#m talks about postal

[cult-rangoons]

hey postal people i drew yoyr guy. dude i mean

[oobbbear]

This rant has 1 target audience and it’s me sorry I like to talk about my unfinished/abandoned stories like they’re successful tv shows and I’m the director getting interviewed about the little details of said show

I love afterland postal so so so much you don’t know how hard it was for me to cut it, but it got to the point that it’s effecting my mental health so I had to stop it. His story in the afterlife is a healing journey, so for that healing journey to be effective I have to make the downfall in his past life hurt, like, HURT hurt, and I went a bit too far that and focused on it a bit too much that I was not working on the healing part anymore. Everyday I regret the making of water angel cause it ended being my fav instead of the protagonists and it being the physical manifestation of death made me focus on the downfall of the story too much, until it literally just crumbled to the ground. If I pick back up Dolus’s story one day I will cut out water angel entirely and maybe most part of his past life, focusing mainly on the afterlife part and how he recovers/deal with his past traumas and rid of bad habits. I want to draw this gremlin again so so bad.

Afterland Postal is a story about learning to love life through death. I like to draw Dolus with CT moon and Callisto sitting together because all three of their stories are about “learning to love life again through the death”. In Dolus’s case is his literal death. For CT moon is him fantasizing death. And for Callisto is through the death of her old life.

After the “death” all three of learned to love themselves again by traveling. They see the world in different perspectives, goes out of their bubbles and get a taste of the wild possibilities of what life has to offer.

For Dolus, I specifically placed him in this post office that delivers mails to the living plane so he can run around experiencing the world but doesn’t have to deal with life? One of his big thing is that he enjoys simply existing, he likes observing the world, feel his surroundings, I had an entire chapter that’s describing how he sees the world through his 5 senses. The feelings are the only thing he enjoyed about life, now he’s a ghost life doesn’t have effect on him anymore, he can really slow down sit down and look at the world he didn’t have the time to look at before, see what he missed and what he may have never be able to see.

For CT moon is basically all described in that If my world goes Bang comic.

Callisto is a different case cause she doesn’t die, strongest fucking character in my stories she survived and very passionate about living. In the original plan after her finding Hester and having Hester’s soul freed, she’s gonna go and travel the world. She has been living in this little house in the middle of nowhere for good half of her life, having her burned down her past and moving on to a new one is good for her. I had a lot a lot of sketches that is just her traveling, I used this as a chance to expand on this weird magical world she lives in, so many cool places and concept. (Also she started dating people again wohoo) I really wish I didn’t burn myself out after that animatic this story would have been so fun to work on.

SPEAKING OF TRAVELING AS A HEALING MECHANISM☝️I m gonna go on a mad Orange Knife spoiler rant since I don’t think there’s a single soul still reading this thing. In Moondust & Natto plot, Moondust really really wanted to see the world with Natto, she loved the world she loved life, in her eyes the outside world is a struggle but one she would fight for because the sunset is beautiful and the grass is soft and for that the hardship is worth it, she loved the world so so much and she wanted to have Natto experience it too. Freedom was a large part of her soul and being add to OK’s collection permanently took that away. She never got to see it again not even the part of her that got added to worm made it out, her soul is killed long ago and body died with the fire that led to Worm and the remaining crew’s freedom, which honestly I think she would be happy knowing that her death freed Natto in the end. She would be mad knowing the person who killed her is freed too but she would understand if she knows Worm’s situation better. After Natto is free I’d like to think he carries a piece of Moondust with him so in his heart he completed their dream, and they can finally experience the world together.

It’s 2am and nothing is making sense sent post to tumblr.com go

[ashtavula]

Royalty AU Pt 2: A Meeting With Riddle

Housewardens x Gender Neutral Reader

Word Count: 2466

Start Here

The warm spring air caresses your face as you walk down the bustling main street. It’s been two days since your impromptu date with Azul, and your mind is filled with the information he told you. You’d started with Riddle Rosehearts. Between the forms his mother had filled out about his hobbies and academic successes, and the rumors your staff had told you, Azul wasn’t able to provide a lot of new information. But Azul had pointed you towards the Four Leaf Bakery. Supposedly, it’s one of the best bakeries in the city, though you wonder how well it’ll stack up to the sweets you eat at the castle.

A breeze blows, and it carries the faint scent of freshly baked bread towards you. Your mouth waters, and the heels of your shoes click against the cobblestones as you speed up. You can see the sign for the bakery in the distance. Unfortunately, your eagerness leads to you stepping out into the street.

“Look out!”

A man with a cart suddenly runs into you, knocking you both down. You groan as you slowly sit up. A man with messy ginger hair rubs the back of his head, and he scowls at you. “Hey! Why don’t you pay attention to where you’re walking, huh?! You knocked me over!”

You return his scowl. Seriously, this is the second man you’ve met with zero regard for your royal status. As you open your mouth to retort, a second young man rushes up. This one has sleek blue hair, and a worried expression on his face. “Ace! Are you okay?” He turns to you. “I’m so sorry about that, m-” 

His eyes grow impossibly wide, and he immediately kneels down in front of you. “Your Highness! Are you hurt?” He turns back to Ace. “Seriously? You hit Their Highness!”

Ace shrugs. “So what? They ran out in front of me. It’s their fault, Juice.”

The blue haired man glowers at Ace, and scrambles to his feet. He knocks Ace upside the head. “It’s Deuce! And you should apologize!”

Deuce drags Ace to his feet, only to force him into a bow. His voice gets a rough edge to it. “Say you’re sorry!”

Ace winces, and bats at Deuce. “Okay, okay! Geez, lighten up!” Ace sighs, and dips into a lazy bow. “Sorry, Your Highness. But you totally ran in front of-” Another smack from Deuce makes Ace grumble. “Sorry! It won’t happen again.”

Deuce sighs, and looks back to you. His angry expression fades, replaced with worry as he offers you a hand. “Here, Your Highness. Can I help you up?”

You accept his offer, and allow Deuce to pull you to your feet. He’s lean, but you’re surprised by how strong he is. “Thank you…Deuce?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, my name’s Deuce Spade. This is my partner, Ace Trappola. We’re delivery boys for White Rabbit Postal Service.”

As you look back to Ace, you can see him making sure the deliveries piled into his hand drawn cart are fine. The cart bears a logo of a harried white rabbit holding a stack of boxes. You’ve seen the logo before. The company occasionally makes deliveries to the castle. When you say as much, you see Deuce puff up with pride. 

“Yeah! We deliver all over the capital! My mom is actually the one in charge of the main office.”

Ace groans. “Dude, stop talking about your mom. We’ve got deliveries to make, and I don’t want to get yelled at.”

Deuce jumps a bit, and blushes. “Sorry! Got to go deliver all this to the bakery!”

As Deuce moves to pick up the handles of the cart, you tilt your head. “Wait, are you going to the Four Leaf Bakery? Because that’s where I was going.”

Deuce grins, and he says that you can follow them, if you want. Ace rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything as the three of you resume your journey. You almost immediately regret it, because it’s difficult to keep up with Deuce’s near breakneck pace. You’re panting by the time you reach the bakery. 

Ace and Deuce drag the cart to the back door, and they knock. A tall man with dark green hair and glasses answers, and he sighs at both of them. “Not to fuss, but you’re late.”

“Hey, don’t blame us. Blame the royal who decided to slow us down,” Ace gripes. 

The man turns his attention to you. His eyes widen slightly before he gives you an affable smile, and he bows his head. “Apologies, Your Highness. I didn’t see you there.” He steps aside, and waves his hand. “Why don’t you come inside? I’ve got a few things that I think you’ll enjoy. As for you two, you know what to do.”

You nod, and follow the man inside. Immediately, the scent of freshly baked pastries and tea fills your nose. As you take a deep breath, the man wipes his hands on his apron. “My name is Trey Clover, by the way. I’m the head patissier here.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Though, I came here to ask you about Lord Riddle-”

You’re interrupted by a flash of orange approaching you at the speed of light. As his face swings into view, you recognize the man. 

“Hello, Your Highness! Fancy meeting you here! Cater Diamond, with the Ramshackle Gazette. Care to answer a few questions for me?” He grins at you, only to get pulled back by Trey. 

Trey shakes his head disapprovingly. “Cater, no. No pictures, no interviews, no nothing. They’re a guest here. Let them be, yeah?”

Cater slips out of Trey’s grip, and holds up his hands in a placating gesture. “Okay, okay! It’s cool, we’re all friends here! Right, Your Highness?”

As Trey and Cater both look at you, you hear yet another voice behind you. “Trey? Cater? What’s going on back here?”

You turn, and your eyes meet his. His gray eyes widen, and he stiffens. He quickly bows to you, sending strands of his crimson hair flying forward. “Your Highness! Lord Riddle Rosehearts, son of Marquess and Marchioness Rosehearts, at your service.” Riddle straightens up, though he’s still stiff. His ears are red, and it makes you think that you might have flustered the young lord. His gaze turns to Cater, and his brows furrow. “Cater, are you pestering them?”

There’s a steely edge to his voice. You’re not the only one who hears it. Cater immediately holds his hands up again. “Not at all, Riddle! I was just introducing myself! Right, Your Highness? I wasn’t bothering you?”

Cater's green eyes are wide, and you can practically hear him silently begging you to back him up. You nod slowly. “That’s right. He was just introducing himself. I’ve actually been wanting to meet him. I love his articles in the paper.”

You can see Cater’s shoulders sag with relief, even as he chuckles and shoots you a lighthearted grin. “Aw, thanks a bunch! It’s good to know that even the royal family reads my work.”

Riddle sighs. “Very well. Trey, could you please set things up, like we discussed?” Trey nods, and quickly vanishes through a door. As it swings shut, you see a brief glimpse of the bakery’s kitchen. Riddle then addresses you. “Your Highness, I’d be delighted if you would join me for tea. I can assure you that everything Trey makes is phenomenal.” He holds out his hand for you.

You accept it, and Riddle leads you back outside. He guides you to a small courtyard outside of the bakery. The courtyard is filled with rose bushes, and you can see that a table has been set up in the middle of it all. You catch a brief glimpse of Trey heading back inside as Riddle pulls your chair out for you. The table is laid out with a strawberry tart and tea. Riddle neatly cuts a piece, and serves it to you. You quietly thank him as he also pours you a cup of tea. He even makes sure that the sugar and cream are closer to you than him. He’s being a perfect gentleman. Though, you can see how hard he’s concentrating on being a good host.

You take a bite of the tart, and you nearly moan. It’s absolutely perfect. Riddle smiles as he sees your reaction. “I told you that everything Trey makes is wonderful. This just happens to be one of my favorites.”

“I can see why. Wonder how much I’d have to pay him to come work at my castle.”

That earns a chuckle from Riddle. He then clears his throat. “Your Highness…please allow me to be frank.” He gently takes hold of your hand again. “I am aware that my mother has put my name forward as a suitor. However, I would prefer for us to get to know each other naturally. So please, disregard everything for just a little while, and think of me not as a suitor, but as a gentleman who simply wishes to get to know you better.”

You consider his words for just a moment. In just a few words, Riddle has managed to actually put you at ease. Your lips curve into a smile. “I can do that, Lord Riddle.”

His smile mirrors your own, and you can see some of the tension leave his body. The two of you sit in the bakery’s courtyard for some time, embroiled in your discussion. You learn that Riddle is academically talented, and has a fine pedigree. He’s also well-spoken, and very polite. Everything that you learn makes him sound pretty much perfect. You even find him cute. But as you talk, your mind keeps straying back to the rumors that your butler told you about how strict he was. But so far, you’ve seen very little of that supposed strictness. Well, unless you count what happened with Cater earlier, but that wasn’t too bad.

You're pulled out of your thoughts by the sound of two men yelling. Ace and Deuce are on top of the stone wall that surrounds the courtyard, and they tumble right into a rose bush. They yelp as they’re pricked by the thorns, and they struggle to free themselves from the flower bed. You stand, and you look towards Riddle. But your words die on your tongue when you see his face.

His expression is twisted with anger. He lurches to his feet, and he storms over to Ace and Deuce. “What are you fools doing,” he yells. “You’re disrupting our tea party, trespassing, and ruining private property! Explain yourselves immediately!”

Ace and Deuce flinch as they finally manage to free themselves from the thorny rose bush, only to come face to face with Riddle’s fury. You hear Ace attempting to explain that he and Deuce were trying to chase down an injured hedgehog, but that it slipped into the courtyard. Clearly, it’s not a good enough excuse for Riddle. 

“A hedgehog…You interrupted us…FOR A HEDGEHOG?!”

You’re startled by the way Riddle shrieks at Ace and Deuce. His face is now an unbecoming shade of scarlet, and he stomps his foot like a petulant child. Seeing his apparent anger issues is suddenly making all of his good points seem trivial. You don’t want to draw Riddle’s ire, but you also can’t stand to see him continue to berate them. You raise your voice so that you can be heard over him. “Lord Riddle! Thank you for your time, but I’m afraid that we’re not compatible. I don’t appreciate men who get so worked up over such trivial nonsense!”

You turn to leave the courtyard, nearly missing the way that Riddle’s face goes from red to white. He quickly moves to follow you, his voice now edged in desperation instead of rage. “Your Highness, wait! Please, forgive me for being so unbecoming! It’s just…there are rules that must be followed, and etiquette that must be observed! Those two were in clear violation of such standards!” 

You wheel around to face him. “Does it really matter? Sure, they messed up, but it’s not a big deal!”

The muscles in Riddle’s jaw tense. “My mother raised me to follow the rules of noble society. From the moment I was born, she set out to raise me to be a perfect heir. And then you were born. Then, it wasn’t just about me becoming the next marquess.” Riddle steps closer to you. “At that moment, she began to raise me with the expectation of being a perfect husband for you. I have spent countless hours locked away in my home learning everything I could so that I could be your consort. I was not allowed anything that she didn’t approve of. Not even friends, for the fear that they would ruin what values my mother instilled in me.” Another step. “I was raised to be yours, so why? Why am I not good enough?”

As he speaks, you can see tears starting to form. His voice cracks, and it tugs on your heartstrings. You now feel conflicted. On paper, Riddle is just about everything you could want in a prince consort. But this afternoon has also shown you that he’s far from perfect. Yet, you can’t shake the urge to reassure him.

In the end, you slowly reach out, and you grasp his hand. It takes you a few moments to find the words you want to say, and they come out with some slight hesitation. “Lord Riddle…Despite what I’ve just seen, you…are still a candidate.” You squeeze his hand. “I want to learn more about you. I want you to prove to me that I don’t have to worry about your temper. Thus, I’ll give you one more chance to prove yourself worthy of my consideration. But this is goodbye for now.”

You let go of his hand, and you leave the courtyard. Ace and Deuce quickly slip out with you, as they’re eager to get away from Riddle. As soon as you’re all far enough away from the garden, Ace sighs. “Man, I didn’t think he’d get all fired up like that. We didn’t even do anything!”

Deuce grimaces. “Well, we did mess up Trey’s garden. We’ll have to come by tomorrow to see if we can help fix the roses.”

You pause, and look at them. “That sounds like a great idea, but…why are you two following me?”

Both boys startle, and neither of them is able to give you a proper answer. Ace grabs Deuce, and they both take off down the street with a hurried goodbye. You shake your head at them, and continue your journey back to your castle. 

[felixisntdead]

intro !!!!

abt me: 17 y/o, he/they/it whatever atp., tcc n columbiner…, i like goth shit..and,,.dylan an eric…i rlly rlly rlly like gabriel from .. gabriel 2014 ..., and cats..,mmm i also rlly like music like so much pls talk to mehy about it…im also severely autistsic

music i lobe: nine inch nail, skinny puppy, type o negative, kmfdm, marilyn manson, depeche mode, mayhem, lebanon hanover, sisters of mercy, christian death, lifelover, bauhaus, rammstein, jack off jill, hole, kittie, london after midnight, alien vampires, icp, chemical brothers, the prodigy, ministry, pig, she wants revenge, rob zombie, slayer, lifelover, animal collective, mayhem and soooososo muchm more !!!!

interests: like i said before ,i like cats..a lot, but my main intrest atm is gabriel 2014 and/or rory cuokin in gen. .. fav movies are house of 1000 corpses and elephant 2003, fav game is postal 1 n 2. but close ties with mouthwashing.,., i also like creeypasta, cry of fear, sally face, the walking dead, eric martin, markiplier, silent hill (2 mainly..), zero day, brick 2005, jason schwartzman, paul dano, stardew valley, duck! massacre of carbine high, everymanhybrid, marbel hornets, rdr1 and 2, mlp, peter steele, class of 09, life is strange,, vocaloid, fnaf, bill and ted, hannibal series, baulders gate, warrior cats, general horror creatures like vampires n zombies n ghost,,.. i allso like dr pepper sugar free og monster and i also deeply enjoy cigarettes…m,, .,nn alcohol … and..coffee..

socials:

disc - felixishere__

snap - unusualhab1t

insta - 3verlastingcontrast

[sitp-recs]

Hey Liv, I was sure you had an epistolary list somewhere, but I can’t seem to find it.

Would you have some recs for me? It doesn’t have to be full epistolary, as long as there are a few letters exchanged.

Thank you

Hi anon! I’m pretty sure I have an epistolary list somewhere but for some reason I can’t access my masterlists atm (which is mildly concerning lol I hope it’s just an app glitch on my phone) but in any case here are some recs for you!

Re: Harry's Crush by @lettersbyelise (T, 4k)

Ever get that feeling you're being talked about behind your back? Harry doesn't, he's too busy being stupidly, obviously besotted with the guy in the lab downstairs.

Garden War by @cibeewastaken (T, 5k)

Harry and Draco are quarantined in their houses, a lake across from one another. What better ways to spend this time than to annoy each other with letters and attempts to prove that their garden is better ?

Lettered by pir8fancier (M, 8k)

Harry has a secret penpal, whose identity is as plain as the nose on his face. Except he's not wearing his glasses.

Per my last letter (I hope you choke on it) by @fluxweeed and @lastontheboat (T, 10k)

Or: the one where Harry has writer’s block and Malfoy isn’t helping.

Yours Truly by @skeptiquewrites (M, 15k)

Every single one of Harry’s exes has gone on to marry the next person they date, and with the upcoming nuptials of numbers six and seven to each other, Harry’s feeling exhausted by it all. It doesn’t really matter if he lets people assume Draco Malfoy is his boyfriend for a moment of peace. In any case, Draco’s been away for five years and there’s no way he would find out, right?

Let's Go Outside by cryptonym (E, 24k)

Harry's done with the sofa, the hall and the kitchen table, baby.

On Our Way by evils (E, 30k)

Draco is trying to spend the summer keeping his head down, but a repair project and a certain snowy owl have other plans for him.

Howlr by partialtopotter (E, 47k)

Howlr is the new dating application enchanting Witches, Wizards and Everyone in between. Are you looking for the one or a one-night stand; it’s all here folks. Howlr is sponsored by Weasley Wizard Wheezes, the same team that brought us the Spellular just two years ago. Ginny Weasley, famed chaser for the Hollyhead Harpies, swears by the app, ‘guaranteed to make sparks fly,’ she says. The magic awaits you!

Catch 22 by jad (E, 50k)

As if NEWTS weren't enough, Dumbledore's gone and had another one of his 'bright ideas.' If all ends well, the Houses will be getting along in no time. Or according to Harry's correspondent, an Apocalypse will be in order.

Bonus: art!

Going Postal by dustmouth (T)

So Draco and Harry sort of maybe have a bit of a thing going. Which is all fine and good, but would probably be more effective if they managed to be on the same continent for more than five minutes at a time.

[dorkfruit]

i put this together using my computer's trackpad so the new year is already starting out . bad .

posts: J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D

template

reflections on the year, my plans for the future, some studies i did, and wips for the next year all down below for those who are interested

tldr; we will be ianthing next year so watch out!!

oh dear lord it's been another year. 2024! can you believe it! i don't talk much on this blog because i have a tendency to talk too much, but it's my little new year's treat, so here we go.

RECAP

i started taking drawing "seriously" in December of 2020, starting to do studies and stuff, and each year since i've ramped it up more and more. this year, i did. a lot of studies. there's probably like at least 200 more in my folder now (not including the 300 days worth of gesture drawings i did), with things like painting, faces, feet, poses, etc. anything i was struggling with, i went right into studying it. my art has been mediocre for a pretty long time now, and it's only the past few months where i feel i'm starting to get the hang of it, which is exciting!

more importantly, i started posting a lot more on this blog. i really like documenting my progress, looking on where i was before and seeing how i've improved. everytime i draw some fanart, im like, oooghh i can't wait to show my (: followers (: !! lots of locked tomb art of course. i've been trying to nail the energy of the different characters, which is why i enjoy books so much, because you get a lot of creative control. drawing ianthe is my fav of course, cause she's my lil nasty, but also i enjoyed doing designs for characters i hadnt thought about before, like judith.

in addition to the locked tomb, we had some new fandoms that got brief moments in between iantheposting: Fear and Hunger, Postal, Faith The Unholy Trinity, and a couple of old ones too, like We Have Always Lived In The Castle and The Merciless.

i posted about 115 times this year, although most of those are shitposts LOL i love posting stuff on my blog and showing people my stuff <3

THE FUTURE

my plans? do more ianthe art, of course. ill be working on more studies, probably going to work on developing a style, and figuring out how to paint. i'd like to do more actually finished pieces, but let's be honest, it'll still be mostly shitpost doodles. i'd like to do more weird stuff. i've been messing around with some gore and NSFW near the end of the year, and it's fun to draw for me. i like idk art that evokes some type of emotion, especially discomfort, and so i find that type of art fun to do, so if you don't enjoy what i've done thus far in that direction, perhaps this isn't the blog for you. i really like horror media, and so i want to do some stuff like that too.

for specifics, i like western type art, a comic book-esque style i'd like to aim for. but i'd like it to be a little more. weird with it. i find comic books often draw all the characters the same, and make all the characters traditionally attractive, and that's boring to me so i'll have to work on finding a way to keep things weird, while also appealing in a graphic sense. the worst thing my art could be is bland and forgettable.

locked tomb wise... more tridentarii art. need to be really weird with it. i have lots of wips planned, like i have a whole page worth of just thumbnails, so i wanna get some of those done. also i had a few animatics i wanted to do. mostly stupid shit, once i learn how to do animatics, then we'll do actual serious ones. id also like to do more comics. i have some comics storyboarded out with my girlies, i like telling a story so, need practice on that. id also like to develop a way to consistently draw them, for convenience sakes, so i'm not fighting for my life every single time i draw these characters. oh and i wanna do some outfit stuff. i draw them in like. generic clothes everytime but i'd like to come up with a few actual outfit designs, that i can just reference back to. and, of course, more shitposts. lots of stupid shit in 2024 for sure. there was something else i wanted to say here but i can't remember.

ART

oki enough rambling, here's some IMAGES for yall to look at i know everyone loves to look at images.

began this year by warming up with gesture sketches (almost) every day. i started with 20 poses (30 seconds each), and then in november i was like. ugh my hands suck i need to get better at hands, so i switched to doing 10 hand sketches (60 seconds each). i want my art to be very energetic so it's important that i do these !!

anatomy studies of extremities because i'm flopping at those -_- ive gotten better with hands but they're still a struggle. i hate feet tho still

need to get my painting game up. i joined an art forum to get advice, and the biggest suggestion i got was working on my values, so i did various value studies. also lots of faces because my faces flop !!

random doodles to work on drawing from imagination. on my "sketchbook" pages, as i like to call them, i'm usually pretty loose and messy, since the point is just to be drawing so often these will suck, but that's fine. i don't think very much when i draw faces on here either so they end up being in my Instinctive Style i suppose you could say

ianthe wip. i was planning to do a few drawings based on the idea of her having Missing Arm nightmares, but the lineart was intimidating to me so i haven't worked on this one more yet /: also there was going to be a toontown gay homosexual toxic yuri comic that i was gonna put here with it but the page is way too long so umm guess that'll have to wait.

...

anyways. thank you for reading if you got to the bottom of this! i appreciate all the support that i've been getting lately (extra big kissies for the same like 5 people who always reblog my posts youre the best). and we will be ianthing soo hard in 2024 so watch out!!

[jujumin-translates]

[A3!] Event | A Postman Delivering Your Feelings | Episode 4

Misumi: (We all get letters from our fans, so we all have connections to letters, but… Who from Autumn Troupe would be good…?)

Misumi: Hm~m…

*Door opens*

Sakyo: Ikaruga? What are you groaning about?

Misumi: Ah, Sakyo!

Misumi: I’m scouting people for the post office event, but I don’t have anyone from Autumn Troupe yet…

Misumi: I was just trying to figure out who from Autumn Troupe to ask to do it~.

Sakyo: Someone from Autumn Troupe, huh… I think Hyodo and Nanao both said they already had plans.

Sakyo: …Then I guess I’ll do it.

Misumi: Huh, you’ll do it, Sakyo!?

Sakyo: I didn’t have a cell phone as a kid, so I used to write things like letters and New Year’s cards.

Sakyo: Even now, I sometimes add brief comments when I enter sweepstakes, since it helps me with fan interactions.

Misumi: I see! Ehehe, I’m glad you told me that, Sakyo~.

Misumi: Then let’s do our best with the event performance!

Sakyo: Damn right.

Misumi: Good, that’s three people scouted out! Lemme tell Director-san~.

LIME

△△△: Director-san! I’ve decided on the people who will do the Happy Letter event!

△△△: It’s Guy and Tsuzuru and Sakyo △△△

Izumi: Thanks! Let’s all get together sometime tomorrow then.

△△△: ‘Kaaay! I’ll be sure to tell everyone.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: Misumi-kun, Masumi-kun, Yuki-kun, Tasuku-san, and then Guy-san, Tsuzuru-kun, and Sakyo-san. You guys are the seven members participating in the event.

Izumi: Except for the first few, the members were decided on by Misumi-kun on my behalf this time.

Izumi: Thanks, Misumi-kun!

Misumi: You’re welcome~.

Izumi: Once again, thanks for taking this on, you guys!

Guy: Yes, I will do my best to make this a good event.

Misumi: Let’s all do our best to make this event a success!

Izumi: Yeah, exactly. Alright, here are the details of the event.

Izumi: As I think I’ve told you before, in addition to performing on stage on the day of the event, you’ll also be helping with serving customers.

Izumi: There will be a capsule toy corner, a corner selling stationery, postcards, and stamps, and a letter-writing booth.

Izumi: For any information about the contents of the performance, you can talk to Tsuzuru-kun.

Tsuzuru: I told Director about it earlier, but I’ve actually already started thinking about the script.

Tsuzuru: Now that the plot is somewhat decided on, I’ll give you a rough summary of it and what I’ve got in mind for the casting.

Tsuzuru: The setting is a near-future city where technology is advancing. The young people living in the city have rarely used post offices.

Tsuzuru: And the protagonist is a new postal worker who doesn’t really know what a “letter” is.

Masumi: So even though they hardly know anything about letters, they’re a postal worker.

Tsuzuru: Yeah, so then the new delivery person is doing his job properly while being scolded by a senior delivery person every day…

Tsuzuru: But then when the protagonist delivers a letter written by an older brother to his younger brother, he realizes that there are some feelings that can only be expressed in a letter…

Tsuzuru: And that each letter is written with the recipient in mind and the overall importance of letters.

Sakyo: I see, sounds interesting.

Yuki: And it fits the theme of “To Your Loved Ones…” too.

Tasuku: Yeah, it does. I’m curious about the details of the story and I’m looking forward to acting it out too.

Tsuzuru: Thank you so much.

Tsuzuru: For the casting, I’m thinking Ikaruga-san should be Letra, the protagonist rookie delivery person, and Masumi as Riffle, the other rookie delivery person…

Tsuzuru: And then Yuki as the senior delivery person Stamp, and for the veteran delivery people, Envelope and Tiga, Furuichi-san and Takato-san…

Tsuzuru: Guy-san as Carta, the postmaster, and I’m thinking I’ll be Lease, the older brother sending the letter.

Tsuzuru: I’ll share the script with all of you when I’m finished with it.

Yuki: Near-future postal workers, huh? Am I allowed to start talking costumes yet?

Tsuzuru: Yeah, sure thing. Let’s continue the meeting after this.

Yuki: Yeah, let’s do that.

Izumi: Alright, then I guess everyone aside from Tsuzuru-kun and Yuki-kun is dismissed for the day.

Izumi: Once the script is done, let’s discuss rehearsals and role studies again.

Troupe Members: Yeah!

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

[subwaytostardew]

Will we need to start a new save for this mod? Or for the adoptable Joltik mod?

Adoptable Joltik can be added in at anytime. As for Subway to Stardew, it also can be added at any time. We're working on editing where their house spawns and instead giving them a mini-map to station themselves in for better compatibility (also just having their home station be less ugly).

Previously, we just plopped their house where some trees used to be but well... You would need to use the Reset Terrain Features mod for clean-up.

As for content, it assumes that you're starting a new save so they send letters announcing their arrival on Summer 3rd (when the Railroad opens). Ingo's letter arrives on Spring 1 (mostly just to check if things are working since nothing regarding submas happens for an entire season).

Emmet's arrives on Summer 2nd (and he's a little bitter about how unreliable the Ferngill postal service is as a result).

They're also quite cold to you during the winter as their 0-heart lines are written under the assumption that you ignored them for at least two seasons (and didn't just skip to year 2 like how I usually do when testing...).

That said! Winter 0-heart dialogue under the read-more!

▷ Station Steward Thylak

🥶 Winter 0-Heart Dialogue 🥶

@ - Farmer’s name

◇──◆──◇──◆

▲ Ingo ▲

 "winter_Mon":

"People have said I am quite difficult to ignore due to the volume of my enthusiasm. You, esteemed passenger, have surprised me."

 "winter_Tue":

"Emmet says that it is difficult to trust people... Though I did not want to at first, I now feel as if I must agree... we have been slighted by too many."

"Surely, you wouldn’t confirm that belief... would you?"

 "winter_Wed":

"It has been a year... We have been working on this project for yet another year... and you rarely- if ever- took the time to converse with me."

"May I ask what has changed your tracks? You confuse me greatly..."

"winter_Thu":

"You have been... avoiding me? M-may I ask why?" "People have told me before that I am quite stiff... That is why I try to change the way I present myself. I try to express my enthusiasm verbally so that people can understand how I feel despite my face betraying it. I know I smile... at l-least I try to..."

"I-is that why you've been avoiding me?"

"AH... WHY AM I EVEN DISCUSSING THIS WITH YOU?!"

"I-I need a moment to sort my schedule....."

 "winter_Fri":

"I-if I have done anything to... e-err... have displeased you in any way... I-I apologize for my misconduct..."

 "winter_Sat":

"Am I really so difficult to approach that you have avoided myself for such a duration of time? For what reason have you averted your tracks from my station?"

"Did I perhaps come across as intimidating? I made an effort to not come across as such during that time... Now, I feel as if those efforts went to waste."

 "winter_Sun":

"....."

[Ingo looks to be nervously and meticulously tugging at his uniform sleeves. He seems uncomfortable around you.]

◇──◆──◇──◆

▽ Emmet ▽

 "winter_Mon":

"I am Emmet... you are now trying to get to know me. Why?"

"I do not trust you... even if you are helping... Maybe one day. Or not....."

 "winter_Tue":

"... You picked a verrrrry weird time to try to talk to me. I'm busy right now."

 "winter_Wed":

"......."

"..........."

"You wouldn’t be interested in trains. Especially a station like this."

 "winter_Thu":

"I am here. It took you too long to notice that. You are verrrrrrrrry dense.

"I don’t know why I keep trying.",

 "winter_Fri":

"...... I am Emmet..."

"Are you allergic to me? I know I missed the first spring here. But you did not have to ignore me."

"At least I try to talk to people first. Sometimes. You did not talk to me at all. Now you are."

 "winter_Sat":

"I am- no. I am halting my tracks. What is my name? You never talked to me. Now you are. So. What is my name? Do you even remember?"

 "winter_Sun":

".........."

"...... Why are you talking to me now? This is not your standard operating procedure."

"... It’s been a year. Leave me alone."

[Emmet refuses to speak to you.]

[toughpaperround]

Two-person love triangles

What's one of those when it's on AO3 then? Tropes.org explains.

You may already know some examples: the film ‘You've Got Mail’, or Clark Kent/Lois Lane/Superman or…? Buddie? Madney? Bathena? Henren? Wouldn't it be great!

This is a favourite trope of mine, but sadly not a tag much used in 911 fics. Here are some I found that fit my triangular bill, see if you know of another?

'only hello, hello (no goodbye)' by attolians | @rnercutieo (T, 5k), an early s2 au in which there's a one night stand at a masked ball

‘the mortifying ordeal of being known’ by Polish_Amber (G, 61k), a firefam au with a few major changes from canon. Bobby is glad to hear about his adopted son, Evan’s, new boyfriend. And at work he's also pleased to hear about Eddie's new boyfriend, Buck. Little do they all know… So yeah, a miscommunication triangle with lots of corners but still just two lovers 😊

'Grind(r) on me' by whiskis (E, 10k) in which Buck tries to get over his crush by being on Grindr

'invisible strings (tying you to me)' by joyfulphoenix | @queerdiaz (WIP, T, 6k) in which firefighters dealing with difficulties use a penpal programme to talk it out

'He Loves Me' by @firstdegreefangirl (G, 61k) in which Buck and Eddie have a postal relationship before Eddie starts at the 118 (a fantastic She Loves Me AU)

'I'll Scrawl it on Every Wall I See' by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (T, 30k) [also as a podfic here] in which both Eddie and Buck have a penpal (handy when they can complain to each other about their insufferable coworker)

'gone fishing' by @coldbam [reblog] (M, 9k) in which Buck thinks there's a catfish situation and Eddie just can't come clean

You may like to try this ‘mistaken identity’ tag too? (filtered search result of 911 fics on AO3)

[Rec lists Masterlist]

[thetorturedpoetsfest]

Welcome to Day 19 of The Tortured Poets Fest!

Click the links listed below to check out all of the content our lovely Tortured Poets have created for all of us today! (and go to our bio to access the rest of the AO3 Collection)

✍️ get the matches, toss the ashes by elidereads & @thefogofthefuture 

Ship(s): Theodore Nott/Astoria Greengrass

Rating: M

Summary:

Astoria considers the navy ink. Thinks about the postal owl and her familiar eyes. We would know if they put him back in Azkaban, Draco had always told her. He’s too clever to be found unless he wants to be.

Glancing at Daphne, she says, “It’s Theo.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because I know him.”

(Or: Newly divorced, Astoria Greengrass receives a mysterious letter from someone she hasn’t heard from in five years.)

🕯 even if i die screaming by horansbaex

Ship(s): James Potter/Regulus Black

Rating: M

Summary:

an exploration of grief

The other thing about grief is that it’s a lonely road because Regulus wouldn’t talk about it. Not at school, not with his friends, definitely not with his brother. The days continue to pass and you don’t understand where everyone gets the energy to go out, to fall in love, to be with family, to hang out with friends, because something earthshattering has happened; but you go out, you hang out with family and friends even though something earthshattering has happened. Even so, a shattered earth continues to spin, and Regulus continues going to work, cleaning his apartment, going out with his friends on Tuesdays and Fridays, having breakfast with Sirius on Saturdays and dinner with Lucius and Draco on Sundays.

🗝 unforgivable sins by lucio

Ship(s): Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Draco Malfoy & Narcissa Black Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy & Andromeda Black Tonks

Rating: T

Summary:

“Sacrifices must sometimes be made.”

“And in the name of sacrifice,” you say, voice hard, “you would let him into your ancestral home?” You cannot imagine a bald man with a snake’s eyes ordering you to bring him tea, like a common housewife. Panic seizes you at the thought of what he might do to Draco, what cruel devilry might seep under your son’s door and into his vulnerable mind.

You were raised as a Black. You know, better than most, that whatever the Ministry may deem unforgivable magic, some horrors are unimaginable.

(Or, Lucius invites Voldemort to live in the Manor after disappointing him at the Ministry, and Narcissa decides that this is a step too far. Loosely inspired by The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived by Taylor Swift.)

📜 the price we paid (for peace) by alibraryofsoulsandstars

Ship(s): James Potter/Lily Evans

Rating: Gen

Summary:

“It…it involves us, doesn’t it––this prophecy?”

Lily already knows the answer.

“It does,” Dumbledore confirms gently––gravely.

“...and it isn’t good news, is it?”

Lily Evans Potter has always been made of fire, not ice––and when fate decides to come for her son––oh, does she let it burn and rage.

🖌 Underneath the same moon, in different galaxies by mercurialwitch @mercurial-witch

Ship(s): Remus Lupin/Sirius Black

Rating: M

Summary:

That night, Moony and Padfoot howled at the moon, their hearts beating in sorrowful unison aching for each other.

A glimpse into the lives of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, two separate lives oceans apart.

𓇢𓆸 who's afraid of little old me? (you should be) by avian_TARDIS @avian-tardis

Ship(s): James Potter/Regulus Black

Summary:

Anyone who knows Regulus Black’s story knows that Taylor Swift’s Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? fits him perfectly. Here’s how.

**************

Be sure to check our page for the last day of reveals tomorrow! Until then, Tortured Poets <3

🩶 Your mods,

@wolfpadx @multiimoments @heartsoncover @lemonlans @mercurial-witch @steveahoi damagecontrol & shewritesmaybe

[qwuilty]

How Postal 1 is a playable Tragedy and how Postal 2 followed with a Comedy after it. - A semi formal essay about the narrative and story beats of the beginning of Postal

That's right! This was not an april fool's joke! The only april fool here is me! It's an idea ive been brewing on for a while and it's probably very rambly, but such is life, i hope you enjoy it regardless <3

Before I begin this essay, I would like to clarify a few things. 

One, I want to address right away that while I do try to be critical and non-biased on these sorts of discussions, due to my own personal attachments to specifically Postal 1 Dude, I don't think I will ever be able to make a fully unbiased view of him. Again, I will try my best to, but I hope pointing it out here will make it so you can decide if that’s something you’re okay with. 

Secondly, while i will try to reign myself back a little and not just spew words at you here, i do tend to ramble a little and have trouble connecting points to other points, so if i do please forgive me there. This is meant to be a semi-formal essay, but still I am not a professional writer. Additionally, while i do this analysis of this series, i do not think it is what the creators intended, please do not take this as full canon and all. This is simply for fun and to recollect on the first two games of the series. 

I hope you will understand, and with those disclaimers out of the way, we can begin with the essay.

We begin this essay with Postal (Which I will be calling Postal 1 for the sake of clarity, by the way), a PC-Rom game released in 1997 by the company Running With Scissors, originally published by Take Two Interactive before publishing moved over to Ripcord Interactive. The game was marketed to be intentionally provoking and intense. One example is through fictional interview quotes talking about how he seemed to be fine before the events of the game with a simple question below.

What went wrong?

With little more than that, a picture of an M-16, an invitation to find out at their website below, and a short talk about how to get the demo, it leaves a striking impression on the viewer and a burning curiosity to find out what did go wrong. Other advertisements for the game are similar in nature, being very eye-catching and intense to draw in the reader to want to see more. 

Described by the studio as “The game every gamer wanted and no one else dared to make”, it’s very clear their intention was to bring you in with its more intense subject matter as this game that dared to go where no game had before, to either acclaim or great critical disgust. It is described by the promotional material as a psychological thriller, preparing the incoming viewer for the expectation this game would be intense.

From the advertisements though you can already get the idea there may be something else to this game, introducing Paradise as a town where everyone is out to get you (or are they?), and that whether it is Conspiracy or Insanity, you have no time to question, only to act. This narrative carries over to the game itself, as there is no formal introduction to a story given to the player unless they actively decide to read the manual included in the game’s case (or chose a higher difficulty in the remake, Postal Redux), you are more an outsider to what happens after you press play guiding the Dude through this hell.

However, I think to truly enjoy Postal 1, it is important to consider the journals themselves to get the inner perspective of your player character. Those who do not choose to may take the game at a more surface level with the “dark” cutscene texts and gorey gameplay then simply leave it behind, but the hidden story adds a whole extra level of depth and truly establishes Postal 1 as a tragedy. 

To explain where I am coming from at that point, I would like to establish what makes a tragedy, specifically with Postal 1 being a Domestic Tragedy. (A tragedy in which the characters are middle-class or working-class people instead of nobility or rich people) 

Aristotle’s tragic plot structure starts at the beginning, goes through action, leads to the realization of error, then goes through the falling action and emotional impact of it, eventually releasing the emotions of pity and fear through to the catharsis as the story ends and fear is removed.

While the game does not give much of an actual explanation of what happened in the Dude’s life before the events on October 17th, 1997 even in the diary entries that show his viewpoint, it’s easy to infer there was a rise even before then that he was not doing well mentally. He describes a rising paranoia, belief that the people there are sick, how “I hear gunshots, screams after dark. Now the phone calls, sayin’ i’m being thrown outta this house. My house.”, constantly arming himself with a sidearm and kevlar vest preparing for the incoming perceived impact that he ultimately makes reality.

From there we have our beginning, the game’s levels acting as the actions through the story that lead him on this journey through Arizona. Though initially he tries to find help and contact a sheriff, because he is seemingly so far gone, those efforts are in vain and his belief that everyone else is infected is reinforced. It separates him further from the people around him, believing that he is the only one who can save them from this sickness and that though the journey is bloody, it is for the good of mankind. 

It’s likely at the beginning he intends to save them, but after a while, comes to the conclusion that the area is simply beyond saving, and that he needs to leave a scorched earth behind so he can warn those outside. His condition worsens the further the player goes, covered in blood, bullet wounds, body aching but unable to stop until he sees this desired resolution. As quoted from The Industrial Complex journal, “Too far to quit now. Whatever waits at the Base, I’m going to see it with my own eyes.” and from the Air Force Base as he tries to resolve himself to finish what he set out on, “Me or them. Can’t delay, can’t risk infection.”

Notably in the game’s manual there was no journal given for the ending cutscene in the original game, though I think the one for Redux is also fitting. “I’ve been here before. I know it. But… Something’s changed. Will they understand me? Forgive me? Is this where I find salvation?” One of the main things you’ll probably hear about relating to the differences of Postal 1 and Redux is the ending being changed. 

In Postal 1, the game ends with the Dude making his way to an elementary school in a haze, the player no longer in control as he desperately tries to take aim at them, but nothing he does seems to affect them. Considering unfortunate tragedies in real life, this ending was changed for Redux, where instead the Dude walks up to the end of a church, watching as a coffin is lowered into the ground either alone on Easy to Medium or with two mourners on Hard to Nightmare, and the hostile count goes down from one to none as soon as it’s in the ground. 

Either way, it ends with the Dude collapsing down to the floor, and the game finally ends with pictures of Dude in a hellish confinement and a voice speaking over top. The final speech talks about the stress of modern life before further mentioning how he had perceived himself as a hero against impossible odds, but in reality will now only ever be seen as a mad man who hurt hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

Some may say this ending is an anti-climax or a bad reward for the game, but i think through the lens of a tragedy, it is a perfect ending. Our ‘hero” through the entire game has kept himself standing because he thought he was doing the right thing, that his actions were horrible, but it would be justified by the good he was doing. He does not want them to writhe and suffer, the journey is a horrific nightmare, and there is no sense of pride or that he’s finally getting some kind of vengeance on those who wronged him. But he persists, he moves onwards because he so desperately wants to end this and stop the madness, one that only he sees as reality.

That is where we get the action, right after the Air Base is the Recognition, the point of realization that it was all for naught. In Postal 1, it’s likely this comes at the moment he realizes that he’s not doing anything to them, and unable to simply destroy this ‘threat’, he is forced to stop and think if he’s even been going against any threats at all. How far has he gone to the point he was going to harm innocent children? How many more innocents has he harmed? With Redux that realization is more up to interpretation, whether the casket is where he’s in after he dies and realizes that there’s no recognition of him after his death, or if it’s the last hostile he has to kill, only to realize even with them dead, the world around him has not gotten any better, only worse because of his actions.

The pity and fear comes from the moment inside the cutscenes, and from there the "catharsis", when he is ultimately institutionalized with no seen trial, no fanfare, and is given an analytical view from an off-screen doctor before the game ultimately ends. And again, I think for the game that Postal 1 is, it’s the perfect ending. Because truthfully, was there ever going to be any good ending for him after his collapse? The player either knows or discovers along with him that his journey was for nothing, he killed countless people including potentially civilians who had just happened to get caught in the crossfire, and the grand threat he fought against did not even exist. There are no heroes, there is no triumph, it was all for nothing, and now he is confined to a cell as several hundreds of families have to cope with the loss.

With all of this, I think Postal 1 Dude (and subsequently Postal Redux Dude) is a great tragic “hero” figure, as deep down he wants to do good for the world. If you take the advertisement interviews and hints from others as a sort of semi-canon, it’s implied he was doing good, he was kind to others and liked well enough, but likely due to an untreated and ignored illness began to fall in on himself into a paranoia so deep he could never crawl out. I hear a lot of the notion that he “snaps out of nowhere”, and that he’s just “crazy”, but I think that’s a gross oversimplification of his character.

Even in the moment of it all, he initially tried to go to a higher authority for help but found himself all alone to try and stop this ‘sickness’. His journey is his own personal burden, taken to try and stop anyone from being hurt, at the cost of his health and potentially his own life. But it’s also important to not just consider his intent, but the action caused afterwards. 

Because while he did mean to save others, he still hurt hundreds of people. There are hundreds of families who will never see their partners, their siblings, their children, their friends, all because of one overzealous man who decided he was going to be humanity’s savior. Perhaps it is not just conspiracy or insanity, but instead the poor judgement of a man who truly believes he is doing right being guided along by an outside force who makes him see it through to the end.

In Postal 1, you are the audience to a grand scale tragedy, bringing a man on a journey through hell to a shallow grave where no one is saved, no one is cured, leaving you back on the title screen to think about what you’ve done to him and the people of Paradise.

In Postal 2 you can smoke crack and piss on people.

Okay, sorry for the whiplash, but I had to transition somehow. 

After the release of Postal 1 and subsequent expansions, there was obviously a backlash as well as critical acclaim. The game was banned in several countries, Running With Scissors was personally given a letter by the USPS about the name, and it was pulled off the shelves of several stores. Many books about video game violence and newspapers talked about the game and admittedly got quite a lot about it wrong, like believing the Dude was an ex-postal service worker despite the game never saying so, that there was some sort of score based system for “killing as many innocent victims as possible while they begged for mercy” (Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Gloria DeGaetano, Chapter Two, 1990s: Video Game Violence Increases.), not to mention how many were quick to try and pull a connection between it and horrific tragedies in real life. 

(Quick unprofessional note, the amount of times i saw this one damn quote about a specific killer killing himself “JUST LIKE HOW YOU END LEVELS IN POSTAL!1!” despite that NOT being how you end levels in postal or even the game makes my head physically hurt.)

With this reception of Postal 1, it does make sense for Running With Scissors to decide to take a change of focus when they began work on Postal 2 after the cancellation of their next game, Flesh and Wire. While Postal 1 was more intense in tone and serious, Postal 2 was set to be much more parody focused and had a drastic shift in the appearance of the main character.

While Postal 1 Dude in the concept art and promotional image notably looked disheveled and scared, Postal 2 Dude felt more laid back, engaged in the chaos around him and able to dish it back just as hard. There’s a very noticeable shift even before the game came out, from a man huddled in the corner with a rifle or seemingly startled holding an M-16 (note, i'm pretty sure it is? I am not a gun person, sorry </3) to a man standing with his body facing the player, brandishing his rifle as chaos ensues behind him.

The town of Paradise goes through a similarly drastic change, from a somewhat toned down and realistic feeling environment made of cool and dark colors to a much more exaggerated parody of a small town in Arizona full of bright, warm colors. The game begins with a sweeping view of the town, passing by a road sign warning to “watch for psycho assholes”, a drunk man dancing in the streets as a cat falls asleep, a man is beat by a police officer, and the player can already see several satirical billboards on their way to Dude’s trailer.

The introduction to him is also drastically different, now speaking directly as he wakes up in his obviously run down trailer and gets into an argument with his wife about moving to Arizona to pay for his crack habit, the AC being broken (which he obviously doesn't make better by shooting at it), about chores until he makes his way out of the trailer and kicks away Champ, his car not working, and the Bitch reminding him to get her rocky road. This immediately sets up Dude in this game being much more cynical and snarky, someone who’s been chewed up and spit up by life, and now is dealing with a pretty rough morning.

The game itself follows a pretty similar tone, gone are the unsettling journals, the morality of it all, in this remodel of the series the game has effectively gone from Tragedy to Comedy. More specifically, I think Postal 2 falls under a Farce, which according to the Wordsmyth dictionary, is “a comedy that depends for its humor on quick and surprising turns of events and on exaggerated characters and situations, or the type of humor characteristic of such a play.”, which I feel is very fitting. Running With Scissors put more emphasis on physical comedy, slapstick yet still grotesque violence, bodily function humor, and of course, a lot of satire and parody of life at the time.

The game itself plays as if it were a comedy, each day functioning as a new act as the chores act as the separate jokes, returning jokes such as the Dude’s relationship with his wife and introducing new ones such as the incredibly zealous anti-book protestors burning down a library on Tuesday or the cannibalistic butchers of Thursday. The main sources of these jokes in the game come from two factors, that being the world around Postal Dude is insane and absurd but he still has to make it through each day somehow, and an extreme form of Murphy’s Law, in which anything that could go wrong will, and at the worst possible time.

The ability to make it through these insane events in one piece is what mainly separates Postal 2 Dude from Postal 1 Dude, as while Postal 1 Dude holds onto his sense of justice and morality in the horror he saw and ultimately ended up hurting himself and those around him, Postal 2 Dude is adaptable, able to keep his head above water and make it home despite it all. The game’s increase in the story’s conflict as each hate group begins to target Dude is still joking in nature, just another group of people who hate him and try to kill him on sight, but you’ve got errands to do so you just gotta deal with it.

The ultimate climax of this increasing rise of stakes leads to the final event of Friday, quite literally a full blown apocalypse (complete with a nod to Postal 1 on the newspaper about mind altering gasses and the military being involved) where cats and dogs rain from the sky and everyone and anyone is trying to kill each other, especially you. 

It’s the final big obstacle as you book it back home, this massive hysteria that serves as the big crazy finale until you finally make it home and things shift back to a mundane that now becomes comedic in its own right. Dude returns home, having made it through figurative hell only to be reminded of a joke that comes full circle from the start, the fact he forgot the Rocky Road. The final joke ends with a loud gunshot, implying that while he could make it through all he’s been through that week, having to be there even a moment more made him decide he’d rather spend the night in a hospital or a grave.

In conclusion, the drastic difference between Postal 1 and Postal 2 is incredibly fascinating to me, especially through the lens of them as a traditional Tragedy and Comedy in video game format. While the series has leaned much more to comedy after the release of 2 and Redux did not do as well financially, i think it’s still interesting to look back at the beginning of the series and their adaptation of it later on to see how the Dude began. 

From a desperate and hopeful but ultimately misguided self imposed martyr of humanity who was going to drag along as many as he needed to “save” those outside to a cynical and sarcastic man living in a trailer home making it through each progressively more crazy day to make it home and start a new day after that, you can fully feel the shift in tone from the soundtrack to the design to the gameplay of the games itself.

I do think it was probably for the best that Postal had turned more comedic as time went on, it seems to be more where Running With Scissors are able to fit their writing, however i still look back at Postal 1 very fondly and hope to see more of those tragedy elements come back for a bit in the jokes. It’s a compelling narrative and even if they say it has no story, i’ll always think the story it DOES have is very underrated.

Here’s to hoping for that Postal 4 weekend expansion?

[cult-rangoons]

various brain damaged dudes stuff!!!!!! The last one is a joke i made but it does not make any sense. I just wanted to make a NIN reference i guess💀💀

in the first one other dude is explaining how he is going to torture dude forever and ever and ever

[the-feral-one]

"Y' can't put any more pauses on the weddin' preps, Peseta!"

Peseta continued to give Chester an unimpressed look as the two golden mons ate at a table outside one of the Mesagoza sandwich shops.

"I know, Chester.." Peseta began before they were stopped by Chester.

"If y' keep fings 'alted, Wo an' Oki won't get a weddin' at all..! Y' 'ave to put it above the Blissey fing, at least..!"

"Chester, people are staring." Peseta said quietly as they looked to the side.

"So what? I get funny stares from ev'ryone when I fall off me board while on paper routes! Doesn't get me down, an' it shouldn't do anyfing like that t' you eivvah..!" Chester got up and went towards the nearby stairs. "Sort this out, sooner ravvah that later, mate..!"

"Wait, Chester..!" Peseta quickly said, holding an arm out to stop the other Gholdengo from setting off. "Before you go...I have been thinking about how this can progress, despite this situation that has been thrown at us without warning. Just...hear me out, will you?"

Chester folded his arms. "Oh yeah? What 'ave you got, mate?"

The two Gholdengos continued to talk for a few minutes more, before Chester sped off. Peseta watched as Chester went towards the Paldea Postal HQ.

Once he was there, Chester was quick to gather what he needed before setting off again. After exiting Mesagoza, he started making his way towards Grasswither, making sure to not interrupt the battles that trainers and their mons were having with the mutated Blisseys.

"Wo-Chien, lemme in!" Chester called out once he got close enough to the shrine doorway.

Wo was able to move out of the way. but he couldn't stop Chester from stumbling over the entrance and falling over.

"Are you alright? What has made you come over here in such a hurry?" Wo asked as he looked over him with concern.

Chester got up and shook himself before responding.

"Peseta needs assistance wiff makin' th' weddin' invites. Ogerpon an' 'er siblin's are around 'ere, 'm guessin'?"

Wo looked around at the shrine entrance, then back to Chester.

"They should be. The last time I saw them, they had ran off to--"

An explosion was heard, followed by shouts of "Gross!" and "Eeeww!". The third voice was quieter, saying that all three needed to be cleaned up, and that they should head indoors.

After Chester had told the three siblings about what was going on, Ogerpon and Pink ran out of the shrine with a loud "Yaaay!". Spot followed them soon after, calling out to them for them to wait for her to catch up.

Chester then turned to see Wo-Chien.

"I'm unsure when they'll be back, big guy. Peseta'll keep 'em safe as 'ouses, though."

Wo nodded. "As long as they don't get into any bother at the academy."

Chester gave the snail a confident look.

"Peseta'll make sure they don't make a mess of their room too. Y'know 'ow much they like fings t' be in ordah."

Wo nodded again. "Mhm."

"Y' need anyfing else before I go back t' Mesagoza, Wo?" Chester asked. Wo had a thought, then looked at him, eye widening a little.

"I do need some assistance with a project that I have been thinking about recently."

"Oh-ho?" Chester rubbed his hands together. "What's on yer mind, big guy?"

Wo tapped a vine on where his chin would be.

"It's about how I can share what I grow in the allotment with a friend of mine."

"I'm all ears!" Chester said as he leaned on the table beside him.

As Wo started to discuss what was on his mind, Spot had helped to get Ogerpon and Pink to the academy. The three siblings had to fight off a few Blisseys along the way, but soon, they made it to Peseta's room. After knocking on the door, they were let in.

Ogerpon and Pink were quick to start raiding Peseta's drawers for art materials before the shiny Gholdengo could talk to them. Spot had held herself back.

"Just make sure that you don't..." Peseta looked at Ogerpon and Pink, who had piled what they were going to use beside them in a messy way. "...make a mess of the floor..."

Spot joined them as they sat at their desk.

"I'll give the names on the invite list to you.." Peseta said to the Malamar as they wrote said names on a post-it. "..and you can give them to Ogerpon and Pink as they make the invites."

Spot held the post-it after Peseta had written onto it. "Uh, y-yes, right.."

She joined her siblings on the floor in front of the desk and gave them a name to put on the invites as they were made. Peseta had started typing again.

"Wedding invites are being made. Hopefully, we'll get them out soon. I just hope that the one that can deliver them doesn't get lost when they're ready to send out."

--

(Now to doodle some Wo x Oki wedding invites!)

[4ragon]

any book recommendations?

Dooooooont fucking do this to me ahhhh okay. Okay. I have read 72 books so far this year and I have been having a blast so you may be unleashing a monster, let me just look through my Goodreads and see what I’ve read. I’ll put it under the cut so no one murders me.

Also. Mostly fantasy, fair warning. I like fantasy.

First!!! Since I finished it yesterday:

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

Debut novel, it’s a magical murder mystery romance with fun characters and magic and a bisexual main character, I had a blast with it. Plenty of twists and turns, some I predicted and some that managed to blindside me.

Also it literally just came out this year so no one else is posting about it. My library only just got it this month. Someone needs to talk to me about how fucked up some of this is.

(Also, I’d rate it M if it were on ao3. Lots of sex jokes. Suicidal characters. Be aware of that.)

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Okay fair warning, every book in here is 1000 pages long. That is not hyperbole. Also some heavy themes, ie suicide, abuse, slavery, murder.

But this book is a MASTERCLASS in worldbuilding. Like. Holy shit this man puts so much detail in this series. I’ve only read through book 2 (well 2.5) and while it did take a bit to get through the initial hurdle of “I’m going to introduce a million fantasy concepts to you and you have to fucking roll with it” it’s well worth it. A lush world with some amazing characters. I’m enjoying the series.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

It’s a bunch of heists in a magical gritty setting with a bunch of awful people and I loved it a ton. Though it did make me really anxious. So anxious. Heist movies make me anxious. I love these guys.

I do think it’s weird to have them be 17 but I choose to ignore that. It’s got a great cast, and it’s sooooo fun to watch a plot unfold. It’s really good at giving you just enough information to constantly be at the edge of your seat.

Here’s one a bit out of left field: The Color Purple by Alice Walker

A musical version came out and I wanted to read the book before even touching that. And guys. One of the best books I’ve ever read. But. Trigger warning times 1000 by page 1, REALLY heavy. It’s the kind of book that beats you down for a while before things get better.

But they do get better. They do.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Queer as hell, angry as hell, basically mechs fighting aliens in a setting based loosely on ancient China. I was not expecting the romance to go the way it did but it made me very happy, and I’m so excited for the next book.

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

I’ve talked about this before. I love you Murderbot.

They’re all very short, action packed novellas. More serialized than I expected but that’s part of the charm! Plus Murderbot is such a great character. My favorite is the one actually novel length one but the whole thing is great.

Discworld by Terry Pratchett

This is a whole series you can read in any order. They’re genuinely laugh out loud funny and also heartfelt and beautiful . My favorites so far have been Guards! Guards!, Going Postal and Reaper Man

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

I know we’ve all run the “Lesbian necromancers in space” thing into the ground, but also Gideon may be one of my favorite characters in anything ever. She’s so fucking fun. She’s funny and crass in a way I feel like female protagonists rarely get to be. I love her.

Also. I have no idea what the fuck is happening. I think that’s part of the charm. Lots of worldbuilding going on in the background that makes no sense until the end and then you’re like holy shit. I love it.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales

So mix Pride and Prejudice with a murder mystery novel and the ridiculousness of a Discworld novel and you have this book. It’s so fun. One of the background characters is clearly a werewolf and it has nothing to do with the rest of the plot.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

I’ve already gushed about this book but it’s so found family. The absolute coziest feel-good novel I’ve read. Plus it’s queer as hell! One of my absolute favorites.

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

This book was just beautiful. Another one with some heavy themes, but I loved it. Aliens and demons, queer, trans mc, about music and hope and found family. Plus it got be back into reading so! It holds a special place in my heart.

Sorry. That was a lot. That’s not even all of them but these were some of my favorites.

[thelreads]

Sorry Phelps, but you certainly should, at least for those three.

Now, how far do your “knowledge” about her not being a typical villain goes, I wonder...

Oh didn`t you knew Soga? They talked to her, but she had amnesia, she couldn`t remember anything from the last two years, it was like that time skipped in her brain.

And after that she fell into a coma, we aren`t sure when she`ll wake up.

Also her hospital got hijacked by postal workers demanding an union deal, we are still debating whether we should nuke the whole place, like America does

That sigh better be about postal workers on strike, because if she does have amnesia or is in a coma I`m going to fucking lose my shit.

[potterandpromises]

sorry for not winning you an arcade ring: chapter 4

In which I do not let Theo rest.

[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3]

Also on AO3

(Picks up directly after the last chapter)

In the passenger seat, Theo avoids looking at the others and regrets not finding his own way home.

The car starts, and Will sets his phone in Theo’s lap. It’s open to the new contact page.

He stares at it.

What had the letter said? that Will felt bad Theo didn’t know? It’s not exactly an invitation for dinner with the family. But he hasn’t entirely, outright rejected Theo either. That’s what kills him. It would be easier if he’d informed Theo of the relation coldly via the US postal service. Hell, it’d be easier if Will had welcomed him with open arms, then all he’d have to do is refuse or decide to go along with it. As it stands, he has no idea how to respond.

He gives it several seconds of deliberation, and decides to give Will his number. It’s just practical. He could always block him later, if the want arises. He enters his name as Theo Dimas, in case Will knows more then one Theo, and hands it over without eye contact.

Desperate for a distraction, he pulls out his own phone.

Mabel texted. He won’t dwell on the immense relief the name ‘M. M.’ gives him.

Things are okay here. Charles only had one nosebleed so far, my mom threw a tissue at him. You?

The corners of Theo’s lips turn up. He doesn’t let himself second guess his message.

Will just told me he’s my half brother.

She responds immediately.

?????

Well, at least he isn’t the last person in New York to know.

Sorry, I’m sure Oliver will fill you in.

The typing bubble lingers too long.

How are you doing?

It’s a good question.

I don’t know.

In the mirror, Oliver pulls out his phone. It could be a coincidence, of course, but Theo imagines it’s a text from Mabel, wonders if she correctly guessed what happened or if she’s asking Oliver if he fucked Theo’s mom.

He bites back a laugh, barely, feels something like a cough escape. He could have lived his whole life without imagining that. Not with this crowd, apparently.

He reads up through his and Mabel’s short text chain without thinking about it, comes to: I promise I won’t keep showing up at your door just because I want something.

It beguiles him, that sentence, her; and scares him. He still doesn’t know what she meant.

A new message: I’m here if you want to talk about it.

So, he’s not alone. She’s there for him. Even as that thought cozies him, another sinks it’s teeth in: is it for the best? For years he didn’t let himself have close relationships. The risk, if they discovered the worse half of his job, was just too great.

But, that’s over now.

Thanks.

Will, in Theo’s peripheral, looks calmer now that he’s unburdened himself of his secret. Would he have been eaten alive, had Teddy raised him? Or would his dad not have dragged a hearing son into the family side business, and let him carve his own path?

Would Will have put up with it, the way Theo had?

New questions— probably unanswerable— for him to rotate in his mind at night.

In the backseat, Oliver gets into some story of his— something about a ‘Judy,’ possibly— Will smiles and the world feels a little more ordered.

Still, they pull up to the Arconia and Theo doesn’t linger for goodbyes.

He walks a dozen feet down the street, towards the subway, and someone grabs his forearm, fingers squeezing.

The stranger says something, anger lining her face. Theo points to his ear, shakes his head, and reaches for his wallet.

“— know you’re deaf.”

Theo tries to recall this woman’s face, keeps his hand in his pocket. If she’d ever been at the funeral home, he doesn’t remember her.

“So pay attention when I tell you— ruined my— ‘s life.” He’s not in danger, probably. He can take this, should take it. “—in pain.” He swallows. “You caused that.”

He glances behind her, tries to determine how loud she’s being.

Oh.

Oliver is staring. Mabel pushes past him.

The family resemblance is clear. It’s the same tension, the same anger. Theo cups the back of his neck, steps backward.

He thinks he sees the words ‘don’t’ and ‘have to help me’ on Mabel’s lips but that could be wishful thinking. He won’t stick around. This is between mother and daughter. He turns away, walks quickly.

No one stops him.

—

He goes home— back to his own apartment, that is, and sinks into his bed.

A sob convulses through him, aches his abdomen. It dissipates as quickly as it came.

He stares at the calling, imagines, for some reason, the spreading brown stain of decomposition. He hasn’t even taken off his shoes, much less his jacket. He’ll have to wash the comforter, later.

His phone vibrates in his pocket.

Mabel.

Would his stomach not be leadened if it were someone else?

I’m really, really sorry about that. My mom has issues with boundaries.

A twitch of a smile graces his lips. How relatable; he doesn’t write.

I understand. Don’t worry about it. I have some stuff to take care of today and tomorrow.

He sends the text before he can promise himself to her for the future. She might not want him anymore. He might get hit by a bus.

Or fall off a roof.

He turns his phone off.

He really does have work to do, spreadsheets to stare through. He’ll take a videophone call in the evening, a zoom meeting in the morning.

For dinner, he eats mildly questionable leftover deli food. He sleeps fitfully. (Slip or push, slip or push, slip or push.)

When he feels okay, and when he isn’t thinking about Mabel, or about the case, it’s almost like nothing’s changed.

Almost.