#PRISM method

[friendofcars]

the length of this post im drafting...... it's the td3 pov data :)

[otkuhotgirl]

─── 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆

# with vice-admiral smoker.

the point of your lover's weapon has a small piece of sea-prism stone. you, wickedly, happen to find it'd be just as useful on your heels.

⎰ & KINKTOBER, day nine. smut (mdni!) boot worship. tights. teasing. choking. office!sex. afab!reader. no y/n used.

WC: 2k.

the path of a marine officer was complicated; oftentimes disappointing. the naive trust in the justice code had died ages prior, buried underneath piles of bitter dirt, destined to rot alongside the witnessed corruption, lodged within the walls of the organization whose code he once chose to surrender his freedom to follow. smoker grew harsher, more prone to snapping; the character of his career and the never-ending growth in pirate activity all but a fuel. tashigi — meekly — pointed out that perhaps the cause of such annoyance came from a tendency to overwork himself. hina — on her hand, revolted — stated that he needed to get laid.

the latter proved to be correct.

yet, the road that led him to you had done it so in an agonizing pace. as quite a known, high in hierarchy, marine officer, the pursuit of love had to be engulfed in wariness. smoker was one responsible for the capture of an innumerable amount of pirates, most harmless to those with certain skill yet for sure lethal to a common civilian. escapes were more often than not ruled out, but one could never be too sure, meaning that a relationship engaged with an individual unable to fend for themselves was improbable — which left him with either pirates, revolutionaries, or a co-worker. marines, however, either incompetent or insufferable, save for a select group.

smoker had not once envisioned himself in a loving embrace with those of shared values and career, for the thought alone of finding one interesting enough seemed but a wild dream. that was, of course, until he caught a glimpse of you.

rather than losing himself in the reasoning forbidding him from pursuing a long-term partner, smoker had started to weigh the pros and cons of dating a fellow vice-admiral. distance was an obnoxious obstacle, for the pair of you were commanders of marine bases on divergent directions. transponder snail was not quite a viable method of communication either — at least, not when one aimed to share romance-coated sentences — for the call could be wiretapped, and the embarrassing contents of the conversation overheard. and, at last, you were only ever saw in cases of obnoxious, general reunions or unrecommended straying from your patrols.

it happened to be one of the pros — you were far more daring. smoker had no respect for twisted orders, and more often than not decided to act with no regard for the upper heads’ plans whatsoever, yet somehow he had managed to find a partner with a behavior twice as rascal — distance was an obstacle you did not bother to counter. your strength absolved him of worry, for you were far more capable than most. but what had convinced him altogether was the sheer urge to have an ever-current carnal connection with one he nurtured something for — and those tights. he adored tugging at them; vanishing his fingers amidst conjured smoke to tease the bare flesh under the fabric; staining it with the ash of his cigar. smoker had never spared much thought to one’s thighs until he was given the opportunity to leave yours red; figure spasming due to the violent pinch of his large fingers.

he had commanded his subordinates to dock and re-stock, the interval of time required for the log pose to adapt being one above a week. it was but a matter of days until your fleet was seen at shore, having followed the vivre card leading to him. smoker had his legs spread, a sour figure growing restless at your absence, a veil of spiraling nicotine all but staining the walls of his office.

languid, sensual-esque knocking; the echoing of heels against the ground. he opened an eye, failing to contain the pleasure born from your arrival. the marine’s coat hand from your shoulders, usual tights hugging the delicious flesh of your legs as you strutted in his direction, wearing an expression that promised nothing but trouble.

“we have full-on uniforms to use for a reason,” he scolded, though his tone held neither sharpness nor annoyance.

“is that so?” you hummed, sitting on his table, legs crossed. smoker’s hand went to your thigh as though second instinct, gripping it with non-forethought strength. “you first.”

he grinned. whenever the weather warmed up, smoker was one to rest shirtless in his office, and the occasion at hand was far from different. the point of your boot brushed against his bare chest, and he ceased the roaming of his fingers on your ankles upon noticing you have never used that piece — at least, not with him.

“new boots?” smoker inquired, aware that one valued having their partner pointing out appearance shifts — no matter how minor.

your face lit up as though a forest fire, a malicious smile surging on your lips as you leaned forward, playfully kicking his abdomen. “you liked it?”

“it’s black leather,” he stated, not quite able to differentiate it from your previous ones.

“wanna see what it can do?”

the smile offered was mischievous; borderline diabolical. instincts alight due to the unspoken promise of trouble. unpredictable endeavor of sexual character that had his member twitching regardless of the warning goosebumps. smoker retreated from your figure, making use of the comfortable armrests at his sides. aware that he’d regret his decision, smoker spurred you on, nodding his head with a grin.

the sole of your boot applied pressure to his chest, forcing his back to meet the leather surface of his seat. that position was far from distasteful. smoker adored having you on his table, whether splayed or bent, vulnerable to the assault of his cock; perhaps crawling with your ass up, teeth tugging his zipper down. he did not mind the perspective of having you on more comfortable surfaces — a soft mattress, a large couch — yet his office remained his most favored spot. smoker was obsessed with the sight of your juices smearing the wooden table; of pressing you against the wall, shoving himself so deep he had your head hitting the harsh surface. whatever thought you had in mind, so long as it had you in such a position — sitting on his table, biting your lip with hooded eyes —, he was pleased with it.

until he flinched at the touch of your heel. the smoke once conjured had vanished, as though a gust of wind traveled past his power, dismantling the veil that had once covered the lightning of his office. smoker hissed, trapped under your foot; squirming with gritted teeth.

“sea-prism stone heels?” he snarled, gripping the armrest.

“stole the idea from you,” you teased, dragging the heel against his bare chest. “thought we could match.”

smoker’s fingers curled in the hole straps of your tights, tearing through the fabric in an attempt to drag you closer. yet, your grip on the edges of the table was steel-made; unmoving, regardless of his insistence. power and strength were drained without distinction, the man left at your entire mercy with a mind much too hazed to react in equal fervor.

“no spite in storage?” you cooed, tilting his chin up with the point of your boot, aware of that being far from the truth.

smoker was livid. yet not at you; rather at himself. his underwear was but a narrow prison, constricting his aching cock. he trailed his eyes down your bare shoulders, to the enticing inches of flesh of your thighs, wrapped around black, thin straps. when your other foot started to hover above his belt, slim heel threatening to angle itself down on his covered erection, smoker had to convey the urge to moan. it was pathetic; maddening. you were but reducing him to a puddle of meek sensation, condescending tone with lascivious-wrapped orders, and rather than to struggle and regain his dignity, he was willing to fold.

his eyes shone with uncovered rage, and that all but excited you twice as much, the point of your heel moving his chin to the sides, dragging itself far closer to his sealed lips.

“take these heels off me,” he ordered, though the bark lacked its usual fierceness. you dared pretend to ponder it over, a faux expression of concentration; an index tapping on your chin.

“so mean,” you pouted, sighing dramatically. “didn’t you adore it?”

prolonged time spent for the innuendo to be understood; the light drag of your boot on his lower lip. smoker’s expression shifted into one of pure disturbance, yet his treacherous cock twitched under the pressure of your other heel, denying him the right of pretense.

“c’mon,” you edged him, all but threatening to step on his face.

perhaps it had been the numbing effects of the sea-prism stone; perhaps smoker had lost his mind to lust; for his lips met the sole of your boot a second thereafter, pressing a short-lived kiss against it. he shuddered, tongue lolling out as his eyes caught a glimpse of your blown-wide ones, as if you were struggling to believe that he had conceded to your wish. smoker coated the leather of the tip with saliva, roaming his tongue from the covered region of your fingers.

trembling hand settled on your leg, raising and drawing it closer, as a lustful mouth left a trail of wet kisses throughout the entire extension of your boot. he dared use the other one to grip the bare flesh, pinching and squeezing — a promise. you trembled, growing hot with the sight. smoker observed you through his eyelashes, making out with your boot, inching his head forward until his nose brushed against your knee and your heel hovered above his flexed abdomen. you gasped when his teeth nipped at your tights, tearing through the straps; tongue claiming the exposed flesh of your knee. when smoker guided a set of fingers closer to your intimacy — the other ones busying themselves with the grip of your ankle —, and had his thumb pressed against your clothed clit, you trembled. when he closed a fist around the crotch and threatened to rip it, the surprise had your heel pressing itself with regained fervor against his cock.

smoker stiffened, his breath growing labored. his teeth met the leather of your boot, tugging at it as though a wild beast, a muffled grunt of pleasure vibrating through the material. he could sense your own excitement; feel it dampening his hand, for you went to visit him without panties. that made him rut against the heel, yet again trailing desperate kisses through the extension of your boot, licking and witnessing the gradual dripping of saliva.

the prolonged contact with the sea-prism stone had his limbs growing limp, threatening to reach a point of uselessness. the merest act of raising a questioning eyebrow had demanded an insane amount of energy. he felt close to slipping out of consciousness, as though poisoned. your legs trembled — or perhaps, that had been his own hands —, and you parted them as much as your flexibility permitted, the sea-prism stone inching out of touch as a consequence.

without it, the return of his usual strength was but automatic. smoker’s smirk was borderline crooked when he witnessed your anticipating — yet shrinking — behavior; fear and lust overlapping. he tugged down at the material of your shorts, ripping it in two, all but turning it into a minuscule skirt. no longer restricted to the limits of his chair, smoker raised himself to his full height and gripped your neck, pushing your back against the table. you gasped at the sudden lack of air; the strength that would not give.

“lost your big words?” he taunted, spreading your legs further. “you were enjoying yourself then, weren’t you?”

you attempted to nod, eyes rolling due to the pressure. your voice came out rough, strained, even, for you knew that smoker demanded vocal replies. “i– i was.”

his smile was all teeth and malice. “i will be enjoying this.”

smoker grabbed your spit-coated ankle, holding it high above his shoulder, careful not to allow the heel to touch his hand. he kept the other leg spread, forcing his own knee against it while his fingers undid the button of his pants, allowing it to slip off. smoker struggled to grow accustomed to his own strength due to the previous extended restriction, and his underwear, too, fell prey to his vicious grip, the waistband snapping in two alongside the rest of the fabric. the man scoffed before releasing the pressure on your throat for the briefest instance, enough to have you draw-in a desperate breath before he tightened the grip yet again.

withdrawing with his shaft free of its previous cuffs, he positioned at your entrance, grinning at your alarmed reaction. smoker slammed himself inside, not minding the fact that your tights were still on. his tip tore through the straps, the length invading your cunt without further ado. smoker hissed when your walls enveloped him, the wetness added to the material of your tights creating an odd, yet welcoming texture. you clenched around his cock, and would have screamed at the sudden invasion if you happened to have enough air in your lungs.

the first thrust had him deep, balls hitting your ass. he released the pressure on your throat in order to set a ruthless pace, the table underneath cringing at the used strength. for your own pleasure — and for the perspective of witnessing the roll of those teary eyes — smoker licked the sole of your boot yet again, biting down on the tip; scraping his teeth down against the leather. you mewled when he brushed your g-spot — again and again, without mercy —, arching your back and gripping the edges of the table.

“that’s it,” he rasped out, leaving a bite mark on your boot, aiming for his teeth to reach your flesh. “that’s—shit, where you belong.”

the jerk of his hips was coated in brute force, a repeated pattern, base-to-tip; in-and-out. he hammered through your walls without an ounce of mercy, the cacophony of your pleasure the most ethereal music he had ever heard. the regained clenching had him know you were close, and smoker deprived you of air yet again, aware that the choking sensation would lead you to the edge. no warning was ensued on his part, and as soon as your high coated the sensible skin of his cock, smoker shot his load inside, chasing the ends of his orgasm regardless of the shared stimulation, grunting at the sight of your mixed essences dripping out of your cunt.

he was careful not to collapse into you, elbows pressed on the table in order to support his weight. smoker pressed a kiss on your sweat-coated temple, raising himself ever-so-slightly, eyes scanning the room.

“what are you searching for?” you inquired tiredly, your voice rough due to the strength of his grip.

“my weapon,” he replied, grinning down at you. “after all, you wanted us to match.”

[httpvomitello]

Pretty Girls Fight Like This! *⁠.⁠✧

April had brought you into the lair one night, insisting you’d be a valuable addition to the team. At first, Donnie thought you’d be like anyone else, but then he saw you.

Your bright, pastel-colored outfit caught his attention immediately, a stark contrast to the dim, industrial tones of the lair. And then there was your hair—long, flowing, and streaked with colors so vibrant it almost looked like a prism.

“Is your hair... naturally like that?” Donnie asked before he could stop himself.

You laughed, brushing a strand behind your ear. “Nope! It’s dyed. I like to stand out, you know?”

Donnie blinked, unsure how to respond. You certainly stood out, that was for sure.

He quickly learned there was more to you than your eye-catching appearance.

One of the first things that caught him off guard was your strength. During a training session, Donnie watched in stunned silence as you easily lifted a heavy training dummy and hurled it across the room.

“Impressive,” he muttered, adjusting his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

You grinned, wiping sweat from your brow. “Thanks! I’ve always been a bit on the stronger side.”

“A bit?” Donnie repeated, incredulous.

“Okay, maybe a lot,” you admitted with a wink.

Donnie didn’t say anything, but he made a mental note to measure your strength later—purely for scientific purposes, of course.

Then there was your appetite.

One evening, Donnie walked into the kitchen to grab a snack and found you sitting at the table with Mikey, the two of you demolishing an entire pizza.

“Wow,” Donnie said, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t think anyone could keep up with Mikey’s eating habits.”

You swallowed a mouthful of pizza and smiled. “What can I say? I love food!”

Mikey laughed, nudging you playfully. “Don’t worry, D. Y/N’s got a black hole for a stomach like me!”

Donnie couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. “Of course...”

Despite your quirks—or maybe because of them—Donnie found himself intrigued by you.

Your bright clothes, your boundless energy, your unapologetic individuality... It was all so different from the calculated, methodical world he lived in.

One thing that particularly caught his attention was your socks—or, more accurately, your constant struggle to keep them from slipping. Every time you adjusted them during training, Donnie couldn’t help but notice.

“Why don’t you just get longer socks?” he asked one day, genuinely curious.

“I’ve tried,” you said with a sigh. “But they always fall down. It’s so annoying!”

That conversation stuck with him, and a few days later, Donnie found himself tinkering in his lab. He designed a pair of custom socks with reinforced elastic, ensuring they wouldn’t slip no matter how much you moved.

When he handed them to you, you were surprised.

“They're for me?” you said, holding them up.

“They’re designed to stay up during activity,” Donnie explained, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. “I noticed you were struggling with yours, so I thought these might help.”

Your face lit up, and you gave him a beaming smile. “Donnie, that’s so thoughtful! Thank you!”

You hugged him tightly, catching him off guard.

“It’s nothing,” he said, trying to play it cool. But his heart was racing, and he couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face.

Over time, Donnie found himself growing more and more attached to you.

It wasn’t just your strength or your unique style—it was the way you treated him. You didn’t just see him as “the smart one” or “the tech guy.” You saw him.

And you had a way of surprising him with small gestures, like bringing him snacks while he worked or showing genuine interest in his inventions.

One day, you handed him a small bracelet made of colorful beads.

“What’s this?” Donnie asked, examining it.

“A good luck charm,” you said with a smile. “I thought you could use it in the lab.”

Donnie stared at the bracelet, his chest tightening. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant so much to him.

“Thank you,” he said softly, slipping it onto his wrist.

Donnie wasn’t used to feeling this way—flustered, nervous, happy. But with you, it felt natural.

You were a whirlwind of color and energy in his otherwise structured world, and he found himself drawn to you in ways he didn’t fully understand.

[clottedscream]

you mentioned in the chat of a jello stream that you disliked how much fantasy magic crystals were shaped like Quartz. are there any specific crystal shapes you think are underutilized in fantasy?

I always like it when i see a nice beryl-or-andalusite-esque columnar crystal, or something botryoidal or acicular in a way that it makes little pom-pom shapes. And dogtooth (scalenohedral) crystals are a nice way to have that classic spiky shape without going quartz about it. But there's a whole entire world of weird and unique crystal shapes out there to base your fantasy crystals on, and I can't show off every possible shape that a crystal can come in with just one post. Pretty much every shape that a crystal can be is underutilized in comparison to the quartz shape.

the big thing that gets me about the "oops, all giant quartz clusters" method of designing fantasy crystals for your fictional world is that the shape a quartz crystal comes in, even though it's seen as like, the ubiquitous crystal shape that we think of all crystals as being, is actually very specific to quartzes!!!!

This is a figure from the mindat.org page on quartz. the top three shapes (a, b, and c) should be very familiar images to you! These are the most common shapes that crystals will be in fictional media. They're also three idealized crystal habits of QTZ - normal (prismatic), trigonal (prismatic), and pseudo-hexagonal (prismatic).

That's a lot of long words, but it all boils down to the describing geometry of a quartz crystal, and the geometry of its atomic structure.

QTZ is made of polymerized silicate, which, again, sounds fancy, but a polymer is just a long chain of many smaller molecules, and silicate is just the common term for the molecule SiO4. Silicate is a tetrahedron shaped molecule, meaning it's a pyramid with a square shaped base. A QTZ unit cell is made of a chain (a polymer) of silicate molecules linked together.

Here, we use unit cell to mean the simplest repeating building block in a larger pattern. like, say, if you build a giant lego cube out of all identical cube shaped legos, each cube shaped lego represents a unit cell of that giant cube. But QTZ unit cells aren't cube shaped. They're rhombohedrons- ie, 3d shapes where each face is a rhombus.

and if you stack a lot of rhombuses next to each other, they form a hexagon.

So when all the little unit cells of QTZ fit together, their ultimate shape is going to be hexagonal.

Quartz are not the only hexagonal mineral. Calcite famously also has a rhombus shaped unit cell. In mineralogy terms, this is called having trigonal symmetry- tri for three, as in the three rhombuses it takes to make a hexagon, or the three planes of symmetry a rhombus has.

But calcite doesn't form in in those tall prisms that terminate in pointy pyramid shapes made up of isosceles triangles or pentagons. It sometimes forms in dogtooth crystals, but dogtooth crystal faces are scalene, and they don't have that long prism body with a pyramid at the top like an endcap- they're spikes all the way to the base. Why is that? Why is quartz different from other trigonal minerals? why are its crystals weird like that?

Well, theres a lot of reasons, but one major one is that on top of being made of rhombohedrons, Quartz is ALSO made of helixes!

Thats right. Quartz has TWO fundamental patterns happening in its lattice. At the same time!

You can see by the overlayed yellow rhombohedrons in the figure above that each rhombus-y building block of QTZ fits together into a helix-shaped chain. QTZ forms in helixes because each of the basic silicate (SiO4) molecules in QTZ is sharing two of its oxygens with the other silicates its connected to. Because each block of the helix chain is made of a rhombus, when you stack those helix chains all next to each other to get a big quartz lattice, those chains make a hexagonal net. But helixes are also chiral, meaning they have a handedness to them- they can mirror each other and still be non-superimposable, like human hands.

To get the scope on why this chirality makes a difference to the structure of quartz, lets compare it to another mineral with trigonal symmetry, the aforementioned Calcite. If you could see atoms, this is what a chunk of calcite mineral would look like to you:

nice and simple, right? That's a very normal looking rhombus. everything slots together in a very straightforwardly rhombus-y way.

Now let's look at quartz.

ough.

When you combine these two features of QTZ geometry, the rhombus/trigonal symmetry and the helix shaped network of interlocking molecules, you get a pretty unique structure, which leads it to grow in very unique shapes when it gets bigger- hexagonal prisms with many interlocking chiral faces, terminating in those striking pyramid points composed of isosceles triangles.

That all sounds pretty cool right? it sounds like quartz is a really striking and unique and beautiful phenomenon of geometry, right? so why would I be annoyed? why would I be annoyed that a fantasy crystal has that unique shape? BECAUSE THAT SHAPE MEANS THE MINERAL IS QUARTZ.

Do you understand now? Out of all the possible permutations of different shapes a crystal can grow into, QUARTZ IS KIND OF THE ONLY FUCKING GUY THAT DOES THAT PARTICULAR SHAPE! nobody is out there doing it the way my guy quartz is doing it! So much so, in fact, THAT THIS IS THE ENTRY ON MINDAT FOR IDENTIFYING QUARTZ:

BY EYE.

QUARTZ IS ONE OF THE ONLY MINERALS YOU CAN ID BY EYE.

So, when you designed your mystical blue glowing crystal that has the power to harness a wizard's mana or whatever the fuck? And you picked that shape for it to be?

That means it's not enchantenite, or lunarite, or or whatever the fuck you want to call it. It's quartz. it's just quartz. your lack of creativity and unwillingness to do anything other than the most basic, recognizable shape for your fantasy crystal has all but guaranteed it. Maybe start worldbuilding what trace elements in that otherwise extremely fucking normal quartz you have there cause it to glow.

Because you picked the one shape that basically only quartz can be!

Congratulations!

enjoy your magical silicon dioxide, you piece of shit.

[jjmcquade-misc]

Conspiracy theories that turned out as true

Here is a list of theories that were initially labeled as conspiracy theories by the mass media but later turned out to be true:

MKUltra: A secret CIA program that conducted mind control experiments using LSD and other methods on unsuspecting individuals. Initially dismissed as a far-fetched conspiracy theory, its existence was later confirmed through declassified documents released in the 1970s, revealing the extent of the unethical experiments.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study: A U.S. Public Health Service experiment where hundreds of Black men with syphilis were left untreated to study the disease’s natural progression. Initially denied and considered a conspiracy theory, it was confirmed in 1972 after a whistleblower exposed the study, leading to widespread outrage and reforms in medical ethics.

Operation Snow White: A conspiracy orchestrated by the Church of Scientology to infiltrate U.S. government agencies and steal sensitive documents. Dismissed as an unlikely plot, it was proven true in the late 1970s when investigations led to the conviction of several Scientology members.

CIA’s Involvement in the Crack Cocaine Epidemic: Allegations that the CIA facilitated the spread of crack cocaine in the 1980s to fund covert operations were initially rejected as conspiracy theories. Investigative journalism, notably by Gary Webb in the 1990s, and subsequent inquiries confirmed some level of CIA complicity or negligence in drug trafficking networks.

NSA’s Mass Surveillance Program: Claims of widespread government surveillance of citizens were dismissed as paranoid theories until 2013, when Edward Snowden leaked documents revealing the NSA’s extensive PRISM program, confirming the scope of global surveillance activities.

FBI’s COINTELPRO Program: A secret FBI initiative to surveil, infiltrate, and disrupt political groups, including civil rights organizations, was initially denied and labeled a conspiracy theory. It was confirmed in 1971 after activists stole and released FBI documents exposing the program’s illegal activities.

Project Sunshine: A U.S. government project that collected tissue samples from deceased children without parental consent to study the effects of radioactive fallout. Initially dismissed as a gruesome conspiracy theory, it was later confirmed through declassified records in the 1990s.

Operation Mockingbird: A CIA effort to influence and control media outlets and journalists during the Cold War. Long considered a conspiracy theory, it was substantiated by declassified documents and congressional investigations in the 1970s, revealing the agency’s manipulation of public narratives.

CIA’s Involvement in the 1953 Iranian Coup: The CIA’s role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected government was initially denied and dismissed as a conspiracy theory. It was officially confirmed in 2013 when declassified documents detailed the agency’s collaboration with British intelligence.

FBI’s Spying on Martin Luther King Jr.: Allegations that the FBI surveilled and attempted to discredit Martin Luther King Jr. were initially rejected as conspiratorial. The program’s existence was confirmed in the 1970s through released documents, exposing the extent of the FBI’s efforts to undermine the civil rights leader.

These examples demonstrate that while many conspiracy theories lack evidence, some dismissed by the mass media have been validated over time through investigations, leaks, and declassified records, revealing hidden truths about government and institutional actions.

These are less obvious, often overlooked incidents that still carry the weight of confirmed conspiracies:

The Business Plot (1933) Okay, this one stretches just before the post-WWII mark, but it’s modern enough and obscure today. Rumors swirled that a group of wealthy American businessmen planned to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt and install a fascist regime. Marine Corps General Smedley Butler blew the whistle, claiming he’d been recruited to lead the coup. People dismissed it as a wild tale—until a congressional investigation confirmed there was indeed a plot. Big names like DuPont and J.P. Morgan were linked, though no one faced charges. It’s a chilling “what if” that doesn’t get much airtime today.

Operation Paperclip’s Darker Edges You might’ve heard of Operation Paperclip—the U.S. recruiting Nazi scientists after WWII—but the conspiracy angle is less known. Beyond the famous ones like Wernher von Braun, whispers persisted that war criminals with horrific pasts were smuggled in. The government insisted they were just harmless tech experts. Declassified files later showed otherwise: many were high-ranking Nazis whose records were scrubbed to dodge immigration laws. It’s not just about rockets; some worked on biological and chemical weapons projects, a detail that stayed buried for decades.

The Nayirah Testimony Hoax (1990) In the lead-up to the Gulf War, a girl named Nayirah testified to Congress that Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait were ripping babies from incubators and leaving them to die. It was a gut-wrenching story that helped justify military action. Skeptics called it propaganda, but they were shouted down—until it unraveled. Nayirah was the Kuwaiti ambassador’s daughter, coached by PR firm Hill & Knowlton (hired by Kuwait’s government) to sell the war. Investigative journalists exposed the lie, proving it was a fabricated conspiracy to sway opinion.

The CIA’s Heart Attack Gun (1970s) Ever hear rumors of a gun that could silently kill with no trace? In the ‘70s, people speculated the CIA had a dart gun that triggered heart attacks using frozen toxins. It sounded like James Bond nonsense—until the 1975 Church Committee hearings. The CIA fessed up: they’d built it. The dart dissolved in the body, leaving no evidence. It’s a spy gadget turned real, and while it’s niche, it’s not a household name like Snowden’s leaks.

The Ford Pinto Scandal (1970s) This one’s corporate, not governmental. Word got around that Ford knew their Pinto car could explode in rear-end crashes due to a faulty fuel tank. Ford denied it, insisting the car was safe. Then internal memos leaked: they’d calculated it was cheaper to settle lawsuits from burn victims than fix the design. Court cases confirmed it—a cold-blooded conspiracy of profit over lives. It’s a grim footnote in automotive history that doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves.

Project SHAMROCK (1940s–1970s) Before the NSA’s modern surveillance scandals, there were whispers they’d been snooping on Americans’ telegrams for years. Critics were labeled paranoid—until the Church Committee (again, busy folks) uncovered Project SHAMROCK. Starting in the ‘40s, the NSA collected millions of telegrams without warrants, sharing them with other agencies. It ran for decades before exposure in the ‘70s, a precursor to today’s privacy debates that’s faded from public chatter.

Bohemian Grove’s Real Rituals (Ongoing) For years, people murmured about Bohemian Grove—a secretive retreat in California where elites like politicians and CEOs allegedly held weird rituals, including mock sacrifices to an owl statue. It sounded absurd, a fever dream of conspiracy buffs. Then, in 2000, Alex Jones snuck in and filmed the “Cremation of Care” ceremony, proving it happens. The meetings are real; what they mean—powerful networking or something darker—is still up for debate. It’s not a headliner like Watergate, but it’s verified and eerie.

These cases flew under the radar compared to the big-name conspiracies, yet they all started as dismissed theories before evidence—documents, testimony, or footage—proved them true. They’re snapshots of modern history where secrecy and power collided, only to be dragged into the light later!

1. 9/11 and Government Foreknowledge (2001)

Initial Dismissal: After the September 11, 2001 attacks, claims that the U.S. government had prior knowledge or was complicit were widely rejected as baseless conspiracy theories by officials and mainstream media.

Later Validation: The 9/11 Commission Report (2004) revealed significant intelligence failures, including missed warnings from agencies like the FBI and CIA. While it didn’t prove intentional involvement, it confirmed that critical information was overlooked, lending some credibility to theories of negligence or mishandling.

2. Iraq War and Weapons of Mass Destruction (2003)

Initial Dismissal: Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the idea that the U.S. and its allies exaggerated or fabricated evidence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) to justify war was dismissed as anti-government propaganda.

Later Validation: The Iraq Survey Group report (2004) found no active WMD programs, and subsequent inquiries, like the U.K.’s Chilcot Report (2016), confirmed that intelligence was flawed or manipulated, validating the core claim that the war’s premise was shaky.

3. Mass Surveillance Programs (2013)

Initial Dismissal: For years, suggestions that governments were conducting widespread surveillance of citizens via technology were brushed off as paranoid delusions.

Later Validation: Edward Snowden’s 2013 leaks exposed programs like PRISM, run by the NSA, showing that the U.S. and other governments were monitoring communications on an unprecedented scale, confirming the reality of mass surveillance.

4. Financial Crisis and Banking Misconduct (2008)

Initial Dismissal: Before the 2008 financial crisis, theories that major banks were engaging in reckless or fraudulent practices—like predatory lending and creating risky financial products—were often dismissed as exaggerated or alarmist.

Later Validation: The crisis exposed widespread misconduct, with investigations and settlements (e.g., the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act and billions in fines) confirming that banks had indeed acted irresponsibly, validating earlier suspicions.

5. COVID-19 Lab Leak Hypothesis (2020)

Initial Dismissal: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the notion that the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, China, was labeled a conspiracy theory and dismissed by many scientists, media outlets, and organizations like the WHO.

Later Validation: By 2021, intelligence reports and scientific discussions (e.g., U.S. government assessments and WHO revisits) deemed the lab leak a plausible scenario, shifting it from fringe theory to a legitimate hypothesis, though conclusive evidence is still lacking.

6. Social Media Manipulation and Data Misuse (2018)

Initial Dismissal: Claims that social media platforms like Facebook were exploiting user data for political or financial gain were often downplayed as speculative before 2018.

Later Validation: The Cambridge Analytica scandal (2018) revealed that data from millions of users was harvested without consent and used to influence elections, confirming that such manipulation was occurring on a large scale.

[torque-witch]

So happy to be able to work on Spirit Chimes again! They will be getting an upgrade this year/2025.

For those unaware, “Spirit Chimes” are just my re-invention of Door Harps, which originated in Scandinavia around 700 years ago. The ones you see in stores (it at all) are mostly just decorative, but the original idea was to hang it on your front door to repel evil spirits with the sound of the chimes, similar to the hanging of bells.

What I do is blend this idea, plus making them more aesthetically witchy and adding a spiral/wood grain pattern in the background to further confuse spirits (similarly to witch balls and other methods of protection/warding), idea being that the spirit gets turned around trying to find a way in.

Then, I add crystal prisms as the chimes to also act as a sun catcher, which I feel has a protective and positive nature as well! This one needs new strings and a chain, but paint comes first.

All of the door harps I use are thrifted locally, so they’re not always perfect 🤍

[archivegyu]

masterlist

The Winner Takes It All

The cold seeped into her skin as she tightened the laces on her skates, her movements sharp and methodical. Her fingers trembled, not from the chill, but from the pressure building inside her. Years of work narrowed into this one moment—the culmination of countless early mornings, bruised knees, and solitary practice sessions.

Final performance. Final chance.

She took a deep breath, the frozen air filling her lungs and momentarily centering her scattered thoughts. The pre-competition jitters had evolved into something more profound—a heavy weight of expectation that pressed down on her shoulders. Not just from her coach or family, but from herself. The familiar tightness gripped her chest, threatening to steal her breath away.

"Two minutes" a volunteer called, clipboard clutched to their chest.

She nodded, stretching along the rink's edge, blocking out the noise of the arena—the distant cheers, the calls of the announcer, the scrape of blades against ice. She ran through her routine in her mind like clockwork, clinging to the safety of precision. No room for doubt. No room for error.

A person by the stands pulled her out of her focus.

Standing alone at the edge of the barrier, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, was Kwon Soonyoung. His hair was messy from the cold wind, cheeks slightly flushed, and a familiar easy grin played on his lips — the kind that made it feel like everything might actually be okay. He wasn’t waving a banner or shouting like the others; he just stood there, steady and bright, as if his being there was enough to fill the whole arena.

Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, voice carrying easily across the noise, “You’re ready. Go show them.”

Her chest tightened—but this time, it wasn't from nerves.

Of course Soonyoung would be here. He always was. Ever since high school, he'd shown up for every moment that mattered, sometimes with flowers, sometimes with bad jokes, always with that unwavering belief in her she couldn't understand but had come to rely on.

The memory of yesterday afternoon flooded back to her, warming her despite the chill of the rink.

ᥫ᭡

24 hours earlier

"Passport?"

"Check."

"Competition registration confirmation?"

"Check."

"Lucky socks?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Yes, Soonyoung. The lucky socks are packed."

Soonyoung sat cross-legged on her bed, a detailed packing list balanced on his knee as he meticulously checked off each item. His dark hair fell across his forehead as he concentrated, the tip of his tongue poking out slightly—a habit she'd found endearing since they were teenagers.

"I've packed for competitions before, you know" she said, carefully folding her competition outfit and placing it in her suitcase. The crystals on the costume caught the afternoon light, sending prisms dancing across her apartment walls.

"I know" he said, not looking up from his list. "But this is finals. Everything has to be perfect."

The genuine concern in his voice made her pause. Soonyoung had always been her most dedicated supporter, but there was something different about him today—a nervous energy that matched her own.

"You don't have to worry so much" she said softly. "I've got this."

He finally looked up, his eyes serious beneath his playful exterior. "I'm not worried. I know you're going to win. I just want to make sure nothing gets in your way."

A sudden scratching sound at the bedroom door interrupted them, followed by an insistent whine. Soonyoung's face immediately brightened.

"Sounds like someone's feeling left out" he laughed, jumping up to open the door.

A small, wiry Norwich Terrier burst into the room, her caramel-colored fur bristling with excitement. Kwon Latte, Soonyoung's pride and joy, made a beeline for the open suitcase and promptly plopped herself on top of the carefully folded clothes.

"Latte!" she gasped, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "Get out of there!"

Soonyoung scooped up the little dog, who wiggled happily in his arms. "She’s just trying to help" he defended, as Latte licked his chin enthusiastically. "Maybe he wants to come to the finals too."

"I'm pretty sure dogs aren't allowed at the Olympic qualifying rounds" she said, carefully removing dog hair from her competition outfit.

"Her loss" Soonyoung shrugged, settling Latte on the bed beside him. The tiny dog immediately curled up against his thigh, watching them both with attentive dark eyes. "She could've been your good luck charm."

"I thought the socks were my good luck charm?"

"A skater can never have too many good luck charms" Soonyoung declared with mock seriousness, scratching behind Latte's ears. The dog's eyes closed in contentment, his tiny pink tongue lolling out.

She returned to her packing, methodically arranging everything to maximize space. From the corner of her eye, she could see Soonyoung whispering to Latte, the dog's ears perking up as if he understood every word. It was these small, ordinary moments that always calmed her pre-competition anxiety—Soonyoung's steady presence, his unwavering belief, even his ridiculous conversations with his dog.

"What are you telling her?" she asked, zipping up a compartment of her suitcase.

Soonyoung looked up with a mischievous smile. "Just that her favorite human is about to become a champion, and she needs to prepare for all the celebration parties."

"Her favorite human, huh?" she teased, though something warm bloomed in her chest.

"After me, of course" Soonyoung clarified, but his eyes softened as they met hers. "Though it's a close competition."

Latte chose that moment to jump down from the bed and trot over to her, her tiny paws making little sound on the hardwood floor. She sat at her feet, looking up with an expectant gaze that was remarkably similar to her owner's.

"See? She agrees" Soonyoung said triumphantly.

She bent down to pick up the small dog, who immediately snuggled against her chest. "Is that so, Latte? Am I really your second favorite?"

Latte responded by licking her chin once, her tail wagging so hard her whole body wiggled.

"That means yes in dog language" Soonyoung translated solemnly.

She laughed, the sound filling the small apartment and momentarily pushing away the anxiety that had been building for weeks. This was what Soonyoung did best—made the world seem lighter, even with everything at stake.

"You know" she said, sitting on the edge of the bed with Latte still cradled in her arms, "I'm actually terrified."

Soonyoung's playful expression softened. He moved closer, the mattress dipping under his weight. "I'd be worried if you weren't" he admitted. "But being afraid doesn't mean you're not ready."

"What if I'm not good enough?" The question that had haunted her for months finally escaped, hanging in the air between them.

Without hesitation, Soonyoung reached out to take her free hand, his fingers warm and steady around hers. "You've always been good enough" he said simply. "But tomorrow, you're going to be extraordinary."

Latte, sensing the shift in mood, nudged her head under her chin, her wiry fur tickling her neck. It was as if even the little dog was offering reassurance in her own way.

"You two are ridiculous" she murmured, but the tightness in her chest had eased slightly.

"That's why you love us" Soonyoung grinned, squeezing her hand once before releasing it to return to the packing list. "Now, where were we? Competition makeup?"

"Check."

"Backup music CD?"

"Check."

"Unconditional support from your biggest fan and his extremely adorable dog?"

She looked at him—really looked at him—his familiar features illuminated by the late afternoon sunlight streaming through her window, Latte now settled contentedly between them on the bed. Something shifted in her chest, a recognition of what had been there all along.

"Check" she said softly.

ᥫ᭡

The memory faded as the announcer's voice came over the speakers, calling her name. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she waited at the edge of the rink. She gave a small nod in Soonyoung's direction—all she could manage without losing the tight hold she had on herself—and stepped onto the ice.

The lights dimmed. The music rose, low and powerful.

And she moved.

Each push of her blades against the ice sent a thrill through her body—the perfect balance of power and grace she'd worked years to master. The crowd faded to a distant murmur as she surrendered to the rhythm, her body translating emotion into motion with a fluidity that felt almost effortless.

The first jump approached—a triple axel that had been her nemesis for months. She gathered speed, the world blurring around her as she launched herself into the air. For a breathless moment, she was suspended above the ice, rotating with perfect control before landing with a satisfying crunch of blade against surface.

Clean. Precise. Perfect.

Each element flowed into the next as if choreographed by something beyond herself. The step sequence that had once felt mechanical now seemed to pour from some deep, untapped well within her. She wasn't just performing; she was telling a story with every movement, every expression.

As she hit her first major combination, she caught a glimpse of him through the blur of movement—Soonyoung, fists in the air, face shining with pure pride. Not watching with the critical eye of a coach or the nervous energy of a parent, but with undiluted joy, as if her success was his own.

Something cracked inside her.

For the first time in a long time, she wasn't skating to prove something. She wasn't skating for scores or medals or validation. She was skating because she loved it—because the ice had always been the place where she felt most alive, most herself.

The freedom of that realization propelled her through the second half of her program with renewed energy. The technical elements that had once filled her with dread now felt like expressions of joy—each spin faster, each jump higher, each landing more secure.

The final note echoed through the arena as she landed her last jump, sliding into her finishing pose—arms extended, head thrown back, chest heaving with exertion. A sharp silence fell before the crowd erupted, the sound roaring in her ears like ocean waves.

Flowers rained down on the ice as she took her bows, her legs trembling beneath her. The adrenaline that had carried her through was beginning to end, leaving a curious lightness in its wake. She gathered a small bouquet of roses, cradling them against her chest as she skated to the exit.

She barely remembered how she got off the ice, legs trembling, adrenaline surging—and then Soonyoung was there, pushing past coaches and officials, pulling her into a tight hug before she could even think.

"You did it" he said, voice rough with excitement. "I knew you would."

She laughed, breathless, hiding her face in his shoulder for a moment. "You're too loud" she muttered against him, but her arms tightened around his waist.

"Someone has to be” he said easily, pulling back just enough to look at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Do you have any idea how amazing that was? You were flying out there."

Before she could respond, her coach appeared, face stern but eyes bright with satisfaction. "Scores are coming in. We need to get to the kiss and cry."

The next few minutes passed in a haze of activity—sitting in the designated area, cameras trained on her face, the nervous twist of her hands as she waited. Soonyoung hovered nearby, bouncing on his toes with barely contained energy.

When the announcement came, the numbers flashing on the screen above the rink, time seemed to stop. A new personal best. First place. Her name at the top of the leaderboard, with only one skater left to perform.

Her coach gripped her shoulder, a rare display of emotion breaking through his professional demeanor. "No matter what happens with the last skater, you've earned this," he said, voice gruff with pride.

The final competitor took the ice—a Russian skater with a reputation for technical precision and nerves of steel. She watched, breath held, as the young woman delivered a flawless program, each element executed with mechanical perfection.

The wait for the final scores stretched into an eternity, the entire arena holding its breath.

And then, the announcement that changed everything: second place. By less than a point.

Moments later, her name was announced—champion. Winner.

The arena seemed to spin around her, but somehow, Soonyoung was the one thing that stayed steady. He appeared at her side as if by magic, his face split with a grin so wide it must have hurt.

"I told you" he shouted over the crowd's roar, not even trying to contain his excitement. "I told you!"

What followed was a whirlwind of medal ceremonies, interviews, and congratulations. Coaches, officials, and other solo skaters all wanted a moment of her time, their words blending together in a symphony of praise she wasn't quite ready to absorb.

Through it all, she kept finding Soonyoung in the crowd, his presence anchoring her as the reality of her accomplishment began to sink in. He stood back, giving her space for her moment, but always there—a constant in the chaos.

Hours later, when the congratulations had died down and the crowd thinned out, he found her again, his hands stuffed awkwardly into the pockets of his jacket. She was sitting alone on a bench in the nearly deserted arena, still in her competition outfit, the gold medal heavy around her neck.

"Hey, champion" he said softly, dropping down beside her. "How does it feel?"

She looked down at the medal, running her finger over the engraved surface. "Surreal" she admitted. "Like it happened to someone else."

"Well, I watched the whole thing, and it was definitely you out there" Soonyoung bumped his shoulder gently against hers. "The same you who used to practice in that tiny local rink until your feet bled."

"The same me who fell on her first single axel and cried for an hour" she added with a small smile.

"The same you who got back up and tried again" he corrected, his voice warm with something more than friendship. "That's why you won today. Not just because you're talented—though you absolutely are—but because you never quit, even when it would have been easier."

She turned to look at him, really look at him. The familiar lines of his face, the eyes that had watched her grow from an awkward teenager with big dreams to the athlete she'd become. He'd been there for all of it, cheering louder than anyone, believing harder than anyone.

"You know" he said casually, nudging her lightly with his elbow, "I was thinking… We should celebrate. Just us. Somewhere you don't have to pretend to be perfect."

His voice was light, but his eyes told her it wasn't just a friendly offer. There was a question there, one that had been unasked for years, hovering in the spaces between them.

She thought about the packing session in her apartment, about all the competitions he'd attended, about the way he'd always looked at her as if she was already a champion, even when she was struggling. She thought about Latte, who had somehow become part of her life too, about movie nights and late-night practice sessions and Soonyoung's unwavering presence through it all.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Yeah" she said quietly. "I'd like that."

His face brightened, a slow sunrise of hope. "Really?"

"Really" she confirmed, reaching out to take his hand. His fingers instantly interlaced with hers, warm and familiar. "On one condition."

"Name it" he said immediately.

"Latte comes too." She squeezed his hand, feeling suddenly shy despite everything they'd been through together. "I kind of miss her."

Soonyoung laughed, the sound echoing in the empty arena. "Deal. She's been sulking since I left anyway. Probably rearranged all my furniture by now."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, hands still linked, the weight of the day settling around them like soft snow.

"You know" Soonyoung said finally, his voice quiet but steady, "I've been waiting a long time for you to be ready."

She turned to face him fully, the medal clinking gently against her chest. "Ready for what?"

"For us" he said simply. "For whatever comes next."

The directness of his words, the honesty in his eyes, took her breath away more effectively than any triple axel. She had always known, somewhere deep down, that Soonyoung's feelings ran deeper than friendship. But hearing it now, in this moment of triumph and vulnerability, made it impossible to ignore.

"I'm ready" she whispered, the words falling like a promise between them.

Soonyoung's smile was slow and sure, like he'd waited his whole life to hear those words. Without hesitation, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently against hers. "Good" he murmured. "Because I've been ready since the day we met."

In that moment, with the gold medal around her neck and Soonyoung's hand in hers, she realized that some victories weren't measured in points or marked by ceremonies. Some were quieter, deeper—the kind that changed everything without anyone else noticing.

She had won more than just a competition today.

ᥫ᭡

One Week Later

The key turned in the lock with a familiar click as she pushed open the door to her apartment. The smell of home welcomed her—slightly dusty after a week away, but comforting nonetheless.

"Hello?" she called, dropping her bags by the door.

A scrabbling of tiny paws against hardwood answered her, followed by an excited bark. Moments later, Latte rounded the corner at top speed, her caramel fur a blur as she launched herself toward her.

"There's my champion's welcome" she laughed, scooping up the tiny dog, who wiggled with uncontained joy, licking every inch of her face she could reach.

"She insisted on being the first to greet you" Soonyoung's voice came from the kitchen, followed by the man himself, dish towel slung over his shoulder. "I would've beaten her to it, but someone needed to make sure the victory cake didn't burn."

"Victory cake?" she repeated, Latte still cradled in her arms as she kicked off her shoes and padded toward the kitchen.

Soonyoung grinned, gesturing proudly to a slightly lopsided cake on the counter, decorated with wobbly blue icing that spelled out 'CHAMPION' in uneven letters. "Baking isn't exactly my strong suit" he admitted, "but the thought counts, right?"

The sight of him standing in her kitchen, flour dusting his shirt, that hopeful expression on his face—it filled her with a warmth that had nothing to do with competitions or medals.

"It's perfect" she said, meaning it completely.

Soonyoung's face lit up, and he crossed the room to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Welcome home" he murmured against her skin.

Latte barked her agreement, tail wagging so hard her whole body shook.

"It's good to be back" she said, looking between the man and his dog—both looking at her with identical expressions of adoration. "Though I have to say, I'm not used to coming home to a welcoming committee."

"Better get used to it" Soonyoung said lightly, though his eyes held a question. They hadn't discussed what would happen after their celebration dinner, after that first tentative kiss in the quiet of the night. They had simply enjoyed the moment, neither wanting to pressure the other.

But standing in her apartment, with Latte warm against her chest and Soonyoung looking at her like she was still wearing the gold medal, she knew exactly what she wanted.

"I could" she said softly. "Get used to it, I mean."

Soonyoung's smile was worth every early morning practice, every fall, every moment of doubt. "Good” he said, reaching out to take her free hand. "Because we're not going anywhere."

Later, as they sat on her couch with plates of slightly dry cake, Latte curled contentedly between them, she realized that the pressure that had been her constant companion for so long had faded. In its place was something lighter, brighter—a future full of possibilities that had nothing to do with competitions and everything to do with the man sitting beside her.

"So," Soonyoung said, breaking the comfortable silence, "what's next for the champion?"

She thought about it, absentmindedly stroking Latte's soft fur. "I don't know," she admitted. "For so long, it was all about this one goal. Now that I've reached it..."

"The world is your ice rink" Soonyoung supplied, his eyes twinkling.

She laughed, the sound free and unburdened. "Something like that."

"Well, whatever you decide" he said, his hand finding hers, "I'll be there. We both will." He nodded toward Latte, who had fallen asleep, paws twitching as she chased rabbits in her dreams.

"I'm counting on it" she said, squeezing his hand.

Outside, snow began to fall, soft flakes drifting past her window—nature's own celebration for the champion who had finally found her way home.

[the-matron-of-ravens2]

Matt's Fireside Chat reveal that killing Predathos was possible, if only the party had looked into it, is incredibly frustrating in hindsight for the campaign.

Now, I don't think adequate breadcrumbs were left for the players to identify that there was a way to kill Predathos. In fact, they were told explicitly at least once that the gods (the most powerful force) they know couldn't touch it without being given an indication that other beings like the Luxon could. The players attempted to find out more regarding this with Prism, FRIDA, and Deanna being sent to research potential killing methods -- why did nothing ever come of this? If this was an option that could be pursued, and we're in the business of rewarding character and player engagement, then why wasn't this rewarded?

It makes sense then, that the players stopped following up on that. Their attempt at finding a killing option was unrewarded, while power and knowledge lay as the promise or going along with Predathos (for Imogen in particular but most to an extent).

Combine that with the lack of any curiosity as to why it would be a good thing to keep the status quo (as opposed to the reactionary response Bells Hells have to break first and fix later without any idea how to fix it) and this is what you get. A campaign where the ending was to an extent predetermined through lack of comprehensive character/world preparations, a lack of curisoity, and a lack of follow up.

Which really - for as interesting ending as 'the gods become mortal' is - it's quite a disappointing and frustrating way to reach it.

[rotknox]

Cryptic Comforts | B. CIPHER X M. READER

Work on AO3 | Work on Wattpad | Masterlist

═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

DIMENSION #5150

NEUTRAL ZONE

Outside of Time

She watched his triangular form through the cameras, he hadn’t moved or blinked in about an hour, he was just toying with the safety scissors he had stolen from the Crafts room. She felt a tinge of regret after locking him away into maximum security, perhaps there were other ways of healing him…

Dr. Prismatis sighed and picked up her communicator, “Hello, guards… Will you please bring Mr. Cipher to my office? Thank you very much.”, she sighed and set the communicator down, propping her elbows on the table and setting her chin on her palm.

After a few minutes of waiting, the doors slid open and two guards held Bill behind them, “Here he is, ma’am.”, the taller of the two said as they sat Bill down, the shorter one spoke up, “Do you need us to stay inside?”

The Luminara shook her head, “We’ll be fine on our own, you two may step out…”, the guards nodded and left the room, leaving Bill and Dr. Prismatis alone.

She took off her glasses and set them on the table, “Bill, I’d like to be frank with you…”, she began. Bill, who had seemed catatonic until just then, piped up and chuckled, “Frank? I thought your name was Ethara.”

Dr. Prismatis just frowned and Bill sunk in his chair. She sighed and shook her head, “I’ve tried everything with you… The walls in your room are covered in motivational posters, for Axolotl’s sake! I managed to cure PHEN-228 but I cannot seem to better you.”

Bill just whined a little bit, “Am I gonna move into isolation or what..?!”, he asked in a bit of panic. She shook her head to that, however, “No, Bill… Look, Axolotl and I discussed various techniques to better you. We decided on one that would work best and, well…”

She seemed to falter for a bit, Dr. Prismatis looked away and rubbed her hand. Bill looked at her and frowned, “Well, what?”, he asked a bit urgently.

She sighed and looked at him, “We decided on forgiveness.”, she said. Bill stared at her dumbfounded and he couldn’t help but start to laugh, “REALLY?! THAT’S THE SOLUTION TO ALL MY PROBLEMS!? Oh, doc! Oh oh! Oh, you’re a real kidder!”

The Luminara went from concerned to slightly annoyed, she sighed and deadpanned, “Do you even know what this method entails?”

Bill giggled, “Oh, lemme guess! I have to write a ‘heartfelt’ apology, film it, and then send it to all my enemies?”, he asked, his question followed by a loud laugh. Dr. Prismatis sighed and stood up gazing out her window, “This method is simple. We’ll send you to the INTACT area where you caused the most trouble and you will work for your rehabilitation… I’ll check in now and then to make sure your process is working.”, she explained sternly.

Bill rolled his eye and crossed his arms, “Yeah? And where exactly where I go, smarty? I’ve caused chaos in many places, y’know!”, he said with a huff, she narrowed her eyes at him, “That’s not something you should be proud of, Bill.”

She then clasped her hands and looked at him, “You will be going to Earth.”

Bill shot up and stared at her wide-eyed, “WHAT?!”

“I know it may not be the place you want to be in but… It’s the only other method anyone can think of for you.”, she said calmly, placing her prism-like hand on Bill’s back.

“Trust me, Bill… As your Head Doctor, I will never put you in a failing situation.”, she promised and Bill almost banged his face against the edge of her desk, “I’m gonna cry on you, doc.”

Dr. Prismatis opened a portal and gently nudged Bill over, “Don’t worry, Bill…”, she then pushed him inside.

Bill screamed at the top of his… lungs? Well, he screamed loud, that’s for sure.

Before he knew it, he hit the floor. Bill groaned loudly against the grass and sat up, he spat out some grass that had gotten on his tongue- wait what.

Bill paused, “Since when do I have a mouth?”, he asked himself. He looked down to see a pair of tan hands that belonged to... HIM?!

“WHAT THE HELL?!”, he yelled as he began to run his hands over himself. Slight muscle, messy hair, a scar that was a little too similar to the one he had thanks to that oaf Stanley Pines… And a lazy eye mimicking the fact that he was one-eyed before.

He immediately checked to see if he was naked. And thank god, he wasn’t.

Whatever Dr. Prismatis did, she gave a simple outfit: a baggy shirt, shorts, and sandals. “Wow… Couldn’t even give me something fancy, huh? Cheap woman.”

He stood up on slightly wobbly legs, using a nearby tree for support. He heard distant voices and frowned, “What the hell… Where even am I?”

He sniffed the air and looked at the trees, it was all too familiar… Oh my.

Did that stupid doctor put him back into his hunting grounds?! Oh, this was golden.

Bill grinned wickedly and cracked his knuckles, “Oh this is going to be golde-” “Cipher?”

Bill warily turned around to face whoever just correctly guessed his name, and there was only one person who had the balls to call him by his last name.

He came face to face with a shocked Stanford Pines. 

The older man immediately scowled and spoke to him with noticeable venom, “Stanley killed you. He lost most of his memories thanks to you. And all of a sudden you show up in a new form?!”

Bill rolled his eye and held his hands up, “Relax Sixer… I’m only here because my doctor said so. If it was up to me, I’d be in The Bahamas! Hey, maybe Area 51 too…”, he was met with the barrel of some freaky gun to the nose.

“You won’t be going anywhere, Cipher. I will not allow you to wreak havoc across my home ever again.”, Ford said sternly and loaded his gun. He was quickly interrupted by Bill though.

“Well, will you let me finish?! Jeez, Sixer… Did your mom ever teach you any manners? And don’t lie to me, I know damn well she did.”, Bill said as he pushed the gun away, “I’m not here to cause chaos or anything, my doctor kicked me here.”

Ford paused and lowered his gun, “Your… doctor? What the hell are you saying?!”, he asked and Bill groaned. “UGH. STANFORD FILBRICK PINES, YOU UTTER DUNCE.”, the demon yelled and almost pulled his own hair out.

He took a deep breath and then groaned a bit, “Stupid heat… Say, Sixer? Mind if I coop up in that shack of yours from this torturous temperature?”, Bill asked as he wiped his sweat and scoffed, “My flesh bag is queasy…”

Ford looked at him, “Are you insane, Cipher?!”, he asked loudly. “Yeah, very.”, Bill giggled but then shut up when Ford glared at him. Bill huffed, “Alright, what’s the ish?”

“You tried to kill me and my family and you think I’m going to let you inside my house?!”, he asked angrily, and Bill huffed with annoyance, “Look, IQ. I was a little too violent but where else will I stay?”

Ford was conflicted. On one hand, he was letting none other than Bill Cipher into his home — his safe space, the only place he was ever safe from Bill’s claws… But then again, he had his lab there, and he had Bill here…

Ford sighed, “Under one condition, Cipher.”, he said firmly. Bill perked up and leaned close, “Yeah?!” Ford leaned away and sighed deeply, “You will be my experiment. You’ve been my greatest mystery, Cipher… I have to study you.”

Bill blinked and grinned a bit, “Sounds promising~”, he said with a chuckle but immediately yelped when Ford grabbed his wrist and yanked him along aggressively, “HEY WATCH IT!”

EARTH

GRAVITY FALLS, OREGON

Mabel and Dipper were in the shack. Mabel was currently doodling in her notebook while Dipper was reading a random book. Dipper frowned and looked up, “Hey, [Name]? What language is the Voynich Manuscript in?”

[Name] looked up from the floor he was mopping and furrowed his brows, “...The what..?”

The door slammed open and the three all jumped. In came Ford hauling a squirming Bill, “LET GO OF ME, SIXER. YOUR FINGERS ARE ALL OVER MY FLESH STICKS.”

Mabel raised a brow, “Flesh sticks?”

Dipper looked up, “Sixer? Wait… BILL?!”

Stanford sighed, “Calm down, children! …Oh hello, [Name].”, Ford greeted the taller man. [Name] sighed and waved, “I’m not even gonna ask…”

“Anyways… Children, this is indeed Bill Cipher. Worry not though! He’s weak.”, Bill shot him an offended glare, “I am not weak!”

Ford raised a brow, “Yeah? Burn me.”, Bill flushed up and glared at him, “I’m going to scalp you while you sleep, brainiac.”

Dipper immediately flailed, “GRUNKLE FORD IT’S BILL CIPHER HOW ARE YOU SO CALM!?”, he asked urgently. Bill laughed and leaned close, “Hey kid, no hard feels! I’m here thanks to therapy! I’m a healed man!”

Dipper looked at him questioningly and held Mabel close. Mabel hummed but smiled a tiny bit, “Well… According to Uncle Henry, therapy is the best medicine… Sooo…”, Dipper chewed on his bottom lip, “And how do you think Uncle Henry would react if we told him a space demon god got therapy?”

“...He’d probably laugh at us until he passed out.”, Mabel rubbed her arm. “But look at him! Does his face look like the face of a man who would hurt us?”

Dipper took one look at Bill and then at Mabel, “Absolutely, yes.”

Mabel looked over at [Name] and gave him puppy eyes. The janitor rubbed his eyes, “What do you want me to say, Starlight? I don’t even know this man.”, Bill got a little too into [Name]’s personal space, “Well I certainly know YOU, big guy!”

[Name] looked at him and chuckled, “You’re a weirdo, guy…”

“Anyways, I’m clocking out. Good luck…”, [Name] walked away and left the shack. Ford sighed and dragged Bill into the lab.

“We’ll need some explaining…”, Mabel muttered.

═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

The lab was as dark and humid as Bill had recalled. 

“Soooo, who was the big cleaner guy? He looked hot.”, Bill giggled as he looked around. Ford sighed and sat down at his desk, “That’s [Name]. He’s a sweet young man and I want you far away from him.”

Bill rolled his eye and looked around, “Why? Cuz I’ll ‘hurt him’?”, he asked and Ford nodded. “Precisely, I don’t want you trying to bring him any harm nor do I need you corrupting him.”, he said sternly as he took out some equipment.

“Now hold still, Cipher.”

═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

[Name] was about to leave the workshop. He counted his personal belongings; cellphone, wallet, house and car keys, thermos… Shit, he forgot his jacket at the Mystery Shack.

He drove back to the Mystery Shack, windows rolled down so the cool summer night air could calm his tired mind. He pulled into the parking lot and got out of his car, going into the gift shop and looking around.

He saw a certain blonde man laying flat on the floor. He came up to him and knelt beside him, “Hello?”, he raised a brow.

Bill turned over and furrowed his brows, he was bandaged and slightly bruised… What the hell happened while [Name] was gone? 

[Name] looked at him, “You okay?”, Bill just huffed, “No.” [Name] tilted his head as a wordless way to ask ‘why?’. Bill sighed a bit and sat up, “It was Sixer… He poked and prodded at me for like an hour.”

He then realized [Name] didn’t even know who he was. Bill looked away and rubbed his healthy eye, “No worries though. I’m tired, however.”, his usual enigmatism and flashiness was really low.

“Oh, do you sleep here?”, [Name] asked and Bill shrugged. The [Hair Color] haired male sighed and shook his head, “Well, I don’t know your story but… I’m here for you if you need anything.”

A weird tingly feeling grew in Bill’s chest and he looked at him, he laughed slightly and stood up, “No need! But uh… Thanks for the offer, uh…?”

“Oh. [Name]. [Name] [Last Name]. And you?”, he held his hand out and Bill’s breath hitched, “Bill…”

He gingerly shook [Name]’s hand, he couldn’t help but marvel and the size difference. [Name] smiled charmingly and pulled away, “Well, sleep tight, Bill… See ya.”

[Name] grabbed his jacket and left the gift shop.

Bill stared at the closed door and hummed, “Oh, I’m so screwed.”

═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

Chapter One ->

taglist: @cyber-dump-171

would you like to join the taglist for the next chapter? -> Click here!

[technologyequality]

How to Build Momentum (Even When You’ve Lost Your Mojo)

How to Build Momentum (Even When You’ve Lost Your Mojo) Let’s have a little heart-to-heart, shall we? You ever sit down at your desk, stare at your screen, and think, “What even is this business I’m running?” You’ve got post-it notes fluttering like confetti, 27 open browser tabs (one of them is Pinterest…. don’t lie), and not a single ounce of motivation to get moving. Welcome to the land…

[pawborough]

February Check In

Hello, all!

Closed Beta's been open for nearly two weeks now and we’ve been busy at work, and excited to share with everyone some of our progress!

First, let’s look at some art!

Gilded Helm Recolors

We are currently working on the Gilded Helm's recolors, here are some previews!

Recolors by Emma.

New icons

We’ve been busy with icons!

Take a look at the renderings for our eye type and eye palette metamorphic items—lenses and prisms!

We also have the white marbles ready, which allow you to adjust the white coverage of your cats.

Moreover, we’ve created icons for our various shufflestones, which change a cat’s colors to completely random ones or to colors within a specific range.

Last but not least, we have several new food and supply icons ready!

Eye prisms, Shufflestones and marbles by Hydde. Food and supply items by Remmie, Tybaxel, and Nik.

New decor

We also made some progress on decor!

WIP roundable by Remmie and Giulia.

Development Check In

See the initial UIs for our in-development item database and achievement system for archetypes!

Archetypes, as introduced in our January update, are a specific combination of traits which, when fulfilled, mark the cat’s profile with a badge and reward the user as an achievement fulfillment. Below are the initial UI for the achievement part of this mechanic.

Browse through all available items in the game with our item database. Filter by category, rarity, color, or obtainment method to find exactly what you're looking for. Whether it's food, supplies, or metamorphics, everything is at your pawtips!

How is Beta going?

We’ve had a great time with Beta! Over 1100 users signed up! 

While we did have server issues, we opted for optional  maintenance downtimes that lasted between 1 to 5 minutes each to implement solutions. But the server did not and never did crash, which we are very happy about. 

Halfway into the first week, we found a way to optimize, and since then the server has only had issues when we deploy fixes, which is expected during the application’s infancy. As we grow, deployments won't have these consequences, and patches will come out in big batches rather than small deployments. But it works for now as we make steady progress.

We do really enjoy this environment of testing. The amount of QA we get from the test is huge in helping us crack down on issues, and it's monumental in us improving the application. For the first two weeks of Beta, we did a lot of straight grinding to whittle down on the biggest issues, and we're very excited to get back to this pace. The energy has been a blast and a half, and we're happy with the progress we're making.

As we planned, we're doing less in the next two weeks before March. Our developers are taking a brief reprieve, and we’ll be making small updates in the meantime, but not nearly as frequent as the first two weeks of the test. 

Myself (Blue) also needs a few days of rest, and I greatly appreciate the patience with our planned catnap. 

But Beta has been fun as we make progress. That's a huge uplifter! There are a lot of ways in which development can feel thankless, demoralizing, or frustrating for the team. But the engagement from users and the community's joviality has lifted our spirits significantly. It’s great to feel so excited to keep working!

And the feedback has been juicy! There is a lot of very thoughtful criticism that has been sent for us to really sink our teeth into. We couldn't ask for anything better. This dedication will help us improve the application, and we love the time and energy put into feedback tickets. We care a lot about them, and value how much a user must care to send them.

Our projection of running through the summer is holding true based on our progress. We expect to see a very different application by the end of Closed Beta, and one which we’ll listen to the community on with how it's feeling. As we promised, we will not be moving into Open Beta until it feels good and we’ve gotten through our list of update priorities. 

The biggest thing we've learned since the Closed Beta launch is to be more proactive and prepared with our communication. We apologize for the ways we have fumbled in making sure information is readily accessible, sensible, and concentrated, and for not adequately relaying both our intentions and easy instructions for users. We have learned, and we take responsibility for the initial frustration. We deserved the criticism. Thank you for expressing your concerns to us, and we'll employ everything we have learned going forward.

To summarize: We shared decors, Gilded helm recoloring, icons, item database and closed Beta update.

What to expect next month: Further asset and development updates. Check-ins for how closed Beta will be going.

[thebibliosphere]

Hey, so this isn't meant as advice for you, this is me asking if you have experience with trying a bit of advice I heard, and what your experience was with it? Basically I was told that two things that can help with migraines is soaking your feet in hot/warm water (possibly with ginger?) and to do breathing exercises where you exhale more than you inhale. Have you heard this advice before? Did you try it and if so, did it work for you? I get migraines pretty rarely but it's always so debilitating when they do happen and "go somewhere quiet and dark for 2 days" isn't always viable but is the only reliable method Ive had so far, but Id be down to try something like this if it has any validity to it?

I have tried them, and they have never worked for me. Alternating ice and heat directly over the pain helps me more (especially heat over my "trigger" eye), but usually, just so I can try to sleep through the pain, otherwise I'm going to be awake the whole 20+ hours, and that's never fun.

Your mileage may vary, and tbh, it's worth trying as they are fairly easy to do -- and who knows, you might get lucky and have "easy*" migraines that respond to deep breathing and soaking your feet.

For what it's worth, I've heard some people get more out of the foot-soaking thing by also putting a cold cloth/ice pack on the back of their neck. It helps aid with vasodilation and vasoconstriction, which can sometimes be a factor in migraines.

Aside from correcting my atypical binocular vision disorder with vision therapy and corrective tinted prisms, the biggest help I've had for my migraines has been from taking B2 supplements as recommended by my neurologist.

There's some evidence to show that taking 400mg of b2 for 3+ months can help lessen migraine intensity and perhaps even prevent them. Supposedly it works better if you also take magnesium.

I used to just take magnesium which is a common migraine "hack," but it never did much for me. Adding in the high dose of B2 was what finally made a difference. My migraines are still 20+ hours, but they're less painful, and I can be somewhat functional with them.

Obligatory: Talk to your doctor before starting any new medications, including supplements.

Good luck. I hope you find a solution that works for you.

---

*No migraines are easy, but some of us have harder-to-treat migraines that don't respond to "easy" solutions. Whenever someone asks me if I've tried deep breathing and Excedrin because it always works for them, I am both happy for them but also want to throttle them, lol.

[tenebraevesper]

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Final Conclusion)

''It's been a long, rough road and I'm finally here. I move an inch forward, feels like a year. Everything I feel seems so unreal. Is it true? Is it true? I take one step forward and two steps back. Got a hundred thousand pounds sitting on my back. Up, down, all around, don't know quite what to do to get through. Well, I'm on my way...''

(Never Turn Back, Shadow the Hedgehog (2005))

Welcome to the Final Conclusion of my Shadow the Hedgehog's character analysis! It has been a long, rough road for me, but now I'm here to give you my final thoughts on Shadow the Hedgehog as a character in Sonic Prime.

So, shall we dive in for one last time?

I started this character analysis with the statement that ''Prime!Shadow is peak Shadow'', making it my mission to re-watch every episode of Sonic Prime to back up my argument, and I believe that I have succeeded.

When I had learned that Sonic Prime would have Shadow in it, I made sure to keep a close eye on him, as we know all too well just how tight SEGA's mandates around Shadow's character are, having seen him at his worst in the Sonic IDW comics. I had been hoping that Sonic Prime would let Shadow have more room as a character, let him breathe a little. He doesn't have to be just the grim Vegeta-type Stock Shonen Rival to Sonic, but he can also be a hero on his own.

So I waited and I hoped, and, oh boy, did Sonic Prime deliver!

With the placement of Sonic Prime in the mainline canon being deliberately vague (aside from obviously being set after Sonic Advance 3) we only had the knowledge of Shadow's backstory to figure out how his character might be utilized in the show, and let me assure you, I did not expect that Shadow as a character would actually go back to his roots.

As TV Tropes puts it, Shadow is the composite character of ''the intelligent, perceptive, and pragmatic (with good intentions) of Sonic 06'' self ''with the wrathful but good intentioned disposistion of Sonic Battle'' self.

In short, he is exactly the Shadow people wanted to see for so long, ever since Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), which is considered to be the peak of his character (not counting Sonic Adventure 2). He is the grim rival to Sonic, but has a kind heart and the will to protect the world regardless of how people see him. He is not above using violent methods to achieve his goals, but has primarily good intentions, and will clash and work together with Sonic depending on the situation.

That alone is very impressive, but what makes Prime!Shadow stand out even above his Sonic 06 self is the fact that he actually undergoes through subtle, but legitimate character development.

As I had stated in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 1), Shadow starts out as a loner who prefers to stop Sonic from causing the end of world by fighting him instead of talking to him. This is kind of understandable, since Sonic also sucks at communication and listening to other people, including his friends, which is how the whole Shatterverse event starts in the first place, and gets punched by Shadow for causing this whole mess.

In Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 2), I had been pointing out how, after both Shadow got all the frustration he felt towards Sonic out of his system in the first half of Episode 09: Avoid the Void, he manages to convey to Sonic just how much damage he had caused by breaking the Paradox Prism, leading to the two to actually start communicating properly. Of course, it is not perfect, and Shadow certainly gets annoyed by Sonic over the course of the episode, but he is willing to talk rather than to fight.

However, it takes until the second half of the same episode, aka what I covered in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 3) for Shadow to finally realize that he needs Sonic if he wants to fix reality. But before that, we have a good old fashioned rival fight, where Shadow decides to save the world on his own, showing us that, even if the world is at stake, he won't miss a chance to enjoy his fight with Sonic. However, upon his failure to enter the Shatterspaces, he understands that he won't be able to do this without Sonic's help, as he's stuck in The Void. Of course, this is just the beginning of their attempts at proper teamwork and they still won't miss a chance to banter with each other.

Speaking of bantering, we slowly start get more and more of those, as covered in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 4), with Shadow snarking at Sonic while also trying to keep him on track. Not only that, but Shadow also plays a role in stalling the Chaos Council, showing that even if he cannot travel through the Shatterverse, he can still support Sonic in his own way.

When the Chaos Council arrives at Ghost Hill to take the Prism Shards, we finally see what it looks like when Shadow and Sonic team up and it's glorious. Even if their relationship hasn't started out well, you can see how they slowly become better and better as a team, protecting each other and coming up with plans to protect the Shards.

One thing that gets pointed out, however, is Shadow's distrust of other people. In Sonic Prime, Shadow has no friends, which is something Sonic teases him about when Shadow shows clear distrust of Nine. Shadow is right to be distrustful of Nine, pointing out to Sonic how he's not the same as Tails, especially due to how Sonic is projecting Tails onto Nine and treating him as if they were the same person.

However, Sonic is not wrong either in regards to his statement how Shadow needs to learn to trust people, and rest assured, it appears that Shadow actually takes this to heart, as he begins to trust Sonic.

This is seen in the first half of Episode 17: Grim Tidings, which I covered in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 5). Not only does Shadow not blame Sonic for losing the Shards to Nine, but he also keeps reaching out for Sonic, who is grieving the loss of Ghost Hill and his friends, protecting him from danger, reassuring him that they will get the Shards back and comforting him by complimenting him. It's incredibly sweet to see that side of him, a kinder, softer side which he appears to show only around Sonic.

This extends into the second half of the episode, covered in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 6), where Shadow keeps up with his mission to protect Sonic as they try to recover the Paradox Prism from Nine. Not only has their teamwork significantly improved, with both being incredibly in sync, but the moment Shadow realizes that Nine is after Sonic, he abandons the Paradox Prism and instead focuses on saving Sonic from Nine, eventually throwing him out of The Grim and basically sacrificing his own life for Sonic.

I absolutely loved seeing this protective side of Shadow, showing just how much he cares about Sonic and how much he has grown to appreciate him.

(Also, note how Shadow once again has beef with Tails, having fought him in Sonic X and Sonic Boom before).

What follows next is the battle against Nine, covered in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 7), which shows us Shadow and Sonic's contrasting personalities and ideals bouncing off of each other, while working perfectly together. They have now reached a new level of trust, respect and understanding, with Shadow showing complete loyalty towards Sonic, even if their initial methods of reaching their goals clash with each other.

Also, Sonic introduces Shadow as his boyfriend to his Shatterverse friends.

''Probably gonna regret that.'' ''I heart you too, Shadow.''

Oh, did you really think I wouldn't talk about the blatant Sonadow subtext in Sonic Prime? There is a reason why fans nicknamed the show Sonadow Prime.

These two dorks have so much chemistry in this show that it is hard not to ship them together, even if all instances of them working together as a couple were unintentional. Sonic Prime definitely shows the appeal of the Sonadow ship, and if you go by The Sonadow Special Bumblekast Interview with Ian Flynn, these two are probably one confession away from dating each other (even if the ship will never become canon, because SEGA says ''No'' to romance in their Sonic media - a wise decision).

Why am I saying this? Well, Ian says that, in order for Sonadow to be executed, there would have to be an understood vulnerability to Shadow, and he would have to open up to be more accessible at a personal level. He notes how it doesn't take much for it to happen, and that it just has to become established to build that bridge, especially with Sonic being so casual and accepting enough as he is, and he would allow Shadow to be who he is, which is kinda prickly and stand-offish. They would have the occasional moment where Shadow let's his guard down and is more empathetic and emotionally available, but otherwise, they would play it fairly cool and aloof.

Also, how would it be made official that they're together? Ian says how they're so cool and aloof in their own way that he cannot see either of them making some dramatic declaration or turn all mushy and lovey-dovey, as that's not who they are.

''[...] The adventure concludes, and they're standing side by side on the hillside looking at the sunset and the wreckage, and they share, y'know, a compliment, and instead of like, a fist bump or a 'See ya next time', and one of them runs off; maybe they throw arms around each other or something, just kinda stand there. [...] I see them just being very chill about it all.''

So, let me ask you something - in Sonic Prime, which character is starting to show his more vulnerable side, letting his guard down and and reaching out for Sonic, either to comfort him or to protect him?

Yeah, a simple screenshot speaks more than a thousand words.

Also, if you don't care about what Ian Flynn said, just take note of how affectionate Sonic is towards Shadow and Shadow in turn just let's him do whatever he wants. Sonic hugs him, and Shadow doesn't push him back. It's absolutely adorable and it gets even better when we get to the finale!

Episode 23: From the Top (covered in its full form in Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 8)) concludes the battle against Nine, with the whole Shatterverse being reduced to nothing. Sonic decides to sacrifice his life to restore the Paradox Prism, and we see Shadow completely heartbroken when he sees that Sonic isn't moving, probably believing that he is dead. I don't think Shadow had ever shown an expression like this in any media.

Fortunately, Sonic is still alive, but barely holding on, leading up to a race against time, where Shadow carries a dying Sonic towards Green Hill.

''I never knew you were a hugger.'' ''Do you want me to save you or not?''

*shouting from the back* Just kiss already!

Hey, I mean, it isn't them throwing arms around each other, but we do have Sonic flirting with Shadow and Shadow responding before the sense of panic sets in when Sonic goes limp.

Fortunately, the day is saved, with Sonic and Shadow retaining their memories of what had happened and remembering what their learned from each other during their adventure (with the Shatterverse probably being wiped out because Sonic doesn't shatter the Paradox Prism).

''I am the Ultimate Lifeform. I go wherever I want.'' ''Wh-huh?'' ''CHAOS CONTROL!''

One thing I don't believe I had mentioned is how there is three times when Shadow declares his status as The Ultimate Lifeform. The first time is a response to Nine's comment about him and Sonic being twins, with Shadow pointing out his uniqueness. The second time he states it is when Nine is shocked to see him defeat Grim Alpha Sonic, with Sonic quipping how he's ''modest too'', showing off that he is adept to battling and will win the fight no matter the odds. And lastly, he states it once again before he teleports the Paradox Prism, noting how he can go wherever he wants, which I believe is him declaring his won freedom to not be tied to anything (like a certain promise) and doing things his way (not to mention the fact that he spent a good chunk of the show floating in The Void, unable to go anywhere).

Unfortunately, as I said before, the ending kinda feels like it's missing something, and while people might point out how it's either perfect the way it is or list a bunch of flaws or seek signs of an nonexistent sequel, the one thing I wanted to see is for Sonic and Shadow to have at least one more conversation.

''If knowing you has taught me anything, there is always another way.'' 'Wait, was that a compliment?''

I wanted them to meet up again and reflect on their adventure, as well as talk how much they have grown closer as a team, with Sonic even offering Shadow to join him and his friends at the beach for a couple of chili dogs. I'd have Shadow be reluctant for a moment, before accepting.

Maybe have Sonic ask Shadow what happened to the Paradox Prism and Shadow assure him that it's in a safe space. Perhaps they could also ponder on what happened to the Shatterverse, and whether it's gone or it still exists. As for Sonic's friends, they would probably wonder since when Sonic and Shadow are now close buddies, with Sonic about to tell them about their adventure in the Shatterverse before Dr. Eggman returns with another scheme and the adventure continues.

I really wanted some kind of finality to show their newly formed bond. After all, there is so much to talk about, like the fact that Sonic definitely had a traumatic flashback to Sonic Adventure 2.

Or have Shadow admit that he doesn't want to lose Sonic by just telling him not to get so reckless again when around another world-shattering stone.

*sighs dreamily*

Oh well, being a writer, I guess I might as well write this alternate ending by myself then. I might let these two have their moment, showing appreciation for each other in their own way.

Also, Shadow is a hugger. That's definitely canon now.

One last thing to mention before I finish this is - what did Shadow do with the Paradox Prism? Well, I have an idea for how this adventure might continue, albeit in a different universe:

Sonic Boom Shatterverse (Sonic Prime/Sonic Boom)

So, does anyone want to see how Boom!Shadow and Boom!Sonic handle their own universe shattering into pieces? Coz I do!

#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)

[thenuclearmallard]

Number in letters

Small indigenous peoples are offered to preserve their speech

January 21, 2025

All methods of preserving and reviving endangered languages ​​used so far in Russia have not yielded results, stated participants of a forum dedicated to this problem in Krasnoyarsk. In their opinion, only the preservation of traditional forms of residence and management provides a guarantee for the continued existence of such languages. However, forum participants from among government representatives, the expert community and the indigenous peoples themselves agreed that the digital environment of indigenous peoples can help solve the problem.

In the middle of the last century, traditional farming guaranteed the preservation of native languages ​​for the inhabitants of the indigenous northern peoples

Photo: Gorshkov V. / Photo archive of the magazine "Ogonyok" / Kommersant

The scope of use of the languages ​​of indigenous minorities (IMN) of the North, Siberia and the Far East is gradually narrowing, which threatens their continued existence. This was discussed at the strategic session "Creating a digital environment for native languages ​​through the prism of technology and creative industries", which opened in Krasnoyarsk on January 21. It was organized by the Regional Association of Indigenous Minorities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The list of indigenous minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation includes 40 ethnic groups. The largest of them are the Nenets, Evenks, Khanty, Evens, Chukchi and Mansi. Eight such peoples live in Krasnoyarsk Krai. The total number of indigenous minorities of Russia is 262.6 thousand people. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2022-2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

"It is very unfortunate that we have to acknowledge the threatening language situation among almost all the indigenous minorities of the North. Thus, among the modern Evenks, only a few families have survived in which their native language is passed on to their children, and these are mostly those families that continue to preserve their traditional way of life," complained the leader of the Evenk Association of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aleksandr Varlamov. In his opinion, the education system, which involves teaching children of indigenous minorities in boarding schools, does not ensure the continuity of language knowledge and traditional forms of economic management. "In the current state of affairs, it is quite expected that in the course of decades we will lose not only our native language, but also the last reindeer herders and hunters - the true guardians of ethnocultural traditions," he made a sad forecast.

A similar point of view was expressed by the professor of the Siberian Federal University, the famous historian and ethnographer Viktor Krivonogov.

“Having studied more than 30 peoples of Siberia, the Far East and foreign countries, I have not encountered a single fact where any people has preserved or revived their language,” he summed up the results of his 50 years of research work.

The scientist noted that this happened despite the implementation of numerous laws, programs and the “heroic work of teachers.”

According to the results of surveys conducted during scientific expeditions, the Soyots in the Republic of Buryatia have completely lost their fluency in their native language. Among the Tofalars in the Irkutsk Region and the Kets in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, this figure is less than 10%. Among the Krasnoyarsk Nganasans and Nenets, it is no more than 15%. Although, back in 1993-1994, almost 40% of the representatives of this people spoke Nganasan fluently. At the same time, according to Mr. Krivonogov, even among the Evenks of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, who can study their native language in middle and high school, the number of those who speak it fluently is decreasing. There are no such people left at all under the age of 19, and about 1% of those aged 19-29.

"The language is actually preserved only in the environment where traditional farming is practiced... If a child comes to school at the age of seven with his native Russian language, not knowing a single word in the Evenki language, can this language become his native language again? Of course not," Viktor Krivonogov named the reason for the loss of the native language. According to his data, at present only 5% of the representatives of the indigenous minorities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory continue to roam the tundra. Among the Tundra Nenets, the proportion of those fluent in their native language reaches almost 100%.

“Due to various objective reasons, the young generation of indigenous peoples of the North is breaking away from the centuries-old occupations of their ancestors, losing their mother tongue, their customs and traditions,” confirmed Victoria Polikarenok, head of the Evenki nomadic kindergarten “Chipkan”.

The creation of a digital environment for indigenous languages ​​can help solve the language problem, believes Grigory Dyukarev, Commissioner for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Krasnoyarsk Krai. In particular, he suggested that the session participants initiate the introduction of programs for training "teachers of native language and computer science" in universities, as well as include in the program advanced training for teachers of native languages ​​and the use of digital technologies.

Sardana Sivtseva from the Arctic Capital company named the Ayana platform as an example of creating a digital environment. It is an offline version of an electronic translator of the Evenki language for nomadic schools and places with unstable mobile communications. "The project has found a continuation in Altai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and other regions. We initially planned that after the Evenki language, other languages ​​would follow," she said, calling on specialists to create electronic explanatory dictionaries of the languages ​​of the indigenous minorities. During the session, a machine translator of the Mansi language, the Evenki language portal "Evengus" and a number of other projects were also presented.

"We will try this new method as well. Maybe it will work if the previous ones did not lead to significant changes," Viktor Krivonogov expressed hope, adding that the result of applying digitalization in this area will become clear "in about ten years."

Valery Lavsky

[ceescedasticity]

Realized yesterday that:

Saruman definitely knew/realized a maia had to be playing the Warden role

Saruman tried to contact this maia to make a side deal

The contact method involved torturing and killing an orc

It worked, Prism got his message, and she might have been interested, except—

Saruman confidently addressed his message to a particular servant of Oromë who went missing way back who he assumed became the Warden

Prism was offended

Like she wouldn't expect people to know it was her, it was hidden, but assuming it must be someone else is just not forgiveable

[tiredspacedragon]

So we finally got a proper Legends: Z-A trailer

Saw a few other people posting their thoughts, so I figured I might as well join in because I do have a lot to say and not too many people to say it to. So here's what's going through my head looking through the trailer and website.

Long post ahead.

I was right. I told y'all and I was right and I am going to be smug about it because I said so. Present. Freaking. Day. I said the clothes in the reveal trailer proved it wasn't set in the past and I. Was. Right. Could still be time travel involved I suppose, but the majority of the game is set in the present and I am vindicated.

I wonder if the train station we arrive in, or I guess I'm just assuming this is a train station, is the same one that takes you to Kiloude in XY. Still want to know what "the usual place" is and if it has anything to do with the ghost girl.

The male protagonist kinda looks like Professor Sycamore to me. I wonder if we're gonna be a nepo baby in this game.

No gym logo on Prism Tower anymore. Which could mean anything really.

Actually a little disappointed about the "wild zones," I'd have preferred to see the Pokémon just out and about wherever. I think they may still be? But just mostly confined to these places. Bit of a bummer, not that bad.

The starter trio is...weird. I am disappointed to see that neither Snivy nor Piplup are part of it, feels like that was done on purpose just to subvert expectations. But subverted expectations don't guarantee the surprise is better, y'know? But yeah, Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. I mean I don't dislike any of them, I'm happy to see them getting some love, they desperately need it. But having two of them be from Johto is really strange. Kanto and Hoenn probably weren't options because their starters already have Megas, but that still left Sinnoh, Alola, and Galar to pick from. So here's hoping they've just got something really good cooked up for both Meganium and Feraligatr that they just couldn't wait to show off. I'm really not sure if this game will follow in the footsteps of the previous Legends game and give us regional forms for these guys, or if they'll just get Megas instead. Both is possible, but unlikely, while just Megas feel like the most likely. Which kinda sucks because I like regional forms and would like to see more, but Kalos is the Mega region, sooo... I mean they could give these guys regional variants and then give us Megas for the Kalos starters and have us get one of them a la how we got a Mega Kanto starter in XY, but that's pure speculation. Anyway, these guys are neat, if a little odd. I like 'em fine. Also first time getting two quadrupeds in one starter trio so that's cool. Yeah Tepig's gonna stand up but it's still a first for the base forms.

Looks like the catching system works the same as it did in Arceus, which suits me just fine, because I had a lot of fun with that.

Ooh, we can go on rooftops. I notice, though, that there's no sign of catacombs yet. Still holding on to that little hope. Come on Game Freak, it's a whole game set in Poké-Paris, there have to be catacombs.

Rival picks the starter weak to yours. Lame.

Okay, so real time battles. That is...very interesting. I doubt this will become a series staple, at least in the mainline games. The turn-based Pokémon metagame is far too deep, intricate, and honestly well-crafted for them to just throw it out, but it is a neat idea for a pseudo side game like this. The faster pace will make the battles less methodical, less about taking your time and coming up with strategy and more about thinking on your feet, which could be a neat challenge. And I'm looking forward to seeing how certain moves' mechanics change in relation to this new system. The above screenshot, for example, shows a Lucario using Protect, which is normally not a very good move for playthroughs as it doesn't do much in most single battles other than waste a turn, but now in this game it will be invaluable. Being able to completely block an enemy attack without worrying about dodging and repositioning is incredible. It looks like each move is on a cooldown timer too, so you can't just hammer away with the same move over and over again. Guess that keeps the battles more dynamic. Also I wonder if this means they'll do away with PP. More powerful moves may just take longer to recharge. Hmm. There's a lot more I could say here, but I don't want this post to go on forever. Still this is neat, especially since I've been musing a lot lately on the differences between battles in the games vs how they're depicted in the anime and such.

I see the player character still has a dodge roll, so I assume the Pokémon can still kill us? Hope so, that was a big part of the fun last time.

So Mega Pokémon are all permanently iridescent now? I...actually don't mind that, it looks kinda nice. Sorta reminds me of the Terastallization crystallized effect. Pretty. Also I like the new bronze-coloured Mega Ring. Also pretty.

So the CEO is evil, right? That's kinda the way these things work in Pokémon. Of course it could be a double bluff and she's actually chill because they know we're expecting that trope by now, but we'll see. The big manly man secretary with the Pancham and Buneary hair ornaments in his man bun is cute though.

They put AZ in a SUIT?? Man looks clean! Like he even washed his hair! And he's smiling! He recovered and he's actually happy! Oh you love to see it. Still though, my guy, I get that you're three meters tall, but you live in Poké-Paris. You could have found a tailor. So I guess the stitched together clothes are a fashion statement.

Also we are so getting that Floette.

I never noticed that Zygarde 10% has a butthole before. A hexagonal one at that.

Looks like some parts of the city are still under construction. There's scaffolding up. That's cool, adds more of a 3D element to the environment. I do like climbing things.

Also, speaking of the city, it's split into five sections, and now they're all colour-coded. Which is kinda funny looking, but I mean I'm here for it. The colours match the plazas Lumiose had in XY that were named after colours...almost. The red section is where Magenta Plaza should be, and the section where Rouge Plaza should be is a very pale pink. So did they change the order, or are these colours someone's very mixed up idea of what magenta and red look like?

Okay so the rival is the protagonist you didn't pick with a palette swap and wardrobe change. That's cool, it's been a while since we've seen that. I mean I guess Arceus did it, but that was to match DP having Lucas and Dawn appear in game. The last time it happened with totally new characters was...XY. Huh. And of course changing their look is totally new. The names are a little goofy though. Urbain and Taunie. Sometimes Pokémon can be subtle with the protagonists' and rivals' names, but Urban and Townie here are not an example of that.

Speaking of, no names for the protags yet, but they are totally new designs, not makeovers of Calem and Serena, at least not obviously. I wonder if they'll be referenced at all. I highly doubt either will actually appear, but some mention of "the hero who stopped Team Flare x years ago" would be pretty standard Pokémon fare.

It is interesting how things in the wild zones seem to have just been left as they are. Like they weren't cleared out or turned into parks, there are cars left crooked on the side of the road and tables and chairs abandoned where they sat. I wonder if that's going to be a point of tension in the plot, people opposing the redevelopment plan because they were forced out of their homes. Seems unlikely for Pokémon to get into anything like that too deeply, but they may touch on it. Why do they look like that?

Sooo that's a Chikorita that knows Disarming Voice, which it cannot learn by any means in the mainline games. I smell a Grass/Fairy Meganium form in our future. Mega or regional, whichever. Tepig is shown using Rollout and Totodile is shown to know Bite, but both of them learn those moves normally, so that's no guarantee of Rock or Dark types for them. Fairy moves are new for Chikorita though, very very new.

Either that is the world's tiniest Onix, or Pokémon won't be properly scaled in this game. Again :/ Come on guys, you made it work last time. Yeah, visible size variation has been a thing in the last couple games, so maybe there's hope, but that itty bitty Onix sucks to see.

Okay hold up. Bottom right corner. It looks like Mega Evolution is on a timer. Don't tell me it just ends after that runs out. Oh I don't like that. Not at all. The whole point of Mega Evolution is that it's once per battle but it lasts the entire battle. That better not mean it only lasts until that timer runs out, that just makes it reskinned Dynamax. But I don't know what else that could mean. Ugh. Not a fan of that, no sir.

LOOKER BUREAU SPOTTED!!! Oh please tell me we get to check in on Emma. I would love that.

Okay, so this is the last thing shown in the trailer. A logo showing what looks to be the Prism Tower with a Poké Ball atop it, just after the text, "PROMOTION MATCH ANNOUNCEMENT." So what I would assume that means is that there are some kind of promotional battles, maybe a tournament, being held in Prism Tower? Possibly to fund the redevelopment project? I expect they'll use this to have a bunch of old characters show up with updated designs, which I love, so consider me stoked.