#thank god we've evolved from that

[notsohehehahanow]

it is INSANE to me that mike visibly regrets his fights with will. this isnt something finn last minute threw in this is something the duffers wanted. they scripted this. they make it SO CLEAR TO US that mike doesnt intend to be a dick and its fucking wild to me because when season 4 dropped all i saw in the fandom for a while was a LOT of "we want season 1-2 mike back!!!! hes such an ass in season 3-4 we hate him!!!!!!!!" like. mike VISIBLY REGRETS THE SHIT HE SAYS. AND WE STILL SOMEHOW GO TO THE CONCLUSION WE HATED HIM. HELLO??????

[bairdthereader]

Nick Asking Charlie Out: Intention

The differences between the show and the comic in the scene where Nick asks Charlie to come to Harry's party are striking and, I think, are Alice's brilliant way of adding intention into this evolving relationship in a way it hadn't existed before.

In the comic, we get a panel that shows the boys' notebooks and their hands, but not their faces, as Nick says "Are you going to Harry Greene's party on Saturday?" Though Nick is obviously deeply interested in Charlie's answer, this is still a passive inquiry; the stakes are low when the question is framed this way.

In the show, on the other hand, we first get this moment of intense, silent struggle while Nick works up the nerve to ask a real question, a question that he knows is weighty. There's a second where he checks in with himself--you can see it in his eyes (Kit is brilliant here)--where he's asking himself if he's actually going to do this.

And, yes, he decides, he is. This is easily the most nervous we've ever heard Nick to this point. The words rush out, squeezed together and slightly high-pitched: "Do you want to go to Harry's party?" This in and of itself is still not a particularly loaded question; it's the fact that Nick managed to ask it at all that lends it consequence. He thought hard about it. He knew what he really meant when he asked it. He's still incredibly, intensely confused, but he also knows he's taking a concrete step toward exploring a romantic relationship with Charlie, even if he's still completely unsure of what that really means for his own identity journey.

And Nick wants Charlie to have a clear understanding of what he's really saying, too (as is Nick's way). So then comes the bit that really scares him, but about which he's undeniably most hopeful. This is where this scene deviates most noticeably from the comics, in which Nick never specifies that he wants Charlie to go to the party with him. I love that Alice made this change, because we get to see Nick, for the first time, making an intentional decision not only to act on his attraction to Charlie (in a seemingly small but for him really quite monumental way), but also, importantly, his intention to make Charlie aware, on some level, of his changing feelings.

In the comics we get Charlie's reluctance, and then Nick's admission that he doesn't want to hang out with his own friends. Then "I have you now, so . . . so will you come?" Again, Nick is asking Charlie to attend the party, and clearly wants him to say he will, so there is some kind of intention behind his ask, but he frames it safely in the context of wanting someone there to hang out with whose company he actually enjoys.

In the show, Nick is very purposeful and decisive in the way he responds to Charlie's reluctance. "I want you to be there." This is not passively allowing closeness to happen under the guise of friendship. Yes, Nick carefully walks the line between a platonic ask and a romantic one by not actually calling it a date, but this is still a critical point for him. This is intention, purposefulness, acting toward a specific, desired outcome.

I love the panel in the comics that appears after Charlie says he'll go to the party, that it will be fun if Nick is there. It's adorable, and Nick is clearly flustered and excited that Charlie changed his mind about the party based on Nick's desire for his company.

But in the show we get This Face. ⬇️ The I can't believe I just did that face, immediately followed by the thank god he said yes face (along with a tiny little sigh of relief that he managed to say what he wanted to say). This whole interaction is basically a preview of the rest of their relationship. Nick constantly acting in a very considered, purposeful way, pushing himself and surprising himself . . . in part because Charlie promises to be there, is happy to be there . . . and Nick not believing his luck.

[Side note: Charlie's face says a lot here too. It says "I think, maybe, that might have been an actual ask out!" Then it says "But maybe not, don't get too excited." Because despite Nick's intention, Charlie's past experiences and pain--not to mention everyone around him--have been telling him there's no way Nick could mean his question in the way Charlie wants to interpret it. Charlie's uncertainty even after this interaction makes Nick's next really purposeful, intentional, purely internally motivated move--taking Charlie's hand after their first kiss--that much more important.]

[charmac]

Do you think Mac has jacked off while reading the Bible? Or is he too ashamed? Or does the shame just turn him on more? Are the pages of his Bible all stuck together?

Oh, I don't think; we know:

(Pages stuck together, thanks for the confirmation, Charlie)

I think the shame definitely turns him on more, considering Mac Day:

And, the connected punishment, lest we forget The Gang Goes to Hell... (and the script here... whew)

While he was repressed then, he wasn't as of Charlie's Home Alone, so I think it's clear to claim that a part of his "homosexual awakening" was connected to the fact that he was gradually getting more and more into the idea of being punished (gone sexual) for his sins, to a point where he was just genuinely jerking off to the "evils of homosexuality"

I do wanna continue here though and say Season 15 is pretty interesting because we see Mac battle between being Catholic and proudly gay. He seemingly has no issue bragging to a Priest in the middle of a church that he's into triple penetration, but it is his sex life that is the driving "reasoning" for why he thinks he should become a Catholic Priest:

He's been "S-ing&F-ing" his way though life for too long and now he thinks God has taken away one of his identities (Irish) as a result. Mac's idea of being punished by/for God continues, but it's now through the form of revocation (as opposed to shame or flagellation). I think there's a clear "connect the dots" idea that depriving himself of sex (via becoming a Priest) is an "evolved" form of allowing God to punish him for being gay.

Obviously Mac learns he was lied to, as he actually is Irish, so his "journey" here is a bit of a wash, but the fact that his rationale jumped to God punishing him for having gay sex still stands. As he grows to accept himself, he's still looking for ways to feel shame (which, as we've seen, gets him off)...

But is the constant seeking for some form of punishment still there? We didn't see much of his Catholicism in Season 16 (I think the only mention of God from Mac was in The Gang Gets Cursed), but we did continue to see his sex life and—well, that was pretty heavy on Mac, openly gay dating, somehow managing to be neglected and deprived of actual gay sex, wasn't it?

[subway-boss-jericho]

So how did ingo evolve in the Combee au after you know they got separated

Long and complicated answer! Welcome to The Plot!

After Ingo and Emmet are separated, Ingo tumbles into Hisui and is generally pretty worse for wear. He has to relearn how to fly (alone and unbalanced) and figure out how to Survive.

Thankfully for him, he manages to make some friends :] Mainly in the form of a slightly greener Laventon, fresh on the scene in Hisui and substantially newer to the field of research- A hurt combee, while still a Pokemon, is a lot easier for one man to handle and approach on his own. He takes Ingo back to his office at Jubilife and nurses him back to health- And while he sleeps one night as Laventon is burning the midnight oil, the little bee beegins to take on a glow. It encircles him like a halo, and when the light clears, he has a little red marking in the shape of a triangle on his chin.

Laventon gets to witness the first Hisuian Combee, Ingo himself rather clueless to the whole thing.

His evolution comes a lot later, after Laventon reintroduces him to the wild; Laventon takes Ingo to the Combee colony living in the Heartwood and makes sure he acclimates well enough/isn't rejected before falling back to leave him bee.

I haven't decided exactly what happens and when, but in the time Laventon spends away, Ingo evolves in an attempt to protect the colony from some kind of danger. When Laventon finds him again he's nearly unrecognizable- An alpha- A noble by right, first of his kind and dignified guard to the field's Combee.

He recognizes Ingo not by appearance but by his behavior alone- Treating Laventon with familiarity and hospitality. He's exceptionally gentle for his size and strength, and continues to get along with humans shockingly well. (As a pokemon from the future, we've seen they are broadly more domesticated.)

Is this a ramble! Yes! It is! There was no quick answer to the question :> I hope you enjoy the elevator pitch plot points. I love the bees so fuckin much man....... Why does Arceus bless Ingo? Great question. I just think he should be gods favorite. As a treat. And also it's a super awesome story device that I haven't seen many other people use- the origins of Hisuian Pokemon.

Thank you for the ask!!

Combee AU Masterpost

[theselfstudyenthusiast]

Wakfu : some words from its creator

Today, Tot posted a tweet about Wakfu on X. He shares his vision for the series and talks about the upcoming webtoon.

I translated the tweet in English below but here's the link to Tot's post: https://twitter.com/Totankama/status/1768938315409994040

TRANSLATION FROM FRENCH below

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you very much for your support. The last episodes of Wakfu Season 4 are now available on Okoo, and I thank you for watching them in such large numbers. Our partner is very pleased with the results, which allows us to consider the future with peace of mind. Your feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are delighted about it. For us, it's the most beautiful reward.

However, some of you have expressed disappointment, particularly regarding the narrative arc of Flopin and his grandfather, Madagaskane. You also want to know more about what happened to the gods.

Allow me to explain the follow-up about that and our narrative intentions.

Firstly, as you know, the Krosmoz universe is constantly evolving. Nothing is ever completely over. Each of our creations always offers you an adventure that concludes but leaves other questions unanswered.

This is somewhat our trademark and is closely linked to the number of media we are dealing with simultaneously. Let's take, for example, the Dofus movie. Joris' story ends, and the entire adventure unfolds from our hero's point of view. Who trapped Julith? This information isn't provided, as we've kept it for potential follow-ups and connections with other projects. It was a "key" piece of information, but it didn't prevent you from focusing on the journey of our little hero.

For Wakfu, we operate in the same way. During writing, I choose one hero's perspective, and it's their storyline that I will favour. I don't want to neglect the others (because I love them just as much), and some narrative arcs may be started and then picked up in other media. I understand this may be frustrating when you prefer one character over another and feel they're not sufficiently highlighted. During this season, I clearly favoured the Eliatropes and their family dynamic.

We can never know if what we offer in animation will have a sequel. I've already explained the reasons why. Consequently, narrative choices have to be made. Some might say, "In that case, don't start anything new". Honestly, that would be really sad, and the whole thing would have less scope.

You have to imagine the Krosmoz as a living, gestating organism. Just because you don't have all your answers now doesn't mean they won't arrive soon or very soon.

In concrete terms, the webtoon/manga "The Great Wave" will allow you to reunite with Yugo and Amalia a few months after the end of Season 4.

Flopin and Madagaskane have a story in development. We've opened a door for these two characters with the idea of ​​creating a beautiful series focusing on the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson. We didn't "forget" them; on the contrary, we'll give them a lot of space.

The story of the Goddess, Rasha, and the gods is at the heart of Waven [t/n talking about the MMORG]. You'll learn more about them through the game. It's a topic we'll also address in a potential animated sequel. In fact, it's a storyline we've been working on for years and is one of the most important ones to come.

Regarding the Mechasms, however, there are no plans for them, for reasons I may explain in detail one day. This doesn't mean we won't see them again, but I'd like them to remain completely mysterious, with their intentions unfathomable.

I understand this may be frustrating for some because these projects take time to develop. But if you take a step back, you'll understand that it also allows us to position ourselves in the long term.

We work on the Krosmoz universe over time, with the means at our disposal, and depending on opportunities, we may be more or less ambitious.

Thanks to you and your presence, we're breaking viewship records, and the future looks bright. I hope we can move forward with amazing animation projects faster than we have done so far and quickly provide answers to your enthusiastic questions.

Thank you and see you soon, Tot.

[T/N: This is my translation of Tot's tweet. I'm not a native English speaker but, I hope you can understand what's going on.]

[bluginkgo]

I haven't seen this brought up often. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, but... in the teaser for episodes 7 and 8, something doesn't make sense.

It's the Absolute Solver's laughter.

Spoiler, duh

Up until now, when we see Absolute Solver doing something, it sounded it out. For example:

When "N" attacked eldrich J, it said, "Claw swipe. Snarl." As it did those motions.

Then, "Climbing, criss cross apple sauce." As Cyn climbed up.

Even doing, in my opinion, one of the best lines: "Tantrum. Brain blast."

And of course the classic "Well-timed giggle."

All of these instances, the Absolute Solver accompanied its motions with dialogue as it did that movement.

So I'm confused as to why in the teaser (0:33 roughly) the Absolute Solver says: "Hahahaha, thanks for giving me the planet. Fricking idiot."

I actually wanna dissect that single line quite a lot.

First and foremost, why is it "Hahaha" instead of say "Evil laughter." I could only come up with a handful of ideas.

1. It's the Absolute Solver. Somehow it evolved to the point where it now can express emotions instead of just sounding it out.

2. It's the Absolute Solver. But it's possessing something (AHEM- Tessa- AHEM) that allows it to express emotions better than Cyn could allow it.

3. It's not the Absolute Solver. Instead, it's something or someone completely new/or perhaps someone we already know from the show but is only now revealing their identity.

4. It's just a trailer, you're looking in too deep. That could also be a possibility. Given that we see only black screen when the line happens, glitchproductions might have thought that it would be better for us to hear laughter instead of a bland line of just "insert evil laughter." Issue here for me is... I don't think that's the case cause Liam is very detailed. Every d*mn frame in this show is a foreshadowing. That has to apply to voice lines, too. (AHEM, looking at you "robo-satan, robo-Jesus, and robo-god.")

There is a similar sounding laughter at 1:01, just after N yells "V, come on!" But it's highly likely that was not Absolute Solver, and instead some other character we've already heard- be it V, Uzi, J, etc.

Then next question would be: who is the fricking idiot? Once again, I've got some (unhinged) ideas.

1. Uzi, would make sense. She's slowly succumbing to the Absolute Solver's control. If she makes one miss step, it's all over. So Absolute Solver could be directly speaking to Uzi in her mind, like a little shoulder robo-satan/demon.

2. N, could also be him. On the bad ending trend, Uzi could lose herself and Absolute Solver. And just like Tessa said, N would have to choose between one little drone and the universe. If N chooses Uzi, the Absolute Solver could easily speak through Uzi and mock him for giving up the planet and the universe.

3. Tessa, here I'll have to branch out. It could be the current Tessa. Her actions might lead to Copper-9's fall and the Absolute Solver will rub it in her face. OR, this could be another flashback. The Absolute Solver could be talking to a younger Tessa back at the mansion, as some past action made the Absolute Solver start taking control over universes and not just the Elliot mansion.

4. Nori. Omg, Ginkgo you're getting out of hand. Yup, welcome nothing new here. We did get this shot from glitchproductions right after we got the teaser.

Many are speculating that Yeva and Nori are not dead and could be coming back to help our gang out. Thaaaaat'll have to be a separate rant on my side. But with this image, I'm taking Nori into the group of possible "fricking idiot"s.

Given how confident Nori looks here, she must have had excellent control over the Absolute Solver before being completely possessed. Perhaps the screenshot of Yeva and Nori that we're given is a flashback scene. Nori might have done something that essentially doomed Copper-9 from the start.

Anyways, thanks for coming to my rant. Let me know if you guys have some other thoughts. Cause personally, I'm pretty stumped on the laughter part.

[mxrp-official-steve]

Welcome back campers, to this weeks episode of TOTAL, DRAMA, HELLSITE! On this weeks episode, me and my handy Chef Hex will be cooking up a delicious meal of parpy goodness! But the campers will have to roll a single... WITH A PROMPT! The first one to get a proper Roleplay going gets the immunity marshmallow. Now watch out, cuz this ones gonna be a doozy, dudes!

Your September 2nd PARPdate: "Remember that time on TDI where they called god to make it rain? That happened" Edition.

News this month is sorta slow- those of you In The Know already know this, but Hex is being forced to move again. This hasn't impacted Dev TOO much, honestly, and I'm gonna break down WHY in this wonderful little post!

Ok so if you remember the August update, you likely recall us showing off our shiny new mod features and how we can now play funny roleplay police state in order to nail rulebreakers and bandodgers.

If you're also a huge Bubblehead (which is what you're called), you're also likely familiar with this bastard:

(Image description: The red miles, basically. Its a message failed message repeated like ninety times in a row in red font. Thanks to Alienoid from the server for posting this screenshot for me to steal!)

This is because, somehow, these new mod features almost completely broke Dreambubble in ways that make no sense (the new features use Redis, but for some reason their introduction is making PostGres, a completely different system, go absolutely haywire)

So, Hex decided to move forward with their pet project to rewrite Dreambubble. Normally, this would mean a development delay on Parp2 and I'd feel pretty bad about laying this on yalls feet after two years of parplessness.

But hey wait isn't this literally just how they made parp last time.

The answer is yes! The previous Msparp version was built using what is now Dreambubble as a skeleton, evolving on itself into the rickety but lovable RP site we knew before she tragically passed away last February after choking to death on fresh air. As such, Dev is actually going pretty good! Hex has been COOKING through the bones for Dreambubble 2, getting a ton of barebones stuff working right off the bat:

(Image description: A barebones but functional chat window using Felt theme; complete with system connection messages, text preview, and quirking)

Along with our first new feature preview in a while: PUSH NOTIFICATIONS!

(Image description: A felt-theme settings menu showing the ability to turn on and off push notifications, as well as a browser popup in the bottom corner showing that it's been activated)

These are also working on Android! What this does is it pings you when the chat you're in gets a new message, operating on a system level instead of a site level so you don't even need to have the tab, or the browser, open to keep up with your chats! This is gonna be especially useful for mobile users, since this means they can navigate away and use their phone for other things, and their phone'll just ping them when their partners' next message comes through. (These are gonna be off by default, btw. You'll have to turn them on yourself on a per-chat basis in the final release)

It should also be noted that we've Snagged Ourselves A UI Guy recently from the userbase, so we've got a dedicated Make It Look Good person for when things get closer to launch!

That's all for this update, though. Absolutely thrilled to be showing off some progress after the restart. Hopefully we'll have even more to show off next month!

Until then, cheers!

[traegorn]

Whenever I’m feeling stressed about the political state of the US, I actually go out of my way to come here. It’s just incredibly reassuring to see levelheaded and pragmatic perspectives on things coming from someone I can trust to actually know how things work in the political machine.

Even when it’s a disagreement with the exact kind of person who caused me to feel stressed in the first place, the way you tackle it and explain things brings me a little bit of peace and makes things feel a little less insurmountable.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge (and a little bit of your peace, I know dealing with that shit so often is exhausting)

I try to look at politics pragmatically and without ego.

It's funny, I know sometimes I respond to these folks a little dickishly, but I always try to provide evidence -- and they never respond to it. They always come in hot -- and it's like, I don't go seeking them out. They come to me. They see someone promoting voting and take it as a personal attack and start out hostile.

I genuinely don't think anyone rational does that.

And we need rationality more than anything else right now.

Also thanks for stopping by so I can subject you to how I'm convinced that Dal on Star Trek Prodigy is secretly a Lizard Baby.

So Dal R'El apparently grew up in the Delta Quadrant, and they want us to believe that Dal is a human augment. We know he spent time with the Ferengi DaiMon Nandi, but we don't know exactly when he met her or where.

When Dal gets scanned by the Federation, we know that the Federation database says he's a human augment, and that his base DNA is human mixed with a whole lot of other species. But we've seen augments before, and none of them look like Dal. We don't know what supposed lab he was cooked up in.

So this is what I think happened.

Threshold takes place about eleven years before Prodigy, and while Dal appears to be like 17, we don't know for sure how old he is. I think Dal was one of the Lizard Babies left behind by Voyager. We don't know how long it takes for them to mature, or if they have other life stages. The only adults we see are Janeway and Paris, and they were only hyper-evolved humans for like a day.

Dal somehow got taken from the planet by Nandi, and grew up into the version we get to know in Prodigy.

I think Janeway was worried that one day her offspring would be found, so she took the hyper evolved DNA samples the Doctor likely kept, and faked records in the Federation Database to make them come back as Augmented Human to cover up that she technically left a bunch of baby humans on a planet in the Delta quadrant.

That's why Janeway is so protective of Dal when she meets him. She knows he's her kid. It's also why Dal's personality is a perfect balance between Janeway and Tom Paris. He is their hyper-evolved ideal.

Dal's a fuckin' Lizard Baby, I swear to god.

[cyberdragoninfinity]

I'm loving your Arc V swap AU so far! I am curious though: how do the dimensional dragons swap? Do they just change aesthetics, or something more?

THANK YOU IT'S IN OUR BRAINS SO BAD

anyway, aw man buddy you got no IDEA how swapped up these dimension dragons are, eheheheh. Right out the gate we ended up fuckign around and changing each summoning method's associated color(s) (so fusion is whites and vibrant greens, xyz is red/blue gradient/i guess also that seafoam/orange gradient of pend cards, pendulum is all blacks and greys, and synchro is purples,) so each yuboy does keep their dragon from canon, and it gets to roughly keep its color palette, but the summoning method associated with each is also swapped around, as are its deeper motifs/aesthetics. Here's a lil rough overview of the four of 'em.

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon SWAPS TO -->

Eclipse-Eyes Xyz Dragon

@zxal named this one and it kicks so much ass. Playing around with sun and moon light and dark type motifs; it has a hyper aggressive evolved version called Eclipse-Eyes Totality Dragon that Yuya first summons in absolute earth shattering fury. It bites Sora's arm off at the Arc League Championship. Don't worry about it <3

Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon SWAPS TO -->

Dark Janus Pendulum Dragon

Big beastie with two-faces...y'ever see Janus cats before?? It's like that but a dragon. Fucking around with the vibes of duality, beginnings and endings, creation and destruction, etc etc etc. It upgrades into Dark Entropy Pendulum Dragon<-- (ZXAL'S NAMES DONT MISS!!!) and has an Odd-Eyes Rebellion-type combined form with Eclipse-Eyes that gets busted out called Eclipse-Eyes Penumbra Dragon :^) yaaay The Big Bang and heat death of the universe YAAAY

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon SWAPS TO -->

Ravenous Venom Synchro Dragon

I think this one's name and Shattered Wing below both came to me while I was falling asleep one night and kickstarted this whole mess. ANYWAY we're still cooking on the visual direction going on with this gnarly guy but it has big oily black feathery wings!! It upgrades into Furious Venom Synchro Dragon and hey buddy. hey synchro yuri. is that supposed to be 'furious' as in angry or 'furious' as in desperate. or is it maybe both <3 ah

and finally Clear Wing Synchro Dragon SWAPS TO -->

Shattered Wing Fusion Dragon

SHATTERED WING IS MY BABYYYYY fusion yugo is really in my brain Especially Bad. imagine Clear Wing but its wings are completely smashed and broken, leaving it grounded. It has no back legs so it drags itself across the ground sooo slowly. but never giving up. Endurance predator 💚 It also upgrades into the absolutely horrifying Perfect-Wing Fusion Dragon that I took a lot of inspo from uranium glass, nuclear fusion, and glassblowing for--it glows with sickly green light and has yucky melted glass wings amalgamated from God Knows Where. we're still sussing out the abilities of all the swapped dragons but i think Perfect-Wing absorbs monsters to add to its 'perfect' state <-- (BIASED FONDNESS FOR YGO MONSTERS THAT STEAL YOUR MONSTER)

BUT YEAH THERE THEY ARE!! here's a nice neat little list zxal organized of all the dragon variants and evolution we've concocted so far, too!! :D

[cowgurrrl]

I’m Still Standing

Pairing: rockstar!joel x actress!reader (except he’s at home with the kiddos in this one)

Author’s note: yes I was influenced by Pedro’s Actors on Actors interview

Summary: Actors on Actors: You and Carolina Garcia-Long [2.0k]

Warnings: talk of pregnancy/family life, the age gap is finally ✨revealed✨, relationship stuff, Carolina being the best, discussions of sex scenes, I think that’s it!!

Carolina sits across from you in a beautiful white dress that perfectly compliments her olive skin tone, smiling big and bright. You've already been talking as the crew sets up around you, and you're struggling not to have too much conversation without the cameras rolling. It's been a long time coming, but after more than a decade of working together, you two are finally sitting down with Vanity Fair to discuss your jobs. Somebody calls to action, and a set of questions pops up over Carolina's shoulder, but you don't look at them immediately; you look at her.

"I'm so happy we're doing this," you say, and she smiles. 

"Me too! I feel like I haven't gotten to pick your brain about this stuff in forever." She says, settling into her big plush chair, and you nod.

"Well, it's like every other year one of us is pregnant."

"That's true because you had Sam like three or four years after I had Victoria, and then the girls were born last July, right?"

"Yeah, they're gonna be one soon." You say bittersweetly, and Carolina pouts her lips sympathetically.  

"Do you think becoming a parent has changed the way you work?" She asks, and you nod.

"Oh, absolutely," you say. "Even before we had Sam, Joel and I's older daughters totally changed my life and what roles I took and how much I worked. It's kinda crazy to think about how fast it all happened. Like one day, I was able to binge-watch Law & Order: SVU with no problem, and then all of a sudden, these girls came into my life, and I couldn't even think about it because it would make me sick to my stomach."

"That's how I felt after I had Elizabeth! They just change your whole world, man." 

"And can I gush about you really fast while we're talking about our kids?" You ask, and she laughs.

"Uh oh."

"No, it's all good. After I had Sam, I was so worried about how having a baby would affect my career, and my body looked different and whatever else, but you made me feel so safe and secure and loved. You reminded me I was able to have a career before I was a wife and a mother, and I could continue that career after. I don't know if I can ever describe... what you gave me because it was so integral to the actor I evolved into, and I've always had so much respect for you, not only as a friend and an actor but as a mother. And seeing how hard you worked made me want to work just as hard. Not just for me but for my children. So, thank you." You say, and Carolina reaches across the couch to grab your hand, and you smile. 

"Thank you for saying that. You know how much Ryan and I love you, so I'm glad to know that we were able to give you some actually good advice," she laughs, squeezing your hand. "We've been friends for a really long time now."

"Fifteen years."

"God, are we old?" 

"I don't know. Our first project together is about to turn thirteen." You say, both of you groaning as the fact settles between the two of you.

"Oh, my God, you're right!" She exclaims, dropping your hand to cover her face. "When we did Sweet Water, you had just moved to LA, right?"

"Yeah, it was my first series ever. Ryan told me you had just been cast, but they were still looking for someone to fill the role of Alex, so I went in for the audition, and I wasn't expecting anything, and they cast me right then and there."

"Which never happens."

"No, never." You agree, still not fully understanding what it is those directors saw in your all those years ago to cast you on the spot. Carolina points to her nose like she's remembering something, and you smile at the habit. She always does that when she has something to say.

"I will still get people who come up to me and tell me how much they loved that scene of us in the hospital because it was so raw." 

"Well, yeah, neither of us had slept the night before because we were filming, and we just let whatever was going to happen happen, and it ended up being one of those scenes that is just… once in a lifetime, y'know?" You say, and she nods. "You were and still are such a generous scene partner in everything you do, like in how you listen and react and really find your characters. It was an amazing thing to work on with you, and I still brag about you whenever I get the chance."

"I remember filming the scene where you came into the hospital all bloody and bruised and going home to tell Ryan, 'I think this kid has some serious potential.' I mean, you were just phenomenal, so I was not surprised when you started getting picked up by all these major studios," she says. "Speaking of which, tell me about The Beginning of the End."

"What do you wanna know?" You sigh as memories of those fifteen months flood your brain. 

"Everything. What was it like filming it? What did you think when you read the script? What was it like shaving your head on camera?" She asks. 

"Well, shaving your head on camera isn't much different than actually shaving your head because you pretty much get one shot to make sure it's good, and that's it. But, yeah, that was a hard movie to make. I was in a really weird place mentally, and Ruth was such a complex, nuanced, broken character, so it was interesting getting to know her and hard to let her go when we wrapped up. For better or worse, I still find pieces of her in my daily life."

"I remembered you calling us from Ireland and being like, 'I don't know if I can do this. It's so hard.' And I remember telling you there was no one else out there who could bring Ruth to life the way you did, and I still believe that to my core. There is nobody who could've played Ruth the way you did."

"You and Ryan were such an anchor when I was over there because I was alone and I was working all the time, and then it was always fucking raining, which is just not good for anyone's mental health and-"

"And you and Joel weren't together at this time, right?" She asks, and your jaw drops a little as you look at the cameras.

"Caro," you say, laughing. "I don't think I've ever talked about that publicly before."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Her hands fly over her mouth, and you reach out to grab her hand.

"No, it's okay. It's fine. All our loved ones already know the story, so it's okay," you say, squeezing her as a comfort. "But yeah, Joel and I were separated at that point which is another reason why it was so weird to be there alone."

"I remember you telling me you guys broke up, but it's been so long, and you are always together, so it's easy for me to forget about that. How long were you guys separated?" 

"Pretty much the entire time I was there."

"Wow," she breathes. "Do you think that separation made your relationship stronger, or have you just not thought anything about it until I brought it up in front of cameras?" She asks, and you laugh.

"No, I definitely think it made us stronger. We were both going through a lot, and I won't speak to Joel's experiences, but for me, separation was the best thing I had to offer at that specific point in our lives. And we really didn't speak at all while I was over there because it just hurt too much, and we were both working, and he was being a dad, and there were just too many moving parts. But when I got back to LA, we had coffee, and it was like no time had passed at all."

"Things were back to normal. Just like that?" She asks, snapping her fingers, and you nod.

"It was kinda crazy because we had both grown so much in that year or so, and I was worried that he wasn't gonna like the person I was coming back as or we wouldn't feel the same, but, oh my God, I'm gonna start crying," you say as you dab at the corner of your eye. "I still had so much love for him, and being with him and the girls… it just felt right like there was nothing I wanted more in the world than to be with them. And I knew if we could survive that, we could survive anything."

"And now look at you." 

"I know. Five kids and ten years later."

"How old were you when you met Joel?" She asks, and you have to look at the ceiling as you do mental math. 

"I was… Gosh, I think I was twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Somewhere around there. We met when Ryan and I were filming Hyde." You say, and she furrows her brows as she thinks.

"And how old was Joel?"

"Joel was either thirty-nine or forty when we met. Or..." you trail off. "Maybe he was forty because we met in the fall, and his birthday is in September."

"Can I tell you something I've never told you before?" She asks with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Please."

"When Ryan told me you were dating Joel, the first thing I did was google how old he was because I knew he had two kids, so I was a little worried," she says, and you laugh. "But then we met him, and he was so goddamn charming. It's really hard not to like him."

"Isn't it the worst? He's got that accent and those stupid guitarist arms and those big, brown eyes," you gush, rolling your eyes. "And he doesn't even know how pretty he is, which is the most annoying part!" 

"Wait, so if you guys met during Hyde, did he know what the movie was about?" She asks, and you make an eek face.

"No, and I wasn't going to tell him because I didn't know how serious we were gonna get, but then he showed up to set with me one day, and we were filming the cabin scene-"

"Oh, the cabin scene!" She half-yells, and you laugh. "Dude, when that movie came out, I got asked about it all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Well, everyone knew how close the three of us were, and when the movie came out, people were shocked that I would let my husband do a scene like that with one of his best friends. But Ryan told me he wasn't going to take the part until I read the script and approved or disapproved or whatever, but I thought it was just fantastic. Because it wasn't just about this relationship between these two people, it was about the different paths each wanted to take when it came to your character, Amber, being pregnant. Plus, it's just work. It's not like this was a real thing that was happening." She says, and you nod in agreement.

"I remember I got cast first, and then they brought us both in for a chemistry read, and we were like, 'this would be so crazy if we got to be in this movie together,' and then we were. And I think I do recall Ryan saying something about letting you read the script and you encouraging him to do which, thank you, by the way." 

"I didn't do anything except give him a nudge," she shrugs. "Wait, so Joel was there when you filmed that scene?"

"Oh, my God, yeah. I tried to get him to wait in my trailer, but he didn't wanna listen to me. So, he was off in the corner while I'm, like... filming this sex scene, and it was so embarrassing because we had only been dating for a few months at that point. Plus, you're already so vulnerable in scenes like that, but Ryan and Tanya Reid, our intimacy coordinator, were so supportive, so I felt really safe," you explain. "You did a good job with that one." You say, and she laughs.

"Yeah, you too."

[ko-existing]

This question is a bit strange, but I hope to receive an answer from you. we are god, everything is under our control and power, and what we are experiencing is a dream. death is also an illusion, because our consciousness never dies. in our vision of things, we have a limited lifespan (we live on average 80 years) can we change things? Can we live an experience where the body never ages and we never die like an "immortal" life? or does our soul have contracts? Does he necessarily have to experience death? I'm very scared of reincarnation because I don't want to forget the people I care about, the things I like, but also my ideas and my life experiences. many people who believe in reincarnation say that we must forget in order to have other experiences and evolve, there are also cases of people who remember their past life. but if all life is a dream, an illusion, is it possible that I am manifesting people who believe and have memories of their past lives? If I change my way of perceiving things, can immortality be possible? Does anyone have similar experiences? I thank you again

Anon have you sent this question before? It seems very familiar. You said that you hope to receive an answer from me and I mean this in the nicest way possible but I won't feed you an answer, I want you to notice your own contradicitions because that'll them stick.

You said "Consciousness never dies" yet also claimed that "in our version of things we have limited lifespan" and asked about "immortality". Have you read anything we've ever posted?

You started your message quite powerful and said "we are god" yet still asked if reincarnation is a thing and if we have soul contracts.

That's all I'm going to say. Notice the rest by yourself, it's right there.

Please, for your own sake, re-read your messages so many times until you notice your own contradictions.. they're right there.

PB

[hiveworks]

Vampires, Witches, and Magic

Interview with Eric Lide and Angélica María

October 2023

Solstoria by Angélica María (aka: @charmwitch) and Ozzie the Vampire by Eric Lide (aka: @ericlide) are celebrating their 10th year anniversaries! We're diving into these absolute webcomic legends to learn more about their creative process in a joint interview with María and Lide.

Ozzie the Vampire is a webcomic about a vampire gal named Ozzie and her best friend Kimmy who find themselves protecting the town of Gloomburg, New Jersey, which seems to always find itself under the constant assault of demonic forces from the underworld. Sometimes they even learn something!

Solstoria is follows a girl named Samantha and her brother, Lawrence, who carries the weight of protecting his family on his shoulders. When he goes missing, Samantha embarks on an adventure to become a knight.

For a look behind the scenes at these two webcomic series, read on!

It's spooky season, and both of your comics have themes of the supernatural. What kinds of creepy or magical energy do you bring into your comic?

Eric Lide:

I think the demons in Ozzie the Vampire bring the creepy energy for sure. A lot of them have bizarre and impractical anatomy, and they’re pretty enthusiastic about eating people.  Magic is a constant presence in the story as well, mostly through the spells Kimmy and Grimsley use to help Ozzie fight the bad guys.

Angélica María:

To start off, let's talk about the environments! There are certain areas and themes in Solstoria based around my love of Halloween! I'm not from the continental United States, so I've always loved the idea of a spooky air, or of pumpkins and ghosts. The Wayward Lands and Farmlands, two prominent areas spoken about in the story, are themed after the fall season in the United States. Besides that, witches carry a great importance in the story. They are magically gifted individuals of any gender, who purify the air and specialize in magics that are of help to the greater good of society. A witch is someone who can tame ghosts, calm uneven levels of magic in the city, and provide useful trinkets and charms for the everyday chore. They're just neat! Pointy hats are all the rage, too.

Which character in your comic would survive a horror movie?

EL:

Well Ozzie is more or less immortal, so she could probably sleepwalk her way through any horror movie scenario…

AM:

Oddly enough, I feel like Samantha and Oksana (eventually) have the calmest head on their shoulders. Most of the adults would probably be fine, Huxley would serve as a great merchant in between sanctuaries, but as for the rest… Actually, who's to say Solstoria isn't secretly horror…

A decade is a long time to be telling a story! Congratulations! How has your comic changed over the course of its publication?

EL:

When I first started out, I was just kind of drawing whatever and not thinking too much about the future. At that time, I was just trying to cram in as many fight scenes or gags as possible. Over the years though, I’ve come to love these characters and I think about them nonstop, so I’ve been writing more scenarios that challenge them on a personal level. There’s even a bit of romance coming up, which would’ve been unthinkable to me ten years ago.

AM:

Thank you so much! I burnt out for a few years, so you can definitely see my art style and narrative changing. I hope it's not... toooooooooo drastic of a change, but I always told myself to experiment on my pages and change things as I saw fit. If you re-read Solstoria, you will simply see my art evolve with no care of consistency. I apologize if this is glaring, but honestly- it's fun! One of the biggest changes now that I'm working on the story again is that we've swapped protagonists! Currently, we're seeing the story through Lawrence's eyes. Samantha's elder brother is possessed by a crow god, but he still thinks of his family first. Hopefully, they can figure something out together though!

What motivates you to keep going?

EL:

I’ve always been drawing comics since I was very young, so it’s hard to say. I think once a story is in me, it has to come out in some form, even if it takes forever or no one is interested in reading it. That said, comments– audience response of any kind, really– is always a huge boost for me.

Solstoria has an electric 2010s anime flavor. What kind of series inspire you? Do you have any manga or comic recs?

AM:

Oh, I appreciate the comparison, but I wish to counter it- Solstoria is heavily inspired by Japanese RolePlaying Games! Specifically, games created by Capcom, GameArts, Square-Enix, and a few others on top of that! I do have a few anime I quite enjoy, like Princess Tutu formulated my brain intensely. I highly recommend watching this show if you want to experience a masterpiece! If you just want a good time, I also quite like Slayers! As for video games, I have so many to recommend! I love Fire Emblem, Breath of Fire, Star Ocean, LUNAR, Lufia... and so much more! All of these games are close to my heart, but stylistically, I think the Disgaea series has a lot of visual influence on Solstoria.

Ozzie the Vampire has a cool punk flair that reminds me of webcomics I liked from the 2000s. Where do you draw inspiration from? Do you have any zine or webcomic recommendations?

EL:

Music was a big influence on Ozzie! There’s a lot of references to my favorite punk and metal records throughout the series, some obvious, others not so much. I always wanted the comic to look something like a scrappy punk zine. I don’t get to read many webcomics these days, but Boxcar City Rush has been a recent favorite.

What can fans of your series look forward to in the coming year?

EL:

More updates, hopefully. This year was a bit sparse due to working on my debut graphic novel, The Champion of Draeland, but I’ve been wrapping that up and eager to dive back into Ozzie. I have many other graphic novels on the way though, so balancing both worlds is going to be an interesting challenge.

AM:

I'm very ahead of schedule, so I hope I can keep the momentum going. We're learning quite a bit about Samantha's brother, Lawrence, but we will also learn soon about another character who is pivotal to both siblings. He's a quiet, gentle person who tries to take on things on his own, and it doesn't go his way. Also murder. There may be murder.

What is the best way for fans of your series to support you?

EL:

Leaving comments, reblogging and sharing updates, all that stuff really helps for sure! Fan art always brightens my day. I have a Patreon as well where I post early updates and behind-the-scenes material for only $2 a month. And of course, supporting my graphic novels once they release!

AM:

Honestly I really just love comments and tags on tumblr and twitter! If you wish to support me, you can always see early updates on Patreon! Thank you so much! But honestly, I just want to hear feedback from people and hear their thoughts and feelings about my work. It makes me so very happy.

Read Solstoria and Ozzie the Vampire for free and follow @charmwitch and @ericlide for updates!

[black-arcana]

LACUNA COIL Enlists LAMB OF GOD's RANDY BLYTHE For New Single 'Hosting The Shadow'

Italian goth metallers LACUNA COIL have released a new single, "Hosting The Shadow". After their successful collaboration with Ash Costello of NEW YEARS DAY on previous single "In The Mean Time", the new track includes a guest appearance by Randy Blythe from LAMB OF GOD.

LACUNA COIL comments: "'Hosting The Shadow' is a trip through light and dark, where silence reveals its hidden secrets. Obscure moments can become occasions to evolve, to learn to master one's own shadow — which is crucial in order to prevail.

"Randy Blythe did an incredible job on this track. We absolutely adore his voice and his evil laugh! Our admiration for him is infinite and to have him as a guest on this song is a dream come true. Partnering with a friend you respect immensely, that also kicks ass on stages around the world: it doesn't get any better than this. We're looking forward to the day we can perform 'Hosting The Shadow' live together!"

Blythe adds: "I was super excited when LACUNA COIL asked me to sing on a song with them. Not only am I a big fan of their music, they are truly beautiful souls who have been like family to me for 20 years now. We've played shows together all over the world, and I've always wanted to jump onstage and sing with them. I can't wait until it actually happens with 'Hosting The Shadow'!"

This past June, LACUNA COIL announced the departure of guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Cavallotti, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

When LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure on June 17, the band wrote in a statement: "As we step into a new cycle, writing and recording our next album, we are parting ways with Diego 'DD' Cavallotti. We thank him for the many unforgettable moments shared over the years and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

"All future live plans remain unchanged and the new songs are taking form, we can't wait to share them with our fans."

LACUNA COIL recently completed the "Ignite The Fire" U.S. tour with support from NEW YEARS DAY and OCEANS OF SLUMBER.

In April, LACUNA COIL released "In The Mean Time", featuring Costello. The song's title is a reference to the mean times the world is living in, as well as a reference to the state the band itself is in, between cycles.

In July 2023, LACUNA COIL released the official lyric video for a new track called "Never Dawn". For the song, the band partnered with CMON, the renowned board game publisher behind the popular game "Zombicide".

In a recent interview with Brazil's Sonoridades Inc., LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia spoke about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Black Anima" album. She said: "I can't really tell you a lot. I can tell you that we are progressing very fast. We are almost, like, 100… We completed, let's say, the demoing. We still have to record the rest of the songs, but we will soon — probably after the tour, after the [May 2024] North American tour. And if everything goes as projected, before the end of the year [it] will be released. And that's already a big news, because we always say, 'We don't know. Maybe.' … I absolutely love the songs. I'm part of the process. But I'm very pleased."

Asked if "Never Dawn" will be on the upcoming album, Cristina said: "I think it will be. I think it will be, 'cause it will make sense. And it also fits with the other songs — it really fits with the other songs. Many heavy songs."

LACUNA COIL has spent some of the last couple of years promoting "Comalies XX", the "deconstructed" and "transported" version of the band's third album, "Comalies".

"Comalies XX" was made available on October 14, 2022 via Century Media Records.

"Comalies" was originally released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

Photo credit: Cunene

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

For the unpopular opinions ask: If a time traveller/wizard/genie gave me a choice between getting to listen to the next Arctic Monkeys album years in advance OR getting to read a short-story collection written by Alex, I'd be far more tempted by the latter... 😅🥰

Hope you're having a lovely day too! 💖

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

oh my god i would trade in just about ANYTHING to get to read a short story collection by alex 😭😭 or any of his written prose, tbh. it's an actual crime that a choice of three is the only piece of that nature we've got to see besides a few wonderful little glimpses here and there from interviews. i am absolutely IN LOVE with the way he writes - which is something i obviously already knew from hearing his lyrics, but god. his prose?? i would be absolutely fascinated to get to dive into that a little more. a choice of three is just incredible. in fact, i think i'm going to have to go and listen to it again right now 🙈

don't get me wrong, i'd love to hear the next monkeys album - but i'm also actually quite happy to wait for it (although not too long please boys 🙏) and let it unfold at its own pace whenever the time is right for it. but getting to read short stories by alex?? not to be dramatic, but i'd consider selling my soul for that, actually. i'd be SO fascinated to see what he writes about at this point in his life too. like, choice of three was amazing but it also felt very much like a piece of alex from that era, you know? given the kind of things he's experienced since then and gone on to create with tbh+c and the car, i'd be fascinated to know what directions his prose has evolved into too.

anyway i'll stop rambling now! thank you for letting me fleetingly entertain the wonderful possibility of getting to read alex's short stories 💗 i hope you're having a wonderful day and that you're still enjoying a post-gig high from qotsa last night 😘

[importantdestinydefendor]

I have a random Firelight AU question for you, if you don't mind! Maybe it will be come up in future chapters so feel free not to spoil if you want to save it for then, but: what do the Parsians think when they see Azar's horse Zaal? I assume spots are common to this Maaren type of horse, but presumably not so often seen in Pars (it may be present in the genepool but none of the horses we've seen in the manga have that leopard spotting pattern).

Parsians are an equestrian people so I have no doubt they'd be checking out other people's mounts, especially a mysterious delegate from another nation. Actually, I'm getting sidetracked now but I also wonder what the general Parsian opinion about Maar is?

(I'm definitely curious to know what Daryun thinks about Zaal but I'm sure your fic will give us his thoughts on the matter at some point, lol. Let's hope Zaal and Shabrang get along well!)

Okay, I actually have not thought about this at all, so thank you for being my brain and asking this questions!

Zaal was, if I remember what I said about him correctly, mostly bred for heavy farming. And since he is in a rather mountany terrain, he has a lot more muscle and fat to keep him warm in the colder climate. His breed was already on the island when the Maarer came over from Mayram (that is also where their name came from and their "main-god"). And because the breed found in the mountains is very strong and resiliant, they were chosen for the heavier load of farming. They are usually not used for riding.

Theyr fur pattern came to be so that the horses were not as visable to preditors when heavy snowfall acurse or they had to hide in not dangerous snow drifts (at least for the horses mostly in the mountains, the ones in the more flat terrain obviously evolved a little differently). And Zaal is suppose to be completelly white - but I couldn't find pictures actual full white Noriker horses (that is the in reality breed i based Zaal on.)

The Maarer usually use more slim horses or those bred for speed and agillity for travelling and - most importantly - the militery. Some were already on the island in the grasslands (the area between the more "beachy" terrain and the mountains) others they brough with them from Maryam.

As for the Parsians, they don't really see the other types of breeds Maar has besides the ones the merchants and military uses - so similar to theirs. The only difference is that Maaren horses are generally more on the sturdier side due to the big differences in climate and terrain in their habitat.

Also, on what they think about Maar as a whole, the normal parsian citizen thinks of this really tiny kingdom that someday just popped up and is rising amonst the internatonal traders. Since it is still rather young as a kingdom, there is not much known about it. Only that they are very welcoming to everyone, allow every religion and belief and - how outlandish - have no actual slave system (this information is not as well known amongst the normal folk, more amongst nobelity and merchants.)

And their wine is very good as are their metals. Since those are their maingoods. That they also use magic is seen as just a rumor to explain how they are so good at defending themselfs and are so quick to arrive everywhere.

Now to Daryun. Since Vahriz has told him a little bit more about Maar due to his personal connection, he knows that Zaals breed is mostly used for agriculture and other heavy things. So he probably does a little double take when offically meeting Azar (I don't count Azars first introdaction as "their first meeting" since they don't actually talk or properly interact with each other). Maybe he will even ask her about it someday!

I have yet to think about such little scenes and Azars actual reason as to why she chose Zaal as her mount lol. Feel free to give me ideas! Chuck them at me!

I hope this answered your questions!

[sicknessbysalem]

tw emeto, fever, stress, alight panic

Vanessa sighed, rubbing her face and taking a deep breath as she sat in her patrol car.

She was thankful to be back. She loved working as a police officer. She did. It was far better than the security guard gigs she would pick up and frankly, much less drama involved.

The day started off like any other. Vanessa was sorting through paperwork at her desk when a call came in about a disturbance at a local cafe. Without hesitation, she headed out, eager to immerse herself in the routine of police work again.

She felt fine. If not on an adrenaline high.

That was three hours ago. She’d been here five hours. She had seven left.

But now, the thrill of the case is long gone and something felt wrong. Something felt weird.

Feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her, Vanessa leaned back in her seat. Her stomach felt… off. She wasn’t even sure what was wrong. Everything felt… off.

As Vanessa sat in her patrol car, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling, she closed her eyes briefly, hoping to regain her composure. The memories of the day's events clashed with the growing discomfort in her stomach, creating a disorienting sensation.

A sharp pang in her abdomen jolted Vanessa from her thoughts. She winced, feeling a sudden surge of nausea. Doubts crept in, wondering if this was more than just a fleeting discomfort.

"Maybe it's just stress," she murmured to herself, trying to dismiss the growing unease. But the sensation persisted, intensifying by the minute.

For a moment, Vanessa contemplated calling it a day, but the determination to prove her readiness to be back on duty held her back.

However, as minutes passed, the discomfort evolved into a gnawing sensation, making it increasingly challenging to focus on her duties.

Vanessa glanced at the clock, realizing she had a long stretch of hours ahead. Her heart sank at the thought of enduring this discomfort for the rest of her shift.

Suppressing a sigh, Vanessa decided to take a short break, hoping fresh air might alleviate the strange feeling in her stomach. As she stepped out of the patrol car, a dizzy spell hit her, causing her to lean against the car for support.

Something was definitely wrong.

Vanessa took deep breaths, trying to steady herself, but the queasiness only intensified. She stumbled back into the car, feeling lightheaded and unsettled.

She turned back around. Grabbing her phone, she did the only thing she could think to do.

She dialed the number, waiting. Hoping Willow hadn’t gone to sleep yet.

“Hey Ness,” Willow’s voice made Vanessa breathe a sigh of relief, “Are you okay?”

Vanessa let out a small whine, “I don’t think so…”

“Oh,” Willow sighed sadly, “You sound nauseous… your voice does.”

“How did you..?” Vanessa questioned.

“Because when you’re nauseous every sentence you kind of make like… a small noise, like a hard breath and a whine? It’s hard to explain,” Willow said, “But, what’s wrong.”

“I feel like I’m going to be sick,” Vanessa admitted. As if accentuating the statement, Vanessa gagged behind closed lips, pulling her phone away from her face.

“Ness, I’m a nurse, we live together, and you have cyclic vomiting syndrome,” Willow chuckled, having heard the shift of Vanessa’s phone.

Vanessa winced, a mix of frustration and embarrassment washing over her. "I know, I know. But it's just... different this time. Feels worse."

Willow's voice softened with concern. "Okay, okay. Take slow, deep breaths. You've got this. Remember the techniques we've talked about? Focus on your breathing, find a focal point, try to relax your muscles."

Vanessa nodded, attempting to follow Willow's guidance. She closed her eyes, attempting to steady her breath and quell the churning in her stomach.

"It's not helping," Vanessa murmured, her voice strained, gagging again much to her dismay.

“God, you really sound sick,” Willow said, “Maybe just… throw up? Get it over with and out of your stomach? That usually helps…”

Vanessa leaned more against the patrol car, trying to take in deep breaths of the chilly air around her. But then she gagged. And then again.

“Ness,” Willow sounds worried, upset even, that Vanessa is struggling.

“I’m gonna be si-“ Vanessa heaved, leaning forward, tucking her phone in her back pocket.

Vanessa heaved, her stomach purging what was in her stomach. Her dinner splattered to the ground, heaving hard against acid and god knew what else.

She coughed, spitting the taste out of her mouth.

“Oh Ness,” Willow said with worry, “You sound so sick…”

“I don’t feel good Wills…” Vanessa winced.

"Unit 5, we have a situation at the Red Lion Bar on 5th Avenue. Report of an unruly patron causing a disturbance. Please respond," the dispatcher's voice crackled through the radio.

Vanessa's heart sank at the timing of the call. She hesitated, grappling with the overwhelming nausea that seemed to amplify with each passing moment.

“I have to go Wills,” Vanessa said, getting back in the car and hanging up, heading to where she was dispatches.

With a deep breath, she gathered herself, forcing herself to focus despite the relentless discomfort.

Struggling against the sensation in her stomach, Vanessa clenched her jaw. Every breath alone felt like a battle against her own body, the queasiness threatening to overwhelm her at any moment.

Upon arriving at the scene, Vanessa saw a commotion near the entrance. A man, clearly inebriated and belligerent, was causing a scene, yelling at the bar staff and patrons, attempting to start fights.

Suppressing a wave of nausea, Vanessa approached the unruly patron, trying to maintain a professional demeanor despite the relentless churning in her stomach. She attempted to defuse the situation, her voice steady as she addressed the man, hoping to calm him down and prevent further escalation.

However, as she spoke, the nausea intensified, causing a momentary distraction. Vanessa fought to keep her focus, knowing she had to maintain control of the situation. The waves of discomfort grew more pronounced, threatening to overwhelm her at any moment.

Barely able to concentrate, Vanessa persevered, attempting to handle the situation despite her own physical distress. She desperately hoped to resolve the conflict swiftly so she could tend to her own worsening condition.

Despite the escalating discomfort in her stomach, Vanessa remained focused on diffusing the volatile situation at the bar. She continued to reason with the unruly patron, attempting to calm him down and prevent any physical altercation.

However, the intoxicated man's aggression grew, and before she could react, he lunged towards her, aiming a wild swing. Vanessa managed to sidestep the blow, but in the process, the man's elbow accidentally struck her stomach, sending a jolt of pain through her body.

The impact intensified the nauseating sensation that had been brewing within her. Vanessa staggered back, fighting to maintain her composure and contain the rising discomfort. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to vomit that surged through her.

Summoning every ounce of resilience, Vanessa continued to engage the unruly patron, attempting to keep him at bay while waiting for backup to arrive. The physical altercation was taking a toll on her, and the relentless queasiness threatened to overpower her ability to focus on the situation at hand.

Finally, she spotted the flashing lights of the backup unit arriving. The only reason she hadn’t cuffed the man was solely because he kept trying to fight her, and she couldn’t get him without hurting herself and him.

Vanessa breathed a small sigh of relief, knowing that she wouldn't have to handle the situation alone any longer. With the support of her colleagues, she managed to detain the belligerent patron and get the situation under control.

As her fellow officer took charge, able to cuff the man while Vanessa engaged with the man, a distraction to make him easier to grab and cuff.

“I’ll take him,” Officer Jones said.

Vanessa nodded, “I’ll start the paperwork.”

Vanessa made her way back to his patrol car after gathering the information she needed from bystanders, all the while fighting back the intense urge to vomit that had only worsened during the confrontation. She pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to steady herself as the discomfort surged.

Vanessa made her way back to the station. Maybe sitting in the office would help, and at the very least she would be close to a bathroom. The last thing Vanessa wanted was to throw up in her patrol car, again.

Trying to focus on her work, Vanessa's stomach churned ominously. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and a chill crept over her as she sat at the computer.

Vanessa tried to push through, but the nausea became overwhelming. She stumbled to the restroom, barely making it before sickness overcame her. Her stomach revolted, and she retched repeatedly, her body trembling with the effort.

Vanessa leaned over the toilet bowl, her body convulsing with each wave of nausea. She felt utterly drained, the relentless sickness taking its toll. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and she clutched the edges of the porcelain fixture, trying to steady herself.

As the waves of nausea subsided, Vanessa slumped against the wall, feeling weak and depleted. She dabbed her face with a damp paper towel, attempting to regain some semblance of composure.

She knew she needed a moment to collect herself, to gather the strength to face the remainder of her shift.

Vanessa splashed some water on her face, trying to wash away the lingering discomfort. She took a few deep breaths, attempting to steady her nerves as she returned to her desk.

With a heavy heart, she glanced at the unfinished paperwork, knowing she couldn't afford to let her condition hinder her responsibilities. Despite the persistent queasiness gnawing at her, Vanessa forced herself to focus on completing the reports.

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity as Vanessa struggled to concentrate. However, the relentless discomfort persisted, growing stronger with each passing moment. She tried to push through, but her body rebelled against her efforts.

She swallowed, but its so thick that her stomach growls and her throat constricts into a small gag.

This felt worse. This felt so much worse.

Vanessa slapped her hand over her mouth, the other arm wrapping around her stomach. She gagged again.

Vanessa felt sick. Not just the general sickness, but she felt like moving alone would make her vomit.

She froze in place.

Vanessa's heart raced with panic as the sensation of overwhelming nausea intensified. Her body quivered with the effort to contain the rising upheaval within her stomach. The discomfort had escalated to a point where any movement threatened to trigger an episode.

“Officer McAllister can you-“ Another officer went to ask. Stopping as Vanessa held up a hand.

Vanessa's eyes widened in desperation. She struggled to respond, her throat tightening with the imminent urge to vomit. Acting on instinct, she reached for the nearby trash can, clutching it tightly as her body convulsed with another wave of nausea.

She knew she couldn't hold it back any longer. With each passing moment, the urge to vomit grew more urgent, making her dread the mere thought of moving.

“Oh my god, are you going to throw up?” The other officer asked.

Vanessa nodded, heaving into the trash can. A rush of vomit escaped,

Splattering into the can. Vanessa knew there was more, so much more.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Vanessa made a calculated decision to try to reach the bathroom, where she could be more private and avoid causing a scene. Slowly and cautiously, she stood up, the hand covering her mouth in a futile attempt to stifle the impending retching.

The motion alone caused a sharp lurch in her stomach, and Vanessa's body revolted. She gagged again, her grip on the trash can tightening as she shuffled with excruciating slowness towards the bathroom, every step a struggle against the roiling sensation in her abdomen.

She gritted her teeth, trying to fight the overwhelming urge to vomit prematurely. Each agonizing step felt like an eternity as she battled to maintain control, her mind solely focused on reaching the bathroom.

Vanessa stumbled into the bathroom, the wave of nausea cresting beyond her control.

She set the can down, dashing for the toilet, gripping the back like her life depended on it, and it definitely did.

Vanessa heaved. Her stomach was mad, and it was making it very clear it was. She heaved, a torrent of vomit rushing out.

One arm hugged her stomach, then the other. Another torrent sent her to her knees.

She clutched her stomach, which felt bloated like it always got when her stomach was upset, the pressure forcing up more and more torrents of vomit.

Vanessa got a reprieve. But not much of one. Sure, the vomiting stopped. But Vanessa’s stomach was still bloated, there was still more that needed to come up.

The bathroom door opened, just as Vanessa started heaving again.

Someone is behind her. Vanessa smells cucumber and mint, a soft scrnt that still makes her sick anyway.

A hand rests on Vanessa’s arms as the officer hugs her sick stomach, before sliding under her shirt and arms, rubbing Vanessa’s stomach.

“Oh, dear,” Willow. It’s Willow. Vanessa doesn’t know how, or why. But it’s Willow.

Willow rubs Vanessa’s stomach, occasionally putting pressure on it. Vanessa is thankful, the pressure forces up more vomit. Vomit that Vanessa’s body is too exhausted to send up on its own.

“Your stomach…” Willow said, “It feels so full… let’s fix that, yeah?”

Vanessa nodded, letting go of her stomach and letting willow grab her from behind, squeezing Vanessa to force everything g up.

Wave after wave of vomit leaves Vamessa’s stomach. Every so often, Willow keeps her updated.

“Your stomach is less full, we’ve almost got it.”

“It already feels so much better.”

“Come on, just a little more.”

Finally, the vomiting subsides. Vanessa is thoroughly exhausted. Every fiber of her being was tapped out.

Vanessa leaned against the wall, drained from the copious vomiting.

Willow brushes sweat soaked hair off Vanessa’s face. She feels Vanessa’s skin.

“Honey, you’re burning up…” Willow shook her head.

“Will… Willow…” Vanessa is panting. She’s exhausted, breathless. “I… I don’t… I don’t feel good.”

“I would say not,” Willow said, placing a gentle hand on Vanessa’s stomach, offering a smile, “At least your stomach isn’t as bloated. You should be good for a little bit.”

“How do you know that…” Vanessa said, “I still… feel…”

“I know,” Willow said, “But. Usually, when your stomach isn’t bloated it’s like theres nothing left. I’ve come to notice that the more bloated your stomach is, the more vomit you have in you that needs out.”

Vanessa sighed, sinking back into the wall, “I… still have…”

“Your supervisor wants you to go home, and so do I. I’ll drive, we can get your car tomorrow.” Willow said, “Can you stand?”

“In a minute,” Vanessa said, “I feel…. i feel dizzy…”

Vanessa pulled her knees to her chest, hugging her stomach and resting her head on her knees. The bathroom was spinning wildly around her and she was so scared she was going to be sick again.

“We need to get you home,” Willow said, “I’ll help you up. Okay?”