#must go check out the zine now!

[aktyzine]

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ PREORDERS ARE NOW OPEN⋆⁺₊⋆

Preorders for ECLIPSE: An AkiToya Zine are now open from June 15th to July 31st!

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Check out our bundles below the cut!

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ FIRST CONTACT SPECIAL⋆⁺₊⋆

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This will last until JUNE 17TH, 11:59PM EST! 

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ TOTAL ECLIPSE - DELUXE FULL BUNDLE ($75 USD) ⋆⁺₊⋆

Includes physical zine (+ digital PDF) and ALL merch:

4 4x6” Postcards

2 Photocards

1 Photostrip

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1 Sticker Sheet

2 Holo Tickets

1 Lanyard

2 PVC Fans

1 Acrylic Charm

2 Downloadable Icons

This bundle is eligible for stretch goals.

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1 Sticker Sheet

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2 Downloadable Icons

This bundle is eligible for stretch goals.

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4 4x6” Postcards

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1 Photostrip

3 Die-cut Stickers

1 Sticker Sheet

2 Holo Tickets

2 Downloadable Icons

This bundle is NOT eligible for stretch goals.

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ORDER NOTES ⋆ ★

All items are available for PREORDER. Manufacturing will begin in August, then shipping will begin ASAP. Digital PDFs will be sent out once the shipping period begins.

We will post updates on our social media!

Please note that all Etsy orders are ONLY For the EU/UK region. Any non-EU/UK orders through Etsy will be refunded and we will contact you regarding your order. All orders for other regions must go through our Bigcartel. 

⋆ ★ The ECLIPSE Mod Team is so excited to present the result of our hard work! Thanks for continuing to support ECLIPSE and we hope you like the zine! We couldn’t have gotten here without our lovely contributors!

Information 

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⋆ ★ Schedule: https://aktyzine.carrd.co/#schedule

Please e-mail us at aktyzine(@)gmail(.)com if you have any private questions!

[librarycards]

do you have any resources or advice on how to help people who have manic episodes or who could possibly harm others according to antipsych principles? my friend diagnosed with bipolar disorder has been looking into checking themself into a hospital, and their home situation isn’t the best though their dad somewhat tries to be supportive, but i wonder what other options there are. the most i can do is offer some emotional support and give advice since i live too far away to be of much help otherwise. sorry if this is the wrong place to ask.

hello, and thanks for your patience on my response - this week has been busy and i'm only just now getting to asks!

here is an excellent piece by Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu on providing support for comrades in crisis, many of these tips are very applicable to distance-relationships too! bipolar comrades/others who have manic episodes are also welcome and very encouraged to reply and share what kinds of supports work best for them.

There are also a series of free zines/books by the Fireweed Collective (FKA the Icarus Project), particularly Navigating The Space Between Brilliance And Madness: A Reader & Roadmap Of Bipolar Worlds. This is a great way to learn more about a variety of bipolar experiences to better contextualize your friend's.

here are some tips based on personal experience being close to multiple people with bipolar, while not being bipolar myself:

create balance within yourself + project it - it's tempting to get yourself wrapped up in others' big feelings, especially if they trigger you. but it's crucially important to maintain a (porous!) barrier between you and your friend, both as a way of maintaining your own peace and providing something sturdy for them to lean on. this means taking what they say/do in the midst of crisis and placing it "beside" your own feelings, rather than integrating it and responding viscerally in the moment.

neither "reality checking" nor "reality confirming". this is tricky. it's pointless to tell someone "you're wrong, you can't do that, etc." when they're experiencing a different reality than you. it is also harmful to encourage someone to act on beliefs that are not actually aligned with their values, but instead the result of a state of crisis. i try to use phrases like "that sounds ___," "that must be ____," "i can see how you'd feel ____" and similar, both to affirm their own lived experience and to avoid reifying it as objective truth.

know when to step away. mania is draining for literally everyone involved, and what people do to their loved ones in the midst of a manic episode can be incredibly harmful, even if occurring alongside grand gestures of generosity, productivity, etc. you are not your friend's keeper, and your feelings and well-being matter just as much as theirs. do you both have mutual friends you can tap into to provide support when you're burnt out? these friends might also be able to offer some strategies that you or i haven't thought of. it's important to say that this support shouldn't be constant "did you use substances today" "did you drive recklessly today" other surveillance type stuff. try to maintain a normal rhythm to your conversations, and when something that makes you go ??? comes up, try framing your response as a question. "i'm going to finish writing and editing my novel today and start two new books and apply for this and that grant" - you could say, "that's a ton of stuff. why do you need to do it all today?" this creates space for other possibilities without forcing it.

your friend doesn't need advice right now, they need support! the person who needs advice, i think, is your friend's dad. are you and him directly in touch, and is there any way that you could get in touch with him? since you're online, i don't know the details here; it may work best when your friend is no longer manic and you two can speak frankly about how best to support them. i do suggest making a crisis plan with him/whoever they're close to irl.

I hope this is somewhat helpful!

[de-fanzine-cpr-pale]

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

To submit your ART go >HERE<.

To submit your WRITING go >HERE<.

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE October 27th at 11:59 EST (3:59 UTC).

SATURDAY OCTOBER 19, 2024 at 3:59 AM UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

LINK: DUE DATE TIME AND DATE IN YOUR TIME ZONE

If you need more time, direct message (DM) me on Discord at dr.tycho or on Tumblr @de-fanzine-cpr-pale as soon as possible. Will be less lenient as I have already given a week extension! Thank you for your understanding.

Please do not post your submission publicly online anywhere until the zine is released! Thank you!

~~~

READ BELOW FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO SUBMIT AND HOW

If you are doing mixed media (both art and writing), please fill out both forms!

If you are doing a collaboration (collab), fill out the part of the collaboration you are doing (art if you are the artist, writing if you are the writer).

If you have any questions about submissions or this form, DM me on Discord at dr.tycho or on Tumblr @de-fanzine-cpr-pale as soon as possible.

If you submit something, and you did NOT fill out the sign-up form (I will be cross-checking), I will not accept your submission! Please direct message (DM) at @de-fanzine-cpr-pale or @p0rchc0ll4ps3, and we can figure something out! Sign-ups may be closed, but I will accept anyone who still wants to join who is willing to work on a tighter schedule (I will not be giving you an extension unless certain circumstances come up and are discussed with me).

~~~

General Guidelines

If you do not provide either name or username (neither are required), you will be listed as "Anonymous."

As per the theme of the zine, lyrics should be included in your piece or in the title!

Optional but highly encouraged! Include the theme of past, present, or future in your work. More information below the cut.

Writing must be submitted as a PDF only. The PDF must include only prose. The file name should be USERNAME_NAME_OF_PIECE. Italics must be denoted in game style (*word*).

Art must be submitted as a LINK to your submission from IMGUR or Google Drive. Make sure downloads are allowed. Art must be 300 DPI resolution. Art must be 5400 ⨯ 3633 pixels (A3, landscape) for full spread, 2500 ⨯ 3713 pixels (A4, portrait) for single page, or 2621 ⨯ 3847 pixels (A4, portrait) per page (up to five (5) pages) for comics. File name should be USERNAME_NAME_OF_PIECE.

REMINDER! Sexual NSFW, 18+ and fetish content, and suggestive themes are NOT ALLOWED. We have minors participating in this zine. Submissions found with any of this content will result in a ban from the zine and potential future zines organized by me (k1ll3r-k4rg0 / p0rchc0ll4ps3).

Depictions of heavy topics ARE allowed within reason, but just remember to list them in the provided space on the forms! We are not trying to make an X rated / whump zine, but the game does deal with darker themes. Thank you for your understanding!

Twitter Version HERE

More In-Depth Guidelines and Format Examples Under the Cut

This information is the same as the information found on each form.

THEME OPTION

Does your piece describe past memories, present events, or future hopes and fears? You do not need to strictly adhere to this. These themes are a way to thematically tie everyone's pieces together as well as provide an organization scheme to the zine. This zine is intended to be a scrapbook of memories, after all.

Past relates to things that have happened before the events of the game, memories you or the characters want to preserve or forget. Present relates to events of the game as well as things that happen around those events, the new life that the characters are going into, unexplored territories, and bonds forming and breaking. This is the here and now. Future relates to events that happen way ahead from now. Revolution, for example, or the failure to achieve it. Whatever you may think the characters will be going through in the months and years to come after the main events of the game. Whatever hopes or dreams or fears they may have.

ZINE FORMATTING

The format on the zine will appear as follows:

ARTISTS

SUBMISSION TITLE [submission image] YOUR NAME (your username)

OR

SUBMISSION TITLE YOUR NAME (your username) [submission image]

Content warnings for art will appear at the beginning of the zine (subject to change).

WRITERS

Your Name (your username) Submission Title Word Count Submission Characters + Relationships (if any) Tags (if any) Content Warnings (if any) Submission Summary [submission]

GUIDELINES

>Artists<

You must submit a LINK to your submission from IMGUR or Google Drive. Make sure downloads are allowed.

As per the theme of the zine, lyrics should be included in your piece or in the title!

Art must be 300 DPI resolution. The size on your canvas should be set to PIXELS (px) or POINTS (pt).

File name should be USERNAME_NAME_OF_PIECE. If you do not have a username, use your name, and if you have neither just title it ANONYMOUS_NAME_OF_PIECE.  Example Given: k1ll3r-k4rg0_endlessly.png

Submit ONE of these: Page Artists: Double Page A3 Landscape or Single Page A4 Portrait Comic Artists: Comic Pages Sized A4 (Up to Five (5) Pages)

If you do not follow sizing guidelines, I may have to crop your image.

Page Artists:

Please submit 1 piece of art that features a clean sketch, clean line art, or no line art that is fully colored or toned (includes grayscale / monotone).

Double-Page Spread Art (A3, Landscape Horizontal, Wide [     ]) ——5400 ⨯ 3633 pixels (px) (4050 ⨯ 2725 points (pt)) landscape

LAYOUT EXAMPLE:

Single-Page Spread Art (A4, Portrait Vertical, Tall [ ] ) ——2500 ⨯ 3713 pixels (px) (1875 ⨯ 2785 points (pt)) portrait

LAYOUT EXAMPLE:

Comic Artists:

Please submit five (5) maximum pages of art that feature a clean sketch, clean line art, or no line art that are fully colored or toned (includes grayscale / monotone).

Comic (A4, Portrait Vertical, Tall [ ] ) ——2621 ⨯ 3847 pixels (px) (1966 ⨯ 2885 points (pt)) portrait

LAYOUT EXAMPLE:

If you do not follow sizing guidelines, I may have to crop your image.

>WRITERS<

Writers: Please submit one (1) piece of writing no longer than five thousand words (5k). The writing can be prose, a poem, a script, etc. It must be in English, as I have to make sure the content is not breaking any rules. Your piece should be polished! (basically: if you are not good at grammar, that is okay; I would simply suggest you look over the piece / edit it / polish it before submitting!).

Please submit a PDF only.

As per the theme of the zine, lyrics should be included in your piece or in the title!

Italics must be denoted in game style (*word*).

Submit the PDF with prose only.All the extra information such as title, word count, characters, tags, etc. should be filled out in this form.

File name should beUSERNAME_NAME_OF_PIECE. If you do not have a username, use your name, and if you have neither just title it ANONYMOUS_NAME_OF_PIECE.  Example Given: k1ll3r-k4rg0_endlessly.pdf

LAYOUT EXAMPLE:

[kayawolfhorse]

Enter: the End?

My piece for @trafficzine! Check out the full zine for the properly formatted version.

—☾—

FADE IN:

EXT. SECRET KEEPER — MID-DAY

WE OPEN with a greyscale montage of the events leading up to the scene.

SCOTT sacrifices himself to GEM against the SECRET KEEPER’s stony shroud. GEM lowers her head, grief briefly savored, before taking position on top of the boulders that make up the SECRET KEEPER’s shoulders, shooting at the faraway figures of SCAR and PEARL. GEM’s eyes shine, but her mouth is set in a hard, determined line. With one last release of an arrow, GEM steps off the rock, slings her bow across her back, and breaks into a run.

CUT TO:

EXT. OPEN FIELD — AFTERNOON

WE’RE SHOWN an establishing shot of the grassy field behind the SECRET KEEPER. Its surface slopes in gentle hills and the far end borders the lake. Various bases can be seen ringing the edges. The sky overhead is clear, but the early winter air brings a bite.

GEM, a general lacking her army, a red name with mismatched eyes, trudges forward, stopping at the center of the field beside a gnarled oak tree.

GEM

(To herself)

I don’t think I can fight Pearl. I think Pearl wins this.

In the distance, PEARL and SCAR are splotches of red and black.

GEM

Pearl has a lot of hearts.

GEM holds her SHIELD closer to her body and tightens her grip on her SWORD as she watches PEARL, a fiercely loyal ally turned teamless, and SCAR, a smooth-tongued salesman with nothing to lose, draw closer. The pair sports matching bloodlust on their faces, eager to end this.

GEM straightens up. She loosens the tension from her shoulders and steadies the tremble in her hands. GEM knows that this may very well be her demise. She doesn’t plan on going down without a fight.

PEARL stops at the top of the squat hill GEM is standing beneath, and raises her BOW. Her expression is layered as she aims at her friend-turned-foe, her exhale a puff of steam. PEARL has chosen her victor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure he wins.

PEARL

Don’t make me do this, Gem!

PEARL shoots, and GEM ducks behind the tree with a grunt.

GEM

Pearl! I’m not making you do anything!

PEARL

You’re making me do this right now!

PEARL continues to shoot as GEM sprints away.

GEM

What are you doing? We were friends!

PEARL:

(Overlapping)

I don’t know! I don’t know, Gem!

GEM twists to the side and throws an ENDER PEARL, and after a moment she disappears in a poof of purple particles, teleported into the lake. GEM swims up and breaks the surface at shore, SCAR running up to meet her.

SCAR

(Through a sharp grin)

Hi, Gem!

GEM strikes SCAR with her sword, her motions quick and brutal. SCAR stumbles, but is fast to recover. Their swords clash together as they exchange blows, whittling down each other’s rows of hearts. PEARL races to join the action.

PEARL

Gem, do you wanna sword this out with me right now?

SCAR and GEM continue their fight. GEM’s sword snags against SCAR’s poncho and tears the fabric. SCAR grimaces as the blade reaches flesh, and deep red stains the poncho darker.

PEARL

(With a shrug)

Oh, you’re gonna sword this out with Scar right now.

GEM’s WOLVES charge into battle in defense of their master, biting at SCAR’s heels. PEARL leaps into the fray, landing in front of GEM, her sword clanging against GEM’s shield. PEARL darts to GEM’s side to slice at her unprotected flank, and SCAR draws back in at the front.

GEM

(Scoffing)

2 vs 1? Oh, you guys are gross.

GEM retreats, throwing down LAVA in her wake. The edges of it lick at her cape, and GEM must use her WATER BUCKET to extinguish herself.

SCAR continues his pursuit, getting momentarily caught in the spilt water, but it doesn’t slow him for long. With a long sweep of the arm, SCAR thrusts his sword forward, stealing more of GEM’s hearts with a stab.

GEM

You guys are gross!

GEM meets SCAR’s next move with a parry of her own, PEARL standing off to the side, close enough to provide backup if needed, but letting GEM and SCAR fight. SCAR’s next attempt lands, and a sharp gasp is forced from GEM’s throat. GEM staggers back a step, and SCAR uses the opportunity to close the distance between them, slashing once, twice, three times. GEM’s moves become desperate as she returns the blows but is unable to block, taking as many hits as she lands.

PEARL

C’mon Scar, you've got this. You’ve got this!

With a final arc of his sword, SCAR defeats GEM, the remainder of her hearts depleted. WE SEE thunder CRACK across the cloudless sky and WE HEAR thunder BOOM as GEM’s body vanishes.

CUT TO:

INT. COTTAGE — AFTERNOON

For SCAR and PEARL, the game is not yet over. But for GEM, her time has come; lives bled dry.

WE SEE a brief flash of GEM’s cottage interior, empty and eerie, that pulls out through the window into an OVERVIEW of the surrounding area, SWEEPING ACROSS the cherry blossom grove, its cottages and farms marred by destruction, before PANNING OUT to the rest of the server. The camera ZOOMS IN on the SECRET KEEPER, shrouded in shadow despite the sun, and with one final thunderous BOOM, the screen FADES TO BLACK.

FADE OUT:

[oh-snapperss]

The King's Sunrise and the Rebellion's Golden Hour

Hello! This is a piece I wrote several months ago for @hermitseasonzine! Now that the zine is out, I'm excited to share this with you all:)

(be sure to check out the zine!)

(read on ao3!)

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

At dawn, the preparations began. Most of the server slumbered, but for the king and his maker, rest would come with the end of their reign. They entered the throne room silently, somber and contemplating; the king stood before his throne, and the maker to the side. After a moment of reverent peace, they began. 

“Bring forth mine armor, Bdubs.” Ren adjusted his glasses, peering over to his kingmaker. The armor was strapped on the king with such pomp and circumstance as the king required. The gray light was giving way to muted shades of color when Bdubs spoke. 

“Your sword, my liege.” Bdubs knelt at Ren’s feet, presenting the sword above his head. Ren bowed his head, the weight of the crown enough to threaten his balance. He’d toppled over before – but not today, the most important of his days as king. 

“Thank you, Sir Bdubs.” Ren took the sword, looking up from the kingmaker. “We shall die today, I’m afraid.” 

“No, my king! We will be victorious!” Bdubs hastened to his feet. Ren met his eyes, sheathing his sword to reach for the cape that clasped over his armor–the mark of a king, of one about to fall. He’d had it made red, for this day – red as the blood that would stain the deepslate of the vault later. 

A snicker from the doorway of the throne room cut through the air, and Ren spun around to face whoever had interrupted–

“Sir Cleo!” Ren gasped, appalled. “The king is most displeased at your disrespect in his final hours!” 

Cleo’s lips twitched, eyeing the juxtaposition between Bdubs in his mossy cloak and Ren in gleaming netherite. “My… my deepest apologies, my lord! Please, do…” she gestured vaguely between them, “carry on your most kingly of tasks and… preparations for the event later.” 

“Thank you, Sir Cleo,” Ren turned back to Bdubs, who seemed to be holding back words of his own. “You may continue.” 

“You’ve been a great king, my liege,” Bdubs started back, eyes flitting to where Cleo was, before taking the cape from Ren. “Allow me.” 

Ren knelt, allowing the full weight of the crown to weigh his head down. “I fear what may come of this. Those ruffians broke into my most private of areas! They must not succeed today!” 

Another muffled snort came from the doorway, followed by a cough. 

“But, my king–” Bdubs moved towards Ren, draping the cape over Ren’s shoulder like a shroud billowing over one lost. “You have created the most magnificent of vaults! They’ll never break in! They’ll never even get past me!” 

Ren rolled his shoulders, settling the cape fully as he rose back up. “The world is unkind, Bdubs. You must do your duty, even as we fall in noble battle to those miscreants.” 

Ren turned to Cleo. “Sir Cleo–would you stop that!” 

Cleo uncovered her mouth, shoulders still shaking slightly from the silent laughs they had been holding back. “I–I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, my liege. I am simply… doing my duty! To you!” 

“You’re the worst, Cleo,” Ren informed them, deadpan. “Let me have this, I’m a theatre kid!” 

“Fine!” Cleo straightened up. “My liege, who will take the crown after you fall?” 

“I know not. But know that you are worthy.” Ren turned back around. “Bdubs, please ring the bell for the rest of the knights to come and pay their homage at the square table.” 

“It will be done, my liege,” Bdubs knelt one more time, and Ren wondered – would that be the final time the kingmaker knelt for the king? 

The sunrise peeked over the horizon, bathing the throne room in warm light as they left. Ren felt deeply satisfied - his theatrics for the day were off to a wonderful start!  

—- Meanwhile, on the Hermitcraft Server —-

“Three… two… one… GO!” Gem called. 

Pearl broke into a sprint. Nearby, Impulse huffed, keeping pace. To Pearl’s left, Gem’s hair flew out behind her. In the distance, Pearl’s alien plants seemed to turn towards the blazing sun, while shadows cast from Gem’s castle gave blessed shade over the three runners. This was their third run of the day. But Pearl needed a break from her building, Impulse was looking just slightly too pale for a dwarf that spent the majority of his time underground, and Pearl personally believed that Gem needed the challenge for enrichment purposes. 

Focus. 

Still sprinting, Pearl spotted the bows up ahead. She reached them just a breath ahead of Gem, and grabbed hers, tucked into a roll, came upright, and shot the arrow at her target – King Rendog’s head. 

“Dang it!” Pearl cursed when her arrow flew to the left. A second arrow, Gem’s, whistled a merry tune past her ear, and sailed right into the target. Impulse wasn’t too far behind, his arrow impacting nearly on the target’s heart. 

“Nice!” Gem cheered. Pearl offered Impulse a high-five. 

“It was sheer luck, I didn’t even aim-” Impulse started, but Pearl shook her head. 

“Luck or not, that was incredible!” Pearl stretched her arms out. “Jog back around to the front of the castle, then a break?” 

“Sounds good to me,” Gem agreed, and they were off. They kept pace with each other, running slower since the sun didn’t cast nearly as much shade on this side of the castle. By the time they reached the entrance, Pearl could feel beads of sweat on her neck, and she sat down on the steps. Impulse sat with her, but Gem stayed on her feet, bouncing up and down with that boundless energy of hers. 

Impulse perked up after a few moments of heavy breathing. “Oh, guys, I brought something to celebrate the King’s downfall tonight!” 

“Oh?” Gem came over, peering over Impulse’s shoulder as if she could see the contents of the enderchest Impulse had placed. “Is it–” 

“Soup!” Impulse brought out the bowls excitedly. “I brought us all soup. I thought we could use it before we dethrone Ren.” 

“Oh, Ren,” Pearl shook her head, taking the bowl offered to her. “What kind is this?” 

“Mushroom! I know that’s you guys’ favorite.” Impulse sat back down. “So, we’ve been training, we’ve gotten decently good with arrows, Gem is gonna demolish everyone with her sword work, Pearl will swoop in and figure out the challenges first, and then…”

“No more tyranny,” Gem said cheerfully. “Hey, what do you guys think Ren is gonna do after this?” 

“Maybe he’ll go back to his bakery?” Pearl suggested.

“Oh god, I hope not,” Gem groaned. “The pies are good, but having them as the legal food was a bit much. We’re breaking the law right now, y’know.”

“Yeah, but…” Pearl took a satisfied bite, letting the flavors of the soup melt across her tongue. “Soup is good.” 

“Soup is good!” Impulse agreed. “I think Ren will be fine. He’s got his log business, he’s got that secret project he won’t tell anyone about yet, he’s got the pies, he’ll do great. We just have to do his challenge.” 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Gem said idly. “It’ll be entertaining to see what all the court cooked up.” 

“For sure,” Pearl nodded. “Speaking of, we’d better go and get ready. The sun’s going down.” 

“How much do you wanna bet Ren prepared everything this morning so that he could do it really dramatically with the rising sun?” 

“I’m not taking that bet. I’m sure he did.” 

[bfpnola]

nov 9 - nov 13 readings

hi! this is reaux (she/they)! as many of you know, BFP is slowly waking up and will be undergoing a full makeover in the coming months. in the mean time, to help get back into the pattern of posting and to continue to share resources, i want to start posting what i read each week!

without further ado, here is everything i've been learning from and engaging with so far just between last saturday night [nov 9, 2024] and right now [wednesday afternoon, nov 13, 2024]! i tried to post this on tiktok @/edgeofeden.17 (go check me out for cool political talks and reading recs!) with my reactions as well, but they said it violated community guidelines :(

journal article: The House on Bayou Road: Atlantic Creole Networks in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

wikipedia: Plaçage

wikipedia: Signare

paperback book: Africans In Colonial Louisiana: The Development of Afro-Creole Culture in the Eighteenth-Century

article: Why Is Gen Z So Sex-Negative?: A prehistory of the Puriteen.

article: Policy-makers must not look to the “Nordic model” for sex trade legislation

article: Sex workers face unique challenges when trying to unionize: Anti-sex work stigma and labor status create roadblocks in sex workers’ fight against the industry status quo

wikipedia: Decriminalization of sex work

short youtube video: "Decriminalization of sex work does not mean the decriminalization of human trafficking."

short youtube video: What About Legalization? Decriminalization is the only solution

short youtube video: Dis/Ability and Sex Work Decriminalization

short youtube video: "Helping people through police is inherently coercive." - Gilda Merlot

wikipedia: Page Act of 1875

essay: Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power by Audre Lorde

wikipedia: Erotic Capital

long youtube video: KATHERINE MCKITTRICK: Curiosities, Wonder, and Black Methodologies // 09.14.20

journal article: Black life is Not Ungeographic! Applying a Black Geographic Lens to Rural Education Research in the Black Belt

journal article: Black matters are spatial matters: Black geographies for the twenty-first century

journal article: Unspoken Grammar of Place: Anti-Blackness as a Spatial Imaginary in Education

short video: Chicago Works | Andrea Carlson: Shimmer on Horizons

zine: Evaluating What Skills You Can Bring to Radical Organizing

diagram + workbook?: The Social Change Ecosystem Map (2020)

essay: How to Build Language Justice

guide: Anti-Oppressive Facilitation for Democratic Process: Making Meetings Awesome for Everyone

radical resource library: Center for Liberatory Practice & Poetry

short essay: The Short Instructional Manifesto for Relationship Anarchy

essay/blog post: Access Intimacy: The Missing Link

i think that's everything? whew. let's see how i finish off the week! if you need PDFs for anything i didn't directly link, lmk and i'll find a way to get it to you. might upload it to my google drive or something!

--

topics: Louisiana Creole history + heritage, women of color + erotic capital, sex work decriminalization, Black geography, revolutionary organizing, language, relationship anarchy, disability, intimacy

[borderlandszine]

We've listened and now it's time to respond! First we would like to thank everyone for the enormous amount of support the Interest check has gotten this weakened and we hope to hear from more of you! as the weeks pass by! Now it's time to get into some of the questions we've gotten. Is there an age requirement? Yes, all participants must be 18 and older.

Will this zine be SFW or NSFW? This will be a SFW Zine!

Will this zine be digital or physical? This will be a Digital Zine and free!

Can I apply for more than one position? Yes! But do make sure you can finish in time.

Will this Zine feature ships Unless they have explicitly been a couple in the franchise then - No. I don't think I'm that good can I still join? YES! We want everyone no matter of skill level to join. It's not just a celebration of the characters but of the community. Also you're doing great. If you have any more questions feel free to reach out - we're going to open our ask box with Anon on and feel free to message us as well! We'll edit this doc with more questions as the come and check out are Carrd link in the pinned post as well how general FAQ, schedule and guidelines of this zine. You can also find our other social media and active forms - such as the Interest Check, that's live now until October 19!

[fortheloveofhens-zine]

Hello!

This is an introduction post explaining this project and hopefully garnering some attention!

🥚 What's this about?

This is a fanzine by Shane fans, for Shane fans. It's a fan project to appreciate this character, his story, and his growth, and how much it means to a lot of us who have been through similar things.

🥚 How will this work?

Like most other zines! The project will begin on a certain date, and artists and writers will have several months to complete a piece of their choosing for the fanzine. We will use discord to communicate, schedule, and smooth out any issues.

🥚 When is the projected release?

I think aiming for spring 2024 would be nice! It'd be nice to release the zine around when Shane's birthday would be.

🥚Will this be a paid zine?

This is a charity zine to raise money for the mental health charity Samaritans! Samaritans is a charity that operates free and confidential phone lines for people to reach out and talk to someone whenever they're having a difficult time. They provide a listening service for those who may be suffering from suicidal thoughts or otherwise unpleasant feelings. Donations will be raised via ko-fi during a certain fundraising period and after that's over, the zine will go free to download.

🥚What format is this zine in?

The zine will be formatted to A4 paper size, HOWEVER this zine will only run digitally and will not have a print release as things stand. (Mod honestly can't afford a print release as cool as that would be...)

🥚Who can join?

Almost anyone can join! There is no requirement on skill, online following, previous zine experience etc. If this is your first zine, that's awesome! We welcome you with open arms. This is a zine for anyone who has ever struggled with their mental health, and has felt comforted by a certain stardew valley character. I do require that contributors be at least 13+. Not only would it be against discord terms of service to have under 13s on the platform, but mod here, as a fully grown adult, would also be uncomfortable with it - sorry!

🥚Are there any other rules right now?

There are a few! Let's list them, and please read carefully.

We have a zero-tolerance policy for racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, fatphobia, and anything else that falls into similar categories. ZERO. This is non-negotiable. This is a safe space and anyone displaying any of the above will be kicked off the project.

That said, proship, comship, darkship etc are not welcome on this zine. This is a safe space for everyone, including minors, survivors, and everyone else.

This is a SFW zine. There will be no NSFW art or writing included.

Every artist and writer is free to depict Shane as they like. If they choose to depict him as trans, POC, mlm, or anything else for the sake of representation, that is their choice and you must respect it. See the first bullet point about zero tolerance.

Ableism also extends to bigotry toward those suffering with mental illness, and addicts. We are trying to promote empathy and acceptance. Ableist comments will be warned (e.g. complaining about Shane's room being messy).

Your piece must include Shane as the focal point! That should be clear already, but just in case! So long as he's the focal point, you can draw or write anything! Ships are allowed.

🥚How do I get involved?

For now, I have an interest check form that I plan to run until the end of September! After that, contributor sign ups will open. Remember to follow this blog to see updates on the zine! You can also send questions to my inbox and I will do my best to answer them. For now, here is the interest check:

[according2thelore]

These ES/LS snippets are truly saving my need for more of your fics.

You very quickly became my favorite wincest author, hitting every one of my favorite tropes(hurt/comfort is my bread and butter too!) And I'm excitedly(and impatiently lol) waiting for your next fics to come out.

Your writing is SO GOOD and I find myself going back to your fics all the time. My first was your love potion fic and that's still one of my absolute favorite samdean fics out there.

This isn’t really an ask so much as it is an appreciation lol. Can't wait for your next fic!

(If this was an ask though, I'd love more thoughts on your ES/LS universe and even MORE hurt/comfort and jealousy lol)

BABE???? OH MY????

i don't even know what to say! this is the nicest compliment!!!!! you're so incredibly kind, and i'm so unbelievably honoured that my work is special to you!

EEP! i can't even express how much this ask means to me!!!! there are literally no words!!!! the love potion fic was meant as a fun little add-on to that month's challenge, but i've been blown away by how much folks have liked it--i live for a little melodrama and H/C, lol!

every writer dreams of getting asks like this one, and just ARGH! i'm kissing you on both cheeks!!!!!

as for upcoming things, my next fic will probably be my teen!chesters piece for the wayward sons zine (it will be HEFTY). charlotte and i were outlining this fic, and it ended up being about five pages of outline. so def a larger one!

because this ask was so incredible and lovely and kind (so kind?? holy shit?? my hand in marriage??) i wrote a little thing for you! i hope you like!

dean rubs his hands on the sides of his jeans, before he catches himself doing it. shit.

he crosses his arms, then realizes that he looks awkward and posed, so he uncrosses them again. he pushes his hair back from his face--but fuck, what if his hair looks weird now? dean checks frantically around for a reflective surface, but the only thing even close to him is a giant telescope, and--even though he briefly considers it--there's no way he'd be able to crawl back up it and down in time.

"what are you doing?" he mutters to himself, able to at least recognize that he's acting like a preteen about to meet one of the jonas brothers.

it's just sam.

just sam, kind of, dean's brain quietly corrects. it's just sam, but fucking huge.

it's just sam, but his ridiculous hair has grown and curls softly around his ears, brushes his jaw when he ducks his head. it's just sam, except his arms are bigger than dean's head. dean didn't miss the show the other day when sam came to look for something and lifted a fucking stuffed armchair with one arm.

(dean tried it later, and it took him both hands and two tries to get it off the ground. that thing must be reinforced with some crazy cold war steel or something. definitely.)

dean eyes the main room again. he should just sit at the big table. he eyes the big sword on one of the shelves. no--focus. sam went into "library annex 3" to find a book that he thought dean should absolutely take a look at, and left dean, dazzled, in his wake. so dean is going to sit here and wait, because he's been running out of excuses to see sammy lately.

dean slumps into one of the chairs, sighing. what is wrong with him?

he gets so...easily distracted whenever sammy--future-sam or whatever--starts talking to him. and most of it isn't even his fault, okay? sammy always puffs up whenever either 2006 winchester gets close, a dick-measuring if dean's ever seen one. as soon as sam got a single inch on dean in height, dean's never heard the end of it. but this sammy, older sammy, straightens up and his chest gets all big and--fuck--arms! big arms!!

dean keeps trying to find plausible excuses for sammy to take off his shirt because dean is convinced he has a six-pack under there, and it's his right to know!

"i found it!" a muffled voice from down the hallway, so deep that dean's brain goes a little sideways. and dean feels his whole body lock up, like he's just been thrown out of an airplane.

sam--sammy steps through the doorway, holding up a book triumphantly. his eyes are bright, and he's got little wrinkles at the corners, barely there. his grin is radiant, and dean feels absurdly like he's looking directly at one of those religious frescos with the yellow circles behind everyone's heads. sam would get a kick out of that.

dean whimpers. he straight up fucking whimpers, covering it quickly with a cleared throat.

"great!" he says, too bright. it's not his fault! it's not! dean barely resists the urge to bash his own head in.

so sue him! sam is suddenly huge and old and glad to see dean? he lights up whenever dean walks into a room, greeting him warmly. he seems to find dean adorable, which dean kind of resents, but it's hard to stay mad at sammy when he clearly finds so much delight in seeing him.

and 'sammy' isn't helping. 'sammy' had always been a dean word. it had been an 'us' word, a 'they don't know you like i know you, they can't understand you like i can' word. as soon as dean's own sam--2006 sam--had shrugged off the word, and older sam had donned it, dean knew he was screwed. wires crossed. you can only call so many men 'sammy' before you start to tease them and want to be around them and give them shit and look at their huge fucking tits--wait...no. shit. focus!

"so get this," sammy says, and he slides into the chair next to dean, smooth and graceful and so in touch with every muscle in his body that dean has to catch his breath a little. and his chest does something funny, because sam shows him the book and starts babbling.

he starts babbling. like a two year old sam and an eight year old sam and a twelve and a fifteen and an eighteen year old sam.

it seems impossible that this person--this man, all poise and purpose and focus, whose eyes can cut and soothe, whose stubble scratches when he rubs a hand across his jaw--is still dean's sam. dean's sammy.

and he knows it. and he likes it. this sammy brushes his shoulder and doesn't recoil like it burns. he looks to dean first when something is wrong. dean saw, the other day, how his older self comforted sam after a nightmare, how easily sam contorted himself to fit the shape of older dean's arms. sam likes being dean's. or at least this version of dean.

"anyways, i think that this is probably our most comprehensive record of vampires--their habits, their physiology, their weaknesses. if you wanted to give it a read, i think it'll really come in handy." sam says, still talking like dean cares at all for vampires and not the exact shape of sam's mouth.

dean aches. he feels inadequate. there is something clearly in this dean that is worthy, something that sam finds lovable. or necessary. dean wants to be necessary. dean needs to be necessary.

"yeah." dean says, suddenly, when he realizes that sammy's looking for a response. "that--uh--that sounds great."

"you didn't hear a thing i said, did you?" sammy asks, eyebrow raised, teasing and knowing and fuck--dean's chest collapses. sam knows him.

it's so strange to be known by this...this man. this man who blots out the sun with his shoulders, and has callused hands, and looks at dean like he's proud of him. this man knows him. this man is sammy, and that's all dean every really needs.

"naw." he says, scrubbing a hand in the close-shorn hair at the back of his head, abashed and feeling strange. "'m sorry."

"don't be." sammy rolls his eyes, but it's in good humour. sam--2006 sam, and it's weird that dean has already made that distinction--would genuinely be put out. he thinks dean doesn't take him seriously.

both sams are alien to dean. sam, because his burden is eating him alive. he's terrified of himself, of his powers. furious at what he's becoming and increasingly furious at dean for not taking his own safety seriously. like sam could ever hurt him.

and this sammy, of course, is different. he's physically very different, but also...softer? that's the wrong word. he's easier, maybe. his smiles are soft and he thinks through things before he says them. he doesn't hurt to hold in your hand like sam does, all spikes and hard edges like rock that resents you for holding it. sammy is a stone worn smooth by a river, and dean doesn't know if that makes him a bad brother.

he doesn't want to know, because he can't think about this being another way of failing sam. dean's been failing sam since that first over-long look in 1995.

this sam, at least, dean has a reason for not understanding completely. time has made a stranger of his brother, not circumstance, and time is easier to blame.

"what?" sammy asks, and dean snaps back to the present, abashed again. god. it's like his first fumbling date a fourteen all over again. but wait, no it's not--why did dean think that?

"nothing. sorry. you're just--" dean can't find the words. sammy seems delighted at this, eyes sparking with a challenge like they're both in on a joke.

"i'm..." he prompts, drawing it out. dean sputters. he and sam give each other shit all the time. it shouldn't feel different with this sam, but...it does.

"hi."

dean jerks away, sitting up straight in his chair. sam stands in the doorway. he looks pissed. his hands are balled into fists at his sides, his jaw is set, and he's...not looking at dean.

dean looks to sammy, whose eyes widen. he seems surprised by something. proud of something.

"dean wants to know if we're ready for dinner. what are you doing?" sam asks, words loaded. dean's about to jump in, feeling weirdly guilty. they're just talking about a book, it's not like they were--

"just talking with my little brother." sam says, jostling dean's shoulder with his elbow, like this is all a big joke but what the fuck?? dean's spine melts and drips down his ribs. oh my fucking god.

little brother little brother little brother sam could pin dean down if he wanted to, dean looks down at sam's huge fucking hands oh my god, little brother--

"you--" sam starts, and sammy sits up straighter, tilting his head forward like he's coaching sam through something, but sam's eyes are suddenly on dean, and dean freezes.

he doesn't know what to do under sam's critical gaze. the weight in his stomach is definitely guilt, but dean doesn't know why. dean looks away first.

"we're just talking shop, sam." dean says to his hands. a pause. dean hears sam leave, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

he better not be going to see that old geezer. dean doesn't like he way he looks at sam.

"we almost had him," sammy says, thoughtful. dean looks up, and sammy is looking down at him with an expression so fond that dean's throat closes. "next time."

dean's heart beats faster.

oh man. he is so fucked.

[the-oscar-isaac-collective]

WE HAVE A THEME & MOD APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!!

Mod Application Form

After collecting the feedback from the interest check, there were some common themes and interests that you all have voted for.

(More below the cut)

The majority of you are chomping at the BIT for idiots to lovers in the SFW portion of the interest check, however, a good portion also wanted enemies, exes, and childhood friends to lovers. Additionally, the majority of people voted for a coffee shop au out of the aus available. So we decided to go with a coffee shop themed fanzine with an emphasis on "blank" to lovers for the trope!

We were going to leave the coffee shop part out, but the whores in the interest check (I say as though I'm not one myself) voted for creampies and breeding, along with things like one bed, loss of virginity, rough sex, e.t.c.

So, given the coffee shop au situation for the SFW section, we saw an opportunity to get clever with the name and make them kind of go together, and thought "people can write/draw about breeding and creampies AND add the one bed trope, loss of virginity, rough sex, e.t.c. if they want to!"

So as you start thinking up the things you want to create for the zine, keep these guidelines in mind...

!!APPLICATIONS FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS WILL ROLL OUT NEXT WEEK!!

SFW:

You'll be assigned the characters you will work on after the applications have been concluded. WE DON'T SUGGEST STARTING TO WORK ON ANYTHING UNTIL THEN.

Must have something to do with coffee/tea but doesn't have to be exclusively coffee shop au. For instance, if you wrote about Poe and wanted it to take place in the Star Wars universe, it doesn't necessarily have to be at a coffee shop, but should at least involve coffee in some way shape or form.

Fics will be kept between 1.5k min - 3k max word count.

SFW does NOT have to mean fluff, you can have angst, action, drama, e.t.c.

No works may contain anything sexually suggestive, though light flirting or domestic fluff like kissing is allowed. Just nothing too heavy.

All pieces are x reader/x y/n. The gender of the blank reader/ y/n is at the sole discretion of the creator.

There is no skill or experience requirement to participate.

NSFW:

Must have something to do with creampies.

This is NOT a dark fanzine, therefore non-con, extreme dubious consent, and other dark themes are strictly prohibited. We may do a darkzine in the future but this ain't it.

Fics will be kept between 1.5k min - 3k max word count.

The work MUST contain sexual content, and a creampie of course <3

All pieces are x reader/ x y/n. The gender of the blank reader/ y/n is at the sole discretion of the creator.

No threesomes. I know I'm sorry, we're not against them, but in order to keep this zine organized the way we have it planned it just won't work out with more than one person.

No skill or experience requirement to participate.

I'm so excited for you all to join us in this fucking EXCITING project coming up!!! I can't wait to see what you all create for it!!

[empiropediazine]

Hello Empiresblr! :D

After checking the results of the poll we can confirm that Empiropedia Zine will consist of one 120+ pages pdf, and with that knowledge we can now open mod applications!

Now, we will only be accepting people 18 or older in the moderation team, so if you're younger you might want to wait to apply as a contributor instead :)

If helping out with an Empires SMP zine focused on worldbuilding sounds like something you would be interested and able to do, you can fill out the following form:

We will put some extra info on the application process and the zine itself under "Read more"

Firstly, here's some general info regarding applications:

- They will stay open for 2 weeks max, but if we happen to find everyone we need beforehand we might close em early to be able to roll out contributor applications too.

- Again, you must be 18 or older to apply as a moderator.

- Since we ended up going with the 120+ pages option we ask that you are prepared to spend a few months helping out with the zine. We won't ask you to put it above your real life or your health, and we understand that things may come up and make your availability suddently shift, but if you know you're gonna have a very tight schedule for the next few months we suggest sitting this edition out!

- Previous experience with organising/moderating a zine isn't necessary, but it's greatly appreciated

Now, a bit more about the zine itself:

As we've mentioned before it will be focused on worldbuilding, this means that rather than having one illustration per page it will instead have multiple illustrations and doodles with footnotes providing explanations and context. There will also be pages that feature writing much more prevalently or exclusively.

Basically, as the name suggests, it's somewhat similar to an encyclopedia in structure and contents!

As of right now we don't have everything completely set in stone as we are trying to leave some leeway to contributors to bring their own ideas to the table, so any mods who end up joining will get to help with decisions on that, too!

Best of luck to everyone sending in a form, and we will be back with more news soon :D

[basu-shokikita]

uh-oh!

so i just found out i'm being cancelled once again XD alright here we go since you guys are addicted to making up rumors about me

yes i'm into south park, yes i've done zines though if you did the smallest bit of research you'd seen that one of the rules states the characters must be aged up, just like the show aged them up in the post covid special

that said, i am now checking the carrd for the kyman zine is dead so it's not your fault, you guys just couldn't help assuming the worst about a person right?

moving on...

i have not sent people my followers after people who 'express discomfort of my actions', the only time any of my friends spoke to any of these bullies it was @triplefaggot who was already mentioned here, telling someone in one (1) message to stop interacting with their posts because they're my friend and! surprise! when you spread malicious rumors about someone their friends will usually not like you! yeah pretty crazy i know, it's almost like, even the people you hate have people that love them or something.

i have no idea who these people you mention are honestly. if anything i'm impressed anyone was defending me without my knowledge? also, i have never namedropped any of the people who actually did namedrop me in their private server publicly or in this account so uh, no idea how my followers would go after anyone, let alone harass them off the fandom.

but yeah, complete slander aside, @mirrorshards and @triplefaggot are in fact my friends and, even though i don't post the same content they do, if you find them morally reprehensible or whatever, you should probably block me as well. like please just put me in this fandom's blocklist or whatever but do it already instead of obsessing with me and inventing outlandish shit to justify your dislike of me. it's pathetic and honestly kind of embarrassing. i literally have no idea who the op from the 'callout' post is like???????

that's it from my side and if you have any questions my asks are open ✌️ not the anonymous ones, though, duh

[de-fanzine-cpr-pale]

July 9, 2024 UPDATE:

In this newsletter: A. Participants, B. Sign-Up deadline extended, C. submission deadline extended, D. recruitment call to the fandom, E. Discord has been set up, and F. a general mod call.

Info about this zine: TUMBLR and TWITTER

A. We have 71 participants signed-up so far!!!!

That's more than I ever expected would sign-up. Thank you all so much for the support so far, I wouldn't be able to do this without ya'll!

B. I will be extending the sign-up deadline by a week!

Sign-Ups will now close on July 19th!

–SIGN UP HERE–

C. As a result, submissions will be due at the end of September (September 30th, 2024).

D. I am also sending out a recruitment call to those of you in the fandom!

If there are ANY artists or writers you would like to see featured in this zine, please let me know in the replies, reblogs, or this account's DMs. I will see what I can do to ask them to join!

As I don't have an Instagram and don't have mutuals on Twitter, I won't be able to contact those who are exclusively on those sites. If there is any one here you feel should join, please let them know!

Furthermore, if there are any writers on Ao3 or wherever else fanfiction is posted, please let me know as well! I would love to invite writers, but I am not as familiar with them.

I am trying to recruit as many of us as possible, and I would love to have members picked by the community. This also allows the reach to go further! Anyone from Twitter, Instagram, AO3, etc. as well as Tumblr is welcome to join! There's a lot of places I don't go, and I don't want people who would be interested in joining to miss out.

Please do check replies before replying to see if the account you have in mind has already been mentioned.

E. Join the Discord for updates!

As I don't have mods to help me regulate a general chat, no general discussion space will be offered here yet. The Discord will just be for announcements and a quicker way to ask the mod (me) questions. My username on Discord is dr.tycho

F. Mod Call!

Finally if you are interested in helping me mod this zine, please contact me on this account in DMs or on Discord at dr.tycho .

Mod Jobs: In order for the Discord to have a general chatting channel, a mod is needed to help me moderate chatlogs. A mod may also be needed to help me process and organize submissions / keep track of communications.

Mod Rules: Mods must be 18+ (not minors). Must be able to reply to communications within a reasonable amount of time.

Thank you!!!!!

Twitter Version of This Post HERE.

[magioftheseas]

The Concept Of Self

Written for @sayakazine Please check out the fundraiser!!! Summary: Sayaka needs a change in direction when it comes to her image. Who better to ask but the Ultimate Fashionista? It's strange, then, that Enoshima Junko doesn't act like expected at all. Rating: PG Warnings: None really. Notes: This is one of my two fics posted for the Sayaka Zine! It's Ikuzono-focused but you can read it platonically. I've always been super interested in the idea of Sayaka interacting with Mukuro while she's disguised because, uh, Mukuro's not the best at acting and Sayaka would definitely notice. I love writing Sayaka as more shrewd and inquisitive while Mukuro is floundering. I think they're cute. Currently, the Sayaka Zine is running a fundraiser, so please show them support! Special thanks also to @softausterity for the illustrations, which are included in both the zine and the Ao3 version. Go check them out, too! ***Alternative Ao3 Link*** Commission? Donate?

She didn’t look at many fashion magazines growing up, even after she debuted.

She loved fashion and pretty dresses as much as the next person, but it had never been her passion. Just something she appreciated and respected from a distance with little understanding beyond if she thought an outfit was cute.

At the beginning of her career, she was told it was okay to not concern herself with such things.

“You’re cute enough without trying!”

Except now it’s become,

“You can’t keep coasting on your natural charm forever.”

She supposed she had expected this to a degree. As distant as she was from the normal teenage girl, she would’ve been a fool to not notice the rising star of the fashion world.

One Enoshima Junko.

–

There were other girls with noticeable style, of course. The Black Cherry girls were a strong example with the guitarist especially standing out. That guitarist, Mioda Ibuki, had a personal style that was as bold and brazen as her music.

Sayaka admired that commitment to individuality, but when she looked at herself, the difference between her and Mioda-senpai was as stark as peacocks and sparrows. No, Mioda-senpai knew herself better than anyone, but Sayaka didn’t think that she’d be understood at all.

But someone like Enoshima-san might be different. Enoshima was similarly bold and outspoken, but her interviews also depicted her as someone with a keen perception and a knack for understanding not just people but people at their deepest and basest.

When she finally met Enoshima, she had been on edge.

…but Enoshima-san wasn’t what she expected.

–

“Enoshima-san, can I speak to you for a moment?”

“Uh, why?”

What caught Sayaka’s attention first was that Enoshima was always on edge around her.

“It’s nothing serious! I just want to talk!”

“O-Oh, that’s, fine, I-I guess?”

Enoshima would cross her arms defensively and not at all like the powerful young woman who was predicted to take Japan by storm. Almost as if that person had been nothing more than an illusion.

But the Enoshima-san in the magazines absolutely isn’t a person that the press could fake.

There must be something that Sayaka is missing.

“Have I done something to offend you in some way?” she asked innocently, taking in the twitch in Enoshima’s eye. How Enoshima just barely manages to disguise her grimace as a grin. “I’ve actually come to you for advice, Enoshima-san.”

“Oh. Oh!” Enoshima does perk up at that, but she still seemed strangely flustered. “L-Like about…boys?”

Oh. Oh.

“It’s not about Naegi-kun at all.”

“I-I didn’t say–!” Enoshima balked, face a now brighter shade that rivaled her red nails. “W-What even gave you the impression?!”

“It’s a joke,” Sayaka chirped with a laugh. “I know there are rumors about Naegi-kun and me, but an idol is nothing without her fans. I’d never do anything to break so many hearts.” She does pause, switching to a more serious mode. “It actually is about my fans. More specifically, the image I present for them.”

The sky was unbearably bright. A more blinding blue than the shade of Enoshima’s widening eyes. Enoshima was no doubt taken aback.

“How am I supposed to…?” Enoshima stopped herself, flushing again. “Wait, so you’re looking to change…your look?”

Sayaka felt her smile strain. A shameful slip that had her want to dig in her nails and heels.

“In a manner of speaking, Enoshima-san. I’m glad you understand.”

It’s supposed to be Enoshima’s talent. Enoshima should understand fashion and image better than anything, from the matter of boys to the matter of her own heart.

Enoshima’s shoulders hunch in the most pitiful way. She worries on her lower lip extensively. Her bright blue eyes go downcast. Her mouth works to speak, but hardly a sound comes out. The bright red of her cheeks really does bring out those homely freckles.

“If you don’t have the time,” Sayaka said, with a pang of sympathy overriding any disappointment. “That’s fi…”

“It’s fine!” Enoshima exclaimed, finally bursting. “I-It’s absolutely fine, Maizono!” Tilting her head back, she forces a hearty laugh. “I’m just surprised! Didn’t think you’d go out of your way to ask me about something like that!”

She’s being honest.

Enoshima clears her throat.

“S-Say,” she says, quirking an eyebrow in a way that only slightly distracted from the sweat dripping down her cheek and the clamminess of her clenched hands. “How about a shopping trip? J-Just us two girly girls.”

She’s uncertain, but she’s earnest.

Sayaka doesn’t have to force her smile in the slightest.

“I would love that, Enoshima-san.”

–

There’s a shopping district nearby Hope’s Peak Academy. Since a lot of Ultimates flock there, it’s always bustling especially in the afternoon. To call it a cornerstone of trends would be an exaggeration. It’s a perfectly ordinary distinct, it’s just in a convenient spot.

Not that Sayaka would know for sure. Enoshima was wetting her lips in a clear sign of nerves rather than offering any judgment on the matter. When Enoshima noticed her curious stare, she forced a grin and snatched up her arm.

“Let’s do this, Maizono!”

Her voice cracked at the honorific. Likely also nerves.

Sayaka had already put on her best-disarming smile, but Enoshima was already tugging her into the first clothing store, closest to the entrance.

Was it convenience, or…?

It wasn’t her place to assume.

–

“This is cute, isn’t it?”

She had picked out a soft blue dress. Rather plain but the kind of thing worn in movies going for a rural charm. It’s the kind of unassuming but lovely thing that Sayaka would usually go for.

She can’t help but think that the Ultimate Fashionista would call it drab, but Enoshima is terribly tense as her gaze flickers from Sayaka’s innocent face to the cloth.

“It’s, uh, fine, yeah.” Enoshima finally forced a grin and a thumbs-up. “Is it what you’re looking for?”

…so that you can hurry up and leave?

“I’m not sure,” Sayaka said, and it was a nugget of truth despite everything. “Can we keep looking?”

Enoshima looked like she might be sick, but kept up that grin.

“S-Sure!”

The next outfit that Sayaka entertains is a poofy blouse. Enoshima simply nods along, agreeing that it’s cute. She even points out that the mannequin was wearing it so it must be popular.

Shouldn’t she know based on her own intuition?

She did notice. Enoshima looked over clothes as well, but idly like she had never been clothes shopping before. Enoshima did seem partial to some colors and designs, but they largely seemed more suited for blending in with the bushes over dazzling a crowd.

Just to test her, Sayaka did pick up a dress that was patterned with earthy tones of green and brown. She knew who it’d remind Enoshima of, and she saw how Enoshima’s eyes brightened when she brought it over.

“How about this, Enoshima-san?”

It’s a dress that even Sayaka knows she wouldn’t be able to wear, regardless of how charming it was. It’s too unassuming. Even her plainest clothes needed to have some level of flashiness. The Ultimate Fashionista would also say as much.

“Uh…” Enoshima-san hesitates, cheeks pink. “Is that…what you’re into?”

Sayaka just smiled as she always did. Smiled, smiled, smiled.

“Why? Do you think it’d look good on me?”

“Well,” Enoshima stutters. “I don’t want to recommend something you don’t want to wear. And I’ll be real, I don’t even know what you want to wear.”

“I’m not picky.” Her smile wouldn’t twitch. “This is for the fans as much as it’s for myself.”

Enoshima just frowned at her.

“Are you sure? Are you sure it’s for yourself as much as it’s for your fans?”

Ah. Enoshima-san is making herself into a problem now.

“Sure I’m sure!” A cute laugh here. Smile, smile, smile. Turn up the CHARM! “Why wouldn’t I be sure?”

Rather than at her, Enoshima looked up at the store lights.

It smarts a little.

“Do you like the dress or not?” She finally cut straight to the point. “Do you think it’s cute? Unassuming but so very charming? Because I’ll trust your opinion on anything, Enoshima-san. You’re the Ultimate Fashionista, so this is your talent, right?”

Enoshima looked at her shoes next. Her cheeks are flushed, and it’s likely not because of the dress.

I feel like I’m bullying her. That’s not how an idol is supposed to act at all. What’s wrong with me?

Enoshima doesn’t even assert herself. She just shrugs before sullenly nodding. Sayaka had once thought that the Enoshima-san she read about would tear someone apart if they dared to cross her. She had envied that idea to an almost sickening degree.

I’m already twisted, but…

“Do you think I should just forget about my fans?”

Still, I…

“That I shouldn’t consider them at all?”

Enoshima’s shoulders hunch.

“...m-maybe?”

She sounded so unsure.

“I-I mean.” She’s stuttering. “Isn’t this about you and what image you want to put out?”

“In a sense.” Sayaka is calm. “But idols aren’t anything without their fans. Not considering them at all would be cruel. I exist for their sake, so…”

“So you’re going to restrict yourself based on what you think they want?” Enoshima’s frown deepened. “I don’t think that’s what self-expression is about. It, uh, sounds like the opposite, actually.”

The thing is that Enoshima’s sentiment was sincere. She still wasn’t confident at all, but it was still a belief from her heart.

And it was ridiculous. Cliché and cheesy, but Sayaka had begun to suspect…

Maybe Enoshima-san has a secret twin or something.

That should’ve been the end of it. If this Enoshima wasn’t actually the Enoshima-san that she read about, then what actual good was she? This trip was a waste of time. A total waste, but she supposed it made for a pleasant enough detour.

And this Enoshima-san isn’t a bad person. She’s cute much the same way that Naegi-kun is. But my fans always come first.

“It can’t be helped,” Sayaka found herself saying. “I’m an idol, so that’s the way that things need to be. I can’t be like Enoshima-san.”

Enoshima warily regards her. That’s her first cue.

“I had a great time.” She made a move to put the dress back on the rack. “And I really do appreciate your help. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

“You’re just going to cut things off here?” Enoshima’s voice rose. “Seriously?! You haven’t even tried on any of the clothes you showed me!”

Just like how unassuming Naegi could be full of surprises, it was a shock when Enoshima reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“So what if it’s not what the fans want? The fans aren’t even here, Maizono-san! If you want to wear these outfits, you should! I won’t judge!”

“A-Ah…”

Enoshima’s grip was stronger than she could’ve imagined. Enoshima realized that too when she winced, hurriedly retracting her hand.

“S-Sorry, I just…” Enoshima scratched the back of her neck. She dug in her nails like it itched terribly.  “I’ve just been thinking… I want to see what you want to wear. Even if it’s not what others want; if it’s what you want… What’s the harm in dressing up? That’s…what I wanted to say.”

Her wrist wasn’t swollen, and she really should leave. She really should.

Instead, she says. “It might be underwhelming or disappointing. I’m…afraid I’m not as sparkly on my own as I am on the stage.”

“That’s fine,” Enoshima almost replied too quickly. “I still want to know more about you. Despite our, uh, differences, I think we could get along.” Then, quieter, she mumbled. “You kind of remind me of someone I really like and admire, so I do want to help you…”

“Ah. Hm.” Sayaka tilted her head, genuinely curious because that person couldn’t be Naegi. “Who?”

“N-Not important!” Enoshima squealed. “Do you have to try and distract me instead of just answering the question?!” She’s whining, too. It’s so childish. “You always do that!”

She’s the one that’s like Naegi-kun. I can’t help but tease her.

She can’t help but laugh.

I can’t help but like her.

She takes the dress back and holds it close.

“Alright!” She exclaims like it’s easy. Like it’s simple. Like her heart really is light. “I’ve actually always wanted to wear green. I like green more than pink if you can believe it.”

“I don’t,” Enoshima said bluntly. “But I understand it.”

Sayaka smiles wide, and it doesn’t even hurt in a bad way.

[renthony]

🏳️‍🌈

(Drop a 🏳️‍🌈 in my inbox and I’ll respond with a queer media recommendation!)

No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics is a queer comic anthology edited by Justin Hall. It was used as the basis for a 2021 documentary which I haven't seen yet myself, but I'm very much looking forward to checking out, called No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics.

The official description:

Queer cartooning encompasses some of the best and most interesting comics of the last four decades, with creators tackling complex issues of identity and a changing society with intelligence, humor, and imagination. This book celebrates this vibrant artistic underground by gathering together a collection of excellent stories that can be enjoyed by all. No Straight Lines showcases major names such as Alison Bechdel (whose book Fun Home was named Time Magazine's 2006 Book of the Year), Howard Cruse (whose groundbreaking Stuck Rubber Baby is now back in print), and Ralf Koenig (one of Europe's most popular cartoonists), as well as high-profile, cross-over creators who have dabbled in LGBT cartooning, like legendary NYC artist David Wojnarowicz and media darling and advice columnist Dan Savage. No Straight Lines also spotlights many talented creators who never made it out of the queer comics ghetto, but produced amazing work that deserves wider attention. Until recently, queer cartooning existed in a parallel universe to the rest of comics, appearing only in gay newspapers and gay bookstores and not in comic book stores, mainstream bookstores or newspapers. The insular nature of the world of queer cartooning, however, created a fascinating artistic scene. LGBT comics have been an uncensored, internal conversation within the queer community, and thus provide a unique window into the hopes, fears, and fantasies of queer people for the last four decades. These comics have forged their aesthetics from the influences of underground comix, gay erotic art, punk zines, and the biting commentaries of drag queens, bull dykes, and other marginalized queers. They have analyzed their own communities, and their relationship with the broader society. They are smart, funny, and profound. No Straight Lines will be heralded by people interested in comics history, and people invested in LGBT culture will embrace it as a unique and invaluable collection.

I stumbled across this anthology totally by accident, back when my husband was working at a used bookstore and I'd hang out to browse new arrivals. I scooped it up because it felt important to have it, even though I wasn't a huge comics reader at the time. Now that I've gotten significantly more into comics, I'd say this is a must-have for any queer comic collector. There's so much collected in a single volume, and it's really incredible to hold a piece of queer art history like that. It makes me want to go work on my own art, which is pretty much the highest praise I can give any piece of media.

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[quinloki]

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None of me is SFW -:- You Must Be 18+ -:- 17.99 is unacceptable. By interacting with my posts or following me, you're attesting to being over 18

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Monthly News Ticker:

Welcome November!

This month will include doing more Just a Little Aftercare short stories, tying off the last of my Zine work, and finishing off the last of the commissions.

From June to now it's been a rough yeah, but I'm making it through and while I could complain, I'm not going to.

I'm slowly becoming more active on Bluesky, so if you have one, feel free to follow me there. I share a lot art from talented One Piece folks and such, and plan to post most of my own art there.

FuckNoWriMo will start 12/1/2024 through to the New Year \o/

Preliminary December - >.> I'll be doing a Marco x Reader for my FuckNoWriMo because I am DESPERATELY in need of some Marco x Reader fic. Plus this will be a kind of Hallmark AU, so it's perfect to work on during December.

A Look at 2024 Current Plans:

December: Nada, between work and holidays we're leaving this month alone. (I do have a collab idea I'm poking at for 2025 >.> but we won't worry about that yet). FuckNoWriMo 2024 Event

A Look at 2025:

January - Other than celebrating what I believe will be my 2nd anniversary of a tumblr blog, not much else. February - I've got an event in mind for 2025, but I'm going to work it around my FuckNoWriMo which will happen in March. Once I sort it out, you'll know <3 March - FuckNoWriMo 2025 April - TBD May - One Piece Kinky Head Canons v 2.0 June - TBD July - Birthday Request Event 3rd Edition! August - TBD September - TBD October - Kinktober 2024 in 2025 (i.e. doing what I meant to do in 2024 this year). November - TBD December - TBD

Socials: Quin is quin across the board currently. You can find me as Quinloki on: Twitter/Ao3/Pillowfort/CoHost/Bluesky/Wattpad and Discord. <3

(but I might not add you back if I can't easily tell who you are ~_^ Also I'm really only super active here, currently.)

I love every like, reblog, tag, and comment - I may not always have the energy or capacity to reply to each one, but please know that they warm my soul. Your appreciation is appreciated, whether it is eloquent, gremlin, or just completely unhinged. Thank you for taking the time to share your reaction to my words <3

I can never find this when I want it so I’m linking it here.

OC art post which is going to stay tucked away and small for now. OC "event" posts - Do a Couple's Thing The Confessional (Currently Closed)