#Fingerprint Authentication

[techdirectarchive]

Sign-in options for Windows: Ditch Password for Enhanced Security

Since I will be publishing a guide on how to setup the revamped Windows Hello available for the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754 (Canary Channel). I will focus on Windows Hello sign-in options which is a more personal and secure way to sign in to your Windows device. Instead of using a password, with Windows Hello you can sign in using facial recognition, fingerprint, or security key or a…

[creolestudios]

Biometric Access Control System Integration: A Complete Guide Improve security with a biometric access control system. Our expert guide covers setup, integration, and best practices for seamless implementation.

[jcmarchi]

This tiny, tamper-proof ID tag can authenticate almost anything

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/this-tiny-tamper-proof-id-tag-can-authenticate-almost-anything/

This tiny, tamper-proof ID tag can authenticate almost anything

A few years ago, MIT researchers invented a cryptographic ID tag that is several times smaller and significantly cheaper than the traditional radio frequency tags (RFIDs) that are often affixed to products to verify their authenticity.

This tiny tag, which offers improved security over RFIDs, utilizes terahertz waves, which are smaller and have much higher frequencies than radio waves. But this terahertz tag shared a major security vulnerability with traditional RFIDs: A counterfeiter could peel the tag off a genuine item and reattach it to a fake, and the authentication system would be none the wiser.

The researchers have now surmounted this security vulnerability by leveraging terahertz waves to develop an antitampering ID tag that still offers the benefits of being tiny, cheap, and secure.

They mix microscopic metal particles into the glue that sticks the tag to an object, and then use terahertz waves to detect the unique pattern those particles form on the item’s surface. Akin to a fingerprint, this random glue pattern is used to authenticate the item, explains Eunseok Lee, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student and lead author of a paper on the antitampering tag.

“These metal particles are essentially like mirrors for terahertz waves. If I spread a bunch of mirror pieces onto a surface and then shine light on that, depending on the orientation, size, and location of those mirrors, I would get a different reflected pattern. But if you peel the chip off and reattach it, you destroy that pattern,” adds Ruonan Han, an associate professor in EECS, who leads the Terahertz Integrated Electronics Group in the Research Laboratory of Electronics.

The researchers produced a light-powered antitampering tag that is about 4 square millimeters in size. They also demonstrated a machine-learning model that helps detect tampering by identifying similar glue pattern fingerprints with more than 99 percent accuracy.

Because the terahertz tag is so cheap to produce, it could be implemented throughout a massive supply chain. And its tiny size enables the tag to attach to items too small for traditional RFIDs, such as certain medical devices.

The paper, which will be presented at the IEEE Solid State Circuits Conference, is a collaboration between Han’s group and the Energy-Efficient Circuits and Systems Group of Anantha P. Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the MIT School of Engineering, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of EECS. Co-authors include EECS graduate students Xibi Chen, Maitryi Ashok, and Jaeyeon Won.

Preventing tampering

This research project was partly inspired by Han’s favorite car wash. The business stuck an RFID tag onto his windshield to authenticate his car wash membership. For added security, the tag was made from fragile paper so it would be destroyed if a less-than-honest customer tried to peel it off and stick it on a different windshield.

But that is not a terribly reliable way to prevent tampering. For instance, someone could use a solution to dissolve the glue and safely remove the fragile tag.

Rather than authenticating the tag, a better security solution is to authenticate the item itself, Han says. To achieve this, the researchers targeted the glue at the interface between the tag and the item’s surface.

Their antitampering tag contains a series of minuscule slots that enable terahertz waves to pass through the tag and strike microscopic metal particles that have been mixed into the glue.

Terahertz waves are small enough to detect the particles, whereas larger radio waves would not have enough sensitivity to see them. Also, using terahertz waves with a 1-millimeter wavelength allowed the researchers to make a chip that does not need a larger, off-chip antenna.

After passing through the tag and striking the object’s surface, terahertz waves are reflected, or backscattered, to a receiver for authentication. How those waves are backscattered depends on the distribution of metal particles that reflect them.

The researchers put multiple slots onto the chip so waves can strike different points on the object’s surface, capturing more information on the random distribution of particles.

“These responses are impossible to duplicate, as long as the glue interface is destroyed by a counterfeiter,” Han says.

A vendor would take an initial reading of the antitampering tag once it was stuck onto an item, and then store those data in the cloud, using them later for verification.

AI for authentication

But when it came time to test the antitampering tag, Lee ran into a problem: It was very difficult and time-consuming to take precise enough measurements to determine whether two glue patterns are a match.

He reached out to a friend in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and together they tackled the problem using AI. They trained a machine-learning model that could compare glue patterns and calculate their similarity with more than 99 percent accuracy.

“One drawback is that we had a limited data sample for this demonstration, but we could improve the neural network in the future if a large number of these tags were deployed in a supply chain, giving us a lot more data samples,” Lee says.

The authentication system is also limited by the fact that terahertz waves suffer from high levels of loss during transmission, so the sensor can only be about 4 centimeters from the tag to get an accurate reading. This distance wouldn’t be an issue for an application like barcode scanning, but it would be too short for some potential uses, such as in an automated highway toll booth. Also, the angle between the sensor and tag needs to be less than 10 degrees or the terahertz signal will degrade too much.

They plan to address these limitations in future work, and hope to inspire other researchers to be more optimistic about what can be accomplished with terahertz waves, despite the many technical challenges, says Han.

“One thing we really want to show here is that the application of the terahertz spectrum can go well beyond broadband wireless. In this case, you can use terahertz for ID, security, and authentication. There are a lot of possibilities out there,” he adds.

This work is supported, in part, by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies.

[monamipencil]

───── “imperfections?”

               ⋆˚｡ or, in which svt appreciates your beauty.

pairings; hyung line x reader, established relationship. | a/n; this was so lovely to write. pls be kind to yourself and life is too short to worry about shallow things. love yourself, just a bit more today <3 | [check out maknae line ! ]

⋆ SEUNGCHEOL ⏤ hip dips; cheol is someone who does not care for so-called flaws. if anything, he only loves them more. would do a double-take when you say that you hate your hip dips. he rests his hands on your hips, holding you like you'd break and he looks at you softly. “see? they're molded for my hands.” he presses his lips to your forehead and stills for a moment. “you're so beautiful. don't ever doubt it.” he takes you to greek museums, pointing out that even aphrodite has hip dips. “my beautiful aphrodite,” he kisses your hips, worshipping your body.

⋆ JEONGHAN ⏤ scars, birthmarks; he has curious hands, always discovering your body and memorising the map of your skin. his fingers outline any birthmark littered on your skin, and he kisses them. same for scars and stitches. he grazes his nimble fingers along them while asking for the backstory. he listens intently, still brushing his fingers over them. if you got it in a funny way, he chuckles and shakes his head. but if not, he locks his fingers with yours, comforting you silently. jeonghan kisses your scars and birthmarks like a silent prayer against your skin and you won't ever feel inadequate.

⋆ JOSHUA ⏤ stretch marks; he never understood the hate around stretch marks anyway. soft fingers trace the lines scattered on your belly, shoulders, hips and elsewhere. it's a habit he has developed, to slip his hands under the waistband of your pants and feel the lines under his fingerprints. it's calming and it grounds him to earth, a wordless reassurance that he's ok and that you are there. a frown decorates his face as you complain about them. but he cuts you off, telling you how much he loves your marks, and he's not saying it because he has to, but because he genuinely feels that way. because he loves you for you.

⋆ JUN ⏤ smile; more than anything else he loves to make you smile and laugh. and if you try to hide your smile, he'll remove your hands and kiss your lips. if you try to tone down your laughter or laugh in a different way, he'll tickle you. jun loves you in the most authentic form. he frowns when you tell that you've never liked your smile or laughter. how could anyone hate a smile? that too, yours? he'll never understand that. he shakes his head, telling you that you look beautiful always. he loves it when you smile into kisses, to taste your happiness on his tongue, to feel your smile, to be the reason behind your laughter. his love heals your inner child.

⋆ SOONYOUNG ⏤ nose; soonyoung is filled with so much love that it pours out through his finger tips. and he can't help but boop your nose all the time. if you do something he finds adorable, he'd crush you into a hug before showing cute aggression all over your face. he pinches your nose, cradling your face and kisses the tip. but he's overcome with so much love that he doesn't really know how to contain it. he rubs his nose against yours and there's something so intimate about it to him. he will cry if you tell that you don't like your nose. and he's very passionate about proving that it is beautiful. no days pass by without his compliments and kisses.

⋆ WONWOO ⏤ acne; he has eyes for the little details. he notices any small changes too. if you get acne before your periods, he'll notice it and remind you. and it's kind of cute to him, little spots that grow on your face and when they're tinted a bit red or brown. kisses your skin, feeling the texture with his lips. and if he gets any pimples too, he'll introduce it to your pimples. he's goofy like that. stares at you like you're the night sky, connecting your acne like constellations with his fingertips and feeling like he touched the sky with his bare hands. he doesn't allow you to be insecure ever, always appreciating you no matter what. life is too short to care about small pimples anyway.

⋆ JIHOON ⏤ dark circles; whether it's by lack of sleep or genetics, he loves them. eyes are the window to the soul, and sometimes those emotions can seep out, staining the skin around your eyes. or maybe, it's a gift passed down by your ancestors. he's worried that you are not getting enough sleep but if it's normal, he finds them attractive. he caresses it under his thumb, kissing your eyes. he doesn't get why you want to hide them. why would you want to hide your moon-kissed eyes? they're beautiful, you're beautiful and you're his muse. it makes you look serene, your smoky eyes brings a calmness that only the moon could do. he writes about your eyes often, a secret serenade.

tags;

@seungkwanschicken @aaa-sia @dokyeomkyeom @bangantokchy @jespecially

@asyre @armycarat2612 @bewoyewo @gyuguys

(send an ask to be added on the taglist!)

[letoasai]

Will work for food ~ part 2

Part 1 - Master list

Tim was anxious which wasn’t an emotion he often put into use. Even on a bad day he was calculating, overly prepared, and usually ran on caffeine. He was a young genius and a hell of a detective, but nerves probably didn’t care about his resume or personality quirks. 

He rubbed his thumb against the folded piece of paper kept hidden in his pocket. He’d examined it in the batcave but it held no clues of note. It was just a normal sheet of paper, and the ink could have been a pen from any local corner store. No DNA. No fingerprints. All the same, he kept it out of sight in public. 

Tim had been antsy about summoning Phantom, mostly because he felt like he was disrespectfully late. When he’d first laid eyes on the living form of the Ghost King, he’d felt a familiar ache. Neglect. He didn’t know if the king had neglected himself, or if the blame lay at someone else's feet, but he just couldn’t stand it. 

He’d offered food and company in an instant, the words popping out of his mouth before he could think them through. Despite that, he didn’t regret the offer. He could have done without the teasing from his siblings and teammates, but he didn’t regret the offer once. 

His only remorse was with the clean up efforts. The Infinite creature, Vortex, had left quite the destruction in his wake. Even with many extended members of the League assisting with clean up, it took ages. Search and rescues were active and humanitarian groups had arrived to offer aid but some things couldn’t be done in a weekend. 

The bats returning to Gotham didn’t offer much in the way of a break either. A Scarecrow outbreak with his fear toxin. Three different gangs in the middle of a turf war. A weapons smuggling ring being uncovered… It was one thing after another for a minute. 

When all was said and done it had been nearly two months before Tim had the opportunity to keep his promise. He was in his civvies, standing at the mouth of an alleyway across from a little italian place that looked cheap but was actually the best tasting, most authentic italian place in all of Gotham. Little hole in the wall places often were the best. 

The problem now was his ability to overthink things. Would he summon the king in a glow of green that would light up the street like a beacon? Would he arrive in his ghostly form, crown hovering above his hooded head? 

Phantom looked human enough but was he? Did he come from Earth originally? There were plenty of aliens that looked human. It would be rude to assume… 

What name did he use? Did he need to go full title? Why didn’t he ask more questions when he had the chance?

“King Phantom.” Tim muttered, deciding to just go for it. He still clutched the paper sigil out of sight. “Uh, Ghost King Phantom. King of the Infinite Realm. Um… Or was it High King…” 

“Just Phantom is fine.” 

Tim tensed, all of his hair standing on end at the voice directly behind him in the alley. He hadn’t made a sound but he needed to actively work to exhale and turn around to face his guest. There had been zero indication of his arrival, and he was thankfully, in his living form. 

He was in jeans and an over sized hoodie. Tim could just barely make out a faded NASA written in the front. That was a point in the direction of him possibly being a human from Earth. He wore shoes this time, beat up looking kicks that had seen better days. His hood was also drawn over his head, likely to hide his bony appearance. Tim did spy the tail of his braid over his shoulder though, his hair black to further prove he was in his living form. 

“You…scared the hell out of me.” Tim said, smiling after another hard exhale. “I am sorry it took so long, your Highness.” 

“Phantom.” He corrected, looking around the street and taking it all in. Tim could clock him making note of the turns down the street and the buildings with fire escapes even with his hood up. People just had certain body language when casing an area. “I figured it would be a while, if you summoned me at all. I was not going to hold you to a whim, Red Robin.” 

“I said i would…” Tim muttered. “Uh, it’s Tim, out of uniform. If you don’t mind.” 

“Tim.” He repeated. That softness to his voice remained, and honestly, Tim liked the cadence of it. He liked it as much as he was sure he never wanted to hear Phantom raise his voice. “I understand.” He hesitated only a beat. “You can call me Danny. Phantom is probably a silly thing to call someone in a city like this.” 

“Not if it’s your name.” 

“Danny is okay.” He said, and for whatever reason, Tim noticed now how he kept his hands in his pockets, likely to hide them too. Frail, skeletal looking hands would just frighten some people. “Food? For a favor?” 

“No favor involved. I invited you out.” Tim said. “I mean, maybe we can chat about stuff but you aren’t obligated to answer or anything.” 

Phantom…Danny nodded, shuffling for a moment and looking around again. The height of the buildings seemed to be a mild interest of his. “Where are we eating?” 

“Well, if you like Italian, we’re walking across the street.” He thought pasta and breads would be both filling and flavorful. It would also be something easily packed up for Danny to take with him. 

“I’ll eat anything.” Danny informed him. “I have no preferences after all this time.” He hesitated. “Or maybe i need to rediscover them, but anything will be fine.” 

“Let’s… let’s go then.” Tim said, walking with Danny at his side. He’d made a reservation which wasn’t strictly necessary at such a small place but it gave him the option of reserving a corner table to offer them a little more privacy. 

They walked in, the hostess greeting them with a smile before leading them to their table and leaving them with bread, water, and menus. There were a few other full tables but it wasn’t packed the way it would be in the evening. 

Danny kept his hood up, but it was Gotham and no one questioned the decision. They just left him in peace to not start a conflict with someone who wasn’t causing any trouble. He also kept his hands out of sight until the hostess had left. He sipped the water once and broke off only a little piece of the bread. He buttered it and ate on it while flipping open the menu. 

Tim didn’t know if he was reading the English or Italian parts of the menu but it didn’t matter. Being fluent in reading an Earth language was another check mark for this being his place of origin. 

“Can i…” Tim hummed, keeping in mind that he was speaking with royalty and act a little less like Bruce interrogating a suspect. “Can i ask a couple questions?” 

Danny looked up at him, Tim only barely able to make out some of his features passed the unnatural shadows his hood provided. “Sure.” 

Tim smiled, not even bothering with the menu since he knew what he was getting. “You’re the King of a realm, but was Earth your place of origin?” 

“Yes, but not this Earth.” 

Dimensions! Tim filed that away for later. “You can travel to any of them?” 

“Within reason. Yes. I’m old, but not that old yet. Only eight or nine decades.” He tore another small piece of bread to eat. Tim assumed he was pacing himself. “They call me a baby Ancient still.” 

“That’s cool…” Tim muttered. “Are there many other Earths?” 

“The answer to that would never satisfy you.” Danny said softly. “Trust me. I am the Ancient of Space and i’m hardly satisfied with it.” 

There was a new fact for Tim to latch on. “What’s the-” He stopped when the waitress appeared. Both of them ordered, and Tim was certain he’d end up ordering more halfway through the meal so Danny could take more home with him.  

When the menus were taken and the waitress left again, Tim continued. “What’s the difference between being an Ancient of Space and being the Ghost King.” 

“When i died, or half died, it was my fate to one day become the Ancient of Space. I am that regardless. I won the title of Ghost King.” 

Tim dragged a hand down his face. “That’s…. Endlessly fascinating. I have so many questions.” He didn’t even know how to touch ‘half died’ yet. 

Danny hummed once and fiddled with the end of his braid. “Do i get to ask questions too?” 

“Of course.” 

Danny leaned forward, sipping at his water again. “This Earth has super heroes. That’s interesting. Mine didn’t. How long have you been a hero?” 

Tim nodded, figuring that would be the direction the questions would have wandered towards. They were far enough away from everyone in the restaurant that he didn’t worry about being heard. The music playing in the background also helped a great deal. 

“Hero might be a debate depending on who you ask. In Gotham we’re considered vigilanties. I first suited up at thirteen but it was really more like fourteen after a great deal of training.” 

Danny was quiet for a moment. “And how old are you now? I have trouble telling ages these days…” 

“Eighteen.” Tim said. 

“Young.” Danny muttered. “I was young too. Fourteen when i became the bridge. Sixteen before i really understood what it meant.” 

“The bridge?” 

“Balance. The living and the dead.” 

Tim huffed softly. “You wear a lot of hats, don’t you?”  

Danny made a quiet noise, and it took Tim a beat longer than normal to realize he was laughing. “I do, i wish i didn’t most of the time. It’s fine though.” 

“Just fine?” Tim asked after a beat. He knew a little about expectations and high standards that could weigh you down–both his own standards and other peoples. 

Danny nodded, one of his hands resting on the other. “I’ve seen things. Good things. Bad things. Things that will never happen. Things that have. It’s better i have certain powers because i have no desire to use them.” 

Aah. Tim understood that. “People who want too much power are dangerous.” 

“Exactly.” 

“The power of ruling an entire realm…” 

“Exactly.” 

Tim heaved a sigh. “Damn.” Maybe he should ask something less intense. “Did you enjoy the food we gave you last time? It was just some fast food but there was some worry it wasn’t good enough.” 

“It was great.” Danny said and he sounded sincere. “Nostalgic. It took me a few days to eat all of it. I know the Infinite Realm’s reputation, and it is a warranted reputation, but i’m… hard to offend. Little things are just little things.” 

“I’ll put them at ease then.” 

Danny was quiet for a moment, the silence not an oppressive one. “What is the difference between a hero and a vigilante?” 

“How people perceive us, i guess. Superman will always be seen as a hero. Wholesome and valiant and all that. Things in Gotham are altogether… shadier. Being a vigilante isn’t exactly legal and while we have our boundaries, we break the law all the time.” Tim said. They covered their own tracks well but it was fortunate that no one looked too closely at their activities. 

It didn’t bother Tim when he knew his reasons were still good. 

Danny made a thoughtful kind of noise. “I’m willing to bet Superman’s business isn’t purely legal either. This seems like a nice Earth though, despite whatever troubles you have.” 

“Some hero work is sanctioned by the government so it’s a fine line. Any of it could be argued.” Tim explained, and that was something Danny seemed to find fascinating. 

They paused their conversation again when the waitress appeared with their food, and Tim put in a second order for them to take when they left. The eyes Tim could feel on him told him that Danny already knew what they were for. 

He could hear Danny softly inhale and exhale as he looked at the plate in front of him that came accompanied with salad. He likely wouldn’t be able to eat even a fraction of it but the way he looked at it…. made Tim realize that he could see Danny’s face more clearly. The shadows that obscured his face from his hood had receded. He was still gaunt, but he eyed the food with so much joy. 

The first bite of –non fast food– food nearly seemed to overwhelm him in a good way. 

“You know,” Tim swung hard to change subjects. “We can do a bit of a food tour every time i summon you for lunch. Pizza. Chinese. Barbeque. There’s a great taco truck. We could get something homemade.” 

“You cook?” 

“Haa. No.” Tim said seriously. “But Al… my grandpa is an amazing cook and he seemed to think trading food for world saving services was very sensible but he was appalled that we offered you cheap fries and burgers. He’d honestly love to cook for you.” 

Danny smiled, this shy little look that shouldn’t have fit someone with the title of Ghost King but it sure fit Danny. “That could be nice. Decent home cooked meals are kind of mythological to me.” 

Tim nodded once, and knew better than to ask directly. “I didn’t have a very cuddly upbringing either. There was a lot of take-out involved.” 

“Your food ever come back to life and try to eat you instead?” Danny asked and Tim just stared. 

“I can’t…tell if that’s a real question or if you’re messing with me.” 

Danny smiled and was that a hint of fangs? “Dead serious.” 

Time groaned. “No, no you are a king. You are not making puns.” 

“Thinking i’m too mature for puns is a grave mistake.” Danny said without hesitation. 

“Noo.” Tim groaned, lips upturned into a smile. His brothers could never know about this. Dick would start a pun off and Jason’s morbid sense of humor about his own death…. Ugh, it would be bad. 

It did bring up the interesting question of Danny’s age. He said he’d been alive for decades but how did he mature. Was he still a teenager? Did he age slowly? Asking not only sounded like a bad idea, but Raven and Zatanna had both made sure he knew it was a question to not ask. 

They chatted, they ate, or well, Tim ate. Danny ate a bite every few minutes and looked thrilled about it but he was slowing down. Tim was looking forward to Danny being able to eat more with every visit. 

He flagged down the waitress, gesturing for a box and got a thumbs up in return. 

“You can take it with you.” Tim said when Danny was giving him a look. “It might be a couple days before i can call you again and this way you’ll have enough to eat every day.” 

“I can’t deny that.” Danny said. “You don’t have to keep summoning me.”

“I promised you lunches.” Tim said firmly. “And you said it yourself, you should eat more and spend more time in a living realm. You may as well take advantage of being summoned for food.” 

“Hm…” Danny played with the end of his braid again. “You do make a compelling argument. It’s nice to talk to someone without it being preceded by a brawl.” 

Tim stared, “What?” 

Danny just looked amused. “I’ll explain to you etiquette in the Infinite Realm sometime.” 

“Yeah?” 

The waitress returned with boxes for Danny to pack up his meal and the empty dishes were whisked away to make more room on the table while they waited for their to-go orders. 

They were almost startled when a second waitress reappeared with a few little dishes before they could begin speaking again. Everything was set in the middle of the table, presumably for them to share. There was a piece of white peach tart, a bowl of strawberry gelato, and a slice of frozen chocolate chip meringata. 

“Um…” Tim blinked. “We didn’t-”

The waitress chuckled. “It was ordered for you by another patron. Please enjoy.” She set down another set of utensils for them and walked away. 

Danny made a small sound in his throat. “Well i was full but how could i say no to a couple more bites…” 

“Wait.” Tim said, gaze subtly shifting around the room. Maybe he was trained to be paranoid, but it usually served him well. What he found almost instantly had his eye twitching. 

Not even halfway across the room sat a poorly disgusted Dick wearing large sunglasses, a fedora, and the world's least convincing mustache. When he saw Tim looking and grinned and raised his own wine glass. 

“I gotta kill my brother…” 

Danny sputtered out a laugh, so genuinely amused that Tim could definitely see his fangs as he laughed.

“That would make him my problem.” Danny pointed out, reaching for a spoon to try the gelato first. 

“I’m not seeing your point.” Tim said, delighted by Danny’s teasing. It was a rookie mistake to think one of his siblings wouldn’t find out about this. An absolute blunder that he hadn’t noticed Dick walking in after them at all. He’d never live it down. 

“Guess i’ll have to be more careful next time.” He added. 

Danny hummed again and seemed to have a fondness for the cold dessert. “I could always invite you to my realm sometime.” 

“Cool.” Tim said instantly. Ha, let them try to follow him then…

[momo-minomo]

I like to think of Tim and Damian as the Batfamily artists. (In my mind Cass dances, Jason writes, and of course Dick is an amazing performer but I’m referring to traditional visual arts you’d view in a gallery) but in entirely different styles and mediums.

Damian’s love of art is expressed through capturing fleeting moments. He sketches, uses markers and color pencils, and even carries around an urban sketching kit for quick and loose watercolor paintings. He loves capturing motion and life, his cat sunning itself, Dick mid jump, even bold watercolor sketches of Batman mid punch. He spent so long hiding his own emotions or dissecting everyone else’s that he just wants to express and capture them for his own enjoyment now. A moody pen and wash because he’s sad or bright bold pops of color with markers to capture Jon’s joy. The family still argues over what idiot gave Damian paint pens and spray cans and taught him about graffiti but he’s tagged most of Gotham and half of Metropolis at this point. Some blame Duke and Jason, some Dick for always indulging Damian’s less serious side. No one ever guesses it was Tim. Tim was SO very proud of Damian’s bold protest art that showed up all across the front entrance to city hall overnight.

Tim’s mediums of choice are VERY different. For artistic expression his first choice is always his camera. Tim is able to take the most stunning photos that leave his audience breathless. Partly for the drama and action in his shots and partly out of terror because there’s no way Tim was able to take that shot while holding onto anything but his camera while hurtling through the air over a firefight! What the hell Tim I can see the reflection of that gun’s muzzle flash on my helmet’s lenses! How are you not dead?! How did I not fucking SEE you?!

His other medium is oil paint. Tim loves the precision and planning in his painting. The only original paintings he’ll make is the occasional formal family portrait for Bruce when he asks. No, Tim discovered his love for painting when Bruce sent him to learn about art forgery during his training days. Tim fell in love with the half art, half science of it all. He loves figuring out how to match the chemical fingerprint of 16th century paint, to copy it so exactly it would take 10 years before someone realized it wasn’t decaying at a rate consistent for the authentic historical paint. He loves studying the techniques of great masters until not a single brush stroke can be found to differentiate them. Mostly he makes his forgeries for his own amusement or to study how a forger he’s investigating did theirs.

Secretly though, he’s done a couple favors for a few people. Selena has approached him a few times for a replacement to put in some rich, dangerous man or other’s private collection so the original can return to the countries they actually belong to without a blood bath. Constantine has also called in a few favors so he can burn a possessed/cursed painting or three without museum curators pitching a fit that he “destroyed a priceless work of art, you maniac!”. Bruce pretends desperately that most of his Robins are not a hop and a skip away from a successful and fulfilling lives as criminals. It helps him sleep a bit better at night.

[mythrilthread]

Протокол жизни by SaintOlga

A Major Grom fanfic that deals with a lot of red tape and police work, so I did a sewn-board binding to make it look like a Soviet era personnel file.

🩸 A5 with “bookcloth” that is actually from the Soviet era on the spine and some craft paper on the cover. This time I added a spine lining that does double duty covering edges of the boards, and I think it makes the breakaway spine look great.

🩸 The endpapers are red, with author’s notes and colophon made to look like sticky notes and pasted to them.

🩸 I’m particularly proud of the title page, because it has an actual Saint Petersburd PD seal that I faked all by myself (and a bloody fingerprint, because how else do you sign necro(ro)mantic paperwork?

🩸 Chapter headers all have different broody fingerprints and coffee rings, and another point of pride is the fake personnel file keeping instructions that have the QR-code with the link to the fic “to check the data authenticity”.

It was gifted to the author.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

A Touch of Sweetness 4

Warnings: non/dubcon, mentions of crime, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: mob!Loki Laufeyson

Sister series to mob!Thor

Summary: you make a new friend, but that’s not all. (short reader)

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You wait at the door. You’re wearing winter clothes but you don’t mind. The stuff in your closet are the only untouched by berry juice. 

As you watch through the window, Jada scoffs and slurps loudly behind you. 

“What are you doing?” She asks. 

You know what she wants. She wants a reaction. Well, you might be sweating in this turtleneck but it’s not because of her. 

“Waiting.” 

“For?” She snips. 

“My ride.” 

“You have a car.” 

“Yeah, well, I’m saving my gas,” you argue. “Where’s Estelle?” 

“She went home,” she chimes in a taunting tone. Oh yes, she went home after they destroyed your wardrobe. “Those berries were good. Fresh.” 

You sigh and shake your head. A sleek dark green car rolls slowly along the curb and stops, idling as a dark figure leans over in the driver seat. That must be them. 

“Gotta go,” you say as you hook your quilted bag over your shoulder. 

“You are such a spoil sport,” she pouts. You open the door but she catches it before you can close it. She huffs as she sees the car, “oh, I see. Another day of fun with criminals.” 

You slow as a figure emerges from the other side of the car. Loki squints over the roof with obvious disappointment. You give a sheepish wave as you approach. You don’t think he knew to expect you, just as much as you don’t expect him. 

“You’re such a loser,” Jada calls after you. “And you’re gonna get hurt.” 

You ignore her as Loki scowls. He doesn’t say a word as he drops back down into the driver’s seat. You open the passengers’ door, “may I?” 

“Hm, haven’t much of a choice in the matter,” he drones as his fingers tap on the ridge steering wheel. 

“Sorry, I... I could’ve driven but Thor--” 

“Yes, he does demand all things happen upon his whim,” he slithers. “Do use your seat belt and close the door. I should hate to think of his whining should you get hurt upon my watch.” 

“Oh, yeah, sure,” you shut the door and fumble to do up your belt. He pulls out just as you snap it into place. 

“That was a rather pleasant woman,” he remarks as he drives. “What was it she called you?” 

“Ha, that’s just my sister,” you say. “You know, sister things.” 

“I do have one and she’s just as endearing,” he turns lazily with his thumb. 

“She just woke up. She’s grouchy,” you explain and look around the interior of the car, trying to distract yourself from the tension. You can feel how much he doesn’t want to be there. “This is nice.” 

You run your hand over the wood finish of the dashboard. 

“Authentic. Vintage,” he assures you. 

“Oh,” you retract your hand, “I wouldn’t want to... leave fingerprints. Sorry.” 

He grumbles but says nothing. You suppose that’s better than rebuke. You sit back and watch the streets through the window. The silence is strangling. 

You subtly glance over at him. He’s an intimidating figure. Tall, lithe, unreadable like a feline. You want to apologise again, just for the fact he’s been sent on this errand. 

“What?” He says, startling you. 

“What? Uh, what what?” You murmur and turn your head straight. 

“Why are you staring at me?” He asks. 

“I’m not, I just... looking through the windows,” you lie. 

He huffs and rests his hand on the shifter lazily. You turn your face away, stewing in your embarrassment. 

“The forecast is rather positive. You will be overheated,” he girds. 

You look down at the turtleneck with the ruffled collar and sleeves. He’s right. Another shock of heat blazes in your cheek. 

“I thought it was cute,” you shrug. 

He hums again. He clucks his tongue and speeds up. He peers over at you. 

“You’re not a very convincing liar.” 

“I’m not--” 

“I wonder,” he interrupts, “why you would lie about a shirt.” 

“I’m not lying, it is cute.” 

“It’s... not unsightly,” he allows. “But I’m certain you have something more weather appropriate.” 

“Maybe I do but why do you care?” You blurt out before you can stop yourself. 

“Suppose I don’t,” he utters. “I am rather bored by this entire chore and thus I try to distract myself.” 

“Mm, well, I am sorry you have to do this,” you say. 

“Isn’t your fault, isn’t your apology to make,” he rebuffs. 

You frown. There's nothing you can say to him that’s right. You’re used to that and yet he isn’t so vicious as Jada or her friends. He is just blunt. A strangely respectable sort of honest. 

Loki drives up to a grand house. It’s like a fantasy or fairytale. A modern castle. You’ve never been anywhere so fancy. You gape up through the windshield as he rolls through the gates and along the stone drive. Wow. 

“The flies will get in,” he reproaches. 

You snap your mouth shut and sit back. You sniff and twiddle your fingers impatiently. He draws up next to another luxurious vehicle and you undo your belt. You’re out before him. He’s probably just as eager to part ways. 

“Come,” he beckons you as he gets out. 

You obediently follow him. He takes you up the front steps and you stop to admire the stone lion statue. He opens the door and tuts to get you to carry on. 

You enter and let out a ‘woah’ as you take in the spacious entryway. He is unaffected by it all. There’s hardly anything that does impact him deeply. 

“This way,” he utters. 

He takes you through a door and along a hallway. He points you through an open archway and you step inside. It’s a large kitchen that matches the sheer exuberance of the rest of the place. The basket of berries is on the counter as Queenie flutters through the pages of a book. 

“Uh, hi,” you step through as Loki lingers in the hall. “I’m here.” 

“Oh, hello,” she looks up with a smile, “I was just looking for a recipe—where are your berries?” 

You make a face. “You know, I forgot them.” 

She tilts her head in disappointment, “that’s okay. More than enough here.” 

“Sorry, I... rushed out. Must’ve left them right there in the fridge.” Your voice piques but she just goes back to turning pages. 

You near her and turn to face the counter. As you do, your eyes flick back to the door. Loki watches you through it, eyes narrowed, cheeks pinched with skepticism. He bows his chin. 

“I will let my brother know all is in order,” he turns on his heel and struts off. 

“What do you think?” Queenie asks, unbothered by the man’s departure, “tarts or trifle?” 

[andy-wm]

Artificial Intelligence vs The Real Jungkook™

In JK's recent weverse live he told us plainly that he's concerned about AI-created songs that use his voice and what that means for his future as a singer.

Because without his consent, random people are feeding his vocals into what is essentially an untested and uncontrollable industrial machine that spits out cookie-cutter versions of songs in his voice.

It's theft plain and simple.

Theft of something deeply personal and intimate and priceless. Jungkook's (every artist's) voice is as unique as their fingerprint. His voice represents his blood, sweat and tears. It's the payoff for a decade of lost youth.

It's his livelihood.

And there's no undo button on this.

Once it's been absorbed into the vast archive of vocal samples, Jungkook's voice is there forever.

But it's no longer even his voice. It's an algorithm that generates data with a particular tone and cadence. It's part of the machine.

Now it's not just other artists he has to compete with to stay relevant. It's an ever-growing, never-sleeping, song factory that will use his greatest strength - his voice - to beat him.

I want to clarify that I haven't listened to any AI songs because i find it all too yuck. I have zero interest in it anyway because the whole point of songs, for me, is the expression of genuine emotion and that can only come from a human soul. I'm here for the music, not the hype.

And that brings me to another, possibly bigger problem:

Hybe - We believe in money music

We don't have to look any further than the recent MAMA show, and the VCR that accompanied TXT's performance, to know where their money-hungry managment company is headed.

All the music and some of the visual in that VCR were AI generated.

ALL THE MUSIC

Why? Because Yeonjun was too exhausted and unwell to perform.

How easy will it be for Hybe to quietly and seamlessly replace the artists we love with digital imposters?

What's stopping them from using the voice samples to produce paid promotions and endoresements?

How will we know what's authentic and what isn't in future?

If this continues, we wont.

Jungkook, despite being beloved by ARMY, was so nervous about singing that his hands were shaking. He said his self esteem was very low.

Sure, he was out of practice but that wasn't the main issue.

"Will I be able to beat AI?" he asked.

"I'm doomed. My job is dissapearing."

He knows what's at stake

And it's honestly terrifying.

I truly hope that all fans, be they army or otherwise, stand up for our artists and their right to own their voice and their creative process.

We aren't here to work a 40 hour week while the machines make music.

💜💔

[brittanyearnestauthor]

Crafting the Perfect Mystery: How to Keep Your Readers Guessing

One of the greatest challenges when writing mystery is resisting the urge to reveal your twist too soon. Speaking from experience, when I wrote my book *Finding Hope*, I often found myself wanting to dive straight into the big reveal. The excitement of unraveling the story overwhelmed me, but I had to hold back to build suspense and let the mystery simmer.

This is a common struggle for writers. We become so immersed in our stories that we’re tempted to let the best secrets slip too early. But fear not—today, we’ll delve into three crucial elements of a successful mystery story: **pacing, clue selection, and the ultimate revelation.**

1. The Art of Pacing

To keep readers hooked, you need to introduce new clues gradually. The goal is to strike a balance—engage your audience while giving them space to puzzle over the mystery. Drop hints to spark their curiosity and let them form theories, only to surprise them later with an unexpected twist.

When your story maintains a steady, deliberate pace, it keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Not only will they eagerly turn the pages, but they’ll also feel compelled to finish the book. A well-paced mystery doesn’t just entertain—it builds a loyal audience and encourages sales.

2. Strategic Clue Selection

Choosing the right clues is vital. Thoughtfully placed hints keep readers engaged without giving too much away. Take inspiration from your favorite books, films, or TV shows—notice how writers layer small, subtle details that only make sense as the story unfolds.

Research is your best friend here. Use it to create realistic scenarios and keep your story believable. This authenticity strengthens the connection between your readers and your narrative, immersing them in your world.

3. Building Tension: An Example

Imagine you’re writing a murder mystery. Start with a clue, like fingerprints, but let it lead to a dead end. Then, introduce new evidence—a hair, a note, or a coffee cup—that gradually unravels the case. Clues don’t always need to solve the mystery directly; they can guide characters to places or people linked to the crime.

Consider adding multiple suspects to keep readers guessing. Perhaps two or more individuals seem equally likely to be the culprit. Or, as a twist, make the perpetrator someone completely unexpected—a trusted friend or even a rogue investigator.

The key is to build suspense and keep readers intrigued until the climactic moment of revelation.

4. The Rewarding Revelation

The reveal is the heart of any mystery. By the end, your readers need to feel that all the puzzle pieces have come together in a satisfying way. Whether the culprit is one of your suspects or a shocking wildcard, the ending should leave a lasting impact.

Make it feel rewarding. After following your character’s journey to uncover the truth, your readers deserve a resolution that feels earned and unforgettable.

By carefully pacing your story, layering clues, and delivering an impactful ending, you’ll craft a mystery that captivates and thrills your audience.

[luna-azzurra]

Hello there! Your posts on writing tips have been invaluable to me for a while. You're wonderfully insightful and say things that make me think about my work a little differently, which has been very helpful. I was wondering if you have advice on something specific I've been struggling with?

Do you have anything to say about characters that are self-inserts?

I've come to realize the main character in my book sounds like a light self-insert the more I write, particularly in his fears, motivations, and a few personal quirks. This was never my intention. I feel I have been drawing logical trains of thought based on his experiences (which are nothing I have personally experienced), but it has caused me to self-analyze and caused significant writer's block.

It feels so uncreative to find the character is "just me" in several ways, even if accidental. Also very exposing, when I think about friends and family who may one day read this and notice immediately. Truthfully, it makes me think I should just start over from scratch but that also sounds extreme.

Hi there, first of all, thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means a lot to hear that the posts have helped you see your work in new ways, that's honestly one of the best things anyone could say. Writing can be so isolating sometimes, and hearing that kind of connection reminds me why sharing ideas matters.

About your question — honestly, what you're experiencing is extremely common, and it’s not a bad thing. It’s actually a sign of depth and honesty in your writing, even if it feels uncomfortable right now. A lot of writers, without meaning to, leave fingerprints of themselves on their characters, especially on protagonists. It's almost unavoidable, because we naturally pull from the well we know best: our own emotional truths.

The fact that your character shares your fears, motivations, or quirks doesn't mean you’ve failed or been lazy. It doesn’t even mean you lack creativity. In fact, it shows your writing from an authentic place. Emotions like fear, hope, ambition, shame... those are universal currents, and drawing from your own makes your character feel real to others. Readers don’t connect to characters because they’re purely made-up. They connect because they recognize something real inside them.

Self-insert isn't automatically a dirty word either. Some of the greatest characters in literature have been, in part, reflections of their authors. Mary Shelley poured her grief and fears into Frankenstein. Sylvia Plath practically split herself open in The Bell Jar. Even more fantastical worlds (think Tolkien) carry pieces of their creators’ values, loves, fears. The key is not whether your character resembles you, but whether they are allowed to be themselves within the story.

Now about that exposed feeling — I get it. It's terrifying to imagine someone reading your work and seeing you peeking out from behind the words. It can make you feel raw, almost naked. But most readers, even friends and family, don’t see it as clearly as you do. They don’t have your internal map. To them, your character will just seem vivid, human, real. Not a "copy" of you, but a person they can believe in.

As for the thought of starting over — I would really, really encourage you to pause before doing anything drastic. Instead of scrapping everything, you might just refine your character a little if it still bothers you. Give him fears you don't share. Let him make choices you would never make. Let him fail where you would succeed, or succeed where you might falter. Push him to places you wouldn't dare to go. In doing that, he will naturally step away from being a mirror and start becoming something new, something richer and more complex.

But even if some of you stays in him... that's not a weakness. That's the place where real writing often comes alive.

You don’t have to be invisible inside your work to be a good writer. Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones where we, without meaning to, leave a little bit of ourselves behind.

You’re doing brave, thoughtful work. Don't punish yourself for it.

If you want, I can also suggest some exercises to help you loosen that feeling of “this is too much like me” without losing all the beautiful emotional threads you’ve already woven into your character. Just let me know, send me a DM!

You're doing better than you think. Truly.

[dommnics]

It’s official…the cast for Carrie has been released…any thoughts?

Very, very exciting stuff! I am so unfamiliar with the majority of these actors, aside from Samantha Sloyan, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard. But that's a great thing! I'm looking forward to being introduced to them as these characters in this world.

I can't stress how excited I am to see how much more these characters will be fleshed out, and what different directions Mike Flanagan will take for them. The story is stacked with an array of female characters who come from wildly different perspectives and backgrounds, and I'm so interested to see how much more nuanced and complex they can be in an eight episode format vs a two hour film.

Summer H. Howell as Carrie White:

Like many, I'm bummed but not entirely surprised that yet again, we have a thin, conventionally attractive actress representing Carrie for a fourth screen adaptation. Really missed opportunity to set her apart from the past Carrie portrayals visually, and also to connect back to how truly vicious the pig's blood prank is with that context. With that said, it's a new Carrie, and I am very excited for Summer to put her own fingerprints on this character, and from what Mike Flanagan has said about her in a recent interview...

... it makes me all the more excited to see what she'll do with this role. I'm curious how y'all interpret the last bit of this quote? Could she be an angrier Carrie? In the novel, I felt she was expressing (internally mostly) a lot more rage through the story, which was softened in Sissy's portrayal, but I could feel it with Angela and Chloe. I think this is a great opportunity to explore that even further with Summer. I'm also super interested to see how her physical acting will be, especially with the telekinesis. So far, the most unique version in this area has been Chloe's portrayal - using her hands, and even her movement was sort of animalistic and predatory, so I hope they get really creative with how Summer will physically represent her use of the TK.

Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White:

I'm kind of curious who the other runner ups for this role would've been, but definitely no concern here, because we've already had a glimpse of what her Margaret could be through Bev Keane. But because she's already played a similar character, it would interest me to see how Samantha will make Margaret a much different character from what she's already done before.

Siena Agudong as Sue Snell:

While I'm not familiar with her, I'm really happy with this casting due to the fact that Siena is partly Filipina! Being Filipino myself, that's a little win in my book! I really appreciate this character, and the morally grey aspects to her. I've previously spoken about it on here before how the 2002 version had my favourite version of Sue (so spunky and kind, but with bite in a way that felt really natural and authentic), and I am very excited over the potential of how this character can be expanded and explored further. With all the characters, this new take has the opportunity to create a defining version of the character out of all the adaptations. Sue has plenty of areas that the movies did not have the space or time to fully realize, and I hope that what Siena does in this role can place her as being the definitive Sue Snell. What also interests me is how involved she'll be in the final acts of the story. I struggle with picking a stance of whether I like her sneaking into the prom and eventually witnessing the destruction, or being at home, and slowly realizing there's something going down in the town. But I have hope that they'll stick closer to the way the novel's final moments play out, with Sue being an active presence in Carrie's final moments.

Alison Thornton as Chris Hargensen:

Dark haired Chris! That was my first thought when seeing this casting hahaha! I remember being so excited when Portia Doubleday showed up in the Carrie 2013 trailer with dark hair. It's honestly an inconsequential detail, but I just like the visual connection to her book self. Apart from that, I'm unfamiliar with his actress, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll do with Chris. I'm not familiar with how Chris is handled or fleshed out in the musical, but so far my favourite interpretation has been Portia's. Despite not having a bunch of screentime in the 2013 movie, I really felt that she managed to give Chris a lot more nuance and even fragility that I didn't get from the previous versions.

Thalia Dudek as Emaline:

This just makes me super curious who Emaline will be in this story. Will she be a version of one of the existing characters from the novel, or someone entirely different? Maybe Carrie won't be a total loner in this, and Emaline could be the one friend she has in the school? Curious what y'all are speculating for this character!

Amber Midthunder as Miss Desjardin:

I loved Amber Midthunder in Prey, and it was cute to see her show up in the live action Avatar series. Apart from those, I haven't seen her in anything else that I've watched, so I'm interested to see what she'll be like in this role. The way that the 1976 movie expanded and re-interpreted this character from her novel self was really well done, so much so that the 2002 and 2013 versions followed suit in varying degrees. I like the push and pull aspect of her character, where she pities Carrie, either from a place of annoyance, and also genuinely wanting to help her. I think that makes her character more interesting than just straight up being a sweet teacher (and she has teeth and means business in all three versions, which I love!), and feels like it nods to her own background a bit - maybe she was a mean girl herself back in her school years, and that could be a really compelling angle to write this character, from school bully to being a teacher (it happens so often!)

Matthew Lillard as Principle Grayle:

I'm actually surprised more at the role that Matthew Lillard is playing, because I was actually expecting it to be announced that he would be Ralph White, when his role was initially hush hush. I'm happy to see in the Carrie universe, and it just makes me curious to see if this character will play a larger role in the story or not. It's also always tickled me to see how each version has done the post showeroom talk in the principal's office, and how Carrie's powers are introduced during this scene. We've gotten Carrie flipping an ashtray, pushing a steel desk, and shattering a glass water dispenser. Makes me curious what she'll do here! Crack a window maybe? Explode a laptop for that modern flair?

Josie Totah as Tina Blake:

Tina coming back makes me happy! I'd have to double check, but I think this character in the novel does not have the prominence she has in the movies, basically being Chris's right hand. Chris being the main antagonist, but with Norma/Tina being the nasty little follow up is something I've really enjoyed throughout the three versions, and they've all had really interesting and unique demises at the prom. I hope that Josie's Tina will have a similar role in this new version. It also makes me curious now how the dynamic of the female bullies will be in a 2025 world.

Arthur Conti as Billy Nolan:

I have not seen Beetlejuice Beetlejuice yet, but clearly I have to now, just to see what Arthur Conti is like. Billy's such a gross, threatening, little creep in the novel, and apart from John Travolta's take on Billy, I thought the 2002 and 2013 did a decent job of getting this across. I'm looking forward to his dynamic with Chris in this version, and I hope that Arthur Conti can bring a frightening presence in this that I felt the 2002 and 2013 were able to do with their Billy.

Joel Oulette as Tommy Ross:

I wonder how audiences will respond to Tommy's character this time around. I've noticed that first time viewers of Carrie usually have a hard time following whether or not Tommy and Sue are in on the prank, and what kind of agenda they're acting on, so I hope this version paints a clearer picture of these two characters and where they're coming from. I do appreciate the inclusion of people of color in the main cast so far, so while I'm not familiar with Joel Oulette, I'm happy he's our new Tommy.

I'd love to know what y'all are thinking, and I wanna hear some theories and speculation from everybody too!!

[maryflorlovyblog]

"For me, a smile is more than just a facial expression; it is a unique brand that reflects my true essence. I understood that my smile is my personal signature, a fingerprint that reveals my inner happiness and authenticity."

—Mary🥀

[howlsofbloodhounds]

Idk if u answered this before but would color have social media

cause idk why but I find it funny as hell that they would know brainrot and the souls would be laughing about it so much

I personally don’t think he’d be on social media much, at least not compared to Epic or Killer.

He’d definitely have a phone and probably has a few games and social media apps downloaded, like Tumblr mainly because he likes the stimboards and looking at posts about his interests, probably has YouTube.

I can only see him having TikTok because Killer and Epic kept sending him videos via text messages that he could never watch because he didn’t have the app downloaded.

Other than that, I think not only is Color very behind on recent apps, trends, memes, etc. due to his decades of isolation and having to figure out how to operate and adjust to technology again (especially recently developed technology that he might’ve missed out on during his time in the Void), but I also don’t think he spends much time on his phone except during periods where he felt too alone and isolated (during his time in the hospital perhaps) and during the period where his and Killer’s friendship was still developing during Killer’s time under Nightmare.

I’m considering the idea that maybe lurking on social media apps, not doing anything but watching videos and reading comments or just silently watching other people talk to each other in discord servers or group chats, could potentially help Color feel less alone without the overwhelm and stress of having to physically be around people before his mind and body has time to adjust to it.

But there’s also the possibility that lurking in group chats and not being acknowledged because he’s not chiming in to chat—or worse, deciding to chime in and being ignored—could trigger an episode of derealization in him.

He can’t see, touch, or even hear the people that’s supposedly behind the screens and typing those messages—he has no proof they’re actually real. He has no proof that his existence is still real, and that he hasn’t been forgotten or erased again.

These times are probably when he needs to take breaks from social media, from his phone, and try to find a way to ground himself before he spirals into a panic attack or an episode of psychosis.

On top of this, with time still moving on while he was in the Void and there being no technology during his time in captivity—and very little activities to do to keep his mind and body active—not only would Color be very far behind in technological advancements, but he may struggle with cognitive decline—such as memory degeneration or struggle with memory retrieval.

So even if he’s handed a phone he knew existed before he fell into the Void—even if he knows that he understood how to use this phone before—he’ll still struggle to recall how to use it.

Skills require reinforcement. Without practice, even basic technological skills (like using a phone, typing, or navigating software) could deteriorate. If he used to code, edit videos, or operate specific devices, those abilities might be rusty or completely forgotten.

Without the mental exercise of problem-solving daily issues (which technology often requires), their ability to “figure things out” could be impaired.

He might experience anxiety or frustration when encountering technology, feeling overwhelmed by how much they don’t understand.

Phones, computers, smart assistants, AR/VR, and even basic interfaces would feel foreign. He might not immediately understand touchscreen gestures, biometric security (face ID, fingerprint scanning), or AI assistants.

With social media platforms, he wouldn’t understand what’s popular, how they work, or digital etiquette. They might not recognize how entertainment has shifted from DVDs or early internet platforms to on-demand streaming.

Entire ways of communicating—like meme culture, slang, internet trends—may be lost on him. Multi-factor authentication, encryption, and cybersecurity concerns would be unfamiliar.

They may not understand how to navigate digital privacy, potentially making him vulnerable to scams or data exploitation. He might expect direct phone calls rather than texting or social media messaging.

Emojis, GIFs, and shorthand might be confusing or seem meaningless to them. Color might begin to feel frustrated and alienated, feeling like a “time traveler” thrown into a world he doesn’t understand, struggling to keep up.

They may resist using modern technology due to intimidation or resentment. He could avoid it as much as possible, or even grow to develop Technophobia.

The sheer speed and saturation of digital life (ads, notifications, video content, instant access to information) might be too much at once—and Color could struggle with overwhelm and sensory overload, the stress leading to episodes of dissociation.

He might try to make a call but not understand why payphones no longer exist or how smartphones work. He might struggle to use a self-checkout machine because he expected cashiers.

He might not recognize voice-activated AI assistants like Siri or Alexa, thinking a person is speaking to them. He might find modern websites overly cluttered and overwhelming compared to the simpler internet he knew.

He might get lost in a city because he expected to read paper maps rather than use GPS apps. He might feel isolated in conversations when people reference digital culture, memes, or slang he doesnt understand.

They might have an emotional reaction to something like facial recognition or biometric security, feeling watched or controlled.

They’d need gradual reintroduction to prevent overwhelm. Someone patient would need to walk him through even basic things like using a phone or searching online.

He might prefer physical books, notes, and manual methods rather than digital alternatives at first. If he focuses too much on how far behind they are, it could fuel self-loathing or despair.

This could be a deeply frustrating and alienating experience, reinforcing the sense that the world moved on without him.

On top of all this, too, is the fact that 1. he is a Sans alternate timeline, therefore he likely ‘grew up’ Underground and only had access to whatever technology fell from the Surface intact or whatever was able to be scavenged and repurposed, and 2. he has the souls of human children inside him.

He can potentially be effected by their knowledge of things on the Surface and human culture based on their what they’re able to tell him, show him, what he dreams about (potentially souls’ memories), or even if something triggers one of the souls and he sees whatever they’re remembering.

Taking further into account that not only have the souls been removed from the rest of the world for about two decades like Color has, but they were removed from the Surface and human world for even longer via being locked away in jars.

On top of that, it all depends on what year the souls were born and what year they Fell/were killed, and how far apart the six of them were. One soul might know something about technology none of the others do, because the other souls either weren’t born yet or died before getting to know.