#wondering how long it takes to have the official fanart and fanfic

[seimasa-cursec4lledluv]

Platonic or not-

I luv how they combine their personalities with actions.

Love how other characters low-key ship Seimei and Hiromasa:

Some spoilers ahead:

Lady Tsuyuko: likes hanging out with Seimei and Hiromasa and generally acts like their little sister

Ashiya Douman: notices how Seimei is attached to Hiromasa and messes with Hiromasa to rile Seimei up

Atsumi: attacks Seimei to get to Hiromasa

Kamo no Yasunori: also notices how Hiromasa is important to Seimei and as soon as he suspects something is fishy, he places a charm on Hiromasa to protect him

Not to mention other nobles seem to have the idea that if they need Seimei to do something for them (solving some supernatural problem for example), they just need to get to Hiromasa (and they’re right).

[homecomingvn]

Hey everyone! It's, uh, it's certainly been a minute.

If my brief return a few months ago and then radio silence yet again is any indicator, I'm sure most of y'all probably know where this is going.

HOMECOMING, as of now (and for the indefinite future) is going to be on hiatus, and maybe discontinued.

This project initially started out as a silly idea, a culmination of my love for the yandere vn community and the wonderful games it has created, and my original plot and cast of characters. In the beginning, I was trucking along, working on scripts, planning out routes, spending hours of research on coding and how to get this thing up and running. Not to mention, the attention my silly lil project garnered was a lot. At least to me. I've had a semi popular writing blog before, and was no stranger to inbox asks, and how they pile up, or the notes that popular posts can get.

I was far too ambitious in all honesty, and once the glitz and glamor of a new project wore off, I hit a massive wall. Hard. It seemed that to actually work on HOCO was much like pulling teeth - whether it was writing, drawing, or even *thinking* about it, I found myself sinking further and further into a imposter syndrome of sorts.

And well, I guess making this announcement is sort of proving it right.

Even so, I've always known when to take a step back, when to settle down -- and now, I'm just making it official. I owe you all at least that much.

The blog will be staying up - I have no plans to delete it in the slightest. I'll just log out of it most likely - I'll still be around on my personal tumblr, where I'll hopefully start being more active there again.

Nothing could have prepared me for just how much care, how much love you guys have shown HOCO - so much so, it's still hard to believe. All the fanart, the fanfic, the memes - they're all saved to my phone, in their own album. Thank you to all who have made amazing creations for my silly characters, as well as the countless asks y'all have sent - maybe one day I'll be able to answer all of them.

I really hope one day I can return to this project with fresh eyes -- I'm hoping real, substantial time away from it will help that process. There are other, personal projects that I've been doing that have helped that creative spark again, as well as indulging in traditional fandom activities, mostly fanart. Unfortunately, I think it's safe to say that my time in the Yan VN community is over for the time being, at least until/if I start working on HOCO again. (Or whenever I play the latest updates of 14DWY - I am the Leon Fan Club President after all ^^).

I've been rambling too long, and I think it's time to close this chapter for now. Thank you all again - and one last Henry for the road. They were there since the beginning of HOCO in 2019, so it feels right for them to be here at the end.

[hualian-fic-recs]

I'm alive/Fanfic Asks

Hey sorry I've been silent for so long. To be completely honest, Hualian and tgcf aren't the only types of fanfic I read, so I go down rabbit holes with other pairings for a while.

Anyway, I've been sitting on some asks for a while hoping I could answer them one day, but alas. I am turning them over to the public to see if others can help!

@nostalgiatyrant asks:

Hi again 👋 Im looking for another fic, but this time, the description comes from a friend. They said that “after the altar scene wu ming takes care of xie lian as he heals. Xie lian is like traumatized and dazed mostly so wu ming is doing his best commanding weaker ghosts and etc” It was a tweet, in case you haven’t seen it, and tbh, I love this idea so much— if you find any fics like it at all Id love to read them

Maybe: For you, I'll become invincible by HanaSheralHaminail. 177k, M, WIP. all the spoilers

Maybe: no light, no light by NeithOfTheVeil. 11k, T, spoilers

Maybe: A Long and Slow Recovery by ardenrabbit. WIP

@sineofu asks:

Hello , can you recommend m some fics where the heavenly official realise that hua Cheng have returned or a fic timed after his return. Thank you

anonymous asks:

Is there any fanfics where like the puqi villagers think that they are single and something happens?

anonymous asks:

Can u tell me if there is any hualian Spiderman au fics?? I saw a few fanarts and fell in love with them.

@uwuchengsbab asks:

Do you know any fics where Hua Cheng prays to Xie Lian before his 3rd ascension (during those 800 years) and Xie Lian hears him? Something angsty with a happy ending? I’ve already read what faith provides by parsnipit and it kinda sounds like falling in love by FlowerCitti but was wondering if you knew more?

Maybe: Dearly Departed by IlluminatingSceadugenga. WIP

@bri-bri1222 asks:

I was wondering if there are any fice where HC and XL are in a DDLB relationship and just filled with cuteness and fluff.

anonymous asks:

There's this Hualian fanfic I've never been able to find no matter what. I don't know if the tags are obscure or what. But the premise is that Xie Lian is cursed or to relive his worst injury over and over again at random moments and therefore the Hundred Swords wounds opens on his body unexpectedly and suddenly. The story is very hurt/comfort between Hualian and Hua Chrng looks after him and heals him. A plot point is that it happens in front of Mu Qing/Feng Xin at a temple and they discover the truth about what happened and take Xie Lian to Hua Cheng. I beleve it's multi-chapter. Ling Wen and Jun Wu also make appearances.

Maybe: Old Wounds and Old Friends by HoundsofCerberus. 4k, T, all the spoilers

Similar: A Splinter in the Heart by theearlymorningmist. 14k, T, spoilers

@theladypeartree asks:

Hello!! This might be a tricky one as I'm not sure it exists! Have you or any of your followers found any fics that have A-Yuan and Guzi friendship? I've found many crossovers, but not with the kiddos! Thank you for your hard work! ❤

anonymous asks:

Big spoilers for the later novels in this one: Hey there, I was wondering if there was any fics in which Xie Lian goes through with calling down the human face plague on Yong'an. I can't recall finding any and I'm not sure how to start looking. Thanks!

he who walks in sorrow by atomic muffin. 7k, M, read warnings!

Ok these are some I have been searching around for and haven't found much yet. If anyone has recs I would be grateful!

[dev-fiction]

hi there! hope your doing alright.

your story, echoes was one of the first fanfiction pieces i’d ever read and i just want to say, it’s beautiful. you found a way to make me feel things through nothing but a handful of words, and i’ve got to say i’ve never had a fanfic make me feel the way your’s does.

the other day i was, for the umpteenth time, re-reading Echoes, and i might’ve made some fanart of Victoria? it’s only a doodle but i thought I’d share it with you just so you know how much your story has stuck with me. I’m unsure if there’s a place I should post this for you but i haven’t seen anyone else’s fanart anywhere so I figured i’d just post it here.

wishing you good health and happiness, firefly

thank you so so much for your kind words <3 people like you make me happy to be alive, you have no idea! i don't really have an official fanart thing because, well, i don't really get fanart!

but WOW! i am so blown away that you loved echoes enough to dedicate your time to creating something so wonderful <3 you captures the essence of victoria in your art - i love her expression and hair so so so much! if you love art, you should keep at it!

i can't really comment on when the next update to echoes will be even despite the fact that it's been years since the last chapter, but i've been sitting on this document for so long that i might as well share a very little sneak peak into what you can expect <3 seeing messages like this and the passion that my story has created reminds me not to give up on echoes <3

She’s exhausted. 

It felt like gravity was crushing her down, down, down into the earth and it takes every ounce of will she has not to collapse to the floor, not to give in to the tired nudging along her eyes.

One step, two, and soon she’s walking in a strange staccato beat past the slide, past the swings, and into the cradling arms of a tree’s - oak, dark and rich - stump. She slides along the bark until she’s sitting firmly in the dirt, bringing her knees up to shelter in her arms. 

A walking corpse held aloft by puppet strings, red eyes, and pumpkin-sweets. 

The spinning was slowing down, faltering slower and slower until it finally stopped altogether, leaving her with a pulsating headache that has her grimacing, clenching her teeth.

What was she doing here?

This, her cowardice, would only invite more turbulence into her life. A fool, she truly was a fool.

She should have grit her teeth and bared the consequences of her reaction - don’t think of him, don’t think, he was so - and simply gone to bed.

Exactly like you remembered, no?

The stars were sparkling, twinkling at her with their merry light and the sight of them fills her with such visceral disgust that she nearly gags. She closes her eyes and instead focuses on filtering out the chaotic scramble of her own thoughts, but each time she tries to follow one trail she's side tracked by another.

The sheer frustration of it causes her to hunch forward, gripping her knees so tight her knuckles turn white as she starts to rock in place.

That's when the sound of it catches her attention.

[sasmsb2006]

Hey, everyone! Long time no see! I know I'm rarely here, but whenever I have too big collections of fanart made, then where else is better to publish them than here?

Okay, You're propably wondering what these collages are and how I made them, don't You?

It's simple: All I had to do was to take some snapshots with my iPhone, then transfer the photos to my laptop and then make collages on Paint out of them all. They're all from the 90's computer game "The Pink Panther: Passport to Peril'' - one of my childhood's favorites to this day. It also has a following sequel called "The Pink Panther: Hokus Pokus'' which was released a year later, but for some reason the sequel appeared first in Poland in 2000 whereas the first game a year after. Therefore most of the Polish fans think the sequel is the first game and the firsst game is the sequel, but not me as I'd stick to the chronological order. Both games were educational point & clicks where You collected and used items, talked to characters and even learned some fascinating stuff about the countries You visited. Which brings up the main topic of this collaction which is the PDA: the small electronic device Von Shmarty presents Pink with before our hero can take off. Thanks to this little device, You can click on characters and objects and when the PDA icon appears below the left side on the screen, You automatically get access to the information written there. The countries You visit and learn about in the game are England, Egypt, China, Bhutan, India and Australia. As for the topics, there's 8 of them and whenever You click their icons on the main menu, You can meet the familiar characters from the 1993's animated "Pink Panther'' show:

Nature: The Dogfather and his goons Pugg & Louie (in Poland their names are Pershing, Zenuś i Szczurek)

Fashion: Voodoo Man

History: Inspector Clouseau

Religion: Dr. Helmut Von Shmarty

Geography: Mrs. Chubalingo AKA Granny

Art: The Big Nose AKA the Little Man AKA Camp Chilly Wawa's Director

Cuisine: Aardvard

Society: Ant

However, the animated series from the 90's didn't officially appear in Poland until the early 2010's. Basically, it's thanks to the games themselves I got interested in the series not only because Pink could talk, but mainly because it's so connected to both of them, to the point they inpired me to plan a fanfic or 2 in the future. It's uncertain when it'll be written, but when the time comes, I'll let You guys know here or on my DA page. Speaking of DA, don't forget to check out the many other artworks I put there, please: https://www.deviantart.com/marieangel04. And get ready, because today there'll be some new collages uploaded in there! ;D Just remember: NO trolling, hating, cyberbullying, gremlining ot stealing from neither here or there, alright? Thank You very much for Your attention and see Ya next time! Enjoy!

P. S.

I don't own "The Pink Panther'' show or games because they belong to the MGM Studio, whereas the games were made by Wanderlust Interactive!

P. S. 2

If You wish to read more of the PDA's content, along with the Book of Knowledge from the sequels, here are the links I recommend You to check for Yourselves: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB9TwM3jkQo1_JulBxrWMXLwk_Srg9qbP & https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB9TwM3jkQo3IS0-1qv11TeG1Z8gYsxIq.

[caliginouscreature]

If you may have a fictotype, how do you tell your “noemata” apart from strongly-held headcanons or projecting?

Psychological nonhumanity is a hot topic for all kinds of debates and discussions, and understandably so.  There’s tons of room for variation, and infinite possible reasons and presentations for it from copinglinking to fictherianthropy.  But with non/alterhumanity of any origin, lack of “memories” is a known struggle with those wondering whether or not they may “count” (and is something I intend to dedicate a separate post to talking about later).  This is where a new community term, “noema” (pronounced “no-ee-muh”), was introduced to possibly fill in an area of ambiguity left in the wake of such worries.  It’s a term left rather vague on purpose, making it useful for describing many kinds of feelings.

It is often described as feeling like “just knowing” something about your ’type, whether it’s something about their body, past, home, opinions... could be anything!  But, in some circumstances, how can you tell the difference between true noemata, and fan theories one has dwelled upon so long and hard that they just “feel right”?  Can you trick yourself into thinking you “just know” something by forgetting how long you’ve actually thought about it?  Is “feeling right” all it can take to count?

In this thinking-out-loud post, I’d like to point at the character of Snufkin from the Moomins franchise-- a character who seems like a great example to use due both to how I myself find him relatable, and how I’ve seen other Moomins fans receive and interpret him through fan content.

Isn’t he spiffy!

There is no other fandom I’ve yet been in where so many of the fans (at least in the english-speaking one, that I myself was in) had never actually interacted with the bulk of the source material.  Sure, some watched the ’90s anime on youtube, but large quantities of fans never touched the books or comics (even those that have official english versions, pirated or not), or sometimes even only got their material through fanart and fanfic.  A quantifiable amount of english-language Moomins fanworks from around 2019 are going off of nothing but what “feels right”.

Now, this isn’t just me looking for an excuse to whine about the shallowness of the Moomins fandom, or me trying to invalidate people who don’t really interact with the sources of their ’types.  But in my opinion, it’s a comparison I can’t help but make.  How far can you basically just go off of vibes?  How do you know what counts?

It’s like, fascinatingly easy to get your brain used to a certain headcanon.  Even some diehard Moomins fans-- ones who actually do go to the trouble of digging up and consuming obscure canon material-- could admit it’s easy to forget that Snufkin isn’t confirmed to be canonically transgender.  “Trans Snufkin” is an extremely popular headcanon in the english Moomins fandom, and most who hold it, myself sometimes included, would tell you it’s because it simply “feels right”.  It’s to the point that many consider it a vital part of how they write and read Snufkin!

Projecting onto a character you see a bit of yourself in is also pretty easy to do, by accident or otherwise.  Most Moomins fans I see doing this do it with Moomintroll, but it’s arguably even more obvious when it’s done with Snufkin.  I once saw a fic (which I won’t link, so as not to possibly get them teased), which the author admitted was written as a form of vent art, where Snufkin hated coffee... but if you read Comet in Moominland, where Snufkin is introduced, one of the very first things he ever says is asking for coffee, he likes it so much!  Something similar goes for fics that make Snufkin speak any swear words, a thing he is confirmed to dislike.  How much of this is active self-indulgence, and how much is due to it “feeling right” to the author?  I try and notice when I may be projecting on a character or not, because I find it to be useful in my work, but we can’t all be so self-aware (and who knows, I may be less self-aware than I think!).

Back to fictotypy... I am well aware that one’s ’type ID isn’t always going to be a 1:1 to how it is in canon.  To compare the phenomenon to fictives, I’ve met multiple manifestations of the same character across different systems, and none of them are identical (even if there are multiple fictives of the same character within one system!)!  If someone turns out to be a Snufkin, and they can’t force themself to like coffee, that doesn’t make them any less a Snufkin.  They may just be a Snufkin from an adaptation where his opinions on coffee are unclear, or a Snufkin from an AU!  ... or maybe they just hate coffee that much, hehe.

But how can a Snufkin-- or someone who may be of any character/species ID-- tell their possible noemata apart from some other similar non-noemata thing?  When I come to a “headcanon” or “interpretation” of something from fiction, it often feels like a process of going “Hey, it’d be cool or interesting if...” or “It could make sense that...” and then pondering and scanning canon material to possibly back it up so that it can sound legit enough to not ping as OOC to an onlooker (at least if I explain it, depending).  Ponder any of these long enough, and they can wind up “feeling right”, in a way, even if I took an active role in figuring out how they might work and know they may not be truly canon. Are my numerous theories and headcanons about the species that the Groke belongs to that have little-to-no canon backup the result of me being very autistic and having an immense passion for worldbuilding, or could their combination of how I relate to the Groke herself make them evidence of noemata for a possible ID?  When I get offended if Snufkin is written or treated a certain way in fanworks, is it just me being a stickler for canon compliance and feeling hurt when traits in him I relate to are demonized, or could it also be a sign I may be a Snufkin?  I’m already pleased that I look a bit like him in real life, but I’m not sure I feel if I am a Snufkin, as it’s not really as intense a desire as some of my other possible IDs... folks argue that such IDs need not be intense or constant and can be experienced casually, but how can I tell the difference?

When, as beings with human brains wired to delight in such pattern recognition and ascribing meanings to the like, can anyone tell the difference?  How do I tell my noemata apart from what may just be thoughts about my possible IDs that I like to have?  As someone who’s questioning several possible IDs and is uncertain about ’most all of them, it’s hard for me to know the differences that define this.

A fun little question to any artists with ’types from fiction, to close this post off with: When you write or draw fanart of the character or species you may ID with to post in public, do you base their interpretation off of what you feel are your noemata, or do you tend to lean more to what will be more definitely canon-compliant?  Why or why not?  If you do the latter, does it make you question your ““validity””?  Is making fanworks of your ID a pretty personal experience, or is it more of a separate thing you can do for fun?  Does it vary?

[damiraezine]

Official Damirae Zine Announcement!

Welcome to the DamiRae Zine 2022!

Greetings fellow shippers! With the enormous success of last year’s zine and all the beautiful works that came out of it, we’ve decided round 2 is definitely in order.

For those of you newer to the fandom who may be wondering what this is all about, a fanzine (fan magazine or zine) is a non-professional and unofficial publication, produced by enthusiasts and fans of a particular popular cultural interest, for the pleasure of others who share your interest. In other words, a Zine is an unofficial project, unaffiliated to DC Comics, made for our nice little fandom. Fanart and fanfics galore!

In celebration of our second year, the first Zine is now available for free download. HERE

The title for this year’s zine is "Ordinary Worlds," and the theme is cinematic and literary AU’s. Give your favorite book or movie a Demonbird makeover! If you’d like to participate, please message us here on Tumblr or in the DamiRae discord with an explicit ‘yes’ that you’ll be contributing. We’re looking for about 25 creators in total, but may expand this if the interest is great enough and if we organizers can find the bandwidth.

Not a content creator but still want to participate? Consider being a beta! We could definitely use the help!

Rules of Engagement:

Rated T or lower (may contain violence, suggestive themes, strong language, cannot contain anything explicit, triggering, NSFW or +18)

Collaborations between artists and authors are encouraged, so feel free to DM anyone you’re interested in working with

Content must be zine exclusive for at least 1 year

After that creators may post their works and a free version of the zine will become available upon request

The zine discord is for participants only (artists/writers/betas)

Story Requirements:

Must submit a sample of your writing in order to be considered, although it does not have to be a new story. Betas and proofreaders will be available to help with translated works and anyone who just needs help with the technicals.

1k minimum word count for stories. Writers who require assistance with beta/editing will have a 3-5k word limit (~10 pages). Those who don’t have a 10k limit. This will be decided by the staff based on the writing sample you submit.

Maximum 2 stories per writer

Art Requirements:

Maximum 8 pages (= 4 full spreads)

A4 format, 300dpi // 3508 X 2480 pixels OR 297 X 210 mm — whichever measure is more comfortable

Nothing over 600 dpi, and final files preferably PNG, if not, JPEG

Color mode RGB, as it is friendlier for digital viewing

Timeline:

December 20th: Signups officially close and art/story ideas are due. The participant list and table of contents will be announced shortly after on Tumblr.

Signups may close earlier if we exceed how many creators we think we can successfully work with

March 1st: Deadline for sending ALL FINAL works.

April 1st: Estimated launch date for the zine. This may be sooner or later depending on how long it takes to put everything together. At that time you can purchase a digital copy for $10 with all the proceeds (minus processing fees) donated to charity.

> We will be doing progress checks on the 15th of January and February. We have limited time and staff, so commitment and responsibility from the participants is crucial to have quality work!

> The submitted work MUST be original and not previously posted to any social media and must NOT be posted anywhere until after the official release of our Zine, with an exception for small previews (ask staff for further instruction).

[beevean]

Opinion: How could Sonamy progress in IDW?

[note: the original article was written in Spanish by @latin-dr-robotnik​]

Today we’re going to discuss a recurring topic on my blog, with a more complete perspective.

Today’s article was inspired by an ask I got a few days ago about my possible perspective on the future of IDW Sonamy. I thought it would be interesting to revisit and expand this topic, because it’s still something of great interest for thousands of fans all around the world, and because SEGA has recently adopted a very peculiar position on the couple and their dynamic. As I detailed on my article SEGA and its most recent Sonamy side – more canon than ever, the dynamic has been going through a shift that can be distinguished into two main parts: 1) the commercial potential of Sonamy as a merchandising and marketing icon; 2) the stability of the interactions in the comics, in the short monthly stories on Sonic Channel, and so on.

That being said, there’s no need to mention that we’re going to focus entirely and nothing more than on this ship. I usually suggest other articles for those who prefer to read on other subjects, but today I will recommend our Discord server [translator’s note: the server is mainly Spanish-speaking], where discussions about ships are limited on their own canal that is separated from other themes: general discussions, music, fangames and mods, fanfics, fanart and even gaming in general. As you know, if you want to bring something else to our community, or just avoid talking about Sonamy, you’re more than welcome to join. Now, back on track.

What’s going on with Sonamy in IDW?

To recap what’s happened in these last months: Sonic and his friends finally got through the nightmare that was the Metal Virus, he and Amy hugged a few times, and since very recently they’ve been involved in a short arc about Chao races in Twinkle Park Zone, with a sinister background. In these last months after the eradication of the virus, there have been much closer and warmer interactions between our two hedgehogs, and I suspect that part of this is what inspired that question in the first place: what’s going on?

As I commented in the article where I proposed that Sonamy is “more canon than ever” (I know that it’s an exaggeration, that was the point), SEGA is treading carefully and the main canon seems to be willing to negotiate a more open representation of the relationship between the two in their different continuities, from best friends to something more. What I did not expect to happen was reading an answer from Evan Stanley (artist and writer that replaces Ian Flynn) about their dynamic, summing it up with “they like each other”.

The redrawing of Sonic’s expression when Amy hugs him in a recent drawing of hers made people wonder if this was yet another example of SEGA’s “censoring” (comparison below), to which Evan answered that it was modified to keep Sonic in character: he’s a guy that does not show much emotional vulnerability or too many negative emotions, and this is why sometimes the artists have to adjust WIPs to keep in line with this official point of view. Evan assured that this is not any kind of confirmation that Sonic does not like Amy, and doubles down by highlighting that in the official material, in the wikis and on Sonic Channel they show that, and I quote: “They like each other, but Sonic just isn’t the kind of guy who is going to make goo-goo eyes at Amy or perform grand acts of romance. If you wanna see that, that’s what fan works are for.”

And Evan’s words are a great way to sum up what’s going on with IDW Sonic right now. When it comes to interactions, they’re working with two characters who deep down “like each other”, but both show it in their own way. Amy is much more proactive when it comes to express her feelings, while Sonic only sometimes shows a glimpse of his feelings, with a smile or a small gesture. But at the end of the day they’re still friends and, depending on the situation, the comic can focus more or less on these details.

Comparison between the first sketch showed by Evan and the final product. The modification of the expression was minimal: Sonic’s slight blush was changed into a smile, maybe being a little overwhelmed by the gesture of affection.

The “progression” of the dynamic in the future

A good part of the answer to this question is based on my idea that right now, when it comes to Sonamy, we reached some kind of comfortable plateau. What am I referring to? To the fact that there have been a lot of varied interactions in these last 3 years of the comic, and they’re everything I could have asked for and then some. When we talk about Sonamy in canon, as Evan said, we don’t tend to hope for great romantic gestures from Sonic, we barely even ask for a look that hints that they understand each other beyond what it seems at first glance, so the fact that the IDW continuity is betting so much on this ship is basically a dream come true. For this reason, I don’t think things will change much in the future.

If I have to make a prediction on Sonamy’s future in IDW, I believe that there are still a lot of possibilities that our known writers (and maybe new writers!) could explore more, to see what makes this dynamic work so well. Actually, about 10 years ago, Ian Flynn wrote that if they could take advantage of the abilities and similarities between the two characters as adventurous spirits and with a strong moral sense, they would be “like poetry in motion”. This largely happens in IDW Sonic if you look carefully, but there are always new stories to tell and opportunities for them to work together and explore a bit more their strong bond, stronger than other friendships that they share. When the next major arc comes (which seems to be getting closer), they could explore aspects of their dynamic that are slightly more experimental, like being separated for extended periods of time and under dangerous situations… as long as they don’t turn it into a painful experience like the Metal Virus arc.

What Ian Flynn wrote about Sonamy, what works and what doesn’t. This was written in 2011, when Archie Sonic was still the major comic continuity, and when, according to Ian, Sonic was still “tied” to Sally Acord, leaving little room to the writers’ opinions.

The reality is that I see a stable future for the dynamic in the IDW universe. Sonamy is not fit for a lot of drama (fights, breaking up, etc.) without feeling forced or completely out of place, and only fanfics and fanart could be capable of capitalizing on this kind of content. On the other hand, for reasons I detailed in past articles, SEGA would not dare to alter the established order of the dynamic, let alone new that they managed to recover and maintain control over the ways Sonamy is being portrayed everywhere. SEGA won’t pull a Dragon Prince, which ended up confirming the main ship and then they made them go through a crisis and break up in a heartwrenching way in the graphic novel that acts as a bridge between season 3 and 4.

In short

The future of IDW Sonamy is looking bright and stable. I don’t think there will be serious changes to what we’re experiencing right now, and this is why both Evan Stanley and Ian Flynn agree that the dynamic is practically in the perfect place, keeping in line to how SEGA wants them to be represented together. This means we won’t see more affectionate gestures than what we’re seeing now (I doubt we’ll ever see again Sonic offering Amy a rose like in Sonic X), but it also means that we have now a solid basis for our expectations. In the now old IDW Sonic #2, Sonic and Amy had the chance of seriously talking a bit about what they thought of each other, with Sonic being determined to keep living life his own way (although he wouldn’t mind Amy to accompany him… or even suggesting himself that she could come), and Amy being determined to respect his way of life, because that’s what she loves about him, and she doesn’t want him to change. Since then, all we have seen and we’ll keep seeing in the comic is a consequence of this key moment; the two philosophies that they have and they share, in a constant back-and-forth with some tense moments and some cute moments.

An interesting detail that wasn’t included in the ask and that makes me think is the possibility that all of this will feature in the games as well. This is a completely different matter for another day, but I like to think that there is the possibility that we’ll see SEGA being more interested in inserting more Sonamy in the games, even if in an indirect way like in Sonic Unleashed and its emotional support, especially if the rumors that we’re about to get a soft-reboot are true. Romance is not something Sonic games are famous for doing well… at all, but that doesn’t mean it would be a bad idea to add a little sprinkle of IDW Sonamy in the mix.

And finally, I think I’ve talked enough about this topic, As you know, we’re waiting for some news, and I hope we’ll see each other again here or on our Discord. We’ll see if on this 25th something interesting happens. In any case, see you next time!

The moment that shaped the present and future of their entire relationship, 3 years ago.

[chudleycanonficfest]

Fest FAQs

FAQs

Information central for the Chudley Canon Fest! If your question has not been answered, please send an ask and we'll respond!

1. What is the Chudley Canon Fest?

This is a fanfic/fanart fest that focuses on canon pairings and friendships from the Harry Potter franchise (including Fantastic Beasts, Hogwarts: A Mystery and Cursed Child).

2. What are the rules?

The fanwork must be a fanfic or fanart

The fanwork must be focused on canon pairings (romantic or platonic) only.

Fics must be one-shots and have a minimum of 750 words; there is no maximum word limit.

Works must be complete upon submission.

Please do not use previously posted works - all content must be new and original.

3. When will the fest take place?

Prompts will be revealed on May 1st. Any interested writers and artists will have from May 1st-July 31st to create their work(s) and submit here. We will begin posting works on July 31st, 2022.

4. What are the themes/prompts?

The themes / prompts for the 2022 fest will be released in this spring!

5. Do I have to claim a theme or prompts?

No! Anyone can use any theme. Every writer and artist is unique, and we know that every story will be just as original as the person who created it :)

6. Can I write an AU story (For example: an all-boys or girls school, or a Muggle AU)?

Yes, as long as the resulting pairing/friendship is canon and fits the theme.

7. Can I gender-bend the characters?

Yes! We are open to any orientation and/or gender as long as the pairings align with canon (ex. Fem!Jily, VeRONica Weasley/Hermione [or Herman] Granger)

8. Can I create multiple works?

Yes! 

9. Where can I submit my finished product?

Please use the 'submit your entry' option on this page. We will be collecting submissions this way. We will be disabling anonymous submissions so that all of you wonderful writers and artists get credit for your work!

Posting of submissions will begin on July 31st, and we will post a certain number per day, depending on how many entries we have.

10. Can I submit my finished product anywhere else?

We have an AO3 collection set up here. If you would like to post ahead of the August reveals, you are more than welcome to post here - all submissions to the AO3 collection will be ANONYMOUS until submissions are posted here on Tumblr.

Once your submission has been posted on Tumblr, you are more than welcome to post anywhere else!

We hope this helps clarify any of your questions! Please do not hesitate to drop us an ask if you have any additional questions. We are so excited to see this fest officially get underway!

Please remember that we've created this fest to spread the love and create more content for any and all of the canon pairings out there, romantic and platonic alike. We can't wait to see what you come up with! Happy creating!

-adenei, accio-broom, be11atrixthestrange, folkmelody

[Themes will be posted at a later date for the 2022 fest]

[thatlastdanceofchances]

Torchwood fandom survey results - part 3

Third and final part of the results! This time: Torchwood beyond the TV series. This means the books, the audio dramas, the fanfics, etc.

All the graphs and data are under a cut.

Disclaimer: This is a survey promoted almost exclusively on tumblr and the results are therefore necessarily biased by the demographics of tumblr users.

All the data presented below is on 155 participants.

Let’s start with the Torchwood extended universe and its different forms and ranges. For each range of the Torchwood extended universe, have you read/listened to it?

Four types of Torchwood stories are quite ahead of the others:

the BBC books, which ran concurrently to the TV series

the BBC audio dramas: the seven audio dramas released by the BBC concurrently to the TV series

the Big Finish monthly range: monthly audio dramas that started in 2015

the Big Finish single special releases, which so far include The Torchwood Archive, Outbreak and Believe.

It makes sense for the BBC stuff. It’s been around for a while and can be found for free (sometimes legally, sometimes not) online.

The monthly range is also quite easy to understand. They are cheaper than other releases and, if you want to focus one type of story or one particular character or the story all of fandom is talking about *coughs*Broken*coughs*, you can buy just the relevant stories.

Now the single special releases, I kind of wish I had separated the three because I wonder how the two are represented in the 46% that didn’t listen to at least one of those. I could make good cases for all three (and I’m gonna).

Believe is the first audio drama with the five original team members (kind of, sorry Suzie) so there was a lot of hype before release date. However, it got mixed reviews (at least in my corner of tumblr) and is quite expensive.

Outbreak has the same price and is post series 2. However, it is simply the best Big Finish story ever. Yes, it’s a fact. No, I’m not biased and I won’t take any criticism. :-D

The Torchwood Archive is cheaper and was an anniversary release. However, it is somewhat of an isolated story more focused on the history of the Torchwood Institute than on the characters.

¯\(ツ)/¯ I guess I’ll have to do another survey about these at one point.

At the other end of the scale, quite behind the others, are two Big Finish audio drama ranges:

The story continues: the official series 5 and 6 of Torchwood (Aliens Among Us and God Among Us)

The Sins of Captain John: a recent John Hart range.

That was to be expected. For The story continues, as we’ve seen with Miracle Day’s audience in the previous results, a lot of people were not keen on what happens to Torchwood after Children of Earth. On top of that, these are box-sets so more expensive.

As for The Sins of Captain John, again it’s a box-set so more expensive and it’s not focused on one of the “main characters” (sorry John).

On the ranges that fall in between these two extremes, I’d like to mention The Lives of Captain Jack. I thought it would do better as it’s about Jack and some of the stories focus on important milestones in his life (for example his falling out with the Time Agency or what happened after his first resurrection). I don’t know if it’s a price issue or the fact that people are more interested in stories within the Torchwood era than things in the distant past or future. If you haven’t listened to it and don’t intend to, I’d be curious to know as to why.

Now that we have the audience numbers, let’s see what the audience thought. The results only include the people who were familiar with the stories so they are on fewer than the usual 155 participants.

For each range of the Torchwood extended universe, would you recommend it to fellow fans?

Trailing far behind is the Torchwood Magazine stuff: the short stories and the comics. It makes sense to me: they’re not very consequential in terms of plot or character work and vary wildly in quality.

It is interesting that the two graphs (audience and review) kind of match in terms of variation between ranges. It confirms what I’ve observed in fandom. Word of mouth plays a big role in how people choose which stories to buy.

It is also interesting to see where they differ a bit. For example, Torchwood One, The Lives of Captain Jack and The Sins of Captain John, which have an average to low audience (far less listened to than the monthly range), get lots of love (almost as much “All of it” as the monthly range). If word of mouth is as crucial as it seems from the rest of the results, I wonder if it is an issue with interest or with price.

Okay, once again, this is getting long, let’s go over the fandom stuff quickly.

Which social media platforms/fandom spaces do you use to participate in Torchwood fan activities?

Tumblr and AO3 dominate that poll…then again, it’s a poll promoted on Tumblr so… I’m not on twitter but I do wonder if there is sizeable Torchwood fandom group there that just missed the poll. Mainly because I know some people in other fandoms who switched to twitter after the Tumblr ban a few years ago.

No other fandom space received more than one mention in the open field of the form.

Then, Which social media platforms/fandom spaces do you use to participate in Torchwood fan activities?

The big four are social media (including meta/analysis/headcanons), fanarts, fanfics and edits. I’m surprised cosplay is not higher but ¯\(ツ)/¯.

Finally, an open question: What other fandoms would you consider yourself part of?

There were 98 responses and 136 different fandoms cited. Here are the ones that got more than 10 mentions:

Marvel-related fandoms (26)

Harry Potter (24)

Star Trek (15)

Good Omens (15)

Merlin (13)

Tolkien-related fandoms (13)

BBC Sherlock (13)

Supernatural (11).

These are all big fandoms, with a bit of a bias towards the big British fandoms.

Once again, thank you to all who participated. It was fun and interesting! At least, to me. ;-)

[cutegirlmayra]

Hello, I love your way of writing your fanfics in the matter of Amy and Sonic. Lately I have seen a video about denying what was something of Sonic's fandom, and seeing a comment and its chains I have seen so much negativity on the ship. How: "Missing and belies the SonAmy" And then continued: "SonAmy doesn't exist in games or comics." "Just by playing the games that shit is already denied." What do you think about this, miss Mayra?

Thank you! :D

There will always be negativity. Everyone has so many opinions, but I love that the world can still form friendships even with different tastes and preferences!

I have not seen any of that but according to my research the main officials, company, games, and most -owned- media do reflect that there was meant and always was a bond of somekind between the two.

Officially speaking, Amy always chases Sonic but he’s too young and uninterested in anything to do with romantic intent. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the potential to, it just means he’s 15 and heads to the next adventure more so than the ‘domestic’ storytelling or storyline.

Here are some links about this very topic!

(x) Evidence of Advertisement.

(x) Moments within Games and-

(x) The differences in Japanese and English Sonamy portrayals.

(x) Cultural interpretations of Sonamy.

(x) The Star Rule (Still have yet to find where I read this… sadly T-T)

(x) Script: (x) Characterizations and ideas for creating Amy Rose by her creator.

(x) More research with facts and my interpretations and explanations of them.

(x) (x) Just more I found, there’s too many, okay!?

Okay, there were a lot of links so I hope I got the best ones!

There’s a lot I’ve done lol, please be satisfied with this list for now! You can search my blog for more if you’d like :)b

Now I’m not perfect but these are things to help separate the fact from the fiction. I know SEGA is growing and shifting to make themselves new and competitive, so I only hope the future is bright! But as long as we fans hold ourselves respectfully and not go crazy or anything, we should be able to show them it’s a good marketable direction for the series. (If done well and within character–we want the growth to be natural, not forced–then it should be okay :)b) Just always strive to be sensible! lol If we have a good image, it won’t be looked down upon so much.

If I must give some advice, which I’m a pretty peaceful person, is that you shouldn’t fight hate with fire. These people usually want a fight and have prepared things to counter you. If you ignore them, they get bored and go to a fandom they think is more combative. Some people get a high out of making others upset, so don’t fall for those baits.

The best way to help Sonamy is to professionally introduce your passions in positive ways. Support by commenting good and wholesome things, like content with Amy in it, buy Amy merchandise, and add your unique talents in non-confrontational or hostile ways. Be smart in how you talk about things, and discuss rather than argue. Marketing ploys–eh, more like their strategy– consists of seeing what’s selling well or getting the most attention. If that attention is negative but high popularity results, it’s noted as bad publicity. If you have attention that is positive and high in popularity, they then start to find ways to build that momentum and get higher ratings or in this case, marketable profit from it.

Shipping is already free advertising, but it has a bad name for itself. The Sonic fandom is actually full of wonderful and creative people. I’ve made many friends through it! If we present ourselves in ways that influence marketing in subtle and cute ways (Such as with Twitter’s Sonic Takeover where Sonamy Questions were answered in light-hearted but cute hinting moments) then our reputation will start to increase as ‘not psychotic’ or ‘childish’ but actually as something that can be beneficial to the brand.

I won’t go into detail about this, because I’m honestly someone who is cautious with what I say online (I used to not be, but I’ve had character development since then lolol) so in my humble opinion, be smart as you love and advertise your joy in something. Every little bit of changing the atmosphere or reputation counts, but so does the opposing side. So make sure you don’t fight, but keep posting wonderful fanart or fanfiction or whatever else you like to do but make sure it’s in a positive light.

I love you all so much! Let’s root for a better perceptive on romance in video game media that is appropriate for its characters and audiences! (I like the idea that Sonic doesn’t know his feelings cause he hasn’t explored them but there is a soft side for Amy. Likewise, him reacting positively to Amy or being impressed/touched by her strength and loyalty at times would be helpful too. Amy could be more universally ‘cute’ in a sense so that both Japanese and American audiences are satisfied without changing her character too much or drastically. There are so many ways to take this discussion and where the characters could end up but it’s honestly a choice we don’t get to make, only help influence in our positive approaches to the fandom ship :)b)

[be-dazzled]

I really think Miraxus is the most hated ship in the FT fandom... There's hate in the miraxus tag which is terrible because Miraxus tag already got anything much new and it's easy to pick on a ship that no one will say anything against it because in this hellsite no one likes them (: sometimes I feel like givin up and thats make me sad because I really thought they are my favs but how this site treats them is startin to make me feel bad and why miraxus fans are so quiet...

Hiiii Anon!

Aw. Reading your message makes me feel sad because I know you are sad. So let me try to cheer you up, Anon. That’s my job for today.

First, I am not really in the position to confirm whether or not Miraxus is the most hated ship in the fandom. I’m not as active as the others so I guess I don’t get to see that hatred thrown to the ships. I heard that the FT fandom has the worst ship wars, which is sad because I am sure that is not Mashima’s intention. I come across a few anons questioning my choice of ships. One even called me, not outright but impliedly, as a fake. But you know what I say to them? To hell with all of you. I shouldn’t be defending my choice because my choice is my own. I can ship whatever my heart desires and no one can tell me I can’t. As long as I don’t go against any established generally accepted rules, norms or what we call in law as jus cogens. In simple terms, Anon, so long as I don’t push for those ships which are glaringly unacceptable (promotes rape, murder, pedophilia), so long as I don’t go against my own moral standards then I can ship whatever, whoever I want. It’s my right as a person. It’s my prerogative. Which brings me to my next point…

Second, Mashima’s choice for his end-game ships. I do believe and stand by Miraxus, Anon. I do think that Hiro has teased us about Miraxus in his spin-offs, twitter posts, even the main FairyTail manga. There are so many Miraxus moments! I don’t want to get too detailed about it here but I already made a response to one Anon who questioned Miraxus in here (be-dazzled).

This may be not be the kind of response you were wishing to receive from me but hear me out first, Anon. Mashima owns the right to FairyTail as its creator. We have to be grateful to Hiro Mashima for creating such wonderful world and beautiful characters that helped us through what we are going through. He reserves the right to it and as the creator/writer, Mashima has every right to whichever ship he wants to end up together. We need to accept that so that we can let go of all this hate, Anon. If Laxus ends up with someone else, that’s okay with me. I’ll hate it at first. I’ll cry about it. I’ll swear the world off because of it. I will forever be scarred by it. I’ll mourn the death of my ship. But when I get all of those emotions out, I know to myself that I will understand his choice. Because, again, it’s his choice. Take for example, J.K. Rowling of the Harry Potter series. She admitted that Harry and Hermoine was the more sensible ship but that Hermoine and Ron was her personal choice. That it was her conscious decision despite the fact that, as a writer, she saw Harry and Hermoine should have been endgame. In the same spirit that I don’t wanna be questioned about my choice of ships, as it is my right, writers/creators shouldn’t be hated either for their choices. It is a prerogative that belongs to them to end the story however they deem, feel or see fit. I ship Miraxus and I hope in all hopes that they are endgame.

Third, your feelings are pretty valid, Anon. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you feel sad about Miraxus not getting the love we all think they deserve, I am with you on that, Anon. I have to admit that I succumb to such feelings also, like giving up. But I sleep it off, I distance myself from social media (cleansing), reread chapters, look for fanarts/official arts, read fanfiction. Try to visit @fallen029 or @thedemon05 or @aconstellationofmemories . I just try to regain my footing and stabilize my emotions, letting my logical side take over. Luckily, I found people who I can share the love for Miraxus with (I’m on a Miraxus discord). I’m not alone in this fight. And you shouldn’t feel that either. 

Sometimes, I really feel sad that I don’t get many notes on my Miraxus material but then I remind myself that it was my choice to ship a slightly popular ship so I have to accept the consequences. Tbh, I was even scared of starting my major Miraxus fanfic because for sure people will sleep on it. Then I remembered, I do this for me so why should I depend on others liking it? The messages and comments boost me up but I shouldn’t depend on that. Miraxus inspires me; that’s all that matters.

Lastly, I’d like to wrap it up and I hope by this time Anon you are feeling better. The FT fandom really fell quiet after the end of FairyTail. I guess, that’s just the natural course of things. My last point anon is that nothing’s confirmed yet. All the Laxus ships are still on fanon stage. Mashima doesn’t wanna wrap it up. That gives us hope so let’s keep on hoping! It’s not yet the end if it’s not yet the finals. Hehe. And don’t mind the haters, Anon. We really can’t preach to deaf ears. It’s pretty useless and a waste of energy.

So the next time you feel like giving up, Anon. Just come to me. Message me here on tumblr. If you don’t feel comfortable about that then maybe stay on anon. Let’s talk to our hearts’ content. Alright? You are not alone in this ship. I am your Captain. If not, then I’m that girl that pushes the boat against the raging storms. Push with me, Anon! Push. With. Me!

[scripting-life]

FFVII: returning to my first love

 *peeks out of the corner of my lurking spot*

Hello? Anybody out there? It’s only been, oh you know, four-ish years since the last time I’ve posted anything here. I apologize in advance for anybody who’s still following me from my Castle days. If you couldn’t tell from my extended absence, I’ve mostly moved on. Castle and Beckett were fantastic characters that let me to play with some deep-dive analyses, and Castle will always hold a special place in my heart as my comfort show and my first real and extended experience with online fandom. I’ll always be grateful to the community I’ve had the joy of interacting with (or, the community with which I’ve had the joy of interacting, as Castle would correct me my dangling preposition).

I honestly didn’t think I would ever have reason to come back to Tumblr after Castle ended. But the FF7 Remake has returned me to my very first love--when I was young and innocent and before I knew anything about OTPs or ship wars. I’ve been back lurking for several months now and seeing all the fanart/fanfics and fun theories and analyses has reignited my enthusiasm for the FF7 franchise. It’s also fun coming back to this franchise with a more mature understanding of the themes/concepts that completely flew over my head as a young preteen.

(This ended up being super long, so the rest is below the cut to spare everyone the pain of scrolling. Apparently, my rambling tendencies have not changed at all. lol.)

When FF7R was officially announced (five freaking years ago!), I was filled with apprehension. FF7 was my first taste of a “grown-up” game. I was 11 and played my brother’s copy of the OG on PC in 1-2 hours spurts on the weekends when I visited his apartment. It took me months, if not years, to finish the game (I ended up stealing his copy to play on our computer at home...lol), and I was so blown away by it. I remember the exact moment I finished it and how I was literally shaking as I watched the ending FMV.

Later, when I found out my brother had a copy of FF8 (my poor brother was so accommodating to his annoying little sister...haha), I was so excited to play, in large part because I thought it would continue the story of FF7. Young, naive me didn’t understand the numbering conventions of Final Fantasy titles. I was madly theorizing and breaking my brain trying to find connections between the two games’ plots and had literally played through more than half the game before I finally realized the storyline of FF8 had absolutely nothing to do with FF7. I was sorely disappointed, and I think that has somewhat tainted my appreciation of future titles. Not to say I haven’t enjoyed the subsequent FF titles, but I think a little part of me is always comparing them to that first experience of wonder and awe that I had with FF7.

I discovered fanfiction in my teens and starting writing FF7/Cloti fics in college. Aside from interacting with a few fic writers at the time, I was not involved in any online communities, so I kept myself pretty free of any ship war drama and the like. When I did research for my fics, I’d sometimes see shipping sites and theories where I didn’t always understand the logic of how certain conclusions were reached, but frankly, I didn’t much care and didn’t realize that Clerith vs. Cloti was such a touchy subject. I was peripherally aware that some sort great LTD war was waging, of course, but it didn’t really touch me. I stayed in my Cloti shipping/fic-writing lane and was probably a lot happier for it. And, to be honest, based on FFN’s listings for FF7, I felt like I always saw a bunch of Sephiroth/Cloud fics and thought that was just as popular as the more conventional ships.

Graduating college and entering “real life” pretty much ended my FF7 fanfic-writing journey. In the intervening years between college and the release of FF7R, I haven’t gone back to the OG too much. I’ve played almost all the Final Fantasy games since then, and I always enjoy getting my FF7 crew fix when I play the non-canon mobile games or the Kingdom Hearts franchise. But FF7 was a happy part of my teenage years, and I was content to think on it with sweet nostalgia.

Remakes, in recent experience (*cough cough* Disney, why?), have been hit or miss, with a lot of misses. It’s hard to strike a good balance between catering to nostalgia and delivering a fresh product, never mind the change in social mores through the decades. I was so afraid FF7R would screw up my memories, especially since I wasn’t the biggest fan of Advent Children. The graphics were great and the action scenes were fun, but the story felt like a let-down. Cloud, in particular, felt so different (and yes, moody) from where we left him after the OG. I understand now that a lot of his character motivation was better explained in the On The Way to a Smile novels, but back then, I just felt like AC came out of nowhere. 

Btw, because I see this question a lot on other blogs when I’m lurking, I’ve ALWAYS thought that it was very clear in AC--even without reading anything else--that the reason for Cloud’s depression was due to guilt and not because he was pining for Aerith. The only reason I didn’t like his characterization in AC was because it felt like it came out of nowhere since AC is set 2 years after OG and by the end of the OG, he seemed to be in a pretty decent place mentally and emotionally. That being said, I can absolutely understand why some traumas resurface years after the originating incident and how times of peace might actually be worse because he is no longer solely focused on saving the world, but I was just surprised and a little bummed that this was the direction the devs chose to take AC at the time. Now that I’m older, I do better appreciate the complexities of Cloud’s mental state and the fact that they depicted a hero with lingering mental health issues is actually pretty awesome. I’m drawn to characters that have flaws--sometimes serious ones--but try their best anyway. Hence, why why Tifa Lockhart and Kate Beckett are some of my all-time favorites.

Anyhow, that didn’t stop me from pre-ordering FF7R, of course. I avoided reading any reviews as I didn’t want my first impressions to be swayed, and boy, was I happy that I went in mostly blind. That sense of awe really almost felt like playing the OG for the first time again, but somehow more. The combat system is incredibly fun and the world-building is nothing short of incredible. The variety and abundance of NPCs gives the game so much flavor and the locations have been rendered so well. As I’m going through areas like the Sector 7 train station and Wall Market and Aerith’s house, I can almost superimpose the layout from the OG in my head, but now it’s in 3D and so rich and full. It’s obvious that a lot of attention was paid to details, and I love all the head-nods and homages to the OG.

And oh, the characters!

This is the Cloud I’ve been wanting to see in glorious HD and the Cloud I remember from the original game: all awkward, dorky trying to be cool, socially inept, mentally unstable, abrasive-at-times, reluctant to act depending on who’s asking, wannabe hard-ass who’s actually a big softie inside Cloud. I remember reading an article a few years back about how the devs basically redid Cloud for the Remake because they wanted him to go back to his dorky roots--which ends up making him closest to his personality in the OG than his appearances in other franchises--and I was SOOOO incredibly happy to hear that. I was so sick of the way Cloud was constantly depicted as this cool, broody McBrood in his cameos when he was a pretty big dork in the OG. (Anybody remember him doing squats in the Highwind when Tifa says it’ll be lonely with just the two of them and Cloud responds that he’ll make enough noise to make up for it? Like I said: cute, but a dork.)

I WAS surprised by how comfortable and sweet and touchy (so very very touchy) the devs made him with Tifa from the beginning. That initial scene of Cloud being such a smooth operator giving Tifa the flower had my jaw-dropping and every single flirty interaction after that (and there are many) had my Cloti heart overflowing in shock and bliss. Throughout most of my years as a Cloti shipper, even though I believed Cloti was supported by canon and pretty clearly together, I was also under the impression--mistakenly or not--that Cloti was the minority ship. So for Square Enix to make it so blatantly obvious that Cloud is really into Tifa at such an early stage has been an unexpected gift.

Also, they’re just really hot together. (Clotiscrew tunnel--be still my heart!)

As for Tifa...oh, what wonderful character development we’ve already gotten for Tifa. Tifa has always been one of my all-time favorite characters ever since reading her character blurb in the OG game manual. Initially, as a child, it was because I saw so much of myself in her. She was outwardly bright and optimistic, but tended to hide all of her stronger feelings inside. She fought with her fists, and for someone who was a tomboy growing up who liked playing contact sports with the boys, I connected with her in a way that I had never been able to connect with other female protagonists who were primarily back-row specialists. (I also aspired to grow to her listed height of 5′4″, which alas, did not happen...lol).

I love how the Remake delves into more of Tifa’s moral conflict between the destruction that she causes as part of Avalanche and needing to do something to stop Shinra, and yes, even seeking revenge. They touched on this in the OG lightly, but the Remake really hammers it home. She’s perhaps the most conflicted character in terms of motivation in Part 1. That scene with the Shinra manager on the train is actually one of my favorite scenes of her because it highlights that tension. The elevator scene, if you opted for it instead of the stairs (or if you did one, saved, and reloaded to do the other one, like me), is also underrated in terms of how much it reveals about Tifa’s inner struggle.

On this point, I also appreciate that the Remake has the characters reflecting on the damage they’ve both indirectly and directly inflicted--the Avalanche team all do this to a certain degree. In particular, Jessie’s constant inability to figure out what she’d done wrong with the bomb to cause such a massive explosion and her remaining feelings of guilt during her death scene (”they were my victims” ouch!) were heart-breaking.

Aerith’s depiction was another pleasant surprise. I’ll be honest; I didn’t much like her in the OG. She was too pushy and willfully oblivious to the point of being mean at times. In the Remake, much of her sometimes too in-your-face playfulness was kept--perhaps still a little too much--but I appreciate the nuance that they gave her. The train graveyard scene tells the player that she didn’t have friends growing up, and I think that partially contributes to her lack of social tact at times. The other factor that gives her personality more nuance is the hint of special knowledge that affects how she interacts with the rest of the group. It gives her additional hidden motivation and adds to her mystery for new players while simultaneously pulling at the heartstrings for old players who get the impression that Aerith is somehow aware--to a certain, unknown extent--of her own fate. 

I also appreciate that Aerith is more grounded as a real person than as some sort of revered being. I do blame AC for some of that. When you have the power to cure a fatal disease from the afterlife and send the dead back to life, it gets into some godlike territory. Maybe it’s a fair depiction of her powers as a Cetra, but I just get the feeling that Aerith herself wouldn’t really appreciate being made into this goddess-like figure. Remember that her character blurb in the original game manual implied that she was more interested in earthly things (i.e. the love triangle) than in exploring her own powers. I personally think that Aerith used the “love triangle” in the OG as a form of escapism from the weight of her burdens rather than genuine interest, and I just think she’d want to be thought of as a person rather than as a god. One of my favorite scenes for Aerith is when she and Cloud are traversing the rooftops and she slips on the ladder, letting out a simple, “Shit.” It humanizes her in a way that combats some of the ways she’s sort of been deified in the last 23 years. Also, Aerith wielding a folding chair like it’s WWE never fails to make me laugh. Overall, she just comes off as a more reasonably flawed and--as a result, to me--a more likeable character in the Remake, and I do very much like her now.

Barret is pretty much the exact larger than life character I imagined in my head, only somehow even better, and I really love how expressive and emotional his eyes and facial expressions are. His scenes with Marlene are truly the cutest thing ever. Red XIII is a big, furry ball of sass, and I need so much more of him in the coming parts (Cosmo Canyon still wrecks me to this day). The interactions between the Wedge, Biggs, and Jessie are incredible, and they really feel like people who’ve been friends and basically each other’s family for years. The Turks and Rufus are pretty much as cool as I imagined them in the OG.

There’s still so much more I haven’t even started touching on about the Remake, and I think that’s why I’m finally posting this now. I just can’t contain my love for this game any more, and I really really need a place to express myself. I don’t know if anybody is still reading, but I appreciate having the opportunity to finally gush about this game and franchise that I’ve loved so much for pretty much two-thirds of my life.

[lycorogue]

Fanfic ask meme: U!

Aww, Cy! And you said *I* ask the hard questions…

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Well, peeps, IT’S PROMOTION TIME!!!!!(Fair warning, these are going to be in the Miraculous Ladybug fandom, sorry if you’re looking for a good author outside that fandom.)

1.    @baneismydragon, you can find her on AO3 here.

First of all, Bane has a LOT of stories, and it’s fantastic to find an author with a lot of content to consume. Secondly, the stories have fun and unique concepts with them, and a nice level of snark. I love me some playful snarkiness. Plus, just such amazing fluff. Something about Bane’s writing voice always gets my heart racing during the action or romance scenes. Wonderful! My personal favorite is “And The Name For Your Order Is?”

2. @edendaphne, you can find her on AO3 here.

I was first drawn to her - excuse the pun - because of her illustrations. She was doing collabs with some great writers, such as Maerynn, and her illustrations always added an extra layer to the writing. But then Eden started writing on her own, and it’s just as fantastic. In her first solo story - Discordant Sonata - actually includes a sort of playlist within the writing, since the story focuses on music. She starts each scene with a link to mood music, and it really enhances the experience.

3. @midnightstarlightwrites, you can find her on AO3 here.

I actually found her via fanart drawn for her story Smoulder, and it is very much deserved. She tends to write aged-up ML stories so she can also include more adult themes. And let me tell you, she’s suuuuuper good at getting that heart racing with some steamy scenes ranging from major pent up tension up to softcore foreplay. The humor is also pretty on-point as well, which is great way to break the tension.

So those are officially my three, but you didn’t really think I’d end there, do you?

4. @thetauruspixie, you can find her on FFN here, and she’s starting to build up stories over on AO3 here.

She tends to write darker themes in her stories. She also has multiple projects going at the same time, so it’s fairly easy to find one that you’ll like and will update fairly regularly. She also writes epics, so you can enjoy your favorite story for a while. The one I’m currently following is Chat Vert, which is about Chat Noir’s jealousy once Luka comes onto the scene.

5. @buggachat, you can find her on AO3 here.

I started following her here on Tumblr after seeing the wonderful mini-stories she shared via her fancomics. Just like with Bane, Bug has fantastic comedic timing and just the right level of snark. Bug is still fairly new with the non-visual storytelling element of fanfics, but the concepts are so delightfully unique and truly delves into character exploration. I’m following her multi-chapter story Curiosity Wrote a Comic, which explores the emotional ramifications to Marinette and Adrien reading a fancomic that takes a fairly dark turn.

6. @chibisunnie, you can find her on AO3 here.

Finally moving away from my fandom, I met Chibi when we collabed on a (sadly abandoned) “Hey, Arnold!: The Jungle Movie” fanscript as a means to help encourage Nickelodeon to greenlight the project. Since then, we’ve kind of moved away from each other’s fandoms, but I still love reading Chibi’s works. Even though I don’t know the stories or the characters, I’m still emotionally invested. She focuses on the sort of background couples of stories; the ones that tend to be forgotten about in fanfics. She also keeps her writing fairly clean, so it’s just wonderfully wholesome. Finally, she usually focuses on gay relationships, including the struggles of finally coming out of the closet. Along those lines, I really enjoyed her Andi Mack story “Aren’t You Happy For Andi?” (It does include a spoiler from the season 2 premiere) 

7. @cyhyr, you can find her on AO3 here.

Even though she’s the one who asked, how could I forget my girl Cyhyr? Just like Chibi, Cy doesn’t write in any of my fandoms, but that’s fine. She writes the characters in a way that you don’t need to know the fandom to care about the story. The characters are real and raw and in such need of cuddles all the time. She does like her some hurt/comfort. She mostly writes in the FFXV fandom, rotating between the Big Four: Ignis, Prompto, Noctis, and Gladiolus. I think my favorite story is Choice, mostly because of the subversion of the Soulmates trope.

Now, can I be a little self-indulgent here and include myself? Does that sound arrogant? I dunno, I just think you should enjoy your own work, ya know? “Write for you” and all that?

You can find me on FFN here, and on AO3 here (and if you’re truly desperate, I even post on DA here).

Of course, my pride and joy is my first completed multi-chapter story: Peeping Tomcat. However, I also really love my one-shot Build Your Own Luck, simply because this is now my headcanon as to where The BraceletTM came from. My Lukanette story I Was Thinking Of You also has a special spot in my heart.

I tend to write as close to true-to-show as possible, and I’ve had a lot of reviews telling me it’s like reading an episode script. I am kind of obsessive with keeping the characters as in-character as possible, and keeping the facts as canonical as I can.

OKAY! Long post is long! Thanks for the ask, Cyhyr! And thanks for everyone for indulging me. Love you all, and feel free to drop me an ask.

[princessamericachavez]

Fjorester moments episodes 70 and 71

HEY I’M NOT DEAD

I was just enjoying a few days offline on the beach, but I’m back and all caught up. So, who’s ready to review some Fjorester moments??

Episode 70

Jester: *trying to understand why the mountain doesn’t have snow*

Fjord: *softest heart eyes*

Jester: Well, I could send like four times but...

Fjord: That’s kind of a waste of your gifts, right?

Jester: Not necessarily, if it’s important.

I JUST REALLY LIKE HOW THE PAST FEW MISSIONS/DAYS FJORD HAS BEEN EXTRA THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HER SPELLS EVER SINCE SHE VOICED HER ANNOYANCE ABOUT IT THAT ONE TIME OKAY? HE PAYS ATTENTION

When Caleb says he can take Jester home to her mother and she just says that very soft “oh” and kinda spaces out and Fjord immediately notices something’s wrong

Fjord: You okay, Jester?

Jester: Mhm

Fjord: JUST KEEP WORRIEDLY STARING AT HER

WHAT KIND OF DISNEY FANFIC SHIT

Fjord *before he literally just steps outside the room to keep a lookout while staring directly at Jester*: I’m gonna- you’ll be okay in here?

Jester: *nods*

REMEMBER THAT ONE AWKWARD AF EXCHANGE IN ASSARIOUS WHERE FJORD ASKED IF SHE’D BE SAFE IN THE ROOMS THEY WERE STAYING AT?? THIS WAS JUST LIKE A CALL BACK TO THAT IMO

LIKE

SAME FEELING, SAME WORRY, SAME SOFTNESS

IM FINE

Okay, so here might be my favorite one of this episode

when they are arguing about how to proceed

and Jester is getting all worked up and she’s angry and sad and still emotional about Yasha

Jester: I mean, honestly, I don’t give a fuck who we are with. I don’t care if it’s the Empire. I don’t care if it’s Xhorhas. I don’t care!

Fjord:

Fjord: What does matter? What if these men have families? What if they are in danger? What if what we can say can help?

Jester:

I think disagreements are, obviously, super important when you build a relationship with someone. A serious not crush-based relationship. And this point feels incredibly intense between them. The way he gets serious, and she can’t meet his eye, and how he keeps looking at her.

I don’t feel like Fjord is berating her, at all, either. It sounds, to me, like he is truly trying to understand where Jester stands and to make her see the moral conflict from his point of view.

What does matter? Is such a big and important question that they need to ask themselves, but I particularly like that Fjord seems inclined to figure it out with Jester, instead of just saying “this is what I think matters”.

And —this is the good part— Jester does listen to him! As she shows later on.

Fjord goes into a lengthier explanation about why he thinks they should stay, warn people, at the very least hope to help in the 24 hours they have left before returning to the capital. And he ends his speech clearly looking at her and with a plead:

Fjord: We could save lives.

And Jester nods.

Because she understands. Because they are again on the same page.

Jester: *wants to scry on Yasha*

Fjord: Do it, Jester.

I think they both want to know. They need to know.

Absolutely do not think about how this betrayal clearly hit them both the hardest (maybe second only to Beau) given everything they went through with Yasha back when the Shepherds took them.

Everyone: *talking about how Fjord should disguise himself to start a whisper campaign*

Jester: You want to do it, Fjord?

Fjord: Yeah, I’d be okay with that.

IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO ME THAT SHE CHECKS IN WITH HIM AND MAKES SURE THEY AREN’T SENDING HIM TO SOMETHING HE DOESN’T WANNA GO

Jester after her chaotic mission: I was all over the place with my accent, Fjord would’ve been so disappointed of me!

SHE’S SO SAD BECAUSE SHE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT HIS OPINION OF HER AND SHE WANTS HIM TO LIKE HER AND BE PROUD OF HER AND listen Beau is right and it might not be the healthiest but THERE’S A REASON HIS OPINION IS SO IMPORTANT TO HER

Beau: You know, you don’t need Fjord’s approval to be amazing, you know? You’re pretty cool. Do you need his validation?

I love Beauregard so much, she’s such a wonderful friend and honestly, this is the same advice I’d give a friend regarding her crush. Just because you like someone or you highly value their opinion of you, it shouldn’t mean you need their validation.

I think, in the long term, Beau will help Jester archive the healthy place she needs to make a relationship work.

Jester: *realize they left the moorbounders behind*

Fjord: *again, is the first one to notice she’s sad/shocked*

Fjord: C’mon, let’s stay on task.

He says it softly and, though this isn’t the shippiest thing, I really like that he makes sure to recenter her and keep moving.

It’s also funny and a lot more banter-y when she brings it up again and he just goes:

Fjord: The little death panthers will be fine by themselves, it’s fine

Also Jester both encourages Fjord to speak to the Bright Queen and to go peek into the cell, and I love both instances because they reinforce just how much Jester trusts Fjord and looks up to him when it comes to critical moments. Nice nice nice.

EPISODE 71

Admittedly, we didn’t get that much stuff this episode. One, because Skype makes things more complicated for everyone and Two because there was a lot going on.

I have this theory about most ships happening on face-to-face tables and brotps on side to side, and I feel like this placement kinda reinforced that a little... even if we did get a cute little gems.

Jester: Have you lived a really long time?

Fjord: !!!!!!

Darion: *reveals she’s nearly 200 years old*

Fjord: Fuck

WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY TO ME OMG

I love that he turns to look at her like DID YOU JUST HEAR THAT?? but she isn’t looking which is what i’m talking about with side-to-side limitations

Fjord: *asks Darion to investigate about Uk’otoa*

Jester:

SHE’S SO WORRIED

Also, though I’m frustrated by the placing, one thing i love about this is that, in my head —and most fanart, and the intro, and most official art—Fjord and Jester are always standing or sitting next to each other, so this kinda illustrates how they probably behave all the time.

Sharing looks, turning to the other, probably most of their talks are quiet exchanges like this, private little moments.

Beau: *mentions splitting the party*

Fjord and Jester: in sync

LOOK AT THEM

LOOK IT

SPLITTING UP HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION

Nott: So, me and Jester and Caleb can go to Nicodranas and meet you here tomorrow

Fjord:

Beau: Fjord?

Fjord: Yes?

Beau: Do you wanna go to Nicodranas or do you wanna stay?

Jester *puppy eyes*: Nicodranas?

LOOK AT THOSE PUPPY EYES

SHE WANTS HIM TO COME WITH HER

SO BADLY 

Fjord: Do I want to?

Jester: *mouths something that for the life of me I can’t decipher*

Nott: It’s near the water.

Jester: I mean, only if you want to.

Fjord: What’s everybody doing here while we’re gone... if I go.

Even though he corrects himself in the end there, I love how he’s already made up his mind. Deep down, he knows he’s going.

Jester: [Essek] is pretty hot, so...

Fjord:

Their very married banter about bringing Sprinkle along for their adventure was so cute too. 

Jester: *lies about still having the dodecahedron*

Fjord: 

DLÑFKJADÑLFJA

Marion: Has [Fjord] been taking care of you?

Fjord: *nervously looks at her*

Jester: Yeah! I almost fell to my death, he made sure that didn’t happen!

Fjord: Yeah, caught her on the quick. 

Jester: Yes.

Marion: Very good, keep doing that. 

Fjord: *nods solemnly*

MAMA LAVORRE APPROVES AND SHIPS IT

MAMA LAVORRE KNOWS

IT’S SO CUTE AND AWKWARD 

BOTH OF THEM ARE SO SHY ABOUT IT

ALSO ‘HAS HE BEEN TAKING CARE OF YOU’ CAN BE READ IN SO MANY WAYS

ANY WAYYY

YESSSSSSS

okay okay okay that’s all

they are cute

i can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode!!

this was a lot to put together in a single post lmfao 

I love you all so much. 

[doctor-ciel]

"What is OneShot and why should I play it?"

Ah, what a wonderful question. OneShot is an indie RPG with a 97% rating on Steam and a 98% from Google users. Its developer is Little Cat Feet and its composer is Casey Gu. It's a really cute metafictional game with interesting gameplay and endearing characters! Its description on Steam says, "OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist."

"Metafictional, you say? Does that mean it's like Undertale or Doki Doki Literature Club?"

Oneshot was actually made before either of them! It was first released in 2014, while Undertale came out in 2015 and DDLC in 2017. It also had a Solstice update in 2016, but I'll talk about that later.

In terms how similar it is to them, I'd say Oneshot is by far more like Undertale than DDLC. The only way it's similar to DDLC at all is that it directly breaks the fourth wall, rather than "leaning" on it like Undertale does. But aside from that, the two games aren't alike at all. First of all, it's not a horror game. In fact, as far as I recall, there is little to no horror elements in the whole game. That's not to say it's saccharine, of course, in fact it's far from it. Speaking of which.......

"I'm really not in the mood to cry. Should I play this game?"

Absolutely not. Chalk that up to another way this game is similar to Undertale(note that I'm only comparing it to Undertale and DDLC because they're the most popular indie meta games -- I could talk about Oneshot's similarities to OFF, for example, but that's a post for another day). Anyways, Oneshot is a VERY emotional game. Without going into too spoiler-y territory, it gets you to care about the characters and the world a LOT, and then puts you in very stressful situations regarding them.

"What was the "Solstice update" you were talking about earlier?"

For the longest time, Oneshot had about half or less the content it has now, had lower quality sprites, and also if you closed the game you couldn't play it again(which, I mean there were reasons behind that, but it's nice that they removed that bit). The whole game was made in one month, but it was free to download.

Then, one day in 2016, an update came out, called the "Solstice Update." I am CERTAINLY not going to tell you what the update was about or the details of how it impacted the game, but for now all you need to know is that it doubled the content, added more to the story, and showed us characters that were only hinted at in the original iteration of the game.

"I'm starting to like the idea of this game, but I'm still on the fence. What are some things about the game that you like that will seal the deal for me?"

Oh boy, I'm glad you asked! As I said before, the characters are endearing, and they also have good character design. The world building is amazing, and focuses on a few specific things that really make the game unique(for example, clovers, libraries, robots, luminescent rocks called "phosphor", rams, the sun, etc.). It also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, but not neccesarily our world, and (and this is important) it also isn't one of those gritty hellscape worlds where life sucks. The art and soundtrack are also amazing, in fact I'm listening to the soundtrack as I type this. The plot is fantastic, well-paced, and has moments of tension while also having lots of cute and fun-filled moments. The gameplay is unique, but I won't spoil how. And if none of this is working for you, then the main character is a cat child named Niko who loves pancakes, and if that alone isn't the cutest fucking thing, then I don't know what to tell you, you heartless person.

"Should I really get into it?"

I mean, I just wrote a paragraph talking about all the things I love about it, so this may be just a bit biased, but....... yes. Yes you should. The fandom may be small and relatively inactive, but we could always use more members, and I also don't think anyone should miss out on an opportunity to play a game as amazing as this.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me. How do I get into this?”

If you want to play the game yourself, you can buy it on Steam for $9.99, or buy the soundtrack bundle for $18.87. If you can't or don't want to buy it, this is a good playthrough of it that includes the Solstice content(if you watch these, I'd look up how to get to the Solstice content after you watch the all endings video, otherwise you might be very confused). Here is the official OneShot trailer.

"I have watched the trailer and played the game and holy shit you were right, this game is amazing! But the fandom is so small and inactive! What should I do?"

As Ghandi says, be the change you wish to see in the world! We can't do much to make other people join the fandom, but we can produce content ourselves! Make fanart, fanfic, and edits, no matter how "skilled" you might consider yourself to be! In fact, if you are a new or unskilled artist, fandoms like these are the perfect place to master your art! I can assure you that every work is appreciated by the underfed fans, and there's not a whole lot of pressure to make masterpieces here! We're all just appreciating this game together. If you're looking for some good OneShot blogs, I'd recommend @daylightsavings, @daily-niko, @here-at-the-eleventh-hour, @oneshotfanbase, @asktheoneshotcast, and @incorrect-oneshot-quotes-blog