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britt-kageryuu · 4 months ago

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Leo and Donnie are in the middle of playing a 2 Player Co-OP game, trying to figure out where to go next because it seemed the current objective was a bit glitchy. They've had to restart the game 3 times already.

Though right when they were gonna give up.

"Pizza Delivery!" Mikey sings as he walks into the studio.

The game is quickly paused, but they don't have a chance to get up, because Mikey appears behind them with plates of pizza.

"Meat Lovers for Dee, and Supreme for Blue!" Mikey says as he places their respective plates on their sides of the desk.

Leo leans over and grabs a couple cans of drink from a mini fridge under Donnies desk.

"Excuse us chat were going to be having a bit of lunch," Leo says while Donnie switches the scene over, "We're gonna leave our models on screen, just not the AR stuff. Dee?"

Donnie had finished switching from AR to the diner background with their models in a booth.

"Inquiring Hum."

Leo turns to look at Donnie, "Are we going to leave the mic on so they can hear us, or are we gonna leave them with just our models moving?" He questions.

"Oh, yes. We're going to leave the mic on. Just don't say anything stupid." The purple turtle says flatly, "Anything new you want to share with the chat?"

Leo pauses to think for a second.

"Well, there's the weird amounts of pressure that I keep hearing about on the medical side of things. Like I heard about some restrictions that some people are trying to enforce, but since the clinic is privately owned they can't really force us to do anything." Leo pauses to take a bite and sip his drink, "Which is why we keep so many clients. That and we don't charge them an arm and a leg for their meds. How bout you?"

"I am greatly annoyed with a quest item stuck in my inventory, because the only way to activate the attached quest is to complete a series of random quests, and have 5 of them be for a specific city. And the last 4 times I asked for one quest type it was in the same city everytime." Donnie ramble out with little huffs, "Do you know how hard it is to find objects that are labeled as 'Steal' that count toward that quest after the first 2 times? I stress this, Very. I STOLE 10 Fancy Outfits and THEY DIDN'T COUNT! I HAD TO STEAL FROM A SHOPKEEPER I LIKE TO GET THE TOTAL!" They get louder as they complain about the quests.

Chat is filled with shocked and DeeCain emojis, if only because Donnie doesn't get this heated over a game, unless it's competitive. Or Mario Party and Uno. The chat thought they'd possibly witness a fratricide during those streams.

The chat gained a new respect for and fear of Mikey during those times... who could've predicted that the one with degrees in psychology was the scariest of the brothers.

Leo just watches his twin with a raised eyebrow ridge. Very used to this behavior, just sips his drink. "Yeah, that would be annoying. Did I tell you about the random Karen that somehow wandered into the clinic, and started to threaten to shut us down for 'violating her values with our allowance of immoral procedures', or something. She was part of why we had to move once."

Donnie seems to just snap back into a neutral emotion, "I believe I remember you complaining about this woman. Mainly from needing to find a new location that could accommodate the needs of the clinic." They affirm before taking a big bite from his pizza.

They continue chatting for a good half hour chatting while finishing their food, then continuing from where they left off in the game.

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Masterpost

Donnies rant is from my current frustration with the Skyrim Thieves Guild quests. I have a quest item stuck in my inventory, and the only way to activate the quest is to get 5 jobs in Markoth, and it keeps sending me to Whiterun, Windhelm, and Riften. I still need 3 more~▪

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cloveroctobers · 1 year ago

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COMEDY — SYDNEY ADAMU [Summer Writings]

A/N: always imagined writing for Syd and I guess the time has finally arrived…only took three seasons but my girl deserves better and better is what she’s gonna get from me! This piece is set mostly in the final episode of season three as a heads up ❤️

S|N: there was a prompt list that I wanted to go off of to use for you the reader but now I can’t find it so I’m just going off the little I remember. Which is: you being a cyclist.

WARNINGS: language, self-doubt, neighbor trope, + mentions of sexual harassment.

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Having a new neighbor was interesting to say the least. You didn’t think she was fond of you after running into her twice, sneaking in the first time and nearly running your bike over her feet as she seemed to be in a rush herself. She looked as if she was the type of person that if she knew that she had to be somewhere by a certain time, she would be there much earlier than needed.

You on the other hand? Operated on your own time, not sticking to routines as much after your quest to turn into a pro cyclist fell through, and you were stuck working a shitty retail job down at the dollar general (shut out to your general studies degree, your mother did aways say you should have studied something more valuable although she didn’t go to college herself and felt like her money was wasted on you compared to your older sister who lived in South Africa as a zoologist)…where you basically came in when you wanted since the manager never knew how to schedule the four of you—yes—FOUR of you properly. You did what you needed to survive, just like anyone.

The second time you got her attention was when you buzzed her apartment, annoyingly on her day off, contemplating about the contract agreement in the emptiness of her living room.

“Uh…yeah?” She pressed.

“Oh good! You’re home. I thought I was going to have to bug Anita instead and she’s the last one I want to talk to.”

“Who’s Anita?” Sydney paused before asking although she had a feeling who, “And who am I speaking with?”

“She’s on our floor,” you shift from one leg to the other feeling the violent urge to pee, “with the big 80’s curly hair, she talks to herself and at times it is a little concerning and she’s a bit of a Karen. You’ll know once you see her when she’s constantly asking if you live here after seeing her a handful of times and as for me? I’m one of your best neighbors, Ms. Lady with the Colorful hair scarfs.”

“It’s Sydney.” She replies and you nod your head finding that name to be fitting, “Oh yeah, the other guy with the abnormally big octopus tattoo on his cheek told me about you. You always forget to bring your keys, right?”

Oscar.

You thought to yourself in irritation, “Oscar raw dog’s his crocs, so you shouldn’t take his word for anything.”

Sydney laughs, finding this apartment building much more entertaining (so far) than the one she left previously behind but never her dad. “Am I sensing a little tension there or…”

“That’s another story for another time! Can you please buzz me in or else I’m going to have to go right on this sidewalk and I really don’t need another public indecency charge.”

You were honest, Sydney could admit but she also didn’t want to be the one to let a stranger, if you were a stranger into the building if you weren’t really who you said you were you know?

“…how do I know you really live here and aren’t just stalking one of the other tenants?” Sydney quizzed, trying to remember just what you looked like in passing.

“Because stupid Oscar told you I like to forget my keys on purpose?” You remind while Sydney slowly realizes this, although you can’t see this revelation on her face you keep going, “I live at the end of the hall from you, I even used to date Oscar’s sister, but she cheated on me and tried to gaslight me and then took the dog—which honestly looked like a fucking dust bunny in the dark so I’m not really all that upset about it—

“What kind of dog?” She chortles, but the curiosity is also evident beneath it.

You started dancing to the beat of The Fresh Prince in your head, which somehow always worked when you were about to piss on yourself—apologies for being unladylike or unpersonlike but hey when you have to go you have to go, “some Asian breed that starts with a P…Pekingese? Yeah Pekingese!”

“…I don’t know what the hell that is?” Sydney pats at her scalp.

“It’s like a failed experiment of a pug and Pomeranian!” You inform, “It’s actually awful looking, and my know it all sister would scold me for being discriminatory to animals but whatever! Um, How else can I convince you person in the nice cold building while I’m out here at risk of getting a heat stroke?! The basement is horror level scary so if you have to go down there—make sure you have somebody with you or just don’t? There’s also a squeaky floorboard in the middle of our hallway, a weird stain on the wall that’s shaped like a top hat?” You ramble.

A buzzing noise sounds right after your last word and you deeply exhale, yanking the front door open to hold with your backside while you rolled your bike in. “Thanks neighbor! Hope to run into you soon.”

“Ah, dont mention it!” You hear Sydney call, “and maybe invest in a clip for your keys?”

“With the way my cobweb bank account is set up? Not likely, girl! Timmy the toilet is calling my name! Catch you later!”

Sydney shakes her head, letting go of the button to glance at her open laptop and sigh choosing to head into the kitchen instead for some frozen waffles for dinner.

Despite the fact that Sydney is hardly at her new apartment, she finds a paper bag with handles on her door knob when she gets in one night. Carefully she peeks in it while opening the door to her apartment, once inside she pulls out a new satin scarf. It’s a golden yellow with white polka dots on it with a note attached.

~Welcome to the building + thanks for letting me in the other day. I think you’ll like this? If not? I’d never know! —your neighbor ____at 84H.

Which started something between you two without really knowing each other. All you knew was each other’s names now, you had handwriting that honestly resembled calligraphy—something Sydney would have never guessed you were into but you also picked up that when you did see Sydney, she seemed to have a scarf covering her braids majority of the time. She wore them well so you thought why not? It wasn’t anything overly expensive but it was thought that counts?

~What’s your go to midnight snack? —your neighbor Syd @ 84D.

Was on a lime green post it on your door days later. It became your thing, leaving little notes every couple of days on each others door, in a way it became a silent message to let each other know that you both were still around even if you never had the chance to officially be face to face.

So you attempted to draw a horrible picture of what that may be and then drew an x right over it. You weren’t crafty in that way, writing a message beside the terrible picture saying: a struggle meal. A grilled cheese but jelly as the cheese and jalapeño chips. Are you a board game person or video gamer?

Days seemed to get hectic after that in the both of your lives that the post it game seemed to die down just a little. Summer hours seemed to increase since the two teenagers that you worked alongside of preferred to be outside rather than inside—you didn’t blame them. One of them ended up quitting, the other lied and said they sprained their ankle but their Instagram said they were really hanging out at the river, so it was down to you and your elderly coworker Janice, who was actually in chronic pain, and then your manager was “temporarily,” on leave after a customer complained of sexual harassment.

The look you and Janice shared said enough, you believed the customer.

So now you had a new manager from fucking North Dakota…you had no clue what was even out there and they had a whole different approach. They had a neighborly spirit that you wished the scarce people at your building had—except for Sydney of course. The new manager was actually out on the floor, greeting customers and asking if they needed any help! They even gave you and Janice a choice during your eight hour shift, you can alternate between the register and stocking or just pick your role for the shift. They also kept checking in making sure the both of you were well mentally (ha!) and if you needed to take a ten minute break before your actual lunch.

She was a dream but definitely wouldn’t last.

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride?” The North Dakotan asked, already in her pick up truck as you fumbled around with the chains to your bike.

Janice already beeped her horn twice in her Volkswagen Beetle, speeding out of the parking lot with Fleetwood Mac flowing from the windows. You snickered, hand waving in the air as you turned back to the chains, finally getting it unlocked.

“Thanks for the offer but one thing about me, I love this bike more than anything and as long as I can still ride it? I’ll choose this over any car or train any day.”

The manager smiles, “alright then, you have a good night. Get home safe, will you?”

“I’ll try my best.”

You’re limping towards your apartment, it’s late and the sky had this milky fog to hide the sense of dread—or was it grief that sat in your heart? You’re just at your door, body sore, spokes ruined from your bike but as bad as you felt you heard the huffing and sniffing from your left.

Picking up on the braids right away, you know it’s Sydney and it doesn’t appear that she’s having a good night although she’s dressed as if the night was supposed to be. Leaving your bike against your door, you pause, debating if you wanted to get involved or if she would even want to bothered with you while she’s having a moment. You use the act of your post it’s as the okay to be neighborly and check on your neighbor at the end of the hall.

The hallway feels like forever to get to Sydney but her round eyes widen in bewilderment as she feels you groaning to plop down next to her.

“Oh my god,” she gasps as she scans over your features with damp under eyes, “…w-what happened to you?”

Lolling your head to meet her gaze, you grin at her, ignoring the sting of the scrape on your chin and say, “I might have saw hell not too long ago.”

Sydney shifts, using the back of her hand to wipe at her nose, “I—don’t know how to respond to that.”

You explain, “Well apparently we all have to go somewhere—if you believe in that kind of thing. And I guess the person upstairs said let me show you as I turned into a speed bump.”

“You were hit by a car?!” Sydney yells, although her own head felt like someone was letting the air out of a balloon and her heart felt like it pulsating in a way that was probably too slow, with her veins feeling like the whipping of traffic on the freeway.

You knew that look, even had some pill bottles that actually became decor pieces on your bedside table that were supposed to help calm the track runner fuzzies inside to relax…but the concern was evident on her face yet it wasn’t really about you tonight, this was your first time officially meeting and the both of you looked like shit. Well maybe you more so but Sydney definitely felt like it.

“Worse,” you say searching your back pocket for the rolled up pack of gummies, “A electric scooter, that looked a whole lot like my teenage little shit of a co-worker who’s been out on injury.”

You held out the gummy bears to Sydney, lifting your gaze to meet dark brown hues once more. There’s laughter that bubbles in her chest as she envisions it, her large front teeth poked out behind her lips.

“I don’t mean to laugh at you—

“Eh, I do it all the time! Glad I could be of service to you.” You tip your imaginary hat, “And you know what he had to nerve to say to me after we both skidded across the street? That I scuffed up his kicks, when he was on the wrong side of the road!”

Sydney cupped her mouth, other hand holding onto a green gummy bear, “No! That’s so wrong.”

“If he ever decides to come back to work…I’ve got something for him.”

“A hospital bill?”

“Oh no! Hospitals give me the ick. All medical people do.”

Sydney tilts her head to the side at this, unsure what to fully make of that but somehow understood, however felt like she should still be slightly concerned that you didn’t get yourself checked out! considering how scrapped up and how your hair was basically mangled. Also who knew what you looked like underneath your summer attire…Sydney was no doctor but you seemed kinda careless!

“I’m afraid to ask.” Sydney bites off the head of the candy.

“Stick him on the register and sneak out for the day once the lines start to pick up. I hate to do it to our new manager since she seems cool but…it’s what he deserves.” You tighten your eyes wickedly.

Sydney slowly nods her head at this and snorts, “where do you work?”

“Dollar general,” you say with a shrug, “you?”

Sydney deeply sighs, “I’m a chef.”

“Oh-ho! Chef Sydney. I knew there was something special about you, neighbor.” You state.

Sydney shakes her head, “No, it’s not anything really.”

“Are you kidding? That’s admirable! Unless…that’s what has you out here when the party is clearly inside?” You connected the dots, hearing some laughter beyond her door, quickly analyzing her face and kicking yourself for not keeping your inside thoughts to yourself in that moment.

Sydney pulls her bottom lip into her mouth and closes her eyes.

“You know…you never did get back to me on you being a board game person or a video gamer.” Your attempt to ease her anxieties was a nice gesture, really.

Sydney took her time (which you were patient to), sucking air in between her teeth and digging her palms into her eye sockets, “uh…board game. My favorite is: Sorry!”

Your eyes turn into slits at that and Sydney, slowly removes her hands from her eyes to look at you. “Really?”

“What? What’s wrong with sorry?”

You start to raise your hands in surrender but stop your movements as your everything aches, “Nothing. I would have thought clue, connect four, maybe even scrabble?”

“Scrabble?” Sydney scoffs, “I rather eat a block of blue cheese without a glass of water.”

Scrunching up your lips at that you quiz, “are you lactose intolerant?”

“Only the weak minded are.”

“Oh?! That’s not very empathic of you.”

You both match each other’s stares but you crack a smile first before Sydney follows through with a burst of laughter.

“You’re judging me? when you’re the one who isn’t empathic to your stomach and makes a grilled jelly sandwich stuffed with jalapeño chips of all things?” Sydney holds her stomach as she laughs.

You’re laughing with her while arguing, “I never specified if I stuffed it or not. It could have been on the side, thank you.”

Which only makes her laugh harder, the both of your shoulders touching as the sound echoes throughout the hall. There’s tears streaming down her cheeks again for different reasons while your stomach clenches with humor.

Of course that is broken up by someone clearing their throat. Both of you turn to Oscar who’s standing there holding his groceries.

“What’s so funny tonight ladies?”

You stop laughing so you can reply, “that outfit you thrifted.”

Oscar scowls, “now I see why my sister left you.”

“Fuck off! You’re probably the main one that supports her OnlyFans career.”

Sydney gasped at that while Oscar sent you a middle finger, leaving you two alone as he travels down the opposite hall to his apartment.

Glaring at him, he casts another glance in your direction and you do the honors of placing your own middle finger right against the lips you kissed at him. He quickly looks away, nearly throwing himself into his apartment with a slam of his door.

Leaning into Sydney again, you both laugh until it’s hard to breathe and that feeling is both familiar on both ends. Once you catch your breaths, you lean away to hold out your unscraped hand for her to shake, “Hey, Chef Sydney. It was nice talking to you and meeting you.”

“Likewise.” She gives a small smile while shaking your hand before you groan and moan getting back to your feet.

And she stays outside a little longer, mostly to collect herself and watch you make it back to your front door and battered bike. You send a peace sign as a goodnight, limping into your apartment after softly clicking your door shut.

Sydney sits, clasping her hands together thinking over that small moment, not realizing how important it would later be as the days continued on.

“There you are,” The British voice catches her attention and she takes his hand as he helps her to her feet.

Luca halts her movements, checking in with Sydney as she tries to brush away what that was from her face, although it clearly wasn’t something she could ignore as the problem was already on the surface.

She begins to follow Luca back into the party, stopping in the door way as she peeks back at your door, already thinking about what to say to you next on a lime green post it, while letting some laughter shine in her eyes.

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Continue with my summer anthology writings & prompts here.

#Spotify #queued #sydney adamu #sydney adamu x reader #Sydney adamu x f reader #the bear #the bear fx #the bear hulu #the bear season 3 #the bear s3 #summer writings #the bear fanfiction #ayo edebiri

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azulawriting · 28 days ago

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Destroying Amphoreus - Or why I should stop caring about Hoyoverse writing - Part 3: Why the political subplot sucked

Link to part 1, Link to part 2

It takes time to set a stage for politics. Unless writers detail power structures, their portrayal will seem trivial. That’s exactly where Amphoreus fails.

The HSR writers don’t set the stage before shoving politics in. To make matters worse, the way they try to make the political antagonists feel like a cartoonishly evil force that the player must hate at all costs backfires spectacularly on them by the end of 3.3.

So, let’s tackle the first flaw of the political plot in Amphoreus.

There was no setup

Aglaea and the Chrysos Heirs are the ones taking the important decisions all throughout the patch. From 3.0 and most of 3.1, the Council is not an issue. As far as we know, the Council of Elders in Okhema guards Kephale’s Coreflame, and their relationship is at least diplomatic. Roughly 6h into 3.0, there is a tense conversation between Elder Caenis and Aglaea, but it’s never brought up for the rest of 4h of that patch and, as Aglaea says, “It’s an empty threat”. I have no reason to believe Aglaea is downplaying the situations for reasons I’ll get to later. So, let’s continue exploring the next patch, which is 3.1.

As Aglaea explains to Krateros when she catches him in the Vortex of Genesis, “by agreement between the Chrysos Heirs and the Council of Elders, those who trespass upon the Vortex of Genesis need not be tried by the Council. I am allowed to pass judgment alone.”

Never during the first fifteen hours of Amphoreus’ Trailblaze Quests are we led to think that these two governing forces are opposing each other. If anything, besides ONE council member, it seems both factions have settled comfortably in working in tandem, or at least negotiate the power they have between each other.

Fifteen hours. That’s all of 3.0 and roughly two-thirds of 3.1. The only “hint” of conflict is a single Karen doing what Karens do best for roughly 2 minutes.

And then suddenly…

"Somehow, Palpatine returned!" kinda moment

This feels like Aglaea’s talking to the player. She’s doing the writers’ work to tease what 3.2 will be about.

3.1 puts far more effort into fleshing out the grievances from the Kremnoan refugees towards Aglaea and Okhemans as a whole than the grievances of the Council towards the Chrysos Heirs. So, I wondered if some Kremnoans are in the Council of Elders; however, the game paints a very tense relationship between Okhemans and Kremnoans in particular. No Okheman would elect a Kremnoan to the Council, even if it were possible. Though Mydei has power as a Chrysos Heir, he never wields it. His entire character arc in 3.1 is all about renouncing to his political power.

For the rest of 3.1 and about half of 3.2, we’re not led to believe there are exceptional individuals among the Council. They say Caenis killed a Chrysos Heir during her prime, but now she’s much older. An older woman, such as she, has virtually no chance against any Chrysos Heir. And it’s not just because she’s physically weaker.

Which brings me to my second point.

Aglaea has every means at her disposal to eliminate the Council

Remember that one of the first things 3.0 establishes is that it’s only thanks to Aglaea that Okhemans have something akin to cellular networks and the internet as we’d know it. That’s huge. Controlling the means of communication is not that dissimilar from having absolute control of the population.

Subsequent patches show us that not only does she own and control the means of communication, she can also use her threads to monitor people’s movements and words. Otherwise, how could she know Caenis’s intentions, or apprehend the photographer and then both Caelus and Dan Heng so quickly for blasphemy? Why would Lygus point out to Anaxa that Aglaea has a thread on him?

Aglaea can turn public opinion against the Caenis’ faction in the Council in the blink of an eye. Caenis’s faction has a crucial disadvantage: lack of secrecy. The Seamstress can track them all in real-time. Aglaea’s nymph-tracking negates any safety outside Okhema; she’ll find them, regardless.

And that’s not all. After Caenis comes to complain to Aglaea like the Karen she is, Aglaea tells Tribbie this: “Would you like me to slit their throats with golden threads? It would be done in a flash.”

If Aglaea, at any point between 3.0 and 3.1 (after the reveal that Caenis is becoming an issue) used the means at her disposal, 3.2 would’ve only had half of its runtime—perhaps less. Which the writers can’t let us have because, well, every patch now has to be as long as a work shift, if not longer.

Considering what happened in 3.3, I believe the writers realized how weak and pathetic the Council was, but the way they tried to make them “menacing” again was laughably bad.

Let’s clean up the Cleaners… and Aglaea’s death

The Cleaners came out of absolutely nowhere. Seriously, did anyone mention them prior to 3.3? Nope.

The idea itself isn’t bad. Of course normal humans, especially what Seliose did, would look for means to defend themselves against demigods. However, they’re not presented as an effective force. Phainon beats them up. Cipher beats them up. Dan Heng probably also beat them up. They don’t even break a sweat or say they were worthy opponents. They’re just the newest evil minions, or at least they should be.

So, why didn’t Aglaea fight back?

The writers set up a point in 3.2 all about how Aglaea was “losing her humanity”, how her “soul was eroding” because of the divinity she’s inherited. Let’s not forget that Cipher has held onto Zagreus’ divinity for as Aglaea has held Mnestia’s, and Worst Girl still won against a dozen Cleaners. The entire point of Aglaea losing her soul in 3.2 was because the Council believed she was a heartless tyrant who, like Seliose, would be willing and able to crush Okhemans under her thumb. Aglaea could crush them, yet she never tries.

There’s no reason Aglaea had to let herself get Julius Caeared against Caenis and her oh-so menacing Cleaners. The letter left to Phainon scrambles for reasons to make her death seem like a noble sacrifice, but it’s not. At any point, Aglaea could’ve found a dozen different ways to discredit Caenis, to oust her from power since Okhemans elect the Council. Her death was pathetic, made only for shock value.

What makes it even worse is that the absolute political genius of Caenis gained nothing from it. Her very public assassination was the dumbest move she could've made if she wanted to dethrone Aglaea.

So why make such a genius move? Because the writers must make her look as evil as possible. Otherwise, Phainon would look bad.

Remember Phainon’s speech about how violence wasn’t the way and that they all should look to become better people? In the next scene, the hypocrisy is on full display:

“Let’s become a better people, you guys… by killing the bad ones.” 😄

Ironically, the rest of the quest vindicates Caenis and the Council.

Caenis did nothing wrong

Remember that Cipher told no one they only had 300 years to complete the Flame-Chase journey? We’re, at the very least, 700 years too late. The argument Caenis and the Council had against the Chrysos Heirs was that the Flame-Chase Journey was only a vanity project from Aglaea, “the heartless tyrant”. Well, that checks out. There won’t be an Era Nova. It’s too late now.

There can’t be a return to the previous age (Era Chrysea) by killing death and deceit either, but had they done so, Okhemans would’ve realized that Worst Girl doomed them. They deserve this information. But they won’t get it because Worst Girl died alone to the Flame Reaver.

The writers also make a hundred different parallels between Aglaea and Seliose regarding the “hateful” people who scheme against them. But these two demigods are not even comparable.

Seliose was objectively someone who needed to get killed, preferably before her fusion with Aquila. The Chrysos Heirs are not an inherently friendly force if Seliose was the one who started the Flame-Chase journey after two mass killings. People ought to fear demigods like her. The plot also grants Caenis and the Cleaners demigod lifespans via “reincarnation,” revealing, incidentally, that Seliose wasn’t the only monster.

Humanity felt, for the past millennium at least, the need to have people who could not only monitor the demigods but also hold them accountable. That makes sense. Aglaea, however, poses no threat to humanity. Yet, the Council hates her with every fibre of their being. Why?

You see, I have a theory. The Council being cartoonishly evil could make sense if, since they’re not made to reincarnate over and over, they lose more and more of their soul every time they do. Caenis is at her 27th reincarnation. We could theorize that only her hatred for the Chrysos Heirs remains. The writers probably never thought they just wrote an unintentional tragedy, but this interpretation makes Caenis’ death hold far more weight than Aglaea’s.

Think about it; a powerless mortal gave everything away so she could keep watch over humanity for a thousand years. She vowed to not let demigods like Seliose destroy humanity, only to lose herself in hatred and be ultimately powerless to stop the destruction of Amphoreus at the hands of a Chrysos Heir—Cipher.

What a shame.

Part 4.

#hsr #hsr spoilers #amphoreus #honkai star rail #hsr review #3.3 spoilers #hsr critical #rant

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dalekofchaos · 3 months ago

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Context

Choice 1.

What was theorized at first. William's agony on the circuit boards or even the events of Room 1280 being canon and his remains on all those Fazbear materials creates Glitchtrap. He glitches Vanessa. Vanny is born. Vanny kills the therapists and the 9 kids to create enough remnant to rebuild William's body as Burntrap and eventually The Amalgamation.

Alternate Ruin for this scenario:Same story with Cassie but she constantly has to dodge the Amalgamation that's destroying The Pizzaplex. Gregory is trapped in the Pizzaplex with Vanny hot on his trail. In order to stop the Amalgamation, Cassie must reactivate the security systems(in this scenario MXES takes the form of The Puppet) and do a arcade type minigames to free the Glamrocks from their hacking. Save Gregory and Freddy and finally save Vanessa via Princess Quest and when the Princess frees Vanessa, Cassidy and Charlie together bring William back to UCN.

End scene:Gregory, Cassie, and Vanny eating ice cream while the Glamrocks perform for them

True Ending Requirements:Restore MXES, Save Gregory, Vanessa and the Glamrocks

As stated in the ending above, we would use Puppet MXES aka Charlie and The Princess aka Cassidy to stop William and bring him back to UCN.

Afton Victory Requirement:Fail everything. Don't reactivate MXES, fail to save Gregory in time

Vanny brings Gregory and Cassie to William and the Amalgamation is free to roam the earth unchecked. Multiple Pizzaplexes begin top pop up world wide and Vanny and the rest of the cultists begin anew and begin many remnant harvests for the Afton Amalgamation

Afton Family Reunion/Happiest Day. If you stay long enough in Princess Quest, you will find certain items that resemble the Afton family much like Vanny's items

You find the following -Michael's mask -Fredbear plush -Circus Baby's shell -Ballora's shell

You help gather the Aftons together and pretty much get the closest thing to William's happiest day and it resembles the staffbot family. The Afton Amalgamation stops and William finally passes on

Choice 2

I personally like The Mimic because it's a new villain and represents a different kind of evil.

To me the new FNAF games are the horrors of Fazbear Entertainment not learning their lesson and repeating the sins of the past and The Mimic is built on the agony of Freddy’s. It’s Afton’s legacy being passed down. The agony he started is being continued to this day and you can bet he is smiling and proud that even tho he’s in a hell of his own making, his legacy is being continued and he couldn’t be even more proud, although his pride and satisfaction is unsettling Cassidy and Charlie. The Mimic is Fazbear’s Curse and while William might not be around, his legacy remains or I guess you could say William’s legacy is remnant(I had to)

Choice 3.

Ever notice how little content Vanny got? In terms of the games, she was built up in the trailers as the new big bad. The master manipulator, the person who hacked the Pizzaplex and turned the Glamrocks into monsters, responsible for several missing kids and Vanessa was built up as someone who is actively trying to stop her otherself and save Gregory..

None of this happened. Vanessa is a Karen in Security Breach and Vanny gets like 4 notable scenes. Then it was Patient 46 who hacked the Pizzaplex and caused the disappearances. The Pizzaplex books came out and Vanny has absolutely no presence and replaced by Gregory in terms of The Mimic's follower. To make matters worse, Vanessa is nowhere to be found in Steel Wool's official art whenever a big celebration for the Security Breach era characters are altogether. And now Escape From the Pizzaplex is coming out, and again. NO VANNY! You could argue Ruin set up Cassie as the new Vanny, but IT'S. NOT. THE. SAME! Vanessa was tailored made to be Vanny. Just giving the mask and identity to someone else is just insulting.

Vanny and Vanessa were done dirty and they didn't need to sacrifice their potential to build up The Mimic. Like, what was the point of Vanny if they were just gonna give their role to Gregory and just give her identity to Cassie?

Choice 4

Scott didn't need to have Glitchtrap and Burntrap be a thing if he wanted The Mimic. He could've used Tiger Rock as Glitchtrap. Clearly establish The Mimic if he had just told Steel Wool what he wanted. He would've gotten new mysteries for fans to theorize over, a clear new villain without alienating those who think William deserved a better outting than Scraptrap/wanted the Amalgamation in the games.

#Five Night's At Freddy's #FNAF #The Mimic #William Afton #Glitchtrap #Burntrap #Vanny #FNAF Vanessa #FNAF Cassie #Tiger Rock #Gregory #GGY #Cassie #Vanessa #Charlie Emily #FNAF Cassidy #Cassidy

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ultrameganicolaokay · 17 days ago

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They Choose Violence #3 by Sheldon Allen, Mauricio Campetella and Daniele Caramanico. Cover by Rahzzah. Variant cover by Chris Ferguson and Campetella. Out in August.

"The controversial revenge thriller continues! Laneka, Deidre, and Karen's have found success in their quest to even the scales of justice. But maybe it's been a little too successful as they find that they've inspired a copycat killer. Only their counterpart isn't going after white supremacists, they're targeting black activists. And soon the trio finds that their identities aren't as secret as they think they are…"

#they choose violence #awa studios #artists writers & artisans inc #sheldon allen #mauricio campetella #daniele caramanico #rahzzah #chris ferguson #variant cover #comics

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three--rings · 1 year ago

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So it's time for my "alt-right dudebro gamer" Dragon Age opinions.

(Note: I'm a 45 year old womanesque queer person who mostly plays indie and Japanese games.)

(To further my cred I was super excited to meet and hear Karen and Patrick Weekes talk about this game in development at Havencon a couple years ago...it's a small queer con in Austin.)

Dragon Age is my all-time favorite game series. I adored Inquisition, though DA2 has my favorite characters overall.

My opinions about the gameplay reveal are:

The environments and background graphics and effects look awesome.

The character design still bugs me quite a bit. The faces, ESPECIALLY the female faces look Disney/anime/Overwatchy in structure. The textures looks a lot better in game than in that trailer. I miss my Not Particularly Pretty Female Characters. They have sameface now.

There's something off in the lip syncing. Mouth animations looks weird. I can't define it more than that but I noticed it with multiple characters and it through me out.

Varric's hair annoys me SO MUCH. Someone pointed out he looks like Blackwall and now I CANNOT UNSEE.

The structure of the game/quests/whatever looks fine, this reminds me of all the moments running around Haven at the beginning of Inquisition. Some of my least favorite moments, but yanno.

The combat. I'm very worried about the combat.

I am 45 years old and I have arthritis in my hands from gaming and knitting. I gave up knitting to keep gaming. I cannot play some action games. Like Hades, I tried but simply couldn't continue more than an hour because of the pain. And that's with my hands in good shape these days.

Some action games I can play, but only on easy, and sometimes only if I limit my playtime. This is simply a reality I've had to get used to, but it does kill me sometimes.

Do you know how enjoyable it was to pick up Baldur's Gate 3 and be able to put it on a higher difficulty, to be able to actually struggle through combats and have to use tricks and my brain and try and fail and do it again, all without worrying about my hands? Makes me think I need to replay Origins again.

So I'm concerned. The combat in this game is focused on attack type, dodging, parrying, countering (according to bioware)....all stuff that requires quick and frequent button mashing, which is what I can't do. So I'm looking at a game that I can probably only play on easy and maybe even not then? In my favorite game series.

The question we don't really know is how different it will be from Inquisition, and I find it hard to tell from the footage since we can't see what buttons are being pressed. But I'll say that while I love it, Inquisition was the game that first hurt my hands. It made me aware of the problem and made me have to start limiting my activity.

IDK . I just hate the idea that devs have that turn based games can't do well and are inherently not exciting.

Fucking Solas motherfucking killed Bianca! That was the first time in these reveals I've been 100% reacting as a fan. NOT BIANCA!!!! HE MUST DIE!

Oh I did like the Rook in the gameplay and his face looked good. Again I feel like it's the character design and not the engine that is the problem.

As for the plot, it's interesting that Solas has gone from Main Antagonist to Opening Antagonist and I wonder if he's actually going to transition to an ally later in the game to undo whatever the fuck has gone wrong in this clip.

I do still have some worries about the writing. "She's greatest detective ever and she has a lead on Solas." So do you think that lead is the giant glowing thing in the middle of the city spitting out demons? Did you need a great detective?

And basically nothing I've seen so far has super MOVED me, as someone with serious connections to this world and the characters, other than the fucking Bianca moment. I'm hesitantly curious about some of the new companions. And if the griffon thing had come at a moment other than me going WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS? in the trailer I may have been a lot more excited.

So yeah, call me a hater or whatever. But that trailer reveal CRUSHED me emotionally. I was so depressed the rest of the day Sunday. These are my true reactions to the gameplay footage today. I don't have an agenda, other than I want the game to be good and I want it to do well and my confidence in EA and Bioware is at a very low point.

I've tried to keep a realistic mindset this whole time, but keeping in mind HOW MANY PEOPLE have left Bioware, how few OGs are left, the constant turnover in leads, the game being scrapped and redone like twice from scratch. And the game industry as a whole at this time, I have to be somewhat skeptical in general.

I'm not a skeptic overall, I was both a Cyperpunk 2077 enjoyer (but not apologist) and a Starfield defender and frankly there was a lot less reason to be skeptical of those games before release. So am I going to say "well I've been a Bioware fan since KOTOR 1 released, so I'm gonna hype it up and not point out flaws I see?" No. I'm going to be honest.

I'm not a casual Dragon Age enjoyer. I can't react casually to this stuff.

Will I play the game? Almost definitely, but am I going to wait till the release reviews? Probably.

#dragon age #dragon age: the veilguard #da4

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whilereadingandwalking · 1 year ago

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More than 5 years after my partner first gave me My Favorite Thing is Monsters as a Christmas gift, Volume 2 is finally here: the conclusion of Emil Ferris's epic coming-of-age story featuring young werewolf Karen Reyes. Her quest to solve the mystery of her neighbor's death continues. She discovers more family secrets, gets closer to her new friends, and wrestles with her sexuality and adoration of women. (Some spoilers ahead for Volume 1—if you haven't read it, you absolutely have to!)

The art is as impossibly gorgeous as ever, inked on composition paper, lines peeking through the frenzied storytelling, like a packed notebook you discover on the L, textured and smelling strongly of ink. Karen copies paintings from the Art Institute into the pages. The green lions of the museum come to life, her stuffed animal companion comments snarkily on her choices. She copes with her grief over her mother's death, is able to finally get her brother to tell her the full truth about his past, finishes the tapes chronicling Anka's story of surviving the Holocaust, and discovers much more about her queerness with the help of friends new and old.

This raw, beautiful book captures the urgency of Karen's teenage years, from her own self-discovery to the intense, dangerous dramas happening around her. The ending is a little abrupt, but perhaps it just felt that way because of how long I've been anticipating this story, and how much it sucked to see it end! Karen Reyes is an all-time character, and Ferris an all-time storyteller.

Content warnings for anti-Semitism, grief, domestic abuse, trafficking/implied sexual assault, racism, homophobia.

#my favorite thing is monsters #my favorite thing is monsters book 2 #emil ferris #graphic novels #bookworm #my book reviews

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seven-snails · 5 months ago

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the ending of hxh 2011 still sticks with me so strong even a year later, there's something about it that doesn't feel quite like any other ending i've encountered in fiction. i think this is in part because in the manga it was deliberately written to lead into the next arc, so on a structural level it wasn't intended to be an ending with any real finality to it in regards to the plot as a whole, but it's also like. i remember coming away from the last episode with this very distinct feeling that the adventure wasn't over, but was only just beginning (which is hilarious considering what this hyperfixation has done to the past year of my life lmao), and this sticks out to me so much because even with other works where the ending is explicitly the beginning of something new and bigger for its characters (such as anthy walking away from ohtori, or karen's audition at the very end of the revue starlight movie), i've never come away with this feeling that the story is going to continue rumbling forward, and even take me with it, following what is ostensibly the curtain call. this feeling has very little to do with the scenes we see during the credits (adapted from chapter 339 - i think - titled "silence") and everything to do with the end of gon's conversation with ging, where he tells gon to enjoy getting sidetracked instead of worrying singlemindedly about reaching his destination. there's this really interesting sense that the world is only just starting to open up for gon (and i would argue killua as well) in this complicated, "adult" as in "nuanced and impossible to take in at one glance" kind of way that he was neglecting in his quest to achieve adulthood as a means to achieving power and authority, and this conversation with ging, where he also tells gon about the dark continent, makes it so tangible for the viewer by deliberately linking our limited perspective from the audience's seat with the slowly abating ignorance of this child. it's a really weird place to end a story - with the two main characters having been through so much turmoil, and now setting them down in a place where life is opening up for them on both a literal and an emotional level, and opening up for them because everything they went through has allowed them to mature to this point; it's not just that they're moving on to their next adventure, but that that adventure is necessarily going to be so much bigger and richer than anything else they've experienced because the ways they've grown will allow them to taste life that much more deeply - and what makes it so strange is that we're only seeing the promise of that. not the first step, or even the shape of the next threshold they'll have to pass through - just the promise of it. it gives off this really novel feeling that once you close the episode and walk away, rather than leaving behind an experience that has now reached its end, the actors that made that experience what it is will still be walking forward parallel to you, and i really love that. god what a show.

#snail speaks

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precuredaily · 9 months ago

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Precure Day 243

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 44 - “Deliver Them! Everyone's Presents!" Date watched: 10 June 2024 Original air date: 21 December 2008 Screenshots Precure Metamorphose Gallery 1 Gallery 2 | Sky Rose Translate Gallery Project info and master list of posts

"He does exist!"

"They do exist!"

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (ignore that it’s the middle of June when this comes out [I am not changing that line, that’s how long I’ve been working on this]) Yes, it’s Christmas in the world of Precure 5, and historically, that means drama! So put on your Santa suit and rev up the reindeer, we’re going delivering!

The Plot

‘Twas the day before Christmas, when all through Natts House Everybody was stirring and bustling about; They all, except Nuts, dressed in fine Santa wear In hopes that their customers soon would be there;

Then Mailpo cried out, and with a sense of dread Nozomi looked up as bags fell on her head Her friends showed concern as she stood up from the rubble But Mailpo cried out that they aren't out of trouble When out from the fairy, there emerged such a list Of which Kurumi and Karen gathered the gist

Away to Eternal the plot then did shift Mucardia realized something was amiss Much about Syrup, Anacondy was hiding Then the snake found the bug, chastised him for prying And warned him that not even he will get mercy If once again she finds his results unsavory. Mucardia absconds, but Anacondy’s lips purse She knows the director, and she must move first

Back with the girls, the truth comes to face The bags contain toys and the list contains names The girls must play Santa within their fair town And deliver the gifts to children up and down So into three groups they split to fulfill their objective North, east, and south, going in every directive Now Nozomi, with Rin-chan! Urara with Syrup! Fly Komachi with Karen, and away right this instant! To the houses they run! To apartments they trawl! Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!

While the heroines scurry hither and yore Milk, Nuts, and Coco all tend to the store The Natts House is full with countless patrons And the Palmier trio try their best to placate them During their scuttle, ‘twas a strange figure Whom Urara and Syrup found in their vigor With his pants crimson red, and his beard snowy white, And his stature quite portly, he’s truly the sight Of the man called St. Nicholas, so the audience knows But to the ensemble this remains to be shown.

The man collapses with a fever quite high So Syrup brings him to the shop on the fly While Karen attends him, Urara proceeds To continue her task on this strange Christmas Eve

The red man awakes in the back of the store Declaring that he must return to his chore For he too delivers parcels around And needs to get his quest back off the ground But his sleigh he still needs to perform his task (Somehow the staff don’t find this an unusual ask) So out to the streets Syrup quickly makes To find the man’s sleigh, whatever it takes

Syrup scours the town, leaving no stone unturned While no sleigh is found, a bug makes him squirm Mucardia shows up and taunts the young man Whose past holds a secret that’s the crux of this plan Anacondy keeps this secret close to her chest So Mucardia wants to make Syrup confess In order to weasel his way next to the boss Because Anacondy, you see, is hiding their loss

As he torments the boy, the heroes hit the scene Mucardia scoffs and prepares to make them scream He summons a sleigh he’s been planning to store (The very same sleigh the old man is looking for) Then a large Hoshiina the sleigh manifests So the girls must transform to see it suppressed

They clash and they duel against this most fearsome opponent While Mucardia still interrogates for his missing component As is often the case, the fight is a distraction As Eternal’s most loyal tries to force recollection The Pretty Cure punch and they kick and they mug Trying to get to Syrup to give him a hug The monster simply gets in the way So Milky Rose leaps in and enters the fray

WIth a powerful kick, she topples the foe And the Precures cause Mucardia much woe He pleads with Syrup to try to remember Why he came to Eternal before being a courier But Cure Dream says to let him stay fogged For at the Cure Rose Garden his memory will be jogged Mucardia sics the Hoshiina upon his opponent But a Rainbow Rose Explosion destroys it in a moment

With much frustration, the villain departs And Syrup gives Nozomi his sincere regards At Eternal HQ, disinterested in the loss Anacondy ponders a letter meant for her boss She’s kept stashed away inside of her desk With the seal of a rose suggesting the rest

Back at Natts House, night has now arrived And everyone has gathered around outside To reunite the old man with his possessions And see him off on his annual obsession He explains how he fell and lost his apparel And this left him stranded and sick and in peril

But thanks to the generosity of all around He was able to recover, safe and sound So it’s to his deliveries he must return And inside everyone’s heads, the wheels begin to turn A man dressed in red with a beard snowy white With presents to spare and a sleigh that takes flight?

Nuts offers his coat to protect from the cold And everyone observes that he looks quite bold Nozomi remarks that he has Santa’s visage Causing Rin to explain that yes, that’s who he was

As they all finally realize and see their guest off Nozomi remembers a task she forgot In all the commotion, no cake was acquired But Mailpo points to a gift that Santa retired It turns out to be just the cake they wanted And they all thanked the man as he departed

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight— “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

The Analysis

So, quick recap in non-poem form in case it was hard to follow, here’s the gist: Santa was delivering gifts when Mucardia attacked him with the intent of adding the sleigh to Eternal’s collection. He fell from the sky, lost his coat and hat, and became ill from the cold, so his strong feelings of wanting the gifts connected with Mailpo, who brought the gifts and the list to the team. They take up the task of delivering his gifts and in the process find Santa, looking sick and out of sorts. They don’t immediately recognize him, but they tend to him and he has a talk with Syrup and regains his motivation. Mucardia, who was snooping in Anacondy’s desk, learns that Syrup has visited Eternal before becoming a courier and Anacondy is hiding something from the director, so he tries to interrogate the boy to find out why, but Syrup can’t remember his past before the girls dispatch the villain. At the end, Anaconda ponders the letter and decides she needs to take action herself because the Director is drifting too far away from her in his obsession with Flora. The team returns Santa’s sleigh and bags of presents and they watch him depart on his deliveries and then they finally realize that this fat old man with a long white beard dressed all in red with a flying sleigh is, in fact, the real Santa.

What I Liked

Aside from digging into the depths of Syrup’s memories and Anacondy’s manipulation, it is actually a fairly light episode, compared to the last two Christmas episodes, and some of the ones that will follow. I enjoyed seeing the girls playing Santa for a day, that led to some fun scenarios, and there’s some good gags that come out of it too:

It was funny how civilians repeatedly pointed out that it’s the middle of the day on Christmas Eve when the girls show up in Santa outfits delivering presents. (also, let’s be real, if some random person came to your front door on Christmas Eve with a present claiming it was on behalf of Santa, you would be at least a little suspicious)

Komachi gets really into the part of Santa, stroking her imaginary beard at one point.

Nuts weaseling out of putting on his Santa outfit by always finding a distraction is amusing, and then at the end he just gives it to the real Santa. That was cute.

Speaking of which, I appreciate that, while it’s immediately obvious to the audience that this old man is probably literally Santa, it takes the characters a long time to put the pieces together, and he doesn’t come out and say it either.

Also also….. Santa is real in this universe. The concept of Santa has remained unspoken in the franchise prior to this, and suddenly he’s here. It’s kind of amazing. To date there are only two shows that explicitly show Santa (the other being HUGtto), and a few others put spins on him like Maho Girls saying “it’s actually wizards” and Star Twinkle saying “it’s actually a race of aliens.” See my Christmas Episode post for more on that.

Kurumi makes a good coordinator for the group, and we also see Karen’s medical studies in practice as she nurses the man who is definitely not Santa. (As I’ve said before, she is 15-16 years old and still in middle school, she, hasn’t started any formal medical training or internship, so she’s just applying basic first aid, but it’s a nice gesture).

What I Didn’t Like

The art style is just a bit… off, this episode. The art director was Iijima Shuichi, who I have called out before. (GG33, GG25, GG17, GG09, GG02). His faces can be really weird. In some places I think it kind of works, but it’s more miss than hit. (I've hit the image limit on this post so skim the gallery)

Despite all the buildup, it’s still not spelled out just what Syrup’s past is. He has a revelation but it’s only half a reveal. The full truth is yet to come to light.

Miscellaneous

So this episode is a little more fresh in my mind than the rest of the series, since I last watched it 5 years ago for my Christmas episode retrospective. I mostly remembered it in comparison to the Christmas episodes that sandwich it: Yes! Precure 5, and Fresh Precure. Both of those are pretty heavy, down to earth episodes, compared to the lighter tone of this episode, and so it entrenched itself as less…. Significant, for lack of a better word. But seeing it in the context of the show, it’s more heavy than I realized or remembered.

It’s revealed that Anacondy actually intercepted a letter from Flora meant for the Director, and hid it, which could have dramatically altered their relationship and prevented the show from happening. We know that she has an obsession with the Director, possibly she’s even in love with him, and hates that he’s so obsessed with Flora. She has been trying for years to steer him away from that obsession, to no avail, and this shows just how far she’s gone. It’s dubious what this has to do with Syrup’s latent memories, although that mystery will be addressed soon enough. His big reveal is that he went to Eternal before officially becoming a courier, in order to deliver said letter (which Anacondy then stole).

Conclusion

This was a really fun and enjoyable Christmas episode, and sets the stage for the endgame of the series. It blended fun hijinks and gags with a feel-good story about Santa and some drama about Syrup’s past. Next time, it’s the beginning of the end. Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 1 kettei!

#Precure #Pretty Cure #Yes! Precure 5 Go Go!#YPC5GG44 #PCD243

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hollywoodandstagebeauties · 1 month ago

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When Don Knotts took on the role of Barney Fife in *The Andy Griffith Show*, he created a character who would become a television legend. With his jittery energy and exaggerated sense of authority, Barney provided the perfect foil to Andy Taylor's calm and steady leadership. Armed with just one bullet and a series of comedic blunders, Barney quickly became one of TV's most unforgettable characters, thanks largely to Knotts’ impeccable comedic timing.

Barney was more than just a bumbling sidekick; he was a richly layered personality. His inflated self-importance and over-the-top dedication to his duties resulted in some of the show’s funniest moments. Whether accidentally firing his gun or issuing ridiculous citations, Barney’s antics were always well-intentioned, though hopelessly misguided. Knotts brought depth to Barney, especially in those vulnerable moments when he sought Andy’s approval, transforming the character from mere comic relief into someone audiences truly loved.

One particularly memorable episode, "The Loaded Goat," showcased Barney's escalating panic when a goat consumes dynamite. In another classic scene, Barney tries to teach a self-defense class, only to become overly enthusiastic, leading to slapstick chaos. These moments not only provided laughs but also demonstrated Knotts’ exceptional talent for blending physical comedy with emotional nuance.

In interviews, Don Knotts often spoke fondly of his partnership with Andy Griffith, describing their on-screen chemistry as effortless. "Andy and I were like a well-oiled machine," Knotts recalled. "Our natural chemistry made everything work seamlessly on screen." He shared a behind-the-scenes story of one scene where Barney was supposed to be in a state of panic; his over-the-top performance had the crew in stitches, leading to multiple retakes. "I couldn’t help it," Knotts laughed, "Barney’s nervous energy took over!"

As the series progressed, Barney evolved from a mere comic figure to a character with genuine emotional depth. Knotts explained that Barney, at his core, yearned for respect. "He knew he wasn’t the best cop, but he genuinely cared about doing a good job. That’s what made him relatable," Knotts said. This complexity made Barney a character audiences could both laugh at and root for.

After leaving *The Andy Griffith Show* in 1965, Knotts continued to delight audiences in various roles, but Barney Fife remained the crown jewel of his career. Knotts’ portrayal earned him five Emmy Awards, and he returned for guest appearances, much to the delight of fans. Though he enjoyed success in other roles, Knotts would always be most closely associated with the lovable, bumbling deputy of Mayberry.

In his final years, Don Knotts faced health challenges but never lost his sense of humor. He passed away on February 24, 2006, at the age of 81, from complications related to lung cancer. Even in his last days, he kept those around him laughing. His daughter, Karen, shared that he was still cracking jokes from his hospital bed, ever the entertainer aiming to bring joy to those around him.

Knotts’ passing marked the end of an era. His longtime friend and co-star Andy Griffith paid tribute, saying, "He was one of a kind. I loved him dearly and will always miss him." The legacy of Don Knotts lives on in the character of Barney Fife—a man of exaggerated self-assurance, endearing clumsiness, and an unending quest for approval. Knotts gave television one of its most beloved characters, a deputy whose heart was always in the right place, even if his actions weren't.

As long as audiences continue to enjoy *The Andy Griffith Show*, Barney Fife will be there, with his single bullet and big dreams, ready to make them laugh all over again.

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#don knotts #television #cinematography #actor #the andy griffith show #barney fife #old hollywood #vintage #comedy

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gracegrove · 1 year ago

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Ok but....

Last Unicorn au????

Billy is the last unicorn, or so the hunters have told him. Neil has been searching his whole life for the sake of his family to kill the last of these great beasts. He has so many trophies mounted in his home.

Billy for a long time believes that he is the last of his kind until a kindly butterfly named Eleven tells him that they have seen others like himself. Billy sets out to see if this is true.

While on his quest, Billy is taken prisoner by a witch (Karen 🙃) to be made money off of. He is eventually freed by a wizard (Will ofc) who disguises Billy with magic. Turning him into a human so that he can continue his quest.

Steve is a local villager that comes across Billy in his travels and joins him. Steve feels very protective of Billy but he is unsure why. He admires Billy for searching out the unicorns. Something people have long written off as myths.

#its been so long aince I read this but...#i want a sad but beautiful story ok #billy #billy x steve #harringrove #harringrove au

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ladylilithprime · 1 year ago

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Where Many Paths And Errands Meet

Series: Fluffy Faerie Tales

Fandom: Supernatural

Pairing: Preslash Sastimmy/Jamstiel (Jimmy Novak/Sam Winchester/Castiel)

Rating: Teen and Up

Tags/Warnings: Half-Fae Sam Winchester, Jimmy and Castiel Are Twins, Selkie Jack Kline, Sam Winchester Is Jack Kline's Adopted Father, Brief Allusions to Canon-Typical Violence, Ableist Language (Lucas Novak), Misogynistic Language (also Lucas Novak), Dragon Kevin Tran, Faerie Princess Mary Winchester, Faerie Bargains

Summary: John Castiel and James Constantine Novak were twins. This was not always the case, and this point of contention caused some resentment and ill-feeling on the part of their less supportive family members. When their least supportive uncle drunkenly suggested finding a faerie to turn them back into one boy so they'd only be half the disappointment, Cas and Jimmy decided that, for their own aafety and continued survival, they needed to find a faerie first. This was easier said than done.

For: @fluffyfebruary challenge!

Prompt: Day 11: Quest

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-Chapter One-

THE GLOW FROM the dashboard illuminated the sleeping face of John Castiel Novak, casting the exhausted shadows under his eyes in stark relief. Beside him in the driver's seat, James Constantine Novak tried to avoid shooting worried looks in his brother's direction too often given the need to keep his eyes on the road when he wasn't checking the printout for directions. Neither of them had been able to sleep much the last few days, what with the scratchy sheets and overwhelming levels of unfamiliar noises at every motel they could afford. Jimmy was slightly better off, finding it easier to drop off to sleep in the moving car than Cas could, but it seemed exhaustion had finally won out above overstimulation.

It had been three years since graduating college with their respective Bachelor's degrees, Jimmy's in Communications and Cas's in Technical Writing. Degrees in hand, they had had to face the reality of limited jobs for those fields, which stuck them mostly working retail and food service for as long as they could stand. None of those jobs lasted very long, as people tended to be people no matter what and customers ran the spectrum of "polite and appreciative" to "bitchy Karen finding fault with everything". For every kind and understanding manager they had who was willing to work with their necessary accommodations due to their autism, there was always at least one bigoted, ableist asshole who was just looking for an excuse to toss the "retarded deadweight" to the curb.

Three months ago, their uncle, Lucas Novak, got drunk enough to mouth off at Thanksgiving dinner about "finding one of those fairies running around and getting them to zap those two defective idiots back into one so they'll stop being twice the disappointment." Their mother, Charlene, had immediately snapped at him to watch his mouth, which caused Lucas to tell her to shut her mouth since "it's your damn fault there's two of 'em in the first place, you superstitious cunt!" That proved too much for Michael Novak, who might well have agreed with his brother up until the insult to his wife, and he had punched Uncle Lucas while Jimmy had grabbed a nonverbal Cas and pulled him out of the dining room and up to the attic loft where they couldn't hear the full force of the brawling and shouting that became of dinner. Safe in the attic, the twins had huddled under the soft blanket that was too threadbare and worn to be kept in the main part of the house and clung to each other. When things calmed down enough after their father kicked Uncle Lucas out, their mother had come up to check on them.

"Could a faerie do that to us?" Jimmy had asked in a small voice, saying the words both he and Cas were thinking. "Just... zap us back into one?"

"I don't know, baby," Charlene had whispered, forgetting for the moment that her boys were technically fully grown adults in her need to comfort them. "All the stories I was ever told say faeries have great power. I don't know if it would be stronger than the power of the angel who gave you both to me."

Later that night, in the dark of their room, Cas had whispered to Jimmy, "Maybe we should find a faerie first, before Uncle Lucas can."

Three weeks ago, after quitting their latest shitty jobs at the Gas'n'Sip, Jimmy and Cas had bought a cheap Lincoln Continental off the local lemon lot, packed a week's worth of clothes and toiletries that were the least offensive to their sensory issues within their limited budget, and hit the road. The twins had spent hours every day getting in touch with as many of their old college friends with magical heritage as they had working numbers and then waiting as those friends played telephone with other friends and family members around the country and finally Kevin Tran, one of their former dormmates who had been reasonably close to them, had come through with a solid lead.

"My girlfriend Channing had an Introduction to Magical History course at the College of William and Mary," he told them. "She was mostly just sitting in to see how wrong the human professor would get everything, but the guy brought in a guest lecturer he introduced as 'Dr Cerise Prince' who admitted to being a faerie. She's probably not still there, but the professor, Asa Fox, would probably know how to contact her."

Mr Fox had not known how to contact Dr Prince, which he ruefully admitted probably wasn't even close to her real name.

"Faeries that old would have a few dozen aliases and nicknames, and they don't ever give out their true names to anybody," he told them apologetically. "Not even the university board knows how to contact her directly, just a series of relay numbers for leaving messages which she'll check and get back to eventually. They're also bound under oath not to hand out any of those numbers, even more strictly than the usual privacy protections. I'm sorry."

They had still asked, going to as many board and faculty members as would give them appointments, and getting the same answer each time until the textile arts professor overheard them as they left the latest disappointment and gave them a card.

"Kate Summers is probably your best bet for finding Dr Prince," she told them. "If not Dr Prince herself, then at least a suitably knowledgeable member of her family. Whatever it is you're looking for in her, if you can convince Kate, she'll help you."

The drive was only about two hours, but Ms Summers was apparently out of town for a convention and her husband wasn't keen to tell them anything. It was pure chance that the phone rang while Jimmy and Cas were there and, five minutes later, Jimmy was handed the phone to talk to Ms Summers herself.

"Why are you looking for Dr Prince?" she asked sharply.

"It's personal," Jimmy admitted. "My brother and I have a problem, a question, that only a powerful faerie can help with."

She was silent for a long moment, and then she sighed. "I can't tell you how to find Mary. She's not even in the mortal realms this month. However, if you swear on your life that you are not a hunter... I know someone who can help you."

Jimmy swore readily, and Cas echoed him, and Ms Summers told them to give the phone back to her husband. An hour later and a repeat of their oaths with specific wording under the watchful eye of Ms Summers's husband, and they had the printed out directions to a cafe on Seven Mile Island in New Jersey. Despite their exhaustion and painfully dwindling funds, Jimmy and Cas piled back into the Lincoln and turned its nose northwards again. Traveling in February meant the sun went down well before the cafe hours hastily scribbled on the directions indicated closing time, leaving Jimmy to drive them through the gloom while Cas attempted to sleep.

Jimmy didn't really want to wake him if he didn't have to, at least not until they were closer to their destination. It wasn't just the shitty motel rooms that disturbed his brother's rest night after night. The same fear that haunted Jimmy dogged Cas as well: that their uncle's drunken vitriol would bear out action. Not from their mother, never her - Charlene was sharp and vicious in putting a stop to any and all talk of changelings and magical children - but the twins knew their father's displeasure at suddenly finding two young and picky mouths to feed where before there had been just one and neither of them was "normal". The fear that any one of their father's side of the family might just decide that one "freak son" was enough. That they could be changed again, against their will, because they were too disappointing, too much trouble, too weird for the people who were blood kin to them but barely counted as family.

The pervasive, niggling doubt in the back of each of their minds that the other one was the real child and they were the magically created mirror, created with a snap and just as easily unmade.

The sign for Lighthouse CommodiTeas was so small that Jimmy almost missed it. Just a plain, weathered, whitewashed wooden sign with black lettering, illuminated by two strategically placed fluorescent lights designed to look like old-fashioned lanterns. The cafe itself was tucked into a strip of shops, sandwiched between a smoke shop and a hair salon. There was one parking space available in front of the strip on the far side of the hair salon nearly in front of the tattoo parlor on its other side, and Jimmy tried not to feel self-conscious about turning directly into that empty parking spot.

Cas was grumpy when Jimmy gently shook him awake, but climbed out of the car without protest, stretching while Jimmy got out and locked the car and then claiming Jimmy's left hand. His thumb went immediately to the silver ring on Jimmy's thumb, a gift from Kevin to Cas for use as a stimming device with its two raised Asian dragons chasing each other around the free-spinning circle of metal. Cas couldn't bear to wear rings or have anything constricting on his hands below his wrists, so Jimmy wore it for him and it was a familiar ritual now for Cas to hold Jimmy's hand to have access to the ring as much as to hold his hand, and they had long since resigned themselves to drawing odd looks from strangers over the two of them holding hands and other such "girly" behavior if it meant they could anchor themselves and each other.

They did draw attention entering the cafe, the jingling chimes attached to the door drawing several eyes their way. Most of them promptly looked away again to attend to their own business, but the willowy redhead standing behind the counter in a dark blue apron called out a cheerful greeting. Her coworker, a tall man with chestnut brown hair that fell several inches past his shoulders, was busy mixing a complicated-looking drink and didn't bother even glancing up. Jimmy got the impression that they weren't being ignored at all, though, a weighted feeling of attention settling on them. His grip on Cas's hand tightened nervously.

"Large Hellfire Mocha with a drop of demon blood!" the man called out as he set the cup on the counter. One of the customers lounging in an armchair rolled to his feet and picked up the mug, saluting the man with a sardonic little smirk.

"Ta, Moose," he said, taking a sip and licking his lips obnoxiously. "Always glad t'know you're putting my produce to good use."

"Always glad to make a nuisance of yourself, you mean," the barista retorted with a roll of his eyes that was almost belied by a fond sort of smile. "See you for next month's delivery, Crowley."

Jimmy and Cas stepped sideways out of the path of the door and further into the cafe as the man-shaped being of suddenly questionable origin called Crowley sauntered out, leaving a scent of sulfur in his wake that made Jimmy's nose twitch with the desire to sneeze. With both baristas' attention on them now, the twins exchanged glances and then shuffled forward towards the register.

"Welcome to Lighthouse CommodiTeas," the redhead said cheerfully as they approached. "Our special today is our Dragon's Breath Chai, a Lapsang Souchong tea base with almond and dragon's milk and a blend of six aromatic spices."

Two taps from Castiel's thumb against his prompted Jimmy to say, "That sounds interesting, we'll try it."

"One or two, and what size?"

Another single tap, a pause, two taps. "Just one, please, medium."

The redhead gave him a narrow look that Jimmy wasn't sure how to interpret. It wasn't the same sort of "why are you so weird" look that he and Cas had gotten used to receiving, but he couldn't help feeling judged for some reason he couldn't parse. Still, she rang up the order, and then turned to look directly at Cas and said, "And for you, sir?"

Oh.

"That is for both of us, ma'am," Jimmy said with an awkward smile, fighting back a wince as the grip Cas had on his hand tightened sharply and he pressed closer to Jimmy's side. "We both have sensory issues that fortunately don't overlap much. We know we like chai, but goat milk is unfamiliar. If one of us can't manage it, the other usually can, reducing the chance that the drink might go to waste, and if we both like it then we'll know for the future."

"Do you always speak for your friend?" the barista asked with a sharper tone. Cas practically plastered himself to Jimmy's side. Jimmy's smile got even more stiff.

"When he's nonverbal and someone is being pushy about eye contact, it is absolutely my job to protect my brother," he said, forcibly holding himself back from matching her tone. It still came out sharper than he meant, and he saw her jerk back as if he had slapped her. He braced himself, gripping Cas's hand.

"Charlie," the other barista broke in, surprisingly gentle. "Ease up. Not everyone who speaks for others is doing it to be controlling."

"He didn't even check, boss!" the redhead, Charlie, protested.

"They're holding hands," her boss said patiently. "If it was me and Dean, we would have a system of communication set up between us that wouldn't be intelligible to anyone else. Do, actually. You've seen us in action."

"Yeah, well, you two are you two," Charlie grumbled, which must have made some sort of sense because the man laughed.

"We also aren't unique," he pointed out. Then he turned his gaze thoughtfully towards Jimmy, absently reaching up to tuck his hair behind his...

...pointed ear.

"We're used to people making assumptions about us," Jimmy found himself saying, more on autopilot than anything, mind racing. "Might be the first time someone's assumed I was his controlling boyfriend, though."

"Sorry," Charlie said, ducking her head. "I know I shouldn't assume, I just... had some bad experiences with people."

"We've worked retail," Jimmy said dryly. "We get it. How much for the Dragon's Breath Chai?"

"Six dollars," Charlie said, and seemed to visibly shake herself. "Anything else for you?"

"Kate Summers sent us," Cas whispered, fiddling with the ring with very slow, deliberate movements as he pulled the words up and forced them out into the sudden stillness. "She said you could help."

Charlie's mouth formed an O of surprise below her now very wide eyes. Jimmy gave Cas's hand a reassuring squeeze and tried to pretend that he wasn't keenly aware of the other six customers in the cafe, all of whom were pretending a little too hard not to listen in. The faerie didn't even blink, merely continued to study them both.

"Go have a seat at the corner table," he said at length. "I'll bring your drink out to you and we can talk."

Jimmy wordlessly dug his wallet out of his back pocket and fished a five and a one out of it one-handed. Charlie took the bills from him and tucked them into the register, then handed him back the receipt by what Jimmy suspected was rote muscle memory. The faerie, who apparently had a brother called "Dean" but whose name or even alias Jimmy still didn't know, stepped back to the line and began doing strange things with cups and pitchers and powders that would no doubt turn into a fantastic drink in the very literal sense without another word.

Cas gave a slight tug on Jimmy's hand and they moved over to the vacant table in the far corner that was more of a diner booth with plush padded seats. They slid into one side of the booth side by side, Cas moving in first and down to give Jimmy room to get settled before immediately plastering himself to Jimmy's side again. Jimmy shifted and shuffled until his brother was tucked under the curve of his arm, then tilted his head back and tried to just breathe.

They had found a faerie. What's more, he was willing to hear them out. Now all they could do was hope he would be willing to help them.

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#fluffy february 2024 #rk writes #supernatural fic #sastimmy #sastimmy pre-slash #urban fantasy au #chapter one

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