#seriously they're like the only two in this AU who DON'T hook up with each other at some point

[myfaveisfuckable]

Rants!

Jane/Amelia: Ok my love for this ship started a million years ago with this video:

But seriously they are so much fun. Amelia is one of the few people smart enough to keep up with Jane and challenge her, and Jane is one of the few people so consistently principled that Amelia would actually be able to trust her and let her guard down. Amelia is the Captain who can take Jane wherever she wants to go to perform her research, and they get to open doors for each other. Plus let's be real, Jane hooking up with an alien sounds 100% right that girl is not capable of having a vanilla relationship.

Hope Diyoza/Echo: Listen barely anyone even watched the last season of that show, most of us sapphics lost interest post Lexa but it's such a tragedy. My girl Hope is only in that season and so many people dislike her 8( anyway the fandom immediately agreed that Hope was a lesbian and then Echo entered her storyline and fam. How the writers didn't see it is beyond me. It's been almost three years and it's looking like I'm never gonna get over them. "You must think I'm so weak..." - 'No. The opposite." Hhhh and Hope killing for Echo when she wasn't even able to do that for her father figure. Oh god and "How could you let her do this!?" - "Because I want her to." My little babies off to (attempt to) commit genocide :') other highlights include some cowards not wanting to ship Hope with her aunt's brother's ex-girlfriend (there was time fuckery involved, they're close in age when they meet, also who cares?? the CHEMISTRY), Echo Spy Shenanigans TM and the fact that I still want to write that Mamma Mia AU every time I hear an abba song. Lord help me now I want to rewatch s7 for them again

(second submission from the same person)

Hi hello sorry if this is a double submission I don't remember if i submitted them or dreamt it shout out to my adhd. ANYWAY Hope and Echo ruined my life back in 2020 literally thought about them 24/7 from june until October. Picture this: feral girl child of two terrorists who was isolated her whole life, literally nearly alone on a planet for 20yrs and has only truly known exactly 3 people ever and then matured through trauma trauma ptsd trauma and is now determined as All Fuck to go rescue her mother and aunt figure meets ex child soldier master spy redeemed antagonist who only learned what feelings are and how to deal with them a few years ago who is determined to go save her lame ass bf who is bein held in the same place as the other girl's mum and aunt. They join forces and train together and teach each other everything they know and get matching haircuts (this is canon look it up I'm obsessed). The first time Hope kills somebody is to save Echo's life; the first unfamiliar person Echo hugs and comforts is Hope. They invade a planet with their science nerd friend and enable each others genocidal tendencies so bad I love them ♡ after that whole ordeal goes wrong which includes Echo's shitty bf dumping her so she can't keep him from torturing their friend (notably not because of the attempted genocide lol) they are like each other's go to human at all times... until the 100 writers once again show their incapability of writing sapphic stories by forcing Hope to kiss a man who she met literally like a week ago (her and Echo have known each other for 5yrs at that point, there is time fuckery involved) and who would have been a great bestie for her. Boo! Hope is a lesbian! Every queer person who watched s7 agrees! Anyway after she show ends Hope and her boo realise that this is absolutely not what they want and Hope and Echo get to slow burn their way into what they were always meant to be and would have been if the writers had gone with actor chemistry over what they wanted to write from the start. I'm kidding Echo needed time to grieve her shit bf first but like I said. Eventually they got together and they lived happily ever after. Check the Echope tag on tumblr if you wanna see them, a fic rec for their dynamic could be "otherwise sensible women" by penguinofprose ao3. Sorry if I ranted too much thenksies if you read this far mwah :*

[kitkatt0430]

So I mentioned Closer and Closer Still the other day. Gotta give a Six Sentence Sunday update on that now. :D

"I went to visit my father today," Barry replied, voice equally quiet.  "I haven't seen him since he was arrested.  There wasn't a trial, so... but it was like everything happened yesterday when I saw him."

"Do you want to talk about your visit?  I admit... I am curious as to why you choose to speak with him now, after all this time.  But I also recognize this is a very private thing for you, Barry.  So if you would rather simply to have company or to be alone..." hesitantly, Wells reached out to take Barry's hand and squeezed it.  "I'd like to be there for you, if you'll let me."

Eobard - I'm gonna be supportive, this is totally the correct social thing to do and will make Barry want to be friends with me. Barry - He's holding my hand!!!! *blushes*

Disasters the lot of them. Eobard's not really taking Barry's crush on the Reverse Flash too seriously here. After all, he knows what it's like to have a childhood crush on the Flash and that there's a difference between crushing on the idea of someone and actually having feelings for that person. And since the Reverse Flash killed Nora - saving Barry from an abusive home in the process - that's just an idle childhood crush that's resurfaced, right?

When he realizes that Barry likes him as Harrison because of how well they're getting to know each other - with the Harrison persona being rather paper thin these days... that's really gonna throw him for a loop. Because he does rather like Barry too, after all. This Barry. Who he thought he'd hate as much as the previous timeline's Flash... but he doesn't. Can't.

I'm working on the second chapter of Welcome to 2015, but that's getting close enough to being ready to post that I'm just gonna wait on it. I do have a Buffy fic that I'm working on, though. I'll post a snippet from that. Another Buffy/Anya fic, though not part of the series I've been writing on and off.

Buffy's honestly a little bored with the stripper part of the party, but at least Halfrek was right about Anya enjoying herself.  Buffy sends Dawn out of the room - the room the stripper was in, anyway, they had two reserved - and then spent the rest of that time the stripper was present with Tara playing 'guess what's in the box' regarding the gifts they'd brought Anya.  They both guessed Halfrek's was a dildo - they're right - and that Dawn got her a bodice ripper type romance novel - they're both correct there too.  (Buffy had gotten Anya a new dress to wear on the beach during the honeymoon and Tara got her a box of condoms.  Which had Buffy doing a spit-take with her champagne when the box was pulled from the tissue paper filled bag.  How was it that Buffy's gift was the only one that didn't involve sex in some way?)

The rest of the party is fun, though, with them nomming on green cupcakes that match the bridesmaid dresses and watching a marathon of Anya's favorite rom coms on pay per view.  They take over the hotel's hot tub at one point, everyone a little tipsy except Dawn. 

It's a S6 AU where Buffy and Spike don't hook up, but instead become good friends. Things fall out a bit differently when Tara and Willow break up. And Anya winds up living at the Summers' residence after her wedding to Xander doesn't actually happen.

It might tip over into Buffy/Anya/Tara, but right now the only ship I'm really planning on is Buffy/Anya.

[tearlessrain]

Wrote a little blurb/mini character study thing for my Inquisitor and Warrior, it’s not long or complete enough to bother putting it up on ao3 and I probably won’t do anything else with it, but I kinda like it, so I’m just gonna stick it here because it’s 2020 and I guess I write prose now.

Totally SFW and not even shippy, just a couple lightside Sith being bros.

“There is no emotion, there is peace,” Valdrynn breathed to the deserted training grounds. It was a Jedi mantra, not one he would ever have learned at the Sith Academy. The words felt unnatural and trite in his mouth, but he needed the sentiment behind them. He needed emptiness, even if it was temporary. He had never been taught how to meditate, at least not the way Jedi did, but he could think of no other way to contain the creeping darkness that he was never fully able to purge from himself. So he tried.

“There is no emotion,” he repeated, “there is peace.”

It was a lie. His mind refused to stay quiet. The sense of unease that never seemed to leave him anymore only grew in the thrumming silence, overlapping with his frustration at himself for feeling it until the empty space felt crowded with his own twisting, misshapen thoughts. 

“There is no emotion…”

It was too late for him. If the Jedi had found him as a child, maybe he would have become something worthwhile, or at least not destructive, but back then he’d still been one of a thousand faceless slaves in the Empire – not faceless enough, in the end – and a Sith after that, and now he was neither. He’d fallen out of the carbonite that should have been his tomb, and thousands of people expected him to know how to lead them and fight an impossible war. His gut twisted, unease flaring into aimless fear like a spark catching on dead underbrush.

“... There is peace.”

He’d thought that he might finally feel free, out of the Empire’s reach with no one left to command him, but he only felt lost, and tired, and immeasurably older than his years with none of the wisdom or experience to show for it. He wished he could tear every circular, useless thought out of his head. If only he could stop feeling everything.

“There is no emotion –”

“Liar.”

Valdrynn started, his eyes flying open. The former Emperor’s Wrath – he had introduced himself once as Kalarros, but no one seemed to want to be the first to call him that – stood at the entrance to the training grounds, watching. He spoke softly, but his voice was the kind that resonated and filled any space it was in. Valdrynn ducked his head, feeling immediately foolish and wondering how long he’d been standing there.

“Lord Wrath,” he said automatically. 

“Kalarros, please. You do outrank me now, you know.”

“I still don’t understand why. You could have taken command, no one would have questioned you. You were born for this.”

“And that is precisely why I should not have it, but more to the point, I couldn’t help but notice that you’re meditating yourself into a state of uncontrolled panic. I’ll admit I’m no expert on Jedi philosophy, but...”

“I know, I just… I thought it might do something.”

“Would you like to know what I think your real problem is? The reason this entire exercise is a waste of your time?”

“Will saying no stop you from telling me?”

“No.”

“Go on, then.”

“Your problem – one of them – is that you were never taught to properly harness your emotions. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn, of course, but right now it makes you a liability to yourself and everyone around you.”

Valdrynn flinched away as if Kalarros had struck at him.  

“You’re not turning me into one of you,” he said, more harshly than he thought he would ever have dared to speak to the Wrath, “I saw what I was becoming on that path. I won’t go back.”

Kalarros met his stare evenly.

“A Sith should be the master of his emotions, not the other way around, whatever the Academy or the Jedi might have to say about it. I can feel the anger in you, and I can feel how much you fear it, how you hold it trapped inside you. What happens when the dam finally breaks? It’s happened before, hasn’t it?”

Valdrynn didn’t respond. Kalarros looked like he already knew the answer.

“If you go on as you are now,” he continued, “you’ll turn into the very monster you’re so desperately afraid of. You’ve done nothing but trade one set of chains for another.”

“And your way is better, is it?”

“It could not be clearer to me that you have no idea what my way is, because you were trained by people who wanted weapons to unleash at their enemies and dispose of, rather than stable and capable Sith who might one day replace them. They were fools, and it weakened the Order to the breaking point long before you or I were part of it, but I suppose it served those few well before they were buried under their own incompetence. Tell me, is it anger you sense in me now? Am I a beast incapable of anything but rage and destruction?”

Valdrynn looked at him for a long moment, then reached out, cautiously, past the loud clashing of his own mind. He was used to the imposing weight of Kalarros’s presence by now, but had never examined it more closely, and he was caught off guard by the impossibly deep well of power within it. He had seen that power unleashed before, and had felt the overwhelming fury that Kalarros called into himself in battle, but where he had expected a coiled spring barely restrained from lashing out, or some waiting, hidden monstrosity, he found only stillness. He stared at Kalarros, brows pulling together uneasily.

“I’ve seen you call lightning from the Force,” said Kalarros, “You’re skilled at it, in fact. But you don’t hold it in your fist. Certainly doing so would make you a formiddable opponent, but it would destroy your body in the process. You had to learn to channel it. And now, even if lightning struck you from the sky, you would know how to let it pass through you and into the ground without harming you. 

“Fear, hatred, the Dark Side of the Force… it is a tool that serves a purpose. I can call it to me when needed, but I do not hold it inside me, nor allow it to rule me. Lashing out in a fit of rage is easy and reckless, but allowing yourself to feel and understand, letting it flow through you and strike at your target without being burned yourself, that is an art form in which even Sith rarely achieve true mastery.” 

“I didn’t expect to hear something so like Jedi teachings from the Emperor’s Wrath.”

Kalarros didn’t smile, but Valdrynn saw a glint of amusement in his eyes. He stood and considered the row of mannequins in their battered Skytrooper chassis across the room, and lifted his hand. Something changed in his aura, barely perceptible at first, like water threatening to boil, then spilled over in a roiling mass of malevolent energy that Valdrynn felt break over him like a wave, even though he could tell that the brunt of it was directed entirely away from him. One of the mannequins imploded violently, shards of wood and metal flying out so forcefully that some of them lodged themselves in the walls, the smell of char and overheated metal filling the room from the crumpled mess of twisted metal that was left of it. Kalarros turned back to him, something ravenous and inhuman staring out from behind his too-bright eyes. Valdrynn was seized by the overpowering impulse to flee from him, but before he could move the feeling had faded, and when he looked back Kalarros was himself again.

“My first and last apprentice was a Jedi Padawan before she came to me,” he said, “She taught me as much as I taught her. But I am no Jedi. And neither are you.”

[zarvasace]

I AM SO HOOKED ON YOUR DISABILITIES AU AND I REALLY WANT TO HEAR WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO SCREAM ABOUT IT

THANKS IM STILL FIGURING A FEW THINGS OUT BUT IT HAS GRABBED MY BRAIN AND WONT LET GO

Seriously considering doing a November writing prompt but only with this AU. Fluffvember, yeah? Maybe with vague continuity. I dunno yet. I wasn't originally going to do much with this but the possibilities are blooming before my eyes.

So far, we have Time missing his eye, Twilight casually missing an arm, Wild with his hypertrophic scars, Hyrule being mostly blind, and Wind with a prosthetic leg. I definitely have ideas for the remaining four boys, but I'm still doing research and determining exactly whats going on.

There's a good balance in the group, I think, between injuries and things they're born with. Wild, Wind, Time, and Four were injured, but the rest of them were born with or naturally developed whatever it is. Four in particular is gonna be difficult to draw, which is a shame because he's the one I'm projecting the hardest onto. XD You'll see em soon! Anyway.

I'm doing my best to be respectful and informed, this kind of thing is super important to me. Every time I write a disability into a fic (like once I wrote Teo from ATLA being an Airbender XD) someone's commented somewhere with something like "I'm disabled too, and this is great." We have so much push for representation of race, gender, sexuality, body types, but I don't often see it for mental or physical disabilities. This kind of thing is super important to me.

That being said—this is an open invitation for people that have these disabilities to reach out for whatever reason. :) I have experience with some but obviously not everything.

In terms of story?

Wind gets phantom pains like he gets growing pains. He's mostly annoyed with them, and is at first kinda confused that Twilight doesn't get them. Missing limbs is not super uncommon in Wind's world (hooray for pirates!) and most of the other amputees he knows get them.

Twilight is still excellent at hugs. These are full-body bone-crushing hugs. I just want to be clear that not having an arm does in ninway diminish his cuddliness. Or his awkwardness. He's been assured that his missing arm is a birth condition, but since he's not sure who his parents were, the possibility of it potentially being an injury, purposeful or accidental, haunts the back of his mind, as does the possibility that he was abandoned for it. He's pretty comfortable with the whole thing, though, by and large.

Both Twilight and Wind have a plethora of good answers when it comes to "how'd you lose your arm/leg?" They range from the deadpan "raccoons really will eat anything" to "did you know sharks are drawn to the smell of wet socks?" It's become a bit of a game for the two to answer for each other when someone asks, doing their best to come up with the dumbest, funniest stories.

I mean, just wait until Time gets in on that, too.

Hyrule got lost in someone's city once. That was a little terrifying for everyone. The others found him in an alley petting cats and snacking on stale bread. Like most people, he's not entirely happy if someone touches him without warning, but as soon as the others figured that out, they have 100% become the Hyrule Protection Squad.

I have so many more thoughts, but they'll have to wait until I draw the rest of the boys and definitely figure out what their conditions are!

[undertale-data]

[Image Description: An Undertale chat box that has “WHY FANS LOVE UNDERTALE” at its center. Next to it are a line chart and an Egg from the Dating Hub on its left, and a CRIME measurer (also from the Dating Hub) on its right. End I.D.]

[Image Description: a pie chart titled, “LEVEL OF LOVE FOR UNDERTALE.” The textbox on the top right reads, “On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least and 10 being the highest, how much do fans enjoy Undertale?” From the top going clockwise, 12 or 0% chose 5 and below; 23 or 1% chose 6; 98, or 4%, chose 7; 325, or 12%, chose 8; 529, or 20%, chose 9; and 1664, or 63%, chose 10. End I.D.]

It’s clear from all of the data analyzed so far that fans who took the time to answer our survey love Undertale. It is unlikely that they would have taken the time to answer so many questions if they had not, and even less likely that they would have come across our survey in the first place. Naturally, it comes as no surprise that 63% of our responders gave their love for Undertale a score of ten out of ten. 95% gave their love for Undertale a score of eight or higher, and only 12 responders responded with five or below, a number so small that their responses had to be lumped together to be visible on the pie chart. Of those, only 3 responders gave their love for Undertale a score of 1, and based on those responders’ other answers, it is likely that they were only intending to troll. We are very fortunate that the vast majority of responders took the survey seriously, enough so that responses like this are barely a blip in the data.

Now, for our final analysis post of the event, we will delve into the reasons that fans love Undertale so dearly.

(Essay and highlights under the cut.)

There have been countless essays on the impact that Undertale has had on people’s lives. I can hardly add more on the subject than what has already been said, but I hope this summary can provide a brief overview of what stood out among the over two thousand answers given in response to this survey. That said, due to the sheer volume of answers, I could not read every single one in depth—however, I did skim all of them, and some that stood out or were representative of several responses have been highlighted below. If you would like to see what every fan who consented to share their response had to say, you may view the full list of responses here. Note that these responses have not been edited in any way. This document may take a long time to load, as it is over 100 pages long.

(Warnings for mentions of suicidal thoughts in the following essay.)

Several responders loved the theme of choices mattering in Undertale. Whether people played the pacifist, merciless, or neutral routes, they enjoyed how the game reacted to their actions. For some, it even made them consider their own morality. One touching response explained the impact that the theme of mercy made on them. “I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.” Many fans left similar comments about how the themes of Undertale made them better people.

Undertale changed how its fans treat others, and it also changed how fans treat themselves. The theme of staying determined and the messages of hope in the game were a light to a very large portion of fans. I cannot list all of the fans who said that Undertale helped them out of a dark place, or that they would not be alive if not for Undertale. “DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.”

Undertale brought fans together in unexpected ways. Some said they met friends or significant others through the fandom. “I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale,” one fan said. A different fan who is non-native English speaking mentioned that the game and the fan community helped them to learn English.

It would be impossible to discuss Undertale without mentioning the fan community. Whether for good or bad, many responders mentioned the fandom in their responses. Overall the feelings towards the fandom seem positive, though many made references to “toxic” parts of the fandom without specifying which parts they consider toxic. Others rejected the idea of toxicity in fandom. One response said: “[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!”

One thing that makes the Undertale fandom unique is the way it embraces various AUs. Some fans are tired of AU content, but the majority of responses show a love for the creativity behind AUs. “Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.” The lack of a judgemental atmosphere seems present in the AU community, according to the responses we saw. There is an interesting balance between AU and canon (sometimes referred to as “classic”) content that another responder pointed out: “The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertale fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)”

Regardless of the many AUs the fandom has created over the years, the original game of Undertale still feels like home for many fans. They wished they could reclaim the feeling of playing the game again for the first time, but even though we can’t reset time in real life, there is still a special feeling for fans each time they play Undertale. One fan said, “Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.” This feeling is one that can be cherished time and time again. In the words of another responder: “It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it.” Others pointed out the strength of the found family trope in Undertale, which likely contributes to this feeling of “home” as well.

As mentioned briefly earlier, the music is part of what makes Undertale feel like home for fans. Even when responses focused on other aspects of the game, many would throw in a comment about the soundtrack at the end. One comment focused on the music said “IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.” Like with the game itself, the music has incredible replay value, an amazing feat considering most of the tracks use the same few motifs. “I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story,” another responder said. “They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.”

If the music sticks with fans in their hearts, then the game’s lore sticks with fans in their minds. Even six years after the release of Undertale, fans are still creating new theories and digging up new secrets. The way the game breaks the fourth wall in particular intrigued many fans and has stuck out through all these years. The awareness that the game shows for the RPG genre makes it memorable. The game plays with the player’s expectations and turns them on their heads, all while reminding the player that they’re in a game. There are few other games that do this on such a large scale, so it’s no surprise that fans cite this as one of their favorite things about Undertale.

Lastly, the LGBT+ representation in Undertale has been a huge draw for fans. Especially in 2015, the sheer volume of non-cishet characters was unprecedented, as one fan pointed out: “It's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. Hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. It's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.” The LGBT+ cast including Frisk, Chara, Napstablook, Monster Kid, Mettaton, Alphys, and Undyne each connected with fans in unique ways. It’s clear how important this is from responses such as: “There are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.” “It made me gay and trans so thanks for that.”

Once again I am overwhelmed with just how much there is to say about Undertale. One responder really understood when they compared Undertale to an iceberg, explaining that there are so many layers to the game that there is something for everyone: “everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans—from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers—is the mark of the coolest games!” I would have to agree with them.

It’s been six years, and despite everything, it’s still you. Thank you for reading, participating in this survey, and above all, staying determined.

Highlights:

DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.

I think the coolest thing was having the opportunity to watch the AU community grow from its bare roots. It's nearly insane how big and complex it's gotten, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.

i love how the lgbt rep is so naturalized... there are just gay people! and its nobodys business!

The music is my go to answer, but what I really really REALLY love is how the minor characters have so much personality to them when you talk to them. They aren't incredibly important to the overall story, but they're all so likeable and diverse that you just can't help but like them immediately!

I think it was the first videogame I have played that broke the fourth wall that much. Of course there has been other videogames that broke it but just for one or two tongue-in-cheek jokes. The guilt of killing mama goat was also something intense as well that I appreciated as an experience and that I didn't think a videogame could cause on someone.

I love how no character can be seen as completely bad! Everyone builds up Asgore as some horrible villain, but he turns out to be a 'fuzzy pushover' who's broken and just wants his family back by the time you meet him. Then you think Flowey's an irredeemable killer who engineered the suffering of the monsters across many timelines, and he is... but he also used to be the kind and beloved Prince Asriel Dreemurr, traumatized by his death and subsequent rebirth, projecting his best friend onto you.

The fact that choices matter in the game. Your first playthrough and getting the golden ending for the first time. I can never replicate those feelings again, wish I could erase my memories and replay the game from the start.

I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale.

(Toxic parts of the fandom aside) The community is possibly one of the kindest I've ever met. Cringe culture is completely dead, and I feel like I can be myself. I felt a very close connection to many of the characters, and I loved consuming content about them when I was in a rough patch in my life.

just everything, the whole game has just impacted my life so much. i know it sounds really lame, but when the game first came out, i would purposely put my hands in my pockets and sway slightly, like sans' idle animation. of course i dont do that anymore haha, but undertale still really impacts me to this day, and i wouldnt have it any other way :)

it made me gay and trans so thanks for that

I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.

The thing I love most about Undertale is no matter how many times I play or watch a playthrough it always makes me genuinely happy. It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it. Toriel still makes me feel all warm and cozy in her home, the Skelebros always make me laugh, and I still cry on the inside watching Frisk comforting Asriel. And on the flip side the No Mercy run still invokes the negative emotions in me as well. In short Undertale just feels like a second home to me and I always wish I could stay.

The reader inserts are my favorite way to decompress after a hard day

I think Undertale helped me discover my love for 8-bit games, and made me realize how IMPORTANT music is in video games.

the worldbuilding and character design are my favorite parts of the main game apart from the music! I’m also a huge fan of the random AU music- not for like underswap or underfell i like the stuff where someone makes a megalovania for a random au where gru from despicable me replaces sans as the character. i think its funny

Just... the vibe, honestly? Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.

there are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.

[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!

There's a scene where Frisk (the player) is going towards what is presumably going to be their death. They will fight Asgore and he will use their human soul to break the barrier and free his people. The music, despite the player's impending doom, is... triumphant. You are not the triumphant one here, and yet, the score invites you to experience the monsters' joy and happiness as they tell you the tale of their subjugation. The monsters are going to be free. This is their victory, but they don't hate you or want you to die. They're just... happy. That scene has always struck me very deeply. I feel it represents the best parts of Undertale.

I loved how well thought out the Geno route was. It really made me feel like I was doing something horrible, and the characters were very obviously reacting to dire circumstances.

I dunno? I like Undertale for it's characters, story, music, secrets and many more. I am not good with Headcanons but I also like the neutral endings and how different they can depending on who you spare and kill

I was very bad at english before, i thought i couldn't progress because i was very shy and not confident. But my sibling and i wanted to have the best experience with this game so we wanted to play it in english. It's this game and the fandom which helped me to make huge progress in english !

THE SOUNDTRACK. IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.

to avoid writing an essay i will say one word. Mettaton

It is like Toby specifically made the games to fit the iceberg meme and it's awesome, everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans - from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers is the mark of the coolest games!

I love almost everything about Undertale as a game on its own. The music, the art and especially the characters and how they interact. They made me feel at home. Undertale means a huge amount to me. (I even got a tattoo of the castle when you and MK walk together!) The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertake fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)

the mystery. toby fox refused to give answers to anything and i think thats very sexy of him.

I just feel guilty for liking it so much when I'm in my 30's. But I recently got diagnosed with ASD, so I guess it explains things a bit. Many ppl consider Papyrus to be neurodivergent, and some adult fans are too, so seeing that makes me feel a bit better.

i think about "Despite everything, it's still you" everyday of my life.

I like how it's just as funny as it can be serious. All routes are this way. I laughed as much as I cried when I played the Pacifist route and then once I opened the game again and Flowey was telling me to let them be happy, I immediately turned off the game. I somehow felt bad.

The Found Family Trope

The True Pacifist Ending is just...man. And the fanworks about saving everyone even when the game doesn't let you? MANNNNNN

I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story. They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.

there's honestly a LOT to love about this game, but i think one of my favorite things about it is just how many lgbt+ characters there are??? i can think of alphys, undyne, frisk, chara, mettaton, napstablook, monster kid, asgore, mad mew mew, the dress lion, the royal guards, and arguably even papyrus off of the top of my head, but im sure i'm forgetting a few from just undertale alone (there's even MORE in deltarune)!! it's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. it's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.

[Image description: A wordcloud in the shape of the capitalized word UNDERTALE. The text is white on a black background, and uses the font found in the game. Some of the most visible words are: Game, Love, Music, Life, AU, Store, Friend, and Feel, which represent the most common words in the essays people wrote about their love for the game. End of ID]

[honeybunnybeez]

c!Tommy and c!Tubbo x Parental!GN!Reader (PLATONIC) (FLUFF) (HEADCANON)

♡Au setting: Au where the war doesn't exist and everything is fairly normal but relationships are still rather strained.

♡You met Tommy and Tubbo a few years back while helping their fathers with a few errands, and a year after meeting them you were requested to babysit them while their fathers were off on bussiness meetings/adventures. You once asked why their assistants or siblings couldn't take care of them and the answer they gave you was simply, "We need a more... responsible person for this." You had to stop yourself from laughing at the answer.

♡The two of them were really close even before you entered the picture and you found their friendship to be rather ironic considering their fathers hated each other. Though, unlike others who thought the same as you, you didn't judge them or pressure them into thinking too much about it, choosing instead to encourage their bond and in doing so, you were already in their good books.

♡Their interest in you only grew when you started to take care of them. You didn't baby them like other adults but you also didn't push aside their problems like they were just small issues, you listened and had compassion and empathy while you did so. They like how you cared for them when it seemed like not many others, even their own family, did.

♡Your kindness and protectiveness over them didn't make it hard for them to start seeing you as a parental figure in their life, one they can run to if they were feeling down and in need of some sort of comfort. They can trust that you won't push them away or judge their opinions.

♡Tommy tends to be rather open about his feelings around you, dropping his tough guy act to confide in you about things in his life that are affecting him pretty negatively. Besides Tubbo, he also feels rather comfortable crying in front of you, knowing that you'll still see him the same even while he's hugging you and crying his eyes out.

♡Tubbo opens up to you about a lot of things as well. As optimistic as he is, sometimes he asks you if things will be better when his days seems dimmer than others. You and Tommy are always there to remind him that yeah, they will! You two will always be by his side to make it better too, but you also remind him that there's no shame in having bad days either. That sometimes it's okay to not be okay.

(Read more placed because it got rather long)

♡Tommy is the first to slip and call you his parent in front of others, much to his embarrassment. It doesn't help that Tubbo was immediately into the idea, following what Tommy said with a, "CAN WE CALL THEM OUR MOM/DAD/PARENT NOW!?" Thankfully you weren't actually around when the situation occured but word does travel fast and the moment you knew you pulled them into a big hug, struggling to hold back tears while the two of them wondered what they did to get such a reaction. It's only when you mention how happy you are that they're your boys that they finally realize what you now know. They didn't seem to deny it though, just accepting the fact that well, now they're your boys and you're their parent.

♡Oh my god are they clingy, so very clingy. Seriously, you thought that their clinginess from their adolescense was a phase but it wasn't. These two don't like it when you talk to other people, ESPECIALLY IF THE PERSON YOU'RE TALKING TO IS SOMEONE THEY DISLIKE. A very good example of this is Dream, poor man can't get more than a few sentence in before two kids are dragging you away to see something 'random' they found.

♡For some reason, Tommy and Tubbo decided one day that if you're ever going to date anyone, it might as well be someone they genuinely like. When Tommy was younger he used to try to get you to date Wilbur or Techno, but that didn't seem to work, much to his relief once he got older (you became pretty good friends with them though).

♡Nowadays, they seem to be trying to hook you up with Sam, which you two find hilarious. You two decided to humour them and give it a shot. The both of you weren't all that surprised when you two did get along quite well but decided not to jump straight into a relationship, wanting to get to know one another a little more. Tommy and Tubbo beg for a clear answer regarding what you two are but you two have fun giving them unclear answers and frustrating them.

♡You three once found a flower biome not far from where you lived and decided to make a small farm over there. Tubbo was the one who was most excited for the farm since a lot of bees resided there. Sometimes, when you're finished with your farm work, you can find Tommy and Tubbo sleeping under a tree with bees buzzing softly around them, almost watching them with fascination. It's cute enough that you dragged Puffy and Sam all the way to the farm for them to witness it too (pictures were definitely taken and fawned over by the three of you).

♡Speaking of Puffy and Sam, you three made a children protection squad and once even wore shirts you guys made as a joke. Tommy and Tubbo were incredibly embarrassed to see you three parading around wearing those shirts with everyone knowing exactly who you three were talking about. A part of them deep down were rather happy about it but they've decided that they're taking that secret to their graves lest you three decide to do that again.

♡All in all, the two of them love you very much and will not hesitate to shank a bitch for you, they can feel that way in confidence too, knowing you'll always do the same for them in return. You reassure them constantly that no matter what, you'll always be there for them and really, with the family troubles they have back home, that's really all they want and they're happy you can give them the stability they so desperately need.

A/N: Lord, I am just a straight up sucker for parental content- I just get soft with kids and familial stuff, please don't kill me- I had someone request parental reader for Tommy and Tubbo but I lost it so I am very sorry for that, anon! I hope this makes up for the mistake and I really hope you all enjoyed reading!

(Requests are open and anon is on!)

[nothingbutfangirlsmut]

The Maze Trials: A Gally Fanfiction

Pairing: Gally x Emi(OC)

Background: Emi, first girl the Glade has seen. Tougher than she looks and more than ready to prove it. Since day one her and Gally have been at each other's throats. Fighting constantly and not just with their words.

(Gally fanfiction which will include smut. It also has an actual story line. Think of it as an AU to the original Maze Runner. It'll mostly follow the main story line with some changes. Mostly focusing on Emi and Gally and their relationship.)

Chapter Six

This morning I'm with Newt trying out the job of a farmer. We are in the middle of the gardens. He's showing me the difference between all the plants.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked suddenly standing up and facing me.

"Sure" I said.

"What happened between you and Minho? I saw the two of you walking into the woods together then this morning at breakfast he was uncharacteristically quiet." Newt stared at me awaiting my answer.

"Well, he kissed me and the kiss progressed and got pretty heated but I stopped it. I told him I wouldn't let him go any farther than that kiss. Then I walked back to the homestead." I explained kicking at the dirt.

"I knew he had a thing for you. Pretty much everyone knew. The guy can't be subtle at all." Newt chuckled.

"You think he's mad?" I asked him.

"Nah, he will be over it before you know it and he will be right back to hitting on you again. Minho is not one to give up." Newt smiled.

"Do you like him?" Newt asked me taking a step closer.

I shrugged.

"I don't really know. I only remembered my name yesterday. I've only been here a few days. I'm still trying to fill everything out. I don't think I'm ready to like anyone yet."

"Well warn me before you get there cause I have a feeling most of the guys are going to attempt to get with you." Newt laughed as he bent back down.

"What about you?" I asked curiously.

He seemed to freeze for a moment. Then he started picking at the weeds in the dirt.

"I think you're wonderful Emi but not really my type." He said slowly and quietly.

I bent down to help him with the weeds.

"What is that suppose to mean?" I questioned quietly.

Newt chuckled. He popped his head up to look around him before turning back to me.

"It means you're not a guy so you're not my type." He gave me a small shy smile.

I couldn't help the large grin that spread across my face.

"No way!" I shouted earning me a slap on the arm from the blonde.

"Sorry" I whispered.

I laughed but made sure Newt knew his secret was safe with me. I think I just found my best friend. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to about these ridiculous boys.

"Anyone you have an eye on?" I asked quietly as we walked towards one of the tree stumps.

"I use to have a crush on Minho for awhile but that went away awhile back. Now I'm not really into anyone. Maybe one of these days a boy will come out of that box and change that." He smiled hopefully.

"I swear I will get you hooked up with someone one of these days." I grinned at him.

He laughed then started wacking away at the stump. The day went by quickly thanks to Newt and I chatting each other up. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed this much. Before we knew it the bell for lunch sounded.

"I figure after lunch I'm gonna throw you with the builders if that's alright. Speed up the process a little bit." Newt said as we walked towards the hut.

"Yes!" I exclaimed happily.

Newt laughed shaking his head. I think he already knew I was interested in being a builder. I just feel like I'll like that the best. Like I'll be the best at that. Plus I want to out do Gally in any way I can. Not sure why I have a need to do that but I do.

I got my food and found my seat. Newt took a minute to let Gally know the plan. I watched the blonde boy inform the angry one. He nodded once then glanced over to me. When he saw I was already looking at him he quickly looked away.

"I told Gally you were very eager to try being a builder." Newt laughed as he sat next to me.

"Why would you want to be a builder?" Clint asked scrunching up his nose.

"They're all idiots." Jeff whispered.

I just laughed and shook my head. They wouldn't understand if I told them why. I don't fully understand why. I just have this feeling and I think I should follow my gut. After lunch Gally came over and got me so I could follow him to work.

I was practically skipping as I walked with Gally. I was so excited to get my hands dirty. Of course Gally didn't trust me with a big job so he told the other builders what to do then made me go with him to gather more wood and other materials.

Gally took us to the edge of the woods to work on cutting out some wood to use. He handed me an axe then started chopping. I followed his lead chopping on the opposite side of him.

"Don't cut any of your fingers off. I'm not dealing with it." He grumbled as he continued to swing his axe.

"I won't cut off any of my fingers." I snapped at him.

He slammed his axe into the tree and left it there. He stepped closer to me his chest out like he was ready for a fight.

"Do you have a problem princess?" He asked harshly as he glared at me.

I swung my axe hard sticking it in the tree just as he did. Then I stepped away from the tree and towards Gally. I stood toe to toe with him. I wanted to make sure he knew he didn't scare me. Not even a little.

"Yea, I have a problem with the way you talk to me. You think because I'm a girl I can't do the same things you can? You think I won't make my corners as tight as you, I'll cut my fingers off, or I can't beat your ass. Don't you get tired of being proved wrong over and over?" I spat at him stepping even closer.

He growled grabbing my arms and shoving me against the tree our axes were in. His face was so close to mine I could feel his hot breath on my skin. I hadn't noticed the boys in the Glade that could see and hear us stop what they were doing. I was too distracted by the one holding me against a tree.

"You are either very brave or very stupid." He growled in my face.

"How about a little of both. I'd say I tip more to the brave side while you overload into the stupid." I said harshly as I stared him down.

His hold on my arms tightened. His face was getting redder by the minute. I was enjoying this way too much. I think pissing him off would be my new past time.

"I'm very close to beating the klunk out of you." He growled inching his face even closer to mine.

"I mean you can try but I can almost guarantee It'll go about the same as the bonfire." I smiled wickedly at him.

With a very loud growl he let go of my arms. I knew what was coming next. His big fist pulled back and went straight for my face. I let out a howl of a laugh when Gally punched the tree I was just against. He hissed turning around when he heard my laugh. I had moved out of the way at the last second. I could hear the shouts of the other gladers coming our way.

"You better get your swings in now big boy looks like the cavalry is coming to save you." I smiled wide as I did a little side to side dance.

"To save me?" He growled out in disbelief.

I nodded still doing my little dance.

"Gally! What the hell are you doing?" I heard Alby's booming voice.

I did the stupidest thing and glanced towards the leader's voice. Next thing I know I was tackled to the ground with a steaming Gally on top of me. He went for my face but it was easy enough for me to block him. I had to struggle a little to fix myself enough to roll us. 

Once I got myself in just the right angle while blocking Gally's random throws I pushed him off me. His hands held tightly on my shirt pulling me with him. We hit a slight slope perfectly causing us to roll a few times. I made sure that when we stopped I was on top. Gally groaned when his head roughly hit the ground.

"What the shuck are you two doing?" Newt asked in bewilderment.

I grabbed Gally's shirt and pulled lifting his shoulders and head a few inches of the ground.

"Gally here keeps looking for a fight. I think it's time I gave him a proper one." I stated while glaring at the boy below me.

"Enough you two!" Alby shouted.

My head snapped over to him. Those words threw my mind back into the dream I had. I glanced back at Gally who was laying very still. His hands tightly holding my wrists. I let him go and quickly stood.

What the hell is going on? My mind kept bouncing between reality and my dream. The similarities were seriously giving me a headache.

"Take both of them to the pit. Make sure they are next to each other. And no one is aloud to visit them. Make them talk to each other or not at all." Alby ordered angrily.

"The pit?" I questioned looking at Newt who was grabbing my arm.

Two boys went for Gally but he just growled, shoved them off, then stomped around Newt and I to where ever the pits are. Gally knew not to argue with Alby. I could tell just from the look on Alby's face he wasn't the person to cross.

Newt pulled me over to some horrible looking makeshift cells. They were built into the ground. He opened one of them up and gestured for me to get in.

"You've got to be kinding?" I asked staring at the hole in the ground.

"You two broke a big rule. I don't know what your issues are with each other but Alby wants them worked out. So, yes, get inside." Newt said sternly.

I huffed but did as he said jumping inside the small dirt hole. Newt quickly locked me in somehow then opened the one right next to me for Gally.

"Have fun you two." Newt said as he walked away.

—