#go read or watch things that already exist. there's no new angle to take on the material

[britneyshakespeare]

Henry VIII is not a very good play

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I really adore reading your different opinions and discussions about the Twist Cast, world, theories, and so on. Which is also why i wanted to ask you: If you could rate the 7 Dorms (+ Ramshackle dorm) based on environment, characters, interior design, etc. how would you rate them from a scale from 1 to 10...?

I'm curious to know. :)))

Well and this is probably the scientist in me speaking 💦 those are a lot of different factors to consider in one score, and not all of them are equally weighed. Each dorm is very different; we don’t even get the same number of characters for each; the higher number of characters in Heartslabyul, for example, could either bring down or bring up the whole score). It wouldn’t be a clean or a fair game.

Instead of giving “overall” numerical scores, I’m just going to break them up into multiple categories, each list arranged from “favorite” to “least favorite.

By Environment:

Octavinelle — I’ve always wondered what it’s like under the sea… It’d be so tranquil just through Octavinelle’s big glass walls and watching the sea creatures drift by. So therapeutic! (And free, too 😂)

Heartslabyul/Pomefiore — Both feature gardens! I can get lost in them, smelling the roses along the way. Pomefiore is more traditionally pretty (ballrooms, grand decorations, etc), whereas Heartslabyul focuses on whimsy and wonder (more clutter, windy halls, etc). I appreciate both aesthetically!

Ramshackle — Nothing that standout, but also nothing too bad about it. Might be depressing to look out of a window and immediately spot a dead tree and a graveyard though. Also keep in mind that Ramshackle is located the farthest from the main buildings on campus, but I don’t mind this because walking a while helps me properly wake up. The isolation is also nice for an introvert like me.

Diasomnia — Everything looks dark and dead. Constantly worried about being poked by thorns.

Ignihyde — Does outside even exist to these nerds?/j Same issue as Diasomnia but worse somehow; too gloomy and dead looking. Looks creepier because of the tech glowing/casting some light in the darkness.

Scarabia + Savanaclaw — IT’S TOO HOT I’LL DIE OF HEAT STROKE

By Characters:

*Note: takes both individual characters + group dynamics into account*

Octavinelle — The most cohesive as a group, but each Octa boy also stands on their own as a strong and interesting character in my eyes. Helps that J word also belongs here 💕 Watching their schemes unfold is always a treat.

Scarabia — Jamil and Kalim are a comedic yet complicated combination; seeing them puts a smile on my face whether it’s because Jamil is suffering or because Kalim is being oblivious. Usually both.

Savanaclaw — The only one I’m meh on is Jack 😭 Best part of Savanaclaw is definitely when Leona steps up and everyone else backs up his leadership.

Ignihyde — Love Ortho, don’t love Idia (except for those few moments when he’s relatable), so it evens out. Appreciate how much Ortho cares for his brother and encourages him to try new things! Big fan of their wholesome brotherly dynamic, it’s basically one of the few times I can stand Idia.

Pomefiore — Of the group, I only like Rook. I don’t really care for their group dynamic.

Heartslabyul — No particularly strong feelings about anyone here. They’re alright.

Diasomnia — The only character I like of this group is Sebek, and even then the love is somewhat conditional (because as soon as he starts harassing people about Malleus, that love plummets). Silver and Lilia are okayish, but I dislike Malleus so that brings this dorm way down. I think Diasomnia is strongest from the found family angle.

Ramshackle — … What characters? (Yuu doesn’t count; they’re purposefully written as a blank slate and I would rather read about an already established character than an intentionally bland one. The ghosts also don’t count because there’s nothing to distinguish their personalities from one another; they don’t event get names 😭) Grim is a little meowmeow on his own…though I do really love the ghosts being Yuu and Grim’s found family.

By Interior Design:

Octavinelle/Pomefiore — Classic and fancy ✨

Heartslabyul — I’m a sucker for the Alice in Wonderland aesthetic.

Scarabia — Looks huge and fun to explore; probably full of interesting things to gawk at because of the wealth that has been poured into the dorm.

Ramshackle — Cozy, nothing offensive about it.

Diasomnia — Feels like I walked into a haunted castle. Doesn’t look very welcoming or inviting. Might get jumpscared at the next corner.

Ignihyde — Too inorganic and stiff because of all the tech and blue screens floating around. I’d probably get a migraine from just being in Ignihyde.

Savanaclaw — Outdoorsy energy. Would constantly be concerned about sun burn and bug bites (because of how “open” the dorm’s design is). Rope bridges would make me feel nauseous. Just overall not a fun time.

*Bonus* — By Uniform(s):

Noble Bell College :>

Octavinelle — Simple but effective. Also just love me a crisp suit 😩 and cummerbunds (since they accentuate the waist)…

Pomefiore — The colors as flowy fabric are so pretty together… It’s also interesting how they incorporated a kimono-like design into a very European styled/inspired dorm. It works surprisingly well! Adore the intricate fabrics in their sleeves; the complex apple pattern on the red, the sheer black material, etc.

Diasomnia — I have no clue how this uniform works (like, putting it on), but I will agree that it looks cool and intimidating. The hats are slightly silly, but they work well with the whole look.

Scarabia — Looks easy to move in! Love the gold accessories as well. I don’t like the garish flame pattern on their hotpants or the sandals.

Heartslabyul — Why are you wearing sneakers and plain white T-shirts. I thought the dorm uniform was supposed to be formal wear 😭

Ignihyde — Weirdly blocky and geometrical. Nothing that eye-catching to look at.

Savanaclaw — The biker-cowboy aesthetic is just NOT it, sis…

RSA

Ramshackle — … What dorm uniform? Grim’s striped bow? Cuz I’ll agree that it’s cute, but we have nothing else to go off of since Ramshackle isn’t formally recognized as a dorm.

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.196 thoughts

[Lucky Number Seven]

(Contents: speculation - power system/lore)

"I'll talk about Unbreakable vs. Unbreakable next week," I said, "surely it'll wrap up then," I said...I say it every few weeks, but I really need to stop trying to predict what's going to happen next...ah, am I Untrust?

Funny thing about this week's chapter: last week, I had the thought completely unprompted:

"Huh. y'know, even with their Rules, there isn't any good reason that the Negators are superhumans most of the time. Like just because Andy can't die, that's no reason he should be able to control the flow of his blood. Shen and Feng's martial prowess and inhuman strength are completely unrelated to their Rules, same with Billy's trick shots. I wonder if maybe their non-Negator abilities are somehow tied to their souls"

And I considered bringing it up last week, but it didn't really seem super relevant to what was going on, so I omitted that section cus I didn't want to get super sidetracked, especially with something that was just a wild shot in the dark

AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE I'M JUST TAKING CREDIT FOR A PREDICTION I NEVER MADE!!! TOZUKA, YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A JACKASS FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!!!

Anyway...this is such a sick development!!! It's a subtle change, but the difference between using one's will to activate their abilities and using one's soul carries such a significant implication for how the power system will develop going forward

For one, the ability to manipulate, shape and project the soul changes the meta drastically since it adds a completely new wrinkle to how battles are fought, basically adding a new tool to everyone's kit in addition to things like Artifacts and teaming up with UMAs while also adding a potential new weakness to every encounter

I get the impression that souls are meant to be immortal since people get reincarnated between loops, but Ruin said that anyone he kills as a Regulator is removed from the loop, implying he can completely kill souls. But is this a unique trait to him, or is it something that anyone can do if they're able to target souls and he's just familiar with the technique?

Then there's the fact that Fuuko was able to impart Unluck without any tools, simply using her raw soul to go straight to meteoric levels. What can everyone else do to augment or circumvent their Rules? Could Chikara project his vision through his soul to lock down enemies from multiple angles without needing to worry about his eyes drying out? Or could he see a target's soul and prevent them from using their powers entirely?

Can Rip damage souls directly and keep them from recovering? Can Billy learn how to copy Rules better by witnessing them directly? Can Shen get a better read on his opponent by seeing their soul's intentions? Can Haruka harden her soul into armor OR harden her body since it's technically external to her soul? Can Sean make his soul Unseen or project parts of his soul to turn others invisible at a distance?

It'd be pretty boring if everyone just started generically making soul chains and soul guns, but if everyone is able to level up their Rules in unique ways, that'd be a great way to further develop the power system beyond what we've seen so far! I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we found out that Juiz has been using her soul to read peoples' visions of justice this whole time, and we'll probably see that in more detail when Julia gains Unjustice

As fun as it is to develop the power system, though, the real question for this chapter is who were those souls with Fuuko? I think it's fair to say that most if not all of us have concluded already that they're the previous holders of Unluck, who have presumably followed Fuuko to watch over her, but that raises a bunch of questions in and of itself

We know that Juiz and Victor never had families, so their continued existence between loops changed nothing (side note: this is a good indicator that Ruin has in fact been present since Loop 1 since he claims to have been created by God directly, which just further goes to show how hard he sucks as a villain), and that Juiz's eventual death led to her soul being incarnated as the child of a childless couple. From this, we can conclude that because Fuuko did not die in L100, her parents didn't have children in L101 as her soul was not present to be born. If these other six Unlucks have been staying with Fuuko this entire time, then that means that none of them were born in L101, as the chain of succession for Unluck could not be reset. How sad! Their ultimate fate was to not be able to live the lives they wanted even in the final "perfect" world! I guess that's still true of any given Negator prior to the current lineup, though, but still, that's tragic in and of itself, isn't it??

Secondly, though, what do they mean they chose Fuuko? All this time, I thought God picked the Negators based on what would cause the biggest tragedy for them: the world's greatest doctor inflicts irreparable wounds, the world's greatest psychic can only tell lies, the world champion ends his career by killing his opponent, a child drops his only living family from a cliff, a husband's only memory of his wife is her death...you can't tell me that these are because of the previous Negators!!! The Gods making those choices makes sense because they're both sadists, but the Negators themselves??? No, there's something more going on here

The Isshin family makes sense, at least, since their ability doesn't carry tragedy in and of itself, though it's possible that they're just maximizing its effectiveness by keeping it exclusive to smiths. I suppose the previous Untrust going for Latla also makes sense in that regard since giving it to someone with inaccurate predictions wouldn't change the trustworthiness of their conclusions. Unrepair is best used in the hands of someone with an understanding of anatomy, Unstoppable is best used by someone with good reaction time, Unchange is best used by someone with a strong desire for consistency, etc.

I think what it might be is that the previous users are also trying to find who can best make use of their powers in the interest of defeating God in the long term, it's just that God still decides when the power is transferred. I don't know what the previous Unlucks saw in Fuuko, but I highly doubt they said "that girl sure loves her parents; wonder how good she'll get with Unluck if we kill them." No, they probably heard her say or saw her do something that implied an interpretation of luck that they saw potential in, and didn't anticipate just how much destruction that she'd be able to cause

Bear in mind, there's no indication that Juiz ever executed any of the previous Unlucks, nor was she particularly worried about who would get it next after Fuuko. This implies that Fuuko's potential for Unluck is uniquely dangerous; the ability isn't a threat, she is, and whatever it is that made her that way is what made the Unlucks choose her

This brings us to the matter of the loop itself: why do the same people get the same abilities every time? My original thought was that either A) God designed the system that way for consistency so the looper would be able to make decisions based on experience, or B) once someone became a Vessel, the Rule was inextricably tied to their soul, so it would be drawn to them specifically if they were available when the ability next transferred. There may still be some truth to these ideas, but with the understanding that the previous Vessels have at least some say in the line of succession, it seems likely that upon reset, the first user gets it back and then deliberately passes it on to their chosen successor upon their death because they know it'll eventually lead where they want it to

This in turn further suggests that memories are carried in the soul. We've seen this multiple times, with Julia remembering Juiz's life and Sean/others choosing to be born earlier/later, but for the Vessels to consistently choose the same successors, it gives the impression that once they revert to being souls they remember everything and know what they need to do next. I wonder if they communicate with each other at all to coordinate their reincarnations and selections?

If nothing else, we can conclude that Remember probably accesses the memories present within the soul rather than psychometrically reading their past or storing the memories itself like other Artifacts do. I wonder if Remember's reverse ability actually erases memories or just suppresses them? I'm inclined to the latter, since one could feasibly use the obverse in a later loop and get erased memories back as well, and Victor's memories weren't actually erased. That said, Victor may be a fringe case since losing his memories completely could be a form of ego death, and therefore would be negated by Undead. Victor's not a very good sample for understanding the mechanics of Remember, is the point

I won't guess how long it will be before Tozuka revisits this concept and explains it in more detail, since again, I'm always wrong in these things, but I'm very excited for when he does! I've seen a lot of people concerned about the implications that the Vessels are responsible for the tragedies, and I would like that misunderstanding cleared up ASAP

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[idontknowreallywhy]

Tried but failed to reach a conclusion on what I’m loosely calling the paint mystery but the majority of the chapters have deviated so wildly from any kind of plot that I may have to rethink whether it’s a story or just a collection of scenes.

Unrefined, unedited previous bits for reference:

Bit the first

Bit the second

Bit the third

The interlude after the third where I lost control of the characters and everyone went a bit nuts

Now, Bit the fourth which was supposed to be the end but that still eludes me… ALL the thanks to @astranite @womble1 and @sofasurf for the beta reading and suggestions and encouragement and to the Thunderfam generally for being a friendly safe community to practice a new thing within.

Light

A rush of harmonics drowned out Two’s steady hum as her sister raced up beneath her and barrel-rolled overhead before shooting off into the Californian twilight. Virgil watched as her vapour trail angled up, up, up and over backwards before taking a steep dive and spiralling back towards where he and Gordon watched in various shades of amusement and baffled awe.

“How is he still conscious?” Gordon murmured. “I’d be either sick… or dead. Ugh… nope, definitely dead.”

Virgil watched as his elder brother steered the rocket plane into the vertical zigzag he recognised as the signature move of the ‘Vomit Comet’ Scott had piloted for the trainee astronauts during his 6 month NASA secondment from the Air Force.

“He doesn’t have a… normal relationship with G force, Fish, you know that.”

As if to prove the point, One screamed past them, spinning, and doubled back to overtake at a distance which set Two’s proximity sensors blaring.

Again.

Virgil cringed and covered his ears.

John’s wry smile materialised in front of them. 

“Aunt Val is going to be inundated with emails from the alien spotters again isn’t she?”

Virgil snorted. Then sighed.

“Should we… you know, rein our dear flyboy in a little?”

There was a delighted snicker in the background as John coughed uncomfortably.

“He couldn’t doooo it” came the familiar singsong voice of Virgil’s digital niece. John, who now appeared to be heavily focused on brushing non-existent dust from his baldric, frowned slightly.

“I did open a comm with him, yes.”

“And?”

“He was… whooping, Virgil.”

It was Gordon’s turn to snort. He looked up from his tablet where he’d already accessed the usual conspiracy theory websites to check for new flying saucer sightings over Arizona.

“What, Scott? Pfft, seems unlikely”

John raised an eyebrow and patched in the audio from One’s cockpit.

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat as he was accosted by a sound he hadn’t heard since his brother was a teenager. Warm, hearty, unfettered laughter punctuated by… yes, that could only be described as a whoop… and then an elated giggle. 

Virgil was aware that to most people sound didn’t have colour but it was second nature to him. Scott’s usual speaking voice was a familiar steely blue, rich and dependable. It could deepen to almost navy if he was angered or concerned, or gain highlights of cerulean when he was amused or speaking affectionately. Now it was as if an arc of blazing summer sky was overlaid on the late evening clouds ahead of them, marred only by the static effect of the comm. Virgil was overwhelmed by a sudden longing to hear his brother laughing properly, truly, untainted by digital interference and simultaneously afraid the opportunity to do so would never arise.

Nobody moved, not waiting to break the spell. Then One did it for them, as her pilot pushed her into yet another feat of aerobatic madness and her own burning white squeals of delight muffled those of the man at the controls.

John muted the feed. Virgil releases the breath he was holding and swallowed, glancing at Gordon whose jaw had almost parted company with his face, his tablet hanging from a limp hand, his mission of winding up the ufologists forgotten. 

It was sobering to realise how infrequently a website tracking the rare and precious phenomena of happy-carefree-Scott would be updated. He met John’s eye and inclined his head. He couldn’t intervene either. Drop kicking a puppy would be less morally questionable.

“How’s his fuel?”

John’s gaze shifted upwards as a graceful sweep of his left hand obviously brought up some kind of display and a swift flick of the right closed something else down. Virgil was momentarily distracted by the image of his elegant brother conducting a symphony orchestra from space, his attention snapping back as he noticed the slight furrow in John’s brow.

“Low, I take it?”

“At this rate he’ll drop into F tank in about 10 minutes. Which will get him home if he flies in a straight line…”

“If.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s F tank when it’s at home?” Gordon had abandoned his tablet and was observing his elder brothers’ with overt curiosity.

John rolled his eyes. Virgil bit his lip and radiated guilt. Scott had never been told about that particular upgrade to his ship and it always made him uneasy to keep such a secret but the secrecy was necessary for it to work as intended.

“Gordon you have to swear to keep this to yourself… but you remember all those times when the paragon of caution that is our big brother has reassured us his fuel supply was “Fine” when One was actually running on fumes?” 

More like the distant memory of fumes in some cases. His little brother of course knew all too well because he’d flown enough missions himself to take fuel to whatever godforsaken location Scott had stranded himself in.

“Well… Brains and I installed a little extra tank about which the fuel gauge is ignorant and so is One’s primary pilot.”

Gordon appeared to ponder this for a minute.

“Won’t that just make him believe he really can fly on fumes?”

“Precisely what I said” John threw a hand in the air. “I had suggested a flow rate limiter instead, so she can’t do more than Mach 6 once the gauge gets below a certain level”

“But that’s slower than the Big Green Mom Bag!”

“Oi!” the Mom Bag’s pilot objected “But, yes. Can you imagine what his reaction would have been if…” Another screech of scram jets announced One’s return from who knew where and she decelerated with a shudder to match Thunderbird Two’s more sedate pace, flying above and just a nose ahead with her pilot looking down at them and flipping a cheeky salute. Virgil nudged the comms open again:

“Having fun, you big show-off?”

Scott’s hologram appeared, all shark-like grin and wildly dilated pupils. Virgil found himself leaning back into his chair, slightly intimidated by the intensity of his sibling’s manic expression.

“Well?! What are you going to PLAY?!”

Three younger brothers performed a perfectly synchronised double-take.

“P-play?”

“The concert, short stuff! What are you going to play in the concert? You should play that one that that goes ba-da-da-da da da ba-da-da-da da da da dum…” and then One was spiralling off again in a roar of jet engines, her pilot’s hologram blurring into incomprehensibility from the vibrations and leaving his younger brother blinking in confusion.

He shut off the comm before it gave them all a headache. At some point prior to the spontaneous post-tornado-rescue singalong in the school hall, their old teacher Ms Knighton had accosted Virgil and persuaded him to be the guest soloist at a benefit concert she was already planning to fundraise for disaster relief in their hometown. ‘Persuaded’ wasn’t quite the right word. He wasn’t aware that he’d actually been given any kind of an option. The woman was a tidal wave of organisation and he’d been well and truly swept along.

He wasn’t sure how he felt about it anyway. He’d not played in front of anybody but family since their Mom had passed and he hadn’t planned to either, for all that the idea gave him a tiny flutter of anticipation. He’d been meaning to send an apology citing work commitments later that week.

THIS was what had got Scott so excited?

He squirmed guiltily as he’d begun to theorise that his renowned flirt of a brother had encountered an old flame during the course of the evening and that was what had caused the adrenaline spike. But, it seemed Scott wasn’t celebrating for himself at all. This vanishingly rare level of joy from his big brother, was on HIS behalf?

He suddenly pictured Scott sat in the front row of every little school performance, even the ones Mom couldn’t get to. He’d always put the constantly jiggling denim-clad legs down to frustration at having to sit still and listen rather than climb and run but then… maybe that wasn’t it at all?

There was the gift of the electronic piano… and that time his brother flew back from college to talk round his father who’d objected to Virgil’s nervous suggestion that maybe he could do joint honours music alongside his engineering degree. Granted, when he realised IR on the horizon, Virgil had changed his mind and decided to keep music just as a hobby but thanks to his brother, it had been HIS decision to make. 

Now he thought about it, he couldn’t think of a single occasion when he’d sat and played the lounge piano where Scott wasn’t either at dad’s desk, on the sofa, or leaning against the body of the instrument chatting or just watching with a fond smile.

Scott had been his cheerleader at every step.

“Earth to Viiiirg!” Gordon leaned over and poked him in the side of the head. “So what are you going to play then?” Virgil smiled awkwardly and rubbed away the sudden excess of water in his eyes.

“Guess I’d better figure out what “ba-da-da-da da da” is.”

[heliads]

everything is blue • conrisa space au • Chapter One: Some Run

Risa Ward escaped a shuttle destined for her certain, painful death. Connor Lassiter ran away from home before it was too late. Lev Calder was kidnapped. All of them were supposed to be dissected for parts, used to advance a declining galaxy, but as of right now, all of them are whole. Life will not stay the same way forever.

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series masterlist / next

Connor Lassiter has only existed in these worlds for sixteen turns around his system’s sun, and yet his time is already over. It’s funny, really. If he was going to be taken apart, he was really hoping that he’d be able to make it to seventeen. It always seemed like a good year. Or maybe that’s just because seventeen is when you can start the training process to get your cosmic license, and although Connor never breathed a word of it to anyone, he’s always been angling to make it past the atmosphere, even just once.

Now, it looks like he’ll get his wish to leave his birth planet behind, but that’s the only good part about all of this. Connor will never be able to explore deep space, he’ll never chase down settlements on rogue moons, and he’ll never so much as see a binary sunrise, because Connor Lassiter is going to die, and worst of all, no one in this system or any other will fight it.

Even Connor can’t believe it’s really happening. Sure, he’s had this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that his home has stopped being his for quite some time now, but he always assumed he could do something to pull himself out of it. Yeah, he mouthed off in class, and only ever turned up at home after curfew, long past when he was supposed to, but none of those are grounds for this, right? Right?

Not according to his parents, because they’re the ones who have gone and signed away his grounds license. Horrific. Connor found the proof of it by accident, aimlessly scrolling through his parents’ hololibrary in search of something interesting to read or watch. Instead of a new show, though, Connor had accidentally clicked on the tab for his parents’ private work files. 

Connor usually never bothers checking that stuff– who cares about interplanetary taxes and star system loans, anyway– but just as he’d been about to go back to the entertainment folder, he’d spotted his name on a file that read:  Destined for Distribution, and then he’d known.

There’s an old saying about how it takes a lunar colony to raise a child, but sometimes even the proverbial interstellar village isn’t enough. Sometimes you can’t force your offspring to be what you want. The governments of the worlds puzzled over such a dilemma for a long time– if you can’t shape the young generation, after all, you risk losing control of all of humanity forever– and after a series of Heartland Wars and internal disputes, they came up with a solution:  distribution.

Space travel is a relatively new problem in the history of humanity, but they’ve already managed to mess it up. Those in charge at the start of it all wanted new flights, new discoveries, to take over every planet they saw regardless of who lived there and the downfalls of having to carry on a society in every direction. 

After sinking their claws into every star system they could reach, the tension of frenetic interstellar improvement slackened, and what was left was a hastily constructed dystopia, prone to falling apart under the slightest of scuffles. We’re kind of a terrible species, humans, all things considered. We don’t wait until we’ve solved world peace before we take our problems to other planetary systems. Instead, we spread out our grievances until everyone in all the worlds has to suffer as much as we did.

The problem with fast-paced space exploration is that the early adventurers burned through resources just as quickly as they did back on planet Earth, which is now barely more than a clod of ash and dust. To make up for the demands without having to change their tactics, the centralized government sent out a mandate to all its territories:  why not solve two problems in one? Get rid of the teenage crisis by using their resources in a better way. Distribute what the ferals would take up to those who could actually use it.

There’s no way the idea of distribution should have taken on as strongly as it did. Maybe it wasn’t as inhumane in the beginning as they did now, maybe it literally was just about giving away food and clothing and shelter. Now, though? Distribution doesn’t just represent physical objects. It means that the actual bits and pieces of you, the bloody matter and bleached bones that are currently in the body of a child marked for distribution, will be spun apart into individual fragments and given away. 

There’s the idea that there’s only so much space left in space, so to speak, so if you’re no longer needed, your pieces will get distributed to those who need it more. That’s how our glorious society keeps growing, no longer out but in.

Every bit of you will be gone, destined for some better purpose. Some would say that’s poetic. Connor, who is slated to be killed in just this fashion, would call it gruesome. However, no one really cares about the thoughts of someone marked for distribution, and they’re certainly not going to start now. Hell, they haven’t been listening to him for years. Why change?

As Connor swiped through the distribution forms signed in triplicate according to some tradition from a long dead planet, he was chillingly reminded of how easy it was to get rid of him. Every person born on any planet within the Collective’s reach is given a grounds license when they draw their first breath. When it’s decided that they no longer deserve the air in their lungs, the Collective takes back the air and lungs both. Your grounds license is revoked, and from that moment forward, you cease to exist in any way that matters.

After that, you’re sent for distribution. By turning in the forms to confiscate your grounds license, your parents essentially send the Juvey-cops after you. Most kids don’t find out they’re going to get distributed until the Juveys show up at their house and take them away. They’ll have just enough time for a few cries of outrage before getting packaged into a shuttle and spirited to a nearby lunar colony so the doctors can cut you to ribbons. Delightful.

If, on the off chance, you actually do manage to find out that you’re going to get torn to pieces in the name of an equal and fair government, such as Connor, you have a chance to run. He’ll try, of course, but even as he makes his final preparations to kick-AWOL, some disheartening voice in the back of his head tells him that he probably isn’t going to make it very far. You can’t do anything without a grounds license. Not easily, of course. In all honesty, it’s probably just a matter of time until the Juvey-cops catch up to him.

Of course he’s going to run, though. Connor Lassiter is not the type to sit around and wait for his death to come to him. He’ll run until they strip away his very legs. Until then, he can grab a go bag, walk around his house one last time, and then leave in the dead of night before anyone thinks to catch him.

Connor hovers one last second over the threshold of his open door. After this, his fate is up in the air. He could get caught within moments, or he could somehow find a way to stick it out until his eighteenth birthday and survive to tell the tale. The only way he’ll know the answer to that story is if he leaves now.

Connor pushes the air from his lungs and goes. The door shuts quietly behind him, and Connor Lassiter officially disappears. From now on, it’s all up to him. His best plan is to head towards a nearby interstellar transport depot, hope he can find some absentminded pilot who won’t notice some kid sneaking into the back of his starlight frigate, and take him away from this planet. Once he’s offworld, he’ll be able to breathe a little easier. There’s no way they’ll be able to find one kid in a trillion if he finds a far enough system, right?

Until then, Connor will have to keep his head low. Juvey-cops aren’t the only thugs with guns who can cause him trouble. A crop of creeps called parts pirates have sprung up, and if it wasn’t terrible enough to have your limbs hacked off by trained professionals, imagine all that happening by the hands of black market dealers. At that point, Connor would rather just turn himself in, even though that’s a possibility more remote than anything. They say it’s within their rights to take the groundsless off the streets, so whatever the parts pirates do along the way is just another obstacle he’ll have to avoid.

As if he’s got a ton of great choices, though. Connor’s going to be unwound. That term’s been discouraged by the Collective ever since the idea of distribution picked up steam– it’s discourteous to the victims of distribution, apparently, and casts a pall on the whole process– but, like, they’re taking Connor’s organs, so he feels like he can call it whatever he wants. Fuck. He’s an Unwind. Why should they care what gory words he uses to describe it? They can dry their tears with his skin grafts.

Connor makes it to the transport depot by foot about an hour and a half later. Not a bad time, all things considered, but his veins are still thrumming with an unearthly need to get away by the time the rows of landing zones come into view. It takes some difficulty to hop the fence on the back end, but it’s old and no one really bothers checking here anyway. No one turns up to a depot like this unless you’re low on fuel or maglev boots before your next trip out of the star system.

Or, of course, unless you’re Connor Lassiter and you’re going to die. Connor hits the ground and nearly takes a spill before managing to right himself just in time. It would not do to break an ankle or something before he can even get onto a ship. Injuries would only slow him down, and the Juveys would have plenty of time to wait for his unwinding while the bone mended.

Connor slinks between rows of sleeping cruisers. He’ll have to pick his ticket to freedom carefully. A lot of the old interstellar war vets took to transportation jobs once they were out of the line of duty, apparently they like having a low-stress profession while still getting to see the stars, but they’ll aim at any unwanted visitors with the same reflexes as back in their soldier days.

No, Connor’s better off hitching a ride with a newbie or someone else who’s checked out enough to forget to do a once-over of their cargo bay. He finds the perfect place down a few rows– an old cargo boat, HBY-300s class. Old as anything, and, judging by the pervasive rust stains, not well looked after. Connor can’t see any lights on in the pilot’s seat, so he hurries up the landing ramp and immediately trips the security system. 

He doesn’t even see it coming, which is not great for his chances, obviously. He should have assumed there would be something like this, but Connor has been jittery for days now, and at some point his guard, already low, just gave up on him. Lights flash on and the beeping voice of a security AI announces him as ConNor LasSiter, AWOL. 

Too late, Connor spots the notice of registration fastened on the side of the ship, how it’s under the ownership of a former Juvey-cop. Probably one still missing the old glory days of hunting down kids who kicked-AWOL, judging by the overeager defense mechanisms. The guy spends his days ferrying shipments from one corner of the galaxy to another, and in his downtime, he picks up escaped Unwinds. How patriotic of him to fulfill such an important civic duty.

Connor swears under his breath, immediately turning tail and sprinting out of the ship. Lights start to click on across the depot’s hangar bay, and the telltale siren of things gone badly begins to echo across the empty space. Connor can hear the sounds of people starting to rush towards the ships, and he cuts an increasingly narrow diagonal across the shipyard, trying to stay out of the path of search beams.

After hauling ass back over the fence, which seems twice as difficult to climb now that he’s in danger, Connor hurtles across plain cement, aiming for the untamed forest across the road. It’s so wild in there that it would be impossible for low flying craft to find him which, judging by the increasing din of engines coming his way, is a necessity right now. 

He didn’t think they’d be able to find him so fast, but maybe one of his parents stopped by his room already and figured out he was gone. They could have called the Juvey-cops and had them here by now, especially with Mr. Reliving the Glory Days of Police Work back there already getting a facial scan on him. Connor thought he had been smart by ditching any tech so they couldn’t track him, but he’s forgotten one crucial thing about the life of an AWOL:  you don’t just have to be smart, you have to be lucky. Looks like Connor’s days of finding four leaf synth-clovers are behind him.

Out of the depot’s floodlights, the ground under Connor’s feet quickly transitions from concrete to grass. The sudden softness making him stumble. As Connor straightens back up, he has to fling an arm in front of his face to protect himself from a sudden, powerful wind coursing down around him. The grass, illuminated out of nowhere by twin blinding beams, is bent flat to the ground from the force of an engine. The engine of a small shuttle, as it turns out. A Juvey-cop’s shuttle, which has found him.

Connor can see the reflection of his eyes, wide as dinner plates, on the shiny surface of the shuttle. He looks terrified, and a bit insane, which all things considered isn’t the least realistic depiction of him. Connor’s brain is a mess. He thought he’d have a little more time until the law enforcement found him. Looks like his period of staying undercover has come and gone.

The shuttle jerks to a landing in front of him, and a man begins to come down the landing ramp, tranq gun in his hands. Connor freezes for a moment, then drags himself to attention as the man gets closer. Once he’s far enough down that Connor can read the name stitched into the pocket of his uniform– Officer J.T. Nelson– Connor gets himself together and runs, rolling under the nose of the craft to the small space underneath the belly of the ship. This clearly disorients the Juvey-cop, whose footsteps abruptly come to a halt on the metal walkway before continuing again, albeit this time slower.

“Come on out, kid,” the guy shouts, “There’s nowhere you can go.”

Connor’s not about to just turn himself in after everything, though, so he creeps further underneath the ship and around the back. The cop follows him, tucking the tranq gun into his belt so he can use his hands to help himself crouch under the lower parts of the ship in search of Connor.

“You can’t hide under here,” Officer Nelson calls, voice echoing off of the metal curves of the shuttle, “I’ll just crush you when I take off again.”

This is probably true but, as Nelson starts to stalk further around the perimeter of the shuttle, Connor gets an idea as to how he might be able to escape this little encounter. It’s a terrible idea, to be sure, and will probably get him killed if he does it wrong, but it’s not like he has any other options at the moment.

So, Connor stays deathly quiet, heart hammering in his chest as he stays pressed flat to the lower wing of the shuttle, and he waits for Nelson to walk closer. The officer indulges, drawing nearby, and Connor reaches out a trembling hand and pulls the tranq gun from the officer’s belt, just like that. Easy. The guy doesn’t even notice.

Connor eases himself out of his hiding place once Nelson has doubled back the other way, then sprints towards the landing ramp of the ship. He makes it halfway up before Nelson reacts to the sound of his heels thundering up the metal incline and bolts back towards the entrance of the shuttle.

“Get back here!” Nelson makes it to the base of the ramp just as Connor reaches the top. 

As the Juvey-cop starts to race up the landing ramp, Connor looks around wildly. His eyes land on a button near the ramp entry and he slams his palm onto it. Thankfully, the button does what Connor had hoped for and the ramp begins to fold up towards the shuttle again, unfortunately with Nelson still scrambling for purchase on the surface. Connor can’t risk the guy getting close enough for Connor to shove him off, so he looks at the tranq gun in his hands and figures out the next best thing.

Nelson reaches the same conclusion as Connor at about the same time. “Don’t you dare, kid,” he begins to shout, but Connor’s finger is already on the trigger.

The Juvey-cop jerks back with the impact of the tranquilizing dart, and he has enough time to snarl out a swear before his limp body falls backwards off of the ramp and into the grassy dirt a few feet below. The landing ramp fastens to the wall of the shuttle with a dull click, and Connor rocks back onto his heels, unable to believe what he’s just done.

He can’t stay in here forever. At some point, that cop is going to wake up, probably with reinforcements, and they’ll smoke him out or something. Then again, as the background roar of the engine reminds Connor of its presence, he realizes that he might not have to leave after all. The Juvey-cop was stupid enough to leave his ship on when he left to pursue Connor, so maybe– maybe he could just stay here after all.

Stars, maybe he could go. Up to space. Juvey-cop shuttles were designed with both ground and space capabilities in mind. He might not be able to set record hyperspace flights in this thing, but he’ll at least be able to crawl to a neighboring planet and ditch the shuttle before hitching a ride on a cruiser like his original plan.

Connor shuffles towards the pilot’s seat in the cockpit and is greeted by the sight of dozens of glowing switches and buttons, all beeping and blinking up at him. He takes a seat, staring, and then tentatively pulls up on the yoke. The shuttle lunges forward and up a little bit, sending Connor sprawling to the side until he manages to fall into the pilot’s chair once more and strap himself in.

After managing to stabilize himself and the shuttle, Connor regards the instrument panel with renewed focus. He’s never been able to get his cosmic license, and that’s damn near out of the question now that he doesn’t even have a grounds license, but he’d had a friend of a friend once who’d known a thing or two about how to fly a spacecraft. 

There was this older guy named Carson Shepherd who used to hang around the parking lot after school got out for the day. He’d sit and swap drinks with some of Connor’s friends. The guy had graduated a year or two ago, and it was anyone’s guess how he’d managed to make it to eighteen without getting his grounds license revoked. Carson had flung himself into the life of a military boeuf and wouldn’t let anyone forget it, either. He wouldn’t stop talking about how he was going to run air strafe runs on distant planets, which Connor only listened to because he’d occasionally talk about how to fly a ship.

Stuff like that was mainly brought up as a bragging point, of course, but Connor was starstruck-crazy for anything space related, so he’d tuned in as much as he could bear. Now, Connor wracks his mind for any tidbit of information Carson had given away. He needs to disengage the landing gear, he needs to get himself airborne before people start looking.

He flips a few switches and is rewarded with a grinding sound somewhere below him. A red light flickers off, and is replaced with a green one when Connor shifts the engine into a mode for takeoff. Pulling on the yoke again, this time slower, Connor is able to drag the shuttle up and up until the tops of the trees are waving below him.

He shouts once in triumph, then again, more loudly, when a readout on the dashboard offers to turn on automatic steering. Connor presses ‘accept’ as quickly as he can, then inputs a destination. Odds are, there’s a tracking beacon somewhere on this ship, so he can’t take it anywhere in the worlds, but if he swaps to another planet in the system, he can transfer to another ship that can take him far away from here.

The nav readout offers him a few choices within the same sector, OH-10, as Connor. He’s on Akron-C right now, home planet that will be home no longer, but Connor presses the button for the small moon just one orbit over, OH-10-XXIII. It’s a small lunar body, hardly anything there at all except for a State Home and some religious communities. No one would look for him there, and by the time they did, he’d be long gone.

Connor hovers by the pilot seat for a few moments longer, just in case something goes wrong, but when no warning lights flash and the air remains devoid of sirens, he accepts that he might actually have made a good decision and sinks back into his own skin, tension finally starting to melt away.

Connor watches the ship carry him up and away from the planet that had once been his own. He has no idea if he’ll ever return; if he’ll even want to, for that matter. Instead, he fixes his eyes on the ever broadening expanse of space, and lets the bright pinpricks of stars take over his mind.

Connor Lassiter is finally offworld.

unwind tag list: @schroedingers-kater, @locke-writes

[beevean]

I pondered issue 63 over some more, and I concluded there's two more things that make me irked about the whole situation between Lanolin and Silver. The first issue has more to do with an 'outsider reader' perspective, where we already know that Duo is actually Mimic in disguise and thus that Lanolin is standing up for someone actively plotting to kill her and the Diamond Cutters. Lanolin can't know that yet, but it does make it frustrating to see her defend Duo and scold Silver when Silver is clearly going to turn out right in the end. Of course, that is all simply story-telling, but I wonder if IDW didn't kind of go the 'wrong' way by having us readers already be aware of Mimic's plot, if that makes sense. We already know the Diamond Cutters will be betrayed, and that makes for frustrating reading where the characters come off as fools for not noticing the clear signs there's something amiss with Duo as opposed to us going through suspense, plot twists, and trying to clue it together ourselves.

But the second issue is far more striking than the fact they're making this be a story, and that is the fact that Lanolin (as far as I am aware) just doesn't get... called out for her behaviour? There's nobody who points out that this is simply how Sonic and friends roll, and that so far it clearly has worked since everyone is still alive and Eggman still doesn't rule the world. Lanolin comes in and begins making demands and form whole plans of how she thinks it should go, and all other characters either listen to that, or they bounce off and promptly get in trouble. I went through the issues and the only instance of someone talking back to Lanolin I could find was in 59, where she tells Tangle to get down low and Tangle points out Eggman can't see them (which at the end of the issue gets undone anyway and results in Lanolin and Whisper being captured). Other than that, everyone is totally cool with her being bossy and mouthing off to heroes like Sonic and Silver, with neither telling her to stop that.

So yeah. I can kind of see the appeal of a story about a fresh new recruit who thinks they know better try to change up the existing dynamic, but then they should learn in the end that that dynamic is there fore a reason. But I cannot shake the feeling that this is not the angle they are taking for Lanolin at all, in part already because the story is rather unclear about how much she actually knows about being a leader. She talks and acts as if she's got years of experience, but also requests Whisper's information about the old Diamond Cutters to see if she can build upon that and has massive angst about not knowing what to do the moment things go south. But then in the new arc after Urban Warfare she goes right back to her bossy demeanour as if she learned nothing from the fact Urban Warfare clearly showed she has a lot of work to do still to be a worthy leader of the Diamond Cutters. Sorry, this turned long, but I have a lot of thoughts about Lanolin all of a sudden😅

The first part explains very well why I'm not one for "dramatic irony" plots, especially if they revolve around one guy being unfairly called out for their actually right behavior. It's frustrating because you're watching a character being mistreated for no good reason, and you know the other character is wrong but you can't tell them. Like, the best I can explain it is that you want to defend them, but you're powerless and forced to wait until the plot decides it's time for them to be proven right, and it's not pleasant.

I'm reminded of the discourse surrounding Silver trusting Mephiles. We can argue until the cows come home whether Silver should have been more skeptical of a mysterious, odd-looking individual who magically offers him the solution to all his problems. But I'd argue that this is a better example of dramatic irony, because even if you want to yell at Silver "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HE'S CLEARLY THE DEVIL", at least he's not being abused for being right. That's what gets me. I just don't find it fun :\

The second point is a problem IDW often showed. I pointed out multiple times that it's not clear how we're supposed to feel about certain characters.

Is Starline a genius who can analyze events from a meta perspective and could see the futility of the "Sonic Cycle", or an idiot with an inflated ego who could never surpass Eggman? Flynn swears it's the latter. The story propping Starline as the main villain for 4 years gives credit to the former.

Is Surge a strong formidable foe, or a scrappy underdog to be pitied because she could never measure up to Sonic? She's always painted in a badass light, but when you see her feats during her arc, she didn't really do much, and she was even humiliated at some points (tripping on bolts, no I won't let that go), so she hardly earned those "cool" points.

Is Sonic's preachiness a flaw or a virtue within the context of the story, and are we meant to agree or disagree with all the people calling him out? I even went on an angry rant about it when #50 dropped lol

Are we meant to see Mr. Tinker as Eggman with brain damage, or as Eggman's true good side? The answer impacts immensely how much we're meant to sympathize with Sonic leaving Eggman be and expecting him to become good again.

And now the latest: is Lanolin's bossiness meant to be a genuine flaw of hers, a result of her not knowing how to lead yet, or simply part of her personality that we have to accept because she's the Only Braincell of the team?

This doesn't make for a nuanced story. This makes for a confusing, wishy-washy narrative that hardly fits what is, to paraphase Flynn's, a kids' book that can't balance complex morality. This is the true source of all the discourse that this comic has generated.

[raylex]

decided to write a short piece about my s/i's first introduction with wander that also goes a bit into their backstory which i will likely elaborate on later - for now, enjoy their (our?) first meeting :) i had fun with this! ・‥…━━━☆

When you’re stuck on the same old asteroid for hundreds upon hundreds of years, the days get repetitive. They get even more repetitive once you realize that you’re not orbiting around anything and there is no distinction between day and night.

You get accustomed to it, sure - but it leaves you with a feeling of melancholy, wondering if this is all there really is. You live and you die on a bleak, lumpy rock going nowhere through the universe’s junkyard.

That’s why Lex was one of the few people who would be beaming with ecstasy upon discovering that they had crashed on an unknown planet.

Most people would spiral further and further into a mental breakdown when you end up stranded in a place you have never seen in your life - in a solar system you don’t know, in a galaxy you don’t know, in a cluster you don’t know. Lex, on the other hand, could have landed on the most empty, desolate, and lonely planet in the known universe, and still be grateful. Anything and everything would beat spending time on an asteroid for any longer.

This planet was beaming with life - life that Lex hadn’t seen in a long time, and life that Lex didn’t even know existed. Fields took up all of their vision as they stared off into the distance - nothing but patches of green grass, colorful flowers, overgrown plants, and swarming insects as far as they could see. Lex felt like they had finally died and gone to heaven. They had never seen such beauty in their long-winded life.

For hours on end, they simply wandered around aimlessly with no destination in mind. Would this be their new home? Maybe - it certainly wasn’t as claustrophobic as living on a giant rock. They didn’t want to waste time worrying about that for now, though - they kept walking and walking and taking in every little thing they could spot in their surroundings.

Eventually, of course, the sun would set - something Lex hadn’t experienced since they were a toddler barely able to formulate anything other than a bunch of nonsensical babbles - and they would lie down on the soft soil, embracing the planet with admiration.

They stared up at the stars, taking note of every little speck of light. When you’re alone for so long, you learn to read the sky from many different angles - even if it was difficult to make out any constellations. Merely bright points that would glow in the dark.

When you’re this entranced by the mere beauty of life itself, you block out anything other than yourself.

And that was exactly what Lex did, unaware that they were not alone, till they caught themselves catching glimpses of a mysterious silhouette hidden in the tall greenery around them.

The presence seemed just as eager to keep watch as Lex, but in an effort to avoid continuing to spy on them, they instead jumped out from their place of hiding, with Lex now able to make out their appearance - a short, orange, furry fellow with a big hat, and an even bigger grin on his face.

“Oh! Pardon me for snoopin’ around there, friend, but I couldn’t help but notice some commotion comin' from around here. Don’t think I’ve seen ya ‘round these parts before, have I? Folks call me Wander! What’s your name?”

Lex stared at the figure with a puzzled expression on their face. Slowly, after a few seconds, they lifted up their hand, pointing at themselves in confusion - their clothing already covered in dirt and grass blades after no longer than one single day of being on this planet.

Wander chuckled in response to their expression. "Yep, I'm talkin' about you! Are ya new? Ya looked lonely, that's why I came on over to give ya a warm welcome!"

Lex spoke up for the first time that night. "…Lonely?", they replied questioningly. Isolation was all they had ever known - to them, it wasn't loneliness. It was just the norm.

"Mhmm, lonely," Wander nodded along, his smile never once leaving his face. "It's fine if ya don't wanna tell me your name, stranger, I can respect a little need for privacy, but tell me - ya look like you're just burnin' to get somethin' off your chest. 'S there anythin' ya wanna talk about? Or maybe you're just shy? Whatever it is, I won't judge ya. My hand's on my heart, I promise."

For a long time, Lex was silent, and there was no sound to be heard anywhere nearby - not even a gust of wind or the sound of any fauna close by.

"…Could you tell me a story?", Lex finally replied. It had been so long since they had last had any interaction with another person. There were so many tales to be heard.

Wander's face glowed even brighter in response. "Oh, boy, can I! Let me tell ya somethin' - I'm a bit of an intergalactic space explorer myself, so I have all kinds of adventures to share!", he beamed, gesturing wildly as he began to recall all of the places he had visited as well as all of the sights he had seen. For every one of his journeys that he spoke of, his speech got louder and faster.

"But that's all I ever wanted to do! Every day, I've travelled across the universe, searching for every star and moon. No matter how far ya go, or how fast ya go, there's always somethin' new to explore. It's amazing! You should come with me sometime!"

Before he knew it, he found himself sitting closely next to the newcomer, still going on about all of the planets he had been to, vividly replaying the memories in his head.

Wander let out a chuckle at how carried away he had gotten. "But enough about me - let's talk about you! Where are you from, pal?"

Lex looked at him blankly for a few moments, before re-adjusting themselves to sit in a more comfortable position. "My life has not been interesting, I'll tell you that," they laughed quietly - mostly in an expression of self-deprecation. They changed their gaze, pointing towards their crash site. "See that huge crashed asteroid over there? I've been living on that thing for as long as I can remember. Man, I hate that thing. I hope I never have to set foot on one of those overgrown rocks ever again."

Gesturing vaguely towards the night sky, they continued. "Hundreds of years just spent drifting through pure nothingness, until suddenly… well, I ended up here."

Wander's gaze followed theirs, also shifting to look up at the sky. "So you're tellin' me that for centuries, you were just floatin' around in space?"

"Yeah… I'm sure you can understand why I think my life's been pretty boring."

"That does sound… less than preferable," Wander nodded. "How'd ya survive all that time?"

"I'm not sure myself. All I know is that after years of eating rocks and stone, you become a little funny in the head," they shrugged, letting out a chuckle. Wander joined along with fits of laughter, seeming to accept this explanation as enough.

For a few minutes, they sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company.

"Well, you don't have to be alone anymore," Wander spoke softly. "You're free to tag along with us if ya want."

"Us?," Lex asked, glancing over at him.

Wander stood up, offering Lex his hand. After a moment of pondering, Lex put their hand in his. Wander grinned, pulling them up to stand on their feet.

"There's someone I'd like ya to meet," he chirped. "My bestest pal in the universe, Sylvia. I never go anywhere without her. We're tighter than bark on a tree. An' any friend of mine is sure to be a friend of Sylvia's, too!"

Lex blinked a few times, still trying to process everything that had just happened. They weren't sure they completely trusted these people - of course, suspicion towards strangers was something that was natural after having been by yourself for so long - but something about the way Wander looked at them with such hope in his eyes prevented them from turning down his invitation.

"Okay," Lex answered eventually, bearing a genuine smile on their face for the first time that night.

[the-fiction-witch]

Hell spawn Part One

Media IRL X Judgement Day

Character Thomas Brodie Sangster (Devil)

Couple Thomas X Reader Kinda

Rating Dark, Spooky, Flirty

Concept After the Apocalypse

I had read stories in books, old magazines and what little had survived of print news. Stories about the history of the world before the horses rode. I myself had never seen the world before with my own eyes, only images. I was one of very few still alive in this strange world of fire and chaos, and it wasn't from luck. I was born after the horses rode. I had only known this world and I'd learnt it's harsh ways. I hid myself behind the black rocks, waiting with my bow in hand already pulled back, keeping my breaths so and quiet. I hadn't moved a muscle for a good few moments keeping myself quiet and strong. I watched the hellish creature sniffing making it's way across the rocks having yet to discover me. I pressed my lips together and softly whistled making it perk its head up and the moment it did I released my grip, the arrow sent through his hand instantly sending it to the floor. I was careful making sure not to be spotted grabbing the creature ripping out my arrow and stuffing it's body in my bag with the other things I had found. I looked to the dark red sky and quickly began making my way back to my cave by the river taking some water with me as I headed inside making sure to reseal the doorway as much as possible to make sure I wouldn't be discovered. I did all my usual business, covering my body with blood to hide my scent, cooking some meat to eat, boiling water to drink, making new arrows from the bones of these smaller creatures as wood barely exists now the fire having taken it all. 

Once all done I went to rest for the night looking over my small book I found years ago, written by one of the survivors who recalled the time before and the start of the madness. But the book was abandoned when I found it and I knew better than to hope they'd Still be alive. 

'It began like any other day would, the sun in the sky, birds in the trees, people going about their business. Knowone thought for a moment that this would have happened on a day like this. First came the howls. Every dog and wolf began howling at the moon that still lingured in the sky. Then the birds all just dropped. Fell from their nests, from the sky, from perch and ledge's everywhere. Then animals too just dropped down dead it caused mass panic but people didn't have much time to panic. From the ocean came this huge mountain of fire boiling the ocean around it before it could even form waves, lava and fire flowed down from its tip and from it came the riders. All in black. Coated in flame. Some say in some places people dropped with the animals but most believe that to simply be a hopeful lie.

After the riders, he came.

The monster of all monsters, king of all evil, master of the darkness. He came with his army of demon spawn to lay waste to our world.

At first people where massacred and mutilated by his armies as they washed over the world like a tsunami. 

Then hope came, angles an army of light and good being lead by he the brightest and most light of all. The holy son. But this turned out to be a false hope for they where not here to save us. But to battle over our world. The two here to battle out their differences two kings in the greatest of wars, A war between good and evil with humanity caught in the Crossfire. 

It wasn't long before our world was a memory, everything dark, sick, dusty, muddy. A no man's land in this great war. Humans didn't stand a chance. Most died in the Crossfire of fighting, others smart enough to hide and survive this long where hunted down by either side. It's said the hellspawn and the devil himself can smell humans' 

I didn't believe much of it I think there are likely gaps in the knowledge of whomever wrote it but still I had always avoided either side and made sure my scent was as hidden as possible. I put the book away and do my best to sleep. 

I woke up and ate what little I could stomach even after all this time I still hadn't gotten use to the sour taste. I drank up my water and filled my bag with arrows heading out into the dusty wilds to hunt and forrage for what little had yet to be corrupted. I was getting a little nervous as it got later everything around me had dried up leading me further out so I was now further from home then I should have been. 

I saw three large creatures in the edge of the more rocky area immediately I hid myself as best I could making sure to keep an eye on them, they where larger and far more developed then the small ones I hunt. My arrows would bounce off them, and they'd be able to smell my scent. I did my best to keep my breath shallow and quiet.

"I tell us your loosing it!" 

"I'm not loosing it!"

"It's a phantom smell you dummy! There are no more humans" 

"I tell ya. What I smell. And I smell human" 

I immediately began to panic struggling to keep my breath in check I knew I couldn't stay here so I did my best to head back as quick and quiet as I could trying desperately not to be noticed but in my panicked rush I didn't notice a loose rock and I tripped over twisting my ankle over and landing in a pond that had formed in the rocks from recent rain, all of which rand over me washing off the blood I had layered on myself

"Human!" I heard them shout just a little way back behind me so I bolted as fast as I could even if my ankle was in agony and then chasing behind me I got back and sealed the doorway doing my best to hide myself away.

They bust thought the sealed doorway like it was nothing and a silence fell over the cave, darkness filled the cave as they blocked the light from outside and preventing my escape, 

"Where is she?"

"She's in here. I smell her." 

I did my best to hold my breath, remain perfectly still do everything I could to not draw attention to myself even if I was fighting back tears as they ripped thought my home destroying everything in hope of finding me until just before they reached my hiding spot they stopped and got quiet. 

I was beyond curious why, so against my better judgement I peeked out from my hiding spot seeing the doorway again darken as a figure arrived shadow over them unable to reveal who or what they were 

"Master sir we-"

"Where is it?" This commanding voice spoke

"In here we know it sir"

"That's obvious you blithering idiots." He said I hid myself away more as the creatures tried to defend their work but this voice simply belittled them as he stepped in slowly moving things from his path until he stood meerly an inch from my hiding spot and I heard them sniffing 

"Smells human doesn't it master" 

"No. Not human" his voice spoke before he broke through and grabbed my arm forcing me out from my hiding place immediately I was taken aback by what now held my arm.

He looked human, tall, thin, vainy arms and a wicked smile, tall boots with various buckles, leather trousers with various belts and holsters for weapons, a half unbuttoned shirt scars across his pale skin, the shirt sleaves stopped as his elbows but his skin covered in blood from his elbows up his nails a dark black and sharp too, he smiled wickedly down at me his brow low, his blonde hair falling in his eyes, he chuckled to himself taking a step closer cornering me giving me no way to fight, to run, or escape him in anyway, and he smiled like he knew it. 

"We told you master!"

"Yeah yeah we said we found a human!"

He snapped his head towards them "shut. Up. Or I'll send you both for a spin on the spit" he warned them immediately shutting them up and he turned back to me "Hello little bird" he smiled fixing a stray peice of my hair away from my face immediately I tried to fight and squirm away but his grip was too strong and his nails dug into my skin "ah ah ah. Where do you think your going?" He smirked "fetch a cage." He demanded from the creatures "a nice one" he added stroking my cheek with the back of his finger even if I tried to fight they left leaving the doorway open he saw me eyeing the door and chuckled again fiddling with my hair and my clothes "does it speak?" He asks so I tried to bite his finger "ooohh fiesty" he laughed "come along then little bird, I've got somewhere special in mind for you" he smirked forcing me out the cave where the creatures had returned with a metal cage I tried to argue to fight as much as I could but he was too strong for me forcing me into the cage and locking it behind me "take her back home. But not a soul touches her till I get there you understand?"

"Yes master" the creatures agreed

As soon as they uttered those words the discoloured skin on their backs began to swell boils forming and eventually popping sending blood everywhere and as they popped they revealed wings to suit the size and colour of each of them they took the cage in hand picking it up and carrying the cage and me up into the air high into the clouds. I hung on to the cage in fear my whole body shaking watching the world under me the rivers, hills and endless desert. I didn't know where I was going but I was utterly terrified. Until I saw where we were going.

A castle built of black stone into the side of the mountains with a city of junk formed around it smoke and clanking metal coming from this harsh place they set the cage down inside the storm castle in a room filled with demons and devilish creatures. All of them looked at me harshly as if I was their next meal and they were hungry, some looked at me worse with expressions hiding thoughts I didn't want to think. Many tried to come close to take me from the cage or to reach inside but they were often stopped by the two who brought me here. 

Until he arrived.

He came through the roof like my cage had and landed squarely on the stone in a burst of ashy smoke. It was him, from my cave now with two large black and red Wings well scared but strong they all bowed to him and rejoice at his arrival, and it became clear he was far more then simply some commander or general. He pulled his wings back below his skin and he moved across to the black stone throne where he took his seat, he smirked looking at me in my state of fear 

"Have her sent to the sixth floor, have the succubuses wash her fully but they are not to play with her. Or I’ll rip their clits off. Dress her in white cotton and leave her in the chamber I hear of anyone touch her or so much as look at her I’ll gut you all for the maggots” 

I tried to fight but they took me from the cage and forced me away into the castle. 

[peabody-simp]

"Wolf And Savior"

Before we get into the story, here are some pre-story credits:

Author/Writer: Jakob Peabody (Me)

The Incredible Wolf AU by: Alina Belk

Peabody took the bus to work today, as his scooter is in the repair shop after the "accident". Long story short: Sherman used Peabody's scooter for a stunt in the show, and crashed it. You're probably thinking "Why not just use the WABAC to get to work?" Well first, the WABAC is mainly used for time travel, and it's not like Peabody can go back in time before Sherman crashed the scooter, because rule #1 of using the WABAC: You cannot go back to a timeline in which you exist! And how dare you say "Well maybe he should go back in time before he met Sherman and should've just kept on walking" How! Dare! You! And second, there'd be no point in writing this, so…Enjoy

We fade into Peabody sitting on a bench, and reading a newspaper while he waits for the bus to arrive.

About 5 minutes go by, and the bus arrives.

The bus driver opens the door; "Good morning s-- Oh. I'm sorry, but no dogs allowed on the bus"

"*Scoff* Don't you know who I am?" Peabody responds annoyed, with his paws on his hips giving an offended look.

"Oh. It's you, Mr. Peabody. I'm terribly sorry." "Yes. Indeed." Peabody boards the bus and pays his fare.

Peabody walks down the aisle looking for a seat "No dogs allowed?! That's outrageous! What about service dogs?! All dogs should be able to ride public transit, not just me. Hmph! I ought to have this rectified, and have this so-called "policy" removed right away" Peabody says to himself annoyed.

Peabody finds a seat on the right side near the back. He hops on and sits quietly and cutely, while looking out the window, waiting for his stop. 

He loses himself watching as the buildings and beautiful scenery of what is New York, passes by. Peabody thinks about how hard life was for him growing up, even though being the most cutest and genius doggo he is today, he still, just like everyone else, had their rough patches. The big one for Peabody was growing up alone, without a family. Until one day he found Sherman, and boy was Sherman the cutest and most beautiful thing Peabody ever encountered.

Peabody thinks about what his life would've been like, if he had never met Sherman. This brings the white dog to tears, happy ones of course, that he is very grateful for stumbling upon the little boy in a box, that fateful day.

All of a sudden: A loud bang occurs, causing Peabody to snap out of his day dreaming. A car crash just happened up ahead, the bus driver slams on the brakes and puts the bus into a swerve. The passengers panic. Peabody remains calm. While trying to keep his balance: Peabody runs towards the front of the bus, to get to the bus driver.

"What's going on!?" Peabody asks, as he assesses the situation. The bus driver panics but tries to remain calm as he sees car after car crash into one another beginning to make a pileup "Well...for starters: Trying not to crash!!!"

Everyone screams as they get thrown left to right.

"Okay okay. Let me think." Peabody does some quick calculations in his head "Okay. The bus is going at this speed, with a steady decline. And judging by the angle-- No. that won't work. Maybe....Oh puppers! That won't work either. [sigh] Seems like the only way to make sure everyone on this bus is safe is for me to...."

The bus gets closer and closer, colliding with the pileup. "Peabody! If you have any ideas...Best to do it now!" 

"But--" " 'But' what!? Whatever it is, as long as it prevents us from crashing, just do it already!!!"

"Alright." 

Peabody takes a deep breath to ready himself, to try and keep a steady head for what's about to come.

The bus swerves to the right, causing the bus to tilt to the left and have an opening for Peabody to jump out of a window on the right.

"Okay. I got this'' Peabody says to himself as he runs to the window, jumps and somersaults out. Peabody sustains a small cut, and begins to bleed. This triggers something inside of Peabody.

While in the air Peabody starts...transforming?! His fur turns gray and becomes fluffier. He begins growing, like 10x his average size! Teeth become sharper, muscles big ones at that, begin to buff out, along with the cut Peabody groans, eyes glow bright red.

Peabody bursts out of the summersault and lets out a huge roar, as he finishes transforming into his giant anthro-wolf-like form known as "The Incredible Wolf'' (formally known as “Wolfbody”) Think of The Hulk, but Peabody.

As Wolfbody lands onto the ground, we get an amazing look at his chiseled abs, gorgeous muscles, and his sexy god-like body.

Wolfbody snorts. The sound of the passengers on the bus screaming, grabs his attention, and reminds him what he needs to do.

Wolfbody runs on all fours, trying to catch up to the bus. The city rumbles to Peabody's gigantic paws and big weight hitting the ground. He runs and leaps over car after car. He's running out of time!

"Brace for impact!" the bus driver yells, as they're about to crash. Everyone on the bus prepares themselves. The bus happens to hit a hole in the road, sending the bus in a spiral into the air.

Wolfbody sees this and begins to run faster!

Everyone panics, but just before the bus crashes, Wolfbody catches the bus with his bare paws. Straining his muscles to hold the force of impact from the bus. Paws digging into the ground and get a stable grip, to prevent slipping backwards.

Wolfbody safely puts the bus down, and carries it away from the pileup. “Mr….Peabody?!” The bus driver asks, surprised to see Peabody in this giant hunk-like wolf form.

“Yes it is I. Now I must go. My help is needed elsewhere.” said Wolfbody, as he looks towards the pileup up ahead.

The bus driver nods in respect “Thank you, Mr. Peabody”. “You’re welcome” Wolfbody says as he smirks and nods back in respect. Just as Wolfbody is about to go and help with the pile up, a woman on the bus shouts “Wait!”. Wolfbody turns around to speak to the woman. The woman gives Wolfbody a big kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. Say, how are you so fit…and sexy?” the woman asks. Wolfbody chuckles, as he turns away and turns his head back to the woman and says “That’s my secret: I’m always sexy”.

We cut to Wolfbody running on his hind legs towards the pileup, as we fade out.

*Dramatic concluding-music plays, credits roll, the end*

…..To be continued?

I hope you enjoyed this little fanfic of mine, couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends <3 Special thanks to Alina for your support specifically XOXO💛

[takaraphoenix]

Batman Beyond: Neo Year

I did it, I finished Batman Beyond: Neo Year - which means I officially read every single Beyond comic to date.

Bummed it ended on such a bad note. I mean, seriously, out of all of them, this was just... the worst. From every angle imaginable.

Rebooting this universe after over twenty years, but not in a manner that actually feels like someone wants to improve - because, yes, there sure are elements that could have been handled better - more like someone rebooting it who doesn’t give a shit.

I mean hot damn they literally threw every single character aside from Terry and some minor Barbara out of the story. This feels like it was written by someone who maybe watched the show but honestly more likely just read the cliff-notes version and decided they could do it more edgy.

They literally made the biggest mistake any (Bruce) Batman writer can do.

Think that Batman is at his best when he is broody and alone. When in reality, what makes Batman good is the Bat Fam, is him interacting with others, working with others, the relationships and trust he had build over the years.

Not only did this comic scrap all the obvious developments post-show canon (Dick, Tim, Damian, Elainna, Nissa, Melanie), it... it also scrapped all the show-canon connections. By making him go “off the grid” in the very first issue, effectively cutting his mom, Matt, Dana and Max out of the plot. Heck, that started by this one killing off Bruce right at the start, to have Terry truly alone.

And in a manner that doesn’t even make sense. Max is one of the most brilliant hackers of this timeline. The main bad guy of this run is an AI. You know, the kind of enemy it might be helpful to have a hacker against.

Out with the old, in with the new, was the motto of this run though.

Because Terry isn’t left entirely alone... newly introduce is Sunbeam ‘Beam’ Boonma. The “only good cop in Gotham”. The... new... love interest...

Which, damn. Last time the comics ditched Dana in favor of a new girl, they at least had the courtesy of actually developing the relationship. This one? Completely rushed into. They talk for the very first time and Terry already describes himself as “heart-eyed” and with zero romantic development are they just suddenly dating by the end of the run.

Now, Gestalt, I don’t mind. Interesting character concept. Always in favor of a villain turned good. I just mind that the new characters came at the cost of the old.

So, the non-existent care for the universe’s actual lore really pisses me off for one - I mean, come on, there is a well of characters, dynamics and story to be build upon and they scrap every damn thing about it to strip it bare to its bones until it’s just Terry and a bit of Barbara on the sidelines? - but it wasn’t actually all.

The way this story was written was just... taxing. I have never had to read through that much monologuing before. Sure, Terry’s always narrated a bit in a voice over, but these constant letters he was writing to Bruce, half the issue had no dialogue and only windows of monologue. Which does kind of figure considering this ran on bare-bones character involvement. Not many people to talk to when you are Batman all alone, huh.

The plot was lacking too, honestly. I mean come on, Gotham City comes to life by developing an AI conscience and she’s now killing people? It’s kinda dumb and feels a bit like a “been there, done that” on account of the killer AI seeing as we spanned a huge crossover event taking care of Brother Eye.

If the scrapping of all the development the comic universe had achieved over the past twenty years would have been the cost for a fresh start that’d show love for its source materials, I wouldn’t even be mad. Have another run at it, let things unfold differently, work with characters in a different manner. But they kinda chose not to work with the characters...

I know, the beauty of reboots is that you can just ignore their existence - which, by everything holy, I am absolutely going to do here - but that doesn’t dampen the frustration of the old dying. Because there was still so much potential left in Batman Beyond past Vol 6 and thanks to this lackluster reboot, that potential’s dead and the next continuation I’m gonna see is of... this? Damn.

[readingloveswounds]

Hi! What's your abstract writing process for cfp?

Good question!

I'll say that right now I'm trying to only send in abstracts based on work I've already done (which is somewhat common advice for people who are dissertating), but I think I followed a pretty similar process for the paper that I did a little more 'out of thin air'.

I'm going into detail - this does take me a bit of time. I'm sure there's other people who can do it better and faster, but I'm meticulous to a fault and also definitely still not an expert on this, so I like to take my time when I can.

This is so much longer than I expected, so it's all under the cut. (Despite concision being needed for abstracts, I am only concise when I need to be.)

Let's say I've identified a cfp that interests me- or someone I know has sent me one that they think I'd have something for.

For a completely random example, let's say the call is about listening or hearing and the ways in which it does [something] in an early modern context.

Identify what primary material I want to work with

I start thinking about which text I work with that says something interesting about listening in some way - it doesn't have to be anything big, because a 20 minute paper isn't a place you can really get into every single detail, but I want to find something that raises questions or seems strange/interesting.

I'd think oh hey, this poet has talked about the importance of an audience and privileges the aural over the visual, I could do something with that.

2. Double check the text

I like to be sure I'm not operating just on old notes/recollections and give things a glance to make sure I'm not misinterpreting.

It also helps me to re-read with a specific target in mind - I'll sometimes notice things I might have missed before.

This is usually pretty quick - if it seems viable, I'll come back when I'm writing the paper.

3. Give a quick glance at secondary work - including my own

It's not strictly necessary especially if you're very familiar with critical literature (or if there isn't much), but it can be worth it to see if this has come up before - that way you either know you're taking a new(ish) angle or will need to be responding to existing material. That all may come in the paper itself, but sometimes it's good to be aware before embarking on the journey.

I also like to find what I've already written on the work (notes, term papers) and see if there's anything I can use in the abstract - it's pretty much a guarantee I'll use material in the paper itself.

4. Identify an initial "In this paper I will" statement

What do I actually want to talk about? I've identified what you're interested in when it comes to the text, but what do I want to say? how does that align with the angle of the call?

This often takes several tries and may change as I start writing.

Continuing the example, I might write something like 'In this paper I will discuss how Author leans on aurality in order to emphasize [some aspect] of the narrative he's creating'

It's around this time that I also make a quick outline of what a potential paper could contain - I want to talk about x passage and y passage and be sure to include z details.

5. Copy and paste the call into the document and start writing

This means that I stay within the goalposts of the call itself and have it as easy reference. I also have the word limit on the page to refer to.

6. When writing, I:

try to think of what background information might be needed for the audience and provide as succinctly as possible: "In the 1600s, [this genre and the intersection of the aural aspect] were thought of in x way"

identify the specific work. "Author writes in y way in Work (date), which has x effect"

go on to give a concise example/hint at why this is important or effective: 'by making us listen, Author moves us from the page to the stage in order to make us watch the drama before us'

finish with my "in this paper..." statement - it may have changed, but I've had something to work with.

I do not strictly follow the word limit in the first draft, but I do try to keep it a reasonable length.

7. Rewrite it. Again. and again.

I do a page break, copy-paste the existing paragraph, and then hack it to bits where needed. I have a multipage document for a couple abstracts I've sent in.

My criteria for my rewrites are: does this answer the question in the call? is it on theme? does this fit the word count? is this clear even to a non hyperspecialist?

I edit till I can edit no more and then I send it in.

tldr:

I identify a text/angle that fits the theme/approach of the call

make sure I know what I'm talking about

write a draft of the abstract, being sure to touch on the approach of the call and the angle i'll be working on

rewrite a million times

[bzedan]

Last Year's Flash Fiction: Person makes appointment with old enemies

Storytelling Collective does a yearly challenge for flash fic, with prompts and a nice community format. Every year I complete a run I pick my ten favourites and collect them into what is basically a zine. I've got 2024's up, so now it's time to share some faves from 2023.

[ID: An image rendered in faux-photocopy style of two daggers, each pointing in opposite directions horizontally over the pages of a book mid-turn. A circular vignette frames them. End ID.]

An Appointment With Old Enemies

Of course, you’ll fall for your nemesis. If there was a handbook that would be the third chapter after “An Introduction to Healthy Obsession” and “Branding: The Balance Between Recognisability and Rigidity.” It doesn’t matter what side you’re on or if you are some flavour of grey that rejects sides, if you have a nemesis, you will fall for them.

In that imaginary chapter, you’ll be told its fine, it’s normal. When two people hate each other very much then a lot of complicated feelings get folded into their relationship. Imagine a baklava, which is a discrete object. It’s a delicious pastry and I recognize that picturing it is a little distracting, but soldier on. A baklava is a discrete object the way being a nemesis is. But, within that object are delicate layers that can’t be teased apart without destroying the very thing they are. There is also a dreamy filling and a sweet drizzle and a satisfying crunch and this imaginary chapter in this imaginary textbook would find a metaphor for all of it. There would be a diagram, probably. You’d read the chapter right before nemesis class, instead of earlier in the week like you should have, and you’d spend the entire nemesis lecture thinking about baklava.

The point is, it is normal and good to fall for your nemesis and it is also very complicated. Because what is the next step? If you fall for them romantically then are you looking at years of pining or will it be a quick romance? And after, will you spend your time together giving your beloved a kiss before clocking in on opposite sides? Or will you fall out of love, adding a new, aching layer of feeling?

Remember, you may not fall for your nemesis romantically. That’s a misconception many beginners make. You can fall for your nemesis in friendship, and the person with whom you have vowed mutual destruction is also the person who knows you best and who you can call when your cat dies. You can fall into hate, which is far messier than falling in love, because hate can make for incredibly poor decisions. And if, fuelled by that hate you actually destroy your nemesis, what do you do then?

If there were a follow-up manual to the imaginary nemesis manual it would be about living after you’ve vanquished your nemesis. It would have chapters like “Filling Your Time with Feuds” or “Angling for An Arch-Enemy” and would list the contact information for recovery groups in the back.

You will fall for your nemesis. The challenge is not in avoiding that fall, it is ensuring that in your passion, those delicate layers of feeling, you do not destroy them. They must take the same care toward you. It is as easy to destroy the thing you love as it is to destroy the thing you hate, so if you fall romantically for your nemesis don’t think that means you’re in the clear.

It is surprising, actually, that these handbooks don’t exist. Even a series of lectures that you could watch on your own schedule would be helpful. We’ve been doing this long enough, there have been ample historical examples of what to expect. And yet we keep plunging ahead as though we’ve only just invented everything and have to learn the rules as we go. If I’d had a handbook maybe, this wouldn’t have happened. Some passage in a chapter titled “Handling Hubris” would have stuck with me through the years because of a very stupid pie chart. If I’d had a handbook maybe, something to summarise all those things we should already know, you would still be here.

[ivanpshenichnyy]

Reflection 3

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

This journey has definitely helped me to improve many of my skills and learn new ones. As I did this project alone, I had to delve into multipe roles like filming, editing, directing and producing which was so fun.

To film, I reserached about existing filming apps on iPhone and I found an app called Blackmagic Cam, which I used to film 90% of my footage. It's much more powerful and useful than the standard camera, as it offers many feautres like framing, colouring, auto corrections, various filming modes, easier control for zooms and fields deepth, and ability to change FPS, lens and etc. It was very intersting to explore it, and it felt like a trial of a professional camera. Even though it made the whole process easier, it was still challenging for me to get the right angles, shots and composition so I had like 20 different takes for each scene, and I had to pick the best ones on post production. My father helped me to film some shots, and for example I remember me explaining how to use the grid in the app (rule of thirds) to film they way I needed it to be.

I've never written any plots before so it was new to me. I've researched genres, plots of the films I loved, different narratives, and conventions. I had to learn how professional scripts are structured and write them myself. I cultivated my ability to brainstorm ideas. Then I've read about character archetypes which helped me to craft my own protagonist. It was interesting to delve into a bit of psychology. Also I learned how to make a good and understanable plot with deep meanings in a short amount of time and not much dialogues.

I've learned about many technical aspects like micro elements of film such as camera shots, angles, sound, and mise-en-scène and other elements like writing script and filming that I could later practically apply while doing my preliminary exercises. Now I know about resolutions, aspect rations, codecs, bitrate settings, frame rates, audio rates, sound design and distribution strategies used by actual movie productions. Also now when I watch the movies, I notice all these micro elements and it's a very interesting perspective to look at films because I can appreciate and understand the artistry and cratsmanship behind filmmaking. By the end of coursework I was much more confident about analysing movies and using these technical terms, than in the start.

In one of my previous posts, I told that I had to change the plot idea as my filmings didn't go well. That part was stressful because I would come home after a few hours with no good footage, trying to improve it which didn't work. But failing was part of process. I learned from my mistakes and they allowed me to evolve and use my strengths and be more pragmatic, which allowed be to convey meaning better. Ultimately I was much happier with my final idea.

One of the most important parts was the post-production. I already had some experience with software such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Audacity but I also experimented with new ones like Adobe Audition and After Effects. I was always interested in the behind the scenes processes behind those cool animations and sound effects. This project allowed me to gain these insights. I watched a lot of youtube tutorials and made changes every day since I started editing my project. I learned how to properly cut, trim vides, make fades, add transitions, use Lumetri Color tools, add sound effects, add titles, I learned about export and render settings and other things.

Also one of the most fundamental skills was the project management. Now when I finishing my coursework, I understand how crucial it is to have clear understanding of deadlines and have schedules for each phase of production. If I organised my time more effectively, I could of saved so much time.

[itsavgbltpta]

Should You Watch Magical Destroyers?

(Japanese title: Maho Shoujo Magical Destroyers / Magical Girl Magical Destroyers)

A Brief Summary

A government-like organization in Japan decided that otaku - people obsessed with things (anime, trains, idols, etc… honestly if you’re reading this anime review, I think you already know what an otaku is) - should be considered a protected culture.  But what they actually meant is that all otaku should be wiped from existence and their objects of obsession detained.

A lot of otaku went down during the war, but there are groups of resistance fighters working hard to make sure otaku culture never dies.  They go on raids to facilities that house the goods (figures, magazines, and all kinds of fun merch), and even bust out their fellow otaku.  

The main resistance group that Magical Destroyers follows is lead by the prestigious and aptly named Otaku Hero.  He just so happens to have three magical girls under his command that pack a big wallop.  But the bad guys have their own army and are working their hardest to make sure otaku culture stays dead.

So, should you watch the anime?

Maybe.  This anime is truly for the mega-otaku (I say this because I am one) or anime fans that enjoy chaos.

Because it’s a chaotic mess.

The first episode blew me away.  I was convinced Magical Destroyers was going to be the best anime of the season and maybe even a new favorite.  It felt like a dash of pure insanity, but in a good way - like a FLCL kind of way.

Subsequent episodes were fun and continued the rule of cool, but no other episode quite lived up to that first one - at least for me.

That’s not to say the show was boring, because hell no.  There is almost always something going on in Magical Destroyers.  It doesn’t always make sense, but it’s flashy.  The animation was energetic throughout the show, if not always spectacular.  The team didn’t seem to be afraid of using experimental angles and techniques when they felt like it.  I was a fan of this as it kept my attention in the same way as shows like Kill la Kill or the previously mentioned FLCL.

Further into the episode count it felt like Magical Destroyers tried to get more psychological and dark.  There’s an entire episode that flips between two possibilities of the world’s timeline that kept me engaged, wondering how things would pan out and which direction it would take.  And the show’s ending is… not what I was expecting, but also not disappointing.

But there are also episodes that feature basic anime tropes (a swimsuit episode, sports tournament, etc) and goofy slapstick.  Not to mention the owo face plastered on all the bad guys’ helmets.  It’s hard to take them seriously with that dang face!

There is some social commentary thrown in as well, like in one episode where older, hardened otaku who are used to a life of people making fun of them are angry at the newer otaku who have it easy and don’t have to hide their obsessions.  As an older otaku, I related, lol.

I want to take a moment to gush about the OP of Magical Destroyers, because holy shit do I love it.  The aesthetics are great and the visuals are pretty but also weird, especially the breakdown at the end.  It caught my attention hard, and I actually watched it every episode instead of checking my phone or whatever else.  The ED isn’t a slouch either, but I think the OP perfectly encapsulates the vibe of Magical Destroyers and is the best indicator of whether or not you will enjoy the show.

Magical Destroyers doesn’t shy away from sex, drugs, or violence - in fact it revels in all three with one magical girl assigned to each!  Besides Otaku Hero - the glasses-wearing nerd who is trying to save all otaku despite mostly bumbling through doing that - there are a variety of character flavors in Magical Destroyers.  

A red-haired tsundere who is always ready for violence and is the de facto leader of the magical girl squad (Anarchy).

A blue-haired masochist who is up for any torture thrown her way, as well as translator for the third magical girl (Blue).

A pink-haired gas-mask wearing rave enthusiast who is all about drugs and only speaks in a language that consists of the words Go and Bo (Pink).

A weird floating mascot figure that seems to be immortal, which leads to it being used as a shield or for other violent shenanigans quite often (Kyotaro).

A dependable hacker-type otaku who is always ready to help out and provide the resistance with whatever is needed to keep up the fight (Nick).

A gothic-lolita fan who seems to have a connection to Otaku Hero and the magical girl squad (Slayer).

The leader of the SSC organization - the anti-otaku army - who wears a sharp suit and has a monitor for a head showing a constant owo expression (Shoban).

Plus other various otaku who show up to lend their help in trying to fend off the SCC and keep otaku culture alive!

Where does it rate on my personal scale?

S: I will buy it at full price (unless it’s released by Aniplex USA, because fuck their pricing).

->A: I will buy it on sale sometime down the line.

B: I had fun watching it, but don’t need to own it.

C: It’s not my cup of tea, but wasn’t awful.

D: Dropped it.

X: Finished it out of spite, but did not enjoy it.

Magical Destroyers ranks at a low A.  It started out very strong, but that may have been a detriment to the anime as it couldn’t maintain the wow factor all the way through.  I think it deserves a second watch for sure, which means it is good enough for me to buy on sale in the future.

[christophermraerdon]

Creating Compelling Videos: 8 Tips to Hook Your Viewers

Viewers are bombarded with videos from brands, celebrities, and influencers on a daily basis. So, how do you make sure your video stands out among the rest? Creating compelling videos is essential to hooking viewers and keeping them engaged. Here are 8 tips to help you create videos that will capture your audience’s attention:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Videos should be concise and to the point. The average person has a short attention span, so your video should get straight to the point without beating around the bush.

2. Make it visually appealing. Use graphics, colorful visuals, and creative camera angles to make your video more interesting to watch.

3a storyboard or script before filming anything. This will help you plan out exactly what you want to say and show in your video so that everything flows smoothly together..

4 Start with a bang! The first few seconds of your video are crucial in catching viewers’ attention and getting them hooked. Start off strong by grabbing their attention right away with an exciting visual or opening line

How to create videos for your business

If you’re reading this, you likely already know that video is an essential part of any solid content marketing strategy. But what you might not know is how to go about creating videos for your business. Not to worry – in this blog post, we’ll give you some tips and tricks for creating high-quality videos that will help promote your business.

First things first: when it comes to creating videos for your business, quality is key. That doesn’t mean you need to break the bank on equipment or hire a professional production team – but it does mean taking the time to ensure your video is well-lit, clear, and concise. After all, if potential customers can’t see or hear what’s going on in your video, they’re not going to stick around for long.

On the other hand, don’t be afraid to get creative with your videos! If you have a personality or brand identity that’s quirky or unique, lean into that with your video content. After all, people are more likely to remember a video that’s fun and interesting than one that’s dull and forgettable.

Finally, keep in mind that promotion is key when it comes to getting eyeballs on your videos. In addition to sharing them on social media and other online channels, consider embedding them into blog posts (like this one!) or even sending them out in email newsletters. By making sure as many people as possible see your videos, you’ll be more likely to generate leads and boost conversions for your business.

The benefits of creating video content

There are many benefits of creating video content. Video is a great way to connect with your audience and build a rapport. It also allows you to deliver your message in a concise and visually appealing way. And, when done right, video can be an extremely effective marketing tool.

When you create videos, you have the opportunity to show off your brand’s personality in a way that written content simply cannot match. You can use humor, emotion, and visuals to tell your story and connect with your viewers on a deeper level. This connection can lead to increased trust and loyalty from your audience members.

Additionally, incorporating video into your marketing strategy can help increase leads and conversions for your business. When used as part of an inbound marketing campaign, videos can attract attention from potential customers at the very beginning of their buyer’s journey—when they’re just trying to figure out what kind of problem they have and what solutions might exist. By providing helpful information upfront (in the form of videos), you can positioning yourself as a trusted source of information—and increase the chances that they’ll turn to you when they’re ready to buy

Why you should create video content for your website

As a business owner, you should be always looking for new ways to reach out to your target audience and promote your brand. And one of the most effective ways to do so is by creating videos. Videos are very engaging and can capture attention much more easily than text or images. But why should you create video content for your website?

Well, for starters, videos are great for SEO purposes. If you optimize your videos properly, they will show up in search engine results pages (SERPs), which will help improve your click-through rate (CTR). Also, people tend to spend more time on websites that have videos. This means that by adding videos to your website, you can keep visitors engaged for longer periods of time, which reduces your bounce rate.

Another reason to create video content is that it allows you to show off your products or services in a different light. You can give potential customers an inside look at how things work or showcase the features of your products in a way that is much easier than through text or images alone. In other words, videos offer a unique way to connect with potential customers and promote your brand at the same time!

Tips for creating engaging video content

The first step is to come up with a clever and attention-grabbing title. This will be the first thing that potential viewers see, so it’s important to make it count. Try to use key words related to your video’s content in the title, so that people can easily find your video when they’re searching for something specific.

Once you have a great title, it’s time to start creating engaging video content. Remember that people are more likely to watch a video if it’s entertaining or informative (or both!). If you can manage to hits those marks, you’re well on your way to creating videos that people will actually want to watch.

Finally, don’t forget to promote your videos once they’re finished! Make sure to post them on social media and other relevant websites, and include links back to your site or blog. If you put in the effort upfront, you’ll be much more likely to see success with your video content creation efforts.

How to make sure your videos are seen by potential customers

As a business owner, you know that in order for your company to succeed, you need customers. But how do you make sure potential customers see your videos? There are many ways to ensure that your target market sees your creations com videos. Here are three tips:

1. Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions.

Make sure your video titles and descriptions include relevant keywords for your industry or product. This will help potential customers find your videos when they search for those terms on Google or YouTube.

Your thumbnail is the first thing potential viewers see when they come across one of your videos, so make sure it’s eye-catching and informative. Include a custom thumbnail with every video you upload to give it an extra boost in organic search results pages (SERPs).

3. Promote your videos on social media.

Social media is a great way to reach potential customers where they already are spending time online

Increasing website traffic with video creation

1. Creating videos is a great way to increase website traffic. By creating engaging and informative videos, you can attract more visitors to your site.

2. Video creation can be a great way to promote your brand and product. By creating videos that highlight your company’s strengths, you can attract more potential customers to your site.

3. Videos can also be used to drive traffic to your website through social media channels such as YouTube and Facebook. By sharing your videos on these platforms, you can reach a wider audience and generate more leads for your business

Conclusion

There you have it, folks! With these 8 tips, you should be well on your way to creating compelling videos that will hook your viewers. Just remember to keep it interesting, and most importantly, have fun!

The post Creating Compelling Videos: 8 Tips to Hook Your Viewers appeared first on SwiftCreator.com.

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[barbarewjohnson]

Creating Compelling Videos: 8 Tips to Hook Your Viewers

Viewers are bombarded with videos from brands, celebrities, and influencers on a daily basis. So, how do you make sure your video stands out among the rest? Creating compelling videos is essential to hooking viewers and keeping them engaged. Here are 8 tips to help you create videos that will capture your audience’s attention:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Videos should be concise and to the point. The average person has a short attention span, so your video should get straight to the point without beating around the bush.

2. Make it visually appealing. Use graphics, colorful visuals, and creative camera angles to make your video more interesting to watch.

3a storyboard or script before filming anything. This will help you plan out exactly what you want to say and show in your video so that everything flows smoothly together..

4 Start with a bang! The first few seconds of your video are crucial in catching viewers’ attention and getting them hooked. Start off strong by grabbing their attention right away with an exciting visual or opening line

How to create videos for your business

If you’re reading this, you likely already know that video is an essential part of any solid content marketing strategy. But what you might not know is how to go about creating videos for your business. Not to worry – in this blog post, we’ll give you some tips and tricks for creating high-quality videos that will help promote your business.

First things first: when it comes to creating videos for your business, quality is key. That doesn’t mean you need to break the bank on equipment or hire a professional production team – but it does mean taking the time to ensure your video is well-lit, clear, and concise. After all, if potential customers can’t see or hear what’s going on in your video, they’re not going to stick around for long.

On the other hand, don’t be afraid to get creative with your videos! If you have a personality or brand identity that’s quirky or unique, lean into that with your video content. After all, people are more likely to remember a video that’s fun and interesting than one that’s dull and forgettable.

Finally, keep in mind that promotion is key when it comes to getting eyeballs on your videos. In addition to sharing them on social media and other online channels, consider embedding them into blog posts (like this one!) or even sending them out in email newsletters. By making sure as many people as possible see your videos, you’ll be more likely to generate leads and boost conversions for your business.

The benefits of creating video content

There are many benefits of creating video content. Video is a great way to connect with your audience and build a rapport. It also allows you to deliver your message in a concise and visually appealing way. And, when done right, video can be an extremely effective marketing tool.

When you create videos, you have the opportunity to show off your brand’s personality in a way that written content simply cannot match. You can use humor, emotion, and visuals to tell your story and connect with your viewers on a deeper level. This connection can lead to increased trust and loyalty from your audience members.

Additionally, incorporating video into your marketing strategy can help increase leads and conversions for your business. When used as part of an inbound marketing campaign, videos can attract attention from potential customers at the very beginning of their buyer’s journey—when they’re just trying to figure out what kind of problem they have and what solutions might exist. By providing helpful information upfront (in the form of videos), you can positioning yourself as a trusted source of information—and increase the chances that they’ll turn to you when they’re ready to buy

Why you should create video content for your website

As a business owner, you should be always looking for new ways to reach out to your target audience and promote your brand. And one of the most effective ways to do so is by creating videos. Videos are very engaging and can capture attention much more easily than text or images. But why should you create video content for your website?

Well, for starters, videos are great for SEO purposes. If you optimize your videos properly, they will show up in search engine results pages (SERPs), which will help improve your click-through rate (CTR). Also, people tend to spend more time on websites that have videos. This means that by adding videos to your website, you can keep visitors engaged for longer periods of time, which reduces your bounce rate.

Another reason to create video content is that it allows you to show off your products or services in a different light. You can give potential customers an inside look at how things work or showcase the features of your products in a way that is much easier than through text or images alone. In other words, videos offer a unique way to connect with potential customers and promote your brand at the same time!

Tips for creating engaging video content

The first step is to come up with a clever and attention-grabbing title. This will be the first thing that potential viewers see, so it’s important to make it count. Try to use key words related to your video’s content in the title, so that people can easily find your video when they’re searching for something specific.

Once you have a great title, it’s time to start creating engaging video content. Remember that people are more likely to watch a video if it’s entertaining or informative (or both!). If you can manage to hits those marks, you’re well on your way to creating videos that people will actually want to watch.

Finally, don’t forget to promote your videos once they’re finished! Make sure to post them on social media and other relevant websites, and include links back to your site or blog. If you put in the effort upfront, you’ll be much more likely to see success with your video content creation efforts.

How to make sure your videos are seen by potential customers

As a business owner, you know that in order for your company to succeed, you need customers. But how do you make sure potential customers see your videos? There are many ways to ensure that your target market sees your creations com videos. Here are three tips:

1. Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions.

Make sure your video titles and descriptions include relevant keywords for your industry or product. This will help potential customers find your videos when they search for those terms on Google or YouTube.

Your thumbnail is the first thing potential viewers see when they come across one of your videos, so make sure it’s eye-catching and informative. Include a custom thumbnail with every video you upload to give it an extra boost in organic search results pages (SERPs).

3. Promote your videos on social media.

Social media is a great way to reach potential customers where they already are spending time online

Increasing website traffic with video creation

1. Creating videos is a great way to increase website traffic. By creating engaging and informative videos, you can attract more visitors to your site.

2. Video creation can be a great way to promote your brand and product. By creating videos that highlight your company’s strengths, you can attract more potential customers to your site.

3. Videos can also be used to drive traffic to your website through social media channels such as YouTube and Facebook. By sharing your videos on these platforms, you can reach a wider audience and generate more leads for your business

Conclusion

There you have it, folks! With these 8 tips, you should be well on your way to creating compelling videos that will hook your viewers. Just remember to keep it interesting, and most importantly, have fun!

The post Creating Compelling Videos: 8 Tips to Hook Your Viewers appeared first on SwiftCreator.com.

https://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png https://swiftcreator.com/video-creation/creating-compelling-videos-8-tips-to-hook-your-viewers/

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