#they might need a name as a system...

[sleepsty]

One more Love post o⁠(⁠(⁠*⁠^⁠▽⁠^⁠*⁠)⁠)⁠o

Fan fact about the character! Mask can change impressions but very subtly to notice without stepping back for a moment

Recently found myself loving these cut art-previews (?) at the start of the post, so I might stick to them..

[telesodalite]

Never getting over Fulcrum being a project manager...

Idk why, but something about that is so funny to me. Not just because the title of "project manager" is inherently kinda funny for a Decepticon, but also because-

1. It's vague sounding and hard to explain irl because it technically exists in multiple fields, like healthcare or manufacturing, which surely translates into canon in some way.

2. In canon, it's simultaneously a really mundane, innocuous sounding job, yet it's also a super morally awful position to reside over depending on the context. (*cough* forced colonization and cyberforming *cough*)

And 3. It solidifies the fact that behind all the surface level militaristic work we get with both the Decepticons and Autobots, there's also Cons and Bots with "normal" jobs in both factions.

Like, sure yeah we get scientists and doctors, engineers and programmers, but usually in big important or warfront positions. (For plot reasons, understandably.) But it's also really funny and interesting to think of those that worked background positions, or minor jobs.

Like an Autobot working in their equivalent of an HR department, or a Decepticon who runs one of their outpost's or starship's kitchens.

Just all the pre-war jobs that didn't just disappear with the war, but instead evolved to exist within the factions.

It's particularly funny with the Decepticons though, because it could be a super mundane job or situation, but because it's them, it has to have an air of ~e v i l~ to it, either legitimately and/or merely for the vibes, like Tarn's "performance reviews".

[epicfirestormer]

Guess who's playing Steamworld Heist 2 and isn't being normal about it

[the-meme-monarch]

ooouuuuu friend.ship test. hi friendship test. I’ve had a break from commissions bc I’m waiting for an answer back before I can proceed so I’ve been able to just watch friendship test hi friendship test hi. hi. just finished act 7. act 7 has hands

[rainbowsandwhumperflies]

The Winged Servant - 12

content warnings: discussions surrounding medically induced amnesia, royal/servant whump, angel whumpee, discussions surrounding corporal punishment (torturing onyx lol), let me know if I missed anything!

prev chapter | masterlist

The guard took me down three staircases and through too many hallways to remember before opening a metal door. “They’ll be waiting for you right in here. There aren’t guards in there, but those two are plenty capable and I will be waiting out here regardless, so no funny business.” I didn’t miss the click of the lock sliding into place as the door closed.

There was a table in the middle of the room. It had a white tablecloth on it, but it looked like it was metal and sterile under that.

Dubhe was waiting at the table. Dubhe and… someone else. The someone else would clearly rather I didn’t know. They were wearing a mask, blue and gray and big enough to cover every inch of their face. They had loose enough clothes to hide the curves of their body and their hair was pulled back into a bun that hid the texture and length of it—even the color outside of how dark it was.

“Hi, Onyx,” Dubhe said softly. “How’s your arm?”

“Good, sir,” I whispered, bowing my head slightly. “Thank you for the concern. And, um, the medical help.”

“Of course. How about you come sit down, yeah? My friend here is going to stay anonymous, but you can call them Blue. We just wanted to ask you a few questions, if that’s okay?”

He was speaking so gently. As if I wouldn’t understand him if he was blunt with me. I wondered if I should tell him that I knew how to be a good servant, or if that was too irrelevant to the conversation. “Of course, sir.”

“What’s your full name?” Blue asked. They did not sound upset with me, but it was a far cry from Dubhe's soft tone.

“Onyx, Mx.”

“And… your last name?”

I glanced away, focusing my eyes on the tablecloth, tracing the gold embroidery with my eyes. “My apologies, Mx, but you would have to ask the royal family for that kind of information. I don’t know it anymore.”

“No? Why not?”

“I gave it to them, Mx, when I was seventeen. I don’t remember anything from before being a servant. It’s better this way. I'm more productive.”

Dubhe and Blue stared at each other for a long moment before looking back at me. “They erased your memory?” Dubhe asked slowly.

“Yes, but- but I agreed, sir. I offered to let them do it, because I wanted to become the best servant I could.”

“Okay, but your offer was before they actually did the procedure, right? So the only reason you know that you offered is because they told you.”

“Yes, sir,” I agreed. “I’m very grateful to them for telling me, since they don't usually tell me about before. As is their right, of course.”

“Jesus Christ,” Dubhe whispered. “You’ve been with them this whole time, haven’t you? What did you do when they were overthrown?”

“... What?”

“When they were overthrown. Since they’re no longer royal. Did they just take you with them when they left the castle?”

This was similar to what Dr. Charlotte had said—she hasn’t ruled a country for the better part of the last decade—but it couldn’t be true. “The Rao family has ruled Sathenn for sixteen generations, sir. And I don’t- I don’t think I’d ever seen the castle before last night.”

“So you didn't work for them as an employee, or at least not after the memory thing.” Blue tilted their head. “How do you know that the Raos didn’t just grab you off the street and wipe your memory?”

I frowned. “His Highness Prince Ryan told me that I volunteered.”

“And you took his word for it. Right.” They wrote something down on their clipboard. “Did you try to leave?”

“Of course not, not on purpose,” I breathed, staring at them in shock. “I’m- I know how to be a good servant, I can be, I swear.”

“And you didn’t ever want to, or you were just too scared to? Do you understand the difference in the question I am asking?”

“I don’t… think I understand, Mx. I don’t leave because that’s what’s required of me as a servant, and I can be a good servant. It’s not about what I want or how scared I am, I just don't leave.”

“... Right.” I could not see their expression, but I didn’t think they looked convinced. “And what would happen if you did try to leave? Would you… get in trouble in some way?”

“Of course, Mx. But I know my place, I swear I do, I wouldn’t run.”

“Okay. But if you did.”

“I wouldn’t, Mx,” I insisted. “I swear. I can be good, I wouldn’t run.”

They paused for a moment, but nodded eventually. “Okay. Sure. You wouldn’t run. But do you get in trouble for other things, then? Other, smaller mistakes, maybe? Can you describe�� I don’t know. Can you describe the most recent incident?”

The most recent one was… last night, despite the fact that last night felt much further away than it was. “Each morning, I bring breakfast to Her Majesty,” I explained. “Yesterday, I was late, Mx. I was punished for that.”

“What kind of punishment?”

“I usually wear a shock collar, Mx, and His Highness Prince Ryan shocked me three times. One for each minute I was late. A fair punishment.”

Blue had been scribbling on their paper, but froze as I spoke. “So you- when you say punishment, you mean corporal punishment.”

“Of course, Mx. Punishment is required for me to become the best servant I can be. How else am I supposed to learn to be better? I make much fewer mistakes than when I was new.”

Dubhe was frowning at the wall, and I flinched when he turned his gaze toward me. “Tell Blue what you told me about your wing.”

“My wing wasn’t broken as a punishment, sir,” I explained again, not understanding the relevance. I hadn’t understood the relevance of any of these questions, but it didn’t matter, because the prince had said to do what I was told. “It was only to keep me from flying. But it’s- it’s okay, now, it barely hurts, it’s been years. His Highness Prince Cardan broke it before I gave the royal family my memories, so I don’t remember it happening.”

“That’s convenient,” Blue muttered. “Fine. Okay. Last couple questions, because I can’t stomach this for much longer. What do you know about what you were doing in the castle last night?”

I hesitated. “One of the guards said that we were breaking in.”

“Mhm. Were you aware of that before you came here?”

“... The royal family can’t break in anywhere, Mx. They’re entitled to any building they like.”

“Allow me to rephrase, Onyx. Were you or were you not aware, last night, that you came here as part of a group on a mission to kill people?”

“That’s not-” I hesitated. “They weren’t here for that. They were here for… for Dubhe, they said. Anyone that they hurt was someone in the way of their rule—it’s not that they wanted to hurt people.”

“Didn’t they? I’ve seen the camera footage. You were an accessory to murder before you even got into the door. That didn’t make you hesitate at all? It didn’t surprise you enough to ask any of the Raos what you were doing here?”

Right. The guard with the purple hair. Outside, guarding the castle. Guarding Dubhe. Dead, after someone had killed her, someone that had arrived in a car with me.

“No, Mx,” I said. “I didn’t- I didn’t ask. I’m not supposed to ask questions. It would be a waste of time. I’m just supposed to do what I’m told.”

Blue took a slow, measured breath. “Okay. I have good news and bad news for you, Onyx. The good news is that I think putting you on trial wouldn’t get us very far because you somehow managed not to realize that the Raos were killing people. Even after watching them kill people. The bad news is that you are ridiculously loyal to people that have been lying to you for longer than you remember existing. These people are dangerous to everything this country stands for. That makes you dangerous by proxy, regardless of your intentions or information, and we can’t exactly let you free either.”

You are ridiculously loyal to people that have been lying to you.

These people are dangerous.

“That doesn’t- it doesn’t matter if they lie,” I managed. “It doesn’t matter if they’re dangerous. It’s not the same for them, Mx. They tell me what they want me to know so that I can be the best servant possible. Sometimes that doesn’t include the full picture.”

“Why do you need to be such a good servant?” Blue asked. “Why does their comfort matter so much more than yours? They might have the best servant in the world, Onyx, but what is the point of serving them so much if they give you nothing in return?”

This was something I had asked too, once. It was years ago, when I was new and I had phrased it differently, but I remembered it. Why is my happiness less important than yours, Your Highness?

Prince Cardan had laughed and asked me how happy I thought he was. And he’d said that happiness- “Happiness serves no purpose, Mx. It doesn’t protect me or keep me safe or provide me with food. The royal family does that for me, if I do my best to be a good servant.”

“They’re not going to be the royal family ever again, you know. They’re-”

“When was the last time you ate something, Onyx?” Dubhe interrupted.

Blue glared at him.

“... Last night, sir,” I answered quietly. “At dinner.”

“I think that the conversation Blue is trying to have with you would be better managed over a meal. How about we get you some breakfast?”

Blue was still glaring, and Dubhe didn’t look happy. …But someone had asked me a question, and I was supposed to answer it. “Yes. sir.”

“Okay. Blue—paperwork. Try to start questioning Lucia if you have any extra time. Onyx—how do you feel about crepes?”

~

taglist (btw i appreciate you so so much): @kaleidoscope-of-thoughts @toyybox @rainydaywhump @risk606

[mariyekos]

Crack fic idea: POV of a police officer chasing a robbery suspect who ends up running into DMC to escape/grab a hostage. When the officer opens the door, he finds the suspect standing frozen in the middle of the room, because on the opposite end by the desk, an angry Vergil's standing there stabbing a surprised Dante. This stabbing pretty obviously happened before the robber showed up. It's only through the hand, but the one guy is holding a whole giant samurai sword, the guy getting stabbed has a gun in his free hand, and there's kind of a lot of blood.

The other officer comes in after POV guy. Officer 2 looks over the scene, then starts to arrest the suspect who's still so shocked he doesn't really fight the handcuffs. Once the suspect is cuffed, Officer 2 starts to walk him through the door and tells POV Officer it's time to go. POV Officer is confused, because uh, sir, there's some pretty severe domestic violence going on and he doesn't know if that gun's registered, and even if they ignore all the normal police/violence/safety issues shouldn't they call some EMTs??? Or at least ask the guy getting stabbed if he's okay???? (To which Dante calls out "oh yeah I'm good!" confusing poor POV officer further)

Officer 2 just frowns and shakes his head. "No, they've got this. Right Dante?" To which Dante cheerfully replies with some small talk that makes it obvious he and Officer 2 are acquainted. Vergil gets tired of the small talk and rips the Yamato out of Dante's hand, walking upstairs. And when POV Officer starts to ask something else, Dante basically just waves him off with some sort of comment about how Vergil's just grumpy, honestly Dante kind of deserved that one, he'll admit he was being a bit pushy. And then waves goodbye when Officer 2 says they really need to get back go the station and book the suspect.

As they leave, POV Officer asks what's going on. Officer 2 basically just tells him not to worry, and not to write it in the report. That's just Dante. Dante tries to keep clear of the police, the police try to keep clear of Dante, and everyone's happy. He's helped out on a handful of cases when he just so happened to be in the area, he's gotten accused of some property damage a few times, it all evens out. You just don't mention Dante. City Police actually have a code for it, if they ever absolutely have to. But today they don't, so they won't. They caught the suspect. That's that. The suspect ran into one of the many abandoned buildings in the area and they caught him. Nothing else of note.

Oh, and if POV Officer is worried about the hand, he shouldn't be. The police here have known demons were real for years before Redgrave, and they're pretty sure Dante's one of the nice ones. When he says he'll be fine, hell be fine. Officer 2 has some good stories about him getting shot in the chest and getting tight bacm up, actually...

...

And so a crazy day comes to an end. The suspect's been caught, the streets are safe, and that's that. Nothing else happened. Nothing at all.

If POV Officer starts sprinting in the opposite direction when he sees a certain tall, white haired, blue eyed, blue wearing man when he's walking down the street later that week, it's for no reason at all.

[microwavetoaster-selfships]

Saw a post of someone saying pink is married to every color and it was a bunch of images of the color pink and how nicely it looks and compliments all the other colors and maybe that's why I have so many F/Os maybe I'm just the color pink

[salty-an-disco]

Btw, may I ramble/rant about Stranger for a bit? Imma ramble about Stranger for a bit.

Most posts I see on them seem to be about the facets of Stranger audibly disagreeing with each other, and talking at different turns, when, like, that’s not how they work?

Even in their own route, when they all mesh together, they talk in unison — yes, their tones and their predominant emotions are different, but they all have the same goal — and all ask the same things (“Did you do this? Did we do this? Can you pull us back apart?”), and in the Stranger ending variant, they always refer to themselves as a collective, they work as a group — a system! — and when they talk, they talk for all of them.

Not to mean they don’t have disagreements within themselves, I imagine they very much do, but I think those are mostly dealt with internally — much like the Shifting Mound will spend their time in introspection, getting to know each vessel you give them individually, and waiting till their complete so that they can all figure out their goal as a unity.

Anyway, do y’all think Stranger would take up on sewing so that they can make clothes that’ll fit them and also personalize it to each alter’s taste?

[statesys]

; heyoo, phew I finally got round to removing the rentry intro link from our pinned for various reasons !! mainly we been thinking and it's to tiring to keep it up to date, as well as some ( / a lot ) of the others have come forward ab not really wanting ittt for themmmm so yh. some states who are comfortable w it might make their own intros later, maybe we'll have a tag for it .. but we're now js private !! ^_^

- myles ( he/neos )

[beeswaxwings]

hweelo... do any systems have tips on. coming up with a collective/catchall name when you do not really. feel like much of a collective Lol

[transholmes]

Mary, Mycroft, and a life altering decision. For the Morstan-Holmes AU.

-

“Am I to understand that you intend to disguise yourself as a young man to attend university?” Mycroft said.  

Mary didn’t flinch; she had too much self-control, but when he said it like that, aloud, it sounded ridiculous. A mad scheme, born of a brain still not recovered from the fever that had laid her low for weeks.   

When she had first formulated the plan, it had seemed the perfect solution to multiple problems. It would allow her to study what she wished, rather than what the current state of the few ladies’ colleges in Britain would allow her to, and it would free Mycroft from having to play chaperone to her, something she knew he disliked doing as it disrupted his life. That she had always felt more comfortable in male garb than female only made the solution seem so much more obvious.  

He didn’t even sound judgemental, but then Mycroft never did. No matter how wild or outlandish her thoughts, plans, or actions, he had never judged. Admonished. Argued. Occasionally lectured. But never judged. It was one of the reasons she had dared to tell him of this plan in the first place. That and the fact that she could not succeed if he chose to interfere. As things stood, with her father declared dead, he alone had the power to stop her.  

“Not disguise,” she said. “Live as. I shouldn’t be able to do it if I merely assume such a guise part-time. I would have to remake myself in whole.”  

Mycroft nodded slowly.  

“Have you considered the wider implication? You would have to cut out every friend you made if this is your intention.”  

“What friends?” she asked softly.  

A frown formed between Mycroft’s brows. Mary sighed and continued.  

“I came down in October, it is now January. In the interim, I have been severely ill and lost my father. Now tell me Mycroft, how many letters of well-wishes or condolences have arrived? An academic question. You’re just as aware as I am that the answer to that question, is nil.”  

A look of contestation crossed Mycroft’s face.  

“Surely you have some? What is the name of that young lady you mentioned? Ah yes, Kate.”  

The mention of the name stung. The ease with which Kate had moved on into a new life and left Mary behind had hurt more than Mary cared to admit but, in the end, it only served to prove her point.  

“I last wrote Kate two months before I travelled up to London, to congratulate her on her engagement. She never replied. When my- When I received the telegram from my father, I wrote to her again to let her know that if she wanted to reach me, she should be using your address. How many letters from her have you received?”  

Her cousin let out a discontented noise. Mycroft didn’t like being wrong any more than she did.  

“Like you, I am a solitary creature,” she went on. “If I were to vanish tomorrow, none save you would miss me nor bestir themselves to look for me. Which is why I ask you, no beg you, Mycroft, do not stand in my way.”  

Mycroft said nothing but closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. With considerable effort, Mary too said nothing. She had said all she could, made every argument she could think of, now she could only hope it had been enough. The seconds ticking by was torture, yet she remained quiet.  

“It would be no easy undertaking, Mary. It wouldn’t be dressing up as some street ruffian, or pickpocket, or even a clerk. You would have to conduct yourself as a young gentleman at all times. That requires training, plenty of it.”  

“Whenever have I baulked at practising when I truly wanted something, Mycroft?”  

“And accepting far more correction than you usually do,” he finished mildly.  

It took several long moments for Mary to realise the implications of his words.   

“You mean to help?”  

“You meant to do it alone?” he countered, sounding a little put out.  

She had; it had seemed the only viable recourse. Now a multitude of other possibilities opened before her.  

Perhaps his reply should not have surprised her. When she had first arrived in England she had not known what to expect from the proper-looking young gentleman who presumed to take the reins of her life. She had assumed he would meet her with indifference at best, hostility at worst, but instead, she had found an ally. A man whose placid nature ran polar opposite her own more volatile temperament, yet whose mind turned so strangely like her own, and who possessed a similar disregard for social mores and conventions.  

“Thank you, Mycroft,” she said, her throat tight with emotions.  

He waved away her words.  

“Let us start with the fundamentals,” he said. “You will need a name.” 

[moonfurthetemmie]

im gonna share the heroforge shit i made for the old middle school oc reboot tonight, and maybe share lore tomorrow. but i'm gonna be doin stuff tomorrow so i may forget

also i may add an idiot to the roster but for now we have these guys. kari's the host btw. and that's what their shared body looks like

Kari - agender, prefers none but do whatever

Tethys - demi-girl, she/they

Delta- cis woman, she/her

Data - nonbinary, they/them

Lizzie - agender, prefers she/her but use whatever

Jennifer - officially haven't decided, but uses she/her. maybe others? we'll see

[vampirecatboy]

>be me >one fic locked and loaded, waiting for the right time to post it >working on another, longer fic that i won't post until it's done or almost done >four of seven chapters done, fifth about halfway planned out >think about vampires and priests for three (3) seconds >suddenly want to write historical blasphemous smut about a vampire and a priest >welp.jpg

[sl-vega]

[!] random vent post, not targeted at anyone in particular, but just an overall vent about some people that have taken my own writing/fic concepts + plots without giving me credit or posting them before gaining my permission

listen, I know that idea came from me, I know the concept came FROM ME, I know that title, CAME FROM ME, so quit pretending like you came up with that all by yourself and just fess up yeah? I wasn't mad, but now I am because you're not giving me credit for a concept that I came up with, i'm mad now because you're denying something that clearly came FROM ME, both you and I know that, and you pretending that it's your own original idea doesn't make you any better of a writer, okay?

i'm aware i'm an above average writer, I'm aware that people like my stuff for a reason, and i'm aware that I am GOOD at coming up with story ideas, but that doesn't give you ANY right to copy my work, especially when you don't give me credit, nor does it give you any right to use my concepts and post them before you gain my permission thinking that I won't be mad just because we're "friends"

yes I might be dramatic, yes i'm aware that art is an intellectual property and an idea can't be owned, but when you don't credit someone for inspiration, you aren't an artist, you're just a thief pretending to be one.

and "heavily inspired" isn't enough, if you need to take another person's ideas entirely, and only making a few minor tweaks to the plot without even making it your own, you aren't actually creative, you are stealing someone else's hard work

and you know what? I'm tired of pretending that i'm okay with that, I AM TIRED of trying to be the bigger person here, because what you did was WRONG and I'm not afraid to call you out for it, and if you are a person who steals and copies work, please stop, you don't want to make that a bad habit for yourself

[izzy-b-hands]

I'm all for security/cybersecurity, but the uni requesting a phone call with the entire main cybersecurity team and possibly needing me to come in person for another meeting to just change my phone number is fucking ridiculous.

Also, I put in the ticket for this to happen (after an IT team member had to do it for me because that system wasn't working on the regular user end of it) weeks ago and have been waiting for a reply, only for them to start that reply with 'do you still need help with this issue? We haven't heard from you'

only to then admit that yes, they knew they hadn't actually sent me anything about the ticket yet UNTIL THIS FUCKING EMAIL and that they hadn't 'had time' to read up on the actual issue on the ticket.

The IT guy that put the ticket in assured me they would just get it changed with probably nothing more than a confirmation email or me letting them know if I get a code they text to me to confirm the number is correct, bc that's usually how they do it. Don't love that suddenly I need at least one call and potentially an in person meeting just for this. What the fuck are they going to require when I bring them my name change certificate and updated docs?

[soft-girl-musings]

and what if i gave this hero character prediabetes. what then