#'skillful in many areas' sold it for me

[lookingforhappy]

Extra Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven - Transcript

(note that there is a lot of random placements & repeated paragraphs. I've tried to connect as much of it as possible, and cut out repetitions to make it flow a little better. Hope this is enjoyable/interesting!)

as much content as I could find from Viktor's book transcribed in one post, picture credit to the TUA Prop Auction:

EXTRA ORDINARY MY LIFE AS NUMBER SEVEN AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY VANYA HARGREEVES Vanya Hargreeves is well known for her virtuosic skills as a violinist. Less understood is the role she played as one of Reginald Hargreeves' adopted children, standing alongside - but never counted among - the famous Umbrella Academy super kids. This is her story, in her own words. "An incredible read... a revealing portal into the amazing life of Vanya Hargreeves and the life she has lived. I couldn't put it down!" -Gerard Way

Vanya Hargreeves is well known for her virtuosic skills as a violinist. Less understood is the role she played as one of Reginald Hargreeves' adopted children, standing alongside - but never counted among - the famous Umbrella Academy super kids. This is her story, in her own words. Extra Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven is a tell-all autobiography by one of the central figures of Reginald Hargreeves experimental and tragic team of heroic children, collectively know as the Umbrella Academy team. In this book, Vanya, ready to expose the truths behind the Academy's operation prior to it's disbanding in the mid-late 2000's, goes all in. With stories and anecdotes from her many years in the shadows. Vanya Hargreeves pulls no punches. No stone is left unturned, and no other member of the team is left unmentioned, for good or for ill.

Chapter One Our parting was sad, but natural in the end. I think about the circumstances of out vastly different births all the time. I've read the newspapers. I've seen the evidence. But at the same time I can't believe any of it. Even if Allison, Luther and all the rest of them were born and collected like the papers say, how did I become a part of this extraordinary family? Was I a dud, an unfortunate super-child who wasn't set up with the right circuitry? Or did I even come from the circle of miraculously born children at all? It made the most sense of any of my theories: a young mother, terrified by a future with a child she couldn't afford, saw the world-wide birth announcement, followed by Hargreeves' request and reward sum. I went through life cursing my mother, determined she was a money-grubbing con artist who sold me away to an eccentric, cold man who couldn't even use me for the purposes he set out. I was carted off like cattle and sequestered to a young life of self-doubt, all because my mother had wanted a payday more than she wanted me. I only sought out my birth mother once. All these news stories kept the identities of the traumatized mothers tightly under wraps, of course, but those were in the upstanding

publications. I believe that any detail about human history, if salacious or powerful enough to cause harm, can be found with the right kind of determination. I found a list of names, and scoured each for signs: did she have a boy or a girl? What had she done with her earnings from Hargreeves? Had she had other children? Where was she now? Two of the women could have lined up with my birth: Allison and I were the only female babies "found" by Hargreeves. It was easy to narrow down once I found pictures of them both: the woman with my hair, and my nose, lived in a small town off the Southern coast of Russia. At least, according to what I could find. I convinced Hargreeves that we needed to take the team there to train, after extensively researching the area's high mountains and secluded trails. It was perfect, and miraculously, he agreed! Thinking back, I wonder if he knew exactly what I was up to and wanted to help. We stayed for five days, and as the others sweated and trained, I kept records, and occasionally went off on my own. For any of the academy members to question Hargreeves' strict schedule or participate in non-approved "free" time would have been unacceptable. But as for me, I wasn't on the schedule in the first place. We spent enough time in Russia for me to track my birth mother down. I took buses, spoke what broken Russian I could to locals, and finally came to the house where I had been told she would be. We spent enough time in Russia for me to learn that the mother I had spent years searching for had died. The family of hers, and I guess of mine, who greeted me there invited me in. They seemed harmless and even kind. But I couldn't stay. Whether my mother knew I wasn't special or not, I realized I didn't want to know. I didn't want to hate a dead person any longer. Now I knew she was gone, it seemed pointless anyway. I've found that focussing on the past can only hurt me further. It's not worth spending any more of my time on the people who have all but forgotten me. I haven't gotten a call

from Allison in years, Diego's out fighting crime, Klaus has been partying himself into a stupor ever since we left the house, and Five is gone. Luther's the only one of us who stayed. I envied him for so many years growing up: Number One, the group's true leader. But now I pity him. Luther could have been anything: he could have had the fame Allison did. He could have gone wild like Klaus. He could have taken to the streets and fought against evil himself like Diego... but he stayed to become Hargreeves' pet. In the end, there was nothing really connecting the seven of us. We weren't related. We were nothing alike. We were just seven strangers living under the same roof: destined to be alone, starved for attention, damaged by our upbringing, and haunted by what might have been. We all wanted to be loved by a man incapable of giving love. Our father never missed an opportunity to remind me that I was ordinary - a hard thing for a little girl to hear. But lately I've started to wonder - what's so bad about being ordinary? From the second we're born we're told to reach for the stars. To accomplish great things. But there is a value in life lived quietly. Going about our days, little by little. Finding contentment in small victories - a promotion, a friend, a beautiful day. Sometimes, the simple things are extraordinary.

so-called rumours about Allison and Luther, no pun intended, I can't say for sure. I'd like to think that what they have transcends words - when we were kids, it was just obnoxious. They spoke in code, swapped whispers. They were part of a world in which we weren't allowed. But as we got older I realised it wasn't some fantasy world they were playing in. Their minds were off somewhere else together. They shared looks and gestures that were meaningless to the rest of us... save maybe Klaus, who can be oddly perceptive when you least expect him to. But as for a romantic relationship between the two of them, that's none of my business. Frankly, I don't want to know. Adopted or not, if it were two of your siblings, would you want to picture that? Their secret conversations were the first sign of what was to come: watching the two of them so happy together, and acutely knowing I could never belong would become an intimate feeling in my life. Soon, they were together on missions. They were training all afternoon. And they were playing games I couldn't learn the rules to. It was all too obvious that there was a club for children with superpowers, and ordinary children like me were decidedly barred. I would say it was Dad who implemented all of this. He caused my alienation through procedures, through harsh rules that we all followed for fear of the alternative. And to an extent, that's all true. I can't forgive what he did to me - but sometimes I wonder where Dad's actions ended and my siblings' began. When you consider what a mind, especially a young mind, will absorb and harness when put into dire situations, it's not at all difficult to believe that my siblings learned cruelty from Dad until they eventually made it their own. It wasn't just the rules keeping me out of top-secret meetings anymore. It just made sense that I should sit at the end of the table, so Diego could help Five's technique, or so Allison could paint Klaus' fingernails. I became accustomed to sulking and watching them from afar - most of my morning oatmeal went uneaten and but thoroughly picked at.

Meals became the one time of day we were all forced to be together - and I met them with equal parts anticipation and dread. Would today be the day I engaged Allison? Could I stand up to Diego's taunts? Maybe I'd show Five the musical piece I'd been working on for weeks. Though prone to arrogance and outbursts, even more than the average preteen, Five was my sole confidante in the years before he disappeared. It almost seemed fitting that of all the siblings to leave us, it would be him who I fully trusted, and who fully trusted me. Five was almost always one step ahead of Dad's manipulations, and he didn't play into the games of favourites like my other siblings. Five always told me that ego was man's most unattractive weakness - he thought himself above competing for fatherly love and prizes. Even then he was beyond his years. I think about Five often, and where he is now. The others say he's dead, caught in a terrible accident, or shredded up in the time space continuum. But I know Five, and I know he was too smart for that. Reckless, maybe, but he's brilliant. I wouldn't be surprised if he were living it up in the seventies now... but hippie hash wasn't really his style. For all I know he's gone to the future and never looked back. If he has, and he's happy, then I am happy for him. I'm sure none of us can say we never had a moment where we wished we could escape. Not just run away, but also go somewhere where Dad couldn't track us down and pull us back into his web. Surprisingly, I only ran away once. Despite everything, it took so much for me to believe I could belong anywhere else but the home in which I was abused. Shortly after Five dissappeared, I took his lead. It was about time I saw what's out there. But I knew nothing other than what I had been taught about myself and my life: I was simply not special. But I asked myself on that day: What if I was special, to somebody else? The rest of the world was ordinary. Maybe the real world was where I belonged all along.

One morning, I left the Academy - my bag stuffed to the gills with clothes, snacks, and mementos I couldn't leave behind. I think I even brought a dream catcher, for fear of nightmares from home following me wherever I went. I only made it to a bus stop, and I sat there all day long - and strangely, for the first time in my life, it hit me that I was completely alone. I had thought I was alone my entire life, but this was something new and entirely different. I was afraid of what I didn't know, and would choose Dad's torment any day over the endless dark that stretched down our street. Buses came, but I waved the kind drivers away. That night, I walked back through the front doors, and no one knew I had ever left in the first place. I wonder how long it would have taken them to realize - the extra girl they never needed was absent. Would it have made a difference? To this day, I'm not sure. The next time I left that house was when we all did. After what happened to Ben. Our everyday existence was full of evidence that Dad had stepped into treating us like experiments. Not as children, but like animals. And what happened to Ben was the last straw that finally shattered the illusion for the others. I regret that though I knew all along what they realised that day, I didn't have the spine to leave on my own. It wasn't until Allison took off for Hollywood and Diego cursed out the old man for good that I realized we were, ultimately, a broken family.

I had always kept up hope that my family would accept me into the fold. I thought that as long as there was a club to belong to, one day they would notice me and invited me in. Everyone would apologize: Vanya, we can't believe we wasted so much time without you, you're our sister after all. But it was then that I realized something massive: there was nothing for me to aspire to be anymore. It was liberating - the life that I had wanted for as long as I could remember was had finally fallen apart. Without "The Umbrella Academy," I had the freedom to be whomever I chose. Suddenly, my violin playing wasn't stupid - it was something that made me special in the real world. It made me enough money to afford an apartment - it's small but it's mine. It got me into an orchestra, a position I got all on my own talents. This meant I could teach young people how to be special for themselves. Teaching became my passion - my own, personal super power. I treated my students how I had always wished my father had treated me: I trained them, I listened to their problems, and I made sure each of them felt loved in their own, special way. Teaching may seem such a small profession to many, but it became the best part of my life.

[podemechamardeeli]

Tiny Town Challenge Expanded - The Sims 3

The inspiration for this challenge came from Deligracy's Tiny Town challenge for The Sims 4 (Original rules HERE). I loved the idea of the challenge, but The Sims 3 has a huge advantage: it already has an open world, so the houses didn't need to be restricted to one lot, but instead, we could build a real community. That's why, in addition to translating, I took some time to adapt it in the best possible way to everything that TS3 offers us.

I kept the characteristics of the Sims from the original challenge as best as I could, but adapted them to keep them as "autonomous" as possible.

I have all the expansions and stuff packs, so feel free to do only what fits into what you already have in your game and/or adapt it as best you can.

When I saw the Stardew Valley map by @boringbones, I felt this would be a perfect match! You don't have to start on the same map as me, but I strongly suggest you start on a tiny or small mapto really have the proximity between the lots and, even better, if it's empty so you can populate it as you play with the Sims.

I'm just starting to play this challenge, so not all the rules have been tested. I will adapt as needed and welcome suggestions.

Tags: #TinyTownTS3 #tiny town challenge ts3 or tag my "@". I would love to know you're playing too. 😍

The Goal

The goal of this challenge is to build a town with tiny houses for up to 16 Sims (depending on whether you want to use mods or not or which packs you own) that match their desires and skills.

You can watch my gameplay of this challenge on my YouTube channel here. (link to be available soon)

The Stardew Valley map can be purchased here (link for download).

The Rundown

Each Sim has a set skill that you must utilize to fund the construction of their tiny home. For example, Frank Stem likes flower arranging, so you must sell flower arrangements to fund his Tiny House build.

You must also represent each Sim's favorite style and color in the build (see the Sim characters below). You can only work on one Sim's house at a time, moving each Sim in individually as you "unlock" them.

To "unlock" the next Sim, you must complete the previous Sim's home.

How to Play

Start by moving your first Sim into a lot of your choice.

To select your first Sim, you can use an online randomizer or simply choose your favorite.

After moving your first Sim in, use a money cheat to set the Sim's money to $0.

Each Sim should start on their lot with their skill item of choice and some useful items. They also start with a sleeping bag (requires Generations), a mini fridge, and an All-in-One Bathroom (requires Island Paradise, Into the Future, or Movie Stuff). Feel free to adjust these items if you don't have the necessary packs. After placing these items on the lot, set the money back to $0.

After finding your skill items, start earning Simoleons by selling your creations!

Use this money to build your Sim's tiny home!

Since we don't have a sales table in The Sims 3 like we do in The Sims 4, I suggest that all collectibles and creations be sold at the consignment store (requires: NRAAS Consigner - [link HERE]).

Extra Rules and Ideas

Your Sims can contribute to community areas to help other neighbors when they move in and to create a pleasant sense of community and lifestyle. Ideas could be a shared laundry, bathroom, BBQ area, garden, central square, pool, etc.

As you play, your town will grow and your community will become fuller. When you reach the last Sim, you can go back to playing with the first family, and here, my suggestion would be to put everyone in a rotational household using Story Progression and evolve with each family.

If you don't have all the necessary packs, feel free to alter the challenge to suit the packs you have, or use the base game features. There are many ways to make money, including tasks like collecting valuable objects or careers.

You can play on any lifespan, but I suggest playing on epic or disabling aging altogether to get the most out of your Sims.

According to the original rules, you can use cheats, rewards, and anything else to make it easier, but keep in mind that the easier you make it for yourself, the less challenging it will be!

The Tiny Town Sims

Azure Hue:

Skill - Painting (Base Game)

Decor Style - Contemporary/Boho

Color: Blue

Cyprus Handyman:

Skill - Sculpting (Ambitions)

Decor Style - Rustic/Farmhouse

Color: Orange

Frank Stem:

Skill - Flower Arranging/Gardening (Base Game)

Decor Style: Vintage/Garden/Farmhouse

Color: Green

Suggestion: If you want to go with Flower Arranging, I recommend this mod HERE.

Opal Gem:

Skill - Jewelry Making (Supernatural)

Decor Style: Victorian/Fairytale

Color: Purple

Annie Aperature:

Skill - Photography

Decor Style: Industrial/Minimalist

Color: Red

Beatrice Jam:

Skill - Cooking (Base Game)/Baking (Store Content)

Decor Style: Cozy

Color: Pink

Suggestions:

Cooking can be done through the Culinary career. Your world will need to have the Bistro lot or the Rabit Hole rug, which can be downloaded HERE.

Baking can be done with the Deliciously Indulgent Bakery. (requires: NRAAS Cupcake HERE)

Ziggy Yarn:

Skill - Knitting/Crocheting

Decor Style: Mid-Century Modern

Color: Yellow

Suggestion: If you want to make this Sim this way, you will need this mod HERE.

Pippin Playmaker:

Skill - Toy Making (Midnight Hollow)

Decor Style: Colorful and Eclectic. Think of a dream child's room, with furniture of different styles, vibrant colors, toys scattered on the floor, and walls decorated with drawings and posters of cartoon characters.

Color: Rainbow (use and abuse the color wheel)

Sophie Sauvignon:

Skill - Nectar Making (World Adventures)

Decor Style: Rustic and Provençal. Imagine a French country house, with worn wooden furniture, floral fabrics, soft pastel tones, and many elements that refer to nature, such as fresh flowers and wicker baskets.

Color: Burgundy

Morgana Spellbinder:

Skill - Alchemy (Supernatural)

Decor Style: Gothic and Mysterious. Think of an alchemy lab filled with old books, jars of colorful liquids, candles, mystical objects, and dark wood furniture with metal details.

Color: Dark Purple

Melody Harmony:

Skill: Music

Decor Style: Bohemian and Artistic. Think of a music studio with instruments, band posters, vinyl records, comfortable furniture, and vibrant colors.

Color: Sepia (Warm and soft brown)

Oliver Quill:

Skill - Writing

Decor Style: Dark Academia, Cozy. Imagine an office with a wooden desk, a bookshelf full of books, a comfortable armchair, a fireplace, and earthy tones.

Color: Coffee Brown

Newton Gears:

Skill - Inventor

Decor Style: Industrial and Technological. Think of a laboratory with tools, machine parts, wires, neon lights, computers, and metallic colors.

Color: Metallic Gray

Scarlett Zinger:

Skill - Fashion Stylist

Decor Style: Modern and Elegant. Imagine a fashion atelier with mannequins, fabrics, mirrors, designer furniture, and neutral colors with vibrant touches.

Color: Hot Pink

Ink Ryder:

Skill - Tattoo Artist

Decor Style: Urban and Alternative. Think of a tattoo studio with graffiti, urban art posters, metal furniture, dark colors, and neon lighting.

Color: Black. This color represents rebellion, individuality, and the art of tattooing.

Finn Fisherman:

Skill - Fisherman

Decor Style: Nautical and Cozy. Imagine a fisherman's cabin with nets, boats, shells, light wood furniture, shades of blue and white, and elements that refer to the sea.

Color: Ocean Blue. This color represents tranquility, serenity, and the beauty of the sea.

Final Note

Have fun! You can change and adapt the rules as needed. The goal here is to have a lot of fun with the best game ever! So feel free to explore everything a truly open world has to offer.

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

20 minutes of my life I'll never get back. 🤦‍♂️

I must be a glutton for punishment because I actually watched Kinsey Schofield's 20 min interview w/Valentine Low. May this rant save you from making the same mistake:

Valentine Low & Kinsey Schofield just reminded me that the British press is in desperate need of a grief recovery workshop to let go of their palace manufactured PR image of Sparry, "the CONSERVATIONIST," and accept the REALITY: Sparry has ALWAYS been a member of the lost boys who never intend to grow up. He loves drugs, perverted soho house sex play pens, and living a secret lifestyle in San Francisco, CA. As we saw in the South Park Documentary, Sparry has always wanted to be left alone so he can just bang on his drums all day.

The British media needs to accept that they never knew the Sparry aka Prince Harry. Much like Fergie & Andrew: The Meghans are two (2) intellectually below average individuals who married in haste. Both their academic & professional work histories indicate that these two (2) immature adults, lack even the basic skills necessary to function in society without the help of a PR "machine" whose job is to clean up their messes and repeatedly rebrand them into more acceptable members of polite society. It's past time for Valentine Low and other UK journalists to admit that they never really knew Sparry. All their Diana goodwill should now be invested into the future of the BRF (the family of Prince William)

No amount of hoping for the best or "covering up" for Sparry's misdeeds can transform the moral rot in his character. They bought and sold the PR image manufactured by the palace. It was the paparazzi & other "undesirables" who had the misfortune of observing the REAL Sparry. They watched him mistreat drivers, security, staffers, etc long BEFORE he was seduced by MEgain.

V Low believes Sparry flew a helicopter! 😳 Come on! Too many REAL service members have spoken out about Sparry's military character and performance and there's nothing good about it.

Sparry, like his wife is also a liar and a bully. He's not intellectually bright, he never was... He even bullied his grandparents before the "spectacle," he bullied Meghan's father...we heard reports about seeking a left wing wife and his interest in living in the US----all before MEgain.

Low also thinks Sparry loves his children. Has Valentine Low ever seen the invisibles? No. He's transferred a PR image to a couple of never before seen kids and their so called father. A so-called "father" who is willing to destroy his brother's children (and the innocent children of other couples) through the spread of destructive lies, has zero interest in the REAL wellbeing of anyone's kids, least of all his own.

As for the Wife: her ability to earn a college degree as an American teenager/young adult without even the offer of an ACADEMIC scholarship means that she too is mediocre and overrated. Her university commencement program states that she was a candidate for a degree in "communications" NOT some whip smart area of study like biochemistry or engineering! 🤦‍♂️

As a university student, thanks to her dad's brother (mike), she spent a measly six (6) weeks in Argentina on an exchange program (paid by her father) until she failed an exam that would have allowed her to apply for (real) jobs in the States. An intellectual or any hard worker would have studied until she passed the test. Not Rachel Meghan Markle. If no one was willing to make an exception for her low marks, then she would whore her way up a series of ladders until she found someone dumb enough to give her a platform.

No, this is NOT a "smart" couple. This couple is a cautionary tale about how Water seeks it's own level: Sparry's mother and teachers did him a disservice, just as MEgain's father did her a disservice: SPARE the rod & SPOIL the child

Kinsey believes that MEgain is "smart" because she achieved a Duchess title. (What does this tell us about Kinsey's IQ. 🤦‍♂️😳)

MEgain became a "Duchess" because she was a professional "seductress" employeed by Markus Anderson & Soho House. Everything this couple achieves is smoke & mirrors based on TRANSACTIONAL relationships where they bully & harass anyone standing in their way.

They don't even possess good work ethics, let alone above average IQs. Please call a spade a spade (or in this case a spare a spare) and stop gaslighting the public about what Sparry could have done had he not been involved with the wife.

We watched the wife verbally abuse KP staffers over bereavement flowers and feckless Sparry stood by in AGREEMENT. Wicked queen Jezebel 2.0 and traitorous king ahab 2.0. Let them go!

[starlaindisguise]

my OC, Peony 🌸

Her full name is Penelope Bridger-Corvo, but her partner Ruth gave her the nickname Peony !! She cherishes that name, because to her, it represents the beauty and romance and love that she never believed she could have or be, before she met the one who sees her for all of her delicate blooming light. She finally feels all of the things that the flower represents, and so she always buys them as a reminder that she is worth it. After a lifetime of feeling alone and helpless, she has to really tell herself that.

(More yapping under cut)

Peony was born into a crime family that sold a substance by the name of witch’s breath. The substance, when taken, would not only give a sense of levity, but grant powers, similar to the ones given out by the Empire to their military. For many vulnerable people in poorer areas of the continent, witch’s breath was their only line of defense against potential violence. The Corvos saw this as an opportunity to manipulate their way into a place of extreme success. Peony was raised to be just like her parents, with the same cunning and facetious smiles that could force people into dependence on their product. But she never felt good doing it, and when she would object, she was met with extreme cruelty. She would act out at school in order to cry for attention, but many people found her annoying or scary, so she had no social connection outside of her family.

Once she grew older, in an effort to change things, she asked her parents if she can go to school to become a therapist to help people who the Corvos might prey on. This action resulted in 18-year-old Peony being kicked out of her home and being wiped from her family history. With nothing but abandonment issues and a set of morally compromising survival skills, she becomes jaded and buries her soft side. After all, the only thing it has gotten her is crushing loneliness. She begins to steal from other people in order to make ends meet and takes up a terrible janitor job that she hates more than anything in the world. But one day, on one of her midnight robberies, she meets a struggling craftsman whose ideas were too big for his family, and is trying to follow his passion completely alone. The two understood each other immediately, both abandoned by the world. Except the craftsman still had hope that one day, he might be able to prove them wrong. They fell head over heels for each other. Despite some inconveniences (the crafstman tries to swindle Peony, Peony tries to steal from the crafstman) that cut their first meeting short, after that night, they want nothing but to spend time with the other, even if it’s just cruel banter over money. They at least want to have the other’s name. They meet weeks later in the same spot, and, much more calmly, they introduce themselves. The craftsman’s name is Ruth.

Peony and Ruth end up dating and marry two years later, and are all the happier because of it. They are very Strawberry Blond - Mitski … 🪶🌸

If you’re reading this, thank you so much for seeing me talk about my girl. It’s been years since I’ve thought about this story, but recently they’ve been getting a much needed rework. I guess this is the world’s informal introduction to The Rhinestone Code. Hope you enjoy ⭐️

[nevermorgue]

Hii :3

Do you have any headcanons for misfits if they were in steampunk/fantasy au?

I love your headcanons so much <3

Hi anon! Thank you sooo much, you don’t know how happy it makes me that people actually like my stuff LOL

Fantasy time? Fantasy time. Imagine your standard DND world with steampunk technology. Let’s see…

- Lenore is a human artificer. And in this universe we can actually KEEP her family’s influence with the railroad.

- Her family’s trains and steam powered machinery are more than just that- they use magical components to be more effective and better than competition.

- Lenore and Theo were still very musically gifted here. Can’t take away that sibling bond

- maybe in this universe Theo died under more mysterious/foul play circumstances? Giving Lenore a motive to go and form a party and all that

- maybe Lenore was present and got injured/lost consciousness and can’t remember what occurred that day. got her hip injury from it

- then her father keeps her locked inside not only to protect her from whoever did this to her and Theo, but because with her hip now permanently injured he doesn’t really see her as useful anymore (asshole)

- Speaking of which, she still sets fire to the mansion and ditches at night.

- Steals a prototype of a very fancy gun that her father was planning to make to her sold. Magic, of course.

- Also still resumes the identity of the fictional Leo Vandernacht.

- She fled on horseback from the house and to a small town. This is where the story of the party begins

- Lenore has a kinda shitty cane right now, forced to use a large stick until she can actually find a store that has canes.

- She comes across a small crowd watching a bard perform. A tall, elvan man using illusion magic to entertain while also somehow playing a floating lute without touching it.

- As she stops to peer over, she feels a hand poke at her “cane” with a clicking tongue sound

- “Goodness, how is this supposed to support you at all?”

- Lenore sees- the same man. Turns out he has his illusionary self performing while he goes around to loot the crowd for anything that looks valuable. A very shifty bard indeed.

- This is how Lenore meets Duke, an elf bard that uses his charisma and many skills to draw crowds and hopefully people careless enough to leave valuables unattended.

- oh speaking of Duke. So I can keep his French. French = Elvish here. Let’s pretend.

- Lenore makes a lot of jabs at him for what he does, but he insists that the performing is his main thing and that’s what he loves. He only does the ‘look around for things to take’ deal in richer areas where they won’t notice losing a few things. Think like…a better Robin Hood.

- He gives her exactly 5 gold pieces and tells her to get an actual cane. After some more banter and light hearted jabs, he just decides to go with her. They’re fast friends.

- Lenore ends up getting a nice cane that supports her hip far better than an oversized stick could ever do. She vaguely explains her circumstances in half truths to Duke, who then decides to take her to the tavern.

- The walk between the store and the tavern is where they meet Pluto…because he tries to pickpocket Duke.

- Duke doesn’t even seem phased. He just shakes his head in fake disappointment, lifting Pluto up by the scruff of his cape.

“Again, mon minou? How many times must we go through this?”

- turns out they know each other. Pluto is a human rogue who has lived underneath this town his whole life, using theft to barely scrape by. He tried to rob Duke once and now it’s like a little game. Duke finds it amusing, and Pluto honestly keeps trying just to see him again.

- Now the three are a trio!! Lenore keeps jabbing at them both for being thieves, even revealing that she stole most of the items on her person as well.

- Pluto and Duke doing the same thing for different reasons: listen. Pluto using theft to survive, barely holding on. Duke doing it to make a statement, someone who has plenty but takes anyway to very slowly make an influence on the world both through performance and helping others. Nice little “doing the same thing for very different reasons” thing.

- Tavern time. They meet an adorable Eladrin girl who is working there as a waitress named Morella (Paladin of course). She’s a student in town and this is her part time job.

- They also meet Berenice and Eulalie here. Berenice is a tiefling fighter, Eulalie an aasimar sorcerer. They’re actually part of the local adventurers guild and are celebrating a recent victory in which they took back a village from a raid.

- Lenore takes interest in the guild, which leads to them all sitting together with Morella frequently coming by to chat.

- Oh yeah Pluto definitely has met them before too. He made eye contact once with Eulalie while he was sitting on a roof and he nearly fell off.

- He’s seen Berenice underground. He doesn’t know what she does, especially watching her go between the dangerous underground and to the surface, but he watches her wrap her bleeding knuckles with concern.

- This is the start of something new for her, something she can tell is worthwhile. All of the people she’s met since coming to town have already started to mean something special to her.

I did WAY more than I expected i’m so sorry anon-

[slushiecookie]

❗️NEW DUE DATE: JUNE 15TH❗️

Okay, so sadly y'all don't know about Pilot as much as my Insta, so this may seem a bit random :') Basically, today (May 14th) is the day he was created! And he's now 2 (creation years) old! He's my most popular OC on Insta, and is fun to draw, so to commemorate him, I decided to host a fun event on his birthday every year! :D

With that out of the way, here's the contest options!

Option 1:

🩸 GORE ART CONTEST!! 🩸

Draw the most creative and/or disturbing gore art you'd like! <D From drinking acid to being crushed by a snake, the only rule is to not let your morals get in the way! ^^ (If you'd like, you can draw him with your or my characters!)

Option 2:

NON-GORE ART CONTEST!!

Draw Pilot, with 1 of his friends, in any situation you'd like! He can be enjoying a cake, being sold on the black market, or just simply hanging out at the beach! ^^ His beloved roommate is Chewy, his other friends are Strawberry Pillow, and Glowball!

🎁 PRIZES!! 🎁

Please keep in mind that this is cross-posted to my Insta! So you'll be competing with my followers there too! ^^'

Each contest will have 2 winners!

1st Place (🩸GORE ART CONTEST🩸): 1 Finished Art Peice

2nd Place (🩸GORE ART CONTEST🩸): 1 Flat Color Peice

1st Place (NON-GORE ART CONTEST): 1 Finished Art Peice

2nd Place (NON-GORE ART CONTEST): 1 Flat Color Peice

❔️CLARIFICATION❔️

Any medium and type of art (Drawing, Animation, Comic, whatever!) is accepted! And so is any skill level! ^^ However, if you do traditional art then please make sure it's well-lit and legible!

If you really want to, you can choose to do both contests! :D and multiple art peices per entry are also allowed!

Extensions can and will be given if needed! <] it's the middle of testing season and I know many of y'all are busy! Simply DM me and tell me how many days!

I live in the Central Time Zone area! :0 And the specific due date is 12:00 AM, June 15th! Please keep that in mind if you have a different one!

If you wish to join, use the tag #pilotbdaydoubleartcontest and @ me in your entry!

If you have any further questions, PLEASE ASK! I'm more than happy to help, and don't worry about annoying me ^^'

🍤 REF SHEETS! 🍤

Glowball Her coding is probably a bit ugly if you're in light mode :'>>

Pilot

Tw: Cartoony Blood & Impalement!

Chewy

Tw: Body Horror!

Strawberry Pillow (Can be her "normal" form or her regular form!)

Heights! (Glowball is about the size of Strawberry Pillow!)

Tw: Organs and Bones! (In an anatomy way tho!)

Here's Pilot's anatomy sheet! Of course, more info is shown in his toyhou.se!

[centrally-unplanned]

2024 Stuff I Liked Post - Video Games

Zenless Zone Zero: I like Genshin - Mihoyo, despite their flaws, has a really good knack for character designs and smooth combat systems that reward complex team building without being too punishing or finicky. ZZZ is just "more" but in a streetpunk setting, which, hey, I love that shit! The main character runs a retro VHS rental store, who can hate on that. ZZZ is Genshin but streamlined in a lot of ways, with a focus on combat, more involved team building and demands on execution, while being paired with much simpler stories and extra activities. Which if I wanted "more" Mihoyo, is exactly what I would want, so very smart on their part to realize that.

Alas if only they could reign in their horniness by 20%; one too many cast members are uncanny valley on that shit. But I don't have to play them, so whatever.

Unicorn Overlord: I think I said this already elsewhere, but I can't find it, so - In 1999 Ogre Battle 64 came out for the Nintendo 64. Years later, I rented a copy from the local Hollywood Video - the Blockbuster for the cool kids, obvi - on a whim because the N64 had a real dearth of JRPGs. And I loved it, I mainlined it every hour of that weekend; what sold me on it was the core system of squads you build that fight independently based on your setup. It was the "simulation of realism" that enamored me, the idea of building a plan and hitting "go" and then watching it win or die - the Factorio of JRPGs. Like so many past games it is a hot mess; the balance is insanely off, certain mechanics are totally worthless, and you will absolutely look up guides online to figure out how to promote/build half your units because the game has no interest in telling you.

All of these things were things I hope a sequel would improve upon...but one never emerged. Until Unicorn Overlord, over two decades later! A spiritual sequel with the exact same "simulation" mechanics, and with way better balance, progression, skill synergy, etc. Hell, they even made the 3x3 grid for deploying units a 2x3 grid because the middle row was completely unused in Ogre Battle 64 - that is when I knew they meant business. The story is typical, the characters a bit cookie cutter, but the art direction is solid, the writing rarely stumbles, and hey it even has some bonus romance mechanics for Fire Emblem castaways like me. I think I played the entire 40+ hour game in a week - alas current-me has a job, but I got close to my teenage record. This game was made for me, specifically, but I do recommend it for others who really like strategy JRPGs.

Noblesse Oblige: Time to get super indie - this year RPGMaker game "Political Science Theory Meets Succubus Eroge" The Last Sovereign wrapped up its primary questline, and I really enjoyed it. But you know, I played most of it in other years, doesn't really count for now - but it inspired me to dive into a bunch of RPGMaker games (alongside The Coffin of Andy & Leyley, also from 2023). Most of them were forgettable (though I hope to do more), but Noblesse Oblige kept me on board where others didn't.

This is the hyper-indie-solo-creator world, I will not say this game is like, polished, you know? At a lot of parts the writing is a little cringe, the main character has some real author-self-insert vibes, the kind of stuff you expect from something this indulgent. But what it has going for it is being incredibly committed to just being a high-drama, high-political-maturity medieval fantasy civil war soap opera. You will balance budgets between army and civil development, you will deal with rebellious dukes with a dozen motivations, you will take part in a claimant civil war that also splits religious factions along doctrinal lines, and more! The game is essentially like a linear-track visual novel with RPG battles running through it, and player agency comes from econo-political decisions instead of area exploration. Something a lot of games are allergic to, but that means the game can commit whole-hog to its story, which I really like.

It clearly passes my indie game threshold for quality, and will def continue playing it as content comes out.

Honorable Mentions: Victoria 3 (my beloved, my hated enemy), Yu-No, VR-Date Simulator May Club

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Dreamcast - RE-VOLT

Title: RE-VOLT / リボルト

Developer: Acclaim Studios London

Publisher: Acclaim / Taito

Release date: 13 July 2000

Catalogue No.: T-8101M

Genre: Radicon Racing

I read an awful lot of reviews for this game saying that it was the bee's knees. All I can say is that's a load of crap. Re-Volt does look stunning in many areas plus runs at a sold 60fps but what good is all that beauty when you have something that's hell to control? You see, the problem with Re-Volt is that even just the slightest twitch on the analog stick will send your car spinning off course. There's just no gradient in the controls. Using the D-pad is a better option but even then, you are still going to find yourself spinning off course. Another problem with this game is the AI. With the number of weapons available to throw at each other the game just becomes a game of luck rather than skill. I mean you could be playing like a God in first place only to be bombarded by projectiles from nowhere. This really did annoy me. As a multiplayer game, things aren't as bad when it comes to AI, but you still have to put up with that dodgy control system.

If you must have a radio-controlled car racer then by all means get Re-Volt but don't say I didn't warn you. Oh, by the way, the Japanese version of this (distributed by Taito) is quite hard to come by so if you do spot it, buy it just for the sake of it (^-^)

[rxmanticxsm]

hey y'all! i know pretty much everybody is sharing their thoughts on veilguard, but i wanted to throw mine in too. i'm a long-time dragon age fan; i've been playing the games since i was 16! veilguard was what i have been looking forward to ever since then. in some ways it was amazing. in other ways... a bit of a letdown.

let's start with what i enjoyed! first of all, i really liked our cast of characters. i found them all to be interesting and i enjoyed their unique problems from their past to solve. their designs were awesome too. my favorites are lucanis and davrin ^_^

i also really liked the visuals of the game overall! the worlds were beautiful and the characters were too! i especially appreciated the black hair styles available. super awesome to see my hair in a game for once!

i know not everybody likes the combat (cough cough my younger brother- i think he just wanted the old tactical stuff back). i was fine with it though! though not entirely... i'll get into this later. other than that, i enjoyed the storyline of the game and seeing solas again! getting to really know solas and see his backstory was super cool. i also loved learning more about elven lore as they've always been my favorite in the dragon age series.

with the positives out of the way, let's talk about what wasn't so great (in my opinion).

i think the progression of your relationship with your companions was a flop here. i missed being able to walk up to them and talk to them. this was valuable in getting to know them and creating that feeling that you're building a relationship with them. in the current system.. i don't really feel any closeness to my companions! i don't see why they're sticking around with the team or opening up to my rook in the sparse scenes they do have. it seems more work went towards their interaction with each other than with my rook.

this is sadly a theme with the romance too. there's just.. hardly anything! especially if you're a lucanis romancer. going to the lighthouse and seeing EVERYONE has an interaction but lucanis was honestly a bit irritating? there doesn't even seem to be any reason for rook and lucanis to be together. they just don't talk LOL along with that, having companions flirt with each other in front of rook while trying to lock down a romance with one of them was frustrating! i think this would have been better after rook has committed a romance with someone else. it was only made more annoying with the fact that the companions flirted with each other more than they did with rook lol

regarding combat, the indication that an attack was coming was wayyy too small and hard to see in the fray of battle. i found this feature to be mostly useless as half the time i couldn't see it while i was attacking. i also didn't like the way some enemies would just keep tossing me around! perhaps this was a skill issue on my behalf... but there were times where i would dodge and get thrown right after lol i could not get up!

locations felt a bit empty compared to inquisition. there just wasn't much to do in some of them. rivain got ignored by me entirely because it was too boring imo and there wasn't much for me to engage with there. i also ignored dock town because i didn't really like the area. i was personally hoping for a more illustrious location if we were going to tevinter.

other than that, there's some other smaller things i didn't care for but they're not important enough to address in a paragraph.

as a whole, i enjoyed veilguard! i'd give it a 7.5-8/10. it's good on it own. compared to other dragon age games, not so much. i think companions have always been really crucial to dragon age games and veilguard kinda sold that. that was most of what brought my ranking of it down. that's just my opinion though! it's still good for many other reasons!

[emilyh0u]

July 9 - Taipei day 8

The first thing we saw walking into the Taiwan National zoo were the flamingos. Much to our surprise, two of them started partaking in the procreation of their future generation (AKA coitus AKA sex)!!! Crazy right. I really wanted to see chickens at this zoo, since it lowkey has been a really long time since I’ve come across a live chicken. Unfortunately, I did not get to see one; however, I did get to see Emus, which at first I thought the sign pointing to the emu exhibit was of turkeys. Emus are cool too, just not chickens though :(. We also saw camels, and oh my gosh I didn’t know their humps JIGGLED!! Like they literally looked like jello sitting on top of the camels. I thought that was really funny. My favourite animal that we saw today was the elephants. They were sooooo cute!! After exploring the exhibits, we made our way to the gift store. I know I said I would save my money and wouldn’t spend it on anything but food today, but like I’m such a liar. And the heavens forgive anyways. So, I bought two small plushies. Lowkey I had to buy them. They were so cheap, and were practically YELLING at me to buy them! I mean like how could I not? Technically, I’m saving money by buying plushies here since they would be a lot more expensive in America. So basically I’m being hella financially smart. Yeah. That's definitely how it works.

Academic Reflection-

Today we first visited the Taiwan National Zoo in the morning. The first exhibition we went to was the Koala exhibit, where I learned that baby koalas eat their mother’s poop in order to receive the nutritional benefits from it as they have stopped drinking their mother’s milk but are not yet able to eat Eucalyptus leaves. After the koala’s, we went to the panda exhibit where we saw a cute panda lying on a platform. Once we visited these two exhibitions, we were given free time. During my free time, I went to the Rainforest Exhibition Area, where I saw different species of monkeys, birds, and tortoises. There were also elephants in the exhibition area, which was something new to me since I did not know that elephants also lived in rainforests. There was a tiger in the exhibition area too, but I was unable to see it until one of the workers pointed it out to me. It was camouflaged behind the plants! From the worker, I learned that it was a Malayan tiger given to the zoo by France. According to her, there are only 150 recorded Malayan tigers left in the world, so countries have come together to help preserve these animals and move them into sanctuaries and zoos, hoping to be able to help them regrow their population. She hopes that putting the tiger in an environment that simulates the one it lives in naturally will help it feel more comfortable at the zoo.

The second stop we visited was Shenkeng Tofu Street. Night markets are an opportunity to “showcase [Taiwan’s] diverse culture and culinary skills”. For this street, their main attraction /  focal point was their tofu products. The many food vendors and stalls offered all kinds of dishes made with tofu, such as stinky tofu, spicy tofu soup, fried tofu, fermented tofu, etc. All of these dishes focused on tofu, yet had their own unique flavours and appearances. Each night market has their own “distinct vibe”; in contrast with the lively and bustling night markets you normally expect, Shenkeng Tofu Street offered a peaceful ambience, allowing visitors to slowly dawdle through at a relaxed pace, completely different from the crowded night markets that often force you to move or are so bustling you can hardly even move! Walking along the street, you can also see similar snacks sold in other night markets, such as dried fruits, pastries, and milk teas, a sign of Taiwan’s general cultural foods. One thing that I’ve never come across at a night market yet was the tofu-based ice cream they sold at Shenkeng Tofu Street. It’s unique foods and dishes such as this that offer some insight into the region’s own distinct and unique culinary identity, that make it stand out from the other markets in Taiwan. I think the tofu workshop at Shenkeng Tofu Street was definitely an experience that is unique to the area. It was a one-of-a-king thing, something that also makes the street stand out from other night markets too. These unique aspects of the markets along with the similarities they all share with each other work to draw customers in, bringing them some familiar products but also new ones that make people want to come back for more, as they are similar in the sense they because it’s a night market, people who enjoy night markets will also enjoy new ones, but with its distinct identity, people can find new things about them to enjoy.

[meteoritestyle]

The story of my meteorite collection: from hobby to unique business

A love of stones with no possibility of monetization

For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by stones. Not just ordinary pebbles from the beach, but rare minerals, crystals, and gemstones. For me, there was no greater pleasure than climbing mountains, searching riverbeds for unusual boulders, and, of course, visiting geology museums and studying the exhibits. But, like many enthusiastic people, sooner or later I asked myself the question: “Is it possible to turn my hobby into a job?” The question “How can you make money from what you love?” often becomes a cornerstone for creative and passionate people.

The problem was that the market for stones and minerals is quite limited. Precious stones have long been divided among jewelry houses, and although ordinary collectible minerals are sold, the market is small and low-margin. You can search for a rare specimen for years, but it will be difficult to sell it—a narrow circle of collectors, low liquidity, price dumping. I was looking for a niche where my love for stones would not just remain a hobby, but would become a business. And then I stumbled upon meteorites.

The universe in a stone

Everything changed when I learned that meteorites can be found on your own, as well as sold and bought with virtually no restrictions. Pieces of other planets, asteroids, and even comets can be held in your hands and studied under a microscope.

A whole new world opened up to me, where geology meets astrophysics, where every stone carries billions of years of history. The main thing was that these were not just minerals, but messengers from the depths of space.

I began to study meteorics (yes, such a science exists!), read articles, contact collectors, and go on searches (the thought that somewhere in the steppe lay a piece of Mars kept me awake at night). At the same time, I began to learn how to work with meteorite material. It turned out to be much more difficult to work with than ordinary stone. Meteorites are fragile, sensitive to moisture, and require special skills to process. But most importantly, they are incredibly interesting!

Gradually, I developed three areas of focus:

1. Searching for meteorites. It's like a treasure hunt, only instead of a map, you have the coordinates of the fall.

2. Processing and jewelry making. I learned how to cut, grind, and polish meteorite material, creating pendants, rings, bracelets, and meditation balls from it.

3. Designing collectible items. Large meteorite samples are no longer just jewelry, but real artifacts. They need to be properly designed, placed on beautiful stands, and accompanied by an expert opinion from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

This is how my hobby turned into Meteorite Style, a project where I sell not just stones, but pieces of the universe in a processed form.

Who might be interested in this?

If you are:

- An astronomer at heart — you are interested in black holes, big bang theories, and the evolution of the solar system;

- A romantic geologist – you love climbing mountains, searching for ammonites, or visiting mineralogical museums;

- A fanatic of unique things – you are tired of identical iPhones and want an accessory that no one else has;

- A person searching for meaning – you wonder where we came from and what life is on a galactic scale.

Meteorites are not just rocks

The main value of my project:

People know little about them, and this gives rise to numerous myths:

- “Are meteorites radioactive?”

- “Can they affect humans?”

- “They're just pieces of metal and rocks, what's the point?”

Every time I sell a meteorite, I give a “little lecture” (a mini-tour of space history). People hear that:

1. Meteorites are the preserved past. For example, chondrites have retained their original composition for 4.56 billion years.

2. They contain minerals that do not exist on Earth (for example, kamacite or tenite, an alloy of iron and nickel from the cores of ancient protoplanets).

3. Some meteorites are fragments of Mars and the Moon and are called planetary meteorites.

In addition, meteorite material is not used in mass production. There are no factory-made stamps—each sample is unique, and the structure of each stone cannot be replicated in series. A ring made from the Muonionalusta meteorite (one of the oldest on the planet) with this pattern will be owned by only one person on Earth—you.

Space is in your hands.

Right now, I have:

- My own online store for meteorites and jewelry – https://meteoritestyle.shop/ Here you will find processed slices, jewelry, and collectible specimens of meteorites of various types and locations of origin. I have accompanied each item with the history of the meteorite – where it came from, how it was found, and what makes it unique.

- Private meteorite gallery in Obninsk. If you want to see them in person and hold them in your hands, come visit, and I will give you a tour and show you the rarest specimens (for example, the Sikhote-Alin iron meteorite or the rare lunar shergottite).

Don't just buy jewelry, take home a piece of the universe's history. When you wear a piece of an asteroid, you can tell your friends about it and think about how this stone once flew through space to become your talisman.

Discover meteorites. Discover space without rockets.

Visit the website, write to me directly, and we'll arrange a visit to the gallery or choose the meteorite of your dreams.

P.S. Each meteorite comes with a certificate of authenticity and a story about its “cosmic journey.” It's not just jewelry, but a key to understanding the universe.

[chaotichoneybunny]

Rose Aimé [X-Men OC]

Every one, please meet my lovely Rose~! Trust me, he's slowly licking his lips at meeting you all~

He is one I love mentally pairing up with anyone, but the main one I pair up Rose with is Remy LeBeau, Gambit. I don't know why, I just love it lol.

Rose is hermaphrodite (how he was born), but he goes by male pronouns for the most part. So, he has both parts 'down there', meaning he can get pregnant and give birth. Very androgynous appearing in general.

He's naturally sensual and seductive, flirty. Knows he's beautiful and isn't scared to use it. No shame whatsoever, unapologetically himself no matter what. Would walk around naked with no shame if it came down to it.

He has his own set of morals (he'll kill if it comes down to it, he's lived a very messed up life to where he won't hesitate if it comes down to it) but he's not inheritly evil or anything. A gray sort of area. He's kind under all the playfulness and seduction, caring.

Born in France, Rose was stolen after birth by a nurse who became obsessed at first sight with him; finding the baby Rose beautiful. It led to a life of being constantly being kidnapped, stolen, bought, sold and such. He lived life in many cages and mansions of horrors all because of his beauty.

It's how Rose became good at escaping, running, and leading anyone on a merry little chase without a chance of catching him. He kept trying to escape, practicing and honing his skills, until he finally made it out. Because of this he has a phobia of being 'caged'. Not to say he'd freak out in a literal cage, being tied up or handcuffed. More along the lines if someone he loves and trusts tries keeping him 'caged' even if by accident or well meaning. Like, trying to keep him in the room during an argument and refusing to let him go could make him go into a flashback and make him panic, leading to instincts which is to escape and run until he feels safe.

For his own mental and emotional health, he's turned chasing into a fun game. It started when he was young, trying to escape, and from there it turned into a game. Where he loves having people chasing after him, leading them on a merry little chase, teasing them and flirting with them. He's a master at escaping, chases and running. Depending on the person he'll make it easy or hard, but it's up to him if he gets caught in the end.

Freedom is something he holds dear. While he doesn't mind being hired for things, he has the habit of doing what he wants when he wants. In short, he's a phantom thief for the shits and giggles. It's fun, and he gets chased too~!

"Ooooh~! I be lovin' a man who can be chasin' moi, non~?"

Rose's mutation, powers/abilities, are magic based. You know "Cardcaptor Sakura"? It's a bit like that, where depending on the tarot card (like, which one it is, the artwork, the title, the kind of deck, etc.) it changed what it does. He could control the elements, to flying, to summoning death. Having said that, the more powerful cards require a price to be paid to use them typically, for the big things.

He tends to delicately kiss the card, causing it and his irises to glow a pastel pink, bringing it down like blowing a kiss and twisting it between two fingers to show which one he is using.

His blood is pastel pink, it shimmers and sparkles in the light. With magic in his veins, and his powers having a mind of their own, touch based powers have trouble working on him. Like, how Magneto can touch Rogue, Rose can as well. His mind is also chaos; he thinks in tarot cards and is naturally chaotic. Up is sideways, down is ketchup, left is the electric boogaloo, and right is kisses. Makes no sense at all and can drive a mind reader insane. It's not impossible to read his mind.....just has the possible side effect of headaches and possible insanity for the mind reader.

He wears everything, loves dressing up and being pretty, loves dresses, but his main outfit is the one with the trench coat.

Rose is close friends with Odette (opposites attract in all ways, friendship included), and is very ride or die kind of friend. Will commit everything from murder, hiding bodies, to war crimes for Odette without even blinking.

[mooflettes]

Ok, so I thought about the fusion idea but decided to scrap it since I felt that Pecharunt just puppeteering the legends via toxic chain instead. And I think it would be draining their energy at it, so it can use the whole shell and punch block via toxic chains.

Now, I have a decent backstory idea for Pecharunt and Terapogas. Essentially, back then the crater had many Terapogas and glimmoras. However, Pecharunt then showed up born in the crater as an heavily mutated glimmet, everyone was a bit wary of it so no one went near, thus caused Pecharunt to be lonely, since no one hung out with him. This made him having a mischievous side as a coping mechanism, pulling pranks and causing trouble, but not really anything major. But of course, everyone thought he’s really annoying. Not to mention, he had no family, no place to live or sleep, he just wanders around. One day, Pecharunt encountered a baby Terapogas, the two quickly became friends and hung out everyday with one another. However, their friendship was broken as one day, a massive tremor hit Paldea, causing almost all the Terapogas to be killed. Of course it was a natural occurrence, but the glimmoras blamed Pecharunt for the cause as a prank gone too far and that he was the only one that went outside during the tremor. Pecharunt was confused and said that it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t know what caused the tremor, but nobody believed him, he tried to call for Terapogas explaining his innocence, but nobody came. He was then banished from the crater, and soon, had new feelings he never experienced: hatred, betrayal, anger. But the most prominent: A desire for revenge. Why didn’t his friend came? They were close were they? Couldn’t he help him? THEN WHY DIDN’T HE CAME?! Soon, he believe that Terapogas sold him out or just never came for him. With a final wail before leaving the crater, he shouted: “OnE DAY, i WiLL RETuRN TERAPOGAS! YOu HEAr me?! I WILL RETURN, ‘THE HIDDEN TEASURE OF BETRAYAL’!!!!! AND MARK MY WORDS, I WILL DESTROY THE ENTIRE CRATER!!!!” However, the baby Terapogas at the time was still unconscious from the tremor and didn’t know what was happening, when it awoke, it noticed several glimmoras helping it, it asked what happened to its kind and was horrified to find that everyone’s dead, he was the last of his kind. He was overwhelmed with sadness but after some comforting, he wanted to meet Pecharunt who was his only friend and he knew that he can comfort. However, when the glimmoras broke the news, Terapogas snapped, overcome with hatred and rage, he snapped, “What were you idiots thinking?! Banishing Pecharunt? I understand that he’s mischievous, but he doesn’t do anything wrong or going extremes! Plus, he’s still a toddler! You should know better!! He needs kindness, he needs protection, he needs guidance! But did any of you do it? NO! Every day, he’s just trying his best to learn, pick up skills, JUST TRYING TO ARCEUSDAMN SURVIVE!!! And you banished him, for something he didn’t do…” soon, Terapogas broke down crying before turning away, before he left, he said one last thing with a tinge of venom laced in his words, “Now leave me alone, you fucking bastards…” everyone was shocked hearing him swear, since despite being 500 years old, Terapogas is still considered a toddler by Terapogas ages. Soon, Terapogas tried every way to leave the Carter to find his friend, but since he couldn’t exactly control his powers, he couldn’t leave the crater. Eventually, he gave up, went back to the deepest part of area zero, and cried, saying that he was sorry he couldn’t save Pecharunt, and that he was sorry he wasn’t strong enough to protect his kind, soon, in his grief and guilt, Terapogas went back to his crystal form, hibernating. Meanwhile, Pecharunt was off worse, he had no food, no water, no shelter, no friends, nothing. He had to scour for food and water just to survive, in the meantime, he practiced his powers. Later, he recruited the Loyal Three (still don’t know what Pokémon they were), and they pillaged villages in hopes of finding Tera Crystals so that Pecharunt can absorb them and find Terapogas’s location. They no success until they heard about four glistening masks in Kitakami, most likely made from Tera Crystals, thought Pecharunt. And so, that’s how the events of the pre-DLC happen.

Was this a bit angsty? Yes. Since, Terapogas despite being the box art of the 2DLC, doesn’t get a lot character development like Ogerpon. So, I wanted to remedy that. Also, I wanted to change some things instead, since Pecharunt’s smart, I’d lien to think it doesn’t absorb Terapogas in its Stellar form, since I’d like to imagine all Terapogas have the same power level regardless of age it’s just how much level they can control. So, it would actually continue like the canon until after the Indigo Disk, where during a flashback, we can see Pecharunt slowly poisoning the Terrarium Core, so that all the Pokémon inside would slowly become its puppets and a new army, it will also free the Loyal Three later on. It would then control Kieran abruptly by chaining his soul and then controlling Kieran’s body by himself. He would send a text message to Millie and Carmine to come to the Terrarium and bring Terapogas. When both do that, they see Kieran struggling on the floor, with his both taped. When the two approach him, he yelled out: “Run! It’s a TRAP!” However, it was too late, the Terrarium core suddenly became a purple colour and Kieran was starting to look…less than himself, when Terapogas came out and saw this, he was scared, until Pecharunt came out of Kieran, puppeteering Kieran’s body. The two interact and Pecharunt tells the story, Terapogas tries to reason with Pecharunt but failed. And he poisoned the terrarium core, and the poison spread to every single Pokémon in the terrarium. I’d lie to think the end of the end of a fic, is a huge battle between the trainers and possessed pokemon, some being the legends. Now, once the protags reach Pecharunt (or it calls himself: Dokuwāro), they had an all out fight. Eventually, Dokuwāro was damaged enough for Kieran to be separated, but the fight isn’t over as Pecharunt was still able to fight but then was unable to battle and started to lose control over the Pokémon. However, as everyone was celebrating, it was able to use the last of its power to command Hoopa to banish Kieran to an alternate timeline, leaving everyone devastated, especially Carmine. With his last words before fainting, “YoU MAy HAVe wOn ThIs bATtlE, bUT YOu HAVE LOST THE WAR!!! SAY GOODBYE, TO THE BROTHER THAT WILL NEVER RETURN!!!”

In the end, like I mentioned before in a previous ask, it was a hollow victory, the damage had been done. The legends that were placed under control were weakened as Pecharunt absorbed 28% of their original strength so they could only use 72% of their original strength at max. And while Terapogas is able to make a full recovery, it wasn’t mentally. Not wanting to go out of its shell. And, the blueberry students were of course shocked, while they didn’t like Kieran, they certainly did not want him dead nor be gone, the elite four were hit hard as well, even Drayton, Briar was also incredibly guilty. But Carmine had the worst of it all, she ended up having nightmares about the same scene and same voice repeating over and over again for the past 8 months, she even resorted to sleeping pills just to try and sleep, she ended having to see a therapist about her situation, and was diagnosed with depression. Since now she knows her parents didn’t abandoned her and her brother, they were killed by Pecharunt. Millie didn’t take the news well either. Now, speaking of Pecharunt, despite how secure the place is, he could destroy it anytime, but chooses not to.

Now, this is a bit heavy, but I’ll explain inspirations and why now:

I think Pecharunt is still a toddler by glimmora ages, I mean, it’s TINY. So, I think it was more of a mutated glimmet than a Glimmora. Plus, making him a vengeful villain seems lame to me.

Also, Pecharunt wears a mask. A mask to hide his true feelings. While he may seem the vengeful type that will do anything to get revenge and is remarkably intelligent, inside, he’s just a toddler, he just wants friends, but had no one. Plus, a study has shown that Orphans actually end up having more of a feeling that the world is against them and hates them. (I think, I may be wrong) and they lash out more often than kids with families. Same thing here, Pecharunt has no one and having to experience all that when he’s a toddler, (by glimmora ages) yeah, a lot mental and psychological scars will be left. In fact, I think PV Pecharunt canonically has PTSD, Autism, Violent Tendencies, ADHD, Depression and worst of all: Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts. He tries to kill himself multiple times, that’s why he threw himself in the battle against Ogerpon, he knew he was gonna die. So he will. Heck, multiple times, The Loyal Three were concerned for Pecharunt.

So, instead of just a vengeful villain, Pecharunt is also a villain but one that has experienced a lot of trauma in his childhood, feeling outcasted, feeling everyone hates him. So behind all of this evilness, Pecharunt is a just a broken Toddler, feeling outcasted and is just lashing out at the world.

(Ok sorry for making it a bit dark but you can change it if you want)

Now, something else, since I made a BIS reference, why not make the final boss a game that’s a prequel to it? So, the whole Soul thing and Pecharunt later escaping, is inspired by Superstar Saga, Cackletta and Fawful. Cackletta’s soul sort of possesses Bowser as the final boss Bowletta. Same thing! I imagine in a future fic, Kieran returns and a second battle begins, but the fight would more be like Bowser vs Dark Bowser, I’ll explain next time if you want.

I’m not too sure if you want to do a sequel fic, but I’ll leave that up to you. But anyways thanks for hearing me ramble and I’ll apologize in advance for the darker parts.

OMG WAIT OP DO YOU HAVE DISCORD?! ID LOVE TO HAVE A FULL-BLOWN DISCUSSION OF YOUR IDEAS! THEY ARE PHENOMENAL!

I Like LIKE LOVE the idea that Terapagos and Pecharunt may have known each other in the past, as the way Pecharunt reacts in your writings, it's kind've like mirroring the same thing that happens in The Teal Mask! Maybe I can do smth regarding this, ofc with less personification and through representation since they are mystical pokémon, and we shouldnt know TOO much abt them.

Like, Millie in a way is like Terapagos, and Kieran like Pecharunt, and when Terapagos travels with Millie (Millie not knowing) it doesmt reveal itself till area zero. I have plenty of ideas to share and if u want my discord or smth lmk because honestly I love that your ideas are as colorful as mine and not fully stuck to the story!

Maybe with your idea, Kieran comes back during Mochi Mayhem! I had a mock au where PV!Kieran gets the same treatment as Kieran in canon, albeit a bit differently since Kieran is not the MAJOR protagonist, and neither is dear Dokutaro. I may implement that Terapagos wa ts to get to KNOW Pecharunt in Area Zero, thus getting trapped. I would also like to implement the trapped Master Ball theory, if that makes sense? And yes, PV!Kieran only has a hollow victory, as it really isn't himself. I could most certainly explain the lore of Project Venus to you in secret, as I still would like to develop the plot as I write 👀 some stuff I wasn't FULLY satisfied with in canon, and since I've been writing this since October, it would do me wonders to at least give an au where things are little more on-edge and off the wall

Also, you're a real ome for being inspired by many medias I also grew up with. I highkey want the final battle before the finale battle (if that makes sense) to almost be like the Dark Forest Battle from Warriors. Some of the tropes I may use are admittedly adjacent to Warriors, as it and Pokémon are just those things I clung onto when I was a pre-teen.

I feel like Terapagos sees the good in Pecharunt, I really do, as we can see in Horizons it's just a friendly lil' baby. Maybe the antags, esp dokutaro, take advantage of this! Dokutaro has grown some, proven that it can be serious damage despite it also being immature (Mirroring Kieran and Millie, as we come back full-circle) but since Terapagos holds many answers and strange powers, now it is only meant to be used :(

EITHER WAY IM ACTUALLY JUST GONNA DROP MY DISCORD:

mooflettes

I'd suggest tumblr pms but I take a helluva long time to get to msgs and am weird with other socials with communication, however I can still make exceptions. Seriously tho, I love this writing, and it has so much potential! Again, cannot thank you ENOUGH for being so into these ideas and I cannot WAIT to share the autidm brainrot, esp b4 Mochi Mayhem 👀

[vibestheoracle]

10 Easiest Ways to Make Money Online in 2024

In today's world, making money online is easier than ever. You can try freelancing, start an e-commerce business, or find passive income. This guide will show you the top 10 ways to earn money online in 2024.

CLICK HER TO SEE THIS AMAZING OFFER

Key Takeaways

Discover the power of online freelancing and how to leverage popular platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.

Learn about the thriving e-commerce industry and the potential of dropshipping and print-on-demand business models.

Explore passive income streams, including affiliate marketing, blogging, and selling digital products.

Understand the benefits of virtual assistant services and online tutoring as lucrative side hustles.

Gain insights into the latest trends and emerging opportunities in the world of online earning.

Online Freelancing: Unleash Your Skills

The digital age has opened up a world of opportunities. Now, you can make money from home. Online freelancing lets you show off your skills to people all over the world.

Leveraging Platforms for Gig Work

Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer are great for freelancers. They let you work in areas like digital marketing, virtual assistant services, and online tutoring. It's easy to start: just make a profile, show your work, and bid on jobs.

These sites are perfect for those who want to earn money online. They offer flexibility and reach a global audience.

Building a Freelance Portfolio

A good portfolio is key to success in freelancing. It should show your best work and skills. It proves you can do great work.

Whether you're a designer, writer, or developer, a great portfolio attracts clients. It helps you find good online freelancing jobs.

"Freelancing has given me the freedom to work on my own terms and build a career that aligns with my passions. The ability to work remotely and set my own schedule has been life-changing."

CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS AMAZING OFFER

E-Commerce: Tap into the Digital Marketplace

The rise of e-commerce has opened up many chances to sell online. You can start with dropshipping or print-on-demand with little money. These ways let you sell many products without storing them, making it easy to start and grow.

Dropshipping: A Low-Risk Approach

Dropshipping means you don't store any products. When someone buys, you buy it from a supplier and they ship it. This way, you can start a business with almost no money, only paying for what's sold.

Print-on-Demand: Customizable and Scalable

Print-on-demand lets you sell custom items without managing inventory. You design things like t-shirts and mugs, and someone else makes and ships them. It's great for creative people to share their ideas worldwide.

Conclusion

The 10 easiest ways to make money online in 2024 offer many chances. You can work online or sell things online. These options fit many skills and interests.

You can use your skills on freelance sites, sell things online, or make money while you sleep. These ways are endless. By trying these methods, you can control your money and be free in the digital world.

Starting is the first step to success. So, why not try these ten must easiest ways to make money online 2024? You can make money without working hard, sell digital stuff, or write and share content. Your future is waiting for you.

[changingplumbob]

Chopra Household: Chapter 4, Part 2

Part 2 is all done for the Chopra family. Highlights include New Years Eve, sunny infant playtime, a chicken arguing with the Grimm Reaper, and the twins last days as infants. Savannah has many more milestones than twin sister Mercedes (we all know she stole some), but Mercedes is bound to say her first word any time now.

TW: The game stuffed up so there is unexpected chicken death

Twins are asleep, time to try bonding with these bunnies. Cassandra tries out a friendly comment and a joke. Bunny does not approve and is not afraid to show it. She take a breath and goes to talk to Cluckton. At least he is chipper and appreciates her playing with him.

I sold all my extra veges in the move so Cassandra offers the bunny an egg. Good reaction, the bunny enjoys it. Rahul tries to say something nice but again the bunny doesn't like small talk. He offers some spare bugs in a nice parcel. The bunny sniffs and accepts. Maybe we can be friends in time.

Good news, the bees made the move unscathed. I'm just going to think of these cars near the lot as belonging to the Chopras. Cassandra would have the mini and Rahul would have the jeep. At least, I think it's a jeep. Cars are not one of my areas of expertise.

I have decided the Chopras will try out the Simple Living lot challenge. Hopefully the garden produce will cover the cost of all the flour and sugar.

Cassandra: So this is home

Rahul: I hope you can be happy here

Cassandra: My gloomyness won't disappear but I am falling in love with the lot

*doorbell*

Urszula: Delivery

Cassandra: Come on in, we're just finishing dinner

Rahul: You know, I used to have your job

Urszula: You have a nice house now so clearly it didn't go badly

Cassandra: It did not

Rahul: It helped me score a wife

Urszula: ah ha, ah ha, now how about a tip

Supper time for the infants. Savannah discovers she likes mango. Mercedes woke up grumpy however.

Cassandra: Hey little ladybug, where are you going

Mercedes: *grumps*

Cassandra: Come on, supper time

Mercedes: *grumps*

Cassandra's wrangling of the grouchy infant increases her parenting skill to 5

Cassandra helps Mercedes try some avocado. Hold the phone, she likes it! Rahul tries to get Savannah to try some yoghurt while Cassandra takes Mercedes for a diaper change. Pee... goes... EVERYWHERE! Mercedes chuckles so at least she is having a good time. Savannah has some small burp bubbles.

Cassandra changes Mercedes into her sleepwear and puts her to bed while Rahul carries Savannah in. Mercedes, as normal, needs some extra comfort to get to sleep. When she's snoring Rahul propositions Cassandra which she accepts gladly. With that, moving day is all done.

New Years Eve is here! In the southern hemisphere we have it in summer so I changed the calendar accordingly. Rahul's resolution is to upskill, Cassandra's is to be promoted. We start the day off right with bubble baths for both girls. Tomorrow they will age up, their time as infants is ending.

Breakfast bottles. The sun is shining so it's time to take advantage of it and get some nice photos for the wall. I wanted to do them at the front door but the sun isn't round there yet. I love this little family so much despite the headaches.

*deep breath* Last time I played the Chopra's I turned animal aging off as chickens were aging to quick for my time length. I turned it on after moving. The original trio of Cluckton, Feathers and Squidge are labelled as chicks. Melon and Floofy (hatched just last rotation) have stopped being chicks and are labelled elder 😮‍💨

It makes me happy to see Mercedes and Savannah playing out in the sun. Cassandra continues tending to the chickens while Rahul tends his still growing garden. Mercedes has to remind everyone she was the first to stand and uses the yard chair to demonstrate. When content she turns and spots... the bunny!

Turned away for one second and found Mercedes like this. I guess she was so eager to reach the bunny she stumbled with style. She begins babbling to the bunny and I dub it Binky. Savannah goes to see what Cassandra is up to. She practices her guitar in the sun while Savannah looks on fascinated.

Lunch time arrives and with it, the need for the infants to nap. They're both content outside so I set them up to nap on the grass.

Snuggles: *clucks* why do they make so much noise

Squidge: *clucks* because they're small

Snuggles: *clucks* I don't wail like that

Squidge: *clucks* Thank goodness

Cassandra moves away from the twins to practice so she doesn't wake them up. To my amazement some birds join her, look at these cute little guys. Pretty sure that's thanks to the bird life mod. Rahul tries to give Binky a bell pepper since small talk doesn't work. Binky approves!

Uh oh, horrific smell alert! Clean up required!

Mercedes: *cries*

Cassandra: Hey ladybug, it's okay

Mercedes: *cries*

Cassandra: It's not a blow out at least, come on, mama will get you cleaned up

Mercedes: *sniffles*

Rahul meanwhile enjoys petting Binky. The bunny gifts him a bottle of milk.

Grimm: Melon

Melon: Yes

Grimm: Your time has come

Melon: What? I was a chick for 3 days, I've been a hen for 2, I want to speak to the watcher

Grimm: The watcher doesn't know how to fix it

Melon: I'm not a true elder

Grimm: Don't worry, my wife will look after you

Melon: Fine but you better have the good corn

The twins get put in the lounge for the afternoon. Mercedes once again goes and shows she knows how to stand while Savannah blows raspberries. Cassandra takes take of some chores while Rahul takes the chance to go for a run. He's missed the rolling green hills of Henford.

Savannah: *blows kiss*

Cassandra: OMW Rahul did you see

Rahul: Little busy with this stereo

Cassandra: You blew mama a kiss didn't you

Savannah: Fun ma do

Cassandra: Don't worry little ladybug, no one grows up exactly the same *blows raspberry*

Mercedes: *giggles*

Cassandra: Who wants dinner? Do you want dinner

Mercedes: Lu da boo

Rahul: You don't think there's a problem

Cassandra: What do you mean

Rahul: She's over 2 and hasn't said her first word

Cassandra: The watcher extended infant lifespans to account for all their milestones, she's going to be fine. They'll be toddlers until they're 6, plenty of time to learn

The infants go to bed in cribs for the last night. The adults then go to watch the countdown to midnight despite feeling worn out. Sure enough midnight comes, a new year is here, and they get fireworks in the living room. They move to the bedroom where they experience fireworks of a different kind.

Mercedes starts her birthday by exploring the rubbish bin. A dust cloud encircles her and oh my gosh would you please get that out of your mouth! Savannah doesn't want to be left out and after her own diaper change dives in. Again dust flies. At least she finds something more appropriate.

I send them outside but that doesn't help. Savannah has the play bug and gets stuck into the plants. Cassandra plays some guitar, she's only level 6, and Mercedes lies down to listen. I swear that girl is either standing up or laying down, sitting is not her thing. Savannah in contrast happily sits.

Cassandra feeds the other bunny, Boo, an insect which is accepted

Cassandra: Honeybee, please stop digging up the plants

Savannah: *giggles*

Cassandra: Nap time you two

Mercedes: *grumbles*

Cassandra: Come on little lady, you know you love cuddly naps, we'll have cake after

Twins: *snore softly*

Previous Part ... Next Part

[randomgaynerd]

I like my wireless headphones. I like not worrying about the cord splitting or fraying or only working when I hold it at an angle or wrap it around my phone. I like being able to set my phone down at home or work and walk away from it if I don't have a pocket to put it in. I like not having a cord in my face or in the way of my hands. I like listening to my tv or phone privately when I'm up late and not having to worry about my neighbors.

I like my cassette player. I like the limitations of only listening to one album at a time or having to put effort into making a mix tape. I like slowing things down occasionally like that. I like the tactile experience of placing the cassette, snapping the player shut, and pressing a real button. I like collecting cassettes. I like supporting small independent artists who are bringing them back in the local scene. I like supporting good vintage shops and finding old artists that aren't talked about anymore. I will put up with wired headphones at times for these purposes. (usually on train or bus trips when I'm not moving around).

I like talking to real people who are interested in things I like and getting recommendations that way. it's slow, but it's personal and helps me connect with people. I like joining forums and communities and visiting tags for my fandoms. I also wouldn't have met some great people and explored some fantastic stories and listened to some incredible music if it wasn't for an algorithm. the algorithm is the supplement to my purposeful efforts at curation. they work in tandem, they are not enemies.

I like taking things slow. I like learning new skills through trial and error. I have been vocal in my distaste for many applications of ai. I have never used chatgpt, especially not for a course. I understand that the studying is the point more than the grade. I like practicing my art until I see what I want on the page. it's nice to slow down and look away from a screen and do something with my hands. I know an image generator can't give me all of that. I also want the images I see from others to be honest. I don't like being sold something stolen and I don't like being deceived. I haven't eaten at my neighborhood pizza place since they put slop photos on the menu.

I also won't yell at someone for using chatgpt to make a grocery list. feeding oneself is an activity of daily living and those don't come equally easily for everyone. I doubt chatgpt is giving a good grocery list or good recipes, but I would rather help this person access proper resources than judge them for needing help in this area of life at all. I'd rather feed my neighbor than my pride.

keep using old tech where it feels good for you to do so. allow yourself to use new tech where you want or need. don't treat either option as a defining factor of who you are. you do not need to choose whether you're a hipster or a tech bro. it's all just stuff.