#so i'm a person first and foremost. still struggling with that one but i know i can do it and setting up the kofi page and wanting

[autistic-shaiapouf]

Alright well if I'm gonna try to be doing more with my art, I have to actually carve out time and space to meaningfully make it. Which means I have to actually start managing my energy at work. I have to actually leave myself with energy to engage in doing something I know I enjoy doing, what a novel concept

[just-a-ghost00]

The reason why they fell so hard.

Images found on Pinterest. Each spread consists of 5 cards. The messages will be written as if it were from the POV of the person you were asking about.

Group 1

9 of pentacles, queen of swords, 9 of swords, 5 of swords, the Sun

You're so freaking addictive. Every time you push me away, I can't help but to love you more. I was just raised that way. I was taught to work hard for what I wanted. I was taught that love should be deserved and was not to be messed with. I was taught that caring was fighting. Fighting for the sake of those you love. Fighting against those you love. I know, I was not raised in the best conditions. I know, I may not know what love is. But I know that I want you. And that, neither of us can deny. I fell for you because you never let me have my ways. You call me out and push me to be better. You never need me. You never wait for me. You just are. And you are perfect. Everything about you is rock solid. I don't have to worry whether you're gonna make it out. Because I know whether I'm here or not, you'll make it to the top. You did not wait for me to be who you are and that won't change. Whether I'm around or not, you're still gonna slay. And to know that someone so strong cares about me fills me with pride and desire. You got under my skin. Even if I wanted to push you away, I couldn't. You're everything I see. All I think about. Every decision I make is tainted in your color. Your warmth has penetrated through the cracks of my walls and now I cannot help but to seek for their comfort. I was alone. I was cold. I felt scared and misunderstood. I was tired. So exhausted of having to work so hard only to be met with silence. I struggled so hard to be where I am. The road to success is lonely, I've been told. Though I knew it, I couldn't help but to hope that I would find people along the way who would be there through thick and thin. But there were none. And then you came in. And everything changed. My sky is clearer because you chased the storm. How could I not fall for you after all?

Complementary information : this person is first and foremost attracted to your mindset as proven by the fair amount of sword cards in the spread. They may be a sapio sexual. If you tend to be considered the brains of your friend group, then this is one of the reasons why this person is head over heals for you. Another thing I'm strongly picking up on is sarcasm. You may not hold your tongue in presence of this person. You may tease them a lot or downright mock them when they're being rude or acting silly. There may not be a lot of people around this person that dare talk back to them. But you do. Somehow this shows this person that you are someone they can count on. Another important factor is your independence and your abundance. If you have your own business or you are a very active person, you make your own revenue and are able to provide for yourself and your family, then this person is in awe of your success. Even more so if you happen to be popular among your peers. You leave a very good impression on this person because of how serious and dedicated you are to yourself, your work, of how straightforward and fair you can be with others. You have a very strong moral code that gets this person weak in their knees. Your generosity may also touch them deeply. If we're talking about physical aspects of you, what stands out to me is that you may look very youthful and bright compared to other people. That may be true especially if you have a style that is a stark contrast from the rest of your circle. Or at least you're very different from what this person is used to. You represent some kind of extraordinary factor in their life. For instance, if this person has always lived in one city and in this place they only see very skinny and pale people but you are a bit chubby and of a darker skin tone, you will automatically strike this person right away. This person seems to be attracted to what is different from them. You represent the unknown, adventure. That may be very electrifying to them. There may be a bit of fetichism hiding under all that attraction.

Group 2

Ace of pentacles, Wheel of fortune, Magician, 3 of cups, 2 of cups

You took my breath away. The moment I met you, I knew I had to have you. You became as essential to me as oxygen in a matter of seconds. It's not just because of your beauty, your grace, the way you talk or cary yourself. It's about how perfect our meeting was, how in a heartbeat you became the answer to all of my prayers. I didn't know I needed you until I laid eyes on you and God do I feel thankful for being able to experience this. I feel so lucky being with you. It's like you're every one of my dreams come true. You're smart, patient, kind, loving, generous. You never bring me down. You never ask of me more than I can give. You never give me more than I can chew. You're always so fair and just. You just have that magic to you that I can explain. It's like someone has casted a spell and now all I can see and think of is you. To be honest, I wouldn't mind you casting a spell on me if that meant that I got to be with you for the rest of my life. You're so fun to be around. So chill. I just feel so good with you. Our dynamic is perfect. We match like to puzzle pieces. Made for each other. I'm sure fate has a lot to do with this. You were my destiny. I'm sure of it. Our meeting was no coincidence. I mean, you came in at the perfect time and the perfect place! If that's not destiny, I don't know what is.

Note from reader : this person's energy is so sweet omg they're just in awe of you. I get a very flirty energy from them. I got the message that they were especially drawn to your lips and hips. I heard "hips don't lie" lmao They think you're their Shakira. This person likes to tease apparently. For some I'm getting that you're a witch or you're into the occult arts like tarot and such. This person may tease you about this but they have nothing against it. It's just something they find hard to believe. But when they see you they can't help but to question everything they think they know. They legit think that you put a spell on them because of that. This person is aware that you use tarot as a way to manifest. They feel intrigued by that. You intrigue them more than you will ever know. I get a lot of sexual energy coming from this person, though the cards don't show it as much. However, I'm picking up on the fact that your person may be in a third party situation. Or at least, they were when you first met. What could have contributed to their attraction for you was the fact that you represented a way out.

Group 3

The Emperor, 3 of cups, The Empress, The Lovers, Judgement

Babe, can't you tell? How could I not fall for you? My princess. My love. You are gorgeous. Gorgeous in every way, as if God himself made sure that your creation would be a success. You are wife material. You are THE woman. Everything about you makes me go crazy. I want to protect and love you with all my might. You are my equal. My other half. The Yin to my Yang. Even if I wanted to hate you, I just couldn't. We're so good together. There isn't even a need to question or doubt it. It makes perfect sense to me that we should be together. You are an absolute queen. You are fierce, strong, independant. You value yourself without bringing others down. You stay true to your word and your principles. You've never been disrespectful to any body. You've built yourself up so brilliantly. You are smart and observant. You always know what to do, what to say, when to talk and when to remain silent. You are perfectly balanced and mature. Your life and accomplishments are the solid proof of your authenticity and worthiness. You are popular, admired among your peers. I always hear such good things about you. How could I not love every part of you? How could I disregard such a gorgeous being? That would be foolish of me. To me, our love is as obvious as the sun rising each moring and the moon shining in the night sky.

Note from reader : if this person hasn't asked you out already, I think they're going to do so soon. And let me tell you, they're no joke. They want to wife you up ASAP. My appologies to gentlemen and non binary people, as the channeled message mainly mentioned women. I feel like even though the message was written this way, the general content still applies to you. If you or this person is a Taurus or an Aries, this is your sign that you picked the right group. Gemini and Scorpio could also be relevant. What this person loves the most about you is your body. I'm hearing Ed Sheeran's song in my head. This person feels a strong magnetic pull towards you that they just cannot resist no matter how hard they try. They've expressed the fact that your personality and ethic is what got them going, but I think what drew them in first were your looks. I'm especially picking up on your curves overall and your sense of fasion. You looked very balanced to this person. And very mature. From first glance they thought "this person knows what they're doing". It's like they thought you purposefully matched certain clothes together because you knew how good it made you look. And looking at you they thought that you would make a good team. After all, this person is represented as the Emperor and you are the Empress. So they may be into fashion as well. Maybe they're the kind to wear couple outfits. And when they met you they immediately pictured you together because your style matched theirs.

[stackslip]

I'm curious, at the point where you're at in FMA 03, have you met Dante yet? I'm curious at what you think of her.

late but now that i'm done: i adore her. like, she could have benefited from a few more episodes' worth of development (like envy, really, and many other aspects of the ending that were clearly VERY rushed for time), but i fucking *love* what we got of her. i find her a thousand times more compelling and thematically appropriate an antagonist than father is.

the first thing i enjoy about her is that she is, fundamentally, a human. she claims to have surpassed humanity and looks down on them, but she is a real human person who just happens to have used alchemy to extend her own life, and the process costs not only her but everyone! she isn't a supernatural being, and in fact her bodies are all extremely fragile even outside of the whole rotting thing. what she is is really the ultimate alchemist: someone who really does see the world and everyone within it as material to be analysed, decomposed, and recomposed to her will. someone who dehumanizes others so profoundly they are just tools to her, things to be manipulated or destroyed or remodeled at her will, and who's fundamentally baffled when they react as people. but outside of being that good an alchemist, she's also just....... human. she's scared, and petty, and honestly a bit cringe and old-fashioned. she's cunning and used to manipulating people and movements, but she's good in that human, predatory and slimy way rather than as an inhuman force of evil. her motives too are human! she wants to keep living. she claims to be above it all but she is really just another human, among many MANY in the show, who struggle with the concept of dying and letting go of an idealized life. she isn't special among them! she isn't particularly unique in her motivation! she's one of a dozen characters of fma 03 who cannot cope with death as a part of life.

the second thing i enjoy is, how despite her manipulations and how she is, in essence, responsible for everything the brothers have been through (they wear her mark without knowing it for most of their life for fuck's sake!) she is not actually the only one with agency in the world, and while she pushes amestrian towards its genocidal policies the show makes it very very clear clear that she is not solely responsible for them, and that excising her does not suddenly make everything better or end racism or all that fucking nonsense lmfao, it's so clear that really, dante has been taking advantage of existing prejudices and amestris's own imperialist ambitions for her own gain. amestrians support the genocides and wars! it brings them resources, and national pride, and racial superiority! it strengthens the might of state alchemists! again what dante is is first and foremost a manipulator. the homonculi are all lost, and hollow, and desperate OR they are her own creations from past lovers and children she views as her property and lies to. they are inhuman and yet genuinely intimidated by her. she knows what buttons to press. dante doesn't implant or create things in others, she takes advantage of what is there and remolds it to her desire! equivalent exchange if you will :)))

third reason is: again. she is slimy. she is cringe. she is predatory but in a weird flailing way. she is so obviously a predator, and a very much older woman who knows nothing about the times and thinks she's still hot shit. she is sloppy at times in her handiwork. she is deeply, unbelievably petty. she is so awful it becomes campy. she throws a baby in the air for fun and experiments. she is so mad hoheinheim got himself a wife she uses the wife's homonculus for fun. she is EXCEEDINGLY creepy about rose and sexualizes and exoticizes her openly in a way that feels.... genuinely real and pathetic and racist (she is racist tbc, the narrative is v clear about it and isn't doing this for fun points). i think there need to be more evil girlfailure villains who aren't like just, hot sex machines but are this kind of realistic kind of everyday awful and evil.

fourth reason is that she's an excellent foil to a number of characters, starting with hoheinheim obviously and his own fucked up actions, and his own predatory nature towards younger women (and btw just like.... the little we get of their relationship and interactions has my head spinning, it's so good and juicy) and refusal to accept death until he does. but also edward--she isn't just trying to convince him bc he's hoheinheim's son and she's a fucking creepy, but bc again and again the narrative has shown that ed IS teethering on the edge of morality with his alchemy, that his curiosity and drive to prove he CAN do these incredible things deemed impossible, that he IS no ordinary alchemist and his love for al can lead him to dark places. he isn't dante, not yet! he turns away from her values! but had dante played her cards a bit better, maybe he could have been. and of course there's the izumi parallel too: izumi, dante's student who flees her master because there's something wrong with that woman; who grieves her son and tries to bring him back and is stuck with the homonculus that resulted--where dante tried to resurrect her son and used him as a tool. and all those who committed human transmutation in the name of bringing back lost loved ones, when pride and greed are said to be based on dante's former lovers she killed and controlled. did she ever really love them? was her first transmutation genuinely out of grief? when did she lose sight of the common humanity at the core of these other people? was it from the start, or did she lose it gradually as her soul rotted with her bodies?

i think that's also one of the most fascinating aspects of dante. she is, for all intents and purposes, a living corpse who refuses to die and move on. a zombie. in a show full of ghosts and people who are unable to die or move on, in a show about how idealizing the past and trying to freeze it or recreate a pitch perfect version of it stops you from seeing the love and possibilities right in front of your nose. and nowhere is that seen more than in dante: whose bodies rot faster and faster and yet she keeps believing she can fix it. she can use a thousand more lives to let her use a body for a few more months. why should she have to die and move on? why can't the world just stop for her? it should. everyone in fma 2003 keeps trying to repeat the past, to start up the same old cycles, to drag the long dead and buried kicking and screaming into the present. dante literally lives in a city so old and forgotten people have forgotten its existence and that it is the foundation on which central is built. she drags the bones of the homonculi's former selves to threaten them. she tries to immediately start up a relationship with her ex's son, believing she can remodel him to her liking. she takes and she takes and she takes. she has forgotten that one is all and all is one and that all struggles are connected, that the old must give to the new, that you cannot make the same mistakes over and over and get what you want whenever. she is rotten inside and out. i think it's fitting then, that she isn't killed by ed or al's hand, but that she simply storms off mad when things don't go according to plan (because she is just that petty) and that she is killed by the rebound of her own actions of untethering gluttony. she has so thoroughly dehumanized others, literally and figuratively, that she gets swallowed by the results of it, and dies the same pathetic death that the priest did in episode 2, and marcoh did, and many others that she sent gluttony to clean up.

like gd i do wish we could have gotten another full ten eps of her. but i'm also fine with her as she is. she sucks so bad. she's so delicious to dive into, the layers of her fucked up ness.

[violetasteracademic]

So, while I am a passionate Elriel and my experience is only further cemented with each new detail on every re-read, I have still stated since day one that I still love Lucien and Gwyn! My first ever Tumblr post was a dissertation on Lucien for goodness sake!

And this is where I struggle. I don't personally lurk in anti posts, but they make their way to my eyeballs anyways. And my problem is that myself, and many Elriel's I know, still love all the characters and honor and fully believe they will have their own stories, potentially their own POVs in future books or at the very least play a large role in ACOTAR or the multiverse.

But the a/ti Elriel's, from what I've seen, are almost ALWAYS a/ti Elain. I won't bother going over the comments I get on tiktok from E/ucien shippers that claim they like Elain. They erase her. They misunderstand her. They minimize her. They sideline her. They invent villain storylines. And still ship her with their favorite male character? Just because they want *him* to have his mate. And Azriel is apparently bio hazard waste in all areas of life EXCEPT if he decides to go after Gwyn. Whereas I like Azriel as he is, and I like who he currently wants to be with.

The author, I am certain, also likes these characters. She wrote them. It's difficult to believe her intention was for the fans to turn on Azriel just because a reveal many of us saw coming (that he is down bad for Elain) happened.

I don't have to erase Gwyn from the narrative, or distort her interactions with Azriel, minimize Gwyn's importance, create a shitty personality for her or invent a new storyline to make Elriel make sense.

I don't have to erase Lucien from the narrative, distort his interactions with Elain, call him toxic, minimize his importance, or invent a new storyline for Elriel to make sense.

I personally can't wait to see what Lucien and Gwyn are going to bring to the story. But by and large, I mostly see Gwyn as being a sidekick to Azriel and Nesta instead of the lead of her own story or Elain as a sidekick to the Band of Exiles instead of the lead of her own story for G/ynriel and E/ucien theories to come together. Beyond that, I'd love to look into their stories more, but I'm tired of assaulting my eyeballs with all the toxic sludge about pelvises and pure hatred from Elain festering in those spaces.

So I'll say it again and I'll say it a million times, just because Azriel and Elain want each other and not Lucien and Gwyn does NOT mean I think Lucien and Gwyn are trash. I just want the characters who want each other to be together. If it were written differently, I would feel differently. And if antis would at least address that Azriel and Elain WANT each other instead of trying to explain away their behavior and invent false intentions and narratives, I'd have a lot more fun reading and exploring their theories.

I'm an Elain girl first and foremost. And I want her to have what she wants. As of right now, today, waking up in Prythian, that is Azriel. That is the only thing on page. Anything else is speculation or theorizing. Azriel and Elain wanting each other is not a theory. It's real. Erasing it is not only bizarre, but makes any statement coming after it really not credible.

I ship a ton of non canon couples in other fandoms. Many of them never came to pass. It's just for fun. But because the hatred for Elain is so visceral, and the desire to erase her character from existence is so real, these ships are not fun. And I genuinely wish they were.

The awful bullying and atrocious behavior and weird hatred for the books and characters in this fandom gets me down some days. Sorry for the wallowing. Love you all 😘

[amber-laughs]

Thank you so much for your answer! I'd love to hear your thoughts on their relationship before the series begins. We know that the scene they shared in agot was not reflective of their actual dynamic even if most people loooove to forget that part. How did they interact? Did they ever? How was their relationship especially when Jon was a toddler or around 7-8? Thank you for your time!

oh fun question! well let's start from the beginning, we know that Catelyn was upset to find Jon in Winterfell before her

When the wars were over at last, and Catelyn rode to Winterfell, Jon and his wet nurse had already taken up residence. That cut deep. A Game of Throne- Catelyn II

but keep in mind Catelyn didn't know Ned yet. they'd obviously met and married but she doesn't really know anything about his temperament yet and even with that she's just arrived in a new place that will be her home forever, there's no way out, so the idea of her immediately showing her displeasure with Jon or Ned feels unlikely to me because in Family, Duty, Honor fashion she would first and foremost try to make her new family work to fulfill her father's alliance and be forced to put her wounded honor to the side. we know she did eventually work up the courage to ask Ned about Ashara Dayne

The Lady Ashara Dayne, tall and fair, with haunting violet eyes. It had taken her a fortnight to marshal her courage, but finally, in bed one night, Catelyn had asked her husband the truth of it, asked him to his face. That was the only time in all their years that Ned had ever frightened her. "Never ask me about Jon," he said, cold as ice. A Game of Thrones- Catelyn II

Ned scared her so bad she never asked again and neither did the servants. Now the fandom has a pretty simplistic, whitewashed view of Ned that isn't supported in canon but I would still call this out of character for him and Catelyn does too but remember, she barely knew him at this point, so it makes sense why she completely dropped the topic of not just Ashara but probably Jon as whole for a few years. but of course we know it does come up again.

Now I personally think the real trouble would start to come in as Jon was weened and was still in Winterfell. If he no longer needed a wet-nurse there's no reason not to foster him off in classic bastard fashion and Catelyn clearly thinks so too

Whoever Jon's mother had been, Ned must have loved her fiercely, for nothing Catelyn said would persuade him to send the boy away. It was the one thing she could never forgive him. A Game of Thrones- Catelyn II

Catelyn, of her own admission, was often trying to get Ned to kick Jon out of Winterfell. now this is where I need to remind people that I LOVE Catelyn Tully Stark. I'm on her team, I'm on her side, I'd buy her Mother's Day gifts if I could. most people in this fandom are actually pretty chill about the Catelyn Jon dynamic but there are two sides that think catelyn was an evil abusive wicked witch of the west specifically out to get an infant because she just feels like being evil and another side that thinks she never did anything to him and he's a spoiled brat who should be grateful she didn't make him sleep outside and eat only dog food. both are extremely annoying.

the truth is Catelyn was cruel to Jon and yes by George RR Martin's own words she never laid hands on him and she wasn't directly berating him throughout the years because like I said Catelyn isn't evil and she doesn't enjoy cruelty but when a child says he feels guilty eating in front of you there's a problem.

Jon wondered how Lady Catelyn's sister would feel about feeding Ned Stark's bastard. As a boy, he often felt as if the lady grudged him every bite. A Dance With Dragons- Jon IV

now it's possible Jon is projecting his own insecurities on to Catelyn here except:

Catelyn had nothing against this girl, but suddenly she could not help but think of Ned's bastard on the Wall, and the thought made her angry and guilty, both at once. She struggled to find words for a reply. A Game of Thrones- Catelyn VI

Catelyn does feel guilty for the way she's treated Jon. yes making Jon feel uncomfortable in Winterfell served a purpose, making sure he knows its not his. he has no right to it. Robb does. Robb will inherit. If not Robb then Bran, if not Bran then Rickon and so on and so forth. but none the less it was fucking mean. but here's the thing, Catelyn can't change society, she's navigating the rules she's given and Ned isn't, I imagine that would send her up a wall sometimes. because as she said Ned can have all the bastards he wants and she wouldn't care but Jon has no business being there and no business being treated like a true born next to her actual true born sons

"This is Valyrian steel, my lord," he said wonderingly. His father had let him handle Ice often enough; he knew the look, the feel. A Game of Thrones- Jon VIII

why the hell is Jon being allowed to handle the Stark ancestral sword? this is so widely out of the norm for Westeros it almost feels illegal. I can completely understand why Catelyn started trying to drill into Robb's head that Jon was different from him

That morning he called it first. "I'm Lord of Winterfell!" he cried, as he had a hundred times before. Only this time, this time, Robb had answered, "You can't be Lord of Winterfell, you're bastard-born. My lady mother says you can't ever be the Lord of Winterfell." A Storm of Swords- Jon XII

and it's also known throughout the Winterfell that there are hostilities between Jon and Catelyn. when Robb see's Jon is upset he immediately wonders if his mother is the reason

His voice was flat and tired. The visit had taken all the strength from him. Robb knew something was wrong. "My mother …" "She was … very kind," Jon told him. A Game of Thrones- Jon II

Jon also famously has the line where he admits Catelyn has never so much as called him by his name before so on Catelyn's side the relationship is somewhere on a spectrum from non existent to hostile. on Jon's side? well we know that Jon very consciously craved a mother

He knew nothing of his mother; Eddard Stark would not talk of her. Yet he dreamed of her at times, so often that he could almost see her face. A Game of Thrones- Jon III

often felt like he had to prove himself to his father

Bastard children were born from lust and lies, men said; their nature was wanton and treacherous. Once Jon had meant to prove them wrong, to show his lord father that he could be as good and true a son as Robb. I made a botch of that.  A Storm of Swords- Jon X

and I want to be clear, I know it wasn't Catelyn's job to make Jon feel welcome in his home, Ned really dropped the ball. It's Ned's fault that Jon just assumed he'd be destitute with no prospects by the time he turned 16 and it shows in the way Jon craves father figures in his life after he leaves Winterfell. Jeor Mormont, Benjen Stark, Mance Rayder, Maester Aemon, Stannis Baratheon I mean the list goes on. The thing is though there are no older women in Jon's life. Not at the Wall and not really in Winterfell either. He and Robb don't seem to take lessons from Septa Mordane and while Old Nan certainly taught him some important stories she doesn't seem to have set a maternal presence in his life.

I'm not saying Catelyn was or should have been Jon's mother because she wasn't and it surely wasn't her job but I do think she subconsciously fills that second parental placeholder in his head next to Ned because he clearly craves one but has no other woman to fill it.

Lord of Winterfell. I could be the Lord of Winterfell. My father's heir. It was not Lord Eddard's face he saw floating before him, though; it was Lady Catelyn's. A Storm of Swords- Jon XII

while this isn't Jon's deciding factor the idea of upsetting her or once again being rejected by her really bothers him, so much so that he can't even go on training with his friends, he has to leave and take a walk all alone. She's also one of the deciding factors when he's deciding whether to take his lifelong vows for the Night's Watch.

By the time the moon was full again, he would be back in Winterfell with his brothers. Your half brothers, a voice inside reminded him. And Lady Stark, who will not welcome you. A Game of Thrones- Jon V

but let's be clear Jon isn't just sitting around waiting for her to hug him. he doesn't like her either.

"Lady Stark is not my mother," Jon reminded him sharply. Tyrion Lannister had been a friend to him. If Lord Eddard was killed, she would be as much to blame as the queen. A Game of Thrones- Jon VII

he blames her for Ned's death just as much as he blames Cersei which is unfair and a bit delusional but childhood resentment will do that to a 15 year old.

So what was Jon and Catelyn's relationship like? Bad. Catelyn and Jon never had a chance. they were failed by the system. women and bastards seem to have a lot in common in Westeros in the sense that their agency is greatly limited. their safety rests on the graces of whatever man has placed their claim on them and this woman and this bastard were vying for the graces of the same man and felt one couldn't have it if the other did too. which is a shame in and of itself because I think they're both better at this game than Ned was.

***Less about their pre-series relationship but Jon and Catelyn have so much in common thematically and politically speaking. I did a parallel of them if you'd like to check it out

[gayferrari]

hello!! i love your blog <3 i do have to say that i wasn't a charlos fan (?) but now thanks to you i'm obsessed!! i was wondering if there's like lore or key moments that feel like basic information to know

thank you!!!! I'm happy u enjoy it here❤️ I do have to say EYE wasn't a charlos fan either when I started this blog. I wasn't planning on it. I can't remember when it started but it was in between them beefing in China and them beefing in Spain. Something about how they keep finding their way back to each other showing genuine warmth and mad sexual tension but also they aren't really friends and "when my helmet is on I have hated him and he's hated me" or whatever Charles said. Absolutely unhinged (positive).

There's a lot of genuinely cute charlos lore from earlier days (2021 / first half of 2022) that I WILL revisit one day. However if I had to make a top 5 of my personal favourite bits... they're all post-Silverstone 22 and they all have the common theme of "wow I can't believe they still look at each other like they need a room after THAT."

I think it really drives home the weird sexually charged push-pull goofy vibe of their relationship the rest of the time

5. Singapore 2023. That was a sexy Carlos moment first and foremost, obviously but the reason I'm counting it as a charlos moment specifically is that Charles's driving coach recently came out and said what we were all thinking: that watching his teammate have a flawless weekend from start to end while he couldn't quite catch up motivated Charles enormously to Never Let That Happen again(*) and metaphorically lit a fire under his ass and he's now having the best season of his life. Thinking about this seminal post by @/steviethenarwhal about how Charles and Carlos are constantly used as a benchmark for each other (among other things, it's a great post) and also thinking about how massively competitive they are in everything they do. Singapore 2023 is a charlos moment. to me.

(*) it just happened again in Mexico. I hope this lits another fire under Charles's ass for 2025 reasons

4. China 2024. The time Charles's manager said they had made up with a big kiss. They had a hissy on-track scrap during a sprint, which was already kinda sexy if you're into that (as a divorce enjoyer. I am) and then Charles's manager had to go and said they'd made up with a kiss. They're never escaping the toxic couple coded allegations.

3. Interlagos 2022. PLEASE CONSIDER THE CHAMPIONSHIP. This is a fundamental charlos moment to me because it encapsulates so much about 22... Charles going from triumphant to struggling at wdc p3 in a season that was full of blunders, while Carlos also got his first win and had some amazing drives that season but they were overshadowed by the dramatic irony of Charles's failed championship bid. Anyway, Brazil: Charles in P4 during a race where RBR are struggling, with Max already crowned champion, this could be his chance to make up points on Checo who was currently wdc p2. Except Carlos is ahead of him and heading for a podium. Charles asks for a swap on radio, a bit whiny, a bit shameless. Every point counts. He said: give me my teammate's podium 🥺 Charles who historically has really been a good boy when it comes to complying with team orders even when he had to grit his teeth and bear it, now asks for this one thing. Except it's a pretty outrageous request, a gifted podium 😳 He doesn't get it but god I love that he asked. If u squint this is kinda representative of charlos's whole dynamic at Ferrari that's like “guy married into his wife's family” (Charles is the wife). This race lives in my head rent-free.

2. This mid-January 2024 pictures of them driving to Maranello together.

This picture is SO important to me because of the context. It's mid January. Charles is about to announce his contract renewal. He knows Ferrari are talking to Lewis. Carlos knows his contract renewal has stalled. He might already know it's not happening. In all of this: they are still driving to the factory together. They are STILL. Driving to the factory. TOGETHER. If this doesn't scream I could throttle you sometimes but I can't give you up. I don't know what does it.

(whose pov is this from? either)

1. MONZA 2023. CHARLES BEEFING WITH CARLOS'S MUM VIA TWITTER LIKES. CARLOS POLE. CHARLOS ON TRACK BATTLE 😳 and they looked SO HOT that whole weekend.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

You always have the best thought out and researched Hobie takes, so I have a punkflower question for you. How does Hobie respond to his boyfriend's father being a cop? I feel too many fics and creators tend to brush it under the rug. How do you think that situation would pan out?

OOOOHHH YAY HOBIE AND COP STUFFFFF SO lets talk about

Miles, Hobie, and Having a Dad In Blue

[I'm gonna be transparent like Miles - there's no open romance in this. This is mainly a short thing about Hobie helping Miles heal from the pressures of his family - just wanted to give a heads up so no one gets to the end and gets disappointed lol]

Honestly, when I think about it -

I think Hobie's first reaction would be more about Miles, than it would be his own feelings.

Like I don't think his first thought would be 'ew' or 'that's horrible' . I think automatically his first thought would be -

'That makes a lot of sense'.

First thing that pops into his head.

Hobie and Miles come from two very different universes, and the ways they handle their shared identity of Spider-man is really different too.

We hear it directly in Hobie's introduction - He's NOT a Role Model.

But earlier in the movie, Officer Davis' biggest gripes with Spider-man - with Miles - is that he is not enough of a role model.

Miles is trying his best. He wants to be a good hero for his dad's sake - knowing one day the cat will be out of the bag.

That's different than Gwen and her father. Her father already knows GhostSpider as a murderer, and there's no reversing that. Gwen knew her father would never accept her - so she hasto keep it a secret - in definitely.

She'll never be a role model to her father - and she's not trying to be anymore. That's Gwen's arc.

An arc Miles hasn't gone on yet. He still wants to be a role model. He wants his dad to idolize and like Spider-man because he doesn't plan to keep it a secret indefinitely.

Unlike Gwen, he wants his father to know who he is.

But he can't - he still feels like he has something to live up to - a code of honor he feels he isn't reaching.

Miles wants to be good enough.

So Hobie sees him going through this struggle all the time, of wanting to be like Peter, wanting to impress his dad, worrying about telling his parents. And not knowing the source -

And then Miles is like "OH By the way, my dad's a cop."

I feel like it would just click for Hobie. He'd be like "That makes a lot of sense, if I'm being honest."

If anything I think he'd feel for Miles first and foremost. That's what Hobie does.

He'd immediately see Miles, and the effect his dad has on him, in both good and bad ways. His dad helps Miles strive to be better - but that also leaves him feeling guilty and alone.

I think he'd go on to be like "That's gotta be tough. Is that the reason why you X, Y, Z?"

And Miles - Poor Miles probably wouldn't even pick up on this until that very moment. Having Hobie say to this him would probably leave him a little shook.

But it'd be SO relieving.

Gwen and Miles don't talk about their family. Gwen isn't a talky person. Miles doesn't really have anyone to talk to about his family dynamic or his situation at home.

Like even Miles!42 - His uncle Aaron KNOWS he's Prowler. Miles doesn't have that support.

And then Hobie would give it to him, and be like 'I understand', 'That must suck', 'You don't have to be a role model, you just have to be yourself.'

Hobie offers that support all without Miles asking - (Miles is finna cry)

All because Miles having a cop as a dad immediately explains a lot of the struggles he's going through. And Hobie can see that. It makes him frustrated and he'd want to at least be someone Miles can talk to.

Like police corruption and oppression aside, living in the shadow of someone with a black and white view of right and wrong, or good and bad, sucks.

Growing up under someone who abides by order and swears by it SUCKS, because the world in unorderly. The universe is.

Hobie knows this. Him meeting Officer Davis however is a whole thing -

Honestly speaking, I'd think he'd look at Miles dad with pity. Like 'Damn you're a good father and a good husband - but you're a cop'.

He'd probably turn up to the cookout, make himself and his views known (not changing the laces) and if Miles' dad really finds a problem with them he can ask.

Hobie will happily tell him "I'm not from here. The place I'm from is a lot less nice and a lot more corrupt than this one. What I did ain't fun - but it was in the name of liberty. I guess you know all about 'defending liberty', don't you? You wear a blue uniform to remind you. I wear blue laces."

Because it's the truth. Hobie will say that shit without blinking. Standing there like

'Now is there a problem, officer?' Just because he wears blue laces DOESN'T mean he lacks a moral code.

Hobie has a moral code. A VERY strong one - and simply in the way he carries himself, you can tell that he's committed to that code.

Maybe even more than Officer Davis. They have two different moral codes, but I'm sure Miles dad can identify on sight - and respect - 'We both are the type to stand by what we think is right'

Because by Hobie not changing himself, he's showing that he won't bend his morals for Miles' family. But there's differences in the way they operate and that's okay.

But ALL IN ALL -

I think Hobie learning about Miles' Dad would

Bring them closer together. For the first time Miles has words and reason behind the pressure he feels. Why he looks up to his dad and is annoyed with him at the same time. Hobie would catch the connection right away, and open the discussion. And Miles is open to talking, we see it in their scene before Miguel's office. I think having that outlet would help Miles SO much. I feel like he'd become more confident over night. Hobie telling him there's no rules or laws or academy when it comes to being Spider-man. There are certain circumstances where the police just can't help. That's what Spider-man is for. To go above and beyond the black and white authority society has created. It'd be so liberating for Miles.

Garner some respect between Officer Davis and Hobie. It kinda sounds backwards. But lets be honest, if they're at the dinner table and Officer Davis asks about one of Hobie's political patches - he's gonna tell him what he thinks straight out. Hobie's wearing a 'Dearm the Police' patch and Miles' dad asks about it - Hobie's gonna be like 'Yeah, they don't need those weapons. The lot of them are already weapons themselves.' And of course Officer Davis is gonna want a conversation about it, and Hobie loves hearing himself talk. But it never gets heated. It's them going back and forth dropping these huge points and citing examples and bringing up theoretical scenarios. It's just - THEY KEEP TALKING. Rio is like 'Hun, please your food is getting cold.' And Jeff is like 'One second - *Turns to Hobie* In 1983 there was a court case about a cop- *continues his long as counterpoint*' What even more interesting - HOBIE HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORY THAN JEFF. Yeah, all those cases in the 70's that Jeff was a baby for. Yeah, Hobie was there and a teenager - the equivalent of cases still match up. So Jeff is debating at the dinner table with a dude who is technically older than him - but he doesn't know that so Hobie keeps catching him off guard with that SMUG ASS GRIN Miles is sighing under his breath like 'Hobie COME ON let him win PLEASE' So for Miles, and ONLY MILES, Hobie lets it slide. Until Jeff turns on the TV. And the first thing they see on the screen is s report about politics and NOW THEY'RE BACK AT IT AGAIN FUCK Hobie pointing at the screen like 'Case & Point, m8. Thats exactly what I mean!' Fuck outta here, Hobie will debate till the cows come home.

It'd help Miles and his dad a lot Officer Davis would probably be left with a HUGE amount of respect for Hobie. Because yeah he looks like a delinquent - to someone obvious trained by the system. But Hobie knows his shit. He knows how to maneuvour in conversation, how to pick peoples brains, and understand their reasoning. He GENUINELY wants to have a conversation. Because he genuinely believes he can back himself up in a calm and logic way. So why not talk about it? After Hobie leaves there would always be a silence - and that's because yeah they went back and fourth for 40 minutes, but Hobie ALWAYS leaves you with something to think about. Or consider. Or re-evaluate. Honestly Miles has NO idea what his dad thinks. Usually his dad would be ranting still - but he looks more thoughtful. Just replaying the discussion he had with Hobie. Miles might ask his dad what he thinks - but his dad might say something vague like Officer Stacy did - call him a 'piece of work' It isn't until later when Miles' dad knocks on his door that he realizes how much Hobie has an impact. Even if his dad didn't know about his secret identity - I think he would see how much his police training effects his home and Miles in specific. How much pressure that can put on someone. Officer Davis would replay the story Hobie told him of the unnamed girl whose father shot at her. And he'd consider how anyone could choose their badge over their kid. Maybe he has a discussion with Miles, apologizes for the pressure he puts on him, telling Miles he's proud of him.

And Miles would know it's all because of Hobie. Because Hobie cares about him and Hobie knows how to approach people, all type of people.

Officer Davis would KNOW how Hobie feels about cops. And he's know why. He'd at the very least understand Hobie, or respect him. Hobie would make him realize - 'Oh hey, you don't have to be a role model to be a good person'.

Because Hobie Brown is NOT a role model. He's something better.

That's just how I see it. I think Hobie is a great mediator tbh. It's his strongest talent. It's the reason why Miles trusts him to much to begin with.

ANNNDDD As per usual if you made it this far - THANK YOU!!!! The gift shop is to the left. As courtesy here is a photo of Hobie with a bonus photo of Miles that I think is really really funny.

I don't know why that photo of Miles is SOOO funny to me- I think its the fact his hands are in fists his expression is so unreadable IT LOOKS LIKE HES ABOUT TO SOCK ME IN THE MOUTH Im in legit tears laughing at that

Bye.

[polyamorouscultureis]

Don't know if this is for advice but I need to confess this to SOMEONE outside the 4 of us. For many reasons, no one outside the 4 people mentioned here know anything about this

I'm a happily married man with a wonderful wife of 10 years. She's my best friend, my lover, and every bit the partner I need.

We're both well aware of our poly natures and have even tried (unsuccessfully) to open up to a third. It wasn't the right person or fit but we at least tried. Outside of that we've both had some FwB and it's never had any negative impact on our relationship.

But now I actually fell in love.

I fell in love with a streamer and what started as parasocial became just plain social to becoming very intimate and real. The kicker, this streamer girl is also happily married to her own man (4 years now) and they are also open to poly.

After a few weeks of this buildup, we had our first "date" over Discord video and all partners involved were nothing but supportive. It's long distance but the opportunity to visit each other is very real. The opportunity for sex is very real and very much discussed. The possibility of group sex in many configurations is on the table.

And through all this, we've firmly established our commitments and love to our spouses first and foremost, while still talking every day and very much falling in love with each other more and more.

I know all the important parts of navigating a poly relationship, and with how open all communication has been across all parties involved, I'd say we're doing okay.

I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed with how much I feel the euphoria of new love. Falling in love wasn't something I ever expected to happen to me again. I honesty didn't think I was capable of it. This wasn't me choosing someone, I had not say in the matter. My heart just said "this one" and took the rest of me along for the ride.

I don't know if what I need is advice but this is such an "out there" situation for me. Outside of the 4 of us, there's no one to talk to about what's going on. Partially because none of our close friends/family are poly and wouldn't really understand the dynamics, especially when they've gone through problems of cheating. And we also can't let it get out that a streamer fell in love with a viewer, for reasons I hope are obvious.

So this is my anonymous confession. Any whatever words you have for me, I'll take them.

This is so exciting! I'm so happy you're getting this opportunity with so much support from your respective partners behind you! It absolutely makes sense to be overwhelmed and probably pretty nervous about meeting in person for the first time, but just enjoy the moment as much as you can. Falling in love, especially for the second time, is intimidating, and comes with complicated feelings, but it's also so much fun. I hope things go well for you all and that you'll keep me updated on how things go! We all struggle a bit with lack of community to share these things with I think, so I adore being the void to shout into. <3

[bonesandthebees]

Hi Bee,

Random writer here looking for some advice. I was very much a Wilbur-centric author and concerning the works that I’ve finished, I’ve decided to leave up because I’m proud of them.

That being said, I currently have an ongoing fic that I’m torn about what do to with. I’ve been sitting on it and trying to figure out what I’m comfortable with but I’m just going in circles at this point.

I hate the idea of leaving a work unfinished and I was really passionate about the concept for this one in particular. But it’s currently only about 20% finished so I’d be in it for the long haul.

I think that emotionally, I could compartmentalize things if I actually decided to keep writing it, but I also don’t feel the same enthusiasm towards it that I once did.

I definitely won’t delete it though, only orphan it in the most extreme case. Any suggestions on how to decide?

honestly I've been dealing with the exact same struggle you have, anon. I'm very proud of all my finished wilbur-centric fics and I'm going to leave them up, but I also have an ongoing fic that I've been torn over what I'm going to do with. under the hanging rose is also only in the early stages (30ish% I'd say) so I'd be in it for the long haul. I've been going back and forth about what to do because I first started conceptualizing rose as a fic in december of 2022 when I was finishing writing the stars and their children. I've been wanting to write this fic for over a year now, and I've finally been able to start it. I've done so much worldbuilding and plotting and everything for it that I really want to follow through with all of that, but it's hard, you know? it feels weird.

I can't tell you what to do here. it's up to your own personal comfort if you think you'll be able to complete the fic. if you don't want to you are under no obligation to do so. writing fic should first and foremost be enjoyable for you. there's no moral qualm here because c!wilbur is a character separate from the guy. we've all agreed at this point the dsmp characters are pretty much our own to do with as we want. so it's just entirely up to you and what you want to do.

for myself, I think I've come to a decision. I'm not letting a terrible person take a story I love so deeply away from me. I want to keep writing rose. it's definitely not going to be updating anytime soon because I still have a lot of conflicting feelings about things, and maybe when I sit down to actually write it it will be too uncomfortable for me and I'll change my mind. but for now, I want to keep going with it. this story is mine, and this version of the character is mine.

it's okay if you don't choose the same way I have. do what's best for you. writing can be such a joyous thing. don't let anyone take that away from you, and don't force yourself to write something you don't want to.

[sysmedsaresexist]

hi!! im the person that sent the anon ask thank u for responding!! 🖤🖤 do they have to do the "checking if it's another disorder thats causing it" if doctors already think i have other disorders (in addition to the CDD) / i (also) have a psychotic/mood disorder but they think its separate and not caused by the CDD/dissociation? in her notes but not "on paper". also im scared to take medication/talk to a psych (bc of trauma related to it lol), do they Have to do that or can i just do therapy?

First and foremost, let's get this out of the way:

A diagnosis is NEVER required

You can get therapy and access MOST types of treatment without ever having anything on paper, and as much as I say, "don't be scared of diagnosis," there are SO MANY reasons why someone may not need or want it.

And that's okay.

And even more importantly, it's no one else's business why you've chosen to do or not do anything. You don't need to justify your decision to not get diagnosed.

What's important is that you're getting the help you need.

Point blank, that's it.

While a diagnosis is great for getting coverage and setting out treatment plans for the future, you can usually get covered under a different or "lesser" diagnosis if you prefer. For example, getting all therapy under a PTSD diagnosis. Totally doable and just fine.

I've done therapy for things I'm ACTIVELY struggling with, without ever mentioning my system. My OCD is usually what sends us over the edge, that's what we struggle with the most. So I have some therapists that know about my OSDD, and some that don't.

All that matters is whether I'm getting the help I need and want at any particular time.

Here's a sneaky tip, if you change doctors, you don't even need to tell your new doctor. I'm old, that's not a secret, and I don't necessarily need the same accommodations I did when I was younger, so when I moved and changed doctors, I actually chose not to take all of my files with me. I'm giving it a go with OCD and anxiety alone.

Granted, my therapist is still available whenever I decide I need to go back. Don't be afraid to keep your options open.

It's your journey, and you take whatever steps work for you. Nothing is required. Take your time, move at a pace that's comfortable. It took me a while to come out to my therapist, but it's never too late, and you may never have the need. That's also perfectly okay. You may never want to go further than the person you're talking to now, and that's okay.

Take it one session at a time.

I've rambled enough, I think.

It sounds like you've already done a fair bit of work, I don't think you're that far off of a diagnosis, if that's something you want to pursue. The more work you've already done, and the more aware you are, the quicker it's going to go, and you sound like you're off to a good start.

I hope this helps, genuinely ❤️

[bitimdrake]

I don't know if you've already been asked this, but I was wondering if you could rank the Gotham vigilantes by combat level? Like, I've heard Black Canary is actually a really skilled martial artist, and was wondering how they compare to each other.

This question first puts forth how we classify Gotham vigilantes. Black Canary is indeed a vigilante who has often been in Gotham, but can we truly call her first and foremost a Gotham vigilante? What about the other Birds of Prey? The Outsiders? Alan Scott? Catwoman I think is safe to count by now, but Harley and Ivy have had more recent rehabilitations so?? For sanity, I'm going to keep this fairly limited.

Second it illuminates for me personally the gaps in my knowledge. I have barely read about Kate Spencer/Manhunter and skipped a lot of Kate Kane/Batwoman. I haven't read much after Flashpoint. And hey, what is even going on with Bette Kane these days?

Anyway my primary answers to what you've sent here are:

You have heard correct; Dinah is indeed known as a very skilled martial artist.

Trying to rank vigilantes one-by-one is a fool's errand and will only lead to petty infighting about "no my fave should be better" and "this comic where X won a fight against Y is clear proof, and that other comic where they lost against Y is clearly OOC"/"no, it's the other way around!!!" arguments. There is no clear order, no matter what anyone might try to convince you of, and characters will almost always be portrayed stronger and cooler in their own books, and weaker and not as good as supporting characters in someone else's book.

I think at most we should do rankings in groups:

She Gets Her Own Category

It is simply narratively important to Cassandra Cain's story for her to be the best in the world, in a way that it is not and never has been important to any of the others' narratives. Based on the metric of who's won what fight, you could maybe argue this, but based on narrative weight, no way. And I put story first, so. Perfect for a year, etc etc.

Top Tier Adult Vigilantes

Dinah, Bruce, Dick, Jean-Paul Valley, Jason, etc. Helena probably goes here, although I remember less focus on her hand-to-hand since the crossbow is so iconic.

Put two from this group in a fight, and it's not a terrible stretch for the writer to pick either as the victor.

You Go, Kid

Tim, Stephanie in and after her Batgirl era, and I think current Damian although my knowledge after the reboot tapers off.

Gonna be a struggle for them to beat one of the adults above, but they are still incredibly good fighters.

Trying Their Best

Pre-Batgirl Stephanie, early Damian. Both have grown out of it since, but in Steph's early years we were regularly being told or shown that she just didn't have the training to hold up to other Gotham vigilantes. And though Damian was surely a fantastic martial artist for a ten-year-old, it was also made regularly clear in his early preboot appearances that he wasn't half as good as he thought he was, and the older vigilantes could kick his ass if they wanted to.

[hyperpotamianarch]

All right. So, I have decided to make my next post more purely about Judaism - no fantasy this time, sadly. Maybe a sprinkle of history.

The topic I'm about to talk about touches politics. While it is likely that my personal views will affect what I'm writing, this isn't supposed to be about the political side. I want to discuss the what the Halacha - Jewish religious law - has to say about Jews climbing the Temple Mount. Is it forbidden? What laws are relevant here? Etc. This post is supposed to be informational first and foremost. There is the issue that, in ignoring how current affairs might influence the Halachic ruling, I'm not really covering every direction. A Halachic ruling is somewhat versatile and depends on the specific situation. Thus, what I'm saying here doesn't amount to the final word on the topic, especially considering the fact I'm not a rabbi.

With that preface, we can get to the glossary. I'm going to use some Hebrew words in this post, and for the benefit of those who don't know Hebrew (as well as those still struggling with it) - I'm going to explain them here:

Tum'ah - noun. Impurity or ritual uncleanliness. Taharah - noun. Purity or ritual cleanliness. Tamé - adj. Something that is impure or ritually unclean. Plural: Təme'im. (Can be used as a noun for someone who is impure or ritually unclean) Tahor - adj. Something that is pure or ritually clean. Plural: Tehorim. Tzara'at - noun. A skin ailment of supposed supernatural origin that is treated by a Cohen, a priest. A person who has it is Tamé. Təmé Met - noun. one who is Tamé due to touching, carrying, or being in the same house/tent as, a human courpse. Torah - noun. The Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses. Sometimes used in referring to the entirety of the Hebrew Bible or to all Jewish religious writings collectively. Mikveh - noun. Ritual bath filled with water not collected with human tools, that is used for getting Tahor after being Tamé. Zav, Zavah - noun. Someone who is Tamé due to irregular discharge from the genitals as a result of illness.

Note that these translations aren't completely accurate. I've seen many people say that there is no moral judgement in being Tamé or Tahor, and I agree with that. Tum'ah is pretty much unavoidable in one's life, and there is pretty much no way for someone to not be Tamé at some point in life. On another note, please don't confuse Tamé with tame. The words aren't pronounced the same and have very different meanings. Hopefully the italicization and the acute accent will help you tell the difference.

Anyway, to get into the topic: the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is a holy place in Judaism as the mountain on which the Temple(s) stood, as its name makes pretty obvious. As such, Təme'im are forbidden from climbing it. Simle, right? Problem is, it's only some kinds of Tum'ah that make you prohibited from getting there.

You see, Tum'ah can come from various sources: human courpses, courpses of certain animals, specific illnesses such as Tzara'at or irregular discharge from the genitals (don't ask), and regular body functions such as mensturation, giving birth, and normal seminal discharge. There are many topics in the Tum'ah and Taharah branch of Halacha where the source of your Tum'ah doesn't matter as much as how distant you are from the source of the Tum'ah (meaning, did you touch the Tamé object directly or did you touch something that touched it), but in this specific case it's just the source that matters. Or, well, I guess if you're too distant from the source then it doesn't matter at all, but I'm not completely sure about that one.

Either way, the Torah instructed as to send the Təme'im away from the camp (Numbers 5, 1-4). Specifically, it talks about a person who has Tzara'at, a Zav or Zavah, or Təmé Met. The Sages teach that just as there are three categories of Tum'ah in this list, there are three levels to the Israelite camp, and each category is sent out of one. Since the levels are one inside the other, being sent out from the outside ones means not being allowed to get into the inside ones as well.

The levels of the Israelite camp in the desert were the Israelite Camp - where the twelve regular tribes stayed, organized under four banners for each of the cardinal directions. They were organized in a large rectangle, inside of which there was the second camp - the Levite Camp. This is where the Levites and Cohanim (Priests) lived, along with Moses and his family. Who were Levites, so maybe it didn't really deserve a mention. This camp, in turn, was arranged around the holiest camp - the Camp of the Divine Presence, otherwise known as the courtyard of the Tabernacle - the portable Temple used in the desert. The law of sending the Təme'im, according to the Sages, said that a person with Tzara'at was sent out of all three camps; a Zav or Zavah was sent outside the Levite Camp but was allowed in the Israelite one; and Təmé Met was only sent outside of the Camp of the Divine Presence and wasn't allowed to enter it.

So, how does this apply today? Since, you know, we're no longer wondering the desert for about 3297 years, give or take. The answer is, the Sages also explained how the city of Jerusalem is divide to those three camps! The city itself, inside the walls (during the time the Sages said that, in the Roman era, nothing outside the walls was considered part of the city), is the Israelite Camp - thus, those who have Tzara'at are sent out. This illness isn't known nowadays, though - and no, it's not exactly leprosy - so it's not a problem. The Temple Mount is the Levite Camp, so if someone is a Zav or Zavah - they're not allowed in there according to the Halacha. And the Temple itself, along with its courtyard, is the Camp of the Divine Presence and Təmé Met is forbidden from getting there.

You'd think that would make things straight forward, right? Well, it doesn't. It's still complicated, mostly because the Temple hasn't been there for 1956 years, give or take. one who is Təmé Met is still not allowed to the grounds where it stood, though, and it not existing make it hard to judge where that is. The simple solution would be to get rid of the Tum'ah, right? But sadly, the ritual to get Tahor from human courpses isn't available to us right now. Unlike the one for Zav or Zavah, which is dipping in a Mikveh, then waiting till sunset (more or less, it's a little more complex). Thus, if we knew what area of the Temple Mount wasn't a part of the Temple complex - we could be allowed to get there, at least after making sure we're Tehorim. Before you ask what about someone who isn't Təmé Met - nowadays we assume everyone is, due to not having the way out of it, everyone being born in a hospital (where people sometimes die), and the fact most any Jew is required to become Təmé Met at some point in life. It's not for the purpose of being Tamé, it has to do with mourning.

So, if you are a random Jew nowadays and the political issues are magically avoided (which is not a possibility, but I already said I'm ignoring this angle for now), there are two major things you need to worry about: get yourself Tahor from being a Zav or Zavah, and not entering the area where the Temple complex was. The latter is the hardest of the two, really. I mean, theoretically one could hope to find the remains of the Jewish Second Temple, but besides being burned to the ground the area was plowed, had a Roman Temple built on top, then it fell into decay, and at somepoint the Muslim conquerors decided to build the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa mosque. It's not very easy to find the remains of the Temple there.

Here's the thing, though: the Temple Mount as it stands right now? It's bigger than how it was in the early days of the 2nd Temple. That is due to Herod deciding one day to renovate the Temple. Say what you will of this guy, and there's a lot to say, but he was an expert when it came to architecture at the time. And he thought, 'hey, this mountain is kind of small. I want the Temple to be really big!' So he expanded the mountain, supporting his expansion with four walls. (That might be a good time to point out that the Temple Mount isn't that much of a mountain. It's kind of small.) One of those walls is the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall - a site that sometimes is called the holliest site to Judaism. That is an innacurate moniker - it's simply one of the closest places to the original Temple site. Either way, there is a general agreement that the areas Herod added to the Temple Mount aren't really considered a part of it and the original Temple definitely never stood on those. Thus, a Təmé Met is definitely allowed there. In addition, while there are many disagreements over the exact placement of the Temple, there are areas on the Temple Mount that definitely weren't inside the Temple complex. Nowadays, there are maps indicating where it is allowed to pass according to all of the different opinions.

So, with all that, why do people still say it's not allowed to climb to the Temple Mount? Well, obviously, it cold be due to the reasons I outright said in the begining I'm not discussing. Those are very relevant reasons and they have Halachic merit. I'm not touching them, though. So, are there any other reasons?

Well, it turns out there are. Firstly, not everyone trusts the mapping of the Temple Mount. Some people fear that these maps might be wrong, and accidentally lead someone to the worng places. In addition, some people think that if such pilgrimage will be allowed to occur en masse, many people will not care about the prohibitions and will come without dipping in a Mikveh first or will enter forbidden areas. People who use this latter reasoning may allow some specific knowledgeable people to climb, but will prefer keeping it quiet. Then there are people who use historical accounts of rabbis scolding people for climbing the Temple Mount, assuming that they had their reasoning outside of what I've laid before you.

So, to summarize: enterance to the Temple Mount is prohibited and only allowed under certain conditions. Those conditions could be met nowadays, probably, but many rabbis are unsure about how possible or desirable it is. In addition to that, the political climate of the Middle East and the Levant makes making such pilgrimage a politically charged action and can cause damage, which might also be problematic.

I'm not going to sum it up as "it's forbidden on Jews to climb the Temple Mount" because that's not an accurate statement. It's easy to make such blanket statements, sure, but I think accuracy is important - which is also why I don't say "it's allowed and desirable for Jews to climb the Temple Mount", because this statement isn't accurate either. As a matter of fact, there are occasions where it's directly undesirable according to the Halacha.

Thank you for reading this! Have a good day!

[suzukiblu]

May I ask how you got people interested in your works? You have so many people who love your writing (rightfully so bc you're awesome) and I just want to find some people who like my writing like you did

ik that I should be writing for myself and everything, and for the most part I am! I write bc I like writing and it makes me happy! But it's just so so discouraging to see my little silly posts that take me 5 minutes to make do fantastic, meanwhile the works that take me weeks of effort get like 3 notes yk?

How do you do it? Did you ever deal with something similar? Any words of wisdom for the struggling noobs?

(This is a genuine question, I'm not trying to be rude in any way shape or form and I'm very sorry if it came off like that) (Also sorry to bother you)

You’re good, I’m not bothered by questions and I don’t think you’re asking anything rude either! I especially don’t mind the “please explain this thing I don’t know much about to me” type of questions, there’s just some shit you can’t effectively google or things that just make more sense coming from someone with direct experience. 

First and foremost: the two cakes meme is law!! No one will ever complain about getting two cakes, no matter if you think someone else already did it better! 

Second and second-most: as a newbie, before you read any of my advice at all, remember that you're currently comparing yourself to someone who’s been writing fic for their entire writing experience and has also been in fandom on and off for pretty much all of that time on multiple sites and through at least a couple major migrations of fandom hubs, and that time has been about twenty-five years now. Like, it has very much been a long-term process, me learning how to find a receptive audience for my stuff. Also I am a grown-ass adult who is currently pushing forty and am pretty self-aware of who I am as a person due to a WHOLE lot of personal introspection and therapy and general life experience. Like, I know how I work at this point in my life, if nothing else.

The long-form answer of my personal fandom process will definitely require a cut at this point, though, haha. Like, this got kind of involved, ngl, but since you’re asking I figure it’s reasonable to go into detail.

So anyway, the “how to find your audience” answer is obviously gonna be different for everybody, but PERSONALLY, I've been in fandom for a long-ass time and just about always been pretty prolific and consistently communicative and available during the times I was around. I have a ton of different fandoms and fics in my history and have run into a lot of different people and written a lot of different things over the years, so I've cast a pretty wide net of options for people to find me through. I've got readers who've followed me through multiple fandoms and even deliberately gotten into new ones because of me just because they like how I write and know me well enough from my other writing to trust that I’ll be respectful of certain things (or at least put in a good-faith effort to be). Your kink is not my kink, but I’m not gonna hate on it; your thing is not my thing, but you have fun over there, you DO your thing!

Being prolific is super-helpful, of course, because that gets people in the habit of checking in on you regularly and keeps you fresh in their minds, but one of the most effective ways I’ve gotten people long-term interested in my work is by being very responsive to readers and very open about what I’m currently working on. Taking requests has helped, asking who wants to see more of what has helped, talking to people in general has helped, and definitely playing “yes, and?” with ideas I’ve been offered has helped. Also I had the benefit of LiveJournal being one of my main fandom hubs for a while, where I met a lot of people and got in the habit of talking to them in a way Tumblr does not necessarily intuitively facilitate, so that’s just a habit for me. 

I definitely still produce stuff that comparatively flops and get bummed about it, it’s just a thing I’ve gotten used to over the years and so I either kill my darlings and move on to the next thing or I decide “naw, I’m still into this idea, I’mma work on it more anyway”. That’s obviously much easier when at least a couple other people are also into said idea, but still, it’s a thing you just gotta decide for yourself either way. Like I’ve DEFINITELY had stuff I slaved over get just about totally ignored while things I only tossed up on a whim off the top of my head or just intended as jokes people adored and resonated with way more, which is part of why I do so many WIP memes where I’m drip-feeding bits and pieces of content more regularly. One of my recent fics didn’t get near as much of a reception or interest on AO3 as I’d hoped it would, but when I was writing it on Tumblr people DID get excited for and enjoy it during the process, so that helped soothe that particular indignity/frustration for me.

Also, I’ve gotten enough people invested in my writing at this point that it’s much easier for me than it is for some writers, because I can do things like ask “hey what do you guys like/want to see more of?” and I’ll pretty much always get an answer, simply because so many people are in the habit of regularly checking on my blog and talking to me now. Polls are very helpful that way too, because it’s a functionally anonymous way for shyer people or people who are just casually scrolling their dash to give you an idea of what they’re enjoying from you without having to disrupt their flow or psych themselves up or anything like that. Like, it’s low-pressure, you know? I have done a LOT of polls since I found out Tumblr has those now.

I also constantly encourage people to both talk to me about and also play with my interpretations and AUs as they so please, and I deliberately cultivate responsive relationships with as many readers as I can. I don’t always have the spoons to answer every ask, but I always try to answer the majority of them and try not to ignore questions. A significant chunk of people have told me that they read tropes and AUs from me that they hate from other writers because they just trust that I’ll write it in a way that they can enjoy. I will include certain things and a certain level of respect that they just would not be comfortable without, and if I don’t have those things in there or there’s a common trigger, I’ll at least have done my best to tag for it. And I listen to people who tell me when I’m fucking up and I either take reasonable accommodations or change my behavior where appropriate. I tag for common triggers, I don’t use terms I’ve been told are insults or slurs, I try not to associate negative connotations with physical characteristics or things people can’t change about themselves, and when I have a reflexive “squick” reaction, I try not to assume shit and try to examine my biases. Or I just back-button and move on, if it comes to it. I also do my best to assume the best of people until they prove that I should not be. I am very much going to de-escalate when and wherever I can. 

I generally consider myself a low-drama blog and a low-drama person to follow, and put in effort to be that as best I can, and at this point I think (or at least hope) people feel relatively confident that they can talk to me without having to worry about immediately getting their head bitten off, which seems to be an increasing fear/concern that some people have in fandom. Therefore, I get people talking to me pretty regularly, because I’ve gone to the effort to be as approachable as I know how to make myself.

Also, yeah: above all else, write what you wanna write! Write your weird and niche dreams! Trust me, somebody out there LOVES your weird and niche dreams and wants all the deets on ‘em. I get the most engagement and interest when I just write what I really wanna see and don’t particularly worry about how goddamn weird I think I’m being. People are actually gonna be EXCITED about how goddamn weird I think I’m being, because a lot of them want it too and they’re not finding it as easily as a lot of the more popular stuff. 

So like . . . hope at least some of that was helpful, feel free to ask follow-up questions if you have any, hah.

[brandwhorestarscream]

Hey! I'm from KOBDSS' ask

It was "KOBDSS, but breakdown is the carrier of jettwins and wildbreak"

Ok I've been sitting on this for awhile and ngl kinda struggling, cuz. I'm not too great at puzzling out three way relationships 😅 but I think I'm finally getting there

First and foremost! Unlike previous iterations, I think the three of them will be triplets here. They come as a huge shock to everyone, and Knockout is the first to know whilst diagnosing his mate's sudden restlessness and inability to keep fuel down. Knockout is stunned to see a grand total of 5 infant sparks orbiting around Breakdown's. Seekers are always born in threes, but one of them split in two so there were 4. Add Wildbreak for a clean 5

They know the chances of Starscream being the sire of at least one is inarguable. They have... a weird relationship with their commander. Knockout and Breakdown have been conjunxed since long before the war, back when Veloctiron was still online and still the hottest, fastest place in the universe. They've always known of Starscream, he's infamous among the decepticons. But they'd never actually met the guy or been under his jurisdiction until earth, snd though their relationship is certainly a bit looser and involved now, there's still... a sort of wall there. Starscream is a massively distrustful and paranoid individual, and it took months of coaxing and careful flirtation to get him to even consider their propositions. Even when their sexual rendezvous' became semi-regular, and friendly(ish) visits even moreso, it's clear he doesn't trust them and is guarding his spark closely. He doesn't love them, doesn't think they love him, and has been beaten down and torn apart too many times to even entertain the idea. KOBD are fully content and emotionally fulfilled between each other, and while they do care for Starscream to a degree, it's more friendly than the deep and romantic love they hold for each other.

Which... somehow, makes it more awkward. If they were all a big happy united threeway sparkbond, it would be easy to tell him. They'd better be able to gage how he might react. But with him holding them at arms length and vice versa, and the seeker being so volatile, they can't even begin to guess what he'll do. What he'll think.

Knockout knows they ought to disclose it as soon as possible. After all, it's an important medical condition. But... he's worried. They both are. Breakdown has made it clear, right from the moment he found out about them, he can't stand the idea of a termination. He knows they should. They both do. An active battlefield is no place for a bitty let alone several, and they're not in a position to guarantee their safety and shelter from the war's ever evolving fallout. But the idea of snuffing them is too cruel, even for the two of them. But if they tell the wrong person or things escalate negatively, there's the risk Lord Megatron or Starscream might order their termination anyway. And while the two of them have already resolved to fight for their litter if they have to... they both know it's a fight they'll lose.

Soundwave is the next one privy to their situation. He's the calmest and most reasonable commanding force on the ship, and realistically, if anyone could get them greenlit for parenthood while also not being ejected from the warship, it's probably Soundwave. They're hoping he'll smooth things over with their big boss, because everyone knows Soundwave can do no wrong in Megatron's eyes. Of the news comes from him it'll seem less bad, right?

Right!

...except Soundwave does little more than acknowledge their situation and quietly file it away into the logs. Informs them to act at their discretion: if they want maternity leave or to be excused from battle, that is Lord Megatron's will alone.

These two idiots take the "act at your discretion" and run with it. They're just....... waiting for the right time to tell Starscream. Maybe once hes recovered from his last beatdown from Megatron a bit, or comes to loitering around the medbay when he's in a particular good mood and looking to gossip. Yeah, they'll spring it on him then, and gently ease it in with a cup of some hot energon and some embarrassing story plucked from one of the hapless vehicons. They're bracing for impact and trying to dodge the inevitable. The idiots

Their stupidity unfortunately does eventually lend itself to tragedy. Thankfully they've avoided any altercations with the autobots recently, and Breakdown has been listening to Knockout about not exerting himself. The carrying cycle is progressing nicely and Soundwave has been approving thejr extra energon intake without question. Everything is great.

And then everything goes to shit because of MECH

Everything plays out just as it does in canon. A clash with Bulkhead, taking hits and plunging it head first like he really shouldn't, dragged away by the humans and put under the knife. Having his optic ripped out of his head, having pieces of him removed and cut away. It's a traumatic, horrifying experience, and by the time Bulkhead arrives to free him he's bleeding from a very inconvenient place. Breakdown doesn't know if his greatest rival truly didn't notice or if he was refusing to acknowledge it, but he's glad for it either way. Starscream shows up to get him back, and Breakdown manages to hold himself together until he gets to the medbay

Knockout is waiting for him, and already knows the grim reality: Breakdown had never experienced such a spark-deep, lacerating pain than when one of their sparklings reabsorbed into him, premature bond shattering and leaving him a howling, roaring mess strapped to that concrete slab. Even now it persist, as his internals constrict and twist trying purge what would have been one of their bodies.

He looks like a mess stumbling into Knockout's arms, face still torn open, a gaping hole of wires and energon where his eye once was, chassis soaked in blood from their experiments and thighs just as wet, leaking a trail of blood behind him. The second the door whooshes shut behind them Breakdown collapses, crumbling to his knees and starting to scream even as his bondmate rushes throw his arms around him. It's so much, it's too much, everything is visceral pain, everywhere, from the farest reaches of his limbs to the cold void growing in his spark. It's agony, pure agony, as he desperately clings onto Knockout hard enough to dent and scratch and scrape, bawling and screaming in ire so loudly it surely echoes out into the halls. It's all just too much.

And then, to make matters worse, Starscream arrives. Bulkhead may not have noticed but he did. He can think of several reasons a mech might be voiding internal energon from his interface array, and none of them are positive. One look at the two of them immediately confirms his suspicions, and the only thing he can ask is, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Why, indeed. Breakdown immediately starts hysterically rambling, that he's sorry he knows they should've said something sooner but he's sorry this is all his fault and he's so sorry-

Explanations can wait, evidently. They need to get him taken care of, first.

Thankfully, a quick look with the mirror and a medical scan reveal that three of them are still there. Obviously stressed, vibrating at a higher rhan usual frequency, but still anchored safely to him. Not immediately in danger of reabsorption, and it's a huge, bittersweet relief. Three of them survived, might still survive all the way to emergence. The happiness is of course overshadowed by the loss, but this discovery feels like a glimmer of hope nonetheless. Knockout gets to work patching him up as seamlessly as he can, precise, loving hands eradicating wound by microscopic wound. Breakdown gets a tiny but of carrier-safe sedative, to relax his body enough to safely operate while keeping him semi-coherent. They talk the whole time, all three of them. About... what to do next, about what the future may look like with three sparklings soon to be born. Starscream agrees that, if any of them have wings, he'll willingly care for them and be their parent. If they're all grounders, then... he'll of course be civil and be more forgiving about time off for the two of them, but he won't be involved. It's a fair arrangement they can all agree on.

Of course, that all goes out the window when the three of them are born. Starscream himself didn't even realize how excited he was for their birth until Knockout announces the first one is a grounder, and his spark leaps because he doesn't care. He doesn't care if they're a grounder or a flyer, his spark lurches in a joyful way it hasn't done since before Vos fell, and all at once he realizes that he wants to be involved in these bitties' lives whether they're actually his or not. They'll need all the help, all the love they can get, and he wants to be there with them regardless of what frame they are.

Then the next two come out as jets and he's somehow even happier, because this means he'll have someone to teach about the sky and all it's wonders, and it's somehow an even greater happiness. The three of them are beautiful sparklings, each somehow with Knockout's unnaturally pretty, elegant face. The little grounder looks just like his carrier as far as his colors go, mimicking him near perfectly, but his alt mode is achingly different but so familiar. "He's just like Wildrider..." Breakdown murmurs, optics faraway as he remembers his family from so long ago. They name the eldest Wildbreak, at Knockout's insisting that Breakdown being included too. The split spark twins inherit names from the sky, from long dead relatives they'll never meet: Jetfire and Jetstorm. Neither Knockout nor Breakdown has any complaints, so their names are settled on swiftly. With that out of the way their exhausted parents can all settle in on and around the bed, bonding with their newborns and whispering back and forth to each other about just how wonderful their precious sparklings are 💖

[orionshounds]

I'm making this post WAYYYY later than I thought I would but I am still NOT OVER part one of the ii finale, and I just wanted to gush about why I think it worked so well (long post + spoilers ahead, everything here is just my own personal opinion!)

And to start talking about the episode, I'm not going to talk about the episode at all, but rather THE BUILDUP

as has been said many times by Justin and Brian, Mephone4 creating the contestants has been something they've planned for awhile (since 2015 if my memory is correct), so they have had plenty of times to sprinkle in little details building to this reveal. But what I find fascinating is how well they hid the clues to the reveal because they all were hidden in plain sight

Fan glitching and saying he doesn't know who he is outside the show

Cabby struggling to remember her parents

Anytime a character is asked (in FFF or an exit interview) about their past they reply with "for as long as I can remember"

Characters describing how the show can feel like it's taking over their lives

Looking back over everything I almost feel stupid for not catching onto it before, but the clues were made by design to go over viewer's heads. Because in almost every case, there was a second, "more reasonable" conclusion the audience could take away from these moments.

For Fan his whole arc had been about his unhealthy attachment with the game, it made sense that he would struggle with his identity outside of it (we just didn't know how LITTERAL that struggle was). And him glitching was in response to being beamed up by the Prime Shimmer, at the time it was safe to assume it was probably something to do with the alien tech and not Fan himself. For Cabby's scene, god I love this scene, everyone (including the characters themselves!) assumed that it was just Cabby's memory that was at fault because that's what her arc was centered around. Every clue was so well hidden because they used our own assumptions against us

And now I want to talk about season 3 a little more because in my opinion, the twist would NOT have hit as hard without it

I know there were a lot of real world reasons why the crew made a season 3, but it serves as the perfect primer for the season 2 twist. First and foremost the Cabby scene again; since the objects' world is so different from our own and there is no universal "lore" on how such a world operates, Cabby's scene with Bot is soooo important for one specific reason; it plants the idea in the viewer's heads that, in this world, objects are supposed to have parents. Cob's specifically has a line taunting Knife and Suitcase about this (What did your parents say when they heard the good news?) that would not have hit as hard without this scene subtly directing the audience to expect them to have parents

Then there is Walkie's whole monologue at the end of iii's finale;

I'm gonna be real, when this finale came out I really did not understand this monologue at all. I didn't understand WALKIE at all. She suggests she wasn't made by Meeple, which didn't feel like a lie, but I just couldn't figure out what her deal was.....then the season was just over!

I was confused and a little irritated when they didn't elaborate on who exactly she was and where the hell she came from, and I think the crew wanted the audience to feel that way. They wanted us to keep the questions of "who" and "why" in our heads so that season 2's reveal would make it all click into place

iii's confusion doesn't stop there either, since after it ended probably the biggest question everyone had was how does it fit in the timeline? Because the crew always said it was canon, and the characters kept making references to how season two was "still going on", so when episode 15 aired I was really curious on how it would all fit.....

....what?

That was my reaction at least. There was no way season three happened in only half a day....right? And then I thought, "oh, ok, silly object show rules. They didn't want season 3 to intrude on season 2 so they're going to brush this off, just don't think to hard about it". Obviously, this wasn't the case, but we wouldn't know that until the finale. And again, I think the crew wanted this confusion. By leaving the audience with questions, you're helping to build tension towards that finale payoff (and to be clear, at the time of writing this we still don't know 100% HOW this timeline works, but no doubt Mephone's powers had something to do with it)

With all of these questions, and Brain running polls on twitter on how many characters we thought might die (thanks brian), finally it was time for part one of the season 2 finale...

and then the twist dropped like a bombshell; mephone made the contestants

the very foundation of my understanding of the show changed after that. Everything I had been prepared for was thrown entirely out the window, which I don't think was an accident. With how the crew teased about this episode, it felt like they were preparing us for everything except the twist, ensuring it could fully blindside the most amount of people possible

I want to talk about how brilliantly they presented the twist as well because honestly, building up to it is half the battle. With how important this moment is and how much of our understanding of the show it changes, it needed a ton tension and weight behind it, which the crew pulled off flawlessly. I still get goose-bumps watching that final scene

Kicking it off, Mephone finally answers the call from Cobs. As someone who is particularly invested in Mephone this was huge, it's the biggest thing we know he's been dreading and shows some significant growth from him as well (I don't think pre-iii finale Mephone would ever face his fears like this). Then Knife and Suitcase confront Cobs, Suitcase setting the mood by saying "It feels too easy, doesn't it?" and it does. We, as an audience, know that this is only part one. There is no way Cobs is about the be defeated....not to mention that he has some sort of grand plan we don't know about, so the audience is now on the edge of their seats wondering what is about to go wrong

As the pair confront him they have this exchange;

"Bored? You expect us to believe that??"

"I don't know, it is the truth though"

Since Cob's is known to be an unreliable narrator, to me this feels like Brian subtly signaling to the audience that whatever Cobs is going to say next IS going to be the truth, whether we like it or not

Cobs then nonchalantly confirms he's the one deleting the contestants, putting the audience on edge. I mean, who calmly admits to murder like that?? Then, he begins probing about the bizarre nature of the show. Alllll of the little things that might have bugged us, or things we brushed off because "its an object show" Cobs highlights. He builds the audience's tension by pointing out the same questions a lot of them have been asking themselves since the beginning. And then, he starts building the tension with the contestants;

(I really love this beat, how he takes a moment to think of just the right question to ask without giving it all away. It shows how much he's enjoying fucking with the contestants, really living up to being the final big-bad of the show)

The way he begins to lead us to the answer is so sick and twisted. Asking Knife and Suitcase seemingly innocent questions, going on about creative vision, answering Mephone's call and realizing with delight how even HE doesn't seem know the answer. Winding the audience up and up and up before;

"How'd you get an interview with him anyway?"

"What'd your parents say when you told them the news?"

"You'd think you'd remember something like that, oh wait, no you wouldn't."

"He made you."

...

To this day, Inanimate Insanity is the only show to leave me literally speechless after an episode. I think everything about part one was handled phenomenally, hats off to the entire crew

Finally, I wanted to talk about where this twist leaves the show. Let's be real, putting a "nothing was real" type twist into your story is risky. If not done properly it can leave the audience feeling like the story was pointless or is no longer engaging to revisit. I can confidently say ii's twist has avoided this pitfall

Not only has this twist been properly built up too, incredibly I think it makes the characters more interesting in hindsight. Many of them follow an arc about becoming more than who they are assumed to be at the start. With this twist, those arcs are suddenly much more meaningful because instead of overcoming a personal flaw, they are overcoming what they were literally created to be. It changes the status quo in a way that will alter your perception of earlier episodes, but in a way that makes you re-engaged with the show and excited to revisit it

All in all, I love this episode and I love the twist, and I'm really excited to see how it continues to shape the characters and world in part 2 :)

[ravenstargames]

✦ Lost in Limbo Devlog #5 | 08.31.23

August is OVER and that means a brand-new Lost in Devlog!!! 💜 We are very excited for September to begin because that will definitely mark a new era of Lost in Limbo's production as the whole team will be finally free of the shackles of the spanish education system!

This devlog contains mainly progress in the programming and writing department (yours truly in charge), but we have also made some progress in the art department.

In addition, we will use this devlog to discuss a few changes and decisions we have taken in regards to the course of the demo—so feel free to grab a drink and join us for the ride!

First and foremost...A glimpse of our main menu! 🎉💜 I have been working hard this month to implement the UI as we finally got the files, and I've also animated and programmed the main menu screen, the configuration screen, save/load, etc. The dialogue box and everything else is also implemented and working perfectly, and of course we have a custom cursor thanks to miss Raquel! 🎉

Needless to say, LiL is my first coding adventure, so I'm sure our code isn't perfect or in optimal condition, but hopefully our Kickstarter will allow us to hire a programmer to fix that. I think I've done a pretty good job considering my lack of experience!

Also, special thanks (again) to our dearly beloved @crescencestudio for bearing with me and graciously lending a hand when I struggled the most. They are officially my ren'py mentor and I'd like to take a moment to illustrate our my struggle to y'all with a simple screenshot:

(Also it's kind of funny we both have animal crossing pics in our discord accounts, that was ✨ a coincidence ✨)

<<Inside the holy judgement chamber of the Silver Spire, may your words carry only truth, lest punishment is what you seek.>>

This month our dear Raquel has been working on backgrounds when she's had a moment, and this is one of the pieces she has been rendering and polishing! We'll also take a look at another background (a really important one) to bring it up to our new standards. As I said in another devlog, the master degree we were (and still are, until the 15th) attending has changed our way of seeing and approaching art pieces, so we are looking into improving pieces that are still in the making!

First of all; we are super proud and happy to welcome a new member to the team of Ravenstar Games: Allie! They'll be our editor and proofreader, and I'm sure you know and love some projects she's been on, like Blooming Panic! or our recent and beloved Intertwine. They are a fantastic fantastic writer, an incredible person and a passionate dev that I've had the pleasure to know and work with for a while now, and I would trust no one else with the script of our baby! (and if you are a writer, you know how hard it is to let others read your stuff sometimes. It's like baring your soul to them; it could only be Allie for me!) So please give them a big warm welcome!!

For the writing department, some devlogs ago we talked about the script suffering some changes—well, they have officially solidified now!

We have cut some content that was not exactly relevant for the first experience we want y'all to have with the game. A lot of context and exposition that helps, but is not absolutely necessary to enjoy what is perhaps the most important thing for an indie team and their game; the first demo and the impression it leaves behind. That content has not been scraped and we have decided to save it for an extended demo; the first demo will still be as long as it was in the beginning, as a lot of new content has also been added to prioritize the LIs, which is what you are here for.

We also made this decision because we were once more faced with the reality of: there's only four of us and it's not realistic to do seven LIs + six supporting characters + their expression charts + 13 backgrounds + everything else for a first demo. We are learning as we go, for better or worse, and sometimes you have to sit back and say "right. this is not going to work" so we had to do that. Sadly, we were not realistic with what we wanted to do, but hey, we all get too excited and dream too big sometimes!

This changes will ensure you get the best first experience with LiL without losing important, meaningful content, and hopefully be excited for what will come later. In my humble opinion, the demo script is now in much better shape than it was a month ago. Trust. And just wait for Allie to edit it—that's going to bring it to perfection.

Oh! We'll also be modifying the Masterpost soon as some things are a bit outdated and can be improved, so expect to see some new stuff in there!

It's 1 am here right now as I write this. I'm in bed. Today has been a day. Tomorrow I'll take a look at this and correct a million typos. See? Another reason we need Allie with us. There's screenshots to take, videos to make, and everything is slowly coming together. We are in really good spirits, motivated and hopeful for the near future. This has been long enough as it is, so as always, thank you for being part of Lost in Limbo's journey, and for the love and kindness you give us again and again. We hope you all are doing great, staying hydrated, and taking care of yourself 💜 See you very very soon!!