#i really think she's the coolest i'm so happy to have her exist in the world outside my head

[riiviir]

hey guys so I just started reading Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott and OMG AHSBNSBSBSNSNBSHZHSHDBFHGGHFHGRJ2KSHSBSNSK AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I LOVE THINKING ABOUT THE RELATIVITY BETWEEN DIMENSIONS!!!!!!

[dissapointu]

Arcane characters throwing a birthday party for the reader who has a bad memory and forgot his own birthday 😝

((my memory is rubbish, I can forget things I'm going to say/do In the same second , casual conversations, details and commitments 😔 planners are my best friends)

Happy birthday again 🥳

BABE. FIRST OF ALL.your faves would 1000000% throw you the most extra, heartfelt birthday party of all time because you deserve to feel loved and celebrated—memory or not.

So here’s how they’d handle it when you’re out here vibing, completely forgetting it’s your special day, and they’re like “Oh no, not on my watch.”

————————————————————————-

Jinx

Jinx is giving CHAOTIC ENERGY for this party. She’s not even subtle about it.

• You’d probably walk in and see her messing with some dangerous contraption, and she’d be like, “SURPRISE! You forgot your birthday, but I didn’t!”

• The party is WILD—explosions (small ones, probably), neon lights, spray-painted “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” signs, and cupcakes she may or may not have dropped at least once.

• She’s dragging you into every game and activity, yelling stuff like, “You don’t get to forget your own birthday, dummy! That’s what I’m here for!”

• By the end of the night, she’s probably passed out on the couch, holding a balloon, mumbling about how you’re “the best ever.”

Vi

Vi’s the type to keep it lowkey cool but still make it super special.

• She’d notice you forgot your own birthday and go, “Really? Guess I gotta take matters into my own hands.”

• She’d gather all your favorite people, decorate with some string lights and snacks, and surprise you like, “Told you I’d always have your back, didn’t I?”

• She’s keeping an eye on you all night, making sure you’re actually enjoying yourself and not overthinking anything.

• Before the night’s over, she’s pulling you aside for a quiet moment like, “Next time you forget your birthday, I’m just gonna tattoo it on your forehead.”

Sevika

Sevika pretends she doesn’t care, but she’s planning this whole thing in SECRET.

• She’s got a killer poker face, so when you’re like, “Wait, is today my birthday?” she’s just smirking like, “Guess you’ll find out.”

• The party is simple but PERFECT—her version of “lowkey” is making sure everything you love is there: your favorite food, drinks, and music.

• She acts all casual about it during the party, but at some point, she hands you a gift and says, “Don’t forget who made this happen.”

Silco

Silco would be so extra but act like it’s no big deal.

• He notices you forgot your birthday and immediately starts plotting. He’s like, “How does one forget their own existence? I’ll have to fix this.”

• The party is elegant AF—dim lighting, fancy food, and everything planned down to the smallest detail.

• He’s not a big “party” guy, but he’d be there in the corner, sipping his drink, watching you enjoy yourself, and thinking, “Yes, this is satisfactory.”

• At the end of the night, he’d come over and say something soft like, “Don’t forget your worth. I won’t.”

Vander

Vander would be the dad friend who makes your birthday feel like home.

• He’d figure out you forgot and immediately start pulling everyone together to plan something. He’s like, “We can’t let them go another year without feeling special.”

• The party would be warm and cozy—lots of laughter, good food, and a cake he baked himself (even if it’s a little lopsided).

• He’d give you a big hug at some point and say, “You’ve got a lot of people who care about you, even if you forget sometimes.”

• It’s the kind of party that leaves you feeling like you belong.

Ekko

Ekko would turn your forgotten birthday into an unforgettable NIGHT.

• He’d act all chill about it but secretly plan the coolest party ever. Firelight lanterns? Check. Music and dancing? Check. The BEST vibes? Double check.

• When you’re like, “Wait, is this for my birthday?” he’d laugh and say, “Yeah, you kinda forgot, but don’t worry—I didn’t.”

• He’d spend the whole night hyping you up, making sure you know how important you are to him and everyone else.

• By the end of the night, he’s handing you a handmade gift like, “Something to help you remember next time.”

Jayce

Jayce is going ALL OUT. No chill whatsoever.

• He’d throw a huge surprise party, complete with decorations, balloons, and probably a cake with your face on it. “You forgot your birthday? Not on my watch!”

• He’d spend the entire night making sure you’re having fun, constantly checking in like, “You good? Need anything?”

• He’d make a toast at some point, hyping you up in front of everyone. “To the best person I know. Happy birthday, even if you forgot it!”

• You’d leave feeling like the most important person in the world.

Viktor

Viktor would make your birthday feel quietly magical.

• He’d notice you forgot and gently remind you by planning a thoughtful little surprise. “I didn’t forget, so you don’t have to.”

• The party would be small and intimate, with everything tailored to your preferences. Soft lighting, good conversation, and maybe even a little tinkering if you’re into it.

• He’d give you a heartfelt gift, saying something like, “I know your memory gets the best of you, but you’re unforgettable to me.”

Caitlyn

Caitlyn would be the QUEEN of thoughtful birthday surprises.

• She’d find out you forgot your birthday and immediately start planning something sweet and meaningful.

• The party would be elegant but not over-the-top—just enough to make you feel special. She’d definitely include all your favorite things.

• At some point, she’d pull you aside and say, “You might forget your birthday, but I’ll always remember. You’re worth celebrating.”

Mel Medarda

Mel would throw the most glamorous birthday party you’ve ever seen.

• She’d notice you forgot and smile to herself like, “Looks like I’ll have to step in.”

• The party would be GORGEOUS—fancy decor, delicious food, and a vibe that screams “luxury.”

• She’d take a moment to toast to you, saying something poetic like, “To the person who deserves more than they remember to ask for.”

Ambessa Medarda

Ambessa would be direct but thoughtful.

• When she realizes you forgot your birthday, she’d be like, “How do you forget something like that? Never mind—I’ve got it handled.”

• The party would be practical but deeply meaningful—everything chosen with care to make sure you feel appreciated.

• She’d tell you at the end, “Don’t let yourself forget how much you mean to the people around you. We won’t let you.”

Heimerdinger

Heimerdinger would LOVE throwing you a surprise birthday party.

• He’d go all out with quirky decorations, fun activities, and maybe even a little invention to commemorate the day.

• “Ah, you forgot your birthday? No worries—I remembered for you!”

• The whole night would be filled with laughter and warmth, and he’d make sure you know just how much you’re appreciated.

Salo

Salo would be quiet but so sincere.

• He’d notice you forgot your birthday and take it upon himself to plan a small but meaningful celebration.

• The party would be simple but full of heart—just the right mix of people, good food, and a little reminder of how much you’re loved.

Scar

Scar would be CHAOTICALLY AMAZING.

• He’d be the one yelling, “YOU FORGOT YOUR BIRTHDAY? HOW???” while running around setting up decorations.

• The party would be loud, fun, and full of energy. He’d make sure you’re smiling the entire time, yelling stuff like, “This is YOUR day! Own it!”

Maddie Nolen

Maddie would be super sweet and thoughtful.

• She’d notice you forgot your birthday and plan something small but so full of love.

• She’d quietly make sure you’re comfortable and enjoying yourself, saying, “You might forget things sometimes, but I’ll never forget how special you are.”

Lest

Lest would be so kind and gentle about it.

• She’d realize you forgot and immediately start planning a little surprise to make you smile.

• The party would feel magical, like a fairytale, with every detail chosen just for you.

• She’d tell you at some point, “Even if your memory fails you, you have me to remind you.”

[lpsotd]

fun fact i have a fake comic cat. my childhood best friend and i were huge collectors, though she was more into it than i was (richer family + generally more passionate abt it). i was obsessed with the comic cat (a youtuber i really loved had one and i thought it was the coolest lps to ever exist) but i'd thought it was rlly expensive n my parents refused to get me one so i was super sad abt my severe lack of comic cat

then comes my ninth birthday (i think it was my ninth?? time is weird for me sorry </3) n my best friend tells me she has a really special gift for me. i get excited bc she's always been a REALLY good gift-giver n i'm nine and like getting stuff. idk what i was expecting tbh, but it was NOT a whole-ass comic cat. i remember cradling it in my hands so gently like a wounded baby bird and almost crying bc i loved it so much. she didn't even wrap it, just pulled it out of her bag and handed it to me. when i asked her how much it cost n how long it took to save up for it she just looked at me a little weird and said "it was like twenty dollars on ebay". i was STUNNED bc again. i could've sworn it was super fucking expensive

later on i kinda caught on that it wasn't authentic bc of certain aspects of it (colours being slightly off, head not being as loose as i'd seen real ones' be, not made of the same material as other lps from that time), but honestly?? i genuinely could not care less. i named her justice and she's moved houses with me four times and is standing proud and happy with the rest of my most precious collection on my bookshelf. that friend and i don't talk anymore (nothing happened we just lost contact) but i have a lot of reminders of her presence in my life n justice is one of them

here's a pic of my lovely justice bc sorry i wanna share her with u <3 i love your blog a lot n i don't really have any other outlets for my lps-related insanity, you don't need to answer this ask if you don't want i just wanted to tell this story and share my dearest superhero kitty

she's not my favourite (that one would be christina the dachshund) but i adore her nonetheless

she's adorable ... thank you for sharing, this was very nice to read :3c

[cairavende]

Worm Arc 12 thoughts:

Brian needs to watch the Barbie movie holy shit! (I understand the story takes place in 2011 and the movie doesn't exist there)

Just like, fuck get off Taylor's back. She is playing it too safe but also being too aggressive. Moving too fast but also not being aggressive enough! AHHHHHHHH!

Seriously, nearly every time Brian showed up in this arc I was yelling at him. Dude. Just back off.

Skitter fucking just, killing thousands of rats in a few minutes is absolutely terrifying. God I love her.

Hookwolf is a dick. I can't believe everyone else went along with him and gave the Travelers and the Undersiders shitty choices like that. I mean that's not true, I can believe it I'm just mad.

I legit forgot Imp existed until Tattletale mentioned leaving her at the meeting as a spy. I love how the way her power works combined with the writing style means she just disappears for the readers as well.

Loved seeing more of the Travelers and more Noelle. Excited to learn more about her (I don't have great feelings about her long term situation though).

Jack is such a fucking POSER oh my god!

He just. He thinks he's so cool. But he's not. Fucking "this is not an exit" reference and shit.

He is Tobey Maguire Spider-Man from Spider-Man 3. Just thinks he is the coolest shit. Everyone just has to accept it cause he got fancy knife powers.

Tattletale just fucking full confidence fucking with the Nine while standing right in front of them. She clearly knew it was high risk but she took it and she got results, spoiling Jacks plan with Cheri and shit.

That said, AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! MY BABY SOMEBODY HELP MY BABY! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! (Ok she's not like, my baby, that's Taylor. But she's still my baby.)

LOOK AT MY FUCKING DAUGHTER! FUCKING LOOK AT HER! HOW MANY PEOPLE DID SHE SAVE FROM SHATTERBIRD? HUNDREDS? THOUSANDS? SHE IS AMAZING!

She fucking needs therapy though. Saves more people than anyone else could have and is mad because she didn't do enough. God damn Taylor love yourself!

Danny is fine. Besides, he had warning so any injures are basically his fault. Git gud Danny. (Ok look that's a little unfair, but he messed up pretty bad with raising my daughter so I'm allowed to be a little unfair to him I think.)

And look at my daughter again! She goes and organizes people to help the wounded. Takes charge. Gets a cool butch lady that might never show up again to help. I hope she does show up again though.

AND THEN FUCKING MANNEQUIN! AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

After he showed up I said "I don't know how the fuck she's gonna do it, but my daughter is gonna kick your ass". And then like a few paragraphs later I read "I have no idea how the fuck I’m going to do it but I’m going to make you regret that." This made me both happy - fun to say something and have Taylor say almost the same thing - and worried - cause when I said I didn't know how she was going to do it I kinda hoped she had a plan.

But then she fucking does it! She kicks his ass. She steals his arm. SHE RIPS HIS HEAD OFF! GOD DAMN! THAT'S MY FUCKING KID!

I do think she should hire the buff burly guy who helped her rip Mannequin's head off. He clearly has motivation and would be loyal. And maybe I want to see him more. For reasons.

But anyway she fucking wrecks Mannequin, makes him look like he lost a fight with a paint store. Just fucking clowned on him. She is so good.

Then the next day Brian comes in and fully focuses on how stupid it was to fight Mannequin, not really praising that she won or asking if she needs medical help. God damn bud!

But I loved how a fuck ton of people were like "Oh shit she beat Mannequin! I want to work for her." She's going to be so fucking famous soon.

Interlude 1 - Jack is a poser again. Sucks to be the Merchants, can't say I'll miss them. Jack trying to sound all clever with his carrot and sticks thing, but most of what he lists for the other Nine is really obvious. And he misses some stuff as well. Poser. I could lead the Nine better than him (not that I would lead the Nine, just that if I did I would be better than Jack).

Interlude 2 - God damn this is a doozy. Shit ton of Cauldron lore. Battery backstory. Assault backstory. I made a "now kith" joke when they fought for the very first time cause I didn't realize who they were yet. It was supposed to be a joke. I did not want them to end up together. They should not be together. Legend should not have allowed Assault to be on Battery's team. He was a bit of a dick for that. So much Cauldron lore though. I can't put it all here.

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 30th July ✨

Another great week of audio drama has kept my brain busy while my data collection is less busy. Happy Audio Drama Sunday, please allow me to share my favourites!

SPOILERS!!

🌲 @hellofromthehallowoods (127) Oh NO Mrs Wicker get your children away from that Church!!!! I love to hear the J-sibs starting to push back against her, long may it continue! I'm also still obsessed with the Raven-Writing Desk dynamic and it's only going to get juicier when Mr Writing Desk actually wants to follow Penny’s demands… And Danielle!! I love that she still gets to be an active help in the mission to the North in a way that doesn’t feel like deus ex machina because it’s just her. 

🎞 Tiny Terrors (022) this episode had me yelling ‘what’s the catch?!?!?’ internally and I’ve just seen that the wait is over to listen to the other side of the tape!! Angela, what are you??

🌍 @lastechoespod (7) As some of you may know. . . I am a huge fan of Drs in Space. This episode had me gripped, those poor people 😭 What a cruel scare tactic from the Collected for that to be played to the people trying to decide whether to join. I’m so tense to hear what the final archival selection is going to be! 

🧛‍♂️ @re-dracula Things are TENSE aboard the Demeter. Even in <60s of audio, the creeping dread is so palpable. And Mina, sweet Mina! So thrilled to have her back! Listening rather than reading has makes it so much easier to parse the long, chunky sections describing Whitby!! I have high hopes that I'm going to stick with it to the very end this time.

 💫 Wolf 359 (24-32) Oh fuck. I am so glad I have all the episodes to listen to at once. I could NOT have dealt with the wait between seasons. Ep 30, Mayday, is possibly one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. I love that feeling of rooting for a character so hard that you forget that they don’t really exist and that you know they make it because there are another 30 eps of the show left. And the new characters - Kepler, Jacobi, Maxwell - wow, I LOVE to hate them. They’re fantastic in the worst way. 

🎩 @ethicstownpod (5) Things got a little creepy on the emergency broadcast this week. Memory is created as it is recalled?? What?? My mind is boggled. I’m very excited to hear how this, and what seems to be a growing discomfort between January and Artemis, plays out in the next episodes! 

🥾@doyoucopypod (3) Now. Hear me out. I know that being stuck up in a radio tower all day has got to be boring but I do think there might be a better time to flirt with your colleague than when 3 people are missing in a place called the ‘Dead Zone’ where strange ecological events are occurring . . . Just me?? Have I got the braincell here??? I’m so excited for these shenanigans to get even spookier. 

🏴‍☠️ Yeah. I listened to @levianpod again. What are you going to do? Support their crowdfunder? Good. Do it.

🎧 Such an interesting episode of The First Episode Of with @wirelandranch! The wireland vibes have always been immaculate and it’s so interesting to learn about where it came from and why it’s an amalgamation rather than a straight-up audio drama. 

🐬 Described as a weird mystery, @patterspod is exactly that. It’s batshit in the best possible way. Perhaps I hang out with strange people, but the main character is so normal in his weirdness, I feel like most people know a guy like Ryan even though Ryan is a liar ghostwriter trying to hunt down his thieving EX-boss with ?paranormal connections. It’s great stuff. 

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! My goal is to have season two of the show written by the start of August . . . So I should stop writing this and get to writing that . . . Right? Okay.

[lorryicious]

hi!! Just wanted to say you really inspire my confidence at the fact about posting my own ocs/sona in Gravity falls. I was rlly nervous at first but to see you do it and how Loretta is w Bill rlly helped (Love their dynamic my gosh) Thank you so much!!

I love your art and style!! You’re really a big inspiration for me and I always smile when seeing you on my dash. You’re really cool!! ~ 🌻 anon

THANK YOU !!! This is EXACTLY what I want to do when it comes to my Gravity falls ocs/sonas. I was always so embarrassed by it growing up, but over time, I learned it was so much more fun to find others who ALSO enjoyed doing the same thing. fan ocs/self inserts SHOULD NEVER BE BASHED ON. I genuinely think it's one of the coolest things ever, and I enjoy SO much talking about others' fan ocs/my own. It is one of my biggest passions, and expanding on an already existing story is done all the time in reader/canon fanfics, so why not ocs/aus revolving AROUND OCS!! This is a topic I'm SO passionate about.

That makes me so HAPPY AUGHHH !! ABSOLUTELY POST UR STUFF !!!!!! Im always so hyped to see more gravity falls oc x canon content on my socials. ANY FAN OC/SONA STUFF. Because I have some self inserts too !! Loretta WAS originally a self-insert ages ago, but she became a separate person. She has traits I would LOVE to have within myself, but Loretta is nothing like me LOL. I completely see her as a separate entity from myself. She kept the blonde though <3 LMAO Be cringe be free. It took a bit, but I found people who really helped me be confident in posting about it <33 I'm so grateful for the people in my life irl and online who have supported these characters that mean SO much to me. They are my sillies <33 and I cherish them so dearly. (Loretta Jack and Bill are literally tattooed on me, that's how much they mean to me LOL)

It really means so much having people who get inspired by my work, because that's the reason I draw AUGGH

[daemonoferror]

A date to Build-a-Bear with your Scarlet Hollow SO

Includes: Stella, Avery, Kaneeka, Oscar, Reese, and Wayne

Note: idk, earlier this year I got sad I couldn't just. Go to build a bear. So I started writing these. Reader is hardly mentioned but I did write it in the spirit of you being there.

Stella

• No clue how you got her there, but hey, you did it.

• Gretchen's going with you by the way, that's a given but I think important to mention.

• Go around Halloween, hopefully someday they'll have the mothman bear we've all dreamed of.

• Stella has so many ideas for what to make, though.

• Get a Halloween themed bear- no wait, a dog- no wait, this one looks really fucking stupid it's perfect- no wait-

• You have to go multiple times so she gets every bear she can think of.

• If she can make one look like Gretchen or a cryptid that'd be perfect

• But she'd also love to make a really screwed up, funny looking bear. Like-

• "Oh yeah, I noticed this one's missing an eye so. I'm getting this one." "This shirt has a typo on it, that's so funny i love it" "do you think they'll let me mismatch the shoes??" "a HOOK HAND ACCESSORY?! Well obviously I need that"

• You would not be able to tell a grown woman made this bear.

• She'll DIY it clothes later, it has it's own little wardrobe of wacky outfits

• She'll buy accessories she thinks Gretchen could wear.

• Lets Gretchen lick the heart before it's put in the bear

• Might get a sound effect heart but worries it'll be too annoying.

• If she got a scentiment it'd probably be the pumpkin one or... pizza? Because that existed, apparently?

• Names it something silly- an old man name like Harlod. Or give it a cryptid name.

• Absolutely fucking loved the date, she's already planning the next trip there.

--

Avery

• They'll think the idea is very cute.

• Make sure to go around spring/saint Patrick's day.

• Wants a flower print or green bear. (The point of going near saint Patrick's day is too ensure there's a shamrock bear to meet these requirements)

• Chooses the lavender scentiment for their bear.

• Will do that thing where you record a message for eachother's bear. They'll do a simple "I love you *kiss noise*" and it makes you swoon. They are SO perfect.

• You make a plant pun for their's, they love it no matter how stupid it is.

• They somehow make doing the heart ritual look cool?

• Finds a plant shirt and the bear's fate is sealed: they're gonna match :o

• The bear will be just as stylish as them (maybe more, I keep imagining Avery giving it a monocle accessory)

• Either names it after a plant- Like Magnolia or Clover- or names it the same way they name their plants (assuming they name their plants bc... who doesn't?)

• Very happy with the date and their bear, will show it off to everyone. Maybe it has a place at the diner- if they can find a spot garunteed to not get maple syrup spilled on it, anyways.

--

Kaneeka

• She probably came up with the idea, but feels a little silly about it at first because it seems so childish.

• Go around Halloween to once again ensure the pick of a spooky lil bear

• She takes it very seriously- this is gonna be the best goddamn bear ever.

• There are 2 wolves fighting inside Kaneeka: The goth and the nerd.

• So she's having a difficult time choosing between whatever collab buildabear is doing at the time (superheroes, sonic, Mario, whatever) or making the coolest goth bear you've ever seen.

• Please just let her get both 🥺

• Thin mints cookie scentiment for one bear, coconut for the other.

• Will do a cute sound effect for her bear. She would suggest recording one for eachother, but she doesn't know what to say.

• She's not mismatching the collab bear, it's getting the accessories that was made for it.

• The goth bear will get the nicest outfit ever, in all blacks and dark colors.

• She'll also DIY it clothes to fit her aesthetic better

• Gives it a very pretty, elegant name, like Celeste or Audrey

• The other bear, she fills it out the exact way she would for the character, which just feels like extra work.

• "Why does Batman need a birth certificate? He's batman." Proceeds to do the right thing and names it Bruce Wayne and changes the birthday to the right birthday.

• Thinks it was the perfect date, and is really happy you went together.

--

Oscar

• You'll be forced to take Rosalina and her friends with you, so not really a date. He'll see it as more of an outing for the kids, but it's kinda fun to participate.

• Gets the classic bear with brown, curly fur.

• Won't get a scent or a sound effect.

• Is a bit embarrassed to do the heart ritual, but turns it around quickly, joking that a teddy bear's heart transplant is no laughing matter.

• Won't want to get accessories because those cost money, but if you insist because you're paying, he'll cave and give it a dapper little suit and glasses. Maybe a top hat. A mini book to read. It'll be so cute.

• Gives it a bear pun or a book reference that no one gets for a name.

• Is very tired at the end of the day from being dragged around the mall by a bunch of tweens, but he gets home and still thinks it was a good day. Probably falls asleep with the bear. Though that will sadly be the only time, he keeps it on a night stand or bookshelf so it won't fall off and roll under the bed. He'd have a heartattack if he lost it.

--

Reese

• He never went to build a bear as a kid so this is gonna be so great for him.

• Picks out a very soft, cute bear

• Maybe like, the patchwork one with the sewed on heart? Idk why, if just seems right.

• He feels a little out of place, he's not used to cute things. He just sorta picks whatever he vibes with, and it comes out pretty cute and simple.

• He holds it very gently, like it could tear or fall apart at any second.

• Might buy a black or white shirt he can paint later, or a sweater so it doesn't get cold 🥺

• Paint brush accessory

• Blueberry scentiment, doesn't need any sound effects (unless there's a construction noises one LMAO)

• Doing the heart ritual heals his inner child

• Understuffs his bear just a little bit so it's softer

• Names it something absolutely BADASS "Nightmare" "Knight of Dreams" something awesome and cool idfk he's the creative one not me

• Has so much fun, might get sentimental about it. You can pry that bear from his cold dead hands.

--

Wayne

• . . . Why?

• A goop monster walks into a kids store. Screaming and crying insues. And then you're alone in the store.

• The employees might even be out of there, they don't get paid even for this.

• He's just happy to be with you, does not give 2 shits about the teddy bear at first. He adores seeing you having fun, is happier that you're not doing something dangerous.

• DO NOT let him touch the damn bear until it has some washable clothes on!! He can POINT at what he wants!! >:(

• Gets a simple bear, either a very old fashion basic one or just gets the same as you.

• Snazzy little jacket to parallel his. He's fine with you picking out the accessories for him though.

• You make him do the heart ritual even with no employees around to force you to

• Which ends up getting pus and blood in the bear. . . Gross!

• Stuff his bear full of scentiments. No, the scent doesn't matter just- just put them all in. Yeah, it's just to rival the smell of rotting flesh.

• Wayne gives it a very specific name, one you get the feeling comes from someone he knew long ago...

• Since the employees left, please just. Leave some money on the counter. It's okay if you don't pay for the 15 scentiments stuffed inside Wayne's bear. Yeah, no, it's really fine, trust me.

• Wayne will cherish this bear forever, and is extremely careful with it, even though it inevitably gets dirty a few days later anyways.

[wutheringheightstillpendalhill]

Let's start at the beginning... - .1

pairings: (Eventual) Bucky Barnes x Original Character

TW: mentions death, violence, angst, controlling behaviour.

🔅angst/fluff, first meetings🔅

Description: A young Birdie has her world stolen from underneath her and ghost in the night stands guard till sunset.

Dear Diary,

Let's start from the beginning shall we?

Do you wanna hear the gut wrenching tail of how my top notch upstate New York lawyer of a mother abandoned me to my father. The Playboy of playboys. Or how about how she came back into our lives only to abandon us once more after the birth of my baby brother?

Perhaps we'll skip that for another time I mean seriously who in their right mind wants that kind of trauma.

Not me that's for sure but hey ho there are people worse off than me, that's what my Tia Diana likes to say whenever one of us complains about something. She's the live in Nanny, she's been with us since I was born cause Dad wasn't one for babies dunno why he kept us really I have my theories that it would be too scandalous of a thing for Obadiah Stane to let my dad get away with.

This is stupid. Why did I let Doctor Donovan talk me into this. Not that it's your fault. She's the one who told me that perhaps talking (writing) to someone or something would help me to not burnout and get a better grasp over myself.

Let's give this another go...

-

Dear Diary,

my name is Elizabeth Maria Stark. But everyone calls me Birdie. Tia Diana says it was my first word. I do like birds, I have a small mosaic of feathers that I'd made in class from all the places I've traveled to. It's my favourite thing that I made in art class, that and the ceramic infinity vase that I made for Pepper's Birthday last year.

My birthday is August 3rd 1993, making me fourteen years two months and six days old as of right now. I'm a Senior in high school, Obadiah kicked up a fit when my first report cards in primary school came in and I was doing far too well to be stuck in such a low level learning environment,so instead I got bumped up a couple classes. Yay me i guess.

Being a senior is great I guess. I'm like the most unpopular kid in my year, I mean seriously what seventeen year old wants to be shown up by a fourteen year old. So yeah being in senior year is amazing.

I told Tia Diana that the others like to push me about whenever essays are due, mostly the older girls corner me and try to get me to do their essays for them. She says that just normal and unfortunately I was gifted with a very beautiful mind. Her words not mine.

I think the only positive to my brain is that it makes Toby wanna grow up to be like me. He likes to do show and tell of all the things I do with him whenever Dad's busy and ignores our existences. But I always feel prideful whenever Toby brings home something from Preschool or Kindergarten and it's a picture of me or when he'd started learning how to write names he'd try to write mine.

Toby is the coolest kid ever. But don't tell him I said that I've gotta keep that disinterested older sibling vibe you know?

He's a little rugrat and I'd be lonely as hell in this big house without him. I mean I'd have Jarvis and Happy but you know Toby is my baby brother, it's ride or die for us two the two Stark kids destined for greatness.

Jarvis says I should go to sleep. It's nearly two in the morning and I have school in a few hours, I guess this is me signing off for the night. I'll tell you more stories later seeing as you and I are now gonna be best of friends.

This is Birdie Stark signing off for the night.

——————

It's going great. I thought staring at the screen in front of me.

Fury had ordered me to be dragged out of class. Coulson was in the car that come to pick me up, greeting me as an old friend but I would be honest I'd never met the guy before.

"Miss Stark if you would be so kind as to focus" the one eyed man sent me a look making me shrug a little before looking back down at what it was they were showing, "so what your saying is for the past fifteen years you've been watching me?" I tilted my head a little wondering what it was that made me special. Like I get the whole being Tony Stark illegitimate child but like come on now, that's why everyone at school wanted me, doesn't explain why these people wanted me. "Because you are exhibiting skills that would put some of my best agents to shame.. and it's skills like those that catch our attention" Fury seemed frustrated which I get I was a smartass when it came to talking to adults, the only decent figures in my life were my godfather, uncle Rhodey and my Tia Diana, our nanny.

Looking through the list of things they had on me it showed all my after school hobbies and clubs along with my academic achievements. It was no secret I was held to higher expectations than most, a lot of it from Obadiah Stane who seemed to insert himself in anything to do with my life rather than allowing it to distract my dad. It had noted down about my ballet and the catch wrestling and mixed martial arts as well as being captain of my schools debate club and winning three national championships in a row.

"So. it's a scary world out there wanna be prepared" I glanced at Coulson who was skimming through a file in front of him, "what the director is attempting to say is that we would like to recruit you". I was silent for a moment wondering how to respond, it would be a slap in the face for Obediah who always spoke of these big plans of basically sticking me and little Toby behind a desk once we graduated College. I wanted to go into politics to make a difference, he wanted me and my baby brother stuck at SI for the rest of our lives under his control.

"What about College, I've just started getting responses back about them" I tell them as both adults looked at me in surprise for a moment, "bit young for college?" Coulson spoke up as Fury simply tilted his head watching me as I shrugged, "I'm fifteen in a few months, I wanna get a head start in life sue me... besides the sooner I can get out from where I am the better" I say as Fury leans forward in his seat. "Pick a school, you can do both" he said as I had a stare off with him, "Harvard... they got the best political science department of all the Ivy leagues... one of their lecturers came to an event my dad hosted last christmas one of the most interesting conversations i've had with an adult ever" I watch as he glances to Coulson before smiling. "You know what kid I've got high hopes for you... welcome to shield Agent Stark" and with that I was a Shield agent.

—————

Dear diary.

scratch out the plans for revamping the CIA, we're in with the big leagues now. School was great, got an A in my midterm paper on the prohibition period in Western States, got to listen to my teacher go on about his father's time in the army during the second world war. Apparently he got to meet Captain America whilst over seas. which is cool I guess, Dad always said we were held to the legend of Steve Rogers by my grandfather, how no one will ever be as perfect as Steve Rogers.

Anyway's History was the only class I got through, I was called out of class by an Agent Coulson from Shield. Apparently my grandfather was a founder of Shield alongside my great aunt Peggy. Just another secret to add to the pile of things my grandfather did that we didn't know about.

But that's not the point. Point is they've recruited me. Me of all people. The local overachiever with parent issues and a habit for picking up things quickly.

So yeah Fury and I hashed out an agreement, I'd train and work alongside Shield during the summers till I finish College and then I'll basically be Shields personal political figure that isn't the secretary of defence.

Finally my way out from under Obadiah.

note to self - remember debate club captaincy meeting next week, grab notes off of Hailey and Griffin.

—————

Toby was perched on Dad's work bench, the five year old had zero concept of time so more often than not woke me up so we could go work with dad in down in the workshop. Jarvis, the ever loyal companion he was would always let me know if our dad was actually up or not before we'd arrive.

"Pass me the flathead" Dad held a hand out for Toby to place one of the screwdrivers Dad had placed beside him, I couldn't help but smile as I watched them from my perch. Dad was going away for the week so Toby had especially wanted to be up early before he left, Toby adored Dad but then again Dads the only parent he knew, Harriet came back into mine and Dads life for a year before up and leaving Baby Toby in her wake. Not that either of us would complain, where dad had been distant with me growing up he was attempting to make some sort of an appearance in Toby's childhood. It hurt seeing them sometimes but he was improving in some areas as a parents He had yet to miss a birthday or parent teacher conference so he was getting there in some sense, most of the time though we spent our collective moments as a family here in the workshop.

Toby clapped at Pepper as she came in scolding Dad, another adult in our lives that Toby adored other than our dad was Pepper. The woman was a saint probably one of the few people to be able to get our father to do anything, she was always making sure dad had at least one day during the weekend to spend with us, making sure he didn't miss out on important updates from the schools, not that Dad got a lot of input when it comes to our schooling that was more Obadiah who didn't understand the meaning of keeping one's nose out of things. "Birdie make sure your father gets out of here on time for his flight.. Happy will be coming by to pick him up" the redhead smiled at me before swooping down to collect Toby into her arms gaining a multitude of laughter from the boy. "Come along Stark Junior Diana is here to get you ready for Henry's party" she smiled walking out with the five year old on her hip waving good bye to me and calling back to Dad to remind him of his flight once more before both disappeared.

Silence fell over us as I sighed getting from my spot watching dad tidy some of his tools away, "send my love to Uncle Rhodey yeah" I say stepping forward to be closer as Dad chuckled glancing at me, "sure you don't wanna come with really good learning experience?" he offered but I only shook my head knowing we'd had this conversation before. "I've got too much going on here Dad.. we've got Mock SAT's coming up I've gotta get on top of those besides wouldn't be fair on Toby if I also disappeared" I mumbled seeing his expression fall a little before he smiled once more, "I'm proud of you kid.. I know I don't say it enough but I am" he reached out looping an arm round my shoulder bringing me closer before kissing the top of my head. "Thanks Dad" Smiling I pull away before calling out to Jarvis, "Jarvis make sure the old man doesn't miss his flight" I say turning to leave, "stay safe and don't be late for Movie night, you promised us you'd show us Back to the Future" making my way out of the workshop it wasn't hard to miss the sound of my dads laughter.

Going about the days following was weird. It was a weekend so I hung out with Toby in the living room, Tia Diana bumbling about in the background making sure everything was sorted for us whilst dad was away. Jarvis was being brilliant in entertaining Toby by playing Simon says and name as many animals starting with the letter 'c', I chuckled lightly watching on ignoring the homework I had in front of me. By the second Day of Dad being away everything felt off, Tia Diana said it was nothing to worry about stating that I was simply stressed over school work and my extracurricular activities, Jarvis offered up the response of Dad missing out on calling us the night before letting us know he'd landed safe.

"I'm telling you Birdie you have to stop stressing I promise everything is alright" the older woman attempted to reassure. I wanted to believe her, wanted to believe Happy, who came by to bring my new lacrosse stick to me, the old one had broken after I'd been messing about with DUM-EE. "Seriously Kid you're dads probably just partying with investors, Rhodes is with him so he'll probably kick him into gear about calling you kids" the older man clapped me on the shoulder as we went out into the yard, Tia Diana was watching Toby swim whilst Happy promised to help me practice my throws for next weeks playoffs. "I just miss him is all... I promise I'll stop worrying" I mumble as Happy sends me a sad smile, "he'll appreciate you worrying means you haven't become such a moody trouble maker" he laughed before chucking the ball at me, "I'm a teenager, being moody is my specialty" I shrug with a grin before throwing the ball back at him. The afternoon was spent like that Tia Diana and Happy distracting Toby and I from the fact we still hadn't heard from Dad, we went through the motions of getting ready for bed and everything. Jarvis was reciting the digits of Pi as a way of distracting Toby as I tried to get him into the bath, Tia Diana had had to leave early to go to her own kids. "I'll be back before breakfast are you sure you'll be alright?" the older woman worried as I shook my head, "go sort your own family out first Tia Diana they're more important we'll be fine we've got Jarvis don't we big man" I say glancing to the the ceiling as the AI responded with reassurance, giving me one last look Tia Diana pulled me in for a final hug. "Sleep well Birdie" pressing a kiss to my temple before leaving me in charge of the house for the night.

"Tobias for the last time, either you let me finish washing your hair or I'll tell Jarvis to not do the constellation story tonight" I huffed seeing the boy huff splashing one last time before grumbling to himself as I went back to trying to put suds into his hair. Bath time was difficult, both Toby and I related in the fact that we may adore swimming but bath time was not enjoyable, listening to the toddler enact some adventure with his frog and scuba diver, I grabbed the conditioner comb to run through the mane or hair the boy seemed adamant to keep as a rats nest. Curly hair was a curse he'd gotten from our Ma, I was lucky to have dads soft waves that curled when damp, a huff and growl was all I got from Toby as I combed the conditioner through his hair as gently as I could. "Henry says Mama's are meant to to look after kids not nannie's and sissy's" the boy mumbled playing with the bubbles I'd added as an attempt to sooth the grouchy attitude he got after bath time, I paused for a second after finally reaching the top of his head with the comb, remembering the comments kids use to make to me whenever Tia Diana would come and get me from school instead of Happy who everyone was convinced was my dad. It was harsh having to understand why everyone else had mums or stepmoms and I only had Tia Diana, when Harriet came back I thought things might get better that she didn't abandon me but really she was just bored and in between husbands, probably thought she could get dad to marry her this time round but dad wasn't the kind of person to get married, he'd done the whole kids thing now he just seemed to live life one one night stand to the next.

"Well Henry doesn't know what's he's talking about besides I'm a great sissy aren't I?" I say as he tilts his head back to look at me with a trembling look, "why don't I have a mama?" oh no it was one of those nights. Toby was a sponge for anything, would ask you to explain the reason of life to him before the sun had even risen, he enjoyed numbers and thinking games rather than cartoons, not that I didn't get him to watch cartoons with me, it was a pass time that we'd all pile onto the coach and just spend half a morning watching cartoons with Dad. "Cause we haven't found anyone good enough to be our mama..." I say not realising I'd started talking before wet arms reached out to try and hug me, "no need a mama I have my sissy" Toby mumbled burying his soap soaked head into my neck and for once I didn't care my clothes were getting wet as I hugged my baby brother closer to me. "I love you Toby don't ever forget that" I say feeling my throat tighten at the little ones words.

Bed time after that went smoothly. Toby seemed stuck to my side wanting to sleep in my room, nearly crying when I'd walked out the room to go get changed. "Jarvis start telling story of the constellations again.. i'm just gonna get changed" I ask the AI softly pressing a kiss to Toby's head before leaving to get changed finally feeling the days activities wearing down on me. Listening to the story of the Big Dipper and the different zodiac constellations I fell asleep thinking that things would be okay.

And then we were told that Dad had been kidnapped.

Obadiah took charge of the whole situation, taking up guardianship of both Tobias and I. Guardianship that meant leaving both Tobias and I alone in the mansion on lockdown with only Jarvis and Happy to interact with. He fired Tia Diana stating that Tobias was too old for a Nanny and that anything he may need emotionally I could provide for him. I was furious, crying heavily as Tia Diana said her goodbyes to us, telling us how much she loved us and how it had been a privilege to have been apart of our lives for so long, Toby was beside himself chasing after her car as she left, in less than a week we'd not only lost our father but also the woman who had stepped in taking care of us and loving us so unconditionally.

I was distraught, no matter the distance between us I still loved my dad and I still needed him. Everything seemed to be falling out from under my feet, Obadiah had organised for us to be home schooled, making sure to keep both Tobias and I out of the public eye as much as possible. Hell I'd practically prayed for Harriet to come back and take us with her to New York. To live with her and which ever number husband she was on.

Coulson tried reaching out to me, I said I was under new guardianship and that circumstances had changed. He simply acknowledged what was going on, offering his condolences and that the offer for shield still remained when things were sorted out if I was still wanting it. I wanted to say yes, every part of me said yes but to yes would mean to leave Toby alone and I couldn't do that, too many people had already abandoned us I couldn't do that to him. "I'll think about it.. thank you though" I murmured ending the call focusing back in on Toby who was going through reading time with Jarvis.

—————

Dear diary

Someone came to try and kill me last night. They'd disabled Jarvis and all power to the house and tried to strangle me.

I don't know much about the man who saved me, I saw he had a mask, long hair and a metal arm.

He spoke Russian and English.

He's scary strong.

He saved me.

—————

I was curled in the corner of my room staring at the dead body on my floor and the man standing over it. My throat and chest ached as if acid had been poured down my airways. He seemed to be staring at me before moving forward reaching for me, I squeaked shocked for a moment before being lifted into his arms. I wanted to fight but my limbs wouldn't move neither would my mouth in an effort to scream, maybe he was kidnapping me? oh god what if Obadiah had pissed off someone and now I was paying for it.

Slowly carrying me into one of the guest rooms he placed me on the bed, "оставаться" he muttered before leaving I stayed put going over what had happened my eyes slowly filling with tears at the thought I'd nearly died. Quietly I started crying clutching at my chest as the fear of what had happened came over me. Some time later then man reappeared kneeling in front of me, watching me for a moment before reaching for the hand that was near clawing at my throat, taking it gently in the hand that was flesh. "You're safe now" he murmured softly, giving my hand a squeeze before letting go and moving away. "Don't go please" I didn't recognise my own voice, he came back slowly as I reached out wanting comfort so badly, I hadn't had a hug from anyone but Toby since Pepper came by to check on us a week ago. Holding onto the man who saved me, I cried half scared out of my mind confused as to why and how someone would try and kill me, he was stiff unsure as to what to do but left me to hold onto him. Toby. Oh god Toby. "My brother... oh my god Toby I need too-" the stranger was already up and out the room, I sobbed the fear that my baby brother could be dead that they would have gone out of their way to kill a child was gut wrenching.

As quickly as he left the stranger was back with a blue and green bundle in his arms, tuffs of dark hair sticking out as he approached me with Toby asleep against him. Gasping I reached out letting the stranger slip my brother into my arms, hiccuping slightly I pressed kisses to the crown of his head. "Thank you... Thank you..." I whimpered cradling Toby as close as I could to my chest. The toddler huffed at me disturbing his slumber but didn't seem to wake, I didn't care looking over him he seemed unharmed and simply lost in dreamland, burying my nose in his hair I took a deep breath trying to take in his smell.

Mystery man simply stood at attention his eyes scouting around the room, glancing to him I tried to see if I could make out anything distinctive about him other than the metal arm and mask. "Sleep. I will check the house" was the only thing to come out of his mouth before he disappeared from the room leaving me to the silence of Toby's soft snores. I didn't go back sleep simply tucked my brother into my side and held him there, I spent the rest of the night staring out of the window waiting for the sun to rise. He came back to the room once more standing in the doorway for a moment looking in on us before vanishing once more.

When the sun finally rose from the edge of the ocean Jarvis turned back on. Apologise reverberated from the AI to which I waved him off, "it's okay Jarvis... both Toby and I are okay..." I tell him as I go about sorting out Toby who had woken up in confusion as to why he was in a different room, I simply told him Jarvis had a power cut and I didn't want him to wake up alone with out his nightlights. After checking the house throughout the day nothing seemed disturbed except for the singular blood drop on the floor leading to the back door, stepping out I walked to the edge of the cliff looking out over the sea, feeling the waves shower droplets of salt water into the air being blown through my hair. I stared out waiting wondering if the stranger was still around if we'd once again been left on our own in such a big house. I was right to wait as I felt a presence at my side, the sun was already setting and I could hear the sounds of Jarvis playing Bill Nye the science guy for Toby. I stayed in silence waiting for the presence to make a move instead he simply stood waiting just as patiently, watching my every move as a hollering laugh rung out in the air from the house causing him to flinch ever so slightly.

"It's just Bill Nye.. Toby likes watching it after dinner" I murmur my gaze falling to the shadowy figure, glinting metal catching the last rays of sun. "Thank you... I don't know if you've come back to like kill me or something but thank you for not hurting Toby... he's a bright kid and he's got so much to give to the world" the words felt like lead in my mouth, every scenario was playing in my head each one as bad as the thought before but all of them ended with me dead and Toby alone in the world. "My mission is to protect not kill" his voice wasn't covered by the sound of his mask as he spoke startling me out of my head, swivelling my head at a dangerous speed I stared at the man long hair curtaining his face from me. "Why?" I shouldn't spoke but it had been the question on my mind all day, why had I been picked to die. "You're important... you're needed" It seemed as if he was struggling to think of an answer making me even more anxious at the thought that out there people where making decisions that resulted in life and death, "I'm not... trust me I'm not. I'm just a kid stuck in a world full of people who control my life with no way out" I say tears pricking my eyes at the thought of being trapped once again under Obadiah, I was met with silence before the feeling of a knuckle brushing against my cheek, closing my eyes I allowed the feeling of someone actually caring even if it was just for a moment.

Pressing into the touch, I didn't dare open my eyes. Parts of me were screaming at how I was being, this man had killed someone in front of me, yes he killed the person who tried to kill me but that still didn't make him any less dangerous and yet couldn't seem to find it in me to care.

As gently as his touch appeared it vanished being replaced by the sounds of movement, "the boy is calling for you- you should go back inside.. I will watch the house tonight" and then he left as I stood there fluttering my eyes as the figure of his back walking away.

I did as was told and went back inside getting Toby ready and tucked into bed. "Birdie who's the ghost man?" he asked sleepily as I held my breath for a moment before glancing to the window that looked out to the backyard, the ghostly figure danced across in the moonlight. "Someone who's keeping us safe... you can't talk about him Toby not anyone- not to Happy or Jarvis or or- anyone do you understand" I say watching the boy nod before burying his head in his pillow, "night sissy.. night ghosty" he voice puttered out as he fell asleep leaving me alone to my thoughts.

I didn't sleep in my room instead taking the sofa so I could see out the windows properly. When my eyes felt like they might close I swore I saw the shape of the mystery ghost man, but fear wasn't the thought on my mind as I descended into the realm of sleep.

[theprodigypenguin]

It's the last week of September which means the last week of Su!c!de Awareness and Prevention Month (you should always be mindful even if it's not September but it's still rad there's a month dedicated to it).

I don't talk about it much myself cuz it's pretty personal, but as someone who's attempted a few times I like to imagine I have a decent enough reason to be loud and obnoxious about it :) especially when talking about reasons that I'm happy I didn't end up completing.

For example I never would've seen Luffy unlock Gear 5 😩❤️ I never would've seen Sabo again, or watched the Jurassic World Trilogy. I love those movies so much.

I never would've met my friend M, who is now my irl best friend and possibly the closest friend I've ever had before. She had such a monumental impact on me, I even discovered my career thanks to her encouragement.

I also never would've met some of my closest fandom friends like Kel ❤️ my writing never would have gotten to the level it's at now ❤️ I never would have met my roommate who's definitely part of my found family ❤️ I never would have been able to adopt my little Kotatsu, and who knows where she'd be if I hadn't taken her home?

I never would have gotten the chance to get so many tattoos, and I intend to get many more, so I can't be dying yet either 💪

I'm exhausted and the world is kind of a mess, but I'm not entirely upset I continuously failed to delete myself from the game before it had even gotten good; and I foolishly still have hope that it'll get better. I think I'm too jaded and stubborn to think otherwise anymore. Shit sucks, but one time when I was at the store this random older guy gave me a rose just because (he gave them to everyone in line). And my cat makes squeaky sounds when she yawns. And there's this stray cat I call Bikepath who always comes up to say hi to me when I go on walks. And it rained last Monday. And it's almost Halloween. And I bought myself donuts the other day. And my boss says I was born to be a baker. And my other boss says I make really pretty cupcakes. And I got my roommate the coolest gifts for Christmas and can't wait to see his face when he opens them. And the One Piece Live Action is INCREDIBLE. And Sabo will be showing back up in the anime soon. And I just got a new laptop which has been helping me write more. And Kel bought me my first ever Pokémon game. And coffee is pretty damn delicious. And I saw the chunkier honey bee in the actual world sitting on a sunflower the other day. And I get to see my cat when I get home from work. And I bake cookies and cakes for a living. And I've been self funding tons of Sabo themed enamel pins lately and I need all of them finished and in my hands. And did I mention Sabo? Oh yeah and Dragon too. And One Republic put out a 2023 version of Counting Stars that fucking kills. And the band Citizen Soldier exists.

Things are okay I guess.

[void-dust-muffin]

called out by @egg-exe to list my favorite character from 10 different fandoms.

I. Do not remember names. And I refuse to look anything up. we'll see how this goes.

1) Kal'Tsit from arknights. I've been low key obsessing over the game for a while now, and Kal is definitely one of the coolest characters. Storied past, cold demeanor belying genuine care and kindness for everyone under her, Mon3tr, the team that made her did a good job and she really just exemplifies the strength of the game in general. But I can talk to the moon and back about how stupid good the writing for arknights is, especially considering it's a gacha mobile game, so ill move on

2) Neopolitan from rwby. I fell in love with rwby's setting all the way back when I first watched it. Its unique mix of fantasy and technopunk drew me in and its character concepts have kept me there ever since. Neo probably the most. A mute character being the wisecracking villain's muscle and making her shorter than literally the rest of the cast? Peak. If only they made a character to go with the cool moves.

3) Princess Zelda in Breath of the Wild. Sweetheart's trying her best and facing frustration at every turn. Somebody hug her I'm begging you. (it's me, the sweetheart is her but also me)

4) Jafar Fire Emblem 7. Played the game years ago, loved his character design and his class(crits go brrrrr), but his story is the real selling point. The way he interacts with Nino is so sweet and I have such a soft spot for both of them(technically illegal two faves from one fandom oops).

I had the next one and then I lost it uhhhhh not the one I had but we'll go with

5) I was going to say a different character from portal but then I remembered the boy: Space Core.

6) Riza Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist. Her relationship with the major is so heartfelt and the writer did them so well. If you've never watched it go and do that cuz it's just so well put together.

7) Padparadsha from Houseki no Kuni. God that manga is a train wreck. Phos you walking disaster. I love it. Anywho, pad is an interesting character in an already very interesting cast of characters. Their entire existence, teetering between waking and immobility is an exploration of how much of the gem is required for them to function. how much them can be removed before they just. cease.

8) Waymond from Everything Everywhere All At Once. First off, if you haven't watched the movie, go see it. Second, damn I didn't think anyone would actually read this far. Waymond is such a wholesome man he changes the way the woman going through the infinite possibilities of the multiverse thinks. He finds joy in everything he does and shares it with everyone around him. Not because he's ignorant of the struggles of life, because with happiness they become easier. And the man that played him is just as sweet. At the Oscar's when it was announced as best picture he went up on stage too and was hugging everyone. I would die for him.

9) Finn from the star wars sequel trilogy. As bad as they were, when the force awakens came out I remember seeing it and being excited to see what they would do with a stormtrooper main character. And then they didn't do anything, wasting all of his potential. But if there's one thing I learned from rwby, it's that someone else was just as disappointed and wrote a fanfiction exploring what canon didn't.

And now time for the niche reach.

10) Maven from the web novel Save the Demon King. Maven is the eponymous demon king, a near mythical figure in setting and the last demon alive. He is such a fun character in a fun setting that is very well written. I refuse to say more except for go read it. It's free on tapas and very good.

Honorable Mention:

I did think of Hades the game as a possible fandom but everyone in it is too good. I can't choose. the short list is half the hub area characters and at least three of the gods on top of that

fuckin hell theres an hour down the drain. gotta keep the chain going so uhhhhh @krindenium you're the only other human that I know on this site.

[chronicbeans]

Iolite Hospital LGTBQ+ Identities

These are mostly for the main adult characters, due to them being the most developed ones. I shall make a separate post for any secondary characters. Minor characters (Maya and Johnny) are on here, but instead of LGBTQ+ identities, I am going to just write their thoughts on the LGBTQ+ community since I do not believe they would know where they fall at their age. OwO

Aluminum - He's agender, AFAB. He's also currently questioning his romantic identity, as well as his sexuality. For now, he identifies as aromantic and dreamsexual/somnisexual (not related to the content creator, Dream. Dreamsexual is where you only feel sexual attraction during dreams. It can also be called somnisexual, sognaresexual or yumesexual), which is a form of asexuality. He usually feels to embarrassed to say that he is identifying as dreamsexual/somnisexual, since he feels like people would think he is lying, so he just says he is asexual. He likes to have very specific labels for his identity, because it makes him feel secure in his experiences and that he is not alone in how specific they are. Kind of like a "I feel this way... But do other people feel this way normally? Am I weird?" Then he finds others of that very specific LGBTQ+ label and is like "Okay. So I'm not weird. Good! Yippee!!!"

Derek - he is a cisgender man, who identifies as biromantic and bisexual. He would be considered gender non-conforming, but in his world, gendered clothing/accessories, and such don't really exist, since everyone has a similar body type. He uses the terms bisexual and biromantic to mean that he would date anyone of any gender. The only reason why he doesn't use pansexual/panromantic is because, in the world that he is from, pansexuality/panromantic people is seen as very taboo due to being a very new term. He just feels safer identifying as biromantic and bisexual, not knowing if the world the Iolite Hospital is located in is a safe place for pansexual/panromantic people. (Spoiler alert: it is.)

Dr. Baxter: He is a cisgender man that is gender non-conforming. He's very openly pansexual and panromantic, happily talking about how love is love and everyone should feel comfortable and safe with who they are. He very openly supports the LGBTQ+, even if he is a bit behind on the newest gender identities, sexualities, and romantic identities.

Dr. Cogsworth: He is just... uhh... well, he identifies as a cisgender man, at least. He hasn't even thought about his romantic identity or sexuality, because he can't even process his own emotions at the moment. If he can't even recognize when he feels happy, sad, or angry, how is he supposed to recognize when he is in love or whether or not that love is platonic or romantic? Since he tends to confuse the physical reactions to emotions with physical conditions or states, he can't even tell if he is feeling the physical reactions to sexual attraction or if it is something completely different. So, he would be considered as questioning his sexuality and romantic identity. Maybe not questioning that much at the moment, since he is mostly concerned about figuring out simple emotions first, but he still tries to figure out his romantic and sexual identities from time to time. He just has bigger priorities, at the moment.

Maya ~ She is fully supportive of the LGBTQ+ and sees her uncle as the coolest guy in the world. They've both already experienced some adversity by simply existing as Landsharks, and she is acutely aware that uncle Baxter will experience some extra adversity by identifying as LGBTQ+ openly, so she will do everything to support him. She mainly is just worried at how quickly he falls in love, since he might fall for someone who is very ignorant by accident. She will also happily be the third wheel in any romantic pursuit he tries to make, because his reactions are funny whenever she does something to purposely embarrass him. She also tries to get Johnny to join her in embarrassing him. She does that in order to prevent him from getting his heart broken, again.

Johnny ~ He doesn't really care, but in a good way...? He has trouble remembering gender identities, romantic identities or sexualities, but does recognize that they exist. To him, it's just natural. It is kind of like how, when little kids are young (like Johnny is, since he's 5), they don't think about a boy and girl being in a relationship often, but know it happens and see it as completely normal and not to be celebrated since, well... It's normal. He just kinda forgets that some people don't see the LGBTQ+ community as normal, so he just nods his head and smiles when he hears that someone is a part of it. He would be confused as to why someone would start explaining that, because they are (insert gender, romantic identity, or sexuality here), they (insert explanation here), since he doesn't see a need for an explanation. You are just you? He is more confused about why you are explaining yourself than whatever you came out as, to be honest. He does enjoy joining Maya on her third-wheeling adventures as a forth wheel of chaos, though.

[demon-of-side-quest-hell]

Gonna probably make the roleswap thing before curse of Calavecna. So here's my notes about it that I wanna say about that.

Rhymini sweep (I'm SORRY to all you Juvini fans, but also episode 30 has me fucked UP with that Rhyme interaction and I need to write a world where they're happy together.)

Hahaha, remember in the notes the last time I talked about it I said I wanted to make Gigi a God, mere days before episode 23 released? Yeah, we're going full steam ahead on that and because of that, I wanna make it clear, Gigi is probably gonna seen slightly out of character, but that's kind of a necessity with taking the direction I'm going. In my interpretation, episode 23 implies alot about the nature of Gigi prior to meeting Cody & Crew, she's a bully for one, and also she's likely alot more proactive and provocative. I kinda wanna make her God form a gaming headset so Rhyme fucking seethes about Gigi taking such a similar form to what SHE wanted.

In this I wanna reintroduce or remix alot of ideas from pre-release stuff, and so with that I've actually landed on PB's initial starting place. He's just straight up the same guy as in the base game, but he just got ascended sometime recently before the game started, it'll be left vague as to how, but it will be stated that he betrayed some cool kid and that he wasn't ascended via a God candidate. With that, Cody and PB actually knew each other before the events of the story since they both worked at lil greasers together until PB ascended, and PB's place in the world will be rough, Cool Kids think he stole someone else's place and losers think he's too cool to hang with.

Technically a continuation of the last thought but I I'm unsure of how Skatepizza will be there if at all, the ways I could do it are all each interesting, but I don't know if I even want to have that be a "build-up", People deserve to relish in a bit of Skatepizza stuff, I might just have it be "complicated" due to them being opposite statuses now.

I know Juvie's the one everyone thinks is the epitome of "Fuck The Rules And Fuck The People In Power" but that's really not how I see Juvie, Juvie likes to independently be rebellious, Juvie doesn't seem to have any intentions of existing outside the system in which they actually live until they're genuinely confronted with that choice by someone they know, and so, like Daniel in the base game, Juvie is maybe the most stuck in their ways about stuff, except Juvie wants to help push losers up towards ascending through any means necessary so, you can probably see what happened with PB.

Speaking of Pre-release ideas and people being anti-god, Holden! Holden is going the be the most Anti-God person but in the very background, waiting for his moment. As "The Coolest Loser", he's able to slip into cool kid spaces so long as no one inspects him too closely, and he uses that to his advantage, he often will sneak in and take things from cool kids or get info he shouldn't have. He and Juvie often work together to get losers ascended and cool kids descended, but he wants to spark outrage in the losers and sympathy in the cool kids, whereas Juvie just sees it as "justice".

G-ma is still overbearing and corrects Cody on everything, trying to make him "perfect", but she is more clearly trying to actually help him since she's not trying to prevent him from turning into a loser but help him turn into a cool kid. Think more like Aunt Nat and the other pizza family. Mini's allowed to do whatever she wants in G-ma's eyes, since she's already cool, which is a good mirror to PB, who's now allowed to do whatever but feels even more confined and restricted.

[speakingagain]

I am 24 years old. So far, being in my 20's I have learned quite a bit. First off, you think you know anything about life, you're wrong. Especially when you are just becoming an adult.

Second, your 20's will not be the best years of your life. Literally everyone lied about it. Being an adult sucks, and it doesn't get better. You just learn to manage it better.

Your 20's are just your era to actually figure out what you're going to do with your life and who you are as a person.

Here's what I have learned so far about life and myself:

1) Coffee is my addiction and I have no plans on getting rid of it. If I could, I'd replace my blood with a cold brew.

2) I'm worth more than I have ever thought, and I only learned this because others valued me less than I should have been.

3) Milk is expensive. Gas is expensive. Paint is expensive. Existing is expensive.

4) No matter how appealing it is to hit someone, I would NOT thrive in jail. Even if they deserve it.

5) I have serious issues letting go of things. Physically, or emotionally. I hold grudges. And I keep shit I don't need. I actually have an entire box of shit from people I hate that I refuse to get rid of purely because I want to burn it, but I have no way of doing that safely unless I go up to my family cabin which is a hour away and has other members of my family there pretty much all the time and I'm not about that.

6) I want to be an extrovert but I genuinely hate people and I don't think that will ever change.

7) I got drunk and ate an edible once before a work Christmas party for a job I got laid off from a week before and went as a plus one for someone. Apparently people were highly concerned about me because I was talking so much.

8) People genuinely don't give a shit about what you're doing. More often than not, they find you amusing or slightly annoying. And they go on about their day. Do the weird thing you love, because it makes you happy. Even if you get weird stares. It's worth it.

9) I like cleaning and having things clean. But I hate having to clean. Having a clean space has scientific research behind it, stating that it helps improve your mental state. Do I know this very well? Yup. Do I actually keep my shit clean? Hell no.

10) Your mom will tell you that you're an adult and don't need a mother anymore and then when she wants you to do something you don't want to do, she will say, "I am your mother" to get you to do it.

11) My mom is the coolest person ever because she will vape THC with me (medical purposes duh) before bed and then sit on the balcony and laugh and giggle while staring at the stars with me. It is one of my favorite things to do with her and I really hate the fact that winter doesn't allow that.

12) Your shitty job that doesn't pay you a livable wage genuinely doesn't give a fuck about you. You can get better jobs with little to no experience that pay you well and offers decent benefits. Just quit applying to anything that focuses on customer service and the like.

13) Everyone is dead inside in Walmart. Everyone.

14) Promoting people who are being rude in stores (looking at you Karen) to use their words and ask for what they need is either going to get them to behave like an adult or royally piss them off. Either way, it's hilarious.

15) If you're starting off with nothing and money is tight, the dollar store has literally everything required to start up your kitchen.

15a) do not buy a can opener from the dollar store. It will break every time you use it. Spend a few extra bucks and go to Walmart or target.

15b) thrift stores sells random bundles of kitchen ware for like $2. I once found a $400 set of kitchen knives for $8 that just needed sharpened and CAME WITH THE SHARPENER.

16) If you can't afford to do something nice for yourself every once in a while like go get your nails done or a new pair of sneakers or whatever floats your boat, buy yourself that nice expensive toilet paper. Your booty deserves the best and it's relatively cheap compared to the other things you can't afford but love.

17) You can work on improving yourself, even if you don't have a therapist. Start asking yourself the hard questions you don't want to answer.

19) It is okay to be upset. It is okay to be angry. It is okay to be sad. It is okay to express them. What isn't okay, is forcing everyone to feel your emotions and make them everyone else's problems.

20) I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time, and I'm not sure I will ever really know but it's a vibe.

21) Remember to relax your shoulders and your jaw.

22) I am actually a pretty good looking person, but I prefer to be comfy and wear 'unflattering' things than to cater to other people's images of beauty.

23) Space heaters are way cheaper than using gas to heat your home. Electricity is cheaper than gas. Candles can also be used to heat but aren't as effective, but can be used if you have no power.

24) know your tenant laws. Record every conversation with your landlord, or office people anywhere you rent. They will screw you over just because they assume you don't know your rights. They differ for each state but they are there to protect you from sleezy landlords. Which is 99.99% of landlords.

25) Feeling crappy? Make sure your basic needs have been met. Food, water (not coffee), hygiene, sleep, and attention. That will probably solve your problem.

I had a whole point to this post today. I don't remember what it was at this point. Stay safe y'all, and take care of yourself ❣️

[dailynabu]

Boyfriend is a really calm guy. He is slim, tall and the cutest boy to ever exist in this Earth. He always calms me down and whenever things gets harsher, especially with Mother, who's not exactly a good character in Me story.

Today I saw Boyfriend really mad, but not warm rage; that "cold" rage. Context is that Mother said she's gonna sue me because apparently I stole house's keys. The funniest fact is that I didn't even touch those keys: they lost it. I swear to God I haven't touched it.

But I am so tired of this everyday-fight in this place I cannot call 'home'. It's really exhausting. My parents tried to kicked me out three times now and I am dying to move far from them, it is truly and really so exhausting. I am not even sad, I don't feel any type of sadness nor sorrow towards it, I don't hate her, but I am gonna be bluntly honest: sometimes I wish she just went away. Not dead, I don't think it'd be better, but my family would get SO much better without Mother. I also understand it's pretty disfunctional, but everyone here is trying to heal in their own way; she is not. She always makes it worse.

I feel so sorry for Mother, I also understand it's not my fault. She didn't deserve to be in such pain; neither do I. I hope she can heal and be happy before dying, I cannot deal with the fact she'll live like this till she die. She already did it for more than 40 years... Time for her to try happiness and healing.

I know that if she truly regretted her past actions and words and tried to be a better person, I'd forgive her wholeheartly. I don't think I'll ever feel that son/daughter love, but I'd not feel this intense injustice that led me to so much rage during years.

So Sister texted me and, despite me always defending her, she wasn't able to do the same. I tried defending myself again by saying I didn't take any keys. She kept accusing me.

Indeed, she said that what I did was "shit action". Like it was okay for my mom to accuse me of ROBBERY. Like I DID steal the keys. That moment I felt hurt. Not the first time she betrays me. Still, it hurts.

So I said: fuck it. I'm not stressing by trying to prove I did something I did NOT do.

I sent her a voice text, as calm as I could (which is fairly calm, to be honest): "Listen, Sister. You don't even answer my texts anymore, you don't care for anything I send to you. So NOW you're coming at me, accusing me and using the term 'shit', basically saying that I am, in fact, a criminal? Don't come at me with your morality lessons". She listened and didn't reply.

Boyfriend was sleeping and I wasn't in the mood to put him in all of this shit, but he woke up and listened. Asked why, I said I wasn't in the mood to tell him, but I eventually would.

When I was arriving at home, while he was driving me there, I explained calmly. He was calm too, but for the first time I saw his cold rage: he was MAD, but not I-wanna-break-everything, more like: "it's an absurd and it doesn't make sense at all. The only reason why she's getting mad is because it is you and not any of your siblings. I know you didn't take nor lost the keys, you know, she knows; she doesn't care. She wants to make your life a living hell".

I was... Shocked. He never said anything so explicit because he didn't want me to be inflamed, but today he basically... Lost his shit, I guess. "Well... I know...". "And that's why we're studying and working. We're moving together soon, I'm taking you with me and you'll never have to deal with them ever again".

Once I was at home he texted me: "I am so mad, I am sorry, but I am so mad". He is mad. It makes me think that it's because not only he loves and cares for me, but he sees and listens to me. I am not invisible and I'm not unheard. And I am valid and it is okay to feel bad.

Caring is the coolest and kindest thing someone has truly made for me.

I love him and I love his mind and his heart. I hope I can make him the happiest ever.

(About feeling rejected and how I've been unfairly treated all my life, since I was a young kid. About another betrayal of my sister and how it breaks my heart, about how I feel unconditionally loved and cared for my boyfriend and how I want him to be extremely happy, always).

— 16.01.2024

[violetjedisylveon]

Guest Speaker

Blue Guard AU chapter 11

Summary:  Hexside has a special guest speaker. And little kids know too much.

Word count: 4.2k

Warnings: Implication of kidnapping, lost children, Belos exists.

A/N: Been a while since I updated this, huh? I just kinda forgot to update when I finished chapters so now I've got some ready to go soonish.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Happy Halloween!

Blue Guard AU Masterpost

________________________________________________________________________________

Luz hopped off Owlbert and waved goodbye to Eda and King.

"See ya after school kid!" Eda shouted down to her as she flew off.

"Bye Eda! Bye King!" Luz waved after them.

She walked up the school steps to where Willow, Gus and Amity were waiting for her.

"Morning Batata!" Amity greeted her with a peck on the cheek.

"Morning." She gave her a kiss back.

"Did you end up fixing Skara's leg?" Luz asked as they walked inside.

"Yep, Amity showed me how to do it and what tools I need, so I'll be able to fix it if it ever breaks on the field. I'm gonna show the rest of the team too." Willow told her.

"That's great." She said.

Willow nodded in agreement.

Everything was going normal.

"Looks like it's going to be a chill day." Luz commented.

I could use one of those. She thought. She was tired from staying up so late, and she didn't want any adventures. A nice, calm, normal day sounded great.

"Well actually, there is something going on today." Gus said.

Luz fixed him with a death stare.

"Continue." She said.

The threatening stare didn't put him off.

"The school is being visited by Carlyne Nazik! Isn't that exciting?!" Gus exclaimed.

Carlyne Nazik! She was there when Philip… she'll know I was there!

"Uh, who is she?" Luz asked.

All she really knew was that Carlyne Nazik was an old demon and involved with Belos's rise, and had some connection to the Clawthorne Clan. Most of it wasn't too positive in her opinion, despite how kind she may have been.

"She's only the coolest being on the Isles! I heard she's almost five hundred! Can you believe that?!" Gus shouted.

Luz glanced at Willow, she was looking at Gus with a sweet smile. A big sibling kind of smile.

"She's a biologist, demonologist, historian, politician, she's a master of magic and old knowledge, she's one of the most important figures on the Boiling Isles. She really is very impressive." Willow explained.

"Huh, sounds like she knows a lot." Luz commented.

"She knows too much." Amity grunted.

"What's the problem?" Luz shot her girlfriend a concerned look.

"She used to come by for prosthetic measurements, she had a custom one, she'd always talk about my dad's past relationships and my parents' school days. She does not have a filter." Amity explained.

"Oh boy." Luz said.

"She's coming today to check out the Hexside students and, I heard she was here to check you out too, Luz! We can share facts about humans! She went to the human realm way back when so I bet she's interested in what's going on there! She's also got this apprentice, I think, they're a rare demon type and I think they are coming too!" Gus said in a high pitched excited voice.

"Me?" Luz stopped in her tracks, oblivious to Gus's excitement.

"It makes sense, she's a biologist, you're a rare species. I heard that she once beat up a hydra because it interfered with her research on a type of flower." Amity said, nudging her a bit.

"This day is gonna be so great! I hope she comes by my class! Bye guys!" Gus squealed as he ran off to his class.

"What's his deal?" Luz asked Willow.

"Gus really looks up to Carlyne, he's always wanted to be just like her, it's part of what kick started his interest in humans, he wanted to bring more information about them." Willow said.

"Oh. That's sweet." Luz said.

"Yeah, I hope she lives up to his expectations." Amity agreed.

"Oh I'm sure she will." Willow nodded.

XXX

Miss Nazik let herself fall off her Palisman to the ground where she absolutely nailed the landing. Argi giggled, her mentor was so funny sometimes.

"Excellent landing Ma'am!" Argi said as she landed next to the towering demon.

"Thank you, Silver. Open the case and let's get this over with." She instructed.

Argi opened the case she'd brought along with them and pulled out the sleeve. It was an easy, practiced routine at this point.

"Arm." She said.

Miss Nazik extended her arm, Argi fit the sleeve onto the nub and pulled it up right. She got the prosthetic attachment on and finally, placed the abomination-oracle powered prosthetic into place. It buzzed as it connected with Nazik and whirled into life. Nazik groaned and flexed the false wrist.

"I'll never get used to it." She grumbled.

Miss Nazik's prosthetic was a rather bare bones design. It had the base skeletal structure, and nothing else, Nazik didn't cover the wires and innards with anything. She always said it was because she was above tricking herself.

"I guess we can go in now." Argi said.

Nazik's dead eye flicked over to her and she squinted. In an instant, Nutmeg scurried into position to act as Miss Nazik's eye. The Palisman curled into a circle, eyes in the middle, in a sort of monical look. The eyes glowed as a sign of the connection being made.

"Thank you Nutmeg." Carlyne gently patted her Palisman.

"Let's go in." She instructed.

Argi nodded and followed closely behind her mentor to the front steps.

The Hexside Principal, Hieronymus Bump, was waiting at the front doors to greet them. His eyes landed on her, they didn't linger very long, she tended to have that effect. The aging witch turned to Miss Nazik.

"Ah, the esteemed Carlyne Nazik, may I welcome you to Hexside School of Magic and Demonics." The principal made a sweeping gesture as the doors opened.

Nazik shot him an unimpressed look.

"You should know not to bother with a flashy show for me, Hieronymus." She scolded lightly.

"What can I say, it's fun." Mister Bump shrugged.

Nazik gave a soft sigh and bent down to be at eye level with the witch.

"You do have a way of making a witch feel quite small, Carly." Mister Bump commented.

"It's good to see you too, old man." Nazik rolled her eyes affectionately.

"Yes, it's been too long." Bump agreed.

Argi watched the interaction, wanting to be invisible for this more private moment between friends, but Nazik said no invisibility on this mission, and she wasn't about to disobey orders so soon.

She felt eyes on her and made eye contact with the principal.

"I see you've brought your, apprentice, with you." Bump observed.

Argi narrowed her eyes, she didn't like how he said that.

"I need to show her the job somehow, she'll be shadowing me and checking out your school on her own a bit." Nazik explained calmly.

"I see." Bump said, clearly examining her.

Argi instinctively moved her hand towards her sword, readied herself for attack. Nazik shot her a hard stare, she wasn't really mad is what it said.

"You've clearly taught her the warrior part of your job." Bump said.

"Yes, she is quick to assume ill intent, it's understandable, given Belos's assignments for her, but I assure she won't really be a problem outside of a little mischief." Nazik nudged her arm, Argi lowered her hand.

"My apologies, Mister Bump." She apologized.

He nodded, though his eyes were still on her sword.

"Maybe you should leave that." He suggested.

"That's a good idea." Nazik agreed.

Argi groaned and put the sword in her spacial pocket, she shot her mentor a 'happy now?' look, most of the effect being lost due to her helmet.

"Now that's settled, shall we begin?" Nazik prompted.

"Yes, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, our first stop is the kindergartners and younger classes, they are very excited to see you, Carly." Bump said, leading them in.

"I always enjoy the children." Nazik agreed.

XXX

Argi felt increasingly uncomfortable as more children stared at her. The kindergartners had been absolutely enthralled by Nazik's presence and most hadn't even noticed her, her hope had been that none would.

However, a select group of children had their sights on her and her alone. They kept looking at her, edging closer to see what she would do, then running back to their friends and excitedly squealing to them. It was odd. She wasn't doing anything.

One child in particular was giving her a lot of attention. The kid was sitting very close to her, kept edging closer. Something was off about them, the way they were staring made Argi feel very uncomfortable.

She had noted that the child was one of the older younger class students, and some sort of demon hybrid. They had features that didn't quite match.

They possessed two pairs of horns, that it looked like they often clashed in their growth patterns, but the dominant set was a lot like her own. They had a prominent nose, it was big and round, but it also had a feline quality to it.

They had wide eyes, with whites that were tinted green, something about the gaze was familiar. They also had wings, mostly like a bat's in structure, but the membrane was clear and insect-like, and they had a single long, thin tail that twitched slightly at the tip.

The child smiled and revealed a prominent pair of fangs… that grew… Palisde fangs… It was clear as day what the child was trying to say.

Argi stared at the child in shock. She didn't know how to respond to that. What was the purpose anyway?

The child got up and walked over to her, Argi was extremely thankful for her helmet.

"Need something?" She prompted.

The child narrowed their eyes, eyes that were shaped like hers.

"Your horns are small." The child said.

"Excuse me?" Argi asked.

"Your horns are too small, they should be bigger and curved, they look like mine." They elaborated.

Argi took that to mean her horns looked like a young child's. Belos hadn't ever wanted her to grow them past a certain point. The child was grinning up at her.

"You are one of us." This time they spoke in Palis, the language she had known all her life but rarely spoke in.

Argi pretended not to understand what the kid had just said.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She asked.

"You know what I said. You are one of us. A child of Titans." They said.

Argi glared at them.

"If you are a lost child, you should come home. We are still looking

"I think you're a little confused kid, I've got a home already, and I don't know you." Argi gave the kid a gentle shove away from her.

"You are the one who is confused. It is not your fault, since you do not know. Your false home is built on lies. I can smell them. They are as rotten as he is. And while it is true that you do not know me, I know of you. We are told of all lost children in the hopes we will be able to help find them. we are good at finding, but you were hidden better it seems." They smiled, wide and fanged, at her.

"Alright, just who do you think I am if I am one of those lost children you keep speaking of?" Argi shot off.

She felt a little foolish for being so mad at a child. They giggled.

"You are the one who was lost in an attempt to help someone suffering great pain. You are the lost child, with eyes the color of the boiling blood from which we were first made, and the color of our gifts, perception and longevity."

"And what color is that?" Argi asked.

"You have our silver and gold in your eyes. silver is perception, gold is longevity. You have eyes of silver and gold within pools of blood blue. You have the eyes of our first. The eyes of The Protectors. I know you, lost child. I know you." They spoke with such certainty but there was no way this child had seen her face, much less her eyes. Someone must've told them.

"How in the Blue Moon did you know that?! Who told you?!" The Palis felt strangely natural on her tongue.

She hadn't spoken it in years, Belos hated it when she did as a child. He said it was a tongue of wild magic, and that the Titan would be angry with her for speaking it. She figured she would've forgotten it after so many years, yet out it came, spoken almost as naturally as the child in front of her. The kid smiled.

"So you do retain some knowledge of our culture. It is good to know you can still speak, instead of only understand. He could not take that from you." They said.

"Who are you?" She asked cautiously.

Nobody was paying any attention to them, and they were in a secluded area. If anyone did see it would be assumed as an odd demon child being drawn towards a fellow odd demon.

"I am Vesper. One of my mothers is Palisde, the other is a vampire. You know my mother's friend. They are looking forwards to meeting you again. They have told me much about you. I was excited to learn that The Turtle was coming here, because you would be with her, and I could talk to you. You are missed, lost child."

Missed. No one missed her, someone would've come if they had truly missed her, Vesper didn't know anything.

"If I was so missed, why didn't anyone come looking for me until now? If they wanted me, why wait until now to claim me? What was stopping them from getting me back? I doubt they care as much as you think, Vesper." She scoffed.

Vesper gave her a sad look and took her hand, squeezing it in between her small fingers.

"Please do not mistake their inability for us not caring. We have always wanted you, we want all lost ones to be found, and when we found you, there was nothing we could do. He would not give you up. And we were unable to approach him. I wish it had been different, you are a good sister." She spoke somberly.

"I hope you get to come home soon, I'd like to show you around. You can bring your tree sibling too. I think they would like to learn from us too." Vesper added sweetly.

That made her feel a bit better, she really couldn't be mad at a kid.

"Tree sibling? What do you mean? I don't have a tree sibling." She said.

Vesper gave a mischievous smile, their tail wagged around.

"I am not supposed to tell you, but I think you will find out soon. The Elders say stone hearts hum the most beautiful songs instead of beat. I do not think he knows yet either." Vesper told her.

"I have to go, I am leaving early today. It was nice to meet you and see you in person. Cin wishes you well with your upcoming change." Vesper gave her a hug around her legs and then ran off, waving at her.

Argi gave a small wave back, knowing she likely wouldn't sleep tonight either. She had too much information to process.

Her ears flicked as Miss Nazik approached her.

"Did you make a friend, Silver?" She asked.

"Yes, I think I did." Argi said.

"I didn't think you still knew Palis."

She hadn't switched back! Argi jolted and stared at her mentor's smug face in shock.

"How-"

"Silver, I'm old, granted, I'm not not Palisde old, but old for most, I've learned a few languages. And don't believe everything your uncle says, he's full of shit sometimes." Miss Nazik said.

"Really?" Argi asked.

"You know from experience that he doesn't always have the best ideas." She reminded.

Argi glanced at the floor, she was right. Belos made mistakes, more than she felt was right to admit.

"Now come along, I've heard there's an illusion student who is very excited for this, we shouldn't keep them waiting much longer." Nazik said, leading her towards the aforementioned class.

XXX

The welcoming display in the Illusion classroom was certainly impressive.

The school's top Illusion student had put it all together and done most of the organization work by himself. He'd wanted it to be perfect.

Argi wasn't surprised to see Augustus, Gus, Porter as the secret mastermind responsible for the grand display. She knew he was a big fan of Miss Nazik.

She didn't want to ruin the moment, so she slightly broke Nazik's request. She cloaked herself to match the wall, since she was camouflaging and mimicking, she wasn't technically invisible. Miss Nazik would probably find it funny.

She stayed hidden for most of Nazik's visit to this class, until she went to the teacher to ask for the student who had cast the welcoming illusion.

Gus Porter nervously approached her towering form, and she knelt down to be at eye level with the twelve year old. 

"This was quite the impressive display." Nazik congratulated him.

His face lit up from the praise.

"I hear you are quite good at illusions, I talked to one of your classmates, he seems to think very highly of you. He told me all about a very impressive stunt you pulled at some old graveyard. And here I was thinking Steve just lost his map." Nazik told him.

Gus's face fell, excitement replaced by anxiety.

"You know where it is?" He whispered.

"Course I do, I helped make some of those statues. Several of them were my friends, you know." She gave him a reassuring pat and he relaxed.

"I also hear you have a passion for human knowledge, is that correct?" She prompted.

"Yes ma'am, I mean, yes Miss!" Gus said enthusiastically.

"Nazik is just fine, witchling." Nazik chuckled.

"Gus is quite the illusionist, ma'am, some of his other teachers say he could take the Coven Head's place before graduating." The teacher informed Nazik.

"Well he's certainly a lot more pleasant than Gray, and easier to work with." Nazik paused and cupped a hand over her mouth.

"Between you and me, Gray is an arrogant, pretentious, asshole and a pain up the ass to work with." She whispered to the boy.

Gus almost laughed, then covered his mouth.

"It's fine, everyone but Gray knows it." Nazik told him.

Argi stayed put in her place against the wall as Nazik continued talking with Gus. It shifted in topic from illusions to humans, and then while she spoke with other students.

She decided to wait just outside the class, so there was less a chance of someone running into her disguised form. She heard Nazik's farewell to the students, and pulled out her map to find the quickest route to their next destination. Nazik reached the door, and gave her a side eye.

She was stopped before she could say anything. It was Gus.

"Excuse me, Miss Nazik, but I heard you had an apprentice and that they would be here, but I didn't see anyone, I was wondering if something happened to them." Gus explained himself quickly.

Nazik glanced at her, she was hidden just out of Gus's sight.

"It seems my apprentice might have gotten a little overwhelmed in your classroom, and she decided to disappear." Nazik said.

She reached out and lightly dragged Argi in front of her. Gus's face fell with shock when he saw and recognized her.

"You?! You are Carlyne Nazik's apprentice?" Gus exclaimed.

Argi wanted to crawl into a hole and die, she nodded instead.

"Oh, did you make a friend on some mission?" Nazik prompted her.

"Well, you know the incident with the other Guard yesterday? He was one of the ones who got… mixed up in it." She admitted.

"Mixed up? The Golden Guard tried to force me into a coven!" Gus exclaimed.

"He did? Why would he do that? I left instructions not to get any new recruits." Nazik said with a frown.

"Eh, something with Darius and- look I don't really know. I don't ask questions, I just go with him." Argi stated.

Nazik released her, and spoke to Gus again. He hadn't been expecting her, that was certain. At least the younger boy's idea of her mentor had lived up to expectations.

"Come, we've got other classes to visit, it was a pleasure to meet you, Gus." Nazik said, waving goodbye to him.

Argi trailed behind her mentor, she could feel Gus's eyes burning into her back.

"I am sorry, about what happened, I was trying to talk him out of it. Not that it makes any difference." She said without looking back.

She wasn't expecting any response.

"Thanks. I'll tell my friends." That really caught her off guard.

She turned, there was no malice in Gus's innocent smile. He waved and went back to his class.

These Hexside kids are weird.

XXX

The next class was a general class, so there were lots of students from different tracks in it. All eyes were on her mentor when she walked in, everyone knew who was visiting them.

Argi was starting to wish Miss Nazik had let her be invisible for this mission, she didn't like the looks she was getting from the students. She took her place behind Nazik and leaned against the wall. She willed herself to be neutral when she saw some of the Emerald Entrails here. It was the mixed track witch and the bard, Viney and Skara if she remembered correctly.

Stars, please don't let them recognize me.

She remembered her conversation over penstagram with Skara last night, and her cheeks burned from the wave of embarrassment she felt. I hope no one noticed that.

She saw movement, and to her dismay, she had been noticed. Skara was waving to her. She gave a very awkward little wave back. The witch smiled and returned to her conversation with her friend.

Her natural curiosity got the better of her and she found herself listening in on the conversation.

"I dunno Viney, I just… after yesterday when she saved me, hell she let me be on a team with her, even after all I helped Boscha do to her, I guess it was a bit of a wake up call, you know?" Skara was saying.

"And last night, I was talking with someone about it all, and now I realize just how much of a shitty person I've been. I'm surprised I even have any friends left from hanging with Boscha." Skara admitted.

Argi's ears burned. She had talked with Skara, she had just been looking for a distraction. She hadn't meant to make Skara feel bad, even if it was apparently good? she was honestly so confused.

"Who were you talking with?" Viney asked.

Skara cocked her head towards Argi, Argi really wished she was allowed to be invisible.

"Oh? I didn't think she was much of a talker." Viney mused.

Argi could see that smirk from across the Boiling Isles.

"Me neither, but she is. And she's a good listener. She's got surprisingly solid advice for someone raised like her." Skara said.

Did they know she could hear them? They had to know. There's no way they'd be saying anything like this otherwise. They were trying to distract her with their confusing words and make her job even harder!

Or maybe they were just being honest with each other. They had no reason to care if she heard them or not.

"How about you come with me for lunch? I'm eating with Willow and her friends, it'll be an Emerald Entrails lunch!" Viney suggested.

Skara smiled, then glanced over at another student, who was sitting alone in the back of the class with their hood up, her smile faltered.

"Thanks for the offer, but I've got some things to take care of." She said.

Skara got up and went to the lone student, who looked very nervous with her there.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Skara asked.

The student grunted and shrugged. Skara sat with them and offered them something. They looked startled, and took it carefully. Skara said something to them Argi didn't catch, the student almost smiled, and nodded.

Argi didn't know what any of that meant, but it looked like a good thing.

She waited for the rest of Miss Nazik's meet and greet, she had a final school wide presentation at the end of the day, and had said something about wanting to talk with a certain student about something privately.

Argi could check out the school on her own when Miss Nazik did that.

Maybe I'll go check out Hunter's new friends.

________________________________________________________________________________

Vesper is a new oc, and a cute little vampire/Palisde demigirl.

Boiling Isles Vampire lore!

There are two types of vampires, a more witch like vampire, so your typical vampire but with some small horns and more bat like ears than witch ears, and the more beast like vampire, which are still bipedal but have a lot more features of the bat creature both types of vampires can turn into, such as harrier bodies, bat like eyes and noses, and big bat wings and a tail. 

They are very closely related species, the more witch-like have just barely diverged from the beast-like. Vampire is used interchangeably for both of them.

Neither type of vampire burns in sunlight, they are nocturnal and prefer to avoid the bright thing in the sky cause "ouch too much light in my eyes I'm leaving".

Vesper's mom is the beast-like, and Skara's O'pa is a witch-like Vampire. Yeah Dhampir Skara is a thing here, also in my other toh AU. I just think Dhampir/Half Vampire Skara is cool. Also amputee Skara happens in both. Cause I said so.

That was fun, I love world building.

I hope you all have a good day, whatever that is for you!

Happy Halloween!

VJS Out!

[lesbianwithchainsaws]

Okay, here's my essay on why Stardust (2007) is actually the greatest movie ever made:

First of all, Yvaine and Tristan are the ultimate straight couple. Just look at them! They're so cute and amazing. Yvaine literally shines whenever she's with him, how is that not the cutest thing ever. It makes me want to cry every time I think about it. Imagine the love of your life shining every time theyre with you because they love you so much. They love being around you and you make them so happy. Oh my god. And how she helps Tristan realise that Victoria isn't for him and doesn't actually love him back. And how he shouldn't have to prove his love or give her something to achieve it. Because that's not true love. And how Tristan would do anything for Yvaine. Literally the greatest canon couple in cinema and no, you can't change my mind on this

Second of all, the adventure!!! This movie has so many different fun things. We got stars, magic, princes fighting for the throne, ghosts, pirates in the sky! And it all works so well. It doesn't feel like too much. It works and keeps the pace constantly so much fun and interesting.

Third of all, gay Robert de Niro.

Fourth of all, the scene where Tristan is a mouse and Yvaine talks about love is better than anything else ever put to film. It's the sweetest thing ever and the line about how, despite all the horrible things in the world, Yvaine kept looking at the world because of the way humanity loves. How despite all the war and hate and abuse, at the end of the day there is still love. And it is beautiful.

What I also appreciate is that there is so much about love in Stardust, but it's not just about romantic love. It's the main focus, but there's also friendship with Captain Shakespeare and Yvaine and Tristan. There's family love with Tristan and his mother. It just <3

Fifth of all, Tristan and Yvaine saying that "isn't it just better to be yourself?" to captain Shakespeare. Tristan and Yvaine said queer rights and Stormhold is lgbt friendly. I said it. Some of their kids and grandkids are queer. They have a lesbian daughter. Shut up, I'm not projecting, I'm just stating facts.

Sixth of all, love defeating all evil is the greatest trope to ever exist and I think all movies should end with that actually.

Seventh of all, Tristan having to sword fight a dead Septimus because his dead body is being controlled by one of the witches. I mean, come on. How is that not the coolest thing ever. Especially with the way Septimus moves because his limbs are all broken and he's literally dead. It's such a cool idea and is visually so interesting.

Eigth of all, Tristan's character development! The fact that he initially kept getting beat up and by the end learned how to fight not only for himself but for others.

(And then he became Daredevil. The Charlie Cox fighting people cinematic universe.)

And how Tristan came to slowly realise that Victoria isn't the one for him. In love w his character development actually

Ninth of all, the costumes? Hello? Everyone looks so amazing in this movie. I hope the costume designer got every award ever for this.

Tenth of all, you could argue those two were the enemies to lovers trope!

Eleventh of all, okay I'm kinda running out of like legitimate points that isn't just me gushing about every scene in this movie. Overall, it's just a really good and really fun and really sweet fairytale movie. It's one of my favourite movies ever. I have on several occasions called it the best movie ever. Its my ultimate comfort film and it has never failed to cheer me up. I watched it a lot as a kid and I still watch it a lot now. I highly recommend it if you've never seen it and are interested. It really is a very good movie and I adore it. I will gladly talk about it all the time.

Rewatched Stardust (2007) again. Who wants an essay from me on why this is the greatest movie ever made?