#neil's puppet dreams

[one-time-i-dreamt]

Neil Cicierega (Lemon Demon/Potter puppet pals guy) got cancelled on Twitter when people found out he secretly had a very thick Scottish accent.

[peniswizard69]

Hi, I'm peniswizard69. I go to the bathroom a lot, and when I piss, I piss in puppet

[mypoisonedvine]

𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 | neil lewis x reader

𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 | a visit to gumshoe video could go one of two ways... but one way or another, you're gonna get him.

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 | varies

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 | smut (18+ only), enemies to lovers, nothing too terrible just neil and reader bullying each other

this is a choose your own ending fic!! after the introduction, click to choose which way you want the story to go! each ending will have its own warnings section, so read those as well!

Technically, you always dressed well for work.  Corporate jobs require professional attire, obviously; but you were slightly overdressed today, and it wasn’t to go into the office.

Tight skirt and matching blazer, a silky-satin button-up, black heels, and thigh-high stockings with a seam up the back.  No, this wasn't how you dressed for a day in the office… this was how you dressed when you were closing a deal.

A little bell dinged as you walked into Gumshoe Video, and you looked around for a moment after you stepped inside: the decorations were… plentiful, and kitschy.  The displays were so small, and just a quick glance at some of the shelves had you frowning in confusion.  These are some seriously deep cuts… how do they make any money at this place?

Lucien came bounding up to you in an instant, hands pressed tight against his horribly out-of-fashion skinny jeans as if to hide that they were clammy already.  "Do you, uh, need help finding anything?" he asked.

You offered him a pitying smile, about to offer him a friendly ‘no thanks, but’ and then tell him why you were really here… but you were interrupted.

Jonathan, who had taken a break from sipping on a soda behind the counter, coughed to get Lucien's attention as he quickly shook his head.�� He didn't seem to understand, though, looking back at you with his brows furrowed.

"Uh, ignore him,” Lucien laughed nervously.  “Are you looking for a rental?"

"Dude, she's not here to get a movie!" Jonathan snapped.  "Who dresses like that to pick up a tape?!"

"Maybe she's on her way to work!" Lucien returned sharply. "Or maybe she just came from somewhere!"

"Where?"

"My dreams!"

"No, your friend is right, I'm not here to pick up a movie," you admitted, and Lucien looked at you nervously.

"You, uh, don't like movies?" he wondered.

"I love them actually, but—"

The door to the office swung open, with Neil glaring at you from the other side of it.  "You," he announced with disdain.

"—but I'm here to speak with the owner," you finished, tilting your head and grinning at Neil.

"We have nothing to speak about," Neil assured you as he walked towards you.  

"We have multiple opportunities to discuss," you disagreed, "and my employers are very anxious that I deliver this message to you, so if we could please speak in your office—"

"Her employers?  Is this chick in the mob?!" Lucien blurted out fearfully.  "Neil, I know money's tight, but— oh fuck, was that 'small business loan' just a cover—"

"She's not from the mafia," Neil sighed.  "They actually have some morals."

You extended a hand to introduce yourself to Lucien.  After your name, you told him your job: "Head of Acquisitions, Media Giant, LLC."

Jonathan coughed again, poorly covering the sound of him saying "blood-sucking harpy" under his breath.

You smiled at him; "You really should get that cough checked out," you suggested pointedly.

“Whatever it is your puppet-masters want you to discuss with me,” Neil began, wiggling his fingers as if pantomiming a little marionette show, “you can take right over there into our women’s restrooms and shove directly up your ass.”

“Oh, that’s cute,” you smiled, “I bet you’ve been saving that one since our last little visit.  Can we go to your office now?”

“No, you can’t go in there— we just had the priest come by and bless it, we wouldn’t want your feet to burn now, would we?” Neil snarked in return.

“Fine— get it out of your system,” you encouraged.  “Say whatever’s been stuck in that pretty little head for the last month waiting for me to come back, and then we can have our meeting, alright?”

“I— well, uh—” Neil stalled, looking a little flustered as he suddenly leaned on a shelf of tapes with one hand.  “You think I’m pretty?” he mumbled nervously, running his free hand through his hair— only to put a little too much weight on the shelf and nearly tilt it over, having to scramble to catch it and make sure it was balanced again.

“Dude, pull yourself together,” Jonathan snapped at him, and Neil glared at him before looking back at you.

“Fine, okay— we can have a very brief conversation in my office,” Neil offered with a sigh, motioning for you to follow him, “but it’s going to go the same way it did last time: with me telling you hell no and you having to do the walk of shame back to your headquarters.”

“Looking forward to it,” you smiled, waving goodbye to the other men before stepping into Neil’s office as he shut the door behind you.

You watched him step around you to sit at his desk, looking at you expectantly with his legs spread and his fingers interwoven in his lap.

“Am I allowed to ask why you’re dressed like a cowboy, by the way?” you asked with a raised eyebrow, and he frowned at you as he tossed aside the hat and slipped the poncho off over his head, leaving just a much more normal outfit of jeans and a button-up underneath.

“We’re running a special on Westerns,” he explained, “it’s fun, okay?  Not that you would know fun if it smacked you on the ass and called you sweetcheeks.”

“Honey, that’s just what I call a Friday night,” you smirked as you stepped a little closer leaning against the side of his desk as he swallowed thickly.  You couldn’t just sit across from him— you needed to keep the upper hand.  “But I’m here for business.  Let’s talk business, shall we?”

“Right, business,” he frowned.  “I’m guessing your business here today is trying to buy my store, again?”

“Something like that,” you relented.

“You know, I guess I should take it as a compliment,” he grinned, leaning back further in the chair.  “Clearly, you know I’m a threat.”

“Please,” you rolled your eyes, “we’re a Fortune 500 company, and you’re a guy wearing a poncho.”

“I took off the poncho!” he defended.

“So you’re… just a guy, then,” you corrected.  “The point is, we’re not worried about you stealing our business at all.  We just think this location is going to waste.”

“You want the real estate?” he realized.

“You’re in a perfect spot, you know,” you informed him, “you just need… a little more help utilizing it.”

He sneered at you sharply.  “I don’t want anything from you.”

“You only hate me so much because you resent success,” you informed him with a sigh.  “Just because you’re broke and proud doesn’t mean making money is a sin.”

“It is when you put making money above everything else,” he replied, “like creativity and community and the authentic customer experience—”

“How exactly does Media Giant conflict with those things?” you scoffed.  “We’re a company founded on creativity— and we always foster community—”

“Spare me the doublespeak, Big Brother,” Neil scoffed, “you’re just a bunch of— of robots!  Your whole company, it’s just full of people trying to make a quick buck, top to bottom: you think the people in the back at McDonald’s give a fuck about food?  That’s what you are, the McDonald’s of the film industry.  You’d probably let a monkey work there if it could wear a nametag and convince someone to rent Fast and Furious Fifty or whatever the fuck.”

“Fine,” you sighed, “let’s just say for a moment that you’re right.  That my company is so terrible because we don’t employ people like you.”

He relaxed for a second, and you leaned in closer in hopes that he was really listening.

“This is your chance to fix that!” you explained.  “You can save us from the inside out, you know.  You can start from the bottom, be our best sales guy, and then it turns into a promotion and a raise and soon you’re climbing the corporate ladder— where you can make some real change.”

He shook his head, laughing a little.  “That’s not actually possible, it’s just a fantasy you tell all your little minions to keep them compliant.”

“It’s what I did,” you shrugged.

“You?” he realized with a laugh.  “You, in one of those navy vests and nametags, selling people tapes?”

“I’m sort of a cinephile,” you admitted.  “I wanted a job where I could talk about movies all day— and thanks to me, that Media Giant location rented out more copies of The Seventh Seal than all the rest combined.”

He stood up quickly, stepping closer to where you sat on his desk.  “Y-you like The Seventh Seal?”

“It’s a masterpiece,” you answered, speaking a little softer as he was so close, “Bergman is a genius.”

A strange look crossed over his face, a heavy-lidded sort of look as he examined you.  “Tarantino?”

“Overrated, but not bad,” you replied quickly.

“Tarkovsky?”

“Good, but hard to watch.”

“Lynch?”

You scoffed; “Don’t insult me.”

He laughed a little, crossing his arms and looking away from you.  “You could be one of the good ones,” he realized, “but you sold out.  And now you’re just a suit.”

“It’s not so bad,” you smirked, “I think you’d like a little more… structure, given the chance.”

“And that’s what you’re offering?” he pressed, and you nodded.

“We’ll let you keep the name, your employees… most of the decoration,” you offered, “you’ll just be technically a Media Giant franchise.  You have nothing to lose, and so much fucking money to gain.”

He sighed a little, looking at you again.  You could tell he was considering it, but not very thoroughly.  All you could do was hope for the best, and wait for an answer…

CLICK HERE FOR THE SUB!NEIL ENDING

CLICK HERE FOR THE DOM!NEIL ENDING

[ryttu3k]

Having some Thoughts about Astarion and his perceived intelligence, or lack thereof (it was largely in the tags of this post, which I absolutely recommend reading, but it was getting overly long).

Astarion is perceived as… not very bright. Like it's kind of a running joke in fandom at this point, and it's been bugging me for a bit, so…

INT 13 isn't actually low

INT 13 is actually a fair bit above average! Of the main six Origin characters, only Gale has a higher INT score at 17, which is what you'd expect from a wizard and Actual Nerd (complimentary). Wyll has INT 13 as well, Lae'zel and Shadowheart have the average score of INT 10, and Karlach has INT 8. Of the secondary companions, Halsin and Minthara also have INT 10, and Minsc and - interestingly - Jaheira both have INT 8.

So, far from being one of the dumbest companions, stats-wise, he's actually one of the most intelligent.

Poor planning skills aren't a reflection of intelligence

Yes, Astarion is notoriously terrible at coming up with long-term plans. You know what he also hasn't been able to do for two hundred years? Come up with long-term plans.

He spent about forty years living a normal life, then five times that duration as a slave, being punished for any show of thinking for himself. He tried to make a plan that went against his master's orders, and he spent a year buried alive for it. His only purpose was "to seduce anything with a pulse"; thinking outside of that wasn't just discouraged, it was punished. He's out of practice!

Also, there are a lot of incredibly intelligent people who can't make plans for Assorted Reasons, even without two hundred years of being a puppet to someone else's will. Dyspraxia, ADHD, all sorts of things.

The whole smooth brain thing

This one does bug me, but I also suspect it was a nod to fandom perception. The epilogue has Bing-Bong in it, there were at least parts written well after the game release, and the subsequent fandom response. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that parts of the writing were influenced by fandom perception.

He had low INT in early access

Yes, and they changed it, and he no longer does. Wyll was essentially rewritten between EA and now. Karlach wasn't even a main character in EA. The Dream Visitor was extremely different in EA! Astarion was below average intelligence in EA, and now he's above average ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Neil Newbon says Astarion is intelligent

"I see him as being very intelligent — very erudite — and highly manipulative when he wants to be."

From this interview. I figure he'd know better than anyone save Stephen Rooney, y'know?

The trauma

I mean we can't understate the trauma. The trauma would do a number on your cognitive abilities (and your everything else lbr). And on top of two centuries of going through The Horrors, Cazador repeatedly belittled and infantilised him, hard not to internalise that when Cazador had complete control over his entire existence.

This isn't really meant to be an essay or aimed at anyone in particular and also quite possibly my 'burnt-out gifted kid who valued their intelligence above everything else' is showing but that may be more a Gale thing! Just that the whole 'lmao Astarion is so dumb' trope was bugging me for this, that, and the other reason, so. A post.

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

The Magnus Archives/ What We Do In the Shadows (Crossover)

gaslight gatekeep girlboss by thepolysyndetonaddictsupportgroup

"Look, believe it or not, I had no intention of killing the Vampiric Council when I came here,” declares Nadja, sitting alone on the couch. “But Guillermo and I arrived at the first council meeting and did the whole, you know, the whole thing, the first day thing. Introductions and all that, yes hello wonderful to meet you, yes this is my bodyguard, yes he has slaughtered a tremendous number of our kind”--she flaps her hand absently--“normal first day things, you know? It was fine.” She pauses. “It got really fucking weird on the second day."

Or: Nadja and Guillermo seize control of vampiric politics, puppeteer world powers, and have the hottest of hot girl summers.

Unfortunately, they also really miss the stupid assholes they're in love with. With no way left to find them, they have no choice but to consult an Archivist.

DC/Danny Phantom Crossover

Teenage Hero Burnout #56: Interview With A Ghost. by STOVE

Red Robin, (aka Tim Drake) decides to host a YouTube series called "Teenage Hero Burnout'' after he makes a video by the same name talking about his own experiences. He interviews current and past heroes who started their careers as teens and discuss how it shaped their outlook on heroing & life in general.

(This fic is a one-shot. Teenage Hero Burnout is a hypothetical series that I will not be writing, but others are welcome to write their own episodes.)

All For the Game

One More Time (With Feeling) by elesary

Andrew Minyard went to sleep next to Neil Josten in their bed in Denver six years after graduation. He woke up on plane to Tucson between Wymack and Kevin, on their way to recruit Neil Josten, striker sub.

boyfriend privileges by mostly_maudlin

Andrew knows he treats Neil different. So why is it so bothersome that everyone else seems to know it, too?

Five times Neil gets boyfriend privileges, and one time it doesn't piss Andrew off.

SVSSS

The Peace Between Divine Pec- ah-hm sorry - uh…Peaks by AceOfDivineChlorophyll

Well, being kidnapped and tied up had to be the worst part of Shen Qingqiu's day right? Surely it couldn't get worse even if he was being presented to some new and upcoming demonic warlord as tribute after all it would all be mote when Luo Binghe escaped the Endless Abyss right? Well... unless the demonic warlord in question WAS Luo Binghe.

Thankfully... it might not end up going at all how he, or the demons, thought it was going to.

invasive blindfold removal surgery by postcardorigami

Part 1 of side effects may include indefinite photosensitivity

Oh, he thought absently, dizzily. Oh. I love him. I really, really love him.

That wasn’t a new thought—Shen Qingqiu had always known that he loved Luo Binghe. Thinking otherwise wasn’t a concept that had occurred to him. He’d loved him as a fictional character, as a sticky and eager-to-please disciple, as a troubled young man. He loved Luo Binghe the same way he loved the world around him: easily, wordlessly, endlessly, and in full acceptance of all faults and flaws.

But this- this felt like-

I think, Shen Qingqiu thought, for the first time in this life or the one he’d left, I think I’m in love with him.

And- and then-

I want to tell him where I come from.

or Shen Qingqiu, in order: hits the ground, pulls himself back up, and comes out. About several things.

Dreaming of Gardens in the Desert Sand by TGP

Huan Hua Palace master Luo Binghe never thought there'd be any reason to worry about the master that threw him away all those years ago. Surely, he was safe and cared for by the martial siblings he'd so thoroughly enamored.

Luo Binghe was wrong.

(Or, the one where the Jinlan City event doesn't happen and Luo Binghe's plan to slowly show he can be a righteous cultivator actually goes as he expected, with consequences he did not)

starry-eyed by shoutowo

"Shi-Shizun,” Luo Binghe says, going cross-eyed in an effort to see what Shen Qingqiu just placed on his forehead. “What is this?”

“A star,” Shen Qingqiu explains, while not explaining at all.

or, Shen Qingqiu has a sticker sheet.

Clone Wars

(you were) meant to save them by cjwritesfanficnow

The building was only five stories. With the gravity on Melida/Daan, it should’ve been over in seconds... but he—

just—

kept—

falling—

And then there was nothing around him, but he was still falling, down down down, infinitely, through space, stretched thin, twisted and pulled and the Force curled so tightly around him that he couldn’t tell where he ended and it began, and then—

And then he was falling straight out of a clear sky and down down down—

Onto another battlefield.

-

In which Obi-Wan is abruptly transported from the civil war on Melida/Daan to the Clone Wars.

(Alternately, in which I noticed how few clones there are in all my other fics, and this wouldn't leave me alone.)

Tactical Engagements by elwenyere

Even before he managed to open his eyes, Obi-Wan felt the tug against the base of his neck, the snarled thread of energy that only ever meant one thing: something had gone very, very wrong.

-----

Or, Cody, Obi-Wan, and the 212th are sent to Ringo Vinda with Anakin and the 501st, and it changes the field of engagement.

[brokehorrorfan]

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 12 via The Criterion Channel. James Jean designed the cover art for Netflix's 2022 stop motion animated adapation of Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel.

Guillermo del Toro co-directs with Mark Gustafson from a script by del Toro and Patrick McHale (Over the Garden Wall). Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, John Turturro, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton star.

Pinocchio has been digitally mastered in 4K, supervised by del Toro and Gustafson, with Dolby Atmos sound. It's presented in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR.

Special features are listed below, where you can also see the full packaging.

Special features:

Handcarved Cinema - Making-of documentary with co-directors Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson and cast and crew (new)

Directing Stop-Motion - Featurette with Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson (new)

Interview with Guillermo del Toro by film critic Farran Smith Nehme (new)

Interview with curator Ron Magliozzi on The Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition devoted to the film (new)

Featurette on the 8 rules of animation that informed the production (new)

Panel discussion with Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, production designer Guy Davis, composer Alexandre Desplat, and sound designer Scott Martin Gershin, moderated by filmmaker James Cameron

Conversation with Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, and author Neil Gaiman

Booklet with essays by film critic Matt Zoller Seitz and author Cornelia Funke

A classic tale is reborn through the inspired imagination of cinematic dream-weaver Guillermo del Toro, directing alongside Mark Gustafson. Realized through boundary-pushing, breathtakingly intricate stop-motion animation, this dark rendering of the fable of the puppet boy and his maker daringly transfers the story to Fascist Italy, where the irrepressible Pinocchio gradually learns what it means to be human through his experiences of war, death, and sacrifice. This Pinocchio imbues the oft-told tale with a bold new resonance about living with courage and compassion.

Pre-order Pinocchio.

[justforbooks]

Jeannette Charles

The Queen’s most famous lookalike, who enjoyed a long career in film and television thanks to their uncanny resemblance

In 1972, Jeannette Charles was in her mid-40s and settling down to life in an Essex village, having returned, with her husband, Ken, from Libya. They had been living there for some years, but left following the army coup led by Muammar Gaddafi.

On reading about the artist Jane Thornhill in a local newspaper, Charles decided to commission a painting of herself for her husband’s birthday. Thornhill asked whether she could submit it for the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition in London, but when she did, the venerable institution returned the picture, believing it to be a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and having been told by Buckingham Palace that the monarch had not sat for it.

The resulting publicity began a new chapter in the life of Charles, who would spend the next 40 years as the Queen’s most famous lookalike, and who has died aged 96. She appeared on British television and in Hollywood films, alongside stars such as Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley and Mike Myers, and also modelled for Spitting Image when the satirical TV show was making the Queen’s puppet.

Charles said of her uncanny resemblance to the monarch, whom she never met: “We both have the same bone structure, so the same style of makeup and hairdressing suits us best. But I’m 2 inches shorter than her, so my clothes wouldn’t always look well on her and vice versa.”

She also made personal appearances – opening shops, handing out gifts with the flamboyant piano virtuoso Liberace and presenting a silver disc to the rock group Queen – and Muhammad Ali put in a special request to have a photograph taken with her. Commercials kept her busy, too, but Charles insisted: “I am not an actress. I only do the one role.”

Her first job as the Queen was posing for a London Weekly Advertiser poster that featured her reading a paper, with a stuffed corgi at her feet. However, London Transport, which was due to display it on buses and Tube trains, objected and never used it. Charles said it was a lesson: “too real … a little vulgar”. She insisted she was a staunch royalist, and told the Guardian in 2022: “I would never do anything that reflected badly on the monarch or myself. Over the years, I’ve turned down large sums to pose for Page 3-type pictures and insisted I should never be introduced as the Queen when making appearances.”

Jeannette was born in London, 18 months after Princess Elizabeth, to Yetta (nee Wonsoff), who was Dutch, of Polish descent, and Alfred Clark, a chef, later restaurateur, and was brought up in Perivale, Middlesex. Her resemblance to the future monarch was spotted when she was still a child. She recalled: “On a trip to Greenwich when I was 11 or 12, a photographer asked if he could use me in some shots, saying, ‘She looks like Princess Elizabeth.’ Later, I’d draw crowds, especially abroad, and sometimes had to run away.”

After leaving Wembley high school, she took a job as a secretary and spent evenings acting with an amateur group in Acton. She dreamed of acting professionally, and passed an audition to train at Rada, but could not afford the fees. Instead, she emigrated to the US at the age of 24 and settled in Midland, Texas.

While working there as an au pair, she met Ken Charles, a British oil drilling engineer with BP. His work took him to Canada – where they married in Alberta in 1957 – and then to South America and Libya.

They returned to Britain in 1969 and, when regal fame came to Charles, she found herself travelling the world again. At home, her early screen appearances were in the sketch shows Rutland Weekend Television (1975), with Eric Idle and Neil Innes, Spike Milligan’s Q series (from 1976 to 1980), and Not the Nine O’Clock News (1980). She was also in sitcoms such as Mind Your Language (1978) and Never the Twain (1990), and jetted to the US for a 1977 appearance on Saturday Night Live.

When Hollywood came calling, she put on the royal tiara to appear in National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985). In The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), she was seen flat on her back with Nielsen on top of her as they slide down a royal banqueting table – when his inept detective believes the Queen is about to be assassinated and jumps to her rescue. For Charles, another highlight of filming that wacky movie was being invited to Presley’s trailer for lunch. “We became good friends,” she said.

She was back in Hollywood for The Parent Trap (1998), with Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), when she mistook its star, Myers, for a crew electrician on first meeting him.

Alongside chat shows, corporate events, fete openings and other appearances, she appeared in Motörhead’s music video promoting their version of the Sex Pistols song God Save the Queen in 2000.

Charles’s autobiography, The Queen & I, was published in 1986.

Her husband died in 1997. She is survived by their three children, David, Peter and Carol, and her sister, Delinda.

🔔 Jeannette Dorothea Louise Charles, lookalike, born 15 October 1927; died 2 June 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[annabelle--cane]

What's your take on the Web? Like, what makes a fear a Web fear, what the Web has in common with other fears, etc etc. If that means nothing to you just say whatever, I really just want to hear your thoughts abt TMA <3

oohh there are a few facets to the web that make me particularly insane about it. I've seen and enjoyed a lot of media that focuses in on mind control / possession / being puppeted, it's a narrative device that I like a lot and it has a lot of potential to say things about Society or Conforming, but the way tma examines that fear with the web has an extra nuance that I otherwise don't see much: it's not just a fear of being controlled, it's a fear of being out of control.

sometimes the fear from the web comes from knowing that there is definitely someone out there is running your life for you, a masterminding mother of puppets pulling all the strings, but just as often the fear comes from not feeling in control of yourself even if there's no outside agent actively doing it to you. the web can be the fear of giving in to an impulse that you've tried so hard and so long to ignore (mag 172), or the fear of rotely conforming to expected standards and not being able to make yourself pull away and decide things for yourself (mag 59). you don't get a lot of web victims saying "why did this happen to me? I didn't do anything, I don't understand," they usually either grimly accept culpability or don't even think choice and responsibility is a topic with considering. of all the fears, the web is best at activating and harnessing that feeling of "I don't know how I ever could have possibly done anything else, but I still did what I did and my suffering is at least partially my fault."

I also think web avatars give an interesting nuance to that "you're either feared or afraid" theme that tma's got going on, because web avatars are usually very upfront in saying that they are exactly as controlled as any of their victims, it's not even clear if any individual web avatars get anything out of their patrons. dexter banks and neil lagorio both get physically puppeted around even as they're up to their web avatar antics, most of annabelle's mag 147 statement is about how she doesn't think she nor anyone else has true free will, and the spider in mag 172 says that it couldn't stop torturing francis even if it wanted to, it's about as bound to the waltz as they are. for most of the other fears, major avatars will have a passion for their patron, or at least be getting something they want from the situation, while almost every web avatar is, at best, just chilling. the only one who seems to have any genuine fondness for it is neil lagorio, and he doesn't get his thrills from being in control, he gets them from being controlled. king, honestly. chasing his marionette dreams.

[jellyfishloveletterghosts]

My Harringrove Au List N-Z

PART 1 A-M

Necromancer

Baby Did You Come Back Wrong - Steve brings Billy back and he needs more than a burger and fries to survive. 

I’d Sell My Soul to a Devil - Steve sacrifices himself to save Billy at Starcourt. Billy makes a promise to get him back, it's going to take him a while but he plans to keep that promise. Even if he has to make a deal with a demon to do it. Even if the price isn't right.

Necromancin Dancin - Billy died at Starcout, he doesn't stay that way for long.

Sear Through Me - Billy is an asshole with magic, the upside down latches onto him, and he is an unwilling puppet. When he faces the mind flayer at Starcourt he knows he is going to die. Steve doesn't let him.

You Can’t Kill Love - Chrissy dies and Eddie goes to Steve looking to bring her back.

Omegaverse

Beauty and The Beast - Mr. Harrington takes a rose and instead of paying the price the beast of the castle demands himself, he sends his son in his stead. Billy is not sure what to do with an omega who not only does not cower away from him like everyone else but also seems to think he is a slob and keeps trying his patience. (Magic and Royalty)

Benefits of Surviving - Billy finds Steve at the gate when the demobats attack.It would be a happier affair if they weren't trapped and Steve wasn't on the brink of a heat.

Come On Alpha - Steve is tired of waiting for Billy to make a move, so he takes matters into his own hands.

Everything I do Is To Bring Me Closer To You - Billy has a long way to go before he can make his dream of marrying Steve a reality. (Royalty and Magic)

Find Comfort In Me - Billy needs a comfort omega after surviving Starcourt. Steve is absolutely not who he expected Hopper to hire. He didn’t even know Steve was an omega.

First Impression - Alpha Billy meeting Steve for the first time at Tina's party.

Flirt Like A Bird - Billy wants to woo Steve, he tries a couple of options that haven't gone well. He tries a new tactic.

Giants Blood - Highborn Omega Steve finally realizing Alpha wildling Billy has been courting him. 

Hay In Your Hair, Mud On My Boots (Series) - Loose Yellowstone inspired au

Need An Alpha To Pop A Knot - Steve's an alpha who's never popped a knot, not until Billy comes along.

Omegas Like Us Have To Stick Together - Steve presents at the mall and bites and cries when any alpha or beta gets to close. Luckily Billy shows up more than willing to help when the end game is getting to keep Steve.

Smoke - Billy is ditching class for a smoke break when Steve comes along.

Track In A Crowd - Billy and Steve find each other by scent at a party. (Model Steve/Musician Billy)

You’re My Bitch - Omega Billy fucking alpha Steve and the one time he finally lets Steve knot him.

You’re Extra Special, Something Else - Billy and Max escape Neil and move to Hawkins, where Billy sets his sights on Steve Harrington.

Party Clown

Clown Shoe (Series) - Billy gets a job as a party clown, Steve has some mixed feeling about it but mostly he’s just horny.

Pirates

Part 1 and 2 - A pirates of the Caribbean/ Princess Bride mash up

Professional Athlete

Thaw the Ice - Steve needs a new Coach. Billy is here for the job.

Reanimated

You Will Be Made New Again - Jonathan and Tommy succeed in brining Billy back from the dead, Steve their exasperated neighbor is the only thing that can get him to cooperate. AKA A Frankenstein's monster Billy fic. (Collage/University Au)

Royalty 

Dragons Are Hoarders - The kingdom of Harrington offers up anything in the treasury for the return of their lost heir. Billy just so happens to need something they have in their possession. Things of course do not go to plan. (Magic)

The Jester and His King - King Steve getting railed by his jester. 

Pretty Fool (Series) - Snapshots from King Billy and Jester Steve’s exploits around the castle. 

Roommates 

And They Were Roommates - Steve and Billy are roommates, Billy is less than pleased when Steve gets a boyfriend.

Avoidance Techniques - Billy keeps getting drunk at frat parties, and Steve is his roommate who keeps getting called to pick him up. (College/University Au)

The Case of The Missing Clothes - Steve's clothes have been going missing, he finally finds where they've all been going. (College/University Au)

Fill That Hole in Your Life - Pandemic/Quarantine Au - Billy and Steve figure some stuff out during the pandemic when all they have is each other for company. 

Scarecrow

Have Some Fun - Steve gets drunk and wanders into Billy's corn maze.

Sea Creature

A Bargain - Steve is a lonely merman who seeks out the sea witch to help him find love.

Salt Skin - Friends don’t plan and construct elaborate surprises that take weeks to prepare and involve a contractor, no that’s beyond friend behavior and edging dangerously close to courting behavior. Except Steve had gone and hurtled right over that line and presents Billy with a gift so fantastic he can no longer ignore his feelings. 

The Whale and The Danio - Steve loses his school, and Billy finds him.

Secret Relationship

The Hard Stuff - When Steve comes over and follows Billy to his bedroom, Tommy over hears them fucking and misunderstands what is going on. 

Serial Killers 

Bloody Summer (Series) - Billy meets Steve at summer camp where the counselors keep dropping like flies. 

Sex Worker

Billy with a Cane - Billy never expected to find Steve working in a strip club.

Camboy/Farmer Steve - Billy comes to help Max with her form and runs into his favorite camboy.

December To New Years - Camboy Steve and his budding relationship with Billy.

Roommates with Pornstar Billy - As a joke Billy gets Steve a subscription to the site he works for. If he’s hoping Steve watches his videos well that’s his business. 

Virgin Territory - Steve accidentally admits to knowing about Billy's cam work, things go a lot better than he ever thought they would.

Soulmates

Let Me Take Your Pain - Billy and Steve are soulmates, they don't find that out till they fight.

Love at First Fight - Love at first sight is bullshit as far as Steve is concerned, he has given up on it. 

Space

Frozen Beauty? - Billy sees Steve cryo frozen for the first time when he’s eight, the older he gets the more obsessed he becomes until he finally has his boy.

WSwaBEwaB - Bounty hunter Billy takes a job that leads him to cyborg Steve.

Star Wars

Come To The Dark Side - Steve and Billy are separated by the Jedi. Billy joins the Sith as a way to find his way back to Steve and get some revenge on those who would keep them apart.

Step Brothers

Step Brothers - Steve and Billy’s mom get together, that doesn’t stop their relationship. 

Suggardaddy 

Hardhat Daddy - Steve works at a hardware store and Billy is a rich contractor. 

Sugar Sugar (Series) - Years after Starcourt a rich and successful Billy runs into a struggling Steve. Billy just wants to take care of him.

Trans

All I Want For Christmas - Billy makes a request for Christmas.

Transmasc alpha Billy - story idea for how he ends up in Hawkins and meets Steve. (omegaverse)

Transmasc Billy/ Nonbinary Steve -  Just some hc’s for them.

Tramsmasc Billy rocking Steve’s world - Thinking about trans masc Billy rocking Steve’s world and blowing his back out with his monster strap.

Vampires

The Calling - Steve gets caught by the demodogs in the tunnels, torn to shreds. He’s on the cusp of dying, no way around that but Billy makes sure he wakes up again. 

Vampire/Werewolf

Bite - The fight at the Byers doesn't happen but Steve still finds his back against the dirt.

Sink Your Teeth In - Billy isn’t going to let Steve starve.

Werewolf

Shifting Pleasures - Billy takes things out of hand one night. Steve might have fun but that doesn't mean Billy isn't in trouble for not asking first.

Time Travel

If I Could Turn Back Time - When they find themselves in the past Steve is willing to risk the future they know if it means a chance to save Billy.

Zombie

Reunited - Steve and Billy reuniting during a zombie apocalypse.

[xskywalker21]

No Good Nor Evil Ch 4: Where the World is Empty, Save You and I

“You’re gonna hurt yourself,” Cornelius warned, reaching out a hand for her to hold on to.

Franny rolled her eyes, “Oh, please. I’ll be fine.” She returned the smile, trying to balance herself on a tree trunk.

Cornelius’s theory was strengthening as they continued their walk further from the city. Shrubs and trees became more prominent, houses were further apart. It was nice hearing some birds, they reminded him of the days when everything was going right in his life.

With every second they spent together, the more comfortable she became… as if she knew him her entire life.

Cornelius had changed into brown hiking pants he got from an abandon store along with a blue-grey button short sleeve. He also helped her find a white comfortable top and some of her own hiking pants. They both felt more lightweight, ready to either fight or flight.

“Well, don’t blame me if you fall over.” He said, still not removing his hand from trying to help her out.

Franny stuck out her tongue, feeling more light on her feet—not just due to the clothes. Jumping down from the trunk, she smiled before continuing on the route.

He couldn’t help but smile as he noticed her behavior change. She seemed… happier, similar to her old self.

Her black hair, smelling of baby shampoo, rustled in the wind. The sun beaming right through it. Her skin was back to its original, lively self. The smile he loved, brighter than ever.

There were times he felt he was dreaming. That it was all an illusion…similar to the hallucinations he had back when he was trapped as Doris’ puppet.

“Neil?”

His mind snapped back to the present. She was a few feet away from him with a concerned look on her face.

She walked closer until she was in front of him. “Are you okay?” Franny looked up at him, searching his eyes for any signs of distress.

Despite him maintaining his demeanor, she knew he was holding something back. The small smiles, even the big ones… they hid something.

Cornelius nodded, clearing his throat. “Yeah, yeah…I’m okay. I’m just admiring the view.”

Franny smirked, trying to lighten the mood by implying if he was talking about her.

He caught on, realizing he probably crossed a line. "The landscape view, I mean—!" He stuttered.

“Neil,” she chuckled, laying a hand on his chest. “I know what you meant. As I was saying, we should find a place to stay.”

He inclined his head, walking past her. She reached out and held his hand, letting him lead the way. Cornelius froze for a second, before continuing their walk.

In the rural area, it was eerily quiet. Way different from the constant mechanical sounds and chemicals fuming back in the city. The birds chirping and small rustles of the vegetation was more than welcoming in their ears. The sky was a beautiful gold as the sun was starting to set.

“Wow… so beautiful,” Franny whispered, gaping at the sky.

Back at the apartment, all she would see was the light pollution from the nearby city. Some smog lingering and filling the skies. The stench of sulfur and smoke would make its way every now and then. There was some beauty but nothing compared to what was once their home, or how Cornelius described it.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath of clean air.

Cornelius watched her, feeling both love and guilt building up inside him. Love because she was here. The love of his life was right here with him. Guilt because she doesn’t remember what life was like before she was mind-controlled. Guilt because she doesn’t remember spending time with their son. Guilt… because he can only imagine what their lives could’ve been like if he never invented Doris.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, frowning as he tried to hide his solemn expression.

After walking several more minutes, they walked up to an abandon home. It was a small ranch style home. The surrounding area was overgrown with vegetation. Pines and oak tress were scattered, allowing for some privacy.

He knocked on the door, scouting around for anything suspicious.

“Hello?” Franny called out, peeking through the window.

The living room, from what she could see, looked untouched.

No signs of life.

Confused, she tried knocking again. “Hello, anyone home?”

Again nothing.

“Well, I guess we can—.”

Bam!

Franny yelped, jumping from the sudden noise.

“It’s open,” Cornelius said, letting himself in.

“Neil!” Franny frowned, “what the hell?”

“Well, no one answered.” He simply replied, looking at her in confusion.

She crossed her arms, frowning. “Obviously, but what if there are women and children?” She said matter-of-factly. “Let me scout out the house.”

That stopped Cornelius from further inspecting the home. If there were mothers and children, then Franny was right… like she always had been.

“Alright, but I’ll be right behind you,” he whispered, clutching the weapon in his hand.

“Let’s start downstairs.” She announced, placing her backpack down on the couch.

Cornelius nodded, but kept his pack on.

The kitchen brought her a sense of nostalgia. The warm sun rays seeping through the oaks and pines into the room. The pantry seemed to have a good amount of food. They’ll just need to check the expiration dates.

The living room and dining rooms were also inspected, nothing odd to be concerned about.

“Okay, upstairs.”

The bathrooms were empty. No signs of life nor the bedrooms. Everything was left untouched by the home’s previous owners.

Photos of the previous family were mounted on the walls along with more frames placed on desks and nightstands.

"Franny, I'm gonna check the pipes and see if things are still working or if I need to do some fixing," Cornelius said, laying his bag on the bed.

Franny was taken aback with the sudden distance. They were always at least a few feet away from each other. Well, with the exception of when she found water.

“Do you want me to come with you?” She asked, fidgeting with her fingers.

Cornelius shook his head. “No, I-um, I’ll be okay.” He said, looking out the window. “Listen, after I’m done, I’ll let you know if they’re good to go for you to shower.”

Giving him a skeptical look, she reluctantly agreed. “Okay, um… I’ll be here then. Cleaning and disposing of certain foods.”

Without another word, he left.

What's up with him? She wondered, walking over to the window to see him start his work.

Sighing, she immediately got to work. A good amount of the pantry was expired—big surprise. But there was still enough for a good few weeks.

Man, this family was prepared or something. Franny mused, dusting off the furniture and inspecting it as she did.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Cornelius’ bag.

Must be heavy, she sighed, walking over to it.

Sure enough, there were can foods, some clothing and small necessary products—including another pair of glasses.

Putting away the goods, she hummed to herself, trying to keep herself busy.

“Franny?”

Another yelp escaped her lips. Her eyes caught a glimpse of Cornelius standing by the door frame.

“Cornelius, you have to stop doing that,” she gasped, lowering her defense stance.

“I’m sorry,” he bit his lip. “I was just going to tell you that the water’s working. You should be able to shower. Let the water run for a bit though.”

Sighing, she nodded. “Okay, I won’t be long.”

Cornelius did the same, “I’ll be inside in a bit,” he said, before slipping out.

—

Feeling the warm water against her skin felt so good. It was numbing but also so peaceful.

Her hands raised above her head, lathering her hair and then down to her body. She made sure she scrubbed twice just to wash away all the dirt, feel cleaner than before.

After feeling satisfied, Franny turned off the water and stepped out. Her eyes locked on herself, just like they did back at the apartments.

This time, she saw her entire body. She would have assumed during her mind control she would’ve lost weight, an unhealthy amount of weight loss.

But the more she thought of it, Doris wouldn’t want unreliable hosts. All of them had to be physically capable, at least in “moderate” health.

Her body was still the same. Her softness, her black hair… all intact. There were some injuries but nothing the human body can’t repair.

She turned away, going into their bedroom to change.

Snap. Snap. Clink.

Franny frozen, catching her breath. She waited, slowly adjusting her sleep shirt.

Snap. Clink. Clash!

“Neil?” She called out, taking a fighting stance with a lamp in hand. Damn it, she cursed. What if someone lived here?

Before she made a complete turn, she saw Cornelius (freshly showered) taking down every frame in frantic motions.

She had never seen him this upset, well from what she was able to remember. Franny was sure they’ve gone through difficult times back then, but nothing like this.

His hands ripped the frames and smashed them onto the floor as they continued to pop up. The more time passed, the more irritated and frantic he became.

“Neil,” Franny croaked, frightened. She didn’t know what was going on, what was causing him to act with such anger and remorse. “Neil!”

He didn’t pay attention to her, he snatched every frame, any trace of the people that lived here before them and destroyed it.

“Cornelius!”

This time she stepped in, taking a hold of his wrists. “Neil, look at me!” she pleaded, frantically trying to do just that.

His eyes were wild, red rims from the previous tears that irritating them.

“You’re okay,” she whispered, trying to soothe his hands from trembling. Franny already knew what he must’ve been thinking. Closing her eyes, she inhaled.

She should’ve known he was still blaming himself for everything that happened… because he built Doris.

Seeing him blame himself for something he believed would bring happiness to the world hurt her soul.

Deep down in her heart, she knew he only wanted to do good.

“Sweetie,” she tried smiling, trying to reassure him. “It’s not your fault…”

“You don’t know that,” he hissed, pulling away from her.

“I do.”

“I’ve ruined these people’s lives, Francesca! I basically killed them all. All those people mind controlled? They're dead. I’ve hurt people, I’ve hurt our family, our son—you.”

Franny stayed silent, unable to respond.

“Seeing these images of those who used to live here—” he laughed, shaking his head. “It kills me. Mocks me. Haunts me.”

“Cornelius, you tried helping others. Make their lives easier. You know that, I know that.”

“And where did that leave us?” He snapped, walking past her into their bedroom. “Our family—they’re still trapped, we have no idea if they’re all okay. Our son has to deal with not having both of his parents because of me, Franny.”

She stayed quiet for a moment, hesitating as his words filled her mind and ached her heart.

Franny shook her head. “You created inventions for happiness, Neil.” She touched his arm, trying to comfort him. “What happened was a mistake, an error. You couldn’t have predicted any of this happening.”

He moved away from her touch, keeping his gaze away from her.

Franny stared at him, trying to find the right words. She tried reaching for him again. “I know… I know my mind isn’t 100%, my memories aren’t there but… I do know you are a good person, Neil. A compassionate and optimistic person. A loving husband. The one I fell in love with… and the one I’m falling in love with all over again.”

This time, his head snapped up. His eyes locked on her. His facial expression was of pure shock but also relief.

Franny stepped closer, slowly reaching up to touch his face. Cornelius didn’t pull away this time.

The air grew thick.

“I… I don’t remember much, but every time I’m with you, there are moments where I remember my life with you. I remember my Mr. Fix-It.” She smiled softly, letting the tears fall.

All these emotions she kept to herself were finally being unleashed. She wanted to keep her love at bay for the time being, but seeing him in such a state ached her heart.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he heard her words. His hand gently touched hers, leaning to kiss it.

The warmth ignited inside her once again.

“I’m so sorry, Franny…” he breathed, touching his forehead with hers.

Franny shook her head, her other hand reaching to grasp the back of his neck. “We’ll get through this,” she promised.

Cornelius pulled back, before once again, both moon and earth gravitated towards one another.

link

[neophillims]

ohhhhh my god you live in a constant state of unbecoming and realization that your dreams will never become memories and that you are a puppet to other people's desires. should we tell everyone? should we throw a party? should we invite neil perry?

[denimbex1986]

'In 2005, writer Russell T Davies accomplished the miraculous feat of bringing back Doctor Who from the dead. And now with “The Giggle”, the last in his three 60th anniversary specials, it feels as though he has done the same thing all over again.

It has been a long time since Doctor Who has felt this exciting, this funny, this rich, this camp, this smart, this scary, this, well, sublime. It is almost cruel to have been given so little of David Tennant and Catherine Tate – a dream TARDIS team deserving of a full series – but but Ncuti Gatwa’s charismatic new Doctor, who made his debut tonight, suggests the future is bright for the sci-fi series.

Forget the Doctors, however. The real star of tonight’s spectacular was the villain: Neil Patrick Harris’ delightfully devious Toymaker. The character first made an appearance as a playful enigma in the classic series, opposite William Hartnell’s First Doctor.

Here he was recast as an “elemental force” beyond the science of the universe, a maniacal trickster governed only by the rules of play. His big game was to plunge Earth into chaos by making every human believe that their own opinion is supreme. It was a mischievous idea, and a satirical swipe at the last few years of rent-a-gob culture war blowhards and terminally online conspiracy theorists.

It was joyous to watch an actor having such an obvious blast with a role as Harris played the Toymaker as an agent of chaos. There are few scenes in Doctor Who – indeed, in all television – as magnificent as the one in which Harris lip synced for his life around UNIT HQ to “Spice Up Your Life”. What a flamboyant explosion of colour and delirium!

And yet, the Toymaker was no clown. It is rare for a Doctor Who villain to feel so unsettlingly unbeatable: like a god among insects, as frightening as he is frivolous.

The scenes in the Toymaker’s toy shop, for instance, in which the Doctor and Donna were trapped in an infinite hallway of tricks and terrors, were deliciously creepy. Just take the unsettling moment in which the Doctor discovered the body of a man who has been turned into a marionette, or when Donna was ambushed by a gang of Tim Burton-esque stop-motion puppets.

These moments not only showed off Russell T Davies’ talent for elegantly marrying tones (jump scares one moment, ludicrously camp the next), but how lavish Doctor Who is under his stewardship. The scale is bigger, the CGI is expensive, the visual language sharper, more polished. This is Doctor Who with Disney+ money.

The episode’s last laugh, however, was its big surprise: having been wounded by the Toymaker, David Tennant’s Doctor not only regenerated into Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth incarnation, he “bi-regenerated”, meaning that both Doctors now get to co-exist with each other.

It’s a totally new concept for the programme – and a slightly garbled way for the show to have its cake and eat it too. David Tennant’s Doctor got the happy ending he deserves, settling down with the Noble family to live a relatively normal life. The tender and humane Tennant was marvellous in these scene and as nonsensical as it is, I’m glad the bi-regeneration leaves the door open for his return.

And then there is Gatwa, our new Doctor. While he arrived sans trousers, his characterisation already felt complete. The Toymaker resolution – in which he and the two Doctors played a high-stakes game of catch – might have fallen flat in comparison to the rest of the episode, but the sassy Gatwa was already such a commanding presence that it didn’t quite seem to matter. Every scene with him in it was a joy. Every line was a reaffirmation that he is the Doctor.

What a time for to be a Doctor Who fan. The programme has never felt quite so alive.'

[samuelyaboyy]

Had to make a introduction abut me cuz idk

My name is Sarah

My favorite shows are the muppet show, animaniacs, ghost and Molly McGee, casagrandes, the loud house, don't hug me I'm scared, sonic x, sonic boom, the letter people, Eddsworld, sesame street, Rocko's Modern Life, Ren and Stimpy, CRiTORA, Catdog, moral Orel, muppets tonight, fanboy and Chum Chum, Fred Figglehorn, cartoonmania, mandela catalogue, walten files, Fred the Show, hi hi puffy Ami yumi, your favorite martian the series, nostalgia critic, angry video game nerd and potter puppet pals

My favorite movies are the muppet movie, the muppets, muppets most wanted, adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Fred the movie, Fred 3 the movie, Fred 2 night of the living Fred and CartoonMania: the movie

My hyperfixations are mad scientist cartoon, the rockafire explosion, goosebumps, vocaloid, utau and clone high

My favorite music artists are lemon demon, neil cicierega, your favorite martian, will wood, will wood and the tapeworms, tally hall, Bart baker, ghost and pals, your favorite martian and oingo boingo

My favorite video games are quiplash, trivia murder party, trivia murder party 2, Friday night funkin, five nights at Freddy's, Dave and Bambi, sonic the hedgehog, Omori, team fortress 2, roblox, item asylum, survive and kill the killers on area 51, my singing monsters, my muppets show and my singing monsters dawn of fire

My comfort media are inanimate insanity and peewee's playhouse

I am a bisexual, pansexual polyamorous aroace non-binary transgender genderfluid and xenogender boy

I use he/they/faun/xem/it pronouns and neopronouns

I make xenogenders

I make headcanon about characters from every media

I'm neurodivergent, autistic and ADHD

DNI if:

Homophobic

Transphobic

Ableist

Racist

Vegan

Imvu players

P3d0

Autism speaks supporters/defenders

Xenogender anti

Neopronoun anti

RCTA

Z00ph1l3

N$fw

F3t!sh ppl

Inflation and v0r3 enjoyers

Lemon Demon anti

Spam bots

Favorite characters

Muppets - Uncle deadly, Dr phil van neuter johnny Fiama sal minella marvin Suggs Mr poodlepants chip bill the bug bobo the bear lew Zealand doctor Bunsen honeydew beaker Wayne and Wanda waldo C graphic digit newsman bill the bubble guy Wilkins wontkins bobby Benson link hogthrob Constantine the frog Sam the Eagle Howard Tubman Carter Zelda rose and Mulch

Sesame Street - Count von Count, Bill the Bug and Limbo/Nobody

Bart Baker - Taylor Swift, PSY, Lorde, William, Britney spears and Adam levine

Lemon Demon - Neil Cicierega

Animaniacs - Wakko Warner

The Ghost and Molly McGee - Sharon McGee, Leah stein-torres, Pete mcgee, Libby stein-torres, jinx, Molly McGee, scratch, Darryl McGee and Ezekiel tugbottom

Battle for Dream Island - Puffball

Friday night Funkin - Meri, Beepie, Dave and Bambi

Fred Franchise - Fred Figglehorn

Jashin-Chan - Hatsune Miku

CRiTORA - Kimi canicani, Iggy digahol, Avery Darling, eggy, queen virus, dundun qwerty, Pluto Georgia, spottie Leonard and Ernie joefreckler

Adventures of Elmo in grouchland - Huxley

Channel Awesome - Nostalgia Critic/Doug Walker

Muppets 2011 - Tex Richman

Cinemassacre - Angry Video Game Nerd

Muppet Movie - Max, Doc Hopper and Snake Walker

Pokemon - Sylveon

Fred the Movie - Kevin and Judy

Peewee's Playhouse - Cool Cat, Dirty Dog, Conky 2000, Randy and Chairry

Muppets from Space - K. Edgar singer

Rockafire Explosion - Rolfe Dewolfe and Dook Larue

Cartoonmania - Lucifer Killingsworth, Rufus, Ed Ted Ned and Fred, Anne Mermaid, Roy and Professor Qwertyson

Muppets Most Wanted - Dominic badguy

ABC Muppets - Pache/Pizza

Don't hug me I'm scared - Colin and Shrignold

Muppets Tonight - Heather Locklear

Muppets Wizard of Oz - Wicked Witch of the west

Crash and Bernstein - Crash

Fraggle Rock - Large Marvin fraggle

Clone High - Topher Bus, Abe, Professor Scudsworth and Mr. butlertron wesley

Scott the Woz - Scott the Woz

Owl House - Collector

BFFS list

@elle-eedee @emishows123 @splashy900 @boogiestronic80s @nightmaremp @moshywoosh @cheezecirno

Might pin this later 👀

This was inspired by @emishows123

[pjunicornart]

Lazy Days Info Dump pt. 2

You read the title. Let's do this.

SO. I've been brainstorming ideas for the others characters within this AU, as in, the other Robinsons. These will just be little character bios, and these were made recently. So everything you see here is subject to change!

Lucille Still as lively as ever! When she's not baking or sewing, she's swimming in her family's pool. She tries to stay positive after the death of her husband, Bud... and that meant going to grief counseling.

Gaston A streamer/online personality. He started off by playing FPS games, but nowadays he's interested in the likes of indie games, especially indie horror. Yes... the other Robinsons have appeared in his videos on occasion. Like that one time Neil and Gaston made a "gingerbread house."

Art An intergalactic bounty hunter alah Celeste from HuniePop. It's from this job he met Lefty, and rescued her from danger. He's often away from the family for weeks at a time, but he makes sure to bring home cool alien artifacts for the kiddos for when he returns.

Fritz He makes OOAKs with old play line fashion dolls. He has the whole shebang... the 3D printer for more complex projects, the matte varnish, the sewing patterns, clumps of doll hair, a rooting tool, etc. He posts his creations online.

Petunia Not a puppet! She is still very much alive. Her first husband wound up in prison. He can rot in there for all she cares, because Fritz is a better man. He supported her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Tallulah A world famous model for a high end lounge, lingerie, and sleepwear brand. Her personality is inspired by Ashley's from HuniePop 2. Very chill and laid-back. Also the type to ask fucked up questions.

Laszlo Due to trauma from his past he'd rather not talk about, he's very intertwined with the internet aesthetic known as "Traumacore." This reflects in his digital art, using pastels and cute character designs mixed with dark and disturbing imagery. It's a coping/comfort mechanism for him. He's working on a graphic novel with this style.

Joe After undergoing bariactric surgery, he's taking his personal health a lot more seriously. His positive attitude online and drive to become a better him has landed him multiple brand deals.

Billie The hands on type. The type of girl to get her hands dirty building and painting model trains. She collects vintage and newer toy trains and displays them proudly on her shelf. Well, multiple shelves, actually.

Carl Built with a more cozy, humanoid appearance, he's the family's right hand robot. He's programmed with thousands of ways to enhance the family's daily lives, as well as advanced hardware to make him a truly intelligent AI.

Lefty The maid of the household. Her home planet was a desolate ocean, where a rogue group reined supreme. Now that she's on this exciting, new environment, she eagerly looks at everything with an intense curiosity.

Doris The butler. She's got some sass to her, I'll say that... She's got the same hardware that Carl has, so her developing her own personality was nothing to write about for Neil.

Spike and Dmitri Alien twins who were also rescued from one of Art's missions. They were never given names on their home planet, so the family gave them names. For some reason, they spend most of their day in the garden... sitting in flower pots. Maybe it's because their home planet was very lush? Who knows...

For more info about the AU in general and bios for the other characters, refer to this post -> Lazy Days Info Dump. For busts of the other members of the family, refer to this post -> Lazy Days Character Busts. Still wanna know more? Ask box is always open.

[themagnustournament]

Round Two Part One - Match 6

Dreamer, Oliver Banks’s first statement and likely the last statement taken by Gertrude! Dreamer is up against The Puppeteer, which has 273 Round One votes.

MAG 011 - Dreamer | Spotify - Acast - YT | Wiki | Transcript

Statement of Antonio Blake, regarding his recent dreams about Gertrude Robinson, previous Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute.

MAG 136 - The Puppeteer | Spotify - Acast - YT | Wiki | Transcript

Statement of Alison Killala, regarding her time as friend and carer to special effects artist Neil Lagorio.

[gargoyle-doyle]

notes & thoughts i had when i was reading this book ;-3 (its kinda disjointed and doesn't read well, there were just things scrawled when reading. idk i might write it up properly one day xx).

-Clinically obsessed with Neil Gaiman's 1994 'The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch' and yes i am incredibly biased, and yes it is because i'm living away from pompey right now, and i miss my ghost adventures, and fratton rd subway.

-Its just such a nostalgic, and fun read. Mckeans art is so vivid, its like something walked straight out of my mind and onto the page, its really a graphic novel that properly exploits the medium and captivates on every page.

-As someone who has personally beefed with the descendants of these swans, i can tell you for a fact that this still stands true - they will break your arm, and not only that, they will peck into ur stomach and pluck out ur intestines. Apart from one swan who has arthritis, and is fed medicine in the evenings by an unnamed local, he is probably too busy eating his medicines.

-Reading all these passages written in 1994, almost exactly 30 years ago, set even further back into the late sixties, and seeing such relatable anecdotes. it's hopeful. Pompey stays Pompey forever.

And then you're hit with bits like this:

-And I'm reminded of the bridge centre bookshop losing the war against the council, the privatising of the secret garden, commercial road - the ghost town. And subway, and rowans, and London rd dying. Moorhouse becoming a newsagents, becoming a house.

-And then even before me, (mandatory obelisk mention), tricorn, charlotte st. The shadows of the past. What becomes of the time capsule in the bridge, when there is no bridge? But then in the same way theres development. Gunwharf, The spinnaker, The Mary Rose Museum.

-But it's all the superficial stuff - the tourist attractions. And it's all the heart and soul that get left to rot.

-I love this graphic novel because it's alive. and its mean. an affair, a pregnancy, forced abortion by beating a woman with planks of wood, disguised in cloudy memories and that slight childhood hope to mask it. to retell it again and again until the story turns out different this time.

-And there's this house, and its my childhood home. its the home of everyone i've ever befriended, and ever went to school with. And I'm reminded of when i used to see Punch and Judy shows over in St James' Dog park for picnic on the green.

-And one year, after the show, after the ice lollies, and after the raffle, my friend and i walked home, past all the shops, and at the end of my street was a great plume of smoke, and crinkle chip was burning down. We stood across the road and watched it burn.

Crinkle chip survived - but not as crinkle chip. It changed, it became Crispy Cod. But the foods the same. the important stuff. idk, i hate everything closing, its gone, and likely never coming back. But i still care, and i think that's the important part. that it mattered to me once upon a time (second mandatory obelisk mention in brackets so i don't waffle on about the obelisk).

-the story of punch and judy is told and retold by so many. as life here is lived by so many, but in many ways the same life. with many of the same characters and set pieces.

-the tale really articulates the frustration, the whimsy, the worry, and the awareness of childhood. living in a dream-like world, only in that none of your questions ever get answered. fantasy from boredom, fear, and confusion. the world is new, its your first time here and everyone just expects you to know whats real and whats not. That feeling of being looked over, of raising yourself because adults lie, cry, and run away from questions.

-This lamppost is real - so are the lights. i know exactly where this is and what they look like at every time of day.

-I love puppets, i love making them, buying them, studying them. This book reads like a love letter. But one written to a love never indulged. a love letter written and then kept in a box in the attic. The book feels like everything we want to say but don't. in the real world there's the story following the boy and his grandfather, and in the magical, theres the denial to let the self wear the puppet. nothing ever comes to fruition. nothing stays long enough to have the time to tell it how you felt, to express the grief. at the end theres a moment where the narrator just might wear mr punch. but theres not enough time to rationalise, to explain. its not the same mr punch anyway.

-its a scene that reminded me that sometimes we never get to do the things we desire because its too late. like trick-or-treating. if you dont do it as a kid you never will. and it sucks. and we dont get to go back.

-i should've bought all those Anne Rice books from the Bridge when i had the chance. but its gone now. and i won't.

-everything goes. but the memories remain, spectres to be engaged with, and in that its not really gone. The hearts arent gone, because they are here in this book. and so is the grandfather, and so is pompey.

-i should've written more notes about the art. The combination of photos and drawings portrays memories in such a beautiful and disorienting way. its distressing, and memorable. the way some things are emphasised by the photos, Punch and Judy, and the grandfather, while other memories are more obscure sketches, like the pier and the houses. it reads like a Cecilia Condit film scary and fragmented and young, or Jan Svankmajer's (my birthday twin xx) Jabberwocky short film.

-“Everybody dies but Mister Punch, and he has only the life he steals from others”

-----

after reading the book, and spell-checking my notes. i also read this companion article by Jennifer K . Cox 'From Stage to Page: Adaptation as Survival in Neil Gaiman’s Mr. Punch' that i would like to share highlights from;

-Forbidden knowledge, portrayed as the magic of puppetry, parallels the narrator’s traumatic childhood memories; the adaptations to his memories have allowed him to survive, even if they obscure the truth of his past.

-“The path of memory is neither straight nor safe,” - Gaiman

-'In some sense, telling a story makes it happen again' - Schank (eek! i love this, it fits with the ethos of the graphic novel itself being that things change but that doesn't mean you can't return to how it was in story and memory).

-'As inanimate objects that rely on human hands to give them life, puppets represent a physical “link with the dead, with the realm of the uncanny, the threshold realm of things unknown or repressed” - Gross (sums up how i feel when i make my frog puppet dance to Modern Talking).

-“Tolkien’s view was that the myth-making imagination always tends toward truth rather than lies; that fantastic stories lead toward a genuine understanding of the conditions of existence” - Attebery

-Theatre historian John Bell describes puppets as “performing objects” and suggests that people manipulate them “in order to show us how parts of the…material world can be animated by humans. [..] that our playing with objects allows

us to come to terms with death”

-this adapted work is by and for adults. (i dont know if i particularly agree with this statement. i think kids should read tough and scary stories. Mr Punch provides a great framework for exploring ones own anguish with the world in a way thats relatable and readable. with sections feeling specifically catered towards kids. 'adults lie', 'i should've written this in blood' and the mystical views on death. Yes, they have a nostalgia factor for adult readers, but they are childish thoughts, relatable to child readers. Kids deserve thoughtful and dark stories that challenge them, that haunt them).

-For the lower classes during the eighteenth century, divorce was improbable, public hangings were employed to discourage crime, and a healthy Puritan work ethic threatened bodily harm, while a poor work ethic threatened eternal damnation; Punch thumbed his rather large nose at each of these oppressive institutions

-the narrator resist picking up the puppet for one of two reasons: because the knowledge will destroy the magic of puppetry, and if the audience knows how the magic works the genre of puppet theatre ceases to function, or because he knows wearing the puppet means he must then become Punch