#researching and comparing my concept

[chocobje]

Would you guys mind if I start posting small quick doodles of my DWFR AU.. Sometimes I tend to just mindlessly doodle but they're not significant lore stuff.. Mostly me messing around or just scrapped concepts.

Same goes for ramble posts(with no art), don't wanna clutter my blog too much for the sake of people scrolling lol.

[buggbuzz]

my gender is like meat leaf i think. boy materials in the structure of girl. like im a girl made out of boy things but not in a transman way like i like being female im just. a girl-leaning boygirl. maybe??

[the-girl-who-didnt-smile]

PORT-AU-PRINCE

Although I’d originally planned to style this character after Guede Nibo, I’ve since realized this was a misguided decision. He’s no longer based on Guede Nibo and is supposed to be a member of the Gede who does not exist in the real world. 

A full discussion can be found in the middle of this description: 

“Port-au-Prince” needs an updated description; I plan to do this at a later time.

Original, outdated description below cut: 

RANTING ABOUT THE REAL-LIFE GEDE NIBO (GUEDE NIBO)

Andre Pierre featured Gede Nibo alongside Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte in several paintings, such as “Les Trois Esprits du Cimetiere.”

Previously, I described Gede Nibo as (quote) “unapologetically queer”. Where did I get the audacity to make such a claim? 

Well, there are a number of English language books and other sources that describe Gede Nibo himself as queer. As you may have gathered, I’m a big fan of Eziaku Atuama Nwokocha’s works, and have relied on her research. In Vodou en Vogue, Nwokocha describes him as an “effeminate dandy” who is “honored by queer people”. In Queering Black Atlantic Religions, Roberto Strongman also names Gede Nibo and Erzulie Freda as deities who "have strong associations with queer Vodou practitioners." Strongman’s statement is certainly true with respect to the Erzulies; the question is whether it is also true with respect to Gede Nibo. 

Afraid of making the same mistake I did with Baron Samedi, I searched for a Haitian source, as there is a great amount of misinformation spread by English speaking, non-Haitians. Since the Haitian author Milo Marcelin also described Gede Nibo as queer, I stopped there and thought, “so Gede Nibo really is queer…!”

…But it seems I may have made the exact same mistake I did with Baron Samedi afterall. 

OOPS!

As far as I can tell, the description of Gede Nibo as “queer” among English-speaking, non-Haitians originates in three major sources:

Gay, German author Hubert Fichte

Gay, American author Randy P. Conner

Haitian author Milo Marcelin

Hubert Fichte conducted his ethnographic work in Haiti during the 1970s. Apparently, Fichte heard Haitian farmers singing a song called “Masisi”, in which the lyrics went “Guede Nibo Masisi!” 

He mentions the title of this song in Xango: 

“Es gibt einen schwulen Totengott, Guede Nibo, und Anfang No­vember singt das ganze Land, jeder haitianische Bauer die Hym­nen auf die Schwulen - »Massissi« - und die ruralen Familienvä­ter vollführen ambivalente Gesten vorne und hinten an ihrer Hose.”

Source: Fichte, Hubert, and Leonore Mau. 1984. Xango. Frankfurt: Fischer. p. 143 https://archive.org/details/xangodafroamerik0000fich/page/142/mode/2up? 

An English translation is provided by Strongman: 

“There is a gay god of death, Guédé Nibo, and in early November the whole country, every Haitian peasant, sings hymns to the gays— “masisi”—and rural family fathers perform ambivalent gestures at the front and back of their pants.”

Source: Strongman, Roberto. Queering Black Atlantic Religions: Transcorporeality in Candomblé (2019). p. 75

The lyrics of the song are described in Homosexualität und Literatur (Vol. 1):

“Als eine der wenigen Religionen verfuegt der Vaudou ueber eine homosexuelle Gottheit, den Totengott Guédé Nibo, und am Totensonntag singen die Vaudouglaeubigen in der Stadt und auf dem Land: Guédé Nibo Massissi, Guédé Nibo Massissi! – schwuler Guédé Nibo, schwuler Guédé Nibo!”

Source: Fichte, Hubert. Homosexualität und Literatur: Polemiken. Germany, S. Fischer, 1987. Vol. 1. p. 146

An English translation is provided in The Gay Critic: 

“Voodoo is one of the few religions to espouse a homosexual divinity, the god of the dead Guédé Nibo, and on Dead Sunday the believers chant, throughout the city and in the countryside: Guédé Nibo Massissi! Guédé Nibo Massissi! – gay Guédé Nibo! gay Guédé Nibo!”

Source: Fichte, Hubert. 1996. The Gay Critic. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 118

Interestingly, Katherine Smith observed something similar in 2007, but the chant went “Gede Masisi!” not “Gede Nibo Masisi!”: 

“Gede mounts individuals as well as small marauding bands of vagabon who may pound on tombs and yell obscenities at the dead. In 2007, one such group of young men dressed in drag, fellated bones, and danced flamboyantly as the crowed cheered “Gede Masisi!” (Gay Gede!).”

Source: Smith, Katherine. "Dialoging with the urban dead in Haiti." Southern Quarterly 47.4 (2010): p. 83 

Hubert Fichte translated the word masisi as a schwul, meaning “gay”, but this is not accurate. Masisi is a slur that has been reclaimed by some within the Haitian LGBTQ community; really, la Communauté M / The M Community.

I have been using words that originate in the Western bourgeoisie, but these are not terms Haitians use to describe themselves - especially those oppressed by race and class. There are similarities between the word masisi and terms used in other non-Western cultures, such as hijra, bakla, okama, and fa'afafine.

As defined by Charlot Jeudy - the former president of KOURAJ who was killed in 2019: 

“…the societal definition of masisi is ‘acting as the female partner in a homosexual relationship.’ You can have muscular, manly M persons, but for Haitians, they cannot be called masisi. The word masisi has always been an insult. It makes people uncomfortable for us to use it, but in Haitian Creole, there is no other way for me to describe what I am.”

Source: https://cornbreadandcremasse.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/the-m-community-lgbt-courage-in-haiti/ 

It’s from 2002, but the documentary Des hommes et dieux contains interviews of several self-identified masisi. Some who identify as masisi would probably identify as “gay” if they were born in America; others would probably identify as “trans” - either, as binary trans women, or nonbinary transfems. Either way, masisi is not synonymous with “gay” or “transfeminine”, and it is important to remember that it’s been used as hate speech.

Fichte was surely incorrect in using words like masisi, schwul, and gay to describe Gede Nibo. There is no doubt in his attraction to women. The question is whether he could be described as “bisexual”, miks, or if he is purely heterosexual - not queer in any respect. 

Although he repeatedly describes Gede Nibo as “gay”, one of Fichte’s interviewees flatly denies this:

Ich frage:

—Ist Guédé Nibo Massissi? Schwul?

André antwortet:

—Das ist falsch. Die Götter, die aus zwei Teilen bestehen, sind keine starken Götter. Es sind gekaufte Götter. Man kauft die Göt­ter, um Sachen zu machen, die nicht gut sind.

Source: Fichte, Hubert, and Leonore Mau. 1984. Xango. Frankfurt: Fischer. p. 182 https://archive.org/details/xangodafroamerik0000fich/page/182/mode/2up 

Machine Translation: 

I ask: 

—Is Guédé Nibo masisi? Gay? 

André answers: 

—That is wrong. The gods that are made up of two parts are not strong gods. They are bought gods. People buy the gods to do things that are not good.

Because I do not speak German, I referred to Herbert Uerlings’ Poetiken der Interkulturalität for context:

Zu den gewichtigsten Ergebnissen seiner Feldforschung gehört, daß Guédé Nibo, einer der Totengötter, die alle traditionell mit Sexualität verbunden werden, ein Gott der Homo- und Bisexuellen ist. Sollte das zutreffen, so wäre es vermutlich eine neue ethnographische Erkenntnis über den Vaudou.47 Die weitergehende Frage an den Priester André, ob »Guédé Nibo Massissi« (X 182) sei, also schwul, wird verneint, aber auf eine Weise, bei der vor lauter offensichtlicher Abwehr Fichtes Vermutung praktisch bestätigt wird: »Das ist falsch. Die Götter, die aus zwei Teilen bestehen [bisexuell oder schwul sind — H.U.], sind keine starken Götter. Es sind gekaufte [schwache — H. U] Götter. Man kauft die Götter, um Sachen zu machen, die nicht gut sind« (X 182). Ein anderer, schwuler Priester dagegen sagt: »Es gibt Götter, die die Homosexuellen verachten, und andre, die sie lieben« (X 194).

Source: Uerlings, Herbert. Poetiken der Interkulturalität: Haiti bei Kleist, Seghers, Müller, Buch und Fichte. Vol. 92. Walter de Gruyter, 2013., p. 282

Machine Translation:

One of the most important findings of his field research is that Guédé Nibo, one of the gods of the dead, all of whom are traditionally associated with sexuality, is a god of homosexuals and bisexuals. If this is true, it would probably be a new ethnographic discovery about voodoo.47 The further question to the priest André as to whether "Guédé Nibo is Massissi" (X 182), i.e. gay, is answered in the negative, but in a way that practically confirms Fichte's assumption through sheer obvious defensiveness: "That is wrong. The gods who consist of two parts [bisexual or gay - H.U.] are not strong gods. They are bought [weak - H. U] gods. Gods are bought to do things that are not good" (X 182). Another, gay priest, on the other hand, says: "There are gods who despise homosexuals and others who love them" (X 194).

I do not know if Uerlings is correct in dismissing the interviewee as “defensive”, but I am grateful for his clarification of the phrase “aus zwei Teilen bestehen”.

Notably, the footnote on the same page states:  

47 Ich habe in der Literatur keinen Beleg dafür gefunden. Allerdings notiert Deren zu Guédé: »Er vertauscht die Geschlechter und zieht Frauen Männerkleider und Männern Frauenkleider an« (Der Tanz des Himmels mit der Erde, 1992, S. 128f.), und vermerkt in einer Fußnote: »Es wird zwar selten eindeutig ausgesprochen, aber häufig finden sich Hinweise darauf. daß es sich bei Guedé [sic!] um eine hermaphroditische Gottheit handelt, genau wie Legba« (a.a.O.).

Source: Uerlings, Herbert. Poetiken der Interkulturalität: Haiti bei Kleist, Seghers, Müller, Buch und Fichte. Vol. 92. Walter de Gruyter, 2013., p. 282

Machine Translation: 

47 I have found no evidence of this in the literature. However, Deren notes about Guédé: »He swaps the sexes and dresses women in men's clothes and men in women's clothes« (The Dance of Heaven and Earth, 1992, p. 128f.), and notes in a footnote: »Although it is rarely stated clearly, there are frequent indications that Guedé [sic!] is a hermaphroditic deity, just like Legba« (loc. cit.).

It is possible that the German Fichte was mistaken in describing Gede Nibo as queer, and that he mistook his lasciviousness for queer sexuality.

Notably, the Haitian author Milo Marcelin described Gede Nibo as queer in Mythologie Vodou (vol. 2): “Guédé Nibo, mystère mâle et femelle (hermaphrodite), est le protecteur des vivants et des morts.” Similar to the song “Masisi”, Marcelin describes another song that suggests Gede Nibo is himself queer. Naturally the song is sexually explicit, but you can find it in the source provided below, with one of the lyrics being “...Regarde la démarche de Guédé!”. 

Source: Marcelin, Milo. Mythologie Vodou: Rite Arada. 2 vols. Port-au-Prince: Les Editions Haitiennes, 1950. Vol. 2, p. 181 & p. 187 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mythologie_vodou_rite_arada/cjvXAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22Regarde+la+d%C3%A9marche+de+Gu%C3%A9d%C3%A9%22 

An English translation of this song can be found in: Conner, Randy P. Lundschien, and David Sparks. Queering Creole spiritual traditions: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender participation in African-inspired traditions in the Americas. Routledge, 2014, p. 63 https://books.google.com/books?id=5SINiF0fkqwC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63

A large section of Conner’s Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions describes “homoerotic, pansexual, and transgender aspects” of Gede Nibo. (p. 94). However, one interviewee denies an association between Gede Nibo and queer sexuality - that being, the Caucasian Houngan Mark Alexander "Aboudja" Moellendorf (p. 64) 

Source: Conner, Randy P. Lundschien, and David Sparks. Queering Creole spiritual traditions: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender participation in African-inspired traditions in the Americas. Routledge, 2014

Outside of the sources mentioned above, I have found little evidence that Gede Nibo is himself queer. Rather than Gede Nibo, I’ve found more evidence that the Erzulies are important to members of the aforementioned Haitian “M Community” (see bottom of this post). I have also seen claims that Gede Nibo sometimes cross dresses, but I’ve yet to find a reliable source for this. There are artistic renditions of him proudly displaying his sexuality, but I have yet to see any that show him in women’s clothing, or displaying queer sexuality.

It is possible that the authors listed above are correct in their assessment (except for Fichte, who was definitely wrong). However, there’s a lot of misinformation spread about the lwa outside of Haiti and New Orleans, which arises from foreigners misunderstanding the culture and traditions of Vodou. Since I have already made mistakes with Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte, I could be wrong about Gede Nibo too. If this is the case, I apologize for spreading misinformation about him being queer. 

It is also possible that the above was true at some point in the past, but not in the present. Afterall, Fichte and Marcelin wrote during the mid 20th century, and traditions evolve over time.

…Well, might as well start ranting about my Deviantart OC!

RANTING ABOUT MY DEVIANTART OC

This character’s name is “Port-au-Prince” - named after the capital of Haiti. 

Unlike the real-life Gede Nibo, “Port-au-Prince” is just gay, and a drag queen. His personality and interests are similar to Angel Dust, where he is openly gay and flamboyant in his mannerisms. As it is a slur, I have been avoiding the word masisi, but it is likely he would identify as part of the “M community”. Where Alastor is (presumably) the son and/or grandson of New Orleans Voodoo Queen(s), “Port-au-Prince” is a houngan - an extremely powerful one at that. His appearance and personality were inspired by the individuals featured in the documentaries Des hommes et dieux and Paris is Burning.

 I made this decision for these reasons: 

To integrate him into the pre-existing world of Hazbin Hotel, as a counterpart Angel Dust

To represent the Haitian “M community”, who experience intense prejudice and violence, but find sanctuary in Vodou

To differentiate him from the real-life Gede Nibo

As a tribute to the association between the Gede and gender/sexual queerness

Here’s a list of sources to back this third point: 

Nwokocha, Eziaku Atuama. Vodou en vogue: fashioning Black divinities in Haiti and the United States. UNC Press Books, 2023.

Conner, Randy P. Lundschien, and David Sparks. Queering Creole spiritual traditions: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender participation in African-inspired traditions in the Americas. Routledge, 2014

McAlister, Elizabeth A. "Love, sex, and gender embodied: The spirits of Haitian Vodou." Love, sex and gender in the world religions (2000): 129-146. https://africultures.com/love-sex-and-gender-embodied-the-spirits-of-haitian-vodou-5719

Smith, Katherine. "Dialoging with the urban dead in Haiti." Southern Quarterly 47.4 (2010): p. 83 

Hence, the decision to make “Port-au-Prince” a queer drag queen.

As a counterpart to Angel Dust, he has a dual gangster-ballroom/voguing theme to him, where he runs his own ballroom house. Although his roots are from Haiti, I think it would be interesting if he was part of the diaspora, where spent much of his human life in New York. This too helps integrate him into the pre-established world, where many characters are former humans who lived during different time periods of American history. It also establishes another parallel between him and Angel Dust, who is also from New York. I was picturing his house as being a mix of Black transfems (more broadly, feminine of center AMABs) and Black transmascs (more broadly, masculine of center AFABs), who are all former humans. They also double as a battle force that could be recruited in a similar manner to the Cannibals in Cannibal Town, where they have strong healing and fighting abilities. 

Port-au-Prince’s drag queen persona is inspired by Aaliyah as Queen of the Damned. In addition to Angel Dust, it would also be possible to establish a connection between him and Sally Mae, if she has any interest in drag. He is the adoptive son of the “Baron of the Dead” and “Gran Maman”, my other DeviantArt OCs who I drew here: https://www.deviantart.com/thegirlwhodidntsmile/art/Lavi-and-Lanmo-1073560801

This was inspired by the description provided by Roberto Strongman, where he writes: 

“In Vodou lore, Gédé Nibo is a young man who was killed violently. Therefore, he has a par­tic­u­lar association with ­those who die young. Once in the spirit realm, Bawon Samedi and Gran Brigit adopt him. In demeanor he is comical, lascivious, witty, and effeminate. In appearance, he is a dandy.”

Source: Strongman, Roberto. Queering Black Atlantic Religions: Transcorporeality in Candomblé (2019). p. 74

It would be imperative to run a concept like this by an expert on Haitian Vodou, to determine whether his portrayal is respectful or not. If it’s inoffensive, I think it would be cool if the three characters inspired by “Les Trois Esprits du Cimetiere” formed a “sexually complete” trinity: one male, one female, and one androgynous. But this may be problematic, as it could mislead audiences into thinking the real-life Gede Nibo is gay. Another approach would be to remove his drag queen persona, and make him a straight guy who has gay friends. Instead of Gede Nibo, the Erzulies could serve as inspiration for a character that embodies LGBTQ acceptance in Vodou.

RANTING ABOUT THE ERZULIES (EZILI DANTOR AND EZILI FREDA)

The Erzulies are important to the Haitian M Community - especially when accounting for race and class. Intense homophobia persists among the oppressed - who are denied access to higher education, and often understand sexuality/gender through religion. Those despised as masisi and madivin are tolerated in Vodou, where many houngans are themselves part of the M Community.

There is a fascinating documentary called Des hommes et dieux, which examines this very community. Several interviewees assert that Ezili Dantor has the power to make a person - male or female* - homosexual. It is for this reason that interviewees insist they were “born this way”, and that their parents - who might have otherwise rejected them - accept them as they are. I was particularly moved by statements from the interviewee Blondine, where the English captions read: “[My father] realized it came from voodoo. So he had to accept me. I’m like this because of the spirits that he’s serving. The loas decided I would be a girl. I was born this way.” 

Granted, one interviewee (the houngan named Fritzner who self identifies as masisi) rejects this belief, considering it blasphemous. Either way, it is unanimous that the Erzulies protect the M community. Those hated as masisi are loved by the lwa, become their houngans, and are called les enfants d’Erzulie - “Ezili’s children”. 

*I specify the category of sex, as the invisibility of “female masculinity” (including, masculine female homosexuality and the transmasculine spectrum) rears its ugly head. The “M Community” has language for transfems and feminine gay men; there are no equivalent terms for transmascs and masculine of center lesbians. As such, I have struggled to find information/research about the inverse phenomenon of “inverted” or “radically masculine” identifying members of “the feminine sex”; certainly not within the Black proletariat. Haiti is by no means unique in this regard. This disparity is found in many cultures all over the world - especially among the oppressed classes.

In any case, Erzulies are not just important to those of “the masculine sex”, but those of “the feminine sex” as well. Eziaku Nwokocha documents her personal experience as a Black queer femme with Ezili Dantor in The ‘Queerness’ of Ceremony. Zora Neale Hurston also briefly mentioned the importance of Ezili Freda to women who “tend toward the hermaphrodite” (i.e., with queer tendencies) in Tell My Horse. Unfortunately, I have struggled to find information about the Haitian equivalent of studs, aggressives, trans men, etc… due to the aforementioned issue of invisibility. Notably, none of the women at the temple Nwokocha visited were masculine-presenting, except for one visitor who dressed in red to honor the masculine lwa Ogou.

Previously I had been under the impression that Erzulie Dantor was associated with lesbians while Erzulie Freda was associated with the transfeminine spectrum. Just, a completely false dichotomy! WOW is there a lot of misinformation spread about Vodou! The Erzulies are associated with the transfeminine spectrum, as they protect femininity in all its manifestations. In addition to Black lesbians/bisexual/queer women, Erzulie Dantor is important to Black transfems, as she is depicted as a dark-skinned Black woman. That’s why people in the Haitian M Community love her, as a goddess of love, luck, and protection. For these reasons, I think it would be really cool to try to work Erzulie-inspired character(s) into this fictional world; granted, it presents more of a challenge to fit them into this setting, since they are not spirits of the dead. The easiest way to do so would be to have one of the Erzulies replace Mother Mary, if Mother Mary does not exist in the fictional mythology of Hazbin Hotel.

If you want to learn more about this, I highly recommend watching Anne Lescot & Laurence Magloire's documentary Of Men and Gods / Des hommes et dieux (2002). It’s available on Kanopy for free, and for rent Vimeo. Additionally, Eziaku Nwokocha, Roberto Strongman, and Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley have written several books and papers on this topic. Here are a few sources that can be accessed online:

Tinsley, Omise’eke Natasha. “Songs for Ezili: Vodou Epistemologies of (Trans) Gender.” Feminist Studies, vol. 37, no. 2, 2011, pp. 417–36. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23069911. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024. 

Strongman, Roberto. "Cross-Gender Identifications in Vodou."  In Defying Binarism: Gender Dynamics in Caribbean Literature and Culture. Virginia University Press. Ed. Maria Cristina Fumagalli. https://www.blackstudies.ucsb.edu/sites/secure.lsit.ucsb.edu.blks.d7/files/sitefiles/people/strongman/NewCrossGenderIdentificationsVodou.pdf 

Nwokocha, Eziaku. “The ‘Queerness’ of Ceremony: Possession and Sacred Space in Haitian Religion.” Journal of Haitian Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2019, pp. 71–90. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26926664. Accessed 6 Aug. 2024. https://eziakunwokocha.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-Queerness-of-Ceremony.pdf��

SIDE NOTE:

Rereading this, I fear I may come across as judgemental of writers like Fichte and Conner. That is not my intent! I do not think it is fair to judge these authors harshly. It is easy to take the internet for granted. I think these authors did the best they could with the technology that was available to them, but mistakes could have still been made. The fault does not lie on them, but myself for having been careless in my research.

[spotsupstuff]

List of things that sparked joy in my little Ancient culture enthusiast heart:

The moths in the Ancient Urban are essentially pigeons, including the fact some of them are tagged.

Finally a proper and canon confirmation that Ancients really did have pets, positive relationships with animals and weren't Only stuck in glass cubes on display like Moon implies once. It can also mean that they did research into animal behaviour, such as tracking migrating and such. From how biologists are in real life, we can assume they were even genuinely passionate & happy about these type of things.

All the pottery and plates in that workshop room,

A confirmation that they did have paper and used scrolls for writing stuff down,

alongside with the pearls that they, too, could perhaps freely read or one of those things on the shelf there might be a pearl reader, if it is more technologically based (CDs type information keeping)

I also wonder if those things there are books- with stone tablet pages or paper ones? digital things hidden in hardcovers?- or something else entirely. Do they maybe hold orders for earthenware?

The masks on the wall, they feel so real compared to the murals.

Are they of the same person or is it of the workers there or maybe a family? Some of them look similar to those in the murals.

While at the concept of family, they had creches, but it doesn't sound like it was an outright job in the sense that they seem to have been community-raised (I fuckin' knew it I can put down my tin hat now).

They had hard beds, similar to what used to be used in old china iirc, along with that pillow/headrest

This kinda thing. They were made out of porcelain to keep the head cool in the night, but I think some where out of wood too.

The bustling of the city.

The normalcy of people going about their day, talking, the vehicles zipping by (they had some kind of motor vehicles!!!!).

The architecture, in both the Ancient Urban and the Outer Rim (those roofs made the right side worth it to me, that's how much I love these bastards)

I find it very funny that what looks to me like a REALLY poor ass cable management seems like the height of decorative prowess to them. Also some insight into how the void ,,bath" actually looked like.

The toys... just the toys.

Alongside these dialogues

And the one about him remembering the halls he ran through- oh when I say that I adore the fact that this Echo is a kid stuck here, lonely and vulnerable with polite speech not plaguing it.

The original Echoes combined with the Iterators' distaste for the species as whole painted the Ancients as these heartless things lazer focused only on the Ascension, religion and rituals. There wasn't much space for thinking about them in a more human manner and I feel like most of the fandom did depict the Ancients only as the impression was given. Bunch of posh full of themselves suckups, uncaring much for one another or anything around them.

I get kinda annoyed when there's an insistance that some kind of sapient species has done only bad. With humans, too, I just about had it with the demonization, negativity and staggering blindness to the beauty and good we can and do create- in both fiction and reality. Same goes for these dumbasses.

Disko kid here begs to challenge that impression. He's lost and alone and kind of scared, stuck here not knowing how to move forward. He mourns the regularity and simplicity of his room, the nostalgia of shelves and toys, the golden sunrays sneaking in through the windows. He brings a certain humanity into the consideration of Ancients.

That maybe, only maybe.. they deserve to be mourned.

[iatrophilosophos]

One of the underdiscussed tragedies of covid is the fact that a ton of newly disabled people have been shoved into the discursive spotlight as the dominant voice on disability issues to spew frankly rancid takes

Basically everything said i have immense compassion and solidarity and time for coming from struggling individuals but whej spoken as a major discursive line, many of these takes are having pretty disastrous effects on the discourse and efficacy of the socio-medical field of chronic illness management and justice

Long covid is real, and debilitating. It's also novel-- the longest anyone can possibly have had long covid is about 5 years. I don't know that I know any chronically ill person who's condition arose as an adult who've made meaningful progress in managing their illness well in under 5 years; NOR anyone who hasn't made significant progress coping in under 10 years.

Becoming disabled is terrifying and there's a lot of grief and frustration and rage to work through-- and a lot of ableism. Most people who became #disabilityjusticeadvocates after being disabled by long covid have absolutely 0 knowledge of the history or tactics of disabled movements. Frankly offensive and ludicrous comparisons to AIDS, for example, run rampant-- despite the fact this is nothing like AIDS and ppl making these comparisons appear to be only passingly familiar with the AIDS epidemic and wholly unaware of the current abuse and criminalization forced on ppl who are HIV+. We can make critiques of how capitalism and frankly civilized society disables people, specific political critiques of covid even, without rudely and unhelpfully asserting that this is the Worst Thing That's Happened And Nobodys Ever Had It As Bad As You. It is not, and will never be, *literally illegal* to have long covid. Fuck, governments actually DID SOMETHING and responded!! It sucked, because it will always suck, it pushed poor people hardest, and so on, but cmon. You cannot seriously compare problematic but prompt vaccine rollouts and ongoing intense research into management and cures to 20 years of unaddressed death; nor a "resistance" movement that essentially amounts to insults & ineffectual propaganda to one that worked extremely hard at building communal support structures and making legit gains. Yall ain't even pumping infected air into the cdc offices. Smh.

My heart fucking hurts for the huge numbers of ppl who have become disabled without access to support and then asked to become discursive authorities on disability while still trying to figure out what living as a newly disabled person can look like, but I'm also fully pissed at the behavior of some of yall and how bystanders willing platform really ineffectual and frankly ableist shit because of "listening to affected voices".

People ARE making moves-- there are support groups and communities sharing new strategies both from DIY versions of new literature and observations from personal experiments. Nicotine patches are what I'm aware of most recently and i bieve Four Theives published a guide to a drug that *cures* a meaningful, but not fda-requirememt-satisfying # of cases. It is possible to take strides, movement is still possible, it is important to not lose rage or critique! AND everyone is still figuring this thing out (let me reiterate that long covid is getting a comparatively huge amount of research and attention than many other chronic illnesses, like fr) & the least some of yall can fucking do is not drag the entire concept of chronic illness management down in your despair.

[deikshen]

Shen Yuan concept without being a NEET just because my sister and I thought of this and lol we had a good time

So Shen Yuan is this rich kid and all, but he actually has this hobby that started taking up 80% of his free time: designing clothes. He started out as a cosmaker, can you blame him? Cosplays are so poor quality these days. And Shen Yuan is used to good quality clothes even if they are just simple t-shirts. So when he started realizing how pathetically expensive some cosplays were compared to their quality, he just... Well, he had to design his own!

Little by little, he evolved. And one day his wealthy family found him this job designing clothes for xianxia dramas, and Shen Yuan, a little delirious, accepted. It's okay! He designed a lot of sketches inspired by arts, historical research here and there, things that also looked nice and realistic. Shen Yuan enjoys his job almost as much as he enjoys criticizing each new PIDW chapter. How is it possible that they've been thirty chapters into that subplot and there have been more papapa scenes than a resolution?! Outrageous!

Shen Yuan designs a lot. He still works as a cosmaker, as he really enjoys doing embroidery. It's a time-consuming job, but he gets paid well and his cosplays are the best in the entire community. His family is happy that he has left his lonely life and has this job and this new business experience, they congratulate him on his new achievements, they urge him to enroll in some university fashion or clothing design.

Shen Yuan dismisses it. He misses his life as a NEET a little, but in reality on his days off he just plays around and does nothing, which is the same thing he does on his work days, except he embroiders and sews or draw on those work days. Days so busy, they are not.

So Airplane ends PIDW like absolute shit, Shen Yuan drowns and dies.

And he opens his eyes. Well, what the hell. It doesn't take long for him to discover that he transmigrated into an NPC. Tailored, apparently, because he's an no-name NPC apprentice to a spider demon seamstress!

He has a lot of knowledge about all of this, so it doesn't take him long to put it into practice. His teacher congratulates him and he makes a lot of sales. Soon, he gains a very good reputation. Maidens from other kingdoms come to Shen Yuan to design clothes for them for festivals, for dances, for family celebrations. Shen Yuan designs, sews, embroiders. It's not far from his old life, although he misses Project Sekai and caffeine a little.

He opens his own workshop almost a year later, with the goodwill of his demon teacher. She warns him of something: Shen Yuan is a thread woven to another soul. And soon, his soulmate will come for him.

Shen Yuan is a little nervous, but, oh well! A soulmate! If only!

He knows, for a fact, that that's impossible. They're in the disgusting world of PIDW, and at least half of the dresses he's made have been for Binghe's future wives. Some would even be torn apart without any care! What a waste of his time and effort!

He doesn't think about it too much. Shen Yuan just focuses on his work. He designs, sews, embroiders. He sleeps little but enjoys the smile on the faces of the Meimei's when they hug the pretty fabrics. It is, despite everything, a good life.

Then, Emperor Luo Binghe arrives at his door.

In person. Not with servants, not with a letter, not with an invitation. It is Emperor Luo Binghe who arrives at his door.

Of course Shen Yuan is going to make robes for the emperor! There's no need for him to ask or offer to pay for them! He's nervous and a little scared, but Luo Binghe is... well, he doesn't seem to have no kind of threatening aura or any kind of charm. He asks him for the designs of some robes and stays there while Shen Yuan makes the first sketches. Luo Binghe gives more directions, more corrections... And Shen Yuan discovers that Luo Binghe is requesting Qing Jing robes from him, if the fanarts are accurate. He tears off that sheet of paper, starts another sketch with Qing Jing's exact robes without uttering any words, leaving Luo Binghe speechless as well. Luo Binghe nods, correcting details of length and shape, not even asking or saying anything about designs of cultivators clothing, and Shen Yuan has to move on to the... er, awkward part. He has to almost strip Luo Binghe to take his measurements!

Ignore that part. His face is very red when he finishes, but he has the exact measurements of his back, his arms, the size of his fit, his length and width, everything necessary to work with the first molds.

Shen Yuan has no idea why Emperor Luo Binghe wants Qing Jing's robes. He won't ask either, he values his tongue very much. So, he just decides to continue his work like a good professional, embroidering every detail to perfection (he has done two Ning Yingying cosplays in the past, so, it was easy to him remember the embroidered patterns).

Maybe he makes it too perfect.

Luo Binghe is looming over him, his new robes on display, eyes red with fury, zuiyin shining on his forehead.

"Cang Qiong has been burned for more than two hundred years. How can a weak mortal like you recreate these patterns so perfectly?"

Shen Yuan has three options, honestly.

a) Tell him he's a transmigrator. He doesn't have any fucking System, and maybe telling him he's from another world will save him from his imminent death... But he highly doubts Luo Binghe will believe him.

b) Telling him that he's a reborn soul! That he may have worked for the sect in the past! It's not a bad idea, and it's actually quite common, isn't it? Some souls are reborn with some memories, huh, not bad...

c) Not saying anything and playing dumb.

Shen Yuan chooses to play dumb, only because he doesn't have enough brain cells and is so panicked that he can play the reborn.

"I don't know what Junshang is telling me! I just followed the directions and patterns in the design given by Jungshang!"

Luo Binghe does not strangle him. Makes things worse.

Luo Binghe carries him over his shoulder and carries him away. This is kidnapping?! Shen Yuan is being kidnapped from his own shop in broad daylight!? And obviously no one is going to stop him!!

And so, Luo Binghe simply puts him in a room somewhere in the palace, gives him some papers and many tools so he can draw and tells him to design something that he like. And he leaves.

... That is, a kind of test? Is Luo Binghe testing him in some way? Ah, he hopes his customers will be understanding. He's sorry for the delay in their dresses, but Emperor Luo Binghe has kidnapped this seamstress, but he hope to get back to business soon!!

(Luo Binghe is having the closest thing to astral travel. Why does that boy who looks like a young and sweet version of Shen Qingqiu know the patterns of Qing Jing so well? Is he his own "kind" Shen Qingqiu in this world? So why does he act like this and not like a haughty teacher? What should he do?

At least he brought him to his palace. He's not sure if he's the person he's looking for, but, well... he's not really going to let him out of his sight. Just in case.)

[elicathebunny]

FINALLY CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR HIGHEST SELF IN 2024.

You are going to STOP scrolling endlessly for self-help and advice content and you are going to STOP and apply the knowledge you have endlessly gained. Obtaining help and advice knowledge is useless if it goes through one ear and comes straight out the other. STOP becoming addicted to the idea of scrolling and scrolling for your problems yet you already have the resources to fix them. A fool is a person who cannot decide to take action despite having access to the information needed to do so.

BREAKING FREE FROM THE SCROLLING CYCLE

Learning and Applying is one thing, but Learning and Staying Stationary is literally brain rot. You're addicted to the idea of change and the end result, but you never take the steps towards discipline with a personal structure to get that result. You keep looking for quick fixes and easy hacks, but life is not a quick fix and no hack can elevate your life from 0% to 100% without visiting the rest of the numbers first.

TAKE A BREAK FROM SCROLLING

Take time away from your usual scrolling and learn to be on your own. Learn your own ways of self-care, learn what works for you and understand what you need, because nobody is the same. Following a millionaire's morning routine will not make you a millionaire. This routine has worked for someone to feel and be productive in the morning and was probably curated over the years to suit their current lifestyle. So, seeing other people's successes and comparing their working ways to your life is unrealistic if you are not in a position to implement them. Going straight from 0% (Being unproductive and procrastinating) to 100% (Being incredibly Productive and in tune with self) will not be sustainable for someone who has not built the discipline and the inner foundations required for it. STOP seeing information online and taking it without ALTERING anything to your personal situation.

STOP ASKING HOW TO AND JUST DO

"How to lose weight, How to become more social, How to do this and that"

Most of these things you ALREADY know the answer to. Everybody knows that to lose weight, you need to burn more than you consume. There is literally no other way, no magic and no secret hack, just that simple fact. I guarantee you know that to become more social you just have to be social. Learn to be comfortable in social situations which will require inner work, but it's not a difficult concept. Most of us know what we need to do, yet we still try to find quick fixes or another way that same message is presented to us differently. We act as if we are improving and developing on our "improvement" journey yet we are just finding coping ways to feel like we are moving, yet we are still in the exact same place as before. I know you know what to do, I know you have researched what you should do and ways you can do it. So why are you not doing it? Why are you still not where you want to be? If you are not where you want to be, then what you're currently doing needs to change. You cannot do the exact same thing you've been doing for years and expect a different outcome. You need to curate a routine suited to your needs that is realistic and achievable to adopt.

LEARNING TO MOVE ON YOUR OWN, STOP DEPENDING ON OTHERS TO FUEL YOUR SUCCESS JOURNEY LISTEN TO: NOBODY IS COMING TO SAVE YOU BY JULIENHIMSELF Make yourself your safe space, your foundation. When you see yourself in the mirror you should be able to tell yourself "I love you", you should be so sure in what you do that nobody else can contradict what you believe in yourself, this is the end goal of self-improvement. Many of us have put aside our goals because we "are not ready", "people may judge us" or "I need to be/achieve ___ to.." Now don't get me wrong, I'm on this journey with you. I write on this blog to teach my brain how to think in the higher mindset that I'm creating for myself. I too have thoughts like this which is why in 2024 we are going to break out of our old selves to make room for our new selves together. We have to lose ourselves to find ourselves. If you're mood and self-worth are controlled by other people's opinions, then you will never advance further with yourself and will remain stationary. You have to stop allowing other people to determine whether you are allowed to pursue your desires or if you shouldn't because of fear of rejection. Don't take life too seriously, we are only here for so much time. So what if people make fun of you? In a few years will you look back and be proud and fulfilled of your past or feel regret and disappointment? LISTEN TO: WHY YOU CARE SO MUCH BY JULIANHIMSELF + LISTEN TO: HOW TO DETACH BY VICKITA TRIVEDI

The only way to get to 0%-100% is by doing.

Embody your potential

[junkdrawerfan]

In honor of messy bitch Tim who deserves a maneater era after his womanizer era in the 90s. Here is a fic concept:

Bernard wants to get engaged young. 22-23. The minute he’s done with school he wants that ring on Tim’s finger.

Tim — allergic to commitment outside of the cape — is like “nope!” And it’s their biggest fight. It actually ends with them taking a six month “break” which Tim reads as a “break up” and proceeds to enjoy a voluminous ho phase, slipping in and out of the clubs of Gotham and Metropolis with Kon, Bart, and Dick as friends/guides.

It’s during this time period that Tim starts sleeps with Kon. They might have experimented when they were younger (no homo was said at some point because that closet was made of glass). A part of Tim, the part that has been in love with this boy even if he hadn’t had the language for it just yet, wants to cling to Kon with all the spite and terror of a bat. But the other part, the same part that ran away from Bernard, knows he won’t be satisfied if he ties himself to Kon just yet. There’s so much more to explore, to experience. He’s a researcher at heart after all. A scientist and an archeologist. He wants to experiment.

And Kon… Kon wants. And if this is how Tim will have him, he’ll enjoy it. He’s a “life is for living” kind of guy. If it becomes something more, Kon would be delighted. But he’s lasted this long as one of Tim’s best friends by meeting him where he’s at. And it’s fun. The sex and the partying and experimenting. Tim and Kon make it fun.

(Dick is happy to be Tim’s guru on all things safe, sane, and consensual. Honestly, Tim’s crisis of the week is small potatoes compared to most of the family DRAMA Dick deals with.)

And then Bernard comes back into the picture. After six months of licking his wounds and realizing he’d rather have a part of Tim instead of nothing at all, asks for another chance. He even suggests keeping an open relationship, as long as Tim doesn’t say “I love you” to anyone else and agrees to a date a week. Bernard can live with it. He’s not… thrilled, exactly. It’s not his first choice but he’d take some of Tim instead of none.

Tim introduces Bernard to Kon three months after settling into the new arrangement. They hadn’t met before then because Tim had no way to explain their connection out of the capes. Now Tim can say, “Bernard, this is my most frequent partner, Kon. He’s been my best friend since I was 14.”

And so the messiness commences!

[brucewaynehater101]

Idk if you're familiar with rodger from all american dad, but like. It would be SO funny if Tim had a similar situation (only ofc, other people would talk about him rather than him talking about himself) like

Jason: man I really need someone who knows *wild ancient lore*

Dick: Oh, you could talk to tim! He knows all about ancient lore

Jason: that tracks ig

_____

Damian: I desire to branch out into other styles of art

Jon: Oh, well, you know Tim right?

Damian: Yes I know my brother's into photography-

Jon: No, one of his aliases is a well known art thief, and Kon tells me he actually knows a lot about art because of it so maybe you should talk to him

Damian:...go back to drake being a well known art thief.

______

Dick: I'd actually kill whoever made this puzzle. Seriously. I can't get it

Bruce: *takes one look at it* Tim did that. Talk to him

Dick:

Dick: wdym he did this-

_____

Bruce: hey does-

Alfred: *points at tim*

Bruce:

Bruce: fair point. *turns to tim* hey bud, do you-

I am not familiar with American Dad :( But this concept is hilarious ^^

Let it extend past the batfam too ~

-----

Green Lantern: "Hey, do you think Batman would be able to look at this [specific alien species] crime cases?"

Flash: "Talk to Red Robin."

GL: "Spooky's kid?"

Flash: *shrugs* "Apparently, he solves cold cases even in other galaxies."

GL: *sighs* "Of course he does."

-----

Red Hood: "I need [specific plant] to compare to a drug sample I found."

Poison Ivy: "You didn't ask Red Robin?"

RH: "Why would I ask him?"

Poison Ivy: "... Because he grows rare plants. We trade sometimes."

RH: "Right. Sure. Okay. Fucking hell."

------

WW: "I'm sorry, Cassie. I know I said we'd spar this afternoon, but delegation work came up."

WG: "No worries. Anything I can help with?"

WW: "Unless you know [some country's laws/traditions], I don't believe so. I appreciate the offer."

WG: "I mean, I know quite a bit from when Young Justice invaded a country."

WW: "What?"

WG: "If I don't know it, I'm sure Tim does. He made several guides based on in-person research in case it happened again."

WW: "I see. Perhaps I'll contact him."

[rednightmare18]

Sometimes I really do believe writers overthink and over-reseach what we (often falsely) perceive to be "realistic" to the detriment of how vital and marvelous the weird and extreme are in fiction... and how common the weird and extreme are in life.

I have observed this a lot in regard to how fandom talks about Hans and Henry's romantic throughline, especially re: what is perceived by our comparatively comfortable 21st century ordinary as "realistic" love, affection, sex, and comportment. This is especially true in how we tend to discuss Suchdol and onward.

The thing, though, is that these characters' present circumstances are decidedly outside the daily and mundane, either ours or theirs. Their perception and valuation of what is acceptable is very, very different from not only ours but from what their own might be in more normal circumstances.

They exist and their romance flowers in an environment of the sustained extreme. And that changes everything - canonically, I would argue - by letting the weird and honest flourish as the constraints of what is normally "realistic" crumble.

So rather than hyperfocus on what you and I think is rational and moderate, "likely" behavior, consider instead how depicting the extreme and its effects on its subjects' interaction with the world makes for its own deeper, weirder form of realism.

Before you dismiss an idea as "too emotional" or "too open" for a man in the 1400s, really think and empathize first: Have you ever loved someone with such fierce insanity that you would volunteer your body to be bloody ripped limb from limb rather than allow him to be taken from you? What do you suppose this does to the wiring of your brain when it happens more than once and the threat is recurring?

Before you dismiss an idea as "too alien" or "too gross" or "too offensive" for the characters in question (have you actually researched this within a period context, btw?), consider: Would these characters feel the same way after wiping human guts off their bodies? Would their thresholds of what is weird and offensive change?

In our very real world, bodies & minds under duress are often react in bizarre ways we think are improbable or upsetting in more normal contexts. It's not clean or convenient. But it's real, and this more intensive level of honesty (maybe: outlandish realism) that scratches at discomfort is what does such a good job of reminding us that we are human animals on a spinning watery rockball together.

Moreover - when the concept of death, yours and others, is on the table on a daily basis, the concept of mundane and normal shifts massively, and all else with it.

My point is, in fiction in general but especially in historical fiction where we as writers are more susceptible to the whoopsie of this false-realism: Don't be so beholden to what is supposedly realistic in everyday circumstances that you lose the more humbling, more powerful realism of what happens to a person living the extreme.

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

Au where Stanford is obsessed with anomalies, but the anomalies are obsessed with Stanley instead. Stanley is in deep denial of this, of course, and its driving Stanford mad.

Especially since there is legit no reason for this, no reason at all for Stan to be so magnetic to the weirdness in the world, especially compared to Ford.

He’s tested for magic, nope. Tested dna, tested mental scans, curses, blessings, even his urine that one regrettable time in the midst of sleep deprivation. All negative for any kind of reasoning.

He finds this out due to his studying of the weirdness magnetism law, which leads him to Stanley in Nevada, big fight, big emotional reconciliation, blah, blah, blah.

Long story short, Stan gets dragged to Gravity Falls and only some of the reasons are research related! A win in Stan’s book!

Stan is having a good time, living with his bro, eating regularly trying to ignore Ford’ crazy talk and the fact Ford might(?) be on drugs.

Ford is trying to not feel wounded that everything loves his brother and not him (he legit saw the gnope police ignore his brother’s butterfly traficking, while Ford’s gnome criminal record only grows) but also immensely proud that Stanley fits in to his research.

Also is trying really, really hard to not acknowledge the fact Stan thinks he’s on drugs and keeps giving him knowing nods.

Anyway, hilarious scenarios ensue:

Ford, baffled and slightly angry: That was a leprechaun, a legit leprechaun gave you gold!!

Stan, holding handfuls of gold a short, Irish stranger gave him, giving Ford a ‘not cool’ look: …i’m pretty sure your not supposed to call people with dwarfism that, Ford.

Ford, about to explode:…

ALSO:

Ford, three in the morning, passionately explaining his work to Stan, manid excitement running through his veins: AND UNICORNS STAN, UNICORNS.

Stan, extremely experienced in the art of drug use: Uh-hu, tell me more Ford.

There's a similar au called Home Is Where The Weird is on Ao3 here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63746020/chapters/163433704

But i'd be lying if i hadnt thought of something similar before learning it existed. The idea that Ford is attracted to the strange, but the strange is attracted to Stan is such a fun one to think about. Stan just being a natural Weirdness Magnet for no reason Ford can find, and might also be the reason Ford himself is strange is such an interesting concept to me. Just- Ford being born with six fingers because Stan's weirdness magnetism was already at work in the womb? The idea would haunt Ford.

More under the cut!

And just like there's no visible reason that Gravity Falls has such a powerful Weirdness magnet, there's no reason for Stan to have one either! But its there, and Ford can see the effects of it at work!

I like the idea of Ford tracking Stan down on accident. Man's just looking for other magnets so he can compare data, and discovers evidence of a mobile one! How exciting! Why! How! He needs to figure out what it is!

And then he finds Stan, in the same town he's tracked the anomaly. There's a stiff sort of fight, and Ford sort of ignores him while trying to do his research, except everything he's following goes straight to Stan. Every signal, every strangely shaped jelly bean, until he's hit with the realization of 'oh my god, its Stan. Stan's the magnet.' Then he tackles his brother and forces him to show off where he's been for however long Fords been tracking the anomaly, and just like he suspects its the exact same route at the exact same times. Just confirms it for Ford that his brother is a natural weirdness magnet, and he needs to figure out why.

Which would make Stan's denial so so infuriating for Ford. Stan's lived his whole life explaining away every supernatural experience, he's not about to let his brother on drugs try and shove 'proof' in his face or whatever he's going on about. Ford, in his fury and need to know what Stan's deal is, drags him back home under the guise of 'studying him' which is a thin cover for 'oh my god Stan's homeless' and Stan allows because 'my brothers on drugs and i need to make sure he doesn't OD'.

Which is where i'm going to go on about my idea. When i thought about it, i was struck with the idea of how magnets repel each other if they have the same charge. Why?

Because Stan and Gravity Falls both attract Weirdness, they repel each other. Stan cannot enter Gravity Falls. Its like shoving two opposing magnets together, he physically cannot go past a certain point. There's an invisible force that pushes him back. Of course Ford's not going to let something like that stop him, and drags Stan into Gravity Falls anyway. It gets physically painful before Stan stumbles and is suddenly fine. he's in town, so everything is good, right?

Wrong.

Now he can't leave either. Gravity Falls Magnet has hooked onto Stan, and now the field is a little bigger now he's inside. He's trapped. My original idea was this would happen when Ford sends him the post card, and Stan gets more and more uneasy as he gets closer to Gravity Falls, until he hits the breaks suddenly, overcome with the need to not go any further. But Ford called him, and Ford needs him, so he's going to make it happen.

Except he physically can't. Gets out of the car to go on foot and just hits a wall. Theres a mini freak out that this is the reason Ford called him, and he drives to the closest phone along the invisible wall to call Ford. Fingers tapping and agitated, and then Ford never picks up, or it doesn't go through, because Fords deep in paranoia territory and hasn't paid his phone bill in some time. So Stan's gotta just push on through anyway.

And he does! Because he's Stan Pines and he's not going to let an invisible wall stop him! But it does mean he has to leave his car behind, because the effort of using it to shove himself in sort of broke it. Quickly figures out he cant go back either, then shrugs and moves on. Ford needs him here after all, he can figure out how to get out later. Goes the rest of the way to Fords cabin on foot/hitchhiking and everything goes mostly the same, except when Ford asks him to take the journal far away Stan stutters over his anger with the

"And how am i supposed to do that with the giant invisible wall!"

Much to Fords confusion. They yell at each other over it, Stan insisting he there was a force field around the town and Ford thinking Stan's just being stubborn, until he finally, in a burst of anger, drags Stan back to where he left his car (which is still there!) and shoves him over the boundary line.

Or tries to, because Stan hits an invisible wall. The wall that was not there before, and does not exist for Ford. No matter what he does, if he's holding his book or not, he cannot drag Stan past that line. It actually looks like he's shoving Stan against something physical. He gets like a centimeter of success before Stan is shoved back, like what happens with magnets.

Now Fords grand plan of having Stan drive off has failed, because he's accidentally trapped Stan in Gravity Falls. And they're both angry at each other, Ford hasn't slept, and Stan's freezing and also in pain from bursting through the first time and all of Fords attempts at shoving him the second.

And also theres a giant portal and Bill.

[lyvhie]

hi requesting a jeno x reader where jeno is so strong compared to reader and he gets turned on by that and it results in him manhandling reader -🦋

boyfriend!jeno × fem!reader (18+ mdni)

summary: had a bad day? don't worry, he'll make it better.

a/n: so, FIRSTLY, i actually didn't understand the concept of manhandling in a sexual situation, but i tried my best after doing some research, i'm sorry if that's not what you wanted 🥺 i can try another one if you don't like it!

cw: smut, pwp, unprotected penetrative sex, petname.

jeno wasn't sure when exactly he started to feel this way, but whatever it was that drove him crazy and made him feel so intensely was all your fault.

you were tiny, small, delicate—so much that he couldn't help but want to... break you. he knew he was stronger and bigger than you, and he couldn't help but feel the desire to exert that strength over you. it wasn't in a bad way, of course, but at first he was hesitant about that, like, what if you actually broke?!

however, you weren't quite so naive either. you had noticed his subtle glances at your neck, the certain intent in his gaze suggesting he wanted to wrap his hands around it as soon as he could.

and you were partly to blame; for example, you had toyed with him by squeezing his bicep or wrapping his arm around your neck in a side hug, all small, innocent actions that seemed purposely designed to provoke him further.

and then you gave him the chance to fulfill his desires. first, it started with just restricting your movements, like pinning your hands above your head with just one hand while the other held your waist to keep you in place as he was too busy burying his cock inside you.

then, it became him wrapping his hand around your neck, just light squeezes that were already making him thril inside, seeking for more, and you were more than happy to submit yourself to it.

he enjoyed seeing you helpless under him, and that's why, after a seemingly harmless discussion about "how was your day," you ended up bent over the kitchen counter. his hand pushed your face down against the cool surface—a small hint of dominance and control that leaves you feeling vulnerable and exposed.

the skirt of your dress was lifted until he had a nice view of your ass. your panties draped around your ankles as he thrusts into you from behind. the wet sound of his cock sliding through your slick folds was all you could hear, besides your loud moans, of course. “y-you should see yourself right now,” he said hoarsely, “all dumb because of my cock. does it feel good, huh?” he leans over you to lightly bite your shoulder, not really getting an answer from you.

feeling you body respond positively, jeno slides his hand around your neck and applies just enough pressure to make you gasp. he leans in close, his lips brushing against your ear as he says, "is this what you wanted? to be completely at my mercy?" not able speak, you nod frantically, your pants turning into whimpers. he squeezes tighter, controlling your air flow carefully as he continues to pound into you, each thrust sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body, making it difficult for you to breathe properly.

he groans when he feels your walls clenching around him, indicating that you were close, "let go, baby," he encourages hoarsely, his teeth grazing your earlobe and quickens his pace, his hips slamming into yours. he feels his own release building up, his muscles tensing with anticipation. he releases your hands and grabs onto your waist instead, pulling you back into him as he thrusts even harder.

your hands were holding the edge of the counter as you try to hold on, your body shaking from the intensity. jeno's finds its way to your clit, rubbing slow circles as he continues to choke you. seeing you like this drives him wild, knowing he's the one making you feel so good. "come for me, baby" he murmurs huskily, increasing the pressure on your sensitive bud. your orgasm hit you like a tidal wave, your whole body convulsing as you cry out out his name. he follows shortly after, emptying himself inside you with a final grunt.

you stay like that for a moment, both trying to catch your breaths before jeno slowly removes his hand from your neck and pulls out of you, his seed dripping down your thighs. “wow, that was… wow,” you said still panting, making him chuckle and spins you around to face him, catching you when your legs buckle slightly. “are you good?” he asks softly, cupping your face and caressing your cheeks. “yeah, i think i'll always tell you that my day was terrible if that's your way of comforting me.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

huh...

Recently I was researching Malleus in preparation to write some things for my "10 years later" blog event. And you know what I noticed?

MALLEUS SEEMS TO HAVE LIKE NO CLEARLY STATED POLICY POSITIONS WHATSOEVER 💀 Across 4+ years of content (voice lines, vignettes, events, main story, etc.), Malleus does not really indicate how he plans to rule once he ascends to the throne. I keep thinking I missed something and go back to comb over everything, but I swear to you that it was pretty threadbare. The closest examples I could find were him being familiar with the concept of noblesse oblige (those of higher status have a duty to aid the weak), thinking it prudent to maintain friendly relationships with representatives of foreign lands, and going along with various traditions and ceremonies. I guess you can also throw in Malleus saying he was told by his grandma that the Draconias are meant to use their powers to protect the smiles of their people? But there's nothing concrete, like how exactly Malleus would achieve his goals once in power or what his specific goals are. (This is not counting fan speculation, such as him potentially eliminating the current senate due to how they treated Lilia so callously.)

Malleus will often talk about how the things he's experiencing are different than what he knows of back home. Malleus will talk about how others wait on him (his birthday is a national holiday, he has private chefs and tutors, etc.). But he doesn't talk about how he would rule. That's like... so wild to me considering that he's the crown prince of Briar Valley. I would have expected at least one or two dedicated voice lines about such a BIG for Malleus, especially with how often he speaks about himself being a royal and being groomed for the position of future ruler of his nation. Malleus sometimes shares about his grandmother, who is the current ruler, but again never specifies what her ruling style is like or what her policies are like. It's also strange to me that Sebek, Silver, and Lilia also never speak about Malleus's positions on anything. The best we get is Lilia trying to encourage Malleus to get out of his comfort zone more and to make the most of his time to learn about his non-fae peers. That doesn't speak to any of his current thoughts though, only what Lilia hopes will enhance Malleus's understanding now and perhaps inform his decisions in the future. We're mostly left to assume how Briar Valley's political landscape works--but even then, there's not much to make of it, besides being aware of the senate, a reliance on magic, and the general adversity to humans and technology.

To my knowledge, Malleus barely performs any of the tasks a dorm leader typically would...? Silver has a voice line in his Dorm Uniform stating, "Every time I see Malleus carrying out his housewarden duties, I think that Briar Valley is in good hands," but we rarely see this on-screen. Malleus definitely misses most meetings and ceremonies, often having to rely on Lilia to do them in his place. He also makes excuses as to why he cannot make it to them and blames others for it. (From his Dorm Uniform vignettes: “It's not my fault I don't attend such gatherings. The humans who fear me for no good reason are to blame.”) Malleus also seems to whine when asked to do a simple task like choosing the dorm’s Halloween costume? (From his Halloween Dress vignettes: “You want ME to choose? Why? You've done a perfectly adequate job of it these past two years. […] But I haven't the faintest idea where to begin with such a thing. Surely there's someone more suitable you can turn to.” This... doesn't give him chances to actually act in the role of a leader. It doesn’t exactly instill a my faith in him as someone who can lead, either

Compare this to Leona, the other prince of the cast (not counting Silver, since he learns of his prince heritage very late into the main story and may not even feasibly have a country or people to his name anymore). Leona is the second prince of Sunset Savanna, meaning he's not even expected to become king someday--yet we consistently hear what his thoughts on policies and political planning are. He comments that he worries for his country's future due to how lax, kind-hearted, and extravagant his older brother and acting king Falena is. On top of that, Leona's own views on what would most benefit his country are explicitly laid out. He doesn't care much for stuffy traditions or living in harmony with nature (a value many of his countrymen have); he prioritizes progress and thinks proactively about it. Even on his own birthday, Leona talks about how the gift he received from Falena could be better served as a gift to a neighboring country to bolster the relationship between their nations. The mining and energy internship he chooses in book 7 is also geared towards making sustainable advancements back home (presumably to make use of his country’s natural resources while minimizing damage to the land). We get a very clear sense of how Leona would go about improving his country, even if not from the position of king and even if his ideas wouldn’t be received well by his people or by the land. (If this topic interests you, then please check out this post, where I discuss Leona vs Falena's priorities and ruling styles.)

And for as lazy as Leona keeps being talked up to be, he (to my knowledge) actually respects his peers’ time and does not miss meetings. He could easily not attend or just send a minion to do this menial work for him, but he doesn’t. Instead, Leona actively chooses to be present and to represent his dorm. He doesn’t make excuses or try to skip meetings, he puts his money where his mouth is and actually leads Savanaclaw, even if that means using dirty means at times (book 2).

So what's up with Malleus, an actual king-to-be, not talking about politics at all????? Is it maybe just something Malleus is not thinking about (it's possible that he could become king much later in life, since he’s not considered an “adult” until 1000 years old)? Is he maybe focusing on his current school experience? Or is it that he just... keeps the plans to himself since they aren't immediately relevant? Or is it that he feels he doesn't need to implement many changes once he does become king (since he seems to already be accustomed to his grandmother's way of ruling), so there's no need for him to consider it now? (Briar Valley itself and Malleus are particularly old-fashioned and appear to have issues adapting or changing with the times.) Is it that Malleus secretly dreads his ascension because it means he can no longer go back to his carefree school days? Maybe it's just the Twst devs intentionally keeping Briar Valley vague for meta reasons/to maintain Diasomnia's mystique??? It could be any combination of reasons.

I guess I'm a little frustrated myself at this realization because a personal gripe I have with Malleus is how he's treated and talked about like he's a great leader (especially by Diasomnia; *stares at Sebek shouting and Lilia's book 2 speech*), but we never get real instances of him acting like that great leader he supposedly is. It feels like lip service (think about how often Diasomnia and the general cast hypes him up) without him being able to back it up. When has Malleus led anyone in a serious group effort? How does he intend to lead in the future? I feel like it's mostly him wandering off to do his own thing or to clear the challenge with his OP-ness. But if Twst is really going to sell us on Malleus being a "great leader", then he should be given more chances to be one. It's such a wasted opportunity that we don't get to know more about this. The only instance I can think of (off the top of my head) where Malleus "leads" is GloMasq, and even then I don't know if I would count it??? Because Malleus isn't really leading the group so much as he is tagging along with them because there's safety in numbers given the situation. Everyone else throws themselves out there to protect him and the other event SSRs... and the way Malleus acts kind of implies he would march up that tower and try to decimate Rollo with or without anyone's help if he could. That doesn't really read to me as him taking charge, even if he's technically going to these great lengths to protect his country, which primarily relies on magic (ie their way of life would be destroyed if Rollo's plan succeeds). Maybe I'm missing something though??? If you can think of any examples of Malleus being a leader and/or times when he mentions how he'd rule Briar Valley, let me know. it's very possible that I have overlooked an example, given the extensive amount of content out at the moment. Sharing general thoughts on this topic is also fine.

[cosmowgyral]

With You through every Season ~

(5th Anniversary Story Event - Me and You, Always)

▪︎ Gilbert von Obsidian

this is a fan translation so please don't expect it to be 100% accurate. creative liberties have been taken. all content belongs to cybird. reblogs are appreciated but do not repost. hope you enjoy!

the story is from gilbert's pov

~chapter 1

Emma: Come to think of it… it’s hard to feel the seasons here in Obsidian.

One day, while helping with some work, Emma quietly muttered those words as she looked up at the clear summer sky.

It was summertime—yet she was still wearing a long-sleeved blouse.

Gilbert: Unlike Rhodolite, we don’t really have much of a seasonal shift here.

Gilbert: Do you miss home?

Emma: It’s not quite that I miss it, but…

Emma: I just think… I’d like to do things that you can only do in summer, and things you can only do in autumn, you know?

(Ah… she’s the kind of girl who treasures the seasons.)

It brought back memories of the people in the town back when she once stayed in Rhodolite—how they held festivals with each passing season.

For someone like Emma, who was once part of that, the seasonless air of Obsidian might feel a little lacking.

(Especially since this country tends to reflect the royal family’s preferences.)

(And since I never paid much attention to the changing seasons, we don’t hold festivals outside of the ones rooted in tradition.)

(…Honestly, I’ve always hated the very concept of seasons.)

(Every time one passed, it was just another reminder—my time limit creeping closer, tick by tick.)

--flashback--

Albert: Hey, Gil. Summer’s here! What should we do this year?

--flashback ends--

Emma: Oh, yeah!

That cheerful voice shattered the ruins of the past.

Emma: Gil, why don’t we do something summery together?

Gilbert: …Like what?

Emma: Let’s see—

A few days later, the brilliant sun gleamed down, reflecting off the small pool set up in the research lab.

Emma: Alright, here I go.

She slipped off her shoes, gathered up her long skirt, and dipped her feet into the water.

(To think she actually went and built a pool herself...)

It was a simple, shallow pool—just a wooden frame lined with waterproof sheets.

But remembering how Emma had worked on it so earnestly, day after day, giving it her all…

It felt more precious than any facility in the entire district.

Emma: It feels so nice… Gil, won’t you try it too?

Gilbert: I’m fine just watching.

Emma: But it’s fun, you know?

Gilber: …You want me to join?

Emma: I made it, after all—so I’d love for you to.

Gilbert: Guess I don’t have much of a choice then.

(Let’s just hope I don’t catch a cold.)

I took off my shoes and, letting myself be led by her invitation, dipped my feet into the water.

(Huh...)

Gilbert: It’s warm.

Emma: I thought cold water might be bad for the body in Obsidian’s climate, so I made it warm.

(She really thought it through for my sake. Emma doesn’t miss a thing, does she...)

Gilbert: This feels more like a foot bath than a pool, doesn’t it?

Emma: As long as you like it, that’s all that matters.

Gilbert: Heehee… You haven’t changed at all, Emma. Still as sweet and devoted as ever.

Gilbert: So… we’ve soaked our feet—what now?

Emma: ....

Gilbert: You didn’t think that far, did you.

Emma: …A scary story...

Emma: That’s it! Summer means ghost stories!

Gilbert: You sure about that? My scary stories are really scary.

Emma: ...Let’s not, after all.

Gilbert: Let’s see… I’ve got a whole collection of spine-chilling tales. The real question is—which one should I share with my little rabbit first...?

Emma: Nope! Absolutely not!

She quickly swatted away the hand reaching toward her just in time. So close.

The splash of water echoed with a refreshing sound—it felt undeniably like summer.

Gilbert: Alright then, let me hear your scary story, little rabbit.

Emma: Hmm, let me think…

Emma: Well… I do know a lot of ghost stories, but…

Emma: None of them compare to the fears I’ve actually experienced myself.

Gilbert: Scarier than ghost stories? Who in the world could’ve put you through something so awful?

She gave me a long, pointed stare—so heavy with unspoken words that I couldn’t help but laugh.

(Though… it’s probably no laughing matter to her.)

Even Emma, who’d been forcing an exaggerated scowl, couldn’t hold it in anymore—and finally broke into a smile.

Emma: It’s strange, isn’t it? Back then, I was so scared it made my blood run cold…

Emma: I never imagined I’d end up falling for you like this.

When she suddenly threw herself into my arms, I caught her without thinking. Around us, jewel-like droplets of water scattered through the air.

Gilbert: Ahaha… in a way, that might be the scariest story of all.

Emma: If I told it to anyone other than you, I bet it’d be pretty effective.

Gilbert: Other than me, huh?

Emma: ...I just felt a chill run down my spine.

Gilbert: Now that’s what a proper summer ghost story should do.

(She gets angry, laughs, panics… she’s always so busy reacting—and so cute.)

As she lifted her face, Emma gently placed her hand on my cheek.

Emma: If I’m going to make your heart skip a beat—

[Masterlist] [Chapter 2]

[therealressii]

Hi, I didn't forget I had this blog lol I was just starting to make a new game called Field Bio (subject to change) that takes place in the same universe as Roa.

It's a game me and my friend (Bitilope, on Bluesky and Twitter) about being on the field, doing biology ecology stuff, with a focus on story, characters, and such.

The main part of the game will be about setting up trail cameras and touching up photos due to the poor resolution (by drawing over them).

You'll be playing as PIp, a young adult Orni who is under the apprenticeship of Mirabelle, a much older and mature Blood Deer (someone who may or may not be somewhere in Roa, they're not hard to find), in a somewhat populated research hub near Kopen Village.

For now, we've only gotten the fishing part of the game going (mostly because it was easier to conceptualize the design and gameplay for compared to the actual "main" part of the game).

We're aiming for something similar to Voices of the Void (in some aspect), but who knows really it's a lil too early to tell, anyways have more random concept art/doodles I've done.

Anyways, thats what I've been doing for the last month or so, see you in another two months lol

Bonus drawing of Pip showing off cursed Orni anatomy:

[lichtluxx]

-> What is godspousing?

I want to start this saying I'm not godspoused to any of my deities, though I have seen the term "godspouse" flying around and some people being hostile to those who are godspoused, as if the mere notion of it was wrong or nocive somehow. And why would that be, I thought to myself? And as I read about, I got a little intrigued.

After all, what is godspouse?

First, let's look at the definition:

Godspouse - noun: (paganism, especially Germanic paganism) A mortal person who marries a deity, according to the OneLook.

As one can presume, there's different forms of relationship between a person and their Deity. For some, it's platonic, as a friend, mentor, and family member. For others, it's merely profissional, courteous, and respectful. And those are very valid!

Every relationship is different, and all of them are alright.

But Godspouse seems to get all sorts of reactions out of people. Some think it's rubbish, that it doesn't exist and people are just misinterpreting signs, most definitely it must be that, right? Or suddenly, you're working with a trickster spirit instead of the real deity.

There are a lot of forms of godspousing, and most of them are just a bond of devotion to a particular deity. This, of course, can come in the form of romantic love. I could compare it, even though it doesn't do justice enough imo, akin to being a nun, but that's not quite what it is.

It's a much deeper relantionship than just devotion. You are devoted, yes, undoubtedly, but you are also in a personal relationship with your deity, be it a God/Goddess, an angel or a demon.

Your godspouse is your main deity, the one who is always nearby, the one you're closer to than others you work with it. I saw around that you could have one or more godspouses, though by my researches that wasn't all that common - or, people don't talk about it a lot, due fear of being ostracized and made fun of, or just for preserving their own privacy, because it is a personal experience and they don't really have to divulge it unless they explicitly want to.

While some say if you're committed enough to them, you could ask your deity to take the next step with them, to be theirs. Others say if this relationship is supposed to happen, the deity would let you know and ask you to be theirs.

It seems this hatred and aversion boils down to how your theological worldview shapes your idea of such concepts. To some, marriage is a sacred union of souls; something tangible only for humans as Gods and Goddesses, demons and angels, and everything in between have no corporal bodies, and viewing them in any other form is quite blasphemous or problematic, given our clear lack of apprehension of what the truly Divine is.

It's pretty common for godspouses to be in a physical relationships or be married to someone else, despite having a relantionship with their Deity and usually, the Gods are alright with this, but some Gods may desire you not to take on other relationships.

-> Was this practiced in the past?

Godspousing wasn't practiced in antiquity, and if they were, it wasn't documented in any book or grimoire, or it got lost somewhere / erased in history. But really, it existed many different forms of long-term religious roles such as the Vestal Virgins, the Oracle of Delphi, or the galli priests of Cybele existed. Even if these relationships were not spousing, it existed.

Looking at geographically nearby comparisons, Egyptian religion did have the God's Wife of Amun during the 18th and 20th-26th dynasties, who was usually a wife, sister or daughter of the reigning Pharaoh whose job it was to tend the sacred cult image of Amun in Thebes which also included sexual rites - sex was as important to making sure a god had a healthy, normal life among humanity as bringing him meals and annually carrying him down the river to join Mut and visit Khonsu was. But that was a bureaucratic, usually royal appointment.

In Hinduism, the concept of a "godspouse" isn't a direct one. Instead, the focus is on the relationship between the divine and the individual, often through the lens of a chosen deity (Ishta-Devata).

Bhakti, a Sanskrit term meaning "devotion" or "love", is a central concept in Hinduism and other Indian religious traditions. It refers to the spiritual path that seeks union with the divine through love and devotion to a personal deity or the Absolute. Bhakti can manifest itself in many forms, including worship, devotional chanting (bhajan), dance, meditation, and devotional service.

Bhakti is often a deeply emotional devotion based on a relationship between a devotee and the object of devotion. The chosen deity can be seen as a partner or guide on the path to spiritual enlightenment.

Now, even if there's no evidence of this, or even if people think that "godspouse" is just a trendy, new thing, it's complex, to have a relationship with the divine, that is, be it platonic, familial or romantic. For some, being just comfortable with your deity without doing some big, fantastic ritual is quite unsettling.

Point is: someone will always be bothered with others' practices.

-> Clarification

Now, having said all of that, can we talk?

It’s does not look good for you when you are actively taking your time to bash and criticize people just for things that you guys think are fake, forced, unreal, or a spiritual psychosis (which is a very serious matter and should stop being throw around as if it doesn't meant anything) just because someone's practice is different than yours.

There's no right or wrong because every practitioner practices differently, worships differently, and has a different relationship with their deity.

If you can hate actively like that, you should be bettering and focusing on yourself.

For the godspouses, go and love your gods, I find so cute y'all posts on here! Your gods love you and so do I, you guys are valid asf ♡♡