#week 4 science fiction

[supremeuppityone]

This was written for Klaroline Fanfic Week @klarolinefanficweek; Week 4 [April 20-April 26, 2025] – Science fiction. In order to triumph over Klaus, Caroline’s friends used the Ascendant to create a prison world and then trapped him there — along with Caroline.

Warning: Angst

“Losing your way on a journey is unfortunate. But, losing your reason for the journey is a fate more cruel.” — H.G. Wells

Closed Door

            Because Caroline had been gaping in wide-eyed wonder at the sparkling sea beyond the cliff, she didn’t realize Klaus was behind her until his claws were digging into her throat. “You did this,” he roared, black veins crawling underneath his furious gaze as he displayed his double set of hybrid fangs. “You conspired with those imbecilic friends of yours to banish me to this wretched nightmare!”

            Terrified, she uselessly struggled in his grasp, nails biting into his flesh until they wept blood. “Klaus, what’s going on,” she finally gasped out, her vision swimming with tears as he violently tossed her to the cobblestones. Cobblestones. Where the fuck had Bonnie sent them that there were cobblestone streets overlooking...which ocean was this? It didn’t look like the Pacific or Atlantic and she’d never been anywhere else. There were wooden carts parked outside a tiny house with a thatched roof. It was like...oh shit. Momentarily forgetting Klaus’ rage, she asked irritably, “Did Bonnie fucking banish us to like Mediterranean Colonial Williamsburg or something?”

            Klaus looked at her in bafflement, letting out a bark of laughter as he raked his fingers through his messy curls. “I’m fairly certain the Bennett witch used the Ascendant to banish us to 1114 Italy.” Eyeing the people milling about chattering in a language Caroline didn’t recognize, he explained, “The mystical relic creates a prison dimension to punish those that witches deem too dangerous to exist on the mortal plane.”

            She hesitantly looked around, but didn’t bother doing more than sitting up in the cobblestone street where Klaus had thrown her. “So, this isn’t real?”

            Something about the hopefulness of her tone seemed to set him off again. “Oh, it’s real enough, sweetheart. Your friends shoved us into this prison dimension, closed the door and melted the blasted key! We’re bloody fucking fucked and it’s your fault! You served as a distraction yet again, because I’m your tamed beast — nothing more than a circus animal you lead about for your amusement!”

            She gaped at him, still dizzy from the portal. She fuzzily remembered Elena inviting her over to Bonnie’s and they had convinced her to help with the window box planters. She should’ve been suspicious — her friends would rather do trig homework than any yard work. Then the Salvatores had flashed into the backyard and Damon had grabbed her. And then Klaus had appeared...

            With a small gasp, she realized, “You were there to rescue me. It must’ve been another one of Damon’s idiotic plans.” Shaking her head, she drew her knees up to her chin, staring listlessly as the artful rips in her jeans. “I wasn’t helping my friends this time. They tricked me too. Obviously, they didn’t care what happened to me since I’m stuck here with you.” She had no one. At least before she could pretend she had people who cared about her. But never again.  

            She could feel his hesitation, but the fury and suspicion still rolled off of him in waves. She braced herself for vicious fangs and an incurable bite that would kill her in the slowest, most painful way possible. Instead, the scrape of his boots on the worn cobblestones told her he flashed away.

_____________________________

            At some point, Caroline peeled herself off the cobblestones, frowning as she realized not one person had stopped to ask if she was okay. Stressed and terrified, she gave into her monster and let it come to the surface. She hissed and flashed her fangs at a group of farmers hauling burlap sacks of grain. She swiped at them, desperate to touch, but instead her hands went through them as if they were ghosts. There wasn’t a single reaction — no screams, no peasants running after her with pitchforks and torches — nothing. She stomped her feet and waved her arms at some chickens and a goat being herded into a paddock — and still nothing.

            That’s when she realized what it meant to be banished to this prison world. She and Klaus were alone here. They couldn’t interact with the villagers or animals and that meant they couldn’t eat. Her friends had sentenced her to desiccation. She’d known they were desperate to get rid of Klaus, but to sacrifice her to do it? A pained sob escaped as she flashed down the narrow cobblestone streets. She was alone.

            No sooner had that depressing thought crossed her mind then she practically tumbled right over a pair of legs propped up on the base of a stone statue. Klaus. She whirled around with a gasp, hastily swiping at her cheeks. To distract herself, she studied the Italian villa before them, the rough-hewn stonework demonstrating an artistry she’d ever seen before. It was humbling to be reminded of how little she’d seen of the world growing up in a small town. And now she’d never see any of it again.

            “What is it?”

            The softness of his tone surprised her. “Besides everything,” she asked flippantly. Not quite ready to tell him what she’d discovered, she asked instead, “Why Italy in 1114? It’s too precise of a year to be random. Why did my fr— they use the Ascendant to send us to this place?” She grimaced as she nearly called them her friends. They weren’t her friends. Not anymore. Maybe they never had been.

            Klaus angrily jabbed at the base of the statue with his boot, the sculpture of what appeared to be a Greek goddess wobbled slightly. “I suspect the Mystic Falls gang wanted to inflict as much pain upon me as possible. Likely those wretched spirits that speak to the Bennett witch told her everything she needed to know about this dark time in my life.” 

            Staring down at his hands until they trembled, he revealed, “In this remote Italian village in 1114, I slaughtered five vampire hunters who tried to kill me and my family. I suffered the Hunter’s Curse for my actions, haunted by hallucinations that tried to convince me to kill myself. My siblings took me to this villa and locked me inside while they tried to save me.”

            The bitterness and sorrow that laced Klaus’ voice made Caroline turn away once more. Morbid curiosity forced her to ask, “How long did the hallucinations last?”

            “52 years, four months, and nine days.”

            She found herself collapsing next to him on the hard ground, a wounded-animal squeak leaving her lips. “Jesus fuck.”

            “You’ve certainly captured the scope of the tragedy,” he commented mildly. He tilted his curly head, gray eyes studying her intently. “You didn’t know what your friends had planned.”

            “They’re not my friends,” Caroline instinctively snarled. At Klaus’ quizzical eyebrow, she realized he was waiting on her answer to his question. With an aggravated sigh, she said, “No.”

            “No,” he agreed with an almost companionable nod. Steel flashed in his gaze as he asked, “But had you known, you would’ve sacrificed yourself for their plan.”

            She could feel the weight of his question and what it cost him to ask it. But what would it cost her to answer it? Lips twisted down into a grimace, she sighed, hating her helpless tone. “Yes.”

            Klaus let out an unexpected chuckle. “And you wonder why I’m draw to you. Do you know how many creatures would lie and tell me what I wanted to hear out of cowardice or self-preservation?”

            She shrugged, her cheeks heating at his words. To distract herself, she grabbed a handful of sharp pebbles and tossed them one by one into the shallow puddles scattered around the stone garden wall. “It depends. If you’ve terrified them, then sure, they’ll tell you all sorts of lies to keep their heads and hearts right where they are. But if you’ve pissed them off enough, they’d go out of their way to tell you the meanest truths they can think of just out of spite.”

            He nudged her leg with his boot, an unexpected playfulness to Klaus’ gaze as he proclaimed, “You’re still in your infancy and yet so insightful. Not to mention that utter fearlessness you wield like a blunt instrument every time we’re together. Even now, you must be just as unsettled as I in this confounding situation, but the face you show is resolute. Determined. You’re extraordinary, sweetheart.”

            Why did Klaus have to be so Klaus? He was a bloodthirsty, violent megalomaniac who could kill her a thousand different ways the second his mood shifted. But then he’d stare at her like that and say all the right things...

            As a pair of laughing women walked by carrying woven baskets of linens, Caroline was reminded of their immediate concern. Taking a breath, she asked hesitantly, “Have you tried to feed yet?” 

            Gray eyes sharply assessed her before Klaus rose to his feet, once more an imposing figure against the backdrop of the villa. “No. What is it,” he asked, gaze quickly sweeping their surroundings as though to spot the danger before she could reveal it.

            “There’s nothing to eat here,” she blurted out, the horror of it all making her throat scratchy with unshed tears. She slapped the stone ground with enough force that it cracked. “We can touch everything here except anything that would help us survive. No people, no animals, nothing. We’re going to desiccate and eventually we’ll die.” 

            Klaus flashed over to her and pulled her up into his into his arms without hesitation, cradling her with such gentleness she began to cry. “Shh sweetheart, we’ll find a way.” He boldly caressed her cheek, hybrid gold flashing in his gaze as he swore, “And then we’ll make everyone who tried to trap us pay.” He kissed her with an urgency she felt all the way down to her toes.

            When they finally broke apart, Caroline was surprised to see a knowing smile on his face. At her confusion, he explained, “Did you know that the Ascendant can be used to harness the power of a celestial event to create a portal within a prison dimension?”

            “No?” Where was he going with this?

            “Well, I suspect the dimwits who put us here didn’t know that either.” He smirked, dimples prominently on display as he whispered playfully, “And I bet they also didn’t know that there’s going to be an eclipse in less than a month.”

            They could walk right out of their prison with the right know-how and ingredients. And from the way Klaus was grinning, it was clear he had both. But even less than a month still was too long — at least for her. All that would be left of her would be leathery skin and brittle bones. 

            As though he understood her dark thoughts, Klaus playfully nipped at her jaw, sending a pleasurable shiver down her spine. “We’ll feed from each other and our immortal bodies will replenish the blood.” 

            He made it sound so easy. Caroline was sure there were things Klaus was keeping from her, but if it was a choice between a slow, agonizing death or blood-sharing with her inconveniently hot enemy, her itching fangs already were telling her everything she needed to know. 

[klarolinefanficweek]

Week 4 - Klaroline Fanfic Week

Hey guys! It’s Week 4 of Klaroline Fanfic Week [April 20-April 26, 2025] and the theme is science fiction. 

We’re looking for Klaroline-centric works with science fiction elements. What if Klaus was leading an alien invasion or Caroline was an insidious AI or maybe they’re both failed genetic experiments...

Create as many Klaroline works as you’d like (fics, one-shots, drabbles, a few paragraphs, entire WIP chapters, aesthetics/mood boards, art, etc.). 

To participate in the event:

For each designated week, post your works on tumblr and be sure to tag us within the post @klarolinefanficweek. 

Be sure to like and reblog everyone’s works so we can enjoy everyone’s creativity!

If we overlooked your works in our reblogs and recaps, please send us the links!

And feel free to post sneak peeks of your works for the event and be sure to tag us within the post @klarolinefanficweek.

Have fun and thanks for participating!

[thelastomnitect]

#WORLD52 WEEK 4 SUBMISSION:

HERALDRY OF THE BROTHERHOODS

Week 4 of #WORLD52 is here, Voyagers! I actually got a jump on this this week's Worldbuilding the other day on my Space Marine Fancomic...

So give a read of the article above, as I talk about the importance of heraldry and livery in the Grimdark Future of the Charybdis Sector! And stay tuned for more Worldbuilding in next week's WORLD52!

BROTHERS: A Tale of Treachery & Doom

WATCH CHARYBDIS LORE FILE:

HERALDY & LIVERY OF THE WATCH'S BROTHERHOODS Each of the 4 Brotherhoods of the Watch Charybdis maintain their own unique systems of Heraldry & Livery, steeped in meaning and tradition.

PART 1: THE KNIGHTS NUMENARIE

The Knights Numenarie, in their proud Robin's Egg blue armor, maintain Tilting Shields across all their Circles as a cultural touchstone to their strong tradition of dueling, and upon each tilting shield is a Coat of Arms, personalized to each Knight. Each Coat of Arms has 2 major elements: an OATH and a PERSONAL EFFECT.

------------------------- The Knights have 4 Oaths for different battlefields roles, and before battle they are renewed or changed as needed: -The OATH OF THE SWORD focuses on close quarters combat, shock tactics, special operations and high mobility warfare. Every Circle’s Leadership is sworn to the Sword Oath, and at any time may requisition other Swordsworn to assist their Circle. Wᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Bʟᴀᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ Mᴀɴᴋɪɴᴅ. ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛʀɪᴋᴇ,ᴛᴏ ᴄʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ. ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜱᴄᴇɴᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ, ᴀꜱ ꜱᴡɪꜰᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴅᴀᴡɴ, ᴀꜱ ꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴀꜱ Dᴇᴀᴛʜ. ᴡᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ Hᴜᴍᴀɴɪᴛʏ ᴍᴀʏ ʀɪꜱᴇ. -The OATH OF THE SHIELD is for those with a tactical focus on general warfighting and strategic flexibility. The bulk of a Circle is sworn to the Shield Oath, as Shieldsworn protect Imperial citizens and covering their kin in battle. Wᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Sʜɪᴇʟᴅ ᴏꜰ Mᴀɴᴋɪɴᴅ. ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴᴅ,ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ. ᴛᴏ ɪᴍᴘᴇᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴊᴜꜱᴛ, ʀᴇꜱᴏʟᴜᴛᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ, ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴀꜱ ᴀᴅᴀᴍᴀɴᴛɪɴᴇ. ᴡᴇ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ Hᴜᴍᴀɴɪᴛʏ ᴍᴀʏ ᴇɴᴅᴜʀᴇ. The OATH OF THE ARROW for those with an organizational focus on capital ship combat, intelligence gathering and stealth operations. Combining a Circle’s recon and fleet command, the Bowsworn deliver orbital fire support and useful intel where it’s needed most. Wᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Aʀʀᴏᴡ ᴏꜰ Mᴀɴᴋɪɴᴅ. ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀʟᴋ, ᴛᴏ ꜱʟᴀʏ. ᴛᴏ ʜᴜɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ, ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇ ꜱᴛʀɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ. ᴡᴇ ꜰʟʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴɪᴛʏ ᴍᴀʏ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ. The OATH OF THE HAMMER is for those with an organizational focus on battlefield engineering, vehicular combat, and battlefield repair. Every Circle’s Forgekeeper and Ritters are sworn to this oath, dedicated to the creation, care and use of the Brotherhood’s vehicles. Wᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Hᴀᴍᴍᴇʀ ᴏꜰ Mᴀɴᴋɪɴᴅ. ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ, ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ. ᴛᴏ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʟʟꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴏᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴀᴅᴀᴍᴀɴᴛɪɴᴇ. ᴡᴇ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴɪᴛʏ ᴍᴀʏ ɢʀᴏᴡ.

---------------------

PERSONAL EFFECTS, are unique elements added to the Shield, usually recalling a defining deed or moment in a Knight's service, and are very personal. AS AN EXAMPLE: Brother-Apothecary Daxan Tahlk, sworn to the Sword, bears the trinary helix of his office as medicae on his shield, his sword entangled with it, denoting how he views the task of saving lives as defining to his own.

Brother-Castellan Joachim Erlichmann bears two lightning bolts across his shield, a trophy earned by slaying the a champion of the fell powers, “Urjak, the Lightning Bearer”, in single combat at the battle of Craven’s Gorge on the world of Talibtu.

KEEP AN EYE OUT, LOYAL CITIZENS OF THE CHARYBDIS SECTOR: MORE LORE SHALL DROP OVER THE NEXT WEEK! CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY BLUESKY!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE COMIC!

[psuedofolio]

I've been continuing my quest to draw 100 different characters, once a day every weekday and a couple weeks ago was like... "Girls and Mecha" week. And I tried each time to have like... a different take on the theme but would still have certain similar aesthetics. With the exception of the "school girl" the other machines were inspired more with industrial or construction machines.

So like... here's a power loader type mech. And a power armor type design. Then there was like... a mecha pilot but all she got was a roomba. Then there was the "pilot" and there was the girl that is actually the mech for a tiny robot. Was fun!

I had this whole lore where it was some corporation fighting some future union rebels on some space planet. Maybe I'll expand more on that someday.

EDIT: It occurs to me I should probably include the flavor text from when I tweeted these out. I'll put them in the same order as the images here:

"You know Kimmie, from the loading docks? Yeah she took to the Pile Bunker like a champ. You should see her tear open the corpo APCs."

2. "The off world colony workers repurposed the excavator suits into mobile armor frames. Corporate needs you to shut this down, now."

3. "The workers at the BIG PLANT found a little creative solution for taking their work with them while moving through and monitoring the factory floor. They've taken to personalizing their "Desk-bas" thinking of them like their own little mecha."

4. "The Cortex Walker, inspired by some particularly cruel science fiction, was Corporate's latest attempt to demoralize the rebel factions. While impractical from a mechanical perspective, the psychological impact of firing on captured allies could not be understated."

5. "My Best Friend is An Alien (and Unfortunately That's my Type!)"

[u2fangirlie-blog]

Superb Owl Party 2025

Welcome to my Superb Owl party! Greetings owl!

Please enjoy these poorly made posters - with typos and all the skill of a middle school art student.

You are invited to your neighbor's annual Superb Owl party where you will meet the guests of honor who are vying for the title of Superb Owl.

Is that that a football or an owl's egg?

Remember, this is a human party and you should blend in. Do not unalive any guests.

[Yes. I know sign has typos. But it has GLITTER! A bloody stupid vampire made the posters.]

Now it is time to vote for the owl that is the greatest owl of all time!

Let me introduce the five contestants in the 2025 Superb Owl Contest. @herpsandbirds Paxon - I hope you approve!

Angelina - Stygian Owl

Angelina was a classical opera singer with a vocal range of four octaves. She became the lead singer of the metal band Talons of Death. The wildly popular band recorded two gold albums: Prey for Mercy and Night Screechers. Stygian owls have golden yellow eyes which glow red in low light, earning the nickname the devil’s owl. When not on the road with the band, she teaches music in local public schools.

Benjamin - Spot-Bellied Eagle Owl

Benjamin works for the United States Postal Service. He delivered bills and junk mail. Years of dedication, hard work, and attention to detail advanced his career. Now he works in the Dead Letter office deciphering illegible handwriting on envelopes in the Great Lakes district office. He enjoys chess and reading spy thrillers and murder mystery novels.

Bunny - Screech Owl

Bunny was a child star actor in popular nature shows, including Into the Wild with Jack Hanna. She was the runner-up for national bird of the United States, just behind the bald eagle. Today she models for Audubon and Birds and Blossoms. She creates mixed media artwork and builds avant-garde nests that are shown in art galleries around the world.

Jared - Spectacled Owl

Jared is a respected pundit and scholar of political science and philosophy. He is best known for his work on Foucault’s panopticon and state sponsored surveillance to control citizens. He’s an outspoken political activist. He enjoys world travel and eating exotic foods.  Recently, he wrote a dystopian science fiction novel and is waiting for a publisher to pick up the manuscript.

Nigel - Great Gray Owl

Nigel is in his third term as Prime Minister of the Parliament of Owls. His passion for serving owls and other species led to a life-long career in politics. He works for a better world for all animals and plants. His actions center on legislation to protect migration routes, conservation of wilderness habitats, and protection of endangered species. He enjoys touring the national parks and vacations in a cabin at Lake Tahoe.

Who is the superb owl! Please vote! Does anyone know how to create a poll? Please vote in the notes. Thanks!

Note: At the hospital were I work, the social wellbeing committee is having an office decorating contest for the Super Bowl. I work as an admin. assist. in a department currently has two people - myself and my boss. The office has space for 12 cubicles, and I'm the only one working here. The boss is only at the business offices one day a week, otherwise she's over at the main campus. To complicate matters, the office is locked on both sides and very few people ever come in. [Technically, my position is part of the administrative team, over on the main campus, but I never see anyone. Only one admin. assist. works with me remotely.] So how do I: 1) participate in social wellbeing and engage with coworkers, 2) decorate an office that is isolated from the outside world, 3) cleverly mock a sports event, and 4) be my true weird self? I choose the Superb Owl Party!

To make the decorations visible for people in the business center campus, I put the decorations in the hallway. We have a big white board that isn't attached to the wall. I put the posters on the white board and slid it out into the hallway! Then I notified a few people in other offices, "Hey, I decorated for the super bowl. Come over and see." And then I put out a little basket with a pen and sticky notes for people to cast their votes. At the end of the day on Friday, Bunny was the winner.

[haveyouseenthishorrormovie]

What is October without watching some horror movies? What is this blog if we're not promoting watching some horror movies in the spookiest month of the year! Join us in fresh new #HorrorMovietober2024!

Share with everyone which movies you watched each day here!

More details under the cut

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To help you find some movies, here's some helpful links related to each daily prompt. Links lead to tags in this blog or Wikipedia or IMDb page.

Week 1 - Prompt

Movie set during the autumn

Movie based on a book

Movie with a twist ending

Scary(?) movie for children

Movie that's so bad it's good

Random! (opens in browser)

Week 2 - Decade

1920s-1930s / X / X

1940s-1950s / X / X

1960s-1970s / X / X

1980s-1990s / X / X

2000s-2010s / X / X

2020s / X

Movie from your birth year

Week 3 - Subgenre

Psychological / X

Slasher / X

Folk horror / X

Monster / X

Supernatural / X

Comedy / X

Science fiction / X

Week 4 - Region

North America / X

Europe / X

Asia / X

South America / X

Oceania / X

Africa / X

Movie from your home country

Week 5 - Special

Movie you haven't seen for a really long time

Movie you didn't like but could rewatch

Movie everyone keeps recommending but you haven't seen yet

Free choice!

Where to watch movies?

Local movie theaters

Wherever they sell movies, VHS/DVD/Blueray/etc.

Video rental stores

Libraries

Streaming sites

Friends, family members with their old VHS/DVD collections

Sometimes second-hand stores have old movies!

[chernobog13]

Another thing to look forward to growing up in the NYC broadcast area was Channel 7's 4:30 Movie, which ran a giant monster/science fiction week about once a month.

It was great to come home from school, zoom through my homework, and then sit down in front of the boob tube to soak in whatever greatness was on display.

And wanna know what made it even better? As soon as the 4:30 Movie was over at 6pm, I switched over to WPIX Channel 11 for Star Trek.

[finalgirlwillbyers]

Why and in what context do you think Will is gonna drown

This is my instinct based on the BTS picture of a soaked Noah (he's been fully submerged in water) and Ross Duffers' inclusion of Lovers Lake in a photo dump (Weeks 5-6), coupled with the understanding that Stranger Things 5 is "like season one on steroids". The writers room, as seen in Stranger Things 4 and the Stranger Things 5 teaser, likes to reference character moments from prior seasons.

Sometimes this is a gimmick (see: Joyce with an axe in S1 vs. S5), and sometimes it holds significance for a character's arc (see: Dr. Brenner/Papa carrying El in S1 vs. S4). In El's case, the contrast emphasized El's maturation in physical and emotional sense. She's outgrown him, yet he still tries to enforce their former dynamic which is, ultimately, impossible. It's very cyclical, intentionally so.

Will's staged death in S1 is pivotal moment for those around him, not necessarily Will himself, since he's stuck in a pocket dimension. The audience witnesses how Will's "accident" devastates his loved ones and, later, realize the lengths the government will go in order to hide the truth (and keep him in the Upside Down). Will is, essentially, a pawn in a larger game of science-fiction intrigue. Collateral.

If the Duffers were to reference this moment, I'd imagine they'd focus on this theme of agency. Whether it's Will's choice (he's making rash decisions) or lack thereof (he's under the influence). Maybe Will winds up in a trance and wakes up in the water (a spin on Donnie Darko)? Maybe Will & Co. investigate Lovers Lake and something happens (he's dragged under like Steve in S4)? Maybe Will engages in risky behavior, because he feels like this is penance for the curse he's brought on everyone (aligning with Hopper and Max)?

Whatever the cause, he'd still end up in the water. But, unlike before, this time it's real for him. For the others, it's always felt viscerally real. And, to be frank, that's a huge part of the appeal. How the circumstances of Will's near death compels them to react, in particular Joyce and Mike.

Mike is Will's dearest friend, yet most audience members believe he only tolerates Will nowadays. That Will is the irrational one, placing lofty significance on a fading relationship. Looking back to S1, there's a reason why Mike's reaction to Will's untimely "demise" was heavily focused on. It was tangible, physical, evidence to Mike that he's lost Will.

"Losing Will" is a recurring concern for Mike, and there's a certain tragic irony to Mike "losing Will" in every possible way (emotionally, psychologically, and physically) that can only be matched by Lucas calling Max "a ghost". I say all this because, if the Duffers are truly planning to make Mike-Will happen, they need to reveal their hand. They need to build in events which have Mike show a profound depth of feeling that crosses the line of platonic into something else. While cliché, life-or-death scenarios are effective at that, especially when playing on old fears.

Jumping into a lake named after lovers, in November, to save your best friend from drowning when not too many Novembers ago you saw his "corpse" being pulled out of water by EMS? That sounds like Mike Wheeler alright. A Mike filled with Wheeler typical bravery and a hint of trauma laden fervor. One could even say that this act is a demonstration of "unambiguous true love" (see: Joyce-Hopper 4x07 reunion).

There isn't definite proof of Mike being fully submerged, like Will, at some point. There were rumors of production filming at Lovers Lake, but no paparazzi shots of cast members. The closest evidence is the wet haired Mike in the Stranger Things 5 teaser. However, another user pointed out that, per Maya's unintentional script leak, that a pipe does drip water on Mike's head while rescuing kids with Robin (and, most likely, Joyce and Will). So, that puts a damper on things.

I'm still maintaining some hope, given the timeline indicated by the costume changes (like Lucas' water stained pants)! But, this is very speculative and self-indulgent of me. What can I say? I love Will near death scenarios.

[eldar-of-zemlya]

To Boldly Sew: The Creation of Star Trek's Iconic Wardrobe

Gene Roddenberry’s arguments with NASA, costumes crafted from shower curtains, male characters in miniskirts, and why the gold command uniforms were actually green—this is the story of Star Trek’s groundbreaking wardrobe and the visionary work of the man behind it, Bill Theiss.

If you’d like to read the formatted article with easily accessible references, you can also find it on AO3.

During the production of the original Star Trek, the creative team faced numerous challenges, the most persistent being, unsurprisingly, the show’s limited budget. These restrictions had a significant impact on many aspects of the series, including one of its most crucial visual elements: the wardrobe.

Each week, the costume department was tasked with creating original outfits for the show’s characters. Alien civilizations had to look distinct and believable without distracting from the storyline—all while staying within a tight budget. To achieve this, the team employed clever tricks, such as repurposing and dyeing old uniforms, turning garments inside out, and even fashioning costumes from unconventional materials like vinyl shower curtains.

"Sometimes a show will call for 30 or 40 costumes," explained Star Trek’s costume designer William "Bill" Theiss. "And since we film back to back, that means I have to design, get approval from the producers and director, and construct the costumes in six to eight days." [Source]

Commander Spock and Lieutenant Tormohlen don "protective suits" fashioned from shower curtains as they investigate the mysterious death of a mannequin crew member. (Season 1, Episode 4, "The Naked Time.")

Theiss was a key figure in shaping the visual identity of Star Trek’s universe. Over the course of the show’s three seasons, he designed costumes for a wide range of characters, from blue-skinned Andorians to the infamous Orion slave girls, and even the Nazi-inspired inhabitants of the planet Ekos. (Interestingly, the episode Patterns of Force, featuring Ekos, was banned from German television until 1995 due to its controversial themes.) [Source]

Theiss first met Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry while Roddenberry was developing the show’s pilot. At the time, Theiss had gained attention for his innovative work on the science fiction play The Veldt, based on Ray Bradbury’s short story of the same name. This caught the eye of Star Trek writer Dorothy Catherine Fontana, who introduced Theiss to Roddenberry. By then, Roddenberry had already interviewed over a dozen costume designers but had yet to find someone who could bring his vision to life. Theiss’s creative approach, which often involved crafting unique costumes from unconventional materials, immediately resonated with Roddenberry. Their collaboration would continue for decades, even though, amusingly, Theiss never learned how to sew. [Source]

After the original Star Trek series was canceled, Theiss and Roddenberry remained close collaborators, working together on various projects until Roddenberry’s passing in 1991.

Left: William Theiss adjusts Susan Oliver's costume on the set of the 1965 pilot episode, "The Cage."

Right: William Theiss and Leonard Nimoy on the set of Season 2, Episode 26, "Assignment: Earth" (1968).

When designing Star Trek’s now-iconic multi-colored uniforms, Roddenberry drew inspiration from the color-coded uniforms used on American naval vessels, where quick role recognition was essential in low-visibility environments. As a former military pilot during World War II and later a police officer, Roddenberry had firsthand experience with structured, hierarchical organizations. These influences shaped not only Star Trek’s command structure but also its visual design. [Source]

Each division was assigned a distinct color: engineers, communications officers, and security personnel wore red; medical staff and scientists were dressed in blue; and command officers wore—believe it or not—green. (But more on that later.) All uniforms were paired with dark ash-colored trousers and high boots.

Star Trek is not typically associated with realism, which makes it surprising to learn that NASA was involved in the show’s production, offering advice to ensure it was "scientifically believable." Among their suggestions was the idea that 23rd-century astronauts might wear form-fitting jumpsuits. However, Gene Roddenberry dismissed the concept, humorously referring to the design as “long underwear.”

NBC, on the other hand, had entirely different priorities. The network insisted that female Starfleet officers wear more revealing attire, a demand that clashed with Roddenberry’s vision of a future where women were treated as equals to men. In the first pilot episode, The Cage (1965), Roddenberry boldly dressed female characters in pants—an unconventional choice for 1960s television. However, after much debate with the network, a compromise was reached: miniskirts. Highly fashionable at the time, they were paired with shorts and dark tights, blending contemporary trends with Star Trek’s futuristic aesthetic. [Source]

Captain Pike and a group of serious women in pants protect the heroine from an ass-headed very wise alien. The first pilot of Star Trek, "The Cage" (1965).

Years later, when NBC faced accusations of sexism and objectifying women, Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura, defended the wardrobe choice in a BBC interview. She explained that the miniskirts weren’t unusual or inappropriate for the era:

“I was wearing them on the street. What's wrong with wearing them in the air? I wore 'em on airplanes. It was the era of the miniskirt. Everybody wore miniskirts.” [Source]

Grace Lee Whitney, who portrayed Janice Rand, echoed Nichols’s sentiment, adding that she “didn't think the women should be in pants” and that she wanted to “look like Flash Gordon” on screen. [Source]

Meanwhile, costume designer Bill Theiss had his own, more subtle approach to creating “revealing” costumes.

“He felt that revealing non-sexual flesh (the outside of the leg, off one shoulder, the back) promised that the viewer would see more — but they never did,” explained screenwriter D.C. Fontana, citing the gown worn by Lt. Palamas in Who Mourns for Adonais? as a prime example. [Source]

Lieutenant Palamas's "ancient Greek" dress from the episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" alongside William Theiss's original sketch for the design.

When designing the original Star Trek uniforms, Theiss was tasked with creating something that reflected military influences while also looking futuristic and remaining inexpensive to produce. His approach was practical:

“As for where I get my ideas from… well, I don’t get them from my dreams or anything. Mainly, I get them from fabric that I see that’s available; I look for interesting patterns in the material itself,” Theiss once explained. [Source]

For the first two seasons, the Star Trek uniforms were made from velour, a newly invented fabric that was cheap, easy to maintain, and had an appealing sheen under studio lights. However, velour had its drawbacks: it tore easily (as evidenced by Captain Kirk’s frequent shirt-ripping battle scenes...) and shrank significantly after dry cleaning. Since the costumes had to be cleaned after every episode, viewers may notice that the uniforms became progressively tighter throughout the first two seasons. By the third season, velour was replaced with double-knit nylon, a more durable fabric used in professional baseball uniforms.

Left: Kirk's velour shirt from Season 1, Episode 10, "The Corbomite Maneuver." Right: The same shirt in Season 2, Episode 22, "By Any Other Name." Shatner is diligently sucking in his stomach.

This brings us to another interesting aspect of the original velour uniforms—their appearance on screen.

“It was one of those film stock things,” Theiss explained. “It photographed one way—burnt orange or gold. But in reality, it was another; the command shirts were definitely green.” [Source]

So, what color was Captain Kirk's uniform really? In truth, Kirk's uniform—like the rest of the command crew's—was olive green. However, under the bright studio lighting and the quirks of 1960s film stock, it appeared gold on screen. The greener hue becomes more noticeable in scenes filmed on location with natural light. The difference is also evident in photos of the original uniforms on display, such as those taken at an exhibit in Detroit, USA. In one image, taken under dimmer lighting without flash, the fabric looks closer to its true green color; in another, taken with flash, it appears more golden.

Left: Kirk's velour shirt photographed without flash—olive green. Right: Kirk's velour shirt photographed with flash—yellow gold.

This might come as a surprise to Star Trek fans, but it makes sense when you consider that Kirk's alternate uniforms—the wrap-around tunic and dress uniform—were distinctly green. This wasn’t an intentional design difference; those variations were simply made from a different fabric that didn’t react to light the way velour did.

“The problem is that a lot of my work is seen on screen for only two to three seconds, and even then, it might be in bad light or at a bad angle,” Theiss noted. “But then, you can't really justify taking two hours to light and block a scene just to showcase a costume.” The play's the thing, according to Theiss. "That's what it's really all about. It's not about the costumes." [Source]

The color discrepancy of the uniforms became an interesting challenge when animators began working on Star Trek: The Animated Series in 1973. They had to decide whether to depict the uniforms in their originally intended green or the gold shade that had become iconic to audiences.

At the time of Star Trek's release, many viewers were watching on black-and-white televisions, making it impossible for them to discern the true colors of the uniforms. At the Kirk/Spock convention, @kiscon, I spoke to a longtime Trek fan who told me she had no idea what color the uniforms were when she first watched the show as a teen. For those fortunate enough to see the series in color, however, the command uniforms became strongly associated with yellow. As a result, changing the uniforms to their intended green in Star Trek: The Animated Series would likely have confused audiences who had grown accustomed to the gold appearance on screen.

Ultimately, the gold uniform was canonized in The Animated Series and used in all fan materials until the release of the Star Trek feature films. Meanwhile, the trousers—whose color had also been slightly distorted on film—remained their original dark ash shade.

Because of these discrepancies, fans often debate which version of the uniform to follow when cosplaying or creating visual content. Many cosplayers choose to replicate the original olive-colored velour, trusting that proper lighting will naturally recreate the golden appearance seen on screen. Others opt for the now-iconic gold shade, reflecting the way the uniform has been depicted in official materials for decades.

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973).

Ironically, NASA was right in its assumption that jumpsuits would become the norm for astronauts, and Roddenberry was forced to use them in the first feature-length Star Trek film, 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The multi-colored shirts were rejected by the studio as too garish, and the miniskirts worn by Uhura and most of the female crew members were already considered a relic of the sexist 1960s by 1979.

William Theiss, who designed the costumes for the original series, was too busy with other projects to work on the film, so Gene Roddenberry brought in a new costume designer, Robert Fletcher, who created the Starfleet uniforms now remembered as the worst in the franchise's history. In an effort to avoid comparisons to military uniforms, the studio opted for muted tones ranging from pale blue to dirty beige and nude shades. The result? The Enterprise crew looked more like spa staff than starship officers, and some background extras in nude-tone bodysuits appeared practically naked on screen. Not only did these uniforms make it impossible to distinguish the characters' ranks and departments, but they were also surprisingly impractical. The suits were sewn onto the actors' shoes, meaning they needed an assistant every time they went to the bathroom.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).

Luckily for us all, in the next film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), it wasn’t just Khan who was filled with rage—the cast themselves rebelled and outright refused to wear the dreadful jumpsuits again.

Despite the failure of his design, Robert Fletcher remained as costume designer for the next three films, promising changes. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the uniforms returned to a more military style, with the lead actors wearing maroon jackets with overlapping lapels that they could dramatically unbutton if their character was meant to look tired or stressed. If you look closely, you’ll notice that these maroon uniforms were actually redyed and slightly modified versions of the jumpsuits from The Motion Picture. The reason for the maroon color? It was the best shade that worked with the existing fabric from the first film. [Source]

William Theiss, reflecting on Fletcher’s designs, commented:

“Bob Fletcher is a very fine designer, and I mean that very sincerely. We don’t design the same way, and there’s no reason we should—or could. It’s apples and oranges. But my personal feeling is, if you go to a structured, woven fabric and do the kind of tailoring and structuring he’s done, it puts those costumes back, historically, 500 years, with shoulder seams and shoulder pads of that type.” [Source]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Everyone turned red with anger.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Roddenberry reunited with Bill Theiss, and together they decided to bring back the iconic miniskirts as part of the uniform, but with a twist—they wanted to make them inclusive. In The Next Generation, male crew members were occasionally seen wearing the same miniskirts or “scants” (a hybrid of skirts and pants), reflecting Roddenberry and Theiss’s vision of a future where gender norms no longer dictated clothing choices.

However, the social climate of the 1980s and 1990s wasn’t as receptive to this progressive idea.

“Having both actresses and actors in skirts was meant to diffuse any sexist accusations that might have been associated with designs from the old show,” Theiss explained. “It’s also fashionably probable that, 400 years from now, men would wear skants. Even so, there was usually a problem on the set,” he admits, “because some wisecracks were always made.” Theiss emphasized that he wanted his actors to feel at ease in the designs. “I won’t force an actor or actress to wear something they’re not at least 80 percent comfortable with.” [Source]

While Theiss’s designs were undeniably groundbreaking, he was known to be a challenging person to work with. Constantly preoccupied with time and budget constraints, Theiss had little patience for anyone—whether they were directors, producers, or even Gene Roddenberry himself. He was even less tolerant of people who approached him simply to praise or critique his work, or even just to say hello. His philosophy was simple: “Better to be rude than to delay filming.”

Actors, extras, and costume assistants often recalled how Theiss would dart around the set, frantically hemming, tucking, and adjusting costumes between takes. Many of the alien outfits seen on the show weren’t actually "costumes" in the traditional sense. Instead, they were often assembled from patches, ribbons, scarves, curtains, and wire, with actors being "stitched into" them directly on set. [Source]

For example, Janice Rand's iconic beehive hairstyle was crafted from several wigs braided together over a cone. Grace Lee Whitney, who played Rand, recalls running back and forth between the dressing room and Roddenberry’s office with Theiss, constantly piling on more hair. Each time, Roddenberry would stare at her intensely, then declare, “Higher!” Whitney and Theiss would rush back to add more wigs until the hairstyle reached its iconic height. [Source]

One Smithsonian Institute employee, who worked with Theiss in 1992 while preparing for a Star Trek costume exhibit, recalls combing through the Paramount warehouse filled with racks and boxes of costumes. She was amazed to discover that most of the "costumes" were actually scraps of fabric neatly hung on a single hanger. Yet, when these scraps were sewn, tied, and pinned together, they became the iconic designs we now associate with Star Trek.

Andrea Weaver, one of Theiss’s fellow costume designers on the original series, remembers:

“Bill Theiss was a creative designer. His designs for Star Trek were original, rather than distilled from other sources or redefinitions of previous works. This is what I appreciated about Bill Theiss. I thought he was a truly unique and rare costume creator.” [Source]

William Ware Theiss’s contributions to Star Trek are legendary. His uniforms for both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation remain iconic, instantly recognizable even by those who aren’t fans of the franchise. His innovative, DIY approach to creating futuristic costumes brought a distinctive charm to the original series and left an enduring legacy.

Here are some of his most memorable designs:

Left: Season 2, Episode 11: "Friday's Child" Right: Season 3, Episode 13: "Elaan of Troyius"

Left: Season 1, Episode 15: "Shore Leave" Right: Season 3, Episode 20: "The Way to Eden"

Left: Season 2, Episode 1: "Amok Time" Right: Season 1, Episode 23: "A Taste of Armageddon"

Left: Season 2, Episode 9: "Metamorphosis" Right: Season 1, Episode 6: "Mudd's Women"

Left: Season 3, Episode 5: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" Right: Season 1, Episode 15: "Shore Leave"

Left: Season 1, Episode 23: "A Taste of Armageddon"Right: Season 2, Episode 16: "The Gamesters of Triskelion"

Left: Season 3, Episode 11: "Wink of an Eye" Right: Season 3, Episode 8: "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"

[jane-alma]

Writing advice for new writers

Some things that I wished I had been told when I started writing <3

1. Read, read, read:

Immerse yourself in the works of established authors across various genres. Reading not only exposes you to different writing styles and techniques but also helps you understand the fundamentals of storytelling. It broadens your vocabulary, sparks your imagination, and inspires your own writing.

2. Write regularly:

Make writing a habit. Set aside dedicated time each day or week to write, even if it's just for a short period. Consistency is key to improving your skills and developing your unique voice. Practice, experiment, and don't be afraid to make mistakes – it's all part of the learning process.

3. Embrace the editing process:

Writing is rewriting. Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Editing and revising are crucial steps that transform your work into its best version. Be open to constructive feedback, whether from friends, writing groups, or professionals. Embrace the opportunity to refine your ideas, strengthen your prose, and polish your storytelling.

4. Find your writing environment:

Discover the environment in which you feel most comfortable and creative. Experiment with different settings, and create a space that inspires and motivates you to write. Surround yourself with objects, images, or music that enhance your creativity.

5. Explore different genres and styles:

Don't limit yourself to a single genre or writing style. Experiment with different forms of writing – from short stories to poetry, fiction to non-fiction. Trying new genres and styles challenges you as a writer, expands your skills. I also find this really helpful If I feel stuck in a project. Whenever I feel really stuck, I like to open a new document, or even get a pen and some paper and just write something completely different. It might just be a silly little poem, or maybe I’ll just write down what I’ve been doing that day. Just something to get out of my head, and then I can get back to my project with a clearer mind.

6. Write what you love:

Write about topics that genuinely interest and excite you. When you're passionate about your subject matter, your enthusiasm will shine through in your writing. Whether it's fantasy, romance, history, or science fiction, let your love for the topic fuel your creativity and captivate your readers.

7. Trust your voice:

Each writer has a unique voice, perspective, and story to tell. Embrace your individuality and trust your instincts. Don't compare yourself to others or try to imitate someone else's style. Your voice is what sets you apart and makes your writing authentic.

8. Enjoy the process:

Above all, enjoy the process of writing. Writing is a creative outlet, a form of self-expression, and a journey of self-discovery. Embrace the ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs, and savor the joy of bringing your ideas to life through words.

And most importantly of all: Remember, every writer starts somewhere, and like any other craft, it takes time, practice and dedication. Happy writing y’all! <3

[amuseoffirebane]

EPILEPSY WARNINGS 1:37-1:39, 3:17-3:19

View an epilepsy friendlier version here!

[Video Description: a digitally drawn animatic set to the song Outrage by Capital Lights, featuring characters from Steam Powered Giraffe's fictional backstory. It is a war between an army of robotic elephants versus the titular steam powered giraffe and another army of androids, culminating in a fight between their respective inventors. End VD]

In the late 1800’s, two men of science formed an age old dispute…

My take on the Weekend War from Steam Powered Giraffe's Lore! Nearly 450 individual frames, drawn in FireAlpaca and assembled in MS Clipchamp, about a month's worth of work-- the beginning was done awhile ago, but the bulk of this was done in the last 3-4 weeks, not counting the years the concept spent percolating in my brain!

Enjoy!

[supremeuppityone]

This was written for Klaroline Fanfic Week @klarolinefanficweek; Week 4 [April 20-April 26, 2025] – Science fiction. Klaus has been trying to save the world.  A lot. Unfortunately, there’s only so much he can do before someone inevitably foils his plans.

“...when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, ‘We're remembering.’ That's where we'll win out in the long run.” ― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Endings

The World Ends #19

            The world changed once Silas destroyed the veil separating the world from the other side. Nightmare creatures roamed familiar streets, destroyed landmarks, and gutted civilization. Caroline loathed to admit it, but she never would’ve made it this far without Klaus. He’d swooped into to Mystic Falls looking every inch the sadistic boogeyman that the supernatural world used to fear before they learned that the existence of the Originals was the least of their problems. And he’d saved her.

            Wearing some sort of talisman that glowed the same eerie gold as his hybrid gaze, Klaus managed to rip her from Silas’ grasp right before he staked her. They’d been on the run ever since. The Originals’ fortress in Faroe Islands hadn’t survived the first wave of monster attacks. And their Tibetan underground bunker went just as fast. 

            The series of caves deep in the Peruvian Andes had been their home now for...actually, Caroline wasn’t entirely sure. Calendars no longer mattered when you realized there were demons from the deep that could blot out the sun with one claw. 

            The sound of pebbles scattering near the southernmost cave’s entrance startled her enough to grip the knife she’d been using to filleted the trout just a bit tighter, vampire senses on high alert as she scanned the area for threats. Finding none, she shrugged and marveled again at how fish guts no longer made her squeamish. There were worse things to feel underneath your nails. She’d already drained what little blood there had been, planning to incorporate it into a bastardized version of ceviche that Klaus had taught her.

            The cascading sound of pebbles falling had returned, and this time it was more deliberate. Something was toying with her.

            It had been years since she’d last heard Silas’ voice, but her entire body froze when that vicious, silken venom violated the syllables of her name. “There you are, Caroline.” 

            Just as Silas’ ragged nails punched into her chest cavity, she looked beyond his oily smile to see Klaus stumble into the mouth of the cave, his hoarse cries somehow more painful than her flesh ripping apart. As her vision went black, she thought she saw a flash of brilliant light surround Klaus as he swore to her, “This is not the end.”

_____________________________________

The  World Ends #71

            She should’ve been afraid. It was the first time she’d openly defied her friends and instead came up with her own plan. Instead, Caroline felt powerful as she wielded the carved white oak stake she’d deftly stolen from Mikael when he was battling Katherine and both Salvatores. And her plan worked. The uncharacteristic shock on Klaus’ face as he coughed around the powdered white oak she’d thrown at him was unsettling to witness. No, she told herself fiercely, she was glad he was afraid. 

            Klaus had come to Mystic Falls and terrorized everyone, murdering and threatening as he went about his weird secret agendas that seemed to alternate between finding a way to destroy Mikael, but also trying to locate the burial site of this ancient witch that was somehow linked to a tribe of vampire hunters. It all seemed overly complicated and her inner project manager cringed every time she saw Klaus screw up basic fundamentals of organization. 

            Finally, he stopped struggling as his limbs stiffened from the powdered white oak-induced temporary paralysis. It wasn’t enough to kill him, but the stake in Caroline’s hand certainly was.

            “You did it,” he rasped, sounding weirdly proud of her.

            Raising the stake over her head, she snarled, “You should’ve never come here and hurt the people I love.”

            “I didn’t hurt you. I’ll never hurt you,” Klaus told her, gray eyes so heartbreakingly sincere her hands started to shake as she gripped the stake tight. “I made a mistake, but next time will be the right one. I can fix all of this.”

            No. This was a trap. He was trying to trick her and she’d be damned before she’d let him escape. But why did she have to keep reminding herself that he deserved to die? When the white oak stake pierced Klaus’ chest, one of the necklaces tangled at his throat began to glow, enveloping them in a bright light.

_____________________________________

The  World Ends #132

            They were doing research. Well, in between kisses they were doing research. Hot, passionate little moments that made Caroline feel like Klaus was branding every moment they spent together into his brain. It was incredibly flattering — and overwhelming to realize that this centuries’-old creature was deeply, ridiculously devoted to her — a shallow cheerleader from a barely-noted-in-GPS small town.

            He’d arrived in town the same week as the shady Salvatore brothers, but unlike them, Klaus told her all about the supernatural world that apparently had been drawn to this place for years as a mystical whatsit spiritual energy thingy. She still wasn’t sure why he’d sought her out or why she’d instantly felt a connection to him, but she shuddered to think about all the terrible things that could’ve happened to her had she not been forewarned about the creepy Salvatores and all the other monsters out there.

            She carefully turned another yellowed page from the antique grimoire she was studying, leaning over to ruffle Klaus’ curls fondly. Impishly tangling her nails with the collection of necklaces at his throat, she playfully nibbled his lips. He let out a contented purr like a cat, making her giggle. Klaus still swore he was a monster, but Caroline knew better — no “monster” would dedicate his life to destroying a bigger monster. And Silas sounded like the worst of monsters.

            She didn’t have all the backstory yet — Klaus could be maddeningly overprotective that way — but his insistence that Silas be killed before he escaped his tomb and blew up the world seemed like a cause Caroline should support.

            “This is how you spend your time now? Flirting with some tart barely out of nappies, brother?”

            She didn’t know Klaus and Elijah had a sister. Caroline noted how Klaus seemed frozen in his chair, the carved mahogany creaking under the strain of his body gripping the armrests. She took a moment to study their intruder, letting out a small gasp at the tattered remains of what appeared to be a really expensive, vintage ‘20s-inspired dress. Not to mention the giant bloodstain that spread out over the woman’s heart. What the hell was going on?

            Klaus sounded resigned, but there was a slight edge of panic there that had Caroline glancing around for a weapon just in case. “Elijah found you. Tell me, sister, did the hapless human he compelled to undagger you also serve as your breakfast?” 

            Green eyes glittered maliciously as they studied Caroline. “And I see you’ve become the champion for humans. Does your little strumpet know that you heartlessly plan on draining her childhood friend to break your curse?”

            Caroline stood up so fast her chair screeched across the hardwood floor in protest while her heart pounded in her chest. Staring at the blatant panic that Klaus now wore, she demanded, “Elena or Bonnie?”

            The woman cackled in pleasure, clapping her hands together as the delicate beads and fringe danced along her curves. “So, she‘s friends with both the doppelgänger AND a Bennett witch — no wonder you keep her around.”

            A slight twitch of his strong jawline was the only warning they received before Klaus flashed across the library and pinned his sister against a bookcase by her throat. He spoke in his native tongue that Caroline only knew a few words of (something about betrayal and death), but his tone told her everything she needed to know — his sister was telling her at least a partial truth.

            Klaus couldn’t be trusted.

            Sick to her stomach, Caroline raced as far away as her legs would carry her, overhearing his sister shout, “That was for Stefan!”

            Stefan Salvatore? Klaus had killed both Salvatores practically upon meeting them, telling Caroline that they were bad vampires hell-bent on ripping apart her town and everyone in it. And like an idiot, she’d believed him. She choked back a sob. Had the Salvatores been good vampires all along? 

            And what about this curse Klaus’ sister mentioned? Was he really just using her to sacrifice Elena? Tears streaming down her face, Caroline clumsily opened her car door and peeled out of Klaus’ driveway. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore, other than the fact that she might’ve been sleeping with the bad guy this whole time.

            Making up her mind, she headed toward Bonnie’s house to come up with a plan. If Klaus was actually a bad guy, maybe that meant Silas was a good guy…

[klarolinefanficweek]

Klaroline Fanfic Week - Week 4 Master List

Here’s to another great week in our Klaroline event! Week 4 [April 20-April 26, 2025] saw some fantastic works created for Klaroline Fanfic Week for our science fiction theme. Thank you to everyone who participated and reblogged and supported our event so far!

Here’s the Week 4 master list (and please let us know if we’ve overlooked any works!):

Bodily (Harm)ony by @supremeuppityone

Closed Door by @supremeuppityone

Endings by @supremeuppityone

Reality Bites by @supremeuppityone

[sahejulweek]

Hello everyone, I’m here to announce the second year of SaheJul week! For those who don’t know what it is:

SaheJul week is a shipping week centered around the characters of Julia Lazarrett and Sahed from the webtoon Marionetta!

Marionetta is a webtoon created by Miriam Bonastre Tur.

The week will be held from December 16th 2024 to December 22th 2024.

You can participate with illustrations, writing, cosplay, edits, etc..

This are the rules:

This is the SFW prompt list:

🎪December 16 2024 - Day 1🎪

1)CEO/Office AU

2)“My eyes are up here.”

3)First date

🎪December 17 2024- Day 2🎪

1)Science Fiction AU

2)“I can’t believe it… there’s only one bed here!”

3)Thunderstorm

🎪December 18 2024- Day 3🎪

1)Mermaids and Pirates AU

2)"You're such a tease."

3)Jealousy

🎪December 19 2024- Day 4🎪

1)Mythology AU

2)“Who made you cry?”

3)Rivals/Competition

🎪December 20 2024- Day 5🎪

1)Horror AU

2)“They're having a party this weekend, are you going?”

3)Campfire

🎪December 21 2024- Day 6🎪

1)Western AU

2)"Give me attention."

3)Cooking/Baking

🎪December 22 2024 - Day 7🎪

1)Inspired by -> take an existing fanart/fanfic and make something inspired by it! Remember to credit the source of your inspiration!

Since Tumblr doesn't allow the posting of adult content, if you want to see the NSFW prompt list go to our Twitter account!

When you'll post your works, please use the tag #sahejulweek2024 for sfw works or #sahejulweek2024nsfw for nsfw works and mention this account so that l, the moderator, can find your works more easily and can share it!

I hope you all will find this week enjoyable and that this week will help spread love for our ship!

If you have questions feel free to ask them in the comments!🎪

[dorothylarouge]

Howdy y'all! With my upcoming return to doing regular streams, assuming everything goes well, I've decided to create a schedule since I'll be expanding to doing streams 2-3 times a week instead of just one. Most streams will be from around 4:45-8 PM Pacific Standard Time.

MONDAYS: It's the Dot-Jordan Power Hour as me and @brucebocchi engage in a new tactical role-playing epic from the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape! It's The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy!

WEDNESDAYS: We're taking on the Reapers as we dive into BioWare's signature science fiction series! Along with some special guests, join the Central Gaming Committee of me, @lakemojave, and @brucebocchi in the Mass Effect Trilogy!

ALTERNATING SATURDAYS: Did you know that @lakemojave has never experienced a Fire Emblem game? We're fixing that! Join us as we become the least-qualified professors of all time in Fire Emblem Three Houses!

On most Saturdays I'm not streaming, you can still catch me as Janica Halcyon in Star Wars: Tales From the Rambler, our tabletop actual play streaming on @lakemojave's channel. I'll also be on that channel in voice chat most Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays!

[dc-trans-week]

DC TRANS WEEK 2024 PROMPTS

TUMBLR | ASKBOX | FAQ

Posting: May 20 - 26

Tracking: #dctransweek #dctransweek2024 or @dc-trans-week!

DAY 1

"This isn't what it looks like."

bodyswap

magical mishaps

genderfluid

DAY 2

omegaverse

growing up

gender exploration

families of choice

DAY 3

science fiction/fantasy au

correct gender in the suit, not in civilian id

binder overuse

nonbinary

DAY 4

"You look beautiful."

costume modifications

top surgery

identity porn / identity reveal

DAY 5

supernatural creatures au

gender dysphoria

secretly trans

older trans character

DAY 6

royalty au

formal occasion

hormones

accidental child acquisition

DAY 7

transitioning in a long term relationship

date night

reflection

gender euphoria