#and ryann if needed

[goldenpinof]

i think most of the issues with irl lies with martyn. he's always come across as way too laid back and kinda a coattail rider to me. and working with family is always tough like there's no way phil would ever stand up to martyn about issues and it put dan in an awkward position too. when dnp were on hiatus he started a new influencer company and seems to have turned all his attention to that (and whatever crypto bs is on trend atm) plus he and corn live on iom now which must make it difficult to make in person business connections.

i don't think dnp are involved in running irl merch at all. when Cornelia was an employee i think most decisions were made by Martyn and her together. but after Freja was born + moving to IoM, i don't think Cornelia even has time to get updates. officially she isn't working for/with irl merch anymore, and i don't think she is involved on a family level much either. Sarah was basically a senior manager, and i think she knew more than Martyn, mostly because she was actually involved in everything. and after she left (and Martyn let her go, which is bizarre to me. like, i would fight for someone like that. salary? conditions? give her everything, bro), i'm not sure there's a senior manager who could replace her. if Matryn found a replacement for Ryann (an account manager), good for him, but it's clearly not enough.

"i don't think dnp are involved in running irl merch" that being said, i think they should be involved. it's their business just as Martyn's. only they are also the faces of it, which kinda adds some responsibility. if anything actually bad happens with irl, dnp's public image can be damaged. Martyn's? not so much. (me, trying to explain the correlation)

anon, i agree with you, btw. Martyn can be a problem. he is a managing director with the lack of managing skills (allegedly, in my opinion. don't sue me).

[stjoangerard]

can we talk about ryan ross can we PLEASE talk about ryan ross

[1980ssunflower]

I dont want anyonr to forget tsjt my min & my ryan are my one and onlys

[chaoticfvckingdisaster]

Me: *reblogs thirsty posts about chase*

The people that know me irl that follow me:

[kingofooo]

by supervising director Ryann Shannon

“I’ve been directing on AT: Fionna & Cake for over a year now and i’m so bummed to be rolling off such a beautiful project in a few weeks. (hit me up if you need a director/supe/writer in 2023!)”

[thepenultimateword]

The Worst Kind of Medal

The war had left more scars on the nation than it had Umbra’s body, so she wasn’t surprised that the airship came in 6 hours later than the schedule had claimed. She was more surprised that she was still standing on the platform, bold-lettered sign locked in her fists at either corner, when it arrived. No one had told her she needed to be at the port when Prince Waylon arrived in Graybourne, only that he was to be her lifelong charge forever after. She probably should have left a soldier here in her place and enjoyed her last few hours of freedom at home.

A bit of guilt pricked her insides. That was unfair. No one had forced her into this marriage arrangement. She’d accepted it–maybe only for the promises that came along with it, but still an acceptance. If she was uncomfortable now, it was her fault.

Several men leaped from the ship deck, ropes coiled under their arms. They rushed to knot the tethers to the docking posts as their feet touched the ground. It was complicated to get a ship back in the air once grounded, so most docks were constructed on cliff faces or in Greybourne’s case on towers. This allowed the ship to remain airborne yet steady for boarding and exiting; the same went for inspections and refueling. The only real reason for a ship to land was in case of major repairs.

The plank dropped, and a surge of people rushed onto the platform. Umbra scanned the crowd, with rapid scrutiny. She wished she’d asked for a photograph of her potential husband before the royal family shipped him here. The monarch probably wouldn’t grant her another reward if she lost him on the very first day. 

“Ser Umbra!”

Her gaze shot to the deck where a man with long silvery hair braided crownlike around his forehead and then draped loosely over one shoulder waved over the crowd. Another man, hair-slicked and face creased with a long-suffering frown, reached out to grab him, but the prince was already bounding down the plank. He was more petite than she had expected, his head bobbing in and out of sight as he weaved clumsily through the crowd, bumping shoulders every few steps. As he darted around the last mozying couple, he nearly barreled straight into her chest, but he managed to catch himself just short, tipping up onto his toes in the process.

“Ser Umbra,” he repeated, panting up at her with a broad smile. “I-it’s really you! You came yourself! I really wasn’t expecting to see you straight off the ship! Ryann told me I probably wouldn’t see you until tomorrow morning because of your duties!”

Umbra blinked at him. Her heart felt like it had been seized and clutched hard in her chest.

She’d wondered why the King had suggested Prince Waylon as her groom. It had seemed a very quick choice. She’d figured it was because he was fifth in line for the throne—the royal family wouldn’t marry a soldier to someone who could one day take the crown, no matter how much she’d done for her country. Now, looking at his peeking canines, golden eyes, and long, curling tail, it was abundantly clear this had been a careful act of strategy.

King Esmond had never been shy about taking wives, and as a result, many of his children came from foreign royalty, a way of securing many alliances at once. Not so with the Auskeran princess. Umbra had not yet been born when the marriage took place, but everyone knew that was where the tensions between the two countries had started. With the princess's death.

But now, with the war ended and Auskeran firmly independent from the rest of the world, no foreign alliances were waiting for a half-Auskerian prince. And keeping him around the capital was a liability in itself. His very appearance was a reminder of the recent horrors and a symbol of shame to the King. But he was still of royal blood, and banishments–no matter how merciful–had a habit of coming back to bite. So what did they do? They gave him to a local. Someone high enough to merit such a match but low enough that she couldn’t refuse. Someone who would take all the perks of having a royal spouse as appeasement for the inconvenience of his half-bloodedness.

Still, they had to have known her feelings about such a thing. The war had not ended so many months ago that an Auskerian, even half of one, didn’t bother her. Perhaps that was the very reason they’d said nothing. They wouldn’t want to risk her denial.

“How did you know what I look like?” Umbra said, forcing her clenched jaw apart. He’d picked her out from the crowd on sight. He couldn’t have seen the sign from that distance, could he?

The prince flushed a little. “Father showed me a photograph of the Greybourne division as soon as he told me about the marriage arrangement. He said you’re a general of high standing. You held the eastern front steady for two years before scouting over the border. You won us the war practically singlehanded!” 

Umbra was about to explain that it was far more complex than that but Prince Waylon carried on without pause. 

“And to think, of all the prestigious matches you could have received, Father chose me! I’ve been showing that photo to everyone for the last month! But it got sort of crumpled from carrying it around too much, so my sister painted your portrait for me as a wedding gift. See?” 

He pried open the locket around his neck and leaned forward to show her a very accurate, stoic miniature of her own face. She was dressed in her military uniform, her medal of honor–a medal that she’d really only worn twice, once when it was bestowed and again for a newspaper photo–pinned bold and gleaming to her chest.

 “She made one for you too, here!” He fished into his breast pocket and held out a matching bronze locket by its chain. 

Umbra watched it swing for a couple moments before she tentatively accepted it. “I, um…” He was staring at her so expectantly what was she supposed to do? She slipped the chain over her head, and the locket settled in the hollow of her chest. “Thank you.”

He continued to stare. Gaze flicking to the locket and back to her face again. He definitely wasn’t subtle. 

She picked open the latch and looked vaguely at the companion miniature. “Ah.”

It wasn’t much of a reaction but the prince immediately pounced on it.

“I hope it's ok. I wanted it to be more interesting or at least be smiling, but Isabeau said portraits are supposed to be serious. I’m lucky she let me be as expressive as that.”

“No, no, it’s very nice,” Umbra said. Lied. She hadn’t even noticed whether the portrait had been straight-faced or smiling. She should probably be more excited, or at least appreciative. Princess Isabeau was supposedly a real artistic talent—from the accuracy of her own portrait she had to agree—and her skill mixed with her status, made her paintings some of the most saught after in the kingdom. Now she had one around her neck and she couldn’t even give it a proper enough to look to give a specific detail of praise.

Luckily, Prince Waylon took her words at face value. He noticeably relaxed, and she snapped the locket shut again.

“Prince Waylon!” The other man from the ship shoved out from the crowd, a little more disheveled than he’d been moments ago and lugging two large suitcases. He let the cases drop heavily to the planks and tugged sharply on the ends of his black suit. “A member of the royal family does not fly off like that! You must conduct yourself with decorum! And that means staying with your escort!”

“I was with Ser Umbra, so it was fine,” Prince Waylon said.

The man’s attention flicked toward her, scanning her up and down with an unimpressed expression. As an employee to the royal family why would he be? 

“This is Ryann, my escort to Greybourne,” Prince Waylon said. “He’s supposed to return to Ashborough once he sees me settled.  

“Ser,” Ryann said with a short bow. “Unfortunately, the royal officiant was delayed, so the wedding will have to be postponed at least a couple weeks. I’m to stay until that point to be another witness.”

Great. The last thing she wanted was time to start overthinking things. She’d wanted this done as quickly as possible. And now, with the prince’s Auskerian features to unsettle her, she wanted it done even faster.

“You both must be tired,” she said, hefting up one of the suitcases. “My car is at the base of the tower. I’ll take you to the house so you can rest.”

“Oh, I’m not that tired–” Waylon began

“You drive?” Ryann interrupted as he grabbed the remaining case. “You don’t have a chauffeur?”

“I have drivers,” Umbra clarified. “For shopping and other errands. I simply prefer the autonomy of driving myself. Don’t worry, I don’t expect Prince Waylon to get along without a chauffeur.”

“Oh, maybe I could learn too?”

“Absolutely not,” Ryann snapped. “You’ll get yourself killed. Besides, who ever heard of royalty driving themselves? You’re not one of the working class.”

Umbra started down the first tower ramp, letting them fall into step beside her. Should she say something? Tell the prince he could try driving if he liked? But her drivers didn’t have time to keep an eye on him and she hadn’t planned on engaging in any extra responsibilities. She also didn’t think there was much point in ruffling the escort further. So she remained quiet.

Prince Waylon didn’t seem to take the denial too hard. He chatted a bit on the way down, pointing out the landscape and buildings as they went. Umbra nodded along, but didn’t listen much; she was more focused on the many glances the prince received from passersby, ranging from curiosity to outright disgust. Ryann must have been aware as well because he kept a protective hand on the prince’s arm the entire way down.

The car waited at the curb for them. A sleek green thing with three steam valves that she’d purchased shortly after the war’s end. It was easier traveling back and forth to the military headquarters this way.

“Here we are.” Umbra popped the door to the trunk, putting away the first suitcase and then taking the second from Ryann.

The escort dusted off his hands, as if the meanialness of the task were a visible smudge on his station. He then stepped back to survey the car’s body. “This is a handsome vehicle.”

 Umbra expected it was one of the only words of praise she was going to receive during his stay, but she still couldn’t find it in herself to use it to her advantage. “It does the job.”

 “Ser Umbra, can I sit up front with you?” Prince Waylon chirped from the side.

“You’re not going to address me as Ser Umbra our entire marriage, are you?”

His face washed a hot pink. “I wasn’t sure what you preferred.”

“You’re not a part of my regiment. Umbra is fine.”

“Then I’m just Waylon.” He smiled. A sweet, bright-eyed expression that made Umbra’s insides churn like someone was trying to turn them inside out. The officator had better get there fast.

She nodded curtly and circled around to the passenger door, holding it for him as he picked up the ends of his traveling cloak and slid inside. As she closed it behind him, she caught a glimpse of Ryann’s expression before he entered the backseat. Silent approval. Seemed she’d passed whatever test the employee had in mind for vehicle etiquette. She wasn’t look forward to any similar tests. Her rise in the military had granted her a title and a fortune, but she certainly could claim to be as well-bred as anyone in the royal court. Which for many was a sin in itself. 

The drive from the port to her small estate lasted only 20 minutes and was mainly quiet. Waylon ooed at every street and building they passed. Umbra couldn’t imagine anything here in Greybourne, a city on the very edge of the kingdom, could surpass Ashborough in all its capital glory. Perhaps he was only trying to be polite. However, as they pulled up the lane to the estate, his nose was almost pressed to the glass.

“It’s beautiful!”

Now Umbra knew he was being polite. The estate was a sturdy, grey-stoned building with two stories and several acres of surrounding meadow. A garage hid humbly and strategically around the back so as not to ruin the aesthetic view of the front or boast the ownership of two cars. It may have been larger than many of the other homes in Graybourne, and yes, it was rather pretty in the golden hour of evening, but it was nothing compared to the manors in Ashborough let alone the palace. Umbra had been dragged into several parties and ceremonies in the capital after the war’s official end, and extravagant was an understatement.

Waylon clutched his locket and mumbled under his breath. “It’s like a dream.”

A dream? What did princes have to dream about?

Umbra circled the drive and parked directly in front of the large oak front doors. Arlin and Madeline must have been watching from inside–she was impressed they stayed at the ready for the entire 6 hours she had been gone–because they rushed out the front the moment she stepped out of the vehicle. 

Arlin opened the passenger door before Umbra could make her way fully around, but to his credit, his surprise only lasted a moment. Raised eyebrows shot back down, parted lips promptly pinned shut, and he bowed his head as Waylon stepped down to the gravel drive. 

“Your majesty,” Arlin said, then moved on to Ryann’s door.

In the meantime, Madeline had made quick work of unloading the luggage. The bags seemed oversized compared to her small frame, but she showed no struggle as she carried them around. Her reaction to the prince showed more in an exchange of glances with Arlin than a change of expression. 

“Welcome back, Miss,” she said, “we were beginning to worry something had gone wrong.”

“Just a slight delay in the ship’s arrival,” Umbra said, passing the car keys to Arlin, who promptly took the car around to the garage. “Madeline, will you show the prince and his escort to their rooms? They’ve had a long trip, and it’s getting late.”

“Of course, Miss. I’ll let Henrietta and the others know that dinner will be served in the guests’ rooms tonight.”

“Thank you. Only tea for me tonight. Please have it brought to my office.” She didn’t think she could stomach anything else tonight. Maybe a cup of tea would settle some of her more turbulent emotions.

“Oh, Ser– I mean, Umbra,” Waylon said, the end of his tail flicking eagerly. “I’m really not tired, and I’d love to see more of the estate, and talk to you more. Maybe we can go for a walk–that meadow back there looks promising–and I can tell you–”

“My prince,” Ryann said firmly. The prince jolted, looking at Ryann with wide eyes. The escort gave him a subtle shake of his head.

Waylon looked down at the gravel, ears going slightly pink. “My apologies Ser Umbra. I overexcited.”

Oh no, she needed to say something didn’t she? Something smart and smooth that saved the prince’s feelings without backing down from her preference for a quiet night. She hated hosting. She especially the politics that came with it.

“I’d be happy to show you around the grounds tomorrow,” she said, hoping it didn’t sound forced. “The sun is about to go down soon and the view can’t be appreciated so well in the dark. Besides the meadow is riddled with rabbit holes; I wouldn’t want you to misstep and break an ankle.”

“Ah.” He raised his eyes toward her. Luminescence crept in at the corners. Once the sun had gone completely down, those eyes would be completely aglow. “That would be unfortunate. I…look forward to tomorrow then.” It was hard to read whether he believed her. His gaze showed some relief, but the wrap of his tail around his leg still spoke to some embarrassment. Nevertheless, some of his old exuberance slipped through the cracks in his politeness. “It was a joy–no, an honor–to begin making your acquaintance.” 

Umbra forced eye contact until he turned away, prompted toward the house by Madeline’s beckoning. A cold feeling had lodged itself in the middle of her chest. 

She hoped the officiator would come fast.

[annymaght]

Something I need to tell yous.

Ryan Potter is not voicing Kenji in Chaos Theory.

Instead it is Darren Barnett

Despite the excitement of the trailer, this is an incredibly sad day.

But Darren Barnet voiced Taigen in Blue Eye Samurai, if any yous saw that, which gets me excited at least for his portrayal of the character.

But still, RYANN HOW COULD YOUUU??!!!!

[trumpets0ng]

250- “Good”

Beginning / Previously /Next

((BRKN - Madison Ryann Ward))

For easier reading, please see transcript below the cut:

The rest of the day was far less eventful, which worked for me. I knew I’d need all my mental energy for my breakfast with Xander the next day. I’m not sure when Obie changed his mind on Xan, or even if he did. However, that morning he kissed me on my forehead before dropping me off at Topper’s…

X: Hey.

W: Hi!

X: Sorry I’m late. I got a little turned around.

W: *giggles* I’m just glad you made it. I was starting to think you stood me up.

X: *smirk* The thought did cross my mind… *Walker rolls her eyes* Why’d you choose this place?

W: They make the best Sunset Valleys. I took the liberty of ordering you one. *Xander looks dubious* Trust me!

X: We’ll see… *warm smile* I’ve missed this.

W:  Me too.

X: I’ve missed us… *heavy sigh* I’m sorry I shut you out.

W: Straight to the deep end, huh? *Xander smiles ruefully* In that case, I should be the one apologizing. I left you alone in all—

X: It’s not like I gave you a choice. This isn’t on you.

W: We both know that’s not true.

X: *smirk* Fine. It’s not completely on you.

W: *sad smile* If it weren’t for me, you and Yasmin would probably be married by now. And your baby—

X: Stop. Believe it or not, I wasn’t trying to rehash the last 3 years. It’s done. Ok? You and me? We’re good.

W: *skeptically* Just like that?

X: Just like that… *shy smile* Plus 4 months of therapy, give or take.

W: *shocked* What?! Um… uh… wow.

X: *chuckles* Yup.  

W: No, that’s great. I mean…. I just… *deep breath* Not quite sure how to respond to this one.

X: *smirk* Say you’re happy for me.  

W: Of course! Of course, I am! I mean, is it helping? Do you feel more yourself?

X: Depends on the day, but, yeah. Dr. Miyazaki’s been very helpful.

W: If you’re happy, then I’m happy. I wish it wasn’t necessary, but—

X: Even if we never happened, it was necessary. Something inside of me broke long before all of this… but I’m figuring it out. And Dr. Miyazaki has been great. Coco too. She can be brutal, but I appreciate her.

W: Coco?? Coco from Jackalope Jane’s, Coco? *wide eye excitement* Are you two—

X: *laughs heartily* Not even close!

And just like that we were on to the current day…

[indecentpause]

Find the Word Tag

tagged by @oh-no-another-idea to find the words celebration, proud, listen, jaw, and height! thank!

from The Black & Blues:

celebration:

You cradle the phone against your cheek like it’s a precious artifact, like if you’re not careful the voicemail will disappear, the job offer along with it. Oh man. Oh man! You got the job! You take a moment to jump around the room in celebration, then you call her back. “Student center, Elizabeth speaking.” “Hi! I mean, hello. This is Meara Ryanne calling back about your voicemail? I’d like to accept the job offer.”

proud:

You can do this. You have to do this. You’ve worked so hard to get here. So you muster up every drop of fury and energy and sound that’s been buried deep in your chest from the moment you heard that first Green Day album when you were eleven, every lonely day at school and every night you cried yourself to sleep and every time your mother hit you and your father called you a faggot, and you force it out, and fuck, you do it. And it sounds awesome, even if two of your fingers are bleeding and you feel like you’re going to collapse by the end. David makes multiple copies of the session for you. One for each you, Danny, and Jaisyn, so you each have a physical backup of the electronic copy. One he keeps in the studio in case your computer crashes or your dorm burns down. The sun is painfully bright when you get back outside, but all your friends are so hyped, and even though you’re exhausted, you’ve never been so proud to be a musician. And you are going to sleep for the rest of the weekend.

listen:

“Do you really think [therapy] would help?” Josephine offers an encouraging smile. “I think the right one would.” “What if it’s not the right one?” Because that’s what scares you. That they’ll think you’re not doing enough. That they want you to quit the band because they think it’s too much stress. Worse, that they’d be homophobic. “Then you talk to your social worker or whoever’s in charge and tell them it’s not a good match and you need someone else,” Kris says. “If the clinic is a safe one to be at, they’ll listen. And I know without insurance it’s a lot harder, but if it ends up not being safe, we’ll help you find somewhere that is.” You rub at your nose with the back of your hand and sniffle a little, but you don’t cry. Finally, you nod, once, firmly and a little aggressively. “Okay,” you say. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll try it.”

jaw:

Monika smiles, bright, genuine. “That’s great! And you’ll be okay with the crowds?” Your brow furrows a little, but it’s a genuine question. “No, that’s not the kind of thing that triggers them. It’s… it’s having too much quiet. It’s getting stuck in my own head that causes most of the problems.” “So keeping busy is what helps most?” You nod. “Hm.” She taps her finger against her jaw a moment and says, “I know you work a lot, and that with the night shifts, it’s hard to get out during the day. But what if you had a standing meet up outside band practice? With a friend, with Josselin, with a group. Volunteering somewhere? Maybe having that to look forward to could help. What do you think?”

height:

For the first time in your life, you’re grateful Dicky taught you how to throw a punch. You storm up behind them, trying to ignore the fact that you’re skinny as hell and hope that having the lucky genes that made you taller than average is enough to scare them off. The scariest things about you other than your height are your battle jacket and the black and chrome studded bracelet you wear. You never got into dyeing your hair or piercings like Dicky and the others. First it was because you had to stay under the radar. Now it’s because you’re happy with how you look. “Hey!” you bark. The bullies turn around and the kid looks up. “The fuck is your problem?” you snap. One of the bullies holds his hands up and says, “Whoa, man, nothing’s going on. Chill.” “If nothing’s going on, you won’t mind leaving, will you?” “We–” “Will you?” you press.

tagging @winterandwords @frostedlemonwriter @abalonetea @albatris

@mecharose @bluejay-in-write

to find the words lose, wait, dance, and float!

[gunterfan1992]

Episode Review: "Fionna Campbell"/"Simon Petrikov" (Fionna & Cake, Eps. 1-2)

If you had told me on the day that Adventure Time was canceled that almost a decade into the future, I would still be writing reviews about new episodes, I would have never believed you. And yet, today saw the release of not one, but two new episodes. (It seems that the fun really will never end!) What a world we live in!

----

When I first heard that Fionna and Cake would be the focus of the newest Adam Muto-produced Adventure Time spin-off, I was a touch apprehensive. It is not that I disliked the characters... I just worried that they might not be able to anchor ten 22-minute episodes. After all, the two were always something of a funny gimmick. Other than explaining if they were real, what more was there to say about them?

My tentative apprehension started to dissipate when I learned that the one, the only Simon Petrikov would play a major part in the miniseries. Simon was always a strong character, and there was much to his story that still needed to be teased out. His presence in the miniseries signaled one thing: Fionna and Cake would not just be a fluffy romp, but rather one of mythological significance! Needless to say, my interest was fully piqued, and I began to count down the days when the miniseries would debut.

And now that the first two episodes are out, I am happy to say that my tentative fears were likely misplaced. Indeed, if "Fionna Campbell" and "Simon Petrikov" are indicative of the overall quality of this miniseries, we're in for a good time!

So let's dig in!

Airdate: August 31, 2023

Story by: Anthony Burch, Adam Muto, Hanna K. Nyström, Jack Pendarvis, Kate Tsang

Storyboarded by: Hanna K. Nyström, Anna Syvertsson, Haewon Lee, Jacob Winkler

Directed by: Ryann Shannon (supervising), Hans Tseng (art)

The miniseries kicks off with "Fionna Campbell," which follows the story of Fionna the human... No, not that Fionna the Human. This Fionna does not live in a magic land, and it is only in her dreams that she's a swashbuckling hero. Instead, the Fionna we meet lives in a mundane world very much like our own. This Fionna seems to feel as if she fundamentally lacks any sense of purpose. Accompanying her throughout her non-adventures in this alternate reality is Fionna's (non-magical) cat, Cake. The main plot of the episode begins after Cat and Fionna have a strange dream, whereupon Cake begins to act erratically; it is almost like she desperately needs to be in contact with ice of all things. After a series of humorous set pieces in which Fionna repeatedly discusses the dullness of her reality with a variety of uncannily familiar characters, Cake goes bananas and makes a mad dash for an ice cream cart. As Fionna gives chase, Cake dives into the cart, which turns into a magic portal and teleports Cake to a different world...

Of the two episodes discussed in this review, "Fionna Campbell" was the least impactful. Do not misunderstand me: It was still a fun, charming episode, but it did little more than introduce us to our heroines and set up the plot of the miniseries. The issue with this is that it makes much of the episode, on a strictly narrative level, superfluous (for instance, were you to have Cake dart over to Fionna's ice dispenser and have it—rather than an ice cream cart—the overall story would still work just fine). But while much of this episode is technically "unnecessary," it nevertheless mines a lot of goodwill and humor by introducing us to gender-bent "real world" versions of beloved Adventure Time characters (e.g., "Queen" [Queen of Ooo], "Ellis P." [Lumpy Space Prince], "Gary Prince" [Prince Gumball]). Perhaps I am biased as a Marceline fan, but hands-down the best of the gender-bent bunch is Marshall Lee, played once again by the uber-talented and oh-so-witty Donald Glover. (That said, Pen Ward's oddball hobo-vet character, "Ellis P.," is a close second.)

Regardless of any narrative weirdness, I applaud Muto et al. for approaching this Fionna and Cake storyline from a different angle. It would have been very, very easy to simply drop us back into the genderbent world that we have already visited in the main series. This, honestly, is what I was expecting the series to do. Instead, the writers decided to introduce versions of Fionna and Cake that feel more like they are from our world. This makes them solid audience surrogates. Over the course of the episode, I came to see Fionna as a character in and of herself, not just as a female version of Finn. Likewise, Cake felt less like "feline Jake," and more like a goofy house cat (albeit one that has a case of the Zoomies from Hell). "Fionna Campbell," in a word, gives Fionna and Cake a chance to become their own people before throwing them into the wider world of Ooo.

Airdate: August 31, 2023

Story by: Anthony Burch, Adam Muto, Hanna K. Nyström, Jack Pendarvis, Kate Tsang

Storyboarded by: Iggy Craig, Graham Falk, Jim Campbell, Lucyola Langi

Directed by: Steve Wolfhard (supervising), Hans Tseng (art)

After the purposefully abrupt ending to "Fionna Campbell," we are suddenly thrown head first back into the familiar Land of Ooo with "Simon Petrikov."

This episode picks up several years after the main series. Simon is now living a, shall we say, "unorthodox life in a museum-like facility, where he is treated as a relic of the past. He has lost his sense of purpose and direction, and he struggles with loneliness and boredom. Simon, in a word, is depressed. It does not help matters that people keep asking him about "his" Fionna and Cake novels--novels that he repeatedly emphasizes Ice King wrote. Alas, it is no use, and so Simon goes to the tavern owned by Dirt Beer Guy (A+ cameo) to drink his sorrows away. It is here that he runs into a 20-something Finn in all his himbo glory. Finn sees that Simon isn't doing well and insists that he must go on an adventure to reclaim his joie de vivre. Simon reluctantly follows Finn into the most primordial corner of Ooo, where the two are nearly killed multiple times.

At the end of the episode, Simon returns to his museum-home feeling just as bad as he did before. After sneaking off into his closet, we learn that his depression has driven him to create a shrine to GOLB; using the demoniac power of Evil Choose Goose, he subsequently attempts to summon the deity, presumably to reconnect with Betty. But, just like the best laid plans of mice and men, Simon's scheme fails to summon any eldritch abominations, but it does open up the portal we saw at the end of "Fionna Campbell." And out from this portal pops Cake the Cat!

The episode immediately shifts to Prismo's time room, where we see an alarm on the wish-master's remote begin to blink ominously…

Wow, what an episode!

I appreciate the focus "Simon Petrikov" places on depression and the struggle against nihilism. Simon, after all, is a man thrust into a new world. Everything he used to strive for is gone. Even the madness that took his old world away from him is gone. This might sound like a good thing, but interestingly, it seems to have had a deleterious effect on Simon’s psyche: Previously, when Simon was metaphorically locked within the recesses of Ice King's mind, he had something to strive for: He could overcome the crown’s curse and regain his sanity. And then he did! Thus, Ice King ended and Simon was back. But alas, his arrival occurred at the literal end of the story. The big bad was gone. The goal had been reached. All that was left was the ride into the sunset. But Simon could not do that, because even though he regained his sanity, it ultimately cost him his love, Betty.

I won't lie: I found Simon's story to be deeply relatable. For those who don't know, I recently earned my PhD. It was a long, uphill battle, and after I earned that degree… I didn't know what to do. In truth, I still don't know what to do. I have been a student almost my entire life, and now the rest of that life lays out in front of me. I achieved what I originally wanted; it is time to figure out what I currently want. Honestly, it has been an occasionally gloomy time, and I won't lie, I have struggled quite a bit with depression these last few months just trying to figure everything out. In doing so, I have realized just how much of my life I have sunk into my degree. It has been a bit disheartening to realize that while I have a doctorate, but it cost me the entirety of my 20s to get it. So yes, while I did not lose the love of my life to an eldritch demon-god, I still empathize with Simon's listlessness and his existential angst. (As an aside, post-PhD depression is very a real thing, y'all!)

When you have gained what you thought you wanted and lost that which was really important, what do you do? Of course, it is easy to simply collapse in despair. This is capitulation to vulgar nihilism, and it is something that I have struggled with ("Why even bother doing anything..."). At the start of "Simon Petrikov," the titular character is very close to this collapse, too. Indeed, Simon starts off in a dark place, but paradoxically, this darkness holds the seeds that can grow into a life-changing journey. After all, when we are at our lowest, the only (productive) way to go is up. Put most simply, Finn was actually right: Simon needs an adventure to reignite within him that sense of drive and purpose. But the catch here is that that adventure needs to be meaningful to Simon. It needs to spark something unique within his soul. The bizarro arrival of Cake may thus be exactly what he needs. Cake is not just a mystery—she's a mystery that perhaps only Simon can solve, since it was Simon (or, at least a version of him) who dreamed her up in the first place!

Simon now has a purpose.

Purpose.

Once again, Adventure Time is reminding us of the importance of "purpose." Purpose, the show seems to be saying, is what gives meaning to our lives, what motivates us to overcome challenges, and what inspires us to contribute to society. Without purpose, we may feel lost, empty, or hopeless. What, then, is the show suggesting we do to gain this sense of purpose? It is hard to say, given that the miniseries isn't over, but my guess is that the show is emphasizing that while meaning can emerge from even the most chance of occurrences, it is not enough to just recognize these coincidences. Instead, we have to seize them, embrace them, and make them our own. We have to act on our purpose, and not let it slip away. At the end of "Simon Petrikov," Simon is put in this exact spot, and while he might show some reluctance to seize the moment, something tells me that he'll eventually act in a major way.

Am I on the right track? I guess we'll have to wait a few weeks to find out!

----

When news about the series first started to leak, I remember there was a lot of hubbub about its more "adult" tone. I was a bit apprehensive when I heard this; part of what I love about Adventure Time is that it is capable of being scary and profound without having to stoop to the shock value of cheap swears and bloody violence. After seeing these episodes, my worries have mostly been put to rest. After all, most of the "swearing" is pretty mild, and it seems to be used rather judiciously. (That said, I did a double take when Cake told Fionna to "Puke [the bad guy] up"—I thought she said another "-uck" word!) On top of all that, it was often just funny! Queenie shrieking "Jesus!" when Fionna ripped her pants off was comedy gold, as was Finn's line about "bust[ing Simon's] balls" back in the day. I'm a bit more ambivalent when it comes to the gorier elements (e.g., Finn killing that mudskipper in a bloody splatter), but that's largely because it feels a bit incongruous with the lighthearted Land of Ooo that we know. Adventure Time was often violent, this is true, but it was rarely gory. That said, the violence in these episodes is not over the top—this isn't Superjail! or anything—and I hope the show continues to maintain that nice balance. Right now, everything mostly feels "right."

All in all, these were solid episodes. In addition to all the positives that I outlined above, there were a variety of other things that made me smile. I'm quite happy that the show is returning to the multiverse lore, as I always felt that was a story thread that the show never explored to the fullest. The various cameos were also delightful (I had a lot of fun guessing who all the gender-bent normies were supposed to be representative of), and I loved the little post-Mushroom War Simon & Marcy moment. And of course, hearing Marceline say that someone is "pissed" is something that I didn't know I needed to hear!

I cannot wait to see what the series has in store for Simon, Fionna, and Cake.

Final "Fionna Campbell" Grade: B

Final "Simon Petrikov" Grade: A

[goldenpinof]

via Sarah's stories, 30/08/2024

[tatsumessy]

You took my heart, and gave it a home - {epilogue}

Synopsis

you, rin and all the blue lock boys are classmates in your final year of high school. both of you have to work together on a project so thankfully yours good friend bachira was way too excited to give it to you, but who knew that would turn into everyone you know and love finding out your worst secret.

Pairing

Itoshi Rin x fem reader

Warningssss

NSFW 🤭 fingering, if you peek boob sucking, making out, praising

Author Notes

I want to cry!!! This is the end to the series so I wanted to give a little comment ya know. So I started the series because of a song called Mirror by Madison Ryann Ward, you should listen to it, it’s so efffingggggggg good guys. So because of her song it inspired me to right this little series. I admittedly cried on one specific part because it was just hard for me to write and trying to get yn to express how she was feeling and actually realize that she needed help was difficult. I know with my emotions I struggle with expressing myself so it hit a little close to home. Other than that I really hope you all enjoyed reading!!!! If you have any other suggestions on what you want me to write whether it be a series or a one shot don’t hesitate to ask. My request are always open. Thank you guys and I love youuuu ❤️ special shout-out to @sheeshizzy for giving me the BEST reactions each upload 🤭

Taglist 💕

@shikamiru @babbymario @oppirate-blog @little-charlatan @vilarawaltn @miyuaditt @beidousbubz @saeswifeeee @heartstealer-law @sheeshizzy @justxiao @tsukishiro-yue2402 @bbg-blue-lock

Stepping out of the bathroom you covered yourself with your arms and stared at the ground. “There you go. What’s wrong Y/n?” He asked grabbing your hands and forcing you to sit on the bed while his thumbs rubbed the back of your hands. “I’m just embarrassed is all.” He cocked his head to the side in confusion as he bent down getting eye level with you. “And why’s that?” You took a deep breath before looking up at him, his gaze softened seeing your weary expression.

“You know we didn’t have to come.” He said moving his hands to your exposed thighs so that he could gently massage them. “But we’ve been doing this tradition ever since high school graduation. We just graduated from college Rin of course we had to come. It’s just the guys girlfriends are so pretty and they’re so confident. When I look at my stomach and look at the two scars I just start to get insecure.” He sat there listening intently to your confession, “And they’ve never seen me without my clothes on. I just feel like I’m exposing myself to a stranger Rin.”

“I love your scars. They’re you. They represent the trauma and abuse you overcame. These scars,” he pointed towards your stomach touching the center of one of them. “They’re beautiful just like you. I’m proud of you for coming out here and talking to me.” He said leaning forward and pressing a kiss against your lips, “I’m nervous Rin.” You admitted and went to cover your stomach with your arms again but he stopped you. He lunged forward and started peppering your stomach with kisses, you fell back into the plush cushion of the comforter and laughed feeling him continuously kiss your most precious area.

“I love all of you Y/n, you understand me?” He said looking up at you through his eyelashes, there he goes with the look. It doesn’t help that his teal eyes drew you in each time. “Come here.” You cooed and he obliged getting up off of his knees to hover above your body, your hands came on each side of his face and you pulled him down to kiss you.

His tongue collided along with yours and his mouth molded perfectly with yours. He brought his hips down grinding into your now aching core as your hands made their way to the top of his jacket slowly unzipping it. He pressed himself a little harder into you forcing a small moan out of you, you slipped his jacket of and threw in on the ground leaving him in his swim trunks and you in your matching bikini set. He pulled away breathing heavily and taking in the sight under him, his girlfriend of four years lying under him ready for him to take her.

“Rin I’m ready. I promise.” You spoke caressing the sides of his face as he looked at you with slight worry. After the whole incident happened you and Rin hadn’t had sex because you were still traumatized from the situation. You went to therapy and slowly healed from it with Rin by your side the whole time, for four years the furthest you two went was oral sex. Imagine the blue balls he has from not being able to have sex, I mean you even have blue coochie. But that didn’t change the fact that you were ready. Right here, right now.

“I love you Rin.” You said pulling him in for a more calming kiss, he gave you a once over before quickly responding and devouring your lips again. His hand reached down towards your clothed core, he moved the bikini bottom to the side and used his ring and middle finger to rub in between your folds with ease thanks to you already being wet. Without fail his finger dipped inside of you instantly reaching your g spot and tickling it each time he swung his fingers back and forth.

You moaned into his mouth noticing how he was humping your thigh trying to get off while pleasuring you. The pace of his fingers got faster as he pumped them in and out of you abusing that spongey spot that made lewd moans fall from your mouth. “Fuck…Rin please.” You whined out and he smirked looking down at his fingers going in and out of you, “please what? What do you want baby?” He said in a low whisper swiftly slowing down his hand and focusing on you. “Please fuck me Rin.” “Yes ma’am.” He said pulling his fingers out and quickly cleaning them off with his mouth.

He hooked his hands under your legs and lifted them up, you didn’t even realize he pulled his cock out and had it aligned with your entrance. His mouth fell open, letting out a soft groan as he felt your cunt suck him in. "You're just... So— ugh!— tight!" He slammed himself all the way inside of you, hips meeting yours as he bottomed out. You feel a shudder run down your spine, gripping the sheets below you as you feel your walls flutter around his length, an orgasm hitting you like a wave. Rin grunted as he felt your juices coating his cock, he started thrusting with the additional lubrication.

Your hands came up to his arms that were caged around your abdomen and you started digging your finger into his arms. His cock slid in and out of you filling up every last inch inside of you. For the first time since he started engorging in your pussy he made eye contact with you. You felt your heart skip a beat at how absolutely starved and beautiful he looked. His bangs were stuck to his forehead due to sweat and his cheeks were flushed more than they would on a normal day. His teal eyes looked at you like you were the most beautiful person on earth, you clenched unconsciously and he let out the most sexist gut wrenching moan ever and you almost came again.

“Fuck.” He cursed leaning down and hiding his face in your neck, his thrust increasingly got faster and your moans progressively got louder. He continued to thrust and occasionally look up at you loving how beautiful you looked when you were feeling good. Wet slapping sounds echoed off the walls of Reo’s guest room making you hide your face into Rin’s chest. Your moans became shaky with every thrust that pushed your body closer and closer to your limit, the knot in your stomach was getting tighter and with the more he pounded into you the harder you clenched.

Rin panted praises into your ear between his grunts and moans speeding up even faster. His hot breath fanned against the bare skin of your shoulder causing goosebumps to rise to the surface. To make sure he wasn’t missing any part of his lovers body he leaned down giving each of your tits long loving kisses. He’d have indulge in those another time because right now with how tight your cunt was squeezing him he was ready to bust. “I’m coming rin ~” you moaned out arching your back and pressing yours chest flush against his.

He groaned feeling your orgasm create a white ring around his cock, this created a train reaction. His cock twitched and in a matter of seconds his load was emptied inside of you. His body collapsed on top of you and the two of you laid there for a minute trying to catch your breath. Removing himself from the warmth he so badly wanted to melt into he needed to properly take care of you. He went into the bathroom and cleaned himself off before coming out and making sure you could nap without feeling sticky and uncomfortable.

He came back out the bathroom to see you snuggled against the comforter falling into a deeper sleep. He grabbed his jacket off the floor and slipped it onto your body then getting in the bed next to you. You immediately clutched onto him and smiled basking in his embrace, he smiled kissing your forehead and falling asleep with the love of his life clinging onto him.

masterlist

[bensonsbobblehead]

Stand Still 

Pairings: Olivia Benson x Daughter!OC

Olivia Bensons daughter dealing with post op alone or so she thinks. 

 Content warnings: ANGST! Abortions , sex, sexual assault, lots of sadness, basically things that would be talked about in an episode. 

wc; 1.2k

[masterlist]

“Ryann Benson?” The nurse called softly from the door. The door Ryann had been staring at for the past two days in a row. This was it, she was doing it, alone.

The young women stood up walking quickly to the door as she turned her phone off. With her head hung low hoping no one in the office would remember her face. 

It’s freezing she thought as the nurse led her to a room and ordered her to take off her clothes. The nurse gave her and gown and left the room. After what felt like forever she returned with a million questions. 

Are you sure this is what you want? Is there anyone you need me to call? We can stop at anytime. Do you have someone to take you home? 

Ryann was on autopilot, she hated she was in this situation. It wasn’t entirely her fault Justin couldn’t take no for an answer so she just gave in. Which she knew her mother wouldn’t be proud of.

Maybe if I would’ve fought harder, he didn’t technically force me, I just gave up on saying no. 

Tears grew in her eyes as she thought about what happened. How he denied it was even his and blocked her number, leaving her completely helpless. She had to be strong, she had no choice. 

Before she knew it was time, Doctors and nurse flooding in with gear and equipment. 

“Just breathe for me” the doctors said as he begun. Ryann cried and breathed and cried again, the pain of it all was unbearable. 

“Is there anything you need sweetie?” The nurse asked holding her hand. 

My mom 

“No” Ryann whispered back wishing time would fly pass so this can all be over. She felt violated all over again. Exposed for everyone to see it was humiliating, all she wanted was her mom. To be there with her through all of this, but she couldn’t.

Olivia always knew how to soothe Ryann whenever she needed to. She’s her baby girl and quite frankly she’ll do anything to see her smile. 

When the procedure was over they gave her a change of clothes, medicine, and sent her on her way. 

She felt like she was hit by a bus but she had to hurry home. Ryann called an Uber and paid her extra to help her up the stairs, it was the least she could do. 

When she got into the apartment it was completely silent. No Olivia, no Noah, just Ryann and her thoughts. She walked to her room and laid down immediately. Stuffing the Planned Parenthood bag almost all the way under her bed. The girl dozed off finally getting some rest. 

—-

“Ry please answer the phone sweetie, I love you”

Olivia left her 4th message to her daughter. Ryann was Olivia’s oldest, she was a responsible girl but sometimes Olivia worried about her. Of course, she was a woman living in this world, how could she not worry. 

Ryann had told her she’s been with her friend since the weekend and she didn’t need to worry. But Olivia felt it in her soul something was up. So, she called Ava, Ryann only friend honestly.

“Hi Ava, I was wondering if Ry was still with you? She hadn’t been returning my calls”

“Hey, and no she actually went home early on Saturday you haven’t seen her?”

My daughters missing

“Thank you Ava” Olivia hung up and quickly called Amanda to her office. 

“Ry is missing, I need .. I need someone to trace her phone and her bank cards and I have to go get Noah” 

“Olivia, relax we are going to find her” Amanda reassured the woman heading toward the team and briefing them. 

Olivia sat in her office wondering how she let her guard down when it came to them she was always on top of it. She wanted Ryann to have more space even if that meant not talking to her everyday. She wondered how she not notice that she was missing.

“Captain” Amanda said from the office door causing Olivia to look up, “You’re going to want to see this” Amanda sat the laptop on her desk showing her daughters latest purchases. The top one being the very pricy one with the words Planned Parenthood next to it. 

“I need to find my daughter now” Olivia stood up grabbing her belongings heading towards the elevator.

The first thing Olivia thought was why would her own daughter want her there for this. It did not matter that her daughter was pregnant but it was about her protection. Making sure there through whatever Ryann had to face. 

When she arrived at the apartment she noticed her daughters shoes and headed toward her door. Knocking softly and getting no response she peaked in. 

Seeing her daughter buried under the blankets holding Little, the stuffed cat her uncle Elliot gave her when she was 9. Olivia walked in trying not to wake her, looking around the room for anything to help her understand what happened. As she moved closer to the bed that when she seen the planned parenthood bag. Filled with papers, pads, aftercare, and an outfit. 

“What happened sweet girl” she whrispered trying not to wake the girl but failing. Ryann turned over to see her mother standing there with the bag in her hand. Tears grew in her eyes fast, “Mama I —“ she said quickly sitting up. Before she could finish Olivia was already taking off her shoes and climbing into bed with her. 

“What’s going on Ry, talk to me” As she held her trying to give her the upmost comfort. Olivia took a look at her daughters face and she looked exhausted, Olivia hated this. 

“Justin and I were making out and it started getting intense and I didn’t want to have sex yet — but he begged even after I said no a thousand times. 

 I gave up and just let him. I didn’t want to do it and now I’m here” she was hysterical, “Please forgive me mama, I shouldn’t have even been doing anything. It’s all my fault.”

Olivia had felt like she was punched in the chest. Her daughter was a … victim. 

“I’m here for you now Ryann, I’m never going anywhere.” Ryann cried even harder, tears falling all over her mother. It 

It took Olivia 30 minutes to calm Ryann down before she spoke up. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I didn’t want you to know I was weak or for you to hate me for even thinking about sex.”

Olivia knew Ryann was a strong, creative girl and he could never hate her. Ryann brought a light into Olivia’s life and it’s been shining bright ever since.

“Look at me, I will never hate you and Ryan you are so strong. he’s the weak on. I wish I was there to hold your hand and be by your side through all of this.” 

Ryann cried harder all she wanted was her mom, she was her role model. Disappointing her was the last thing Ryann wanted to do. 

“It was your choice and I have no right to question that and I absolutely don’t hate you. You’re a part of me Ryann Serena.” 

Ryann snuggled into her mom, tears still falling from her eyes. Ryann had wished she called her mom to come with her to get the abortion

[storiesbyjes2g]

URL SONG TAG GAME

rules of the game: link a song for each letter of your username

@ladybugsimblr tagged me for this. I'm about to get into my work space which includes very loud music, so I figured I'd knock this out first lol. Tumblr only allows 10 audio links in a post, so we're going with Jes2G, which is my username just about everywhere else in the world.

J - Just For Me

E - Encourage Yourself

S - Say My Name

2 - 2 Places

(didn't think I had anything for that one, eh? lol)

G - Green

I'm gonna tag @mysimsloveaffair because I know you'll link something I need in my library lol.

Also tagging everyone who's gotta pump up the jams when you need to get in the zone, heh.

[rawesomesauce]

the ultimatum s3 thoughts so far

Lisa: Abuser! Liar! Pick me! She was embarrassing from start to finish and I already know her bird ass not coming to the reunion. Get off my screen.

Brian: I'm so sorry you're trapped with this woman. He seems like a genuinely good guy, honestly just co parent and detach yourself from that unhealed toxic ass banshee.

Trey: 9/10, He is almost the whole package, but I really think he should let Riah go if he can't compromise on her wanting to have some experiences before marriage, cuz as a 24 year old still figuring shit out, I empathize with all her worries. That being said-

Riah: GIRLY! If you want to live your life for you like you say you do, you don't need your man to come with you to the city especially if he don't wanna be there! Also, either move past him catching feelings or end the relationship. It isn't fair to dwell on things, especially cuz you knew the consequences coming into this. I love her though, she's real one and I feel like we'd be friends.

James: I hate when men make their trauma everyone else's problem. Either make steps to heal or shut the fuck up! Why should the women around him accommodate to his brooding? Ryann deserves a man who is willing to communicate with her because she's such a catch, and I think she's settling for James and he can feel it too, so he strings her along so he feels he has the upper hand in the relationship. I hope to God she pushes for him to go to therapy or honey there's a big storm coming.

Ryann: I love this girl omg, she is so sweet and down to earth. But 7 years? They need time apart to date other people for real so she can realize some men are ready to put in effort immediately and don't need to be pulled by the ear. But I just know she'll settle anyways so it's sad.

Roxanne: At first I liked her, but realized she's one of those girl boss feminists very much giving barbieland at the beginning of the movie. She needs a wake up call, but her man is a coffee table so she's not gonna get one.

Alex: Before I get into why he bothers me, I have to point out I am so glad he put Roxanne in her place. She met her match with this guy and it pissed both of them off to not be able to walk over their partners which is why both of them came back to their exes with such relief. BUT this douchebag keeps telling Kat that she's "pleasant" to be around, and while that's a reasonable request for a future spouse to not be generally unpleasant, the way he says it is very much giving "keep sweet" if you know what I mean.

Kat: Referring to my previous statement, I wonder what religion this couple follows if any because the way Kat "submits" to Alex is familiar and disheartening to watch. That being said, Kat is such a people pleaser, she literally agreed with every single person on the show the entire time and the only time she argued or said a conflicting opinion it was in DEFENSE of Alex. So yeah, I worry for her.

Antonio: S to the I to the M to the P. Like i'm sorry roxanne despises you and you don't have the self respect or insight to vocalise it, because we KNOW you KNOW you just don't wanna say it. But in his defense, I think Roxanne is verbally abusive so she reinforces his insecurities and uses finances as leverage over him. If he wasn't so focused on self loathing he would see his relationship is a form of self harm and would take steps to leave. But I'm not a fan of victim blaming so I genuinely feel bad for him.

[pickl-o]

I HATE YOUB HYTE YOU RYANN RENOLD I AHTEyou SOOO MUCH HEAETE RYOYM

PLEASE I NEED SOMEONNE TO YAP TO AABOUT HIM