#I can't even begin to describe the coordination

[drowxiv]

Steel & Flames

Alright well - I've peaked. So much went into this gpose I'm going to do a little "behind the scenes" post to cover all of it. This is the most insane thing I've ever tried to do. It took 9 duty pops (mostly due to accidental auto attack) and 360 (very rapid) screenshots. #4. Battle

[dangermousie]

The dynamic between Jiang Li and her husband continues to be FASCINATING to me and honestly, while man needs both serious jail time and serious therapy, he is the most interesting character in the drama to me. He saved her during the examination (it hinged solely on him whether she lost and had to go to the nunnery or won and stayed) but here this all comes to a boil point blank. Princess Wanning brings the charge of her actually being Xue Fangfei and when her other witness implodes, decides to use Shen Yurong to prove her identity.

(Side note: loving that she managed to put in a dig about him loving her even in the middle of this! She's unhinged as fuck, is this really the time for one of her games?)

The problem is if you push someone enough they will break or hit back and honestly, Shen Yurong is at the stage where he's reached both. Maybe if she did this right after she made him kill his wife, he'd be in such terror etc he'd agree with anything she said and did. But he's been living haunted by what he did and wandering his mansion clutching his hair for months; he's dug up the grave like a mad person, and she's abused and humiliated and ground him down non stop since then (and at one point almost killed him), basically smacking down any time he tried to show any will or idealism and messing with even his career. He's just burned out. And if she can't control him by terror, she can't control him (he may feel some lust for her, who knows, but certainly not enough to derail his sanity or overcome his issues.) This man is a ghost and ghosts are not really controllable.

I love the intercut of him walking towards her in court as to how he walked when he tried to kill her because that is what he is flashbacking to and picturing in his head.

This is a dead man.

I am genuinely unsure as to whether he believes this is his wife who survived and is protecting her (because he didn't want to kill her and doing so thrust him into hell so he's trying to make amends/dealing with regrets/trying to appease his demons) or he's so utterly broken he believes his wife is dead no matter what he sees (because he needs to, to maintain some sanity) and so his denial sticks to that an also is making some sort of protection to his wife's doppelganger in her honor. I don't think even he is 100% sure because he's not 100% sane any longer. But I love it.

Love Li's face as princess loses her marbles in the background. For the rest of her revenge, it's very clear cut for Jiang Li - they are all monsters and for most of them she has no feeling and never had (the Jiangs, the princess, the new magistrate etc.) But the thing with the husband is so complex - she hates him but she loved him, he married her and killed her, he killed her under duress and is living in hell but HE KILLED HER and it's all such a mess. Whether she ultimately kills him or not, this is the target who haunts her the most.

This is amazing. He's found the courage of despair and a spine because being spineless made it all worse. Once again, he's got nothing to lose so what can you threaten him with? (By making his life so bleak, she's taken away a lot of his fear of death.)

OMG, he SNAPS!!! My jaw dropped open.

She's really lost it. It shows what a loose cannon she is btw. Even if Shen Yurong was saner and more terrified of her, at least coordinate with him earlier, psycho! Even a fully rational man with zero pangs of conscience and genuine fondness for you (we are 0 for 3 here with SYR btw) might decide admitting this is his wife would lead to big issues for him and not bother.

I am beginning to heavily bet he murders her. He was fail at first murder (seriously, there is no sufficiently describing the fail - he hit his wife with a shovel and she didn't even get a concussion; he buried her so shallowly and in such loose soil she was able to climb out with arms tied and without any martial skills) but practice makes perfect.

[rwac96]

RWBY vs ....? (Crossover Shitpost)

Yang Xiao Long let out a heavy exhale, as she leaned against the railing of the SDC Ship, the Artic Naught, which drifted into the seas where there were reports of a 'Sea Monster'. Usually, it would be chalked up to the Grimm causing havoc, such as the infamous Leviathan and Sea Feilong. But, according to Jaune Arc and Nora Valkyrie, who ran awry of a beast that wasn't one of the Creatures of Grimm. The Blonde Brawler exhaled, as she turned around, leaning her back against the railing. Her lilac irises focused on the rest of her team, who were preoccupied with other tasks.

"I'm still thinkin' we're being punked," Yang said with a bored tone, furrowing her brows in annoyance. "well, mostly by Nora. VB probably saw a shark and freaked."

"I don't know, sis," Ruby Rose shook her head, "Jaune sounded pretty freaked out when he and Nora got back to port."

"And Nora looked ready to bust some knees," Blake Belladonna added, "more than usual."

"Even if it came from Arc and Nora," Weiss exhaled, "the reports of missing ships can't be ignored."

"Plus, no Grimm," the silver-eyed leader points out, as she rests a hand upon Crescent Rose, the weapon currently in 'Sheathed Mode'. "Something...weirder is happening."

"Alright, alright," the powerhouse of Team RWBY groaned, "fine. Still, a 'fire-breathing monster', definitely sounds like Grimm."

"Still," the silver-haired fencer, rubs her temples, "whatever this is, it's a threat to the town and trade."

"Well, duh," Yang ceased leaning against the railing, beginning to approach her teammate. "But, ya heard what Nora described the thing: 'a giant, spiked, lizard-cat monster'? That is really out there, even for her."

"Aye," spoke a voice, a middle-aged man in Atlesian Uniform, who was behind the wheel. "But, when you've been out in the seas and encountered many Grimm, ya can't rule anything out, lass."

"But our friends said it wasn't a Grimm," Blake corrected the captain, who had a grey & cyan cybernetic eye, where his right one used to be. "Captain Aso, I know this sounds like a usual Grimm attack, but from what they said--."

"Oy, Faunus!" Aso, who gave the Stealthy of Team RWBY an unamused scowl, "I've been takin' on the bastards long before ya were even spurted into ya whore mama's muff!"

Blake scowled but was held back by her blonde partner, giving her an 'It's not worth it' glance. It would've been easier for the quartet to take the pair with them, but Nora's temper had made her a liability...and Jaune gets seasick, similar to the air sickness on their first day at Beacon. Thankfully, after calming down, the aspiring swordsman gave them the coordinates where they last saw the beast. But, they'd been searching for this sea monster on the Artic Dreadnaught for hours, and it was eerily quiet, aside from the sounds of the sea.

Then, Ruby's silver eyes noticed something, rather grotesque. She looked at the edge of the ship, seeing what appeared to be a school of fish...which were horrifically mutilated. Varying from half-eaten to being turned inside-out. This grisly display made her grimace, turning to her team and the Atlas Captain.

"Guys!!" She shrieked, "There's a bunch of dead fish floating close to us!" She points to the slaughtered school, "There's something close by!" Ruby warned, clicking a button on her weapon, pulling it out, and shifting it into rifle mode.

"Bloody hell!" The captain exclaimed, while the rest of the Team pulled out/activated their perspective weapons. "I've never seen no Grimm do this!"

"It's not a Grimm!" Blake shouts, pointing Gambol Shroud at what appears to be leaf-life dorsal fins poking through the waves.

"Those fins look like what Jaune described," Weiss notes, as she readies Myternaster for combat.

"Alright," Yang exhaled, cocking Ember Celica. "so Jauney wasn't losing it."

"Get ready!" Ruby ordered as the mysterious being began to surface a few feet from the Dreadnaught.

Emerging from the sea was what appeared to be, a giant woman. Though she wasn't the monster their friends warned, she sported the dorsal fins that the beast they reported about. What Team RWBY could see was that she had long, ebony hair that reached past her shoulders. She wore what appeared to be a black leotard, black arm bands, and sporting a long, whip-like tail. Crimson eyes glance down at the humans who stare in awe, confusion, and bewilderment. The large, seemingly mutated woman sports a glare at the intruders. Some would mistake her for some Faunus gone wrong, but it was clear: She wasn't a part of this world. An ominous, deep, and terrible roar erupts from her lips.

"SKREEEEOONGK!!!"

"What the fuck?!" Yang raised her eyebrows in alarm, as the large...Monster Girl stared them down. "What the fuck?!"

"Okay," Weiss gulped, sweat rolling down her forehead. "they didn't say the beast was a--."

"M-Monster Musume," Blake answered with an evident stutter, her hold on Gambol Shroud becoming shaky. "Monster Musume!!"

"Oookaaay," Ruby said with a long exhale, lowering Crescent Rose as the otherworldly giant growled. "We need to come up with a careful, coordinated plan."

"FIRE!!" Aso screamed at the top of his lungs, slamming his right fist onto a blue button. "SHOOT THE BITCH!"

Suddenly, the nose of the ship opened a hatch, revealing a dark grey cannon, aiming at the beast woman. A green orb glows, then erupts in a wave of energy hitting the newcomer dead on. It caused an explosion on impact, causing the waves to rock the ship back. It nearly knocked all five passengers on board, but thankfully, no one went overboard. But, as the smoke clears, the giant woman looks unphased, but her irritated scowl turns into a death glare.

"Great," Yang turned her glare to the captain, who was regretting that impulsive decision. "it looks like ya pissed her off!"

[saltofmercury]

youre too sweet aaahhh! could be something light and sweet, domestic, or anything youre feeling, surprise us! 💘

Pairing: Alejandro x f!reader

Summary: Alejandro comes home + runs errands

A/N: this was fun! I hope you like it 💘 thank you for the request—

“Errands”

It’s 4AM when he gets released. The gate in front of him slowly descends back. It’s still twilight outside, the air has a chill to it. In the distance he makes out an owl, there are several birds already waking up. As he carries his duffle bag he can feel the pull and the weight from his upper body. His arms feel sore, his shoulders feeling like they could give out, but his legs are pushing him through this exhaustion. Exhaustion wouldn’t even begin to describe it. He feels like death. There’s only one thing on his mind and it’s that one thing his heart is continuing to push his legs towards it.

Hidden away tucked in some remote forest lies a house. A cabin. It’s huge, surrounded by trees. Loose gravel in front of it. There’s a chimney that lets smoke out above the house. Nobody can find this house unless they were deliberately trying to find it, then again, this house could only be found through exact coordinates. It’s where you are, tucked, hidden, away from the outside world. It’s where Alejandro keeps you safe.

It’s still early morning when he arrives, he doesn’t expect you to be awake. He pulls up the gravel road with no lights on. Less disturbances, the better.

He enters the house as quietly as possible. He toes his boots off by the front door, lays his duffle bag behind the couch. The fire inside the house is still going, and the morning sun is peeking through the clouds. He steps softly into the hallway, his body is telling him to rest but it’s his heart that can't contain the excitement of seeing you. He walks further down where the bedroom door is open, you laying in the middle of the bed, a nest of blankets and pillows around you. A pillow tucked under your head and your right arm holding it. A pool of hair fanned out behind you, and your lips puckered.

The sight of you makes his heart ache, bubbles of warmth inside him. He admires you from above. He gently comes close to you and places a kiss on your head. He moves back and decides to rest on the couch. There’s no need to disturb your sleeping.

*

It’s almost 9am when you wake up. You feel the warmth of the sun on your face. The light pressing on your eyelids. You stretch lazily on the bed. You peek at your phone hanging by the bed. No word from him yet. You sigh, smell the hot cup of coffee next to your phone. It’s steaming, full of cream, and just a dash of cinnamon. The way Alejandro prepares it.

… the way Alejandro prepares your coffee.

“Baby?!” You shriek and you'll throw the blankets away.

You run down the hallway and can hear him laughing in the kitchen.

He stands there sipping his own cup of coffee. He’s leaning against the countertop.

“Took you long enough” he says still laughing, still staring inside his cup. He puts the cup aside as he extends one arm towards you. You wrap your arms around his neck, he’s nuzzling his mouth into your neck. Small noisy pecks trailing down your neck. One of his hands is placed on the small of your back as the other is tilting your head back.

“Mi amorcito” he sighs into your neck. Mumbles more Spanish “como te extrañé, mi vida”

You feel whole again, your other part is home.

“When did you get back?” You say nearly whining. You peek up at him. His eyes shift towards yours

“Just this morning,” he says casually, “I didn’t want to wake you.” “It’s more fun just waiting on you.”

You kiss his lips. “I told you, you can always wake me up.”

It’s a habit of his, coming home, waiting until you find him somewhere in the house. A small game of hide and seek. He hides and you seek.

“I don’t like you waking up,” he pauses and digs himself back into your neck. “Besides, it’s just me.” He walks you backwards towards the couch. He lays down and pulls you on top of him. There’s an urgency on both of your lips as you start to make out.

“It’s just you” you mimic, “I like to know when you’re coming.”

He whispers in between kisses, his hand cradles your cheek, “You missed me?”

“Yes,” you manage to breathe out. You take him in. He’s still in his uniform, his hair is still in place combed neatly behind him. He knows what the uniform does to you.

He nuzzles your nose against his.

“I know I missed you more.”

You want him bad. Alejandro is always one for words, he can always make you melt into his arms with just words.

*

It isn’t until noon that he asks if you need to make a trip into the city.

“I don’t think so?”

You have to think about it. Part of you wants to stay in this position on the couch lazily making out on top of him, the other part wishes he would fall asleep because he’s been awake since he got here.

but you know him. How much he loves being out in public with you. It’s his thing when he’s home. He drives you everywhere. Pays for everything, cooks for you, walks on the outside of the curb so you won’t. He’s protective, he’s caring, he’s just perfect. It also doesn’t matter where you need to get to; to the grocery store, the pharmacy, restaurants, coffee shops, shopping malls. It makes him smile, he loves being that doting boyfriend behind you. He relishes in doing everyday tasks with you, a sense of normalcy as opposed to out in the world hunting drug lords and a gun strapped to him.

He sits up now, dragging you up with him.

“Let’s just go, yeah? One quick trip and we can come back and lock ourselves in our house.” His eyes are wide now, a hint of excitement inside him.

There’s no way you can say no to him.

*

You’ve been to two grocery stores, where he couldn’t find the right kind of coffee or the fruit he wanted for the week.

“How hard is it to find guavas babe? I swear they should be in season.” He pushes the cart behind you, sometimes even had you in-between the cart and him while rubbing his nose on your neck.

A Target, where he needed to find a kids cereal…

“It’s called S’mores,” he says carefully, trying to hide his accent, while talking to the frightened teenager working there.

…and now a bakery. He leans into the store, holding your hand behind him. You know he saved the bakery for last.

“Mmmmm” he moans. He can smell the fresh bread around.

He picks up a tray and a pair of tongs. He starts opening up the glass displays with the bread inside them. He only goes for what he likes. He’s like a kid in the candy store.

Small, dome shelled shaped breads in pink and white. Pink for you, white for him. Spongy strawberry jam rolls, rolled in coconut shavings the kind he likes after dinner, small butter muffins, and his favorite, flaky heart shaped pastries topped with cinnamon sugar.

He orders another two coffees, and tells the woman in Spanish to package everything to-go.

You’re exhausted, but happy you get to spend time outside. In the car he’s drawing the number 8 on your thigh with his time.

“I love spending time with you.” He says softly

“I think I missed this the most,” he reaches for your hand, kissing your knuckles. “It feels normal, like we’re just in our own world.”

You smile to yourself, then let out a sarcastic response, “You missed this more than our time in bed?”

He scoffs, biting your knuckles. “Two different things amor,” he replaces teeth with his lips again, “besides, I needed to stock up for the week because I’m not letting you get out of our bed.”

A heat crawls up your cheeks. You bite your lip, embarrassed that he caught your little remark.

*

As you get home, you know the routine as he hands you the keys. Alejandro takes everything in, and you unlock the door. Once everything is packed and tucked away, his hand trails down your waist to your hips. He spins you around and lifts you up, wrapping your legs around him.

He starts to walk toward the bedroom, his eyes now dark and lustful.

“Mi preciosa, mi bebe…” he kisses your neck

“let’s go finish our errands in bed.”

[oohbuggypie]

I CANT BE TAME AND REGULAR RIGHT NOW EXCUSE THE CRAZINESS I GENUINELY DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO WORD THIS BUT !!! YEAH IM BREAKING DOWN THE LYRICS TO THIS SONG AND HOW THEY REFLECT DON AND BULL'S DYNAMIC DEPICTED IN @goferwashere's LATEST PIECE OF WRITING !! GO READ IT IT MAKES ME INSANE SRSLY. SO THESE R THE LYRICS::

**(song above is Shades Of Cool by Lana Del Rey;; the section takes place from 3:49 - 4:31 . please read the disclaimer / warning at the end of this post !!)

OKAY . BREAKING THEM DOWN TIME.

"your hot, hot weather in the summer" - (real quick: i would change the 'your' to 'you're' as it would make more sense in the context of describing their lover as a feeling; if not, it makes less sense. anyway!!) so this lyric makes me think of how, as Don begins using his manipulative ability to alter Bull's state of mind, the feeling the victim succumbs to when hearing his voice is described as bringing a sense of "warmth and comfort." to describe Don's manipulation effects as "hot weather in the summer" makes sm sense to me because, much like the sun's radiance and the general relaxation/freedom that comes with the summer season, Don's manipulation makes Bull feel a (false) sense of safety and enjoyment. further, in closer context to both the song's general tones and siren mythology, the description of Don's manipulation being akin to "hot weather" can also be taken in a more sultry / seductive manner; in the story, Don uses intimate gestures like tracing along Bull's hand, cupping his face, wrapping himself around his arm, drinking directly from the same cup as him, etc. in what id assume is an attempt to be more alluring / welcoming. along with this, Don's handsome appearance and charisma seems to sway Bull's judgement slightly. Bull does have a reaction to these gestures , being flushed in the face and appealing to Don's demands the first few times he's asked. however, this feeling gets its meaning changed fairly quickly.

condensed: the feeling of Don's manipulation is akin to the warm days of summer, a freeing and typically sweet feeling. Don invokes feelings in Bull that can be related to the sentiment of summer's heat.

"high, high, neglectful lover" - in the literal sense of the song, i believe the use of the word "high" implies that the lover is constantly under the influence of drugs; in this context though, i prefer to think of the word "high" as in a power trip. Don is shown to be on his high horse constantly due to the overwhelming abilities he holds over his peers, being able to demand anything from nearly anyone. alternatively, closer to the original context of the song, i suppose the "high" could also correlate to the feeling of Don's manipulation influence. the victim loses their own proper coordination, their thinking is impaired, and in Bull's case his temperature even rises, causing sweating. all of this could reflect the symptoms of somebody under the influence, similar to how Don puts all of his victims under a "trance" of sorts. moving along to the second part of the line; in this writing, i don't believe that Bull and Don are implied to be in a relationship of any form. however, they do almost seem to reflect feelings for each other, seeing that Don touching Bull's hand makes the latter blush, and Don's heart rate picks up when Bull touches his face (this could be due to the fact that Bull was moving beneath command, causing Don nervousness - but my interpretation is the former). so in this scenario, i believe Don would take the role of "neglectful lover" - as mentioned in the previous paragraphs, Don is shown to use sweet and intimate gestures with Bull; however, we know that they're devoid of any true meaning and that he's doing them simply to appear normal to outsiders that can't tell his victim is under his control, or to persuade his victim before manipulating them. however, Don does present himself as caring for Bull, such as constantly adjusting his attire and even cleaning the sweat from his forehead, and an important factor is that Don - for the first time - feels guilt whilst manipulating Bull. this seems to happen only when he's dealing with him in specific, and to me that deepens the idea of Don being the neglectful lover because , despite being aware that what he's doing is wrong, he pushes that guilt aside and continues to manipulate Bull.

condensed: Don holds an overbearing amount of power among his peers. he also induces symptoms / feelings similar to drug use upon his victims when manipulating them. Don plays the role of a "lover" that does not express true care for their partner and ultimately harms them.

"hot, hot weather in the summer" - oh my goodness this is one of my favorite parts of the song when reading it along with the writing. in the story, as Bull begins regaining his consciousness back, we learn that he can hear Don's voice almost as an outer force. as i covered in the first paragraph, the "hot weather" starts as a pleasant and seductive feeling for Bull. it's swaying, comfortable, and warming. however, as the breakdown in the song intensifies and the guitar whines over the drawling vocals, the pronunciation of the phrase begins to lean towards sounding pained;; bringing a bit of personal description into this, summer where i come from can become so intense that it starts to feel painful on the skin and is no longer enjoyable. this is exactly the feeling i think Bull experiences; that "hot weather" Don induced no longer feels like freedom, it's becoming a dreadful burning. a detail that i adored and stuck out to me in the writing is that Don's voice is so intensified in this state that Bull shields his ears, wincing at the height of the volume. this contributes more to my point that Bull's slow awakening and the summer weather reflect one another; much like how the beating sun becomes overstimulating and unbearable against the skin, Don's influence that was once sweet starts to slowly morph into a more agonizing experience, both mentally and physically for Bull.

condensed: the sense of comfort and warmth that Bull initially felt when being manipulated by Don slowly transforms into a painful feeling as Bull begins to escape the manipulation's trance.

"high, neglectful lover" - when Bull fully escapes the maze and is no longer under Don's control, it can be viewed as one coming down from their high. this is where the roles become reversed to me; he awakens to Don grasping his hand and gently holding his face with the opposite. in that moment, Don seems to be truly concerned for Bull as he twitches and acts irregularly. Don momentarily sheds the image of a neglecting, careless lover and now appears to be the sweet partner; and as Bull quickly resorts to violence upon understanding what Don had just put him through, that "neglectful lover" image is projected onto him instead. he cares not to hear Don's reasoning or explanation, but for how he will reflect the same suffering he was caused onto him. this part is so so detrimental to me because it almost makes you feel for Don. Bull appears for a short moment to be the monstrous one before we're reminded yet again who truly is the neglectful, abusive one.

condensed: Don appears to care for Bull, and he is no longer the neglecting partner; Bull takes on the latter role instead, but for a short moment only.

"you're crumbling, sadly" - to me, this line reflects the final moments of the writing, in which Bull begins choking Don against the bathroom wall as vengeance for his manipulation. on the surface, reading this from Bull's point of view, you can view the "crumbling" as Don's reaction to his punishment. he seems to almost lose his grasp on consciousness, his breathing is inconsistent, and he can't disguise the terror that Bull has inflicted upon him; the largest part of the "crumbling" is that Don's usual sauve front was dropped out of pure fear under Bull's rage . however, as we see just a moment later, Don manages to remain snarky despite his terrified state just seconds before .. so, to me, i think that this line fits just as perfectly when being read from Don's point of view;; he views Bull's immediate resort to violence / switch in demeanor as proof of weakness, and that his manipulation was powerful enough to make Bull "crumble" beneath the pressure of his trance. this also plays strongly into the afore mentioned power trip that Don is constantly on.

condensed: Bull choking Don is the former's idea of the latter "crumbling". however, Don also believes that Bull's violence towards him is an example of his victim crumbling as well.

"you're sadly, crumbling" - the very last moments of the writing show the aftermath of Bull nearly strangling Don, as the latter begs him to come back. and i think one of the most key factors of the entire story - if not Don's entire character in this AU - happens here. as Don attempts to use his manipulative power one last time to lure Bull into retrieving him, that power sputters out just as Don says "i'm sorry." i think the entire sentiment of Don's weak figure facing the consequence of his wrongdoing , asking not only for help, but for forgiveness from his victim is a turnaround moment for him. it strikes a chord that has never been heard of; Don realizes that there was no reason behind his actions, that the abuse of his power and his manipulative behavior simply cannot be justified. i think that crushing, unheard of feeling of remorse for his actions is what ultimately differentiates who truly "crumbled" in the end; Don is the one left unforgiven, regretful of his own actions and battered on the floor with nobody to sympathize with.

condensed: Don is ultimately the one harmed most by his manipulation.

OH MY GOD ITS DONE. this actually took the entire day im so srs,, like i know it's not even that much and it's written not very well but the effort that is articulating my thoughts enough so that other ppl don't just hear "LOOK HERE THIS LOOKS LIKE THAT DO U GET IT" is grueling . anyway gofer i hope u enjoy this absolutely monstrous amount of writing cuz it was all inspired by u 🩷 i reccomend reading all this and then rereading ur own story with the song in the background it will change u i Think . and i recommend doing the exact same thing 2 anybody else who can stand to read this entire post ✝️ it's literally 1 in the morning as i post this and a majority of this was written at midnight so sorry for all the janky wording nd generally bad writing but i had to get this out today or i wouldn't come back 2 it 😭 hope u can try n understand where im coming from hehe

**(i do not agree with many of LDR's statements and actions, and prefer not to directly stream her music as to avoid supporting her. if u would like to hear the excerpt from the song, i reccomend doing what i did and YouTube-to-MP3'ing it so u can download, easily hear, then delete it without having to stream her music 🩷 thank u 4 ur understanding !)

[doctorjuvenile]

Things from WtA The Book of Hungry Names you should know pt. 2

pt. 1 here

I'm about to start my fourth playthrough lol

5. The coordinates Daphne sends you for investigating the Pattern Line are a real location in Northampton, Massachusetts.

> I’m willing to let you condescend to me if you’re willing to help me out CrestFolder180IQ Your terms are acceptable. CrestFolder180IQ Meet me at 42°25'50.3"N 72°40'49.3"W at 10:30 PM.

Right at the tip of this path. (sooo IRL Garou meetup when?)

6. By my best estimates, the game takes place over the course of 2022-2024.

Now, the game plays pretty loose with exact dates, and I'm sure the ambiguity is intended. What we know for sure though is that Book of Hungry Names takes place over two and a half years (from beginning to epilogue).

Nonetheless, because I'm obsessed, I'm basing my assumption off of some strong hints:

The game definitely takes place after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, since Stormcat literally refers to it once you're in the second half of the game (foreshadowing the Jigsaw Plague chapter)

Will Northampton be ground zero for the next pandemic? Even I do not know.

2) Honestly, my biggest clue here are the years Melodie and Harmonie graduated high school (2016 and 2013 respectively), and the fact that she is 23 when you retrieve her from Ashfield.

Harmonie Palys graduated Berkshire Regional High School in 2013. Her sister, Melodie, graduated in 2016.

Melodie, who is twenty-three, angrily sips her Kir Pamplemousse.

Going off of the North American education system (where I myself graduated high school in 2014, and am presently around 27 years old), and assuming no skipped or repeated years, Melodie should be about 25 by the game's epilogue, which must take place in 2024. Harmonie would be 28 if she were still alive today.

Working backwards, that means it's 2022 in the first half of the game (where Melodie is stated to be 23). The timeline just works perfectly.

3) In the second half of the game, Nin will "talk your ear off about the new Blood Ceremony album." The album (The Old Ways Remain) dropped in 2023, thus further perfectly fitting in with the 2022-2024 timeline.

7. Speaking of guessing character's ages, I have a good idea of the rest of them...

Elton: I tried guessing Elton's age and he's anywhere from 24-26 over the course of the game to 29-31. My clues here are how you can find a picture of him and Katherine in a newspaper after arriving in Northampton early on and researching in the library. The photo states he's 19, and the photo itself is "maybe five to ten years old."

...the picture is labeled "Linus Harrowman, 46, Elton Dey, 19, and Katherine Aslanian, 20, have opposed the Broad Brook expansion, which would--" Then it turns into a more randomized babble. The photo is in color, the newspaper maybe five or ten years old.

Player Character: I am certain your character starts the game at 20 years old. The ID Daphne gives you shows your real age, which is below the legal drinking age in the U.S. (i.e. 21), but by the time a year passes in-game, you are now able to drink legally.

[Early game:] To your considerable irritation, the birthdate on the ID is the same year as your real birthday, which means you can't get into most bars. [Second half of game, one year later:] Armed with your Massachusetts State ID that finally says you're 21...

You, Podge, and Nin: Regardless, the whole pack drinks together in the epilogue at the last Hog Throne show, implying your entire pack is now at least 21 (legal American drinking age). So by this point, I think PC is 22, and Podge and Nin are legally 21, meaning they would be about 19 or 20 at the start of the game.

8. Intelligence isn't just tied to your book-smarts or occult knowledge, it also influences whether you can catch pop cultural/musical references.

I mean, my first two characters (galliard/December and theurge/October) had good-to-excellent INT (3-5pts), so the text described Elton's Mezzanine shirt, Highlander halloween costume, Podge being dressed up as the girl from the "Everyday Is Like Sunday" music video, Nin's Sophie Scholl hoodie, etc all by name or direct reference.

But I noticed with my third ahroun (January) character, whom I deliberately kept at 1 INT the entire game, that she didn't catch ANY of that -- the Mezzanine t-shirt is a "white t-shirt with a black insect scrawled across half its surface," she thinks Elton is dressed as the Scarlet Pimpernel, that Nin is maybe wearing a hoodie with her own face on it, etc. (You can get some pretty funny extra dialogue out of being so clueless.)

This makes sense when you consider that your Academics and Intelligence tutor in this game is a badass art teacher who used to be in the '90s demoscene.

[respectthepetty]

We Best Love: No. 1 & 2 for Color

Zhou Shu Yi and Gao Shi De are colored-coded boys in love.

Zhou Shu Yi is a Black Brooder (protective, sophisticated, mysterious, and arrogant) and Gao Shi De is a Blue Boy (loyal, sincere, stable, and passive). *look at the big barrier between them!* Gao Shi De actually describes Zhou Shu Yi's color and personality when they are stuck in the medical office together, and he is revealing the personality of the guy he likes.

They are very good at sticking to their color

It's because they have been doing this since they were children

However, at some point, their friendship turned sour due to its competitive nature. It's one-sided, and Zhou Shu Yi begins to hate Gao Shi De since he always loses to him. However, because of this, Blue Boy Gao Shi De is always present in Zhou Shu Yi's life.

When Gao Shi De rescues Zhou Shu Yi from the pool and gives him the kiss of life, Zhou Shu Yi panics, and is, once again, surrounded by blue.

Gao Shi De notifies Zhou Shu Yi that he is indebted to Gao Shi De or else Gao Shi De will reveal to Zhou Shu Yi's friends the reason he jumped into the pool in the first place. Zhou Shu Yi is less than thrilled, but...

The blue quickly begins to appear on Zhou Shi Yi as a dark blue

And starts to lighten as they continue to hang out.

The day he falls asleep on Gao Shi De, the blue is the brightest. Zhou Shu Yo is falling slowly in love with Gao Shi De without even noticing.

When they go to the arcade, Gao Shi De is wearing green because he is confused about his relationship with Zhou Shu Yo and thinks it's a date. He will wear green again when he finally confesses to Zhou Shu Yo after Zhou Shu Yo avoids him. Also notable, everything Zhou Shu Yo has at the arcade is blue - the balloons he must pop, the color of the wheel he must throw objects in, the color of the backdrop for his water glasses, and the basket he has to get objects at of are all blue. He loses every single game.

When they are asked to go to the haunted house, they are wearing the same outfits they had on when this arrangement began, and Zhou Shu Yo believes their arrangement will end there since he thinks he will finally beat Gao Shi De. They are full circle outfits.

However, once they are in the haunted house/escape room, Zhou Shu Yo becomes scared and realizes he needs Gao Shi De. Gao Shi De intentionally locks them in the medical room without Zhou Shu Yo knowing.

And they share a beautiful night together surrounded by reds and pinks (aka love). This is also when Gao Shi De confesses to liking Zhou Shu Yo (during their discussion and when he believes he is sleeping).

Because Zhou Shu Yo actually did hear Gao Shi De's confession, he begins to avoid him. He tries to find a girlfriend and runs away from Zhou Shu Yo, until he can't. While hallucinating about Gao Shi De, a date injures Zhou Shu Yo foot, but he tries to run away from Gao Shi De, which results in him spraining his ankle. Gao Shi De takes him to the medical office, aka to the scene of the love confession.

Once again, surrounded by love, and in his "I'm overwhelmed with emotion" green, Gao Shi De lowers himself for Zhou Shu Yo before standing up and directly tells Zhou Shu Yo "Yes I like you, but that’s none of your business" after Zhou Shu Yo tells him he can't see himself with a man. Gao Shi De leaves, but Zhou Shu Yo realizes his mistake and is engulfed in Gao Shi De's blue while he looks for him around every corner.

They finally figure it out and confess on the bridge. After they start wearing couple's bracelets that carry into the second season.

They are overwhelmed with emotions in their greens (Zhou Shu Yo wore this green shirt when he jumped into the pool).

The boys also find out that their best friends are in love with each other. Shi Zhe Yu and Liu Bing Wei are so in love, that they will continue to coordinate their outfits for the rest of their relationship. AbsoluteBL did a quick write-up of how Liu Bing Wei's ties always match Shi Zhe Yu's suits.

Time for a small break between season one and two to enjoy the queerness of this show with its inclusion of rainbows and hearts:

When we catch up with the boys guys in the second season, it's been five years, and Gao Shi De is still a Blue Boy who has been living in a blue house with a blue car.

While Zhou Shu Yo is even more of a Black Brooder in his black house and black car because he HASN'T SEEN HIS BLUE BOY FOR FIVE YEARS!

But the day after he struts himself back into his Blue Boy's life and smacks the shit out of him in front of the entire office, Zhou Shu Yo sports a blue tie while Gao Shi De opts for a black suit. *They're in love!*

Much like before, Zhou Shu Yo's incorporates Gao Shi De's blue subtly. So subtle, in fact, that it's difficult to see that his shirt has a dark blue design on it.

He doesn't want Gao Shi De to know that he has missed him for the past five years, but everything in Zhou Shu Yo's life delicately admits that Zhou Shu Yo has always thought about his Blue Boy and still loves him because the only pop of color in Zhou Shu Yo's house and life is blue.

Their tension explodes the day a blue stripe appears across Zhou Shu Yo's chest. His love is figuratively on his chest but hidden under his black color.

And the next morning, all of Gao Shi De's secrets are laid bare while he lays in the bare wrapped only in the blue Zhou Shu Yo has given back to him.

With great hesitation, Zhou Shu Yo decides to give Gao Shi De one last chance after speaking to him in the blue bed while Gao Shi De wears a neutral brown. This is similar to the confession scene in the first season in the medical office, but this time, both boys are in the light meaning they're both aware and honest.

Zhou Shu Yo fully commits himself to his Blue Boy, and his friend get on board, even though they were hesitant because they had been present for Zhou Shu Yo's heartbreak over the past five years and helped him piece back together his life without Gao Shi De.

Zhou Shu Yo's dad, who is a Red Rascal and was the biggest obstacle before, plays hardball with the boys, but because of his previous major screw up, he is no place for negotiation, and aligns himself with our Blue Boy for the sake of his son's happiness.

All ends well for the men with Zhou Shu Yo and Gao Shi De in their colors already looking like future best men to Shi Zhe Yu and Liu Bing Wei in their coordinating outfits that resemble the ones they ended the first season with while Yu Zhen Xuan and Pei Shou Yi appear as stand-in officiates.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Well, except me because WE WERE TOLD THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER SEASON YET WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT!

This was brought to you by the same director, Ray Jiang, and screenwriter, Lin Pei Yu, of My Tooth Your Love. Now give us a third season of WBL and a second of MTYL!

@gillianthecat inspired this. I hope you enjoy it. I'm now going to go pout in a corner because we really were given hope of a third season.

[squirrelpatties]

Okay, ignoring the incest, the question of Trolls World Taxonomy is pretty interesting (and not something I'm exactly qualified to get into lmao). You've got Trolls, Bergens, Vaycaytioners, Mount Rageons, and the variety of critters. And the Party Crashers as a potential result of Bergen/Troll relations based on what's known about them.

Clearly, we can't judge the species of this world by the taxonomies we know; Trolls have hair and maybe fur like mammals, and likely have a "warm-blooded" metabolism based on how much energy they're able to expend singing and dancing all the time (which then begs the question of how much they must eat relative to their body weight to maintain that energy, but it's possible there's some degree of music-based magic involved somewhere. Or the foods they normally eat are incredibly calorie-dense, like Bugsnax), but they also display non-mammalian traits as well—the most obvious one being eggs, and the most important one (in the movies at least, discounting Delta Dawn) being the lack of mammaries.

Of course, it's not impossible for non-mammalian species to have fur; Trolls could be some form of arthropod, like the fluffy moths of our world. But I think the true answer is, as stated earlier, far stranger, and outside the normal bounds of the taxonomic systems we apply to Earth animals. Take, for example, the Trolls-as-drugs metaphor present in the first and third movies. Yes, the Trolls being eaten and Floyd being drained serve as a metaphor for material consumption and talent being taken advantage of respectively, but from a literal standpoint? Trolls have a recorded emotional effect when consumed and their "talent" can be drained as an essence that works as a performance booster. In-universe, Trolls are drugs.

And then things are complicated further when we remember that Trolls have an inherent connection to music. It's written in their very bones and something they cannot be rid of, and different subspecies emerged based upon differing genres of music. Yes, there were the strings, but the ending of the second movie involved no making of new strings—and, in the history Peppy described (though we must take that account with several pinches of salt due to the inherent biases in his explanation; though it was a cute detail for the scrap-Pop Troll to be the one holding the harp when Peppy said "Trolls grew intolerant of each other's music" in the same way that the Pop Trolls having that original harp was a cute detail alluding to the truth purported by the Funk Trolls and Barb), the strings were described to have been made by the ancestors when they were inspired by the Original Sound. So it's very likely that the strings, for all the power they held, were merely instruments themselves, and that the power of music was inherent to Trolls from the beginning regardless of the strings' existence. But that's entirely speculation, as canon has no real indication towards the truth.

Still, the way that music is so inherent to Trolls can be considered an integral trait of the species; and yes, I am counting all Trolls as the same species. While we haven't seen any intergenre couples in canon, with the way that music develops, evolves, and exists in a variety of ways makes it near impossible to imagine that the different genres would be unable to mix. As for how deeply music is written into a Troll's very being, while it's true that many musical numbers seen in the movies and show are likely rehearsed, there are still plenty more large coordinated groups singing and dancing in tandem with no clear rehearsal or even discussion beforehand. While calling it a sort of "hiveminding" ability feels a bit too far, it's easy to surmise that, due to their inherent nature as creatures of Music first and foremost, it is incredibly easy for Trolls to join in on song and dance they've never heard before and naturally slot into place.

Perhaps it is disingenuous to compare Trolls to Earth animals at all; perhaps the more apt comparison would be to fungi, which are neither flesh nor cellulose and follow their own set of rules. But even then, fungi don't lay eggs, so we are once again brought back to the conclusion that Trolls cannot be defined by the mundane taxonomies of our world. While less is known about the other species (Bergen, Vaycaytioner, Mount Rageon, Critters), it can be assumed the same applies to them. Thus, an entirely new taxonomy would have to be created to apply to these creatures, which is what makes thinking about it so fun! One would have to come up with theories and worldbuilding on the histories and prehistories of the Trolls' world, using what information canon gives us and extrapolating off of that, all while using real world cladistics, taxonomy, and ecology as a basis with which to shape the barest bones of the Trolls' world taxonomy!

*nods dumbly* Yeah yeah 😃 <- (spaced out mid-way through that)

[jmdbjk]

Bangtan Weekly Report: Festa Week

I am Army for about 3 years but loved them all 10 years...

saw someone say something similar the other day and its so true.

Millions of dollars spent on this almost month-long Festa and all for free to us. The 30 minutes of fireworks alone were estimated at $5 million USD. Now do you understand why those big sponsors were so important?

It is estimated that 400,000 attended the one day event that included Namjoon's presentation and the fireworks finale with about 120,000 being foreigners and 2000 being security manning the event. Perspective: Lollapalooza has an attendance of up to 100,000 per day. This 10th Anniversary Festa was ONE DAY.

400,000 ... almost half a million people on one day ... let that sink in.

View of the fireworks from around the other side of the river:

Drone view:

Fireworks began with Mikrokosmos, one of my favorites and right away I'm having trouble holding back the tears. Ever since YTC Busan, Butterfly has become one of those songs that makes me overly emotional but I found myself getting emotional even when hearing Fire, Dynamite and Take Two playing with the fireworks coordinated to the beat.

Watch 8-hour coverage of the day from JBTC News (gives a good idea of the number of people attending during the day-long event.)

Watch the entire fireworks show on Weverse. It begins with a message from Yoongi.

A translation of Jungkook's narration during the fireworks.

During Namjoon's event, the members called in. 32 minutes in Jungkook calls in from Los Angeles and apparently, Joon didn't realize it was JK EVEN AFTER HE SANG A FEW LINES OF TAKE TWO... JOON????? About 39 minutes in, Tae calls in and about 58 minutes into it, we hear Jimin conducting an Army quiz. I hope they add English subtitles soon.

More on Take Two:

I was asked what I thought "Take Two" meant in the context of the song lyrics...

...We been walkin' so many ways I feel like my heart will explode Can't you see the take two? Stories unfolding just for you youth with you hold my hand now ... When I got you by my side along the road we walked together Oh, we young forever ... Since we're together, I'm not afraid to wish for eternity ... I hold you in my arms Can't you see the take two? Letters I didn't send to you .... Oh, we young forever It was possible because I was with you

If I had to sum it up in one idea I would say they trust us to hold their youth within us. To remember their ten years so far. We are entrusted to keep that with us.

Because they are leaping off one by one into the thing that will supposedly change them in ways they don't even know yet. And they want these last ten years of their lives to be safe in us because this was a very special time of their lives.

I mean, who in this world can say they spent the youth of their teens and 20s as BTS, the group that never stopped running forward for almost ten years and rose to be a global phenomenon?

Only seven people in the world can say it: Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook.

Who else is going to remember their youth for them? Us, they only have us: Army.

A K-media article wrote about Take Two and specifically about Jimin's vocals, and besides describing Jimin as being the pillar of BTS songs, he went on saying this:

"In addition, Jimin showed a wide range of vocals, from soft mid-bass to high-pitched parts, and maximized the charm of the song with a unique and angelic voice praised by numerous vocal experts, giving a gift of ecstasy like an aurora."

Aurora... that is a PERFECT description of the sounds that come out of Jimin's throat when he sings.

I have maintained since the first time I listened to the song that Jimin's presence is heard throughout the song. Here is the Jimin focus cam.

About Song leaks:

There have been a lot of so-called "leaks" being passed around of Jungkook's songs. These could just be clips of discarded songs, discarded guides for group songs or even AI... who knows. Songs get written and progress gets made on them and then they end up not using them at all.

If the leaks are legit songs about to be on an album, I'm not sure how someone can continue to leak them and get away with it. I think the same has happened to songs that are supposed to be Tae's work. Leaks like this make an artist's work vulnerable to plagiarism and copyright theft.

Speaking of discarded songs... I've seen a lot of people talking about the number of songs that get included on albums and also why old songs get released years after they are written and produced.

I'm not a music industry expert but its a well-known thing that an artist is typically continually writing and recording music. Out of all the songs they produce, an artist will choose the ones that fit the theme/tone/vibe of an album/collection to release together. Many songs never make it. But that doesn't mean they aren't good songs, they just aren't what the artist wants at that moment in time.

So much music and lyrics are timeless so it doesn't matter when a song is written, if it resonates, it is relevant. I would bet Jimin had several songs he could have put on Face but they just weren't exactly what he wanted to say, or the vibe wasn't what he was aiming for now. He might save them for later.

And people saying Take Two was written a few years ago but is only now being released means it is one of those songs that still resonates with where BTS is today.

This is my opinion: I also want to say something about the argument that Jimin was denied all the MV's he wanted for Face... we know he's working on new music... we know they have a tight timeframe because of enlistment. It takes time and money to produce music videos, especially to the high caliber that BTS music videos are produced.

I think Jimin knew he was going to do more music before the end of this year. He knew logistically there was no time to produce the kind of MV's that are expected for other Face songs.

"But Yoongi got an MV for every song..." Yoongi's album D-Day and its subsequent concert tour are huge undertakings, comes 3 years after D-2 and this will be it for him. He will have to enlist. He does not have time to produce another album and do promotions for it before enlistment. He blew his wad on D-Day.

We will get more from Jimin before the end of the year and before he chooses to enlist.

I digressed... back to Festa...

About the book:

"After taking their first step into the world on June 13, 2013, BTS will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut in June 2023. They have risen to the peak as an iconic global artist and during this meaningful time, they look back on their footsteps in the first official book. In doing so, BTS nurtures the power to build brighter days and they choose to take another step on a road that no one has gone before. BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey so far through interviews and more than three years of in-depth coverage by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and other Korean pop culture in various media. Presented chronologically in seven chapters from before the debut of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a sincere, lively, and deep story. In individual interviews that have been conducted without a camera or makeup, they illuminate their musical journey from multiple angles and discuss its significance. In addition, portrait photos that show BTS as individuals and artists open the book, and throughout there are concept photos, tracklists of all previous albums, and over 330 QR codes. As digital artists, BTS has been communicating with the world through the internet and this book allows readers to immediately access trailers, music videos, and more online to have a rich understanding of all the key moments in BTS history. Complete with a timeline of all major milestones, BEYOND THE STORY is a remarkable archive―truly everything about BTS in one volume."

The HYBE mural:

This artist did a fantastic job on this hand painted mural. He used cans of spray-paint. Amazing.

(video credit)

It's been a very emotional few weeks with so much content given to us.

From BangBangCon and 5th Muster to Take Two to Jimin's performance of Letter, the dance practice videos, Suchwita with Jin, seeing all of Seoul lit up in purple, all the photos, all of the positive media coverage in Korea, Tae's jazz performance, it's been a whirlwind of gifts for us. I've never experienced anything like it before.

And thinking about this year's Festa, with all the members coming and going and scattered across the globe, doing their own thing, Joon's comment that next year, Jin-hyung will have to fill the space implies everyone else will be enlisted before next June. I am really looking forward to having Jin back with us.

Anyway... APOBANGPO!

[softpine]

hi brandi!! i might be wrong but i have a half memory of you writing up a text post or an ask reply that detailed everything we know about finns case/the timeline leading up to his death so far - would you be able to relink it or pin it somewhere please!! i'm trying to cross reference the dates of the journal entries to prev things finns said etc hehe

ahh i feel like i remember this too, but i can't find it for the life of me!! i'm wondering if maybe i was just talking about the wiki? because i wrote up a giant article for finn's page in the wiki (which is still unfinished i'm sorryyyyy) but i don't know if i ever posted it publicly?

either way, here's a timeline of finn's whole life so i won't spoil anything by telling you what is or isn't important :P

1963 - donald atwood, richard's father, dies. he was an abusive man, particularly to his wife, bessie.

april 19, 1970 - finn is born to richard and lucy atwood.

1973 - due to financial struggles, finn lives with his grandma bessie for a year. she would've been happy to take care of him longer, but richard finds a better job at the factory and takes him back.

1974 - the atwoods start renting the house we've seen finn grew up in. it was split into four units. the atwood family were on the bottom left floor, the porter family (chris, his wife, and their son steven) were living in the bottom right half. the two units above them were frequently cycling through tenants.

1975 - with richard and chris being neighbors and working together at the factory, they become close friends. they were both heavy drinkers before they met, but it escalates into addiction. this is also when the abuse begins. it starts as neglect rather than purposeful violence (such as finn being locked out of the house during a blizzard).

1978 - grandma bessie dies. she left finn an expensive cross necklace which he wears hidden under his shirt so it won't be stolen. due to a combination of richard's grief over losing his mother + no longer having her around to keep him in check and watch out for finn, he loses his temper more often and this is when the physical abuse begins.

1980 - finn starts formulating a plan to run away. he wants to live with his aunt & cousin (on lucy's side) in new york, and he thinks if he can just get away, his parents won't care enough to take him back. he finds a boy scout's uniform and starts going door to door selling chocolate, running errands, doing odd jobs, and stealing money when he can get away with it.

july 9, 1981 - chris hits steven for the first time. no one knows it at the time, but this is a turning point not just for steven, but also for finn. this is around the time when they make promises to each other that they're never going to drink, never going to have kids, and as soon as they leave home, they're never coming back.

october 31, 1981 - finn describes this halloween as "the last good day".

early november, 1981 - chris porter gets a better job and moves his family to the suburbs, where steven starts making friends with the other kids. he's cruel to finn at school because he wants to distance himself from the reputation they shared.

december 23, 1981 - officer tim andrews arrests richard for a few small charges like public intoxication. he's very familiar with the atwood family and has been looking for any opportunity to arrest him for a while now. finn thinks he's creepy and hates how andrews is always getting involved in his business and trying to act friendly with him. finn bails his dad out of jail with his secret money (but what he doesn't say in his journal is that he stole that money from his upstairs neighbors while they were moving out).

january 6, 1982 - finn gets into a physical altercation with steven and another classmate. in reality, the two boys jumped him while he wasn't paying attention, and he calls it "fucking bullshit" that he got suspended for fighting back. even the teacher who broke up the fight wonders if this was a "coordinated effort" between the boys, but finn still gets punished.

this is around the time when paint it black takes place.

january 29, 1982 - after a month of listening to officer andrews offer to help him, finn decides to accept and ask him for a ride to his aunts house. notably, he calls him "tim" in his journal entries, which could be to disguise his identity or because he's gotten more comfortable with him. he writes that he'll do whatever it takes, "even if tim wants money or something else" (finn genuinely thought he was a predator, in case you didn't pick up on that), but we know the only thing tim asked for in return was for finn to never tell anyone that he was the one who drove him away. he agrees. (we also know that in an alternate universe, officer tim andrews did drive finn to new york, which is how NYC griffin survived.)

february 3, 1982 - finn writes in his journal: "I'm sorry Dad, I'm sorry to God for what I did" next to a blood stain. this is the date asa was looking for, so clearly something traumatic happened here which we'll see soon. it's also the last time finn writes in his journal.

march 8 through 11, 1982 - a red or black truck is seen circling the area of l'eau state park. this is only reported much later, so eyewitness accounts are conflicting. the truck may have been painted black after the crime.

march 12, 1982 - richard and finn had planned to go on an overnight hunting trip l'eau state park, but lucy had the day off work, so she decided to come with them. she started inviting their friends and it suddenly became "the worst kind of party". if things had gone according to plan, finn would have waited until his dad was asleep, then taken his bag (with all his saved money inside) and ran to meet officer tim andrews, where he waited in his (red? black? neither? truck). but everyone was still awake and partying at this point. the last thing finn remembers is leaving his bag & money behind, and making a run for the woods.

late at night on march 12, 1982 - chris porter, who attended the party at the camp site, arrives home drunk, soaking wet, and covered in mud. he gets agitated with steven, who later says that his dad was never the same after this night.

noon on march 13, 1982 - lucy atwood wakes up to find that finn is missing. she finds his bag still in the tent, so she assumes he's gone wandering. hours later, when he still hasn't come back, she and richard find the nearest payphone. first, richard calls chris porter, hoping finn had gone to see steven, but no one answers the phone. lucy calls her sister, etta, because she knows if finn ran away, that's the first place he'd go. etta doesn't know anything about finn's escape plan and urges lucy to report him as missing immediately. however, lucy and richard decide to search for finn themselves for many hours first. they're afraid they'll lose custody of finn if anyone knew their child ran away while they were drinking and doing drugs. they hide any indication of the party. in the evening, when they haven't found any sign of finn, they finally call the police.

march 14 - 18, 1982 - search teams are sent looking for finn. he never shows up at his aunt's house. officer andrews, of course, does not tell anyone about his and finn's plans – we have no idea what he does or doesn't know about that night. he could've driven away after finn was a no-show, he could've been the one who killed him, he could've seen someone else killing him, etc. no one knows. after only a few days, searches are called off due to weather (a mix of rain and snow). richard and lucy continue to do public appeals for their son, though they're quickly becoming the most hated people in the state.

march 27, 1982 - finn's body is found by a fisherman at l'eau state park. finn's parents are informed of this while live on tv. due to the cold weather, finn's body is not badly decomposed, but he was beaten so extensively that he was unrecognizable. this was not an accident. his body almost appeared to be posed, with his legs straight but his arms spread open like a cross. this is why he was given the nickname "angel of the bay" while they awaited confirmation of his identity. additionally, the cross necklace he wore was upside down on his chest. this, in the climate of satanic panic, lead many to believe he was the victim of a satanic cult killing. a lot of evidence was either never collected or was poorly preserved or outright lost/destroyed, especially once the case started to go cold.

(we know that 90s griffin survived the attack because he jumped off a cliff and played dead – this is the advice that time-traveling asa gave him, and it worked. he was unable to move, so he remained there for days before being rescued. he doesn't know / doesn't want to remember who attacked him.)

april 1982 - the police finally start conducting interviews with anyone finn knew. the problem is, it's been weeks since finn was killed and everyone's memory has gotten fuzzy. for instance, they want to find out if any of finn's classmates were absent from school and/or visibly injured the day after his death, but no one can remember. investigators have no idea about the party, and none of richard or lucy's friends are saying anything at all. steven lies and says his dad was home all night. basically no one is telling the truth, and even if they think they are, there's a huge chance they're misremembering things. the case goes cold. lucy and richard move away.

around this time, finn "wakes up" as a ghost. it's too painful for him to stay around his parents, so instead, he follows his cousin liz around in new york. it frustrates him that he can't talk to her, so he starts acting out, throwing things, etc. liz begins hearing his voice, then seeing glimpses of him, then seeing full blown apparitions. but it wasn't just finn; she started seeing other ghosts too. it scared her so badly that she told her mom about it, who encouraged her to seek help. finn felt bad and decided to leave her alone at this point. he got lost in "the nowhere" and took a nap for like... 30 years.

2006 - tim andrews is now the sheriff. he announces that finn's case will be reopened with the hopes of using new technology to find the perpetrator. it seems promising at first, as finn's name is all over the news, but it doesn't take long for the case to stall again. so much evidence is unusable by this point.

2020 - chris porter is brought in for questioning once more. he says nothing new, but it clearly shakes him. he reaches out to his son, steven, one last time, to apologize for everything he put him through. then he drives to the nearest railroad tracks, sets his truck on fire on the road, then lays down in front of an oncoming train.

2021 - steven dies of liver failure due to alcoholism. finn was able to be there for his last moments. steven tells him he named his son (who passed away years ago) after him.

2023 - asa and elaine speak to the atwoods about finn's case.

and that's all for now! i say as if this wasn't an ENTIRE podcast script fjskdjs if you read this far, here's a cookie 🍪

[thetardisisnotourdivision]

I Am A Media Student And Will Therefore Overanalyze This Shot Pt1

Right I just want to talk about this shot here:

From Transmission. 

So the first interesting thing here is their outfits - one of the most interesting things this series has been the antagonists' designs. Gabriel has always worn light colours, but before there was red too, like with Nathalie. Red is often used to connote danger and villainy, but there is now not a trace of the colour on Gabriel's outfit. The new outfit that he has designed for himself is entirely white, even his hair and glasses. White is often used in conjunction with purity and innocence, suggesting that Gabriel is trying to put forth an angelic image of himself - fitting, as he refuses to admit that Ladybug and Cat Noir aren't the cause of his problems, and continues to refute the idea that he's the bad guy in this situation. Nathalie, on the other hand, is very different. Her outfit is black with red, both colours typically associated with darkness and villainy respectively. We could otherwise see this as a very businesslike, coordinated, sophisticated style (typical business attire) with a streak (the literal red streak in her hair, the stripe on her glasses) of villainy, of vengeance, spite, malevolence, whatever word you want to use - either way, she's not making any attempt to hide it. She hasn't made any attempt to change this outfit at all, and the only addition in S5 is the back brace, aligning with the idea that she knows that she is the villain, and acknowledges the severity of her crimes. Even the lighting is significant - there are far more shadows on Nathalie and her side of the shot than Gabriel, who is almost haloed in this light. However, when you look at their eyes, you get a very different story. Gabriel's eyes are very, very dark, a sort of greyish-black, whereas Nathalie's are bright blue - which seems at odds with their design otherwise, and you'd expect them to be the other way around. However, this serves to emphasise the truth - the eyes are often described as being the windows to the soul, and eyes are commonly used in animation to tell us whether or not we are supposed to sympathise with a character (I can't find it now but I saw a post about Bruno from Encanto that summed this up perfectly). Blue eyes are normally associated with clarity, innocence or youth, here - which makes a stark contrast to everything else about Nathalie's design, and implies that there is more to her story than we know. Gabriel's eyes, however, are dark, and we can't quite tell what he's thinking. 

The next thing is the composition. Gabriel has just said the line, "I'm not a monster", but the shot makes it glaringly obvious who is in the right here. Nathalie is higher up than Gabriel, having a literal "moral" high ground. Both are looking at the other - Gabriel looking up, obviously, and Nathalie is quite literally "looking down" on Gabriel - just as she's looked down on his recent attempts to get the Miraculous, and his attempts to "be a better father" to Adrien. The light directly between them gives the idea of something separating them - that something being the heroes, who are the reason they were driven apart (Gabriel's obsession) but also are the reason that neither can betray the other (because of mutually assured destruction - neither can accuse the other without implicating themselves). However, Nathalie being the one closer to Adrien's room implies that she is blocking Gabriel's path or "guarding" the entrance to Adrien's room. 

Finally, the symmetry of the shot gives the impression that these are two characters who could easily have followed the others path. They're wearing similar clothes - high-necked shirts and blazers, both have glasses, and their hair is at a similar angle (if that makes any sense). Even their stances are similar here, which is significant as Nathalie usually stands slightly hunched over ever since the beginning of S4, when she started walking with the brace. (Edit: I've recently noticed that this is something that is present since S1.) This implies that both of them could have gone either way - Nathalie could have continued further and further in assisting Gabriel, either as Mayura or potentially (now that they have all the Miraculous) with another power, and continued to be the "monster" that she thinks she is. On the other hand, Gabriel could have realised that his actions were monstrous, rather than denying it, and put aside his battle with Ladybug and Cat Noir the way that Nathalie has. Either of them could easily have chosen a different path. 

Anyway, there's my over-analysis! I love this shot so much. 

[waltwhitmansbeard]

my fair lady: chapter eleven

there's a whole tag of these things, read them maybe? inspiration is @romeoandjulietyouwish's medieval au

Every step is agony, but Keyleth keeps her back as straight as she can as Vax and Percy help her through the Emerald Citadel, each with an arm steady around her waist. The palace is crawling with Syngornian guards, who watch the group closely as Jarett leads the way toward where her father is being kept. They approach the hall that leads to the entrance to the ballroom, and Keyleth feels her mouth go dry and her heartbeat start to race. Echoing in her mind are the screams of those gathered for the peace celebration as the masked attacker descended upon the room. Her limping steps stutter, and she feels Vax's arm tighten around her.

"Keyleth?" he murmurs, too low for Jarett to hear.

"I...um..." She swallows a few times, trying desperately to clear her constricting throat. "I can't..."

"Got it." Vax calls out, "Jarett, take us there another way."

The guard stops and looks back, confused, but Vax's firm expression leaves no room for argument. Jarett quickly pivots, leading the group toward another hall. A few minutes later, he stops before a tall, polished oak door, which is surrounded by half a dozen guards. One of them, upon recognizing the approaching troupe, raps his knuckles on the door and calls, "Sovereign Korrin! Jarett has returned with the princess."

The door cracks open, and once Jarett's report has been verified, Keyleth hears her father's warm but distressed voice. "Keyleth? Keyleth!"

She can't wait for Vax and Percy to help her in. She slips her arms off of their shoulders and hobbles inside. "Papa?"

The room is clearly a guest chamber of some kind, though nothing nearly as nice as what her father had originally been appointed upon his arrival in Syngorn. Her father stands near the bed, his fine dress robes torn and askew, and a cadre of even more guards stands sentry all around. As soon as Keyleth comes into view, he charges past them, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. "Keyleth, I was so worried."

She melts into him, no longer the crown princess of a nation, but a little girl clinging to her father in a storm. "Papa, I'm okay, I promise." She tilts her head back to look at him. "Were you hurt?"

He kisses the top of her head. "Only jostled. Grog was quick to get me out of harm's way." From the corner of her eye, Keyleth sees the goliath preen. "What of you, daughter?"

She's reminded once again of the throbbing in her leg. "Only something minor," she assures him, but a choked sound from behind betrays her.

Her father's eyes narrow. "Lord Percival?"

Keyleth rolls her eyes. "I'm fine, Father." She tries to take a step back, but a jolt of pain shoots up her leg, and she nearly crumbles.

Before she can hit the ground, there are hands on her waist to steady her. "Your Highness," Vax says quietly, bringing her arm back around his neck. To her father, he ducks his head and asks, "Your Majesty, is there somewhere for her to sit?"

Keyleth is quickly ushered over to a small sofa, where Vax sets her down gently. Her father hovers to the side. "What happened? Vax'ildan, is she injured? Was she taken to a healer?"

"Papa, please," Keyleth groans, reaching up to grab his hand. Vax stands off to the side, assuming his standard position of attention. "The wound is minor, and Vax helped stave off the worst of it."

He perches just beside her on the sofa. "Keyleth, this attack was targeted and extremely well-coordinated. I need to know exactly what happened to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."

Keyleth sighs. "Fine, but...can we speak in private? Just us and Percy, and Vax, of course."

Her father nods, and his guards exit the room, forming a phalanx with those already outside the door. Percy leans against one of the posters of the bed, arms crossed. Keyleth takes a deep breath and begins to fill the three men in on what happened when the attack started. She describes being grabbed and carried away from the fray, fighting to get free before she could be spirited away, the mysterious flames on her hands and, of course, the bolts of lightning she called down from above. Things get hazy for her after that, but she is sure to inform her father of Vax and Percy's help in getting her safe and bringing her back to him.

As she speaks, she tries not to watch Vax's face in her peripheral. She sees him struggle to keep his face neutral, his skin becoming paler and paler as she details the terror she felt while being manhandled out of the palace. His fingers tighten and loosen repetitively on the hilt of the one dagger he still holds. His jaw is clenched impossibly tight, and Keyleth wants to take his hand and assure him of her safety.

When she's finished her account, her father is apoplectic. He stands and begins pacing a circle around the room. "This is...this is an outrage." He jabs a finger toward Vax, who doesn't flinch. "You were hired to protect her!"

Keyleth opens her mouth to defend him, but before she can say a word, Percy interjects, "Your Majesty, Princess Keyleth was left vulnerable because of me. I take complete responsibility for leaving her unattended when the chaos broke out. Vax took swift action to get her to safety, and he is the one who concocted the antidote that counteracted the poison in her veins. The princess is alive because of his skill and bravery."

Both Keyleth and Vax stare at him, wide-eyed. Keyleth has never heard Percy express any sort of opinion with regards to Vax, but his words of confidence ring sincere. Her father is still seething, but Percy's statement seems to take the edge off. He runs a tired hand over his face. "My apologies, Vax'ildan. I simply...my daughter's life is the most important thing, and to have come so close to losing her..."

Vax nods. "Of course, Your Majesty. Despite Lord Percival's kind attestation, I hold deep shame in not being by Princess Keyleth's side throughout this entire ordeal. I feel that I have failed you both."

Keyleth's entire body itches to take his face in her hands and kiss the guilt from his eyes. If she could accomplish but one goal in her life, it would be to make him understand how no one could have failed her less, how thoroughly and hopelessly she needs him, how foolish she feels for having nearly died with him still believing that she could one day learn to love someone else.

Her father strides over to the window and stares down at the courtyard below. "I do not know what these next hours hold for the future of the Ashari Nation. The treaty has not been signed, of course, and it will not be unless I have assurances that the Draconians were not behind this attack. Until then, we are still at war, and I will not allow you to be so far from the safety of our castle while this is the case."

Her jaw drops. "Father!"

"You will be seen to by a healer, and then you will be taken with a full contingent of guards back to Zephrah. Information is still being gathered, but all evidence suggests that the Ashari were the focus of this assault, and I will not have you within these palace walls any longer than is strictly necessary."

"Father, no." Keyleth shoves herself to her feet, wincing as she agitates her wound. Vax lurches forward, but she waves him off, pulling herself to her full height. "I will not be whisked away like a child, Father. If the future of the Ashari is at stake then I will be here to help guide that future. I serve no one from behind our castle walls. My people will see that I was not felled by this attack, and they will see that in spite of it I am prepared to bring justice for those we lost and to secure a peaceful destiny for our nation." Her heart beats hard and fast in her chest; she has never spoken so boldly to her father before, but neither has she spoken with such conviction. She is tired of being left behind, of being protected, of being excluded from the conversations that dictate her nation's fate. Her father looks back at her, expression inscrutable. She doesn't blink.

Finally, he sighs. "You are to go nowhere alone. The guard stationed outside your door will be doubled, and Vax'ildan is to be with you at all times." Her stomach flips, but she ignores it. "If there is any hint that this attack was orchestrated by the Draconians, you will be removed from the premises at once. Do you understand?"

She nods quickly. "Of course."

"Now sit down before you pass out."

That order she has no trouble obeying. She returns to the sofa as her father strides over to the doors of the chambers to update the guards. While he's occupied, Vax kneels down beside her and murmurs, "You wear your power well, Your Highness."

And because she is still, at her core, a silly girl in love with a silly boy, she allows herself to steal the briefest of touches, her fingertips gliding across his cheekbone for just a moment before falling back to her lap, where she knows they belong.

[moondane-lovers]

🩵💛❤️💜 for Spandam!

~ @botanists-little-cookie

"Gah! Why are there so many of these!? Fine fine, I'll take a moment to indulge you...voyeurists."

🩵

"Well, they're both my dearest companion and my partner, of course! They're the only person who looks at me like I'm an equal, they listen to what I have to say without mocking my words or demeaning me. Which no one should be doing, for the record! Alas, it's quite ironic how I used to be her absolute superior, but now... is well... I'm not trying to be sappy here or anything but- to me, they're everything! They say that I'm "their person" which sounds so simple, but with the way they describe it, it's an immense title to hold. I suppose she's my person as well, definitely the only one!"

💛

"Ah yes, how we met... it was very unassuming, if not annoying when we first made contact. The very first time we met, they reported to my office to check in before beginning work as a cleaner at the Tower of Justice. I'm ashamed to admit I was overly cold and annoyed that a "lower class fodder worker" had to grace my presence, if only I had known then how important that meeting would be."

❤️

"Hm... another hard question- why do you have to ask all these exceptionally difficult things!? I can't decide, so- I'll BEGRUDGINGLY pick one. She's very skilled at working without pause, even if she's exhausted. Once locked in, they finish a task no matter how long it takes, only stopping if they physically have to. It’s a good ethic but sometimes it does concern me- but it is respectable!! At least one of us can do physical tasks.”

💜

“Uh…no, they do wear black often, but we haven’t coordinated our clothes due to their physical “sensory problems” or however you call it. I dress myself quite intricately with multiple layers for maximum elegance, She at most does two layers. There was one party where we color coordinated and quite frankly, they were breathtaking, but nothing else comes to mind. I should suggest it sometime…”

[winterdeepelegy]

Prompt #8 - Shed

Driven by curiosity and tired of Sheol's nagging, Glace eventually went in search of the two Caern described by the chimera. He was guided not by exact maps or coordinates but by fleeting glimpses in some of the fever dreams bestowed upon him, and these led info the depths of the flagship in Azys Lla. He hated this place. He hated the memories which weren't his own and he hated what happened to some of his siblings here thanks to Garlemald. There was nothing good to find here, but if nothing else, there were still things which could be useful such as the myriad chimerae that still slept in their suspension chambers even after many others had broken out a long time ago. It was no surprise that the place smelled foul. It reeked of old death and ozone from perpetually running machines, and the corpses of both creatures and invaders who had made the mistake of breaking in in search of treasure. Though few and far between, there were still man-made monsters alive in here and they were hungry due to infrequent meals. Aside from spare fragments of imagery, Glace had no idea where to even begin. He came across recent leavings now and then but he wasn't about to invest his dignity on trying to determine what sort of chimera left it behind. It took several bells worth of searching to start finding clues in the form of scraps of scaled hide on the floor, still wet with blood. This was a smell where he could identify the beast it came from and its owner hadn't gone far judging by the intense, chaotic sound of metallic scraping just down the hall. Slow, soundless footfalls carried him closer and, there, in the next chamber was a large stag-like silhouette of a Caern rubbing its antlers against a support beam with all the deliberate urgency of one scratching an itch that never ceased. With every rub, more scraps of hide dislodged and rained to the floor while still more dangled from its brutal, sharpened rack like the remnants of a murder. And although Glace made no sound, the beast still stopped and turned to stare at him. Through him. Into his very core. "Command?" Its voice rolled through the chamber and off the metal walls like approaching thunder, and it lifted its head to take in the scent of the Elezen standing there. "We are Command," Glace answered with confidence in his voice even if he didn't feel it. "Sheol is with me." The third eye in the middle of the creature's forehead widened. "Sheol is carrion." Its maw opened to reveal jaws lined with sharp teeth, "Return Command to us." The lower jaw cracked and split apart again into a something resembling mandibles, allowing it to open in a way that the beast might have been able to devour Glace whole if he couldn't stop it. "Give us Command." Better do something quick, Sheol prodded at the back of Glace's mind. Remember, we are Command. So command him to do something. "Like what?" The question was a harsh whisper, almost as though Sheol were standing in the same room with him. Anything. I can't tell him, all I can do is issue a confirmation signal. "Great... uhm... play dead?" With intention... "Play dead!" The chimera tossed its head back with a roar and crumbled to the ground in dramatic fashion, its antlers sweeping from one side to the other to try and skewer any other living being nearby in a last ditch effort to drag them into Hell with it. A moment later it lay silent with its eyes rolled back in its head, mouth agape and tongue lolling onto the floor. Even its breathing had stopped. "Well shite," Glace breathed. "Alright, you clown, get up. The floor's no place for monsters like us." He hadn't even finished speaking when the Caern started moving again, clamoring back to its feet with its head held low in deference. "Command has returned to us. We are pleased."

[thevioletharuspex]

Progress on The Violet Hack, Pt. 1

TLDR: It's taken on a new form.

I'm about to play in a PF2 game soon. I've been diving into the rules, trying to get a sense of them so I don't absolutely biff it at the table. I ran it once before, but I didn't really know what I was doing and I ran it like 5e and immediately TPK'ed the table. Oops.

There's some neat things I like about it! The 3-action economy, monster and encounter math that actually holds up to scrutiny, critical hits and fumbles being on benchmarks of 10 over or under a DC, and a clear division of what classes are trying to do on a macro level while also very much rewarding teamwork and coordination, much more so than the "selfish" class design of 5e.

It has some wonky stuff though. Adding your level to all d20 rolls kinda seems silly? It bloats numbers so much, and, it gets to the point where ACs and DCs and attack rolls are such big numbers that, in the end, the only number that actually mattered is what you got on the d20. Felt like it was needlessly complicated. Also, tracking all the modifiers is still such an extreme headache. It also has the side effect of not being able to have diverse encounters. It's always like "an elite with two minions" or "a big solo" or "a band of 4 minions" etc. You can't actually throw a horde of goblins at level 5 PCs because the goblins literally cannot hit the PCs.

5e has this thing called Bounded Accuracy. In theory, it's absolutely genius. Attack rolls and DCs stay within certain "bounds" and barely inflate, and the game uses other things to measure difficulty and progression. In a perfect Bounded Accuracy world, you can create diverse encounters. A horde of goblins can threaten a group of PCs, just not by themselves. Put an ogre or two in there as well and it actually works! Instead of in PF2 where you have 2 ogres on-level with your PCs and a horde of goblins that literally deal 0 damage because they cannot even hit the party without a natural 20. At least with Bounded Accuracy, that horde is at least a distraction, or even with its measly damage numbers it still contributes to helping out the ogres take down the party. It actually works.

In practice though, 5e doesn't even use it. Numbers inflate. The math, somewhere along the line of the system being drafted up and how it went to print, just completely broke.

Enter The Violet Hack.

Goals:

A mathematically-functional bounded accuracy

3-action system

Critical success/failure as 10-above/below DC

Rigid monster, encounter, and hazard math

Compressed levels to focus on levels 1-12

Deleting the absolute garbage-fire that is spell slots and replacing it with a mana point system.

A new quintet of core classes: Mage, Knave, Knight-Errant, Juggernaut, Peregrine.

Overall cutting the fat and bloat and crunchiness of both systems to make something smoother and quicker.

First up: the Action Point System.

Simply put, you get 3 Action Points. You can spend them on various actions on your turn, and I've put a table below of some of the ideas I have for actions in The Violet Hack. At the end of your turn, your Action Points replenish back up to 3. When it's not your turn, you can spend AP to do a reaction. If you do, you just get less AP on your next turn. You're borrowing from the future.

I've always hated rolling for initiative at the beginning of combat. Describing the tense scene, hearing how the players respond and how they're going to act - only to be bogged down by getting a table's worth of numbers and trying to sort them from biggest to smallest.

Initiative in The Violet Hack instead is just a d4 roll. You roll it and that's how many AP you get on your first turn. If you roll a 4, hell yeah! Your 4th AP goes to someone else. Maybe you want to give it to your mage who rolled a 1 so they can actually cast a spell on the first turn!

But in terms of turn order, that's easy. Just bounce back and forth between the party and the GM until one side is all out of turns they can take. Then, the other side has the rest of their team take their turns. This will only happen if one side vastly outnumbers the other, like if it's a party vs a solo boss, or a horde of a dozen goblins vs the party. Normally the party gets the first turn, because it's so easy to be like "This thing emerges from the ground and gives a bellowing roar. What do you do?". But if the party gets jumped because they're surprised or something, the GM gets the first turn. pretty simple.

I'm going to cover the other parts of what I've done in future blog posts, but as a teaser for the next article, here is a fun (for me) image where I'm kinda being actually insane about math:

Next: Progress on The Violet Hack, Pt. 2

[forsaire]

Hi Saire!

I was wondering if you had any advice for writing and setting up chapter's?

We really love the way you wrote don't let me go

The chapters and research were nice to read, do you have any examples of how to lay out a chapter? Or how to form structure for one?

Do you have advice about pot holes or time lines?

My goodness! This is a nice message and I'm super glad you enjoyed my story! 🖤

I'll definitely try to explain some thought processes and how I personally organize my writing. I realize my way might be a bit weird but I am a colour visual person. This is more of a practical explanation of the process, less so a creative/ideation one. Idk the ideas randomly come whenever they feel like it.

So this doesn't become a long, annoying post on people's dash ->

After essentially daydreaming what the hell I want to happen in a chapter/scene, I write out what happens, line by line, action by action, roughly formatted dialogue by dialogue. It's getting the actions and vibes without writing it nicely, but the more detail, the better. See example below:

(for a story i haven't even begun writing yet)

Sometimes I have pages upon pages of notes for what should happen, other times I don't. But when I don't (for whatever reason) it's definitely more of a struggle to write. I can recommend outlining, but even I struggle with coming up with ideas to flesh out them sometimes. But it is probably the #1 thing that actually helps me and makes writing easier.

If you have an idea, pounce on it and start making these notes. There have been times where I start thinking about something, say a conversation that I like, but then a few days pass and I didn't write it down so I forget all the great details I originally thought of and I struggle to recall that amazing idea.

(why do i always hallucinate the best conversations like 2 minutes from falling asleep, and then i forget in the morning!! 😭)

And when you're really motivated, sometimes these notes come out as fully written, thought-out sentences! WOO! Such as...

Then I start writing. And that just has to happen. If I truly need to come back to something usually during the edit, it's pink.

If I have no idea how to transition from previous chapter (because it's not written yet) it's blue like this. So if you don't write your chapters in order, I sometimes leave the beginning and ending not written because I haven't 100% determined how I will transition (e.g. where is their location, how much time has passed, what they've been doing between chapters).

If I plan on adding a supplementary images, it's in darker blue (which are mostly created by me and just saved in folder on my computer, so I know what this means).

If I need to describe something visually, I'll grab an image off Google with the vibes I'm looking for. I find that I can't accurately describe what something looks like without a visual aid. It would be a random image like this, or multiple ones where I take different elements from each:

I organize my chapters using a table of contents (granted this tips are for Word, not docs). So I format the rough chapter titles with heading styles so I can automatically insert a table of contents which can look like this:

Ghost is coloured-coordinated blue, Soap is yellow. First draft is dark green, posted is light green, edited is usually some other colour if I want to add that one. Love this because I can easily click on the page number and immediately jump to the chapter in question (and absolutely necessary when I write over 100k fics). It also has all the chapters at the very beginning of the document. All I have to do is update the table and the titles, page numbers, and level of completion will all update as well.

I can't have a chapter where nothing happens. If something happens, nothing still could have happened, ya know? I think to myself, in what way is the major scene/conversation that happens in this chapter progressing the story, relationships, or aspirations/hopes of the characters. I want to make each chapter in service of something. That's definitely for longer stories rather than shorter ones.

As for plot holes... honestly, for me, I simply don't post until the story is done (or like 95% done). That way I still have time to add things such as conversations, characters, foreshadowing, etc. earlier on. If I want to change something that happens and the chapter is already posted, then I guess I'm shit outta luck, especially because something major to retcon would be confusing for readers.

I would say try to think about any plot holes in advance, but we're writing fanfiction out here. If someone is really upset by my fake words not being 100% plot perfect, then that's on them. I write for myself and for other people to enjoy. Nothing is perfect. I guess don't have real advice, but I toss and turn with ideas for a long time to smooth these things out. You could also just ask someone or brainstorm with them if you have someone to bounce ideas off of like that. I pretty much write everything solitarily.

For time lines, it's funny because I'm writing a fic rn that is pretty time sensitive so, again, to visually keep track of what was happening I created this shitty little calendar.

It's just in the document with the rest of the story and there are three more calendar months as well. It let's me see the timelines between chapters so I make sure to write that the appropriate amount of time has passed. e.g. It had been one week since they met... yada yada.

I find that I need to physically write about the passage of time or else people might confuse subsequent chapters as only happening 1 day apart. When I want to establish that that time has passed, I have to be explicit about it (and/or have it written at the beginning of the chapter what the date is).

That's pretty much a lot of the things I do to get my ideas physically organized. Once you have a good idea of what you want to happen in the chapter, you can go about writing it (or struggle like me when there's only a vague whisper of an idea).

Everyone will have their strengths - I love writing action, dialogue, and internal thoughts. But if I have to describe what an object looks like or what their location looks like... disgusting!

I know this was long, but I guess I hope it was sort of helpful. I truly just love to daydream, and like a lightning bolt, I get hit with a perfect idea. I don't have professional or like, research-backed advice, to me it just has to happen in my own way. ❤❤