#the longest one i've ever done

[zingaplanet]

About your pinned post, what's your opinion on Fedal and Prosenna?

Y'all are watering my asks and indulging my ranting habits, i love it ❤️🤌

Well, now that is an interesting relationship comparison! And I say that not because I think they are both opposite versions of each other, it's a bit more as if they're alternate versions of how each other could've been, if that makes sense?

I think this is the case with many rivalry relationships as well, especially one that managed to reach the intensity level of federer-nadal and prost-senna (where they battled each other almost over decades still at the very top level of the sports). I do think with rivalries, there's always a kind of mad obsession that naturally comes with them, you have to, I reckon, otherwise you wouldn't be able to maintain that drive. The difference is the way you choose to deal with that level of intensity, and (because competition is the most soul-baring form of bonding there is) relationship intimacy with another person. It isn't easy because it could be suffocating.

Senna might be the most obvious target here. He was, undeniably, obsessed with Prost (if not at least with beating him). But I think Prost was equally obsessed in some way! Otherwise he wouldn't have been sucked into the narrative and mind games for that long. And unfortunately, I think they dealt with it (Senna, at the very least) with the only way they knew how, by maintaining a distance so as not to combust when they clash too close with each other. Prost talked a lot about trying to make friends with Senna in the beginning (inviting him to his home, to lunch, etc) but was completely ignored as Senna told his friends that he was 'scared to be friends with Prost' because he viewed him as his ultimate rival.

I think this was very understandable. Senna obviously couldn't imagine the dual intensity of being close to someone he already designated as an ultimate chasing target in life, a benchmark of his own identity in a way. But that also kinda only left one avenue for them to channel this emotional intensity and any string strung too tight will always break eventually. Maybe this was also why their rivalry was very intense and problematic, even by the treshold of high-level sports. Let's be honest, at its peak it was one of the nastiest history has seen.

When Prost retired, not only did Senna, I imagine, lost his sense of identity and purpose in racing (which he himself said), I think they also lost a way to channel this intensity. Imagine the one thing that plagued every second of your life (to beat him, to best him, to defeat his records) suddenly being taken away, and the jarring gap it must've left. That's maybe why Senna begged Prost to come back almost every week since he retired and why their personal relationship started getting better after, as sans the other avenue, this could be the only way to channel that level of intensity.

I don't really believe in soulmates but I do think some people are meant to meet in life. And a bond that intense, where you can use the phrase mad for each other quite literally, needed to be channelled in one way or another, albeit unfortunately Prost and Senna couldn't make the right choice in time.

The sad thing was I don't think Senna ever imagined the possibility of them being in that duality of friends and rivals while they were still active (Prost might've, but it wouldn't have worked in itself). There's no one to blame in this regard, it could just be the difficulty and stigma around high-level male dominated sports in this period. I actually genuinely believe if Senna were to make it, they would've been close (Prost said so himself) because there's no way one can simply sever an emotional bond that intense without finding an alternative. It truly is one of the saddest tragedies and what-ifs in sports.

Which is probably why the Federer-Nadal dynamic is very rare and quite strange in a way. They seem to get the memo early on that it was somehow possible to channel this bond not just through intense (and ferocious) rivalry but also through a deeper personal connection such as friendship. I found this fascinating as it seemed to appear out of nowhere, both of them didn't really have an example to follow. They themselves saw the nastiness of the Sampras-Agassi rivalry right before their era and tennis locker room in the 2000s wasn't exactly a welcoming space for any newcomers, the tour was quite hostile.

Federer, however, initiated the friendly nature of their acquintances even before their rivalry began. Maybe it was something just akin to his nature, but it wouldn't have worked (just as Prost's attempt didn't) if Nadal hadn't reciprocated, especially as their rivaly grew more and more intense.

I truly believed that this early dynamic that they've put themselves into (and in a way trapped themselves in) kinda dictated the way the rest of their rivalry went and why it never truly went nasty. It's about a very delicate balance between professional drive and personal relationships. They've had some mishaps and some miscommunications along the way, of course, but perhaps it's what helped them to not let themselves be consumed by the sport as well. Tennis wasn't their whole life, it's a big part of their lives, sure, but Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal still exist outside of the sport. They have families, children, other dreams and ambitions etc., and both didn't hesitate when asked if they could imagine life after tennis.

So I think it's not that their bond was less intense in a way, they simply found ways to diffuse them better through a strong (sometimes negative as well) competitive relationship balanced out by an equally strong, positive personal relationship. Yet, it doesn't mean that the loss of one doesn't affect the other. Hence when the rivalry ended (with Federer's retirement), Nadal said a part of him left as well, and has been struggling with his form ever since. Similar to Prost and Senna though, we do see their personal relationship growing stronger after the retirement, again as if to compensate the sudden loss of emotional bond.

It's fascinating to me, this level of interconnectedness in both of relationships, of almost existing for the identity of one, and the need to be two in order to be whole. I talk about this emotional intensity as if it was something alien and abstract but I do believe that what lies underneath is a very strong, perhaps almost intimate, level of respect even in the nastiest forms of rivalry. In a way, it almost resembles a sense of belonging, knowing that the other is the only one that truly understands what it means to be you, or in simple words, to live what you have lived, to be on the losing side of your best wins, and to live their best days alongside the worst moments of your life.

Some rivalries aren't so lucky to have as happy an ending as others. But I do think nonetheless, that finding your complete equal, one that gives you purpose, dreams, and the thoughtless will to get up everyday, to make all of it matters because they matter and so you must too, is already a gift in itself, right?

[lazyturtlehottub]

A breakdown of the Fangirlish interview: an exercise in media literacy

Given that the reaction to Buck and Tommy breaking up has been exacerbated by those interviews, I thought I would look into the one from Fangirlish in order to look at it with my media literacy hat on and see what was actually said. So, here’s a link to a version that doesn’t give the writer clicks because you should make up your own mind before providing revenue to the platform https://archive.ph/fqhlE

We start off with the headline: Lou Ferrigno Jr. on Saying Goodbye to 9-1-1, That Breakup and What’s Next

Right away, as the reader, we’re immediately told that LFJ is saying goodbye to 9-1-1, the implication being that this is the end of the road, no going back. This is, I will say, a choice that the writer made when they created the article: they decide on the headline, no one else. Going in, our mind has already been positioned to believe that this is an exit interview and to understand everything that comes next through that lens.

Supporting this path is this: “Lou Ferrigno Jr.’s time on 9-1-1 has come to an end[...]” but it’s important to note that no one has said this but the author of the article. At no point does she provide a statement from ABC, Tim Minnear, or LFJ to back this statement up.

Another unsubstantiated statement she makes is: “For Ferrigno Jr. it wasn’t exactly the way he envisioned the end of his time on the show [...]” Yet again, at no point in what she quotes from Lou does he say this at all. This is her take on the conversation and she has provided not a scintilla of evidence to support this statement. What she does provide is the following quote from LFJ:

“With the way things were going, and the connection that they had, I was under the impression that it was working, and they were connected,” he shared.

Putting this in the context of the interview, it does make it sound like Lou was blindsided by the break up, which is a very normal thing considering that we all know the actors barely know what’s happening even when they have the script. It’s not surprising that Lou didn’t know about the break-up since even Oliver Stark mentions that he didn’t know about it until they began filming, even though the possibility had been floated some episodes earlier.

So while this quote in the context the writer’s given does seem pretty final, if we remove the exit interview lens from it, it just reads as an actor expressing his surprise at the path his character is going.

Continuing on, the writer then writes the following: Ferrigno Jr. admits he had issues with this ending [...]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, she doesn’t provide a quote to back this up. What she does right is frame the next quote as [...] but trying to get into the mindset of Tommy [...], which changes the context of the quote that Lou gives.

“If preserving his emotional health and saving himself is the only means to survive, then you can’t shame him for it.” He went on to add, “I honestly don’t believe that the relationship matured well enough that they should have made any type of long-term decision.”

So she makes a statement that says LFJ has issues with the ending and then immediately moves on to talk about the acting choices Lou had to go through in order to understand where Tommy was during the scene.

Perhaps the most direct quote from Lou about the relationship that sounds troubling with regards for the future of Buck and Tommy is this: “I just would have hoped that it would have lasted a little bit more,” he also told us, adding that in the hour we also have Buck “looking at those girls, and that sucks for Tommy, and it sucks for any person that’s looking at their partner looking at someone else.”

Taking this with the fact that this has been positioned as an exit interview, I agree that it does sound damning, but if you remove that filter from it then I believe it reads as an actor expressing mild regret that he didn’t get to play this stage of the character and this relationship more. However, I will admit, that this is open for interpretation given that we don’t know where this came in the interview since we don’t know what prompted this answer.

And for Ferrigno Jr., he admits he knew the two were done for good when he realized his character would call Buck “Buck.” I feel I’m a looping record but where in the interview does he say that? He doesn’t say that at all in the quote that she provides below.

She writes: Instead, Ferrigno Jr. told us that Tommy “only knows the man in front of him, Evan. And I knew it was going to come [the moment he called him Buck] because he’s always saying Evan all the time. I’m looking at a character that I’m playing, and he’s just like Evan, Evan, Evan, and in that line, I was just like… I knew this was going to happen.”

“And he doesn’t have to say that. He still can say Evan. But that is essentially signalling that this is all I know how to do, and it’s too much.”

Linked with what LFJ said earlier about Tommy protecting himself, this quote from him makes sense in the fact that Tommy called him Buck to protect himself from the hurt, to try and create some walls between them. But the writer has made this sweeping statement that he knew it was the end, implying that the relationship is at a permanent end when nothing LFJ has said supports that.

And then we move onto the bit that really highlights the bias that this article has been written around. The writer asks Lou: Could the show have been using Tommy as a roadblock to a possible Buck and Eddie relationship?

Getting into the professionalism of this question is for another time but I’ve added it here so you can see the fact that this is someone who is focused on the Buddie of it all. Evidence that supports this is in the author’s various tweets and the coverage of 9-1-1 on their website.

And I know we’re all worried about LFJ’s scheduling conflicts but I will posit that it was a standard answer from an actor who is just doing his job. In his words: “I would absolutely love to come back, but I do need to continue on my journey here. I have a number of things now that are going on that may or may not happen, and I hope that there’s no conflict if it were to be the case.”

Basically, this article is written from the point of view of it being an exit interview but at no point is evidence provided from official sources to support that statement. Throughout it all, Lou’s answers are framed within the narrative that the break-up is permanent and that he’s gone from the show for good.

I hope that this has been interesting and informative for those of you who have read it, and I hope it serves as a reminder that media literacy is for everyone, not just for an attack from those on social media against fans being publicly disappointed that a queer relationship has broken up, temporarily or otherwise.

[buglaur]

[clarissaweasley-10]

Here's my analasis on the character of Fitz Vacker aka Wonderboy(even tho no one asked)He's sadly one of the most disliked characters in the entire series and though l get why you guys may hate him,let's try to understand...

The fact that Fitz was born into one of the if not THE most influential family in the lost cities has a LOT to do with his character.Plus,he was the golden child of the family.His parents obviously favoured him from the start.He was perfect...or so he hoped.Growing up the way he did,he HAS to be perfect.Be the perfect child,the perfect student carry the family's legacy and make his family proud.That was what mattered the most to him it was part of how he was raised as the golden child.Now,in Stellarlune during the Cognate Inquisition,Fitz himself has admitted to Sophie about how he often feels a little jealous of her.Well not exactly "jealous"but yk he used to be the best in everything before Sophie came and now she is always better than him and he is left to be the second best.Like imagine being the best in everything,with everybody looking up to you and then suddenly it all just goes down especially after Alvar's betrayal.That would suck so hard.There are two events which are the turning points of his character development:Alden's mind breaking,and Alvar's betrayal.You may ask why l put Alden's mind breaking here(the other one is obvious),the answer is, it was the beginning of events leading to total chaos in Fitz's life.His father who he looked upto,the one who shaped him and has a lot to do with who he is,one of the strongest people he ever knew..broke.lmagine how that would feel,especially to elves who are just not in terms with the idea of loosing someone close to you,and Fitz just lost his father all of a sudden with no prior explanation.And the explanation is his father had gone to Exile with a girl he knew for a few months at most(tho he and Sophie were very close)without taking his own son with him,and the guilt of seeing the son of a guy he had helped arrest and whose life he had virtually destroyed,finally broke his mind.Imagine how incapable,unworthy and angry this would have made Fitz feel.So he took out his anger on Sophie,though he had no right to and blamed her when HE WAS IN FACT BLAMING HIMSELF.Yes.If only his father had trusted him enough to share this information with him,then maybe Fitz would have made him understand or he and Sophie together could have saved him.But now Alden was gone and who was to blame?But Fitz also knew the consequences of the guilt he was feeling,saw it in the form of his father.If he lets the guilt of not being there get to him then,soon he too would be in Alden's position imagine how hard it would hit Della,Biana and....Alvar(strictly Fitz's pov.)So he did what he could and used his anger as a shield to protect himself and the rest of his family.

I also want to talk about the whole matchmaking thing because that's one of the most controversial aspects of Fitz's character.As l've said the fact that Fitz was born into one of the most influential families of the lost cities has a lot to do with his character.He was trained to uphold his families reputation.And we've all seen how bad matches are treated in the Lost Cities.Sophie who has literally spent her whole life outside the Lost Cities couldn't completely accept the fact that she was unmatchable,so what do you expect from Fitz who has spent his entire life being treated like royalty.Ofc he would be upset.Now l am not justifying all the rude and jerky things he said to Sophie l want to give him a solid shake for that,but he is only human(well no but yeah figuratively yk)and his perfect family was basically a broken sandcastle now so let's try to be a bit kind to Fitz too yeah?Now you may say that,Keefe also spent his entire life in the Lost Cities but had no problem from the start about Sophie being unmatchable.Well for this(and a lot of other things)Keefe deserves a LOT of extra points for the whole Sokeefe vs Sophitz thingie but he and Fitz had very different upbringings and characters.Keefe doesn't give a f abt what others think,the only thing he cares about is how Sophie feels,so get yourself a man like him...He had raised himself to be a rebel and went against common norms.And hence has no regards for what the society thinks.He only wants Sophie and if people scorn upon them for being a bad match then they should remind themselves that they would never get a relationship as good as Sokeefe.And he is THE man for this.

[the-shy-artisan]

And here is said final baby Beastos!

This little guy belongs to @perytonyx c:

I just want to thank the four wonderful people who adopted a Beastos, it means so much to me that you'd want a little beastie of your own ;u; I hope they bring you lots of joy and cuddles! ♥

[angelbitezzz]

Chapters done, just waiting on some last minute edits and look throughs and we're good to go! It'll probably be posted either late tonight or early tomorrow on Halloween!

[the-guild-codex-and-other-things]

Sociology textbook: *Mentions the Turing Test*

My brain:

[sskk-manifesto]

Ep 5!!!

[articskele]

WOE, BIGGERING AU LORE BE UPON YE >:D

Tagging @iiboronii and @moonymelly hehehe

Ok so we follow the Buttermilk Daydreams storyline, with Artic and the Onceler meeting on the road, discovering the valley together, and Artic inventing mechanical wings!

Except this time thneeds do get off the ground like in the movie. The Onceler calls his family over and is excited to start business, but Artic has an increasingly bad feeling about this.

They said they weren’t gonna cut down trees. They made a deal, they had a compromise. And now that that’s gone, what’s stopping things from getting out of control?

The Onceler feels personally offended, betrayed even! She stuck around and believed in him this whole time, only for her to get cold feet the second he gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance at success? I mean something good finally happens to me, and she just has to come along and rain on my parade! What's her problem!

So the two have a falling out as the Onceler pursues growth and profit while Artic was content to stay as they were. Realizing he’s too far gone, she tries to destroy everything related to the wings and leaves. But he manages to hold onto old plans or steal his own wings back or something like that.

—

Timeskip to Thneedville, based on EPCOT and with a steampunk / industrial revolution aesthetic. The company controls basically everything, so you have no choice but to work for them.

Not to mention the way new and experimental appliances are constantly being installed and replaced in homes, just like in EPCOT. And there's a system similar to WEDCOMM (timestamp at 19:59 if the link doesn't work) where information is super centralized.

The Onceler’s office is at the very top of a super tall tower in the center of the city, with big open windows for birds (workers who use wings, I’ll get to that later) to fly in and make deliveries, give reports, etc.

OOH and there are definitely whisper-ma-phones set up all throughout the factory

I talk a lot about the acoustics of the factory with its massively high ceilings, but just imagine what it must sound like in there! The rumbling and hissing and clunking ka-thunks of pipes and gears! The whirring of fabric being spun!

—

The Onceler initially worked right alongside his employees, viewing the company as one big family. Making friendly chatter as the clickety clack of knitting needles filled the air.

When asked why he did this, well, why wouldn’t he? How was he supposed to run a business without knowing the people who did such hard work for him, much less sit idly by?

And besides, he was the one who invented this craft! He knows how to do things right around here.

That is, until one fateful day. The sun was setting, and most people had already left for the night. He could’ve sworn he fixed that finicky mess of a machine, or maybe tiredness had caught up to him.

But it only takes the smallest slip-up to get your arms caught in the gears and-

The Onceler shudders at the thought, slowly slipping off a glove to examine the scarred grooves and lines etched into his skin like wrought iron. Remembering the way his own shrieks and the sound of jamming gears reverberated through the room…....

No one spoke of that day. He made sure of it.

He became a lot more distant since then. A wakeup call that gradually changed the friendly guy who you’d almost forget was your boss, into Mister Onceler.

And the fact that he’s experienced firsthand how dangerous this place can be, yet it never gets resolved. He was able to save his own skin by taking a step back, but his workers are still at risk because he’d rather keep things as they are than pay for the costs it would take to redesign, rebuild, and reinstall everything.

—

Some jobs involve the use of wings, which he had stolen repurposed and refined for company use, using a more standardized base. Different types of wings have a different shape and color, making them easily identifiable!

Pigeons: They handle mail and deliveries throughout the city! Sometimes tasked to work with PR and give urgent news before the press can get to it. If you know where to look, it's not uncommon to see them hanging around large events just in case things go south.

Falcons: Tracking the weather, optimizing flight routes, and dealing with birdwatchers (explained later) to ensure pigeons have a safe trip. Sometimes they'll be the ones to deliver important mail / info, since falcon wings are built for speed.

Canaries: Coming from the phrase “canary in a coalmine”, and named for their bright yellow wings (like how construction workers have those orange vests with shiny stripes), these are the repairmen of Thneed Inc. Sometimes tasked with repairing malfunctioning machinery in midair, and rescuing anyone that’s gotten caught.

Vultures: Garbage and waste disposal, smogulous smoke and schloppity schlopp. It’s not common, but if anyone dies on the job, they’re the ones that discreetly dispose of the body. Black wings / hat / gloves, the latter of which has red palms.

Woodpeckers: Sporting spotted wings, they survey the valley and plan out axe-hacker routes through the steep terrain. They also evaluate the quality of truffula wood, checking for bugs and mold.

—

Pigeons and falcons used to be the same thing, as evidenced by how closely they work together, but over time they split into more specialized roles! I imagine during that transitional period, they were referred to as carrier pigeons and homing pigeons.

Each set of wings has its own ID number! A lot of bird-based terminology gets used and I love it so much it's so fun :D

There are big air vents set up all throughout the city for ease of flight, and there are little checkpoint towers for breaks during long trips. I imagine they've got an icebox with snacks and water in there, plus stuff like a medkit and a small radio.

Birdwatchers are thieves who track and intercept flights, often positioned near these air vents, using nets and such to down the bird and steal whatever they’re carrying / get information out of them.

Falcons have these talon-like attachments to their boots (inspired by Guardians of Ga'Hoole battle claws), for everything from added traction to divebombing a net to cut it open.

And it has a latch to pull the claws up if you're not using them, that way they don't make noise or scrape against the ground! The latch is on the inside of the boot (like the left side of the right boot, yknow the part where it curves in a little) so you can push it down with your other foot!

—

The Mister Once-ler in Chief himself has these fancy custom-fitted peacock wings that are dark green and red w/ gold accents, plus a detachable long peacock train that can fwoosh out and everything!

They're mostly for show, but I imagine there being a secret escape route in the office for when things get too heated and he needs to dip out fast, gliding down a spiral stairwell.

Also he definitely has goggles on the brim of his hat steampunk style. AND the tuft on his lapel is actually a hidden microphone, based on this post!!

—

As for Artic's design, I picture her in something like this!

—

Artic’s been living in an apartment working the assembly line, gone without her wings for at least a year or two. Sometimes her back feels… Not necessarily itchy? Just this vague sense of discomfort, like she can almost feel exactly where her wings would sit on her back.

She has a habit of rolling and flexing her shoulders, and sometimes she finds herself making room for them even when they’re not there.

Her coworkers are human versions of old D&D OCs, as a way to give them new life and a fun little reference ouo!

Kreva isn't a bird but she's super strong, Faye's in the confneectionery department, Averran is part of Thneed Inc's legal team, Veil is a vulture, and Kav is a newly appointed canary! The latter being a reference to how Kav was originally an aasimar with glowy yellow wings ouo

(Also the last canary, the one that Kav is replacing? Yeah, they're kinda dead-)

There's this scene where Kav is passing through and Artic stops her to inspect her wings and boy she is FUMING at what that rat bastard did to HER invention-

The frames are too standardized, the sensors feel dulled, the stitching is- Ok well the stitching is phenomenal and the fabric is sturdy. BUT LOOK AT HOW THEY MASSACRED HER CHILD

She also has a habit of giving others flight tips and stuff like how to adjust the straps properly, which makes people wonder how on earth she knows all this

—

One time they’re all drinking and hanging out, and Artic is staring longingly at a photo of the Onceler she keeps in a hidden pocket in her hat. The old Onceler. Her Onceler.

The others notice and they’re like “you knew the boss??????” and she rambles on about their time together and all the silly memories before everything went to shit. Artic voice I miss my friend Tails. I miss him a lot. I’ll be back

There's this scene of her dancing, using a pipe like a mic on a stand and having it roll off the inside of her wing like she’s dipping someone into a kiss- It’s not easy to make the wing curl in like that, but she describes it as like a flick of the wrist ouo

—

The second the Onceler realizes where she is and that she’s been working for him, he immediately appoints her as a falcon. Because his prideful ass will never admit it, but she knows how the wings work better than anyone.

She could help with making the wings more efficient, and figuring out how different flight routes play to the strengths of different wings shapes. And it's an excuse to see her again-

They argue often, over accusations of delivery routes not being fast enough, poor air quality and how pollution is affecting the weather, safety violations, etc.

I’m picturing this scene where Artic accuses him of not taking this seriously, of not grasping the very real danger people are in because he doesn’t know what it’s like to be within an inch of your life.

And after she storms out, he glances at his arm. His expression is unreadable as he pulls off the green fabric to see what became of it.

These two know each other better than anyone else. Unfortunately, they hate each other

They’re basically bitter exes even though they never actually dated akfjsdf- I’m picturing her chewing him out about something but he’s clearly not listening, and he blows smoke in her face to interrupt her

He’s such a RAT HE’S A RATTT

And you already KNOW they call each other snarky petnames- The Onceler calling Artic firecracker is sooooooooo <3

There's this scene where she's in his office as the sun sinks towards the horizon. A regular occurrence by now; they always seem to be swapping quips and trying to get on each other's nerves, but lately it's been more quiet.

He's standing by the window, she's sitting on his desk, and there's something about the way her hair shines in the golden light filling the room that's just......... Beautiful. I mean. It's getting late, you should probably go.

—

Eventually the two of them get into a scuffle which turns into a hate makeout sesh, but they find out that they've been holding onto old photos of each other and they're both so sentimental and aaauauauu...... You were right. I do need you.

They finally admit to how much they've missed each other. How much they love each other. And how sick and tired they are of pretending they don't care. Holding onto each other like it's all they have.

And the Onceler just bursts into tears. God, he's so sorry. For everything. For all the damage he's done and for everything he's gotten far too deep into. Was any of this worth it? If things keep going this way the whole valley could be dead. I can't do this alone, just- Just hold me and don't let go. Please.

Artic's there for him when no one else was, just like before. It's always been her. She reassures him that they can fix this, that everything's gonna be ok, but the Onceler asks how she's so sure.

We'll figure something out. We always do.

—

AAAUGH and this scene of them flying together- The Onceler hasn't flown in a while so he's a bit rusty, but it isn't long until they're soaring over the city below and the way they twirl under the moonlight makes it look like they're dancing at the top of the world.

It's just a much-needed breath of fresh air. The softness of familiar company, without having to hide it under layers of sarcasm. Just letting themselves love each other.

The transition from petname (derogatory) to petname (affectionate) hhhhh- AND THEM USING THEIR OLD NICKNAMES FOR EACH OTHER. Artic calling him Ollie again.........

Also I have the mental image of Artic sitting on the Onceler’s arm and resting her chin on her hands on top of his head, kinda like this and I think it’s funny. Get perched on idiot

—

But something that people haven’t really mentioned about the barren state of the valley is how that would make way for more extreme weather, like dust devils and flooding. (Note: The initial inspo for this was the end of the Biggering Storyboard, where to me it looks like there are dust devils in the distance ouo)

This HUGE flood happens that the city is not at all prepared for, so everybody works together to set up sandbags, evacuate people, get resources, and just minimize as much damage as possible.

Part of the factory gets busted up and fuckign explodes and Artic goes in to save someone (insert reference to the Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole fire scene), but in doing so her wings catch on fire-

There’s this BANGER scene in my head of Artic spinning way up into the sky, red flames against the dark blue-greens of the sky, before falling like a shooting star and plummeting into the muddy water flooding the streets.

The Onceler drags her outta there but her wings don’t work anymore (and they were prob a huge hazard in a storm like this anyways since they’re made of metal), so she takes them off and continues the work on foot.

Eventually the storm passes, pale yellow light shining through smoggy blue-gray clouds. Everything is silent save for the idle dripping of water.

The catastrophe is over, and by this point everyone realizes that all this would never have happened if it weren’t for the damage the Onceler has done to the environment, so they’re all after his ass lmao-

BUT the last tree never got cut down, so perhaps there’s still hope. Efforts are made to rebuild everything that got damaged, and regrow everything that was lost. Woodpeckers are now tasked with tracking the valley's regrowth, checking on all the little saplings.

—

Artic and the Onceler sitting under a truffula tree as the valley regrows.

Him singing, hands gliding over the strings of his old guitar. The one that started it all. Feeling a fluttering in his chest as Artic joins in, the way their voices complement each other perfectly. Oh, how he missed her......

The song ends with one final strum, easing into a peaceful silence as they sit there in the shade. Listening to the birds chirping in the distance and the gentle rustling of untouched tufts in the breeze.

The Onceler leans back with his eyes closed, taking a deep breath of fresh air. A hand brushes over his and he instinctively holds it with a light squeeze. He turns to see Artic smiling at him with such a softness in her eyes, sweet as a memory. We made it.

There is hope. And despite everything that's happened, despite everything we've been through, it's gonna be alright after all <3

—

SO HERE’S THE PLAYLIST I’VE GOT SO FAR :D

So What: Their falling out from the Onceler's perspective. Storming off in a huff, determined to prove Artic wrong. To prove everyone wrong! He doesn't need her anyways! He's gonna do great, actually, and if she doesn't wanna be on the right side of progress then that's her own darn fault!

Fame < Infamy: This song represents that middle point between the gray and the green, so to speak. When things are just getting started and he's getting his first taste of things going his way. How he prioritizes his sprouting business over his relationships, reveling in the success and setting his sights ever higher. "The kid was alright, but it went to his head"

Biggering: The classic, the legend, the song which needs no introduction :D

Don't Mess With Me: A man reveling in his newfound power and desperate to be taken seriously now that things are finally going his way, but the lightness of the song (and the random mention of dinosaurs and even the name of the song itself) betrays that he might not be as cool and tough as he makes himself out to be.

No Place Like Home: THIS. THISSSS. If I had to choose a main theme for the AU, it would be THIS. IT’S SOOOO THEM IT’S EVERYTHING. This song was one of the big initial inspirations for the AU and I'm gonna make another post just goign crazyinsane over the lyrics BECAUSE IT'S SOOOOOOOOO

Devil in Disguise: This is of the songs I imagine Artic dancing to like that scene with the metal pipe ouo

Attention: Just kiss already

Toxic: JUST KISS ALREADYYYYY

House of Memories: The Onceler's regret for everything that happened between him and Artic and just wanting to go back to how things were. Both of them finally admitting their feelings for each other, how much they need each other. "WILL YOU REMEMBER ME IN THE SAME WAY / BECAUSE I REMEMBER YOU" EXPLODES AND DIES FOREVER. No one else understands me like you do, can we try again.....?

Vegas Lights: What if we were friends-turned-enemies-turned-lovers and we flew around the city at night, feeling the wind in your hair as you look down at all the lights dotting the ground below, and we rose into the air dancing under the moonlight....... And we kissed......... Haha jk jk. Unless? "We gotta be starting something / would you change it if you could?"

Glad You Came: Ok this song just sounds magical and they're just happy to be in each other's company and they trust each other and aaaaaa <3

My Love Mine All Mine: Artic and the Onceler all cuddled up with moonlight shining through the window and she thinks he's asleep so she starts singing this........ And her eyes are closed and the Onceler looks up to see her singing and her hair glows in the moonlight and ouhg......... <3

The Phoenix: The rising tide of the flood and fabric crackling in the heat. Our time is running out, but we can still make things right. How? We'll figure something out. We always do.

Underneath the Sycamore: This song just feels like a deep breath, relaxing your shoulders for the first time in forever. We made it. We really made it. And the softness they have for each other now........ They really do know each other better than anyone ouo

[thegeminisage]

this comment on the merlin fic is SO kind but it also did make me laugh bc girl gender neutral you are in for such a treat. its 135k of introspection. all he does is navel gaze <3

[pastelsicheng]

Decided to make one of the 1000 piece puzzles I bought like over a year ago and my cat just sat beside me watching as I sorted the pieces 🥹

[dogearedheart]

🏞🏞🏞

[walkinginland]

wip wednesday

i've been tagged in a few odds and ends recently and haven't had anything to share, but heeerreeeeee have a lil bit of my Goddamn Jamie Fraser Has So Many Traumas Someone Get This Boy In Therapy 5+1. fought with wrote this last night, cheers

He cracks his eyes open again, finally recognizing the sky above him. He feels the fall of rain and the oppressive weight of the world still under him, and curses this day that could not even allow him to die the way he wished.

Christ.

Jamie closes his eyes, and tries to keep back the searing memories that come pounding in with the stab of awareness. Memories, after all, are a far more present hell than any eternal damnation.

no pressure tagging @flyinghome-againstthewind, @theawkwardterrier, @three-drink-amy, @lord-jen-grey, @paperstorm, and anyone else who has something they'd like to share, see this as your sign to go for it 😍😍😍

[ferociouslycreativemystery]

We're at the "No, you don't need to watch it all the way through one more time; you need to fill in the final gaps" stage of the editing process

[unnamed-atlas]

Having brain worms. What if uhhhhhh SOS Mianite au

[paceypeternathanslawyer]

Nathan & Haley - Cry Cry Cry by Coldplay