#I'll give lore and their roles and stuff

[cgarttrailsandtails]

Ta-da! Beta designs for my Rumble Pack (+) Circus au! It doesn't have an actual name yet, but oh well.

I swear the only reason these took all day is because ibis paint was being stupid and kept making me want to jump out a window or something- (/j but it was actually that annoying.)

Anyways, this au will be my main focus for a bit cause I like it :3. So please ask me some questions, cause they do some crazy sh*t in this au here >:D

[quixoticprince]

Yayyy!! Yippee!! I finally get to make one of these!! Art without the text under the cut and some long-winded elaborations:

How long I've been playing: well, it hasn't been a straight 11 years, rather off and on - but I have drawings of these guys dating back to when I was 14, so I'll give it to me. And man I had no business reading the fanfics I was reading back then It's also crazy how this was a super influential media for me in so many ways. It's the reason I ever made a tumblr, it changed the direction of my drawings for a long while, my broken sense of humor (gmod animation memes and yt poops were the brainrot back then), tf2 Sniper changed my god damned gender (rather, it was the inspiration for me to start socially transitioning at 15). This is part of my personal lore that I tend to not admit to 😓

Your main: I've always been completely ass at the game, and I can play flexibly, but I enjoy playing Sniper, and more recently as Heavy. Whenever I'm sitting around somewhere, occasionally throwing sandwiches and attracting Medics, I feel like this:

Favorite character: When I was younger it was definitely Medic, and I think you can tell that he's still up there based on how much I've drawn him! However, since getting back into it, I've felt quite a shift in focus towards Heavy, very strongly. It's unfortunate that he's side-lined in a lot of fanwork, and I think I'm also complicit in this so far - but for me it's cuz, how tf2 works is that it's going to prioritize humor over character and consistency haha, and Medic is just so loud and insane that he's really easy to make fun stuff with. Heavy is a more serious and grounded character, not to say that he's not funny or that he doesn't have his own cartoon slapstick moments! But that aspect of him is what is really really intriguing to me. I love his quiet, stoic, and intimidating character, I like how loud and boisterous he is when filled with bloodlust in contrast! I love his bird story and him getting into wrestling as a child from Poker Night. I love his back story setting, there's so much to extrapolate from a young boy in Russia growing up during WWII, what his parents must have been through before that from the aftermaths of the revolution, all the way to his fathers execution and his imprisonment. I love his strong relationship with his family, his role as an older brother, as a protector, as a man - the way that he performs these roles - and because I personally see him as bisexual - how his orientation intersects with all that! He is incredibly fascinating to me and I wish that he was played around with more to see a lot more corners and angles of these things that I listed! There's way more that I want to say here too but this is getting very long 😅

Character I relate to: It's so interesting that a lot of the characters have very strong, tho maybe dysfunctional, families. Heavy, Demo, and Sniper in particular really speak to me in that relation. From Heavy being an eldest brother (I am also an eldest sibling) the parentification that comes with that, especially with him probably being like 10 years older than his sisters from the looks of it. Demo and Sniper both struggle living up to their parents expectations (although there's a lot of love there from everyone), being disappointments in one way or another (not gonna deep dive into that lol), and the general alienation both of them feel. From Sniper not knowing why he's not like other Australians to Demo being "a black Scottish cyclops." And well, I'm Filipino, I'm queer, and mentally ill so - there's a lot to project there!

Class you want to play as: I find Medic incredibly stressful to play as but I find the idea of battle medics incredibly funny. However I usually find myself rushing around madly trying to cater to everyone, and I'd like to just not give a shit and just start stabbing people with a saw lol

Favorite ship: "I just like the dynamic" - The dynamic:

No but fr, they're really compelling to me, I'd probably need a longer more thought out post as to what I like about them and I was already going crazy up there ^ Overall tho I like that they're practically built for each other in terms of mechanics, really plays into my desire to spiral into intense codependency haha. I also think that Medic's drive to cheat death and hide behind meat shields plays really well into Heavy's desire to be a meat shield and a protector, and how nice it is in turn, that Medic can grant this man who's been around death, starvation, and war invulnerability. (He outsmart boolet, yknow?) They're also depicted together a lot and I like how much they enjoy each others company, and bring a lot of joy to each other. It's beautiful to me :'^)

Character you like to draw: What can I say! Medic is handsome! He is very fun to draw and easy to make memes and shit posts out of!

[ask-the-pioneer]

// I'm fairly sure there is no Christmas in the Rain World universe. However, I can imagine slugcats celebrating some kind of holiday, probably based on the movement of celestial bodies, or seasons, perhaps a remembrance day dedicated to ancestors, or a local deity. You won't see organized religion in my AU, but spirituality does play a role in this universe.

One of these days I want to come up with a set of base concepts for things like... time, science, system of measurements, writing and literature, tropes, folklore, and so on. I'll admit it's not my forte, I like to think I excel at character interactions, depicting the raw emotion that feels believable. Inventing lore is a lot of work, but I have seen fellow RW fans come up with very compelling ideas for stuff like language, for example. I'm hoping to use some of that in my work, should the artist(s) give me permission. Fingers crossed!

[night-o]

More doodles of Jay and Kestrelwind, I'm supposed to be asleep but old man yaoi is more important. Is it old man yaoi tho if only one of them is an old man and the other one is middle aged? Either way I like coming up with ocs I'll probably forget in a few months.

I'll likely end up changing their patterns a bit but for now I'm happy with the general body structure I have going on for them.

Some lore for you about these two. Jay and Kestrelwind got in a bit of a scuffle when they first met because Jay was unknowingly trespassing on Cliffclan territory. Jay is very arrogant since he's used to being hot stuff back in his own territory at the nearby town so he got humbled really quickly when Kestrelwind beat him.

Shortly after that Jay joins Cliffclan. Kestrelwind is the one who shows him the territory, teaches him clan techniques, traditions and history. They grow to become very close friends and a great hunting/fighting duo. However after some time Kestrelwind retires, giving up his role as the clan deputy to become an elder since he thought the calm life would suit him. But he quickly realized that he missed the action, hunting, fighting, going on patrols, most of all he missed doing it with Jay. He quickly went back to being a warrior but he permanently gave up his role as deputy.

Jay in the meantime has a bit of a crisis. He was quite a playboy back when he lived in the twoleg town but Kestrelwind is the first tom he developed feelings for. He is usually arrogant and confident but stumbles like an idiot around him. Both of them are horrible at talking about their feelings though so they never formally address it, just slowly start sharing food, sleeping in the same nest, spending almost all their time together and consider each other 'partners'

It's pretty much an open secret that they're together but the clan doesn't really talk about it. They simply acknowledge them as mates even if nobody calls them that at their own insistence.

[cursedtrans]

Ryoshu and Grief

Ryoshu as a sinner is defined by her lust for blood, art, and the beauty that comes with both. However I think a large chunk of people realize that this is not her only trait, and this is something that has slowly been fed out across the Cantos and Egos we’ve gotten for her.

Spoilers for basically all of Limbus.

Since her reveal, we’ve had some plenty of reads that PMoon is not taking her inspiration, Hell Screen, as mere setup for an insane artist. Her constant connection with Spider-Bud and family shows that she is at the bare minimum connected to the lore of the family torn apart by lust for a perfect painting of Hell itself.

Ryoshu’s identity in relation to Hell Screen and a traditional family setup is something that honestly deserves more attention in a separate post, but it’s clear something massive happened between her family and it’s caused her a massive trauma response that triggers grief quite often...even if it doesn't seem like that.

Most of Ryoshu’s behavior is opposite to how people usually think of grieving, but it’s still a form of grieving nonetheless. She tries to repress her emotions through increasing forms of ecstasy. As someone who has depression and has gone through losses of my own, one of the possible responses you can have is to try to chase some emotion, regardless of what it is and how unhealthy it is for yourself and those around you. You’ll do anything for that warm feeling of positivity about yourself.

Regardless of this though, that sadness still exists in Ryoshu. We know this thanks to her mood during Canto 7 being rather quiet aside from the betrayal of Hugo, where she immediately decides to cut off his arms due to it being “unoriginal and played out”. Otherwise she’s being bristly towards the concept of family, but not actively aggressive or particularly violent. In fact, the one time I'd say she has a strong reaction in this Canto is to Sinclair's interpretation of her usual acronym stuff.

Ryoshu and Sinclair honestly ALSO deserve their own post because there is a lot to go into, but to put a cap on it I'll simply state that Ryoshu has a lot of emotions regarding Sinclair. It's the only thing that can rouse her aside from the art of betrayal she sees from Hugo, because the concept of family triggers her that much. There's a reason that the ONLY Ryoshu ID to have Gloom in their kit is Spider Eyes, because she's having to directly confront the very concept of family and protecting others, and it's reflected in her giving out more support than most of her other kits and in story by helping calm Yi Sang.

This sadness and desire to care exists across the Mirror Worlds as well, she just does a far better job of hiding it under her usual veneer of "insane artist only pursuing ecstasy". Edgar Family Butler is all about taking the role of caretaker of things, and she normally helps take care of her fellow butlers, only changing her attitude when they are about to be raided by the Wild Hunt and die. Even in something like her W Corp or 7 Association identities, she still has her kit showing off some support by giving out fragility for the team or even giving out barrier in W Corp.

No matter what she does, it's inescapable for her, and something she is desperately hiding away in order to keep things moving. The very same way Yosihide continued his painting, Ryoshu keeps spreading violence to hide away her grief. But it will always be there, underneath the surface, if you look closely enough.

Overall, it's a fascinating take on grief and how one can cope with it, and PMoon has always done a wonderful job on not taking the typical route with things. They did it before with Roland's grief, and it's clear that they're doing similar things with Hell Screen's adaptation. Also thanks to @lu-is-not-ok for inspiring me to write up more about one of my favorite sinners, since their posts analyzing The Red Chamber and Hong Lu fascinate me to no end. Additionally thanks to @ryoshudoodles for making beautiful art themselves and showing off the duality of Ryoshu's lust and gloom beautifully.

[betterwithbooksthanwithpeople]

things I noticed in The Outsiders musical seeing it a second time (2/20/25 matinee):

feel like putting a disclaimer that I've now seen the show twice but in two partial view locations (standing room today) and my memory is far from photographic so some of this might be stuff that happens every time that I just missed the first time or it stuck out to me differently

-the greasers were HYPED. UP. from the top of the show basically all the way to the drive-in. sooo much energy which is also how I felt getting to see the show again so I loved it

-really thought Andre Malcolm was a great Steve! also John Patrick Collins is back covering I don't even know what role because it's whoever Trevi is when he's not Ponyboy and I've seen him as Ponyboy both times lol

-during Grease Got a Hold Soda kept poking at Darry trying to get him to join in and he said either "don't talk to me" or "don't touch me" but with a little smile like he couldn't actually be annoyed with Soda

-at the end of Great Expectations and the scene after with Johnny and Dally, Johnny was rocking himself back and forth but as soon as Ponyboy would put the flashlight on him or Dally would look at him he'd stop

-honestly I think Sky played Johnny more fidgety/ shaky in general (I saw Josh last time). what's that line from the book that says Johnny is like a kicked puppy? that's what he was embodying

-Marcia did a little wave and "hey" at Two-Bit during Friday at the Drive In!

-Emma's vocals were eating in that song and especially I Could Talk to You All Night. I've seen her Cherry before but today? dangg

-Paul has a new boyfriend real?! bro was fully laying on the car stargazing and drinking with somebody (Chet maybe?)

-Ponyboy opt down in Far Away from Tulsa! now I know what y'all are going on about lol

-Ponyboy was SO out of it and Johnny was yelling SO much the whole way from when they get jumped through all of Run Run Brother and it was making me ahhh

-Cole was amazing as Paul, especially in Justice for Tulsa. He played it so angry that he was kinda scary, plus vocalsss

-maybe this is always the blocking for Death's at My Door so apologies to people who've seen the show more than I have, but when he's singing "I'll never leave you alone," Johnny put his hand out to take the knife from Ponyboy who repeated the line but just? wouldn't let go of the knife? to grab his hand? until they both sing the line together and fully make eye contact, then Pony finally gave back the knife after and Johnny did this little sigh of relief almost as he put it back in his pocket while keeping a hold on Pony's hand. it's a lot guys.

-Throwing in the Towel vocals were off the charts today. Brent and Jason were not messing around - the riffs

-Darry was so happy and united with the gang in Hoods Turned Heroes that I almost started the act two crying right then and there. he's just a kid proud of his little brothers

-Ponyboy was PISSED during Trouble like he was giving do NOT mess with me right now

-I am convinced Jason is in on the Parry lore because the faces he was making during the whole Paul/ Darry pre-rumble conversation were so loud I fully missed the first punch since my eyes were on Soda lol

-just everything about Ace in the rumble. yelling "get off of me!" and the genuine concern when Two Bit takes awhile to get up after and jumping into Dally's arms because they won - it was adorable (actually Tilly was just getting picked up so much? maybe that's her Ace's thing even more than others lol)

-Aramie put his whole heart and soul into Little Brother oh my gosh. Like fully sobbing for much of the song, looked a mess, scREAMED the "does anybody care" line?! I was crying so much that my friend pointed it out after the show pls

-speaking of crying, Darry was a whole mess not really in the argument part of the end scene but for the entire time Pony and Soda are talking at the dinner table - like, he'd visibly pull himself together in order to talk evenly when he had a line? but wouldn't look towards his brothers like he was hiding his tears? Brent Comer you understand Darry so well I'm so glad I got to tell you he's my favorite at the stage door

-overheard at the stage door: someone asked Trevi about the Johnny/ Ponyboy ship and he basically went "they're too young" hahaha

hours have passed somehow but this is all I've thought about and I've forgotten so many things and already want to see it again but yeah, yay outsiders

[blackstarchanx3new]

My pokegirl refs are finally done!!!

Currently not going to bother with SM USUM because...I don't feel like it lmfao.

There's a few more girl protagonists I could take a crack at but my love/nostalgia for the protagonists mainly spans 1-6 generation wise since customization got so heavily featured overtime and this "AU" I guess is mostly centered on "OC" versions of the protagonists from Pokémon.

This is what childhood joy is made out of.

For more context: These gals are based on my personal playthroughs of Pokémon games and the redesigns match what I'd personally think is comfy to wear/what would be cute on them ^w^

I wanna draw them with the teams I end up/have already done for them!

I'm very excited about that.

Going down the list I'll give some fun details about each gal (Yes I'll draw the boys/companion versions down the line too! They won't be left out for long.)

Gold -

I've decided for simplicity's sake "lore wise" my take on Gold is the same character from the GBC game to the remakes haha. So we get both outfits here.

Crystal-

The weird glitches I've done in Crystal virtual console are cannon to her adventure so she got caught in a time loop at the start of her journey resulting in her getting all three starters. (Because it's funny to me Dialga is messing with her)

Sapphire-

She is also the same between OG Sapphire and AS. I binge played both games and mained Sapphire both times soooo. It fits.

Her mega stone is on her cute lil bow because I despise jewelry even when it's drawn. (...yes that's why all these ladies have none)

I also am very jealous all the important characters with keystones get to have CUSTOM STUFF. It's truly not fair.

Pearl-

Haven't actually PLAYED her game yet so not much to say about her other than I adore this redesign and I love her so much. 😭

Hilda White and Rosa-

I wasn't just gonna name her "White" because that'd be silly as hell so she gets that as a last name I guess lmfao.

Her and Rosa don't have too much design changes because uhhh I happen to have a LOT of nostalgia for gen 5's protags and you can't add much to perfection. Her and Rosa have similar changes though since they deal with the cold (Especially Rosa because of kyurem's role in the story) I gave them jackets. ^w^ Girls need to be comfy.

Random detail that Pearl similarly got more coverage because that walk to snow point SUCKS.

Lady Y-

Lady Y is the reason I began this project.

When replaying Pokémon Y I decided to have my character be a cute girl who's obsessed with fashion be my vision for her character and it stuck the entire time I played.

She's a model. And Shauna is her GF.

Her full name is "Yveltal"...Because it's hilarious to me she just so happens to be named after the Pokémon known for sucking the life out of things. But her friends call her "Lady Y" because it makes her sound fancy.

She loves fighting trainers in that stupid battle chaetae which is how she funds her shopping sprees for clothes.

Her other interests are pokedex completion but ALL the pokegirls shown are deep into that so that's not a particularly special thing for her to do.

Her Ace is an Aegislash named "Sword".

She deeply apposes Lysandre because she thinks he's a pussy who can't except "The beauty of decay".

Her starter was Chespin who she basically immediately boxed lmfao. Idk what that says about her but it's what I did in my playthrough X'DDDD

Aegislash basically BECAME her starter and she had a Charizard.

[themyscirah]

What runs/stories do you recommend for someone starting WW? Could you please be specific (/nicely)

Yeah ofc!

My Wonder Woman Starter Recs (specific style 😎)

First stops: for an initial introduction to Wonder Woman, I'd generally recommend going to at least one of three places first. These three are:

Wonder Woman: Historia: The Amazons by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Wonder Woman: Year One by Greg Rucka

Wonder Woman: the Hiketeia by Greg Rucka

Of these I generally recommend reading Historia first, as it's a retelling of the origin of the Amazons as a race and how Diana came to be (so it essentially starts from the beginning) and is also the most recent of the them (if that means anything). Something to note about Historia though is that it's a DC Black Label book, so it's events aren't strictly canon in the main DCU and there are some changes and new elements present. I don't think this is something that should discourage anyone from reading it though, it's the best WW origin story out there, and even in strict main canon over the years her origin is one that has had many fluctuations and small (& sometimes big) changes. WW:Historia is three prestige format (longer) issues.

You'll notice the third book there is WW: The Hiketeia. Hiketeia is a great book if you're looking for a view into Diana as a professional and experienced hero. It's a graphic novel so standalone and not too long, and has a great Diana and really interesting plot (Diana vows to protect a young woman and finds herself pressed against the wheels of Greek Tragedy). This is also the first work with Diana done by Greg Rucka, one of her most prolific and loved writers. A sampling of this work (and also Historia) I think gives a good guide to where to go next in terms of runs on her main title.

Wonder Woman: Year One is the second book on the list up there, but I'm mentioning it last here as it's a bit more complicated in terms of format. Unlike other year one books, WW: Year One is actually a series of issues on her main title, showcasing Diana's arrival to man's world in Rebirth (and also current p sure) continuity. The issue numbering for this one is strange (only the even issues 2-14 on WW (2016)) so I recommend looking for this in trade form if possible.

These 3 books I think give a taste of some of the best standalone stuff in the Wonder Woman mythos, and give the reader a good idea of where they may want to go next in terms of longer runs on the title. So I'll break that down here as a Step 2.

STEP 2: WHERE NEXT?

Here I break down some highly recommended runs based on what they have in common with the standalone books from step 1. As a rule, these runs are going to be much longer than the above and generally more connected to the wider DCU and other books. Look for the italics to see the introduction to each new work. Explanation paragraphs follow after each italic/bold rec.

Curious about Greek mythology in WW and the Amazons' origins after reading Historia? Liked the prescence of a supporting cast and Diana learning about Man's World from Year One? Willing to read a longer run? I recommend: Wonder Woman by George Pérez

George Pérez's time on Wonder Woman totally reinvented the character after Crisis on Infinite Earths, and is fundamental in establishing many core concepts of her lore. At 62 issues, 2 annuals, and a 4-issue crossover event at the end (War of the Gods), it's definitely a commitment to read, but it's the most enduring and well-loved run on Wonder Woman for a reason--it's just that damn good. Lots of focus on mythology (although with a lighter tone than Historia) alongside Diana learning her role in relation to Man's World & establishing herself as a hero and ambassador. Pérez's run also has almost-certainly the most expansive and developed supporting cast in WW comics, something that really drives the emotional core of the series, especially in later issues. Obligatory note that this series was written between 1987 and 1992 and contains some very occasional aspects that I thought were in some way dated/uncomfortable etc. while reading (details of Cheetah's origin, depiction of the Bana-Mighdall, Hercules) but despite that I still highly, highly recommend this run. The word fundamental cannot begin to describe it.

Liked the experienced Diana of the Hiketeia? Interested to see her attempt to balance the high stakes responsibilities of an ambassador and superhero? Looking for some really badass moments and fights? Haven't read enough terrible tragedy? I suggest: Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka 2003 EDITION.

Some of Diana's coolest moments of all time are collected here. Also one of her most controversial. The 1st Rucka run is very much the story for anyone who liked the Diana of the Hiketeia and the tragedy of that and Historia. 2003 Rucka Diana is a Diana tested, forced to make decisions that are anything but easy, and live with the consequences. She's extraordinarily capable, but her enemies know that and are prepared to that end. This run, along with the Pérez run, rank among my favorite Wondy comics of all time (those and Historia are my top 3). This run is such peak Diana, especially in terms of sheer badassery. Her final confrontation with Medusa is in my opinion perhaps the greatest Wonder Woman fight scene of all time. Her encounter with Athena in the second-to-last issue breaks me every time. Cannot recommend this book more.

*a note abt this run is that it is more context-dependent than the other ones listed here, as it's the run that finishes out the Wonder Woman vol. 2 book and so has some guest appearances from characters introduced in other prior runs (Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, Cassie Sandsmark, and Vanessa Kapatelis, to name a few). I read this run before knowing much (if anything) about any of them, and still enjoyed it a lot, so I wouldn't be worried about this really but just thought I'd mention it.

Rucka's 2003 run is published from Wonder Woman (1987) #195-226. You can also find it in trade and I believe(?) omnibus. Sometimes the Hiketeia is included in collections of this series, as the 03 run is thematically similar in many places, just with a much deeper look at Diana and the world & with higher stakes.

Liked the specific characters and plot threads of Wonder Woman: Year One? Want to see what happens with Diana's exile, or learn more about Barbara Ann? Want a Diana in between the extremes of young and highly experienced? Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka 2016 EDITION may be for you.

...yes I'm putting ANOTHER Rucka book on here. He writes a great Diana, what can I say. This run is the same one that Year One came out of, just the follow ups to that story and versions of the characters. I have this run listed as separate from Year One though, as there's some really big time skips since the events of that first volume. A lot of time has passed since then, and there's more history between the characters, not all of it without drama. This run continues to be weird with the numbering, as well as some artist changes, so I definitely recommend looking into reading this in trade format (physical or digital) if at all possible. My recommended reading order is WW 2016 by Rucka vol. 2 "The Lies" (Wonder Woman: Rebirth Special #1, followed by 2016 main title odd numbered issues 1-11), then Rucka 16 vol. 3 "The Truth" (odds 13-23) then Godwatch (evens 16 through 24) followed by 25? But The Truth and Godwatch combine near the end so that doesn't really work either. This run is so good but recommending it is such a pain because the numbering is so all over the place. On God I never know which order to read this in. Going to revoke my previous statement and say read it as Rebirth Special 1, then only odds 1 through 11, then from 13 through 25 normally. That may lead to some weirdness as you read because the two stories take place at different times and have different art styles, but they come together at the end pretty dramatically so I think it's less confusing to read it this way? Maybe? So strange bc this is one of the go to good starter runs and yet it's set up so unintuitively. If someone has a better way to read this then let me know and ill edit, ik this explanation is super confusing bc neither way to read it is totally ideal imo and I feel I definitely read it in a weird order.

Going to call that a good rundown of some of my greatest recommendations in terms of Wonder Woman comics. If anything wasn't fully clear here or anyone (not just anon) has questions or wants to talk abt WW comics/my choices feel free to send as many asks or dms as you want. Have a good day everybody, & as Diana says, may the glory of Gaea be with you <3

[cherrytimemachine]

Ok. Is it just me, or is the lore in SOTM absolutely insane?

I can't be the only one who thinks this is ridiculous. I mean the sci-fi bullshit thing was already overstaying it's welcome with the whole remnant collection stuff in SL, then it got weirder with the illusion disks and especially the gas chamber thing, and now this? It's like the lore just keeps getting crazier and more absurd.

Don't get me wrong, I like this game. I have a few gripes with it, but overall I like the gameplay and the storytelling throughout most of it. It's really towards the end where it's giving me an aneurysm.

Like, can we all agree that the underground pizzeria thing doesn't make much sense? This is 1979, right? FNAF 1 comes after FNAF 2 in the timeline, yet they have the FNAF 1 designs for the characters? At the very least, wouldn't it be the Withered models in prototype form?

Also, why would he need this underground pizzeria to create character prototypes? It would be one thing if they were just in a storage unit or something, but this dude built a whole pizzeria underneath the building. How?? And why?? Did he do that??

It feels like they're trying to compensate for the total confusion that was created with the underground pizzeria in SB, but they just added a new layer to the lore that made it even more confusing. Then there's the whole thing with the house and how apparently William took it from Edwin, so now he owns the house, and I guess that's how he got ownership of the place that would become Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental? Again, why would William have any interest in Edwin's house?

There are two things that really peeved me when I saw them: one, adding in Edwin and giving him the title of "guy who actually made most of the stuff"; and two, the crazy ass backstory with Edwin and the Mimic.

I'll start with the character creation thing first. I don't mind Edwin being the original creator of the SB animatronics, it's just the originals that feel weird. It doesn't make much sense to suddenly add in this new character and assign him a role in the story that was previously, for many years, filled by a different person. I know I'm not the only one to ask this, but what the fuck does Henry do then? Henry has been set up for years, starting with the novel series, as the robotics side of the company and the one who made all of the robots, specifically the main 4 and the springlocks. All of that was Henry's domain; that wasn't something they needed to create a new explanation for. We had a guy to fill that role already, and instead of using him at all, they vaguely name dropped him twice to be like "oh yeah he's still here" without clarifying any of the specifics of what Henry actually did. It feels like he's even more invisible than he was before, and now lacks a chunk of the relevancy that made him so important to the franchise. It's left unclear whether Edwin actually made the original cast or if they were commissioned, but he does freak out at one point and said all his stuff was stolen. Even if it was the commission option, it still feels kinda weird. Again, Henry was supposed to be the guy who made the characters, so what happened with that? It would make more sense (to me at least) if their partnership with MCM was for the recording stage and the MCM designs were for Fredbear and Friends or the record album. Now we don't even know if the ideas for the characters belonged to Henry or not, which was something that seemed cut and dry before.

It's not that I don't like Edwin's character, they actually did a nice job of characterizing him compared to the rest of the ones in the franchise, but that's also part of the problem. Instead of elaborating on characters that already existed prior and delving more into them, they just introduce new ones and give them the character depth and lore relevance that is lacking in the original cast. Edwin and his family are given the privilege of having rounded personalities, backstory prior to the main events of the game, and even real human faces to put to the names. Why can't we have that with William and Henry? Henry was in one game. He was unreachable the whole time, dropped a few tidbits of lore about his daughter and his relationship with William, and then he died and was never mentioned again until now. He didn't even specify that his name was Henry, it's implied in the blueprints and assumed from the novels.

Speaking of the novels, Edwin is literally just the novel version of Henry with a new coat of paint slapped on it. They're both neglectful dads who are too absorbed in their work to actually interact with their children, they both made their child cry and had very weird tone-deaf responses to it (Edwin when he scared baby David with the puppet Roxy and Henry when he just took apart that frog toy for Charlie and she freaked out even more), they both ended up as single parents (Edwin's wife died and Henry's wife left and took Sammy), they both live in secluded houses that connect to a goddamn underground pizzeria where the Funtimes were kept, they both built fucking robots to replace their dead child/family member (Edwin did that shit twice), they were both absorbed in their grief and projected that grief onto the robot they built to replace said dead child to the point where the robot learned anger and resentment, and they were both eventually killed by their creation (Henry on purpose and Edwin as an unintended consequence). I thought we left that robot replacing a human thing behind, but here we are again.

The Charliebot thing was weird as hell when it happened in The Fourth Closet, but apparently Scott really likes the idea of a depressed dad rebuilding his child as a robot as their weird form of coping. Honestly, I think the Mimic stuff is worse. The Charliebot thing was already strange with the "four versions of Charlie where one is her doll and one is Circus Baby" nonsense, but now there's a robo-wife who used to be the og Mimic who's now trapped in a computer, and the current Mimic was a replacement for David. I thought the whole point of the Mimic was that it was basically David's best friend and Edwin destroyed it because it kept copying his son after David died, which also happened in the game, it's just that the M2 was supposed to be a new David, and it wasn't even finished when he destroyed it because he had the Henry Emily experience of discarding your batshit project after finally realizing it's not gonna fix your loss.

He kept a robo-wife for like a year and actually treated M1 like it was his dead wife, and now it's trapped in a computer (also M1 is MXES too now so how does that work exactly)? Plus it turns out Fazbear Entertainment wasn't forcing the technicians to get the Mimic because it was M1 the whole time? Did Fazbear Entertainment not notice that a lot of their technicians were being called on projects and then going missing? How long has M1 been doing this? How exactly did M1 manage to call all of these people and know their names ahead of time? I don't understand what the hell is going on here.

Also, what happened to the Mimic after the game? I'm guessing the canon ending would be either the one where you hand the Data Diver over or the Parachute Ending, but then what happened to the Mimic? It stole the blueprints to create more of itself or adapt or something, right? So did it just go back down to MCM and sit there for a while? Oh yeah, that also means that MCM is where the Pizzaplex will be at some point. So not only is that spot both the MCM and the Pizzaplex, but it's also the FFPS location, the SL rental service, and they all connect to the house in SL which was Edwin's but now William owns it or something. It's very over the top and unnecessarily convoluted.

I don't know, it just feels like everything is wrong. It's not like this exact storytelling issue hasn't happened before, this type of shenanigans has been a staple of the FNAF story since FNAF 4 and SL. When Scott makes a game with too many questions that don't have concrete answers or don't make sense, he uses the next game to switch the clarification on parts we thought we understood pretty definitively instead of actually filling in the parts that were needing more information. It's a cycle of trying to fill holes in the story with even crazier stuff that ends up opening even more holes until it's like a slice of mutilated cheese that was run over by a bus ten times.

[ask-skid-and-pump]

(Heya, uh- hi! Ele here. For obvious 'different story' purposes this'll be a sort of alternative way that furybeasts[the species i almost always rp] and humans get along. Clarifying now, the main one I'll be role-playing will be in the disguise of a human, so at first they won't know what species she truly is and will think she is a fellow human, but her and her allies- the other furybeasts- will have some pretty deep lore and plot stuff going on. Just warning you now, in the canon plot there is a hydra and a few brutal deaths, one involving the lover of the main character. BUT to fit the whole 'no NSFT stuff I will instead have them just get badly hurt and the hydra be offered a chance at redemption! If... thats okay with you [ignore me if its not] I'll get on with the plot.)

*A short-ish teen wearing a grey hoodie(hood up), dark trousers and a small necklace alongside black sneakers silently left one of the houses that were recently moved into. It was a quiet night, with little to no traffic, so nobody would notice her. At least, that was until she saw a pair of kids dressed in costumes acting like it was October. It wasn't. She just raised a curious eyebrow. It wasn't commonplace back home for her to see humans or other species dressing in costumes and acting as if it were a big deal, and this had piqued her interest.*

(Usually I get her to use my own name as a disguise name for these but I was thinking of giving her something else for a disguised name for these sorts of things- so I'm thinking she'll call herself Kori. No clue what imma do about her real name being 'Nightwolf primal' tho-)

(Lotta text there buddy 😅)

*the two kids were just running in circles*

[creatingblackcharacters]

Hi Ice! This one is maybe a little on the outskirts of 'creating Black characters', but it is related to the introspective questions you posted a little while back, so I thought I'd ask for your opinion. I'm sure this isn't an one-easy-answer thing, so I'd love to hear from any other Black people reading this as well!

I'll try to keep it short.

I'm seven years and 300k+ words deep in a fanfiction about anthropomorphic animal characters, and your introspective questions made me face the fact that I've been the ignorant fandom racist. I wrote my main character as white. Now, 7 years later, I stumble over a post pointing out ... those are locs

I don't know if the authors intended for this character to be Black (nonblack voice actors, supplementary material also clearly doesn't draw him this way, though that stuff was all over the place re: consistency) and I frankly also am not sure if they Should have, given his role in the narrative, but a) that's not really up to me to speak on and b) he's got locs and mostly black fur and was inspired by Anubis. I've been whitewashing, there's no way around it.

I briefly considered going back and just straight up changing the story to make him Black, but I quickly realized that I have been writing him from a white-centered narrative and just slotting a Black character into that would arguably be Worse. Or at least racist in a brand new way. I can change how he takes care of his hair, but not the themes on which the entire narrative is built upon. I've been writing about a white man and I can't just pretend I haven't.

So my question to you is ... what now? How do I best acknowledge this? Do I just quietly come to terms with the fact that this story is racist and do better next time? I would like to acknowledge it in some way, I have a small but loyal audience and if I could use that platform to start a conversation (or just put out a 'hey, don't be like me') that would ... maybe at least be better than nothing? Possibly?

I know there's not a simple solution here that will Fix It, but I thought I'd ask an actual Black person who's open to educating what might be a good next move. Maybe avoid making another, new White Person Blunder. Here's to hoping.

I really appreciate all you do, your blog rocks and so do you.

Is that Shadow?

Okay, so I had to have a conversation with Hot Chocolate on this one because this one's a doozy! I appreciate that you're willing to stop and reflect though. Most people wouldn't be willing to do so this far in!

Admittedly, the fact that you're seven years into this means this will require a lot of effort. And, tbh, I might be confused bc I cannot tell what that character is 😅 So! After some thought, here's what we came up with:

Take a hiatus. Point blank period. Take a BREAK, do not pass go, do not collect $200! Idk what lore you've written, but you've written a lot of it. Take as long as you need to reread your works, and see if at any point you ever made it clear that this was a white person, or anything other than the Black character you now think they should be. If it feels undefined, where you can turn "hair" into "locs" or add in small details, then that could be your smooth way out. It doesn't have to be massive changes, but it could help. It'll take you time, for sure! But you dug seven years in, it's gone take you time to dig out. Maybe if you skim 15k words a week (or ctrl-F it for hair, for examples), that's... 20 weeks? Go at your own pace, faster or slower.

Unfortunately this happens a lot, where influences for characters will be taken from cultures of colors and improperly represented (the "African" god from Genshin). That's just a fact. So I don't necessarily blame you for the confusion, but... Now you know.

If possible, get a sensitivity reader! Preferably a Black one. Ngl, given the massive amount of work, you're likely going to have to pay them. Maybe give them half and you take half. Idk, but let another pair of eyes look at your work. Or maybe there's a Black reader that you could speak to and see how they feel about the potential change.

Should you choose to keep going, just try to be more purposeful and intentional about that character's Blackness. Definitely tell your readers what you figured out, why it's important to you, and then move forward from there.

Now, RECOGNIZE that many of them will NOT be pleased! That's kind of the thing about opening your eyes when it comes to racism in media! A lot of people will NOT be happy that you decided to be more intentional, especially if they've been imagining their favorite white guy for seven years. You're going to have to weigh your integrity and your will to create against that. People might leave, people that you thought were cool AF until it was time to show true colors. Be ready for that.

But that's just what I would do 🤷🏾‍♀️

[heyftinally]

May I ask what's the deal with these Dan and Phil guys?

Lmao that's a hell of a question. I'm guessing you DON'T want to full 2009-2025 lore dump, so I'll give you the TLDR

They both started on youtube doing classic 2010's style comedy videos. Lolz random type stuff. And they're funny and relatable, so they gained a following.

Over the years they've maintained their comedy angle, adapting with the times and with their own maturity, and built a fan community that was equal parts unhinged and safe space (a weird combo, but somehow it worked). Dan used to give slightly hyperbolic advice on his channel and shared stories of his own past failures to remind others that nobody knows that they're doing or has it all together. Phil has often been known to try new things and make a point to express the message that being yourself and doing things you enjoy are important, even if other people don't really understand you.

A few years ago they both came out as gay, and took on an even more active and prominent role promoting an accepting safe space, self acceptance and love, and mental health.

Now their primary content is on their (possibly soon to rebrand) joint gaming channel, and it's main focus is creating content that they find enjoyable to make that their viewers enjoy as a means to escape from the pressures and stresses of daily life, if only for a few minutes. All done through a lens of literally over a decade of built up lore, inside jokes with fans and each other, and playful jabs about how cringe we all were in 2010.

The fan community has since matured, and now it's just a bunch of us creating fan content and making connections and enjoying what Dan and Phil create. Dan and Phil are literally the reason I have a girlfriend right now, to give you an idea of how much of an impact their content and influence has had.

[mayzi33]

*clears throat.*

(apologize in advance for any mistakes english isn't my first language)

Alright. Here we go.

Look, I haven't watched MLP in a LONGGGG time. But recently with all the stuff I missed our and since the fandom is still pretty much alive and well I decided to take peek by peek in the seasons I haven't watched.

Until I came across, these guys

And I have so much to say.

I didn't write a script for this or anything so I don't know where this rambling is going so I just ask you to bear with me for as much as you can, okay?

Look, watching the Young Six episodes I've experienced one of the things that angers me the most. SUCH. WASTED. POTENTIAL.

You're telling me we got whatever the hell is G5 when instead we could have gotten THESE GUYS???? THESE COOL, UNIQUE CHARACTERS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE AN INTERESTING STORY THAT MAKES SENSE AND HAVE SI MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE ONE OF THE SICKEST LORE ARCS IN MLP???

I homestly don't know what Hasbro WAS THINKING in giving them so little screentime. There's so much I have to say but I'll try my best to keep my thoughts organized.

First things first, we'll need to talk a little about G5 or "Make Your Mark" series or whatever. I personally enjoyed the movie, though the story didn't make much sense (we'll get to that later) the characters were pretty nice, the songs were catchy and the animation was mwah. I didn't bother to watch all of the G5 series, because- (pardon to all who enjoy it) it's so. Freaking. Boring. Like I know there's a pony girl that's supposed to be a traitor among them but then grows onto being their actual friend and there's a villainess and that whole conflict and yada yada yada. But honestly there just isn't anything I found enganging in the entire thing. I can't explain it, it just feels- off. I know I probably don't have much right to talk, cause again, only now I'm diving into the mlp again after missing out A LOT, but I just can't bring myself to like that series.

Now, the whole School Of Friendship saga in the G4 series with our beloved Young Six, I know some people had some issues with it and it didn't please everyone, and while it does have some flaws and is certainly not perfect, you can't deny there was lots of potential. (I'll try to not overuse that word I'm sorry)

I personally, really liked the concept of different creatures from different cultures coming together and forming the perfectly diverse friend group. Episodes like The Hearth's Warming Club and What Lies Beneath were particuarly really fun, it was nice to dive into their cultures and backstories while also watching the six of them be vulnerable in front of one another and grow closer. If only they had more screentime and more deep episodes like that, they could have been in the top 10 found families in cartoons.

Now, just some other reasons as to why I think they're interesting characters and should've gotten more than what was given to them.

Because

1- Their whole deal is that they're not all ponies, that they're all different species. We get to learn lots about their different cultures and customs. It would've been such a good way to teach children about acceptance and respecting differences while also being entertaining. Especially in a school enviroment.

2- We got not one, but TWO male characters in the group. It would make little boys that are interested in mlp feel more comfortable and valid for it. AND those two males also have distinct personalities and their own active roles. Gallus being sort of the leader of the group, and Sandbar being the only pony therefore the one to stand up for his friends.

3- While they're supposed to be the new represantives of the elements of harmonies, their personalities are still interesting and different from the Mane 6.

Onto that, I really like how it's implied they could be the next helders (or whatever its called) of the elements of harmony. Given their special connection to the tree, how similiar they are to the previous groups (Mane 6 and The Pillars) and how Twilight LITERALLY LIFTED THEM UP AS WELL WHILE SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE ELEMENTS WILL LIVE ON, it would've been such a cool concept.

Onto that, I wanna talk a bit about each of their characters too and how I think they could've been dealt with.

Gallus is the element of magic, but unlike Twilight who's all open and confident-spoken about friendship and all, Gallus is probably the one in the group that's the most closed-off and dislikes getting all cheesy. It would've been interesting seeing his development as the helder ot the element of magic. AND ESPECIALLY since he doesn't have magic in the first place, since Twilight and Starwirl were unicorns. So maybe he could make posions? Get powers someway else? Many posibilities

Sandbar is the element of kindness, but unlike Fluttershy he's extrovert and down to making friends. His overrall personality is that he's constantly very chill-going and nothing seems to ever upset or annoy him. So it also would've been interesting to see how that pattern would break, especially because of his element.

Yona is the element of honesty. She's probably the one that has the hardest time adapting to the Equestrians among the group, and even tried to act like a pony instead of herself one episode. It would've been interesting to see how her element of honesty reflects on how she should be true to herself, especially since her Yak culture comes a lot with honor.

Ocellus is the element of genority, yet, unlike Rarity, she's a lot more like Fluttershy, being timid and insecure, while also being smart and well-read like Twilight. It would've been nice if her development with her element would be gaining confidence in herself and being generous to others that way. Especially since she has a fear of being like the old changling queen (forgot her name) so imagine if she just turned out to be the opposite of her. Instead of selfish and cruel, being generous and kind.

Smolder is the element of loyality, but also like Gallus, she's also not into getting cheesy. But what I find imteresting about her is how she tries to keep her tough, agressive persona (since thats how dragons are) yet it is revealed she's actually interested in cute, fluffy stuff like tea parties and dresses. So it would've been cool to see her growing confident in admiting her interests, therefore being more like Rainbow Dash, who's always confident on herself

And last but not least, Silverstream is the element of laughter. But what's hooking about it is the fact that Silverstream herself probably hasn't KNOWN what laughter is for a long time, having to hide under The Storm King's rule. She's very talkctive, creative and extrovert, like Pinkie Pie, but she also has her trauma that haunts and intimidates her, unlike Pinkie who usually faces her fears headfront. Another great development story.

So just hear me out, okay. I don't care if MLP is over. I don't care if there's G5.

We. Need. A. Young. Six. Spin-off. Series.

I know it sounds crazy, but I genuely think this idea could work out if it was handled well enough, and Hasbro could make some good money out of this.

Just bear with me. A spin-off series set on the timeline between season 8-9 aka, still on the School Of Friendship, focused entirely on the Young Six. We could still get the Mane 6, of course, but mostly as support characters. It doesn't have to be a particularly long series, (though maybe that could work as well IF handled with enough care) maybe just 2 seasons or so. And I'm not thinking like a slice-of-life or fun little extra kind of thing, I'm thinking of ACTUAL lore. Just more about how the tree and the elements work, and how these six students could grow into being their new helders. In each episode it becomes more and more evident to them and the Mane 6 themselves that they're going to be the next generation of the elements. So imagine once they all fully it figure out and talk about it, the Y6 suddenly feel this pressure about how they're supposed to live up to their teachers and fear that they have to be EXACTLY like them. So we see Sandbar taking extra kindness classes with Fluttershy, Yona taking extra honesty classes with Applejack and heck even Gallus is taking studies more seriously (especially since he's supposed to be the element of magic which again I find imteresting since he doesn't really have magic at least not the way Twilight and Starwirl do. ) So we could have an entire episode about the M6 getting through to them and showing they don't have to be JUST LIKE THEM nor The Pillars. They can be their own people.

Another main-plot idea would be having more villains, probably trying to test them or tear them apart (cough cough like Swift Foot from the idw comics cough cough) or maybe you could even fit someone as intense as King Sombra, or maybe even even the return of Tirek, Cozy Glow and Chrysalis in there. (I remembered her name yay)

And, of course, more onto their characters, flaws, backstories and cultures! I would love to see more about their people and customs, just as much as I would love to explore their traumas, fears, ugly sides and how they overcome it together (cough cough found family COUGH COUGH GAGS)

And another thing, I especially would've liked to explore Yona's and Sandbar's relantioship.

I MEAN LOOK AT THEM-

Don't they give massive beauty-and-the-beast vibes? I love how their colors and body types contrast with one and another, and their personalities aswell. Yona being loud, cheerful and clumsy while Sandbar is calm, thoughtful and carefree. I just love the big girl x soooorta small guy vibes and I especially loved how gentle and reassuring Sandbar was towards her in that episode. I mean, "I don't care if you're not a pony, you're the best Yona I know." SERIOUSLY? WHO WROTE THAT LINE? I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A HUG. And also, onto the spin-off series matter, it would also be a cool topic to explore. Imagine if some ponies/yaks are judging them for having a relantioship while being different species and they learn to ignore them and live past that??? I usually don't care much for romance, (always prefered friendship and found families) but this would've been a nice little arc and episode theme to see.

Lastly, (I'm almost done I promise) to the more technical/economical part.

Like I said in the beggining, I genuely think Hasbro could make some good money out of this. Firstly because it will be using the G4 characters and lore and not...whatever mess of a plot G5 is.

And secondly because, if they took the time to give them some cool power-up designs like they did with the Mane 6, I'M SURE the toys would sell.

I mean- JUST LOOK AT THESE COOL DESIGNS I FOUND ON THE INTERNET?? (not mine, credits to whoever made it, you ate that)

DON'T THEY LOOK LIKE A TOY SET THAT WOULD CATCH THE CHILDREN'S EYES ON THE TOY AISLE? OH YES I THINK THEY WOULD.

And if anything, they could be as bold as to make an extra Equestria Girls (well, girls and boys) series with them. I know it sounds kinda dumb, especially given the fact that I'm not sure about how that would work given that when Spike went to the "human dimension" or whatever he turned to a dog... So Smolder would also be a dog? Sandbar would be the only actual human in the group?... BUT I'm sure they could come up with some excuse to make it work. Give them some cool, colorful outfits for different events and I'm sure it would sell. And ESPECIALLY since with Gallus and Sandbar in the group, it could get the attetion of young boys aswell.

Anyways. That was it.

Uhm. Conclusion: Hasbro should hire me. I know what I'm talking about. I think. At least a bit.

And I genuely think this could work if only SOMEONE gave it the time and care.

I don't know how to end ramblings so uhmmmm thank you all for coming to my pep talk.

They deserved better.

[kittycoffeeheart]

So... The PVP Civilization grand finale.

I'm not gonna go through the whole "I can't believe it's over now" thing. Just wanna share my thoughts on it.

When I first started watching PVP Civ, I didn't know whether I liked it or not. After a certain point, it got too hard to keep up with the lore, it was all jumbled up in my head every time I watched a new episode, so I started watching the finale with literally no idea what to expect. And y'know what?

I came back satisfied.

Not sad. Not angry. Just satisfied. I've become a big angst lover recently, especially when it involves character deaths. I don't know why I enjoy it, I'm not a big crier and I don't get overly happy about it, it's just satisfying in a weird way. There's not too much I can recall outside Evbo being stuck getting killed repeatedly for the rest of his life and Clown dying because I was in a rush to get somewhere while watching, but the main thing I focused on above all other parts of the episode was Teddy.

I've had a weird thing for that one rude parkour pro with the sunglasses ever since I gave him a role in a fanfic of mine where he ends up not dying, and I actually became really fond of him over time. I gave him the nickname Ted based off who I assumed to be his voice actor not knowing if he had a canon name. My fondness for him definitely carried over to PVP Civ, and I was happy he got a relevant role this time. Like, REALLY happy. Okay, I won't lie, I was sad after watching the finale, but the rest of the episode? Nah. Teddy's death right after recording his first video journal hit me differently. I wasn't completely satisfied. I was sad for him, even more after learning his name is actually Teddy. I'll never forget you, buddy. I wish I could shed some tears for you, but I'm just not that emotional of a person.

Some other stuffs I'd like to add.

The animated fight scene was epic, dare I say potentially more epic than the animation in the Parkour Civilization finale, but I think I just like the warm lighting more. I took a look at the comments, and I literally sighed when I saw someone mentioning Seavbo yaoi. I'm just not a big fan of the ship and think it's extremely overrated, but that's just me.

Time to theorize about what series idea Evbo's cooking up next.

...

OH COME ON JUST GIVE US PARKOUR CIV SEASON 3 ALREADY PLEASE PLEASE PLE-

[3416]

I'm new to Leafs hockey and im trying to understand all the hype about about how much Auston and Mitch are such a big deal as a duo? I stumbled upon your blog and it seems like you'd be in the know 😂 please help i wanna be in the know!

JFKJDSKLFS LOL. i fear i've made the two of them and their bond my entire personality at this point and made it my mission to document everything they do the past couple years so fsjdfkls YOU'D BE RIGHT. i could probably write an essay about this, but if you just want to know about their hockey, they play very complementary styles as players, they wanted to play together for a long time after bonding as rookies but weren't allowed, and then once they did, both of them have had pretty insanely impressive careers next to each other. i think the really really short answer to this question of why mitch and auston are known as such a duo is because they want to be, lol. they're close friends, they love playing hockey together, and they use their leverage as elite players to be on the same line as much as physically possible season after season, no matter the gm or coach. but i'll give a longer answer abt their hockey too.

auston's a wonderful two way centerman who can score 60+ goals a year BECAUSE he has one of the best playmakers on his wing, and their chemistry is insane and they've been nurturing it for ageeeees, basically since the start of their careers (peep this warmup routine they started around.. 2018? i think? where they spend the entire last 2 minutes just passing back and forth and feeling good abt themselves ((they also have a ton more small rituals together in warmups but i digress)). it's a highlight when you see leafs hockey in person). one of the things that makes them compelling to me is that their positions are actually flipped from the usual goalscorer/playmaker combo, like usually a center is the more pass-first guy and your winger is the goalscorer but their tendencies are opposite so they naturally fit and embrace those roles. mitch is also really dedicated to the defensive side of the game though, both of their names come up in the selke convo, and it just tells you that the way they've grown as players over the years has really been rooted in the same philosophy.. like you know they talk the game and love the game and love to communicate. they're also on track to essentially be the two best leafs of all time (nylander will be the third but his game isn't as rounded out as theirs and his success isn't as tied to 1 specific person the way mitch/austons is ((or the way they clearly want it to be... like they WANT to be known as a duo and if you don't believe me... believe this excerpt from elliotte friedman where he says matthews has made it known he wants to play with marner longterm to the front office lol))). last year mitch and auston broke the leafs franchise record for most goals factored in on by a pair of teammates (and if you want to see every goal within that 240+ list, i'm posting them on twitter here as they go) and they're only halfway through their careers if they stay healthy (PRAY) SO LIKE.. they are on track to do special stuff for this franchise (they already have... like mitch became the fastest player to 700 points for the leafs earlier this season and auston's going to break HIS record this year just back to back... they get to break records in tandem like that).

if you want to know about their lore and personal connection off the ice, you can check out these primers i've made about them (first, second). although i haven't updated the second for the past 2 seasons, you can search my blog for #1634 and then #2324 (for the 23-24 season) or #2425 (for this current season) for content of them lately. if anything's broken or you're looking for something specific lmk, but they basically came into the league the same year and imprinted on each other and have wanted to play hockey together ever since tbh. whenever the leafs get stale and need a change up, they'll swap them and give them different linemates, but it won't last long in all honesty (and they've been outwardly annoyed abt it before too), lol. they're always gonna revert back to what they know works, even though they have their down times as all line combos do. don't let this years stats fool you. auston's playing injured and way under producing for normal/has missed a lot of time. it's not exactly a typical year for them, but they're still a trustworthy combo in all zones against any line in the league and morre importantly..... they just enjoy playing hockey together, lol. you see lots of players around the league that want to be teammates forever, but these guys want to be LINEMATES forever in essentially every situation (neither of them ever leave pp1 unit and auston's started penalty killing this year and you'll never guess who they put him out there with a lot of the time lol) and are unhappy when they're not for any extended stretch of time.

sorry for a mini essay here, but that's mostly just the hockey part. i hope it somewhat answers your question and i hope you enjoy exploring more about them!!! i don't think there's a dynamic in the league quite like it, on or off the ice, which is why i love them.

[muffin-snakes-art]

Hi. So I’m not a Layton guy and all THAT familiar with the lore, but a close friend of mine is, and as far as I understand Layton has a dead girlfriend? Can I please know who Magolor’s dead girlfriend equivalent in this AU is? I’m legitimately so curious. /pos

I have been thinking A LOT about which Kirby character would fit Claire's (dead gf) role. In the end I chose Taranza bc I feel he and Claire are the most similar in character. They're both really good at what they do (Claire: brilliant scientist - Taranza: immaculate mage), quick thinkers, humble, and have a lot of love to give.

I'll explain more under the cut (along with images of Claire and younger Layton for design ref), but Taranza could've also fit in as a couple other characters bc I made Sectonia as Descole. In this essay I will-

In Kirby there's an interesting connection between Magolor and Taranza. Primarily based on that one Magolor portrait in that haunted house in Triple Deluxe (like ok huh????) and also that one Star Allies Wave 3 illustration.

With that portrait existing, to me it implies that Magolor has met Taranza and Sectonia before the events of the game somehow. This theory is further backed up with the Old Friend mask in Merry Magoland. Magolor would HAVE to have known what Joronia looked like before her transformation, and that means he would also have met Taranza too at that time. I could be completely wrong about this HAHA but those are my thoughts on that.

When Wave 3 was announced, I didn't think much on the connection of the 3 characters other than they were from the first three core games of modern Kirby. But then they posted this art piece.

It's so cute how Magolor and Taranza combined their magic to create a shield for Kirby!! Both of their respective magic circle designs are melded together perfectly. Did they practice together on their own to perform this or was that a lucky in-the-moment occurrence? Either way, they must know and understand each other's magic abilities to a decent extent. Like how both Claire and Layton understands each other's careers and goals. Layton is a professor in archeology. Claire is a scientist researching time travel and other stuffs. Those fields go hand in hand, and the two do what they can to support and improve each other's passions.

Now onto the other characters that Taranza would've fit as and reasons why I ended up putting him as Claire.

So I put Sectonia as Descole. Descole has an extremely loyal partner/butler/henchman named Raymond. Yea Taranza would easily fit as him, but a few things made me decide not to. Descole may appear cold and not show it, but even in his madness he cares for Raymond. He does order Raymond around, but he still gives Raymond freewill to do as he pleases. Sectonia is very controlling over Taranza. If Raymond were to make mistakes, I don't see Descole punishing him for them. Sectonia would. She blasted Taranza away for mistaking Dedede as the hero of the lower world. Maybe when she was Joronia she wouldn't and wasn't as controlling but....I feel we don't have the full story on their relationship. I also focused more on Sectonia's overall in-game personality. I absolutely love seeing the two spiders enjoying each other's company and having fun, but in-game we never really got what Joronia really thought of Taranza. As Sectonia, she saw him as a disposable servant. You can say her personality was corrupted by the mirror, but I personally believe the mirror actually amplified her negative feelings and views. Negative emotions are brought up a lot in Kirby lore. I personally find that more interesting than just the mirror possessing her or something. I may be very wrong on that, but those are what I thought about.

Last reason, which is uhm, Raymond saves Descole from death FGDHSJ I don't think I need to elaborate on that. It would be so neat and ironic to have Taranza as Raymond, but I also wanna keep things in line as possible with Kirby lore canon.

Yet, who could be Raymond then? Idk fgdsj that's why I struggled so much. If Claire wasn't an option, Taranza would've been Raymond.

Now the one other character Taranza could've fit as is Descole's late wife. His wife was never mentioned by name, to my memory, and didn't have a huge role in the games. There's not enough information on who she was. I wanted to give Taranza a fitting role in personality and importance.

So in the end after all that thinking, Claire it is! I also don't know who else in the Kirby cast would fit her better and be Professor Magolor's late partner. One may think Susie would fit Claire more, but I've already decided she will be Emmy. Emmy's and Susie's personalities are very similar to me. And Emmy's lore? Fits quite well with Susie's. I'll draw that at some point.

So uh yea. Thanks for reading all that if you did! Hope you enjoyed the insanity