#text by jac

[tante-litfass]

I do see it

But I don’t want to

I do see it

But don’t believe

I do see you

And at the same time

I don’t

I do see

But at the same time

I’m colorblind

[shesmyscar]

okay, i think i’ve cooked with my agatha all along finale theory that i feel confident posting it since i’ve had time to chew on it after tonight’s episode.

spoilers under the cut!

so, we all know that rio can’t kill agatha since it’s against the rules—in addition to duh down bad ex-wives—and that rio dares agatha to take her powers, but agatha says she knows that would kill her (especially now with the official reveal of rio being death)

what if during rio’s trial next week, rio calls agatha a coward for something related to billy and his split life line (still trying to figure out how that slots in btw) and when she goes to blast him, agatha jumps in to try and save him, since they seem to be setting her up to be a mentor for billy (like she is wanda in the comics) and she ends up getting blasted by rio’s magic and her absorbtion kicks in but because she can’t fully control it, this is harkens back to the convo in episode one and how lilia tells agatha to avoid it w/that line cue of “when she calls you a coward, hit the deck”

and as a result agatha “dies” (rip my girl), but rio tries to bring her back with her green magic (aka a kiss of life) but it’s just not enough to fully get her back and episode 8 ends there. however, don’t worry friends there’s more to this theory.

we all know the rumor that episode 9 is a flashback episode, so this could play out like agatha’s life flashing before her eyes and we get to see how her and rio meet, their adventures, etc. but when it ends, there’s a post credit scene of back to that final scene in ep 8 where it’s billy using his powers (or even his wish at the end of the road) to bring agatha back and complete what rio can’t and bringing agatga back as a ghost (since she is a ghost in the comics) and would perfectly set him up to hone his magic to search for tommy. and would tie in SO well with him being the magician card

and then when agatha comes back to life (since she would still technically have a corporial form) we cut to her eyes opening and she has the little white stripe in her hair like the comics and this way she gets to be with rio for all eternity without worry and can mentor billy

further, i think it would be SUCH an interesting way to combat a bury your gays trope having her come back as a ghost to be even more annoying (affectionate) & for rio to say “i do hate ghosts, but this one i guess is ok” & to combatthe tragic doomed by the narrative yuri trope

also no clue if this is how it’ll play out, but based on just general plot structure and what i’ve seen jac schaeffer do, this feels SO plausible to me rn. but also just a way for white hair stripe agatha to win at the end of the day. it would also be a way for them to insert both in places for cameos (and PLEASE a second season omg) that would make sense because it would a) be stupid to waste kathryn & aubrey’s talents like that & b) why else would they be in tha new marvel logo if they weren’t appearing in other places?

[just-a-tiny-bun]

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

A pretty late entry, but better late than never! Hope everyone has had a wonderful pride month this year!

More art of my ocs under the cut!

[jacscorner]

The Reboot of Sharkboy & Lavagirl

So, who here remembers The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl?

...Yeah, I figured there'd be a lot of people. This movie came on almost every other week on Disney Channel some moons ago.

I loved the movie as a kid. While it hasn't aged the best, it still holds a very special place in my cold heart. One thing always lingered in the back of my mind: why isn't this a cartoon? Biased on my half, but I feel animation is better for trying to show an alien world, completely unlike anything we have on Earth. Because live action movies like this, as impressive as they may, will always be limited by budget and the effects of today - or, in this case, yesteryear. And if they're bad, they can really ruin the immersion. SB&LG are no different from this; as impressive as they were for the time, it was purely for the innate spectacle and not necessarily because they were good.

But, this movie still has a place in my heart, so let's push those critical thoughts aside. Cause i really wanna get into my thoughts on a Sharkboy and Lavagirl reboot.

SB & LG Designs

Since these are supposed to be characters dreamed up by a kid, I intentionally made their designs simplified. Cause while I can draw their suits NOW, I certainly couldn't when I was a kid watching that movie. Which, like, I hate how superheroes when made in live action have the most over the top and complicated uniforms to draw. It's such a high bar for fanart and it makes them un-fun to draw. If Japanese shows can make cool heroes that are manageable to draw, then so should we in the west!

For Sharkboy, I gave a wet suit and some clothes on top, to sort of give a pulp-y feel to his suit. I also gave him a pair of oxygen tanks; since Sharkboy apparently can't breathe underwater, but hold his breath for a long time, I thought it'd make sense for him to have something for those deep DEEP dives, or maybe he could give them to someone drowning who'd need it more.

Meanwhile, I wanted Lavagirl to look more like a classic superhero in terms of design. I do regret a little bit not making her suit more pink and instead red, but I don't hate it. I never like it when elemental heroes have suits that's just their element slapped onto them. Makes me feel it's just their body, and that's a strange school of thought to have.

How The Reboot Would Work

I'd imagine this show would be the 22-24 minute format. The show would begin with a segment of Max in the real world. We'd have a short scene that shows Max in live action and something, good or bad, happen to him. Then, the camera would fall onto Max's dream journal, with the book flipping open and pages furling. We then transition to Planet Drool, with the episode title flashing on screen and the cartoon segment takes over.

I think this would better show the distinction between the real world, Max's world, and the dream world - specifically, Planet Drool. Since Max is basically the God of this world, his emotional state and feelings effect Planet Drool. When he's sad, it's cloud and gloomy. When happy, the birds are singing and flowers are blooming.

Naturally, the various friends and allies Sharkboy & Lavagirl run into on Planet Drool are inspired by the people Max meets. Bullies and jerks in the real world play the role of villains on Planet Drool and their punishments in the real world and comeuppance in the dream world correlate. On the reverse, Max's friends are allies for Sharkboy & Lavagirl, and brief flashes of Max maintaining or straining their friendship will reflect on SB & LG and their relationships.

For example: an episode could start with Max in bed; he's got a Summer Cold and is sick. His mother brought him a bowl of sick and told him to stay in bed and rest, and to remember to take his medicine. She then leaves the room as Max just lies down in bed. 

And then the dream journal flips open and the pages furl and we zoom in on Planet Zoom and it's a frozen wasteland. Blizzards are blowing, the waters are freezing. Even Lavagirl is shivering as she sits on the beach, waiting for Sharkboy, who breaks out of the ice. It's too cold for even his shark friends to come out and they think they need to do something to warm the planet before another ice age hits them.

Probably needs a few drafts, but you get the point.

Sharkboy - Deep Sea Mystery

Sharkboy, real name Finn Mako (cause this is Sharkboy and Lavagirl, subtlety does not exist) was found in a small cave along the coast of Sharktooth Bay. He was found at around age 5 by Dr. Marlon Mako; clearly human, but obviously mutated, with shark-like teeth, sharpened claws, pointed ears, and superhuman senses - not to mention that he saw the boy talking to the Sharks that inhabited the cave. Dr. Mako adopted the boy and built his lab in that cave, where he studies marine life and also builds various technologies for the benefits of Planet Drool. Sharkboy grew up with his new adopted father, never too far from his shark friends. Dr. Mako still doesn't fully understand why Sharkboy mutated like this and is searching for the origin of his odd superhuman abilities and where he came from. Sharkboy does not care; he's happy to have his father, and his Shark Friends.

Sharkboy mostly has all the same abilities he had in the original movie; enhanced physical capabilities, underwater adaptability - for the most part, shark-like teeth, and a super capable swimmer. Sharkboy is also super smart and supplies the team with the various tech and gadgets they use throughout the show - all usually shark themed, cause of course they are. Of course, just because he's smart doesn't mean he's passive or a thinker. His first solution is still primarily to smash it - he's a cocky hothead. It was his father's idea for him to carry that oxygen tank in case of emergencies and if not for the fact he loves his dad and doesn't want him to worry, he'd never bring it with him.

And just like in the movie, Sharkboy can be overstimulated and go into a frenzy where he's stronger, faster, but more feral and less cognitive. This can be good AND bad since he's rarely in control of himself. Sharkboy also has a strong distaste for most human food - whether he can or can't eat it, I don't know, but but he at the very least won't eat most sweets willingly.

Lavagirl - Princess of Heat

Lavagirl, real name Pyrrha Redsword is the daughter of the Lava Lord, Ignis Redsword. Lavagirl hails from the largest volcano on Planet Drool, found at the equator of the planet: Mt. Habanero. We'll get into it later, but yes, Lavagirl is the youngest daughter of this Lave Lord, who controls the thermal heating of Planet Drool. A sheltered princess most her life, Lavagirl grew up listening to stories of Planet Drool's heroes. But that many of them were gone now, apparently having been lost after a 'Great War' - which, in the real world, would be Max losing his grandfather, who would be introduced into the story and would have been the one helping him build Tobor (wink wink).

Inspired by these stories, Lavagirl would make her own suit and decide to become a superhero and would leave her volcano home in search of adventure. She's eager to be a superhero and tries to do things 'by the book' and try to do her best to help people. She holds the majority of the team's emotional intelligence, being more socially capable than Sharkboy - though sometimes, a bit too formal. And at times, maybe a little too naive, as her eagerness to help and her lack of experience with people leads to her being taken advantage of.

Like Sharkboy, Lavagirl's powers are the same as they were in the movie. She can manipulate lava and magma, spew it from her hands, and her hair can light up in flames. She can also melt into lava and reform at will. These are all natural abilities of the inhabitants of her volcano home; in this reboot, Lavagirl knows exactly what she is: a Geofolk, or Geoperson. They all can live in extreme heat and have naturally hot to the touch bodies, as well as hair that can light up with fire as a tie to her emotions. They can eat lava rocks, but they can also eat normal food without issue. Lavagirl has older siblings in this reboot; two older sisters and an older brother, though they're not important right now...

Planet Drool

Planet Drool is a reflection of Earth through the warped and twisted lens of a child - one who has a love of superheroes, robots, and escapes to his fantasies while his planets are having marriage problems and he has to deal with homework, bullies, and the world being big and scary. The two planets, Drool and Earth, have no relation to each other outside of Max; SB & LG do not know of Max's existence, though Max is referenced in a religious sense, as a 'Dreamer'; someone with the power to make thoughts into matter, who can create anything, but also destroy it in an instant. Anyone on Earth can be a Dreamer - in fact, maybe we'll explore the 'Dreams' of others, as they may influence Planet Drool.

For now, though, let's focus.

The natural world of Planet Drool is ruled by a respective Elemental Lord - a King, Queen, or something. Lavagirl's father is the Lava Lord and control's the planet's natural heating. The Ice Princess - yes, she is in this reboot - controls the cooling of the planet and is acting in palce of her missing father, the Ice King. Mr. Electric is the (former) planetary electrician, so on and so forth.

Planet Drool once had lots of heroes acting as its guardian, but after The Great War, many of them had either perished or retired. One of them, the Mighty Tobor, is left as a rusting giant robot in the Dream Graveyard, where all of Max's discarded dreams end up - in context of Planet Drool, it's a massive junkyard of broken machines or magical artifacts that don't work. There, Tobor lies, still technically functional, but seemingly beyond repair, a relic of the Era of Heroes that protected Planet Drool and acts as SB & LG's mentor.

As a planet made up of the dreams of a kid, Planet Drool has various locations that don't make sense. The Land of Milk & Cookies, where deserts are made to appease giants, swamps where the sun never seem to shine and is home to frog-like dragons, desert landscapes where the sand is like water and you need to sail it by ship; the planet's landscape is in constant flux. It twists and turns at the discretion of the planet's Dreamer (AKA, Max and his slowly growing collection of friends). The most important thing about Planet Drool is that it's a mismatch of different ideas that might not really work or go together, but that's kind of the point. Cause it's a dream and dreams don't always make sense.

[helluvamystery]

todays warm up doodle, eternally sad that becka and the others do not have phones

[jensenacklescious]

From @jensenacklescious home to yours, Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas, Stay safe and warm.

[riverstardis]

[bucklikethedollar]

boy oh boy do i have some life ruining books to recommend!!

i’ll start off with the most “normal” one: Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. the story follows joe, an extremely relatable american everyman, after he gets blown up my a bomb in world war one. the explosion leaves him severely disfigured, resulting in him losing both legs, both arms, both eyes, his nose, ears, and his entire mouth. the whole book takes place in joe’s mind as he reflects upon what possible future he might have, his struggle to communicate with the doctors and nurses around him, and his profound rage at the american military. letting you know right now, this book is not for the faint of heart, it’s visceral and angry and touches something primal inside you like very few other books. expect to take breaks.

next up is Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica. following a devastating worldwide pandemic, all animal meat is now extremely deadly to humans. instead of people becoming unanimously vegan, though, governments across the world decide to selectively breed and slaughter human livestock. the protagonist, marcos, is a high-ranking employee in one of these slaughterhouses who must grapple with his function in this gruesome new society when he falls in love with a piece of “livestock” he is gifted. if you have a weak stomach, skip this one. this book gives you detailed tours through human slaughterhouse, human breeding facilities, and human tanneries. this book is gruesome and exhausting and one of the best things i’ve read in recent memory.

ok, we’re done with the gross ones, i promise. next is The Grip of It by Jac Jemc. going into this, you’ll think it’s a standard haunted house story. it’s not. young couple julie and james have just moved into a small town to hopefully get james away from his gambling problem, but find that their house is… odd. there are countless hidden rooms, stories of children dying decades before, things going bump in the night, eerie drawings on the walls, an elderly neighbor always watching them, and bruises covering julie’s body. every turn of a page will leave you wondering what the truth is, who you can trust, and what is really going on in that house.

now we’re getting into the really weird territory with The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. eric has amnesia. he awakes in a house that is… probably his. he finds letters from himself explaining his situation, meets with a therapist he’s apparently been seeing for years, and dreams about his dead fiancée. some of the letters he finds are… dangerous, though. literally. just by having read the text on the page, eric is in extreme peril, and now that you’ve read it, you are too. eric has to travel across the uk, outrun conceptual sharks, and drink paper, and it’s one of my all-time favorite books. this story is about a lot of things. grief, memory, the power of the written word, what it really means to be a person, to be alive. just writing this summary makes me want to read it again, i really can’t recommend it enough.

lastly, we have by far the weirdest item on this list, and also my favorite book ever: House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. depending on what internet circles you’re in, you might’ve heard about this book already, but i’m gonna infodump about it anyway. this book is about zampanò, a blind old man who— i mean, this book is about will navidson, a documentarian who moves into a— no, this book is about johnny truant, a tattoo artist who compiles zampanò’s essays about— ugh. okay, let’s start over. the navidson record is not real. it is a documentary that does not exist, even in the universe of the book. even so, the late zampanò has written an extensive essay about this nonexistent documentary, which young tattoo artist johnny truant now feels compelled to compile and share with us. zampanò’s essay tells us that the navidson record is the story of will navidson and his family after they move into a house that is 1/4 of an inch bigger on the inside. well, that’s an oversimplification. it also has a single hallway that takes 5 1/2 minutes to traverse, a seemingly infinite and ever-changing labyrinth both underneath and within the house, and… something that lives in that impossible space. in case you can’t tell, this book is hard to describe. it, and the raw shark texts, are what’s called ergodic literature, meaning they use the literal text itself as a function of the narrative. in house of leaves, you’ll see pages with the text upside down, the word “house” is always printed in blue ink, some pages are diagonal, some have only a few words on them, there’s a page that’s just a few bars of sheet music. similarly to the raw shark texts, this book makes you a part of the story just because you’ve read it. this story spans multiple appendices, a collection of letters from johnny truant’s mother, and a companion album by the author’s sister, and is one of the most amazing pieces of art i’ve ever encountered. it’s by no means a light read, a complete full-color edition will come at about 750 pages, but every single one of them will grab you by the throat and not let go until you’re looking over your shoulder for minotaurs and wondering if your house has the same dimensions as it did yesterday. read this book.

that’s my main list, but here are a few honorable mentions:

The Last Wolf/Herman by Laszlo Krasznahorkai, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca, and The Boxman by Kobo Abe

happy reading!!

what is the best book you’ve ever read in ur entire life i need a book that will completely ruin my life hello please

[ennn]

Very much enjoying your analysis. There seems to be a disconnect on whether Agatha kissed as a manipulative tactic or if there really as love there.

I’m in the middle on this. Agatha was crying when she kissed Rio. We know from interviews with Kathryn that Agatha hates herself for loving Rio. I’m just afraid that didn’t come across very strongly. However, I feel like my opinions are veering more negative because of all of the negativity 😂 your opinions are markedly more positive, so I’d like some positivity, please 😭

Thank you for enjoying! 💚💜 Always happy to throw some thoughts anyone’s way if it helps :]

So, the trick I think for Agatha in general and even for Rio – or really, any character that's complicated – is this:

A few things can be true at the same time

Let’s start from a meta (Doylist?) outside-the-text pov first:

Jac Schaeffer loves ambiguity and complex characters. She’s positioned Wanda and Agatha as both their show’s protagonist and antagonist. She doesn’t see characters as set heroes or villains. She seems to genuinely enjoy people having their own interpretations, and things not being black and white or having a single definite answer.

In interviews I think Kathryn Hahn has also been careful to talk about how Agatha and Rio have a long and complicated relationship. If she had to pick one word it would probably be that. If she had to pick three words I think it would be "love, respect, and hate" – which she used in her recent interview.

And to be honest, I think all the interviews with Schaeffer and the cast have been limited in really digging into this relationship because they've had to avoid spoilers for most of the season as Rio being Death feeds so critically into their dynamic.

I get that people tend to have confirmation bias and focus on bits that fit with their world view so while yes, Schaeffer does talk about how Agatha and Rio fall back into the muscle memory of that love and the love they have is true, there's also the other side of the coin to this complicated relationship which is the hate, resentment, anger, and manipulation (mainly from Agatha).

So back into the text: Was Agatha manipulating Rio by kissing her? Probably yes? But that's Agatha.

And importantly, Rio knows this and that's who Rio fell in love with.

You know the ol' fable about the scorpion and the frog? Rio knows she's in love with a scorpion. Rio sees through Agatha's more obvious lies. She even finds a lot of them amusing. She knows she's going get stung and it hurts like fuck but she's also Death. In one form or another, she can endure.

I'm reminded of that Doctor Who quote: Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?

Was there love there? I like to think yes, there was. There are enough glorious GIF sets going around for you to fully appreciate it in the performance.

Here I ask: what's Agatha manipulating Rio for, with the kiss? Is she distracting Rio so she can more easily become a ghost?

The whole ghost thing would annoy and piss Rio off yes, but if you think about it, that's actually a win for Rio because she was genuinely upset seeing Agatha dead.

Yes Rio will probably be mad – she grieved for you dammit – but I think she'd eventually find it amusing her clever witch got away again. Rio wants to keep coming after Agatha. That's their thing. That's why when Agatha sets the cost of taking Billy to be Rio not seeing her ever again, Rio is crushed.

Agatha becoming a ghost is kind of an overall win for all parties really: Agatha wins by having Rio let Billy go, and she can continue to go after power and knowledge, and Rio can continue to chase her and they can continue annoying the hell out of each other.

[flurry-of-beaus-pop-pop]

Rio: *literally has a black heart ON HER CLOTHES*

Jac: Nah, Billy is the black heart because his boyfriend used that on one occasion in a text

[herecirmsims]

Questions For Storytellers

I have (I think) finally caught up on my list of poses to make, so I wanted to do something a little fun (for me, not for anyone else LMAO) and entirely self-indulgent. I read stories and tell my own over on Instagram, but of course it's harder to post long-form text like this over there.

Special thanks to @freezerbnuuy as I'm copying their post. ❤️

What’s the last screenshot you’ve taken for your story?

This is from the middle of my last post, but it's the last screenshot I took because I went back and added this scene in after finally caving and making my own stupid poses for it hahah.

2. Describe your story in three words or less: Needlessly long tbh

3. Describe (insert character here) in three words or less: Uhhh I'll pick Saxen since he's my MC... wet cat energy (which I think is something @nefaricussims said actually??). Or "90s cocaine chic" as @southernsimmin so beautifully described him. 🤣

4. How did you choose the name of your story? It's called The Cottage because it's... based in and around a cottage. 🥲 I have a very imaginative mind!! 🤣 But also, the cottage plays an important role throughout the whole story and especially in the upcoming finale.

5. How do you choose your characters’ names? My Sim story is based on a novel I never had the confidence to finish - in that version, Sax is an ælf based on Anglo-Saxon belief. I made him a vampire in Sims because that was the only pack I owned at the time, besides base game, and for gameplay purposes I thought vamp put him close to how I imagined him. I now realise I could have easily used CC and my own damn imagination to make him an ælf but I didn't know much about CC at the time, either. 🤣 Because of this, the original story leant into fae lore and the stuff about never revealing your true name. Saxen isn't his real name anyway, but for an added layer it also isn't spelt how you might imagine if you heard it spoken. The same for Thom and Jac who are also characters who came over from the 'original'.

6. How long have you been working on your story for? A little over three years! I have learned soooo much in that time.

7. Whats the biggest risk you’ve taken with your story? Did it pay off? I dunno that I've taken any risks, other than putting it out there in the first place.

8. What about your story are you proud of? I think the fact it exists at all. I've been writing stories since I was a kid, but at some point I lost confidence in myself and have never finished anything/wanted to share it with people because I end up overthinking and deleting it. So I am proud of myself for having maintained a continuous story for three years, and for having other people read it. I think because there was no pressure with a Sims story - with a novel I kept thinking, this has to be perfect and polished so that I can publish it someday. With a Sims story, I'm free to just write the silly tropes I enjoy and allow myself to suck and learn and get better at it.

9. What about your story are you looking to improve on? I read a fantastic article about ma - including pauses in your visual storytelling, space for the characters to sit and breath and reflect. It's ma that makes Ghibli movies so wonderfully distinctive. Being able to make my own poses means that I can show a character's expression or body language in response to a situation, without the need for overlaying text. I'm trying really hard to move away from the "talking heads" style that reads more like a script, and letting the visuals tell the story for me instead. I'm not very good at it because I enjoy my blah blah, but it's fun to try!!

10. Is your story fully planned or are you still working things out? Is there a definitive end? I'm approaching the end of it now, which has been planned for the last three years, so yes - I know pretty much everything that's going to happen. Sometimes the characters still throw a little surprise for me though.

11. Why have you decided to tell this story? Are there any messages or meanings within it? When I got the Sims almost 4 years ago, I had absolutely no idea that there was a) a whole community around it or b) that people used it for storytelling. I'd already made Sax, Thom, and Jac in the game, because I'd wanted to see them come to life during gameplay. Then I discovered poses and started sharing random staged screenshots on Instagram, and became friends with the exceptionally talented TheSimmerKay (now making machinimas!) who showed interest in my silly little characters and suggested that I try telling a story too. I owe her a lot!! As for messages and meaning... I'm very interested in what makes people do the things they do, and how the hero of a story often depends on whose POV we're hearing the story from. There's a fine line between hero and villain sometimes, and a hero acting out of love can cross from protectiveness into control.

12. Do you actually play the game or do you just use it as a storytelling medium? Yep - I have a designated story save, which is the one I take all my screenshots in and which never has gameplay. Then I have a Happy Ever After save for Sax and Fen and another save for for my Globetrotter Challenge Sim, both of which are gameplay only. I think it's important to have that outlet; I can work on my story, make poses, or just play the game, depending on what I fancy.

13. From basic planning to a finished post, how long does that take you? 2-3 evenings. I tend to get everything laid out and text added, then let it sit for a day because I inevitably think of a way to do something better if I give it chance to breath. 🤣

14. Do you have any regrets about your story so far? If you could go back in time, how would you fix these? Not regrets, really, but there are some threads that I put in - fully intending to complete them later in the story - but never did, due to them just not fitting with the story or wanting to try and bring things to an end sooner. But similarly, there are times when I was going to put in a little hint or foreshadowing in and didn't, and then later in my story have wished I had! The tricky part of serialised storytelling is you have to just live with what you have (or don't have), you can't go back and remove or add scenes like you would with a drafted novel.

15. What have been the highlights of creating your story? I've met so many incredible people due to it, oh my goodness. Truly extraordinary Simmers who've shared their time and knowledge with me. We have a little mutual reading group on Insta where we all read and geek out over each other's stories and it's just wonderful. I was honestly shocked when i went to other platforms and realised how much drama there can be in the Sims community. 🤣

16. What about the process do you enjoy? Not that I don't enjoy the process... but I mostly love it when it's finished and I can share it, hahaha.

17. What about the process do you hate? I don't hate any of it... it's a hobby and I do it because I enjoy it. That being said, it does fuck me off when I have multiple Sims in a scene, everyone is in place and has poses queued, and then MCCC Dresser FREEZES MY GAME NOOOOOOOO WHY

18. Choose a song that reminds you of your story:

This is the unofficial theme... specifically this version in Old English, which is Saxen's first language. "It's our destiny then to find love again / Where we failed once before now we'll win"

19. Choose a song that reminds you of (insert character here):

Another one for Sax I guess because he's special. 😌🤣 "But you, a cinder of the fire that's yet to come / Will you just sit and mourn this fragile thing that you've become / Or instead will you consume the very things you can't outrun / Until you finally see all of the strength that you draw from?"

20. Choose your favourite shot from your story so far: Hmmm I think this one, which was me being lazy and reusing a screenshot from an older scene during a flashback-style narration. 🤣 I was trying to achieve something else with the editing but did this by accident and liked it.

21. Choose your least favourite shot so far: Too many to pick from LMAO

22. Choose a favourite character from your story so far: Sax, obviously, he's my lil chew toy/punching bag. But then there's also Idris, for whom I only wish the best. She's going through some trouble right now and I don't enjoy it. It's much more fun to bully Sax.

23. Choose your least favourite character so far: I don't have one! Although Vlad makes me deeply uncomfortable tbh. I find him to be a really creepy villain, and unlike any of my other villains, he's not in any way misrepresented or redeemable. I'm using a makeover version of him by WistfulCastle (I would link, but I don't think he's available anymore?)!

24. Are there any characters who remind you of yourself? No... well. Whenever baby El randomly info-dumps on a niche subject, that's mostly me taking advantage of a captive audience to tell them about karkadanns or medieval torture items or dead bodies on Everest. 🥲

25. What inspirations have you drawn on for your story? I honestly don't know - I can't name anything that I've consciously drawn on, though I know for sure I must have. Funnily enough people have told me things like "oh that's like in Vampire Diaries" or "that's like that part in the Harry Potter films" and I haven't watched either of those, so I think what's happening is we're all drawing from the same well of folklore and mythology and trope. There is occasional story drama about being copied and the thing is... unpopular opinion alert... many of us aren't as unique as we think we are. 😅 What we are unique at is taking a trope and telling it in our own distinctive way. No one else can tell your story quite like you can.

26. Have other sim stories inspired you? I have soooo many talented friends who inspire me to do better when it comes to visuals and storytelling!! @callmedomino is the queen of silent storytelling and a huge inspiration on my journey to discover ma. I really love how well she can tell a story with no words.

27. What genres would you describe your story as? I call it rural fantasy lmao

28. If you could reproduce your story in another medium (movie, novel, comic, etc.) what would you choose and why? I mean obviously I'd say movie because HOW COOL would that be?! Especially an animated one!

29. What would your story’s rating be? (G, PG, M etc.) Ummm probably M because there is the occasional spicy scene. Sometimes three a year LMAO.

30. If you were leaving simblr Simsta and had to choose another creator to continue the story for you, who would you ask? Well tbh I've given Sax and Fen to several good friends already; some of them have them in ongoing cameos in their own stories. I wouldn't ask anyone to continue mine, but I like to think that Sax and Fen could live on in my friend's stories and games if anything were to ever happen to me.

31. Drop some random trivia about your story: When I started I only meant to do short, random vignettes about daily life at the cottage. Somehow it snowballed into a three year epic. 🤣

32. Give a light spoiler: "This is who I am. If I was any other way, I would not be myself."

[agatharkn3ss]

Billy's spell book

First of all, can anyone help me decipher what a couple of the handwritten words are in Billy's spell book?

The note in the middle of the left page, next to the Waning Moon says "Waxing xxxx and severely slows the spell". Maybe "deters"?

Then the note at the bottom of the page on the right is partially covered/blurry in all photos, but maybe someone can work out the missing/incorrect parts:

"A person who was bound cannot be bound again until xxxx spell can be unbound"

If this note really says that, then I would wonder why Billy would be interested in whether someone can be bound again or not?... Was he looking to bind Agatha after? Is the Witches Road just another binding spell? The whole spell text:

Release Spell [Scribble wiggle of some kind] A powerful counter to reverse a binding spell. Binding spells are frequently used to prevent another from committing harm or using magic on themselves or others. This magic also binds the two which otherwise could not be connected. A release spell is most effective when attempted during a Waning Moon. [Scribbled notes: "Waxing xxxs and severely slows the spell"; "Waning Moon 3-10 Days after Full moon"; "personal item of the bound -  perfume, or jewellery, photographs"] Materials: A personal item from the Bound A successful release spell requires an item of personal importance from the person under the binding spell. It should not be from someone recently deceased as that will corrupt the spell. Be careful not to use an item that shares energy with an additional person, or an item belonging to many. To begin, clear your mind and centre yourself. Remain calm and present, guiding your energy and spirit. Hold the personal item and pass back and forth between your two palms, focusing intently on it, seeing every detail, until you can picture it with perfect clarity in your mind’s eye. Breathing slowly and with intent, imagine your energy projected into the item with each breath. Let all sound fall away. Repeat the words: “DIMETTE EAM EX HOX CARMINE” [Scribbled notes: a drawing of the eye of the mind] As you speak, imagine dissolving the item you hold in your mind’s eye. Continue flowing your energy into the item, focusing with great detail, until the spell is broken. You’ll feel the energy shift as the spell is broken. Caution: The person formerly under the binding spell might be disoriented and blame you for the binding spell they were previously under. [Scribbled notes: a drawing of moon phases? + "A person who was bound cannot be bound again until xxxx spell can be unbound"]

General thought - Billy wasn't very good at following that spell's instructions - he pretty much broke every single one of them. He didn't even say the same words (in both ep.1 and 6 he recited "Exsolve hanc feminam defixam. Meo carmine exsolve hanc feminam defixam."). But maybe as Wiccan he doesn't actually need to follow the instructions because it's all about the intent - his powers let him do whatever he wants. And so all of this could be why Jac Schaeffer felt the need to say that "Witchcraft is murky. Witchcraft is imprecise".

But there are other elements that don't align:

Even though the instructions and scribbles focus on the moon phases, we don't even know whether he hit the correct phase timing-wise. (I couldn't find a way to work it out either - there was no moon shown in both ep.1 and 6 and no dates shown or suggested anywhere). Maybe we could assume it was the Waxing moon and that's why it took a while for Agatha to be released from it?

The spell warns against using an item that "shares energy with an additional person, or an item belonging to many." - well, the locket not only originally belonged to Evanora, but it also contains Nicky's hair (I believe this because every time Agatha focuses on the locket, Nicky's theme plays). And there could be even another layer to that, because we could assume that his hair would share energy not just with Nicky but with Rio as well. The book doesn't explain what consequences are in this case, but I do believe this rule has been thoroughly broken.

There is also the rule that the item "should not be from someone recently deceased as that will corrupt the spell" - Evanora wouldn't count as she died 350 years ago. But we still don't know how long ago they lost Nicky. Granted, at least 3 years, so would that still even be considered "recent"? It would also be interesting if the item really does share energy with Rio and so will directly be connected to Death - could this rule therefore be hugely affected by that? So the spell is in fact corrupted?

We do hear Agatha still using wrong words and phrases here and there, I originally assumed it was just a malaproper trope, but could this be the effect of the corrupted spell? Similarly, it would explain why she couldn't remember Sharon's real name? (I'll get back to that later) Would anyone realise it's corrupted? (I'm sure Agatha would)

So I THINK, in the true Wizard of Oz style, Agatha actually has her magic powers in her. Wanda didn't take it all, but because the release spell is corrupted, it will take her a while for the spell to completely disappear and for her to access them. Unless...

And this brings me back to the original notion that I think the Witches Road could be just another binding spell. Whether Billy fully realises this, I'm not sure. Maybe he fully believes this is the Witches Road, but when he was casting the "release spell" on Agatha, his intent did more than he bargained for? Maybe this is more controlled by William Kaplan who is still in there, somehow? Why make a note about whether someone could be bound again?

Agatha seems to be able to pick up these details - when Billy says in ep.3 that the road is exactly how he imagined, she responds weirdly "it suits you". She also points to her environment when she says in ep. 6 that he really is a Maximoff, otherwise "all this wouldn't be as dramatic". Not to mention she does not seem to recognise this Road and its trials. (though I believe this is because she has never actually been on the Witches Road. She just happily perpetuates the myth to find naive witches to syphon powers from)

Now this last bit is one I am less sure about. It's a niggling thought about how jarring the inconsistencies of ep.5 are... But still, I'd like to have this as a thought exercise...

So, what happens when Billy loses the spell book? We get this odd-feeling "spirit" trial. Many have written plenty about how inconsistent it was compared to the previous trials. So I won't dwell on that. BUT I will point out two small continuity errors that I haven't seen anyone discuss:

Sharon's full correct name was never revealed to the coven. They all knew her as Sharon Hart. Agatha not only never seemed to actually pay attention and acknowledge Sharon's surname but she always interrupted just at the right time so Sharon never said her actual surname in front of other witches. They called her either Sharon or Mrs Hart, always. And Agatha didn't even seem to realise the "Sharon" name - as highlighted at the end of ep.3. So it's odd that when she trolls the coven at the ouija board, although the board says Mrs Hart and the coven happily use that name to talk to her and not suspect anything... then Billy corrects Lilia saying "she's Sharon Davis" and Agatha nods happily that she is indeed this "Sharon Davis". How would Billy know Sharon's real name? Why would Agatha accept that and not be confused by what he just said?

in the trial Rio's bracelets keep disappearing in different scenes around the ouija board moment. In most of the close ups she has both sets of bracelets, but in all the overhead shots she is missing one set on her right wrist (the green and yellow bands - same colours as the trolls' hair by the trial entrance). Now this COULD WELL BE that the costume department made a mistake or that Audrey lost her bracelets because she was working on multiple projects. But we know how much effort and thought they put into the settings and costumes, would they really miss a crucial detail like this? (and in his posts the costume designer kept pointing out the bracelets to people because of the lesbian flag colours...)

So yeah, not really sure about this last one. Maybe it's intentional or maybe ep.5 just became too much for the producers as it was edited so much and became this 24min thing of gibberish.

[the-californicationist]

Guile & Guilt (Ch. 04)

Link to AO3

MDNI/18+

THE SAME DAY

Pidge offered to let you shower and change in her room so that you could be warm again and in clean clothes. You took her up on it, eager to feel the hot water and steam heat your skin.

Roger was already snoring, dead asleep on the sofa in the living room, and Johnny - or Soap, as Bekah had named him - disappeared into his room for a bit, looking for his own shower. He was absent while you and Pidge tried the cake samples from the Stiff Peaks bakery. She gushed about the flavors and the use of spices in the cake and its icing. You even got a few moans of culinary approval from Hamish whose high standards were impossible to reach. All in all, it felt like a success.

So why did you feel so empty? It was more than just the text from Bekah. There was some piece missing, something you got wrong and needed to fix. But, what could it be?

Johnny had confessed his feelings to you, and his kiss had felt… well, it had felt like a kiss should feel. It was the kiss that every young person imagined they might experience one day when the softness of someone else’s mouth finally found their own, their tongue icing the flesh of the other’s like a knife through a creamy, sugary glaze. The heat of their wet lips burning their edges, locked into a primal embrace of ownership and consumption, eating without feeling full. Devouring and yet becoming hungrier, increasing your appetite, gorging on the sweetness, until finally…

Johnny’s door popped open and he came to join you in the kitchen. His eyes went to you before eventually settling on Brigette,

��So? What’s the verdict, then? Dinnae meet the mark?”

“Sure,” Pidge smiled at him, “Right on target, you wee nugget. Good thing I sent you then.”

Johnny nodded to you, sitting in the bar stool next to yours at the kitchen counter. He gestured to you,

“She kept me in line, so she did. Would’ve gone for the chocolate myself.”

Pidge nudged you,

“Aye, what’d I tell you.”

You offered the other half of the cake to him, passing him your fork. He took it, cocking his smile into a mischievous grin,

“You’d have been proud of your wee hen here, Pidge. She made a pretty convincing bride. Might have to recruit her for our next mission. Be needin’ some espionage.”

Pidge laughed without even glancing up at him, her voice full of bitterness,

“So, havin’ you and da’ throw away your life on spyin’ wasnae enough. Should be my best friend, too?”

The whole room went cold. Johnny was mid-chew when he heard his sister’s comment, and he spat out the cake into a napkin in disgust. Pidge cut him off before he could say anything,

“Don’t forget to give little miss James Bond here a ride to her fitting tomorrow. I’m off for my shower,” she squeezed her brother’s forearm, seeming to understand that she had hit a nerve. He did not respond to her words nor her touch.

Johnny turned inward, closing off from conversation. You tried to coax him back out,

“Hey, here’s your phone. I think you missed a call.”

Without saying anything, he took the phone from you. He flipped through the message, and his expression remained unchanged.

“Gonna steal some of tha’ stew Hamish has been hidin’. You want in, thief?” He asked you, reaching for the pots and spoons before cracking open the freezer.

“Aren’t you gonna go to the pub?” You asked, trying to be as unbothered as possible.

He froze in place, holding the pot by its handle, locking eyes with you,

“No, not unless you wanted to do dinner with me, lass. Cravin’ samosas?”

It was a test. You had promised yourself you wouldn’t, but here you were, playing games. Could the party boy resist a party? You were about to find out.

“Yeah,” you nodded, “Maybe a little. We could get take away.”

“Brilliant,” he grabbed his keys and followed you to the door.

Now that night had settled in, it was too cold in the Jeep. You held your arms right to your body and tried to shield yourself from the wind. Johnny dug around in the back and dragged out a camo jacket with his name tacked onto the chest.

You put it on and it swallowed you, warming you up from the inside out. The fold of the collar flapped just under your nose, letting you smell his orange, woody scent. There was something else, too. Gunpowder. You smelled like fireworks and winter citrus.

“Thanks,” you said, wrapping it tighter around you.

“You make it look good,” his smile was bright and full of innocent praise, “Warm enough?”

You nodded, suddenly shy. You regretted your decision to drag him out of the house again. You should’ve kept him all to yourself, covetous and selfish like a hoarder, locking him in like a shorn Repunzel, playing like Circe with her pigs. But, you didn’t want to be Circe. You wanted to be Penelope. Permanent, as impossible though it may have been.

Was he Odysseus? Or Narcissus?

The car park was packed. He dropped you off at the door and you waited for him to find a spot in the back. He pulled the keys out of the Jeep and did a bit of a jog to catch up to you.

He commented on the crowd,

“Match is on. Rangers and Aberdeen. Whole town should be out tonight.”

You made a quiet noise in assent, not knowing enough about football to comment.

He held the gate open for you, and you walked through the smoky, crowded courtyard. Ettrick’s had tons of outdoor space, and the tall heat lamps made it cozy despite the nip in the air.

Inside, the noise hit you like a punch. It was a small space and the din was overwhelming. Warmth and bodies and smells tumbled over you like a wave. Johnny pulled a menu from the host stand, positioning himself as a barrier between you and the chaos.

He had to lean in close to you for you to hear him,

“Samosas, yeah? And we gotta do the chicken khorma. It’s top notch here, lass. Trust me.”

“Sure. Sounds good,” you smiled and watched him look around for the host.

Just as he rounded the corner, you heard a loud shout,

“MacTavish! You made it,” Lachlan’s voice carried through the crowded bar and you watched Johnny’s face light up in recognition.

He shook Lachlan’s hand and Bekah came up behind him, wrapping her arms in a tight hug, which he returned, just as tightly. They chatted together for a moment until you saw Lachlan look over Johnny’s big shoulder right into your eyes. He waved you over, and you tried to control your face. So much regret. But, you made your bed and now you had to lie in it.

“Hey, babes,” Lachlan and Bekah hugged you as well. The tall, handsome man made a point to leave his arm around your shoulder when you pulled away, “You can’t miss the game. We told Johnny you’re eating in, no complaints!”

“Yeah,” Bekah clung to Johnny’s heavy arm, “We’ve got plenty of room. Come have a seat.”

“Well…” Johnny started to make an excuse, giving you an out, but the look on his face was so earnestly disappointed that you interrupted him,

“Okay, thanks.”

You followed her to the table, and Johnny fell in behind. The waitress took your order. You watched the game, and you fell into a quiet lull. The room was bursting with energy, and you watched as Johnny slipped into the excitement. He fed off of the highs and the lows of the match. He barely touched his food, and you ate alone. He was right about the khorma. It was delicious. You wrapped up your leftover samosa and put it near his plate. He’d find it eventually.

You pushed your chair out and stood to leave. He turned to you and caught your hand. You stared at his hand and he stared down at it too, dropping it after a breath, forgetting himself for a moment,

“Where you off to, bonnie?”

“Ladies’ room. See you in a bit,” you ducked out of the crowd and into the bathroom for a moment, trying to get your thoughts together in the silence.

You washed your hands and avoided the mirror until you had to look. Then, there it was, the embroidered “MacTavish” across your chest, a little too ironic.

You took a deep breath and went back out into the fray. The Rangers scored, and Ettrick’s went wild. Bekah and Johnny held each other by the arms and screamed with joy into each other’s faces, nearly leaping over the table in celebration.

Johnny’s focus on her was so intense, the look in his eyes so full of fiery admiration, you could barely look at them. He could have Bekah. There were no rules against her like there were for you. You shouldn’t have had the nerve to even consider that he might choose you. How could he go against the wishes of his own sister? How could you?

You were right next to the back door, so you made your exit. It was a long walk back to his room, and you were nearly frozen by the time you got there. Rodger was still snoring away, and Pidge’s door was closed. So, you stripped down to just your shorts and a tank, and you crawled into bed, defeated.

TWO HOURS LATER

“There you are, mhèirleach! You had me worried sick,” the deep rumble of Johnny’s voice and his heavy weight shifting onto the mattress pulled you from your sleep.

You groaned, trying to deter his attention. He smelled like the bar, and himself, but mostly the bar. All you felt was guilt and shame and you wanted it to stop.

“Are you alright, lass? Why’d you go? I would’ve taken you back.”

“It’s fine,” you mumbled.

He didn’t reply. You fell back to sleep, starving for something you couldn’t eat.

…BEFORE MORNING

You awoke to a strong nose and jaw nuzzling your hair and neck, taking long deep inhales of your scent and breathing heavy. Johnny had his arm snaked up through the bottom of your shirt, his huge hand sticking out of the crew collar, holding you firmly against the base of your clavicle. His thumb was feeling the crescent curve where your throat met your body, over and over like he needed to memorize it. Like he wanted to find it again in the dark and know it was one and the same.

Was he awake? You couldn’t tell. You could tell, however, that his cock was pressing hard between your thighs, the fabric of your shorts shoved out of place by the fabric of his boxer briefs, straining against the thin cloth.

“A bheil thu milis, a mhèirleach?” Are you sweet, thief?

You decided that no, he wasn’t awake. He knew you didn’t speak Gaelic, and you had no idea what he was asking. Yet, your body seemed to. It recognized his aching timbre, its dark dulcet layers folding over your senses like silky caramel.

His hand retraced its path, sliding back through the valley of your breasts, exploring southward, finding the gaping waistband of your shorts and your lack of knickers under them. Upon discovery, his big body rocked into you, his thick rod riding into your thigh, begging for relief. A ragged, shuddering sigh left his lips and you felt it race across your skin.

“Feumaidh fios a bhith agam.” I need to know.

His words all slurred together. You were too busy melting under his hand to care for a translation. His wrist finally dipped low enough for him to slip one thick finger into your wet heat, soaking itself there like a wick in wax, coated and milky.

Your breath stalled. You couldn’t breathe in, nor out, and you felt your pussy clench around his knuckles, kissing his fingertip as he slipped it back out. Then, you watched as he slowly brought it to his lips, right next to your face, and you saw him feed himself with your slick, sucking it off of his skin, licking the knuckles of his fingers, eager for any missed drops.

Wild, crazed pleasure mixed with cold guilt in your chest. So, you called for help,

“Johnny?” Your voice was just above a whisper.

He breathed into your neck again, and then his tone changed. His language changed. He changed.

“Mm,” he whispered, “Sorry, thief. You stole my covers.”

With that excuse, he took some of the blanket from you and turned back over, breathing deeply again, leaving you there in a million little pieces.

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Chapter 05

[helluvamystery]

Tempting to just start putting Jac in every category when I make LGBT+ group pictures for my OCs. Feels more accurate. Believe me, it would be a very different story if he knew what was going on in there. I mean they.

[jensenacklescious]

From our home to yours, we wanted to wish you a Happy New Year.

@jensenacklescious

[riverstardis]

Casualty pages from this week's TV Times :'(

Why does now feel like a good time to leave Casualty?

One of my big reasons for wanting a break was to spend more time at home. It’s a long commute [to Cardiff, where the series is filmed] and I have a young family. I was also getting that itch to explore other challenges. I turned 40 last year, too, so it all rolled into one package!

Are you pleased that Ethan isn’t being killed off?

Yes, and that was very much part of the conversation when I was toying with the idea of a break. I said, ‘I’d like the door to be left open, please.’ I know there are no guarantees in our industry, but I like that Ethan has gone away, yet there’s loads to explore down the line. In terms of storylines, there was nothing in the immediate vicinity that they wanted me to play out. So it was nice to leave quietly, much like Ethan does in the episode.

Can you reveal anything about his departure?

Ethan is going for his final interview for the Jac Naylor Award, which is a six-month placement abroad. At the same time, he’s treating a young boy who makes him think about his own son, Bodhi. Alongside all this, Fenisha’s parents are in the hospital because her mother has a heart attack. Ethan starts to assess his responsibilities. He’s aware his future is probably going to be shorter than other people’s [having been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease], so he needs to make the most of life. It all comes to a head and he makes his decision. It’s bittersweet. I’m leaving, as [clinical lead] Dylan Keogh says, with an Irish Exit!

Yes, Ethan slips away without saying goodbye to his colleagues! But, offscreen, did you have a leaving party?

Yes, and it was lovely because it coincided with Casualty’s summer break in August, so it was a joint ‘Summer & See You Later, Ethan’ party. The cast made videos, there were a few speeches and William Beck [AKA Dylan] DJ-ed! I went back in October to meet up with a few of them and it was really strange, especially as there were some new faces! The swing doors of Casualty never stay still!

Looking back over the past nine years, what have been your favourite storylines?

The story around Olivia D’Lima leaving; I loved our two wedding episodes [which aired in 2021]. Although if you’d asked me at the time, I probably would have said it was too intense! I also really enjoyed the episodes where Richard Winsor came back in flashbacks [in 2021] and we relived what happened in 2016. And I always love those big, ensemble pieces with the whole cast. Our coronavirus episode was particularly poignant; we were telling a story that meant so much.

What will you miss most – and least! – about the show?

I’ll miss the people; the cast and crew are so talented and fun to be around. But I’m happy not to do those long days in resus for a while! We film them over a couple of days and there’s a lot of tricky medical prosthetics and the medical jargon is like a foreign language.

The next chapter of your career starts with you in the stage adaptation of Peter James’ crime novella Wish You Were Dead, alongside fellow Casualty legend Clive Mantle [AKA doctor Mike Barratt] and I’m a Celebrity… 2020 winner Giovanna Fletcher…

I’m really looking forward to getting back on stage! I’ve wanted to do a play for a while because theatre’s my first love. But I’ve definitely got that feeling of going back to school.

The UK tour begins on Thursday 16 February. What can you tell us about it?

It’s the sixth play by Peter James, and fans of his will know the character Roy Grace, a detective superintendent who lives in Brighton. Most of the stories take place in and around Sussex, but this one’s a little different because Roy, who I play, and his wife, Cleo, played by Giovanna, are on holiday. It starts off light-heartedly as a holiday going wrong, but it soon becomes more sinister – the people who run the hotel aren’t who they say they are!

Did you know any of the cast beforehand?

I remember going on a school trip to see Clive in an adaptation of [John Steinbeck’s novella] Of Mice and Men with my drama GCSE group! We also did a Doctor Who audio together [in 2012] and a Casualty-themed episode of Pointless Celebrities [in 2021], which Clive won while Di Botcher [AKA paramedic Jan Jenning] and I came last!

Have you seen John Simm’s portrayal of Roy Grace in ITV1 crime drama Grace?

Yes, it’s great! I really like the books, too. I’m immersing myself in the back catalogue. I had lunch with Peter James in Brighton and he’s a really interesting guy. He does a lot of research and has been to visit people in prison. He said I can ask him any questions, which I will be taking him up on!

Hopefully, some of your Casualty co-stars will come to see you treading the boards!

Yes, I’m in Cardiff, so they have no excuse! Without being too gushy, Casualty has been completely life-changing. I got to immerse myself in a character and a show, and now I’ve come out 10 years older with all these amazing experiences!