#thanks for the questions they were fun :)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Vibes based grading system.

(for @epistemologys, who wanted some post-canon, teacher WWX)

[merverelli]

"you just feel yourself let go."

still thinking about this episode. man. 💪💥

[lucabyte]

Stardust.

[sskk-manifesto]

Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple and how “ability users” (opposite to “normal people”) learning to accept themselves through the acceptance of their own abilities is a queer metaphor of acceptance of own's sexual orientation and gender: an essay by me

[vynnyal]

Turns out Sunlit Trail isn't quite done just yet, so after all that they just send you to a dead end 😂

[erinwantstowrite]

random list of questions for funsies

1. what is your favorite color?

2. if you had to make peter into any animal, dogs excluded because i feel like that's the obvious answer, what animal would he be?

3. if you could take the batfam to the theater to see anything, what movie would u pick for/with them

4. socks when sleeping: yes or no

I'm a huge fan of all the colors, so it depends on where I'm seeing the colors I would guess. I like to wear jewel tones, I can only stand neon when it's neon light, and orange is best when it's during a sunset. But if I had to pick: red, pink, and green. Because strawberries :3

I feel like Peter is a cat that's raised by dogs

This is a hard question, I feel like I'm forgetting every movie I've ever seen ever. The first that comes to mind is ITSV but that's because I was just rewatching it... i think it's a tie between Nimona and Mitchells vs the Machines

absolutely not!!! i can't stand wearing socks most of the time (I almost always wear sandals in the spring and summer unless I have to wear smth for protective), and when sleeping?? the WORST!! i can't fall asleep if I'm wearing socks or pants. I keep my feet warm by letting my dog lay on my feet

[stuffedsand]

milgrammies how we feeling. no mappi bday timeline. missing prisoners. hows it doing

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

childhood friend!sugu vs childhood friend!toru

YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE .

thank you for saying this anon i’ve been thinking of it a lot actually. i’m morally and legally binded to choose childhood friend!sugu no matter what because he’s literally……. my favorite Ever. and i think the inherent devotion of the childhood friend trope blends soooo well with his natural devotion. his protective urges. etcetc. i have wayyyy too many thoughts about childhood friend!sugu 😭 but it mostly boils down to him wanting to be by your side forever. he wants to make you happy and he wants to protect you and he knows you so well that he doesn’t trust anyone else to love you like he can. he’s selfish and he wants you to lean on him more than he wants anything for himself.

childhood friend!toru though….. i feel like he would be your estranged childhood friend. that makes most sense to me :3 like, you met when you were really really young, and ended up playing together in an empty park. he was a brat, kind of quiet, and you were just sweet, y’know? you were the closest thing to a friend he had as a child. then you ended up moving away, he never got to say goodbye… and you meet again as adults. you don’t remember him — it was just so, so long ago — but he remembers you. he remembers you a little too well.

so now you just kinda have to deal with this tall, handsome, cheery man who keeps talking to you like you’re best friends even though you literally don’t remember him…. he’s sweet though. a little annoying, but sweet. he has a soft spot for you. i think having anything remotely close to a childhood friend makes him feel human in a way he can’t help but crave.

sooooo. overall!!! both are good :3 i will always be a childhood friend!sugu truther before anything else but childhood friend!toru has sm potential..

[tangledinink]

For the Gemini twins.

If, after a fight, would big mama willing help them patch up or do they have to patch each other up on their own? Does it depend on Mama's mood? Does Leo have any 'privileges' like donnie does with tech? Would Mama destroy Donnie's tech if she was in a particularly bad mood? What's the worst punishment she ever gave them? Did they get into trouble a lot?

Sorry for all the questions, thank you!!

-> big mama comes and visits them after every fight, and if they were still in need patching by the time she got there, perhaps she would take the time to bandage them up and tend to their injuries.

but we'll never know. because the twins have always taken care to patch each other up before big mama arrives. every other fighter in the nexus takes care of themselves, and they both feel confident that if they didn't follow suit, she would be disappointed in them. it always takes her a little bit to come see them after a fight, anyway... another cue, in their minds, of the expectation.

if their wounds are severe enough, they can seek care at the nexus infirmary-- but they've both gotten pretty good at handling things on their own by now.

-> leo doesn't really have 'privileges' the way donnie does, because he doesn't rely on physical items like him. sometimes he loses 'weapon privileges,' as does donnie. the justification from big mama is that always having tech in the nexus 'Bores The Fans--' they didn't come to watch donnie show off his tech, after all, they came for good, old-fashioned bloodsport! it really just depends on her mood, though. and refusing to let donnie bring his tech into the nexus isn't simply a punishment for him. it can just as easily be a punishment for leo, and all three of them know it.

-> she would and she has.

-> the worst punishment they've ever received...

-> when donnie and leo were little, they never got in trouble. they could do whatever the hell they wanted and big mama didn't give a single fuck. it drove all the hotel employees crazy 'cause they would get away with murder. once they turned eight, however, and were 'old enough' to begin training for their nexus careers, this abruptly changed. this was very difficult for the twins to process and adapt to, and they got 'in trouble' very frequently from around the ages 8-13 because they just... didn't know how not to. things that were once totally okay were now very much not, and they'd get in trouble for anything from speaking out of turn to being late to dinner to not standing up straight in public. by now, they have a pretty decent handle on the situation, though they still can't quite manage to stay out of trouble all the time... the rules are just a bit... unclear. and the expectations are very high.

[ gemini au ]

[basketobread]

What is the inspiration behind your art style?

OOOHHH THIS IS A FUN QUESTION... honestly it's really hard to say but i'd say some of my greatest art inspo's would be...

Adventure Time! (weird line up of characters i know but the style here is so cute)

The Venture Bros! (for when i draw non-chibi characters tbh)

The Devilman manga specifcally!! (I just really like the style and use of linework in it lol)

And then finally... Osomatsu San. For my more chibi-ish style... I'm not even big on this anymore but I feel like my chibi style was totally influenced by this show specifically LOL

[ekingston]

Apart from show canon, at which point did u think it was too late for lena's immediate forgiveness to kara's identity reveal

oh boy. anon, here is where i come clean about my shoddy recollection of canon’s chronology. i’ve done so many fragmented rewatches and skipping back and forth—there’s a reason i rarely dabble with canon-adjacent stuff! and that even when i do, i create worlds where Lena figures it out herself! 

second road bump to answering this question is that i have a LOT of feelings about how things played out on the show, and most of them are incongruent with the tone of sgcw. i understand their narrative reasons for keeping the secret from Lena for so long! but the execution is so, so terrible! ignoring large swathes of canon and replacing them with my own is the only way i’m able to enjoy at least the last tiny handful of seasons!

here is where i spend an hour procrastinating from my WIPs, while not successfully answering your question at all:

to be perfectly clear: i adore most parts of canon Kara. and i think i may be hard on her in ways i wouldn't be if i didn’t relate to her so much. i think her backstory is extremely compelling and i admire her ability to hold on to her kindness and hope and joy even after losing everything that was important to her, even when she’s tired and lonely and mad. 

BUT. a healthy Lena—one who we were made to believe was finally freeing herself from Lex and Lillian, rising above the coping mechanisms she’d developed as an unwanted and emotionally neglected child? i don’t think that Lena would (should?) have forgiven canon Kara at all.

after the rift, canon Kara flitted between telling Lena she’d lied to her ‘to protect you’ to ‘one person who sees me only as Kara’ to ‘your last name’ to ‘didn’t want to lose you’ until she literally told Lena she was on her own, and she’d treat her like any other villain until Lena repented, even rejecting her apology at first, as if Kara’s own decisions had played no part in Lena’s downward spiral at all.

the Kara Lena would have forgiven is the much more cohesive and coherent Kara brought to us by our talented fix-it writers: a Kara who is willing to let herself be vulnerable and to second-guess her motivations, one who is able to put together a proper apology and actually listen to Lena's own. 

but, okay, lets table all of that. this is me trying really, really hard to entertain canon:

Kara and Lena’s friendship became painfully lopsided by season 3. i think that was, if i recall correctly, when the super-friends decided to trust Lena enough to regularly ask her for assistance—but not enough to let her be part of their in-group; it’s where they left Lena in the dark about the fact that her best friend had come close to plunging to her death right in front of Lena's eyes, and was actively still fighting for her life; where they tricked Lena into having an extremely personal conversation with J’onn, while he was wearing Kara’s features, only to make belly-laughing fun of her about it later. 

and even then, honestly, it might already have been too late. what about the aftermath of Jack’s death? was that season 2? Jack was Lena’s ex-everything, someone who genuinely loved her, who saw her through the fallout of Lex’s arrest. he was one of her last remaining friends, and Lena pressed the button to let him die in order to save Supergirl’s life. how would Lena knowing that Kara went through that with her, knowing Lena had chosen to save the life of her favorite person in addition to National City’s hero, have changed the way she felt about that horrible situation? that’s where that extremely wonderful heart-to-heart on the L-Corp couch happened, right? Kara swore she’d always be Lena’s friend—while keeping silent about the fact that she was there when Jack drew his last breath, that she had witnessed their final moments.

so—i really can’t tell you anon, i’m so sorry. the 100th episode already fabricated reasons why Kara couldn’t possibly come clean to Lena back when she made the conscious decision to be her friend (and not in a ‘keep your enemies close’ kind of way!), and i’m beginning to think that was the only moment Kara could have told Lena that would have kept her conscience completely clear. Kara should have made it part of her decision—either she was going to be Lena’s friend and give her the same trust Lena was giving her, or she would keep things professional, and keep her identity a secret from her. 

Kara tried to do both, and if i really think about it, i don’t believe that was ever fair.

[fujii-draws]

Just found and read your chatot rant and I'm curious. How would you rewrite him to be a more understandable/likable character?

Anon you are the light at the end of the tunnel.

I wouldn’t change a whole lot about him. Personality wise I think he’s funny/well-rounded. It’s more of how many times they made him do needlessly cruel stuff to h/p that’s never addressed again.

I say, let Apple woods stay the same. Like I said before in my rant, I enjoyed the conflict there. My problem only stems from the fact that??? He doesn’t have any real reason to distrust them???

Give him a reason. Show that h/p were fucking up a lot of jobs when they first joined the guild- and chatot (begrudgingly) took their excuses because they’re new. And he gives them a lot of chances despite his callous demeanor.

THEN, let the incident in Apple woods be the moment where he finally decides those two had enough second chances. And doesn’t hear them out. And other than that I’m alright w/ chapter 6.

NOW… CHAPTER 17…

Ughhhhh man. I already made my grievances known with this chapter but I genuinely hated how they handled chatot here. Will start off by saying (again), I LIKE that he’s distrustful about majority of what partner said. The future, Grovyle being good, The “magical hidden land”, etc. IT MAKES SENSE LMAO. ITS SO OUT THERE.

What pissed me off was how he immediately tried to play off that he trusted them the whoooole time. And it’s called out as a JOKE. And never addressed again. I’d do either 2 things here.

1. Let Chatot actually test the guild’s trust in h/p.

Do you know how awesome it would’ve been to have him IMPROVE from Apple woods? Have the entire guild that once had your back— now distrusting our main duo? And have CHATOT be the one to actually stand up for them there???? And HE be the one to point out Dusknoir grabbed those two in broad daylight? (Further emphasizing him as Wigglytuff’s right hand man(bird) and how much more competent he is than his pink leader? LIKE MAN THAT WOULDVE INSTANTLY REKINDLED MY LOVE FOR HIM. But what we got in main game was so much more disappointing.

2. Chatot doubling down on what he said.

Okay this MAY sound weird but hear me out. Having chatot still be distrustful until Brine cave would’ve, in my opinion, also been EONS better than him going “oh lol I trust them hehehe!!!!! I’m so silly!!!!” <<(accused two Pokémon they lied about the traumatic ass experience they went through.)

Have him still not trust a word they said. And that in turn comes with some actual consequence. (Like Wigglytuff being upset/disappointed in him and it driving a wedge between the two until Brine cave) Have him suffer some kind of consequence. Not some off screen rant he had w/ Team skull. Not some random sacrifice that’s disconnected with the stuff he done. A consequence that actually makes him realize “wait am i being an ass” before he continues to double down.

(I’m a sucker for characters doing bad things as long as they get consequences or try to make up for it.) (doesn’t have to be both at the same time.)

AAAND THATS PRETTYYY MUCH IT! I love Post-Game chatot a whole bunch and If I’m being honest???? I still like Chatot when he’s not being a colossal jackass.

I love that he’s stressed and snippy. I love that he’s trying his damn hardest to keep the guild running. I love that when h/p fail the graduation fight— he’s the one smiling towards them like a little shit. I love that he regards h/p in a positive light and acknowledges the good they did for the guild in the rare few moments he’s being honest with them.

It’s why I liked him at the start and near the end. The middle was just waaay too rocky for me. But on my replay of the game I’ll try to keep an open mind for the bird. I wanna give him a chance.

[randomfoggytiger]

Writers Truth or Dare ask game

❄️ 🧩 🍓

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

Hmmmm... a Revival era fic where Mulder and Scully never had William but they come across a little girl (named Marsha-- how Quamire-y of me) that they ended up adopting. I'd be curious to see what logic would drive them to that decision so "late" in life.

Who would best write it? Depends.

If I wanted fluff and humor, I'd ask @baronessblixen.

If I wanted grounded, earthy, capable characters, I'd ask you.

If I wanted a think piece with hard questions being asked and answered, I'd ask @amplifyme.

If I wanted an emotional, hardcore exploration of Mulder and Scully's strengths and weaknesses, I'd ask @cecilysass.

If I wanted sweetness and lightness, I'd ask @welsharcher.

If I wanted humor and plot, I'd ask @agent-troi.

If I wanted bittersweetness, I'd ask @television-overload.

If I wanted a winding mytharc-heavy plot, I'd ask @touchstoneaf.

If I wanted casefile, I'd ask @numinousmysteries.

If I wanted moody atmosphere, I'd ask @teethnbone or @enigmaticdrblockhead.

If I wanted heartfelt, almost heartsick beauty, I'd ask @melforbes.

And if I wanted biting wit and and magical words, I'd ask @aloysiavirgata.

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Scully not communicating, then blowing up at Mulder for not doing something or doing something, then running away before they can talk it out. It smacks me as gutless, especially when canon Scully refuses to let Mulder off the hot seat until he answers for his actions.

For Mulder, it's descending into debauchery and ego-driven lust, all while minimizing and ignoring Scully's warnings. Even when they were most at odds (One Son), he still respected her enough to double check Diana Fowley's motives (even if it was mainly because he would lose Scully otherwise.)

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction?

I read so many authors in under a year's time, and I wanted to give back in a way.

Hadn't written anything in... years. Got inspired as last year's Fictober drew near; and was struck by television-overload's idea (that Samantha raised William.) It stuck with me, transformed, and unlocked my ability to write again. :DDDDD

[solar-nightengale]

@naivesilver | Thousand Problems + Mille

[deus-ex-mona]

i miss her…

[bookwyrminspiration]

TLT's Religion + Trauma Survey Results!

About a month ago, I shared a survey regarding the impact of TLT's religion on fans and specifically fans with self-identified religious trauma. This was part of a larger group project for a class, but a handful of people were interested in knowing the results, so here they are!

Before we start: this was a very informal project and necessarily limited. Response options were limited, it didn't inquire into demographic information, data was analyzed manually, and Christianity was the focus/frequently presumed given its global prevalence and relation to the story. Several avenues of analysis weren't pursued given time and project constraints, so please keep all this in mind

The survey was open for about a week and received 965 responses

First, respondents were asked on a scale of 1-4 "Does The Locked Tomb's use or depiction of religion impact your reading experience?" From the entire pool, 83.6% rated it as at least slightly impactful (further broken down in the graph), and 97.4% indicated this was a positive impact.

In open response, respondents listed some reasons why, ranging from: "“it's just a part of the story” to “I enjoy the examination of the ways religion can shape someone's world view, or be used to manipulate and control” and "Religion is my autistic special interest and I love fictional religions!"

Respondents were then asked "Do you have, in your opinion, religious trauma?" The qualifications of religious trauma were intentionally non-specified and left to respondents discretion.

358 respondents, 37.1%, marked yes

This specific group of 358 were asked if this religious trauma impacted their reading of TLT. 66.1% indicated that it did.

Open response answers elaborated on this, saying: “I think reading it is cathartic for me,” “Space trauma lets me look at my real trauma without me or real people being hurt in it,” and “making religion a part of the narrative and drawing out the themes in a way that can be analyzed and picked apart made my experience with religion something I could look at in a similar way.”

The first question from the survey was then returned to, and the ratings of the 1-4 scale were looked at solely in the group of 358 respondents with self-identified religious trauma.

Of these, 90.3% marked a 2 or higher (compared to 83.6); 15% marked a 2 (compared to 22.1%), 31% marked a 3 (compared to 33%), and 44.3% marked a 4 (compared to 28.6%). Pardon the quick graph, as I made it in about 3 minutes specifically for this

Respondents with religious trauma, on average, rated the series' depiction of religion as more impactful to their reading experience than respondents without.

All respondents were then asked, "Has TLT helped you challenge or reinforce your ideas of and experiences with religion?"

Respondents elaborated that: "it reinforced my ideas of religion because I see religion as a means of controlling people, often abusive, and rooted in the supernatural" or "It challenged me to consider how religion can be both a positive force and a hurtful institution. I knew this to a degree already, having experienced both, but reading about it helped reinforce that nuance."

Respondents were then asked on a scale of 1-5, "Does the original text or the fandom contribute more to challenging or reinforcing ideas of and experiences with religion?" 1 is individual text only, and 5 is fandom only.

The majority of respondents indicated an equal impact from the original text and the fandom, however very few people were impacted only by the fandom (1.4%) compared to the number only impacted by the text (13.8%). This wasn't investigated further.

Finally, respondents were asked what religion they'd been referring to or thinking of when they'd been answering the above questions. The vast majority indicated Christianity or Catholicism, though we did not count exactly how many of each; it was clear it was the majority, and that sufficed for our purposes. A larger, more thorough study would be needed to look at Non-Christian/Catholic respondents' experiences in comparison.

The conclusion of all of this was that, as predicted, fans of TLT with self-identified religious trauma were more impacted by the series' use and depiction of religion. This was via catharsis, sympathy, identifying with the characters, and more.

The study demonstrates a function of speculative fiction that allows readers to engage with and process difficult topics (such as religious trauma) though a protected, distanced lens where no one real is hurt. This can be taken beyond TLT and to the genre as a whole, which is often dismissed as less literary or worthy of study than its classical counterparts, an opinion the surveyors argue against.

If you've made it to the end here, thank you again for all the responses and help! I hope you've enjoyed the results, and if there are any further questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer them. Upfront, yes there were 2 other components to the project (looking at queer demographics for the fandom and analyzing common themes in fanart and fic); those were my groupmates' sections, so I haven't shared them, but if you're curious I can always ask them if they'd be open to sharing :)