouldn't forgive you for stepping in.

Minutes bled into what felt like hours, the sounds of their clashing swords echoing in the stillness of the night.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the old man laughed—a deep, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down your spine.

"Enough," he said, stepping back and letting his sword fall to. His tone was laced with approval, his sharp eyes fixed on Penelope as she staggered to her feet. "You've proven yourself."

Before either of you could react it happened.

With a flash of golden light, the old man's began to shift. His weathered figure melted away; instead replaced by a towering man draped in bronze and crimson.

His armor gleamed with an otherworldly glow, the intricate carvings on his breastplate depicting battles long forgotten.

A crimson cape billowed behind him heavy and regal as if carried by an invisible wind. In his hand he held a spear, its golden tip gleaming as if forged from the stars themselves.

His helmet was a masterpiece—sharp edges and a darkened visor that made the faint molten color of his eyes glow even more.

Every inch of him exuded power, violence, and an indomitable presence that seemed to fill the courtyard.

You felt your breath hitch as you took in the sight of the God standing before you.

"Ares," you whispered, the name slipping from your lips like a prayer.

The God's fiery gaze flicked to you, and for a moment the weight of his attention was almost unbearable.

But then he smiled—a sharp wolfish grin that sent a thrill of both fear and exhilaration through you.

"You've caught my attention, Penelope," he said, his voice a deep rumbling growl. "You fight with the heart of a warrior—a flame that refuses to be extinguished, no matter how the odds are stacked against you. I see potential in you girl. The kind of potential that could carve legends."

Penelope straightened, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she met his gaze.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and though her chest still heaved from exertion, her expression was resolute.

"You've impressed me," Ares continued. "And that is no small feat."

His voice softened slightly, though it lost none of its authority. "From this night on, you are my student. I will make you into the warrior you were born to be. Your fire will burn brighter under my guidance."

Penelope's lips parted in shock, but before she could respond, Ares turned his gaze to you.

"And you," his eyes narrow slightly. "You have not gone unnoticed either."

You froze, your mind racing as he continued.

"Your strategies, your cunning...you see battle not as a brute's game—but as a puzzle to be solved. And yet you are no stranger to the fight itself. That kind of balance, that kind of brilliance, is rare."

His gaze flickered with something unreadable—pride perhaps, or frustration. "But I cannot claim you. Someone else has their eyes on you already."

Confusion decorated your face. "Who?"

As if in answer, a faint rustling came from the trees bordering the wall.

You turned your head just in time to see a massive owl perched on a high branch, its feathers a soft mix of whites and browns.

Its golden eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, locking onto you with an eerie intensity that sent a shiver down your spine.

The owl tilted its head, watching you in complete silence, its presence both unsettling and oddly comforting.

"That," Ares voice pull your attention back to him, "is your answer." He let out a low, almost amused chuckle. "Athena does not let her favorites go unnoticed."

The owl flapped its wings once before vanishing into the darkness, leaving you staring after it.

"But the choice is yours," Ares continued. "Athena may favor intellect and cunning, but war is not fought with the mind alone. If you ever wish to know what it truly means to harness power, to embrace your spirit as a warrior...you will come to me."

His gaze shifted back to Penelope, the fire in his eyes burning brighter.

"For now I have my student," he declared, his voice ringing with finality. "I look forward to seeing what you are capable of Penelope of Sparta, Daughter of Icarius."

With a sharp slam of his spear against the ground, his form shimmered once more and disappeared, leaving the clearing in silence.

Penelope let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her legs nearly giving out as she sank onto the ground.

You could only stand there still staring at the spot where Ares had vanished.

The words he had spoken, the promise of guidance, and the unspoken challenge from Athena all swirled together in your thoughts.

"Well," Penelope said finally, her voice shaky but filled with a faint trace of humor, "I guess that means we both have some decisions to make."

You managed a weak smile, your gaze flicking once more to the treetops where the owl had been.

The Gods were watching....

And the path ahead was growing more complicated with every step.

[strongheartneteyam]

Realize where you belong.

Pairing: neteyam sully x female!human!reader/female!dreamwalker!reader

Chapter 7

CW: a good amount of angst, reader finally is letting neteyam in and realizing how she does truly love him too, physical contact, neteyam suffering while holding back from mating w/ reader, mentions of sex, yearning, sexual language, reader and neteyam acting like a cute couple, playful flirting, reader is more vulnerable with neteyam, a lot of fluff, reader feels guilty about the way she's been treating neteyam. Tell me if I'm missing something important!

Sorry for taking long to update, my angels 🥺🤍 unfortunately I'm going through a tough path in my personal life rn and bc of that I fell on a horrible depressive episode that I'm still on. So, my motivation to do stuff is very low at the moment and as I have to deal with my adult responsibilities that I can't run from bc nobody can, rn the best I'm able to do is focus the tiny bit of energy I have onto getting them done. I won't be able to update my fanfics as fast as I used to for some time. Can't say how long, it's not under my control currently, sorry :( But I LOVE writing, it's a great escape for me, from life problems and stuff, so, I really do not plan on stop writing fanfiction. I promise! Don't worry too much. Some of the upcoming chapters of this fanfiction, for example, are already saved on my Google Docs. I'll take longer but I won't stop updating. Anyway, I'm a tiny bit (ok maybe much more than that lol) insecure about this chapter but I hope y'all like it. Seeing your comments about the fic would make me incredibly happy. I'm needing some serotonin right now 🥲 Thanks for reading my writings ♡

Not proofread. Sorry if some parts are a bit messed up. I'll proofread it as soon as I can <3

Chapter 6

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

You gave me roses and I left them there to die

So this is me swallowin' my pride

Standin' in front of you sayin' I'm sorry for that night

(...)

It turns out freedom ain't nothin' but missin' you

Back to December (Taylor Swift)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

You inclined yourself slowly and sheepishly in Neteyam's direction, still feeling guilty for the way you had been treating him before. Neteyam sensed your self doubt and quickly swept you off your feet, taking you inside his arms, so he could finally get the hug he had been dying for, so he could finally feel your small body against his bigger one. His big hands were now under your thighs, securing you in place against his warm body. That closeness, his touch… it all felt incredibly good. You cursed yourself for pushing him away and postponing that moment. To think you could have felt that before and you didn't… "Stupid girl" you thought.

You were now really far from the ground but you felt safe. Now you knew Neteyam would always protect you. He would not let you fall and get hurt. He was not and had never been a threat to you. There was not and there never was any reason for you to be afraid of him.

"Oeyä yawne…" (my beloved) "You feel so soft and tiny… Eywa… Nga yawne lu oer" (I love you) His voice was choked with emotion as he held back tears of joy while he hugged you as tight as he was able to - without hurting you - and you rested your head upon his shoulder. Your nose was hovering over his neck and you sniffed his skin, smelling his natural, cozy scent. It was intoxicating, drawing you in, making you wanna stay like that forever. 

You breathed in deep and relaxed inside his huge arms that held you for the first time but still strangely felt like home, like you had felt them around you a thousand times already. If you believed in past lives - which you didn't - you'd explain this odd but amazing feeling as you having found your soulmate again, in this current life. There was no fear of Neteyam inside of you anymore. You only yearned for more and more of him, only a burning affection kept your whole being warm, just like his massive body did too.

"There's still something I need to ask of you, if this is gonna work out between us." You said, breaking the hug for a while to look him in the eye

"Say it, yawne."

Neteyam was still so utterly happy that he did not even seem to be shaken by that, which he could have been

"You know why I pushed you away. First of all, finding out an alien double your size has been stalking you is freaking unnerving." You still gazed into his eyes, wanting him to pay attention to your words "Second, you acted like a creep. At least compared to the way human guys act around girls they're interested in. I don't really have any experience dating na'vi boys, you know?" You choked a little as you were trying hard to hold back laughter

"Ouch…" Neteyam playfully pretended to be extremely hurt by your previous statements. He chuckled "In my defense, I'd say my instincts are to blame, not me, exactly." You gave him a death stare, but in a playful manner too "When I saw you, I knew you would be the perfect mate for me and I had to make you mine. Everything about you rubbed me just the right way."

You smiled. He was being silly and so sweet. You just could not resist it.

"By the way, when did you see me for the first time?" 

Neteyam seemed to get shy after that question. You wondered why.

"I fell in love with you while you were in your Avatar body, yawntu. That's when I first saw you." Neteyam looked up at you again, smiling but showing no teeth

"You what?" You questioned him, a bit shocked but you could not bring yourself to be mad at him, though. Imagining him hiding behind trees and up in branches to watch you silently seemed adorable in your eyes, now. 

And yes, you knew it sounded crazy, to find someone who used to literally stalk you adorable, but nobody said that anything that was happening to you right now made any sense. Not even you would try to.

"How did I never notice you were around?" You shook your head in disapproval of your distraction back in the forest.

What if it had been a na'vi who did not trust you a single bit to even let you Dreamwalk freely, without grabbing you by the arm and taking you to the Olo'eyktan and the Tsahìk? Some na'vi hated humans to that point. And, as you always said and always would say, you had a great empathy towards them and could imagine yourself feeling the same way if you were na'vi. You could never bring yourself to judge them as harshly as way too many humans did. You knew they were not the villains of the story. But still, what if that na'vi tried to hurt you? You felt tense at the thought.

Neteyam noticed your uneasiness and tried to calm you.

"Don't worry, yawne. I'm a great warrior. A big part of being a good warrior is being really focused on one's mission and knowing how to get by as unnoticed as possible. So many other humans in their Avatars and even many, many na'vi wouldn't notice me, either."

Neteyam still wanted to call those other humans "demons in false bodies" but he was not going to. He knew it would hurt you and make you feel like he was talking about you too. But he was not. Whenever he had called you "demon", it never meant the same thing as it would mean if he was talking about any other human. But he knew it would be hard for you to understand. So he promised himself that he would never call you "demon" again. After that eclipse night when the both of you were talking in front of your bedroom window, he realized how much it hurt you when he called you that. He hated himself for bringing you pain. And his heart hurt so badly when he thought about the possibility of you pushing him away again. It made him want to hold onto your small, frail body tightly and say "Please, don't leave me! I can't be without you again… Please…"

"If you say so… I still think I should've been more careful, though." You say, still feeling a little nervous and thinking that maybe you had not been the best student when attending to your classes about na'vi behavior and that maybe you didn't pay enough attention to warnings they may have given about being mindful of your surroundings when Dreamwalking 

"I promise it's okay. It was not your fault, yawntu. I'm just good at what I do." His smile clearly showed he was proud of being a good warrior

"Ok, then." You smiled back at him and the both of you laughed a bit.

Suddenly, he stopped smiling and his gaze dropped to your lips, that were not that far from his own lips, if it wasn't for that damn oxygen mask. You felt like he wanted to kiss you. The moment was awkward but in a good way. He could not kiss you with the mask on, so, instead, he smiled at you once again and looked down at the floor, bashful.

You touched his huge, gorgeous face and he looked up at you again "So, about what we were talking about before… Just try to be a little less… upfront about what you feel for me. I mean… sexually. I love that you want me this much because I want you too, Neteyam. A lot, actually. You're… really freaking hot." He smiled, blissful, and his cat-like eyes sparkled as he heard that, his ears perking up. "But you're a bit too much, at times. If you could just tone it down a bit…" Neteyam looked a little ashamed and insecure, so, you rubbed your thumb on his soft skin, to reassure him you still longed for him too "At least while I get used to your na'vi nature, it would be great. Please, try to understand me… It's a whole new world I'm just now discovering. But it doesn't mean I don't love you and don't want you and it doesn't mean you should feel insecure." You smiled gently, showing no teeth. 

Neteyam looked a bit sad again after you finished your sentence and you totally understood why. In his na'vi mind, you were practically rejecting him. That was who he truly was, animalistic and a bit too much to your human standards. He must feel like who he is was not enough or good in your eyes.

"Hey" You cupped his face again "I wanna do something. Just let me take this mask off, first." You wanted to reassure Neteyam of your feelings for him by giving him a kiss.

"Yawne, no! You can't breathe without it. You could die really fast! I'm not gonna let you do it."

"So you don't want a kiss, Neteyam Suli? I thought you'd want it, judging by the way you have been stalking me and by our interaction that night, outside my bedroom's window." You teased him and his face lit up

Neteyam gave you an excited smile. The way his full lips curled up as he quickly pondered about the pros and cons of your offer was so beautiful, almost hypnotizing.

God, you really were in love with that na'vi boy, weren't you? There's no going back now. He's holding your heart in his big, weird but cute, alien hands.

"I guess if we make it quick-"

"Shut up, Neteyam." You interrupted, chuckling playfully "I know you're dying to feel my lips on yours. Just help me take this mask off already." It was a bit hard for you to take the mask off while holding onto his shoulders. You knew he would not let you fall but still you wanted to still feel a bit of control and keep holding onto him too.

Neteyam got surprised by your boldness, since he did not see it coming, and he could only think about how freaking amazing it would feel to finally taste your lips, so, he did as you asked - leaving the mask hanging on your neck by the strap it had - and you rapidly held his big pretty, blue face, brought your lips to his and placed the most tender of kisses there, pressing your mouth against his mouth softly but with so much care, trying to let him feel how much you desired him too. His lips were velvety, warm and so incredibly good to kiss. God, you did not care that you were risking dying from lack of oxygen. You wanted that alien boy so badly.

Neteyam's still tense demeanor soon turned into a calmer one as he kissed you back. His hold on you got tighter as he felt your sweet soft lips on his. He felt so incredibly hungry for you. How could he not be? Your kiss was the most delicious thing he had ever felt in his whole life. You both shared saliva and wet each other's lips with each time your lips parted only slightly and came together again. Your soft skin made him want to squeeze you and never let you go again. Neteyam wanted to cuddle with you, wanted to wrap his tail around your small body in a possessive way to let you know you're his and that he would take care of you, hunt food to feed you and protect you from anything that could ever hurt you.

It was getting harder and harder for him not to lay you on the ground and press his body against your tiny one and make love to you right there but he knew that, thinking rationally, that was not a good idea at all, as the both of you were just outside a laboratory full of humans and you two could easily get caught and be in danger.

Even though Neteyam craved your body insanely, now even more than before, as he was finally feeling you close and tasting your lips, he was trying to take it as slow and gentle as he could because he wanted to respect your limits instead of scaring you away again. He understood you were human and your race acted in a very different way when it came to relationships. He still thought it to be a dumb way to lead things but it was you who was asking him to act differently and he loved you with his whole being. He could not bring himself to say "no" to that request. He knew it would be temporary and you soon would give into the na'vi that lives inside of you when it came to mating too. For you, Neteyam could wait. He knew things would soon change for the better. You were now in his arms, as the two of you kissed. You were no longer afraid of him. That was everything he needed at that moment. Things were already so much better.

Neteyam noticed you were having more and more trouble breathing, so he got worried and quickly put your oxygen mask back on.

You gasped for air and breathed in so much oxygen once you had your mask on that it might have been funny to watch, though Neteyam did not laugh. On the contrary, he seemed way too serious, way too worried about your safety. You wanted him to relax a bit.

"See how much I love you? I risked dying just to give you a kiss." You tried to speak normally but what came out of your mouth was a hoarse whisper instead, as your lungs were still in need of more air. A weak smile was adorning your lips as you struggled but still managed to let out a frail chuckle

"Don't say that, oeyä tawtute, please." Neteyam told you, trying to stay serious but still letting out a chuckle as well

"See the sacrifices I make for you, Neteyam?" You tried to seem mad at him at the beginning, only to start laughing shortly after, now that you finally had enough oxygen in your system to be able to let out an actual laugh, even if it still sounded weaker than your laughing would sound in another situation

He smiled big and teased you "Skxawng." (moron)

"But you love me." You closed your eyes while smiling, full of yourself

"I do." You opened your eyes to look at his face "More than you think, yawntu."

Your heartbeat accelerated intensely and you blushed. Neteyam found your blushed cheeks adorable. He looked at you so intensely, like he was holding the most precious thing in the world in his arms.

Neteyam knew he had just fallen even harder for you now that you both had kissed. He could not wait until he could be alone with you in a safe place and get to explore your body with his hands and kiss you all over. He almost got hard just thinking about that but he tried his hardest to whoosh that away. Neteyam was scared that feeling his bulge would be too much for you at that moment, specially since he knew he was much bigger than the human males you were used to. You might feel uncomfortable because of that difference and the sudden intimate feeling of his hard big cock against you and want to get out of his arms. Neteyam did not want that to happen. He needed you there a bit more, he was not ready to let you stand on your feet yet. And he was so afraid of you not wanting him close anymore, he was so afraid of perhaps ruining what you both had now. It was far too special for him. He could not let his sexual instincts ruin that. The time would come when you would let him in completely, when you would grant him permission to be inside of you and show you how much he craved your pussy, how much you messed with his head and awakened his most intense desires. Until then, he would wait and take baby steps. For you, he was capable of waiting for ages, though he hoped so strongly it would not take long.

༊⁀➷

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[mama-qwerty]

Thinking about Dread again.

Was going through my saved images and came across these, from the third season.

My deranged beloved has become a sad little meow meow.

So pensive. So frustrated. So defeated.

(My favorite image of him in this scene. I love that pose, it's so natural and conveys so much about his mental and emotional state.)

I still think the way they handled his 'redemption' completely missed the mark, and could have been done much better had they planted a few seeds to begin with. But the pacing of the whole series felt so odd, and I wonder if they had something different planned before Netflix (possibly) cut their time shorter.

(For the record, I think that's part of the problem with the Knuckles series. It felt like there should have been more in that, but Paramount told them they only had 6 eps to do what they wanted in 12.)

But Dread? My beloved little gremlin of a pirate? Oh, he had so much potential. He could have been this wild card, this character who continued to be him despite everything, who was so anti-Knuckles it was entertaining and fun and just a joy to watch him have so much fun being a bastard.

I get that they couldn't keep a Knuckles as an absolute asshole, but watching this delightful character go from this

To this

without seeing anything in between was jarring. The last we saw of Dread before season 3 started was him fighting with Ren as Sonic and Nine took the shards away. He was enraged to have lost his Beauty. Again. We have no idea what happened after that, but this descent into depression seemed sudden and out of character.

But considering how he behaved after his first loss of the shard (when he lost his first ship and crew), maybe this isn't that much of a stretch. He ran before, jumping nose first into denial, and tried to cover his feelings of defeat by being a party pirate. Now his Beauty is lost once again, and he's in a strange city, on another planet (in another universe!) and has made himself at odds with the people there. (With his other him.) He couldn't even contact his crew because he'd turned on them before leaving.

So here's Dread, completely out of his element, the one thing he'd lusted after his entire life gone. It would figure that he'd maybe have a bit of Ren's depressive state, and fall into a "What's the point? What I want always seems to be just out of reach. I'll never have my one true desire." mindset.

And maybe, since the shards were all gone, he's feeling some kind of mental shift. I've theorized that the shard's energy was what made Dread so batshit, and now that it's gone, maybe he's starting to think a little more clearly than he'd ever done before. Instead of that drive to "FIND HAVE KEEP" that gem, he's feeling like a failure for not being able to fulfill that quest. That duty. Because maybe to him, it didn't feel like the normal greed of pirate plunder, the urge to just take and steal and collect as much booty as possible. Maybe to him, because he's a Knuckles and they're hard wired to protect, it was something more personal.

That shard, according to his instincts, was his to protect. And now that it's gone, he's a failure and feels empty. He's coming down off that energy, the inexplicable hold the shard held over him, and is essentially going through a withdrawal of sorts, and dealing with the possibly conflicting emotions it dredged up.

There was so much potential for him. And the writers wasted it, by having him simply join in on the attack on Nine without examining his (very likely) ulterior motives. I don't like that they used that Jack character to draw Dread's selfish desires back out - those should have still been there! The whole agreement to join in should have been a plot to simply get him near his Beauty so he could pull a double cross.

This made it seem like Dread didn't even think about his Beauty during the whole battle. WHAT?? Being near it should have made him almost feral with the want to get to it. I would have loved to have seen him be another obstacle to the shard, so the heroes didn't only have to deal with Nine and his endless army of bots, but also this deranged pirate who was overcome with treasure lust.

Missed opportunity.

Ah well.

Just lookit this handsome bastard.

My beloved. Dread is possibly my absolutely favorite variant of Knuckles. I just love him.

[fandomsfordays21]

I've recently been getting more in touch with my kintype, which has overall been great. I've been getting some memories and have been using those to feel actualized and comfortable with who I am. The problem, though, is that I've started missing some of the people I knew from my source/my cannon. I'm posting this partially to vent about it, but also so I don't forget these things. They feel so precious, and even though they make me feel kinda sad when I think of them, I still need to remember.

I miss the other Stars. Dream fussed over me all the time, and it was annoying, but now I miss being cared for like that. His aura was really warm and comforting too, even though it didn't have the same effects on me (Being soulless and all) it was really nice. His aura felt similar to being in a warm room? Like when you bundle up in a blanket with a warm cup of tea? It felt like that. I miss it... I've been wrapped up in blankets all day but it just isn't the same. Even though Dream wasn't the best cook, he baked pretty well... He made a lot of stuff that had honey in it... I can't remember what it was called... Some sort of flakey pastry that had a type of honey taste? Or was it apple? I need to find it again...

I miss Blue, too. He was really fun to be around... We would talk with each other for hours about random things. I would forget most of what we said to each other later, but I wrote some of it on my scarf. I liked talking with him... He banned me from the kitchen because I kept accidentally setting things on fire. He gave the best hugs. Dream did too, but Blue gave really strong and energetic hugs. Blue hugged by running up and crashing into you as he wrapped his arms around you. Dream was a lot softer with it, but I loved hugging both of them...

I miss Error a lot too, which is probably surprising to a lot of people, but not at all to me. I liked to bother him. We would call each other names and beat each other up, only to meet in Outertale later where we would stargaze together. I would talk, he would knit and grumble along. I don't know if he was listening, but I hope he was. He was a jerk sometimes, yeah, but so was I. He'd yell a lot, I thought it was funny. One time he got so mad that he just crashed immediately before he could even react. I almost died that day. We were opposites, enemies, yada yada, whatever word you want to use... But we got along sometimes... One time he even let me on the beanbag! I didn't understand a word of what the people in Undernovela were saying, but the drama was so entertaining!

I really miss my kids too... God I miss my kids. I had three, Palette, PJ, and Gradient. Palette was the oldest, he was really energetic and like to run around. He liked to touch, holding hands, hugging, snuggling. He really liked to be carried. I can't remember how he used to do his art... That hurts so much... I need to remember that... Palette was quite literally a mix between me and Dream, a ray of sunshine, while also being the sun. (As in, he was just a flaming ball of burning energy). And then there was PJ. He's the middle child. You could tell. He was all angsty teen-ish. I didn't know how to handle that. He liked to craft stuff. He really liked clay. He was grumpy all the time, took after Error, (Which is funny because he looked and dressed more like me.) And then Gradient, or Grey, he was just a pure bundle of anxiety. He was always clinging to either me or Error. Clothes, hands, he had to be touching us at all times. He got a bit better about it as he got older, but he always had to have his hoodie on and sometimes had to have a plushie or something. I gave him a drawing tablet. He had bad problems with motivation and confidence. I tried to help him as best I could, but there were mostly just unfinished sketches on there. (I can't remember Gray's exact artstyle, but I know I loved it.) Gray had panic attacks a lot. I never knew what to do. It was scary... Error had to help most of the time.

...I feel like such a bad parent... I should have been more involved... I might never see them again... I'm fucking devastated right now.

I haven't gotten many concrete memories surrounding most of these people, mostly flashes or sensations, but they're precious all the same...

[lady-byleth]

A thing that strikes me every time I watch Ace of Diamond is how Miyuki is both an extremely insightful and caring person but at the same time too socially awkward to make use of that

Like, yes, he's an absolute raccoon and gremlin but he plays that up so hard that most people around him think that that's all he is. Which couldn't be further from the truth.

While he's extremely bad at reading people in general and doesn't really understand emotions he is observant enough to recognise behavioral patterns and connect them to what he knows of people's personalities and experiences to draw correct conclusions. And that kind of observation and analysis is not possible if you don't care deeply

And while he will absolutely use this ability for his own amusement he typically utilises it simply to compensate for his own shortcomings in interpersonal relationships. He doesn't know how to comfort or motivate so he redirects instead.

His constant needling, annoying and insulting is his way of channeling his pitchers' nervous energy into their frustration with him and that way they focus on shutting him up instead of worrying about the situation.

But when he notices an actual problem that behaviour disappears immediately and he notifies someone else who can deal with it better.

He was the first to realise Furuya's slacking off was fatigue exacerbated by the summer heat and instantly connected it to having moved to Tokyo from Hokkaido only recently.

He was also the first to recognise Sawamura's crumbling performance as yips and instantly isolated the cause for it too.

But the next step would be seeking conversation and working on a solution, which involves addressing emotions, and that's where he freezes up every time. Because emotions and understanding them as well as seeing what's written between the lines is Kuramochi's thing, not Miyuki's. So he relegates to the coach or Chris instead.

You can also see that he always knows when his usual tactic of pissing someone off won't work and that he always tries to find another way when relegating isn't possible. But because dealing with emotions is his greatest weakness it always ends up either super awkward or straight up backfiring

Even his fight with Zono stemmed from Miyuki being too socially awkward to even remotely understand why Nabe came to him in the first place. It takes Kuramochi pointing out that someone who wanted to quit wouldn't make such an effort taking notes for him to realize he missed something again. And it's that part that makes him the most upset, not Zono arguing with him. And him being upset with himself make the fight only get worse because being as emotionally challenged as he is he doesn't know how to back down either

He's been fully aware of and bothered by this even before the start of the series so his answer was to remove his own brain to mouth filter instead...until this was no longer an option.

When he becomes captain it's suddenly not just about him and the pitchers anymore but the entire team that's looking to him for guidance and his own shortcomings end up affecting everyone

So he starts making the effort to be more open and understanding, tries to connect with the team on a different level and not always rely on his sharp tongue.

And going back from Act 2 to the start of the series you can really see what an emotional journey this all is for him and how much he grows with it. Because first he allows himself to care so much that he puts his own health at risk for the team until he learns to balance this deep caring with his responsibility as captain and becomes the reliable pillar of strength that keeps Seido going straight while Sawamura takes on the role of emotional center

Of course, he's not even close to being done growing and he still messes up but hey, he's only 17 years old by Act 2 and the growth he undergoes in just that one year we experience with him is already impressive

Anyway, this sports manga/anime has better character development than most media that claim to be "character driven" and I'm in love with it

[kafus]

OKAY i can follow up my previous platinum post now. i haven't actually fought the gym in veilstone yet nor have i done the team galactic building stuff but there's so much flavor text already from the little that is able to be explored

it's pretty fucked that galactic has been able to set up shop or whatever in so many places because of this lie about finding a new source of energy. like okay while not entirely untrue the public does have the right to be suspicious about it. especially considering uhh

the contrast of these guys saying pretty much the complete opposite of the noble New Energy message. people criticize sinnoh a lot for team galactic not making a whole lot of sense and while i don't think sinnoh is a masterclass in storytelling or anything, i don't think people give it enough credit for it using this contrast to its advantage. i don't think the difference in this dialogue is because team galactic is confused or anything, it's their public facing front vs the truth of their motives. it's very heavyhanded but it's trying to sell this concept to children, so sdfjksd

oh and this gift porygon is entirely optional and able to be missed if you don't walk into this unassuming building with a couple NPCs, but it turns out it's a runaway from team galactic. it's not like pokemon hasn't used pokemon as a storytelling device before, team rocket was literally selling these guys mass produced at the game corner in kanto, but it's a lot more subtle here. the team galactic symbol is in the slot machine reels, and someone just found a random escapee porygon presumably around veilstone city. it's definitely drawing parallels to the Evil Deeds:tm: of team rocket that came before them and implies that they're probably doing more than JUST researching new energy...

oh yes and the constant reminders that dawn (or lucas, but i always play as dawn) is a child. of course the protags in the mainline pokemon games have always been children but it's especially striking in sinnoh. sinnoh's story has some of the highest stakes out of any pokemon games, and yet the protagonist is still a little kid, confirmed by the NPCs. it's more unnerving here.

like a child putting an end to a crime syndicate or a child stopping a natural disaster by summoning a sky god is one thing, but in sinnoh dawn steps into Pokemon Hell and catches Pokemon Satan in the palm of her hands and walks back out. perhaps i'm being a bit overdramatic but as a traumatized person who used sinnoh to cope as a child it's very interesting to me that dawn is hypothetically, arguably, the most traumatized pokemon protagonist. god damn she goes through some shit. these reminders are just disconcerting to me in a way they are not in other pokemon games. though maybe that's my bias speaking a bit too loud lol

ANYWAY now i gotta decide if i wanna grind out getting spiritomb with two ds consoles (or three?? i think i have enough files for that) or if i wanna sit in the game corner for a while to grind out coins for some TMs because i feel like doing one of the two HMM

[eolewyn1010]

January is racing towards its end; where the hell is my time?? And also, let's see if I can get this posted without tumblr eating my password again.

Things that went good:

I mostly got over the breakdown my computer and account issues drove me into last night.

I mailed my professor.

I have mostly caught up with the reading I failed to do last week.

I was a good little computer owner and did a cache clearing, internet chronics clearing, data carrier clearing, defrag, all that good shit. Virus scan is still running, but hasn't found anything so far. It may be the hardware after all.

My reading speed is picking up.

Bought some nice ingredients for good cooking and a new cake recipe I wanna try out. Had no baking energy yesterday, but today, there shall be cake!

Mission Data Rescue is running.

My mom did the dishes so I don't need to do them <3

I have mostly figured out which couples I want to draw for OCkiss Week 2025, and in what situations. No idea if I'll have the time to see the entire plan through, but I love having some motivation to draw, and last year was a lot of fun!

First sketch is done!

Got rid of the sprain in my neck.

Things that went not so good:

My computer keeps fucking me over and I really need to get it to a workshop to find out if this is a hardware or a software issue. This semi-crashing keeps eating my nerves.

I contacted support about the shit my tumblr account keeps doing, and they said to check the security settings, especially regarding two-factor authentication. Problem is, my settings seem to be alright; two-factor blahblah is off, and also the password error specifically only seems to occur when I try to save a post to the drafts. When I logged out by myself and when I got kicked out via clearing out my history, I could get back into my account via the established password no problem. Hm.

I have an unanswered text from my brother on my phone, and he's obviously trying to have a conversation. I'm not sure how to tell him that I think this is a supremely unsuited format without offending his attempt to be social. I'd much rather chat in person, preferably at a time when I'm not having a minor breakdown.

Drawing my OCs is 80% researching helpful references and only 20% drawing.

Despite regular sports, the scales keep being mean to me, and it's demotivating. Why do I even bother?

Things to do today / tomorrow:

Bake a cake.

Check in on my friend; I've been supremely unsocial these last few weeks.

More academical / leisurely reading.

Laundryyyyyy.

Finish reading my myths and fairytales book so I can gush about the illustrations on tumblr.

Things to do these days:

Get this piece of crap to a workshop and accept my sister's offer to work at her computer for a while.

Plan a trip to Bavaria.

More sketches for OCkiss Week!

Woman up, go to the dentist, admit that I missed my appointment and need a new one.

Find a new photography subject for another 12 photos 1 year project, preferably before January is over. Wanted to go for a walk with my mom yesterday, but weather was icky so she didn't want to, and going alone makes no sense since my phone camera isn't working. Technology really hates me rn.

[kuu-stuff]

07 January 2025

I started playing Skyrim again recently. Usually I lose interest easily because I know this game verrrry well already, but I did my best to take it slow, hang around little town, talking to everyone and doing small lame quests. Plus I started the game joining the Dark Brotherhood, and despite having spent hours drawing it's characters in the past, I only finished the whole quest twice, so it's a good occasion to do it again. Also this time I do half destruction magic and half dagger what is neat. Even after all those years, walking around in a truly free open world with cool mountains and rivers and snow and flowers, with two great moons, cool statues and ruins, full of all sort of animals all behaving in different ways, cool ingredients, cool books, clothes and all the lore, is so great ! I just enjoy this kind of environment and I hardly ever found an open world game this close to my favorite aesthetic. Hopefully the next TES game will be good and not an empty husk only better by it's graphics that I will have to buy a whole new computer to play and still get lags and performance issues ... I still can dream.

✰✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰

It's finally cold for real out there. I'm happily sitting in front of my heater, enjoying the feeling of warming myself up instead of melting under the sun. It will only stay for less than a week but I'm enjoying it to the fullest, going out on walks, putting on my nice cold weather clothes, drinking hot drinks (even more than in usual),... My body and mind yearn for the norther regions, though I'm not missing the constant rain and unpredictable weather.

✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰✶✰ I've been soooo lazy this week. I mean, I drew quite a lot of nice things, I'm still learning my latest art style so just drawing one thing takes a lot of my focus and tires me out... But now I think that I'm doing well. I opened my commissions again so I will certainly not work on my comics for a little while, or maybe I will, who knows, I don't have commissions all the time after all. I need to use that time to reread all my comics and notes again, I feel that my lack of motivation comes from not remembering most of it and focusing on the next part instead of the whole picture again. I still feel quite tired but I think that I just spend too much of my energy worrying about art styles and watching youtube videos. If I force myself a little bit more, I'll be able to endure it and not giving up after a few hours... At least I have definite styles to work on instead of searching myself for them. It's still not perfect and having two different ones is not the greatest to evolve fast but I couldn't reconcile my desire to have a cool fast style for my comics and being able to render cool and more delicate illustrations.

[a-s-levynn]

Also just to make sure this is clear, me tagging you in the sleep token in an arcade game post was in no way meant to put pressure on you! Just thought you might enjoy the idea :) it's a busy time but if you ever sit down in the future and have energy and motivation to draw but no inspiration maybe you'll think back on it :D

Now I gotta go to work but in any case I am very glad i was reminded of my beloved tiny token this way cause I missed so many fantastic little drawings!!!

Love them and you and your art endlessly 💜 have a fantastic day and a good weekend soon 🖤💜

Oh no, don't worry about it! It's just me and my inner need to do stuff i find fun but also the knowledge that i probably won't be able to deliver on it being an unstoppable force and an immovable object kinda scenario.

You have no idea how much i want go "YES GIMME AN HOUR" and just do it, but like i know that i'll put of a string of other stuff that would bite me in the butt later. But putting the drawing off means there is a chance i either forget it or may even loose interest in the idea. Which makes me frustrated. But all this is just an internal thing and it is not an issue or anything.

I love when ya'll bring ideas to me because duh, it means you enjoy what i do which for my sad little soul is sustenance. And i just hate to disappoint when i can't take it on or take me ages. I know that it is not fully on me, when i genuinly have thing out of my control that stop me, but still. I'm just sad i cannot draw everyone all the thing they'd like, which is already an impossible thing but you know.

Anyway i am rambling again. But don't worry, i know there was no intention of putting pressure on me. I probably phrased my answer poorly but half of it was self discipline. To stop myself from literally drop cooking in the middle of it and just sit down and draw, because that is far more interesting than cooking.

But the post is saved among my 753 drafts so one day i going to get to it i just cannot promise on when. But i also want to see it realized so i hope someone does it soon ヾ(｡✪ω✪｡)ｼ

[happiness-of-the-pursuit]

Weekend WIP Game

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more).

Thanks to @kiwiana-writes @daisymae-12 @myheartalivewrites @hgejfmw-hgejhsf for the tag!

1. WIP List: (Bolded have words, the others are just on the list)

Super Six and the Siren's Call (PJO AU)

Claremont 2008

Baby's First Pride

Daddy Issues (father storylines swapped, snippet linked)

AU of Someone's Fic (this is vague on purpose lol)

Grey's Prequel

RWRB Trans Alex Gender Rewrite

Amtrak Meet-Cute

Alex Gymnast AU

Threesgiving

F1 AU

Alex (and somewhat Henry) Experiences Quintessential Queer Things For the First Time

Honestly I feel like I'm missing some but this is a lot lol.

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest? Super Six and the Siren's Call, we have over 48,000 words written

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest? Also Super Six and the Siren's Call, it's gonna be a Book

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why? Super Six and the Siren's Call is great because co-writing really keeps me motivated and focused even when I'm starting to lose energy! I also really enjoyed writing the Alex Chapter of Daddy Issues (I only have two chapters written lol)

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why? The AU of Someone Else's Fic-I had an idea I just needed to get down but I haven't talked to that author about it yet so sometimes I add to it when inspired but it's hard to make forward progress when I don't know if it'll ever go anywhere or just live in google docs forever

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why? Same answer as above, I just feel weird even though it would be doing something different from their fic I just get nervous about stepping on toes.

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why? I mean I want a beta for all of them ideally, but for Daddy Issues it's 1) hefty and deals with MCD, and 2) I haven't written a lot/really any smut but I believe it will have some lol

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block? Baby's First Pride I'm sorry to all the fans, I promise I will get back to it. I just haven't felt inspired and don't want to half-ass it.

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them? Daddy Issues I got to create the whole Díaz side of the family which is super fun. I'm white, but I have extended family from South America who I've spent time with and I'm drawing on those experiences a lot.

10. Which WIP is the sexiest? Threesgiving even though @affectionatelyrs and I only have vague ideas

11. Which WIP is the angstiest? Daddy Issues, we're dealing with MCD, divorce, mental health issues. Also Chapter 5 of Claremont 2008 is gonna have canon MCD but it'll still be angsty, though I think less angsty than canon?

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)? I don't think any of them is much better than the others, but I do love our characterization in Super Six and the Siren's Call. I also had a lot of fun playing with younger Alex and Henry in Daddy Issues and Claremont 2008.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)? Again probably Super Six and the Siren's Call because this is not my strength but @inexplicablymine is great at this.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on? I mean, one is 48,000 words and the next one is 17,000. So.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why? Not to beat a dead horse but....we have plans for Super Six and the Siren's Call. However individually either Grey's or Daddy Issues. People seem to love the snippets for the second one which is making me really excited.

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs? Once in a while? Ironically I dreamed about @inexplicablymine's WIP the other night which is hilarious to me.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't? As of this exact moment Claremont 2008 has a lot of epistolary pieces that I really love that are not in other WIPs, and I have been using skins and html coding on texts which has been a game changed imo. Also one of my WIPs has a lot of POVs, some I've never written before.

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour? The Super Six and the Siren's Call not to toot my own horn but I feel like I've really been able to nail Rick's brand of sarcasm, @read-and-write- and @inexplicablymine too.

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process? Yes, and I wrote Nora's POV recently and it really just flowed out of me, I was super surprised by how easily writing her came to me.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs. For the AU of Someone Else's Fic Henry and Alex meet right after Alex's bisexual awakening, and then Alex blows Henry off because he's just found out he's gonna be a father.

Here's a tag per WIP, sorry if I missed someone's that already did this (no pressure also)! @heybuddy-drabbles @affectionatelyrs @littlemisskittentoes @inexplicablymine @read-and-write- @14carrotghoul @sherryvalli @hypnostheory @mainstreamelectricalparade @suseagull04 @user-anakin @tintagel-or-cockleshells @gay-flyboys

[itsbowbi]

tagged by @penglue

Are you named after anyone?

A saint I think. Or my parents just liked the name and came up with that reason after.

When was the last time you cried?

I cry a lot I think I cried watching the new Godzilla movie because I'm easy and a sucker. Like CRIED cried? I think my birthday but it was actually a pretty great night.

Do you have kids?

Hell no.

What sports do you play?

None. Too busy and tired. Been thinking about finding a baseball league or something to play in because I miss it. I was a terrible hitter tho. I'm in better shape now and I learned about my fucked up eyeballs so maybe I'd be better.

Do you use sarcasm?

I don't think so. I have a very cynical sense of humor but sarcasm to me just comes off as being mean. Pretty sure I avoid it almost always.

What’s the first thing you notice about someone?

Looks? I mean literally first thing I notice is what they look like. And yeah I usually decide if I think they're hot right then but that doesn't change much about how I treat them. Otherwise just general vibes I guess. Sense of humor, manners, etc. Ooh I guess I really notice if someone is being at all superior or condescending. I fucking hate that immediately.

Eye colour?

Baby blues.

Scary movies or happy endings?

I like both, but I definitely watch horror movies more often. I think it's funny when movies get the super happy ending like Wayne's World, which seems to be happening more and more often in the movies I watch. I do think I've been avoiding dramas because they can be draining to watch and I don't feel like putting myself through that sitting here alone in my room. And bad horror movies are easily the best thing to watch with friends.

Any talents?

I'm very good at guessing people's middle name. Also I have insane memory when it comes to movies. You can name like one small detail about a movie you can't quite remember and I can probably name it. Good at trivia too.

Where were you born?

Bay Area. Zero memory of California since we left when I was a baby.

Hobbies?

Uuggghhh this is where I really start to feel like a nolife degen. Video games mostly. I'm decent at overwatch. Have a quitar but haven't had the energy or motivation to practice in a while. I really want to pick it up again. Just got an iPad with the stylus so that's been fun getting back into art. People say I can draw good so that's cool. Also I technically got my first commission since my buddy gave me $10 to recreate a doodle I made for him at work in a full piece because he loves it so much. Gotta get around to that soon.

Any pets?

My leopard gecko Heybaby! I love her. Also my mom has 2 cats that I still consider mine and I love visiting them. Yoyo and Mimi.

Height?

6'

Favourite school subject?

I guess history. I think history has better stories in it than any fiction so I love reading about it and listening to audiobooks and podcasts. Chose that as my major in college since I didn't know what to do with my life and it was the one subject I was able to tolerate. That was a very bad decision and I honestly should've never gone to college or just gone to a community college while I figured out what to actually do. Still waiting on that last part.

Dream job?

I really don't have a realistic one. I have hated every job I've ever had and any work that was assigned to me in school or therapy or whatever instantly made me hate it. I have crazy fantasies about what I could still do with my life but most of them involve doing little to no actual work. Like being a streamer. But I guess I'll go with what I would've said 20 years ago and say baseball player or rock star.

GET TAGGED @conkedcrete @spylarman (or don't sorry to bother u)

[alltheotherblogs]

So, Regular Show.

Apparently it's getting some kind of pseudo-reboot. A new series tacked onto the ending of the last with some returns from previously featured characters. This is not necessarily bad news! But, the reasons for fans being skeptical are obvious.

One of the most important examples of a good idea gone sour is... Adventure Time. It doesn't take a genius writer to see that they blatantly disrespected the themes they started with. I had a chance to analyze, and criticize the series from a new and fresh perspective. And so as I jumped into it for the last time, I quickly used an analytical eye to spot the things I had missed as a child. One of these things was Princess Bubblegum. Coming from an abusive background, I can spot abusive behaviors the moment I see them. And P.B. is textbook. The various ways she manipulates the Candy people, the main cast, and Finn himself... It's scary familiar to a lot of the controlling tactics used by abusive parents. I don't have any specific examples and if I'm gonna be honest I don't desire to find any. But one thing that always comes to mind is how she attempts to manipulate the Flame people using these same tactics, and it fails... This is where an inconsistency pops up in the writing, Flame Princess and Marceline have similar father figures with similar motivations for how they operate and their family dynamic. The main difference I want to call attention to here is that Flame Princess didn't just overcome it but decided to rise to the occasion and take over the Kingdom. Marceline distanced herself from her origins as much as possible... I think you can see where I am going here. Where Marceline comes to accept her father, it only happens after he changes. I don't really think Flame Princess ever accepted her father. And so when Flame Princess sees P.B. blatantly stealing, and attempting to trick her and her subjects, she gets pretty reasonably angry. A manipulative woman pulls up into your abode under false pretenses and tricks you and everyone else so that she can get her sticky grubby fingers onto some SERIOUS ancient tech. Acting like someone as tyrannical as P.B. is anymore trust worthy with it than anyone else is delusional.

From here it's not very hard to draw a comparison to real world behavior. For once you have a character that is reacting reasonably to something instead of being absurd. And then you have the last episode where Marceline just magically, for no reason and with very little buildup, just falls into P.B's arms like some sick individual with a different KIND of authority issue. Marceline has an issue with authority not an issue without it. Even in the very first episode, this is how P.B. is setup. An authoritarian with a very skewed moral compass. The fact that she is completely different by the end of the series yet lacks any real character development and still commits the same sins she did at the beginning, it isn't some clever subversion or smart multilayered writing... It's just bad writing. That is why I get so mad whenever people say "oh you are just bigoted that's why you don't like it." If you are one of those people who unironically thought THAT was the reason the ending didn't go over well, you are more stupid than your teachers and parents thought. It wasn't hard to notice that they just inserted a relationship between two incompatible characters right at the moment the rest of the shows writing began to suffer.

Haven't finished J.G. Quintel's other show, "Close Enough" but I'm working on it. And it has good parts, which makes me confident this new show will have a good energy and a positive impact on the series as a whole. Since it'll serve as a sequel rather than a reboot, we have a lot to look forward too in terms of new characters and unique dynamics.

Regardless, the history of this kind of thing cannot be ignored. In recent cinema everything is getting a crappy reboot. It's gonna take a few times before they learn, what made the old thing work was not that it was the old thing, but how it was the old thing. You get what I mean?

People don't like same shit different wrapping. They like same wrapping different shit. They want to see skillful talented writing. They don't want cringey politically motivated garbage and marvel-quality one-liners. They want actual comedy, they want in-world belief systems to help the characters play off each other. They want creativity and a well built world. Not Helluva Boss, not Hazbin Hotel, neither of those cringey politically driven shows with TERRIBLE writing. People want the first five seasons of Adventure Time! They want Golden Era KOTH! they want good comedy delivered without pretentious snark... While it isn't HARD to do this, with studios breathing down peoples necks, and the people who give orders being corrupt scumbags with what I like to call "Wrong Beliefs" it is super difficult to actually make something good. But, Smiling Friends did it, Adult Swim continues to produce quality, Newgrounds continues to let loose incredible people, and talent always rises to the top regardless of what corruption is going on in the western media. It takes some time for these mega corporations to fall, but sure enough, hollywood is failing as everyone predicted. The games industry is failing, as everyone predicted. What happens when Hollywood and the Games industry fail? Indie creators come up to bat. Not all of them are going to hit it out of the park, but strike while the irons hot, and you just might see sparks.

What I'm trying to say is, just don't fuck it up J.G.