#interstellar sports meet

[atomboyz]

Atom Boyz: All Round Idol PK Competition

[mochiline]

the rituals are intricate

[goodluckclove]

On Not Writing

Hi! I'm back. i had a fun two days of doing absolutely nothing writing related, including scrolling this blog. Wife and I played a lot of Valheim. Took a lot of bike rides. Watched Interstellar for the first time - pretty good, kind of silly at the end. It was my first two-day weekend in probably three months, so it was much-needed, hard as it was.

And it got me thinking of some things I wanted to say to the community here. It's especially targeted towards younger writers, of which I used to be one, but I think it can apply to anyone who finds themselves despairing over how much they aren't writing.

Let's imagine you're sitting with me in this coffee shop. It's an overcast Portland morning and I just inadvertently vivisected a croissant. And as we sip our drinks (I ordered a lavender latte), you lament to me. I don't know what to do, Clove. I just haven't been writing!

You know what I say to that?

Good.

This is a new hot take of mine that I, once again, worry about upsetting people with. Because I see a lot of guides here about how to write, or how to write consistently, or how to write through writers block. But I haven't seen a single person talking about the inverse - how to not write. Or - perhaps more accurately - how to exist as a human being separate from your identity as a writer.

This is a problem for me.

Listen - I started young. I was 12 when I wrote my first novella, and 13 when I completed my first novel the next year. Adults in my life were impressed by the big-eyed child writing so many words. They encouraged me. I wrote two more novels, and they continued to encourage me. Because of the potential, right? I could be successful. I could be famous.

People stopped pushing me to try other things. I saw I was getting validation as a writer, so that only pushed me to continue fixating over something I was already enjoying and getting pretty good at. Dad had me writing two thousand words every day, because that's what Stephen King did. At 16 I finished four full-length novels, which everyone thought was really cool and interesting. I was also sporting dual hand braces every day throughout the winter to cope with the carpal tunnel I still struggle with to this day.

There is encouraging a person in their passion. There is also poisoning them with the belief that their self-worth comes from pursuing that passion. This is entirely, absolutely, even more true for younger writers and artists.

I am enraged for the young writer in my heart and in my head. Because they worried about a lot of the same things I see people worry about on here. Oh, if I don't write I'm not a writer! And to an extent they're right, as to be a writer you need to at some point write some stuff.

But here's the fucking thing, Young Clover - a child should not strive for the work ethic of a professional adult. You did not need to write 2k words a day to be a writer. You were a writer as soon as you updated that terrible Invader Zim fanfiction you wrote when you were 10.

And more than that, though, the most important thing to a person should not be their job and aspirations. If you don't write every day, you're still a writer. If you've never written anything, you aren't - and that's fine. You might write something later down the line, or you might not. Either way you are still entitled to exist on the planet and capable of living a full and passionate and wonderful life.

Hear my words: being a writer is not more important than being a human being.

If you aren't writing right now, maybe you're not supposed to be. Maybe you're meant to be nurturing your relationships, or nurturing yourself. Maybe you're supposed to be volunteering. Or meeting new people. Or gaining a new field of knowledge. Or getting really good at making focaccia bread. Or watching every Mark Wahlberg movie.

I don't like to hear this any more than you do. If I was told that I, for some reason, was not allowed to write for the rest of my life, I would be miserable for maybe a long time. After that passed it's my hope that I would move on and do other things, because my worth is not dependent on being a writer. I like doing it. I like being it, and I hope to be one for the rest of my life. But I never want it to be the first thing people see when they look at me. I don't even like bringing it up in conversation with people I don't already know.

So yeah, if you have "writer's block", maybe consider putting down the pickaxe and getting some rest. Step away entirely from the large boulder that stands between you being the next Stephen King or Brandon Sanderson or Teen Dystopia Writer no. 2321. Take a break, and I mean an ACTUAL break, not the kind where you spend the whole time sulking about work.

I am legitimately begging the writers on here to have developed lives and interests outside of writing. I am begging because I do not have that and it has consistently been one of the hardest things of my life.

You prioritize living outside your writing and it will improve the quality of your writing when you get back to it, as it'll allow you a frame of reference that extends beyond our niche industry. Or it might make you realize that, while you enjoy writing, what you really love is ceramics. Or game developing. Or mutual-aid activism. Or the movies of Mark Wahlberg.

It is not your job to treat yourself like you already have a dozen deadlines and an audience teetering on the edge of disappointment. That's ultimately not going to help you. Your job on this earth is to exist fully, for the sake of the universe that wants so desperately to live vicariously through you.

So breathe. Breathe and calm down. You aren't a failure and there's nothing you have to prove. All you have to do today is drink some water and have a nice snack while you look at a cloud.

Please be kind. All of us need to be kinder to each other and to ourselves.

That's all I want to say. I love you dearly. Please let me know if you need anything.

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Beast of the Octagon

( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)   The octagon was a proud, almost sacred, place in human culture. It was a place where two warriors would test their mettle against each other in brutal, uncompromising combat. They would fight until only one was left standing and could claim their right of superiority.

That was until Fignar Folg came along.

Many argued that his alien physique should have disqualified him from a traditionally human only event, but it was lobbied hard by Folg’s hype man that the regulations were dated and xenophobic. Unable to make any counter argument that didn’t appear like the organizers weren’t xenophobic, and facing increasing pressure from both the interstellar community and public outcry, the organizers eventually caved and allowed Folg to compete.

Thirteen times Fignar Folg entered the human tournaments and thirteen times he had emerged the victor. None of the humans he fought could match his stamina and eventually would simply tire themselves out, and then Folg would come in and finish them off in a single blow.

One more tournament and Folg would depose the existing record holder and forever be placed over humans in their own sport. This pleased Folg as he had never appreciated the seemingly infinite sense of self-worth humans had for themselves and by defeating them here he hoped to knock them down a peg.

As he entered the ring to the cheers and jeers of the crowd he looked over at his final opponent. The human, “Danny” Folg thought but wasn’t 100% sure, was easily half his height and Folg needed to look down at them to meet their gaze. The alien contender smirked and wondered how this tiny human had been able to advance so far, let alone against other humans. It was a rhetorical question, as Folg had not been foolish enough to not watch the previous fights this Danny had been in. He was fast, nimble, and could deliver a barrage of punches if given an opening.

Folg’s plan was simple. He’d advance until this human was cornered. There he couldn’t use his speed to avoid Flog’s strikes and he’d knock him out in one blow, thus ensuring his victory.

With the sound of the bell Folg began to advance, but to his surprise saw Danny also move forward to meet him. He had expected the human to be somewhat intimidated and had not counted on them matching his move.

Before Folg could react Danny struck out with a right hook directly into his right knee. The force of the blow was far stronger than anything Folg thought this tiny human capable of and felt his bones break under the impact.

Folg tumbled hard to the ground from the blow. He tried to rise again but his leg was beyond hope to move. He looked up just in time to see Danny following up with his knee driving right into Folg’s jaw. The strike toppled Folg backwards on to his back and the world briefly went black for a moment before his eyes refocused.

All he saw were the blurry lights above the ring before a fast barrage struck his face.

Danny was unlike any of the previous fights Folg had seen. He was hammering away like a jackhammer, ignoring any notion of defense as he pummeled away.

Folg tried to block the blows but Danny stomped on his arms dislocating them entirely. He could hear the ref trying to intervene but Danny didn’t stop. He just kept beating Folg over and over until a pool of purple blood began forming underneath him.

It took three security guards to pull Danny off Folg. By then Folg was little more than a puddle of broken bones, bile, and shattered dreams. He was carted away to a hospital, but his fighting days were likely now at an end. -------------------------

“You did good out there kid.”

The figure held out an envelope and Danny took it without question.

“It’s a shame about the blue boy. He really could have been something if he just knew how to play ball.”

Danny nodded but said nothing. He’d been offered enough money to knock Folg out of the octagon once and for all. He was told that even if he was removed from the tournament and suspended the people paying him would make sure it would only be temporary; but it all depended on Danny being more vicious than he had ever been.

Truthfully Danny didn’t care about the reasons why they wanted the alien out of the ring. He didn’t care about the assurances they gave him that he’d be protected. All he cared about was the price they were paying.

The octagon was great, but to a human like Danny it was nothing compared to a good pay day.

[stargaby13]

Straw Hat Legacy Challenge

Another Legacy Challenge? YES! Or should I say... "Yes, Captain!"

This legacy challenge has generations inspired on the crew member, following the order in which they joined, story and/or backstory from them, canon information that I found in wikis plus manga and stuff... And, of course, personal ideias and adaptations.

*I'm playtesting it, things WILL be changed as I go and I'm open to suggestions.

*As you can see, I still didnt finished all generations, but I'll be updating this as possible.

*The basic rules are tha same as any Legacy Challange, don't use money cheats excessively (especialy when money is a parte of the generation challenge).

*I already gave a basegame option for almost everything, but your free to choose whatever you want when given options.

*I intent on given extra generations so you can add to your playthrough as more gens or just challenges for more sims in your household (like, if you want to give a set of rules for a spouse or sibling of the heir).

Generation One - Monkey D. Luffy

Your parents were never really in the picture, but you kinda had a grandpa that looked after you, but he was a bit too strict and almost never home, so you raised yourself. You were always a restless person with a burning passion for freedom, adventure and the unknown, so it wasn't a surprise when you decided to explore the vast space for a living, but the thing is, you never really played by others' rules and are always up to some mischief. Your motto is “anything, but a boring life!”. Oh, and you love fishing, it’s your way to calm your mind.

Color: Red

Traits: Cheerful, self-assured, Ambitious

Aspiration: Chief of Mischief

Career: Astronaut - Interstellar Smuggler Branch

Rules:

Master Astronaut career picking the Interstellar Smuggler Branch and complete Chief of Mischief aspiration;

DON’T level up the cooking skill (eat fruits, quick meals, buy food, etc.)

Master Mischief, Fitness, Charisma and Fishing skills;

Meet and keep ten friends (bonus if they are occult sims or from different worlds);

(Optional) Go on adventures when you have free time - like climbing, snorkeling, exploring new places, fishing and swimming (like vacations and new worlds);

(Optional) Make your neighborhood have a green footprint;

(Optional) Complete the postcard collection.

Generation Two - Roronoa Zoro

Your parents were always a bit too adventurous and busy with their own things, you had anything you could ask for as a child, but something was always lacking, not that you wanted more attention, you really do prefer to be left alone, but a bit more recognition would have been nice. You don’t really understand rules, ‘cause your parents never really cared for them, but what you do understand is being the best at things, so everything you do, you do to an extreme.

Color: Green

Traits: Ambitious, Hot-Headed, Loner

Aspiration: Bodybuilder - or -  Extreme Sports Enthusiast

Career: Athlete

Rules:

Master career and complete the aspiration;

Master Fitness skills (and if possible the Rock Climbing Skill) and any other skills needed to your career and/or aspiration (like Charisma);

Marry a childhood friend with whom you have something in common (like trait, aspiration or career) and this sim should have an unexpected death;

You can have as many kids as you want, but remember this sim is a loner and not really focused on family - you can have kids with your spouse before their death or adopt;

Have a declared enemy;

Generation Three - Nami

Your parent was a bit distant, but you grew up listening to your grandparents stories about being a space pirate and the crime life always looked like fun, and a good way to make easy money and if something is there for the taking, why not take it, right? Oh, yeah, you don't really care about rules, it always seemed like something made for other people, the only thing you care about other than money is your orchard, and that’s it.

Color: Orange

Traits: Kleptomaniac, Materialistic, Loyal

Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy

Career: Criminal - Boss Branch

Rules:

Master aspiration and career;

Have a neighbor that is a declared enemy;

Complete the crystal collection and one more at your choosing (if you have packs, can be the snowglobe or simmies for exemple);

Buy something new every week;

Have only one child;

Plant and tend a fruit orchard.

Generation Four - Usopp

Your parent always seemed to like their trees and collections more than you, so lying and inventing stories were the ways you found to be noticed by them. You always wanted to be more, but never really knew how, so you always tried to say what you think people wanted to hear, even if you had to invent something and you're damn good at inventing stuff. 

Color: Yellow

Traits: Creative, Clumsy, Goofball - or - Paranoid

Aspiration: Nerd Brain - or - Master Maker

Career: Writer

Rules:

Master Aspiration;

Master Handiness skill (If possible Master Fabrication Skill too) 

Marry someone from the neighborhood (bonus if they are from that on your parent hated);

 Leave your job as a writer at some point to invest in your creations and after this your spouse leave you;

Have five kids;

Generation Five - Vinsmoke Sanji

Your parents never really cared about you, especially after the divorce, and your grandparent were not the best exemple being a criminal and all… So you decided to live your own life in your own way no matter what, even if it means starting from scratch all alone and by yourself!

Color: Blue

Traits: Romantic, Glutton, Perfectionist

Aspiration: Serial Romantic & Master Chef

Career: Culinary - Chef Branch

Rules:

Don’t really get along with siblings as kids, but when adult reconnect with them;

Runway from home as a teenager and start with zero simoleons;

Only eat when the bar is in the red until you're a young adult;

Master both aspirations and career;

Master cooking, baking and mixologist;

Cook all food recipes and drinks;

Fish all fishes (complete collection);

(Optional) Collect all recipes from city living, etc.

Generation 5.5 - Nefertari Vivi (bônus gen/extra)

You have a wonderful family and you believe you can help make the world a better place, but are still trying to find out how exactly (maybe hands on working behind the scenes, or maybe being the face of the change?). But not only this, you want to start doing the best you can in your own home too! Maybe this way your kids can also have what you had and then they’ll want to try to do what they can for other people too, like you and then… Well, you get the idea.

Color: White & Gold

Traits: Good, Family-Oriented, Loyal/Proper

Aspiration: Neighborhood Confidante

Career: Secret Agent until becoming an Adult, then Business - Management Branch - or - Politician - or - Civil Designer (Civic Planner)

Rules:

Have a loyal pet (any pet, can be cat, dog or cowplant!)

Master aspiration and the second career;

Master Charisma skill (and if possible Parenting skill);

Have kinds only when adult, because you were too busy helping the world;

(Optional) Marry an occult sim! (then your heir will be the kid that comes as occult too);

(Optional) Achieve a green footprint.

Generation Six - Tony Tony Chopper

You always knew you were different from other sims, even with loving parents and all the support at home, all you wanted was to help people and for everyone else to accept you as you are.

Color: Pink

Traits: Genius, Childish, Bookworm/Awkward

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Career: Doctor - or - Secret Agent (Diamond Agent Branch)

Rules:

Eat sweets at leats once a day;

Generation Seven - Nico Robin

Color: Purple

Traits: Non-committal, Genius, Loner

Aspiration: The Curator - or - Archaeology Scholar 

Career: Writer (Journalist) - or - Scientist - or - Education

Rules:

Master career and aspiration;

Master writing and logic skill, (if possible) master Archaeology and Selvadoradian Culture Skill; 

Generation Eight - Franky

Color: Light Blue

Traits: Bro, Genius, Erratic/Goofball/Maker

Aspiration: Computer Whiz - or - Academic - or - Eco Innovator

Career: Tech Guru - or - Engineer (Mechanic) - or - Civil Designer (Green Technician)

Rules:

Master Career and Aspiration;

(If possible) Go to university;

Master Handiness, Logic, Fabrication, Robotics, Programming and Rocket Science skills;

Generation Nine - Brook

Color: Black & White, Grey

Traits: Music Lover, Goofball, Gloomy 

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Career: Entertainer (Music Branch) - or - Paranormal Investigator Branch 

Rules:

When adult, let your sim die and play with him as a ghost until someone in the family can resurrect him;

Generation Ten - Jinbe

Color: Ochre/Gold & Cooper/Orange

Traits:

Aspiration:

Career:

Rules:

[m0r1bund]

[Image: Several turnarounds of a funky trilobite-platerodrilus-eryonid-lookin’ guy. She’s the size of a house, and is built like a tank to match. She sports 6 walkin’ legs and 2 pedipalps below her mouth, and her frontmost legs are heavily armored, with thick chitin plates. The pattern is repeated across the rest of her body, with broad, flattened plates extending down to her sinuous tail.

Her face is concealed by another huge, v-shaped plate, with each prong reaching outwards, like horns. Two circular “lenses” are etched into the plate where her eyes would be. They look kind of like goggles, or a knight’s visor. Her muzzle is plated chitin as well, and looks like a shark’s nose crossed with a turtle’s beak. When she opens her mouth, it’s revealed that she has a second set of jaws in her throat. These jaws resemble a squid or octopus beak.

There are some other doodles, too. Reyes picks up a chubby little baby version of the critter, which looks more like a typical trilobite. She smiles a deranged smile at it. Another doodle shows Reyes eating a breakfast burrito in front of the critter’s fully-grown form. The beastie delicately extracts individual pieces of ham from the burrito with her second set of jaws while Reyes isn’t looking.]

◆

you hear about bugs

silly little essays about space bug ecology under the cut. you can read more below or at m0r1bund dot com ▶︎

I’m already doing PR work for fungi, hiveminds, and parasites with the endeme, but what if i did PR for crop pest species too. I’m thinking about tyranids and zerglings and how they hold up a mirror to colonial settler fears. you are afraid of everything the eye can see being extracted by a foreign invader? of the very landscape around you becoming biologically, functionally, culturally, socially uniform? what if the terrible things i did to other people… happened 2 me….

The endeme keys into impaired ecosystems that are artificially kept in the first stages of succession, and that’s the reason it is monstrous and scary and ‘successful’ (like most weeds and pioneer species, it is not competitive and becomes second banana to whoever comes after it.) But I think it would be neat to meet it from the other end and play off of fungal and viral crop diseases. Maybe there are some funny little guys who are, like, not a big deal until you put a monoculture in front of them. Like normally there isn’t a giant interstellar bug in the sky, but you razed + converted an entire planet into its favorite food. what did you expect.

Anyway I think it would be funny if Earth had a cicada ‘nid horrible spacebug spawning event every 17 years or whatever, where the hive masses of the void return to their natal origin and eat all of their young and fuck and die and get eaten by their giant mom. They’re like salmon moving nutrients from the ocean to the continents, except they’re shuttling nutrients from the unfathomable beyond to different planets. And they can crawl onto land and eat all of your corn. You know how it is.

I think what happens is there’s a “larval” stage that spends most of its life as a detritivore, wiggling around in the dirt for 17 years. And then they have a mass emergence event that coincides with the “hive” forms returning from abroad to hunt and eat most of their young. In turn, they’re hunted and eaten by their larger, more predatory peers, climbing up and up the trophic chain until you make it back to The giant space bug herself.

I think this is like a summer gorging event crossed with a rare mineral pilgrimage for them. Fueling up for years and years of floating around in the abyss between worlds, and collecting rare vitamins while they’re at it.

The impact on Earthen flora and fauna is dramatic and mixed. The buggies are playing a really meta game of energetic monopoly, which has also been brewing underground for 17 years. So, their main objective is extracting their larvae + passing them up the chain as food to mom. But they are also looking for other things to eat. They prefer plants, algae, and fungi at the bottom of the trophic chain to critters at higher levels of the chain, because producers make up way more biomass and are doing more efficient energy transactions. They are also trying to minimize what’s basically mass bioaccumulation, which hivemom is *extremely* sensitive to. So, they’re actually quite picky about which individuals have the ‘honor’ of becoming food.

Some people think it’s more complicated than this, and that the hive is making complex land management decisions informed by things like carrying capacity, local extinction, replacement rates, succession, and so on, but that’s craaaaazy hahaha…. They would never develop such a sophisticated relationship with plants and animals…...... Unless?

Either way, this results in very patchy feeding pockets, where some forests might be nibbled down to the dirt, and others are untouched. This also means that most heterotrophs don’t really have anything to worry about during the spawning/eating frenzy. There’s a 7-ton centipede outside the house and she might cause the roof to cave in, but she mostly just wants to eat your potatoes.

Outsiders understandably view this as an apocalyptic feeding event, because oh my god every trophic level is usurped by bugs, and a non-negligible amount of organic matter IS being taken away by bug mom. But they also leave behind an equal mass of dead bugs, individuals who fall prey to the local flora and fauna, have reached the end of their lives, or were deemed “unfit” for intraspecies eating because they have, like, more than 0.3 micrograms of zinc in their body.

Obviously if you were planning on growing any kind of staple crop that year, good luck have fun. But typically their buggy leavings are enough to last other animals through the year while the plantlife recovers. It’s like a rare treat that comes around every 17 years.

All that to say Reyes ate nothing but forbidden lobster tails for several months when she was, like, 10, and she has been thirsting for them ever since.

[thestitchesart-chive]

random thoughts because I need Cyclonus and Co content (even if it is my own)

fellas. Would it be self-indulgent to rewrite idw2 so that all of Cyclonus’s friends survive and are subsequently integrated into the main plot

So looking at the few pages of content I have of Cyclonus and Co, why not randomly make up professions and stuff for them because I can?

Pre-war Gridlock would’ve been a manual laborer doing welding work for a living. Met Cyclonus during enlistment along with Grudge and Highfire. Post-war, assuming he survived, he probably would’ve decided to go back to university and get a degree in engineering during the subsequent rebuilding phase of Cybertron

Highfire was a low-level security guard for various ship depots and ended up meeting Cyclonus this way; they enlisted together in the war subsequently. After the war, she struggles a bit with reintegration but eventually joins up with the police force for a bit

Grudge worked on one of Cybertron’s early colonies as a trailblazer/scout/builder before returning back to the homeworld to settle back down and train other prospective colonists on interstellar survival- didn’t get that chance when the war broke out and he enlisted. Post-war, he bounces around for a little before getting into the rebuilding of Cybertron, cools off a bit and gets to mentor a new-spark, even.

Provoke is a stuntsman/sports videographer who doesn’t hold down jobs well- she bounces from place to place doing as she pleases before deciding to enlist at the start of the war and meeting Paragon, then the others. Post-war, she continues running odd jobs and cohabitates with Cyclonus and Paragon for awhile before being nudged back into videography.

Cyclonus is also involved with the expansion- he’s part of the conquest forces along with his mentor before something goes wrong and they’re forced to return to Cybertron, where he chooses to stay. He starts working security as well, where he meets Highfire and the war breaks out- postwar, he settles down with Paragon and supports him as head of his personal guard…

Paragon was a colonist in one of the rougher, more hostile, far-out colonies- after years of fighting for the land he chose to leave and settle back on Cybertron as an artist. After enlisting, he meets and falls in love with Cyclonus at one of the training camps. Post-war, having experienced the front lines and the expansionist age, he takes some time to think over his life choices and eventually runs for senator in one of Cybertron’s cities.

I’d also like to think that most, if not all of them would be neutral-decepticon leaning, missing the expansion era- though most of them will never officially affiliate with the Ascenticon/Decepticon movement. But they will all get back together as a team to safeguard Paragon during subsequent Decepticon takeover and negotiations. I’d like to think they make it all out fine- they deserve it :p

[vishnu2004]

June 5 - Guest Lecture, Musashi University

Today, we traveled to Musashi University to listen to a guest lecture and meet University students in small groups. The University campus was small and quaint, with luscious green trees lining the smooth pavement linking the different buildings. The University was about an hour away, and the lecture hall we were seated in upon arrival was quite large. The professor discussed the value and importance of identity in several contexts, including our cultural background, personal experiences, and relative power. This lecture felt especially relevant given all the different backgrounds and cultures in the room. After the lecture, we spoke in small groups with some of the Japanese students, all of whom were extremely kind and generally eager to talk with us. We finished off the official day with a delicious chicken steak lunch from an on-campus food truck before doing a quick walking tour around campus. In the afternoon, I went to Ginza to explore the clothes and colognes.

Academic Reflection

Since there was no reading for today’s excursion, my academic reflection will focus on my conversation with the Japanese students as they related to the prompts provided by the professor. Three students were paired with Chelsea, Kai, and me. They were all extremely kind and interesting people; one girl had four different backgrounds, and therefore, spoke four different languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese!

I found several similarities with the one girl with various backgrounds. For one, she also liked Kendrick Lamar, one of my favorite rap artists. Furthermore, she also put down Interstellar as her favorite movie and had read 1984, my favorite book. We didn’t feel as though the assigned climate change prompt would spark deep conversation with the Japanese students, so instead, we talked about our future plans and goals. One of the girls talked about how she wants to eventually leave Tokyo and perhaps explore a different city like Osaka or leave the country entirely. Another was relatively quiet, but said that she’s very interested in sports like rock climbing and would consider playing professionally in the future.

All in all, we found that the perceived barriers between us and them were just that: perceived. When we got to talking, we found more similarities than differences with the Japanese students, which was shocking to me considering the sheer distance between us. Of course, there were differences. They enjoyed Japanese shows and artists we had never heard of. Their favorite foods were things we had tried just a few days ago. But in the end, we all found a shared sense of humanity amongst people who would, at face value, be totally different.

[myalgicpierrot]

ID: A 1999 newspaper article titled “Kids Are Glued to a Violent Japanese Cartoon Show: 'Dragon Ball Z' Is Bringing Impalement, Strangulation To the After-School Crowd” By Sally Beatty, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal.

Two characters are at the bottom, with the main text going around them in 3 columns. They are captioned, “Goku, left, is a hero in 'Dragon Ball Z.' On the Cartoon Network show, he battles the menacing Frieza.”

The entire article is archived below:

As many a young child already knows, "Dragon Ball Z," a violent animated series imported from Japan, is a huge cartoon hit.

A sort of Pokemon meets "Pulp Fiction," the show is much darker than the average kiddie cartoon. Every weekday afternoon on Time Warner Inc.'s Cartoon Network, characters age, die and get vaporized—suffering far worse fates than Wile E. Coyote ever did.

Brutality is a staple. In one recent episode, beads of sweat form on the brow of a character named Vegeta as he is nearly strangled to death by an evil foe named Frieza. In another, Frieza uses the horns on his head to impale a good guy named Krillin through the chest.

Mesmerized, kids are tuning in to the Cartoon Network in record numbers. "Dragon Ball Z" attracted an audience of 1.7 million households on Sept. 30, the largest number in the network's history. The show's ratings among six- to 11-year-olds—the demographic group most coveted by children's advertisers—leapt 95% in the fourth quarter through Nov. 30 from a year earlier. Nearly one million kids in that age group tuned in to watch the show Oct. 1, another record for the network.

Advertisers are lining up, too, including Hasbro Inc. and Mattel Inc. Even the U.S. Navy is running macho recruitment ads at the end of the show.

"Dragon Ball Z" is also crackling on the Web. On the Cartoon Network's Internet site, it generates among the most inquiries of any of its shows. Last week, "Dragon Ball Z" ranked as the fifth-most-requested topic on the Lycos search site, behind singer Britney Spears and the Pokemon cartoon, but ahead of the World Wrestling Federation and Pamela Anderson.

Based on the success of "Dragon Ball Z," the network plans to boost its programming time devoted to Japanese animation to three hours from two, adding two new shows next year. "Gundam" is a tale of bad guys from outer space, and "Tenchi Meyo!" is the story of a lady's man caught up in an interstellar war.

The Cartoon Network says it hasn't had complaints from parents or advertisers about the show's violent content. In fact, the U.S. distributor and licensing agent of "Dragon Ball Z," Funimation Productions Inc., says the show is toned down for U.S. sensibilities—blood is often edited out and frames are erased to soften the blows in certain battle scenes.

The Cartoon Network also runs "anger management" spots that appear during "Dragon Ball Z" and other shows. "There's nothing wrong with being angry," counsels a bubble-headed host in a space suit. "It's all in how you deal with it. Anger can be a motivational tool." The network says there is no connection between the spot and the show's content.

Betty Cohen, president for the Cartoon Network, says "Dragon Ball Z" is no worse than other popular Japanese programs like "The Power Rangers" or "Digimon," a show about mechanized monsters currently airing on News Corp.'s Fox Kids.

"People are attracted to action and people in battles with certain forces and unusual characters, but it's not about real-life human stuff," says Ms. Cohen. Young boys tune in to "Dragon Ball Z" for some of the same reasons people go to sports events, she adds. "They want to see conflict." Please Turn to Page B4, Column 5

Network executives note that "Dragon Ball Z" is rated Y7-FV—FV stands for fantasy-violence—the most cautionary rating available for a children's show. That rating designates "Dragon Ball Z" as not suitable for children younger than seven. Under a voluntary rating system adopted by the TV industry in 1997, the rating appears for 15 seconds at the start of each episode.

"Dragon Ball Z" picks up where two hot trends in animation leave off. The movement toward edgier, more adult humor produced "The Simpsons" and "South Park." But those shows, aired during prime time, were aimed primarily at adults. More recently, the visually stylistic Japanese animation known as anime has swept the U.S.

In Japan, where "Dragon Ball Z" aired in prime time before recently going off the air, the show became a cultural phenomenon—though by Japanese standards its level of violence was considered mainstream.

Building on the craze for the Japanese show in this country, Funimation says it has signed deals to produce a "Dragon Ball Z" merchandising avalanche: action figures, calculators, pajamas, trading cards and watches. "Dragon Ball Z" products have generated more than $3 billion in world-wide sales since the show was launched in Japan in 1986.

In the U.S., "Dragon Ball Z" had plenty of naysayers when it made its debut in syndication in 1995. For three years, the show had no regular home, airing on various local TV stations and at odd hours, sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m.

Gen Fukunaga, president of Funimation, recalls children's programming and licensing executives telling him that "kids in the U.S. wouldn't have the attention span" to sit through a serial cartoon, one in which complex plot lines unfold over 80 or more episodes.

Others questioned whether American boys would be able to follow the intricate stories, whose main characters regularly age from birth to death, and often merge with other featured players to create entirely new characters. Goku, the show's main hero, starts out as a young orphan and eventually dies.

"The show spends a lot of time in relationship development," says Mr. Fukunaga, explaining the popularity of "Dragon Ball Z." "It tries to tackle a little bit more difficult subjects than the typical children's show."

[so-true-overdue]

Unveiling the Mind-boggling Secrets of Panathenaea: Revealed by an Angsty Teen

Oh hey there, fellow humans! Have I got a mind-blowing revelation for you today! Brace yourselves, because I'm about to spill the beans on an unbelievably obscure truth about Panathenaea that will leave you scratching your heads in disbelief. Now, I'm sure you're all familiar with Panathenaea, right? No? Well, don't feel bad, it's not like it's a widely discussed topic or anything. Only true intellectuals like me care to delve into the depths of ancient festivals. So, here's the scoop: Did you know that Panathenaea was not just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill festival? Oh no, my friends! It was a secret disguise for an interplanetary gathering of aliens from across the galaxy! You see, those ancient Greeks were sly little devils. They had this genius idea to celebrate their cultural heritage while simultaneously hosting an extraterrestrial summit. Crazy, right? But hold on, it gets even better! The Panathenaea festival was actually a cover-up for aliens to exchange knowledge and trade secrets. They would disguise themselves as humans and blend in with the crowd, all the while exchanging intergalactic wisdom on advanced technology, interstellar navigation, and fashion trends from distant worlds. Talk about multitasking! But why, you may ask? Well, the answer is simple: the Greeks were the ultimate fashion influencers of their time. These aliens, being the true fashionistas that they were, couldn't resist the allure of ancient Greek togas and laurel wreaths. Their fashion game was level 1000, and they needed the Greeks' style tips to stay ahead in the galactic runway of fashion and stardom. Now, I know what you're thinking. How on earth did I uncover this mind-blowing revelation? Well, my friends, it all started when I stumbled upon an angsty ancient Greek teen's diary, which was conveniently hidden under a rock in my backyard. Talk about a cosmic coincidence! In this diary, our angsty protagonist spilled the beans on the true purpose of Panathenaea, venting about the pressure of secrets, intergalactic politics, and dealing with zit breakouts on those important alien council meetings. It was like discovering the holy grail of secret societies! So there you have it, folks! The jaw-dropping truth behind Panathenaea. Who knew that ancient festivals could be cover-ups for interstellar fashion gatherings? It seems like the angsty ancient Greek teen was onto something bigger than they ever realized. Next time you attend a festival, keep your eyes peeled for any suspicious beings sporting togas and stardust. You never know when you might stumble upon an alien exchange program right under your nose. Stay curious and keep questioning the unbelievable, my friends!

[atomboyz]

Interstellar Sports Meet

Part 1 | Part 2

[vinceviralfreak]

Title: Stellar Spirit: The Galactic Cheerleaders

Chapter 1: The Cosmic Tryouts

In the distant future, humanity has expanded its reach across the galaxy, colonizing countless planets and establishing a vast interstellar civilization. Among the many popular sports, Starcraft has emerged as the ultimate competitive event, captivating the hearts of billions. But behind the scenes, a group of extraordinary individuals known as the Galactic Cheerleaders play a crucial role in boosting morale and energizing the players and spectators alike.

Meet Luna, a young and ambitious girl from the planet Terra Nova. With her radiant smile and unwavering determination, she dreams of becoming a Galactic Cheerleader and inspiring others with her passion for Starcraft. Luna's journey begins when she learns about the upcoming tryouts for the prestigious Starcraft League, where the most talented cheerleaders are chosen to represent their respective planets.

Chapter 2: The Intergalactic Training Camp

Luna arrives at the Intergalactic Training Camp, a state-of-the-art facility located on the planet Zephyr. Here, she meets a diverse group of aspiring cheerleaders from different corners of the galaxy. Each girl possesses unique skills and talents, making the competition fierce and intense.

Under the guidance of Coach Orion, a former Starcraft champion, Luna and her fellow cheerleaders undergo rigorous training sessions. They learn complex routines, acrobatics, and the art of synchronizing their movements with the fast-paced battles happening on the Starcraft arena. As they bond and support each other, friendships are formed, and rivalries emerge.

Chapter 3: The Stellar Showdown

After months of training, the day of the final tryouts arrives. Luna and her teammates are filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness as they step onto the grand stage. The atmosphere is electric, with millions of fans eagerly awaiting the performances.

As Luna and her team execute their routine flawlessly, their energy and enthusiasm reverberate throughout the arena. Their captivating performance leaves the judges and spectators in awe, earning them a spot in the Starcraft League as the official cheerleaders for Terra Nova.

Chapter 4: The Cosmic Challenges

Life as a Galactic Cheerleader is not all glitz and glamour. Luna and her teammates face numerous challenges as they travel across the galaxy, supporting their Starcraft team in intense matches against rival planets. They encounter hostile environments, treacherous opponents, and unexpected twists that test their resilience and teamwork.

Amidst the chaos, Luna discovers a dark secret that threatens the very foundation of the Starcraft League. With the help of her friends, Luna embarks on a mission to uncover the truth and protect the integrity of the sport she loves.

Chapter 5: The Stellar Legacy

As Luna and her team delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover a conspiracy that involves powerful individuals seeking to manipulate the outcome of Starcraft matches for their own gain. With the fate of the League hanging in the balance, Luna must summon all her courage and rally her teammates to expose the truth and restore justice.

In a climactic showdown, Luna and her fellow cheerleaders confront the masterminds behind the conspiracy, using their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit to save the Starcraft League from corruption.

Epilogue: A New Era

Luna and her teammates emerge as heroes, celebrated for their bravery and dedication. Their story inspires a new generation of cheerleaders, who continue to uplift the spirits of Starcraft players and fans across the galaxy.

Stellar Spirit: The Galactic Cheerleaders is a tale of passion, friendship, and the power of unity. It explores the limitless possibilities of the future while reminding us of the importance of staying true to ourselves and fighting for what we believe in, no matter the odds.

[spoocys-glade-of-dreams]

"I'll tell you about my experiences once we get back to Mona's place. C'mon now."

Rayman would stand on one side of the Rayman from Eden while Raymona took the other. They would form a little support barrier and would begin leading him back to Raymona's place together. When they arrived, they would sit him down on the sofa while the native Rayman would grab a stool to sit on. Raymona offered to make them some hot chocolate and would leave for the kitchens to prepare it. When they were left alone, Rayman would only talk about his experiences when his brother said he was prepared to listen.

"I've been doing the hero thing since I was young. I was a teenager when I succeeded in stopping Mr. Dark from using the Great Protoon to reshape the glade. I would leave my homeland with my creator and mother to place The Great Protoon in the Fairy Council's vault. My father remained back there to keep an eye on things in our absence. The only people I really knew from here were Ly and Mona. Mona was brought to our side of the globe so we could spend half a year together when we were much younger. We've been close friends ever since. Ly helped us get moved in. I would meet Globox and Murfy later on.

Then a few years later came one of the most traumatic events of my life. The Robot Pirate invasion. Interstellar visitors who have been responsible for the death of many planets before. Draining their resources and taking as many slaves as possible to their slave markets in the stars. We thought we could beat them, but Admiral Razorbeard and his crew managed to destroy the Heart of the World. The heart is the source of all our magic. I was rendered powerless and the nymphs and fairies were left severely drained. I was captured and I thought the end had come, until my brother Globox managed to smuggle a silver lum into our cell. I managed to escape. My nephews and nieces were constantly being captured and exploited to harvest resources. Ly had also been captured. The only one that was actively still fighting despite everything was Mona. She ended up getting herself captured while I was trying to find her.

My friend Clark almost died fighting the robot pirates, and if it wasn't for Jano, he wouldn't be here today. He ended up getting captured later and brainwashed to fight me. I managed to save him again. Then Globox got captured again and he was going to be used for target practice with the Admiral's new weapon. I won that fight but I almost died in that, I don't think anything hurts more than walking in with your foot missing to your own funeral. It was also the first time I ever saw Mona have a breakdown.

Then came the hoodlum invasion. Black lums that wear makeshift disguises lead by Andre. Globox accidentally swallowed him during his raid on the fairy council and I made it a mission to get my brother cured. It wasn't easy watching my brother get abused by him and not being able to do a thing about it. Once Andre had been released from Globox's gut, he sought out a foe I had made on the journey. Reflux, who was the ex champion of the Knaaren people. I beat him in combat and he was left disgraced. Ended up stealing a powerful artifact from their king, who is no more than a child. He had held him hostage and used him to get the scepter of Leptys from his grandmother. I beat him, but I ended up killing him by accident in the process. I hate killing anything so that tore me up pretty badly.

Then I had to deal with the Rabbids. The second most Traumatic event that's ever happened to me. All of my friends and family ended up captured by them. I was used as a player of their sports, and they would use my own nieces and nephews as part of their horrific little games.

I... found out later that not all of my nieces and nephews made it out of there. After I escaped and rescued as many of them as I could. They were children... and they were exposed to so many horrors because of Professor Barranco the Third. The cruelest Rabbid I have ever known. I would meet a new friend during my time fighting back the Rabbids. Simonhe. She still helps out to this day by keeping track of Barranco and informs me of whenever he's on the move again.

Later found out that many rabbids ended up defecting from him because they just couldn't stand his cruelty. Mona's made friends with the defacto leader, and it turns out he was my prison warden. Serguei is a giant of a rabbid, but he would come to respect me over time. I used to hold such distrust of Rabbids, but lately the ones that have been on our side have been growing on me. Serguei's one of my dear friends now along with four other members of Mona's rabbid friend group.

Long after that, I remember falling asleep alongside my friends. Murfy wasn't among those I had taken my nap with. We all woke up and saw everything was so different... Turns out we had been asleep for one whole century... We still don't have an answer as to why we slept for so long.

I've developed these bags under my eyes for a reason and I think they may just be permanent given everything I've gone through."

The Blonde hugs him back, he understood him? His cries intensified sightly as he looks at his brother sniffling as he got released from the hug and he released him from the hug, to just be hugged again this time a soft smile leaving his lips as he relaxes more , letting his head rest against Mona's one as he wanted to ask his brother what was the traumatic experiences...

❝ You did...? but. You look so happy always... so full of life, is hard to believe that you went throught something like that... I wish I was a strong as you... I guess i have to get ready for it... don't I? I want to rest for a bit first... at least until tomorrow, too much things going on for me in one day... ❞

Says him drying his tears and breathing deep to just relax. To have his heart beating normal again as she looks at everyone with now a soft smile in his features, he will be okay...

[sterecs-sterek-fic-recs]

Post-Apocalyptic AU Rec List

Whether it’s zombies, a supernatural uprising or an out-of-control infection, we love reading about how our boys navigate the end of the world together. Hope you enjoy our selection of Post-Apocalyptic fic recs!

Happy reading!

-mods @thisgirlsays22 & @snarkatthemoon

💀 Enemy of My Enemy | calrissian18 | E | 8k

Stiles blinks hard. He can’t argue that he’s not quite all there, a little woozier than he would like, but he’s done more difficult things a lot worse off. The wolf didn’t know shit and Stiles sure as hell didn’t need him. He huffs out a little laugh into his own chest, leaning back against the armrest and chin dropped to his sternum, head lolling slightly. His eyelids are heavier than they were a minute ago. “What makes you think I wouldn’t use the opportunity to gut you? I hunt werewolves for sport, and so does everyone I have left.”

A careful claw tilts his chin up and it takes Stiles’ eyes a second to bring the face in front of him into stark relief. “You can barely keep your eyes open,” the wolf says softly, “I don’t think you have the upper hand now, human.”

💀 build me a city (and call it jerusalem) | orphan_account | T | 3.5k

The way Derek sees it, they'd all be screwed if the supernatural among them weren't immune to whatever it is that's put the country in a state of perpetual turmoil. He's lost track of how many times he's had to slit someones throat and flush the blood caked beneath his claws down the drain of the sink. Sometimes it's too much, for all of them. Stiles especially.

💀 Time Is Numbered By Days | secondstar | E | 7.6k

It's been fifty four days.

💀 Come with Me and Walk the Longest Mile | DevilDoll | E | 39k

"Stiles shouldn't accept rides from werewolves he meets behind abandoned convenience stores." In which the zombie apocalypse is just one of their worries.

💀 World Gone Mad | veritas_st | M | 1.6k

Stiles can’t remember when he last slept longer than three hours.

They’ve been running for so long now that it seems his body just survives on adrenaline and nothing else, a few stolen bites of food here and there, a couple of snatched hours of sleep then they’re off again.

💀 Radio Tower | HyperLittleNori (Shiguresan) | E | 130k

Inspired by the concept and stunning art by the talented Suis0u on Tumblr. Everything was different. The world he knew was gone. It’d been a long time since he’d started thinking he was probably one of the last humans on earth, that out there the only sentient beings were those that would devour him whole. He wasn’t sure why he continued with the radio broadcasts, continued to talk into nothingness. The only explanation was that there was a spark of hope in him yet that he wasn’t alone. The lonely safety Stiles has built around an old radio tower in the middle of nowhere is about to be broken. Stiles isn’t sure if Derek is a harbinger of chaos or hope at the end of the world.

💀 Ride | wolfbeater | E | 35k

The howlers emerged after the war that stripped the world of its colour. All Stiles knows is the wasteland and he calls the road his home, hunting the mutants wreaking havoc on what’s left of humanity. But when he becomes the hunted, he has to team up with the very thing he kills. And it’s possibly the worst road trip he’s been on.

💀 A Rock to Cling to While We Catch Our Breath series | Hyperion327 | various ratings | 40k

The apocalypse isn't necessarily the end. Taken from a line in the film Interstellar, here we see Derek and Stiles as they endure worlds scarred, and deformed.

[penpalkingdom]

Hi! I’m Augustė, 20 years old (she/her) from Lithuania. I’d really love to meet some new people (would feel most comfortable talking to someone at least 17 years old haha) and talk to you through email or social media:) Some of my hobbies include TV shows: Supernatural (all time favorite); Suits; The Office; The Mandalorian; and many more, I’m sure we will find at least one we both like! Movies: Star Wars (the originals mostly); Interstellar; The MCU; Mamma Mia; and once again - many more, all genres! Music: Sabaton; Little Mix; Taylor Swift; Måneskin; KISS; and you guessed it - many more. More things I love are sports (football (the one with the ball on the ground that’s kicked with feet) and F1! Also, I love musicals, books, writing (stories or lyrics), playing the piano, singing, dancing, being in nature, traveling. Of course the hobbies I have written are just so you could know me better, it’s surely not super important that we have so much in common, I’m sure we will find stuff to talk about! So, if you’d like to be friends, you can contact me via gmail or instagram: augusteverb @ gmail.com [without the spaces] @sacrifice.saturn (or @sacrificesaturn, depending when you’re reading this as i’m planning to change it haha) See you!