#Revit Add-Ons

[beloveds-embrace]

dukedom!AU but they realize she’s quickly become a type of ‘peoples princess’ outside the duchy

The timeline for this one is before reader tells john her request! I got this ask before part two dropped and already had some of it written. Hope you enjoy, anon! <3

Dukedome au masterlist

I can imagine them realizing it not from seeing it, but from hearing it, maybe during a gala hosted by John and uou. The evening is alive with music and laughter, the grand ballroom brimming with nobles and dignitaries. Yet the chatter revolve around one figure: you.

“She’s truly remarkable, isn’t she?” one elderly countess says, her voice carrying across the marble floors and gleaming ceilings. “Always so graceful, so kind. I am quite glad she is Duchess Price, now.”

John stands near the refreshments table with Simon, and overhears the conversation. His hand tightens slightly around his glass, though his face betrays nothing. Nothing new to be talked about, it was natural. And yet-

“Graceful?” a younger lady chimes in, voice calm and polite. “She’s more than that. Did you hear she personally visited the orphanage last week? Brought food and clothing, spoke to every child. And not for show- she refused to let any journalists near. That’s a true duchess.”

Simon’s brows furrows slightly, his jaw tightening. He exchanges a glance with John, the unspoken thought between them clear: she hadn’t told either of them about that visit. It wasn’t because John didn’t trust you, or that you need his permission; he just wanted to be aware of where you go and which guards you’ll take. For your own safety.

“She’s so approachable too,” a lord adds, gesturing with his wine glass. John knows this lord, he always ends up drinking too much and being too handsy. Why would you need to speak to him? “I spoke to her briefly earlier- she didn’t just listen, she cared. You can see it in her eyes. It’s no wonder the people adore her.”

Adore is putting it way too lightly.

From the other side of the room, Kyle watches as a small group of maids gossip near the staircase. He wasn’t one for eavesdropping, but their excitement is hard to ignore.

“I heard she gave her own jewelry to the head maid’s daughter to help her pay for her dowry.” One of them whispers, clutching her tray.

“That’s not all,” another group are speaking, talking about her as well. “The market vendors say she always pays more than is needed, even when they insist she doesn’t do. Such a lovely woman.”

“Wish the other nobles were like her,” the first maid says with a wistful sigh. “She’s the only one who treats us like people.”

Kyle’s lips press into a thin line as he adjusts his gloves. He prides himself on protecting you, but hearing how far your kindness extends fills him with a quiet sense of urgency. What if someone takes advantage of you and your tender heart?

It’s not just in the main hall that these words are said; down in the kitchens, Johnny is busy ensuring there’s enough food with the rest of the chefs. But still, he can hear two others talking while they work, trying not to sound too snappy or angry while he listens in on them.

As the night continues, the men find themselves more and more aware of how often your name arises in conversation. They hear nobles discussing your fashion choices (Simon secretly preens), others whispering about your visits to the poorer parts of town and the funds that have been allocated into revitalizing the areas, and even rival duchesses grudgingly admitting that you’ve set quite the high standard.

“I heard she stopped Lord Clinton from evicting his tenants,” one man says near the dance floor, though not quite close enough to be drawn into the dancing bodies. He is within John and Simon’s earshots.

“Not only that,” someone else “whispers”. “She made sure they had food and shelter through the winter. commoners love her, and she truly embodies what it means to be a noble. A true people’s princess, I say.”

John’s gaze flickers toward you, standing across the room and laughing softly with a group of nobles. You’re glowing tonight, the light catching in your hair and your smile as warm as ever, adorned in a beautiful dress.

“They don’t deserve her,” Kyle mutters, sidling up to him while holding a plate of finger foods.

John doesn’t respond, but his grip on his glass tightens again. It’s a wonder the glass hasn’t broken et.

Simon’s voice is quiet when he speaks. “The people see her as theirs.” He pauses, his gaze hardening. “But she’s ours first.”

“I cannot blame them.” John sighs. “She is the perfect duchess. But she is also my duchess, and they seem to have forgotten that.”

John means his words, and he knows his men agree with him. The world may love you, but they know the truth: no one else can have you- not the people, not the nobles, no one but them.

The ballroom continues to buzz with conversation, and John focuses back on the two men near the edge of the dance floor.

“She’s wasted on a duchy,” one of them says, swirling his wine with a smirk, more than just a little drunk. “With her charm, she could outshine the Queen herself.”

“Not just charm,” the other adds in, just as drunk. “But Influence.”

Simon stiffens, his fingers flexing at his sides. “Influence” isn’t something he takes lightly when it comes to you. It’s a dangerous thing in the wrong hands- or with the wrong admirers.

“Careful,” John mutters to him. “They’re complimenting her, not threatening her.”

Simon’s glare softens ever so slightly. “Yet.”

Johnny slowly makes his way towards a hidden corner of the ballroom, gnawing on his lips as he listens to the whispers of you.

Did you see the way she stopped to speak with the gardeners?” one of them asks. “She even complimented the hedges I trimmed last week!”

Johnny’s grin fades, his fingers drumming against his thigh. He enjoys seeing people appreciate you, but this feels different. They speak of you with reverence, as if you’re some untouchable figure. But Johnny knows better. You’re no untouchable goddess- you’re his. Theirs. That’s what matters most.

It’s when you step onto the dance floor that the tension truly rises. A duke- one who’s been eyeing you all evening- approaches you with a bow, extending his hand for a dance. You hesitate, glancing toward John out of instinct. He doesn’t move, but his eyes darken, his jaw clenched as he watches you take the duke’s hand.

The music swells and you move across the floor, laughter bubbles from your lips at something your dance partner says. The men see it for what it is: polite, nothing more. But it doesn’t stop the knot of irritation tightening even further.

“She’s a vision,” someone murmurs nearby, unaware they’re being overheard.

“Who wouldn’t fall for her?” another replies.

The words hang in the air, heavy with implication.

Kyle’s gaze sharpens. Johnny’s grin vanishes completely. Simon’s fists clench at his sides. And John, ever composed, finishes his wine in one long swallow, his eyes never leaving you.

He can’t allow this to go on for any longer.

The dance ends, and as you return to the edge of the ballroom, you’re immediately surrounded by more admirers- ladies complimenting your gown, lords vying for your attention. Or would have been, if John hadn’t started making his way towards you, presence larger than life.

“Your Grace,” he says smoothly, and extends his hand to you, his expression unreadable. “Dance with me.”

The request- or rather, the command- is met with stunned silence. The nobles exchange glances, but a single glance from John keeps them all silent.

You blink up at him, momentarily caught off guard, before placing your hand in his. “Of course.” you murmur softly.

John’s grip is firm but gentle as he leads you to the dance floor, his other hand resting lightly at your waist. The orchestra begins a soft waltz, and he pulls you into the first step, his movements confident and assured.

Around you, the crowd watches, whispers starting anew, though you barely notice. All you can focus on is the intensity in John’s eyes as he looks down at you.

“You’ve been busy tonight.” he says after a moment, his voice low enough that only you can hear. It sends a shiver up your spine- his voice always so nice to hear.

“It’s my role,” you reply, offering him a small smile. “Everyone has been so kind.”

He hums, his eyes flicking briefly to the onlookers before returning to you. “Too kind, perhaps.”

You raise an eyebrow at his tone but say nothing, letting him guide you across the floor. His hand tightens slightly at your waist, and he pulls you even more closer.

“You’ve done well tonight,” he says after a moment, his voice softer now. “Better than I expected, if I’m honest. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. You always seem to surprise me, my dear.”

Your cheeks warm at the unexpected praise, and you smile up at him. “Thank you, John. That means a great deal.”

He leans in just slightly, his breath ghosting over your ear. “The way they look at you,” he murmurs, his voice dropping even lower. “They can’t take their eyes off you. And I don’t blame them.”

You glance up at him, startled, but his expression is unreadable once again. He continues to lead you effortlessly through the dance, his movements precise.

“But,” he continues, his gaze locking onto yours, “they’ll have to remember who you belong to.”

Your heart skips at his words, and for a moment, you forget where you are, the world narrowing to just the two of you. His eyes soften, his grip steady as he twirls you into the final steps of the dance.

As the music fades, he leans in again, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re exquisite tonight, wife. Don’t let them forget it.”

With that, he leads you off the dance floor, his hand never leaving yours. The crowd parts for the both of you, their gazes following you both as John guides you back to the edge of the room, where the others wait.

You’re still breathless, his words replaying in your mind as he steps aside, positioning himself at your shoulder. Whatever protests the nobles might’ve had about your absence dissolve under his watchful glare.

And though John doesn’t say another word for the rest of the evening, his presence alone is enough to ensure no one dares to crowd you again, and no one comes between you and them. Simon and Kyle keep you busy, chatting happily with them, and Johnny joins later when the guests begin to trickle out and no one would question why a chef is there.

People’s princess you maybe, you are still theirs. John simply had to show and remind everyone of that fact.

[clickityquacks]

With the popularity of Nezha 2, I wanted to give recommendations for other donghua but also to help clarify some Nezha 2019 vs Nezha Reborn (2020) confusion. For best viewing pleasure of any of the new Nezha adaptations, I highly recommend watching or skimming through Nezha 1979. It adds an extra layer to the 2019 and 2020 versions.

They are different movies with different plots! Nezha 2019 takes place in a more traditional past whereas Nezha Reborn is a Steampunk reimagining of Nezha 1979 and the original Nezha Myth.

Nezha 2019's studio Coloroom also produced Jiang Ziya, also based on Investiture of the Gods. God of Three Eyes was a slated addition that follows Erlang Shen but I have not seen news about it. Monkey King is Back is also the same studio and I would say kicked off the revitalization of animated movies based on myths. You can watch the intro scene and skip the rest.

Nezha Reborn has a cinematic sequel with Yang Jian which follows Er Lang Shen/Lotus lantern myths in the steampunk setting.

★I would recommend the classic Lotus Lantern which follows Sanshengmu and her son Chen Xiang who goes on a hero's journey to defeat Erlang Shen who is evil in this movie.

★I love Butterfly Lovers, it follows the myth of Zhu Yingtai who wants to be a scholar, dresses up as a man to do so. She meets Liang Shanbo and they really hit it off as they study and Zhu Yingtai falls in love, reveals her identity, and then the end :) . This particular movie has three musical numbers that are all great in my biased opinion.

Little Door Gods plays on the idea that people used to keep images of two door gods pasted on their doors but with cultural progression and economic slumps, the gods are at risk of being obsolete.

White Snake. I have no words for White Snake, I didn't like them but you might like them. It is a romance between a Snake Spirit and a Human.

★ 30,000 Miles from Chang'An. Stunning movie, I loved the heavy art inspirations for the proportions of everything. Follows the life of Gao Shi and his crossroads with the burgeoning poet Li Bai.

My little area! Can't go wrong with any of these movies I think.

Big Fish and Begonia was a big hit, especially for the historical round house representation. Zhou Shen propelled to fame and OST career with this movie.

★ Dahufa is a weird movie! The less you know the better, honestly just strap in for the ride. This one is a bit violent.

Legend of Hei follows a black cat, Hei which is a prequel movie to the animated series with a similar name. He is trying to find a home but encounters humans and monsters along the way that cause him trouble.

I am who I am is about a group of misfits who overcome challenges and become Lion Dancers. The only movie that I included that isn't that fantastical but extremely touching.

[lackablazeical]

P2 of my Empires S1 designs (slash redesigns?!!!! <3333 (Joel's is here)

Basically I just wanted him to feel. Jungle-y. I took inspiration almost entirely from ancient mayan/Aztec clothing and art, ofc simplified down and changed to fit with his MC skin more :]

I gave him very bright, vibrant colors, to sort of break up his design and add visual difference (also to stand out against Xornoth's dark pallete and be a visual opposite to Scott), Teal is meant to be like the main complementary color, idk how well I did with that tho LMAO

He also has some medallions on his belt, specifically one for Xornoth <333 his crown also glows and floats like a sun, its warm and revitalizes anyone nearby. He has floating gold behind his shoulders also, which turn into his wings when he needs to fly.

Also his netherite sword is now a netherite māccuahuitl, he got that bashin' stick. And I decided since he mainly sells totems of undying, he is the only one of the smp who retains scars thru respawns, just thought it'd be cool LMAO

Also if you wanna see the agony I went thru to draw this. Speedpaint below the cut ⬇️⬇️⬇️

[tennco]

"Gensokyo accepts all. That's a cruel, cruel statement."

that's one of my favorite touhou quotes and it's, a fucking generic yukari win-quote from IaMP. but it perfectly sums up all of ZUN's works in my opinion.

you could interpret it to mean simply that gensokyo welcomes in both the good and the bad equally. i think that's boring.

i personally like the idea that Hifuu presents a world that has forgotten its magic, and that it has become less because of it, with the two main characters looking to revitalize it. that's the clearest example of how ZUN romanticizes folklore and mythology, something i mentioned in another post. and he's right in a way, those things have always been a part of human nature, our attempts to explain that which has no explanation. it adds a hint of mysticism to daily life and makes it, just a little bit more special. i think for ZUN this is closely related to the concept of hare and ke, the sacred and the mundane, the extraordinary and the ordinary.

in contrast to the outside world of humans we have the gensokyo of youkai, a place where the extraordinary is ordinary, where magic is real and supernatural creatures roam around free. it is however, a world that exists purely because its residents have no other place to go. they are not welcome in the real world anymore, they are not needed as humans can explain everything by their own means. i think with her words yukari is lamenting this fact, maybe the same way she did when she herself was a human living in that world devoid of anything special.

with all that said the message is obviously not "we shouldn't aim to explain or discover anything, just accept that it was the gods", but rather i think it's a call to suspend your disbelief, just for a bit, and say "yeah, sure, maybe there is more to it than meets the eye". to find something special in the everyday. to not let mundanity overwhelm you.

in other words, gensokyo accepts all. because the world doesn't. don't let it be that way.

[muletia]

Please Optimus cuddles while reader is having a bad time on job, please I need him praising me and telling me that I am such a good one please please please 🙏

[tfp] optimus prime x human!reader

word count: 600

small and hopefully comforting

Optimus immediately notices your exhaustion. Always vigilant and perceptive, with your body language firmly encoded in his processor, sees the challenges you’ve faced today and the strength you’ve had to summon to overcome them. Watches as you walk into your shared habsuite, collapse onto the couch, and cover your eyes with your forearm.

“My dearest?” he asks. Naturally, your state worries him. Wants to help, pedes instinctively guiding him toward you. The mass-shifting happens automatically, now an inseparable part of his day, allowing to safely be near you, close enough to banish any fear of accidentally crushing you. Kneels on one knee, drawing nearer, seeking connection and conversation to understand how he can help, how he might ease your burden, even if only a little.

You lower your forearm, making the connection mutual and tangible. Exhausted, dreaming of days-long sleep, you still can’t deny him the bond — not when the stern faceplate, hardened by seriousness, begins to crack under the weight of concern, both breaking and warming your heart in the irony of your closeness. It stirs the need to comfort him, even if you were the spark for his worry.

“Sorry, Opti. It’s been a rough day at work,” you say softly, weakly, worrying him enough that he reaches out with a servo and strokes your head. Slow and deliberate, yet impossibly tender. And you could swear the metal loses its hardness, softening from the love he pours into this simple yet meaningful gesture. You feel it; you know it flows through you, revitalizing you, until you suddenly find the strength to spring up from the couch and wrap your arms around his neck.

You squeeze tightly, unafraid of causing him pain, desperately seeking the familiar and safe, yearning to anchor yourself in the closeness he offers. Allowing yourself to think of him, and not of everything else. “I’m sorry, I had to,” you whisper into the mesh on his neck. Feeling his large, familiar arm resting on your back, you know your apology has been accepted.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he replies. “Would you care to tell me what troubles you?”

“Later,” you say. “Tell me something nice. Please.”

“I understand. I am certain that you gave your all. You made it through today, and that is truly admirable.” He strokes your back, feeling you press closer, retreating deeper into the comfort of his presence, seeking the solace he so earnestly wants to provide. He desperately hopes you feel his efforts — not just physically. “I am proud of you, my dearest.”

You want to believe him, to take his words to heart and let them settle there, because Optimus Prime has never lied, but you can’t. “I didn’t do anything worthy of your pride,” you sigh, but quickly add, not wanting to burden him with your ingratitude, “But thank you. You have no idea how much.” You nestle closer, brushing your face against his mesh, hoping it at least partially makes up for your lack of sensitivity. Hoping he’ll understand.

“And yet you continue your fight, despite the obstacles your work places before you. That alone is enough to earn my admiration. It is enough for me to repeat that your determination to persevere is admirable and that I am proud of you,” he says, breaking through your defenses, reaching the deepest parts of your being and planting the seed of belief that his words are true and unwavering. "I love you, my spark".

And you can only hope that your softly whispered “thank you,” repeated several times, reaches him as deeply as his words have reached you.

[nebrasska-alasska]

(Ik this is totally random, and I almost asked anon. but I said screw it lol)

I don't mean for this to be too forward, but you are so pretty!!! You absolutely slayed at your senior banquet, and I'm still laughing a little at your "Most likely to..." I love that sm 😂 Also, this might sound a little odd but you have such a nice smile, like one of those picture-perfect smiles you'd see on like a Crest/Colgate ad or something.

Your curls are so cute too, and I actually wanted to ask: do you use any specific products for them? I have curls too, but since I have thick hair they never cooperate with me. I swear it looks like I have a frizzed up lion's mane sometimes😭 I've been looking for certain products to use so my curls actually look nice, so I was wondering if you happen to use certain products or follow a hair care routine to help keep your curls in tact?

AWWWWWWWW THANK YOU!!! You are actually so sweet, I am literally smiling and blushing so much right now, thank you!!! And OMG that is such a kind thing of you to say about my smile!!! My dental friends are always so critical of each other's teeth (including mine... one time someone told me that they wanted to put an oral surgery instrument in the small gap I have between my front two teeth and just wiggle/elevate them out... I was like what :D ) so I really appreciate the compliment! <3

But also!!! In regards to the curls! Thank you!!! And HAHAHA this is so funny, I never thought I would give hair care advice on my sonadow blog but here goes XD

My favorite curl cream is anything from the brand Bumble and Bumble! I've tried a lot of stuff over the years and theirs works the best for me. Here is what my hair looks like when I put cream in (and honestly, there is still some frizz you can see haloed around the outside, so idk if I'm really the best person to ask about this LOL) :

That's what they look like when I "try." Wash, scrunch cream in, and then air dry for 30-45 minutes with my head upside down! However, I don't always use product because I don't always feel like weighing my hair down, so sometimes I just let it do its thing and it'll turn out a bit looser, like this:

For this vibe, I'll sometimes use the Not Your Mother's beach wave spray to lock it in place and add volume after it's dry. But again, I don't always use this product because I like to give my hair breaks! More often than not, when I need to revitalize it, I'll just use a water bottle with spray and that will wake the curls up lol

But yeah, hope this was somewhat helpful? The overall answer is, I only use products around half the time (if that), and those are the Bumble and Bumble creams and the Not Your Mother's spray. Good luck with your curls! They truly are a blessing and a curse, and it can be such a long journey to figure out what works, but when you do they can be so much fun!!! <3

All right here's Sonic and Shadow kissing to make this somehow related to Sonadow

[tarithenurse]

Any future

Fandom: MCU Pairing/starring: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader Word count: 974 Content: Friends to lovers, mention of injury, guilt, pining, physical pain. A/N: Found Missy’s Writing Challenge and thought it could be helpful in revitalizing my desire to write fanfics. Thanks for making a great challenge, @saiyanprincessswanie . I went with the prompt: “I look at the future and all I see is you.”

Any future

You’ve worked with them for more than a year now, the Avengers.

You had been starstruck in the beginning but that had quickly faded as reality crashed into your idyllic world: working with heroes, seeing the backside of the medal was not pretty: people got hurt, some died if you didn’t do your job right...nothing could take that pain away and once you’d been close to throwing the towel in the ring and walking away from it all. It was only because of your teammates that you hadn’t quit.

You tried to keep them happy too, tried to pick them up on their rough days...but there’s always one who seem to be harder to cheer up than the rest: Bucky. He walks with a perpetual rain cloud over his head, barely cracking a smile to his friends Steve or Sam.

Your heart aches for him.

He, more than anyone else, has a lot to atone for and despite intensive support from the team and therapy too...nothing seems to work. You know he avoids the public, abstains from reading the newspapers or checking the internet because more often than not, there will be someone questioning his intent. If he is good. If he really still is the Winter Soldier.

You’ve tried talking with him too. He’s friendly. Hell, it even seems like he enjoys your company as much as he can so you grab every chance you have to cheer him up. Make him feel loved. Because you do...you love him. It’s not just the sympathy talking or a motherly desire to coddle him. You love his intellect, his quiet thoughtfulness.

More than once you’ve gotten him a book with crosswords or Sudoku puzzles only to find engrossed in it for the following days. Or we would silently join you when you watched movies especially fantasy like Lord of the Rings or the Princess Bride (that one did make him crack a smile more than once). He reads a lot, trying, as Sam says, to finish the so called “list” which on the other hand is ever growing partially because you add to it.

But in spite of your efforts and Bucky’s quiet acceptance of your presence in his life...he’s a mystery. Impossible to read.

---

It had been a tough mission and you hadn’t gotten away unscathed: a broken leg. You try to follow the orders of the doctors but even with the most impressive technology at the doctor’s hands there are some things that only time can fix and so you’re grounded, forced to stay home from the next mission.

You hadn’t seen the fellow Avengers off that morning, deciding instead to stay in bed and pout. But eventually it becomes too boring and your leg is aching too much: you need a distraction.

Grabbing the crutches, you imp your way to the kitchen in your sleepwear, knowing you’re home alone with Friday and it wouldn’t care even if you were naked. Sleepmuzzed hair, booty short, tank-top.

You get as far as getting the mug out of the cabinet before you lose grip on the crutch and it falls to the ground with a clatter and stubbing your toe on your good foot.

“Fuck!” you growl.

“I’ll get it,” a baritone voice behind you offers, causing you to scream in fear because that it not Friday.

Spinning around, you lose your balance as you become tangled with the crutches. You’d have fallen hard if it wasn’t for the owner of the voice catching you.

Bucky.

He’s strong, effortlessly putting you back on your foot but not letting go as you cling to him. He smells of metal and something spicy, you realize now that you’re so close to him.

“You’re home?” you deduce brainlessly.

He smiles softly. “Didn’t feel right to leave you behind in your state. Seems I was right.”

“Guess you’re good at reading the future.”

Something shifts in his eyes that you can’t explain but it’s gone just as quickly. “You okay?”

Suddenly aware of the proximity, you stabilize yourself on your good leg and pull apart. “Yeah...just...clumsy like this.”

“Then allow me?”

You nod, assuming he’d get the crutches for you. Instead, he lifts you effortlessly and carry you over to the couch where he settle you down. On his way back to the kitchen, he calls over his shoulder:

“You take it with milk, right?”

Baffled that he knows your coffee preferences, you agree.

Moments later he’s sharing the couch with you, each nursing a cup of coffee and with a plate of buttered scones on the coffee table.

“You’re wrong, by the way,” he suddenly says, breaking the cozy silence.

“In what?”

He isn’t looking at you, but studying the blackness of his coffee. “About me and the future. I’m terrible at it...or you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“Are you...are you blaming yourself for that?” you ask, shocked.

He really shouldn’t be. Those sort of things happen and he wasn’t even close by where you got pinned: an explosive had been triggered by the Hydra agents and the debris had caught you.

“James?”

He still won’t meet your eyes. Just shrugs.

You put your cup down, starting to be more annoyed than confused. “James Buchanan Barnes. Look at me.”

Finally, though slowly, he does as you demand and you are overwhelmed by the sea of emotions that meet you.

“Talk to me...please...” you whisper.

“I look at the future and all I see is you,” he manages to press out, “it used to be...nothing. Greyness. Now there’s light.”

You reach for him and he puts down his cup before carefully crawling over to straddle you. It hurts your leg, but it’s worth it when you can press your forehead against his. And by the time he tilts your chin up and kisses you slowly, nothing else matters.

[myballsitchaurghouchie]

[CW: Gore imagery]

The Lamb is sacrificed. The Lamb is resurrected. Side effects were not expected, and yet.

They struggle to eat. Their throat feels weird and uncomfortable. Swallowing feels dirty. Ingesting grass and fruits tastes disgusting. It sits uncofortably in their stomach.

The Lamb rarely eats, only doing so to prepare for battles, receiving stabbing pains at their sides as a response. They feel hungry, but become accustomed to the emptiness in their belly.

A hunger grows.

They try fish meat. It satiates the growling of their body, but it is still disgusting. Wretched. Sickening. Painful.

The hunger grows.

Follower meat is eaten during rough times. It tastes decent. It is only emotionally painful to eat. It fills their stomach. It does not sit uncomfortably.

The Lamb feels nauseous.

The hunger grows.

The blood and gore of slain Bishops looks tender, smells sweet. It is forbidden.

The stinging in their sides is overbearing.

The hunger grows.

The One Who Waits is defeated.

The iron smell of blood filling the air. The warm liquid covering the Lamb. Hooves. Hands. Wool. Cheeks. Lips.

Blood mixes with saliva falling from their mouth.

The former god is eaten. Right there. Aym and Baal's corpses bear witness.

It is filling. The meat pulls against the Lamb's sharpened teeth. The taste of revenge and flesh is rich and sweet. It is the only meal the Lamb was able to enjoy since their new life begun. It is revitalizing.

No flesh is left untouched.

The hunger grows.

The Bishops' dead bodies still lay in their domains, rotting.

Varying levels of decay covers each of the former gods. Maggots and insects worm their way through their flesh, through every opening.

It still looks tender. It still smells sweet. It is going to waste.

It tastes the same as their brother, Narinder, if only a different texture each time. Shamura's is the oddest.

The quelching sound of tearing flesh resonates through the temples. The maggots add to what would be a dry meal. The taste of rot is ignored in favor of the warm feeling growing within the Lamb's body.

They grow lightheaded from stimulation.

The hunger grows with each dead god eaten. It doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore. It feels familiar. Filling. Empowering.

No gods in sight, the Lamb's stomach filled to satisfaction, blood running quick through their vein, ichor dripping from their face.

Yet the hunger still grows.

[marzipanandminutiae]

Kinda weird question but you know how in the story of Sleeping Beauty, her parents outlaw spinning wheels and burn everyone in the kingdom and all that?

What would the material impact be on the kingdom?

it's interesting- I've seen exactly one adaptation that addressed this, and it was an East German state-produced version

(as I've mentioned before, my alma mater has a huge collection of DEFA fairytale movies. I watched a bunch of them in a folklore class my first year)

in that version, the kingdom's weavers and spinners are shown being furious at losing their employment but of course they have no power to stop the king. and at the end, the Good Fairy teaches the princess how to spin so that she can teach the rest of the women in the kingdom and revitalize the industry (why they apparently all forgot how to do it in only 16 years, so completely that they had to be taught from scratch all over again, I have no idea)

it makes a lot of sense that that aspect would be explored in a fairytale from an ostensibly communist country- I say "ostensibly" because we all know how well that tends to work out in real life when you add in human elements like greed and Scum Rising To The Top and such. they would be less likely to apply fairytale logic to something as huge as destroying an entire industry. and like you say, they're not wrong; that would have a massive impact on the country's economy unless they were already importing like 99% of their thread. given that there were enough spinning-wheels to order a mass destruction, that's probably not the case

so yeah it would likely have damaged the economy of the kingdom. but scared parents do irrational things, and when that scared parent has absolute power...

(that element DOES go back a very long way in the story- at least as far as Basile's 1634-36 version "Sun, Moon, and Talia," though not as far back as the oldest recorded version in the 1330s-40s French epic poem Perceforest)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

One More List of Ancient Egyptian Art Vocabulary

for your next poem/story

Sons of Horus - protectors of the internal organs removed during mummification. Human-headed Imsety protects the liver; baboon headed Hapy, the lungs; jackal-headed Duamutef, the stomach; and hawk-headed Qebehsenuef, the intestines.

Stela (pl. stelae) - an upright slab of stone carved and inscribed with religious or historical texts and representations

Sunk relief - relief in which the forms are set back from the flat stone surface

Taweret - hippopotamus goddess of childbirth

Tefnut - goddess of moisture, who, with Shu, god of light and air, were the first divine couple created by Atum

Temple precinct - the enclosed area around a temple

Thoth - god of writing, scribes, and the moon; depicted as an ibis-headed human or as a baboon

Throne name - the designation “king of Upper and Lower Egypt”; one of the two most important names of the king, the other being his birth name, which identified him as the “son of Re”

Underworld - the dangerous world through which a boat carrying the sun god and his companions, including the deceased, must travel every night

Uraeus - the mythical fire-spitting cobra, a protector of kings and gods, worn on the front of the headdress, depicted rearing up with dilated hood

Wadi - valley or stream bed that is dry except perhaps in the rainy season

Wedjat eye - an eye with stylized falcon markings, meaning “that which is made whole,” the symbol of the left eye of Horus, torn out by Seth in their battle over who should rule Egypt. The eye, which was restored by the god Thoth, is a symbol of revitalization after death. Each part of the Horus eye represented a mathematical fraction in writing. Altogether the fractions add up to one, or the whole.

White crown - with a bulbous terminus, the crown of Upper Egypt

Source ⚜ More: Word Lists ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[rotzaprachim]

some smaller bookstores, presses, and museum shops to browse and know about! Most support smaller presses, diverse authors and authors in translation, or fund museums and arts research)

(disclaimer: the only three I’ve personally used are the Yiddish book center, native books, and izzun books! Reccomend all three. Also roughly *U.S. centric & anglophone if people have others from around the world please feel free to add on

birchbark books - Louise Erdrich’s book shop, many indigenous and First Nations books of a wide variety of genres including children’s books, literature, nonfiction, sustainability and foodways, language revitalization, Great Lakes area focus (https://birchbarkbooks.com/)

American Swedish institute museum store - range of Scandinavian and Scandinavian-American/midwestern literature, including modern literature in translation, historical documents, knitters guides, cookbooks, children’s books https://shop.asimn.org/collections/books-1

Native books - Hawai’i based bookstore with a focus on native Hawaiian literature, scholarly works about Hawai’i, the pacific, and decolonial theory, ‘ōlelo Hawai’i, and children’s books Collections | Native Books (nativebookshawaii.org)

the Yiddish book center - sales arm of the national Yiddish book center, books on Yiddish learning, books translated from Yiddish, as well as broader selection of books on Jewish history, literature, culture, and coooking https://shop.yiddishbookcenter.org/

ayin press - independent press with a small but growing selection of modern judaica https://shop.ayinpress.org/collections/all?_gl=1kkj2oo_gaMTk4NDI3Mzc1Mi4xNzE1Mzk5ODk3_ga_VSERRBBT6X*MTcxNTM5OTg5Ny4xLjEuMTcxNTM5OTk0NC4wLjAuMA..

Izzun books - printers of modern progressive AND masorti/trad-egal leaning siddurim including a gorgeous egalitarian Sephardic siddur with full Hebrew, English translation, and transliteration

tenement center museum -https://shop.tenement.org/product-category/books/page/11/ range of books on a dizzying range of subjects mostly united by New York City, including the history literature cookbooks and cultures of Black, Jewish, Italian, Puerto Rican, First Nations, and Irish communities

restless books - nonprofit, independent small press focused on books on translation, inter and multicultural exchange, and books by immigrant writers from around the world. Particularly excellent range of translated Latin American literature https://restlessbooks.org/

olniansky press - modern Yiddish language press based in Sweden, translators and publishers esp of modern Yiddish children’s literature https://www.etsy.com/shop/OlnianskyBooks

https://yiddishchildrensbooks.com/ - kinder lokshen, Yiddish children’s books (not so many at the moment but a very cute one about a puffin from faroese!)

inhabit books - Inuit-owned publishing company in Nunavut with an “aim to preserve and promote the stories, knowledge, and talent of Inuit and Northern Canada.” Particularly gorgeous range of children’s books, many available in Inuktitut, English, French, or bilingual editions https://inhabitbooks.com/collections/inhabit-media-books-1

rust belt books - for your Midwest and rust belt bookish needs! Leaning towards academic and progressive political tomes but there are some cookbooks devoted to the art of the Midwest cookie table as well https://beltpublishing.com/

[princessmisery666]

Just Say You Love Me

Summary: Dean is trying to embrace his emotions and look to the future. Part 3 of 3. Part 2 - The Right Guy On Paper.

Warnings/Genres/Troupes: fluff, mentions of cheating. 

W/C: 4,901.

Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Mentioned: Jody Mills. 

Pairing: Dean x fem!reader (you - no descriptions of body type or ethnicity).

Bingo: @jacklesversebingo Square Filled: ”Would you please, shut up, I’m trying to confess my love for you.”

A/N: Obviously this was supposed to posted on a certain day (you'll get what I mean when you read) but it just wasn't where I wanted it to be at the time so I waited. Two-ish weeks later ain't bad though.

Graphics: made by be on canva. Dividers by @talesmaniac89

Master Lists: JAcklesVerseBingo / Dean Winchester / Main

Pulling off the highway, Dean grumbles, “This is stupid,” to himself again. Yet, he had called Jody to make sure you weren’t working, made the two-hour drive, and hadn't veered off route to the nearest bar.

It’s been a few weeks since he saw you at Jody’s cabin. You’ve spoken on the phone a few times and met him halfway to Kentucky to give him a lore book Claire had borrowed. But no in-depth conversations have been had, which he’s okay with because one, it’s a conversation to be had in person and not while he is neck deep in a case, and B, he doesn’t know what to say or how to tell you what he wants because he’s still not sure himself. 

So, in the safe confines of Baby, he asks himself again why is he driving to your house on Unattached Drifter Christmas or ‘Valentine’s Day’ for the schmucks? 

Before he can do a little soul-searching and find the answer, his cell phone rings. 

“Hey Sam, what’s up?” he answers. 

“Why are you in Sioux Falls? Something wrong?” 

“Everything’s fine. Wait, how do you know where I am?” 

“You were way too vague about where you were going. You always have a plan for today,” Sam explains, “figured you were up to no good and better keep an eye on you in case you get into trouble like last time.”

“Last time was almost five years ago, and for the hundredth time, I didn’t know she was married,” Dean snarks.

“Plus, you didn’t turn off your GPS,” Sam says as if he hadn’t heard Dean’s argument. “So why are you in Sioux Falls on Unattached Drifter Christmas?”

He falters for a second, thinking of an excuse, and before his pause becomes suspicious, he blurts, “There’s a new bar opened up. Wanna try it out.”

“This bar called Y/N’s, by any chance?” 

“What? No!”

Sam laughs, and that all-knowing chuckle reminds Dean that Sam is onto him and there’s no point in denying anything. “It’s a good thing, Dean,” his brother assures him. “You may not have told her outright, but she’s smart. She’ll recognize you showing up today, of all days, is your way of telling her you want…” Dean waits, hoping that Sam will impart the answer that eludes him, but huffs in defeat when his brother adds, “Whatever it is you want.”

“This is stupid,” Dean grumbles, “I’m being stupid.” 

“No, it's not,” Sam scolds. “I’m sure today will be tough for her. So, just being there for her is a good thing. It doesn’t have to be deep conversations. Showing up and supporting her is enough.”

Dean considers that Sam is probably right, but it doesn’t make him feel any less insecure. “Maybe.”

“Have fun,” Sam says before hanging up.

Five minutes from his final destination, his phone chimes, alerting him to a text message.

Jody: She’s at Lucky Shots, fifth wheeling it. 

“Dammit, Sam!” he snarls, but he’s not really mad, saves him a trip to her empty house.

The break at Jody’s cabin was revitalizing, and the feeling has stuck for the few weeks you’ve been back in your routine. It probably helps that you removed every trace of Luke from your life the moment you got home. The confrontation with Dean was cathartic, too. You’ve analyzed what he’d said about not wanting you to meet someone new and that he missed you, and asked Jody for her opinion, too. She’d wistfully smiled as if aware of something you weren’t, “Maybe you gave up on him too quickly.”

You didn’t want to admit that Jody was probably right. Yet you had made assumptions, choosing to believe that he didn’t want anything serious, and after admitting to yourself that you wanted something more, you had decided to go out and find it somewhere else.

That realization turned out to be at the forefront of your mind today. You're thankful to your friends, Laura and Sara, for the invitation and for not allowing you to stay home and eat your emotions. Being the fifth wheel isn’t the issue. It doesn’t bother you, even on Valentine’s Day. They chose a lowkey, casual games bar, not some romantic, candlelit restaurant, and for that, you are eternally grateful. The issue is Luke is there. It could be worse. He could be with her, but fortunately, he’s with two of his buddies.

The bar has darts, beer pong, pool, skee ball, knock down a clown, and a few other amusements. You're locked into a tight game of girls versus boys beer pong - the beer having been replaced with tequila shots - and you can feel Luke’s every glance as if he’s waiting for an opportunity to approach.

It’s the last thing you want, and your friends were kind enough to offer to leave when he arrived, but you stubbornly refused. You had no reason to leave. He should be filled with so much shame and regret that he can’t bear to face you, but he has the audacity to look like a wounded puppy, and that makes you angry. 

The game is down to the wire, and the final ball is down to Chris and Dylan, your friends' partners. Dylan massages Chris’ shoulders, “Come on, buddy, you got this. For the win!” 

You all hold your breath as Chris releases the ball, and the boys celebrate the victory with loud cheers as it lands in the cup, having barely touched the sides. You, Laura, and Sara shoot another round of tequila. The sourness of the lemon you suck on adds to the disapproving look you catch Luke throwing your way.

Asshole. How dare he judge you! 

“I demand a rematch!” Laura declares. 

You agree. “My turn to buy the drinks.”

Sara escorts you to the bar. Though she masks it as helping you carry the drinks back to the table, you know she’s doing it to protect you from an unwanted visitor.

“I need the bathroom, but I’ll meet you back here,” Sara tells you, “if he comes over before I make it back, stomp on his foot and poke him in the eye.” 

You laugh, really belly laugh, because she’s totally serious, and it’s also hilarious to think he’d have the balls to actually approach you.

“Who’re we looking out for, honey?” the elderly woman beside you asks, lips pursed and looking sassy. 

Sara tells her, “Other end of the bar, tall white guy, blond hair.”

“Green shirt?” she asks for confirmation. 

“That’s the one.” 

“Uh-huh,” she tuts, “I know the type, handsome as an angel, spirit of the devil. You go on to the bathroom. I’ve got your friend until you get back.”

You don’t doubt the lady’s confidence. You wouldn’t mess with her. 

“Thank you, Miss…” 

“Call me Beverly,” she introduces, and Sara shakes her hand before skittering off to the bathroom. 

You wait your turn to be served, listening to your protector tell you all about her first husband, “the devil incarnate.” 

If only she knew. 

You face forward, not even side-glancing in Luke’s direction, not wanting to give him any inclination you may want to talk. You don’t. Beverly turns and rests her back against the bar to see the whole room without looking over her shoulder. 

“Oh, sweetie,” your new friend says, “there’s another one of those handsome-as-an-angel men walking this way, and I think he’s looking for you.” 

You still don’t turn, but look up into the mirror behind the bar and see him. Dean maneuvering around people and tables, coming straight toward you. 

Unintentionally, you gasp, a sheepish smile creeping in as you lock eyes with him in the mirror.

“From that reaction, I don’t think you need help with this one,” Beverly says, sweetly taking a step to the left to make room for Dean. 

“Hey,” he says, a half smile making him look a little awkward.  

“Hey,” you say as he leans in to kiss your cheek, and when he’s close, you whisper, “Everything okay?” 

He pulls back, nodding with a slight frown as if the question was offensive or something. “Yeah, everything is fine, just passing through and wanted to say hi.”

“Passing through?” you ask, suspicion clear in your tone.

His frown deepens, clearly trying to sell the lie, pretending to be confused by the suspicion.

You smirk. “Just happen to be passing through on Unattached Drifter Christmas?”

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “How much do you and Sam talk?” 

“A lot,” you confess, “emails, phone calls, memes, and then there’s the weekly newsletter.” 

“Busted.” He laughs, and it shakes off whatever anxiety he was feeling.

The bartender comes over and takes your order. You add on whatever Beverly is drinking for the rest of the night, which reminds you Sara has been gone a while. You turn around to look for her, and Dean looks over his shoulder. Sara’s back at the table. All of them are staring at you but quickly and comically turn around as if they weren’t when Dean finds them. 

“Sorry,” you chuckle, “they’re just looking out for me cause Deputy Dick is here.”

“Shit,” he grumbles. “Is me being here going to be a problem?”

“Probably, but that's his problem.”

Dean laughs, and you really have missed it. The easy relationship you had seems to be a thing of the past, but you want it back. Maybe not the sex because you’ve realized that's where the problem lies. You want more from him than you'll ever get, but at least the friendship could be mended.

“But don’t waste your Christmas on me, Dean,” you say. It's subtle but enough to tell him that hooking up is off the table.

That disgruntled frown appears again, and he looks genuinely offended. “I’m not here ‘cause I think I’m gonna get laid.” He explains, shrugging. “Running into you isn’t a coincidence. I was on my way to your place because I didn’t want you to be alone tonight. Jody told me where you were.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to take from that?”

“Take it for what it is,” Dean suggests. “I’m trying.”

You can work with that. Trying to be friends sounds like just what you need. No pressure or expectations from either side, so you quickly squash the thought that it means something deeper that he’s choosing to spend time with you instead of finding a warm body to lie with. 

“Okay.” You smile, trying to look as sweet as possible. “Well, can part of that trying be helping us win at beer pong?” 

“Girls versus boys?”

“Obviously.”

He scoffs, “Absolutely not! And you get an extra shot for asking me to rig a sacred game.” He hands you a shot off the tray of drinks, and you knock it back. 

He watches you, grinning the whole time, and you shake your head as if it will shake away the taste. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he says, leaning down to kiss your cheek.

“Don’t try and soften me up, Winchester,” you warn, “I’m not gonna take it easy on you.” 

He shrugs, “Was worth a shot,” and walks away with the tray of drinks. 

Chris and Dylan merrily call his name as he approaches, and you follow, smiling fondly. 

“Now the odds are even. Prepare to go down, ladies,” Dean says, taking off his jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbow.

The games continued; the boys won at Beer Pong, but the girls won two rounds of darts. Once Chris and Dylan had gushed over the Impala, you said your goodbyes in the parking lot. Each of your friends hugged you. Dean got a kiss on the cheek from the ladies, and the guys gave him a firm handshake before pulling each other into a one-armed hug. It looked natural and easy, and you love how well Dean slots into the group.

You realize you’re staring as he drives, and he glances over when he feels your eyes on him. “Are we still social distancing or something?” he jokes, reaching a hand over to tug on your leg, requesting you get closer. 

You oblige, sliding over the leather seat, and he slips an arm behind your shoulders to rest on the seat back. “Thank you for that,” you say, kissing his cheek.

“For what?” he asks. 

“Pretending like you couldn’t hit that bullseye with your eyes closed.”

“Well, I’m supposed to be a mechanic, right? Not sure a mechanic would have perfect marksmanship.”

“If you’re not sold on the mechanic thing, you can always tell them you’ve changed your profession,” you suggest, and with a teasing wink, add, “but they all already know you’re good with your hands.” 

“Would you, for once, get your mind out of the gutter?” Dean jests, “I already told you, no sex for you.”

“Sorry, Mr Winchester, sir,” you joke, “I’ll be on my best behavior.” 

He laughs but looks out at the road. His fingers lightly brush your neck. You aren’t sure he realizes he’s doing it. When you were sleeping together, it became a thing - absentmindedly, he’d lightly stroke your skin while watching a movie or falling asleep. It's familiar and comforting, and you lay your head on his shoulder the rest of the ride home. 

Dean follows you up your path, and while you search your bag for your keys, you notice him looking to the left, eyes squinting, trying to see something too far away. 

“Wanna come in?” you ask, distracting him from whatever has caught his attention.

“It’s not a good idea,” he says, giving you his full focus, “I meant what I said, Y/N. I didn’t show up cause I was expecting to get laid.” 

You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t considered throwing caution to the wind and jumping into old habits. And you're surprised by Dean’s rejection. He could have followed your lead and taken you to bed without any objections.

“Presumptuous much?” you counter, smirking. 

He smiles, all charm and smug joy, because he knows he’s right. “Don’t try and pretend you weren’t thinking about it.” He steps closer, crowding your space and gripping your hips to pull you against him. “You’ve been flirting with me all night.” 

“I can stop,” you threaten, but it falls flat as you wrap your arms around his neck.

He grins, “No, you can’t,” against your lips, kissing you before you can claim otherwise.

The kiss is not hesitant; it’s deep and long, but you feel him holding back. His hands don’t roam, remaining wrapped around your waist, but he takes his time, savoring the shared warmth, each brush of your tongues, every breath shared. 

Dean is the first to pull back. “I gotta go,” he swiftly kisses you again. “I told Jody I’d be there before midnight.” 

“Gonna turn into a pumpkin, Winchester?”

He laughs, pecking your lips again, but then his features soften, something close to pleading, “I’m trying,” he grumbles, but you're not sure if it's to remind you or himself.

He doesn’t say exactly what it is that he’s trying, but you know he means he’s trying to do things the right way, and that’s enough. “You're doing great,” you assure. 

He kisses you harder, tongue sweeping over your bottom lip, and you let him in. He walks you backward until your back hits your door, and he groans when he presses himself into you. “Nope,” he scolds himself, pulling back and comically jogging away down the path, but while you're still laughing at him, he turns back. “Can I take you to breakfast tomorrow?”

You smile, and it widens to a knowing grin. You spare him the OMG shock when the realization hits you, but you do ask, “Are we dating?” 

“Only if you say yes?”

“Pick me up at ten.”

He winks, unable to contain the boyish grin, and just as he opens his mouth to say something, a siren blasts, and a sheriff’s car pulls up to Baby’s bumper.

You walk a few feet to stand beside Dean as Travis, the rookie, and Luke, in plain clothes, step out of the vehicle. 

“You gotta be kidding me,” Dean says.

Luke and Travis stand beside each other on the sidewalk but don’t approach you.

“Ten out of ten for dramatic flair,” you snark, clapping once. 

“But should have done it while I was kissing her,” Dean adds, “would have been way more dramatic.”

“I think you meant douchier,” you suggest with a confused frown. 

“You���re right,” Dean clicks his fingers as if you're right on the money, “I meant douchier.”

“Funny,” Luke says. “Travis, this man has been driving under the influence. Please breathalyze him.”

You put a hand on Dean’s arm to keep him in place should he decide Luke deserves another punch to the face. After all, he’s not in uniform. Travis is wise enough not to move. You're his boss. Luke has seniority over him but not over you. 

“Really?” Dean sneers. “That's all you got?”

“Go home, Luke,” you tell him, “you’re making a fool of yourself.”

“So what if I am,” he says, “I just wanna talk.” 

“We’ve talked,” you remind him. “You talked, I listened to your piss poor excuses, and it changed nothing.” 

“We were going to get married.”

You raise your voice, “That was a reaction to your cheating! You only asked me because you felt guilty, and I only said yes because…” you cut yourself off, but Dean looks at you, knowing what you had been about to say.

“We were good together,” Luke says, seemingly oblivious to the silent conversation that passed between you and Dean. “He’s just a,” Luke sneers at Dean. “What did you call it? A situationship.”

Dean tenses under your grip, and you know the comment had the intended effect. You’ll have to address it later.

Clenching his jaw, he briefly looks away before leveling a glare and taunting, “Dude, have some dignity. She’s already told you it’s over.” He practically growls his next words. “So leave.”

Luke ignores Dean, looking directly at you. “You're angry, I get it. But don’t make any rash decisions, please.” he implores.

“I was angry,” you agree, “I was furious, but now I’m indifferent. You were a rash decision, Luke, and I’m not saying that to be cruel or get back at you. It’s the truth.”

Saying those words aloud drives home your previous thoughts of why you started dating Luke. Getting engaged was a reaction to your feelings of rejection from Dean’s honesty about commitment. You release a breath as Luke’s face drops, finally seeming to understand.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

He shakes his head, blasting out a breath filled with disbelief. “We were never going to work out,” Luke realizes aloud, “you were too hung up on him.”

“Travis, I’m sorry you were dragged into this,” you sigh, “but please take Luke home.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Luke stares for a second longer, but chooses not to say anything further, allowing Travis to usher him into the car.

Dean doesn’t move, watching the car disappear from view at the end of the street. Your heart pounds in your chest; you’ve just gotten to a good place, and now that might have all been unraveled.

Though you suspect not a lot of it is surprising to Dean. The day you told him about Luke, he’d begged you not to tell him you loved him and he was right for the assumption that you did - or do or might. You can not say it even reject the idea if anyone suggests it, but you can’t deny it to yourself. You sought out Luke to replace the emotions you felt weren’t reciprocated by Dean.

“Maybe I should take you to breakfast,” you suggest, with a nervous chuckle, “to make up for that. I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head, giving you a small smile. “Nothing to be sorry for,” he assures you, but he’s looking you over like he’s trying to read the emotions behind the words. “You okay?”

Quickly, you reply, “Yeah, of course.”

“You sure? You look like a bit of ‘deer caught in headlights’.” 

“I’m okay,” you sigh, taking a deep breath. “Just a little worried that's undone all the progress we’ve made.”

“It hasn’t,” he tells you, slipping a hand on your hip and pulling you into him. “This situationship can handle an ex-situationship.”

You grimace, “I’m sorry.”

He laughs, nonplussed, “Don’t be. I’ve been called worse.” 

He silences your next apology with a deep kiss and slowly, seemingly reluctantly, pulls back. “I’ll pick you up at ten for breakfast.”

You're rambling again. Since Valentine’s Day, it’s been happening a lot. Dean knows why you're doing it. He can see it in your expression every time you catch yourself and stutter over the words, changing it to something else and hoping he doesn’t notice. 

The first time it happened, a few weeks ago, Dean thought he misheard you. You were both breathing heavily, your thighs pressed against his ears, holding him in place, writhing while you rode his tongue. He watched your face as much as he could, eyes rolling to the back of your head. Your body twitched, and your climax coated his tongue and wet the sheets, “I love yo…when you do that.”

Three days ago, after a double date with Sara and Dylan, Dean woke you up in bed with coffee and French toast. Still in the haze of sleep, you smiled contentedly, and it almost slipped out. “I love…” you coughed to cut yourself off, correcting it as you sat up, “I love French toast.” But he could see it in eyes, the adoration tainted with the fear of saying it aloud.

‘I love you’ is on the tip of your tongue, and it almost escaped a moment ago. 

A car accident had kept you late at work, so the dinner reservations had to be canceled, but Dean wouldn’t let it ruin the night. He’d ordered pizza, knowing you’d be starving when you got home, run a bubble bath (with the ulterior motive of joining you), popped open a bottle of your favorite wine - he hated it, thought it tasted like vinegar - and was waiting in the middle of the living room for you with the glass in hand. 

Taking the glass from him, you lazily kissed him. He could feel how tired you were. Listlessly, you mumbled, “Oh god, I love yo…” but had stifled it so quickly that the rim of the glass clinked against your teeth.

Clearly unable to think of an alternative, you began rambling about your day while unnecessarily blitzing around the already clean kitchen with a dishcloth.

He wants you to say it. He figured out how he felt about you when it finally sunk in after you’d told him you’d met someone else. It was more than physical, and it always had been. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have hurt so damn much when you told him about Luke.

He hasn’t said the words to you, but you have to know that’s how he feels. He told you he’s trying. Although, there haven’t been any conversations about exactly what that entails. He’s been more communicative. He’s made future plans - okay, only a week or so ahead at any given time, but that tells you all you need to know, right?

But the way you keep avoiding the phrase sets off a little ripple in his heart. Maybe you don’t know. Maybe you’re afraid he’ll hightail it out the door like last time if you say it aloud. Maybe he needs to expand his communication skills. He says your name softly, but you either don’t hear him or pretend not to, afraid of what comes after.

“I should get you a key cut,” you blabber in. “Save you having to pick the lock next time I’m not home. Don’t want the neighbors calling it in. Mrs Brooks next door is always twitching her curtains.”

He tries again, “Y/N,” louder this time. 

“I need to put a load of laundry in,” you say, striding into the laundry room. 

“I did it already,” he calls after you. 

“I’ll put it in the dryer then.” 

He follows, trapping you inside the smaller space so you have no choice but to turn and face him.

“The laundry is done and folded in the basket in your room.” he continues, speaking to your back. “The kitchen is clean. Pizza is on the way. The bath should still be hot.” 

You finally look up at him, and there’s that apprehensive smile again, but your eyes are aglow with the words you chew your lip to suppress. 

“Just say it,” he sighs, trying to hide his smile. 

“Say what?” 

He steps closer, crowding your space and using a gentle touch to tilt your head up to keep your eyes on his. “You know what.” He smirks, teasing, “You can’t bite your tongue forever. So just say you love me.”

“I wasn’t biting…” you stammer, “I never…I only meant I was going to get a key cut for you. I didn’t mean anything….” 

“Would you please, shut up?” He silences your rambling with a hard kiss, grabbing your hips and hoisting you to sit on top of the dryer. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you sigh placidly, but he pulls back and grins, “I’m trying to confess my love for you.”

You drop your gaze, avoiding eye contact. “Please don’t.” 

He notes your avoidance of looking at him, and panic sets in that maybe he’s got it wrong, again. But he hopes he’s right, so he chuckles, “giving me a taste of my own medicine.” 

You shake your head, “No. I don’t need to hear it, and you don’t have to say it ‘cause you think it's what I want to hear.” 

“That’s not what…” he tries, but you raise your voice to speak over him. 

“Dean, please!” you wait for him to close his mouth. “I like how things are now, and I don’t want to jinx it or have to watch your ass run for the door again.” 

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promises, “it will be different this time.”

“We’ve been through this already. I don’t want promises, and we don’t need to open old wounds.”

“I get why you’re…”

The doorbell interrupts him, and you use the excuse to push him aside as you jump down and scurry out of the room.

He leans against the doorframe facing into the kitchen and listens to you thank the delivery guy. You must have given a generous tip because he thanks you multiple times as you say goodbye to him.

The click of the door closing echoes, and he waits for you to appear, but you don’t. He imagines you standing in the hallway, trying to calm yourself. 

He waits, counting the seconds in his head with the promise that he’ll go find you if he reaches thirty.

At fifteen, you enter, eyes glued to the floor, pizza balanced like a cocktail waitress. “I’m gonna go take that bath,” you tell him. “Hopefully, it's still warm.” 

You’re assuming the conversation is over. Only it isn’t. At least, not for him. He hasn’t been working up to it. He’s never had a grand plan for the first time he says it, but now he knows he needs to say it so you understand and believe him.

Silently, he watches you put a few slices of pizza on a plate - so he presumes he’s not invited to the bubble bath. The stopper gives an audible pop when you pull it from the wine bottle, like an exclamation point on his thoughts.

He clears his throat and proclaims, “I love you.”

The only indication that you heard him is your frozen state, bottle tipped, ready to pour into your glass. 

“It took me too long to figure that out, but I do. And saying it or not saying it out loud isn’t going to change a damn thing.”

You continue to pour the wine into your glass but don’t turn to face him, recorking the bottle and resting against the countertop.

You haven’t run away, so he continues, “I always knew we were good together, but now I see that we have a whole future of being good together, not just the here and now.”

Hesitantly, he stalks closer to you, watching you take a large gulp of the red liquid. You must hear his approach because you turn around but jump slightly at his proximity. 

“I’m ready to move forward,” he confesses, “and I want to do it with you.” 

“Are you done?” you ask, finally looking up at him with a teasing but joyful smirk under a shy gaze. “You’re on a roll there. I just want to be sure before I say anything.” 

He laughs but shakes his head once, “Nope.” He takes the glass from your hand and puts it beside the bottle. “One more thing,” he leans in closer, tilting your chin up, lips whispering over yours, “I love you.”

You chase his lips as he pulls back, “C’mon, you know you want to,” he teases, making no attempt to hide his smugness. He’s got you right where he wants you. “Just say you love me.”

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Master Lists: JAcklesVerseBingo / Dean Winchester / Main

[anim-ttrpgs]

Mage Player Character Rules in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

Eureka has six playable "monster" types, and about ten total supernatural character options all together. Each supernatural trait is taken basically as if it is a normal trait like the ones you have been seeing us post. You cannot give a character more than one supernatural trait--and from what you are about to read, you probably wouldn't want to. Playing monsters is recommended for "advanced" players only, people who like a lot of "crunch" in their games, as require you to keep track of a lot more mechanics than playing a normal human.

Here is the Mage Trait. Mage aren't actually classified as Monsters, they're classified as "Misc. Supernatural," but even then their mechanics can be crunchy. This is going under a Read More because it's long as hell but we really hope that you will check it out and comment. This is, like, the whole entire ruleset for playing a mage in Eureka.

You may also have read about "mage powers" in the Changeling, Fairy, and Fairytale Witch rulesets. Well, this is where those come from.

Mage (Misc. Supernatural Trait) 

A “mage”[2] in Eureka is an otherwise normal person with one or more inexplicable powers.[1] Unlike the Fairytale Witch, a Mage’s powers are always innate. They may or may not know where this supernatural ability came from, and having it may or may not have indirectly influenced the direction their life has taken, but it is easy enough to hide without structuring any of their day-to-day life around actively hiding it.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Though it is usually only one.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] Though they are more likely to call themselves “something-kinetic,” “mutant,” or “freak.”

A mage has one or more Mage Powers [change mage traits to mage abilities], with their body under more strain the more of them they were born with. This strain is represented by the Composure roll they make when putting a non-skill supernatural ability to use. They cannot have more than six. [make it clear in the witch section that witches can only have one Mage ability at once.]

One Mage Power: +3

Two Mage Powers: +1

Three Mage Powers: +0

Four Mage Powers: -1

Five Mage Powers: -2

Six Mage Powers: -3

[snoop: A Genevya snoopette hovering while machetes are floating around her. Ask blue for more details]

Mage Power List

Glamor (Mage Power)

This character can make themselves appear supernaturally attractive for the duration of one scene. Turning on this power counts as using a supernatural ability and takes one Movement. While this power is active, apply a +2 Base bonus to this character’s Charm and Seduce skills. This investigator can also spend 1 Eureka! Point to completely alter their outward appearance and voice to look like someone else, so long as their general body frame and height are not altered significantly. This investigator can spend 2 Eureka! Points to completely alter their appearance, including height, apparent weight, and sex. In order to match a specific person’s look, the investigator must either have a reference to study, such as the person themself or a high-quality photograph, to make their disguise match a specific person’s appearance. Either way, this counts as use of a non-skill supernatural ability and only lasts for the duration of one Scene. 

Healing Touch (Mage Power)

This character’s touch has the power to restore and revitalize living flesh. Add +2 to the number of HP restored by any Medicine roll, even a Failure. Does not heal undead.

Incredible Strength (Mage Power) 

This character’s physical prowess far exceeds their apparent musculature. This character is considered to have superhuman strength, as well as a +2 Base bonus to Athletics and +1 Base bonus Close Combat. 

[snoop: A snoop lifting a barbell meant for two hands with only one “hand”.]

Invisibility (Mage Power) 

The character in question can make themselves impossible to see with the naked eye. There are a number of ways to interpret this, and it is important to decide in no uncertain terms how it works beforehand. Does it include the character’s clothes, or do they have to strip naked to avoid looking like a floating outfit? Do they have to leave their own eyes visible to catch light, or do they not need to worry about that? Is this true invisibility, or are they merely changing the color of their skin to match the environment, and does it work while they are moving? Make sure to consider all of these things before the first session. Regardless, this character may turn invisible or turn visible again at any time, each of which count as use of a supernatural ability, and takes 1 Movement if in combat. While invisible, apply a +10 Base bonus to their Stealth skill.

[off to the side in the final formatting] Our recommended drawback for this ability is that the user must be naked in order to not be given away by their clothes floating in the air.

[Snoop: One snoop looking around confused while an invisible snoop represented by nothing but a pair of eyes sneaks past. ]

Lightning Powers (Mage Power) 

This investigator can generate high-voltage shocks in their body. It takes a short amount of time, or one Turn, counting as an action, to build up a charge, and also counts as use of a supernatural ability. After building up a charge, they can power, or short out, an electronic device that they touch, within reason.[1] In order to power an electronic device, they must actually touch the wires or other components that would normally touch the power supply.[2] For each minute or Round of combat that the investigator powers a device, they must make the supernatural ability Composure roll.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] They could not take the place of a nuclear power plant and power an entire city, for instance, but jumping a car, keeping the lights of a house on, etc. would be within their limits.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] For instance, they could not power a flashlight just by holding it by the handle, they must actually touch the components that the battery would touch. The investigator is essentially acting as the battery, and if they stop touching the device, it will be as if the battery was removed.

This investigator ability can use this ability in combat as well. After charging up, the next person to touch this investigator either with their own body or any kind of highly conductive weapon will be dealt a powerful electric shock for 4 Superficial Damage if the incoming attack is a Full Success and 2 Superficial Damage if the incoming attack is a Partial Success. This can be used offensively by combining it with any unarmed melee attack, or with a weapon made of a highly conductive material.[1] When attacking like this, only one roll is made, counting for both damage sources.[2]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] The investigator must be actually touching the same conductive material that is impacting the target for this to work. For instance, a knife with a metal blade but a rubber handle would not deliver a charge.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] Full Success = Full regular attack damage + 4 Superficial Damage from electricity.

Partial Success = Half regular attack damage + 2 Superficial Damage from electricity.

Failure = No damage, as usual.

Once an electric charge has been discharged, it must be built up again.

For 1 Eureka! Point, this investigator can build up a massive charge.[1] This massive charge can be unleashed in a direction of the investigator’s choice where it will jump up to 15 feet towards the nearest conductive thing in that direction. This lightning will jump 1D6 times, alway jumping to the next nearest point of conduction starting from the investigator. It does not discriminate between friend and foe.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] This takes the same amount of time to generate as a normal charge, and takes an action.

Manifest Weaponry (Mage Power) 

This character is able to produce 2 short semi-transparent hovering blades about the size of machetes at will, which they can control without touching them. This counts as one Movement. At the cost of one Eureka! Point, 4 blades can be summoned instead. For combat purposes, each pair of blades counts as a separate single dual-wielding combatant independent of the character who summoned them, with their own actions and place in the turn-order. A pair of blades can only make Basic Melee Attacks, but cannot be attacked themselves, and uses their owner’s Close Combat skill. They can also benefit from the Ambidextrous trait if their owner has this trait.

Their Speed will always be twice the Speed of their owner, however, they will vanish when out of the owner’s line of sight, and suffer an attack penalty of -1 for every 15 feet they travel away from their owner.

0-14 feet: -0

15-29 feet: -1

30-44 feet: -2

45-59 feet: -3

60-74 feet: -4

75-89 feet: -5

90-104 feet: -6

105-120 feet: -7

etc.

[snoop: A snoopette with four hovering machetes around her shoulders.]

Psychic Detective (Mage Power)

When this investigator is about to make an Investigative Roll with any skill they can, as a supernatural ability, instead replace the skill they were going to use to investigate with the Blacked Out skill, and it is otherwise treated like a regular Investigative Roll and gives the same information as the skill it is replacing. If one of these Investigative Rolls is made towards either a weapon the use of which is relevant to the investigation, or a wound that is relevant to the investigation, then regardless of the roll’s outcome this investigator will take Superficial Damage equivalent to half of the weapon’s regular damage, and must make a Composure Check as if they had been hit by this weapon. However, the Narrator does not tell the player exactly what the weapon is, just its damage and its category for the purpose of Composure Checks. The Narrator will also tell the player whether the damage dealt was Superficial or Penetrative, though the actual damage taken to this investigator will always be Superficial.

[off to the side in the final formatting] For example, if the investigator uses this ability to make an Investigative Roll towards a murder victim’s body to determine the cause of death, and the cause of death was a gunshot wound, the Narrator would tell his player that this investigator takes 2 Superficial Damage (Bullets normally deal 4 Penetrative Damage, but this Trait converts that to Superficial Damage and cuts it in half.) and must make a Gunfight Composure Check.

[off to the side in the final formatting] Wearing armor does not reduce this damage.

Pyrokinesis (Mage Power) 

This character can start small fires with their mind. In order to do this, the target must be reasonably flammable, such that it would ignite if a match was held to it, and also be visible to the character. If time is measured in Turns this counts as a Movement. “Visible” usually means that it is in the character’s immediate vicinity. The Narrator should be very careful if allowing this power to target things seen in video feeds or photographs. We generally do not recommend this interpretation. If attempted in combat or any other situation where time is being measured in rounds, this takes one action. Anything highly flammable, such as paper, flammable gas, or kindling will catch fire guaranteed. For anything marginally flammable, such as hair, most clothing, and thicker wood, roll 1D6. On a 1-3, the targeted object will not catch fire; on a 4-6, it will catch fire. Subtract -1 for each factor present that would make it harder for something to catch fire, such as if the object is wet or if there is high wind speed. If fire is set to someone’s hair or clothes in this way, they will have 1 round to extinguish it before it starts to cause damage. After the first round, it will deal 1 Superficial Damage on the burning character’s turn until extinguished.

In addition, rather than just starting a small fire, this investigator can spend a Eureka! Point to instantly set something ablaze in a burning inferno, so long as it is at all reasonably flammable. If this is done to a character, the burning character will take 2 Superficial Damage each time it is their own turn until extinguished. See: Splash Explosions for more rules regarding burning damage.

[off to the side in the final formatting] Unlike a true Splash Explosion, however, this ability can only target one character or object at a time.

[Snoop: One snoop shooting ‘mind beams’ at another snoop’s butt who is running around with their butt on fire.]

Telekinesis (Mage Power)

This character can affect, push, pull, lift, etc. objects without physically touching them. Anything a character could do with their hand, this character can do with telekinesis, unless the action somehow requires a hand specifically, such as using a thumbprint recognition scanner. For any usage of this ability that would require an Athletics check if it were to be done with the physical body, use an Athletics modifier of +2, regardless of the investigator’s actual Athletics stat. This investigator can use this ability to lift themselves and/or others into the air, though their speed while hovering cannot exceed a walking pace. This investigator can use their telekinesis to make a Grab attack against another character from a distance. All Grabbing and Holding rules apply, including Submission, except that the Grabber and the Target do not have to be touching. This investigator can spend 1 Eureka! Point to exert up to 500 pounds of pressure on an object for 1 round. This takes an action. This pressure could be used for a variety of purposes, such as lifting, crushing, etc. If used to crush a character, this deals 4 Penetrative Damage and ignores Armor. 

[off to the side in the final formatting] When Grabbing with the telekinesis, this does not use the investigator’s own Athletics, it will always be a total modifier of +1; +2 from the telekinesis, -1 from the Grab action.

[off to the side in the final formatting] If this is being done from outside the range of the target’s weapon, the target cannot make a Counter-Attack. Additionally, the target must know who is attempting to Grab them in order to make a Counter-Attack.

[Snoop: A snoopette hovering in a lazy/smug relaxed position looking at another snoop who is significantly more distressed about being lifted into the air.]

Teleportation (Mage Power) 

This character can teleport, instantly transporting themselves to their destination. They can teleport to any location they can clearly see within 100 yards. If done in combat, this takes an action. At the cost of 3 flat composure points per additional person, this investigator can teleport with other people so long as they are touching them.

At the cost of 1 Eureka! Point, this investigator can teleport to anywhere in the world that they have been before and can clearly picture in their mind. This costs 1 additional Eureka! Point per additional person they are bringing with, in addition to the Composure cost.

Superhuman Speed (Mage Power) 

When this ability is activated, this investigator’s body is capable of moving faster than regular physics dictate it should, but not faster than the human eye can track. This ability must be activated on a per-Scene basis, and doing so confers a +3 Composure check. This takes a Movement. While this ability is active, add a +3 Base to this investigator’s Reflexes skill, a +3 Base bonus to any melee attack roll, and a -3 penalty to any other character’s melee attack roll targeting this character, and a -1 to any other character’s firearm or projectile attack roll targeting this character if this character is ducking or running perpendicular to the shooter. While this ability is active this investigator also has an Acceleration of +8. 

Werewolf (Mage Power)

The character may transform into a large, tailless wolf. This takes 1 Action if done in combat. In this form, they can only attack with their jaws. To attack with jaws, make a Grab attack. So long as the target is Grabbed, all other aspects of Grabbing apply, but they also take 2 Penetrative damage each time it is the character’s turn with no roll needed. This damage can be reduced by armor or by any other damage reduction such as that of the Unkillable trait. They gain a +4 Contextual bonus to Senses rolls involving hearing and smell. They also gain a +1 Base bonus to Close Combat, and a +4 Base bonus to Stealth. +4 Acceleration.

While in wolf form, werewolves are capable of Scent Tracking. (See p.xx “Scent Tracking”.) 

[Snoop: An image of a tree with a wolf tail sticking out from one side and a snoop ‘skin’ hanging from a coat hanger right next to it.]

Note: ‘Werewolves’ as they appear in most historical folklore do not really fit into the Monster category. They don’t have any particular weaknesses besides the weaknesses that regular humans have, nor are they really even that dangerous compared to other Monster types. For this reason, this Trait is considered a Mage Power. For a more ‘hollywood’ take on werewolves, see Wolfman. 

[heroictoonz]

Looking for a fun and chill Sonic server to talk about any and every Sonic media ever in? Come join the revitalized and rebooted Sonic Central Station!!

This server has channels for different games, shows, ships, and characters! Don't see one you want? Tell us and we'll add it!

As well as plenty of channels to show off your creativity like art, fics, ocs, and aus alike!

Reblog for reach!

[firadessa]

Please acknowledge Bleakwatch Chronicles, Tinker Bell and the Lost City. I understand that BW chronicles may not have as much fans and are turned off by the art style. Also the author never posted (Zack Loran Clark) much promo for the book unlike Allison, nor mentioned anything about DF on his IG page. It is intended for a younger audience. However, I am much more excited for this book as it pertains to the movie universe. So please, just clap if you believe if you will.

As this is the first book to come out since 2017 that is labeled as "Disney Fairies" and the second spinoff- like this is important. You don't have to buy the book or give it the free promotion, but acknowledge the existence of it at least. WoS is not labeled as DF, if it matters.

Here are some of the reasons why I am more excited for Bleakwatch Chronicles than I am for Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft (Clarion x Milori YA Novel):

It's a post canon story implied to take reference to the cancelled Tinker Academy movie where TB goes to study at the Tinker Academy on the mainland. The art seems like they took references especially when directly compared to the concept art. WoS is a backstory.

It releases first, BWC releases in November 2024 and WoS releases in Feb.

It seems like more of original concept to me, literally because of the new concepts like the Flutterpunks and the implied secret cities of the Bleakwatch and Clockwork Capital.

New characters like Quin and Ozwald will be joining TB on this journey.

It expands on a old concept, and tweaks it in a way that makes more sense. IMO, an idea like a Tinker Academy seems to hold less weight because before the events of Tinker Bell fairies couldn't go to the mainland to spread nature, and it's implied they always stay. It is also implied in GFR that Tinker fairies don't typically go to the mainland even if TB's inventions help them in the intensive summer season (the song implies that's why she's there- it's implied in the first movie she goes there whenever she has a job) Vidia is dismayed by this and says "this is why Tinker fairies don't go to the mainland" whilst TB is checking out the car. In a deleted storyboard for Tinker Academy it is implied that it is a prestigious academy that FM gets into before the events of Tinker Bell, yet to me the idea of underground London tinkers makes more sense to me than the academy. Think about it, it's implied that TB and FM are some of the most brilliant Tinkers in pixie hollow and yet the Tinker population is small. (only Clank and Bobble greet her and we see no one in green outfits) Why do you think that is? I personally like the idea of rogue Tinkers who would scavenge on the mainland for parts and self-exile themselves from Pixie Hollow. It explains why FM calls the lost things junk, if the difference in mindset between the mainland tinkers and the pixie hollow tinkers was that the mainland Tinkers are considered "scraps" (get it) while the PH tinkers are considered more put together and community driven. It makes sense that TB being a brilliant Tinker that outshines even Vidia gets such an audience if brilliant Tinkers do not normally last in PH because they are seen as too curious and ambitious, opting to start their own community of outcast Tinkers in the mainland. Vidia's talent switch in The Pirate Fairy also implies that Tinkers have the gift of thought, and literally think differently (regardless of personality) then their non-tinker peers because it's their talent. There is much potential for this storyline as it adds more nuance to the Tinker Bell movie and the dynamic between the nature and non nature talents, something I think it would benefit from. It makes a lot of sense if the edgier steampunk designs came from a secret Tinker counterculture and not a secret academy imo.

The implication of this book suggest revitalizing the Disney Fairies franchise, possibly not just as a "brand". Not sure what that could mean but it's interesting

IMO, Wings of Starlight has more of a "booktok" vibe I'm getting from it. I'm not just saying that because it's YA, but given the (beautiful) cover design it feels more targeted for what Disney thinks grown fans of Disney Fairies might like based on whatever market research was done (and you know it was). WoS has been receiving better marketing and there are people out here that don't even know two books exist. I'm not saying the book looks lazy, slapped together, or unoriginal- or it will just be corporate and bland, I mean I'm a Disney Fairies fan I don't believe that everything is corporate greed lol and like to see creativity in the "unexpected". But I hope that future Disney Fairies books won't just be going for what is "trendy" to reel people in and instead invest in creative storytelling *in general*, in other words I hope they keep concepts and genres broad and inclusive enough so we have the potential for more creative stories. Not just expanded stories on specific characters and stories like the Twisted Tales series, or sticking to specific genres for this specific niche audience in a way that feels too specific. I feel like there has to be some sort of balance struck, or DF may be a little stuck for a while and may still have "missed potential".

On expanded stories, like I said, Disney has done a lot of that and there is an audience for that. However, I prefer the idea of post canon more than a backstory or expansion. From what I know, we know some details of the Milarion backstory and it will be adding more layers and expanding on the dynamics of the existing characters, where the new book seems to be more lore driven in focus.

I don't like Secret of the Wings that much in terms of lore as a lore fanatic. I feel like this book could also retcon other things when possibly trying to explain things that make sense in SOTW. If BWC is good, I can imagine myself thinking about it more after it releases but I can just imagine myself thinking more of how I felt and my emotional reaction after WoS with fading interest afterward, it just sort of feels like the book could resonate with me more y'know? and I got a pretty good gut feeling for that sort of thing.

Underdog bias, just acknowledge it's existence. Do that with the NG graphic novels from 2022, heck the whole Never Girls series. Do that with the whole DF franchise if you are new here somehow. That's it, that's the post.

The mystery. What is the mysterious pocketwatch and who's on the cover?

Copy and pasted plot summary- Tinker Bell loves nothing more than solving a problem. For her, red buttons demand to be pushed, treasure maps need to be followed, and lost things ought to be found. So when a strange fairy crash lands in Pixie Hollow and leaves Tinker Bell two clues to find a mysterious necklace on the Mainland, she really doesn’t have a choice but to help. However, her journey takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a hidden city of fairies living below the streets of London.

In this city called Bleakwatch, she’ll meet the Flutterpunks, the most infamous band of trinket scavengers around. Helping her may just give them their biggest score yet. But when the Flutterpunks’ plan goes haywire, they’ll be forced to choose between a big payday or saving their new friend.

When their adventure takes them inside the glittering Clockwork Capital, Tinker Bell and the Flutterpunks will uncover a villainous secret that threatens all the fairies in Bleakwatch. It turns out there’s more at stake than just finding a missing necklace, and it’ll be up to Tinker Bell to set things right. Luckily, that’s what tinker fairies do best!

[bigbigpixels]

Metroid Zero Mission (2004) by Nintendo R&D1 and Yoshio Sakamoto

Metroid: Zero Mission is a remake and reimagining of the original Metroid (1986), developed by Nintendo R&D1 and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. It revitalizes the original NES game with modernized graphics, updated mechanics, a deeper narrative, and entirely new content that expands the universe and story of Samus Aran, one of gaming’s most iconic protagonists

Story & Setting The game follows Samus Aran, a lone bounty hunter, as she travels to the planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates, who are using parasitic creatures called Metroids for biological warfare. The mission is to infiltrate their base, defeat Mother Brain (the AI in control), and prevent disaster.

Zero Mission expands on this core plot with cinematic cutscenes and Chozo lore, offering more context about Samus's childhood, her adoption by the Chozo, and the origins of her Power Suit. It also explores her resilience and ingenuity during a critical post-mission escape.

Gameplay Mechanics Zero Mission is a 2D Metroidvania — a mix of platforming, exploration, and action where gaining new items and abilities unlocks access to previously unreachable areas. Key features include:

• Power-Ups: Missile Tanks, Morph Ball, Bombs, Ice Beam, Varia Suit, Speed Booster, and more.

• Exploration-Based Progression: You’ll constantly backtrack to old areas with new abilities to uncover secrets.

• Map System: A detailed, color-coded map helps with navigation, solving a key flaw in the original.

• Tight Controls: Movement and combat are fluid, with responsive controls suited to modern players.

New Content & Enhancements While it closely follows the structure of the original Metroid, Zero Mission adds significant new gameplay and narrative segments:

• Zero Suit Samus: After completing the "original" mission, Samus’s gunship is shot down. She escapes without her Power Suit, forcing her into a tense, stealth-based infiltration of a Space Pirate mothership using only her agility and a stun pistol.

• New Areas: Chozodia (the Space Pirate base) and various hidden Chozo ruins weren’t present in the 1986 version.

• Boss Battles: Several bosses were redesigned or newly added, including Mecha Ridley.

• Save Stations: Replacing passwords from the NES version, save points make progress much more manageable.

Zero Mission had sold over 439,000 units in the United States and 69,000 in Japan as of February 2005. It was rereleased on the Virtual Console service for Wii U and the Nintendo Classics service for Nintendo Switch.

More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metroid:_Zero_Mission