#just a bonus thing on top of all I had to say XD as the difference between the styles I'm going for is quite obvious in this one post

[spacebubblehomebase]

Is there anything else we should know about Lilian (Lilith) in your Stargazers AU? Such as: What was she like as a mother? Why do you think she had postpartum depression? What was her postpartum depression like? How was her relationship with Lucius (Lucifer) like before they divorced? What does she think of Lucius (Lucifer) and Charlie now?

All really amazing questions that I wonder why people don't ask more often XD But rest assured, EVERYTHING you ask about got answers to them! I kid you not when I say this AU is jam packed in lore! With hints of future story arcs sprinkled through almost every related post as all major characters WILL have their chance at development (whether they want it or not). Unfortunately, due to plot reasons, I can't answer most of these questions YET. But I can tell you they were very much drawn to each other when Lucius and Lilian first started going out and she still keeps in touch with the father and daughter dynamic duo! Even if getting a hold of her now is quite difficult. In any case, I'm grateful for your interest and I apologize for the long wait! I had my first owned art booth experience and it coincided with Midterms. So you can just imagine the schedule I've been following recently. 😅 Still, look forward to more because the next update is all about Alastor's motivations! ^v^ -Bubbly💙

SNEAK PEEK BELOW!!!

(Note this draft is subject to change.)

[krysmcscience]

It’s finally done, guys – five whole pages of Narilamb AU comic AND MORE be upon you! (If you have trouble reading any of the text, view the full-size! These pages are huge!)

Yeesh, this took forever. <:)

There’s probably a ton of inconsistencies and anatomy/perspective wonkeries, but this was mostly just comic practice, so Oh Hekkin Well, Lol <:D

(Yes, I am aware the Gateway’s door isn’t present in the Afterlife, and the actual way in is just a pentagram portal. Yes, I put the door in there anyway because Artistic License, i.e. it felt more impactful for there to be a prison door of sorts to walk through to freedom, rather than just a bland boring portal on the ground. 😠)

anyway, i hate backgrounds so much lmao

Alternate ending and a buttload of bonus art under the cut, followed by goofy AU rambles and headcanon stuff:

I’m calling it the Revival AU. It’s not all that creative a title, and someone else has probably used it already, but I am too lazy to really care, LOL

Alternate ending page, which you will Definitely need to view the full-size for, Whoopsie Daisy:

The alternate ending was actually the first ending I finished things off with, because I had a brief badbrain moment where I forgot the emotional beat I initially wanted the comic to end on, and I tend to write comedy, anyway. I later remembered and drew out the proper ending, but I preserved and finished this one, too, because it still makes me giggle.

They had to go back for the followers off-screen in the AU’s real ending. And by ‘they’ I mean just the Lamb, because they weren’t about to ask three newly freed cats to go back into what used to be their prison. The Lamb DID spend some time watching Narinder and the bois enjoying the outdoors first, though:

In other news, here’s the Lamb and me making fun of my anatomy-drawing ‘skills’:

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering why the Lamb is just a-okay with how things went down vis a vis Their Murder, this bonus comic should answer at least some of your questions:

Ah, yes, also this is how they get engaged outside of the alternate ending. Forgot to mention that bit. XD (I already refuse to believe that Narinder is capable of flirting normally, so why would his initial marriage proposal be any better???)

Oh, and before any of them get a chance to actually head back to the cult grounds, there is one potential problem:

And by ‘problem’ I mean something Narinder intends to ignore for At Minimum a thousand years. Cuz he’s a petty bitch like that. :D

what do you mean i drew the lamb too tall compared to the background? clearly they’re standing on top of baal and aym lmao, why else would you think those two aren’t in this one??? (aym and baal got way too excited about finally being outside, you see, and their silly modes are nothing to sneeze at)

And, speaking of heading back to the cult grounds, I’m sure y’all would love to know how the Lamb’s followers felt about the brand new change in management:

It all went better than expected. <:D Tiny ramble now, feel free to skip down to the next comic.

Before you ask, no, the Lamb does not have any actual powers anymore, other than the immortality Narinder definitely grants them. The Red Crown just thinks it’s funny to suggest otherwise, and Narinder does nothing to discourage this. Also, the Lamb and Narinder aren’t actually married here yet, but, uh. Pretty safe to say that particular ritual directly follows the events of this comic. XD

Given how quickly he mellows out in canon, Narinder probably chills out a lot in this AU once he’s in charge of the cult, too, if only because 1.) He’s finally free, and 2.) He’s equally smitten with and distracted by the Lamb. He’s definitely in charge at least 95% of the time, though, because the Lamb never actually wanted to be a cult leader and, now that their time as a vessel is done, they just want to be a normal(ish) sheep who’s wholly devoted to their hot new divine husband.

Some followers do still have some valid concerns about these two being together, though, which I’m sure at least a few of you might share…

Unfortunately for any such concerns, the Lamb is a bonafide masochist in this AU. :D

They’re also 100% a sub, obviously

Anyone at all: Your relationship is problematic and potentially toxic

The Lamb: fuck yeah it is, it’s so hot~ OuO

Here’s just the last panel, made transparent for whatever nefarious purposes y’all might have for it:

Additional exchange Narinder and the Lamb have at some point, probably after the Lamb does a fatal whoopsie while out on a mission trip or in response to things getting a little too sadistic in the bedroom, ahaha:

Look, there is a very important distinction between life and death, and if you don’t understand that, then you’re probably not worthy of being the God of Death, anyway. (At least, according to Narinder, and ONLY Narinder.)

Last but not least, have these shittens:

~Such creative naming conventions I have utilized, lololol~ :D Anyway, there's a few deets on them in the rambles down below.

The rest is all ramble, so before I get to that, I’ll just say – likes and especially reblogs are very much appreciated!!! :D If you happen to really really REALLY like my stuff, meanwhile, I do have a link in my bio to my ko-fi page, where I’m accepting commissions and donations if you’re especially generous… ÓuÒ

Now, BE FREE IF YOU AIN’T DOWN FOR READING MY GOOFY RAMBLES

First ramble is re: Baal’s question of ‘Did it really work?’, since I didn’t feel like expanding on it in the comic proper, and it’s arguably pretty vague? He doesn’t ask because he doubts Narinder or his capabilities, exactly, but because neither Baal nor Aym have ever actually seen their god at full power before (he’s still technically not at full power here, either). It’s not expressly stated how soon the brothers were brought to Narinder after his imprisonment, but whether it was early on or after a length of time for Shamura to (somewhat) recover from his attack, he must have already been weakened, since I have no doubts that there was a huge battle that accompanied the Bishops working together to trap him. So, between that fight with all four of his siblings, sharing his power with a variety of vessels over time, and being chained immobile for a thousand years, he must have been severely weakened by the time he lent the Red Crown out to the Lamb, which would have only weakened him further.

I like to think this is how the Lamb is able to defeat him if they refuse to be sacrificed, despite how it took all four Bishops working together to subdue and chain Narinder in the first place.

All that aside, the three cats have been trapped in the Afterlife for so long that Baal also wanted verbal reassurance that they are all, indeed, actually able to leave it now – something that I headcanon isn’t possible without a significant amount of power (i.e. the Red Crown’s cooperation with its bearer/vessel).

(On a semi-related note, I don’t headcanon Aym and Baal as twins. I like sweetheart big bro Baal and snarky little goth bro Aym too much to have them be that close in age.)

Ah, teeny thing: If you noticed I switched up the art style for Narinder on the second page, that was intentional. It's sort of a visual indicator that there has been a Big Change for him - that being, how much power he has after sacrificing the Lamb. As for why I changed up his arms in the grass rollin' pic, I don't really subscribe to the notion that his arms are spooky bones because they're horrifically injured (beyond chain-chafing scars, that is), but rather just because he's the Bishop of Death, so he can change how normal-to-spooky they look at will. At some point I might doodle out how I imagine his appearance to range between least to most eldritch... 🤔

Next ramble, regarding Narinder’s feelings towards the Lamb...he was initially too focused on being freed from his imprisonment to form any real attachment to them. They were a tool for his use, first and foremost, but he did notice their intense devotion towards him. It was impossible not to notice, because the Lamb was always very happy to see him, even if it was because they died during a crusade (yet again). He wasn’t originally planning to revive them once he was freed, either, because he saw no real point to it – after all, they were already dead when they first met him, just as any other mortal would be when meeting him in the Afterlife, so death has very little real consequence in his eyes. But, once the chains were off, and it really sank in that he stood to lose the most devoted follower he’s ever had, he decided…why put their soul to rest for good or leave them stuck in the Afterlife when he could just as easily revive them again? And why not reward them for their hard work, anyway? Not only would it cost him nothing by comparison, but the future devotion that could come of it would surely make up for his (bare minimum) effort in reviving them.

He wasn’t expecting to get a full dose of that devotion and a smiling face so soon after killing them, though~ :3c (because the Lamb is a bonafide freak, and not-so-secretly into the fucked up power dynamics going on here, lol)

I should mention here that I am firmly of the belief that any non-god/vessel who crosses through the Gateway and into the Afterlife just straight up dies. So, Aym and Baal? Also straight up dead, from the second Shamura brought them through. Their souls were just never put to rest so that Narinder could have some company – if only according to Shamura. Narinder kept the two around mostly out of bewilderment, because honestly, who are these kittens, and what is Shamura’s game here, anyway??? They never even explained anything, they just tossed these kittens into the Afterlife and LEFT!!! At any rate, Aym and Baal being dead is how I explain why their souls apparently become lost in the void if they’re killed, along with the added complications required to revive the two because of it.

So, with those deets in mind, and given a bit of time, if Narinder hadn’t chosen to revive the Lamb, and also hadn’t chosen to put their soul to rest, they still would have woken up at some point, despite being as straight up dead as Aym and Baal. Who, don’t worry, were also properly revived while Narinder was waiting for the Lamb to wake up. Because I am also firmly of the belief that, first, the dead cannot leave the Afterlife without the use of a ritual/relic (and can't stay in the living world for long regardless), and second, dead followers’ devotion isn’t anywhere near as potent as that of the living, given how much more the living stand to lose.

Final ramble, regarding the Lamb’s feelings towards Narinder, and why they’re so devoted to him…

Well, you don’t spend most of your life on the run with your steadily-dwindling herd, trying to evade the ongoing genocide of your species, without becoming a little fucked up in the head. Maybe a lot fucked up in the head. Life is suffering, so might as well have fun with it, right? Maybe start finding death and pain to be kind of hilarious, even a little bit hot, once everyone you know and love is dead and gone, leaving you all alone? And maybe after that, there’s something comforting in how, despite the cold, cruel uncertainties of life, at least you can always count on the inevitability of death, patiently waiting for you until your very last breath? Who knows. Either way, as soon as the Lamb was killed, and they learned that the literal God of Death was offering them a second chance at life and vengeance via effective immortality, they were 100% ride-or-die-devoted all at once. Turns out death is kinder than life – go figure. (Of course, it helps that Narinder is 100% their type.)

They weren’t put off by Narinder’s thinly-veiled sadism or manipulations, either – they’re not too different in those regards, albeit opting for vastly different methods. It’s a very ‘two sides of the same coin’ sort of deal. In order to stay alive once they were made the last of their kind, the Lamb had no qualms with using others to their advantage, and that did not change once they were revived and expected to run a cult. They didn’t care for the position of authority, though – being a sheep and all, they’re much more of a follower than a leader, and thus greatly appreciated Narinder’s need for control. With how they had to keep on their toes for so long, the Lamb was also pretty good at reading people by the time they died, so they could recognize that a lot of Narinder’s posturing was just that – posturing. Dude’s 95% bluster and only 5% bite. He could obviously be vicious when he wanted or needed to (the Bishops' injuries were clear proof of that), but underneath his outer layer of cruelty was a generous layer of tsundere, and underneath all THAT was a soft squishy middle sibling velcro cat in desperate need of attention and affection.

(Which, for the record, he Did Not feel comfortable getting from Aym and Baal – Narinder still has no idea why the fuck Shamura sent them to him, beyond acting as keepers at best or trying to sabotage his attempts to escape at worst. Which, he thought HE sabotaged in turn, by guiding the kittens into being his devoted disciples instead. He thought he was very clever for it. ‘I outsmarted Shamura!’ he thought, despite that there was never anything there to outsmart. ‘What do you mean, Shamura sent your kittens to me for company?’ he demands of Forneus later. It may or may not lead him to pull Shamura out of Purgatory just so he can shake them and scream about how they should have Fucking Explained that!!!)

But, getting back on track as to why the Lamb was so willing to be sacrificed, I cannot stress this enough – if you pay even a minimal amount of attention to what he’s saying, Narinder is REALLY NOT SUBTLE about his intentions. ‘Death is of little consequence.’ ‘Followers are for you to use to your advantage.’ ‘Sacrifice a follower to absorb more power.’ So, yeah, the Lamb knew exactly what would be expected of them once the other Bishops were dead. They knew Narinder would expect them to die for him one last time. But, after all, death is of little consequence (not to mention hot), so when the time came, they wanted to see him freed, even if it meant oblivion for them in the end.

He’d given them a second life, and the ability to avenge their kin, and they felt indebted to him for that – so, while they were still pretty glum about the possibility that they might not get to see him free of his chains, nothing beyond their devotion and debt to him mattered. They never wanted all the drama and expectations that came with the Red Crown’s power, anyway, so, better for Narinder to have it back so that he could deal with it. What he did with the Lamb afterward would be up to him, and seeing as he was their god, they’d accept his decision gladly.

Were they in love with him by that point? Oh, obsessively so, but only in the devotional sense – romance was nowhere on their mind nor radar. That is, until he unexpectedly revived them again, told them he still needed them, and then offered down his hand to help them up.

The Lamb fell HARD for him in that moment. :3c

And now, a tiny shitten ramble. Lu and Li are twins, because sheep tend to have those a lot, and are conceived not long after the Lamb and Narinder’s marriage ceremony. Lu is the minutes older one, but Li is much more mature. I have put no further thought into these two, other than that they are utter menaces, birthed by the Lamb, cling hard to both their parents but especially Narinder (who spoils them rotten), and they are both genderfluid, using whichever pronouns/names they feel like at any given time. They are also both intersex, same as the Lamb, who was initially infertile up until Something Something Vague Magic, which I have also put no further thought into ¯\_(シ)_/¯

oh, and before anyone tries to suggest i headcanon this AU’s lamb as trending more female due to them giving birth or whatever, no, no, a thousand times no, they might have a vag, but they've also got a dick, and even if it's not as big as they'd like, they still know how to use it

Finally, the very tentative name for the Lamb in this AU is Yazdi, which is really just another name for the Baluchi breed of sheep XD (Not that the Lamb is this specific breed, I just didn’t like any of the other sheep-related names I found, ahaha...)

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW (collapses into an exhausted pile of goopy limbs)

[triaelf9]

"Men and women can't compete on the same level" yes they can if they're TRAINED for it. The only thing is men are fucking scared b/c the patriarchy has been telling them for YEARS that if a woman "beats" them they're weak.

And if that isn't the most cringe shit

So I used to play soccer. And by play soccer, I was on the top California girls team in middle school, and by top, I mean we took first in every tournament and qualified for nationals where we got 5th (coulda done better, we had NASTY injury luck & winning team cheated)

Our guys team, basically what we were but all boys, was equally good, and also went to nationals with us. We used to practice at the same time, neighboring fields. At the end of practice, we would scrimmage and 9 times out of 10 we kicked their asses b/c we were THAT good

The only time they complained about it was the time their best player wasn't feeling well, then they were like "okay so our best player wasn't feeling well, it wasn't our best against your best" which was fair. When boys in MIDDLE SCHOOL react better than men online, OOF

Anyway, it's all this patriarchy baggage, the usual racist shit, and now also transphobia, so it's just a pile of things ppl are getting into cringe hate storms about. I'd say grow up & be less weird but like, age clearly isn't the factor here as my experience has shown :P

As a bonus example, the top folks in Aichi for naginata are mostly all women, and the person who won internationals recently was a lady from our prefecture. And in smaller tournaments sparring is mixed, and last year, I beat my male opponent who, incidentally, beat me years ago

They DO annoyingly separate at prefecture level tournaments, but a secret goal of mine is to train hard enough to get into one of the men-only ones b/c that'd be hilarious XD Then again, I am a "scary" foreigner, so they'll probably be like "ooh it's b/c she's a buff american" lol

[desultory-novice]

How did you learn Japanese? It must be super helpful with series with questionable or outright non existing English translations!

Anon, learning Japanese was THE wisest decision I have EVER made in my life! Hands down! No question about it! (And I didn't even realize how much I would value it when I first started studying!)

~Dess Lore Time~

Way back when, I got hooked on this old shojo, reverse-harem, pre-modern isekai (before we called it "isekai") anime called "Fushigi Yuugi" and uh... well, fansubs weren't a thing you could watch on Youtube or... :sniff: Aniwave... :sob: No... Back then, you had to MAIL ORDER FANSUBS on VHS and if you choose the wrong website, they'd run you $20+ a tape and take WEEKS to get there...!

Anyway, in-between waiting to get one of these said over-expensive, rare, and time-consuming bricks of glitchy, static, on-air commercial filled 4 episode chunks, I found a place to import the raw Japanese manga for sli~ghtly less, and it was already finished! Not only that, Young Dess would find out reading it that a bunch of content got cut and spliced together for the anime adaptation! Actually, man...

...I think...that anime adaptation was kinda bad maybe...? Really inconsistent animation all throughout. And...not a whole lot of it either... Some scenes still landed though! Brainwashed Tamahome vs Tasuki my beloved...! The voice acting was the best part about it, I'd say. Many generation defining seiyuu! (Also, for all the children of the 2000s and 2010s who click that link, BEHOLD with AWE what Young Dess considered to be the Ultimate, Unimpeachable ZENITH in Unironic, Top Shelf Unsurpassable LITERARY FICTION!! /lh )

This is also why I'll never shame anyone for their problematic favs?! Teenage Dess once got in a lo~ng argument with my mom about how the angsty teen boy of the villain crew was like, omg, TOTALLY justified in murdering a family of sweet, innocent little kids because he was just SO SAD(!!!) about his twin brother's (not even real) death!! And also, his one-sided romance with the rival heroine where he was kinda stalkerish to her and she was only using him with zero emotional investment on her part was like... soooo tragic and powerful?! ; w ;

...Ahhh, youth... ^^; Ahem, back to the story.

I POURED over those pages in the dark of my room with a booklight and a copy of a beginner's Japanese to English dictionary, as well as a hiragana/katakan cheatsheet I'd made my hand. (Times were tough... XD ) I eventually got hooked on other shows and manga, but regardless of the show, translated fan content was far less available back then and I was HUNGRY for it, so I had a good reason to drive myself to learn the language! I did finally take a class on it when I got into college, but I already had a pretty good foundation by that point!

-

...And yes, it's been life-changing. Maybe not as much now with a more international social media and more hobbyist translators on call in nearly every fandom and far more anime/manga/games getting licensed than not, but still, I've eaten well for DECADES thanks to being able to fluently make my way through Japanese fandom!

Yes, you do end up having to dodge a lot more skeevy content of an eye-raising nature, though you will also get so good at said dodging that it becomes second nature and barely a mental blip. Also, gotta say that some of JP fandom's "comedy" goes beyond groan inducing to true WTF?! 0_o levels - some of it is HILARIOUS though - but always the benefits were worth it! However, I was very lonely...!

I didn't have the skills to contribute, so I was stuck as a silent reader and of course, I didn't live in Japan so I couldn't attend in-person events and wasn't brave enough to communicate with any fans on a conversational level either... So, I'm also glad to have found a niche for myself in English fandom space too, where I can talk to people with the ease of my mother tongue and people can talk to me! Where we can enthuse about our favorite ships and HC without spending 6+ months waiting on a 20 page doujinshi about it! XD

Bonus!!

Dess's Tips For Learning Japanese! (Or Any Foreign Language!)

-It really helps if you have [A PARTICULAR THING] you passionately want to understand or see translated! If you're learning without a goal in mind, or only a very vague goal, it's easy to lose interest because it's going to be a long, taxing journey...

-Include the language in as many areas of your life as you can! Play games in it! Watch shows! Read websites, listen to podcasts, books, songs, etc etc. Really get that exposure best you can!

-Right now, most things out there are of interest are already translated, officially or by fans. More and more, websites can auto-translate with the click of a button. Most smartphones come with one translation app or another. But if you really want to learn the language, try to avoid crutching on these things! Especially the apps that take the Japanese and spit out English without telling you how to read the Japanese moji or what the individual kanji compounds say! I'm pretty some spinoff of Rikai-chan (Rikai-kun?) still exists for most browsers and this will let you highlight the Japanese and generally give you the reading AND the definition. In short if you want to learn the language, make sure you're actually LEARNING.

-For people who are midway through their learning and struggling with the translating into English part, I recommend you teach yourself to LOOK THINGS UP. Once you reach a certain level, your mind might try to assume a definition of a certain complicated idiom when it might be different than what you're thinking. DON'T guess! But DO second-guess! Someone somewhere on the internet will have an explanation of what that confusing set of words REALLY means and will help you avoid embarrassing mistakes! >w<

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

Hi! I really liked the Rottmnt post you did with the turtles boys finding out their the readers old pet turtles. It’s literally been on my mind constantly I love Platonic and found family stuff like this but can barely ever find any!

If you don’t mind me asking I’d like to make a request for a scenario or Headcanom (either one is fine lolol) based on my reblog, where Mikey tries to introduce the reader to Splinter and April (while his brothers try very hard to not let Draxum get seen and murdered by reader. ) XD

I hope you have a good rest of your day/evening/ whatever point in time it is for you! ✨

Just wanted to tell you I audibly laughed at that reblog!

Splinter and April & Reader who had the turtles as pets

"Im a bit nervous, Mikey. What if it gets awkward?" you say as you walk deeper into the seemingly endless tunnel, part of what had been a train system below New York. You had brought a flashlight with you, but it hardly lights up the next 6 feet in front of you. "It's going to be fine! If anything it might go too well. Next thing you know Dad is going to be showing you our baby pictures!" Mikey said as he walked behind you. Smiling and bringing his hands to his face in a "sleeping" position and imagining all the family movie nights you where going to be apart of. The flashlight began to flicker, didn't you just change out the batteries? Mikey noticed and spoke up "Don't worry, we're almost there" he said reassuringly. Sure enough, after about a minute you where already there. Mikey opened the door for you, remembering how Splinter had told him and his brothers to be on there best behavior.

You walk past, thanking him for holding the door. As soon as you step inside you are bombarded by Donnie and Raph who wanted to greet you. "I trust you had a pleasant walk here?" Donnie spoke elegantly, he was overdoing the whole "best behavior" thing a tad bit. Thankfully Raph spoke up, or rather, he whisper-yelled "too far, less polite" Donnie thought for a moment before speaking again "..was the walk here okay?" "I-" Before you could finish speaking you heard Leo's voice from what you assume to be the living room. "Y/n! We're over here!" There was clear excitement in his voice.

The brothers guided you to the living room.

Splinter

★ As stated before, he told his sons to be on there best behavior. And for the most part they listend, Sure there was a little argument about who got to sit next to you. But he could overlook that.

★ He was really excited to meet the person who took care of his sons before he did. You thought it would be a bit awkward but it was far from it. He is very polite and the two of you get along just fine.

★ Eventually you get to the part where you crap talk Draxum and let me tell you, it is therapeutic. Mikey is standing in the corner, probably wanting to say something but doesn't.

★ Afterwards he invites you over fairly often for family events. All his sons like you and from what he can tell, you seem like a good addition to there weird family.

★ Whenever something is going to be decided, say Leo got in trouble or a pizza toppings are being decided. Your opinion outweighs April and the turtles, he pretty much gives you the last word on most things.

April

★ She was exited to meet you because she really wanted to know how much each of the brothers cost. Kidding, kinda. She heard good things about you and wanted to meet you in person.

★ Definitely asks you to share some stories about when you had the boys as pets. Her favorite one is the time that you had to take all the dirt out of Mikey's enclosure and replace it with wood chips because he was eating the dirt for some reason?

★ You and her get along great, you are older than her by about 15-20 years considering you had the turtles as pets about 15 years ago judging by the turtles age. So you would be kinda like a cool aunt to her.

(bonus) Draxum

★ You met him (the second time) because Mikey wanted the two of you to try and get along. It was awkward, to say the least. Mikey had to sit between you and him as a social buffer to keep the two of you from getting into a fight.

★ To Mikey's credit, you probably would have decked him across the face if he hadn't. But could he really blame you?

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals - Mission: Jingle Bells

(This post almost definitely won't be super long, but there was no way I was not gonna make a post for this video!)

Mission Jingle Bells was released on the 22nd of December, 2018, and as you all obviously know, it's a fusion between the Mission Impossible theme music and the song Jingle Bells, and it was legit sponsored by Paramount Pictures! Good for you, VoicePlay! The music was arranged by Layne, but we're not here to talk about that, we're here for the video! (Which was done by both Layne and Eli). So let's get into this!

'Hey you know how we got kidnapped for the Panic Medley videos? What if we got kidnapped again?' 😂

(Seriously, the Panic Medley videos were released just 5 months earlier, in July, and the Queen medley video, where Earl had to take on deities of death to get the chance to live again, was in November! 2018 was A Year)

Also I like that the camera feed says that the date and time is two minutes to midnight on Christmas eve, it's a nice touch.

Get that sponsorship money! Get that exposure! (Also it's kinda funny how VoicePlay has had ties with Disney, Paramount, and Universal! Getting a whole variety of connections there!)

Obligatory "man he looks so good here" 💜

Fun fact: The voice of "Creepy Evil Santa" was actually done by Eli! As for who actually physically portrayed him, I'm not entirely sure. I think I've seen people saying it was Kathy? But I can't remember if they were joking or not

A small thing, but I like how before Villain Santa tells you that the collar things actually control the guys' voices/vocalisations, the video actually kinda shows you! Villain Santa's presses a button on his device panel thing (see previous image), and then Geoff suddenly "kicks into gear", like starts doing exactly what is requested, no hesitation, as if he really is being controlled! It's neat!

(Follow me for more overexplanation of miniscule details /j)

And yes of course I am going to mention the bow in Earl's beard. It's hilarious and adorable, 10/10, no notes

And yes, their hands/wrists are all bound to the chairs with wrapping paper, with bows on top!

(Also I thought Geoff was the only one not wearing a tie but Eli isn't either!)

I am kinda interested to know what the collars were made from actually (there isn't any BTS stuff for this video sadly - I checked)

"What fun it is to ride and sing a-"

"-sleighing song toniiight"

*grabby hands* Gimme the controls, GIVE ME THE CONTROLS! 😂

(Seriously Evil Santa dude, you could've done so much more!!!)

J killed it with the rap part of course! (Who wrote that bit? Was it the same dude who wrote bits for VoicePlay's covers of Superstition and Valhalla Calling?)

Kinda looks like J is giving Layne hope/encouragement/reassurance here and it's kinda sweet!

Geoff! You're not supposed to be enjoying this! 🤣

(But also his head bobbing is kinda fun/amusing - I guess when he can't sing with his hands like he usually does, moving his head will just have to do!)

Now there's a freeze-frame bonus for sure! 😍

Also just noticed Geoff is moving his fingers a little bit in this part! He cannot be fully stopped! XD

(Also hey are Eli's shoes the same ones that he wore in Creep and In The Air Tonight and maybe one or two other videos? He seems to like black sneakers with thick white soles on them)

When the video started, the time on the camera feed was two minutes before midnight, and two minutes later... it's still two minutes before midnight! What kinda Polar Express time nonsense is this? 😂

"I'm so pleased, you may leave now! Merry Christmas, VoicePlay!"

"Thank you, mister evil... supervillain guy... but can you untie us now? ...Someone's coming to untie us right?"

(Lol rip)

I remember this was one of the videos I watched not too long after I first discovered VoicePlay in 2019, and I'm pretty sure that I wasn't entirely certain who was speaking at the end, but of course now I know it's Geoff! (Though his typical speaking voice nowadays is an octave or so lower, lol)

Okay so not too short of a post after all (3 more images than my post for Baby Its Cold Outside, actually!), and definitely well worth it! But the next post I have in store? Well, there might be a solid chance of me hitting the image limit on that one, lol. See you again soon!

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1096 - Initial Thoughts

And we are back

Had a feeling this one would come early though. The Kuma flashback is in swing and we are in a very historically point of intrigue

However it is also 8 weeks since we last saw Nico Robin and it'll likely end up being double digits at this rate

Still, let's not rush this flashback, let's see what it has to offer

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release Also

The trend of monkeys on the cover is ended by Chihuahuas beating Zoro at musical chairs XD Still though top 3

We're back into hunger games as the Celestial Dragons explain how all the inhabitants are 'rabbits' all worth points; 1 hit kills get you a bonus but there are also 150 rare kills worth more, and 13 super rare worth 10,000 points, the same amount Garling was deducted

There's also prizes apparently, sickening stuff

Garling looked a bit like Zoro and Shanks there as he talks big game

Mannmeyer family woman might be interesting, face is obscured, same for gas mask dude

The last one looks kinda like that Whitebeard Commander too

Of course, the natives of God Valley are confused and panicked by the situation, and are offered no mercy by the dragons who simply tell them to give them a good chase

At the Navy, Garp is being called for support, but he's not biting

Rare appearance from Fleet Admiral Kong too

Young Garp is lapping it up by the pool, but he thinks he's being called because of what the Navy did to the Rocks pirates

Seems they stole something, a 'crown jewel' they say

Ironic though that Garp is all 'you can't shake the hive' and then over 30 years later showing up to shake the hive

Seems like the intel was supposed to be kept on the down low though

Garp won't protect the Dragons from Rocks, but he's leapt out of his deck chair for Roger

So much Luffy energy when he's relaxing too, though I guess God Valley was when he started getting more serious

The Rocks pirates are already on the move too, having left Fullalead without the rest of their inhabitants

Ivankov narrates something more true than they realise, this will be a big moment made forgotten history

10,000 civilians hunted for sport, and Oda's not holding back despite current events

Urgh and the slaves all have target marks on their back

Ivankov has to drill home that nobody is going to survive, the idea that they'll be let go if they survive 3 weeks is just a way to satisfy the dragons

Garling has been chasing the bigger prizes and has thus broke even already

All in front of an audience in Marejois via Den Den Mushi too

Ivankov's chains are bitten off by a Shark Fishman, who Ivankov praises, I wonder if that was Arlong and Shyarly's father?

Ginny (they're sticking with the G) is a bit of a thief and an wiretapper it seems, leaking information to the world 2 weeks prior to create chaos while they escape

The plan requires the prizes; Devil Fruits, the Paw-Paw Fruit and the Fish Fish Fruit: Model Azure Dragon, which are at the center of the island

She makes a point in saying that Kaido's is classed among the strongest of Devil Fruits, and that the Paw-Paw Fruit is a secondary plan because it can blast things away

Kuma also volunteers to be a decoy, his strength and bulkiness being cited as increasing his chances to survive

His resolve does impress Ivankov and Ginny too

Rocks are heeeeeere!

Alas we don't see Rocks D. Xebec, but we do see all the youthful members of the crew

Whitebeard reprimands Rocks for running ahead, with Buckingham Stussy hanging off his shoulder

Seemed Stussy had competition from a Kuja, so the big surprise here: Elder Nyon (Gloriosa) was a Rocks Pirate member, not Shakky like the theories

Canon Manga Debut for Shiki as well, as Big Mom and Kaido argue with the group, also Captain John is there drinking much like he did as a Zombie

No sign of who Ochoku was though, could be the guy to Whitebeard's left (our right)

Seems Rocks wasn't here for the Celestial Dragons though, the pirates were looking for something, and they're all gonna fight even each other to get it

Ochoku could also be the 2 people underneath Gloriosa in the 3 way panel, helmet dude or the very shaded hat man

But from the other side: the Roger Pirates!

Tacheless Roger with the Straw Hat, and prime Rayleigh and Gaban, but there's also a big dude, a Viking Dude and someone in a snug coat

God look how much Roger looks like Ace, and he's been itching for a fight all year

We see a couple more God's Knights too, there's a woman and a tall dude? I dunno every time I look it looks like he's beheaded, he doesn't have the armour, but we have the woman

The chaos has earned a reprieve for the inhabitants, the farmers look a tiny bit like the Milk girl Moda from Lulusia

The younger marines don't like their chances

Until Garp arrives!

Gotta have a good reputation if Garp reassures you against Rocks AND Roger

Bogard my man is still there, the others I don't recognize though

Even more carnage leads to Kuma and Ivankov getting the fruits they want

But alas, Child Abuse, Big Mom getting that in early to knock away Ivankov and get the Fish Fruit which she will use on Kaido

Through Ivankov's encouragement, Kuma eats the fruit before Linlin can get to him

But as Ivankov rallies that saving at least 1 person will be a victory, more child abuse! This time Saturn comes to deck Kuma

Man headshots marines, Bonney and Sanji but he went for ol' fashioned fisticuffs with Kuma

There has been a lot of touching tha child here, DON'T TOUCHA THA CHILD!

"I don't understand how someone can be born to be more or less important" god what a line that is

Stood before Saturn, Kuma notes that now that he has power, he's gonna save as many as he can, just like Nika

And Saturn doesn't like that, seems that the idolization of Nika is what led to the genocide of the Buccaneers

ACOC lightning hums around God Valley as Roger and Rocks fight, it seems Rocks was trying to get to something while Roger was trying to interact

But Oda, brilliant but awful as he is, decides that's it, no more God Valley content...

Sir we needed more, we didn't even see Rocks, or why Kaido needed the fruit to survive, or Ochoku, or why it's made out that Garp and Roger were teaming up to protect the Celestial Dragons because clearly they were not

But alas, back at the Sorbet kingdom we have the aftermath

Ivankov laments that Morgans only lapped up Garp's heroics, and that he's a WG kissass

Kuma however is praying in a church, lamenting that he could've saved more

Turns out he saved 500 people though, which is a lot given how many big names were there, and that last we saw he was staring down a Gorosei

Ginny has now nicknamed Kuma the chapter's title, Kumachi, which could be written the same way as Perona's bear Kumacy not entirely sure

But Ivankov adds praise to Kuma's efforts, calling his paws the Hands of Liberation

Ivankov doesn't stick around though, heading off to sea to enjoy their freedom

"I'll never forget your face for as long as I live" oof right in the Marineford

Ginny however opts to stay in Sorbet living in a church with Kuma

Make no mistake though, Ginny's the boss, despite being a third his size she has the age factor

Chopping wood like the SBS artwork of young Kuma as they seek to feed themselves on hard work

Ginny also beats up bullies that throw stones at Kuma thinking he's lying about being 9

But Kuma as a gentle soul uses his fruit to remove the pain

Ginny is a glutton, much like her potential children/clone maybe? As Kuma offers her more of his food

They've both spent at least 5 years as a slave (since both became slaves at 4, and Kuma is 9 while Ginny is somehow 13)

But the sensation of finally feeling full makes Ginny tear up with joy, which of course makes Kuma cry too

So sweet, it's all gonna go to shit ain't it?

Well it was definitely an inviting chapter

Though I am a bit sore that we got blueballed a lot with God Valley, so many questions still left unanswered as Oda teases us. The Devil Fruits as prizes make sense though, wonder if there were more, Rocks was after something after all. Wonder if the Ope Ope no Mi was considered a prize? I doubt the Gomu Gomu no Mi was a prize though think the Gorosei would've wanted that under lock and key, maybe Doffy's fruit? or the Yami Yami no Mi? or Marco's fruit? or that Egg on Roger's Ship during the Oden flashback? Did Garling throw his son up as a prize? Answers Oda you're supposed to give Answers! We got a lot of teases though; God's Knights, other Rocks crewmates, Stussy potentially indeed being a thing with Whitebeard but atm it seems more like she was dangling off him (she was listed as a 'freeloader' in MADS, wonder if clone Stussy will have a larger role too in present because she did get sidelined quickly), also seems like Gloriosa was interested was Whitebeard the man she had love sickness for? Also got potential ancestors who were God Valley slaves. Kuma saving 500 is still super impressive too, how did he get away from Saturn? How many generations of that 500 still exist today?

But we do seem to have the blooming of Kuma and maybe a relationship with him and Ginny. It's unclear but I think the Luffy's mom bit is even lower a possibility now, still thinking that Bonney is a clone of Ginny though, wouldn't mind if she was a biological daughter it'd just make the wording of Kuma being the last Buccaneer a bit weird.

It does further fuel the idea that Kuma is gonna show up in Egghead too, but the flashback only further fuels the layer of tragedy that has befell Kuma, man has suffered so much and he continues to lose so much, this flashback has the capacity to break us.

At the least there's no break, but the wait will be long and painful regardless.

[ladye-zelda]

The Chain as Owl City Songs

You read the title; I gave each member of the chain an Owl City song (or more) XD

Some of these songs can go to multiple of the boys (most notably Wild, Twilight, and Legend; poor guys with girlfriend trauma).

Also disclaimer: this is mainly all of the songs I grew up with, so I won't have any songs from Owl City's newer albums (such as Cinematic and Coco Moon; especially Coco Moon as I haven't finished listening to that album at this time).

Legend

The first thing that came to mind was Strawberry Avalanche, since it kind of fits with the Koholint situation.

But I think the one that would best fit would be Angels (though it could also match with Twi and Wild).

For some more post-Koholint Angst, here's The Real World; I dunno, seems like a song Legend would belt out.

Twilight

Up All Night. No doubt. I've actually been thinking of this for so long I've been going crazy XD

(And this is mainly the song that can go with both Legend and Wild as well; be prepared for some heavy angst.)

Time

Originally what I had was Super Honeymoon (as kind of a joke) but listening to it I realized it made more sense if he was married to Zelda, which is a nope. (Or I guess it could fit if he just thinks of his wife so highly, which is likely).

Tbh he was kind of hard to assign an Owl City song to (like Four), so I think Meteor Shower might also fit for some Time Angst.

(Or Dental Care or Rugs from Me To You for some dad jokes hehe.)

(Bonus: Tennis Elbow from Sky Sailing; not technically Owl City but it's by the same guy.)

(Bonus Bonus: Unbelievable for that 90's nostalgia; unfortunately it doesn't mention Ocarina of Time but if this was Modern AU then Time would absolutely have 90's nostalgia... maybe...)

Hyrule

Plant Life. I think this song would kind of touch with that side of Hyrule who felt like he isn't like the other heroes

(It does have a slight romance undertone to it, but its only in the chorus/bridging lyric and isn't the main focus of the song I will admit.)

Wild

Wolf Bite. I know the title kind of suggests this should be Twi's song, but if you listen to it it kind of fits with the internal struggle that Wild goes through in the comics. (Plus if I could make animatics I would totally make an animatic of Wild to this song; ahhh I love Ultraviolet (the album this is from) so much).

Bird with a Broken Wing. Kind of self explanatory if you listen closely to the lyrics. (Actually, this could fit with Time... hm...)

Four

Oof, this was kind of a hard one. At first I was going to say that no song could match him, until I remembered...

The Technicolor Phase. Kind of color-centric for those who like them XD

Sky

[Insert every 2010's Owl City love song here]

XD Kidding; but the two I have written down are Honey and the Bee and The Bird and the Worm (and maybe Early Birdie?)

A non-romantic song I remembered however is Sky Diver. Yeah that's Sky for ya XD

The Airway — SO perfect for Sky

Wind

Yacht Club! Except not really because I forgot it was a romance song XD (We'll save it for when Wind has grown a bit.)

On the other hand: How I Became the Sea.

Wars

I was tempted to put Deer in the Headlights as a joke but then that would fit with womanizer Wars which is a BIG NOPE (and doesn't fit with Wars at all), so just think of it as reversed or something XD

On the other hand, we have Hospital Flowers for kind of maybe that survivor side of him.

But Beautiful Times fits him the most, as it kind of delves in with that war aspect ("cab driver turned to skydiver then to survivor" screams war to me).

And yeah, that's all the chain! Feel free to add or switch out any songs that you feel might be better; these were just mainly off the top of my head.

[teecupangel]

I keep seeing this floating around and I keep thinking of Desmond and his ancestors getting drug into the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

First off Captain Nemo showing Connor how to pilot his huge ass submarine. Aaaaand also Ezio and Tom Sawyer both endlessly flirting with Mina Harker.

I dunno. Altaïr might chill with Dr. Jekyll.

I think Desmond would be the first to catch on to Dorian Gray, or maybe Altaïr.

Either way Moriarty gives off Templar vibes and I don't think that is something that must be explained.

(also bonus Frye Twins content? They seem very likely to be involved there)

I’m going to be honest, I barely remember the movie and it’s been so long since I read the comics so I am working with what I can remember XD

Since you added Dorian Gray, I will assume that this is more in line with the movie than the comics.

For this one, Desmond and his three main ancestors get transported into the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and they assumed they had just been transported into another time until they start realizing that, given the year, there should be information about the British Brotherhood but there’s nothing.

There wasn’t even any information about the Kenway bloodline and a quick stop to Italy would show that there are no evidence of the Auditore family and the Assassins tombs never existed at all.

It is during this time that they are approached by a man who only goes by the name ‘Bond’ who recruits them into becoming part of a league of ‘extraordinary’ people.

Bond says that his ‘employers’ have been keeping an eye on them and found them a good fit. (Mainly because of their capabilities as Assassins, especially the Eagle Vision).

They’re introduced to Quartermain who is noted to be the ‘leader’ of the group and Tom Sawyer, his… protege? Assistant? They weren’t clear. All they said was that Tom Sawyer is part of the group.

In this one, Ratonhnhaké:ton would definitely try to learn how to pilot Captain Nemo’s submarine and Captain Nemo would be more than happy to try and teach him, enjoying the young man’s enthusiasm.

Ezio would be more on the side of just casually flirting with Mina Harker as a way to get more information about her and this league of theirs. She knows this and response in kind because she tells him that they (Ezio and the others) ‘smell’ different. (We can also push for the idea that Jonathan Harker’s death still haunts Mina and Ezio can related to that, being reminded by Cristina’s own death).

Desmond though would be more inclined to talk to Dr Jekyll because of the whole two personalities in one body situation. Dr Jekyll would feel a kindred spirit with Desmond but also tell him that he will never understand the horror that the doctor is going through because Desmond accepted his Bleeding Effect and even embraced it while Dr Jekyll is stuck in hell, trying to wrestle control from his ‘other self’. Whether this turns into a bromance or a romance is up to you.

Altaïr would be the one to catch on to Dorian Gray, mostly because the four of them decided to divide and conquer to get more information about this world and talking to Quartermain is both informative but also a bit too bland so Altaïr sometimes talk to Dorian Gray. He doesn’t know his story (no one does because Desmond didn’t really read the classics but he did watch Invisible Man XD)

Speaking of which… they can all see the Invisible Man using their Eagle Vision. That’s why none of them suspect the Invisible Man when things started heating up.

‘M’ definitely gave Templar vibes and the twist can be that he is part of the Templar Order back in their own world, having changed places with the original Moriarty when he fell from the top of Reichenbach Falls. He actually transmigrated to the dead body of Moriarty and took his place.

And he held the other Assassins (Edward, Arno, Jacob and Evie) in some kind of stasis in his secret headquarters because the ‘smell’ Mina talked about it actually the otherwordly energy their bodies give off. They’re the perfect batteries to use for WMD that Moriarty had been developing in secret and it’s up to the League and the Brotherhood to stop him.

This would probably end with the Assassins leaving the Brotherhood to form… well… the Brotherhood while helping the imprisoned Assassins get back on their feet. Also, they haven’t found out how they were getting ‘sent’ in this world and that would be their priority, ending this more on the side of the League and the Brotherhood having a tentative alliance.

[skyward-floored]

Oo yes yes yes I did forget a little about Hyrule being more nervous when strangers are involved poor kiddo.

Well. Now I gotta ask how they all rank on the "a pleasure to have in class, excellent participation! /genuine" to "A Pleasure To Have IN Class /frantically grinding teeth because as a teacher you can't call a kid an a hole" scale.

Obviously Wind you have explained is just going to give out the energy and respect deserved/what he is given he will give right back.

And omg confirming the Wild is the bucket-scoot kid is hilarious because I could see him actually vibrating at SPEED so he looked like a human jackhammer and gets the bucket SO FAR SO FAST but because the teachers weren't looking he /technically/ didn't show off his powers at school. And it just became one of those urban legends at the school about the teleporting timeout bucket

And and and hmmmmm the "Cover Jobs" they all have as adults (if they are still even needed by that point)- I'm not sure if you've gone into much detail on that besides what we already know with Time, Malon, Wars, and Sky.

And uhhh anything you're just really excited to say? I'm stranded waiting for a ride right now and have so much IAU brain rot it's immeasurable

IAU boys ranked on how much they were “a pleasure to have in class”—

Twilight is at the top for sure, he’s respectful and polite— plus with a bunch of younger siblings, he feels like he should try to be a good role model (even if some of his teachers don’t deserve a speck of the respect he gives them).

Four is next, since he actually likes studying a fair amount, and therefore every teacher adores him. (It drives Wind a little crazy).

Hyrule is next, since he always tries really hard to be polite and just melt into the background too. (This is just in front of teachers, mind. Hyrule can be plenty sassy if he wants, but he doesn’t want to be kicked out of school so he’s really polite to teachers and everything). He needs some extra help sometimes, but he’s usually so nice about it that his teachers don’t mind.

Legend is next, because while he can have a bit of an attitude, he’s good at a lot of different things, and asks pretty interesting questions. Some teachers appreciate this, and some do not.

Wild is near the bottom because while he’s smart, he’s really just not good at sitting still, and can be snarky if he’s not thinking. (Plus... sometimes he gets remarks about his scars, and that just makes school all the more unpleasant)

And Wind is at the bottom XD He’s not the worst kid ever to have in class— there’s definitely way worse behaved kids then him— but he’s a troublemaker, and tends to get bored and use his powers when he really shouldn’t. But like you said, he can be respectful if he wants to be.

(Bonus: Warriors and Sky were both pretty good in class— though Sky did tend to fall asleep a lot, and had a bit of a reputation for being lazy)

Teleporting time-out bucket is definitely an urban legend at their school, I love that XD

I’ll admit I haven’t thought a lot about cover jobs when they’re older, and I’m actually still a bit unsure about Sky and Warriors (vague office jobs are my friend lol).

Twilight probably does stuff with animals somehow, maybe helps out on a farm or something like that. Wild I think probably works in a restaurant— maybe he slowly worked his way up from waiter to chef or something like that. I don’t know what Wind does but it’s probably near the ocean, and quite likely boat related. Maybe he drives a ferry? Does boat maintenance? Legend probably hops around jobs... or maybe works at an orchard? Hyrule and Four I have NO clue about... I could see Four being a teacher, maybe.

[umbralrosa]

06, 08, 22, 27 & 32 ♥

@s-talking

𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭 . ( a collection of 40 questions for muns , with assorted questions directed towards both single - muse & multi - muse blogs! )

ℒ:

o6﹕ is there something about the roleplay community that irks you ?

I know it's a two-way on this, given I get sidetracked and caught up IRL between going to Tumblr, but seeing many responses while my own is kind of collecting dust is deflating to experience. I think I've experienced so much of it I kind of just go really quiet and don't touch it anymore. What sucks is I know the best way to get on top of that issue is to ask if the interest is still there, but I am cursed with social constipation and anxiety and get caught in this loop of being a possible bother. Sending asks to let people know I'm still interested but go unanswered is another level to it. It's always been a thing since I started on Tumblr around 2010, not to mention when I have asked it got disregarded, which I guess is why I don't say anything now that I think about it. I feel like it's one of those things everyone feels on here though. It's easy to reach me and others on Discord by contrast imo.

o8﹕ what time of day do you feel you create your best work ?

I used to always be on top of it all around the clock before I got balls deep in college stuff. Nowadays in university it's turned to evenings, but know for a fact I'm quick to hop on when a homie I've known for years responds.

22﹕ would you consider [ character name ] to be a comfort character ?

There wasn't a specified name, but I can say I have 2 comfort characters. Naruto was the first anime I got very deep into, and was always drawn to Sasuke. I think it's the same case today because seeing art of him pre-Boruto is always quick to make me remember calmer times. Vampire Hunter D is a whole different character that I adopted in my adult years from the novels and Bloodlust movie. Love that man so much I bought the deluxe edition statue, which was limited to 650 pieces (no I do not want to talk about the cost).

27﹕ what is a trend within the rpc that you would consider to be overrated ?

I think I'd had such a semi-hiatus from school that I'm out of the loop on any new trends.

32﹕ what were the last three songs you listened to ?

Frank Sinatra - I Can Read Between The Lines

Joji - Die For You

Bad Omens X Poppy - V.A.N.

Bonus: I've been listening to all of Kendrick Lamar's stuff with the Drake beef, but that don't count since it's on rotation in everything rn xD

[nocompromise-noregrets]

For the WIP meme, if I didn’t ask already - the Sam talks to Legolas fic because OOOH

wheeeee! thank you! <333333 so this one has been growing like mad since this morning, as it goes really nicely with the piece I found myself writing as I realised that the unfamiliar feeling I had today was hope, something I'd rather forgotten, and now it's got extra bonus added Aragorn and the twins, and it still isn't finished XD so it's another instalment in the loosely-connected series I've been writing here and there about Sam and Legolas making a garden in Minas Tirith for Arwen, so that she might not feel quite so homesick as she settles in, and Sam confiding in Legolas about the things the Ring promised him when he took it up for Frodo, including the vision of Mordor as a huge garden. Small excerpt:

“Ithilien oughtn’t to be so difficult,” says Sam. “It’s already green and beautiful, though it was so close to the Shadow. We saw a statue there, me and Mr Frodo, of a great King, only his head had been knocked off and the Orcs had put a boulder on the top instead, bound with iron and painted with the Eye; but the head had fallen down by the side of the path and flowers had grown all around it, just as if the King had got a crown again, only it was a crown of flowers.” He shakes his head. “I’m being fanciful, Mr Legolas, I know Kings don’t wear flower crowns. But it was something bright on an awful day, in among any number of awful days, and it helped us along the way, a little bit.”

“I am sure it did. And I am also sure that Aragorn would need no persuasion at all to wear a flower crown; it would by no means be the first time.”

Sam gapes at me. “Strider wears flower crowns?” he asks, sounding thoroughly bewildered, and I laugh.

If I can get it to behave itself I'll probably post it on Monday, once I've got @ka20th out of the way, and while I'm still surfing the wave of kicking-the-Tories-out euphoria :D

Thank you for asking, lovely! <33333333

[quinloki]

Blorbo Ranking Top 20 for April—this one runs really long.

Once again, I've managed to butcher my rankings every single month. As always, top two spots go to my favorite men. Those are the only stable rankings I will ever have.

People who fell off the list: Ace, Zoro, Buggy, and Pell. I am shocked that both Zoro & Buggy fell off my list. They've both been staples and they somehow got replaced.

People who are new this month: Laboon, Killer, Rayleigh, and Penguin. I know I've had Penguin and Laboon on previous lists, but they might have been on January's top 10.

Folks who didn't change spots at all: Sir Crocodile, Wyper, Marco, & Mihawk.

Those who moved UP since March: Alvida has moved 1 spot into 3rd, Sabo moved 1 spot into 15th, and Bepo also moved 1 spot into 17th, Shanks moved 2 spots into 4th, and lastly Sakazuki moved 6 spots into 9th.

Those who dropped DOWN since March: Vivi dropped 2 spots into 19th, Borsi Baby dropped 3 spots into 6th, Kid dropped 3 spots into 10th, Smoker dropped 3 spots into 13th, and lastly Trafalgar dropped 5 spots into 14th.

Ace's spot went to Smoker and Zoro's spot went to Trafalgar. Vivi took Buggy's spot and Laboon took Pell's.

Sakazuki jumped ranks the most out of anyone who was already on the list but Rayleigh jumped the most for new blokes. Both older men made it into the top 10 of this list. Trafalgar dropped the most out of anyone already on the list and of the people who fell off, Ace fell the most.

While I did vote for more women this go around (Dr. Kureha, Makino, Nojiko, Perona, Bell-Mere, Laki) I still only have two women holding down the fort (my girl Alvida and Vivi). Alvida is still out here taking names and I love that for her, but that's as far as she can go on the list.

Still don't know why Mihawk is hanging out on the list, he is not a blorbo and neither is Killer. And I completely blame you for putting both Sabo and Rayleigh in my brain. At one point I had both Sakazuki and Rayleigh matched up and my solution for figuring out who to choose was to say "which old man would I rather screw me into the wall?" Rayleigh apparently. HE WAS NEVER ON MY RADAR. Why, why, WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO ME QUIN?!?!?!?!?

Added bonus, the horrible decision I had to make:

Obviously, the votes went: Arlong, Shanks, Crocodile, Marco, Rayleigh, Kid.

Generally speaking, if a woman goes against one my blrobos she'll lose because the blorbos I would let do unspeakable things to me whereas the women I want as gal pals. If the women are against any other dude however, she'll win, and when it's woman v. woman, I just vote for my girls (Alvida, Vivi, Dr. Kureha, Laki, Nojiko, Bell-Mere, Makino, Perona—in this order).

Buggy isn't a blorbo either but I ship him hard with Alvida which is why I vote for him and I'm devastated he's off the list. I owe Alvida an apology. Kinda bummed Thatch didn't make the list again. And someday the people who run that site will add Aramaki because I accidentally added him into my brain.

I'm a sucker for plant powers plus he has the shirt allergy, so I didn't really have a prayer. Plus he has a sword and apparently my "type" is "carries at least one sword". Other proven types are: red-haired, white-haired, facial scar(s), missing a body part, and any combination of these.

"Why, why, WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO ME QUIN?!?!?!?!?"

I'm good at like two things. Doing ^that^ to people, and uh... being me, I guess. XD

I never know what to say for your breakdowns, but I do want to be clear that I LOVE them - please continue to do so. It's always a pleasure to read even if my distracted ass brain is struggling about what to say.

gonna have to try harder to drag Sabo and Marco into the top ten though >.> ❤️😎

[thecloudstan]

Oooh, if you're accepting stuff for the OTP + Character Ask thing, then for Rufus/Cloud... Let's go with 3, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 38, and 39. Lmao, I know that's a lot. Please, thank you, and sorry. XD

Yes, yes, yes! Still doing!! I'll answer the first ask or two and put the rest under the cut so this post doesn't get too long.

3. Are they into PDA? Who initiates most?

I think it's pretty obvious that Rufus is the one who initiates PDA, but only when he feels especially bastard-like. I do think he'd naturally draw the line in situations that would make Cloud genuinely uncomfortable (like in front of his friends/family/comrades), but strangers? Eh, who cares? Mostly, though, Rufus likes to be almost caught, it's the tension of possibly being seen that excites him, it's watching Cloud squirm that amuses him most. If Cloud is drunk, he'll act physically possessive without much pretense at all.

12. Who prefers calling to texting (& vice versa)? Bonus: Who is so bad at texting it made the other think they weren’t interested when they first started hanging out? [This could be hypothetical as much as real].

Rufus would rather call. It's the business man in him. Real businessmen don't text important shit. It's also bad form to put things in text. Too formal, some things are better communicated verbally (this may be the fact that I work in a law office speaking). Cloud is the one who is abysmal about texting at first. If Rufus is inwardly concerned that Cloud isn't interested, he'd keep it to himself.

13. Stay home/go-out? What are their date nights like?

Irritatingly lavish because Rufus plans them all. This is not Cloud's forte. He barely wants to be seen in public, let alone seen in public with someone who loves to be seen in public. A night in would be perfectly fine with Cloud. Still, I can't see this as being planned by anyone other than Rufus, and the "night in" would be a "night in a 5 star suite complete with room service and wine that costs almost as much as the room itself."

17. Who is more competitive?

Tie. They're both so bull-headed. Have you played the game(s)?! Have you heard these two men throw insults (flirt) back and forth?! This is what makes the ship so much fun!

18. What are they like when they’re drunk? How do they act together? & when 1 is drunk, while the other one’s sober?

Cloud - fewer words, if you can believe it, but no filter. Will say the mean things and the soft things and the sweet things. Holds a sour face. Bebi-shaped (always).

Rufus - horny and somehow even more elegant. Difficult to tell except for the slight flush to his cheeks. His smile reaches his eyes more.

19. What do they fight about most often? (Alternative: what was their biggest fight?)

Which one of them is a bigger liar.

22. Love languages? How do they get around differences, if any?

I think Cloud's love language is pretty clearly Acts of Service. He can't help but help. For Rufus, I would lean toward Quality Time. At least in the case of Cloud, he knows he needs the right hook. He finds ways to make sure they're alone, repeatedly, without interruption. He is not at all feigning attentiveness. And at least in terms of NTYC, they get around differences primarily by Fucking. It can be very cathartic and can really re-frame whatever things you were arguing about beforehand, LMAO.

25. (a lil sappy, but..) What do they like about each other?

Hmm. I think Cloud likes the directness, even though there are times Rufus is clearly playing a game. He likes that he can say whatever he wants without really having to worry about stepping on Rufus' toes or hurting his feelings. Rufus likes having a worthy opponent in Cloud. By many definitions of the term.

27. Craziest place they had sex?

Bathroom at a heavily attended private event. This is in the story but I also just think it tracks for the ship, generally.

29. First date? (Give as much or little detail)

Something suitably over the top that would make Cloud flush the entire time. Something that included a private car and an expensive dinner, maybe an illustrious night at the theatre because Rufus is important enough to get box seats. Everything is a competition, after all, and if Cloud is shocked speechless, Rufus is pleased. He's winning.

30. Pet names? Yes or no?

Rufus would absolutely use pet names (again...he's ruthless). Cloud? No. Absolutely not. Unless things uttered milliseconds before climax count as "pet names."

31. How do they spend their anniversary?

Alone. I don't know if either of them are sentimental enough to put much stock into an anniversary.

32. Who’s so affectionate they can’t stop touching the other?

Probably Rufus, but I don't know how much of this is genuine affection or that desire to claim and overwhelm. It's probably still motivated by affection, he just tells himself otherwise. You have to fuck Cloud into submission for him to start feeling comfortable enough to get touchy-feely.

36. Who is more protective?

Cloud. No one on the planet is more protective than Cloud.

38. If/when they have kids, what is their parenting style (or pets-who does what)?

Cloud is practically already a co-dad, so I think we kinda know his parenting style. Or, I like to indulge myself in writing MORE about it. I think his mother was probably a wonderful parent and that he was quite close to her, so that's what he'd emulate to the best of his ability. Patience, protection, never a raised voice.

Rufus...aaaah, yikes. That's tough. I don't think he has much use for children. Can't picture it. I would like to believe he'd want to be a better father than his own, but I think his fear of failing would create a self-fulfilling prophecy, of sorts.

39. Do they get along with the other’s family? If not, how do they deal with the other’s family?

Well enough. Cloud is combative with the Turks because old habits die hard, but in the end they'd have each others' backs, right? I believe so. And Rufus will be perfectly cordial to anyone who is important to someone who is important to him. He takes that sort of thing seriously. He values loyal people.

[dragonmuse]

See what you did there with the inability to be heard when mentioning Faith... we've yet to see Mainverse Stede receive that knowledge... These waiting rooms have been a delight tonight! Thank you! Has me craving more from each individual 'verse. <3 If your list isn't long enough, yet, I've realized, too, with the recent Feels Like & May Be Bad, that we've not seen Faith discussed/introduced for Feels Like, yet... Or Bottle of Red... This is a slippery slope once you start! XD

(oooh let's do Pete finding out about Faith! I love that Feels like has been this slow growing favorite. A very pleasant counterbalance to I May Be Bad)

Pete had never much minded waiting. He liked to think of himself as a man of action, but he knew deep down that his real strength was in endurance. He could hold steady and firm as long as he needed to and that mattered too. It had done him a great service in securing Izzy’s attention and ultimately, his affections.  Pete had found that very worth waiting for, as Izzy cracked open, spilling a surprisingly generous spirit and willingness every which way.��

So Pete had never pushed about the ring Izzy wore around his neck. It was a pretty little thing, and Pete often watched it when Izzy was on top of him, the way it would catch the light as they swayed together. He knew that Izzy clung to it like a talisman, especially in sleep, but Izzy held him just as tightly, so it was hard to be jealous of it.  

He waited and eventually the right time presented itself. They had both just said goodbye to Lucius, who lingered in the doorway, returning to kiss them both once or twice before departing. It was only the third time they’d had him over and the newness of it was still delicious, but not as nerve-wracking as the first time. Izzy was moving slowly, for him, some of his usual energy bled away to make room for relaxation. 

They were on the couch, half-dressed and the remains of breakfast scattered around them. Izzy was bare-chested and Pete took a moment to appreciate him before saying, 

“Can I ask you something?” 

“Why are you asking if you can ask?” Izzy glanced away from his phone to him. 

“Cause I want your attention and also I’m not sure you’ll like the question.” 

The phone lowered, “What?” 

“The ring,” he gestured to his own neck to indicate it. It was currently nestled in bountiful dark chest hair, glittering like a target. “Who’s was it?” 

Izzy touched it absently. “Why are you asking now?” 

“Always wondered. Just figured you might be in a good enough mood to tell me.” 

“Clever.” Izzy’s compliments often sounded like accusations. “Taking advantage?” 

“I don’t get the higher ground very often. Give me this one.” 

“....fine,” Izzy sighed and to Pete’s surprise, came closer, so their shoulders were pressed together. Invited, Pete dropped an arm around his shoulders.  “Her name was Faith.” 

“Faith,” Pete repeated, committing it to memory. 

“She was...she was my girlfriend, I guess. Fiance. Briefly. The ring wasn’t an engagement ring, just a promise, but I intended to make good on it.” 

“Of course you did,” Pete nodded. “You don’t make half-assed promises.” 

“What’s the point of doing it if you’re not going to see it through?”

“Don’t look at me, I’m on your side here. When did you guys meet?” 

“We were fifteen. She picked me out. Wanted someone to make bullies back off and her parents to as a bonus. I was good for that back then. Angry all the time and I had a reputation.” 

“Yeah?” Pete could picture that. Izzy, even smaller than he was now, and pumped full of teenage hormones must’ve been a force to be reckoned with. 

“Yeah. Got called a lot of things, but not many of them to my face, let’s put it that way. Faith liked that. She asked me to take her out. Fuck, she was so clever.” 

“What’d she look like?” 

“Red hair, the kind that’s really orange, not red.  On the small side. Frail. Big blue eyes. I don’t know. She was beautiful to me.” 

Pete was building a picture in his mind, already getting fond of this girl. He knew what it was to pick Izzy out and fix on him for a lot of reasons. 

“Okay, so what? You started going out at fifteen?” 

“Went on dates and everything. Got close. Really close. I ran with some guys back then, but I didn’t have friends. Not really. Bet you did in high school.” 

“Not so much,” Pete admitted. “A few buddies, but...dunno. Didn’t really have a best friend until I met John and that wasn’t until I was past thirty.” 

“Huh,” Izzy glanced at him. “Really?” 

“Yeah, Iz, really.” 

“...huh,” he said again and Pete had to hide a smile against Izzy’s shoulder. 

“I’m only the friendly one compared to you,” he pointed out. 

“Fuck off,” Izzy growled even as he moved in even closer. Pete glanced a kiss off his cheek. 

“Okay, so you and Faith get close. Eventually get engaged.” 

“Yeah, we were together all the time. We were gonna get out, you know? She was...she could’ve gone to a good college. Gotten money even.” 

“....this ends really sad, doesn’t it?” Pete had known that. You didn’t wear someone else’s ring around your neck and cling to it like a lifeline when the person who wore it had just moved to France or something. But this was less abstract now. He could hear the grief, practically taste it in the air. 

“She was only seventeen,” Izzy said miserably. “Where’s the goddamn fairness in that?” 

“There isn’t,” Pete rubbed his arm a little. “I’m sorry.” 

“She’s been gone longer than she was alive. If it had been me instead-” 

“No. That’s a dark road,” Pete dropped his voice, low and soothing. “And now how it went down. You lived. You made it here. Hope it’s not a bad place to be.” 

“It’s good,” Izzy agreed. “Does it...should I not wear it?” 

“Hell no. You wear it until you’re buried with it if you want,” Pete said, squeezing his arm a little. “You loved her. Think it’s good to honor that.” 

“You don’t wear your dad’s anymore.” 

“I was worried I’d leave it in the dressing room or something. I take it off too much. But it’s safe.” Ready for the day it would be repurposed the way his father wanted it to be anyway. “It’s different for you. The necklace was clever.” 

“Told you she was small, couldn’t even get it on my pinky,” he tapped the ring. 

“Tell me something else about her.” 

“Why?” 

“I like people you like, and there’s not a lot of them,” Pete settled a little, got comfortable. 

“I don’t remember-” 

“Aw, don’t lie. You’ve got a memory like a....do elephants actually have good memories or is that one of those sayings?” 

“Dunno. Think they do,” Izzy considered. “Don’t they mourn their dead or something?” 

“We’ll look it up later,” he decided. “Or ask Lucius, he always knows things like that. Anyway, just one story.” 

“We used to play hooky sometimes,” the words came slowly. It wasn’t a unique story and Izzy wasn’t really much of a storyteller, but two kids knocking around a city that Pete had claimed as his home had its own charm. 

Years later, Lucius would hear these stories too and he’d dig a little and produce the little photo. To Pete’s surprise, the girl he had conjured up in his imagination wasn’t far off from the real thing. By then, he’d met Delly too and wheedled out a few pictures of a younger, somehow impossibly, grumpier Izzy. It wasn’t hard to picture the two of them slipping around the edges of louder, bigger people. A shadowy pair clinging to the edges, determined to survive. 

“Sorry,” he told the picture when Lucius left it with him to go get his drawing supplies. “You should be here, I think. But I’m taking good care of him.” 

There was only silence, of course, but Pete didn’t mind. He preferred the dead where they belonged. Just seemed polite to acknowledge them sometimes. Just in case. 

[presidential--suite]

✨ Top Five Treys ✨  

#1: South Park: 25th Anniversary Concert (2022)

(Series with @a-magical-evening 💖)

First, I loved this concert so damn much I had too many GIFS to include in one set so here’s the bonus: 💖💖

The concert is too long to rewatch completely, and I do have a lot of emotion connected to it, so this might get pretty rambling/stream of consciousness. I’ll preface that this is gonna be personal lol like an actual blog post

(Preface #2: I’m mostly going to comment on Trey (as with all the others in this series), since I’m a Trey bitch through and through, but Matt was a fucking superstar, and I was blown away by his performances!! He looked amazing and I was so fucking impressed by him 😊 I’m not purposefully leaving him out in my comments, I love him too 💖)

So, I was watching the last SP episode of the season with my boyfriend and saw that they were doing a South Park concert and remember my stomach like exploding in excitement. I knew I wasn’t going; I’ve never been to a real concert or anything, plus it was states away, but I entered the raffle anyway for fun. The more I waited that week, the more excited I got thinking about it. My rationale was: there was probably never going to be anything again that I could guarantee actually witnessing Trey Parker in real life, so it would be my only chance. Plus, I hadn’t gone on a vacation since I was like 14, so maybe I could go. But the raffle came and went, and I didn’t get in. I didn’t realize how truly hyped I was until I was walking down the street to my boyfriend’s house and holding that rejection email. When I told him he was like “what South Park concert” and I was super pissed lmao. (Side note, he has no fucking clue how gone I am for Trey XD at least not to the extent that I am. I feel like it’s rude to talk about my infatuation with another man to my significant other. So he didn’t understand my disappointment haha)

Then tickets went on sale, at the time only having one night, and I didn’t get in. Then those fucking premium, expensive tickets went on sale, my whole fucking salary for the summer honestly, and I was just staring at them as the clock ticked. I’ll never forget buying those in my bedroom and the reality setting in that I was actually going to go see Trey fucking Parker with my own damn eyes lol. I’ve been a fan of things before, had phases, had celebrity crushes, but never have I acted on one this way. So for months there was just this shining light of “I’m going to see Trey” or “it’s okay that this sucks, I’m going to Colorado in August.” XD

It was surreal being there, driving around actual mountains; it was like that SpongeBob joke “I’m washing dishes at night” but “I’m getting Starbucks in Morrison”. Seeing so many people that were more in my demographic there was so fucking cool. I was scared it was going to be these bro-y middle aged men, a lot of lame republicans lol, but it was a good mix! I met a lot of cool people! Then I was sitting in the second row, and I’d looked at spoilers from the first night, so when I saw my seats were in front of Trey’s piano I was just :O :O Ecstatic.

So it starts, and it’s cool, but then he fucking walks out and I don’t even have words :”). Like he was only a couple yards away. It was so amazing. I was yelling and singing and like holding my hands out to him the whole time. It was hard to even take my eyes away from him. Rewatching the concert on TV I was asking my boyfriend “were these visuals part of the live show? Did they add them in post?”, but it turns out I just never looked at the damn screen lol! Trey performed so wonderfully. Just...It was phenomenal. It was probably my peak XD Afterward I didn’t want to leave but security was like GTFO, and I just walked back down the hill in a daze. (The next day I had some pretty bad PCD (post concert depression haha) and I kept crying at random moments D:)

Anyway, my favorite moments from this had to be when he first came out, hat over his heart. I kept saying before I went that I better see his beautiful bald head, and he delivered immediately lmao XD 💖

💖My favorite performance was Yelper Special because I loved watching him do his little dance. I probably had my hands clasped over my chest embarrassingly, like ‘aww :’)’

I was worried about the voices, but tbh they pulled them off so well in my opinion. I think the mics really worked and they both did an amazing job being the boys. Robot Friend and the Theme Song where he and Matt are side by side doing their boys was so cute

I’m now officially a Primus fan too, they’ve actually become one of my top artists on Spotify, because damn, Les ate that shit up!!! Everyone was perfect!!

All the hat changing, and when Trey would turn to make faces, and when he’d be like “let’s fucking try that again”.

When Matt and Trey had their little asides, and when they would smile at each other, and the surprise, and their I love yous!! When they would reminisce about where they grew up, and when they met, and how far they’ve come?? I love them and their friendship 💖💖💖

((My poor boyfriend, I was really fangirling hard. I won’t repeat the joke he’d made, but it involved ruining some articles of clothing...TMIIII XD XD)) I’ll use this part to make my saucy comments, which is that he looked fucking hot!! Haha I was mesmerized by him. Most of the time I was alternating between gaping at him and taking blurry pics. My lust for this man, for real...He looked so good, I think the outfit was very flattering. Beautiful 💕

Obviously, I loved that appearance. You’ve seen my recreation of his outfit. I have I think 600 pictures from that trip... I made a photo album. I love Trey. I love his singing (that’s actually the first thing I liked about him, before I even watched South Park). He’s so wildly talented and skilled. It was truly a magical evening 😉

This had to be number 1.