#(to be seen whether the current event brings more things!)

[queenoftheboard]

♕ headcanon . Eirene's main connections in Path to Nowhere

I have been going over the profiles for most Sinners for a while now, while revisiting the Dreamy Bubble segment with Eirene rather frequently and doing most interrogations available until now (I am missing very few of them). These bits of information have yielded interesting revelations when combined - particular the Dreamy Bubble stage where you see the 'shadows' of the main 'chess pieces' used by the Chief and Eirene.

This stage seems to imply that Eirene is associated to Mr. Fox, Cinnabar, Serpent and Mess. The entire setting of the special event and Eirene's interrogation, however, also seem to point to a connection with Langley. Therefore, based on the existing Sinners to date and everything presented by the game until now, I have elaborated a bit on the other relevant Sinners which I think could have realistic connections to Eirene:

Mr. Fox: this one seems almost too obvious - no worthy business conglomerate is built without the assistance of competent legal counsel, in-house or externally hired. It seems to me that Mr. Fox and Eirene would have professional connections given the way Eastside is set up - Fox is regarded as an 'unbeatable' attorney (thanks to his powers), Eirene is someone willing to stop at nothing to achieve success; this is a combination that would be incredible for both of them. Although I'm exclusive with @svnsworn's Mr. Fox on this blog, I don't think there is a world where these two don't meet and are acquainted with each other.

Cinnabar: another one that is offered by canon content, particularly the comic strip about dispatches and which also makes sense when you read Cinnabar's profile - she was the best among the best group of elite security personnel. Eirene is powerful enough to merit her own security detail - and where bodyguards are concerned, she wouldn't settle for anything less than the best. I also headcanon that Eirene hires bodyguards as part of her 'cover' to keep her Sinner identity hidden - it is in her benefit for people to think she's just smart and not incredibly dangerous.

Serpent: this one is a curious connection - Serpent clearly states that she was invited to perform at Midsummer Night's Club given her incredible entertainment skills and talents - and going by the reaction of people attending the club's opening in-game, she is quite unique. I can definitely see Eirene committing to finding something remarkable that would set her latest business apart from others; but the entire thing with Serpent seems to suggest that she also engineered this in a way to test the MBCC directly. The Chief points this out, too - Serpent is another 'chess piece' for Eirene, but one she speaks of fondly (as a 'friend', a hardworking and vulnerable soul who she likes very much). At any rate, Eirene suggests that she would be willing to trade her 'friendship' with Serpent for something else (and 'turn' Serpent over to the Chief) - something that is in line with one of her profile lines, too. It's a curious thing: Eirene was interested in Serpent's abilities, enough to offer her a very shiny, large stage for her ambrosia experiments while simultaneously: a) testing the MBCC's Chief; b) gaining leverage/favors with the 9th Agency; and c) being able to face herself in a chess game to escape real life boredom.

Mess: I genuinely think Eirene and Mess are not connected directly despite what is shown during that part in the relevant Dreamy Bubble stage; I think it's an indirect thing through Serpent, with Mess serving as the supplier and acting away from Eirene's sphere of influence (Mess is never inside the club or in contact with her). To be very blunt - I don't think Eirene deems Mess to be important enough; she's a tool to enable Serpent's reach to grow and for her experiment to be done and is treated as such from Eirene's perspective.

Langley: Between Dreamy Bubble events and Eirene's interrogation, I am convinced that her relationship with Langley is an old one and that they're both aware of each other's real identities. Chronologically, the MBCC was already under the command of the 9th Agency by the time Dreamy Bubble events took place, and then at the epilogue, you can clearly see Langley by the window after being briefed by her agent saying 'Tell that company president that I said thanks, and… That I really liked her little gift.' I interpret the 'company president' being Eirene, who was able to prove something/give significant intel over to the 9th Agency (the results of the ambrosia incident); she was also not within custody of the MBCC at the time despite knowing who the Chief was, and outing herself as a Sinner during the episode. We can reasonably establish that Eirene turned herself in after Dreamy Bubble events (as per own profile), and then during her interrogation, managed to force the Chief's hand (and the 9th Agency) in such a way that ended up beneficial for her. In other words: it appears to be some form of collaboration between Langley and Eirene, or at least a cat and mouse game. They know a lot about things most people don't (i.e. Black Rings, how they work, Parma) and seem to be involved in ways that go beyond superficial interactions. They're both very strong in terms of mental capacity and corruption levels.

Other people that do not have anything in-game officially pointing to ties to Eirene but who could nonetheless have something built off common grounds and/or origins in Eastside would be:

Chameleon: I always thought that Chameleon seemed to target the type of people that Eirene would like to see removed from Eastside's economic landscape, not to mention that there is also a 9th Agency/Langley connection here that could also be invoked. Further, I personally headcanon Eirene to be resistant to Sinners of the catalyst tendency as further elaborated here - I don't think she would be hypnotized by Chameleon (or not nearly as easily as others are) and this could make their interactions decidedly more interesting. I do like to think they could have a shared agenda and be friendly with each other.

Ariel: given their interrogations, I don't think Eirene would be aware of Ariel on an individual level (particularly how Ariel stresses that she's not 'successful' by her parent's standards) but I do think Eirene would know of the Spencers, particularly if they are from old money and people that would either be relevant customers/partners of Eirene's ventures with Quinn. While there is room for them to meet, I'm not sure Eirene would make the effort to befriend Ariel unless she wanted something out of the other woman.

Chelsea: similarly to Mr. Fox, it seems very likely that their paths would overlap at some point given their lifestyles (both are shown to be adept of a comfortable, luxurious routine). If not before at Eastside, then certainly afterwards post detention. It's curious that there is a very insane amount of fanart of these two together; I cannot tell if it's meant to be romantic or not, but people tend to think these two are close and I definitely see the potential, particularly if their foundations go way back in time or if they collaborate in some way to disrupt old Eastside power.

These are some of the references that I may use in character when writing Eirene; but they can also be ideas to be further pursued/discussed with any mutuals who are interested in starting new interactions. :)

[queenofthearchipelago]

Long Rant about the Watcher Thing

The thing about what's happening with Watcher is that I'm a musician. I understand deeply the difficulties that come with an artist making their art and needing money and the relationship with the people that art is for. So I understand that Watcher needs money to pay their employees and maintain their business.

That said, they revealed that they have 25 employees (half of which are nepotism hires and friends from BuzzFeed) and that one episode of Ghost Files costs "hundreds of thousands of dollars." (Ghost Files being their most expensive show by bar, not their average spending habits per Watcher episode)

I understand from a few people I've seen who are in their Patreon that they make at least 100k per month from the patreon. And then there's the money they get from youtube itself from the views. And then there's the money they get from the ads.

Now I understand that Ryan said this decision came down to primarily 2 things: the ad companies were making them feel stifled with what they could do (which they don't explain how), and they want more money to be able to keep up a higher production quality.

I'm going to skip past the thing about the ads. They never specified how the ad companies were making them change their content in a way that made them feel unsatisfied. I can't speak or provide any opinions on why they want so badly to escape needing ad deals.

But I can talk about the higher production quality they speak of and that's specifically because Ryan said that they wanted to pay for a higher production quality FOR US. "For you guys."

We... we didn't ask for higher production. This is NOT a decision they need to make on our account. I understand and respect if they aren't creating on they level they want. But it's odd that they're speaking towards not being able to afford their current spending habits, as if this is something we asked them to do.

I've read a lot of comments about this and I agree with a lot of you that it's odd that this decision to switch to streaming coincides with the return of Worth It, a show that when produced by Steven, seems like it could easily cost just as much as Ghost Files to produce.

I understand why it feels like this is all Steven's fault. His vibes in the video today, compared to Ryan and Shane, made it seem like he was the most excited about it. It's Steven that has been highlighted multiple times as the business man, the one who makes the financial decisions. It's Steven's shows on Watcher that get canceled after one or two seasons, meanwhile Ryan and Shane's shows just keep going to 5 seasons and beyond.

Shane even said it explicitly, that there are "shows that didn't do as well on youtube, that might do better on a streaming service."

But most of the fans DO watch Watcher for Ryan and Shane, they always have. Steven's shows don't do as well. When Watcher brings in a new host and makes a new show for them, those shows do even worse.

I know this upsets Ryan, he's been very vocal about wanting Watcher to expand beyond himself and Shane. He wants his company to be successful regardless of whether he's in front of the camera or not.

But I feel like this step is trying to force it. Right now, this is still Ryan and Shane's channel. This is why we're here. The people haven't latched onto Steven as much, and the attempts to bring in new hosts have been unsuccessful.

There are lots of comments floating around about why Watcher didn't do what Rhett and Link did and open up youtube membership. Or why didn't they host more live events. Or why didn't they do more livestreams. These all could have been fantastic ideas that wouldn't betray the fans.

Because I do think they forgot that their fanbase is largely women in their 20s. People are right in bringing up the cost of living crisis, in bringing up how many subscription services we're already subscribed to. And my heart goes out to the international viewers who can't access the website at all in their country and the ones who can't afford it because Watcher forgot to consider the currency difference.

I feel that they have betrayed their fanbase. I remember when Watcher started and Ryan admitted he was scared no one would watch. And then we showed up for them because we loved them and what they did.

But now most of the fans can't or won't follow them where they're going. And I think Ryan might know this too from the way he said If this is goodbye, it's been fun.

I wish they would have tried other things before hard launching a streaming service. I wish they would have had a long game plan to get to the place they wanted to be as a company and as creatives.

I feel betrayed but I also don't want this company going bankrupt. If they go bankrupt, then we truly have lost them forever. I hope they take a look at the overwhelming backlash, at their falling subscriber numbers, and I hope they reconsider doing this.

[zegrasdrysdale]

head cannons for luke hughes please if you want!! 🙂😛🥰

lh43 headcanons

fluff & smut

warning(s) : smut !!

author’s note : luke hcs have been requested twice so here we are since im home sick from work

༺═──────────────═༻

fluff !!

Luke isn’t the most extroverted guy but he’s never been afraid to speak his mind around you. you bring out a side in Luke that even his brothers don’t ever seen

he’s always glued to your side when you go with him to Devils events, but he introduces you to all of his teammates (other than Jack)

you’re very close with Jack since he plays with Luke, but you’re also friendly with Quinn as well even though you’re four years younger than him

you go to every Devils home game with a jersey that you borrowed stole from Luke

he’s nearly a foot taller than you so he’s always easy to spot in the crowd

movie night every Friday (when he’s around)

going to the lake house every summer since you were both 13

Luke is very touchy sometimes. he’ll usually wrap an arm around your shoulders or hold your hand or rest one of his hands on your knee / thigh when he gets a little touchy

your first kiss happens at the lake house one summer night because he gets jealous that Trevor Zegras is flirting with you and he wants you to know that you’re his

“if all it took was flirting with Z for you to kiss me then I would have done it a long time ago”

the two of you are inseparable once your relationship changes from friendly to romantic

you sleep in his bed whenever you visit the apartment he shares with Jack

and Jack always makes jokes about it, even when you were just friends. Quinn finds out and he joins Jack in teasing both of you

you’re super supportive of him as he transitions from college hockey to the NHL, even being there while he struggles during his rookie season but being proud of him when he’s nominated for the calder

he’s also super supportive of you while you finish up school (you transferred to a school in NY after he went pro)

you buy each other gifts all the time, but for his 20th birthday before his first season started, you bought him a chain with your first initial on it and he wears it for every single game. he bought you a matching necklace a few weeks later

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

nsfw / smut !!

Luke will fuck you everywhere and anywhere as long as you’re okay with it (and when he knows you won’t get caught)

bending you over the nearest surface is probably his favorite thing, but he loves when he can see your face too

morning sex before he leaves for roadies !!

shower sex when he comes back from games and needs to release some of his frustrations happen more often than not, and you don’t complain since you love his rougher side sometimes

you love his thighs so sometimes you will ride them just to get off

and Luke could get off on that alone, but he always waits until he’s inside of you before he comes

Luke loves when you beg for his cock

and when your fingers are on his curls

you make sure he knows how proud you are of him by making him feel good after a good game, whether it’s with a blowjob or riding his dick

he’s very much a giver rather than a receiver. he will go down on you until your entire body shakes. you love when he uses his fingers and his tongue at the same time

Luke isn’t a fan of using toys on you, but he doesn’t mind if you use them while he’s away

neither of you run off to hook up while visiting Luke’s parents because you’re both so afraid of one of them (or Jack or Quinn) walking in on you

but the second you get back to one of your apartments in Jersey … that’s a different story

his stamina is insane. Luke could go for multiple rounds or all night without needing sleep to recover

but he always lets you sleep after sex. he’ll take care of you, especially if you literally cannot move

as a matter of fact, luke is the king of aftercare. he’ll get you whatever you need

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HC MASTERLIST

requests are currently CLOSED !!

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[bberetd]

Mario and Daisy Headcanons

Currently on the road to go on vacation for the next week (and then go back to uni two days later 🫠) so I decided to take some time to write up some headcanons for Mario and Daisy! They’re a lot fun to draw, and just as much to write ☺️ I was originally going to pair it with the short ‘prologue’ story I had for them, but it got too long, so I’m gonna have it separate.

@vulpixfairy1985 @kelbreyworshipper @peaches2217 @itsavee4117 @supergay-64 @megamagimugi @pinkcreamypeach @wahooitsamee @silenzahra (when you’re ready <3) @mikibaby94 and @akiiame-blog I think you guys will like these 🤭

==

Meeting Each Other

• In their first few months of knowing each other, Daisy absolutely THRIVED on getting a rise out of Mario. “It’s funny seeing tiny people mad,” her reasoning was. It was always a good day for her, but it was a GREAT day when a vein was popping out of his forehead.

◦ Of course because everything is a game to Miss Daisy 😗

• The two had a rocky start… well, more on Mario’s end; Daisy was just there for a good time. For the most part, he remained civil towards her because she was Peach’s best friend and Luigi seemed to really like her (somehow).

• Not that Mario could never handle the truth, but to him, Daisy was ALARMINGLY blunt, ESPECIALLY around him, and had energy like he’s never seen before.

• What made him uneasy about her was how she interacted with people. She’s a physically affectionate person, so she’d do little things like shoulder punches/shakes, arm around the shoulder, hand on shoulder, playful pokes, etc. this was especially the case for Luigi, adding on spontaneous hugs, sometimes in the air.

◦ Luigi had to assure Mario over and over that he wasn’t uncomfortable, but the deep shade of red on his face around her convinced him otherwise.

◦ What made Mario snap was when she took Luigi on a solo tour around Sarasaland, but unintentionally got him badly hurt (more on this here), and immediately wanted nothing to do with her, no exceptions.

◦ Despite her questionable ways of showing affection, Daisy grew to genuinely like the bros, so she was disheartened when she heard the news. She wrote several letters to explain herself to give to Peach so she could give to Mario, but he was having none of it.

◦ A month after Luigi fully healed, Mario thought that maybe he was too harsh, but he still kept his distance.

• [insert event where Luigi is in trouble and they come together and bond over how much they care about him and learn a little more about each other in the process but NOT THERE YET… but at least Mario can stand to be around her again]

• What DOES make them closer is their love for sports and hands-on activities. Daisy is more eager to get her hands dirty unlike Peach, and unlike Luigi who would be more reluctant and stand behind Mario most of the time (of course the company is always appreciated)

◦ What starts off as a mission to annoy Mario (affectionate) turns into hours of cracking jokes, banter, life vents learning more from each other (whether it was what they were doing in the moment, from life or both).

Nicknames

• Mario’s nicknames for Daisy are Testa di spina (thornhead), D, Firecracker, Sriracha Queen, Crazy Daisy (more frequently when they were just meeting), and Petals

• Daisy’s nicknames for Mario are Red, Shortie, Short stack, SuperBoy, Fire hydrant, teletubby, Mawio, Mar-maid Man, Mustachio, Cap’n Lou (ironic right? also if you know you know), and Stimpy

Misc Headcanons

When these two work together in sports, they are a FORCE. They’re both jack of all trades on the field and on the racetrack.

When competing against each other however, it’s war. No mercy, no going easy on each other, but it brings out the best in them. Just to show respect and a sign of leaving their rivalry on the field, they do a long handshake.

Mario: *breathes*

Daisy: YOU’RE SHORT

and she’ll never go a day without letting him know it, but finds a unique way to show it each day.

They’re THE best hug givers. Mario and Daisy are incredibly warm people (Mario with his firebrand and Daisy ruling in a bright and humid environment). Mario’s stocky, so he’ll completely cover you with his love and warmth (and there’s plenty of him to hug in return), while Daisy’s hugs are tight but meaningful.

When these two hug each other, uh, let’s just hope they don’t squeeze the life out of each other 😅 they’re so competitive that they even need to compare who hugs better (creds to @teegeeteegee)

[Luigi and Peach walking and talking, then spotting Mario and Daisy either hugging or choking each other]

Peach: …What are you guys doing?

Daisy, not moving her head: We’re hugging, duh.

Peach: Why? (Not used to seeing the two showing this much affection to each other)

Mario: To see which of us hug better.

[L&P share a glance]

Luigi: Do you guys wanna, you know… unhug?

Mario and Daisy, realizing how nice the hug feels: …nah.

They’re partners in crime! They love pulling pranks on the koopas, goombas and other baddies, and maybe a harmless prank or two on the Toads and citizens over in Sarasaland.

It would take a near-death experience for either of them to ever say an emotional “I love you” to each other. At least Daisy mostly; Mario is more willing to say it. Daisy would usually say it lightheartedly (ex. “love ya!” followed by a punch to the shoulder or “you too” when Mario expresses his love out of habit). But they do show their care/love for each other through actions.

Mario knows Daisy is far from a princess who needs saving, but he still can’t help but have the need to protect her when the time comes.

Oh, and if you insult or hurt Mario, you better hope Daisy isn’t standing within a ten-mile radius with a steel chair.

Daisy loves to mess up Mario’s hair beyond recognition, while Mario loves to come up behind her and poke her sides (i imagine her making the “ah!” noise if you know, if not then this at 0:35)

When they feel playful, they talk to each other in funny accents.

==

[lady-harrowhark]

I promise I’m going somewhere with this but I am currently fixating on how seeing Naberius’s trident knife in the beginning of HtN gives Harrow the Gideon Memory Migraine™, despite no clear connection to Gideon:

Ianthe considered this. She nudged the confection basket hilt of the rapier at her hip aside, and took out a long knife that, again, ran a hot rill of pain down your temporal bone. It was—though you had never bothered to learn—Tern’s main-gauche, his trident knife, a long blade from which two other blades would spring at the press of some hidden mechanism; she flicked that mechanism now, and with a snickt they burst out like a firework, two hard points of gleaming steel. She flicked it again, and the blades went snickt back into their housing.

Is it simply that it’s something from the Canaan House era in general? Or is there more going on? Stick with me here.

One of my pet theories I’ve been harboring since Kiriona’s wounds were revealed is that Harrow herself wounded Gideon after she threw herself on the fence, paralleling Jesus’s side wound from being speared after his crucifixion. They needed to ensure Jesus was truly dead, and presumably Harrow also needed to be well and truly sure that Gideon was dead before proceeding. Ianthe says she put a sword through Naberius’s heart to pin his soul in place for her ascension, and we see his body run through with the sword. Harrow needing to do the same to Gideon would certainly be some very juicy angst fuel.

The other crucial component here is one of my other favorite pet theories: that Harrow knew Gideon’s sword was haunted, likely before even coming to Canaan House. I’ve seen a few people do some more detailed explanations about that, but I’ll do a brief rundown here. 

Harrow says as far back as GtN about the sword “I never liked that cursed thing anyway; I always felt like it was judging me.” After the events of HtN with the River and Canaan House 2.0, we know she has an innate and potentially subconscious talent with spirit magic; it seems likely she was able to sense what was in the sword whether she knew exactly what was going on or not.

In HtN, Guideline #3 in her her pre-lobotomy letters to her post-lobotomy self has several stipulations (wipe it down with arterial blood nightly, coat it in regenerating ash, don’t cut flesh or bone with it) that sound a lot like precautions one would take to keep a soul from hopping out of it.

When discussing the sword with Abigail in Canaan House 2.0, we get some very specific qualifiers around how much information Harrow is able to provide about the sword. Directly before remembering that the sword was Gideon’s we have: “Harrow’s brain, though still a jumble, was no longer a mess in a darkened room. Memory had gifted her a small torch she could light the disarray with.”

After that, she struggles to recall further details, her own brain providing obstacles: “The light was not proving helpful enough: she was, in desperation, kicking over piles of the rubble in her own brain.” In the end, she’s able to tell Abigail: “I hated that damned sword for years. I don’t know why; it just felt strange - rancorous. I cannot deny that I often assumed its edge would be the last thing I saw. I don’t know.”

Circling back to the final battle of GtN, we get my favorite little nugget of support for this: Harrow is described as looking “affrighted” when Gideon tells her to go get her two-hander. I’d initially taken that to mean she was startled (and maybe a bit annoyed) to find out that Gideon had brought it at all, or freaked out at the situation in general. But I’ve begun to wonder if she specifically didn’t want Gideon to bring that sword with her to Canaan House because she knew, or at least suspected, what it contained.

Which brings us to the trident knife. If Harrow needed to fix Gideon’s soul in place by impaling her herself, and she knew there was a malevolent soul in the two-hander that could conceivably hitch a ride in another body that it came into contact with, she would have needed a different tool for the job… Which may very well have been the trident knife. Seeing the weapon she used to mutilate her cavalier’s body with seems like exactly the sort of thing that would bring on one of Harrow’s Gideon-induced headaches, no? It’s also notable that when Harrow sees this knife, it’s directly before Ianthe stabs her through the hand, again analogous to crucifixion wounds. I gotta say, if this holds water, there’s a certain poetry to both Harrow and Gideon receiving versions of the Holy Wounds on the blade of the same knife.

(Edit to add: further theorizing prompted by @camilla-rekt‘s fab addition can be found on this reblog)

[gabessquishytum]

Hob likes books and he loves the old book section of the school library.

Some days he just goes to that out of the way section to sit amongst the old books and their old book smell and absorb the quiet.

Some days he'll even bring his lunch and sit and relax. He wouldn't tell anyone this, but occasionally, maybe more since the disappearance of one of his snack cups (and the chips that one time and the half of sandwich & biscuits,,,,,every time) but it feels like there is some one is sitting with him in the old book stacks.

And that he might, maybe, talk to whatever entity // it // him a little (a lot) about his day and his students and current events and what he's having for dinner. And some times, Hob senses amusement and lately the ghost of a touch.......

Listen it's probably just Hob's imagination, or wishful thinking, but break is coming up and Hob doesn't want his friend to miss him Hob might have mentioned to the open air that school is closing for a few weeks so he won't be around during that time. As he was saying goodbye to -his friend- the open. air. A book was knocked fell off one off the shelves at Hob's feet. And when he pondered -aloud- whether he should take it with him, Hob got an affirmative caress // feeling,,,,Hob just decided it was a good idea.

Morpheus has eaten a lot of souls; he'd even granted some temporary wishes (then eaten the wishers souls), but Morpheus has never seen a soul as bright as his Hob's. Morpheus is going to get out of this cursed book and keep Hob all for himself.

Morpheus noooo don't eat Hob’s soul!!! He's just a sweetheart AND he's been sharing his snacks with you!!!

Hob tucks the old dusty book under his arm and heads off to finish up his day. The book looks kind of creepy and there are what Hob would call occult symbols on the cover - like a circle with runes and stuff. When Hob tries to open the book it almost seems to be glued shut, and Hob gets this angry sort of vibe in the air around him. Very weird, but now he's even more determined to figure out the mystery. When he finally gets the book home, he grabs a cleaning wipe which claims to be safe for soft surfaces, and gently starts wiping the book down.

At first when the circle and the runes start to rub off, Hob panics, thinking that he accidentally destroyed it. But something pushes on his hand and he's compelled to keep cleaning away the design. Only when the cover of the book is clean does he step back - and its just as well! There's a kind of explosion as the pages flop open and begin to turn, sending dust and paper flying everywhere. Hob ends up sitting flat on his arse and just staring at the chaos.

And then a wholeass guy steps out of the book. Pale as the pages of a book, with striking black hair. He's also naked. And he stares at Hob with eyes like the freshest, bluest ink in the world.

Hob is in love. He can't even move as Morpheus kneels down between his legs and caresses him from chest to groin in one fluid motion. It's terrifying and erotic and it's a very good thing that school is out on break because Hob will not be leaving the house for several days, thanks to Morpheus.

But maybe one day he'll take his new boyfriend along to a school event or concert. As long as Morpheus promises not to eat any souls.

[marmota-b]

Glitch IS meant to be Force sensitive, here's why

Clone Trooper Glitch Who Is Definitely Force Sensitive.

As far as I can tell, everyone has fallen in love with that idea and everyone is now saying "Glitch is Force sensitive and you can't convince me otherwise."

Listen, what if I can actually convince you he is, with literary analysis?

I don't think I've ever seen this particular angle discussed (not that I have looked too hard, but no one ever brings it up when talking about Glitch). Everyone just loves the idea that he's Force sensitive because it's a lovely / exciting idea. And, okay, it's never stated outright in the source material, so there's some room for doubt. (And it was obviously intentionally left open-ended.)

BUT

I think the subtext, for those who know what it is, is so thick it might as well be an open admission of authorial intent. You see, Glitch's comic, Defenders of the Lost Temple, is drawing heavily on the Knights of the Old Republic comics in its lore. The Gauntlet they're sent to recover comes from that series. The moon where it resides is named after one of the characters from the series and likely is the moon he moved to at the end of his arc, and there's a statue of him there. There are all these deliberate, easily proven links to the series.

And there's also the less direct but still present parallel of questioning whether Jedi should be fighting in a war at all - Knights of the Old Republic (comics) takes place at the beginning of the Mandalorian Wars when some Jedi went to fight and others argued that wasn't their place, and some people get caught in the conflict without ever wanting to. That's a more dubious connection, and may not have been deliberate, but...

That is - the writer knew what he was doing here, in relation to previously published material.

The main protagonist of that series is Zayne Carrick.

Zayne is a sort of off-beat Jedi (well, almost-Jedi). He is just about Force sensitive enough to be admitted to the Jedi Order. He has "a special relationship with the Force." His special relationship with the Force mainly manifests in him being very clumsy and having the worst sort of luck. No one really thinks he'll make it as a Jedi. His own fellow padawan friends don't think he'll make it as a Jedi. But he's so good and caring and trying. And in the long run, he learns to work with his bad luck, and it turns out it's not so much a bad luck as the Force working... as a sort of swing, around him, with a balance of good and bad events. Things rarely work out as expected, but he learns to expect the unexpected. And once he does, and learns to ride the waves instead of trying to swim against the current, it actually works mainly in the heroes' favour.

Does that remind you of anyone?

Yep.

I'm pretty sure Glitch is a deliberate callback to Zayne Carrick and his special relationship with the Force.

I don't know if he started out that way from the start, or if the idea of "what if a clone was Force sensitive" came first and this theme just slotted into place later (honestly, the latter is probably likelier). But it's undeniably there; with all the other references to KOTOR, it's unlikely the author would have missed the main protagonist's character arc re: Force sensitivity.

Glitch has a special relationship with the Force exactly like Zayne's. He just has, unlike Zayne, also the bad luck of never having been tested for Force sensitivity. (This is all EU/Legends. Don't expect New Canon to stick to any of the above.)

[amelikos]

I wonder what Liko and Amethio will talk about in the cave. My current guess is that Liko could somehow bring up something that weighs on her mind and open up to Amethio. We've seen that she was aware that Roy and Dot were worrying about her and tried to cheer her up to not "inconvenience" them further (which is such a Liko thing to do), so maybe the things she cannot tell Roy or Dot and that she'd rather keep to herself, she would bring up around Amethio. In turn, Amethio could also tell her something that weighs on his mind because he doesn't really have anyone to share things with since he doesn't seem to have friends (outside Soublades). I think it would be neat if they had a talk that is exclusive to both characters and maybe realize it's actually easy to talk to one another when it comes down to it.

Liko is going through similar steps as Amethio right now (Amethio also went through losses that made him stronger after facing Friede, Rayquaza and Hamber). So maybe the events that will unfold with Amethio are going to motivate Liko even further, which would fit since Amethio is connected to her growth as a trainer. Explicitly shown through the writing this time too since they brought up the battle on Roy's island back in HZ006 and had Amethio highlight and directly comment on Liko's progress (which also means he was paying close attention and remembered the events from back then). And he is the one showing up after Liko's confrontation with Grusha, to challenge everything she's been through up until that moment. Maybe Amethio's involvement will be key in Liko eventually passing her course somehow and making her stronger. Which is interesting, because by directly opposing Liko, Amethio is contributing to her growth, which will eventually serve as fuel for her to stand against the Explorers.

Also wondering if we'll get another "thank you" this time, just like towards the end of HZ045.. Maybe Liko thanking Amethio at the end after they manage to get out from the cave, and his reply would be different from the previous time and he would be more honest in his words. Or Liko thanking Soublades. Since they are shown sitting next to a fire to keep warm, maybe Soublades is the one who lit it, so I could see Liko saying thanks. I think they could use this opportunity to interact with each other's Pokemon.

I'm also curious whether Friede will show up to the cave or not. We know he's heading out to look for her while Grusha will help Roy and Dot, so will he show up once she is out or before that? Mostly because I wonder if Liko and Amethio's moment will remain their "secret" and something that remains between the two of them, or if Friede will be there and see Amethio. Next episode will mark twenty episodes since Friede and Amethio teamed up against Rayquaza together, so I wonder if they'll have an opportunity to interact before the current chapter ends. Amethio's connections to Liko and Friede are his most prominent ones out of the main group and they kind of grow together, so I wonder how things could change going forward.

[zahri-melitor]

Spoilery thoughts on Batman #148:

This story was pretty clearly drafted to be a 5 or 6 issue story, probably originally resolving in #150 as bringing the family together is a nice round number issue sort of event. My best guess is that the Nakano and Vandal Savage plot and some more of the back ups around the captured villains got cut to the bone to speed things up after Zdarsky was told #150 was needed for Absolute Power (and #149 is apparently doing the epilogue to set up for whatever goes on in Absolute Power). There’s a couple of really clear “and we just skipped 3-4 pages” sort of moments in the shape of the script for this issue (and in hindsight in #147) that if it had been allowed even an extra issue the story would have more space to breathe.

And despite that revised pagecount, Zdarsky still manages to deliver the moments he wanted to bring for Dick, Babs, Jason, Tim and Damian, so I’m impressed by that. Cass unfortunately did get relegated, but if I’m being objective about this, DC’s still waffling over whether Current Cass is adopted or not, and Zdarsky was already juggling a big list of characters (plus part of the point of having a big cast is that you don’t HAVE to focus on all the cast).

I did like how much space Zdarsky still found for the Damian-Tim-ZEA Robin plot. That did NOT resolve the way I predicted from the costume’s first hints in the background (I was totally on team ‘Tim puts on the costume sacrificially to try to get through to ZEA Bruce thinking he can handle this, and gets brainwashed’), but it was satisfying in terms of acknowledging Tim and Damian’s relationship (it was giving me Gates of Gotham vibes, which are the best Tim and Damian working together vibes), there was more discussion of the different elements both bring to the role of Robin and what’s good and bad about each, and how ZEA Robin doesn’t understand what makes you Robin. It was a pretty balanced fight scene. Tim gives Damian an assist, Damian gives Tim an assist, Tim’s a bit too overconfident and pays for it, Damian was a bit petulant about having to sit part of it out (though being tied up is like, PURE Robin aesthetic).

As far as the costumes go for the Robins Fight scene: honestly, switching Tim into a darker costume that was black and green with red accents complemented Damian’s black and grey with red accents aesthetic well, and contrasted with the ZEA costume being so bright red and yellow (which is playing off the original red, yellow and purple ZEA suit). Jimenez also gave everyone a different mask shape, which also helped distinguish everyone when you have three ‘Robins’ appearing in the same fight. All the Bat redesigns at the moment are leaning into darker palettes, and I appreciated the choice to go back to green as Tim’s ‘colour’, rather than red, given: his pre-2006 history used to use green quite often as his distinguishing colour; he can share it with Babs (team green for the computer nerds!); it’s not a colour they’ve particularly focused on for Damian for ages; and it gets him out from under having to share colour palette with Jason, given Jason can’t keep a costume consistent for a year.

It’s fine. It’s not my favourite Robin design I’ve ever seen, it’s not the worst Robin design I’ve ever seen (even on Tim), and it made the fight a lot clearer to follow.

I really liked that Barbara’s contribution was Oracle based and it made her inclusion make sense. I cackled at Dick getting to punch Daniel Captio (I was having serious echoes of the Cave argument in Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive, and from Tim’s delighted face for that punch I think Tim was too).

In terms of Jason, having him volunteer to take on the Lazarus-linked part of the plot and tell Bruce “let us have control of our own decisions” IS the resolution and apology for the mind alteration plot (which I am still pretty sure was a Rosenberg driven decision, not a Zdarsky one, in Gotham War), and look. That’s the sort of resolution you get a lot for comics plots. They’re cool. It was never going to end up as a big song and dance.

I like that the resolution pulled everything back to Failsafe. Good way to round off 2 years on the title. Nice extended story arc, with shout outs all the way back to #125.

I did have to laugh at Nakano calling Cass, Steph and Duke ‘child soldiers’ though. Those are all actual adults, sir! Even Duke’s supposed to be 18+ now.

[werewolf-girlfriend]

ive been enabled so let me share some of my thoughts on how to get ur art noticed online

if u want Engagement on ur posts then i believe that its critical to make people care about ur art. the easiest way to do this is to appeal to something they already care about, like fandom, aesthetics/subculture, current events, having fun (people love humor!). a harder but perhaps more fulfilling route is to talk about ur own ocs and projects enough until people start caring about them too

theres an infinite amount of topics people care about out there so id suggest picking something u already care about urself and channel ur art energy there. trying to make art for the most popular things out there regardless own interests is an exercise in misery, id advise against it..! if im allowed to get superstitious for a moment, i do believe that even untrained eyes can tell whether a piece of art was fun to work on or a chore. and besides! if ur having fun then its easier to create more, and the more u create the more chances ull have at getting lucky and having a post seen :)

on a very related note, art is a way to communicate ideas so the quality of the idea being presented in a piece of art is paramount to how popular a post will be. what i mean by this is that technical skill isnt the primary determinant of a posts popularity. if all your posts are portraits of original characters then people will have a hard time connecting with your posts and theyll keep scrolling, even if those portraits are masterpieces! the major exception to this is probably other artists, who ive found usually have a greater appreciation for the technical side of art (we can only speculate as to why..!)

lemme finish by saying that making popular posts and being good at art are two entirely different skillsets, ive seen many incredibly skilled artists with jack shit for notes because they dont give people a reason to care about their stuff NOT TO MENTION its a huge game of luck whether a post will get seen. so dont go insane in pursuit of recognition!

(i dont want to make this post too long so ive included examples from my own art and their note counts with my analysis after the break)

hello and welcome to the extracurricular segment to this post :) i bring yall two pieces from my art blog @werewolf-artfriend:

here we have a portrait of my fursona that im still proud of and a sketch suggesting "what if sniffers (from minecraft) were the size of mountains?" (let it be noted that the sniffer sketch was posted right during the minecraft mob vote = peak interest in the subject of sniffers).

the portrait at the time of writing has a crisp 30 notes, whilst the sniffer sketch has over 2000 notes. from the same artist, on the same blog, posted only a few months apart. i believe this is a good example both of the power of a piece of art having an interesting idea at its core AND of a piece appealing to the interests of the masses

this is of course just two convenient example posts, but i have experienced fan art of popular topics getting thousands of notes a couple of times now, amidst my other furry shit that these days get around 200-300 notes in comparison

this may sound like a really long winded way of saying "fan art make the world go round" but i just want to point out the nuances that

1) it matters what u make fan art of: if a fandom is small or dormant (waiting on new canon content for example) then clearly less people will be excited about the fan art you make. dont expect 10k notes on ur post if the average recent post in the fandom gets around 200 etc etc

2) it doesnt have to be fan art! ive also had some of my bird art get thousands of notes because people simply like birds :) and this applies to ANY topic people care about! the world rly is your oyster on this one

anyway i think ive started rambling dhgdjhgd thanks if u read this far! i hope i got my point across! and if ur feeling down about ur art not being seen then just keep at it okay! keep creating and keep having fun! keep sharing ur ideas and perspectives with the world and ur audience will eventually find u! i love you!

[cheesus-doodles]

I absolutely love Going Home!!! I was wondering will we get more Bonten headcanons in the future or how each of them keeps reader around while they deal with their lifestyle?

Will she ever try to leave them cause she hates how much pain they bring to other people or will she stay? And if she tries to leave what would their response be?

its already almost time to start writing chapter 4 ;-; take my useless apologies anon...I have no idea if you're still here but i hope my words reach you

Masterlist

‎Going Home Chapters 1 | 2 | 3

‎

minor spoilers ahead for chapters 2 and 3 of Going Home!

Currently at this point in the story, I don't think you have a very clear picture of what Bonten is exactly or what kind of horrific crimes they get into - you definitely know that they are a criminal organization/some sort of gang big enough to own guns (given how they are still very illegal in Japan but Mikey has one) and that they will not hesitate to shoot if they perceive that you are in danger.

Even so, you are clearly very attached to Mikey, even if he is a version that is so far removed from your Mikey you left 12 years in the past, so I highly doubt you would leave unless you deem it an absolute necessity. Not closing that door just yet but its not good odds.

But if we imagine you trying to leave Bonten after the events of Chapter 3, what would the backlash be like?

We already know Mikey's, which would be an absolute meltdown, unable to comprehend losing you again after finally having you back in his arms again for the first time in 12 years. The mental strain has not been kind to this boy, and utter collapse of whatever that is left of his sanity is probably the only outcome, though exactly how this would manifest is another question altogether. Safe to say he would never accept you trying to leave him again, and there is nothing he wouldn't do to stop you.

Ran and Kakucho both have already learnt firsthand how obsessed Mikey is with you and how dependent he is now that you were back, and would instantly step in the moment they notice you trying to leave. It isn't like they are attached to you in any form at this point in time except through Mikey, but nonetheless these two would know their role very well in keeping you exactly where you were. Would be very gentle in restraining you because of said fear of Mikey, making sure that you weren't hurt or scared in any way, and get you reunited with their boss asap.

Koko, who have heard of your reputation and have seen you exactly once, he'll at least know what you look like and that he should stop you, especially after the damage Mikey let you do to Bonten's deep moneybags at the store (the poor former Black Dragon nearly cried at the total even though it was but a drop in the bucket). No one else would ever be allowed to spend that much, so it was clear just how important you are to Mikey, but he'll have a lot less restraint with his methods compared to Ran and Kakucho.

Sanzu is kind of a big toss up at this point too - we still don't know how your quick return to the past and his new memories would affect his actions towards you. Before your return, the pink-haired second in command would have happily let you leave and even pack a bag and choose a disguise for you (secretly of course, he would never forgive himself if Mikey found out) just to let you get as much of a head start as possible. But things have changed, and Sanzu is too confused over what to think of you now - who knows how much your small kind gesture has affected him over the past 12 years?

As for Rindo, Takeomi and Mochi, it is unclear at this point whether they know what you look like or have even heard the rumours yet.

[tavyliasin]

The Highs and Lows of Fandom Creation

Hello darlings~ It has been a little while and this one has been on my list to get to for a while, and with the Baldur's Date Valentine's Fanworks event soon to draw to a close it seems appropriate to start preparing ourselves for the cycle of what happens when we release our works into the wild. So without further ado, our latest essay~

The RollerCoaster of Emotion That Comes With Being A Creative In Fan Spaces (FanArt, FanFiction, Cosplay, Photography, Music, and So Much More) ((Another CallOut Essay Prepare To Be SEEN)) (((Also I Have Some Coping Techniques Here Too!)))

As usual with my essay pieces I will be making plenty of use of the headers to divide topics, and I fully welcome any thoughts and feelings in the comments. Whilst I am really only in the FanFic side, and a focus on Baldur's Gate 3, I do intend to make this essay inclusive of the trials and tribulations that we all tend to face in making and sharing fanworks of all kinds and through all fandoms. The more people I speak to, the more it seems to be a universal experience, so hold on to your hats it's a bumpy ride! The first part will talk about the Rollercoaster itself, the how and why behind it all, and the second will be around how to cope with it. For readers and appreciators of fan content, I urge you to have a little look too, and at the end I will add in some ways you can help support your favourites too~

Creatives Are Emotional Beings

Starting off with the obvious callout - most of us are. We feel things deeply, and that emotion can often be an incredible driving force behind our works. Whether we're creating around things we've experience, being inspired and influenced by our current emotions, or drawing on our well of imagination to work out what characters might feel (and often more importantly how/why they feel that way), emotion is a strong part of the process.

This can be an incredible strength! Tapping in to the deeper parts of ourselves, our experiences, and the emotions at our cores, can bring out the very best in our works across all creative formats. It also tends to help our audiences engage too, as they recognise their own emotions mirrored in the works.

The Downside to Strong Emotion - The Rollercoaster Effect

This chart was initially drawn up based on writing, but truly after speaking with a few beloved Discord friends it was quick to see that this easily applies to art as well, so I'm going to go over this slightly differently to the initial plan.

The Start Of Every Ride

We begin usually around a neutral baseline, or maybe a little below if we haven't created in a while, perhaps we might start higher than baseline with the rush of an exciting new idea. Either way, the first part of the project tends to go up in mood very quickly when we share those early unfinished parts.

For writers this might be a beta reader or sharing a sample of the work as they're still writing as a teaser, artists might see this as their initial sketch or linework stage if they're sharing progress and teasers too. Cosplayers could be the first part of a build, musicians sharing a few bars of the melody - whatever it is, that first little positive boost that says Keep Going is a powerful one.

But what happens next? Well, you still have more work to do! That initial boost and confidence can drop down to a slump, especially if it's taking longer to complete than you thought it would, and double that if something goes wrong that needs to be changed or fixed.

You may, hopefully, find it begins to rise as things start to come together again and that finish line in sight, but then...

I Finished Making The Thing, Now What?

Well, first you're going to feel that massive surge of satisfaction from completing the thing. Sometimes a dopamine rush in the brain, and all that excitement of "Finally I get to share the thing I worked so hard on! It's done!" So, off you go, you post it. You share the links, maybe drop them in some Discord servers, other social media...and then, often very quickly, it hits you.

Post Publishing Drop

Those of you in the convention and event scene might also know this feeling as "Con Drop", which can take a little longer to manifest. Post Publishing Drop hits quite quickly. Sometimes it might take a few hours, but other times it starts almost within minutes of posting as all that rush of energy finishing and publishing is just...gone.

If you're lucky, you might get some quick and early feedback, especially if you're a well known or popular creator, but I imagine even those of you who tend to get very high engagement can feel a lot of this too so I don't mean to exclude any of you in any way at all~ So what is it? What's happening? WHY?!

Well darlings all that adrenaline is wearing off and realistically you're not likely to get that creative feedback and validation instantly. So that wonderfully powerful emotional heart of yours is going to crack a little. It won't last, it won't stay this low, but good gods that lack of engagement and positive reinforcement can be devastating.

The first engagements you get - kudos, likes, reaction emotes on a Discord post - they may be enough to boost you right back up to your baseline or even a little above, until the worry creeps back in again. And I know that it does, clawing and slithering in the back of your beautifully creative mind whispering those horrible lies:

Why isn't this getting the reaction I hoped for yet? Is this work not as good as before? Have people stopped liking me? Is the website/platform hiding my work? Have I upset people somehow in ways I can't even see?

Then Back Up We Go, And What Goes Up...

Hopefully those voices don't get a chance to be too loud for too long before you see more of that engagement. Maybe it's a heartfelt comment from someone, or a share from someone you respect, or just a little surge of interaction in general. You're back on top, darling, your creative heart is soaring, finally your work is being seen in a way that reminds you why you put in all that time in the first place!

And each time, the high wears off again, with a drop, though the extremities of each is likely less and less as time goes on. Unless, of course, we make one little mistake and the gradual confidence build comes crashing back down...

The Perils Of Comparing

Sometimes this might be looking at someone else's work, seeing a similar style or similar topic get far more engagement than your own. It can be really hard not to feel discouraged by this, and falling into that trap of questioning where you're "going wrong" can lead to absolute agony - I urge you to do your best to move away from this as soon as you notice the feeling. I'll cover some proper techniques later though, I promise!

The other trap with comparison can be looking at your own past works, and over-analysing why some pieces never got the same love and appreciation as others. Picking it apart to find what you can do better is not as wise a plan as it seems for one simple reason:

Over half of this is down to pure chance!

It might be the time of day it was posted, or just one or two people seeing it and deciding to share it on that gives a work a massive boost to interaction and engagement. Maybe a work was lucky enough to get shared in a prominent community by one of the members, or even had someone with a huge following give it a boost.

At the end of the day, there seem to be very few ways to predict this. Of course there are some characters, topics, art styles, writing tropes, etc that will have a tendency to get more love from their respective fanbases - that's how popularity works - but there is no guarantee that, for example, two portraits of the same character in similar styles by different artists will have the same levels of engagement and "success". The main person you should be aiming to please with your own work is yourself~ After all, when working on it you will be the one going over it again and again, knowing every detail in and out, if you don't love the subject of those details your less likely to even reach that finish line~

And It All Begins Again

At the end of the cycle there's often one last spike up. Maybe it's a comment or interaction from someone who truly felt the depth of meaning in your work as you hoped it would, or you realise that it has done better overall in the numbers, or most often you get that creative surge of a shiny new idea that calls to you with that familiar siren song, promising the high of satisfaction and sweeping the memory of that Post Publishing Drop under the rug all over again so you won't see it coming when you trip on it.

How Do We Get Off This Ride? Where's The Safety Bar?

Darlings, be honest, you didn't want to stop. You still don't. That's why you're still right here, reading this with me. Your cycle might take a day, a week, a month, or you may go through the whole thing in a matter of hours.

Riding The Waves

The first way to begin coping is to prepare. Know yourself and how you're likely to feel, and plan ahead for it. If you know the drop is coming, you can try to avoid it, or deploy distress tolerance when it feels too much.

On a very simple level, this can be reminding yourself that the lows do not last, and those highs will still be there. You might even be tempted to try to regulate the highs as much as the lows, to bring everything a little closer in to the baseline throughout the cycle.

Distress Tolerance techniques can be important to practice when you're feeling close to your baseline and calm so that they're easier to turn to when you're feeling that low hit. There are lots of things that work for different people, so it might be trial and error - largely you're looking at relaxation techniques, distraction from the source of the distress, and/or community support.

You Can Rely On The Community!

It is ok to ask for help! You can ask people for reassurance, directly ask for feedback, or even just talk over how you feel with other creators and find out how they're handling things. Sometimes just knowing you're not alone and that your feelings are real, valid, and matter can be a real boon - that's why I'm here, spending a couple of hours putting all of this into words as best as I can for you all. I've felt this cycle too many times, but the more I talk about it with other fic writers the more I feel we are connected and that I'm not just losing my marbles over nothing~

We are human, we have emotions - strong ones, remember? - and there's nothing wrong with that at all!

There is nothing wrong with having emotions and experiencing them!

Knowing When To Step Away

If you know you're more likely to have a swift drop from lack of quick feedback, it's a great idea to plan to step away from socials as soon as you're done. Have an activity planned, or do it all write before bed so you can switch off and go to sleep. Turn off those notifications so you aren't fussing over each one of them as they come in and don't go back for a while.

Allow a realistic amount of time to pass for people to see and engage with your work before you worry it is invisible!

The Next Shiny Idea

Conversely, if you're feeling too much of a creative itch, then as soon as you're done sharing move right on to starting the next project. Let the initial surge of energy from completing and sharing something be the driving force to kickstart the next great adventure! That way you're thinking more about the new work, the sparkling allure of a fresh idea, rather than fixating on the success of the last.

Cashing in on that adrenaline rush to make a good head-start can boost you right to that early feedback stage too, then if you're really lucky when you hit the first drop-off you'll have the positive engagement from the last work to boost you back up, so in some ways you're overlaying your graphs to balance them out with each other.

Naturally this only works if you have the time and energy to do so. It's also important to know when to take breaks to avoid burning out.

General Mood Boosting Ideas

These might not work for everyone, but here are some things to try when you're in one of those lows. A lot of this may be trial and error and knowing yourself best, so treat this as a few things that may or may not be effective rather than Lia's Super Snake Oil Cure For Everything (you have to buy that from me separately, it's super expensive but it is delightfully cherry and cinnamon flavoured~)

Check in on your basic needs. Drink, food, meds (if applicable), sleep/nap, caffeine (if you usually have it), shower/bath/hygiene needs (even if just a quick freshen up it's better than nothing), fresh air/outside time (if possible), exercise/physical movement (if you're able to), social needs (can be in person or online, any social interaction/support)

Music can be a powerful mood tool. Sometimes it's cathartic to listen to music that matches your current mood, but other times it is better to listen to music with the mood you want to feel.

Media from the fandom, like the book/film/game/etc that you're making fanworks for - return to the thing that inspired you to create and remember all the things that you loved about it in the first place.

Look at other fanworks but be very cautious! Do this for inspiration, to look at things you do and don't like in other pieces, but do not do this if it will be likely to cause a mood drop for you.

Do something different and change up your routine. Something entirely new or something you haven't done for a while.

Try something small, not connected to a large piece. A few sketches, doodles, make a meme, write a few short lines of dialogue or a brief scene. Share something with far lower stakes for a little boost.

Talk to others in the creative community and have a bit of fun, maybe try some games together, whatever you like!

I'm Not A Creative, How Can I Help?

This also counts for creatives who want to support each other, too! Of course I will put the caveat that I do understand that not everyone is comfortable visibly interacting with spice and that's fine~

Drop a like or kudos if you enjoyed the piece, it takes a second and means the world~

Leaving a comment, even a couple of silly words of "I loved it" is great!

Leaving a longer comment, picking out your favourite parts? That is the kind of boost that lasts weeks darlings it really does.

Sharing the work is also a big boost, whether publicly or privately to friend/fan groups, but especially when sharing art/images please share the link with it not just the image or a screenshot~ let people find and appreciate the artist.

Follow or Subscribe or Turn on notifications if you really want to see more of their work, then you can interact sooner and give that much needed boost~

Try to be patient, especially with longer or higher effort works. Expressing excitement is a boost, but just be careful you're not putting too much pressure on the creator. We do have things going on behind the screen that can delay our plans at times.

Consider dropping an interaction on something else, or check in on how they're doing in general - a little kindness outside of just the works being produced can be a boost too!

The Grand Finale of the Rollercoaster

Thank you for staying with me to the end darlings, I know this was likely a bit of an emotional ride, but please do drop in some comments or reblogs with the other things you experience and how you handle the emotional whirlwind of being a fan creator. Always remember, you are valued for more than just what you can produce, your works are adored but the person behind them is worth so much more and always will be. Look after yourselves, I love you dearly~

[anemoi-i]

I'm thinking about the underlying threats to Mondstadt and Venti's presence and role as we learn more things lore wise. It might seem like everything is peaceful in Mondstadt, but there is a reason for that and the reason is obviously Venti who is doing things on the sidelines to keep his city peaceful. To get into this, let's go over the list of threats (feel free to correct me or even add to this list) that loom over the City of Freedom.

First starting with it being the only city that has Abyss Order activity in the beginning. While this can be written off as Genshin simply wanting to introduce one of the villainous factions in the beginning of the game, it is also important to know that the Abyss Order has not made an appearance in the main story since Mondstadt. Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru have had the Fatui as the main antagonists who incite chaos within those nations, while the Abyss Order has been locked to Interludes with Dainsleif and World Quests (ie. Enkanomiya with Enjou). This cannot be a mere coincidence.

We have Albedo's dilemma (both our Albedo and the threat of his copy who had to be fended off), that a player wouldn't even know about because all of Albedo's important lore was locked behind limited events and we have not gotten a part two to any of that since then. This too, I highly doubt is mere coincidence (I swear it's not me giving an excuse for hoyo putting important things behind limited quests). The threat of Albedo "destroying Mondstadt" is alarming, especially since he is self-aware that he could commit the act.

I believe that Venti's ways of protecting Mondstadt lie in him being a peacemaker without having to force his hand. We already know he thinks of himself as the weakest Archon (and whether or not that is true remains to be seen) but if we use evidence especially that of another Archon's words, that being Nahida's, we now know that an Archon's power stems from faith and belief in them and their actions. This is why she is not up to par in fighting (yet, because as things heal in Sumeru, so will her people's faith in her but I digress) and she is in a weakened state. We know that just about everyone in Mondstadt reveres Barbatos, so someone is lying here. But I'm not here to talk about the thing everyone debates about.

I am simply here to provide evidence towards the theory that Venti would much rather be a peacemaker than one who fights and he is doing such actions even when we don't realize it while he maintains his lofty personality. The Hexenzirkel is a primary example even though that event was in the past. He was somehow able to pacify 8 dangerous witches from fighting him. If we talk about the current situation, a reason for Venti doing things on the sidelines could stem from the fact that any direct action would result in the people of Mondstadt knowing his identity and also bringing less than favorable individuals to his city.

We can prove that his identity being known would bring unfavorable people to his city because it has. With Signora. Venti was trying to help Dvalin without the Traveler's help but as you know, a story must begin. This was another example of him trying to do things on the sidelines. Venti wanting to keep the peace to keep Mondstadters safe is very in character for him as the God of Freedom, but I can't help but feel like there is more to it.

Such as, is his peacemaking innocent, or does he prefer more aggressive ways of doing it and if so, for all of the underlying threats to Mondstadt, that I mentioned earlier, how will he go about rectifying those, I wonder?

[pxmegranates]

→ ❛Artificial❜

→ Pairing ; AI Turo x Reader

→ Quote ; ❛❛And in the darkness of the night, the only illumination in the room would be his eyes, as you wept quietly in his arms.❜❜

→ Genre ; Drama , hurt/comfort

→ A/N ; Sorry it took me so long to get to this, I struggled with inspiration but it finally struck so here it is!

Turo didnt believe in faith, much less would his AI counterpart believe in it. If anything, they both believed in the future, the waves of newfound achievements and exciting new discoveries. Turo wasnt one to focus on the past, rather, he focused on the future, and even farther than that. Perhaps, in some sense his ideals clashed harshly with Sada’s, who focused more on the past, the achievements already received and the things that already had happened, finding joy in discovering elements from the past that had been forgotten in favor of advancing.

Thats why, when he started feeling something weird in the way things seemed to move, the AI didnt waste any time in putting his head deep into discovering what was wrong, and what was causing said disturbance. What once started as the continuation of the deceased professor's research, now took a turn into studying this new variable, this new element that caught his attention, and with it, came his attention turning forward to you.

An interesting variable, Turo would find in you something he hadnt seen in years of investigation, yet, here you were, something—or rather someone—that proved the existence of a multiverse, and he welcomed said proof, after all, his research focused greatly in pokemon from diverse timelines, did it not? Thats what caused both of you to meet for the first time.

Breaking past pleasantries, Turo would call you forward once after you had yet again helped Miraidon regain part of its power, one of the few moments where he knew he could try to bring forward a conversation, but not bring afloat any suspicions, at least not more than were necessary to advance in his study. He’d begin simple, focusing on the present moment, with simple questions like what you were currently doing, what was it like in where you were, simple yet sufficient to gain a grasp at what he was battling with. That was perhaps when he heard it, when after what felt like weeks of research, he heard your voice for the first time.

“Kinda odd questions for a game like this” You said out in the air, not expecting any answers nor any questions, but Turo had many, in fact he had enough to bring even more questions for the next batch of questions he thought of bringing. With limited time and limited resources in the claustrophobic space he was battling in, his questions became more cryptic, more… strange to you. He started asking subtly about what you were doing, just that this time, he focused on whether your answer would focus on the “player” (as he guessed) rather than you, as the one behind the ropes.

Thats how he learnt more about you, slowly but surely, he learnt more and more, until eventually he’d learnt that you were adventurous, you kicked right back into challenges and, despite the weird events that went through in game due to his doing, you pushed forward. Often you would comment things like “Dude do you think every copy of Pokemon is personalized?” To no one to answer, but he’d chuckle at… whatever that was supposed to mean. Other times you spoke about “Kinda creepy how my bias is asking all these questions”, and once again would he chuckle, only that the word ‘Bias’ threw him for a loop, what had you meant with that? Part of him wished to come out of where he was currently in, just… walk out of Area Zero and greet you properly, greet you the way the late Professor used to do to those he met, but… He knew it wouldnt be possible. Besides, there was only so much the AI knew about the outside world, just enough for it to be useful in the current moment. Still, he wanted to know more, explore more, learn more things, a hunger he hadnt felt ever since he was created, but…

…Was he really just an AI anymore?

The question threw him for another loop when it came to his mind. He had begun questioning his existence as a created being, someone of metal, someone of artificiality. He was the future, but in between said future, came questions of who he had grown to be after what were now months of investigation of this new horizon. So, when you came to Area Zero, when you came to him, he was eager to finally do what he hadnt done in years.

“Thank you for coming to Area Zero, though I am afraid I must reveal the truth to you” He began, closely following the script of what he was meant to say, despite breaking past the code he had been studying for days on end. “I am not really Professor Turo, but his assistant, made in his likeness”

“I knew it—I called it!!” You noted in the air, yet again, not expecting anyone to answer, before something, or perhaps someone, answered those words.

“You… Knew it?”

“Huh?”

For the first time, it was Turo’s time to throw you in for a loop, questioning everything that had been happening thus far. Yet, he’d only smile, everything was going exactly as he had expected after all.

“While Im afraid to sour your momentary excitement, I must ask you some more questions about what is currently happening.” He’d say, walking off to the side before lift an eyebrow at the resonating groan you’d shoot him, turning quickly to face you with a confused face. “Is, something the problem?”

“More questions, great…” You mumbled to yourself, oblivious to what was happening currently, to what was really going on in between the code and the binary.

Turo would hum for a bit, bringing a hand to his chin as if in thought, yet, before he could even bring up an answer, a question would bring him out of the loop he was in for a long time ago. You’d ask to the air, yet again, what was really happening this time, why out of sudden had these words seemed to be directed straight towards you, and perhaps thats when it clicked on your mind, even if the thought was too wild, too weird to be considered fair, to be considered a possibility, you clicked your tongue and asked yet again.

“Are you… perhaps… aware this is a game?”

The question would bring his mind turning and running, like a machine beating fast and rough, you denied yourself almost instantly, but for Turo, this seemed to be the missing cog in his whole scheme, the entirety of things he had been researching but had close to no answer to it all. If this, if all his existence seemed to revolve around a game which someone controlled, then that would explain the strange things he had been experimenting, albeit not explain the reasoning behind his sudden awareness in said stage. It was strange, it was a sudden revelation, a shot of luck in the darkness. But he caught it, he took it in his hands and ran with it, after all, would there ever be a chance like this in the future?

“Could you, say that again?” He asked, almost as if begging to whoever was out there to answer him.

“What?”

“A game… Talk to me more about this game”

Granting his request nonchalantly would bring afloat a strange relationship between the both of you. Stuck in that part of the game, you’d answer Turo's questions, and Turo would finally (and more comfortably) advance in his study. While there were elements that he was already aware of, he’d become… amused, if anything, about certain other elements of your reality that caught his attention, like the lack of pokemon, or the lack of technological advancements in certain topics. He’d lift his eyebrow specially regarding topics of investigations made, almost making you read word by word certain papers regarding such investigations, which prompted a set of rules to be created regarding what you and he could do with each other’s resources.

You compromised on some, and he compromised on others, you bought the online pass as a compromise, and he stopped asking too much as another compromise, despite his hunger for knowledge often coming unfed… but not for long. His investigation would draw him to explore past the limits of the “game” he was in, but not enough to break through the “screen”, instead, his insatiable curiosity would be filled to the brim with investigations and papers he managed to find using the hidden web browser in the switch. The drawback? It lasted only 20 minutes, which wasnt a bad time limit, he could read quickly and efficiently, yet, there was a sensation of disappointment when it came to the fact he could only advance so much, plus not being able to keep his resources for too long of a time.

“Im so tired…” His musings would stop for a moment, then, hearing you come about the apartment. Your voice had become enough to break his concentration, but at the same time, the routine of hearing you come up, pop up and nonchalantly call out to him, it was starting to become…

… warm.

“What are you up to while Im gone?” You’d ask him, and he’d lose focus again after unsuccessfully attempting to regain it. “I mean… I leave the game on as part of the deal but… Is there… really much you can do there?”

“I read” He answered, coldly and perhaps too bluntly, causing you to roll your eyes, not like he could see it though “Papers, works of science… This world you’re in is…”

“Interesting? Yea you already told me…” You groan, fiddling with the controls of the switch before setting it down.

“Right…” He answered, looking down back at his writing, neat scribbles forming words and shapes, he’d nod quietly, before looking at the you that was in game. “...”

He’d stare at it for long, long moments, perhaps as if waiting for something to happen, but the coldness of Florian’s eyes and his purple uniform were less than appealing to the professor, and suddenly, he wondered what you were like. By your voice he knew you were an adult, the only thing he knew was yours, truly yours, but the rest? A mystery. Time had passed ever since your first meeting, time had passed ever since he first had knowledge that he was aware of his existence inside a game, and even with your nonchalant attitude, he found himself… yearning for something more than just chatting.

“Why did you call me bias once?”

“Jesus fucking christ you scared me—”

He’d stare at you blankly, not fearing to repeat the question again as you fumbled for your words. He wondered what your reaction was, after some research he had come to learn the meaning behind “bias”, yet it still confused him, and humored him, that you would use such a word for him. So, he’d ask, and in your nervousness you’d manage to dodge the question, which only brought his curiosity up more. Like a quiet disease, then, feelings of curiosity and yearning creep through his circuits, he felt the need to know who you were, what you did, the things you liked, the things you didnt. He yearned for more, yet to him his feelings felt like a mystery.

So he asked again, once, this time receiving an actual answer from you which would bring far more questions than answers.

“Thats… weird…” You’d begin “Are you sure you’re an AI assistant? You sound quite humane…”

“Please answer the question.”

“I mean… It sounds like you’re falling in love…”

You were confused, you had skipped past the bias stage rather tactfully when he asked, yet now he asked about feelings creeping on his back, feelings about infatuation and love, perhaps tingled with an obsession you could only seem to find reason in his seeming hunger for knowledge. Yet for Turo, this felt like a life sentence. Love was deadly, he knew that too well having the knowledge from the past professor, who died in a search for a better place for his family. But Love was also intoxicating, filling his mind with scenarios and ideas. He found himself at a standstill then, between the need for knowledge and the feelings that suddenly creeped up on his mind.

Yet when the day came that you didnt greet him back, was perhaps the day that he made the final decision on said topic. It was rainy, or so he thought, at least out of Area Zero the air was humid which indicated rain or a chance of rain. He could hear muffled crying, or at least what felt like crying, prompting him to ask what was wrong, yet the answer wasnt one he expected.

“My boyfriend left me” You cried, a muffled noise that Turo couldnt fully comprehend, yet he made the best out of the words in the bunch. “Just, im not in the mood to talk today, do your thing and leave me alone…”

“But-”

“Leave me alone! You’re not even real anyway…”

In your mind, you thought it all to be a dark dream, one you’d wake up from sooner or later. But for him, he finally found the answer to his question, deciding to make a drastic turn that may or may not bring him to the same level as the befallen professor Turo. He’d imvestigate the code yet again, utilizing previous methods to try and break free from it. If he couldnt break free from Area Zero, then Arceus, let him break free from the confines of the switch. It’d take him a week, a long, arduous week, before he’d finally be able to see it, the limit from which reality and fiction blended. He turned back for a moment before turning forward, and stepping out of the confines of the game.

He’d come about inside a room, quaint as it could ever be with few elements that he noted could be yours, little trinkets, posters, an unmade bed which he carefully prompted himself to make, and a rainy day outside of the window. Today was rainy, yesterday it had been rainy too, and tomorrow it’ll probably be rainy as well. He hummed as he heard the fumbling of keys, before coming out of the bedroom into the rest of the apartment.

As you’d come inside you wouldnt see anything out of the blue, considering he didnt have time to deal with the rest of the mess. Scattered tissues, scattered plates of food, almost my chance had you and him crossed paths when you passed towards the living room, and thats when it happened. You didnt have the voice to scream, but you did have the energy to run to him and hug him, feel his body for a moment, his arms and torso, the scent of stillness and robotics, sterility, and ultimately, the realization that he was there, standing, unsure of the next course of action.

“Turo” You’d start, tears pricking your eyes as he looked down at you. “Is, is it really you?”

“... Yes, I am real, arent I?” He’d say calmly, perhaps a bit coldly, but with two arms wrapping themselves around your body with calmness, he’d sigh.

“... Dont leave” You’d say, dropping to the floor with him following you suit. “Please…”

“I wont” He’d answer, and in the darkness of the night, the only illumination in the room would be his eyes, as you wept quietly in his arms.

[poisonnxkki]

The Pros & Cons Of Shadow Work🌙

🖤Disclaimer: Shadow work is not for everyone, some people require the help of professionals to work through their shadows and that is perfectly okay! Shadow work should not replace professional help or medications :)

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work comes from the term of the "shadow self" which was a concept created by Carl Jung. The shadow self are the parts of us that we reject or repress. Shadow work is the process of uncovering what we reject about ourselves and determining why we repress it. This can help us heal from these traumas or at least become aware of destructive behaviours so that we begin to change them. Check out the article linked below for more information on Jung's original theory.

This concept has become widely popularized in witchcraft communities because of the emphasis these communities place on healing. Many people go through the spirituality to witchcraft pipeline (me included) and likely looked towards alternative forms of spirituality for healing in the first place. That being said, shadow work is not the only way to go about this and many alternative theories/methods exist. You should do your research before deciding whether or not this method is the right one for you.

The Benefits:

Knowing yourself- shadow work helps you become better acquainted with yourself and can help you learn what triggers you and what you still need to work through. This process often brings up things about ourselves that we didn't even know.

Working through trauma- this won't work for every trauma that you've experienced but for some things this method may be beneficial at helping you work through specific traumas or traumatic experiences.

Healing- any method that helps you take a critical look at yourself can be beneficial for your healing journey. Although healing is not lineal and this method is not a quick fix, it can be a step in the right direction.

Understanding & happiness- understanding yourself better can lead to happiness. I have seen this work in my own life. When I realized why I was doing certain things, I stopped being so critical of myself. I was able to have empathy for myself which lead to more happiness overall.

Less triggers- this may not be the case for everyone but some people find that they have a reduction in the amount of triggers/the severity of their triggers by examining why certain things trigger them in the first place.

The Drawbacks:

Difficult- this process requires consistency and is also emotionally draining. These factors combined makes this method extremely difficult. Even people who find themselves highly motivated to begin this process often find that after a few weeks, they no longer want to/cannot continue at the rate they started.

Not linear- healing is not linear and some work may cause regressions first before improvements can be seen. For some people this can be debilitating and dangerous which is why involving a medical professional is often highly recommended (especially for high risk individuals).

Traumatic- this is a process that emphasizes neutrality but that can be difficult when evaluating traumatic events. Some times reliving these events can be just as traumatic as when they were first experienced. I recommend starting by examining current events rather than jumping straight into larger/more complex issues.

Exhausting- this adds to the first point about shadow work being difficult but because it can be so emotionally draining, some people find that they are exhausted by this process. Shadow work should be performed in a place where you feel safe enough to experience all your emotions.

*All images are from Pinterest*

🖤Article on Carl Jung and shadow work:

[skaruresonic]

Remember me? To start off: I'm sorry about triggering some terrible and mentally painful memories when I went off about how I felt about the state of Flynn criticism. I never intended that. I wasn't defending or, heck, even trying to invite discussion about Flynn's rabid fanatics anyway. I could've chosen my words better, but aside from the detractors' mentalities, I meant to focus on Flynn ONLY. And I have nothing against your or their fan fictions. I do fan fiction, too. I just noticed what seemed like extreme shilling surrounding their exposure. I don't aim (and never did) to change minds about the dude, but I find the constructiveness of the critical discourse has been long lost.

Fitting that I received your ask on the first-year anniversary of my visual novel.

And I have nothing against your or their fan fictions. I do fan fiction, too.

Then why bring it up? What does "and your fics aren't even that good" add to the conversation about another writer's work?

I just noticed what seemed like extreme shilling surrounding their exposure.

Ah. There it is.

Look, I'm going to be brutally honest with you. But before I do, I want you to know I'm not angry with you, just annoyed - and perhaps angry in general at the overall situation we're in.

Honestly, the current climate is reminding me of the time antis gentrified Half-Life and caused the old guard to disperse. Everyone in our mutual circle is drifting away from Sonic in some form or another because it's such a toxic cesspit, and what's worse, they blame us for it. Would you want to stay in a situation like that?

Anyway, I have no patience for "you keep shilling your work" anymore because that standard only seems to apply to us. If we held everyone else to that standard, this entire Chili's would be revealed as hypocrites in an instant.

The fic mocking is not an isolated event. I've seen it happen over and over again, for years. Folks mocked Crusher's fic and OCs on TV Tropes. Folks mocked Darklight's OCs on Twitter. Folks sneered that we were too stupid to comprehend storytelling, and once someone said "none of them can even draw."

They can never leave it at "their criticisms suck." No, they have to make things so much more personal than they need to be. In the absence of an actual argument, they call you names, say you deserve all kinds of punishment, including but not limited to death and rape. Crusher had to delete hundreds of threats from his inbox. So please forgive me if my patience has waned paper-thin.

Folks feel the need to knock us down a peg because they think it's "warranted" on the basis of "we have egos." Which is a riot when, again, everyone on social media shills their work. That's what fandom does. You cannot throw a rock in here without hitting someone who thinks their AU improves on the games. I don't know why IDW is so sacrosanct that saying "I could probably do better" is considered blasphemy.

Whether or not my friends shill their own work as being "better" than IDW or whatever else is irrelevant. IDW staff are professionals (or should be, anyway); what do they care if some rando thinks they can do better? Besides, have you heard Flynn's recent grumblings about how he's tired of having the same conversations about his work since he was in high school? Why does he keep answering questions he doesn't want to dignify with a response? Why does he sound so miserable for someone who essentially Won the Game(tm)?

People telling you your work sucks a couple of times, yeah, maybe you can chalk that up to trolling. But when damn near everyone takes the excuse to hit below the belt, you start to feel less like "don't feed the trolls" and more like you're deliberately being targeted as a punching bag.

And I'm sorry, but I have no patience for that stuff. Take whatever umbrage you want with the state of criticism these days, but leave the fic out of it. That's all I ask.