#shopkeep App

[rearranging-deck-chairs]

those thoughts i had abt zephyr and the wanting to live vs wanting to stop fighting and saying "my name is" and your beloved going "i'll tell them your name if you die" got me so bad they overrode my aversion to the idea of marriage and this happened:

[ladytemeraire]

The main thought ringing in my head at the three-quarter mark of Jenny Nicholson's Star Wars Hotel video is how badly Disney missed the mark on not targeting the demographic of LARPers, cosplayers, and RenFest nerds as opposed to... whoever the hell they were actually targeting, with that combination of experience and price point.

Like. Not to further out myself as a massive goddamn dork, but there was a span of nearly ten years where I was going to the Ohio RenFest at least once a season, every season. And even there, the years where I went in some form of costume and played along with the actors as opposed to wearing jeans and a t-shirt, my experience was so much richer. There was such a different level of banter and playfulness and entertainment when I actively leaned into the immersion. I had so much fun interacting with the shopkeeps and cast members as an elf or random Fantasy Medieval Maiden, because they saw the costume and on some level went, "You! You are One Of Us!" and matched that energy, and thus gave me the chance to match it in return.

(One year, early on, when my "costume" was a frilly blouse, leggings, boots, elf ears, and a hastily sewn cloak, I had a random older gentleman run up to our group, press a gold coin into my palms, kiss the back of my hand in a very respectful and courtly manner, and disappear into the crowd. No context, no further story or plot or interaction, but almost fifteen years later I still have that gold coin on a shelf of tchotchkes.)

Watching every time Jenny tried so desperately to lean into the Galactic StarCruiser/overall Star Wars experience, to actively engage with the story and the characters, only to be lowkey ignored or actively rebuffed or scorned, legitimately broke my heart a little. (The bit in the experience finale where she was like "it felt like we were supposed to respond somehow, but I didn't because it was embarrassing, which is its own form of Force torture" was simultaneously hilarious and extremely relatable and incredibly sad.) Setting aside the issues with the app and tech, let alone the refusal to address legitimate complaints until she took to Twitter, not even getting a hint of reciprocal interaction from the actors when your choices supposedly matter in your overall experience would be so incredibly disheartening.

Ohio RenFest tickets were about $20 when I started going in high school, plus whatever food and merchandise you wanted to buy. Nowadays, even with inflation, they're still only $35 for adult tickets, which gets you access to everything, and you can absolutely get a full day's experience out of that with only the additional cost for food and beverages. I cannot fathom spending six thousand fecking dollars for two days ("two dollars per person per minute" will live rent free in my head for a while) on what is supposedly an immersive experience, marketed as living out your Star Wars story, only to get the absolute bare minimum in return. It really feels like such an indicator of how modern-day Disney is willing to cut corners as much as possible while leaning on brand recognition, and especially on nostalgia, in order to milk every last red cent out of their customers, until they run out of both money and goodwill. And that is so, so incredibly sad.

[dreamymagnolia]

⋆˚｡⋆୨✧୧˚ A Broken Brooch ˚୨✧୧⋆｡˚⋆

zayne x fem!reader

Disclaimer: Hi! This is my first time using and posting a fanfic on this app, hopefully you’ll like it! English IS NOT my first language, so feel free to give me a feedback. Enjoy!

you’re in an arranged marriage with Zayne but everything seemed awkward between the two of you, and Zayne was thinking about getting closer to you

Genre: romance, slight angst to fluff

Warning(s): slight suggestive content (nothing too intense), misunderstanding

Word count: 2,5k

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

After a long day of work, Zayne found himself parking his Audi in front of an antique shop, his heart heavy with an unfamiliar hope. He had been thinking about a certain vintage red dress his wife is fond of, and it was no longer on display. It had a dashing crimson color and was made of velvet, you used to stop and marvel at it whenever they passed this shop. It’s not like she asked him to buy it for her—like hell she would, they never had a conversation more than three sentences. An arranged marriage had its limitations, after all.

 “As a man, you must break the ice,” his father’s words continued to echo in his mind. Zayne grunted, he had thought this red dress could be a gesture to elevate their relationship, yet there he was. Deciding whether to purchase the dress for her or not took a considerable amount of time for him. Now that the dress was sold, he stood outside the shop, feeling lost.

Inside, he browsed through the remaining selection of dresses, disappointment creeping in as nothing caught his interest. “I guess, I’ll return home empty-handed then.” He thought, resigned to another monotonous evening between the two of them.

Just then, a woman walked in, her voice cutting through his thoughts. “Excuse me, Mrs. Wilson! Did you sell out the red dress that was on display? I have been saving for it for quite some time now.” 

“Unfortunately, yes, my dear, it was sold just today.” The elderly shopkeeper, a hint of regret in her smile.

The woman sighed, “I guess it wasn’t meant for me after all, my mama always said that I look horrendous in red, I wanted to prove her wrong!”

“Oh, I think you’d look stunning in red!” The clerk encouraged the woman, getting her another red dress. “This one has a different material, but it’s equally beautiful, and it comes with this lovely brooch.”

Zayne’s gaze was drawn to the brooch—it was an elegant shape of lily in gold that shimmered in the shop’s light. “That would suit her well.” He thought to himself, imagining how it would look on you.

“I love the lace,” the woman gasped, her disappointment fading. “But.. I don’t think I can pull off the brooch. Do I really have to buy this along with the brooch?”

“Yes, dear, I’m afraid so,” the clerk replied gently.

Without thinking, Zayne stepped forward. “I’ll take the brooch.” He pulled out a $100 bill and took the brooch swiftly, leaving both the clerk and the woman flabbergasted as he turned and left, the shopkeeper’s shout of “Sir! The brooch only costs $30!” faded behind him. 

As he drove back home, he only thought about one thing, this brooch will ‘break the ice’, determined that tonight would be different than any other night. They were husband and wife after all.

Upon entering the house, he was greeted by the warm aroma of dinner. You sat curled up on the couch, lost in a book. Zayne cleared his throat, anxiety bubbling beneath him.

“Hey.” he ventured, his voice tentative.

“Oh, hey.. you’re home. Welcome back.” you replied, your eyes briefly meeting his eyes before returning to your book.

Zayne nodded, feeling the familiar distance between them. “I made some dinner, your usual. It’s on the table.”  you glanced up at him only momentarily.

“Have you eaten some?” his voice was trembling, he tried his best not to sound nervous.

“No, I’m doing intermittent fasting.” you looked up at him, he could tell that there was a hint of surprise in her tone, Zayne had never shown such curiosity before.

“Right,” he said, walking towards the dining table. The food looked delicious, but it felt overshadowed by their silence.

Then Zayne walked into the bathroom in his room—yes, his room—they had been sleeping in separate beds for almost a month now. After changing into something comfortable, Zayne found himself staring at the brooch he bought earlier in his hand, he sighed as he tucked it in his pocket. As Zayne sat at the dining table, engrossed in his thoughts, he noticed that you were still reading your book in the living room. He leaned back on the chair, his eyes drifting back to his food. But his thoughts were far from the food in front of him. He was frustrated, why wasn’t he more engaging in their previous conversation? You had cooked a delightful dinner for him. He sighed quietly, his eyes fixed on the food, but his mind elsewhere. Zayne continued to eat the food, a silent battle going on in his mind. He knew his father wanted him to be closer to you, and sleeping in the same bed as a spouse was a common step in such scenarios. But before getting into that, he picked the brooch he had in his pocket, he held it up to the light hopefully it will help him to have longer conversations with you.

As you finished your book and walked toward your room, Zayne took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. He had to do this, he reasoned with himself. He couldn’t keep avoiding it forever. After washing the dishes, his mind made up. He headed towards your bedroom, his usual stoic demeanor now tainted with a hint of trepidation. Zayne reached the bedroom door, his hand pausing on the doorknob. He took another deep breath, reminding himself that it was just giving her the brooch, nothing more. With a final mental pep talk, he turned the knob and opened the door, stepping into the room, but froze at the sight before him—you were currently changing, you were wearing your nightgown, the top buttons were still undone, revealing a glimpse of her bare skin. He stood there in the doorway, his breath caught in his throat at the sight.

“Z- Zayne???” you stammered, and quickly fixed the buttons, your face flushing.

Zayne snapped out of his surprised daze as he heard you call his name. He quickly looked away, a hint of red tint on his cheeks.

“S- Sorry,” He muttered, clearing his throat. “I didn’t mean to—” He trailed off, still a bit flustered.

“Do you need something?” you asked, attempting to sound casual but failing to mask your surprise.

Zayne cleared his throat once again, regaining his composure. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, his mind still a bit distracted by the sight he had just seen. “I was thinking.. I think it’s best for us to sleep in the same bed.” He blurted out. Wait, that wasn’t the plan— He thought to himself. Your eyes widened slightly at his suggestion, lips parting in surprise. It was too late for him to explain, she looked like she was thinking about it. He didn’t know what to expect – would you agree, or would you reject his idea?

“Sure.” you said slowly, catching him off guard.

Zayne was slightly taken aback by your unexpected agreement. He had mentally prepared himself for a possible rejection, but here you were, agreeing to his request. He let out a small sigh of relief, his tense shoulder relaxing a bit, but he wished that it could be more genuine.

“Okay.” His voice was a bit softer than usual. “I was thinking we could try it tonight.”

“Tonight?” you asked, your eyes widened in surprise and uncertainty.

Zayne nodded, “Yes, tonight.” His voice was firm and steady, despite the racing of his heart.

He took a step closer, his gaze fixed on you, and Zayne noticed the faint blush creeping across her cheeks. “I thought it might be.. nice, to sleep in the same bed and get closer, is that okay?” He explained, his cheeks slightly flushed. It was a rare moment of vulnerability for them, and he felt something stir in his chest—a flutter of hope.

You nodded slightly and hummed, “Okay..”

“I’m going to get ready for bed then..” He said, gesturing towards the bathroom, you nodded, a shy smile forming on your lips.

 In that moment, Zayne felt a flicker of something between them—a possibility, a chance for connection. With the brooch still in his pocket, he realized that breaking the ice might just lead to something beautiful.

 Inside the bathroom, Zayne brushed his teeth hastily, it didn’t go as he planned, yet he liked it?  He was feeling both anxious and confident. After finishing up in the bathroom, he splashed some cold water on his face, trying to cool down his flushed cheeks. On the other hand, you slumped onto the edge of the bed. Reconciling what just happened, you took a deep breath and instinctively grabbed your perfume and sprayed it on yourself. No, you weren’t trying to impress him tonight, it was just another part of your night routine, right? 

 Zayne opened the bathroom door, and your gaze instinctively drew to him. He took a better sight of you in your nightgown, it immediately made his heart rate quicken. You noticed that he was checking you out, you cleared your throat to mask your nervousness. He swallowed hard, taking in the sight of you sitting on the edge of the bed.

He took a step closer. “Ready for bed?” 

You nodded. Zayne felt a strange feeling wash over him as he got closer to you. The soft fabric of your nightgown and the intoxicating jasmine scent from your perfume wrapped around him like a warm embrace. He stopped right in front of you, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked down at you, mesmerized by the way your eyes glistened in the dim light. He hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words, but they eluded him, tangled up in the electric air between you. You held his gaze, the air thickened in tension, you felt a mixture of excitement and fear swirl within you. You felt a hint of vulnerability in his eyes, and it pulled you in, inviting you to step into the unknown, you never thought that gazing up to his eyes this long could be this dangerous.

“Do you ever wonder how beautiful you look?” he murmured, his voice was low and hesitant, sending a shiver down your spine. The compliment hung in the air as your mouth was unable to form a word, feeling the tons of butterflies inside you.

Zayne leaned in, closing the distance, his breath warm against your skin. “Can I kiss you?”  he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, almost like a plea, filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty. You felt the world around you faded, all that mattered was him and the possibility ahead. You instinctively nodded slightly at his plea. 

Zayne’s gaze deepened with a mixture of desire and anticipation as you agreed to his request. He didn’t waste a moment, closing the small distance between you and pressing his lips against yours. The feeling was soft yet passionate, he didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, his hand slowly going on the back of your head to pull you closer. You put your hands on his chest, one hand sliding gracefully behind his neck. Your mind was fogged, instantly blurring the reality of arranged marriage. Zayne cursed himself internally, how could he have ignored your alluring beauty for so long? 

As the kiss deepened, Zayne’s snaked his hand around your waist, their body moved in sync, making you lay on the bed. Suddenly, a loud clunk echoed on the floor, startling them both, causing them to pull away. It was the brooch, slipping off his pocket. He looked at you in panic, while you gave him a perplexed look. He withdrew from you and picked up the brooch from the floor, letting a heavy sighed in disappointment.

“Is everything okay?” you asked, concerns creeping your voice. You sat on the bed and your gaze wandered at the glimmering thing on his hand, “What is that?”

He held out a delicate lily-shaped brooch in gold, and sat beside you, but you noticed that one of its petals was slightly loose and scratched. 

“It was meant for you, I intended to give you this.. I thought it would suit you perfectly, but now it’s ruined.” his voice was laced with a sense of resignation.

“Did you buy it from the antique shop nearby?” you recognized the brooch,

“How did you know?” 

You chuckled softly. “I just bought a dress from them today, and I saw this brooch clutched on another dress.”

“A dress? Was it the red velvet one?” 

“Yes.. How did you know?”

He sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry.. (Y/N).”  he rubbed his jaw, “I was about to buy you that dress so we can get closer, and the fact that it was sold today.. I had to think of another option, so I bought this brooch. Looks like you were one step ahead of me after all.” he confessed, caressing your cheek gently.

Your eyes widened slightly, “But..” you muttered.

“But?”

“I thought you didn’t like me,” you admitted.

 Zayne’s brow furrowed in disbelief “Whatever gave you that idea?” he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“Because we’re in an arranged marriage..” you replied, your voice tinged with vulnerability.

“Yes, we’re in an arranged marriage,” he said, his tone a bit softer now. “But I don’t see the reason not to like you, and I’m not the type to lie. I do like you.” 

“Since when?” you asked, a hint of hope in your voice making your heart race.

“It was gradual, I’ve been noticing you for longer than I care to admit, even way before the wedding.”

“I never noticed it before, why didn’t you ever say anything? ” 

“I didn’t want you to notice, I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same, and it might make things awkward between us. I’m sorry.” he admitted, a faint smile of remorse forming on his lips.

“Nonsense, I would love to see it more.. I liked you from the beginning, but you always seemed so distant and cold, so I assumed you didn’t like me.” you brushed your fingers against his cheek gently. Zayne leaned in to your touch, closing his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feel of your touch. 

“You.. liked me from the beginning?” 

You nodded. 

“I’m such a fool,” he grunted. He couldn’t believe he had been oblivious to your feelings for so long.

“It’s fine, it’s an arrangement after all.”  Zayne shook his head slightly, his gaze meeting you again.

“No, it’s not fine,” he said firmly, closing the distance, his hands resting on your hips, he continued, “It feels like a waste to let these feelings go unacknowledged.” he rested his head on your shoulder.

“What do you mean?” 

Zayne exhaled, locking your gaze, gently pulling you closer. “If I had noticed your feelings sooner, we could have had a genuine relationship, not an arranged one, but looks like.. we can start over?” he smiled genuinely. 

You felt warmth bloom in your chest as you chuckled and nodded, “Yes,” you pecked his cheek, “I would like that.” Zayne felt his heart flutter, “You’re making this easy for me,” he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of relief and affection as he leaned for another kiss, but before he could close the distance, he added, “Your cooking was amazing,” you giggled in his embrace.

݁

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[helpimstuckposting]

The Category System in TMA

I want to preface by saying this isn’t my theory but I cannot for the life of me find the original post, if anyone knows what post I’m talking about please PLEASE tell me, it’s driving me insane

The theory I saw (a while ago, maybe around episode 10?) proposed that categories 1, 2, and 3 all represent nouns. Person (1), Place (2), and Thing (3)

I’m genuinely shocked this hasn’t gained more traction because I’ve yet to disprove this and every single episode just keeps working with this theory, so I wanted to list out every episode as further proof

Episode 1

CAT1RBC5257-12052022-09012024 Reanimation (Partial) -/- Regret [Email]

CAT23RAB2155-10042022-09012024 Transformation (eyes) -/- Trespass [chat log]

Cat1 (person) - reanimated corpse, though I think the focus is more about the person they paid to bring their husband back, which implies there some mystery guy out there with this ability

Cat23 (place, thing) - the magnus institute, and the box with runes that red canary stole

Episode 2

CAT3RBC1567-23092022-18012024 Transformation (full) -/- dysmorphic [video call]

Cat3 (thing) - the tattoo from ink5oul is the main focus, though other ink5oul episodes are focused on them and use cat1 (which has confused people, but this theory explains that imo)

Episode 3

CAT2C8175-03042009-22012024 Infection (full body) -/- arboreal [journal entry]

Cat2 (place) - the garden is what started changing the man making the statement (also seemed to exist as its own entity outside the regular flow of time)

Episode 4

CAT3C7494-19111831-29012024 Collection (blood) -/- musical [letter]

Cat3 (thing) - the violin (the power of the violin still remains even if the object itself changes hands, which means the power lies with the violin and not the people controlling it)

Episode 5

CAT2RB2377-10012023-05022024 Disappearance (undetermined) -/- Invitation [internet blog]

Cat2 (place) - the movie theater (or wherever the movie itself is being played, I assume the statement giver did not make it out of that location)

Episode 6

CAT1RB4824-09022024-12022024 Injury (needles) -/- intimidation [999 call]

Cat1 (person) - Needles

Episode 7

CAT2RC3338-03022016-12022024 Agglomeration (miscellany) -/- congregation [email]

Cat2 (place) - Hilltop Center, Oxford (By episode 20, Oxford has been mentioned multiple times, which is why I think the location is significant here)

Episode 8

CAT2RBC3366-12072023-28022024 Architecture (liminal) -/- hunger [coursework]

Cat2 (place) - the liminal space of Forton Service Station

Episode 9

CAT3RB3354-14101998-08032024 Dice (bone) --/-- fate [Magnus Statement]

Cat3 (thing) - the dice (again, the power of the dice remains the same, even when the dice themselves change hands)

Episode 10

CAT1RB2275-06082021-09032024 Mascot (kids) -/- murder [TV interview]

Cat1 (person) - Mr Bonzo, Nigel Dickerson

Episode 11

CAT23RC5246-06012020-11032024 Tattoo (corpse) -/- compulsion [email exchange]

Cat23 (place, thing) - Padstow civil cemetery, tattoo (the reason I believe this isn't a Cat1 despite it being ink5oul is because we know from episode 20 that the tattoos themselves had special powers, regardless of ink5oul and that ink5oul only started getting their powers after they continuously used the pre-existing designs - this is new information that imo further confirms this theory rather than debunking it)

Episode 12

CAT1RB4728-09032024-13032024 Mascot (kids) -/- frenzy [insurance claim]

Cat1 (person) - Mr Bonzo

Episode 13

CAT3RB4622-17092023-14032024 Gambling (application) -/- self-destruction [voicemail]

Cat3 (thing) - the Zorrotrade investment app

Episode 14

CAT1RB4426-01081995-15032024 Transformation (snake) -/- horde

Cat1 (person) - shop keeper that burst into snakes (the investigator describes no other infestation, and only mentions one hole and one possible squirrel, while the shopkeeper causes all other chaos. We also know that the shopkeeper was being considered by the Magnus Institute before being rejected, like Sam, making this shopkeeper a relatively important person)

Episode 15

CAT1RB6451-22062023-22032024 Hunt (aristocratic) -/- compulsion

Cat1 (person) - Lady Mowbray

Episode 16

CAT1RB1565-30102023-25032024 Tattoo (influencer) -/- cardiac

Cat1 (person) - ink5oul (this one was specifically about ink5oul, rather than the main focus being the tattoo itself)

Episode 17

CAT2RC1147-30111997-04042024 Doppelganger (interdimensional) -/- murder

Cat2 (place) - this one people keep focusing on categorizing the doppelganger, but I think the key focus of the episode is actually the Magnus Institute – Oxford Outreach Centre (another instance of Oxford, another connection to Ep7)

Episode 18

CAT1RC2374-20032024-10042024 Memory (derelict) -/- compulsion

Cat1 (person) - Violet Parker, talking corpse; [ERROR]

Episode 19

CAT13RBC1137-21031684-11042024 Transformation (canine) -/- growth (Crystalline)

Cat13 (person, thing) - Isaac Newton, Diana’s Tree

Episode 20

CAT1RAB2534-12042024-12042024 Transformation (tattoo) -/- Social Media (influencer)

Cat1 (person) - ink5oul (very clearly, this episode is about ink5oul and not about any of their tattoos, though they were in the middle of tattooing a corpse. I think the tattoo is irrelevant to this incident, which is why it's only a 1 and not a 13)

Episode 21

CAT2RBC4254-04011998-12042024 Architecture (landmark) -/- corruption (entropy)

Cat2 (place) - Millennium Dome (also happens to be The Magnus Institute, but I think the main focus is obviously the dome)

I think the *only* one that could be argued as not really fitting is MAGP5 - since you could argue the movie is a thing, and it’s not really the theater as the place, but compared to the odds of other theories that have way more holes this one is so spot on imo

This is the theory I’ve been comparing the categories to every single episode and I haven’t found anything to significantly disprove it, so I just wanted to highlight it one more time in case others haven’t seen it!

[twewynews]

In Solo and Live Remix, Coco had her own shop by the name of "Coco's Secret Reaper Shop"! On iOS and Android it had in-app purchases with real-life currency. Though unlike other shopkeepers, she did not have a Friendship Gauge.

In Live Remix, Coco not only ran a shop, but also acted as a guide to the game!

[faceeeeee]

Geometry dash lore interpretation post

I think it's about time that I spread the lore and concepts that I modified for geometry dash because I'm really invested in the game (gameplay wise and lore wise) so here is the summary (warning: it is LONG):

The geometry dash app or game or whatever you'd like to call it is an actual facility in the middle of nowhere. If you go outside you will literally see thousands of miles of absolute darkness and the only light comes from the facility itself. Now if you enter you will find yourself in the menu where you can go to the official levels made by rubrub himself or head to the custom level section.

The darker areas signify how deep below ground the rooms are. There are also some hidden passageways that connect some places like the passageway that connects the shopkeepers shop with scratch's shop.

And I'd like to clarify that I interpret the levels as portals that the players can jump into (as well as the other characters but they aren't exactly supposed to do that...)

This is the same map but I put the in game screenshots to better understand what I mean.

Anyways now onto the characters:

(I don't have any high quality pictures of this guy, so sorry bout that.) He's the player (based off the default cube that you start off when you first boot the game). He's mostly silent and is the source of this conundrum. He represents the regular player's action: going into the levels, buying stuff from the shop and freeing those who shouldn't be freed. There are other cubes/players of course but they are usually doing what they are supposed to do and they stay out of trouble (unlike this miscreant).

We've also got the shopkeepers. The original three are the shopkeeper, Scratch and Potbor: The shopkeeper is just your regular guy just trying to make a living wage; Potbor is a special security droid that acts as surveillance but is disguised as a shopkeeper (he hasn't got a clue of what he's doing) and is rubrubs dear and precious child robot; Scratch is another robot that was thrown away and forgotten about due to his design being flawed (he is a draft design, so to speak), so he found an old abandoned shop left by another shopkeeper and is currently in hiding whilst selling whatever he can find in the trash bins.

Then there are the other new shop owners. The mechanic is the same species as the shopkeeper but due to an incident he has built and installed implants for himself and has now become a cyborg. He is also responsible for creating scratch, Potbor and the diamond shopkeeper. The diamond shopkeeper is just another regular robot shopkeeper that relies on the diamond plastered in his chest to be up and running. Without it, he is good as dead.

And as for their dynamics....

The shopkeeper and scratch are good buddies and they help each other out. And by help each other out I mean the shopkeeper is constantly panicking and saving scratch's ass from being caught.

Potbor is not aware of scratch's existence but if the two were to meet Potbor would neutralise him on the spot.

The mechanic is aware of scratch's existence (obviously) and constantly regrets not killing him when he had the chance so now he has to deal with him trying to get past his security.

And the diamond shopkeeper is...strange. He isn't the brightest tool in the shed but he makes up for it by being the mechanics bodyguard.

Enough shopkeeper stuff, let's move onto the guardians:

Glubfub or the "Key master" is the giant hulk-like beast that is in charge keeping the "demon guarding" locked up (I will bring him up later) and is the guarding of the vault of secrets.

Spooky or "the Guard" is the Tumblr sexyman and is in charge of... something. Rubrub makes him believe that he has the most important job of all and he takes it to heart. Unlike the other guardians he takes his position as a guardian very seriously (that's why he wears the suit but he doesn't really need it) and is rubrub's #1 fan.

The Gatekeeper is the oldest of the guardians and is the closest one to rubrub. Whilst everyone sees lord rubrub as this omnipotent god (which he kinda is) the Gatekeeper (or the old man as I like to call him) sees him as a coworker and is not afraid to tell things straight to his face. He also guards something (not sure what) as well as the key which unlocks one of the demon guardians locks.

And last but not least you've got rubrub himself and the demon guardian. If you know the Og geometry dash lore there's no need for an introduction. Lord Robtop or Rubrub is the boss of the facility and rarely appears within it's walls, opting to rest in his own private chambers. His mortal form is literally just a cube so he had the mechanic build him a robot body (I know he looks like Steve jobs I tell myself that every day).

The demon guardian was originally just a guardian like the others but decided that he was done with idolising and worshipping rubrub and went rogue. Obviously rubrub wasn't having any of that so he attempted to delete him. That failed and now he is this unstoppable beast that can shape shift into anyone (with some limitations) and wants to destroy the facility and escape the void. Robtop stopped him, however, and locked him away in the basement for god knows how long...till the player arrived.

And ONE LAST THING! If you're as obsessed as me you might notice a certain pattern appearing in some of the designs

Well this symbol is a sign of one's devotion for rubrub and almost every single character that is not being hunted down has it. For example: the Gatekeeper has it tattooed in his tongue, Spooky has it in his chest, and the demon guardian has it tattooed in the back of his head but scratched it of with his claws so now he has a scar.

[prototypesteve]

“One of the Good Ones.”

1) Reinstalls [Social Media App] to check and see how my evangelical friends are doing.

2) Full on Canadian MAGA. A marching band of dog-whistles.

3) Uninstalls.

It’s doubly disappointing because they were super-accepting of my asexuality. But now I’m forced to ask whether that was because even though I explained it’s not at all like pious celibacy, I think they decided to misinterpret asexuality as chaste antisexuality.

There’s this weird side of racism, where racists will “accept” certain subsets of select minorities, because they see some “redeeming quality” in them. People in those accepted groups get the special label, “one of the good ones.” A Japanese shopkeeper who knows his place, a Jewish tailor who stays in their lane and doesn’t make waves. The funny Central American who plays that song we like.

It’s vile, because central to the “one of the good ones” practice (whether it’s racial or something else) is the presumption that there’s a cultural group at the top who get to say who’s included and who’s excluded from society. The top group is always in, and the people they deem “the good ones” are also in, the bad ones are locked out, overpoliced, underbanked, redlined out of real-estate, and worse.

If asexuality is being fetishized as “the good kind of queer” by straight evangelicals who think they get to say who’s included and who’s excluded from society—and I kind of think it is—then I’m going to have some fun ruining that for them.

More later.

[ignitefever]

🗲 — beat of the city. (app)

Click. Click. Click.

Her heels tap rhythmically as she walks through cobblestone streets, tram cars grinding along the rails, the roaring engines of passing cars, shopkeepers ringing their bells to attract customers…

It was the heartbeat of the city. A performance all its own.

“ ♪ …Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh… ♪ ”

Serval takes in each sound, each sensation, using the noise of the city and tapping of her heels to form the foundation of a beat. Mechanical Fever had been doing well enough with their shows, but the fans would get tired of the same ol’ eventually, and what rock band would they be if they didn’t flip the script every now and then?

Her walk has become a jaunty little sway as she approaches the door to her shop, humming as she takes out the key and slots it into the door. A lot of places around Belobog had begun to turn to more advanced security systems, but as seen with her taste in ‘prehistoric’ music styles, Serval had an appreciation for the classics.

A slot, twist, and a click, and she’s inside.

She picks up the mail she’d grabbed this morning, left on the counter just before she went out to do errands. Whistling, she flips through envelopes and vehicle catalogues, subscriptions to engineering and fashion magazines, only to stop when she spots a certain name.

Landau.

…Probably from Mom.

She sets the letter down, deciding she didn’t have the energy to think about family right now. Well. Former family, if her dad had anything to say about it. Serval—eldest daughter of the Landaus. Smartest in the Silvermane Guards. A once-in-a-generation genius.

Cast out like yesterday’s trash, by both friend and family. 

As if she hadn’t spent the better part of her life working to please a father with high standards, supporting her best friend as she faced the crushing pressure of becoming Belobog’s guardian, or studying the Stellaron, so that they might understand a piece of the world beyond the endless blizzards and tundras…

That they might learn where the monsters and the Fragmentum came from, or a way to end the Freeze; save Belobog and the whole damned world, even—

"Take responsibility for your choices and the people of Belobog..."

And that’s what she had done, wasn’t it? Ticked off all the boxes. Excelled in her schooling, researched the topics that made her heart sing; working her butt off and piling up accolades and credentials, serving the city and continuing the Landau’s longstanding tradition of dignity and esteem.

Yet it got her nothing but an abrupt discharge from the army, an unrecognizable best friend that wanted nothing to do with her anymore, and a father so ashamed of her he didn’t even want her to claim her own family name.

So! She wouldn’t claim it.

She takes a seat at the front counter. She’d given Molly the day off from the workshop, Lynxy was out on an expedition, and both Pela and Geppie were busy with Silvermane Guard business, which gave her the perfect window to work on a few personal projects.

Like… restoring this old relic of a stopwatch she found.

She sets the machine out on her desk, and before opening it, catches her own reflection on the surface. Huh. She looked pretty good today. Makeup hid the bags under her eyes, though her hair was left a little tousled from the wind gusts outside…

“Agh.” The maid groans, “Lady Serval, your hair is COVERED in soot and snow! Were you playing around outside again? You know how the lord and madam hate it when you muss up your hair…”

Pure locks of gold. Perfect and pristine. A lauded Landau trait… until it wasn’t. Humming, Serval brushes her hair behind her ear and opens the watch to a series of gears. The thing about being ousted from an esteemed family was that you didn’t have to follow little things like tradition anymore. 

Streaks of blue through the gold, brightly dyed tips… she’d always wanted to color her hair, just like the rock n’ rollers of old. Plus, there was a new glowing dip dye she was experimenting with…

Click. Click. Click.

Heels click with strong, purposeful strides. The halls of Qlipoth Fort were always noisy when Serval was around. 

In her school days, it was all the commotion from her band performances with Dunn, and the growing hordes of fans amongst their classmates. Now, it was the respect she amassed as a researcher in the Architects, soldiers and scientists all buzzing about with rumors—a new lead researcher was about to be elected for a big project, and Miss Serval Landau was a shoe-in for the position.

Because of course she was. What Landau wasn’t made for excellence?

Yet Cocolia still shut down her lab, accused her of insanity, and threw her away. For nothing. Their friendship, her achievements. Her dreams, aspirations, her life… and dad? The family elders? Pheeeew, they were having none of that. No disgraces allowed!

And fine, great. Less pressure for her. 

…Except they put it all on poor Geppie instead.

Click. Cli—

“Agh, darn. Looks like this gear’s jammed. Let’s see…”

But she made it through. Landaus were all about resilience and endurance, after all. Stubbornness, too. Even if those first few years after losing her job and leaving the family had been hell. 

The family had taken her money and support, so she clung to what she had: technology. Machines. Her brain. Things malfunctioned and broke everyday, and people needed someone to fix them.

Cocolia had completely trashed her reputation and career prospects, so she channeled her rage the best way she knew how—rock music.

It was how she vented back in the academy, taking out the frustrations of studies and her family with a good, cathartic jam session. 

And even now, her band attracted new and younger fans, lost kids seeking to find an outlet for the awkward and difficult feelings they were growing up with. Drama with love, peers, and family. The growing threat of the Fragmentum, and the bleak future that waited outside of Belobog’s walls.

The music helped them, like it helped her. The machines she tinkered with may not have been new, state-of-the-art technologies, but it felt good to see the smile on someone’s face when their heater got patched up, or the excitement in someone’s eyes when they got a new mod on their car installed.

Sure, she may not have been the Serval Landau. Not the Architect or prodigal daughter. But Serval Landau, the rock musician? The mechanic? She was making a difference, and that was just as good. Better, even.

There was still a place for her in the world. Helping little Bronya, forcing Geppie to chill out, making sure Lynxy and Pela didn’t get into too much trouble. Repairing machines, studying new intergalactic technologies, and coming up with ways to make life easier in both the Overworld and Underworld. 

There was a time when everything felt dark. When she wanted to run from her anger and grief, from a life that felt empty. 

But now, it’s different. Brighter, a little more hopeful. Not so bad.

A little more tinkering, and the gear unjams, Serval hums to herself as it begins to turn again, filling the silence with a steady, rhythmic—

Click. Click. Click.

Hm. She had the time. Maybe she’d read Mom’s letter, after all. Start writing that new song for Mechanical Fever’s next show, too.

[sincerely-sofie]

i absolutely adore your design for gaia and i cannot say it enough that it was the best thing to wake up to in the morning.. her having hand marks after getting a wee bit too careless with hyper beam after protecting erida and her having eyelash-like markings is just.. so good. no wonder erida fell for that clay dummy. also gaia coating herself with her psychic powers to prevent water from melting her while erida just goes 👍 while getting soaked is the funniest thing ever. honestly i think gaia would insist on covering her instead but erida's ass would just be like "it's just rain water, dear. im okay." and gaia still does that because like Hell shes gonna let erida get sick because shes too stubborn to accept help. my two beautiful beautiful daughters and whatever the hell it is that goes on in their marriage.

(referencing this)

I'm so glad you liked the post!! I was really nervous about taking liberties with Gaia's design and actually kept your introduction post open on the screen beside my art app as I drew them— I was pretty much reciting in my head what you had said in the tags on it about people going wild with their designs and to draw them with scars and stuff all throughout the drawing process ^^;

New joke concept that's likely horribly OOC but still: Gaia blinks at a shopkeeper she's haggling with over prices in a very weird manner. The shopkeeper asks her what the heck the face she's making is for. Gaia responds that no one can resist her charm and that she's batting her lashes at the shopkeeper. Erida has her face in her hands in the background, exhausted, and reminds Gaia that her eyelashes are markings on her body and aren't attached to her actual eyes— she can't bat them charmingly at someone— to which Gaia kinda just goes "Oh. Aw, nuts" as the shopkeeper kicks them out.

[bonedev]

About Momentary x Kiss

What is Momentary x Kiss?--Momentary x Kiss is a dating sim where you date the Gorillaz characters, the fictional members of the British cartoon band.

Basic Information about MxK:

2D, Murdoc, Noodle & Russel will be the 4 characters you can choose from.

This will NOT be a hentai/porn game, there will be partial nudity/implied nudity, but NO SEX SCENES/CUTSCENES.

Just for safety, I will put a +18 warning in the game. Sorry, but if you know Gorillaz-- their art & animation isn't exactly for kids, even though they do have a loyal underage audience. Also, there will be a lot of swearing & alcohol in the game.

Your character wins a sweepstakes to spend 6 weeks with a character of their choice. Once you win, you will go on a date ( if you want to go, that is) with the character every Saturday.

The rest of the week, you can text the characters, talk to Bonesy, work/spend money at a gift shop, Go to the mall, restaurant, beach, carnival, movie theater & bar.

At the end of every date, there will be a 5 question quiz. The more you get right--the higher your relationship gauge will go! You have the chance to earn extra points if you answer a personal bonus question right! These questions will be about the characters themselves, so be sure to pay attention when talking to them!

Bonesy (the official mascot of Gorillaz), can give you hints twice a day if you talk to him through your phone. He talks in riddles, so really think about what he's trying to say. He'll only give hints about the character you're romancing.

A familiar shopkeeper can offer you a job at their gift shop if you're low on money. You can also sell items to them for extra cash.

Don't worry about a time limit, you can decline a date on Saturday & choose to get to know the characters first if you want to earn higher scores on the quizzes.

The game's ending will NOT happen until you've been to all 6 date locations & completed the quizzes. But, once you start a date-- you CAN'T LEAVE.

Your phone has 5 apps on it: texting, money app, calendar app, notepad app & Bonesy app. Text the characters in your spare time, check your bank account, check the date, & keep track of the information you learn of the characters through your notepad.

You can't use your phone once you're on a date (that's just rude), so spare some time to memorize the things the characters tell you & what you learn through Bonesy. The info may pop up on a quiz!

You can go to the date locations by yourself, if you choose to, & buy things the characters may like: food, knick-knacks, clothes, alcohol, CDs, & many others things to boost your relationship. Be careful! Giving them something they don't like will drop your relationship.

Also, be mindful of how you respond, too. The Gorillaz members are very passionate about their views on certain things like music, certain causes, views on family or their personal interests. How you respond could affect their view on you!

The game will have 3 endings: a Bad, Neutral & Great ending. You will either be rejected, put in the friend-zone....OOORRRR....? Become more than friends?

You can unlock wallpapers for each date location & the activities you can do there.

That's all I'll say for now! Buh-bye!!

XOXO

--BoneDev

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

Hullo.

I am Asking about Kafka. You are now compelled to tell me about your OC. I need to know.

JUMPING AROUND THE ROOM OKAY OKAY!!!!

I had to pace around this ask made me very excited.

Please have a Bonus Kafka while I try to explain him, or at least summarise him.

One of the most key things with him is his name, as though he’s changed a lot over the year or so I’ve had him, one thing has remained, and that’s the fact his story is loosely based on/inspired by Kafka’s metamorphosis, though in a more metaphoric sense. The name was initially a place holder I think, as a nod to his inspiration, but I ended up liking it, so it stuck!

To summarise the general information on him though:

He and his sister grew up in the coastal town of Willowby after their parent’s death in a car crash. They were taken in by their grandparents, neither of whom were keen on raising children again, though they did try, to a degree, but the disdain became evident as the two grew older, and they were left to their own devices more and more with age. Kafka ended up taking on a lot of responsibilities for his sister, and argues that he practically raised her.

With the recent death of their grandmother, and their grandfather having died a few years prior, Kafka has become the sole caretaker of his sister, but, for all his insistence it was he who raised her, he doesn’t actually believe himself cut out for the role. He struggles a lot with his own mental health, particularly an intense paranoia, and fears that his tendency to act on that will impact Unmei and her life more now that he’s meant to be the one looking out for her completely. He doesn’t think he’s enough, and unintentionally pushes her a way because of this, believing she’d be better off with the guidance of his friends or the shopkeeper — Stanley — who they’ve known since childhood and who’s taken on a fairly active role in their lives.

(He doesn’t realise he’s triggering her own fears or abandonment and being left behind).

In terms of the main story, Kafka is the first character to be targeted by a group of ‘spirits’, or, one of the spirits in said group. He ends up encountering her on their sixth investigation. Up until now, most of their ghostly endeavours have been more amusing, a bit of a laugh between friends, but this one is painfully real, and it becomes harder for Kafka to deny that. They’re in an old lighthouse when he sees Unmei run outside after something, and being as it’s beginning to storm, Kafka panics and chases after her. He can barely see between the rain and the late hour, and ends up in a field he does not recognise.

That’s where he meets her.

It’s a girl — eight or nine maybe — donning a mask that resembles some sort of grinning cat. She puts her finger to her mouth, as if to shush him, and he opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by Unmei barrelling into him, calling his name in distress.

They return back to the lighthouse together, and the ghost hunt is called off early after the others see the state of them. Kafka tries to confront Unmei about why she ran off, but she refuses to say anything, and he’s left more worried and scared than ever.

Then, the haunting starts, and everything gets worse for him. Sometimes you’re just tormented by a girl that may or may not be dead and you just have to go to band practice anyway and pretend you’re normal. He isn’t even sure if what he’s seeing and experiencing is real for a while, and even when he’s sure it might be, there’s always that little bit of doubt in his own sanity, something Cheshire uses against him. It’s also why he elects not to tell anyone that a spirit may have latched onto him from the lighthouse, because what if it’s all in his head? (It doesn’t make it any less terrifying Kafka please tell someone—)

There’s also like a whole thing with Kafka and cannibalism but don’t think too hard on that right now.

Horrors aside, please have some Kafka from my notes app because I was bored in college today and had no signal or WiFi.

It should be noted he’s typically a lot sweeter and more nervous than this when talking to people. It’s just around his sister that he acts louder and sounds meaner. The Cain instinct gets activated and it’s free real estate from then on.

They love each other really.

I’ll stop myself now otherwise I will just go on an essay about him.

I’m also being a little careful I think because Kafka’s story does touch on a lot of mental health related stuff and fears and I’m not sure how to give content warnings for that yet!

[your-talos-is-problematic]

For the First Time In Forever, WIP Wednesday!!

I am being brave and starting it myself today 😟. I know I haven’t contributed in a long time, but I think I’m now at a moment where life has calmed down enough for me to want to write again. Until auditions, but that’s another whole can of worms. Tagging @skyrim-forever @trickstarbrave @throughtrialbyfire @friend-of-giants and anyone who sees this and wants to join!

No TES stuff rn but I do have some Baldur’s Gate writing! I actually finally got myself to write again because I had this whole scene out in my mind and told myself to just write it down before I forgot it. Being able to share the work in progress here was actually a big motivator too!

So, without further ado, here’s a scene that hasn’t happened yet in my playthrough, but oh well. Narrator is my Tav, Tilia- helpful information is that she’s a tiefling draconic soul sorcerer. Also there’s italics on her inner thoughts but those don’t copy-paste between notes app and tumblr properly.

I pushed open the door, stepped in, and stood waiting, silently, for the aging halfling shopkeeper to notice me.

After a few seconds, he looked up, his lightless eyes not making contact with mine, but drawing upwards to my horns. After a short sigh, he explained, “We don’t serve tieflings here,” in the cadence of a line he had said more times than he had the right to.

That’s to be expected. I responded with a smile. “Even me?”

Confusion and annoyance crossed his brow. “I don’t know who you are, girl, but I don’t need to. Devil-spawn aren’t-“

“Aren’t welcome? The number of times I’ve heard that. Tragically,” I said, realizing too late that he wouldn’t get the joke, “it’s exactly what I expected to hear from my own grandfather.”

There was a long, empty silence in the room after that. I eventually disrupted it by hopping up onto a table and curling my tail onto my knees, turning to watch the recognition dawning on his face.

He moved away from the counter to stand closer, still leaving me a wide berth, then brought his eyes up to mine. “You’re leaving. Now. GUARDS!” The two people, both armed and armored, who had been watching anxiously by the door, began to move towards me. It’s a good thing I’d thought of this- coming here alone was risky, so I’d remembered to keep a few spells on hand.

I pressed my fingertips together, pointing my hands in the direction of the two people but not releasing them. All three sets of eyes were trained on the tendrils of poisonous Weave held in my palms. Cloudkill was a bit strong of a choice, but for the sake of my pride, my mother’s heart, and my father’s nerves, I needed this to go correctly.

“It’s not very nice to attack your granddaughter. Now, can I continue my story, please?”Taking his [empty/fearful/annoyed? gaze] as a yes, I continued on, in my best impression of a bard.

“Yes! The little Zariel tiefling baby belonging to you, my good sir, miraculously managed to survive its abandonment. In fact, she- yes, your child is a she, even though you never knew her long enough to find out, lived long enough in Reithwin to meet a man. A tiefling man, no less, coming from a long line of people proud to be tieflings. She swept him off of his feet and they left for Elturel together.” I took a strategic breath, giving him time to recall the fate of that city- my best bet is that the high classes of Baldur’s Gate don’t think about what happened to us all that often. “Before everything went down with Avernus- she survived, no worries- they had a daughter.” Another pause- this time to let my green, scaly wings materialize and unfold. I slid my eyes away from the rest of the room and directly to his own. “A daughter born with the dragonblood that, as far as I know, comes from your side of the family! Isn’t that unbelievable?”

He’d been glued to my words since I brought out the wings, so I slid down from the table, landing face-to-face with him, and let the magic from the Cloudkill flow back into me. Up close, I could notice more details about him- he was definitely the right age to be my grandfather. More notably, there was a resemblance between us- the curly hair, and the nose shape that betrayed me as a descendant of halflings.

“What do you want, little girl?” His tone was exhausted, intentionally- he was deflecting. Nobody wants to hear about the child they abandoned, I suppose.

“I’m [23?]. And I want everything you know about the dragonblood. Then you never have to see me or my family again.”

“Fine. One of the sorcerers in the family wrote a book about it, I think. I’ll look for it.” He turned away, taking a few steps in the direction of the stairs.

“And I want a letter of apology to my mom, written and signed in your hand.”

His head snapped back in my direction, indignation on his face. “No.”

“Yes,” I said, with my best threatening smile. Last resort- Thamaturgy. I let lighting gently crackle across my horns and arms.

“My daughter doesn’t want to hear from me,” he responded.

“You haven’t seen your daughter since she was a day old and you left her in Reithwin. Don’t tell me what she’d want.” I knew this part was going to be hard, but I care about my mother.

[shit happens idk]

“Mhm. I’ll take those books. And I’ll be back tomorrow morning for the letter.” I turned

“Wait a second, girl.”

I turned. Come on. This was going exactly like I wanted it to. With a hint of anxiety in my voice, I asked, “What?”

“Who do I address the letter to?”

“[mom’s name that is some sort of positive quality or whatnot].”

“And you are?”

“Tilia of Tragedy.”

[she leaves]

Now I have to figure out how to get a letter to Waterdeep.

[wyrmmaster]

my wallpaper looks like Akagi's an insufferably smug shopkeep telling me her apps are too arcane for me to understand and every time I open my phone I do a quick speedrun of the potion seller video in my head

(art by Hujita)

[tandonshows]

Casting Call: That Vampire Show Season 2!

Our fiction podcast about being a fan, being a creator, and what happens when the two sides meet is coming back for a second season! We're casting for a few new voices to join the returning cast.

That Vampire Show follows Kat Wright, a high school senior who is obsessed with the hit TV show, “Bloodlines.” After winning a fan fiction writing contest for the show, Kat is given the chance to visit set and meet the cast and crew. When the trip doesn’t go as planned — and she and the creator of the show, Warren Young, have a major fight on set — Kat’s life and the future of “Bloodlines” both spiral out of control. As Kat and Warren try to get their lives back to normal, they’ll clash with each other, their friends, and the entire internet in a fandom war neither of them intended to start.

As this is the second season of an ongoing show, please make sure you are familiar with the events, characters, and style of season one. You can find all links to That Vampire Show season 1 here. 

We're casting for the following roles:

CORA: (she/her, late 30s), The founder of a new fandom based start up that Kat works for. Cora is constantly projecting a cool, calm demeanor; an elder millennial might even use the term “Girl Boss,” though Cora would cringe at the title. Cora has a background in film production, and has left the industry to start an app that caters to fans around the world. She’s unlearning the shame of being a fan, and leaning into the cringe factor of being loudly nerdy. Overall, she’s incredibly passionate about her work, and making the next generation of fans feel safe and seen, a feeling she never had growing up. 

BROOKLYN: (she/her, 21), A fan artist by night, computer programmer by day, and Callum Rainier’s number one fan. Brooklyn and Kat have been internet mutuals for years, and have bonded over their love for “Bloodlines.” Now, Brooklyn works for the same start up as Kat. Brooklyn works as a coder, is blunt but caring, and has a sharp sense of humor. She believes in the power of fandom, so much so that she has left her senior year of college to work for Cora’s company. 

MAYA: (she/her, 20s) A magical shopkeeper and healer, Maya hails from a long family line destined to protect the town of Baker. This means that she often finds herself helping Bex after a night of fighting the supernatural, and helping the other creatures of Baker. The shop sells to both sides of the supernatural war, and Maya and the rest of her family attempt to remain neutral, as hard as it may be.  This is a role from “Bloodlines,” the show within “That Vampire Show.” Please listen to previous episodes of season 1 to hear the tone and style we are looking for. 

For the below roles, preference will be given to actors who feel comfortable voicing multiple characters. Please feel free to record as many of the roles as you feel comfortable with, and indicate any accents or voices you are comfortable performing in in the casting form below. 

CON EMPLOYEE: (Open gender casting, 20-40s) Short and to the point, underpaid and used to the convention machine. Professional and helpful, but not particularly warm. 

EXEC: (Open gender casting, 30-50s) Network Executive for “Bloodlines.” Focused on the bottom line, but has worked with Warren for six years. 

CONTENT CREATOR: (Open gender casting, 18-25) Tik Tok / YouTube style content creators. Please feel free to improvise around the provided dialogue.

If you're interested in submitting, please click here to view the audition material. Auditions are due by 11:59 PST on May 15th, 2023.

[cheemscakecat]

Just me, or….

I think the reason I don’t like Animal Crossing New Horizons is more complicated than just… the reused character voicelines for each personality. Like don’t get me wrong, that still makes me try to get the most aesthetically pleasing recolored NPCs, like everyone else.

But like… I’ve never finished an island. And one of the reasons is that it doesn’t feel like I’m progressing the island as a community. Because it doesn’t feel like one.

Yeah, you can decorate however you want, but unless you have Happy Home Paradise, you can’t upgrade a community. It’s the only area where more NPCs have jobs, and there’s actual restaurants, and a school, and a hospital.

The old games had a city you could upgrade, there was a post office and a police station… Here it feels like you aren’t doing anything but paying for infrastructure yourself, and decorating around cute little plushies who exist to say something nice to you and wander around.

So like….

I want an Animal Crossing style game where everyone has a job. So when I’m not talking to them, they’re still making money and providing a service to the town. Give me NPCs with their own mini games and jobs that I can upgrade. Like imagine it:

Farming mini games that get more industrial the more you upgrade the farm.

Fishing mini games that involve more sorting as you improve your efficiency.

A shopkeeper’s mini game where you can package someone’s order.

A restaurant mini game where you put together all the food orders on the tickets.

Laid back mini games for making bread, jam, and other jarred goods.

A toy making mini game where you customize a prototype to mass-produce.

Banker mini game where you have to do math to give the right amount of interest or change.

So basically, Animal Crossing with a collection of mini games that you feel like you should be able to find on the App Store, but every game that advertises that sort of thing is either full of ads, a falsely advertised match 3, or on Apple Play. And with characters that don’t rely on you to do all the work, you don’t have to constantly grind in a mini game or play each day to get the money for an upgrade.

[everythingkashmir]

Escaping the Matrix

The reality is an illusion

By Faisul Yaseen

‘Khan News Agency’ just outside the Lambert Lane on the Residency Road in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, used to employ seven persons. Today, Hilal Ahmad is the only one running the show.

“The customer flow used to be such that none of us could take a breather during the day,” Ahmad says. “Today, I sit idle, waiting all day for the customers to turn up.”

His business of selling newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals, has been hit with the growth of e-commerce in Kashmir.

“e-commerce is doing much more damage to small-time shopkeepers than the violence of three decades in Kashmir,” he says.

As the e-commerce industry is growing in Kashmir, it is eating away the business of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) like local departmental stores, bookshops, clothing and footwear stores, small traders, retailers, and hawkers while wholesale profit margins are getting squeezed.

In this new world order, how will the small businesses survive?

*****

Andrew Tate, a kickboxer-turned-online influencer was recently in the news when while being arrested he said, “The Matrix has attacked me.”

When Tate mentioned ‘The Matrix’, was he making a reference to the science fiction film franchise or was he talking about the new world order?

In one of his viral videos while referring to ‘The Matrix’, he says, “They want to control us. This is what people who are in charge ever wanted from the beginning, control. They want people to comply. And you have to put systems in place to ensure people comply.”

Are those systems the new business models? And are we the people complying with those systems?

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Javid Tenga says, “There is a need to support people who are losing their livelihood due to e-commerce.”

Tenga, who had shot a letter to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to stop websites of various airlines from unilaterally raising airfares on Jammu and Kashmir route, says that the government needs to place restrictions on e-commerce of certain items to protect the interests of small traders.

Rescuing small businesses in a place like J&K assumes importance considering that at least 1.82 lakh youth who do not have any jobs are registered with the government.

*****

Chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Kashmir, Vicky Shaw says, “The dimensions of business are changing.”

He suggests small businesses to get associated with big companies and become their suppliers.

Shaw also recommends small traders to register their businesses on the Government of India’s Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) app for easy marketing of their products.

“People have to move on,” Shaw says.

Coordinator Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance (DIQA) of the University of Kashmir (KU), Aijaz Akbar Mir concurs with Shaw.

According to Mir, who specialises in Management and Organisational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Development and Industrial Relations, the small traders need to come up with “innovations” and “redesign” or “perish”.

“Change is important. What is relevant today may not be relevant tomorrow,” Mir says. “Small traders need to add more products and go for home delivery.”

Coordinator MBA Financial Management at KU’s School of Business Studies, Irshad Ahmad Malik questions whether small businesses were offering what customers want.

“They are not shifting to the alternate mechanism,” he says. “They also need to lure customers with discounts and go for hybrid mode of sales – both online and in store.”

*****

In a time of gloom at the shop fronts, is the government doing anything for helping the small businesses?

Director Industries and Commerce, Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah says, “There is nothing in the industrial policy. This comes under rehabilitation.”

However, Shah, who is also Director Handicrafts and Handloom, says that the government is incentivising e-commerce in the handicrafts sector.

When merchants, who usually fight with each other, feel an existential threat at the hands of the “common enemy” e-commerce, the role of the government and the quasi-government institutions like J&K Bank, which has for long been the lifeline of the local economy, becomes all the more important.

Editor of the J&K Bank and its Head of Internal Communication and Knowledge Management (IC&KM) Department, Sajjad Bazaz says, “It is all up to the business plan of the shopkeepers.”

He says that the loan limit given by the bank depends on the working capital.

“Many small traders have already started e-commerce but it only accounts for around 40 percent of the sales while 60 percent customers still visit the stores for a personal experience,” Bazaz says.

*****

In the 1999 Hollywood movie, ‘The Matrix’ that Tate makes references to, Morpheus, a rebel leader played by Laurence Fishburne tells the protagonist Neo, who is played by Keanu Reeves, “The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.”

Are we those hopelessly dependent people who are fighting to protect this world order?

In ‘The Matrix’ Morpheus gives Neo two options, “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

Do we have options like Neo and what are those options?

Writer and speaker, Sofo Archon in ‘Escaping the Matrix: 8 Ways to Deprogram Yourself’ writes, “Think of the way most people live: They force themselves to wake up early in the morning, dress up, drive straight to some workplace, spend 8 hours or so doing work they hate, drive back home, surf the Internet or watch TV, and then go to sleep, only to repeat the same routine the next day for almost the rest of their lives.”

For escaping ‘The Matrix’, he suggests breaking the shackles of dogmas, stopping giving your power away to external authority, questioning the dominant economic system, detaching yourself from consumerism, being aware of the media, choosing food carefully, reading eye-opening books, and developing mindfulness.

Archon writes that habits, tradition, and dogmas have turned us into mindless automatons that follow a predetermined path that was forced upon us.

*****

Chairman J&K Hoteliers Club Mushtaq Chaya says that there is a need to change these habits and old traditions.

“Shopkeepers have to become smart,” he says. “The people who are making a fortune out of e-commerce are smart people who used to run small businesses like these shopkeepers.”

However, Chaya calls for extending all possible help to these small traders who are finding it difficult to jump the bandwagon of e-commerce.

Like Chaya, President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kashmir (CCIK), Tariq Rashid Ghani also suggests extending a helping hand to the small businesses keeping in mind the past three decades of turmoil in J&K.

“The traditional shop-keeping has come to an end,” he says. “The government needs to promote local items.”

*****

Nikki Baird in her write up ‘Retail in the 2020s: The Death of Consumerism’ for the ‘Forbes’ writes that the consumers should become sensitive to environment footprints; repair and maintenance sector would grow; businesses should deliver experiences; and traders should rethink how their businesses are organised, rework brand strategies, and remodel stores.

On April 17 last year at the unveiling of a 108-foot tall statue of Hanuman in Morbi, Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “At our homes, we should only use things made by our people. Imagine the number of people who will get employment due to this. We may like foreign-made goods but these things don’t have the feel of the hard work of our people. In the next 25 years, if we just use local products, there won’t be unemployment for our people.”

In times of brand junkies, in times when duds backed by rich parents go on to become entrepreneurs, extending an olive branch to the small traders would be a revolutionary act.

*****

Greek philosopher Plato in the ‘Allegory of the Cave’ in his work ‘Republic’ describes a group of people who have lived all their lives in a cave. Chained to pillars, they can only see shadows cast on the back wall by a fire burned behind them. These shadows are mere illusions. When one of these men breaks out, he discovers a new world. On returning to the cave, he tells the other men about the reality but they reject it and resent him because reality is an illusion for them and illusion a reality.

However, Friedrich Nietzsche in his book Twilight of the Idols argues that if this ‘reality’ was completely unknowable and beyond grasp, what use could it possibly be.

Sheikh Aijaz, who runs Gulshan Books store at the Residency Road in Srinagar, says that a new reality has already dawned as fewer people were turning up to purchase books at stores.

“Most people now order books from e-commerce sites,” says Aijaz who compensates for the loss of business at the store with ‘Gulshan Books Publishing House’, a vertical the family started years back.

The 17th century French philosopher Rene Descartes in his ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’ suggests that the entire human world is but a world of shadows orchestrated by a deceitful “evil genius”.

Not wanting to chase the shadows, millennials across the world may not be buying diamonds, ‘vocal for local’ may be the in thing in India, but are we ready for putting in an effort to make the change.

Do you want to take the blue pill, or do you want to take the red pill?

The choice is yours.