#save wraps for stuff

[shepscapades]

Thanks to artfight, I’ve finally finished a detailed, official dbhc cub reference! :D

(I’ve put his Artifight description below the cut, which has a more detailed explanation of his timeline, lore, and aesthetics! >:3)

-ˋˏ ༻ ❁  OVERVIEW ❁ ༺ ˎˊ-

Name: C.B.F.N.4000 (Cub) Pronouns: He/Him Species: Android Height: 5’9’’ Associated Visual Themes: vex, ghosts, explosions, mischief, scientist aesthetic, potions, potionmaking, sleepy/tired aesthetic, conspiracies

-ˋˏ ༻ ❁  ABOUT ❁ ༺ ˎˊ-

CBFN4000 is an au version of MCYT Hermitcraft’s Cubfan, set in my DBHC (or Detroit Become Hermitcraft) AU! This au is inspired by the 2018 game Detroit Become Human, but not because it really has anything to do with DBH—I simply yoinked the android mechanics and incorporated them into the world of Hermitcraft. It began as a S8 au, and has roughly followed the hermitcraft timeline up to the present! 

Cub was the last android made during Season 8. While many of the hermit androids were made at the beginning of season 8 and a few were made for season 9, Cub was finished and activated mid-late Season 8, around the time when Hermits started noticing the Big Moon. Cub’s model ended up being a sloppy experiment in deviation, as Doc suggested they try to transfer deviancy to an android upon activation to try and avoid traumatic situations that might cause an android to deviate violently or upsettingly, such as Etho’s, Tango’s, or Mumbo’s experiences. While this went relatively well initially, it clearly wasn’t very thoroughly thought out, as Xisuma (who is normally so adamant and detail-oriented when it comes to assuring the androids’ safety with experiments like this) wasn’t truly himself due to external manipulation and mostly left a relatively young-deviant Doc to carry out the project himself. 

Cub, though adjusting to sentience rather well at first, very quickly became wrapped up in the Big Moon happenings on the server, new personality and inexperience to emotions like fear and ignorance completely overwhelming his young system. He became obsessive over the implications and consequences of the Season 8 Moon Apocalypse, joining the Mooners and spreading his conspiracy theories religiously throughout the server as he descended into madness. The insanity was like a virus to his programming, pervasive and all-engulfing, and Cub’s final attempt to free himself from the Moon’s impact with the Earth—to launch himself on a llama into space via potion-powered TNT(insane btw)— left his hands and feet singed and cracked to ruin.

The experiment, considered a horrific failure by a deeply shameful—and more awake—S9 Xisuma, left Doc and Xisuma with the decision to reset him for the new season, and they ended up pairing him with a hermit like they had done with the other androids until they had found deviancy enough to pursue their own projects. So, at the start of season 9 and fresh after a reset, Cub was paired with Scar. Naturally, because Scar is… Scar, Cub deviated almost instantly after being given to him, and very quickly adopted the iconic lazy, stoic, amused attributes normally associated with Cubfan. Scar’s tendency towards mischief and general shenanigans grew instantly on Cub, and the two were an immediate inseparable pair. So much so that when Scar began rambling one day about his Season 5 Hermitcraft Shenanigans (where deals with the Vex may or may not have been involved), Cub immediately stated he was interested in being in on it. Whatever “it” means. It’s unclear if Cub also made a deal with the vex or became connected to them in some other way, but… well, he got Doc’s help to trick out his eyes, hair, and back to best fit the part. Scar is very jealous that he can't magically make himself have the same features to match.

Cub is closest with Scar, but he gets along just as well with any of the other hermits! He’s close with Jevin and many of the other redstoners like Etho and Doc, who are the other two androids I’ve put on artfight!

-ˋˏ ༻ ❁  EXTRAS ❁ ༺ ˎˊ-

Cub's eyes can light up in the dark, and he’s the only android who has edited his programming so that the default state of his LED is white, not blue. It still will go yellow and red if his processors are working particularly hard, but he’s replaced the blue setting on his LED with white to better match the Vex vibe. Cub has all of the vibes of a fae. If that’s anything <3

[sledge-in-space]

John Seed is a comfort character for some people. Folks like to ship him with their deputies or craft redemption arcs for him.

There's nothing wrong with that, obviously.

But I just can't wrap my head around it.

There's nothing comforting about the way John Seed treated Joey Hudson. I don't understand why the ordeal she went through doesn't seem to matter to fans of his.

She was bait for the rookie deputy and nothing more, because she wasn't going to give in and join the cult.

He terrorized Joey and the rest of Fall's End, stooping to the lowest, most inhumane levels to get his way. Some even theorize that he hurt the "sinners" in his care just because he wanted to, for malicious, sadistic reasons that didn't have anything to do with the cult. At worst, some people go as far as to speculate that he raped Joey.

It's easy to see why someone might come to that conclusion. The way he acts is deplorable and he makes everything feel extremely personal, sometimes in ways that can be interpreted as sexually charged. He'll do anything in order to get his way because "no" is antithetical to him. He regularly flies off the handle, so much so that Joseph is threatening to cast him out. All the touching and getting right up in the player's face is so uncomfortable and obsessive (which is the point, but I digress).

So why does he get to be redeemed and venerated by fans? Don't his actions warrant consequences?

Are people willing to let him off the hook because he's attractive? Because he had a horrible, abusive childhood? Obviously he's got a lot more lore than most of the cast. Is that something people are interested in exploring for him over other characters?

I'm not trying to come after anyone personally. There's nothing wrong with liking villains and Jacob, Faith, and Joseph have also done terrible things to innocent people.

Which is like, fine. It's a video game.

And I know that John, like Joey, is a victim of Ubisoft's choppy, inconsistent writing and storytelling. Things got changed and swapped and cut during development that got us to where we are, with the story we have. Flaws and all, not like it was ever going to be perfect.

But in my opinion, I feel like the adoration for John does a huge disservice to Joey. People make thirsty edits of him while she's literally tied up behind him. It's tasteless and makes the optics of her situation look even creepier.

Her pain has largely been ignored for as long as the game has existed. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

[krokaxe]

Local bowl of mashed potato impersonates Christmas gift

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: September Wrap-Up.

Delighted to report I am VERY far behind on my NaNo prep reading goals, and now September is gone (oops). However! This month I did manage to carve nine (9) pages out of a behemoth scene, write a newsletter article for the nonprofit I volunteer at, and alpha/hype read a friend's manuscript, so I still had a fairly wordy month (I say, as if all of my months are not Wordy™).

Photos/reviews linked below:

THE HAUNTED BOOKSTORE, Vol. 1 & 2 - ★★★½ These were cute! I liked them enough that I went ahead and ordered the next two volumes, and I'm glad I did--turns out there are only four manga in the series, so I'll have the whole thing :) I plan on returning to these after November/as part of Driscoll prep again, because they match the vibe I'm trying to channel really well.

CITY OF SAINTS AND MADMEN - ★★★½ (rating subject to change upon series completion) So on my shelf, this book doesn't LOOK like a brick, but it's 704 pages (according to Goodreads, because the pages in the back half of the book are not numbered sequentially lmaooo). It's told in several novellas strung together and then An Appendix full of all sorts of (sneakily?) relevant bits and pieces--fascinating anthology of a book, very meta-textual. It grew on me! If you can get through the first story, it's worth sticking with, and the whole series is turning into a puzzle box. And speaking of...

SHRIEK: AN AFTERWORD - 135/451 pages read; will report back later. I definitely had to dual wield CITY and SHRIEK last night to compare passages that are, in fact, duplicated across books, and I feel like the calculus meme about it. This one is structured interestingly, too: It's written by a sister (first person) about her brother, but the brother is annotating her manuscript in his own first person (in parentheticals wedged into or tacked onto paragraphs, also first person). I'm very excited to finish this, and equally excited to see what's going on with FINCH after that, so. Back to reading I go!!

Under the Cut: A Note About ~*★Stars★*~

Historically, I have been Very Bad™ about assigning things Star Ratings, because it's so Vibes Heavy for me and therefore Contingent Upon my Whims. I am refining this as I figure out my wrap up posts (epiphany of last month: I don't like that stars are Odd, because that makes three the midpoint and things are rarely so truly mid for me)(I have hacked my way around this with a ½). Here is, generally, how I conceptualize stars:

★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).

★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).

★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.

★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.

★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I tend to like weird fucked up funny shit, and I don't have many hard readerly NO's). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!

★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!

[lcpmon]

HOUSE. FUCKIN HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[clickerflight]

Clove: Epilogue

Author's Note: We are at the end. This is wild. I have a hard time finishing stories, and ages ago I started this and thought I would never finish it. But I came back to it and here we are. Here we are. If you have any questions about this story, anything more you want to know, please send me asks. I love everyone who read this, even if you didn't comment or reblog. Thank you.

Masterlist - Part 33

Content: Vampire whumpee, emotional angst, being immortal sucks sometimes, dead body/funeral

...............................................

The funeral took place on the perfect day. It was warm, but a pleasant breeze swept through the air, stirring everyone’s hair and clothing. The trees rustled warmly, as though telling everyone that it would be alright. 

And it would have to be. 

Margaret lay in the box in front of them, Josh leading the ceremony in her stead. He was officially the village’s witch, with his wife’s help. There were tears in his eyes as he recounted a tale of the old lady bashing his knuckles for putting herbs in the wrong place only to care for the scrape she caused herself. 

“She never really knew her own strength sometimes,” he sniffled. “Or maybe she did and she just didn’t care. She was a good witch, and I hope to fill her shoes one day in taking care of this village.”

Ephraim bowed his head where he sat on a front row next to Benny. Hyrum sat on his other side, his little Goldenrod, who just couldn’t sit still. One moment he’d lean on Ephraim, fidgeting with the old fashioned ruffle tie Ephraim wore, then he would sit up and pick at his crooked fingers, then he would bounce his legs wildly. 

The fourth time Ephraim had to pull Hyrum back up into his seat on the bench as he bent down to look at something in the grass (the church pews having been pulled out for the funeral since it was so nice outside) it hit him through his grief how much of a blessing Hyrum’s constant fidgeting was. 

He opened his eyes and looked at Margaret, lying peacefully in the box and remembered how still and deathly Hyrum himself had been. Ephraim had often wondered if he really was a werewolf, and now his boy, not so little as he’d started a new growth spurt, was acting like a true werewolf. Stir crazy in the sun. 

Benny, on the other hand, was as still as the stones that marked the small graveyard they sat beside. He had helped dig the hole his sister would be going into, dirt still crusted under his nails. He’d started growing his hair long again, and he was wearing something much more sensible, a long brown overcoat overtop a cream linen shirt and black trews. The muscles in his jaw tensed, and Ephraim knew that Benny was trying to convince himself that it wasn’t his fault that he missed so much time with Margie. Trying to convince himself that just getting this last year was a blessing. 

Ephraim knew that argument well. He would continue to lose friends and loved ones, even Hyrum one day, but he was used to that now. Benny would have to learn to come to terms with it as well. 

As Josh went to sit down, Ephraim stood. There was no order to the speeches and anyone could decide to talk if they chose. Ephraim wondered if Benny would. He doubted it, looking back at his fledgling.

Ephraim got up by the casket and looked down at Margie’s face, marveling at how much peace he saw there. How did Josh manage that? He’d always imagined she would look just as stern in death as she was in life. Josh had better not be messing about with dark magic. Again. The man was too curious for his own good. 

Ephraim shook his head and looked out across the crowd. Everyone in the village had come to pay respects, and everyone except for the children were willing to put up with the funeral all afternoon if there were so many speakers. 

In fact, he could see in their faces they were looking forward to Ephraim’s speech; he who knew the witch so well. 

He cleared his throat and said, “About a year and a half ago I attended another funeral. In the fae realm.”

He glanced at Halia and Kortops who sat leaning on one another, Josh and Anna sitting next to them with a child who looked like Dimitri when he was a baby in Anna’s arms. The young lad had finally passed away during the winter while Ephraim and Hyrum had been in the fae realms, and while he had been distressed to hear he had missed the child’s last few months, Halia and Kortops gave them another child to share between the four of them, and shaped by the love of his new human parents, he was growing up to look like Dimitri, if a bit stouter and taller, his eyes more wild and free. Kortops reached over to run a hand over his changeling’s head, Halia smiling as Anna cooed to the baby who was babbling happily. 

“That funeral,” Ephraim continued, “Was the most splendid thing I’d ever laid eyes upon. There was a procession, feasts, and even decorations and food made by magic. However, in all of it, I don’t think a single fae you picked out of the crowd would have been able to tell you the name of the fae who had died.”

There was silence, people almost leaning forward in their chairs. Ephraim barely talked about the fae realms and everyone was desperate to know more. 

“Here, however, I know every single one of you knew Margeret. Every one of you ate her food, had her medicine, knew how a scolding from her felt. Everyone here remembers and honors her memory, and that is more precious than any fae decoration, food, or procession.”

He stopped, feeling choked up before he said, “She was a wonderful woman her whole life. Fearless and true. She never feared what others thought about her and stood for what she knew. Some may call that stubborn, I call that being a good witch.”

Ephraim turned fully to the casket and laid an undying hand on Margaret’s peaceful brow. “Rest now, daughter of Death. Rest now and return. Know that we will miss you, but we will….. Most of us will join you. Beloved and wonderful life burn out and give over to the night. Rest and know we remember you.”

He bowed his head over the funeral rites of an ancient culture he could no longer remember fully before he headed back to his seat. 

There were no more speeches after that. Ephraim had learned to try and go when he felt everyone important had gone at funerals. People told him he had a gift with words, and that there was no possible way to follow him. 

He went back over to the pews and nodded to Hyrum who was making big puppy dog eyes at him. Hyruym jumped out of his seat and ran after the other wolf pups as Ephraim called out, “Try not to ruin your clothes!”

A laugh came from behind him and he turned to find Tory standing there, hand on her hip. “He’s a werepup, Ephraim. You’re wasting your time. Your fault for putting him in those clothes in the first place.”

“Oh?” Ephraim said, raising an eyebrow. “Aren’t those your pups wearing funeral clothing?”

Tori looked over to the box where Margaret lay and sighed. “I wanted to show some respect to her, I guess. Ruined clothing seems the best way to go.”

Ephraim smiled warmly. He was glad to be getting along with Tory more these days. She had to take the brunt of protecting the village while he was gone, and it seemed she had a new understanding and respect for what he did. 

“I’ll keep an eye on the kids,” she said. “Looks like you still have more work to do.”

Ephraim glanced over his shoulder where she was looking to see Benny leaned forward, his head in his hands. 

“Yeah, looks like,” Ephraim said gruffly. 

He nodded to Tory before going and taking a seat beside Benny again. 

Benny didn’t move as Ephraim put a hand on his back. 

“I miss her, Ephraim… and I barely knew her,” Benny whispered. A sob escaped him and he pressed his face into his hands harder. 

Ephraim curled an arm over Benny and pulled him closer and tighter into his side. “I know…. I’m sorry, Benny. I really am.”

Benny trembled for a long moment. “And what if I never die?” he whispered, horrified. “I’ll never see her again.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say never. Life happens. I’ve seen plenty of vampires die, but we have been given this gift, this curse, to never know how long it will take to go with Lady Death and be welcomed home. It’s not easy, but there is still joy to be found in it.”

Benny was silent for a long time before he said, “I don’t want one of your sermons, Ephraim.”

“Okay,” Ephraim said placatingly. He ran a hand up and down Benny’s back as people started to help take pews back to the church, giving Ephraim and Benny space as the ones closest to the witch. 

They sat there, longer than mortals could stand but a short while for beings who lived as long as they did. They were the only ones left, their pew alone beside the graveyard. Maragret’s box had been closed, nailed shut and sprinkled with herbs and flower petals. Benny had shivered with every nail driven into the wood, and Ephraim crooned and chirped to him comfortingly the whole time. 

Ephraim didn’t worry about Hyrum. He had another child to take care of, and Tory would make sure Hyrum ate well. 

Sunset approached and Josh came back from attending to other duties, looking reverent and solemn. “It’s time. Lady Death waits.”

Benny sobbed again and Ephraim helped him up. 

After Benny recovered himself, he took one end of the casket, Ephraim taking the other, and they gently carried it to the hole, lowering it in. 

Ephraim began to fill the hole again, and, after a moment, Benny started to help, though he stopped halfway through to kneel by the hole, sobbing as Josh comforted him. 

Finally, the grave was filled and Ephraim, with dirt covered hands and sweat grimed face, helped Benny up. 

“Watch,” was all he whispered into Benny’s ears. 

Benny opened his eyes as Josh stood before the grave and gave the funeral rites of this culture. “Lady of Death and Skies, here lies a woman. Your beautiful daughter. Recognize her, and take her home. Let her know peace and happiness in the great expanse of your palace.”

Ephraim watched eagerly, and there, invisible to mortal eyes, a woman in dark purple silks and dark vails appeared. Her black wings swept the grass, her wide brimmed hat, like that of a fancy woman’s sun hat, was draped in vails that fell all the way to the ground around her. 

She looked up at the two of them. 

“Ephraim,” she intoned. 

Ephraim let go of Benny, bowing fully from the waist to Josh’s surprise. “My lady.”

She looked to Benny, giving him a soft smile. “She is safe with me,” she promised. 

She bent her knees, reaching down into the ground, coming back with something pale and glowing in her hand before she disappeared. 

“What…. Was that-?”

“The Lady Death,” Ephraim said softly. “This is the gift we have been given, Benny. We do not know when we will die, but we are not left without her comfort.”

“Lady Death? What? Did you see her?” Josh asked the two of them. 

Ephraim smiled at Josh. “A fraction of her, yes. Come on, Benny. There’s celebrating to be done. If you’re not drunk in the hour, slap me.”

The two of them made off into the village to take the edge off their sorrow with remembered joys of Margaret’s life and time well spent with friends. 

“Idiots, the both of them,” a wretched voice said, though as she spoke, the crackling quality faded. 

“Perhaps. But they are yours.”

“Yes,” Margaret said as she turned to walk with Lady Death to her palace. “That they are.”

THE END

Hey! Reminder that I have other stories you can check out, and I will be starting a new story soon since this one is finished. Again. Thank you for reading :D

Clove Taglist: @wolfeyedwitch @the-blind-one-speaks @whumpsday @extrabitterbrain @inkkswhumpandstuff 

@honeycollectswhump @whump-blog-reblogs @pigeonwhumps @mj-or-say10 @percy-frayer 

@currentlyinthesprial @scoundrelwithboba @whumps-and-bumps @hellodecisionparalysis @scatteriskity

[pagesofkenna]

doing the math and i'm pretty sure chilchuck is getting his bow back next week, and we might finally get to meet the canaries (the elves), if not next week then definitely the week after!

[queen-scribbles]

Chapter's done :)

[killuaisaprincess]

Capri-Sun

“Mommy? Mommy! Can I have a Capri-Sun?”

“Do you need help putting the straw in, sweetheart?”

She looks at Killua and shakes her head.

“Nope! I gotta get strong, Mommy! So I can protect you like Daddy does someday!”

Killua giggles softly. He presses the back of his hand to his forehead and leans back, pretending to feel faint.

“Oh! My hero!”

His daughter giggles back and places her hands on her hips, nodding and dashing off into the living room, shouting something or another about slaying the evil villain "plushie.”.

[naomiknight-17]

Went Christmas shopping today and I found a lot of things I'd been looking for but it meant walking across a massive plaza and hitting 3+ stores which were, themselves, very large

And now I'm sitting down at Jollibee while Jon grabs something I forgot back at the first store because there's no way I could walk all that way and back again. My back and legs are murdering me and I can't take more painkillers for at least another hour blugghhhhhhh

But when Jon gets back. Jollibee for dinner. Yaaaaay

[fagoutboy]

the more i think about the 60th specials the angrier and more despondent i get. i actually wish rtd had never come back get him out of here

[yxstxrdrxxm-a]

Hold up……if Clover Anon is correct and Cupid’s real name is Odette……is this a reference to Swan Lake?? (　ﾟдﾟ)

-Cupid has white hair, similar to how the classic swan has white feathers.

-Cupid can dance. And judging by this post, their specialty is ballet, and we all know that Swan Lake is a ballet performance.

-In a flashback, someone talks to Cupid about humanity, a theme which is present in Swan Lake. (The original Odette has both a human and swan form.)

*grips Navina* NAVINA?? YOUR BRAIN?? And knowing how Swan Lake ends…..I need to sit down. I have just become even more excited/ scared for what happens next in One Last Call ;~;

Hm... I would say to check again. There's something very vital that was hidden between the lines.

[t-u-i-t-c]

ohranger (1995-1996)

[botseeksbot]

[wildfairies]

i told myself i'd finish locket's playthrough this week but last night i just wound up doing random stuff like praying at the stormshore tabernacle and kissing halsin 10 times and staring at her face

[yourprobnowdumdum]

Just wanted to say that I loooove your Rickbot/Rick pieces! It’s so adorable and I love the story and character development that can come from that pair :)

skfjdj thank you!! :'D I'm so happy you're enjoying them! they've been very fun since I figured out a dynamic somewhat. Then it turned into a thing about self-care, which Rick really needs to figure out x'D and who knows him (and how to handle him) better than himself