#it's such a neat character detail >x3

[sanchensky]

I wasn't quick enough to make anything for NPMD release on YT but at least I've finished this thingy right before another big date

Happy Black Friday hehe~

[komajordan]

Media I’ve Experienced in 2024 (March)

Puella Magi Madoka Magica:Rebellion (8/10)-Big Cake Round Cake Right in Front of Me!

The Little Mermaid 2023 (6/10)-The singing was good besides that wack Awkwafina rap

Craig Before The Creek (8/10)-While I liked Craig of the Creek, I wouldn’t call myself a fan but this prequel was pretty fun into was the main characters were like before

Madame Web (0/10)-No reason to watch, awful effects, bland characters, boring story

Megaman X5 (7/10)-Honestly, the story was kind of stale but the gameplay was still top notch

Peacemaker (9/10)-After playing him in Mortal 1 Kombat, I loved this show. Fun characters, funny dialogue, and some pretty good fights

Megaman X6 (5/10)-Guilty pleasure, while a lot of it was annoyingly hard, I liked the virus stuff and the story

Avenue Q (9/10)-Pretty emotional musical about adulthood despite being played by muppets

Kung Fu Panda 4 (6/10)-Waaay too safe, the villain was intimidating until being defeated in 3 hits

Secrets of the Furious Five (8/10)-Pretty neat special, I liked the Furious Five from their movie screentime and the show and this helped fleshed them out

The Button of Doom (6/10)-While not as good as the movie. This is something Megamind 2 wishes it could be

South Park (8/10)-After 26 Seasons, this show is still pretty good. It has moments that make me laugh while still being shocking and there are characters I find likable to watch like Butters and Kenny

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (10/10)-Takes my favorite disk of FFVII and expands hard on it. Traversal feels freeing, the locations feel more full, and the story takes some wild turns.

Smiling Friends Season 1 (8/10)-This shows that adult cartoons don’t have to be about nihilism and can be about hope and enjoying life.

Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy (3/10)-While I find Seth MacFarlane funny this didn’t do it for me. The comedy while having decent setups, is ultimately too lazy to make it funny

Megaman X7 (4/10)-Gameplay was repetitive, the voice acting was bad but hey still liked it more than X3

Megaman X8 (8/10)-The gameplay is pretty fun this time, and Lumine is a pretty good villain if they expanded her more

Megaman X:The Day of Sigma (5/10)-The animation is good don’t get me wrong but the pacing couldn’t keep me engaged

Saw (7/10)-Pretty good story about someone who wants to help people realize they want to live by putting them in death traps

Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Manga (Currently 8/10)-My favorite anime is Fairy Tail and this sequel expands pretty well, the Dragon Gods concept is interesting, the characters are still as they were which is how I like them, and the art during fights are really well detailed

Hello Kitty Super Style (9/10)-I love Supercute Adventures and this show honestly feels like if we got a full 11 minute show.

Mortal Kombat 1995 (8/10)-Fun action and characters. Effects didn’t age the best

Grave of The Fireflies (9/10)-Really emotional movie about those suffering during war

Persona 3 Reload (10/10)-The best gameplay and presentation Persona has ever been.

Godzilla:King of Monsters (9/10)-Really cool action and monsters

King Kong:Skull Island (8/10)-Pretty good story and action

Godzilla 2014 (5/10)-Probably spoiled by how good future Monsterverse but the spectacle was kind of forgettable

Godzilla vs Kong (10/10)-Yup still as fun as I remember it

Hunter X Hunter 2011 (9/10)-As much as I want to strangle Gon the rest of the series is pretty fire

Kaguya Sama Love is War!:The First Kiss That Never Ends (9/10)-Pretty funny and emotional movie

Komi Can’t Communicate (9/10)-Fluttershy as an anime girl

My Senpai Is Annoying (8/10)-I came in wanting Kurobe, left loving Futaba and Takeda

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon:Explorers of Sky-Beyond Time and Darkness (5/10)-The dub is too goofy

OFF The RPG (Opinion Has Changed as of September) (8/10)-Originally I found the fights boring and the fact I was softlocked made it lower. That was a mistake. The story is really haunting and dark, the fights are really basic but not bad, and the locations have an eerie feeling to them

One Piece Film Z (10/10)-Z is a really intimidating villain and the action is pretty good

My Little Pony:The Manga (7/10)-Cute artwork, I wish the stories were better

[multi-lefaiye]

hi hi multi! I was wondering if I could get a ramble about some of your favourite dating sims? the stream the other day was v fun ^-^

oh hi hi hello logan!!! :D yeah sure!!! i love talking about dating sims ASDFJKL; i just think they're neat <3

so i think i'll talk about like. a few dating sims i love, some things i like about them, and then my favorite route(s).

fair warning, some of these games have some triggering content! i'll try not to go into detail, and i probably won't go into specifics, but still! fair warning.

1 - star days

okay so the one i was playing on stream was called star days, made by the artist pacthesis! she doesn't make games anymore and unfortunately has taken her games off the internet, but i have this one and my other favorite of hers saved <3

star days is about a group of people from different universes coming together to journey to a mythical place called The Constellations, with the intent of resurrecting people they've loved and lost.

it's less about the romance and more about the grief counseling. like the dating is fun but everyone's MOVING ON!!!

all the characters (except cil) are endearing to me in their own ways, but my favorite endings:

platonic ending - the main characters all find reasons to live and move on and remain best friends, going on adventures together and exploring other universes and beyond.

quoto - quoto is just the perfect man- idk i just think he's super sweet?? like the themes around his storyline are a lot about the importance (or lack thereof) in appearances and i think that's just neat.

vanni - MOVING ON AFTER A TRAGEDY AND FINDING REASONS TO LIVE AFTER LOSING IT ALL... MWAH MWAH.

--

2 - number days

so this is another pacthesis game! actually the last one she completed in full before leaving the internet for a while.

ANYWAY the premise around this one is that a group of people who visit a new amusement park that opens one day and end up mysteriously trapped inside, with no one else around. they each receive mysterious text messages from an unknown number saying this: "your time here will run out when your number reaches zero." and from that moment on, their phones display a number between 0 and 100.

it's SUCH an interesting game to me with really cool storylines imo!!! like it's definitely aged a little poorly, but i think it's a fascinating narrative. even romance aside, i love the characters and i genuinely can't pick a favorite.

this is also the other pacthesis game i have archived so we can play this on stream as well :3c

in terms of favorite routes.... i think my favorite one is arlo's route. it makes me so so sad and it's so so sweet and it really hammers homes these themes of like... loneliness and self love and acceptance. it's good shit. also arlo's just a cutie, even if he's kind of a weirdo <3

the platonic ending here is also a delight!!! though i don't remember all the details about it except that it made me cry the first time i got it <3

--

3 - mystic messenger

ohhh i could say so much about this game. it definitely has a lot of issues, especially in its writing (and especially in its portrayal of mental health and specifically more stigmatized disorders), but god i was fixated on this game for YEARS. i've played it so many times.

mystic messenger is a dating sim that follows real-time, each run taking place over the course of 11 days. the basic premise is that the player ends up joining a secret charity organization called the RFA, and as they work with this group they slowly start to uncover more and more of its secrets.

one thing i love about mysmes is that, like.... to get the full picture, you do have to do every character's route. every character's storyline reveals a little more of the story, to the point that i actually have a recommended order i give people for doing the routes if they play this X3 it also has a ton of different endings to explore!

the only downside is that uh. it's a time commitment. if you don't keep up with the game you can get a *real* nasty ending. and this game also gets dark as FUCK at times, like the player can die and so can most of the love interests-

anyway i love all the characters in this game for the most part, so it's hard to pick a favorite! 707 is a huge comfort character for me, though, and his route means so much to me. it really hits home with me personally in so many ways.

even though i always tell people to do his route last ASDFJKL;

--

4 - mechat

ok i just wanna give an honorary mention to mechat b/c that's the one i'm playing right now- fair warning, though, this game is SIGNIFICANTLY more nsfw than the other two here!!!! like. holy fuck. do not check this out if you're a minor or otherwise not interested in spicy content. (though i think the adult content can be turned off in settings.)

mechat is fun because it's like... fictional tinder. you can match with as many characters as you'd like and explore their storylines. not all of them are fun, but they're all interesting imo.

my favorite so far is shion b/c he's a beautiful man with long red hair who has several warrants out for his arrest and takes you on a date to do arson together. what a guy <3

i also love the sheer confidence this game has in never explaining the supernatural elements. like yeah some of these characters are regular ass people. some of them are demons. some are aliens. some are cryptids. deal with it.

another thing that's interesting to me about mechat is that some characters have counterparts with alternate designs and names--the storylines don't change, but you can swap 'em out if you don't like their faces i guess.

--

5 - monster prom series

so i have yet to play these games by myself but i've played all of them with friends and my partner and just??? so fun??? i love it. they're so fun and interesting and delightful. these games have a special place in my heart, both for the sheer silliness and wacky hijinks and the memorable characters! also the queerness all throughout them.

i also do love that in the first game there's a storyline centering around one of the potential love interests being aroace and talking about like. boundaries and consent and becoming really good friends with them rather than dating them or seducing them. i've heard some complaints about how this storyline is handled, but tbh i think it's fun <3

i have a hard time picking favorites in this series, but i love calculester so so much <333 and milo <3333333 and moss mann <3333

--

anyway yeah these are some of my favorite dating sims!! there are some i may be forgetting but ye i love these <3

[toyguin]

6 and 23 for the ask game?

:o Yippee!! Fair warning, big ramble incoming!!! That's just how it goes! :)

6. Which artists inspire you right now?

So I've got a lot of kinda constant inspirations, but I'm gonna try to narrow it down to the more recent inspirations!

Most primarily right now is Kamome Shirahama, illustrator and writer of Witch Hat Atelier! I grabbed them at my library bc I thought they looked neat and I like witches and magic and OH MY GOSH the amount of detail in every single character and panel is ASTOUNDING and it looks so good. I'm heavily considering getting them for myself because they're a fun read AND they look so good x3

After that, is Lune (MDLune_ on twitter, she's got an account here but it's a bit less active)! I love like. Everything about her art, but her colors especially are SUPER pretty. I really like her photo studies too, just overall a very big artistic inspiration!

Finally, although they're a constant inspiration... My friends :) I've got a lot of artistic friends, be it handicrafts, sewing, welding, writing, or drawing and let me tell you. I love EVERY. SINGLE. THING. they make. I'm always so excited to see the stuff they're working on and making because it's always so interesting and unique and cool!!!

23. Do you listen to music or watch shows while you work? If so, what’s your favourite?

Yeah!! :D I *primarily* listen to music, ADHD makes shows a bit too difficult to watch while working, although streams and podcasts are easier and I do listen to them!

My favourites for working also vary a lot based on the time and the work, but my usual staples right now are: in love with a ghost's entire discography (it's gooooooooooodddddd x3), the OST to Mice Tea, Touhou music, a lot of tracks from FFXIV (mostly Shadowbringers and Endwalker though), and the odd folk song, punk tune, and disco track (usually a subgenre like disco house or nu disco)!

For podcasts, which are usually my second option, it's mostly been Apocrypals (a bible re-read(i guess?) podcast with two hosts who try not to be jerks about it and are insightful and funny), The Podcast Mines: There But For the Grace of Pod Go We (it's like if Cool Games Inc., the Polygon show where they made up silly video games, was for podcasts and also neither of the hosts are a sex pest), and I just picked up Learning Tarot Together (a tarot study podcast! I really like using tarot for character creation, I don't put much weight in it being a divination method [it's a fine tool for self-reflection though :)], but I wanna learn more!)!

[hikayagami]

I got my copy of the Tokyo Mew Mew New artbook today. With over 120 pages, and all of them colored, it’ll take a lot longer to scan compared to single, black-and-white manga chapters. In the meantime, here are some previews along with some things I’ve noticed.

First off are some better quality previews of the transformations posted above.

This book is pretty extensive, they cover the Chimera designs all the way up to the Tokyo Tower incident. I’m really liking these designs. In the manga, before Pie and Tart arrive, most of the Chimera were just dark, larger versions of the animals they were made out of, while the OG anime had more creative designs. This version appears to be a pretty good compromise between the two, keeping creative designs without the colors being too gaudy/flashy/tacky XD.

And, even though it’s been established that Minto is already a Mew Mew, it seems that her dog, Mickey, will still become a Chimera at some point. I’m curious on what leads up to it.

Also, for those who were worried that this reboot might omit funny or chibi scenes, fear not! It appears that quite a few of them will still be there X3:

And, if I’m interpreting it right, it seems that Zakuro will be doing some singing on TV instead of being a guest on an animal TV show that was in the OG anime and manga. Maybe it was changed as a way to keep the 3 older girls from wearing those bunny outfits from the manga XDD.

There are a bunch of other neat tidbits and details as well, such as each character’s cellphone designs, set pieces and even Ryou’s cruise ship XD. But it would take too long to explain them all, which would keep me from finishing these scans. So I’ll just end off with one last preview. HUGS!!

[shiranuieditorial]

Random question, if that's alright x3

What would you name the daughter of a lawyer, psychopath and murderer? Or what do you think he would name the kid xD Japanese name, the last name being Biwasaka

as in, her father is a lawyer, a psychopath, and a murderer, all at once? i like the sound of that!

here are your options for Biwasaka:

枇杷坂 | loquat slope | stats unavailable

枇杷阪 | variant of the above | ranks 53,087th with ±30 bearers in japan

琵琶坂 | biwa lute slope | ranks 50,711 with ±40 bearers in japan | fun fact: this musical instrument was named after the fruit due to its similar shape!

琵琶阪 | variant of the above | stats unavailable

i recommend going with the first one, as it’s the one most people would immediately think of upon hearing the name biwasaka. it’s also the most aesthetically pleasing out of the four.

here are 18 given names i think could go along with that! unfortunately, in order to give you better customization, i’d need more info on her family and the setting(s) these characters live in, especially your story’s genre, time period, location, and maybe some rough ideas on what her parents/family might value or wish for in her name? so feel free to reply, reblog, message, or send another ask with those details if none of these strike your fancy.

慧應 Eou | wise answer; wise response; wisdom answers | i’m a big fan of baby names that [are supposed to] boast about the bearer’s supreme intellect. it’s especially amusing when the reality doesn’t quite match up with the name (see exhibit: me). as you may or may not be able to guess, this style of name (vowel-heavy or all-vowel) is extremely rare to come across in japan. eou is quite out-there in terms of straying from the beaten path.

紅夢 Koyume | crimson red dreams | very sleek meaning and appearance; brings forth very artistic imagery in readers’ minds. could garner the bearer some envy-laced compliments. would be super duper cool if you could add a symbolism related to this somewhere in your story.

真麗 Marei | true beauty; really pretty | actually not as common and popular as you’d think. still a normal human name though. kinda generic in that it implies the parents/namer is someone who prioritizes a pretty countenance in daughters. it’s not always offensive haha just saying.

翠琴 Mikoto | emerald green koto harp | we’re totally gonna ignore the fact that 翠琴 was the kanji i used for uchiha mikoto’s name for a long time in all verses she appears in, before i decided that the more-likely 尊 was growing on me and would work better for the premises i’d set anyway. look, mikoto is a very versatile reading, and 翠琴 happens to be a very pleasant combination, okay?

萌苺 Moichigo | sprouting strawberries | by default, i like any floral-themed name that doesn’t have 花 in it. this could make for an unexpected discovery that big bads aren’t as resistant to cute, pretty, and squishy stuff as they’d like [you] to think 😻

望奈湖 Monako | wishing for which lake; gazing at which lake | i really like the sound bc i’m low-key a fan of naming people after place names. added bonus in that the -ko ending isn’t 子, which i think is really boring. the na and ko parts are mostly only here for the euphony, so the main part of this name is the 望, which is used in words to mean things like wish, hope, desire, expectation, visit, gaze, full moon, and the 15th day of a lunar month.

七帆 Nanaho | seven sails | the meaning is brilliant, for starters. in my mind, it’s like a purposely corrupted way of saying, “these sails have seen all seven seas and will continue to scavenge for more!” except haha seven sails lol 🐸. additionally, when i say “biwasaka”, my mind and mouth are tempted to follow it up with an A sound again, and it’d be nice if the consonant sounds of B-S-K were balanced-out with an N sound.

寧楽乃 Narano | of tranquility, delight, and music | theoretically, would work best if they/their ancestors were from nara or neiraku, but even if that’s not the case, it should be fine too. it’s a funky neat name on its own, what can i say. i’m just sitting here hoping i didn’t accidentally create a new name with this one.

成実 Narumi | turning into reality; becomes a reality; becomes the truth | for when your criminal parents are very practical and realistic people. (๑♡_♡๑)

夏茂 Natsumo | summer luxuriance; summer exuberance | one-of-a-kind name for a one-of-a-kind girl. if you will it so. especially if her birthday is in summer; and if not, you could always have it be a favorite, special, or significant season/time to one or both of the parents for reasons you should probably start making up right now.

羅介 Rakai | silk gauze and shellfish; the silk gauze mediates | ya ever wanna go batshit gibberish? fuck all, i do whatever i want, no regrets? that’s actually right up a certain handful of parents’ alley out there, believe it or not. yeah, i can vouch that this name has(/had?) a legitimate real-life bearer out there. no idea. i don’t know. i like the chaos though. 🤌

冷光 Reikou | cold light; luminescence | this is an actual noun that exists in the lexicon. it’s what foreigners might call an “object name”, “noun name”, or “word name”. more specifically, this one is akin to naming your child luminescence or luminance or lumina. some folks find this type of naming unappealing, while some are fine with it. opinions differ, just like how people within other cultures will have different thoughts on this.

礼菜 Reina | vegetable of courtesy and gratitude; courteous and mannered vegetable; ceremonial greens | i know many foreigners laugh at the idea of having “vegetable” in your name, but it’s actually not tacky at all in reality! many parents like it bc it’s simple yet pretty, familiar in everyday life yet wearable as a name, represents a staple part of all living creatures’ lives, and is considered important for bringing flavor to your meals and harmony to your life. certain vegetables and dishes have their own symbolisms too. all the symbolisms! hoorah! also, 礼 (“gratitude, thanks, courtesy, manner, etiquette, salute”, but also “ceremony, ritual, gift, reward, bow”), which is the main focus of this name, is really not a bad idea if you fancy your child growing up to be polite.

璃乃亜 Rinoa | lapis lazuli’s inferiority; lapis lazuli’s asia | all 3 parts of this name aren’t to be taken too seriously, bc the main thing here is the euphony, not the semantics. however, 璃 holds the most semantic weight here, so if meanings are important to you, the main focus would be that it has something to do with lapis lazuli, colored glazes, and glass. it’s not necessarily an insult to name your child 亜, but in fiction... it could be if you want.

理緒奈 Riona | what is the beginning of logic and reason? | alternatively, just 理緒 Rio (“the beginning of logic and reason; the inception of logic and reason; the thread ends of logic and reason”) would be a good enough name, if you don’t want to make her full name too long. 3-character family name + 2-character given name is all well and plausible, but 3-character family name + 3-character given name is a sliiiiight bit pushing it for 20th century standards. unless you’re a sumo wrestler; in which case, it’s perfectly fine and recommended to have long dramatic names. don’t let me tell you what to do with your creative work though.

冬蕾 Tourai | winter flower buds | a rare hidden gem. good for sneaking in some symbolism about hard work and fighting through hardships and well-earned success or something like that. i like that it makes the bearer or the namer sound like a cool-headed person.

夜半 Yahan | midnight; dead of the night; half the night | another word name that started out as a noun first and then later started seeing use as a personal name. it’s so perfectly unisex and ready-to-use, i wouldn’t be able to guess the bearer’s gender unless i ask or meet them in person.

結斐 Yui | forging brilliant literary elegance and talent | 結 is commonly used to mean “tie” or “knot”, but can also be interpreted to mean “to fasten up, to forge, to congeal, to conclude, to settle”, and is a common euphony-contributing compound in feminine names. 斐 is a favorite of mine due to its stately elegance and underrated rareness. the 文 radical in there gives it a polished academically-accomplished feel, which is undeniably favourable for many parents.

happy picking and thank you for the request! keep us updated on which one you’ve chosen, and if you need any more names to fill out the story and the family trees!

extra tip: after you’ve narrowed down your favorites, your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th choices could go for her mother, grandmother, aunt, half-sister, step-sister, or friend! multiple targets in one shot! yay!

[xdreamer45x]

Rewatching the earlier episodes of season 1 DP made me realize that there was such a fluid, dynamic feel to the animation and shot compositions that becomes lost later on in the series. Those early episodes let the characters break their models just enough to breathe and move more naturally, whereas by the time we reach season 3, the characters are so strictly kept on-model, their movements feel stiff and lifeless and that always bothered me

Even how ghost abilities were animated early in season 1 looked so cool, like how both Danny and the ghosts had moments of being translucent, how Danny’s ghost sense behaved more dynamically instead of the tiny wisp it became, and how intangibility and beams and other junk looked more ghost-like. It gave the show more of a supernatural feel, like this was a kid with spooky powers fighting off spirits, rather than what we later settle into that feels more like superhero fighting monsters. Season 3 is especially guilty of the latter

I’m gonna focus for a moment on “Attack of the Killer Garage Sale” cuz I literally just watched it today and it has those early animation elements I mentioned. The fight between Danny and the possessed electric shaver had some great animation moments for Danny; the way he squeezes himself out of the cord wrapped around his waist was delightfully fluid, and the subtle movements when his legs reformed from his ghost tail were a nice touch, too. The way his ghost sense trails from his mouth to Dash’s door while he’s at the party was such a cool moment as well, like it really makes it look like a ghost sense in that it literally sensed where Technus was and was directing Danny towards him, I really wish it behaved more like that throughout the show’s duration, or at the very least did more beyond the tiny puff. Also, how Danny’s intangible form wisps and lingers when he shoves Technus out of Dash’s room was great, too ;o Then there’s one of my favorite, most memorable shots from the entire show, the scene where Danny comes flying into frame directly from the camera before slamming into a wall right behind him, like my god that was perfection =w= I also wanna point out that during Danny’s initial scuffle with Technus in the lab, Danny’s aura was blue. It was a subtle detail but I thought it was really neat ^v^

Of course there’s more moments and other S1 episodes with the afforementioned elements, and I also wanna take a sec to point out that whoever was the lead artist/animator on “Doctor’s Disorders”, as well as on the second half of episodes like “Lucky in Love”, “Million Dollar Ghost”, “Pirate Radio”, and “Public Enemies”, I love them and have always been fascinated with their character animation ever since I was little UvU That falls into the same category as the more dynamic/fluid animation we got earlier in the series, which unfortunately petered out in the beginning of season 2; I never saw that artist’s style crop up again after “Pirate Radio”

To be perfectly honest, I would KILL to see “The Ultimate Enemy” animated in the same manner of early season 1. TUE is my favorite episode and I think it would look super cool with that type of style X3

TL;DR I miss the more dynamic and fluid animation style of season 1 and wish they had kept it up through the entire series

[pepperstrawberry]

Verdant Flame (working title)

Okay, I’m running with the suggested title.

This post is going to be just putting thoughts out there about how I’m going to do this project, possible ideas of how to publish, and what major changes I’m going to roll with.

I’m going to put it all under the cut so I’m not wreaking havoc on your dash. X3

Before the cut: For those somehow not in the know (like, how could any of my followers on Tumblr or Twitter not have caught wind of the bonfire of gnashing teeth much of the Magic LGBT+ community is dealing with right now, I don’t know, but just in case, and especially if this post is seen later): WAR Forsaken dropped and with it Gruulfriends went from canon to retcon in a way I didn’t expect: Biphobia and erasure among other issues. I’ll talk about the mess itself later, but for now, lets adress what we are doing as a community and what I”m doing in particular.

The basics is that we are kinda rebelling against Wizards in what small way we can; but being creative, interesting and having fun with the canon. Take the means of production, canon is ours now!

But for me in specific, I’ve been playing with using Chandra and Nissa as well as the world of Magic to create frame works for stories I wanted to tell, but until now I boiled down everything to its basics because I just wanted to use frame works and use tropes as jumping off points. But now? Fuck that, I’m thinking about pulling an E.L. James, but good.

What does that mean? Well, E.L. James literally wrote a fanfic, changed some names, and published it. So screw it, going to do the same over here. I’m going to take a step or two further back then she did, since 1) Wizards/Hasbro might not be as nice as Stephenie Meyer and 2) I feel like I can be a better writer then E.L. James.

So, how will this project play out? This is where I make a cut and we get down to business:

First: How to publish?

I think if I’m going to make this a thing, I’m going to have to go with self publishing and do these in short stories. I’m not sure how short, but I feel like once I get the ball rolling, I want to just keep going. If I’m taking years to put out one book and you guys are waiting that long for it, I’m going to loose steam and you are going to loose interest. This is definitely a ‘strike while the irons hot’ situation.

And the iron is near melting right now.

Second: What is going to be the basics and how will it differ from MtG Lore ‘Canon’?

First and most obvious is that I need to figure out what I can keep and what needs to be changed.

As I said above, while I am definitely in the mood of ‘you know what, this is ours now, fuck off���, the fact is, the law is the law. If your work is too similar to another, you can get in some heavy trouble.

I’ve covered some of this in my other posts about this, but I’m pulling this into one spot with the new info to make it easier for me and others to find.

World: I’m going to use analogs of each of the planes of MtG to make countries and kingdoms. It’s a lovely short hand and will make the world building go that much faster... Tricky part (much as the characters) is renaming things and setting it enough apart that it isn’t exactly the worlds and what not from MtG.

The main ones I’m going to use are:

Zendikar: Still going to be the land my ‘Not-Nissa’ hails from. First step is to just fully expunge the eldrazi history and effect. I am thinking about having some sort of ancient thing buried there, but in a very adventure-y feel of like an old dragon or some other powerful creature.

Kaladesh: Still home to ‘Not-Chandra’, still a place of one-ness with nature and artifice. Debating on how much I should carry over the sense of Indian aesthetic. Like, I don’t want to be window dressing like the actual Kaladesh is, but at the same time I’m not sure how well I can make it feel ‘right’ in that regard. I think I’ll keep the plot idea they started, but carry it through right.

Theros: Not-Gideon and Not-Elspeth will definately have history here. There won’t be actual gods, though a great power they attribute -to- gods will exsist. Which brings me to wonder how I should handle the cosmology... especially when we are talking about

Innistrad: I envision a very gothic, germanic country side, probably bordering Not-Theros. There will be a cult that worships a great power hidden on the moon. I’m going to use this as an opportunity to do a thing that came to mind when Emrakul locked herself away...

Vryn: I’m not sure if or how I’ll use this since we know so little about it. Might just cut it and have my ‘Not-Jace’ come from somewhere else. Hell, might just cut to the chase and make him connected with my Not-Ravnica. And speaking of...

Ravnica: Obviously a major trade hub and likely a center piece of the setting. Not-Jace, Not-Vraska, Not-Kaya, and Not-Ral all would be seen here. I think i’d also take all of the Fiora stuff and fold it into this so that I don’t have too much going on in the world and can pull together a lot of neat characters from that set too. Not-Marchessa might be fun as a side... well not ‘villain’, but definitely not helpful to our heroes... usually. X3

Ixalan: Pretty easy; coastline adventure. Just use any ideas from the block for pirate based shenanigans. Not sure if I will write enough to get to this sort of craziness, but it would be a lot of fun if I do.

Amonkhet: Not sure if, when, or how I am going to use this. Though a desert region might be fun. Might combine this with Regatha and that plan that Teyo comes from.

Kamigawa: I mean, really, this is ‘japan: the setting’. They went so hard on the Japanese lore here that it’s not going to be hard to make my own with little effort or consideration. Do expect there to be a Not-Tamiyo. X3

Alara: To be honest, I was never too big on this plane, but then it was a big deal years ago and I never really ‘set foot’ there. I mean if I did use it, I could use it to sorta map the bigger world’s zones? But that feels too much like the silly ‘elemental nations’ angle. Worked well for Avatar, but won’t work here.

Eldraine: I’m thinking about using this as a rough overlay of the main areas and goverment and what not tied to and surrounding my not-ravnica. Not sure. I haven’t finished the book yet, and it’s hard to get a solid bead on the details of the world without the old uploads, the clear posting of lore that used to happen (remember how we all knew what was going on with the color pie/race spread of Kaladesh?) and just having mostly the cards to go one leaves me wanting a bit. Not to mention they aren’t making the art books anymore. FUCK. I liked those. They needed to be improved not canceled T3T ... anyhoo...

Dominaria: Given what Dominaria now is to magic lore, I think I’ll set it as the history past. This world IS my Not-Dominaria.

I’ll figure out other planes as I go along, though I might just stick with what I got here. Adding in more is going to muck up the world I’m crafting. I may be taking parts that aready exist and remixing it (which, if we are honest with ourselves, is really how we tell stories in the first place, I’m just leaving my ‘mix’ lumpy XD), but I do need to concetrate more on the characters. I can’t introduce a new land every book. I need familiar ground, routes that readers can follow, places characters can be from that matter.

Speaking of characters:

Characters: Again, the idea here is that you should be able to recognize them to some extent, but I sitll have to work with the ‘legally distinct’ Not-Gatewatch... So here is what I got so far:

Chandra: What we keep: Fire based magics, brashness, cute. What we change: Not much. Most of her changes are going to be involved with the way I change the world around her. I think the big difference is instead of having her ‘planeswalk’, when her family gets hunted, they end up traveling toward the border, and she ends up running, getting lost, and finding herself on the steps of a (monastery). Also... no one would hate me for going ahead and making her trans, would they? Like, by the story proper’s start, she’ll have a woman’s body (or maybe that could be a part of her quest?), but I do like the idea. X3 It adds more of a personal touch to my Chandra.

Nissa: Debating on if I should keep her an elf. Keeping her an elf AND keeping the nature magic might be too alike. If not Elf, what should I make her? Still, the basics of her story are that she is looked down on, shunted to the side. stuff that leads her into being more comfortable on her own. Chandra is going to help her out of her shell, but only due to her honesty and clarity.

Gideon: No inviciblity. But definately going to keep him being the classic hero type, but with a genuine heart of gold. Going to change up his armorments from the sural to a short sword, buckler, and a lance/javalin? something like that. Hails from Not-Theros, has taken residence in Not-Ravnica

Jace: Trans man. Doing that right from the start. I know it was some folks head canon for a long time, and I see nothing wrong with making it canon here. Going to have to play with his past a bit. I think I’m not going to bother with the memory erasure. Instead, he trained as a spy with some mental powers and illusions. After betraying his original handler (someone that was a part of a different country), he defects to the not-ravnica and gets wrapped up with that stuff, eventually going out to help other nations in an effort to unite the continent or something... I’m kinda forming stuff as I write this. XD

Liliana: Still a necromancer. Going to cut out the deals with the devils. Maybe one, but not four. Might still have marks, but it will be more from her own magics rather then a contract. Still served a terrible master, but maybe with less strings attatched (or at least she thinks so). A friend in a discord suggested I have her have a binding on her bother as a lich vampire hunter. I’m warming to the idea, but still need to work out the details. I like the idea of her regaining her youth, that might even be the first story where Not-Chandra and Not-Nissa interact.

Vraska: Will end up in a relationship with Not-Jace... but I’m not too keen on keeping her a gorgon. I like the look of her ‘hair’, but I might just go with straight up dreads. Someone suggested making her some form of Naga, and though I’m not big on taking away her legs, the idea of some snakish relation is not out.

Ral: Inventor. Jackass. Friend of Not-Jace, has a Gay lover? yep, keeping all that. I think most of his changes, like Chandra, will be more about how the world around him shifts do to how I write rather then actual character changes.

Kaya: Keeping the Assassin, and can fight Ghosts. Still fleshing this one out. Likely to have ties with whatever I do with the Orzhov still. I adored the whole being hired by Teysa and ending up in charge thing, though I’m not sure I’ll go quiet that far? Mmm

Jaya: Still a mentor to Chandra. Less mystery around her though. It’s going to be less ‘she was the founder of our group’ and more ‘an adventurer that chose to settle down in her old age’ or something. And yes, the cookie scene I drew a comic for a while back will be in the story X3

Karn: Golems are a thing in fantasy, I don’t see a reason to stop now. But the Urza history is going to be retired. I think he might be an invention of someone in the current world and ends up as a helper to Not-Chandra and Not-Nissa at some point. 

Jhoira: I’m thinking grand daughter to Not-Jaya. I like her and I want to keep her, but I like the adventure her. Might have a rivalry between her and Not-Chandra. like a friendly one. She might even have a bit of a chip on her shoulder as she doesn’t have fire magic, but Not-Chandra does.

Rat and Teyo: Might might not. The cast is getting big already, we’ll see. Might have them as a duo from the start with a sort of ‘adventures in the sewers’ thing going on.

Ugin: Not a dragon, but definately a powerful being. and still has that stick up his ass. Often wrong about what he thinks should be done, but his heart is genuinely in the right place. Going to make Not-Mizzet his son maybe?

Nicol Bolas: Bastard, got a plan, and it will be similarly a slow build, but he is going to be less ‘has his hands in everything’ and more a ‘mmm, I could use this’ sort.

Alesha: Fuck timelines! This woman is a friend of Not-Chandra and helped her discover herself. Whether she rides with her people near... wait... OH GOD I LOVE IT: Something I literally thought up while writing. She and her nomadic bandit team travel the roads between many lands, and they find young not-Chandra. After coming out as being a girl, Not-Alesha is what helps solidify her sense of Identity. After showing off her fire magics and how uncontroled they are, adding in how young she still is, they drop her off with the (monastery) XD I’m loving this change already.

Oviya: Still Chandra’s Auntie. Big change? Her lover is still alive, because fuck that noise.

Olivia: Plans. Hungry. 

Avacyn: Doesn’t exists at the start of the story, but thinking about having her be created during it.

Sorin: Not sure....

Still thinking about a lot of other characters. I’ll get to them as I go.

There is also the Guilds of Ravnica to consider... With those, I think I’m going to keep the identity but not quite the orginizations. At least not so directly. Like not all of them are absolute ‘guilds’. There is less straight up organization. But there are definately a strong sense of jobs and a loyalty to those you work with...

Story:

And then there is the story itself. I think I’m going to start it with Not-Chandra meeting Not-Gideon much like before, but the goals are that he is traveling on a mission to see what is going on in Not-Zendikar. The seers/mages/whatever have been sensing some shit going down in that area and it’s close enough to the boarders of not-ravnica to check out. He and Not-Jace pass through and Not-Chandra gets curious and follows. She is going to meet Not-Nissa on the way. The four become a team and face down a nasty threat to the land and uncover a old history of Not-Zendikar that might need to be followed up on.

That can be book one.

Book two can be Not-Liliana’s introduction. The four, having worked so well together, are made a team by Not-Ugin and charged with trouble shooting all around the realm and seeing about maybe making more allies for Not-Ravnica. They find an old woman and they help her regain her youth... and in her they find an old villain. But the world has changed since last Not-Liliana walked the lands outside her keep. And it turns out that Not-Olivia, a vampire queen, has been making a name for herself. There are other darknesses afoot in her territory. For now, she would offer the team aid... as long as it suits her.

I think that can be book two

A return home would be the third story. Yes, this is kinda following how the stories were flowing at first, but after this one things are going to shift. The return home will bring Not-Chandra in direct confrontation with her past. The big changes I made to that and to Not-Kaladesh become big here. I’m thinking this is also where Not-Jhoira hangs out. The war behind the scenes is brewing, but it’s only starting. The all out mess won’t be till a later book.

What will happen in the story though is the confrontation with Not-Baral, Not-Chandra almost nuking herself in grief, and Not-Nissa being the anchor she needed. This will be the point of confession.

And so on... I’m not sure how far I’m going to go with this, but I want to try to push as many stories, but with as high quality as I can. Can I do it? I have no freaking clue.

I’ll post more as I go. For now, the working title is Verdant Flame. If I change it, I’ll continue to use the title to tag all the stuff I do till I go back and add the new title to old posts.

Now to transfer these notes... and figure out names. you don’t know how tiring it was getting adding ‘Not’ to everything.

And for those really keeping score: Why yes, some of this -was- what Dragon Quixotic was. There is enough difference between the two worlds that I feel confident that I can keep them as separate stories now.

[iris-ymir]

Character tendencies - Lareine

Italics - a sometime truth

Bold - a constant truth

1. smoking: the action or habit of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or a drug.

2. binge drinking: the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time.

3. drug abuse: the habitual taking of illegal drugs.

4. nail biting: a common body language sign of anxiety/tension.

5. lip biting: a common body language sign of anxiety/tension.

6. night owl: a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night.

7. early bird: a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time.

8. negative attitudes: a philosophy of approaching life with criticism & pessimism.

9. positive attitudes: a philosophy of approaching life with optimism & confidence.

10. swearing: the use of offensive language.

11. superstitious: an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.

12. inspecting fingernails: a common body language sign of boredom.

13. scratching your neck: a common body language sign of uncertainty.

14. foot and finger tapping: a common body language sign of stress/impatience.

15. nose touch: a subtle body language sign of deceit.

16. flipping hair: a common body language sign of craving attention.

17. twirling hair: a common body language sign of flirtation.

18. cracking knuckles: a common body language sign of readiness.

19. hands behind back: a common body language sign of confidence.

20. finger pointing: a common body language sign of authority.

21. hands on hips: a common body language sign of readiness.

22. hands in pockets: a common body language sign of mistrust/reluctance.

23. frequent touch: a common body language sign of warmth/familiarity.

24. throat - clearing: a common body language sign of rejection/doubt.

25. jaw - clenching: a common body language sign of hostility.

26. eye - rolling: a common body language sign of irritation.

27. head - tilt: a common body language sign of interest.

28. whistling: to emit high - pitched sound by forcing breakthrough a small hole between one’s lips or teeth; usually to a tune.

29. humming: make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee; usually to a tune.

30. perfectionism: refusal to accept any standard short of perfection.

31. photographic memory: the ability to remember information or visual images in great detail.

32. paranoia: a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self - importance, typically worked into an organized system.

33. exaggeration: a statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is.

34. intuitive: using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.

35. quick - witted: showing or characterized by an ability to think or respond quickly & effectively.

36. interrupting: breaking the continuity of a conversation with one’s own statements.

37. doodling: to scribble or make rough drawings, absentmindedly.

38. irritable: having or showing a tendency to be easily annoyed.

39. gambling: to play games of chance for money; bet.

40. travel sick: suffering from nausea caused by the motion of a moving vehicle, boat, or aircraft.

41. sensitive: having or displaying a quick & delicate appreciation of others’ feelings.

42. melancholy: a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

43. chewing gum: the exercise of chewing flavored gum which is not intended for swallowing.

44. fidgeting: to make small movements, especially of the hands & feet, through nervousness or impatience.

45. skeptical: not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

46. neat - freak: compulsively obsessed with cleanliness.

47. gossiping: divulging personal information about others.

48. prim: feeling or showing disapproval of anything regarded as improper; stiffly correct.

49. abbreviating: giving others nicknames/shortening names/giving pet names.  

50. having a catchphrase: having a sentence or phrase typically associated with a specific person.

Tagged by @rifted-vitale​ & @alun-ura​! Thanks!! 🖤

Tagging... Well, Im kinda bit late with this one, so Im just gonna tag all my dear followers who have not done this one yet! Consider yourself tagged! x3

[thebratcat]

Character Tendencies: Misto

Bold ; a constant truth || Italics ; a sometime truth || Strikethrough ; never

smoking: the action or habit of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or a drug.

binge drinking: the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time.

drug abuse: the habitual taking of illegal drugs.

nail biting: a common body language sign of anxiety/tension.

lip biting: a common body language sign of anxiety/tension.

night owl: a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night.

early bird: a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time.

negative attitudes: a philosophy of approaching life with criticism & pessimism.

positive attitudes: a philosophy of approaching life with optimism & confidence.

swearing: the use of offensive language.

superstitious: an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.

inspecting fingernails: a common body language sign of boredom.

scratching your neck: a common body language sign of uncertainty.

foot and finger tapping: a common body language sign of stress/impatience.

nose touch: a subtle body language sign of deceit.

flipping hair: a common body language sign of craving attention.

twirling hair: a common body language sign of flirtation.

cracking knuckles: a common body language sign of readiness.

hands behind back: a common body language sign of confidence.

finger pointing: a common body language sign of authority.

hands on hips: a common body language sign of readiness.

hands in pockets: a common body language sign of mistrust/reluctance.

frequent touch: a common body language sign of warmth/familiarity.

throat - clearing: a common body language sign of rejection/doubt.

jaw - clenching: a common body language sign of hostility.

eye - rolling: a common body language sign of irritation.

head - tilt: a common body language sign of interest.

whistling: to emit high - pitched sound by forcing breakthrough a small hole between one’s lips or teeth; usually to a tune.

humming: make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee; usually to a tune.

perfectionism: refusal to accept any standard short of perfection.

photographic memory: the ability to remember information or visual images in great detail.

paranoia: a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self - importance, typically worked into an organized system.

exaggeration: a statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is.

intuitive: using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.

quick - witted: showing or characterized by an ability to think or respond quickly & effectively.

interrupting: breaking the continuity of a conversation with one’s own statements.

doodling: to scribble or make rough drawings, absentmindedly.

irritable: having or showing a tendency to be easily annoyed.

gambling: to play games of chance for money; bet.

travel sick: suffering from nausea caused by the motion of a moving vehicle, boat, or aircraft.

sensitive: having or displaying a quick & delicate appreciation of others’ feelings.

melancholy: a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

chewing gum: the exercise of chewing flavored gum which is not intended for swallowing.

fidgeting: to make small movements, especially of the hands & feet, through nervousness or impatience.

skeptical: not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

neat - freak: compulsively obsessed with cleanliness.

gossiping: divulging personal information about others.

prim: feeling or showing disapproval of anything regarded as improper; stiffly correct.

abbreviating: giving others nicknames/shortening names/giving pet names.  

having a catchphrase: having a sentence or phrase typically associated with a specific person.

Tagged by: @lordofcrowns​  and @wanderlust-spirits​ Thank you!

Tagging: @grapecatte​, @auburn-stallion​, @renofmanyalts​, @marjiandco​ and anyone else who would like to just tag me back! X3

[kusunokihimea]

                                                  [ Art || Background ]

     [ Hey y’all! So uh...while this iteration of my dinky blog isn’t three years old, I have been lurking around this site in total (for RP) for three years now, as of...technically yesterday, eh heh. And good golly there has been a LOTTA growth since then. My muses and I have come a looong way, in regards to writing, editing, and getting to know so many people over the course of three years. Some have come and gone, and some have stayed...though few since those beginning days when Sylvie had NO idea what they were doing, ha!

     And though I’ve only recently gone through my second revamp, there’s still a gaggle a’y’all that have stuck around. Some even from those very beginning days. So, I’d like to take a minute to just...gush about some of ya, cuz you’ve made being in this community fun, welcoming, and honestly like a second family to us. While I don’t have time to ramble about EVERYONE, I’m gonna do my darnedest to do as much as I can, and just...say thank you for making me able to stay this long, and have as much fun as I’ve had. It means the world to me <3

     Now, on to the ramblin’! Under a cut, cuz...it’s probably gonna get long xD Still, I’ll try to be brief so it doesn’t get too out of control, lmao ]

     [ The Fam Jam ]

     So these are the peeps that have stuck by me through thick, thin, and many blog changes xD Those who have consistently interacted with us, and have developed amazing bonds between muns and muses alike. <3

@13lilypetals - Little sib Ghost. Fellow SH trash. Also a multimuse juggler. You’ve been someone who’s become a close friend, wonderful RP partner, and a great member of the community as a whole. Keep up the awesome work!

@ascxndinggg Matt, my son, darling baby boy =P With such a creative, intelligent mind, wonderful diverse muses, and one of the few things keeping me sane both on this hellsite, and in life in general. Love you bud.

@duckbuttavenger / @cutelittlemuffins / @straycatanbu Sanjiii, such a sweetheart. I love your beans, and I love you! You’re always a blast to write with, even if we know some muses better than others. They’re all 11/10!

@despairinghxpe / @masterofwar Phoenix, omg I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve had some of my most in-depth threads with you and your boyos. I always look forward to your replies. And you’re such a darling - always a joy to talk to ooc about our beans!

@gentlegraceful-and-fatal Dani, I know you’re not on much anymore, and I hope life’s not kickin’ your butt too hard. You put so much love into your muses, and I love when they interact with mine. Here’s hoping you can creep around more soon enough x3

@frogprinceus / @redlineoffate / @red-winged-hero-hawks Omg Mitsuki where do I even start with you xD You have such a wonderful cast of muses, so many of which have bonded so wonderfully with mine. I always enjoy our interactions, no matter what combo of beans!

@flakclad I know you’re not on too much anymore Rhi, but I still love your boys (tho I think this is the only one I’m currently following after remaking, whoops). You give them such wonderful personalities, and I love writing with them any day of the week.

@yukaikokoro Another OC bean! Star oh my goodness, you’re such a great friend and writing partner - you let me drown you in all my OG verse shenanigans, and I love it xD

@twojackalsandahedgie Apricot! I’ve stalked you around through a few blogs now, haha! You’re such a sweetheart, and your muses are great. I can’t wait to see how your blog takes shape once it’s even MORE of a multimuse!

@hotmessofmuses I’ve loved all our threads, Bailey - you write all your muses so well, and I’ve been so psyched to get to interact with them, especially in the famjam verses. It’s so much fun. And good luck with all you’re doing irl!

@roaringxflames Lief dear, I know you’re not active much anymore, but I just want you to know I’ve enjoyed all of our interactions, here and on other bloggus. I hope life is treating you well, and you find greener pastures in new fandoms :3

@cinderspewed / @bitebxck Oh goodness Verona, you’re just! Such a cool person, and your muse is so dynamic and intriguing and drives my marshmallow nuts xD I hope school isn’t crushing your soul too badly, haha! Good fortune, friend!

@kyuuzuchiha / @thebubbledome / @xkaekox BOOOOO I LOVE YOUR BEANS. I know that feel about having trouble writing/catching up lately, but! No matter your pace, we love writing with you, and I hope you find your groove soon!

@quiet-kunoichi Ahaha, Jack, another fellow OC bean. I love your muse. I think you know that but just to be sure, lemme say it again. And you’re great. You’re both great. I love ya. And I hope you’re well!

@abyssaldespair Meeeg...your boyo has stolen my gorl xD We’ve had so many shenanigans since we met I can’t count them, but gosh you’re so fun to write with, and even tho you’ve abandoned me (jk, jk), I still love writing our babbs in drabbles. I will sink with this ship xD

@wanderingmelodies MEEEY I know you’re super swamped but I hope you know I love ya and your beans and I hope you get your zine work done! Good luck and stuff, and hopefully life lets up for you soon, dear!

@multicanon-rp Bruh, I love your Itachi (and I’ve seen snippets of your other beans, they’re great!). It’s been so much fun to see him and Ryū get to know each other from that initial drama. I love writing with ya!

@hushedsunflower *squints at* Who even is this nerd? Oh right, you’re the one responsible for me even being here! Not to mention one of my oldest friends, nbd =P I love your Hina, and I’m glad you’ve gotten back into RP, my friend~

     [ The Inspirations ]

     These are the ones I’ve maybe not RPed with as much as I’d like, but who inspire me to be better in my writing, my lore creation, and characterization! <3

@hyugainterior / @clanburden Your storytelling skill just...blows my mind, holy smokes. Though I miss bits and pieces, your narrative on HI has been enrapturing, and I always try to catch all the drabbles. I never know what’s gonna happen next, but I can’t look away - it’s like a beautiful, horrible car crash! With Hinata in the driver’s seat!

@sennenryuu / @raikirisms N, your OC is just...so amazingly in-depth. As someone who adores making lore and characters, yours has been one I’ve looked up to since being introduced to your blog. And don’t even get me started on your Kakashi, or how beautiful your art is, my goodness. I love it all!

@houndnin / @mactabilis A blast from the past! I know you’re uber busy so you prolly won’t see this, but omg your muses are the bee’s knees. Another well-crafted OC, and an awesome take on Kakashi. Definitely a blog that inspires me to keep improving!

@masshirohebi Oh goodness, this blog is one I’ve looked up to for a long time. You write Orochimaru so beautifully. They’re so intricate and full of life and detail. Your replies are so well put-together, it always blows me away. I know our interactions have been brief, but I’ve enjoyed them so much!

     [ The Neat Beans ]

     Those on the ‘outer fringe’ - maybe we’ve poked at each other’s muses once or twice, but we’re still workin’ on getting muses to know each other - here’s to more! <3

     ~*~ @silverfaxg ~*~ @ketsuekki ~*~ @i-minato-chan ~*~ @kotoanatsukami ~*~ @crackuzu ~*~ @the-younger-umino ~*~ @origami-goddess ~*~ @inumbratte / @willsoffire / @leafstruck ~*~

     [ The Lurkers ]

     And last (but certainly not least), the beans I’ve not really talked to, but appreciate for bein’ around nonetheless! Never be afraid to say hi <3

     ~*~ @betterhealing ~*~ @tennome ~*~ @hiramekxrei ~*~ @tentaiiled / @sandsharrk ~*~ @dirt-ninja ~*~ @strengthwilled ~*~ @silentyoru ~*~ @blossomfury ~*~ @inotheflower ~*~ @cxmpetitivecaptain ~*~ @malacusleana ~*~ @granddiviner ~*~ @avengeriiism ~*~ @xchidoriisms ~*~

     All right, I really hope that’s everyone - my following list is still rather short after the move, so I wanted to at least give everyone a mention and a lil thank you. Here’s to another three years, fates allowing! Thank you all again for your support - it means the world <3

[musicallistorecs]

So! I am finally reading your masterpiece, on my phone and typing this on my laptop so I can react in real time to every single devastating line you write.

First of all,,,, opening your fic with the name Inej is so sexy of you. I miss her every single day, and I will never not associate that character with you. actually, you are the authority on kanej, not as a pairing, but separately, each with their own grief and strife. you understand them so well, and I commend you for it infinitely.

already the personnification of Ketterdam!!!!! treating places (especially cities) as characters, more than setting, and see how they interact with the rest of the cast, is one of my favorite things in fiction, and it is so. crucial. to kaz’s character. he was quite literally birthed by ketterdam!!!! in another dimension I did write that metafiction piece on ketterdam vs kaz, and in that dimension my thoughts on the issue are articulate and cohesive, but in our universe I’m just crying in the void.

“any hobbies?” “they write poetry.” ooooh already poetry sounds so ominous! the way Inej said that was almost reminiscent of a deadly addiction, like how she would have said alcohol or gambling. will it be their demise, like the title suggests? it’s so foreboding!!!!! obsessed x1

kaelish representation? in this economy? we don’t deserve it, but we love to see it nonetheless. you’re doing the Most for this universe, because for all my love for miss bardugo, she certainly underuses her literal Wandering Isle (!!!!!!). (an Isle. that Wanders. like ?????)

okay, but, I just need to take a few seconds to marvel at YOUR WRITING. i know i’ve said it time and time again, but I could never grow tired of singing its praises, because it seems there’s always something new to discover in the depths of your prose.

“It was a joke that a poet in Ketterdam died twice - once when their art failed to be appreciated by the sin of Kerch’s capital city, and second when they dropped dead from starvation. Poems didn’t amount to much in the concrete jungle of Ketterdam - even religious verse to Ghezen was kept short and sweet. Like a gunshot clattering on the stones. Poets died in Ketterdam, but before that, they lost their souls. It was all that industrial fire - it burnt lyricism to a crisp.”

tell me this excrept did not grab you by the fucking throat and tell you to behave. first of all, the attention to detail and hints of worldbuilding you seep in -- worldbuilding that seems all the more palpable, not because it references myths of the past or stories of the land, but actual present-day sayings and superstitions in kerch! and second, despite it not being a description, but an intermission for exposition / a bit of a moral, too, it is so incredibly vivid I can’t help but be in awe. you’re going all out with the grisly victorian landscape, the ailing, coal-soaked industrial revolution backdrop, and it is, I believe, one of the most compelling descriptions of ketterdam, because far from telling us what ketterdam is, like the naturalist would, you allow ketterdam to tell us what she is. and I think that’s beyond neat. obsessed x2

(also, maybe I’m wrong, but I seem to have noticed you enjoy either characters or settings for whom poetry used to be a Thing, but due to moral decay, circumstances, or just the corruption of time, it is No Longer. (which is both the case for kaz and ketterdam here, but apparently not the case for the reader - they still believe in poetry!!!) the rot of nature and beauty as a main theme, with staunch cynicism toward religion? so Gothic of you! obsessed x3))

and aaaah!!!! omg!!!!! kaz and reader’s interaction!!!!!! the tension, but also the lingering knowledge of something more, something they don’t dare to wake, but is very very prevalent in their every word...... gourmet shit!!!! I love that sense of almost-closeness Kaz has, despite how high he keeps his guard at all times. even he cannot resist the pull of familiarity with someone he used to know - someone he used to love. and they’re going to do a job together?? lovers to enemies to begrudging allies???? we love to see it!!!!! best dynamic in the world, actually, and I can’t wait to see where you take us. I’m already hooked.

bottlenecked | k.b.

Grishaverse - Kaz Brekker & Reader (non-endgame), angst, former relationship

Series: Like Rabbits and Poets (they’re born to be killed)

tw: burning imagery, mentions and imagery of blood, death imagery, mentions of drowning, mentions of violence word count: 2.2k

Summary: and in the beginning, it’s a shadow that approaches with a con and a silver dagger.

Inej came in through the window, as always. Kaz didn’t hear her, but he knew she was there all the same. Perhaps it was the shadows whispering in his ear that told him so, or maybe it was the tolling bell in the distance - marking the hour, reminding him of all that stolen time.

It was late, but no later than usual.

“You found him?”

Afficher davantage

[cutiecrates]

Gacha Gacha Crate Feb 21

I was getting worried something happened to this box, usually I get these at the beginning of the month, and it only just showed up yesterday. So you can possibly expect March’s GGC to be late too.

In other news, my Sakuraco box for April has shipped and may come within the this week or next.

I was planning on getting this done later today, after dinner some time. But some plans have come up so I decided to work on it now so it’s less for me to focus on later.

For this month, the booklet talks about Animal Crossing, more specifically New Horizons, which was released nearly a year ago!

Demon Slayer Pouch

This adorable, double-sided pouch is our first item of the box. Demon Slayer’s popularity must still be going strong, I think we get something from it in every box now. It’s made from a smooth material and has a ball-chain, so that you can connect it to other items for easier carrying.

At least the items are cute x3 I seem to keep getting the same 2 characters that I think I’d like if it I was really into the series.

Pokemon Keychain

I have mixed feelings about this one though. I don’t favor these Pokemon at all, but as a Pokemon fan I can still appreciate this, especially because it’s so neat looking. These keychains are based on Pokemon the Movie: Koko/Coco; which I actually know nothing about.

These keychains seem to be pretty nice in detail, loosely shaped to match the Pokemon representing it, with a unique colored, glittery or shiny background.

Kirby Figurine

This next one comes from the Kirby Battle Royale game, with each figurine based on a colored Kirby wielding a power-up. Plus Waddle-Dee.

Besides the slightly bent sword, I think this is a really nice, simple figurine perfect for any big Kirby fans x3 This one would fit in with the Kirby Power-Up figure keychain’s I got when I was younger. I don’t believe I have a sword Kirby yet.

Teacup Cat

This little cutie is the purrfect companion, but they’re so small you might need to keep an eye on them ;3 There were 6 possible kitties (3 poses, 2 styles for each) to get, each one with a matching tea cup and saucer.

Animal Crossing Keychain

When I was younger I remember them being kind of popular, at least, I would see them around pretty often. I was pretty surprised when this one popped out from the capsule but I recognized it right away!

There are 7 possible versions to get, besides this K.K. Slider, there is also Isabelle, the Dodo Airline, C.J., Flick, Tom Nook, and the twins Timmy and Tommy. Each one has various sound effects, ranging from their voice to sound effects or music in-game.

K.K. Slider here only plays a piece of the theme song for New Horizon, but it sounds exactly like it does in the game! The sound quality is amazing! 

I would have been happy with any of them, I’d have love Isabelle’s because it’s pink, but I also happen to like Flick a lot. So I kind of wish I got his.

Animal Crossing Watch

Our last item is another Animal Crossing goodie, a cute watch featuring a printed rubbery strap and a stylized, plastic covering to keep the face from being damaged. I think it’s pretty cute, I might actually wear it for Spring x3

This one I got features Tom Nook (who I also really like) with Timmy and Tommy. The cap is the bell/stylized leaf symbol. Besides the raccoon’s, you could also get Isabelle with bell/leaf symbol, K.K. Slider with guitar motif, the Able Sisters with sewing motif, and the owls with their owl symbol. 

All and all, I really liked this box :3 we had a nice mix of items, this one nearly screamed Video Games if not for the kitty cup and Demon Slayer items. I love Animal Crossing and besides a couple of items I don’t really have any merch, so I’m very happy I can finally add to my collection~

[kusunokihime-a]

     *rolls up sleeves* Okay you wee beans, I’ve been slackin’ on appreciation asks because I’m bad at keeping track of things, so HERE WE GO INSTEAD. Just over a month ago, Ryū and I hit two years on this gosh-darned site with all you lovelies, but heck it - we’re rolling out more love for y’all cuz when is it ever a BAD time to do that? So here’s a long post (under a cut lol) of some love for some lovelies to carry over into the new year! (in no particular order just...as I go, lolol - also by mun, so if you’ve got more than one blog, I’m just...picking one I remember x3)

@noharin 

     Meyyy muh dahlin’ I love ya. You’re so funny and kind and GENUINE. You’re such a down-to-earth person who, in spite of your own troubles, goes out of her way to keep the chins up of everyone around you. You’ve put so much love into your muses, and yes I’m STILL going to bring up how you plucked me and my marshmallow up and helped us feel welcome here. You’re a big part of the reason why I stayed, and why I’m still here - thank you <3

@leafgodaime 

     Bailey! I know we don’t talk much ooc (and yes I know I already got an ask from you but too bad =P), but I love you and your muse. I ALWAYS enjoy seeing all of your interactions with the other muses here. You write Tsunade and wee Hiroyuki so well, my muse can’t help but love them so much. You guys took in a silly OC muse, even if you didn’t have to, and that means a lot to us. Thank you for helping us fit in <3

@hatakiri 

     YOU. WRITER OF INTRUDER DOGS AND SNARKY SNAPBACKS. GOSH I love you and your muse. Just...your Kakashi is so perfect. I love his sass and also his angst and his deadpan humor. And his constant harassment of my marshmallow (but don’t worry, she still loves him x3). I was SO happy when you came back, and we’ve loved every interaction both before and after. I always know I’m gonna smile when I see you crash into our inbox. Thank you for all the laughs <3

@flamexroar

     Konnn you precious wee bean! I know we’ve not been threading too often lately but I hope you’re well! And your kitty! And everybody else! I’ve so loved every interaction with all your menagerie of muses! They’re all so unique and creative and I wish I could wrangle as many as you do - I can’t even handle a main blog and a side blog, kdsjfkjg. ANYWAY. You’re a sweetie and I love ya and I love talking to ya even though I SUCK at keeping up with people, and thank you for being such a darling <3

@obsidianavenger

     *lays in your lap* Well hey thar. Youuu should know that I love you, and I love your Sasuke, even when he’s being a butt and not letting you write. I love your art, and that you’re keepin’ at it and practicing and improving! I know not all of our conversations are happy-go-lucky, but I hope you know how much I appreciate you, and support you. I’m always here when you need me, and thank you for doing the same <3

@snakesage 

     FOSTER my dude. I know we don’t interact IC nearly as much as we should, and tbh that’s like...105% my fault cuz I’m a dweeb BUT. I still love your Mitsuki, like...a whole lot. I love the thought you put into him, the bonds he has with other muses on the dash, and just...I’m SO impressed with how much you’ve grown him. I’m not into Boruto, but honestly that’s okay because your Mitsuki is all I need in life, lmao! (Also your Konohamaru too tbh while I’m at it) But seriously, you’re a super cool dude, and you’ve only ever been nothing but kind to me, and thank you for being you <3

@frogprinceus 

     Oh my gosh, Mitsuki. You are SUCH A SWEETHEART. And I still can’t comprehend how amazing your Jiraiya is (and all of your other muses, of course). It’s like he managed to escape canon and now resides in your blog xD Safe and sound, where he belongs! And I’m still so humbled how quickly you let Ryū and I get to know you both ;w; It wasn’t something you had to do, but you did it anyway, and everything we write together makes me SO happy. It’s a very special bond between our muses, and I love it so much. Thank you for writing with us <3

@gentlegrace

     Daniiiii, you wee sweet pea. You are SUCH a joy, oh my gosh. And so are all your muses! Admittedly we’ve gotten to know Hinata best, and wowowow I love how you portray her. I so enjoy how yours took the tough path and fought harder for what she wanted and believed in. All your interactions with the others and with us are always a joy to see. And you’re such a kind and understanding person - you stick up for what you believe in just like your ‘nata does! And I commend that. I really really do. Thank you for being just as you are <3

@kyuuzuchiha 

     Boooooo! I LOVE YOUR MUSES. And I love you too! You’re so funny and sweet and GOSH I love when we get to gush about our nerds together xD Getting to write with you is just...a joy every time it happens. Whether it’s with one of your boys, or with Keiko (who, GOSH, I am just falling in love with), each interaction is written so well, and your characterization is just! Awesome sauce. You have such an awesome handle on your muses, and each exchange we have is so much fun, and so engaging. Thank you for letting us drive you crazy x3 <3

@teamseven-united

     Sanjiiii, dahlinggg, little sweet potato! I know you’re off right now to tackle life and I hope you’re kicking its butt! But lemme just take a second to say how much I appreciate you! You’re an amazing writer, and WOW I love your art, it’s got so much character, and it’s SO CUTE, and I’m so grateful for all the doodles you’ve made for us ;w; It’s so neat to see our interactions drawn out! Ryū loves your Sauce, and all your muses are just...so awesome. I can’t wait for you to be back so we can pester you some more x3 Thanks for putting up with us, lol <3

@hyugainterior 

     Hina-mun! Oh my goodness! YOU are like...the sweetest cinnamon bun on my dash (of course, you’ve got lots of competition cuz like...there’s a lotta sweeties on my dash BUT), I appreciate SO MUCH all the effort you give to try and make this community a little better and brighter. And I know I say it all the time and you’re probably sick of hearing it by now, but...watching everything unfold on your blog is just SO interesting, even if we might not play an active part in it. Your skills in narrative writing are something to look up to! Thank you for sharing with us <3

@sennenryuu

     Holy smokes, Natalie. Can I just say how much I look up to your stuff? You’re such a skilled artist, and seeing the detail and love you put into your muse helps drive me to do the same with mine! So much creativity in all you do here, and we love getting to see it! And of course all our interactions...which I need to be better about, eh heh. Seriously though, your character is so intriguing and well-rounded, and you’re always a joy to talk to ooc. I was so glad to be your Secret Santa and have the chance to write something for you n_n Thank you for being a great member of the community <3

@cinderspewed 

     VeronAAA, you are such a meme! All of your ooc shenanigans get me in stitches, and honestly so does a lot of your writing with Dei. You just! Have such a way with him as a muse, and golly I love seeing everything from you. Even your crack posts have Deidara written all over them xD And gosh, you’re such a wonderful person. I know we don’t talk ooc nearly enough because I’m Horrible, but you care so much about your followers and your friends, and you look out for this community. Thank you for all you do, for all of us, both ic and ooc <3

@ascxndinggg

     LITTLE ONE. I know I already blabbered in your ask buuut I don’t care I’ma do it again x3 I said it once, I’ll say it again: I’m so proud of you. You’ve made it through another tough year, and you helped me do the same. And even if they’ve been a bit out of commission for a while, I LOVE YOUR MUSES. AND YOUR WRITING. Like...dang. It’s SO GOOD. And I’m SO EXCITED to write with you again, kiddo. Thank you for all you do for me, and for showing this old fuddy-duddy what it means to be strong <3

@flakclad

     Rhi! Omg! I LOVE YOUR GENMA SO MUCH. And your Kankurō - even if we don’t write with him much, I still love seeing his stuff on the dash! You are one of the sweetest lil beans, lemme tell you. I love writing ic with you - I love our muses’ dynamic, and watching it grow since we’ve been writing together. And I’ve so enjoyed getting to know you, too! You’ve never had a down or cross word for anyone I’ve seen - you’re so chill, and all you put on the dash is a joy, whether it’s something with us, or other lovelies! Thank you for being so great <3

@abyssaldespair 

     Oh my gosh Meg, where do I start with you x3 You are SO funny, and even if you’re a wee bit abrasive sometimes, you’re still a great friend that I love talking to, even when you’re being a butt =P You have such a great way of writing Obito, and gosh I love your artwork so much. I wish I could draw like you...maybe someday. For now I’ll just pester you with silly pixel dolls of our muses being dumb x3 I always love writing with you, and it’s been a blast watching our muses’ relationship go from hella awkward to what it is now, haha! It’s really helped me as a writer round out my character :3 Thank you for sticking around with us <3

@twofoxesandasnake

     K, I know we don’t write much together anymore, but I’ve still enjoyed all of our interactions, whether it be between our muses, or between us as muns. You’re a sweetheart, and I’ve enjoyed writing with all of your characters - all the way beginning with Kurama, and going through to Sasuke, Naruto, and Boruto. Whether it was crack, angst, or something in-between, writing with you has always been so much fun. Thank you for taking the time with us <3

@littlelilypetal

     LILY-MUNNN. Oh my gosh, hun, like...where do I even begin xD First off it was so neat to meet another SasuHina shipper - they seemed to be a bit rare on my dash when we met! And then GOSH things just kinda snowballed out of control, haha! It’s been such a treat building up being friends, and then all of our shenanigans ic - SO MUCH COOLNESS and just...the whole nine yards. It was so cool to have someone to write the ALAS verse with - I dunno if I’ve ever said how much I enjoy and appreciate that. Thank you for being an awesome friend <3

@masterofwar

     Phoenix, dahling, I miss ya! But I hope all’s well where you’re at, and that life’s treating you well! Even if we’ve not written in a while, I hope you know just how much I’ve ADORED all of our interactions - from long, thought-out threads, to silly crack asks and quips. Your muses are SUCH a delight, just like their mun! It’s been so enjoyable to see how they’ve meshed with my own little marshmallow, and seeing her get so very caught up in their webs x3 Thank you for so much fun and intrigue, my friend <3

@witheredblossom

     Oh my gosh, Finn. Lemme start with just...how much praise I have for your Obito. Even before we had the guts to write with you, I’ve always adored how you write him. Even in the silly stuff xD You write beautifully, and you’re such a neat dude. I know I don’t hop into IMs or Discord NEARLY as much as I should but I hope you know how cool you are :3 And I’ve SO enjoyed this strange little dynamic between our muses. Every interaction just leaves her with more questions, and I love it x3 Thank you for sharing your writing with us <3

@quiet-kunoichi

     Jaaaaaaaack, friendo! BOY am I glad I met you, like...gosh. You’re so sweet, you’re SUCH a talented writer, and I love your muse to pieces. She’s so dynamic, and interesting, and I’ve so enjoyed getting to know you and her both. Our threads, no matter how few or far between, have always been such a blast. And I can’t wait to write more with you once we both manage to sit down at the same time x’’D But I hope you know how much your friendship means to me, and how much I appreciate ya n_n Thank you for being my friend <3

     ...okay, I’m like 99% sure I’ve missed people, and I’m sUPER SORRY for anyone I have, but...even if I didn’t blubber at you, I hope all’y’all know how much we love and appreciate you all - and we wish you all a bright, calm, lovely year 2018, and we hope to see you guys and more as we make our way through it!

[drundertalescum]

11 Questions... x3

I was tagged by @sharada-n @audaciousanonj and @esmiden in that order

If anyone else tagged me, tag me again because I missed it!

1. Which are your favorite hot and cold drinks?

Cold drinks: Usually either milk or vanilla coke. I also like birch beer, root beer, and peach-cranberry juice, but usually I just stick with the milk and coke.

Hot drinks: TEA. Specifically this nice vanilla black tea that I've cracked the code on preparing in the microwave so it's both hot and very convenient. This is my go-to drink of any type.  Also coffee, hot chocolate, matcha, and just various types of teas. I prefer hot drinks over cold.

2. What’s your favorite color scheme/combination?

Usually I kind of default to dark turquoise/cyan and lighter orange/gold. It's the most common gradient map I use when I'm being lazy with coloring and also evident on my main blog's colour scheme. Toss in some red and you're in for a good time. I also really like maroons and pale greens but I don't use it that often.

3. Windows or Apple?

PC FOREVER

4. Do you believe in astrology?

Nah, I do find out kind of funny sometimes since my sign (Capricorn) is such an over-the-top dethawing ice queen in anything relating to “what the signs do when ___”  My Smart-People Astrology Sign (my Meyers-Briggs) turns up very similar content. I mean, granted, that runs truer than a hyper happy bubblegum type but it's still a bit boring.

I don't really buy too much into any of that sort of thing.

5. Would you punch me for 10$?

Wait are you paying me to punch you or am I paying you to be punched by me? Either way no.

6. Do you have any guilty pleasures?

HONESTLY in my main online community my guilty pleasure that I hide from the world is being Undertale trash.

To a lesser extent: my guilty pleasure that I hide away from this community is that I’m reality show trash. Specifically one particular reality show. It's 17 years old and Actually Very Good, but no one will ever believe me.

7. What’s your favorite flower?

We grow snapdragons sometimes. They're really neat! Otherwise it's hit or miss with me and flowers. Despite the main blog name that I've been using for like 10 years I've only recently started to kind of like roses. Mostly for the a e s t h e t i c.

8. What would you name your theoretical kids?

I change my mind on this one a lot. I usually like names that aren't common but also could sort of fit in in an old novel. Like Orville or Evander or something like that. I had a list once but I lost it. I also like Emily or Alma.

Some angry part of me wants to name a child November even though I know the awful fate I would be leaving them to by doing it.

In the end I am almost definitely not having kids so the most likely name I'm gonna pull out is naming a pet Papyrus someday.

9. Sweet or savory?

Depends, but I usually go for savory. Sweet drink-savory snack is my go-to.

10. Do you wear socks in bed or nah?

I don't wear socks at all unless it's very, very cold.

11. Could a horse fit through a window?

If you removed the panes from my windows a horse would just barely make it through. Probably needs to be a smaller horse though. It can't be too wide.

1) What’s your favorite holiday?

THIS IS HALLOWEEN THIS IS HALLOWEEN HALLOWEEN HALLOWEEN

But truthfully i haven't been feeling it the last few years. I can't think of any holidays I have.

2) Loose clothes or tight?

As loose as possible. Though I'll take tight underlayer loose overlay.

3) Chrome, Firefox, or Safari?

I had a weird bug a few years back where my computer was constantly freezing up and crashing. I knew it was some sort of graphics issue but the word thing was it never crashed when I was playing a game, which lead to me using Portal 2 and Skyrim as ways of keeping my computer from crashing whenever it was idle, bumping up my times in both games to a ridiculous amount (though I still play both a lot). Turns out it was Firefox causing the crash, but I didn't realize because if I don't have a game open, I always have a browser up.

I had to switch to Chrome at that time and now I'm pretty settled on it. I do miss some aspects of Firefox though.

4) Favorite style of humor?

I love humor that's based around people and their habits. Not necessarily observational and I don't like it to actively mock people, but I like humor that's based around people and their attitudes and interactions, especially if it makes people feel more like characters or caricatures, but not stereotypes. I have a sort of dry sense of humor but that's not really required for this. It's hard to actively explain and I'm blanking on any great examples.

This definitely plays into the previously mentioned guilty pleasure.

5) Fluff or Angst (Reading)?

ANGST. Angst got me into this fandom when I solidified my terrible obsession with this game by reading I'm Feeling Fine, Kid and since then I've read close to every Papyrus-centric angst fic this fandom has put out.

Pretty much any I haven't read yet are in my read later list because I haven't been in the best heavy-angst mood lately.

I always take recs.

6) Fluff or Angst (Writing)?

Writing angst is so much easier for me. I think it's because I have a very introspective style which lends itself better to letting the sadness flow. It usually works out to angst with a side of fluff. But with art and comics, it's a lot less introspective so it ends up being fluff with a side of angst.

7) Do you make -sonas?

I kind of actively dislike making -sonas. It never feels right. I made one when I was about 16 (which I now dislike) and haven't really made one since. I generally just stick with a blob or stick person to represent me. Maybe a seahorse.

8) What are you gonna dress up as for Halloween?

A patient recovering from a cholecystectomy. Maybe one that also has spoopy face paint on and blogs about Undertale.

…I wish I was doing something for Halloween ;;;

9) What are you pickiest about?

Food and fonts. It's the ultimate irony that I fell so far for Undertale.

10) Have you seen my au Name the Fallen and if so what was your favorite part?

Save him Flowey, before he falls too far.

11) Papyrus is cool?

That's not a question. Nothing has ever been less of a question.

1. Favorite literature or movie genre

Hmmm… I really like mystery novels! Other than that, I’m a big fan of dramedies. Anything that mixes comedy or fantasy and feels is great.

2. Top five animated cartoons

This is going to be my knee jerk list and not necessarily accurate. It’s also not in any particular order.

Moana

The Incredibles

Wall-E

Lilo and Stitch

The Princess and the Goblin

3. If you could choose a fantasy land to stay in for the rest of your life, which one would you chose? Ps. You won’t be able to get back to the real world.

I would honestly head down to the Underground and let some monsters try to steal my soul. I think it’s the perfect blend of interesting but also not everything-trying-to-kill-me(-forever).

4. Favorite song at the moment?

Hopes and Dreams played backwards. Also Frozen Pines by Lord Huron and Ground Control by All Time Low and Walk Off The Earth’s cover of Heya

5. What is good design for you?

Oh man, this is a tricky question. I’m actually a designer but I’m very much a master of none. The most important thing in any design is readability and ease of use, though. No point in having a product you can’t use because the A E S T H E T I C is in the way. No point in a document or website you can’t read. No point in a gallery you can’t view. Good design should make things MORE usable, not less. Functionality should ALWAYS be the number one goal.

At the same time black and white helvetica minimalism is boring and terrible for most things. Gimme some COLOR, some LIFE. I don’t care if it’s cheesy or weird or quirky or outdated. I want things with detail and personality. 

(Note: you can totally have black and white minimalist helvetica and still hae personality. But I’ll take a “bad” design with some life to it over a mediocre design that follows all the rules)

6. What’s your favorite color scheme/combination?

I am a blue/orange shill, but theres a lot of schemes i like. Usually Cyan + any warm color

7. Which feelings effects you the most in literature/music/film etc.?

Tricky! I actually get the most into films about the connections between people (usually not romantic) or about identity (or loss of identity) and insecurities. I dunno why, they just effect me the most. They just do.

8. Favorite game?

Undertale (2015 Video Game). But also: Portal, Skyrim, the Fallout games, Kingdom Hearts, Bully, 7 Days to Die, The Forest, Friday the 13th, Stardew Valley, Reigns, Alto’s Adventure, Pixel Dungeon, Plague Inc, Life Is Strange, Tabletop Simulator, The Long Dark, What Remains of Edith Finch, Tropico, The Stanley Parable, The Flame in the Flood, Contagion, and The Sims.

I like Games.

9. What’s most important for you in a good movie?

I’ll enjoy any movie with well-concieved characters but the real gold medal goes to anything with post modern reality fuckery and/or magical realism. I like movies about movies or about storytelling. Big Fish, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show, Stranger Than Fiction are some of my favorite movies that sort of adhere to that. Gimme all the post-modern plotlines with likable characters and let me pretend there’s a happy ending. That’s all I’m looking for.

10. What’s your favorite time of the day and why?

Dusk. Everything cools down, the sky turns gorgeous colors, but it’s still not considered weird to go walking around or running errands. It’s just nice!

11. Extra because I’m out of ideas, if you got a painting. What would you want on it? XD

Nice colors and a good subject. Like Papyrus with huge biceps.

Here’s my questions! I’m going to tag the 3 that tagged me if they feel like doing this, plus anyone who wants to do it. Just tag me on the post so I can see!

1. What was your favorite fairy tale growing up?

2. Were you ever traumatized as a child by a movie or TV show?

3. Whats the weirdest dream that you can remember?

4. If you could be or do anything you wanted for a single day, anything at all, what would you be?

5. What is your favorite anecdote?

6. Have you ever painted your nails? If so, what’s your favorite polish/color?

7. What is the scariest thing you aren’t afraid of?

8. Are there any snacks that you like that most people probably haven’t heard of or tried?

9. Have you ever gone stargazing?

10. Tell me about your favorite idea you’ve had, whether it be a story or a game idea or anything else along those lines.

11. Whats your least favorite color?

[feynites]

(1/2) omg I have to tell you that I just came across your tumblr post about "Evil Chancellor Traytor" & it made me laugh so hard and reminded me so much of my own childhood in which me & my sister had all kinds of elaborate characters for our society of toys (including one of my mom's old Barbies from the 60's whose hands had been chewed by mice in my grandmother's attic) & my little brother also used to follow our stories-anyway the point is! What you wrote was hilarious & I would totally...

(2/2) ... read more tales from your society of childhood toys! It was hilarious and awesome! Also you seem really cool! Ok that is all! :)

-

Thank you!! X3

Having siblings you get along with seems to be a real boon on this front, it seems - lots of energy to bounce off of, and someone to consistently share and re-tell all the stories with. 

We played a ton of games, although probably none as easily summarized in an entertaining short story as Evil Chancellor Traytor. But. Lemme see... uhm... oh! Okay, we can try the story of the king who was friends with him. King Bazooka.

To begin, we’ll need context. One of the major sources of toys when my siblings and I were a bit younger was the local convenience store (which my dad ran... into the ground). But, while it was around, it had a selection of cheap plastic action figures. Which we could acquire at-cost, and so, we had plenty of them ourselves. This is where we got our cheap Power Rangers knock-off toys (one of which would eventually become the king mentioned in Traytor’s story).

For reference, they looked like this:

There were a few basic models, all of them very ripped, in a variety of colours ranging from the above yellow and red, to blue and pink and white and black and so on and so forth. Their limbs could move and their knees could bend, and their feet and hands could also be rearranged to some extent (I think, maybe not the hands) but they weren’t exactly durable, so their limbs popped off pretty regularly.

Anyway, we had a veritable army of these toys, but also something of a problem with them at first. See, my sister and I were both girls, but none of the models for these toys came with the usual, y’know, curvy boob-and-hips figure that would typically denote them as women. There were pink ones, and of course we were well familiar with the concept that pink = girl, but the pink Ranger Warriors were also savagely ripped. But we didn’t want to have an army of all boys, how would we apply our usual range of soap opera cliches? Who would get unexpectedly pregnant or engaged? In space?

The solution came by way of a library book about female body building, that I had semi-recently discovered and quickly recollected. I, in all my worldly older sister glory, asserted that these toys were totally capable of being women, they were just really muscular women. Skepticism was expressed by my younger brother and sister. The Book was called for. A magazine was acquired instead. Images were found of ripped lady body builders, and scrutinized for accuracy.

Skepticism was retracted. It was agreed that this solution worked, and that, in the tradition set before us by the Power Rangers television show, all pink and yellow versions of the toys (and any others we considered suitably effeminate for some reason or another, but definitely those ones) were The Girl Ones. Dilemma resolved, we immediately set about playing with them, of course, and constructing stories around them and incorporating them into our existing populace of toys. We discovered some neat stuff about these action figures. One was that their hands could hold onto stuff pretty well, and were quite suited to dangling them off of lines and chords and the attachments for blinds and tying them to strings and whipping them around like helicopters. ‘Space exploration’ required a lot of this. Of course, this also meant that our most intrepid heroes tended to be the ones who suffered injuries like ‘lost thumb’, and ‘severed limb’, and ‘complete dismemberment’. 

Most of the time, though, when something broke, it could be popped back into place. Thumbs, torsos, and heads were the general exception to this, I seem to recall. But every so often the ball that locked into the socket for a limb’s joint would also break, rather than just popping loose, and then the only hope was glue (which would reattach the limb, but also result in ‘mobility issues’ where it couldn’t move around at all).

So... in essence, we had an army of space-faring disabled gender non-conforming lady bodybuilders, and their brothers/husbands/boyfriends/etc, protecting the universe. We developed ridiculously deep attachments to some of these toys, with all their wonky limbs and wobbly knees and scratched paint, and we’d do our best to keep them away from the dog (but the dog didn’t go for them too often, because the plastic was too hard), and also any adults who might throw them away.

Eventually, though, the convenience store closed, and we no longer had easy access to new Ranger Warriors, or even the option of replacing ones who got too damaged to keep playing with. So my sister and I determined that it was time for our space adventurers to retire. No more whipping them down staircases or tying them to fan blades. They became Space Veterans, who would walk among the populace of other toys, and recount gruesome war stories and endure PTSD flashbacks and sometimes sit outside the tavern, drinking and looking up at the stars. Wistful, but by and large also resigned to the fact that their space exploration days were done, and they had other things to do. Quieter lives to get on with.

All but one.

Bazooka.

See, each Ranger Warrior was named after some kind of weapon. Names ranged from the creatively-dubbed ‘Gun’, to stuff like ‘Scythe’ or ‘Artillery’. The last Ranger Warrior we got before the store went under was a red and silver one, and by then most of the standard names were taken, so we dubbed him ‘Bazooka’. With a name like that, it was possibly inevitable that he was kind of an over-dramatic hothead.

But Bazooka had no battle scars, no lost or broken limbs. He had barely gotten a chance to fight in the Space Wars before his unit was recalled, and the peace treaties were signed. His older sister had a medal of Highest Honours, and had lost mobility in both of her arms, and could tell tall tales about the days when her unit would wade through alien wilds on daring missions. Bazooka was still pretty fresh. Signing up was supposed to be his chance for glory, his chance to prove himself! But instead, he had been washed out with all the old-timers, too.

Even though our space heroes might have retired, though, not all of their enemies did. One of the treaties signed granted an embassy to the Happy Meal Barbies. Twin sisters, forever rooted in place against plastic stands, with eerily off-model eyes. One of them had a bicycle prop, but neither of them could actually move off of their stands, because they were actually alien shapeshifters who had... misunderstood some images of humans, before they ‘locked in’ their final forms and found themselves stuck with them. So one just had this bike, fused to her, that she never rode, and that was technically part of her body. The other I don’t recollect as vividly.

Anyway, they were evil, like genuinely to the bone evil, but also sometimes sympathetic because one of them was part bike. And so of course when the dog claimed the old king, they hatched a scheme to become the Queens of Action Figure Dystopia.

The details of that particular adventure are lost to the sands of time. What is known, though, is that it involved a lot of hexes, and a giant purple marble called The Esper, and when all was said and done the twins only managed to be queens for a short period of time before they were overthrown. In a scene ripped straight from The Transformers Movie (the old cartoon one, not the Michael Bay stuff that was nowhere to be seen yet), Bazooka touched The Esper and ended up becoming the next king by way of ancient whatsits and magical such-and-such, regardless of his appalling lack of actual qualifications. All hail the new king!

He sucked at it. For a long time. The theme of ‘Bazooka has no goddamn idea what he’s doing’ was a pretty substantial one, in my memory, but it probably only lasted for a few days before he started getting his shit in gear and tried to solve problems with methods that did not require explosives. And he earned the friendship of his Evil Chancellor, who he would come to trust above all others and would not stand to hear besmirched (of course, to most other people’s eyes, this just looked like a resilient strain of his incompetence, and general opinion was that Bazooka was well-meaning-but-dim, and Evil Chancellor Traytor was... well... evil).

By the time Traytor died, Bazooka was among the last of the remaining Ranger Warriors. Many had been thrown out by then, culled in an effort to curtail our childish messes because, of course, nearly all of them were visibly broken in some way. Others had been misplaced or destroyed in any number of ways. Bazooka’s sister was long gone, and so were my two favourites, and pretty much it was just down to the king, who had grown weary even if his parts still moved and his armour was unscratched. The deaths of so many of his friends and loved ones weighed upon him. In his way, he had always been separate from them, always straddled a divide as someone not quite a veteran, not quite a hero, not quite a politician. He never really achieved any of the greatness he sought. Only the wisdom to realize that this greatness had probably never existed in the first place.

When he buried himself in Traytor’s name, it was, in many respects, the final chapter of the space heroes’ saga. In the end, few of them met happy fates. But while they were around, they witnessed the cosmos from the edge of spinning fan blades, and got possessed by alien brain worms who made them try to drown their best friends in the kitchen sink, and found out that they were secretly half snake alien and had mental breakdowns over it, and maintained orbital facilities in obscure parts of space where the only company they had for months at a time was the voice on the other side of a quantum transmission, and even became royalty (a few times).

So, as a toy’s existence might go, none of them did too badly, either.