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snowbellewells · 4 years ago

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Self-Promo Sunday: “A Litter More Than They Bargained For”

Hey there friends and shipmates! I’ve taken a couple of weeks off on the Self-Promo Sunday posts, but I was looking back through some of my older pieces and found this fluffy one shot offering from a couple years ago. (It was part of the amazing @cspupstravaganza event in 2019.) I didn’t make it any cover art before, so I’ve added that to it as well. Taking place sometime post- season six; Hope is present and a toddler, but Henry is still there as well. That makes it canon divergent future fluff, I guess? Apologies if you’ve read this one before, but maybe you’ll get a little smile from revisiting it.

Also available on both AO3 HERE and on ff.net HERE

“A Litter More Than They Bargained For”

One pet she could have handled. One pet would have been perfectly manageable. A single, sweet-natured, reasonably well-behaved small pet - maybe a cat or a rabbit or even a hamster - wouldn’t have really changed anything about their lives in the seaside house or their daily routine that much. In fact, she and Killian had already been discussing a surprise for Hope in the form of a kitten from the litter her mom and dad’s barn cat had recently birthed, completely charming their pre-schooler upon her first visit to them at her grandparents’ farm.

Somehow, instead, all of Emma’s best-laid plans had been inverted and overturned, as so often seemed to happen in their chaotic magical town. When they had gone into the station that particular morning, they had found a large, mud-caked, burr-riddled dog tied to the bike rack and whining pitifully upon first sight of them. Emma was too disgruntled at the culprit for figuring out that their whole three person department were soft touches for strays as she charged foward to untie the poor beast, to even realize that the critter was already rooting into her affection. Needless to say, rather than their intended adoption, they had managed to take in a shaggy, slobbery mixed breed almost as large as a Shetland pony, with at least some Irish Wolfhound in its ancestry, according to the shelter attendant.

Gleefully mimicking that last declaration in her toddler voice, Hope had leaned over out of Killian’s arms to reach for where the huge hound lounged panting on the exam table, tongue lolling and tail thumping happily as she babbled, “Wolfie! Wolfie!” and patted along the dog’s back and shoulders as well as she could.

The thick, scruffy grey fur covering the animal’s lanky form did indeed resemble a wolf to some degree, and Kililan chuckled good naturedly at the easy moniker their daughter had seemingly bestowed. “Well, it would seem our little love has already christened her, Swan,” he commented lightly.

Emma wasn’t fooled by the casual demeanor covering her True Love’s words. She felt her last chance of finding a more suitable home for a dog of that size outside the town limits (preferably with acres for it to run) fade as she realized that her husband, as well as her little girl, was already attached. Killian wanted this dog more than he would admit.

Reaching out to stroke the gentle giant’s head resignedly, Emma reluctantly admitted to herself that the poor stray really was a sweet dog, despite her astonishing proportions and the amount of extra responsibility she herself would no doubt be taking on. “Hear that, Wolfie?” she questioned, looking the dog in the eyes rather than either member of her family, whom she could feel nearly vibrating with excitement beside her, “I guess you’re as good as ours.”

Henry only confirmed the permanence of the decision when he got home from the high school after his editors’ meeting for the school paper. Though a dog had never been something he had particularly asked for - they had spent so many of his growing up years being flung from one realm to another, either trying to rescue some member of their family, or seeking the needed magic item to fight some new villain, that it hadn’t left a lot of time for house training puppies or taking one for leisurely evening strolls. Still, as Henry came up the walk and saw Wolfie stretched out on the porch, Hope cuddled against her side and Emma and Killian curled together on the porch swing, the way her nearly adult son’s face had lit up and he’d rushed forward in excitement had shown Emma that kids didn’t really grow out of loving dogs, no matter their age.

Ruby, or perhaps the irrepressible brunette’s inner wild animal, seemed to find their new addition, and the rather obvious name Hope had latched onto, especially entertaining. Due to Wolfie’s size, the Jones clan now ate outside at the patio tables when they stopped for breakfast on the way to drop Hope off at Ashley Hermann’s Pumpkin Seeds Daycare, and before Henry took off for class and they headed on for the station. Her mother’s best friend didn’t even try to hide the fact that she saved back either bacon, sausage, or ham especially for Emma’s pet each day, laughing when after about a week Wolfie came to her the moment she exited the diner’s front entrance, before she could even reach their table, and began nosing at her pockets for the expected bounty.

However, it was Granny herself who startled them with a matter of fact question about a month after Wolfie had joined their family. The diner’s proprietress had come out to wait on them herself that morning, a real nip in the air as November neared, and explaining that Ruby was lying in for a while after the full moon the night before. Her half-spectacles perched on the very end of her nose, eyes sparkling with every bit as much pep and mischief as her exuberant granddaughter when she neared their table, sleeves rolled up to her elbows despite the chill and a pencil tucked behind one ear.

“The usual, Captain?” Widow Lucas asked with a playful nod to Killian, “or are you and your crew feeling adventurous this morning?” While awaiting their answer, she reached into her apron for her order pad, also pulling out a juicy ham bone for Wolfie.

“Here you are, darlin’ girl,” she continued, bending to offer it to their canine companion, much to Wolfie’s approving delight as she barked a ‘thank you’ and took the treat into her drooling jowls with an almost humorous care, then immediately dropped to hold it between her massive paws and began gnawing away.

When Granny stood to face them again however, a knowing smirk was painted across her face, taking their breakfast order seemingly long forgotten. “You don’t have a clue that dog is carrying a litter of pups, do you?” she asked, shaking her head at what she seemed to think was their dense naivete.

Crossing her arms, Granny watched a variety of reactions cross the four faces before her. Henry looked awed and curious, while Hope practically bounced on Killian’s knee asking, “Puppy? Puppy! We having a puppy?”

Killian’s brows rose in surprise, and Emma was already shaking her head in disgruntled exasperation. “Really?” she sputtered, narrowly eying the diner owner as if she might be playing some sort of elaborate joke at her expense.

Then, plunking her head down to rest on her arms crossed on the table, she sighed as her daughter contiuned to chortle in delight and Henry and Hook laughed heartily, in spite of their manful efforts to hold back for her sake. “Why am I even surprised?” Emma muttered. “Of course, she is.”

***

From there, they learned that apparently the shelter owner did not have it out for them, but that it can be genuinely hard to tell when a dog is expecting until they are quite close to their due date. It also turned out that Granny’s lupine sixth sense had been right on the money. Within another couple weeks, they could see for themselves that Wolfie’s stomach was rounding and she was nesting in corners throughout the house, particularly favoring the warmth of the laundry room between the dryer and the wall. Seeing as how canine gestation was only eight or nine weeks from start to finish, and their mother-to-be was already showing, it was a bit of a scramble to prepare, knowing the litter of pups would soon be on its way.

As had become typical since Wolfie’s arrival, this too went well beyond what they had expected. On the night they returned from Hope’s Thanksgiving Play at the preschool to tiny yips and whimpers greeting them the second the door opened, the entire Jones family was stunned to discover eight small wriggling bodies jostling for place against Wolfie’s exhausted form where she lay curled into the mound of old blankets and towels they had created for her once her fixation on her laundry room nest become plain. Various rather wetly bedraggled and squirming balls of grey, black, white and mottled mixes of those three colors in coat greeted their eyes, prompting Killian to comment rather drily, “Well, now there are nearly enough of us to crew a pirate ship.” He chuckled, shaking his head, as he added, “Mayhap we can give them proper nautical names this time, rather than letting Hope call them the first word that pops from her mouth.”

“Paaa-pa!” their daughter protested indignantly, stomping her little foot on the linoleum tile and placing chubby fists on her hips. “I did not!” In her two braids, beaded headband, and fringed brown “Indian” dress from the play, she made more an adorable than a threatening sight as she intended, but Killian nodded to their daughter dutifully all the same. “My apologies, little lass. Of course you didn’t. I must have been mistaken.”

Emma rolled her eyes and shook her head at his mannered playfulness with Hope, though her heart warmed inside her as well, loving that their little girl had never known anything but a devoted, adoring, present father, who might have to be pulled back from spoiling Hope at times, but would never let her down or abandon her. The two of them could melt her every defense, just as Henry had always done. Even if it did sometimes leave her trying to be the voice of reason, Emma didn’t truly mind.

Henry, for his part, snorted inelegantly at their nonsense, crouching to pet a nervous-looking Wolfie on the head and scritch under her chin the way she liked. “Don’t worry, girl,” he mumured soothingly. “We won’t hurt them. You’re all safe here.”

Her son grew thoughtful for a moment, mulling something over, then looked up when he asked excitedly. “What if we did pick nautical names for them all? Like Jack and Jib and Scurvy?” He was grinning from ear-to-ear now, as his Author’s love of wordplay awakened - an expression Killian quickly mirrored.

“Aye, lad, those are great! And perhaps Scoundrel and Buccaneer as well?”

“Hey, hey, guys,” Emma broke in, trying to stop their now-steaming train before they got any more carried away. “Let’s not get too into naming them. The families who adopt them may not be looking for pirate dogs.”

But her husband and son were already on a roll, adding Barrie (in a nod to the Englishman who had created Killian’s literary counterpart) and Doubloon to the list of potential puppy monikers, and not paying her words the slightest bit of attention.

***

Finding homes for their doggie brood proved more difficult than Emma had hoped. If nothing else, it had worked out that they were being weaned just in time to join a family for the perfect child’s Christmas present. And, much as she had intended for them to have a quiet little tabby kitten padding after her through the house rather than a train of panting, yipping, running and tumbling balls of shedding fluff, the pups were sweet and incredibly cute. So she couldn’t understand how every time she thought she had someone poised to take one home, it fell through at the last moment.

With a sigh, she turned away from the sidewalk where old lady Hubbard was walking away. Still cradling Cutlass and Matey to her chest, one in each arm, Emma crossed the porch to sink onto the porch swing with a dejected air. She bent to press a kiss into each of their soft, fuzzy foreheads, murmuring what good babies they were and that it wasn’t their fault. Intellectually, Emma knew it was rather ridiculous to be trying to comfort two puppies who were now playfully rolling and tumbling in her lap, not the least bit concerned at the interview’s outcome. They really had been particularly good as their potential new owner had arrived to meet them; sitting calmly without barking or jumping up, sweetly licking the elderly woman’s fingers affectionately when she offered them, and looking even more adorable than usual with their coats freshly bathed and brushed, so black and silky that their fur nearly shone. All their neighbor had seemed able to focus on though was that they might get under her feet and cause her to fall. When Emma had spoken to her before, the older lady had seemed so anxious for some company now that the last of her many children had left the house, but once she had arrived to see the puppies, all she kept saying was, “I’m all alone out there. If I fell, I might lie for days, unable to get up, and no one would know.”

Emma shrugged her shoulders and ruffled the pups’ fur once again; annoyed, but not sure what to make of the situation. Standing, she was about to take the two little rascals back inside when Killian arrived home for the evening.

“They’re both still here?” he asked curiously, one eyebrow arched in question.

Something niggled at the back of Emma’s mind with his question, whispering that he didn’t seem especially suprised. Shaking her head in silent answer, Emma ushered man and dogs back into the house and headed toward the kitchen, where she still had all of the dog dishes to fill.

“Ah well, Love,” Killian replied, something about his voice just a shade too nonchalant. “Perhaps it’s for the best. As energetic as these scalliwags sometimes get,” he laughed and scratched Matey’s belly when she rolled over to bare it in supplication, “they might have proven a walking hazard to one of advanced years.”

Emma was about to question him further, shocked that Killian had hit on exactly what had stopped the potential adoption, but at that moment Wolfie and the other six of her offspring burst into the kitchen and set up a chorus of barks and howls for their dinner, toenails clicking on the floor and tails thunking against the cabinets. So it wasn’t until later that night, as she was speaking to her mother on the phone, bemoaning yet one more failed attempt at finding the pups permanent homes, that the niggling puzzle piece at last slid into place.

“Well,” Snow offered hesitantly, “I’m sorry it fell through, Sweetie, but you know Mrs. Hubbard isn’t all that steady on her feet these days…”

Suddenly, it all added up: Mrs. Hubbard’s unexpected concern with puppies tripping her up around the house, how Ashley had at first thought they might take one of the puppies, only to be convinced by someone that mice would be much more fitting for class pets at Cinderella’s daycare, and how Aurora and Philip’s second child, Hope’s little friend Rory, had suddenly decided she wanted a white Persian kitten whose hair she could put a pink bow in, “like ‘Rie from ‘Ristocats” Aurora had explained in her daughter’s own words when she’d called to tell Emma.

“Oh my word!” Emma shouted, startling her husband, kids, and the pile of dogs sprawled over them in the living room where they were watching tv. “It was you all, wasn’t it? My whole family has been working against me this entire time!”

Looking sheepishly guilty, Killian and Henry both wordlessly shook their heads in denial. Her mother floundered for a defense for a few seconds and then simply fled by ending the call. But when Emma’s eyes came to rest on her daughter, Hope merely grinned widely, a shameless glint of mischief in her green eyes, and nodded her head in confirmation.

“Why?” Emma sputtered.

“Then the puppies are all ours!” her toddler chirped happily, falling back against Wolfie’s shoulder with a giggle, to which Wolfie merely huffed at the impact, then nosed Hope a bit further from the edge of the couch, as if she had one extra pup to watch out for and was making sure the child didn’t fall.

“We’ll see about that,” Emma grumbled, staring each of them down in turn. But, when she flopped down on the armchair in the corner, trying to hold onto her righteous indignation, and Scoundrel came over to check on her, pawing at her leg until she picked him up, and then nudging his grey snout flecked with white patches into her armpit as he stretched out across her chest and promptly fell asleep, Emma was smart enough to know when she had lost the fight.

They were the family with nine dogs now - an entire seaworthy crew.

Tagging a few who may enjoy (or enjoy again!): @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @thisonesatellite @artistic-writer @hollyethecurious @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi @thislassishooked @therooksshiningknight @spartanguard @shireness-says @ohmightydevviepuu @ohmakemeahercules @scientificapricot @gingerchangeling @teamhook @revanmeetra87@resident-of-storybrooke @elizabeethan @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @stahlop @lfh1226-linda @xsajx @donteattheappleshook @darkcolinodonorgasm @winterbaby89

#self promo sunday #cs oneshot #ouat canon divergence #future fluff ff #a litter more than they bargained for

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phenomenalcosmicpowers · 4 years ago

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Some Preliminary thoughts on MLP Generation 5

I was considering waiting for a Trailer before speaking on this. I assume one will probably come out any day now, heck the way things are coming out I probably won't be surprised if I end up sort of jinxing things and we get our first trailer smack-dab in the middle of tomorrow or something. But I do want to sort of give my current thoughts heading into G5. As we've gotten alot more tidbits then the rather vague details from the first few months since our first look at the new characters back in Feburary. If we do get a trailer, depending what is shown. Maybe I'll make a follow-up post.

I will first say that I do plan on giving both the movie and series a shot, none of the concerns that I express in this post will make me hesitate in at least checking how the movie and show goes on it's own merits. There is a possibility the movie and/or show ends up being fun despite the underlying concerns I'm about to say. Without further adieu, I'll begin.

((More thoughts after the break))

We are now almost 80 days from the premiere of G5. And most information up until recently have been fairly vague on what exactly is the G5 world. With a brand new cast, and even some vastly different design from the G4 pony design we knew it feels like at least from a visual standpoint that this is supposed to be an entirely new generation. The same way G1 or G3 is not the same universe as G4. However, both some vague information and recent information sort of dropped the bombshell that no, G5 is actually supposed to be in the same world that the G4 Equestria is. Which lets get to the general point of this:

Even if the G4 world that we loved in Friendship is Magic is sort of now this ancient past in which for at least thousands of years there was harmony between all the pony races and non-ponies alike as shown in the future of The Last Problem until perhaps some sort of slow collapse later on happened (Presumably long, long, LOOOOOONG after assumingly everyone of the Main 6 sans Twilight have died from old age). It... might be a bitter pill to swallow for any fan of G4 that loved the show's happy ending. Sure, at the very least it doesn't look like they're trying to say that at some point Twilight failed, as heck Sunny is probably sure to look at Twilight as this legendary hero to aspire to be like. But still, it just doesn't feel like a good look when while I get why G5 is having it's premise of Sunny and the others making the world a better place. Upon seeing the initial synopses of the show. It very much feels like it was Hasbro taking note of last year's George Floyd/BLM Protests. Which I will say is potentially a good direction. But it'd help if this was an entirely new universe that is having this divided world problem. Not a long time after G4 itself ended on the positive note on just about every notable species pony or non-pony alike are living in harmony where Sunny's goal had already basically been achieved.

I get the idea behind having G5 mentioned as the same world as G4. It's an attempt to have their cake and eat it too where they're trying quite a bit new and also try to keep many of the fans of G4 that proved to be a lightning in a bottle. It's a big truth that Friendship is Magic is going to be a hard act to follow even if G5 turns out great on it's own merits. Having an entirely new universe from Hasbro's perspective I also get have some risks. You toss away a world so many people love for one that the fans might find it hard to find an interest in flocking to like the previous one. At the same time though, taking G5 as the far future of G4 runs the risk of heavily feeling like everything Twilight and the Mane 6 did eventually fell to ruin and the ponies became divided again anyway despite the very finale showing they may have very well ended it for good. With even non-pony species part of the harmony that exists.

I guess the counterpoint may be that in if they must have G5 a follow-up in some way of G4. Then there must be some sort of conflict as otherwise the show would feel boring without many villains and/or adventures to save the day going on. The cost of G4's massive success is that no matter what direction they take G5, it's going to be a struggle for it to find the same footing. But what's worse: Making a new world which while it may potentially disinterest fans of G4 with a lack of familiar faces, it can have potential to grow in it's own fashion and maybe just maybe you'll get something of a following even if it's alot smaller. Or possibly saying it's in the same world where the world of Equestria has somehow gotten to the point that it got worse then when Celestia was ruling Equestria by herself (Because at least under Celestia even with Luna banished to the moon and Twilight was either not there yet or still training. The three pony races were generally united as they have been for more then a thousand years. Not segregated as they are implied to be in G5.)

And while it's too early to tell and could easily be still very much a part of G5 is the non-ponies that were featured in the later seasons. Will Changelings, Dragons, Kirins, Hippogriffs, etc. still play a role? Or will it only focus on ponies? Because the less there are of the non-pony species, the less it will feel like this truly is supposed to be the same world of Equestria we knew. Unless you want to say in a really dark direction that most non-pony species went extinct ever since G4 happened. Even if they're never going to explain how Equestria collapsed into the G5 world (Which I have something of a suspicion that they might never explain it completely)

And another question that is sure to follow... are all the Alicorns from G4. Whether it be Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Cadence, or Flurry Heart... all dead at this point? We never really got much lore about Alicorns even throughout all of G4. So while it's certainly still possible that the Alicorns are more mortal then the fans have been led to believe. That doesn't mean it's not an important question to think about. As if this supposed to be a follow-up to G4. G5 is well within it's right to tell us that maybe we overestimated the immortality of the Alicorns, though because G4 never gave us a straight answer... it means it's entirely on G5 to tell us it's own interpretation. No matter what they say will alienate some fans because the topic of Alicorns has always been a touchy subject even before Twilight herself became an Alicorn or even arguably before the introduction of Cadence due to the many, many, fan interpretations of Luna until we finally got a look at canon Luna in Luna Eclipsed and the fear of how many headcanons it'd destroy (Didn't turn out as bad as people thought it would, but just that the fear was there sowed the seeds of what discourse the Alicorns in G4 was going to cause)

Before we got the detail from the book that G4 is considered ancient equestria in G5's world. There was speculation on the possibility that G4 is actually fictional in G5 world. In other words, the G5 world is in fact an entirely new world but in a meta sort of way is a TV show that Sunny and others were a fan of. Which would explain both the changes that are much different from Equestria (With stuff like horn and wings being different colors from the coat) and the fact Sunny had Mane 6 figures and merchandise in her room. This in retrospect might of been the smarter decision because even with the slight possibility of making some G4 fans mad that they're entirely tossing out the previous series and only having it being mentioned in a fictional context. It wouldn't run the risk of overriding the happy ending. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if say if they took that direction they'd pull a Daring Do and have it that yes in fact G4 was once G5's past. But in order to show that, they'd have to bring back the G4 Mane 6 in some fashion. Perhaps in a pulled out of limbo-like fashion like they did for the Founders. Though that in itself comes with the problem that they'd want the Mane 6 to be actually recognizable and thus young looking. And if they come out of a limbo while still looking fairly young, it means they weren't around in the past for much long for some odd reason.

That's all I have for now at least on the top of my head. If there's a trailer coming soon I might make another of these as I said. And I'm also open to any responses whether if you want to tell me you have some of the same concerns or do anything that might calm my own concerns about the way G5 might be stepping on G4's toes whilst trying to maintain G4's fandom into the coming generations. Thanks to anyone who bothered to read. I wish good luck on G5, but if concerns aren't addressed and/or they end up correct on some fronts. There's a chance I may have quite the baggage clouding my mind even before the movie and series starts...

#MLP #my little pony #my little pony the next generation #g5 #g4 #mlp g5 #mlp g4 #netflix #my little pony movie #generation 5 #generation 4

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allysartstuff · 5 years ago

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[Kofi] [Picarto] [Commission Info]

Some may already know I retconned RariPants a little. Digital Art > Drawings > Movies & TV"> I didn’t include Fancy here as this whole thing was big enough already, might make a different post with just him. All the kids cutie marks are the same, just didn't want to draw them.

Rarity

Rarity’s first marriage to Fancy Pants wasn’t as smooth as she hoped. Before, they were on friendly terms and got along well. However, that all changed after a drunken night out in which Rarity became pregnant. Initially, he wanted Rarity to have an abortion descreetly and even offered her money to do so. Rarity, after long talks with her family and friends, decided she had enough emotional and financial support to raise her baby and told Fancy it was his decision if he wanted to be involved or not. Fancy decided he did want to be involved but, unbeknownst to Rarity, planned to woo her so that would marry him and not ‘live in shame’ (Fancy was older than Rarity, had some pretty old fashioned views and liked younger mares anyway). Luckily for him, his plan worked and Rarity fell pretty dang hard for his charm and gentleman ways and they married roughly a year after their first son was born, then called Chic Magnifique.

For the first few years, everything was good. Rarity moved to Canterlot where Fancy and Rarity raised Chic together and eventually decided to have another baby, Ace Dandy. But things started to gradually change. Fancy started staying out later and later, leaving Rarity to raise two very rambunctious boys on her own while working on her three shops from home. When she asked for help (like, y’know raise your fucking kids and no it’s not babysitting, dammit Fancy), his idea was to vigorously train them as perfect little elites. When Rarity saw the negative effects this had on the boys, she blew her top, resulting in many massive arguments. During this time, Rarity finally saw Fancy for who he really was and left him, returning to Ponyville with her sons.

Fleur de Lis

Many years before Rarity met Fancy, Fleur was Fancy’s secret personal bodyguard. A native of Prance and a former secret agent, she came to work for Fancy by chance. Often, Fleur would act like a typical trophy wife who would over fawn and simper over Fancy while on the lookout for anyone who could harm him. She is full capable of kicking anyone’s ass and had saved his butt on a few occasions. The pair became really good friends and the two fell in love and married. However, things began to de-escalate when Fancy wanted her to be his trophy wife for real. After only a year of marriage, Fleur noped out of that relationship and quietly moved to Ponyville, becoming a private Prench teacher while ignoring the Canterlot gossip surrounding her.

A few years later Rarity and Fleur have a chance meeting and, after getting over the awkwardness of the whole ‘holy shit, it’s my ex-husband’s ex-wife, oh fuck’ thing, they begin an understanding friendship and reguarly have tea together. They soon develop real, honest feelings for each other, especially when Fleur got on so well with Chuck and Ace. With the boys’ very eager blessing, Rarity and Fleur marry and have their own child, Opal, via Twilight’s IVF spell. Fancy was not a happy bunny when he found this out.

Chuck Lindsneigh (formerly Chic Magnifique)

A ecentric pony who doesn’t know the volume of his own voice, Chuck is passionate and anything but subtle. He loves nothing more than to go on rousing adventures, fly his plane (which he crashes a lot) and return lost/stolen artifacts to the indegious races of Equestria and beyond. He has a very strong sense of wrong and right and will not rest until it is right again. Despite having a savant-like intelligence in planes, archaeology and ancient pony societies, Chuck has difficulty understanding basic visual communication so he often fails to understand other feelings (eg, why his brother continues to keep in touch with their father) and can be easily lied to (eg, he has fallen for many a scam by Jammie Dodger). This is due to him being autistic, which wasn’t diagnosed until he was an adult, something Rarity feels terribly guilty for. May have an on/off no strings attached relationship with Orin every time he winds up in Manehatten. Hates Fancy Pants and often deliberately sends him bills to places he’s damaged by his plane crashing.

Ace Dandy

Ace lives up to his name as a hoofball superstar, the sport introduced to him by his grandfather Hondo Flanks, as a way to cope with his parent’s divorce. Although smaller than Chuck, he is easily physically stronger and incredibly fast, having both played for Ponyville and Canterlot teams. He takes his celebrity status and image very seriously, taking care of his appearance but also showing endless kindness by donating endlessly to charities and signing every autograph asked from him. As good as his intentions are, this stems from an underlying need to be perfect. His elite training from Fancy and his parents divorce resulted in severe issues. He’d sooner ram his head in a wall than get one thing wrong and little Ace blamed himself for the divorce, despite Rarity’s insistence than it wasn’t his fault. Because of this, Ace accepts his father back in his life when Fancy returns, much to Chuck’s disgust. They have an ok father son relationship but Ace stresses when Fancy makes a minor passing comment or action that something’s not to his liking. Basically, this boy is 50% muscle, 50% anxiety. Ace lives with his long-term boyfriend Bramble at Grand-Pear’s old house. The two are very sugary sweet and don’t know the meaning of PDA. But what Ace loves most about Bramble is his down to earth nature and it never fails to put him at ease (also, he has a cute butt).

Opal

Opal is Rarity’s third and final bab and Fleur’s only biological child. The youngest sib at seventeen, Opal get’s really excited at the most boring things imaginable. She looooves rocks and often believes she was born the wrong species (Opal has a deep admiration for Earth Ponies). As a child, Opal loved going with Rarity on her gem expeditions, although she was more interested in the rock around the glittering gems. She is completely obsessed with Maud Pie and Maud, a little amused and touched by Opal’s eagerness, took it upon herself to become her mentor (Opal fainted on the spot when she was told this). Opal is also autistic (diagnosed as a child and Rarity and Fleur recognised the signs), like Chuck, and will info-dump the hell out of you about rocks. She struggles with reading other’s facial expressions but otherwise is a happy wee soul. Most of the time. Opal was blessed with both her mothers’ beauty which attracted the attention of many teenage colts but they soon dumped her when they realised she would never shut up about rocks. This would plummet her confidence for a while until a meddling little Hullabaloo set her up with his mortified brother Lucky Bug. Now the two can enjoy talking about rocks, bugs and do any cute smooshy teen romance stuff to their hearts’ content.

Extras;

Bramble does not like Fancy one bit, but Ace begs him to be nice when Fancy visits as Bram is known to saying exactly what he thinks.

Chuck loves his family (besides he-who-shall-not-be-named) and pops in every now and again, announcing his return by slamming the door open and yelling, “What-ho!”

Fleur taught all of the kids Prench which they are all fluent in (although Chuck’s accent is atrocious).

When Rarity and Fleur became engaged, Chuck and Ace asked her if they could call her ‘Maman’. She cried ugly tears of joy at that.

Chuck and Ace adore their little half sister and would probably stomp on all of her ex-boyfriends if given the chance.

Opal was born via emergency c-section. Fleur will tell anyone who would listen that her c-section scar is her favourite of all her scars.

Ace is willing to model any new line of clothes Rarity makes.

My Little Pony, Rarity and Flaur de Lis (c) Hasbro

Chuck Lindsneigh, Ace Dandy and Opal (c) me

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larenoz · 6 years ago

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Roswell New Mexico Fic Rec List

For a show that’s only had 13 episodes so far, the Roswell New Mexico fandom has produced alot of great fics and media. My criteria for inclusion is simple - these are the fics I like and in most cases, have read multiple times. If a character or pairing doesn’t have a listing, it just means I haven’t found something I want to list, not that I don’t like, or object to that character, person or ship (but I will never link to character-bashing fics). This is an ongoing post that will be updated (as I need to go back and re-read a few potential additions so I can do the summary/comments). If you’ve got suggestions, hit me up via comments, DM’s, whatevs.

Ratings - I’m not putting ratings on - read the tags and ratings on the fics, people. But be warned alot of these are explicit.

Links - Where available I will be linking to content on AO3. If you’d like your tumblr name included, just let me know (I’m not always great at working out who’s who!).

Status - All fics are complete unless marked as WIP except for series where it’s probably a mix of both complete and WIP.

Michael and Alex (Malex)

The Old Astronomer (series) - beamirang (@beamirang) - A canon divergent monster (in terms of words) that you can really sink your death into. Alex has found some real family in the military who help him find more family outside it as well.

This Slope is Treacherous - SuchASeeweedBrain - hockey AU - Alex is a young hockey star drafted to the NHL to a team populated by all our other favourites. A well written AU with a bit of angst.

still got a lot of soul underneath my skin - frankchurchillsaysrelax (@frankichurchhillsaysrelax) - I love this fic so much. Kyle asks about Michaels hand. It’s a painful angst-fest that we all need.

Maria DeLuca: Bar owner, psychic and honorary relationship therapist - littlecountrymouse (@littlecountrymouse) - I’m weak for a crying Michael. I’m weak for supportive Maria. I’d love a follow up (hint, hint).

Ad astra - beamirang (@beamirang) - WIP - Star Trek AU - this one is of to a very strong start. An under achieving Michael is recruited by an over achieving Alex for space based adventures.

Space Opera AU (series) - beamirang (@beamirang) - WIP - The first part is - Home Fires - which looks like it’s going to be on the dark side. But this author has a great track record, so I’m including it here.

Satellite's Gone - Anonymous - (every fandom needs a proper anon) - This one is a bit different stylistically but a fantastic read.

I just want you to know who I am - littlecountrymouse (@littlecountrymouse) - Up front and honest, any fic that involves discussion of Alex not calling Michael by his first name and Michael getting emotional about it, is probably going to end up on this list. It just does something to me. Alex and Michael’s discussion post-alien revelation and fireside chat.

tell me something good by Nanoochka (@nanoochka) - As soon as I saw this fic posted I totally squeed as this author is one of my all time favourites from another fandom. And they didn’t disappoint. Bar room hookup. Explicit.

Michael Guerin, Space Pirate - Enchantable (@planetsam) - a The Martian AU - enjoyable retelling with our guys at the centre.

Hades & Persephone - Enchantable (@planetsam) - I just find it very appropriate and good to read fan fics based on mythology. It just seams right. And this is a great retelling of one of my favourites. I won’t spoil whose who!

Michael, Alex and Kyle (Mylex)

open up my eager eyes (series) - haloud (@cosmicsolipsism) - The first two stories in this series (tuck my hair behind my ears and touch my soul and what yields the need for those who lead us ) are pretty much straight up PWP with D/s overtones. The third one - a bookend to the weirdest of weeks - is a fantastic character study of Kyle Valenti (with some totally in context sex included). Part one contains the best opening line in the fandom so far - “It starts at the Wild Pony, that breeding ground for bad ideas.”

Conversations in the Crashdown - darkangel86 - a bit of a talk fest but one where some very necessary things get said by all involved. No porn.

learning how to watch two points in space at the same time - - flintsjohn (@flintsjohn) - Classic road trip of discovery for our three boys.

practice - flintsjohn (@flintsjohn) - sequel to learning how to watch... - where our boys have many firsts and build their lives together.

need - beejohnlocked - straight up PWP with a very toppy Alex in charge.

With A Little Help From My Friends - AndreaLyn - Alex and Michael start up a friends with benefits thing with Kyle.

A little more conversation - BeStillMySlashyHeart (@bestillmyslashyheart) - a series of connected ficlets that somehow ends up with multiple couples trying to bed Kyle Valenti. Gen (despite the topic).

Complicated - @aliencowboyqueen - a set of scenes which show a developing relationship between the three men. Light and fun.

“I think we should stop seeing each other” (@el-gilliath) - Michael’s insecurity rears it’s head and Kyle and Alex have to communicate with him. Great characterisation, a bit of angst but a happy ending.

Liz, Max and Kyle (Kaliz)

Grounded - xForEverythingElse (PrimaryScavQueen) - Liz wants Kyle in the bed she shares with Max. Max will do anything for Liz. PWP.

Family Ties - laniew1 - WIP -

True to Your Heart - islndgurl777 (@islndgurl777) - Liz brings up Kyle. Max has a discussion about sexuality with Michael.

Lovefool - islndgurl777 (@islndgurl777) - Scenes of how their relationship might develop.

Michael, Alex and Maria

was it all too much, or just not enough? - colfield (@colfields ) - Where Michael learns to trust, Alex learns to give up a little control and Maria is surprised. Explicit.

Fixing what went wrong - Clockwork - fluff and soft, drunk boys.

Gen/Multi

give michael guerin a friend 2k19 (make that friend maria deluca) - islndgurl777 (@islndgurl777) - series of gen fics about the Roswell crew. Fairly angst free series of stories where Maria decides to be there as a friend for Michael. One of the best series in the fandom.

Til The Night is Over - Shenanigans (@ubiestcaelum) - WIP - Post-finale future fic - Max is dead, Rosa is alive and this is what might happen next.

Project Orion (Series) - laniew1 - Complete and WIP -

Gifs

@bisexualalienblast

@rawandmessyandbeautiful

Meta

@chasingshhadows - I don’t like to play favourites, but what can you do? My fav meta writer for this fandom. - Masterlist

@ober-affen-geil - Masterlist

@vlamito

@hannah-writes

#roswell new mexico #roswellnm #Roswell Nm #michael guerin #alex manes #kyle valenti #max evans #liz ortecho #maria deluca #fic rec #polyamory #malex #mylex #kylex #fic list #fic recommendation

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vspideycaptain · 5 years ago

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The Aftermath (The Real War Sequel) Part 5: Chris Version

Reader x Tom Holland x Chris Evans (Not a 3-way)

A/N: Please read ‘The Real War’ fic first! This is a direct sequel to that story. Please read part 1 before this part.

In true choose you’re own adventure nature there are two endings to this story. This is the finale where you decided to Pick Chris over Tom. I hope you enjoyed reading this and The Real War. I plan on posting some prologue and epilogue one shots that I hope you’ll tune into! So no worries this is far from the end of this story! Thank you xx

Warnings: Angst and sooooo much fluff WORD COUNT: 1,886 I do not own any gifs

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I woke up the next morning finally feeling refreshed for the first time in a week. After last nights revelation I have felt so much lighter on my feet and I had been getting butterflies in my stomach every time I thought about him. “Chris Evans.” I thought to myself, “Chris, of course, it’s always been him.” I smiled under the covers of my bed sheets trying so hard not to giggle like some weirdo. My phone started to ring and I swear my heart skipped a beat. And then it stopped, my heart, it sank so low that it felt like it stopped as I realized who was on the other end of that ring. It was Tom.

Ever since realizing that Chris was the one I had spent so much time thinking about what I’d say and do to him when I saw him again. And every time the idea of having to tell Tom, one of my best friends, that I didn’t pick him my eyes would instantly well up and I’d move back on to thinking about Chris again. I let him go to voicemail. I wasn’t ready to talk to him yet. Seconds later I had a voicemail so I opened it and listened, his British accent forcibly light and shaky with nerves, “Hey, (Y/N). How are you?” he paused as if I could answer and then he sighed, “Sorry, You obviously can’t answer that question.” He let out a nervous chuckle at himself, “Anyway, I just wanted to say that I will be at the park by marvel studios today around four. I want you to meet me there… Whether you’ve chosen me or not…. Please just come see me. The park at four. Okay? Okay. Goodbye.” He said and ended the call.

Like it was written in a script, Zendaya entered my room to check on me. What she found was me hugging my knees with tears in my eyes. She was used to seeing me this way by now so she simply got in bed next to me and put her arm around me. “How do I tell, Tom?” I ask her and I was really asking her but she simply shrugged, for the first time not having an answer for me. I nodded understandingly, I knew this was something only I could know how to do. And then she smacked her lips notifying me that she thought of something, “How about I follow you there in my car so I can be there for him when you’re done.” I nodded in agreement, “He’d like that I think… I hope.” With that I texted him back to say that he’d see me at four.

After getting out of the shower I started to question why I hadn’t heard from Chris yet. He knew today was the day but maybe he was waiting for me to reach out first. I reached for my phone and went to open my contacts app to call him when his number flashed on my screen. My smile was as uncontrollable as my heart beats as I answered, “Hello?”

“Up for a walk? Well a hike, rather?” He let out. His voice was happy and excitable but short, like he was trying to keep himself from exploding more words. “Uh, yes.” I started but trying to not sound too eager, “What time?” And he answered quickly, “Six? Sunset is at Six-Thirty-Two.” I watched in the mirror as the heat growing in my cheeks flushed my face as I smiled at his plan for a romantic setting. “I’ll be there.” Again he responded lightning-fast, “Great! Great. See you then, gorgeous.” We hung up then and I yelled down to Zen to help me get dressed.

We debated over and over if I should dress up for my date with Chris but then realized that if I looked too good it might make Tom feel worse. That and the fact that a hiking trail probably wasn’t the best place to wear a skirt. We spent hours going through hers and my wardrobes until together we threw together the best break-up and make-up/hiking outfit: We opted for something a little less hiking functional in the end considering I was sure we wouldn’t be focusing on the exercise side of things once I got there. I put light wash ripped high-waisted jeans over a crisp white body suit and tied a mustard and orange flannel at my waist to match my classic tan timberlands. I threw my hair up into the same sort of pony tail I did at the MCU party while Zen laid out the makeup she thought I use. By the time I was finished it was 3:20 and time to leave to meet Tom on the other side of town.

When I pulled up, Zendaya right behind me, I spotted Tom’s car on the other side of the parking lot. My heart instantly dropped to the pit of my stomach. I cared so much about Tom, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to let him down. I looked to Zen who has a book in her hands ready to open, she knew that she was going to be there for awhile before she was called in on Tom duty. She gave me an encouraging smile and mouthed, “It’s okay.” And with that I unbuckled my seatbelt and let myself out of the car.

I found him by the pond, his back turned to me and skipping rocks over the water. I took a deep breath before approaching him, “Tom.” I projected a few feet away from him and he turned around to meet my gaze. His whole physique perked up the second he turned to me. He dropped the rock in his hand into the water then met me for a hug. I could tell from his grip he was nervous. As we pulled apart I saw from the corner of my eye him go in for the kiss on the cheek but he second guess himself. “Why don’t we sit.” He suggested forcing a smile. I wondered if he somehow already knew what I was going to say.

I followed him to a nearby bench but I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eyes as I started, “Tom I’m-“ Is all I could say before tears welled up in my eyes. Tom sprung to action and took my face in his hands, “No no no, (Y/N). Don’t cry-“ His voice broke and started to well up himself, “You’re not picking me and that’s okay…. As long as you’re happy.” I was practically shaking as he spoke and wiped the tear off of my cheek. Until finally I said, “I don’t want to loose you. You’re very important to me. I can’t just not have you in my life okay?” He took my shaking hands in his and cleared his throat, stopping himself from weeping. “We’ll always be friends. Best of friends…. I might need some time though.” I nodded and let go of his hands before standing up. I didn’t know how much I could handle before I combusted from guilt. “You’re gonna be happy, right?” He said and stopping me in my tracks. I looked back at him and simply nodded. I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from upturning into a smile when Chris was back in my mind. Tom sighed but returned my smile weakly, “Go get him” He said and I knew that it might have been the hardest thing he’s ever had to say in his life. “Thanks, Tommy.” I waved goodbye and walked back to my car.

Zendaya and I locked eyes and exchanged a wordless agreement that it was her turn, time for her to do damage control. I sat in my car for a few minutes to gather myself and touch up my makeup. It was only 4:30. I had an hour until I had to leave and meet Chris so I decided to drive around a bit to clear my head.

Before I knew it I was at the trail making my way up the side of the mountain. Surprisingly there weren’t any other cars there than my own and Chris’s. I texted him when I arrived and he told me he was with Dodger so he started his way up as soon as he got there but he’s staying put until I catch up. As one does I took one last look at myself and my outdoorsy outfit in the reflection of my car before making my journey. Since getting my job with Marvel and moving to LA I haven’t had the chance to do much out of town things like hiking so I really took this moment to take in the views and distract myself from my nerves. However the sun was setting fast and I honestly couldn’t wait to see him so my pace was near jogging.

And then I saw him. I wish I could have taken a picture. The sun was just right in the sky making everything that beautiful golden hue and Chris was kneeling at the edge of a cliff petting Dodger. As I approached I broke a stick with my boot causing Chris, and Dodger, whip their heads into my direction. Chris instantly got to his feet while mine picked up the pace to an actual jog up to him this time. In all the time leading up to this moment I hadn’t actually planned what I’d say once I got to this point. I looked up at him and into his crystal clear blue eyes, my heart melted and an I was blushing – from the jog up or from the butterflies in my stomach I wasn’t sure. I took in a breath to say something, anything but still not totally sure what, but I was cut off from Chris’s lips on mine.

The second we made contact it was like we couldn’t help but be attached at the lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his free arm, the other had Dodger on a leash, wrapped around my entire torso pulling my body closer to his. Before I knew it our tongues we’re intertwined as Dodger ran around us until he couldn’t, his leash tied us together. With Dodger barking and wiggling about to try and undo his journey, Chris and I became unbalanced and toppled over and onto the ground. We found ourselves in a compromising position, my body on his and our legs tangled in the leash mess. We both erupted in laughter as Chris brushed the hair out of my face.

“Wait.” I said as I regained my breath, “What if I was here to reject you?” I asked him as he really didn’t give me a chance to say anything. He smirked, clearly a little embarrassed now, “I guess even if you were I needed to kiss you one last time…. Wait. Are you… rejecting me?” He asked suddenly nervous. I laughed again and shushing him, “It was always you, Chris.” The smile returned his face before he took my head in his hands and pulled me down to him for another kiss which was yet again interrupted by Dodger licking the two of our faces.

To Be Continued.... ;)

Read Tom’s ending Here

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kara-dolan · 6 years ago

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Coachella -Day 1 ~Part 1~

A/N ~ hola it be a while since i have posted but whats up hahaha i am so so sorry ive had writers block and ms. vivi aka @notanotherdolantwinsblog was moving during the time she agreed to help with this so once both of our lives calm tf down things will return to normal scheduling.

Word Count~ 4,309

Warnings ~ Soft feels, Fluff, Fun, Flirting?, Possible use of cannabis aka weed

Summary~ Fun and music festivals with your best friend? What could possibly happen? Oh right running into anyone and everyone you adore looking absolutely devin with sweaty bodies touching and bass booming under your feet. But what adventures are to come when Y/N and Viviana come face to face with Coachella ?

“Viviana I can’t believe you actually got tickets for Coachella. I can’t believe the house you got for Coachella weekend. I can’t believe that we are here!” I say excitedly gripping her arm.

“Bitch, I can’t believe that we might run into the Dolan Twins!” she says to me smiling.

“Okay yes that is a huge plus but, Day 1 will be the most exciting especially since it’s the first time we’ll be going!” I say releasing her walking up to the house.

She shook her head at me and opened the door revealing the Greek interior architecture. I walk in setting my hand bag on the ground taking everything in.

“Holy shi- is this real life right now?” I questioned looking up and spinning around to view everything.

“If you think this is amazing just wait till you see the backyard and bedrooms, not to mention the bathrooms.” Viviana says.

I looked at her and smiled then found my way to the stairs that spiraled up to the bedroom I was staying in. It was completely white with a sliding door that led out to the balcony that overlooked the backyard. Below me I saw the pool that had a huge baby blue clam bed next to the pool with a pearl shaped pillow that was silver and sparkled in the sun.

“V, I am never leaving.” I say looking away from the pool and up at the view of trees and mountains that were decorated by the sun’s beautiful rays and wind causing them to sway.

“Okay, sure, you say that every time you visit a new place. Watch once we get to Coachella you’ll never want to leave there either. Speaking of which, we have to get unpacked and set up for tomorrow after that we can get pizza and just chill.” Viviana says walking out onto the balcony.

“Ha. Yeah, I fall in love with places too easily. But, have you seen the view and the trees? It’s so beautiful. We should camp outside tonight and just watch the stars.” I say leaning against the railing watching the beautiful scenery.

“You’re fucking crazy. There’s bugs and animals. No way in hell am I sleeping out here, especially the day before Coachella starts. I am not getting dirt in my pores and you shouldn’t either,” she says stepping away to go back inside.

I sigh and look down pushing myself off the railing and going inside to unpack.

It took about an hour to get everything unpacked an organized, I had brought makeup and wigs, so I didn’t have to dye my Y/H/C hair and damage it. I also brought any and all facial cleansers because we were going to be in the desert for 3 days. I had hung all 3 outfits up in the closet and folded extra clothes I brought because no way in hell was I not going to shower and be forced to wear glitter covered outfits for the week that we were going to be staying at the house. Y/F/N and I had gotten walkie talkies set up on a private channel to find each other if we got lost and 3 cases of water so we could take 5 bottles of water with us for each day. After everything was unpacked and organized I made my way down the spiraling stairs and through the living room and into the kitchen where V was sitting at the island scrolling through her phone.

“Hey, you order the pizza yet?” I asked going to the fridge to get a water.

“No, I was waiting on you. I did see some updates on Twitter though, involving the twins and well, the drama is crazy.” she yawned out.

“When is it not though? Like honestly people need to leave them alone. But let’s not get into it. I’ll order a pepperoni and Hawaiian pizza and set up a movie.” I say after taking a drink of water.

“Sounds good. I’m getting blankets and pillows to fort up the living area.” She yelled to me running upstairs.

I smile and pull my phone out of my pocket and order the pizzas.

After the pizza arrived, we watched a random movie as we ate in the fort. Halfway through the movie and one pizza gone we fell asleep surrounded by pillows and blankets. The next thing I knew my phone was going off at 6 am which resulted in Viviana hitting me in the face with a pillow followed by groaning which signaled me to turn it off. I grabbed my phone and stopped the alarm. I made my way to my room and changed into some shorts and a loose tank and pulled on running shoes. I quietly made my way out of the house and into the woods near the park for a morning run.

I found myself at an overlook. The view was impeccable with the sun rising and colors blending together, putting me in a trance. The trance was broken when I notice movement below, a tall broad figure jogging through the hiking trail. The figure belonged to a man, as the sun rose more his golden shoulders glistened with sweat, his hair flopping with each step. It was like the trance from the sunrise was transferred to him. I couldn’t stop watching him until he disappeared deeper into the trail.

“What the hell was that?” I asked myself. I shook it off and ran back towards the house. By time I got back it was 7 am and I was drenched in sweat. I took a shower once I got back. After my shower, I put on my first Coachella outfit. I was wearing a white tank top with strings that tied in front of my chest with high waisted black shorts and a hunter green jacket. I put on black ankle boots and accessorized with a necklace that reached my waist.

Once I was dressed I applied my makeup, natural smokey eye and maroon lips. I put on my pink Ombre white high pony wig and grecian leaf new forehead crown. I went to the kitchen and saw Viviana wearing a black crop top with maroon jean shorts and black knee-high boots that had fishnets underneath. Her hair was loosely curled draping around her shoulders, she had dark smokey eye and a light pink lip.

“Okay, V. I see you.” I squeal out and she looks at me and laughs.

“Stop… we have to get going soon if we want to make it on time.”

“Okay. Okay. I am so ready to see Kyle perform today. Oh my gosh and The Neighborhood, St. Vincent, SZA, and The Weeknd. Just today is going to be crazy.” I say while packing up our bags for Day 1.

“For sure, not to mention how many social media stars and celebrities we will be seeing there.” V says taking her bag. I nod.

“We should get breakfast on the way there. I mean it is only 9 am. Coachella gates don’t open till 11.”

“You just want to go to an acai bowl place to see if you can run into Grayson” She teased.

I rolled my eyes and smiled.

“Maybe it’s a little true but if we run into Grayson we also run into Ethan…” I wink and nudge her. She laughs and grabs her car keys.

“Fine, you win. Using my love for Ethan against me. That isn’t fair.”

I scrunch my nose at her and smile. After our playful teasing ended we headed out and went to the closest acai place. Once we arrived we saw girls squealing and crying. I looked over at Viviana and raised my eyebrow while smiling.

“No. We are getting the acai bowls and going.” She scolded me.

“Ugh, fine. I won’t go and ask them if they are acting like that ‘cause of the twins. Mainly ‘cause I already know they were here… thank you, Instagram… but fine let’s get the bowls and go.” I replied rolling my eyes.

“You’re entirely something else. In a good way.” She reassured me.

“Thanks, I guess.” I say while laughing.

We were waiting in line to get the acai bowls when I realized everyone was staring at us.

“Well this isn’t awkward or anything.” I mumbled out.

“What?” she questioned.

“We are the only ones dressed like this here. Seriously, everyone is wearing normal clothes. We need to hurry up and get the hell out of here.” I say looking around getting uncomfortable.

“Why? We look hot. Stop trying to cover up. Let them stare it shows them what they can’t have.” She says making me loosen my grip on my jacket and letting it slip down my arms. “Okay. I got this. We got this.” I say smiling and nodding.

We got our acai bowls and left. We were about 5 mins away from Coachella grounds and we had finished our acai bowls. Now we were just blasting music and getting hype as we got closer to the festival. We pulled into the most available parking spot. Once V put the car in park I got out throwing my bag over my shoulder and adjusting my VIP wristbands.

“I can’t believe were actually here...” I say shutting the car door.

“Neither can I. Now let’s go before we miss any performances!” She shouts while pulling my arms and entire body towards the entrance.

“Okay! Okay! I can walk on my own!” I laugh out.

“I know just hurry the hell up!” she shrieked out and took off running. I shook my head and ran after her, I finally caught up at the entrance because we had to scan our wristbands.

We were finally inside, I grabbed at V tapping her like crazy.

“Look, Look, We’re here. Oh my gosh we’re here” I screamed out.

We ran to the Sahara stage until it was time to head to the main stage. When we reached the main stage Los Angeles Azules were performing and we saw Bryant recording some of the performance on his phone. I look over at V who was already looking at me. We walked closer to Bryant but not close enough for him to notice, we stood there enjoying the performance.

“We literally just saw the Yodeling Walmart Boy perform with Whethan and now we see Bryant right here. What is happening?” I whisper to Viviana. She laughed.

“Life. Life is happening and giving us this amazing opportunity.” She whispered back. “Opportunities?” I question at the last minute when she bumped into me causing me to stumble back only to be caught by someone.

“Oh my gosh I am so sorry. My fri-” I stopped once I saw who caught me.

“It’s fine.” He said chuckling. I stood up.

“Sorry, again. Thank you for catching me though.”

I turn my neck to glare at V who was smirking.

“No problem. Not everyday I get to catch a beautiful girl from falling.” He flirted which made me look back to him.

“I think I did fall though… Umm… sorry. Bad attempt and now I am making a bigger fool of myself. Bye.” I say nervously while laughing a bit while turning to walk away.

He grabbed my right hand with his left spinning me around.

“You aren’t making a fool of yourself. I’m Grayson.” He smiled down at me.

“I know, but I’m Y/N and the person behind me is my best friend Viviana.” I say looking up at him through my lashes.

He smiled down at me and I looked away and as soon as I did Bryant came over

“Hey Gray we should go find E and get more photos.”

“For sure. Y/N want to come?” he asked me. I looked at him bewildered.

“You mean like go with you and Bryant to find Ethan?” I questioned. He smiled and nodded “That’s the general idea. You can even bring um... V- Vivi-”

“Viviana.” She interrupted him. “We would love to go with you. Right Y/N?” she nudged me “Oh yeah. Totally, for sure.” I mumbled out.

“Great. Yo, Bry, Y/N and Viviana are going to come with.” He shouted towards Bryant.

Bryant smiled and nodded, we all began walking away from the main stage to find Ethan. We found him by the food trucks drooling over the acai bowls.

“Ethan!” Grayson called out to him pulling his attention from the trucks. He ran over to join us “Yo Gray. Who’s this?” he asked.

“I’m Y/N. Just met Grayson when my friend Viviana “accidently” bumped into me and Grayson caught me” I said smiling a bit while air quoting.

“Oh cool. I’m Ethan.”

“This is Viviana or V. By the way.” I say pulling Viviana’s’ arm.

“Oh. Hi” she waved shyly. I heard everyone near the main stage start chanting Really, Really, Really, Yeah,

“V, we got to go. Kyle is performing now!” I grab at her arm. “Sorry guys. Just been waiting all day to see him.” I yell over my shoulder as we run to the main stage.

We reached the main stage finally.

“Y/N are you stupid you just left Ethan and Grayson. We aren’t going to ever see them again.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Grayson loves SuperDuperKyle.” Ethan whispered between us which made me jump.

“E you can’t just scare them like that.” Grayson said coming from behind me smiling. I laughed and rolled my eyes.

“Glad you guys could join us” I smiled at him and started jumping and chanting with the rest of the crowd.

“Don’t Wanna Fall in Love” played and I looked at Gray and smiled.

“Yo, you gonna show us some moves, possibly the same ones from the warehouse?” I asked him.

“I remember that I gave him so much shit about it.” Ethan said laughing. I rolled my eyes.

“You did great. Just ignore him.” I looked at him placing my hand on his shoulder.

He grabbed my hand and spun me around in front of him, he gripped my waist and rested his chin on top of my head. We swayed to the rest of the set until iSpy came on and we had to move to avoid a mosh pit. We gave up on finding a new spot, so Grayson offered to go get ice cream for us, I decided to wait with Ethan and Viviana. I was listening to V and E talk about which bands they were excited to see, I left them alone to talk and headed over to the food trucks to see if Grayson needed help. When I saw him, he was talking to a girl.

“Hey, I know you from YouTube. I love your videos and they’re super inspiring.” She said to him awkwardly laughing a little.

“Really? Thank you so much that means a lot.” He replied to her smiling, “Want anything?” He asked her pointing to the menu.

“Oh my god no. Of course not. Thank you” She said sweetly.

“Oh okay.” He said, and she gave him a hug which he returned.

“See you around” he said.

“Yeah see ya” she called out as she walked off.

I walked over to him and smiled at him.

“Hey, why are you looking at me like that?” He asked.

“Okay, it’s kind of weird…but, I like seeing how you interact with fans.” I explained.

“It’s an amazing experience I appreciate you guys. If I can make you guys happy even just taking a picture or talking to you it is completely worth it.” He says while paying for the ice cream. “Grayson, you literally just looking at us is enough to make us happy” I giggled out. He laughed and handed me the ice cream he got for me

“It’s kind of shocking to hear that. Not entirely used to this still.” I smiled at him.

“I mean majority of your fan base is female which you should know from tour. You’re attractive and athletic and you have a great personality at least from what I can tell from your videos and well now that I’ve met you and hung out with you. I honestly can’t believe that I am here… That I even got to meet you…” I say staring up at him losing my words.

“Yeah… I don’t meet a lot of people who are quite like you though.” He finished looking down at me. I laughed breaking the gaze.

“I bet. Not a lot of girls would walk away from you to go and enjoy a music performance like 4 minutes after meeting you” he grabbed my hand as we walked back over to Ethan and Viviana. “You’re not going to do that, again right?” He asked.

“Hmmmm… I don’t know. If I do what are you going to do about it?” I ask cocking my eyebrow while smiling.

“Guess I have to stay close then.” He let go of my hand and draped his arm carefully around my neck pulling me closer towards him and I wrapped my arm around his waist.

“Yo, Gray. Where we headed now?” Ethan asked him taking note on how close me and Grayson were.

“I don’t know. Where to now, Y/N?” he inquired.

“I kind of want and need to see The Neighborhood.” I say looking up to Grayson licking the ice cream from the cone.

“Alright, The Neighborhood it is. Let’s go.”

We walked back over to the mainstage where Kyle was performing, and The Neighborhood was now setting up. Bryant met back up with us from taking photos of other YouTubers that were here.

One of the first songs they played was Scary Love which I adored and sang along with every word. Grayson just watched me the entire time and spun me around a couple times. Ethan and Viviana were exchanging numbers which made me think about giving Grayson mine. He noticed my dancing falter and pulled me into him. I stumbled into his chest in which he took the opportunity to hug my waist as I collected myself.

“You okay?” He asked me. I nodded.

“Yeah, why do you ask?” I retorted reaching my arms around his neck. He chuckled.

“No reason…”

I pulled away from him when I heard Daddy Issues come on.

“Hey, Grayson can I borrow y/n for a minute?” V asked pulling my hand. He nodded, and I stumbled trying to keep up with her as she dragged me away

“What is going on?” I questioned her.

“Okay so Ethan and I were talking, and I somehow talked him into coming back to the house later tonight, but he wants to bring Grayson too. I was wondering if you could keep Grayson busy while I try to get closer to Ethan?” she pleaded.

“For sure. Like it’s honestly so weird how close we have gotten in just the past couple hours that we’ve been here, and we haven’t even had a ‘get to know you’ talk it is just a comfortable thing as if we’ve known each other for years. I wouldn’t necessarily call it keeping him busy though as much as just hanging out with him and getting to know him more.” I respond.

“Ahh yay! You’re the best.” She squealed while hugging me then running back to Ethan.

I smiled and rolled my eyes I looked around for a little before making my way back to Grayson, when I got closer to the main stage where The Neighborhood was performing Sweater Weather I noticed Grayson wasn’t there anymore and neither was V or E.

“Okay. Don’t really know what to do. I literally just saw V though.” I thought out loud.

“Yo make sure you get some of those cotton sticks!” I heard Ethan shout from behind me. I turned around so quick.

“Ethan what the hell are cotton sticks?” I yelled to him while laughing noticing the same girl who was talking to Gray earlier laugh.

“Cotton candy.” He said smiling like a 3-year-old getting called adorable.

“Okay then… Where’s Gray and V?” I asked him.

“Ryan met back up with us so Gray is with them by the disco ball trash can. I am on my way back to them. Come on.” He said nodding his head over towards where they all were.

“Ethan wait up!” the girl called after him in which he made a confused face.

“I’ll see you when you get over there.” I say walking away slowly just listening in on the conversation.

“What’s up...?” he asked.

“The sky, pfft�� you’re the best youtubers who’ve lived on planet earth.” She said after a small awkward moment. “Oh, oops... That was cringe.”

At this point I was half way out of earshot.

“Are you enjoying ‘Chella’?” he questioned.

“Heck yeah. It’s awesome.”

I stopped listening when I saw Grayson adjusting the part of his ripped jean armband.

“Hey, there you guys are. Kind of wondered off for a while. Sorry.” I say which made Grayson look up from his armband.

“Hey. I was going to look for you, but V said you would find us.” He said pulling me into a hug. “Well okay then someone missed you.” Ethan chuckled wrapping his arm around Viviana’s waist.

“I mean can you blame me?” Gray asked.

“Oh my gosh. No. Stop. Both of you.” I say pulling away from Gray laughing.

“Oh, by the way this is Ryan. Ryan this is Y/N.” Ethan introduced us.

“Hey. I actually know who Ryan is. You guys have collabed before and it was fucking hilarious I loved it.” I blurt out.

“The amount that Y/N watches your old videos is crazy.” V interjected.

“Hey! They’re funny, leave me alone. You freaking binge watch them with me you have no room to talk.” I defended.

Grayson and Ethan laughed at us

“Oh yeah., you guys want to laugh? Cause I have things I can say that will make you cringe instantly.” A teasing smile played on my lips after I spoke those words. The twins exchanged a worried look.

“Here are your ‘Cotton sticks’ Ethan.” Bryant returned with at least 8 of them and his camera. “Bryant do you want some help with all of that?” I asked, and he nodded.

I took a couple of them and handed one to V.

“Cotton candy yum.” Grayson said taking a bite out of one that was in my hand from over my shoulder.

“Hey! If you wanted one you could have just asked.” I smiled at him holding one out for him to take.

“Nah, I like it when you hold it.” He licked his lips and grinned.

I was going to respond but Ethan came over and took 3 of them from me leaving the one Gray bit from.

“Well okay then…” I say as Grayson takes another bite. “Damn I might as well just hand feed the cotton candy to you” I joked.

“That’s a fantastic idea.” He said while smiling at me, I shook my head

“Are you serious?” I asked raising my eyebrow.

He nodded while grabbing a piece of cotton candy and holding it against my lips I shook my head no.

“I’m not eating that.” I laughed out

“Yes you are” He grinned now

“No… I’m really not. Grayson, I mean it. Oh my gosh stop.” I backed away from him while laughing.

I ran around our group as he chased me playfully, he ended up grabbing my waist from behind and spinning me around.

“Grayson!” I managed to yell out in the middle of my fits of giggles.

“What?” He asked putting me down, so I could face him. Once I turned around, my eyes immediately made contact with his and I was entranced. He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer not breaking eye contact until he looked at my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips gently against his while standing on my tippy toes. He placed his hands on my waist ho

lding me steady and kissed me back.

We were in our own little world, unbothered and carefree smiling into the kiss.

“Grayson!” Ethan screamed which made us break the kiss.

“What E?” He asked annoyed.

“You know we can’t do that. Not here. Fans might see.”

“He’s right Gray… Look me and Vivi will go and check out some more bands. We can meet back up during the Weeknd’s performance.” I say placing my hand on his shoulder.

“Come on bro.” Ethan said dragging Grayson away letting my hand slide down his arm.

Vi pulled me back to the main stage where Vince Staples was setting up to perform. We were having fun dancing around like no one was watching which they weren’t, after the set we went to use the bathrooms.

“What are we doing after we leave?” Vivi asked.

“Well I know for sure we are going to go home but maybe on the way stop for some In-N-Out.” I answered.

“In-N-Out sounds amazing.” I hear Grayson suddenly say from behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist and resting his chin upon my shoulder.

“Grayson, we talked about this.” Ethan warned pulling him off of me.

“Right sorry E.”

“Okay so I guess you guys are coming with us after to get In-N-Out too?” I questioned. We all agreed to it after me and Vivi went to the bathroom and were walking back to the main stage to see SZA perform.

On the way back to the stage I tripped over my own feet and stumbled into a bleach blonde girl wearing a two piece purple bikini.

“Oh my gosh I am so so sorry-” I say going to help her up.

“Wait… you're Tana Mongeau-”

#dolan twins #ethan dolan x reader #grayson dolan x reader #fanfiction #grayson dolan #ethan dolan #y/n #tana mongeau #tana mongeau x reader #bryant eslava #Viviana #notanotherdolantwinsblog #coachella 2018 #i am so so sorry this is this late #smut will most def be in next chapter tho

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theamberfang · 5 years ago

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Journal 256: Ponies and Politics

Friendship is Magic Finale

I just finished watching the finale of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic—turns out the feature length finale warranted a prime time slot instead of the typical morning one. As I said yesterday, I’ve never really been the biggest fan of the show, but even I felt pretty emotional by the end. I didn’t quite cry, but I imagine many others did. I’m going to avoid any spoilers, so I’m not going to talk about any details here—if I want, I can go into it another time, in another post.

I do still feel like I can talk about the show as a whole though, and why I, and many others of my generation, may have been drawn to it. Thinking back to the cartoons I grew up with, there was often a mean-spirited, cynical edge to them. A good chunk of it was probably meant for any parents and guardians that happened to be watching, but that still impacts how anyone experiences the show. Oftentimes, kindness was portrayed as a naivety that ended up being the butt of a joke.

Well, I guess that’s perhaps the nature of cartoons that were intended to be comedy. The other kinds of shows were the kinds aired on Saturday morning: the kinds with male protagonists going off on big, action-packed adventures. They were filled with ideas central to masculinity—sometimes of a toxic variety—with a bare minimum of femininity.

Basically, Friendship is Magic was a pioneer in animation when it came to telling stories with female protagonists, as well as stories that were sincerely about friendship and kindness. It opened the way for people to think about themselves and their relationships in ways that they may not have done so before, regardless of age or gender. There have been shows since that share a similar spirit, like Steven Universe, Star vs the Forces of Evil, among others, but it was really Friendship is Magic that paved the way.

Even if it never ended up being my favorite show, I’m pretty sure it impacted me in ways that I don’t even realize. As I theorized yesterday, it may have been subtly poking at my subconscious, getting some gears turning, years before I figured out my actual gender. From the very beginning I related very strongly to Twilight Sparkle, and maybe, in the back of my mind, something was saying “I could be a woman like her and nothing would even be that different.” Like, the show might have helped dissolve ideas about women being so impossibly different that I couldn’t possibly, actually, be one.

I feel like there’s more here that I just can’t articulate right now, so soon after watching the finale. I don’t know, maybe I’ll have more thoughts after sleeping on it. If I don’t, maybe I can rewatch everything sometime and that’ll get me thinking and writing. Maybe.

The Rest of My Day

Since I’m coming right off seeing that finale, I’m actually having trouble thinking of much else to write about my day. I guess I finally caught up with where I’ve saved in Night in the Woods. Oh, and something I’ve wanted to remind myself about is that despite all of the difficulties I’ve been having, I’m still proud of myself for being able to write so much even about little things. Some people might think of it as pretentiously “overthinking” things, but that’s a bunch of nonsense. It’s important to be able to critically think about and analyze media: it has greater impact on society and the psychology of individuals than people realize. Even if it’s an undervalued skill in our present reality, I value it personally and it’s self-empowering to believe that.

I also did break my restriction on checking blog activity. Notably, it was after reblogging that post about lesbians, gender, and language that I added quite a bit to. Since I was sharing a bunch of thoughts on a reblog that had a ton of notes, I was suddenly feeling desperate to find some validation. As much as I’m trying to teach myself that I don’t need that sort of external validation—that, on the contrary, it’s actually not good for my mental health to seek it out—it’s still really hard to shake. I’ve been trained for so much of my life that doing good things means I get to see some nice numbers: whether it be grades in school or points in a game.

Speaking of games, I’ve been thinking about commenting on the whole situation that’s been going on with Blizzard essentially siding with China over the protesters in Hong Kong. I’m not quite up for a whole essay tonight, but I can list some highlights of my thoughts:

With my current and limited understanding, China’s Communist party are “communist” in about the same way that the Nazis (aka National Socialists) were “socialist.”

The stance of being “apolitical” is, in and of itself, a political stance: one in support of the status quo

Boycotts and “votes with your wallet” shouldn’t be your only action against corporations: engaging in politics and democracy will have far greater and lasting impact

Actually, “voting with your wallet” will most likely harm the employees and laborers at the bottom of the corporate ladder the most; it’s far more likely that these people will be laid off than anyone at the top facing much of the fallout, and even if they face some sort of consequence, they are already rich and can take it

So don’t blame any employees of Blizzard—or any other big corporation—for continuing to work there: they likely don’t have the financial security to do otherwise

Combining the previous three points, don’t shame anyone continuing to play Blizzard games. It’s not their fault that something they enjoy is owned by evil people. Shaming them will only discourage them from listening about the politics that are at stake here: you’d be pushing away potential allies

That’s about it, I think. Oh, and getting back to Night in the Woods for a moment, I think I’ll finish day 8 on Tuesday. I’ve been writing a lot lately and can use a break from it tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s Tasks

Avoid checking internet points on Tumblr; noon-bedtime

Maybe mow the lawn? The grass still doesn’t seem too tall; 1000

Shower regardless

KA: US History; 1300

Journal; 2000

#daily journal #personal #MLP:FiM

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virtualangelarchive · 6 years ago

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TOY STORY 4 PREDICTIONS:

So if I were to showcase all my predictions for Toy Story 4, I would show them here, because, “why not?” I say.

Now, here I am with the predictions before the first full trailer drops. But not only I’m here to see all the exciting stuff about this movie, but I have been planning out all predictions from now and then. Therefore, with all the pieces of evidence Pixar gave us so far and the evidence through merchandise may help me with the predictions.

This may have took a while to make, I’ll admit. But I’ll make sure to look out for eventual surprises Pixar may give us while watching the movie, once it releases.

So these are all my predictions for Toy Story 4, and what is to come. You may stick with me through the post, especially since there may be some “interesting stuff I came up with.

[Thank you to @jessiejanelightyear (Heidi) for inspirations behind some of these predictions!]

PREDICTIONS:

We will discover more of Forky’s personality through character development.

This is just my first prediction, and I’m already getting to the “real deal” here. Throughout the movie, multiple characters will gain lots of development, but I think Forky is the most likely to gain a bunch of character development in the story. I’d like to see him bloom into a confident fellow as he eventually realizes what his purpose as a toy is.

Regarding Tim Allen’s interview on “The Talk”, Bonnie may suddenly either neglect, or go “picky” on the toys during the movie.

“But it looked like maybe this little girl would take care of us. Well… maybe she didn’t take care of us so well.“

Those were the exact words Tim Allen said during his interview on “The Talk.” I’m dead serious. I’ve been recently having this feeling that Bonnie is going to do something shocking to the toys that Andy gave to her at the end of Toy Story 3. And no, I’m NOT talking “Sid-like traits” or anything similar to that. I’m talking about possible neglect or favoritism on the toys. Since Bonnie is moving on to kindergarten, that might mean her interests may change.

Not only that, but Bonnie MADE Forky, with just disposable and craft items. This hints that she’s going to show her “favorite” towards him and this trait will be repelling from the other toys, including Woody and Buzz. We still don’t know what really happens but we’ll see.

There will be three sub-plots. However, some of these sub-plots could possibly blend with each other to make the story more interesting.

These sub-plots will consist of action, drama and ultimately, adventure. I just know it.

The first sub-plot managed in the movie would be Bo Peep’s sub-plot. It would involve not only her, but also Giggles McDimple, who could be her sidekick, and possibly Duke Caboom. In this sub-plot, she is trying to save her sheep, and with the help of Duke, this conflict would be solved. But it’s not over yet, as this particular sub-plot would be blended with the other sub-plots mentioned.

The second sub-plot managed would be Forky’s sub-plot, regarding his crisis of believing that he’s not a toy. This would show multiple instances of character development, and possibly some action. Other toys would be involved, but I would rather not name them for now. It will also be blended at some multiple instances of the movie.

The third and final sub-plot would be involving all the other new toys, including Ducky and Bunny, Duke Caboom, Gabby Gabby, the army of discontinued toys that Duke brings out, and the villain(s) of the movie. They would be part of a “carnival outcast” group, as explained later on in the post. We still don’t know if anymore new toys would be revealed, but it’s self-explanatory. Lots of action, drama and arguing will happen. This sub-plot would also cause a lot of the blended plots we’ll get with both Bo’s and Forky’s sub-plots. This is why I consider this sub-plot the biggest of them all.

A fight scene, will happen. It will spark between one of the protagonists and the villain, who is YET to be revealed.

I feel that this is nothing to say about this, but I could, I will. Even though the villain is yet to be revealed, I would like a fighting scene. Also, several pieces of creativity will need to happen in some points of the entire thing, so that way, it would be considered “unique” from other movie fight scenes.

I still won’t name a character that would really start a fight against the villain(s), but I say the most likely would be either Woody or Buzz.

Not only that, but a race scene will also occur. There will be some action in that particular scene, too.

There are some hints that this scene will appear in the movie. Look at the merchandise they’re showing us. Some of the merchandise are Hot Wheels toys, and if you look at the names of these vehicles, it will possibly reveal that a race scene will potentially be happening.

Some of these names include the following:

Pony-Up

Power Panel

Nerve Hammer

Blvd. Bruiser

Bully Goat

Velocita

We’ve also gotten merchandise for remote-controlled toys, including Duke on his motorcycle, Buzz on a spaceship, the mention of RC returning, and a skunk? That’s a huge hint right there.

Let’s just pray for a race scene, and let’s hope RC returns in Toy Story 4. We know it!

The toys will rescue Forky throughout the movie, as they are potentially worried about him. He may possibly run away from the RV at the beginning of the movie.

[Thank you to Heidi for the inspiration behind this prediction!]

I’ve been thinking about this scenario since then, but could it happen? During the road trip with the Andersons, at the RV park and the carnival? Just remember what Tim Allen said on one of his interviews.

And I definitely think that’s happening. There’s no reason.

Someone, possibly one of the newest toys, will have a crush on another toy.

Do I really need anything in depth about this prediction? No, but still we have to find out. No toys will be named as a fellow who’s having a crush on somebody, but I assume that the toy they’ll have a crush on is most likely Gabby Gabby.

Think about it. Gabby Gabby will be considered “super-lovable” by everyone, but she may reject the people who are having a crush on her. Coincidence? I think not.

Giggles McDimple will probably be recruited by Bo Peep first thing in order to begin her sub-plot.

About Giggles, I probably want a backstory with her, and a scene of her being recruited after she has been found. She may be used as an assistant to help Bo find her sheep. We still don’t exactly know all the details, but we’re sure she’ll be recruited.

All the new toys (excluding Forky, since he’s made by Bonnie herself and possibly Giggles) will be part of a secret carnival outcast group.

Remember what I said earlier about the carnival sub-plot? The carnival outcast group that I made up is probably going to be shown. Its members are unlimited in population for the most part, since they are a lot more carnival prize toys in the carnival too, but the most prominent members would be Ducky and Bunny, Gabby Gabby, Duke Caboom and the army of discontinued toys he creates, and the soon-to-be-revealed villain(s). Heck, we may even get Barbie as one of the members, even though that is very unlikely.

Like I said, Forky is made by Bonnie, and Giggles may be a stray toy who is being chased by the outcast group, before getting recruited. This is why both of them would be most likely be with Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep and the gang. For now, I’ll like to call the secret carnival outcast group as "The Carnival Outkast Toys.”

Both Woody and Bo would be shown as “parental” figures as part of the story, once they recruit Giggles and rescue Forky during the movie.

This is no joke. This is actually going to happen, but first, there are some hints that this “sub-plot” will take off.

The first hint comes from Dulcop, an Italian toy website. Look at the soap-bubble displays we’ve gotten so far. On some of these bubble bottle designs, we’ll see both Woody and Bo in “parental” poses with both Forky and Giggles. It’ll seem like if both of them were taken under the other two’s wings. But once you compare it to one side of the London Toy Fair display booth for the movie, you’ll see Woody and Forky walking, with Woody holding the other’s hand. This hints it along with the soap-bubble displays, too. The ‘kid’ mentioned in the synopsis is literally, Forky!

The second hint was the original concept that was in mind. About John Lasseter, the story would have been centered around a fictional fantasy about him meeting his wife Nancy. The concept may have been saved from the rewriting process, and therefore may have been hinted about, especially with the four of the toys mentioned.

The third and final hint is from multiple pieces of merchandise. That includes the Official Guide’s final cover art, a few posters, and even an upcoming series of learning books with the characters. Maybe even one of the stories of the graphic novel anthology could hint about this happening. Several of these pieces of evidence often show Forky being with Woody, or Woody being shown with Bo and Giggles, a lot. This is going to show for the rest of the time we’ll be getting hints of merchandise.

This is all I have to say.

Combat Carl is returning. No doubt.

It was a listing for some mini figures by Mattel that revealed his “potential” return. HE’S BACK! Nothing to be said.

Somebody will “defeat” the villain at the end of the movie. It will NOT be Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, or Jessie saving the day at all. It will instead involve a character that is rather, unexpected of the viewers.

I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, but for now, I’ll like to share it here. About the villain(s) of the movie, they’re often forced to surrender by a protagonist or two. But there has to be a “what if” scenario in this list of predictions.

So, if someone were to defeat the villain at the end, right before the ending scene begins, I think a character so unexpected, so out-of-place, could cause the villain to surrender, and not Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, Jessie, or anyone else.

Remember, I’m NOT naming names for who is the most likely, but it will be for sure, someone that looks “wacky” but secretly has a side that they’re ashamed of. That special somebody will eventually grow into a stronger person by the time the movie reaches its climax.

These are all the predictions I have for now. Currently they are some speculations and are usually NOT USED for covering “spoilers” when it comes to Toy Story 4.

Thank you for sticking with me throughout the post. To infinity and beyond!

#toy story #toy story 4 #toy story 4 predictions #predictions #this is indeed before the first full trailer drops!

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sphealfighter · 6 years ago

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Meet the Adopticans (Edited)

Hello you all. The Mod here. I thought about a complete new start of this blog. So I wanted to introduce all of my characters to you so you know them all a bit better before asking questions. I also wanted to say that I, for the next time, only will draw on post it notes and will upload photos of them here on Tumblr. I will still answer the questions in my inbox but they have still to wait a little bit longer. Sorry for the waiting time. I also will not do a frequent upload rate like I said a few posts ago. I noticed if I have a fix date to upload something, I will go in a hiatus instead. I don´t want this to happen so I upload my drawings when I done them in my pase.

Now no more talking. Lets meet the citizens of Adoptica.

First to start the list is the chaos trio. Rain Dancer, Rainy Storm and Spheal Fighter.

Rain Dancer: This little fellow is the one who made this Blog possible in the first place. Even though he is a pegasus, he never flies higher than a few feet. He has a talent for getting in trouble. He is keeping his friends busy getting him out of dangerous situations he got himself into. From little things like a flower pot falling on his head to being chased by timberwolves through town. His friends even started to develope a color based alarm system only for him. There is rarly a week where he does not have a dump problem on his hooves.

He also is a little childhead. Always seeing the world with bright child eyes and never seemingly never thinking about consequences. Always being happy and trying to make everyone happy.

Rainy Storm: He is no one else than Rain Dancer only from the future. He somehow traveled 2 years in the past and now lives with his present self and all the other ones trying to help with the daily chaos and the little adventures they all get into because of his present self. But even though he is Rain Dancer he changed a lot in the coming two years. He got a barely noticed asshole attitude and learned to stand for himself. He isnt the quiet shy pegasus everyone knows from the present Rain Dancer. He is always acting strange like he does have a secret he don´t want anyone to know.

To prevent confusions with him and his present self he overdrew his cuitiemark with the symbol of a sword and wants to be called Rainy Storm.

He also is unable to touch his present self because it would tear a hole in time and space. (Timetravels are crazy)

Spheal Fighter: He is another Rain Dancer but out of another dimension. He was forced to travel through seemingly countless dimensions by a horrible curse before he landed in Adoptica. His real name isn´t Spheal Fighter but he never told someone about his real name after he changed his name to Spheal Fighter. His curse is forcing him to travel through different dimensions every time he dies. Normally he would only get a few days before meeting his inevitable fate. But this time he got a much longer stay. He is already two months in this world and he isn´t complaining about it. But he still hopes to get back home one day. He also have no cutiemark and does not think he will get one because he does not belong in this world.

Bloody Chocolate: He is the best Friend of Rain Dancer and a real movie geek. There is almost no movie he has not seen by now. He has a DvD store in town and is the first on pony to ask about any suggestions for such stuff. His special talent is, of course, movie based. If a spell is in a movie. He can recreate it. He hates it when someone ruffles through his mane but he gave up on trying to stop Rain from doing it.

Noms: He is a pony changeling hybrid. Half pony and half changeling. His mother was a pony and his father was a changeling drone which left them before he was born because he had to return to the hive. He does not know much about his fathers kind. Only the things his mother told him about them. He is capable of transforming in other ponys. Only into ponys though. He also feeds on emotions. But not on love like a normal changeling. He feeds on tensions. He can´t controle the tension eating. He automatical does it. If the tension is of an angry nature, he most likely throws up. He also can eat normal food but he don´t do it really often because of his easy to amberrase friend Rain Dancer. He also is a little prankster and uses his changeling magic often to prank his friends. Besides his tranforming spell he only knows the levitation spell.

Vila Greenheart: She is the majormare of Adoptica and born to be a real leader. A mare which does not fear to fight for her visions and her citizens. She is skilled in the art of sword fighting and is willed to defend her city with raw power if needed. She also counts to the friends of Rain Dancer and gives her best to clean after him when he again desolated the town on one of his chases with a creature of the everfree. She cares a lot about Rain. He isn´t ready to live on his own in her point of view. She hopes that he will not kill himself by accident in the future with his bad luck.

Rolling Dice: He is the born Pan and paper player and the number one to asked if he could do the game master in a sesion. He is famous in all of Adoptica for his long and awesome Ogers and Ogliettes rounds. A roleplay session is only complete with him around. It is like you are really in the game when he starts to tell the story of the adventures.

Swampy Tree: He is the owner of the T(r)ea House. It is the local hot spot to meet your friends and to drink a nice cup of tea. Only a few citizens, including Rain and all his friends, are knowing about his secret storage he has beneath his shop. His eyes are completly stained in a light blue color and his hair is literaly moss which is growing on his head. His eyes, hair and tail are all side effects of previous experiments with potential ingredients for his magic teas. Which he is storing in his secret storage. He is searching in the everfree for magic ingredients from time to time to expand his secret magic sortiment. He also is kinda the father figure of the most ponys in town. Espacially to Rain, Bloody, Noms and one other guy. He always has good advice and his own ways of finding out what is wrong or even to punish bad behavior.

Linked Claw: This fellow is a wolf pony unicorn. No one knows where he comes from. One day he just appeared in Adoptica and soon found himself caught up in some dangerous situations with Rain Dancer. He than befriended him and helped him from time to time with his bad luck streaks. His special talent is lifelink magic. This is one reason to not get him pissed. Why he is half wolf is still a secret to everyone. The only thing he ever told someone about his past is that he was a normal unicorn once.

Gacha Ball: She is a always happy pony. Always there for everyone when they feel down and the best in keeping secrets besides Swampy. She loves a good hug and has a real hoove for those Gacha machines in town. She always gets what she ants out of them. She is the one to which everyone goes to when they feel bad or just need some down time.

Tapestry String: He is a tailor and is mostlikely making cosplays and custumes but he does normal clothing too. He always says „The crazier the better.“. He also ids a good friend of Rolling Dice. Because of his friend he met Rain Dancer and his crew in the first place. Even though he barely has contact with someone else of the crew besides Rolling Dice he got invited to take part in this Blog thing. He thought „Why not give it a try. Can be get funny to get to know the others better. What could possible go wrong?“

Shimmy Semibreve: She is just a little filly which got already her cutiemark. Proud carrying the title of Rain Dancers „little Sister of honor“. This little filly caught a big place in the chaotic pegasus heart. Always being like the little sister he never had and always telling him what to do to stay save. Even if they are not real siblings, the roles are reversed in their relationship. She is always watching over her „Big Brother“. No matter how much older he may be. Over the course of time they got a real tight bond. But the quirky friendship they share is the most funny thing in her life so far. She always gets everyone to explore the world new every day. She keeps the fresh and pure wind of childhood whirling through everyponys heart.

Blank Page: This always dressed fellow is a bit old school and special. While he always tries to be kind and charming, he gets a bit naiv every now and then. His passion is poesie. Sadly he isn´t that successfull with it. But this isn´t bringing him down. He spends so many time at his desk, writing new poems, that he catches himself sometimes rhyming in a normal conversation. This Character was designed by a good friend of mine. He/She is called Alex.

Zesk´o: He is a Zebra from out of Equestria. Driven into new lands by his need to explore and be an adventurer. Always open for new stuff no matter what it is. He does not care if it might be dangerous or disgusting. The more experiences he gather the better. The only real bad habit of him is his need to sleep really long. It seems that between his long naps and breakfast is almost no time for something else and yet he is always energetic to do new stuff when he is awake. Rain Dancer and his friends are one reason why he settled down in Adoptica. There is always something happening. Something fun and new. No day is like the other.

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pixelgrotto · 6 years ago

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The deductive point ‘n click escapades of a forgotten southern belle Adventure games of the point ‘n click variety are a genre that tend to feature female protagonists more often than others. Why this is the case, I’m not entirely sure - it might have something to do with the stereotype that women are more patient, more willing to read and perhaps better at solving puzzles than men. Or, perhaps legendary adventure game designer Roberta Williams’ influence still holds strong, at least on a subconscious level in the minds of designers, over the genre that she helped nourish in the 80s and 90s, and the heroines of today’s games are merely following in the footsteps of fine women that preceded them, like Rosella of Daventry in King’s Quest IV. Whatever the reason, despite there being quite a few point ‘n clickers popping up these days with engaging female protagonists (Kathy Rain is one that I played early this year and enjoyed), there’s a 1920s southern belle who probably deserved a long-lasting series but only got two games which are somewhat overlooked these days. Her name is Laura Bow, and she served as the protagonist of two Sierra titles that were released in 1989 and 1992 - The Colonel’s Bequest and The Dagger of Amon Ra.

Laura seems to have been specifically patterned after famous silent film actress Clara Bow, but at her heart she’s more like a slightly older version of Nancy Drew, and her two games embody Nancy’s fine tradition of mystery solving. The Colonel’s Bequest takes place on a private island in the bayous of New Orleans as Laura accompanies a friend and fellow Tulane University student for a weekend getaway at the manor of her uncle, Colonel Dijon. The old man is bequeathing his fortune to relatives and has invited a motley assortment of characters right out of an Agatha Christie paperback - the drunk aunt, the conceited Hollywood starlet, the perverted doctor who seems to have a thing for betting on the ponies - and a la Clue, bodies start piling up as the relatives presumably begin offing themselves in order to get Dijon’s fortune first.

I mentioned Roberta Williams previously, and The Colonel’s Bequest was actually designed by her as one of those rare side projects that didn’t feature the words “King’s” and “Quest” in the title. (Hm, I suppose it’s called The Colonel’s Bequest, so scratch that.) It’s always hard to tell how much Roberta was involved in non-King’s Quest projects - The Dagger of Amon Ra, for instance, was directed by Bruce Balfour despite featuring her name on the box - but I’d wager that she intended The Colonel’s Bequest to be a spiritual remake of her very first adventure game (and indeed, the first graphical adventure game ever), Mystery House. Mystery House featured a similar murder plot, and The Colonel’s Bequest takes this concept and evolves it, offering a unique structure where there aren’t really any puzzles to solve but instead “scenes” to witness. The entire game is structured like a play - there’s even a cast curtain call in the beginning - and Laura is encouraged to spend as much time as possible talking with the potential murder suspects and finding unique ways to eavesdrop on them.

The game’s manual makes a huge deal about this emphasis on observing the story and slowly figuring out the links between characters in an effort to deduce the killer, and we can look at Johnny L. Wilson’s 1990 review of the game in Computer Gaming World as an example of how this approach was seen as admirable, fresh and also a bit risky at the time. Don’t let the fact that there aren’t many puzzles fool you into thinking that The Colonel’s Bequest is easy, though - it’s just as tough as Sierra’s other adventures with just as many nonsensical ways to die, and the unique structure where certain events and conversations are “timed” (indicated on screen by a clock) means that sometimes you’ll be wandering around aimlessly searching for the next thing to do, or possibly miss out on vital bits of info because you weren’t at the right place at the right time. It’s a little like The Last Express, only less refined.

Luckily, the game’s great atmosphere makes up for any shortcomings that its boldly unorthodox but occasionally clunky design creates. This is one of the best 16 color titles that Sierra produced with their SC10 engine, and the soundtrack is packed with jazzy songs influenced by the Roaring Twenties with just enough sense to know when to be quiet as well. As you navigate Laura across the silent grounds of the mansion in the dead of night, wondering where the killer might be, it’s very possible to get shaken by the sound of lightning bursting in the background, and I can certainly imagine young players in 1989 jumping out of their skin when they encountered such moments.

Laura’s next outing, The Dagger of Amon Ra, trades the dark island setting for the Egyptology craze of the 20s, and loses a little bit in the process but makes up for it with 256 colors, rotoscoped animations (which are darn smooth but cause character sprites to be a bit muddy, unfortunately) and an even catchier selection of jazz tunes, including an amusing vocal track called “The Archaeologist Song.” Oh, and the CD version is a “talkie” game, with performances that range from kinda terrible (Sierra was still having their employees voice these games at the time instead of hiring actors) to excellent (Laura’s got a cute southern accent and the narrator’s voice is heavenly).

The plot revolves around the titular Dagger of Amon Ra, an Egyptian artifact that’s been stolen from a New York City museum. Laura, now a fresh grad from Tulane and in the middle of her first journalism assignment at an NYC paper, has to navigate the mean streets of Manhattan, infiltrate a speakeasy and chat with a mildly racist caricature of a Chinese laundromat owner before getting into the museum, where she once again encounters a wide cast of characters, from the stuck up British twat who removed the dagger from Egypt to the nutty countess, who is possibly engaged in some mild robbery efforts around the museum when nobody’s looking. People start dying pretty soon (and their death scenes are grand - check out this poor SOB who got decapitated and stuck with a Perodactyl beak) and while the beginning section of the game outside of the museum is more like a traditional point ‘n click affair, once you’re locked inside the building after the first murder, everything becomes reminiscent of The Colonel’s Bequest. You’ve got to meander about, hope you bumble upon the right conversations and try your best to piece together clues before the murderer suddenly starts chasing you during the game’s second-to-last chapter.

The Dagger of Amon Ra kind of stumbles in its execution of this form of gameplay more than its predecessor, because all the chapters of museum exploration feel terribly disjointed even more than walking around Colonel Dijon’s mansion did. Also, the character motivations are unclear, which is a problem in a mystery game - especially one where the entire final chapter actually involves Laura being quizzed by the coroner in an annoying game of 20 Questions as to the identity and motives of the killer! If you slip up once during this finale, you’ll get the bad ending, which involves the killer finding Laura’s apartment and GUNNING HER IN HER SLEEP, jinkies. And even if you succeed and get the good ending, which sees Laura writing her first award-winning expose on the theft and hooking up with putzy love interest Steve Dorian, it’s still quite impossible to discern the killer’s motives and why he went about his nefarious deeds, because The Dagger of Amon Ra just...doesn’t explain things. I’m not the only one who had trouble figuring it out - The Adventure Gamer blog wrote up a fantastic series of posts about this game and came to the same confused reaction as I did.

Both Laura Bow adventures come from an older time where it was common to take notes as you went through a game, so perhaps my puzzlement at The Dagger of Amon Ra’s ending is due to my lack of pencil and paper by my side as I played. I did use walkthroughs for both games, though, and if you do end up checking them out (they’re available on GOG), I’d recommend doing the same. You probably still won’t be able to figure out why whatshisname stole that dagger, but despite their flaws, the Laura Bow games really are worth experiencing. Laura’s a likeable lead (just look at this adorable expression on her face as she stumbles upon the museum’s French skank engaged in hanky panky with the janitor) and she does a fine job of showing off the spirit of the 20s, an underrepresented period in the pantheon of electronic gaming.

Laura never got a third game, and as far as mystery franchises go, Sierra soon passed the torch to the Gabriel Knight series, which apparently takes place in the same universe, since Gabriel visits Tulane in Sins of the Fathers and hears word of a lecture being given by “Laura Bow Dorian” - a hint that Laura married Steve Dorian and lived happily ever after! I’m glad that Ms. Bow got a nice ending even if we couldn’t see it in game form, and I’m sure that if she were a real person, she would be pleased to see spiritual successors of sorts like the aforementioned Kathy Rain following in her footsteps today.

This is perhaps a good place to mention The Crimson Diamond, an upcoming indie game in the works by Canadian illustrator Julia Minamata. I recently played through the demo and am eagerly awaiting the full release - it’s almost like a direct sequel of The Colonel’s Bequest with an alternate universe version of Laura. Rest assured, Ms. Bow - even if your adventures aren’t as remembered these days as they should be, the example you set of the enterprising female gumshoe is alive, well and in good hands!

All box art and screenshots from Mobygames.

#pixel grotto #video games #favorites #laura bow #colonels bequest #dagger of amon ra #sierra online #roberta williams

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ezzyreadsmspa · 7 years ago

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Jailbreak

In roughly 2006, Andrew Hussie started an adventure game styled comic, using inputs from the Gangbunch Fora (later renamed to MSPA Forums) and featuring a couple of prisoners trying to break out of jail.

It was not very good.

As someone who’s read the entire Andrew Hussie bibliography, reading Jailbreak is like tracking down the first LP your favorite band ever released, settling in to listen to it, and realizing it’s just the lead singing about poopy dicks. Sure, it’s amusing but something’s missing. All the demos and EPs released prior to this were fantastic if unpolished, and all the recent stuff is just amazing. You’re having a good time regardless, but you’re still listening to a dude in his mom’s basement whispering about shat upon penises into the microphone.

(Notes on chronology: I’m having trouble finding the original Andrew Hussie website with all the old comics and shit. I’m not even sure if I could find proper dates for everything, and there’s only so much research I’m willing to do. When referring to stuff prior to MSPA, I’m talking about things like Whistles, And It Don’t Stop and Neon Ice Cream Headache, even though some of these things might have been concurrent or even newer than Jailbreak. It’s a bit of a mess, honestly)

Anyway, despite how underwhelming the actual adventure is, it’s still familiar.

A lot of the running gags you’re already familiar with started with Jailbreak.

Despite how crude the artwork and story is, it still displays a lot of Hussieisms.

There’s a focus on interesting lineart (which would later disappear from Homestuck as hussie started using more color blocking) and there’s rarely any actually straight lines.

Here’s a fun bit.

Without knowing any better, I have to assume betelgeuse was a forum user who did particularly dumb inputs. Which would have been of much greater importance in Jailbreak, because instead of picking the best option, Hussie would pick the first. This is important.

One of the particular problems Jailbreak has is that it’s characters are completely indistinguishable, which makes the reader rely on context clues to know who’s who. As the plot complicates, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of all the characters. Later on, Arrows are used to point out the character you’re controlling, but it’s easy to forget who the character you’re controlling was in the first place.

Remember my metaphor about poopy dicks?

Yeah, that wasn’t just me being crass, the comic itself has a weird scatologic better. Although, to be fair, this was 2006. The entire internet had a weird scatologic bent.

It’s still pretty funny.

It also gets a bit gory but the fact that the entire comic is black and white makes it a little better. I wonder if this has anything to do with the multicolored blood in Homestuck.

(It probably does not.)

Things like this makes me think of all the dumb arguments I had with people about the quality of Hussie’s artwork. Look at that. it’s literally a stick figure and it’s more emotive and dynamic than anything I’ve drawn in the past year.

Interestingly enough, Jailbreak is also the first sighting of divergent paths. This only lasts for a short while. Being the other guy just goes on a little tangent and soon branches back into the main plotline.

There’s a weird formatting issue with Jailbreak. Each art panel is posted consecutively and then all the text is at the bottom for each update. Which means that if you have several images with things happening, you’re not going to be reading the corresponding text until you reach the bottom, which ends up with you scrolling up and down a bunch of times so you can composite the images with the text in your mind. It’s weird and I don’t know why it’s setup this way.

I want anyone who’s ever called Homestuck weird to read Jailbreak. It’s such a bizarre narrative and a lot of times it’s not even the inputs fault. You can see how Hussie’s ideas seem to go down random routes without rhyme or reason besides it being funny. And it is really funny, but in a 2006 way, It’s kind of making me nostalgic, even. While random humor still exists today, it’s delivered in a much different manner. Jailbreak has such a familiar yet bizarre delivery of jokes that harkens me back to Newgrounds and old sprite comics (The good ones, mind you), but it’s still something different. It reads as far less dated than something like Bob and George or old Penny Arcade. Not that Penny Arcade was ever good. Yeah, I said it. What are you going to do about it?

(Note for future readers, this post was written late 2017.)

I have nothing to say, this panel is just fucking gorgeous. I might even make an icon out of it.

This path eventually ends with death by suicide, and then turns into a fresh continue from the start, invoking elves and such.

Classic.

Horses and ponies also make an appearance for the first time. it’s pretty amusing to me how similar this pony looks to Maplehoof.

See. I once wrote an entire presentation (for school) about Hussie’s art style, and I find it fascinating how it’s evolved over the years while still being recognizable as Hussie. If I ever got a chance to chat with Hussie and pick his brains, I really just want to know what his influences were.

As an amusing point, the elf path leads to the same situation as the death path, reusing the same artwork, including the harpoon from the original path still stuck in the stump. However, with the harpoon not showing up in any other panel, I think it’s safe to say this means nothing and Hussie was just too lazy to edit it out.

The elf path then ends with no other resolution but the pony having a resting slumber. This final page was posted in 2011, after Jailbreak being on hiatus/dropped since 2007. Good on ya, Hussie.

So, what does Jailbreak mean for the Greater Hussie Canon?

It’s alright. It’s funny but I wouldn’t call it good by any means, and I’m someone who loves Hussie’s old work. Due to the way Hussie was handling inputs at the time, there’s not much of a line of plot whatsoever. If you read Jailbreak expecting proto-Homestuck, you’re going to be disappointed. If you read Jailbreak expected a bridge between Whistles/And It Don’t Stop/Neon Ice Cream Headache and Problem Sleuth/Homestuck, you’re also gonna be disappointed. It’s very much it’s own thing and more of a product of it’s time than something like Hussie’s non-input comics (which are separate from any real world influence) and something like Homestuck (which mirroring the time it’s produced is more of the point.)

it doesn’t really fit anywhere with the rest of Hussie’s work, besides being very prototypical for the standard MSPaint Adventure.

But should you read Jailbreak?

Probably not, unless you want a quick chuckle. It’s weird and gross and gory so if you’re used to the more dramatic tone of Homestuck, it might come across as crass.

Next time we either read Bard Quest or one of the non-input comics. I haven’t decided yet.

#homestuck #mspadventures #jailbreak #lets read

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180abroad · 7 years ago

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Day 23: The Desert Tour, Part I

“I think I have a fever.”

This was it--the most adventurous, exciting, exotic part of the whole trip that we had planned. We were going to get in a 4x4 and drive hundreds of miles to the desert, ride camels into the desert, watch the stars come out over the dunes, then sleep in a tent.

And that was just day one of three.

And I was sick. Head-spinningly, joint-achingly, undeniably sick. As I lurched out of my room, Jessica gave me one look and immediately asked how I was feeling. “I think I have a fever,” was all I said.

Luckily, I was already mostly packed, so getting ready wasn’t too hard. Marching ten minutes uphill to the rendezvous with my pack on was another matter. I made it, but barely. We had used up our bottled water for breakfast, and I had none left in my bottle to quench my rapidly growing thirst. According to Jessica, I was wheezing badly, and my glasses were fogged up. I don’t really remember, but that sounds about right.

Blessedly, Jessica realized my distress and asked Steve to grab me a water from the nearby convenience store while she helped our guide Brahim load up the car. Chugging the water along with a pair of Advils helped. So did the cushy leather seats of our Toyota.

As you might infer, my experience of the next few days was colored by my unique perspective. So, I will be relying on Jessica’s generously provided notes to fill in the gaps. And just to be safe, let me assure you now that I don’t die in the desert--even though I still had a nagging cough as I began to edit this post nearly a month later.

The first day was spent mostly in the car. We had about 300 miles to cover by mid-afternoon, many of them over little more than a ribbon of gravel scattered on the ground.

Along the way, we saw an incredible variety of landscapes: green rolling farmland, misty mountains, a European-style alpine city called the Morrocan Switzerland, dominating snow-capped ranges, vast empty wastelands, lush oasis cities surrounded by craggy cliffs on all sides, rocky outcroppings painted with a thin veneer of grass, and a stunning river that seemed to glow bright cyan.

We saw rich modern homes and poor crumbling shacks, medieval fortresses converted into farmhouses, old stone walls leading from nothing to nowhere, and abandoned mud brick structures half-disintegrated back into the earth.

We saw huge and numerous military bases--and even more huge and more numerous royal palaces. While driving through the mountains, Brahim noted that one of the gates was to a palace. About 20 minutes later, he pointed out another royal gate. “The king has two palaces so close together?” we asked. No, Brahim corrected, that was the still the same palace. Apparently, the king has his own mountain ski resort all to himself.

As my uncle Steve said, it’s good to be king.

At one point, we had to stop while a Moroccan military unit blocked the road for an exercise. Military presence seems to be huge in Morocco. Brahim explained that this is especially true when the King is out of the country like he was then.

Finally, we reached the desert in mid-afternoon. Somehow, despite being literally in the Sahara Desert, we were still surprised at just how scorching it was. It only took us a minute or two to buy bottled water from a convenience store and get back in the car, but even that left us feeling roasted. We were sure to reapply our sunscreen before venturing out again.

We stopped at the hotel that would store our belongings for the night, then rested up for the hour or so before the true adventure began. It was around this point that I took some more Advil, since my whole body was starting to hurt again.

Steve and Jessica had brought elastic headbands to cover their necks and mouths against the desert sand. I saw that most of the other tourists preparing for the camel ride either had similar headbands, a scarf, or a turban. I decided to fashion a last-minute scarf/headband/turban-thing out of my linen travel towel. Steve said I looked like Lawrence of Arabia. I’m pretty sure I looked more like Larry of Palm Springs. Anyway...

The time finally upon us, we gathered together with the other tourists and were guided to the back of the hotel for our camel ride. It turned out that the Sahara was right in the hotel’s backyard. Literally.

We were lead a few dozen yards out to where the camels sat hobbled in the sand. As we walked, we all realized on our own that the little black pebbles littering the sand weren’t pebbles. I think you can guess what they were.

Somehow, in my hazy state, I managed to lock eyes with one of the camels. I’m not sure if it was a nice look he was giving me, but it was definitely a look. Even before we were told which group of camels to go to, I knew that we were meant to be. I asked one of the Berber’s what my camel’s name was. He told me, then I immediately forgot it.

Getting onto a camel is easy. Staying on is harder. First the back half stands up, then the front half. It’s like trying to ride one of those mechanical bulls.

Once my camel was standing, it immediately took off and started walking while our Berber guide was getting my uncle situated on his own mount. It wasn’t walking into the desert--just wherever it had decided it wanted to go right then. Eventually, our guide noticed, ran out, dragged my camel back, and tied it back into the caravan.

Jessica’s camel howled bloody murder when she got on and never stopped complaining throughout the trip. Halfway through, our guide stopped the caravan to try and readjust Jessica’s saddle since it seemed to be leaning to one side, but that didn’t really help.

Later, I read that camels have very long memories and will seek out opportunities to injure people who have hurt or insulted them. I’m glad they didn’t keep the camels too close to where we were sleeping.

I joke, but the camel ride really was spectacular. Even though it was basically just an exotic pony ride with us being lead around on a rope, no amount of training wheels can fully mask the stark magnificence of the dunes.

And as for the camels, I enjoyed the ride, but I have to say that camels are some of the ugliest, surliest, most ungraceful creatures I’ve ever seen. But they are pretty much perfectly adapted to their environment. Like their feet. When the three of us compared notes later, we found that we had all spent some time watching the camels’ feet. They look like hooves, but they’re actually squishy--spreading out like sandshoes when they step down and keeping them from sinking into the soft sand.

After about 45 minutes, we arrived at the Berber camp. Staying on the camel as it sat down proved no easier than staying on while it stood up, even if the Advil had kicked in during the journey.

The camp itself consisted of a ring of thick woolen tents filled with pre-made western-style beds. Each tourist group got their own tent with a bed for each person. On one side of the camp was a large “tent” with a dining room and kitchen inside.

Everything seemed very comfortable and permanent for a nomadic settlement. You could tell it probably hasn’t moved in a very long time. There was even a concrete outhouse with a flushing toilet. But no women or children.

The whole thing had a strong Disneyland, made-for-tourists feel--which is understandable since that’s exactly what it was. Still, a Disneyland in the Sahara is one heck of an adventure.

Once we had dropped off our daypacks in our tent, it was time to scale the dune and watch the sunset. Steve and Jessica went up without seeming to have too much trouble, so I figured I just had to take it slow and steady. But I could tell that my cold was getting worse behind the scenes. Every time I exhaled, a symphony of whistles, rattles, and crackles escaped from my chest. At the time, I found the sounds more amusing than disconcerting. I even played them up for comedic effect, to Jessica’s great unamusement.

The slow-and-steady strategy worked--up to the last 10 yards or so, where the dune got much steeper. As I tried to trudge up it, the sand under my feet steadily slid back down. And it wouldn’t stop until I was back at the start of the steep bit. Slow and steady wouldn’t work. Like being on a Stairmaster, if you don’t go fast enough, you will never make it to the top no matter how long you climb. After what seemed like several minutes of increasingly desperate flailing on all fours, I finally hurled myself up onto the ridge of the dune.

Once I had taken several minutes to catch my breath and stop sweating quite so badly, I was able to start appreciating the fantastic scenery that surrounded us.

And the sand--compared to the California beach sand we’re used to, the Sahara sand is amazingly fine and smooth.

And then I got that feeling. The one that starts somewhere between the pit of your stomach and the back of your throat and says, “I’m not sure, but I think you're about to throw up very soon.”

I tried controlled breathing. It didn’t help. I saw someone lying down on the side of the dune, and I figured I’d slide back down a bit and give that a try. It didn’t help either. Finally, I turned over and tried lying on my front. And that definitely didn’t help.

Accepting that defeat was inevitable, I tried to scramble back up the dune and dispose of my lunch down the other side. Except, remember what I said about climbing up the last stretch of the dune? According to Jessica, who didn’t understand what I was doing this whole time, she was principally reminded of a cartoon character running on a patch of ice without moving anywhere.

Left with no other options, I did the last thing I could think of to preserve my dignity. I dug a hole in the side of the dune. I can remember thinking that maybe if I was quiet enough and kept my head low enough, none of the other people would notice. That might have worked on a crowded, noisy beach. But this was the middle of a desert. And Jessica assures me that everyone on the dune was very well aware of what I did next.

After it was done, I very gently brushed sand over to fill the hole. But a few seconds later, I learned that my work was not yet done. So I slid a few feet further down the dune and repeated.

And then I repeated the maneuver one last time for good measure.

Feeling much better, I scrambled back up the dune (after shuffling a few feet to the left) and enjoyed the sunset while Jessica continued to laugh hysterically. I didn’t mind, though. As I told her then, if it wasn’t funny, it would just be sad.

A group of young women next to us offered me the rest of their water and some Dramamine. I sheepishly declined, but they insisted that I at least take the water. It turned out they were nurses, which made me a lot less self-conscious about having just puked in front of them. (Jessica kindly waited until after to inform me that everyone on the whole dune had heard me quite clearly.)

It was too hazy to see the sun make it all the way to the horizon, but it was still amazing to see it disappear into the atmosphere above the desert floor.

Dinner was great. It was tagine, but real tagine like what we had at Akchour--not the mass-produced stuff you get at tourist restaurants. This one had a spicy red sauce with fried eggs mixed in. It was like Berber huevos rancheros. Jessica and Steve especially loved it; I loved the few bites I felt up to eating.

Outside, the stars were now fully out and brilliant in the sky untainted by light pollution. I enjoyed it for about a minute before going to lie down. So Jessica and Steve got to enjoy some quality father-daughter time under the glory of the cosmos.

As our fellow tourists began to return from the stargazing on the dunes and congregate in the middle of the tents, the Berber guides began to play their drums and castanet-like “krakebs.” Steve and Jessica claim it was a good show, but I could only hear a monstrous clamor through my pounding headache. And despite being in the desert--famously cold at night--the inside of the tent was broiling thanks to the thick layers of wool and camel-hair tenting.

It was not going to be an easy night.

(To be continued...)

Next Post: The Desert Tour, Conclusion

Last Post: Rest (Mostly)

#180abroad #desert tour #morocco #camels #sick

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worstjourney · 7 years ago

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Cecil Meares had the sort of childhood that belongs in a Victorian novel: He was born in a small town in Ireland, but his mother died when he was three days old and his father was with the army in India, so he was sent to live with his spinster aunts in Scotland until he was old enough to pass through a succession of boarding schools. Upon graduation he tried to follow in his father's footsteps and join the army, but failed the physical examination, and so commenced a life of travel, starting with Spain and Italy before moving on to the Far East. It's certain in all but paperwork that he was an intelligence agent of some kind, and indeed he does seem to turn up in politically sensitive areas just as they're becoming of interest to the British Empire: the wild borders of India and China at the turn of the century; South Africa for the Boer War; Japan and Russia around the Russo-Japanese War of 1904. It was on the latter excursion that he met Herbert Ponting (in Japan) and got acquainted with bitter winter sledge travelling with dogs (in Siberia).

Meares had all the best qualifications to interest Scott when he was organising his next expedition: an Englishman fluent in Russian, experienced in Siberian bush life (he'd been a 'fur trader' for a few years, a trade conducted mainly in the winter, in the backwoods of the coldest part of the civilised world), intimately familiar with that geography and people – who better to handle the complicated business of acquiring and transporting the specialist animal transport which the expedition would require?

In 1909 Meares was commissioned to obtain 20 Manchurian ponies and 34 sled dogs and transport them to New Zealand to meet the Terra Nova the following year. This he did: through much of the winter 1909-10 he 'auditioned' dogs and tried them in various combinations to make up ideal teams; the story of how he acquired the infamous ponies, however, is much more difficult to pin down (and believe me, I've tried).

Once united with the ship, the ponies fell into Oates' care, and Meares was at last in charge of the dogs alone, a role in which he seems to have taken some relish. Scott had announced plans to use dogs all the way to the pole in 1909, and while Shackleton's report of the conditions on the Beardmore Glacier put that partly in doubt, it was still mooted as a possibility as late as the Depot Journey in early 1911. On the return leg, however, the team Scott and Meares were driving went through the lid of a crevasse, and Meares refused to go down and rescue the dogs, whose line was suspended over the depths. Scott ended up doing so himself, apparently absorbing a salient lesson in the liability of dog teams in crevassed terrain and the reliability of his chief dog handler.

Meares was a favourite in hut society for the yarns from his varied and well-travelled life, but as the winter wore on he hied away to Hut Point, ostensibly to lay up supplies of seal pemmican for the dogs, but as Scott observed on August 29th: “he is … tired already of our scant measure of civilization.” He partook in the Southern Journey as planned – and more, as the dogs did so well that Scott took them on 300 miles further than expected – but he and Dimitri had a hard return journey; once back at Cape Evans, Meares stayed put despite orders to the contrary, and caught the ship home when she came to relieve the shore party in early 1912. (It is with great effort I refrain from writing so, so much more here – if you're curious as to the details, I recommend looking up Karen May's article “Could Captain Scott Have Been Saved?: Cecil Meares and the Second Journey That Failed.”)

In WWI, Meares served on the Western Front as an 'Interpreter', then joined the the precursor to the RAF. After the war he helped Japan set up its air force (thank you for that) and continued his wandering life, now with a wife in tow. They split their latter years between Santa Barbara and Victoria, BC, where he died in 1937. In Imperial Vancouver Island: Who Was Who, 1850-1950, where you might expect a reminiscence along the lines of “Nice bloke, loved his rose bushes”, the most they could dredge up was: “Local friends new little about him and reported only that 'he was a jolly reticent chap' with a good grasp of world affairs.”

His wife bequeathed his effects to the BC Archives, and as I have reason to visit Vancouver Island fairly frequently, I've gone through them as thoroughly as I am able. As soon as one pokes one's nose into Meares' business one runs into obfuscation, disinformation, and most of all silence. His entry in Imperial Vancouver Island disagrees with his archive in several key facts, though the general outline is sound; his obituary in The News of the World has the facts straight but appears to have been published a week before he died – something which frankly doesn't surprise me in anything involving Meares. He didn't keep an expedition diary, and despite being trained by Ponting in Japan he didn't take any photos in Antarctica, though there is a collection from the dog trials in Siberia. His expedition correspondence is limited to a few letters from Siberia and a handful of postcards sent to his father along the way from Vladivostok to Christchurch, most of which have nothing more than his father's address on the back. He seems to have given a different version of the pony purchase to anyone who asked; I think the truth may be none of these, but I am going only on a dozen disordered photographs and a heap of deduction. He wrote monographs about, and engagingly recounted, his adventures in Tibet and elsewhere, but while others rushed to cash in on their Antarctic experiences post-1913, Meares seems to have entered a cone of silence.

#cecil meares #meares #characters #character design #scott expedition #terra nova expedition #the worst journey in the world #drawings

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