#Young gems next Gen

[lung-worm2023]

Tehehehehehehhehehehehehe

Without effects under cut:

[askstellarandfriends]

To GemShine: Hello it is quite interesting to see a child of myself and Discord from an alternate world ^^. Anywho i would like to ask how good of a mother the other me is to you? Since i know can be tad bit overdramatic at times.

ASK BOX OPEN!!!

In Play Wright's opinion, Rarity is a pretty good mom.

Commissions Are Open!!!

Support Me On Ko-fi!

[alexthebordercollie]

Reposting this old piece of Fluttercord art. It is adorable and it brings me joy. I used to have an MLP next gen ask blog for a while. It got kinda popular but I eventually burnt out cause I kept getting flooded with questions about random background characters I didn't care about, like single-episode characters or even ponies with only a couple lines of dialog. The blog was supposed to be focused on the kids of the mane six and when it started getting derailed by that flood of questions by people who didn't care about the stories I wanted to tell it just kinda ruined it for me. Like I would write whole chapters of a fic or make long meaty story posts get almost no engagement on them then be flooded with questions about unrelated characters. That and being harassed any time I took too long to post, it just made me feel like no one actually cared about the quality at all as long as I was churning out generic pony art as fast as possible.

Anyway long tangent aside. I still love these boys. The yellow one is the older brother Chaos and the red one is Anarchy but everyone calls him Archie. These two were adorable and I love Fluttercord so much. Archie was effectively the Twilight of my mane six crew. The main mascot character of the blog. Both boys have Discord's powers.

Chaos is loud and rowdy and well, chaotic. He likes pulling pranks and causing general mischief. He's also typically pretty reckless and irresponsible. As a colt he once plunged Equestria into chaos during a temper tantrum and Celestia had his powers sealed inside a gem he wears around his neck. He can get them back when he's proved he can be trusted with him but as a young adult, he's still yet to have earned them back. Chaos looks like a mostly normal pegasus but with Discord's red and yellow eyes. His cutie mark is the symbol of the discordian society, the sacred chao.

Archie is quiet and reserved. Unlike most ponies Archie is almost always fully dressed. He's much more comfortable with clothes on. He works as a librarian at Twilight's castle and is a dragon scholar. Taking frequent trips to the dragon lands to study their culture and biology. He's well-liked by the dragons. Despite his polite and calm demeanor he's one of the few ponies most dragons have ever met who really seriously tried to understand them rather than writing off their culture as nothing but senseless brutality. Archie looks like a mostly normal pegasus but with dragon wings instead of pegasus wings. His cutie mark is a dragon.

[anamelessfool]

For One Creature's Sake (pt 1 of 2)

(AO3 Link) GEN | Primo & Young Copia

Submitted to @cirrus-ghoulette Whump Month Prompt. June 9: Phobia

Family Drama, Phobias, Young Characters, Brotherly Affection, Caring, Family Bonds, Time Skips, Hurt/Comfort

"Shouldn’t a three, four year old be talking more?" (This is actually an excerpt from my upcoming fic!)

1979

Primo and the little boy named Copia waited until the dining hall had cleared after dinner to have their meals. Sister Agatha, head cook, smiled at them across the hall from her place scrubbing the range. “I can’t thank you enough again, Sister,” Primo said, returning her greeting with a wave. He hiked Copia further up on his hip, carrying him over to a corner table. He placed the boy on the bench next to him and gave his fluffy hair a pat. The first time he had brought Copia down for a meal the boy had cried hysterically, the noise of crowded dinner conversations bouncing off the walls overwhelming him.

“Anything, sweetheart,” Agatha said. “I saved this for you.” The old cook carried over a small tray of leftovers, setting it down on the table. “And how are you, little one?”

Copia’s brow furrowed, his big eyes staring at her with suspicion. He brought his arms to his chest and squeezed himself. Agatha tilted her head. “No talking yet?”

“I coax it out of him, occasionally,” Primo replied. “But it’s mostly just repeating what I say. Jogs his memory, I guess. Shouldn’t a three, four year old be talking more?”

“Look at you, doting on him.” Agatha smiled quietly. “He’s gone through a lot, in a short time. Just be patient with him.”

“Secundo is already planning on teaching him piano,” Primo chuckled. “Says Copia’s actually pretty intelligent. Can read a little, apparently. But we can barely get him to eat or speak.”

“That boy Secundo is eighteen going on forty five.” Agatha shook her head. “Everyone’s a project to him. Gotta lighten him up, Primo.”

“Sure, let me add that to my list. Tack it on,” Primo sighed as he cut the chicken breast and carrots into small pieces.

“A little bit at a time. Copia may surprise you. But don’t get too excited, that may scare him back to square one,” Agatha said.

Primo flashed her a tired, thankful smile. “You’re a gem.”

“Anytime. Let me know when you want to darken my door and man my grill again, handsome,” Agatha replied with a friendly wink. Primo laughed back. The cook returned to her kitchen chores, leaving Primo and Copia alone to eat in the quiet.

Primo attempted to hand the boy a fork, but Copia ignored him, making an attempt to reach for a piece of the meal with his hand. He leaned too far forward and slid under the table, uttering a small surprised yelp. Primo lunged for him and pulled him up into his lap. “We’ve got to solve that,” Primo muttered to him, and handed the boy a bread crust to gnaw on. Copia finished the piece and started grabbing the food with both hands like a desperate little rodent. “Hey, slowly!” 

”Slowly,” Copia parroted back, his mouth muffled by food. Primo pulled the plate away and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, sighing. He was grateful the boy was too small to see his worried frown. Too much had happened lately, too many loose ends and lost trails surrounding this Copia kid to count. He couldn’t walk away from his promise to find out where Copia’s mother had gone, and the thought of sharing with her what had happened to her child kept Primo up at night.

“Ahh! Nooooo!” Copia started to howl, scratching at Primo’s robe, kicking his legs.

Primo hugged the boy close. “What is it, shhhh…”

Copia vigorously pointed at the far corner of the room. There was a cabinet there, set in the shadow of a column. A piece of bread sat abandoned a few feet away. Copia fell into a sniffling silence. After a few minutes of quiet, something below the cabinet stirred and cautiously emerged into the light, padding softly towards the food on the floor.

It was a rat.

Copia shrieked again. The rat sat back on its haunches, rolled and scurried under the cabinet. Primo held Copia’s head in his hands, watching the little boy struggle with hiccuping breaths. “It’s okay, it's just a little rat,” Primo whispered. He saw the rat bite on the boy’s cheek, healing slowly but healing well. It would be a scar, but not too big. “They're just as afraid of you. You're both so little.”

Copia slammed his body against Primo’s chest. “So little,” he said with heaving breaths.

“Everything is so much bigger. Even you. You're bigger than him.”

“I’m…I’m bigger?” Copia blinked furiously, looking up into Primo’s eyes.

Primo smiled down at him, petting his head. “Much much bigger. Very scary.” Something clicked in the little boy. His eyebrows twitched, his eyes searching. His mind must have been grappling with the concept of his own self being scary to another creature. “Even if you're not, you may seem scary to somebody else. Hold on, let me show you.” He picked up Copia, putting him on the bench beside him. He stood up, taking a piece of chicken from the plate.

He walked over to the cabinet, dropping the meat on the floor and softly moved back to the bench. “Now let's watch and see,” he whispered, putting Copia back on his lap, his hands enfolding the boy protectively. “Be quiet, he's shy.”

“He's shy,” Copia whispered back, fascinated.

There was a few more minutes of silence then the shadows stirred. The rat cautiously returned to the light, sniffing the air. Copia grabbed Primo’s hands and Primo pulled the boy closer into him. The rat stepped across the floor and examined the meat, bringing it into its paws, settling in to eat it right there in front of them.

“He's got little hands!” Copia shouted, and the rat visibly jumped and rushed back under the cabinet. “I scared him. He's got little hands, doesn't he, Primo?”

Primo gripped Copia tightly, stunned. It was the most the boy had ever said so far. He swallowed, trying to hide his excitement. “Yes, little hands, like you.”

Copia reached for a piece of bread off his plate, then pulled and kicked in Primo’s arms. “Let me down!”

Primo obliged, trying to keep his movements even. His heart was pounding. Copia walked hesitantly over to the cabinet and dropped the bread. He scampered a few feet away, sitting down on the floor, watching and waiting.

“Don't touch him,” Primo said quietly. “Just watch. You have to give everyone a chance, okay.”

Copia nodded then settled into a focused stillness. In a moment more, the rat returned. The creature froze, eying Copia, but then saw no danger from the boy. It walked over to the bread and grabbed it in its mouth, turning tail and trotting back to the safety of the shadows.

Copia looked over to Primo, his face bright, his mouth in an excited smile. He’s smiling, he's actually smiling, Primo thought, his throat becoming tight.

“He's got little hands and little black eyes,” the boy explained. “Little dark eyes like me.”

“Yes…yes he does,” Primo agreed, his voice cracking as he struggled not to cry. “Come on, come eat the rest of your dinner.”

Copia pushed himself off of the floor and scampered back to Primo, attempting to mimic the rat’s movements. “Get the traps, we have a big one over here!” Primo laughed, grabbing Copia and swinging him back into his lap. “He’s awful hungry too. Look at him eat!”

Copia grabbed a piece of his dinner and nibbled it close to his face. “We will be here for hours if you eat everything like that.” Primo pet the boy on his head once more, wiping tears from his eyes. “But I’ll be patient.”

Me on AO3!

If you're up for seeing some 70s era Dark Magic Noir, please subscribe to my AO3 or the "Scenes from the Void" Series there. This fic will be released very soon. Thank you!

[souptastical]

DIRECTORY📝

MASTERLIST POSTS, EDIT TAGS, FIC + OTHER BLOG LINKS

The name's Piqt, my vice is writing; usually all angst/whump/fluff. This blog is for my HP content/reblogs/writing and my main ships are usually Drarry/Wolfstar with various others sprinkled in. Be warned my work is for 18+ folk and frequently includes angst/whump + substance abuse written for older audiences.

«AO3»

✧TheWhumpTexts @ AO3

#thewhumptextsupdates (updates for my chapter progress)

fic series:

The Chronicles of Harry James Potter↓ *first part being actively rewritten + posted*

Stepping Stones (complete)

To Go From Here (sequel)

Stepping Stones Oneshots (oneshot collection)

Phases, Chaos & Bittersweet Changes (rewrite to "stepping stones")

✧This is a four part (active + ongoing longfic) series detailing the aftermath of Harry's abusive life with The Dursely's coming to light. Full of emotional/physical turmoil, tooth rotting fluff, overbearing godparents/potions professor, enemies to lovers with ur fav local slytherin/gryffindor duo & the happenings of teenage potion dealers.

Ghost On The Shore↓

✧Playing off the plot of the series above, but different AU. Established Drarry friends-lovers, aspects of substance use + usual fluff/whump.

Within The Hollow Crown↓

✧Abandoned sequel to the first part of my series "The Chronicles of HJP" + unfinished drafts + unreleased chapter for Stepping Stones.

«Boards/Etc»

✧Main Fic Board

⚡(aka the “everyones on drugs & traumatized” board)

✧Marauders Era Board

⚡️(aka the “everyones on drugs & drunk before getting traumatized” board)

📖"Delicate" series by Padfoot4Ever in pdf form (from the now dead site hpff)

✧Lost media gem from the HPFF site, written in 2008. Rose Weasley finds herself pregnant with Scorpius Malfoy's child, much to her annoyance. Both hilarious and heartwarming & still my fav next-gen fic to date. Link takes you to my uploaded folder with both parts of the fic in it

📖"All The Young Dudes" Entire Audiobook narrated by [bibliobibuli]

✧Converted the ATYD Audiobook by the above narrator to .mp3 file for offline/ease of listening. Kudos to their amazing narration- you can also find the pdf version in this folder if you haven't already gotten it from AO3.

••••♡••••♡••••♡••••

//As a side note, I love data collection so if someone needs help acquiring the movies due to not being able to afford streaming or the books in pdfs or a lost fic from the early 2000s they cant find due to site closure, send me a PM/ask and I'll try my best to help♡//

[thecoolblackwaves]

Maemags Week 2024 Feb 21: Herosim/Villany

@maedhrosmaglorweek day 4 prompt Heroism/Villany, I focused on the suggested topic of reputation

Warnings: None again, this is fluff and gen unless you want to imagine it as slash!

The princes Kanafinwe Makalaure and Nelyafinwe Russandol were familiar faces in the marketplace. Past stalls and vendors and citizen-filled benches they would stroll, arm in arm, indulging in cream filled pastries and socializing with the craftspeople.

Before each of his concerts, Kanafinwe would drag his elder brother to the city’s center, claiming his outfit was missing an essential element, or that he ought to hand out last minute invitations to those which looked as if some entertainment may brighten their countenance. Russandol followed willingly, ever the dutiful chaperone and supporter of artistry - as well as the holder of their shared coin purse who could often be persuaded into purchasing yet another pair of dangling earrings - to calm his pre-performance nerves and guide him back to the amphitheater by the Mingling.

After each of the council sessions in which he’d sat as advisor to the King, or as royal scribe, Nelyafinwe requested a jaunt across the marketplace to take in the fresh air and high spirited people. He claimed his heart was lightened to see the citizens his grandfather looked after so jubilant and prosperous. Of course, he never missed an opportunity to recruit support for an upcoming bill or subtly observe the opinions of the masses, through friendly chatter and casual enquiries. Makalaure accompanied him every afternoon without fail, a beautiful vision of jewels and silk and bright smiles next to his brother’s towering frame, endearing the people to their line.

‘So handsome and polite are those young sons of Feanor!’ the people of Tirion would say, some in admiration, some in shock at their agreeable natures in spite of their father’s sometimes less than pleasant tendencies.

On warm nights of Telperion’s silver glow, when no upper class engagements marked their calendar, the princes Kanafinwe and Nelyafinwe donned colorful clothing and ran barefoot like children towards the marketplace. Their footsteps first echoed through the empty palace halls, then drowned in the delightful symphony of life as they drew near the center of Tirion. There, musicians played lively tunes, bubbling fountains glowed in the light of the Trees and many colored lamps, food vendors fried spicy meats and sticky sweet doughs, and the citizens gathered for revelry.

Kanafinwe danced to the music of others, carefree joy carrying his body and voice. He leaped and spun and bowed, swirling around a pit of fire with other young Elves, taking the children by their hands and twirling the young girls. Most recognized him and called out greetings and praise; he answered, but did not stop dancing.

His goal every night was to get his more stalwart brother to move with him, and every night, he succeeded by the midpoint to the next Mingling. Russandol was strong of spirit and body, full of regal pride, a tall flaming torch of dexterity as he joined the dancers. His feet thundered like a stampede of horses as he tossed his ginger mane and hooted. Many wished for the honor of dancing with the crown prince, but only one bright and carefree gem could ever take his hand.

[ahiddenpath]

Norm is a cool guy, I love his videos and his video personality, which is both chill and excited by everything. But this video about rural Japan dying- but more importantly, about people working to bring back rural life- really gave me some thinky thoughts, so I thought I'd rec the video and write a little about what it made me think and feel.

So I watched this TED talk called, Do we love our children? In it, a Gen X man tells a room of American Boomers that they are choosing to keep wealth and prosperity from young people- their own children and grandchildren, in many cases. We have an enormous issue in America with older generations basically... Pulling the ladder up behind them, while also blaming young people for the state of things today.

So when I saw this video about rural areas being abandoned en masse in Japan (apparently there are over 8 million abandoned homes in Japanese rural areas), I guess I was ready to see more of the same. Ie, older people saying, what can we do? Young people don't want to live here.

Instead, the video featured several adults (middle age, I am assuming? I'm not good at judging that) working together to entice young people and family aged people to live in rural Japan. One man did that by bringing back a summer festival that was dead for 30 years. He and other volunteers explained that the memories we make in childhood can tie us to the area in which we grew up. So, if they want young people to come back and settle down and start families and businesses here, they need to help parents give interesting and fun formative memories to their children. Basically, if we want young people to help us thrive, we must make this a good place ourselves.

Another man turned an abandoned school into a hotel and popular brewery, while more volunteers cleaned a local beach, which then became a tourist attraction drawing millions in tourism revenue to the town. Another woman made businesses that younger people would enjoy, like nightclubs, even though it was difficult at first with next to no clientele.

There were a few people over 80 who said, "What can we do now, at this age?" (and like... yeah, fair). But the middle age and younger adults are working so hard to extend a hand to the younger generations.

Idk man I think I needed to see this. Thanks, Norm, you're a gem. And thanks to all the cool people in Japan reaching out to younger people like this.

[appleblocks]

Alright say hypothetical I don't know anything about your aus and say I really wanted to know more about them.

Could I get a summary(or the main plots of your aus?) :^D

Only if you wanna!

Of course!! :3

My aus are nothing too special compared to others out there, but I still love them a lot and know some of my friends here like them too <3

My first au was one I called Apple's Mythical AU, though the name might change one day, and it was very much based on my Glowsquid Joel design. It's really just my version of Hermitcraft Season 10 but most people (if not all, cause i havent drawn them all yet) are some type of creature. Joel is a Glowsquid Kraken with a humanoid form to be able to hang out with everyone, Gem is an Anglerfish Syren, because of her Dredge inspiration <3, Grian is,,,,, Grian. I drew him as a fish last time I drew anyhting of that au but to me he is a Watcher in disguise in every universe, so that fish design (if you could even call it that) will be retconned eventually.

In terms of lore I have the most for Joel, cause he's the character that sprouted all of this, and it goes like this:

Joel used to be the god of Stratos. Powerful, strong, tall, handsome, the whole package. But he took his powers for granted, and crossed a line that the Watchers, the elder gods, did not accept. He tried to force life with his powers, in the creation of Tiny Tom, and it nearly ripped a hole into their world because there was not enough data for the world to generate a proper creature, and so it was turned into a creature of void that the Watchers had to take away and stabilize, leaving them in another world for safety. The Watchers then stripped Joel of his godly powers and sent him crashing down to the ocean to die, but his wife Lizzie, The Ocean Queen, caught him and made him a new form, making him the first Glowsquid Kraken and allowing him to keep living.

I love him very much <3

@/stiffyck has a really cool Kraken Scar au and one time they drew my glowsquid Joel with him!! :3 You should go check them out!!

As for my other au, it kinda stems from that first one, but it is a Next Generation AU. I'm currently writing a fic for it, and the premise of the au as a whole is quite simple: the (mostly) cannonical kids of the hermits and lifers grown up and having their own adventures! <3

I'm a sucker for Next Gen aus, and this adoration started back in my MLP days lmao

The au follows Hermes (Empires 2), Tiny Tom (Empires 2), Grumbot (HC 7), Jrumbot (HC7), and Jeremy Jr. (SOS smp) in their lives as young adults, exploring their friendships and their familial relationships, and my fic Fresh Life (name derived from the term Fresh Meat) follows them experiencing their first Life Series together, with the return of the Boogeyman and a new Canary :3 I'm currently writing Chapter 1 and I'm writing it in 'Sessions', so each chapter will be the span of 1 mc session, roughly. I have multiple tags for this but the main ones are #next gen au and #project fresh life!

And I'm posting that one on AO3 now that I finally have an account!! The link is in my pinned post :3

Thank you so much for the ask!!! X3 sorry for the long and late reply, haha 😅

[kindheart525]

What do you love the most about MLP: FIM?

To be honest a lot of it comes from nostalgia and the fandom! I was 10-11 when I first got into MLP and 15 when I joined the fandom as a next gen artist, so I’ve really grown up with the show. Without getting into too many personal details, watching MLP comforted me during some very medically difficult periods in my life, and being part of the fandom helped me feel like I had a community during some lonely and frustrating high school years (I wasn’t bullied, I just didn’t have very many irl friends).

I know many MLP fans have a similar story of “growing up with the show” and/or the fandom helping them through tough times so my answer may seem a little cliche, but it’s true. There was a period in my teenage years where I lost interest in the show itself and only engaged with the fandom, but in the past year I have started watching the show again. It’s not the MOST well-written television show to ever exist but that fact is to be expected from a kids’ cartoon. Still, it was great to see how much of it still holds up, partly because of childhood nostalgia but also because the characters are genuinely great. Twilight Sparkle was even more relatable to me having watched her journey just before graduating college. Applejack and Rarity also have so many traits that are relatable to real adults even though they are living in a TV-Y rated world. At the very least, they create the kind of show that parents can watch with their children and mildly enjoy. I know MLP is not for everyone, but I can definitely see the lasting appeal.

It’s my time in the fandom that has been the best part of my MLP experience, for many reasons. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings on the fandom because of the drama and toxicity that it sometimes creates, but I think every fandom has its bad side. The MLP fandom isn’t uniquely horrible. I’ve been incredibly lucky to be part of the fandom at a time when it’s more comprised of young adults (and when I first joined the fandom, fellow teenagers) who also grew up with the show like I have, which has led me to make a lot of connections with like-minded people. One of which is my best friend of 7+ years @glitterfleshgum who I am eternally thankful I crossed paths with. Our friendship is one of those rare gems that goes far beyond our mutual love of MLP and even fandoms in general, the kind that we know will last long after our mutual fandom has died. Even now we support each other in so many ways that have nothing to do with MLP. One of the great things about fandom is being able to make connections like this because we definitely aren’t the only ones with a story like this. She and other friends have also helped me expand my interests in music and TV, which has truly enriched my life in being able to see new experiences and gain new sources of inspiration in my own creative repertoire. Thank you so much ❤️

And of course there’s all the stories I’ve gotten to write! MLP has given me so much inspiration for fanfiction and original characters that have really improved my writing skills and broadened my creative outlook over the years. I’ve always loved drawing and making up stories as a child, and my time in fandom has allowed me to do those things in a way unlike ever before. I know MLP isn’t unique for having so much creative potential and that fanfiction and next gens exist for almost every piece of media ever, but I’m really glad I had MLP has been my outlet for such creations.

In short, my answer has much less to do with the MLP: FiM show in itself, but all the ways that being a fan of it has and continues to enrich my life!

[i-did-not-mean-to]

Acorns

And just because I can...I give you some gen sadness...

Double-post today, because I can't count for the life of me. And today is the last day ❤️

Characters: Bilbo & Frodo

Words: 280

Warnings: Sadness

“Look, Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo said, strolling up the garden path, his cupped hands stretched out in front of his lithe body. “Acorns!”

A shiver seized the ever-ageing but only slowly declining Hobbit as he saw the shiny natural gems in those pale, unmarred palms.

“Your oak tree is doing so well this year,” Frodo babbled on, either unaware of the heavy sense of melancholy and sadness weighing on his uncle or desperately trying to alleviate a pain he could not understand. “It’s wonderful to see.”

Bilbo remembered the single acorn he had brought home from his travels, from his quest, from his life-altering adventure, and he conjured up a soft smile at the memory of the peril he had braved and the love he had lost.

The joy he now saw, shining bright on his nephew’s face, soothed the burning agony of old wounds being set alight by this casual reminder of all that had never been.

Looking at Frodo gave him hope.

Just like that one battered acorn that had thrived into a sturdy tree, Bilbo had drawn strength from his roots to stubbornly nurture a new generation of shiny, healthy, promising fruit.

“Indeed,” he said, fumbling in his pocket with trembling fingers for his trusty pipe. “Maybe, you can plant one for yourself. Let’s make this a tradition.”

Frodo’s brow puckered with concentration as he picked out one of the nuts—small but hardy—and held it aloft with undeniable pride.

“This one,” he cried. “That one shall be mine. Thank you, Uncle Bilbo.”

Dropping the remaining acorns into Bilbo’s lap, the young Hobbit ran back down the path to tend to his very own future oak tree.

@fellowshipofthefics here we go with the next one!

-> Masterlist

𝙻𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 <3

[threebooksoneplot]

Three Books One Plot and ✨You✨

Now that our first season has drawn to a close we wanted to share some fun stats with you guys! This is information that was actually cut from our finale for time but, since we're so excited about it, we still wanted to share it with you all. It's been a hell of a year and, like we mentioned in our finale, we never expected for anyone besides us and a small group of friends/acquaintances to care so much about this silly project. But a lot of you cared. More than we thought would.

In fact, we had listeners from 50 countries over the course of the past year. This is what our top ten looks like, at a glance:

Shout out to anyone listening from any of these countries, and extra shout out to anyone listening from any other place in the world, too. (All 40 other countries.) As far as the US goes we weren't too shocked by our top five (California, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas are also the top five most populated states) but we were excited to see listeners in forty-five states plus DC. So, to our friends in Alabama, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming... we'll get you guys next season. 😉

(more information and fun statistics under the cut!)

What was doubly shocking to us was the idea that not only would we have such a broad reach but that we would chart anywhere. Over the last year we have charted on the book charts of eleven different countries, including the United States. Which is fucking bonkers.

Beyond that, we had some more funky statistics we wanted to share! We truly did give you non-Spotify listeners the short end of the stick sometimes but hey, don't blame us. Blame the apps you listen to and like, maybe bully them on Twitter into providing polls and questions like Spotify does. If that doesn't work, you can always join in on our polls here on Tumblr during the interim between episodes. Next season we'll also be encouraging you guys to answer our episode questions in our ask box here, too. Anything to get more hilarious gems from you since you guys are like, really fucking funny.

But as far as platforms go, here's our breakdown:

If you listen on a different app like Pocket Casts or any other podcast platform, please let us know! We'd love to know how you guys are tuning in.

Not to direct our full attention back toward Spotify for a moment (like we love to do) but here were some fun Spotify-centric stats that are worth mentioning. Mainly because the age statistics make us laugh.

Shoutout to any young-young Gen X-ers that listen and aren't in the 45-59 age range. You guys are the true champions and we adore the fact that your peers just do not fuck with us. Also, in the unlikely chance that any of the less than one percent of Boomers (affectionate) that listen to us also happen to follow us on here, please message us so we can give you the key to a city or something. Because we love you. Sorry that supercentenarian Edward kept being weird and rude about your generation. He sucks for that.

To conclude this fun and informative little wrap-up post I wanted to give the biggest, loudest, and most inappropriate shout out to all our sexy listeners who gave Three Books One Plot a rating or a review!

On Apple Podcasts, we received 8 reviews and 17 ratings, giving us an average of 4.6 stars!

On Spotify, we received 63 ratings, giving us a 4.9 star average!

This fall will bring a new season with a new book, new characters, and new guests. But don't worry, there'll be just as many jokes, bits, ill-advised drinking game rules, and sex tape titles that make G rejoice and Shannon sigh in half-reluctant compliance as before.

We wanted to give a super-special thanks to all of you who have tuned in, and we're so excited to see you guys again for Season Two in September!

[lung-worm2023]

In Ygng/Ygng!darkness archer and Melissa (Ash in another universe) are in a band together and in Ygng it’s new music but because Ygng!Darkness is set in 2117 and Ygng is set in 2058 Archer and Melissa’s band is what 50’s music is to us in Ygng!darkness.

Although they are Neptunes fav.

[sunshine-sparkle]

Sunshineverse Next Gen - Alexandrite Belle

Name: Alexandrite Belle

Nicknames: Alex

Gender: Male (He/Him)

Species: Earth Pony

Backstory: The third child of Applejack and Rarity, and much closer in age to AD than he is to Gala or Stitch. From a young age, Alex was much less interested in the great outdoors or farm work than his two elder siblings. What he took to most was flower arranging, and he got his mark pretty early making a particularly lovely bouquet.

Alex was always closest with Rarity, as he was the only one of his siblings who enjoyed fashion shows and non stop attention just as much as she did. Though Stitch's talent is in sewing, they always preferred to be in the background. As such, if Rarity is going to a fancy party, she tends to bring Alex more than anyone else, something even Applejack was grateful for.

Busy as her moms were, though, both made sure to make ample time for her and her siblings. Though Rarity did have to be away from home on occasion, they did they best to see her off to school in the morning, tuck in her at night, and take care of her when she got sick. With Applejack, she learned to love farm life and take pride in caring for apples. With Rarity, she honed her talent (getting taken along to many a gem cave) and got to get in touch with the arts, as well as speaking her mind far more than she did.

Still, despite not loving farm work (and sometimes complaining about it) Alex will do his part around the farm when called upon. Secretly, he does love that this is when he gets to spend the most time with just him and Applejack. Alex will absolutely talk her ear off, and she doesn't much mind.

Traits: There are few who are more self confident than Alex. Always willing to state his opinion, Alex loves looking fabulous and is always after his sister Gala to take better care of herself. He also tends to be terribly snarky, especially under his breath or when he knows the other party will not understand him. Though he and Gala are just about opposites, they do get along well.

Alex is pretty much always talking, trying to be amusing, and trying to keep the attention on them. As he grows, he learns to let other people have their say. Much like Momma Applejack, Alex is honest, sometimes to the point of brutally honest. Applejack has done her best to steer him away from that path.

Though truly a good pony at heart, Alex can be an absolute diva. His very best trait is advocating for others, and making them shine.

Appearance: Alex has a tan coat with one white foot, a white muzzle, and a light brown mane and tail. His eyes are pink and his hooves are cloven and orange. He always wears a rose in his mane and a thick green gem wrapped around his tail.

Cutiemark: A red rose with a dark green ribbon. His talent is flower arranging, but also making others look their very best, whether than means physically or bringing out their inner charms.

Parents: Rarity Belle and Applejack

Siblings: Gala Apple, Sparkling Stitch, Apple Dazzle, Filigree Belle, Leota Belle, Heat Blaze

Cousins: Autumn Glory, Candy Apple, Ever Crisp

Close Friends: Even Beat, Filigree and Leota Belle, Ladybug Sparkle

(Tolerates Heat Blaze)

[zahri-melitor]

New(ish) Comics:

Action Comics #1053-1056: (catch up edition) I’ve enjoyed the Metallo and Cyborg Superman storyline. Characters mostly all sound like themselves, Kon’s characterisation IS flowing on from SMOT, it’s just generally interesting storytelling.

On considered opinion after the AC backup and the Power Girl special I am NOT continuing reading these, but it was worth trialling them. Definitely for someone else though.

Steelworks I may actually read though after the sales job here.

I don’t really care about the Young Jon story sorry.

The Flash #795-800: (still catch up edition) Finished One Minute War. That was a solidly entertaining event. All about the power of the family going feral together.

I am disappointed that the story set itself up to immediately remove Max and Bart, though at least from previews it looks like it’s not a permanent kick down the road to later.

Personally I’m far more excited for the Titans Kids Team to consist of actual second Gen Titans and not universe-hopping Damian and Jon, but then I also want Lian there, given this is a team I’ve been dreaming of since my first go around in DC fandom in 2007. (Also the Supertwins are RIGHT THERE and the right age if you desperately want a Super on the team)

Honestly between the two catch up editions above it is VERY clear that a chunk of DC solidly regrets the Jon Kent age up and is desperately trying to find ways to tell stories around the situation without having to reverse it (so they can have the best of both worlds). It’s certainly one way of dealing with the situation. I dunno if it’s ultimately successful.

City Boy #2-3: METROPOLIS THE DRAGON!!! Honestly I’ve been loving this title. If it wasn’t from the same set as Spirit World I think people would be more hyped about it, but it’s just doing interesting things with the personification identities of various cities and with the memories they hold. I hope Cameron gets occasional use again after this mini.

Warlord #17: this week Mike Grell comedically suggests that a trip of 500km across a desert will take no time at all for this story. I’m aware of your habit of diverting into random storytelling reminiscences to grind the plot to a halt, Grell, so I simply don’t believe you.

Anyway Travis Morgan and Tara are wandering the desert with no water looking for their baby. Morgan misses having Machiste and Mariah with him then acknowledges this is his own fault for being a horndog.

They find a city with a water well and divert straight into a story that ends with Morgan acquiring a magic gem. Tara notes it may be useful against Deimos so I’m sure we’ll see it again.

Next up in the catch up: look there’s a good chance I will look at Gotham War so I can complain with proper knowledge, but I’ll let it build up a bit. Getting up to date with Batman. Still want to get into ‘Tec and Nightwing at some point. Might consider more Knight Terrors issues.

[prince-everhard]

Weekly Oneshot Challenge - week 5

Title: Tested Rating: gen Fandom: Naruto  Word count: 1219 Summary: [fantasy AU] Sasuke is one step closer to avenging his family. The only thing standing in his way of his next goal is the Adventurer’s Guild entrance exam, and nothing is going to stop him from passing. Especially not a pink-haired wanna-be adventurer.

Sasuke waited by the gates to the training field for the guild assessment to start. He wasn’t anxious, he told himself, but focused. Driven. Ready to take one step closer to avenging his family. The travel passes granted to higher level adventurers would allow him to seek out his family’s killer in whichever country he had fled to. Gaining access to the guild was just one step on many, but he was absolutely ready. He’d literally filed his application the day he’d turned sixteen, the minimum age for the test. Age didn’t matter to Sasuke. His family’s killer hadn’t even been sixteen yet. Sasuke shook his head. He couldn’t let himself get distracted. All he needed to worry about today was the entrance exam.

To his right, his fellow Adventurers’ Guild hopeful Naruto was waiting as well. Sasuke had met Naruto a few times on his travels and was pleasantly surprised to see the blonde there. The surprise being pleasant was also a surprise to Sasuke. Naruto was a young monk following in the footsteps of one of the most unpleasant people Sasuke had ever had the misfortune of meeting- a semi-famous author with more vices than virtues and a voice both booming and grating. Naruto, while sharing a similar volume and eye-searing attire (seriously, what kind of monk wore orange?), was quite competent on the field and took Sasuke’s prickly nature with grace and good humor. He wouldn’t drag them down in the exam.

Their third for the entrance exam hadn’t shown up. The proctor to their left seemed unaffected by the unexpected absence or the delay it had caused, but it left Sasuke feeling chafed and jittery. Being this close to one of his goals, but unable to complete it, sat poorly on his mind.

As if sensing his mood, Naruto bounced over and nudged him none-too-gently in the ribs. “Don’t look so sour, jerk. We’ll pass this exam even if it is just the two of us.” Sasuke opened his mouth to- snap? joke back?- but was interrupted by a different proctor walking up to their gate, another examinee in tow.

“Your exam partner fell suddenly ill,” said the proctor, “so we’re putting you with someone whose partners were also otherwise unable to complete the exam this year.” And he gestured to the girl beside him. “You’ll begin the exam shortly, so be prepared.”

Sasuke took the moment to look her over. She was wearing armor that looked pristine, for one, not to mention that both her breastplate and the leather he could see peeking from behind her chainmail were stamped or tooled with little flower designs. The wood of her axe handle and shield had been stained in some way so that they were a bright, cheery pink. Her hair was pink. She wore a simple diadem with a single green gem on her forehead. She smiled sunnily at her new teammates and Sasuke fought the urge to scowl. She looked soft. 

“My name is Sakura,” she said, still smiling. “I look forward to working with you both.”

Sasuke shoved her into the mental box of just another obstacle he’d have to face to achieve his goal. He didn’t even respond to her greeting, just turned toward Naruto. “Try to keep up, loser.” And he walked away from them both to stand closer to the gate.

The proctor looked over the top of his book at Sasuke with a raised eyebrow, but Sasuke ignored him just as easily as he ignored the low chatter behind him where Naruto and Sakura were having a conversation. Let the idiot make nice and keep an eye on her for the exam. Sasuke just needed to pass.

After a moment, the proctor put his book away and cleared his throat. Naruto and Sakura moved closer. “In one minute, I’ll open this gate. There is a minor clan of goblins inside that have been terrorizing nearby villages. They have been trapped in here by higher level guild members. Your job today is to eliminate all of them.” 

Sasuke re-evaluated the scope of the exam. While the fenced area wasn’t terribly large, it was the size of at least a large village and had plenty of trees and cover for the goblins. Without exact numbers, they would also have to take the time and energy to search the area and make sure they’d left none behind. A daunting task for three, even more so for only two. Sasuke side-eyed the new girl, but she was checking her equipment straps and didn’t notice his gaze. He fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. Hopefully she would at least be useful in searching.

The proctor pulled on the rope keeping the gate secured, and it swung open with a creak. “Begin!”

All three of the examinees rushed in to be met with an equally eager goblin horde. Sasuke immediately lost himself in the flow of battle, drawing his sword in one hand and keeping the other ready to cast arcane energy if anything got too close. The new girl was fighting outside of his peripheral, but he could hear her occasionally grunt or shout. Naruto was just inside his vision, about twenty feet away and mowing through enemies with surprisingly graceful punches.

Several minutes passed, and the goblins didn’t seem to thin or slow in the slightest. Sasuke had already needed to move twice to avoid getting his feet tangled in the growing pile of bodies around him. He pressed closer to Naruto, who turned to him with a manic grin. “I thought he said this was a minor clan! This is easily twice that number!”

Sasuke was about to reply when things went wrong. A goblin, bigger than the rest and wearing some scavenged armor, bore down on his left and he was barely able to pull his sword up in time to parry. Another goblin grabbed onto his right arm and bit down, clinging in such a way that he couldn’t reach it with his magic. A third charged him head on.

Naruto called out, but he was blocked in his own fight with four of the goblins. Sasuke prepared himself to take the hit.

There was a puff of displaced air, a solid back and pink hair in front of him, and then a truly horrendous crunching noise as Sakura bashed the goblin with her shield. It flew back thirty feet and crashed into a pair of goblins that had been rushing toward them. Sasuke watched it skid another ten feet and land in a pile of vaguely goblin-shaped mess. Sakura spun on her heel and lopped the head off the goblin that was sword-locking Sasuke. She grinned at him, fierce and maybe a little bit smug. “Try to keep up, loser!” She then launched herself at the goblins she’d toppled with their comrade.

Sasuke sliced the goblin off his arm as Naruto fought his way over to him. The monk wasn’t even looking at his opponents as he laid them out with expert blows. Instead, his eyes tracked Sakura with a dopey look on his face. “I think I’m in love,” he told Sasuke.

Sasuke shoved him into one of the goblins that was trying to run for it in retaliation.

[a240899]

GJEPC’s ‘40 Under 40’ Celebrates Rising Stars – Solitaire International Magazine – India’s leading B2B gem and jewellery magazine

A highlight of IIJS Premiere 2024 was the GJEPC’s 40 Under 40 initiative, which celebrated the industry’s next-gen talent. This prestigious award recognized young visionaries who have demonstrated exceptional talent, innovation, and dedication to the world of jewellery.

Before honouring these youngsters, two stalwarts of the industry, Mr. Sevantilal Shah and Mr. Ramaniklal Shah of Venus Jewel, were felicitated for their pioneering and innovative ways of marketing diamonds.