#in other news i think my biggest aspiration in life is to be able to just be Some Guy well and truly and happily

[autism-disco]

congratulations for surviving the weekend once more! now for the weekbeginning

[giantchasm]

Omg... is it true that the second annual @kirbyoctournament has rolled around? How exciting!

Last year, I entered a nasty, nasty, no-good old woman, and that was fine and dandy, but I think it might be time for a change in vibe. After all, as much as I love my girl Peacekeeper, last year I hadn't yet created my favorite Kirby OC, and I think said OC deserves her chance in the spotlight.

Which is all to say...

Peony will be entering the fray!

I made a longer post going over Peony's whole deal here, but to give the long-and-short of it (because yes, this is the abridged version), Peony is my (extremely self-indulgent 💜) Taransusie fankid.

Her existence was a bit of a happy, spite-induced accident, seeing as how she was grown in a test tube on an impulsive whim, but she's a very beloved, happy kid. Albeit a bit strange...

Because you see, Peony sees ghosts.

Following a near-death experience, she was supercharged with Soul magic and now she teeters the line between the worlds of the living and the dead. A creepy, macabre, spirit medium of a child, her circumstances would be confusing and offputting to anyone. But with her family's history in particular?

...Yeahhhhh, things are kind of bizarre.

She gets along well, though, with her undead friends. And who knows? Perhaps her new, mysterious powers could be the key to giving her family some long sought after closure.

Peony is an overconfident, somewhat-naive, stubborn know-it-all who doesn't know how to take 'no' for an answer, and really, it comes by her honestly, considering her family. For all of her hardheadedness and ego, though, she really is a sweet kid, and much of her determination comes from a place of honest love. She adores her friends and her family and just wants the best for them, regardless of what other people think or what the world says she can do.

As of right now, her biggest dream and aspiration is to find a way to undo death and bring her ghostly companions back from the grave, setting things right and 'reuniting' her family. This is almost certainly something she won't be able to accomplish, but...

Like I said, Peony doesn't really know how to take no for an answer.

Upon growing up, Peony ends up becoming a wandering spirit medium, traversing the galaxy in hopes of helping people come to terms with their unfinished business. She still makes sure to visit home often, though! For all of her pluckiness, she's still ultimately her mom and dad's baby girl deep down.

"Have you been taking proper care of your mechanics?" "Of course, Mom." "And you've been eating alright?" "Yes, Dad. Oh my Stars, you two, there's no need to fret... you can just say you're glad to see me. It's good to see you too."

...And there's no need to fear. Rest assured, she still has her babysitters compatriots. Something tells me their unfinished business won't ever truly be done with until they've finished looking out for her.

Because if Peony's strange life full of reopening once-thought-to-be-closed doors has made anything clear, it's that the more things change, the more they inevitably stay the same.

[umlewis]

Lewis Hamilton Wants To Make Music, But First He Wants To Make the World A Better Place

On the heels of a new Marriott Bonvoy partnership, the F1 star talks about creating memorable moments and finding inspiration in music

By our estimates, Lewis Hamilton has traveled more than 80,000 miles this year, both for his job as one of the premiere drivers in Formula 1 and for leisure, as a perpetual tourist who’s always looking for his next adventure. And that’s not counting the 60-plus laps he drives on the track each race day, either. It’s no surprise, then, that Hamilton craves a little bit of stillness when he finds himself alone, and for as long as he can remember Hamilton has found his solace in music. "Music is the biggest part of my life," Hamilton says. "It's the most important thing that keeps me sane." For the F1 champ, making music has become a necessary outlet, a personal space to create that's all his own. It's been nice, he explains, "In a sport where you don't feel like you could fit in, where you know you're different but you can't really talk too much and there's no way to express yourself other than in a car, to then have music and be able to put my feelings out into something." The F1 star spoke to Rolling Stone during the recent Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where he partnered with Marriott Bonvoy to offer Bonvoy members an exclusive meet-and-greet in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team area.

"We are traveling to 24 different places around the world [each year] and I think one of the most difficult things when you are traveling is often missing your home bed," Hamilton says. "I've traveled to cities and been booked at a hotel, walked straight into my room and left," he continues, "so to find the right comfort has been a discovery process." Marriott, the driver says, has "been so accommodating in all these different places that I've been to." Part of that has been finding a menu that caters to the famous vegan's plant-based diet. "Marriott is really, really accommodating. They find things to make you," Hamilton says. Another has been finding space for the driver to make music while on the road. "I carry one suitcase that has my music equipment," Hamilton reveals, "so every time I get to a hotel, I always set up my mic." Hamilton's musical aspirations started at an early age. His father played in a reggae band, which inspired him to pick up a guitar at thirteen. He bought a turntable when he was sixteen, eventually filling in for local DJs at London nightclubs when he was old enough to go out. He wrote his first song, an R&B track called Never Again, when he was 21. After that, "I was hooked."

Lately, Hamilton has been going through waves of inspiration for the type of music he wants to make. He quietly dropped a track with Christina Aguilera for her 2018 album Liberation (under the artist name XNDA), and he name drops everyone from Wizkid to Coldplay and Billie Eilish when asked about favorite artists. Over the last year he's been listening to"“a lot of afro beats," and he enthusiastically nominates Megan Thee Stallion's Mamushi for 2024 "Song of the Summer" honors. "It's sick, I love that song. That's probably the coolest track out there right now," he gushes. When it comes to his own music though, Hamilton admits he's still unsure of what he wants to make - and what he wants to say. "I go through these phases where I'm doing a lot, I'm writing a lot and I'm recording a lot, and really feeling inspired," he says, "and then I go through these periods where I just stop doing it. I do it less and less and less, and then I stop setting my mic up." For someone who's known for his daring overtakes and hairpin turns on the track, does the thought of releasing music scare him? The soft-spoken star demures when asked about his musical endeavors, revealing that he has "no plans on ever giving [the songs] to anybody," at least for now. "I never got into music, to put the music up," he says.

Further complicating things, at least from this perspective, has been Hamilton's incredibly close relationship with his fans. Few drivers are as well-liked as the Brit, and few athletes have given back to their sport the way Hamilton has, whether it's signing autographs at the airport, making frequent public appearances, or doing intimate meet-and-greets with Marriott Bonvoy. He's almost always taking time out for fans at every race weekend, and yet there's a prevailing feeling of resignation when Hamilton talks about the fandom, almost as if he's expecting himself to do more, to say more, to sign more, even if it hasn't been asked of him. "From a driver's perspective, for an individual or group of people to decide to support you out of only twenty [drivers]? It's a real privilege," he says, "and you feel like you're on a journey with those people that you connect with. So when you lose, you lose together, and when you win, you win together." Hamilton tells a story about one of his favorite fan interactions, which isn't really a single instance, but rather a collective memory. "Most fans are so kind to go out of their way. They've either written me a letter, or they're people making bracelets, or people that bring me gifts," he says. "I've got this one really sweet lady, for example, that's traveled to quite a few of the European races, and she keeps turning up and giving me books of poems, and there'll be a book on history, and she would have gone through and put tabs on all the important parts of the book. People are so, so sweet," he continues, "and you feel really bad, because everywhere you go it's like they give, give, give, and you don't. I don't carry around gifts with me, and often I've just come from the airport. So you feel like when someone gives you something, you're supposed to try and give something back, and it always feels like you've not done enough."

Of course, even fairweather fans will tell you Hamilton has done a lot for the sport, breaking barriers as the first-and only-black F1 driver to date, while ushering in a new generation of global superstars, with buzzed-about partnerships with Tommy Hilfiger, Dior, and, yes, Marriott Bonvoy too. Releasing music would elevate him into an even greater stratosphere of stars, and perhaps finally provide him with something tangible to "give back." But Hamilton is also a consummate perfectionist. In his sport races are often decided by mere thousandths of a second, and one tiny error could have your car crashing out. In the same way, he wants to make sure any music he releases can stand on its own, recalling how excited he was when he played his Aguilera duet for friends and they thought it was some "young artist" that had just come out. The whole world knows what Hamilton can do when it comes to F1. If he's going to enter the music industry he wants to be taken just as seriously, to give himself a similar chance to make it to the top. There's still work to be done, Hamilton explains; new sounds to explore, new beats to create, new thoughts to take from pen to tune. So for now, Hamilton is just making music for himself. Maybe he's not ready to release his music to the world just yet, but Hamilton is determined to use his metaphorical microphone to inspire others. As he approaches two decades in the sport, has he started to think about his legacy? "I find legacy talk really awkward, because I don't wake up every day and think of a legacy that I want to leave," he says. "I'm not working towards a legacy. I work towards, ultimately, trying to be the best version of myself, in the hope that the decisions I make, the things I say and the things that I do hopefully have a positive impact on people." I think about what I am going to do with this platform or this microphone that I have, and what I can actually do with the little time that we have on this planet," he continues. And then, he says, "What can I do to leave the world a better place than when I started? I would imagine for all the good people in the world, it's probably what they want to do also, right? That's what I'm thinking about every day."

[ceapa-mica]

The First Date 💌 - a Thrawn headcanon

I got so many views for my NSFW alphabet, I couldn't keep myself from writing another Thrawn headcanon! 🤗

This one is SFW, there's no mention of Reader's gender.

When Thrawn tells you he would like to get to know you better and asks if you want to spend the evening with him you agree without having to think twice.

Later you find a box on your bed containing a beautiful dress. Somehow it's exactly the right size and in your favorite color. You never told Thrawn either and are not sure how he could have known.

There are two places where a date with Thrawn could take place. One being his quarters on the Chimera and the other a not very well known city on a backwater planet.

Let's start with the scenario on the Chimera.

Your dress turns some heads on your way to Thrawns quarters. It's not regulation after all and the entire 7th fleet will gossip by the time your date is over.

Thrawn wants his private life to remain private. Unfortunately for you, that means lots of secrecy. He won't share words of love and affection in public, no physical touch beyond what is considered ‘professional’ either. You keep a strictly professional relationship during working hours.

Tbh either way, your relationship will be the biggest open secret aboard.

Thrawn assumed the dress would suit you well, but when he sees you wearing it in the flesh his heart skips a beat.

He ordered the good food, none of this mess hall mush, and a large portion too! It's the best food you've eaten since you joined the Imperial Navy. Along with that a bottle of fine Alderaanian wine he kept for special occassions - the expensive one!

Thrawn is suave af, and sincerely interested in you. When he said he wanted to get to know you better he meant it.

You are the first human he ever dated. It's a new experience for him and it fascinates him how different it is from dating a Chiss. Humans are just so much more expressive with their emotions. While this could be seen as a weakness by others of his kind, he admires it. He admires you.

You tell him about your life away from duty. Your family, your hobbies, your dreams and aspirations.

When, in return, you ask him about his life he starts talking about art. His favorite artists, art of cultures he admires etc. You're a little bit disappointed he leaves questions about his family and general heritage unanswered and skillfully turns the conversation back to your interests or his interest in art and warfare.

This is your first date, what did you expect? Thrawn has a mysterious aura for a reason. For him to tell you about his home you need to establish a relationship first.

It was a pleasant evening. He insists on taking you back to your quarters.

When you arrive at your door and make sure it's just the two of you, he leans in for a sweet kiss.

His lips are softer than you imagined. He tastes like the dinner you just ate and like something that's so distinctively him.

Being so close to him, you notice for the first time that under the scent of standard issue Imperial soap™ and aftershave lies his very own musky scent. He smells different from humans, somehow crisp like a winter breeze.

That moment of closeness passed too quickly for your liking. You wish each other a good night and he leaves you alone in your quarters.

Let's say you won't be able to sleep for a while, his kiss being the only thing on your mind for the rest of the night and the days after.

Now let's look at the other option - going out with Thrawn - a date away from the Chimera.

You meet at a small shuttle at the Chimera’s hangar. You notice it's the first time you see him unaccompanied by his death troopers outside his office.

You blink in astonishment at his attire. Instead of his pristine white Imperial uniform he wears a black civilian suit without the chest candy indicating his rank.

He refuses to tell you where he wants to take you. It's a surprise, but a welcome one.

The city he visits with you is only a short hyperspace travel away. The planet is relatively unknown, but it's rich with culture.

Before you leave the shuttle he takes out a pair of green shaded sunglasses. It takes everything in you not to laugh at his appearance.

He explains that he wears it for safety reasons. Leaving the safety of his fleet puts a target on his back, and being seen in public with you puts one on your back as well.

He takes you to a picturesque part of town to a small restaurant where you sit in a dimly lit corner.

You chat about basically everything I have already named above.

The food served in the restaurant is exotic, unlike anything you've ever tried before. You and Thrawn choose anything that sounds delicious from the menu. The food is better than anything the kitchen droids on the Chimera could ever cook.

Thrawn tells you he heard of this place’s excellent cuisine last time he visited the planet incognito to attend an art exhibition.

Slow jizz music plays in the background and it feels like time has stopped completely, at this moment it's just the two of you, you've only got eyes for each other. (He took off his shades since the corner where you eat is quite secluded) Thrawn feels the same and it intrigues him.

You're a little tipsy from the wine by the time you leave the restaurant. The date night is far from over though.

He takes you to a historic building that houses an art gallery.

It's the middle of the night, but Thrawn notified the owner, who he knows due to his past visits, and they let you in. You have the entire gallery for yourself with no prying eyes.

He explains different art styles and points out details you wouldn't have noticed without him.

You eventually come across a painting by an artist you've never heard of. You love the style, the image itself and how the colors compliment each other. It speaks to you in a way you can't explain.

Of course Thrawn knows all about said painting and answers all your questions.

You wonder why he has become a Grand Admiral and not an art critic.

You tell him how much you appreciate spending time with him. For once not occupied with destroying rebel cells, you get a glimpse of the man behind the stoic facade.

Your words mean so much to him. There's a romantic tension in the air, so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Once the chance presents itself, he pulls you into a dark corner behind one of the large curtains, your faces are close, his gaze wanders from your lips to your eyes for consent.

As soon as you nod, his warm soft lips are on yours, the kiss gentle, but it quickly turns passionate as he deepens it, his tongue begging for entrance.

His hands start roaming your body. It feels like he's everywhere all at once, his unique scent surrounding you and his taste on your tongue. He's respectful though, keeping his hands away from intimate areas. It's your first date and you're still in public, remember?

During your little makeout session you lose your sense of time.

Tbh you wish this moment would never end.

Once you separate for air, he caresses your cheek. For a fleeting moment there is a softness in his scarlet eyes you've never seen before.

From that moment on he calls you 'ch’eo ch’acah' when you're alone with him. You don't know what it means at first. One day he will tell you, and it might be just the first of many Cheunh phrases you will learn from him. (it means 'my darling/beloved')

The evening went by way too fast for your liking. You both agree though that you enjoyed yourselves and want to go on another date in the future.

You return to the Chimera and he drops you off at your quarters before heading to his own.

You don't know where this blossoming relationship is going, but it definitely feels right.

Please keep in mind that Thrawn keeps your relationship secret to keep you safe from harm. Only at the point where your relationship is serious enough (like engagement) will he admit to it to others.

One more thing: A few days after your first date in the city you receive a package. It contains an exact replica of the painting you liked so much. It comes without a note, but you don't need one to know that your feelings for the Grand Admiral are in no way unrequited.

Let's visit a Thrawn relationship headcanon next time! This was only the first date.

Feel free to add to this headcanon! ❤️

[nobodyimportant41]

Bo Burnham's legacy challenge

(God, wth im writing)

Ehm- yeah...i was looking inspo for another legacy challenge on my spotify when i realized that i basically only hear Argentinan or Uruguayan music...and i'm pretty sure that here not many people known them- So i decided to go for Bo's songs!

And yeah, if you for some reason think about it, it was also inspired by "Perspective of god" ("you're not my children, you're a bad game of sims")

WARNING:

If you heard Bo's songs, you will know that there are some "spicy" or not kid friendly topics, so, if you're under 18 or sensitive, you may not read this one.

General rules:

Heirs don't have to ressemble their song with their name, but you can do it if you want

No cheats unless it for storytelling purposes

You can play in any lifespan, but i recommend playing it in normal

The order of the generations is for storytelling purposes, not their release order

If you don't have a certain pack, you can change some goals for the most similar

Packs:

Ep: Be famous (gen 1,2,7 and 8), Highschool years (gen 2), Cats and dogs (gen 6), City living (gen 7 and 10/2), Get together (gen 7), Snowy escape (gen 10/1)

Gp:Parenthood (gen 3)

Sp: Movie night stuff (gen 8), paranormal (gen 5)

Gen 1; Repeat stuff:

Story:You were always good looking,so, you grew up without problems since everything was made from others for you! But, as an adult you realize that because you didn't did anything, you don't KNOW anything... so you decide to go for a singer way! The only thing that matters is that your hot, right?

Traits:

Self centred

Lazy

Music lover

Goals:

Complete the musical genius aspiration

Max the entertainment career (musician branch)

Max the piano and singing skills

Leave someone at the altar

Record at least 5 romantic songs

Woohoo with the grim reaper at least once

Gen 2; white woman's instagram:

Story: Being the kid of one of the most famous singers in the simnation, OF COURSE that you wanted to follow that path of having a "perfect life!" After all, the only hard part will be convince your spouse to take some selfies with you...

Traits:

Self centred

Mean

High mantience

Goals:

Complete the world famous celebrity aspiration

Become a simfluencer

Max the photography and charisma skills

Marry someone you hate

Use social media at least once a day

Gen 3; 1985:

Story:Your parents didn't loved eachother, but your parent's (gen 2) followers thought the exact opposite. Thats why you always preferred your other parent since they were a lot more honest; maybe too much..

As a young adult, your biggest dream is having kids and mostly, educate them!

Traits:

Family oriented

Perfeccionist

Neat

Goals:

Complete the super parent aspiration

Max the parenting and cooking skill

Be a stay at home parent

Have at least 3 kids and became friends with all of them

Only use the strict options to disipline your kids

Gen 4; Lower your expectations:

Story: Your parent always told you that you weren't able to date until they passed away which were very tragic news for you; How are you getting married with that?! At least when you were a kid, you had to only conform with writing romance books... but as a rebelious teen, you thought of dating your crush, it was only a little secret that will never be revealed, right?...

Traits:

Romantic

Creative

High maintenance

Goals:

Complete the soulmate aspiration

Max the charisma and writing skills

Work as a freelance writer

Have at least 5 partners, but break up with all of them, since they aren't perfect like you would like

Get married and see your first spouse die

Marry your soulmate as an elder

Gen 5;K!ll yours3lf:

Story: Your parent always told you about how "bad" their partners were, so you started thinking that people were cruel by nature (except for you, or at least that was what you said) so you started reading about occults and you REALLY liked it! You even decided that, for when you were an adult, you will EVEN interact with people! Not because you liked them, but because you wanted to ghosthunt in people's houses!

Traits:

Loner

Mean

Erratic

Goals:

Complete the master of mischief aspiration

Max the paranormal and mischief skills

Work as a paranormal investigator

Live your whole life in a haunted house

Your only friend AND spouse must be a ghost

Live as a ghost after passing away

Gen 6; Poems:

Story: Since you were a young kid you knew your social life was quite dead since you were born because, well...one of your parents is a ghost and the other one is a freak who LOVES ghost... yeah..you knew that having friends was way too hard so you didn't even tried it; all you needed was a dog and a computer to write your... VERY original poems...

Traits:

Socially akward

Dog lover

Slob

Goals:

Complete the best seller author aspiration

Max the writing and pet training skills

Max the writer career (any branch)

When you unlock the option, ONLY write poems

Have at least two dogs

Gen 7; Welcome to the internet:

Story: You knew that you were considered a weird one, but, unlike your parent, you REALLY WANTED to be famous, so you decided that, as soon as you were able to, create a simtube account and upload your FANTASTIC vlogs about your amazing life and someday, show your classmates that you were an spectacular and perfect sim!

Traits:

Self centred

Outgoing

Goofball

Goals:

Complete the leader of the pack aspiration

Max the tech guru career (Esports player branch)

Max the video making and charisma skills

Have a celebrity club

Become at least a three stars celebrity

When you moved out of your house, never talk with your parent/s never again

Gen 8; Microwave popcorn:

Story: When you were a kid, you spend most of your time watching movies with popcorn in your hands. You couldn't help it but love it! After all, cooking and mostly acting were two thing that you loved!

As an adult, you could finally enter the acting career! It was thanks to your parents fame.. but you still wanted to become the next Judith Ward!

Traits:

Glutton

Ambicious

Slob

Goals:

Complete the master actor/actress aspiration

Max the acting career

Max the singing and acting skills

Gain the junk food lifestyle

Win at least three awards for your job

Gen 9; Whats funny:

(This is quite inspired by the pink gen of the Not so Berry challenge, so this gen is not 100% original!)

Story: You grew up in a quite conservative household, so you wanted to get married to a nice person and have beautiful children; you didn't cared about your job, you could work in a simple 9-5 office work to maintain them! Except, EVERYTHING went wrong, you ended up fighting everyday with your spouse, your kids were ungrateful and only cared about their partners and you didn't even cared anymore for your job, maybe you could try pursue your dream?

Traits:

Family oriented

Perfeccionist

Goofball

Goals:

Complete the jokestar aspiration

Work in the bussiness career but quit it after having your midlife crisis and then max the entertainment career (comedian branch)

Max the comedy skill

Get married and have twins

Max your relationship both of your kids

Gen 10; Left brain, Right brain:

Ok, to make this challenge more "special" i decided to do something quite weird; there are two "branches" of the last gen, in other words; you can choose if you want to play with the left brain or the right brain! (Or both, if you hate yourself)

Gen 10/1; Left brain:

Story: You always thought that your twin was quite a dumb one; they just wanted to play and watch hot people on tv all day! You wanted to be one in life, but there was so many things you wanted to do...but you will fight to have a family and a great job! You decided to move to Mt. Komorebi for your job; a salary person! Since you will LOVE to become a CEO! and also karaoke nights...

Traits:

Perfeccionist

Materialist

Genius

Goals:

Complete the fabulously wealthy aspiration

Max the salary person career

Max the singing and logic skills

Have at least one kid with all the positive character values

Marry someone in the following careers: Salary person, politician or business career

Gen 10/2;Right brain:

Story: You always thought that your twin was super cool! You didn't share much with them, but you admire how smart they were and mostly, they knew what they wanted while you...ehm...you only knew you wanted to become everybody's friend, but you didn't even know what you were going to work as...but you will figure it out!

Traits:

Childish

Romantic

Art lover

Goals:

Complete the city native aspiration

Work selling your paintings at home until becoming an adult and max the painter career (any branch)

Max the painting and charisma skills

Have max relationship with at least 5 persons (excluding your family) and become best friends with your twin

Have twins...twice

[hyeahgaku]

JUMP GIGA Winter 2023 Special Interview with Yūto Suzuki-sensei!!

First JUMP GIGA 2023 cover to commemorate SAKAMOTO DAYS reaching its 100th chapter milestone since its serialization!!

In-depth discussion with Suzuki-sensei about his life and work, so on and so forth!!

Please tell us the things that you paid particular attention to when drawing the cover illustration of this GIGA issue.

Suzuki-sensei: The chosen pose is stationary, but I also wanted it to look intricate so I made the silhouette not too thin! I wanted to draw attention to his eyes, so I placed the gun next to his face and chose a strong colour (to create contrast)! I drew the texture more firmly than usual to give off a more powerful effect! I wanted to highlight his skin complexion so I deliberately chose cold colours for his shirt, hair, etc. but later I thought it looked a bit dull so I added the red light for the barcode scanner as an accent colour.

—

A must-see exclusive interview for readers of SAKAMOTO DAYS, and aspiring manga artists!

Suzuki-sensei Profile

Birthday: July 6

Hobbies: Basketball

Special skill: Handicraft

Favourite manga: Hunter x Hunter (Note: This is additional, known info from the one-shot.)

First debuted in April 2019: Published Garaku (骸区) on Jump Plus.

September 2019: Published Locker Room (ロッカールーム) on Jump Plus. In November of the following year, it received a live-action drama.

December 2019: SAKAMOTO •坂本• (SAKAMOTO -サカモト-) was published on Jump GIGA 2020 Winter. (Note: FYI, this was kinda a prototype of SAKAMOTO DAYS.)

SAKAMOTO DAYS serialization commenced in Weekly Shonen Jump 2020, Issue No. 51. It has become a popular serialization today!!!

Suzuki-sensei, you were once featured in GIGA. Please tell us if you have any memories from that time.

Suzuki-sensei: There was that one time when I tried using Clip Studio Paint, I realized that there were many missing tones when I pasted the image. [Turns out that] I did not display the tone area. I remember the person-in-charge told me, “Full analog is better.”

—

Top Column: Suzuki-sensei published SAKAMOTO•坂本• (above photos) in Jump GIGA 2020 Winter after being published in Jump+ twice!! The main character Sakamoto, his family, Shin and other characters have appeared in the series since then. The concept of the story is the same as the serialization version, but there are several differences such as Sakamoto being a supermarket store clerk, and he [and Shin] even killed robbers, so it’s interesting to see the difference!!

*Shin’s comment: This version of Sakamoto-san is so cool~*

Please tell us what’s the biggest growth or change you’ve experienced between when you were drawing one-shots and now.

Suzuki-sensei: When I was drawing one-shots, my stance was that I would just draw whatever I thought was interesting, so the readers could see what I wanted them to see. But now, I always think about how I could entertain the readers, and how I could make everyone find [the story] interesting. As for [my] growth, I’ve been able to use Clip Studio Paint much better now.

Do you have any advice for the new and upcoming aspiring manga artists on how to create a good one-shot?

Suzuki-sensei: I think that “attention-grabbing” and “page-turning” are key elements in a one-shot! It is important to have this thought in mind while you’re drawing - “This one’s interesting!” - and whether you can really draw that or not. It’s also very important that the reader is able to get on board with the story just because it interests them. Readers will tend to notice if you are focused only on making everything nice and neat or if you’re just summarizing things up. After all, these elements are intended to reduce the “stress of reading.” It might sound weird to make [your story] more exciting just for the sake of attracting people to read, but I think that is one good tactic for competing in a one-shot contest!

*On the next page, we will learn more about Suzuki-sensei!*

Top Column: You can tell from reading Suzuki-sensei’s debut work Garaku, that he’s a mangaka who loves manga and movies! The carefully-drawn backgrounds and elaborate camera work are one of Suzuki-sensei’s strong points!

Please tell us how you became interested in drawing manga and how you chose to pursue this career.

Suzuki-sensei: I was worried about my future career path when I was graduating from my graduate school. But then I came across Katsuhiro Ōtomo-sensei’s manga, Dōmu, which helped develop my interest to become a manga artist.

Are there any other creators or works that you feel have influenced you as a writer?

Suzuki-sensei: I really like the manga written by Katsuhiro Ōtomo-sensei, Takehiko Inoue-sensei and Hiroya Oku-sensei. As for movies, I love the director Christopher Nolan.

I heard that you studied Japanese painting. Does the knowledge you acquired turn out to be of use when drawing your manga?

Suzuki-sensei: I think that it is mainly useful when it comes to composition and form. Japanese painting focuses on the concept of creating a beautiful arrangement of shapes within beautiful compositions, and I always keep that in mind with my work. In the near future, I wish to draw more Japanese-style illustrations.

Please tell us about your manga work process and the tools you use.

Suzuki-sensei: I use an analog pen for drawing the characters. The solid colours, sound effects, effect lines, and backgrounds are digitally drawn by my assistants. I use a Zebra hard G Pen for pen work and inking, and also a digital software, Clip Studio Paint!

Bottom Column: The Ferris wheel scene [Sakamoto vs Boiled], which ranked 3rd in the “Spread Campaign” poll, and the coloured single-page illustrations also portray the balance of the margins, cool silhouettes and compositions!

—

Top Column: The world of SAKAMOTO DAYS features characters with many gaps! From the strongest old man, Takamura, to the handsome but merciless Nagumo… The intense gaps are important to highlight the character’s individuality!

(T/n: “Gap” -also known as gap moe- refers to the contrast between one’s appearance and personality, or the difference between someone's actual personality and from first impression you had of them.)

How did you come up with the idea of a “retired assassin”?

Suzuki-sensei: First of all, I thought the idea of fat people being insanely strong is fascinating. So I asked myself, why are they fat? → Because they retired. Why? → Perhaps they got married or something? And that’s how I ended up making it.

Retired Sakamoto’s plump figure is cute, but it is an unusual character design for the protagonist of a shōnen manga. Please tell us the story behind this “fat assassin.”

Suzuki-sensei: I like characters with strong gaps, so I combined some elements from the two extreme opposites, such as the strongest old man and the strongest fat guy. And the result is that I found it more exciting to draw the strongest fat guy. Back then, I wanted to do a one-shot anyway, so I was focused on the story to make an impact. I truly never expected for it to get a serialization. I never modeled my character after anyone but later on when I learned about the movie “Enter the Fat Dragon”, I thought to myself that they are rather similar.

In SAKAMOTO DAYS, there seems to be many unique action ideas, such as Sakamoto repelled with a cough drop and fights inside the trains. How do you come up with such ideas?

Suzuki-sensei: Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always dreamed of absurd action [sequences]. Even in movies, one could wonder how they'd never think about doing this kind of action sequence or direction, and they may even ask themselves, “Do battles even occur in a situation like that?!” I like the kind of direction which would take the audience by surprise!

Bottom Column: One of the major attractions of this work is the depiction of powerful battles! It’s because the locations are familiar to the readers, and the battles are realistic and powerful beyond one’s imagination. It’s important to narrow down the situation in order to bring out the intensity of the battles!

—

Many attractive side characters appear in your series, such as Shin and Lu. How did you come up with such characters?

Suzuki-sensei: Sakamoto is fat and a man of little words, so I figured he needed a handsome sidekick. During a conversation between the two of them, there was this stuff, “killing in [your] imagination.” I wished to portray that and that’s the reason why I made Shin a clairvoyant. He gets along well with the quiet Sakamoto and they surprisingly made a good team. As for Lu, I initially wanted to draw a battle with a Chinese assassin, and in the course of that, she would show up as a pitiable heroine. [I guess] in my case, I often have a “I want to draw this kind of development!” or “This is how I want the story to unfold!” goal in mind, so the characters are born in the process due to that.

*Lu’s comment: So that’s how I was born, huh~*

Among the characters in your work, is there any character that is particularly easy or the most difficult to draw?

Suzuki-sensei: I don’t have many characters that I find difficult to draw but there are times where they do look alike. So I tend to be careful with that. Gaku is a character that I can draw easily among all the characters. He is someone who doesn’t depend on others and pushes forward on his own path, and I admire people like that, so I enjoy drawing him.

*Gaku’s comment: Ahhh, I see.*

Please tell us your favourite scene from Volume 1 of the manga.

Suzuki-sensei: I like the scene where Shin jumps off the roller coaster in Volume 1. I drew it in such a way so that the readers would be able feel the floating feeling during that scene whilst they're reading. When I drew that scene, I thought to myself that I might be good with drawing action scenes! I remember getting a positive feeling [from it].

Bottom Column: A scene that captures the moment Shin jumped off from the roller coaster �� from various camera [angles]! It is important to capture the cool moments in powerful action scenes, such as when Sakamoto tried to punch while disassembling a gun, or when Sakamoto approached the enemy from behind!!

—

Top Column: One of the charms of the work is that it will always make you laugh!! In order to make the reader want to meet the characters and experience their world, it is important to make the story “easy” to read! Despite being a world where assassins are rampant, it still seems like a fun world [to be in] and that’s the charm of this work!

Your one-shots Garaku and Locker Room both have a darker worldview, whereas your serialized SAKAMOTO DAYS is a shōnen manga with comedy and action elements. Is there a reason why you decided to go with this genre?

Suzuki-sensei: It’s easier to make a dark story if it’s a one-shot. But with serialization, I thought it might become potentially harder, so I decided to make the most stress-free manga that I could draw and read, and that’s how this kind of setting came about.

Do you already have the ending of the story in mind, or have you not decided it yet?

Suzuki-sensei: Yes, I have already planned a definite conclusion in mind.

Finally, SAKAMOTO DAYS has reached its 100th chapter. Could you give a final message to our readers who are reading the story?

Suzuki-sensei: The series is only able to continue into a serialization all thanks to the readers! I cannot thank you enough. Thank you very much! I’m also very happy with the fan letters that I’ve received. Please keep sending them. Please continue to support SAKAMOTO DAYS!

*Sakamoto’s comment: Thanks for reading this far. I appreciate it.*

*Over 2.3 million copies sold!! Volumes 1 to 9 are on sale now!!*

fin.

[paintedscales]

010. Malqir

Stopped on their way back to the Sagahl Iloh thanks to the enthusiasm of Bayarmaa and Barghujin both, Nomin is introduced to the tribe and customs of the Malqir. During her time there, she gets to see a lot of what the Malqir practice with great importance to their tribe. The game is fascinating, sure! But then there are some other aspects that arise that give Nomin pause. From there, a needed pep talk is given.

Word Count: 4,496

Steppe by Steppe Chapter List

It was only a day’s travel from the Sagahl Iloh when the van made its next stop due to making good time in their travel. The idea was less of Esenaij’s, and more of both Bayarmaa and Barghujin’s -- both who seemed excitable enough. What inspired the idea of stopping was the fact that there was a new site that had been erected in the time that they had been away till now. The colors that the ger and members bore made Nomin think of the Oronir momentarily before she realized the shade of yellow seemed darker -- leaning more toward an earthy orange.

More striking about the site, however, were the array of decorations that made up the site of the iloh they took a pause at. Khiimori flags were strung up -- something that Nomin thought were only reserved for things like burials or proving grounds like Bardam's Mettle.

“What tribe is that one?” Nomin asked, leaning over the railing of the wain, arms draped over the side as she looked over. The smells as they neared the iloh were delicious, and Nomin’s mouth watered almost painfully as she took in the scents. Whatever tribe it was, they must have been cooking up a veritable storm if the smells were so apparent even a good several yalms away still.

“That’s the Malqir,” Keuken replied. He pointed out the bonfire and the members who danced around it. “It’s not really our place, though if this is the place the Malqir have chosen for their new site, then they should be preparing for their annual kharaqiq tournaments. Certainly smells like it.”

Nomin’s face scrunched in confusion, and she straightened up. She looked over in Keuken’s direction. “What’s ‘kharaqiq’?”

“It’s kind of like shatar. Have you ever played that one?” Bayarmaa asked, hopping off the wain.

“Only the adults in the Tumet really ever played,” Nomin replied, thinking back on what she remembered of shatar. The rules were a bit too complex for her at the time, but she remembered liking the pieces and how they were carved in the shapes of khans or animals, painted in glossy black or white.

“Well, it’s kind of like that, except that the board is separated into three rings, biggest to smallest moving inward. The goal of the game is to capture all three territories -- the rings -- or if you can’t do that before the time is up, capture at least two,” Bayarmaa explained. “The game is a little above my level of understanding, but it's definitely the festival that we should at least see if we can partake in!”

“You know we have nothing to offer, right?” Esenaij asked, a sense of exasperation strained within his voice. “You certainly can't expect us to be able to walk right in with nothing we can give.”

“I bet life would be a lot easier for you if you weren't always stifled by your trader's brain!” Bayarmaa huffed, balling her hands into fists and placing them on her hips as she looked up at Esenaij. She puffed out her cheeks, and Esenaij only looked down at Bayarmaa with a look of mild annoyance as her tail flicked with irritation behind her.

“It would do you good to learn to have something to exchange just in case you can’t always rely on the good will of others,” Esenaij shot back.

Barghujin leaned on the outside of the wain next to Nomin, a small smirk tugging at their lips. They whispered to Nomin, “we should get started on our way over. The Malqir are usually pretty amicable toward spectators of their tournaments. Helps shake their nerves out, especially if they aspire to be chosen as khan or khatun. Besides, I bet Esenaij and Bayarmaa will keep up their squabbling until they see us leaving without them.”

The clear jest made Nomin giggle, and Barghujin grinned as they stood back up and held their hands out. Instead of hopping out of the back of the wain like usual, Nomin crawled over the side of the wain and leaped into Barghujin’s arms. With a swift and powerful swing, Barghujin brought Nomin to ride upon their shoulders as they started on their way toward the Malqir Iloh.

Briefly, Nomin and Barghujin were halted by some of the Malqir guardsmen. Much like their time with the Dotharl, they, as Sagahl, were permitted entry into the iloh grounds. Not long after them, Keuken and Daritai came along, and then both Bayarmaa and Esenaij. It was as Barghujin said when it came to the two of them: once they saw everyone else leaving without them, they were quick to wrap up their minor argument.

Looking at everything from her perch atop Barghujin’s shoulders made a smile spread wide across Nomin’s face as she gazed around at everything, and took in all the different things. The dancers around the bonfire, the musicians playing the morin khuur or engaging in khoomei to vocalize alongside the strings, the various smells of frying meats and bread, and most notably, the tables that were set up with neat rows of a checkerboard game divided into those aforementioned three rings, and even other tribe members that were enjoying visiting. Everything there was relatively new and exciting for Nomin.

“Do you have friends in the Malqir?” Nomin asked Barghujin, leaning forward and looking down at them. “It feels like the Sagahl have so many friends!”

Barghujin’s shoulders rumbled with gentle laughter, and they reaffirmed their hold on Nomin’s legs so she did not fall from them. “I have a couple. I don't know if they'll be participating in this year's kharaqiq tournament, though. None of them felt too particularly interested in claiming the title of leadership.”

“But they play?”

“Everyone in the Malqir is taught to play,” Barghujin started. “It's their way of life as a more pacifist tribe like us. They're great at things that involve planning ahead and strategic measures.”

“What we learn is also good for keeping track of our supplies and resources so that we know when to prepare or trade for more. When to hunt and gather to restock for the seasons as they come and go. Not to mention planning for proper migratory routes and avoiding unwanted trouble,” came a new voice. Barghujin turned with a grin while Nomin looked inquisitively in the new person's direction. She was just a little shorter than Barghujin, and her horns curved forward. Her deel draped loosely around her, and her hair was pulled back into braids.

“Sanchir!” Barghujin greeted her happily as they approached the Malqir tribesperson. “Long time no see! Missed you at the Naadam.”

“The current khan decided it best to keep moving through the time of the Naadam until we ended up here,” Sanchir said in response, a small shrug accompanying their words. Sanchir’s attention then went up to Nomin, who stared back at her inquisitively. “Though it seems to me you’ve been busy playing caretaker, Barghujin. Who is this little one? I daresay I don’t recognize this one from the Sagahl, though she bears your colors.”

Barghujin pat Nomin’s leg twice lightly and introduced her: “this is Nomin! She’s new to our tribe.”

Sanchir took a moment to consider this, a hand going to her chin. After a few seconds, her brow went up with the realization. She then looked up at Nomin with a small smile. “Ah…the timing seems right. A former child of the Tumet, then?”

Nomin nodded with a small ‘mhm…’ and her expression fell only slightly. She then re-composed herself and pointed in both Esenaij and Bayarmaa’s direction; “Esenaij and Bayarmaa are my new family! Esenaij brought me back from Reunion.”

“... Interesting…” Sanchir commented, her eyes flicking back and settling on the Sagahli siblings. She gave her attention back to Nomin. “Is this your first time getting to attend the Malqir's kharaqiq tournament? Outsiders aren't allowed to compete, of course, but you are allowed to at least watch and join in the festivities.”

Nodding, Nomin gave another ‘mhm’ in response to Sanchir. Barghujin then reached up and leaned down, getting Nomin settled back onto the ground. With her little tail wiggling inquisitively behind her, Nomin stayed close and looked around once more. She then looked at Sanchir and asked, “do you fry up boortsog for the festival?”

Daritai walked forward, placing his hand on Nomin’s head and ruffling her hair. He and Nomin had forged more of a friendship since he started teaching her how to hold and maintain a bow during their downtime. Since, he had become much more of an elder-sibling figure like Esenaij and Bayarmaa.

“Has food been the only thing on your mind since we’ve been here?” Daritai asked. It was not often that Nomin got to see him express amusement, but the smile that tugged at his lips was unmistakable. “Although, I guess we could use something to eat. Can't really sustain ourselves off of the desert's blessings and our dwindling rations alone.”

Approaching Nomin, Sanchir leaned down so that they were both at eye level. She smiled gently and then motioned toward the rest of the Iloh.

“I have a little brother that should be closer to the kharaqiq tables beyond the bonfire. He’s about your age, you might be able to find him and have him show you around if you’re interested,” Sanchir suggested. She then lowered her tone in a friendly manner, “he could also show you where the buffet is so you can sate your hunger.”

At that, Nomin’s tail flicked up.

The involuntary action did not go missed by Sanchir, either. She rose to her full height and drew her hands together as she gave a soft, amused chuckle.

“My little brother’s name is Arasen. He’s a good couple of ilms taller than you, and his eyes are striking. I don’t think you’ll be able to miss him. If you’re uncertain, his limbal rings glow brightly with a near-white color from yellow,” Sanchir explained. “Think you'd be up for finding him? Just tell him I asked you to find him.”

“Okay!” Nomin affirmed with a grin. She turned to start on her way as it seemed the Sagahl were wanting to catch up with Sanchir in some capacity. It was clear that they were well acquainted with one another, and as the Sagahl informed Sanchir of their travel out to the Dotharl Khaa to gift a boon for their win in the Naadam, Nomin found herself paying more attention to everything else. 

Wandering further away from the older Sagahl and Sanchir, Nomin ventured into where more of the festivities were taking place. Her inquisitive expression gave way into bright excitement as she explored. When she neared the dancers around the bonfire, Nomin noted the woven structures that surrounded it in multitudes. Sticks and dried reeds were woven together to create shapes akin to creatures of the Steppe; tigers, horses, camels…

It then struck Nomin that each of the structures were reminiscent of the shatar pieces she had seen prior during her time with the Tumet. The realization made Nomin consider briefly just how important this game was to their way of life.

… If only she had been born to a tribe that valued games and gameplay. Perhaps that would have been fun!

A dancer maneuvered around Nomin, a giggle heard as they passed. Nomin looked after them, brought back to the fact that there were people celebrating and having fun. She started walking again, her gait quick as she looked for this Arasen boy, or the mentioned buffet. Whichever came first.

Nomin was certainly more keen on following her nose rather than going toward the rows of tables set up with the circular game boards. She noted the people that sat at the tables, their knees or rears nestled upon the cushions. Everyone looked a mix of either focused, self-assured, or gleeful. The sight was almost akin to what Nomin recalled of the warriors in the Tumet before they prepared for battle…

The growl in her stomach reminded Nomin to return to following her nose. Picking up the pace, she eventually saw some groups of people shuffling around a canopy that covered members of the Malqir that stewed, grilled, steamed, and fried foods. That was the place Nomin soon found herself jogging toward. It seemed she had no need to seek out Arasen after all!

Meandering and weaving through people, Nomin eventually met her goal: the Malqir cooks who were frying things like khuushur and boortsog. Her tail wiggled excitedly and impatiently behind her as she ran forward to eagerly ask for some. In addition to her little plate of boortsog, Nomin was given a small bowl of urum, and a small bowl of jam. Happily, she thanked the Malqir who fried the treats up for her, and she returned to wandering until she could sit close to those who were entrenched in playing kharaqiq between one another at the boards that were set out.

Idly, Nomin munched on the fried bread bits, crumbs falling on her deel and into her plate. She watched how others were playing kharaqiq, hoping to glean some kind of understanding of the game from those closest to her. As time went on, and both her boortsog and pairings eventually disappeared, Nomin was no closer to understanding the game than when she was first told how the game kind of worked.

“Obsidian is set to capture ivory's territories in just two more moves there. So long as obsidian doesn't get blocked into the silver ring to standstill,” a boy spoke. His voice startled Nomin into flipping her empty plate and bowls onto the ground with a small clatter. She left her seat, gathering up the mess of dishes before she furrowed her brow at this boy.

He looked a little sheepish before he took in Nomin's appearance fully. He kind of gave a ‘hmph’ at her, his eyes flicking between her face and her horns. It seemed he took better notice of the discoloration on her scales.

Crinkling her nose with some annoyance, Nomin was about to take a seat back where she was before she noted his eyes. She had almost forgotten what Sanchir said, and this boy seemed to fit the description she was given earlier.

“Are you Arasen?” Nomin asked.

“Huh?” The boy was taken aback by the question as he looked at Nomin with surprise. His near-white limbal rings were that much more prominent as a result. “Yeah, that's me. But who in the hells are you? No one from the Sagahl I know, that's for sure.”

Nomin rolled her eyes at Arasen's tone. She knew it well enough from her time with the Tumet. The tone of someone who thought of themselves too good to have been in the presence of someone not as blessed by Nhaama. However, she introduced herself and explained that she and the Sagahl were passing through, saving the fact that Sanchir told her to seek him out later for last.

“... Well, it seems evident that you didn't really do that last part…” Arasen replied. He still had a bit of a tone to his voice that indicated displeasure, but it was less obvious.

“Sanchir said you could show me where the buffet was, but since I already found where all the food was being prepared, yeah… I guess I didn't really want to burden you with the responsibility of having to hang out with me if I found everything I wanted,” Nomin replied. She used words she was used to hearing from the Tumet when it came to her. Especially since the disposition felt similar.

Arasen bit his tongue, his lips twitching back in a deepened frown. “My sister will be upset if she doesn't find us together, I imagine. Clearly she trusts me to watch over you.”

Nomin pursed her lips out in an exaggerated pout.

“I'm not a little child,” Nomin protested.

“Little enough! Your horns and tail haven't even fully developed yet!” Arasen steeled his stance on the matter. It seemed to Nomin that he must have valued his sister’s trust enough to tolerate this interaction that clearly was not to his taste.

Nomin sighed, turning her attention back toward the closest kharaqiq players. She then pointed at them -- rather, their board. She hesitated, but then finally asked, “can you tell me about kharaqiq at least? Bayarmaa told me it was like shatar, but…where I'm from, only those with a name play such games.”

For a moment, Arasen's face twisted into confusion over the tail end of Nomin's words.

“... I'm not even going to ask what that means…” Arasen muttered before shifting his attention toward the kharaqiq board. He stifled a sigh and then explained the rings and what they represented. Gold, silver, copper -- sometimes they would instead be represented by polished stone, ivory, or wood of differing colors. “Each of the rings is a territory. You and your opponent start with your territories, and the pieces do kind of move just like shatar pieces with some minor differences. The point is to capture as many of your opponent’s pieces while also working to capture the open territory -- ring, in this case.”

Pointing at the sand timer next to the players, Arasen directed Nomin’s attention toward it.

“Players have a quarter of a bell to finish the game. At least in tournaments like these ones,” Arasen continued. “If you're aware of the pieces and how they move, then it's a battle of wit and endurance with opponents that are just as familiar. But, if you're inexperienced -- like you are -- you'd probably lose in five moves or less.”

Nomin huffed, not exactly appreciating the insinuation. Even if Arasen was most likely correct in his statement.

The more that Arasen explained the game, however, the more that his words fell on deaf horns. He seemed to grow evermore elated as he talked about movement of pieces and the importance of them. For Nomin, however, the longer he spoke, the more all that information muddied together. It was becoming too much to really remember, thus she started to tune him out.

Watching the players, however, Nomin got a little bit of the gist. Ultimately, she became simply taken with just watching them and seeing the game progress.

Black won by the time the timer ran out, their pieces occupying two of the rings. The player controlling the obsidian pieces smiled to themselves before offering a polite bow to their opponent. Surprisingly to Nomin, both players were incredibly amicable toward one another. She would not have been too happy in defeat, at least that was what she thought to herself.

“What an exciting game that was!”

Oh. Right. Arasen was still there.

Looking over, Nomin pursed her lips slightly.

“How long is this tournament going on today?” Nomin asked.

“The first half has already ended,” Arasen replied. “We're in the second half. What you saw there should have been the third or fourth game since. Over the next couple of bells, there's probably going to be another dozen or so games. Since this is day one, everyone interested gets to play, and moving on to tomorrow's games comes down to how many matches you win.”

“Hm…” Nomin took a moment to think. She then looked at the now empty seats at the kharaqiq board they had been watching. “So then the person who lost during the match we just watched still has an opportunity to advance to the next round?”

“That's correct,” Arasen confirmed. He then shifted into a standing position, placing his hands on his hips. “Tomorrow's rules also change, but only slightly. Instead of having a bunch of matches throughout the day, tomorrow, everyone is only going to have three matches that more quickly narrows down the numbers. Today is more about fun and seeing if you qualify.”

“That's…pretty neat, actually,” Nomin admitted. She thought more about the culture that centered around playing a particular type of game. She supposed it made sense that there would be opportunities to face everyone and even learn something new from the other members of the tribe. The knowledge also made the amicable exchange at the end of the game much more respectable.

“Do you want to try playing a game?”

The question caught Nomin off guard. Looking in Arasen's direction, Nomin’s face scrunched up with contemplation to the idea. Would it have even been fair to have played a game she clearly had no experience in against someone who already had the clear upper hand?

“I don't know…” Nomin finally said after a moment. “I feel like…I'd lose right away.”

“I can go easy on you.”

Nomin's frown creased. She then shook her head in response. “I think I'm fine watching other people play for now. Thanks, though.”

“Alright,” Arasen did not sound too dejected by the rejection. “It's not good of us to force a game if the prospective opponent doesn't want to play. So…if you don't want to play, there's nothing I can do about that.”

It was a surprisingly mature response from someone whose first impression of Nomin was that of disdain. At least as far as Nomin knew and recognized.

In short time, however, Arasen offered to lead Nomin back to the food canopies -- if only to return the dishes she was granted use of. When they got back, Nomin was more than willing to go ahead and try more foods before she and Arasen eventually met back up with the other members of the Sagahl, and Arasen's elder sister, Sanchir. Nomin’s mouth had run with a sheen from the meats she had been eating alongside some mantuu, and she quickly ran the back of her sleeve along the bottom of her face to remove any of it.

“Have fun?” Bayarmaa asked, as the two approached. She offered a small smile, assuming that Nomin had been able to make yet another friend.

“I think the game is neat to watch. Arasen explained the game to me,” Nomin replied as she jogged up to meet with Bayarmaa and the others proper. She noticed that they were largely eating bread with jam, and stewed vegetables.

“Oh? How did that go?” Bayarmaa sipped some of the broth in her bowl after she asked her question.

Nomin shrugged in response; she had no strong feelings one way or another. Plus…she did not actually catch everything Arasen actually said. So, with that in mind, she replied, “I think I kind of get how the pieces move and how you're supposed to get the pieces in the rings. But I don't think I could play kharaqiq and have fun…”

Sanchir lifted a hand to her mouth, a rather amused laugh falling from her lips as her tail flicked upward a couple times. Nomin felt her cheeks prickle and warm, a slightly fluster arising in her.

“My apologies… That just seems to be a common sentiment shared among others outside our tribe. At least…I've heard it more times than not,” Sanchir said, explaining herself. “Of course, to us the game doesn't seem so difficult. I also believe anyone could still learn it. That said, would you mind a kharaqiq board of your own to bring back with you? I can get you some instructions written so you can read how to play back with your tribe.”

Nomin hummed in thought, eyes flicking in both Bayarmaa and then Esenaij’s directions before her attention went back toward Sanchir. It was as if she were asking permission to accept such a gift.

“It would do us well to have something that could help teach Nomin some more logical thinking and planning,” Esenaij spoke up, taking a hearty bite of the gambir he had topped with stewed popotoes. Bayarmaa seemed to share this sentiment as she nodded in agreement.

“We would be awful teachers when it comes to your game, but if you're providing instructors, we'll be glad to go over them and learn together!” Bayarmaa seemed more elated by the idea of getting to learn kharaqiq for herself. Her tail swayed to and fro as she rocked from side to side.

Nomin glanced between Esenaij and Bayarmaa, a smile spreading over her face as her eyes sparkled with the thought of being able to play more games with them outside of uichuur or khorol. She then looked up at Sanchir, who seemed to have grown a sheepish expression at both Bayarmaa and Esenaij's responses. When Sanchir finally looked back toward Nomin, she smiled with a soft sigh.

“Well then…I invite you to enjoy the festivities for the rest of your duration,” Sanchir started in response. “I'll spend the eve getting you your own kharaqiq set and instructions to go with it.”

With a polite bow, Sanchir left for presumably her family’s ger, Arasen giving a quick bow and a small word of ‘goodbye’ before swiftly following along after her. When they were out of hearing distance, Bayarmaa then giggled and looked at Nomin.

“You've been making so many friends since we've been on our journey!” Bayarmaa pointed out. “What's this young boy like? I didn't get to meet him too well like getting to talk with Arik or Holuikhan.”

Nomin briefly looked in the direction that Sanchir and Arasen disappeared off in, and then looked back at Bayarmaa. Her expression faltered and went back to a more neutral, straight-faced look as she shrugged.

“I don't really know if I'd call Arasen a friend like I would the other two…” Nomin replied truthfully. This caused Bayarmaa’s own expression to fall slightly.

“Well…I suppose we can't be friends with everyone. He didn't say anything mean to you, did he?” Bayarmaa inquired.

Nomin shook her head. Then she shrugged as she considered their interactions in the brief time they spent with one another.

“... I didn't like the way he spoke to me.” Nomin stated her overall thought plainly and flatly. She then looked back at Bayarmaa and walked over to sit next on a bench close to her. “…I guess… Don't you ever notice when people talk to you like they don't actually like you?”

Bayarmaa sat down next to Nomin.

“I notice…” Bayarmaa’s expression turned a bit sad. Though, she sighed and brought a pleasant look back to her face. “But…a lot of the time, I remembered the friends that do like me, and I found comfort in that. Because not everyone is going to like you. I don't think we'd have as many fights on the Steppe, or rivalries if we all got along…”

Bayarmaa reached over and pet Nomin’s head affectionately.

“But…it's okay to feel hurt by this fact, too…” Bayarmaa went on to say. “Just do your best to pick yourself back up and move forward. I'll help you where I can if you want me to.”

A smile slowly appeared on Nomin’s lips and she leaned against Bayarmaa’s arm.

“... Thanks, Bayarmaa,” Nomin replied. “That makes me feel better already.”

[needlesscontrarian]

Just saw a TikTok about Rent and how poorly Joanne was treated as a character despite the fact that she was a lawyer at Legal Aid helping underprivileged defendants and I have THOUGHTS.

I think it's a mistake to view Rent with the assumption that you are supposed to be on board with the principal characters' antics right off the bat. I think at multiple points Jonathan Larson calls the audience to directly interrogate the moral posturing of every member of the friend group EXCEPT for Joanne.

Mark is called out repeatedly for being more interested in abstract artistic principles and furthering his own career than he is about the actual suffering of what he claims to be his community. It's extremely obvious that he (like Larson) is a guy from an upstate middle class family who is cosplaying poverty in the big city out of a sense of disaffection with society. I've heard arguments back and forth about whether or not Larson glamorizes the stereotype of the starving artist or merely portrays it as it was, but I think the numerous points at which Mark, a blatant self-insert character, is called out for his self-pitying bullshit shows more self-awareness than Larson is often given credit for nowadays.

As for the other characters? Roger is directly portrayed as using his disease and addiction as an excuse to self-sabotage both in his personal life and his artistic aspirations. Maureen uses her queer awakening as an excuse to treat the people in her life like shit. Collins talks a big game about being an anarchist, but when we are introduced to him the sole evidence we have for this is that he blew up some MIT equipment in a mostly symbolic act of protest. It isn't until the end of the play when he does some genuine direct action by hacking into an ATM to give his poor friends free money. Angel killed a fucking dog for money. The only one who comes away looking mostly okay is Mimi, and that's just because she's too busy occupying the role of World's Biggest Victim.

My point is not that these characters are all evil, rather that Larson is displaying how life on the edge of society is full of just as much needless unkindness as anywhere else.

And on the other end of that spectrum we have the people who are able to live somewhat comfortably within society. I think appreciating the character of Joanne requires viewing her not as a foil to Maureen, but to Benny. Benny was able to marry into wealth, and while you might be able to see his point about how a shiny new corporate building will breathe life into the downtown art scene, the audience also clearly understands that it's not worth forcefully evicting dozens of homeless people. Benny has been taken in by the system and adopted its logic.

Joanne is also the beneficiary of inherited wealth from, but she's not like Benny at all. She channels what privilege she has towards giving back to her community. She works within the system, but also against its injustices to help people in a very tangible way. Sure, she just wants to be a tourist to the world of hedonistic gay sex while living comfortably and respectably uptown in a nice apartment, but just because she's not committed to the artistic revolutionary lifestyle doesn't mean she's hurting anyone, and she's not above assisting with a little B&E for her friends.

So while it is a fair observation that Joanne isn't treated very well by people who frankly aren't good enough for her, I think that's more of a feature than a bug. Mark, Roger, Maureen, and Collins are people who have been hurt and are continuing to be hurt to the point that they've kind of lost the plot on what they believe in and why they're doing any of this shit. They're so deep in their bullshit that they reflexively disdain any representative of what they perceive to be the dominant system, even when it's a great person like Joanne. Joanne is a reminder that, yes, society is fucked, but there are plenty of good people living and thriving within it, and those people are not your enemy.

[leviiackrman]

OCS AS ART MOTIFS & SUPERNATURAL CREATURES;

I’ve been really slow in general recently so I’ve only just seen my beloveds tag me to use these 2 cute uquizes: art motifs & supernatural creatures, thank you @corvosattano @simonxriley @chuckhansen @jackiesarch @indorilnerevarine @marivenah + @roofgeese🤍

Tagging: @florbelles @sstewyhosseini @confidentandgood @risingsh0t @unholymilf @jacobseed @arklay @liurnia @denerims @jendoe @phillipsgraves @fenharel @shadowglens @nokstella @noonfaerie @malefiicarum @queennymeria @shellibisshe @brujah @benningsthing @kingsroad + @duffmckagans

THE MOON;

you're a lover, a dreamer. you gaze wistfully at the sky, seeing the infinite gorgeousness of the natural world and wishing it could translate to your real life. art reference: the starry night by vincent van gogh (because, of course, what other moon could i possibly include?)

KITSUNE;

You are a Kitsune! Magical, immortal, and absolutely adorable, a Kitsune is a legendary fox, originated in Japan, but inspired by Chinese folktales. Kitsunes are incredibly wise, but can be incredibly dangerous as well. They specialize in the art of illusion and imagination, and can be considered very creative, stunning creatures. I mean, who doesn't love foxes?

BLOOD IN RELIGIOUS DEPICTIONS;

you think in violence, but not necessarily antagonism or hatred. it is more just in the physicality, the vulnerability of it all. art reference: prometheus bound by peter paul rubens

WITCH;

You are a witch! With witchcraft and magic, witches have the ability to cast spells with power that cannot be humanely comprehended. The spells can be in any form, whether it's words, a formula, or even a ritual practice. Besides this, witches are always curious, always eager to learn something new, whether it's about themselves or about the universe. They may not be the biggest fan of crowds, or getting together with handfuls of people, but they are drawn mentally, emotionally, and spiritually towards animals and nature, and aspire to uncover the life hidden beneath it. Though, as much as they seem to be cautious of their peers, they will do whatever it takes to protect those they love and those they care about. And, dare I say, they are big risk-takers!

SNOWY TOWNS;

you have the ability to see the greatness in the mundane, and it's beautiful. you would just like to live your life, and love all its things. art reference: it snows oh it snows by grandma moses

FAIRY;

You are a fairy! Depending on the type, fairies come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Above all, they resemble the typical human physique. Fairies are beautiful, energetic, magical creatures. They have unlimited abilities, depending on the type they are. Some can make flowers bloom, others might be able to talk to animals and become friendly with them. To conclude, fairies will do whatever they can to make their peers happy. If you have a fairy friend, you're in luck! Don't take them for granted. But also remember to not be too oblivious! Some fairies can be tricksters!

A LONELY PERSON;

though you may be quiet, your heart is full of longing. you spend much of your time with your own mind, and that may very well be a beautiful thing. art reference: automat by edward hopper

VAMPIRE;

You are a vampire! Vampires are undead creatures that feed on the vital essence of the living. Since they can't really consume humane foods, they survive by feeding on the blood of human beings instead. Besides this, vampires are mysterious, elegant, intimidating creatures. They are usually quiet, concealed, and choose to isolate themselves when stranded with large groups of people... and like so, they enjoy staying indoors instead of exploring the outside world. However, as gloomy as they seem, vampires are loyal creatures that will do whatever it takes to protect those they love from either themselves or other supernatural creatures.

HANDS;

is your love language touch? i suppose it might not be, but i also suppose you might just like being held. you might see the art in human bodies. art reference: loneliness of night by kaye donachie

GOBLIN;

You are a goblin! Scattered across the most foreboding mountains and deep in the darkest mines, exist some of the most malicious, dangerous, and evil little creatures known to folklore, just waiting for an opportunity to steal your most precious belongings. Goblins aren't exactly what you would call a "human’s best friend." They each have their own powers, depending on the type they are, and their abilities are demonic, only meant to do harm instead of benefit. If you got this result, you're either really mean to people and don't realize it, or you're just super boring and weird. Or, maybe, you're a cool person after all and you just made a few mistakes on the quiz! No worries! :)

SNOWY TOWNS;

you have the ability to see the greatness in the mundane, and it's beautiful. you would just like to live your life, and love all its things. art reference: it snows oh it snows by grandma moses

BANSHEE;

You are a banshee! Banshees have been misunderstood as ghoulish, terrifying creatures for quite a while. However, this is a common misconception. Relating to parapsychology, banshees have the ability to cry out, or scream, when they sense the upcoming death of an individual. Banshees typically get their "gloomy" character due to past traumas regarding family deaths or life tragedies, which paints an untrusting first impression when it comes to meeting human beings or other supernatural creatures, even if the intention wasn't evil. Besides this, banshees are known to be helpful, protective creatures. They will always stay by your side when you need them, and will do whatever they can to help, even if it leads to trauma. Don't be afraid of them.

BLOOD IN RELIGIOUS DEPICTIONS;

you think in violence, but not necessarily antagonism or hatred. it is more just in the physicality, the vulnerability of it all. art reference: prometheus bound by peter paul rubens

SUCCUBUS;

You are a succubus! Smart, sexy, and potentially deadly. The cunning Succubus is a creature you don't want to joke around with. They are seductresses who simply enjoy toying with their peers... and are powerful, clever creatures full of beauty, charm, and confidence. They won't ever let anybody or anything get in their way. However, as good as that may seem... always remember to be careful around them. Here's a tip: don't make them angry.

[princess-xeon]

bimbo spiritualism, rediscovery, & new beginnings

dear listener,

i have no longer been afraid. i miracle happened recently. i met this beautiful girl and she has saved me. my girlfriend is very supportive of our bond for i was afraid to initiate it. but love is a beautiful vessel that shall not be contained. ever since she has entered my life i feel like a new human being. she has shifted my world and she always makes me learn more things about myself everyday. it's quite a life altering feeling. i have also rediscovered my femininity and reconnecting that to my spiritualism mindset. i thank saint Angelyne everyday for her ways of life. and for inspiring me in this new era of my life. she has always been a powerful woman who isn't afraid to flaunt her sexuality for the world to admire. i aspire to her way of being. she has also always believed in a higher power. a higher power of self. but most importantly she has never been afraid to do whatever the hell she wanted to do. she will always be punk at heart. and the way she views herself as an other worldy higher being, such a magical thing that i will always resonate with. id like to think that saint Angelyne as well as saint SOPHIE brought this woman into my life and there's no way that i will ever be able to repay them for that. besides my new lovie that is in my life, there's another person that i'd like to talk about. my best friend Emily. i can't thank them enough for all of the light that they've brought into my life. with my best friend Cam living millions of light years away from me, it's been a struggle to not have them physically in my life at all times. somehow Emily was able to fill that void that has been in my heart. once again, i can't thank them enough for all that they've done for me in this life. they have reminded me of all of the things that i have loved in the past such as Sleeping with Sirens, Good Mythical Morning, and Bob's Burgers. they're such a soulmate to me. we're literal long lost twins. i've been hanging out with them in their college dorm and it's been so magical. and their friend Deanna is so wonderful and cool as well i love seeing them and i especially love hanging out with her and Emily. a couple of days ago after Emily and i had a date at Cheesecake Factory we went back to their place to watch Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as well as Rick and Morty with Deanna. those little pockets of time that i always share with Emily give me the biggest boosts of serotonin. when im with them i never have to feel obligated to hide any part of my self. and that's how it should be. thank you Emily for being here for me. besides the beautiful relationships that have blossomed this year, ive been loving school! although i was nervous about the in person portion, i literally had nothing to stress over. i love to overthink to the point of vomiting over my anxiousness but of course it never makes any situation better. aside that i love my instructors and my classmates everyone is so kind and we all love and celebrate our differences. and im so thankful for that. oh another thing i should mention! i have a new favorite movie that ive been fixating over! it's called Nowhere (1997) and Emily showed that film to me. they literally know me so we because there are so many elements in that movie that remind me of all of my favorite films. it's a true masterpiece. another thing too, the beautiful girl in my life and i have been talking a lot and once she moves back here we're planning on having movie nights once a week. i look forward to having our mutual love for art films being flourished and celebrated. geez im so gay. women make me do manic things. anyways, thank you as always stalker for caring for my stories. i will always love you :). ~princessxeon 💋

pic credits lmao :P :

a clip of Angelyne in a 70s film.

me in Emily's room working on face charts as they redye their hair and as we're watching Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

a page i was reading from John Water's novel Liarmouth

Angel Prost with da pope

Angel Prost describing my aura (yes i paid her five dollhairs for her to tell me lmao)

makeup experimenting that i did :p

Angelyne ;3

a post that Venus Angelic posted on insta that i resonate with

pink bimbo bath time :3

my gf sleeping soundly

a still from Nowhere (1997)

[dropintomanga]

Communication Is Power

The convention scene this summer has been fun to read about so far. Many popular guests have shown up with the crowds to back them up. With COVID becoming more and more of an afterthought, fans have been rushing out to meet and learn about their favorite guests.

One guest in particular had a quote, in my opinion, that spoke volumes about how to become good at what you want to do.

As you can tell from the artwork, I'm talking about Makoto Yukimura, the highly-praised mangaka of Vinland Saga. He showed up at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 years after the manga had a rough start, sales-wise, back when it was first licensed in the United States. But with how great the anime has been, the manga has found a strong foothold here.

Anime News Network did a extensive report of Yukimura's panel at SDCC 2023 and it was nice to hear his perspective on the story, the anime, and more. The fun part came the Q&A from fans. While there's definitely cringe questions at most Q&A sessions, a few questions do stand out. The ANN report reported one fan question that Yukimura gave a excellent response to - what's the biggest lesson you've learned after all the years of being a mangaka?

Yukimura responded.

“What I learned is that there's no way you can work as a mangaka without communicating with people from outside. For example, our conversation will nurture me into becoming a better creator and will be reflected in my work too.”

I love this answer. People are constantly bouncing off of one another. That's how we get better. Plus, it's hard to get what you want in life if you're not able to express it to others in an effective manner. I think about the many artists who aspire to be mangaka. I know most of them may not be the best at talking to other people in person. It's nice to sit all day and draw like there's no tomorrow without worrying about people bothering you, but constructive feedback is needed to grow once you reach a wall in the artistic journey.

Over the years, there have been reminders for those who want something to speak up - especially those who feel they have been hurt by others or those who really need a helping hand for important manners. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to get it. There's nothing wrong with that.

The beauty of communicating with people from the outside is that it helps improve mental health despite how stressful the act of communicating can be. While there's definitely awful relationships out there, there's more good than bad ones. People underestimate how well conversations go.

Effective communication takes practice. Take it slow and in a safe space. I know Yukimura probably honed it over the years and that's a big reason why Vinland Saga has turned out the way he wanted.

And more importantly, learn from the good and bad of conversations. I've had my fair share of awkward moments of communication and learned how to adjust accordingly. I try to think about the other person's perspective. There's always something that will surprise you when you least expect it when it comes to conversations. I had a conversation with a stranger over the weekend on the train that made me think about how rough it is to be someone who has a physical disability and having people treat them like an afterthought.

We can't all be physically strong as Vikings, but we can be tenacious and resilient as they are when it comes to improving the important relationships of our lives by being communication warriors.

[chemzee]

also sorry i know you said you're currently on a morgan kick but i've been dying to know more about te and v. what's dulces sueños de las almas anhelantes? why are these kids wanted by the authorities? who is the host?

OH MY GOD DUDE WHOEVER YOU ARE THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ASKING THIS I LOVE YOUUU 🧡🧡🧡🧡 YOU ARE THE BEST 😭😭😭

OOF I doubt I could be able to tell everything because there's SO MUCH TO TELL. But I'll try to be as brief as possible.

Dulces Sueños de las Almas Anhelantes (or Sweet Dreams of Yearning Souls) is a personal project of mine, which I had been developing and writing for almost 4 years now.

I wanna turn it into a series or comic some day (although it was at first thought of as a game but my ass has no idea how coding or game design works do yeah), high chances are, it might not happen because I'm lazy so blep. ✌

(‼️TW for some rather sensitive/uncomfortable topics‼️)

It follows the story of, primarily, 4 people, who are stuck in a weird Wonderland like place, as they go down a memory lain and recall events that led them there. Each of them has a unique narrative style which reflects the way they think/perceive the world/how they compiled their stories. These 4 people are Doc, Man in Red, V and Te (artworks of them shown in order (Doc and Man in red are old artworks and I wanna redesign them)), although V and T are THE main characters/protagonists.

Action takes place in a fictional country that is sorta like combination of Spain and England, that has suffered from an unusual sudden epidemy of unknown disease that sets everyone into panic, yet suspiciously, government does nothing. The four characters in question rebel against that, which leads to them being persecuted by the government (which is hard due to their anonymity). (NOTE THAT IT'S NOT BASED ON ANY REAL LIFE EPIDEMIC!!! It's a fictional disease that has no basis on any real diseases or real epidemics)

Te and V are couple of besties™ who are two teenagers who due to their own personal motives are taken in under the guidance of Becca (I have art of her but no reference yet) , a lady who owns an unusual private investigation centre, that uses unconventional means of solving cases. She insures that the identities of her workers and students are protected, which is why they go by codenames, in case of Te and V they are Number 4 (Quarte) and Number 5 (V) respectively.

V is a detective in training, who aspires to become a professional investigator when she becomes older. And she's a good one at that: not only is she smart but also determined, she's not gonna stop until she won't find out the truth (I like to joke that's she's a professional doxxer for a reason).

Te is also a detective of sorts, but it's not exactly what they focuse more on (and tbf they's not looking to pursue this career + V is a lot better detective). They are a medium, as they can hear the voices of the dead and they seek to help those souls fulfill their "unfinished business".

All the 4 characters stumble upon many enemies and foes, even considering each other their obstacles, but the most formidable one of them all is The Host. (Another old artwork and another character I wanna redesign)

The Host, as it seems at first, is their biggest ally: he, just like the 4 , protests against Government's passivity. Beginning as a humble news presenter, he then becomes progressively more relevant in news media, as he calls for action. He takes a particular interest in all 4 protagonists, as he thinks of them as most reliable sources for his campaign to succeed. Believing that he can get away with everything, he's determined to do anything in his power to make these 4 join his side, no matter the cost, no matter their economical situation, health issues, employment, personal life or age.

[ficklecat]

OC Interview: Emmanuel Domingo

(dialogue responses to the OC interview prompt)

1. Please state your full name and occupation.

“Emmanuel José Domingo Alvarez, or Manny Domingo for shorter. I’m a physical trainer and a grad student, hoping to become a physical therapist!”

2. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

“I am a proud Guatemalan and first generation American citizen of my family, and first to go to college too, which I am so grateful for. I love the outdoors and playing sports; I’ve been an athlete since I was a little kid, as little as a baby, because my father says I kicked a lot before I was even born!” (laughs) “Let’s see…I have two wonderful partners, Phineas and Violet, who I adore with all my heart, and my dream is to build my own physical therapy practice and help people pursue recovery and healing at any shape, size, or condition!”

3. How would you describe your childhood?

“I think I had a wonderful childhood, despite missing a few things. My father did everything he could to make my life better and easier than his was and he made good on that promise. Growing up without my mother here was hard sometimes, but I was still surrounded with so much love and support, I didn’t want for anything even when my papà didn’t have a lot to give. I could do sports and make friends and I got good grades and made my papà proud, which was enough for me. I am very fortunate.”

4. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

“I wanted to represent Guatemala in the Olympics! I still think I could honestly, but that would mean a lot of work to change my current path, and I’m quite happy with where I am now!”

5. Do you have any role models? Tell us a little bit about them.

“Ah, so many! My papà, of course, he is my hero. A few athletes, notably Erick Borrondo, who was the first and only Guatemalan Olympic medalist. Serena Williams, but also Alok Vaid-Menon and Blair Imani. I look up to the people who I feel embody the spirit of being authentically who they are and fighting to reach their potential, or helping others to do the same.”

6. Are you introverted or extroverted? Why?

“Absolutely extroverted. I can’t help it. I love learning about people and meeting new friends. Phineas jokes that I’ve never met a stranger, and that’s true!” (laughs)

7. How would you describe yourself in three words?

“Passionate. Loving. Determined!!”

8. What do you like to do for fun?

“I love it when the three of us go hiking or to the beach together. Or cooking dinner with Violeta. She is a wonderful baker! I enjoy testing recipes with her. If I’m by myself I mostly enjoy going for a run out in nature, or watching anime. I can binge a whole series in a weekend if I’m not careful!”

9. What's your greatest achievement? Why do you consider this your greatest achievement?

This was answered in an ask, check the tag to find it!

10. What's your biggest goal? How do you hope to achieve this?

“I want to be able to help people achieve the best versions of themselves. I don’t know if that can count as a goal so much as an aspiration but it is something I think I’ll never achieve only once, but rather will always work towards. I get a lot of fulfilment and energy from helping others, it enriches me and makes me feel purposeful. I think because of this I will never truly be done working towards this goal because I know in my heart I’ll always be looking for ways I can help, moving from one to the next. It’s a good thing for me though, it makes me excited about the future.”

11. What does your dream room/house look like? Would you mind showing some inspiration pictures?

“Honestly I’d love to live in my childhood home! My father and I have been fixing it up, he’s been remodelling a few of the rooms and I help him some weekends. We have so much tied to that place, it’s a very special and comforting space. It has high ceilings and lots of natural light in the front room, a gorgeous sunroom where papà keeps some of his herb garden, and the kitchen is coming along with new cabinets and countertops. Little by little! If not that exact home I’d love something like it - warm and inviting and bright, with space for me and my loved ones to enjoy each other’s company.”

12. How would you describe your style?

“Athletic and comfortable. I am usually at the gym working with my clients so I am always dressed for that. Which I don’t mind, I feel stuffy in other clothes sometimes. If I’m not wearing gym clothes I’ll at least like to wear some decent shoes, and I always bring a hoodie or jacket wherever I go. I like being prepared.”

13. What's your favorite song?

“Ahhh I love music, this is a hard question! My go to answer for this question is usually What I Got by Sublime, but there are so so many more - Sweet Honey by Slightly Stoopid, Longview and When I Come Around by Green Day are also favourites —ah! Too many to name!”

14. Where are you happiest?

“Outside! Even on bad weather days I love being in nature. I often like to go on walks or lay in the sun on my patio or in the grass on the campus green. No matter what mood I’m in nature can always manage to bring me back in some way. It’s as close to a cure-all as I can get.”

15. Who is the most important person in your life? Why?

“It’s impossible for me to pick just one person, I love too many to say one is more important than the other.”

16. Do you believe in soulmates? Why or why not?

“I believe with all my heart that Phineas and Violet are my soul mates. I also believe my father and mother are soulmates. But I believe soulmates aren’t just lovers, you know? They’re friends. They’re mentors. They’re whoever makes you feel like your life is worth living. Maybe that’s not a soulmate to some people but it is to me.”

17. Have you ever been in love?

“I am so in love! I have been in love since I was very young. I continue to love just the same, even more now I think, because I know what it means to feel it.”

18. Have you ever been kissed?

“Oh most certainly. I don’t think I’ve gone a single day in recent memory where I haven’t been kissed. I’m so lucky for that.”

19. Describe an average day in your life.

“I like to get up early and start the day with black coffee at the window. It’s a good time to get myself some alone time and prepare for my day because no one is awake yet usually. After coffee I’ll have breakfast and then get ready for the day. I try to keep all my classes in the morning so that I can train my clients in the afternoons and evenings, so I work out after lunch before training, or if I have time I’ll try to get a workout in after breakfast and before classes. I try to keep busy so I tend to book clients until late, and typically I’ll be finished with my day around six or seven. Dinner with my loves is usually after that, and then I’ll do homework or study or spend time with them after that!”

20. Describe your nighttime routine.

“I try to walk every night for a little bit, which usually means I get to walk with Phineas and his dogs most evenings. Or if he isn’t up for it I’ll take them myself. I like doing that, they’re sweet and it makes me feel helpful. After that I’ll enjoy whatever Violet and Phineas have planned - for them, it’s usually movies or shows, and we like to take turns picking what to watch together. Sometimes we’ll play a game or I’ll play cards with Violet while Phineas reads, but my nights typically end with the two of them no matter what. After all that, I’ll shower and get in bed - Violet sleeps in and Phineas is an insomniac, so I’m usually the first to sleep, but they still like to cuddle up with me even if they don’t sleep right away, which is so very lovely.”

21. (Make up a question) Tell us a “low-stakes” unpopular opinion you have.

“Oye this might talk me out of a job but - exercise is free! You don’t have to buy anything, you can just move! The myth that there’s a right way or proper way to exercise is silly to me - go walk, jump up and down, dance in your living room! Exercise is free and it can be anything you want it to be! I dislike the narrative society has created that tricks people into feeling like movement needs to be competitive or prescribed or on a membership basis. You can do whatever you want, you can move however you want - my father used to chop wood in the back yard to work out, we didn’t have a fire place! There are less rules than you think, have fun!”

[livisunfair]

In Defense of Lady Bird Six Years Later; Just Some Thoughts

Last night I watched Lady Bird for the first time since I was fifteen, and what I gleaned from it made me love the film even more and in a whole new way. While the surface-level message of this film is important, it’s what the film doesn’t say that makes it special to me. I think there are two different ways to view it, how they differ is why there are such strong opinions on this film. One, is Lady Bird is an ungrateful, whiny brat who doesn’t deserve anything and who uses growing up as an excuse for her behavior, and is selfish at the expense of others. The second way to watch, is to see how Lady Bird is lost, growing up, and this is a journey of self-discovery. The best way to watch, is a blend of the two. 

Viewing Lady Bird as an echo of yourself, is how we relate to her. We see the similarities between us and her, as at some point, we acted ungrateful toward our parents, even if we didn’t intend to be. We all wanted to go where the 'culture is' and escape the small town we've been pigeon-holed in. In a sense, Lady Bird serves as a dramatized character who represents our biggest flaws and aspirations as teenagers. Gerwig herself said, "nothing in the movie literally happened in my life, but it has a core of truth that resonates with what I know"--this 'core of truth' being that echo. To me, this film marks itself as a love letter to a younger self, yet a bit critical and satirical of how you behaved back then. You can tell it’s written from a mature perspective. It takes itself seriously, but isn’t afraid to poke some fun, as shown through the humor throughout the film. Growing up and being able to laugh at yourself, but still recognizing what you went through was important at the time and taking it seriously for the sake of your past self—this is what I love about Gerwig! The ability to reflect is so crucial to how we change and grow as people.

You can recognize and sympathize with Lady Bird's struggles and mistakes–But you can also grit your teeth at her actions from a grown point of view that Lady Bird is on the journey to understanding herself. This isn’t a film that tells the story of a girl being ungrateful and then regretful of her decisions and redeems herself at the end.–No, rather it tells a larger story. To me, this film focuses on the bigger picture of growth in her life, instead of just what is presented in the film, highlighting the fact that growth nonlinear. Her arc is not in the film, but it ends with the beginning of it. This film is just a snapshot of her life. It can be frustrating to see how Lady Bird’s insecurities make her hang with the wrong crowd, watching her hook up with asshole Kyle and a man at college, being ashamed of her house and status, and betraying Julie– but that’s how human growth is. We fuck up again and again before we realize it and then really try to change. This change manifests itself at the end through her hit to rock bottom. When she wakes up and realizes it’s time to shed her teenage skin become an adult. this can be seen when she starts to go by christine, and call Marion. She got what she physically wanted by going to college, but inside she’s unfulfilled. Nothing is quite how she thought it would be. Thinking she didn’t get ‘punished’ for her behavior and actions because she got everything she wanted, but in reality, her punishment serves itself on a bittersweet plate. She may have been able to go to her dream school, but at what cost to those around her? Her relationships? Herself? but the ending is the start of recognizing her faults. Lady Bird’s character speaks on the twisted irony of life; we’re never happy with what we have. And what’s more relatable than that, to a teenager? 

I love all the different themes this film highlights as well. It’s not just about growing up, but there is another theme at play; how much our parents did for us. It’s impossible to watch this film without understanding where each character’s heart lies. At minimal, Lady Bird is frustrated nobody takes her seriously, Marion is a hardworking mother who feels under appreciated and grapples with an ungrateful daughter, Larry is the mediator and wants what’s best for Lady Bird but is fighting his own battles as well. Larry and Marion are prime examples of perhaps the selflessness we should all strive for, seen when they tirelessly try to support Lady Bird, and when Larry roots for Miguel going for the same job as him. It’s the type of selflessness you can only gain when you become a parent. If finishing this film doesn’t make you feel like you need to hug your mom or reflect on your own interactions growing up, I’m not sure what will. Lady Bird’s relationship with Marion is one every daughter and mother has experienced to some degree. It’s complex, both are flawed, but ultimately love each other, they’re just not sure how to say it or show it in a way each other will understand. They are constantly missing each other. Lady Bird is headstrong, yet unsure of who she is. She behaves unfavorably but still wants her mom to like her–as we all do, or did as teenagers. While Marion has an idea of who Lady Bird should be and is grappling with Lady Bird’s differences, while tirelessly working and making ends meet for her children. But Marion is trying to understand her, an example is seen when she starts to embrace calling her ‘Lady Bird’ instead of criticizing it. At the end of the film when Lady Bird calls Marion, thanking her, we see a glimpse of who she’s starting to become. And we see Marion trying to communicate with her through the letters. It’s a start. Marion and Lady Bird are finally meeting in the middle, instead of passing each other. 

At the same time as all of this, I think this film is an excellent example of an ‘unlikeable’ and ‘difficult’ girl who should be allowed to tell her own story as well. You don’t have to condone a character's actions and behaviors to understand them. And not to sound too modern-white-feminist here, but her 'unlikeableness' comes from real flawed aspects that all women experience, and while we consume stories about unlikeable men all the time, what makes her different? She has a strong personality and it’s an unapologetic story that deserves to be told. And to the people who feel ‘So what, why should I care? What makes her special?’ after watching, that’s fine. I get where the criticism comes from. But it all just clicks for me. You aren’t supposed to walk out of this film necessarily liking Lady Bird, but understanding her. Understanding the thesis of her character; wanting to be not just loved but liked. Teenage girls man, they’re complicated and I am one. Idk I know I’d get made fun of for thinking this movie is so ‘deep’ and whatever but I just love studying the aspects of these films! Every scene exists for a reason, with no filler. Gerwig incorporates the intricacies of girlhood instead of the surface problems–in all her work too. I just had to get this all out somewhere after rewatching it again for so long. Love you forever Greta & Saoirse!

[bamber344]

blog introduction i guess???

Uuh, I don't really know what I'm doing here but I'm gonna give it my best shot! I'm Amber, she/her, and I'm currently an aspiring writer hoping to be able to spread my works with all sorts of people!

My favourite genres are definitely urban fantasy and romance, and my favourite author is Derek Landy. I've been reading his books since I knew how to read and he's definitely the biggest inspiration for my work.

I only really got into writing about a year ago, after getting sucked back into reading fanfic and being inspired to share my own ideas. I wrote a few small things that i never put anywhere before i had the idea for my current main WIP that has since consumed my entire life, and now i'm constantly being bombarded with new ideas for projects, scenes, characters, that i'm barely able to keep track of them all lol

My two current WIPs are:

Direwolf: a currently active webnovel about werewolves and queer people that's slow-burn on the plot but fast-burn on the romance. Currently sitting at 255k words with only 2/3rds of the story finished, it's definitely a lot to sink your teeth into, but if you like stories with a heavy focus on character moments while the plot slowly builds in the background, I recommend checking it out! You can read it here (Royal Road) or here (Scribblehub) if that sounds at all interesting to you!

Addison Project (working title): a currently still conceptual story that I'm planning to start working on properly once Direwolf is finished, with the end goal of self-publishing. I won't share too many details right now, as much of it is still in the planning stage and things are subject to change, but as you might have guessed, it's an urban fantasy romance, this time between an overworked transfem magical detective and her brand new, slightly demonic partner, who's family history leaves a lot to be desired. It may end up being a lil smutty, but that remains to be seen. If that sounds interesting to you, keep an eye on this space, because I occasionally post about it in between writing memes and other random reblogs. (also, this is where all the information about it will go once it's finally ready for publishing lol)

I think that's about it! Again, I really don't know what i'm doing on this site, so if someone could show me the ropes that would be just grand thank you lol

[loganscroftersstash]

love from the spotlight; chapter one

down a brother and a bandmate.

—

hello hello! chapter one is here of my new fic, which is also crossposted on ao3! ever since i rejoined the fandom i haven't been able to get this idea out of my silly head and i needed to put pen to metaphorical paper and just write it out. i have so many ideas and so much planned for this, so please do enjoy!!!

—

Roman Sawyer was a force to be reckoned with. He was passionate, fierce, and he’d be damned if he didn’t put his best into everything. And his current biggest pride and joy was his band!: Love From The Spotlight.

Ever since he was little, Roman loved the stage. Any kind of performance or attention he could get up there was welcome in his eyes! Often he’d coerce his brother to perform with him for their parents or for their classmates, and while Remus wasn’t the most receptive to his ideas (Roman was still upset about their first grade Christmas play), he always spiced things up. It was that very same love that led Roman to start the band! It took a lot of searching for some decent members, but he had assembled a dream team! He was the lead singer (of course! He was the most talented of the bunch), and he also played guitar. His high school friend, Patton, was the keyboardist, which may not have been the first guess based off his appearance, but he was damn good! His frenemy Virgil was the drummer, who played bass too, but he much preferred the drums. And his abhorrent brother played bass! All the bases were covered. They even had a manager— Janus— and they were currently booked with gigs through the next six months! Roman was so excited for the future of his band— they had real potential to make it big!

…Until their bassist got injured.

Remus may or may not have had a little accident and been unable to perform (and may have been in the hospital for a short while), so that left all of the members up shit’s creek without a paddle.

This was the very issue they were discussing at their current rehearsal. Without a bassist, it felt silly to rehearse. Besides, talking about this was important.

Roman was sat on Patton’s couch, while Virgil took up the other half. Patton was pacing and Janus was sat in an armchair, swirling a glass of wine in his left hand.

“So. We obviously have an issue with Remus’ absence.”

“Obviously there is an issue!” Roman huffed, crossing his arms with a pout. “Our next show is only two weeks away. How are we gonna find anyone else to fill his spot so quickly?!”

“Well, I’m sure we can find someone!” Patton grins. “There’s so many aspiring musicians around here— we could hold auditions!”

“Yeah. Spend all day with a bunch of band kids. Sounds great.” Virgil grumbles, flicking his sweater sleeve.

“Virgil. You are a band kid!” Roman sighs, turning away from him. “I don’t know how fast we can do auditions and callbacks and then teach whoever his replacement will be. Maybe we’d better just… wait for Remus to return.”

Janus hums, glancing up. “So. About that…”

That garners the attention of the other three, who raise confused brows at Janus’ words.

“About… what?”

“…Remus does not wish to return.”

Roman gasped dramatically, practically hurling himself to his feet. “He what?!”

“…Why is that?” Patton asked quietly. He seemed pretty upset at the ordeal— they’d had this band together for a while and had grown pretty close together. Why would Remus want to abandon ship so suddenly?

“Well,” Janus sighed. “He said he wasn’t feeling it all that much. Said he wants to pursue something else in life, like… I don’t know. He didn’t say much about it.” He sipped his wine.

Roman looked down. Why didn’t Remus tell his own brother and leader of the band? Was there that much distance between them…?

“Fine. Well— Everyone’s replaceable, I guess. We can figure something out!” Roman put his hands on his hips confidently. “Quick— Patton, Virgil, think about people we know that can play bass!”

“Remy might know someone.” Virgil shrugged.

“No. Too much of a gossipy bitch.” Roman sighed. “Patton?”

Patton just blinked, smiling. “I dunno.”

“…Great effort.” He sighed. “Janus? You?”

Janus looked up from his phone, giving Roman a painful ‘I don’t fucking care leave me alone’ look and just looked back down at his phone.

“Well great! Just… great!” He huffs. “I guess we are hosting auditions. I’ll have to make posters and get a space for us to use and make forms and set a date and—”

Ding.

Roman glanced at his phone on the coffee table. Who the hell was texting him at this moment…? Couldn’t they see he was in peril?!

remus: hey i may or may not know someone to replace me :3

Roman gasped, breaking out into a grin. “Fear not! My dear brother has decided to be helpful for once and has found a replacement!”

“Oooh! Who is it?” Patton grinned, and immediately Roman went to typing.

roman: Yay!! 👏 Who is it?!

remus: my roommate :P

remus: he’s crazy smart and plays like all the instruments ever made ever

“…It is apparently his roommate.”

“…oh.” Virgil grimaced.

“Oh…?” Roman asked. “Is that… good? Or bad?”

“…I’ll let you decide that.” He looks back down at his phone, a silent confirmation he’d checked out of the conversation.

“No, no! I’m intrigued! Do you know him?” Roman asked, crossing his arms.

“I’ve met him once or twice. I just worry he won’t, like… jive with the group.” Virgil shrugged. “I know you’re super particular about the vibe of this group. Logan doesn’t really, like… fit in. That sounds like a dick thing to say, but. y’know. I just don’t want him or anyone else to be uncomfortable…”

“And I respect the urge to keep us safe and protected, Virgil! But worry not! I am sure he will jive like Snow White did with the seven dwarves!” He grinned.

“...If you say so.” Virgil shrugged again, and looked back down at his phone. He tried.

roman: AMAZING NEWS!!!!!!!! When can he come meet us all?!

remus: idk he probably doesn’t even wanna be in the band :P

Roman sighs. Of course.

remus: but his candy ass owes me one so i’ll tell him

roman: Alright! Don’t let me down, Rem!!!

remus: kiss my ass 🖕

—

“Logie.”

Logan looks away from the television in front of them and shifts his gaze towards Remus, raising a brow. “Yes?”

Now. Logan and Remus were… very far from friends. But, they had a few shared interests, like unsolved mysteries. Logan liked the technical aspect and trying to connect all the dots, and Remus liked all the blood and bones. So, when they weren’t at each other’s throats, they were usually minding their own business or watching a documentary. Today was a particularly good day; they’d been doing a bit better after Remus’ little incident.

“I just used you as my scapegoat. Sorryyyy!” Remus grinned at him. “I know you’re good with instruments and my brother needs a bassist, so… I kinda suggested you.”

Logan blinked. “Remus. I don’t usually—”

Remus shushed him and pressed a finger to his mouth, causing Logan to flinch away and wipe his mouth with his sleeve in disgust. “Don’t worry bout it! They just need you ‘til they can get a replacement. ‘Kay? Besides. You owe me. Remember?”

Logan glanced down, momentarily gnawing on his bottom lip before remembering what Remus had just done and immediately putting a stop to the action. He was right, Logan did owe him. This particular semester shouldn’t be too busy, so…

What’s the worst that could happen?

“Fine. I’m in. But only until they find a replacement.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. I’ll let him know! Thaaaanks, Logie-Bear!” Remus grins, patting his head, to which Logan groans.

remus: he’s in :3

—

chapter one is HERE!!! i am so excited about this— i know this chapter is kinda short but ch 2 is gonna be longer and definitely a little more jam packed. feel free to clog my ask box with questions abt the series bc i am SO EXCITED.