#but please don't speak to me about it for like. more than 60 seconds

[have-you-been-here]

Statistics Update

Good news for Canadian and Canada-lovers: the submissions I sent for a French city of every letter are done! Our fight will continue on more equal rounds (unless you guys inundated this blog with Canada submissions, but I can't say I blame you 😅)

Events of the week: Austria 🇦🇹 got to 40 unique visits, Germany 🇩🇪 130, France 🇫🇷 180. In the USA, Oregon reached 20 visits, Texas 30, Florida 60.

At the speed at which things are going, USA should reach 1000 visits by the end of August. The proportion in total visits is still falling 📉, but I think it slowed down.

Speaking of USA, please write the full name of the state when you send a submission 🙏 I know tumblr is more than 50% American, but I'm not.

Happy August to everyone and see you next week!

Statistics sheet

Thank you for the stats! If you'd like to see a decline in US centric submissions, please do submit places from literally anywhere else!

Seconding full state names: while I won't send back a submission for using the 2 letter shortening of a state (believe me, I have plenty of reasons to send back submissions already), I highly encourage everyone to write out the full name of a state when you include it in your submission. That means MN should be written as Minnesota (for example)

For those wondering, I'll put a list of reasons why I'll send back a post under the cut.

As always, here's a link to the submission guide. Please take a look before you submit - if you don't, I'll likely end up sending your submission back to you and you'll either have to resubmit or not have it posted at all.

Reasons why submissions get sent back:

- Already been posted/submitted: If a place has been posted before or is in the queue, I do my best to not post it again. Sometimes these fall through the cracks, but I catch most of them.

- Request for anonymity: Although we have allowed for anonymous submissions in the past, I've come to realize that these are incredibly time consuming and tend to build up at the bottom of the inbox. Because of that, we are no longer accepting anonymous submissions

- No country name: Every submission needs to have either the name of the country that the place is located, or, for places that span several countries, the word Earth in place of a country name.

- Grainy, small, or otherwise low quality image: I do my best to keep a quality standard for the blog. As a general rule, bigger images are better. If I can make out individual pixels on an image, it will 100% be sent back.

- Too many images: Lots of images make for really long posts. Depending on the orientation/size of the images, any post with more than 2 or 3 images will get sent back. Because asks will always stack images vertically when answered (tumblr's fault, not mine), the workaround here is to make a collage that places the images side-by-side (you can find examples in the pinned post!)

- Text in the wrong spot: submission text MUST go beneath all images. If you got back your submission with a response just asked you to look at the submission guide, 7 times out of 10 it was for this reason.

- Text is the wrong size: Most submissions should be making use of the header text size. On mobile, tap the Aa icon in the bottom left corner and choose "Biggest". On desktop, select any part of the text and choose the same symbol -> biggest. For submissions with overly long text (goes past 4 lines on mobile when in Biggest size) please instead use the Bigger option.

- Not a place: Submissions that rely on conditions or actions are not considered places. This includes things like "anywhere else when you're supposed to be at school" or "under a tree at night." You may still see a few of these leaving the queue (the one about on stage in front of an audience today is an example of one I probably shouldn't have sent to queue) but I will almost always send these back.

- Excess text in the submission: The text should say "Name of place, City/State/Province/County/whatever, Country" and ONLY that. Explanations, personal notes, and any additional information is welcome to be added in a reblog or a comment after the post has left the queue, but should not be in the submission text. If you have something you want to say to me about your submission, please do so by sending a dm or a *separate* ask from your submission.

These are the main reasons why a submission will be returned to sender instead of entering the queue. Rarely, a post will have some other reason for not entering the queue and when that happens I will always give a detailed explanation for why I made that decision and what you would need to change for a resubmission if you choose to do so. If you ever have a question about why your submission was returned, please don't hesitate to send me a dm or an ask.

[peppermintschnapps]

am I being a jaded cynical no-fun-allowed bitch for dying internally when people are telling me about their ancestry .com results and family tree stuff. 100% I don't care if your great great aunt made scones for the queen or you're part "viking" or whatever you're fucking boringggg ☠️💀☠️💀☠️

I read once in a UK study that 1 in 6 people are raised with by a man in the household that is not truly their biological father - whether they are aware of it or not - like surely we can't trust family records to be 100% accurate anyway. & what if they mixed up the babies at the hospital on the day one of your ancestors was born? and ultimately does any of it actually matter...? genuinely I don't know why I should care about any of it 😴 let me know if I'm missing something important though

[mrbrightxside]

SHARE YOUR HEADCANNONS ABOUT CHRISTINAAAAA 🫶🫶

First, I'm so sorry for the late answer months later 😭😭🙏 Please forgive me and second!! Actually I hadn't thought of many headcanons for her... yet... but she's one of my favorite characters so ofc I thought of some!! I might say silly ones or ones more about her personal life (and definitely not projecting some parts!) I love Christina Posabule 🙏♥️

Music wise I think Christina would like 60s music, rock, and/or synth-pop or idk genres are hard to actually get right nowadays. If it's specfic, "The Daughters of Eve" and Mitski would be part of her favorites fjjdbrbnd (then I think she'd like The Killers especially "When You Were Young" when she was in her teens :)) Speaking of Christina in her teens, she'd want to learn piano or some sort of instrument but her parents probably got annoyed by how much she played so she wouldn't have as many chances. She's definitely a bookworm or just loves reading and also writes in her freetime like little stories or poems. And when Block ended up staying with Orel's family, she was kind of the only one who missed him as her parents didn't really mind/express their emotions about it.

Andddd talking about her parents, they're both VERY controlling and kept watch on what she'd do, the polar opposite with Orel, which his parents didn't gaf where he was 💔💔 Especially Poppit, and I think with Christina's story it'd be a toxic mother-daughter relationship (mommy issues!) rather than her and her dad, and that Poppit rather likes taking charge but to be in "a woman's place" y'know sexism and even tells Art what to do but makes sure that he does what a "man has to." And she'd be veryyy persistent on Christina with how she presents herself and make sure that she was a nice church girl at all times. And Poppit would very much have breakdowns in front of her and vent to her about her own issues... yeah... And whenever Christina was getting yelled at or being told what to do the only thing she could do is not say anything back to not upset them. She was also grabbed a lot like by her wrists or something similar how they showed in the show. When she moved to Moralton, she was bummed out bc yeah she just moved to a new place where she knows no one. Then when she met Orel something about him intrigued her and she's like Oooh y'know what I like this place already... then BOOM! Having to move again :( Also I don't know if it's just me but she's probably homeschooled or she's just attending another school jfjfnntnf and about her past town she'd be doing so many shenanigans during the same time as Orel probably. Another silly thing she might be more confident than him like I think he'd be more shy when he got older fjjdjnfbfn

Also yes Christina was sadistic I had to say it bc... we remember Orel's masochist era... And same thing with her being emo/goth when Orel was and at least for a while when they were teens👍👍 It's canon bc I said so

About when she's an adult, once Orel and her got married and had their kids, she'd be really worried about repeating anything her own mother used to do to her (along with Orel who'd try to be the best dad to his kids and would ask Christina if he was doing a good job if he was too worried about becoming anything similar to Clay or just anything otherwise) and I'm not quite sure about if whether she kept contact with her parents but she probably would but obviously has a strained relationship with them along with Orel's parents... But she would give her own family all her love :D also she's definitely working in a type of job I forgot which one but something that helps people bc she's sweet like that <3 so yeah girlboss !!

I might've forgotten some things to mention or other things I had in mind for her but yeah!! Or it was badly/worded weird perdón. Thanks for reading 💕

[ask-glory-haddock-and-others]

First, a little bit about me!

I am a minor, so while I may sympathize with the situation in Gaza, I am broke, I don't have a job, I literally cannot send funds, please stop asking.

I work hard on my drawings, characters, and writings, go ahead and critique me, send me tips on how I could improve them, seriously

I'm a bilingual American, and am working on more languages to better communicate with people

Please don't try to talk politics with me, yes, they suck, no, I won't go into details

I love Transformers, Sanctuary, DC, Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, ancient myths, Danny Phantom, Percy Jackson, My Hero Academia, Pokémon, One Punch Man, books, and video games!

Anyone and everyone is welcome to Roleplay with me!

I am a HUGE nerd, and yes, I love certain characters and parts of franchises more than others, but am totally willing to hear out your headcanons!

When it's me, the mod, I'll talk like this or ((this)), depending on if we've rp'd together

Characters talk like:

*"" - different colors, boldness, font, or italicized for different characters

"Talking loudish, verge of yelling, character might not even realize that they're being loud"

"Yelling, and knows it. The character might be scared, mad, or happy. Whatever it is, it's an extreme emotion and you can pretty much assume that the character isn't thinking clearly"

This font is exclusively empurata characters, like S4v3, or my Empurata Perceptor and Prowl au

*Sometimes characters don't talk in quotation marks

"This is character whispering"

Ask me my headcanons/rp with me!!!

For:

HTTYD characters! Current list is:

Ruffnut!

Any Transformers, of any continuity!

My OCs! The list currently is:

Julio, Glory's husband and a ghost. 60 years at time of death. Died in battle.

Glory, grandmother and matriarch of the Haddock family. 70 years at time of death and will kick your a$$. Alfred of the family. Is also dead, now a ghost.

The twins, Elio and Ignacia, oldest children and parents of the youngest gen of Haddock family (both widowed). 43 years old. Tim Drake and wet grumpy cat of the family.

Oreo Aetos, a stray Glory adopted. 39 years old. Batman of the family. Broke the matrix.

Perseus "Blueboy" Haddock, Elio's son. 17 years old. Nightwing/Percy Jackson of the family.

Anita "Pink Bubble Gum child" Haddock, Ignacia's daughter. 15 years old. Steph of the family.

S.S. J4ckH4mm3r Prime, really old seeker.

S4v3, relatively young Empurata!Minibot. Talks with recordings, can't speak with their own voice.

Redstreak, sister bot of Prowl, Smokescreen, and Bluestreak. Sassy, has lots of trauma. Avoids sparklings and human babies.

Terra Mater, a planetformer.

N1ghtw1ng, a seeker. Cojunx Endura to Fl4m3b1rd. Emotional support bird. No thoughts, head empty. Loves Fl4m3b1rd, flying, the night, and sparklings. In that order.

Fl4m3b1rd, a seeker. Cojunx Endura to N1ghtw1ng. Highly protective. Very smart, can end you with words like an Irish grandmother. Loves N1ghtw1ng, sparklings, flying, and fire. In that order.

S.S. J4ckH4mm3r Prime and Redstreak are Autobots, S4v3 is considering following suit, all other bots are Neutral.

Almost all lore can be found here

The family of the bots!

<--> means married

《》 means child

《|》 means adopted child

First name is parent, second is child

Fl4m3b1rd <--> N1ghtw1ng

Redstreak <--> S.S. J4ckH4mm3r Prime

Redstreak 《|》 Mercy (( @ask-mercy-tfone ))

S.S. J4ckH4mm3r Prime 《|》 Mercy ((same person))

Side blogs!

@ask-tf-redstreak

@ask-tf-s4v3

@ask-tf-ss-j4ckh4mm3r-prime

@the-ruffer-twin

[astra-galaxie]

So...quick question. How would you rank each CC game in terms of character design? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Oh! Good question! Let me get some pictures, and I'll come back with my list!

1st place: Mysteries of The Past

I LOVE the character designs of MotP! It does an amazing job at replicating the style of the late 19th century, which it's supposed to be set in, and while some things aren't entirely period-accurate, I love it regardless! Also, the characters' physical appearances are detailed and unique, creating a large diversity among this season's cast.

Plus, Victorian Steampunk is one of my favourite styles (even if I don't wear it), so that's an added bonus for me!

2nd place: The Conspiracy

This season showcases how much Pretty Simple's character designs have improved since its release, as it brought back many S1 characters. The details in the designs are beautiful, and this is also when PS started trying more facial expressions and poses for the characters. This season is a perfect example of how character designs can be improved with practice, so it earned second place!

3rd place: Travel in Time

S6 gets third place thanks to how many different periods' styles it's replicated. We had Ancient Times, the 1960s, the Renaissance, the future, the Age of Sails (which I love pirates, so bonus!) and Medieval Asia. This season had so many unique styles within it that it's only fair it should be in the top three! I think the only reason it's not higher up is because it's shorter than the other seasons, and while I don't know if I would want it to go for 60-ish cases, it would have been interesting to see what other times we could have visited.

(I still think we should have visited MotP during S6, but that's an idea for another time, so I'll shut up about it for now!)

4th place: Supernatural Investigations

S7 gets fourth place, as I love seeing its take on different supernatural creatures. I am a HUGE fan of the paranormal and magic, so this season is right up my alley! While some designs could use improvements (*cough* the demons *cough*), I still like seeing all the different mythical creatures. Regardless of the things I would choose to change to improve some of the characters' designs, it did an excellent job making characters who are so different than what we see in other seasons.

5th place: Save The World

Save The World is when I feel that Criminal Case really started to branch out with its diversity in character designs. We visit so many countries throughout the seasons that it makes sense for the characters to reflect the differences between nationalities. I won't speak for how accurate some of the designs are for all of the nationalities featured in this season, but I think PS did a good job designing characters to represent each country. You can even see it among the Bureau since few members originate from the same country. Overall, StW has fantastic character designs, even if the following seasons have more details.

6th place: City of Romance

OMG! Who would have thought we'd ever see the day CoR DIDN'T come in last place on a list?! (At least I don't recall them ever not being in last place...)

Even if CoR failed horribly at being the final season of CC, the character designs are good. Some characters I like more than others, but overall, they have plenty of details without being overwhelming. Had CoR gotten the chance to be a full 30-case season, we might have seen more characters come back from past seasons and see the design improvements like we did in S5 and S6. Like I always say, CoR had the potential to be better than it was, but at least the character designs weren't a total flop!

7th place: Pacific Bay

(AnxietyFluffy, please forgive me for putting S2 so low on this list.😭)

While I enjoy PB's plot and characters, unfortunately, I had to put it so low on the list since, compared to other seasons, its character designs aren't as impressive to me. Mainly, it's because it's only the second game, so PS was still working on improving character designs. While I can see an improvement between S1 and S2, it's just not enough for me to put PB higher on the list. But, I still think PB did a good job creating diversity between districts, and while I will always question how the climates of these districts coexist, it was nice to see the differences reflected in the character designs.

8th place: Grimsborough

Last but certainly not least is Grimsborough! While it's nostalgic and the game introduced me to CC, sadly, its character designs showcase the fact that it's the first game. I would never say the designs are bad, but they're not as good as they were in the following seasons. There's something simplistic about the designs compared to feature seasons, but I still enjoy them. However, I am glad that PS started making the characters more detailed and unique in the following seasons, and I wish we could have seen more S1 characters come back in future seasons to see how much their designs could have improved.

I loved seeing how PS's character designs improved over the course of their 8 games while staying true to their CC style. I've always enjoyed the style and characters of this series, and it was fun to pick which ones I liked most! I'm sure others would put the seasons in a different order based on character designs, but I'll stand by my choices.

Thank you for the ask, eggsandmasks! You always send me some fun brain teasers!😁

[jillsandwhichs]

Our Future Days

Joel Miller x Reader series, Chapter 7, Is this the end?

Masterlist

Pairing: F!Reader x Joel Miller

Summary: It is Outbreak day and yet, you have no clue

WC: 3.4k

Type: SFW

Song to listen to whilst you read this chapter: Let Go - Ark Patrol & Veronika Reed

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Comments, reblogs & likes are appreciated. Thank you

Sunday, noonish, as presumed, you're about to leave on the flight back home to Texas. These past few days have been more than amazing. Spending them with your family has been a true blessing. Hannah, your mother & father have been so lovely to be around. You're seriously going to miss them this time around. Each day you were here in Oregon, you felt somber as they passed by-knowing it wouldn't last. It's bittersweet.

In some ways, you don't want to go back home. You'd love to just stay here and revel in the love and hospitality your family provides you. In other ways however, you cannot wait to get back home. You miss Becker so much. Ever since Thursday evening, Becca has been sending you photos of him and letting you know that Becker has been missing you so very much. You've been missing him too. The second you walk through your front door, you're sure he'll be rushing into your arms.

Not only do you miss your dog, but you miss working too. You've really grown to love it there. It keeps you on your feet, keeps your distracted and occupied. Your coworkers, especially Becca, have made you feel so welcomed. Tomorrow will be a great day at work-you can't wait to talk to your friends about your travels back home. Plus, you miss your routine. You can't break it now, it's only begun.

Last but not least, man you miss Joel.

You two have been speaking off and on ever since you left. You two have called a lot as well. Before bedtime on Friday, you guys called damn near an hour before you inevitably had to hang up to sleep. He makes you feel every emotion you could think of. Joel has awakened something inside you. Something you've never felt before. You love being around him and you enjoy talking with him deeply. You'll definitely try and see him either tonight or tomorrow morning-it'll be dark out by the time you arrive home.

Currently, you're in the backseat with your sister Hannah and with your father driving and your mom in the passenger seat. You wanted them all with you as you head off to the airport. You want to suction as much time with them as you can. You won't be able to see them again until around Thanksgiving. You want to savour your time with them as much as you can.

Hannah is asleep, resting her head on your shoulder. Some random 60s song is playing from the radio-sounds like the Righteous Brothers possibly. Your mother is fixing her makeup in the mirror and your dad is singing along to what's playing. This moment is very reminiscent of your childhood. You've already gotten deja vu numerous times since you first came here to visit. You swear, moments like these were so common when you still lived with them. You never noticed it then, it was all too familiar but now, it's something you won't take for granted.

According the GPS set up on your dad's phone, you are only five minutes away from the airport. This is killing you. You're going to miss them all so much, even Hannah's dog, Lacey. You are just so thankful you've gotten to see them at all. Now all it'll be is FaceTime calls and texting until Thanksgiving.

You took Hannah's hand in yours as she was still asleep. You looked back and forth between your mother and father. These past few days have been your favourite.

-

After a few minutes, your dad parked the car and opened his door, your mother doing the exact same. Hannah was still seemingly passed out, so you shook her gently. "Hey, Hannah, it's time for me to go." You whispered to her. You unbuckled your seatbelt and she came to and did the same. "Already?" She sighed deeply, her tired tone making you chuckle. You opened your door and got out, stretching your arms and legs. You aren't ready to leave them. Your stomach is churning just at the thought of getting on that damn plane.

Hannah rushed over to you and hugged you tightly, despite it not being departure time yet. "Oh, I'm gonna miss you." She hummed. Her arms were tightly squeezing you. "I'll miss you." You replied, rubbing her back kindly as you hugged her. You heard your dad bellow from beside you, hands on his hips. "Geez, Hannah Bear, are you trying to kill your sister?" Hannah and you both giggled at his words. Hannah let you go, keeping her hands in yours. "This just sucks." "Yeah, I know." You blew out a soft set of air.

You could see it. In Hannah's eyes, there was a glimmer of sadness. You and her have always been so close, departing isn't easy for either of you.

Your mother grabbed your last suitcase, handing both to you with a grunt. "Oh honey, we'll walk you to the gate, okay?" "Sure, I don't mind at all." You responded softly. You were happy they were willing to do that for you. But deep down, it's for them too.

All four of you entered the airport, bags and suitcases in hand. You felt sick. You don't want to leave them. You already know that the second you sit down on that airplane, you'll become homesick. You've already established with your mother that you'll be calling her the second you walk through your front door. Well, you'll kiss Becker first, of course!

The airport was full, very full. Everyone was scattering around, trying to get to their gates or cars in time. You kept your cool though. You don't want to seem as though this is really talking a toll on you, even though it actually is. The only one who seems to be truly collected is your father. He's always managed to hide his emotions well. You know he cares for you and will miss you immensely. The first night you stayed in Texas, your mother sent you a message the next morning that your dad was tearing up whilst looking at old home videos of you. That really made you miss him.

You're trying not to fret. You'll be back for Thanksgiving and it'll be a dandy time. You'll be able to see other family members too such as your grandparents and cousins. You're really close with your cousin, Jenna. She's your rock. Her dad is your mom's brother, so your uncle. You two are similar in age, just a year apart-she is 24, you 23. You hope she's doing well too. You guys haven't called since you've moved but she's been busy with work as you have. She's a case manager-she has many patients and families to attend to.

With each step, you only grew closer to the gate. You decided you'd just hang around it because the flight doesn't take off for another 30ish minutes and you don't want to take the risk of missing it. You could tell Hannah wasn't taking this easily. She looked so upset. You wish you could've stayed longer, a couple days isn't enough. You'll call her as well once you're at home.

Your dad stopped and looked at you as the gate was just a yard or so away. Your mother and sister glanced at you as well. "Oh, I'm gonna miss you guys." You groaned and hugged Hannah again. She hugged you back, her head tucking into the crease of your neck line. You petted her hair and whispered, "Just until Thanksgiving." "Yeah..." She responded. Hannah pulled away after a minute or so, wanting to give your mother and father some time to say goodbye too.

The look on your moms face also killed you. She was clearly so proud of you. Embarking to a whole new state isn't something most young adults think about, especially when they do it alone. Your mother is proud of your bravery. "Come here." She whispered, encasing you into her motherly embrace. Your mother was always tougher on you growing up, more restrictive. It means so much to see she's proud of you. In a way, you're glad she was strict. You don't know if you'd be the way you are if she hadn't been.

You felt her hand hold the back of your head as if you were still a baby. You're going to miss this so much. "Call me the minute you get home." "I will." You assured her, pulling away and as you did, a single tear drop fell from your eye and she was quick to wipe it away before kissing your cheek.

Next was your father. The entire time, he's just been staring at you. He's so happy for his little girl. Seeing you succeed is all he's ever wanted. "Oh Dad." You hugged him so tightly, it was practically a bear hug. The way he hugged you felt so relaxing, you always melt in your father's arms. You two have always been close and affectionate-hopefully that never changes. "I'm gonna miss you, peach." "I'll miss you dad." You whispered. You didn't want to let go of him, but you had to.

You pulled away and swiped away all of your tears. You are a sensitive girl. It's hard for you to do goodbyes, but they are needed. Becoming an adult and having to be on your own seriously sucks. You'll always need your family, always, no matter what age you are.

You looked between all three of them before simply saying, "I love you, bye." "Bye sweetheart." "Bye peach." "Bye bye." Came from each of them.

Oh how you'll miss them way too damn much.

-

You took your seat on the plane, sadly not getting a window seat this time. It didn't matter though, you plan to either nap or binge some films this entire flight-no window seat isn't a problem.

All you can think about is your family but not only them but Joel too. You two haven't been able to talk yet since he's working but you can only hope he'll be happy to see you once you get back. He was exclaiming about how happy he is to see you come home and so you two can plan out that lunch you brought up.

You'll, based on estimation, arrive in Texas near the evening. Then you'll have to drive all the way home which isn't that long of a drive-maybe twenty minutes. It should be serene if anything. One thing you don't miss about Texas is the roads. They are always packed full, especially considering you reside in Austin. Hopefully they won't be too shabby though.

You put your neck pillow around the back of your neck and rested it. You were already buckled up and strapped in, ready for take off.

Your choice is made-nap time.

-

A sigh came from you as you set your final luggage bag into the back of the car. Finally, you get to go home! It's getting darker out by the minute and you just can't wait to talk to your mom and see Becker. You also have to call Becca at some point tonight to thank her for watching over Becker. You persisted on paying her but she declined countlessly, she's just selfless and wanted to help a friend out.

You ran your fingers through your hair and whispered, "Okay, let's go." Before shutting the back of the car, making sure it clicked it and heading to the front door and getting settled in.

All you can think about is going to bed, you're exhausted. You ended up napping for maybe an hour or two on the flight but you ended up watching two movies before it ended. Jet lag and traveling as a whole has always made you worn out. You'll be able to cuddle with Becker in bed and it'll be so cozy.

You began to pull out of the parking lot. You did it carefully since it was full of other cars and some pedestrians walking around. It's hard to tell when the roads and airport will be busy, Austin is unpredictable. The roads can sometimes feel as though you're driving through a small town and then next thing you know, it's as if a zombie apocalypse is occurring and you have to escape! It gets crazy here.

Getting on the road, you rolled your window down slightly and boosted the stereo up. On it was playing 'Sweet Home Alabama' which is ironic-you are in Texas. It's a classic though, you'll keep it on. You're getting minor amounts of deja vu. This is reminent of when you and Becker first arrived here and drove to your new home. It was exciting and nerve-wracking. In the end, it is a blessing to be here. You are so grateful.

The car ride will be a bit, you most likely won't be home until it's much darker out considering there's traffic and for some reason a lot of road blockage. But, the second you get into that house, you already know a huge wave of relief and happiness will flow over you...

-

What suddenly snapped you out of your peaceful drive home was the sound of a large, military jet flying over you. And at first, you thought nothing of it. It was weird, the jet was a bit too close for you to not be concerned. But things got weirder when three more came whooshing by, all going in the same direction, opposite of where they originally were.

"What the fuck..." You mumbled to yourself, looking upwards through your windshield. Confusion fogged your mind up. Is there something happening outside of the city? Or outside of Texas as a whole? You have no clue.

You decided to drive a bit faster-everyone else around was too. You played it safe however. You were about to enter the suburbs, which is where you live. Hopefully you can get home and check your phone to see what is going on-if it is a serious matter.

Turning right onto Laine road, you suddenly came to a halt as two massive trucks sped by you. You swore, if you hadn't stopped right then and there you would've busted right into them. "Holy Christ." You caught your breath. You are star struck. Now, not only have there been four loud jets, but now two tall & huge trucks? Both of the same brand, color, size and height? Seriously... What's going on here?

Now all you want is to get home, lock your doors and see what's happening.

Maybe Joel knows...?

You'll definitely go to him, that is your best bet. He's been in Texas longer, maybe this is a routine thing or something. You've never heard anything about it though, not ever.

To your right, civilians were running and cussing mayham. Some of them looked odd though. Their faces weren't normal. It isn't Halloween yet so what the hell? Trying your best to maintain your sanity, you made yourself shake the weird thoughts you were thinking of. Why are there people literally just bolting around and yelling?

"Oh my..." You muttered in disbelief as half of the suburb featured people falling, walking, running and even driving through other people's yards. As you got closer to your house, it got more calm. Your mouth is simply agape and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. You're in utter confusion. There has to be something extremely terrible going on for there to be jets, trucks and now people flipping out. You need to get Becker and figure out what's going on here.

You now turned left and to your surprise, saw a truck that was indeed not Joel's parked near the side of his house. Was it a friend's truck? Maybe his brother's-Tommy. You immediately put your car in park, still practically in the road and you jumped out of the front seat, making a dash for his front door-which he and Sarah were walking out of.

"Joel! Joel, it's me, Joel!" You shouted, walking up to him and Sarah. He didn't reply, instead he kneeled down in front of Sarah as he cupped her face and said, "Wait for me in the truck honey, I'll only be a second." Sarah listened and her uncle Tommy helped her in. "Now Goddammit Joel, we don't have fuckin' time to waste." Tommy smacked the hood of his truck as he got into it. "One minute." Joel spat back at him. What the hell...

Joel merged towards you and grabbed your face. The look on his face was terrifying. You have never seen Joel more scared or more mad, not ever. He seemed to be dealing with a crisis of sorts. This made all of your mental alarms go off in an instant.

"Darlin', you need to listen to me, ok?" You nodded in response, finding it hard to search the words in your vocab that would be correct for this moment. "I need you to get your dog, your truck and anything else you need. I need you to leave this fuckin' city as fast as you can, you hear me?" The seriousness in his tone made you scared yourself. "What the hell is going on?" You felt yourself beginning to cry. You're simply overwhelmed by everything right now.

"Don't cry, don't cry," He wiped your tears and sighed deeply. "There are people here in the city and their sick... They're very sick... I just... I have no idea but I need you to leave. The God damn military is already on it, they'll figure it out." "Sick? What-" He cut you off by kissing your forehead before saying his final words to you, "Get yourself safe. Get out of here." He then pulled away from your face and ran to the passenger seat of the truck, quickly getting in.

You just watched as his brother speedily drove them off. He didn't even look back.

You were sobbing at this point, so clueless and at a loss of words.

In a completely delirious state, you began to stumble to your front door. You were shaking and breathing heavily. Your hands could hardly stay still as you were attempting to unlock your front door. When you finally managed to, Becker instantly ran to you-he was shaky was well. "Oh baby boy, c'mon, let's go." You grabbed his collar and slammed the door behind you. Becker stayed at your pace as you two jogged to the car together.

You're taking Joel's words very much to heart-you are taking what's important to you and getting the fuck out of here.

Opening the passenger door, Becker hopped in and right as he did, a loud and effective explosion went off plenty of yards away from you. You watched as it caught trees on fire and caused people to scream and crash. "Oh my God..." You whispered. With haste, you shut the door and got into the driver's side. Becker was whimpering and oh, it broke your heart. He was scared too. You tried to calm yourself down so he would too, but you could hardly manage to stop the tears from flowing.

Your car booted up and you hit the gas pedal so fast, it caused both you and Becker to hoist backwards. You weren't going to look back. You'll simply drive and drive and drive.

You cried as you pulled your phone out-absoutely no reception or service. "How in the hell..." You scoffed, tossing your phone into the center console. You shouldn't text and drive anyways, maybe that's the universe's way of telling you that.

Gandering over at Becker, you smiled and stroked his fur. He was becoming less timid just by you doing that. "I've missed you baby." You patted his head. Having him by your side helped.

You don't care how long it takes. You're just going to cruise along on this journey. Maybe you'll get service somewhere out of the city or you'll find a payphone, you'll call your family then. You wonder if they are experiencing what you are going through right now. How is it in Oregon? You can't even begin to imagine how your mother is feeling right now since you haven't messaged her. Hopefully she sees the News or something.

Until then, all you can do is drive, alone & forsaken.

[2000sangel]

d... deltarune matchups...!! well im shameless so ill ask for one...

basic info .... hi my name is rhyme. im 5'2, i speak english and study japanese. im a gay trans man he/they

im a theater kid. im an evil twink. i never shut up. i lowkey have a superiority/inferiority complex. i love performing and being the center of attention. im spiky. i just say whatever i think . i have been described as "if a non sequitur was a person" which i'll choose to take positively

as previously mentioned im 5'2, im v thin, i have short dark hair and super pale skin so im basically the platonic ideal of a natural emo boy . however i dont really dress emo i dont think? typically im wearing an oversized tee shirt and shorts and a black cap. if im feeling like it, i'll put on low effort guyliner

im a fiend for coca cola ... i have consumed so much coke that ive had to cut down on account of getting a kidney stone. by the time im 60 i'll be pissing out kidney stones like nobody's business. other than that im not much of a foodie (but i do like sweet things....) . i like watching off-kilter anime the most, but i do also like just about any genre if i think it's good...! that's most of the stuff i watch, although it's not to say i don't like watching other kinds of shows and movies

like i said, i'm a theater kid, so that makes up a bunch of my time (and i guess can be considered a hobby?) , i love love love singing and acting and performing in general. i feel like i belong on stage or behind a microphone. i also draw, translate, and work with vocal synthesizers!

dislikes... i don't like people who pretend like theyre Soooo Weird when theyre actually just normies. sorry. i dislike excessive negativity. i don't like too hot food

my type...i dont necessarily have a type BUT it's a dealbreaker if they're shorter than me. i like someone taller than me, even if by a little bit. other than that i don't really mind body type. i like people who smile <3

my only request is please dont pair me up with a lady because im gggayyyy

ummm thats all i can think of yeah u_u thank you... thank you...

Good day Rhyme! Good choice being shameless, we’re here to have fun!

I debated for a while on your guy, until I ultimately decided to match you with...

Mr. Ant Tenna!

Honestly, where do I even begin? I think you two would have a blast dating each other. You’re into theatre, he’s a TV Show host, I don’t think things would ever get boring whether you’re on stage or not. You never shut up? Good, neither does he! It’s always a back and forth between you guys, and sooner than you know, you’ve stayed up too late chatting the other’s ear off.

You’re the human equivalent of a non sequitur? He’s the Darkner equivalent of having an answer ready for anything. No matter what you say he’s always going to follow you up in a matter of seconds, he is used to performing and talking non-stop after all, as well as interacting with a large variety of individuals who might be more or less talkative.

Tenna quite bluntly finds you delightful enough to appeal to spectators during his shows and wants you on stage or set with him: it’s fine if you say no, but it’s even more fine if you say yes! You can co-host sometimes, or put your knowledge of vocal synthesizers into work if he ever needs that kind of thing if you’d prefer. Whether you decide to participate or not, he will not give up on involving you in some way, and he’ll still want some of your fun contribution on the games and quizzes that happen during his show.

Something fun about him is that if you do end up working together, he’ll always find some time to bring you something sweet to eat during breaks, and he might even indulge you on your cola obsession...before he realizes how bad it is for you, of course! He would never want to hurt you at all, he actually hates the idea of doing so even by mistake. (he really hopes you know that, by the way!!) Anyways...in return, you might want to bring him a coffee or two...he will greet you with the goofiest and most thankful grin!

Surprisingly enough he likes your style; not to say it’s bad of course! He just strikes me as a more elegant-leaning individual. That’s true for himself though, and he doesn’t really mind what his partner might wear, even if it’s something pretty casual and simple, not overly maximalist ...Do you like pins? He might gift you a couple related to his TV Time, a little merchandise has never hurt anybody after all!

Don’t worry about weirdness, Tenna is a bit (a lot) of a weirdo for sure, in the good way. He’s dramatic, a bit obnoxious at times, he’s so expressive and makes so many sound effects related to what’s happening that I’m not sure if anybody could be more expressive than that. He might disturb your peace at first on a particular day where you’d like some quiet around you, but rest assured you’re in for dating a character!

One more little thing about you loving to perform, before I forget; Tenna loves watching you as much as you love watching Tenna! Whatever show or play you might be a part of, he will be there, cheering for you and nudging whoever is sat next to him just to whisper, “That’s my boyfriend!” very dramatically (and proudly). Please show as much enthusiasm towards what he does! He values your opinion very much.

You like people who smile? He’s got an award-winning smile for sure! But in couples it’s common to have a few issues occasionally, and yours is that his smile might turn into a frown if you’re not very enthusiastic about his doings, as aforementioned. He takes it personally if you don’t compliment him much for a while, and admittedly mopes a bit. Though it gets easier as the relationship progresses, don’t you worry; and his grin is back as soon as you go full-on chatterbox mode on him again!

Also...he really likes your name. It’s fun and unique to him, and he might make stupid endearing jokes or puns involving it. Not that he knows much about character ships in communities, but he insists that people call you two ‘TV-Rhyme’, that’s your official ship name and he will even go as far as using it while on air for introductions...!

[ladygreek]

Okay so I've thought long and hard about how I should break down my thoughts about season 3 of Blood of Zeus and I've decided to go by character.

Also.. please keep in mind this isn't meant to insult anyone's favorite character(s).

Heron: So.. the only memorable thing he did throughout the season was kill a Titan and then die. And he didn't even have to die. The big three show up like 60 seconds later and kill Typhon with Seraphim's help and that's it. He could've distracted him for another 60 seconds, lived and had a beautiful life with Alexia. He's just an incredibly boring character. His opening monologue where he said he wasn't mortal but a demigod bothered me because demigods ARE mortal and he sure got knocked around like a mortal..

Speaking of Alexia.. I didn't particularly like that they confessed their love for one another but basically said they could never be together even if they both lived. I'm a die hard romantic and though I love angst, I want a happy romantic ending for characters so it feels.. empty and pointless. Also, I totally forgot she existed, I'm gonna be honest.

Seraphim: I really liked his character in the first season, he was okay in the second but I've always felt like introducing a love interest for him was weak. And again, he spent the entire show, except the last episode trying to save a woman I don't really care about as a character. It was just really boring to watch.

Zeus: There isn't really much to say, he has like.. very little screen time but I do like that he got released to help fight Kronos with his brothers. I also really enjoyed how he got angry and was ready to face Kronos when Persephone's soul was in danger. Do I think he deserved a happy ending? Meh, I'm super torn on that honestly. I still really like his character in general.

Hera: Love her. No complaints. Her watching her two sons die was heartbreaking, and then getting the arm as a final gift from Hephaestus.. beautiful. I absolutely love that they acknowledged she treated Hephaestus like trash for his whole life. Also, Hera disgusing herself as Aeacus to trick Kronos and then attacking him was incredible.

I DO NOT LIKE how she was made to apologize to the woman who had an affair with her husband. I'm absolutely in the camp that Elektra started out as a victim with regards to Zeus but she continued the affair willingly and knowing he had a wife. And then told Hera it's because she saw him for him? GTFO.

Hades & Persephone: I'm combining these two because I have much of the same to say about both of them. So obviously I love them. I love their dedication to their children and each other. Seeing Persephone stand her own against a Titan was great. Hades watching her die was heartbreaking.

My only complaint is that their story is incomplete. I know how it was supposed to end, I've seen the Twitter post (I'm not calling it X y'all), and they could've easily put that in the show if they cut 10 minutes of Heron and Seraphim walking around. I'm a little bitter that we didn't see Hades bring Persephone back and reunite with their children.

Demeter: I feel like she was redeemed well enough. I'm a big fan of her in Greek Mythology and I don't particularly like when she's demonized but she was done well in this season. Her taking the blame for Persephone not being able to enter the underworld, her showing actual care for her grandchildren. It was nice.

Ares, Aphrodite & Hephaestus: So Ares dying didn't really bother me.. it did bother me that his and Hephaestus' souls were destroyed though, especially since Hera saw the whole thing. I just don't understand the point other than to showcase how evil Kronos is. Hephaestus at least should've survived.. because I like him more and him saving Aphrodite and dying for her hurt me.

Hermes: He got like no screen time but I gotta mention him because him saving Persephone's soul at the last minute was clutch. MVP character, best boy supreme.

Poseidon: Did the writers forget about him? Obviously.. but come on. He's one of the big three and he's just.. absent throughout most of the series and in this season only shows up at the end? Disappointing but not surprising. Would've loved to see more of him as well as Amphitrite, whom we didn't even see.

Gaia: Okay so.. I know a lot of people seem to like her but I just don't get it. She unleashed the worst of the worst because the gods are squabbling? Which they've done for centuries? And then goes to Kronos and says, "mommy is sorry, can you forgive me?" Despite knowing he's going to kill her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.. including her favourite grandchild Zeus.

Also, the problem was Heron and Zeus. Zeus caused most of the problems in the series, along with Hera by rigging how the gods would rule each realm and Heron started meddling in things he didn't understand. Instead she blamed all the gods and punished everyone for a few people's mistakes? She sucks, sorry not sorry.

Kronos: He was okay. I feel like he was as cruel as they could've made him with the time they were given. I don't really have much else to say about him though. I did enjoy Alfred Molina voice acting him.

So that's it.. my overall thoughts. I understand that they had 5 seasons planned out and had to condense 3 seasons into 1 but they did a terrible job.

Heron and Alexia went nowhere so it didn't really matter and they could've completely cut that. They also could've cut a lot of Gorgo's story, I know they probably had plans for it but with the time they had, they should've done less with it overall. It was nice seeing Kofi again, I forgot that other guys name, that's how irrelevant he became and they could've cut him completely and just had them deal with the Maenads without him.

I watched season 1 with my partner before season 2 was confirmed and he wanted to wait for the series to be completed before finishing but I'm not sure I can watch this season again tbh.

That's it. That's all I gotta say.

[moodycowplant]

60. Jayson.

<Previous - Desktop Navigation - Next> <Previous - Mobile Navigation - Next >

It been a little over a week after her conversation with Clifford, who reassured her that she should clarify everything with Jay.

One Friday evening, Lana's parents had their friends, Oskar and Caroline, over for dinner, and they brought their children, Jay and Rex.

Valerio and Rex were thrilled to spend the evening playing video games, occasionally loudly yelling and laughing .

The parents enjoyed their time together, each absorbed in their own conversations.

Lana saw this as a perfect opportunity to talk to Jay privately.

They went upstairs to her room. Jay was a frequent guest at the Snow's house, so no one minded them being alone.

As they entered the room, Jay's face lit up with a mischievous smirk.

"Yo, Lana, look what I have," he said, revealing a bottle of strawberry wine he had taken from the table.

"Are you crazy? What if our parents see? We'll both be in trouble, and they might revoke your entrance to our house for good," Lana laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your parents love me. I'm cute," Jay said confidently, taking a swig from the bottle.

"Here, your turn," he said, pushing the bottle into Lana's hands. "Drink, it's just wine. No one will notice. Come on, Lana, don't be a party pooper."

"Fine," Lana said, rolling her eyes and taking a sip.

"Not bad, right?" Jay asked. "Your father said it's a crafted one from Tomarang."

"How come you know more than I do?" Lana asked jokingly.

"As I said, your parents love me, and I'm cute," Jay continued, coming closer to her. "Do you think I'm cute, Lana?"

"Jay... don't..." she quickly stopped him. "I wanted to speak with you, actually, about the school party and what happened there."

"You mean about how I said I'm still in love with you? It's all true. I was drunk, but I wasn't lying, Lana. I do still love you, and seeing you with Gerard hurts," Jay said seriously, his face showing his pain.

"Jay, you're my best friend. You're like a brother to me, and you know I will always love you. But I'm with Gerard now; he's my boyfriend. We can't do this. I don't want to lose my friend over these feelings. I want us, you, me, and Clifford, to be like before—as best friends who are always there for each other. Can you do this for me?" Lana's voice started to tremble as she almost begged.

"Lana, we can be both, and it won't hurt anybody," Jay said, moving closer and unexpectedly kissing her.

The taste of strawberries was very prominent, given Jay had just drunk the wine.

A wave of thoughts rushed through her mind in that minute.

What on earth is he doing? I should stop him, but why am I not stopping him? I am with Gerard, and I'm kissing my best friend again. Why does it feel so good?

These thoughts bounced around in her mind, twisting with the pleasant sensation of butterflies in her belly during those short seconds he kissed her.

Eventually, she came to her senses, pushed him away, and slapped him across the face. She wasn't sure how that had happened, both the kiss and the slap—it felt like she wasn't in control of her body at that moment.

"Jayson, stop. What do you think you are doing? I was trying to discuss something serious, and you made everything even more twisted and complicated. We cannot do this. I have a boyfriend. Please leave," Lana said, barely holding back her tears.

"Hey, I'm sorry... hey, don't cry, Lana. I didn't think about how much it might hurt you. I did something stupid and impulsive again. I'm going crazy when I'm near you. I promise I will try to hold my urges next time, and this can stay between us. Gerard won't know anything. You are my friend, and I care for you despite all the feelings I have. I want things to be as they were before. I can't promise it will be exactly the same, but I'll do my best to hold back. I'm sorry again," Jay said, softly hugging her.

"My parents are leaving, so I should go too. I'll see you at school," he said and left the room.

Lana was left alone with her thoughts again.

This triggered something deep inside her that she thought was long gone.

"Feelings for Jay? No!"she shook her head in disbelief. "I am with Gerard, and he is great. It will stay this way", Lana thought as she jumped off the bed and got ready for sleep.

<Previous - Desktop Navigation - Next>

<Previous - Mobile Navigation - Next >

[violentdelightshavevioletends]

Hii there! Sorry to be a pain in the arse, but please can you edit your text post about Imogen's second signet. The small text looks awesome, but I can't read it very well with my eyes, even with my glasses on. I have double vision so all I'm seeing is interlapping lines 😭 so sorry xx

As requested :-)

——————————————————————————

Onyx Storm

— Ending Theory #2 —

MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

Question/Theory (2): How did Imogen save Dain & herself? — Does Imogen have a Second Signet? — Here’s why I think she does & what I think it is:

"You have a second signet, don't you?" And like Xaden, he hid the strongest one. — Violet Sorrengail to Garrick Tavis, Chapter 11

This shows the pre-existing patterns/plans of the children of the rebellion (even more so; their dragons) hiding the strongest “weapons” they have.

While Imogen’s known signet is pretty powerful as is, this doesn’t count against the theory, as much like Xaden shows the “known” signet can be nearly just as powerful as the unknown (so it’s not like a contest of “topping it” in a manner that she could not).

It is also something they hide no-matter what (not purely as a “secret weapon”) but because having two signets goes against the rules & endangers them all in itself.

This does get further complicated in some cases (such as Xaden; where his need for hiding his signet is also out of the signet itself being a death sentence). Though it does beg the question of who (if anyone) knows about Imogen’s second signet?.. and what that may mean for the power level of whatever it is?.. I’m willing to bet it’s closer to a Garrick situation than a Xaden, as Dain does witness it (& while this was not the goal) it did not seem to be a death sentence (nor something she needed to take the time to make him forget)… Though the biggest question still stands of what is allowed and whatever that means in terms of the “magical balance” of their nature demands… posing the question:

How many of the same signets can exist on the same side? What is “the balance”? And is there such a thing as “signet-gaps”?

"At its core magic demands balance." — Chapter 60 Prologue (Iron Flame)

Time and time again this is said… but what does it really mean?

"There is only one exception to the rule, Violet Sorrengail. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be you." — Theophanie to Violet Sorrengail, Chapter 60

When Theophanie tells Violet she is "the only exception" to “the rule”… this could very well be due to the anomaly of a shadow & lightning wielder being alive at the same time (two shadows, one per side, and one lightning total) however (unless I missed something which I very may well have) I presume it meant/hinted at something more.

Such as there being a “counter” or “Dark-Wielder-self” per signet we know.

"I think you exposed your desperation with your once-a-century comment. You need me." "Another will come along," she warns. "You are not special." — Violet Sorrengail to Theophanie, Chapter 60

Violet may not be “the only one” or special as much as she is rare, but there is some balance the world is waiting on in what it allows to occur at one time.

"My signet is always the balance," Bodhi argues, lifting his hand as the wind rises to a constant roar at our backs. "I can stop her!" "You can't!" I push again, and this time he stumbles sideways. "Your signet must only work on our magic, not theirs." — Bodhi Durran to Violet Sorrengail, Chapter 60

Despite Bodhi’s power; it shows it is not him. He is not the balance… or at least not theirs… Much like how magic doesn’t work on dragons, there is a difference within the Venin; and whatever that all does to the “rules of magic”. He cannot be the counter for them all… so what is (if Violet is the only un-countered signet)?

"She isn't the dark wielder version of you." — "She's their answer to my mother." — "She was the answer to me,". — Bodhi Durran, Violet Sorrengail, & Theophanie, Chapter 60

This notes "the answer" from both sides. And that “magic balance” I’m speaking of… it seems like a similar structure to how signets are formed around need (Xaden needs to know who to trust = he can read intentions, Violet is desperate to speak to a sleeping Andarna = she can dream-walk) there is a storm-wielding Venin = Lilith Sorrengail the storm-wielding General.

"That's not possible," Imogen says. I turn around, reaching for a dagger, and freeze completely. Lynx stands in the middle of the hallway, shaking from head to foot, staring at the darkness that envelops his hands. "It's all right." Rhiannon rushes to Lynx's side. "Breathe. You're just..." "Manifesting," Xaden says, putting himself in front of Lynx. "Don't be scared. They're defending you. Fear. Anger. Whatever it is, level out your emotions, and they'll recede." Manifesting? Shadows? "I can't—" Lynx shakes his head, and the shadows creep up his arms. "You can," Xaden assures him. "Close your eyes and think of the place you feel safest. Go ahead." Lynx slams his eyes shut. "Good job. Now breathe deeply and picture yourself there. Calm. Happy. Safe." Xaden watches as the shadows recede. Lynx's breaths even out, and his hands reappear. "Get him to Carr now," Xaden orders Rhiannon, and she nods. The squad ushers Lynx down the hall, but I stay behind, shock gluing my feet to the carpet. "I don't understand. You're our generation's shadow wielder." "Not anymore. Magic knows." Xaden's shoulders dip as he turns slowly to face me, his brow scrunching in apology before he schools his features. "He's the balance." — Xaden Riorson to Violet Sorrengail & friends, Chapter 46

Something that appears to shock everyone; Imogen included… while this may have simply been the shock of shadows, or a fear of an attack, or even a rapidly turning Xaden, etc. it doesn’t change the fact they are all shocked… which implies some of these “once in a century” skills are very unknown in what the world of magic “allows” (especially when already intentionally “breaking the rules” as their dragons seem to be doing in choosing them).

"Heads up," Garrick says, and we both look forward as a first-year with a rebellion relic steps into the pit with Timin Kagiso-the newly promoted wingleader for Second Wing. "Let's try to keep anyone else from burning." Go figure another fire wielder was Second Wing's executive officer when Aura died. — Garrick Tavis to Violet Sorrengail, Chapter 28

Finally, the note that there are known multiples of signets (for-instance) flame-wielders as shown above. And the possibility that they switch out upon death?..

And in many other moments it is shown that signet “categories” can be vastly unique & frankly complicated… for instance the world of Intinnsics. While true intinnsics are killed, truth-sayers are not. Along with many other signets in the “mind-category” that skirt the edge (or don’t fully encompass) that which would get them killed, while being highly classified and quite similar to that of “full intinnsics” (like Xaden & Violet; who also have powers that take very different forms despite both being kinds of intinnsics; key word “kinds”) as very much seen in the spectrum of “minds” between Imogen, Dain, and Varish’s abilities.

We are also shown some signets that did appear at the same time (even if we didn’t know it) this may possibly be due to the rebellion relics or the fact they are second signets but it does occur; for instance Liam & Ridoc (both are ice-wielders).

"Are you pissed I didn't tell you?" I shake my head. "You don't owe me your friends' secrets." My brow knits. "But twenty hours of flying gave me some time to think. You. Garrick." I tilt my head. "And I once thought I saw Liam..." "—Wield ice," Xaden says, stroking his thumb along my chin. I nod. "How often do second signets accompany these particular relics?" My fingers trail down the side of his neck. "Often enough to be sure Kaori can't possibly have accurate records, but not too completely that anyone questions why I only present with one," he answers. "Our dragons came looking for us. They knew what they were doing." "Giving you a better chance of survival?" I rest my hand over his heart. "If you wax sentimental. More like building their own army." A corner of his mouth rises. "More signets equal more power." — Xaden Riorson to Violet Sorrengail (in reference to the rebellion), Chapter 12

This discussion confirms that there are not only “second signets” that we do not know about, but also a habit of the "marked ones" / “children of the rebellion” being chosen for them leading to further questions on a “dragons rebellion” (which I will discuss further in an upcoming post).

All in all this makes it far more likely for Imogen to not only have a second signet as a marked rebel, but also keep unknown to us/Violet/or even Kaori at this time.

Continuing on the note of “knowledge” / the danger these secrets pose in knowing them, it’s worth noting:

"Hey, Bodhi?" I whisper so only the two of us can hear. "Hey, Violet?" he answers, looking up. "What's your second signet?" I lower my voice even more. He lifts his brows, then glances in Garrick's direction. "Don't have one." "As in you don't have one that I get to know about but will eventually see you wield, or don't have one have one?" A corner of his mouth lifts into a wry smile that reminds me of his cousin's. "Don't have one. Just like Xaden. Why?" "Curious," I admit. — Violet Sorrengail to Bodhi Durran, Chapter 28

Violet does not ask to know about everyone else… even going so far as to later ask Bodhi if he had one. Meaning another inner-circle & third-year bestie like Imogen could very well have one.

Finally, on the note of “what” that signet may be & the known powers of Imogen + the primary OS quote that brought this to my (and apparently Dain’s) attention:

Another set of footsteps joins mine, and a flash of metal sparks in the corner of my eye. Aetos catches up on my right, half his face drenched in blood, bearing his own dagger and a shield half his size. Shit. That's not good. Twenty. I channel my rage, rejecting any notion of fear, and draw one of my alloy-hilted daggers from the sheath at my arm in preparation to strike. We're almost there—The dark wielder pivots, whipping to face us with an unnatural speed even I can't match, and swings his staff in our direction. Fire erupts, barreling toward us in a deadly stream, and I weigh our options for all of a millisecond as we skid to a halt. It hits? We die. Jump? We die. "You will not burn!" Glane demands. Fuck, I really didn't want to have to do this, but I mentally open the door to my childhood home and flood my body with her power. "Get—" Aetos starts to yell. "Get behind me!" I shout, ripping the shield from his grip. His eyes flare wide, and he lets go. We have seconds, so I flip the shield, then slam its flat top between the row of stones at our feet and drop behind it, keeping my hand on the leather strap. Aetos jumps behind me as power rushes into my fingers so quickly I clench my teeth to keep from screaming. Heat surrounds us and the leather hardens in my grip as the shield turns to stone. Fire roars, blazes, flows around us. We are the rock in the river, demanding the water part. The heat dissipates as the blast ends, and Aetos dives to the left and throws. An alloy-hilted dagger sails from his hand and I rise, clutching my own. The dark wielder's expression of shock remains permanent as he desiccates a few feet away and falls off the wall. One down, but the guards are missing from the top of the turret, and I see a flash of purple disappear into the tower. Worse, another dressed in crimson strides along the eastern wall. Aetos jumps to his feet and draws his remaining dagger. "I'll take that one. You get the one in the tower." He glances at the stone shield, then breaks into a run, and I follow, sprinting as fast as I can. "And we're going to talk about whatever the fuck that just was later," he shouts over his shoulder, but l've already passed him, using lesser magic to boost my speed. — Imogen Cardulo, Glane, & Dain Aetos, Chapter 63.

First off: Imogen’s known & shown signet is short-term-memory wiping… this in itself is of course VERY powerful, classified, & helpful; most likely explaining the ending of this book & leaving us without plot holes in power (like that which Liam had)… this signet would even be extremely helpful for concealing a second signet. And so far, this signet has fit ever feat we have seen her do, with the other “how” being lesser magic in that she (like Xaden) uses & states here "to boost speed". However, none of this accounts for the way she survived above. Or even some actions that would be out of character, for example the fact that she risked her life for Dain; I am not saying she wouldn’t, or even did risk it intentionally (she may have simply been refusing to cower behind him & unnecessary chivalry, or realizing the fastest way was to save them both) but jumping in here without a plan seems like too much a risk for too little a relationship to me… unless she had a way that was not some fluke or freak accident… perhaps it had something to do with the runes she goes to work on shortly, again mentioned by a mark on Dain Violet notes earlier (I’ll discuss this more in an upcoming post). But honestly, all of that fails to clearly answer the how of how she & Dain survived that & the way in which it is described. To me, that screams only one answer; a Second Signet.

This moment is also questioned & jarring to the characters themselves as Dain takes the moment to note its oddity while adding it to his “list of things to talk about later” (which began with the reveal of another second signet to him in the form of Garrick’s distance-wielding, making it even more fitting to end with one too).

+ Let us not forget (as Liam’s ice mentioned in FW came to prove itself right in OS) Rebecca doesn’t leave plot-holes. She leaves clues. And even more often adds details specifically & with intention.

In this moment Imogen describes "throwing open a door" in her mind (a very common phrasing for magic & the control of it among dragon-riders) one that she did not want to visit (or perhaps more so, did not want to reveal) with this timing & placement (“exposure to Dain”). But seeing as its life or death, she does as a last resort. Furthermore, on the note of “last resorts” the phrasing is extra intriguing to me because her thought of grounding comfort is also one of pain & in itself reminds me of somewhere she would "not want to visit" & has kept shut away… similar to how a hidden second signet would be treated.

Glane tells her, “demands”/nearly-commands her "not to burn" (& while the way dragons show affection is often in a “don’t die” way) they have already covered this base earlier; it feels more like a reminder/order to open that “forbidden” power & door to said second signet. One that would do exactly what we see her do; stop her from burning.

Not to mention the fact she is “flooding” herself with power, this would be senseless right now if her only signet was short-term memory-loss. That will not stop the Venin Dark Wielders or flame, nor prevent them from burning, or protect her/Dain in any way we know of. Nor would lesser magic. So, anything she’s summoning has to have a different purpose… and she’s gather a lot of it.

And then we see this series of events that does not make sense with any other answer: Imogen forcing Dain behind her. Taking his weak shield that is smaller than them in size and not large enough to block flames (or by the sounds of it even sustain in materials & burnable leather against such a thing). Flipping it (again… odd), and slamming it into stone (I imagine this is not an easy thing to do as that sounds like breaking solid rock at your feet) and then seemingly it becomes stone itself. As Imogen stays holding on to it, not burning as heat goes around them, only feeling pain from a rush of power. Not to mention the question of where that stone appeared from in the first place (I can’t imagine a Dark Wielder taking aim right in front of a pillar of stone large enough to hide them). And then she says it; she IS the rock. She demands it to part. (Also, while this may be a stretch that means nothing; rock is mentioned heavily in the upcoming scenes, including the runes being formed, and the ground turning gray & draining while not yet harming that which she stands on).

As far as what powers that leads us with, we can of course, eliminate many that make no sense; both from these “requirements” & the plot (as an example: healing… if Imogen had that signet she would’ve saved Quinn right then and there… whatever her power is, it was at its limit & without that capacity). Originally, I did think it could be some sort of Flame-wielder but that still wouldn’t explain turning to stone. Then I considered welding (some sort of Metallurgist like Sawyer), however, the more and more I read, I think that Imogen truly meant what she said (and it’s the biggest clue Yarros gave, therefore silly to ignore & guess around) she turned it to stone. So, if not directly some sort of “rock-wielder” maybe some sort of “changing-materials”? Though I do think rock is the strongest theory, as if she had any substance at her fingertips, I’d guess there are more fire-proof options she would’ve used (unless it’s limited to that which she can touch… still… she didn’t pick what the shield was made of; she chose to change it to rock).

And who knows, (many second signets make a lot of sense in hindsight) so maybe that’s why she weight trains with Violet (she just makes rock weights lol… okay, that’s a stretch) but that’s the closest theory-ish thoughts I have!

P.S. final thought — why does Imogen say:

I unsheathe my last alloy-hilted dagger and stare up at the wyvern-filled sky. Then I make my way back inside, slip Quinn's last dagger from her thigh sheath, and reach for Glane. "Tell every rider within the walls to get over here and disarm. It's the only way we're living through this." — Imogen Cardulo, Chapter 63

Could this possible hint at the Second Signet as well? — Why else would disarming be helpful (as opposed to dangerous)? — Maybe she can turn these walls into the alloy if it is a substance-shifting signet… or do something with the walls material & stone?

So, in total I think there is only one conclusion; Imogen has a Second Signet & it rocks (literally).

[hoseoksluna]

hi my bubs,

how are my babies doing this week? i've been doing the same as last week. a little more depressed, a little more tired as well. when i sat down to write, it went well, but my tiredness prevented me from writing a full page. i just can't function after i leave work.

i deal with a lot of anger this week. people just make me mad and i don't know how to deal with this anger. so i just shut down, play games, and smoke. i don't think at all, i bury everything inside.

speaking of smoking, seeing jungkook do a magic trick with his finished cigarette genuinely made me see light in the darkness of my life. i teared up, i felt butterflies, and i fell in love with him more deeper than i thought was humanly possible. smoking for me is a huge coping mechanism, and to know that the boy you're hopelessly in love with has the same one... it's a feeling i want to write about someday. i've written about jungkook smoking, but i've never truly written about how it makes the reader feel. and i want to explore that. i felt many emotions while watching that video on loop. horniness was one of them, irrevocable profound love for the boy second.

you all know hobi is my husband, but my connection to jungkook runs deep. i think i am truly in love with him, which is, in a way, sad to say. realistically. i will never love a man like i love jungkook. and i think i'm okay with that.

60 people voted on that poll about the yandere!jungkook fic. first of all, that's crazy??? so many people helping me decide. thank you so much for that. all of them, except for one, want me to write it, and i promise it's in the works. i don't know if it will come out this sunday as it needs to be a longer piece. it's going to be a series, a short one hopefully, and it needs to have at least 6k words. i have two paragraphs written so far. :( i'm sorry.

i also promise the fic won't be violent. i will stick to the passionate side of yandere and i will be very careful about some themes that are normal in this dark romance trope. i'm not sure if i'll even use them, but please count on me to make this a fic that will touch your heart and perhaps make you feel all fuzzy inside.

send me all your love in your heart. hopefully, i will get out of this depression rut and start finally doing something. perhaps write a full page. if i don't post this sunday, know that i'm so sorry. i mean it.

mwah,

luna

[cuprohastes]

Job Scam.

I'm applying for work again because... well I need work. That's life, welcome to Capitalism.

Which means that I'm getting a lot of scam emails and Telegram messages.

And because I am boooored, Klytus, I thought I'd share. It's a real email and real situations, but maybe it helps someone learn how to spot a bad email!

ONE Telegram Scam

Take a drink. Hydrate, you raisin!

If anyone contacts you about a job paid in USDT it's not a typo, that's a crypto coin. They're planning on 'paying' you in crypto then oh dear you need to pay them real money to get your balance out, which turns out to be... fake.

There's no actual coin in the wallet.

The jobs are usually review bombing restaurants or something skeezy. But it sounds like easy money — $100 for 60 minutes work!

Rule of thumb: If it's too good to be true — it isn't, no matter how desperate you are.

TWO Fake emails.

Take a look at this:

from: Danny@meetacpgroup.co.uk Hey Cuprohastes the most magnificent online dragon in the whole world (who's tail we are not worthyt o glance at) NAME! I hope you are having a lovely day so far. I can imagine over the last couple of weeks your email inbox will be full, so I will keep it short for you.  I received your cv from one of the job boards we work with and would love to discuss further on the phone with you.  We are looking for people to work directly with us and not through an agency. Our clients have huge goals for us for 2024 and we want to make sure we have teams trained up ready to meet the demands.  Potential candidates will be invited to join a Zoom video call with us to discuss our openings in a lot more detail but firstly I would like to catch up with you over a quick call. Our appointments are filling up quickly. Please call me on my number below to discuss this further. I look forward to speaking to you soon. *PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST BE ABLE TO WORK FULL TIME AND BE OVER THE AGE OF 18* *WE CAN NOT EMPLOY ANYONE ON TIER 4 STUDENT VISAS* All the best, Danny 07824645464 Leeds City Centre

OK I highlighted some of the red flags.

Let's check that number: 07824645464

Whocalledme (who-called.co.uk) shows that this is a scam where multiple people are invited to a Zoom meeting, and you're kicked for asking for details.

Second, let use Due Dilligence the website.

Meetacp.co.uk appears genuine if generic, and you can look them up on Companies House

Companies House is the UK government's public list of all companies that have registered as a legal company. It supplies their registered address, officers and financial reports, so investors can check that they're y'know, real.

However, the email is from meetacpgroup.co.uk — A quick check of meetacpgroup.co.uk shows… no website. The domain is registered so that email can be sent and received, but there's no site.

After that, the rest is basically an irrelephant, but:

Nobody is listing their address as the entire city of Leeds. Real businesses have addresses. Because they don't need to hide.

We received your details from *mumble*. Really? You can't tell me where you got my info? Is that because you don't want me to go "Wait, I don't use that site!"?

Business correspondence usually has more than a first name

There's no branding or legal boilerplate on the original email either — It all came as plain text.

There's a part about appointments filling up quick to make you stop and call right away stop thinking don't check just call!

No serious job offers tarts with "Call us". They'll either arrange a time over email or refer you to a web page with a date picker.

OK So. Down the memory hole. Stay safe, and for that one reader: You forgot your meds again.

[ilivemydreamsthere]

Hello there!

60-year special make me come back. I also decided to post and show you what I am working on.

For those who don't know me, I was the one always obssesing about Missy version of the Master. This story starts right after the Grace funeral. It will be a centrally longer story planing on 12 chapters.

Tw : Doctor has a panick attack.

I am again obssed with Missy and her love for the Doctor...

Take this like just little sneak peak....

----------

Of lost years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds.

She had seen too many funerals. She stayed hidden in the corner. She wasn't in fact thinking of Grace and Graham when she should. Her mind was racing.

She lost so many people. Oh so many.

Rose, Donna , Wilfred, Amy, Rory ….River, Master …Missy.

Every thought on every name hurts. She never grieves over people she lost, she usually just tries to move away and keep a smile on face. Any face she was wearing.

She felt tears on face and couldn't anymore listen to people speaking of Grace no. She looked outside and her lips left gasp for air. People didn't look at her, everyone lost in their own grief.

Was it what she thought it was? Or was it just a shadow?

Definitely just a shadow she couldn't see right?

She hid her face in her hands for a moment. She had to be dreaming there is no possibility she would see her, right?

“Doctor?” The voice brings her back minutes later from her own mind. She could feel a gentle touch on her arm. She looked up and saw the hazelnut eyes of Yaz.

“Are you alright?”

“Me? Definitely. I am alright “ She shakes head and stands up. “I should go. Before any of you get hurt. All I do is hurt people “ She said wiping her own tears from face.

Yasmine watched her and pulled her in a hug for a short moment. “You aren't hurting people. I am sure you do more than that.”

Doctor for a moment allowed herself to be held. She felt for a single moment. “I should leave Yaz” She whispered more to herself than Yaz. She bit her lips and let the girl go. She shakes head and leaves the room. She needed air. It suffocated her. She walked out quickly without looking back.

She felt how her chest started to hurt. If she would be a human she would be sure it's her heart. But right now she knows. That feeling which was so close to overcoming its huge anxiety and guilt. All feelings she tries to stop herself from feeling.

She rushed inside her Tardis and leaned about the door from inside. There she allowed herself to feel it. Her lips left a long scream of pain and all these gathered feelings and she hit the door with both fists.

She felt tears in her eyes which were about to spill and the Tardis made a long beeping sound trying to calm her Doctor.

Then a soft knock on the door came. “Doctor, are you here? Can you come out please. “

She sighed when she heard Yasmine with others. She didn't want to go anywhere. She mumbled words in old Gallifreyan language. She took a long , shaky breath and opened the door after she stood up.

“Doctor…we come say goodbye “ Graham spoke and pulled Doctor to hug. He spoke quietly. “It's not your fault I know it's not “ He said quietly and when he let her eyes meet.

“Yaz said you are wanting to just disappear on us. “ Rayn spoke as he crossed his arms a little.

Doctor shaked head and she wanted to say more but when all four of them shared a hug she couldn't tell the difference. “Do you really wanna go with me to see the universe and see stars?” She asked the question and when they spoke back she had to smile. They wanted to go with her.

She chuckled little “that will give you a bit of shock come in “ She spoke and opened Tardis door. The tardis make another noise. Noise which doesn't seem to be such a distress like a moment back. More like humming.

“Welcome to the Tardis. And don't be shocked, it's indeed bigger on the inside!” She said and let all of 3 of them in. “Fam …you should wait “ She rushed to the control panel and pulled for some levers and characteristic noise came out of the Tardis rotor. She smiled hearing it.

“I will show you the way to your room when you are here with me. And I…” Doctor looks for the right words, her eyes still on the sensor on the control panel. There was someone in her own room. There were very few people who could be here and Tardis would let them inside.

“I need a long shower!” She said smiling “come on!” She said talking to them in many Tardis corridors. “Yaz you first!” She said and her voice echoed by the hall.

The girl opened the door and her eyes widened “I love that!” She said stepping in the room. Doctor smiled and Tardis still could modify it to people she decided to bring in.

“Graham there and yours here Rayan “ She said, showing on both doors. “I need my shower. My room is far to this hall at the end “ She explained and left both boys and Yasmine behind. She walked quickly. When she open the door of her room she gasped a little. There was no one. The room was empty. Having the huge bed in the middle of the bed was a huge library. She walked slowly to bed. Then she heard a voice from the corner where the door to the bathroom was located.

“You finally could afford the upgrade?”

She closed her eyes and she was sure she was dreaming imagining.

“You aren't here. “ She spoke back, her voice lower. The tears were about to spill out again.

“Oh I am indeed here my dear Doctor “ The voice continued and became more surprised as the Doctor sat on the ground and hid her face as if she wouldn't want to look at her. She basically wrapped herself in the fetal position not wanting to hear or rather didn't want to believe that she is in fact here and alive.

Doctor could feel hand on her shoulder and then feel the weight of the hug. No more words were spoken for a moment till she didn't look up, meeting the familiar eyes of Missy.

“It's a post regeneration mess or you really can't be without me…” The teasing voice trailed off when she realized the blonde in her arms is in fact crying. Missy didn't think just traced her fingertips on the Doctor's face. “Shhh I am alive. You won't get rid of me easily. Don't speak just ..” Missy decided immediately and leaned down a little more her lips touched Doctors and her fingers gently moved to her hair. She kind of expected the Doctor would hit her but the hit didn't come. Doctor decided immediately she slowly put her arms around Missy and now they had been holding each other in embrace and the kiss made it even better.

“So I am not dreaming, will you stay travel to the stars with me ,” She spoke against her archenemy lips.

“Yes. I will. But first get up Doctor, you know well after regeneration you need to rest. Or you will pass out and from what I understood you saved these little humans again. “ She spoke, helping her up slowly and then in bed.

Doctor kicked down shoes and pulled down her coat. “Be here when I wake up if you won't. I will track you in the end of universe and ….” She closed her eyes and opened them quickly. “And what killed me ?” Missy chuckled a little bit.

“Killing! Don't…I have 3 humans on Tardis. Be nice for once, would you for me?” The doctor asked before her eyes closed and Missy knew she had hours before the Doctor would be up to talk with her. She smiled for herself. This will be a ride. She knows it will be.

×××

[cloudbluelilybell]

INTRODUCED MY DANDY'S WORLD OC! YURIO SILVERI THE SILVER BALL!!

🖤 DANDY'S WORLD: TOON OC FILE

⚙️ YURIO SILVERI

> “I don't like you, Dandy. I mean it. I... I just—please don’t get hurt again.”

---

🌀 BASIC PROFILE

Toon Type: Silver Ball

Pronouns: They/Them (transgender)

Rarity: Main Character

💔 Hearts: 2

🎯 Skillcheck: ★★★★★

⚡ Speed: ★★★★★

🔋 Stamina: ★★★★★

👣 Stealth: ★★★★★

🔧 Extraction Speed: ★★★★★

---

🌙 PERSONALITY

Yurio is an introverted, soft-spoken Toon forged from polished steel and raw nerves. They’re helpful and deeply protective of others — even as they shrink into the shadows, afraid of hurting someone by mistake. Anxious and shy to the core, they rarely speak unless they have to, but when they do, their words carry weight — even when whispered.

They claim to hate Dandy, spitting his name with quiet venom — but underneath that icy tone is a smoldering grief. Something happened. Something that hasn’t healed. And yet, when Dandy’s in danger, Yurio still runs to protect him.

> “I said I hate you. I didn’t say I’d let you die.”

---

🛠️ ABILITIES

1. Slash Steel (Active)

> A precise, desperate strike.

Yurio attacks with a blade, wrench, or any tool at hand to stun a Twisted or hostile Toon for 160 seconds.

Cooldown: 60 seconds

“This isn’t what I was made for... but I’ll still fight.”

---

2. Watch Your Step (Passive)

> Leave something behind. Always.

Wherever Yurio walks, they scatter razor-sharp metal tips. If a Twisted Toon steps on one:

Nearby toons gain +90% Extraction Speed

+100% Speed Boost

It’s their way of fighting — not with fists, but with foresight.

---

🃏 CARD FLAVOR

> “Made of gleaming metal, Yurio fears their own strength more than anything else. They try to stay quiet, helpful, in the background — terrified of breaking someone they love. They don’t talk much, but when they do, it’s often to apologize... even if they haven’t done anything wrong. Despite their resentment toward Dandy, they’re always watching him. Always ready to save him.”

---

🩸 TWISTED YURIO

> “Too fast to see... too sharp to survive.”

Twisted Yurio is a blur — a shrieking sprint of polished blades. The second they spot a toon, they charge, setting trap after trap, painting the ground with danger. One slash from their gleaming blade drops a toon down to 2 hearts instantly.

But — a flicker of hope. This twisted version is obsessed with the machines. If one’s active nearby, they might stop. Stare. Twitch.

And that’s your only chance.

---

🧿 TRINKET: Silver Locket Necklace

A small heart-shaped locket engraved with spinning gears. When a toon drops to 1 heart, the locket activates:

Shields the wearer for 1 second

Boosts Extraction Speed slightly

> “It’s not a weapon. It’s a reminder. I still care… even if I say I don’t.”

And here's their dialogue

🎙️ YURIO SILVERI — VOICE LINES

---

🛠️ Machine Finished (x3)

> (soft, murmured — like they’re talking more to themselves than anyone else)

1. “It’s... it’s working. For now.”

2. “All done. Please don’t break. Please...”

3. “Okay. One less thing to worry about... I hope.”

---

🛗 Elevator Ascending to Next Floor (x3)

> (a mix of wonder, unease, and underlying dread — this ride feels too calm)

1. “I don’t trust this quiet.”

2. “Next floor... same fear.”

3. “Going up... but where’s the way out?”

---

🗡️ Ability Activation (x5)

> (depending on the ability — ranging from scared to focused to protectively fierce)

1. (Slash Steel): “Don’t touch them— just don’t!”

2. (Slash Steel): “I warned you...”

3. (Watch Your Step triggers): “You shouldn’t have stepped there...”

4. (Any): “I’m not strong... but this is.”

5. (Slash Steel or trap use): “You made me do this.”

---

🌙✨ YURIO Interactions (Full of soul, glitches, care & spark)

---

🕳️ Boxten (5⭐ | Worried BFFs)

Boxten:

(quietly, fidgeting) “Y-Yurio… are you sure you're okay? You looked like… like you were in pain…”

Yurio:

(softly smiling, hiding tremble) “I always look that way, Boxten… but thanks for asking. You’re... one of the only ones who see it.”

---

💫 Toodles (5⭐ | Encouraging Friend)

Toodles:

“HEY! You sparkle like a comet! No one's allowed to be sad when they have shiny knife wings, okay?!”

Yurio:

(snorts, covering a grin) “...You're loud... but kinda brave. Maybe I’ll borrow that from you... just for today.”

---

🔎 Rodger (5⭐ | Trusted Advisor)

Rodger:

“Doubt can cut deeper than your blades. But you wield them both—one for others, one for yourself. Don’t forget to sheath the second.”

Yurio:

(nodding slowly) “I never thought of it that way. Thank you... I needed that clarity.”

---

🌬️ Flyte (5⭐ | Chill Vibes BFF)

Flyte:

“Hey... saw you zoning out again. Wanna sit by the fans? Just vibe for a bit?”

Yurio:

(leans back beside him, eyes closed) “Yeah... your stillness makes my chaos quieter.”

---

🍫 Cocoa (5⭐ | Sweet Concern)

Cocoa:

“Sweetheart... are you okay? Your glow’s been flickering lately...”

Yurio:

(quietly) “I don’t know. But hearing you say that... makes it a bit warmer in here.”

---

🎄 Rudie (5⭐ | Christmas & Loyalty)

Rudie (dialogue 1):

“Hey! Don’t forget—I’m your ride or die. Don’t let anyone dim your shine, okay? Not even yourself.”

Yurio:

(teary grin) “You’re… you’re still my only friend, Rudie.”

—

Rudie (dialogue 2):

“AND THEN! I put up twenty-seven ornaments with my eyes closed—with socks on! Can you believe it!?”

Yurio:

(softly laughs, smiling genuinely) “...You really love Christmas, huh? Keep talking, I’m listening.”

---

🔄 Blot (5⭐ | Friend, Talks Backwards)

Blot:

“...uoy era yeh?” (“hey are you... okay?”)

Yurio:

(tilting head, smiling) “You always make me think in spirals, Blot. But yes. I’m surviving.”

---

🌌 Flutter (5⭐ | Mute, Best Friend)

Flutter:

“...!” (concerned fluttering, reaches out and holds Yurio’s sleeve)

Yurio:

(gentle) “You say more in silence than most do in speeches… Thank you, Flutter.”

---

🎭 Razzle & Dazzle (5⭐ | Ride-or-Die Twins)

Razzle:

“We love ya, Yurio! You’re like… neon steel and soft clouds!”

Dazzle:

“You’re too cool to cry alone. We’ve got your back, metalhead.”

Yurio:

(choked up) “You two always... make the static fade.”

---

🔥 Dandy (5⭐ | Hate, Crush, History)

Dandy (dialogue 1):

“...Yurio. Do you still… hate me? For... hurting myself back then?”

Yurio:

(turns, voice cracking) “I don’t hate you... I just hate that I still care.”

—

Dandy (dialogue 2):

“WAIT—are you okay with—your, uh, the sheer on your back?! Are you hurting? Are you—”

Yurio:

(blushes faintly) “Relax... it’s just cloth. You're the one making my circuits overheat.”

---

🌠 Astro (5⭐ | Quiet Comfort, Crush)

Astro (dialogue 1):

“...Night's quiet. You... okay out here?”

Yurio:

“Yeah. Your silence makes it less lonely.”

—

Astro (dialogue 2):

“W-wait—your back! Are your wings okay?! They sparked earlier—”

Yurio:

(nervous laugh) “They spark like my crushes. Loud, sharp, and unexpected.”

---

🧑‍🍳 Sprout (5⭐ | Overprotective Panic, Crush)

Sprout (dialogue 1):

“KITCHEN’S ON FIRE—Wait, YOU’RE BLEEDING?! Why are you bleeding?!”

Yurio:

(holding paper towel) “It’s red paint… I think.”

—

Sprout (dialogue 2):

“YURIO!!”

Yurio:

(jolts) “I’m fine!! You’re more dramatic than my blade wings…”

---

🐾 Pebble (5⭐ | BFF, Loyal Pup)

Pebble:

barks 3 times and spins in a circle

Yurio:

(chuckles) “You’re always there... even when I think I don’t deserve it.”

---

🦖 Shelly (5⭐ | Dinosaur Fan, Crush)

Shelly (dialogue 1):

“AND THEN! The Spinosaurus used its sail to scare rivals! I wonder if your wings work the same—wait, you’re not scared, right?!”

Yurio:

(smiling) “Only of feelings. Dinosaurs? Not so much.”

—

Shelly (dialogue 2):

“Wait—your sheer’s caught! Is it hurting?!”

Yurio:

“Only when I look into your eyes, Shelly…”

---

📚 Vee (5⭐ | Smart & Surprising, Crush)

Vee (dialogue 1):

“Trivia: What burns hotter—regret or passion?”

Yurio:

(flushed) “I think… it’s you.”

—

Vee (dialogue 2):

“Your knife wings are misaligned. Are you malfunctioning?!”

Yurio:

(panicked) “No—just... flustered.”

---

🎁 Bobette (5⭐ | Festive Crush)

Bobette (dialogue 1):

“If you had ONE gift—what would you want? I think I'd get you a cloak that sings!”

Yurio:

(smiling) “I’d want... peace. Or... you.”

—

Bobette (dialogue 2):

“Your feet—Yurio! Are they okay? You look like you're limping!”

Yurio:

(embarrassed) “It’s... the boots. And maybe... a little blushing.”

---

🐣 Bassie (5⭐ | Timid Crush)

Bassie (dialogue 1):

“U-Um… I l-like Easter… It’s s-soft. D-Do you like it?”

Yurio:

(gently) “I like anything soft. Like you.”

—

Bassie (dialogue 2):

“OH NO!! YOUR ARM—IS IT OKAY?!”

Yurio:

(flustered) “You’re crying more than I am… but I think I love that about you.”

And that all.

[digiblueslush]

My fellow yappers here is a whole ramble I went on to my innocent civilians friend about how stupid and inefficient the current standardized way of measuring time is, just copy pasted. It is so long that my friend even said they weren't gonna read it :( it absolutely needs a cut, but if you hate how awkward months are set up PLEASE READ I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER

Cuz like ok. I hate that the new year starts in the MIDDLE of a season. Like if you wanted a fresh start, it would make much more sense to have the new year start during a transitional phase season-wise. And personally, the start of a new school year feels more new years than new years. I also don't get why people party on new years instead of getting a good night's sleep to have the best fresh start when they're saying they've got resolutions (cuz that'll set you off on the wrong foot yk?) but that seems to be more of an American thing and personal opinion that is just confusing to me

And also, the timeframe of the year as well as more generally seasons are calculated by earth revolutions around the sun. Did they just do that once? If the change in season timing is shifting, wouldn't there be some shifting to the rotations? And orbits shift too based on other things in space so it's not an abnormal thing for it to change. Years really only serve the purpose of keeping seasons and associated weather consistent year to year, but if global warming is changing the seasons drastically it doesn't make sense to have the same distinctions as prior to the significant spike in global warming

Despite that long rant about years, months are the time system that piss me off the most (well I guess, it's technically how months and weeks and days interact)

You're gonna have differently lengthed months, with February having significant differences to every other month with it typically being 2 days shorter than the 30 day months and 3 days shorter to 31 day months. If we're sticking with the same week length of 7 days, if there were 13 months, every month would have exactly 4 weeks/28 days, every month would start on the same day and end on the same day, moon cycles and menstrual cycles would be significantly easier to predict and keep track of, and adjusting it this way has absolutely no effect on the environmental timing of things and it is simply and organization thing. Makes me wonder if the main reason there's 12 instead of 13 is because of religion and superstition, and there was initially 10 months until I think it was Julius Cesar added himself in there (and this is pre science/specific astronomy as well (well duh) so length of years and days weren't based off of scientific things yet) AND speaking of science, months ARE from that perspective 28 days long because they are based on the rotation of the moon, yet god forbid the number 13 and more predictable menstrual cycles -___-

That still doesn't fix the issue of leap year, but leap year is a concept that is a bit too difficult for me to try to think of a solution for

I also will say that the shorter increments of time that effect these larger increments of time are fucking horrible too. Why are we measuring 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour? I know there is most likely some historical or scientific precedence to that, but if those measurements were reformed into more convenient standards (like minutes being 100 seconds ect. Ect.) it would most like make the observable times with the sun and the earth more evenly rounded because really the only reason these measurements exist is because we felt the need for more structure so the system of time was made. Yes the earth travels around the sun, but people are the ones who decided how long that took in the form of deciding how time was measured, and furthermore people are the reason that that is correlated with how larger segments of time are organized and now that the majority of the world is interconnected so heavily, there is most likely very few groups of people who don't follow the same system for time, making the possibility of changing the way the system of time works near impossible (tho I guess America was able to switch up from the metric system, so if people fuck around and find out enough maybe) and the only way the current measurements of time can be altered is through government changes to daylight savings (which is also another hard issue to think of an easier solution for without messing with the entire structure of time as a measurement)

Daylight savings is weird but it makes sense. Initial measurements of time were based off of daylight, and it is a significant factor in productivity health and functioning for people. Maybe if the new year started when theres a significant change in daylight? Cuz that would address daylight savings time, and maybe if there were 2 years per every year? Like they're still be a whole 364/5 day year, but having the daylight time thing be a way of splitting it in half with an additional organizer might be beneficial. Plus with that you could also most like use the .25 of additional day in a year in order to accommodate for changing seasons for every "switch to shorter days" time measurement. But again, measurement, while being factual, are still human made and aren't objective systems, so maybe there's not even an extra .25 day in a year due to smaller time increment reform

[wrimbles]

Perception

I have something kinda stuck in my head from last night, I felt it worth taking some time to explore a bit. It had to do with a scene at the end of PENTA's Twitch stream last night. In this scene, Deputy Randy Wrangler has arrested another character (I didn't catch their name) for being an accomplice to some pretty sketchy criminal activity - what PENTA was calling a "car swap", which is a tedious criminal tactic which was overused as a meta for many years on NoPixel.

I don't really feel like it's my place to speculate on where the energy was coming from, and I prefer to assume that it's the character speaking, especially since PENTA specializes in playing antagonistic characters - but this specific part of the interaction was what stuck with me. I could only capture 60 seconds for a clip, so please feel free to watch the VoD for more context, this clip grabs as much relevant context as I could fit in the time restriction.

What I want to comment on specifically is how the suspect character was, from my perception as an artist and art enthusiast, genuinely sharing their interest and passion... and in a very approachable way. They seemed to choose a genre of art that was contemporary and popular - polka trash. Which, admittedly, has an unfortunately unapproachable name. Even with my art experience, I have to say the name was new to me... but the second I looked it up, I recognized it. The character was very right to have been using tattoos as a gateway into that conversation, to bridge the culture gap. Here's an example of polka trash art:

As you can see, a pretty clear meld of abstract and representational art, in a way that makes sense - it clearly has a distinctly different personality and feel than it would if it were just the portrait or the abstract elements alone.

Yet... this attempt to connect from the prisoner was met instantly with suspicion. First, the deputy tests him by challenging him to name several different types of art. Then, just moments later, uses the information provided (four referenced "types" of art - cubism, realism, "abstract" and polka trash) against the prisoner, accusing him of being "borderline insufferable", saying he looks down his nose at people because they don't know a few "key phrases".

I've encountered this interaction several times in real life. Where one party is genuinely trying to share a passion, something they have dedicated years of their life to, and the other party enters the interaction with suspicion, tests the initiator, and then uses the test afterward as some form of ad hoc "evidence" to prove their suspected malicious motive. Not unlike, say... accusing an eccentric woman of being a "witch", asking her a bunch of biased test questions to gather more "evidence" to confirm your preexisting suspicions, then condemning her exclusively on your fabricated evidence. No motive, no physical evidence - just suspicion and execution - which in the legal world might fall under... malicious prosecution? I'm not experienced in law, so that's sort of a shot in the dark.

The irony of that situation is... though you could definitely argue that the initiator's actions could be perceived as condescending or malicious through a certain lens, the response is certainly suspicious and hostile. There is zero question there. The only debate there is - is it "self-defense", or is it unwarranted aggression?

I've been mulling this over all morning, specifically the mechanics of how that could even be misperceived by the deputy. What is happening in his head? What is he seeing/thinking that is resulting in this interpretation? Is he hearing a tone that I don't hear? Is he referencing a negative memory from his own past?

It feels like... what the deputy is perceiving is an air of inauthenticity, akin to sarcasm, where the art enthusiast would be speaking about art in a similar way to how... well... how lawyers, judges and police officers use "legalese" to refer to common everyday situations in ways that are very specific... but can be confusing and feel demeaning to the layman, even to legal veterans in some cases. This is to the point where the difference between "reasonable suspicion (RS)" and "probable cause (PC)" is a constant dead-horse beaten in the PD, despite being taught in academy since day one. Is the suspicion in this case sourcing from... the police officer being so used to linguistic gymnastics being used to try to confused them and undermine them that when they hear new unfamiliar jargon... they just immediately assume that's what's happening?

Or maybe it's a matter of... cliché, of stereotypes and tropes. Maybe it's the trope of a snooty art critic who uses lots of big words to say "nothing" and aggressively, pompously dismisses the perspectives of laymen based on their lack of education. What does a veteran's personal opinion on an art piece - or art as a whole - have anything to do with the opinions of others? I don't believe an education in art terminology gives you any more weight in deciding whether an art piece is "good" or "bad" to you, because art is entirely subjective - art education simply gives you more context and more detailed language in order to make that personal "good" or "bad" judgement. All art critics can truly do is say, within the bounds of their experience and language, what they have observed and how they feel about an art piece.

The same goes for music. You don't need to know music theory or be an expert in banjo fabrication to make a judgement on whether you like a song, but that education may further enhance the complexity of your judgement, and assist you in communicating why and how the piece makes you feel the way that you do. For example, a song from a horror movie that is intentionally made dissonant and unsettling would be overwhelmingly successful if you were so uncomfortable that you had to stop listening to the song out of discomfort. Some would say they "hated" the music, because it made them have a reaction they didn't want, and they would attribute that "bad" feeling to the music itself being "bad", despite it expertly accomplishing everything it set out to do.

I firmly believe that there is an extremely common false equivalence between "I don't like how this makes me feel" or "I don't understand this and at this point I'm afraid to ask" and "this is bad", and that frequently is a result of not merely a lack of education, but a present refusal to try to learn more.

As a parallel here, let me share a personal story. The only time I've ever personally encountered a "snooty art critic". It was my senior art show, we had a guest artist come in for a critique which was going to be a big part of our final grade. We were directed to choose one piece to have judged by this guest judge, a local artist, and a panel of professors. I chose a piece that I made independently of my classes, it didn't fit in any of my prompted coursework and was immensely personal to me, indisputably the single piece I was most proud of. This piece was an acrylic painting of a woman wrapped in unravelling black ribbons, levitating in the middle of a landscape and being drawn by her heart up towards the full moon. It's a recurring image that appeared to me in dreams over and over. This was hand-painted on the first guitar I ever owned. That means, in order to execute this art piece, I had to risk permanently "ruining" my first guitar, which was a cherished possession of mine that I got when I was 12. What I got from this critique was worse than harsh criticism, worse than insults, worse than cryptic jargon that didn't actually say anything... I was told this "was not art" because it was painted on a practical object, and because of that, they refused to critique it as art.

In the story above, the guest artist was certainly using their identity as an "art expert" in a way that read very clearly as "I know art better than you, I am the expert here, and I am telling you that your art is not art." They didn't need to use jargon for that. To put it in food critic terms, they didn't grade or even taste my food because they deemed it "not fit to be food" at first glance. That's a step beyond a misunderstanding, that's blind judgement and ignorance. That, in my personal experience, set the bar for what a real art snob looks like. I almost didn't graduate college because of that shit.

I just went to my local paper and read 3 art reviews to try to find a single example of "pretentious art speak" that was "snooty", "condescending" or incomprehensible to someone with access to a thesaurus. Every single bit of every one of them was very approachable, surprisingly so, though some did include some flowery language like "mélange" and "cohesive". But some people like to spice up their writing with language like that, like throwing a dash of hot sauce on your eggs, I don't really think that alone is so far from approachable when used in a creative medium to be automatically presumed as malicious or anti-social.

So yes, an academic going around throwing out constant jargon like "stippling" and "batique" and "imposto" and "tromp l'oeil" can be just as upsetting as people who say "fruit of the poisonous tree" or "Terry frisk" or whatever. But what makes that... aggressive, offensive or condescending is not what language is being used, it's what message is being communicated and ultimately what the intention behind it is. If the language is being intentionally used to deceive the other person in the conversation, that's an issue. But how can you prove that intention if you literally don't understand what the other person is saying?! It seems as superficial, reflexive and ignorant as presuming everyone who speaks a foreign language is inherently hostile.

As far as I see, there's a chain-of-thought going on that is basically this - first, they hear a word they are unfamiliar with. They associate that term with elitism, with cartoonish prejudiced tropes, and automatically assume prejudice against themselves. Rather than clarifying what the word means and verifying intentions, they "mind-read" intentions, bypassing any form of investigation and immediately presuming guilt, and then preemptively counter those presumed intentions. Their response is a smug "gotcha, you can't fool me" type of response, which... in cases like this... turns out to be a completely unfounded outburst.

Moments like these upset me very deeply. I see them frequently. In fact, the more jargon I learn from different fields, the more knowledge I accrue from different disciplines, the more I see them. In a moment where we have an opportunity to both learn and teach, a moment to grow as a group, experience new things and connect... instead, there is ignorance, suspicion and hostility.

It makes me especially sad because I have been that person in the past in my younger years. I am grateful that I have learned how limiting that mindset was to my personal growth, and I try every day to see the learning opportunity in everything. However, moments like this often make me scared to teach, despite a strong desire to pass on what I have learned. I have no doubt this pattern of social behavior has existed as long as the human ego has been in existence, so I frankly don't expect it to change anytime soon... so, I guess the life lesson I am getting from this is...

If we put selflessness, generosity, kindness and teaching into the admittedly excessively broad category of "Good", and put selfishness, gatekeeping, prejudice and persecution into the admittedly excessively broad category of "Evil"... I would say the lesson I'm getting out of all of this is... Just because "Evil" exists in the world and is often staring us in the face... shouldn't discourage us from doing "Good", even though it's hard, deeply unfair and often feels dangerous. In fact, it's arguable that because "Evil" exists in the world, and "Evil" begets (sires, creates more through reproduction) more "Evil"... that makes acting from a place of "Good" in these moments especially important. And one thing I'm really trying to practice in my own experience of being human, is being "Good" in the face of "Evil", despite the presence of "Evil". Looking "Evil" in the eyes, and being "Good" regardless. And not allow the self-serving/self-preserving mindset of others to pressure me into acting in "Evil" ways myself, either through active forms such as retaliation and punishment... or through passive forms such as retreat and prejudice.

Yeah, this is all a bit deep to be extrapolating from a Twitch clip, right? Welcome to art - where exploring the experience of reality, existence and our own creativity is encouraged, not dismissed as frivolous useless nonsense. Because within every prompt lies how we feel about it, and our feelings are a reflection of our self, and our story. Ultimately, I've found that the more we explore in this manner, the more we learn about ourselves, which provides tremendous opportunity for personal growth.