#Phoebe learn to type challenge

[duvetfawn]

Chapter III

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A/N: Hello people. Sorry for updating so late, I've been a bit busy. I made this chapter longer as an apologise. Thanks for all the likes and reposts, it means a lot <3. (Oh, and in case I made some grammar mistakes, I truly apologise, English isn't my first language.)

PAIRING: Professor!Benedict Cumberbatch x fem!reader

WARNINGS: Some eventual swearing. Nothing in particular.

WORD COUNT: 4.1k

“There’s no way you actually went to see him.” Cassie was drinking her third shot, but not even alcohol was helping her relieve the shock. It’s not like didn’t want you to join, she knew you loved poetry, but at the same time she considered it a suicide. She didn’t want you to cry during nights like she did because of Cumberbatch.

“You’re a graphic student, why on Earth would you want to take some lessons about poetry?!”

Your friend was too drunk to have a civil conversation, but you knew Felix wasn’t approving that either. 

“She has a point, Phoebe. You don’t know him.” Your guy friend tilted his head to the side, perfectly convinced you weren’t understanding the situation. 

They really cared about you, and since they knew how much of a twat Cumberbatch could be, they simply didn’t want you to make the same exact mistake. That professor was the only one who could make Felix cry over a grade, and he was always careless about school. The man really drove both of your friends crazy. They were just trying to save you, but only God knew how much he intrigued you. It was the danger – that intrigued you, actually. You started to see it as a challenge; you wanted to prove to your friends that getting good grades with Cumberbatch was possible.

“He’s not that bad.” Your friends almost choked on their drinks before quickly putting the glasses down.

“Not that bad?!” they exclaimed in unison, unable to believe what you had just said. 

You leaned back in your chair, thinking about the professor. The way he challenged your friends, pushed them to the limit... It wasn’t about being nice; it was about respect. And maybe that’s what you liked about him. It wasn’t something your friends understood. But you didn’t care.

“You guys don’t get it. He doesn’t just hand out grades. He makes you earn them. You don’t know the whole story. Trust me, there’s more to him than just being tough.”

“Like what? He secretly loves kittens?” Cas joked, while glancing at the “attractive” (that’s how she considered him) waiter. She won’t sleep at the flat tonight. – you thought.

“No, but... maybe you’ll find out soon enough.”

You weren’t sure what those words meant, you were sure you were going to get at least an A with him though.

The night had wrapped up, and the pub was slowly emptying out. You watched as your friends chatted, laughing and poking fun at each other, while you stayed mostly quiet, still thinking about the conversation you'd had about Cumberbatch. It wasn't like you to get so defensive, but there was something about the challenge he presented that pulled you in.

Cassie wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge either, though her challenges usually involved something a little more... adventurous. You saw her give a sly glance toward the waiter—tall, dark-haired, with an easy smile. She had always had a way with people, especially when she was in the mood for something more than just a casual conversation.

As the hours passed, the energy in the pub shifted. The music grew louder, the conversations more animated. You couldn’t help but notice her making her move. A few teasing words, a laugh, and suddenly, the waiter was sitting with her, sharing a drink. It didn't take long before they slipped away, disappearing into the night.

You didn’t think much of it at first. Cas was always unpredictable, and you’d learned not to be surprised by anything she did. But as you stood up to leave, you noticed her phone buzzing on the table. She hadn’t come back to grab it.

You grabbed it, sending her a quick text saying you were heading back to the flat. But then you paused, a little hesitant. There was a message from the waiter, something about meeting up later. It was more than casual—it was flirtatious. A smile tugged at your lips despite yourself. 

The walk back to the flat was quiet. The city streets were empty now, the late-night crowd thinning out, the cold air biting at your skin. You slipped into the building, climbed the stairs, and unlocked the door to the flat, feeling the familiar warmth of home.

Inside, the silence felt odd. Your roommate wasn’t back yet, and there was a strange stillness in the air. You dropped your keys onto the counter, stripped off your jacket, and made your way into the living room. You tried to distract yourself by scrolling through your phone, but your mind kept wandering back to the night. Cassie and the waiter. What had really happened after they left the pub?

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and she walked in, her face glowing in a way that caught your attention. She looked... different. It wasn’t just the way she carried herself—it was more like she had a secret, something she wasn’t sharing just yet.

“You’re back late.”

“Yeah, I lost track of time.” She tossed her purse onto the couch. Her eyes sparkled with something you couldn’t quite place, but you weren’t sure if you wanted to know. “And you? How was the walk of shame?”

“It was fine.” You gave her a sidelong glance, but she didn’t seem to be paying much attention. She was too busy scanning the room, like she was looking for something—or someone.

You opened your mouth to ask if she was okay, but then stopped yourself. There was no need to ask. You could already see it in the way she moved, the way she kept glancing at her phone, the slight flush in her cheeks.

As you grabbed a glass of water, she finally spoke up, her voice light but with an edge of mischief.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you what happened.”

“Try me.” You leaned back against the counter, crossing your arms, still a little curious but not sure if you wanted to hear the full story.

She looked at you for a second, considering whether or not to say more, before a laugh escaped her lips. “I might have gone home with the waiter. And... It went really well.”

You raised an eyebrow, trying to keep a neutral expression, though a small part of you was surprised by her candour. She didn’t usually share details unless she wanted to.

“Really? How well?”

She gave a mischievous grin. “Well enough that I stayed over.” She stretched her arms above her head, clearly amused with herself. “I think he might be a little smitten. Let’s just say it wasn’t just a one-time thing.”

You didn’t respond right away, just sipping your water. Part of you wanted to be sarcastic, to joke about it, but there was something else—an unspoken understanding between you. You knew her well enough to know when she was being serious, and right now, she seemed to be savouring the moment, letting it sink in.

The mood shifted slightly as you processed what she’d said. You both had your wild nights, but this felt... different. Maybe because you had no idea how to process what she had just done. It wasn’t about judgement, just the realisation that your world was shifting, ever so subtly, and you weren’t sure where it would land.

“So, what now?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “We’ll see. For now, I’m going to take a shower and figure it out.” She turned away, leaving you alone in the living room, the weight of the night pressing down on you.

You stared at your phone again, but this time you weren’t thinking about the professor. You were thinking about Cassie —and whatever happened with the waiter, you had a feeling it wasn’t going to be the last secret she kept from you.

The flat was quiet. The soft glow of the desk lamp flickered gently in the corner of the room, casting long shadows on the walls. You had intended to spend the evening reading, to dive into the worn copy of Notes from Underground that you’d picked up a few days ago. Dostoevskij had always intrigued you, his exploration of the human psyche—its contradictions, its darkness, its beauty—had always felt like something you could connect with, in some way.

After your conversation with Cas earlier, you'd promised yourself that tonight would be different. You’d push aside the distractions, the thoughts of Professor Cumberbatch, and focus. You needed to focus.

You sat on the couch, tucking your legs underneath you, the book open in your lap. The first few pages were filled with the usual musings of the Underground Man, his bitter, self-loathing observations about society, about himself. You tried to focus on the words, the rhythm of Dostoevskij's sentences, but as you read, your mind began to wander again. 

It had been a simple request, really—just a quick meeting to discuss whether you could join his course. But when you walked into his office, something in the air had shifted. It was as if you’d entered a different world entirely, one where rules were set by him and only him, where even the smallest gesture seemed significant.

His eyes, so sharp, so calculating. That slight frown when you spoke, as if every word you said was being measured against some invisible standard. His voice had been cold, as it always was, and yet there was something else in it—a hint of something that couldn’t quite be defined. Was it curiosity? Or was it just the way he viewed everyone: as another puzzle to solve, another enigma to dissect?

You tried to shake off the memory, but it clung to you like a shadow.

You forced your eyes back down to the page of the book. The Underground Man, now deep in his musings, was reflecting on his own alienation from society, his frustration with his inability to act on his desires. It should have been comforting. After all, you were feeling a similar sense of frustration—not with society, but with yourself. With Professor Cumberbatch.

It wasn’t just that he was cold or distant—it was the way he saw people, the way he seemed to know exactly where their weaknesses lay. The way he had looked at you that first time, his eyes narrowing slightly, his lips barely moving as he gave you the approval to join his class. It was as though he had known you weren’t like the others, and that made you both anxious and… intrigued.

The Underground Man’s internal dialogue, so full of self-hatred, was suddenly too familiar. You could almost hear his voice—“I want to be everything, to be admired, to be desired. And yet, I remain here, on the outside, watching, always watching, but never truly seen.”

You felt that way sometimes, too. Like you were watching from the outside, never quite allowed in, never quite understood. But with Cumberbatch... it was different. You weren’t just watching. You wanted to be seen by him. You wanted to break through that cold exterior, to make him see you as more than just another student, to make him notice you in a way that was beyond grades or lectures.

You sighed, closing the book with a snap. The words of Dostoevsky had faded, now irrelevant in the face of your own swirling emotions. His coldness was beginning to consume you, a constant, nagging presence at the back of your mind. You didn’t know what it was, exactly. Was it admiration? Or something darker, something more dangerous?

You glanced at the clock on the wall. It was late—too late to be thinking about him so intensely, but you couldn’t stop yourself. The idea of him lingered, wrapping itself around your thoughts like smoke. Why did you even care so much? You couldn’t say for sure. You didn’t want to care, but every time he spoke, every time he looked at you, you felt the pull again.

You tried to read, but the words just wouldn't stick. You couldn’t escape him, not even in the pages of a book. You closed your eyes for a moment, the silence of the room swallowing you whole, and all you could see was Cumberbatch’s sharp gaze, that unshakable calm, as though he was always five steps ahead of you. Maybe it was the challenge that drew you in, you thought, the way he made you feel like you were always trying to catch up, always striving to prove yourself. Maybe that was it. But deep down, you knew it wasn’t just about proving anything. It was about him. About how his coldness made you feel like you needed to be more than what you were.

You had read somewhere that the most intriguing people were often the hardest to understand. That the more distant they were, the more fascinating they became. Perhaps that was what it was. You couldn’t stop thinking about him because you were trying to figure him out, trying to decode him like some impossible puzzle.

But you also realised, with a twist in your gut, that maybe you were trying to decode him for an entirely different reason. 

You shook your head, pushing the thought aside, but it was no use. 

The silence of the flat was suffocating, the kind of silence that made your thoughts feel louder than they should be. You had tried, really tried, to focus on the book in your lap. The weight of it seemed heavy in your hands, but not because of its content. No, it wasn’t the book that weighed on you—it was the battle raging inside your head. 

Every time you read a sentence, every time you tried to immerse yourself in the Underground Man’s bitter rants, your mind would drift back to that man. His face, his voice, that cold, assessing gaze that had been burned into your memory since the first time you’d met him.

You hated that you couldn’t push him out of your mind. You had tried so hard. You had closed the book, shifted on the couch, taken deep breaths, even tried to replay the dull, comforting monotony of your day to drown out the thought of him. But it was useless. His image crept into your thoughts like smoke, seeping into every corner of your mind, twisting everything around.

Focus, you told yourself. Focus on the book, on the Underground Man’s cynicism, on his contempt for the world. Focus on something that makes sense.

But it was impossible.

The thought of Cumberbatch lingered like a shadow, taunting you. What was it about him that had you so utterly captivated? You barely knew him, for God's sake. You knew nothing about his life outside of class, nothing about his personal history. And yet, there was something about the way he carried himself, that air of indifference mixed with intellect, that had gotten under your skin in a way you couldn't explain.

You shifted uncomfortably, your heart racing for reasons you couldn’t quite name. You didn't want to think about him. You really didn’t. The thought of liking him—of feeling something for him, something other than disdain or annoyance—made you feel… dirty. It wasn’t right. He was your professor, after all. The power dynamic between you two was something you couldn't ignore, and yet your body had betrayed you, repeatedly, in ways you couldn’t control.

Why was it so hard to just stop thinking about him?

You hated this feeling. It wasn’t admiration; it wasn’t respect. It was something else. Something that made your stomach twist uncomfortably, as if you were standing on the edge of a precipice and couldn’t quite bring yourself to step back from it.

Why couldn’t you just leave it alone? Why did your thoughts keep drifting back to him, like he had some magnetic pull over you?

The mere idea of him—of liking him, of being attracted to him—made you want to crawl out of your skin. You could feel the shame creeping up your neck, heat spreading across your face.

This is ridiculous, you thought, clenching your hands into fists. He’s your professor. He doesn’t care about you. He probably doesn’t even see you as anything other than just another student—just another face in a sea of faces.

But no matter how hard you tried to convince yourself, the discomfort wouldn’t go away. The thought of him lingered like a taste you couldn't wash from your mouth, sweet and sour all at once.

You stood up abruptly, pacing the small flat. The low hum of the city outside the window seemed to taunt you, as though the whole world was moving forward while you were stuck in this strange mental loop. Every time you thought you’d gotten rid of him, he'd slip back into your thoughts.

I need to sleep, you told yourself, desperate for some escape from the dissonance swirling in your mind. Sleep is what I need. Forget about him. Just sleep.

You grabbed your book and threw it on the nearby desk, suddenly unable to stand the sight of the pages anymore. Your breath was shallow, your hands trembling slightly. This wasn’t like you. You weren’t one to obsess over things like this. You weren’t someone who let a professor—someone who barely even noticed you—take up so much of your mental space.

But you were. And it scared you.

You moved toward your bedroom, your steps heavy with exhaustion. The night had dragged on far too long, and you felt the weight of your thoughts pressing down on you. You undressed quickly, too tired to think, and crawled into bed, pulling the covers tightly around your body as though they could somehow shield you from the storm of emotions raging inside.

You lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open, the silence almost unbearable. You tried to clear your mind, but each time you closed your eyes, his face appeared. His eyes. That voice.

You squeezed your eyes shut, as if that would banish the thoughts away.

The sunlight filtered in through the blinds, casting soft stripes across the room. You woke up to the familiar hum of the city outside, the world moving on without pause. Your head ached a little, not from the usual hangover, but from the weight of your thoughts, which had stayed with you throughout the night. But for now, you pushed them aside.

You rubbed your eyes, stretching under the covers, still half-dazed from the lack of sleep. It was Saturday, which meant you had the luxury of a lazy morning. The apartment was quiet, save for the faint sound of Cassie moving around in the kitchen. You could already hear her talking, her voice cheerful, full of that easy energy that always seemed to fill the space. As you dragged yourself out of bed, the familiar scent of coffee wafted through the apartment—one of the few things that always made you feel more awake. You walked into the kitchen, where your friend was sitting at the table, sipping her coffee with a mischievous grin on her face. There was a spark in her eyes that was impossible to ignore, a knowing glint that made you immediately suspect what she was about to say.

“Morning,” you muttered, rubbing your eyes one more time.

“Good morning!” Her voice was bright, almost too bright. She leaned back in her chair, casually stirring her coffee, her gaze never leaving you. “So, how was your night?”

You winced slightly, a quick flash of discomfort crossing your face. You hadn’t exactly planned on this conversation. The night had been quiet for you, spent in a dazed attempt to avoid the things swirling in your head. But Cassie had clearly been up to something more exciting, and there was no way she wasn’t going to talk about it now. 

You sat across from her, trying to feign casualness, but the unease you felt about last night’s thoughts—about the guilt you couldn’t shake—was hard to ignore. Your fingers wrapped around the mug of coffee you’d poured for yourself, its warmth a small comfort in the still-chilly morning air.

“So, uh, how was your… night?” You asked carefully, trying to sound nonchalant. You really didn’t want to get into the subject of Cumberbatch, not now, not when you still hadn’t figured out what the hell was going on with you.

Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous grin. "Oh, it was quite something," she said with a dramatic pause, leaning in slightly, as if sharing some kind of inside joke. You raised an eyebrow, dreading the details, but bracing yourself for them nonetheless.

“I told you that waiter was cute, didn’t I?” she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “And we had such a fun time talking, you know? He was so easygoing, not like those uptight types we usually meet. And then… Well, we ended up spending the night together.” She shrugged, completely unapologetic. “It just sort of happened. Nothing too dramatic. I think he’s a little younger than me, but it was fun—completely spontaneous. I don’t know, I just felt like doing something different, you know?”

You nodded, still processing her words. For a moment, you just stared at her, feeling that strange sense of disconnection. She seemed to take everything so easily, while you felt like you were being buried under a pile of guilt and confusion. You weren’t even sure what you wanted anymore—everything felt foggy.

“Wow, sounds like quite the night,” you said softly, attempting to sound encouraging without delving into the details.

“Oh, you bet,” she replied with a playful smile. “I’ll tell you everything later, but not while you're giving me that look.” She winked at you, obviously seeing through the facade you were trying to maintain.

You swallowed hard, a sharp pang of self-consciousness running through you. You hadn’t exactly expected to be interrogated about her night with the waiter, but the more she talked about it, the more it reminded you of how distracted you had been with your own thoughts. Thoughts you couldn’t even fully acknowledge yet.

You bit your lip, trying to keep your focus on Cassie words and not on the uncomfortable knot forming in your stomach.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that,” she said, catching your glance. “You’re making it sound like I did something bad. We’re adults, you know.”

It wasn’t that you judged her at all—really, it wasn’t. But there was something about the way she was so carefree that made you feel even more self-conscious about your own internal battle. You suddenly felt so small, so inwardly conflicted. There you were, stuck on a man you couldn’t have, with thoughts you couldn’t control, and all she seemed to care about was whether her spontaneous hookup had been fun or not.

You shifted in your chair, trying to focus on your coffee, as if it could provide some kind of escape. 

“Yeah,” you said, forcing a small, half-hearted laugh. “You always know how to have fun.”

“Of course I do,” she replied, her grin widening. “You know me.” She paused, studying you for a moment, her expression softening slightly. “But, you are okay, right? You’ve been a little... off lately. You know you can tell me if something’s bothering you.”

You hesitated, looking down at your coffee. You wanted to tell her everything—how you couldn’t stop thinking about the professor, how the thought of him made you feel weird, like you were betraying some unspoken rule. But no, you couldn’t. Not yet. Not when you still didn’t understand what was happening to you.

You forced a smile, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt. “I’m fine,” you said quickly. “Just tired, I guess. Nothing to worry about.”

She didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she didn’t press you any further. Instead, she shifted in her seat and grabbed her phone, distracted by a new message.

“Anyway, I think I’m going to see him again,” she said breezily, glancing down at her screen. “Maybe we can all go out next week. You in?”

You nodded absentmindedly, lost in your own thoughts again. The idea of hanging out with her and the waiter seemed like a distant thought now—almost too simple, too light-hearted for what you were feeling. The weight of everything you couldn’t say pressed down on you.

“Sure,” you managed, your voice quiet, far from the enthusiasm you were trying to fake.

You couldn’t bring yourself to ask about the details of her night any more than she had pried into yours. And for the rest of the morning, you sat quietly, trying to pretend that everything was just as it had always been.

But in your mind, all you could think about was the crushing, relentless feeling of wanting something you couldn’t have, something that you knew, deep down, would only complicate things further.

And you weren’t ready to deal with that.

[andreal831]

i've been reading your metas and i just love them! i wanted to ask if you had thoughts on valerie and nadia as they were some of my favorite characters from later seasons of TVD and i was shocked to learn that people dislike them (especially valerie!).

also, i read one of your cami metas and i agree that it was so dumb she died when she clearly had more story to go. s5 especially drove me up a wall because i think TO s4 would've worked to set up Legacies. they didn't need to kill hayley and i was so annoyed that they brought caroline in. cami being the angel on his shoulder in the finale should have been utizilied more.

also legacies erasure of hayley as hope's primary parent drove me up a wall and is a cardinal sin of that show. i am starting to suspect phoebe and the show people had a falling out of some kind because legacies barely mentions her. at least freya gets some cute moments (freya being the one to put hope to sleep for transition is beautiful)

Thank you for reading my posts! I'm glad you like them!

I'm not even surprised people don't like Valerie and Nadia. They are both complex women but not in the "Katherine-badass-way" per se. I've talked about before how the writers and fandom tend to only like one type of strong woman and hate on women who dare to be anything else, you can find that here. Valerie also has the unfortunate role of playing a character that challenged a Caroline ship.

I personally really enjoyed Valerie's character and didn't understand how they didn't bring her back or at least mention her since she was the last known syphoner, except for actual children. I like to imagine she's the one Hayley found when she was saving the Mikaelsons. I'll admit, when she first came on screen, she wasn't my favorite. I didn't care for the heretics initially, but they really grew on me which is a testament to the writing/acting.

Valerie goes through so much, being forced to miscarry and killed, then forced to live and travel with the man who made her lose her baby. She is then stuck with a family she doesn't really like or agree with. When she is finally reunited with the man she loved, he is in love with someone else. Despite all of this, Valerie still protects Caroline on numerous occasions and helps deliver her babies.

I didn't like that she kept information from Stefan, not giving him the choice on his life, because she didn't want to lose him. But I can understand it. She had lost everyone at that point and didn't want to be alone.

I think she really was just underutilized in TVD and people didn't like her for getting in the way of Steroline. I can't really find legitimate complaints about her. Most of the hate posts for her come across as immature. I haven't seen one post that talks bad about Valerie that isn't clearly a Care stan (and this is coming from someone who loves Care and Steroline). Valerie never did anything worse than most of the fan faves, but because her actions are ones associated with women more than men (less stabbing and more emotional manipulation), the fandom judges her for it. According to the fandom, she would have been better of running Care through with a coat rack. Oddly enough, Caroline and Valerie aren't that different.

I can't even think of a reason to hate Nadia. I even searched for people hating on her and can't find it. I definitely believe you that it exists, but what is there to hate? That she loved her mother so much she chased after her for 500 years? That when she found her, she was treated terribly but still protected her? She was a good character and deserved better than Katherine.

Speaking of overhated, amazing women. I'm tagging the post I think you are talking about here. I would have honestly been fine with everyone still dying but Cami living and taking care of Hope at the school. A vampire therapist is really what that school needed, especially one as amazing as Cami. I mean if you can handle Klaus Mikaelson, I think she can handle teenagers.

Season 5 just showed that the writers didn't care about the story, they wanted rankings to launch Legacies. What was the point of having Care there? She wasn't even in Legacies until the very end. It just undid so much character development for everyone. The writers attempted to play both ships (they did the same with haylijah/jayley) to get maximum fan satisfaction, and in the end it just destroyed the plot.

Legacies erasing Hope's family is a big reason I've never watched more than half of season 1. Whether you love them or hate them, Hope's family is more than just Klaus and they played a big role in her life. Especially to her since Klaus was hardly around. He was essentially a stranger to her. I hated even in Season 5 how they are all happy at Freelin's wedding. If my mom had just been murdered, I wouldn't have been able to smile two days later, no matter how much I loved my Aunts. Hayley was just used as a prop in Season 5 and even less in Legacies.

I first watched a couple of episodes of Legacies before watching The Originals and I thought Hayley died years before Klaus because of how Hope was grieving Klaus but seemed to not even think of her mom. When I watched all of TO, I was so angry. They died days apart and Hope seemed to be completely over it.

There's definitely rumors about Phoebe and the writers having issues. I tend not to believe rumors but there's a lot of evidence. First, Daniel couldn't shut up about the issues he and the other casts were having with the writers (namely the character destruction, the rush of the seasons, the fact that there was supposed to be 6 full seasons, and bringing on outside characters which took away their screen time). This is even more evident by the fact that Phoebe was a "guest" in Season 5. She clearly didn't want to be there.

I believe it was DRR who stated that Phoebe refused to allow her likeness to be used and the fandom ran with the idea that Phoebe somehow bought the rights of Hayley (she did not, that would be public record). I think this angered the writers/producers even more so they went out of their way to cut Hayley out, even when it wasn't necessary. They clearly could mention her, since they did. But they chose not to because they are petty. They also have the whole fandom blaming Phoebe so they could just sit back and enjoy it.

Thanks for bringing all of this up. I love talking about TVDU women <333

[theuniversitychallengereview]

Once More Up The Hill

I’ve had a nightmare.

I put up last week’s review a week late because I forgot to actually hit post, and now this week’s post has been mysteriously deleted from my drafts. It was all done and ready to go but I was going to read back over and post it’s morning, but its gone. This is the kind of computer-crash document-loss nonsense that I thought we’d relegated to the era before auto-save.

Earlier in the series, I started writing my drafts locally, rather than directly on my CMS, to avoid the potential for issues like this, but for some reason I typed this one out directly on the website. Which is normally fine, because it automatically saves a draft as soon as you type a single word. But on this occasion, its all gone. I don’t know where and I don’t know why, but this is what’s happened, so I’m going to have to do it all again.

It wasn’t so perfect a post that I’m going to try and recreate it from memory, but I will start with the same thing, which is an extract from the 2022 quarter-finals because this has been my theme for the past five weeks.

Sign up for The University Challenge Review

Its a story about my friend’s dog being offered a biscuit in a pub.

Another biscuit was proffered, and rejected, and again it was announced that the biscuit profferer was a veterinary professional, at which point my friend said rather loudly, with the intention of its being a joke (though it wasn’t taken as such), ‘I was hoping we wouldn’t need any medical intervention this evening’, which resulted in said veterinary professional slinking off with her tail between her legs. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think a ‘puppy playing perfectly pleasantly in a pub’ is a particularly pertinent use of a degree in veterinary medicine. Sure, if you see a horse in distress, and know, due to your degree in veterinary medicine that the horse is having a heart attack, then by all means, feel free to rush over and say ‘step aside, I’m a veterinary professional. That horse is having a heart attack and I know exactly what to do’… (presumably a big upside down defibrillator, but then again, I’m no veterinary professional).

I want to get quickly onto the episode since this is the second time I’m writing this, but I will start by saying that another of the 2022 posts has a formula which aims to predict the winners of the quarter-final episodes.

(1-TeamScore/(TeamScore+OpponentScore)) * TotalScore

I don’t even need to put the numbers into the equation to tell you that Imperial enter this match as heavy favourites over Queen’s, Belfast. They’ve scored 815 points to Belfast’s 515, an average of 100 per match more.

Here’s your first starter for ten

The opening question mentions the Spratly Islands, and this is enough of a clue for Spry (who shares his first three letters with the archipelago) to buzz in with South China Sea. They take a hat-trick of bonuses on the Polish philosopher Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek before Rankin gets Queen’s going with a quick buzz of Jordan Peele.

The Queen’s skipper took a second starter in a row with 10th century, before both sides dropped the picture starter, on the Masai Mara.

Salamanca Camacho won the bonuses for Imperial with a tough science question, then McKillen tied the game with barbershops. It remained tied after Queen’s missed all three bonuses on scientific symbols.

Spry took the lead back for Imperial with Queen of Sheba, proving that he doesn’t need name-based clues in the questions. Another starter for Rankin closes the gap, but Queen’s, for the second set in a row, take none of the bonuses.

Carlisle takes the music starter for Queen’s with The Waterboys, and they manage two bonuses on Phoebe Bridgers and Mac DeMarco (whose full name is Macbriare, a fact I learned the first time I wrote this review).

Stokes stokes the Imperial fire with sesame, based on the mention of tahini, one of the greatest foodstuffs known to man. A few weeks ago I visited ten Asian supermarkets in Glasgow looking for a specific brand of it, which I didn’t actually find.

A fifth for Rankin puts Queen’s 45 points clear, their largest lead of the match. Spry knows he needs to keep Imperial within touching distance, and duly obliges with Probably, Approximately Correct on the next starter. Rajan is delighted by this. He’d been hoping someone would get that starter so that he could crack out his pre-prepared joke of ‘well that’s absolutely correct’.

Salamanca Camacho comes close to tying the game, but gives Transvaal instead of Vaal when asked for a river. No matter, because Elkouby takes the replacement starter with pizzicato. Spry then gives Imperial the lead with Sally Gunnell, and Stokes extends it with RNA sequencing.

Only a few minutes to go and Imperial lead by 35 now. Have Queen’s missed their chance?

Maybe not. Hearing only ‘Meaning those who face death’, McKillen comes in with an outstanding buzz of Kurdistan to keep the Belfast quartet in it. They take a single bonus, then an excellent guess of lullaby from Thompson brings them within 5 points. but their bonus troubles return on a brutal set about photography.

A panicked guess of glass panes from Salamanco Camacho lost Imperial their 5-point lead, and Carlisle snuck in with tracery to take it back for the Northern Irish. Two bonuses put them 20 clear with less than a minute remaining.

It would take an anomalous effort from Imperial to steal this back, but Elkouby takes the next starter to give them a chance.

They lose composure and bottle the first bonus on The God Delusion, but pull back their focus to take the remaining two on other Richard Dawkins books, tying the game with 2 seconds left.

Wow.

Imperial 170–170 Queen’s

We have a tiebreak on our hands.

Which British monarch was born in the same decade as Scarlatti, Handel and Bach?

Pause.

Buzz.

Queen’s, Rankin — George II.

Rajan has a little pause of his own before slapping his hands against the table and announcing them the winners.

Imperial 170–180* Queen’s

What an episode that was. If I am doomed to review this episode every day like Sisyphus then I am glad that it was a great one. Though I’ll probably get bored eventually. I wonder how many times through it would be before I could answer all the questions before they’d even been asked.

Now, I’ve done this review twice so surely you’re going to subscribe? See you next week for Darwin vs Bristol.

Sign up for The University Challenge Review

[oftheseas-rpg]

PHOEBE SUTTON BERRY

⚑ GENDER: Ciswoman ⚑ PRONOUNS: She/Her ⚑ AGE: 29 (January 6th, 1996) ⚑ TYPE: Adopted sibling ⚑ HOMETOWN: New York City, New York ⚑ SEXUALITY: Lesbian ⚑ JOB: Owner of and Baker at Dough Re Mi bakery ⚑ ACCOMMODATION: Diamond ⚑ FACECLAIM: Courtney Eaton

ABOUT PHOEBE

What Phoebe Berry remembers most about her childhood is singing. As far back as she can remember, her two fathers were bent over her bassinet, their singing voices echoing throughout the nursery. Any emotion that Phoebe had been feeling, Leroy and Hiram were sure to find a showtune that perfectly matched the situation. When Leroy was brushing her hair, he’d be singing ‘gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair’. While Phoebe was learning to count for the first time, both Hiram and Leroy would chime in after she’d said one - ‘singular sensation!’ ‘thrilling combination!’.

Because Leroy and Hiram were constantly in shows, Phoebe did a lot of growing up backstage. It became a safe space for her, where she’d curl up with a blanket, watching everyone. She loved the hustle and bustle, the quick way they’d come back during the show, tugging on a new costume but making sure to always smile at Phoebe. She would grin back, waving excitedly. Sometimes she’d stand close to the stage, watching what she could, feeling the music booming through her feet and up to her chest, rattling it in the best way possible. Her parents glided on the stage perfectly, and she couldn’t believe it - her goofy parents were incredible.

Unfortunately for her fathers, Phoebe didn’t feel a calling for theatre like they did. They respected this, however, and let her find what ‘made her heart sing’, as they’d always said. She found herself gravitating towards music, though it was quieter. An acoustic guitar, piano, and a soft voice. Sad music, she’d realized, was what she’d prefer. Her parents teased her, though it was all in fun and games. Whatever music their children loved, they were sure to add to the family playlist (which was playing whenever anyone was home). 

School was a breeze for Phoebe, and she often spent most of her time either in her home economics classes or in the music room with her guitar coach. Those were her two favorite things, she had found. Baking and playing the guitar. Her fingers ached, calluses on almost every single finger. Soon enough, the Berry kitchen became her science lab. The kitchen was constantly a mess - flour, eggs and milk sure to be spilt somewhere. She was constantly trying new flavors and combinations in the most difficult ways, just to challenge herself. When Phoebe wasn’t baking, she was sitting by herself and strumming her guitar. She loved the quiet accompanied by the sound of the guitar. It was her happy place when she wasn’t covered in flour.

Phoebe wasn’t sure why, but when she graduated high school, she knew she had to go to Paris. She traveled by herself, wanting to taste absolutely everything Paris had to offer. Daring to be brave, she found a free class at Le Cordon Bleu. She was blown away, and decided to take a year off to spend her year in Paris, traveling around and eating all different types of food. After that year, she studied at Le Cordon Bleu and started her life in Paris. She felt as if she belonged there, that Paris had truly meant to be her home. 

That is until she got her heart broken. She had been with the woman for four years, and the two of them had been incredibly in love - or so Phoebe had thought. She was under the impression that the two of them would be getting engaged soon. Instead, she was told that “things just weren’t working out”. Phoebe, having never experienced heartbreak before, truly felt as though she had been shot in the chest. Everything fell apart for her, and she could barely sleep or eat. Both Hiram and Leroy came to Paris, helped Phoebe pack and took her back home. It was healing being back home, even though it was odd to be around her fathers who were now divorced - they even still lived together, which she told them several times was quite odd.

While she missed Paris, she enjoyed being back in New York. And then all of a sudden, the world imploded. She wasn’t sure what was going on, and truly she felt as if she was in a dream and couldn’t wake up. Phoebe didn’t much like water, and now she was forced to spend the rest of her life here. She knew she had to make it what she could, bringing a bakery with live music come to life on Sylvesters of the Seas, but a part of her longed for home. Whether it was in New York or Paris, she didn’t care.

[donovankinard]

it feels okay, but that doesn't make it stop✮ fic requests are closed right now - but will be open again after bibuck anniversary bingo is fully finished. dividers by @saradika-graphics.

spotify || ao3

✮ you can call me nova. go ahead with nicknames, too!✮

basic info ✮ he/they, trans, pan/bi umbrella, ambiverted infp-t, type six, sagittarius, australian, dog person, romance reader, writing is everything to me, winter>>, glasses wearer, headphones on twenty-four/seven, cd collector, spotify premium user, aspiring author, regular oversharer, real-person-shipper and rpf writer, ginger cat, ao3 addict, anti-monarchist, socialist, lacrosse player, pwhl enthusiast, seattle seahawks supporter, theatre nerd, night owl, moderator of the be my valentine challenge, high schooler, green is the best colour talk to the hand, i like weird science podcasts and procedural dramas, tote bag owner (to a mildly concerning degree), i'm an eyeliner kind of guy, i don't keep my mouth shut for anybody. free palestine!!

music ✮ one direction, conan gray, olivia rodrigo, twenty one pilots, maddie zahm, caity baser, dylan gossett, sabrina carpenter, alexander black, megan moroney, xana, kelsea ballerini, noah kahan, ed sheeran, billie eilish, five seconds of summer, cavetown, maisie peters, finneas, taylor swift, queen, hozier, girl in red, luke combs, phoebe bridgers, gracie abrams, miley cyrus, dean lewis, sixpence none the richer, morgan wallen, birdy, renée rapp, the beatles, abba, robbie williams, ashe, blackbear, dyl dion, chappell roan, luke combs

books ✮ little women, red white and royal blue, osemanverse, jane doe and the cradle of all worlds, nevermoor, boyfriend material and husband material, afterlove, the meaning of birds, the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, i kissed shara wheeler, the fault in our stars, they both die at the end, song of achilles, girl in pieces, you'd be home now, a semi-definitive list of worst nightmares, stephen king!

musicals ✮ come from away, hamilton, in the heights, high school musical, hsmtmts, dear evan hansen, tick tick boom, wicked, disney musicals<3, the greatest showman, the addams family musical, matilda, tina: the tina turner musical, mary poppins + returns, six, miss saigon, rocky horror, west side story, funny girl, chicago, moulin rouge, grease, guys and dolls!

movies & tv ✮ little women (2019), barbie (2023), dunkirk, don't worry darling, my policeman, julie and the phantoms, rwrb, heartstopper, 9-1-1 (and lone star), doctor who, clouds, love simon and love victor, station 19, greys anatomy, the rookie, resisting roots

my characters ✮ amy march, nina rosario, henry fox-stuart, nick nelson, christopher eccleston's doctor, achilles, ezra squall, regulus black, augustus waters, john laurens, evan buckley, carlos reyes, allen from barbie.

my ships ✮ polyfire, firstprince, tarlos, tevan, nick&charlie, jegulus, amy&laurie, morrigan&cadence, hamburr, laurette, hobama<3, willex, slexie, eddie diaz with literally anyone (but especially therapy)

goals and dreams ✮ i want to study abroad, publish my writing, adopt or foster kids, travel to every continent someday, volunteer with lgbt+ homeless/support shelters/charities, attend 4/5 1d boys' concerts, learn at least two languages

my sideblogs ✮ my poetry blog: @mybloodonthepage

[rebeccakeyte]

'Boygenius' and Feminist Epistemology

Epistemology: "the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge, sometimes referred to as the theory of knowledge."

I have chosen to explore Feminist Epistemology which involves exploring gender dynamics in relation to a topic of focus. For example, how has gender historically impacted this topic? What is the role of the topic in perpetuating or challenging gender norms? Do men and women feel differently about the topic/approach the topic differently? My chosen topic is relation to this focus will be the American indie rock supergroup Boygenius. I have chosen this band not only due to my interest in their music and aesthetics, but additionally because of the multitude of manners in which they play around with the concept of gender, through their music, image, and even their band name.

Despite being called Boygenius, the group actually consists of three female artists that have released solo music and found success in their own right; Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Their band name came about as at first an inside joke between the three women while recording their first studio EP in 2018, referring to each other as the "boy genius", as a form of encouragement whenever they would doubt the value of their individual musical ideas. This was a satirical nod to the difference in validation and confidence that many male musicians in their personal experiences often receive when bringing projects to the table.

Bridgers explained to Vogue magazine, "a 'boygenius' is someone who their whole life has been told that their ideas are genius. I also think genius is a weird, toxic word to use for anybody because it’s unattainable or it comes with, a lot of the time, abusive tendencies'.

They reject the idea that being a woman means that you have to be a particular type of musical artist or performer. Whereas many female vocalists are often pitted against each other in the world of pop culture and media, the trio are constantly lifting each other up, promoting each others work and skills, a generating a sense a solidarity, fun and friendship between female creatives. While opening for Taylor Swift on her record breaking stadium tour, arguably one of the most successful individuals in the music industry currently, Bridgers even brought out Dacus and Baker to share the stage in front of millions and play their collaborative material.

The band also challenge historical gender norms with their stage shows and visual presentation, performing with an all female backing band, and wearing traditionally masculine clothing such as black suits and ties, which has become a uniform of sorts for them. The trio are furthermore all guitarists and play indie rock music, an often male dominated genre and instrument.

Growing up as a young girl learning guitar, I didn't really know of many female role models in the mainstream that played this genre or presented themselves this way, so I personally find Boygenius really inspiring, and hope they will inspire a whole new generation of female musicians to challenge gender norms in music.

[songue85]

Final Day.

This is it, the last part of this Run.

Me and my Team entered the League and won it. Now, we had to go through the mother of all Gauntlets in this run. No stop, no saving, no turning back. Either we win the game, or we lose the run completely.

This is how it went.

Sydney is the first challenge, with a complete Dark Team, and he comes out swinging with Mightyena and its Intimidate.

I give him no chances and let Chickitita unleash the fury of a thousand Brick Breaking hens on his team, including his Ace, Absol.

First Elite 4 defeated. 3 left.

Phoebe is the Master of Ghost Type Pokémon. As I already knew from experience, from Obito and Regina mainly, Ghost are tricky mons, so you either play into their weaknesses or you go all out offensive before they have the time to set up any tricks.

Harold came into play, his Normal type making it completely immune against Ghost attacks, and any time Phoebe could toss a Curse or a Grudge, Cowboy and Dahlia came out to finish the fight.

Not even her Dusclops`s Earthquake scared me, not when Dahlia showed the same prowess her mother had with Intimidate and Slaking kept eating her attacks like the true living wall he was.

Second Elite Four defeated. 2 to go.

Glacia is where the difficulty curve spikes upward. Many nuzlockes end when you have to deal with her Extra-Tank team. Plus, you cannot solely depend on Fire`s advantage over Ice, because 60% of her team is ALSO Water Type.

So, the only logical choice would be...

To Bring. Out. The HEAT.

Even Glacia`s Walrein, her monstrous Ace, couldn't defeat Chickitita, with a clean hit of Surf to try and take Blaziken down.

Third Elite Four defeated. One left.

Drake of the Elite Four. Master of Dragons.

They are tough, they hit hard, and they can get stronger quick, while still causing damage.

Caladrius, being a Dragon herself, was my first choice, her Dragonbreath taking care of his Shelgon who spammed Protect left and right. Then came his Altaria against mine, and seeing as his was more leveled than Caladrius, I quickly replaced her with my secret weapon... Harold, and his Ice Beam.

As I said before, it was now or never, so I searched all of Hoenn and managed to get the Technique Ice Beam plus the Hold Item Nevermeltice, which boosts the power of all Ice attacks. So, moments before we faced Drake, I made Harold forget Thunderbolt and learn how to be extra-damaging against Dragons - Dragons are weak against Ice attacks, and, in the case of the also Flying Type Altaria, the also Flying Type Salamence, and the also Ground Type Flygon, three of Drake`s Pokémon were 4x weak against Ice.

Harold went in for the kill, and with that, no more Elite Four were left standing.

...

Except, there is a last challenge.

The Pokémon Champion, Hoenn's Strongest Trainer.

Wallace, the Former Leader of Sootopolis, Disciple of Juan.

6 versus 6, may the best Team assembled win!

Wallace has the best non-Legendary Water Pokémon in the game, and they have the most brutal techniques available.

His Wailord has Water Spout, the opposite of Flail, huge power the more HP the Pokémon has. Seeing as Wailord is an HP Titan, it will hit like a train in the first chance it gets.

So that is why I sent Harold first.

Harold, and his Thunderbolt.

Surprised? As I went looking for techniques to enhance my Team, I also acquired another copy of Thunderbolt and the Hold Item Magnet, which powers up all Electric Type attacks. So, after Drake's defeat, I had Harold re-learn Thunderbolt and exchange items, now equipping him with Magnet, instead.

Harold took out Wailord and then Wallace's Tentacruel, but he wasn't left unscathed, badly poisoned by the squid's Toxic attack.

Time to switch, and against Wallace's Water/Grass Ludicolo, I sent my own Grass Pokémon, Hammond.

Hammond came into play Confuse-Raying Ludicolo, because I was not gonna aim for a win here, I wanted a complete Sweep. I knew what Cradily is capable of, so I started spamming Amnesia, because I wanted to buff his Special Defense through the roof. Then, I released the Ancient Power Barrage.

And it worked beautifully!

By the third time, Lady Luck smiled at us and Ancient Power's secondary effect triggered, and all of Hammond's stats got boosted.... except for Special Defense, which could not go any higher.

Whiscash came after, and a Giga Drain + boosted Special Attack made quick work of the Water/Ground Pokémon plus healed Hammond at the same time.

Wallace decided that playtime was over, so, for his fifth Pokémon, he unleashed his Ace: Milotic.

Wallace's Milotic is a pure Water Type Pokémon, a textbook Bulky Powerhouse who also has the Ability Marvel Scale, which increases Milotic's Defense Stat if he ever gets poisoned, burned, paralyzed, asleep or frozen.

Milotic's Ice Beam hurt Hammond, who responded in kind with his Giga Drain. Time to heal up, me and Wallace taking care to keep both our Pokémon out of the danger zone. Then, Milotic strikes again, Ice attacks being 2x effective against Cradily, but Hammond's boosted status kept him in the Battlefield.

And that is when the miracle happened.

Instead of Giga Drain again, I picked Ancient Power, which was decisively weaker than Giga Drain, but my gamble paid off.

Hammond was left weakened from the second Ice Beam, but it didn't matter.

We got the 10% chance again, second stage boost on all status...

And that was it, the next Giga Drain was enough to finish Milotic for good.

Wallace sent out Gyarados for last , but I knew better, and one extra Ancient Power later, a Rock Type move that deals double damage against Flying Pokémon, and his final Pokémon was defeated.

I finally finished a run, and I won.

We won.

Seven Deaths: Wilbur, Aburame, Regina, Mamba, Aerwyna, Omen and Darlene. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

My first Pokémon Emerald Nuzlocke is officially...

Mission Complete!

Songue85 plays... a Pokémon Emerald Nuzlocke

I'm doing it vanilla, following Da Basic Rules, you know,

You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in any area;

If you fail to catch this Pokemon for any reason then you may not attempt another capture;

You must nickname any Pokemon.

plus 'Dupes Clause' for Rule 2 (If first PKMN found in Route is a copy of one I previously caught or part of evolutionary line of a previously caught 'mon, I may ignore it).

It's been quite a long time I've done a Nuzlocke, getting myself ready for a hardcore run. Currently training in the first Routes.

Recent catches:

Torchic ♀ named Chicktita;

Poochyena ♀ called Darlene; and

Wurmple ♂, Biff, recently evolved to Silcoon.

(I had caught another Wurmple ♂ before, Bufford, but he evolved and died due to a Marill crit'ing it, so new route, caught Biff, because I can catch repeats or just ignore them.)

Will post screenshots later.

[cultivating-wildflowers]

after I tackle sewing my own skirts, I’m gonna bring back elbow patches

[phoenix-manga]

Phoebe’s Team

Dragon-Type Team

Phoebe was scouted by Raihan as his endorsed trainer. The fans of the gym leader have been theorizing that she would be his successor due to how Raihan treats her as if she was his own kid. The little dragon is here to wreak havoc through the Galar Tournament.

Gif - Poketoons TV A Budding Dream

Dracovish

“Please keep a good distance from this fella, they’re not exactly… docile most of the time. I’d keep my guard up if I were you…”

Moves: Fishious Rend, Stomp, Psychic Fangs, Dragon Rush

Ability: Strong Jaw

⊖ Still as unpredictable as ever but Phoebe has learned to work with it. Often having the ally Pokemon lure Dracovish into attacking the enemy Pokemon in an ambush.

⊖ On top of Psychic Fangs to break any barriers allows the ally Pokemon the advantage to win against opponents who are trying to set up.

⊖ Raihan actually was impressed that Phoebe was able to work with such a Pokemon.

Haxorus ♂

“What have you found there? Ohh, those are such pretty flowers, you wanna plant them next to the others?”

Moves: Dragon Claw, Rain Dance, Psycho Cut, Bulldoze

Ability: Mold Breaker

⊖ He is very much the softy off battle, there were pictures during award ceremonies that Haxorus always offers to accept the boquet instead of Phoebe.

⊖ Raihan's fans found it really cute when he walks off on camera to check out the flowers in the far end.

Altaria ♂

"If you guys don't stop making trouble then I'll have Altaria collect all the dust he can find and bury you in it!”

Moves: Dragon Pulse, Aerial Ace, Dragon Dance, Steel Wing

Ability: Natural Cure

⊖ May look cute but Altaria is a beast as soon as the ally Pokemon made sure he stacked up on Dragon Dance. Altaria can hit hard in battle yet is as cuddly as a stuffed toy as ever.

⊖ Raihan sometimes finds Altaria cleaning Duraludon on ocassion Phoebe is nearby.

Dratini ♀

“Don’t worry! There’s no need to be so scared, girl. You can stay in the dorm if you feel too anxious.”

Moves: Rain Dance, Aqua Tail, Twister, Thunder Wave

Ability: Marvel Scale

⊖ The newest addition to the team and still too young to compete among the tougher battles. Phoebe is training her until she evolves, for now Dratini is only fighting the average battles.

⊖ Since she is baby, Dratini is often looked after by Phoebe's team and on ocassion is pampered by Raihan's team. Little baby, they can't help but coo at her.

Appletun ♂

“You just ate but you want more? We might have to put you on a diet some time- don’t pull those cute eyes on me!”

Moves: Apple Acid, Dragon Pulse, Recover, Bulldoze

Ability: Ripen

⊖ Believe it or not, if given the right berry he can be an unstoppable tank. Many new challengers doubt Appletun at first which is a big mistake as they are given a shocking defeat.

⊖ Phoebe often sees him trying to get treats from Raihan even when she already gave him some earlier. Raihan has a hard time denying Appletun what he wants when the little pie looks at him with those beady eyes.

[vindelllas]

the beauty of punarvasu 🦋🏹

🏹 kali uchis: punarvasu surya

🦋 punarvasu natives, such as mariah carey* and kali uchis, tend to be obsessed with butterflies and their imagery. butterflies are representative of the air/ether element. the deity of the punarvasu nakshatra is aditi, the mother of gods and the goddess of space and the ether element. we tend to see many butterfly-like qualities about punarvasu natives. for example, many natives may be naturally quite restless and finicky and always feel the need to move or travel to satisfy their insatiable appetite for new experiences (similar to the monach butterfly’s migratory nature). this nakshatra being the vimshottari birth of jupiter, causes many natives to want to expand throughout multiple areas of life too quickly and without proper judgment before hand. their aspirations may quickly multiply and quickly reced at a later date. coming and going, flying up and down just like a butterfly. because this nakshatra tends to struggle with commitment and maintaining a steady, continual frequency, their hardest feat in life may be, what i like to refer to as, the chrysalis period. the chrysalis period in life is where many jupiter natives are called to go through multiple transformations and changes in their lives before they see the reward of finding who their true being/self is. they go through life like a caterpillar yearning to become a great being one day, going through the chrysalis of transformation, and, solely after the gruesome time commitment of the chrysalis, typically becoming the best at what they do.

🏹sofia vergara (punarvasu chandra and surya): upper photo

🏹 penelope cruz (punarvasu chandra): lower photo

🌬 the appearances of jupiter dominant individuals are very unique. it is hard to pinpoint the general consensus of jupitarian women’s looks because jupiter really bestows its natives with originality and niche looks specific to the native, much like the big planet of restriction: saturn. first let’s take a look into the two rashis of this nakshatra: gemini and cancer. gemini is ruled by mercury, giving natives a rather elvish and smaller appearance (due to mercury ruling the lower abdomen and bestowing its natives with a generally high metabolism). cancer is ruled by the moon giving natives a yin, curvy, and busty (due to chandra ruling the chest) figure. juxtaposed with the expanisive/yang nature of jupiter gives natives larger features, like big lips and bigger/airy (ether) eyes.

🐈 when researching the appearance of natives, i also like to take into account their nakshatra’s yoni. this is because i believe the yoni of the native somewhat glosses over the planetary dominance of the individual. for example, rat yonis tend to have a pinched face like many rodents, serpent yonis tend to have intoxicating eyes resembling that of snakes, rabbit yonis tend to have prominent, apple-y cheeks like bunnies, etc.. punarvasu, being the feminine feline (female cat) yoni adds somewhat feline features, like arched brows, almond shaped eyes, and overall much emphasis on the features nearing the orbital bone. similar to how cats typically have rich iris coloring to contrast their fur coat and pronounced whiskers where eyebrows would lie on humans.

🍋 jupitarian women also tend to have blonde/yellow undertone hair, this is likely due to jupiter being ruled by the color yellow and remedied by wearing gold/donating yellow objects (i.e. bananas/saffron). overall, they are the best planetary type for those wishing to dye, bleach, or wear wigs of the color blonde. blonde can truly compliment their ethereal looks and remedy jupiter, i.e. shakira (punarvasu native) going blonde and being primarily recognized for her artificially blonde hair.

🏹shakira (punarvasu chandra): left photo

🏹 left eye (punarvasu chandra): middle photo

🏹 mariah carey (punarvasu chandra)*: right photo

🎙punarvasu is heavily prominent in the music industry, from mariah carey* and shakira to eartha kitt and nina simone. i believe this is due to jupiter’s overall auspicious energy. early we reviewed the chrysalis stage of jupiter, after said stage, we see jupiter natives being bestowed with great fortune and fame for their efforts. we also see this musical prevalence with vishakha (another nakshatra under jupiter’s rulership), many famous singers are also born under this star. such as miley cyrus, beyonce, katy perry and more! if we take a step back and look at jupiter and the houses jupiter rules, we can get a better understanding of why. jupiter rules two rashis: sagittarius and pisces. sagittarius is the natural ninth house and pisces is the natural twelfth house of the zodiac. the ninth house pertains to honesty, principles, dreams, and intuition. it is considered to be the dharma bhava and rules one’s religious instincts, good karma, dharma, ethics, higher learnings, one’s inclination towards good deeds and charity. it is essentially a house influenced by luck, fortune, and favors. the twelfth house is the ending of one’s life cycle and the beginning of their spiritual journey. it is often considered to be the house of unconsciousness, the undoing of self, and imprisonment. this is the essence of jupiter, brihaspati challenges your wisdom and rewards you when he deems fit (9th house) and if you prove to be unsuccessful, this could be your undoing and call to ground yourself (12th house). time and time again we see these jupitarian women succeed in their respective industries and devote themselves to philanthropy and causes pertaining to empowerment, such as miley cyrus’ hippie foundation and her being very vocal about her feminist ideologies. we see jupiter women gravitating towards music almost as a form of spiritual expression (twelfth house) and a channel to express their immense lyricism (ninth house pertaining to wisdom). even in the later years of their career, we still see women like mariah carey* and shakira continue to make music and receiving immense credit and followings for doing so.

🏹 phoebe tonkin (punarvasu surya): upper photo

🏹 meghan markle (punarvasu lagna): lower photo

🏹 in ardra, we saw the process of forming the rational mind and free will after rohini’s rejection of bhrama’s pursuits and fearfully running away (mrigashira). we see punarvasu acts as the bridge between communications, mental intelligence, and journeys (third house/gemini) and peace of mind, motherhood, and domesticity (fourth house/cancer). this bridges the elements of ether and water and generally creates a harmonious, caring, and auspicious individual. these same traits are also abundant in the following nakshatra: pushya. think of punarvasu as the cosmic mother (aditi/4th house) who has gained immense knowledge and wisdom through life (brihaspati/3rd house) and the beginning of domesticity and motherhood, whereas pushya is the nourisher and the nourishing milk the mother provides (brihaspati and the 4th house combined).

🦢 due to the overall motherly nature of punarvasu, we also see this natural purity to the natives. hence, why many punarvasu women wear white (the color associated with purity). looking at the street style of punarvasu natives, i saw a lot of the typical colorful and eclectic styles jupitarian women like to wear. however with punarvasu, i saw a more subdued version of the typical jupitarian style. i noticed lots of sweaters, semi-tailored/fitted jeans and pants, flowy and distressed shirts, and overwear. i would describe a typical punarvasu outfit to consist of gold jewelry (a nod to the jupitarian rulership of gold), distressed and relaxed clothing (symbolic of the yang energy of jupiter), and lots of primarily white, lead, and black clothing with colorful embellishments. as previously mentioned, white is symbolic of the purity of punarvasu, lead is considered to be the auspicious color of this nakshatra, and black is indicative of the spiritual qualities and the yang manifestation of jupiter himself.

🏹 romee strijd (punarvasu surya): left photo

🏹 alessandra ambrosio (punarvasu chandra): right photo

🌱 punarvasu reminds me of the painting “garden of earthly delights” by hieronymus bosch. a painting primarily about the dichotomy between heaven and hell and the road that lies between it. it is like the greenery that is rebuilt after the purposeful destruction of ardra. the painting depicts succulent strawberries, palaces, shimmering crystals, and seed pods ready to burst. surrounded by fountains of clear azul water flowing directly into the mouths of what many believe to be adam and eve, plucked fruits, and duos caressing inside glistening bubbles, ajar clam shells, and ripened nectarines, indicative of the journey of all nature, planetary vimshottari birth nakshatras and the cosmic blessings of aditi. this fruitful abundance, combined with their lovely, nurturing nature, is a resemblance of the left (heaven) side of the painting, the jupitarian chrysalis period is the middle (worldly) board of the painting, and the dangerously falling susceptible to the influences of others is the right (hell) side of the painting.

🌳 punarvasu is of the vasutva prapana shakti, meaning “the power to gain substance”. in general, it is easy for them to get inspired by their creative ideas and plans, but they must learn to bring their ideas to fruition and into reality. because when they do, great things happen, i.e. punarvasu natives like the singer nina simone or the victoria secret supermodel alessandra ambrosio being highly successful and regarded in their respective industries. i cannot stress this is enough: while punarvasus are extremely talented and abundant looks and career wise, like all jupitarian women, they must learn to heal from the trials and tribulations of their lives (the garden of earthly delights). to help aid natives lying in the cancer rashi, i recommend meditation. for those lying in the gemini rashi, it is of the utmost importance for them to ground themselves and not allow the fickle nature of air to overun themselves.

as always, i am open to any constructive criticism! i tried to touch on both the appearance, fashion, and symbolism of punarvasu and i hope i did these natives justice! in my opinion, this nakshatra is truly criminally underrated. punarvasu is so angelic, expansive and gracious 💫 if you are looking for more information about punarvasu, get to know the overrulers and supreme deities of mercury, vishnu (the maintainer) and narayana (the cosmic person), the moon, apas (the water goddess) and parvati (the supreme goddess), and jupiter, indra (the king of the gods) and bhrama (the law giver)!! if any of my placements or information is incorrect please feel free to let me know! also, i am fully aware of the origins of vedic astrology and if i was in anyway disrespectful to hindu culture, i will take down this post immediately xx

* the wonderful @/starlitebimbo and @/venusianvirago on twitter informed me that mariah carey has two birth dates and may either be a punarvasu or anuradha moon!

**all of these placements were found using astrotheme/.com and/or astro-charts/.com. it is important to note that some chandra (moon) placements may be off by up to 6 degrees and lagnas (risings) as well, due to the fact that many websites do not have 100% accurate birth times for the given celebrities.

**i take absolutely no credit for the invention of vedic astrology-based appearance profiles. please watch claire nakti on youtube or look into @/cn0bles, @/lovejustlied, @/dh4nishta, and @/vanillemercure on twitter for more in-depth analysis on vedic astrology xx

[drarrymybeloved]

thank you for the tag @crazybutgood & @softlystarstruck i'm v excited after seeing all your brilliant goals 👀 this is a fab idea @corvuscrowned, a great way to ring in the new year 🙌🏼 i also made a banner because....any excuse to make one, am i right?

2021 was the year i started writing for fandom — writing in general really — and it's been an amazing learning experience! i've found a community of really cool people (special shout out to @drarrymicrofic) and i've pleasantly surprised myself with my writing. in that spirit, here are my goals for 2022:

✰ my biggest goal for 2022 is to stop writing with the sole intent of publishing! i've noticed that practically everything i write, i write with the end goal of sharing it on tumblr/ao3, and while there's nothing wrong with that, i want to focus on writing for the sake of writing, first and foremost. not even writing to finish a story, just writing an unconnected scene or whatever, that i don't intend on sharing with anyone.

✰ this next goal is sort of connected to the first: write that damn conversation!! i have various fictional characters living rent free in my head and they end up talking to each other a lot (way to not sound like a crazy person nim👍🏼👍🏼). i often find myself idly thinking "oh that was good, i should write that down" only to not do so because it has no context (yet) and/or i'm feeling lazy. no more of that in 2022!! who knows, just by typing out a few exchanges, i might accidentally stumble upon the perfect context. but that won't happen until i actually open the damn document.

✰ write smut 😂 not because i feel like it's something i need to do, now or eventually, because it's not! you can perfectly well never write smut if you're so inclined. but i want to experiment with it, because i've never written it and i do love a challenge. maybe it'll be shit and i won't like it, and maybe it won't, but i want to give myself space to play around with it on my own, with no outside eyes (until i feel ready for that, if i do).

✰ write plot. when i say write plot, i don't necessarily mean write long fic, because even short fic can pack a lot of plot as well. whether it's 5k or 15k, i want to write things with a substantive-ish plot and structure, that has a clear beginning, middle and end.

✰ participate in at least 2 fests! i won't hold myself too strictly to this goal, because life does seem to have a habit of imploding at inconvenient times, but honestly i would love to achieve this! fluff fest was SUCH a lovely experience, i want more of that next year.

✰ get better at commenting 😩 the joy i feel when i get a comment on one of my fics is such a rush and i honestly need to give that back to the authors i read and love.

✰ and finally — and this is a very me thing i need to work on — stop with the comparisons! i've gotten better at this over time spent in fandom and in fandom spaces (all thanks to the lovely, encouraging people in fandom 💕) but if i'm not comparing kudos and hits and comments, then i end up comparing fandom presence (which, to be totally honest, i don't even fully understand comprises of so 😭) and that's really detrimental to my confidence in myself in general, not just as a writer.

i'm pretty sure at this point all of the drarry squad has been summoned 😂 sorry if i end up double (or triple) tagging you! @nv-md @hogwartsfirebolt @callmegri @gallifrey1sburning @tackytigerfic @april-thelightfury115 @cluelesspigeons @moonflower-rose @starlitsilvereyes @phoebe-delia @isamijoo @wheezykat @orange-peony @the-starryknight and anyone else who fancies, jump in if you like!

[pokemon-legends-and-legacies]

Edit: Tweaked some small things!

Jasper prototype design ~

He’s the second child (by a few minutes) of Steven and Wallace (having an older twin sister, Maia, and an 8 years younger brother, Alphonse).

He’s generally known as a nuisance around his home of Sootopolis and enjoys causing trouble by sticking his nose in other people’s business and general teasing (though he knows not to take things too far, even if his antics mean a lot of people aren’t particularly fond of him.) He likes to consider himself a lovable rogue. He’s very interested in the traditions and origin of Wallace’s family, the Lu Clan, which led to him learning traditional flute music and some martial arts from a young age (though he rarely uses the latter beyond challenging people to fights for fun and a few childhood tournaments.)

Jasper loves ghost and dark types, and spooky/horror things in general, so when he was old enough Phoebe brought him to Mt. Pyre to catch a ghost type to be his starter. He ended up catching a Duskull, and now he and Dusknoir are inseparable partners (in crime). He’s not particularly interested in being a trainer, however, and while he’s challenged a few gyms and entered a few contests for fun, his main goal is just to see the world, explore new places, and maybe find true love along the way (while he’s a flirt, he’s also quite the romantic and he’s particular that his flirting never amounts to anything.)

He’s close with his siblings and parents and always keeps in touch, even when traveling far away. He’ll send cool rocks he finds to Maia and Steven, cheer on Alphonse by watching his contests on livestream, etc. He’s a role model to his younger cousin, Evan (Lisia/May) as well. In general, a guy you either love or hate but can’t deny has charisma and some skills.

[stargazer-balladeer]

Crush [Pokémon]

[Steven Stone x Female! Reader]

Inspired by: Crush - David Archuleta

Note: I decided to upload my works from both Quotev and Wattpad here. Hope ya’ll don’t mind :) And I hope ya’ll enjoy this (bc Steven Stone is my husband -///w///-)

Warning: none

[Y/N] groaned as she entered her apartment with exhaustion written in her face, it was a tiring day for the young lady. Constantly getting told to do this and that and this and that, constantly running around to do some errands for her stupid boss and getting told off for not doing her job right. It's just not her day today. She sighed as she removes her shoes and leaves it on the welcoming mat near her door, as she groggily stomped her way in her apartment. It was a relatively small apartment but a shelter nonetheless. It has a kitchen, dining table, living room, bathroom and bedroom. And it fits with her daily salary so win-win. 

[Y/N] plopped down on her [F/C] couch as she laid down on one of the cushions, face plat on it. And then she screamed at it, getting rid of her frustration easily. Then she hears her PokeNav vibrating on her bag. She looks up to look at the time, only to see it's quarter to midnight already. She groaned once again. "Who the hell is calling me this late?!" Catty, Delcatty, purred as she jump to sit with her master. "Hey Catty." [Y/N] greeted while petting Catty on the head, which made the cat-like Pokemon purr more. With one hand, she rummaged her bag for her PokeNav and once found, pulled it out. She didn't bother to check her caller's ID as she pressed the green button and put it on her ear. 

"Hello, who is this so I'll know who to murder tomorrow." "That's one way to say hello." [Y/N] jumped when she heard a familiar laughter coming from the PokeNav, and feeling her heart jumping from her chest. "S-Steven?! H-Hey!" [Y/N] laughed weakly, now embarrassed that she told her childhood friend that. "Hey to you too, [N/N]." 

[Y/N] and Steven were childhood friends, having met accidentally on Meteor Falls. They were on a Journey at that time, and coincidentally bumped into each other. Catty was still a Skitty back then, and wanting to evolve it must've been the reason why [Y/N] was there in the first place, looking for a Moon Stone. Ever since then, they've been close friends. You can say they were rivals, though [Y/N] never participated in the League challenge. Now that Steven was the current Champion of Hoenn and [Y/N] starting to work, they've hardly talk anymore. So [Y/N] was surprised to have received a call from Steven so late in the night where they're supposed to be sleeping.

"What's up? Why'dya call this late?" [Y/N] asked as she brings her knees up and hug them with one arm, while the other held her PokeNav to her ear. Catty curled up beside her and fell asleep. She hears Steven humming on the other side. "I don't really know. I just have this sudden urge to hear your voice." [Y/N] feels her face heating up from Steven's blunt statement. If her heart was beating rapidly awhile ago, now it's beating thrice as much than normal that [Y/N] thought it's gonna burst out of her chest.

"W-Wha--?" "Besides.. we haven't been talking to each other for a while now... and.. I just miss your company." "I swear Steven if your doing this purposely, I'll go there and kill you myself" [Y/N] took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, before smiling. "I also miss talking with you, Steven." The other line went silent, which worried [Y/N], thinking she must've said something wrong. What she doesn't know is that Steven was dying of heart attack from the other side. "H-Hello..? Steven? You still there?" Steven snapped out of trance as he hears [Y/N]'s voice from his PokeNav. He shakily took a deep breath before answering his crus-- friend.

"Sorry. I thought I saw something." Steven lied while staring at the view from the window of his office. He's been doing paperwork for a while now, and he needed a break. Then he remembered [Y/N] and decided to call her, and suddenly remembering that its quarter to midnight when he click her number. He actually prayed to Arceus that [Y/N] was still awake or else he might feel the wrath of the woman again. He learned his lesson, he swear, he just forgot from the fatigue building inside of him. "Oooooh. Is it a ghost?" Steven chuckled as he shake his head. "Nah. I'm just seeing things."

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"You did what?" [Y/N] laughed along with Steven as he told her a story between what happened to the dinner of the Elite 4. It turns out it became eventful as Steven watches it unfold while eating his food. It started out simple and fine, no chaos. But Sydney and Phoebe started fighting about something and started throwing food at one another, but it seems like one hit Glacia. And the fight started. Drake also joined in as food were thrown everywhere. "I'm serious! I was merely enjoying my food while they fight." Steven laughed as [Y/N] giggle.

Soon it became silent for the two of them, neither speaking. You can even hear the background noises. Steven took a deep breath, it’s now or never. “Say... [N/N].” Steven called with a shaky smile. [Y/N] hummed in response, letting the platinum-haired man know that he has her attention. “What if.. you have a crush on somebody.. but you don't know what to how to tell them?” Crack. That was all [Y/N] could hear. The cracking sound of her breaking heart, as she lets out a shaky laugh. 

“W-Wow! Y-You? Having a crush? What a surprise!” [Y/N] feigned surprise as she feels her eyes getting blurry. She could hear Steven laughing on the other side. “I-Is that so surprising?” [Y/N]’s [E/C] betrayed her as a tear came out and began rolling down her cheek. She swiftly wipe it as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. What she didn’t know however is that Steven could feel something was wrong with [Y/N]. 

“[N/N]? Are you alright?” Steven asked, worried about his friend. [Y/N] forced a smile on her face, even though Steven couldn’t see her. “I-I’m fine.” She reassured him, well, tried to atleast. Steven knew she was lying but decided to shrug it off. “Y-You just got to go with it. If that girl doesn’t like you, then she i-isn’t worth it.” [Y/N] responded to Steven’s question. “I-I gotta go. I need to sleep. Bye Steven.” [Y/N] simply said. Before Steven could protest though, she already hung up.

[Y/N] threw her PokeNav to the table in front of her and hugged her knees closer to her chest, bursting into tears while doing so. “I-I should be happy! W-Why the hell am I crying for?” She whined as she used her sleeve to wipe away the tears overflowing from her eyes. But as she wipe them, more tears came. Catty woke up from [Y/N]’s cries as she puts her paws on her thighs and whined her name to get her masters attention. [Y/N] looks at her with a pained look on her face, which Catty returns with a concerned face. 

“O-Oh Catty. I’m a horrible person..” [Y/N] trailed off as she hiccups and sniff. Catty whined her name as she tries to comfort [Y/N] the best she could. 

Meanwhile with Steven. Steven stared at his PokeNav, which was beeping, signalling that his friend hang up on him. He frowned deeply as corncern and worry overtook his face, his fatigue long gone now. “What happened to you, [N/N]?” Steven whispered as he stuffed his PokeNav into his pockets and standing up. He grabbed his jacket from the rolling chair and put it on. The only thing in his mind is [Y/N].

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“[N/N]? Are you in there? It’s me, Steven! Open up!” 

[Y/N] groaned as she blocks out the noise, not wanting anyone in her apartment just yet. It seemed like [Y/N] fell asleep while crying. Steven, who was outside of her door, frowned when he didn't hear anyone inside the apartment. He's been here for quite a while now, constantly knocking and calling for her. One neighbor opened their door to see what was the noise all about, which Steven sheepishly explained. Steven tapped his foot repeatedly on the concrete floor beneath him while eyeing the door. "[N/N]! Open the door!" Steven called for the sixth time now, getting annoyed. 

When [Y/N] still didn't open her door, he sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead. "I'm so sorry, [N/N] for doing this but since your not opening your door.. I have no choice." Steven mumbled as he brought out a familiar looking red-and-white capsule from his pocket. He pressed the button on the middle and it became the size of a tennis ball. "Come on out, Metagross." Steven called as he threw the Pokeball upward and out came the familiar Steel-type Pokemon. It made a noise, similar to a wondering sound. Probably curious why its been let out. Steven smiled apologetically at it.

"Sorry to disturb you, Metagross. But do you mind using Psychic to open the door? [N/N]'s not answering the door, I'm afraid." Steven explained to the Steel-type Pokemon. "This is actually invasion of privacy but it must be done." Steven mentally gulped as Metagross obeyed Steven and started using Psychic on [Y/N]'s door. After a few minutes, it opened. This made Steven grin. He turned to Metagross. "Thank you very much, Metagross. Have some rest." After he said that, he returned Metagross to its Pokeball. Steven put the Pokeball back to his pocket as he entered [Y/N]'s apartment.

"[N/N]? Sorry to intrude but you weren't answering so I had Metagross to use Psychic on your door.. Hope you don't mind." "OF COURSE I WOULD MIND! THIS IS AN INVASION OF PRIVACY STEVEN!!" [Y/N] mentally screamed when she heard footsteps coming near. [Y/N] pretended to sleep as she felt Steven's gaze on her. Steven sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Steven stared at her sleeping face, now noticing dark bags under her eyes. He frowned at this as he crouch down to level her face. He lifts his hand to run his thumb underneath her eyes, which made her (accidentally) flinch. Steven quickly drew his hand, afraid that he might've woken her up. But he saw she's still sleeping, he sighed in relief, still not noticing that she's awake the entire time. 

Steven stared at her face with a deep thinking face as he watch her breath, not creepy at all (-_-). He sighed as he ran his hand over his hair once again before settling on the back of his neck. "Why did you react like that over the phone?" Steven mumbled, whether he's really asking her or talking to himself, [Y/N] doesn't know. She just remain sleeping. Catty woke up when Steven entered, she went away to give her master and Steven alone time (I swear Delcatty is more aware of their situation--). He took a deep breath. "Why did you react when I asked you about me liking someone?" 

[Y/N] was internally panicking in her mind, and trying to calm her still beating heart. BUT her nose pick up something that it made her sneeze. This made Steven jump in surprise, while [Y/N] is more embarrassed than ever. "WHY DID YOU BETRAY ME NOSE?! YOUR MY PARTNER! YOUR A PART OF ME FOR ARCEUS' SAKE!!" She then heard Steven chuckle. "Cute." Steven whispered, which made [Y/N] open her eyes. "What?"

Now this made Steven jump in surprise, he practically stood up while staring at [Y/N], with wide-eyed and mouth agape. "Y-Y-You're--?!" [Y/N] sweatdropped as she sheepishly laughed. She made a surprise motion with her hands. "Surprise!" She announced weakly. Steven stared at her before heating up. "D-Did you h-hear what I s-said?!" [Y/N] looks away, which is enough for Steven to realize that she was aWAKE THE ENTIRE TIME. "W-W-WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?" Steven couldn't help screaming while asking, more embarrassed than her. [Y/N] sheepishly laughed. "I..."

Steven sighed as he took a deep breath, effectively calming himself down. He stared at [Y/N]'s [E/C] eyes before looking away. Both of them were covered in silence as neither talked, probably too embarrassed at this point. Steven broke the silence with a cough, whether to get her attention or clearing his throat, [Y/N] doesn't know. But it made her snap to the flustered Stone. She quirk her brow at his odd behavior, almost like a lovesick puppy.

"Y-You said over the phone that I should... be front about my feelings.. c-correct?" Steven nervously said as [Y/N] tilted her head before hesitantly nodding her head. Her mind conjuring all kind of scenarios, none of them with Steven returning her feelings though. He took a deep breath before weakly smiling at her. "T-Then.. would you like to b-be my date for the upcoming Champion's ball?" "Oh? Sureee.... wait... date?!" [Y/N] screamed the last part as Steven sheepishly nodded his head.

[Y/N] froze, blinking once, twice, thrice.. Before gasping, face overheating and staring at Steven with a shock expression on her face. This action made Steven think that she doesn't return his feelings, as he smiled sadly. "I-It's okay if you don't agree though.. I understand.." Steven trailed off while looking away from her. [Y/N] stared at him, her mind unable to understand his words yet. When her mind finally caught up, her eyes became blurry as tears started pouring out of them. 

Steven's head snapped to her when he heard her sniffle, only finding her in a crying mess. Did his confession be THAT bad?! Steven quickly went to her side and gather her form in his arms. He rubbed her back in a soothing matter as he comfort her. "Are you alright, [N/N]?" [Y/N] then started laughing in delight, which made Steven confused. "Actually, better question is, is your mind okay?" Steven rephrased, now fearing his friend's sanity. She shook her head as she drew back from Steven's warm hug. She has a big smile on her face and affection and adoration dancing in her eyes. Steven could feel his heart beating more rapidly than before, and feels his face heating up. "Of course I'll go with you to the ball, Steven." She laughed. This made Steven hug her with a huge smile also present in his face, laughing alongside her. "Oh Arceus! You don't know how my heart stopped at that moment." [Y/N] hugged him back as her laughter became giggles, before stopping entirely.

"I-I-I thought.. you liked.. May." [Y/N] asked, now remembering why she thought Steven didn't like her. Steven furrowed his brows. "May? She has a crush on Brendan though.." Steven stated, remembering the cheery brunette girl. [Y/N] was now embarrassed, not realizing that the cute brunette girl has a crush on the Gym Leader's son. "Ah.. is that so.." 

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"Who knew that this started with a crush.." [Y/N] laughed as she and Steven enjoyed the view from Mossdeep Space Station, watching a meteor shower together. It's been a 2 years since they've started dating, and became official. Now, [Y/N] was living with Steven in Mossdeep and Steven now being the Devon Corporations new president, after his father retired due to old age. Wallace managed to beat Steven, effectively gaining the title of the new Champion. Steven would admit that he was saddened at the fact that he wouldn't be a Champion anymore, but he was glad that Wallace beat him though. It means spending more time with his precious girlfriend. Steven laughed alongside [Y/N] as she cuddled beside him.

"We were like teenagers in love." Steven chuckled, [Y/N] laughed even more at what he said. After their laughter died down, plastered on their face was a content look with a smile. "Hey.. do you mind getting off me for a second?" [Y/N] pouted at this as she complied and move away from Steven. "I'm not heavy!" "Says who?" Steven snickered as [Y/N] hit his arm while glaring at him and huffing, returning her gaze at the sky. Now that she's distracted, Steven quickly grabs the velvet box from his coat. It's now or never after all..

[x] Main Page || [x] Pokemon RSE, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Page

[coeursetcolores]

What I Would Add To/Change About: Psychonauts

Howdy! Today is April 19th, and if you don’t know what game came out today, then why don’t you try and read my mind to find out? Go ahead!

So what’s your answer? 

...

Why yes, it was Psychonauts! Way to go, you just earned a merit badge, cadet!

...What do you mean you just read the title?!

Anyway, for those of you who know, Psychonauts is a beloved cult classic that unfortunately received not that much mainstream attention, which is such a shame because I loved playing this game! I’ll admit there’s some problems, but I had such a psi-blast playing it, I didn’t really mind! That being said...

I’m still gonna talk about the problems.

This is all just my own personal opinion and if you disagree with me, that’s perfectly okay! If you’d like to talk about a point I made, please let me know, but please try to respect my opinion as I respect yours.

Well, without further ado, let’s open that Psycho-portal!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

As usual, first let’s get out all the things I absolutely ADORED about this game!

The. Voice. Acting. I cannot say enough how much detail went into dialogue and performances, you just have to listen to it. I was talking to/inspecting as many people/things as I could and seeing what dialogues were available when I switched things out. I probably spent more time doing that than actually playing the game! Definitely Richard Horvitz’s best work in my opinion!

The environments. This game is a mixed-up feast for the eyes and the level design is the main course. Things can go from the nice and simple Whispering Pines to the breathtaking and colorful Black Velvetopia to the utter lunacy and ominousness of the Milkman Conspiracy. It’s a masterpiece in artistic expression.

The Milkman Conspiracy. My gosh, this level deserves all the hype it gets. I really wish it hadn’t been spoiled for me, but even then it’s just such a trip that I can’t mind it that much. Also, Steve Blum!

The character design may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but it fits the messed up and wacky world of the game to a T.

JUMPING!!!!!!

The puzzles can get frustrating (especially at a certain final level whose name shall not be said in respect of those still recovering from it) but they’re really fun to experiment with and find ways to move ahead in.

I really enjoyed Raz as a protagonist. He wasn’t too moody or obnoxious and he was necessarily sassy when he needed to be. He was also really relatable, being a kid who felt ostracized at home and didn’t understand why his father wouldn’t let him do what he wanted. And he was just so nice in spite of how upset he was at his family situation while still being determined to accomplish his dreams and help people. And even when he reached the asylum, it never felt like he was going into anyone’s mind as a means to an end, he genuinely wanted to help these people along with the campers. Also, he’s a total fanboy geek and that’s awesome!

As fast as it happened, the romance between Raz and Lili was really sweet and cute and I’m glad it didn’t lessen their characters or take away too much from the story. It was definitely two kids going through their first puppy love.

I also really liked Raz being nice to Dogen. Their scenes together were just sweet!

All the different abilities were so cool to use and the different types of enemies encourages you to switch things up on the fly which keeps gameplay from getting stale as you progress.

Underneath all of the trippy sequences in the levels there’s a solid moral that not everyone can deal with their mental issues by themselves and sometimes you need someone else to step in and help, and I appreciate that kind of message. Even with all of their eccentricities, the mentally ill are people too and even if you can’t fix their problems like Raz can they still deserve basic compassion and understanding.

With all that being said, I feel like the game could have used a few more things.

ADD:

I really wish Raz got a new look for every mental world like he did in Black Velvetopia.

The game should have been stretched out over more than just one day. It would have given more time to expand upon certain plot elements and develop the characters more, as well as make Raz’s psychic growth a little more believable. I know that the plot kind of relied on Raz only having a day to do everything, but it just made him seem like of a Mary Sue learning all that in one day.

I feel like the game should have explained some things more. I get that video games shouldn’t hold your hand too much and they should be a challenge, but some things took FOREVER to learn the right button for.

A tracker for emotional baggage? I couldn’t find it all.

Maybe make the other counselors seem suspicious so it’s not so easy to single out Coach Oleander as the villain? 

Add some side quests around camp to help the other campers: Stand up to Bobby, talk Crystal and Clem out of suicide, show Mikhail he’s being used and knock some sense into Maloof, get a show for Phoebe and Quentin’s band going, and help Dogen control his powers, etc. I feel like they really could have expanded Part 1 at camp more.

Maybe add some flashbacks of Raz’s family life before he ran away to help the audience see through his eyes and understand his thought process better.

More fights with the Nightmares would have been cool. The scrapped plot about them escaping from Milla’s mind and abducting kids while they didn’t have their brains would have been a cool subplot. Or they could have come from the kids themselves or Oleander. I just think they had more potential.

Dr. Loboto boss fight (I did not play Rhombus of Ruin, I don’t do VR!)!

I’d kind of want to see Raz’s dad arrive at camp and how he got to where all the action was. Maybe some scenes of him getting there too to really make the player feel just how little time they have.

A scene of Ford Cruller getting up to go help out and save everyone?

Alright, now it’s time to get to the ugly!

CHANGE:

Oh my gosh, ARREST COACH OLEANDER! I know he was genuinely remorseful and the Psitanium might have had a hand in it and he was unfairly rejected from every branch of the United States army for his height, but that doesn’t change the fact that he lobotomized an entire camp full of children, attempted to murder one, built psychic death tanks, mutated and brainwashed a peaceful fish, brainwashed an asylum patient into covering his tracks through arson without regards to the residents of the asylum, kidnapped and lobotomized two colleagues whom he then tried to kill, hired DR. LOBOTO and tried to take over the world. At least have the guy monitored and put under probation, geez!

Change the rules of the race in Milla’s Dance Party so you DON’T have to win! I don’t care if I lose, I just want to move on already! This is not a racing game!

LESS. FIGMENTS.

I honestly don’t know what to say about the **** ****** except HAVE OLLIE STAY PUT AT THE TOP SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KEEPING HIS BUNNY-LOVING HIDE ALIVE!!!!!

Maybe the Two-Headed Dad Monster could have been more challenging at the end? As I’ve said, I am not a gameplay expert, but that final boss fight was really easy, and not in a satisfying way. Then again, you did just have to play through the **** ******...

And, that’s about it, I really don’t have much to complain about. Psychonauts is a super fun game and I highly recommend it. It’s colorful and explores heavy themes with respect and humor while going hand in hand with interesting gameplay and plenty of likable characters. There are no dull moments, I genuinely enjoyed this game greatly. I wish more people had given it a chance when it first came out and we could have gotten the sequel sooner, because I am honestly super nervous about it living up to the first. This is nothing on Tim Schafer and Double Fine, I just don’t have high expectations for a sequel made and released after ten years of radio silence as a rule. But, who knows? 

Maybe they’ll go in and change my mind.

[deckyilhamo]

The rise of the ‘independent and unknown’ artist

Today I wanted to talk about an artist that I feel very inspired by. Alice Phoebe Lou is a 28 years old singer-songwriter from South Africa who immigrated to Berlin. She started her career by juggling in the streets of Berlin, but soon picked up her guitar/piano and started learning how to play and to sing on her own. She really wanted to earn a living by doing what she liked most, performing. And she did it! she was nominated for ‘best original song’ Oscars and is now listened by millions of people!! (of course I’m in love with her but that is not the question here :p) 

She then self produced her first EP ‘Momentum’ in 2014. I really admire this artist because first, she proved that coming from nowhere you could make your dream come true in the music industry, which I find quite challenging today. Her style is considered as ‘Indie Folk’ which is not really the type of music you could hear on the radio (as you can see on the video below)

Concerning each album release, she does everything by herself and always refused to sign with a record company to keep her independence. She said in one of her interview that the worst thing that could happen to her as a singer would be a music company telling her what to write about, when to write it and all that in a very specific manner with the complete lost of her identity and of her creativity. Which is something that you can really pick up when you listen to her songs. It is as if every creative idea she has on her mind was put into music to create something different every time. She uses her voice as an instrument in a very unique way. 

And as her, I do believe the music industry ‘shapes’ artists to make music in a way that would sell better. Not signing with a record company as a singer can be quite complicated at first because you have to find your own concert places, your own publicity contracts, your own selling adds... but at the end I truly believe one of the only way to be 100% free in music is to be independent. As for Alice Phoebe Lou, being independent in the music field allows her to be completely free in her lyrics, as being part of the LGBTQA+ and being a very open minded person who shares respect and kindness. As a result she can entirely be herself and therefore be closer to her audience. For me she embodies the ‘free musician’, the one who listens to no one and only makes ‘true’ music from the heart.

[ominouscorvid]

Zoomester days 1-12

Day 1- Introduce yourself! What’s some basic info you’d like to share about yourself? Also! What are you studying? (If you’re in college, what’s your major? which semester are you in?)

Hello! I go by Tabby on here (at least i do now), I like music and french and I've recently started rollerskating and crocheting! I'm in highschool at the moment, studying natural sciences

Day 2- If you’ve chosen a major, why did you decide on it? If you’re in any other grade , what field/major interests you the most?

I haven't yet chosen a major, but I'm now starting to decide on what I'd like to do for college and I'm finding myself torn between the humanities and sciences - i'm really interested in the way political science intersects with the digital age, and how we could solve the problem of misinformation

Day 3- Have you done a challenge before? If so, how was it? If not, what are you expecting to get out of this experience?

Yup, I've done the 100 days of productivity challenge (although I didn't end up finishing it). I want to get back on track and post some more on my studyblr, and hopefully find out some people that came on the scene in the time I wasn't active on here

Day 4- For my researching fellows, what are you researching on? If you’re not currently researching, what is the topic within your field that you’re most passionate about?

I don't really have a field at the moment, but if I had to choose a research interest in the natural sciences I think the way that biology and artificial intelligence can interact, both for good and bad

Day 5- Tag 3 studyblrs that you like seeing on your dashboard.

Hard to choose just three, but I would go with @problematicprocrastinator, @haritlane and @sosiaalitieteet

Day 6- Quickly! tag urself!

midday. mom jeans. picnic dates. thrift-shopping. pinterest. low-key insecure. obssessed with photography.

Day 7-  Some of your music faves right now (let’s say up to 5)

Uhh very hard to choose, but I'd have to go with

     - Small Foreign Faction - Haley Blais

     - Last Words of a Shooting Star - Mitski

     - Phantom Other - Department of Eagles

     - I want another affair - Jockstrap

     - Missed my heart - Phoebe Bridgers

Day 8- International Women’s Day! What’s your take on feminism?

Woo boy that’s a hard one to fit into a single post. Condensed, I think intersectionality is key in any feminist action you take, and that attempts at assimilation by respecting and not questioning patriarchal standards is doomed to fail

Day 9- Write something that you’d like to tell yourself.

Hey, I know you’re not doing very well, but I think you can get through this. No, things won’t work themselves out, you’ll have to put in the work to figure out what to do next, but the reward will be worth it. I believe you can. For now, take it one day at a time.

Day 10- Tag someone whose aesthetic you love seeing on your feed.

Again pretty hard!! But I love your posts, @soliloquy-sappho. Much aestethic

Day 11- What’s something that you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t got the chance to do so?

Learn how to properly code! I’m trying to make some room for it, but it’s pretty difficult.

Day 12- Are you more into plant or flowers? What’s your fave type?

Flowers! I love wild flowers, the kind you can pick off the sidewalks