#sparkrambles

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Something has come to mind through the past two Bound lores (March 9th and 10th)...

Alexandria was supposed to be the good one.

Out of Vast's two parents, Magnus was usually the one highlighted as bad. He was the Calumnus, the one who made Vast kill Kalia, the one who held all the power in his sharpened claws.

We knew they were both wildly abusive, but Vast always spoke like Magnus was worse than Alexandria. Which makes it much more horrible that we have now met her... and seen how she is.

Mothers are a fickle thing to write. Did Alexandria ever cradle a young Vast? Offer him the slightest comfort whenever he was a frightened child? Did she teach him how to hide those feelings he felt, to press them down deep- and thereby teach him how to survive in this world? One of the most horrible things about familial abuse is the fact that oftentimes, the abused child still loves those parents. Even if those parents have done nothing to earn that love. I'm sure Vast heard about other Avicane trainee's parents, and how they loved their children. Ever child wants to make their parents proud.

In today's lore (march 10th), when Atlas was comforting Vast afterwards, Vast repeated "She's my mother". On one hand, the fact that Vast still recognizes her as his mother seems to indicate he still feels tied to her. However, it has slowly become apparent that Vast sees his heritage as a curse. He was the heir of the avicane, his very wings wrought from the murder of another, his own claws put his sister in the ground along with his blade taking many others to meet her. To herself, Vast is the most horrible child and person in more ways than one.

But they're nowhere near as bad as Alexandria.

And thats the thing her brain seems to struggle with.

[explodingsparks]

Knocks door on the l4d fandom

Hey guys if you had to create your own special infected’s what would their name be and what would be their gimmick?

[sparknightdrawing]

My intro post has 27 notes

It’s fate

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

It's so weird that this isn't a concept in English! A latin word that is like the French word Faire is actually Ago (ago, agere, egi, actus)

For example;

"ago equum" -> "I ride the horse"

"ago praedam" -> I carry (or steal) the loot

etc, etc, etc!

So I've been learning French for a while and 'faire' is actually an incredible word. Like what a fucking breakthrough in economy of language.

Faire is a verb that is usually translated into English as "to do/to make," but it covers way more actions than that, which is very confusing for new speakers. because (I have realized) that's not really what faire means.

Faire is actually a word that just gestures vaguely in the direction of the object of the sentence and goes "you know." "Je fais du velo." "Je fais du courses." "Je fais mes valises." I'm biking. I go grocery shopping. I'm packing my bags. You're just sort of pointing at a bike and going "you know, the obvious thing you'd do with it."

English: "You mean RIDE it??"

French: "Sure whatever."

Like idk I just really enjoy the concept of a catch-all verb that you can just slap onto almost anything because who fucking gives a shit, you get the idea. There's a bike. what do you think I'm going to do with it.

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Spoilers for the SkyBoundSMP finale!

Out of all of the epilogues, I am honestly surprised that Nemo's hit me the hardest (in a good way). I've personally been struggling with some grief, and Nemo's epilogue kind of... is a light in the darkness. The whole thing, but especially the final line:

"Grief is not the loss of love. And I will continue to love with my whole heart until the day I must be grieved."

Nemo loved and continued to love so many people. Even coming from a bit of a broken past, losing his partner, getting captured, rendered unable to fly, etc, Nemo had enough love to keep on loving. With a story marred with grief, like rocky soil, flowers still found a place to grow.

Even it's line in the group picture- "and maybe, just maybe, they'll be okay."

I believe that's something I'm going to hold onto. I still love what I have lost, and even though it hurts, there is still room for growth. It's a conviction. To love with one's own heart until the day they must be grieved.

Thank you, Olive Mothmoon, for such a wonderful story.

[explodingsparks]

the raiders (I think) are recording this all on YouTube what the fuck…

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

okay so like- I know it’s all sad that Percy refused to kiss Io and all… but it makes sense.

Percy was raised by the council, and through Ios siren song and Percy’s own words, we know exactly how he was treated. The council holds all the power, and they molded him to be a perfect successor.

Percy is smart. He knows how to take down the council, and like he said, he’d fall on his own sword a million times before letting that council harm any of his. Despite the pain the council caused him, Percy didn’t cower or abdicate his role- he took the reins and began to do it his way.

and he hates acting anywhere close to the council. You can see this in his interactions with Aloysius concerning Io- when the Count compares him to the Council, that’s when the mask slips and Percy goes more on the offensive. But putting Io in a cage makes him far more close to the Council than he’d like to be. He loves Io, yes, but he is Io’s captor. And it would feel like claws across his skin to let himself be any closer to the vampire. Like he said, that is too much power. He’d be too much like them.

right now he has a job to do. Then he will let himself laugh and love. But right now, there’s tyrants to slaughter and a people to free. And that is and always will be more important than his own happiness. Because that’s the job of a good leader. And he will die before seeing himself become like them.

[explodingsparks]

I proposed any ship with Taph should have the name “Silent” or “Explosion/Exploding”

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

I think, if you looked at Lodestar grove a few years into the future, it would be almost unrecognizable.

Sure, the buildings are the same- but there's some more that have popped up. An even better playground at the school, banners hanging from the library displaying whatever event is going on at the moment, the sweet, ever-present smell of baked goods from Starbarks...

Momboo's house no longer decrepit and overgrown with withering vines, instead, covered in beautiful plant life and her love's favorite flowers.

However, the most notable thing about Lodestar grove now is the laughter. In those final days before the fight with Fable, it felt like hope was a mystery and wishing was their last resort. Families clung to each other with a fury, like penguins battling the cold. Many people cracked under the pressure, and many wounds were left that still leave scars today.

But there's hardly a day, nor an hour of the day, where there isn't the sound of laughter from somewhere in the grove. Whether that's Vaeh playing with the dogs, allays giggling as they coerce cookies from Fenris's hands at Starbarks, Ocie's kids coming over for a visit, Athena and Bruin playing around with plants, the teasing pokes and tickles of partners joking around while they drink at the tavern, or so many other things.

Though they may still be healing, may still cry on hard nights, have nightmares of the past... at last, they have the freedom to laugh.

[explodingsparks]

Bro I wAnna kizz brickbattler, murderer, and Survivalist fr

me but with zeppelin pilot

[lovelypastelroses]

Having your main and most successful form of connection with people be through online really sucks when you want to do like, physical stuff

Especially you get to the point where you can meet them, but you realize you can visit every half a year if that, and 6 months is so long

And then you find it hard to adjust being alone, because your brain now Knows that you Can get this thing, that it's not just some far off imaginary concept that lucky people may have

It really sucks too when you find out you work better with someone, especially with this person you can rarely see

And you get so lonely and touch starved that sometimes the only way you can sleep is if you convince yourself you'll wake up next to someone you love, and you'll conquer the day together, and it'll be okay

And of course you won't, and it only gets worse, and you think about calling old highschool friends who weren't the best people but at least it was Something, you wonder if your standards are too high now

You wonder why you didn't go to college, forgetting the reasons why you couldn't, you wonder why you can't seem to make friends and never have (forgetting that the area you're in has a majority of people who aren't like you and wouldn't understand), you wonder if your whole life will just be spent chasing people around the world and being Just out of reach from real connection

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

So.... we're all sad. (Spoilers for the bound lore on March 2nd)

There's understandably a lot of grief going about right now- both in the characters mourning, and with the fandom mourning Rune's death.

However, there's something else I noticed:

Which was the difference in Vast and Atlas's final interactions with Rune.

Most of Atlas and Rune's interaction was talking- Atlas begging him not to do this, not to leave, to take back his book because it was his. It couldn't be Atlas's. Not now. Not like this. In the timeline, Rune and Atlas's relationship officially dating was quite short... but that doesn't mean that Atlas didn't care less. Atlas knows Rune. And Atlas knew that look on his face. This was a goodbye, and there was nothing that Atlas could do to stop that. And he kissed Rune- that one final time.

Then Rune went to Vast

And Vast didn't let Rune talk or try to banish Vast's worries away- Vast kissed him. Vast is a character built more on actions than on words. He convinced people to trust him not by promising, but by upholding those promises. In that moment, actions made the most sense. Vast showed how much he loved Rune. Then, he asked "What can I do to make you stay?". Vast used actions first, then words.., even though he knew too that nothing he could say could make Rune turn away from what he had decided to do.

Vast and Atlas similar with their background in the Avicane, but they're almost a bit of a mirror in this scene. Atlas uses words first. Sure, it's a desperate plea, but plea is verbal, and their kiss is a farewell. Vast's is the opposite. Vast's plea is a desperate show of love- her kiss. He pulls Rune close by the collar of his shirt. Rune may feel horrendously guilty, but he is loved. Vast needs to show that love, because it is far more raw and burning than anything he's been taught to put to words. His words are still a plea, but a knowing one. That is his farewell, or lack of one, that Rune already knows. Vast would do anything to make him stay.

But nothing would make him stay.

And then Rune is gone.

And Vast's and Atlas's reactions are also so interesting but I dont want to ramble this much in one post so that'll have to wait

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

have you SEEN the warrior cats community? they're out there still making content for the first arc.

PLEASE, and I mean PLEASE continue to make content for a fandom where it's media isn't being aired/produced anymore! We're storytellers! let those stories continue!

I don't wanna @ anyone because I understand how fast things seem to move in today's landscape of streaming shows dropping entire seasons in one day, and networks pumping out new series constantly to try to attract more subscribers with no intent to actually maintain those shows over time but I just saw someone self-deprecatingly lament that they are still thinking about a show that ended almost a year ago, making fan art and playlists for it, and I want to be very clear:

you can still create fanworks when it comes to old media!! PLEASE do!! there are always going to be new fans who will appreciate it, and veteran fans who are dying for new content and new perspectives. also, less than a year is NOTHING. the original Star Trek series was on TV six decades ago and there are still people losing their minds over it, writing stories and reblogging gifsets daily, and that's only one example.

a fandom lasts as long as there are people who love a thing, even if it's only a handful of people. love what you love and write and draw and make gifs and playlists about it!

[explodingsparks]

golden moderation marriage send post

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Gosh the just- the emotions behind each of the characters' in the lore of the past two days (10/3-10/4)

Vast, confused and poisoned, plagued by guilt and dread, but still spiting Vee enough to bite back. Shaken and bruised but still wanting to help Armor in the fight. physically trembling because so much is spinning and he can barely comprehend the world around him. Thinking she'll find comfort in Rune's arms before being shot back to Vivianna's cold, cruel touch, her grins and hums and quips haunting his fuzzy memory.

Sylph, fearful and scrambling, being snarky with Vivianna but still trying to keep Vast safe by telling him not to come into the basement. Terrified by the sword held at their throat. then the look in Vast's eyes as he walked towards her. And then shattered as her magic was ripped from her, feathers cascading in their wake as the pain rang in their ears, collapsing on the doorstep of a rival.

Rune, panicked and defensive. worried. Him caring so much for Vast and feeling partially useless because of how he can't help. How he can't fly, how they can't travel fast enough, but just thankful that he somehow got their in time. thankful that after it all, Vast is still alive.

Armor, snarling and angry, defensive and combative- then panicking, the sticky ichor of red blood running down his mouth, the tendons falling from his teeth, their body reacting and trying to rid his mouth of that taste- that feel- that experience. Her panic as Rune and Vast's eyes turn towards her, fleeing far. No stopping, just going, only message a bid for the one they trust so much to take care of the creatures that have practically become their family. The weight of the world feeling like it's crashing onto his back.

And, while we hate her, Vivianna. Chittering grins and laughs, rampant desire and selfishness, giggles of satisfaction at seeing Vast squirm at her touch, her petnames. Bits of anger before it ripens into a rage edged with desperation as she fights Armor- and in those few moments before her death, before Armor's teeth close around her throat... Horror. And horror as her throat is torn out and her blood spilt, and her final breaths spent choking on her own blood like the blood she'd spilled of many others. Hers was at least deserved.

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Genuine note:

Clinical Lycanthropy, as defined by several sources (Wikipedia, WebMD, PsychiatryOnline . org, etc) all say that Clinical lycanthropy is believing that you are physically turning into a non-human creature (in most cases, a predator).

A lycanthrope in mythology is a werewolf, yes, and that's what the name of clinical lycanthropy comes from- the Wikipedia article itself states "Clinical lycanthropy is not specific to an experience of human-to-wolf transformation. A wide variety of creatures have been reported as part of the shape-shifting experience."

but overall, the condition doesn't only have to be in reference to werewolves. However, it is often associated with psychosis, and is often considered a symptom of disorders like DID, Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia. Additionally, it's associated more often in those using or going through a withdrawal from drugs, and also associated with things like dementia and traumatic brain injuries, etc. (Keep in mind that clinical lycanthropy isn't really it's own disorder or condition, but is considered a symptom of others!)

While I'm sure there's a whole lot more that goes into the diagnoses of clinical lycanthropy- Lycanthropy is not just for werewolves. I don't know what physically identifying as a therian is like, or frankly, what being a therian is like at all (other than perhaps otherlink stuff a year or so back), but it's a useful thing to have the correct information.

Therianthropy is not normal, but it's not normal in the way that many neurodivergencies are- it's just not common or the average experience. Doesn't mean it's bad, of course. Just be safe and be you, as long as you're not harming others :]

I’m so done with therian TikTok

“Lycanthropy is identifying as an animal”

No, that is a werewolf. Lycanthrope = Werewolf

Clinical lycanthropy is a diagnosable mental disorder where someone believes they can not only turn into a werewolf but believe they will go through physical shifts, they feel like their bones shift and change into a werewolf causing immense pain to them.

Identifying as an animal is the literal whole point to therians and Therianthropy.

You can identify physically without clinical lycanthropy

You can identify spiritually

You can identify mentally

You can choose to be a therian (other link)

Theiranthropy will always be different for everyone

Your journey will not be the same as your friends

It will not be the same as the next therian

Kids please do research outside of TikTok - they don’t know what they’re talking about….