#not ship art. they are the original best friends they invented it

[spoopdeedoop]

something about being alive, despite all of it, because all of it

[meteooru]

Love your art! Don’t know if you answered this already, but how did you originally get into South Park + Style?

tyy!!

A friend basically sat me down and made me watch some episodes earlier this year and because I was in need of a new hyperfixation and a new show to watch I just started watching the whole thing hahshah She basically created a monster by encouraging me to do so

and style? my fav ship ever is iwaoi from haikyuu so. The childhood best friends dynamic just speaks to me !! I love their canon relationship and the one i have invented in my brain <3

[ghostwitchs-art]

Full height chart for my Post-Corruption Wonderland AU (click for quality)

Individual characters + little blurbs about them under the cut:

Having avenged her family’s death, Alice has finally been able to process her grief and begin to heal, and Wonderland is healing with her

Design notes: A healthier complexion and some small weight gain, brighter clothes (without blood) and Lizzie’s key (one of her only family mementos) replacing her omega necklace. Kept Jupiter to represent joy and optimism, and added Chiron to represent healing and spiritual growth. Drawn with one of her weapons because I didn’t know what to do with hands

Her greatest ally through all of Wonderland’s troubles, but still a snarky little shit

Design notes: Distinctly less emaciated, no blood in his toothy grin. Leans more into his Asylum concept designs

Paranoid and scatterbrained. Despite Wonderland’s slow return to its former glory, he keeps Alice alert to any signs of trouble, no matter how small or ridiculous. She considers him on of her best friends

Design notes: a little fluffier, not much else changed

Alice “rules” Wonderland (not that Wonderland can be controlled that much), and each Domain has its own ruler to help Alice manage things easier (will elaborate on this later). These two rule Forward Industries, though they lack much tangible power due to the ever-growing Union. They are tinkerers who want to invent all sorts of bizarre technology for the people of Wonderland

Design notes: Open wounds are healed and prosthetics are more practical

Being kicked out of the domain once named after him, The Hatter bitterly took over The Crockery. The two domain’s heavy connections (they are basically one domain to some) means Alice often has to step in to mitigate the fights between him and Dormouse and March Hare. The Crockery itself has a tiny population and little going on, so Hatter can spend most of his time trying to one-up the rodents inventions

Design notes: Combination of his original design and the Asylum concept design. Sort of like his old self, but not completely. Holding a mini-eyepot, one of his inventions

The Red Queen is a reflection of Lizzie. A foil to her, if she was alive. Regardless, Alice can’t let go of the connection, which led her to be more forgiving of the Queen’s past actions than others. Really, she just wanted to control Wonderland in a desperate attempt to save it, but with a disastrous amount of force. As such, she has been reinstated as ruler of the Queensland, but she is micromanaged the most out of all of them for the people’s wellbeing

Design notes: Really don’t like the Madness Returns design so its essentially been retconned (it doesn’t really make sense for her to look like young Alice if she’s represents Lizzie, and also its kinda lame). Based on Asylum concept art, her appearance is more “normal” than in the first game (not having horns, having hair, etc) but still monstrous

He originally became conductor of the Looking-Glass Line after the corruption era ended, but was later instated as ruler of the Deep Blue Sea after the Carpenter was deemed unfit to rule. Like the Crockery, the population is small and almost exclusive to Barrelbottom, so his responsibilities are more on the level of a mayor, hence his garb

Design notes: I put the mayor hat and sash on him because I thought it was a fun idea lol

Not allowed to rule the sea, Carpenter continued running the Dreary Lane Theatre, whose productions have vastly improved in quality. Citizens can enter the building confident in their safety with the Walrus’ head mounted above the door

Design notes: Really liked how his design looked in the theatricals cutscenes, has a more dramatic feel than his regular 3D model

Abandoned a life of royalty to run the largest Snout farm in Wonderland. Still just as self-absorbed as ever

Design notes: Dress is a combination of her actual in-game outfit and typical farmer garb from the 1800s

Back from the dead, and not in the form of a ship. He is the ruler of the Vale of Tears, and is widely recognized as a hero for his battle against the Jabberwock in the war

Design notes: Stylized version of his in-game design

Rules the Tundraful, living at the peak of the frigid mountain. A philosopher who Alice comes to to ask the complicated questions in life. Generally helpful, but his answers are often more poetic than practical

Design notes: Cooler color scheme hearkening back to the first game design, and more fur to fit the cold region he lives in

[pjunicornart]

Hey there

I saw your post about Cornelius and Franny and your perspective on their relationship, and I just want to say that I think it's really interesting (in a good way!) that you don't necessarily care for them as a couple.

What I really love about Meet the Robinsons is that it's a lot of people's comfort movie for a whole plethora of reasons, and those aren't going to be the same for everyone. I love it because Lewis finally gets adopted by people who accept him for who he is at the end, and that's something I desperately wanted as a kid and never really got.

I also know a lot of people see a little bit of themselves in Lewis, and that's the character that they most relate to.

For me, Franny and Cornelius are my comfort ship because I just love the idea that they were really close best friends who just kind of fell in love and get married and live happily ever after. But I know not everyone is going to see that, and it's totally okay!

I actually really love your headcanon of them being best friends with benefits, at least in an AU ☺️ I just love imagining their friendship, even without any romantic aspects. It's okay not to ship them, there's not law that says you have to. Like I know a lot of people who think Benedict Cucumber (I can't spell his last name lol) is the sexiest man alive, but I genuinely don't see it. 🤨

I also want to say that, as someone with a kid who never listens, I can understand their frustration with Wilbur. I think Cornelius is just tired of his kid's shit since he's probably told him a trillion times not to touch his inventions 😅 But I understand that it's triggering to see stuff like that, especially in a movie that's all about acceptance and I hate that those aspects make it difficult to watch.

Anyway, I know this was really long and kinda came out of the blue, and I hope this doesn't come across in a negative way. Your artwork showing their relationship in a different light as well as your AUs is really sweet, and I hope you never lose your spark.

Also, can confirm the straights are not okay 😂😐😶🫥

Hey, thanks. I needed this. Sometimes I look at what other people are doing within this fandom and I feel like the odd one out because my headcanons all lead towards the dark and triggering side of things due to my own trauma. Then again... when am I not the odd one out? Heh heh heh.

On the topic of people seeing themselves in Lewis... He was actually me as a kid. Down to the leading with anger as an emotion because I was autistic and nobody taught me how to regulate mine. Dude, I even related to the parts in the montage where he was up teaching the class. I did that too, because I was reading middle school level chapter books when I was six.

Lewis' safe spot seemed to be the roof, and I related to that for... obvious reasons, if you saw my previous art post. That's why I developed the headcanon he thought about jumping off that roof a couple times. Some people may ask what the hell is wrong with me, but who are you to judge how I cope with my trauma? If that means making a fictional character suicidal, then all you gotta do is leave it alone. It doesn't affect your life in any way. Just mine.

Anyway, I'm happy to know someone likes my interpretation of their relationship. I'm definitely gonna do more with them, I already have some ideas I might spring for. I was originally gonna do "Ask Agoraphobic Lewis" as my new ask blog, but now I'm thinking I might do "Ask Bestie Lewis and Franny." We'll see on that one, heh heh.

Yeah the straights are never okay when we check up on 'em, huh?

[antispopausandstuff]

my newest modern AU

.

it's only one of them, but eh.

'Everything Changes' ( name is being workshopped ) is the most school-centered ( i think i'll write them in a college setting instead of a high school one ) out of all of the other modern AUs i have. not that i would write a whole lot about the subjects, cuz i'm not going to college-

keep these in mind:

everyone will have modern names ( the original ones can be nicknames instead, though not for all ), with a few exceptions.

i'll be giving everyone degrees if they're in the college and if i know what degree they'd go for.

most of the ships will either be not canon or given more spice to be acceptable fanon ( seamista is not included, we hate seamista in this house ).

the already adult characters will not be included in the college, unless they are a teacher ( for ex, Spinerella and Netossa ), and will likely only be involved in subplots.

i will project as i see fit!

.

( will be formatted as surname, first name, to avoid confusion and respect cultures that usually have this format of title )

Students . . .

Randor Wicker Adora - 18 - Digital Arts Major // History Minor // Animal Care Minor // Foreign Languages Minor

Tomioka Ginna ( Glimmer ) - 18 - Aviation Major // Journalism Minor

Asharia Beau ( Bow ) - 18 - Computer Technology Major // Game Design Major // Ethnic Studies Minor

Wicker Catrina ( Catra ) - 18 - Criminology Major // Media Studies Minor

Deung Soojin ( Scorpia ) - 19 - Physical Fitness Major // Woodworking Major // Cosmetology Minor

Suwannarat Mazu ( Mermista ) - 19 - Photojournalism Major // Cinematography Major

Garcia Phil ( Perfuma ) - 19 - Plant Sciences Major // Animal Care Major // Gender Studies Minor

Jin Fuyi ( Frosta ) - 16 - Foreign Languages Major // Culinary Arts Minor // Journalism Minor

Noble Faye ( Flutterina ) - 16 - Graphic Design Major // Ballet Major // Metal and Jewelry Arts Major

Hall Shan ( Seahawk ) - 18 - Drama Major // Music Performance Minor

Jackson Kyle - 18 - Animation Major // Biomedical Sciences Major

O'Neil Lonnie - 18 - Mechanical Engineering Major // Boilermaker Minor // Media Studies Minor

Valenzuela Rogelio - 19 - Foreign Languages Major // Ironworking Major // Cognitive Sciences Minor

Trouble Double ( fake name ) - 19 - Drama Major // Criminology Minor

.

Adults . . .

Tomioka Arisu ( Angella ) - 44 - Mother of Ginna, Wife of Micah, College Dropout, CEO of Business

Tomioka Micah - 43 - Father of Ginna, Husband of Arisu, Culinary Professor

Mihara Chiyo ( Castaspella ) - Aunt of Ginna, Sister of Micah, Sister-in-law of Arisu

Wicker Sera ( Shadow Weaver ) - 50 - Mother of Adora and Catrina, College Dropout

??? Harlow ( Hordak ) - 51 - Partner of Eden, Technician & Florist

Perez Eden ( Entrapta ) - 49 - Mother of Emily ( robot child ) & her inventions, Science Professor

Noble Prince ( Peekablue ) - 32 - Older Brother of Faye, Drama & Music Professor

Taylor Hara ( Huntara ) - 45 - Legal Guardian of Soojin, P.E Professor

Randor Mara - 34 - Biological Mother of Adora, Assistant in Arisu's Business

Hughes Lin ( Light Hope ) - Friend of Mara, Mathematics Professor

Razz Madame - 64 - Adopted Mother of Mara, Pseudo-Adopted Grandmother of Adora ( 'pseudo' due to not legally related ), History Professor

Biko-King Nalia ( Netossa ) - 36 - Wife of Sadie, Gymnast Instructor

King-Biko Sadie ( Spinerella ) - 36 - Wife of Nalia, Creatives & Dance Professor

Asharia George - 43 - Husband of Lance - Father of Beau, Historian

Asharia Lance - 42 - Husband of George - Father of Beau, Househusband

.

Pets . . .

Swift Wind - Shire Horse, Adora's Best Friend - Sassy, Picky w/ People ( due to Sera and Catrina's mistreatment of Adora ), Playful

Melog - Birman, Just Friend ( maybe ) - Calm, Gentle, Patient

Imp - Microbat, Harlow's Kid ( he calls them that ) - Loud, Mischievous, Energetic

.

extra bits of info . . .

Adora is deaf, Rogelio is still mute, and Eden is hard of hearing

Adora and Catra aren't talking in the beginning ( had a fight previously and Catra won't reconcile )

Kyle, Lonnie, and Rogelio were involved with crime as kids ( not of their own choice ), got a clean slate through Harlow

Fiyu and Micah bond over food and rough childhoods

Soojin is an orphan ( mothers died at a young age ) and had been in the foster care system for a long time until Hara ( an orphan as well ) came along

when Mara and Adora see each other again, Adora doesn't recognize her but has a strange feeling ( Mara didn't know if she should say anything, so she kept quiet and tried to be casual )

Sera took Adora in, as a baby, when she was Lilian ( Light Spinner )

Prince and Faye don't get along, Faye hates that he's her professor ( they'll learn, eventually )

Arisu and Chiyo talk and hangout on weekends

Phil and Mazu are childhood friends

.

that's not everything, obviously, but i might actually draw for this AU soon-ish? hopefully? i dunno, i like this universe and the progressing storylines a lot.

i wanna make more posts like this, just talking about AUs at length, despite still keeping it sorta vague. i'm really wanting to talk about my 'Until It Ends' AU esp, since it's very high-fantasy and just gives me magical thoughts.

if you want to read about my other AUs, i made a masterlist of sorts. it'll likely be updated slowly as more ideas come to mind, but i won't put the details for this one on the list just yet.

[futurebird]

The Best of Earth (A short SF story)

In 100,000 years an alien ship enters our solar system. The Earth has no remarkable intelligent life, but it's a beautiful biodiverse planet recovering from some bad extinctions. The aliens don't notice the traces left by humanity right away, this is just a survey trip and not much monumental remains.

But, they do pick up a signal, coming not from Earth, but from Mars. "How strange?" they think. Mars is obviously the inferior planet for life. Earth is incredible. But, someone must go to investigate.

In fact, most of the aliens do not go to Mars, the least senior members of the team are sent, since tracing such signals is core to their mission…but also not much fun. Everyone else wanted to stay on Earth taking in the vast herds of wilder-beasts, the insects and plant life, the remarkable coral reefs.

The junior members of the team lament being back in space suits on a cold dead planet-- but such is the lot of a new explorer. They make their way to Olympus Mons where the signal originates.

At the summit they find a pit. A vast strip mine where robots labor to build more robots. Some of these robots maintain a building, patching and repairing it endlessly against the storms of the Martian surface. The junior research aliens enter the building. Inside they discover smaller more specialized robots and these too are set on maintaining the building in a perpetual shape of a human home, a large one, a mansion of the 21st century. 

Though there is art on the walls and books on the shelves, everything has been replaced thousands of times: All this effort, the vast strip mine, the fleets of machines have only one purpose: to prevent change.

Inside the house there is no air to breathe, the residents do not need it.

"Greetings Alien visitors! We always knew you would come to find us some day!" Say the three figures seated at the table in the dining room. "Who are you?" Ask the junior alien researchers. "We are the people of earth!" The machines proclaim. "It is sad, but we are all that survives."

The aliens share a look of skepticism between them. They saw an awful lot that survived better than this in the little time they got to spend on Earth–  (and speaking of earth they want to get back very badly. So, they try to rush through their interview with these weird machines.)

The machines tell of a civilization, an environmental crisis. How they, the very best of Earth went to Mars so all would not be lost. The alien researchers listen and nod along.

The machines of Mars tell the aliens how they "uploaded" their minds.

"Oh no." Says one alien involuntarily, but his friends nudge him to be quiet.

The machines of Mars do not notice. They have a great deal to say about themselves, and their inventions, and achievements, but the aliens are growing bored. (They just saw a video on their ship's social feed of senior officers diving & swimming in jewel blue waters with sea turtles & colorful fish. And there are the photos of the remarkable birds, and glaciers cooling at the edge of a boreal forest– The Earth is full of so much beauty… )

"Uh. We are honored to meet you and all!” Says one of the junior alien researchers doing her best to sound formal and commanding as an alien ‘ambassador’ ought to. She isn’t certain what an ‘ambassador’ is, but probably it’s some position of importance and ceremony and it's what the Mars machines keep calling them. “Yes we are honored– But- uh- now we must go." 

Somehow, they manage to extract themselves from the house Mars machine men... who happily cannot leave their compound– even though they try to follow the junior researchers, but the machine men of Mars need their maintenance machines, and they can go no further than the edge of the quarry. The alien researchers look back at the perfect incongruous house and the great mining pit beside it, and the machine men who are probably still talking of their achievements and memories.

"Do you think these count as gray goo? Do we need a quarantine?" Asks one alien as they make their way down the mountain. (And once the machine men are well out of earshot.)

"Nah! That's only if it's nanotech. I can't believe you almost told a group of immortality AIs the truth about uploading!"

"They would have never believed me!"

Having done the least desirable task in the mission, the junior alien researchers go back to Earth and they have a wonderful time. They never go back to Mars. And other than wondering how anyone could be so clueless, they never even really think about "The best of Earth" again. 

[juncojuncojunco]

remembrances of earth's past initial concluding thoughts （xxxx)

very rough thoughts before I read/watch a bunch of other people's reactions/analyses, not anything analytical about plot/style/character/etc, just strings i found intriguing

very obviously this is a first contact story where humanity never meets its original pursuers. there is such a deep yearning and loss (for each other!) that pulls across the centuries of the narrative, even after both homeworlds are destroyed. the dance between earth and trisolaris is just so confoundingly complex--fear, admiration, concern, intimacy, distrust, mutually parental. the first thing that comes to mind is the chinese phrase 惺惺相惜 (星星!), to be concerned for, appreciate, and sympathize with another of equal caliber. from the first moment of contact-Ye Wenjie bruised enough from humanity's brutality towards her that she wants divine intervention-Trisolaris greeted Earth with a warning for them to quiet down in a universe on edge for the faintest snap of a branch. That just makes me so emotional man, even if Trisolaris as a whole decided to, as all civilization would, attack and take over the solar system.

Earthers getting to know/introducing people to Trisolaris through a video game. through a game where the aliens look like their historical heroes and figures. goddamn. Earth sending a brain to the enemy on a pipe dream that the brain will someday bring them intel, even knowing that the most likely thing to happen to the brain is that it will be studied and tortured and make their enemy understand them more deeply. trisolaris decoding the brain and its owner's biology and building him a body and a habitat below the engine of their generation ship. letting him have a chance at speaking with a woman and possibly releasing intel back to earth (which did happen! and they didn't even punish him when Cheng Xin arrived at the DX world with curvature propulsion technology). the soil and the logo-less life necessities trisolarans built for the potential human dwellers in the miniverse 647. Sophon existing as a sophon, as a robot, as a genocidal commander, as a... friend? for the last humans in the universe? my god.

are the characters realistic? no not really, but it doesn't really hinder the reading when it's so obvious they're just dust in the story of time and embody archetypes and a responsibility to history rather than to themselves. the best and worst of humanity portrayed in all 3 books were all about what I expected, it's just that the relationship between earth and trisolaris is just so so so so ...? trisolaris being a completely transparent race in book 1 who aren't even capable of lying, to trisolaris who even under the threat of a dark forest strike lies to Earth with the false technologies and research they send? That is a monster humans built with their own hands. some guy in the ETO said their lord was a naive child against the mind of a human. humans singlehandedly created a monstrous trisolaris who lies about the droplets left surveilling the earth, who lies and takes out the entire earth's space fleet in 10 minutes as soon as the swordholder changed hands. But earth also gave them art and music and stories, and if Yun Tianming meant it literally he also invented childhood for them? That is so so so so !

all the moments that I would read a whole epilogue/side story on:

Yun Tianming's fairytales, also his entire story after becoming just a brain. i'm doubtful if its really even him as we know it after revival--he was so so pessimistic about humanity and realized he meant nothing to Cheng Xin, his sunniness when they met again just doesn't check out. I just can't see how it's him. It makes more sense even for that body to be controlled by Trisolaris, who somehow has decided to communicate with humans through their likeness? The way they turned Sophon into a human robot?

What happened between Luo Ji and his wife/kid

Wang Miao who just disappeared after book one? wish Da Shi didn't abruptly drop after deterrence era too

more about what Blue Space and Gravity went through

AA and Yun Tianming in planet blue, waiting their whole lives together. all the things they would have told each other!!

a depiction of a 2 dimensional civilization would have been nuts

also, ending a story about a dark forest universe where its civs only care about their own survival, coming together (presumably) to abandon their private universe strongholds so the great universe could hold on and not expand infinitely into a dead world? ending a story where you risk death if you spoke a single word into the void of the dark, with an immense energy expenditure message to all the small universes, in millions of languages? god.

maybe there will be more organized reflection maybe this is just it! regardless, i'm thinking about this story forever !!!

[carolrain]

Trivia Wednesday

Creators: give a “behind the scenes” look at one of your works. This could be things that got removed or changed, the origins of ideas/details, whatever you like!

I am delighted, delighted by this whole thing. I love “behind the scenes,” love talking about writing, love learning about other kinds of creating.

I love @mostlyinthemorning’s post about making graphs—it answered about a dozen questions I wanted to ask and more questions I didn’t realize I wanted answers to but I did. I love metadata, love that kind of analysis. I am so pleased to be tagged, thank you.

Here is a list I started keeping of things I've researched/googled as I’ve written my work in progress. I’m copying it straight from my notes without cleaning it up or explaining so I don’t get perfectionistic about it. (I actually would be happy to explain, elaborate, or tell you what I found out about anything, as long as you promise not to laugh at those many items that reveal a basic ignorance about Canada or life in general.)

Things I've Researched for “Piecing It Together” (still a WIP)

amnesia in general

amnesia in fiction

amnesia in fanfiction

types of memory in general—muscle memory

prematurity circa 1983

nicus in toronto in 1983

30 weekers

adults who were born preterm

weather in that part of Ontario for fall 2020

weather in that part of Ontario in general

vegetation in that part of Ontario—garden, trees, planting

butter and how it’s packaged and referred to in Canada

what measurements are used for babies in Canada

head injuries in general

healing times and staples vs. stitches vs. glue on head wounds

who was the prime minister in March 2016

Covid and hospital emergency rooms in Sept 2020

Blue Jays schedule for August 2020

OHIP cards and how health care works in Canada

lockdown and non-essential businesses in Ontario

pandemic-related business help from Ontario government

timeline of Covid/lockdown guidance and rules in Ontario

if you could actually donate money to Teen Vogue

SC timeline

nosejobs circa 1996 and if they could be outpatient

psychology—compartmentalization

fall Canadian holidays

fall Jewish holidays

the geography of that part of Ontario

wildfire smoke in Sept 2020

what Alias Grace is about

timeline of Canadian elections

kilts vs skirts

MRIs vs CT scans

what was popular to watch in Sept 2020

names of colors

lyrics to songs

John Prine’s concert history

planting times for gardens in Ontario

what flowers mean

what scents go well with apple

“good baseball news website canadian”

do they eat peanut butter in Canada

meghan markle’s bouquet

episode of friends looking out the window u2

what do people do on labor day

tundra animals

the color of the motel walls—what did Dan call it?

details of baby Patrick Kennedy—include a footnote?

Susanna Moodie

busy highway toronto

what shows were on tv in spring 1996

patrick’s actual outfits patrick bluer

herbal remedies for memory problems

tomato cages

how to help someone with retrograde amnesia

the canadian postal system

how to dry curly hair

teenagers late 90s

koolaid hair 1990s images

“where do rich people hang out in spain”

where to buy tennis balls—canadian tire—do they ship them

what’s a postal code I can use for research

gardening zones canada

videos man throwing ball

sunset sunrise times ontario 2020

moon phases sept 2020

amplifier vs receiver

neck anatomy massage

what is made out of beeswax

link to fuse bead examples?

do they sell pyrex in canada?

adrenaline is the hormone I mean, right?

harpsichords

canadian cheese crackers

do they have lucky charms?

movies september 2020

disney movies released to video dates 1990s

lion king scary for seven year old

scary parts of lion king

kindergarten in ontario

soho live-work spaces images

art in galleries 2014 new york

photographers 2014 art shows

expensive cool beauty inventions 2014

vodka made in canada

how long do bouquets of flowers last

do they have best buy and the geek squad in canada

is soho in manhattan

what the creek would look like

various locations, etc.

what trees would be there, when their leaves change

fall smells

gourmet chocolate flavors

Tagging @five678patty @apothecarose @beaiola @chelle68 to share a deleted scene or other behind-the-scenes content from their creations. 

[heylinhenchman]

Selective Low Activity Jack Spicer RP + Ask Blog

First and Forepost-- Rules and Introduction.

Rule 1. Asks are welcome! If I don’t like it, I won’t answer it! Personal blogs can sends asks, and even interact in a limited manner with Jack if they would like, but I won’t making any threads with non-character entities. Rule 2. Jack is canon divergent, which means part of the Xiaolin Showdown and Chronicles series have been reimagined or re-contextualized. Respect that Jack is not ‘cowardly, (physically) weak or ineffectual’. Jack is a wildcard, easily swayed by whims and increasingly disturbed by unfolding events in his life (and like, is a teenager, for a large part of XS). Just approach him like any other character, unless you are from his series, then we can chat character dynamics. Rule 3. I love shipping. But from every dynamic (platonic; romantic; mentorship--). Jack isn’t used to people liking him further than they can use him. He’s quick to excite but slow to embrace the responsibilities of commitment of any kind (scared of rejection from friends and significant others; scared of failure from mentors and friends; etc). Rule 4. I’m an adult, and sure Jack is an adult in all post-canon content... But there’s little interest for explicit threads. Asks, art, interactions can be steamy, but fade to black will be the default for amorous threads. Rule 5. Though on the note of threads at all... this blog is taking it easy. I would appreciate many asks and I will do my best to send plenty myself. But my main intention with this blog is reaching back out to friends blogs and generally having Fun with Jack. Fun including but not limited to: Oh Ships?; Henchperson Dynamics (him serving or leading); Jack Making Friends Trials n Tribulations; Exploring Jacks vast inventory of inventions & canon divergent settings. Maybe talk about AUs. Infodumping, the good stuff. Rule 6. I have ADHD and Autism, if you want to plot instead of sending a meme (you can send any meme, whenever you want, no introduction!), you need to come into my IMs with some substance, or you will not catch nor retain my attention. We are not business partners this is not a transaction, please come into my IMs with the brunt of your personality (whether you are chipper or blunt, just be yourself). No 'hi, hello, want to rp?'. I need: INTENTION ('I like this character / this show / how you write / I saw you rp with a friend and was interested / CAN I GETA GOTH GF?') Then hopefully you can follow it up with some CONTEXT INVESTMENT (can you tell me a lil about how your character and Jack would be able to connect? do you need information from me? are you interested in shipping, adventures, casual encounters, specific genres, just wanna send memes and go with the flow?). And of course, we both need to understand the potential of me not being interested (I prioritize fandoms I recognize (not necessarily invested in) and significantly fleshed out OCs). I know it's formulaic and you don't gotta send me a paragraph off the bat. Jump in to talk bout your rp style or how you feel bout this rule first, whatever works. 

Rule x. Uh Oh Ah I’ll Follow from Heylinfanclub if we gucci to RP.

Introductions

Mun

Murmur; They/He; 20+ y/o Pisces; 15 years o’ roleplay experience; Neurodivergent Nightmare.  Original blog: @jxckspxcer​  & the main blog @heylinfanclub​ Reason for Current Blog: Too tired to switch between blogs  Blog Locked Me Out; too busy to commit as much time to Jack as I used to. BUT I MISS HIM. SO I’M HERE.

Muse

Jack Spicer; He/Him; 15-18 (XS) & 21-22 (Post Canon) Aries; Evil Genius. Main Verse: Post-XS (19) FC: Dylan Wang / Wang He Di Current Reason for Villainy: Spite

TAGS [TBA]

Jack Spicer - file. heylin genius Good Jack - file. sweet smarts Shadow Young - file. slim shady Chase Young - file. cold blooded Monks - file. Xiaolin Losers Tech - Projects. Aesthetics - Aes. Headcanons - hc.

XS verse  - v. prodigious villainy Post XS verse (main) - v. addicted to the wicked ( ^ includes immediately after XS up to XC-ish older years) Emperor Verse (post-TAT Dark Verse) - v. in the valley of the shadow of death Xiaolin Jack - v. ivory and steel Opts Out AU - v. capitalism is its own reward I WILL DEFAULT TO MAIN VERSE UNLESS SPECIFIED | REQUESTED. (main verse adjacent) Timeline / Universe Hopping . v. what year is it

This is my All-In-One Information Page. Cause this blog is supposed to be easy on me.

[stpaulsuk]

The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids Who Love Books, Music, or Art

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the savior of the world and the son of God. Moreover, Christmas is a time when families and friends often come together and It provides an opportunity for people to reconnect, strengthen relationships, and create lasting memories.

Exchanging and receiving presents during the Christmas season is a delightful aspect of the festive period, especially for the younger ones who find it particularly thrilling. Choose the Best Christmas Gifts Online in UK from St. Pauls online store to gift your loved ones and make them happy during the festive time.

Benefits of Christmas Gifting

Christmas gifting holds various benefits, both for the giver and the recipient. Here are some of the key advantages:

Christmas gifts provide an opportunity to express love, care, and thoughtfulness towards friends and family. The act of selecting a gift shows that you've considered the recipient's preferences and put effort into choosing something meaningful.

Gift-giving is a way to build and strengthen relationships. It fosters a sense of connection and shows that you value the person enough to invest time and resources in choosing a special gift for them.

Gifts often carry symbolic meaning. They can represent good wishes, blessings, or hopes for the future. Thoughtfully chosen gifts can convey messages of love, success, or prosperity.

Choosing gifts allows individuals to tap into their creativity. Finding a unique and personal gift requires thought and imagination, encouraging people to think outside the box and come up with inventive ideas.

Giving a Christmas book to your kids is one of the best gifts in the Christmas season. Because, Christmas books can be educational, teaching children about different cultures, historical aspects of the holiday, or even scientific concepts related to winter and the changing seasons. Moreover, Christmas books can contribute to the excitement and anticipation of the holiday season. Opening a new Christmas book can become a much-anticipated tradition, creating a sense of magic and wonder. Here’re some of the best options to choose. Discover the magic of the holiday season with our curated collection of children's Advent and Christmas books available online in the UK. From timeless classics to enchanting new tales, explore a diverse selection perfect for young readers

My Christmas Colouring Book

My Christmas Colouring Book is a fun and festive colouring book for kids to enjoy as they get excited about the Christmas season!

Get involved in the Nativity story - from the annunciation through to the arrival of the Wise Men - with this enchanting activity book.

A Pirate Christmas The Nativity Story

A Pirate Christmas" is a cute nativity story the whole family will love. The short story is -> Joe and his pirate dad along with Cannon the ship guinea pig are miserably stuck on their boat missing the pirate Christmas party across the water on their friends' ship. Worst of all the party games and the treasure hunt are happening without them! Joe and his dad discover a dusty old picture book of the story of the first Christmas and settle down to read together and discover a different kind of treasure.

The Action Bible Christmas: 25 Stories about Jesus' Arrival

This unique, family-friendly Christmas addition to the bestselling Action Bible line tells the story of Jesus' birth from 25 "eyewitnesses"--such as the young student in the East who first saw the star, Zechariah, the innkeeper, the dove in the stable rafters--and includes fun discussion prompts for great conversations throughout Advent and the holiday season.

Stunning illustrations and intriguing original accounts of Jesus’ birth make this a thought-provoking and fun new way to celebrate the season as a family.

Another idea is that giving music or art based gifts to kids for Christmas can have several important benefits. Music and arts provide a means for children to express their emotions in a constructive way. Creating or listening to music, for instance, can be a powerful outlet for emotions. Similarly, engaging in visual arts allows children to convey their feelings through drawings, paintings, or other forms of creative expression.

In summary, gifts related to music, arts, or Christian books for Christmas can contribute to a child's holistic development, encompassing cultural enrichment, cognitive growth, emotional expression, spiritual development, family bonding, and educational value. These gifts have the potential to provide long-lasting benefits and create meaningful memories for children.

[scilou-mdr]

About Dan! (my Headcanon)

Art by: Kasafraz

(Fanart is coming soon)

1: full sound is: Daniel Mathieu ALEN

The first name "Mathieu" comes from myself. I thought he didn't have an official name and the fans wouldn't care about him. But what was my surprise when I saw the opposite! I'm a fan of the background characters and I'm glad fans are starting to like them!!

2: He is 27 years old and born on May 8, 19?? and he does 1m65

3: He is English and of Jamaican origins and he has a half-sister: Willow

4: He's in love with Ells (yep I'm starting to ship them...)

5: Her best friend is Helloïse (Hellucard Ellsworld version)

Her:

(She doesn't have a first name so I invented one for her)

Dan met Helloïse when he first arrived at the city's basketball club (yes he plays basketball). Helloïse knows Ells very well ("Hells" as she says) and sometimes she tries to help Dan, because she understood very quickly that he was in love with this beautiful English woman in the green sweater.

As:

Helloïse: "You should invite Hells to a practice, or a game!" (I have the rest in mind of this dialogue)

Dan does not yet know that Helloïse has a witch friend who teaches him to become a witch too. This must remain secret

For Dan, Helloïse is a giantess (she is 1m90 at any time she can use Dan's head as an armrest)

(Ps: Dan and Helloïse = the most beautiful background character of Ellsworld, for me)

6: Dan. rather shy. He likes to sit in quiet corners and listen to music. Talking to people is complicated for him

(I'll see later if I'll add stuff)

[frogayyyy]

I posted 3,129 times in 2022

That's 3,112 more posts than 2021!

674 posts created (22%)

2,455 posts reblogged (78%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@crystal-mouse

@frogayyyy

@universalcaffination

@ensign-cadet

@rightspocko

I tagged 2,103 of my posts in 2022

Only 33% of my posts had no tags

#love this art &lt;3 - 424 posts

#tos star trek - 171 posts

#spirk - 140 posts

#spock - 95 posts

#jim kirk - 58 posts

#<- prev tags - 40 posts

#star trek - 39 posts

#&lt;3 - 35 posts

#yes - 26 posts

#:’) - 26 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#knowing how casually they discovered time warp they probably invented some kind of gravity-modifier device that they never speak about lol

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

found my stylophone so obviously had to play this :p

2,173 notes - Posted October 29, 2022

#4

“I am not, the hell, a man. Nor am I from the so-called sunshine state” florida man stated in an exclusive interview.

2,732 notes - Posted September 24, 2022

#3

‘the city on the edge of forever’ original teleplay, harlan ellison

‘killing time’ (first edition), della van hise

3,618 notes - Posted July 14, 2022

#2

See the full post

4,030 notes - Posted September 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

imagine you start watching this new show and it’s a silly little show about space set in the future then they announce the next season so you wait excitedly for five months and finally it’s here… you all sit round the tv and suddenly one of the main characters who is known for being unemotional starts going mad because of “biology…” and you slowly realise that he needs to have sex or he’s going to die so the other main character risks his entire career to help him out then they start ‘wrestling’ on the sand and the one going through the mating fever ends up killing the other guy which ends the fever but now he’s depressed because he just killed his best friend but wait he’s not actually dead the unemotional one is overjoyed everything’s fine and then they go back to work like nothing happened… you look at everyone else sitting in stunned silence thinking “did any one else think that was a little… yknow” then you accidentally start modern fandom and shipping culture

57,700 notes - Posted March 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[scorpionyx9621]

Do you think Jason Todd fandom is kinda toxic? Because it seems like NO MATTER what DC do, there'll always be complains. Forget the bad adaptation like Titans. Even Judd Winick cannot escape the criticism with how he potrayed Robin!Jason. They just never satisfied.

SORRY, IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO RESPOND TO THIS. I just moved from Washington D.C. to Seattle, which, for my non-American friends, that's 4442km away. And I DROVE THERE ALL BY MYSELF. And now I'm trying to find new work in a new city and trying to stay mentally healthy and positive. Life is exciting but hard and scary.

*sighs*

As someone who was a fandom elder with V*ltr*n. I've seen some of the worst when it comes to fandom behavior. I'm talking people baking food with shaving razors and trying to give them to the showrunners. I'm talking leaking major plot details and refusing to take it down unless they make their ship canon (I am looking at you, Kl*nce stans) For the most part, DC Comics has had a decades-long reputation of treating their fans like trash and not caring what they think so from what I've seen, we all just grumble and complain in our corners of the internet about how we don't like how X comic portrays Jason Todd.

The challenge with Jason Todd is that he's your clinical anti-hero, the batfamily's Draco in Leather Pants, he's a jerkass woobie, and on top of all of that, he's a Tumblr sexyman. It's a perfect storm for a very fun but frustrating character to be a fan of. It doesn't help that every writer decides to re-invent the wheel every time Jason comes up so his canon lore is confusing at best and inconsistent as a standard.

I guess starting with a general brief on who Jason is and what is uniform about him with every instance he's appeared in comics/media.

Grew up in a poor family in Gotham with a dad who was a petty-mid-level criminal, and a mother who dies of a drug overdose.

Survives on the street on his own by committing petty crimes and potentially even engaging in sexual acts to keep himself alive.

Is cornered by Batman and taken in after Dick Grayson quits/is fired

Becomes the second Robin, but is known for being the harsher, more brutal Robin.

Is killed by Joker after being tortured, but somehow comes back to life and regains senses through the Lazarus Pit

Resolves himself to be better than Batman by basically being Batman but kills people.

Where there has been a lot of conflict in the fandom is the fact that Jason Todd is not a character that is written consistently. DC Comics loves to go with the narrative that Jason was "bad from the start" and was the "bad robin" when, yes, he has trouble controlling his anger, but he also still is just as invested in seeing the best of Gotham City and trying to be a positive change for the world as any other DC Comics hero.

Where I get frustrated with the fandom is its ability to knit-pick every detail of a comic they don't like while completely disregarding everything that makes the comics great and worth it to read. My example being Urban Legends. To which most people had pretty mixed reactions to. I was critical of the comic at first but as it went along I ended up really liking it. I have a feeling DC Comics went to Chip Zdarsky and told him he had 6 issues to bring Jason back into the Bat Family, and honestly he didn't do a bad job. Did it feel rushed? Absolutely. I wish there was more development of Jason and Bruce's characters and their dynamic as a whole. However, where I see a lot of people being angry and upset with Urban Legends is that they feel Zdarsky needlessly wrote Jason as an incompetent fool who needs Bruce to save him.

Whether or not that was the intention of Zdarsky is up to debate. However, and this may be controversial, but I don't think he wrote Jason Todd out of character at all. For as fearsome, intimidating, and awesome as Red Hood is. Jason is a character who is absolutely driven by his emotions. Why do you think he donned the role of Red Hood? As a response to his anger towards The Joker for killing him, and towards Bruce for not taking action against The Joker and for seemingly replacing him so quickly after he died. Jason didn't care about being the murderous Robin Hood or for being the bloody hammer of justice against N*zi's and P*d*ph*les. He only cared originally about making The Joker and Bruce pay. It wasn't until he trained under the best assassins in the world and realized most of them were horrific criminals who trafficked children and were p*dos that Talia began to realize that the teachers that she sent Jason to train under started dying horrific and painful deaths.

The entire story of the Cheer story in Batman Urban Legends was started because it finally forced some consequences upon Jason. Tyler, aka Blue Hood's father was a drug dealer who gave his supply to his wife and kids. And when Tyler's father admitted he gave the drugs to Tyler, it immediately made him fall within the self-imposed philosophical kill-list of Jason Todd. And Jason, well, he proceeds to kill Tyler's father. When this happens, Jason is in shock. Tyler's dad fit the bill to easily and justifiably be killed by Jason. We've never seen Jason having to deal with the consequences of being a murderous vigilante on a micro-level. When Jason realizes what he's done in that he's murdered Tyler's dad, he's shocked. He tells Babs the truth. He does a rational thing because he's in shock. He doesn't know what to do, he never has had to face the consequences of his actions as Red Hood and now the gravity of befriending a child as a vigilante hero who kills people just set in when he killed the father of the same child he was just introduced to.

(Oh here's a little aside because it had to be said, Jason would not have been a good father or a good mentor to Tyler and absolutely should not have been his new Robin. Jason is a man who is in his early 20's (not saying men in their early 20's can't be good fathers at all) who is a brutal serial killer using the guise of a vigilante anti-hero to let him escape most of the law. the complications of having the man who murdered your father adopt you and make you his sidekick are way too numerous for me to explain in a long-winded already heavy Tumblr essay post. There's a reason why we don't advocate for a story where Joe Chill adopted Bruce Wayne or one where Tony Zucco took in Dick Grayson.)

The next biggest argument is that they feel that Jason is giving up his guns as a means to just be invited back into the Bat-Family. To which I will tell anyone who has that argument to go actually read Urban Legends. Already have and still have that argument? Please re-read it. Don't want to? That's okay, I will paste the images from the comic where Jason specifically says that he doesn't want to give up his weapons for Bruce and his real reasoning down below since the comic isn't exactly readily accessible.

Jason gave up the guns because he felt the gravity of what he had done and knows how it'll effect Tyler. Thankfully his mom is alive and in recovery. But Tyler doesn't have a father anymore. And Jason killed Tyler's father. It may have been in accordance to Jason's philosophy, but it was a case where it blurred the lines. Jason Todd isn't a black and white character, just very dark gray. He doesn't kill aimlessly like the Joker. If you are on Jason's list you probably have done something pretty horrific, and also just in general, being in his way or being a threat to him. Mind you, in early days of Red Hood and the Outlaws (Image below) Jason almost killed 10 innocent civilians in a town in Colorado all because they saw him kill a monster. That being said, Jason isn't aimless in his kills.

(Also can we just take a moment to appreciate Kenneth Rocafort's art? DC Comics said we need to rehabilitate Jason Todd's image and Kenneth Rocafort said hold my beer: It's so SO GOOD)

That being said, the key emphasis in the story of Cheer asides from trying to introduce Jason Todd back into the Bat Family and give an actual purpose for him being there, other than him just kind of being there ala Bowser every time he shows up for Go Kart racing, Tennis, Golf, Soccer, and the Olympic games when Mario invites him, is that Jason and Bruce ultimately both want the same thing. Jason wants to be welcomed back into the family and to be loved and appreciated. Bruce want's Jason back as his son and wants to love and protect Jason. Both of these visions are shown in the last chapter of Cheer while under the effect of the Cheer Gas. It's ultimately this love and appreciation they both have for each other that helps them overcome their challenge and win.

Jason Todd is a character who, just like Bruce, has been through so much pain and so much hate in his life. The two are meant to parallel each other. While Bruce chose to see the best in everyone, giving every rogue in his gallery the option to be helped and give them a second chance, hence why he never kills, Jason has a similar view on wanting to protect the public, but he understands that some crimes are so heinous they cannot be forgiven, or that some habitual criminals are due to stay habitual criminals, and need to be put down. But at the end of the day, the two of them both try to protect people in their own ways.

I am aware that through the writings of various DC Comics authors such as Scott Lobdell and Judd Winick, the two have had a very tumultuous relationship. And rightfully so, I am by no means saying that Scott Lobdell writing an arc where Bruce literally beats Jason to within an inch of his life in Red Hood and the Outlaws, nor Judd Winick's interpretation of Under the Red Hood where Bruce throws the Batarang at Jason's neck, slicing his throat and leaving him ambiguously for dead at the end of the comic is appropriate considering DC Comics seems to be trying everything they can to integrate Jason back into the family. That being said, a lot of these writings have shaped the narrative of Jason and Bruce's relationship and have an integral effect on the way the fandom views the two. It doesn't help that Zdarsky acknowledged Lobdell's life-beating of Jason by Bruce at the very end of Cheer by having Bruce give Jason his old outfit back as a means of mending the fence between the two of them. That does complicate a lot of things in terms of how they are viewed by the fandom and helps to cause an even greater divide between the two.

Regardless, I want to emphasize the fact that Jason Todd is a part of the family of his own accord. Yes, he's quite snarky and deadpan in almost every encounter. However, Jason is absolutely a part of the family and has been for a while of his own will. There's a great moment in Detective Comics that emphasizes this. Jason cares about his family because it is his found family. Yes, they may be warry about him and use him as a punching back and/or heckle him. At the end of the day, we're debating the family dynamics of a fictional playboy billionaire vigilante whose kleptomania took the form of adopting troubled children and turning them into vigilante heroes. Jason Todd wants a family that will love and support him. This is a key definition of his character at its most basic. This was proven during the events of Cheer and is being reenforced by DC Comics every time they get the opportunity to do so.

Now, none of this is to say that I hate Judd Winick. I do not, I don't like the fact that in all of his writings of Jason, he just writes him as a dangerous psychopath, and Winick himself admits to seeing Jason as nothing much more than a psychopath. Yet Winick is the one who the majority of the fandom clings to as the one true good writer of Jason Todd because 'Jason was competent, dangerous, smart' Listen, friends, Jason is all of that and I will never deny it. However, what I love about Jason isn't that he's dangerously smart of that writers either write him as angsty angry Tumblr sexyman bait or that they write him as an infantile man child with a gun. There's a large contention of this fandom that has an obsession with Jason Todd being this vigilante gunman who is hot and sexy and while I definitely get the appeal. It is very creepy and downright disturbing that all of you hyperfixate on his use of guns and ability to be a murderer. It is creepy and I'm not necessarily here for it.

What I love about Jason Todd is that despite all of the pain, all of the heartache, all of the betrayal, and bullying, and death, and anguish. Jason Todd is one of the most loving and supportive characters in all of DC Comics. Jason has been through so much in his life, but he still chooses to love. He still chooses to see the bright side in people. Yes, he takes a utilitarian approach and chooses to kill certain villains, but at the end of the day he wants to see a better world, and he wants to be loved. It takes so much courage and so much heart to learn to love again after one has been abused or traumatized. I would not blame Jason at all if he said fuck it and just went full solo and vigilante evil. He has every right to, but he still chooses to be with the Bat Family of his own accord. That's something that I see a lot of in myself. I have been through a lot of trauma and yet I try to be a better person myself in any way that I can. It is extremely admirable of Jason to allow love back into his heart when he really doesn't need to. He kills and he protects because he has this love of society. It may have been shaped by anger and hatred, but Jason has found his place amongst people who love him and value him. I think Ducra, from Red Hood and the Outlaws put it best in the image given below.

To end this tangent, I love Jason Todd and all of his sexy dangerousness, but it's far more than that. As much as Jason may be dangerous and snarky, he loves his family without a shadow of a doubt. I look up to Jason Todd because despite all of his pain and all of his trauma, he still choses to love. Jason Todd is a character who is someone I love because despite all of his flaws and having a very toxic fandom, he still serves as a character filled with so much heart and so much passion. I wish more writers would understand that. But for now I will live with what I have. Even though the fandom may be vocal about it's hatred for his characterization, I choose to love Jason regardless because he is a character who chooses love and acceptance regardless of his pain. Jason Todd is by no means a good person in any sense of the word. He has easily killed upwards of 100 people by now. He is a character who is flawed and complex but ultimately is one who powers forwards and finds love and heart in a place from so much pain and anguish. That is what I love about Jason Todd. After all, to quote a famous undead robot superhero, "What is grief, if not love persevering?" Jason Todd chooses to love despite all of the trauma and pain and grief. Yes, he is hardened in his exterior, but inside there is a man with a lot of love to give and someone who deserves the world in my eyes.

[pitch-pearl-void]

(The borderlands anon from however long ago)

So, I finished watching the show a couple days ago, because there were a couple things that showed up consistently in fics i that I didn’t understand (blood blossoms, some of the baddies, a handful of fenton inventions, etc)

First off, I still very much prefer pitch pearl to amethyst ocean or whatever the hell it’s called

And also, do you know where pitch pearl as a ship came from? I know there’s the episode with fun and super, but is that all there really was? Or were there more early fandom headcannons that supported them as separate beings?

Hello again! Sorry this took so long, I wasn’t sure how to answer 😅

Canon did a poor job with AO. I would even say it did it dirty, but it's popular enough it doesn't need that kind of support lol. If you really want to give it a fair shake I’d recommend reading fanfiction for it, but I understand everyone’s preferences are different. I personally don’t ship it because shipping best friends is something I have real issues with, but it’s not a bad ship if you want something that’s soft and makes you feel all warm inside.

Onto pitch pearl tho!

Tbh, I’m not entirely sure myself how pitch pearl as a ship started. I don’t believe it was because of the Fun and Super episode, largely because those two are rarely used in the ship. 

I asked someone else, and they thought that moment in What You Want when Phantom was first torn from Fenton as this colorless ghost might have been what started the concept they weren’t one whole person. Because, honestly? This ship goes far, FAR back. A lot of the older fics made Phantom into a voice in Danny’s head or a spirit that could separate from him at will without the need of the Ghost Catcher in order to offer Danny comfort. They had no rules because there weren’t any set way yet. The fact that Phantom could move and think independently from Danny was enough to get people thinking. It wasn't all romantic, most of it was borderline at best. They mostly focused on hurt/comfort and self-love, finding a balance between human and ghost with the occasional kiss thrown in.

Then there’s TUE, where Danny meets his evil future self and learns that his ghost half killed his human half after merging with Plasmius. It definitely gave more credence to the idea there might be more to Danny’s ghost half than simply having ghost powers. It aired before Identity Crisis, so it set the stage with a BOOM and had a much bigger impact on the ship. Phantom being seen as his own person is a bit more credible when he’s willing to kill Danny. It helped that TUE was a VERY popular episode. It drew in a huge crowd, and everyone was curious about what made the ghost half snap like that if he’s supposed to be Danny.

Supporting that idea is that a lot of the older art and fics took a darker view of Phantom in general, seeing him as Danny’s darker half or a ghost out for revenge after being imprisoned for so long. Even the name “pitch pearl” was created with that in mind. I always thought of it as “white hair/black hair” in the same vein as AO taking inspiration from Sam’s purple eyes and Danny’s blue, but when I went searching for the origins for the name, the old explanation set Danny Fenton as white pearl and Phantom as pitch black. The reasoning for that was partly their jumpsuits pre- and post- accident, but also because Fenton is human and “pure” while Phantom is a ghost and dangerous--because without Fenton, Phantom became Dan and destroyed everything.

For obvious and somewhat personal reasons, I don’t subscribe to that. But it does make all the art where Phantom looks evil while holding Danny make sense. I don’t like dark romance, and I’m personally thrilled we moved away from such a dark beginning, but it likely had a hand in the early popularity of pitch pearl.

If I were to guess how else it started when the source has them as one person, I would say it was most likely the fanart? Putting Fenton and Phantom side-by-side has a yin-yang appeal, and when they interact in art, you get the sense that these are two characters, not one. This was really popular when the fandom was much bigger than it is now.

For instance

Save Our Soul by nycken isn't a shipping piece by any means, but it could very easily give rise to the idea, especially if someone is new to the fandom.

They did not shy away from it being a self-cest ship back then, though. The idea that Phantom wasn't Danny was there, but I don't think anyone looked for evidence in the show to support it. That seems to be something the ship has evolved into rather than something it started from, and it is honestly my favorite way to see it.

I do have many headcanons about how they aren’t the same person in canon if you're interested! There’s the out of sync transformations, the title sequence and how Super and Fun are shown to separate in the Identity Crisis episode, Vlad’s inability to clone Danny, the way Danny talks to himself, just all kinds of things! If you want to hear more about those I'd be happy to answer 😁 (they'd probably be easier too lol)

But yeah, I think it was TUE and fanart. There may have been other factors (I think this was around the time Yu-Gi-Oh and puzzleshipping was popular too) because fandom doesn't exist in a vacuum, but I really couldn't say for sure. It's a ship that means different things for everyone who ships it. I like the psychological questions when they start off as "one" (the bonded peeps version) and enjoy the aus like soooo much, but others like it only for aus, and others like it as a crack ship, and then there are even others who like it as something dangerous. Some people love it for Fun and Super in Identity Crisis because they're just fun caricatures. It's hard to find the origin point when it has so many branches lol

[autisticandroids]

I feel like you do the opposite of meow meowification with Cas and to a lesser extent Dean, but I'll take that over meow meowification any day because it at least is a) interesting to read and b) actually taking into account/based in actual character flaws and development instead of making them bland love interests that could be replaced with any other popular ship.

the thing is that it is important to me that fanfiction be like... related to the canon. i like fanfiction because it's fanfiction. i don't mind the genres of story that have been invented by fanfiction (the ridiculous repression romp, the college au, the hurt/comfort fic, etc.) or the tropes that it's known for (there's only one bed, sex pollen, whump, etc.) but i don't like fanfiction for its internal tropes and genres. i like it because it's connected to the canon. and while i think that fanfiction that is disconnected entirely from the canon which originated it often has legitimate value as art, i'm not really interested in it. i am not here to Read Fanfiction in the generic sense (though all respect to those who are, of course, Some Of My Best Friends And Most Respected Colleagues Etc. Etc.), i am specifically here to see my little guys, and if you fail to show them to me, i have very little interest in reading your fic

[hexdsl]

Stranger in a Strange Land (by Robert Heinlein)

Thou Art God.

I have just finished it and I have things to say.

Grok.

The word "Grok" is the reason I read this book. The word Grok is taken to mean either "understand" or "know." You may have encountered this word if you spend any time with "high end" ass hats. You see, casually dropping a foreign word into conversation is the behaviour of the sorts of people who like the smell of their own farts. Adding a world from a made up language is a special kind of masturbation even by "fart sniffer" standards. Yet. Many shrivelled winkles of people think its a perfect thing to do. As you can grok, I am hostile towards this behaviour. Also. If you use the word you have bloody well better have read the damned book!

Grok. A made up word. The only word of the Martian language that is actually explicitly used in this novel. The fact that some how its gotten into general usage by some basement dwelling freaks is astonishing to me not least because its meaning is at best vague. Do you have any friends who use "Smuf" on the regular? well, next time someone says "Grok" to me, I fully intend to reply with "Ah smuf, smurf, but I think smuf smuf smuf, then there is smuf to consider.... you grok? DO YOU SMUFING GROK THAT?"

Despite my hostility to using made up words in general conversation the word its self is not held accountable by me. I have never however been able to hunt down a definition that actually stands up to any scrutiny. The reason for this is that its a Martian word that's used to express a relationship between things in a way that we have no world for on earth, and certainly not in English.

Depending on usage it can mean understand, know, intercourse, eat, consume, destroy, and a bunch more. The most common usage however on its own basically means to know something effortlessly on a spiritual level. So when some dick end tells me they "grok how to use" an application I will be even more irate. I'm pretty good with Vim but is it an effortless spiritual experience? No. Its a fucking text editor.

Also I will not be accepting its casual usage by someone who I suspect has no idea of its origin.

Its out of my system now. Ill continue...

It is this word that prompted me to add this to my reading list a space above "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" Mr Heinlein's arguably more well known work (I'll get to that one soon. I promise.) Its been a blast. The book has some great moments and is honestly a joy to read although it does meander more than a little at times.

The plot

Team of explorers get a ship as far as mars and as far as anyone know, die there.

Years later a proper space ship gets there and its like WHAT! a HUMAN!

Turns out the original team didn't die on the way, they died on Mars. But not before jumping on the good foot and doing the bad thing. A baby is born and its raised my Martians (who are seemingly a peaceful people who don't care about all the Human fornication around them)

Anyway, they bring that young lad back to earth. He doesn't really speak any English (Or other earth based dialect) but he is smarter than most people and learns real fast.

What's this? He is the legal inheritor to a vast fortune because his mom invented space! (okay, space ship engines) this makes him a problem for the government as its AMAZON levels of money. Oh, also.. He legally owns Mars because REASON OKAY!

Some stuff happens! He ends up in the care of a Doctor Jubal Harshaw. An older man who is grumpy, seemingly a bit of a perv and apparently a literal, for real genius himself. He helps the boy get whats owed to him by starting a legal fight with the world government.

All that was spoilers-lite and takes you up to the early "meat" of the story. The rest is well into that real spoiler territory.

The Man from Mars (Valentine Michael Smith, Mike as he is known) learns some things and has some things happen. The book blind sides you with a sudden reveal that he has "Super Powers" and can remove things from existence at will. Astral Project. Slow his perception of time, use telekinesis, never sleeps, control his own body on a genetic level and remember everything he ever sees or hears.

The fella is a little over powered to say the least. But he is a nice boy. People like him. It is said that his powers come from the fact that he thinks in Martian a language that empowers him to control reality by understanding it deeply (If he groks a thing he can change a thing)

Anyway, he has a lot of sex and starts his own church.

That little summery is the most basic version of the plot. But in a lot of ways it's not the plot that kept me hooked on this novel. The writing is rigid and often inelegant. The story takes place in three wildly different "bits" of the Martian man's life and it seems to have random but infrequent flashes into "heaven" that are literal nonsense the likes of which I have not read since "the Illuminatus trilogy" or whatever that Robert Anton Wilson thing was called (again a good book with some stupid narrative)

The Good.

The Man from Mars - Valentine Michael Smith has a pretty interesting journey from confused alien to skilled speaker an all the people in his life sparkle with wonderful individuality. He is humble and lovable while being maybe the most dangerous man on earth. He learns things in ways that come across reasonably and his Martian motivations are constantly explained and justified to the reader. While written in formal rigid style at times the story has a wonderful way with the characterisation.

I'm not even sure this is a science fiction novel. It's set in "the future" sure but the Man from Mars is just a device for exploring religious faith, scientific knowledge and the questions that our concepts of objective morality really gloss over. It could quiet easily have been Man from the future, Man from Heaven, Genetic experiment Man. Doesn't matter. Not even a little. He is a device for generating circumstance and the conversations that follow it. I liked that. A lot.

This book has no villain and that is a nice change to the normal. Oh and it invented the idea of Water Beds (A little aside for you there)

The story puts forward a Martian idea that once you "share water" with someone, they are your "brother" (regardless of gender, Martians don't have gender) and once they are your "brother" you are family forever. You will die for them, kill for them and follow their every wish. They do the same for you. It's a founding idea that Mike has that is at the core of his beliefs.

It also puts forward the idea of a "fair witnesss" someone trained to observe, remember and report EXACTLY what they saw and heard. Admissible in court and a very respected profession. The point is made that when recounting things when will give only factual information and make NO assumptions about things. I love this idea. Its sort of daft when we have recording equipment but I love it anyway.

Most of the book is not action or adventure. Its conversations, long conversations between characters. Some explaining things to Mike, Some talking about him and rationalising his actions. Its deeply philosophical and is very willing to question "modern" American civilization and Taboo. Often the writer puts himself in a position where he has to both defend and attack morality and reason. Its fascinating to me because the conversations are interesting on their own and because as a reader you know this is essentially the writer talking to himself. I still have no idea what side of all this Robert Heinlein supports. I have a few guesses but its not explicit.

As the book goes on it get braver in its questioning and its derived answers. Mike realises that out ability to think clearly is tied to language and Martian is a more complex and refined language hence the speaker is gifted with "abilities" because he is better in touch with reality. Thinking in Martian is inherently going to make you better at everything. He teaches his first real love and travelling companion Gillian a little Martian and she begins to see the world differently.

I have been somewhat interested in the idea of more complex language effecting ones personal reality ever since I first read Grant Morrison's Invisibles. There is something poetic in the idea and I find it captivating.

Eventually Mike "Groks" Humans and has a good old laugh at us. I mean that literally. Once he has "Groked to fullness" he is overwhelmed with laughter for the first time in his life. He then slowly decides that he can help a lot of people by sharing his knowledge of Martian and the book jumps about two years into the narrative.

Its this point that the tone changed from polite critique of social norms to full on free-love new-age throw it all out and fuck everything.

The "nest" as its called is a temple of sorts where the members of the church live. They practice nudity, open sex with multiple partners and a belief that they do all this because they are closer to enlightenment. The book is pretty specific that they are. The sex writing in the book is quite tasteful and mostly can be read and enjoyed even all these years later. Mostly, but ill come back to that.

The little cult is a joyful place where people all just love each other free from modern morality. They never get sick, they hardly sleep and they accept each other totally. Its how we all should want to live if you ask me.

All this happens in the highest "level" of the church because you cant accept this pure angelic life style until you learn Martian. Learning Martian makes you better. Angelic seems to be the right word.

There are a lot of characters in this book. I have not talked about many, the reason for this is that it's the ideas that are important not the people having the ideas. But the character of Jubal Harshaw was one that I adored. He is at first introduced as a grumpy airbag. Surrounded by beautiful women he introduces as his secretaries. He lives in a big house with a pool. His household is free and has basically no rules, no clocks and no TV.

It soon becomes apparent that Jubal is a genius who is a qualified lawyer, doctor and a part time writer. He has a political past that is barely covered in the story but hinted at a lot. He's always grumpy, seems to be set in his ways and those girls really are his secretaries.

His works flow is simple, he has an idea for a book, poem or article. He shouts "font" and one of the girls starts writing down what he said. At some point it will be written up, edited and sent to some magazine, publisher or news organisation. This is all done by the girls.

Jubal starts off by refusing to help Mike and Gillian but soon finds himself drawn into the boys life. He's a wonderfully written character who manages to be rude and arrogant in the name of justice and rightness. Such a flawed but deep man. Eventually he becomes the unwilling patron saint of "the church" and its referenced and the only man alive who can "grok all things" without learning Martian. His innate understanding of things carries him further than most humans simply because he thinks about things.

The way Jubal runs his "house hold" is only a little step away from the free and pure "nest" that the church lives in. He was pretty close to enlightenment before he even met Mike, or at least. Thats the implication as I read it.

I think it would be easy to say that Jubal was the writers fantasy projection of himself but I don't buy that theory at all. Most writers are within all their characters but in this case I think Jubal represents the writers own regrets while the girls in the book reflect his hopes and their forgiveness of his bad tempter his own internal conversations and struggles.

The religious morality of the book reminds me in no small part to Wiccan faith but taken to a more open and honest extreme than you would fine any Wiccan admitting to striving for. The basic teachings are there. All things have a soul of sorts, God/Gods are in all of us (We are all gods of out own) and love, emotional or physical should not be a thing that we feel shame for. Oh and faith brings control of reality in one form or another.

The Bad

The book meanders a LOT and a modern editor would have stripped it down quite a bit, making it more punchy and circling points less. As I said earlier, its mostly conversations and things to make that conversation happen. Many of the events are far less interesting than the discussion that result.

There are some lines in this novel that are to say the least indelicate and the opinions one woman in the novel has about rape and it often being the fault of the victim are not okay. The writer is very wrong and is projecting shitty opinions even for a book from the 1960s. There are some moments where the motivations on the female characters lead me to wonder if Robert Heinlein has ever met one. But over all from the point of view of those in this story and the way the world was when it was written back in '61 I forgive a lot. You almost have to when reading old science fiction. The writers often think they are being edgy but are just being strange and shitty.

Also, Mike is free from the human morality trappings but its continually said that he is "not a homosexual" maybe its because I'm reading this many many years after it was written but the books obsession with only putting your winkle into lady holes contradicts a lot of the Martian teaching in this book. Its a little odd. If Mike wants to be gay then that's fine. No one will care. At least not in "current year"

There are also moments where Mike seems to outright disrespect the women in his life (Calling them whores and such like) while everyone including those women respond as if he is being flattering. Quite odd. If this was supposed to portray a loving in-joke or banter it missed the mark for me.

I'm no prude and I have no issues I with multi person relationships as a way of life as long as its all equal and respectful. In this religion mutual respect, free will and agency are founding ideals but the introduction to it is a little heavy handed. It goes from "I should start a Church" to lets have sex with these people! Now her, now here, now we are all nude allllllll the time. It could have been handled better considering how slow the conversations are, it could have got there in a smoother way.

There are these moments when it is suddenly in "heaven!?!?" and angels are talking. Total bollocks and needless. Literally BORING but thankfully it doesn't do it a lot. So honestly fucking strange though and without reason. It makes the book worse by being there.

The ending

The ending of science fiction is often the make or break moment and this one has quite a telegraphed ending (I wont go that spoiler heavy) But over all an optimistic one.

It also arrived at its ending quite suddenly and it feels a little like Mr Heinlein suddenly ran out of ideas and wanted a quick exit.

The Verdict!

I liked it a lot. Despite the flaws in the narrative an bad politics at times. The core story and main characters are loverly. It makes you question things and leaves you with a warm glow that makes you want to greet everyone with "thou art god"

I think I have some more specific thoughts about some of the things raised in this book but I have to let all this noodle about for a bit.

I will read again on day, I'm sure.