#your theories and questions make me think of extra things to add and it's so much fun!!

[lenny-link]

In regards to the SU x TF2 AU:

I have been racking my brain over here trying to understand the decision to make RED Spy a ruby and BLU Spy a sapphire. Nothing about his portrayal seemed to line up with canon depictions of rubies or sapphires, and RED Spy's gem isn't even faceted like a ruby. Also the obvious joke of making him a Bixbite, like the corrupted gem who was a giant crab, seemed obvious. Then it dawned on me.

He's a color-change sapphire, isn't he? That's why his RED version has a sapphire cut despite supposedly being a ruby? And also potentially why he's the only one we've seen RED and BLU variations of (though I get the impression that's also so one can be paired with Scout's Ma and the other with Engie) when all the others have been RED(-ish) isn't it? Or am I completely off base with this theory?

i LOVE your theory i wish you shared your thoughts before i elaborated the ‘lore’ of the au

but since ive had lots of questions about details id like to mention that:

1. i originally had not planned to make any story behind the su au, so if there’s things that dont make sense, don’t align with canon and stuff, it was not planned soo im working with what i have :p

2. i was hoping no one notices the mistake i made of swapping the gems ruby/sapphire lol its because at first i had drawn Blu(sapphire) Spy in that page, but i thought it was confusing since there was RedSpy x Scout’sMa and Scout next to him, so i just changed the colors and i didnt change the gem bc i was lazy :P

3. the main reason i put both Blu/Red Spy was to create fusion, i thought to add an extra merc with a blu color would be cool for the fusions that isnt from ClassicTeam, and idk i couldn’t think of a better merc to have as a pair than Spy and i thought there is more potential with 2 Spies to work on a story than any other merc idk

(yes i didnt put garnet as the fusion so as not to make confusion with Demoman being a Garnet, and we don’t have an Amethyst anyways so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

4. it is IMPOSSIBLE to align each TF2 character with a SU character, there’s nothing in common between the two medias whatsoever, so the dynamics that im gonna be making for the TF2 au are gonna be a bit mixed, for example: RedSpy and BluSpy having Ruby/Sapphire’s dynamic (kinda), but also they have the same dynamic as Rose/Pearl, for the part where Red would go with a human (Scout’s Ma) and Blu would be jealous (just like pearl), HeavyMedic also would be having Ruby/Sapphire dynamic (the part where they fuse for the first time just like Ruby/Sapphire in the show, im still working on comic about this btw)

5. also im mixing with well TF2 canon story + trying really to make an original story too, soo its a whole mess ik :p im trying just bear with me ^^"

but thank you for pointing that out, it makes me happy knowing people actually pay attention to details thats super fun! ill make sure to not miss any details next time! :D

[freshstitches]

Last month, Sixth & Spring publishing reached out to me to review the new Short-row Colorwork Knitting book by Woolly Wormhead. Woolly  is best known for designing clever hat patterns that employ the use of short-rows to create dynamic shapes in colorwork. I've never made one of her patterns, but have long appreciated them as a sort of brain teaser. Each one seems to fit together like a puzzle of yarn. I've now spent a month with this book, reading through it and using it as a textbook to learn Woolly's signature short row technique.

The cover of the book has a frosted glass feel, which I think is nicer than a glossy cover. Three of the brightly colored stitch patterns are displayed along with the title. The book contains 50 stitch patterns and 10 projects. The yarn for the publication was provided by malabrigo so every stitch pattern is shown in beautiful tonal yarn. I also noticed a stitch key on the inside of the flap of the cover that folds out so you can look at it when you're working on a pattern. I love the consideration for the reader and the functionality.

This book is written like a workbook, it starts by giving you all the tools that you need to use to knit the stitch patterns then use them in your own projects. The first few chapters explain the short-row colorwork fabric, the chart system, ways of altering the motifs in the book and color theory. I was not left with any questions about the instructions. The next section of the book contains tutorials teaching the basics of short row knitting, the skills that are needed to complete the patterns are shown with photos. There's even a photo tutorial on knitting backwards - a huge time saver. It seems like Woolly and I have the same party trick. 

Next, I tried making a few of the stitch patterns with my new skills. The chart system was intuitive. The first swatch is the Sine Stripes pattern. The swatch in the book showed a selvedge, which I added on my swatch as well. Next, I tried making the Anemones motif. I did not add a selvedge this time, but felt confident using the lessons to shift the placement of the short rows. None of the short rows were changed,I just cast on extra stitches and practiced moving the motifs. I did not have a chance to try any of the "repeatable" stitch patterns yet which can be used in the round as well as flat. The majority of the book is spent on these adaptable stitches.

I didn't have time to try any of the projects, but noticed a good mix of different accessories. I appreciate the inclusion of multiple designers showing different perspectives and approaches to the Short-row Colorwork technique. The final chapter of the book explains different design considerations, inviting the reader to actually use the stitch dictionary portion of the text for their own applications. The properties of some of these stitches are unique and the lessons are helpful and explaining all different scenarios that may come up.

I always intended to get this book, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It's incredibly thorough without becoming overwhelming. If you enjoy learning new things, this is a great purchase. It's currently available for  pre-order and will be available in the US on April 16th and in the UK on May 14th. More info is available on Woolly's website. And you can preorder a copy of the book on Amazon.

[ardbar]

You! You get it!! They keep the Pros mad and the Noobs, not because they hate the Noobs too, but because they need the Pros to Fear What Could Be. I wonder how often a Pro falls and their former neighbors look at them with terror, thinking, "that could have been me." But it comes out as angry words towards their once friend. Their friend knows that it is fear they speak with, not anger, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

As for the Masters, I wonder if they even Know beyond Theory. Like yeah, they know it isn't great on the Noob level. But they don't ever go down that far. They don't know that they're only given raw meat to eat and they have to risk their lives to do so, they don't know that the education system is Literally Nonexistent, they don't know that a Noob's life span is not counted in decades like theirs, or years like the Pros, or even in months, but in weeks. In days. They don't know that the average life span for them is only a few weeks.

This is not willful ignorance, not fully. They have never been down that far. They have never even considered the possibility that something could be that wrong, because surely the Champion wouldn't ever allow anything to get that bad, right? After all, he says that the Noobs are fine and it's dangerous to go down that far anyways. They don't have the safety blanket of the Pro Level if they miss a jump.

Just like with Evbo, how can they possible ask for an answer to a question they do not know exists?

But Evbo is the champion now and even when he was only a master, he shone light on what was happening down there. He claims that when he left he was considered not just an elder, but *ancient*. They ask how old he is, thinking he must be nearing 100 or 200, but he simply replies, "I am five years old."

OOO it would have been really cool to see people actually rank down and see how others view that. I wonder if there would be any sympathy, or if they would blame the fallen person. If they had been good enough they would never have fallen, they should have just done better.

Also your point about the master's I think is very interesting. It is personally not something I have given too much thought to until now so please forgive me if my points aren't as thought out as they could be. I really like how you describe the master's just being ignorant of the life in the noob level, they only have passing knowledge of it. But I also think this would be true of their knowledge of the pro level as well. While we don't know exactly how long the champion before Evbo had taken over for we can assume it's a decent amount of time because the system seems pretty set in stone with very few people fighting against it. What this means is a majority of the people on the master level were probably placed there by Seawatt and his whole memory lab thing. It was also mentioned that Master's almost never go down to the pro level. I think they would create an ignorance of not only the noob level but of the entire system. I think this would also really parallel how out of touch rich people but specifically how people born into the with wealthy are.

I think this adds an extra layer of it because it would make it so the masters are just as much a victim of this system even if it does benefit them. Many of them may look down on the pros, and noobs but they still do believe that through hard work it is possible for new members to join their ranks. Their actions aren't malicious they have just never been given a reason to not trust the system. Its the same reason old people say oh if you set aside x amount of money you can buy a house easily. That is there lived experience they can't comprehend this changing. At best masters have a basic understanding of the pro level and since everything is relatively normal there they have no reason to wonder what the noob level is like.

Also I love the whole, "I'm 5" line that would be super intertesing to see someone do something with that.

[vodkacheesefries]

big spoilers for dragon age the veilguard from early access players beneath the cut.

Also lengthy rambling/opinions.

proceed at thine own peril

In theory I'm okay with things being boiled down into a handful of simple questions to help new incoming players establish a background for their game.

HOWEVER, we're only getting three, and those are:

Did your Inquisitor disband/keep the Inquisition?

Did they vow to save/stop Solas?

Who did they romance?

That's it. This is. A choice.

I get it. it's been 10 years since Inquisition came out and longer since DA2 and DAO. A lot of people probably haven't played the early games, and there are hundreds if not thousands of choices across all three games that including them in Veilguard would be difficult.

But there are a handful of choices/decisions that it is absolutely wild to me that they aren't including in Veilguard's questionnaire. At the bare minimum I was hoping for the following:

What was the fate of your Grey Warden?

What was the fate of your Hawke?

Who drank from the Well of Sorrows?

Did your Inquisitor disband/keep the Inquisition?

Did your Inquisitor vow to save/stop Solas?

That's it! Only two more questions than we already have, and two of them are the same as the ones we're getting. All of the important story choices, and small choices that you could make in the prior games boil down to the fate of your character in that game so there's no need to get more detailed than that.

For example, obviously if your Warden survived the final battle, the dark ritual took place, so there's no need to ask more about it. Obviously if Hawke was left in the fade, they didn't go to Weisshaupt, and Alistair/Loghain/Stroud stayed in the Fade. Obviously if Morrigan drank from the well of Sorrows, your Inquisitor isn't going to be linked to Mythal, but Morrigan is.

Those feel like arguably the most important story beats from the previous games and I feel like that still keeps it simple enough and doesn't rely on importing potentially thousands of choices you made across the three prior games, while still explaining just enough without having to explain too much to new players.

(side note: I suppose if we want to get extra fancy we can add a question for "Who did your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor romance" because callbacks to those relationships have always been fun, especially if we're getting any sort of cameo of past companions. Which at this point, I don't think we are.)

As far as past player characters returning, I get why that's hard to do because there's so many different endings for the Warden, and even Hawke post Inquisition. Would I like for them to show back up? Sure. But I'm okay if they don't.

TBH the most I've been hoping for is that maybe somewhere in a level/mission you're on, maybe with Davrin, you could find an easy to miss crumpled up letter/codex entry on it talking about how if your Warden was still alive they found a cure and disappeared into a well deserved retirement and to not bother them with anymore end of the world bullshit ever again.

Hell, I'd even accept it if it mentioned they'd started hearing the Calling and went to the Deep Roads and they're sorry they couldn't do more. I just want to know what happens to them. It doesn't have to be a pivotal plot point or anything.

Crumbs.

I am begging for crumbs, Bioware.

PS: I know it sounds like I'm being incredibly critical of the game, but I am actually very excited for it and I do think I'll enjoy it, despite any ties, or lack thereof, to prior games. I'm a big fan of being critical of the things you enjoy.

Now if you want me to get really critical because I don't like something, ask me how I feel about Inquisition because WHOOO boy I could give a Ted Talk about how much I dislike Inquisition.

[karmawonders]

Zhongli brainrot incoming my lovely little ducklings

Notes: imma call god!reader also known as Creator as Divinity cuz it sounds cute aight? Aight. And it makes sense cuz we are the most divine thing, so like? It works. U can argue with me but I enjoy the name, and as a SAGAU x cult au consumer, that name would just FUEL my God complex.

🌸Also this is probably non comprehensive my adhd n more went nyooom with this one, so you have been warned🌸

Warnings: sagau. Religious themes. Reader is God/ above God. Yandere worshippers. Slight zhongli x childe Lemme know if I should add anything.

Aight bitches we know the drill

Zhongli? The loyalist of our devotees. Also the oldest of all the motherfuckers

My dude got arthritis or smth idk I like to think he goes over to baizhus pharmacy for painkillers occasionally since he is just an old old frail wee peepaw. (Jokes ofc)

Now listen. My man's Morax was an Archon. He may of left that title but the dude is still very much a God. Not like, as high of God as the creator is, but a God nevertheless.

Dude gots a whole ass teapot/ pocket dimension solely for a temple to Divinity.

It continuously is expanding as he finds more books that could be about Divinity / theories about Divinity, etc.

Rip to the poor adeptus who is managing it.

Sure he usually has Childe pay for his shit, but it's not cuz he is broke! He is farr from it

Dude just has

Idk

Tendencies to hoard

Curse his dragon nature ig man

All the Mora? Safely in a separate teapot outside of his temple one. You can swim in it scrooge Mcduck style. He probably does take naps in it sometimes in his dragon form ig.

So he has Childe buy a ton of things that He thinks Divinity may even possibly like or acknowledge

It is dangerous when he walks amongst the harbor shops.

Not for the shopkeepers, they quickly learned to put their finest goods out in front when the see the funeral consultant nearing.

Mostly for whoever is gonna be paying for it. Which is usually Childe.

Oh shit man you see that fancy ass tea set that dude is polishing? We gotta look at it.

"Don't drag your feet Childe, we must secure this purchase for Divinity."

Childe can't argue if he knows it's going to Divinity, to you. He's one of your worshippers to ya know, he owes you his life.

He just wishes

Ya know

Zhongli would haggle a little before immediately purchasing whatever it is

He still shudders at the time he spent that much mora for something known as a "Primogem". A solid 5 million.

Just to ya know

Learn that a certain blonde haired traveller basically gets them for free just for being their first vessel / connected to Divinity.

That one hurt a Lil ngl

I mean Learning that Divinity would find a single primogem absolutely useless if not insulting on its own.

Listen man's Divinity is still interacting through Teyvat through a screen at this time, you ain't nowhere near to actually being there physically atm.

Which gives Zhongli a good amount of time to figure out wtf to do with this questionable purchase

Now it's true that Zhongli is a vivid spender

But he knows when something is the real deal, and he won't just let that slip away.

If it happens that his walking wallet at the time doesn't have the cash for whatever item

He will very upsetti spahgetti

Yes he buys tons of things for himself

But when it was something he wanted to get as an offering g for you? Dudes gonna be very upset.

He will begrudgingly procure mora from his more teapot after asking the items owner to have it on hold for a bit, and buy it.

The next few days he works extra hard to replace the mora in his hoard

But on the bright side your temple is just looking so wonderful with that new vase!

He likes decorating a lot. From his own abode, to organizing the mora and gems in his "den", to making sure your personal temple / shrine is absolutely perfect

He really do be like one of those Sim youtubers who spent 30 hours just on the house

If he is to one day show you this, in person, he has to make sure it's absolutely perfect! Everything needs to be the finest of fine!

He sees the rug he bought 20 or so years ago slightly aging?

Bye bitch

Like imma just pawn this off since it's a great rug and I want my money's worth but it's not worth a God possibly walking upon it anymore.

In all his free time dude is in his personal temple to Divinity

Admiring the things he got for you, remembering their history should you ever ask,,, and uh

Dusting

So much dusting

Like this temple gots TON of shit in it

I mean it's bound to when he has worshipped you for so long

Probably goes on for miles

Might as well make it a public museum at this point

If there isn't like, special anti dust adeptus magic or smthing that is

Oh I just had the funniest fucking idea

You know how in other games (worlds?) Dragons live like hundreds of thousands of years before dying of old age or shit

Zhonglis like 7 thousand I think

Aka he is a baby compared to otherworld dragons

(Yes I know he is technically not a dragon dragon but shhhhhh)

So he goes on about how Erosion will sooner then later do him in and everyone's like

Noo Rex lapis perfect geo Archon nooooo fight the erosion oawr nawr

And he like ofc full heartedly believes that this is the case

Until ofc Divinity gets down there, aka you.

And your just like

"Ya old fart

when was the last time you got proper exercise

Hrm?

500 years ago?

No wonder you feel like shit bro- go hit the gym smh"

If he didn't do regular spars with Childe or any other acolytes before, he definitely does so now.

And then he feels better cuz he wasn't getting enough exercise outside of the vessel commission's he went on. Dude just wasn't getting enough dopamine in his head and fr thought it was erosion like smh

Zhongli built up Liyue for you, ya know. To Be like your favorite nation etc etc.

So I think he would be supppppeer interested in the world you were in previously

Like

Wtf is a car and a highway and wdym they are super dangerous but people are on em regularly all the time? Tf?

What the heck is air condition Divintiy you are making up words I think aksksjrdqsdfhjk

...sun...screen? Never heard of this?

Teyvat not knowing basic medical stuff would be hilarious to me

Like imagine someone is coughing on something

Let's say Itto cuz I feel like he would do that

And you just

Get behind him and heimlech him

And everyone's like

????wtf he was good as dead???

And zhonglis sitting their having war flash backs to all the people he could of saved if he JUST GAVE THEM A BIG OLD HUG FROM BEHIND?

/yes I know that's not how it works but shush aight/

Zhongli wants to know absolutely anything and EVERYTHING about Divinity

You say an off comment about liking a certain smell and dude gots like

Notebooks and sticky notes written down the very second after

And then you go back to your abode or to the shrine he has and it smells overwhelmingly like that

Like

Imagine saying you like the smell of freshly cut grass and he just goes

??? How tf do I get that smell?"

I just realized these brainrots are very fun to write and non stressful you can expect more

Anyways I love my man's Zhongli and I will die for him without hesitiation

🌸Abrupt ending queen right here, do not be surprised akkajsks🌸 and if you are shook it ended, boo!

I think this is getting a bit long and I don't wanna like have a post that makes my thumbs scroll miles before finishing it ifykyk

Anyways hope that was somewhat readable akksksksks

🌸Consider checking out my masterlist?🌸

[hollycircling]

would you consider dropping some tips on how you color? your art always has such a nice feeling to it

Thank you so much, and yes, absolutely! 

So... I have been agonizing over how to answer this question for over a week because I tend to make a lot of my major decisions based on what looks and feels good to me in the moment. It’s sort of hard to explain. Then I started getting philosophical with it (“how does one color? How do I explain aesthetic?”), and I started rambling, and had to cut the answer way, way, way down lol.

But here’s what I can help with right now. I think the most important part of how I color is my tools and what they allow me to do. These are currently my favorite brushes to use: 

From top to bottom, I use Kyle T’s Gouache for just about everything. A lot of my recent pieces are done entirely in that– I love the chunky texture and how the pressure mimics traditional gouache. It’s great for children’s book illustrations, and filling linework, and realistic portraits. She is my soft wife and I love her. 

I practically never use the default hard round. Ignore that. 

The roller brush is another one I use for painting. It was my go-to before KT’s gouache, so you’ll find it a lot in my older work (and as a big texture thing in my current works). The “Sampled Tip” below that one I usually use for children’s book styled illustrations. It’s like a really dense, waxy crayon, so it’s fun for textured lines and details.

I always paint in my own shadows and highlights, but I like to use the soft round if I want to blow the shadow or highlight out. It’s for extra large areas.

And finally my pencil. I use it for sketching as well as linework, if I plan on doing a linework-centric piece. I don’t think there’s much of a difference between the two there… one is probably smoother than the other. 

______________

The reason why I like textured, pressure-sensitive brushes so much is because they’re important to how I paint. When I blend, I don’t use a blender brush or a smudge tool. What I do is layer two colors– lightly– then use the eyedropper to select the color between them and continue painting with it. That’s probably the key to most of my work. I’ve gotten pretty fast at it, so I’m constantly selecting colors from the painting and reusing it throughout my painting. 

I still use the color-wheel to hand-pick what I think will look best, though. This is probably going to be a really frustrating answer, but I choose color palettes based on basic color/lighting theory combined with personal aesthetic preference. It can take some studying (of both theory and other artists’ work). If you’re ever looking for a really great reference on the former subjects, I highly recommend Color and Light by James Gurny. Even if you’re not into watercolor or dinosaurs or realism, the guy is a master at explaining all that different stuff in depth. 

Shape and negative space are also pretty important to me, but that's a whole other thing. And as a side-note, I recommend following more children’s book illustrators. Their work may look simple, but a lot of intention goes into how they use color, shape, space, and texture. 

Also, on texture, I hand-draw most of mine. I love to add little scratches and drops and splashes when the painting is almost over. It's one of my favorite things to do :')

____

Now, the other most important tip:

Once I’m happy with the sketch/linework, and once I’ve laid down the basic colors of my piece, I do a Really Terrible Thing. I become a graphic designer’s worst nightmare and collapse everything onto one layer. 

Then I paint directly on top of it, linework and all.

I do this for a lot of reasons, but mostly because 1) my tiny brain is overwhelmed by the clutter of too many layers, and 2) it forces me to approach a piece as if it was traditional media– a process which I find a lot more comfortable and rewarding. I paint right on top of the base colors, and right on top of the linework, effectively redoing and cleaning up what I already have there. Even if I'm working with a blank background, I'll paint a new blank one on top because it gives the feeling of a more unified piece, if that makes sense.

Basically, I approach my drawings as if I’m using traditional media. I like chunky brushes, utilizing (what I personally think are) interesting color combinations and textures, and smashing everything down onto one page so I can just paint. 

Anyway, please let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like me to go into detail on, any pieces of mine you’d like to know how exactly I went about it, etc etc etc. I’m happy to answer ^^

[mintytealfox]

spoilers for act 3 (Dryad scene with Astarion), my thoughts on finding out that some people are upset with the scene

-

-

-

-

-

---

I think its interesting that some people are upset with the dryad scene with Astarion and 'feel like they are lying to get Astarion approval' but in all honesty the 'approval' answers make the most sense to me, especially with who he is and how he works.

Like, here is this rando who wants to hear us air out the dirty deep laundry and honestly number 1 rule in relationships (for me anyway) is don't share secrets or deep stuff about your partner to strangers or just anyone. That information has been entrusted to you, and should be locked in the shared safe you both now have, ESPECALLY when its someone like Astarion who hasn't trusted a single soul for 200 years, until now. Your Tav is special, and extremely rare, in his eyes and he has made a huge leap to finally trust in someone.

saying the 'real' deep answers out in the open in front of this stranger would feel like a betrayal of that trust of 'please don't share my vulnerable self to outsiders, I trusted you with this, I even told you, I put on an entire facade to survive, a carefully put together facade to protect myself. Why would you just hand over what hides inside, for safety, to just anyone?'.

Like, me personally, I would be horrified if my partner did this to me.

Scenario: we are at a circus, which is supposed to be fun and silly and vibes. This dryad thing seems like an interesting attraction thing, lets have fun with it! -Partner immediately lays out my deepest truths in front of the 'attraction' host- Reaction: "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? WHY WOULD YOU TELL THEM ALL THAT??"

I believe that, Astarion believes this is going to be a fun thing with his love, where they are on the same page where they can joke and play off of each other's wit, and that is why I think he agrees to take on this 'quiz' with you cause he trusts you to protect his inner self that he has shared with you. And that theory solidifies for me cause he is laughing and having a blast with all of the 'silly' unserious responses and is very happy with you, cause you are both on the same page and he knows, even more so now, that you can be trusted always and you have his back at all times, even in situations like this. If he was the one having to answer these questions, he would likely do the same, to protect your inner self that you entrusted with him and having a laugh with you and giving unserious answers.

He knows that you know his deepest secrets, because he has let you know them, you don't have to prove that to him. What you have to prove is that you will protect that vulnerable side of him, that is still raw and in need of protecting, alongside him.

but anyways these are just my thoughts on the topic~ (🌸ゝ◡･)ﾉ♡

edit: adding extra thoughts that just came to me and added to tags but decided to just add here

#you aren't lying to each other here#you are keeping this surface level for the dryad and who cares about that lol#you know each others truths and know to protect them#saying his truth out loud to this stranger is a way of saying you lied to him#lied about keeping his true self safe from strangers and potential threats

[ca-suffit]

How do you rationalize the violence of the characters on this show? Imo, it's easier when it's self defense or when they're just killing to feed, specially the latter since most are just extras and we don't get to know or be attached to those characters. But there are more complicated cases, including physical and psychological abuse and literally everybody has been the abused and the abuser at some point. Not to/with each other, but definitely other people. There is power imbalance in all of the dynamics. Some may forget that since they keep jumping through timelines where things are perfectly okay or they're closer to making amends and making up. And also because the actors are friends and have chemistry on screen (speaking about the whole cast, not any duo in particular). But technically all main characters have abused each other. Nobody is "safe". So, where to draw the line? Psychological abuse? Physical abuse? The severity of the action (like continuously torturing someone who can't respond or match your strength is definitely worse than one punch, for example)? The frequency of the action, like, as long as it happened once it's okay? When a character is still redeemable/forgivable giving the fact they are immortals, so, in theory, they have eternity to better themselves and see if they can make it work? Or should they all be narratively punished (end up alone, suffering, locked up, dead etc)? What are your thoughts? Btw, I'm genuinely asking. I've become obsessed with this show recently and I haven't been able to talk about it with a lot of people, but I have these questions in my mind. Personally, the more I think about it, the less I know, tbh. It's part of why I love the show and I'm asking, btw. I want to see if I reach some conclusion lol. P.S. I understand if you can't/don't want to answer and I'm sorry this got too long. And if you do answer, feel free to make it long as well if you want, even if you want to make comparisons, add interviews etc. I love reading people's takes hehe. Anywa, thanks!

I don't try to rationalize it tbh. I think that's a goal of the show and the original books as well. What are u supposed to do if u have to "endure" each other forever? What still holds meaning if ur all immortal, how do u have relationships, hobbies, not get bored? Especially when everyone is born from trauma and sometimes that trauma was yesterday and sometimes it was 1000 years ago or 5000 years ago from a society u don't understand at all. How do u bring together so many ppl like that and not erupt on each other?

Trauma and mental illness and whatever else is not always pretty. Violent reactions to things are common and, at least in a society where punitive justice is the norm, we get used to putting these things in these boxes. "u did this bad thing so now ur going to jail / hell." The eternal question of the VC books is where do vampires belong, anyway? Where do they go when they die and for what reasons? Anne Rice never gives a v clear answer on this and it's not just bcuz she wasn't a good writer, the point rly is to just ask the questions. We don't have these answers as humans now, we can't confirm or deny if there's an afterlife and whether these things we do matter for a "soul" or not. We create social rules for many reasons but even those are not actually built on the back of "justice" the way ppl are made to think they are.

I don't think these stories are asking u to find a true "good" or "bad" character or characters. I think we're just meant to watch their choices and reflect on them, reflect on our reactions to them. The fandom's desire for Louis to have done something to "deserve" the drop is all about racism and nothing else. They blame Claudia for "manipulating" Louis into killing Lestat bcuz a black girl is never allowed to be a victim either. She's not even a girl to them anyway, adultification of black girls is another angle they use all the time ("she doesn't look 14 to me!"). They'll say look what Louis did to goad Lestat into fighting him more but they'll never say look what Lestat did to hurt Claudia and push her to that point, as someone who was acting as her parent for most of their lives together. That's always "ooc Lestat." What's happening on screen is a rorschach test for us as the audience and as individuals.

Like I wrote, I don't believe in punitive justice, so I don't think long term these stories are going to focus on that much. The trial was a sham to begin with and Lestat was never "rly" dead or meant to be gone forever. They're going to hurt each other and isolate each other in different ways, but if the show wants to focus on any real character growth, it needs to focus on ways the characters can learn to understand each other instead of banishing / killing each other. Relationships take real work like this too. Anne Rice could never write any of this but I'm hoping the show does. Seeing Lestat have awareness of the pain he caused Louis and the reasons he did it fr was a step in the direction I was hoping the show would go. The big question *is* how does a relationship recover from that? For immortals? How will it make others feel too, particularly Armand, if Louis and Lestat get back together? Will Armand reflect on his own abuse too? They all have a lot in common and they all want to be loved. If that's brought out into the open and treated with kindness and understanding, then the desire to maim and kill each other will greatly diminish tbh. Everything these vampires do to each other originates from a place of personal pain, feeling unlovable. "love is a monster" is one of the taglines for a reason.

[lowpolyskeletonz]

Thought I'd make one big post for all of my current running @rry2k theories. Feel free to add comments and your own ideas to these. I would like to thank many people from the Rry2k fan server for helping me with these! (long post, so hit the read more)

The Animal Sin theory

After noticing that both Livewire and Ramrot had associated animals and the fact that Ramrot represents the deadly sin of lust, I decided to assign all of the characters animals and sins.

That animals come from a post where all of the characters say their favourite animals, which is why this is in orange (the colour I'm using for canon facts). We (the theorists of the fan server) then tried our hardest to assign each character a sin. Some were very easy (Ramrot, Benrey, Conductor) but the four characters with question marks is what make us sweat. These will probably be shifted the more characters we see infected. (The middle text is referencing another theory I'll be showing later wink wink)

The scar theory

Probably my most iconic theory! I have already made a post about how Tommys colour vision is now stuck on "goat vision" but this is what lead me to theorising about the others.

One thing that also got pointed out (by the lovely @merklins who has been such a good help in all of these theories) is the fact that all of the known scars have affected the eyes. Which would explain why bubby doesn't have anything visable after being infected, he has giant shades.

This theory will also progress the more we see the infected and the uninfected.

The Green Theory

My newest theory. I noticed while editing the animal sin theory board and it instantly spiraled. Both Livewire and Ramrots designs are simply greener versions of their uninfected counterparts. Most of the information behind this one is on the board itself, however something pointed out by Merklins is the fact that the administratior shield (seen on both Darnold and the two infected we've seen) is yellow and blue. Which make green. It might just be a coincidence but its something to keep in mind!

EXTRA THEORY:

Administration Theory:

I believe that Darnold was either once the Admin or stole that power. This is due to her abilities, her appearance in what I'm calling "timer hell" and the administratior shield seen on her jacket sleeve. However what I'm focusing on is the fact that both Ramrot and Livewire have the same shield on their designs. I linked this to the Windows feature where, if a software has administrator privileges, it gains a small shield on its icon. Does this mean Darnold is giving the infected admin privileges? I think so! Especially since we see Ramrot open the askblog, which is an ability saved for Darnold, Gordon and Joshie (and possibly Coomer aswell.)

If this is true, this could mean bad things.

Anyway. Hope you liked my theories! As I said before, feel free to add your own comments and ideas!

Rry2k's lead theorist (/silly) signing out

[stormblessed95]

Hi Stormy! If you've talked about his before I apologize 😂💜

I just can't watch the Serendipity MV without thinking of KM. The date in the corner, the sun, Jimin's eye (like JK's eye in DNA), the calico cat (sudden 🐾 on Twitter), the colorful swirl in Jimin's eye (again like the DNA opening in JK's eye. These are also tied as the trailer and title song), the eclipse, the moon and Ooooh it's so YELLOW 💛

How much influence do you think Jimin had on this MV? Or is is just yet another "coincidence" even though he literally starts the song saying it isn't 😂

Lol I wish I could be more fun and theorizing with you on this one, but I'm not on board with any of these theories 😅 but that's just me!

For start, I too, was originally confused and thought the date in the corner was a nod to JK from Jimin. But that's been corrected and talked about in this post here

You can find Jimin talking about Serendipity MV in the MV making film from memories, which you can watch in full here. It's only 8 mins

And you can find RM talking about the lyrics and making of the song here, with the reminder that RM wrote the song totally here, not Jimin

SO with all these things in mind... the connections with the Serendipity MV and the DNA MV were probably done very purposefully by the directors as a way to connect the music videos for the album. The Intro song MV and the Title Track MV. It being jikook who both have it pan into their eyes is simply because Jimins solo is the intro and JK starts off DNA. If a different member had the DNA opening, it probably would've panned into their eye instead. The calico cat was something that Namjoon came up with for the lyrics and that quickly became Jimins favorite part of the song and one he resonated with and started calling HIMSELF a calico cat. The paw prints showing up were because Jimin calls JK his puppy prince and that is a totally seperate thing. Plus the paw prints started showing up in 2016, pre Serendipity anyway. Lol post over puppy prince paw prints here:

The songs were written with nothing to do with jikook specifically but to convey the overall message that BTS were wanting to tell in the album as a whole, and to kick off the story they wanted to tell through their Trilogy of albums as well. So I don't think those connections mean anything other than connections to the album.

All the yellow could simply be about how it Warm and uplifting colors. Plus matching Jimins blonde hair at the time, or that its one of Jimis favorite colors. Lol I don't think Jimin made many choices in the efforts of what happened in the MV. He stated that his favorite part of filming was with the cat, and his least favorite was showing his feet off and that he even tried to talk the director out of it at first, but he insisted and Jimin really doesn't mind. He then just worried about wanting to make sure his feet were extra clean 🤣

The reason I connect Serendipity to jikook is because they do it themselves, not because of any hints in the Song or music video dedicated it to each other. But because AFTER the song came out, they claimed it as their own. Which I talk about in this post:

Hope that helps 🥰 you are all free to believe whatever you want of course too.

[readychilledwine]

Incoming extra long post 💜

Pushing something a little different today-

Let's talk banned and challenged books

Warnings- this post is going to mention racial and gender issues, violence, and use some foul language. I do not graphically discuss anything, but I want that warning out there right away.

I've gone through 5 different banned/challenged books lists, and I wanted to share with you my favorite books on these lists and why I think everyone should read them.

I want to start with WHO creates the banned book lists and what it is. The banned or challenged book list is a list of books that are not allowed within a school district, and sometimes, when pushed hard enough, public libraries. It is meant to limit access to materials deemed "explicit in nature." It's not made by the government. It's parents and average people create these lists and typically threaten schools if they teach from them or offer these books to kids in libraries. I fully believe and support parents having the right to ease their kids into adult topics, but challenging your kid is the point of school.

I did notice there's common themes in the books on these lists

Race and race theory is discussed in the books

Mental health is discussed in the books

Body autonomy is discussed

The women's rights movement, LGBTQ+ movement, BLM, or any other minority movement it discussed

The book is critical of the government or religion

The book discusses war and the toll it plays

Slavery is ACTUALLY discussed

The book contains sexual content (consensual or nonconsensual)

The book questions society norms

Magic (Yes. Magic)

This list is updated almost weekly in some school districts, and 99% of the time, it is not to remove a book. It is to add one.

A few of these I won't discuss in as much detail in fear I will risk a community guidelines report, but I wanted to discuss some of them and why I love them.

Always keep in mind that you alone are responsible for your reading intake, and check your triggers on all the books mentioned. I will be posting my personal feelings on which age I feel the books are appropriate for as well. I also have not read a few of these in a bit, so hopefully, I have everything as accurate as possible!

If the ✨️ emoji is by the book, it's one of my personal favorites. Like, I may have multiple covers and editions favorite, or it is a book I frequently think about, or it holds a special place in my heart. Without further ado, I present to you Elizabeth's 21 favorite banned books in no particular order:

Maus by Art Spiegelman - banned for discussions of violence, torture, and death- This is a comic book/graphic novel series based on the author's father, who was a Polish Jew and is a survivor of the Holocaust. It is gut-wrenching. It is disgusting. It is heartbreaking. I do not recommend it for anyone under 16, but I personally think it's okay to be uncomfortable and learn from the past.

✨️Animal Farm by George Orwell - banned for open criticism of the government - I LOVE Animal Farm. Animal Farm is based on the Russian government/monarchy being overthrown (which is why it surprises me that it is banned in so many districts in the US.) In summary, animals over throw their human masters and create a society of their own. It is meant to challenge and discuss the fact that no matter how small a person is, the revolutionary mindset is a powerful one. I highly recommend Animal Farm to 16+.

✨️Beloved by Toni Morrison (get used to her name. You'll see it one more time. I could make a post solely on her.) -banned for violence, SA, realisitic depictions of segregation and slavery - Beloved is about the treatment of black women in the south during and after slavery, and how things circled for them. This book has haunted me since I read it at 15. I'm 27 now. Toni is a superb writer who truly pulls at your heart with her stories. I do not feel this book should be banned. What happened in the United States needs to be discussed openly to work on the racial divide. Please consider reading this if you haven't, and if you have siblings 16+, let them read it as well and have an open discussion with them on how it made them feel. This is one I also recommend checking triggers for.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins (you'll see this name several times, too. I'm shocked her name isn't plastered as the first thing on every list honestly) - banned for questioning religion and parental figures - I also love Ellen Hopkins. I have paid to listen to her lecture several times. I love the way she writes. I love her willingness to challenge society. I love her openly discussing hard topics. This book is one of those topics. It is about a young group of kids sent to what my brain thinks is a religious reformation camp in Nevada. They are supposed to be finding salvation and redemption in Christ, but instead find love and acceptance in each other. There's a few heavy topics (the whole book is heavy. Her books, in general, can be heavy). I'd recommend it to anyone 14+.

Call of the Wild by Jack London - if you're my age and grew up in the American School system, take all the time you need to process the fact that this book is on all 5 of the lists I looked at- banned for animal cruelty and violence - this was required reading when I was in school. I was 12. It is focused on the Klondike Gold Rush, and arguments could be made that it is more based on the treatment of animals at that time. I do not feel I should have been exposed to this at the tender age of 12, but I tend to carry more sympathy towards animals than I do people. I feel safe saying 15+ with discussions being had regularly.

✨️ Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - banned for challenging the government and violence - I have chills as I am getting ready to write about this book, tears are welling up, this is my coming of age novel. It is one of the books I read by choice in high school that actually began my question everything and look at all angles mindset. I can not recommend this book enough. It is about book and media censorship and a dystopia based society where common practice is to burn books, a real thing that has happened in so many countries, on government orders in order to keep the general population conformed and uneducated. It discusses the consequences of that on society and humanity, it discusses the dangers of rebellion against that mind set, and I could not put it down. 15+. Please please please read this book if you never have. Especially as an adult who can recognize the behaviors discussed in the book and how it parallels modern society

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernst Hemmingway - banned for discussions of war - this book graphically discusses the consequences of war. I am not overly comfortable getting too far into it. I will say, this one will shatter you if you are an immeserive reader who gets so into a book it becomes your surroundings and reality instead of just a pleasure reader. Please read with caution. 17+

Lord of the Flies by William Golding - banned for violence and language (I personally think there's more reasons and those two are the scapegoats) - again, if you are my age, take the time to process your shock. This book centers around children who survive a plane crash on an island and are forced to create their own society and government, and it quickly goes to hell in a hand basket. Everything from sex, to racism, to discrimination against disabilities (does it sound familiar yet) is discussed and challenged by the groups formed in this book. 15+ with supportive discussions

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - another one for people my age to go "wait what" to - banned for "depressing themes" and "antibusiness" - this book discusses the tragic lives of two migrant works and the conditions they were forced to endure. It's main lesson is about humanity and compassion. This is a really educational book that I feel should be in classrooms. 14+

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins - banned for SA and sexual nature - this one I would not recommend to anyone under 17. It is about teens trapped in sex work. Please check your own triggers before reading this.

✨️The Crank Triology by Ellen Hopkins (Crank, Glass, and Fallout) - banned for open discussion of drug use and addiction - these novels are actually based on the life of the author's daughter and her downwards spiral into m3th addiction. They are heartbreaking (fallout will hit you HARD if you have friends who are the kids of an addict or you are a child of a parent who is an addict). They were the first books I read by her, and I am sad to say I live in a community where they were banned hard enough that it passed to all three school districts and the public library. 16+ and please check triggers

Hold your breath, my loves. ✨️A Court Of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas -banned for sexual content, violence (domestic and situational), and ✨️magic use✨️ - if someone can explain to me why this is the only book from this series I've found on a banned/challenged list and why NONE of the Throne of Glass books are on them, I'm all ears. Do I think your 13 year old should be reading this? F no. A 16 year old, though? Yes. Let them have that Rhys Crease in those paperbacks. I'd rather my kid read smut than watch it. Also, kudos and congrats to SJM for being a banned author in 12 school districts, thus making her one of the top bans for the 2022-2024 school years. There's some great authors and novels on this list. It was pretty cool to get to include her.

✨️The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison - banned for race theory, racism, abuse - oof. This one is hard. Be ready to cry if you read it. It takes place after the Great Depression in the US and is mainly about a young black girl. It centers a created inferiority complex she developed because, due to societal norms regarding beauty, She does not see beauty in herself and her skin. Definitely 14+. Definitely should be read in classrooms as it is one of the most powerful books I've read that centered on black women and their voices that need to be heard.

✨️ Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur - banned for sexuality and representing the feminist movement - this one is quite frankly insulting. This is a poetry novella about healing and finding power inside of yourself as a female and finding your self-worth. It's banned in 10 districts, making it part of the top 10 bans. I might actually cry over this one being banned. My daughter will read it 14, and we're going to discuss it. I think it is that worthy and powerful. I will leave you with my favorite quote from this one "I am not a hotel room. I am home. I am not the whiskey you want. I am the water you need. Don't come here with expectations and try to make a vacation out of me."

✨️ The Catcher in The Rye by JD Salinger - banned for teen rebellion - this is the first book I gave to my younger brother that I thought would resonate with him, he still has that torn up, creased, and notated copy that was passed from my mother to our big brother, then to me, and now to him. He told our parents once he's pretty sure it saved his life. This book centers around 16 year old Holden after he is expelled from school. He begins to challenge adults and societal norms regarding children. It critiques a superficial society and brings to light the consequences of some choices we make. Teens can relate to this book. My siblings and I all did. This book has sat on a pretty much national ban list for far too long. It needs to be brought into classrooms, especially classrooms in schools with behaviorally challenged teens who've never found a book that speaks to their soul and feelings. 16+ with guidance and open discussion.

✨️I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing by Maya Angelou - banned for "bitterness and hatred toward white people" in the majority of the state Texas - break my heart harder, Maya. This is the only autobiography on I have on my tops list at the moment. It focuses on young Maya Angelou and the discrimination and racism she faced. There is so much symbolism and history to dive into with this book. Have tissues ready if you read this. 16+

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - banned for open discussion of war and violence - another oof. This is another book I handed to my little brother and said, "Read this and get back to me." It was not one of my personal favorites until he sat me down and told me how the book made him feel. I genuinely wish I could have him typing this one out, but he's off doing his adventures and seeing the world. It is a beautiful coming of age novel set in the Middle East during the invasion of Soviet Russia to the United States and the downfall of the Taliban. It centers around the importance of paternal figures, friendship, and key relationships. 15+ there is a SA scene that is rarely mentioned on the banned books list so keep that in mind.

✨️The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - banned for discussions of childhood SA, pedophilia, and murder - one of my top 10 favorite books of all time. If you've watched the movie, please read the book. It is about a family struggling after their daughter is SA'd and killed by a serial predator, and it is told from the daughter's perspective in the afterlife and from the eyes of her family. You will go on a roller-coaster of emotions. Anger, sadness, joy. I really do love this book. I have a hardcopy for display purposes, and a paperback with a separate note book filled with notes, quotes, etc. 16+ just due to the heavy nature of it, but for a mature reader and personality 14+

✨️I want to scream from the rooftops on how bullshit this one is. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - banned for open discussion of segregation, racism, violence, and "general hatred towards white people - this book should be required reading. This book openly discusses consequences of false accusations based on race, it discusses the mistreatment of minorities, and it discusses a white superiority complex. It needs to be read and discussed, and I will die on that hill. 14+

This one also makes me want to scream✨️The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - banned for violence, alcohol promotion, anti business beliefs- this book is a classic and it brings to question a lot regarding income levels, old and new money, and financial segregation. It has beautiful symbolism that you have to be paying attention to catch, and is so much more than a Leonardo Dicaprio movie. 14+

It is with a heavy sigh and heart I introduce the next author: ✨️JRR Tolkien✨️ if I would have just listed his books, it'd be this whole list - banned for violence and ✨️magic use✨️ - these novels and short stories are the back bone of the modern day fantasy writer and have even created countless table top RP games. The fact that so many Middle Earth based novels are banned is almost a stab in the back to the idea that schools are supposed to push and celebrate growth, individuality, and knowledge. I have the Lord of the Rings and the books that prequel it on a pedestal. They are my comfort novels and go tos when I'm feeling down and truly want to lose myself into a well-done and built world. I recommend them to anyone who already loves Fantasy or wants to get into fantasy 15+

EDITED TO ADD ✨️Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - there's a lot of reasons this book is now banned, and I was just informed by my best friend she saw it had hit an official list - If you want science fiction mixed with anti war look no further. This book addresses a very deadly and tragic bombing in ww2 using a narrative from a character who is "stuck there" over and over again. Please really check triggers for this one. It's easily another 16+ book.

Theres a few books I came across on these lists I haven't read yet, but currently have in my cart to purchase. Do any of you have a favorite banned book? Are you interested in any of these books? If you are and have questions, please shoot me a message or comment. I'm always happy to discuss banned books. They're my favorites. 💜

[phantomoftheorpheum]

PLL: OS (Summer School) Finale Predictions

*Spoilers for 2x01-2x07, the final 3 episodes trailer, AND SOME ONLINE BTS AND CONCEPT ART

Okay, I wanted to post my 2x08 predictions early enough in the week that I could hear your thoughts as well. So here they are-

I believe Bloody Rose is a team of minimum 3 people. My best guess is 1 mother who has lost a child (Mrs. Lansgberry, Mrs. Beasley, Dr. Sullivan), 1 film obsessed character (Wes, Christian, not actually dead Chip [though I have some reservations about that last one which I'll talk about in a minute]), 1 additional love interest (Jen, Johnny, Christian, etc.)

I've been saying most of the season that I think the BR team members may have different end goals. I believe someone is attempting to make a movie, but I also believe someone else (in this case, one of the mothers who has lost a child) fully believes their own lore and has a motivation related to their child. As for the love interests, depending on which one is on the team, I believe it would be for different reasons. If it's Christian, I think it's movie related. If it's Jen, I believe it's financially motivated. And if it's Johnny, then I think he must be related to or former friends with Chip (or possibly someone else, but Chip makes the most sense) because I don't believe we've been given any other possible motivation for him.

I think the "mother" of the BR team is attempting to resurrect her dead child. I have to shout out mr.-walkingrainbow for this one, I highly recommend going back and read this ask, because this has completely informed this part of my theory (I would tag you, but I'm about to talk about some concept art that was released in a minute, and since this is extra spoilery, I didn't want to spoil you if you don't want to know), which is based in the use of Christian imagery and the focus on resurrection. To me, this makes the most sense for it to be Mrs. Langsberry attempting to resurrect Chip, because of Tabby being the final, final girl. She has more connection to this storyline if it is Chip-centric. However, some of my lingering questions point more to Dr. Sullivan attempting to resurrect Sebastian.

I believe the BR team is setting up a fall guy for their plot. Or, more accurately, I believe whichever member of the team is making a movie is setting up a fall guy (they may intend for the other members of the team to die). At this point, it feels the most likely that if there is a fall guy, that person is Wes, but it could also be Christian or even Mrs. Beasley.

Characters most likely to die, even if they aren't villains, imo - Johnny, Greg, Shawn, and Henry. Johnny because of the shots from the trailer (though I think this is less likely since I believe an officially affiliated account posted this screen-cap, drawing attention to it, and that feels like a huge spoiler. This has me leaning towards "this is either an Imogen hallucination/nightmare, or he is wounded but not killed"). Greg because it feels like they could be setting him up to die for Faran (however, the fact that we know he's had scenes cut earlier in the season makes me feel less confident about this, since you would think if they were going to kill him off, they'd do their best to make us really care about that first), Shawn because at this point I find myself asking why they even bothered to bring him back for this season, and this could be used as a consequence for Noa's actions, particularly if Jen is a bad guy, and finally Henry because, again, why is he even here? He's had a fall from grace this season so I could see him being killed off to add to the finale body count.

Imogen will stab someone. This may happen in a nightmare or hallucination, or it may be real, but I think this is a "rule of threes" thing and she is stabbing someone in 2x08.

If a dead character is going to be revealed as alive, I think it will be Chip. I'm not convinced that we are getting a "surprise, they're alive!" reveal at all, but if there is one, it makes the most sense for this to be Chip, imo. Chip is connected to Tabby, who is the final, final girl. He is obsessed with horror movies. His mother is a member of the cult. He is the father (biologically only, it feels gross to call this man a father) of Imogen's baby. He died off screen. The actor was brought back for flashbacks and that nightmare scene with Wes, but despite 2x01 opening with all of Archie's kills, we still don't see Chip's death. And he had a great motivation to fake his death, as he was going to be forced to either stand trial or take a plea deal in his r*pe case, which the girls specifically mention not getting the closure of that in 2x01.

OKAY SERIOUSLY SOME SPOILERS FROM ONLINE, NOT THE SHOW OR THE TRAILER, PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYTHING. ---- However, I think it's more likely Chip is the dead child whose mother is attempting to resurrect him. This feeling comes from some a combo of the concept art (which I think is real because it matches the BTS footage that has been released, though I don't know where the concept art was originally posted or by whom) of the season and the promotional poster. It's been pointed out to me that there appears to be some sort of body underneath the roses that Tabby is kneeling in front of in the promotional poster. In the concept art for 2x08 that is floating around, we see what is presumably Tabby's test location, which is the altar of Kelly's church. On one side, there is a body lying on a bed of roses. There's been some speculation that this is one of Rose's other victims, but... why only one? She's killed at least 4 people that we know of, so why place only one of these on the altar alongside the throne? (The only one I could make an argument for is Pastor Malachi, since he was the pastor of this church). The bed of roses feels like a veneration of this character, which I can't imagine BR doing with any of her victims. I believe this is a loved one, probably her child.

I believe the purpose of the online BR cult and "The Reckoning" is to create big finale action sequences for the film. If someone is making a real life horror movie, you can't exactly advertise that you're looking for extras.

Some Unresolved Stuff That Really Bothers Me

There are a few things that bother me with my own predictions, elements of the story that I don't have a strong explanation for, unless Dr. Sullivan turns out to be the "mother" in my theory. I do want to mention them here, in case any of you have any ideas.

Who/What does the snake in Imogen's poster represent? All of the posters have reflected quite literally the "tests" the girls are going through, except for the snake in Imogen's. The rest of her poster accurately represents her test, so why is there a snake? It seems that this would either be representative of "The Serpent" from the Garden of Eden, possibly whispering to/influencing Imogen. If so, the character that fits this the best would be Dr. Sullivan. Or possibly the snake represents temptation, which could be Johnny. I also noticed that Imogen wears a snake ring in the scene where she threatens to cut off Rebecca's fingers.

What is the connection to Rose Waters, Angela, and Archie? While Chip and his mother would have the most relevance to Tabby specifically, I struggle to see how any of this would connect to the Waters plot. It that seems out of the remaining characters, Dr. Sullivan in the mother with the most connection here.

Who pushed Dr. Sullivan down the stairs? Another unresolved Dr. Sullivan plot point. It feels weird that they've completely dropped this.

The Bloody Rose poster - In the concept art, we see a poster with Bloody Rose and a golden figure (a mother?) above her. I'm far too tired to try to understand what this is referencing.

So, that's it for now. I think I got most of my big predictions out of the way. As always, shoot me an ask if you have any thoughts/theories that you'd like to share!

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia :) Does the Gary and Efnisien tier in Ream give access to Underline the Blue chapters 5 to 8? Thank you, I love your writing! <3

Hello anon!

Here's what you get on Ream in terms of specific stories depending on the tiers! (the tl;dr is YES you absolutely do, but I'll put it out in a lil more detail for you):

Following (Free):

This will give you access to all public posts, and is completely free. It's like a 'newsletter/news' tier.

Mallory & Mount ($3):

This is like the 'tip jar' tier. Nothing specific happens here except for access to public posts and the occasional poll. And my eternal gratitude.

Mosk & Eran ($5.00):

This introduces chapter commentaries! (x2 a month) And poll access.

Augus & Gwyn ($9.00):

This is chapter commentaries, as well as the majority of early access chapters, which include Underline the Blue, Underline the Red and Underline the Gold, as well as The Nascent Diplomat. It includes these for ALL previous months, and not just the current month/s you signed up for. Access to a special Discord channel (you must tell me your username on the Discord, it's not automated).

Gary & Efnisien ($17):

This is chapter commentaries, as well as the majority of early access chapters, which include Underline the Blue, Underline the Red and Underline the Gold, as well as The Nascent Diplomat.

It now also includes Constellations, and likely Vexteria and Mallory & Mount early access too!

It includes the Game Theory edits, and any new scenes I add, so you can all see in real time how (slowly) I am altering this story and keeping it faithful at the same time. It includes these for ALL previous months, and not just the current month/s you signed up for. (you must tell me your username on the Discord, it's not automated).

Vexteria & Evan ($44)

ALL previous rewards from the earlier tiers, but starting around November-December will also include merch about once every 4-6 months. These will include things like notebooks, stickers, tote bags, magnets, diaries and more (it will change depending), and each will be themed to certain characters. The first one going out this year will be Augus and Gwyn. But people will need to be on that tier for at least 3 consecutive months before I'll start sending the first package, due to shipping and well, merch costs, lol.

~

Note: The prices are more expensive on Ream because a) you are only charged once a month there, b) it's been 10 years since I set my prices and a slightly higher price range adjusts for a decade of inflation.

Also: Highly recommend the Following tier to folks! You'll still get notifications, but I'm thinking about transitioning my newsletter here. I might also put daily excerpts here too, though it will be a mirror to my Patreon (and maybe my Tumblr), I'm really enjoying all the extra options I get there!

If you have any more questions I'm always here to help! A huge benefit to Ream is simply that they're not being as ridiculous as Patreon right now who is blocking a lot of folks from signing them up, or kicking them from a subscription, also it allows explicit taboo/problematic content like noncon etc. and wants to make a safe space for it, almost similar to AO3 in nature, but for commercial writers.

And frankly that's something I really want to support!

[joyswonderland1108]

Jimin’s IG post

Hi Joy, my wondering brain cannot stop comparing the bowl from the ones that were being aggressively washed by our beloved in that we-live (I know I am reaching). 

 Also the crop tool was designed with PJM in mind. Should we expect a brand deal for the same? 

 ION: Get better soon.

Well hello there beautiful 💜 

Don’t we love a matchy couple that not only like to match clothes

But also match utensils, in this case we’re talking about the brand Fissler

(Husband material)

More precisely this set 

Now now my brain is a bit slow today as i did tell you in the dm lol so hopefully i’m on the right track about your observation/question. 

Speaking about Jimin cropping his pictures, honestly i ain’t even surprised with that, with the amount of creepy “Army” who think it’s okay to “pay a visit”.. It’s a thing to know where they live (i’ve already said before that that much was public info nothing new) but it’s another thing to go there uninvited. I love how neither one of the two actually show much of their actual place. 

Going back to today’s post, it was no different, showing only the essential and leaving out the “details” that could possibly give away his location. Not the first time too 

And it’s completely understandable i wouldn’t want to show my place to a crazy fandom who thinks it’s okay to stalk me outside of my own supposed safe zone. Gotta love how the boyfies share a mutual love for chicken 

👀

Now about the brand deal lol that would be very interesting if they strike a brand deal with either Fissler or whatever Chicken brand that is 🤣I’m getting it either way, you gotta do what you gotta do, if you can’t afford expensive brands at least a pot or chicken can do 🤷🏻‍♀️

One more thing tho i wanted to add about Jimin’s post and honestly i didn’t know if i should start worrying about people or if i should just laugh cause damn why are people extra dramatic lately. All the flying theories about why Jimin is crying and they completely missed the whole point of the tags 

People nowadays like to make a tragedy out of everything like damn if y’all are looking for angst read some aus or some shit lol

God i’m a mess what even is this post x_x hopefully that made sense and thank you for your concern i’m getting better if the weather could stop messing with me that would be amazing. With that being said, lots of love

[shingeki-no-alena]

Lost Promises (Chapter 2)

Marco Bodt x Fem!reader

Genre: Angst, fluff, Cannon AU

Warnings: Blood, injuries, future gore, future spoilers, future character deaths, cheesy moments, reader is Levi’s sister so she’s got some baggage (I’ll add more as they appear!).

Summary: After years of constant pressing, Levi has finally agreed to let his little sister, y/n, join the scouts. On the condition that she goes through the extra training of the cadet corps first, in hopes that it would help make her change her mind.

Chapter 1 || Masterlist || Chapter 3

It’s been about a week since orientation day. Everything was going well, with classes and all. Y/n had been hanging around Marco and Jean, mostly. Occasionally sitting with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. It was surprisingly easy to get along with Jean. Y/n had to occasionally put him in his place, but it was all light-hearted.

Today was going to be the first day of ODM training and the first day of physical training in general. Everything up to this point has just been classes teaching the basics of titan culture and the history of their bloodlust. Y/n got up in the morning, bright and early, ready to finally start working on her skills. Although, there’s not much training for her anyway. After self-defense, ODM was the first thing Levi trained her on. Because of this, her first day was more of a support role for the other cadets.

Y/n finished getting dressed in her scouts uniform before heading out the door, to the mess hall. Once she arrived, she grabbed her breakfast and began her search for a table.

“Y/n! Over here!”

Y/n looked towards the sound of the voice, eyes meeting Marco, arm in the air with a sweet smile. Y/n smiled back and walked over, taking a seat next to him. “Hey,” She said. She looked across the table to see Jean stifling a smirk at Marco.

“Hi, Jean.” Y/n said, beginning to eat her breakfast.

“Hello there. Glad you’re finally here. Marco can calm down.” Jean replied, taking a swig out of his mug. “Jean! That’s not true…” Marco complained, looking in disbelief at the boy he called his best friend.

“Yeah, okay. Maybe I exaggerated a bit, heh. You know what’s funny? I didn’t think I’d ever become friends with a scout.” Jean confessed, bluntly. Y/n shrugged. “Well, I never thought I’d become friends with a future MP, so I guess we’re both surprised. Don’t dismiss me by my choice of career, dear Jean-boy, my reputation very well speaks for itself if you ever want to question me.” She remarked, watching for Jean’s reaction. He physically cringed from the nickname, giving a slight glare. The nickname, Y/n learned, was one that his mom gives him. Boy, does he hate it. Marco sweat dropped, holding his breath.

“Relax! I’m just teasing! Jean, you can have whatever opinion you want of me. I won’t hold it against you. It just gives me more of a reason to prove you wrong.” Y/n shrugged, returning to her smile. Marco relaxed, laughing a bit.

“Okay, you’re pretty confident. If you don’t mind me asking, why did you decide to join the scouts? And don’t tell me it’s because of your brother. You might lose my respect.” Jean said, leaning forward in interest.

“No, but living with a bunch of scouts for most of my life had a big impact. Commander Erwin told me these theories when I was younger. Sure, they’re just myths, but it gave me a goal to find out the truth about the world. About the outside world. That might make me sound like a naïve child, but everyone needs a sense of purpose. Some kind of motivation to give them a reason to keep moving forward.” Y/n explained. Ever since Erwin took them in, Y/n was close with the commander. He treated her like his own daughter, even though she’s just some unwanted kid from the Underground. Same with the other authority figures in the Scout Regiment. The scouts are her family, no matter what anyone says about them.

“That’s amazing. I think you’re amazing,” Marco spoke, without thinking. “I mean you’re reasoning! You’re very wise!” Marco frantically tried to cover up what he had said, face becoming red once again. Jean busted out laughing.

“Nice save, Marco,” Jean sighed, collecting himself. “Well, glad to know you did it for yourself.” Y/n nodded at his comment, now focusing on her breakfast.

Once the bell rang, it was time for ODM training. Before the cadets could actually use the gear, they had to be able to pass the balance test. If they couldn’t pass, they would have to leave.

“Ackerman will be demonstrating how this will work today!” Shades yelled to the rows of cadets. Y/n stood at the tall structure, attaching her belt to the wires that hung down. Shades walked over to the crank and continued to explain the process. As the wires pulled to lift her up, Y/n remained still. To her, this is the easiest test. Her feet now hovering above the ground, she looked relaxed and unbothered. The cadets observed in awe, muttering to each other about how easy she made it look.

Shades lowered Y/n back down to the ground, finishing up his explanation. He broke everyone up in their groups, officially starting the training. Y/n began to walk around, looking for a place she could be to help out. The last thing Y/n wanted to do was just sit and watch. She was not arrogant about her skills.

For the most part, everyone seemed to be doing well. Some were very wobbly when trying to balance on the wires, and some weren’t. Y/n looked over to Mikasa, whom was perfectly still and relaxed, just as Y/n had been. Mikasa Ackerman, huh? Interesting…

Y/n continued to scan down the aisle of tall ODM structures, eyes encountering the sight of Eren. He was hanging upside down on the wires. Y/n immediately headed in his direction.

“Eren! Are you okay?” Y/n asked, quickly helping him up.

“This can’t be happening…” Eren mumbled, seemingly dazed. Y/n put her hands on his shoulders, “Hey, It’s okay! Let’s try again, yeah? I’ll help you.” Eren nodded, standing up straight again.

“Okay, try focusing on keeping your weight balanced evenly between your left and right side. Just relax. You don’t need to be tense because that’ll just make it harder for you,” Y/n directed. “You ready?” At this point, Y/n noticed that Shades was observing. She was glad that she had made it to Eren first. Eren let out a breath, his determination retaking him. He curtly nodded to Y/n, who signaled for the volunteer to lift Eren back up.

As Eren was lifted back off the ground, Y/n observed his movements. Eren was doing exactly what Y/n had said, staying up for a good five seconds before faltering. Before Y/n could process, Eren had flew forward, head hitting the ground hard. Y/n gasped, helping him up.

“Enough, Jaeger! Ackerman, take him to the infirmary! You get one more chance tomorrow! Fail and it’s back to the fields!” Shades commanded. Mikasa ran over, holding Eren up while Y/n unhooked his belt from the wires. Once he was free, both girls slung Eren’s arms over their shoulders and dragged him off to the infirmary.

~~~

The rest of the day went by pretty uneventfully. Y/n stayed with Eren and Mikasa for a bit, Armin eventually joining, to make sure everything was okay. Now, Y/n was walking around the training grounds to get some peace before dinner time. She looked over to the horizon, sun starting to get lower and lower. Branches of the tall trees in the forest rustling in the breeze. She heard footsteps walking towards her and then felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around to find Marco standing there, trying to catch his breath as if he had jogged over to her.

“Freckles!” Y/n cheered, smile gracing here face at the sight of her friend. Marco blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Freckles?” He asked, bashfully.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have asked first. I just love your freckles… They’re cute.” Y/n replied, immediately regretting the last part. God, Y/n! What happened to you!? A week ago you wouldn’t even be bothered by a boy… Y/n thought. Marco looked away, face completely red.

“T-T-Thanks… Um, I-I love your smile!” Marco stuttered. He was flustered and embarrassed. Not because of Y/n, but because of his own response. He meant what he said, he did. But should he have said it? Was he going too far? He was so lost in his internal conflict that he didn’t realize that Y/n was leaning forward. Before he could process it, she left a sweet kiss upon his cheek.

“You’re sweet. Did you mean that?” She asked, looking straight up into his eyes. Marco found himself lost, staring back into her doe eyes.

“O-Of course! I actually wanted to ask you if you maybe wanted to sit with me and Jean again at dinner. I want to get to know you better.” Marco explained. Y/n nodded, “I would love to. I like talking to you too.” This made Marco smile, relieved that he hadn’t scared her off.

“OOOH, MARCOOO!!!” Y/n suddenly heard from a distance. Both her and Marco turned to the voice to find Sasha and Connie running over. Y/n had talked to them on occasion, the two usually always together. Both of them had made fools of themselves at orientation. Connie had saluted from the wrong side, and Sasha had been eating a potato. Sasha got punished to run for the rest of the day, but that didn’t bother her as much as being told she lost food privileges for the first three days. It wasn’t long before people started referring to her as “Potato Girl”. Y/n had really gotten to know the food-lover during their time staying in the barracks. She completely adored her.

The two finally reached Y/n and Marco, panting with their hands on their knees. “Didn’t know you had it in you, man.” Connie huffed, smirking up at Marco. Sasha joined in, “Yeah, and Y/n is so out of everyone’s league!”

Y/n’s face heated up a bit. She wondered what they were talking about. Marco started to get flustered again. “What are you guys talking about?” He asked, innocently. Connie and Sasha looked at each other mischievously. Marco started to regret even saying anything.

“Oh, I see. So, you’re not asking Y/n out?” Connie responded, wiggling his eyebrows at Marco. Marco practically burst into flames.

“No! That’s not it at all! We’ve only known each other for a week! We’re just friends!” Marco blabbered out, waving his hands in front of him. Y/n nodded in agreement. She wasn’t sure why she felt so differently around him compared to the others, but she just blamed it on the fact he was her first real friend she had met in such a new environment. Besides, she knew why she was here, and she didn’t want to risk everything she has worked so hard for just to get distracted.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. I just came here to tell you that Jean is looking for you. C’mon.” Connie said, turning to walk in the other direction. Marco sighed in relief, saying bye to Y/n and Sasha before following after Connie.

With the boys having left, Sasha turns to Y/n.

“Do you believe Marco? Connie tells me that he talks about you all the time in the barracks.” Sasha informed, nudging Y/n with her elbow. Y/n was shocked. Does he?... She wondered, almost forgetting to answer Sasha.

“Does he really?” Y/n asked, looking into the other girls’ eyes. Sasha looked back at her, incredulously.

“Huh? I thought you’d be smarter than that, Y/n.” She said, hands on her hips with an eyebrow raised in question. Y/n rolled her eyes at Sasha’s dramatics. To her, it didn’t really matter that Marco was talking about her. That is what friends do, right? It just means he enjoys having her as a friend and Y/n was perfectly okay with that.

Coming out of her train of thought, Y/n spoke, “Whatever. Let’s just head back. Dinner is soon.” At the mention of food, Sasha immediately dismissed what they had been in the middle of discussing, grabbing Y/n by the arm to drag her to the mess hall.

A/N: Very long overdue update, but here’s Chapter 2! Also, I went back and did some very needed editing. I realized I had an OC’s name all through Chapter 1 that I forgot to change.

All rights reserved. Please do not repost or steal my writing. Re-blogs are welcome!

[presidentstalkeyes]

Norma Natividad is autistic.

Now, I know it might seem iffy that I'm headcanoning the academically-inclined jerk character as autistic, but hear me out. :V

Her investigative tendencies strike me as a special interest of hers, so when the mystery of the mole comes on the scene she pounces on it and remains focused for the entirety of the story, while all the other Interns are varying degrees of apathetic. She tells everyone it's for the extra credit points but Lizzie's post-game comment - "she's been 'helping' me all my life" suggest it's just a Thing Norma Does. She's also shown talking about her investigation to a less-than-interested Gisu, despite the fact that Raz is standing right there, suggesting that's her 'I'm gonna spill about my interests today because I have to tell someone' moment.

Playing into the above, she wants to make herself helpful and useful - hence the investigation and snitching on Raz to 'Truman' - but has a bit of trouble with impulse control and reading the room. Sometimes she 'helps' when it isn't really asked for and has difficulty leaving well enough alone. I do imagine this is rooted a lot in her past as a psychic, but there's also an element of internalized ableism - she wants to prove she can 'fit in' and contribute to neurotypical society.

While she wasn't unbiased towards Raz to start with because, you know, literal child getting into the Intern program on his first day and all - she came up with her theory because she 'saw what others couldn't' and took the events surrounding Raz's arrival at face value (kid she's never heard of before suddenly showing up out of nowhere, becomes an Intern immediately and is apparently best buddies with three Senior Agents) and came to the logical - but incorrect - conclusion that something didn't add up. This feels like a very autistic thing for me personally, to see something that should be obvious yet gets ignored for apparently arbitrary reasons.

She seems adept at, essentially, spycraft, which she accomplishes by putting on acts - again projecting here, but when you mask for long enough eventually you sorta understand how to mask and in what way to get a desired reaction. I personally don't do this because I can't stand being dishonest, but Norma has no such hangups... which is not to say she enjoys it. Masking for a long time can be exhausting. So when she doesn't need to, she speaks bluntly and honestly, and depending on her mood she either doesn't know or doesn't care if she comes off as rude in the process. It's her treat! (Her comment to Raz about his father, "I'm sorry, are you jealous? Did your father not spend much time with you growing up?" was half-honest question, half-low-blow jab to get a rise out of him because she still thinks he's a smug brat who's duping everyone and 'if only everyone else could see what I'm seeing!')

Kinda grasping at straws for this one, but she has a couple tics she repeats a lot - she's often seen with her hands clasped together in front of her and regularly pulls her glasses up her nose, which both feel like stims.

Finally, going by one of the cut Bottled Thoughts, she suffers from anxiety over if she's really a good person or not, showing she still has empathy for others buried beneath that prickly exterior. This is sort of made apparent in the final game - she apologizes to Raz for thinking he's the Mole and promises to make it up to him, and using Clairvoyance on her in the postgame reveals she at least begrudgingly warmed up to him after that. However, when Raz and her sister directly confront her over her wrongdoing, her knee-jerk response is to downplay it and be like 'well it all worked out in the end, what's the problem?'. I know based on my own experience and convos with other autistic folks that an unfortunate reality of being autistic is having strangers overreact towards something you did or said for seemingly no logical reason, so it's tempting to wish that everyone would just stop making such a huge deal over minor errors - pobody's nerfect, just accept mistakes happen and move on. Except in Norma's case it's more than just a simple mistake, but she's still in the denial phase of the incident and doesn't want that 'am I a good person?' anxiety to flare up again, and her difficulty at reading the room lead to her reaction.

Also note that this is the only time you can finally hand her the 'Mission-Critical Assets', whereupon she'll act like a jerk towards Raz again ("get over yourself, it's just a scavenger hunt!") - which, considering my earlier thoughts, strikes me as a 'well fine, if you wanna treat me like a jerk then I guess I'll act like one!' moment (showing she still struggles to regulate her emotions). Then she gets uncharacteristically flustered when Raz suddenly turns the tables on her, and let me tell you, I felt that. :V

Just to be clear, this is in no way meant to justify or excuse her dickish behaviour towards Raz, who I'm pretty sure is autistic himself (and I know I'm not the only one who thinks that). I'm autistic and I was a kind of a dick when I was Norma's age, and I make no excuses for that. She just has some growing up to do, really.