#well if there is one thing I certainly haven't improved on it's being able to make people actually look the ages they're supposed to be

[angelswithscalywings]

Happy Anniversary, Angels with Scaly Wings! (+ Sequel Development Update)

Another year has gone by as today marks Angels with Scaly Wing's 8th birthday. Wow! It's hard to believe it's been this long. When I was initially planning the sequel (around 2017 if I remember correctly), I knew that the game with its increased scope and planned improvements compared to AwSW would take a long time to complete. It was then that I decided to create the webcomic Angels with Broken Hearts to both bridge the gap and give greater context to the setting and characters - which will be very relevant in the sequel. Of course, AwBH then turned out bigger than I initially expected as well, which I suppose is only fitting as it continues to tell new stories about the AwSW characters while I diligently continue working on the sequel. With over 300 pages already released, we may end up with over 400 in total when it's all said and done.

For the last few years I believed the end of development for the sequel to be in sight, and we have never been closer to that than we are now. However, after missing the previously announced 2023 release date I am hesitant to make any announcements I may not be able to keep. As such, only expect one when we are very close to release and I'm sure we'll make it this time - even though I do already have a date in mind I'm aiming for. But while development has certainly taken its time, for me it is finally starting to feel like we're getting there. Why am I saying that? Because in our current build, the first playthrough of the game (seeing the first ending) is already fully playable, including the possible endings and all main character routes. Why is this such a huge milestone? Because the first playthrough alone will take the average player longer to play than getting 100% in AwSW (with all achievements and endings). As such, it should be no surprise that the script of this build is already significantly larger than that of AwSW in its entirety. So, what is the current state of development? What have we achieved so far, and what is still missing? Let's break it down: - Planning / Game design is 100% done. This includes the plan for the overarching story, mechanics, mini-games, characters, main and secondary character routes, all endings, etc. - Character designs are about 95% done. - Backgrounds are about 90% done. - Music is about 90% done. - We have finished sprites for 30 story-relevant characters so far.

The sprites for about a handful of these characters are still missing (which makes a total of ~35 characters with story relevance in the game), and after that we only have to add an extra sprite to a character here and there based on other aspects of the game (such as what happens in certain endings and playthroughs beyond the first). AwSW had sprites for 21 different characters (with story relevance) + 8 one-off characters (cameos which only had a very small role in the game). The sequel will have many one-off characters as well, though they are handled differently this time. The current build has about ~30 of these so far.

- Programming/writing is about 80% done. I still need to write and implement everything that is not available during the first playthrough based on my extensive notes for what we have planned for this. This includes secondary character routes, certain endings and things that can change throughout the game based on prior playthroughs. While nothing to scoff at, this is dwarfed by the content that's already in our current build. - CG Illustrations: ? These are pictures that are usually only seen once during a playthrough, such as when meeting a character for the first time (like Adine in the rain in AwSW) or as part of the story. We haven't made quite as much progress with these yet as with the other areas, mostly because many CG illustrations are dependent on certain other things in the game being finalized first. But with the previous milestone being met, making more of these illustrations is a focus for us now. The good thing is there is really no upper limit to how many of these we can include. Most likely, we will just keep making more until it's time to release this game. With all the progress in mind, I feel like I can finally start to share a lot more about the game in the coming months. For example, I already have a gameplay clip in mind I want to release soon. Of course, I know people still have a lot of questions about the game. I believe these are answered best by experiencing the answer, rather than just being told. To that end, I am also considering to release a demo for the game that would feature the entirety of the game's first chapter. With over 70.000 words, the script for chapter 1 alone is already the size of a novel. Preparing something like this might only be possible once we are close to release, though. Perhaps another option could be to release a smaller chunk or two of chapter 1 as their own demos. What do you think? In the meantime, I'll try thinking of more fun and interesting ways I can share more about this game.

[shiori8]

Di Angelo Siblings

Sooo, to absolutely no one's surprise the new Percy Jackson reboot kicked me into full-blown pjo brainrot mode again lol. I saw these super cute fits and some vintage photos of Venice alleyways floating around on Pinterest and was consumed with the need to draw the Di Angelo siblings in them (it's probably wildly "historically and geographically" inaccurate for them, but we're just going to have to deal with the fact that I'm dumb and uncultured xD It's the vibes™ that count, okay!)

Psst, wanna see something cringe😂? Found this old sketch of them from one of my first forays into digital art years ago:

And to quote past-me "I can barely look at the old one, but at least that means I improved, aye?"😂

[vraska-theunseen]

aughhhh. aughhhhhjhhhh

[unma]

I'm not going to be able to write my typical long rambles for a bit (need to catch up on important work), but here's a short list of things I wanna talk about with the latest canto.

Spoilers, of course.

The entire Canto taking place after the ending of Don Quixote (the first Don, I will not call him the Actual Don because our Don is as much Don Quixote as he is) is not something I expected, but makes so much sense and made for a wonderful story. There are themes of identity, struggling to live under a broken system and GOD THE FAMILIAL TIES. THE FIGHT AGAINST THE TWO MIDBOSSES + THE PRIEST HAD SUCH MAGNIFICENT STORY BUILD UP. AND THE PRIEST'S ENTIRE MOVESET. UGGGH I WANNA TALK ABOTU IT

Hey. Outis. What did you mean by that. We all know what I'm talking about, right? This is the first time I know of that she's actually given even a smidge of info about herself somewhat directly. Somewhat. Everything else is just in how she knows things and acts. Here she is asking a very specific question and god, I need to know more about her now.

Good job Sinclair. And everyone else. But good job Sinclair.

Vergilius with Sanson's face/mask is cursed.

I continue to feel so so bad for the Bloodfiends. They did the best they could in a world that gave them only two horrible options. I couldn't help but compare La Manchaland to the Tokyo Ghoul:RE ending, because the hemobars reminded me of the artificial meat, except in TG:RE it worked and here, well. We saw how that went. I think it's a great idea to start with the after of their solution; this isn't a situation with a possible solution, they tried that and failed. Who knows if there is one that works? Does it matter now that they're all dead?

I'm going to be very weird about Camille once this is all said and done, but I do want to note that the pretty boy being turned into a flower and having a name very clearly gotten from Carmilla the flower (and maybe the book? Haven't read it yet so idk if he's taken from there) is very cheeky. I still wish I could've besting him up myself. This isn't me critiquing the writing, this is me being weird.

The QTE in the ending cutscene of the boss fight was cool and really added to the feeling of fighting against and overcoming a clearly superior foe.

I wanna hug Don Quixote the First. He's such a ray of sunshine and deserved better. Even if he was somewhat delusional, at least he genuinely cared for his family.

What happened to Hong Lu's sister? Did she just vanish? I didn't notice until later on, so I'll probably need to go back and check myself.

Bari is the Librarian of Death (edit: Nameless Bookhunter, thanks for the correction AE)? Idfk and idc for now. If Bari ends up showing up again or a moot of mine decides they wanna talk about it, maybe I'll look into it.

The familial themes here are most certainly also going to be related to Hong Lu's story, which once more is a reason I really should get to reading all the books for this game.

Ryoshu accepting death from the possibility of fighting Don Qui the second was really funny.

The abno fights here are really good, and I love how Limbus is making unbreakable coins the standard from now on. Makes it so you can't just blaze through fights taking no damage, and these battles genuinely feel difficult. That's good. Their designs and mechanics are also pretty easy to understand and match with their ego gifts pretty well. God I wish we had more Rupture ids that could stack as much count as the Lasso abno.

Sancho fight was cool as hell. The clashable 10 speed skill was so good and made it feel like a massive improvement on the Cassetti fight. So good. On use coin power did mess me up a little given it doesn't show up in the clash numbers, but that was on me for not reading tbh.

Fun fact: final boss can be Meatlantern soloed really easily. So easy in fact that that's how I cleared it. Doing it with a full team didn't end well for me. The solo's also really consistent, which is nice.

Mili song is really good. As usual. I need to go listen to it again. I need an in-game mix. I need it. The childishness of Sancho's side of the tune compared with the seriousness of first Don's side is lovely.

Also. Please, in the final clash where you use Don's base ego. I hope you looked at the name of the ego and the name of Don the First's attack. Please. It's such a good detail. And it's so much better when you remember that Sancho was always the one making weapons for Don. He calls Sancho's lances much more graceful than his. It's so lovely. You can tell these two genuinely love each other. It's so good.

Also the fact that basically every fixer we went in with got wiped out by weakened Bloodfiends really shows just how powerful these bloodfiends are. Camille had to resort to using ego gear to survive. Sheesh.

That'll be all for now. Expect a long ramble on any of these points when I'm more free, aka never.

[shytastemakerthing]

Hi! I’m completely new to interacting with people on tumblr, but I was wondering if I could see you write the “baking something together” prompt with Lilia Vanrouge? If not that’s perfectly fine!

Hello and thank you for your request! I hope that you enjoy your request! Have a great day!

Tw: Lilia's cooking, that's it. His cooking is always a warning

Cooking with Lilia headcanons

For the love of all that is good, never let this man into the kitchen, whether he is being supervised or not.

Even if it is just you in the kitchen, if you so much as turn your back for a second, this fae has managed to sneak his way inside and add some 'improvements' to what you're cooking.

Now, if there is ever the time when you both are in the kitchen together, for the sake of everyone's health, and your own life, please watch him.

But let's say you haven't been made aware of the... 'cooking' that Lilia deems to be the best, and you are cooking with him, you now see why everyone in Diasomnia refuse to let the fae anywhere near that kitchen, and why everyone runs for the nearest exit as soon as he saunters his way into the room with a smoking pan of....... something.

You watch him moving around the kitchen with such glee, pouring various ingredients, spices, and who knows what else into this massive pot, claiming that he is making a good bowl of tomato soup.

If it can even be called that....

Your face only grows more and more vaguely disgusted the more that he puts in...... did he just put vinegar into the soup? (Most likely.... and who knows what else)

Trying to help gets you really nowhere. He is keen on being able to provide for you. What sort of partner would he be if he didn't prepare your meals for you? He makes them the most nutritious after all.

........... R U N

The smell of smoke filled your nose as you walked into the Diasomnia common room, and you were fairly certain if they actually had any sort of fire alarms here, they would be blaring. So.... that explains the rush of Diasomnia students flooding into the mirror hall. For them to be running like that, and now seeing all of the smoke, that could only mean one thing.

"Lilia, I thought you said that you would wait for me to help you." You chuckled as you walked into the kitchen to see the older fae with a beaming smile on his face as he stirred a pot with thick, black, bubbling gloop inside of it...... was that a frog's leg hanging out the side?

The vice housewarden only gave his usual gleeful chuckle upon hearing your words, turning to face you as he ushered you to a chair.

"Well, I was going to wait, but then Silver, Sebek, and Malleus tried to keep me from coming into the kitchen even when I told them you were going to help me. But with the excitement of knowing we would get to cook something together, I just couldn't wait! After all, what sort of partner would I be if I couldn't provide you with one of my delicious meals?"

The cheeky fae certainly knew how to get his way into the kitchen, even if Malleus, Sebek, and Silver tried to stop him. Knowing that they were at a loss, you were left to clean up the mess...... literally.

"Now, I hope you came hungry, because dinner is served."

Authors note: Requests are open!

[inventors-fair]

Improved Imitations: Modified Copies Winners

~

Our winners this week are @10001gecs, @fractured-infinity, and @levelzeo!

@10001gecs — Pea-Pod Fields//Silent Suburbs

Immediately what sticks out to me is what I guessed to be—and you confirmed in your submission—a very direct reference to classic horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). For those who haven't seen it, aliens invade by way of strange vegetative pods that slowly kill and replace humans, thus the use of pea-pods as a stand-in. I do think calling it "Suburbs" might be a bit too on the nose, as it's difficult to fit that concept into any of the existing Magic setting, and could easily be achieved with something like "village" or "district" in a more urban plane. I've been really excited to see new Room designs after their strong initial showing, and this really hits the spot. Both doors synergize perfectly while still standing up fine on their own. Pea-Pod fields is a bit harder to quantify on its own, but a slightly more expensive Rampant Growth that thins your deck an additional card is perfectly serviceable. Though, it could feel like the order you want to unlock them is a bit fixed. The land coming back as a creature as well is very clever, and the wording on Silent Suburbs means it works extremely well with effect that let you relock doors.

@fractured-infinity — Boon of Sakashima

I want to preface this by making clear that I say this with the greatest respect, but: what? This is immediately so delightfully off-kilter that I'm instantly transfixed. A one mana Clever Impersonator is certainly absurdly powerful on its own, but both stripping away power and toughness from creatures it may copy and attaching it at the hip to a creature to make it easier to remove are both very smart. It's not flawless however, and I do have a few gripes. Copying another Aura removes most of the downsides and is thus noticeably more powerful that its other applications, so I think it could use a "non-Aura" rider. Similarly, if the intention of being an Aura is to make it more vulnerable, being able to enchant creatures you don't control feels rather against the spirit of the card. Having said all that, though, I'm still a very big fan of the card.

@levelzeo — Vengeful Shadows

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vast majority of cards submitted this week were blue. After all, blue is the primary color for copying things, but any color can do it if it feels sufficiently appropriate. That's what draws me to this card, then, which does copying in monoblack in a way that just feels so right. Black is already plenty good at bringing back creatures that die, so this really just functions as an extension to that, and tacking the Quietus Spike effect to whoever wronged the creature feels so delightfully devilish. The restriction to your opponent having to intentionally remove something prevents it from being too easily abusable, while the flash enables it to still be a "gotcha" moment against an unwary opponent. The flavor is just delicious too, really epitomizing "vengeance" while fully selling the really cool shadow angle. Part of me is kind of sad that the copy doesn't have shadow, but I'm fully aware that that would be both too cute and too strong, so I don't hold it against you.

~

There's another post coming shortly, except it's the runners up! (It's not the winners.) —@spooky-bard

[canirove]

In The Name of Love | Chapter 22

Author's note: Can you tell when I wrote this chapter? 🫣😂

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Val, this just came in the mail for you."

"For me?" I say, looking at the big envelope Silvia is giving me. 

"Yep. It's from your boyfriend."

"Oh, thank you" I say, opening it. "Oh my God."

"What… Valeria! Is that… is that him?"

"I think so."

"You think so? Val, you probably are the person who has seen adult Pedri naked the most! Apart from his teammates and himself, of course."

"All the moles are in the right places, so… yeah, it's him."

"Holy shit" Silvia laughs. "He didn't look like that when I saw him shirtless after your first night together."

"He did not, no" I say, looking at the magazine in my hands, a shirtless Pedri on the cover.

"Can I have a look?"

"Yeah, sure" I say, giving it to Silvia.

"Oh, it comes with a note. Happy early Christmas, Val. Hope you like my little present ;) I don't know if you like it, but I certainly do."

"Should I worry about my best friend thirsting over my boyfriend?"

"Nah. You two are too obsessed with each… Holy mother of Jesus, Valeria."

"Now what?" I laugh.

"Look. Look!" Silvia says, showing me one of the photos.

"He looks ridiculous."

"Ridi… what? He looks fucking hot, Val."

"And ridiculous. Who wears a beanie while shirtless?" 

"He does. And he does it so well… I don't know if I'm gonna be able to look at him the same after this, Val. Holy shit."

"You already said that" I laugh again.

"You are such a lucky bitch…" she says while flicking through the magazine. "A fucking lucky bitch." 

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

I think your early Christmas present has broken Silvia

What? 😂

Next time she sees you she may jump at you

Ok 😂😂

What about you? 😏

What about me?

Will you jump at me too?

Meh 🤷‍♀️

Seriously, Val? 🙄

You look ridiculous 😂

What? I look fucking hot!

Ridiculous. A beanie while shirtless? Who does that? 😂

I do. For you. 

You love it when I wear one

Yeah, but when you also are wearing clothes

🙄

I thought that was going to be your favourite photo. Because besides the beanie, I'm also showing those things you love so much 

Things? What things? 🤔

The ones on my hips that take you to your favourite place in my body 😏

🙄🙄🙄

They have your name 😏

What? 😂

They are a V shape… V for Valeria

🙄🙄🙄

🤗🤗🤗

I'll print that photo so you can have it on your bedside table and be the first thing you see every morning when you wake up and every night before going to sleep

No thank you

You prefer the real thing, I get it 😌

You'll have him soon 😏

Right now the real thing can stay in Valencia tbh

You are so mean, Val. 

I give you a present and get naked thinking of you, and look at the way you treat me 😔

🤷‍♀️ How have your teammates treated you btw? I'm sure they are laughing in your face 😂

They are a bunch of jealous idiots 🙄

So they have made fun of you, haven't they? 😂

🙄

Poor Pepi 🥺

🖕🏻

Love you too 🤍 And speaking of teammates… Anything new about Ferran?

He still wants to leave during the winter transfer window

Really?

Yeah… And I get it. 

He isn't playing, and his head not being where it should be isn't helping him. 

I think being away even if it's just for 6 months will do him good. 

Personally and for his career

Yeah, I guess… 

It will, trust me

Wish I could be there to hug you right now tho 🥺

I can hug the magazine.  Isn't that what you wanted? 🤗

🙄🙄

Instead of printing a photo you should get me a pillow with your face on it or something 😂

And what are you going to do with that pillow? 😏

Always thinking about the same 🙄

I'm horny, I haven't see you in a week

Then use your hand, Pedro

You do it better 😏

🙄

The moment we arrive from Valencia I'm driving to your place. 

Tell Silvia to leave if she doesn't want to hear certain things

I don't think she'll mind if she gets to see you shirtless in the morning 😂

Like after our first night together? 

That's what she said when she saw the photos.  You've improved since that day

And not just physically, have I? 😏

🙄

I have and you know it. 

And I will be showing you how much very soon 😏

If I let you in

You don't have to let me in for me to show you how good I am 😛😉

Jesus Christ, Pedro 🙄

Yep, that's what you will be saying 😏

🙄

Love you too, Val 🤍

[deadbeatbirdmom]

Personally I don’t expect team rwby to solve all bigotry, but I’d like to see them make any sort of attempt to at least begin to change something? Even relatively small scale?

The SDC seemed like the perfect opportunity but nope,

And maybe don’t kill,of characters like sienna and have characters like Robyn hill who are actively trying to combat class inequality get competed into fighting Salem instead

Movies like nimona manage it I don’t see why rwby can’t

This is the last time I'll be answering an ask to do with these issues in RWBY. I don't feel that there's a satisfactory answer, and certainly not one that I can provide. I've mentioned something along those lines before, but I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're not the same anon and didn't see my posted answer.

I recently reblogged a post about these issues, but that doesn't mean my answer has changed. That post basically said there is no simple fix, and that means it isn't possible to do in RWBY, unless it was a fictional fix that wouldn't work in reality, which would be disrespectful.

I'm not sure what you expect four teenagers to be able to do, even small scale. They're good at fighting Grimm, but that doesn't mean anyone's going to pay attention to them about anything else.

Ruby's lucky at least some people listened to her broadcast about Salem, but that's connected with Grimm.

Weiss was the SDC heiress but ended up having that taken away before she could do anything good with it, and actually doing anything would have had to wait until her father was no longer in control.

Blake persuaded Menagerie's faunus to form a militia and help save Haven from Adam's corrupted White Fang, but that took a serendipitous attack on her parents and their house partly burning down. She can't command that militia to do anything else.

Yang would struggle to persuade anyone to do anything. The last time Remnant at large saw her was during the Vytal tournament broadcast, apparently breaking Mercury's leg unprovoked. The CCT is still down, so chances are most people have no idea she was set up. I dunno, maybe she could intimidate some sense into people?

I'm not sure when team RWBY would have had time to do anything while in Atlas. Ironwood kept them busy. Were they supposed to take down or reform the SDC with the one night off they had? If they'd tried they might well have found themselves arrested, the SDC and its Dust is rather important to the Atlas military. And then where would they be with their goal of getting the second Relic from the Atlas vault?

As for after things fell apart with Ironwood... As important as these issues are, avoiding arrest and doing their part to help get word out about Salem, or helping Mantle and then rescuing Oscar had priority.

It's not the reason they've done it, they just happened to fall in love, but I guess it could be argued that Blake and Yang's romance is some sort of proof that faunus and humans are equal.

After Salem is eventually somehow defeated, I can imagine at least Blake working with or even leading the reformed White Fang and campaigning for faunus rights. I'm sure the rest of her team would help her if there's anything they can do.

But survival against Salem has to come first. So a huntress like Robyn Hill doesn't really have any choice. There won't be any world to improve if Salem isn't stopped.

As for Sienna, take that up with Adam. I'd much rather she hadn't been killed off too, but there was no other way that was going to end between them.

That's the best I can do, anon. I'm well aware it's not a great answer. I can't provide one. I don't think there is one.

I haven't seen Nimona, I don't have a Netflix subscription. Maybe I'll watch it the next time I want to rewatch She-Ra. I've read the Nimona graphic novel years ago, but I don't remember bigotry being solved in there. Unless you meant an attempt being made? I need to reread it.

Edit: this got long and I forgot about a read more cut until now. Apologies!

[melishade]

One thing I am curious about, in the War Timeline Dreadwing is on the ship and he is currently the SIC of the Decepticons. How does he feel about the enslavement and mass murder of Eldians and Marleyans alike? Dreadwing values honor greatly, I don't think he'll be able to sit idle with all the shit happening. He is someone who took on Optimus twice and gained the upperhand in both fights he is certainly not someone to underestimate.

Part 12: Breakdown’s role

Again, I have to remind everyone that the War Timeline takes place before season 2 episode 7. But yeah, Dreadwing is an absolute powerhouse in strength and loyalty when it comes to the Decepticon cause, but even his loyalty is starting to wane because of how the Eldians are treated.

Picture this: your whole cause is about fighting against the oppression of the Autobots. And that what Dreadwing still believes in throughout the series. He only defected when he realized that Megatron was willing to lie to him in order to protect Starscream about Skyquake.

Now when we go to the War Timeline, Dreadwing is still extremely loyal to Megatron. His opinions on the humans doesn't really matter. It doesn't improve, but it doesn't falter. He just doesn't care about them. He cares about the war and the Autobots. He cares about avenging Skyquake by killing Optimus.

But over time, Dreadwing is seeing Zeke's torture and the treatment of the Eldians and just finds the process unnecessary. They break easily when asked to do tasks. Why not just get the vehicons to do it? They were more than capable of doing so. Dreadwing presses the question to Megatron, but the former warlord justifies it saying that the humans are bugs that don't even live very long. They shouldn't care about their well-being and safety, especially since their lives help save the lives of their own army. Vehicons aren't put in dangerous situations if the humans take their places. Same them resources for combat.

Dreadwing can see the logic behind it. There was still the matter of the Autobots being MIA, and this 'Rumbling' power that has been alluded to before by Zeke, but then he's getting...information. Information about the treatment of the Eldians through the vehicons, and through his own spying of Breakdown connecting with the Eldians himself. And Dreadwing is acknowledging the fact that this was hypocritical of them. Who cared if their lives were short? Megatron was abandoning the cause they stood for in the past.

Dreadwing was ready to try and reason with him, but then he gets attacked by the people from Paradis and the ship goes down. They lose resources, Airachnid still hadn't returned, and Knockout says that Breakdown is dead, and Megatron is going further off the deep end to the point where he can't be reasoned with anymore. Dreadwing is quite fearful of what that would entail. But Dreadwing is mortified to hear that they intend to attack the island with the Colossal Titans. They haven't gauged the threat level. The Autobots are here. They haven't heard back from Airachnid. They needed a plan! He brings up this concern with Megatron, but Megatron has an idea. A completely twisted idea involving dark energon and the titan powers.

(I don't really have much to say about Dreadwing. I think it would take more time for right now, for Dreadwing to defect from Megatron given the circumstances. But the pieces are there. I just think it'd be funny for Dreadwing to form a union now that Breakdown is gone.)

[fruit-sy]

jjk s1 and s2 spoilers

caught up to the jjk anime this week and damn, hits hard

Animation is stellar, the characters are really fun, there's themes that really hit me hard and godamn the ending of jjk 0 actually made me cry, like tears were shed. I understood why my brother loved the movie lmao

but rn there's one man on my mind. Gojo fucking satoru

Gojo Satoru is just, wow, what hasn't been said about him? He's certainly a showstopper alright, I know Itadori's the protagonist but my eyes were on Gojo the entire time, season 2 personally was even more exciting with that in mind.

I haven't really had the time to do a deep dive on him, but I do have some thoughts... First, yeah he's hot asf I'll give him that (those eyes of his are on my mind and they won't leave me alone, also props to the english dub for the absolutely feral lines)

but the progression of him as a person is also really fun to see. I'm especially interested in him maturing from this arrogant and individualistic person at the beginning of season 2 to... well, still being that but also becoming a mentor to other people.

Like, that's such a huge step for me because contrary to what his pride tells him, he's come to realize he can't do it alone (I mean, he can at the moment but it's more realistic to try and personally raise these youth with potential so that they may bring about a powerful new generation)

The line about education really hit me and I kept thinking about it these last couple of days. He wants to bring change, but if he's the only one humanity has to rely on, he'll run himself ragged. And so, he takes the time and patience to grow these little seedlings, watch them get more powerful but also watch as they may fail along the journey. Even though he's become a teacher, he's not soft on them at all. It's a fact that if they're unable to keep up with him, they will get left behind. Whether that be in skill, or death.

Other than to raise more powerful sorcerers, I can't help but feel this also comes from a place of loneliness, because Geto left him.

I wonder, how much it will hurt to see his students fall? Because although they are improving at a fast rate, can they really keep up with The Gojo Satoru? Or will they against all odds, with his full support, be able to carry on when he's gone? Despite the uncertainty, he continues to teach.

Though the goal is daunting, seeing him wake up to his students and smiling brought such a warm feeling to my chest, it was so sweet.

Also love how unhinged he can get, like characters who do the manic smile thing never ceases to make me giggle excitedly (Nobara and Fushiguro also knocked it out of the park in that aspect, extremely hyped when they went completely off the hinge and kicked ass).

However, there's one scene that absolutely left me in awe. A beautiful mixture of music and imagery that sent shivers up my body every time I watch it. A scene in which he's shown being a mixture of unhinged, yet so at "peace". The juxtaposition is absolutely beautiful to see.

Fighting against toji, where he was high off his epiphany, he had an inner monologue so quiet, so relaxed and detached from how he usually is, coupled with the same piano tune that accompanied the scenes with him, Riko and Geto in the background. My breath was taken away, my eyes were glued to the screen in awe as the music crescendo-ed, and I couldn't help but think "he's beautiful" splattered in blood, bathed in sunlight and eyes glowing with the most vibrant blue.

After the dust had settled, the three of them lost something that day. Riko lost her life, Gojo started to lose his best friend, and Geto started to lose his moral compass and ideals.

The piano music was called "一緒なら" or "If I am with you/together". I wonder why? Perhaps the first time, it was from Riko's POV, as she, Gojo, Geto and Kuroi were sightseeing for the very last time.

The second time, although Gojo seemed detached from Riko's death, perhaps he genuinely cared for her, so much that he'd mourn in his own way.

The arc started with Gojo carrying Riko in his arms

The arc ended with Gojo holding Riko's dead body as the crowd celebrated her death.

He started to lose it, even asking Geto if he should kill all of them. Funny how the tables have turned.

[shelikesrainydays]

// August 7th, 2024

Welp, there goes July. It's interesting to see how actually setting a time to do things and monitor the progress somehow (in my case, with Forest) my study habit improved monstrously. Instead of doing it sporadically (particularly, those days in which I feel extremely anxious about my career) I try to sit down everyday and do something. The "2 minutes rule" that James Clear mentioned in Atomic Habits in my case is the 25 minutes of a single study session. Weirdly enough, I found myself wanting to keep going on for two or three sessions more. I'm not kidding when I say that this has been a life changer for me: I don't dread studying anymore. Sure, there are days where I don't fancy the idea of coming back from work and keep my mind busy for 2 extra hours, but it's not the majority of days, and that's what is surprising me. Like... guys, these are 18 solid hours of focused time🤯 And do you know what is the best part? I find myself being able to focus better on other things as well. I still have a lot of room for improvement, but comparing this to my past self, it certainly is a HUGE change. I'm excited to see how this will keep evolving 🙌 On another note, since I haven't been able to keep this blog active during these past few weeks (apart from the occasional reblog):

✦ I started watching How I met your Mother with bf (he says that knowing me, he's absolutely sure I'm gonna love it). Yeah, I'm not very good at keeping up with series, specially those that have more than 3 seasons; so it won't surprise me if anyone who reads this thinks "Girl, how's it even possible you haven't watched it?!". Sorry not sorry, I spend my little free time daydreaming about stuff okay? ✦ We also watched the whole season 6 of Mystery of Aaravos, a.k.a as The Dragon Prince. My GOD, sh*t just started getting real. We even set the time to make Hamantaschen, those Jewish jelly pastries in a shape of a triangle! Even though they looked hideous they were surprisingly tasty 😋⭐

✦ I bought myself a new Kindle! My previous one was okay, but I thought it was time for an update and I took it as a treat for being able to focus better on my studies. I ordered a few stickers as well, I will decorate it as soon as they arrive. ✦ We also got tickets for a symphony concert at one of our local theaters today, to listen to Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Star Wars and other iconic movie pieces 🎻. It's my first time attending to this kind of events so I'm pretty excited about it as well! I've always wanted to go to a Hans Zimmer concert, but I think this will have to suffice for the time being. I'm sure it will be great anyways. ✦ I'm a little stuck with my japanese. Even when I still do my Doulingo sessions, I feel like I need to start practicing more my kanjis. And I reached the point where not knowing katakana has become an obstacle. So yeah, if I want to keep at it, I need to stop ignoring the writing practice. It's just, so hard keeping with everything up. And the new kanjis keep accumulating... 🫠

Phew, that was a lot to write! But I'm not sure when I'll have the time to do this again so I wanted to create a meaningful post.

Cambio y fuera.

[poisonappletales]

@automaticcheesecakenacho’s Valentines + White Day Replies [3/5]

@automaticcheesecakenacho submitted the following Valentines:

She wrote:

Here's the first of the second Valentine collection and it's for majority of the characters that I wrote a Valentine gram to last year, 2023. The only one that I wrote a friendship Valentine gram to is for Sis Ambrosia~ 💌 This is part 1 and it's to Sis Ambrosia~ Love you Sis Ambrosia~ ❤️ 

Link to where I posted all of the second Valentine collection:  https://www.tumblr.com/automaticcheesecakenacho/741165649700782080/hi-again-world-please-see-the-first-post-from?source=share

She wrote:

Here is the 4th Valentine of the 2nd Valentine batch to Chase (Second batch)

She wrote:

Here is the 6th Valentine of the 2nd Valentine batch to Barium (Second batch) 

She wrote:

Here is the 7th Valentine of the 2nd Valentine batch to Unknown (Second batch)

She wrote:

Here is the 8th Valentine of the 2nd Valentine batch to Viktor (Second batch/collection)

She wrote:

Here is the 14th Valentine of the 2nd Valentine batch to Grant (Second batch) 

♥♥♥

Here are the White Day replies!

"...If you don't have much experience with confessing or being in relationships, I'm not sure how helpful your advice is, Lady Ambrosia."

"Even if I haven't been with a man before, Lady Jasmine, I do have my observations!

But I do believe trusting your intuition is important, even when it comes to things outside of confessing to someone you like."

"You should've included something about looking your best, too!"

"Ah, I think it'd be better to say...be confident! If looking good helps you to be more confident, then you can certainly do so. It doesn't hurt."

[rolling her eyes] "You give such boring, cookie-cutter advice. Forget about confessing. Just give the guy a smooch. You'll know if he likes you then."

[blushing] "Um...that's a very bold move. It's also possible it may not be appreciated so I...well, I don't know if I'd be able to do that..."

"No duh."

"Not to mention, Sir Thunder might be dangerous so I was including a lot of safety tips..."

"It is almost unbelievable that Grant of the Trold received a Valentine. He also made his card design really simple..."

"There's nothing wrong with simple. Or with him receiving a Valentine! My brother deserves to have one!"

"His wrestling tips could use some work. But cool dog."

"Haha! Is everyone just criticizing everyone's advice today? At least there's nothing to complain about with mine."

"I don't know. I feel like you're kind of copying my Valentine's style."

"No, I'm not. Mine has sushi and yours ice cream."

"They're both food!"

"Um...why does the sushi on the left look like it's crying? I don't think anyone should eat that one."

"Hah, making it your pet now?"

"I'll make it a very happy sushi. I'm just not sure what sushi...eats?"

"Say, Arsenik. You prefer my confession 'tip' over Ambrosia's, don't you?"

"Oh, of course not. Miss Ambrosia gives perfectly sound advice so I wholeheartedly recommend seeing her if the confessor is unsure about things."

[murmuring:] "Never mind the fact that If Miss Ambrosia were to follow your advice with the wrong man...it could completely ruin her first kiss."

---

Here are some extra confessing tips from Ambrosia, tailored for each man!

Arsenik

♡ He seems like a gentleman so I would think he would appreciate good manners.

However! I also believe he has a sense of honor so it's more important to be honest and genuine. If you're someone who's rough around the edges, then let it shine! Of course, self-improvement is always good. But you should not have to change yourself specifically for a man. ♥

So that brings me to my next point!

♡ Charge your confession with the pure power of your love!!!

Chase

♡ Sir Chase looks like he might doze off if you go on for too long. So keep it short, simple and to the point!

♡ Don't let his scars scare you! Once you get to know him, you'll see that he's not such a frightening man at all.

Wind

♡ With Imugi, I feel like it's always best to approach with caution.

♡ You might benefit from confessing with your eyes first. So look at him with the power of your love and see if he returns the look!

Night

♡ I have no tips for Sir Cyanite. You should not confess to him.

Onyx

♡ It's awfully hard to tell what he's thinking. Maybe you should use your finger and draw a heart on the glass of his helmet. Hehe...

King Barium

♡ Um...I think it might be rather easy to confess to him. Rather, he might easily confess to you by inviting you to join his harem! But do you really want to join it?

Viktor

♡ Put on your best smile!

♡ Speak loud and clear!!

X

♡ X marks the spot!!!

♡ Ehe, more seriously...X marks the spot.

♡ Give him some more of his favorite candy?

Unknown

♡ I don't think you need any tips here either. Rather, I would say...don't say 'yes' to everything he wants, okay?

♡ Throw sushi at him.

Prince Alexandrite

♡ Erm...not much is known about him, is there? I don't even know him myself, really...so let's just rely on our trusty fail-safe.

♡ Charge your confession with the pure power of your love!!!

[kym2020]

Depths＊The Beast Laying Hidden Beneath

Bloodthirsty Beast Chapter 5

《A few days after the start of filming》

Rei: "The third victim...!? Once again, is it the work of the 'Beast'? They're getting in the way of our work..."

Adonis: "I see. So the victim was once again someone we know. It seems that the 'Beast' is indeed targeting people related to the Sakurayama¹ Social Club. And persistently at that... Perhaps they have already infiltrated this group."

Koga: "For now, I have an alibi for the first incident. That means I can be ruled out as a suspect, right?"

Rei: "I was on duty that day too. My colleagues should be able to vouch for my alibi."

Adonis: "Sagurayama-san and Ohata-kun had alibis. That means, for now, it's only the two of us without alibis."

Rei: "What about you, Hatori-san?"

Kaoru: "Huh? Are you suspecting me? Just because I took the day off alone doesn't mean I would commit a crime. Isn't that host discrimination? Besides, I use a stage name for business, so please don't call me by my real name too often, okay?"

Koga: (...Adonis is still suspicious. His acting is still a bit awkward. From what I see, it seems he's still uncertain. He's a bit more restless compared to the three of us.)

Adonis: Excuse me, Director. It seems I still haven't fully grasped this role. Because of that, I've caused trouble for everyone. Am I the only one staying behind for the practice? Just me and the director? Understood. Thank you very much.

Koga: Oi, oi, is he okay? He finally got called in by the director.

Kaoru: More than......just a little, I'm quite worried about it.

Rei: Since it's Adonis-kun we're talking about, I believe he'll eventually make a course correction.

Koga: Yeah, that's right. I hope he can find some tips... Look at this. Adonis, that jerk, has written so much in the script. Even though he's not that good at writing Japanese. It's cruel if he doesn't see any results after this. Huh? This script has a page after the crumpled one that has been fixed. What is this...!?

Kaoru: Is this...!?

Rei: It says, "Please help me"... Should I call it a cry from Adonis-kun's heart? So that's why the script was unnaturally crumpled. It's more serious than I thought. He might be carrying a lot of stress due to his own immature acting skills.

Koga: I can't believe Adonis was feeling so cornered... Let's go ask him right away. Why was he carrying such a burden until it got to this point?

Kaoru: Yeah, I'd love to do that, but... considering Adonis-kun, maybe it's not a good idea to go and ask him right now.

Koga: Huh?

Kaoru: You see, Adonis-kun has been asking for our advice all along, right? But I feel like he's struggling with the fact that his acting hasn't improved. If we ask him right now, it might make things even more difficult for him... That's what I think. I agree. It's hard to imagine Adonis-kun treating his tools of the trade so carelessly.

Rei: Adonis-kun is doing his best. By misleading him with our advice, we might further corner him.

Koga: Hmph. You're just spouting pretty words. I get it. If Adonis is burdened with a problem he can't share with anyone, it's only natural for us, his comrades, to listen and help him figure it out. I'll accompany him during his extra practice. Adonis will appreciate not being alone with just the director, right?

Kaoru: You're full of youth, Koga-kun...

Rei: Indeed. When I see Adonis-kun and Koga like this, it makes me feel rejuvenated as well. However, I can't say for sure if it was a good decision to let Kouga go. There's also the possibility that Adonis-kun's extra practice serves as an excuse for filming the 'Beast' scenes. It's certainly a difficult situation to navigate. We must be careful not to inadvertently step on a tiger's tail.

Kouga: (Tch, causing me to worry...)

(But man, he's really unlucky. I never thought he would end up practicing one-on-one with the director. Their directorial plan must have clashed severely.)

(Though his acting is awkward, it's not so terrible that it had to come to this.)

Adonis: ........!

Koga: (Haha, he's putting all his passion into his acting. It looks like he's truly focused. Wasn't this my cue to enter?)

Adonis: please stop. Director you are going too far...

Koga: (Oh...? Why is the director bowing? And on top of that, Adonis is desperately trying to calm them down. What's going on...!)

(Damn it, I don't understand! Maybe because the director's voice is too soft, I can't hear from here!)

(No choice, I'll get a bit closer—)

Adonis: Director... I'm sorry, but if that's the case, I'd like to quit.

Koga: (...!?)

(Quit? Does that mean... Is he really going to abandon the job? Quitting, is that what he means?)

Hey, Adonis! What were you talking about with the director just now?

Adonis: Oh, Ogami... You were there.

Koga: What was that exchange about!? The director was bowing their head, and you said you want to quit—don't tell me you're quitting this drama?

Adonis: I'm sorry, but I can't say. The only thing I can tell you is that I made a rational decision. I don't want to trouble the rest of 'UNDEAD'... Please believe me.

Koga: tch....!

translator's notes:

[1] Sakurayama or Sagurayama Social Club, I'm getting confused with the raws.

[cataztrophi]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by: @noodyl-blasstal thanks!!

Tagging: @fandomsnstuff @duck-newton I think a lot of people have been tagged already but if you haven't pls consider this an invitation to answer these as well!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2 currently, but I plan on putting up my TAZNC work at which point I will have 15!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

4,680 right now, but that number will increase by a lot shortly since I think all my TAZNC works were between 1,000-4,000 words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

TAZ, and I've got a few Owl House things in the works I hope to finish some day.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Show Me Yours, then The Thing With Feathers

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I love receiving comments and I love being able to talk a bit about what I was thinking when I wrote things.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't usually write a lot of angst, but probably this unnamed ficlet because nothing really gets resolved at the end, although it is a fairly hopeful ending.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

It's hard to pick, I write mostly things that leave a lot of possibilities open, but I'd say probably my 10th entry for TAZNC this year (man I really gotta name these things) because I think the emotional journey makes the ending more satisfying.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope! I've only gotten very kind words and I'm extremely grateful for all of them.

9. Do you write smut?

Yup. Nothing I'm quite finished with yet but I have several in the works and I hope to get some posted soon

10. Do you write crossovers?

They're not really my style, but I think they are fun to think about and play around with!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, and I'm small enough right now that I think it's unlikely.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I've heard of

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I did once on a previous account, unfortunately I was very bad at finishing anything at that point in my life and I hadn't gotten on ADD meds, so we didn't finish it (my fault). I'd like to co-write something at some point, but I think I'd need to have more practice with writing/finishing longer stories before I felt confident about doing it again.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Taakitz babey! Top tier meet-weird plus some truly beautiful moments, and such a great dynamic to play around with

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I'm not sure I'd say "never," but there is one Taakitz fake dating fic that I would need to seriously rework in order to make it coherent. I hope to finish some version of it someday, but it certainly won't look like the current WIP.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Boy I wish I knew! Someone told me I have a "lyrical" writing style, so I'll take it! I do really like working with the flow of words. Also I wrote a lot of tender romantic scenes when I was a touch-starved closeted high schooler, and I was surprised by how easy those scenes feel to write in my current work.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I have a tendency to write too much lead-in and too much ending if I'm not careful, so I basically have to chop off the first and last bits of every fic. I am very bad at coming up with plots. I worry a lot about capturing characters' voices and can struggle with differentiating them. And as previously mentioned, I tend to start a lot of things and not finish them, although I think I'm improving in that regard!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I'm very wary about it for myself. I could just about manage French but for anything else I'd want someone fluent to look it over for me.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Good Omens, back before the TV series came out! It was a pretty small fandom at that point, and I had to get my Aziraphale/Crowley angst out somewhere when I only knew like three people who'd read the book

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

I'm really proud of my TAZNC work, but I think I'm still proudest of The Thing With Feathers because I feel like I did exactly what I wanted with it and captured everything I was hoping to.

[samiholloway]

You flex your hands and the joints click a little, all of them. You never quite realized just how many joints are in your hands before, how perfectly shaped all the little bones have to be to work so well together. It's freaky, being so /aware/, and you're starting to freak out, but you're also still paying attention to your hands and the signals telling you everything is exactly, perfectly the way it's supposed to be. Still paying attention to the doctor saying, "There was an accident. You were hurt. Too badly to heal, for sure, too badly to save, really, but you were here thankfully and we were able to do this for you."

"What did you do?"

The voice in your head is still yours; the voice that comes out is not yours at all. That voice is calm, pleasant, absolutely even, perfectly androgynous, and comes with more signals telling your about vibrating membranes and speakers and volume and resonance.

He looks uncertain.

You say it again, louder. "What did you do?"

"You're still you," he answers, not the question you asked. "You'll see."

---

You are still you, after a fashion. You like the same things, dislike the same things, have the same memories. But you don't eat now, even though you technically can if your energy cells are running low. If you do, you don't taste things the same way, just analyze the chemicals for the conversion to emergency power, so what's the point? You could eat rocks and it would be as appealing.

You miss coffee in the morning, and tea at night, and chocolate cake.

This body is yours now, they assure you of that. You live in it, these are your hands, your feet, your face that's just as mobile and expressive as your first one. But the features weren't modeled after anyone in particular, and certainly not you in specific, and even though the expressions are all you, you don't think the face in the mirror looks much like you, though you're getting used to it. (It was hard, at first, a gaping void between /you/ and /your reflection/, a gut-deep sense of wrongness that made you avoid mirrors for weeks. You don't need the bathroom much anymore anyway. Who needs a reflection?)

You worry they'll repossess your body. You worry there's a secret clause you don't know about. You aren't paying for it, they haven't asked for anything in return other than updates and periodic visits for monitoring and recalibration or repairs or upgrades as they improve the technology -- you're the first success and they're learning a lot from you -- but what if you do something with it that they don't like? They say it's yours but you didn't choose it and it doesn't feel like you and doesn't feel like it fits right, so what if you start changing it to make the fit better?

The longer this goes on, this strange new life, the more you think about this. Where is the line where it stops being your body and goes back to being their property? You ask yourself every time you paint a new section of your chassis, ask again as you start experimenting with casing materials.

---

You don't age now, not really. The doctor you woke up to retires, and his successor is the lab assistant who knows your workings inside and out. You're not the only one now, but you're still the first.

"How long do you think I'll last?"

"Oh, probably as long as you want to," she says. "We could just keep replacing parts indefinitely, I think." She has an arm almost like yours to fix a problem she was born with. Both her hands work the same way, as smoothly as if they were both flesh.

"Am I still me?"

"Do you feel like you are?"

You think about it as she fits a new joint into your leg; the old one gave out after ten years of long hikes to see the world. This one is a shiny new gold, so it'll shine through the filligree of the leg around it, all the lights and wires tracing the curves like art.

"I think I'm more me than I ever have been."

“You must be confused, and that’s understandable. Allow me to explain,” says the doctor as you wake up in your new robotic body.

[cryptidsurveys]

Saturday, January 25th, 2024.

Self-Discovery and Personal Growth

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in life so far? Self-destruction solves nothing. No one else can fix you; sometimes they can give you the necessary tools, but you're the one who ultimately has to put in the work. Change is a slow process and it can feel like nothing much is happening, but it's worth sticking with it. Don't let fear hold you back. You're allowed to love and value yourself. Etc.

How do you define success for yourself? A quiet and simple existence in which I can do the things I love with the people I love. Being able to face whatever life throws at me. Gaining independence and health. Feeling a sense of pride and contentment with the choices I've made and the person I am.

What’s a belief you once held that you no longer believe? I used to think I couldn't manage without my eating disorder, but that belief no longer has such a strong hold on me.

How do you stay motivated when things get tough? I don't always stay super motivated. Sometimes life feels like a slog. I just try to remind myself of the future I'm building and the fact that backsliding will only make things harder in the long run. I also try to be grateful for the good and remember that hard times don't last forever.

What do you think is your greatest strength? I'm honestly not sure. I don't feel like I have any great strengths, but maybe introspection…? Gradually learning how to properly analyze my thoughts and behaviors, how they help and how they hinder me, how to create better outcomes going forward, etc.

What’s your biggest personal weakness, and how do you work on it? Fear is probably at the root of all my biggest weaknesses. I just try to keep facing it. I'm still too scared to face certain things, but some fears don't seem nearly as realistic or overwhelming as they once did.

How have you changed in the last five years? I went from feeling mostly suicidal and hopeless to…whatever it is I'm doing now, lmao.

What’s something you’re currently working on improving about yourself? Believing that I am worthy of love and acceptance.

What’s a fear you’ve overcome, and how did you do it? This is a relatively silly fear compared to some of my other ones, but I've come a long way when it comes to spiders. I think my perspective really started to shift when I began rescuing the ones at the animal shelter. I realized they aren't just going to "get me."

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? I kind of already described it above, but also knowing that the day will generally become better and easier as it progresses. Mornings are the hardest.

Relationships and Connection

What do you value most in a friendship? Among other things, being able to let my guard down and be myself. That deep sense of ease and security.

How do you handle conflict in relationships? I haven't been in a romantic relationship for years now, but as far as relationships in general are concerned, I've become increasingly avoidant. It's great in some situations because it helps me avoid needless reactionary arguments, but it's got its downsides as well. And I still occasionally slip back into old patterns and respond defensively or impulsively, but far less often and less intensely. I'm still trying to find a middle ground.

Do you believe in soulmates or destiny when it comes to relationships? Not really.

How do you typically show love and appreciation to others? I guess mainly through acts of service and quality time. I also try to make others feel valued, heard, and understood, but I'm not always the best at that for one reason or another.

What’s the most meaningful compliment someone has ever given you? I don't knooowww.

Have you ever had to end a relationship for your personal growth? I would say it was more like the end of that relationship led to personal growth. It wasn't the sole driving reason to improve myself, but it was certainly part of it.

How do you feel about forgiveness? Is it easy or difficult for you? It's definitely something I strive for. How easy or difficult it is really depends on the circumstances, but by far the hardest person to forgive has been myself.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about relationships? Probably that I will never feel truly secure with others until I feel secure within myself.

Do you feel comfortable being vulnerable with others? I'm fine when it comes to my dad and my therapist, but I find it incredibly difficult with people in general.

How do you usually build trust with people? Very, very slowly. And sometimes only in certain ways or to a certain point.

Dreams and Ambitions

If you could achieve one big goal this year, what would it be? Become employed at the animal shelter. Even if it's just part time to start.

What’s a dream you’ve had for a long time but haven’t pursued yet? Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.

How do you balance your ambitions with your everyday life? I'm still trying to figure that out.

Who or what inspires you to dream big? My therapist. She believes in me more than I believe in myself.

How do you deal with setbacks in your goals? Lately, I just try to take things in stride. I try to remind myself that it's about consistency and perseverance rather than perfect adherence.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind? I don't really think much about leaving behind a legacy. I guess I just hope people remember me as a kind, easygoing, and helpful person.

If money weren’t an issue, what would your life look like? I'd finally have my cabin in the mountains. Other than that, it probably wouldn't look all that different. I'd still want to spend the rest of my life at the animal shelter, etc.

What’s a personal milestone you’re most proud of? Well, one thing I'm really glad I did was get back into driving. I'm also proud of how far I've come in terms of my mental health, but it's difficult to pinpoint a particular milestone because it's more of a spectrum than something clearly demarcated.

How do you measure progress toward your goals? Mostly in hindsight. Comparing where I used to be to where I am now.

What’s a risk you’ve taken that paid off? Returning to volunteering at the animal shelter.

Emotions and Vulnerability

What’s the last thing that made you cry? Probably a random YouTube short.

How do you usually deal with disappointment? It really depends on the nature of the disappointment. Sometimes I can shrug it off relatively quickly, but there are some disappointments that really have me questioning wtf life is getting at. Like whyyy raise my hopes only to dash them. :')

What do you think is your most dominant emotion? It's probably a tie between "uggghhh" and "ahhhH!" (Those are emotions, I swear.)

Do you find it easy to express your emotions? I'm obviously extremely eloquent and precise. ;D

How do you handle feelings of loneliness? I mostly try to distract myself and not think about it too much. Sometimes it overwhelms me and I get really down about it, but usually it's more like background noise.

What’s a moment when you felt completely at peace? Late May of 2023. Right after seeing if I could return to volunteering. That ride home afterward felt like a dream. Also, many trips to the Mountain Park evoke a sense of peace. Nights can be pretty peaceful as well; curled up in bed with my cats and listening to YouTube as I drift off to sleep. Extra points if it's snowing.

How do you cope with feelings of failure? Better than I used to. Sometimes I still feel like a failure (or unworthy, etc), but I'm able to rationalize more than in the past.

What’s a situation that pushed you out of your emotional comfort zone? Just recently, hanging out with Liv and Riley at Liv's apartment. I haven't hung out with a friend in YEARS. Even though loneliness hurts, the avoidant side of me is like whyyy did I let it get to this point?!

How do you manage stress in your daily life? I try to hunker down and weather it. Sometimes I think "I can't handle this" or "I really don't want to do this anymore," but I keep going. Adulthood often feels like learning how to stay calm in quicksand. Thrashing about is only going to make you sink faster.

What’s something you wish more people understood about you? Ehh. It's less about wishing people understood me and more about wishing I had the courage to be open and honest. I can't expect anyone to understand me if I'm always putting on a mask to protect myself.

Past Experiences

What’s a memory that you’ll cherish forever? All of the hiking, camping, and backpacking memories with my dad.

How has your upbringing shaped who you are today? Hard to say because it feels more like I was pre-programmed to be this way… Like I was born a mess and grew into an even bigger mess. My upbringing wasn't entirely devoid of dysfunction, but it doesn't feel "bad enough" to explain why I am the way I am.

What’s the best advice your parents or guardians ever gave you? From my dad - "just stay out of it" - regarding any drama, gossip, or issues at the animal shelter. Easier said than done, but it's still great advice.

What’s a mistake from your past that you’ve learned the most from? Mostly that living from a place of fear ruins everything.

What’s a decision you made that changed your life forever? Going back to the animal shelter (and all the changes that went along with that) really altered the direction of my life in a positive way.

Who has had the biggest impact on your life, and why? My dad. I don't know where I would be without him. He's my biggest supporter.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? Face the depths of mental illness. Choose to recover. Accept and forgive the past, and create a better future.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self? You can't expect a romantic partner to save you or make up for the love you aren't capable of giving yourself. In fact, you should probably just avoid those types of relationships altogether until you can get to a much better place with your mental health.

What’s a moment from your past that you’d like to relive? Maybe holidays from childhood. Rekindle some of that magic.

How do you typically reflect on past experiences? Ummm. Sometimes obsessively with much shame and regret. Sometimes with nostalgia, melancholy, or even humor. Sometimes with the intent to learn from them. Etc.

Values and Beliefs

What are your core values, and how do you live by them? I feel like I'm too mixed up and apathetic to have an established set of values. I just try to be a decent person and realize there's always room for improvement.

How do you define integrity? Staying true to your word and your values, perhaps especially when it's difficult.

What’s a belief that guides your decisions? Basically what I've been saying at various points throughout this survey: don't allow fear and self-hatred to control my life.

How do you approach making ethical decisions? With a whole lot of pondering, waffling, doubt, and angst…occasionally coupled with the frustrating realization that there might not be a clear-cut right answer.

What’s a cause or issue you’re passionate about? The work I do at the animal shelter. I don't know why I'm not very passionate or emotional about anything else.

Do you believe people are inherently good or bad? Neither.

How do you reconcile differing opinions and beliefs with others? Well, with my dad, we typically state our differences and let that be that. It's really easy to talk to him because there's no pressure to change anyone's mind. It's very conversational and non-judgmental. With others, I don't tend to bother. I just go along to get along because I don't enjoy contentious debates.

What role does faith or spirituality play in your life? I don't follow a specific religion or spiritual path, but I do choose to believe in God. Maybe I'm playing mind games with myself, but it gives me a lot of strength and comfort I might not otherwise possess.

How do you prioritize your values in tough situations? I'm still working on it. It's hard to stand firm and not give in to people-pleasing, fear, or temptation.

What do you think gives life meaning? Heck if I know. I'm still trying to figure out what this is all for...if anything. But then I think, if I had the chance, would I leave it all behind? Blip out of existence in a flash? The thought makes me sad, so there must be some meaning or purpose keeping me here.

Personal Preferences

Do you prefer routine or spontaneity, and why? Routine sprinkled with spontaneity. I like structure I can rely on with a bit of excitement to keep things interesting.

What’s your favorite way to spend a quiet day? Making art, watching YouTube, cuddling with my cats, chatting with my dad, etc.

How do you recharge when you’re feeling drained? Winter has made me realize that trips to the Mountain Park were a big part of how I recharged in recent times. I've also come to the realization that sitting around at home doing not much of anything isn't the best way to get reenergized.

Do you prefer deep conversations or lighthearted banter? I don't have a dominating preference. I enjoy both.

How do you like to celebrate your achievements? I don't tend to do anything specific to celebrate them.

What’s your favorite way to connect with others? I haven't deeply connected with anyone new for a looong time, so I'm not entirely sure.

Do you enjoy being alone, or do you thrive around people? I wouldn't say I always "thrive" around other people, but there's definitely something necessary about it. I do need some alone time too, but spending too much time alone isn't great for my mental health. Even just recently, after spending a few days at home taking care of a sick kitty, I could feel my mind retreating and wanting to remain in that bubble of "safety."

How do you typically spend your free time? Already kind of answered this.

Do you prefer working in teams or independently? At the animal shelter, I prefer to work in teams. It keeps things from getting too tedious.

How do you like to express your creativity? Mainly through art.

Challenges and Growth

What’s a time when you faced failure and learned from it? So many times over the past few years especially. Maybe not immediately - in fact, typically not - but after time. Finally started to realize that I had to fundamentally change the way I was approaching life and certain situations in order to have less disastrous results. Now it's less of a dramatic roller coaster and more a case of trial and error. Don't like the way I handled something or how something turned out? Reassess and try to do better next time. And repeat.

How do you usually approach change in your life? It depends on the change, but often not without some measure of trepidation. If it's something I really want, though, then I try to face my fears and go for it.

What’s a personal challenge you’re currently facing? Nothing monumental, honestly. Just the ups and downs of everyday life. Working on my mental health, figuring out social dynamics, trying to build a sustainable routine, etc.

How do you motivate yourself when you feel stuck? Uggghhhh.

What’s a situation where you had to step out of your comfort zone? Volunteering, driving, forming new friendships, going against the wishes of my eating disorder.

How do you typically recover from setbacks? Once I'm done wallowing or whatever, try pick up where I left off and get back on track.

What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn? That there are some things I'm just going to have to figure out for myself. No one else can give me the answers or do it for me.

How do you push through fear or self-doubt? Just do the thing. But like I said above, even though I've pushed through a lot, there are still some fears I'm not yet ready to face.

What’s a moment when you felt truly accomplished? Now.

How do you typically adapt to unexpected challenges? I feel like I'm just repeating myself at this point.

Fun and Unique Questions

If you could live one day as someone else, who would it be and why? Maybe Iris or Leslie (managers at the animal shelter). Not because I want to be a manager, but because I want to better understand the stress and pressure they're under.

What’s a skill you’ve always wanted to master? Art, singing, writing, baking, backpacking, photography, etc.

If you could relive any year of your life, which one would it be? Maybe age 14. Especially if I could know what I know now. Never go down the path of an eating disorder.

What’s a hidden talent or passion that most people don’t know about? I don't really have any hidden talents or passions, but I guess most people don't know how deeply I used to be into conspiracies.

If you could spend a year anywhere in the world, where would it be? Japan.

What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Probably start volunteering at the animal shelter in the first place. Not this second go-around that I keep talking about, which was also relatively spontaneous, but the very first time all the way back in 2015-ish.

Do you prefer surprises or predictability? Predictability for the most part. I like to know what to expect.

If you could rewrite one chapter of your life, which would it be? I wish I could take everything I'm doing now and shove it back to like 2010-2011.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate special moments? Maybe go out to eat.

How do you like to make others feel special? Try to genuinely listen, give uplifting compliments or reassurance, do kind or helpful things, etc.

Reflection and Legacy

What do you want people to remember most about you? How brave I was to weigh Cleo. :')

How do you typically reflect on your life’s journey? Perhaps too harshly at times, but also with something akin to amazement. I can't believe I went through all that and managed to come out the other side.

What’s the most valuable piece of wisdom you’d want to pass on? So trite, but learn how to love and be your true self. Don't waste so much time trying to please everyone else.

How do you balance living in the moment with planning for the future? I really try not to think too far into the future.

What’s a change you’ve made that had a lasting positive impact on your life? Working to develop an internal locus of control. Trying not to view myself as a victim, but as someone who has the power to direct my own life. Etc.

How do you want to be remembered by your loved ones? Blah.

What’s your definition of a life well-lived? It's not so much a list of accomplishments as it is a sense of contentment and a job well done. Being at peace with everything.

How do you decide what’s truly worth your time and energy? Does it bring me joy? Does it get me closer to my goals? Is it something that simply needs to be done? That sort of thing.

If you could create a personal motto, what would it be? Leave no cat unpet. Unpetted? Anyway. Pet all the cats.

What does happiness mean to you? Finally finishing this brain drain of a survey, lmao.