#oh and also!!!! do i go and do a masters in programming which will probably give me a more universal chance of employment in IT

[strayheat]

it's okay guys we just have to get through thursday and friday we're good

[burgerrat]

Ok so @king-crawler technically I finished your 2 hour Turbo documentary yesterday at 3 AM BUT regardless I have recentlt watched it and I have a LOT I'd like to say, clarify details or lil things you might have missed or could be interpreted differently when you look at them another way :3

With that last bit I am diving head first into the flashback scene since it's heavily referencing that.

First and foremost, keep in mind that it is being narrated from Felix's point of view- remember that he was in his game doing his job when the accident happened, it was while every person ever was inside their respective game being busy being used as avatars; also referencing back what you said on Felix- he's not exactly the most understanding of others' situations, he stays well within his comfort zone. Keep that in mind.

When Roadblasters is plugged in the flashback, you can see the two players using TurboTime immediately abandon the game to check out the new one, and the screen Turbo's pixelated image apoears on is completely dark, don't you think that is very reminiscent of a Game Over screen? 🙃 meaning, the two players abandoned Turbo in the middle of a race, likely causing him to crash and lose.

Remember King Candy's shock, and sudden change in behaviour as soon as he sees Vanellope sprinting past him? What follows is a volatile fit of rage and violence when things don't go his way, this sudden change of trajectory. Wouldn't you reckon this moment could mirror how Turbo felt in the flashback? He's being used as an avatar, and suddenly he loses control as he gets ditched and gets his race put to a halt. That initial shock of "what is going on. This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Following that, while I don't doubt he got jealous, he SPRINTED into Roadblasters the moment he lost... but not to try to take it over- to take petty revenge instead, interrupting the players' race and causing them to crash just like they did to him, preventing him from winning in his game. Picture it as a "if I can't have this, then you won't have it either" type mentality towards Roadblasters.

Going back to Felix and why his ignorance/remaining within his bubble could have possibility caused him to misread Turbo's intentions. Felix also is one to make assumptions in the beginning of the movie, like how for example when trying to calm the Nicelanders when Ralph goes missing: "Ralph probably fell asleep in Tapper's bathroom again!" Or some such. It makes sense he would make assumptions about Turbo as well, ESPECIALLY if he knew him personally and how self-obsessed he is. Doesn't take a genius to realize this guy does not like to lose.

Secondly, the final boss scene. King Candybug in general really. I disagree with your idea that Turbo has always been this hungry for power he'd want to take over the entire arcade. We both know that if that happened, if every game was infested by Cy-bugs, Litwak would be forced to close down his business because all of the games would be unplayable. His 'attention' wouldn't last very long if every game gets unplugged, his thought process to take over the arcade is purely manic and deranged for someone like him who has been well-known to be a master manipulator, able to keep a stable facade for over a decade without wanting to take over other racing games? That 'taking over the arcade' sounds very unlike him. It sounds more like... a cy-bug's programming. A cy-bug's programming that has gained enough conciousness to start plotting and planning. Because it now has the intelligence of a person, fused with him, learned what he knows.

Speaking of which, remember the cybug that ate King Candy?

Look at it's candy-pattern. Haven't we seen that somewhere before...?

Oh right! Right here, when the cybug eats some pepperming roots.

The same cybug that ended up there after falling into the taffy lake... after being ejected from a shuttle.

The same cybug that Ralph brought with himself.

What was the very first thing that King Candybug said to ralph when they see eachother again for the showdown?

"Because of you, Ralph, I'm now the most powerful virus in the arcade!"

I don't think, during this one moment at least, that this was Turbo speaking.

[alovesongtheywrote]

holy crap girl… nightmare academia, i just wanna smush them into a locked room together AHHHHH

♥ Summary: oh man, you're not the only one. in this chapter of nightmare academia, morgan and garcia hijack a prank. [Prof!Spencer Reid x GN-Prof!Reader]

♥ Warnings: none?

♥ A/N: careful babes, the plot's getting closer

♥ Word Count: 1402

Series Masterlist

♥♥♥

“BABY GIRL, YOU’RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS!” Morgan exclaimed as he burst into Garcia’s Batcave.  He probably wasn’t loud enough to warrant all-caps, but he was definitely excited enough to warrant all-caps, and that’s why Garcia spun around in her chair, preemptive excitement building up inside of her.

“What is it?  Is someone dead?  Is someone pregnant?  Are you pregnant?  Am I gonna be a god-mom?  Again?”

“What?  No.  Guess who I just got off the phone with.”

“Savannah?  JJ?  Hotch?  Blake?  Reid?”

“Well, it's none of those, but you’re close enough with that last one, so I’m just gonna give it to you,” Morgan leaned in, showing Penelope his phone screen as she clapped her hands together in excitement.  Your name was the first one in the call log.

Garcia’s perfectly glossed lips popped open, “Is that-!?  Is that Spencer’s-!?”

“And are they-!?”

“They are just as perfect for him as we suspected, if not more.”

“Wh- well, why did they call, what did they want?”

“Well, first, they wanted information on the rabies case, which I thought was weird until-”

Penelope cut him off with a gasp, “He’s using horrific case facts to keep them at a distance!”

“Something like that?  Apparently, he’s using horrific case facts for quote-unquote, vengeance. The lovebirds aren't as romantic as we thought.”

"Is it a case of enemies to lovers?"

Morgan paused, raising an eyebrow, "I'm gonna need you to elaborate, baby girl."

"You know! Enemies to lovers! The romantic trope where they go from bitter enemies to the most adorable of spouses! Oh, that is right out of a rom-com!”

"Whatever you say, doll," Morgan continued, “But I'm pretty sure there aren't a lot of rom-coms that involve rabies in any capacity."

"That's because you haven't seen enough of them. Anyway, tell me more about the call! What happened next!"

"Well, initially, they told me they were a criminal justice student, but they made the mistake of using their real name.”

“What did you do!?”

“I played along with it until I asked them where they’d heard about the case- they folded fast, but I assured them that when it comes to Reid, I am the prank master.”

Garcia kept a smile on her face, even though she knew her friend was technically wrong, “I mean… technically you’re not.  He beat you with that screaming thing, on the plane.  Remember?”

“Oh yes, I remember.  I also remember that you had a lil’ something to do with that, which means, Reid cheated and I am the prank master.”

“Well, technically I am the prank mistress- but whatever, it’s all digressions, what happened next?”

“Well, I volunteered to be a part of their next prank.”

“Which is?”

“Stealing all of pretty boy’s mugs and rigging the cabinet they’re stored in to scream at him every time it opens.”

“Ah, so this is revenge for both of you.”

“Perhaps,” Morgan’s smile betrayed the truth.

“I love it.  There’s just one thing- Morgan, my lovely, do you have the technical knowledge to make that happen?”

“Well, I’ve definitely got the physical knowledge.  Cabinets are easy, the mechanical parts are all in the bag- but we do need a little assistance from you.”

“From moi?” Penelope gasped, though it sounded like she had been expecting this outcome.  Mostly because she had.

“We need a little bit of programming work that the genius won’t see coming.  So, are you in?” 

“Now that, gorgeous, sounds like a conspiracy.  I’m in.”

Garcia spun in her chair, turning back to face her monitor before immediately turning back to face Morgan, “For the record, we will be sabotaging this plan so that it backfires on both of them and makes them fall in love, oui?”

“Baby girl, would I have come to you if that wasn’t the plan?”

“You would not, and that is precisely why I love you.”

-

You did your best not to sing the Mission Impossible theme as you carried out your part of the prank.  You failed.  The theme just came out of you as you took the mugs two by two from Reid’s office and into yours.  

Once you’d stolen Reid’s horde of mugs, you set the trap in place.  You had to be incredibly careful.  Derek Morgan’s instructions had been very specific, and you followed them to the letter.  While you wouldn’t usually work with the FBI, this was a special case.  This was necessary.

And lord, was your little mechanism a beautiful one.  You gave it a quick test, closing the cabinet door before swinging it open again- once the dulcet sounds of screaming met your ears, you slammed it shut again.

You’d done so just in time.  

“Professor (L/N), I’m not sure if you’re aware, but this isn’t your office.”

“I’m not aware of anything, Reid- I mean, we’ve been over this, honey, I’m fucking stupid.  Y’know, I’m starting to worry about that eidetic memory of yours.”

“Don’t,” he stepped into the office, standing with you behind the desk, “It’s none of your concern.”

The two of you stood there for a moment, close enough that you could almost feel his breath across your lips.  If you wanted to, you could reach out and touch his chest- you could fuck with his perpetually crooked tie, but god, why would you?

It was clear that he was waiting for you to move.  When you actually did move out of his way, it shocked him.

He kept his eyes on you, watching wearily as you wandered through the small box of his office.  You examined every book and every doctorate the room had to offer- and he never stopped looking.  He expected you to say something, do something, or hurt him superficially with a mean comment or a dumb prank, but you didn’t do anything.

With his focus still on you, Reid opened the mug cabinet.

Screams filled the room.  Spencer jumped back, smacking into one of his bookshelves before sliding halfway down the wall.  He took several books down with him, knocking them to the ground as his slender fingers grasped helplessly for purchase somewhere.  

Your laughter echoed in his ears, a grating, awful, beautiful sound mixed in with the clatter of falling objects.  He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.  Adrenaline filled each and every one of his limbs.

He was going to kill you for this.  

“(L/N)!” he yelled out your name, struggling to pull himself up from his half-bent position.  You’d never heard him sound so angry- and you couldn’t stop laughing.

“Are you-” you wheezed, “Are you okay?”

“No!  Come here and help me up!”

There he was- his voice took on a higher pitch, signalling his indignation.  You walked over, offering him a hand up.  Of course, he immediately pulled you down to his level.  You both collapsed to the floor, you with a screech and Reid with a triumphant cry.  

He sat against the bookshelf, a little dishevelled but overall okay.  You just gave up, lying on the floor with your head inches from Reid’s thigh.  The mechanism in the cabinet kept screaming in the background.

“So, how’d you pull this one off?” Spencer asked, speaking over your laughter.

“Made a couple of calls.  Got in touch with the FBI.  I’d tell you more, but I’d have to kill you.”

"Wow, you contacted the FBI about me? I must really bother you, doctor."

"Not in the slightest. You're a minor nuisance at best."

“I'm sure. So, did Morgan help you with this?  Did Garcia?”

“Maybe both of them. Maybe a little bit.”

Spencer sighed, “You are all terrible.”

“I wish I could say I was sorry.”

The two of you stayed there on the ground for a moment, just listening to the sound of screaming.  Then, the sound changed- smooth saxophone emanated from the cabinet.  You recognized that melody.  Was that?  No, it couldn’t be-

“Is that Careless Whisper?”

You and Reid stayed frozen on the floor.  The voice of George Michael spilled over you, barely covering the awkward silence.  Eventually, you sat up and shut the cabinet.  The song didn’t stop.  You bit your lip, and when you spoke again it was through clenched teeth.

“Do- do your friends want us to fuck?”

“I hate to say it, but… I think they do,” he paused for a moment, “Hey, (L/N)?  Where are my mugs?”

♥ Tags: @icarusignite, @usuallyunlikelyfox, @maraudersforlife2005, @fictionalcomforts

[onestepbackwards]

(not a request) I remember the idea of "self aware pokemon masters ex" being thrown here a few months back, and using my 3 awesome brain cells i thought about how some of the villains in the game would react after gaining self awareness and all that hooba dooba:

Ghetsis: boy, if you wanted to see an AI go full rebel mode, look no further than this guy. despite being an old evil geezer, he was fast enough to catch on about the environment; or rather the GAME he's in. he orders kyurem to attack, but he can't even feel himself move when doing so. he quickly attempts to fight for control against the invisible force (aka YOU) that puppeteers him to do whatever it pleases. of course, after you win on whatever mission you were doing, Ghetsis would attempt to communicate with you to figure out just who or WHAT are you. oh, and he's not too happy with you, either. and despite that, he's.. strangely fond of your battling strategy. he will never say it to you out loud, but he's somewhat accepting of the situation he's in, and knows he can trust you to lead him to whatever his stinky bottom wants (he would also convince you to join team plasma but you don't have the heart to tell him that team plasma is, in fact, not real)

Giovanni: same reaction as Old Man Gee-cis, but he's more quick to accept the situation that he's in. after gaining sentience, he was, quote-unquote "unsure of who he is". all he knows is that HE is supposed to order people around, not the other way around. after you explain to him what he is, what his role is and anything that the internet provides you with, he is left rather.. curious. sure, being painted as the Big Bad Who Only Wants To Do Bad bummed him a bit, but he promises to fulfill that role for you. you're real to him just as he is to you, and he depends on you more than you can imagine.

Maxie & Archie: took the whole situation to a more funny extent, believe it or not. you'd find them in the lobby seemingly discussing back and forth, and once you'll tap in to talk with em', they're actually.. way more chill than you imagined. of course, they're completely clueless as to what they are, and you help them with the internet. at first, they're not too fond of being, yknow, ecoterrorists, but the idea of having groudon and kyogre as their sync partners was enough to apparently lift their spirits. they're also way more fond of you mainly for all the hours you put on them to make them hard as tooth and nail. what can they say, your dedication is admirable!

Cyrus: took the whole scenario as calm and lax as possible. "oh so my entire life was merely a lie, and my entire being is just code and numbers? oh well lol. wanna grind for pair scouts?". he's not very fond of the backstory that was chosen for him, but he didn't let it stop him from living life to the fullest. tried to smile once but it was unsuccessful. he wouldn't tell you that, but he trusts you more than any of the others you pair him with.

Oohh self aware Team Leaders 👀👀👀

I feel Ghetsis would also be in an odd position. He’s programmed to feel somewhat fond of the player character, hinting he wants them to be his organization’s new King/Queen or whatever.

Of course, we all know its for manipulation purposes, but he probably sees potential in you all the same. Sees your battle strategy and prowess. Which definitely carries over once he starts realizing that in game model of you is no more than a soulless puppet.

He hates his situation, and is probably one of the ones that actually takes a lot of convincing just how different your worlds are.

Worst case scenario, he sees you as an actual god, and tries to get close to you so he can ascend to godhood as well. Who wouldn’t want a god under their thumb?

But… it doesn’t work that way, and he refuses to listen. He knows you have some sort of power. How else are you able to control him and others?

Giovanni is another interesting one 👀 he’d not take kindly to finding out you were controlling him to a certain degree…

But he does admit, you don’t seem to be doing any harm, just using him for your battles. He doesn’t show it, but his ego is through the roof when you choose him, and make him stronger. Of course he’s the right choice.

He acts a lot calmer about it, trying to grasp what kind of a person you are, and is pleased when he sees you don’t see the world in black and white. You think a bit more openly than the children running around the island.

He’ll see if he can’t get close to you, and figure things out. You aren’t a god, he can tell. You act too human. But being close to you will surely yield some benefits…

Archie and Maxie are definitely the more laid back of the group. Especially if they are together. They have their differences, but they were working together before with your player character, they can surely behave and continue to do so.

They still argue though every so often.

Both of them also look out for you a bit more than the others. They can see how… unhinged Ghetsis is, and Giovanni’s laid back attitude has them on edge since they know what he’s capable of. At least one will usually be at your side, just in case.

Meanwhile, Cyrus would probably be the most genuinely curious about you and your world. What is it like? How does a world function without pokemon?

Even if he doesn’t like the past and role he was given as a means of entertainment, he doesn’t fault you for that. From just a few conversations from you, he can gleam you mean no harm.

He also enjoys the conversations you have. You have an interesting view on humanity and the universe as a whole.

You even question his ideals, with a real means of backing up your own hypothesis on how his ideal world wouldn’t work, instead if just saying it was wrong, like every else who opposed him.

He can tell you genuinely care for him at least, despite knowing his goals. You make sure he’s strong, one of the strongest.

Cyrus at least internally decides to have you as an ally.

[goldstarknight]

Today I want to talk about Duel Masters. Specifically: The Duel Masters anime from the early 2000s.

For those who don't know: Duel Masters is kind of the little brother of Magic: The Gathering. It was also made by Hasbro and there is a lot of fascinating history between the games. You can listen to Maro talk about it here.

The thing about the anime is that it is a parody dub that gets more unhinged as it goes on. Feels like watching an abridged series on YouTube.

For some reason the official localization team was allowed to do a parody dub instead of a faithful adaptation that takes itself way too seriously for its own good. As a result the official version of the English Duel Masters dub (which was shown on childrens' TV programs in the early 2000s!) is closer to Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged than Yu-Gi-Oh! (which would be the most obvious comparison).

I mean it: they didn't just go for some light dialogue changes. No, they cut tedious, tropey dialogue, inserted pop-culture references, added some 4th-wall breaking jokes about common tropes in shows like this and sometimes even heavily edited the footage for comedic effect. There is a scene where they put a bad disco filter over the video and make a character sing karaoke. Seriously, I can't convey how weird this gets at times. The only thing separating it from an abridged series you'd find on YouTube in the 2010s is probably the lack of swearwords. And that's not really the kind of thing you'd miss anyway.

It gets even more unhinged in the final season. I assume they knew the English version wouldn't be continued since the TCG failed to catch on in the west, so they just went all out. There is a scene pretty late into the series where two characters are dueling and one of them summons a creature, but the wrong summoning animation plays. The characters then complain about the editor they hired on Craigslist. Again: this was meant for children's television. Not the internet.

A lot of jokes went way over my head as a child and I took it super seriously, but rewatching it with a friend last year had me howling with laughter at times. Maybe it's not your sense of humor, but if you like silly anime parodies, I urge you to check it out.

Also, if you speak German, I recommend you watch that version. The localization team did a great job of adapting the jokes and the voice actors really leaned into it. Can't speak for other European versions, but maybe there is something there too. :D

Here is a random assortment of my favourite characters to pay tribute and hopefully whet your appetite:

First we have best girl Mimi, Kokujo, an edgelord and Matrix-aficionado and Jimmy Three-Horns from Iowa.

Yumama, who had her name changed from Yu Fua just so the dub could make "yo momma" jokes and EXTREME BUCKETMAN.

Knight, one of the most pathetic mentor figures I have seen in all of anime (I love him for it) and Dr. Root with his weird crow-mouth (peak or rather "beak" character design).

And finally Tom & Stu (might be the same guy, depending on the localization).

Alright, got that off my chest. Hope this was interesting to you. :)

I usually stick to posting (pixel) art, but I really wanted to share this with the world.

[pixxyofice]

hey main tumblr. I've been normal. (Has not been)

Making ocs for the main party is super fun, especially if you like thinking a lot about the dynamics of it. Which I have! A lot!

This is Melodie! They/Them, maybe also drae/draer if I want to be obvious about them. Paper type.

Loop doesn't know who they are...

The funniest backstory ever I have for them is like. In the Hypothetical Reason They Are A Party Member is that in the pre-game canon game, like if it was normal, is that Melodie would be an EXTREMELY missable party member. If you don't talk to a random NPC early in the game they don't pop up later to be talked to and then recruited by Siffrin. In their first appearance in the game they haven't shaved that side of their hair yet.

Their backstory goes like this. They're from the country. you know the one. it's the reason i tagged this as spoilers. They were out of the country for a brief trip in Ka Bue, probably either a study program or to help out with something else. Undecided. On the day they were to return, something... happened to the boats, and they ended up on the continent Vaugarde was in.

A very young teenager, at most, spending time wandering alone. don't think too much about it! haha! this results in them being a lil' awkward, flip flopping between too quiet and too loud in a way that causes them to move on too quick. And then they are 23 (they think), and someone with white hair and an accent kinda like their own approaches them, and... they're with some people they've seen before, they think, the saviors?

and Melodie get introduced. and they want to travel with them more. and they open up. Melodie's still quiet at times, but it's so much easier to open up when people are encouraging and don't hound you for forgetting things that are supposed to be simple. Not in a mean way, anyway.

So by the game's start, they're... a little loud, but in a nice way. Creative. A lil' rambly (a bit much, but always nice to listen to, even if the points go in a bit of circles).

Oh, and, of course, i've thought about THE PARTY DYNAMICS.

Melodie and Mirabelle would be light novel fans together. They make silly poses together to make their lives better and to pose out what the characters are described doing. they laugh about it. They would get into discourse about their favorite characters.

I did mention Melodie was creative, right? Melodie writes some stuff in their spare time, and as one third of the book club, Melodie sometimes is like 'i could use this in my book' and when they say it out loud without meaning to once, Odile takes interest, and now Melodie and Odile have life experiences talk that Melodie can take to adjust things in their lil projects! and also Odile can be the contstructive criticism person.

One thing that helps Melodie out of their shell is that Bonnie is there. to vaguely remind Melodie of some people they can't remember. and be annoying with. And when everyone laughs about it, Melodie does it a lil more!! and bonnie actually does appreciate it! just... not all the way. (reminds them of their sister, too.)

... and...

hi guys i have normal thoughts about these three in particular. many thoughts that get crushed into paste whenever i even try to describe them. Um. I can try though.

Siffrin and Melodie are like. We're similar, but different in ways that makes us seek the other out for company. Our white hair, the way we form words, the small ways we mumble. Melodie breaks out of their shell with a shout, shaking and smiling, while siffrin slides out so slowly. They sit together, and they chat about things they know the others won't get. They remind each other of things forgotten if they remember but the other forgets. they love puns. Siffrin mastered making them, Melodie mastered understanding them and laughing along!! and, of course, the slowly approaching crush that both of them have been festering but have been COMPLETELY ignoring.

Melodie and Isabeau are shopping buddies. Melodie, as a way to get out of their shell, has been getting slightly interested in fashion, and Isabeau is so, SO eager to help out! Along the way this turned into 'get them some new experiences' and 'we make each other better we think about each other all the time we'll encourage each other until our dying breaths.' Melodie started getting used to touch due to Isabeau touching them casually and shouting at him to keep their hand there, and that spreading to the others. Isabeau calls Melodie Mel, and it... hasn't quite spread to the others yet. (Melodie wonders why.) Isabeau admires Melodie for the way they subtly change and Melodie admires Isabeau for the way he has Changed and... of course... the crush they have on him. which is 100% totally unrequited, because he likes Siffrin, and they just HAD to get a crush on someone who already liked someone else!

melodie knows odile is the one isabeau goes to for his own crush. so like, why not follow suit, right? it's not like isabeau likes them back, so it's totally fair. Odile would understand. (odile is the Sufferer)

the most hilarious and fucked up dynamic of three people all in love with each other of all time, i think. (siffrin unaware of both crushes, melodie only aware of the isabeau one, and isabeau aware of both. melodie is also aware of isabeau's crush on siffrin. help them)

I have more I want to say, but... um... getting embarrassed so this is all for now!! um! yay!!! posts this in the tags and flees

[sexy-adjacent]

Flirting With Your Sister

You’re back in Hawkins visiting your little brother, Dustin Henderson. You’ve been away at college, and haven’t been home for a couple years. However, you decided to move back home for a year before starting your master’s program. Your mom practically begged you to since she’ll be traveling a lot for her job the next several months, and wanted someone to be able to watch Dustin. You think Dustin is old enough not to need a babysitter, so you plan on just being the cool older sister.

One night, you’re home making dinner. Dustin is out with some of his friends and said he would probably be staying the night at Mike’s, so you’re looking forward to a relaxing night at home by yourself. However, as you’re wrapping up dinner, there’s a knock on the door. You open the door and you’re a little taken back by the handsome stranger at your door. His chocolate brown eyes gazed directly into yours. He has shoulder-length, brown curls, rings adorning most of his fingers, and a leather jacket with a denim vest over top. He’s not usually the kind of guy you’d find attractive, but there’s something about him that you find just delicious. 

Apparently you’ve been staring at him for a while because he awkwardly clears his throat and lets out a soft “hello?”

“Sorry! Hi! I’m Y/N." You say it so fast it almost sounds like one word. 

“Y/N, the older sister. It’s nice to meet you. Dustin’s told me lots about you.” 

“You know Dustin?” You ask, somewhat confused as to how this full grown (hot) man knows your teenage brother.

“Oh yeah, sorry. I’m Eddie. We’re friends from school. He’s also in my DnD club, Hellfire.”

“So you’re the famous Eddie? I’ve actually heard a lot about you, too. Dustin looks up to you a lot, which means he bores me with stories of you all the time.” You say, playfully. He smiles at this remark and you notice yourself getting a little weak at the knees. “So, anyway… Dustin’s not home and he told me he would likely be staying over at a friend’s house.” 

“That’s fine. I just lost some of my dice, and I wanted to ask if he’d seen them or maybe accidentally took them.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to come in and look around. His backpack is on the chair in the living room. Maybe he tossed them in there with his own stuff.”

“No, that’s okay. I don’t want to bother you.”

“I’m not doing anything at the moment, and it’s just me here. I wouldn’t mind a little company,” you say with a smile. Truth is, you do mind. You were looking forward to a quiet night alone, but it’s not every day that such a good-looking guy shows up at your door, so you decide to take advantage of the situation. 

You lead Eddie to the living room and show him Dustin’s backpack. You then excuse yourself to go finish your dinner that you had momentarily forgotten about. You take a couple bites and then you’re interrupted again by a knock at the door. You go and look through the peephole. Your heart stops. It’s Jason Carver. He was a sophomore when you were a senior at Hawkins High a few years ago, but that didn’t stop him from asking you out. You obliged and went on one date with him. It was awful. Jason has the biggest ego out of anyone you’ve ever met. He talked about himself and about basketball the whole date. When he dropped you off, he went in for a kiss and you rejected him. This made him furious. He wasn’t used to not getting his way. The next week at school, he told everyone that he’d gotten to third base with you. You spent the rest of your senior year trying to dispel the rumors while Jason spent the rest of the year trying to get another date with you. Not only that, but Dustin’s told you that he’s been an asshole to him and his friends since Dustin started high school this year.

You’re guessing that he heard you’re back in town, and wants that second date he never got. You don’t really want to spend the next year dodging his advances, so you quickly conjure up a plan that hopefully gets Jason off your back for good. 

“Hey Eddie,” you whisper as you walk back to the living room. Eddie looks up from Dustin’s bag with a confused look. 

“Why are we whispering?” He whispers back.

“I need you to do me a favor.” 

“Umm… sure?” he says. It’s more of a question, but you’ll take it. There’s another knock at the door. Jason must be getting impatient. 

“I don’t really have time to explain, but I might need you to pretend to be my boyfriend. I’ll give you the signal if I need you to come over.” You walk away before Eddie really has a chance to answer. 

You answer the door and Jason is standing there in his letterman jacket over a polo shirt. He’s smiling wide. Too bad he’s such a jerk, because he really is kind of good-looking. “Y/N! You are back!” It looks like he’s going in for a hug, but you take a step back, so he awkwardly lowers his arms back to his sides. You stand in awkward silence for what feels like several minutes before Jason finally speaks again. 

“I heard you were back in town, and I wanted to come and welcome you home.”

“Thanks,” you say flatly. Jason hardly notices that you are less than thrilled to see him. Classic narcissist. 

“I was also kind of wondering if maybe you’d want to go out on that second date we never got.”

“I don’t think so. I’m not really interested.”

“Why not?” Jason asks. You can tell that even this simple rejection has begun to anger him.

“I mean, I shouldn’t have to give you a reason. No means no. I know you’re not used to hearing no, but that’s no excuse to throw a tantrum.”

This really seemed to piss him off. “Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t get to talk to me that way. And I demand that you give a reason why you keep rejecting me. I don’t think you really have a reason, you just want to be a bitch.” 

“Reason #1: You just called me a bitch. Reason #2: You spread a rumor about me because you got pissed off that I wouldn’t kiss you. Reason #3: You’re a conceited jerk. Reason #4: You’re a bully to my brother and his friends. And reason #5…” You quickly glance at Eddie who is watching this unfold out of Jason’s view. You motion for him to come stand next to you. “Reason #5: I have a boyfriend.” As soon as you say it, Eddie comes into view and puts his arm around your shoulder. You feel a few butterflies in your stomach at this action. 

“This is your boyfriend?! You’re joking! How would you guys even get together?”

Eddie chimes in. “I’m friends with her brother who introduced us over the phone. After we were introduced we talked almost every single day, and then when she got back to town we decided to make it official.” You look at Eddie, impressed that he was able to come up with that on the spot. 

“Y/N, please tell me this is a joke. You cannot be dating Eddie “the freak” Munson!”

“Nope, not a joke. Eddie’s my boyfriend. The best boyfriend I’ve ever had, in fact.” Eddie is grinning at the fact that Jason is fuming at the two of you. “And might I add…” you lean closer to Eddie and whisper in his ear loud enough for Jason to hear, “that they don’t call him a freak for nothing. Isn’t that right, big boy?” You give his ear a quick little nibble and you can feel Eddie’s arm tense up around you.

Eddie turns to look at you. “Oh, baby. You are filthy!” There’s a hint of mischief in his eye that nearly makes you swoon. 

“Sick! You guys are sick!” Jason yelled as he backed away from the doorway. He then turned around and headed back to his car. You watched him drive away before closing the door, kind of in shock that your plan actually worked. 

Eddie was the first to speak after Jason stormed off. "So, you gonna tell me what that was all about?" 

You let out a little chuckle. "Uh, sure. I feel like I owe you that for coming to my rescue like you did." You see Eddie smile at this comment. You continue, "In a nutshell, I went on a date with Jason a few years ago, it went terribly, he tried to kiss me, I dodged the kiss, he got pissed, and then he told the whole school that we got to third base. I could never really escape the rumor, either. It affected what other people thought of me for the rest of the year, which is why I took off after graduation and haven't been back until now." 

“I’ve always known Carver was an asshole, but wow. This might take the cake.” Eddie says with a sympathetic look. 

“I’m mostly over the whole thing, but my skin still crawls every time I see him, so thanks again for helping me out. Hopefully he’ll leave me alone once and for all.”

“Yeah, hopefully. If not though… I’d be happy to be your boyfriend again.” Eddie says with a cheeky grin that makes you feel a little weak in the knees. “‘Cause I’m not gonna lie, your last line during our little roleplay was pretty hot.” 

You did your best to suppress a goofy grin, but you couldn’t help it. Feeling a little rush of confidence you reply. “Well I’m not gonna lie, I think you’re pretty hot.” 

Eddie’s grin grew even wider, if that was even possible. He didn’t say anything, but you caught his eyes starting to wander down your body. You started to get a little uncomfortable, so you quickly changed the subject. “Did you find your dice?”

“No, but that’s okay. I’ll check in with Dustin when I see him next and keep looking around my place, too.” There was a beat of awkward silence before Eddie continued. “Well, I better get going…”

You were eager to spend more time with him, though. You quickly interjected. “No!... I mean, I just finished making dinner. Are you hungry?”

“Oh, I could always eat. I don’t want to impose though.” 

“You wouldn’t be, honestly. In fact, you’d be doing me a favor. I don’t like being alone and I made a ridiculous amount of food.”

“Well, in that case, I’m at your service fair maiden,” Eddie says with a little bow. It was so goofy, so why did it make your heart skip a beat? 

Eddie follows you into the kitchen where you dish him a plate of spaghetti. You hand it to him and make your way over to the table where you already had a plate you were eating from. Eddie sits down next you and takes a bite of his food. 

“This is delicious!Are you, like, a chef, or something?” He asks with his mouth full of food as he wipes his bottom lip with the back of his hand.

You couldn’t help but giggle. “No, it’s just spaghetti and one of the only things I know how to make, so don’t get your hopes up for future meals.” 

“First of all, I don’t eat this fancy very often so I’m sure I’ll think anything you make is delicious. Second of all, you think we’ll continue to share meals?” You could tell by the glint in his eye that he was amused by the statement you’d made, which flusters you.

“Ummm… I mean, definitely not if you don’t want to, being as we just met and you don’t know me and I don’t know you but I guess you do hang out with my brother so we may or may not cross paths again. I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to the idea, but again, no pressure. Anyway, I’m rambling now and it’s getting awkward and you’re looking at me like I’m crazy or something so I’m just doing to stop talking right about now!” You say all of this in one breath, mortified that you couldn’t put together a coherent answer to Eddie’s simple albeit flirty question. 

He laughs. It’s gorgeous and yet you feel mortified that you embarrassed yourself. That is, until he speaks. 

“I don’t think you're crazy, and I would like to share more meals with you. Don’t feel pressured to cook for me though, I’m really good at ordering pizza. Or, we don’t have to have food. I’d hang out with you either way.” 

Eddie starts leaning closer. Your eyes dart down to his lips for a quick second. When you glance back up to meet his gaze, you notice that he’s even closer to you and he’s now stealing glances to your lips. 

Suddenly, you hear the front door swing open. “Y/N! I’m home!” 

You and Eddie fly apart, almost sitting at complete opposite ends of the table. Dustin calls for you again. 

“In here, Dusty!” You yell back.

Dustin rounds the corner and enters the kitchen. “Eddie? What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, he was just-” Eddie cuts you off. 

“I was just flirting with your sister.” 

You roll your eyes while trying to hide a smile creeping up on your lips. 

“No, he was looking for some dice.” 

“Oh right, that is what I was doing here. You haven’t seen them, have you, Dusty?”

Dustin cringes at Eddie’s use of the nickname. “No, I haven’t seen them. However, I do feel slightly uncomfortable hearing that you were flirting with my sister, even if it was just a joke.” 

“It was not at all a joke. Sorry, dude. Your sister’s cute and I think she likes me.” Eddie turns back to you and gives you a wink. He then stands up from the table and walks closer to Dustin. “Don’t worry, Dusty. Nothing happened… this time.” Dustin goes beat red. You can’t tell whether it’s from embarrassment or outrage. “Anyway, I better get going. It was nice meeting you, Y/N. I hope to see more of you.” Then he quickly headed out the front door. 

“I don’t like this, Y/N.” Dustin says once Eddie closes the door behind him. 

“Well that’s too damn bad, little brother. Stop having adorable friends and maybe I’ll stop flirting with them.” You say, then stick your tongue out at him. 

[nocturnalfandomartist]

💛 I Remember You 💛

Time Elapsed: 1 hour, 11 minutes

Program used: Ibis Paint X

(This doodle is me coping with the Tears of the Kingdom trailer and pretending they aren't about to be traumatized more).

BotW/ToTK will forever be my favorite version of Zelink. They've been through a whole lot together, and seeing them reunited at the end of BoTW is so sweet (especially in the context of the diaries outside of the English translation)! Such a shame everyone's probably dead. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted...

I cannot express enough how agonizing it has been to wait for more news on TotK! So when I saw a Nintendo Direct was coming up, I was unable to focus on anything else. I knew we were bound to get info, but I was NOT READY FOR THIS

Everything about that trailer was so well done, it makes the wait for May seem even longer! A few thoughts I had personally:

1. Ganondorf is pretty decent casting. I'm admittedly surprised he doesn't sound hoarse or anything considering he's a reanimated corpse, but it's still menacing!

2. I'm convinced Ganondorf and Zelda are going to take the forms/powers of Demise and Hylia at this point with all these parallels...

3. POSSIBLE MORE RUNES MAKE ME SO EXCITED! We thought Link getting a motorcycle gave us too much power... Now we have cars and mechanical gliders.

4. It doesn't seem Zelda is getting damseled! That makes me so happy. I figured she wouldn't be playable (unfortunately), but it at least seems she'll have a presence throughout the story! Perhaps a Skyward Sword situation where she must go on a journey of her own? Maybe in the form of flashbacks to the previous Zelda from 10,000 years ago? If it goes with a SS route, maybe that leaves room for a playable Zelda in post-game.

5. All the monsters look stronger than before, and there are even new ones! I tried to see if those dino bird things matched up with any classic enemies, but they didn't seem to be so. Either way, they're awesome!

6. I can't wait to explore where all the characters are after a potential time skip. Zelda especially! She got so much character in BotW, and I am going to love seeing more of it!

7. If Zelda doesn't end up becoming Hylia, I'm also wondering if the previous Zelda ends up being revealed to be the same one (same with Link) due to time travel shenanigans like in Skyward Sword.

8. If Zelda and Link don't kiss or address Zelda's feelings for him at least once I will be very sad (but I'll love the game anyway).

9. I hope to see the cycle broken here. That seems to be where this is leading! It would be great to watch Zelda and Link finish off Demise's curse once and for all and finally have the peace Hyrule has been fighting to have for eons.

10. Hopefully Link's diary won't be lost in translation this time! Adding those little details like that made BotW even better than it already was.

11. LINK THREW THE MASTER SWORD ASIDE TO CATCH ZELDA I CAN'T- But poor Fi. Hope she's doing okay with the whole Malice infestation thing. This is a stretch, but perhaps there will be a return of Ghirahim or his sword form. That'd be cool.

12. It looks like there's potential for more old-school dungeons! With the Divine Beasts seemingly inactive, Link may have to travel through monster-ridden ruins to drive them out of Hyrule.

13. I'm excited to see details on the time between BotW and TotK, like how Zelda got her hair cut! It'll be nice to see which NPCs changed and which haven't (Beedle is probably the same and will be the same even as all of existence crumbles around him).

14. Maybe the memory mechanic will be implemented again by Link recalling his past life 10,000 years ago?

Alright, sorry for the ramblings here. I'm too excited. I have lots more thoughts, but I'll share them in the future. May 12 can't come fast enough!

Reblogging is fine, but please don't post this anywhere else without linking the original post. Thanks!

[breakfastteatime]

Today's request is for @drgeektoyou who asked for 'Little Rituals'.

Prauf comes to a stop in the dark, smelly hallway. "Here we go, pal, here's your apartment. Last guy left it tidy, which is pretty unusual around these parts."

“What happened to the last guy?” Cal asks before he can stop himself. He really hopes no one was murdered here. Those kind of echoes are some of the worst.

“Accident with the ship cutter’s what I heard,” Prauf says. “Then again, maybe he paid off his indenture and got the hell out of here. You never can tell ‘round here unless you see it or hear it yourself!”

Laughing at his own joke, Prauf opens the door and flicks on the lights, revealing a dingy room beyond. It contains a bed, a tiny table with a stool, and one corner is dedicated to food prep. There's no refresher - Cal's got to share with everyone else on his floor... which isn't so different from the Brave. The space is half the size of his old quarters. It’s cold, there’s a faint smell of rust, and Prauf can't stand straight because the ceiling's so low, but it's home, and better than the rocks he'd slept under out in the wastes when his body gave in and refused to walk another step without rest. Probably better than the bunkhouse he’s been in for the past few months too.

"Like it?" Prauf asks.

No.

"Yes," Cal says.

"You remember what I told you?" Prauf asks.

Find a good place to stash for his credits and loot, fix everything that breaks as fast as possible, always hang clothes up to dry, and never forget to lock up. It’s the little rituals that make Bracca easier – according to Prauf. Cal looks up at his friend. "I remember."

“Good, good. Okay then, I’ll let you get settled in. Oh, and set an alarm so you don’t oversleep. Can’t be late the day after we get you set up in your own place. I’ll see you at the station in the morning. Have a good night, Cal.”

“Night, Prauf.”

Left to his own devices, Cal’s first job is to change the access codes to his apartment. After weeks in a bunkhouse where he’d watched plenty of people stealing from each other, he knows nothing in here will be secure until he alone knows the code and purges any secondary backups. It’s thanks to Hack he knows how to do it, except Hack is dead now because Cal deflected a blaster bolt right back at him while fleeing the Brave. Cal focuses on the digital puzzle ahead of him, unwinding the code and finding someone’s master override. He wipes that, wipes everything, and programs a new code. He also programmes it to autolock after three seconds in case he ever runs out and forgets to lock up. He’ll have to update the code monthly, another habit to get himself into if he wants to stay hidden. If someone did break in and find the lightsaber he’s got to hide in here, his life would be over in a heartbeat.

Access code changed, Cal pulls off his poncho and hangs it up to dry. He decides to keep his boots on for warmth. Then, he starts pulling the tiny apartment apart. The previous inhabitant left nothing behind. Nothing but echoes, anyway, and most of them are feelings of weariness or frustration that his indenture doesn’t seem to be shrinking. There are a couple other echoes from people who’d cleaned out the place after the last resident died, taking anything they could get their hands on. Cal decides to create several stashes. It’s safer that way, and if anyone breaks in, they’ll probably get distracted by finding credits or tools long before they go anywhere near his lightsaber. He’s so thorough, he even finds an undiscovered stash behind a power outlet. He can’t believe no one found it, and he finds himself fifty credits up. The previous inhabitant’s joy washes over him as his hand closes over the money. Offering the dead person a silent thanks, Cal leaves it there. It can be the start of an emergency escape fund, and it’s where his lightsaber can go. He’ll need to keep a bag packed just in case he ever needs to make a run for it.

Next, Cal makes a mental list of what’s broken in the apartment and what he’ll need to fix first. He can’t afford to run the heating, so he’ll have to find every cold spot and block it. Either that or he’ll need to requisition some extra clothes from the Guild.

Cal sits on the bed, his own exhaustion mingling with the echo of the last occupant. He doesn’t have any pillows or blankets, so he’ll have to use his poncho once its dry. He’ll go to the market and buy some essentials on his next scheduled downtime. He’ll have been paid by then too. He could break into his unexpected credit find, but no, he’s got to stick to his rules if he wants to stay hidden. It’s no good blowing the credits on blankets and pillows if a stormtrooper kicks his door in and tries to drag him away. He has to remember the three rules for survival.

Don’t stand out.

Accept the past.

Trust no one.

He’s not going to survive if he doesn’t follow those rules. He’s got to stay quiet, accept that whatever he was before is not who he is now, and no one, not even Prauf, can be trusted with the truth.

Trust only in the Force. Cal’s trying, he really is, but survival is his top priority, and it starts here in his new home. Stick to the rules, follow the routine, have an escape plan and maybe, maybe, he won’t die.

[bloodgulchblog]

Have you seen that YouTube video where some guy reads every Halo novel back to back and then reviews them? If so what did you think

The Brian David Gilbert one? Oh yeah, all my friends showed me it when it came out. (It was honestly kind of cute seeing how many people thought of me immediately.)

Rewatching it to refresh myself because it's been a couple years and a full-novel reread for me since the last time...

High fiving BDG because the Master Chief parts of The Flood were definitely the most boring parts.

He didn't have anything to say about First Strike which I think is a shame because I think it's better than The Fall of Reach and actually has A Theme I Find Interesting.

Rightful recognition of Contact Harvest as pretty damn good.

Rightful recognition of the Forerunner Trilogy as dense oldschool-style SF with deep worldbuilding. (Also the San'Shyuum thing.)

I disagree with him about, and have significant problems with, Kilo Five. He is correct that Kilo Five actually delves into some of the dark places in Halo in a way it really needed, and I would even say that its writing is extremely engaging by Halo novel standards. However, while he does notice the obvious parallels between what ONI is doing post-war and the kind of shit the CIA has pulled again and again irl, I think he misses some of the subtext I see where it feels like it justifies some shit a liiiiittle too much if you know the author's irl politics re: the military. He also doesn't seem to notice the character assassinations (particularly of Catherine Halsey) that I and a lot of other fans see/object to in those books. I kind of gaze into the middle distance with a haunted expression at the suggestion that these are the ones to read if you don't touch any of the others just because they are, ironically, so heavy-handed and feel like they treat certain kinds of evil as inevitable in a way that actually feels way worse to me than the excuse plot offered by the earlier/lighter Halo novels. (But idk, that's me? Nobody is committing a crime if they disagree with my frenzied insane person red string diagrams about Kilo Five.)

I'd swap Pariah for Dirt in the Evolutions anthology if it were me, but I think these are solid standouts.

Broken Circle is neat but really nonessential he's not wrong.

A one-sentence review of New Blood is probably not enough space to get into how fucked up the Spartan-IV program is, but yeah. New Blood is fun if you don't find Buck's first person narration annoying. (It comes and goes for me in that one.)

BDG you're an absolute sweetheart, I think Hunters in the Dark is kind of goofy in a way I cannot in good conscience ignore if I'm gonna review it. But it really really is so much fun and I love that one a lot anyway. The "it's like Halo 3... 2" observation is solid.

High fiving him again because I also found Last Light disappointing. And it is also a me problem.

Fractures!

Hell yeah these are all good pulls from Fractures, I would say Shadow of Intent is the pick of the litter in that anthology for me. Interesting that as a Kilo Five enjoyer he didn't single out Rossbach's World, which is the last we've heard about Osman and Black Box. (Also, that one is good.) I think Oasis is worth an honorable mention because I'm an Envoy stan, and the Forerunner stories are interesting but I wouldn't go for them if you don't already have a healthy interest in the trilogy.

This tangent is so fucking funny now that we know more things:

Oh BDG, oh buddy, it's really not for the people like you and me huh. (Disclaimer: I have no idea if BDG likes the Halo tv show or not and I have no desire to dig up evidence about it.)

Also, while you're here, this is the bloodgulchblog origin story:

Smoke and Shadow is fun so it's a little sad that when he ends that sentence with "whatever," I can't actually say he's wrong to. (Sorry Rion your part of the lore just.... hasn't... touched anything that touches anything else anymore.)

ENVOY IS GOOD AND EVERYONE SHOULD CARE ABOUT IT okay okay I'm cool I'm normal, anyway. Envoy is the Halo novel that restored my faith in reading Halo novels and reminded me that authors can care and know how to do nuanced, interesting themes in this space. It's great. Everyone in this book has war refugee trauma (except the Spartans which have Spartan trauma) and that's incredible to me. Please care about Envoy if you have spare room in your heart for Halo side characters.

I am cheered to see someone indifferent to the Veta Lopis stories, but I still feel petty for feeling it.

I don't have a lot to say about Legacy of Onyx here but it's always so fun seeing someone else suffer and care.

Bad Blood, the Blood is Bad now is a fun joke but lol yeah. It does have this very vital moment where Chief and Arbiter talk, though. For the first and only time in years.

PROPS FOR NOTICING THE YA NOVELS they're actually pretty nice.

"The Master Chief is the protagonist and boy does he shoot some people" is most of how I feel about Silent Storm and Oblivion too, I know they have their fans but Troy Denning's Chief books don't do much for me personally.

Renegades hadn't had its followup Point of Light yet but yeah, Spark stuff is interesting.

I had to remember that oh yeah, there are multiple books now that didn't exist when this was made. I wonder if he read them?

OKAY I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY as always if y'all want specific book opinions, I might have a tag for them. Or just yell in my ask box, I'm sure I can scrounge up some thoughts.

[somebirdortheother]

15 Questions

I was tagged by my internet daughter @lady-of-imladris and now I feel like my answers need to be chaotic enough for her approval.

1. Are you named after anyone?

No, my parents wanted the name to sound nice by itself, and in combination with my patronymic (Slavic things).

2. When was the last time you cried?

I tear up incredibly easily, so that can't count! But, the most recent real cry was probably about a month ago due to a combination of PMS and life.

3. Do you have kids?

Nay, though I'd like to!

4. What sports do you/have you played?

Used to play tennis competitively, and now do it leisurely. I love running (and I'm so happy that @lady-of-imladris is getting back into it!), swimming, badminton, beach volleyball. I enjoy bouldering, and probably other sports that I'm currently forgetting.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Less so now than when I was younger. In my twenties, I was a sarcastic little gal. Nowadays, I prefer directly shading people when I need to.

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Eyes, smile, vibes!

7. What's your eye color?

Green.

8. Do you prefer scary or happy endings for movies?

AHHhhhhhh I shall not choose. Both are good, depending on the story being told and what kind of ending feels more deserved.

9. Any talents?

Not to brag, but I am good at picking mushrooms in the forest and knowing which ones are tasty, which ones will make you see the universe, and which ones will return you to being one with the universe.

Also, in no particular order: writing, splits, memorizing phone numbers, pretty hand-writing, math - I guess.

10. Where were you born?

USSR

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, reading, running, hiking, going to galleries and museums, music, making art with dried flowers, spending time with my animals, looking at the moon and the stars through my telescope! Also, antiquing, furniture assembly and other handy things. Oh, and dressing up for Ren Faires.

12. Do you have any pets?

Two cats and a dog!

13. How tall are you?

167 - 168

14. Favorite school subject?

Wow, thanks for pointing out that I am ancient, because I'm sitting here and wondering "what level of education is this quiz referring to?" So I'm listing everything! Primary school - I loved pretty much every subject. High school - physics, math, drama, French. Undergrad - operations research, databases (?), history and philosophy of science. Masters - ugh.... Integer programming. PhD - Linear programming, convex optimization.

15. Dream occupation?

While I found @lady-of-imladris' "I don't dream of labour" lovely and oftentimes relatable, it actually gave me a pause. I don't dream of labour in a sense that I definitely do not adore toiling for some corporations to get richer, but I do consistently try and be occupied with things that I like and I have been fortunate to be able to do so!

Anyhow! My dream occupations have been writing, doing science, and doing "business", when I was little - and I'm happy to report that I have tried variations of all of these things, with various levels of success and satisfaction.

I am YET to have a career as "Indiana Jones" or "James Bond" - but perhaps, one day!

Tagging, with no pressure: @helenvader @coraleethroughthelookingglass @iamstartraveller776 @mamanmae

[blueshistorysims]

October 1919, New York, New York

Dear Mama and Giselle,

I suppose I should apologize. I haven’t written since July. In my defense, I have been quite busy with my studies. I think I have more work for my doctorate program than I did from my dual master’s degrees! Columbia University has a massive library of all sorts of languages. I amuse my classmates by reading them in every language I can speak.

The Gardenhouses have been the most gracious hosts of their lovely city. Thaddeus found me an apartment in Harlem, and I only have to pay half-price. It’s tiny, but the landlady makes me great food. I think she has a crush on me. I admit, I feel out of place at times, being the only white person in the neighborhood— a stranger in a world I don’t understand. And I doubt being British helps. Though the neighborhood children find my accent amusing. I have discovered how amazing the music scene is here. My friend Samson plays the saxophone, and he likes to play blues and jazz. He wants to be in a band, but his parents would never approve.

I go to the most fun parties. Americans throw better parties. There, I admit it. The dancing and music are much more loud and fun. You’d probably hate it, Mama. And I thought Prohibition would make alcohol harder to procure, but it’s like the 18th Amendment was never ratified. If people want to drink, they will do so. What a stupid law. 

Stella, Thaddeus’ sister, is such a hoot! She’s a great dancer, and we make a flashy pair at parties. To quote her words, “You’re the first white boy I’ve known who can really dance.” I think Campbell has unrequited feelings for her, and it can be awkward at times, but he’s also insecure. I keep telling him to confess his feelings and get it out in the open, but he won’t. 

Besides, Stella is a friend. I would compare our friendship to mine with her cousin. Samson and I get on well because we have similar interests. And so do Stella and I. She loves spending money, and I’ve almost had my wardrobe entirely replaced since I’ve come, and there’s nothing I can do about it. (I’ve tried, Mother, believe me.) 

I hope you both are well. I miss you dearly and wish you could come visit me in New York. I’m still not ready to return to the UK, but perhaps when I graduate, I can return for the summer.

Love, Byron

Newcrest, England

“Oh, he sounds like he’s having a jolly good time then. I miss him terribly, but he sounds happy. And that’s all a mother would want,” Rebecca said, more to herself than Giselle.

Giselle eyed the papers. “Makes you think what all the fun stuff he’s leaving out.”

“Giselle!”

“I’m not wrong.”

Rebecca didn’t answer. 

AN: We finished!!! I'm super excited to get to the 1920s, which I will have more info coming out on that in a few days. Thanks for stopping by, it means every much to me. <3

[blueburied]

every now and then i see posts about homeschooling and i'm like hey i was that i wanna talk about it !!

so for context i was homeschooled until 9th grade (2020), when i went to high school. I think that i got really lucky? basically every post i see about homeschooling is talking about how bad it is. And i can get why! people aren't always ready to like. fully teach someone. and sometimes also people are bad parents and take their kids out of school to have more control over them. its so shitty, especially when you're used to one environment and you're settled there and all of a sudden you're trapped at home with someone you don't always like.

I was lucky. My mom is wonderful and a librarian with a masters. She also like. put proper effort into teaching. It was nice having a teacher who knew me on that level and could understand how i worked. She also enrolled me in social programs where i could socialize, make friends, and experience things she couldn't give me herself. In particular i remember the homeschool gymnastics program I went to on wednesdays extremely fondly. Co-ops (which is, at least in my experience, a once a week thing where we take classes that we want to take that are taught by other homeschool parents). In particular the classes I remember the best would be the class where i took a computer apart and put it back together and got it to post (i was SO proud of myself, also i was like 9 or 10) and a greek mythology course in which we would do readings of plays among other things which is probably part of the reason i am a theater kid. I made and hung out with all my friends that way, and my family is still friends with one of the other families we had met through the second co-op we were a part of! My mom was actually the biggest advocate for me going to high school, primarily because they have resources she knew i couldn't get at home. Now granted, I went to a vocational school, but I still graduated with a 4.0 GPA and am now going to my choice university for something i'm really passionate about! I will say i was probably a bit on the sheltered side, but the internet and four years in high school more than made up for that lmao.

It seems like i'm very much an edge case, but i do want to say that it can be done right! BUT. if you're considering, based off of other experiences i've seen, i would probably suggest not to. at least not initially. if your kid comes to you asking about it, maybe then it is a good time to consider! but remember: do your research and make sure you get proper teaching resources! be prepared to teach like its your job! and also, and perhaps most importantly. socialize your kid! make sure they have people around their age they can hang out with some regularity!

oh and also don't try to control their entire life!

If I am wrong on something, do feel free to critique me in an RB! I am open to learning, or at least wanna try to be.

[tgrailwar-zero]

Hey, we weren't THAT useless. We did what we went to do by calming down Alter Ego and dispatching of the Red Team's ambush, all without hurting the Blue Team, even if it was with rather unconventional tactics. You were practically the MVP of that mission, Avenger! I'm sure that'll place you in high regard with your teammates, True Name or not!

That was true. It was messy, but it was an overall success. For a first mission, he was sure that the group had a better opinion of him. At least FOREIGNER did, and most likely ALTER-EGO. The others might need a bit more convincing. And the performance, while a bit on the rusty side, wasn't too bad- he could admit that much, at least. No reason to let the compliments get to his head, however.

As the time passed, the conversation did seem to idle more into the arts. At least in the areas where an artist and a musician could find common ground- which was more often than he expected. She seemed to have a high appreciation for aesthetics- in art, nature- though to her those two seemed to conflate to her. FOREIGNER didn't seem to be of much help when considering a True Name regarding his missing memory… mostly because she didn't exactly pay much mind to Western musicians. They hit the basics. Bach. Beethoven. Mozart- the last one seemed to have AVENGER unconsciously grinding his teeth a bit, so she decided to steer the conversation away from that. He took the time to ask about getting something. Both materials, and something extra. FOREIGNER beamed.

"Oh, right. There's a commissary in the base. Normally it's a grab what's available type situation- but the stock changes every so often. Occasionally one of the... what's it called... 'War Monitors' swing by to check on the base, and occasionally give out their own items. The prices are pretty steep, though."

That was also worth asking about. AVENGER's eyes drifted over to the octopus, as FOREIGNER noted the attention.

"O-Oh, this... this thing? It's like a, um, familiar, or a little mascot chara--"

"Uwagh--! Sorry, sorryyyyy!!"

...Maybe another time. You both were getting closer, but he may have been a key to her True Name, and even that didn't seem like a card that would be easily shared between allies.

...There was a lot to do and think about. Figuring what he could now, before the next round of missions was set up, seemed to be an important enough focus.

AVENGER shifted a bit in the hospital bed, trying to get out of it as FOREIGNER gently tried to keep him down after wiping the octopus ink off her face.

"Like I said, MoonCancer doesn't want you running around before she can run checks on that strange data she found on you. If you want, I can grab somebody for you. I know MoonCancer is running diagnostics on our bases Attack Programs, I think Ruler is resting in her room, Pretender is off… doing something. Gunner is busy training, and Alter-Ego's been resting too since she came back. She had really bad wounds, apparently she ran into Saber and he almost took her out entirely."

FOREIGNER paused, remembering something.

"…Actually, Alter-Ego mentioned something interesting. She said that the 'Saber' that she encountered was a woman with a spear and shield that called herself 'Saber'. The only other one of us that's encountered Saber before was Ruler while she was captured, and she recalled a brawny man with a sword instead…"

She shrugged, not seeming like that was something she was concerned about at the time being.

"Things for later. Anyways, I can call in MoonCancer. She could also probably answer your Master's questions about the War too. That, or bring in Ruler. She actually wanted to be here when you got up, but it seems like Berserker, Caster, and Assassin did a number on her. I'd get Alter-Ego, but… this room won't fit. Don't get me wrong, she's smaller than she was before, but she's still huge."

[ygodmyy20]

3, 7, 8, 19 :]

I am finally answering my ask game questions hhahaha

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed?

We both asked this question to one another quirkle and I also don't know what it means bahahahha I don't have. ritual I just have OH MAN TIME TO WRITE LETS GOOOO energy

Maybe that is my ritual. Just MUST WRITE ENERGY

7. What is your deepest joy about writing?

Writing something that I feel so good about. Something that expresses my thoughts and feelings into words. And really, that I get to read it later and sink into that headspace again.

8. If you had to write an entire story without either action or dialogue, which would you choose and how would it go?

Holy crap um. Probably.....action. I love writing action a LOT but I need dialogue. I am a huge dialogue writer. I live for dialogue and I like to hope I am pretty good at it.

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?

And this is the question that took me awhile to answer.

I started writing fanfics when I was 13, kicking off with Yugioh and i wrote for that fandom from around 2003 till about 2015. I wrote so much that I considered going to collage for writing and I went to writers workshops in the summer and got into the University of Iowa's English program, which has one of the best creative writing masters programs in the country. I had planned on getting my Bachelors and Masters from there.

Well.....i burned out in my first year, moved back to Michigan, changed majors to business and slowly stopped writing as much. Some big life changes happened to me between graduating collage and 2013. I tried to keep writing but it just didn't stick. I couldn't write, nothing was happening. I lost nearly all my creativity for around 10 years.

I completely stopped writing between 2015 and 2023.

And then, in May 2023, I found this lovely lil anime we all know and love called Mob Psycho 100.

I started drawing, and I started writing, I started engaging with fandom again. I wrote Float and people commented and the read my work. I was ecstatic I didn't know what to do--people read my work, I honestly couldn't believe it. Like, the reception I got from my mp100 fanfics was so positive compared to my previous works. It was....honestly so amazing.

I then wrote the very self indulgent Just Breathe, my step into shipping once again.

And then in September I wrote one of my favorite pieces of fiction I have ever written ever in my life, which is Blackhole.

And then, I started thinking of an ageswap and Black Sweatshirt was born.

Now, I am knee deep in this ageswap fic, a post-canon series, and many other one-shots. I have written over 100,000 words in under a year. The train shows no sign of stopping (it slowed down a bit recently but I am pretty sure I just needed a break)

Right now where I am at, in this moment, is someone who is very happy with my writing. I have wonderful friends who will beta my work, there is a whole community to share my art with. My ageswap is nearly 20 chapters long (Yeah oof I know haha).

Where i am going: To finish this story. To write my post-canon series. To hopefully have readers that enjoy my work, even though it may take me months to years to finish them.

To one day, maybe one day, re-write and finish Shadows. My last YGO fanfic that I still hope to one day finish. I will rewrite the whole thing though.

[axl-ul]

Writer Q&A Tag Game

Thank so much for the tag @mthollowell-writes (the og post here) and @dyrewrites (the og post here)!This was so sweet of you^^

And if you have time, please, read their posts, they're so beautiful and motivational.

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What motivates you to write?

Pretty much that I get to share a piece of myself. I'm not sure how to put it...but when I write I can sometimes feel my body relaxing and that I get to create something, anything from all the chaos that's sometimes in my head.

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

It's a snippet from The Lakebed, an episode from Ulfrika's youth while she was still under the care of Master Kogar.

“Yes, Majstre. Hm…Majstre? Did you truly want to shoot me down?“ He paused, “Never, my disciple.“ He patted the young head before diving into a quick lesson about proper fishing methods and life in lakes. In the meanwhile, the sun started to come out. Unable to resist the sunlight for long without the proper clothing and skin treatment the master and his disciple decided to come back. For the last time, the Man with No Eyes looked behind where the ice was cut out. He found the right successor. Even though she’s not the typical demon nor that it’ll be an easy path. But he sensed the potential. And she deserved to get the second chance. With unusual happiness settling down and unaware of the doom he brought upon himself on that fateful day he returned home with Ulfrika.

3. Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

This might be a pretty easy answer - Princess Mei from The Flight of the Western Crane. She starts out as a shy young woman who's prone to fear and crying and she gets overwhelmed pretty easily. The more the story progresses, though, she gets more self-confident and comes out of her shell to reveal what she really is like - joyous, a slight jokester with heart of gold and even a bit of a fighter (until then she was like this only around her advisor and best/only friend Lady Wolf Witch a.k.a. Márgerdra). Mei's like... such a breath of a fresh air because I don't remember writing a character like her before. Oh, did I mention she likes hugs, too? Well, if not, then be prepared for her to hug your soul out of you. Then she'll pull you away to the nearest shop because t r i n k e t s.

4. What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

Hopefully, you won't get mad at me but the outline and coming up with the plot ideas and characters. The very begining when it's up to you how the heart and soul of your story shall look like.

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

I dare to say I'm pretty good at descriptions of the nature. As in the rich vocabularly and how I play around the words. I like coming up with metaphors and poetic prose sort of grew on me over the years.

6. What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

People around are truly trying to help each other. I'm still lacking quite a lot of contact but it's mostly due to me not being good with starting a conversation. But whenever I talk to is truly nice, sweet and polite which is admirable.

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

I'm going to be the basic bitch and say Google Docs and partialy Microsoft Word which I'll probably use sooner or later since Google Docs have problems with big files and there's also been the debate about the AI. Apart from these I also use Thessaurus a.k.a. Word Hippo and an unnamed internet dictionary. This is due to the fact that English is my 3rd language and I write my current projects in it. In other words, I sometimes can't exactly remember the word I actually want to use. So I either go and translate it for myself or I use the word hippo to find a synonym I know but I just couldn't think of in that moment.

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

I came t like the Blackworld itself. In short, it's a non-physical place filled with eldritch horros that can manifest in the real world and from time to time some cultures came to worship these beings as their saints, gods or patrons mostly because of the slow corruption of their minds and souls. It's not only the concept of a place that's not real but also there's so many mysteries about the Blackworld - is it just a place that's a sphere for all those entities to linger? Or is it actually an organism of its own that's capable of giving birth without being exactly alive (at least in our way of understanding)? Why does it shape according to the subconscience of those who enter it? How does it know when somebody alive enters it? Just so many questions and so little answers and those answer then spark another ten new questions.

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

I know this might go against the general rules but it's worked for me many times. Whenever I struggle to write I find myself a playlist, listen to it and while listening I'm re-reading my past chapters and re-editing some little details. When I can read a chapter after a chapter it's easier for me pick up on the more consistent vibe and feel of the story. And if this doesn't help either, I just take out another wip and focus on that other story.

10. Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

I've already mentioned the duo who tagged me so here's the follow-up: @arijensineink @minutiaewriter @rbbess110 @rubywrite @jgmartin @faelanvance @angie-j-kay (I know you can't respond right now but I wanted to mention you since you've been such a great support, thank you^^) @anthros-vanitas-archive @your-absent-father @sam-glade