#the level of craft put into the writing is insane

[aduck8myshoes]

the fact that this poll of two incredibly niche lesbian fandoms has over 10k votes and has devolved into almost pirate battle poll levels of hate in the notes is so fucking funny to me

(I did end up voting revstar entirely because of that tag about them doing what griddlehark did while going to a theater high school)

anyway, cool people that appreciate both, what are your revstar necro/cav headcanons? which tlt characters would have the most insane revue sets? which tlt card would be an auto ban in pvp? how do you fit a giraffe on a spaceship? tag your posts so I can follow!

Battle Couple Battle Round 2!

Griddlehark (The Locked Tomb) VS Hikaren (Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight)

[neptunes-sol-angel]

Pick the picture(s) that you're drawn to the most, then scroll down for its corresponding message for insight on what's next for you in love.

Paid Readings | Patreon | Tip Jar

Pile One ♡

I strongly feel that most people in this pile would be considered as someone who is inexperienced in love, maybe you guys are bookworms, maladaptive daydreamers, and writers yourselves when it comes to visualizing your future, different settings for how the world could be, and breathing life into the people that you haven’t gotten the chance or time to get to know yet. What’s next for you in love, is practice. You’re upgrading from being Bambi by becoming the Great Prince of the Forest by taking risks before you are able to know and find what is right for you. Some of you may believe in holding yourself tightly before you meet “the one” but the message is that you are being unfair to yourself by putting your life on hold to revolve it around someone who is also learning too, but isn’t waiting like you are doing. This doesn’t mean to be reckless or to feel coerced into going along with people you don’t have a good feeling about just for the sake of finally being in a relationship. This stage is about exploration and enjoying yourself before you meet your life partner. If you resonate with being a bookworm, you could be the type to read romantic fictional stories on a platform like wattpad, and while it serves its purpose which is to make you feel good, it could create an irregular perception of love for you, like subconsciously romanticizing traits that are toxic or wouldn’t be something that you would actually like if you were to actually experience it. For some, it could be re-evaluating your attraction to individuals, like when you crush on someone, you could find that they really look good, but do you yearn for more from them? Your path in love could be redirecting you to pay attention to how a person makes you feel than what you get from them on a surface level of interaction.

Pile Two ♡

There was someone in your life that you once felt like you couldn’t live without or took something from you that seemed irretrievable, but you’re being blessed in a way that’s shutting all of those lies down. You’re getting you back, in whichever way that it applies. This could be your motivation to take care of yourself, to do things that made you feel happy and at peace before this dwindle ending happened, like going to the gym, arts & craft, writing, solo trips or going out with friends, and even something simple as such as looking good for yourself, but it’s not limited to what was mentioned. This could even look like getting closer to who your deity or deities and spiritual maintenance. The best way that I can describe this, is that this phase in love is like this big circle of energy, stuff that was taken or borrowed from you, that’s being marinated before it is returned because it isn’t just aspects from the past, it’s also the time for creation. This whole entire time, your rain of tears that were collected from this heartbreak were observed yet not ignored, but transmuted into this empire that you’re building off of the corpses of failures that you’ve experienced with not just people but life circumstances, maybe when that break up happened it just seemed that more tragedies kept following you after that and it drove you into insanity like when does this pain ever end? Although you can’t forget about it, you’re learning how to soften from these things that stung you in the past, so that you can keep moving and consolidate your wishes. For some, this is personal, and an era that you’d like to be selfish with in order to see what else you can create, like developing a strong daily routine, starting that business, or maybe even working on yourself so that you can heal others, while the other side of this collective will open their hearts again to a new love which can be romance, friendship, or even adoption that is just as equally healing.

Pile Three ♡

The next thing in love for you is learning how to stop trying to win. I’m picking up multiple scenarios for this but the premise is that people in this pile are in love situations where there is no winner, and if there is, let the other person be the one to have it so that you can walk away and stop blocking yourself from better to come in. Some of you are in a long battle with a person by competing with them on who has the upperhand in the situationship, this involves the runner and chaser dynamic constantly reversing and both of you keeping tabs on each other when you’re supposed to be in no contact. The second scenario is sticking beside someone who has a wandering eye but trying relentlessly to get this person to choose you the way that you choose them. The third scenario is in general, trying to prove yourself in order to gain love from others by manipulating yourself and even them to win their affection. There is this storm brewing, you can even call this a tower moment, that could happen to finally get you to see the many ways that you are downplaying yourself with people who have stayed in your space and energy for far too long. You’re going to surrender from these situations to know what it means to pick yourself up and see how beautiful and worthy you are to the extent where you’ll be baffled by how much you’ve been settling for people who don’t deserve you. This phase will come with new connections, but what makes it different is realizing your authority in this by realizing how possible and freeing it is to choose people that choose you. Once you realize that you’re the prize in this game, let the winner take pride in being the fumbler, and be proud of yourself for not being the one to fumble you.

[skellymom]

"Bring Me To My Knees" PART 1

Crosshair/Hunter x Reader Non Gendered SMUT++

Dividers by the talented: @saradika and @4ngelic-wh1spers

Background: Reader and Crosshair are separated from the group during the rescue of Omega and Tech from Mt Tantiss. Two broken people trying to get by in the galaxy. Then two broken people finally dealing with what happened to their group.

Word Count: 2.3K

Warning: Star Wars Canon violence, angst, sadness, crying, guilt, stuff blowing up, swearing, kissing, intercourse, heavy petting, hair pulling kink, smutty/lemony content, lovers triangle with Hunter and Crosshair.

FOR CLARITY, THERE IS A HUNTER FLASHBACK SMUT SCENE IN THIS CHAPTER. THE CROSSHAIR SMUT SCENE IS IN CHAPTER 2. Broke this up in 2 chapters because I just couldn't stop writing...and 4K might be too much for one sitting.

*YES! I know Mesh'la is Mando'a speak for beautiful. However, I personally think it sounds pretty sexy when someone uses it while going to Pound Town. I like it better than baby, honey, girl, boy, lover, whatever. My personal kink. If you aren't caught up, there's a whole Tumblr discussion about if the Clones would even use this language. PLEASE just let me have this one word. Thanks.

I purposely wrote the reader in this fic to be of no specific gender. Tried to carefully craft the sexual scenes to accommodate either gender/non gendered/trans/genderfluid/non-binary. Everyone has hills, valleys, sexual organs, nipples, and erogenous zones. I wrote them into the story, but it's up to you dear reader to put your imagination to work. Hope I have done a good enough job that you can enjoy yourself with Hunter and Crosshair without breaking immersion!

Explosions and blaster fire filled the air as you, Phee Genoa, and The Batch escaped Mt Tantiss.  Wrecker led the charge, firing away and punching imps.  Phee behind him with a group of prisoners she freed from the facility.  Hunter, his arm around Tech who was barely able to walk, blaster out firing.  You and Omega supported Crosshair bringing up the rear of the group. 

The Empire attempted to lock down the facility, engaging all doors on every level.  Hunter got Tech past them as they started to close.  

He turned with Tech in tow to shout, “Y/N, Omega, bring Crosshair!  Hurry!!!” 

You and Omega would never make it with the slow progress Cross was making.  Grabbing Omega and with a healthy heft, you slid her across the highly polished flooring.  She barely exited past the threshold just as the doors closed.   

The last thing you and Crosshair saw was Omega loudly protesting while Hunter grabbed the back of her tunic to yank her out of the way.  And the look of total panic on Hunter’s face. 

“Leave me.”  Crosshair weakly slumped against the steel hallway wall. 

“SHUT UP!  Too late for that!!!”  You grabbed Cross’ arm and attempted to pull him up. 

He refused to move.  You were warned he might be difficult. 

“GET UP NOW YOU FUCKING MOP!!!”  Viciously kicking his upper thigh in heated frustration. 

That got his attention.  Crosshair’s head flicked up.  Anger in his eyes. 

You grabbed the front of his tunic with both hands, hefting him up, spitting with rage “I’M NOT DYING HERE!  GET UP YOU UNGRATEFUL ASSHOLE!!!” 

He managed to stand with his arm around your shoulders.  Pulling your blaster.  “How do we get out of here?” 

“How should I know?  Been locked up all this time.” 

“KRIFF!  Knew I threw the wrong person under the door!!!” 

“Didn’t ask YOU to save me.” 

You gritted your teeth and shot the control panel to the door the rest of The Batch disappeared through.  The doors managed to only open a few feet.  You literally stuffed Crosshair into the gap.  His protests were muted by the sound of screams and explosions.  He got stuck halfway through, then you put a foot in his ass and pushed.  He popped through falling into a crouch on the floor.  

“You’re INSANE!” 

“YES!  KEEP MOVING!!!” 

Running up to Cross, you grabbed the back of his tunic and pulled him to his feet.  Both of you ran across the hangar bay.  The Marauder and Phee’s ship were gone.  You weren’t upset, they HAD to leave in a hurry.  It was total chaos.  

You both made a beeline for the first empty Imperial ship available.  Entering, you slid into the pilot’s seat and put up the gangplank.  Then commenced firing on every non-friendly that approached.  Some of the other Imperial ships got caught in the crossfire, exploding dramatically.  Crosshair buckled himself into the co-pilot's chair. 

As your ship left the hangar, two fighters followed in hot pursuit.  You kept the craft low and entered the thick forest, shooting down trees in your path.  Crosshair held onto his seat white knuckled. 

“You’re going to get us killed!” 

“Got any better ideas, Fly Boy?  We’re sitting ducks out in the open.” 

He shut up and held on. 

One ship pulled away from pursuit.    

The other followed.  You kept firing, making a path to evade your pursuer.   

He didn’t last long. One tree you felled, dragged another with it as you passed.  It caught its wing, flinging the ship to the forest floor, exploding brightly behind you. 

Pulling the craft up out of the forest, you ascended... 

...where the other Imperial fighter sat waiting! 

Close enough to see its pilot in the cockpit, waiting to open fire. 

The end of the line. Crosshair inhaled sharply.   

The ship exploded suddenly.  And your craft flew through the fiery remains. 

“Didn’t think I’d leave you?” Hunter’s voice came over the comm. 

You nearly burst into tears of joy.  “Oh, THANK STARS!” 

“Let’s get out of here!  Echo’s sending jump coordinates...” You immediately heard blaster fire over their comm. The transmission broke up. 

“HUNTER???”   

Static.  “...ing to...GO!  Can you hea...” More static.  Comm went dead.  Nothing. 

“HUNTER!  HUNTER...COME IN!!!  CAN YOU HEAR ME???” 

Crosshair shot you a horrified glance. 

The little bit you could discern, your Sergeant’s orders were to leave the planet immediately.  What if they needed help?  You couldn’t leave HIM...them behind! 

You brought the ship around and could see a craft trailing fire and smoke behind it.  Looked to be the Havoc Marauder making its way off world.  Several Imperial fighters were gaining on it.  Kicking your ship into gear and taking off in their direction.  You picked off two and allowed the Marauder to make the jump to hyperspace. 

The last ship circled round. 

Panicking, locking up, “Where did they go?  I don’t have coordinates!” 

Crosshair’s terse voice came from the co-pilot's seat, “Pick ANY!  We don’t have time!!!” 

“But...we...” 

“DO IT or we die!”  Dark eyes bore into your skull.  “I’LL DO IT!!!  You make the jump!”  He furiously typed something into the craft’s dash. 

“Jump...NOW!!!” 

The Imperial fighter on your tail, firing. 

You sat frozen.  Your hand a lead weight on the jump lever. 

“DAMMIT!”  Crosshair slammed his hand on top of yours, shoving the lever over.  The black star-studded sky elongated; bright blue light burst through the windscreen. 

You sat staring through the windscreen of the ship, blue blurs whizzing past. 

“Y/N?” 

A hand suddenly on your shoulder. 

“WHAT!”  You jumped and snapped upright. 

“You...went away for a while...” 

Staring at Crosshair’s unreadable expression. 

“We’ll find them.  Take some time, though.” 

Nodding, you relaxed back in the seat.  “Yeah, gonna take some doing.” 

Handing the soup bowl to Crosshair, he sulked...and refused to eat...again. 

“You NEED to eat.” 

He sneered. 

“Don’t make me regret getting you out of that facility.” 

Cross sighed heavily and took the bowl.  He STILL wasn't eating, just staring into it.  This man was driving you insane...if you didn’t kill him first. 

“It’s actually pretty good for a ration packet.  Provided you eat it while still warm.” 

“Why are you bothering?” 

ON YOUR LAST NERVE. 

“Why did YOU bother pushing us into hyperspace...if you want to suffer and die so badly?” 

Silence. 

Suddenly you had the urge to slap the damned bowl out of his hand.  “REALLY???  Let your skinny ass STARVE!  Ungrateful son-of-a...kriffing...GAH!  FUCK!!!” 

Your sudden anger sparked something. 

Crosshair slowly smirked. 

“Knock it off and DRINK YOUR FUCKING SOUP!”  Getting up, stalking off, mumbling angrily to yourself...hoping the tiny food galley didn’t have any knives. 

Checking up later, you found the bowl empty.  Cross slumped in the chair; eyes closed. 

To anyone else, it would look like he was napping.  You knew better. 

You picked up the bowl to take it back to the galley. 

“My compliments to the chef.” 

You rolled your eyes. 

“I meant it.” 

“Whatever.” 

Cross opened his eyes, aiming for an argument.  “It’s a compliment.  Take it or leave it.” 

“I don’t trust you.” 

An unexpectedly hurt expression flickered across his face.  “This isn’t about the soup, is it?” 

“No genius.  I was warned you’re a constant shit stirrer.” 

“Well, Hunter was never my biggest fan.” 

“It wasn’t Hunter.” 

This seemed to surprise Crosshair. 

“Echo...he’s a bit of a shit stirrer himself.  Takes one to know one.” 

Cross raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh...and Wrecker thinks you take yourself too seriously.  I think his actual words were...he needs to unclench his butt cheeks.” 

Raised the other eyebrow. 

“But Wrecker was incorrect.” 

“Oh?” 

“As far as I can tell, you DON’T have an ass.” 

Crosshair leaned forward, slight smirk around the edges of his mouth. 

“Been looking...have you?” 

“I think most people would say you’re just a torso with legs...Toothpick.” 

He genuinely smiled at the new nickname. 

“More soup?” 

“Yes more, Soup.” 

Nights were difficult and Crosshair struggled to sleep through. Awakening to hear him working through a nightmare. Sometimes he would mutter, groan, and thrash about, eventually snoring again. This happened several times a night. Other times he would awaken, panting and sweating, trying to remember he was no longer imprisoned on Mt Tantiss. 

At first, he turned down your attempts to soothe him. That didn’t last long. It became a habit of you sitting next to his bunk on the metal floor, talking him through it. Eventually, you just crawled into bed and laid there next to him. It was certainly more comfortable than that damned hard floor. 

Crosshair’s breathing settled into a regular rhythm. Stars, it was warm and cozy in this bunk. The idea of walking across that cold decking to your own bunk just seemed depressing. Five more minutes and you’d get up.  

That didn’t happen. Two minutes in and you passed out cold. 

(You like a song to go with the scene? Please check out this song. It "literally" FUCKS!!!)

"Mmhmmm...” 

The deep bass of Hunter’s groan making you wetter as his hard cock slid in and out of you.

“Ohh...fuu...mmm...” Words were difficult when he kissed your neck like this. Whispering sweet things in your ear while gently fucking your brains out. 

Laying on your sides, facing each other. One leg thrown over his hips, both of your hands deep in his curls. Grasping them with ferocity. The pain brought him pleasure... 

Hunter slid his hand down your back to firmly grip your buttocks and picked up the rhythm of his thrusts. 

“Kriff...can’t wait to do this...with you...in our home...all...the...fucking...time...” The last four words he spoke with each luscious stroke of his member. 

“Huuunter...” Your eyes rolled back into your head. 

“Got...a nice...little planet...just...for us...” 

Heat and intensity rising in you. 

“You...want...that...too...?” 

...sliding in... 

You gasp...” Yes...” 

“Yeah?” Cajoling you with that sexy fucking voice. 

...sliding out... 

“YES...” 

...sliding in... 

“Tell me, Mesh’la.” He’s shuddering. 

Your back arches “YES!!!” 

Hunter reaches out and caresses your face... 

...and you awake with a start. Crosshair had an expression like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Pulling back his hand suddenly. 

“Wu-what???” He stammered. 

Trying to shake off your sleepy arousal...slurring. “Did...YOU jus’ touch...Mah face?” 

“WHY are YOU still in my bunk?” 

The dream-feeling melting away...your brain having to process the waking world... 

“...because...your nightmares... I’m the dumbass...who makes sure you sleep.” 

Silence. Crosshair studying your face. 

“You’re welcome.” 

“Well, I’m NOT having one NOW.” 

“Ships cold during the night. Ain’t going nowhere.” You rolled over, giving him your back. Maybe...you could pick that dream back up? 

“Fine. You can stay if YOU stop moaning Hunter’s name when you spoon ME!” 

You rolled back over shocked. 

“Yes, you did.” 

“What else did I say...or do?” 

Crosshair grinned like he knew too much and rolled over without answering. 

Weeks passed as you and Crosshair bickered your way slowly through the galaxy.  The Empire tamped down tightly on most of the planets in the system.  The Outer Rim while wildly dangerous, seemed mostly untouched and safest. 

You both did side jobs to keep yourselves fed while trying comm channels and leaving messages with close contacts about the rest of The Batch’s whereabouts.   

Everything seemed to lead to a dead end.  Like they just disappeared. 

In your heart of hearts, you knew Hunter would NEVER stop looking for you both...even if Cross had his doubts. 

The open-air market on some back water Outer Rim moon provided a distraction. The textile stand caught your eye. Beautiful scarves...you picked up a jet black one with fine silver metallic strands running through it. 

"Good choice. It compliments your hair." The elderly shop keep stepped from behind a long quilt hanging behind the counter. 

"Marv! Are you flirting again?" An older woman approached clearly teasing her husband. 

"Now why would I do that when I have you, my sweet Meiloorun? Besides, here's their partner now." 

Cross sauntered up to the counter, amused at the comment. 

"Hello honey" He teased. 

You rolled your eyes, ignoring his "greeting." "Toothpick, what do you think of this scarf?" 

"Hmm, not really my style." Cross reached down to pull another scarf from under the pile. "Now this one..." 

It was rusty red with fine intermittent broken off-white stripes dispersed through it. Crosshair draped it around his neck. "What do you think?" 

The blood drained from your face. 

"No..." You dropped the scarf and hurried away from the stand. 

Cross caught up to you a few moments later...still wearing that damned scarf.  

“Soup!” 

You kept walking, angry...and hurt. 

"Care to explain?" 

Stopping and grabbing the fabric in your fist. "That's HIS scarf...NOT YOURS!  

Cross softened. Not a trace of snark on his face. "You WERE in love with Hunter." 

"We are STILL in a relationship, Crosshair! Just because Hunter and I are apart doesn't mean that ended." 

Crosshair stared into your eyes with such an intensity...it was difficult to keep eye contact. 

"So...I complicate those feelings." It wasn't a question. He didn't need to ask. 

You noticed his eyes changed from brown to grey in this perfect light. The light of the sun starting to set on this backwater moon. Almost the same color as his brother's eyes. 

You sighed deeply, letting go of the scarf. Your hand dropping to rest, open palmed on Crosshair's chest. 

He stepped closer, placing his warm hand over yours. 

“We’ll find them.” 

“How? We’ve been looking...” 

He squeezed your hand. “Marv and Mel...they’re a front for The Rebellion. Gathering intel and recruiting volunteers to fight the Empire.” 

You looked up at Crosshair with renewed hope. 

“They know where we can find Rex. He’ll be able to help us.” 

You nodded. So many thoughts going through your head. 

Cross took the scarf off and slid it over your head, to rest around your shoulders.  

“C’mon Soup, there’s a place around here with those Space Cakes you like. My treat.” 

He led the way hugging you closely. 

PLEASE like, comment, and/or REBLOG!

IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED OR DROPPED FROM MY TAG LIST, PLEASE MESSAGE ME! Don't just comment as I might miss it. Thanks!!! <3

To read Part 2:

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/744276448825769984/bring-me-to-my-knees-part-2?source=share

[fleshadept]

fun fact a huge reason why editing, despite being one of the most important jobs in filmmaking next to writing, directing, and cinematography, is largely ignored and unrecognized is because it was seen as women’s work for a long time. people learn about kubrick and hitchcock and spielberg and scorsese, but do you know thelma schoonmaker, who was scorsese’s editor for over 50 years?

the term “film editor” was first used to describe margaret booth, who worked in the film industry between 1915 and 1987. because of the low value of the position and her ultimate high level position at MGM, it’s estimated that there’s hundreds of films out there she worked on uncredited. she shaped the craft.

jaws was going to be a terrible movie until spielberg’s editor, verna fields, showed him what it could feel like if they avoided showing the shark itself and instead focused on reactions and POVs. she had her own editing lab at home, which if you don’t know what editing labs looked like before digital editing, was insane. she pioneered the fucking natural wipe transition that’s used in pretty much every movie today. she tutored george and marcia lucas! also her nickname was the “mother cutter” which is just badass

marcia lucas, by the way, was george lucas’s story and film editor. it’s pretty well known by now that most of the parts that made star wars strong came from her. the problem with attribution between them eventually led to their divorce, as george lucas kept getting credit for her ideas and skill.

when people think of filmmakers, they think of writers and directors and actors, but there are three phases to making a movie: pre-production, production, and post production, and by and large the reason post production is forgotten i because it was a women’s job for a long time—made easier because they could put the women in a dark room where they didn’t have to see them. but without editors movies would just be a bunch of separate, out of order video and audio clips in a huge folder. in the same way you can’t have a movie without a script or actors or a camera, you cannot have a movie without editors. and they should not be forgotten to time in favor of the male auteurs who took or received most of the credit

[mystycalypso]

Calypso's Hello Neighbor insanity.

(In honor of the teaser coming out yesterday, here is my Aaron Peterson theory document in all it's baffling glory)

Hey howdy, it’s Calypso, and I’ve been infected with Hello-Neighbor-Loritis. It is incurable and my doctor (Jack in his “Nicky goggles”) recommends that I theory craft to cope.

Bracket Key, by Jack: Calypso: [text] Jack: (text)

So as previously stated, I’m obviously Hello Neighboring it up today after Jack read me the ENTIRETY of their theory thread with @ravenbrookz and @powertooled, and am now taking a crack at it myself. You probably saw my possible Guest appearance in the drawings made most likely by Nicky, though that was only based on what I could see in the image. I can’t exactly say for certain everything I know in the franchise is accurate, as my current pool of knowledge is primarily from the show (and Jack's rants), but I promise that if I COULD read the books, I would. I have just been informed by Jack that the first book is available on Spotify so we may or may not just hunker down and listen to that but I digress. (UPDATE AS OF 5/10/24: The Hello Neighbor books 1-6 all have audiobooks on YouTube, and I will be listening to them for the next several days)

So, into the meat of it, I suppose. This post is to be dedicated to a few of my theories regarding Aaron primarily. Because the theory crafting I’m to be doing is focused on the show, and our information about Aaron and Mya in the show is so limited, I will be pulling some from other sources (HN hide and seek, HN 2, etc) to get a proper read on the situation. 

We know based on the games and books that Nicky and Aaron were best friends. This is why in Act 1 and Act 2 of the first game, Nicky is suspicious of Mr. Peterson in the first place. Logically speaking, if Nicky and Aaron weren’t close (and neighbors, allowing him to witness the crime), Nicky likely would have taken the disappearance story at face value. That’s just how it tends to work in real life as well. People who are close to the victim of disappearance tend to go through the “stages of grief” because they’re more emotionally attached to them and don’t want them to die. It’s sort of a precaution. Nicky, Aaron’s best friend, wouldn’t want any serious harm to come to him, so he’s willing to put himself in danger, as a 13-15-year-old CHILD, to save him.

[I’ll likely be made fun of for how redundant that may sound by Jack]

This is also likely the reason that Nicky is so suspicious of Mr. Peterson in the show. He’s essentially the catalyst for sparking Trinity’s interest in the Peterson house, granted by having her mistake it for his house when he climbed out the chimney in episode 1 [Gotta admire the dedication, bro’s in that place ALL the damn time] (apparently more than he's in his own house /hj). Ultimately, I believe that Jack’s prediction about the reveal of Nicky and Aaron’s relationship being revealed in season 2 is his reason for investigating Peterson as much as he does (which is a lot). There wouldn’t be a reason for tinyBuild to change this, since it’s been established since the first game’s final build. (if you can count that game as “establishing” anything) [Which I am for the sake of the theory.]

Operating under that assumption does recontextualize some of his behavior throughout the show, specifically some of that “hotheaded” behavior called attention to by the Hello Neighbor Fandom Wiki. (that Jack has serious beef with) While he does have a level of agitation towards the others for cutting off his story in episode 3, [of which Jack is actively going on a tangent about as I write this] it’s something that can be explained by a level of impatience or worry for Aaron. (same with his anger of no one believing him in the previous episodes, and even mocking him for his theories) 

[Jack called Mr. Peterson “Mr. Neighborson” while I was writing this section of the theory, I just want y’all to know that WHEEZE]

We don’t exactly know the full context of their friendship in the media we’ve currently consumed, but again, based on his behavior, it’s likely they were close friends (and if not, honestly he's still justified for being upset that no one else cares about the potential murder of two kids). That brings me to the basement, then, which I’ll likely have the most to talk about because Jack and I have talked about this extensively.

According to Jack and their extended knowledge, it’s been established that the drawings on the fake windows in the room Nicky and the others were thrown into in episode 6 were drawn by Aaron. While possibly this being retconned (unlikely) and the culprit of the drawings being changed, there’s also the fact that we don’t know exactly WHEN these drawings were made [correct me if I’m wrong or smthin]. However, I have theorized that these window drawings were made by Aaron to comfort Nicky. Aaron has been in the basement much longer, but because we don’t know his mental state, operating under the assumption that he was put into the basement for the same reason he was in the games, he was put in the basement 1. For accidentally causing Mya’s death and 2. To protect him from the cult in town. Based on the Pilot for the animated series, we know that the first point is likely true, as in Aaron’s room, the words ‘Omen’ and ‘Cursed’ were written on the walls, likely by Mr. Peterson. I believe this is also true for the books as it was talked about briefly in the Game Theory video where MatPat analyzed the aforementioned Pilot frame-by-frame (like the meme:0). According to this video, Mr. Peterson had grown superstitious that his son was the cause of a bunch of bad things happening throughout the town, the final straw being Mya’s death when Aaron accidentally pushed her off the roof of the house as seen in Hello Neighbor Hide-and-Seek.

My theory is that Aaron likely feels immense guilt for what he did to his sister, regardless of it being an accident. He knows that his behavior in Hide-and-Seek was awful, and that’s more likely the reason he’s crying in the basement; he killed his sister, and as sad as it is, he’s likely under the impression that he deserves this punishment and that it fits his crime, as well as knows that his dad’s investigation into the cult is genuine and that he wants to keep him safe. I’m not sure why I get the feeling that he’s in a better mental space than Nicky is [lambast me in the tags if I turn out to be COMPLETELY incorrect come season 2], but it makes some semblance of sense when looking at the drawings in the basement. Psychologically, children with “better” mental states tend to use more color in their drawings. While it may be out of necessity to draw a happier “outside” for Nicky to view (or to keep his own sanity), it may also be an indication that Aaron may be doing better mentally than Nicky was (despite being there way longer), as we see (allegedly) Nicky’s drawings as well, that being black ink drawings of the Thing, the cat, and the Guest [still not sure of that one it’s still a theory]. This also means that that Aaron and Nicky could have been in the same room at least for as long as it took Aaron to make the drawings. I believe that the reason Mr. Peterson was so willing to keep Nicky in the basement in the games not only because Nicky's investigation made him a liability, but also was because he knew he was Aaron’s friend and wanted his son to have some company? IDK, it’s the first game, that game is a lore NIGHTMARE (reference to Act 3 intended).

While this may seem like an extremely small theory overall, it does wonders in establishing the relationship Nicky and Aaron had, as well as Aaron’s personality as an empathetic person. It could also establish that he was forced into this change because of his actions in Hello Neighbor Hide-and-Seek we see in flashbacks or the like, maybe even just Nicky reminiscing or noting that Aaron has changed. From what I’ve seen in Hello Neighbor 2, Aaron does seem to care about the main character, Quentin, when his father attacks him[Quentin, he doesn’t attack Aaron in the scene lol].

As of right now, I do believe that it was (probably) Aaron getting out of the basement in Episode 6 that had Peterson’s lid flipping. While I would have to double check [I’m gonna probably just ask Jack], the silhouette of the dark figure inside doesn’t exactly look one-to-one with Aaron’s established appearance in photos on the walls, but that may just be a redesign or placeholder. Maybe it’s not Aaron at all and he’s still in the basement, who knows [that’s gotta suck now that his dad’s been arrested smh].

[insert 2 screenshot comparisons here, Jack]

(No because the silhouette is bald and I think they made it as detail-less on purpose)

[Damn it]

(Literally quoting the series to Calypso while they write, I've rewatched it one full time since them starting the doc) 

If I had to guess, Aaron will be in season 2. The likelihood that he won’t be is next to 0 in my mind, as it would break some of the established conventions of the series [That being that Aaron takes an active role in second installments, that being Act 2 of the first game where he unlocks the door for Nicky and in the second game where he asks Quinten to save him via paper airplane]. While this may just be wishful thinking, I theorize that Aaron will be an ‘overcorrective’ personality by the time we see him and that it may be shown through his attempts at comforting Nicky through the window drawings. Him being his friend, that also may have been the sort of push he needed to stand up to his father for bringing his friend into this. Act 2 starts with Aaron unlocking the door to help Nicky escape, and in general, helps him.

[There was a short break here because it was like 2 am and I figured that I really needed context at least for the games before I wrote anymore. I have the context now and am now able to write it lol]

So after watching a breakdown of the games I can safely say that, yes, there’s a level of ‘overcorrection’ going on with Aaron. While it’s not the perfect word to describe what’s going on with him, the best example I can find is when Aaron gives up on running away from the museum with Quentin to help his father, who was trapped under a crow statue[chandelier?] that fell from the ceiling. I’d say that it’s a mix of guilt and attachment making him act this way because, despite everything his father has done, even after traumatizing his best friend, Aaron can’t bring himself to lose another family member. Hello Neighbor 2 leaves off on this as a cliffhanger and we have no idea what happens to Aaron both between games as well as after them, so headcanons away, I suppose.

My next theory is in regards to the Thing. While it has yet to make an appearance in the show, there have been teaser images for Season 2 that include it. The Thing is canonically a manifestation of pure fear as shown in the first game’s third Act. It also isn’t exclusively one person’s fear, as it was shown to be “haunting” both Nicky and Mr. Peterson. Fear in the franchise isn’t exclusive to things like phobias, it also applies to trauma and trauma responses. While not justified, Mr. Peterson locking Aaron in the basement was a trauma response brought on by the fear of losing him as well. The entire third Act is about Nicky confronting his fears inside his head, whether that be school, the grocery store [relatable ngl like bro I feel weird going to grocery stores], and yes, Mr. Peterson. We don’t even really need the context the books provide for these fears, we know that Nicky has anxiety and PTSD from being locked in the basement. He was also middle school age so whether or not he was scared of school before he was kidnapped, it would likely be exacerbated by his struggles.

Some lore bits do seem to imply that the Thing is an inherently malicious entity. While the Guest seems to be a sort of Cryptid for Raven Brooks, and therefore, the rules of things like Chupacabras or Aliens apply to it, the Thing seems to behave more like a ghost, a poltergeist of the mind, it seems. Nicky actively has to fight against it to overcome his trauma, and Mr. Peterson seems to be locked inside with it in the endgame’s whitespace. Us seeing it in season 2 must either be exclusively through either Nicky or Mr. Peterson’s eyes, or… Another person who has gone through similar amounts of trauma.

Aaron.

Now, I know that probably doesn’t initially sound reasonable. We’ve only ever seen Nicky and Mr. Peterson interact with the Thing, and that’s two whole characters that could reasonably (and quite likely) have to deal with the Thing making their lives worse. But the rules that have been established for the Thing, as flexible and subject to change as they may be, do apply to Aaron as of writing. It’s been established that Aaron fears losing his father, as well as vice versa. He wants to be free, but he doesn’t want to lose the only family he has left. Aaron has also gone through extensive trauma, the same as his father, in fact, but on top of that, the trauma of being locked away for presumably months. The push and pull of his thoughts on his father is the best example of this I can find. Their relationship has devolved into a toxic cycle of abuse, but Aaron can’t help but love his father despite it. It SEEMS that people who have experienced this level of trauma and by extension have these levels of fear, they can both see the Thing and be affected by its powers[???].

While I’m still not entirely certain of the extent of the Thing’s involvement in season 2, as a majority of the teasers have been centered on the Guest, I’m very excited to see how things change between my writing this and the release. I look forward to being proved right, being proved wrong, or merely watching the series come to fruition. Thank you for reading my absolutely insane ramblings.

-Calypso

[bailey-orphic08]

Sander Sides Season Two Finale: Thoughts and Wants

    Okay, so if you’re here, you likely know how Sander Sides is doing. It’s broken all our hearts and all we can do is write fanfiction and theories as we slowly edge our way to the season two finale. Emphasis on slowly because anyone who’s been part of the fandom for at least a couple months knows Thomas is insanely slow when it comes to releasing new episodes. So slow that the last true Sander Sides episode was more than two years ago, and that was an Asides video. For two years we have been waiting for a follow up to Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts! But us Fanders don’t judge. Thomas is an adult, so should be allowed to take as much time as he needs for the sake of his health; and while he takes his sweet time, we have time to craft theories on what this season finale beholds. And that’s why we’re here today.

    Hello, I’m Bizarrio, and today I will share my predictions of what I think—and want—to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale. Quick disclaimer, the only two things we know for certain about the finale is that there will be a lot of songs and that it is planned to be four parts long. So there is no way I’ll be able to guess everything that’s going to happen. Anyways, I’ve stalled enough, let’s get to the part you’re here for.

The Structure

    Four parts is a lot of parts, but I think I’ve made a formula that the finale could follow.

    The first part will introduce the first problem, a simple problem that would be addressed in any Sander Sides episode, from dealing with an issue Thomas has to answering a question about life. In part one, the sides will try to find a solution to said problem. But as the episode goes on, it gets more and more clear that their action and the way they treat each other is stemming from something far deeper than this simple issue. And at the end of the episode, this is confirmed when one of the sides does something drastic, whether it be blurting out something they shouldn’t have or even physically hurting another side.

    This leads to part two, where everyone tries to discuss the real problem. In this part, they will try to find the problem and what’s causing it. After finding the problem, they will make a solution that leads to one of the sides being unhappy, which will lead to that side breaking down, causing the events of part three.

    In part three, the actual cause of the problem is revealed. And this side’s problems will be on full display, showing a level of despair we haven’t seen of him to this point.

    Now knowing the real root of the issue, the fourth and final part would be about Thomas and the other sides comforting the side in their breakdown. They would then find the true solution to the problem. And after they find this solution, Thomas gives his final speech about what he’s learned, kisses Hello Fresh’s feet, and shows us the end card, where we can finally prepare for season three.

The Plot

    So that’s what I think the structure will be, but that’s not a plot, so who’s it with?

    Well, for starters, the finale will likely focus on one side, and based on recent events, I think that this side will be Roman. Roman’s insecurity has been present since the very beginning and has only gotten worse. And throughout the entirety of season two, he’s been forced to compromise his wants or admit that he is in the wrong, especially in more recent episodes. So I feel like it would be suitable for the finale to be about him. I feel like with the structure I set up, he wouldn’t be the main focus of part one and a portion of part two, but the rest of the parts would definitely start to focus on him, putting him in full center.

    And since the finale is Roman centered, the first problem in part one is gonna have a lot to do with him. And that problem will be about Nico.

    I think the first conflict will be Thomas trying to decide if he should make a move on Nico. This could be anything from taking him somewhere to straight confessing. I don’t really know, but regardless, Roman is absolutely rooting for Thomas to go for it. Janus and Patton on the other hand, think that it would be a terrible mistake.

    Janus thinks that Thomas isn’t in the right headspace to start any relationships, and should be focusing on himself. And from what Patton said about Nico in the five year anniversary, we can tell that he isn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of him. I assume that he’s likely scared of the heartache that would occur if the relationship failed. And after some recent—and totally uninfluential not upsetting—events, I feel like he would also see the merit in Thomas focusing on Thomas.

    Things look bad for Roman(and they will be later)but it’s okay. He’s not outnumbered, for he has a very smart, and very cool guy on his side, who also believes that it is reasonable for Thomas to take this chance: Virgil.

    When confronted with the issue, Virgil sides with Roman almost immediately, which is a huge shock to everyone. Virgil says that Thomas should get it over with because Thomas has no way of knowing how much time he has, so if he doesn’t do it now, he may never get the chance.

    So yeah, part one would mainly be Roman and Virgil vs Patton and Janus as they try to convince Thomas why he should or shouldn’t make the moves on Nico. Patton and Janus’ argument is that it’s the wrong time to do it, while Roman and Virgil’s argument is that this may be the only time. And Roman and Virgil will be absolute couple goals as team up and absolutely obliterate Janus—figuratively. 

    Also, all the multiple-part episodes so far have involved going to another side’s room. And since this is a Roman centered finale, he’ll take Thomas and the other sides to his room to prove his point about taking risks, and that’s where they’ll be for the rest of the finale. I imagine his room to be vibrant and shiny, covered with shades of red and pink, white, and gold. It’s also very cluttered and messy, with discarded papers and costumes scattered all over the ground, and posters, artwork, and Thomas’ biggest accomplishments hung on every wall. So much stuff is in there, it almost feels claustrophobic. And the different rooms have different effects based on the side it represents. I think that Roman’s room would cause Thomas and the other sides to lose touch with reality, and become fixated on their desires.

    *Insert song about time and when you should and shouldn’t take chances.*

    But things aren’t all well, for as the episode goes on, the argument gets more and more tense, especially Virgil’s argument. And at the end of part one, Virgil blurts out something along the lines of, 

    “Of course it’s a bad idea! But which is worse? Losing one friend by making a bad choice, or losing all of your friends to him?” Virgil would be referring to Janus of course. This shocks everyone—especially Roman—and reveals Virgil’s true intentions.

    You see, there was more to Virgil’s quick decision than just time. In fact, he never thought Thomas should do it at all. The real reason he was telling Thomas to do it is because he didn’t want Thomas to listen to Janus. It’s clear through every interaction he and Janus have that Virgil hates him, and doesn’t believe that he should be trusted ever. And from recent episodes, it’s shown that Virgil has even started resenting Patton. So I feel like Virgil would be much more happy if Thomas listened to Roman than Patton and Janus.

    Then in part two, they discuss the real problem. After discussing this, Virgil finally accepts that it would be better if Thomas didn’t confess his love, and that it doesn’t make Thomas a bad person to listen to Janus this time. And it seems that everyone is satisfied…

    But wait.

    What about Roman? He’s not satisfied. He didn’t get what he wanted. Time and time again, Roman has given up on his desires, making compromise after compromise for Thomas’s sake. And once again, he’s the one who has to sacrifice his happiness. He’s the one who gets the short end of the stick. He’s the one who gets called out for his poor decisions. And do they even care? They act like they care, but it’s only really for their own gain.

    Nobody understands. Nobody cares.

   Tired of this cycle, Roman snaps. He kicks all the other sides out of his room, putting all focus on him. And in part three, Roman makes a pitiful final attempt at convincing Thomas to confess to Nico. And all of his insecurities are displayed.

    *Insert absolutely heartbreaking song about how everything Roman does is for Thomas and how he feels worthless because his contributions seem less important and even more harmful than the others.*

    Near the end of part three, or the beginning of part four, the other sides return. Or maybe Roman brings them back? Or maybe he never kicked them out in the first place and he shut them up a different way? I don’t know. But the sides are there. And in part four, they all comfort Roman, claiming that he is important and helpful, and that they wouldn’t be where they are now without him. Patton apologizes for misleading him, and Janus apologizes for taking advantage of him. And I think it would be cool if Virgil had a beautiful speech about Roman, similar to Roman’s speech about him in Accepting Anxiety. Considering that Virgil was Roman’s final straw, and that he hasn’t tried to be nice to Roman as Roman has to him, I think it would be a nice way to bring things all together.

    *Insert song about how everyone will always love and appreciate Roman and how he is just as important as everyone else and how Roman and Virgil should totally kiss when this is over.* 

    And after everyone says what they want to say, and Roman starts to feel better, they go back to Thomas’s living room. Thomas comes to a compromise that makes everyone happy, and he finishes the video off with what he’s learned: Acceptance and the merit to taking risks.

    And then he tells us about Hello Fresh and how it’s the superior way of eating.

    Wait a minute. I think I’m forgetting someone. Someone who’s really important to the series, and could add some really interesting—and even logical—points to the argument…

    Oh yeah, what about Remus?

Remus and the Orange Side

    If the finale is centered around Roman, then Remus has to be there by obligation. A main theme within it would be Roman’s insecurity, and we know that Remus is one of his biggest. So it simply wouldn’t make sense for him to not be there.

    In the finale, Remus is just gonna be himself. He’s not gonna pick a side or provide helpful information. No, he’s going to make the same discomforting jokes and taunt everyone, making them feel worse than they already do, especially Roman. 

    As entertaining as he is though, I don’t see him actually contributing to the plot, other than making things worse. I don’t even see him apologizing to Roman in part four. At most, he’ll begrudgingly apologize for killing him after Janus looks at him sternly.

    What I do see however, is some major foreshadowing. When Remus isn’t making inappropriate comments about the situation or blatantly insulting Roman, he’ll try to bring up completely random things that have absolutely nothing to do with the conversation. Thomas and the other sides will brush it off as Remus being his usual self, but those remarks will actually be information of the orange side, and foreshadowing of what he will do in season three.

    Speaking of the orange side, what will he be doing?

    Honestly, I have no clue, which is why I haven't talked about him so far. It’s pretty clear that the orange side is linked to anger and negativity in some way, and likely has the ability to take control of others when they're upset. And you can’t exactly say Roman’s content during the finale. So it would make sense for orange to reveal himself at this time.

    But apart from what he could represent and one of his abilities, we know absolutely nothing about him. And since we don’t know his personality or even his goals, I can’t tell you how he would act in the finale.

    Additionally, I also think that a lot has happened in season two so far. The series has grown to be really complex with all its different plot points. And this finale is definitely going to be the effect of all this complicated commotion. So adding the orange side into the mix might make it too complicated. I’m not saying that it couldn’t work or that Thomas can’t make it work, I just feel like the orange is an issue better left to address in season three.

The Other Stuff

    There’s also a couple of other things I want to talk about that didn’t really fit in with the other stuff, but weren’t big enough to earn their own section, so I put it all here.

    Firstly, I find it very possible that there will be a common analogy in the finale. I’m referring to how Logan and Roman used visuals to prove their points in Why Do We Get Out of Bed In The Morning?, and the whole video game theme in Putting Others First. I think it would be cool if it had a cartoon theme where every side has their own art style. Though, for the finale, it might be more fitting to reference different musicals, since Roman is deeply obsessed with theater. And it would explain why there’s so much music in the finale. But that’s more of a cool idea than an actual prediction.

    Second, I’d like to talk about Dark Roman, or Roman becoming an antagonist. I don’t think he can become a darkside, since the dark sides are just parts of Thomas that he hasn’t accepted as good yet, and Thomas already knows that Roman can be a positive influence, even if Roman doesn’t feel like it. That being said, I can definitely see him dealing with not being Thomas’s hero by doubling down on the antagonist thing, and becoming a “villain.” It would also be a good way to involve the orange side.

    However, I also feel like even if Roman really tried, he wouldn’t really be that big of an enemy. He may be trying to embrace his evil side, but at the end of the day, he still cares about the other sides and especially Thomas. And I feel like this care for them would hold him back from doing something truly evil. Besides, we already have an evil Roman! And I feel having one of those around is plenty enough.

    Also, I think Thomas’ living room should still be messy, showing that he still hasn’t cleaned it after Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts.

    And Janus should get his own song. It could be about literally anything, just give him a song. He’s earned it.

    So, yeah. Those are the things I think will and want to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale. Of course this doesn’t fill in every detail, it would be impossible to guess everything that will happen. And there’s no way everything I’ve said will actually happen. So I’d like to see your thoughts too. Anyways, that will be all, so goodbye every-

    Wait. Wait. Hold on a second. I’m forgetting something. Something I’ve seemed to ignore despite being very important to the series. Something that’s been here since the very beginning, and has been a part of some of the best moments in the show. Something all the fans have grown to love…

    What about the end credits!

The End Credits

    The end credits have shown us some of the cutest scenes within the whole series, and have provided some really interesting foreshadowing and tension as well. So we have to talk about them!

    The end credits of part one will be all the sides berating Thomas for leaving on such a cliffhanger. He’ll try to reassure them by saying that part two will come out really soon, but absolutely no one will believe him.

    The things I’ve said so far have been speculation or headcanon, but this one is actually correct. After all the time we’ve waited, it would be such a missed opportunity to not make the joke. So this will be the first end credit or else. No, no, I’m kidding… Or am I?

    We’re at the second end credit, and at this point, I’m sure you can tell I’ve been leaving someone out… And it’s Joan!

    No, this joke has gone on for long enough. As you can tell, I’ve been avoiding Logan. And it’s not just because I don’t see him having a place in a Roman centered episode. In fact, I do see him in it.

    He would call both sides irrational, and propose a compromise. (The same compromise they make in the final part…) But he would be ignored as the other sides try to talk over each other. And it would be especially bad this episode. So much that he would quit trying and leave the conversation, similar to how he did in Moving On and Putting Others First. Only this time, no one will be there to notice or care…

    And that’s where the end credits come in.

    The second end credit will show Logan right after he leaves to his room. He starts to talk to himself about how frustrated he is about being pushed aside so often. He talks about feeling unwanted and possibly unneeded as Janus is slowly taking his place as the voice of reason.

    The third end credit continues his monologue, showing him grow more and more upset. 

    We finally reach the fourth end credit and Logan is completely furious. But his monologue gets cut off when Remus enters his room, he of course immediately masks his anger. He tells Logan about everything he missed and how they came to the exact same conclusion he was trying to push, only to be ignored. This breaks Logan’s composure, and he starts lamenting all his frustrations to Remus. Remus interrupts him, claiming that the root of the issue is that he doesn’t stand out enough, and that all he needs to do is be as loud as they are. They then turn to Logan’s door as they hear footsteps; Remus smiles. We see a glimpse of the man at the door. Perhaps we see an orange-hazed silhouette, or a pair of shoes we have yet to see. Or maybe, just maybe, we even hear his voice,

    “I can help with that…”

Conclusion

    And that’s everything I think will and want to happen in the Sander Sides season two finale, for real this time.

    And as I said before, almost anything can happen, so I’m bound to be wrong about something. Thomas has also said that he plans to to get at least parts one and two out by the end of the year, so we’ll get to see any day now.

     And in the end, while I may not know exactly what will happen, I do know that this finale will leave us laughing, crying, and absolutely hyped for season three. I am so excited for the finale, and I know I’ll love it, regardless of what happens.

    Goodbye everyone.

[sasubaeuchithot]

I was reading one of the comments on chapter 13 that essentially praised you for how the username YoungAndOverIntelligent was very accurate because your intelligence shows in your writing and I was nodding along saying DAMN STRAIGHT (might not be able to claim the title of no1 Sasuke glazer cuz that's naruto's job, but trust and believe I AM the no1 kh glazer, I will fight anyone who tries to disagree I fear 🤷‍♀️) and then I read your response and.

oh.

HOW DID I MISS THE ACRONYM NO OH MY GOD I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING I'VE BEEN SOOOOO BAMBOOZLED DAMN ITTTTTT THAT'S TOO GOOD UGH

Even in your inside joke of a username there exists humour indicative of high level smarts 😔

Okay but on a more serious note, I genuinely have to once more thank you for sharing your work with us.

I've sent an insane amount of Asks to you these past few weeks; at least, insane considering how rarely I generally send Asks, and how you're the only person I've sent more than two to.

Fanfiction has been a pivotal part of my life for as long as I can remember myself, and I find that it's an incredible way to, among other things, express your love for a piece of media, to make friends with people in the same community and give back to the fandom, to practice and hone your writing, and most importantly, to have fun.

It's very soothing to have a comfort read that perfectly encapsulates my thoughts and feelings on these characters and on the world that Kishi has carefully crafted but, in the same breath, basically wasted, in a fandom that I feel like so often misunderstands the point.

There are many fandoms I've been in, thousands of fics I've read, millions and millions of words consumed in the past three-four years, and hundreds of literary works (both fanfiction and not) that have, in some way or another, left their mark on me.

But Kizuna Hikari has always stood out to me the most. Maybe that sounds unbelievable. Out of all the beautifully written works I've read (the number of those is actually astronomical), I'd still pick kh over every single one of the works that have ever pierced my soul?

Yes. I can't put it into words, exactly, but there's a feeling that engulfs me every time I think about it that is so unique in its warmth.

Both because I especially love Naruto, multiple flaws and all, and because this story hits every mark that it's aiming for dead-on.

Not very many stories can achieve that.

Most fanfiction, no matter how gorgeous, or well-written, or enthralling, or in character, feels like fanfiction. This of course doesn't have any effect on how much I love it; the vast majority of the time, I long for that exact feeling of a fanmade work infused with copious amounts of the author's love and passion for their creation. It doesn't matter that it's fanfiction.

But there's a degree of believability in kh that brings about a different type of comfort.

Naruto's ending sucked. It makes me miserable to think about it. The Naruto fandom, for a fandom that insists on the show's greatness, collectively misses the point of an alarming amount of the story's arcs, characters, and overall essence in a way that has me seriously concerned for the world's media literacy.

But kh is so concentrated on, and deeply rooted in, the realistic depiction of a differing outcome and the consistently in-character portrayal of Naruto and Sasuke and their simple, but still incredibly complicated, relationship, without either of their ideals and convictions taking the backseat in the name of conventional romance; romance that also just doesn't fit these characters.

It's been three years since I first read it, and it continues to be equally wholly satisfying, and provides me with what I initially didn't even know was the idyllic, fleshed out exploration of the events following that final battle that I needed.

It also helps that I relate to/crave and ache for the, in my eyes, inherently queer type of love/attraction that exists between your Naruto and Sasuke way more than that of any other romantic love story that I've ever known.

In other words, the meticulous planning, loving effort, and skillful writing that make up your story have bewitched me, body and soul.

Wow, this took a direction I couldn't have foreseen. I only started this rant to whine about missing the YAOI acronym

okay you've turned me into an embarrassing jelly goop of a person on the floor over here 😭 I've trained myself to be good at taking compliments but this is making me blush and squirm because it is so beautiful and kind and like do I deserve this???? (yes i do, i keep telling myself, because I believe your sincerity but even my therapy trained brain is too flustered to work correctly 😭😭😭)

but lmaaaoooooooo i love when people fall for my username. the height of humor to me is making people think I'm pretentious but really my brain is just a twelve year old giggling at the word "sex"

[prismatoxic]

"I hope any of this was interesting"

OF COURSE IT'S INTERESTING, THAT'S WHY I ASKED !!!

that's literally so great, those points you've talked about are some of my favorite things from ptk and it's really exciting to know you're so invested in it! (well, duh. Obviously, you're the one writing it)

At first I was kinda wary about the whole dysphoria and gender stuff, I was sort of scared to read when provided the warnings, but as I kept on going (because well, I just couldn't stop. The fic is just that good) it turned out being a really really interesting exploration of Chilchuck's journey, and some things even I could relate to !! To a strangely deep, personal level what the fuck tox

And oh, fuck yeah. The worldbuilding aspect is top notch. Probably my second favorite part of the whole thing beside the dynamic between chilaios. It's just so good to get to witness this carefully crafted world and how each of the characters fit in it! I really fucking love the way it works so well but is also riddled with some deeply rooted issues. How chilchuck fits in it, or rather, how he doesn't fit in it but makes room for himself anyways, learns to work around it. It's fucking great. It just ends up being sort of the default I think about for when I imagine any more modern universe stuff within dungeon meshi. The car stuff! that's so clever and interesting! Ugh half foots don't even have cars!!! Wtf!!! So cool!!! How do I explain to my friends this without making them read your fic wtf !!

Been ranting for a bit too long, and didn't even mention chilaios too much, but. Their dynamic. Fuck yeah. It had me twirling my hair kicking my feet. Laios' daddy issues, how they manifest in his relationship with Chilchuck (from the beginning too, ugh. Saw it coming from miles away and I was ecstatic waiting for it to finally boil over) and how Chil ALSO has some Dad issues (he is simultaneously the dad and the son) and how they both fuck about it freaky style. They're so good, and this is the perfect Chilaios dynamic, where they belong. So good. I love weird queer sex and if we're lucky they'll be having lots of it. Eventually.

They are SO hot together. I'm going insane. It's just so hot, the fic didn't even have smut yet and I was already cartoonishly pulling on my collar like "is it hot in here??" From having Laios call Chil "sir" instead of his name. All the setup had me going crazy, you did such a good job!

Anyway. Rant over. I need to calm tf down. Ty for writing ^_^ but take your time at the fic, enjoy your oc brainrot hours freely and don't force yourself to be churning out chapters just because we like the fic, we can wait, and we will.

THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE THIS MESSAGE IT'S SO NICE...

ptk is my baby, i've put a lot of time and effort and love into it and it really does mean the world to me when people appreciate it for what it is ;_; and plenty of people do, it's surprisingly popular ?? but i get very giddy when people engage with it on a deeper level, where i'm writing it from

i do want to get back to it soon, oc brainrot or no i'm extremely determined to see ptk through to the end, and some time away from it has given me some fresh ideas. plus i do need to get to the penetrative sex!!!

anyway, you're very nice and i love how you view and appreciate my story, here's a preview of chapter 12 for you

"...Laios?” he croaks.

“Oh, g’morning,” Laios says behind him, the sound of his typing stopping immediately. “...Good afternoon, I guess,” he corrects himself. “How are you—Actually, forget that, I think I know the answer.”

Miffed by his warm tone in spite of the fact that he’s acknowledging Chilchuck’s abject misery, Chilchuck lifts his head to glare over his shoulder. “Why am I naked?”

Laios is, himself, only in a pair of sweatpants, his legs crossed and laptop balanced on top of them. The curtains beyond him are drawn shut, but the light that is coming through is still far too bright. His stupid smile is even brighter, though there’s a touch of concern to it. “You got hot,” he explains.

That tracks. “Don’t remember that,” Chilchuck mutters, rolling bonelessly onto his back with a groan and throwing an arm over his eyes. “Was I trying to claw my clothes off in my sleep?”

“Yeah,” Laios confirms with a little laugh. “And thrashing around. I helped you get out of them and you went right back to sleep.”

He’s talking quieter than usual, Chilchuck realizes. “So much for me taking care of you,” he mutters.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship,” Laios assures, and Chilchuck feels gentle fingers card through his hair. “Let me get you some fresh water.”

“Don’t use—” Chilchuck makes a strangled sound as Laios starts to get off the bed, the movement making him feel like he’s on a boat at sea. “...Don’t use biology terms about your boyfriend, dipshit,” he finishes when it settles. “Fuck’s sake.”

“Don’t be mean to me, I’m going out of my way to baby you right now,” Laios chides, voice receding from the room.

“Baby me?” Chilchuck squawks, lifting his arm to glare indignantly at the doorway, and Laios laughs out in the hall.

[oneefin]

screw that sudoku puzzle i was talking about last week - THIS is the sudoku puzzle premise of all time

it's called "foggy on the details" and it's by "karl the fog!". on the surface it looks like an ordinary fog-of-war sudoku variant, it's got some lines and some cages nothing crazy, but you begin solving it and crazy shit happens

i want to break down what it's like to solve this actually because it's so crazy and illustrates the level of shock and insanity that i only ever really see in puzzle hunts. you can choose to experience this for yourself first by checking the solver here: https://sudokupad.app/e3dz5lytps or if you're not up for that, you can just watch simon from cracking the cryptic solve it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KxugQBUi-A

otherwise, spoilers ahead!

okay, so the rules have a lot of caveats that i internalize pretty quick:

cages can't overlap

lines can't overlap

cage totals are always written in the top left

digits can't repeat in a cage

lines always move orthogonally

using these ideas, i end up figuring out that the first number to place is a 6 in this cell, forced there because of the geometry of the cage in the upper right. this is all sort of standard if you've done enough variant sudoku before:

as soon as you lock in the digit though, this shows up:

oh god wtf!

so the rules of the sudoku are getting updated as we go in ways that make the previous logic not work anymore. suddenly the red cage doesn't actually look like that anymore - now i figured it has to be something like this:

the puzzle continues in this way, where i put in a digit and then something i thought i knew about the puzzle shatters the logic i just used to get there.

i start by connecting these blue lines and writing a 6 in the other end. but it turns out the lines don't connect after all

the new lines revealed by this lead to t a 3 in the second box, with some decently intricate logic to get there:

now we're saying the top-right corner has the cage total? if true, this would have very interesting implications for the cage on the left... guess it looks like this? no. of course not.

the next digit was spicy! i figured that this blue line must extend exactly like this, and that manages to poke the far left column and force a digit in the corner, far into the fog.

(this is the sort of far-reaching, surprising logic that fog-of-war puzzles are great at pulling off - the fact that this puzzle makes you do something like it is a sign that the premise isn't just for a novelty, it's extremely well executed

putting that number there reveals a red line (almost forgot we had those!) - with some quick deductions afterward. the grid is about halfway filled, so i'm imagining the momentum of the puzzle will slow down, but then i get hit by a bombshell:

what. no fucking way.

basically for the entire puzzle i had been doing logic to the blue lines as if they had the blue line's rules - but now i have to swap them for an entirely different rule? but when i look back at all the stuff i wrote on them... it just works. that's absolutely wild.

so that mega-long blue line that led to this moment? turns out it doesn't even exist. oh, and the green cage is hecking massive as well - just a little bonus to get the whole thing finished.

yay 🎉

honestly this whole thing was equal parts diabolical, clever, and amazing. it's not only insanely creative to have imagined this idea, but very brilliant to craft it into an unambiguous, linear solve path that's just as gorgeous as it is bonkers. it's the kind of nerdy insanity that makes me love solving and talking about these

[wyrmguardsecrets]

Its a real shame when actors receive backlash for playing their characters so well. Take for instance, Fabien Frankel, Lena Headey, and Jack Gleeson all face hatred due portrayal of their characters in the Game of Thrones series. This blurring of the lines between actor and character has led to Gleeson retiring for eight years and I just read an article how Frankel has removed all his social media because of all the outlandish hatred towards him. Similarly with some writers here on the WoW/FF universe. I come here and read so many Anons posts, bashing people on a personal level because how they play their characters - not knowing one thing about the player behind the screen. These people aren't their characters. They are playing a role. You are attributing their fantasy writing as them as a person. Which is insane. (NOTE: This doesn't go towards those that are sex pests, whispering you randomly for ERP - those are just creeps that aren't really writing for a storyline but rather playing some twist game to rub one out.) I am talking about those that have fully crafted characters we see around, whether they are criminals, some bitchy high lord, a shady shopkeeper, some corrupted priest, etc. They are all characters in a fantasy world and that shouldn't be a reflection to the player behind them - its just acting. Some even put on playlists just to get into the mindset of the characters they are on. (Granted, there are some rare cases where people play themselves but that's not the majority of players.) If you are confused about a toon and their motives, just whisper the player for clarification, instead of jumping to conclusions. Learn not to blur the lines of fantasy and reality; between characters and their writers. All this hatred, is unnecessary and can be damaging to someone's self esteem, and like Gleeson and Frankel may be forced to step away.

-

[arialerendeair]

Aromanticism - And Me!

Reblogging a lovely post about aromanticism and finding places/spaces for it online and elsewhere made me wanna write a bit about how I got smacked in the face with my own aromanticism a few weeks ago, so here it is!

Queer stuff, yo!

I’ve known I was asexual (in some form, on the sex positive side) for the last 7 or so years. I’ve had time to come to terms with what that means and how it impacts me. I always assumed I wasn’t aromantic simply because I felt what HAD to be romantic attraction to people, and was in relationships with them.

Right up until two months ago.

Two months ago - I hooked up with a guy I’d known for 14 or so years. Was great, good times had by all. He’s poly and was interested in dating me, and talked to me about it.

I have never, in my life, had a louder mental record screech. This guy, who I have no doubt that, by all definitions I could fall in love with - wanted to date me, and suddenly, that was the last thing I wanted. I couldn’t even imagine it, couldn’t picture it beyond the stuff you read in romance novels. I didn’t want it. I was terrified of it, of the expectations, of all the pieces of my current life I’d have to give up to have those things with him. (And the screaming voice in the back of my head that said it wasn’t worth it - it never would be.)

Cue a conversation with a friend, some revelations, an insanely busy two months, another full queer revelation and a much deeper understanding of why all my past relationships failed. (In some ways, anyways.)

I’ve been reading romance novels since I was 12. (I’m 35 now.) I’ve been writing them since the same age. At some point, I just… followed the story beats in my life because that’s what I’m supposed to want, right? Well. Turns out people aren’t story beats. Turns out that I wanted a different story for myself.

To the utter shock and surprise of everyone -

I want to write. I want to dedicate my life, my heart, my soul, to writing. Even if it’s fanfiction or original fiction, it doesn’t matter. Some people know what they are put into this world for and I’ve known for years now that that thing for me is writing. Telling stories. Making people laugh and smile with my writing.

I also want to be the crafting aunt who teaches nieces and nephews how to craft anything and everything. I want to be a support for friends who need it, and a cheerleader for those that want it. I want to die, having a shelf in a library that rivals some of the most productive authors out there. I want to inspire other people to write, to find joy in telling stories, no matter their skill level. I want to LIVE my writing in a way I don’t think I have ever been willing to accept or do in my entire life

Figuring out I was aromantic was a gift because holy shit I suddenly fucking GOT IT. It explained a part of me that I’d never let out into the sun before and now that it’s there, it’s growing like a weed. It doesn’t mean you’re lacking anything, it just means the world isn’t tailored for you.

The world isn’t tailored for me, I sure as shit am not tailored for the world, I am queer as all get out, and I will continue writing queer romance until the day I die.

But for myself? Good friends, family I can stand being around, and maybe a DOG… are about all I want in terms of relations in my life. And I think for the first time in my life, I’m realizing that I am 100% okay with that and not lacking anything as a result.

So yeah.  Hi, my name is Aria, and I am aromantic AF.

[recurring-polynya]

I have to say, I'm in awe at the level of detail you're including in your fics! I can't think of another author who seems to know their source material so well. Do you have any tips on researching/plotting fanfiction with lots of detail?

First off, thank you very much!

The first thing that popped into my head when I got this ask was the very flip answer of, "It's autism," and then I happened to mention to my husband that I had been asked for tips on writing with great detail and he instantly replied, "you mean, be autistic?"

As I said, that answer is very flip, but I do want to preface all of this by saying this is simply how I am. Everyone's autism is different, but this is how mine is, and I feel a little disingenuous giving tips when in fact, this is just how my brain freestyles. I think that at some level, you gotta write the way your brain tells you to. If reading these tips makes you feel deeply tired and discouraged, that's okay! Intricate, finely crafted writing is just one way to do it. If it doesn't work for you, find another style that does!

Anyway, even though all of this comes pretty naturally to me, I think there are definitely ways to build those detail-oriented creative muscles, which I will describe in nauseating detail below the cut.

Zooming in and zooming out To start! There are two ways to interpret the phrase "fanfic with lots of detail": 1) Stories that include a lot fine detail, which includes stuff like rich descriptions, settings you can feel, and interesting worldbuilding 2) Stories that are well-constructed, incorporating themes and symbolism, consistent characterization, subplots, and fitting well into canon or a larger series. I care a lot about both these topics, and the more I think about it, the more I think that you have to do both in concert.

This is an insane metaphor and if it means nothing to you, just ignore it, but I write like I program. (For the record, I am a basic bitch who loves object-orient programming) Your individual functions (the scenes of your stories) need to be well focused, do what they are supposed to do without scope-creep, and have well-defined dependencies on other functions. On the other hand, the higher-level parts of code (your overall plot) need to make good use of these scenes, to call the right things at the right time.

Put another way, the building block of your story is a scene. The scenes are the part your reader remembers. They should be interesting on their own, and but they also need to fit into the larger context of your story. You should know what each scene is intended to do, both in terms of advancing the plot (or for example, being a breather scene for pacing, but it should be doing *something*), and what it's doing emotionally-- is it funny? is it sad? is it foreshadowing a conflict? is it giving character information?

Then, on the other hand, you need to know how your scenes are fitting together, and that your various character and plot arcs are getting their beginning, middle and ends, and that you're devoting the time and space of your story to the things you care about.

Stay organized How do you do that, though? So, for me, writing individual scenes is an exercise in improvisation. I usually know the basis of the scene and, depending on how far along I am in the fanfic, I may or may not have a few things that "need to get done" in the scene. For all my fanfics above 5-10k words, I keep an ancillary outline/notes document. Some people like to outline before they start, and if that's you, that's great! If you hate outlining (that's me!), I still recommend outlining what you have already written. This will allow you to get a bird's eye view of your story. If you are dividing your fic into chapters, I strongly recommend having a chapter-based outline (you can have other outlines, too, you can have as many outlines as you want). Have a brief description, probably a phrase, about every scene of your story, on its own bullet. I also record the word count. This allows you to see how much "stuff" is in each chapter. You can also use color formatting or anything else you like to keep track of stuff like subplots or perspective changes, to make sure things are spaced properly throughout the overall fic. You can also do little "breakout" outlines, for individual plot threads, for example, if you find that easier to look at. If you do this as you go, you can also see where you might have too much heavy stuff in one part of the fic, and you might move something, or inject a lighter scene.

Basically, when I first come up with a fic, I have a few key scenes in mind. I made a real rough outline, then go write. Then I come back and fill in what I did on the outline. Looking at the outline helps me realize some more scenes that I need, and I go do those. Going back and forth helps flesh out the story.

Make any other kind of lists or diagrams that help you to visualize or think about your story as a whole. I will very frequently make a timeline for a fic. I've had some stories that take place over weeks or months, and this helps me figure out how long it's been since two characters last saw each other, or what day of the week things should be happening on, or what the weather should be like, or if there are any holidays that might pop up (I love incorporating holidays in my writing). If I have a story that takes place over a few days or a week, I'll make a list of what happens every day. You can't put too much stuff in a single day, and it also helps me fill out scenes because I can say "oh, they can talk about this over dinner" or "this character might think about everything that happened while they are trying to fall asleep."

You can also use any sort of organization aids you need for sub-parts of your fic, too! I have made family trees. I have a big spreadsheet of minor characters I use in my usual settings, including which stories they appear in, and any important facts I've dropped about them, or what the kanji of their name means (because I always spend a bunch of time making up names and then immediately forgetting what they mean).

Basically, you should make a chart/diagram/visual aid any time:

a) you're having trouble keeping track of something in your head, or b) because you want to.

Always lean into the urge to make an organizational aid. It is time you are thinking about your story in a new way, which can lead to inspiration, or just to a better understanding of this thing you are building.

Know your source material Revisit the canon material early and often. You gotta. I don't care if you don't like canon or you aren't planning to stick to canon. You should know canon. In fact, especially if you plan to diverge from canon, for whatever reason, read the part with care and think deeply about what it means to replace one character with another. If you don't like a part, think about why. It's possible it's "because the writer rushed it" or "the writer thinks differently than me about xyz topic", but take the time to consider the possibility that you have missed something. The most insight I have ever gotten about my characters comes from reading the parts where I don't understand why they do what they do over and over again and trying to make meaning out of it.

For Bleach in particular, whenever I am writing a story that takes place within a distinctive part of canon (which is to say, not a timeskip), I take the time upfront to re-read the relevant parts of the manga and usually to watch the anime episodes as well. I know a lot of people hate the anime and refuse to watch it, but for me, it's a brain exercise in perceiving the same story a different way. The anime has voice acting, it has movement, it has a soundtrack. Sometimes they'll add something that drives me nuts and it's helpful to think about why. Take, for example, episode 46, which is Renji/Momo/Izuru/Shuuhei's Academy Days Trauma Field Trip. In the manga, the purpose of the field trip is to practice konsou and there is one casualty. In the anime, they go to fight dummy Hollows, and a bunch of students get slaughtered. I like the manga better precisely because it's smaller scale. There is no expectation of combat. Seeing one classmate gruesomely murdered in front of you is more than enough to traumatize me, thanks! The anime slow-panning over a bunch of blood-soaked corpses is overkill. It cheapens and depersonalizes the scene. You're welcome to disagree with me on this, because that's not the point: the point is me closing in on what I want to focus on in my take on this scene.

Taking many, small visits to canon is generally more fruitful to me than re-reading/watching entire arcs. On the other hand, that is nice to do with less of a concrete goal in mind. A rewatch of a random part often spurs my creativity, or I'll notice some new thing that I hadn't noticed before or forgotten about.

Nurturing your relationship with canon really builds on itself. The more you have thought about, the more you can keep in your head, the more appreciation and understanding you will bring every time you revisit it. Now, for some people, reading and re-reading the same work of media may sound like an enormous drag and as I said before, if that's the case for you, don't torture yourself. This process of gaining a really deep understanding of a piece of literature is incredibly rewarding for me and the fact that it informs my fanfic is more of a side benefit. I would just do this for fun.

Going on deep dives So, one exercise you can do to help become more detail oriented is to go on little scavenger hunts in canon. I highly recommend doing this in Tumblr-post format, because it gives you some structure, and also, you can share it with your friends. I am telling you, people love this stuff.

Basically, pick some detail of canon that you're interested in, or ask yourself a question about a character or setting or object, and then try to find the answer. I have the full Bleach manga digitally on my iPad, which makes it very easy to take screenshots as I go. Here are some examples of ones I have done:

Lieutenants' Badges: What are they made of? Zanpakutou Open-Carry Laws Where did Rukia's TYBW scarf come from?

You can also do these as a mixture of canon and historical research, like the time I decided to design a winter Shin'ou uniform.

An extra cool thing about making these is that the other very cool people on Tumblr who care deeply about these things will reblog them, often with their own cool thoughts and ideas attached. Some of those people may end up becoming the eventual audience for your fanfic, OR you might see your idea showing up in *their* fanfic, and that's superfun, or at least it is, to me.

A little goes a long way You don't need to be super detailed about everything, because that would actually be incredibly tedious to read. What you want to do is to be detail oriented on a few things. And to that end, focus on the stuff you care about or the stuff you happen to know a lot about. I like to think about how cities work and how people live their daily lives and interact with each other, so I write about that a lot. Other people are very interested in geography and like to draw maps and design ecosystems and weather. This isn't really my jam and I don't mention it, and I doubt anyone has noticed. I go into a lot of detail on clothing and food, but not so much on music, because I like to listen to music but I don't know very much about it and don't really care to learn. Sometimes for plot purposes, you'll have to do some research on something you don't care that much about, and you don't need to go overboard, just put in what you need for the story's sake. On other hand, if you love monster biology, go ham on describing Hollows. I tell you, your joy will be infectious, and your reader will come away saying "that writer sure knows a lot about claws" and they will NOT notice if perhaps you skimped a bit on describing the Los Noches HVAC system.

Microdose on learning Speaking of friends, if you have social media that you check every day, find people to follow who post the sort of historic/cultural/science stuff you'd like to learn about, or who do interesting analysis of your favorite media. Find a dinosaur-a-day Twitter account. Watch YouTube videos about Victorian fashion. Instead of doing deep research on a particular topic, just add small doses of stuff you're interested in into your daily feeds. You'll learn stuff you didn't know you didn't know and it will give you a more well-rounded, organic understanding of certain topics. If you ever get particularly interested in a particular post, use it as a jumping off point to doing some of your own research.

Diversify your hobbies I write, but I also draw, which exercises a different part of my brain, and also requires me to pay attention to different things than writing does. I will give a very concrete example. When I was making banners for my story a little in love now and then, I didn't want to do just solid color kimono. I looked up some traditional kimono patterns, and it turns out that there's a lot of seasonality and symbolism to them, which I got really into. You can probably pinpoint exactly the time that happened in my fanfic, because afterward, I got really into describing what patterns people are wearing all the time. I also got into kanzashi (hair pins), because, again, when you're drawing headshots, you want to add a hair ornament, and once you know about it, you want to write it. Doing different hobbies that engage different senses forces you to think about things in different ways, which will show up in your writing.

Also, read/watch/listen to a diversity of stuff, and pay attention to what makes things feel a certain way. When something appeals to you, try to figure out exactly what it is that you like about it. What details stick out to you? I'm watching a period fantasy kdrama right now where one family has extremely characteristic eye make-up. I'm reading a novel that takes place during the Napoleonic wars that devotes a tremendous amount of energy to logistics and supply. I pay attention to the judges on Bake-Off because it helps give me better understanding of why flavors make you feel a certain way.

For that matter, if you're reading up on something that really catches your interest...try it? I started writing about pickles and then I went to the international grocery store and bought, like, twelve kinds of Asian pickles, and ate them? I took (1) trail aikido class once, and it turned out it was very Not For Me, but the experience gave me a lot to chew on. If you're writing some sort of Lord of the Rings journey through the wilderness thing, go for a hike, even a small one, and think about what you think and feel and notice?

Check when you're not sure... I don't know if it's because I have anxiety or if it's because I spent 15 years working in engineering and software where people will challenge you on anything and everything, but I double check things compulsively because I want to be sure. If I'm not 100% sure what a word means, I look it up before I use it. I'm usually right, but sometimes I'm not and I not-infrequently learn new stuff this way. I am constantly googling whether people habitually drink milk in Japan or how much a katana weighs.

This may seem like a pain, but it's honestly a good habit to get into. It sucks a little to find out you're wrong, but finding out on your own is such a low stakes, non-threatening way to find out you misunderstood something, as opposed to loudly showing off your ignorance in the middle of a party, say. Go back and re-read the chapter and make sure the character said what you thought they did. It's worth it.

...but don't sweat it too much I was very hesitant to get into writing anime fanfic because I am American and I don't speak Japanese or know much about Japanese culture. I jumped into it anyway, and I try to learn as much as I can and do my best to be respectful if nothing else, and overall, it's been a really rewarding experience. Part of what makes this process a little easier is that most of my writing takes place in Soul Society, a place that is similar to various historic eras of Japanese history, but also it's not. Sometimes, I'll find a bunch of interesting stuff about Edo-era lamps that slots right into what I'm writing, and other times, you just have to be like, fuck it, there's a treadmill in the Squad 10 gym, for some reason. Also, seriously, it's just fanfic, and you are not under obligation to be 100% accurate to history or to canon. One of the light novels, for some reason, goes to the length to tell us that there is no curry in Soul Society and I refuse to give up curry, even though it does cause me a small amount of psychic damage every time I write about it, knowing I am Technically Wrong.

Don't make your reader do as much work as you did Another caveat is that, in doing research, you are going to learn A Lot about a topic, but you need to avoid showing off. The point of learning stuff is to make your world feel real and accurate and lived in. Throwing around a bunch of new vocabulary words you just learned is going to do the opposite of that. Extra detail should go towards making the reader understand the story more, or to sharing cool facts that you learned. It should not be about upping the difficulty rating of reading your story.

Keep it in character One aspect of character-writing is how they interact with the world and what they notice and the way they speak. The characters I write more commonly are very detail-oriented. Byakuya, like me, is autistic, and will give far too much detail on any given topic, whether his listener wants it or not. Rukia and Renji are former street urchin/grifters and career soldiers, so they are ultra-observant by necessity. They don't always verbalize these things, although they do with each other, because they tend to think about things the same way and they used to run grifts together and it's a bonding thing they do. Akon, Kira, Momo, Hisagi: nerds who be nerding. Maybe this is a personal interpretation, but I think Ichigo has a bit of a poetic soul, and I often have him notice symbolism in things, or to see through to the heart of a person. Yumichika is obsessed with aesthetics and thinks about people's looks and presentation contantly. Ikkaku, on the other hand THINKS ABOUT NOTHING, except sometimes fighting. His head is almost completely empty at all times. If he notices a thing, it was probably by accident. You gotta dial your detail levels up and down, and focus in on different things depending on which character you're writing. Also, think about the voice of your narration, and try to avoid going into a scholarly or formal voice, unless your writing really calls for it.

That was so much. If anyone made it all the way down to the bottom of this, I hope it helped!

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

I wanted to like Zoyalai so much. But KoS is so fanfiction like, wth happend Leigh? I keep reading it and thinking " Alina really should be here, why Zoya is suddenly Genya's bff, why isn't Alina at her wedding and David's funeral, why she's not involved in the plot when grisha's lives are on the line etc ". Not to mention the whole dragon thing and my boy Nikolai giving up the crown to basically immortal grisha who showed no ruling qualities.

# nikolina is still the best

yeah I feel like there was a lot of like forcing the story into particular directions that didn’t quite make sense. one of which was trying really hard to avoid bringing alina in as a protagonist again. I get that she was like “alina’s job is done, let her rest” but idk at this point just like put her on vacation somewhere far away so she *can’t* talk to the main gang lmao. or just… include her lol. idk her absence was very loud, they were basically treating it as if she’d actually died!

I did not enjoy nikolai handing over the crown either. like on the one hand I think him washing his hands of governance feels like regression for him tbh. I kind of feel like lb doesn’t know how to resolve arcs with any actual progress. on some narrative levels it does remind me of tgt ending with alina losing her powers and deciding to walk away from everything. it’s definitely not as outrageous but it feels in keeping in terms of holding the protagonist back. not that nikolai was really allowed to be much of a protagonist! I feel like he got sidelined pretty badly, partially bc lb just didn’t know what to do with him. but just at face value it is an insane choice to give the throne to someone who’s probs going to be immortal.

any idk idk just on a craft level I think removing alina from leaves a gaping thematic hole in the narrative. the series is too centered on her. and imo both zoya and nikolai were rewritten to be basically new characters to fill that space but it didn’t really… work. meanwhile the new additions to the worldbuilding didn’t really connect to anything else. so I think writing a continuation at all might have been a mistake lol

anyway yeah I do enjoy the version of zoyalai that exists in my head. nikolina is always my fave tho.

[wicked-jade]

hi amanda! i wanted to get your advice on something. currently i'm working on a fic and i dunno if i'm just frustrated trying to find the right words, experiencing mild writer's block, or what, but i'm feeling really inadquate as a writer right now. i feel like my writing doesn't sound mature enough and that it wouldn't be considered good or even decent by anyone in the fandom. i love what i've read on ao3 and everyone in this community is so talented; i want to be as good of a writer as them. but i just don't feel like i have the artistry and magical way with words that so many of y'all seem to have. am i just having a bad writing day, or am i actually maybe not a great writer yet? if you have any tips, please let me know. thanks and take care <333

Hi there, anon! I'm sorry you're struggling with your writing right now. If it helps you to know at all, I've definitely been there, many, many times. I think we all have; feelings of inadequacy and writing just go hand in hand. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't second guess myself and doubt my writing in one way or another.

Being in the CK fandom can be a blessing and a curse, at times. Because we're lucky enough to be part of a community that's full of extremely talented writers and artists. I'm seriously in awe of some of the works that have been produced over the years, and humbled to share that same space.

But while sometimes that can be inspiring, seeing that level of talent on display can also be intimidating. More than once I've read a brilliant, thought-provoking story on ao3, then turned around and looked at my own WIPs and wondered why I was even bothering. There's always someone who makes a better analogy, or expresses a thought more clearly and concisely, or writes a funny bit of dialogue I wish I'd written, and then I start to get down on myself. And it's a terrible, discouraging feeling.

It's times like that when I have to take a step back and remind myself that even the best writers have their insecurities. Everyone feels this way, at one point or another. But the important thing is to just keep writing. Because while it's great to have writers you look up to and works you aspire to, in the long run, comparing yourself constantly to others will only get you down.

The beautiful thing about writing is that every writer has their own, unique voice. And the only way to develop that voice is through practice. And there is nothing magical about it, lol. Occasionally, a line will pop into my head like it was delivered straight from the heavens. But most of the time, it's a tedious slog, hours spent tinkering and tetris-ing the words into the right order. Trust me, if you ever saw how many times I've rewritten the same sentence, the process would probably seem less magical and more insane. 😂

All that to say: greatness is subjective. And entirely overrated as a concept. So is 'maturity,' whatever that means. How many 'classic' or 'best-selling' novels have you read that everyone else raved about, but you thought was crap? I'm betting there's a bunch. Lord knows I've read plenty of 'great' works, and just didn't get what the big fuss was about.

Wanting to improve and grow as a writer is a good thing. As is having goals to strive for. But if everyone waited until they considered themselves 'great' to share their work, I figure hardly anything would ever get published.

So try not to worry so much about being a 'great' writer, or what the fandom will think, and just write for yourself. Write what interests you, what entertains you, what moves you and makes you feel something. Have fun with it, and don't put so much pressure on yourself. Just keep writing and practicing and honing your craft.

And when you are having a bad day, know that it's okay to take a break. Take a step back, watch a movie, go for a walk, play around with another story, go do something completely unrelated. Maybe you'll find inspiration in something else. Or maybe you won't, but either way, when you come back to what you were working on, you'll have fresh eyes and a new perspective.

As far as more practical writing tips go, I would say the thing that helps me the most, when it comes to the flow of my words, is to read them aloud. This especially helps when it comes to writing dialogue or banter. I have a background in music, so I tend to take more a lyrical approach to writing; the words have a groove. Sometimes a sentence will sound right in my head, but when I read it aloud during editing, I'll realize it feels stilted or unnatural. The rhythm is off. Then I'll tweak a word here and there, read it again, and see if it improved the cadence of that passage.

This...ended up being way longer than I anticipated. (But what's new about that? 😂) Anyway, I hope all this rambling has helped in some way, anon, and that you're able to get past your writer's block soon!

To badly paraphrase Mr. Miyagi, trust that your writing roots are strong, and don't be afraid to choose your own way to grow. I know I'm looking forward to all the stories you have to tell! 💖💖💖

[mikarchive2]

what i read in february 2023 📚

1. teatro grottesco by thomas ligotti - ★★★★ - picked this up because i randomly read one of his short stories on a train once and was so enamoured ... a short story collection centered around a subtle existential sort of horror that is less about gore and violence and more about something unknown but dreadful lurking in your peripheral vision . some of these, especially the ones from the deformations section, felt very welcome to night vale . delicious . makes you feel like a kid listening to scary campfire stories . i enjoy hanging out in the world created by this narrative voice so much

favourites: purity, the town manager, the clown puppet, my case for retributive action + in a foreign town, in a foreign land

2. the raven and the reindeer by t. kingfisher - ★★ - i think what im doing here is trying to read a fairytale retelling every month 👍 ... this really did not work for me though . the writing style felt so childish ( this could have been a book for twelve year olds ) + the story did not go anywhere and stayed extremely surface-level throughout the whole book . yeah sure there were lesbians but no actual substance whatsoever . the reading process was somewhat enjoyable because the humor was alright, but thats pretty much the only redeeming quality

3. the world keeps ending, and the world goes on by franny choi - ★★★ - i believe this is a case of ‘its not you its me’ because even though the way the author plays with language is straight up fascinating something about her poetry never clicks with me . i had the exact same issue with soft science as well - there is a certain detachment and coldness to her style that doesnt allow me to properly process the poems on an emotional level . still, i really liked the fourth section, it was so imaginative and full of the kind of resilience that is only born out of utter hopelessness

4. the passion by jeanette winterson - ★★★ - unfortunately i have the same issue here as with franny choi - something in me just always refuses to click with jeanette winterson . the author is trying to lead me somewhere by the hand but she is always slightly out of reach . this is my third book by her and while i can see and appreciate her craft it just never leaves a lasting impression on me its so strange ... i enjoyed the imagery + the philosophical ideas about love and passion but the story itself ... i dont know

5. the sandman: world’s end ( vol. 8 ) by neil gaiman - reread - i am not rating these god bless and putting them in the review post is probably not a good idea either since i ramble about them enough as is . what can i even say about a series that pretty much formed the way i understand the world and the human condition . stories within stories within stories . the foreshadowing here is insane and probably unnoticeable unless you are rereading . its hard to say what the writing process here was actually like perhaps it was way more spontaneous than i imagine but it all seems so meticulously and purposefully planned its just stunning

( + two books i left unfinished last year because of my broken ebook reader and decided to finish this month: )

6. wyrd sisters by terry pratchett - ★★★ - ( looks above ) my reading order here is very ‘frequently bought together’ ‘do not separate them’ huh ... this was very shakespearean which was fun but not ideal for me personally because it means some things definitely flew right over my head . i think i enjoyed equal rites a little more ? however at the end of the day its just your typical discworld novel i laughed i witnessed some well-written women and losermen i laughed some more . what else could i ask for

7. when i grow up i want to be a list of further possibilities by chen chen - ★★★★ - wonderfully heart-warming and radiant and witty and has the power to restore your belief in love and tenderness at least for a moment . this kind of literal and confessional american poetry usually isnt for me but miraculously chen chen made it work ! basically the hype is well deserved

up next: im actually not sure im trying to slow down since i need to get through some college textbooks 💔 ... + im sure want to finish the sandman which is really enough for the next one thousand years . considering mrs. dalloway by virginia woolf too someone called it a spring read once and ive wanted to read it during this season ever since

[cenobittten]

How I figured out who Patient 46 was in Security Breach

This post contains an introduction to the theory, why I am so confident and a guide to understanding what the heck I am talking about.

Parts list:

Part 1 - coming soon

Or follow hashtag #CenoFNAF

Warning for Spoilers! This introduction makes references to unreleased stories from Tales of the Pizzaplex volume 5. While no spoilers are discussed explicitly, just knowing what this theory is titled may spoil the future twist of unreleased content. So, if you don't want to know, don't read. Just head on over to the spoiler-free Part 1 and beyond.

Click the read more for the real, summary title.

:readmore:

Gregory was always sus: How I figured out he was Patient 46 and inhabited by Afton

An introduction

Right so, to introduce myself, hi! I'm a long time sort-of FNAF fan who likes Security Breach a lot. This is my second time ever writing down a fnaf theory.

A year ago, my first ever theory was this:

In which I theorised that Gregory was 46 and a vessel for Afton intially from game content only.

Why is this relevant? Well, recent leaks from Tales From The Pizzaplex #5 are very strongly hinting that I was on the right track.

My post got no attention at the time, but that didn't matter much. It became immediately apparent from the reaction to Matpat's theory that… well. Not many agreed with me and I ended up not sharing any more of my theory.

But now, I bring you #Gregtrap theory

I came up with the pivotal evidence for this theory from my very first full watch-through of the game, which was a blend of multiple YTers. I kid you not, I was so enamoured by this game for some inexplicable reason, I watched a mix of YTers to finish the game asap so I could get theorising. I was virtually unable to move for pain at the time so it was a good mental distraction - gotta have hobbies kids!

Since making the initial theory, I have been in the unusual position of watching more and more evidence to support my theory come out. This isn't a humble brag, I literally couldn't have told you what was even happening in my first watch of any of the other FNAF games so I'm thinking I just… tapped into Steel Wool's vibe inexplicably. I was honestly expecting to be completely wrong and some alternative theories posted had even convinced me. However, for Security Breach, I watched Matpat's GT videos echo my theories in real time and I have seen even more evidence building in the lead up to Ruin. This is all so funny to me, it's ludicrous but here we are!

So, I thought the fandom may find it useful to hear from someone who independently came to the conclusion Gregory was Patient 46. There is a lot of nuance to some of the writing/story crafting that I picked up on as foreshadowing but were easily lost on paper. In fact, I remember thinking "Either this game is nonsense and has no clue or Gregory is a villain and the writing is insanely subtle/clever".

I am not joking. There is actually a certain level of sophistication to the writing and the visuals of the Pizzaplex that subtly tell a story. The Steel Wool team used to work at Pixar! And their writing/game design is more similar to a Pixar film than Scott's style. Some of the Pizzaplex scene/setting design is legitimately art imho. The clues were there, just in different places than you might expect. Perhaps these notes will put the game in a new light for you. I want to bust this game open! Lets put our minds together and solve this fazgoo!

These notes reflect my final conclusion after stewing on it for a year, so they are much more refined and based on piecing everything together. But I will point to my thought processes and point out pivotal evidence from the initial stages to show how the theory developed.

My approach to lore investigating is a little different to most FNAFers. Rather than focusing on small lore details or timelines, I put myself in the developer's shoes and make broad observations from a storytelling perspective. I consider what the game might be setting up/trying to say, what did and didn't make the cut in terms of content and what the fans might want to see. Real detective mode.

In my view, Steel Wool were essentially soft-rebooting the franchise. Their goal was to make a game that could broadly appeal to gamers of all sorts, not just the fans. A story base that could be built on via future entries in the franchise, honouring the old stories but remaining understandable to a casual fan. After all, Steel Wool did essentially give themselves the licence to retcon the story via the "pissed off developer" excuse in Help Wanted. I strongly felt that the game should be solvable without knowing the exact details of past lore or obscure details from the books. The mysteries within the game had to have a plot & twists that the ordinary person could follow or piece together. They didn't quite manage it but enough was there to give me an inkling.

I kept my eye open for anything amiss in the dialogue/Fazwatch messages, game missions or in-setting clues like posters - the areas most likely to contain intentional lore clues. In game development, often the last things to be completed are the writing, mission creation and game story which - given SB's rushed development & possible story change - means I focused my attentions on those.

But where on earth do I even start with a game this big? Well, since I don't have access to the game, I'm going to pull out all the things I observed while watching playthroughs as they come up. That way, if you want to check for yourself, anyone can access the same footage used. For reference, my main footage sources are Matpat's GT live and Markiplier. I watched Dawko, FusionZGamer, FuhNaff and Jacksepticeyes playthroughs as well. (Game is such a glitchy mess, it's beautiful!)

It's all too much to do it one go, given my health, so I'm gonna break these linear observation posts into instalments. I'll list all the posts here so people can read at their leisure. Then, I'll make a post summarising the key evidence.

Also: Big credit to all the other FNAF theorists and LPers too - this theory wouldn't have become what it is without you.

I welcome questions, counterpoints or suggestions. Just reply or pop me a DM.

Also note:

- I was and still am a Gregbot supporter. This theory ties into that.