#she is a huge inspiration and my love of her animations never left me

[legendoftherisingtide]

I feel like I’m falling in love with Jaiden all over again. Shoutout to the ones who were there in her animations days! But also a huge welcome to all the new fans of her new content. Like it is unbelievable that a childhood hero is still reaching new audiences and people, I am so happy.

[damian-navarro-art]

BATGIRL & ROBIN

Finally guys after all the sneak peeks… my Cassandra Cain and Mia Mizoguchi Short Story! CASS AND MAPS!

I’ve been posting it on my instagram all this month and last week on my twitter but i had totally forgotten to post it in here, for 2 months there wasn’t a day i wasn’t thinking on them and i would have loved with all my heart to do something even longer but… building up a story, thinking over and over the layouts, drawing and coloring with this level of detail all on my own is really hard and i can’t but feel guilty of taking this long for just this 7 pages, but as little that is, with all my heart i just really hope you like them :’) , I tried to put many little easter eggs and references but i will mention some at the end to not spoil your reading.

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!

Okay, so some of the esster eggs:

PAGE 1: that Adam West Batman & Robin climbing a building shot which actually came to me from Bruno Redondo’s cover of Nightwing actually , and the rest of the panels hugely inspired by Batman The Animated Series!

PAGE 2: a portrait of Niccolai Tapes( The Mas Monk) on his early years and at his side Matt Wagner himself! , then a newspaper with a Batman based on his first appearances and a reference to the events from Batman vs the Mad Monk by Matt Wagner, and then ofc all the room filled with a bunch of objects taken exactly from the same pages of Matt when he draw The Monk’s Castle on the same book. and finally the book of Dracula for the same reason ;) , all this layout was inspired by one of the most iconic pages from Pax Americana by Frank Quitely

PAGE 3: all the vampires were based physically on Voldermort’s Death Eaters! but also the girl in black is Dala! Mad Monk’s more loyal acolyte which in the book she always desired to become a vampire but never could! , but from left to right, Barty Crocuh Jr. , Dala as Bellatrix, Peter Pettigrew, The Monk was “Voldemort” , then Snape, Lucius, Narcissa and Fenrir Greyback, and that last panel was a BLADE reference 🙂‍↕️🙌

PAGE 4: this whole Cass yellow panels with speedlines were supposed to represent the same kind of panels that Damion Scott drew when Cass was moving really fast in her Batgirl run, the whole layout was based on a page of Jamal Campbell from his Green Arrow run

PAGE 5: shot referencing the killing joke joker and batgirl cover, you can see a “Red sun” mode on the bat-flashlight apart from the Ultra Violet setting, them. Maps bites the Monk as she used to do a couple times in Gotham Academy, and Cass final attack is a reference to one of the moves she does in her 2000s run to stop the heart beats of a thug , and those circles were inspired by David Aja’s work on his Iron Fist and run!

PAGE 6: the building on the background purposely resembles the Bat ears, the GCPD have the uniforms from BTAS and you can see also Detective Montoya and Jack Ryder interviewing her :), Maps little hearts are taken from Karl Kerschl who used to do them on Gotham Academy a couple times, and finally the Grapple Gun reference from all the time Maps mentioned it on Gotham Academy 🙂‍↕️,ohh and the box of the gift was also the same feom Shadow of the Batgirl when Barbara gives her suit to Cass!

PAGE 7: Frank Miller’s Batman and Carrie Kelly cover 🙂‍↕️🫶

THANK U GUYS 🫶

[eomma-jpeg]

trigun fic rec list - from lace!

alright, FINE, twist my arm

FIRST UP: @squid789 Blank Ticket - vashmeryl/milivio

so i have a personal fanfic like... catalog LOL and i make little notes as i read and here is the note i left on BT right after i finished it about a year ago

seriously sooooooooooooooo good. squid does an incredible job at post trimax work

blank ticket is so good if you like post trimax stuff (like I do >:)) and squid is so good at representing vash as he ought to be (a brat with a bad attitude and abandonment issues)

Sea Foam - vashmeryl/millywood

once again i have notes from my catalog LOL

PERFECT STUPENDOUS INCREDIBLE I LOVE SQUID AND THE DRAMA AND TRAUMA THEY GIVE ME

SF is a mermaid au and i adore ANYTHING THAT GIVES ME MERMAIDS. It is such an amazing exploration into so many characters, and especially knives WHOM I LOVE TO HATE IN THIS FIC. hes such a brat and yet is just a kid who never got to be a kid and i love him

After Eden - vashmeryl/milivio

I don't have this one in my catalog !!!!! a tragedy !!! (i stopped updating my catalog when i started writing what a shame T-T)

But i can chat about after eden bc i was there for its conception!!! and I beta for it teehee

but its an exploration of BT and i just

it hurts me

squid loves to hurt me

but it hurts so good T-T

if you love to see manga vash act like a spoiled brat and enjoy meryl whump, you will LOVE after eden

Not a Chance - vashmeryl

a lil fic written in the in the meadow universe and its by squid and i love squid and this is my favorite thing in the world

meryl contemplates why she had to fall in love with this doofus

Now, for just a HUGE line up of fics !! these will include my initial thoughts that i have saved in my catalog teehee:

vashmeryl

Truth of a Memory by @fullcry

Vash and Meryl experiment with Vash’s telepathy and memory sharing.

one of my favs just because meryl and vash are so sweet to each other T-T

The Art of the Date by fullcry

Meryl and Milly pity Vash for being a terrible flirt, and Vash dares Meryl to a date to teach him to do better. Vash does better than anticipated.

i go back and reread this one often lol

Memories on Film by fullcry

okay.... this one is spicy and I'm not a huge fan of explicit content....

BUT THE GROWTH AND THE SWEET TENDER MOMENTS AND VASH BEING OBVIOUS MAKES ME SWOON ITS SO GOOD

Other Ways to Speak by fullcry

Meryl kisses each and every one of Vash’s scars

inspired by this

OH BABY THIS ONE IS SO GOOD.

No Reason by @eilwen

this is more of a collection of one shots rather than a complete story, but it has some very cute chapters.

LITERALLY ONE OF THE BEST TRIGUN FANFIC AUTHORS OUT THERE !

Seriously one of the best fics. I'm still not completely caught up bc i have zero time, but its so incredibly written. i wanna be like eilwen when i grow up

Distractions by eilwen

eilwen at it again !!! their stuff is so good !!!!!!

this is an incredible exploration of meryl’s character and the growth of their relationship through the books she reads.

The End by @ginger-mosaic

Long fic. It is a vashmeryl fic but it is MORE of an exploration of Vash and Knives’ relationship after the events of the manga.

currently unfinished and I want to die because I need more. I love Livio

ITS ALMOST DONE AND AHHHHHHHHHH CHRONICAAAAAAAAA

seriously an INCREDIBLE FIC. it is a book that could be published at this point its so good. not incredibly vashmeryl heavy, but it is there and i adore it sm T-T

The thomas in the room by @anime-grimmy

Paired with a comic by the author, this takes place after the events of the movie Trigun: Badlands Rumble.

Meryl is acting weird and Vash is determined to figure out what he did to make her so angry at him.

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH THEYRE SO DUMB AND SO IN LOVE GRAHHHHH

Saving Grace by anonymous

TRIGUN SPOILERS - biblically accurate vash. big angel boy

Meryl gets injured and vash tries something new in order to help her

uhhhh if you like monsters and big angels and kisses then uhhhhh this is for you

Roots by @magadauthan

Meryl and Vash have a… whirlwind of a relationship. Vash notices something strange about his hair. Meryl makes him clean the bathroom.

soooooooo silly and domestic and dumb they heal each other its cute.

Interjacence by herdedcats (jaina <3)

Vash and Meryl can’t sleep and decide to make donuts in the middle of the night. Unfortunately that also leave a lot of time for evaluating feelings and confessing thoughts.

no comfort :(

this one is SO GOOD BY WHY DID IT HAVE TO HURT ME SO

Flying or Falling by @madnessmadness

MAXIMUM RIDE AND TRIGUN MIX AHHHHHHELFJFLEFJELKJFLEKJFLJE

my two niche interests slammed together and its so good aldkjfsljdflkj

Bluebells by @needle-noggins

once again, i don't like explicit content, but sav gets me HOOKED IN WITH THE COMFORT AND THE CHARACTER BUILDING AND THE WAY THESE TWO LOVE EACH OTHER SO DESPERATELY THEY WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER SO BAD

Like a Limb by @commander-goo

points aggressively

you like post trimax ? you like feathers and hurt/comfort ???

YOU LIKE THIS

READ THIS

Wait, he can do that? by anonymous

SOFT

FEATHERY AND SOFT AND GOOD

meryl gets a glimpse into vash's ..... dreams.... and gets a bit flustered

millywood

Absolution by SMP

companion piece to tension, describes the intimate moment between Milly and Wolfwood just after he kills Zazie and before [MAJOR TRIGUN SPOILER]

one of the best millywood pieces out there. seriously so good and so soft and has some of the best imagery

i can see a lot of life in you by procrastinatingbookworm

Milly and Wolfwood share clothes

some trigun spoilers because of Wolfwood’s guilt :/

VERY POETIC AND VERY GOOD

In Eden by MicrosuedeMouse

a 98 fic where wolfwood happens to be alive 1!!! and he’s scared to come forward and see milly………….

but then he sees her

millynai

Zirconium Blues by @madnessmadness

alt au where Nai is the hero and Vash is the villain……..

ITS SO INCREDIBLE AHHHHHHHH I LOVE THIS ONE ITS SO POETIC AND AWESOME AND I LOVE LENI THEY FRICKING CATER TO ME AHHHH

milly takes care of an injured nai and shes so country i love her so much

In the Moonlight by @veilder

THIS WAS WRITTEN FOR ME ITS IN THE MEADOW CONTENT T-T

I LOVE VEIL SO MUCH THEYFJEFLEJFLSJD THEY DID THIS FOR ME AHHHHHHH

How to say "You are the sun to my moon" in Flowers by FullmetalDude1

a cute fic inspired by in the meadow and its suuuper sweet

this is a flowershop au where knives is essentially domesticated by milly and i love them so much

Interested in the fics i didn't mention? here you go Lace's Fanfic Catalog

[mapoeggplant]

Hi......If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series/video games)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

whaaa that's such a fun question, thank you so much for asking!!!!!!

hmmm, since I'm a very terrible person with deciding things, would you mind if I give you top 5 mangas and top 5 books?? I feel like focusing on them, it will be easier for me and I'll be able to talk more about them!!

ok so in no particular order, here are my:

top 5 mangas

ikoku nikki, by tomoko yamashita

I think I fell in love with this manga the second I start to read. it's just incredibly well written, with beautiful characters that are well developed and well explored. yamashita is one of my favorite authors of all time, so I could go on and on about how much I love her writing.

it's a beautiful story about personal connections, grief and future!

shimanami tasogare, by yuuki kamatani

this story is a safe space for me. not only because I love the way it's written and the way it's developed, but it was a huge help for me in my process of self discovering and acceptance of my demissexuality. I will forever be grateful for what this story brought me and all the tears I shed reading it

skip to loafer, by misaki tamakatsu

I think it's already obvious that sukirofa would be on the list OIFJASOJF. I just think it's a gorgeous story that focus a lot on self discovery, growing up and platonic love. I absolute love the "I love you as a person" message that it evoques. I wish there was a story like this when I was a teenager...

haikyuu!!, by haruichi furudate

haikyuu have a deep, deep place in my heart and it's a story I will cary with me forever. it's one of the reasons why I came back to the internet to share thoughts and one of the reasons why I made so many beautiful friends, but also it changed me for the better and it was with me on difficult times. everyone should read it, tbh.

blue period, by tsubasa yamaguchi

one of the reasons why blue period is so important to me is because yatora is a character that resonates A LOT with me. reading it for the first time was like being punched on the face multiple times because I saw a lot of me on it and a lot of my struggles and self doubts. yatora will forever be a character that is extremely important to me.

bonus: "I want to be a wall", by honami shirono and "hibari no asa", by tomoko yamashita

top 5 books

the white book, by Han kang

han kang is one of my favorite authors. I absolute love her writing and, as a writer myself, she inspires me a lot. I find this book to be absolute gorgeous. never in my life I read something that talks about grief and loneliness such as this book. gorgeous, from beginning to end.

the bell jar, by sylvia plath

this book was very important for me growing up. I feel that I picked it up at the right moment of my life and it just stayed with me forever. the fig scene is something that I think about constantly and reflect a lot on it. I feel that I should reread it now that I'm way older.

meu desconhecimentos, by eliane brum

i'm so sorry to say, but I don't think this book was ever translated to english...but I would love to talk about it a little. it was first introduced to me by my therapist and it stayed with me since the moment I started reading it. I resonate a lot with eliane's trajectory with writing and she inspire me a lot too.

the unwomanly face of war, by svetlana alexievich

this book is non fictional and it covers the soviet women who fought on WWII. this book impacted me so much that I still remember vividly scenes from it. it's not an easy book to read and it's extremely graphic, but it definitely left a mark on me.

the good son, by you-jeong jeong 

I wouldn't say this book is one of my favorites of all time, but I doo catch myself recommending it A LOT, so it would be weird not to include here. it's a great, great narrative with a highly unreliable narrator that manages to convince you from beginning to end. it's not an easy read as well, since it's a very slow one and can be repetitive.

WELL!!! I think that's it?? idk I feel like every time someone asks me about my favorite something my mind goes blank OIFJASIOJF but I hope I was able to answer your question 💛 thank you for asking!!

[rezqwr]

Hi! Hi! I saw your message about the inbox that you had requested and am willing to do the matchups! For my fandom, I would like a Jjk matchup just like how you requested. Let’s start with the basic:

Pronouns: she /her

Preferably a male?

Personality: I am an INTJ Slytherclaw, Aquarius and a Type 6 when it comes to anagrams. I am a huge overthinker and stress a lot with anxiety. People tell me that I can be blunt which results in people thinking that I can be cold but in reality I try to be a kind person when it is needed. I am a realist and many consider me to be intelligent, often asking me to help with their work. I’m incredibly passionate about things I like to do and have a thirst to know everyone’s opinions as I feel that if someone is left out. I’m a creative person but sometimes my brain just goes blank, I hate when it does. I sometimes follow the rules and can be serious if I wish to be but normally I like to goof off and break rules, adrenaline rushing through my body is just a different feeling I can’t explain. I have a really dry sense of humour that usually is a mix of sarcasm, fandom jokes or self degrading jokes. I’m not that good at describing personality but here are a few kins if it is helpful : Navier, Mikasa, Regulus Black, Annabeth, Shinobu, Shoko ( Jjk), etc.

Looks: I’m slightly chubby and have a pear body shape. Upon seeing me, many people point out my eyes which are hazel with slight flecks of many colours such as green and amber being the prominent ones. I have a button nose and thin heart shaped lips. My face is round and my eye shape is almond. I am approximately 5’3. Two small moles are fixated on my right cheek and underneath my lip. My clothing style tends to be anything comfortable and classy. I prefer to wear black and colours that are darker, you will never find me wearing orange or neon colours. My clothing always consists of a dress of some sort. 

Likes: Chocolate, Anime, Reading, Drawing, Strawberries, Smell of Rain, Sleeping, Being the Best, Baking, Daydreaming, Murder Mysteries, Romance , Name hunting, Pinterest and Flower Languages.

Dislike: Loud noises, Jerks, Slow Walkers, Insects, Studying, Fake People, Self-pity, Getting below 90% in a test, Coffee, Snow and the feeling where your brain is blank and can’t tell what you feel like.

Love Language: Physical Touch and Quality Time

I hope this is enough information.

i match you with…

yuuta okkotsu!

okay first of all i feel like your energies would work really well together! you tend to be a bit more blunt, whereas he would tiptoe around the subject

he would love your creative side! even when you get a bit of a block, he would always try to either inspire you with stories, or try to get your mind off of what’s upsetting you

you would’ve made him feel welcomed when he first arrived at jujutsu high, including him in conversations & trying to gauge his perspective

he absolutely would have been blushing the whole times and barely could have made eye contact ahejdhejej

he knows that you don’t like bugs, so he would always take them outside, even when you’re insisting that he kills them

i feel like you’d be really good friends with maki, too! you give me strong maki vibes, so i feel like you two would really get along

honestly all of the second years, panda would give you piggy back rides & inumaki would joke around with you all of the time

in your first year, it would have been so obvious that yuuta had a crush on you (which may or may not have caused some problems with rika; maki is totally rallying for you and has threatened to exorcise her on the dl)

he would learn flower language for you and start giving you them as a way of flirting before you got together

he also proceeds to send your flowers when he’s abroad in second year!

you & yuuta have baking dates & he loves making chocolate covered strawberries with you!!! he would try to draw your face on the strawberry!! it was a really bad drawing, but it’s the thought that counts!!!!

he knows that you don’t need it but i feel like he would be so protective over you?? especially after shibuya, he always has an arm around you/is touching you in some way 😭

nobara absolutely idolizes you & your style, she wants you to take her shopping on off days

overall, you fit in very well with everyone & you’ve stolen yuuta’s heart (he has no intention of trying to get it back)

[strwbmei]

Hi Mei question what are you favorite characters from all fiction? Because in my case i have about top 10 list plus honorable mentions:

1. Spider-man (Peter Parker and Miles Morales) (Marvel Comics)- I honestly love these two spider-man because how relatable they are. Not to mention i feel like they are the definition of responsability. I honestly related to Peter Parker's nerdy actitud and humor along with Miles's personality wise. I also love the fact thag Miles have a strong love for his family as well. Not to mention both of these characters don't give up no matter how hopeless things gets.

2. Superman (DC Comics)- Some people considered superman boring but i really love his caracter because he embodies Hope. Not to mention he is someone who always tries to do what is right and have a very strong moral compass. I still remember when i was younger and saw superman returns when he lifted the kypotonite Island. Even when it was killing him he still keep going and never gave up that's is inspiration.

3. Batman (DC Comics)- If we ignored all the batman with prep time thing. Batman is actually a well written character. Especially since he tries to do the right thing for his city. I also love the fact that even though he is human and is very aware of that he plans ahead and works very hard. The fact that mlst characters in the DC world respects him that speaks volumen.

4. Optimus Prime (Transformers)- I love optimus prime for me he is what a leader should be. Selfless, just and someone who always fights for freedom no matter what. He is the leader that i wish i could be.

5. Kratos (God of war franchise). To a bloodthirty and revenge seeking spartan to a reedem warrior. As someone who played the OG god of war games. Kratos in the recent years have one of the best character development, especially now in the recent DLC.

6. Anakin Skywalker Aka Darth Vader (Star Wars)- he went to a slave to the Dark lord of the Sith. Once a hero became the villain by fear of lost of loved one. For me Anakin is a tragic character who wanted to protect the love of his life but failed and became the thing he was supposed to destroy. At the end he was redeemed thanks to his son.

7. Black Panther (Marvel Comics)- i love his character intelligent, strong and just for his people and his kingdom. The fact that Chadwick Boseman (Rest in Peace) played such and awesome character made it better.

8. Wonder Woman (DC Comics)- The proud amazonian and a proud member of the Justice League. She is strong, honorable and compassionate making her an Icon and a part of DC trinity.

9. The Flash (Barry Allen, DC comics)- i love is perseverance and willpower since he never gave up on searching for his mother's killer. After becoming the fastest man alive is character development continue and his death on infinite crisis was a huge moment.

10. John Wick (John Wick series)- the legendary baba yaga this man willpower and tenacity made me love his character by a lot. He has an impresive body count and commites to his mision. To think all of that started with a puppy left behind by his late wife. What i like about his character is that he never stop until he got his revenge.

Honorable Mention

Issac Clarke (dead space series)- An engineer who was on the wrong place at the wrong time. To a dependable and selfless survivor.

Kiana Kaslana (Honkai Impact 3rd)- the naive girl to the strongest valkyrie in the honkai series.

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider series)- one of the greatest if not THE greatest Adventurer in all of gaming.

Nathan Drake (Uncharted)- One of sony most charming and beloved characters.

Leon Kennedy (Resident Evil series)-Rookie cop to a well experience agent of the resident evil franchise.

I see you like superheroes! My siblings were mostly into anime, so that's what I grew up with instead of Marvel/DC comics. I've been wanting to get into them for years now, but there are so many movies and heroes that it's a bit overwhelming... I also don't have the attention span to sit through an entire movie.

I wouldn't be able to choose any favorites with how much fiction I've read/watched/played, but here are some characters I've really enjoyed recently in no particular order:

Dr. Mobius - She's insane. Literally. She has a sad backstory, but it doesn't tie that much into why she goes to such extents to achieve her goals. I just like morally grey characters in general. I also really like her dynamics with the other flamechasers!

Frieren - She's so unserious, but she's come a long way. She went from not really caring about humans, only spending her time pursuing magic, to actively helping out anyone she sees in need like Himmel used to. To be loved is to be changed, they say. She's just an old woman traveling around the world with her adopted grandchildren while collecting the remaining traces of the 10-year adventure that she treasured the most in her 1000+ years alive.

Rudeus Greyrat - Okay. Before people burn me alive, he's absolutely disgusting and a pedophile. Yet, at the same time, that's what makes his character development way more impactful. He went from worse than trash and the maggots living inside it to worse than cattle, which is still a pretty big improvement in my book. The main reason why I put him here, though, is because of the scene where he reunited with his father. I'm not a very expressive person, but that scene had me tearing up because of how relatable it was.

Elysia - I love her, and the best part is that she'd probably love me too! She went through so much, saw the worst of humanity, and still decided to love the entirety of it. I really admire how she can see beauty in anything and everything. She wasn't even supposed to exist. She was an anomaly, and yet she was what saved everyone. Also, the one thing we have in common is our love for pretty girls.

Miles Morales - ITSV and ATSV are one of the only Marvel movies I've watched, and I enjoyed both of them immensely! They blended 2D and 3D animation techniques so well together, the halftones were used really well, and all of the colors really made the characters pop. I could go on for hours about how well the movies were animated, but back to the point— even though he's a hero, and a very reliable one at that, the show doesn't let us forget that he's still a kid. He still has to balance his responsibilities while at the same time, fighting crime and dealing with puberty. He also just seems like a really chill person to be friends with. We're both into similar branches of science and art, so I think we'd get along pretty well.

[bcbdrums]

Grasping for the Wind - epilogue

First Chapter | Previous Chapter FFn | AO3

Inspired by this fanart. A Soul Eater story.

A/N: And we've made it...! Posting this ending on Halloween, cuz spooky story from spooky anime for spooky day. Lol I'm not funny. Anyway. Huge thanks to @split-n-splice firstly for getting me into Soul Eater, secondly for the concept of Stein and Spirit being "worn and frayed at the seams" which is a theme that will return in my future stories about them, and for her constantly listening to me babble on and on about characters she's not overly into as I learn this fandom and develop headcanons. Couldn't have done this without her. Check out her sideblog @midnightcaptions for Soul Eater content, and keep an eye on her AO3 for a fanfic to be appearing soon~! What started as a tiny one-shot that never left a hospital room inspired by some lovely, thought-provoking art, turned into this over 16K story, and I'm thrilled with the places it took me! It's been so much fun to explore these characters. And now.....the conclusion.

Epilogue

The hurried clatter of Stein's footsteps and the those of the young meisters running behind him became white noise as his mind raced.

"So, why don't you join me?"

It had startled him, as had the approach of Medusa's lips. He knew she was a witch—the embodiment of evil—and yet he had made no moves to stop her. His accursed scientific nature was curious. Or at least, that was what he let himself believe for the moment. He had more important things to worry about.

Still, the request had hit too close, and far too soon. After the hell he had been through because of Griffin, he mentally cursed himself for even remotely allowing the condemning thought into his head.

The air was damp and chilled below the academy, and Stein shivered as he led the students onward to what would very probably be all of their doom. But he knew—he had been trembling long before they had passed into the darkened tunnels.

'Fear again. Huh. Good, I should be afraid...'

He grit his teeth. The fact that Medusa had so easily distracted him was all the proof he needed that he wasn't as strong as he would need to be for this fight. He had to remain focused on his purpose. He was Death's elite meister. And an instructor...a guardian, he supposed now, of young meisters and weapons. That was his mantra. There could be nothing else.

And somehow, he would have to stop the witch and protect his students...alone.

So distracted had he become in his thoughts that when Kid kicked up the skateboard and Maka slid to a stop behind him, Black Star stumbling next to her in surprise, he had a split-second of wondering before understanding why. And then, the wash of relief as he sensed his soul...

As Maka heralded her father's approach with words of disgust and loathing, all Stein could feel was an uncoiling of the fear that had been constricting his chest.

Despite his determination that he couldn't care and that he couldn't let anything but his assigned purpose matter to him, when it came to Spirit there was something at work in his soul which he did not understand. All he knew for certain now was that he wasn't alone. He didn't need to be alone.

But he knew he shouldn't feel that way.

"How did you manage to escape from the trap they set up there?" he asked automatically as he began to give in, letting his concerns melt away.

His feelings about Spirit, about Medusa, could wait to be analyzed later. His task was what mattered, and if he needed Spirit—and oh, how he needed him—to complete that task, then so be it. He could protect them all, now. He could fight the witch and stop the Kishin's revival. This time...he wouldn't fail.

For the first time since the lost battle on the Forsaken Plains, Stein felt like he could breathe again.

"When it comes to chasing a woman no one's faster than I am," Spirit replied with a thumbs-up and a wink.

Stein felt a familiar annoyance at the reply, and still he almost laughed.

"I should have guessed," he began, the sensation of lightness around his soul taking over his tongue before he could stop it. "It is a relief to see you, though. I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to do without my weapon around."

Stein closed the distance between them and smiled.

Then Spirit frowned and turned his back to him, humming acknowledgment as his frame tensed.

In an instant, everything within Stein broke all over again—just as it had above ground weeks ago when he had stitched and restitched Spirit's wounds. The same as it had on the plains, holding the death scythe's torn and bleeding body; as it had in the Death Room in years past when he'd demanded—and to his surprise, been granted—exile. And as it had when his best friend of five years had told him he no longer trusted him, and that as partners and in every way that mattered, they were finished.

He felt the claws of fear beginning to tear at his soul again. But without even lifting his hand to the screw in his head he banished them before they could sink in.

"You are no longer his meister."

He and Spirit knew each other intimately. They could resonate powerfully. They could fight with hardly any communication needed. But the seams of their partnership were worn, and Stein realized with an ill twisting in his gut that when stitches are frayed, they don't mend.

What had he been thinking? It was weakness to have let Spirit's presence mean anything to him, just as it was weakness to have let Medusa's lying words and false promises distract him.

Anytime he tried to attach any meaning, any value, to anything in his life, he was left disappointed. What was the definition of madness, after all? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

Spirit may not hate him; he was too good a man for that. The scythe may be willing to fight with him when it was necessary. He may in fact desire good for his former meister. But he hadn't forgiven him, and he didn't trust him.

Any thread of friendship that Stein was still reaching for had been lost to him long ago, surrendered to his failures and to the doomed path of madness. It was time he accepted that, and take his purpose to heart. Anything else...everything else, was meaningless.

He was Death's elite meister, and an instructor of young meisters and weapons. He existed to serve, with or without a weapon, and he would serve Death well. Anything else he attempted in life was merely grasping for the wind.

Stein chewed the end of his cigarette a moment as he set aside every distraction. He looked past Spirit, toward the abyss that led to the source of all madness, and he took a breath. He had a job to do. And he was never going to screw it up again.

"What have we got?"

A/N: "There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand." --Mary Shelley, Frankenstein "Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind." --Solomon, Ecclesiastes 2:17, The Bible (NKJV) Thanks for reading! I'll be back with more Soul Eater stories soon.

[everthewip]

Author Ask Tag Game

Thank you so much for tagging me @janec23!

I'll be using my Beauty & The Beast retelling for this, because out of all my WIPs, it has the most written for it.

Blank questions will be under the cut!

1. What is the main lesson of your story (e.g. kindness, diversity, anti-war), and why did you choose it?

Self-love is a huge theme for this story, and I chose it because it's something I have and still do struggle with. I think a lot of us do. Another major theme is the fact that we are never alone and do not have to face our demons alone. This is also something I think is very important for people to remember, especially those suffering trials they feel only they can weather.

2. What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding (like real-life cultures, animals, famous media, websites, etc.)?

Beauty and the Beast is an obvious answer here, since the story is based on that fairytale. I also have been very much inspired by the ancient celts and pagan themes for the setting.

3. What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, help readers grow as a person?

Anwen, my MC, begins her journey with one goal: keeping her aging mother safe. She sacrifices everything for this. Her goals shift throughout the story. One of them is to bring life back to a place left in sorrow and shadow. Another is to help someone who refuses all aid. Through Anwen, I want to inspire readers to be unafraid of who they are, what they look like, and who they love. I want readers to know they are not alone, to encourage those who need it to open up and allow others to reach in and help them stand when they have fallen. There are honestly many things I hope to achieve with this story, but saying too much will give too much away!

4. How many chapters is your story going to have?

As many as it takes! At the moment there are over 30K words, but when I began writing it was just stream of thought. I never paused to organize chapters - that comes later.

5. Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

Original, but I suppose you can argue that it's a fanfiction of Beauty and the Beast? I'm not sure where I plan to post it. I think it'd be wonderful to eventually publish it, but... perhaps I'll post it on AO3 under fairytales?

6. When and why did you start writing?

I started writing when I was a baby. Honestly, the moment I learned how to write and spell. I distinctly recall one of my first ever poems being about my sister's stinky feet. I'm not sure WHY I started, other than i just enjoyed it!

7. Do you have any words of engagement for fellow writers of Writeblr? What other writers of Tumblr do you follow?

Don't stop! Even when you think it's trash, even when you feel uninspired, even when you think you'll never write something worth reading. Keep. Writing. Write for YOU. Write what YOU want to read. Write because YOU want your story to exist for YOU. I still feel very new to writeblr so I'm always looking for more writers to follow!

As for tagging... If you see this post and are inspired to answer these questions, consider yourself tagged!

What is the main lesson of your story (e.g. kindness, diversity, anti-war), and why did you choose it?

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding (like real-life cultures, animals, famous media, websites, etc.)?

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, help readers grow as a person?

How many chapters is your story going to have?

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

When and why did you start writing?

Do you have any words of engagement for fellow writers of Writeblr? What other writers of Tumblr do you follow?

[uglymothwife]

I don’t usually get personal here but I also don’t really have someone to share this with, I’m not close with family and I just need to so here we are.

I lost my grandmother, nana, this week, she passed on Friday morning. Her death was very sudden and unexpected. It still feels like some horrible elaborate joke to me, I keep waiting for someone to reveal she’s still here, and it hurts like I can’t even begin to explain.

I’ve been thinking of her constantly this weekend. She was the most bubbly energetic person I’ve known in my life, right up to the end. She loved to dance and laugh, she was a powerhouse. Many times when I saw her as an adult she would strike a pose and say “don’t I look good? How old do you think I am” and then proudly declare she looked like this at her age.

When I was a kid I used to have sleepovers at her house. She had a room in her house with a tv, a huge collection of movies, and a comfy couch bed, it was decorated with so much over the top animal print, much like how she dressed, and pillows and little knick knacks of giraffes. She loved Marilyn Monroe and she was very theatrical, so naturally I remember watching a lot of her favorites with her like phantom of the opera and some like it hot. She always made brownies when we came over, and we would have English tea and she would tell me about her family and life back in England. She was so involved with what her grandkids loved and was always encouraging us. I have many memories of sitting in her house and drawing with my cousins and sister and how she was so proud of anything we did. My sister, who couldn’t have been older than 7 at the time drew a picture of George Harrison off some Beatles poster nana had nearby and nana had it hung up on the fridge for years. When I was a preteen and read the first twilight book I told nana about it and she got caught up and she LOVED it. She took me to the bookstore to pick up new moon that summer. Some of my cousins were very into Harry Potter, and nana read every book and saw every movie, she used to tell us it reminded her of home, and I remember her bawling her eyes out and sobbing in the theater when dumbledore was killed.

Another thing about nana is that she was a proudly out gay woman. In the south. In her 80s. She had a wife that she loved so much that we lost just months ago as well. I always found their relationship so inspiring, even before I really knew I was queer myself. One of the last phone calls I had with her was about her wife after she passed, and the pain she felt, and some of the troubles that came with a funeral for a gay woman. She and her wife were mentors to queer teens and extremely charitable. I never got to tell nana my truth, I never got to tell her how inspiring she was to me because I was scared of what other members of my family would say, I had grown up seeing the way some felt about her and knowing myself they was wrong, but I was still scared and I deeply regret it. Sometimes I feel like deep down she might have always known, she spoke about it openly with me and even mailed me the newspaper clipping when her and her wife were finally able to get married.

I’m not a religious person, but nana was, and I know if heaven is real she’s there with her wife proudly dancing and running around like a bumble bee and laughing. I know she’s proud of the charitable life she lived, of the legacy she’s left behind, and for looking good doing it all the way up to 81 years old. I miss her terribly, I only wish I had more time with her, it feels like a light has gone out in the world. There’s probably a million more things I could share about nana but I’ll stop for now. I love you nana.

[grad604designresearch2avastiven]

Week Eight

Unpacking your chosen elements:

Bob The Builder

Bob the Builder. My favourite show when I was a baby, my parents have said that they could not take pull me away from watching it or I would cry and scream. My first word was Bob, and Bob the Builder was my first birthday cake. 

Movie Symbol

Film. My love and obsession with TV and movies has been around ever since I first discovered film. My room is full of posters from my favourite TV shows and I even collect Lego from some of my favourtie movies. 

YouTube Symbol

Youtube. Youtube was a creative media that was a big part of my growing up. I remember  coming home from school every day and watching any new videos released by my favourite YouTubers.

Apple Logo

Apple. The first ever Apple product I ever owned was an IPod touch 2 that I got for my 10th Birthday. Ever since then I have been a loyal Apple customer. I am technology obsessed and this has only grown since I began studying graphic design.

The Simpsons

The Simpsons. The Simpsons was a huge inspiration of mine growing up. I loved the show so much it’s the reason the first ever dream job I had was “to be an  animator”.

Sunglasses

My sunnies. My favourite pair of sunglasses that barley ever get worn until summer time rolls around. These sunglasses remind me of summer break, Christmas, New Years, and spending time with my friends and family.

Auckland

Auckland. Auckland was where I was born and raised. I’ve moved around a bit growing up, but never left Auckland. I think Auckland will always feel like home to me no matter where I end up in life.

Book

A book. This drawing was based off one of my books from the series ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ or better known as ‘Game of Thrones’. I’m a huge nerd and love all things fantasy. I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember.

Air Jordans

My favourite pair of shoes that I got for christmas last year. I love fashion and I had my eye set on this pair of shoes for months. I find I’m very specific with my taste and know exactly what I like and what I don’t most of the time.

Koalay teddy

My Koala teddy that is very precious to me. His name is Koalay and he was my aunties when she was a child before he was passed down to me. I remember my Auntie telling me to ‘take good care of him’ and that I have.

Mirror

My desk/makeup mirror. Another object that I use every day. I have had this mirror for years now and it has been very reliable and trusty. I bring it with me whenever I go away as it is just small enough to pack.  Perfect getting ready mirror.

Sunscreen

My sunscreen. Ever since a very young age my Mum has drilled into me to wear sunscreen every day, a lesson that I have carried with me into adulthood. I put sunscreen on every day no matter the weather.

Makeup Sponge

My makeup sponge. Probably the most used object in my makeup routine as I use this after ever step to blend everything out smoothly. A sponge will come with me any time I’m traveling or going out.

Makeup Brush

One of my makeup brushes. This brush is from a set I ordered from England from one of my favorite makeup brands. I’ve always seen makeup as another media of art that I’m very passionate about.

Watercolour palette

A watercolour set that my Nana gave me for Christmas one year. My Nana is my only grandparent so I am very close with her, she is a painter and whenever I would visit as a kid we would spend the day painting in her backyard.

Perfume

My favourite perfume. Even though I’m a broke university student I always find enough money to restock on this perfume when I run out. The smell is perfect, not too strong or too sweet. I wear this every day and love having a signature smell.

Pencil

One of my pencils. Pencil drawing will always be my safety net, as it’s what I’ve been doing for the longest. Even as I learn and improve my skills in other areas of art pencil drawing will always be a favourite as that was where it all began.

Headphones

My headphones. I barley ever go anywhere without headphones or air buds. I need my music constantly, on the bus, walking, working out, doing design homework, I’m listening all the time to every genre there is.

Hair brush

My hairbrush. Another gift from my mum. Me and both of my two sisters all have matching brushes and I find it the best brush for my hair. Nothing else has the same effect and I bring it with me everywhere.

Gold necklace

A necklace I got from my Mum for my 16th Birthday. This necklace is real gold with gem in the eye. I treat it very carefully as it is such a beautiful piece of jewelery that I plan of having for the rest of my life.

[delfinaschiffer]

I know no one cares enough but I just felt lile sharing this. SO, a while ago I was with a friend of mine who also plays TW and we were discussing how cursedly similar I am to Azul (in being the chuby girl at school and your local coin collector) and then she looked into Azul's wiki page to find out he has a stepfather.

Now, having reading a lot of fanfic involving cecaelias and mermaids (I love them) I grew into the idea of them being loners (and them being able to mate with normal mermaids) and so and interesting idea begin to flow into our minds. What if, Azul's mother and stepfather are regular mermaids? What if his stepfather also has a cecaelia daugther? and they bounded over the trouble of raising a cecaelia offspring?

Thus, Morgana, my Oc, was born.

Of course, my friend couldn't be left behind, and being a huge Vil simp she created her own Oc, named Lumiere, and thus began to write this whole joke of au. I like how she writes and it inspired me to draw them because I never say no to drawing cute anime girls.

She gave me permission to post the drawings of her own oc and talk about her so I'm doing exactly that.

First of we have my own oc, Morgana, who is unsurprisingly based of Morgana, Ursula's sister from the little mermaid 2

The whole movie was "Meh" at best, but Morgana was a really good villian. I love the cunning villian types, and she did better than Ursula in that regard. She took her time to appeal to Melody as a kindred spirit who understand her more than her own mother which, remembering that Melody was a teenager, won more points in the realistic sense.

But i also played around on paralles with Azul and myself. Siblings tend to be opposits on some ways, and though Mor and Azul are not blood related they would know each other from young age.

If i have to pinpoint my biggest diference with Azul would it be I don't have the same determination he has. Sure at some point I tried to do the same as he has but I gave up early on cause I'm to lazy to be bothered with it. And I tend to be a troublemaker in the sense that, as a teenager, I used to get involved in fights when I was actually pissed off. Something that Azul didn't even try with him being more on the vengeful side. That actually gave me and intresting parrallel to work on and that's the route I went on.

Besides that, much as Azul has some bits and hints of other caracthers not only Ursula, Mor has some tints of Vanessa. Although she was and alter ego Ursula invented, Vanessa was a vane beauty with an alluring singing voice, which Morgana in this au will take on. In this Au Morgana is a socially akward beauty who often plays as a singer in the Mostro Lounge, this will also play part on her Unique Magic, but I'll explain in deatail in another post (I'm working in a full fledge profile/promotional pic just as I've seen everywhere)

Moving on we have my friend's child, Lumiere (Lumi for short).

Now, correct me if I'm wrong but I know there are at least two caracthers in TW that aren't based on anything (Zebek is one example and I can't say for sure but I think Lilia can also fill in here), while others are based on concepts more than carachters (the poison apple, the card soldiers) and Lumi fills in the first category. For those who are curious, Lumiere is the name of the candle holder in the beauty and the best, but you can begin to forget about him because except for the name the share nothing in common.

Lumi is, much like Silver, your tipical princess behaviour but with some twists. With a pretty sad background she tries her best in the academic sense, and to be a good person, but she lacks a lot of confidence and is more akin to a people pleaser. This is actually mean to play a good parallel with Vil who is also her housewarden. I'm also gonna post a whole profile for her so I won't get too much into detail, but desing wise she is ment to look like an inocent princess. She also has the stars simbol which is also a common topic in some disney movies.

Our NRC 4th impostor 3th because i don't count Rook as an impostor, he definetly belongs there is your tipical mom friend, who has a THICK barrier which prevents her from catching most of the double sense or means comments. Although self counsius she is really used to supresses her own feelings, and in a nice parallel to Silver as well she is full of energy. Diferent from most of her own housemates, she really values Vil, as she sees him as someone who has everything she is lacking of, and used to rough love, she gives her 100% to whatever challenge he force on her.

I don't have much insides on her desing because i didn't do much. My friend gave me the pointers and a sketch of her desing and I went extra while drawing her in my style (my friend is more a writer than an artist) but what i can defenitly tell you is about another character that cames in a combo.

Yes, a cat. More specificly, my own irl cat. Funny story, my cat, called Makita (she was found on a metalurgic workshop, thus the name) is quite an stalker. She is full of energy and she tends to stalk all the cats in the neibourhood. Some of them ignore her, some of them tend to lose patience and fight her, but she always stalks. And she stalks me too. If a go anywhere for quite some time, she will follow me everywhere in the house, and if she can not find me for whatever reason she cries loudly.

This whole behavior reminded my friend of Rook, and thus, she became Maki Hunt. And my friend being the "I love cats but I can't have one of my own" type, Lumi is now the oficial owner of Maki Hunt. And she became Hunt in the au because, lest be honest, Rook wouldn't turn a blind eye to an stalker acomplice. Please expect A LOT of jokes.

[his2023]

Nina Jabar

HIS 111

Prof. Green

April 3rd 2023

Journey to the City of Babylon

I started my journey in my homeland, Media. I traveled through the desert for three days to visit my sister and what a journey it has been so far. I arrived in the beautiful city of Babylon yesterday, and I must say, the city is magnificent. The towering walls, the bustling streets, and the magnificent palaces are all a sight to behold. I feel as though I have been transported to another era of time. I met my sister and her family in their beautiful palace and was thrilled when she expressed she wanted to show me around the city during my visit. We had dinner and stayed up all night drinking and planning my next few days in Babylon. I'm going to write about each day so I'll be able to return to these memories in the future and live in these moments again. 

On my first day in the city, I had the incredible chance to tour Babylon's Ishtar Gate. One of the most impressive displays of construction I have ever seen is this magnificent entry gate. I was struck by the complex carvings and vivid hues as I entered the gate.

The entrance is made of polished bricks and is painted with pictures of lions, bulls, and dragons. The animals are painted in hues of blue, green, and yellow, and as you get close to them, they seem to come to life. The degree of precision that went into making this masterpiece left me speechless.

King Nebuchadnezzar II, who is renowned for his support of the arts and development, fashioned the gate. The gate symbolizes the strength and riches of the Babylonian empire and is dedicated to Ishtar, the goddess of love and fertility.

I could sense the weight of heritage and customs surrounding me as I moved along the gate's walls. I made an effort to picture what it must be like to reside in such a lovely city and be able to see such amazing architecture every day. 

I took a minute to consider the significance of the Ishtar Gate before I left. It is more than just a monument; it is a symbol of human ingenuity and innovation.

All in all, my encounter at the Ishtar Gate will never be forgotten. It served as a sobering reminder of the enormous potential of people and the value of protecting their cultural legacy. 

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, was one of the privileges I had to see today. Today was also my second complete day in the city. I was astounded by the gardens' size and grandeur as I got closer to them. The gardens were built on an immense structure with many terraces, and each level was covered in bright flowers and lush greenery.

King Nebuchadnezzar II created the Hanging Gardens as a present for his wife, who yearned for the lush surroundings of her native country. The king then built this paradise inside the city, and the end result is genuinely amazing.

I was astounded by the variety of plant life as I strolled through the grounds. Exotic trees, fragrant blooms, and fruit trees with ripe, juicy fruit were all present. The numerous fountains and waterfalls created a calming sound as they flowed water, filling the air with their sweet floral fragrance.

The Hanging Gardens are both an engineering and horticultural wonder. Huge stone pillars support the terraces, and a complex network of irrigation tunnels makes sure the plants get the water and nutrients they require to grow. I was in awe of the effort and talent required to create such a masterwork.

I was filled with awe and wonder as I exited the gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are proof of both the beauty and ingenuity of humankind as well as the strength and riches of the Babylonian empire. I am one of the many tourists who are enthralled and inspired by them. 

All in all, my trip to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was an unforgettable one. For years to come, I will cherish the recollections of this incredible site.

It is now the end of my third day in Babylon and what a day it has been! Today I had the honor of attending a marriage ceremony in Babylon. The bride and groom were both from prominent families, and the event was a grand affair. The ceremony was held in a beautiful temple dedicated to the goddess Ishtar, and the setting was breathtaking.

As the bride and groom exchanged their vows, the temple was filled with the sounds of music and chanting. The air was thick with the scent of incense, and the room glowed with the light of countless candles. I was struck by the solemnity and reverence of the occasion.

After the ceremony, we adjourned to a nearby banquet hall for the reception. The hall was decorated with vibrant tapestries and floral arrangements, and the tables were laden with delicacies from all over the region. I sampled some of the local dishes, and they were exquisite.

As the night wore on, the celebration became more lively. Musicians played traditional songs, and guests danced and sang. I was struck by the warmth and generosity of the people of Babylon, who welcomed me into their midst as if I were one of their own.

As the wedding drew to a close, the bride and groom were showered with blessings and well-wishes. It was clear that they were deeply loved by their families and friends, and I felt honored to have been a part of this special day.

In all, the marriage ceremony in Babylon was a beautiful reminder of the importance of love, family, and tradition. It was a celebration of life and all its joys, and I felt grateful to have shared in such a meaningful experience.

Today was my fourth day in Babylon and I had the opportunity to visit the Great Ziggurat of Babylon, one of the most impressive architectural feats known to the region. As I approached the towering structure, I was struck by its grandeur and magnificence. The ziggurat stood over 90 feet tall, with a massive base that covered an area of several acres.

The Great Ziggurat was built by King Hammurabi, and it has served as a religious center for the Babylonians. The structure was made of baked mud bricks, and its distinctive stepped design was intended to symbolize the connection between heaven and earth.

As I climbed the stairs to the top of the ziggurat, I marveled at the sheer size of the structure. The stairs were steep and uneven, and the ascent was challenging, but the view from the top was well worth the effort. From the summit, I could see the entire city of Babylon stretched out before me.

The ziggurat was surrounded by a massive wall, and I could see the remains of several smaller buildings and temples nearby. It’s clear that the Great Ziggurat is the heart of the city's religious life, and I felt a deep sense of reverence and awe as I stood in its shadow.

As I left the ziggurat, I reflected on the importance of this structure to the Babylonian people. It was not just a monument to their power and wealth; it was a testament to their faith and their connection to the divine.

In all, my visit to the Great Ziggurat of Babylon was a humbling experience. It reminded me of the power of faith and endurance.

Today is both the first day of the Festival of Marduk, the god who serves as Babylon's protector, and my last day in the city. People from across the area have gathered in the city to celebrate, and the place is buzzing with excitement. Music, laughter, and applause can be heard resonating through the streets.

This morning I got up early to see the massive parade of the Marduk statue being brought through the city. Professional Way, the street that leads from the temple to the Ishtar Gate, was crowded with locals on both ends. The Babylonians paying homage to their deity was a magnificent spectacle. The statue sparkled in the sunshine and was covered in gold and jewels.

There were numerous vendors offering food, beverages, and trinkets on the streets. I couldn't help but sample some of the local specialties, such as fresh bread and roasted meat. I loved the festive ambiance and the rich, delicious flavors.

I was present at the ceremony tonight commemorating the holy union of Ishtar and Marduk. It was a union of symbols, signifying the fertility and abundance of the country. The ritual was a lovely homage to the gods, complete with music and dancing.

The festivities intensified over the course of the evening. Fireworks light up the night sky, and the aroma of incense fills the air. Drums are audible as people dance and chant in praise of Marduk.

Overall, I had a great time at the Festival of Marduk. The devotion of the Babylonians to their gods and civilization has touched me. I am appreciative of the opportunity to have taken part in this celebration, and I will treasure these recollections.

I had the chance to meet a few locals during my comparatively brief visit to Babylon, and I was deeply moved by their warmth and generosity. Their compassion and humility really stuck out to me. We were able to converse through gestures and smiles despite the language barrier. I consider myself lucky to have had this opportunity to communicate with the Babylonians.

I've had an amazing experience in Babylon overall. I am appreciative of the opportunity to travel to such a significant and culturally significant city and to have witnessed its beauty and culture firsthand.

Works Cited

Van de Mieroop, Marc. “Reading Babylon.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 107, no. 2, 2003, pp. 257–75. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40026077  Accessed 3 Apr. 2023.

BOWE, PATRICK. “A DELIBERATION ON THE HANGING GARDENS OF MESOPOTAMIA.” Garden History, vol. 43, no. 2, 2015, pp. 151–67. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24636247 Accessed 3 April. 2023.

Mark, Joshua J.. "Nebuchadnezzar II." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 07 Nov 2018. Web. 30 March 2023

Babylon: Hanging Gardens & Tower of Babel - HISTORY, 2 February 2018, www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/babylon  Accessed 3 April 2023.

Beaulieu, Paul-Alain. “A New Inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II Commemorating the Restoration of Emaḫ in Babylon.” Iraq, vol. 59, 1997, pp. 93–96. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4200440. Accessed 3 April. 2023.

“Ancient Mesopotamia Explained: Sumerians, Assyrians, Persians and Babylonians.” YouTube, 12 March 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZedmncHt3OQ  Accessed 3 April 2023.

Haldar, A. (1972). Mesopotamia: myth and reality. Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis, 6, 31–44. https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67068 Accessed 3 April 2023.

BARKHO, LEON. "Scholars Zero in on Nebuchadnezzar's Ziggurat; Iraq: A Team of Austrian Archeologists has Determined the Design of a Temple the King Built 2,500 Years Ago. He Wanted it to Rival the Tower of Babel, 7 Miles Away.: [Bulldog Edition]." Los Angeles Times, Dec 06, 1998, pp. 34. ProQuest, https://eznvcc.vccs.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/scholars-zero-on-nebuchadnezzars-ziggurat-iraq/docview/421321250/se-2. Accessed 3 April 2023.

Naranjo, Roberto. “Marriage in Ancient Mesopotamia and Babylonia | eHISTORY.” eHISTORY, https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/marriage-ancient-mesopotamia-and-babylonia. Accessed 3 April 2023.

Rodler, A. S., Klein, S., Artioli, G., and Brøns, C. (2019) Probing the provenance of archaeological glaze colorants: Polychrome faunal reliefs of the Ishtar Gate and the Processional Way of Babylon. Archaeometry, 61: 837– 855. https://doi-org.eznvcc.vccs.edu/10.1111/arcm.12455. Accessed 3 April 2023.

Wordsworth, Araminta. "Treasures of Western Cultural Heritage Lie in Path of War Machine: Iraq's Monumental Riches: [all but Vancouver Edition]." National Post, Mar 21, 2003, pp. A18. ProQuest, https://eznvcc.vccs.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/treasures-western-cultural-heritage-lie-path-war/docview/330214219/se-2. Accessed 3 April 2023.

[binxdoesgaming]

All of y'all should see this silly little man. His name is Moxy. He's from the Moxy Show— Cartoon Network's first original programming. Airing in December 1993, it's considered lost media. I think that for an early example of CGI in television, his design aged very well! Like, compared to a lot from that decade his honestly doesn't look that bad, ESPECIALLY with the floating eyes/ears. He's so ingrained with that 90s cartoon look where it's cheesy, but not so much where it dates him. Also, I'm pretty sure he's one of the first if not the first use of CGI technology in TV animation.

There's also a whole video on YouTube that's basically a sneak peek as to how they created him and how they did it. It's genuinely amazing to look at if you're interested in animation history since this was huge for the time. Especially for an at the time small network with a niche idea that was barely a year old (not accounting for production time). And that's not even accounting for the fact he made his TV debut in the "International Toon-In" with live animation years before a show like the Simpson did the same thing. The fact that after 2002— where he made a split second cameo in this bumper here (cw//flashing images), Cartoon Network forgot about this guy for 17 fucking years is genuinely heartbreaking. Outside of an appearance in a 1995(?) PC game and a cancelled comic in 2001, he was all but forgotten from the network. Thank God for lost media archivists for preserving media regarding him, and the crew on OK KO for giving him a pretty blatent cameo in Crossover Nexus where they gave him a genuinely nice look in 2d I might say! It's like he never left!

Seriously, look at this silly little guy. Bro's just happy to be here! Also here's another from the same special where he's about to commit an act of violence.

Please do not the Moxy.

Also if you decided to click read more, congrats— You've come to the " Personal Fun Fact" section of this post! At this point it kinda deviates off Moxy and his general history and just a fun fact of how he influenced my artwork for a very particular character (hint hint, she's in my profile pic). So if you really don't care about this, or Fortnite, or whatever it may be— y'all don't gotta read. :)

For those who've been following me long enough. Y'all know my main girl of this account is this silly gal right here.

Well, when I first drew her back in 2021— her main influence was Moxy. At the time I was struggling to come up with a fun design for her since I didn't want it to be just CTL but bear, and it just so happened I had been watching Crossover Nexus again and videos around it. I got intrigued by Moxy and found some videos about him and just kinda fell in love with the little guy. He had a charm to him I thought was amazing for a 3d character in the 90s to have. A few sketches later, I ended up drawing something for Clover that was subconsciously inspired by some elements they both had. They were both goofy dogs, a bit off looking (in a good way ofc), and idk why but I'd think she'd probably have a similar personality as him. It's evolved over the years, but the influence is still there and has grown. He's such a good fit that I genuinely can't imagine her any other way without this guy existing.

But yeah, down below is the first drawing made in 2021, 2nd major one made for St. Patrick's Day 2022, the newest one for a collab with other artists, and finally a sketch from said newest one that I never posted publicly outside the GC the Collab talked in where she has a bit more influence with the floating whiskers (removed them since the creator asked for art for the collab to not be too off from the original design and I don't want to push it).

But yeah. That's that! Idk what to call these kinda posts. Maybe BinxDoesRambling? Makes sense lmao.

he‘s a silly little thing

[roseborough-if]

[a slife of life / romance story set in the countryside of emerald acres]  🤍

DEMO (TBA) / PINTEREST / KO-FI

Note from the author: Hi and welcome! I'm Vilna (she/any). This is my first interactive fiction project that is still very early in developement. I was inspired by various medias, primarily Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon, to develope my own little game in novel format written in twine. I hope you enjoy your stay! 

Tales from Roseborough and this blog is only suitable for 18+ audience for eventual optional sexual content. Ask box is open for any kind questions (nsfw included).

THE STORY:

You are a farmer who has very recently become one after your distant grandparents you've never met have died and have left their old farm and everything that comes with it solely to you.

You don't know why they would do such a thing but you have been quite bored of your current life for some time so you decide to take a leap faith and leave the comforts of the city behind to move into the idyllic Emerald Acres for a new beginning. The countryside is certainly breathtakingly beautiful; your new farmhouse comes with a huge garden exceeding all of your expectations and the animals are so cuddly and cute, too!

Unfortunately, you have no idea what you're doing but it can't be that hard to run a small farm all by yourself. Can it? Maybe with some help from the other residents of Emerald Acres you may have a better chance at making it...

Fully customizable MC. Decide your character's name, gender (trans + non-binary inclusive), pronouns, physical appearance, personality & background ++ The only thing that is locked in is that MC will always be queer-coded, no matter how you play them. 🏳️‍🌈

Name and maintain your farm by taking care of your animals and garden. Do you thrive in your new life as a farmer or do you hate every second of it? Will you settle down permanently or will you return back to the city with your tail between your legs?

Discover family secrets! Apparently the farm and the house come with certain strings attached.

Choose an animal companion who will follow along with you on your adventures.

Explore the Emerald Acres: the village of Roseborough, the Wuthering Woods, Honeyfur river and other surroundings.

Romance 1 out of 6 possible candidates. Queerplatonic routes are available for Juniper and Bunny/Bo.

Build lasting friendships with the other main cast + side characters.

ROMANCE OPTIONS:

🧸 Bunny / Bo Abernathy [F/M], she/her or he/him. || intro.

B, along with their daughter Sunny, is your new friendly neighbour who owns a farm a couple of kilometers away from you. They are always willing to listen to your troubles and help in any small or big way they can. They are one of the kindest people you've ever met but remain surprisingly tight-lipped about themself, perhaps for a good reason.

»»-----------► I've never known someone like you. Someone who makes me feel so loved and happy that I feel like I could just float away.

🔧 Oskari Kivi [M], he/him. || intro.

You never expected to meet him again here of all places. Oskari is a city boy through and through and your past with him is complicated (whether you were lovers or just friends) and you haven't seen him in at least four years since your fallout. You're not sure whether it's a good or bad thing that he hasn't changed at all.

»»-----------► I missed you. A lot. I just wanted you to know that.

🐾 James Briar [F], she/her. || intro.

The fact that James is hot as hell only slightly makes up for her rude and disagreeable behaviour when you first meet her. She is the town's only vet so you will need her services from time to time whether you like it or not. James seems to have great love for animals, but claims that fellow humans are not her thing. You don't quite know what to make of her.

»»-----------► When I first met you I thought you were a spoiled city brat. Turns out I sort of like it.

🦋 Juniper Starling [NB], fae/faer. || intro.

Juniper is an eccentric but respected figure in Roseborough as fae runs a small (and free!)  healer's clinic offering help without turning anyone away. Fae must be one of the most beautiful people you've ever met and seems to always have a line of suitors following faer wherever fae goes. You need to stick out if you want faer attention.

»»-----------► You are certainly an interesting one, kitten. I will have to keep a close eye on you.

🥧 Willow / William Higgins [F/M], she/her or he/him. || intro.

Will is almost as new in the town as you; they bought the tavern of Rosebud a few months prior and are still adjusting to their job and everything that comes with it. Will clearly feels out of place and lonely in their current situation, at least before meeting you. They seem friendly, if a little overly flirty, and eager to get to know you.

»»-----------► Oh, you are absolutely precious, sunshine. I could just eat you up for a dessert. 

🔮 Sage Moonfall [NB], he/him and they/them. || intro.

The people of Roseborough call him the Hermit of Wuthering Woods but that seems to be only a fraction of the truth. There's a rumour that they are over a century old and something not entirely human, but no one has the courage to approach them to actually ask. He seems to be endlessly fascinated by you.

»-----------► Tell me: what do you desire? I could make that happen with the snap of my fingers.

[justice4canyonmoon]

Hi! I love your writing sm 💖 could u write something where H and Y/N are new parents and they finally have some alone time? And maybe she's a little insecure about her body? I feel like Harry would be so cute in this 🥺

hi!!! thank you for saying you love my writing, that's very sweet ❤️❤️feel bad that it took me so long to answer this, but I got a huge bout of inspiration yesterday and today!!!! I didn't know whether you meant fluffy alone time or smutty alone time, so I did a bit of both lol. this is the longest thing I've written in a long time bc I really liked this prompt, so I hope it's worth the wait and the read!!!

warnings: smut!!! 18+ only!!!!! oral (fem receiving), soft sex, body image/body insecurity, separation anxiety (a little), also lots of fluff

wc: 2.7k

Four months ago, you gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Mara looked almost exactly like you; her hair, skin tone, nose, and ears were just like yours, but her eyes were bright green, just like her father’s. You and Harry were instantly attached to your sweet little girl, and you would both do anything to protect her. 

But you were both exhausted. You both knew that caring for a newborn would be hard work, but somehow it was even harder than you anticipated. Constantly waking up in the middle of the night to feed her, changing her multiple times throughout the day, and of course, having to hide her face from paparazzi or nosey fans made raising your child quite difficult. You and Harry hadn’t had any alone time during the four months that Mara came into your life. Neither of you could remember the last time you had been on a date or had sex. 

When Harry brought up your lack of alone time with his mother on a video call, she offered to let Mara stay with her for the weekend. You were both apprehensive, never having left your baby girl alone for that long, but Anne managed to convince you that having your alone time would help you both be better parents to your kiddo.

“If you aren’t at your best, you can’t raise your baby to be her best.”

And of course, you knew Anne was right. That’s what led you to right now, handing your mother-in-law a large bag of baby supplies. Harry was gently cradling your daughter in his arms, with her tiny hands gripping her favorite stuffed animal: a soft, pink, stripey kitten, as well as her yellow baby blanket.

Anne could sense the anxiety radiating from you both and softly told you, “I promise you she’ll be fine for the weekend, she’s in good hands. You and Gem turned out pretty well, didn’t you?”

“I suppose we turned out alrigh,” Harry chuckled.

You smiled, though it didn't quite reach your eyes, and picked up Mara’s car seat, joining Anne and your husband on the short walk to her car parked in the driveway. Anne put the baby supplies with her in the passenger’s side as you placed the car seat in the back. Harry set his daughter into the seat, strapping her in with nothing but love in his eyes.

“I’ll be back Sunday evening. I hope you both enjoy your weekend!” Anne said, bringing both you and Harry into a warm embrace.

You smiled, “Thank you, Anne.”

She returned your smile, telling you both how much she loves you before getting into her car and disappearing out of the driveway and down the road. 

Your heart was pounding in your chest, the anxiety of being separated from your baby welling up inside of you.

Harry took your hand and led you back inside, “‘S okay, love. Mum’ll take great care of her.”

“I know she will,” you told him, your anxieties spilling out, “it’s just the first time we’ve been away from her. What if some kind of emergency happens, and we won’t be there?”

“If something happens, Mum will handle it and call us. I’m anxious too, my love, but she’ll be okay,” Harry murmured comfortingly, wrapping his arms around your middle and pulling you into him, gently running his fingers over your back.

Harry’s reassuring words put you more at ease, until he murmured in your ear, “Since we’ve got a little alone time now, was hopin we could spend most of the weekend in the bedroom.”

The anxiety of being separated from your baby morphed into an anxiety of a different kind. The brand new stretch marks and flaps of skin that adorned your body since you gave birth had almost completely dissolved your confidence. The idea of your husband seeing you naked now, though you would love to have sex with him since it had been a few months, terrified you. What if he didn’t like what he’d see anymore?

“Maybe later, H. Right now I’m starving.”

Which was at least true. You were so anxious about Mara leaving that you hadn’t eaten much all day.

Harry nodded understandingly, “Let’s get some food in yeh then, darling. Wanna go out or order in?”

“Order in,” you replied, “maybe that Indian place we like if that’s okay?”

“Anything yeh want is okay with me, lovely.”

You ordered your food quickly, not taking too long to decide what you wanted and then flopped onto the couch, tangling your limbs together as you picked out a serial killer documentary to watch to pass the time.

“I don’ understand why yeh like these s’ much. They’re so dark,” Harry commented.

“They’re fascinating,” you responded, “it’s grim but interesting to see into the mind of someone so messed up.”

“Whatever yeh say, lovie,” he said, pulling you closer to him, “I’ll watch anything yeh wan’ as long as I get to hold m’ pretty wife nice and close.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words, even if you didn’t quite believe the pretty part anymore. You ended up getting so engrossed in the documentary that you didn’t even notice the food arrive.

When Harry got up to get the food, you whined in protest, enjoying the heat his body was providing you.

He laughed, “Be right back, lovely. Jus’ gettin’ food f’ my favorite person.”

“Didn’t know you were just getting food for yourself,” you quipped.

His eyes narrowed, “I know I’m a narcissist, but I love you just a little more than I love myself.”

“Wow, thank you, Harry. I feel so loved,” you said in a monotone voice as he grabbed the food from the delivery man.

Harry set the bag down on the coffee table and looked at you. As you were trying to figure out what was going on in that crazy brain of his, you suddenly got the wind knocked out of you, as a suspiciously Harry shaped figure threw himself on top of you!

“H!” you shrieked between bouts of laughter, “what the hell?!”

He laughed loudly, then moved to press kisses along any exposed skin he could reach, “Feeling loved yet?”

You snorted, trying to push him off of you, “You’re so annoying, Harry.”

“But yeh love me, right?”

You rolled your eyes, “I guess.”

Harry placed his hand over his heart, “Ouch! That stings!”

“I’m so sorry, Harry,” you said sarcastically, “however can I make it up to you?”

Harry wiggle his eyebrows suggestively, “I can think of a few ways.”

“We have food to e-eat, Harry.”

But your voice wavered at the end as the quick kisses from before turned into slower, sloppier kisses around your neck.

“Not that interested in the food anymore, lovely. Haven’t been with yeh like this in four months,” he murmured, trailing his fingers toward the hem of your shorts.

But you grabbed his wrist, “Stop, H.”

He looked at you quizzically, but listened, pulling his hand away, “Everything okay, sweetheart? I’m sorry, I didn’ mean t’ overstep at all.”

You shook your head, “It’s okay, Harry. Not you, it’s me.”

“Talk to me, lovely,” he replied, cupping your face in his hands, “let me inside that pretty head of yours.”

“I’m not pretty anymore, not since I had the baby…” you trailed off.

Harry looked shocked, “What the hell are yeh talkin’ about?”

“I mean, my body looks awful! I haven’t lost any of my baby weight, and I have all of these gross stretchmarks and other blemishes that I didn’t have before! My boobs are all saggy and sore from having to feed Mara, and I always have bags under my eyes now. How could anyone still find me pretty?” you rambled, tears beginning to spring to your eyes.

Harry listened to you, looking quite upset. He certainly didn’t agree with you at all.

“Lovely, y’ the most beautiful person ’ve ever seen. All of those things yeh said before are perfectly natural! And how could I not find yeh beautiful? This body gave birth to our child, and that makes it the most beautiful thing in the world. I’m so lucky y’ mine, darlin, and even when we’re 80 years old and our hair is falling out, I will always think y’ more beautiful than the sunset, than diamonds, or than anything else,” his lips softly pressed to yours, then he pulled away again and looked you in the eyes, “can I show yeh how beautiful I think yeh are?”

You nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.

“Yeah? Yeh sure?” he questioned again as his hands traveled to the hem of your tank top.

When you nodded your assent once more, he slowly lifted it over your head, giving you any chance to stop him. But you didn’t, so his lips trailed down to your chest, murmuring sweet nothings as he did so. When he got to your breasts, he massaged them gently, not wanting to make them more sore than they already were. It felt like heaven, having his massive hands softly rubbing on the tender flesh.

“Feels nice,” you told him, making him smile.

“I’ll give these more often then,” Harry replied, “gives me an excuse to hold y’ boobs.”

You rolled your eyes again, but there was a fond smile on your face, “Annoying.”

“Loving,” he shot back, kissing your chest lightly.

“That too,” you said, your smile growing.

Harry grinned at that, and he continued to make his way down your body, stopping at your stomach. You tensed up, and Harry noticed.

“Love your tummy, baby,” he said, kissing and rubbing your pudge, “love it s’ much.”

You didn’t know how he managed to make you feel so loved, but you were grateful for it. Tears came to yours eyes once more when you took in the moment, your husband lavishing his attention on your body and helping your insecurities slowly melt away. How did you get so lucky?

Harry noticed your wet eyes, “Still okay?”

“Yeah,” you whispered, “just love you.”

That almost made Harry want to cry too, “Love yeh too. More than anything.”

His affections moved to your thighs then as he shimmied his way further down on the couch, lips trailing across the stretch marks that adorned your flesh. 

“So pretty,” he said softly, “always love y’ thighs, baby. Especially when you let me in between them like this.”

He nudged them further apart and sucked marks into the sensitive skin of your inner thighs.

“H,” you breathed, wanting more.

“Can I take y’ shorts off, baby? Wanna taste yeh s’ bad,” Harry asked.

You quickly nodded in agreement, and your husband tugged off your shorts and panties in one motion. He spread your lower lips apart, smirking in satisfaction when strings of your wetness began to coat his fingers.

“Such a pretty pussy,” he said almost to himself, “and so wet f’ me. Been a little while since ‘ve gotten t’ touch yeh like this, hasn’t it?”

You nodded, “Too long. Please touch me, H. No teasing.”

Harry knew that now wasn’t the time; your bodies missed each other too much. So he leaned in and sucked your clit right away, making your knees buckle.

“Shit, H,” you moaned as he lavished your clit with attention, not taking your time today.”

He pulled away temporarily to say, “Missed y’ pussy too much t’ wait,” before diving back in, licking at your slick hole.

You gasped and whined, instinctively closing your thighs around his head. Harry’s hands gripped your thighs and gently pulled them apart, not wanting to get rough with you today, but still needing a little space to work.

You breathed out a soft apology to which he said, “s’ alright. Jus’ try and keep them open f’ me.”

He squeezed your thighs gently before going back in again. The motions of his tongue on your depraved body made you want to cum already. You tried to hold off since you had barely been underneath him, but it had just been too long, and your pussy began to clench on his tongue. Sensing your impending orgasm, Harry took one of his hands off of your thighs and rubbed your clit expertly. 

“O-oh, Harry. Harry!” you cried out as you saw stars, your hips gyrating against Harry’s mouth.

He groaned softly at his first taste of you in so long, eagerly licking up everything you had to give to him.

“God yeh taste fuckin incredible.”

Your cheeks grew warm as he leaned in to kiss you, your taste still lingering on his tongue.

When he pulled away, the look in his eyes softened, “Convince yeh that y’ beautiful yet?”

Your cheeks became even warmer as you gave him a bashful smile, “Not quite, but I feel much better than before,” your hand ran over his cheek, “I’m so lucky I have you.”

“Think ‘m the lucky one,” he replied, kissing your forehead.

Harry lined up his cock with your waiting hole, but not before putting on a condom at your request (“I’m not letting you knock me up again so soon, Styles!”). 

“Ready f’ me?”

“Always.”

He pushed in slowly, giving you plenty of time to adjust since it had been a while. Your pussy clenched around his cock, not used to being full anymore. But it was making it tough for Harry.

“Y’ gotta stop doin’ that, or ‘m gonna blow m’ load before we even get started.”

You giggled, “Now we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

“Definitely not,” he replied, “need t’ fuck m’ pretty little wife.”

You leaned toward his ear, “Then do it.”

His first thrust had you moaning, and so did the one after that, and the one after that. It was gentle, soft, but so fucking hot. With every move he made, it was like he was showing you how deeply he wanted you, and how much he loved you. Your lips moved together sloppily in an imitation of a kiss as he gently yet passionately thrust into you. He murmured sweet nothings against your lips the whole time, reminding you how beautiful you are. It was truly making love in the best way possible.

“Close, H,” you gasped out after he started rubbing your clit.

“Can tell yeh are. Always know y’ gonna cum when I rub that little clit,” Harry said almost cockily.

But you knew he was right. Harry always knew what made you tick.

“Come with me, darlin,” he told you, his thrusts losing their previous rhythm as he approached his orgasm. 

You couldn’t help but listen as your orgasm stole your breath from you. You could vaguely hear him moaning into your ear as his cum filled the condom stretched around his cock. 

When you came down from your highs, he kissed you sweetly, telling you once again how much he loved you without using his words. 

“Let me get a cloth and clean us up,” Harry said as he pulled out of you and took off and tied off the condom.

“Hurry back,” you replied, “that serial killer documentary is calling our name.”

You heard him laugh as he climbed up the stairs. He returned with a damp washcloth, and the condom had been disposed of. He spread your thighs open and wiped you clean, kissing you as he did so. 

“Gonna run the cloth back upstairs,” he told you.

“Guess I should re-heat the food.”

He chuckled, “Probably. I don’ fancy eatin cold Indian takeaway.”

“Hey,” you said, pointing your finger at him, “cold takeout is delicious.”

“Whatever you say, honey!” he shouted as he went back up the stairs.

You got off of the couch reluctantly and popped your food into the microwave for a few minutes. Harry returned from upstairs and wrapped his arms around your waist, rubbing patterns into your stomach as you waited for your food to reheat. When it was done, you took your plates and sat back down on the couch. Once you set your food down, Harry pulled you into his lap and you resumed the documentary as you ate.

“Didn’t realize how badly we needed this until it happened,” you mentioned.

Harry nodded, “Yeah, it’ll be nice t’ just spend the weekend lazing around the house. I’ll have fun doing anything yeh want, as long as it’s with yeh.”

You smiled, kissing him softly before returning your attention to your documentary. Yeah, you definitely married the right guy.

[undertale-data]

[Image description: An Undertale textbox with the name “Alphys” in the middle, between two of Alphys’s talksprites. The one on the left side is smiling and blushing, the one on the right shows a smile with half open eyes, more confident. End of ID]

2.2% of Undertale fans (57 responders) voted Alphys as their favorite character. Alphys fans find her relatable, though proportionally less so than fans of some other characters like Sans or even Napstablook. Specifically, many responders related to her anxiety and love of anime and/or other nerdy interests. Many also relate to her love for science. And of course, she is relatable as a canonically lgbt+ character. 73.5% of responders said they belong to the lgbt+ community, and the responses about Alphys show how important her sexuality is to them.

An interesting phenomenon is how many responses referred to Alphys as a lesbian. This is technically incorrect, as she is bi, and is canonically seen to have a crush on Asgore before “s-stop[ping] going after furry boss monsters and, uh… just get[ting] to know a really cute fish” [pre-Asriel boss fight, pacifist route]. It is unclear if fans have just forgotten this fact because of the iconic nature of the Alphyne ship, if they never realized it in the first place, if they chose to ignore it, or if they substituted lesbian for the more accurate “wlw.” Some fans also just used the term “gay,” which may or may not be intended as an umbrella term. Regardless, the prevalence of these wordings among fans bears noting.

It is impossible to summarize the fandom’s relationship with Alphys without going into more detail about her relationship with Undyne. The most common description of their romance was “cute.” Some responders had a difficult time choosing their favorite between Undyne and Alphys. It’s notable however that a large proportion of responders did not mention Undyne in their responses, connecting to Alphys alone rather than as one half of a ship. Considering the popularity of Alphyne from the canon ship data (with 61.9% of responders enjoying consuming content for the ship), I had wondered if those who chose Alphys as their favorite would primarily see her as Undyne’s love interest, or as someone to project onto in a relationship with Undyne. As much as I also love Alphyne, knowing that Alphys is appreciated in her own right was very heartwarming to me.

Alphys fans referred often to her character arc. The True Lab sequence resonated with them. One fan even went as far to say it “helped [them] out of a dark place.” Alphys’s strong arc and depth of character may be “underrated and overlooked” according to some, but it is clear that Alphys fans appreciate the major impact that she has on the story of Undertale.

Highlights: (under the cut)

For being a nerdy, lovable character with huge flaws and mistakes shown, Alphys shows that no matter what mistakes you make, you're still loved by several people and there's no reason to give up.

I feel like her character arc is very underrated and overlooked. She inspires me to face my mistakes and become a better person. Also i just like how cute and nerdy she is

I love a gay scientist first of all. Any sci-fi type story set in Undertale has the potential to be funny, extremely depressing, or both, all of which I enjoy. Secondly, I really love fancontent that explores her psyche, the impact/creation of the amalgamates, and her relationships with Undyne and Sans (who is my second favorite character).

Because she’s such a dork, anime nerd and relatable. Plus love her relationship with Undyne, it’s too cute.

[Image description: A wordcloud in the shape of Alphys’s full body sprite. Her body is colored yellow while her dress is red with white dots. Some of the most visible words are: Alphys, Love, Anime, Cute, and Relate, which represent the most common words in the essays people wrote about her. End of ID]

Read the full list of responses shared with permission by clicking this link.