#connor is also tough to draw

[renattack]

they gave him cake

[mechaknight-98]

Gathering CEDH edition: Once Upon Time

Author's notes: No this is not a repost. I am trying this a third time. I now have a clear understanding of What I want to do with the series. I wanted to Streamline it as an Izone/Izone's daughter group and Dreamcatcher fic. The Main characters are also a bit more refined this time around as I have figured out how they connect. I also have now consolidated a lot of the bloat the previous version had to focus on better storytelling between the characters. So sit back and Enjoy the New Version. Think of it as a Director's cut.

I entered the new Photography collective my friend Dexter asked me to join. The goal was to create a group that could help each other rise in related industries relating to Photography, film, directing, scriptwriting, producing, etc. I was unsure of the efficacy as most of us were amateurs with some experience but not much. Dexter was the most well-versed of us as he was getting cameraman jobs for several TV shows and his roommate and other member of this collective Connor was in the same boat. I was just some rando they found on social media who had an insane appetite and penitence for artistic expression in all forms I could get my hands on. so these two "extroverts" Our first meeting I learned that we were all Nexos and fans of the game Magic the Gathering. This made building a relationship that much easier as our first meeting ended up with us playing a game of Commander. Connor was a Jeskai player, and Dexter was a Temur player. Thankfully I could play anything so our games were always varied. I began to lean into Sultai a lot as it was the colors I felt were most reflective of my player mindset. it also had the highest number of my favorite creature types Ooze. (WotC if you are reading this please give me a legendary Ooze elder dragon in Sultai that becomes copies of things when attacked that would be so cool). One day after the Aespa concert we all went to Connor made a huge reveal.

Connor sat at his computer waiting for another round of historic brawl on MTGA (Magic the Gathering Arena). He was on a roll with your kinda junky “Omnath Locus of all” deck. He stepped away to grab a snack from your fridge across the hall but came clamoring, and running back when you heard the ding of a match found. It was against a person with the name Scorpion’s-love-00. He noticed the name was funny and chuckled at the beginning of the match. You did your tradition of “ggs” before the match. He focused up and eased in. She was playing a bit of a serious deck helmed by Kyodai that relied on flickering and cloning the dragon spirit numerous times so her board became almost impenetrable. The only problem she was playing against someone who thrived in unbeatable situations. For each new indestructible body she put on the field you retaliated with more interaction in the form of bouncing exile until she was tapped out and drawing empty on resources. To finish her off Connor ended with a simple draw Connor the whole deck into Thassa’s oracle. As the scene shifts to the win screen, Connor sighs a sigh of relief. The win was tough but well-earned. Connor relaxed and decided to send a friend request to Scorpion’s-Love-00. you enjoyed playing with them and thought it would be fun to play with them again. He was surprised to have the friend request not only accepted but also a message attached.

“Hey! What’s your discord?” the message read. Seeing this as Harmless He responded

“Infinite #2782” Connor responded. To his continued surprise there was another ding and a new friend request from a “Scorpio Rapper 00” He accepted and was treated to the following messages.

“wow, you kicked my butt. You must know your stuff. How long have you been playing?”

Connor smiled and responded, “I am decent, and you didn’t fare too badly yourself.”

The message that came in response read “ ;] I bet you say that to all the girls you beat.”

Connor responds “Only the nice and cute ones.”

You say the message typing and then this message you, “Aw you're so sweet. I want to take a bite out of you.”

Connor laughed and responded “Lol, Lol” and for the next few hours, he talked with Scorpion flirting and helping her with deck ideas and builds. She was adamant about sending Connor pictures through messages as when he brought up the idea of screen sharing she freaked out.

“What are you some uber famous Mega star?” he asked innocently.

Scorpion replied “Something like that. Or maybe I am disfigured and I don’t want to scare you off.”

Connor smiled at her response. She was easy to talk to and so those hours flew by. Eventually leading to Connor needing to go to sleep. So Connor explained this to Scorpion.

“Aw, but we are barely halfway through my Hinata Dawn Crown deck and I need your expertise and card knowledge.” Connor sighs and respond

“I have work early in the morning I need to go to sleep but when I am free I will shoot you some more cards and ideas," Connor said

So with this, Connor fell into a routine. He would work, go home, go to sleep, work out, and play magic in either a shop or online (Usually with Scorpion). As he does this you get to know Scorpion. She is funny, sweet, caring, and ultimately a gentle soul. She also likes K-pop which is also a plus. One of the groups she is into is Aespa right now whom Connor loves. When she asks who’s your bias and you proudly say Giselle she laughs, but she insists she is laughing at something her roommate said and not him. She still refuses to do anything showing her face but he's seen her hands after she sent a video going through a completed paper high-powered Hinata deck that she adores. Eventually, this culminates with her making a voice call out of the blue

“Hey, you’re in New York City right?” Scorpion’s pleasant voice asks

“Um yeah, why?” Connor respond hesitantly

“Well let’s meet up?” I want to see what my friend who’s helped me get better at mtg looks like.

Connor hesitates. Scorpion waits for his response until she can’t bear it

“you didn’t hang up on me did you?” Scorpion asked anxiously

“Ah no. I just wasn’t expecting you to say that. Sure I am down what day and what time?” You respond quickly

“Good, How about in two weeks? At the Empire State Building?”

“Works for me.” He responds

“Great!! see you then.” Scorpion says a bit too excitedly.

As the weeks pass Connor tries to figure out a plan and an outfit to wear to meet Scorpion. As the day gets closer however your nerves lessen. Connor figures she’s going to bail as she has always not wanted to meet face to face. That is until Connor finds himself standing at the Peer waiting for her.

Connor was stressed but had chosen a killer look and had a dope plan all figured out. It’s a little chilly so he brought a windbreaker and some gloves. To ease his mind you put on some Aespa, you found their music oddly calming and familiar at this time. While you are chilling on the peer looking around when you get a call.

“Hey, it’s scorpion what do you look like? I am having trouble finding you.” Connor gives her a bare-bones description. That is specified only by the jacket you have on. Scorpion responds “Okay I think I see you.” and she hangs up. Well, here it is the moment of truth. You stand still for a few moments until you get a tap on your shoulder. You turn around and an extremely pretty young woman is staring at you expectantly.

“Scorpion?” Connor says hesitantly.

The young lady smiles and responds “ Yes I knew it was you!! but call me Aeri. Since that's my name. What about you” Connor laughs heavily, still starstruck that his mtg partner is a world-famous musician.

"Hello, earth to InFinite." Aeri laughed. Connor came out of his stupor to respond

"Connor Sun-won Kang." Connor stammers

"Wait Are you Korean?" Aeri asks

"half my mom was Welsh American...I think. I was adopted and only know what my "mom" told me about them." Connor explains

“Okay got it, and I am Aeri,” Aeri said

"I know but I am sure that's not what other people call you."

Aeri smiles as she responds. “No, but you’re not most people. Now are you?” she links his arm with hers and she says “Now let’s hurry I don’t have much time.” so begins the impromptu date with Aeri. The duo grab a bite to eat and then go through various rides and attractions on the island. As the date winds down the two find themselves in a taxi Connor looks at her still in shock. The rapper of Aespa and his bias Giselle was sitting across from you. All because he met her playing mtg.

“What?” she said “Do I have some ice cream still on my face?”

He shook his head and responded, “No you're just kinda prettier in person is all.” Aeri blushed.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” she responds

“Aw, I bet you say that to all the boys you meet?”Connor teased.

Aeri laughs and responds. “Only the cute and nice ones. Lucky for you. You're both.” Connor tries to find things to talk about that aren’t magic but it does often get back to that. Aeri is hooked on the game and she picks Connor's brain for a thousand and one ideas.

“oh, I won my first commander night. The week before we flew out.” Aeri said with pride. “Guess which card you suggested cinched the game?”

he thought for a moment then responded “Aurelia’s fury”

Aeri nodded surprised. “I am impressed you do know your stuff, but I’d expect nothing less from the guy who’s been beating me up relentlessly over the past few months.”

You sigh and say “Well I have also been trying to encourage you as well. You are an excellent player and a very quick study, Plus that's how I learned from My roommate.”

Aeri smiled softly. “So when does that mean I can go against your paper deck?”

You wheezed at Aerie’s question, “Um yeah I don’t think you’re ready.” you said trying to catch your breath.” Aeri smiled.

“Why not?” She said innocently “I have some tricks up my sleeve you know.” You blink rapidly as flashes of numerous counter-spell wars and free interaction flash through your head from the games you played against Nathaniel your roommate.

“Uh yeah okay. Sure next time I see you I will bring my deck and we will play together one-on-one.” You respond slightly shell-shocked. smiles and claps

“So after the concert?” Aeri asks. Connor blinks again remembering and now cursing yourself how excited he was to be going to see Aespa. He is trying to figure a way to wiggle himself out of this until Aeri says, “What are you scared I’ll beat you?” Hearing that flips his hesitation and apprehension into bravado and completely earned confidence.

“Yeah definitely,” Connor announces sardonically. Aeri noticed the change in demeanor and smiled at him.

"there he is. My confident and passionate sparring partner." Aeri teases

After this Connor and Aeri part ways for the night. When he gets back home you stress out as you get a text from Aeri.

“Here’s the address to our hotel I look forward to beating you After the concert. ;]” You sighed and got two of your decks ready to face off against Aeri. looks like you wouldn’t be holding back.

Two days later was the concert. Connor had a great time. Aespa did fantastic as always and even though Connor wasn’t close to the stage at all he could have sworn Aeri locked eyes with him a few times but he ignored it and just focused on enjoying the music. He was elated to hear their songs especially "Hold On Tight" since it was his favorite song by the group. ( I like the more metal-sounding girls but hey to each their own) Thankfully the mix was good too.

As the concert winded down he thought for sure that Aeri locked eyes with him and winked, but again it was probably all imagination. After the concert, He made his way to the hotel. When he arrived he stayed in the lobby for a few minutes decks, and play-mat in hand. after a few more minutes there was a tap on his shoulder.

“Infinite?” An unfamiliar voice said. Connor turned to see Minejeong aka Winter.

"Winter?" Connor questioned

"Were you expecting someone else? Well sorry to disappoint. Also, call me Minjeong you are too close to us to use that name." Minjeong said

She smiled when she saw him. Connor followed her to her room. She was dressed plainly in an oversized t-shirt and baggy sweats. She grabbed him and said, “Come on before someone sees you.” Connor puts his hoodie up to obscure his face and when you get to the elevator Minjeong looks at him “Oh I see put the hoodie on and cover your face. I like it.” Connor smiled at his friend

“Don’t want any dating rumors.” Connor replies “You need to keep your image after all.” he adds

Minjeong smiled, “Ah what a gentleman, but that won’t get you mercy.” Connor laughs at Minjeong’s taunt.

"Um if you don't mind me asking where is Aeri?" Connor asks

"Oh, Aeri Unnie still needed to shower and do...What did she say deck edits." Minjeog stammers

"Oh deck edits," Connor Suggests

"Yeah, that," Minjeong confirms

"Fair" Connor nods

When Connor arrived at Aeri and Minjeong's room you were surprised to see the other members all chilling. Ningning was the first to acknowledge you “Oh is this him?” Aeri nodded. Ningning stared at you with confusion, “I thought he would be taller, but you're right h, He's super cute.” she said, in between bursts of laughter. You set your decks down and unfurl your play mat on the nearby table across from Aeri’s deck box which was littered with various stickers. Connor took out yours and Winter sighed.

“Giselle please don’t get mad and scream when he beats you,” Winter said

Aeri smiled and said “Oh I would never besides. He is the one going to lose tonight.” he held his tongue which Karina noticed. She had been watching him the whole time you had entered not saying a word.

“Is there something you want to say?” Karina asked pointedly. Connor steepled and shook his head. he cracked open his deck box and set his commander down.

“Oh, I haven’t seen this card,” Aeri said as she gently grabbed your commander. “Narset Enlightened Exile. she’s cute.” Aeri said. Connor laughed as he spaced out thinking about all of the games he'd played with this deck and the trouble, Aeri was in for.

“What was that about?” Their leader Karina asked, “You spaced out”

”Oh it’s nothing.” He responds

Connor shuffles his library and hands it over to Aeri. She in turn hands him hers and he cuts it. She cuts yours. Connor gets his starting hand and wince. An OG Dual land fast mana, a free counterspell, and early plays. “Um you can go first,” Connor says to Aeri. The other members have circled her. She starts by playing a Shock land and playing Esper Sentinel. “Okay untap upkeep draw,” he says. Connor plays a scalding tarn (He had Tundra in hand) and fetches for a Volcanic island he grabs it, and plays it then taps the volcanic island for a ragavan, nimble pilferer. After that, you play Mana Crypt and Mox Opal. after all of that Aeri looks at you

“Um, what was that?” Aeri said dumbfounded.

Feeling confident you say “What never seen an og dual or a turn one mana crypt before?” Aeri shook her head

“Unnie I think you’re in trouble,” Ningning said. Connor nods. After that Aeri played another land, a sol ring, and a rhystic study.

“You like your tax effects huh?” Connor asked Aeri

Aeri nodded, “I need to keep up somehow how "Mr. I am playing cards I have never heard of before." I just thought it was going to be Ruhan and not all of this.”

Connor smiled and responded, “Well It could be worse.”

Aeri looked at him with apprehension, “How?”

“Well I didn’t open up turn one Narset,” Connor explains.

“how would that be worse,” she asks.

“You’ll see,” Connor says as she passes. He draws his card for a turn and sighs. Connor plays chrome mox pitching whirlwind of thought and a Tundra to play his commander. He swings Ragavan at Aeri. She doesn't block. Ragavan triggers and gets a red elemental blast from Aeri. he uses the treasure and it from Ragavan to destroy Rhystic study.

Aeri sees this and says“Wait what?" in Connor's mind the game is over, but Aeri thinks it’s only begun. that changes two turns later when Connor countered her commander twice and swung at her for another 15 damage. She looks at Connor with awe and silent terror. Winter is laughing hysterically. After conceding Aeri says to him, “Well that was unexpected.”

Connor laughs, "Next time I will play something a bit more your speed." He comforts Aeri in the meantime

Winter laughs jovially before saying “And you doing all that trash talk.” She looks to Connor (the only American in the room) to confirm She used the right phrase. he nods, and Winter smiles. Aeri is still surprised.

“You know your stuff.” She said. You nod at her as she tries to recover.

After that beatdown, Aeri sits next to Connor and converses with the rest of the Aespa members. They learn he is a cameraman for various events and a few indie darlings movies. They Also Learn he is adopted. He shows them some of his work and Karina especially takes interest.

“Oh I love the angles you get they are so dynamic,” Karina says intrigued Connor smile

“Thanks, Karina.” Connor say meekly

She looks at Connor with a smile and says “You’re welcome and don’t be so stressed we’re friends now.” he tries to relax at her words. As Connor shows them more stuff they warm up to him more and more. Eventually, the group looks up and it's 2 in the morning and you Connor is exhausted. He looks at his friends and says, “I gotta go to sleep but we can talk later.” They all nod. As he walks out Aeri follows him to the door. When outside she smiles at Connor

She kisses Connor's cheek and says “Thanks for giving me a great time.” he smiles and walks away.

A few days later at the Photography club Connor, Dexter, and I were a part of he told us what he did over the weekend. I believed every word while Dexter was more suspicious.

"So you want me to believe you just met one of your biggest idol crushes? who also plays MTG," Dexter questioned. I groaned

"Dex that is literally what he just said," I respond

"I know man but that's crazy that you just befriended Aespa like that," Dexter replied still skeptical. I look at him confused and ask

"Would you have rather Scorpion be a serial killer that's zodiac-themed? Or worse a Yandere who would steal our boy, and we have to fight to save,"

"Ugh Hiro you and your imagination need to calm down," Connor replied.

I laughed before saying, Come on dude. We are just having fun,"

Connor and Dexter roll their eyes, as we head to a Karaoke house at the request of Dexter at the end of our meeting. While there Connor gets a face time Call from Giselle.

"Hey Can you come to Korea for a few days," she asks

[queerwritersingerdramaqueen]

HEAR ME OUT

I like a reverse AU as much as the next person but the way it gets done sometimes is so out of character so I'm gonna just throw my two cents out into the void for anyone to draw inspiration from because I don't have the motivation to write it myself right now!

So, starting with the ones that get reversed a lot: Hank and Connor

Connor is obviously younger than Hank, so make him a newly assigned lieutenant who is trying to live up to his position of power. Being Connor, he's unsure, he questions himself a bit, he's scared of messing up as someone with power over others. Portraying him with Hank's personality just doesn't fit if you ask me, Connor's not that guy.

Now, due to Connor being a great but still new Lieutenant, who better for Fowler (or maybe Amanda if you want to get deep in a reverse AU) to partner him with than an Android that's basically perfect. which is not to say he should be optimistic and cheery as he is in some depictions. He can still be a stone-cold bitch or a sarcastic prick but less in the vein of "I hate everyone around me" and more in the "You're a bitch, you don't deserve my kindness" sort of way. AND HE CAN HAVE THIS ATTITUDE WITH HANK TO BEGIN WITH BUT I HONESTLY THINK HE'D BE MORE INTIGUED BY ANDROIDS AS MYSTERYS THEN GENUINELY HATE THEM, YOU CAN PRY THAT IDEA FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS.

I'd also like to make a point that, whether Cole is a character in the story (as a brother or a kid from a case) who is present to make Connor sad, HE *CLAP* CAN *CLAP* STILL *CLAP* REACT *CLAP* LIKE *CLAP* CONNOR. He doesn't have to become Hank's mirror image after Cole's death, he can grieve in his own way. And even if you do chose to make him take the same route, he doesn't have to act like Hank when he's sober! (this is coming from a place of frustration that Connor just... wouldn't be cold towards everyone for no reason and it annoys me that he is in some fics)

Hank as an Android would be gruff and straight to the point because he is a "machine." He's designed to be no-nonsense, straight to the point and probably annoyed by Connor's persistent Empathy (similar to how Connor can be during some playthrough's of the game). The absolute key to this portrayal would be emphasising that Hank acts like this because he is programmed to. Cyberlife has to have a reason for making Hank the way he would be so please, jump on the nuance of why Hank would be such a sullen, apathetic android and the implications that has for him to achieve deviancy. He's not meant to be nice to the people he works for, he's meant to do a job.

Now for the icing, how does this reverse dynamic work in context of the plot?

Connor needs someone steady and secure to fall back on lest he succumb to the pressures of the position he's in. Hank's blunt, maybe sometimes rude way of getting to the point is exactly what Connor would need to stay afloat. He needs someone who can be tough and give it to him straight when he's doubting himself. In regards to their cases, yes, he has a very "Hank" way of responding to the android actions (i.e. shooting Chloe, Hunting down the Traci's) in that he takes an empathetic approach towards the Andorids but less from a "they look human and it's disturbing" standpoint and more from a "deviants are alive" standpoint from the get go. He shows empathy towards the Traci that was killed in the Eden club, he tries to understand why deviancy is occurring, he defends Hank against anti-android people.

(And please feel free to fight me on that point, I've seen one playthrough and have a general idea of Hank's reactions to deviancy based on fanfic and whatnot. I'm not an expert on how Hank reacts and I want input)

And here's my favourite part, Hank deviating with Connor's help. It is Connor's humanity and empathy that really intrigues me on this part. When people portray him with Hank's characteristics, he comes off really angry and Hank deviates from a position of "I care about this kid, I have to look after him." And while this is *chef's kiss* it's not the only possible way for Connor to influence his deviancy. His general kindness to people around him, his resilience, his empathy, his humanity can influence how Hank starts seeing the world around him. (I guess that it just really bugs me that Hank only seems to really deviate for Connor when there are so many more facets that can make Hank the purveyor of his own deviance, with Connor giving him the nudge)

Just like in canon where Android Connor helps Human Hank find purpose in his life again, Human Connor can help Android Hank realise he is more than a machine, that he's alive.

In conclusion, stop making Connor into Hank! (I obviously can't stop you but food for thought.)

I'll come back at some point with other characters.

[angelofthepage]

Okay, so lately I've been seeing a lot of mixed feelings (namely on Twitter) about the announcement of Bendy: Dreams Come to Life getting a graphic novel iteration. There is a LOT to talk about when it comes to this thing, and maybe I'll discuss it more another time, but today I wanna talk about the thing I've been hearing the most: strong feelings about having canonical designs for the human versions of some of our favorite characters.

In Dreams Come to Life, we have physical appearances from the following BATIM characters (that I can remember off the top of my head, I may be missing some):

Joey Drew

Sammy Lawrence

Norman Polk

Thomas Connor

Allison Pendle

Bertrum Piedmont

Wally Franks (this one I'm unsure on, it's been a hot minute)

This means that for the first time, we're gonna know what all of them look like as humans in the minds of the game developers, since, let's be real, if they're doing this thoughtfully, there is likely a lot of communication with the artist they got for this book. Making sure these characters fit their vision is a very probable priority.

In this fandom, we have had the freedom to design whatever the heck we want for the human versions of these characters. And that has been so much fun. You've had all sorts of takes, from characters mirroring their voice actors to completely original things that you never would have expected. Some things would pop up consistently in fan designs, and others would be an occasional pleasant surprise. We've seen a lot of things tweaked over the years, sometimes because we latch onto designs we like from artists we've met in the fandom and incorporate them into our own. Sometimes it's because we get new information in the canon, like Sammy confirmed to be blonde in The Illusion of Living (EDIT: I was extremely wrong on this, he is not confirmed blonde in this book, but he does have long and floppy hair that Joey thought should be slicked back more, and also Jack had some wild fashion), Allison is platinum blonde in DCTL, Wally having a hat as of his YouTube audiolog, Shawn and Tom wearing belts as of Boris and the Dark Survival, Tom being a wall of a man, Bertrum being a bear of a guy, etc. But even before Wally was confirmed to have a hat, a lot of us gave him a hat anyway, because the idea of him with a hat is fun! Bertrum being large, Tom being really tough! Heck, I saw a number of blonde Susies and Allisons before we got that bit on Allison, because it's fun to contrast their looks with that of Alice. That's the spirit of all of this, we make these designs because it's fun! You have characters all across the board in terms of race, sexuality, gender identity, age, body types, etc, because it's fun to imagine the possibilities for all of them with this cast that we love (and sometimes connect with them on a personal level), regardless of what's "canon" or not.

One of the things I'm hearing a lot is that some people don't want canon designs, and it sounds like it stems from a fear that they can't make their own designs anymore. And for those people, I'd like to ask, when has that ever stopped us? I mean that as a genuine question, I'm not here to mock anyone. Like, my first big fandom experience was over with Sonic as a teenager, and I never dreamed of deviating from the canon because I just, did not have any experience with that at the time. Bendy was really good for showing me that there's a LOT of ways the fandom experience can go, especially on this front. When Bendy and the Dark Revival came out, and we got two really major reveals for character designs: Memory Joey and Henry Stein. Henry, a character fans have been designing for YEARS, a character shrouded in mystery, finally got a confirmed design, and you know what happened? We started drawing this new design, but we didn't stop drawing our fan designs just because we got this new one. BATDR Henry has kind of been adopted into the fandom the same way we do designs for AUs, he's just another AU guy that happens to be canon to the sequel game. Heck, I love seeing art where fandom takes on Henry are interacting with BATDR Henry, it's really sweet honestly.

And that's exactly the attitude I have towards this graphic novel. It does not matter how these characters are designed, we are still valid and allowed to make whatever the heck we want. And if people really try to gatekeep it and scream that you're only allowed to draw the canon, I think that says more about them than it does anything else. Go draw what makes you happy (so long as it's not hurting anyone, obviously there is some nuance here but that is a whole other can of worms)! The only thing that this actually changes (or at least, what I'm guessing will change) is what's gonna fly when it comes to stuff like the fan art contests and challenges/what the devs might choose to retweet in terms of fan art. But that's only one part of the fan art scene. Otherwise, go fandom your way! No one is stopping you, draw what makes YOU happy. I am still going to draw a pointy blonde disaster of a music director however I please, even after we see Sammy in canon. Because darn it I like my Sammy, he is my strawberry blonde (depending on the world, sometimes it's more ashy) buffoon, and one new version of a book doesn't change my love for that.

That said, I am really curious how the teams behind this series imagine these characters. I feel the same way about it that I do my fellow fan artists. To me this really is just another AU, the DCTL AU. I think I'm less curious about the game characters and more about the characters native to this book, and that's got more to do with, well, I don't see a lot of people designing them! There's some, but they're not flooding my timeline like the game characters do. Like, I've designed the DCTL art department before for a Sims game, but I haven't gone much farther than that. I wanna know what Abby looks like, give me her fashion! I wanna see Buddy, Dot, and Jacob! I'm still keeping my Jacob design regardless, I love playing with him, but gosh do I wanna know what Jacob looks like in canon. Same with Dot. I have a lot of hopes for both of them, and I'm trying to lower my expectations so as not to be disappointed if it doesn't turn out that way. Like Dot has potential to be our first plus sized Bendy character given how she's described (also the first to wear glasses), of COURSE I want to see that! She's my writer girl that's super sus and incredibly interesting to me personally, I love her! And then I have more information to consider when I go to design my dolls (because believe you me, dolls based on the books have been on my list for a LONG time). I'm curious how much input Adrienne Kress will have here as the author, like I would love to know what's going on in her mind with these characters!

Whatever happens next, the most important thing to remember is that you're free to create whatever you like. Go make things that make you happy. That's all the devs are doing in the end, and if it's good enough for them, it's more than good enough for us. Bendy is made the way it is (hopefully) because that's what they wanted to make. Like why make an indie project that makes you miserable, you know? I don't know what to think of this new graphic novel, but whatever happens, I'm gonna take it with a grain of salt and keep doing what I always do: make my own fun out of what we're given. That's what fandom is, a place to enjoy a piece of media. And everyone enjoys this sort of thing differently. Find what works for you.

[kay-then-i-guess]

An updated Connor design sheet (the original is below). And woo. Connor was tough to figure out at the start. I knew before I started on the comic that whoever got the role of Eret would be the narrator. Then, by luck of the roll, Connor got Eret. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I dislike Connor's character: I genuinely thought he was very solid comedic relief. He came in when needed, fulfilled his role, and was funny. However, Connor is, to put it simply, not a dramatic character. Even when he dies, it's a moment of comedy. When he comes back as a ghost, he proceeds to satirize Ghostbur, get an on-camera ending (which is more than some other characters can say), and leave. King behavior, honestly.

BUT That doesn't leave much room for the dramatic, serious narrator I was picturing. However, in the end, I grit my teeth and bared it, and sure enough, I think he turned out to be a good narrator. And I don't think I would have thought of having other characters come in to help narrate if the role of Eret had been given to a more dramatic character.

Anyways, when it came to him from a design standpoint, you can see that almost every design feature in the original design matches up with the updated (just drawn better haha). When it came to putting him in the comic, the note regarding his height is so true. I struggled putting him into panels. It's hard to put someone who's supposed to be, I don't know, 5'8", 5'9" in panels with someone who's canonically three feet tall. And all the other original L'manbergians are short. I do think that this helped me realize how much I needed to improve on how I drew scenes. As much as I loved drawing scenes straight on, 1: that's boring, and 2: it makes it near impossible to include characters of varying heights in one panel. If you look back at the first arc of the comic, you can see the exact points I struggled fitting Connor into the scene. He's usually just barely brushing the top of the panel, and all the other characters barely have their chins above the bottom of it. (You can also see a panel where I colored his pants gray instead of the normal blue, but I digress)

Oh, and the eyes on his onesie are googly eyes

[howlingday]

Thinking back on the idea of RWBY and rogue galleries in general, which comic book rogues do you think would be interesting to see Team RWBY (and JNPR/ORNJ) go against?

Obviously some villains would be flat out ridiculous (Superman's, Hulk's, etc.), but others, like the Spiderman or Batman villains, seem like they have potential...

Both rogue galleries are accustomed to teenage heroics yet are still susceptible to being defeated by them.

Some members are flat out crazy (Joker, Electro, etc.) and will probably get trounced without mercy while others are WAY more sympathetic in spite of their villainy (Curt Connors, Clayface, Mr. Freeze, etc.) adding a "human" twist that RWBY isn't exactly used to.

I mean can you imagine Blake, a faunus, trying to call the Lizard or Clayface monsters despite them not wanting their horrendous appearance?

Or Weiss trying to stop Mr. Freeze plunging beacon into the Ice Age despite the fact that all he wants to do is save his wife who brings warmth to his lonely existence?

What do you think?

When it comes to RWBYs own rogues gallery, it's not hard to find a set point on who fits who best.

For example, starting from the beginning, there's Vale's criminal underworld run by Roman Torchwick. I'd consider this

GANG-LEVEL

Street thugs, ne'er-do-wells, and general human scum who will lie, cheat, and steal, doing whatever it takes to survive. These are villains on the same level as most of Gotham's worst of the worst; Joker, Penguin, Scarecrow, Riddler, ordinary humans with slightly above average physical skills. But, it should be noted that these are also villains who have tricks up their sleeves. Tricks like, well, a trick cane... or Joker Venom.

But after the Fall of Beacon, we reached a new level of threat that gives us a broader perspective. These are the villains who have went beyond the ordinary and into the extraordinary, bringing with them a dangerous arsenal of weapons, skills, and super-powers that make them a threat to even the most skilled fighters. In honor of this, I choose to classify them as

HUNTSMAN-LEVEL

Superhumans, supervillains, and super pains in our backsides, these are the kinds of baddies that definitely make a Death Battle list. Villains like Tyrian Callows, Adam Taurus, Arthur Watts from RWBY get put up against super-criminals like The Scorpion, Shredder, and Doctor Doom. These would be tough fights for RWBY and would require help from the other side to assist. I'm thinking entire stories with them as the big bad guys. There's some kind of superhuman skill they have that makes them more than just a threat, but a super threat.

Speaking of Big Bads, going beyond the scope further are the enemies that are way too much for RWBY and would actually the fun of writing these universe together. Yeah, I'm talking

EXTINCTION-LEVEL

Thanos, Darkseid, Salem; you know them, you fear them, and there's a reason for both. These are the final bosses of their own franchises, and the reason for that is pretty clear. Planets? Dusted. Galaxies? Peanuts. Life? Meaningless. Resistance? Futile. However, my biggest problem with these villains for RWBY is they're too big. Like, these guys just blink, and the worst thing that could happen to our heroes is just the start. So, yeah, don't expect me to write anything serious with these players anytime soon.

---------------------------------------------------

Now, as for sympathetic VS merciless, it kinda depends on the situation they're in.

For example, Basil Karlo, Clayface, was a famous actor who desperately wants to regain his original appearance. Sympathetic. However, I can also see Weiss freezing him without hesitation because he's trying to kill a doctor who can't fix him.

Dr. Kurt Connors would be similar with Blake, as you said, but I feel she would also feel no hesitation in putting him down. She might draw some parallels between him, and another seemingly passionate man driven over the edge into becoming a monster.

Honestly, these are both interesting scenarios, and I'd like to do more with them if I get the chance (COUGH, COUGH, 70 ASKS) but we'll just have to wait and see until then.

Keep up the good work and thanks for the food for thought!

[ofallthingsnasty]

I need u to make a list of ur ocs omg with what they look ljke also .. u know .. for shits and giggles and totally not so i could thirst over them-

🥺💕 dgshasgh I promised myself to draw all of them one day but that'll be a looong way from now -- but I can do some descriptions!

Let's start with the published fics:

Blue from at home got his (nick)name from the fact that he is blue - from head to fin, though his scales are almost black. About twice your size and husky, he looks like he's somewhere in his 40s. When I think of him, he definitely has black hair that's starting to go grey - a well-kept beard, too. He also has some chest hair going. All around a burly guy, someone who's made for hugging and protecting the ones he loves.

Hunter from after hours is more of a sunshine boy. Not the most muscular, but not quite skinny either, he stands just a little taller than you. Dark hair and eyes, he tends to look disheveled because he's a little whirlwind with an aversion to going to the groomers. He lives in comfy jeans and shirts but lets you dress him up from time to time. He has the most adorable floppy ears that perk up when you drop the right words.

Evan from capture kill - blond, fashionable hair and green eyes that just about swim with tears at every little thing you do - is similar to Hunter in his build, but rather tall. Being a baker keeps the carbs going but turning into a were-creature gives him just enough definition to make people look twice. Gets freckles in the summer. A hoodie/shirts and jeans guy.

Bill is so damn wiry - a real tough dog, we'd say in my native language - smaller than Evan, with a smile that proudly shows off his chipped canine he refuses to get fixed. He doesn't care that much about appearances, that's why his salt-and-pepper hair gets up to his shoulders frequently - it's also the exact length that shows him it's time for another cut. Still a little stuck on the fashion of his youth, you can catch him in old band tees and denim, with a heavy leather boot to match. A chainsmoking bastard who seems to be amused by every little thing.

The rest of my OCs aren't as developed yet, but for the ones from my WIPs (talked about in this post), we have:

Connor, the blond, skinny, just the same height as you, four-eyed creep. He doesn't care much about his looks, either - beauty is money (money he'd rather spend on getting some new tools to try on you), and thus his glasses are terribly out of style and he wears his long hair in a low ponytail more often than not. He at least keeps his beard reasonably groomed. His clothes are old, haves holes from the washer, but he prefers to wear red tops, his favorite color. It washes him out. Terribly.

Tyler and Mac - Tyler, your skinny little dog hybrid with a little bit of an napoleon complex, looks a little extra gruff next to your newest bull hybrid, Mac. Red-haired, with the biggest, brown doe eyes, that oaf a man still has a lot of growing up to do - but he just needs to use his wobbly lip and freckles against you to make you go easy on him. Which makes Tyler all the angrier.

Besh, who is a tall, pathetic mess of a naga. Grey scales and stormy eyes, he seems harmless enough at first - but don't be fooled, he isn't well-build for nothing. He wears his dark hair long and is rather fond of adding decorations to it, be they flowers or man-made. A biter.

The rest of them (Him, Ghorz, Them) are still schemes to me - but they all have one thing in common: They're huge.

[aller-geez]

Get to know my OC, Remington!!

(Im sure it can be confusing since that is my name also, but I actually got my name from him 🥰 so he came first)

Full Name: Remington Connors

Age:

28

Sex:

Male

Description:

Remington is a large, stocky 28 year old. Hes very stoic, and keeps to himself 99% of the time to avoid spending time around other people. He is also a wolfboy, and can have pure black wolf ears & tail. He is hot headed, and very stubborn, and will not tolerate others pushing him or his mate, Levi around. He loves to play on his natural intimidation. He has shoulder length black hair, and radioactive green eyes that always glow, however the light dims significantly if hes ill. He also has 1" red tunnels in his ears, the bridge of his nose pierced, as well as two piercings on each side of his bottom lip.

Other:

He also constantly has blood stored within his body that runs out of his nose/mouth whenever he experiences extreme emotions, as sort of a defense mechanism for his species. When sneeze attacks get too intense, he cant help the small sprays of blood that accompany them.

Allergies:

Only allergy is cats, which seems to be a fun game for his mate Levi who can freely switch between human and snow leopard, and enjoys teasing the normally very dominant male.

How severe are they?:

Hes a sniffly, hitchy, sneezy mess for the next few days if Levi is feeling extra mean, and coax out some desperate fits just rubbing his tail under his nose 🥰

Anything else that makes them sneeze?:

He does have a photic sneeze reflex and is sometimes sensitive to temperature changes.

Do they get sick often?:

As strong, and healthy as he looks and acts on the outside, poor Remi catches a cold every few weeks, unless hes been extremely lucky. As much as he tried to deny the existence of the "Man Flu", hes a big baby every time he gets sick again.

How bad is it usually?:

Every cold involves at LEAST one box of tissues in his lap, with a couple single ones never not clamped tightly to his nose as he constantly tries to fend off the coming onslaught. His whole body quits, and he definitely isnt much help when out of commission. Can get pretty messy, and definitely will have used tissues everywhere.

Do they stifle?:

About 50% of the time, as too many full sneezes can cause him massive nosebleeds, resulting in an extremely sore throat.

How loud are their sneezes?:

He tends to have pretty good fits, but they dont tend to get louder until the very last, desperate sneezes. Plus, he doesnt like to draw attention to himself sneezing if at all possible.

What do they sneeze into? (Hands, handkerchief, nothing?):

Honestly, Remi is HORRIBLE about remembering to cover his sneezes. Levi will constantly have to nudge a sick Remi to gently remind him to at least sneeze into his elbow. But prepare for the splash zone until Levi has to remind him again.

How often do they sneeze?:

When sick, hes a continuously sneezy mess that cant concentrate on anything other than his nose itching and bothering him. When healthy, you can still expect at LEAST 3 in a day.

How many times do they sneeze in a fit?:

Usually 3-4 is a normal fit, but he has personally counted and got to 142 sneezes in one day from one of his usual nasty colds.

Do they have buildups, or are they sudden?:

Allergies come suddenly and completely unexpected, which tends to be a problem for the wolf since he had no time to prepare. However, when dealing with a cold, he is constantly twisted up in a presneeze face, with a balled up soggy tissue trying its best to keep up with both the ITCHY tickle, and the lake pouring from his nose.

Do they sneeze in public?:

He'll try his best to avoid it, as having someone notice that his hard, tough exterior has a weak spot, is definitely not what he wants. But yknow, its Remi and his nose, so its not out of the question.

Some examples of their sneezes?:

-' TSCHh!

Hih-ITSHuu!

hhn'TSCHH'huh!

AH'SCHUu!!

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, October 11

JOYCE: Okay. What's wrong? BUFFY: It's nothing. JOYCE: Come on. You can tell me anything. I've read all the parenting books. You cannot surprise me.

~~BtVS 2x17 “Passion”~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Bright Future (Buffy, PG) by badly_knitted

Praise Kink (Angel/Spike, E) by Greensword101

First Kiss (Giles/Jenny Calendar, G) by Bobbie23

Just Another Lie (Connor, not rated) by naoa-ao3

Awkward (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by ClowniestLivEver

[Chaptered Fiction]

Supporting Natasha Romanoff (and Iron Man too), Chapter 85/85 Complete! (Willow/Natasha Romanoff, Marvel xover, T) by SomeMeaninglessName

Kinktober 2023, Chapter 11/31 (Buffy/Giles, E) by Skyson

Knock, knock!, Chapter 9/14 (Buffy/Spike, not rated) by Popsy

Narnia: Interlude, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Faith, Chronicles of Narnia xover, T) by BrennaLynn

Millennial: Kelvin, Chapter 6 (Buffy, Dawn, Star Trek xover, T) by BrennaLynn

House of Slayer: The Slayer, The Witch, & The Key, Chapter 14 (Buffy, Dawn, Hermione, HP xover, T) by BrennaLynn

Bring Me To Life : A Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel Crossover Event, Chapter 67 (Buffy/Angel, not rated) by Jean_theGuardian

[French language] En l'an 2023, Chapter 5/8 (Buffy/Faith, T) by FridayQueen

Days of Future Past, Chapter 25/34 (Buffy/OC, Angel/OC, Buffy/Angel, M) by a2zmom

Spiderwebs, Chapter 39 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Willow25

Spidey Does Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chapter 11 (multiship, Spiderman xover, E) by megamatt09

If We Could Freeze Time, Chapter 6/50 (Buffy/Spike, E) by cosplayermadness

Blind Date, Chapter 7 (Xander/Joyce, M) by Spooksdarkhero

Against All Odds, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten

Across Ages (Buffy/Spike, R) by Isabeau

Destiny or Choices Made?, Chapter 13 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by charmed4lifekaren

Ethan Rayne, Watcher, Chapters 7-8 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by Desicat

When Anne met Spike, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by To Be Hers

Mutually Beneficial Agreements, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, R) by FoolForSpuffy

In The Dark With You, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Geliot99

I want to live, Chapter 1 (Xander, Charmed xover, FR21) by OniRinku

What It Means to Be a REAL Savior, Chapter 1 (Scoobies, TWD xover, FR15) by Buffyworldbuilder

What the Drabble?, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, R) by VeroNyxK84

A Place in the Sun, Chapter 29 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

Autumnal Shorts, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by VeroNyxK84

These Endless Days, Chapter 12 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by violettathepiratequeen

Risque Roommates, Chapters 1-4 (Buffy/Faith/Spike, E) by shithappens

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Spike from Buffy the vampire slayer (worksafe) by softremains

Artwork: [Spike in his crypt - drawing] (worksafe) by ilformichiere

Artwork: Something hot (Buffy/Spike, NSFW) by lialivingart

Artwork: [Spike - drawing] (worksafe) by softest-butch

Artwork: Alive - Meeting after the end of the series (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by lialivingart

Artwork: The scene lives in my head rent free lmao. Also, really wanted to draw them all together (Buffy, Willow, Xander, worksafe) by pocketsizedann

[Reviews & Recaps]

Once More With Feeling (Better than Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) by fancoloredglasses

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER 5X17 REACTION | First Time Watching by EvilQK

Buffy the Vampire Slayer S02E05 First Time Watching || "Reptile Boy" by JabberwockyReacts

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1x10 "Nightmares" Reaction by Justalowly Channel

"Becoming, Part 1" & "Becoming, Part 2" (2x21-2x22) | BTVS REACTION by cass reacts

**ANGEL MAKING MOVES** Angel Season 2 Episode 8 "The Shroud of Rahmon" Reaction: FIRST TIME WATCHING by Nick Reacts

His teeth?!?! Buffy The Vampire Slayer | 2x18 'Killed by Death' | Blind Reaction by Vic

I Hate Ted! // Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode 2x11 Reaction // I get mad! by Brooke Whipple

PODCAST: Episode 107: Tough Love by Myth Taken BTVS

[In Search Of]

Just Finished BtVS for the First Time and I'm All In for Spuffy! Need Recommendations! requested by ennaecha

[Looking for a BtVS season 8 fanfiction I read many years ago] requested by TheGingerTS

[Fandom Discussions]

I was thirteen when Buffy season 6 aired [tw: depression] by spuffybot

The Zeppo is a ridiculous episode by purest-love-deepest-pain

No idea if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I despise the Willow x Xander romance in season 3 by hibiscus02

Reclaiming ‘Buffy’: How Amber Benson’s ‘Slayers’ Reintroduces Spike, Tara and Anya continued by multiple posters

You can’t say Buffy didn’t at least try to be honest with her mom by AndrewHeard

Let’s talk about The Body by Syrtion

Just starting Season 6 again, on episode 3 and a few thoughts by davect01

The first three seasons are about the group dynamic. The latter seasons are about the group dynamic being very different, or even broken. by V48runner

So a lot of people throw gate at Xander for some of the things he said or did by celticanger

If you could change something... by duchessofmardi

Did Lilah love Wesley? by JellyfishDry9464

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

CONVENTION: James Marsters to Attend Infinity Con in Dusseldorf 11-12 May 2024 | Ent_Event via James Marsters News [LiveJournal]

PUBLICATION: Reclaiming ‘Buffy’: How Amber Benson’s ‘Slayers’ Reintroduces Spike, Tara and Anya — and Finally Gets ‘Justice for Cordelia’ (EXCLUSIVE) by Variety.com

PUBLICATION: This Buffy Season 8 Romance Still Gives Fans the Major Ick by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Slayers: Charisma Carpenter, Amber Benson Talk Reimagining Cordelia’s Fate and Finally Seeking Justice by TVLine.com

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 8 Best Scooby Gang Members, Ranked by Game Rant

PUBLICATION: New Buffy Project Finds 'Justice for Cordelia' as Cast Takes Control of Beloved Characters (Exclusive) by TooFab

PUBLICATION: How Buffy The Vampire Sequel Plans To "Give Credit & Justice" To Tara & Cordelia by Screen Rant

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[morningmugcat]

MORE!!! MORE OF MY MOTW NPC's!!! I CAN'T PLAY SO I MUST DRAW!!!!

I wanna play ttrpg's again so badly, but with the one set of friends with a kid and the other set getting really bad anxiety and me needing to be ready to move, there hasn't been much energy (or space) to do such. (T^T)

Octavia Winter, the mother of our player character Connor Winter (the Monsterous archetype). Probs in her late forties at this point, but she was a Chosen One in her youth. She managed to prevent the apocalypse, but wasn't able to remove the possibility of it happening again. She also had Connor, the spawn of her and her demon ex. She also had to strike a deal with some Illuminati like mf to prevent her kid from being "unalived", turning her into a debtor with a lifelong sentence of cleaning up other supernatural messes. And to top it all off, she never grew out of the "I am a cool badass and am tough as nails" mentality, so she's a bit of an ass.

[dionisiagreco]

Military Queen Bee Program-End

"Cut!" "He's helping his brother clean up the mess," the twin's Taibai sniffed. "Yes.". This guy is more disgusting than his brother. Qiming also looked contemptuous. You know him? Ji Yu was surprised at the attitude of the twins as he dealt the cards. This pair of guys don't usually show disgust to people. Even if they meet a villain, the two men will laugh and talk. Last year's air show. There was a problem with our plane and we couldn't take off, so we had to abstain. Later, a classmate said that when he saw that guy approaching our plane, it was definitely his doing. Taibai and Qiming gnashed their teeth at the same time. Yikes. I won the game! In the final draw, Eugene has three jacks. And the others are either pairs or loose cards. But most of them were too busy talking to notice the cards. Looking at his reduced stack, everyone else began to take the hand seriously. After all, it is a punitive game. Ji Yu asked Jack if the security department had punished them later. Yunshu smiled and reassured him that the captain did not seem to intend to pursue the matter. Of course. Eugene picked up a pile of peanut shells. "I'm going to raise." "I'm not following!" Eugene won the game easily after several people did not follow him. Everyone urged Eugene to go on. Did you all see the gentle looking gigolo? Eugene gathered the chips in front of him. "His name is Pearl Alfred. He can be said to be my colleague.". Imperial Royal Military Academy Intelligence Academy first year chief, do not think that he is like a scholar generally helpless, in addition to strategy, this guy's venomous tongue is also famous. However, I admire his means most, no matter who he is, he can make the othentence, and looked up to Liu Ping'an. And not only Aslan, but also Connor and Gerald looked up at him. As soon as he looked up, he found several people staring at him. Liu Ping'an shed a drop of sweat behind his head. "What are you doing?" "Ann, interactive whiteboard prices , what's good about that tough guy?"? Like a pillar. Connor's tone was sour and sour. What are you talking about? Yikes. I won! Liu Pingan won a game. Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of chips. Only then did everyone realize that they had talked about all the imperial'big shots' they had seen today, but only one person was missing. 83. Penalty Cards (Part 2) This person leaves a strong impression on both appearance and personality. Judging from the many excellent people gathered around him, this man can't be just a vase. Lance von Arambela. By his name, he's an old aristocrat. At this point, Eugene stopped and looked up at Liu Ping'an. "Why not call?" "That." Why do you know it's an old aristocrat when you hear the name? Does the nobility still distinguish between the old and the new? Aslan's clear voice sounded nearby. "There is a von in the middle, which is the name of the old German or Austrian nobility near the Atlantic Ocean in the western part of the Empire.". Generally, as long as there is this word in the name, in ancient times, they were all nobles with fiefdoms. These nobles from the countries of the old world are called the old nobles, while the royal fammulated battle. The test is tactical strategy and wisdom, and there is even a certain element of luck. Aslan explained to him that it was a pity that the boy, who had never done a military chess drill, still looked puzzled. Just as he was about to continue explaining, Eugene suddenly stopped. I won. 。 hsdtouch.com

[mechaknight-98]

Gathering: command tower

Tags: Giselle x Male reader, Fluff

Authors note: All social media tags are made up and are only put to add realism.

Connor sat at his computer waiting for another round of historic brawl on MTGA (Magic the Gathering Arena). He was on a roll with your kinda junky “Omnath Locus of all” deck. He stepped away to grab a snack from your fridge across the hall but came clamoring, and running back when you heard the ding of a match found. It was against a person with the name Scorpion’s-love-00. He noticed the name was funny and chuckled at the beginning of the match. You did your tradition of “ggs” before the match. He focused up and eased in. She was playing a bit of a serious deck helmed by Kyodai that relied on flickering and cloning the dragon spirit numerous times so her board became almost impenetrable. The only problem she was playing against someone who thrived in unbeatable situations. For each new indestructible body she put on the field you retaliated with more interaction in the form of bouncing exile until she was tapped out and drawing empty on resources. To finish her off Connor ended with a simple draw Connor the whole deck into Thassa’s oracle. As the scene shifts to the win screen, Connor sighs a sigh of relief. The win was tough but well-earned. Connor relaxed and decided to send a friend request to Scorpion’s-Love-00. you enjoyed playing with them and thought it would be fun to play with them again. He was surprised to have the friend request not only accepted but also a message attached.

“Hey! What’s your discord?” the message read. Seeing this as Harmless He responded

“InFinite#2782” Connor responded. To his continued surprise there was another ding and a new friend request from a “Scorpio Rapper 00” He accepted and was treated to the following messages.

“wow, you really kicked my butt. You must really know your stuff. How long have you been playing?”

Connor smiled and responded, “I am decent, and you didn’t fare too badly yourself.”

The message that came in response read “ ;] I bet you say that to all the girls you beat.”

Connor responds “Only the nice and cute ones.”

You say the message typing and then this message you, “Aw you're so sweet. I want to take a bite out of you.”

Connor laughed and responded “Lol, Lol” and for the next few hours, he talked with Scorpion flirting and helping her with deck ideas and builds. She was adamant about sending Connor pictures through messages as when he brought up the idea of screen sharing she freaked out.

“What are you some uber famous Mega star?” he asked innocently.

Scorpion replied “Something like that. Or maybe I am horribly disfigured and I don’t want to scare you off.”

Connor smiled at her response. She was easy to talk to and so those hours flew by. Eventually leading to Connor needing to go to sleep. So Connor explained this to Scorpion.

“Aw, but we are barely halfway through my Hinata Dawn Crown deck and I need your expertise and card knowledge.” Connor sighs and respond

“I have work early in the morning I need to go to sleep but when I am free I will shoot you some more cards and ideas," Connor said

So with this, Connor fell into a routine. He would work, go home, go to sleep, work out, and play magic in either a shop or online (Usually with Scorpion). As he does this you get to know Scorpion. She is funny, sweet, caring, and ultimately a gentle soul. She also likes K-pop which is also a plus. One of the groups she is into is Aespa right now whom Connor loves. When she asks who’s your bias and you proudly say Giselle she laughs, but she insists she is laughing at something her roommate said and not him. She still refuses to do anything showing her face but he's seen her hands after she sent a video going through a completed paper high-powered Hinata deck that she absolutely adores. Eventually, this culminates with her making a voice call out of the blue

“Hey, you’re in New York City right?” Scorpion’s pleasant voice asks

“Um yeah, why?” Connor respond hesitantly

“Well let’s meet up?” I want to see what my friend who’s helped me get better at mtg looks like.

Connor hesitates. Scorpion waits for his response until she can’t bear it

“you didn’t hang up on me did you?” Scorpion asked anxiously

“Ah no. I just wasn’t expecting you to say that. Sure I am down what day and what time?” You respond quickly

“Good, How about in two weeks. At the Empire State Building?”

“Works for me.” He responds

“Great!! see you then.” Scorpion says a bit too excitedly.

As the weeks pass Connor tries to figure out a plan and an outfit to wear to meet Scorpion. As the day gets closer however your nerves lessen. Connor figures she’s going to bail as she has always not really wanted to meet face to face. That is until Connor finds himself standing at the Peer waiting for her.

Connor was stressed but had chosen a killer look and had a dope plan all figured out. It’s a little chilly so he brought a windbreaker and some gloves. To ease his mind you put on some Aespa, you found their music oddly calming and familiar at this time. While you are chilling on the peer looking around when you get a call.

“Hey, it’s scorpion what do you look like? I am having trouble finding you.” Connor gives her a bare-bones description. That is specified only by the jacket you have on. Scorpion responds “Okay I think I see you.” and she hangs up. Well, here it is the moment of truth. You stand still for a few moments until you get a tap on your shoulder. You turn around and an extremely pretty young woman is staring at you expectantly.

“Scorpion?” Connor says hesitantly.

The young lady smiles and responds “ Yes I knew it was you!! but call me Aeri. Since that's my name. What about you” Connor laughs heavily, still starstruck that his mtg partner is a world-famous musician.

"Hello, earth to InFinite." Aeri laughed. Connor came out of his stupor to respond

"Connor Sunwon Yeong" Connor stammers

"Wait Are you Korean?" Aeri asks

"half my mom was Welsh American…I think. I was adopted and only know what my "mom" told me about them." Connor explains

“Okay got it, and I am Aeri,” Aeri said

"I know but I am sure that's not what other people call you."

Aeri smiles as she responds. “No, but you’re not most people. Now are you?” she links his arm with hers and she says “Now let’s hurry I don’t have much time.” so begins the impromptu date with Aeri. The duo grab a bite to eat and then go through various rides and attractions on the island. As the date winds down the two find themselves in a taxi Connor looks at her still in shock. The rapper of Aespa and his bias Giselle was sitting across from you. All because he met her playing mtg.

“What?” she said “Do I have some ice cream still on my face?”

He shook his head and responded, “No you're just kinda prettier in person is all.” Aeri blushed.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” she responds

“Aw, I bet you say that to all the boys you meet?”Connor teased.

Aeri laughs and responds. “Only the cute and nice ones. Lucky for you. You're both.” Connor tries to find things to talk about that aren’t magic but it does often get back to that. Aeri is hooked on the game and she picks Connor's brain for a thousand and one ideas.

“oh, I won my first commander night. The week before we flew out.” Aeri said with pride. “Guess which card you suggested cinched the game?”

he thought for a moment then responded “Aurelia’s fury”

Aeri nodded surprised. “I am impressed you do in fact know your stuff, but I’d expect nothing less from the guy who’s been beating me up relentlessly over the past few months.”

You sigh and say “Well I have also been trying to encourage you as well. You are an excellent player and a very quick study, Plus that's how I learned from My roommate.”

Aeri smiled softly. “So when does that mean I can go against your paper deck?”

You wheezed at Aerie’s question, “Um yeah I don’t think you’re ready.” you said trying to catch your breath.” Aeri smiled.

“Why not?” She said innocently “I have some tricks up my own sleeve you know.” You blink rapidly as flashes of numerous counter-spell wars and free interaction flash through your head from the games you played against Dexter your roommate.

“Uh yeah okay. Sure next time I see you I will bring my deck and we will play together one-on-one.” You respond slightly shell-shocked. smiles and claps

“So after the concert?” Aeri asks. Connor blinks again remembering and now cursing yourself how excited he was to be going to see Aespa. He is trying to figure a way to wiggle himself out of this until Aeri says, “What are you scared I’ll beat you?” Hearing that flips his hesitation and apprehension into bravado and completely earned confidence.

“Yeah definitely,” Connor announces sardonically. Aeri noticed the change in demeanor and smiled at him.

"there he is. My confident and passionate sparring partner." Aeri teases

After this Connor and Aeri part ways for the night. When he gets back home you stress out as you get a text from Aeri.

“Here’s the address to our hotel I look forward to beating you After the concert. ;]” You sighed and got two of your decks ready to face off against Aeri. looks like you wouldn’t be holding back.

Two days later was the concert. Connor had a great time. Aespa did fantastic as always and even though Connor wasn’t close to the stage at all he could have sworn Aeri locked eyes with him a few times but he ignored it and just focused on enjoying the music. He was elated to hear their songs especially "Hold On Tight" since it was his favorite song by the group. ( I like the more metal-sounding girls but hey to each their own) Thankfully the mix was good too.

As the concert winded down he thought for sure that Aeri locked eyes with him and winked, but again it was probably all imagination. After the concert, He made his way to the hotel. When he arrived he stayed in the lobby for a few minutes decks, and play-mat in hand. after a few more minutes there was a tap on his shoulder.

“Infinite?” An unfamiliar voice said. Connor turned to see Minejeong aka Winter.

"Winter?" Connor questioned

"Were you expecting someone else? Well sorry to disappoint. Also, call me Minjeong you are too close to us to use that name." Minjeong said

She smiled when she saw him. Connor followed her to her room. She was dressed plainly in an oversized t-shirt and baggy sweats. She grabbed him and said, “Come on before someone sees you.” Connor puts his hoodie up to obscure his face and when you get to the elevator Minjeong looks at him “Oh I see put the hoodie on and cover your face. I like it.” Connor smiled at his friend

“Don’t want any dating rumors.” Connor replies “You need to keep your image after all.” he adds

Minjeong smiled, “Ah what a gentleman, but that won’t get you mercy.” Connor laughs at Minjeong’s taunt.

"Um if you don't mind me asking where is Aeri?" Connor asks

"Oh Aeri Unnie still needed to shower and do…What did she say eck dedits." Minjeog stammers

"Oh deck edits," Connor Suggests

"Yeah, that," Minjeong confirms

"Fair" Connor nods

When Connor arrived at Aeri and Minjeong's room you were surprised to see the other members all chilling. Ningning was the first to acknowledge you “Oh is this him?” Aeri nodded. Ningning stared at you with confusion, “I thought he would be taller, but you're right h, He's super cute.” she said, in between bursts of laughter. You set your decks down and unfurl your play mat on the nearby table across from Aeri’s deck box which was littered with various stickers. Connor took out yours and Winter sighed.

“Giselle please don’t get mad and scream when he beats you,” Winter said

Aeri smiled and said “Oh I would never besides. He is the one going to lose tonight.” he held his tongue which Karina noticed. She had been watching him the whole time you had entered not saying a word.

“Is there something you want to say?” Karina asked pointedly. Connor steepled and shook his head. he cracked open his deck box and set his commander down.

“Oh I haven’t seen this card.” Aeri said as she gently grabbed your commander. “Narset Enlightened Exile. she’s cute.” Aeri said. Connor laughed as he spaced out thinking about all of the games he'd played with this deck and the trouble, Aeri was in for.

“What was that about?” Their leader Karina asked, “You spaced out”

”Oh it’s nothing.” He responds

Connor shuffles his library and hands it over to Aeri. She in turn hands him hers and he cuts it. She cuts yours. Connor gets his starting hand and wince. An OG Dual land fast mana, a free counterspell, and early plays. “Um you can go first,” Connor says to Aeri. The other members are circled around her. She starts by playing a Shock land and playing Esper Sentinel. “Okay untap upkeep draw,” he says. Connor plays a scalding tarn (He had Tundra in hand) and fetches for a Volcanic island he grabs it, and plays it then taps the volcanic island for a ragavan, nimble pilferer. After that, you play Mana Crypt and Mox Opal. after all of that Aeri looks at you

“Um, what was that?” Aeri said absolutely dumbfounded.

Feeling confident you say “What never seen an og dual or a turn one mana crypt before?” Aeri shook her head

“Unnie I think you’re in trouble,” Ningning said. Connor nods. After that Aeri played another land, a sol ring, and a rhystic study.

“You really like your tax effects huh?” Connor asked Aeri

Aeri nodded, “I need to keep up somehow how "Mr. I am playing cards I have never heard of before." I just thought it was going to be Ruhan and not all of this.”

Connor smiled and responded, “Well It could be worse.”

Aeri looked at him with apprehension, “How?”

“Well I didn’t open up turn one Narset,” Connor explains.

“how would that be worse” she asks.

“You’ll see,” Connor says as she passes. He draws his card for a turn and sighs. Connor plays chrome mox pitching whirlwind of thought and a Tundra to play his commander. He swings Ragavan at Aeri. She doesn't block. Ragavan triggers and gets a red elemental blast from Aeri. he uses the treasure and it from Ragavan to destroy Rhystic study.

Aeri sees this and says“Wait what?" in Connor's mind the game is over, but Aeri thinks it’s only begun. that changes two turns later when Connor countered her commander twice and swung at her for another 15 damage. She looks at Connor with awe and silent terror. Winter is laughing hysterically. After conceding Aeri says to him, “Well that was unexpected.”

Connor laughs, "Next time I will play something a bit more your speed." He comforts Aeri in the meantime

Winter laughs jovially before saying “And you doing all that trash talk.” She looks to Connor (the only American in the room) to confirm She used the right phrase. he nods, and Winter smiles. Aeri is still surprised.

“You really know your stuff.” She said. You nod at her as she tries to recover.

After that beatdown, Aeri sits next to Connor and converses with the rest of the Aespa members. They learn he is a cameraman for various events and a few indie darlings movies. They Also Learn he is adopted . He shows them some of his work and Karina especially takes interest.

“Oh I love the angles you get they are so dynamic,” Karina says intrigued Connor smile

“Thanks, Karina.” Connor say meekly

She looks at Connor with a smile and says “You’re welcome and don’t be so stressed we’re friends now.” he tries to relax at her words. As Connor shows them more stuff they warm up to him more and more. Eventually, the group looks up and it's 2 in the morning and you Connor is exhausted. He looks at his friends and says, “I gotta go to sleep but we can talk later.” They all nod. As he walks out Aeri follows him to the door. When outside she smiles at Connor

She kisses Connor's cheek and says “Thanks for giving me a great time.” he smiles and walks away.

[pavspatch]

Lakeland determined to add shine to dull FA Cup record

SUNDAY'S clash with Cambridge United is much more than a high-profile match against League One opposition for Adam Lakeland, it's a chance to prove himself as an FA Cup manager.

Speaking to Curzon Ashton's in-house media team on Tuesday, Lakeland revealed that a lack of cup success is something he views as a monkey on his back, and one which he plans to remove this weekend.

"As a manager you have your own aspirations and you’re self-critical and you want to be successful," he explained.

"I’m 38 soon, but I’ve been managing for quite a few years. In that time I've had quite a bit of personal success but I’ve always been rubbish in the FA Cup. That’s been one massive regret of mine as a manager. In fact when it comes to the clubs I’ve been at in the past, I feel like I’ve let them down a little bit by not getting them far."

Curzon have two doubts going into the tie — midfielders Connor Hampson and Devon Matthews. But Lakeland believes the extra 24 hours' rest offered by the game being played on a Sunday rather than a Saturday could prove crucial in their recovery.

He said: "They’ll be eager to play and that extra 24 hours will help us. In terms of the squad as a whole, we'll also benefit from having no midweek game and I'd like to thank the National League for their co-operation.

"I’m confident and optimistic we’ll have a full bill of health but we’ll have to assess the lads."

Cambridge go into the tie without striker Fejiri Okenabirhie who faces three months on the sidelines after tearing a hamstring against Wycombe Wanderers last month in his first start of the season.

Centre-back and skipper Greg Taylor, who was ruled out with possible concussion a fortnight ago was a substitute in last week's 1-0 defeat by Peterborough United.

Although uncomfortable with the suggestion his club are giants — at least in terms of facing a National League North club — U's manager Mark Bonner is well aware that Sunday's match has huge potential for embarrassment.

He told the Cambridge Independent: “We were giant-killers last year. I’m not for one moment suggesting we’re a giant but I understand that a non-league side against us is a big occasion. The atmosphere will reflect that.

“These games are always really challenging, really tough, but it’s a nice pitch and a really good environment up at Curzon and we’re looking forward to it. It’s one we’ve got to really relish and try to get the right side of because ultimately for us it’s about progressing in the competition. As much as they want to, we want to equally.”

“We’ve been able to get some good information and footage from people we know who have played Curzon recently. I believe we've got a basic understanding of what we can expect from them and players we think are a threat.

"But at the same time we’ve got to go there and take the game by the scruff of the neck. We have to make sure we find the very best of our competitive level, make it a really hard for Curzon, and make it difficult for them to be what they want to be in the game.”

Both clubs have an impressive FA Cup pedigree in recent times. Twelve months ago, Cambridge defeated Newcastle United while the Nash have twice reached the second round in the last 14 years. In 2008 they beat League Two Exeter City before losing at Kidderminster. In 2016, they were home to Wimbledon and ten minutes' from the third round before imploding and squandering a 3-0 lead.

Lakeland commented: "The benefits of a game like this for the club are massive.There's huge exposure and we should have a big gate and a good crowd. It pulls everyone in the community together, and it’s just great for pulling all the sections of the club together.

"It’s been a great ride so far and we’ve said to the players from the start of our journey that we wanted to create our own little chapter in the history of the club and try and do everything we could to get to the first round.

"We’ve managed to do that even though we’ve had really difficult draws along the way. But the lads have given everything to get here and now I think it’s important that they enjoy it although we’ll certainly be giving it absolutely everything.

"It’s going to be difficult for us playing against a team from League One but it’s a great challenge for myself, my staff, my players, and it’s one that we’re eagerly anticipating.

"Maybe I’ve got a little bit of a monkey off my back by having a half-decent FA Cup run but we’re not ready for it to end just yet."

[lesbian-thespian-paladin]

Emotions not programmed: regret. 

(Aka: let my boys cry you cowards, even robocobs and android messiahs have bad days.) 

[americaswritings]

Headcanon: Being a doctor and dating Connor Rhodes

Add yourself to my taglist!

Masterlist

You were both doctors at the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center

Connor had his eyes on you the day you started working in the ER

At first it had purely been physical attraction for him

He hadn't been looking for anything serious after what had happened     with Robin

But then he got to know you

You two had to work on a case together

And he realized you were brilliant, tough, and funny

Well that man got it bad

He loved teasing and flirting with you to see your reaction

Testing the waters, you know

But he couldn't stop thinking about you

And he couldn't help glancing at you way too often

Everyone noticed

Even the patients (which made for some pretty awkward encounters)

You tried to ignore it at first, not prepared for a serious relationship

Especially with someone like Connor

And then

He asked you out

And you declined

Over and over again

But Connor didn't give up (and you had to admit you secretly didn't     want him to)

Eventually you agreed on a date with him

And you found out he is nothing like you had thought he would be     (over-confident, rich guy)

He was funny and loyal and could be humble

He would do anything for his patients

Even if that could get him in trouble sometimes

It was something you deeply admired him for

And that made you feel drawn to him

Not that his good looks hurt

His eyes, that smile...do I need to say more?

After a few dates you finally decided to try a relationship with him

You didn't want to go public at first but the two of you couldn't hide what was between you

Everyone knew

So eventually you didn't deny it anymore

And you moved in with him (because truth to be told, his apartment is much nicer than yours)

And you pretty much spend all your time there anyway

Making him watch medical shows with you

"Why would you watch that? Most of it is just plain wrong and stupid!"

"I know! That's why it's so much fun to watch!"

Going to work & leaving together

Always grabbing a cup of coffee in the morning

Him holding open the door for you as the gentleman he is

When one of you has to do a nightshift, the other would take care of them

Finding excuses to talk to each other at work

"Hey, Dr. Rhodes, I really need to hear your opinion on this patient."

"I would like to have Dr. (Y/l/n) on my case too. She has a lot of experience when it comes to this condition."

Everyone else knowing fully well that you’re just making up excuses to spend time together

But watching in amusement

They obviously also ship the two of you

Will and Ethan even started a bet about when Connor would propose

But some people would gossip about your relationship

"She only dates him for his money."

"It's so she gets the better cases. She only cares about her career."

Of course they would only say it about you because you're a woman     #sexism

Eventually you would tell Connor about it

"Hey, don't listen to them. We both know that isn't true.Their opinions don’t matter."

When he noticed people looking funny at you he would put his arm     around your shoulder, drawing you into his body

Or he would kiss you passionately

Because he wanted everyone to know he didn't care what they thought

It still bothers you sometimes though

But then you would remind yourself how lucky you were to have Connor in your life

And that it didn’t matter what people thought about you

Sometimes when one of you had to deal with an especially hard or     emotional case you would need to talk it out and the other would make sure to listen

It always broke your heart when Connor came home crying, but you     valued that he trusted you enough to show his feelings

And that he didn't think he had to put up a front to appear manly

You would talk through everything or if that wasn't what the other     needed, you would make sure to distract them or even sit together in     silence, just being together

Cause you both knew how hard it could be to lose a patient

Sometimes the two of you would argue about cases, not agreeing on a     treatment

It was hard to let it slide when coming home from work

But you had made the rule to leave those discussions at work and not continue them afterwards

Also let's talk about how romantic Connor is

He loves to surprise you

Whether it's a bucket full of roses,

Preparing a candlelit dinner for you

Or a foam bath and giving you a free massage to relax

You often found yourselves staying up late, watching the city at night while talking about life

When you had first seen the view from his apartment you had been in     complete awe

Now it was your favorite spot

You weren't big on surprises, but you always made sure to think about the little things

That could mean providing Connor with regular doses of coffee when     he had a long day,

Leaving little notes for him to find

Cooking his favorite food after he came home from a long surgery

Or talking him through a procedure he was especially nervous about

And attending events with him such as charity galas

You both weren't too big on those events but every once in a while it was nice to dress up

And it gave you an opportunity to dance

Which you both loved (he probably loved it even more than you, because     I am 100% sure that man can dance, although he would never admit that)

You met his father a few times. Connor always dreaded these moments

But he was glad to have you with him to calm him

That's it :)

TAGS:

PERMANENT

@capkilljoy @fairytalesforever​ @hamartocado​ @choke-me-sweet-pea​ @sleepinginthegarden7​ @thenoddingbunny-blog​ @ttalisa  @hallecarey1  @Not-jay-c   @sunwardsss @writingrem-blog @the-pink-petite-princess @wanniiieeee

CHICAGO MED

@alldaysdreamers  @krswrites @oosnapitskat @okiegirl24

[meduseld]

How much do the Berman daughters know about that night at Camp Nightwing?

Not that much, and they had to dig for a lot of that info behind the family's (Ziggy, Nurse Lane, Nick) back. I think one of the difficult things about growing up with parents with trauma like that, especially when punctuated by the generational trauma of being from Shadyside, which is kinda like growing up in a warzone, is that you *know* something is up. You just don't know what. But you're aware something is different, about your family, that something is there and is not being said. There's a silence you can feel. And that silence extends to you. In the girls' case, they can't talk about their father or homelife of any of it outside of the two of them. Omerta, which is why I keep using the word. It fits. The point is, they begin to see the edges of Nightwing long before they know what it is. And slowly the picture comes together from what they do and don't say (and in this case, the family also wants to keep everything relating to Nurse Lane a secret bc "Nana tried to gut a teenage serial killer before we knew what he was and spent time in a mental hospital" is not a conversation anyone wants to have).

But, the fact of Nightwing exists. Josh had all the info. So the girls know about Nightwing and they can put it together. Not to mention, they wanted to dig into the secrets. Their mom's forbidden notebook and so forth. Of course they opened it up the second they could. Some day, those very rare days, that Nick and Ziggy left the house together and Nana was tired and they could go through the papers. And they also sit and pool information together. See Ripley is abrassive. Sometimes that works. But since Connor's such a sweet little angel people let their guard down around her and say shit. "Her poor mother, what a tragedy, at least this child is a blessing. Of course, she could have named her Cindy instead of a name as masculine as Connor...." They don't ever get to go to Nick's empty mausoleum of a home, except a couple of times that Ripley should have been arrested but Nick took her there and she spied a bit. Not a lot but enough to get a sense. She's also biked past it. And looked in the windows, whatever. The neighbors called the cops, which is her dad....... whole annoying thing.

So yeah, they start figuring it out over time, and doing research bc they want to know wtf, but also sometimes the news gushes over Nick, their fearless Sheriff and they mention Nightwing and the girls *see* their mom tense up. Also teenagers bring that shit up in fights with caretakers and some more info pours out, either in the heat of the moment of by Nana Lane trying to smoothe things over later. The girls never feel anything but love for her even after finding out about the whole knife incident, and sweet little Connor is the one that confronts the woman in the grocery store talking smack about who was crazy enough to let Lane take care of the kids.

Wow this got dark. But yeah, it's a tough way to grow up, and would have been even if Nick was more present. That way it hits even harder when they find the memorabilia he kept of them, pictures and drawing and their soccer trophies, in that ugly house they have legally inherited after his death.