#and revisiting one of the favourite games

[shortcakelils]

@mintythecup @whosectype

‘twas inspired by this screenshot

[fanfictiongreenirises]

Can I ask about "steph reads comics" for the wip game 👀

thank you for the ask, violette 😁💜

uhhh idk how to describe this fic, bc if i had any idea what it was really about and where it's going then it'd be complete by now 😔✊ basically, steph finds out that cass hasn't read comics before and she lets cass borrow her comics and shows her the comic section at the library, and it's all this introspection about the public library was a sort of refuge for steph growing up etc etc

here's a fun snippet (i have like 3k of this thing written up, waiting for me to understand what the point of it all is 😂)

“You have to promise,” Steph said solemnly, even as she unzipped her backpack, “to protect them with your life. I’ve been hoarding these for all of my thirty years—” “You’re seventeen,” Cass said with a tilt of her head. “Figure of speech.” Steph waved a hand, continuing as though she hadn’t been interrupted. “Anyway, if I could protect these against my dad and all his friends and my mom and her cleaning sprees, then you can safeguard them long enough to read and return to me.” Cass took one battered and worn comic gingerly in her hands, touching it as though it was going to fall apart at the slightest breeze. Then she looked Steph in the eye and nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I promise.”

[xiomeebo]

realizing I never actually beat tales of the abyss I barely remember what happened and where ’m supposed to be going,, so if i pick the game back up I probably should just start a new file. But at the same time. I don’t want to have softlock cave happen again. I think the main reason I dropped the game is just. Burnout from playing it nonstop for like. a month straight.

[deus-lapidis]

How they sleep

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Zhongli x gn!reader

Genre: fluff

A/N: old but gold, one of my favourites

This is a repost! Here’s a short explanation why

Masterlist

Diluc

Pre-relationship:

He slept curled into himself as if to shield himself in his sleep. Usually on his right side, sometimes on the left side, depending on the soreness of his body.

Very rarely sleeps on his stomach or back, though stomach appears more often. Gets uncomfortable if it's too hot, so he sleeps with the blanket halfway draped over him.

Either way he has really bad sleeping habits for a person that works so much in the winery and as batman for patrolling.

Didn't really sleep in because he never had any reason to do so? He just got up to work and go about his day.

In a relationship:

Almost always the big spoon, doesn't matter if you're taller or shorter than him. Snakes one arm around you, intertwining your hand with his, his head resting on top of yours. He likes holding you and just relishing in your warmth, determined to protect the light of his life.

Usually comes home quite late, so he's careful to not wake you up when laying down. Every night he plays the risky game of pulling you into his arms, but even when you do wake up, warmth spreads out in his chest when you just tiredly snuggle into him.

When you're absent:

Halfheartedly climbs into bed, tossing and turning a lot. The usual peace you bring him gone and leaving him worry about your well-being. Who knew that he could only barely go without your presence once he got a taste of it?

But the yearning made it all the better when you returned from your trip, smiling at him, while you two lie there in proximity and fall asleep in contentment.

Kaeya

Pre-relationship:

On the side, right side to be precise. That's where his eyepatch is. Regardless of whether people would think it was an injury, fashion statement or a mysterious aspect of him, he somehow developed the habit of covering it when he sleeps.

Tucks his arm under his pillow and would flip his pillow to the cool side. Sometimes even clutches the blanket to his chest.

His sleeping habits aren't great, but they're not too bad either. A little inconsistent though. On some occasions he'll stay up until 3am, on others he's out at 11pm.

Does sleep in, it's a form of relaxation for him, maybe even revisiting a nice dream while the rest of Mondstadt slowly awakes.

In a relationship:

Definitely asks for cuddles and for you to come to bed with him, he holds it very dear. He wants to make sure that he's able to go to bed with you at all times and tells you beforehand if he won't make it home early enough.

He likes feeling your warmth, so usually your head on his arm or where it connects to his shoulder and your arm draped over his midsection.

When you're absent:

Adorably upset. Of course he can sleep without you, but having you there just simply enhances the quality of sleep (sources: trust me, bro). Has faith in you returning safely, but thinks a lot about you. Maybe even fiddles with something you once gifted him and pressing it to his chest while falling asleep.

Drags you off to nap in his office when you return. It's either you on his chest or him on top of you, burying his face into your neck to sleep.

Childe:

Pre-relationship:

I can see him sleeping on his stomach, knocked out, snoring softly with his cheek squished against the back of his hand.

Likes to burrito himself sometimes, cause it makes him feel like it's a warm embrace. Yes, Shnezhnaya did have heat sources and ovens, but he rolled himself into the blanket when he was little and never dropped the habit. (i could make this angsty but i won't)

Bad sleeping habits. *sprays water in face*

Busy harbinger go brrr and has totally tended his own wounds before just passing out on his bed on several occasions. (“What’s your night routine?” “Do you mean what style of wound stitching I do…?”)

Likes sleeping in but rarely does it, since he's always kinda busy.

In a relationship:

Whines for you to snuggle with him when he's in bed and you don't come in a span of 15 minutes. Very persistent. Will not stop until you come and give him affection. He's touch starved and shameless about it.

Usually pulls you on top of him. He's a big boy, so he just likes it when you're snugly pressed against him and he thinks you look cute whenever you look up to him. Gives you a small kiss before sleeping, always.

When you're absent:

Functions, but is grumpy about it. Would rather be sleeping with you. Who is he going to kiss goodnight now? His pillow?

Makes a mental note to tell you, that he doesn't want you to take long missions for a bit after this. He wants to have his angel safe and sound with him, sleeping in his arms.

When you do return he needs a refill of physical affection first (an Ajax would usually take about 2 hours worth of cuddles until fully charged) and definitely whispers to you, that he was terribly lonely. This time he gets a goodnight kiss from you :)

Zhongli:

Pre-relationship:

Slept on his back, pretty still actually. Sometimes he does turn a little, resulting in his hair fuzzing up a bit. Drapes the blanket over his body, arms securing it and that's literally it. Classic old man behaviour, right there. Has a little trouble falling asleep sometimes though, so he does sometimes shift to his side, just to flop back into his previous position.

Decent sleeping habits. But has restless nights where his memories haunt him. Sometimes he wanders around in his house or goes on a nightly walk if he's unable to sleep.

Doesn't really sleep in, because he likes to brew some tea early in the morning and enjoys hearing the world wake up.

In a relationship:

He's secretly a little clingy (just a little) and is always happy to pull you into his embrace. He likes looking at your peaceful expression, so he prefers facing each other with your arm draped over him, hand on his back.

Will run his thumb over your ribcage and rest his forehead on yours.

When you're absent:

I think he does the best out of all of them, because he does miss you, but it doesn't take him over.

Secretly hopes that you won't be leaving for another time and just stay in his arms, stay with him. Does get a little worried when he reminisces memories of cold, cruel people. May they be from the current time or his previous life as Morax. Usually tries to calm himself by filling his mind with nice memories of you and him together.

When you return he's overjoyed to see you're safe and back by his side. Laying there, face to face with the person he loves, he strokes your cheeks gently, pressing a kiss to your forehead before slipping off into peaceful slumber.

[thesimline]

Revisiting one of my favourite decades to put together a look book inspired by Woodstock '69.

OUTFIT RESOURCES

Gillian: Hair | Necklace | Top | Pants (Discover University) | Ring Right | Rings Left (Werewolves) | Boots (Nifty Knitting)

Lonnie: Hair | Glasses | Necklace (Werewolves) | Shirt | Tshirt | Jeans | Bracelet (Seasons) | Shoes

Cass: Headband (TSR) | Hair | Dress (StrangerVille) | Shawl | Bracelet Right (Get To Work) | Bracelet Left (Werevolves) | Rings Right | Ring Left (TSR) | Boots

Randall: Hat | Hair | Top (TSR) | Necklace (Paranormal) | Ring | Pants (Cool Kitchen) | Boots (Base Game)

Toya: Hair | Hair Accessory | Scarf | Top | Arm Cuff (City Living) | Ring Right | Ring Left | Pants | Boots (Dream Home Decorator)

Dawn: Hat | Hair | Sunglasses | Necklace | Top | Bag | Skirt (High School Years) | Rings | Boots

With thanks to some amazing creators: @simstrouble @caio-cc @greenllamas @its-adrienpastel @joliebean @jius-sims @ice-creamforbreakfast @simverses @femmeonamissionsims @blahberry-pancake @clumsyalienn @naturalsimmster

[h-worksrambles]

Sonic X Shadow Generations fascinates me. Because it feels like something I shouldn’t be excited for. And yet I absolutely am.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Sonic Generations. It’s my third favourite game in the series and my favourite 3D Sonic game (with Sonic Adventure 2 in a close second). I’m very happy to see it getting a re release to expose it to new audiences, and playing it in 4K60fps on my PS5 is a very enticing. Likewise, I really like Shadow as a character and I’m excited to play as him again.

And yet, his new bonus campaign promises to basically be a bunch of nostalgic pandering for Shadow the Hedgehog, a game which I consider to be, simply put, crap. It was boring, dull, colourless and embarrassing trend chasing. And pretty much everything I hated about it is on display in this trailer.

We’ve got gritty, grey cityscapes, we’ve got the rather blah alien villain, Black Doom returning, we’ve got the looming return of the series’…bafflingly executed lore. In a word, Shadow was a pretty much everything I didn’t want Sonic to be shoved into a blender. I’ve given my thoughts on revisiting past excesses and failures for the sake of nostalgia. I wrote a whole thing about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and my fears that it would go overboard pandering to the 2000s spin offs (which I dislike a for lot of the same reasons as a lot of Sonic stuff from the mid 2000s). A faux attempt at maturity that sacrifices Sonic’s camp and colour, and lacks the writing competency to make its tone shift work is pretty much my worst case scenario for the series. And now we’re invoking that for nostalgia? Again, I should hate this.

So if I dislike Shadow the Hedgehog so much. If it really is so emblematic of Sonic’s worst excesses that I want it to leave behind in the 2000s…then why am I so damn hyped for this? Why am I not feeling the same dread as whenever VII Remake implicitly threatens to bring back Genesis?

I think it’s because of the specific relationship Sonic has had with its past for the last decade. So much of the stuff from that time period is material that Sega has seemed actively scared to touch again. Sometimes with good reason. But I think that’s why some material from that time has gained such a strong nostalgic cult following, and why they’re held up as such bastions of missed potential. There’s never been anything quite like Shadow or 06 since they came out with how safe Sega has subsequently played things. And in many respects, that’s a good thing. But I can see how it build a sense of mystique around them. It was kind of sad to see 2010s Sonic so…scared of itself. Terrified to invoke its own history but not really committed to a new direction either. And this is pretty much the exact opposite of that hesitancy.

Basically, the reason I react to seeing Westopolis or Black Doom with ‘holy shit let’s go!!!’ rather than ‘why, god, why?’ is because I genuinely never thought I would see them again after this long. It’s just exciting to see Sonic Team throw caution to the wind and embrace all the parts of their franchise. Even the parts I personally dislike. Plus, Sonic Generations is kind of the perfect game in which to reimagine that stuff and make it..actually good this time. This was the game that made Crisis City of all things into a banger level. The game that took Silver, one of the most notorious boss fights in the series, and gave him a kickass encounter.

If they can fix that, they can do anything.

Plus, the fact that the trailers already show all these trippy stage effects and anime af boss fights and set pieces tells me we’re not just gonna be running through the same drab washed out burning cities that made Shadow 2005 so boring. Again, there’s evidently an effort being made to rehabilitate and reimagine this stuff, not just repeat all the same mistakes. And that’s exciting.

So yeah, Sonic X Shadow Generations has somehow managed to get me genuinely excited for all the parts of the series I typically balk at. And that’s pretty impressive.

That said, if I see Mephiles again, I’m leaving.

[imagine-darksiders]

I am on my hands and knees begging for any sort of headcanons of Samael being just, in love, feet over horns, fluttering heart, romanced to the bone, with this weird little human who's obsessed with stuff that doesn't even benefit them and has the bloody stars in their eyes

Samael x human!Reader headcanons:

You're... different from the usual company he keeps. You speak with him, not at him, and certainly not while trying your damndest to appeal to his every whim.

It’s refreshing to be spoken to kindly but without any semblance of an ulterior motive. In his experience, those who are ‘good’ to him, are always after a favour.

You don't know how to engage with him as a demon, having grown up on Earth among humans, so that's how you treat him, as if he were a fellow human. And it's far from the insult he thought it would be.

It’s so, damn, frustratingly charming that his every attempt to court you is met with confusion and reciprocation. He gives you the largest ruby he has in his collection, you give him a leather bound book of poetry you’ve thumbed through for years, adding notes in the margins for him to read.

No. No; you’re not… you’re not supposed to do that. He’s the one in a position of power and elevated status - he’s the one who’s supposed to court you. Now he’s falling in love even harder. Of all the paramours he’s taken, you’re the first and only one who has returned with gifts in kind. And not only that, you put thought into said gifts. You give him things you think he’ll like whereas he merely tries to drape you in beautiful things because he thinks you’re beautiful…. Perhaps he needs to revisit his approach…

Just like that, Samael starts to pay close attention to the things you’re interested in.

It's taken him a long, long time to convince you that you can trust him - you know what he is, after all. Now however, rather than locking yourself in your bathroom and refusing to emerge when he turns up outside your bedroom window, you’re only slightly miffed, poking your head through the open window and ushering him around the back of your home where there are less prying eyes.

It seems you still haven’t figured out why he turns up so frequently. You seem to think it’s because he wants to garner favour with the Horsemen by treating their favourite human cordially.

How sweet.

He doesn’t mind playing the game until you figure it out….

He can - and always will - spend hours in your company, content to bask in your presence as you regale him about your latest ventures and interests. He has to wonder why his heart thumps with longing when he hears about your adventures with the Horsemen. If he had been travelling with you, you’d never have had to lift a finger to protect yourself. He’d have crushed anything that so much as looked in your direction.

And yes, sometimes he watches you from the shadows to ensure that nobody else is trying to encroach upon his claim. He wishes other humans could smell him on you. He only needs to ‘accidentally’ brush his tail against your legs for a fellow demon to catch his scent and get the message that you’re off limits. But humans don’t have the same heightened senses. Even the burning grooves he carved into your front door - much to your chagrin - aren’t enough to deter those would-be suitors who stink of desperation and lust that turn up at your home.

Being the human who helped save your own species has made you particularly… sought-after….

[the---hermit]

How to get out of a reading slump

A while back posted a list of ten books to help you get out of a reading slump, but I also wanted to post a more general list of tips I personally think are useful when you find yourself in a reading slump. (I have also talked about this topic in this ask). So here's some of my tips:

Take a break. Sometimes you can get in reading slumps because you are burned out, maybe not just because of reading, but that can be affected as well. You have no obligations when reading (unless of course if you have to do it for school/uni, in which case I would still recommend trying to get some time off or at least slow down a bit in order to get some energies back). Sometimes accepting that you are in a non-reading place in life it's the best solution.

If you feel like it's a book you are reading that is putting you in a reading slump dnf it, or at least try to switch between that and another book. I personally tend to get stuck when I have only one book in my currently reading pile, because I need to vary often, so I like to have at the very least two books that I am currently reading. Realizing this about myself made me read much more, because I have avoided a lot of reading slumps. I'd also like to add that there's no shame in dnf-ing a book, if you are not enjoying your time with it there's no reason you should keep forcing yourself to read that. Maybe it's not the right time, and you'll enjoy it more in the future, or simply the book is not made for you, which is totally fine.

Graphic novels are a great compromise to get some reading done when you are in a reading slump, but you still want to something to read. This is specifically my solution for when I am in a reading slump caused by being burned out. Graphic novels tend to require less brain energy, and the illustrations usually help a lot with the flow of the story. I think this is the safest option when you are in the worse reading slumps.

Audiobooks are your best friends, whether you want to listen to it while doing other activities, or you want the narrator to help you while you follow the page, I feel like this is another great option. I personally love audiobooks, and I like to always have one on the go. This is again a great option if you are feeling burned out, in those cases I really like to listen to the audiobook as I take a walk, or even as I play some mindless games online like tetris, and similar things. These are also a great option to help when the book you are reading is putting you in a reading slump but you really have to read it. I have used audiobooks a lot in high school to help when I had to read poems or big classics.

Short story collections can be one of the best options to get back into reading. These take off the pressure of being consistent in order to remember things, because you can pick them up and leave them as you like, since most stories won't be over 25 pages usually. There's also some great options of collections that include multiple genres, which can be very helpful when you are stuck and don't really know what you want to read.

Fairytales and kid's books might not come to mind as soon as you think of what to read, but they can be very helpful to get you out of reading slumps. They are short and lighthearted which are two fundamental characteristics of good books to get you back into reading. And rivisiting some childhood favourites is always a great choice in my opinion.

Reread an old favourite or a comfort book. I know some people don't love revisiting old favourites, but I personally love them. You always get something new out of the story, and rereading a plot you know already can take off a lot of the pressure of reading, because you don't have to pay the same attention as with a story you know nothing about. This can be very helpful when getting back into the habit of reading.

Set up a cozy place to read. I am all about romanticizing the small things in life, and this is a very effortless way to put you into a good mindset to read. I personally like to light a few candles, make myself a nice cup of tea, maybe get a little treat to eat, cuddle up under a blanket and just read. Of course your set up might change depending on your preferences, just have a little fun with it, you could even try to read a bit while you are taking a bath.

Try to read outside. Similarly to the last tip, changing your enviroiment can be helpful sometimes. Some people like to read in a cafè, but you could also go in your garden if you have one or in a park.

Consume bookish content. This might seem stupid at first but sometimes seeing other people be excited about reading and books is very motivating. It has personally helped me several times.

Start a buddy read with a friend you feel comfortable with. Sharing your thoughts with someone as you read a book can keep the motivation up and a buddy read can be a great option to help with motivation, but be sure that you are comfortable with this person so that you don't feel too pressure upon you. Be clear from the beginning set a small goal and have fun with your buddy.

At the moment these are all the tips that came to my mind when thinking about getting out of a reading slump. Of course different people might have different methods, but changing things up can always be helpful. As I said at the beginning you shouldn't feel pressure when reading, and if it's a no reading moment in your life there's not shame in it, but I have also been stuck in reading slumps where I actually did want to read but I couldn't bring myself to do so, and many of these things helped me.

original posts/tips masterlist

[koolades-world]

Hello, i Hope this Is not sudden but i have been reading your fanfics these last few days and i have to day that i really like them.

Satan is my favorite obey me character and i love reading fanfics that contain angst from him. One of my favourites Is the fanfic you wrote "just like Lilith" it's amazing. Anyway i have a request that you might like, how would the demon brothers react if Satan became an ángel?, if the celestial realm decided to put Satan out of his misery?.

It's a strange idea that crossed my mind but i thought It was interesting, you don't have to put all the brothers if It causes you any problemas, but the way english is not my fiesta language so i'm sorry for any mistakes.

This Is the only idea i came up with so i Hope you like It, take as much time as you want to write this and keep up the good work.

Have a nice day/night ♡

hello!! I will gladly write this. your english is pretty good!

I'm really glad you like just like lilith!! it was one of my favorites to write and based on a few other requests I've gotten I may be making a part two

fun fact: for this entire thing I wrote Celestia instead of Celestial Realm and only caught it on my read through afterwards (outing myself as a genshin player lol)

please enjoy!

If Satan became an angel

Lucifer

he sees himself almost to the point where it's blinding

Satan's wings are almost identical to his and for once in his life, he's at a loss for what to do

he's at the front of the charge if the Celestial Realm dare to make even a single move against him

one of the few times the two of them have real bonding time, without their rivalry

Mammon

at first, he's a little excited since now Satan would be able to experience what he missed out on

but as time goes on, he realizes he got very few of the benefits he gives him as many tips as he can remember

he's very loyal, so of course he'll follow whatever Lucifer decides to do

he likes the new Satan, but he misses the old Satan

Levi

very apprehensive but curious at the same time

starts to think of all the animes he's watched that might appl but decides not to say anything regarding that

however, once he learns that the Celestial Realm wants to do something about Satan, he becomes Hell's Admiral

if it's war the Celestial realm wants, it's war they'll get

Satan

he's so lost and confused

he's thrown into emotional turmoil and revisits basically all the debates he's had with himself about why he doesn't fit in with his brothers

at first, he accepts his fate of being put out of his misery

but once he sees how much his brothers love him, he's revitalized and ready to join them

Asmo

his first instinct is to check on Satan and see how he's doing

he gives him lessons on how to care for his new wings and uplifts him when he notices he's down

it's easy for Satan to see in those moments why he used to be called the Jewel of the Heavens

he doesn't care what he has to do to keep Satan from the hands of the Celestial Realm, but he doesn't care how far he has to go

Beel

beyond shocked when he learns about what happened

he doesn't need to know how or why this happened, his only goal is to resolve the situation no matter what that means as long as his family comes out safe

the only time Beel had been seen angrier was when either his twin or Mc had been personally threatened

all his rage was directed at the Celestial Realm for even daring to think such a thing, but is such a sweetie to Satan about the whole thing

Belphie

at first, he didn't care since Satan was alright

however, once he learned the implications, he sat up abruptly from his nap and rallied his brothers to make a game plan before they even learned the Celestial Realm would act at all

he initially takes charge, before Lucifer and Satan since they're in shock

it's not often he shows that he cares, but now is one of those times and it tightens the bond between himself, Lucifer, and Satan

Mc (bonus!)

you're there for Satan by his side the entire time

you wipe his tears, soothe his rage, and comfort him through doubt

none of the brothers will let you or Satan be out in any active battle, but that just leaves bonding time even if it's in a highly secure safe room

you let him know no matter what, you'll be there for him

[hollowtones]

TONIGHT'S STREAM - July 12th, 2023

"GHOST TRICK: PHANTOM DETECTIVE"

revisiting one of my favourite DS games with a shiny new coat of paint

LIVE ~6pm Eastern!

[scrawnytreedemon]

Decided to take my recent musings and do something with them. Turned out far more bombastic than the initial subtle nod I intended... Ahh, standard fare ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ soppy rambling beneath the cut ]

Been feeling very nostalgic lately for my pre- and early teens; that'd been when I'd first started getting into Zelda content online. Binge-watching theories and top-tens and peoples' thinkpieces on whatever their favourite (or least favourite) game was.

One of my favourite vids to revisit was a Halloween special rabbidluigi did with some other guy, compiling what they thought were the top 25 creepiest things in Zelda. It's from 2012, so it's rough, to say the least, but it also feels like home.

Skyward Sword was the first Zelda game I ever had, but Twilight Princess was the first game I ever played-- Even if it was a bare scrape into the prologue. Fitting that I draw this guy.

[capybaraonabicycle]

End of the Year Creator's Ask Game

I need more ask games in my life so I made one to reflect on our creative output of the past year. I think I have seen similar games before so I hope I am not stealing from anyone.

Please put an ask into the ask box of the person you reblogged this from <3

Which work of the past year are you proudest of? Can you pinpoint why?

Is there a work of the past year you could see yourself revisiting in the future and redoing/changing/reinterpreting?

Have you redrawn/rewritten/revisisted any earlier works this year? What are your reflections on how your interpretation of the subject has changed?

Which wips are you taking into the new year?

Which wips of the last year will you abandon/leave behind?

Which one would you say is your most popular work of the last year? Are you glad it is this one that turned into a sensation?

Which work of the last year do you wish had gotten more recognition? Why do you love it?

Have you gotten any feedback this year that has stuck with you? Is there anyone you would like to say thank you to?

Have you found any new inspirations this year? Is there anyone you would like to say thank you to?

Have you tried anything new this year? Any new art forms perhaps?

What are your creator's new year's resolutions? Do you have any?

(For creators that do fanart/fanfic/etc) Which show/movie/book/etc have you created for the most? What do you enjoy most about creating for it?

(For creators that do fanart/fanfic/etc) Which character/ship have you created for the most? What do they mean to you?

Are there any new characters/fandoms/subjects you started creating for during the last year? Do you remember what made you get into them?

Have you created any new OCs this year? Care to introduce us?

Is there a subject/character/show you wish you had created more for? Why do you think you didn't?

What is the biggest creative hurdle you had to overcome last year? What helped you through it?

Can you pick a line/image fragment/etc of your work that encapsulates the last year best for you?

How many words did you write last year?/How many pieces of art did you create last year?/How many sets of gifs did you create last year? /[insert suitable question for your type of works]

(How) has your work managed to surprise you last year?

Have you done any collaborations last year? Which one(s) was(were) your favourite(s)? Is there anyone you would like to say thank you to?

Are there any challenges/gift exchanges/etc you participated in last year? Which one was your favourite?

Are there any tips you would give yourself from one year ago concerning your art/work?

Can you name one to five things that made you happy to be a creator during the last year?

Can you share one to five favourites of the works you made last year?

Free ask (ask any question about last year's creations that you like or leave this blank for the creator to choose their own question they would like to answer)

Whether or not you'll send/receive any asks for this game: If you're reading this and you're a creator, then thank you for all your hard work! I may never see it but knowing how many people on this site are putting their love and energy and time into creating stunning works for free for everybody is making me unbelievably happy. Thank you for being a part of that! No matter whether you made 5000+ works last year or a single one in theory - Thank you for creating and thank you for dreaming! You're beautiful and so is your art <3

[aihoshiino]

chapter 134 thoughts!

My immediate first thought going into this chapter and seeing how it picks up from last week's cliffhanger is that while I thought last week that this conflict served as an excellent character beat for both Ruby and Kana, I feel less positively about it as the catalyst for long term RubyKana conflict. Maybe that's hypocritical because I like the similar AquKana conflict back during the LoveNow aftermath and this is basically just a roided up version of that but… IDK, I guess it helped that the AquKana conflict is very clearly a romcom style miscommunication and it ends up leading to one of my all time favourite and funniest character moments for Aqua, this… isn't that. In general I really hate the old tried conflict trope of "Character A betrays or is otherwise cruel to Character B For Their Own Good and refuses to communicate about it" so this was kind of irritating to see…

It also really doesn't help that Kana is going SO above and beyond in being cruel to Ruby here in comparison to the AquKana conflict where her short-sighted lashing out was being mostly played for laughs but still came back to bite her. There's just something a bit excessive in how deliberately and pointedly cold and mean to Ruby Kana is shown being here and I guess it just feels a bit icky to me though I obviously can't make a proper call on all this til we see its conclusion.

I also have to question like… why is everyone around them just letting this happen lol. Memcho not intervening I can at least make sense of because she's been shown to be feeling off her game and a bit out of her element so I could see all that combining to make her uncertain of what to do but… uh, is Miyako not paying any attention? Admittedly the timeframe here is a little vague so we don't know exactly how long this has been going on but it's been happening at least long enough for Ruby to be going to school and fretting about it to her friends. So the idea of Miyako either being unaware of this or not intervening in this is really baffling to me??? Especially off the back of chapters 124 and 126 making a point of how badly Miyako wants to reach out to Aqua and Ruby and support them as their mother - the only way I can justify this to myself is if Miyako somehow doesn't know this was going on but how would she not know??? Like, we see Gotanda and his assistants fretting over Ruby crying after her scenes! If they're well aware something is wrong, why not Miyako? She's Aqua and Ruby's manager! This is a Strawberry Productions produced movie! We've seen her on set before! Is she just… not here now that it would be inconvenient for the plot?

(The answer to that is 'yes')

Uh all that up there does make it sound like I disliked either this or last chapter but I actually really loved them both for reasons we'll get into soon! I think they're both strong individual chapters and as points in RubyKana's shared arc I actually do really like this conflict, what it says about them both and where it seems to be taking them. There are just a lot of small, piled up contrivances pushing this conflict along and I think they annoyed me so much BECAUSE I otherwise think this is some really tasty character work for both girls and I'm otherwise enjoying it.

My bitching aside, I do really like the talk that follows this. I've been revisiting a lot of the earlier material recently via friends re-reading or giving the series a try for the first time so I've been back in that space of Ruby being particularly starstruck with Frill. It's sweet to see their present day dynamic where Ruby is fully comfortable with Frill just as her friend and trusts her enough to share her worries with her.

aw hey minami we thought you were dead

This entire scene really got my brain gears whirring and I can't help but speculate a little about its placement. At first I was just nodding along, thinking this was just Industry Exposition as usual but… isn't this odd? We don't see how Ruby phrases this question so maybe she was vague but from an authorial standpoint, why is Akasaka having Frill talk about love instead of dislike or hostility, which is what is actually going on between Ruby and Kana? Reading over that scene again and again, I can't help but wonder… is this supposed to be taken as some commentary on what's going on between Ruby and Aqua? Is Ruby developing confusedly romantic feelings for him purely because of their 'playing the roles', so to speak, of Sarina and Gorou? After all, the only other similar 'showmances', so to speak, that this could be referring to are AquKana and AquAka, neither of which quite fit the bill, especially when Frill talks about immediately snapping out of those feelings once the show is over — which didn't happen in the least for either pairing. Is this a hint of something to do with Ruby's feelings? Am I reading too much into this??? I mean, I almost definitely am, but I do that every week so…

Hopping over to Kana, the scene between her and Memcho itches my brain less mostly just because it's reiterating things communicated last week. I've said all I'll say about it feeling weird to me that Mem isn't making a move to intervene here but I do like the talk she and Kana have about their human jealousy towards Ruby. Honestly, I have a lot of respect for their being able to push it aside for so long because… honestly, none of what Kana said is wrong!

The second generation of B-Komachi exists for Ruby. Strawberry Productions got back into the idol business entirely so Ruby would have a group to be part of. Kana and Mem were recruited so Ruby would have unitmates to perform with. It doesn't revolve around her to the extent the previous generation did Ai, but in a very real sense Kana is correct when she identifies herself and Memcho as 'extras' for B-Komachi, who exist for Ruby's sake. Not only that but Ruby honestly treated them really badly while she was in black hoshigan mode! Yes, we as readers know what was going on in her head and why but think about how all that probably seemed to Kana and Mem who had no idea: From their POV, what happened was that they broke into mainstream success at last and Ruby immediately left them in the dust, prioritizing her own growth and success in a way that had a very real impact on the fan response the two of them got while they were busting their asses and trying their best to keep B-Komachi going in her absence. I don't think they would be wrong to feel honestly kind of used and hurt!

Obviously this isn't me saying that Ruby is a bad person or that she deserves to have Kana snap at her like that or whatever but… I dunno! It just feels good to have Mem and Kana finally address those feelings and admit to them without it compromising their genuine love and care for Ruby, which is one one of the main ways that the current gen of B-Komachi has surpassed the previous one. Kana especially touches on something I discussed last week in that I think her half of this shared RubyKana arc is going to be about confronting and besting her 'inner Nino', so to speak. Like Nino, she has those same tangled up feelings of admiration and envy, but Kana is capable of confronting them and identifying them. Most importantly, she loves Ruby enough to not let them take her over completely.

ANYWAY FORGET ALL THE REST OF THIS STUFF BECAUSE THIS WAS SECRETLY AN AI POST THIS WHOLE TIME MFS!!!!!!!! oh god this chapter review is already so long and now it's about to get even longer.

Anyone who's read any of my OnK meta before will probably know that I have always stood by one thing that I won't compromise on: Hoshino Ai was just a normal girl. She was a normal girl who suffered abuse and neglect and hated herself as a result, who was exploited by the entertainment industry because she was pretty and vulnerable, who didn't understand people but spent every waking moment of her too-short life reaching out so she could try and love them. The idea of Ai being fundamentally mysterious or unknowable, that the so called 'real Ai' had some horrible dark secret or that the supposedly 'true' Ai really was as horrible as Ai thought herself to be have never resonated with me. The 'real me' that is so horrible that Ai can only speak of her with black stars is nothing more than the flawed, hurting, abused human behind Ai of B-Komachi. I've said this all along and yet there's always been a little part of me worried that Akasaka was going to pull a fast one and betray that idea and rupture the heart of this character I've come to love so much.

To that end — I cannot tell you how insanely fucking cathartic the ending of this chapter was. To have Ruby at last come face to face with her mother as a human being and recognize her for who she really is. That this key final puzzle piece of the real Ai is centered on her pain and her loneliness and her raw humanity, that Ruby describes her as just a normal girl who was always crying and in pain… I genuinely don't have words to say how incredible it felt to finally, FINALLY have someone recognize Ai's suffering. And not just anyone, but one of Ai's children, one of the people she loved more than anything else in the world.

The imagery and framing here is so insanely powerful. Ai taking the place of Ruby's reflection, the look of weary, resigned pain on her face. How small Ai is when Ruby sees her. The barrier of the glass between them; even now in this moment of understanding, the unbreechable barrier of Ai's death keeps Ruby from truly reaching her. It almost feels skeuomorphic in how literal the visualization of this moment of connection and empathy is. Ruby literally sees herself in Ai — she sees Ai in herself. It's pure empathy made as real and tangible as it gets. At long, long last, someone has squinted past the blinding light cast by Ai of B-Komachi and seen Hoshino Ai alone in the shadows where she's been this whole time.

Break next week…! That was to be expected — Jump Festa 2024 will be taking place next weekend and there will be a OnK panel with the seiyuu for Ai, Aqua, Kana and Akane in attendance. We're confirmed to be getting some season 2 news as well, so there's that to look forward to!

[lyxthen]

I know it goes against Rise from the Ashes canon but I like to think that Miles Edgeworth really did fake all that evidence and he just got away with it for years until it was no longer convinient for the higher-ups. The moment Edgeworth actually tries to implement such thing as "morals" the system punishes him for it.

Because let's be real, that infamous "updated autopsy report?" He absolutely bribed the forensics team to get it done. He pulled that thing out of his ass I'm not naïve.

Personally I think this is a much more interesting reading than "he never presented forged evidence knowingly" because it really goes to show how hard it is to thrive in a corrupt system without using dirty tricks.

This to me doesn't make him any less sympathetic. On the contrary: it is a reflection of how little agency he truly had over himself. He knew that what he did was fucked up and he did it anyways because he thought that was the only way things could be.

El que no transa no avanza, as the saying goes. He who does not cheat does not succeed.

The moment you stop cheating, the moment you stop playing by those busted unwritten rules, the entire world turns on you.

This is what ultimately happens to Edgeworth. Just as he's trying to be a good person, to see things from a new point of view, to reform himself and be better... he gets a punch to the gut.

The whole thing is rotten. Rotten to its core.

I could probably elaborate a lot further, but this is where I'm leaving it for now. Just know that I'm absolutely revisiting this train of thought in the future because it is one of my favourite parts of the first Ace Attorney game and I can't stop thinking about it.

Or maybe I'm just from latam idk.

[tybaltsjuliet]

Favourite pieces of Weird Girl media? That uquiz has me Thinking (along with that gothic heroine dress up game, might revisit the concept of a gothic romance I came up with some years back)

any and every alice in wonderland, of course! my all-time beloved.

so weird. this was a show that ran on disney channel in the ’90s. the protagonist, fiona, has paranormal adventures and encounters while traveling all over on her musician mom’s tour bus and writes about them on her fantastically ’90s webpage. fi is a True Believer and her family and friends largely think she’s a lunatic. her father died under Mysterious Paranormal Circumstances that haunt and vex her. this show made me who i am today and as my rewatch last fall can confirm - a lot of the scary stuff holds up!

speaking of cute and spooky disney Weird Girl properties: gravity falls and halloweentown. on any show besides GF i think mabel pines would have been a total joke, but the show loves her SO MUCH and SO DO I. (it helps, i think, that a lot of her was inspired by the creator ’s real-life sister.) halloweentown gets extra points from me for not being one of those annoying Magical World stories where the protagonist gets kicked back to her boring, ordinary life with extreme prejudice in the end.

pan’s labyrinth. for the most discerning and sensitive Weird Girls, and those who also got into trouble for putting strange and occult items around the house as a child.

coraline. ESPECIALLY the book. the movie is cute and fine but has absolutely nothing on the book for spookiness and strangeness.

labyrinth. a classic, obviously.

the secret garden. give a listen to the marsha norman and lucy simon musical adaptation, too, which comes not only with all of the Weird Girl delights of the novel - “the girl i mean to be” is a Weird Girl anthem - but bonus Tragic Gothic Romance for the adult characters!

emily of new moon. i know that anne shirley is many people’s go-to LMM-written Weird Girl. these are people who have not yet met emily byrd starr.

true grit. the 2010 one. now, mattie ross is a little different to the others on this list, but this American West subspecies of Weird Girl checks out.

a series of unfortunate events. another one i do not see cited often as Weird Girl media, which is a slight on everything violet and sunny (and isadora and fiona, for that matter) have done for us.

and a few honorable mentions for Weird Girls who are slightly older than the typical and/or not main characters of their media, but nevertheless were formative and inspirational to me as a Weird Girl-Child:

christine daaé; katrina van tassel in the tim burton sleepy hollow; and luna lovegood who deserved better even before HP went radioactive.

[thehallstara]

year in review

wanted to reflect on the things i've made this year. here goes nothing!

Games

ghost story is a point-and-click mystery made in unity as my final project for code coven's IGM course!! I genuinely think we managed a pretty solid concept and execution in two weeks, and if you like murder mysteries, this is for you!

lungs to burn is a short poem game made for the may 2023 bitsy jam, talking about wildfires, grief, and queer connection. featured in both indiepocalypse #43 and hand eye society's SUPERFestival. in general, the response i got for this one was kinda overwhelming (and a little confusing), but i'm glad it resonated with people! still very proud of it.

no postage required is another bitsy game, this time made for the trans game dev server jam. a somewhat-sequel to the end is near; or a letter to a lost love. there are definitely things i'd redo with this one but all in all, not too bad!

Zines

Kriah: a personal zine about some of my experiences with antisemitism over the years. definitely a heavy read but honestly i stand by it just as much as when i wrote it? idk as someone who has a lot of trauma from years of antisemitic harassment, this has been a WEIRD fucking year, and it's weird to revisit something i wrote at the beginning of the year that feels even more relevant now.

how to the hold the pain is a collage/web weaving zine i did for this year's blaseball zine jam, using blaseball narratives as a way to view crip theory and vice versa. i spent a LOT of time reading through articles for this (both academic and other) and every second of it was worth it. genuinely one of my favourite things i made all year.

Fic

i wrote a lot less fic this year than the previous two for a multitude of reasons but i still put out a few bangers!! here's a brief selection of my favourites:

swallow your guilt (blaseball, 13.2k), a story about the new seattle garages, the old chicago firefighters, grief, and finally growing up, all through the biased eyes of one baby "ruthless" triumphant

spectroscopy, or a snapshot of a light and that which it absorbs (blaseball, 2.6k), the coda to my bright zimmerman series. i technically wrote this in the fall of 2022 but posted it in march so it still counts.

somewhere there's a fire burning (rogue one, 1k), a character study of bohdi rook between the destructions of nijedha and scarif. my first non-blb fic! and still a banger imo

i play dead, come alive (hatchetfield, 12x100), character study of stephanie lauter during the events of npmd. now officially my most popular fic and honestly i'm good with that!!! i think it's a solid little fic.

just all of corona borealis. i did some good stuff about grief and growth this year y'all.

the back half of this year was mostly filled with portfolio updating, job hunting, and just generally struggling with everything lol but!!! i still made some cool stuff and am hoping to get more back to making stuff next year! it's where i feel most at home. have fun checking these out if you do!