#and... they're better at listening than many; but even with big name people who play their game for a living

[medicinemane]

Ok, minecraft complaint time

They need a way to slime proof a slime chunk

Slime spawning is a really nice mechanic if you're trying to make a farm, but I've walked into a couple of the rooms I've done only to find slime

It's well lit (which I know slime don't care about), it's... you know... it's mob proofed to normal standards. There shouldn't be random chunks that look identical to other chunks that just play by different rules

Great for farming, annoying for everything else

(Also would be nice if you could stop villagers from spawning golems. Basically anything where you can just manipulate bits of the environment, cause at the end of the day minecraft is basically an interactive diorama a lot of the time, you know?)

Anyway, it'll probably just be a matter of that sometimes you come into the map room and have to fight a giant slime, and since everything's eventually probably gonna be pretty well lit it'll probably be a frequent thing but... not much else to be done

It's something that you can live with, it's just kind of dumb and annoying is all

I like slime chunks, I just wish there was a way to disable spawning within them when you didn't want it

[thatstonedwriter]

The Ace up my Sleeve

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N- Apologies for the wait. I hope I was able to do justice for this request. If any revisions need to be made, I'm more than happy to take suggestions/critiques. Enjoy <3

Contents; asexuality, romantic, polyam relationship, mentions of relationship insecurity, comfort/fluff

Feat; Fizzaroli x Ozzie x Reader, Blitz, Stolas

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The occupants of Hell, as horny as they can be, are no strangers to the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. No matter where you fall on the ace spectrum, when you come out, you're met with unconditional love.

Asmodeus said it best, "Lust shouldn't be about force. It's an art. To be earned, and enjoyed." There are many, many different kinds of intimacy and affection outside of the physical/sexual realms. Fizzaroli and Asmodeus would know a thing or two about that. As most people know, these two are big on communication. In fact, once you're all somewhat settled into the relationship, y'all set up a time to actually talk about the expectations you each have going forward. This is probably when it comes out you're ace. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, Fizz and Ozzie are happy to accommodate you. Even if you're not involved with the sexual aspects of the relationship, they make sure you're involved with everything else. Reading together, watching TV, playing games, partaking in substances, baking, going on walks, listening to music, you name it. There are so many other facets of a relationship that they're so excited to share with you.

Stolas is another who has to know early on. Likely occurs when he's flirting with you and notices you're uncomfortable. He's marginally better at communication (look at his texts with Blitz and try to disagree with me). If you don't bring it up, Stolas will, whether its in person or not. He wants to set clear boundaries so as to ensure your comfort and the stability of your relationship. Now, he's a passionate person who wants a passionate partner. But don't think that it exclusively applies to sex. Stolas wants to be wanted. He would love nothing more than to spoil you with nights spent on Alpha Centauri (pls someone get that reference), trips to your favorite sight-seeing spots, extravagant evenings spent in the shopping districts. Of course, passion can be found in the simple things, too. When you get him a thoughtful gift, write him a poem, take photos of him, set up a date, the list goes on. At the end of the day, he can't complain. As far as Stolas is concerned, as long as you love him, he's the luckiest being in every universe.

Blitz doesn't know until he absolutely has to. He's flirtatious, for sure. But lets also account for his affinity for being stupid (I say it with love). When you tell him, he's surprised (mainly because most of the people he knows are horny). It's actually a nice change of pace. It takes some getting used to, but he really enjoys learning about what else a relationship can be. It's new- having someone not just want him for sex or to steal things or kill people. Someone just wants him for who he is. Of course, that doesn't mean he knows how to show affection. Blitz is so used to being flirtatious and "weird," so have a spray bottle ready at all times. It's not that he doesn't respect your boundaries, its that he's afraid you'll leave. He doesn't believe someone could just want him for who he is, and he projects that insecurity onto you and the relationship. They key to things with Blitz is time and communication. No matter what though, he does love you, so much it makes him afraid. But it doesn't matter, because you love him too.

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Good news, everyone! Alex Horne has chosen to bring back his lip synch skills! You know, the ones in that video of his stand-up that's somehow from 2014, even though it feels like the sort of thing that should be one of those old videos you find of a now-famous comedian performing in like 2007:

Anyway, that Zaltzman interview was fun. I enjoyed that he was wearing full cricket gear, not just messing around with a white shirt. Knee pads. Big mittens. Helmet with face mask. And, yes, carrying the bat. I love the idea of Andy Zaltzman finally getting a big break on TV, at almost 50, and saying he'll only do it if he can drag in an entire cricket uniform. No, no, not just a shirt. All of the gear. And the bat.

This is actually not the first time this week that I've heard these two interact. I decided to prepare for Taskmaster s18 by listening to the previous recordings of Andy Zaltzman with Alex Horne. Andy's done three episodes of Alex's 2013-2014 podcast Alex Horne Breaks The News, and he did one episode of The Horne Section's podcast.

Listening to those four episodes really drove home how many specific similarities there are in Alex and Andy's style of humour. They're not particularly similar overall, but they have a few fairly rare quirks in common, and are usually the only person in a room with those quirks, so it is fun to hear them put those to each other. I cannot wait to see them get to Taskmaster, and Alex tries to measure something in mice and Andy will not be put off in the slightest, will just start explaining why using cats is actually a more standardized system. Andy and Alex are both so big on tracking pointless stats.

All three of Andy's Breaks the News episodes were a lot of fun. Those were actually the 3-5 episodes I've heard of that podcast, as I listened to the two Ray Peacock ones earlier this year and liked those too, I might end up getting into all of that podcast. It's very funny. An excellent vehicle for showing off Alex Horne's quirky humour, and I always like being reminded how much of that humour was there long before Taskmaster.

I like how much of the Taskmaster origins you can trace in general, through Alex Horne's whole career. No More Women/Jockeys and We Need Answers are both Alex showing off his love of random pointless games. Tim Key has talked in interviews about how they used to play the stupidest games they could think of at university. And Breaks the News is Alex Horne making people play a variety of pointless games, which he introduces and scores in absurd ways with full commitment to the bit. I suppose making comedians play short silly games can't be called Alex Horne's invention, as it's the cornerstone of the entire panel show industry, but Alex has a signature way of doing it that's been consistent for twenty years. The way he'll ask the senseless questions with total sincerity. Throwing in unrelated things as though they go together.

Is it possible that Taskmaster rose above all other panel shows in national and international popularity because it's a rare panel show that was made in the image of the showrunner's genuine sense of humour, rather than just a concept based on what's previously worked with famous names attached? I mean obviously it was also a bit of the latter (I don't love the things about Frank Skinner like "used to be a lecturer who married his teenage student", but some things about him are better, such as "is the reason Taskmaster exists because no one else would do the show without a big enough name attached in season 1"), but I feel like it has more of the former than most shows.

Anyway, I'd say that of all the Horne/Zaltzman podcast interactions, the one that makes clearest their odd similarities is the Alex Horne Breaks the News with Andy Zaltzman and Liam Williams:

The above is an absolutely excellent podcast episode, I highly recommend it to anyone who likes any of the three people involved. Andy and Alex go back and forth brilliantly, getting a bit further than usual with their style of "present an absurd scenario but take it seriously", as they keep taking each other's scenarios seriously, which is where I get the idea that Andy will respond to Alex's Taskmaster mice measuring by converting it into cats. Andy Zaltzman is often so awkward on other people's podcasts, there's usually a beat missing where everyone else will be in their rhythm, and then Andy will just throw his weird lie-based joke at what they're doing, and it'll hit a wall, and the others will either find it funny or not, but it's hard for it to go anywhere. But in this episode, Alex is kind of also doing that, they get into their own weird rhythm, and every once in a while Liam Williams will throw one of his deep-voiced baffled cynical statements into the mix, and I think it's a perfect blend. I realize it might not say great things about the diversity of my comedy taste that I believe three straight white Oxbridge-educated men form the perfect podcast episode, but this is pretty much what I want out of comedy.

This exchange, however, is from the episode he did with Brett Goldstein (and Ian Smith as a very funny scorekeeper, it was a sideline role but he stole the show several times from there), and is probably the easiest summary of the sort of thing I'm talking about, when I say Andy Zaltzman's sense of humour is largely based on just... lies:

I love the Zaltzman lies, but it's so hard to find other comedians with whom they can fit into a panel show setting. Alex Horne might just be that guy, I look forward to hearing them go back and forth on Taskmaster.

And one more audio clip for this post:

That's from the end of last week's Bugle episode, with Andy bringing his usual level of smooth self-promotional skills to the plugging portion of the recording. The first of what should be many times that he has to plug his Taskmaster appearance, and I hope every single one is exactly that awkward. I'm also pleased to hear Nish Kumar and Tom Ballard will be the next guests, partly because they're an excellent combination and I don't think they've been on together in about a year, but mainly because those are two people who will not let Andy get away with not acknowledging that he's on Taskmaster now. This will be fun.

[forbidding-souda]

Hello! @tinieprince here! I just reblogged two of your headcanon posts about korekiyo with a partner who age regresses and I absolutely adore them!! I was wondering if you’d be willing to share some other thoughts on that? He’s just so comforting and I think he’d be the perfect fit for someone who’s in littlespace! He’s the number one person to go to for bedtime stories I can sense it! (I have honestly fallen asleep listening to a compilaton of him talking because wow he has the most soothing voice)

Shinguuji Korekiyo with a S/O in little space

i'm gonna combine a little bit of the stuff I already talked about with new things bc those fics were from like 4 years ago but they're still fire so here you go darling @tinieprince

-Mod Souda

❤ Obvious one first: gifts!

❤ Gifts from all over. His home is filled with artifacts and yours will be, too. You get toys from multiple cultures, especially baby dolls and things along that sort. He absolutely loves getting shit for you, he thinks about you all the time when he's gone. He will never stop spoiling you even if you ask him to stop. He will never stop. EVER!

❤ ^ And you get homemade blankets from many countries.

❤ He probably already knows what little space is / recognized it before you had to tell him.

❤ ^ And he isn't unnerved by it at all. Of course he's not. He knows everything about humanity, so he knows why people go into little space too.

❤ He loves it when he's reading in bed and you'll curl up next to him. Or even better, when you beg for attention. He'll happily put his book down and hold you into his arms.

❤ Oooooo imagine he has deer teeth rattles and things like that. And lullabies in many languages. I love him srry

❤ He will kiss your forehead for all of eternity.

❤ ^ Even if it's just through the zipper.

❤ His voice is soft and comforting, aaaaaa imagine him holding you in his lap and singing to you.

❤ He doesn't get annoyed by kid shows at all. And if you like coloring books be ready for him to lock in and color alongside you.

❤ ^ "Little one" as a pet name. "How marvelous that looks, little one."

❤ He'll always be okay with putting some work aside to be able to spend time with you. He loves working, but he loves you more. And his work won't get sad or disheartened if he's away from it for too long.

❤ If you aren't feeling good physically, as in sneezing or coughing or having a sore throat, he does not gaf he'll still be all up in your space cooing and you and comforting you. He will rock you in his lap if you let him.

❤ Imagine he does the catepillar thing where he wraps an entire blanket around you and folds it under but then he just goes "this is what they do to corpses before they bury them" and you're like damn LMFAO.

❤ Omfg you should a pacifier that matches the color of his mask.

❤ He's good at playing pretend or playing with dolls. Will probably get one of those big doll houses and then say it's for you (he wanted it too). Normal barbies mixed with scary homemade dolls.

❤ Will dress you and bathe you depending on your regression age.

❤ More than happy to feed you too.

❤ If you babble then he's going to respond as if he understands. "Fascinating, my love." / "Oh really? And what shall we do about it?" / "Beautiful, oh how beautiful you are."

❤ Will sing you songs from his childhood. You get to learn so much about his younger years from the stories he will tell.

❤ His bedtime stories are sometimes crazy as fuck tho ngl when he's not reading out of a book he's gonna loredrop about the Song Dynasty.

❤ "Go to sleep, little one. Let me tell you about the london beer flood."

❤ Any woman that makes fun of you is a goner sorrryyy had to add this one.

[t00thpasteface]

I forgot if I've already asked you this question, but who is your number one favorite Fictional Antagonist from Media? Rules are as follows; feel free to ignore:

If you want to choose a recurring villain like Bowser or The Joker, you have to choose a particular incarnation of this character. Like Alan Moore's Joker or Paper Mario 64's Bowser.

Specific Characters/Entities Only. You can't say, "Haunted Houses that aren't haunted by, like, a single ghost or anything in particular" like my mom wanted to. She settled firmly on "The Overlook Hotel" and she's a stronger person for it.

Villainous Duos like Boris & Natasha are accepted.

People have a hard time picking a #1, so you're allowed to list as many runner-ups as you like. Listen to your heart.

Protagonists who are their own worst enemies don't count!

Villainous characters who are protagonists in their story are very begrudgingly accepted. Whether or not George Costanza (A Villainous Protagonist) or Detective Columbo (A Heroic Antagonist) count is beyond the scope of this paper.

Thank you for your time!

hmmmm!! that's a really interesting question to chew on actually.

i'm not usually drawn to villains or villain-driven stories, outside of games that necessitate it as a gameplay mechanic or genre staple a la mario games or your standard JRPGs. and i wouldn't call a glorified game mechanic a character if they really don't do much besides throw barrels at the player to jump over. porky and giygas are exceptions but honestly not much; they aren't very complicated characters, even though they're snappily written, and most of where they shine is just the fact that they're one well-placed load-bearing piece in a larger cohesive narrative. they don't really capture my attention outside of their gameplay role.

i'm overall much more compelled by Romantic with a capital R stories about internal, oftentimes more abstracted struggles. i mean, i don't have to tell you that my favorite books EVER are "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "The Great Gatsby," both of which play with deuteragonists as foils to the narrator that inevitably spiral and leave the reader with something of a thought exercise regarding the intersection of nature versus nurture, intent versus action, past versus future, et cetera. the characters themselves are symbolic of sociological concepts so much larger than themselves, and because of that, they can't truly be classified into "hero" or "villian", because the topics those books grapple with are so incredibly messy and morally-fuzzy that the characters who exemplify them must reflect that same complexity and nuance.

as soon as a story starts to veer towards "all our problems are caused by One Guy who we can remove from the equation forever," it usually loses me, or if nothing else it just makes me zone out when the villain and his evil army of doom is on screen until we're back to introspective character-building moments between the protags, deuterags, etc. i'm the boring guy who likes slow, dialogue-driven things more than flashy show tunes.

ALL THAT BEING SAID......

villains really only shine (for me) if they're funny as fuck. that's the one way they can really get my attention as a character that has, by definition, been written into a unilaterally negative role that must be booed. they get to be FUNNY! and they get to be my favorite kind of funny: insane slapstick funny. i like seeing cartoony villains get absolutely pulverized, thrown around like wet dishrags, set on fire, flung off cliffs, you name it. the zanier the better. so here's my own elite 4 in ascending order:

fourth is 2012 avengers movie Loki. very hammy, very showy, extremely puncheable face, and he takes SO much physical punishment and writhes like a worm the whole time. super fun.

third is pokemon's Archie. emerald is my favorite game but archie SHINES in alpha sapphire. he's such a huge personality and he takes hits with a smile. and then he gets a big fuzzy redemption at the end because this is a game for kids, but even that is so over-the-top cornball that i just laugh and smile the whole time instead of rolling my eyes. a good wholesome time was had by all.

second is Mr. Burns in the simpsons. let me preface this by saying i really don't watch anything after, ehhhh, i'd say season 8 or 9, because that's about where my box sets ended growing up. any episode where Mr. Burns gets some slapstick gags about his incredibly frail body that runs on pure evil is a good episode. i especially love "the springfield files," "homer the smithers," "homer at the bat," and "who shot mr burns" parts 1 and 2.

and my favorite is undoubtedly Sheldon J. Plankton. similar situation as simpsons; i don't watch anything after seasons 1-3 and the first movie. he commands every single scene he's in, which is especially impressive given that he's literally just a single tiny copepod. he's got the best villain laugh EVER. he's even a delight in the game "battle for bikini bottom"... you GOTTA check out BFBB Rehydrated if you like the spirit and snark of the early seasons. i love him in "walking small," "F.U.N.," "the algae's always greener," and of course, the movie. he's evil! he's diabolical!! he's LEMON SCENTED!!!!

[whitecreekvalley-if]

Care to tell some facts about the ROs?

Fun or serious? I'll do fun little tidbits. Hard hitting angsty facts later, when you least expect it aye 🤌🏼 (this is me trying not to get too angsty at once because that's what I usually doooo)

Mason

On a first name basis both at the clinic in town and the hospital in the city. No self-preservation instincts. Zero. It's actually saved a lot of other people, houses, and animals, so bonus points for that. The nurses still look unamused when he comes through.

Does not trust roosters. Will never get a rooster for the ranch. Won't be caught dead near one of those feathered devils. (He's not afraid of rooster. He's not. Please believe him.)

Has a real hard time saying no to people and it almost got him unintentionally engaged (TWICE) before his friends were like hold up wtf dude. Alcohol might've been involved during one of these moments. Boy gets silly when he's had mezcal.

Alice

Like spice? Not as much as Alice you don't, she could eat a Carolina Reaper and go for another in half a minute. It freaks people out. Don't eat the chili at the potluck if you treasure your insides.

Has the most amazing memory. Forgot what you did on June 18th, 2016? She remembers. Need a reminder what to do five months from now? Personal calendar, let the lady know. It's a curse of you don't want to relive drunken shenanigans.

Total dog person. Sheep are great, but dogs is where it's at. You'll always catch her bringing one or two of her pups to the bar on slow weekdays. She owns many. Like 12 many, and they're all vital for the sheep farm. Absolutely.

Judge

Always, always has to sit with his face towards the exit(s) and back against the wall, otherwise he'll be tense enough to feel like solid rock if touched. He'll deal with not facing a door though. Just prepare for extra grouch.

His nickname used to be Joe. Joe. No one uses it anymore, for their own good. If you really want to burn bridges (or get the coldest glare), start quoting Don't Fuck With Joe by The Blackwater Fever.

Don't go hiking with him, whatever you do. This is a fella who smashes those long distance trails for fun, and has gone out for weeks and even months on end during extended vacations. 100 miles minimum to make the big lug take a relaxed breath.

Sadie

A living, breathing lie detector. She has a deep, intense interest in body language analysis, and listens to tonal changes so hard it looks like she's lost in though. But there's a very, very slim chance for anyone to lie to her and get away with it, which is a freaky skill for a lawyer.

Has never touched an animal bigger than her. Sure she's seen a horse, a cow, a bull, but she'll keep her feet firmly planted on pavement while the animals are out there in the pasture. Equal minding of own businesses.

No one plays poker with Ms. Sadie because they always lose. If the lawyer thing won't work out, she definitely has a future as a card shark, professional players better shake in their boots. Don't watch her shuffle the deck too closely. Or ask why she knows card tricks.

[sizzlingpatrolfox]

What's the point of th's supposed popularity if no one is listening to his music? He's basically an influencer at this point. The Kardashians have more ig followers than Beyonce and Taylor Swift, but they could easily lose those followers, unlike Beyonce and TS, who have the most loyal fan bases in the world. Quality over quantity, honestly.

Wdym his instagram likes don't matter???!?!?!

I think it has to do with everyone's obsession with "GP". Kths started that conversation around some grammys red carpet, I don't remember what year it was when they said "locals" kept asking if taekook were a couple. That's the first time I remember being taken aback and confused about this "gp" and "locals" validation. Then it was because he was in that kitchen show and they all went "omg gp darling this, gp darling that". And it hasn't stopped since solo era started. Do you have any idea of how tired I am of reading "gp" - take a shot everytime you go on army/solos spaces and read those letters.

Nobody cared about "gp" when BTS got all those billboard hot 100 positions and streams thanks to the huge fandom. As I've said before, BTS had a huge fandom for a while but only became somewhat "popular" (as in, random people would know about them - oh sorry, I meant precious GP would know about them) after butter or maybe my universe. Mind you, I've never in 6 years heard anyone in real life say "BTS". Literally Never. Meanwhile I just started this new job a month ago and I've already heard 3 different groups of people of all ages talk about Taylor. I've got students umproptly coming up to me and say "Miss, I've been listening to Taylor Swift songs to practice my English".

You'll see.. kpop fans are stereotyped as white, chubby/obese high school girls with blue hair who spend too much time online daydreaming about celebrities and have no life and get no sex. The truth is that some fans -even if they themselves are white chubby blue haired girls- are obsessed with not being associated to that stereotype. They don't want Taehyung's fans to be some miserable, lonely losers. They want him to have "LOCALS" admiration and respect. When the members opened their own ig accounts, those interactions were a gateway to that, mostly because instagram is you know.. theee place for the skinny, tanned, successful, pretty LOCALS.

I've always thought the whole obsession with "gp" and "locals" was so stupid. There's absolutely nothing wrong in having a big fandom. That's literally how BTS came to be what they were until last year, and armys weren't praying and begging for "gp" support. Taylor gets the numbers she gets because yes, many people around the world know her name and willingly listen to her music; but also because she has a huge ass fanbase. She's been building that fanbase for more than a decade. Three years ago, if you listened to Taylor you would've been considered a pathetic, lonely loser too.

At the end of the day, all this popularity talk it's just fans' own insecurities and their itch to distance themselves and the idol from the image of a "fandom" because they know what everyone thinks of people who are part of fandoms. Ironically, most BTS fans started out as people who didn't know anything about kpop -gp- and two years later they're getting hit tweets calling Jennie a lazy slut and saying "my fave is so popular amongst locals."

Taehyung stans clung to his ig interactions because they thought having the likes of "locals" made him more important or better in every way than the other members. However, in music, it's always better to have a huge fandom that will make eight hours long playlists of your song and play it multiple times a day -investing their own money and time on you- than it is to have random people liking your ig posts. And if what I'm saying it's not enough, take his china bar activities as an example. They bought almost a million albums; there's no 800k "locals" that would've bought his album.

[huntinglove]

What I expected to think about the characters vs what I actually thought of them after watching Hazbin Hotel

A little long because I tried to include as many characters as possible lol (also, I'm not a huge fan of the Hellaverse so a lot of the characters and their designs were brand new to me)

Sir Pentious:

He's kind of funny, I like his dirigible as well! His colors are a bit harsh though...

F/Od him and grew very attached to him, he was very sweet all throughout the show and he really deserves better than what he got

Egg boiz:

Silly little guys! How many of them are there?

They have names?!! I need to know all of them! I wonder if their personalities vary in any way or if they're just clones of each other. Do they have souls as well?

Charlie:

Big dreamer that will probably end up snapping and ruining her own plan

Determined and kind but a bit out of touch when it comes to other people around her, a nice soul that needs to learn how to listen

Angel Dust:

In it for the free stuff and overly impulsive

Dealing with heavy trauma and hypersexuality. Actually cares about people if they give him enough time, kind but stuck in a god awful situation, one of my favorite characters

Vaggie:

Intense but important character, really wants things to work out for Charlie and the hotel

Easy to tell she's an angel when you compare her design to the other characters'. Very supportive of Charlie, even when she 100% thinks that her ideas will go wrong. Interesting choice for a singing voice though

Alastor:

Thought I would F/O him, didn't. Love his aesthetic and mannerisms

His personality changed a bit, but I enjoy how easy it is to make him slip into a more menacing facade. Disliking technology must be awful when hell keeps adapting to it. I wonder who he made a deal with...

Husk:

Rude grump...

Actually cares about the people at the hotel but lives in constant exhaustion over being Alastor's "pet" because of their deal. Badass when he fights using his playing cards. I wonder what the bet between him and Alastor was...

Nifty:

Small critter?

Little chaotic lady, she can be really fun! Also, props for getting rid of that dick head

Cherri Bomb:

Fun! Impulsive and with one of my favorite designs, I like how she treats Angel, especially in Addict

Big kin, her personality is very similar to mine and I really enjoyed her scenes!

Lucifer:

First time seeing him! His design is very nice and balanced between the stylistic choices for angels and demons. I wish his demon was a bit more threatening though

He seems like a nice father to Charlie, I wonder what drove them apart. Lilith seemed like she didn't like allowing Charlie to spend a lot of time around him during the flashbacks...

His rivalry with Alastor is very funny, considering he's leagues above him, power-wise (at least according to the official scale)

Rosie:

Lovely! Such a fun character, plus the whole idea behind cannibal town is very interesting! I wonder if Alastor's affections towards her are genuine or if he just wants to get something out of her as smoothly as possible

Mimzy:

Plus size character, wonderful! Not a huge fan of her personality or the fact that she hides behind Alastor after getting herself in trouble, but she's most likely not the first or last to do something like that to him, especially in hell

Zestial:

One of my favorite designs in the show! I love his voice as well. He seems very polite and influential and I feel like there's a lot of potential for his character. I hope we get to see more of him as the show progresses!

Carmilla:

Very big hands, contrasts nicely with her otherwise sleek, ballerina-like design. Her archetypes and characteristics are very eye-catching and influential to the story. A caring mom and a powerful war lord, definitely one of my favorite characters in the show!

Vox:

Love his design and voice, not much else. For someone so powerful he seems to place his trust far too easily on random sinners and overlords. Seems far more obsessed with Alastor than he is in return.

Velvet:

My favorite of the Vees, her fashionista personality is very fun and I love the designs of the outfits she makes and wears. Doesn't seem very interested in anything that Vox or Valentino get up to, so I wonder why she joined them.

Valentino:

Ew.

Adam:

Ugh. Also, where is Eve?

Lute:

Beautiful design when unmasked. I like her personality, even if I'm not rooting for her side whatsoever

Emily:

My favorite angel! She's kind and very similar to Charlie, I hope she can change Sera's mind about the extreminations, especially now that the first soul to ever be redeemed is inhabitanting heaven!

Sera:

Seems kind enough but feels like she's holding back something very dark. I can't get myself to trust her

Lilith:

Beautiful, but not as good of a mother as I thought she would be. I wonder why she left Lucifer and Charlie by themselves. Did she make a deal with Adam or Lute??

[vinkumakkara]

there's something about how Julius assassinates the Alderman when he tries to kill Boss, like there is potential for something genuinely radical about the whole thing. there's the unused intro scene for the sr2 prologue where he tells Boss' charred almost-corpse "it had to be done" and how he hopes they'll "understand some day". like there was something bigger at play there than just them and the Saints and ultimately Boss might have even been just collateral damage. like maybe while Julius was locked up by Monroe he saw behind the curtain and what ol Dick "based his campaign ads on literal nazi propaganda" Hughes was planning, mayor Winslow dead by Boss' hands and the Saints' reputation suddenly in tatters (apparently). killing both Hughes - and probably more than a few of his cronies - AND Boss could have led to a major power vacuum in the city that might have majorly changed Stilwater, for better or worse who knows, but it could've been something big. something new

but then you get to sr2 and listen to the tapes between Julius and Troy and Hughes' name isn't even mentioned AND you find out Julius worked with Ultor and Monica Hughes to further the Hughes-Hughes/Ultor-now-just-Ultor Initiative and it's just like a lot of conflicting emotions with this character. in the sr2 prologue Hughes' death is even rolled on BOSS' shoulders which is just fucking insane - like Boss fucking sucks as a person but they still genuinely got dragged through the mud by Julius so badly it makes me mad in a very entertained way. there's something extra frustrating about the whole thing when so many players just take his words during Revelation as gospel too - Boss was The Bad Guy who had to die, end of - makes it even more fun just how fucked up the whole thing is. the game was marketed as a revenge story for a very good reason but why it's a revenge story is something people just dismiss as Boss being a psychopath on a rampage, like they're just Like That and they've always been Like That because Julius just told us they're like that, and surely we can trust Julius! i love it. it's like a horrible itch in your brain you can't scratch but somehow it's also really fun

[oddball-artz]

I am gonna flood your inbox, just warning you now 🤗

So, you want questions? I'll give some to ya.

1. How tall is Dalia?

2. If she was granted anything she could want, what would she want?

3. Any family? If so, who's she closer too?

4. How does she feel about colorguard? Is she good at it?

5. If she was friends with one of my own oc's? Who, and why would she be friends with them?

6. Lastly, if she was dared to eat dirt for 20$ would she?

Sorry for all the questions! I wanna know more abt her, and squeeze her like she's one of my blorbos.

Here we go, in order! :]

1, Dalia is 5'6, and she's also 15 and weighs around 160 pounds just to cover bases

2, if she could have anything, it would probably be peace of mind. She's usually worried about something or someone, and she puts her concerns about and need to protect those close to her above her own needs. She wants a way to just shut out her thoughts and have the peace her epithet can provide to others, but if she tries to use her epithet on herself it doesn't work, so she's constantly seeking out ways to get that peace, but her thoughts never go away, she can push them to the back of her mind but they're always there and she wishes they weren't. (Lowkey needs therapy tbh)

3, alr family wise she has a pretty big family(so many cousins but I'll make a tree later, I promise) but for immediate family she has 2 siblings, both younger. The middle kid is Esme, and she's 9, and she's pretty close with Dalia (even though some days she makes her wanna rip her own hair out bc omfg does this kid not listen). The youngest is named Jasper, he's 8, and he's sweet, but that doesn't mean he doesn't cause trouble, it's just that when he just does it's more sneakily than when Esme does it. When they play together, it's just basically this (https://youtube.com/shorts/7EVy_Bh6lNk?si=qKcONC0YZzcMUH2b sorry idk how else to link it) Dalia regularly walks in on them being like this and is used to it at this point. Her mom is pretty distant and is constantly working, and Dalia wishes she was around more. Her mom(named Avery) also just kinda pins her siblings onto Dalia whenever her dad isn't home. Her dad(named Carter) is a stay at home dad who's trying his best. He's got a lot going on, but despite it all, he's pretty close with Dalia. They have the same sense of humor, so if you put them in a room together, they constantly crack jokes at each other. He was on drumline when he was her age, and that's part of the reason she joined guard bc she wanted to be involved with the marching band like her dad. She looks up to him a lot.

4, she likes colorguard a lot, but there was definitely a learning curve. If you saw her at her first performance compared to her latest, you wouldn't think it's the same person. She gets super nervous before performances tho (she cried because of her nerves before her first real performance) but the more performances and practice she got under her belt the better her nerves have gotten(she still gets a little panicky before big shows and parades, but nothing compared to how it used to be)

5, Prolly Sabrina, i feel her idgaf energy would ground Dalia in a way(I have a lot of friends with that energy and idk why but it grounds me, so now figuring out why is Dalia's problem lmao) They also have similar music taste(Dalia playlist coming soon) If they were friends they'd totally send eachother fanfic for fandoms they're both in at ungodly hours of the night lmao

6, short answer, no (but if you push, yes.) Long answer no, and not because she's above eating dirt for cash but because she knows she'll probably get made fun of if she does. She folds to peer pressure pretty easy tho (people pleaser) and could probably be convinced to if you pushed her about it.

(Sorry this took so long to make lmao, and tysm for asking questions about her. Sorry if this is kinda bad. I'm a better artist than I am a writer)

[clouds-of-wings]

So many bands I listen to are switching to AI images for their promo material and it's obviously heartbreaking for me, but I've been trying to see it from their perspective. At least when it's small bands. I'm not making any excuses for Napalm's or Within Temptation's AI videos. They have the money and are screwing visual artists over out of greed or ignorance. But when it's a small independent band with a couple hundred followers?

"My band doesn't have enough money to hire a human artist for promo materials, so we use AI" is like the band version of "I don't have enough money to buy CDs, so I torrent music". Both are driven by capitalism-induced scarcity. Both are ethically questionable (*insert more nuanced take here*) ways to get something you don't really need, but want for yourself. But one is legal (hint: it's the one that makes giant (tech) corporations money) and one can get you a fine, even jail time in some countries (hint: it's the one that giant (entertainment) corporations think keeps them from getting money they would have liked to receive).

For a small band, the alternative to AI usually isn't "hiring a real artist", it's either "using a public domain picture" (better for me, not always fitting for them) or "not having visual promo materials except maybe an album cover and one video per album" (better for me, worse for them). Unless they have a friend who does it for free. Another parallel to torrenting. Usually when someone torrents, the alternative wouldn't have been buying the media, it would have been not consuming it. Because if it's not in your budget, it's not in your budget.

This isn't really a happy thought or an excuse... the conclusion is more or less that if you don't torrent then you're a sucker, because the artists you're trying to be honourable towards will screw others over for their benefit as soon as they have the chance too, so really what's the point in being the only one who plays by the rules?

I thought about this and remembered how this one musician I follow once said that especially in Latin America fans often bring burned CDs of his albums to meet-and-greets and he signs those too because he knows the legal CDs are much more expensive for a fan there than in Europe. I found it astounding that someone would have the cheek to show a band their own album as an illegal burned CD (I wouldn't even have done that in 2004), and kinda admired how understanding he was about the matter. Meet-and-greets are also not always at the concert venue, so you could get a judgement-free signature on a burned CD without buying a ticket.

...of course they're still his fans and the CD still has the band name on it, so the analogy is far from perfect. Image generation AI in its currently dominant form screws artists over worse than torrenting, I'm not arguing against that. The point is that I judge big bands and labels more for using AI than small bands.

"But they should just hire a cheaper artist or buy a stock photo!" Yes! They should! They absolutely should! Especially since artists, just like all creative freelancers, usually get their first jobs by doing cheap work for people with a limited budget. But can I demand it..? Is it the standard I hold other people to - or myself?

It just always comes back to the systemic issue - how almost no one doing creative work has a big enough budget and the artificial scarcity imposed by capitalism is pitting us against each other.

[whats-another-song-contest]

I keep reading comments all over how disappointing the first Melfest heat was and apparently the least-watched Mello start in over a decade. There are even predictions about a possible NQ of Sweden (which I won't believe in because, well, it's Sweden and practically guaranteed around 20 televote points from Finland & Norway). According to Crystal Ball ESC on Twitter the next two heats are going to be even weaker than the first one, and there are speculations about the contest being rigged for Loreen since she got the ultimate pimp slot performing last in the last heat. What are your thoughts?

Oh, interesting question!

My feeling is that people are overreacting a bit by saying things like Sweden might have a non-qualifier before we've even heard all the entries. Another thing which I always keep in mind with esc stuff is the divide between the fans and the general public, since their tastes can differ drastically (see Latvia last year). As far as rigging the contest, I would say that's unlikely. I think that like most years we have a bunch of medicore songs and a few good ones, and because Loreen garners the most interest and likely has one of the better songs they've put her last to let people engage with the rest of the entries before she gets most of the attention (I'm also of the opinnion that people put too much store in the influence of the running order - just because it's the factor we know beforehand doesn't mean it'll be the most significant one on the actual night, when so many more and less predictable factors come into play). But I also only keep up with tumblr and YouTube comments, so I can't really evaluate the nuances of what fans are saying elsewhere.

I get where they're coming from though. To me it feels like mello has been running on empty for years now. Unlike countries with less established national selection procedures, where the varied selection processes may result in more diverse and risky entries, Melodifestivalen feels like a bohemuth whose deep roots make it very hard to shift. There is a very particular and established public perception of what mello is and should be in Sweden, and behind the scenes there is a whole industry which also helps maintain this expected fascade (how tired aren't we of hearing that the same few names have written most of the entries?).

It's like I said in my post comparing mello to doctor who: at this point mello keeps moving mostly on built-up momentum. But momentum doesn't allow for the quick turns and adaptions other countries can pull off so effortlessly. Momentum isn't a creative force, it's a derrivative one. For many countries, national selections are a sprint to be undertaken each year. Mello is a marathon we've been running since Björkman revolutionised the format in 2002. Another simile would be a garden: most countries plant new annuals every year, some have nice bushes they've been tending to for some years, and mello is the big old oak at the edge of the garden. It's majestic and showcases decades of dedicated hard work, yes, but no matter how much love and effort we keep puring into it, trees still grow old and wither. This particular one probably hit its prime over a decade ago.

I'm mixing my metaphors, but I think you get the point. We live in a very different world to 2002. We listen to and engage with music in ways you would struggle to explain to a 2002-ian if you were to go back in time and try. I think it's beyond argument that mello needs not just a reform, but to be revolutionised - the way they did in 2002 - to keep it interesting and relevant to current audiences: both the fans and the public at large. The transfer of management from Björkman to the new team (which happened before last year's edition) would have been a great opportunity for this to be done, but the tiny changes which actually were implemented are barely worthy of the name in my opinion. Behind the scenes they may have made a difference, but the experience of watching the show is very much the same - if not worse (glances at the painfully predictible voting procedure).

Real revolution would take inspiration, and that would equire entusiasm from people deeply familiar with the current landscape available to musical audiences. Mello feels like it's gone in the other direction, toward a more corporate "make a formula and stick to it" assembly line type deal. Though, I guess mello has never been the place you went for musical innovation; perhaps my tastes have just diversified with age. Either way, I agree with the general consensus that mello feels stale. There's a reason esc is my main interest, and it's the diversity of the music and performances. If mello feels more and more restrictive, esc is a liberating breath of fresh air. I can't wait for May to arrive!

[youllallriseintheink]

Memory Lane

I know that having one's own fan cast for the Bendy characters is a bit out of fashion now, but I wanted to take out my Norman Polk and play with him like an old toy. I hope you all enjoy this.

---

The lost one struggled against his restraints. If he had anything resembling a heart, it would have been beating out of his chest. Behind him was the sound of the angel sharpening her sawblade. The lost one may no longer remember his former life, his name, or even the name of the lost one settlement he'd been plucked from, but he remembered one thing: the angel was dangerous.

The angel's high heels clacked against the floor as she came closer, moving slowly. Perhaps, the lost one thought, she was savouring the moment, watching him squirm. She began humming a little tune as she lowered the blade to the lost one's chest.

And that's when the lost one's life flashed before his eyes.

---

"So if they make it through all of the bases, that's called a home run?" Norman asked as he clung to his dad and the horse trotted along under them.

"That's right. And we used to watch the games in these big buildings called 'stadiums,' or listen to them on the radio. It was fun."

"When you get us out of here, can we go to a baseball game?"

"It'll be the first thing we do once we have money."

Norman snuggled into his dad's back. He usually had so many questions about the world beyond the commune, but at the moment he was fresh out of them, and apparently, his dad was fresh out of important explanations. Norman thought back on his father's explanations to try and come up with some more.

In the real world, when you own something, no one's allowed to take it away just because they thought someone else could use it more.

In the real world, a single accusation wouldn't end your life that quickly. We have courts that demand evidence. And the death penalty's rare.

In the real world, we aren't ruled by a single leader who claims to be chosen by God. We have leaders of cities, states, and countries, and we're allowed to talk smack about them and vote them out. Which is good because they still have too much power.

"Why do people in the real world let the leaders have too much power?" Norman asked. "Aren't they better than us?"

"No, they're made of the same stuff the people in here are. Look, I've explained a lot to you, but just assume that there's an unspoken 'but it's not that simple and there are still problems out there,' after every sentence, got it?"

"Got it."

The two arrived at the trapping grounds, which were about an hour's horse ride out from the commune. Norman's dad dismounted from the horse and tied it up as Norman slid off. The two got out their knives and set to work collecting rabbits and re-setting traps. Frost was melting off the plants as the sun rose, and as they worked, they talked. Out here, they could talk about whatever they wanted.

Just as they finished up, Norman spotted something: on a distant hill was a brown horse tied to a tree. The horse they'd ridden in on was black. At the distance, it was hard to tell if it was one of the commune's horses, but they were over five days' ride out from anywhere else, and there was no reason for anyone else to be there except to spy on them.

"Dad," Norman whispered. "Someone is here."

Norman's dad nodded. They would be quiet for the rest of the trip.

The lost one remembered feeling calm at the time, secure because he could tell his father felt safe so long as they took precautions. But the memory brought him devastation. It was days later that his father would be banished for corruption of a youth, and Norman never saw him again.

---

Norman had been mopping up muddy boot tracks on the corner store's linoleum floor when the clock struck five. He started mopping harder and faster so Elizabeth wouldn't be waiting for him. When he was finished and the mop put away, he met her at the front door and they headed out into the brightly-lit evening city.

"Not such a bad place to work, huh?" Elizabeth asked, smiling brightly.

"Not bad at all," Norman said. It had been very interesting seeing so many people come and go that day. Norman could see their faces calculating a thousand choices, most of them difficult. He and Elizabeth had joined the world at a bad time, it seemed. Something called "The Great Depression" had left a lot of people destitute. A whole lot of people had a whole lot less than their menial jobs and a family member to stay with.

The two got home to Liz's aunt's apartment. It was a nice place- homey. He’d heard that it wasn’t normal for a New York home to have so many crystals and dried herbs, but having just escaped the cult last week, he had little sense of what was normal out here, and if gaining one would keep him from appreciating little things like that, maybe he didn’t want one.

The two helped the older woman prepare dinner and ate together.

"I'm going to take a walk. See what i can find in the city," Norman announced once they were done.

“Can I come with you?” Elizabeth asked.

“Sure,” Norman said, unsurprised. He could see that she was attracted to him. She’d been rather nervous to be with him before because they didn’t have a choice. But now that they did…

The two set out to see what they could see. They went to a bakery, a bookstore, a pawn shop, and then heard whispers of a 'speakeasy' and decided to see what that was. They ended up ducking into what looked like a residential house but was full of people dancing, drinking, and laughing. Norman had never seen anything like it before. For a moment, he just stood there, people-watching. Joy and freedom were in the air.

"Wanna join them?" Elizabeth asked, pulling on Norman's arm.

"Why not?" Norman replied.

The two melted into the crowd. They passed by a couple of ladies making out, and Norman decided that he might as well give his own love life a shot.

"You know, I never wanted to be betrothed to you, because I don't want you to have to be with me, but... now that it's our choice, would you like to try dating?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, her green eyes lighting up as they met his.

The two made out in plain view of the partygoers. In the middle of so many oddball people, they fit right in.

The lost one remembered Elizabeth's love. It had lasted him a good, long time.

---

"And this is the music department," Mr. Drew said, leading Norman into a new set of bright, yellow-coloured hallways, "Can you imagine cartoons without music? I certainly wouldn't want to!" The two walked past a number of offices- one with a "deadline looming, do not disturb," sign on it- as Joey rambled about the importance of music to put some soul into cartoons. Before they knew it, they'd reached the end of a hallway, which culminated in a double door with the words "recording studio," painted across it in whimsical font. "And here's where the magic happens," he said, "And, conveniently enough, where you'll be working!"

Joey opened the door to reveal a number of musicians noisily playing their instruments. A red-haired, tired-looking older man was waiting for them. Norman could tell he was eager to see them and bored out of his mind.

"Alright, Vince," Joey said to the man. "Show Norman here the ropes and you can leave your role as projectionist behind and join the writing department. I'll leave you to it." Ah, that was why he was bored- he was a creative type in a not-so-creative job. No mysteries to this one.

Vince and Norman exchanged introductions, and Vince took Norman up to the projection booth. He guided Norman as he ran the film through the reels of the camera as the music department was in swing.

"I suppose I should be thanking you for taking the job off my hands," Vince said. "It's mindless work once you get a knack for it."

Norman nodded. "I hope writing suits you better."

He looked out at the crowd of musicians. He could see a lot of hidden crushes and a lot of hidden grudges. It looked like there'd be some fun drama in this place. That was another thing the lost one remembered now: he'd been incredible at reading people, to the point of considering it a power of his. It had certainly given him some entertainment over the years.

But Norman also sensed that a lot of the people below him were unhappy. Strained. Crushed. Up until then, the bright creative culture of the studio was making Norman wonder if Grant's cautionings about the place were overblown. Now, he could see Grant's point.

---

"Do you want to know something else about Joey Drew?" Norman asked Grant, grinning as he sipped from his golden finch coffee mug. Inside, his daughter Olivia was having a play date with Grant's two daughters.

"What?" Grant asked, an owlish excitement on his face. Grant loved hearing secrets about Joey. They took a bit of mystery from the man and made him less intimidating to him.

"Him and Sammy."

Grant stared at him, wide-eyed and skeptical.

"No joke, I've seen Sammy comin' out of Joey's office all flushed and showing all the signs of shame and fear and lust."

Grant laughed. "Well, I don't want to say it, but..."

"They deserve each other? I suppose they do."

Grant nodded. "It's hard to believe that someone with as much pride as Sammy would put up with someone like that. But then, with what you've told me about him... the inside really doesn't match the outside, now does it?"

"It absolutely does not. Anyhow, you're still having Shawn and Lacie over to for poker tonight, right?"

"Definitely. I can't wait for you to meet them."

"Daddy, look what I made!"

Olivia handed Norman a beautiful watercolour painting of a horse. Norman had studied a little art for his daughter's sake, but even the most naive person on earth could have seen the skill that went into it. Later on, he'd tell her what she'd done wrong and right with the anatomy and shading and whatnot, but for now, he didn't want to take her away from her playmates for too long.

"Good girl. I'll take a closer look at it later," he said, handing it back to her.

---

The halls of the studio had been dim that night. Ink oozed from the pipes and seemingly the very walls like a fungus, staining mosaics created by their artists and posters that had once contained positive messages like, "work hard, work happy." This place used to have at least the appearance of an almost saccharinely friendly workplace. Now, it was downright eerie. Filled with the same energy as Norman's childhood community. He hated it.

Norman had stayed late that night. Why? Simple. Sammy Lawrence had stayed late as well, despite the music department experiencing a rare moment in which it was well ahead of schedule with no work that could have been done early. Norman had already strongly suspected that Sammy was up to something. Anyone could have seen that Sammy had been very off lately, moreso than ever. And Norman could sense a great pain, guilt, and fear weighing on him. Like he'd killed someone and would have to again.

Norman was going to find out what Sammy was doing. He had to. He turned the corner towards Sammy's office, and suddenly felt a large metal object hit him hard and repeatedly on the head and jaw.

When Norman woke up, he was bound, gagged, blindfolded, and lying on the floor, covered in ink. Next to him was what was presumably another person, inadvertently rubbing against Norman as they squirmed and attempted to speak. No more than an hour later, Norman began to hear ink-covered boots sloshing against the ink-covered ground.

"Sheep, sheep, sheep, it's time for sleep," came the smooth and charismatic voice of Sammy Lawrence.

Norman attempted to get himself upright. An axe dug through his side. The axe slashed again and again at his torso as Norman rose unsteadily to his feet. Another slash and he fell, hitting his head and going unconscious.

That had been the last moment he'd been human, the lost one realized.

---

Norman came back to, still tied to the gurney. Alice used the saw in a circular motion on his chest. His instincts told him to be afraid of being pierced, but strangely enough, its contact was only uncomfortable, like pieces of him were being stretched too far as Alice made way for whatever it was she was doing. She took a knife and sawed through his neck, cutting off his vision and throwing the amputated head onto the floor, where it landed with a splat. He could feel her attaching wires into him and putting something that felt hard, cold, and circular onto his chest. Finally, she gave him an electric shock, and he could feel his new mechanical parts come to life. Norman could see again. She threw a lever and undid his restraints. He reached for his head and found… oh. A projector.

"There. Perfect,” Alice said, stepping towards him. “Do you trust me now that I've made you the fastest and strongest lost one in the studio? I know that you wouldn’t have agreed to this on your own.”

Norman’s mind was swimming. Why would she do this? Loneliness? Genuine benevolence? He wasn’t sure. But he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially to such a dangerous person. He attempted to thank her, but only a small, low, gurgling roar came out.

“That’s a good little mindless pawn. Now, are you going to stay near me and keep all the other nasties away?”

No, Norman thought. He had a lost one settlement to get back to. He began to wander out, taking a quick look back at Alice to see that she was smiling with satisfaction, blind to the fact that he had his mind back, however temporarily. He wandered out.

The halls Norman emerged into were ones he’d never seen before- Alice must have knocked him out quite a ways from here. Where was the lost one settlement he’d been tasked with protecting? He didn’t remember. It was like his memory was a leaky cup.

He had to find them, Norman thought as he began searching the unfamiliar halls. And he had to remember all the names he’d already forgotten once.

Apollo Polk. Elizabeth Polk. Shauna Polk. Grant Cohen. Olivia Polk. Susie Campbell. Sammy Lawrence. Shawn Flynn. Lacie Benton.

Apollo. Elizabeth. Shauna. Grant. Olivia. Susie. Sammy. Shawn… who was that last one?

At some point during his trek, he'd ended up lost. His lost one settlement was somewhere lower down- he knew it. But after going down a few levels, he couldn't find any more stairs that went downwards. Had he been down this hallway before? With the projector now permanently fused to his head, the lost one could illuminate dark hallways. Had it been dark where he came from? He didn't remember.

Some time into his wandering, Norman found a tape recorder containing his voice. He kept it with him. He had to remember who he was, even if that was all he remembered.

Sometime later, the lost one realized that he had a tape recorder in his hand and had a vague idea that it was important. Why? He couldn’t remember. He was wandering. Why? He couldn’t remember. But he knew it was important.

The lost one wandered, killed, and forgot until one day, a thin, one-eyed man came into his territory with humanoid abominations made of wires and tubes. The lost one fought. He killed several of them. But in the end, he was dragged off, incapacitated, and left to lay immobile and suffering.

---

“He’s waking up!” came a female voice that Norman didn’t recognize. Norman pried open his eyes, shielding them from the overhead light with his…

His hand. His hand was no longer thin and black. It was sketchy, like any ink creature’s, but it was the same long, scarred, hand and long, thick forearm he’d had as a human. Norman sat up to see the woman crouched down next to him.

“My name is Audrey,” the woman said. “I put you through the machine to give you your mind and body back. Did it work? Do you remember anything?”

It was then that Norman saw the people waiting for him at the door. Alice Angel was there, but her smile looked like that of Susie Campbell. With her were inky versions of Grant, Shawn, and Lacie.

“Yes,” Norman said. “Yes, I remember everything.”

[lhenn]

Tag "9" people you want to know better

Tagged by @alma-amentet thanks! Always fun to take part in these

3 Ships

1. Zoro & Sanji (ZoSanZo) (One Piece) (and per extension my D&D OC Kaze and an NPC from the campaign named Muharib, they reminded everyone of them)

2. Soul & Maka (Soul Eater) (I'm not really obsessed over them, I just think they're sublime and have a special place in my heart)

3. Idgie & Ruth (Fried Green Tomatoes, they have all my heart and more and there isn't a single time I don't cry with them)

(probably should have added Erik & Christine, but even though I love them, I think the ones I mentionedhave sticked with me for far longer)

First ship

Well. Tough one. Since I became interested in fandoms? My first interaction with a fandom was due to Naruto being super gay with Sasuke, then either SasuNaru or NejiTen.

If not counting interacting with fandoms, earlier I really liked maybe Usui and Misaki from Kaichou wa maid-sama!

And from when I was a kid, I'm really not sure, but probably Eragon & Arya or Westley & Buttercup. I really liked them then.

I'm not really a "shipper"?, I have my preferences but I don't usually become focused with many of them.

Currently reading

Two years ago I started re-reading again (3rd time) Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima (I really adore this saga), but stress with university, switching from reading in Spanish to English (not being so used to it then), got me into a block soon after starting The Gray Wolf Throne.

Since then, I've read many manhwas/mangas/mangwas, some of them still not finished (Define the Relationship, Under the Green Light, Thirst...) (Mature content, be wary)

I also tried to go back to reading by beginning Treasure Island... it didn't quite work. I've read 4 chapters or so. Will go back to it in a few weeks probably, after exams.

Currently I am properly reading When the longing returns and Squirrel Girl, plus some D&D stuff from the campaign I'm currently playing.

Last film

Funny 'cause it's Treasure Planet xD

Last song

Well, this is a tough one, when I began writing this I was listening to "Hey, Little Songbird" from Hadestown and then "Todo Arde" by Juan Navazo, 6 songs later, right now Phantom of the opera (cover by Reinaeiry and Chloe Breez) is playing xD

Currently craving

Another D&D session for sure. I'm starving, I don't think I'll make it 'till the 25th

I mean, money, always money. I'm a currently unemployed broke student and living with my parents is driving me even more insane. Hopefully I'll land a job this summer coding as a still studying junior, the same one I intend to do my internship at next year. I won't make much, but I might be able to pay my part of a shared appartment with some friends once I've finished my current studies.

A hug, hormones have been driving me mad these past two days and I've been so so soft. Still am. I would like to drown in a big embrace, but honestly, right now, I don't have anyone I would like to give me that kind of hug. Am I weird? Haha I'm just not really a "touchy" person.

Time to draw and write, lately I haven't been able to.

Tagging: @night-unfurls-its-splendour @birdstooth @carpeossa @dross-the-fish @erik-carierre @gee1puu @jenjanart @muirin007 @royalavera @rose-margaritas @tondroom @toastjadan no pressure to join, and anyone who sees this and would like to participate is more than welcomed 😊

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

for a second I thought maybe the collabs are because (aside from him probably wanting them) he didn't nearly have enough time to do his own things but that doesn't make sense because

pretty sure a lot of those songs were already made, he just needed to sing them and create/learn the choreography &

yes they're all English and created by other people (not a criticism just an observation) but those could've still been solo songs? Like them being English singles doesn't mean they needed to be collabs

I'm not sure why I had that original thought lol.

I think maybe it's the label's influence (the American label). something to do with the marketing and introducing him to different audiences in America. Plus It's not like JK would be opposed to working with different artists he finds cool.

I am hesitant about his album though. The tracks might not all be collabs but at this point I don't think any of the songs are gonna feel like him at least the him prior to chapter 2. And I think they'll all be English (which isn't necessarily a bad thing because English songs can be meaningful, but I don't think they'll go for that. Hope I'm wrong)

I would've said differently before I discovered 3D and Seven were part of the album, but now I think this is the case.

They want his name out there and known across America as much as possible before military and before he'll literally be absent for almost 2 years.

But then that makes the whole thing so confusing!!

Well, collabs have the obvious advantage of getting fans of the other artists to listen to Jungkook's songs as well, and possibly becoming fans. I think it also helps Western audiences accept Jungkook, since he's already been "accepted" and "vouched for" by American artists. It gives him more credibility? If it was just Jungkook, maybe his solos would be regarded as side projects, and maybe his streams and records would be seen as the BTS fever effect. But with popular artists credited to his songs, I think that confers Jungkook a certain degree of legitimacy, and maybe shows he's interested in reaching a broader audience and in really building a name and career for himself. I can see the pros of the collabs. At the same time, those can quickly become cons if Jungkook just becomes the dude who only does collabs and can't succeed on his own. So far, all of his solos that charted well and had radio play have been collabs - L&R, Seven and 3D. Now that people know who he is he definitely needs to establish himself solo.

Regardless, he did a poor job choosing the collabs. It's obvious that the alternate version of 3D's better than the main one, and the reason why 3D isn't doing nearly as well as Seven is that, apart from Seven being his anticipated solo debut and having a trendier, and I'd say more tasteful, sound, even Armys didn't like Jack Harlow. The fandom itself isn't responding very well to the song. The MV was lackluster compared to Seven, which had made every Army's Y/N fantasy come true, and if the first song about sex shocks people, the second one is just more of the same. Worst of all though is probably Jack's feature. The lyrics are terrible and sexist, he's not a particularly liked rapper, many fans (like me) are only streaming the solo version and the solo and alternate versions doesn't even combine on Spotify. The way Big Hit lets BTS collab with problematic or not very well respected artists is insane. It's like they'll take anyone and don't even bother understanding what fans want. There are tons of respected, liked and very popular artists that would love to work with BTS and they chose Jack Harlow? They could've fucking asked Cardi B (who is problematic too but generally well liked), and she probably would've said yes. They could've brought back Megan.

The thing is that I don't think Jungkook even knows or understands that Jack Harlow ain't shit. He likes him, but not that many people seem to, which actually surprised me because I thought he was a big name. It's Big Hit's job to at least inform Jungkook of that or suggest other artists. With Latto the problem (aside from the racists tweets that I either misinterpreted or everyone chose to ignore) was more that no one knew who she was and he helped her career more than she helped his. However, since she's an up and coming rapper, it's a much more interesting feature, introducing him to a more specific type of audience and also showing that he's serious about music because he noticed her talent and chose to work with her even if she's less known.

The point is, people loved Seven, including Army, and mostly liked Latto, but the response to 3D has been very lackluster, and Jack is a big reason why. I wonder if Bad Decisions wouldn't have done better with different people, even if the song is Benny Blanco's.

I also think the 3D MV was a huge mistake. I saw someone on Reddit say Jack Harlow's parts give Blurred Lines and it tracks. I watched the MV yesterday and even Jungkook's parts aren't great though. The choreography is poorly shot and Jungkook's dancing doesn't look that good, the dance practice video is miles better. After Seven, which was a huge production, with a beautiful, famous actress and Jungkook being the goofy lover boy, the 3D MV is so low effort. It killed the hype for the song. And Jack dominates the track too much, it's ridiculous. I like the alternate version quite a bit, but Big Hit and Jungkook need to be smarter. I think Jungkook lacks self-confidence and is too humble to realize he's better on his own. He still has this mentality of "the more the merrier, I'll take anything", when he should've listened to the alternate version and realized the feature needed to, at least, be shorter.

As for collabs in other artists' tracks, those are an easy way of having more songs and getting his name out there, since he doesn't need to look for the songs or perform them. He just does a bit of work in the recording booth and that's it. Hybe doesn't even need to promote the songs much either, since that falls more on the main artist. However, again, it's not just about having more songs and exposure. His image matters, the kind of discography he cultivates matters. He needs to be choosier. He can't just take anyone, which at this point feels like what he's doing. It gives less "I'm a pop star" and more "I'm just a nobody from Korea who will take anyone who will help me and isn't big enough to attract more high profile names". I don't know how to express that in a non cruel way. This is really the vibe I'm starting to get, despite Jungkook carrying all of those songs and being so big already.

I don't know what to expect of his album, but 3D didn't help build up anticipation for it. I don't even know if 3D will debut on the top 10 of the Hot 100 and Army is way less excited about Golden now. At least Seven is still going strong. I remember when Seven dropped. 3D only had a week's notice which didn't help, but when Seven dropped the timeline was insane. The horniness was off the charts. The explicit version, as cheesy as it was, had everyone grabbing their hair. When 3D dropped, the reaction was much smaller, and a lot more negative. Visuals matter a lot, and 3D didn't have them. Jungkook also showed everything with Seven, so flashing his abs and talking about sex isn't going to shock people anymore.

Anyway, it's a shame, because I like the solo version of 3D a lot, the choreo is much better than Seven, the performance is better too, and I love Jungkook's vocals so much in the alternate version. I pray he does that high note live. I don't even mind the lyrics. 3D needed a much better MV and no Jack Harlow. I won't even complain about Latto anymore, since, in comparison, she fit Seven better, had less screen time and lines, and helped the song be better, and not worse, received. Maybe I'm biased because I only know what's happening in kpop spaces, but...

Thanks for the ask! Sorry for the rant...

[muchadoaboutnot]

⚔️

It's typical and of course, comforting the first person to come to her is Varric.

Composed, unconcerned, airy attitude he has about him tells her everything she needs to know. Obviously, he saw her walking around with Samson earlier and needs to know every detail STAT.

"So... Where's your friend?"

"Taking a bath."

"How scandalous."

Is their first exchange. The laugh that both of them emit is as familiar as if they were blood family, but she thinks made family does the job even better. Either way the pair walk side by side and shes in a much better mood than when she left the tower. Yet Varric's voice brings her back to her task, she's steering them towards the small stalls that have been set up in a makeshift marketplace the Hold has. "I thought you were supposed to be watching him at all times? Sparkler let a few of us know what's going on after Lucky told him."

"I locked the tower door, he's not getting out."

Her response makes Varric chuckle because technically Leto is already not holding up her part of the deal but she was never one to listen to rules.

"He'll be fine! He's got a hot bath, a whole room... Sans food and water, but he'll get that later."

"I'm sorry, are we talking about a human or a Mabari?" The playful tone is there in Varric's voice but something else.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying, he's not a plaything, you just lock him in the tower and walk off."

Leto thinks about Varric's words but gives the shorter man a look of her own unconcern. "I'm aware he has feelings, thoughts, and many other things- but I'm not going to wait in the tower while he bathes when I can easily accomplish getting him new clothes so when he's done he doesn't have to wear his prison clothes."

To emphasize that, Leto walks them over to one of the vendors that has standard-looking shirts and pants. Pre-sewn for all the people who've joined the army so far, it's easier than sewing on the spot for the sheer amount of people.

"Shopping for him? Wife activities if I've ever seen, and coming from you?" Varric gives Leto a lively look. While she herself just hushes him.

"So you're going to say Mabari first and now he's my husband? Make up your mind."

"Hey, you said husband, not me."

Leto's mouth is in a line, causing Varric to grin and raise his eyebrows at her.

"No. No this is not like one of your novels, Hard in Hightown. We are not playing at any games, I literally just took him from the cells and am..."

"Caring for him."

"It's required, he can't exactly walk around freely and do it himself."

After that Varric does drop it, letting Leto pick out several outfits that'll last training sessions and a normal day in the Hold. Everything is folded and placed into a rucksack.

"Did you hear about Orlais?" They're walking back now and the change of subject is appreciated, so when Varric brings up Oralis she raises one eyebrow in curiosity.

"No? Well, that's not true, I heard about what happened with... Blackwall or Rainier... I don't know... How should we address him now?"

"He goes by his name now. Thom Rainier, since you know, The Inquisitor pardoned him. But no, that's not what I'm talking about."

Intrigued now, Leto gives Varric her full attention as they walk on, passing a few people who say hello.

"Something is broiling over there."

"Something is always happening with those people, it's their past time to be dramatic."

Varric concedes and does nod his head, but he pushes on.

"No, no, but there might be a big party in a few months and I hear The Inquisition might be invited."

Leto is unsure at this point whether to still be interested or not, she does like courtly intrigued but at the same time it brings up old memories and it dampens the fun. Her mother made her act like a noble once upon a time, or tried, which granted she was noble on her mother's side. But mostly Leto just felt like... Nothing really. Just herself.

"Oh? Who do you think Hestia will take with her?"

"If she could, probably all of us. Even you and Beatrice included. But I know the council will have to come: Ruffles, of course, Nightingale, and Curly. But I know for sure Buttercup."

They exchanged knowing looks at each other.

"... Saw them eating cookies together on the roof."

"See. That's the romance I like to see, simple pleasures."

The smile each of them has on their face is the warm gooey kind, yet they're each thinking about something different as they walk together. Companionable silence between them now.