#it's more in sync on mobile but whatevs

[mortifying-macaroni]

L.A's Power Players

[blackbird-brewster]

Highlights from Catherine Tate's Q&A Panel at Armageddon Expo 2024 (NZ) :

[I took notes best I could during the panel but some may be paraphrased]

Q: What's your favourite Doctor Who alien?

CT: The wonderful Ood!

Q: Who's your favourite Doctor? (Crowd gasps in anticipation)

CT: Well, I get asked this a lot, and obviously it's David (Tennant). I don't know what number he is, he keeps coming back. But definitely, David. Although, someone recently pointed out that I was technically the first ever female Doctor. So you know what? Me, I'm my favourite Doctor.

Q: What's your favourite episode you were in of Doctor Who?

CT:The Runaway Bride, because that's where it all began.

Q: What's a favourite memory of working with David Tennant on Doctor Who?

CT: The scene in 'Partners in Crime', the one with the Adipose, there's the scene where Donna and the Doctor see each other from across a room. But they're both behind glass and they have the whole mime scene with the windows. Well, I remember it was about 3am when we were filming that - - Russel really likes to film at night if the story is taking place at night - so it was 3am, and I said to the director 'Uh, right here it just says Donna Mimes' and he said 'Yeah do whatever'.

So that whole scene was ad-lib during shooting and David and I were so in sync with it, we did that first take and the director said cut and print!

Q: How emotional were you filming your final scene in Journey's End?

CT: So, we didn't always film in order. And I'm not really a sentimental person, but I will say I thought Donna's ending was absolutely perfect. When she meets the Doctor she was always yelling at the world, and she was so different than what she was by the end, she had so much growth with the Doctor and she changed so much in her time with him, but then, she forgets the him and all those memories. And that final scene, what really got me was how he says 'Donna, I'm off' and she's just, I think she's on the phone, and she just waves dismissively. She doesn't know him anymore. Russell, the way he ties things together, he's brilliant, that man.

Q: What was it like working with Bernard (Cribbins)?

CT: Oh, Bernard. God, I love him. He was so funny and talented. He always had stories and voices and sound effects. He loved making people laugh. But we had a gag where every single time I called him I'd say (Donna Voice) 'GRANDAD!'

He'd say, "Who is this?"

"It's Catherine."

"Catherine who?"

"Catherine Tate"

"Never heard of her."

We did this every time I called him and I loved it.

Q: Is there anything annoying about working with David Tennant?

CT: No, absolutely not. He's perfect. He's the best person to work with. I will say though, I was annoying him a lot. When we did the 60th Anniversary specials, our trailers looked exactly the same and I never knew where my trailer was. I'd walk into his all the time!

Sometimes I'd walk in and see his shoes in the trailer and instead of thinking 'Oops, wrong trailer', my brain went 'What's he gone and left his shoes in my trailer for?'

It got so bad, sometimes I'd walk up the stairs and from inside I'd hear 'NO.'

Q: Was it weird coming back to play Donna after all these years? Especially when it was along side David Tennant?

CT: It was a bit weird, more in the 'Oh I hope i still know how to do this' way than anything. But I did think it would be hilarious if David and I arrived on set and every take we just did completely wrong voices. Just thought it'd be hilarious for him to go (in an airy upper-crust British accent) 'Ohhhh, hellloooo. I'm the Doctor'

Q: If you could take any prop from set, what would you take?

CT: Ohhhh, I'd have very large pockets and see what I could fit. But mostly I think it'd be a sonic screwdriver. It's gotta be a sonic screwdriver, doesn't it? It's small and mobile... Easy to steal. Plus, it'd fetch a great price on Ebay!

Q: Best show you've ever worked on?

CT: The Office, they paid me tons of money.

Q: My mum loves David Tennant, is there something you can say to dissuade her?

CT: Hm, something to convince her he's not.... Oh, he doesn't believe in astrology! I'll say 'It's Mercury Retrograde' and he'll say 'NO, NO, NO I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT'.

Other Highlights:

As soon as she came out, she saw the stage had no steps to the audience, so she stayed on mic and went the long way round to go into the audience and interview people, trying to find who had traveled the furthest to be here. She was sorely disappointed everyone was just from Aotearoa 🤣

Donna Lines She Performed:

"Oi Spaceman! You're not mating with me sunshine!" (Crowd went wild for that)

"Binary. Binary. Binary." (🥺)

She did some of her characters: Lauren Cooper mostly, but also wished someone Happy birthday as Nan

[onceuponaoneshotfanfic]

You Better Cross the Line

I'm Bright Baby Blue, Falling Into You

Chelsea!Roy Kent x Coach's Daughter!Reader

2k words

Warnings: Language, reader has a nickname, lying/sneaking around, adults drink beer, Roy is already down bad, no Ted Lasso characters except for Roy, fluff & flirting

“Yeah, Kent. You could call me sometime.”

Roy nodded, clearly fighting the urge to smile, and squeezed your hand. “You should probably go inside soon,” he sighed as he turned his face towards the sky. “Your dad’ll be looking for you.” As though he couldn’t help it, he looked back at you. “But I’ll call you,” he promised with a firm nod.

You reluctantly left Roy on the pitch, your head swimming with wondering when the footballer would call you and what he would say. Or ask. It was clear you were no longer alone in your attraction, and that this was at least something more than an entertaining flirtation on his end.

The questions still floated in your mind while you watched your father gather his work things. When he wasn’t looking, you quickly scribbled your mobile number on a sticky note and tucked it into Roy’s locker when no one was paying attention.

In the car you were uncharacteristically quiet; normally, you and your dad would spend the drive chatting about training, about the players, about any football news or rumors you’d read while sitting in his office. But today, your thoughts were too full of Roy Kent and his brown eyes and wondering when he’d call to offer anything more than little Mmm hmms and Yeahs to your increasingly perplexed father.

It was the moment you walked through the front door that your mobile and the universe had mercy on you. You all but scrambled up the stairs as you answered it.

“Hello?” Fuck, since when was your voice this damn breathy?

“Hey.”

Your heart and your bedroom door slammed in sync. Roy Kent was calling you.

How were you supposed to breathe, let alone talk, when a gorgeous, funny, talented, famous footballer called you up after holding your hand on the pitch?

Clearly, Roy could tell you were struggling to form words, because he went on speaking. “This is Roy.” As if you wouldn’t know that delicious growl anywhere.

“I know,” you finally managed. You collapsed on your bed. “You called fast,” you teased.

“Didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten,” he replied with a small chuckle. Why the hell did he sound nervous? You were the one living in a fantasy, lying in your room, chatting on the phone with Chelsea’s star player. For him, this was probably just a Thursday night. “I was wondering…” He cleared his throat, a low, gruff sound. “D’you want to come over? We could watch a film, have some pizza.”

You were living in the Matrix. That was it. That had to be it. There was no other explanation to why Roy fucking Kent was asking you out. Well, in. But still. How the fuck was this happening?

“Sure,” you managed, hoping he couldn’t hear how thick your voice felt. “That sounds great.” You sat up and cleared your throat, grimacing at your reflection in the mirror and trying to flatten your suddenly unruly hair. “What time?”

“Whenever.” There was that Roy Kent aloofness, almost as if he was trying to convince you he didn’t care as much as he truly did. “Just… you’re not telling your dad, right?”

There it was. The thing that was going to be perpetually hanging over whatever this thing was going to end up being. Dear Old Dad, Chelsea’s fearless leader, Roy’s boss. He’d never in a million years approve of you seeing Roy Kent. He knew what footballers were like, and he knew what Roy Kent was like. Your dad might have that heart attack he was always joking about if he got even a whiff of this conversation.

Not that you were going to let that stop you.

“Course not,” you hummed. “You’d be buried under Stamford Bridge if the old man ever found out you called.”

His chuckle echoed in your ear. “Appreciate it.”

He quickly gave you directions to his flat, and you agreed to be over in about an hour. When you hung up, you fought the urge to scream into a pillow. You were going to Roy Kent’s place. You’d be watching a movie, hanging out, with Roy Kent. Hell, you might wind up kissing Roy Kent by the end of the night.

You clambered out of bed and rushed to your closet. You’d gone on lots of dates, you reminded yourself. Dates with ridiculously good-looking guys even. Successful dates, you might add. But none with Roy Kent, the little voice in your head pointed out.

After stressing over whether or not you could even call this a date, you finally forced yourself to find a flattering pair of jeans and a light sweater. Comfortable, casual enough for a movie night, but something you knew you looked good in. A quick brush through your hair, a little lip gloss, some trainers on your feet. It was just right for a night in, and hopefully simple enough to not rouse your father’s attention.

“’m taking the car!” you shouted as you practically skipped downstairs.

“Where are you off to?” Your mother’s soft smile was a welcome sight when you were hoping to avoid your dad.

You fiddled with the strap of your purse. “Angela’s,” you blurted out, naming a friend your mother knew well. “Just having a girls’ night.”

She nodded; there was no reason to doubt you, not when your summers were always full of evenings with your friends. “Have fun.” A kiss landed on your forehead. “Be safe, alright?”

Be safe. Her words bounced around in your head as you climbed into your dad’s car, the one you usually borrowed when you were home. Be safe. Was spending time like this, alone in Roy Kent’s flat, being safe? You weren’t an innocent little dove, but you knew his reputation. You knew it well. You giggled over it with your friends, wondering if the things you read in the tabloids were true, rolling your eyes lightheartedly when the girls asked if you’d ever seen anything in the changing room.

Oh, the things they’d say if they knew what you were up to.

The drive to his building was shorter than you expected, shorter than you needed it to be with the nerves you were trying to control. Somehow, they got worse as you strolled into the building and found your way to Roy Kent’s flat. After a shake of your shoulders to try to get rid of the tension they carried, you gave a quick rap to the door.

You waited maybe two beats before you heard the knob turn. Roy Kent filled the doorway in a pair of dark jeans and a black shirt that fit him too perfectly. He smirked at the sight of you, not bothering to hide the way his eyes flickered down your body. He was less the guy on the pitch who quietly asked if he could call you and more the cocky man you’d read about in tabloids; you weren’t sure which you preferred, but you’d take either one in a heartbeat.

“C’mon in,” he hummed as he opened the door wider for you. You followed him inside, pretending you often found yourself in the flats of professional footballers. He nodded to a shelf filled with DVDs. “Pick something,” he said simply. “You want a beer?”

“Sure.” You turned your attention to the movies as you listened to his footsteps recede to what you assumed was his kitchen. He had a decent collection, you observed. A little bit of everything, and even a couple things you’d never heard of. A smile crossed your face when you caught sight of a familiar movie title.

Roy returned with a couple of beers and a box of pizza, his eyebrows raised when he saw the movie you were holding up. “When Harry Met Sally?” he read.

You nodded and accepted the bottle he handed you as well as the pizza box. “That alright? I really like this one.”

“Whatever you want, princess.” He took the case from you and nodded for you to have a seat.

Roy Kent’s couch was comfortable. It didn’t creak when you sat, not like the couches in residence halls tended to do. You put the pizza on his coffee table and opened the box, letting the delicious smell fill the room. After he turned on the television and set up the movie, Roy turned to look at you, something unreadable flickering on his face for a brief moment.

“Grab a slice,” he mumbled as he plopped down next to you. His eyes found yours, searching for a brief moment. “Thanks for coming over.”

There he was. The guy who’d laid next to you on the pitch and gently touched your hand and asked if he could call you. The guy you liked best, you decided.

“Thanks for inviting me,” you murmured, grabbing a piece of pizza before settling back into the couch. For the second time that day, you found yourself far too close to Roy Kent. Even with the whole couch to sit on, he chose to sit close to you, close enough for your arms to brush every time you took a sip of your beer.

The two of you watched the start of the movie in silence, except for a few breathy chuckles here and there when Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were particularly funny. Thankful that the food had filled your stomach with something besides butterflies, you stole a glance at Roy. He looked comfortable, almost happy as he brought his bottle to his lips. With his eyes still on the screen, he lifted his arm and settled it behind the couch- behind you. His gazed flickered to you for a moment, eyebrows raised playfully, before he slouched into the cushions.

Was this what Roy Kent making a move looked like?

You tried to focus your attention on the movie, you really did. But you could hear his breathing and feel his side pressed against yours and your peripheral vision could see the pink in this cheeks and fuck, why did he have to smell so good?

When he leaned forward to place his beer on the coffee table, his arm wrapped around your shoulders. Oh, shit, you forgot how to breathe. Especially when he kept his arm firmly there once he sat back against the cushions.

Your inability to breathe only got worse when he bowed his head and whispered in your ear, “This alright?”

“Yeah,” you exhaled, feeling bold enough to turn to face him.

From this close, you could count every freckle on his face, memorize the shape of his nose and lips, see the brightness in his eyes. You could practically feel the rise and fall of his chest as he leaned forward, letting his nose brush against yours.

“This alright?”

Your heartbeat pounded in your ear, drowning out the sound of Billy Crystal singing “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” on the telly. The only thing you could think about was the tip of Roy’s nose bumping your burning skin and his lips only centimetres away from your own.

“Yes.”

Far too many nights in your dorm had been spent imagining Roy Kent’s lips on yours. But none of those dreams compared to the real thing. Because those fantasies didn’t tell you how soft his lips were, or how his hand rested on your thigh with a gentle firmness. Or how he tasted like pizza and beer and delight. Or the way his mouth parted so his tongue could gently flick against your lips before he pulled away, looking as breathless as you felt. Or, worst of all, how you knew he’d just ruined every other kiss for you.

He cleared his throat as he leaned back, his eyes roaming your face. “Well?”

“Well, what?” You knew he could see the flush on your face, but you hoped that you could hide it by acting as cool as he usually did.

“Well, are you going to let me kiss you again?” There was that cocky grin, the one you often saw on the pitch, the one that made your entire body go warm. “Or are you going to run and tell The Sun that Roy Kent is a shit kisser?”

Despite the swarm of butterflies fluttering in your chest, you laughed and rolled your eyes. “Sorry, I think I need another demonstration.”

Roy shook his head at you and cupped your face. “If you insist, princess.”

Taglist: @gee72sstuff @book-of-roses @kissykissymouth @emmy2811 @hart-kinsella @klaine-92 @dearvoidgoodnight @misshall14 @issieruby @royal-sunflower @kissmekent @veryprairieberry @itswhateveripromise

[cupidddd-d]

you like what i represent, i like the attention

in which you're both selfish-- greedy, even.

cw: age gap

the reader doesn't have any pronouns addressed towards them, so feel free to read in whatever gender you prefer :)

what was it called when animals would use each other for their own benefits? like the crocodile and the plover? the crocodile would allow the plover to pick bits of meat from its teeth, and in turn, the plover would get a meal. a symbiotic relationship.

you were a model plastered on every magazine cover, every billboard. the type of model that children dreamed of becoming. the type of model who drowned in designer clothes and luxury brand deals.

tony was a billionaire, of course. everyone knew who tony stark was. and he didn't like you. not really, anyway. he only paraded you around because the paparazzi was always watching, and he needed you to hold his arm and look pretty, which you did.

he bought you expensive gifts and took you to fancy restaurants, and of course you'd go along with it. who wouldn't? you got even more attention, and tony's fame was only adding to yours.

and of course, the age gap between the two of you was very controversial. he was almost 40, and you were barely in your 20s. it made for a lot of bad press, and people were constantly making judgmental comments. but the way you saw it, all publicity was good publicity.

"i have to make an appearance at some nascar race on the 25th," tony said offhandedly. "there's gonna be a lot of reporters there."

you were having your monthly meeting about syncing up your schedules-- which was, of course, an essential piece in your ruse.

"i can't-- i have a photoshoot then from 8am to 4pm. but that's the latest date we can see each other unless we want to risk rumors about a break up between us," you frowned, pausing your mobile game to think.

"maybe it's good, right? it'll get people talking again. we've been too stable. people are getting used to us-- that's what my publicist said."

"no, no...people were waiting for us to break up. they'll cheer for, like, two seconds, and then they'll move on. is it possible for you to be late to the race?" you mused, tapping your nails on the side of your phone.

"oh, tony, you shouldn't have!" you gushed, your arms barely able to encase the massive bouquet of gold-dipped roses.

your mouth felt too big for your face, as if it was stretching your cheeks awkwardly, but it always felt this way when you were faking your enthusiasm. were your eyes crinkling enough to make your smile seem realistic? nobody ever commented on it, so perhaps you were better at acting than you thought.

"i just wanted to give my baby a little gift before taking you to the nascar race," tony flashed you a charming grin, his whitened teeth sparkling in the bounce lights. his expression seemed natural, but you supposed he had more experience in crafting his persona than you did.

you ducked your head to smell the flowers, hiding a triumphant grin as you noticed the flashing of a camera in your peripheral vision.

[morkitten]

GIANT GORG BLU-RAY SUBTITLES

Recently, this wonderful 80s anime received a Blu-Ray HD release in Japan, but there are no English subtitles available for it. So I took it upon myself to rip the English DVD subtitles for Giant Gorg, run them through OCR transcription, fix line by line machine transcription mistakes, and re-time the whole thing to sync to the Blu-Ray rips online! To do that for 26 episodes was a big, often boring task, but if it makes anyone else watch and enjoy this series as much as I did, it's worth it, to me. Here's the link! Click on Keep Reading below if you wanna know more about this series before jumping in:

Giant Gorg was directed by the legendary Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, known as the character designer of the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Dirty Pair, and the director of the recent Gundam movie, Cucuruz Doan's Island, plus the creator of several manga, anime and film works like Gundam: The Origin, Arion, Jesus, Venus Wars, and many others.

Giant Gorg is kind of a precious baby of his that unfortunately never took off in popularity the way it deserved to. It's a wonderful series in the style of old adventure serials like Johnny Quest, about a boy named Yuu Tagami who, through a series of events, ends up joining/founding an exploration group to research the mysterious tropical island of New Austral, that is also on the aim of an evil corporation called GAIL, who'll do whatever it takes to claim the island and its secrets its exclusive property.

Yuu ends up finding and seemingly befriending a mysterious, ancient, and extremely powerful golem residing in the island, the titular GIANT GORG, deepening the mysteries of the land. The expedition group juggles surviving the island's natural and less-than-natural perils, managing internal conflicts, scraping by GAIL's assaults and dealing with other parties interested in the island for themselves. Plus, they now have to figure out just what the Giant Gorg is, if it can be relied on, and what is its intent. Whether this incredible being really is a Messenger of the Gods, some cataclysmic ancient weapon, or something else entirely. If I had to reduce it to something, it's old adventure serials mixed in with Mobile Suit Gundam and the Iron Giant. That's kind of what Giant Gorg is. The expedition group has a similar feeling to a much more scaled down White Base in Gundam, a group of people mostly barely related to one another forced into becoming a found family, relying on each other and surviving the strikes of a much bigger military force that's after them, with their own bureaucratic conflicts and machineries. Giant Gorg even has its own Char, in the form of Rod Balboa, a hotshot heir of GAIL that has been given control of its New Austral initiative. He's voiced by the same actor and everything!

What's truly great about GIANT GORG is how it creates a real, powerful sense of danger as stakes change and things escalate, both materially and emotionally. Characters feel like truly strong individuals that develop and peel out layers of complexity as the series goes on, and it tests your faith heavily in who they are and whether they'll do the right thing for themselves and the people they care for. There's such a great mix of excitement, sentimentalism, danger, discomfort, comedy, that makes this series feel like a truly all-encompassing and fullfilled Adventure.

So yeah, and the Blu-Ray looks fantastic, especially as someone who had to watch it originally in dim, blurry 420p resolution. So please give it a try!

[niallerspayno]

Moments - Chapter Eleven

Masterlist

May 16th, 2015

You’re standing in the middle of the baby store, completely overwhelmed. Shelves tower around you, stocked with every imaginable baby item, from bottles to blankets, tiny shoes to gadgets you’ve never heard of. The boys fan out in every direction like kids in a candy shop, each with their own mission.

Louis grabs the tiniest onesie he can find and holds it up with a smirk. “Look at this. Can you imagine her wearing this? It’s got ‘Troublemaker in Training’ on it. Very fitting, if you ask me.”

“You’re not teaching my kid to cause chaos,” you say, but you can’t help laughing.

“She’ll come by it naturally,” Louis retorts with a wink.

Meanwhile, Liam is fixated on a wall of baby monitors, reading the specs on every single one. “This one has a night vision camera,” he announces, turning the box over in his hands. “And this one syncs with your phone. What do you think?”

“I think she’s not being born into MI6,” you tease. “But whatever you pick will be fine, Dad.”

Liam looks at you sheepishly but puts the box in the cart. “Just want to make sure she’s safe,” he mumbles.

Across the store, Harry and Niall are locked in a debate over plush toys. Harry holds up a soft bunny, its floppy ears almost comically large. “She’ll love this one. Classic and cute.”

Niall shakes his head and counters with a stuffed lion. “Nah, the lion’s cooler. And look, it roars if you squeeze it!” He demonstrates, and the sound is loud enough to make you wince.

“Definitely not the lion,” you call over. “I’m not listening to that roar at 3 a.m.”

Paul, ever the calm presence, leans on the shopping cart as he watches the chaos unfold. “You lot are worse than she is,” he says, shaking his head.

As the cart fills, you find yourself drawn to a display of cribs. You trace your fingers over the wood of one, the reality of it all hitting you again. A baby. Your baby.

Niall sidles up beside you, hands in his pockets. “That one’s nice,” he says softly. “Looks sturdy. Could paint it, make it more personal.”

“Yeah,” you murmur. Your voice catches, and Niall notices.

“You all right?” he asks, leaning closer.

“Just… everything feels real, you know?” you admit, glancing over at him. “Picking out cribs, seeing you all so excited. It’s a lot.”

He nudges your shoulder gently. “We’re here for you. All of us. You don’t have to do this alone.”

You nod, grateful for the support. Then Louis reappears, throwing an arm around your shoulders. “Don’t get all weepy on us now,” he jokes. “Come on, we’ve got bottles to pick. Harry’s convinced we need glass ones, like she’s some posh baby.”

You roll your eyes but let him lead you away, the boys trailing after you like a protective pack. By the time you leave the store, the cart is overflowing with everything from essentials to ridiculous extras you didn’t even know you needed.

As you pile into the car, Louis pipes up again. “So, who’s on assembling duty for the crib? Because I’ll tell you now, I’m useless with an Allen wrench.”

The laughter that follows feels like home, grounding you even as everything around you changes.

...

The spare room in your flat is barely big enough to fit the essentials, but as you stand in the doorway and watch the boys argue over crib assembly instructions, it already feels perfect.

Louis is sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding two wooden pieces at odd angles. “This doesn’t even look like a crib part. Are we sure this isn’t a decorative railing or something?”

“Maybe if you actually read the instructions instead of guessing,” Liam replies, crouched beside him with the manual spread out on the floor. “Step three clearly says—”

“Step three is wrong!” Louis interrupts, glaring at the paper like it personally offended him.

“You’re just not reading it right,” Liam says with an exasperated sigh.

Across the room, Niall is busy unboxing a mobile with soft pastel clouds and stars. He pokes at it experimentally, grinning when it starts to spin. “This is going to look great over her crib. She’ll love it.”

“She will if she ever has a crib to sleep in,” you mutter from where you’re sitting on a pile of cushions, watching the chaos unfold.

Harry is in the corner, meticulously folding baby clothes you picked out earlier, arranging them in a little set of drawers. “Don’t stress,” he says without looking up. “It’s coming together, isn’t it?”

You glance around the room. The walls are painted a soft cream, and Liam’s already hung a few framed prints—a cheerful alphabet poster, a watercolor of a bear holding balloons. The crib pieces are scattered, the changing table is half-assembled, and toys and books are piling up in every corner. Despite the mess, it does feel like it’s all coming together.

Paul pokes his head in, holding a toolbox. “Need help?”

“Desperately,” you say, waving him in.

Paul takes one look at the crib and shakes his head. “You lot should stick to singing,” he mutters, shooing Louis and Liam aside as he kneels down to take over.

As Paul starts working, Louis turns to you, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Right, since I’m clearly useless here, what’s next? Decorating? I’m great at that.”

“I bet you are,” you tease. “But keep it subtle. No wild patterns.”

Louis clutches his chest dramatically. “You wound me. I’ll go find some fairy lights or something tasteful.”

He disappears, and Harry finishes his folding before joining you on the cushions. “How are you holding up?” he asks, his voice soft.

“I’m good,” you reply, though your hands instinctively rest on your bump. “It’s all a bit surreal, though, isn’t it?”

Harry smiles, his gaze warm. “Surreal, but exciting. She’s going to love it here.”

Niall finishes hanging the mobile and steps back, admiring his handiwork. “Not bad, huh?” He catches your eye and grins. “You’ll have to let me know if it needs tweaking. I’m officially on mobile duty.”

“Noted,” you say with a laugh.

By the time Paul finishes the crib, the room feels transformed. The mobile hangs perfectly, the changing table is set up with tiny baskets for supplies, and the drawers are filled with impossibly small clothes. Even Louis returns with a string of soft white lights, which he drapes around the window.

As you stand in the middle of the room, taking it all in, a lump rises in your throat. “Thank you,” you say, your voice thick with emotion. “All of you. This means so much.”

“You don’t have to thank us,” Liam says gently, resting a hand on your shoulder. “We’re family. That’s what we do.”

Louis nods, tossing an arm around your shoulders. “Besides, we need her to love us more than you. We’re setting the groundwork early.”

“She’s already got the best uncles,” you reply, smiling through your tears.

“And the best mum,” Harry adds softly, and the others nod in agreement.

You look around at them, at the room they’ve helped create, and for the first time in what feels like forever, you let yourself breathe. This is real, and it’s going to be okay.

...

June 5th, 2015

The energy in Cardiff’s stadium is electric. Fans’ screams echo through the venue as the band’s soundcheck begins, their excitement palpable even from backstage. You’re perched on a stool in the production area, headset on and clipboard in hand, directing crew members and double-checking setlists.

At 23 weeks pregnant, your bump is impossible to hide beneath your loose shirt and oversized hoodie. You’ve done your best to ignore the weight of it, the persistent ache in your back, and the occasional kick from within as if the baby is reminding you to slow down. But the familiar rhythm of tour life, the chaos, and the adrenaline are addictive.

“Are you sure you’re okay to be doing this?” Paul’s voice cuts through your focus. He’s standing nearby, arms crossed, his expression a mix of concern and amusement. “You’ve been on your feet all day.”

“I’m fine,” you insist, scribbling a note on your clipboard. “I needed to get back into the swing of things.”

Paul raises an eyebrow. “The swing of things doesn’t involve you working yourself into exhaustion. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you skipping breaks.”

You sigh, knowing he’s right but too stubborn to admit it. “I’m pacing myself.”

“Pacing yourself, huh?” Louis’s voice joins the conversation as he saunters in, holding a water bottle. He hands it to you. “Pacing yourself by running around like a headless chicken?”

“Funny, considering you’re the king of chaos,” you shoot back, accepting the bottle.

He smirks, leaning against a nearby case. “True, but even I know when to take it easy. You’ve got a little one in there who needs you to chill.”

Before you can argue, Niall and Liam appear, both freshly showered and dressed for the show. Liam gives you a knowing look, as if he’s already been briefed by Paul and Louis.

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard,” Liam says gently, his tone leaving no room for debate. “It’s okay to take a step back.”

“I don’t need all of you ganging up on me,” you reply, though the edge in your voice softens when you meet Liam’s concerned gaze.

“You’ve got nothing to prove,” Niall says, dropping onto the couch nearby. “We’ve got it covered. Besides, we’re the ones on stage—what could possibly go wrong?”

You give him a pointed look. “Do you want the list alphabetically or by severity?”

The group chuckles, the tension easing slightly. Harry joins in a moment later, adjusting his mic pack. “She’s got a point. But seriously, we’re all here. Let us take care of things.”

“I am taking care of things,” you insist, though your voice wavers as the baby shifts, pressing uncomfortably against your ribs.

Liam notices immediately, stepping closer. “Sit down,” he says firmly, guiding you to a nearby chair. “No arguments.”

For once, you don’t resist, sinking into the chair with a relieved sigh. Louis kneels down in front of you, his mischievous expression replaced with something softer. “You’re not just part of the team anymore,” he says, gesturing toward your bump. “You’ve got a whole new priority. Let us carry some of the load.”

“Plus,” Niall adds with a grin, “you’re going to need your energy to yell at us when we inevitably screw something up.”

That earns a laugh, and for a moment, the weight on your shoulders feels a little lighter.

As the band heads to the stage and the show begins, you stay backstage, watching the performance from the monitors. The crowd’s deafening cheers, the band’s infectious energy, and the seamless execution of the production remind you why you love this life.

But as you rest your hand on your bump, feeling a soft kick in response to the music, you realise they’re right. This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s time to let go of some of the control and trust that everything will be okay—even if you’re not running the show.

...

The thunderous applause still echoes faintly in your ears as you step into your hotel suite, exhausted but buzzing from the energy of the night. The boys had been incredible on stage, and you’d kept everything running smoothly backstage, but the long day had taken its toll. Your feet ache, your back feels tight, and the baby hasn’t stopped wriggling since the encore began.

You’re pulling off your hoodie when there’s a knock at the door. Before you can call out, it swings open to reveal Niall, grinning sheepishly with a small bag in hand.

“I come bearing gifts,” he announces, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

You arch an eyebrow. “Gifts?”

“Relaxation,” he clarifies, setting the bag on the coffee table and pulling out a few items—a small box of lavender bath salts, a candle, and your favorite herbal tea.

You chuckle softly. “Did someone put you up to this?”

“Not a chance,” he says, already heading toward the en suite bathroom. “I figured after today, you might need a bit of pampering.”

“Niall, you don’t have to—”

“Sit,” he interrupts, pointing at the couch. “Let me do something nice for you for once, yeah?”

You roll your eyes but comply, sinking into the cushions as he disappears into the bathroom. The sound of running water fills the suite, and a moment later, the subtle scent of lavender drifts into the air.

When he returns, he hands you a mug of tea, warm and fragrant. “Drink that while I finish setting up.”

You take a sip, the soothing blend easing some of the tension in your body. By the time you’ve finished, Niall is back, pulling you gently to your feet.

“Bath’s ready,” he says, leading you toward the bathroom. The lights are dim, the candle casting a soft glow across the room, and the tub is filled with steaming water, the lavender salts swirling gently.

“Wow,” you murmur, genuinely touched. “This is...perfect.”

“Good,” he says, his grin softening into something more tender. “Now get in. I’ll be out here if you need me.”

You hesitate, a part of you wanting to protest, but the allure of the warm bath is too strong. “Thank you, Niall.”

“Anytime.”

...

After the bath, you emerge feeling lighter, wrapped in a fluffy robe with your hair damp and your skin glowing. Niall is sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone, but he looks up immediately when you appear.

“Feeling better?” he asks, standing as you approach.

“Much,” you admit, sitting beside him. “You didn’t have to do all this.”

“I wanted to,” he says simply, reaching out to take your hand. His thumb traces lazy circles over your knuckles. “You do so much for everyone else. Someone’s gotta take care of you, too.”

Your heart squeezes at the sincerity in his voice. Before you can respond, he shifts, kneeling on the floor in front of you.

“Lie down,” he says.

“What?”

“You’ve been on your feet all day,” he explains. “Let me help.”

You hesitate, but his earnest expression convinces you. You lie back on the bed, and he begins to gently massage your feet, his strong hands working out the knots and tension. It’s heavenly, and you can’t help but let out a contented sigh.

“This okay?” he asks, glancing up at you.

“More than okay,” you murmur, your eyes fluttering shut.

He moves to your calves, then your lower back, careful and attentive, never making you feel rushed or uncomfortable. By the time he’s finished, you feel like a new person, the aches and pains of the day replaced with a warm, relaxed glow.

Niall lies down beside you, propping himself up on one elbow. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

You laugh softly, turning to face him. “I think you’ve got it backward. You’re the amazing one tonight.”

He leans in, brushing a kiss to your forehead, and you feel a wave of affection so strong it’s almost overwhelming.

“Anytime you need me,” he whispers, “I’ll be here.”

Niall’s words linger in the air, soft and steady, wrapping around you like a warm embrace. He’s so close now, his blue eyes locked on yours, filled with something that makes your breath catch. For a moment, neither of you speaks, the quiet intimacy of the room stretching between you.

Your gaze flickers to his lips, and before you can second-guess yourself, you lean forward, brushing your mouth against his. It’s soft, tentative, and he freezes for a heartbeat before responding, his hand coming up to cradle your cheek.

The kiss deepens naturally, his lips moving against yours with a slow, unhurried rhythm that sends warmth spreading through your chest. His thumb strokes your cheek, and you shiver under his touch, your heart racing as his other hand rests lightly on your hip, careful and steady.

“Niall,” you murmur, your voice barely audible.

“Yeah?” he whispers, pulling back just enough to meet your eyes.

“Don’t stop.”

A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth before he leans back in, kissing you again, this time with more intent. His hand slides to the small of your back, drawing you closer as you press your hands against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath your palms.

You tilt your head, letting him take control, and he kisses you like you’re something precious, like he’s savoring every moment. His tongue traces the seam of your lips, seeking permission, and you grant it without hesitation, a soft sigh escaping you as the kiss becomes more urgent, more consuming.

You’re vaguely aware of your robe slipping from your shoulder, but the heat of his lips on your skin distracts you from everything else. He trails kisses along your jaw, down to the sensitive spot just below your ear, and you can’t help the soft sound that escapes you.

“You’re perfect,” he murmurs against your skin, his voice low and husky.

You pull him back up, capturing his lips again, your fingers threading through his hair. The world narrows down to just the two of you, the feel of his hands, the taste of him, the way he seems to know exactly how to touch you to make you melt.

When you finally break apart, your breathing is uneven, your lips tingling. He rests his forehead against yours, his eyes half-lidded and soft.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

“More than okay,” you reply, a smile curving your lips.

His fingers brush your hair back, and he kisses you again, this time slower, sweeter, like he’s trying to memorize the moment. When he pulls away, he stays close, his nose brushing yours.

“I mean it,” he says, his tone serious. “Anytime you need me.”

And as you lie there, your heart still racing, you think maybe, just maybe, you’re starting to believe that this could be something more. Something real.

Next chapter

[lacerrabian]

Do you love to ram and boost and catapult your enemies into walls?

Do you want to make your friends jealous at the sight of your absurd Action Economy without even overcharging?

Do you want to be everywhere all at once without teleporting?

As a "Tank"???

I’ll tell you about my Orchis / Nelson build which is really fun probably idk my level isn’t high enough yet.

Ok we got:

H: 6 if you want

A: 6 the only one that you should max

S: 2 maybe

E: whatever

Talents:

Duelist 3 - gives us accuracy on our first main melee attack, blademaster die to feint which will come in handy as we will be the speed racers of the battlefield, and ofc unstoppable to ram an enemy after hitting them with an attack

House guard 3 - gives us 1 More "Range" for adjacent Effects and when you intercept on attacks you can knock the enemy prone, also you will have Guardian as a Nelson

Hunter 3 - to fly towards the enemy before an aux attack, throw aux weapons and make all weapons return to you, and throw aux weapons as free actions !

Juggernaut 2 - we will be boosting and zooming around so accuracy on a ram (which we can do for free sometimes) is amazing plus the additional knockback will help us to do damage with level 2, knocking enemies into walls deals damage now!

Skirmisher 3 - gives us softcover if we don’t attack, helps us move even more, and makes us dodge the first attack aimed at us as a reaction, cool!

Brutal 1 - for fun :-) - And also if you roll a Nat 20 as the Nelson with these talents and systems you can deal 24 damage at once and I always imagine a cool Anime song playing when that happens and me drilling through the enemy like that time Asuka got pierced with that cool spear in NGE

Systems:

We got 14 system points as the Orchis at level 12, we could go with some systems to get more but basically we can pick: (system points in brackets)

Synthetic muscle netting (2) - makes us knock back bigger enemies, knock 'em all

GMS armament redundancy (1) - if - IF - we lose a structure and a mount gets destroyed the Orchis is fucked

Thermal charge (2) - for damage!

Mimic mesh / scorpion V70.1 (2/2) - pick one, one helps us move even more while the other one has amazing synergy with the following system

Black ice module (3) - so much Defense against Teck attacks….

Magnetic shield (2) - resistance against kinetic damage in a line 4 area - awesome for your low evasion friends

Siege ram (2) - 2 damage on a ram is 2 damage per ram :-)

Other systems I like:

Bulwark mods (1) - if you expect difficult terrain or really don’t like difficult terrain this is great!

Armor lock plating (1) - if you get grappled your gameplan is basically over

Custom paintjob (1) - amazing little system

Core bonuses (in no particular order):

Overpower calibre - for damage

Full subjectivity sync - evasion stacking

Titanomachy mesh - another ram if u ram and +1 knockback for attacks with one knockback

The last one could be anything really I’d go with bigger robot, more HP / armor or Kai bioplating

Weapons:

Good old war pike and any melee aux weapon you like

So what does this do?

Ok so you move / boost towards an enemy, attack them with main and move even more if you want to, knock them back 2 spaces, lunge after them, hit them with aux, ram them for 3 knockback, ram them again or ram someone else, they must be knocked prone but who cares, throw your aux weapon and/or your shield at them while you’re at it! That’s like 6 attacks lol. Potentially it might deal 3D6 (main) , +1D3 (aux) +1D3(thrown aux) + 1D6+2 (ram) +2 (another ram) +3 (thrown shield).

Movement wise u got 8 movement, another 8 when u boost, 2 for skirmishing, 3 for having a melee aux weapon, 3 with mimic mesh and up to 9 when it’s not even your turn just because you’re close to an ally. Wow.

All this combined with the utility the Orchis provides to mobile and fragile allies is so amazing. You can also let your allies position you and just run off and return.

I feel like this build works for both the Orchis and the Nelson, just in their respective ways. Have fun and Lance on! ;^)

[wilteddreamsofbaldursgate]

2. Writing Set Up: Where to Write Your Draft

Before you even start writing, you’ll need to find a writing program/medium you feel comfortable working with. 

I promise you—from start to finish—you’ll look at your draft for a couple of hours at minimum, so I suggest you choose a program/medium that aligns with your individual needs. Now it’s time for you to identify what those needs might be. 

Here are some options:

Creativity strikes while you’re cuddled up in bed or on your commute to work? 

Try writing on your phone/tablet (unless you’re the one driving, of course!)—you can use pre-installed apps like Pages (iOS) or your Notes/Memo app. You can also download free writing applications like Google Docs. Google Docs works on and offline on basically any mobile device, which is great for when you’re on the go! 

You prefer writing/typing on a computer? 

There are many desktop writing programs like LibreOffice (free for Windows, Mac and Linux), MS Word (needs to be purchased/subscription-based), countless online text editors or the browser version of Google Docs. 

You need to physically feel the words flowing through your body? 

Well, imagine you’re a classic author and write them down by hand on generously perfumed paper (preferably with royal blue ink)! Of course, you can also use Post-it notes or that coffee-stained notebook from 2013. Regular paper will do, too, though it’s obviously not as cool. 

Of course, there are many more options to choose from, but since you’re just starting out, I suggest you try free and more readily available programs first. Everything has its pros and cons, but digital writing is generally pretty clean-cut and saves you the trouble of digitising hand-written drafts (which you’ll need to do if you want to share your writing online! Unless you want to share scans of your beautiful handwritten writing, of course!). 

But before you settle for one (or more!) program/media of your choice, you might want to consider a few things: 

Is your writing easily accessible to you? → Can you add to your draft whenever and wherever creativity strikes? 

Does your writing program save your progress automatically? → You don’t want to lose hours upon hours of work because you forgot to save your progress! 

Is your writing secure? → Is your writing uploaded to a cloud? Will you still be able to access your writing if your computer crashes or you lose your login data/ phone/notebook? Can you easily create external backups of your files?

It really doesn’t matter what you need to write down at this early point. Be it an idea, rough outline, dialogue, stream of consciousness, mind map or a finished draft—you just want your entire writing process to happen in a secure, accessible location that you feel confident working in. There is no perfect writing program; whatever program works best for you is the best program for you! 

For example: 

I almost exclusively write on Google Docs since it meets all my personal writing needs: It’s a free cloud service that syncs my files all across my devices (phone, laptop, tablet) regardless of where I am. It has an intuitive interface with all the basic writing/formatting tools I need. 

Once a month, I download my most recent drafts as “.docx”-files and back them up on an external hard drive—so even if I can’t, for whatever reason, access my Google Docs account, my files are still secured in a different location. 

Sometimes, I make use of handwritten notes, too—though I keep losing them or can’t decipher my handwriting…This seems minuscule or even funny, but it’s hard to come back to an idea when you’ve literally lost the physical manifestation of it! 

Next: The Idea: Coming Up With and Developing Your Idea (with examples)

Masterlist

[hollowsart]

Pokemon Masters is a very unfair game. The gacha mechanic is not worth your money, and they bring back specific sync pairs with unique costumes, but they make them paywalled. You have to spend money to get paid gems and to earn any non paid gems takes years cuz they hate non buying customers. They want your money only. They don't care if you have fun playing the game or not.

Pokemon Masters needs to change and open itself up and stop being a literal greed machine. Make the game play and stories more fun and more engaging. Make it so that you can earn gems a lot easier without having to spend an absurd amount of money for just a few measly gems. Make it so that you can scout for more a lot easier for a lot less.

I don't care. I don't care. Make this game actually fun and worth playing. I don't know how this game has lasted so long, but it's so infuriating that it is like this and that I've literally seen someone complain about the events and gacha pairs, but they said not to change the pricing??? Excuse me??? No? Make it cheaper and more affordable and accessible to those who LITERALLY can not spend money on a stupid game that shouldn't even be this inaccessible and expensive for what little it actually provides you as a player??

You get a whole lot more out of the main games and the spin-off games on mainline consoles rather than on your mobile phone.

I would complain similarly about Pokemin Cafe, but Cafe actually has gameplay. AND THE GAMEPLAY IT HAS IS FUN AND ENGAGING AND ISN'T REPETITIVE IN A BAD WAY LIKE PM IS. CAFE SWITCHES THINGS UP IN A FUN AND INTERESTING WAY THAT ISN'T LITERALLY UNFAIR UNLIKE PM.

Anyways.

Pokemon Masters is a mid game. Below mid even. I would mourn the loss of Wikstrom if they shut down the game, but it's whatever in the end. I haven't spent a single penny in the game (I did try once, but it was so complicated, and I forgot some password stuff, so we just quit. The discount thing wasn't even worth it tbh). So I'm really not losing much of anything.

Anyways. That's it. That's my rant post for the day.

[recreationaldivorce]

1, 3, 19!

1. base distro

my main desktop is artix linux; my laptop is void linux; my server is alpine linux (plus some VMs i use for development)

i am not actually the biggest systemd hater i just happen to not use it lol. i actually tried to use debian on my server at first but i couldn't get it to work with my hosting service's network for some reason, but with alpine if i did manual network setup during install it would Just Work. perhaps i can blame systemd for this

3. listening to music

i run a local mpd server and use ncmpcpp as a client, with my music library synced with syncthing. however i'm thinking i should move my music library to my server and stream from there bc my music library is taking up a shit ton of space on my phone and laptop both of which have limited storage (laptop storage is soldered on i think, and i don't think my phone storage is upgradeable either, but tbf i should double check those—in any case even if it were upgradeable that would cost Money and i shrimply don't think a massive music library synced between 3 devices is the wisest use of limited storage). so i may need to look into self-hosted music streaming solutions. although it is nice to be able to listen to music without using mobile data when i'm out and about.

19. file sync/sharing

a bit all over the place. as i said above i use syncthing for a few things but i'm increasingly moving away from that towards my nextcloud just bc if i'm syncing eg a 10GB file, there's no need for it to take up 30GB between 3 devices when i can just have it take up 10GB once on a remote server that i can access from any device only when it's needed. i am still sticking with syncthing for some things that are more sensitive so i want to reduce the number of devices it goes through: ie my keepass db, and some luks headers i have stored. also currently using a bit of a mess between syncthing and git hosting for my dotfiles but i'm trying to migrate to one chezmoi git repo since that can handle differences between devices and is much more elegant than my current glued-together scripts and git repos lol

for file sharing it's a bit all over the place. onionshare or bittorrent for some things, my own nextcloud for personal file sharing with people who can't wrap their heads around onionshare or bittorrent and just want a web browser link. i also use disroot's nextcloud instance for when i need to do the latter but not have it tied to me in any way. also sometimes i just send attachments in whatever platform we're using to communicate like just a signal attachment or something.

ask game

[kairosclerosis]

FLASHBACK!

Some time last year. . .

Tarrent moved down the dimly light hallways of BBA, the wheels of his custom wheelchair gliding smoothly across the polished floor. Then 16, he was already a champion level trainer, renowned in his home region of Orre. Here however, few students knew him for his title or his past. Most knew him as just another art student, a quiet, focused young man with an undeniable talent for design.

This was exactly how Tarrent wanted it. He hadn't come to BBA to relive his victories as a champion. He had come to study art and design, to immerse himself in the world he had always dreamed of. Pokemon battles were a thing of the past—he wasn't here to compete for the glory of a title. He was here to carve out a new path for himself, one defined by creativity, expression, and his passion for visual storytelling. His wheelchair wasn't just a tool for mobility; it was a part of his identity. While he could walk at least a short distance most days, he preferred the independence his chair gave him. The chair had been designed with him in mind, sleek lines and intricate detailing that reflected his personal style. It was as much a work of art as anything he'd ever created. He had used one since he was 14, and had long ago learned to live with it and had eventually come to embrace it as an extension of himself.

His days were filled with classes on graphic design, digital illustration, fine arts, and the occasional mandatory battle focused class. He had a natural talent for capturing the essence of movement, shape, and form—skills he'd honed over years of sketching pokemon, studying their behavior, and trying to understand the way they moved in battle. Pokemon battles had been the driving force behind his early art, and even now, the fierce beauty of battle still inspired his designs. At the academy though, his art was something more personal. It was a reflection of his soul, his identity, and his thoughts.

He paused in front of the art studio, a familiar sense of calm settling over him as he glanced at the project he had been given today—a design for a new gym logo. It wasn't just about making something that looked good. He wanted to capture the essence of what the gym represented. Every curve, every line, needed to convey the power and strategy of the battles that took place there. It needed to speak to the trainers and challengers who would walk through those doors, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With a steady hand, Tarrent began to work on his design, each stroke of his stylus deliberate and focused. The image slowly began to take shape, a sleek, modern representation of a gym's fighting spirit, blended with abstract elements that spoke to the discipline and strategy that were central to every battle.

As he worked, he glanced at his partner pokemon—Duman, his Excadrill—who lay curled up beside him in the corner of the studio the two were in. Duman had been with him through thick and thin, always by his side, especially during his rise to the top of Orre's pokemon league. The Excadrill had been his closest companion for years, and their bond went beyond the bond of just trainer and pokemon. Duman was a symbol of Tarrent's strength, both in the battles they fought together and in the personal challenges Tarrent had faced.

There was a part of Tarrent that missed battling, the rush of the arena, the tension of every move as he commanded his pokemon. He missed the mental clarity it gave him, the feeling of being completely in sync with his team, of knowing exactly what to do, when to act. But those battles were behind him now. He had a different goal here—to forge a future that was shaped not by battles, but by the art he had always loved. Tarrent's passion for design wasn't a new development. He had spent years sketching pokemon and imagining how their forms and movements could be captured in static art. Even during his rise to fame as a champion, he had always kept his love for art alive. When he wasn't training, he was drawing. When he wasn't battling, he was designing. His pokemon journey had always been intertwined with his creativity, and here, he was finally able to focus on it fully.

As he worked on the gym logo, Tarrent reflected on his decision to come to Unova. It hadn't been an easy choice, to step away from the spotlight, to leave behind the title of Champion and seek something more personal. It was even harder knowing that he wouldn't have any friends or family in Unova. There were days when he wondered if he was making the right choice, if his decision to study and focus on art instead of continuing to battle was somehow abandoning the path he had worked so hard to build. But then he would think about the designs in front of him, the blank pages waiting to be filled, and he knew this was where he belonged. He was more than just some Champion level trainer. He was an artist, and that was something he had to nurture, just as he had nurtured his pokemon battles. When class ended, Tarrent took a moment to admire his work. The logo was complete, and he felt a sense of satisfaction that came only from finishing a project that he had been able to truly express his creativity with. He couldn't help but smile, proud of the work he had done.

As he wheeled out of the studio, Duman followed closely beside him, his claws tapping softly against the floor. Tarrent had become used to the rhythm of life at the academy—a balance between art and the faint echo of his past as a champion. The path he had chosen wasn't easy, and he knew it never would be. There were times when he felt the weight of his decisions, times when the lure of battle seemed too strong to ignore. But he had slowly come to learn that the greatest victories didn't always happen inside the arena. Sometimes, they were just personal decisions that you make when you make a choice to follow your heart. As Tarrent made his way down the corridor, with Duman by his side and the rest of his team in their poke balls, he realized that this was his true battle. It wasn't about who could fight the hardest or becoming the best trainer. No, it was about embracing who he was—an artist, a creator, and a champion in his own right, no matter what the world thought of him.

[aghostinmyownmachine]

dbh-adjacent writing-program nonsense under the cut, a.k.a. let's talk a bit about WriteMonkey 3

I've used WriteMonkey 2 and 3 on and off for. hm. I guess it's gotta be eight or nine years now? but those instances of use have always been erratic and short lived, and I've usually returned to either Scrivener or, more frequently for many reasons, MS Word. (I also did just a ton of first-draft writing in discord back when I had an account and c/ped my writing from there into Word. near-peerless syncing between devices, appalling security practices. what can ya do 🙃)

anyway, due to ~circumstances~ I've switched to writing on a computer that isn't my writing program–filled work laptop, and so I've been experimenting with WM3 again because it's super lightweight due to plaintext markdown instead of rich text and I have a license key for it, which = fun plugins. it's also way less complicated and labor intensive to set up per project and use than, say, Scrivener. I love Scrivener! but scriv can be overwhelming and distracting when all I want to do is write, especially if I want a unique, quick-to-set-up theme (and I always do, because Aesthetic Is Everything), which is one of the reasons WM3 is so handy

in addition to the gorgeous stripped-down UI that showcases whatever background I choose (mine can be found here!), WM3 has some really neat little plugins? I don't actually use the word-frequency checker myself, but WM3's shows you where each word appears in the document via the little indicator bars to the right of the word, which. rad! (you can tell at a glance which chapters are written in whose POV based off name usage alone and I think that's neat.) also, when you click on a given word in the frequency list, it'll highlight that word throughout the document and also display all uses of it vertically over the scroll bar path. lots of nice little visual indicators of what's going on. I just really like the design, it's simple but extremely useful and intuitive

admittedly, Scrivener cannot be beat when it comes to how easily you're able to make notes in it due to its multitude of note-taking locations, plus it has internal splitscreen capabilities that make referencing a second document a breeze, so there's definitely a mental transition involved when it comes to WM3 and its single-document-at-a-time system, on top of switching to markdown-style comments/reminders. that said! being able to not only see those comments below the headings in the left-hand sidebar but also jump to them when they're clicked? stellar 10/10 would use again

finally, the repository. I <3 the repository. being able to quickly toss whatever text I'm not quite ready to delete or info I know I'll want to reference at some point in the future into the repository is great. it's a seamless process, only a couple seconds' worth of effort required, allowing my focus to stay on what I'm writing instead of distracting myself by tabbing my way through various open files to find my notes. plus the repository is searchable(!!!!!), and using it also keeps the actual text editor clean visually, especially since the right-hand sidebar can be hidden too:

hm! possibly that is a sneak preview of chapter one! who can say!

so yeah! if you're looking for a stripped-down, highly customizable, portable writing program, I absolutely recommend it. there are downsides, of course, the biggest one being no official WM3 mobile options available at present, but since the program is both portable and plaintext, you can toss it into a syncing service and access it via your handheld devices that way. it's also not open source, and you need to pay to access the truly useful plugin features. with all that said, if you don't mind fiddling around with some CSS to make everything look juuuuuuuuust right, you can get yourself a really snazzy setup with relatively little effort. but maybe that's just me—aesthetic is king and all that

[stvlti]

Snippet from my untitled Blue Beetle & Teen Titans rejects fic :)

Click. Snap. Click. Snap.

They're sat inside a Big Belly Burger, waiting for their order of fries. A female singer he doesn't recognise croons Spanglish over weirdly retro beats on the speakers. Eddie is fidgeting with the catch on his now-useless slider phone, out of nerves or boredom, he doesn't know.

The first thing they did once they got into town was to buy a mobile phone. It's strange, but there aren't many payphones around, and whatever happened to them while they were in the Bleed and subsequently in their fall back to Earth must have fried their cellphones. Luckily, he found one of those rundown stores selling spare electronics for cheap that accepts cash and doesn't ask questions. At least one thing hasn't changed.

Click. Snap. Click. Snap.

The phone they bought is a palm-sized thing with a wide touch-screen, one of those smart-phone models that only came out last year, and yet the store owner seemed almost happy to part with it. "It's ancient," he'd said in a comfortingly thick accent, "I was about to chuck it out with the garbage. I'd sell it to you for free, chiquito." Things only get stranger from there. It took less than a minute for Khaji to jail break the phone and recalibrate itself to the local network. They tried his family's numbers again, even tried the Titans Tower secure line, but no dice. What Jaime found on the internet was even less reassuring.

Click. Snap. Click. Snap.

"Hey, Eddie."

The fidgeting stops.

"Could you go grab us some drinks? I need a minute alone with the scarab."

"Sure...?" Eddie throws another glance at Jaime, not quite hiding his worry as he slides out of his seat.

[ You were vexed by his opening and shutting of his phone case. ]

"I didn't realise it was state the obvious hour."

Khaji Da does not respond. Jaime rubs his temple.

"Sorry, sorry. Yes, I'm stressed. Tell me you have some good news, at least."

[ You are still alive, as is Eddie Bloomberg. You have enough money to acquire sustenance for another week, during which I can help you find a job and — ]

"Khaji. I need to get home."

[ You are technically in your hometown. ]

"But it's not the El Paso I know. Right? Tell me I'm not crazy."

[ Jaime Reyes is correct. Based on our quick search of the government domains, social network platforms and news sites, the Reyes family never lived in El Paso. There is no record of your parents or extended family in the state registry. Your name does not exist in the class registers of your high school. Your sister— ]

"Also doesn't exist! I know! I got it the first time." Jaime looks over to the self-service machine. What is taking Eddie so long? "I asked you for good news, Khaji."

[ Actually, your sister exists. Milagro Reyes, age 18, enrolled in Edge Keys High School. According to her posts on Instagram, she was last seen at the Kord Centre Mall — ]

"Did you say eighteen? And where the heck is Edge Key?"

[ I have some more good news. While there is no record of your other family members in the state of Texas, a Reyes Auto Repair Shop was recently removed from the business registry in Edge Key, Greater Palmera City. ]

"What? We have to go to Edge Key!"

"What's Edge Key?" Eddie sets a tray down, almost spilling the two extra-large cups of soda balanced precariously on it. The fries look tiny in comparison.

"That's what I'm trying to find out. Khaji, can you — hold on, I'm syncing you to the phone so Eddie can see."

The phone lights up, and Jaime expects Khaji's words to crawl across the screen like text messages the way he's done the few times Jaime tried to sync the scarab to his old phone via blue-tooth. Instead, the phone starts talking in a lady computer voice.

"Your scarab was a chick this whole time?" Eddie exclaims, the half-chewed fry in his hand forgotten.

"What? No! I didn't even know it could speak like this."

"I simply utilised this phone's built-in text-to-speech system. It is not my problem that the manufacturers could only imagine AI voices as female."

"I think it just insulted every super-computer in the cape community..."

"Anyway, the coordinates?"

[ There is one last thing you should know before you go, Jaime Reyes. The Blue Beetle was last sighted in Palmera City six hours ago. ]

The boys pause and look at each other.

"Show me, Khaji."

And on the screen of the phone appears a crisp, 4K picture of a guy in a costume that looks exactly like him, mid-flight in the streets of a city he's never been to.

[chottopoco]

Syncing Scrivener 3 with Mega

Because Dropbox is dumb and being very glitchy lately, the sync function is no longer reliable. I spent a day trying to figure out why it wasn't syncing only to find out this is now an issue among Android and iOS users alike. Given the piddly space Dropbox gives as well as these ongoing issues, I decided to jump ship. If have Scrivener and are thinking of doing the same, here's a lil guide for you.

I opted to go with Mega. Their free account comes with 20 GB. Their website says 20, but if you download the mobile and desktop app, you get a 5 GB bonus for each. I suspect it might not be a permanent bonus, likely for a year, but I'll check again in the summer of 2025. They are also more privacy-oriented and have no AI scraping (like Google).

This walkthrough is for Android. I'd imagine the steps are similar for iOS, but I can't say for sure.

1. Make a Mega account, go through all that registration stuff.

2. Download the mobile app. Log in.

3. Download the desktop app. Log in

4. Open File Explorer and make a folder wherever you'd like your files to be synced from.

5. Once the desktop app is installed, you need to look for the icon to open the program. I found it in my task bar. The little red M icon is what you need to open.

6. Go to the three dots and double click to open up options.

7. Go to settings.

8. Go to the Sync option in the Settings menu. Select Add.

9. Another dialogue box will pop up. One the 'Local Folder' line, click 'Add'.

10. Select the folder you made specifically for sync. For this walkthrough, I'm using the 'Testing' folder.

11. Once you've selected your folder, you'll be back at the previous dialogue box. Now click on 'Select' on the MEGA folder line.

12. I forgot to take a screenshot, but you'll have a new dialogue box pop up with an empty list. Select the grey box saying 'New Folder'. You can name it whatever you want but I gave it the name 'Test'. Once done, your screen should look similar to the one below. Then click 'OK'.

13. When done, your dialogue box should look like below. This is the crucial step as this is how the Mega program will help you sync with Scrivener. Make sure these folders are exactly where you want them to be and are named as you want. Once you're certain, click 'Add'

14. When done, you'll have a list that looks similar to this. The first step is done.

[better-off-crazy]

Anyways Spoilers --i never figured out how to do that undrcut thing on mobil if thats not obvious by now but whatever its tumblr your here for the Spoilers! Whether you like it or not really-- and not like many people are posting bout sandrock anyways(lame its great!) and when they do its all Spoilers anyhow and this is long enoguh so should do it automatically. Probably.

This is not in any order whatso ever.

Did they bascilly just spell out what the next game is gonna be? With the northern development? Could be dlc but it feels like a whole game could go there. Altho theres also the stuff happing in Ethea too so that could also be the next one.

This should help! Gives salt.

Tbh i thoguht they were gonna kill off Mort at the end of it.

It awalys ends by building a ship. I like that its like one last hurrah!

Bronco shows up? At the party?? In a room full of basic npcs??? Ok???? And bogan jack is there too??? And it made me fight him??? And then teleported me into the desert?!?!

Getting to see all the representatives is really cool!

Luna looks awsome, her concert was pretty nice. Except for the fact it was a bit outif sync

"Its been my honor to sink... so that others could swim" thats freaking sad! And inspirational!

Gaudi looks like he stole his outfit from Gust

Wei says Excelsior. Cute

THEY HAD THE BABY! YES I GET TO MEET DAN-BI AND RIANS BABY!

The fact that they asked cooper to fill up about 10hrs worth of time is not surprising

Avrio did it! Catori too! proud of Them!

Seeing Gale made me tear up a bit. Its been a long time buddy

AIR.SHIP.RIDE.AIRSHIPRIDE!

Unsuur being Unsuur, wanna give him extra hugs, i know how you feel reaching the end of the journey and its beeeen a long one.

Curie looks really cool! But where is that wind coming from to make her cape so flowy?

I love that there are items from portia now

That new story didnt work out to well for justice and owen did it? Lol

Why did matlida take that shot to the arm? It didnt extaly help her in the end? No one in sandrock suspected her? I did tho! I was right to be suspicious of her! I will awalys be happy about that.

Im glad larry and xena were able to stay and see that sandrocks not so bad and were actully pretty cool people

Justices real name is Maurice! The one question i never had has been answered!

We get to see mom and dad this time! Its not just dad! Its both! Cool!

THATS OUR PARENTS?! Wow they look so normal. And dapper. My Pa's eyes are left pink and right green, Unexpected. Unless thats like a bit of you inherited it from him? But my builds eyes are just pink n blue with heart irises.

Why dose the one rep look like J. Johnas Jameson

How did they convince cooper to give up that much land?

"Blessings to your sacred tree!" It sure is

Kept that promise to bring sandrock back. Feels good.

Nice I get to sit next to the pretty boy.

Love the fact that it was either me orr portia me to be the next top builder. Love that they exist at the same time.

Miguel is just there. Watching learing to be better.

Haha they still haven't found the rouge knight wonder if hell pop up next time?

Oh Qi awalys trying to show off the robot and hes relly improved with controlling it too!

FINAL BOSS!! : Cooper and his moon man conspiracy story witch i actully find kinda entertaining. Winner: Me

I would love to see more of the reps and just more ingeneral sandrock really made me feel things just like portia did! but just a lil bit more then portia did.

[darael]

I'm seeing in the reblogs and tags that some of you aren't sure about format support, and I am here to help!

For dedicated e-reader devices, or for mobile/tablet apps you already use but aren't certain can open MOBI, MBP or APNX: do yourself a favour and download Calibre on your computer (all major operating systems are supported). Calibre is the best ebook management program you have ever used, and supports just about every format under the sun. Crucially, it can also convert between those formats, and has excellent syncing ability for your e-reader/phone/tablet connected over USB, too. This includes automatic conversion to whatever formats your device supports (a list which you can override if it doesn't already know the correct set).

For iOS devices, use Calibre as above in conjunction with whatever reader is supported on that platform (sorry I can't be more specific).

For Android phones and tablets, the app with which I've had the best experience has been Moon+ Reader. The free version does have ads (not while reading, but they show up when switching between books), but the format support is unparalleled and the library management is pretty great too. I don't often buy apps but this was one where I was very happy to pay for the ad-free "pro" version. If you use Moon+, you don't strictly need to bother with Calibre since it opens multiple of those formats natively

HEY Y'ALL WANNA READ DISCWORLD?

don't have the books? don't know where to get them? can't afford it?

here, all of you sweethearts. i got this from a friend a long, long time ago, and now I pass it to you.

Every discworld novel, numbered in release order, from Colour of Magic to Snuff, in MOBI, MBP and APNX e-reader formats. Have fun, and maybe later tell me what your favourite book was, eh?