#i have a horrible strained relationship with each of my brothers

[kp-does-suff]

Here's some eeveelution stuff because why not

I've been drawing some evolutions for a while now and decided to share them I hope you like my characters!

[You're going to see that I love incorporating the shiny designs in these characters]

So this is Copper she was originally going to be a little one-off drawing, I was just like "I should draw an Eevee from memory today" and that's how she came to be. She's an energetic kid and wants to be a good battler just like her mom.

[also all of the characters don't have stats or natures or anything like that yet at least if I do come up with something like that I might put it in a separate post. I'd also like to hear your opinions because I'm not very knowledgeable on that stuff]

This is Copper's mom Stella! She's a bit hard on Copper but she means well. She's actually a descendant of the Espeon in red's team. She's stoic and serious the majority of the time.

This is Wave, Copper's dad! He's a more go with the flow type of guy he's extremely chill Copper actually gets most of her traits from him even though she lives with her mom the most. (they're not divorced or anything they just have different trainers) he's kinda like bandit from bluey.

This is Spark. Copper's uncle, Wave's brother. He's the oldest out of the three so that means that he worries and panics the most. He doesn't have any animosity or resentment to his siblings he just grew up with the mentality that he always had to be the "protector, the leader, the one in charge"

This is Ruby. Copper's aunt She's the second oldest and actually decided to be in the show biz, despite what happened to her parents. She was actually the first of the three siblings to get a trainer and it's kinda strained her relationship with her siblings. She rarely talks to them anymore, they still care about each other of course but it was such a weird feeling. Despite the horrible thing that happened to their parents why would she want to pursue that career?

[also if you're wondering what happened to their parents I think I might make that a separate post so out for that if you're interested!]

And so that concludes my showcase of my Pokemon OCs! They were really fun to work on and I can't wait to make more stuff for them in the future.

Are there any questions, comments, concerns, anything you think needs to be improved upon? I'm open to constructive criticism for my story (not my art tho but that's besides the point) also I wanna thank @lockandkeyhyena (sorry for the tag) for inspiring me to do this I love their characters and stories I'm glad he let me ramble in his inbox about them lol.

[just-antithings]

One of the ways I got bullied in school as a trauma survivor with a complicated family situation was having the other kids CONSTANTLY making jokes about how me and my brother must have been secretly fucking each other and that’s why we were so weird and messed up. It got to a point that the school intervened because apparently some people genuinely thought my brother was a predator and I was his victim… but it was still treated as a haha funny joke by our peers. Even the ones who thought it was True. They didn’t actually care if either of us was being abused, it was just another thing to use against us. Antis reminds me so horribly of the people who thought trauma and abuse were just a funny thing to use to harass someone.

Obligatory Disclaimer: My brother never abused me. We had an incredibly strained relationship because we were both abused by other people and it made us both uncomfortable around each other for years. Having people act like it was funny to joke about him abusing me just made it worse. If I wrote a story with my own bullies as characters, this part would feel so cartoonishly evil that I would have to scrap it for rewrites. And yet I still see Antis who seems to have the exact same sense of humour…

.

[plushieclan]

Blazestar’s Kin

< previous | next > | all >>

TW: Blood, cat death

(More illustrations below the cut!)

“Two heathy kits! Both mollies. Good job, Leafpelt!”

Blazestar sat to the back of the nursery while the two newest members of the clan acclimated to living. The proud father, Darkheart, sat next to his mate while she finally got a little rest.

The cleric turned. “Everything’s good here. Come get me if there’s any issues!”

With that, she left the nursery

Blazestar smiled. “It’s always great to have new kits in the clan.”

“Oh, so you do just watch every kit be born. I thought you made a special appearance for my kits.”

Blazestar turned to see her son, Swanjaw.

“Well, I didn’t lie to you.”

“I’m hurt. I thought I had some special privilege.” he sighed.

She ducked out of the nursery, beckoning him.

“If I made special exceptions, I wouldn’t be a very good leader.” she explained. “I treat every cat in this clan as equal for that reason.”

“Mom, how did you become a leader?” he asked.

Blazestar stopped, lost in thought.

“That’s a good question.”

—

“What do you want to do after you become a warrior?”

Blazepaw had been hard at work, practicing her hunting crouch, when her two littermates had come up to her. The youngest of them all, Firepaw, had brought the question to them.

“What brought that question to mind?” Blazepaw asked.

“Well, Thistletail wants me to think about that while training. I had no idea, so I wanted to ask you two.”

“It’s easy, isn’t it? Obviously, become deputy!” Redpaw, their last littermate, said.

Blazepaw retorted. “Not if I become deputy first!”

“No way! You’d have to work on your horrible hunting skills first.”

Blazepaw, Firepaw, and Redpaw were as close as a pack of dogs. Ever since they were kits, they’d had each other. Younger and older denmates came and went, but they were always together.

Blazepaw looked a lot different to her brothers— while they were both ginger, she was a mostly white cat with gray splotches. She wasn’t sure what gray had to do with blazes. Blazepaw guessed her parents were in a theming mood.

“Ok, well then… if you became leader, who would your deputy be?” Firepaw asked. “I think I would choose Timbershade.”

A safe pick, she thought. Of course, she wouldn’t go for something so uninspired! This was why Firepaw wouldn’t make a good leader.

“I’d go with Darkpaw.” Redpaw said, his green eyes glittering. “He’s younger than us, but I think he’d make a good deputy. He’s got a good attention to detail.”

“Darkpaw?!” Blazepaw laughed. “He’s scared of his own shadow! He’d be way too soft for deputy.”

“Fine, then who would you pick?”

Blazepaw thought for a while. “I would pick Graypaw. He’s smart, loyal, and good at hunting. That would make him a good deputy.”

Redpaw stuck out his tongue. “I think that’s only because you have a crush on him.”

“I do not!”

Firepaw laughed. “I think we’ve gotten off topic.”

Redpaw laughed too, before stopping.

“What’s wrong, Redpaw?” Blazepaw asked.

“Do you think…” he started, before pausing. Then, he continued. “Do you think we’ll stop being so close in the future?”

His green eyes showed fear, and a bit of sorrow.

Blazepaw was confused. “What prompted this?”

“My mentor… apparently she used to be so close with her sister. But yesterday, I saw Eaglestripe and Blackleaf fighting in the middle of camp.”

Blazepaw nodded. Everyone knew about Eaglestripe and Blackleaf’s strained relationship. She was lucky she didn’t get either of them as mentor— her mentor was Wheatstem, the deputy. Redpaw wasn’t so lucky though. His mentor was Eaglestripe.

“Let’s promise to never become like that.” Firepaw said, putting his paw forward.

Redpaw put his paw on top of Firepaw’s “I promise.”

Blazepaw joined the pile as well.

“I promise.”

—

“Blazefeather! Firestorm! Redclaw!”

Applestar smiled from her perch down at the three new warriors.

“I hope the three of you will do great things.”

With that, she dismissed the new warriors for their vigil.

“Good job, Blazefeather.” Wheatstem smiled, before doubling over.

“Wheatstem, are you ok?!” Blazefeather gasped, trying to help up her mentor.

“Don’t worry, Blazefeather… it’s just my stomach acting up again. You need to stay silent— it’s time for your vigil.”

Blazefeather wanted to protest— he did not look good. But, he was right. It was time for her vigil. So she let him go as he limped off to the cleric den.

“This is the fourth time in four moons.” someone whispered from behind Blazefeather.

“It’s a shame. He’ll probably step down soon.”

“I give him about another twelve moons at most!”

The voices danced around in her head. Wheatstem was probably stepping down soon? That would mean… the spot for deputy was opening up.

As she sat through her vigil, all she could think about was that glimmer of hope. She could become deputy!

—

“Your mentor will be Blazefeather.”

She touched noses with Blossompaw.

It had been a few moons since she became a warrior. Amazingly, both she and her brother had been chosen to take new apprentices.

Everyone knew the importance of this litter. As Applestar’s children, all of the mentors chosen were in the running for deputy. That was the only explanation for how young the two mentors were, Blazefeather rationalized.

Redclaw smiled at his apprentice, Dawnpaw. “You’re doing great, don’t worry.”

That sight filled Blazefeather with a strange feeling. Was it… jealousy? She turned to her own apprentice.

“I promise, you’ll be the greatest apprentice there will ever be!” she proclaimed.

Blossompaw shrunk away. “Oh… um… yeah.”

With that, Redclaw shot her a dirt-eating grin. He’s mocking me! she realized.

She dug her claws into the ground.

—

“Dawnpaw’s a fantastic apprentice. I’m certain she’ll graduate early!” Redclaw boasted to his siblings.

“Really? I haven’t actually met your apprentices. It must be weird training them when they’re so close to our age.” Firestorm mentioned.

“Honestly, I was a bit worried about my experience at first.” Redclaw admitted. “But Dawnpaw has been a great learner.”

Blazefeather grumbled. “Blossompaw is pretty good too…”

“She is. She can outhunt even me.” Redclaw said. “Which is crazy, since I’m still a better hunter than you.” he shot Blazefeather a smug grin.

Blazefeather grit her teeth.

For the past few months, Redclaw had been taunting her. She was certain of it. Always talking about how good Dawnpaw was and how close she was to being a warrior. He was aiming for deputy. She could see it!

“Excuse me.” she got up, and left. She heard a faint “what’s her problem?” from Firestorm before they were behind her.

Applestar was in her usual spot, perched out in the sunlight.

“Oh, hello Blazefeather.” Applestar mewed when she noticed her.

“Applestar… I want to ask. Who do you plan on having replace Wheatstem as deputy?”

Applestar was flabbergasted at her directness.

“I’m… worried about him.” she lied. “He’s my former mentor, after all. He keeps getting sicker and sicker… he needs to retire so that he can get some of the stress away and recover.”

Applestar’s face softened. “Yes… I forget your closeness.” she stood up, beckoning Blazefeather.

“Let’s go on a walk.”

—

“To be truthful… I have been considering you or your brother as deputy.” Applestar admitted.

They had found themselves out in the territory, by the edges of the lake. It was winter, and the water of the smaller pools had started to freeze. The lake itself, however, never froze over. That was except for a small bay near the camp. It would freeze thick enough for games in the deepest parts of winter. However, it was not nearly late enough in the season yet. It had a deceptively thin layer now; Blazefeather knew that with enough pressure, it would give way.

Applestar sighed. “I hope this does not cause friction between you two. I value both of your inputs. I hope… that whichever one of you becomes leader, allows the other to say as your deputy.”

“But why us? Why choose such a young deputy?” Blazefeather feigned interest.

“I am old, Blazefeather.” Applestar replied. “I have very few lives left. It’s time for me to choose a deputy who will take over after me. And I think this clan needs young blood in its leadership.”

Blazefeather nodded. “I promise, I won’t let you down.”

Applestar chuckled. “Ah, I haven’t made my choice yet. Wait a few moons, alright?”

She looked up at the sky. “My joints have been aching. There’ll be a big blizzard soon, I can feel it.”

Blazefeather looked out at the smaller, frozen section of the lake.

“We should head back to camp.” Blazefeather said. “I’ll go warn everyone else.”

—

Redclaw had curled up in his nest. Blazefeather gently rocked him awake.

“Hey, want to go play on the ice?” she said.

He grumbled. “Ah, you’ve stopped being in one of your moods. Sure, let’s go.”

Blazefeather’s heart quickened with every step. But as she went, she felt more and more resolved. She needed to do this.

There they were, before the bay. The ice was dull; the clouds had blocked out the sky, ready to release their snow on the land. She needed to hurry.

“It looks like it’s going to snow.” Redclaw mentioned.

“Ah, it’ll be alright. Nobody said it would snow.” she lied. “Let’s go!”

He eyed the ice suspiciously. “Are you sure it’s alright?”

She nodded, stepping on the ice. “See? It’s fine.”

Redclaw walked out onto the ice. Blazefeather grabbed a rock from the shore.

Together, they went out a bit into the bay. He readied himself. “Alright, put the rock down!”

She pounced on him, pinning his head down. It smacked against the ice, cracking it beneath him. But he was still awake.

Crack

This time, the ice splintered and his body slipped into the bay.

His blood had soaked the ice around them, and coated her paws. She washed both her paws and the ice around her, then threw the rock down into the water after him.

Flurries had begun to fall around her as she stepped onto land. She made sure to roll herself around in the grass until its scent had completely masked her brothers’. Then, she made her way back to camp.

—

The blizzard had truly started by the time she arrived.

“Where’s Redclaw?!” Her mother, Sparksky, ran up to her.

“I don’t know!” Blazefeather lied. “I looked everywhere for him— we were supposed to train together!”

“We have to get back out there!” Sparksky cried.

Blazefeather nodded. “I’ll go with you!”

“Enough!”

Everyone turned to see Applestar on the leader’s rock.

“It’s not safe. We need to hunker down in our dens until the storm has passed. Redclaw is smart— I’m certain he’s found himself somewhere to shelter. I will not lose cats to look for him.”

Sparksky was distraught, but Blazefeather ushered her into the warrior’s den.

—

Moons passed, and Redclaw was never discovered. Blossomtail had become a warrior, along with her sister Dawnclaw. Dawnclaw had chosen her own suffix, in memory of her lost mentor. Everyone had assumed he died of exposure during the blizzard after going out to hunt.

Nobody had ever known Blazefeather’s crime.

And then she was deputy.

Wheatstem had passed away in the elder’s den after retiring. That led Applestar to appoint her in his place.

Applestar passed many moons later. Blazefeather had wondered if she was ever going to go.

None in Starclan knew her crime as she became leader. None knew as she appointed Timbershade as deputy to help her out.

None had known even now, when Redclaw had faded from memory.

She faced her son and knew now that she could reveal everything to him.

“There were many hardships on my path to becoming leader, but… in the end, it was because the leader before me saw the potential for me to become a great leader.”

Swanjaw never needed to know. Nobody did. After all, Redclaw was dead. And he was never coming back.

—

“Nightkit, run!”

Blazestar whirled around to see her attacker. She gasped.

Standing in front of her was an impossible sight.

“Redclaw…?”

“Surprised?” he said, his red eyes glittering. He didn’t have red eyes before. “It’s not Redclaw anymore. I’m Redstar now.”

“What are you doing here?! You would break our promise!?” she choked.

“I’m doing what I have to do.”

“You’re dead. Go back to the Depths where you belong.” she spat.

He chuckled. “Oh, so where you put me? No, I don’t think so. I have so much I want to do now.”

Blazestar’s mind raced. It would be fine. She had nine lives still. She could waste a few.

She lunged at her brother, slicing at his throat. She tore into him with frenzied, wild slashes. He went limp.

She laughed. But he got up again.

“I’m a leader now, remember?” he wiped the blood off his coat. He jumped at her, aiming for her throat.

One life gone.

When she had woken up again, he was still attacking. She went to do the same.

Two lives gone.

Again and again, the two killed each other. Their pelts were unrecognizable with blood.

Eight lives gone.

Redstar had slipped. The liquid made keeping his footing hard. He hadn’t been practicing on ice like she had— probably because he had been dead. She pounced, and killed him one last time.

Blazestar gasped, and that was the last breath she ever took.

Redstar sighed. “What a mess…”

Bergamotfur ran up to him. “Redstar! The black tom and his mate escaped! I managed to kill the kit… but he slipped away.”

Redstar laughed. “Darkpaw? Let him. He’s a kittypet. He won’t apply for the prophecy. As long as the two kits are dead, it’ll be alright.”

“Two kits? There was only one.”

Redstar grit his teeth. “Then find the other one. Now!”

Redstar looked over at the row of bodies, then at his sister.

“You broke your promise first, sis.”

[lunatic-pudge]

Postal Doe Headcanons (Cause I Love Her)

-Aight, so, I know Postal Doe is supposed to be the female counterpart Postal Dude, BUT, I think it'd be cooler if she was her own separate entity. She's a bad bitch who deserves to be her own person

-Which leads me to my next headcanon that Dude and Doe are twins. When they were younger, they were very close since they were really all they had due to having a wonderfully shitty childhood. Caring for each other cause their parents couldn't be bothered too. While they did have similar intreats, there are some differing things between them.

-For starters, Doe wasn't a religious nut like Dude was. No matter how much people tried to indoctrinate her, it just didn't work like how they wanted. If the family was going to church, she was doing whatever she could to avoid it. If people tried to corner her and tell her how she's gonna go to Hell if she doesn't repent, she tunes them out and dismisses them. This has put a strain on her and Dude's relationship, especially when they got older and Dude's schizophrenia started to worsen. Now, Dude and Doe know everything about each other (obviously, they're twins and have always been there for each other), she knows about his deteriorating mental health, she knows she could just ignore him and his ramblings about how she's gonna burn in Hell for all eternity and that he doesn't want that for her, but Doe found it easier to just distance herself away from her own brother.

-When they were in their early twenties, the two had a huge falling out which resulted in them not talking for a few years. Doe took this as an opportunity to skip town and have a little reset on her life. Also, before the falling out, she was there for Dude and the Bitch's wedding. She never liked the Bitch, finding her to be stuck up and just not a good person for her brother. The Botch was quick to help drive a wedge between the siblings cause she hated Dude interacting with other women, even including family

-It was a rough start at first. Having to start from the bottom and work her way up. She was able to make a name for herself in the Arizona punk/metal scene. I can see her being a musician, playing the guitar and bass, and even being a bit of a singer as well. Being apart of several bands throughout the years. She would have side jobs on the side to help keep money coming in and was able to get herself in a more comfortable position than what she used to be in.

-Definitely a lesbian, but I can also see her being asexual. An asexual woman enjoyer? I'll let you decide on it. I just know that she likes women and isn't afraid to admit it. She's had her share of lovers in the past and WILL flirt with you if you are a fellow baddie. I need this woman to be with a cottagecore girl ASAP. I really like the opposites attract trop

-No back to the more sad stuff! It took a bit for the news of what happened in Paradise and Dude's hospitalization to get back to Doe. To say she was shocked when finding out would be an understatement. Poor thing felt horrible. She has basically abandoned her brother and had let him get worse. She tries to get in contact with the mental hospital, but they wouldn't let her visit him. She had to go on with her life knowing what her brother did and how she wasn't there for him like she should've been

-Doe tired to get updates on Dude but the hospital was rather unhelpful and uncooperative with her. When Dude got out of the hospital, Doe was able to get back in touch with him. It had taken a while for them to repair their relationship, but they're on way better terms now. Doe does what she can to help Dude. Doe wasn't happy to be dealing with the Bitch again, but she put up with it for the sake of her brother. Homegirl celebrated when Dude and the Bitch finally divorced. It was a dream come true

-Now while Dude and Doe were able to patch things up, they aren't very involved with each other's lives. They do get into some disagreements though, like Dude's health pipes. She gets on him about using them but he argues that he can do whatever he wants. I can see them also just being like typical siblings and picking on each other. But for real, Doe does not like that her brother smokes crack. She'd rather he smoke weed but he really can't cause it makes his schizophrenia worse

-Conclusion: I want Postal Doe just as much as I want Postal Dude❤️

[deydenier]

how abt ritsu kageyama for the character thing!

Anon you have opened a can of worms. Here it is!

The transcript down below because god knows this is unreadable. I am so sorry. TLDR: i get him now. He's literally #me

TRANSCRIPT:

RITSU. ok ritsu. this one can go very personal so ill explain a few things first. ive only RECENTLY liked ritsu because i honest to god see so much of myself and my relationships i have irl in him. first time i read the clean up arc (i was 15) i was like. "why would he do this. wtf" it was bc THAT was his method of achieving catharsis and just. cleanup arc in general was my least fav part of mp100 but now im like. oh. i get it. i get why he "acted up" the way he did. the way that the expectations ppl around him has put on him as being "the good kid" etc etc and how suffocating that was for him its just that going AGAINST that preconception for him felt freeing. and how he thought that this is it. this is my villain arc. my #badguy arc. he was letting all his pent up emotions out and he thought he was morally reprehensible for it (not to say that his methods was good in any way. ofc not.) ritsu in the clean up arc is the "why does everyone ask why i caused that problem? why doesnt anyone ask how was the catharsis? was it good? was it fun?" post.

the stress and guilt from the clean up and the pent up emotions he has w mob exploded and he let all of it out and it felt freeing and horrible and then it was all swept away after the confrontation w mob and scar and the later apology in the 7th division. its like almost all pretenses he kept up with mob was gone and they can finally speak to each other as brothers without feeling like treading on thin ice. i genuinely cannot get into how much i like and how much i see myself in him without getting too personal (and if my interpretation of him is different from the fandoms then sorry lmao i dont read meta on him a lot)

i genuinely love his overarching plot with mob and coming to terms his insecurities and inferiority complex, never feeling enough, dismissing his accomplishments bc thats not what he thinks as accomplishments, his once strained relationship with mob, his fear for and towards him, and the conclusion to all that in the finale. amazing. showstopping. and even with all that he cares for mob so much and im like. im genuinely glad that theyre able to speak to each other more candidly without treading on thin ice etc etc etc.

i also love his parallels w shou about the fear of a family member going too far. how it leads you to put up defenses to keep them calm or in shous case to stop them from going too far. my god. this is long. sorry LOL

[hkpika07]

Hi yes hello I’m here to ask about your funny joke character

YES HI HELLO. I already posted this specific pictures but this is my joke character Jordon. He’s Gordon's evil mirror counterpart and is just the epitome of the bad analysis Gordon gets by people who aren't in the fandom.

An evil asshole who genuinely thinks everyone else is beneath him and should be scrapped because they're lowly. He kidnapped and replaced Gordon, thinking he would blend in seamlessly on Sodor but everyone immediately recognized that he was a fake. Edward and Henry didn't even have to think at all when they saw him.

His full name is Jordon The Evil-Engine.

He also has a brother the Trotting Irishman. (Ignore his outfit I sketched this in like 30 seconds). Ire does not have eyebrow game like his mirror self and has to draw it on in crayon. Like he has that big Crayola crayon box with the sharpener in the back and that's his eyebrow pencil. Anyways Ire and Jordon hardly speak to each other and often forget that the other exists. And they have a strained relationship that will never ever mend.

Can't have made these guys without the help of my friends @sekiumiarashi and @attllhak And please don't take this post too seriously these are joke characters. Anyways I love them they're horrible in every way and now we have a mirror au as a joke. Where everyone has a mirror version

[hybbart]

So, you have given me jimmy brainrot for the jimmy kidnaps everyone au, and now u give you this.

I think the only possible way to a "good" ending would be that when everyone is freed near the end, if jimmy has a full breakdown and confesses his feelings of abandonment going at least as far back as Evo smp and how it's gotten so much worse during and around empires 2. Then everyone realizing that despite jimmy being so dearly loved by so many, they never showed him that love openly, to the point his perception grew twisted and he was so desperate to be shown love in return for the love he felt for his friends/family (some of whom may not even remember their past lives like listener!jimmy could (and maybe even more tragically for those who DID remember, but didnt treat him well regardless)) that he felt trapping them in a scenario of required "mutual" affection was his only opition. So seeing how their actions, or inactions, contributed to this horrible situation, they all band together and have a cathartic moment of healing, knowing that everyone has been hurt and none of their friendships will ever be the same, but wanting to put in the work to reach a healthier place.

I have so many thoughts, and no writing ability, but I wanted to share this lol

That is a directoon I considered. I think it would depend on how traumatizing the experience would be, though, cause it can get into victim blamey territory if you aren't careful with the writing, ensure it isn't done out of guilt.

I think Tango, Scar, and Grian would be the most likely to outright forgive him in a vacuum. Grian is his brother and more powerful so ultimately even if Jimmy won over him briefly I think he would be confident in his abilities to stop Jimmy and also some obligation as the only other eldritch being. And Scar's just Like That.

Tango... he'd be quick to forgive and I think he would say as much, but I also think that Tango would be the most traumatized by it all because of his personality. And the fact that he's known Jimmy for the least amount of time and that he has the most positive experience with Jimmy (Jimmy's never been anything but soft and supportive towards Tango since they became friends and as far as Tango might be concerned his 'bad side' is his general incompetence and impulsiveness which he's fine with) so it would be the most out of nowhere for Tango even though he would probably be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I imagine Tango would say he forgives him but never get over it, be overly cautious around him. Which of course isn't very conductive to healing. I think Lizzie would be somewhat similar, too.

Fwhip would probably be the least likely to compromise I think, cause their relationship is already so strained despite wanting to care about each other. Joel isn't far behind probably, but Joel is also a really big insecure softy who worries about people a lot when they aren't looking, and can turn on a dime from trying to Kill Jimmy to giving him aid. Martyn would be the middle ground and most level headed about the whole thing I think. Scott would be the biggest wild card and most based on how things actually play out.

I'm generally bad at imagining how soured relationships can be turned around so this is very much out of my element, though.

[raazberry]

(obm rant ahead it's long)

kinda really pisses me off when people dismiss the demand for good writing in dating sims by simply saying "it's a dating sim what do you expect." (and yes this is about a stupid take i saw about obey me specifically on twitter how did you guess.)

like, maybe this is a me thing but if a game is heavily driven by gacha then i am even more obligated to be critical of it. and if i'm going to be investing that much time (and money) into it, i think i deserve Something out of it???

i've complained about this on here so many times but it's genuinely so hard to actually keep progressing in the story (normal mode at least), especially if you're a new player - unless you whale a whole lot, or get extremely unbelievably lucky. and when you get past like, lesson 20 i think? the struggle just seems... meaningless.

why am i waiting four whole days just to level up one card by ONE level, just so that i can get past this one really annoying dance battle, only for the next story to be just... plain bad? and then i have to do it all over again?

like okay, maybe the story does get better in fucking season 3 which is like twenty more chapters away (btw from what i've heard, it kind of just doesn't get better) but as a new player it is just so hard to keep that level of commitment especially if all you're rewarded with is horrible writing and negative character development.

i've played free dating sims with better played out plots and stories than this and it just pisses me off so much because the general "idea" of obey me is SO good and so fun! and the characters you meet are genuinely interesting. although some jokes were objectively cringe i can live with that (i am playing a dating sim, after all...) like spoilers for lesson 16 and above i guess but in my opinion the execution of the whole belphie hating humans and quite literally killing MC was done in a pretty nice way! as well as the backstory cards regarding the brothers (and everyone else other than the MC) and their relationships with each other! for example anytime i think about satan and lucifer's strained relationship i get a little bit emotional - and yes of course sometimes satan's almost childish annoyance towards him can be pretty funny, it's almost always treated as a running gag (even after they "sort it out") - to the point where it's one of satan's defining characteristics (the other is his love for cats and books). and that's it! that's all there is to his presence in the main story for the most part.

the events are somehow even more annoying - (those i can actually play without being frustrated about my level) and the stories always try so hard to squeeze every single dateable character in one scenario. and this ends with all of them feeling like caricatures of themselves and i hate it! so much! because again - these are genuinely really fun characters and they have so much potential! even if the devs want to make MC your typical harem protagonist, they can still do it well but they just aren't and it makes me so mad 😭😭😭

"well raaz stop playing the game then!" i did do that actually for a good amount of time and i came back because solomon birth (fire emoji), also anniversary. but also i feel like the players kinda deserve better. especially given the gacha aspect.

although i do think that the anime and music are genuinely pretty good - it's just kinda frustrating that they're not improving their main product first.

"what was the point of saying all of this?" there was no point at all. im just annoyed that i actually spent time and money on this game. though i will say that i do love the fan creations and people kinda treating the characters like their OCs and giving them the plot and development they deserve.

"this is a really long post why do you complain so much?" at this point im just criticising myself for no reason but also idk! i play a couple of gacha games other than obey me and i've honestly realised that it's the worst and shittiest way to monetise your game. and gacha games deserve at LEAST twice the amount of critical analysis because it could literally be the reason for someone's fucking gambling addiction. idk

good night it is almost three am and i have a road trip to be on tomorrow

[animentality]

listen i know that rey and cisco are probably endgame but god i honestly can't help but ship rey and irvine just a little bit.

they hurt my heart.

don't mind me. i'll just be crying in the corner.

You never know :)

I tend to be...unusual when it comes to my endgame ships.

So unusual that I have two different friends who are convinced they also know the endgame ship...but maybe both are wrong :)))

Sometimes the endgame is someone...you did not expect.

Heh. Heh.

But seriously.

Irvine and Rey are sweethearts. They're that relationship that seems so perfect on paper and they get along so magnificently, but they're both incredibly fucked up people, and they know each other too well.

They know each other's traumas and they feed each other too much. Rather than help the other person cope and heal, they just make things worse for one another. It's like an endless circle for them.

Two addicts, trying to help themselves sober up, but they're just caught in each other's gravitational pull towards repeated self destruction.

You'll see more of that in the sequel.

Rey can't handle Irvine's sympathy or sorrow for his plight. Irvine can't handle Rey's honesty and sense of justice, or his sympathy for their own plight.

There is this...constant pull and strain on them.

Rey is frustrated that Irvine won't do more to free themselves. He's also angry about Irvine's status and wishes he could do something himself. Partially he knows that Irvine is upset by it, but since they can't do anything about it, they put up this front like it doesn't bother them.

But it does, and Irvine knows that Rey knows, and that just drudges up those bad feelings and the sense of being trapped, which Irvine almost can't bear.

And similarly, Irvine finds Rey's situation to be horrible and unforgivable. But they can't do anything for him either?

They're basically both bonded by the fact that they're slaves to another person, someone they hate.

They both suffered as children, at the hands of manipulative and abusive people who just use them and discard them.

So they were a great couple!!! They were a wonderful couple. They had a lot in common.

But they didn't last because their trauma runs too deep. They couldn't unearth it without shattering completely as people, and neither of them can afford that.

Not until their work is done.

So I feel you, anon.

I really do.

Irvine and Rey are special to me.

They're my trauma blorbos.

They're brothers in arms...who also used to have sex.

But they don't necessarily help one another.

Even though they know each other better than most of Rey's other exes know him, they cannot save each other.

There's only one person who can save Rey, and it's ironically the people he knows the least.

Thanks for the ask.

Glad you liked my book :)))

[blood-darkened-moon]

Alexia x Alfred Hcs

I haven’t gotten any more asks since last time, but I felt motivated to do a few more for this ask game.

1. Who most initiates PDA?

It depends on how public the place is. If it’s a more public area (lots of strangers/less familiar people around), it’s usually Alexia who initiates it. In this case, they like to keep their PDA in a grey area, awkwardly close but not close enough that people can tell for sure if there is something going on between them or not. Questions in this regard are either ignored, answered with a counter question, or a vague answer that neither confirms nor denies anything. They like to see people argue about whether there is more between them, whether they're just being overly affectionate or whether they're doing it for shock value/attention.

In less public places (only domestic workers/other employees/friends, if they would have some around), both initiate it more or less equally as often, and it’s more explicit in that case. The domestic workers are paid extra to mind their own business and tolerate whatever the twins are doing. Sometimes Alfred and Alexia like to test how far they can go before it gets too uncomfortable for others.

2. Any sleep habits either had to get used to?

No. While the twins enjoy sleeping together in one bed, they prefer to have separate rooms. After Alexia’s awakening, they tried to use one room permanently. This only lasted for about a month. Separate rooms are simply more comfortable if one of them has to get up early, goes to bed late, feels sickly, and so on. Limited space isn’t a problem for them either. The ratio of them sleeping in the same bed vs. sleeping in their respective rooms is about 50:50. Though the door between their rooms usually stays unlocked in case one of them makes up their mind.

30. What is their favorite place to kiss the other? (Cheek, hand, closed eyelid, neck, nose, etc.)

Alfred loves to kiss Alexia’s hands like a gentleman. He sees this as a great way to express his devotion and love for her.

Alexia likes to kiss Alfred on the lips. They are so soft and smooth. She loves the sensation.

33. Who has the most nightmares and how do they deal with them?

Alexia sleeps like a rock. Nightmares rarely wake her up, she just dreams of something else at one point. If Alexia wakes up from one, she adjusts her position and falls back asleep seconds to minutes later. Most of the time, she can’t even remember what the dream was about.

Alfred has horrible nightmares since he was a child, likely rooted in his strained relationship with his father. Back then, he used to wake Alexia up to get some comfort and then sleep in her bed. During Alexia’s cryogenic sleep, his nightmares got much worse. Since Alexia was now out of reach, he started taking sleeping pills when it happened or tried to distract himself with something, like reading, working, cleaning his mansion, and so on, until he calmed down enough. After the reunion, Alfred keeps this habit most of the time. Alexia doesn’t mind being woken up and would never make fun of him, but Alfred feels a bit embarrassed regardless and doesn’t want to bother her with his “childish” problems.

If Alexia notices Alfred having nightmares, he won’t get away so easily. She then “forces” (he doesn’t resist) him to be comforted. Cuddling with her usually calms him down quickly, and he sleeps better when Alexia is with him.

34. Do they give each other nicknames?

Dear brother/sister, if this counts. Besides that, Alexia calls her brother frequently Alfie. Alfred rarely uses nicknames. Sometimes he calls her “My Queen” or more casual names like Alex or Lex, but Alexia prefers when Alfred uses her real name.

35. What movies do they enjoy watching most?

Except for the recording of himself and Alexia, Alfred enjoys watching documentaries, especially about WW1 and WW2, and occasionally good crime thrillers, otherwise, he isn’t that much into watching movies.

Alexia doesn’t like watching movies particularly. Finding one she finds decent, at least to some degree, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. She gets bored quickly when the story isn’t complex enough, can’t emphasize with most characters, and gets annoyed when plot points are too farfetched or straight-up unrealistic. In the case of more educational movies, she feels like the information is often oversimplified or facts are too exaggerated for entertainment. Overall, she considers watching movies a waste of time.

38. What was their most memorable date?

The twins had their most memorable date about a year before Alexia went to her cryogenic sleep during the Antarctic winter, though they don’t really know if they should call it a date. Alexia was working in the lab when Alfred called her and insisted on showing her something that couldn’t wait. Alexia reluctantly agreed, immediately annoyed when Alfred told her she should dress up to go outside. Her annoyance steadily grew when Alfred blindfolded her, dragged her through the base, and several 100 meters through the snow. But it didn’t last long. Once she removed the blindfold, all her anger was gone. The Aurora Australia was visible above their heads. She had seen it a couple of times before, but not as beautiful as in this very moment. The whole time, they were just standing there, not saying a single word and staring in awe towards the dancing lights in the night sky until the cold became unbearable. In the end, both had mild hypothermia, and light frostbite on the face, yet it was one of the most beautiful experiences in their lives.

[kingofthenorth]

Horror recommendations from someone formerly too afraid to enjoy the genre

I spent almost my entire childhood too chicken to watch scary movies, only occasionally trying to brave and get through one here and there. I lost countless hours of sleep over trailers I'd seen on tv for various horror movies, which then went on to shape the nature of my fears--and nightmares--for the rest of my life. But in my late teens I decided to try and conquer my fears by facing the genre head on, and in the process... it actually became my favorite genre.

If you're scared but want to jump in, this is my gift to you, as someone who used to be in your shoes. This list is broken down based on the kind of experience you're looking for, so you can get your feet wet on your own terms. It's not that these movies aren't scary (scary is subjective, after all!), it's that this way you can at least know the general vibe first.

Disclaimer #1: Horror tends to be absolutely teeming with common triggers, so much so that I don't trust myself to individually warn for each item on the list. I suggest using a site like Does the Dog Die? or similar registries to look up anything you might need to filter out. Assume death and violence to be a common theme here. Disclaimer #2: This list is far from perfect. Please don't come into my inbox saying "but what about [insert movie here]?"...

Emotional

If wanting to connect to characters and their situations is a big priority, and you're tired of ye olde "one dimensional teens on summer vacation get picked off one by one" vibes from movies you've considered, here are some deeper, heavier options.

Before I Wake: A couple adopts a child who has been in and out of homes, only to discover the reason why no one will keep him is because he has the ability to physically manifest his dreams as he sleeps... and often has recurring nightmares about a horrible, menacing creature. This movie is an excellent take on the tough issue of how adoption means shouldering a child's baggage, and how difficult that can be, even when you want the best for them.

The Monster: On a long drive through a fairly remote stretch of road, a young mother and her daughter have to deal with both the figurative monster that is the strain on their relationship and the much more literal monster that is the thing hunting them in the woods. For being relatively straightforward in plot, this movie does a lot to tug at the heartstrings.

Train to Busan: A man's train ride to take his small daughter to visit her mother goes south fast when a zombie outbreak hits. Zombie movies aren't for everyone, but even as someone with mixed feelings on the genre, I consider this a must-see that balances drama, action, and fear amazingly well.

Fun

Every horror fan has a different definition of what a "fun" horror movie is, but hopefully you can see eye to eye with me on these movies being a good, entertaining ride.

Nope: Following their father's death, a brother and sister investigate the perplexing occurrences plaguing their family farm. One of my top "go in blind" recs. The less you know, the better. It manages to balance fear and humor while also being a fresh take on a classic concept.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: A group of friends find a book of scary stories, one that's all fun and games until their own names start popping up in the tales. Whether you read the book or not as a kid (which I didn't), this one is incredibly nostalgic. It feels like it belongs at a sleepover, or perhaps retold around a campfire. Perfect viewing for a Halloween party!

Malignant: Surrounded by mysterious deaths, a woman can't help but suspect her childhood imaginary friend may be the one responsible. A fantastic example of a movie where the creep factor is unique and well thought out while also being fun in an almost absurd way.

Unsettling

Sometimes, instead of being outright terrifying, you want a movie that makes you go "hey, what the fuck?"

The Boy: To get away from her own troubles, a young woman accepts a nanny job with strict rules while the parents leave on holiday... only to discover right away that the "child" she must watch is actually a doll. This movie is creepy, subtle, and keeps you guessing. Honestly, it's a great first horror movie if you're looking for something iconic but not so classic you already know the whole plot.

Oculus: A young woman manages to track down the haunted mirror she blames for destroying her family's lives many years ago, and she intends to prove that supernatural forces are behind it all. This remains one of the most interesting horror movies I've watched, combining past childhood terror with an investigative spirit in the present as it jumps back and forth in the story.

Savageland: This mockumentary the trial of a man charged with slaughtering an entire small town because he walked away the lone survivor. Another "go in blind" rec, and honestly a hidden gem. The reflective tone of looking back on the events creates a sense of safety for the viewer, and yet, watching the mystery unfold is positively chilling.

In the Tall Grass: In an attempt to help a boy they spotted from the side of the road, two siblings enter a disorienting field of tall grass. Arguably a bit more "advanced" in its creepiness than others in this category, but I feel like I'd be amiss not to include at least one Stephen King adaptation, and this one makes the cut by not bearing as much pop culture baggage as his better known works.

It's Not That Deep

If you don't want a heavy, involved plot, and would rather focus on the scares, then these movies have you covered!

Sweetheart: A young woman shipwrecked on an island must survive not only the wilderness itself, but the strange beast that wanders onto land at night looking for a snack. If the first episode of Lost set your hopes high for a more creature feature vibe, then this movie will scratch that itch nicely.

Dark Skies: After repeated unexplained occurrences in their home, a family begins to accept that their problem may be extraterrestrial in nature. A fantastic and spooky alien horror flick for both UFO buffs and casual viewers alike.

Willow Creek: While filming a small documentary about the famous Patterson-Gimlin bigfoot film, a couple realizes they aren't alone as they try to reach the site of the film itself. As silly as it starts off, this one captures the simple but powerful fear of not being alone in the woods at night, and is to bigfoot what Dark Skies is to aliens; perfect for both cryptid fanatics and those unfamiliar. Also, it made me hate sleeping in tents even more than I already did.

Staples of the genre

Popular movies are popular for a reason. Here are some ones you've undoubtedly heard of (and maybe even seen parodies of) but get a spot on this post because they're Just That Good. No plot summaries on these, as you likely already know more about them than I could say in any brief description. Just pure opinion from here on!

Ringu/The Ring: Whether watching the original or the American version, this one is a must. I say this despite it being the movie with the trailer that scared--and scarred--me the most as a kid. Onryo are among my worst fears now. Enjoy!

Paranormal Activity: Despite people making fun of it, this one (and its sequels) actually makes amazing use of subtle-but-realistic effects. When I finally watched it, I was shocked by how simple yet high quality it was. I think everyone should watch this at least once.

The Woman in Black: One of my first serious attempts at getting into horror. It's everything you could ask for out of a haunted house movie, hitting all the classic elements without feeling too predictable.

The Blair Witch Project: You know this one. Everyone knows this one. It was THE genre defining found footage movie, so go watch it!

The Conjuring: Yet another great haunted house movie, and one that scratches that "based on a true story" itch to boot! The trailer for this one also scared the snot out of me, except that I was already an adult (I think?) by then. Somehow, it's practically an old friend to me.

Midsommar: As much as this one dealt a devastating blow to critical thinking (particularly of white women), it really is a good movie. Just... please try not to miss the point.

The Ritual: Okay, not quite as iconic as the others in this section, but any creature design fanatic can tell you that this one holds a special place in the hearts of many horror fans. No, it's not one that anybody and everybody has heard of, but it's very well known inside the broader horror fandom.

...And that's it for now! I might edit it to include some others, though, since I had to leave tons of ones I dearly love out, and my willpower to resist mentioning them is not strong.

[meirimerens]

hiii hello i wanna ask!! how do u perceive vlad jr and capella? what characterises them?? some headcannons maybe?? are they dry or wet

hiiiiii bestie ok i'm going to try to do my best bc i just worke up (yes at 1:30 in the afternoon bro i work into 4AM)

dry-wet spectrum:

vlad jr is wet to me like in a very Kinda Pathetic way. his wetness comes not from blood or tears, more from... like rainwater flowing down the well in his shack + general Swimming Tru It attitude.

capella is relatively dry in the same way the shore is. like a Dry outcrop in a vast sea of Wet. she appears a LIL wetter in PCHD design-wise but most PCDH designs are kinda wet to me regardless so you have to elaborate over the designs.

headcanons:

this ones dear to me and based I KNOW THIS on an image I've seen but for the love of god i can't find it anymore anyways when vlad got to hold his newborn sister when he was like 14 he cried (as opposed to maria who when she saw her newborn brother for the first time was like "ewwww")

he was a very good older brother for the first like 10-ish years of capella's life. loved to take her on supervised adventures and whatnot. loved to bring her out to the steppe and show her the odonghe and the herb brides and be like "those are our neighbors they're different from us but we must accept this difference because we're stronger together then" and stuff. i say "first 10-ish years" bc when his father started Really Hammering In that he wanted him to conform to the mold he had set or get the fuck out, Vlad Jr did in fact get the fuck out, and since then he's been distant

since he didn't Love his mother (but felt other things) and his relationship with his father is Strained To Say The Least, capella was like the one family member who he didn't feel like utter shit thinking/talking about/being with.

this is i think a brew of some p1 & p2 lore (or maybe not honestly girl I'm barely awake) but he 1) gets his ass drunk at the broken heart often [p2 lore] to cope with grief/a general Hollow left by the death of his mother and 2) met here rubin who's Also trying to cope with war trauma [p1] lore and The Rest Of It All. they bond over having massive daddy issues and not a fun kind. vlad jr "admires" (?) rubin for being way less of a massive coward as he feels like, and rubin just hangs out and absorbs through him the Needing To Be Like Father that he will never have to worry about anymore after Isidor's death bc Isidor chose the "other son" over him

capella looooves sweet things she loves little desserts and all. with the plague and the trains cutting them off from the rest of the world, she can't get like ingredience and it drives her a lil crazy but she keeps it together. eventually the trains work again and she can have her sweet treats. she's bad at baking/cooking but still tries bc she wants her sweet. vlad jr is not too horrible at baking/cooking sweets but if you asked him for a stew he'd unintentionally poison you, so he makes sweets sometimes and leaves them by capella's door without being noticed.

i think she'd play the piano i think she'd love to play the piano... i think her parents tried to teach vlad first but he was relatively uninterested, but it's different for her

i think she knows. about things and in general.

i don't mention the khan & capella p2 diurnal ending wedding hint a lot bc it's important to me to pretend I'm not seeing it as arranged marriages are like one of my most abhorred tropes ever, makes me want to kill somebody fr. But thinking about it a lil, within this marriage that they have as adults i think she very much knows he has no romantic love for her, and she has no romantic love for him, but they do care for each other a lot and they're fantastic wing(wo)men to each other to keep their freedoms on the sides. she goes out of her way to use her clairvoyance to find ways to let him leave on the wedding night unnoticed & tell him at what time he should be back so people don't think of anything, and he goes out of his way to cover for her when people ask questions about her, wonder about this and that, etc. in a way i think she likes the fun and excitement of it because it's not something anyone in her family experienced. even as the novelty of it wears of, they both keep doing that and entrenching themselves in the secret bc it makes them closer together, and it's how they keep their freedoms, their priceless freedoms. she lets her brother in on the secret & the arrangement because she knows he also does a lot of stuff on his own and has Many An Arrangment.

i don't have too much now bc i'm barely emerging but this is some of the lore;.. of the witnessing...

[not-krys]

Nurture (Houki, Ophelia, Abby)

I had originally thought of using the prompt 'Family' since I don't have a specific mother prompt on my list (in the US, Mother's Day is in May), but I do have a 'Father' prompt that I plan on using in June (as that's when Father's Day is for the US). The reason I'm not using Family here is because that and Father were getting too similar to each other, writing-wise. So, I decided to try and RNG a different prompt.

Ironically, RNG gave me the prompt 'nurture', which lends itself well to mother-themed prompts.

Regular warning's apply: raw unedited writing that suddenly cuts off or wanders randomly, oc lore building, pregnancy, fluff, and some more serious things in Ophelia's entry like emotional manipulation of a child. Features IkeSen's Mitsunari being adorable and IkeVamp's Theo being a little jealous over his brother's relationships. Arthur's there too.

Check out Maddie's version here featuring IkeRev's Harr!

My Masterlist

-----

Houki

"It… should be …there. I think." Houki looked up at the tall shelf, her quarry a leather-bound book on one of the upper tiers. She tilted her head, mentally judging the distance from her feet on the floor to her desired book, teasing her at the height above her head.

A natural solution to her problem would be to use the nearby stool, logical, something anyone would conclude to do in her situation.

But, she couldn't use the stool to reach for her book. Five months ago, she would have done that without thinking and no one would have batted an eye. Now, however…

She laid a hand on her stomach, staring longingly at her prized book. Even with her layers of kimono and her larger form, there was still the hint of her growing middle that had nothing to do with Lord Masamune's good food and everything to do with those long nights spent in Mitsunari's strong arms. If her mother saw her now, the fit she would throw…

Another thought could be to go and find someone to get the book down for her. Her beloved Mitsunari would've loved to help, as would Lord Hideyoshi or Ranmaru without complaint. Lords Masamune and Mitsuhide would tease her horribly, and Lord Ieyasu would just refuse and walk away. And who asks the lord of the castle to get down a book for them? Certainly not her.

However, Mitsunari and Lord Hideyoshi were away on a mission so she couldn't ask them. She also didn't hear any passing footsteps outside, no servants or maids she could ask about Ranmaru's whereabouts, or for their help in getting the book down.

Unless she was willing to endure the merciless teasing of Lord Mitsuhide or Lord Masamune, she was alone in her endeavor.

She looked at the high shelf once again, putting her hands on her hips.

Well, nothing was ever accomplished without trying, after all, she thought to herself and walked close to the shelf, enough that she was nose to wood to it. She rose to the tips of her toes, using one hand as leverage and balance on the shelf, the other reaching skyward, her fingers just brushing the smooth, cool leather of her desired. Her belly pressed into a few spines and she could hear the crinkling of paper as it was pressed, but still she continued straining her arm for the book, feeling a tenderness developing in her shoulder and neck.

"Just… a little… further!"

She heard a few books hit the floor, but she continued reaching, slipping her fingers under the spine. She pulled herself inches taller by holding onto the shelf frame, lifting her leg behind her as if it would help her.

She blessed the founder of gravity as the book leaned precariously, tilted towards her. Houki smiled, released her grip on the shelf and held her arms out to catch the falling book.

In blessing gravity, however, she forgot to balance herself and she was falling backwards, also a victim of gravity like her book.

"Ah!" she squeaked, stumbling with her book in her arms.

"Careful!" a familiar voice called out, her body soon finding something solid. Not floor solid, but person solid, and strong arms circling her.

When Houki looked up, pushing her glasses up on her nose, she saw a familiar set of violet eyes and gray hair framing them.

"Mitsunari! You're back?"

"Only moments ago." Mitsunari smiled, helping her stand back on her feet. "The campaign was a complete success, so Lord Hideyoshi and I returned early. He's giving the report to Lord Nobunaga now."

"Shouldn't… you also be giving your report to Lord Nobunaga?"

"I couldn't wait to see you, so I asked Lord Hideyoshi if I could give mine later."

He looked at the book in her arms.

"A book of children stories?"

Houki felt her cheeks warming.

"It's… caught my eye for a while, ever since I noticed it a few days prior." She held the book closer to her chest. "It seemed a strange thing to be kept in the archives when it's mostly just inventory, battle histories, and medical texts here, so it made me curious."

"Lord Nobunaga does acquire some strange treasures every now and then." He reached for Houki's hand, locking pinkies with her as he pulled her closer, "perhaps it was misplaced and ended up here?"

"It's possible." Houki nodded, walking alongside Mitsunari, the other slowing his steps for Houki, as was his practice for some time now. "…but I would like read through it first before asking where it's supposed to be returned to."

Mitsunari smiled.

"A little naughty of you, Houki."

Her cheeks warmed again.

"I prefer to call it curiosity."

Mitsunari tightened his pinky on hers affectionately.

"I won't tell if you won't."

"Now whose being the naughty one?"

The two walked pinky in pinky until they reached his room, surrounded by the familiar piles of books and the singular desk by the wall. Mitsunari sat against the opposite wall, pulling Houki into his lap, his chin resting on her shoulder. Houki giggled.

"I'm out of practice when reading aloud, just so you know."

"I love the sound of your voice," Mitsunari replied, his hand cupping her belly, "and I'm sure they will as well."

Houki giggled again, opening the book to the first page.

------

Ophelia

"My dearest Ophelia! Guess what!"

A young girl, barely more than eleven with too big shoes on her feet and her dress more patch than actual garment, stood in a dark hallway, her dark carnelian eyes already turning hollow at the sound of the familiar voice. It was her mother's voice, cheerful and excited.

The woman, smelling of strong perfume and possibly the smallest hint of alcohol--Ophelia couldn't tell because of the overpowering scent of patchouli-- put one hand on her tiny shoulder while the other patted her stomach with glee. Ophelia froze.

"You're gonna be a big sister! Again!" Her mother laughed like a braying donkey, "I just confirmed it this morning! It's gonna be a boy this time, I'm sure of it!"

"That's what you said about Rosalind. And Portia. And about Bianca and Beatrice."

"And I love all of you, and Cordelia too, very, very much!" She said, "but we still need a boy, a boy, Ophelia! We just have to hope and wish for it!"

"What if it's another girl, mother? What will you do then?"

"Well… then me and your papa are gonna have to try again!"

The little girl, far wiser for her age than she should be, sighed.

"You have six daughters now," said Ophelia, "And the possibility of a seventh coming in six months time."

"No, no, you're going to have a handsome little brother and he's going to protect all of us, forever and always!"

"And if it is another girl, Mother, you know what that's going to mean."

"No!" She hugged the girl tight to her chest, her body racked with sudden sobs, "I'm not sending my little girls off to be married! Away from me! After all the love and nurturing I did, they can't be taken from me!"

Ophelia grit her teeth and held her tongue, knowing it would only upset her mother further. Instead, she loosely wrapped her arms around her crying mother, giving her a few pats on her back. The woman sniffed loudly.

"Thank you, dear," she said, clearing her throat, "you've always been such a good girl. I'm so proud of you, Ophelia."

"Yes, Mother, I know, I know."

"I can always count on you, my number one girl," she kissed Ophelia's forehead, taking her little hand to put on her belly, "you'll look after your little brother too and take such good care of him. I just know it."

Ophelia curled her fingers, reluctant to touch her mother, but her mother still insisted, forcefully spreading her tiny digits so her palm rested open against her stomach. It was still relatively flat, warm and squishy to the touch, but Ophelia still bit her lip to keep calm, knowing this would be a more common occurrence as the months wore on, the same as her mother had done when she had her younger sisters in her belly.

She took in a shaking breath.

"I'll look after him, Mother. Just like I have Cordelia. And Rosalind. And Portia. And Beatrice and Bianca."

"Good girl, Ophelia." She patted Ophelia's hand, still held against her belly, "Good girl."

--------

Abby

Despite his initial teasing, Theo couldn't help but stare as Abby's blonde head bobbed back and forth as she took in every painting in the small atelier he'd managed to snag for a local gallery featuring some of his artist friends. She looked at everything with open, curious eyes, as if she would miss something if she so much as breathed wrong or blinked. She was like that around Vincent when he was painting or if she caught a rare moment of Leonardo sketching. It went beyond watching a famous artist working, he felt, she seemed fascinated by watching them work, as if their famous statuses didn't matter to her, she just enjoyed watching them work.

His suspicions were confirmed one day where he'd caught her doodling on a scrap piece of paper while she was working. It was a pale imitation of one of his brother's painting (no one could match up to him, after all), but he saw something in there that he often saw in promising young artists, that with enough nurturing and care it could develop into something beautiful.

It was mostly the reason he invited her to help set up in the atelier. Smaller reasons including needing an extra hand and she had a free afternoon, but the quivering that she usually did, the nervousness she had ever since she appeared at Comte's mansion, it was practically gone when she helped set up the gallery. A woman that normally shook in her shoes if he so much as glanced her way, had such confidence and grace when she was surrounded by beauty and artistic innovation, he wondered if he imagined the scared, teary-eyed little puppy he usually saw at home.

Vincent's insistence on inviting her also helped sway him. Maybe he saw something in her before he did, but he wouldn't have refused Vincent regardless.

What bothered him, however, was seeing peeks of Vincent taking her hand as they stood in front of painting after painting, the way her tiny hand curled in his as they discussed different aspects of the works they looked at. How his fingers formed protectively around hers. How her usual blush of nervousness seemed… different, for some reason. Theo frowned, his eyebrows turning down.

Before long, however, a gloved hand slapped him between his shoulders before circling them, the smell of cologne (and maybe a hint of a little too much wine) assaulting his nose. He turned to see the familiar blue eyes of one particularly annoying author he would gladly strangle if he didn't remove his arm.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Arthur said with a grin. "Holding hands like that. Who knew the bird had it in her."

"It's an art show, klootzak." Theo said, "be more respectful."

"I am, I am!" Arthur laughed, "This show is great, I think."

"The art or watching my broer being seduced?"

Arthur laughed harder. He definitely had been hitting the wine a little hard that evening.

"Watching you watching your brother and the little dove at his side is the better show, I think."

Theo scowled as Vincent pointed at a particularly colorful painting, Abby's eyes lighting up as she examined the details. Arthur patted Theo's chest, much to his annoyance.

"They're just having a good time looking at art. No need to get jealous over two art lovers sharing a passion."

"There's more than sharing a passion for art going on between them."

"Aye, anyone with working eyes can see that."

Theo growled.

"Why are you so worked up for, anyway? Not like they're snogging each other up the walls over there."

Theo glared.

[gamingstar26]

Here are some changes and new stuff I came up with for my fowl au:

Post lost harp of mervana, agent Duck and steelbeak steal the harp of mervana.

Challenge of senior junior woodchucks at the end there’s hint of foreshadowing on Bradford’s interest in Donald for recruiting and show part of his long file. Bradford always had a interest on Donald for years due to watching the family. At first he didn’t think much of Donald, then the more he discovered about him, the more interested he became in him. Donald has a file that is just as long as Scrooge’s file. Everyone in the family has a file from fowl to keep tabs. But Donald and Scrooge’s files are the longest ones they have.

Beaks in the shell the family (mostly Huey) finds the wrong agent d (gandra) they find out she works for fowl and ask her tons of questions and ask about the agent d there looking for, but get barely anything worthwhile. just like in the show she gets found out by Bradford and gets captured.

Donald got paid extremely well when working for FOWL, better than he ever have with anyone or even Scrooge.

Here’s an explanation to why I added faith to Bradford’s motivations: he sees himself as doing what god would want which is order. He only believes in one god not multiple, which is why he wants to get rid of em. And the reason for the alt project name Lux Dei is because he saw the clones as the light of god, to help in his plans. But black heron originally named the project, project 34. And Bradford named the clones after other gods from different cultures. Heron named them after numbers: P-34-1 and P-34-2

There’s the whole thing about the family nearly splitting apart again due to paranoia and mistrust, because of trying to find this mysterious Agent D, and fear of a traitor in the family. (Little do they know that it’s under their beaks the entire time) Scrooge Beakly and Huey go crazy trying to find out who agent d is.

The Buzzard brothers have a strained relationship and each brother has parallels to the triplets and the twins as well as an example of a sibling relationship gone horribly wrong.

I’m thinking of making the clones appear maybe a few times before the finale and act as friends to the kids. Idk how yet.

The duke will play a bigger role in Huey’s arc, being about how bottling up his anger effects him and his constant reliance on the woodchucks. And learning that something’s are meant to be unknown.

When my myth au gets mixed in, the mythicals (people with creature forms) are in Bradford’s radar as chaotic and dangerous beings.

[mimicsapprentice]

7.What are your favourite relationships between your OCs? (romantic or platonic!)

28. Favourite songs at the moment?

-@transolar

Oooo good questions!! TYSM for asking then ^^ Going with 28 first since it's shorter! A selection of favourite songs: A good song never dies - Saint Motel The Woods - San Fermin Watchmaker - Area 11 The Wolf And The Sheep - Alec Benjamin Red Line - Anna Yvette Favourite relationship between OCs? Hmm, that's a super hard one! I have a lot of OCs whose relationships I really like & enjoy, so take a few I really want to talk about:

Atlas & Althea - The very first OCs whose relationship I really ended up loving? I just adore the 2 of them so much, especially together. Althea was a custom design who I literally commed for the sole reason of making a GF for Atlas, who I wasn't even supposed to keep lol. There isn't anything in particular about their dynamic that draws me to them? Their main relationship theme is kind of a shared healing journey. They both experienced similar but separate life-altering trauma, meeting in a support group for it. They just have a happy domestic life together, very slice of life & soft sweet vibes.

Verity Rai & Anastasia - Sticking with the good vibes & theme of shared life journeys together are these 2 ancient gals! Bonus fact is that they're the first 2 married OCs I ever had / made. Their story is very much a gay love story about discovering yourself and finally feeling free to explore your identity; finding someone with whom you feel safe and comfortable enough to question yourself and then along the journey ending up falling in love with them. These 2, as it turns out, are very much sapphic and very in love. They're going to spend their eternities with each other <2

Quinn & a lot of people actually - Ahhh, a big old polyship of mine! Quinn is probably one of my most precious OCs, she has my whole heart. She is also very much polyamorous & has many multiple partners; I'm not going to go in depth regarding all of her relationships but I do want to shout her out in general. She has romantic, platonic, fluitic & QPP relationships; all of which I enjoy depicting her in. She also happens to be one of the very few OCs I have who has kids and also just like siblings in general?

Nokomis & Takeshi & Pandora & Edith - Stopping the good vibes train here with this horrible (/aff) little family. There are so many problems between these siblings and they have a fairly dark storyline? I'm keeping those details to a minimum here though. Details below the cut (includes mentions of prejudice and generally really shitty treatment of an individual)

Noko & Takeshi hate each other so much. He was such an awful and prejudice brother towards her, taking the first chance he could to throw her out to the wolves. He was the de facto head of the family and used that to kind of ruin Noko. (He's a horrible guy to be honest.) He never trusted her and always whispered behind her back to their siblings; she thinks that he was the main one to ruin her life. She's not entirely wrong either. There is animosity between them that not even a million years could wipe out. Noko & Edith always had a very strained relationship mainly because of Takeshi, who Edith tended to defer to. So when the 'big incident' happened and it 'proved him right?' Well, she was more than happy to agree to get rid of Noko. Neither sister has ever hated the other really? Up until that point at least, then Noko was on her way there. Edith's actions are, in the distant future end, forgivable at least. Noko & Pan were always the closest out of the siblings, they had the tightest bond. Pan always stood up for Noko and made her feel welcome and loved, like she mattered even when their siblings attitudes felt cold. Losing Pan? Ruined Noko in ways that can't be articulated; Pan was her rock and anchor, without her Noko was lost. Pan is the absolute largest and in charge(est) source of emotions in Noko; turmoil, grief, doubt, agony, self hatred. It's all in there. Edith looked up to Takeshi and tended to defer to him. He appreciated the backup and trust placed in him. She did sometimes argue Noko's point with him, swaying him to a degree, even she couldn't make him see reason. Pan was generally at at odds with Takeshi over his treatment of Noko but did still love him. He loved her but never understood where she was coming from and why she cared so much about Noko. He was so stubborn on the matter, claimed he was trying to protect them all from Noko. Pan very much disagreed about this, she knew Noko was no danger. Pan and Edith sort of got along? They both loved each other but Pan, for good reason, could never forgive Edith siding with Takeshi. Pan was capable of swaying Edith and, pre incident, basically had converted her to Noko's side. She was so close to making her sister realise how irrational she was being until she wasn't...

[merunair]

I'm doing the clangen thing but I have a problem so I'm doing 6 clans and coming up with complex lore for them. This is RainClan. They live near a waterfall. More under the cut.

These guys are a complete Mess. Most of the cats in the clan are very young because (barring the medicine cats, Eaglescar, Pricklestripe, and Nightwish) pretty much all of the older cats died following a large battle where it was them vs the rest of the clans who felt like they were getting too big and bossy, not to mention their old leader was basically a tyrant. Nightwish, Pricklestripe, and Eaglescar were banished during the time that the battle took place.

Stormstar is a baby compared to the rest of the leaders are 30 moons old, and was made deputy due to some shenaniganry by the old leader. She's adventurous, brash, and kind of a little shit. Her parents are Nightwish and Eaglescar, and her brother is Sunrain.

Fogmask is deputy and she's always got her head in the clouds. She wasn't born to the clans and was instead brought back by the three exiles after the old leader was killed. She got promoted to deputy because Stormstar wanted to impress her. All-in-all, she's actually good at her job so it worked out.

Sandgale and Moonfoot are the oldest cats in the clan and two thirds of the medicine cats. Sandgale is the Ultimate Grandma and Moonfoot is kind of a jerk. They perfectly balance each other out and have been working together since they were both apprentices.

Hareleap is the final medicine cat and she enjoys causing problems. Just a silly little guy. Also she's pink and I don't care if that's realistic or not.

Nightwish looks like an edgy dad, but in reality just has terminal resting bitch face. He, his mate Eaglescar, and Pricklestripe were exiled by the old leader for an attempted coup orchestrated by Eaglescar. He got his scars from said leader.

Pricklestripe is lovely. They are one of my favorites. They are kind, compassionate, and a bit of a goofball. They lost their leg during the failed coup. During their exile, they had a whirlwind romance with a mysterious stranger, and brought back the result of that romance... Cranepaw.

Eaglescar is the reason Stormstar is like that. She shares her daughters overall headstrong and adventurous personality, though tempered by time and experience. She got her name and scars after nearly being taken away by an eagle when she was an apprentice. She was brought to RainClan as a tiny baby, and had a brother who was taken to RiftClan. Some prophecy junk that never came to pass.

Dancingmoon is objectively the best fighter in RainClan, and among the best in all six clans. She is also very sleepy. Let her nap.

Heavyswipe IS an edgy dad. For a period of time after he was made a warrior, he'd disappear for periods of time, never tell anyone where he was, and one day brought back his three horrible sons, Spikekit, Springkit, and Hurricanekit. His brother is Dustcloud and they have a very strained relationship. Despite everything, he's a good and caring father.

Dustcloud is the opposite of his angsty brother. He's insecure, but friendly and tries to be positive. He's doing his best.

Thrushcall is one of the guys to ever exist. There he is. It's Thrushcall.

Shimmerfawn and Brokenbranch are sisters. They are orange. Shimmerfawn is nice and kind of dumb and Brokenbranch is mean and cynical. They're a comedy duo.

Cricketspark lives for drama. She will be the one to let a secret slip just to see what will happen. She loves running into other clans on patrol or during gatherings just for the gossip alone. I love her.

Rubblecrash is the granddaughter of Moonfoot, which isn't the best thing to be. She's very frequently stressed and overanalyzing her actions. Which is probably why she's close with resident goofballs Sunrain and Hareleap who help take a lot of that pressure off.

Sunrain is a silly guy who likes to make people laugh. He's most likely to become a mediator as he's a pathological placater who hates conflict. He buries his unhappiness deep underground where nobody can find it.

Poppypetal is the daughter of the old leader, and as such isn't exactly well-liked by a lot of the others in both her clan and outside of it. She is actually rather close with Stormstar who is pretty much the only one keeping her in the clans at all. Poppypetal herself is cold and quick-witted.

Strikepaw and Cranepaw are apprentices full of BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM. Cranepaw is very much the leader of the two and drags Strikepaw into all sorts of misadventures.

Spikekit, Hurricanekit, and Springkit are Heavyswipe's brood of horrible children. They're energetic and inquisitive and the only people who can even hope to keep them out of trouble are Heavyswipe, Sandgale, and Moonfoot.

All in all it's a wonder anything gets done.