#i just wanted to organize posting and share gifs on specific time

[thebandghostofficial]

🎃 GHOULS OF THE CLERGY! 🎃

Tumblr Ghoulette invites you to celebrate Halloween in the Ministry!

For 5 Friday nights from now until the conclusion of October PLUS Halloween night, we will be haunting Tumblr with the most frightful Ghost fanart!

All prompts are open to interpretation and welcome to be illustrated, cosplayed, carved, written, and more!

Further guidelines and written dates/ prompts below the cut.

Happy Haunting!

Prompts

September 29th- weather

October 6th- vintage horror

October 13th- monsters

October 20th- pumpkins

October 27th- costumes

Tuesday, October 31st- free for all!

I left the prompts vague so that all who want to join in have the freedom to interpret them however they like! On Halloween the blog will share fanart of other Halloween/ fall-related subjects not included in the list, AND if you made fanart for a specific date but missed it, this is the perfect time to post it too!

General fanart friday rules apply. Most of all please just keep it pg-13 and Ghost-related! This time written fanart will be shared- please keep it under a cut! If we can keep things organized I’d love to include writers in regular fanart fridays in the future.

Feel free to do as many or as few as you like! I love seeing all your fanart and I know others do too, but this is about having fun and enjoying the season, so don’t forget to do that too 👻

[troius]

I just want to say a few things before you get to the end. First up, it's been a pleasure to read your thoughts on the series; like any fan, you have your own unique interpretations and it's always good to read how fans see certain scenes. It's also been fantastic to see fellow fans respond to your posts adding on to what you've written, again bringing your thoughts out more and generating discussion.

Also, seeing your thoughts has made me appreciate scenes and characters I never thought I would -- Yamamoto for instance, who would've thought?! They've also reminded me of why I fell in love with the series as much as I did, from the artwork to the themes to the incredible bonds between the characters. You've reminded me that BLEACH has it's flaws that can sometimes take you out of the story, but when it hits, it 100% HITS! It's a manga that's about the bonds we form, how they can help us overcome challenges and be a source of light in our lives. It's about the ways we overcome grief and the fear of death, whether it's literally fighting your way through it or slowly coming to a state of acceptance as time goes on. It's about the 'hearts' of people, about what they look like and how they're shared between those you choose. I could go on and on, but then this would become an essay and we'd be here all day.

All of this is to say, thank you for choosing to create a Tumblr account and deciding to read the series and give your thoughts along the way. I can't believe you've finally reached the end, it almost feels like I'm saying goodbye to the manga again!! I don't think I'm the only one here who sees you as a big and valued part of the community on here, so I hope you'll be sticking around! :)

Thank you so much Rays! Response under the cut because it went long.

This won't surprise you, but I too have grown in my appreciation for the series over the course of the uh three years that I've run this blog. Bleach has character concepts I've never seen elsewhere. It has moments of storytelling brilliance. It has truly, phenomenally astonishing art.

But more than anything else, I, like you, am impressed by the heart. For a story that's largely about the afterlife, Bleach is shockingly humanistic, locating virtue not in any system of belief, in any group or faction in the various conflicts that provide the setting for the manga, but in people. All people, whether they're our extremely relatable teenage protagonist and his friends, the occasionally sketchy adults in his life, or the various adversaries ranging from evil monsters to supernatural samurai to a regular-ass gang to a foreign apocalypse cult. Bleach never, not once, lets the viewer fall into the comfortable childish space of believing that there's good people and bad people in the world.

There's just people. Sometimes these people want to do bad things, like execute their sisters, or kidnap your girlfriend, or isolate you from your family, or destroy the entire world. Bleach doesn't flinch away from that either. But it (again, very humanistically) locates those bad actions not in the individual human beings, but in our relationships with one another through the systems and structures we've created to organize ourselves.

And yet in the face of the idea that humans do their worst work through other people, that's also where Bleach locates its greatest virtue. Alone, we're nothing. It's the bonds that we have with others that are what make life worth living, that are the source of everything good in this world. And navigating that dynamic, between spiritual bonds and structural shackles...that's really what adult life is all about, isn't it?

Anyhow, my adult life has been greatly enriched by all of you on here. But I'll take the chance to thank you specifically Rays, for being such a source of joy. Your positivity and passion are the sort of thing that makes a humble blogger want to come back for more, and I've deeply enjoyed hearing all of your thoughts, not just on my liveblog, but through your own posts and writing. I'll be sticking around for sure.

[pinkanonwrites]

HI same anon from last night I’ve been going absolutely bonkers over you rambling about Bee since you posted it. I love that guy… 😭. If you want more specific (and this is only if you wanna!) do you wanna expand on maybe g1, animated or earthspark? how they’d be in a relationship, maybe? it’s totally up to you. i’m just excited to be fed good content about my favorite guy 🙏

Yes yes yes of course! I covered what Earthspark Bee would be like if he had a crush in the last ask, so I'll gladly go over what these Bees would be like in a relationship!

G1 Bumblebee

Of these three, I think G1 Bee is the shyest, even when the two of you are already in a relationship. The puppy love doesn't wear off when you start dating with him. If he had it his way he'd trail behind you wherever you went, dopey and lovesick and unbelievably fond.

He's incredibly gentle with you, never picking you up without asking first, always checking in on you to make sure you're comfortable when he takes you for a drive. He's also a much more careful driver than the other two versions of Bee when you're riding with him. As much as he loves to feel the wind between his plates and tear up the road, he's a lot more hesitant to do so when you're his ride-along.

He loves the human cliche of getting your partner flowers, and he especially loves the way your whole face lights up when he presents them to you, even if he just spent an hour delicately picking them out of the nearby woods. He'd be a complete, flustered mess if you ever returned the favor or, better yet, went out of your way to court him in a way more familiar to Cybertronians. Bring him a cool rock or pretty gemstone you found at a hobby shop and he'll fall to pieces right there in front of you.

Whether you're a alone or in public, he absolutely melts under any affection from you. Even a kiss on the cheek can turn his processor to a staticky mess. He's so whipped for you and he absolutely loves it.

Animated Bumblebee

Even in a relationship, he still loves to tease and play with you. Teasing is your shared love language, he shows his affection best when you're calling him a giant dork and he's responding 'Yeah, but you love this giant dork!' The only times he gets really soft and embarrassed are when you genuinely compliment him or tell him how much you love him without some silly goof to cushion the blow. You can practically see his whole faceplate glowing with the force of his blush.

Anything fun is doubly fun when he's doing it with you. Listening to music, ripping around downtown Detroit, or even just vegging out on the couch playing video games. Having you there makes everything ten times better. Even things that you enjoy that he isn't as fond of are better with you. He'll gladly watch a documentary or go stargazing if it makes you happy. Besides, you can still bounce jokes off of each other, so he'll enjoy it no matter what.

He's such a showoff about you it's adorable. He brags about you whenever the chance comes up, and NOBODY gets away with talking smack about you if he's around. Especially other bots that don't like organics, that's when he gets to his most protective.

He's not always the best at reading the room, so you need to be pretty up front with him if he ever says or does anything that genuinely upsets you. After all, teasing isn't very fun if it's something that you're genuinely self-conscious about. And he knows you'd never tease him for stuff like his height, so all you have to do is point out the lines that you don't want crossed, and he'll never let himself or anyone else cross them.

Earthspark Bumblebee

Like Animated Bee, Earthspark be loves loves loves to go racing with you. But he's also painfully aware of how much more fragile humans are than Cybertronians, so he saves it for routes he knows like the back of his hand, or racetracks where there's absolutely no chance of you getting hurt. It makes his spark sing whenever you cheer around a tight turn, warm hands gripping his steering wheel like you never want to let go.

He's not a bragger by any definition of the word, but the people around him that know him well can tell just how proud he is of you. He gets this incredibly fond, dreamy look on his face whenever he sees you teaching the Terrans something new, like it's taking everything in him not to scoop you up and smooch you right then and there.

He's okay with casual displays of affection, hugs and chaste kisses and carrying you around in his arms or on his shoulder. But he does get pretty embarrassed if he ever gets caught in a more affectionate position with you. He can handle the teasing from the Maltobots just fine, but Primus forbid Optimus or Megatron start ribbing him for how cuddly he likes to be with you when no one else is around.

Speaking of cuddly, I think ES Bee is the MOST touchstarved out of these three. He's incredibly tactile and if he could he'd literally always be touching you, but he's been on his own for so long that he doesn't really know how to voice when he needs that kind of casual physical affection. He loves to cuddle but almost never brings it up. After all, a soft, gentle human like yourself can't possibly get as much out of cuddling a angular slab of metal as he gets out of cuddling you. Please cuddle the man, he needs it so bad.

[ddarker-dreams]

hmmm.... i have a question. not really a question, more like rambling actually.

so we know that n darling doesnt want to get attached with blade, she mostly sees him as her fuckbuddy for a bit which i think is funny, hence she is his long term long distance low commitment gf.

but im actually curious on blade's view on this relationship. does he feel mutual about this? i mean, clearly he doesn't, but im dying to know the specifics.

does he not prod on the topic because he knows n darling would ultimately be his anyway? (based on... whatever elio's script says) or does he just... not care for any specifics and just already considers her his gf without said gf even knowing 😭😭 actually both theories sound more or less similar.

im so excited for ch 5, ive been rereading nexus over and over again lol (and of course... ch 3 and 4 has the most reads for certain reasons im sure you know)

me thinking of a way to respond without accidentally delving into spoiler territory GJKJDF

i will say that the answer to this question is different pre and post chapter 4. i can come back and give the latter after chapter five is posted.

OKAY, so. initial impression (after saving n darling from alister's knife attack in ch1), was... nothing really. a slight pull and nothing else. at that point, he knew the specifics of his job, which he didn't view differently from the hundreds of jobs he'd be assigned before. he doesn't usually bother thinking about the greater picture. he considers himself a weapon who will simply do as he's told until elio fulfills his end of their agreement.

for a while after that, he finds n darling kinda weird. he doesn't get why n darling thanked him and made her synalink offer when it's pretty obvious she doesn't like the stellaron hunters. it wasn't clear to him yet that in the same way he considers himself a weapon, n darling views herself an integral organ to eris. n darling's gratitude wasn't so much that he saved her life — but that he saved eris' 'life.'

he didn't actively try to understand her because he wouldn't care to. the sole reason he picked any of this up is just from the sheer amount of time they spent coexisting. it's inevitable he'd become familiar with her to some extent. there's that, and well... n darling is rather stunning. an assignment where he basically gets to stare at a beautiful woman for days on end isn't something he's complaining about.

what served as a turning point is the nectar guide incident.

(i didn't expect for this to get so long good god but here's blade's mental health going 📉 as his journey to tap n darling begins)

when he comes to, the sight he's greeted with is this high stationed individual weeping for him and desperately tearing her clothes in a attempt to stop his bleeding. he cannot recall a time when anyone has bothered to do so, since it's known no matter how awful an injury he suffers, he'll regenerate eventually. that aforementioned slight pull grows stronger.

regarding blade's reaction to n darling poking around in his psyche uninvited, that wasn't what actually upset him. it was the possibility he'd be less attentive to her safety if he were to go around searching for survivors. for some inexplicable reason, this irked him.

then, at this exchange in ch3:

“Can it really be considered a sin if it’s beyond your control?” 

“It won’t always be,” he replies. “Until then, I can’t allow myself to forget. You must get why.” 

You wish you didn’t. 

it finally dawns on blade that he and this diva-who-pretends-she-isn't-a-diva actually share common ground. that they're both stuck in this self-perpetuated cycle of guilt and admonishment for circumstances that weren't entirely their fault. he doesn't know what to do with this information and stuffs it away for safekeeping.

then another turning point goes down:

the dissonance between lear's id and ego/superego culminates to such a degree that n darling goes unresponsive, the psychic backlash is that bad. blade doesn't understand the specifics. all he sees is this woman he's begrudgingly intrigued by collapsing to the ground with blood rushing from her nose, while her noisy friend and quiet friend rush around. eventually, he can roughly piece together what happened from these tidbits: n darling's aversion to physical contact (seen in ch1 when he reaches for her wrist and she freezes up, then once more when she avoids him after the nectar guide incident).

n darling then confirms this: "What you’re referring to is a precaution my mother suggested. In the past, strange reactions have occurred after I came into direct contact with someone."

along with well-intentioned nona's exclamation: "i yelled at him that if he hurt lear you would turn his mind into goop"

blade wouldn't have thought to configure lear into things as soon as he did had nona not given this slip of information. he already had suspicions that lear and n darling had some sort of Situation between them, because lear isn't slick and makes googly eyes @ n darling like nobodies business, but this. this is different. he could write lear's googly eyes off as a crush, which is whatever. but n darling caring for lear to such a degree that she's fine with risking her wellbeing because she likes being around him that much? hence:

You’re so swept up in your thoughts, that it takes you a while to notice how Blade’s been staring at you. This in and of itself is nothing new. He’s been your shadow ever since forced this arrangement. It irritated you at first, but that blistering offense eased into acceptance. His vigilance felt befitting of a guard. Taking in your surroundings, assessing any threats; such is his prerogative. 

How he’s eyeing you now feels different. It’s as if he’s looking through you, not at you. 

“Is something wrong? You’re making such a scary expression,” you joke. 

at that point, blade is Not Happy to an extent that confuses even him (ch5 will go into why).

then he happens to be brooding in the distance, as he's prone to do, when he sees n darling looking absolutely defeated (post the convo with caicias and chrysus). he feels this need to do something about it, remembers how often she drinks that ambrosia tea, then makes some for her. he really was going to just leave it and then give her space, but, alas:

"Your body springs up of its own accord. You balance the teacup in one hand and reach out to him with the other, your fingers fanning out, ready to sink into whatever they can. Everything happens in the blink of an eye. Your free hand succeeds in finding a destination — settling on the abrasive finish of his bandages. 

You feel another texture alongside it. 

It’s smooth, cold, and visible through the interstices of his winding bandages. 

His skin."

this contact quite literally Awakens something in him (👁👁),

"Blade’s gripping your comforter hard enough for his knuckles to turn bone white. He’s leaning forward, as if ready to pounce, yet lucid enough to exercise some semblance of self-control. He reminds you of a starved animal trapped in a cage, salivating over a piece of meat hanging outside the bars. Goosebumps cover your body. This isn’t simple lust… it’s visceral, some primitive desire too overwhelming to be understood.

You’re the one he’s staring at with this unbridled yearning.

Yes, he’s teased you. Pushed your buttons and riled you up. Not so subtly flaunted the strength that lets him maneuver you like you weigh nothing. You might have status and mastery in your given field, but he’s participated in the annihilation of worlds; the end of civilizations that span back since time immemorial.

He should be the one in charge.

Yet as you stand here, witnessing how he tortures himself by not pouncing on you like he easily could, a thought is planted.

He’d really do anything you asked if it kept this from ending."

from this point to where chapter 4 ends, blade's brain is in some sort of caveman mode. he wakes up. thinks about fucking n darling. fucks n darling. waits around impatiently until he can fuck n darling once again. fucks n darling again. goes to (half) sleep. rinse and repeat.

not only is his mara manageable when he's around n darling, but he gets this thrill too? it's a high unlike anything he's experienced in the miserable centuries he's been cursed with immortality. he isn't really worried about the specifics of their relationship, so long as he can keep railing her on every surface around. n darling's body, how she carries herself with such confidence, the way she pokes and prods at him; he's obsessed. addicted. nothing short of feral.

every stage on his hierarchy of needs has been replaced with n darling.

[dukeoftheblackstar]

got any plo koon fic recs? looking for some new stuff that's good. one shots and long fics welcome! I'll take anything i can get

Shamelessly promoting my own:

Dom!Plo ask by yours truly, submitted by the lovely @mild-disorganization

Some tired dad!Plo headcanons maybe?

And for some that I have read and adored:

Plo Koon Masterlist by @my-head-is-an-animal (Mixed)

Thigh Kink with Plo by @saradika (NSFW)

Not a fic, but hella spice by @saradika (SFW & NSFW)

Friendship - Plo Koon & Wolffe by @wild-karrde (SFW)

PloKit Art (their entire blog) by @uiro-mgmg1 (NSFW - mostly art)

SFW & NSFW Alphabets for Plo by @samspenandsword

My favorite ♥:

Sovereign (PloKit, idk if you're into it, but I am) by @tits-fisto (NSFW but very wholesome)

The Tiniest Councilor by Quiet_Shadow (SFW)

Name and Soul by @decepticonsensual (SFW)

Haven't read but is on queue when I have the mood and will power to actually read and not thirst for our Kel Dor Emperor ♥

of claws and tusks by my bestiecakes ♥ @saengak <- Apparently, it's hella angsty and I reserve the angst for weekend when I'm not out here thirsting for this King.

in deditionem by my bestiecakes ♥ @saengak <- I've seen them write ♥, it makes me squeeeeeeee ♥

Helium by @cynderiaopus who also made my current bomb AF pfp of Plo steepling ♥

Other materials and interesting read:

@exosorcery has very interesting comics and posts about Kel Dors in general. Here's one specific of Plo Koon:

A few faves from them:

@veny-many for their AUs and Plo Koon & Wolfpack Art (also includes others) <- Presenting you the bebbis ♥

My faves:

The entire post AU 66 where Plo lives is a quintessential to any post AU 66 imho because I'm heavily invested in this and I'm about to cry because I need to organize my bookmarks (and update this) so I can give you the proper start to fin link.

I'd post more from @veny-many and @exosorcery, but if you spend a good 10 minutes scrolling, you'll be there forever. Quality art content!

You may also want to check World building and ConLang Kel Dor study, apart from their OC x Plo Koon art. Big thanks for this neat document by @plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows

[[ @plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows I hope it's okay to share. If not, I can take it down ♥ ]]

So far just these at the top of my head. Thank you for the Plo-related ask :D! I enjoyed sifting through my bookmarks ♥

Don't forget to give love and reblog, comment, follow these amazing people who do so much for the Plo Koon, Dorin, Kel Dor tags ♥

[void-detective]

Tragically Beautiful -Serennedy

Small spoilers from Separate Ways

When I first became a fan of Resident Evil I was drawn into the dynamic between Leon and Luis when I was watching RE4. There was so much that I enjoyed the more I got into Re and how much more I understood when it came to the dynamic that the pairing had through their short interactions in scene packs.

Something about Leon specifically that I learned when getting into RE is that he is exceptionally understanding and can't seem to just hate people. Everyone he's ever associated with has had some form of connection to the Umbrella corporation, the same reason he is so traumatized so you'd think he would hate anyone from the organization. But no with both Ada and Luis he does not really seem to hate them in ways that could be understandable for his character, but that's not his nature. Leon was already very suspicious of Luis from the first time they met but they worked off each other naturally when it came to fighting and chemistry. Upon learning that Luis worked alongside Umbrella and was a contributing factor to Racoon City, Leon does not treat him differently no matter the implications that may leave.

@highball66 from all their Cheron posts it is even further pushed that Leon clicks with people he deeply cares about and understands. He makes connections to people a lot emotionally and bonds to those he can sympathize with. This is all my own interpretation of Leon of course but his connection to Chris is incredibly strong, they are in perfect sync and share a chemistry only achieved from years of working even seeming to be connected deeper then they were originally.

In small tidbits of the game play we see Leon and Luis connecting in a somewhat playful manner, from bantering while they are walking around, encouraging each other in fighting and Luis' all to subtle attempts to oogle Leon throughout the game. In the game Luis is hell bent on attempting to repair the damage he did as a result of working with Umbrella but still holds the organization close to his heart as seen with his lighter and the photo. Luis knows he's hurt lots of people and wants nothing more then to protect, in his mind this is making up for his crimes he committed within Umbrella because he is so guilty over the matter.

Through his time with Ada he expresses only worry and persistence on finding a way to cure and save Leon and Ashely from the Plaga. He wants to help them no matter the situation even as he is helping Ada, he is more concerned about them. He barley knows Ashely and Leon but he is constantly running into danger for them, from giving Leon the medicine, running to check on Leon, save the medicine for Leon and Ashley, handing his laboratory key to Leon, and pushing his dying body to save Leon.

Leon is constantly losing people closest to him and no matter who it is, he is deeply affected. From being on the verge of tears during Luis' death to his pained reaction to killing Krauser. Leon was lazer focused on his mission but he was also very caring toward Luis in situations, he is gentle with people and expresses his care as well as he can. He lets himself be open with someone again since he was with Ada and even possibly since Krauser (if you believe they had something in the military) he starts to be less cold and shows his more playful and joking side. He trusts Luis once he actually admits he is in the wrong and tells Leon what he wants to know, he gives him the past details even at the risk of damaging their relationship and at that expense it deepens their bond. Their connection is much more genuine then any other Leon has had since Chris, the importance to Leon is gaining trust again after everything he's been through.

Luis was focused on making things right and becoming a better person but in the process his continuous act of running away from it, is what ended up killing him. His fantasy proved he believes he could be a hero even if it was somewhat mediocre. His entire life changed as he lost people around him as well as a result of Los Iluminado and Umbrella. He holds onto things that may be painful for him but they are still of importance in his heart (his rings as religious symbols and the umbrella photo+his lighter) Luis values proving himself and removing his past, helping others as a way to "make himself feel better."

Both of them became very close during the mission, constantly getting in harms way for the other and gaining a chemistry similar to Cheron. The main theme overlapping with Serennedy is change. How things can change a person for the worse or the best, they express the importance of healing and accepting your past, and they express the importance of trusting. Leon has been through so much with people he's held closest but he chooses to keep helping people because he knows people can change.

I have a feeling he knew Luis could change too.

Anyone can mend their past with the right steps to becoming better.

"People can change, right Leon?"

.

.

"You were a fine knight, Don Quixote.."

[cheesus-doodles]

Hello again! How are you? I'm the anonymous person who previously asked about the "boss". When reading your response about her personality in the "red dragonflies au", I realized it was me who had asked the same question back in 2022, recognized by the heart character I usually use haha, I didn't even remember that.

To be more recognizable, I'll use a more specific emoji this time.

This isn't a writing request, but I'd like to know about your creative process when writing. Usually, I focus more on my ideas after having a cup of coffee and meditating with white noise. My mind organizes better, and I avoid making too many mistakes.

I can say that your profile is one of my havens in the tokyo revengers community. Your writing and character inspired me to pick up an old project I started weeks after reading a few chapters of the manga, back when my only concerns were school exams, haha.

— 🥀.

was thinking between posting this now and next week, but I suppose it doesn't quite make a difference! will be back working on some longer fics but i'll make sure there's no drought next week

Masterlist

‎‎‎

Hello again 🥀 anon! well I have to say its great to see you around, and to have a recognisable emoji! :D I'm super thankful that you decided to stick around here all this time, best of luck with that project (and if you don't mind, I would love to see it whenever you're done!)

Ahh I do kinda miss school a little - the transition to work life is still pretty jarring ngl ;-; I still hate it time to time but what can we do amrite HAHAHAHA

‎

In terms of my creative process, I had a think about it because I was originally going to say that I didn't have any fixed process, but then I realised that the one constant time that I would get some writing done would be usually late nights/early mornings right before bed time. Mostly because I work full time and there are chores and stuff to do around the house after work, but also because I've always been a night owl and I find writing a good way to burn off whatever energy I have left before bedtime. Plus usually I get a bit more loose and fluid when I'm tired (its pretty strange ngl - the logic is just too strong for yanderes to make sense when I'm fully awake).

I also love to watch/listen to news updates/documentaries/financial stuff while I write? Or if I'm overstimulated I listen to music! I did try watching some cafe asmr while writing previously but I get too distracted watching the video to write so that didn't work out HAHAHAHA

But writing when I'm tired generally has an adverse effect on the sentence structure/grammar/generally story flow, so I will use my awake brain to string together what my tired brain wrote the previous night. From time to time at least, other times I'm just too impatient and just fuck it and post it.

‎‎

Inspiration also tends to hit me here and there, so I will occasionally write down ideas and sentences at work if I have free time, or while I'm out and about on weekends - just pop open Tumblr/Google Docs and jot it down before I forget! Might be that I was mulling over the prompt/idea and I see/hear/think something that hits just right!

Yea but that's how I usually go about it! As chaotic as it sounds ngl, but it works I suppose :))

Would love to hear more about your idea flow/creative process if you would like to share! Like where you get your ideas and inspiration, character personalities, or anything else you want to talk about :)

[houseofbrat]

Have you seen the House in Habit tea? Thoughts?

If this is true I get why they didn’t want to share more details but the problem is the really really bad communications team they have in place to manage it. KP has 60 staff. With the usual light workloads, I’ve always wondered what they do but especially now, how they can be paid to let things get so bad. And the “Cathy is a victim” narrative they’re trying won’t help.

This is the "source's" statement to Jessica Reed Kraus (JRK) of House In Habit substack:

“So, I've been debating for a long time now if I should tell you this as I feel she should be entitled to her privacy, but the rumors are now getting ridiculous and are far worse than the reality. I know what is wrong with Kate. I was told by a direct source (———Redacted———) after she was treated just after the initial statement came out. Catherine did not have abdominal surgery. It was surgery on her bowel, and she has been fitted with a temporary stoma bag whilst the bowel recovers from the surgery. Around 12 weeks later, it should be completely healed so the bowel can be reattached and the stoma bag removed. Any talk of the bowel was obviously just too much for the palace, and they did not want to tarnish the image of their perfect princess. What they have done in the meantime though is infinitely worse for the reputation of the Prince and Princess and house of Windsor in general. I can't say I understand the logic behind their recent choices. I also can't help but wonder what the Queen would have made of this situation."

Apparently this "source" does not understand that any surgery on the abdomen--which is where the large intestine/colon/bowel is located--is "abdominal surgery." I suppose this "source" only seems to think that "abdominal surgery" is surgery to give your abs a six pack? Or liposuction?

Everything that was written in that paragraph has already been speculated about in other places since 17 January 2024. So Kate allegedly has a colostomy bag? Already been speculated about since day one. Kate had surgery on her large intestine/bowel/colon? Most people were already guessing that it was that kind of surgery, which is why so many people have been convinced she has Crohn's.

Blaming the omission of the specific organ that was under surgery doesn't hold weight after Charles has spoken about being treated for benign prostatic enlargement (BPH). [His specific cancer diagnosis will be revealed after it is in remission, and his medical team doesn't have to worry about metastasis.]

I've never seen anything from JRK that demonstrates she has interesting or valid information from anywhere, and nothing in the paragraph above demonstrates to me that JRK has actual concrete information. What kind of diagnosis did Kate have that led her allegedly to have such serious surgery that she needed to have a colostomy bag for x number of weeks? [You can have intestinal surgery and not need to have a post-op colostomy bag.] Did she have a bowel perforation? Intestinal blockage? Intestinal abscess? Intestinal fistula? There are a ton of possible diagnoses, and this "source" doesn't seem to know anything other than Kate allegedly has a colostomy bag and doesn't want to be seen. You can hide a colostomy bag pretty easily. Lots of people do it all the time.

Since a person can hide a colostomy bag easily and Kate seemingly doesn't want to be seen, then there seems to be at least one other component going on. That seems to indicate that a nervous/emotional/mental breakdown is a factor in all of these events. As I have been saying since day one.

[fandomfluffandfuck]

okay, so I know this isn't really your normal ask/request, but I've had this is my brain for so long, and you are such a fantastic writer, I'd like to present it to you anyway:

stevebucky time travel!!

specifically, steve and bucky after the events of the winter soldier (with bucky in any recovery stage) getting somehow transported to brooklyn in the 1930s and meeting the pre-serum, pre-war steve and bucky.

the reaction to the metal arm? steve getting juiced up? the jealousy and admiration pre-serum steve has for post-serum steve? how baby!stucky deal with their counterparts and lovers. how gentle normally-a-firecracker pre-serum steve is with winter soldier bucky and how thirsty but loving pre-serum bucky is with touch-starved, desperate, lost big steve.

feel absolutely free to imagine any kind of beautiful, deliciously hot scenarios as well, that's definitely your usual jam, and I most definitely enjoy it. I just thought I'd add the heartbreaking parts as well.

This is from the requests I got before I closed my writing requests for the school year, I'm no longer taking requests

You're right that this isn't my "normal" request, but I still love it! I do enjoy writing angst and fluff along with smut <3 So, I'm gonna take this prompt as an excuse to go with the things I don't write as much! Meaning, surprisingly, there's no ✨️spice✨️ in this drabble, lol, just pain

Get ready... </3

The immediate thought I had with this prompt was actually about post-serum Steve rather than recovering Bucky...

When modern Steve and modern Bucky find themselves back before the war--when the days seemed longer and hotter than any of the days after, they share a silent exchange, their eyes boring into each other in the middle of the cracked sidewalk, swapping emotions. Nostalgia. Good and bad nostalgia. Then, as they're ducking into a back alley, quick to jump from sight before they're spotted, tall and large and certainly not dressed for the time, Steve reaches for Bucky's hand.

Their fingertips brush.

And, instantly, they both jolt.

Now clothed in shadows, their eyes meet once more. Steve's eyes flick sharply down to their entangled fingers. Flesh and metal.

It hardly takes a moment for the ingrained memory to take over and their flirting fingertips part ways.

They can't risk touching in public, not when they already are liable to contract attention. They don't need to be arrested in the past. But the shake-up runs deeper than that, too.

Bucky has just gotten to the point where he feels comfortable enough venturing into public without a glove. Long sleeves are typically still a must, but not always gloves.

Steve finds his jaw clenching, not because he's upset with Bucky for not having a glove on him to better hide them. No, of course, not. But because...

What else are they going to do--stranded in the past with no way home until the timeline hiccup decides to resolve itself--but find their past selves? And when they find their younger counterparts, there will be no way to explain a completely different arm in any way that isn't devastating.

Guaranteed, it will petrify younger, past Bucky, and it will make younger, past Steve ache for his lover and fill with fire in pure, justified rage against a Nazi organization that (probably) doesn't even exist yet. Plus, it could trigger modern Bucky. Explaining it himself... maybe even hearing it from modern Steve... it won't do Bucky good. This isn't a good time or place for Bucky to have a panic attack or worse.

Blinking, Steve realizes that they're just staring at each other. Silently hovering around each other, wanting physical comfort, the luxury they've been spoiled with in the 21st century, but being unable to take it.

"It'll be okay," Steve hardens his voice and squares his shoulders, "we just have to--" that's it! His shoulders! He has a jacket on. One of his tan leather jackets. Quickly, he shrugs it off and hands it over to Bucky.

Bucky slips into it, jamming his shaking hands into the pockets. He exhales shakily.

Risking a friendly, pal-ish pat on the shoulder that melts into a more intimate back rub, Steve hopes to a God he doesn't believe much in anymore that this doesn't set Bucky back when they get to the future. He just started to be comfortable with his metal arm! Apparently, being back in the time and place where he was swamped by religion puts the religion back in the forefront of his mind.

"We have to find us," Steve finishes his earlier thought.

Bucky nods tightly.

Steve can tell by the way he looks at the floor he's desperately wishing he has wearing a baseball cap when they were transported back, too. More to hide under. No matter if it would be out of place here.

"Okay, okay," Steve races through his thoughts, "where would, where would we be on a Thursday afternoon in, whatever, whatever year it is now..."

Bucky's eyebrows draw together, "home?"

Steve considers it, tipping his head side to side, "maybe, yeah. I--shit. Do you think we're back far enough that we were still living with our, our parents?"

Shit.

For two reasons.

1) If they're each still in their family homes, it means even more people to explain the situation to.

2) If they're in their family homes... it means Sarah Rogers is still alive. And Steve, Steve doesn't know--

Just thinking about it--

Steve feels his lips quiver, a stone dropping onto the back of his tongue so heavily that it triggers the edge of his gag reflex. Thick, wet salt coming up the back of his throat, pooling in his mouth, a warning that he might vomit.

Steve doesn't know if he will be able to handle that.

He's thought a thousand, million different times about what he would say, what he would do if he could see his Ma again. He's dreamed about it. He's cried about it. He's screamed about it to that God that didn't ever seem to hear him. The unfairness.

If--

If it comes to that, being able to calm Bucky, being able to help Bucky through a triggering situation, will be the exact opposite of Steve's worry. It will be Bucky desperately working to hold him together instead.

Fuck.

Thankfully(?), regretfully(?) that doesn't turn out to be the situation.

The situation of past, younger Steve and Bucky is their cold water walk up. Their first (and only) apartment together before the war. It's in that sweet spot (if you ignore the glaring, awful hardships of the Depression) after Steve had steadied himself, floating above the grief over his Ma and before the war started, before Bucky's draft number was drawn.

Okay.

Okay.

Steve can deal with this.

It's gonna hurt. It's gonna tear him apart, and he'll be licking his wounds for weeks (at least) when they return to the future... to the present? But at least it's not--

Not that.

Steve and Bucky slip up the worn, bowed stairs to their apartment, decide against knocking discreetly, and instead jimmy the handle just right to let themselves inside. They are spared no mercy as immediately, they come face to face with their younger selves.

It feels like--

Like an out of body experience in a fun house. Pure insanity. The mirror image of themselves is warped and changed and standing toe-to-toe with them. Too close. Familiar but separate. They are the same, and they are opposites. The beginning and somewhere near the end, except, wait--the younger versions of themselves are young adults, and the older versions of themselves, themselves, are just adults. So... perhaps not a beginning and an end but middles. Middles staring at each other.

Nebulous and totally discombobulating.

No one makes a sound.

Then--

"What the fuck."

The sound of Steve's own voice echoes back through his ears with his mouth having moved at all. It's jarring. Bewildering because he spoke, but he didn't speak. But it's also bewildering as hell because... holy shit it's weird to hear such a little guy possess such a deep voice. He's never known himself from this angle. He's never--

"Of course it'd be you," Bucky turns to him, his lips curling at one corner.

It's on the tip of his tongue to murmur, "you remember?" But he... he can't. Not in front of them. He needn't reveal memory issues when they don't even know--

Fuck.

Why didn't they just loiter in that alley for a few hours? Waiting for the timeline to snap back.

Why did they come here?

He doesn't want--

He's looking at his younger self and he knows he'd hate him for wanting to protect him; he's looking at the younger version of Bucky with puppy fat clinging to his face and chin and belly and he looks so fucking sweet and soft and Steve feels poised to bend him out of shape in the same violent way you ruin a smooth lump of fresh clay by punching it with your fist.

Fuck. Hot pressure builds behind Steve's eyes. He is poised for destruction. And there is nothing he can do about it. So...

Steve clears his throat.

Where does he begin?

Where does he end?

The whole time that he explains, painting with the broadest brush and the most diluted paint possible, Steve is preparing himself for their younger versions to deservingly fuss over his Bucky. So, when his younger, much, much smaller self steps forward, uncrosses his arms over his thin chest, and extends a hand to his forearm, feathering his fingers against the bunched muscle and whispers, a raw edge to his voice, "why don't you come sit down then, you look exhausted," it hurts.

It hits Steve so hard.

Steve is talking to him. He's not talking to Bucky and him. He's talking to Steve alone. Staring him right in the eyes. Knowing.

He was--

He was waiting for rage from himself. He was waiting for terror and grief and numbness from the past Bucky. He was waiting for pretend-detached, monotone, vague answers from his Bucky who came from the future (the present?) with him.

He wasn't--

He was not expecting his younger self to see through it all as if he's transparent and prod one of his boney fingers right into the hole inside him. He was never scared to go up against anyone, though, no matter if they're twice his size or bigger. So, maybe he shouldn't be surprised. It doesn't mean it doesn't make his legs feel more sturdy, though.

Steve doesn't recognize until he sits down on their worn, mostly springs and flattened, shitty cushioning couch with a metallic squeak that neither of the Buckys followed them. It's just the two of them. Him. Steve and Steve. Younger and smaller and older and bigger. What an odd pair.

Peering over his shoulder, Steve sees them in the kitchen, looking at each other. The younger, shorter Bucky is stuck in place, and his Bucky is reaching forward, lifting his hand. His metal hand. He's offering. He's unhesitatant and steady as he slips out of his leather jacket and rolls up the fabric of his long sleeve so the younger Bucky can see. A swirl of pride curls through Steve, warm and budding--a spring flower.

A throat clears.

Steve.

Steve swings his head back to face... himself.

God.

It's still weird.

It's nothing like walking into a room that smells bad and relaxing into it, going blind to the stench after you acclimate. It's still fucking strange. Shivers crawl up his spine, leaving his hair with no choice but to stand on end. Hyper-aware.

His younger self hasn't had a seat on the broken, thread-bear armchair or on the practically decaying couch beside him. Instead, he steps closer and closer, one surprisingly large foot in front of the other over loose, rickety floorboards. He looms into his space, presence much larger than seems possible for his small, sickly frame.

"How are you?" He asks, bushy eyebrows drawn together.

The look on Steve's face must convey his thoughts, shouldn't I be asking you that?

"Don't you know?" Younger Steve answers his mute inquiry, "you were--" he frowns "--you were a version of me."

Steve nods emptily, "I guess."

The pale sounds of the Buckys conversing in the kitchen fills the space between them like static until... younger Steve floats his hand into the gap, the empty space, reaching and reaching toward him, giving him plenty of time to flinch, anticipating that Steve will scowl and move out of the way, still allergic to being babied. But Steve doesn't move.

It is impossible to twitch, to move, to dodge. His muscles have turned to stone--at any other time, it would be funny; he recalls Bucky's shock the first time he saw him in this body, proclaiming he must be a Greek or Roman statue.

He feels like a statue.

A statue that melts the moment his younger self's fingertips grace his forehead. This version of himself from this past echoes himself from earlier, "you seem tired," his cold, poor-circulation touch draws the strands hair swept against his face back into his more modern, brushed back style.

Steve sighs with the weight pressing on his shoulders. It feels even heavier than usual.

Maybe... maybe he should've expected this.

He remembers the fatigue that pulled at his bones, tugging until he was slogged down into the mud and could hardly move; his heart struggling to beat, his thoughts fighting their way to conference-y, his mood dampening to constant exhaustion. If anyone can read the weight on his shoulders through the lines on his forehead and the slump of his back, of course, it would be his younger self.

The weight of his illnesses have been gone for years at this point, but they've been replaced and doubled by the weight of a moniker, which means nothing to this version of himself.

Suddenly, there is no point pretending.

Was it really so long ago that he was this version of himself? Was he really so young when he was made the face of the war? How young was he when he awoke to be the face of a new effort? A new team? How young is he now?

Steve barely stifles a sudden, chest-squeezing sound. A sob?

His younger self says nothing. He only steps in closer. Close enough for Steve to bury his face in the concave, hard plane of his stomach, and ring his hands around his boney, thin hips. His entire waist fits in the circle of Steve's index fingers and thumbs. Two hands. He feels each clumsy beat of his heart. He feels the stutter of his uneven breaths. He feels how cool he is, even right here at his core. How is he standing? How is he taking his weight? Steve may be tired, but his younger self must be exhausted. He can't--

How could he burden his y--

"Nope," his younger self holds his shoulders in both hands. Fingers digging in sharply, intent on getting his message across and not afraid to be mean about it. "You're not going anywhere."

This time, Steve does sob. Audibly. He is tired. He's so tired.

To conclude:

I have lots of emotions about post-serum Steve and the world taking advantage of his strength.

Thank you for the request!

P.S. I kept listening to this while I was writing:

[kittick-art]

Wahoo, time for another Animatic Deep Dive!

I did this on twitter after my jeanmarco animatic came out last year, and I wanted to do something similar for the Royai animatic! This post will include HD stills from the animatic, as well as some nerdy insight into some shot choices and such, bc I need an outlet to geek out about it. Everything is under the ‘keep reading’ break! :]

Ok to start off, I wanted to show some behind-the-scenes stuff, including my first thumbnails I drew in my sketchbook, as well as part of the shot sheet that kept me organized (and sane) throughout the animatic.

Also, fun fact is that I'm primarily a 3D animator, so I used that knowledge to sculpt a rough version of Mustang's office for the final shot :]

Ok so now for actual stills...starting with one of my FAVORITE sequences to draw, which I have dubbed 'the scrolling bit.'

And a fun little composition tidbit about this sequence is that I tried to show the passage of time through Roy & Riza's placement in the shots. So in order, they progressively go from the right of the screen to the left. It was actually a really last-minute decision, bc originally I had two different shots (see below) which got scrapped in order to do that silly compositional thing. I think it was a worthy sacrifice because that drawing of Black Hayate on Mustang's head was just so fun to draw.

OKAY, now I want to move onto my favorite part of any animatic, which is the pretentious stuff about 'character placement' and "the deeper meaning." Blah blah, all that art-school kind of stuff that you'd hear in some film analysis class.

It's not intentional whatsoever, but I realized after the animatic was finished that Hawkeye is almost always on Mustang's righthand side, other than a select few times when he's the one supporting her. Feel free to look into that if you'd like, but just know it was not intentional and isn't consistent 100% of the time.

What was intentional, however, were these 4 shots, and specifically the placement of Mustang & Hawkeye within them:

These 2 sequences are meant to be direct parallels to each other, in everything including how Mustang turns to Hawkeye, and Hawkeye is already facing him. They were also my favorite shots to animate, especially with Riza coming out of her salute. Seeing them in the final animatic almost made me tear up, ngl. They're just so dang in love!

Finally, the last part that holds some artsy deeper meaning is a sequence I actually shared a long long time ago. I've dubbed it the 'spotlight section' bc idk how else to describe it.

Back when I teased this sequence, I alluded to some "deeper meaning" behind the use of red in the tags. And while the use of red is a pivotal thing throughout the entire animatic, it's most important here. It starts on Hawkeye's back, then transfers to Mustang's glove, and finally goes back to Hawkeye as her blood. Basically what I was trying to get at was something about consequences, and where flame alchemy has led them. In some way or another, Riza's decision to show Roy her tattoo ended up leading to her own (near) demise. So the red was supposed to show that transfer of consequence, if that makes sense.

ANYWAYS. Enough of me rambling. Thank you for reading if you somehow made it this far. All the love on this animatic - even since I first started teasing it back in November - has been insane to me. I still feel like I can't wrap my head around it. I'll leave you all with one last sketch from when I first started making the animatic. Have a good night, everyone!

[asaraviapt]

[EN] How to Follow Folks On LinkedIn Who Don’t Repeat “Rejection is Redirection.”

Lord give me patience–if I hear one more person telling me that “rejection is redirection” I’m blocking them before Twitter takes away the feature. 

… Okay, that may be extreme–but I want to start off this post by asking folks to refrain from that advice. I don’t have to remind other game developers how messed up the job market is, but I can say this much: I know a thing or two about job hunting. 

It takes time. Patience–a lot of it. Some studios ghost their applicants, others spend four months debating on who to grant that first interview–without guaranteeing a second or third round. Having been both a recruiter (and currently searching for a writing role) I picked up a few bits of trivia that I wish to share with others. 

First: Remote Networking Events:

Discord is going to be your best friend, along with other tools. It’s accessible, and offers a more casual environment than LinkedIn. Before naming a few networking events, here’s a few things to bear in mind:

Always have either a Sticky Note or WordPad that includes your preferred name, pronouns, a brief two to three sentence introduction on who you are and what sets you apart, along with your social media links and portfolio for potential recruiters to reach out to you. 

Take a deep breath. I know it can be daunting to put yourself out there, but in a job market full of so much competition, it’s the best way to gain an upper hand. 

Set up reminders and be efficient. 

Remember that everyone is human. This may sound like a weird one, but you’d be surprised at how often folks place game developers on a pedestal either because of the studio they work in, the awards they have won, etcetera etcetera. The best conversations and connections emerge from just relaxing and having a fun time with folks! 

Eventbrite.com Go on www.eventbrite.com and include the “remote” filters and free admission. Add key words such as “game developer meeting” or “game developer networking” for example. If you wish to get more specific, add the title you wish to have and see if you can meet folks who specialize in your field who can offer advice on how to break into the field. 

PowerToFly. Here, you can upload your resume and state where in the tech industry you would want to specialize in.

THIS WEEK they will have an event featuring to assist folx with visible and invisible disabilities from August 23, 2023 until August 24, 2023. You can sign up here: https://powertofly.com/events/virtual-job-fair/?utm_campaign=Sunday%20B2C%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=270953365&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_HrFZZIbObYArT2rnkBkTW0QMv-gHNY9LDc0LIp0pfCuFHnk01A0sqaz1W7KeYORbvHtSVX7R0gO4XKS_MfGeRqYdpog&utm_content=270926294&utm_source=hs_email

Similarly, there are events hosted by PowerToFly for members of the LGTBQIA+ community, the BIPOC community--all of which are free, the calendar with the dates is on their website.

LinkedIn Audio Events. These are great events to not only meet recruiters and employers from various studios, but also greet other fellow job hunters. The best part about this industry is the camaraderie and support–find someone who could give you a job, or find someone who could give you tips on improving your resume. 

List of LinkedIn Creators with Events: 

Aida Figuerola (https://www.linkedin.com/in/afiguerola/) 

Upcoming Event on August 22, 2023: https://www.linkedin.com/events/gamingbackstage-de-iwithjasmina7097554161021415424/

Justin Williams 

Previous Event: (Remember you can rewatch it, and take note of the advice provided by recruiters in AAA studios!) https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinalanwilliams/recent-activity/all/ 

Amir Satvat (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirsatvat/)   

Amir has the Amir Awards, and often features creators helping the video game industry–additionally, he has an organized spreadsheet with video game job openings AND mentorship opportunities. 

Here is a link to the job directory from August 13, 2023. You’ll notice how often he updates it. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amirsatvat_friends-i-am-pleased-to-present-the-august-activity-7096622772239388672-dCRh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

If you are job hunting, you can submit your most recent/updated resume–there are recruiters and employers that observe Amir’s database to find candidates. .

Last but not least, there is a network of mentors willing to help with specialized fields, giving industry advice, resume writing assistance and more–all of the details are on Amir’s page and posts. 

Arin Goldsmith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arin-goldsmith/)

Previous Event: (https://www.linkedin.com/events/7090354190849323009/comments)/

A unique component in the gaming industry is how professionals are encouraged to have their own brands–and Arin provides excellent advice. When searching for a job, it helps having a platform so that whenever someone is looking for a game developer, they know they have to reach you because only you can do a certain thing–and that’s what should be on your portfolio, brand, etc. 

Though not a recruiter, Arin also provides excellent advice to folks who have 0 experience in the gaming industry but wish to use their transferable skills in the development of video games. 

List of Creators on Twitter With Great Advice: 

A brief sidenote: hashtags will be your friend when looking for jobs. Every social media platform has an algorithm that detects what content you interact with the most, so if you constantly like posts from recruiters, or posts that have keywords like your dream job title, department, field of study–those posts will be pushed to your feed more often than others. 

Some platforms allow you to follow hashtags and set up alarms–so, follow the hashtags involving your field of study and see a few freelancing opportunities come up!

Okay, now about creators:

Javiera Cordero: An amazing producer, Javiera created a Notion template that has saved my life–and job opportunities. 

The link is: https://javieracordero.notion.site/Job-Application-Manager-fce5406854f0475aa21d5fcd9fa5e668

It has several categories including “preparing”, “applied”, and “interviewing.”

Additionally, there are:

Cover Letter samples.

Dozens of job sites.

Websites for marginalized communities.

Possible Interview Questions

And more! (gracias Javiera <3)

Should I post “that”?

“My journey with X has ended.” “Unfortunately, I have been affected by layoffs.” “I’ve been trying to keep it together for the past few months, but I need help…”

Posts of this nature have increased exponentially. I’ve had to write some–and I encourage everyone to do the same, and I know it is not easy.

It’s not easy to be vulnerable, especially in front of many professionals.

But some of them may be your future coworkers–if you need help, tell your network. Not to mention, that if you have not come across a job for a while this lets recruiters know why there is a gap on your resume. It was not due to a gap year, it was due to a recession and a million other things. 

How do I reach out?

Reach out to folks who are in a role similar to what you are striving towards. As a narrative designer, I often try to connect with other narrative designers–mainly because they have the best dad jokes and D&D campaigns, but I digress. 

Apply to as many studios as you can, then head to LinkedIn. Look up the studio, and see if there are any of the following:

Alumni from your alma mater. 

Folks in your specialized field.* 

Mutual Connections. 

First, reach out to mutual connections. See if they are willing to introduce you to someone in the studio you just applied. Or, try and meet up with someone who you went to school with–share stories and inside jokes from the institution, and if the subject of employment comes up, use that as a segue to explain your situation. 

Do not cold call people with messages like, “Do you have a job for me?” It’s not a good look–and, again, people are human. They will know when they are being contacted because of their job title–so avoid that. 

*Yes, there is a lot of support in the gaming community. But it does not always happen–sometimes, if someone has little to no social media presence, no profile picture it may be for a reason. Understand that there are times where game developers are, unfortunately, treated poorly by gamers and decide to limit what messages they can accept. It’s all about getting a hint, basically–but digitally.

Anyways, be nice! Don’t weird any game developers out and get that job. 

[igotsnothing]

I would love to see your backstage of making your vampire story <3 how you take your photos, chose perspectives, plan dialogues. please tell about your process

Hello, Friend of Mystery!!

Happy New Year and thank you for this ask! I'm a very small-time simmer in this corner of the interwebz filled with really talented and artistic simblrs, so I appreciate the question and interest!

Now, backstage! The method to the madness!

I usually have an idea: it's a loose- general idea of the direction and mood of the plot and dialogue. I don't like to be too specific unless I have a clear pose in mind for a scene. The thought process might be something like, "Lawrence and Julian are going to have a talk about vampires and technology in this scene, but act flirty with each other while they do so."

I go into the game to organize the setting and choose outfits/props. MCCC and Wonderful Whims are game-changers for posing. I'm a terrible builder, so I end up spending a lot of time browsing the gallery or searching for builds and objects by skilled folks. That part is often fun. Imagining the potential of lots and cc is a big part of gaining admission to the mental asylum expressing creativity in this game! Depending on the story I am working on, I may have mods like Underworld running to make sure it always looks like nighttime in my environments.

I use Reshade. It saves me time when editing and gives the images lovely depth, shading, and coloring that otherwise isn't there. I use different presets that I screw around with and tweak, but some favorites are Marigold and Senshi 4.0. Shadows and lighting are super important and can make or break a scene.

Once I have my image, I'll tweak it in Photoshop. Thanks to Reshade, it's usually just to quickly fix something, like clipping or rough edges.

I use Canva to organize my stories and write in the dialogue, but that's always dangerous because my inner middle-schooler wants to unleash a million stickers everywhere and ruin the edits. Ask me how many times I've stuck googly eyes on Lawrence and cackled at my own idiocy ingenuity!

I write while I am taking pictures. The sequence is: pose, take the picture, edit the image, write, and on to the next scene. I used to take all the images first and write afterward but found that sometimes a pose or screenshot would unexpectedly convey a different take on an idea, reaction, or character- or even inspire a different direction for the dialogue in a scene. It's easier for me to adapt the dialogue to an image than vice versa. I feel that writing as I go, while my game is open and ready gives me more flexibility and freedom to make changes.

???

Profit!

Ok, now-sorry- for real. I download everything, usually save it as a draft, wait a bit to see if I catch any big mistakes, and then post.

I actually struggle with serious self-doubt and a really mean inner critic, so posting here has been an exercise in self-acceptance. Still, I often avoid checking the notifications for a while after I post because I am that nervous. But I'm happier for sharing my stuff rather than not since I have had the chance to connect with so many fun and talented people here!

That's it!

Thank you for the ask on this first day of the year! It made me super happy! All the best to you!! ❤️

[firjii]

I just saw the Spotify might change their royalties model and that it would hit indie artists hardest. Are you posting your music elsewhere? I follow you on Spotify but now I'm looking into other places for music and want to continue supporting your awesome music!!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I love you and thanks for asking.

Except for a few covers that are limited by licensing restrictions, my stuff is on all major and some minor platforms (I do sometimes lag in putting things on Bandcamp because lazy). I'm not monetized on Soundcloud because that system is somewhat different and IIRC not as welcoming of truly small artists, so any of my tracks that you find there are either on my "just for fun" accounts or are someone's illegal reupload.

Reminder to the new folks: I'm Firjii everywhere but also started another artist pseudonym as Kathy Warnecke (which should also be on all the same platforms by now).

Tidal and Apple usually have the best royalty payout rates and Spotify is among the worst (but no platform has a guaranteed fixed rate). Youtube is all over the place but usually on the low end. Downloads always pay better than streams, but I know some people can't do this or prefer to continually support with streams over time instead of paying once.

I'm also gonna take a minute to FUCKING RANT explain things to the uninitiated since virtually all my listeners on tungles are freemium Spotify users. From what I understand, this change has been finalized and it's not speculation at this point.

The deal is they'll withhold royalties from a song in a given calendar year unless it's streamed at least 1,000 times ANNUALLY (not lifetime).

Although the change will only consider per-track stats (not social media-like numbers such as followers/listeners or a measurement of how established the artist's presence is), in practice, this will specifically demonetize small/niche artists and have little or no impact on medium and big names. It will also affect the payouts small artists get from distributors because many of those have their own minimum payout thresholds.

I need people to understand just how shitty this is.

Say you're a prolific creator or recorded some live shows from a tour and you released 150 tracks in a year. If each track only got streamed on Spotify 999 times that year, they're pretty much saying you'd get paid for.......yup, exactly zero Spotify streams, not the 149,850 you're otherwise owed. I have no idea if this will impact PRO (performance rights organization) payouts, but I refuse to believe it would be legal to also withhold that share of royalties.

In the Spotify world, 1k streams is a tiny achievement (and still translates to a very small payout, so the concern is: what's to stop them from raising that minimum even more in the future?). But especially when the hurdle is per song per year, this can be a tough goal for indie or specialty genre artists to reach or maintain, including me.

I have a long history of disliking Spotify in particular for many reasons, but I upload there because it's the only way some people will listen. I strongly encourage anyone who is able to use other platforms to explore their options.

I know a lot of folks are too broke to pay for music and Spotify is a notable example of a freemium option, but this change is so, so, SO bad for SO many artists.

[carewyncromwell]

"But the tigers come at night With their voices soft as thunder, As they tear your hopes apart -- As they turn your dream to shame...!

You can take -- (And still I dream he'll come to me,) You can give... (That we will live the years together,) Let him be! (But there are dreams that cannot be,) Let him live! (And there are storms we cannot weather!)

If I die, let me die! Let him live..."

~"Bring Him Home/I Dreamed a Dream (mash-up)" by Adam Bayjou and Lucy O'Byrne

x~x~x~x

Talbott's Death's-Head-Hawkmoth bolo tie // original inspiration for Carewyn's dress

x~x~x~x

Hi all! Recently Hogwarts Mystery put out a rather underwhelming sidequest about Voldemort possibly returning to the Wizarding World, and I decided it'd be a great time to make some Second Wizarding War content for my girl Carewyn...specifically about the good friend she grew even closer to in that time, Talbott Winger!

Even at school, Talbott and Carewyn did discover they were truly "birds of a feather," upon becoming friends in their fourth year. They're both the type to put walls up around their hearts to hide their more fragile emotions, as well as to prefer the company of a few close friends to large crowds, and they both harbor a strong desire to improve the world around them despite the personal traumas of their respective childhoods. Post-Hogwarts both Talbott and Carewyn even pursue careers in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as an Auror and lawyer, respectively, and it's with Talbott, his Auror partner Tonks, his Auror mentor Mad-Eye Moody, Hitwizard Ben, her own legal mentor Amelia Bones, and fellow lawyer Chester Davies that Carewyn ends up working with most closely, at the start of her career.

When the Second Wizarding War happened, though...well, that list of Ministry associates Talbott and Carewyn had accrued shrank very, very fast. Amelia Bones and her entire family was assassinated not long after Voldemort's return was fully revealed in the spring of 1995. Mad-Eye was killed in the summer of 1997 while trying to get Harry Potter to safety before his 17th birthday. Tonks had to immediately go into hiding after Bill Weasley's wedding due to her connection with the Order, and Ben had to go into hiding not long later from the newly formed Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Even Chester Davies ended up taking an assignment in Romania during a large stretch of the War, so as to support and protect his old associate and fellow Prefect Felix Rosier, who was a persistent mark for Death Eaters trying to force him to join their ranks. Several of Carewyn and Talbott's other friends outside the Ministry, like Chiara Lobosca, Barnaby Lee, and Bill Weasley, had also been forced underground to evade the Death Eaters. This left Talbott and Carewyn largely alone to deal with the blatant rot and evil that had corrupted their Department -- the place where they'd both so desperately wanted to make a difference, and yet now was forcing them to march lock-step with their disgusting whims.

Fortunately one other thing Talbott and Carewyn shared was their determination to not just cowardly shrink in the face of evil. And so covertly, both of them found a way to support the fight against Voldemort. Neither of them ever joined the Order of the Phoenix like Tonks did -- Carewyn had way too much negative feelings toward Dumbledore to ever accept him as her "commander," and Talbott preferred to follow his father's example and not explicitly join any formal organization -- but they were still valuable in their own way in opposing the Death Eaters. Carewyn smuggled intelligence out of the Ministry to anti-Voldemort causes and even took charge of the Ministry and put Umbridge under citizen's arrest during the Battle of Hogwarts. Talbott was a pivotal correspondent at Potterwatch (using the name "Raptor"), reporting on the glossed-over casualties of the War, but also frequently writing and reading aloud inspirational pieces to promote hope in Voldemort's disheartened victims. And they also worked together sometimes to smuggle prisoners out of the Ministry to safehouses, such as Carewyn's future "ward" Erik Apollo and eventual legal partner Orion Amari and his daughter Eos.

Although in retrospect, their fight was not in vain, and their eventual triumph could be seen as worth all of the turmoil and pain they suffered through, however, this doesn't mean that in the midst of it, Carewyn and Talbott didn't experience their fair share of despair, hopeless, and grief. One of these such moments was on Boxing Day, 1997, when Carewyn visited Talbott at his home in Godric's Hollow. He had called into work that day without any warning -- a very unusual occurrence -- and it prompted Carewyn right away to check on him. She arrived very late at night, when just about everyone else in Godric's Hollow was asleep -- and when Carewyn entered Talbott's Secret-guarded cottage, she found her friend collapsed in his armchair, his tear-stained face more worn and exhausted than Carewyn had just about ever seen it. Talbott had immediately bolted up at someone entering, wand raised, and had not relaxed even an molecule of an inch until they exchanged questions and answers that would verify each other's identity.

"What name did I call you, in the poem I wrote after we first met?" "'Looking-Glass Eyes.' What did you bring me on my first night in the Hospital Wing, after Rowan's death?" "A handwritten copy of the poem 'Immortality' by Claire Harner."

It was only then that Talbott slowly lowered his wand and, seeming a bit weak on his feet, swayed back to his armchair. Carewyn immediately rushed over to support her friend as he collapsed back down into it, wiping the moist mix of sweat and tears from his face.

"...Bathilda Bagshot is dead," he said at last.

Carewyn looked up, horrified.

"She'd kind of retreated into her house, these last few months," Talbott explained lowly. "An understandable thing, under the circumstances. But on Christmas, her house just blew up out of nowhere, and the Aurors were sent to investigate, and...well, even if Yaxley's crew tried to cover it all up, I saw her body, before they took it..."

Talbott's head fell as he closed his eyes, almost as if wanting to shut out the image.

"She'd been torn to pieces, Carewyn," he whispered. "Like some disgusting parasite had buried itself inside of her and then just ripped her apart..."

Carewyn slowly eased herself down onto the footstool beside his armchair, her blue eyes rippling with sorrow.

"Talbott, I'm so sorry...I know she was kind to you, when you first moved in here. Mum's always spoken so well of her -- everything I've ever heard of Bathilda Bagshot was how sweet and helpful she was..."

"She was a good woman," Talbott agreed.

He exhaled heavily through his nose as he slowly opened his eagle-like eyes.

"That's not all, though. After the fact, it came out that the reason the Aurors were called out so quickly was that 'Undesirable Number 1' may have been spotted in the vicinity of Bagshot's house."

Carewyn gave a start. "Potter?"

Talbott nodded.

"When I followed up with the rest of Potterwatch, they didn't have any real idea what he might've been doing there or what happened to Bagshot, while he was in her house...but Lupin thinks it's very likely he came to Godric's Hollow because it's where his parents died. If so...then it's possible that Bagshot found him and brought him back to her house, before whatever happened."

Carewyn's eyes softened with sadness. She knew full well Godric's Hollow hosted the old ruins of the Potter home -- she'd passed the old memorial a few times when she'd come to visit Talbott in the past. Talbott even walked over there with Carewyn, Tonks, and Chiara one Halloween not long after he first moved in, so they could all pay their respects.

"I know it's silly for me to wish I was there, but..." Talbott brought his head into his hand, his eyes falling down to the ground. "...He must've come to see his parents. They're buried in a plot only about ten feet away from where my parents are -- a plot I've visited on every holiday, bar this year..."

Talbott closed his eyes and hung his head.

"If I'd just visited this year, maybe I would've been there, when Potter was. He could've hidden out at my place instead -- I could've been more able to fight whatever attacked him and Bagshot -- "

"Talbott, don't blame yourself!" Carewyn said fiercely.

Her hand clutched at his arm, even as her eyes likewise fell down to the carpet, rather than remaining on him.

"...We don't know what it is that attacked Potter and Bagshot. For all we know, it could've been some elaborate trap set up by You-Know-Who, in case Potter ever showed up. After all, you moved here because your parents are buried here...it would make perfect sense if Potter wanted to visit this place as well..."

"Of course it does!" said Talbott, his voice strained. "That's all the more reason to wish I was there. I understand why he'd want to be here...I understand it probably more than anyone else..."

Carewyn's hand ran gently along Talbott's forearm, trying to comfort him. Talbott looked down at his own feet as he once again exhaled.

"Fred and George talk about him all the time. Lupin and Shacklebolt, as well. He's a lot like you, from what I gather -- modest and brave...with the ridiculous tendency to play the hero in every situation," the slightest of wry smiles flickered at the corners of his lips before quickly fading. "...Most of all...I gather he's never forgotten his parents. Lupin said once that the only real memories Potter has of his parents is of the night they died -- of them selflessly trying to save him, even as Vol -- the Dark Lord closed in..."

Talbott's lips twitched unhappily -- he hated the Taboo that forced him not to use Voldemort's real name.

"...I know I've never met the kid, but...I know what that's like. The not being able to forget. The knowledge that your parents gave everything, just so you could live. The shadow it casts over you...and how much it makes you fear losing anyone else...all those people who've become your family, in the place of the one you lost..."

His reddish eyes seemed to burn. Carewyn could feel waves of empathetic pain pooling off of her friend, even without him looking her right in the eye.

"I know it's silly, but...even if I don't really know Potter, and it's not like he'd have any reason to trust me in that circumstance when he doesn't know me from Adam...I wish I'd been there, for him. Because...I've been him, more than once."

The sorrow in Carewyn's eyes deepened. She bowed her head, and her forehead ended up lightly grazing the top of Talbott's head as she closed her eyes.

"You feeling that way is not silly," Carewyn said very softly. "It's noble. It's kind. And I know...if Potter is as much like you as he sounds to me...then he would appreciate knowing he wasn't alone."

Her low volume couldn't mask the strong emotions that choked her voice. Even though Talbott lacked Carewyn's flair for Legilimency, Talbott knew at his heart that -- like him -- Carewyn was likewise full of empathy for Potter's pain...because she, like both of them, also understood how much grief could isolate you...how much time could never take away the phantom pains of that loss.

Do not stand by my grave, and weep -- I am not there, I do not sleep...

The memory of the poem he'd given Carewyn after Rowan's death ran over Talbott's mind again as he looked up at his old friend. He took in the paleness of her face and the pain in her shut eyes, and he found himself bringing his own hand down to hold her arm, the way she was his. Talbott didn't speak, instead just keeping their posture as it was, with both of them leaning on each other and holding each other's arms.

Sometimes true solidarity -- true friendship -- requires no words.

[nkn0va]

You know what? You've been getting a lot of uh... interesting ask lately,so let me give you something more wholesome. Can I just have a nice piece of your writing involving Aigis(P3) and Noel(Blazblue) being friends or something? Everyone wants them to battle to the death,yet no one wants to imagine them just hanging out as these created weapons that grow into their own people and soon develop their own heart honestly. I believe you're skills can definitely handle this challenge,my man.

I'm seriously flattered you think so, chief. Kinda hard to be confident in your writing skills when you have an older friend who's literally a professional published author but it's nice to know someone thinks mine is at least worth a damn. I'll try my best.

Post-writing note: This is a long ass post lmao, I really enjoyed doing this ask

-Some really weird shit needs to happen for these two to cross worlds and meet, at least assuming you don't wanna take the lazy way out and just say bbtag happened.

-Something alone the lines of Aigis being sent to investigate an anomaly in the TV world. Said anomaly happens to be a distortion in it made by Phenomenon Intervention and warps her somewhere she's never seen before.

-She finds herself in a forest...somewhere. The biggest problem right now is that there's some sort of airborne material all around her that immediately sets off alarm bells in her head from how radioactive it's making the place, however looking over the horizon she sees some buildings set around a mountain in the distance. Hopefully there she can get some answers as to what's going on.

-She flies her way over to the city, which she quickly finds out is nowhere in her database, she's never seen anything like this before. After some exploring she's confronted by what looks like nothing short of a demon, several times her size, weirdly enough with cybernetic augments.

-Aigis prepares herself for a fight, yet much to her surprise the demon explains calmly that he's not here to fight, but he wants her to come with him to meet someone. Aigis, not seeing anything else to do, agrees to follow him after thinking about it. Maybe she can get some answers.

-It's here that she's introduced to the rebel group of Kagura, Kokonoe, and their suboordinates. It's a long talk but everyone gets the gist of the situation. Aigis is from another world that used another world to get here, the people who found Aigis are attempting to overthrow a corrupt government in this world called the NOL. Aigis agrees to lend her power to their cause as long as they help her find a way home.

-She soon meets someone whose, according to Kokonoe, a defective Lieutenant from this "NOL" organization. She's curious about how and why she left the NOL after supposedly being so loyal to them and tries to pick at her brain about it.

-This Lieutenant, Noel, turns out to be...way more similar to Aigis than she thought. They were both made as weapons to hunt and eliminate something very specific, and much like Aigis did, Noel's currently having doubts on whether she's "real" or not.

-Aigis knows about what that feels like better than anyone, and the two establish a rather fast friendship. She shares stories with Noel about her world, gladly telling her about her time with her friends in S.E.E.S and how they helped her come to terms with her humanity, as shown physically made manifest in her Persona, though the whole Persona business is a story for another time.

-She really helps Noel out a lot in this department. Noel's much more quickly able to accept that she's real. As Ragna says, as long as she sees herself as real, then she is real.

-Aigis is more than ready to support Noel in her own endeavors however she can, particularly in saving Tsubaki from the Mind Eater curse and learning how to control the power of the Eye. She's also the first to jump to her defense when Jin decides to act like a bastard and talk down to her like trash. She is more than ready to throw hands right then and there for Noel.

-Noel herself in all honesty doesn't really feel like she deserves such a good friend. She didn't expect a full on android to be so good to her, but that doesn't mean she isn't ready to return the favor, far from it. While she can't cook for Aigis since she can't nor needs to eat (Thank God), she's always on guard when Kokonoe is around, learning to put her foot down in case the mad scientist gets any funny ideas when it comes to upgrading or tinkering with Aigis.

-Meeting Noel's other friends is quite the interesting experience. Makoto doesn't really understand what the hell Aigis is but still finds her pretty freaking cool regardless. Meeting Tsubaki when she's finally free of the Mind Eater is...awkward. The two had traded blows when Aigis had been sent out by Kokonoe to do some scouting and Tsubaki had attacked her after deducing that she was up to something. They finally have a chance to start off on the right foot and Tsubaki thanks her for taking good care of Noel in her absence.

-When they eventually find a way to get Aigis back to her world, it's a tearful goodbye, at least on Noel's part. The two reassure to see each other again someday, Noel using her power to keep the portal to the TV world open so that Aigis can come back through it and see her again someday.

[taikk0]

ya boy has another announcement to make

So I'm sure some of you have noticed the lack of my usual art posts, and I kinda-sorta wanted to give you all heads up that yeah, my posts will be slow down a bit since I've been focusing more on animation and improving my work.

Especially now that my parents are actively telling me to open animation and art commissions so I can use my skills to start earning money, though I'm sure commissions won't open until a long while from now. Even then, I'm pretty sure that most of the commissions I will be taking during that time will be for the music industry since both my parents work in that specific field, plus I feel like working for the music industry will ensure chances of me even getting commissions in the first place, since I doubt that opening commissions online will ensure a steady stream of income.

Enough about the money talk though, I will be checking in from time to time to post random stuff like answering asks or sharing a random thing I thought about a second ago. So I won't really be gone entirely (and honestly, at this point, I don't think I physically can-)

I know this "change" is barely even deserving of an announcement, but I just wanted to clear things up in case I don't go around posting art for a while.

[other life stuff I wanted to talk about but aren't important enough for their own post under the cut because uhh yeah]

I have a feeling a handful of my followers think that I’ve been busy working on the animated music video that I mentioned not too long ago, but I honestly haven’t even been working on it.

I've officially been recruited a week ago (+3 days but that's not important) and work hasn't started yet. there's been a real lack of announcements as to what's going on and the direction the team is headed. I actually had a talk with my boyfriend about this (who is both on the moderation team and a part of one of the cover groups) about it and there have been some complications concerning management behind the scenes.

I'm a bit skeptical and worried about the project since I can tell the lack of experience that the higher-ups have with such an undertaking. But I can't blame them for having issues with stuff like this, I just hope that things get sorted out for the better. Not just for my sake as someone on board with the project, but also for the organizers who bit off more than they could chew.

Honestly as excited as I was, if production ends up being absolute hell all because of the organizers and their well-meaning ignorance. I don't think I'd really hesitate to resign. It's better to anchor the ship than to tread dangerous and unforeseen waters hoping it will go smoothly because of the crew's sheer willpower.

But, I give them a benefit of the doubt. I'm looking at the bright side and I hope to see the end of this with the fruits of our labor. But for now, the project is on hold.

(kinda hoped they announced it was on hold instead of me having to figure it out though-)

Outside of the career stuff, my school announced a self-care break for about two weeks. something about mental health stuff, I don't know I didn't really listen to most of the seminars they were really surface-level "don't kill yourself! stop being depressed!" stuff. But I do get a few days off so that's pretty rad.

HOWEVER.

I've been informed about technology not being allowed during the break?? and it's honestly, and pardon my language, BULLSHIT. literally, they've done this a year before and it was awful. as someone with a chronically understimulated brain with no friends and nothing fun to do around the house, having your only source of communication, entertainment, and the main tool to even work on art and animations being prohibited for 2 whole weeks is more of a practice in psychological torture. It isn't even self-care anymore and I'm so sick of these boomers thinking no technology = depression is no more

Idk, call me chronically online all you want I just think that it's stupid and I'm not even gonna try. besides, what are they gonna do?? give me an F- on my mental health grade or something?? No one should be allowed to tell anyone how and how not to spend their vacation days, especially when it's a vacation week you let them have, a vacation week FOR THEM.

bleghh it just made me a little bit angry is all, I won't let it get to me though. anyways yeah that's it, lowkey turned into a bit of vent/rant at the end but eh it's not like anyone will really read it all in full.

I'm done here buh-bye