#code: swap 2023

[vexfulfolly]

Surprise @mythandlaur ! Kitty and I pitched in to make you a special (double) pinch hit! She made the fic, I made the fanart.

I hope you enjoy your @code-swap gift for this year!

[code-swap]

This brings an end to Code: Swap 2023! Thanks for joining!

We had a great turn out this year, and with all pinch hits successfully gifted, we’re happy to pass the torch to Code July!

Also please keep your eyes out for a post in the near future, we’ll be looking for some help in organizing Code: Swap 2024 (and some other secret, really fun activities we’ve got planned)!

Thanks again! We look forward to seeing you next year!

Kitty & Vex

[cosmicpines]

Hi, this is my Code Swap for @lilcuppacoffee! I'm so, so sorry this is so late. I struggled a lot figuring out what I wanted to do with your prompts. I ended up combining two of them in a way I hope works well.

Yumi’s cell phone buzzes, and years of biweekly near-death-unless-you-act-NOW reflexes make her dig into her pocket, heart immediately pounding, until her brain catches up to her gut and she remembers that they’re all safe now. She could ignore the text, finish reading her book. She could be a bad friend, a frustrating teenager and suffer no worse consequences than someone being a bit annoyed at her. She didn’t have to face a potential message that she had to make a decision that she wasn’t sure how to make, even now. She could just –

Buzz.

Her heart pounds again, and it’s so stupid it makes her roll her eyes. “Yeah, alright, you win, phone,” she mutters, taking it out. Two texts from Aelita greet her:

“Hey, do you want to go to the mall in like an hour?”

“I know this is sudden, so no worries if not.”

Yumi’s midway through punching out a reply – yeah, sure! I wasn’t doing anything anyway. Where should I meet you guys – when another one comes in.

“Just the two of us?”

Yumi pauses over the send button for a moment. She had assumed that this was a lunchtime group discussion she missed because she wasn’t on campus today. Deleting the last word of her message, Yumi has a pit in her gut that she can’t seem to get rid of.

Pushing forward, she sends her text, and Aelita replies almost immediately.

“Great! : ) I’ll meet you by the bus stop at Constellation.”

Yumi smiles at her phone, and puts it back in her pocket, still feeling uneasy and not sure why. She fitfully tries to read for another half hour or so before she needs to walk to the bus stop until she gives up. Bookmarking her book, she stands from the floor, sliding her phone back in her jeans pocket. It takes her until after getting her bag, saying goodbye to her parents, putting on her shoes, walking down the street, and seeing a group of two girls laughing with each other to realize what’s bugging her.

She and Aelita haven’t hung out alone practically ever.

One of the girls is teasing the other one about her singing, which she hems and haws at a bit before breaking into a fit of giggles. Yumi passes by them, tearing her eyes off as soon as they could see her. Not that it mattered, she realizes as they pass by – they’re too busy paying attention to each other, too busy having a free and easy conversation with each other. Yumi scowls as they go by.

“Nothing worth worrying about, Yumi,” she mutters to herself, pushing the thoughts away. “Come on, you can handle this.”

Aelita’s already at the bus stop when Yumi gets there, waving. It’s late spring, the first day of the year where you can get away with not wearing a jacket. Yumi’s wearing one – a black leather jacket she picked up off a thrift store rack, falling apart but comfortable – but Aelita isn’t, dressed in a pretty pink coat over a purple dress. She’s carrying a huge, empty bag.

"Planning on buying a lot?” Yumi asks as comes within earshot, and Aelita giggles.

“Yes, actually,” she says, a wicked sparkle in her eyes, “I’m planning on buying a new wardrobe.”

“Oh, what?” Yumi widens her eyes, “Why?”

That was a stupid response, Yumi scolds herself, but Aelita just laugh. Before she can answer, the bus pulls up. They both clamber on board, awkwardly putting money into the machine by the door. The bus is absolutely packed, and there’s only one free seat. Yumi points her thumb at it. “You want it?”

Aelita nods – “Thanks!” – and sits, leaving Yumi holding onto the hanging straps as the bus starts moving.

The bus is anything but silent, between the loud rumble of the bus’s engine to the chatter of people talking to each other. Yumi silences the anxieties bubbling in her stomach by speaking, “You know, I did the same thing when I started at Kadic.”

“Oh, really?” Aelita looks up, still smiling. Yumi sees her put her phone in her pocket quickly, “You mean you weren’t born goth?”

“Haha, very funny. But yeah, my parents were cool about it. Starting a new school, they wanted me to be happy. I’m sure they were more expecting I’d try to wear things to fit in, but I was never a big fan of that.”

“Mmm, yeah,” Aelita’s staring out the window, “I was homeschooled, so I never had to worry about that kind of thing. One time, though, I – this one girl I knew, I think she…” Aelita furrows her brow, her sentence trailing off. The city reflects in her eyes, and her face drops to a dull, quiet look. After a moment, right when Yumi’s considering saying something, Aelita shakes her head and turns back to Yumi, grinning widely. “Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re almost there.”

And before Yumi can say anything, Aelita stands up and walks to the front of the bus. Yumi watches her, and mutters to herself, “What was that all about?” before following her friend’s lead.     

The mall is smaller and smellier than Yumi remembers it being, but, then again, she hasn’t been here in several years. The sparkling-white floor sticks ever so slightly to her boots as they walk through the halls alongside crowds, ignoring stands of people selling knick knacks or eyebrow waxes. Yumi struggles to keep up with Aelita, who is walking determinedly forward, seemingly having a goal in mind. They walk past some of the stores Yumi would usually peg as more of Aelita’s style – preppy, light colored clothing with smiling models in the windows – and she’s trying to figure out where she might be going when Aelita makes a sharp right and Yumi has to hoof it even more to keep up.

“Jeez, Aelita,” she mutters, seeing that she walked into just about the edgiest store Yumi’s ever seen, and that’s saying something. It smells musty, like the employees are wearing a pound of body spray each. They’re older teens, all wearing thick black eyeliner and aggressively trendy clothes. Aelita’s easy to spot with her bright hair among the rows and rows of dark clothing, and Yumi catches up to her.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to give me the slip,” Yumi half-jokes, but Aelita has the decency to look sheepish as she flips through shirts on hangers, pressing a button on her phone through her pocket.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” she says, pulling a semi-transparent black shirt out, “What do you think of this?”

“Not really what I’d call your style,” Yumi answers.

“Perfect,” Aelita nods, hanging it over her arm. “Help me pick out some more stuff like that.”

She’s got a wicked little smirk on her face, and Yumi’s taken aback for a second before laughing, “Alright, princess, if that’s what you want, let’s go for it.”

The nickname feels foreign on Yumi’s tongue, despite having heard it a million and a half times, and it sends another uncomfortable anxious pang through her stomach. Aelita meets her eyes for a fraction of a second, eyes widening, but after a moment, laughs with a smile that doesn't quite meet her eyes, continuing to dig through the racks.

Together, they gather armfuls of the most garish clothing in the store, joking and snarking the entire time. Every item is either pitch black, a garish neon color, or a pattern that hurts to look it. There’s a bucket full of hair accessories – feathers, pins, clips, cheap hair extensions – that Aelita just picks up and carries with her. The employees look at them with judging glances and snicker behind their hands. It makes Yumi want to call them out, but Aelita seems completely unconcerned, moving through the store with a determined look on her face.

Finally, Aelita’s apparently endless desire for clothing satisfied, she heads to the dressing room. Yumi sits on the bench outside, having not picked out anything for herself.

“Thanks for coming,” Aelita says through the door. Yumi can hear the rustle of clothing and the clatter of hangers as Aelita moves around, although she can’t see her friend.

“Of course,” Yumi says to the door. “Though, I’m not sure you’re accomplishing getting a new wardrobe out of these things.”

“Oh, come on, Yumi!” Aelita tuts, “How is… hold on…”

Yumi hears the sounds of a zipper being done and undone and hears Aelita quietly swear to herself, and it makes her snicker. After a moment, the door opens, and Aelita steps out, dressed in a ridiculously overcomplicated mess of zippers, fluff, and belts. Every movement makes the zippers jingle.

“How is this not peak fashion?” Aelita asks with a smirk, and Yumi fails to stifle a laugh.

Aelita looks at herself in the mirror, and Yumi has to admire the calculated look in her eyes. She’s not just doing this to look goofy, she realizes – she’s actively assessing what she does and doesn’t like. Yumi’s heart skips a beat as she realizes Aelita’s not joking around. Whatever she’s looking for, she’s serious. Furrowing her brow, Yumi stands and walks over to the mirror, humming quizzically.

“Well,” she says, “I think the jacket is pretty good, all things considered. The shirt,” she gestures to the shirt, which is bright green leopard print with artsy tears in it, “Definitely not with that skirt,” she points to the checkered black and purple pattern, “Clashes like crazy. I’d pick one or the other.”

Aelita nods, “I think I like the shirt. I wear too many skirts; I was hoping this one would be different enough I’d like it.”

“Really? You, too many skirts? What happened to you asking Jeremie to put that little skirt on over your new Lyoko outfit?”

Aelita laughs, but there’s something forced about it, and, after a moment, rushes back into the changing room. The sound of clothing rustling starts up again, and Yumi’s left looking at the door, mildly surprised. She and Aelita might not be as close as they look to be on paper, but even she can tell the girl is upset about something. It’s the way she keeps smiling after every sentence she says but cuts conversations off. It’s how Yumi keeps seeing her phone screen light up in her pocket. Something happened; she just can’t tell if Aelita is trying to get her to ask about it or is trying to talk about anything but.

“Hmm, Yumi?”

“What?” Yumi blinks, shocked out of her momentary daze.

“Can you get me these pants the next size up?”

A pair of black jeans flies over the top of the dressing room, and, instinctively, Yumi leaps forward to catch it. She goes wide, and her boots screech against the floor as she balances herself.

“You alright?” Aelita asks, “Sorry, should have made sure you were ready!”

“No, no, I’m fine!” Yumi says, “I’ll get it for you.”

As Yumi goes back to the store, she frowns. After a moment’s hesitation, she pulls out her phone and texts Ulrich.

“Hey, did something happen with Aelita?”

While Yumi searches for the right pair of jeans, her phone buzzes.

“Not that I know of?”

“Huh. She’s acting kind of weird.”

“Weird bad?”

“Weird upset,” Yumi texts with one hand and flips through pants with the other, “Do Odd or Jer know anything?”

“Haven’t seen them today. Been at soccer. Do you need me to find them? I can make an excuse.”

“No, I don’t want to make a big deal if it’s nothing. Or if it’s one of them.” Yumi pauses a moment, before texting, “Thanks, though. You’re sweet.”

She knows Ulrich well enough to know his face doesn’t match his text, which just says, “np”. Allowing herself one moment to smile at her phone, she finally finds the pair of jeans she needs.

They spend the rest of the afternoon like this, going from store to store, trying a huge variety of fashion styles. Aelita makes a wide breadth from any store of her typical style, and Yumi’s happy to indulge her, even if she knows next to nothing about fashion. The bag on Aelita’s arm increasingly fills with shirts, pants, accessories, and shoes. The one thing Yumi pulls her away from is a hairdresser advertising quick dyes – “No permanent changes on a whim, that’s a rule,” – and, despite her momentary protest, Aelita goes with her.

Yumi becomes increasingly aware that something happened, though. Every time the conversation drifts to the guys, Aelita snaps it back to anything else – her new clothes, school, gossip, dinner plans – with a huge, fake smile. It reaches a point that it’s grating on Yumi’s nerves, but she keeps going along with it.

It’s late in the afternoon and they find themselves in a department store. Yumi’s exhausted, but Aelita’s still looking for something formal, so they decide on the one last store. They walk into the section with dresses, and Aelita walks around the models, arms clutching on the huge bag. Both of them are chattering with each other about nothing in particular but Yumi’s watching Aelita carefully. She walks by a pink dress and grabs at it instinctively, rubbing the fabric between her fingertips. Her eyes sharpen, and she lets go, stepping away purposefully, walking across the room towards a black one. Yumi hesitates, frowning, then follows Aelita. They find a dressing room in the back of the store that a sleepy attendant lets them into; no other customers are anywhere nearby.

“One last one, thanks again,” Aelita apologizes, before closing the door.

“No, it’s no problem, really,” Yumi says, taking a seat. The familiar sounds of clothing rustling begin, and Yumi drums her fingers against her leg.

“Do you remember Ms. Hertz’s unit on titrations?” Aelita asks, “I think she teaches it pretty poorly. I was just saying to J – well – I –,”

Yumi hears her fumble over Jeremie’s name, and, finally, gives in, “Aelita, are you okay?”

There’s a moment where only the muffled music from the main area of the store plays, alongside the clicking and scraping of clothes and hangers in the changing room.

“Yeah, it’s nothing.” Aelita finally says.

“No,” Yumi cuts into the silence that follows, “No, I get enough of this ‘yeah, it’s nothing’ nonsense from Ulrich.”  

“Well, he's emotionally stupid. I’m fine.”

“Aelita,” Yumi insists, standing up and approaching the changing room door, “I don’t appreciate being lied to.”

She gives Aelita a moment to reply, but, not doing so, Yumi continues, voice growing in volume, “You’re completely changing your look, ignoring anything that you see that looks anything like what you normally wear. You keep talking about nothing, directing all conversation away from the guys. You asked me to go the mall out of nowhere, when we basically never hang out. Something is wrong, and you’re refusing to tell me.”

Yumi breathes out, frustratedly. Aelita continues to not reply, but she’s stopped moving around, too. Yumi stands on the other side of the changing room door, wishing she knew how she could reach her.

“I broke up with Jeremie.”

Yumi’s eyes widen at the door. “You – what?” she says dumbly, her mind drawing a blank.

After a long moment, she hears the quiet pat of Aelita’s feet against the floor, the rustle of clothing on a rack. “Yeah,” Aelita says.

The door opens, and Aelita’s wearing the black dress. It’s long and ruffled, brushing against the ground, a few inches too long. She’s staring determinedly at the floor, not making eye contact as she pushes past Yumi to the mirror. Yumi turns, looking at her own reflection in the mirror.

“But… why?” Her heart sinks, and she’s suddenly angry as possibilities flash through her head, “Did he do –,”

“No,” Aelita interjects, quickly, snapping her head up. “No, he’s fine. It’s not that. It’s…”

She turns back to the mirror, staring. Her arms are draped in fabric that looks so unlike her; a choker from several stores ago is awkwardly around her throat, and she keeps picking at it. After a minute, she speaks up, “I… don’t know what it’s like to not be with him.”

Yumi doesn’t understand what she means, and it must be obvious on her face, because Aelita continues, “Like… I woke up on Lyoko, and he was the first person I had ever seen. He was so nice and cared so much about me immediately,” her face is bitter and downcast, “And he liked me, and I liked him back. It was all so easy and perfect. He brought me here. He gave me money and an identity and everything. He even found my father and my past.

“But… just because… I…” she swallows, and Yumi can see tears beginning to form in her eyes, which she angrily rubs away, “I… don’t know who I am. I’ve only defined myself with what you’ve all given me. You’re Aelita, you’re our princess, you’re our angel. You’re my daughter. And don’t get me wrong! I’m super grateful to all of you. You’ve given me a second life and I – I –,”

Aelita trails off, then laughs, shakily. “This dress looks terrible,” she says, with a shaky laugh, “I’m trying too hard.”

She brushes past Yumi to go back into the changing room, but Yumi grabs her arm.

“You want your life to be your own,” Yumi says, her face hard, “You don’t want anyone else to decide who Aelita Hopper – or – Schaeffer –,”

“Stones,” Aelita interjects, pulling her arm free, “Aelita Schaeffer is dead.”

Yumi’s stomach clenches, and she watches helplessly as Aelita reenters the changing room. After a moment, though, where she can hear Aelita changing again, she purses her lips.

“Good.”

The sounds stop. “What?” Aelita squeaks, bewildered.

“Good!” Yumi reaffirms. She isn’t sure if this is the right thing to do or say, but it’s what her gut is telling her to do, so she presses forward, “You’re not her, then. That’s fine. You don’t have to be Franz Hopper’s daughter or Jeremie’s girlfriend or any of our friends just because we landed in front of you.”

Aelita doesn’t answer, and Yumi barrels forward, “We can go dye your hair, if you want. We can burn your wardrobe. We –,” her voice catches, and she hesitates, “You. You can do these things. I – you don’t need me, if you don’t… Are you going to leave?”

The question is absurd; Aelita’s an eight grader with no family and no money. She couldn’t leave Kadic if she wanted to. But the thought of Aelita just being gone makes Yumi’s stomach drop out from beneath her.

The door scrapes open, and Aelita stands there, back in her own clothes, arms full of the clothes she tried. Her eyes are bright red, but glaring, and her lip wobbles, clutching her vain attempts at being someone else tightly in her arms.

“Yumi,” she whispers, angrily, “I invited you here today, didn’t I?”

Yumi looks back at her, and nods, slowly.

“I’m not… I thought about this,” Aelita sniffs, loudly, “Augh, why – am I –,”

“Here,” Yumi starts going, “I can find a tissue from the bathroom –,”

“No,” Aelita suddenly barrels into Yumi, and Yumi staggers. The bag of clothing hits the ground, and Aelita wraps her arms around Yumi, shaking and crying. After a moment, Yumi, hesitantly, wraps her arms around her too.

“No,” Aelita whispers, “No, I’m not – I’m shouldn't cut you all out. I’m not going anywhere. Not yet, anyway. I’m going to find my own life, but I know for sure I want you all to be part of it. Especially you,” she hugs her, tighter, “We’re supposed to be best friends, the two girls in our friend group, but we really aren’t. I’m changing that first.”

Oh.

Yumi, swallowing down sudden tears of her own, hugs Aelita back. “Alright,” she whispers into her hair, “Let’s do that.”

[ani-action]

Code July Day 5: art/fic swap

I am very late lol

So this art is based on the missing piece by SepticAbzies https://archiveofourown.org/works/43809570 It’s a swap au between Laura and Jeremie

It’s a good read.

[fantastic-nonsense]

okay, I think I've cracked the code. I think I understand what Tate Brombal is doing with Shiva's new backstory.

Brombal has said that he loves Denny O'Neil's work, has read Richard Dragon and The Question, and "could write the Kung-Fu Fighter trio forever." He's also very notably a Cass lore geek, as evidenced by the opening "Mother" arc, and has also clearly read several of Shiva's newer appearances as well. So like all of his nods to Cass's existing history while introducing new elements, he's not just inventing stuff out of thin air for Shiva's backstory. He's picking and choosing the elements that have already been introduced for Shiva and using that to create something new.

I think Brombal's goals with Shiva's new backstory are threefold: dealing with all of the contradictions in Shiva's history that have popped up over the years, properly tying Shiva and Cass's stories together (in a better way than Gabrych's frankly sloppy execution), and creating an actual relationship between Sandra and Carolyn that showcases why her murder created Shiva. He also clearly has as secondary priorities making Carolyn a real, breathing character (rather than a living MacGuffin with no personality) and explaining all of the odd stuff that Shiva's been able to do over the years, particularly her rather supernatural healing abilities.

So! Predictions for how this is all going to shake out once we finish the Shiva backstory arc and start moving into the Jade Tiger arc:

Ming-Yue and Mei-Xing's parents were a Romeo and Juliet forbidden romance from rival clans, the Blood and if not the Unburied themselves, whatever larger clan the Unburied are from. They had the girls and lived as nomads in China, including time in a village named Duoyishu (as seen in Outsiders 2019 and Urban Legends), until they were killed by Wu Feng, the leader of The Blood and their father's brother, in the Tibetan Himalayas (as shown in Batgirl #7).

I think Akhu (the monk who knew Mei and Yue's parents, took them in and raised them for a decade, and called them "daughters") will be revealed to be O-Sensei (notably a title and not a name), finally connecting Shiva back with the original lore drop way back in Richard Dragon #2 that Carolyn was O-Sensei's goddaughter.

Sin Lance is canon again as of BOP 2023, so the Dinah-Shiva "life experience swap" arc is also canon again. Theory 1: the Himalayan village Shiva lived in for that decade with Akhu is the same "southeast Asian village" from Simone's BOP run where Dinah "relives Shiva's hidden, early life." After the Blood attacked, Akhu fled to Japan to become O-Sensei and Mother took over as the village's primary protector. Theory 2: the "southeast Asian village" is Duoyishu, and Mother was always the person in charge there.

Either way, Akhu goes to Japan and we have coin flip odds on whether or not Mother will be revealed as the person who actually trained Sandra to be Shiva post-Detroit. Additionally, regardless of outcome she will not be Shiva's literal mother.

After leaving the village post-Blood attack, Mei and Yue travel the world for a bit and land in Detroit, where they take the American names Carolyn and Sandra. We then get the Batgirl-era backstory of them continuing to dance, fight, and perform for crowds (which Brombal already had them doing in the Himalayan village) and being seen by Cain.

IF Brombal brings Shiruto (the girls' weapons developer uncle, killed in Richard Dragon) back, he'll probably be revamped as an ex-Unburied member and their mother's brother trying protect them from the Blood. That might actually explain why they end up living in Detroit's Chinatown of all places? We'll see.

The Batgirl #8 teaser indicates Brombal is doing some timeline mix-and-matching, making Sandra and Carolyn crimefighters prior to meeting Richard Dragon, adding Carolyn to the Kung-Fu Fighter team, and moving Richard and Ben's Kung-Fu Fighter era martial arts school to Detroit (rather than NYC).

That's cool. I'm a huge fan of this Kung Fu Fighters era reinvention, actually. It solves a lot of timeline issues, fixes Richard and Ben's histories in the process, and also means that Carolyn's 'I could have loved you' statement to Richard (who, pre-Crisis, she'd literally known for ONE DAY) before she died will make actual sense.

Anyway, Cain enters the picture and kills Carolyn to 'inspire Shiva' to stop holding herself back at some point. Exactly how this happens and how it ties into the Kung Fu Fighters reinvention, I don't know.

So Sandra goes after Cain for revenge, loses, Cain's proposal and the forced conception of Cass happens, and he trains her during that time. She leaves after Cass is born and continues to travel the world to perfect her skills, becoming a mercenary and eventually "Lady Shiva." This would neatly tie together Shiva's retconned history with Cain we got in Batgirl (2000) #73 with the reiterated justification Shiva gave for leaving Cass with Cain in Batgirl (2024) #4.

Another theory: the Blood's bloodbending magic and the Unburied's blue poppy magic will be used to at least partially explain Shiva's longstanding odd healing abilities, including her punch resurrection of Cass way back in Batgirl (2000) #25 and her healing of Katana in the much more recent Urban Legends #16.

I also think that Shiva went looking for the Unburied not because she "ran out of challenges above and started looking below," as she told Cass in Batgirl #6, but because she was trying to learn about her mother's heritage and seeking knowledge of who she might have been in a different life. The training and healing abilities were an unexpected bonus.

So that's Shiva's backstory predictions. What about the upcoming Batgirl arcs after Batgirl #8? Well, let's see:

I think Wu Lin, the guy Brombal introduced in Batgirl #4, will be a member of The Blood from "the bloodline of Wu," hence the upcoming 'shocking family revelations' teased for Batgirl #9 (he's possibly the son of Wu Feng, which would make him Shiva's nephew and Cass's cousin). This would also explain why he's scared enough about the Unburied coming after him to join Shiva.

And finally, Shiva told Cass in Batgirl #6 to find Ben Turner and ask him about "Jade Tiger." Jade Tiger, from the cover and teaser of Batgirl #10, is obviously connected to Ben in some way. He might also be connected to Richard, holder of the Jade Dragon Claw, as well.

My theory? Jade Tiger is either Ben Turner II (Ben's nephew, who hasn't been seen since the pre-Crisis era) or a new character that will be revealed to be Ben's son (probably with Jane Lewis, Ben's pre-Crisis girlfriend who was killed on the day Ben wanted to propose).

.....there's probably more I'm forgetting, tbh. But I'm really fascinated to see where Brombal goes with this, to put it lightly.

[sunshine-theseus]

Pequeña | Kyra Cooney-Cross x Reader

Word count: 1.8k

Summary: you make stupid decisions but you got your girl in the end.

Warning: fluff, horrible self-care, fainting

My parents and I moved from Spain to England when I was 5.

I was a quiet kid with no friends, who spent most of her time reading or listening to music. At seven years old my parents decided to sign me up for my local football kids club to try and get me to ‘open my wings’, their code for ‘stop being a fucking loner we value popularity over smarts’. I haven’t seen them in 8 years.

Turns out I was fucking great at football and by 12 I was in the Arsenal Football Academy. At 15 I was playing for their Women’s team in the WSL and was debuting for England’s national team. I spent most of that time on the bench of course, but by 17 I had a large ‘1’ on my back and was starting 90% of games at Arsenal. I didn’t have many friends though, especially when I knew most would either leave to bigger leagues or transfer teams. I preferred it though because that meant I had plenty of time between training and games to study and read and play music.

Another 6 years later and I’m playing for England in the Semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup against Australia. I wasn’t our main goalie, but Mary had gotten a concussion so that left me and like hell I would let us lose this close to the finals. I’d nearly managed to keep a clean sheet until Sam Kerr came running up from halfway, past Millie and chipped it behind me into the goal. Despite the goal, we won.

As I’m walking toward the girls, I tripped over something, or someone, sitting on the sidelines near the tunnel. One of the Aussie girls, clearly tired and upset, curled up to their goalkeeper. If there was one thing I could do, it was recognise a phenomenal goalkeeper when I see one, and Mackenzie Arnold was just that.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper to her as I pat her shoulder and copy the gesture for the girl next to her.

I didn’t know much about her, but I’d seen her play. Her footwork was incredible, and she was clearly underrated and underestimated, something Arsenal could benefit from.

“Wanna swap jerseys?” it comes out soft, I almost miss it as I turn away. When I turn back around, I expect to see Mac offering her’s, but instead I see the younger girl looking up at me questioningly and I smile. I’d already swapped with Mac in a friendly earlier this year, and I love collecting jerseys from different players.

“Fuck yeah.” and within seconds she has my jersey pulled over her head, and it hangs loosely, clearly a few too many sizes too big for her.

I then pull on her’s, for a moment fearful it would be too small, but I’m thankful for her clear preference for baggy clothes as it slips over my torso. Mackenzie beckons over their photographer, and I pose with the still nameless girl. She’s small in comparison to my 5’11 stature and I giggle at the difference before offering her a piggyback for a silly photo.

As she jumps up, I notice shocked stares of my teammates from the corner of my eye but shake it off as she wraps her arm around my neck as if to choke me.

“Has anyone told you how small you are?” I ask her as I drop her back to the ground.

“They don’t shut up about it.”

“I think I’ll call you Pequeña.” I chuckle at her confused look.

“It means small in Spanish.”

“What the fuck!? Fine I’m calling you fucking Giant or something.”

I don’t get her actual name that night, but I look it up when I get back to my hotel room, Lotte missing from the space.

Kyra Cooney-Cross. An unexpected star.

I watch one of her games instead of doing my uni work and fall asleep to one her interviews playing.

~~~~~

I don’t expect to see Kyra until whatever friendly we have with Australia before the Olympics. In the time after the World Cup and before pre-season, I’ve hung her jersey in my hallway, along with all the others. I put her’s at the entrance with others like Mapi León and Christine Sinclair, people I consider special.

We also begin talking. A lot. I spend most of my spare time calling or texting her, but I don’t tell anyone.

The shock I get when the final minute of the pre-season transfer window approaches, and I get a notification from the Arsenal Women twitter account.

‘KYRA COONEY-CROSS IS A GUNNER✍️’

~~~~~

We’d been knocked out of the qualifiers for the Championship League and yet I walk into training on Monday with a slight spring in my step and excitement buzzing through me. I wave to all the staff and greet everyone, asking how the girls are when I walk into the locker room.

It’s Katie who asks.

“What the fuck is up with you Ms Dark and Broody?”

“Whatever do you mean?” I giggle.

She gives me and incredulous look before turning to the rest of the locker room who share similar expressions.

“W- wh- wh-” she continues to babble as Steph pulls her back to her cubby and pats her shoulder as a way of reassurance.

“You just… you’re never so smiley or talkative. At all. Like ever. Like in the past 8 years you’ve said maybe 100 words per season to me.” Lotte speaks up.

“Not true!”

“I’ve only seen you without a book off the pitch 13 times. I started counting after the 1st.” My jaw drops.

“She’s not wrong Y/n. You’re pretty reserved and stoic. Which there’s nothing wrong with! But it’s just odd to see you, well like this.” Manu points at me as if that’s explanation enough.

“Wow thanks gu-” I’m cut off by someone jumping on my back and screaming.

“BEANSTALK!” and I’m smiling all over again as I turn my head to see the young Australian I’ve been missing.

“PEQUEÑA!”

“I can’t believe I had to put up with your nerdy shit in person every day now.” She jumps off my back and moves to greet the other girls except for Steph and Caitlin who she obviously knows.

We don’t get much time to talk before Jonas calls us into the meeting room. He introduces all our new players like Kyra and Lessi and announces the return of Vivianne and Beth to our playing squad, before going over how we need to improve after our defeat in the Champions League.

“L/n, I know you just came 2nd in the World Cup but you cannot be slacking like you did in the game against Pairs. You’ve got to be doing more.” I don’t get to reply before he’s ushering us out onto the pitch.

I’m left in a sour mood the rest of training, once again avoiding everyone, including Kyra who seemingly found a close friend in Alessia. I had given my all in that game against Paris, but they were good, and I’d stayed up until 2am the night before completing one of my assignments for my uni degree, something Jonas had encouraged me to do.

I was more mad that he didn’t allow me to tell him why but either way, I’d decided I would be staying after training to practice until I couldn’t any longer. So I did. And I came in an hour early the next morning to get more training in. I continued to do this for a while, studying once I got home until I couldn’t keep my eyes open now that my usual study time was booked. Eventually the girls stopped inviting me for coffee or team bonding and Kyra stopped trying to talk.

We were playing against Man United when I began to sway side to side, and my eyes began to droop. I think Kyra noticed first while on the sideline, and whispered something to Katie as she passed by the bench, but nothing came of it until United got a corner. They didn’t even get to kick the ball before I crumpled to the ground beside a clueless Lotte and Katie Zelem.

I don’t feel myself get carried off the pitch or get transferred to an ambulance. I don’t think I recognise anything happening around me until hours later. The clock on the wall says 9:21 and I think I’ve only slept for a few hours, but then I notice the sun streaming through the curtains and realise the few might actually be a lot.

I then recognise the limp bodies spread across the room. The awfully sterile white room which is nothing like the warmth of my olive-green bedroom. I don’t think I’d been so slow to figure out what was going on in my life.

“Beanstalk! You’re awake!” I look to the small brunette who has been hunched over asleep next to me for god knows how long and smile.

“Hey pequeña.”

“You are so stupid!” Kyra slaps my arm and sends me a sharp glare.

“What the fuck is going on. You’ve been exhausted 24/7 and no one sees you outside of training.” I then decide to explain my rather stupid schedule and reasoning to her.

She stares blankly at me for a while.

“You are genuinely so fucking dumb. I was so worried about you.” She whispers.

“Why?”

“Because I love you.” Her eyes drop to her lap.

“Te amo.” I’m not sure she understands it but she smiles either way and leans in.

Just as our lips meet, Katie abruptly wakes up in her corner of the room and shrieks.

“What the fuck!” and we’re left to quickly pull away as she tries to wake everyone else up to tell them what she saw.

“Katie don’t be fucking ridiculous! They’re both sound asleep.” I hear Kim whisper shout, followed by more of Katie’s babbling about how we’re just pretending as they trail out of the room, assumedly getting coffee.

As the door clicks shut, I open one eye to glance around the now empty room. It seems everyone needed some coffee. Except a certain Australian, whose eyes also peak open.

“Kiss me.” And then her lips are on mine again.

~~~~~

I don’t play again until our game against Bristol for the Conti Cup. Jonas apologised for pushing me too hard but made it clear I was to properly rest before I get to do anything and makes Sarina Weigman promise not to play me during our international break.

Kyra also gets her first starting debut.

It’s a tough game, and in the 84th minute, Kyra drops to the ground. I nearly run to check on her, but she gets back up, and within another minute she gets subbed off for Vic.

The whistle blows, signalling the end of the game, we win 3-1.

I meet Kyra in the middle of the field, pick her up and swing her around. Our first proper game playing together seems like an obvious thing to celebrate. And before I can think, I’m leaning down and kissing her, something I’m not sure if I’ll regret later.

She smiles that smile, brighter than the sun, and I melt.

“Te amo pequeña.”

[whichcouldmeannothing]

minnie's markwardo fic rec list

my credentials:

i've watched tsn like 5 times

i've written a lot for it

i've read a lot of it

summaries and thoughts under the cut! lets go socialists*!

(*socialists = social network fans)

short fics (under 5k)

Never Quite Like This by wardo_wedidit (3k, au)

Facebook is a boy band who makes music critics love and teenage girls go crazy for, and Mark and Eduardo's genius is the band's linchpin. But there is so much to them behind closed doors, and Chris gets a front row seat to it all. Facebook is a boy band who makes music critics love and teenage girls go crazy for, and Mark and Eduardo's genius is the band's linchpin. But there is so much to them behind closed doors, and Chris gets a front row seat to it all.

for people who: liked daisy jones and the six and had a one direction phase and like fandom drama

this reignited my tsn phase in 2023, so bless this fic ^^

-

A Curve that Sets Everything Straight by Hecate (4k, fix-its)

Mark's heart matters. And Eduardo wants to see him smile.

Mark means so much more to him than all the other people that looked at him as if he was better than ice cream and world peace combined. Mark is brilliant and an asshole and he makes Eduardo forgive shit that he shouldn't forgive. Mark makes it easy to stay.

for people who: like epistolary fics, who want things fixed, who like to be in pain (just by this quote, doesn't it fill you with pain and suffering? read it!!)

-

There I Fixed It by lightgetsin (4k)

“You need a fucking keeper,” Wardo rages. “Someone apparently needs to make you drink orange juice and stop you from blowing up your appliances and spray you down with a fire extinguisher every now and then, for the love of God. Why the fuck don’t you have people doing these things?”

for people who: like to be taken care of, like that 'it's rotten work/not to me, not if it's you' quote, are shenanigans lovers

unironically, this is one of the funniest fics that is on this list, absolutely edible and laugh out loud

-

The Blue Period by stilettodandelion

The lights from the chandeliers pour from the ceiling, showering down like the roar of sunlight or rain breaking through crushed glass. All questions, Mark thinks. Nothing but questions. How many months would he stay? What paintings does he want for the rest of the house? How many of them does he need to cover these vacant walls, how many CPUs and TV screens and workstations to fill up this hollow coliseum? Or: the Great-Gatsby AU.

for people: who like being sad, who like pretty pretty descriptions, WHO ARE ART FIENDS YUPS

if you've read the great gatsby, you know they would fit. also its set in singapore so immediately thumbs up for me!

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Girls Are Not Meant to Fight Dirty (Never Look a Day Past Thirty) by @almost-a-class-act (9k, magic)

“He turned into a girl,” Dustin bursts out, unable to contain himself any longer. There's a beat. Then Eduardo laughs. “All right?” “No, he – We mean, he actually turned into a woman,” Chris says. “Dustin isn’t messing with you.” “For once,” Chris and Dustin say at the same time. Or: Mark wakes up female for no particular reason that anyone can discern, learns a few life lessons, and figures out what he actually wants from Eduardo.

for people who want: mark to truly be a better person, who like body-swap shenanigans, who want to feel joy again

look this was really funny!!! it was very "your name" coded, but its a really good fic if you need mark to speedrun becoming a better person, its both really funny and really transformative

-

been at this far too long by @alakeeffectgirl

In which Eduardo learns how to argue with Mark, and Mark learns to be somewhat less of a jerk.

for people who like: funny fics, people who like epistolary fics

i tell you every epistolary fic gets my praises, yummy yummy yummy, its some push and pull if you want a bit more resistance, like mark shouldnt have it too easy to be forgiven :0

-

medium fics (under 20k)

The Greatest Trick by fairy_tale_echo (16k)

Mark makes a deal with the Devil for everything he ever wanted ... but when the Devil arrives to collect, he discovers he put up much more than just his soul. (or: What would you trade for the thing you want most?)

for: people who love: fairy_tale_echo, funny little fantasy aus, poetic cinema, chris moments

this is one of the most insane fics that this fandom has ever seen. the development and the plot will grip you and make you absolutely entranced and you will screech at your phone, trust me (also did u read that damn summary? thats insane isnt it)

-

pieces from my heart by indecentexposed (12k)

Mark gets drunk, watches the video of the depositions, and comes to some startling realizations.

“The thing is, Mark, when someone loves you so much, they would do absolutely anything you asked—sometimes the best way to love them back is not to ask.”

for people who: like suffering, want a good fix-it, want the most caring friendships ever

this is one of the first fics i read in this fandom, and i love it so much. it is so soft and sad and lovely and OHG MY DAYS. READ THIS

-

Call Me (any, anytime) by aqualined (inabstract) (15k, au)

Tech help AU. (Or the one where Mark learns proper phone etiquette and that you can actually fall in love with the sound of someone's voice—well, maybe if that someone's Eduardo.)

for people who: like comedy, who like loser tech aus (me), VOICE PEOPLE

hey. this is really funny. revisitng all of these reminded me how funny tsn fics are. but trust man. this is one of their most rom commy fics :D

-

In Every Line of Code by lc2l (18k, au)

Mark's parents buy him Eduardo - a state-of-the-art, brand new, tailor made robotic best friend - for his birthday. The only problem is, Mark asked for a laptop.

HEY. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS. YOU NEED TO READ THIS. if u read nothing from this list, can you at least read this. please please. this is the best fic on here. sad and sweet and lovely and bittersweet. the most like the vibe of the movie. THE BEST FIC I READ IN 2022. TRUST ME

-

let me shill if you want more depression, read my fic! hahaha

the last great american dynasty by @whichcouldmeannothing (3k, post canon)

You replay the scenes of love and strife, remember the shared books, the loved song, the souvenirs of friendship that will survive the vanishing. you know that memory can thrive on loss, and give them the lives you long to share, the news of the dear ones who have dropped out of your life. yet you wonder, wonder, whether any of these will survive. - Mark, Facebook and the things he's lost.

this is my favourite fic i wrote for tsn, read it if you want to see a man violently depressed and then depressingly in love :D

i haven't revisted the fandom in a while, but if we get to 200 notes ill make a part two and get somemore for ya <3

happy reading!

[bonefall]

again looking over the reworked history what the hell happened with Ripwater, I wanna know. What *was* that? How did Riverclan kill it?

Oooooh, quite a request! Ripwater, Queen of the Lake, one of the episodes of BB!Po3!

Ripwater is a Wels Catfish, the largest freshwater fish in Europe. The biggest specimen EVER caught was just landed last year, in 2023, 9.4 feet long. It wasn't weighed, but smaller fish than this one have broken 300 pounds.

And it's not a good thing that we're catching so many big ones.

Wels catfish are extremely invasive across most of Europe, introduced for anglers who want to land record-setting catches. They're massive, intelligent carnivores, sometimes called the "freshwater orca" because they will lunge out of the water to catch land prey. They DESTROY the population of anything big enough to fit in its terrible mouth, including fish, amphibians, and even turtles.

They get that big from a mix of constant food and hot temperature. It's a sign that they're devastating their surroundings, and that nothing has been able to kill them for the decades it takes to get so large.

So of course, some dunderhead put them in British rivers, where they've been spreading upwards ever since. Thankfully they thrive better where it's warmer, so they're not too massive of a threat to BB's modeled regions in Northwestern England, but they're fucking coming.

Ripwater's name isn't an exaggeration. That's how they hunt. They gape their jaw and beat their fins like dragons, creating eddies and currents that suck their hapless prey in. When RiverClan names her, it's because they see her ripping the water in half. I was thinking about her recently, and came up with some new stuff. I'll take a brief break from my drafts to serve up some fragments for you.

[A gray cat with blue eyes, Lakepaw, later BB!Lakeheart, swims in bluegreen water surrounded by lilypads. Below her is the massive shadow of Ripwater, a gigantic Wels Catfish. Its eyes flash in the depths.]

SMALL RECAP OF BB!PO3: (to set the stage)

It is now a breather arc, just dedicated to some worldbuilding!

I feel pretty strongly that Po3's strength is how AWESOME of a slice-of-life arc it could have been. To this end, I removed the Kin of your Kin prophecy from it, until it's revealed only at the very end just before Cruel Season.

That's so I can focus on The Three and their adventures around the lake, without this big prophecy looming over them and making the lower-stakes conflicts look small.

Instead, the various episodes of Po3 are related to problems that their new home presents, with just a teeny bit of Sol's magical influence to spice things up.

While Lionpaw learns about the "meaning of strength" and ultimately learns a terrible lesson he will extend to his kits, and Jaypaw finds his limits and learns to prevent others from defining them for him, Hollypaw is grappling with Fire Alone and how to reconcile her grandfather's legacy with her strict dedication to the Warrior Code.

And SO we find ourselves in one of the earliest episodes of BB!Po3; Ripwater the River Demon. This is like... episode 3 or 4, it's a REALLY early one.

I'm just shuffling it around with ANOTHER RiverClan-centric episode; the Shinewater Plague. The oilspill from TNP is now going to be bumped up to Po3 so it's more about establishing Mothwing and her apprentice Willowpaw, to contrast Leafpool and her apprentice Hollypaw, before Holly swaps to being a warrior. Jaypaw completes warrior training before becoming a Cleric apprentice.

So I don't want them to be TOO close together. Maybe put Ripwater in Book 2 and have RiverClan comment that they don't really want to ask for help because of the last big event, Mistystar hates feeling indebted to ThunderClan.

After all, it could basically replace the "flood" episode from Canon Po3, which is often forgotten about anyway. I'm already having ShadowClan construct dams instead of RiverClan anyway...

ANYWAY RIPWATER

I want to start this episode off with Sol/Harry, who is unnamed, messing around near water. He has a bit of a fish motif going on that I want to establish, and I need to get him to start messing with the Clans good and early.

(Specifically his motif is going back and forth between the koi, also an invasive and notably domesticated species, and the atlantic salmon which is famous for its changing life cycle.)

The Wels Catfish is an invasive species to England, slowly making its way up the island from the South. The fish who will become Ripwater, at this point, is already HUGE but not cat-swallowing huge. She's an 80-pounder.

Sol hits her with some godly magic, which allows her to grow at a rapid rate.

The sort of thing where it wouldn't be COMPLETELY implausible. He just... helped it along.

When we get to her first true on-screen appearance interacting with RiverClan, she is nearly 300 pounds of monstrosity with a length of about 8 feet

I'm unsure how, exactly, ThunderClan comes to know of this. But I DO know that I want Hollypaw to be snooping, and heavily encouraged by her mentor Brackenfur to do so. So, somehow, SOMETHING starts going wrong across the lake and ThunderClan catches wind of it.

Thinking about it, this should probably be her first big action after swapping out of Cleric apprenticeship.

One of the few things she's missing about Clerichood is the way she could be close to Willowpaw without needing to sneak around so much. It's easier to just pass it off as "friendship" and "Clerics need to be close." Leafpool and Mothwing are a similar way.

Possibly work in that Hollypaw's also already seeing Heatherpaw in the tunnels, contrast the two things...

At this point, Hollypaw has a crush on Willowpaw, which is requited, but... it's kinda fading.

She still loves her like a friend, but she's liking Heatherpaw a lot more. It doesn't mean she doesn't CARE for Willowpaw, of course, but

Willowpaw is still IN love, and it's slowly becoming unrequited, when it didn't used to be.

And from RiverClan's POV...

The first disappearance is so sudden they have no idea what's happened. I'm planning for it to be Robinpaw.

(I go back and forth on if it's Robinpaw or Dapplepaw, but I'm leaning towards Robinpaw again, because I like Dapplenose too much to have her get killed off here.)

She went out clamming in the lake with her sisters, Lakepaw and Otterpaw, there was a swirl in the water, and that was it. She was gone.

Just like that.

She never came back up. RiverClan searched for her, following the currents, checking the shoreline, everything. It was like she vanished.

Mistystar is suspicious and doing everything in her power to figure out what happened, but... let's face it. It's the word of two apprentices, who were swimming alone, who swear Robinpaw just went under.

Misty JUST got done with the Shinewater Plague and isn't trying to make RiverClan look like it can't keep track of its own young. The most likely situation is that Robinpaw was sucked down by an undertow that the three of them were too inexperienced to recognize.

So... she's pretty adamant about not sharing this information until Robinpaw's body is found. Jaws Style. "We cannot let the other Clans be alarmed by this, else they might meddle in our affairs..."

(and she's still maybe a little paranoid that some snoop in another Clan is going to find out that Leopardstar wasn't killed by a rogue, y'know.)

I don't want it to be TOO much of a bloodbath, so I'm capping Ripwater's body count at three and just aiming for two deaths total.

I'm also going for a coincidence RiverClan is going to interpret as a pattern; this happens a lot, specifically, when they're hunting Freshwater Pearl Mussels.

Ripwater doesn't like the river as much as she likes the lake, but it has nothing to do with their clamming. They're just going to interpret it as such.

Anyway.

The next one she goes after was lucky. By some stroke, she opens her jaw, and the victim is able to grab onto something before they're sucked in. (Maybe toss in something here were it was Holly who was able to help save them.)

Since the WHOLE Po3 Apprentice Generation is going to be getting more focus, there needs to be more input from the RiverClan apprentices. Lakepaw and Otterpaw obviously need time here, but I also NEED to involve Ripplepaw, to establish how he's going to be seen as one of the strongest in RiverClan by OotS.

EDIT FROM THE FUTURE AS I FIGURED STUFF OUT:

It was Ripplepaw, Otterpaw, and their two mentors on a raft who were attacked next. They were fishing for mussels in a shallower part of the lake.

Otterpaw was tethered to the raft with a flax lead, so it wouldn't float off. Or just tugging it in her mouth. Either way she had a line.

When Ripwater attacks her, she is swallowed on the line like a worm on a hook

And it starts pulling the WHOLE RAFT down, just a crummy bundle of sticks

One of the mentors started shouting to cut the line, else it would drag all of them under, but Ripplepaw dives right down to beat its ass without telling them he's not gonna cut it

Hollypaw just rushed right in, didn't think about it, forgetting she was supposed to be trying to sneak around

Taking control as the natural leader she is, she ordered them to shut up and start pulling the opposite way

Underwater, Ripplepaw braced himself against the fish's lips, grabs Otter's tether, and YANKS

Abovewater, the adult warriors are pulling together, Holly grabs the raft and pulls too

Once their paws touch the bottom of the shallows it's over, one last HEAVE-HO and POP!

Otterpaw is FREE

And when it's finally known that the apprentices weren't mistaken, there's a monster in the water, THAT'S when the debate really starts up. Mistystar does NOT want ThunderClan meddling, and she'll already be pissed off that Hollypaw (and any OTHERS who tagged along with her, I wouldn't put it past Honeypaw to wriggle her little yellow butt into a later draft, or Lionpaw for his massive strength) witnessed something that's not her business.

There's a moment from canon I desperately want to keep; where Squirrelflight comes to fetch her daughter.

(more reason to just say this is replacing The Flood Episode from canon lmao)

It's such an interesting moment, and so forgotten. In a nutshell, Squilf is both furious and concerned that her kit went missing and meddled in another Clan's affairs, but... understands the impulse.

Because it's something she would have done.

So when she scolds Hollypaw, there's this aching feeling that she's scolding a younger version of herself. Calling her arrogant and disloyal, that an apprentice's opinions mean less, and that she needs to listen to "older and wiser" warriors within her own Clan.

In BB, I want to do something big with this. Firestar is the figurehead of Fire Alone, who encouraged Hollypaw's behavior through his deputy, Brackenfur, who he set as her mentor for a reason.

But Squirrelflight is being abused. By Brambleclaw.

This is one of the lowest points in Squirrelflight's life, and she is walking a line between self-worth, the warrior code, and her personal beliefs, just like her daughter is.

SO, since I'm already using Brambleclaw's enabling of Ashfur's physical abuse as one of the contributing factors to Hollyleaf's descent, I ALSO want to show how he acts on other characters.

Brambleclaw, Clan Culture, the pressures of their strength-obsessed social system. So it's gotta be Squirrelflight that reminds her, or even plants the seed in her head;

"What you did isn't consistent with the Warrior Code."

Maybe even have Mistystar herself state this earlier, to be echoed by Squirrelflight, offering an alternate perspective to Hollypaw. Make her realize that ThunderClan's political leanings are not universal or even popular.

But when Hollypaw comes back to ThunderClan, whoever set her to be a snoop wants her to spill the beans. This is also a big WIP part, as Hollypaw struggles with if she's going to obey or not, and I still need to set all the political "players" in this moment.

I know for sure, though, that Firestar's IMMEDIATE desire is to meddle like it's an episode of Scooby-Doo. Though he's savvy enough to be smart about how he phrases it and what actions he takes, his ultimate goal is to put his little cheeto-dust paws all over this. And Hollypaw is starting to question how appropriate that actually is.

This is where it starts to really be a rip in Holly's mind. Clans aren't JUST big, blanket groups with united opinions, they're collections of individuals. Mistystar doesn't want meddling, but Willowpaw is in danger. Otterpaw and Lakepaw went all that time without being believed, after they watched their sister die, because they're lowly apprentices like her. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw are angry and disappointed, while Firestar and Brackenfur are secretly lathering her in praise.

Now imagine me standing in front of a big board where I'm writing ??? because there's a missing chunk here.

I need to connect THIS part to what comes next, which is where ThunderClan DOES come in and help out. Here's the thought process going on in RiverClan;

Willowpaw comes in to do something important. She adores Hollypaw, knows her value as a Cleric, and knows that StarClan can sway Mistystar.

I want her to have a couple of pieces of a vision... BUT. She decides to interpret it in a way that's convenient, and add a few details.

It's not a tooootal lie lmao. It's just 75% true.

This is the true power of Clerics, when they realize it. No one can actually challenge them without just ignoring them or stripping them of power. They are accountable to StarClan alone.

A mentor simply doesn't say this out loud to their apprentice. It's a quiet secret. And Willowpaw just realized it.

and thinking about it... this should be the thing that finally breaks the budding romance Holly and Willow had. Holly is sickened by this, when Willow confesses how she convinced RiverClan to work with ThunderClan.

But, without even being a full Warrior, the apprentice leverages her power as Cleric of RiverClan, and 200 skill points of Improv Acting, to tell them these things;

"StarClan is so angry with us that they've sent a hog to the water! It's why they've sent a ThunderClan apprentice, we must work with them to eliminate the beast that lurks in our waters. With spears and plans, we must hunt it honorably!"

(Mistystar is defensive, but it's not known why) "We haven't disobeyed StarClan in any way. We'd already accepted their help once before, when sickness drove us to weakness, and it's only let them think they can disrespect our borders as they please. This can't be the holy will of our ancestors."

"It's-- We've been disrespecting this bountiful new land that they've so generously given us. That's what the pile of shells in my dream was. Think about it! The last attack was on the shore where we collect mussels. The second attack was on a cat latched to a raft, and it was only the tether that saved them. And the first..."

IVE GOT AN IDEA, Robin, Lake, and Otter WEREN'T clamming when they were attacked. She gestures over to Lake, knowing that if she doesn't back her up, the theory crumbles.

(Otter is in the Cleric's den, unconscious.)

Lake hesitates, not wanting to lie. Willow jumps back in,

"It's why Otterpaw was attacked," does those little jazz-hands to be like 'come in bitch work with me,' "And it's why Lakepaw has to be involved in killing it, to end what she started, and appease StarClan."

Lakepaw more like I LIKE-what-you-just-saidpaw, "It's true, we were so ashamed to admit it, Mistystar, this is all MY fault, I wanted my siblings to dig up mussels, PLEASE let me atone by stabbing the fish to death"

AND AFTER THAT IT'S NOODLIN' TIME

Mistystar, begrudgingly, accepts Firestar's help, or perhaps reaches out to him. Ripwater is a "Hog in the Lake," a beast too big for them to kill honorably on their own.

ThunderClan is the ONLY Clan that uses spears, and only for boar hunts. To protect themselves and to give their quarry a quicker death.

No other Clan touches weapons for dishonor reasons, as they're heavily associated with the demon Shredtail.

I should have Willowpaw explain her half-truth to Hollypaw here, and it's where Hollypaw just... so very suddenly can't look at Willowpaw the same way.

Jaypaw would definitely face an ableist moment from someone, but it's going to have to be one of those times where he accepts that there IS a very real limit to his ability here. Spears are range-weapons and his whiskers don't reach that far. He can't tell where he's stabbing, and the water is going to make it too hard to smell where Ripwater's dangerous mouth is. He can't be chosen for this hunt.

Meanwhile Lionpaw learns from Willowpelt how to make a spear and it is one of the most satisfying things he's ever done in his life, he's like "this is so awesome oh my god i love weapons"

just gently setting up that he's going to eventually become ThunderClan's head of hunting, and also that he's a lil violent

I feel like him and Lakepaw should hit it off a little because they both think the idea of stabbing a fish in the face is super cool, only for someone to growl at them that they shouldn't be enjoying themselves so much

Maybe Blackclaw, fuck that guy

(absolute tangent but BB!Lionblaze is kind of evolving into a little dork and I love that for him. Local himbo only capable of making friends or enemies, all Clanwide opinions on him are polarized, more at 11)

THE PLAN

So how DO they kill that thing? First of all, it's all about strategy.

Immediately they started making a couple of specialized spears. Most spears they make are exclusively for boar-hunting, so they have a distinctive "lug" that prevents a boar from impaling itself down the shaft to get you.

Someone in RiverClan explains that you don't want a fish having the chance to get off a claw. If Ripwater escapes, they might not find her again until she kills someone else

The solution is that these need to be custom-made, with special claw-shaped prongs, so they're chevron ^ shapes instead of tear-drop points. They stab in, and don't pull out.

So they need to make spears from scratch, which is an intensive process, and they don't have time to waste. RiverClan doesn't want to hunt by water that has a chance of having a freshwater orca spawn and drag you in; they'll starve

And there's only so many artisans in TC that can MAKE spears. Glue, twine, shafts, blades... these are all things that take hours of labor to create.

And MORE IMPORTANTLY, they realized from the Raft Rescue that a tether, attached to a floating object, can be very useful. Each weapon has rope tied through it and is tethered to a raft-- which is even MORE intensive, RiverClan had to repurpose several nets to create so many lines, and they only own three rafts, so the rest have driftwood.

So they only have time to create 3 special water-spears, and bring in 2 modified boar-spears.

Lionpaw is like visibly disappointed he can't have one lmao

The only apprentice given a spear is... Lakepaw. And it's a boar-spear

Because she's gonna be bait. They believe the litter is cursed for their "sin" and she'll be the next target.

But still, they chum up the water near the last sighting with blood and crowfood, like hog slop, and wait.

(Heavy WIP stuff here as we get to a play-by-play I haven't fully figured out yet)

Their plan is to get it on the shore as quickly as possible.

Four cats could pull Otterpaw from its mouth, so 5 spearcats and a dozen strong warriors could pull it onto the shore. Surely.

shorely.

It comes as expected, lunging at Lakepaw. She leaps back and tries to use her spear on it, but she is NOT properly trained with it, she stabs its face, but can't break the skull

RiverClan manages to toss a net at the beast, but it's NOT heavy enough

And they managed to get LAKEPAW with it, pressing her to the beast, her spear is dropped into the water

Someone shouts that it swims like an eel, able to just reverse course unlike a REAL fish which must turn

In the panic, warriors start mobbing it.

she thrashes, and splashes and the net is barely holding her back at all

She smashes a warrior with her tail, buffs another with her powerful head

She's stabbed in her side by a ThunderClan warrior (probably Sandstorm), and she turns on the raft they're standing on, breeching and SMASHING it to bits. Lionpaw and the rest of the cats on this raft get dunked

In the water, ThunderClan cats are useless, and RiverClan cats can't properly handle spears.

Someone from RiverClan, probably Blackclaw, tries to free Lakepaw but is scooped up in Ripwater's mouth.

He's screeching and yowling and trying to hold onto its upper jaw, regularly cut off as she dives under

When Willowpelt gets her spear in, she holds onto that damn stick with her LIFE, getting swung around and dunked in the water and then going back up into the air

Thornclaw, holding the other boar-spear, aims for its tail

But it's not enough; Even with several warriors of RiverClan, five spears, a net, and the weight of the two remaining rafts, Ripwater's managing to pull them towards the depths

She's too big to bite, too large to claw, and too strong to hold down

LIONPAW TIME

He grabs the spear that Lakepaw dropped

Ripplepaw seems to zoom right passed him, running away from the fish. He thinks he must be some kind of coward, the fight's NOT OVER YET!! WE NEED TO HELP LAKEPAW

(In a later draft I might have Lionpaw be on the smashed raft, and Ripplepaw brings the spear to him before turning and bolting back to shore. Either way he doesn't explain himself)

He paddles near one of the rafts, and is pulled up onto it

Firestar calls him a WONDERFUL BOY for bringing the spear

Lionpaw mumbles something enthusiastic around the stick in his mouth, wriggles his butt, and jumps back into the water

Grabbing the net sticking to Ripwater and using it like tree bark, he pulls himself on

Bites the spear by the lug like a handle

And stabs it in like a knife

But it's already starting to pull out, too shallow

Filled with anger and resolve, he bites the shaft, and PUSHES

Harder and harder and harder until there's a crackle, the twine breaks loose, and the lug snaps

The rest of the spear slips in as if Ripwater's made of butter

Figuring that's probably deep enough, he lets go of the net, breaching the surface, sputtering and hacking

He's about to dive again to go get Lakepaw, but to his surprise, she breaks the water next to him

and then he feels the fish bump his paws

His name is called from the shore, and there's Hollypaw and Ripplepaw waving. Ripplepaw TOOK HIS SPEAR'S ROPE. Like a GUY WHO THINKS.

Now there was a team of cats on the shore, all the spent warriors who got thrown off, pulling Ripwater to the shore.

And from the feeling of slimy fish under his paws, it seemed like her fight had been all but spent.

And more cats were swimming to shore now, with the ropes attached to the other spears.

Once on the shore, they're able to discover that, tragically, Blackclaw has died. Mistystar in particular looks deeply torn by this, as their relationship was notoriously toxic. But still, he had been the father of her children, and drowned trying to save a Clanmate. She jumps up onto the massive fish, giving a speech about sacrifice, how Blackclaw and Robinpaw would be honored, and that RiverClan has learned its valuable lesson.

Ripwater was symbolic; it's the greed they had unleashed upon the lake by over-exploiting one resource. From now on, they would be respectful of StarClan's bounty. She thanks ThunderClan for helping to fulfill a prophecy, and offers that their debt be repaid by splitting the meat of the hunt.

Hollypaw, internally: "Oh she's doing that on purpose. She knows ThunderClan hates fish and it would be rude to refuse."

Firestar: "well. how could we refuse."

Sandstorm, quietly, in the distance: "easily actually ew"

CLOSING STUFF

I kinda want some kind of "epilogue festival" where the two Clans legitimately celebrate with a somewhat somber meal sharing. Some of these episodes in Po3 will result in lasting traditions and holidays that are celebrated annually.

At that little "fish festival," it works for Holly to officially break it off with poor Willow, to leave this episode off on a bit of a sad note.

This was one of the first times Lionpaw's power becomes obvious, and it's the sort of thing that wasn't really noticed. I figure it would be good for Lakepaw to ask how that lug snapped, she could barely even get the spearhead in. Lionpaw just brags and says it must be because he's SUPER STRONG.

For some reason he's just making a ton of friends whenever I write these out, I think I'm going to lean into it. Lionpaw's got friends when he's a kid lmao, starts losing them over time as he gets more violent.

It's probably because I really need a comic relief in The Three's dynamic. Hollypaw is very dramatic, Jaypaw is dealing with legitimately stressful social issues, and Lionpaw is violent. Someone has to lighten the mood up a little and it's probably because he's The California Girl himself lmao

At this fish festival he also discovers fish isn't actually that bad. Everyone's being weird about this. It's not really that slimy. It's got a strong taste but that's kinda nice, actually?

Could use some berries but like... "damn why don't we do this more often. this would go great with blackberries."

Ripplepaw: "You think so? I can taste sweetness, can I try to make it at home and tell you how it works out at the next Gathering?"

Lionpaw: "It's not hard, you just mash the berries and stew them in a little water before pouring it over your meat. I learned it from Willowpelt, she's got a mad sweet tooth."

Lakepaw: "No offense Lionpaw, but I always thought you were a total lunkhead. I never thought you'd like, cook?"

Lionpaw: "I mean not really, I'm an awful cook, I can just make simple stuff. Willowpelt's just nice enough to be patient with me, my mentor Ashfur says if I can learn something anyone can, haha."

Just a nice little moment for him.

Blackclaw is being mourned in the mortal plane, but secretly, getting a SCATHING trial up in StarClan. His death was heroic, but his ENTIRE LIFE was treacherous.

From teaching Hawkfrost to follow in his father's pawsteps, to joining him in WindClan's Civil War, and his constant arguing and undermining of Mistyfoot back when she was just a deputy trying to do the right thing.

He goes on trial for a bunch of things he did in TigerClan, too, facing his victims who took his misdeeds to their graves. He's not the only cat in RiverClan who is getting a review like this.

Leopardstar is already in the Dark Forest, and soon, Blackclaw's sent there too.

I decided to kill off Blackclaw here so he could have a VERY cool Land Mar;

(context: all Dark Forest demons now get a cool little evil playset area just for them, where they spawn into after they're thrown out of StarClan. These are called Land Mars)

It's still unnamed, but it's basically an even BIGGER Ripwater. It goes above and below the river and lakes of the Dark Forest, popping up in any body of water big enough to hold her.

[therandomfando4]

Hey, so I think I might have figured this code out in the newest Smg4 video, maybe?

Okay, so, this is the original code.

11-12-1-19 2-1-11: 2

First, I changed the numbers into letters by using the alphabet. 1 being A, 2 being B, 3 being C, and so on. Which gave me this:

K L A S B A K B

Which confused me until I changed two letters around. Making this.

K L B S B A K A

Swapped 2 & 1

11-12-2-19 2-1-11: 1

I immediately tied this to Smg3 as he says "Baka," a fair bit in Smg4. But I wasn't convinced it meant anything until I figured out that almost all of the numbers were doubled except for 12 & 19.

I figured 12 out pretty fast. But 19 took me a while to figure out. With 12, I remembered something about the number being in the 3 timetables, and that it was the 4th number.

3 × 4 = 12

34..

When I figured this out, I was still doubtful. Since I knew the creatives on the show sometimes fuel the ship, why is it being hidden like as though it's important? On a classified document, and with Mr. Puzzles?

So I just thought it was some kind of coincidence and that it was something deeper or that the code ultimately meant nothing and that I was just wasting my time on it. Besides, 19 didn't mean anything, right?

Yes and no.

I was right about the number itself, not meaning anything until I used additions.

What two numbers made up 19?

9 + 10..

After seeing those two numbers, I instantly thought of a certain meme.

Now it was 21.. I searched up what time tables could go into 21, the two numbers being 3 and 7.

3 × 7 = 21

I first thought about the number 3, which I realised was kinda stupid of me once I remembered the numbers that made up 7 were 3 and 4.

3 + 4 = 7

Either these somehow are 3 coincidences, or really is about Smg34.

Now, unless there is more that I'm missing in this code. I have a few guesses. (If anyone can think of anything else, I'd love to know.)

The classified document is most likely an image or YouTube thumbnail.

If it's a thumbnail, I believe it could be either:

A. Wotfi 2023

This one is because Mr. Puzzles had a YouTube thumbnail of the Puzzlevision movie, and I was thinking about how wotfi 2023 was the last big event before Puzzlevision. As well as Smg3 and Smg4 being the highlighted characters in it.

B. Snowtrapped..

Okay.. I know it has been milked to death by people submitting it for the Wotfi 2024 challenges. But, I feel like it could explain why it's in the document and considered classified. I'm not a fan of this one.

C. A thumbnail for a future episode.

Idk if it would make sense, but eh.. it could be cool.

Now, just some or one of the images that could be in the document.

A. Smg3's notebook.

An image of it or the physical book itself.

B. The drawing at the end of Smg3's notebook

Because it's still a secret to everyone that Smg3 drew a picture of him and Smg4 hanging out together.

C. An image of Smg3 and 4 hanging out or doing something that would be considered gay. Something that would embarrass Smg3 and/ or 4 probably.

Either way, if none of these options are right, I'm hoping we actually get to see what's in the document or that the code is foreshadowing something.

I also used pager codes mixed with the baka I found before. I found these sentences, but I don't know if the creatives behind Smg4 meant for someone to use pager codes.

Swapped 2 & 1

(11)-(12-2)-(21) 2-1-11:1

K L B U B A K A

You. I want you. Home. Baka.

Swapped 2 & 1

(11)-(12-2)-(19) 2-1-11:1

K L B U  B A K A

You. I want you. Yes. Baka.

Or

You. I want you. Hug. Baka.

As I said, I have no idea if the pager codes were planned or coincidental.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, I'd like to hear what other people think about my findings. And if others have found anything of their own.

This took me a while. If I find out this was a waste of time, I'm going to be so upset. /hj

Have a good one, guys.

[silly4seojun]

one kiss is all it takes

content tags: han seo-jun x reader, female reader, characters are aged up to mid 20s, drinking, lightweight best friend that plays matchmaker, tipsy reader, flirting, kissing at midnight, all lowercase intended

author’s note: sorry it’s very late & all over the place heh btw f/n = friend name

———

the new year’s eve party was in full swing by the time you’re ushered past the threshold and into the overcrowded venue; you note how everyone was dressed up to the nines for the occasion, with the men in tuxedos and the women in a variety of gowns and cocktail dresses.

in a bout of anxiousness, you adjust the material of your plunging neckline in an effort to cover your dignity— i should’ve gone with the safe option— but f/n turns to you with a knowing look etched on her face, “relax, tonight’s all about having fun.”

the expression that forms on your face is enough to make her bark out a laugh, “you need a drink.” she didn’t even need to attempt a trip to the booming bar with a waiter walking past with a tray full of flutes of, what you figured to be, champagne— your favourite.

f/n takes two easily, smiling a sweet smile at the not-so-bad-looking waiter before turning back to you, handing you a flute.

“to a good night and an even better 2024!” you toast, clinking glasses and then swallowing back a significant amount of the bubbly alcohol before giving a sound of pleasant surprise and bringing the glass down from your lips.

“remind me again, how did you get us on the guest list?” you couldn’t help feeling like you were out of place, but the sweet taste of alcohol on your tongue soothes your discomfort.

f/n shrugs halfheartedly, “oh y’know, a favor from a friend that owes me.”

you hum in acknowledgment as you scan the sea of people only for your gaze to settle on a man that steals the attention of the room. your eyes couldn’t help the way they followed the man in complete awe as he moved around the room. the low lighting catches the pretty glittering of the embellished pinstripes that ran down the length of his black tuxedo, it makes you think— how can someone be so good looking?

your attention is pulled away from the alluring man to find f/n grinning, in the i know exactly what you were just doing kind of way. “i did say tonight’s all about having fun,” she laughs loudly when you smack her arm, “shut up!” although that doesn’t seem to stop her teasing.

“maybe he can be your new year’s kiss?” she wiggles her eyebrows, swiftly evading your expected smack and swapping your two empty glasses for two full flutes of champagne.

at the mention of the impeding new year, you check the time on the live countdown broadcast situated on the wall beside the bar— 11:13 p.m., forty seven minutes and twelve seconds remaining of 2023. playfully rolling your eyes, you turn away from the man in question, dismissing her taunts with a simple, “as if.”

the dance music gets louder the further you move into the venue, you sip on your new flute of bubbly as you eye the decor that littered the room. the decorations were in traditional nye colours, black and gold; matching the over-the-top dress code.

you’re interrupted by a loud, “i love this song! let’s dance.” f/n skulls the rest of her champagne before you get the chance to remind her she’s a lightweight, “please, y/n!” she adopts her adaptation of puppy dog eyes, pouting when you respond with a quick, and embarrassed, “no way!”

“come on, get in the spirit! dance with me.” f/n doesn’t wait for your answer this time, clumsily grabbing ahold of your hand and pulling you in the direction of the dance floor. you easily down the remaining alcohol and send an apologetic smile to the waiter who you hand the empty glass to.

“i’m definitely not drunk enough for this.” you cringe when you’re finally in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by other, drunk, party goers. although, that doesn’t seem to prevent f/n from dancing to a familiar beat.

you start to dance along with the song, deciding to let loose a little, it’s new year’s eve! somehow in the midst of the chaos, you find yourself enjoying the moment. f/n has a wild grin on her face— one that you can credit the alcohol for— as she dances in a way you can only laugh at, it’s how she normally dances and it’s silly, but you love it.

after a dance battle and encore, you’re short of breath and in need of a drink. in her warped vision, f/n looks back to find you gladly grabbing your third glass of bubbly from another passing waitress, settling at one of the nearby cocktail bar tables. the air was full of the stench of alcohol and hum of 2023’s greatest hit songs, it was practically impossible to ignore, though the sweetness of champagne allows you a moment of bliss as it coats your throat.

you struggle to restrain the corner of your lips from quirking up when f/n staggers over to the table, she clutches the edge to keep her balance.

“oh, look!” a hiccup interrupts her, but she shamelessly points to something behind you. “it’s that guy you were totally checking out earlier.” as if on cue, the champagne you were just sipping on suddenly goes down the wrong pipe, causing you to sputter into a napkin.

you look at her incredulously but she seems to ignore the expression. “why don’t you go over there and introduce yourself?” it doesn’t sound too bad, in theory, until she adds, “it’s almost midnight and you need a new year’s kiss, stat!”

f/n ungracefully stumbles into your side, clutching onto your arm, “i don’t think so.” you attempt to pry your arm out of her grasp but she only clings onto you tighter as she moves towards the stranger.

nerves start to bubble in your chest as you get closer and closer and closer. “oh! i need to go to the bathroo—,” you try your luck with a lame excuse, and for a split second relief floods your system as f/n comes to a stop in her pursuit, but it just as quickly disappears as she shoves you forward, “go get ‘em, tiger!”

“shit, i’m so sorry!” your apology rolls of your tongue— this can’t be happening— when you’re knocked right into him, spilling his drink all over his hand. “my friend is annoyingly… enthusiastic.”

“thank her for me.” his lips stretch into a boyish smile, a tinge of amusement playing on his features as he takes in your frazzled state.

“let me help you clean this up,” you go to find a nearby waiter when he reassures you he can do it himself, setting down the now empty glass and taking out a napkin with one hand and wiping away the stray liquid from the other.

“there. now, as i was sayin’…” he grins a cute smile, you could almost mistake it as being… flirty. “i’ve been wantin’ to talk to you all night.”

you flush at his frankness, “is that so?” you feel hot under his gaze, concluding the champagne that you had been drinking all evening had finally hit you. you giggle to yourself, “well, lucky me then.”

“can i get your name, pretty?” his cheeks seem to mirror yours— pink and warm.

the buzz makes you bolder than usual, allowing you to bite your lip when you smoothly respond with, “only if i get yours, handsome.”

at that, he laughs and it makes your heart jump in your chest. there’s a little smile playing at your lips, when he finally folds, impressed with your flirting.

“seo-jun.” he extends a hand, “it’s nice to meet you.”

“well, hi seo-jun,” you test his name on your tongue, “i’m y/n.” you take his much larger hand in, what you thought was a handshake, but he surprises you with a quick kiss to the top of your knuckles.

the action pulls a shy laugh from you, “that was pretty smooth.”

seo-jun is just as sheepish when he pulls away, “well, y/n, i’ve got a lot more from where that came from.” despite his bashfulness, that doesn’t stop him from closing his left eye to form a wink.

he’s closer now, so close you can smell his cologne and notice the pretty way his eyes crinkle when he smiles and your heart thumps against your rib cage because of it.

f/n and what she said earlier comes to the forefront of your mind, and it seems more like a possibility now but it doesn’t stop the flush from spreading across your cheeks; she was right. ignoring the way your breath catches in your throat when seo-jun watches you, you force the words out of you before you can chicken out. “i don’t normally do this but, uh, did you wanna be my new year’s kiss?”

it’s almost embarrassing how quickly you feel the bud of hope in your chest blooming, and seo-jun doesn’t let you down. “i can’t think of a better way to start the new year off.”

the chanting of the guests is what pulls you back to reality and you don’t believe what’s in motion, it’s too good to be true. you try to look to the crowd to confirm for yourself what’s really happening but seo-jun catches you, his hand cupping your jaw as he guides your gaze back to him. “focus on me, pretty.”

he makes the way he draws you closer to his chest seem so natural and it’s dizzying how handsome he is upon closer inspection. all you can do is dumbly nod as your eyes look up into his, drinking in his appearance. the curves of his lips look so soft and supple at this angle, too tempting not to want to kiss.

four! three!

he bends his neck to minimise the distance between you, now millimetres only separating you. at this reach your lips brush against his a few times, his breath fanning across your face as you patiently wait; waiting for the countdown to, at long last, reach its completion.

two!

you don't take notice of the final cheer as seo-jun finally slots his lips against yours. your hands instinctively move to hold the nape of his neck as your lips become familiar with his. you melt into his warmth, his lips buttery soft and sweet. the way he presses himself further into you, it’s sweet and gentle, it makes your stomach twist into a knot.

when you pull away, starstruck and breathless, seo-jun cheekily grins. “we should definitely do this again.” you can’t help but agree with him; the suggestion doesn’t sound so bad after all.

[luckyshinyhunter]

Having trouble finding some films to watch, especially now that it's pride month?

Well have no fear, because I have some that is recommended, whether queer or queer-coded, these are movies you should watch.

Despite being forgotten or criticize being "woke", Strange World is a underrated gem that join the list of underrated and forgotten disney films such Lightyear, Treasure Planet and Atlantis.

It has an gay main character and a diverse cast including an 3-legged dog. Inspired by classic sci-fi adventure film in the 50's and 60's, Strange World is fun adventure film about an generation of a family dealing with their own faults, also opening a door of possibilities with it's lore.

Freaky is a fun twist on the classic "Freaky Friday" trope, telling the story of a teenager who swap bodies with a serial killer, thanks to a mystical artifact.

Co-written and directed by the guy who also made Happy Death Day, Freaky delivers some gore-filled kills and feel good laughs while offering some parts of queer identity along with a gay character who proud of who he is.

The Fear Street trilogy itself not only joined the list of amazing horror films in 2021 but also an spot of queer horror.

It follows an romance of two lesbian teens in the 90's not only dealing with homophobia but also a ancient connected curse of the town of Shadyside.

Chalked with nostalgia of classic horror films like Scream, Friday the 13th and The Crucible.

Fear Street wins fans over with it's violent kills, remarkable characters, talented performances, and great and relatable queer representation.

Jennifer's Body introduced an another horror icon and bisexuality.

Megan Fox plays Jennifer Check who was possessed by a demon and targets on guys after being sacrificed by an fame-hungry band.

Tho Jennifer is not a lesbian, but the films does show that she is interested in both boys and girls, claiming she goes both ways and has some interest in her friend Needy, even kissing her too.

The cult classic not only has an amazing bisexual icon but tackles heavy themes such as assault, exploitation and the female gaze.

Bottoms is a must watch masterpiece, chaotic, brutal and gut-bursting funny, the film follows two high school friends that made a fight club to just hook up with two popular cheerleaders.

With an ridiculously unhinged final act, meet cute romance, and jokes that have you laughing your butt off. This 2000's coded movie is a a treat to start off the month.

After rewatching it again, Arlo has queer heavy themes if you think about it. Looking back, one of the film's characters, has some queer-coded hints about him.

I'm not going to spoil on the titular character, I think you should watch the film in order to get what I'm saying.

Other than that the film has an amazing soundtrack and has colorful characters as well.

Luca definitely is a queer film without a doubt. Focusing on two young sea monsters, spending an unforgettable summer in the town of Portorosso on the Italian Riviera.

It's themes of self discovery, chosen families, homophobia and acceptance.

This emotionally sweet sea-filled tale is a instant classic with a pretty much Canon couple too.

Robot Dreams also has hints of queer companionship and also is a story of loneliness, the film's out now, you definitely think you should see it.

Based off the comic in 2007, Robot Dreams is set in the 80's of New York City.

A lonely dog assemble and befriends a robot in a dialogue-less journey of friendship, love and rusted parts.

There's no surprises are a lot of clear queer-tonic themes in the films, especially among the two main characters, Robot Dreams is a perfect way to spend your summer.

Last year, Nimona was not only one final goodbye from Blue sky studios but is a part of the best films of 2023.

No surprise that the creator of the graphic novel also did Netflix's She-ra, the film is heavy on not only disability but also gender identity and transphobia.

it's a film that everyone will enjoy, thanks to it's commentary and electrifying performances by the cast, combine with pretty metal animation, Nimona is the film you should definitely watch.

🏳️‍🌈Happy pride month, hope all of you have a great day, and let me know on what think of these films.🏳️‍🌈

[possessedbyforcesunknown]

My Favourite Jooster Fics

Bertie's Blog (ongoing series)

The writing is so charming and whimsical. I've never read a Wodehouse story but I assume that if he wrote Bertie as a modern-day blogger he would write exactly like this. It gave me some Bridget Jones' Diary vibes if Bridget Jones was a gay man in his twenties with a career in blogging (influencing?). I just love picturing a cute blond Bertie and his tall, clever, solicitor boyfriend. They even have a meet-cute!

2. Refused Entry (probably abandoned)

(TW: sexual assault) Begging the author to release chapter 5 because this is just one of the best stories I have ever read. So much potential. Bertie catches the eye of a perverted male OC and Jeeves' protective side comes out. POV alternates between the OC and Bertie—their inner monologues are great. I just love reading about Jeeves from another character's perspective.

3. The Pianist (last updated Feb 2023)

Long fic about Bertie and Jeeves' paths crossing in different circumstances starting from childhood. Slow burn. Literally 'invisible string' coded.

4. My Man Wooster (ongoing series)

I can't wait to read the fourth fic!! Literally everything you want for a role swap, featuring Bertie as England's worst valet and Jeeves as the Olivia Pope of 1930s London. I need them to get together so badly!! There are also hints as to why Bertie has fallen so far from high society and my boy is going THROUGH it.

5. Something of Vengeance (15/15 chapters, Sherlock Holmes crossover)

The romance isn't very direct but it's still one of my favourite stories. Interesting plot and seeing old Johnlock react to oftentimes air-headed but always kind-hearted Bertie is so cute. I need to reread this soon!!

6. All's Well That Ends Well (4/4 chapters, Completed)

I'm a sucker for anything ABO. A classic 'Bertie gets himself into trouble and Jeeves saves the day' story. Jeeves really is a saint for having so much self-control because there are quite a few romance tropes like accidental lap-sitting. It just tickles my brain.

7. The Yaxley Affair (one-shot)

I was hesitant to read this because it's a crossover with The Man from UNCLE but I'm so glad I did. It's quite a long story at 57k words (novella-length) but very worth the read. The older, 'established relationship' version of Bertie (now Lord Yaxley) and Jeeves are perfectly-written. It's like Ilya and Napoleon are stuck in a generic spy thriller but they're constantly in disbelief at how Jooster don't follow the 'norm' and still survive. (Do you know what I mean?) The author (Mice) has also written a number of great fics in this fandom.

8. Jeeves and the Best Laid Schemes (6/6 chapters)

I haven't read a lot of stories from Jeeves' perspective. In this fic, Jeeves is trying to make Bertie take a hint about his true feelings but he keeps getting sidelined by other characters. I love it when Jeeves is the one who falls first.

9. Jeeves in the Shower (one-shot, E)

Short and sweet. I just love it when Character A finds Character B taking a shower and they proceed to have sex.

10. Jeeves and the Gadsby Filly (one-shot)

Bertie in drag meets Jeeves in a night club and are drawn together. Don't know how else to describe it but fluffy and cute.

11. Totleigh Academy (3/3 chapters)

I'm a reader of simple tastes. I will always click on a high school AU (which are hit or miss). This is a hit!! Teenage Jooster dynamic is just lovely.

Final Note: There are probably more fics out there because the writers in this fandom are so good at writing in this sort of Wodehousian style. They capture Bertie's voice so well and the dialogue in some stories is just sparkling!! I would recommend the entire catalogue of fics on AO3 tbh.

[5thcloud]

[ These all wips , not posted anywhere yet - ramble post ]

Tbh cant wait to get done with Tres Flores our limbus buppies (not in a "im sick of it" more of "aa cant wait to do even more things !!!)

Our brain can only work on 1 thing at a time / focus on one very specific topic like 1 series at a time , it hard swap back n forth

---

But cant wait to work on Wish You Goodnight our original OC story we first thought of all the way back in 2016 when we were around 14 (yike time flies) ,

this current ver started around 2023 . This story was always planed to be a comic therefore everything about it is based around this . been work on on n off n havent touched it in a long while as working on Tres Flores

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this one here is one of our most fav page spreads

We rlly are a jack of all traits , we love doing a ton of art related things n , yes this does include comics n their composition

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WYGN is about a monochrome world where color is only present in eyes or souls , however twist on idea is that this isnt shown as bad and just is normal world , it just way world is .

synopsis is just "In a world plunge in monochrome , The Sun and Star explored the beautiful world as memories pass on"

The story is not like Tres Flores at all , it very character based and more so a slice of life exploration of ideas kind story . no villains just character's lives stuff . also no queerphobia or ableism

This town is based on archiving colors , so this place specifically remember colors by using HEX codes and passing down stories of what things were , like how apples were red , green , and yellow .

Most places outside dont do this , or more so visit the town as a novelty and do a "oh thats what my color is related to . neat"

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story focuses lot on queerness , specifically gender queerness , and how its part of world

Theyre animals however very much human in mind (so the "theyre just cartoon talking animals" is not this at all) , but as animals , they all experience gender different therefore express and explain it different . its part of the society and unique tailored to story

and also because animals , disability is very much part of it all too , and us making up tools so that all these characters can logically do everything . it just casually part of world

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it makes us happy write this as we many queer n intersex n disabled , and poc specificly cambodian . we not see ourselves at all in media , not even in ocs or other's webcomics or creations stuff . existing is lonely

love the wuppers

[fullscoreshenanigans]

FSS TPN Poll Directory

Meant to do this at the end of 2024, but here's a list of all the polls I've done since we first had the ability to make them back in 2023, in chronological order.

(☆ by my favorites)

April 2023 ☆ Favorite Eye Color for Ray

May 2023 • Preferred Hair Color for Norman • Favorite Grace Field Escapee Six or Under • Do you refer to this child as Chris or Christie?

June 2023 • Favorite TPN Antagonist ☆ Did you like the ending of TPN? ☆ The most disappointing thing about TPN S2 playing out the way it did is

July 2023 • If Shirai announced one more chapter of TPN, I would want it to be about… • When did you first become involved with TPN fandom, and how did it affect your enjoyment of the series?

August 2023 • Most overused meme in TPN fandom • Who makes for the best DJ Crazy Times & Ms. Biljana Electronica duo? • Favorite TPN Volume Cover (Round 1 - Vol 1 - Vol 10) • Favorite TPN Volume Cover (Round 1 - Vol 11 - Vol 20 + Beyond The Promised Neverland) • Favorite TPN Volume Cover (Final Round)

September 2023 • Favorite TPN Inner Volume Cover (Round 1 - Vol 1 - Vol 10) • Favorite TPN Inner Volume Cover (Round 1 - Vol 11 - Vol 20) • Favorite TPN Inner Volume Cover (Final Round) • Favorite TPN trio besides the full score trio?

October 2023 • Favorite TPN Rare Pair • Most criminally underexplored platonic duo in TPN (Grace Field Kids Edition) while I'm also being limited by twelve poll options • Chatter on the platonic duos poll

November 2023 • Most criminally underexplored platonic duo in TPN (Goldy Pond Edition) while I'm also being limited by twelve poll options

December 2023 • Most criminally underexplored platonic duo in TPN (Λ7214/Paradise Hideout Edition) while I'm also being limited by twelve poll options

February 2024 • Most criminally underexplored platonic duo in TPN (Free-For-All* Edition) while I'm also being limited by twelve poll options • Most criminally underexplored platonic duo in TPN (Finale aka Hard Mode)

March 2024 • Who would wear it best • Who in the TPN cast has the most refined and valid palate out of my favorite answers from the Mystic Code Book character profiles

April 2024 • Most criminally underexplored protagonist(s) & antagonist dynamic in TPN

May 2024 • What color does Norman look best in besides blue or white

July 2024 ☆ Do you ship in TPN? ☆ Least favorite TPN fandom-specific AU out of the more common/widespread AUs I’m familiar with ☆ Favorite TPN Fan Theory • Favorite adult human character that isn’t Isabella, Lucas, or Yuugo ☆ Does Ray enjoy reading for fun post-escape?

August 2024 • Favorite Chapter Cover Art out of My Top 11 Favorites or Other ☆ Do you think Emma should regain her memories in the future?

September 2024 ☆ What would you like to see happen with the Ayshe-Norman conflict the most? ☆ Did Yuugo have a mustache era sometime between 2033 and 2045?

October 2024 • Favorite Extra Comic* out of my Top 12 Favorites • Favorite Extra Sketch* out of my Top 12 Favorites ☆ What do you think the surnames of the cattle children are in the human world (besides Emma)?

November 2024 ☆ Do you think the cattle children kept their tattoos/brands in the human world? ☆ Do you think Ray sings/hums Isabella's lullaby post-escape? • Which Lucas-child dynamic would you like to have seen explored more after Lucas & Oliver and Lucas & Emma?

December 2024 • Who would be the biggest shitposter out of these assorted TPN characters

January 2025 • What would you give Ray for his birthday • Most logical explanation for Norman's gymnastics in "Touch off"

February 2025 • Hair Swap AU

March 2025 • What language do you headcanon the cattle children speak as their primary language?

April 2025 • Do you think the cattle children eat meat in the human world?

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to elaborate on their answers in some way!

[ballsballsbowls]

Have you ever been sent to a different site your job owns or worked with a different team and gone, "oh my god how do LIVE like this?" because everything is terrible all the time and they do it in the dumbest possible way but the act like everything is normal?

That's basically how it feels to talk about any pharmacy anything happening in another state.

I hadn't planned on discussing this in detail, but since you asked, word, for you I will oblige:

To start, I haven't ever worked in a mail order pharmacy, and I have not worked in any pharmacy that dispenses asthma medicine in over a decade now and Inshallah I will never work in a retail pharmacy again.

At the start of January, all of my scripts were transferred from one mail order conglomerate to another, including my Symbicort script. Symbicort has a generic version on the market now, budesonide/formoterol, which I am shortening to "bu/fo" for this discussion as I'm not typing all of that again

If this script had been transferred from Mail Order Corp A to a retail pharmacy in the state I currently practice in, the script can say either Synbicort or bu/fo and it will get filled with bu/fo 100% of the time UNLESS there's a Dispense As Written code applied at the billing stage. Most states have their own special rules about swapping brand medications with generics, but in my current state the rule is "you WILL fill with generic unless the doc, patient, or insurance says you can't."

So, bu/fo has been on the market for a little bit (since 2023 I think? Again, these are not meds I dispense on the regular and haven't been in years), and my script was written for bu/fo on my pulmonologist's end but was being filled with brand Symbicort by Mail Order Corp A. I don't know for sure what state Mail Order Corp A is filling out of, or have a clue what the brand/generic rules are in that state, but I was receiving brand Symbicort from them and paying the copay for bu/fo generic.

The script was apparently transferred AS brand Symbicort when it was transferred to Mail Order Corp B, or maybe their brand/generic rules are totally different, but I promptly received paperwork indicating that they would NOT cover brand Symbicort on my plan, which is what they were obligated to fill with based on the script (again, in the state I practice in, it would be swapped to bu/fo no matter what).

My understanding from reading the formulary is that they DO cover generic bu/fo, I'm just wildly unclear on what rules, in the state the script is being filled in, indicate that Symbicort and bu/fo are not interchangeable in this situation. Unless they only cover a different formulation, like a nebulizer respule? But it's all moot because I'm not privy to the billing details from Mail order Corp A, so I have no idea what prompted them to fill with brand Symbicort, like a DAW 7 or some other esoteric state rule.

So yeah, I have no idea, because state laws are WACK, and mail order pharmacies try very hard to not give you clear addresses on things because the general public cannot become familiar with what addresses medications come in the mail from.

As one final bon mot to try and indicate how wack: the state of Hawai'i passed a law that carves out a special exception to brand-generic swaps. In Hawai'i, you are not permitted to swap anticonvulsant medicine (and anticonvulsants ONLY, I think specifically for epilepsy) without the okay of the patient AND the doctor. It sucks, because I am sure this law is written in blood, but rest assured that no other state has this law on the books.

[detailtilted]

Revised Enhanced Edition - CHICON 2007 J2 Breakfast v2.0

Direct link.

This was my first enhanced video. I didn’t want to ever update my videos after publishing them because it changes the YouTube link, which will probably cause confusion. However, I have to.

With huge thanks to AgtSpooky who sent me their original recorded videos, this version’s video quality is much better than the first. A more detailed explanation is below.

I’ve updated all four CHICON 2007 videos on my YouTube channel, but I’m only posting one per day here on Tumblr. I hope spreading the posts out might increase visibility so people with the old links get the message. I haven't made any significant changes to the extra content I'd originally added.

Quick recap for anyone not familiar with this project…

In December 2023, I started this project to enhance old convention videos. I'm upscaling the videos and making other visual improvements, adding extra content to clarify various references, and adding good color-coded subtitles so you can better understand the sometimes-chaotic audio.

My goal is to publish the best and most watchable versions of these older conventions yet seen, but this is only possible thanks to the fans who captured the footage in the first place.

Why I "had" to revise this video…

In another post, I was excited to say I’d tracked down AgtSpooky who had recorded CHICON 2008. They had videos with footage I'd been missing up to that point and generously sent them to me with permission to use them. I upscaled them for my use, then sent the upscaled versions back as a very small “thank you”.

They’d also recorded CHICON 2007, so I offered to upscale those too. I had no intention of using them myself because I was reasonably happy with my original versions and I didn’t want to break the links. When I saw AgtSpooky's videos, I discovered the ones I'd used had originated from them but proper credit hadn't been given. Someone else added the burnt-in Portuguese subtitles and put them on YouTube.

I guess in the process of doing that, the video quality was degraded. I was shocked by how much better AgtSpooky’s original files upscaled. My original upscales now look embarrassingly bad to me. With AgtSpooky’s permission, I swapped out my original upscaled videos with these better ones. Most of the extra content has remained the same, aside from a few small standardization changes.

Comparison photos…

Click to enlarge, and you'll understand why I had to revise my videos! Not only are their faces much sharper, but you can see things like the stripes on Jensen's shirt and the texture of the background wallpaper that were lost before.