#ivys hypothetical updates

[ivys-garden]

Hivy, This is Ivy!

Throughout my time on Tumblr one of my favourite things to do has been to create hypothetical Minecraft updates, I've done this twice before with The Pigeon update and The Pond Update, but a few weeks ago I let you lot chose what geographic area I should turn into a hypothetical update

Yall chose Celtic Europe (and Oceania but that's for later) AKA, Ireland, Scotland, Whales and Cornwall. I was very glad with this outcome as I myself am Scottish and I had a lot of ideas for this…..too many ideas…. So many ideas that I had to cut an entire section and now some stuff feels barebones….whoops. (but hey now I can work on a full portion update later…yay.)

But, enough of that, let's move on to:

The Fae Update!

New Biomes + Structures

There are 6 new biomes in this hypothetical update, each referring a different local found in celtic europe these are: The White Cliffs,The Glacial Pass, The Wisteria Forrest The Heather Moorlands/Peat Bogs (take your pick), The Highland Forests, and… you'll see ;3

The White Cliffs

The White Cliffs are a new coastal biome, consisting of grass topped cliffs, sandy bays and rock structures jutting out of the water. Suspicious sand and gravel generates naturally here and loot from it follows the fishing loot table, though with an increased chance to find nautilus shells and a rare chance to find sniffer eggs

This biome is based on the White Cliffs of Dover and the Jurassic Coast

The White Cliffs has only three new features:

Puffins

A new passive abiant mob, they drop Feathers when killed. Instead of the normal birds nest (introduced in the pigeon update) puffins lay there eggs in “wall nests” grey nests that attach to walls, these can be used as a decorative block

Seagulls

A neutral mob who drops Feathers and fish when killed, they spawn both in the White Cliffs and on beaches and open Seas. Seagulls will attack the player if they are holding any food item in their hand, stealing it.

Seagulls serve no other purpose.

Chalk

Chalk is a new stone block. It has the blast resistance of wood and is exclusive to the white cliffs, making up the cliffs themselves.

Chalk can be dyed any of the dye colours in the game, creating a softer, more Pastel variant of that colour (queers rejoice). Chalk can be made into slabs, stairs and walls in the stone cutter.

The Glacial Pass

A cold mountainous biome, the Glacial past is mainly made of stone and deeplate, with ice and snow also being common. Dipstone spikes can be found here as well as gravel structures resembling Eskers and Terminal Moraines (yes my favourite subject is geography how can you tell?). Suspicious gravel can be found here as well as suspicious snow, which can also be found in the igloo. Strays, Polar Bears, Foxes and Rabbits Spawn in this environment

This biome is based on glaciated uplands

Seals

Seals can be found in all cold environments. Seals will follow the player when they swim, upon coming on to land Seals will bob in the afternoon expectantly.

Seals can be fed fish, clapping after this is done

Seals drop blubber when killed. Blubber can be crafted into blubber blocks, when lit on fire these blocks burn light yellow. Blubber can be used to make torches, lanterns and campfires.

Blubber can also be crafted into a chest plate, the blubber chest plate reduces projectile damage and prevents Frost damage in powdered snow, but it slows you down while on land

The Wisteria Forest

A replacement for the old flower Frocester, this is a rare forrest in which all natural flowers spawn

Purified water (a type of water introduced in the pond update that can cure harmful status effects and restore hunger permanently for a short time) would spawn here too, as well as unicorns and kelpies (introduced in the pond update, will be discussed later)

Other Mobs that Spawn here will be discussed later

Wisteria Trees

Wisteria trees are a new wood type. The wood itself is a pale green with a purplish grey bark. Wisteria leaves are pale lavender. Wisteria trees also have hanging leave variants, much like willow leaves (pond update) that grow in the same way as glow berries

Butterflies and Moths

Passive ambient mobs that spawn in all biomes, though moths are most common in dark oak forests and butterflies are most common here. Both come in many colours, much like tropical fish. These mobs are as large as the bees (traditional dictates that all Minecraft arthropods must be massive, also yes bane of arthropods works on these, but do you actually care?)

Butterflies and Moths drop their respective wings when killed, these can be grafted onto the elytra (using the dragonfly carapace, an mob drop from the dragon fly as introduced in the pond update, speaking of that, the Toad from that update will also eat Moths and Butterflies) grafting these wings on changes the electable texture to resemble the wings of these Mobs (Note: despite both having many textures the electric will always adopt The Lunar Moth and Monarch Butterfly texture respectively)

Crann Bethadh Sprout

The sprout of a legendary tree, this is a two tall plant with ever changing leaf colours, shifting throughout all the pastel colour variants

The player can take a cutting of this plant using shears

This plant can only be dug up by the sniffer

Flower Crowns

By combining any 4 flowers in a circular pattern in the crafting table players can make flower crowns. Flower crowns adopt the colours of whatever flowers were used to craft it. Flower crowns can be worn on the head and serve no purpose other than to make people look pretty ;3

Wisteria Grass

Wisteria grass is a new grass type block that is pale lavender. It behaves the same as grass. It is only found in the Wisteria forest

The Heather Moorlands

Heather Moorlands are made up of water, grass, mud and a new block. No trees and few other plants spawn here, but cattails, reeds (pond update), sea grass and lily pads would be common here.

Bogs would spawn here

Toads, Frogs and Dragonflies would spawn here

Heather Moorlands are based on….Heather Moorlands.

Peat

Peat is a new powered snow-like block. It is brown in colour and makes up most of the ground in the Heather moorlands. Any plant can be planted on it.

Falling through peat takes notably longer than it does for powdered snow, players cannot freeze in peat, only suffocate. Peat can be safely traversed with leather boots.

When broken, peat will break into Peat Logs, peat logs can be burned in the furnace as an effective fuel

When lit on fire, Peat burns Bright Red, peat logs can be used to make peat lanterns, campfires and torches.

Combining 4 peat logs together makes a peat block, smelting a peat block creates Hardened Peat. Harmed peat can be made into Smooth Peat, Chiselled Peat, Peat Bricks, Cut Peat, Peat Pillar and Peat Tiles

Gortach

The Gortach are a new Undead mob. They spawn in swamps and peat bogs and resemble Bog bodies. They hide in dirt, mud, sand, gravel and peat and jump out of the ground to attack.

Gortach inflicts poison with their attacks. Gortach can carry swords, axes, and spears

Gortach drop their weapon, peat logs or Rotten flesh when killed

Spears

Spears are crafted either with one iron ingot and two sticks in a diagonal pattern, or are dropped by the Gortach

Spears are weaker than the sword but have a better reach, can be thrown (though this isn't good for their durability) and completely bypass shields and armour, hitting the opponent as if they had nothing at all

Spears have all the same enchantments as the Sword + Loyalty

Heather

Heather is a new purple flower exclusive to the Heather Moorlands. It gives purple dye when ground up.

The Highland Forest

Made up of rolling hills and Birch trees, all normal passive Mobs can spawn here, but sheep, goats,bees and cows are most common. All normal hostile Mobs can spawn here

Loch Lurkers (a rare UnderWater horse-like mob from the pond update) also spawn in the lakes here

Birch Updates

Yep. This is a secret Birch forest update.

A new form of Birch tree “Silver Birch” that grows much taller and has yellow leaves can be found here. This form gets its own sapling

The Birch block would also get a minor update to make the black segments more like stripes and not ugly blobs

Leave Updates, Packed Leaves and Thatching

Players and Mobs can now walk and fall through leaves.

When breaking leaves with anything other than shears or silk touch leaf blocks will drop leaf items (except wisteria and Spruce, which drop Petals and Needles)

By placing 9 of these in the crafting bench the player can create packed leaves, a new solid version of the leaf block

Thatching is a new block of greyish colour that is crafted with 6 wheat on the top and bottom and 3 leaves of any type in the centre of the crafting bench. Thatching looks the same as a Hale Bale, only without the string holding it together.

Goosegrass, Nettles, and Thistle

Goosegrass is a plant that grows in any forest, but is most common in the Highlands. Walking through goosegrass results in it sticking to you, taking up one of your unoccupied armour slots and slowing you down. Walking through it at all also slows you down, much like cobwebs, making this plant dangerous when fighting mobs

Nettles can only spawn in Dark oak and Highland forests. Nettles stay low to the ground, if they are walked on by a player they are inflicted with Poison. Nettles can be collected and made into a healthy soup

Thistles are a new type of two high flowers. They can be ground into purple dye. They hurt the player if walker through

Deer

Deer are a new mob found in all forested environments, much like Wolf's they have different textures depending on the biome

When killed, Deers drop Venison, a new edible meat

Like Goats, Deers will try to charge the player. Also like Goats, after hitting a block deer will drop and antler

Fog

Fog is a new weather type, lowering the amount the player can see for a short time and allowing a few Mobs to spawn, particularly endermen

Shelf Fungus

A new decorative block that grows on trees

Wildcats

Wildcats are a new ambient Mob, they share a model with Ocelots and Cats and they drop string when killed

The Mushroom Grotto

Oh yes. A new forest of giant mushrooms and mycelium. This biome is very rare. The Mobs that Spawn here will be discussed later

Mushroom Wood

Much like the nether mushrooms, overworld mushrooms are now a woodtype. The mushroom stem can be stripped and converted into all wood blocks. Mushroom wood is white in colour.

New Mushrooms

Yep. There is now a mushroom for every colour of dye in the game. Mushrooms can also now be ground into dye

Here's what all those mushrooms could look like (minus brown and red of course):

(Note: this is based on design, not colour)

Before moving on, sniffers don't just get the Crann Bethadh Sprout. They get a new plant for every dye type in the game

Plus, they can dig up two new mushrooms exclusive to them, when ground these mushrooms become two new dye types… Well, not quite. They Become Rose Dye and Spring Green Dye, the two removed wool colours. This is the only way to get these mushrooms and these dyes. This would make the sniffer more worth the work put in to get one and create a lot of more strange decoration choices

Here's what they COULD look like (note: again, colours don't line up)

Mushroom bricks

Smelting the Mushroom blocks (not the stem, the block itself) creates mushroom bricks: multicoloured bricks taking on the patterning of the mushroom used to make them

Mushroom bricks can be made into stairs, slabs and walls

Puffball Mushrooms and Faerie Rings

Both exclusive to the mushroom forest.

Puffball mushrooms are brown in colour and are plants that stay on the ground, when walked over they release spores that inflict harmful status effects such as Poison, blindness, slowness, weakness, nausea, lethitatvia, and mining fatigue

Faerie Rings are Rings of mushrooms that take up one block on the ground (they also come in all colours)

If a player steps on one it is like they are walking through cobwebs, and upon getting out they will be inflicted with slowness.

If a mob steps in one they completely freeze and their AI is disabled until they are knocked out or the ring is broken.

This would help allow players to use Mobs as decoration without lagging there game

New Structures

Bothies

A bothy is a public structure found typically in the Highlands, there small houses for folks to take shelter in.

Bothines can spawn in any woodland biomes, they'll appear as a simple wooden house. Inside Bothies will have a chest with low level loot and a bed.

Occasionally, suspicious sand,mud, gravel or snow will spawn outside the bothy (depending on the biome), these typically have low level loot but items such as armour Trims or record disks can be dug up

Stone Works

Based on the numerous palaeolithic celtic stoneworks,these are small abiant structures spawning in the Dark Oak, Highland and Wisteria forests, as well as Heather Moorlands, Snowy Tundras, Wetlands and Mushroom Grottos

There would be many variants of these structures resembling stone circles, stone henges, standing stones, stone portals and cobbled walls.

All of these are made from base stone blocks, though sometimes other blocks can be found like chalk flooring or trees/water spawning in the centre of a stone circle

Sometimes, though rarely, these structures could spawn with a “Stone Holder” a new block that holds a tool or weapon (similar to the myth of the sword and the stone) these can be moved with silk touch. The player can remove the weapon, which will always be made of iron (that's important for later) and could have some low-level enchamtmants

Occasionally, these can also structures spawn with suspicious dirt, which can be dug up with the brush. Pottery sherds are more common in these structures, but apart from that, they exist only as set dressing ;)

Castle Ruins

A more substantial ruin, Castle Ruins can spawn basically anywhere, but are most common in Highland forests.

Castle Ruins are winding structures, they have a Dungeon below with Gortach or Bog spawners in the cells. The main ruin itself is made up of narrow passageways, imagine a smaller version of the bastion.

There would be numerous loot chests around, but upon opening one, a new mob would be summoned called a ■■■■■■

This mob will be discussed later :)

The Beast's Lair

An underground structure most common under the mountains or Highland forests

Made up of narrow passages leading to open rooms filled with gold blocks, loot chests containing riches and even some new vaults. There's also a shocking amount of skulls littered around

And of course the new boss here: The Wyvern

The Wyvern is a draconic boss mob spawning only hear, it has 4 legs and two wings and is bright red (Note: no. Wyvern never meant a dragon with only 4 limbs. That is a modern addition. Wyvern and dragons were different because of what they breathed)

The Wyvern is very powerful up close and can attack from far away with its poisonous breath

Upon its defeat the Wyvern will drop copious amounts of gold and emeralds that it ate, perhaps even some diamonds if your lucky

Faerie Mounds

Spawning exclusively in the Wisteria Forests, Highland Forests and Mushroom Grottos, these are small dirt hills with a spawner inside and a handful of loot chests

They are essentially fae Dungeons

The mobs that Spawn here will be: you guessed it, discussed later

Clochan + The Dubnos Tunnels

Clochans are typically just an abiant structures common in the Highlands, small cobblestone huts with nothing interesting about them.

But occasionally, they lead to something greater. Some of them spawn with holes leading to a second structure made up of 5 rooms, oriented in this pattern:

In the centre room are 5 stones, each baring a carving of one of the 5 element symbols (note: these are taken from the unused painting textures, with a new one added for wood), at the base of all these stones is a new kind of Vault “The Fae Vault” exclusive to this structure and the beast's lair

The carvings look like this:

The goal of this structure would be to go to each of the challenge rooms, each of with have there own stone with a carving, right click on said carving to indicate you have completed the room, and once all 4 rooms are complete return to the centre room to click on the craving that was not represented by one of the carvings in the other rooms. Getting this right results in the appearance of 5 Fae keys from the stones. These keys can be used on the fey vaults to claim the structures loot

Failure to complete the structure will be indicated by the carvings glowing Red and numerous waves of Mobs spawning

The challenge rooms each contain a challenge pertaining to their element: the fire room is filled with fire, the water room is flooded, the air room requires parkour, the earth room is a Maze and the plant room is filled with Sweet Berries, Goosegrass, Nettles, Thistles, Puffball mushrooms and Faerie Rings (yes I know mushrooms aren't plants, shush.)

On top of that, there are several spawners for the fae in this structure, with various types appearing to attack you. Though these spanners will be deactivated upon completing a room

(Note: carved stones can be moved with silk touch)

They fae Mobs that Spawn in these will be discussed later.

These structures would create unique challenges for the player and would bring more life to these biomes, encouraging exploration.

(Part 1/5)

[sohotthateveryonedied]

I’ve Never Felt So Helpless

Read here on AO3!

Summary:

“Tim.”

“In fact, I think we’ve both earned a quiet night in with food and shitty movies and snuggles and—”

“Tim!”

“What?”

“You’re bleeding.”

Tim looks down where she points at a spot on his neck, and—was that stinging sensation always there? He touches the part of his cowl that covers his neck. His glove comes away covered in blood. “Oh.” Now that he’s aware of it, he can feel the blood rushing from the wound at a speed that he’s fairly certain wounds aren’t supposed to bleed at. “That’s not good.”

Tim is a simple man, no matter what anyone else says. Does he fight crime in tights? Yes, and proudly. Does he guiltily watch the occasional Riverdale episode because he had a crush on Cole Sprouse growing up and owes this to his prepubescent self? Obviously. Would he like to enjoy a relaxing night every once in a while, devoid of supervillains and near-death experiences? One hundred percent. Tim has stated this precise case upwards of a dozen times tonight, yet here he is, exhausted and covered in plant matter from a fight with Poison Ivy. All because Steph wanted to handle Ivy’s escape from Arkham themselves despite the fact that she and Tim specifically asked for tonight off so they could have some alone time for the first time in weeks. Tim bought sparkling cider, dammit. “You are way too hung up on this,” Stephanie says, wringing out her hair from when Ivy chucked her into a pond. They stand together on a rooftop, watching the final squad car pull away from the scene. It is not nearly as satisfying as it should be. “I wanted one night. One.” “There will be other nights, Tim. Besides, we caught Ivy before she could do any major damage. I call that a job well done.” “At the cost of our date night!” “Oh, like you’ve never canceled plans to fight crime. You’ve blown me off for supervillains plenty of times. So have I. But this time, we got to do it together, which I think counts as a date night.” “It doesn’t, actually. Normal people do things like going out to dinner, catching a movie, taking romantic walks on the beach. I want to be like that.” Steph turns to face him. She plants her hands on her hips. “Tim.” “And, you know, I can’t remember the last time we got to have a date night that didn’t involve punching someone. Do you know how insane that is?” “Tim.” “In fact, I think we’ve both earned a quiet night in with food and shitty movies and snuggles and—” “Tim!” “What?” “You’re bleeding.”

Tim looks down where she points at a spot on his neck, and—was that stinging sensation always there? He touches the part of his cowl that covers his neck. His glove comes away covered in blood. “Oh.” Now that he’s aware of it, he can feel the blood rushing from the wound at a speed that he’s fairly certain wounds aren’t supposed to bleed at. “That’s not good.” Steph is in front of him in an instant, one hand pressed against his neck and making him hiss. “How does the world’s greatest detective not realize he’s got a giant gash in his neck?” Should Tim be feeling this woozy already? It must be the adrenaline rushing out, leaving him a puppet without strings. “There was a razor vine, but I thought it missed me.” His legs shake, dangerously close to giving out. Steph takes notice and helps lower him to the ground so they’re on their knees, facing each other. “Clearly, it didn’t. Take your cowl down, let me see.” Tim obeys. Steph has to let go of the wound for a moment so he can loosen the cape from around his neck. It’s only a second, but Tim already feels warm blood seeping down his collar, soaking into the fabric of his uniform. “Shit,” Steph hisses when she gets a good look. Her hands fly back to press against the wound. “How bad is it?” “Bad.” She fumbles in her belt for a pad of gauze. She pins it to his throat, trying to keep the blood inside of him where it belongs. “It didn’t hit an artery, did it?” That would...well, it would be pretty damn bad. Life-threatening, if it isn’t already. “I don’t think so. The gash is too low.” She presses harder when blood leaks from a gap in her fingers. “It shouldn’t be bleeding this much, should it? The wound isn’t even that big. I don’t think your blood is clotting like it should.” Tim goes even paler than he already is. “Oh.” “Oh?” “Ivy. She sprayed me with something.” He winces as the wound throbs. “During the fight.” “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t have mentioned that earlier?” “I was busy! And I felt fine, so I figured I would run a blood test when we got back to the cave. I didn’t think she would do something to my blood.” “Damn it. Okay.” Steph closes her eyes, thinking. “Can you reach your communicator?” “Yeah, I think so.” Tim reaches for his utility belt, tilting his head to see better. That small motion causes Steph’s hand to slip, allowing another gush of blood to spurt from his neck. “Shit, shit, shit.” She repositions, gets a better grip on the wound. “Don’t move your head.” Tim swallows nervously. “We good now?” “I think so. Just...be careful, okay? Small movements. You’ve already lost too much blood, so I want to keep you as plugged up as possible.” “Kinky.” “Shut up.” Tim manages to locate the communicator and turn it on. Just in time, too. It’s getting harder and harder to focus, the blood drying on his neck and sticking to his skin. If he wasn’t anemic before, he certainly is now. The communicator crackles. “You’ve got Oracle. I thought you and Batgirl were off duty tonight.” “We are,” Steph says. “Listen, can you patch me through to whoever can hypothetically get me and Red Robin to the cave as fast as humanly possible?” “What happened?” “We had a run-in with Ivy. She’s taken care of, but she did something to Red. Something to keep his blood from clotting. He’s got a laceration on his throat and I’m trying to stop the bleeding, but I don’t know how much longer we have.” “Sending an ambulance to your location.” “Negative. His face is uncovered, so a regular hospital is off the table. It needs to be the Batcave.” “Got it, I’ll transfer you to Batman. He can take you in the Batmobile. I’ll call Leslie Thompkins and have her meet you guys there.” “Tell her to hurry.” Steph’s voice wavers, anxious. Tim wants to reassure her that he’ll be fine, but it’s getting more and more difficult to concentrate, like he’s a radio trying to tune to the right station. He tips forward and presses his forehead against Steph’s shoulder, his body sagging. She keeps him upright, careful not to loosen her grip on the gauze. Finally, the communicator beeps. “Batman here. What is it?” Steph runs through their situation again, leaving Tim free to drift as he pleases. Steph is warm against him, like a fresh latte. There’s blood in her hair. Tim runs his fingers through the bloody patches, trying to separate the clumps. Something prods his shoulder. “Hm?” “I asked how you’re doing.” Bruce doesn’t sound nervous—he never does. But Tim knows him better than most. He can tell when he’s worried. “I’m hanging in,” Tim manages. “How long ‘til you get here?” “I’m ten minutes out. You think you can hold on until then?” “Mm-hm.” Honestly, Tim isn’t sure if he can. But at least Bruce won’t worry as much if he thinks Tim is going to be okay. “Batgirl, do either of you have an Ivy antidote on you?” “I have a couple for her general toxins, but I don’t know how they’d do with this one. Should I give it a shot anyway?” “No, it might make things worse. Keep me updated on his condition. I’ll be there as fast as I can. Batman, out.” A click. Tim tosses aside the communicator, uncaring of whether he turned it off properly or not. The ground rocks beneath him, like the rooftop is floating on a roiling ocean. Steph’s free hand runs through his hair, soothing on his scalp. “Sweetie, are you still with me?” “Mm.” “Stay awake, okay? Just for a little longer.” Tim nods against her shoulder. Steph releases a breath. “Good. Now, do you think you can reach into my belt and get some more gauze? This one is soaked through.” Already? That’s a bad sign. Tim doesn’t move his head from her shoulder. “Which pocket?” “Uh...second one on the left of my right hip, I think? I usually go by muscle memory.” Tim checks the pocket and finds no gauze, but there is a stick of gum and a few rubber bands. “Next to that one, maybe?” Still nothing. “Steph, do you actually know what you’re doing?” “Look, it’s easier when I can see it, okay? Here, bunch up your cape. I can use that for now until Bruce gets here.” It takes some careful maneuvering for Tim to reach his cape without moving his head or neck, but he manages to fold it the best he can. He hands it to Steph, so brings it close to the wound. “Okay,” she says. “I’m going to switch off now. Ready?” Tim nods. “Do it.” She’s quick about it. She yanks away the soiled gauze and replaces it with the cape in seconds, but blood eagerly spills out as soon as it’s free. Tim’s vision goes blotchy, the darkness behind his eyelids sprinkled with stars. He hisses when Steph crams the fabric against the wound hard enough to make him want to jerk away. He doesn’t, though, just digs his fingers into her shoulder and takes deep breaths through his teeth. “Sorry, sorry,” she murmurs. “It’ll stop hurting in a bit.” She presses a kiss to his hair. “I’ve got the bleeding under control, I think.” “You think or you know?” “I think.” That’s not at all reassuring. Even so, Tim finds that he doesn’t mind as long as it’s Steph with him. He would gladly put his life in her hands, and now that he’s here, he’s content. He trusts her. “Tim?” “Hm?” “I changed my mind.” “On what?” “We should have done a date night instead.” Tim snorts, but it’s weak. More a huff than anything. “This isn't so bad. ‘Least we’re together.” “Yeah, covered in blood on a freezing rooftop. Very romantic.” Tim hums, presses his nose to her neck and closes his eyes. She smells like lavender. “You’re pretty.” “Stop that.” “Stop what?” “Stop talking like you’re dying.” “‘m just making an observation. You’re pretty.” There is blood covering both of their uniforms, smeared across the bat symbol on Steph’s chest. Her face glistens with sweat from the fight, and there’s a bruise on the side of her jaw. She’s still gorgeous. “You’re a dork.” Tim hums. His stomach rolls and his heart picks up until he can feel it throbbing in his skin, like his pulse is racing to get out. He closes his eyes. “I don’t feel good.” “Bruce is going to be here in a few minutes. Hang in there, alright?” How much blood has he lost by now? Two pints? Three? How much longer does he have before the point of no return? Even as Steph keeps pressure against the wound, he can feel rivulets running down his neck. She can’t keep the bleeding at bay forever. “I love you...y’know that?” “Don’t say that. I’m not kidding.” “Someone should...should feed m’cat. Ruby’s tiny, but she eats a lot.” “Bruce is on his way, Tim. You’re gonna be fine. Don’t fall asleep yet.” “I’m losing blood,” he mumbles against her shoulder. “Humans...need blood to survive. ‘m gonna go into hypovolemic shock soon, and then it’s over.” He can barely lift his head now. There are weights attached to his eyelids. “Stay awake, Tim. You hear me?” Steph’s voice trembles, and Tim feels awful for putting her through this. She deserves better. “You’re not dying. I won’t let that happen.” Tim wants to reassure her, to tell her she’s right, if only to keep her from making those shaky crying noises. There are tears dripping on his shoulder. He wants to stick around, keep Stephanie from feeling the hurt that’s about to come, but his pulse is racing too quickly to keep up with blood it can’t circulate. He hears Steph’s voice somewhere above, calling his name, but she’s too far away. Tim lets himself sink into the darkness.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steph hasn’t changed out of her uniform yet. She knows she should. She’s sticky, covered in blood that dries on her suit in rusty red flakes. The blood is thick in her hair, on her hands, soaked into the fabric over her knees. Tim’s blood.

She can still feel it—feel Tim’s fluttering pulse under her fingertips, growing weaker and weaker with every passing second. The weight of him against her shoulder, slumped as if he was already dead. And then the agonizing moment where she felt him let go, sagging against her like a corpse. She wants to forget it. To forget this entire night, wipe it clean from her memory. Pretend that everything is still okay, even when it isn’t. “How are you doing?” Steph looks up at Bruce. She didn’t even hear him come in. He hands her a cup of coffee, which she takes in cold hands. “I’m fine.” Her voice suggests otherwise. “He’s going to be okay.” Steph looks back at Tim asleep on the medical cot, his skin as pale as a cadaver's. A bag of O-negative hands beside the bed, pumping blood into his body through an IV. Another IV pricks his other arm, delivering the antitoxin. He looks dead. He was unconscious for a full three minutes before Bruce arrived on that rooftop, lifeless in Steph’s arms. It was the most terrifying three minutes of her life. “Stephanie.” Bruce’s face is stern but sympathetic, his eyes gazing into her own. “You did good tonight.” “He nearly died.” “But he didn’t. You saved his life. And for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.” Steph can count on one hand the number of times Bruce has said that to her. He puts a hand on her shoulder. “Alfred prepared a room for you upstairs. You look like you could use some sleep.” Steph shakes her head. “I think I’ll stay here for a while. Just until he wakes up.” Bruce nods and leaves, his footsteps echoing off the cave walls. Steph reaches out and grasps one of Tim’s cold hands in her own. His fingertips were pale before, almost blue, but they are slowly returning to their rightful shade. She sighs. Fuck it. She leaves the coffee on her chair and climbs into the bed beside Tim, pulling herself close and resting her head on his chest. She can hear his heartbeat under her ear, steady and unfaltering. She closes her eyes. “Don’t do that again, okay?” she whispers. “Or I’ll resurrect you just to kill you myself.”

[incoherentbabblings]

Unspoken Promises

Sitting on the car roof waiting for Zatanna to show up, Stephanie became acutely aware of how their leaving home must have looked to the rest of the family, and makes her think about what want from the future, especially after everything had come crashing down in the aftermath of Brother Eye and the Batman of Tomorrow.  Tim for once isn’t thinking too deep about it.  

2,500 words on Tim and Steph cuddles from YJ #5. AO3 Link here!

So for all my doubt about Bendis (He also liked my tweet I sent him thanking him for making TimSteph so cute so like… that gave me a whump of validation right there) I was so over the moon with his interpretation of Tim and Stephanie’s relationship that it actually got me to write fanfiction for the first time in about a decade (ooft).  I am following in the grand DC tradition of what is continuity in that I am writing as if the Bat’s History is all in tact, but YJ and Teen Titans is just what had been established in the New 52.  How does that work? It doesn’t but never mind that I wanted to write mush

Anyway here is Tim I look at my girlfriend as if she hung the stars at night Drake and Stephanie We have 100% ran away from home which means we are 100% eloping which means yes I will marry you no you don’t even have to ask Brown.

There are like…so many references to past and current stories and dialogue in this, as well as my previous babblings on their relationship.  

Anyway, enjoy!!!

He had a habit, she’d noticed, ever since they’d been together, of holding her face. His fingers had always been cold, but dry, and his palm fit neatly along her jawline. He was always soft with her, and she wouldn’t dare have it otherwise.  When she isn’t talking, and he isn’t smiling and humming indulgently at her wittering on, he seemed to be nothing more than quite content to just hold and stare at her. Like the sun is infused in her hair. Like her and her alone is immune to the anti-life equation, like she is life’s meaning. Like she is so precious that she might be gone the next morning.

 Because that did happen once, when she was left to die without him. Does Tim hate me? She had asked Batman. No. Bruce had replied. He adores you. Always has.

Only now with them lying on the bonnet of Tim’s red car, his stare so openly reverent, Stephanie found herself trusting Bruce’s statement to the dying girl with a broken body (and heart).

He’d been taken from her too, violently and so suddenly that she had found herself talking to a clay program of his, so starved for his face and hungry for his advice… Then again Stephanie had heard from other sources that he’d considered throwing what he’d thought was her corpse into a Lazarus Pit, so maybe they were both reliant on the other to act as a guide.

Those Batmen she’d seen, first the one from a future where she was either dead or under what seemed like permanent house arrest (it wasn’t clear), and then one made of corrupt dreams and corrupt computer programs… They were ones she’d silently promised herself that she would reel in within Tim whenever they reared their ugly, twisted heads. She’d remind him, remind them why they wanted to help people. The two of them didn’t know any other way, not anymore.

How stubborn they were that they scraped their way back to each other.

Stephanie soon grew shy being gazed at by Tim and leaned forward.  One hand tightened in his sweater, whilst the other cupped the back of his head. He quickly got the idea and leaned forward, their lips touching briefly for a moment before she readjusted her position, straddling one his legs to get a firm pressure between her own.

Tim’s smile turned cheeky then, and he began to push up into a sitting position.  Stephanie gave a slight grunt, and forced him back down, hand slipping down his top to grip at his hip. She kissed him deeply.

A bird took off near the car, disturbing some fallen leaves on the ground.  It was still warm enough at sunset to not have to wear a coat, and both of them had opted for oversized sweaters, Steph in her customary purple, Tim in his usual green.  They had been travelling for a few weeks now, enough for the new school year to have started, and yet here they both were, several states down, in DC, nowhere near Ivy University in New England.  The thought made Stephanie giggle.

“Now you have to admit it!” She exclaimed, thumping her head down to rest on Tim’s chest, listening to his heart beat.  Solid.  Warm.

Tim meanwhile was looking awfully smug, one arm cradling her shoulders, pressing their already entangled bodies closer, the other arm thrown up behind his head.  His eyes were shut, and he was smirking.

“I don’t have to admit anything.” 

“Admit it!”

“I was raised by Batman, Stephanie,” – and right on que her eyes rolled up to her skull.  Batman Batman Batman – “I am a stubborn master.”

“Admit we ran from home!”

That got him to open his eyes and stare at her once more.  He was indulging her again, she knew, and she let him do so.

“A Batgirl and a Robin told everybody we were going off to college and then we drove the other way.”

“Because we’re in the middle of an investigation into the –”

She interrupted him, whispering the phrase “Nobody knows where we are!” conspiratorially, as if they weren’t sitting outside one of the most heavily monitored buildings in the county.  But sure, they were definitely back in New England, studying at one of the country’s most prestigious universities.

Not that they didn’t leave with the purest intentions, this investigation into timelines and universes…  However neither had the foggiest clue where to start.  Tim had recalled Dick and Bruce talking of Wally, the idea that something or someone been messing with time or memories. To avoid Bruce catching wind of what they were up to, they had asked Black Canary, and Dinah had suggested magic, which had led them to Zatanna.

Tim knew Bruce knew they weren’t at college.  He just didn’t want Bruce to know why.  This trip was partially for him and Steph to be alone.  Properly.  Without Bruce and his weird secrets and mind games. Without the pressure of fighting crime each night with all its mental and physical traumas.

Without Cassandra bursting through their window with takeout after a night of training, catching Steph in her nightshirt and Tim with his pyjama bottoms halfway up his legs. 

It had been going well, as well as could be expected of two seventeen-year olds going on a targetless road trip.  Tim had enough money to his name to keep them going for more than enough time, and Stephanie didn’t want for much regardless. 

Still, this trip had a purpose, and they both hoped that speaking with Zatanna would orient them in the right direction. 

“I’m just saying,” Stephanie continued, now grinning back at Tim’s softening smile “The only thing missing is the circus for us to join.”

It was almost funny how their conversations always came back to their future together.  They were still so young but they always spoke of what their lives would be, could be, five, ten, fifteen years down the line. 

Not that the circus was a serious suggestion, but it made her point all the same.  They had split off from the family back home, deliberately gaining some distance.  They’d not spoken to Bruce since he’d waved them off, hearing that they’d get the official wedding invite ‘any day now’ (any day now had been going on for weeks at this point, both were afraid to enquire for an update).  They’d not heard from Dick in even more time (something was going on with the Titans, on and off the field, but Tim hadn’t chased it).  Damian and Jason were enigmas as usual to them (coming and going as they pleased).  They’d get the odd photo and message sent from Cass and Duke and Barbara, the three of them seemed to be forming a little huddle, but for the most part, it was radio silence.  Maybe Bruce had encouraged it for once.  Leave them alone.  Let them be teenagers.  They can figure it out if they want to do the superhero gig on their own.

Or maybe that was too forgiving of an assumption of Bruce.

The other day Stephanie had been filming Tim being a dweeb, and she had muttered about making their (hypothetical) children watch this so they could be assured that their (hypothetical) father was never once cool ever.  Tim had just laughed and argued that she was just as bad as he, she was only better at covering it up.  He didn’t flush at the mention of children, and he didn’t call out at her statement at all.  It was a quiet assumption between them, the idea of children (plural.  Both had been so lonely growing up they couldn’t bear the thought of repeating their parents’ mistakes).  An unspoken promise never confirmed aloud.

Seventeen years old and they were already thinking of when they’d be thirty five.  Maybe one near (actual?) death experience each made them grip to that future tightly.  They would have it all.  They would help people until there was no longer a need for them to do so anymore, upon which they could bow out, ready to drop the double-faced world they occupied.

It had been temporary for Tim, initially.  He didn’t so much as want to be Robin as he was at the only one who could be Robin. 

It had been temporary for Stephanie, initially.  She couldn’t let her father go on hurting people, and she was at first the only one who knew what weird, over the top schemes he’d managed to cobble together. 

It was supposed to be temporary, for both of them. 

I can make it all work.  I can make a system that can sustain itself… After all that, I can take care of myself.  Take care of us.  I promise.

 And yet that promise he’d made aloud, mere hours before everything had blown up in their faces – literally – had been a rude awakening that their line of work didn’t allow easy early retirements, not truly. 

That was okay though, not today didn’t mean not ever, or at least, that’s what they had both told themselves at night sleeping in assorted cheap hotels.  The receptionists had always given them funny looks, no doubt Tim and Stephanie probably did look like young eloping teenagers.  Tim had surprised Stephanie in his reaction to their expressions, putting his foot down when affirming yes we want a double bed no not twin singles.  When checking out in the morning Tim defiantly left the bed an unmade mess, as if they were a pair of rabbits who couldn’t get enough of each other, as if trying to earn that slightly disapproving look from across the counter. 

She thought maybe he was tired of people giving their opinion on the two of them being together. 

And ultimately, that is what they were wasn’t it?  Teenage sweethearts running away from home.

And to the circus, if that’s what it came down to.

Stephanie’s buzzing phone and Zatanna’s arrival had brought an end to the feeling of joviality.  Stephanie’s thoughts were being torn in two directions.  She couldn’t stand the thought of her father running around doing as he pleased, and she had a sudden sharp stab of fear for her mother, but she had just reaffirmed that she was staying with Tim come hell or high water.  Tim made the decision for her.  He knew she wouldn’t be focused going forward unless she chased down her father, so gave the both of them a three day deadline. 

“You’ll be focused and I’ll have a start.” He stated.  He was dressed in his uniform, looking somehow both dashing and fragile at once.  What he thought he knew had been shaken again, except for the blonde girl standing in front of him.  The one who was looking at him with a slightly befuddled but still endeared smile. 

“I love you Tim Drake.” She said, ignoring for a moment where they were and what he was dressed as. 

There was a beat of silence.  Enough to make Stephanie uncomfortable.  He had usually always been the first to declare it to her.  Now that she had uttered it first, he seemed at a loss on how to respond.  She decided to prompt him, trying not to sound too desperate when she asked:

“Did you hear –?”

“I’m madly in love with you, Steph.”  He blurted out.  His smile widened until he looked overjoyed.  “I was just about to tell you that.  I was going to tell you I was so happy you were in my repressed memories, too, because I didn’t want – ”

A life without you was how he was going to finish his declaration before she threw herself at him, smacking a kiss on his lips, and Tim saw his world go pink for a moment.

He had been relieved that she’d been in those memories.  She had to have been.  She was the only one, for so long, who knew him as both Robin and Tim.  The Teen Titans had asked and asked but he’d always been so reluctant to cave in, whilst part of his fear of leaving the title of Robin would mean losing Bruce and Dick and Barbara, for what possible reason could Tim Drake have to associate with them?  It was different now, he was Bruce’s adopted son, so their connection could not be severed regardless of him wearing a mask or not, and he had opened up to his friends, slowly but surely. 

She was still the person he wanted to be with him every step of the way.  She’s never cared what title he’d held, she’d cared more about the way he held her.  This was his chance though.  She had always been stuck on the fringes of their generation, not having many close friends outside of Gotham.  If his friends and family could become hers… he just wanted her with him every step of the way.  It was selfish of him he knew, but she deserved a better family than the one she’d been born into, and he had the opportunity to give it to her.

She was gripping the front of his uniform tightly, and he was holding her shoulders.  Leaning forward, he put their foreheads together with a gentle thunk.  Still smiling, he reminded her of the three day deadline.

“Two days.” She pushed.

“Promise?” He looked at her, and she smiled guiltily.  How many broken promises had they made to each other?  How many had they kept?  How many had remained unspoken, for fear of them never coming true? 

“I can’t.” Stephanie exhaled unsteadily, her eyes tearing up. 

He didn’t sound disappointed when he responded, “I know.”  He understood.  Better than anyone he understood the danger of promises and oaths. 

For a brief moment she longed for them to forget responsibilities and be utterly selfish.  Run away to the circus like she’s joked.  Confirm every suspicious look those receptionists had given them for the past four weeks.  Leave behind broken families who didn’t know what good communication meant between the lot of them and start a newer better family in its place.  It was a whim that would remain in her head, but she answered the question she would sit and wait for over the next twenty years if need be out loud, as both a promise to Tim and to herself.

“…But I do.”

Tim didn’t say anything more in response, but looked up at her, his forehead still pressed to hers, and breathed a laugh.  He knew what she’d meant when she’s said I do, of course he figured it out, but he also knew to let it remain out of context.  Another unspoken promise. 

They’d be fine.  More than fine.  He would find his friends and he would take care of them.  They’d scraped their way back to each other for a reason. He couldn’t let her, or Conner or Cassie or Bart or any of the others, slide by any longer.

Another unspoken promise. 

[liamins]

The big list of oc info, including names/pronouns/birthdays/ages and the names+synopses of their stories, updated as I think of things

The Soulsverse

All of these stories take place in the same universe (housed inside of my robot lizard persona Alder (he/him)) and have the same soul-energy-based power system, just in different timelines, places, and time periods.

(A * by the character's name indicates they are a main character. Parentheses around pronouns means they're used before a character comes out, ie not permanent pronouns but ones that do get used directly in canon.)

(currently unnamed) - A sci-fi adventure series about a pair of twins harboring a magical princess while trying to keep themselves afloat by various, often dubiously moral means as 'Freelancers'.

*Liz - she/her - August 27th

*Zil - he/him - August 27th

*Vrn - she/her - October 31st

Ava - she/her

(currently unnamed) - Mostly here because the first two appear in the above series as side characters, but has a story about androids from a human colony on mars that fight for their autonomy connected to it that I'm unsure about truly making (I thought of this before the D*vid C*ge game that sounds similar came out and the story is more about capitalism stripping workers of autonomy and identity than trying to parody civil rights movements, but it is still a very complex issue rooted in societal biases I do not experience/unwillingly benefit from, which is why I am wary of producing a full series for it).

*Quinn(by) Pax - he/him - January 6th

*Jamie Aldophac - (he/him), they/them - July 8th

Lilac - she/her

Maverick - they/them

(currently unnamed) - Just some extra space pirates that may or may not get their own mini-series, but appear in several stories.

Jas - she/her

Gor - she/her, he/him, they/them

Geralt (Geri) - he/him

Altus Raianak - he/him, she/her

Tai - he/him

Storm - they/them, she/her

Roxie Diam - she/her

Marble Cook - they/them

Spike Cook - they/them, he/him

The Climb - a hypothetical sci-fi 'choose your own adventure' visual novel/turn-based rpg where you try to climb your way through the space pirate underworld.

*Nella - any - 17 - Human

Steph - xey/xem, they/them - 17

Puzz - they/them - 17

Stiriaco - he/him - 34

Monte - he/him, she/her, they/them - 30 - Human

Giuseppe (Gus) - he/him - 22 - Granarian

Mel - they/them - 20

(currently unnamed) - A hypothetical point-and-click/visual novel sci-fi/mystery game where you work as a private investigator trying to solve crimes around a city in space.

*Selachidimus Parry (P.) ‘Sharky’ Chomps - he/him

*Therin Zenos (Z.) Nosorus - they/them

Megalosa Donna ‘Don’ Chomps - she/her

'Tiny' - he/him - 32 - Aliurian

Scorpia - she/her

Husks - a sci-fi drama series about a group of ex-soldiers and magic 'clones' hunting for war criminals, including the scientist that created the clones, while also trying to work out their personal problems and identity issues.

*Randall Hasan - they/them - 40 - Human - November 9th

*Ivan ‘Ivy’ Hasan - (he/him), she/her, they/them - 30 - Human - December 17th

*Arven Hasan - he/him, they/them - 25 - Human - August 29th

*Sebastian 'Sebby' - (he/him), they/them - 25 - Constructed Human - October 5th

*Thomas Cecil ‘TC’ - (he/him), any? - 25 - Constructed Human - May 18th

*Ram(ona Starlight) - (he/him), she/her - 25 - Constructed Human - June 11th

Odelia ‘Odi’ - she/her - 74 - Human

Acting Captain - An adventure comedy about an actor and his roommate who get beamed onto the ship of a space pirate crew who just lost their captain in an accident and, seeing that the actor looks almost exactly like him, have him assume the identity of said captain to maintain their influence until they find a proper replacement.

*Ricardo 'Rico' Estivez - he/him - 32 - Human - February 9th

*Sora Ito - they/them - 26 - Human - December 4th

*Carrion Tarnak - he/him, they/them - 41

*Aquavi 'Avi' Quarary - any - 42

*Ventirus, or just Ven / Rus - they/them, xe/xim - 25

*Catarina 'Cat' Drasti - she/her - 23 - Human/

(currently unnamed) - The origin story of Eye and Castor, before they became god-like beings. Technically takes place before both Chimeric Ouroborus and Infinitesimal due to timeline bullshit.

*Cassius - he/him - Human (mutated)

*Issac - he/him, they/them - Human (mutated)

*Paulina - she/her - Equine Construct

Infinitesimal - a surreal horror fantasy series about a man dying and ending up in the home of a god-like being that promises to let him return to his life if he weeds out the monsters in their reality-warping mansion.

*Stan(ley) Aarons - he/him, she/her - 28 - Human (mutant) - November 11th

*Ryan Wilson - he/him - 28 - Human (mutant) - September 6th

*Jc Ramirez - any - 28 - Human (mutant) - March 13th

*Alecc Noland - he/him - 28 - Human (mutant) - October 27th

*The Clairvoyant Eye or 'Eye' - he/him, they/them - Ascended

*The Relentless Castigator or 'Castor' - he/him - Ascended

(currently unnamed) - A direct sequel to the above story following Stan and Ryan's son as he goes to college and tries to figure out the secrets of the city's magical underground. All while living near Alecc, who is trying to solve a mystery of his own.

*Jin Wilson - he/him - Human (mutant) - February 19th

*Loretta Duvall - she/her - Human (mutant) - September 15th

Brave the Dark - A fantasy adventure series about a teen boy venturing into a mysterious underground world full of spirit creatures called Constructs to save his best friend, only to learn that the world at large is in danger and he's the only one that can save it with his newly-awakened powers.

*Denzel 'Denny' - he/him - 17 - Human/Construct - April 6th

*Adel 'Addy' - she/her - 18 - Human - March 3rd

*Ratool - they/them - 42 -Serpentine Construct

*Quisco - he/him - 45 - Arachnid Construct

Rosa - she/her, they/them - 18 - Arachnid Construct

Chimeric Ouroboros - A post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure series about a man who is possessed by the cursed spirit of his father and, with the aid of family and friends, must find a way to rid himself of the spirit before all the components necessary to complete the revival are found....or worse.

*Elliot Velasco - he/him, they/them - Human/Construct - September 16th

Marina Velasco - she/her - Avian Construct

*Liko Ka’uhane - he/him, they/them - Human (mutant) - May 20th

Puanani Ka’uhane - she/her - Human (mutant) - September 18th

*Rupert Blitzbär - any - Human (mutant) - June 25th

*Conroy - he/him - Human (mutant) - May 14th

Freya - (he/him), she/her - Human (mutant) - April 17th

*Kosmy - he/him, she/her, they/them - Human (mutant) - July 23rd

*Sterrick Monev - he/him - Void Soul, formerly Human (mutant) - December 18th

Solas (Monev) - he/him - Human (mutant)

*Selena (Monev) Maher - she/her, they/them - Human (mutant)

Desdemona (Monev) Maher - she/her - Human (mutant)

*Darren Maher - he/him - Human (mutant)

The 'Recoded'-verse

These stories all take place in a different universe from the Soulsverse, where there isn't magic naturally present in the world. But there is an elusive magical being simply known as The Gamemaster (it/its), who either brings life to video games or sends life (people) into the worlds of the game. Just because it thinks it would be more interesting.

[sebotech-blog]

Ivy Bridge MacBook Air highlights modified SSD module iFixit teardown uncovers it's as yet not perfect with mSATA, though.

The do-it-without anyone else's help repair enthusiasts at iFixit have investigated the most recent Ivy Bridge-fueled MacBook Air and discovered not very many changes. Nonetheless, Apple has amended the basically custom SSD module the ultraportable uses for capacity. The change implies that present outsider substitutions intended for the 2010 and 2011 MacBooks Airs won't work, and it additionally shows up Apple hasn't embraced the undeniably well known mSATA standard, either.

The battery arrangement, rationale board, speakers, trackpad, console, and show are about indistinguishable to the past era MacBook Air. Truth be told, as indicated by iFixit, the Broadcom remote module, which underpins 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, is indistinguishable with the exception of some repositioned stickers. Indeed, even the fans are the same symmetrical plan utilized as a part of past Airs, and not the hilter kilter configuration found in the Retina MacBook Pro.

The Sandy Bridge processor has been swapped for an Ivy Bridge substitution, the controller chip is in like manner overhauled, and the RAM has been enhanced to 1600MHz. Apple additionally refreshed the Thunderbolt controller to the four-channel Cactus Ridge variation, which bolsters two DisplayPort yields and could hypothetically drive two outside screens with the coordinated Intel HD4000 GPU. In any case, Apple just guarantees that one outside screen will work with the new Air.In a push to squeeze out yet more execution from the custom, NAND streak based SSD modules utilized as essential stockpiling, Apple has obviously embraced a somewhat updated connector with an alternate pinout contrasted with past MacBook Air SSD modules. Sadly, that implies there will be a noteworthy postponement before outsider choices are accessible, however Apple does now offer a 512GB choice—twofold the past most extreme.

"Apple changed the SSD frame component and changed to an alternate blaze controller," iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens told Ars. "The new unit depends on a SandForce SATA-III controller chip, however stamped with Toshiba markings. While the board bears visual similitudes to mSATA, it is not utilizing a similar connector."

It's too soon to tell without a doubt, however it likewise creates the impression that Apple is utilizing an alternate shape figure for the SSDs the new Retina MacBook Pro. Despite the fact that the pinout might be the same as the new Air (both still utilize the most recent modification of the SATA convention), the design of the chips and the greatest 768GB limit recommend an alternate physical board measure.

[telecloud-blog]

Survey: Who needs Windows RT? Acer's Iconia W510 runs the genuine article There are a few issues, yet Intel's Atom conveys the full Windows 8 experience.

When Microsoft declared Windows on ARM route back in mid 2011, it unquestionably seemed well and good—ARM-based processors were, then, the most ideal approach to manufacture a tablet that would have the size, weight, and battery life it expected to prevail against the iPad and the rising tide of Android tablets.

Quick forward to late 2012, and we at long last know everything to think about the working framework that came to be known as Windows RT. It would seem that Windows 8, it feels like Windows 8, yet in one particularly pivotal perspective it is not Windows 8: in spite of including a desktop domain, a port of the desktop variant of Microsoft Office, and the basic suite of first-gathering desktop applications you may expect in a Windows PC, Microsoft rendered it totally unequipped for running desktop applications by outsiders. Along these lines, one of Windows 8's greatest hypothetical offering focuses—the capacity to get a decent tablet encounter and a decent portable workstation encounter from a similar gadget—was totally extracted from Windows RT.

Something else occurred in that two-year hole, as well: Intel began quitting any and all funny business about fitting its processors into tablets. Intel processors bring the full Windows 8 experience (and the greater part of your heritage applications) to a tablet, however tablets in view of Ivy Bridge processors have their own particular downsides, specifically measure; warm; and diminished battery life contrasted with their ARM-based partners (see both our Acer Iconia W700 and Microsoft Surface Pro audits for solid confirmation).

In any case, behind low-voltage Ivy Bridge hides an even lower-voltage option: Intel's Atom. The CPU has progressed significantly since the netbook fever, not really in execution (however that has expanded relentlessly) yet certainly in power productivity. The Atom in Acer's Iconia W510 tablet, codenamed Clover Trail, is a SoC that guarantees to join ARM-like execution and battery existence with the capacity to run the greater part of your general Windows 8 applications. Does the processor experience its guarantee, and assuming this is the case, is the W510 the correct Windows tablet for you? How about we discover.

Body and assemble quality

The W700 was made essentially of a light-yet solid aluminum, counterbalanced by a couple white plastic accents. The W510 gets this shading plan, yet not the materials—its back is made altogether out of silver plastic, with some white plastic trim around the tablet's edges. This prompts a tablet that isn't as strong as we'd like. It is in fact light, yet it's conceivable to twist it without applying excessively compel on it. While the plastic is as yet heftier than the unstable stuff utilized by Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1, The W510 is surely not too developed as its all the more intense, more costly cousin.

That perception additionally reaches out to the tablet's 10.1-inch, 1366x768 five-point touchscreen, which watches somewhat washed-out contrasted with the 11.6-inch 1080p show of the W700. The survey points are still great, however the hues are somewhat paler and less immersed than on the W700 and different IPS shows we've seen. The touch info is pleasant and responsive, however, and we experienced no difficulty writing on the show.

There are a couple of territories where the W510 is desirable over the W700—its Atom processor is slower than the W700's Ivy Bridge chip, yet it additionally empowers a considerably more slender tablet that needn't bother with fans. The back right half of the tablet gets truly warm notwithstanding amid light utilize, yet its size and quiet are substantially more reminiscent of an iPad, Android tablet, or Windows RT tablet than the Ultrabook-in-a-tablet's-body that is the W700.The W510's weight and thickness really contrasts positively and different tablets—it's more slender and lighter than both the Surface RT and the fourth-era iPad. Without a doubt, you surrender some form quality contrasted with both of those tablets, however that Acer and Intel have fit an Atom processor and a full Windows 8 establishment into something practically identical to ARM-based tablets is a specialized deed in and of itself.The rest of the tablet's equipment specs aren't unpleasantly energizing—stereo speakers are situated on the lower left and right edges (where, unexpectedly, they're effectively hindered by your hands), and keeping in mind that they get sensibly uproarious, they're typically tinny. A front-confronting webcam gives a grainy yet usable picture for video visits (however very little else); the eight megapixel raise camera brings average photographs with here and there wrong hues—it's best utilized as a part of instance of crisis.

Dock, console, and trackpad

The W510 utilizes its dock (a $150 additional buy) to go from tablet to portable workstation. The dock includes a console, trackpad, and additional battery to the condition. This makes the W510 in "portable PC" frame somewhat chunkier and less exquisite than a portion of the convertibles we've seen, moderately, however by and large we have a tendency to lean toward plans with particular consoles while utilizing these gadgets in tablet mode. When we inspected Asus' VivoTab RT and its console dock, we left away inspired by the general form nature of both, yet the littler than-typical keys and trackpad gave us netbook flashbacks. The W510's dock sadly tolls far more detestable than that.

How about we begin with the look and feel: The dock is made for the most part of a similar silver plastic utilized for the body of the tablet, highlighted by white keys and the white locking instrument and pivot. Two little elastic strips on the base of the dock shield it from sliding around a lot on your desk.Since it likewise needs to fill in as maintenance component for the tablet, the pivot is entirely massive, and it utilizes a chintzy-looking example that breaks into the generally smooth surfaces of whatever is left of the tablet and dock. The tablet wobbles marginally while appended to the console, however the pivot itself is firm and adaptable—it twists in reverse to an approximately 45 degree edge to take into account use as a tablet remain of sorts, however the tablet's flimsiness (and the entire machine's inclination to slide around a bit in this mode) makes it feel somewhat temperamental.

The console is still unmistakably netbook-esque, with not-exactly full-sized keys that you endure as opposed to love—even after you soften it up, you'll likely wind up committing a bigger number of errors than you ordinarily do when writing. While Acer has been known to utilize some beautiful weirdo console designs before—check its S7 Ultrabook for a current case—the W510's key format is refreshingly free of any such unpredictable choices. Some keys (the bolts, the correct Shift and capacity keys, and a couple others) are more contracted down than others, yet you have a full line of capacity keys and things are, in any event, where should be. Key travel is less shallow than it was on the S7, however the keys do have a modest plastic feeling that makes them somewhat less satisfying.We had no issues with off base development or palm dismissal on the trackpad, yet it's somewhat hardened and difficult to click all through, and for reasons unknown either the drivers or the equipment doesn't bolster multitouch. This applies to Windows 8's helpful trackpad signals, as well as to fundamental things like two-fingered looking over (or even the more established "move finger down the correct edge of the trackpad to scroll). There don't have all the earmarks of being trackpad drivers on Acer's site for the W510, so we expect you'll have no plan of action however to live with these inadequacies. In the event that you need to utilize the full scope of multitouch signals, you'll need to utilize the tablet's screen.A word on the specs before we hop into execution assessments and benchmarks: notwithstanding the double center 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2670, this tablet likewise accompanies 2GB of RAM, 32 or 64GB of capacity, Bluetooth 4.0, and double band Wi-Fi. This specific Atom isn't equipped for running 64-bit guidelines (and 2GB of RAM is somewhat light for 64-bit Windows, in any case), so the form of Windows 8 that accompanies the tablet is 32-bit. In the event that Microsoft follows through on its guarantee to quit shipping 32-bit Windows in a future form, the W510 could end up without a Windows update way in only a couple of years.

From multiple points of view, the 1.8GHz double center Intel Atom CPU at the heart of the W510 is very unique in relation to the main Atoms that appeared in netbooks in 2008 or something like that. Huge numbers of these progressions have been constrained to the chip's energy utilization and the real measure of space it takes up inside a gadget, however—the real CPU engineering is very like those first Atoms, as is execution.

That Atom CPU in the W510 is extremely discernible. In spite of being focused with the ARM chips utilized as a part of Windows RT tablets, an Atom is as yet a long ways from the Ivy Bridge silicon utilized as a part of the W700. Desktop applications, particularly, can take a couple of additional seconds to open notwithstanding the tablet's strong state stockpiling, however for general utilize execution it is sensibly predictable. You'll feel the frail equipment the most intensely while looking over—Windows itself and the vast majority of its implicit applications (Internet Explorer, to name an unmistakable illustration) scroll rapidly and easily, yet substitute Web programs like Chrome are slower and choppier, recommending that some more Windows 8-particular programming improvement might be inside.

So, the CPU's inadequacies are nothing contrasted with Clover Trail's GPU, a solitary center Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX545. This representation processor misses the mark concerning the 3D execution of Intel's later in-house coordinated illustrations items, and also the Imagination GPUs utilized as a part of Apple's A5 and A6 SoC families or the Exynos 5 utilized as a part of the Nexus 10. In any case, it has a few elements (OpenGL 3.2 and Direct3D 10.1 support) not present in the variations that Apple utilizes; it wouldn't astonish me if Intel picked better API bolster over better 3D execution.

The upshot of the GPU choice is that the W510 isn't a gaming tablet by any extend of the creative energy. It has just a little issue with essential touch recreations like Cut the Rope, Jetpack Joyride, Fruit Ninja, and Microsoft Solitai.