#if i were on desktop this would have a readmore but as it is i don't have that capability

[dyemelikeasunset]

during my daily dommor brainrot i was wondering what mor and dom would be in ocean of cycles. i guessed a myr artist for mor and a dryad/nomad mage for dom?

(edit: idk why tumblr messed up my formatting and won't fix it on desktop no matter how many times i try. Anyway sorry this ended up being a longer post than I wanted 😓)

I haven't touched Ocean of Cycles in a minute cause I'm admittedly stuck on a lot of things, but I did reimagine Dom and Mor as denizens of the Four Realms recently and you were close!

Mor would be a Kobold cleric/bard, and Domi would be a Dryad battlemage (Whisper would be Mor's familiar, an animal I'm designing for the Southern Realm called a Bast Jackal!)

world building things under the readmore

Mor uses Lunar Air magic to summon rain clouds, and probably has quite a few healing and support spells

Dangling off Mor's hip is a family heirloom, unique to Kobolds, that is made of bones. These heirlooms are passed down from generation to generation, extracted from dead elders who have essentially willed their bones to specific descendants. They give Kobolds a very unusual ability to be roused from death. Each resurrection will dissolve a bone

Dom uses Solar Air magic to make her body immaterial, like a shadowy mist. She can use it to evade attacks, or sneak through spaces.

Following her around is an Air Sprite, a being of pure mana that is more commonly found in the East realm. Dryads are known to tame sprites of their same element, but with a different subelement, and the magic synergy between Sprite and mortal gives the dryad access to new spells. Dom's sprite uses lightning magic, and helps her attack her enemies and also give Dom the ability to enchant her weapon and armor

The very loose story revolves around them having a chance meeting, and Dom realizing that Morgan's magic is perfectly tuned to hers to make what's known as an Elemental Celestial-- a form that combines two people's elemental magic together for unfathomable power. Mor gets swept up in the world of the occult, as Dom tries to protect her from dark mages who seek to abuse their joint power

[snail-speed]

I've been formulating my Dandy's World AU a little bit more and I finally have a name for it! Say hello to

Mundane Aftermath!

I'll have to get the energy to work on a proper presentation of it like other AUs out there, but is the first part of the details, which I'll put under a readmore so it doesn't flood the tags (THIS IS REALLY LONG, I RECOMMEND TO OPEN IT IN A NEW TAB IF YOU'RE USING DESKTOP/LAPTOP):

The designs I use to draw toons are how they look in the AU, both in the show and outside of it!

The AU is divided into two primary parts, Mundane Prelude and Mundane Aftermath. Prelude focuses on what happened in Gardenview from its inception to its closure, while Aftermath focuses on what happens decades later, which is when the ichor operation of canon!DW happens in this AU.

The main theme of this AU, as the title would suggest, is a certain mundane reasoning behind everything that happens in the story. Ichor in this setting doesn't have supernatural properties, nor was anyone working on the toons deliberately evil, and the downfall of Gardenview happened much more akin to how similar companies shut down IRL.

The worldbuilding surrounding toons and ichor is also a lot more, well, mundane, and less geared towards horror. The toons are definitely still little weird abominations, but they're their own persons, and in this AU, they are treated less like property and more like employees of Gardenview, and after the museum closes they have to set out into the real world and make lives of their own, just like their human coworkers.

There will definitely still be drama, action, and a little bit of horror, but my AU is much more oriented to a slice-of-life comedy. Most everyone in the AU will have a happy ending after a lot of suffering!

The following details lay the general setting and the three "main" characters in the Prelude section of the AU!

Gardenview Before the Toons:

In this AU, Gardenview started out as the Gardenview Chemical Research Center, a laboratory which specialized in the development of polymers (the chemicals that are the basis of plastics).

Gardenview has areas that are above ground, as well as several underground floors. They don't bore deep into the Earth, though, at most there's 10 floors, excluding undeground parking. This is due to the fact the laboratory was built to take as little space as possible above ground.

Unlike canon!Gardenview, the common areas and most offices of Gardenview are NOT underground. Before the toons, the lower floors of Gardenview had a select few offices, laboratories, computer server rooms and several storage areas.

A certain someone worked as one of the lead researchers among the staff...

Delilah Keen:

Before elaborating, I must preface that the designs that I made for both Delilah and Arthur were made before we had a confirmation of their canonical appearances. In this AU, Delilah is the older person, while Arthur is the younger one!

Delilah is a brilliant chemist with a penchant for developing inorganic chemicals that have bizarre properties.

Unlike what's implied of her canon counterpart, Delilah in this AU is NOT evil. She never worked on the toon project with the express purpose of trying to play god or anything of the sort, and she never abused the toons.

She is, however, very bad at giving out necessary warnings and reading between the lines of someone's true intentions. She is also not very emotive and typically speaks with a flat affect. Despite this, she's diligent and fundamentally a kind person.

She developed an odd, intergenerational friendship with Arthur after they both met at a local arts and crafts festival and interacted further through their city's usenet group.

Speaking of...

Arthur Walton:

Arthur is an animator turned director. The young man responsible for the creation of Dandy's World.

He worked as an animator in the late 80's, and got a lucky break when the pitch for DW was greenlit for (at the moment) only one season.

He's a bit naive and very emotional, but just like Delilah, his kindness is genuine and so is his optimism (and eventually, his will to make things right after it all goes to shit).

Even before the toons were brought to life, he loved each and everyone of the characters he created. Especially a certain rainbow flower.

One fateful day, his friend Delilah invited him to her workplace, wanting to show him something as a birthday gift.

Ichor:

Ichor in this AU is a liquid plastic made out of synthetic polymers. In its natural state it's an almost-black dark brown thick liquid (think of the consistency of honey or really thick ink). It's safe for handling for humans (as it has similar properties to PET plastic), and technically safe for toons to handle (though for them lab equipment is extremely recommended).

Its most outstanding feature is not the fact its a liquid at room temperature, but the fact that it has the unexplained quality of creating synthetic life.

How did Delilah discover this? IDK, she just did, don't think too hard about it (it's funnier that way).

Can only cause the iconic infection when an extremely large amount of raw ichor enters a toon's body via a wound/excessive ingestion.

Despite its life-creating properties (with the right equipment), ichor didn't have a lot of other practical uses, so when Gardenview closed down most of it just sat in storage tanks abandoned.

The Printer:

Delilah also has plenty of engineering knowledge, and created the Printer, a device about two-three times as large as the typical office copy machine.

The Printer takes three inputs (apart from the obvious which is electrical power): Ichor, VHS (and later on, also DVD) recordings of the Dandy's World show, and copious amounts of reference sheets that Arthur has created of the show's cast.

The output? At the start, only a few inanimate objects. But Delilah wanted the Printer to reach its intended production. What was that? Toons, obviously!

Although the Printer was operational by the time Delilah showcased it to Arthur, they still spent a few months adjusting both it and the input materials as making life wasn't quite as easy as both of them thought.

One fateful attempt, though, the Printer finally spitted out a certain someone...

Dandy:

The first toon to ever be printed into life. Both in canon and in this AU. However, in this AU, he was born sometime in the very early 90's.

Just a little guy! Just a little dude! The shortest of all the non-pet toons, standing at around 101cm/3.3ft.

Definitely an adult, even when he just got printed. However, at the very start he was very sweet and innocent, since his only memories at that point were the events of the show's first season.

Doesn't technically have a canon voice in this AU, but I really like to imagine he sounds a lot like Dana Synder's role as either Scratch (from The Ghost and Molly McGee) or Master Shake (from Aqua Teen Hunger Force). It's just funny, okay?

Dandy in this AU came out... a little wonky. Instead of always having his cute looks, his default facial features make him look like some cranky old man. This is due to the fact that, in their frustration trying to make the Printer work, Arthur accidentally messed up the reference art for his face, and Delilah lacked the eye for illustration to notice the mistake before feeding the information to the printer.

Delilah offered to "decommission" Dandy and redo the process, but Arthur refused since, despite the flaws, holy shit Delilah, that's his son you're suggesting to kill! His baby boy! Plus, literally everything else about Dandy was like it should be, appearance and personality wise.

Dandy eventually learned to scrunch up his face to actually look like his show counterpart, and his real face ended up being a sort of secret among key staff of Gardenview.

Dandy was surprisingly chill about the prospect of suddenly "waking up" in some mysterious facility filled with strange, giant creatures. Arthur and Delilah told him the lie of being in a hospital for a rare, paralyitic illness he somehow catched, which is how they managed to wave away his facial features. Years later, he also took the truth about being a fictional character brought to life surprisingly well.

Okay that's enough yapping for now, if you have any questions about what I've been laying out so far send a reply to this post! I'll yap more and the next parts describing this whole AU will come out Soon (TM).

[aintgonnatakethis]

Writing Interview Tag!

Big thanks to @moltenwrites for the tag! I've seen this going around and was hoping to be tagged at some point. *rubs hands together* There'll be a readmore at the bottom with the templates for both desktop and mobile.

About me

When did you start writing?

Very young, around 5-6. I remember there was homework where the teacher gave everyone a list of words and asked us to write a sentence with each word. I would turn in a paragraph for each instead 😂 When I was 14 I was writing a lot of Doctor Who fic on FFnet (I can't believe that was 16 years ago 💀) and during the lockdown I started writing again for something to do.

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

I don't think so? Sorry, that's a really unsatisfying answer, I know. It's like when you're asked what your favourite book is and you instantly forget every book you've ever read 😂

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Is this gonna be weird? Probably. Am I gonna fight through the anxiety anyway? Sure, you betcha! @septembriseur is one of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Your Telford is second to none. Thank you.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

Just sitting in my bed cradling my laptop. Despite only being 3 and a half years old it's got a whole host of things wrong with it, the most problematic being a loose connection somewhere inside the charging port. To be able to charge I have to sit in a very specific position and stay still, with a metal water bottle braced against the charging cable to keep it pushed in, another cable tied around it with an elastic band and hooked over the opposite side of the laptop. It's... honestly not the best lol. But it's a gaming laptop so getting it fixed would probably be expensive and I just don't have the money.

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Am I allowed to say drugs? 😂 I'm prescribed ADHD meds and Pregabalin for anxiety, and they both help me focus enough to get words down on the page. I'd be pretty screwed without them tbh. I had an appointment with a doctor today and am getting an instant release ADHD medication added to my prescription as the extended release wears off by mid-to-late afternoon, so maybe I'll be able to get another daily writing session in when I take that!

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about?

Hn. I want to say not really, but it must have influenced me in some way, right? Kids are sponges and will soak up and mimic the behaviours of the adults around them, and often people will reach adulthood with opinions and ideas that they don't even realise were created by an outside influence.

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

QUEER! And no, it doesn't surprise me at all. 😂 I love writing about self-discovery, characters figuring out they can grow outside of the box society has built for them.

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

So, uh, I'm just gonna link y'all here, where I ramble on about David Telford from Stargate Universe for fucking ages. He's in my brain spinning plates as we speak. (He never stops.)

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

Well, in real life I wouldn't want to be friends with anyone in the military. While the US military is a special interest of mine because of Stargate, I am very aware that these characters are not realistic when compared to their real life counterparts. Realism in this area is one reason my favourite of the series is Universe, but even then these men aren't... Well, let's just say that - just like in politics - you don't get far in the military if you're a good person.

Which characters would you dislike the most of you met them?

😬😬😬 I mean, the fact they're dislikeable is part of the draw, ya know? I think irl-Young would suck absolute balls. 😂

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

Not super applicable as I'm a solely fandom writer, but the parts of the characters we're not given by the show come to me as I write, like puzzle pieces slotting into place. A good back-and-forth conversation is another excellent way to dig deep into them.

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

QUEER! But being serious, I've given both Everett Young (SGU) and John Sheppard (SGA) intrusive thoughts...

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

Escapism. Creativity. The characters are in my head screaming at me.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

Ooh, the long back-and-forth conversations! I'm here to talk endlessly about these little fucking blorbos and I will ramble about them to anyone!

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Taking this very seriously: a man. I know that fandom is typically a woman-dominated area and I've met quite a few other trans people through Stargate, but yeah. I know there are cultural differences with what are generally considered gender neutral terms around the world, but I do not want to ever be referred to as a girl or with woman-coded terms. I've had to fight hard to be able to be myself: man, dude, bro, there are a lot of choices.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Hmm... consistency? I set the New Year's resolution to write something every day in 2022. That year I missed 2 and half weeks because I had top surgery and while beforehand I thought 'awesome, I'll have plenty of time to write!' it turned out that recent wounds almost in my armpits makes it quite painful to move my arms... 🤔 In 2023 I wrote every day and so far I've kept that up in 2024. It's not always a lot of words, but it's always something.

What have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

Characterisation. I've been told I've got my SGU boys (Telford, Young, and Rush) down to a tee.

How do you feel about your own writing?

There's a cycle where I look back at stuff I've written and compare it to what I'm currently writing and think 'this new stuff isn't as good', but in 3 months the stuff I'm currently writing will be what I think is good so... There are pieces I'm especially proud of, of course. If you'd allow me to plug for a moment, I think a memory, a distant echo is one of the best things I've ever written. Mind the tags though.

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

Yeah sure. I write primarily for myself so I don't see any reason why I'd stop. I wouldn't live long though lmao

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

First point of contact has to be with me, always. If something doesn't resonate with me, I can't write it. Forcing things is going to make writing unenjoyable and for me it's one of the most joyous things I do and I want to keep it that way. That said, if there's specific interest in a certain idea I have, that of course does motivate me. Feedback is the nectar of writers!

Tagging: @fortunatetragedy @bagheerita @frostysfrenzy @adriankyte-writes @frostedlemonwriter

@gioiaalbanoart @septembriseur @authorcoledipalo @anonmadsci @the-golden-comet + OPEN

@wolgerrswraith @chaniis-atlantis

About me

When did you start writing?

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about?

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

Which characters would you dislike the most of you met them?

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

How do you picture your characters?

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

How do you feel about your own writing?

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

About meWhen did you start writing?Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?can you tell me a bit about your writing space? What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about?Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?Characters: would you please tell me about your current favorite character? Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?which characters would you dislike the most of you met them?Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters? Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?How do you picture your characters? My writing: what’s your reason for writing?Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating? How do you want to be thought about by your readers?What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others?How do you feel about your own writing?If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

[splatbandsorter]

hey yall i made a character sorter for splatbands!! its a little bare bones (no undo button, exclusion options, etc.) but it gets the job done!! feel free to reblog or reply with your results :D!

link to the sorter!

(if the link doesnt work, you can access it through this blog's desktop url! make sure if you're on mobile that your browser is set to 'desktop view!')

general info about the sorter itself below the readmore!

where are the idols?

this sorter was made specifically with the splatbands fandom in mind, rather than the broader splatoon fandom! so i left the idols out considering well. just how popular and relevant to the wider community they are. yes, they technically are band characters, but they're front and center to just about everything else about the game. so theyve been left out here.

now, if enough people DO want them added? i will absolutely add them in a heartbeat! but for the time being they will remain out of the list.

what about turquoise october and octoplush? what about dj octavio?

sort of the same reason as the idols, though in 2/3 of those cases, it's sort of the opposite? there's not really all that much characterization to turquoise october and octoplush, as they're just anonymous collectives of musicians. and this sorter was intended to highlight the characters of the bands, not just the bands themselves. if that were the case, it would be a splatbands song or band sorter, not just the characters! so, they're also being left out. buuuut again, the same thing goes for them! if enough people want them added and ask for it, i will absolutely load them up into the character list!

why use the non-localized character names?

because i have a personal vendetta against the underpaid noa intern that localized them <3 next question JOKE JOKE THATS A JOKE FOR LEGAL REASONS THAT IS A JOKE in all seriousness though, im just used to them more and, as said in the idols section, this sorter was made for the fandom in mind! i'd assume people here will be much more familiar with those names! (even though i am quite partial to a few of the more thoughtful name choices tbh…) you will only catch me using 'mashup' with full sincerity over my cold, dead body, though.

why no undo button or exclusion options?

ok so. i am by no means an expert at coding. this entire project was just something i threw together in 24 hours running off of a free template and my bare-bones html and javascript knowledge. and to my understanding, in order to actually get javascript RUNNING in a custom tumblr theme, you need to jump through a whole lot of hoops and contact support about it and. i do not really have the mental bandwidth or patience to do that atm.

that being said, if anyone reading this does have that knowledge and WOULD like to pitch in and help improve the sorter in any sort of way, absolutely be my guest! you can send me an ask or a dm over on my main about it and i'd be glad to add onto this to make it better!

but as of rn? the sorter works and the little guys go into their list. i am as happy as i can be just with that alone <3

[pancakeke]

I wrote a bunch of paragraphs about nothing in particular again so here it is under a readmore so it doesn't take up space.

like 8 years ago when people used tumblr more via desktop browser than its app, I put a 3rd party metric tracker in my desktop theme that logged how people were referred to my blog. it also captured what pages of my blog people viewed.

at one point during this time I reblogged a piece of pixel art from a japanese artist. they came to my blog through their activity page, and then searched my blog in a couple different ways for the terms "ドット" and "ドット絵" ("dot" and "dot art", as in pixel art). I checked those search urls myself to see if they found anything but there were no results because I never used those terms or specifically tagged pixel art in any other way.

ever since then I've made an effort to tag all pixel art I reblog with the term "pixel art". that artist was probably hoping to find more art to check out and it bums me out that my tagging system wasn't thorough enough to help.

this is why I have my current specific tag system lol. it keeps evolving but having the ability to find stuff you're into without jumping through hoops is really handy. (the site-wide post and tag searches return sooo much bullshit. it's a slog sifting through thr noise whenever I use those to fill my queue due to the sheer amount of manga caps, polls, liveblogs, personal posts, and fics posted without readmores...)

if only the way to view all tags you've ever used still worked. I think it caps at 500 or 1000 now and is also chronological so the first 500 or whatever tags you ever used show up in the list. then there's a hard stop and it does not update as you delete posts or use that mass tag editor to remove certain tags for your blog entirely.

I went through my used tag list earlier this year to unify certain tags and remove tags that I stopped using in favor for other ones, but I only got like 400 tagged terms down the list. maybe downloading my blog data would show more. the trick I mentioned uses your desktop blog's archive page. the tags are in its code so you can use "inspect element" to view it. I remember scrolling a lot to load a bunch of posts on the page but cant remember if this was required or I just did it to see if I could access more tags.

it's formatted all fucked and hard to manage but you can copy and paste the long chunk of tags into one cell of a spreadsheet and then use Data options to split them into columns by commas (or whatever punctuation separates them, I forget). a wide list is a huge pain to view so from there you can click on a cell containing data, click ctrl+a to highlight all data in thr row, copy, then paste special as "transposed" to turn the copied row 90° so it pastes as a column. the spreadsheet will wide as fuck from the hundreds of columns so honestly its easier to paste the transposed data into a new tab and delete the original vs clicking in the column to the left of your transposed data and then pressing ctrl+ shift+right arrow to select all rows to the right, then deleting the extra rows.

if you're in Excel you may have to use the "delete rows" option from the "home" tab and then save the sheet using "file > save" (do NOT save via the save button on the upper left corner or ctrl+s). this returns the sheet to a manageable size for scrolling (plus reduces its file size). this piece of shit software usually retains the sheet width/length even after you delete hundreds of columns/rows unless you use this trick of deleting specifically via home tab + saving specifically through the save menu.

I got a round number of tags when I did this which makes me think there's a cutoff.

[desnayy]

So idk if you are on mobile or desktop, but on desktop it's the "Ask a Question, but I have a right not to answer" button under the tip button. And on mobile I believe you just press the chat bubble with a plus and that should bring up a list that includes an ask option. Hopefully it helps!

The rest under the readmore cause I kinda,,, rambled lol

@archtypal-archivist

But for the actual question, the hobbies are similar enough to the regular eggs in both versions. Chayanne likes to cook and fight, Tallulah likes to play music, Richas draws, Ramon likes to make things etc., just with allowances to this being not a Minecraft world, ie Dapper doesn't really collect real animals but like, animal figurines. As for who's happiest, well that depends on if we go with the human versions of the eggs or the experiment hybrid versions of the eggs.

For the normal humans, I can tell you that the six who were orphaned on the cruise ship are definitely at the bottom, but they do become happier as the time goes on. I would say that either the Craft twins (Chayanne and Tallulah), Leo, or Ramon are the ones that are happiest, with probably Ramon being higher than the twins cause Fit does shower his baby boy in affection. Which isn't to say the other parents don't love their kids, but Ramon didn't have to deal with being orphaned (Dapper and the twins before adoption) or losing their other parent (Leo).

For the version where they are hybrids, um. At first none of them are really, happy. First off, they had little interaction with anyone that wasn't each other or the very emotionally distant scientists. And secondly, they were kind of treated, not bad per say, but certainly not the best. After they are discovered however, that is when they start getting happier over time, with their new family who just almost instantly bonded with these kids, even if logically the adults knew these kids were intensely dangerous. It's after they are found that the kids start getting their hobbies, as like ways to reduce stress and negative emotions that could be, disastrous. So here they are all about the same level of happiness probably.

[spaceswordblaster]

I keep almost making more journal-y type posts on here but readmores were only on desktop, but now they're on mobile

I've been like extra depressed for probably a couple months now and I'm feeling like I'm having a ⅓ life crisis or something. I basically just feel extra sad on my days off and like....nothing seems appealing, I'm not motivated to go do anything, going anywhere takes like 15+ minutes and a lot of effort, I'm just kind of tired. I don't know how to make personal goals l o l

I had my first therapist appointment in like a year and a half on Friday (long story, but I'm back seeing my therapist who I saw from summer 2017-winter 2019) and she said based on the fact that I've been in survival mode for like, my whole adult life it makes sense that I don't know what to do now that I don't need to worry about making rent and passing classes

Also I just still feel really lonely :/ like I have friends obviously but like...I wish other people would initiate conversations more, or just send me stuff that they think I'd find neat/funny idk (if you are one of like 3 people who already do this I appreciate you so much <3 ). If I'm at work I don't really have work friends anymore and if I have the day off I just like, stay home unless I've made previous plans so I just feel like I don't have enough regular socializing idk

[boypussydilf]

for the headcanons ask game tell me about. kururu. curry creature. and also obligatory dororo

CURRY CREATURE SEND IT TO HELL ohgod this is my first time answering an ask game on desktop it feels Weird. different formatting. unsettling.

gender & sexuality hc: im consolidating these into 1 bc the answer to both is Whatever's Funny. "sergeant major i see that for gender youve just written down... 'the bit'. care to elaborate on that" "no"

A ship I have with said character: there are a total of 2 kururu ships i would say that i ship and theyre both just bc "i think it would be really really funny". kurugiro (giroro fucking hates kururu so much. in the anime kururu is either Genuinely Into giroro or just thinks its really funny to fuck with him by acting like he is, its unclear. whatever it is i think its funny. to be honest.) and kuruaki (*kururu voice* i fucked your mom shit lips)

A BROTP I have with said character: KURURU AND SABURO/MUTSUMI BESTIES FOREVER. THEYRESO!!!! Evreyone watch Keroro Gunso Episode 229. i just think theyre neat they dont really interact much bc saburo doesnt... show up? very much? and also theyre both Loner Types they dont do a lot of Hanging Out. but theyre literal #besties and they would be even if they WERENT also kind of each others only friends. they Get each other. its fun.

A NOTP I have with said character: uhh. man i dont know. like, i guess kurumois since shes Most Likely supposed to be a teenager. can i say kurugiro again bc its funny

A random headcanon: *BLINK* I DONT KNOW... I MISS HAVING TONS OF RANDOM HEADCNONS ABOUT CHARACTERS I FEEL LIKE I USED TO DO IT MORE. i think those 2 background kids we see hanging out with him like one time as a child are his siblings but thats a standard opinion. i think kururuko exists bc shes kururus ideal gender presentation for real. or at least some of it. whats the point of being a super powerful hacker if youre not a trans girl

General opinion over said Character: kururu my friend kururu. i really like him actually. hashtag Deeper Than He Seems. guy whos literally just here to fuck around, do whats funny, and have a good time. theyre GREAT. we need MORE kururu.

DORORO TIME under a cut so this post doesnt get long, if uh. if i know how to do readmores on desktop

THERE IT IS! please dont break

readmores always break for me but i dont know if theyll do it on desktop too. i gotta put a couple lines so it doesnt delete anything.

dororo id die for him

Sexuality Headcanon: THIS FROG IS GAY

Gender Headcanon: listen to me dororo is a trans guy and i mean earth kind of guy. i mean he explains it to the others by going "you know, like fuyuki". i mean binary by human standards nonbinary by keronian standards. i mean wouldnt it be really fucking funny if you knew you were trans (as a kid he went to garuru for advice on transgenderism bc garuru is also trans but thats lore-from-my-brain for another day) but for your entire life couldnt really place any definition that sounds right and then you go to an entire different planet and hang out with people there and go ok. question. your genders. can i have one

A ship I have with said character: GIRODORO. [starts shaking like a leaf]

A BROTP I have with said character: DORORO AND KOYUKI AUTISM FATHER DAUGHTER DUO FOREVER. THEYRE SO!!!!!!!!!!!! i said "theyre so" about saburo and kururu too didnt i. theyre just all so. literally all of their interactions are so sweet!!! and adorable!!!! hes so protective of her!! and nice!! shes the only person who never Forgets He Even Exists. theyr eiguuguguuagagagauauagagh. shout out to the end of the koyunatsu first date episode when hes like "dont worry koyuki i stayed home the entire time like you asked" amd also shout out to every other time hes her nice dad.

A NOTP I have with said character: kerodoro. no offense but that would not work ever. you get it.

A random headcanon: this is more theory ground than headcanon, tbh, on account of i am drawing from canon evidence. i think he is on good terms with his little brother. ok look heres how it is. we know dororo has a little brother but we know next to nothing about that brother or their relationship. one of the things we DO know is one of the many things-belonging-to-dororo that keroro broke as a kid and never told him about, dororo blamed on his little brother and was really pissed at him about it. yeah this happened when he was like, nine, but hes dororo hes. well he is consistently not even remotely a person who moves on from things just bc they were kids. besides when he confronts keroro about That Particular Shit-Getting-Broken Incident he specifically brings up how he got mad at his brother & his mom like it was A Big Deal With A Lasting Effect. BUT in ep 183 he sees giroro & garuru interacting and is just like yay! its nice to have brothers isnt it! and reasonably hes just at Cameo levels of appearing in that episode so its not like hed be doing much or getting much dialogue anyway but still, hes dororo, if he was still actively broken up about anything to do with his brother hed have more to say than just Brothers are good! So with my expert detective skills I have come to the conclusion that Dororo had some Not Insubstantial issues with his brother but its all good now. hi this is so long <3 im normal <3 mine yoshizaki PLEASE for the love of GOD drop the dororos little brother lore id do ANYTHING. WHATS HE LIKE. SHOW THEM INTERACTING JUST ONCE. OR TWICE. OR MORE THAN THAT

General opinion over said Character: dororo the ORIGINAL Favorite Character. id die for him. id kill myself for him. but he would not want that. i treasure the seaside wedding we had when i was 9. i want him to go to therapy. i want to throw him off a cliff. i need to psychoanalyze this frog. dude is my bestie. words cannot fucking express it. dororo for the love of god dororo. think of him and be enlightened. dies

[abortionado]

when was it implied that spencer was incested?

It was 4 x 07 that got me thinking about that (im adding the readmore both because this is long as hell and because it’s disturbing and im on desktop & can’t tag with tws until after i post :/ )

warnings for child sexual abuse, child murder, and incest below the cut

-  I’m gonna start off by saying that Spencer has multiple dreams about “Riley Jenkins,” the boy who he’s convinced his father raped and killed, but in every one of these dreams, “Riley’s” face is completely concealed, and all we can see are his feet. In every single dream, he’s wearing the same black lace-up tennis shoes that Spencer has on all the time. (Derek also says in 4 x 06 that “if there’s a baby in your dream, that means the baby is you”)

-  Spencer was dreaming about leeches covering his bare chest, which (an anon pointed this out to me) is obviously a portrayal of feeling something disgusting on your body. You could also interpret this as the residual gross feeling of knowing something horrible, obv, but the more literal explanation would be that he was remembering feeling something gross or wrong on his body.

-  When he was under hypnosis (this is the really weird part) and was like. hypnotic-dreaming about being four, his father came up to him while he was in bed and sat down next to him, and he immediately started pretending to be asleep. (Which ik is not weird on its own, I definitely used to do that when my mom came in my room past my bed time.) 

But instead of just leaving him alone and letting him fall asleep like my mom would, or I do when I’m taking care of kids, William goes, “I know you’re awake, Spencer.” Then he starts rubbing his arm (also obviously not weird at all on its own, but if you go and watch the camera work in context with everything else it seems a little strange) and says “daddy loves you, you know that?” 

At this point, Spencer in the flashback is either crying or about to cry (I don’t remember), and present Spencer, grown-up Spencer, also on the verge of tears, says “I don’t want to be here.” 

And the hypnotherapist tells him it’s okay, and he can go to the next morning, and that’s where all that stuff about the blood on the clothes is uncovered.

I thought that was kind of a disturbing scene, because there was no reason he’d be so freaked out and upset about his dad coming to say goodnight to him unless something happened, right? (That scene had nothing to do with Riley or the rest of the case.) And whatever happened was upsetting enough that he was looking to the next morning, when his father was burning the bloody clothes of another human being in the back yard, for comfort and refuge. ??

- The fact that he was so desperate to nail his father for molesting and murdering a boy his age when there was absolutely no evidence for that at all (and it like. Wasn’t even close to true) was also disturbing and out of typical character. Spencer explicitly says in the previous episode that he doesn’t believe in dream analysis, but as they get closer to the origins of the case, he flies further and further off the handle and literally starts trying to convince Derek to use his weird cryptic dreams and gut feelings as grounds for detaining William.

- He wanted all of that to be true. He wanted validation that his father was a violent pedophile.  Penelope didn’t find any cp on William’s computer and he got upset. You’d think it would be a relief (she even says that), but he was obviously completely convinced that William was a violent, pedophilic offender and was angry that he was not finding a way to get justice.

- (I know he was upset about William abandoning him, but you’d have to believe (or know) that he’s capable of some really horrible, horrible things to be genuinely, deeply convinced, with absolutely no evidence at all, that your father raped and killed a first grader)

-  I’m totally convinced that William was abusive in some way, because Derek and Emily both mention that Spencer (of eidetic memory fame) doesn’t remember his childhood at all, and we see in Revelations that his memories kick in literally the moment William walks out the door. He repressed all of his memories of that man??

-  I’m like. 60% sure they were trying to imply that William had molested him and he didn’t exactly remember, but that he knew what his father was on some level and was seeking justice for what happened to him. He was so worked up when they couldn’t find anything because he knew that meant that William was going to get away with hurting him

[oldguardhc]

A Beginner’s Guide to Surviving Tumblr (2021 version)

Just some things I’ve learned poking around with a little side of tumblr etiquette. Also, I told someone I’d make a guide. 

Tags

Original post - The first five tags are the most important because these are the ones your post will show up in. The first twenty is for search results and your own tag page. 

Reblogs - The first twenty are for your own page. You will not show up in the general search result. 

Moral of the story, put the important tags first and then your response. I think you have up to 50 tags. 

Reblogs

You’ve probably already seen those posts about reblogging, so I’ll just reiterate the main point. Reblog on tumblr!! That’s how stuff spreads, liking posts will do absolutely nothing. If you’re on mobile, it’s as simple as holding down the reblog button and dragging to the appropriate blog you would like to reblog to.

Pro tip: Ramble in the tags. You’ll make the original poster’s (op) day! 

New blogs, including sideblogs

For the first few days, you will not show up in the tags or search results. This is just tumblr making sure you’re not a bot. 

Queue

I don’t know her. I spam reblog 🤷‍♀️

Settings

Account - Turn on that multi-factor authentication! Whatever language you choose, when you reblog a post with a read more, it’ll be translated to that language. Use filters to avoid stuff. 

Dashboard - Set your default text editor (rich text, html, markdown). Turn off best stuff first under preferences. Turn on enable endless scrolling.

Privacy - Turn off let others see that you’re active. If you have this on, people will see a green dot when you’re active. It also tells people when was the last time you were active (in the last hour, 2 hours, etc.)

Blogs

Main blog only aka the first one you made - Turn off share posts you like and people you follow. What you do is nobody’s business but your own. (You can keep it on, I just don’t want people to know what my fixations are.) 

Setup all the replies, messaging, asks for all your blogs. 

Messaging

If you want to message someone from a sideblog, it’s easier through mobile (app). On the rightmost tab, the one where you see your blog, make sure you are on the blog you want to message with. To change, just hit the dropdown menu at the top. Then you can message whoever. Desktop is weird because it always starts with your main, unless you send a post, then you can choose the blog. 

Read More

If you have a long post, put most of it under a read more. Just imagine having to scroll through this whole thing five times in a row. Exhausting right? On mobile, in a new line, type :readmore: and hit enter. Desktop just click the box with three dots on the right. 

Another good thing about read more’s are if you edit the post, every single time someone clicks on the read more, they will be redirected to the correct version. 

New Posts

Desktop - Use photo if you want to be able to put multiple pictures/gifs in one row. There’s a ten picture/gif limit for photosets, once you hit the limit, you’ll only be able to rearrange the order (vertical wise) of the additional photos/gifs. Make sure every photo/gif is under 10 MB. 

For masterlists, use markdown or html. I prefer markdown because it’s much easier and there are plenty of cheatsheets. Write the list on your computer and copy and paste it into a text post that’s in markdown mode. This will guarantee you’re linking to the correct post and if tumblr breaks some links, you can just recopy and paste your file. This might be the most important tip in this whole post. If you have 80 links and tumblr breaks forty of them, you’re going to cry as you hunt those posts down and link them. 

If you know html and markdown, you won’t be able to use all the features. Before you go all out, test it in your drafts. If it doesn’t show up there, it won’t show up on the dashboard. 

If you want to insert a gif that links to the original post but it’s not the first gif in the set, get the link to the gif you want by clicking open image in new tab. Now in the editor, insert the first gif and switch to html mode. Edit the img src field. Do not go to markdown. If you go to markdown, it will just insert the gif and all credit will be lost. 

NSFW

If you tag nsfw or the kinks, your post will not show up in the tags. Put the nsfw content under a read more and the warnings on top. 

Pages

Create a link page if you use a tag a lot. The username/tagged/tag endpoint only shows the last 200 posts. A page will show all of them. Add /chrono to the end if you want it to be ordered chronologically. 

You can also create a page for your masterlist. As in, the page is your masterlist. Not as mobile friendly as a regular post but it looks nice!

Supernatural

It will trend randomly. Every old blog was once a supernatural blog. You will find out about current events through supernatural. You will come to love it and hate it just like the fans. Just accept that it’s part of tumblr. I think they have a gif for everything. 

one-time-i-dreamt

If the post has 200k+ notes and it’s absolutely wild, read the blog name. It’s probably from this blog. Or the other blog about parallel worlds. 

Archive

Add /archive to the end of a tumblr’s blog to see their entire history. This is super useful if you’re looking for a specific post. 

Last thoughts

Have fun. Please don’t get discouraged if your post doesn’t blow up and get thousands of notes. It’s been awhile since tumblr reblogged more than liked, so don’t take it personally. 

Be safe! Think twice about the personal information you share. If someone went through your entire blog, would they be able to guesstimate where you’re from? What you look like? Who you are? Those ask games can reveal a lot about a person. 

Overall, Tumblr is a great place because you can customize your experience. Use those filters. Don’t be afraid of asking blogs to add warning tags to their posts/reblogs (this is very different than asking them to stop reblogging or posting about certain things). Block users you’re uncomfortable with. Follow a ton of blogs. 

Hope this helps!

[denkimystery]

Denki Mystery: Six Idol Statues of Taboo - Chapter 4

Taxi Driver: It’s so hot isn’t it!? It’s so hot! The aircon isn’t working well!

Karatsugu: I- I think the aircon might be broken… Isn’t it. Ah, it’s hot... Eugh. I thought it would be cold in here.

Taxi Driver: Sorry! Thought it would be better just cause we’re inside? Bwahahah!

[[The taxi driver focuses his attention on the other passenger whose been silent the entire time.]]

Taxi Driver: What's more, your friend next to you? Aren’t you hot? Wearing a bag over your head?

Toshio in a paper bag: It’s very hot. Huh, Karamatsu-niisan are you ok?

Karatsugu: … Who’s Karamatsu? … It’s so hot…

Toshio in a paper bag: Hey~. Driver-san. You’re my older brother… Osomatsu-niisan, right?

Ozo: Eh!? Well you’re close? Too bad! The name's Ozo. Ozo Akashika.

Ozo: Besides, I don’t have any younger brothers? Actually, Passenger-san ? Aren’t you that young master*? From Ogami-san’s place?

Toshio in a paper bag: So you know who I am… That bag, what kind is it~?

Ozo: This paper bag from a hamburger shop**? … You want it? Am I right? I know. You’re always wearing paper bags, right?

Toshio: Thank you!

Rustling. [[Toshio removes the paper bag on his head, folding it neatly before he takes the new paper bag from Ozo, examining it in his hands.]]

Toshio: I think, my name might actually be Jyushimatsu.

Ozo: Hm? That just now… For a moment, I thought I saw a very familiar face? Hmmm~? I wonder if the heat is getting to me.

Karatsugu: … Driver-san, whose last name is Akashika... Are you, perhaps, from around here?

Ozo: Ah~, It's not like I'm from an old family or anything! Not a rare surname at all around here! Names with Aka and/or Shika!

Ozo: 'Though, I think back in the old days? I heard there were a lot more different surnames…

Karatsugu: Oh…? For example? Like what?

Ozo: For example? Hm, like Matsu-… Ah!!

Screech! [[The tires skid to a halt.]]

Toshio: Waaah!!!

Karatsugu: Waaah!?!?!

Ozo: Nonononooo!! I shouldn't be talking about this! Passenger-san, are you trying to interrogate me or something? I beg of you to stop!

Karatsugu: No, what are you-!? Don't brake so suddenly!? Are you ok!? Beg me to stop what?

Toshio: Really, really!!

Ozo: I don't want to, I'm sorry! This story, you know... it's very dangerous. We shouldn't talk about it so carelessly or else something might come out, you know?

Karatsugu: Wh-what was that? C-could this be a chance at a scoop!? A "Typical Scary Story" really came to meee~!?

[[Toshio wears his new hamburger patterned paper bag on his head.]]

Toshio in a hamburger shop paper bag: That's a very last minute name! Also, I like this new paper bag!!

[[Toshio faces his brothers showing off his new paper bag.]]

Toshio in a hamburger shop paper bag: When you put this paper bag on your head, the "M" turns upside down and looks like a mouth!

Ozo: What's do you mean "pretty last minute"?... Passenger-san. Wanna hear this story? It's hot, why don't we talk more over a cup of iced coffee?

Karatsugu: Heh, let's hear it then! Let's talk about the taboos of this place.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Mod notes: formatting on mobile is SUCH utter garbage. Why is tumblr's site so broken no matter what platform? Like ergonamic design is just FUCK ALL??? What the FUCK is going on with the text button? I HAD TO TAP MULTIPLE TIMES TO MAKE A HEADER? I don't even know??? How to make a readmore??? I cant even color toshio's texts as yellow the fuck??? I dont know how this will look like once posted, but I'll fix it as soon as my laptop gets fixed, if ever! Edit: Guess what? apparently the colors you add on mobile don’t carry over when you edit the post on desktop. This SUCKS.

ACTUAL Mod notes: In case it wasn't obvious, the hamburger shop is a reference to McDonalds, except it's logo is just the "M".

Also it isn't established properly but Ozo is from Akatsuka. His last name Akashika "赤鹿" uses the same kanji as the ones from Akatsuka "赤ツ鹿" Village and Akashika "赤鹿" Station, pronounced the same as the latter, "あかしか".

*Ozo uses the term Botchan which means Young Master, or the only son of a well-off family.

**The specific name of the totally not mcdonalds burger shop is "Matudo" which comes from McDo, Ma-cu-do changing the c to t. This is from the Hesokuri Wars Stage Selection screen.

[transarchivist]

If the Extinction were developed more, what would you want its side associations to be? The way the Lonely is associated with fog or the Desolation with fire or the Web with spiders. Just in general, what kind of vibe do you think the Extinction would have if it grew into a fully realized fear?

HM ok i had to think about this

got long and im on desktop for once hallelujah so heres a readmore :]

honestly the thing that i really like about the extinction is the idea of humanity’s replacement! the idea of a sentient other! a lot of the extinction episodes deal with this- 149 concrete jungle and 134 time of revelation are the Big ones but its also in 156 reflection and 175 epoch! (thats all but one of the explicitly extinction eps!)

so i think that more expounding on that idea would of definitely continued to be a staple of the extinction! very stranger-esque things but with a defined extinction twist- like how the things in concrete jungle, are, well, concrete, and the ‘people’ in reflection are this warped idea of a famine. not just.. people but their skin is Off or what have you (no shade towards the stranger i love the stranger).

another i feel like is.. like abandoned places? but not really in a lonely way! 144 decrypted, 156 reflection and 134 time of revelation all deal with this! 156 and 134 are explicitly abandoned places- and places that are like... meant? to have people in them? an apartment and an amusement park. theyre not liminal spaces, yknow? when you think of an apartment, a home, people are supposed to be there, thats where people live! and amusement parks are supposed to be full of guests and life! having them displayed as abandoned and empty and falling into ruin, and then having them be gateways to a version where they arent empty, but not occupied by people. so like, the use of places that shouldnt be abandoned- or places that aren’t occupied by people, but are instead occupied by things that arent people.

another version of this is w/ 144! 144 is different in its use of abandoned places- it doesnt start as abandoned, but the place it describes feels like it should be. the two settings are within a “rural nothing place”: one of those odd unattached row of houses in the middle of nowhere, and the middle of nowhere field (sporting a rusted power pylon). these places feel like they should be empty- or in the case of the houses, not exist at all? like? you’ve seen those lil batches of houses in the middle of nowhere. what are they doing there. and the pylon, its rusted, its not supposed to generate the station it does. these are human places, human things, but also not. i like the term from the ep- “nothing place”. nothing places alongside with other abandoned places i feel would definitely be a hallmark of the extinction.

something thats less of a motif and more of a theme is those in power misusing said power and disregarding those without power. biggest in 144- the whole. nuclear bomb situation. in 149 theres some reference- the waste being dumped in the rainforest. overall its not a suuuper prevalent thing, but i feel like it could of grown into one!

in the same vein as that, themes dealing with capitalism, global warming, and pollution are things that correlate big time

this got long but basically: a sentient other/what comes after humanity, abandoned/nothing places, the misuse of power and disregard of the average person.

(personally im enamored with the depictions of sentient others we’ve gotten! and im always down for uncanny places. i really wish we could of gotten more expansion on those)

[medleymisty]

*hugs all the nice people*

Is just some thoughts I felt like sharing.

Hey so like I know on Tumblr there’s this culture of being suspicious of older people and thinking that we’re all predators or whatever. I don’t agree with that but I try to not follow anyone whose bio says they’re very young these days because I’ve had quite enough of internet mobs and I do not want any more internet attention.

Still though, I like supporting younger people and helping them out and sharing whatever life wisdom I’ve managed to accumulate in my disturbingly close to four decades, and I wanted to share some this morning in case there are younger people reading this.

Getting older is okay. You can still play video games and watch cool shows and have fun and do whatever you like doing now. I promise paying bills is not like homework and it doesn’t take hours and hours of your time every night, and you can still play Sims and have a simblr if you manage your time well.

Also my 20s were very hard. I was a mess of trauma and self-hate and anxiety. But I got better. This isn’t to say that “it gets better” because I don’t think it would if you just passively waited for time to pass, but if you put forth effort and you learn from your experiences and you apply what you learned, you can rewire your brain some and you can rebuild yourself and your relationships and it can get better, I promise.

Also if you need medicine for it to get better, that’s okay and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve been taking Lexapro for the anxiety since July, and it’s amazing and it’s really helped and I am still me. I am just a me who doesn’t panic as much and who is more able to talk to strangers if needed and deal with houses with alarms at work. :)

I am much happier now than I was 10 and 15 years ago. I finally learned to like and value myself and to be easier on myself, and I learned about boundaries and my worth and value and how to have good friends, and it’s okay now. Yeah, my body is getting older, and my 70 year old mother tells me that true old age isn’t for cowards, but I wouldn’t trade my mental state now for my mental state in my 20s at all.

If you’re having a rough time now and everything seems awful and you’re scared of getting older, I hope hearing that it can be okay and it can get better and what you’re feeling now isn’t what you will always be feeling and getting older isn’t a thing to be scared of helps.

*hugs if you read all this, and sorry if you’re on mobile - there’s a readmore for desktop peeps*

[fight-surrender]

Howlin’ Forever Chapter 3: Into the Woods

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 2583

Read on AO3

Summary: “Dog-Simon must catch my scent because he’s instantly awake and on his feet. His head is down, hackles are up and the snarl that ensues from his mouth is most certainly lupine. His eyes are Simon’s blue, but there is no humanity or recognition in them. Only malice.”

Time for Baz to find a werewolf. 

(I did put a readmore cut in here on my desktop, I’m terribly sorry to clog your feed if it doesn’t transfer to mobile.) Thanks as always to my amazing friends, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz​, @vkelleyart​ @penpanoply​ for their unwavering support and encouragement and beta reading and omg @penpanoply​ made me this cover art which is fucking gorgeous and brilliant and perfect. <3 <3

        _________________________________________________

                                       Ch 3: Into the Woods

                                   You and me have a disease,                                   You affect me, you infect me,                                   I'm afflicted, you're addicted,                                      You and me, you and me

                                  - “Infected” by Bad Religion

 Baz:

Panting, I scramble to the window. The night seems to be holding its breath, silently waiting as a quiet splash draws my eyes to the moat. The merwolves are eerily calm, almost reverent, as they bear witness to the hulking bronze figure that cuts through the water. The creature emerges from the moat, shaking off moonlit water droplets. He howls again, sending my heart into a renewed frenzy. The wolf then turns and runs into the forest.

I wipe my hands across my face, then rake them through my hair.

What should I do? What should I do?

Should I go after him? Leave him be? Where is he going? Does he even know?

The drawbridge is closed. I’m too frazzled to manage a spell to get around it. Sleep isn’t an option tonight. My eye catches on the pile of books Malfoy sent over. At least Hogwarts still has a fully stocked library, not the Children’s Garden of Verses we have here at Watford. I take a copy of “Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a bag of salt and vinegar crisps and settle onto my bed to try and focus on the pages.

***

  Sunrise turns the room pink as I realize I’ve been reading the same paragraph for half an hour. I have no idea what it says. The only information I’ve retained from this exercise is that the full moon phase can last up to about four days. The transformation seems to last longer in the newly Turned. Also, there is a potion called Wolfsbane that helps lessen the effects of the Lycanthropy.

A heavy thunk, followed by the clatter of gears indicates the drawbridge is coming down.

I snap the book shut with one hand and stand up.

Time to find a werewolf.

 ***

 It’s a good thing it’s the weekend. I certainly wouldn’t miss class to hike through the woods after this imbecile. Branches slap my face as I stomp along, following Snow’s tracks. He’s left an obvious trail of broken limbs, scratched soil and huge footprints. My vampire senses come in handy as well. His scent is different in this form. He still smells like smoke, but now there’s a wildness, a smell of petrichor and moss with hints of musk.

My mind is a swirl of thoughts, but I can’t settle on any single one. Simon, the Chosen One, Watford’s golden boy is now a monster. Technically, he’s not allowed to exist. Neither am I, for that matter, I’m well versed in keeping my secret. The question is what’s Simon going to do with this information? He’s so damned good, he could very well just turn himself in to the mage as soon as he resumes his human form. I’ll be damned to hell twice over before I let him throw his life away like that. I will stop him, even if I have to put a collar on him and chain him to the bed. (That actually sounds appealing, regardless of his reaction to his new condition.)

Simon’s scent gets stronger as I approach a dried creek bed. I slow down, treading lightly across scattered stones and debris, trying not to make a sound. An angry squirrel chitters at me from a branch above my head. If I had the time or inclination, I’d drain him out of spite. At least squirrel blood tastes better than rat.

I stop short as I come around a boulder, on the other side is the hulking form of Simon Snow. Rather, the were version of him. His breath is till heaving, but he seems to be asleep. During the frenzied events of last night, I hadn’t a chance to really get a look at him.  He’s huge, probably the size of a Shetland pony. He doesn’t exactly look wolfish, his muzzle is not so pointed, his ears flop down. He looks like, well he looks like an overgrown, shaggy, bronze-furred Golden Retriever. For snakes sake, of course Simon Snow would turn into a Golden; cheerful, loyal, lovely dogs that they are. He’s too good to even be a proper monster. Crowley. I roll my eyes and shake my head in wonder.

Dog-Simon must catch my scent because he’s instantly awake and on his feet. His head is down, hackles are up and the snarl that ensues from his mouth is most certainly lupine. His eyes are Simon’s blue, but there is no humanity or recognition in them. Only malice. Not quite so Golden-esque then.

Before I can pull my wand from my sleeve, he lunges at me, but immediately falls to the ground. He growls again and turns to bite at something behind him. I step back to a safer distance and see that the beast’s foot is caught in some kind of debris. Snow flails and thrashes, but eventually collapses, exhausted, panting.

I try to approach him, now that he’s tired, and am met once again with that malevolent, dead stare and a mouth full of giant teeth. And, I might add, horrific dog breath.  I back away into the forest to think. That thing, it is Simon. I can’t exactly leave him out here for the next three days, but how can I spell him free and somewhere safe until he goes back to human form? There are dog training spells, but what would “atta boy” do to the human part of his brain? I suppose I could spell him to sleep, but how do I get him back to our room? I don’t have the magic to transport him.

What if I could get him to trust me? Physically, he’s a giant pet dog. What’s the best way to train a dog? Positive reinforcement: Food. What’s the way to Simon Snow’s heart? Food.  

I turn and run back to Watford. It’s time to call in a favor with Cook Pritchard.

 ***

 Thank magic no one is around when I haul the giant wicker picnic basket Cook Pritchard loaded up for me across the great lawn. She gave me enough food for an army. The woman was well chuffed that I was having a picnic with “friends.” She acted as if I hadn’t any friends.  “Well that’s lovely, Basilton, so nice to see you coming out of your shell.” Cook even tucked a small bottle of dandelion wine into the basket, “to help break the ice.” She actually winked at me. I wanted to implode.

I have friends. Sure, half of them are family, but still. You only need one or two friends, anything more isn’t worth the effort.

I carry the basket through the wood. I feel like I’m on my way to a goth Victorian picnic. I stop periodically to drain a few squirrels, just for spite.  The resident dryad side eyes me as I pass her thicket. I ignore her.

“What do you seek, blood eater?” She hisses. Twirling her ridiculous umbrella. Butterflies swirl lazily around her mossy hair.

“None of your business.” I reply.

“Your pistil is a wolf.” She remarks.

“He’s not my anything.” I snarl, “And he’s not a wolf, he’s a Golden Retriever.”

“The Chosen One is an abomination,” she presses. “The children of the moon must die.”

I light a fire in my palm. “Is that so?” I drop my voice to a menace, “maybe I should take out this whole forest in the process.”

“Do what you must. The forest will regrow. He cannot live.” She calls my bluff.

“You know what? You can fuck off.” I say, frustrated.

She opens her mouth to speak, but I raise my hand. “Enough. We’re done here.” I sling the giant basket over my shoulder and stomp away.

I’ll be staked before I take advice from a woodland creature holding a parasol. Snow has as much of a right to live as I do. More so, he’s not dead. Fuck the dryad.

I finally make it back to the creek bed. Dog-Simon looks vaguely defeated, laying on his side, his back leg stretched behind him. I can see a length of rusty wire wrapped around his foot. He’s awake, wary eyes never leaving mine, a low growl rumbles in his chest.

I settle myself on the ground a safe distance away. I’m wearing my school-issue green Watford football trackie bottoms and sweatshirt. Coach Mac will probably not appreciate werewolf damage to the practice uniform. My trainers are caked with mud. I sigh. The things I do for love.

The basket creaks as I open it. The sound makes Snow get up and retreat as far as the wire around his leg will let him. His tail is down, ears back; he’s panting lightly.

I pull out the bottle of dandelion wine and take a swig, to calm my nerves. It’s bitter, with a faint floral overtone, and just enough bite to warm my chest. I take a deep breath and survey the contents of my picnic. The basket is overflowing with roast beef sandwiches, sour cherry scones, roast chicken, bacon butties, jellies, and inexplicably a layered trifle. She must have magicked it all in there.

It’s just me and the dog, and I missed breakfast, so I help myself to a roast beef sandwich. Snow’s ears tip forward and he sits down. Sniffing the air.

I toss a bit of my sandwich at him, he scrambles away with a surprised bark. Almost immediately, he cautiously noses forward, sniffing at the roast beef. He sits down again, without eating it and resumes watching me, panting. His teeth are huge.

“For fucks sake, Simon, it’s not like it’s poisoned.”

The dog’s ears perk up and he cocks his head at me. His mouth is closed, brows almost furrowed in concentration.

“Go on then lad,” I press, “roast beef is your favorite.” I remind myself to breathe.

Snow resumes panting, but lowers his nose again at the food. He nudges it, then takes an experimental bite. Apparently satisfied that the offering wasn’t going to kill him, the great dog swallows the rest. Licking his lips, he retreats to his original position, as far away from Baz as he can get.

I toss half a sandwich into his orbit.

“There you go Snow, I know you can’t walk away from half a sandwich.”

Once again Dog-Simon sits, cocks his head and looks at me. I’m probably imagining it, but his eyelids almost seem to squeeze a bit, in concentration. He cautiously walks my way, never taking his eyes off me, and eats the sandwich half in one bite. This time he doesn’t shy away, he sits, panting again and watches me.

I toss him the other half of the sandwich, which he catches in the air and eats with more gusto. He’s watching me again, this time I get a weak tail wag.

I unwrap the roast chicken and throw the whole thing at him. It lands with an unceremonious plop, a leg breaking free. Simon stands and practically inhales the whole thing. His tail is wagging faster now.

We go on like this for the duration of the afternoon. I’m slowly inching closer, I can almost touch his muzzle now. He seems more relaxed, the panting has stopped. His ears are forward, tail wagging freely. His eyes have gone softer, from ice to sky.

I reach into the basket for a sour cherry scone, I’ve been saving these for this moment. I scoot even closer, holding it in my hand this time. He’s so close, he could easily rip my throat out. It’s not often I have to worry about someone ripping out my throat. It’s refreshing, really. I suppose there are worse ways to die.

“Simon, we’re going to have to work together to figure this mess out. If there is any part of you that can hear me, let me help you. I mean, I know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but…” My voice tapers off. Why would he trust me? Crowley, I’ve done nothing but torment him for the last 6 years.

A gentle breeze ruffles the golden leaves above me. “We be of one blood, ye and I.” I murmur. A warm rush of surprise washes over me. Where the fuck did that even come from? Kipling was a powerful magician, but is that even a spell? Leave it to me to channel my favorite childhood book in times of duress.

I take a breath and hold out the scone. Simon noses forward, sniffs, and carefully takes the scone from my hand. He doesn’t move away. I keep my eyes on him as I slowly reach for the basket and remove another scone. I hold it in my hand, when he takes it, I reach out with my other hand and run it behind his ear, rubbing along his jaw. He stiffens, but continues to eat the scone. “These are your favourite,” I whisper, scratching behind his ear, rubbing slowly along his neck and shoulder. Eventually, I find myself out of scones and scratching his stomach, while his tongue lolls and he scratches his back leg lazily.

I take a break because my hands are cramping from all the petting. I really hope he doesn’t remember any of this. I shake my hands and look at the grime under my nails. I’m going to need a manicure.

Simon stands and gives a mighty shake from his nose to his feathered, rudder-like tail. He utters a sharp bark, like he’s decided something, then proceeds to try and climb into my lap, his huge pink tongue lapping my face.

“Merlin and Morgana, you giant thumping git, get off. I push him away, but not too far. He knocks me to the ground and licks my whole face. For snakes sake, you’re disgusting, I get to my feet wiping saliva off my chin and trying not to smile. Simon’s tail is wagging so hard his whole body is wiggling and he’s rubbing along my side, trying to get me to scratch his back. I oblige for a moment.

“Snow, stop, let’s get your leg untangled.”  He stands so quietly as I extricate his leg from the wire, that I can’t help but wonder if he understood me.

Once freed, Simon plants his giant paws on my shoulders and smears the side of my face with his tongue once more. “Blimey, Snow.” I step back and the great dog’s feet once more hit the ground. He zooms away, coming to a skidding stop, returns to my side and bows his front legs down, rear up, tail wagging madly.

I lean down and take his huge face in my hands, scratching gently below his jaw. “Come along, you delightful moron, let’s go home.”

I turn and make my way through the forest. The late afternoon sun dappling the trail with rich golden light. Dust motes dancing in the beams. Simon scampers ahead, darting back every few minutes to make sure I’m still following.

I breathe in the rich loamy scent of these ancient woods and let it out slowly. For once, my mind is quiet. Simon is back at my side, nosing at my hand. I absentmindedly rub his velvet ear. I stop and let this foreign emotion wash over me. I let myself relax, for just this moment, I am content.

[smitten-miqitten]

Repost because idk how to desktop but can’t do readmore on mobile :/

Era’s past reveal fic

The Past, pt 1

Ao3 Link

Era had been suffering a series of splitting headaches not unlike those preceding a vision from the Echo. However, no such vision was forthcoming, leaving her to fight against the pain with no relief in sight. Cid worried over her, trying in vain to ease her suffering, but nothing he could do or provide was of any help. After days of fitful ‘rest’, she was finally overcome in her exhaustion, falling into a sleep so deep it in of itself was worrisome. Unwilling to let her alone, Cid held her fast to him, slowly but surely drifting off as well.

….……..

Cid found himself standing alone in a snow laden forest, the cold of which curiously lacked the bone-deep chill inherent to the locale. The edges of the area seemed to blur and fade into nothingness, solidifying only once he focused his attention in one direction or another. Breathing deep, he was overwhelmed not with the scent of the surrounding pines as one might reasonably expect, but of lavender.

Strange.

As he took in the scene around him he spied an odd blue light emanating from the distance, bouncing off the falling snow in a misty cerulean fog. A faint, intoxicating music drifted on the wind, calling him toward it. As ever, curiosity bested him and compelled him forward as surely as the music, his surroundings increasingly bathed in soothing blue. The ground and trees and snow all started to devolve into gradient around him and a great Crystal came into view. The forest and all it held dissolved impossibly into a deep blue void before the Crystal, telling him in full certainty, in the odd way dreams do, that this was far from reality.

A dream. Of course, he was dreaming. Cid berated himself for not arriving to this conclusion sooner, though, given his experiences, one might forgive him for having trouble discerning the fantastical from the real. 

He paused to ponder this revelation, only to have a young Miqo'te girl run into his shins full tilt. She was frantic, evidently fleeing the Crystal in the distance. In terror she moved to hide behind him but, growing brave, instead stood in front with arms thrown wide, guarding him from the tendrils of light that pursued her.

The girl, too, cannot be real, as she is unmistakably Era – though she couldn’t possibly be more than 5 or 6. Her head barely reached past his knees, her tiny body all ears and fluffy, stubby tail. Turning her head towards him, large and twinkling periwinkle eyes gazed into his own with fear and determination. She would quit this place, but was not about to leave someone else to fall victim to whatever unearthly intentions the Crystal bore.

 But of course she wouldn’t.

Not knowing what else to do and hating beyond reason how the scene made Era tremble, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, making hastily back toward the woods where the scenery carried more of the weight of reality. Tendrils of blue followed for a time, but grew weak and ceased as they passed beyond the treeline.

The pervasive feel of danger fading, Cid adjusted his hold on the child, cradling her so that she might be more comfortable. True to her apparent age, much of her earlier bravado had vanished and her eyes brimmed with fitful tears, though she stubbornly would not suffer them to fall. This youthful Era inexplicably took no issue with her rescuer being a complete stranger, knowing, as (or because) Cid did, that he was no threat. 

“Thanks”, she squeaked, in a tiny voice that was both Era’s and not. This voice gave rise to a thought that had been nagging at Cid since he had fallen asleep: This is more than a dream.

Though Cid took great pride in his mind and imagination, he was under no illusion that he could dream up an Era so lifelike. She was here, with him somehow, despite appearance and circumstance. Everything around him smacked of both hyperbole and truth, as if he were participating in some abstract amalgamation of her childhood. As if to punctuate this point, a number of buildings were quickly coming into view in the distance. Her home, he thought with a certainty he could not begin to explain. The buildings gave him uncomfortable pause, however. The architecture and green hued lights were unmistakable; the town before him was Garlean. 

“Whatever were you doing all the way out there? You’re from the town ahead, no? ” Cid asked, though he knew he already knew the answer. Nothing and everything felt like a mystery here.

He suspected, as strongly as one does when they know they’re right but cannot definitively say so, that the Echo must be involved. It must be. The telltale migraines should have been his first clue, but when they failed to reveal to her whatever it was they meant to show he assumed she was simply ill. That the air smelled of lavender should have been the second; it was the smell of her, her presence and her influence. How and why the vision, if it even was one, was feeding back to him was utterly beyond his comprehension. The only precedent he had was when she recovered his own memories, but this vision surely had nothing at all to do with him or his memory. 

“I was looking for snowflowers and I got lost. Tutor did warn me not to wander but… the big Crystal called me. Like she was my friend, like she knew me. She’s really pretty, all big and blue and sparkly, but the way she looked at me was so scary. I don’t like it.”

“Well, I think we’re well shut of the blasted thing now; I’ll not let it hurt you while I’m here. Let’s get you home, little miss.”

Era nodded, smiling, and snuggled in closer, gripping the collar of his coat.

“Please don’t tell Mama and Papa I wandered. Tutor said not to, and if Tutor says so the Viceroy says so. They’re ever so scared of him.”

“The Viceroy takes personal interest in your family?” A province then. She grew up in a province. Northeastern Ilsabardian, if the surroundings were anything to go off of, in the mountains. Cid wasn’t quite sure how to feel, his stomach twisting uncomfortably at the thought of what she must have endured at the mercy of his homeland. A guilty part of him was not unhappy that she did not remember.

“Umm hmm. He thinks I’m clever. Cleverer than the other kids, though I don’t agree. He said that if I stay smart, and be good, that I can go to the capitol when I’m bigger.”

Fat chance of that now, huh. They had reached the streets now, eerily empty, lights lit everywhere but not a soul around. Era pointed an itty bitty finger toward a modest home just off of a large, gated complex undoubtedly meant to house the Viceroy in question. “My lips are sealed. And…and you’d like to visit? The capitol?” Though Cid bore little love for Garlemald, it had on occasion crossed his mind that he’d have liked to show his former home to her.

“Not really.”

She hardly missed a beat. Cid fought back a laugh.

“I study ‘cause if I do he’ll keep being nice to Mama and Papa. I dunno why, but he’s not nice to everyone else. That’s why the other kids don’t like me, I think, but Papa says ‘there’s no help for the jealousy of others’.” She mimicked her father’s deeper voice, failing spectacularly with her much squeakier one.

Cid supposed she was right. “Aye, but you seem pleasant enough to me. I’m sure they’ll come around.” So she’d been but a puppet for other’s convenience since childhood…

They were nearing the doors of the small house, the light emanating from the windows warmer than that of those surrounding it, undampened by the cold metal and dark stone. Inviting. Safe. He could leave her here without worry, he knew, but… to leave her to whatever abuse she was bound to face as the favorite of a provincial viceroy… though there was no avoiding it, he struggled with the thought. To hand her, his very heart, as tiny and fragile as she was now, into such arms…

“Aera! Oh my darling, we were so worried!” a woman’s voice rang out from the hastily thrown open door, the Miqo'te mother rushing toward the pair and wresting Era from Cid’s hold.  A stern looking man, the father, followed not far behind. Era was the spitting image of her mother, and her father, though white haired and tan, bore uncanny resemblance to a certain Ishgardian Count.

“Mama! Papa! I’m really sorry.” Era (no, Aera) clung tightly to her mother, ears pressed back and voice sincere in its apology. Looking back to Cid, she smiled at him with a warmth he knew all too well. “I got a little lost on my way back from the library, and this mister found me and helped me home. Can he stay for supper?“ 

Not wishing to impose upon the family, Cid started to protest, but his curiosity and the cacophony of “Please? Pretty please?” falling from the child’s lips got the better of him. He merely smiled, shrugging at Era’s fervor. She seemed very keen that her newfound friend not vanish into the aether, and given she likely had no others he thought it fair.

Her mother eyed him warily, the center lens of his goggles to be specific, but after a brief, wordless consult with her husband she assented, asking his name and welcoming him. The smell of lavender grew stronger as she ushered him in, mingled now with the familiar scent of ceruleum, of all things. Hardly a common pairing.

Walking through, the scene dispersed into light.

……………………………………….

[fun-with-colors]

2 3 7 10 12 13 14 18 19 20 40 46 50 Quarantine asks? (Sorry if thats too many)

That’s totally fine! Happy to answer questions, haha

I hope you don’t mind if I sometimes take the opportunity to go off on tangents and anecdotes, though. If it comes up. 

Whew, alright. Let’s do this. 

I’m gonna put this under a readmore because it’s probably gonna get long. And because, for once in my life, I am actually on the desktop version of tumblr.

2. Grilled Cheese or PB&J?

Grilled cheese. PB&Js can get soggy more easily, and they can be kind of mushy if you get the ratios wrong. Besides, they’re much more likely to be sticky and messy, and honestly there are very few things I hate more in this world than having my hands or face be sticky. 

3. Background video for when i don’t have anything to watch, but I want Something On?

I really like this youtube series called Citation Needed. Its premise is that it’s kind of like a reverse trivia thing. One guy has a laptop with a wikipedia article up, and he’ll give the other 3 guys only the name of the article, and they have to figure out what the article is about. It’s hilarious, and also informative. Honestly, pretty much anything with Tom Scott is good background stuff, I’ve found. That might just be because he makes videos about computer science and linguistics, though, and those two things are pretty much my favorites.

7. First word as a child (that wasn’t a variation of “mom” or “dad”)?

I’m pretty sure it was “ball.” Boring, I know. 

10. Do you own any signed books/memorabilia in general?

I own a few signed books, but that was mostly just happenstance. The only thing I have that’s special for being signed is a poster for a play I was going to be in. It was cancelled due to the coronavirus, sadly. It’s signed by a lot of the other members of the cast and crew. 

12. What do you get on your bagels? What WOULD you get, if you could get anything?

I alternate between regular cream cheese and strawberry cream cheese. Honestly, I’m intrigued by the idea of a thin layer of cheesecake on top of a proper new york bagel. (though the idea of cheesecake on one of those “it’s just circular bread” bagels sounds horrible)

13. Brunch or midnight snacks?

Why not both? A snack after I wake up, and then a lunch(?) somewhere between 10 am and 3 pm, dinner at about 6:30, and then a midnight snack. 

14. Favorite mug you own?

I’ve got a few that are great. There’s one that looks like a red solo cup, which is awesome. I’ve also got one with a cat on it sitting at a desk with a bunch of papers with complicated graphs on them saying “at one point, this made perfect sense”

18. What’s the one TV show that you’re a little bit embarrassed to watch but you like nonetheless?

Uh... hm. I don’t watch many TV shows. Recently I’ve been binging My Hero Academia, but I don’t think that’s the answer to the question. There isn’t one, really? I used to watch TV shows that I now find kind of embarrassing, but at the time I was smack dab in the middle of the demographic, and I didn’t find them embarrassing at the time. There is a TV show that I was watching a few months ago (but ended up dropping) called Interviews with Monster Girls that definitely fit into this category, though. 

19. That book you were forced to read for class but ended up enjoying?

Hmm. There were a few books that I liked when I read them but have since grown less enthusiastic about, including Lord of the Flies and the Great Gatsby. However, I did really like To Kill a Mockingbird. I actually had to read that twice for school, once in middle school and once in high school. 

20. Do you match your socks?

It depends. I’ve got some socks where I definitely match them, because they’ve got words on them or something, but there are some pairs where I don’t worry about it too much. That said, I absolutely make sure that the socks are the same thickness, the same material, and the same height. Otherwise, it’s unbearable. Basically, since all of my socks are colorful and patterned and from a bunch of different sets, I just make sure the two socks are from the same set. 

And now it’s time for:

SOCKS THAT MY MOM HAS GOTTEN ME OVER THE YEARS:

-a pair that say “Kick this day in it’s sunshiney ass”

-a pair that say “I’m a delicate fucking flower”

-a pair that say “Love you... weirdo”

-a pair that say “These are my cuddly period socks”

-a pair that say “Cats don’t care if you’re crazy”

-my grandmother got me a pair that say “fuck off, I’m reading”

-a pair that say “you say crazy cat lady like it’s a bad thing”

And my personal favorite, 

-a pair that say “Adult in training” (They seem like they’ll always bee too big for me)

Alright, back to the questions

40. Where do you sit in the living room?

Either on the left side of the couch or on one of the two chairs opposite the couch. Mostly the couch. There are only really 3 places to sit in the living room, and I don’t really spend enough time there to have a specific place. Really, the only place where I have a “specific place” is at the kitchen table. 

46. What’s the freezer food you stock up on when you go to the grocery store?

I don’t really have a staple for this. I guess... pasta? Mac and cheese or tortellini? Most of the time I just buy box mac  and cheese and non-frozen tortellini, though. 

50. How are you at climbing trees?

Oh man. I miss the days when I feared neither bugs nor moss nor splinters. I had a reputation as a kid. I could (and would) climb anything. I made a point to climb as high as I could any time I saw a climbable tree, and usually I made it pretty far. I remember one time I was at the park with my friends, and there was this huge pine tree. The branches all started too high up to reach, but there was a chain-link fence right beneath it. I climbed up the fence and into the tree, and then I just kept climbing. I got all the way to the very top. The crows that were sitting up there looked kind of confused. My friends were impressed, though. 

I also used to climb to the top of the chain-link thing behind home base at the baseball diamond at that park too. Though, it was pretty common for me to be yelled at for that. The fence was kind of coming apart from the railing at the very top of the cone-shaped part, and so people got nervous when I went up there and laid on the fencing. Never fell, though. 

I also found a way to get on top of one of the buildings at that park. There was a fence that connected up with the back of the building, and there was also a pipe that went up the side of the building. I realized that by climbing on the fence, I could reach the pipe, and I could climb up the brackets holding it to the wall and onto the roof. Eventually, my mom told me that I had to stop doing that, because it was making other parents nervous and she was tired of explaining that “Yes, I know my child is on the roof. Yes, it’s fine. Yes, she can get back down. No, I’m not concerned.” And she also didn’t want other kids who couldn’t get back down safely to copy me. “Hey, stop, you’re making other parents nervous and I’m tired of having to constantly explain that everything’s fine” was a pretty common thing for me to hear. 

There was also that time that I was at a summer camp, and there was a tree. I went up there with a few of my friends, and we were having a grand old time. Eventually, I found a bouncy branch and decided to bounce on it. One of my friends was like “Hey, uh, are you sure that’s safe? It looks like it might break.” And I said “Yeah, it’s fine! Besides, I’ve got this other branch to hold on to if anything happens, not that it wil”--*SNAP* and then I fell. Luckily, I managed to catch myself on another branch on the way down, so it was more like a 7 foot fall than a 15 foot fall, but still. I was fine, if shaken. However, that led to a limit on how high into that tree we were allowed to climb. 

I was also the one who most commonly ignored that limit. 

So, in summary: Pretty good.