#i'm still intrigued by their method of building a bit

[elephantbitterhead]

It seems there's a new fashion in swallows' nests this year.

[matchesarelit]

Imagine If You Will... Scientists of an Absurd Field (Lars Pinfield x gn!Reader)

Featuring: #2 + #9 from @dumplingsjinson's prompt list (here)

W.C: ~1.3K

Warnings: teasing,

The new non-firehouse base for Ghost Corps was as clinical as it was scientific, and hence it wasn't your favorite place. Although being completely honest with yourself, your distaste for the space was most likely linked to the gangly scientist who remained tucked inside its walls seemingly 24/7.

He wasn't horrid by any means, he was an amazing scientist. you'd seen his work over the last year or so and it never failed to impress, yet when it came to your work he seemed unable, or at least unwilling, to comprehend your methods. He seemed to believe your more spiritual work regarding ghosts was quack-like, on one occasion he likened it to a band-aid on a bullet wound, it was at that point in the conversation you enjoyed reminding him that spirits were much more open to spiritual interactions than scientific attacks. Was your wording perhaps a bit judgmental? yes, but you know what they say about fighting fire with fire... it works.

Silently musing over the satisfaction of keeping your old office away from the over-tiled building, you trailed through the halls in search of Winston. A dense stack of files tucked under one arm, your phone in the other, browsing emails and DMs for any new cases, your focus only raised from the floor upon hearing an all too recognizable groan coming from somewhere ahead of you.

Despite your initial assumption, the sound that fell from Pinfield's lips was not directed at you, as per usual, but instead at whatever possessed item he was dealing with. His usually quaffed hair had become splayed and crazed, some strands drooping down over his goggles, he seemed completely engaged with the task at hand despite the chaos that was perpetually unfolding on the surrounding desks and there was truly no telling how long he'd been in that position.

Deciding it was best to continue your search in other areas of the facility, you slowly regained your previous pace, your own gaze now, however, stuck on the hunched man in the center of the space. Your few milliseconds of observation were, perhaps, not the best trade off for looking where you were going, as within a moment you felt your body collide with another. Snapping your head forward you were met with Winston's light smirk of amusement as he held your shoulders to keep you steady.

'Woah there,' The statement was pretty nonchalant and was followed by a small chuckle as he watched your eyes widen in embarrassment. 'You know in Ghostbusting, I've always found it helpful to look where I was going.' His tease made you roll your eyes, even so it pulled a small shy smile onto your face.

'Sorry Winston I-'

'Oh its really no bother, I get that way myself with all of this,' He turned glanced around the room at the machinery and containment cells, his observation of your intrigue clearly missed the specificity of your gaze. Even as your eyes flickered back to Lars, his posture now straightened, his goggles pulled atop his head and his hair pulled back beneath it, only to see his gaze already studying you, Winston seemed much too caught up in the room as a whole.

'Ghost corps has made such great achievements, so many scientific bounds leapt. And now with you, we have the more mystical side locked down as well. Nevertheless, I'll let you in on a secret...' The taller man leant in a little closer, cautiously looking side to side in feigned secrecy, 'Scientists, especially in such an absurd field, are pretty big show-offs, I'm pretty sure every one of them would be more than eager to explain their work, if you're willing to lend an ear that is.'

Nodding in understanding, you felt the need to move the conversation to a place, physically and topically, away from the current scene. 'I'll have to give that a try, but um... for now-' I tapped my fingers against the manilla folders still tucked under your arm, 'I've been quite busy.'

From there you'd spent over an hour of catching Winston up on your most recent jobs, different cases all over the country, resulting in a range of movings-alongs and trappings, despite the latter option being your last resort more often than not.

When you finally left his office, a few additional jobs assigned for the following weeks, you made your way back through the halls. Winston's words were clattering around in your head, and without noticing, your feet had brought you to the large machine in the center of the main lab.

You kind-of knew what it did, you'd handed in a few items you'd collected over the last few months for extraction, yet as you stood in it's shadow, hands tucked neatly away in your jacket pockets, as if afraid to touch any part of the machine even anything as minor as a brush of your knuckles, you realized you were completely in the dark over how it actually worked.

Eyes running along the tubing and cables you failed to notice the footsteps approaching from behind until they settled by your side.

'Thinking about getting into actual ghostbusting?' Your eyes had never before rolled like they did in that moment. Closing your eyes with a deep breath in, you stewed in the moment, uninterested in even acknowledging the man by your side.

'It's okay, I'm sure we could find something actually useful for you to do.' An unwitting sigh passed through your lips at his incendiary comment. Taking a moment and considering your options you settled on waiting for him to say more. After all, his comments were baseless, both of you were well aware of the others accomplishments, and more often than not that was the point of bickering betwixt the pair of you.

'I know how you love speaking to ghosts, so maybe you could use your special set of skills' -a phrase he entombed in air quotes- 'to get their names before we put them in containment... might make filing quicker.' He was so... infuriating, there was not one moment in his presence where you'd known a semblance of peace. You save his life... he thinks of a hundred ways you could have done it quicker...and proceeds to tell you them in detail. God forbid it ever came to it, you doubt he'd ever let up about it if he managed to save your life.

Turning to him slowly you cocked your head to the side, feigning a patronizing level of concern, as you placed a soft hand on his arm, 'The world still goes around if you don’t talk. You do realise that, right?' His brow tightened in what you expected to be his only response, but within moments he was scoffing and peeling your hand from his arm, holding it securely in both of his against his jumpsuit-clad chest as he met your condescending gaze with one of his own.

'I'm sure it would, still, the last time I did, you struggled to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. I'm just trying to help you stay upright, bub.' His gaze was darker now, nothing short of challenging you to contest, and yet when you did... he chuckled, cutting you off.

Squeezing your hand briefly between his own as he nodded knowingly 'I know, my kindness knows no bounds, its okay there's no need to thank me.' He was often cocky, at least around you, but this was next level, and despite him definitely having the upper hand, you felt the familiar and overwhelming need to push back.

Pulling your other hand up to join his and your other, you leant into him slightly, taking an almost invisible step forward as you drew your lips into a sickeningly sweet smile, 'Oh lars...'

You leaned in closer, eyes searching his for any hesitance, and when met simply by a wink, your lips met his. It was brief and by far the softest interaction the pair of you had had to date, however that of course did not last long as you soon parted your lips.

'What a shame... You sound better when you’re not talking.'

[dreamingroleplayer]

🌹💐🌺 🌹💐🌺🌹

SNEEZE ROLEPLAY AHEAD [M4F]

🌺💐🌹🌺💐🌹🌺

Do you like intriguing character dynamics?

Do you like sneezing?

Even better, do you like sneezy men with sensitive noses who progressively end up losing more and more of their composure with each hitched breath and sniffle?

Do you like being the reason (voluntarily or not) of such allergic fits?

If so, you're in luck!

I'm once again in search for a partner with which to play a snz roleplay with, and this time with a little more experience up my sleeve~!

It could either be based on a fandom or with original characters, though I personally have a reference for the latter, but be it what it is, I ADORE detail and thought put behind the story, so if you too are a nerd for storytelling and chemistry between the characters, I'm sure we'll get along just fine ^^

Now onto the snz stuff... Honestly, there are so many options I have the embarrassment of choice, but I think that starting with the general themes could be a good idea.

What I'm absolutely sure is that I enjoy being the person that gets induced to sneeze. Wether that has to do with the fact I also normally play sub roles might be related... So, if you're looking for someone to ruin his sinuses as well as his dignity, look no further~

And as for the methods of sneezing, a quick essential list could look something like this, you could call them my kinks:

- Perfumes

- Hair

- Flowers

- Smoke

- Feathers/fur

- Sneezing dusts

Of course, every (and I mean EVERY) combination of those is very well accepted, but of the dynamic is just as important! For me, the only important thing is having the other character directly being the source of my character's sneezes, and from there it can be either done subtly but with a teasing fake innocence, genuinely without a clue that her actions cause him to sneeze, or even openly torturing him with sneezy inductions and challenging him to resist! Your imagination is the only limit~

As a last thing, here are a couple of wonderful scenarios I found for some inspiration ;)

- "Don’t worry, I’m just getting started,” Character A (yours) said with a grin as she revealed the feather. B (my character) shivered with anticipation. A laughed. “I think we should give it a bit more of a test before going all out. We have plenty of time for that, don’t worry.” Twirling the feather in front of his nose teasingly, she inched it closer at a torturously slow pace. “Oh come on, you know I don’t have that much patience, ple-ih,” he hitched suddenly as A finally let the feather lightly graze the tip of his nose. “Patience or not, we both know the build up is the best part,” She teased, twirling the feather unexpectedly against his nostrils. "Heh eh hiiiiiih , Oh that tickles so muh-much,” He sniffed, pulling some of the small feather fibers a tiny bit inside his nostrils and dramatically increasing the itch.  "Heh eh ehhhh..." He groaned, the tickle backing off just enough that she couldn’t sneeze as She pulled the feather back. “Aw, that means it’s doing its job. It’s making your nose extra sensitive~" She murmured teasingly. “Here, I have another idea.” She pulled B’s head toward her, guiding him to nuzzle into her neck. “Mmmh... that’s n-nice...” He said dazed as he snuggled closer, closing his eyes just like A was hoping he would. Suddenly, he felt the ends of A’s hair starting to trace teasingly around his nostrils just like the feather had. Caught by surprise and still tickly from before, B couldn’t hold back. "Hitchiew! Hetchiew! Heh eh eh hetchiew! Hitchiew! Hitchiew! O-oh God, that was so much stronger than... Be-before... Wha- hah hatchiew!”

- Character A has long, silky hair woven with fragrant (and pollen-loaded) flowers, and is sat right besides character B . Every toss of her locks would make them inevitably fall over B's face and nose, tickling him mercilessly with the strands and dousing his senses with the heady, irritating aroma, his nose and sinuses burning, eyes teary. She could be either genuinely or fakely surprised by B's allergy, gasping and saying out loud "Doesn't anyone have a handkerchief? Look at my poor sneezy colleague" here she begins to look around, and every sharp movement of her head fills the air with pollen from the flower in her hair and only amping up B's torment ^^

- A and B are running late for an important formal event, both rushing getting ready. Suddenly, A quickly spray herself with some perfume while the poor A passes right besides her, getting caught in the crossfire and accidently breathing all that flowery aroma. Quiet hitches began to be hear, he knows he cant afford sneezing right know after getting all ready however his nose thinks otherwise. Twitching and quivering, he ends up sneezing repeatedly ruining his outfit completely

- B's steps echoed through the forest, each one causing the veil of dried twigs and leaves to crackle under his feet. It were hours, or maybe even days that he was wandering aimlessly in those woods in search for the ancient artifact, but until then it seemed like all he did was walking in circles. The tediousness of his task was almost driving him crazy, and he was constantly on the verge of giving up for good, but for better or for worse his determination dictated him to continue. And then it happened. At first, it seemed almost like a mirage, likely given how thoroughly exhausted he was, but upon closer inspection the figure (A) he saw moving amidst the foliage became more and more definite. From occasional glimpses of white and purple, he could then make out the outline of a body, a feminine one, and its erratic movements less and less dictated by chaos... It was a dance, performed by what would have been a normal woman hadn't it been for a pair of pointy ears and a long, luxurious white tail that flowed behind her and bounded with every step she took. Awestruck, he walked closer without even considering what to say, such was his curiosity, but be it for distraction or a deliberate choice, once he was just a couple of feet from her, she suddenly twirled, making her fluffy tail swipe right across his face like a gentle caress. Upon impact, a cloud of shimmering specks of some kind of dust wafted from it, and the combined effects of its tickly fur and flower-like fragrance made his eyes flutter, and his nose start to twitch. From there, a tingling sensation spread across his body

⚠️ Last thing to add is that I don't paritucularly enjoy the mess aspect of it (mucus, saliva, bodily fluids), but apart from that, I'm eager to hear you people's wonderful ideas!

What else to say? If this sounds like what you're looking for, and you're eager to irritate those red nostrils, don't hesitate to hit me up~✨

[visha-illuani]

A Rival depending on the route taken for @quartztwst No Yandere sim Au

I'm not that good at drawing and I'm working on her sketch, but I was impatient, so have her gacha reference instead👍

(Very long post incoming)

Does your OC have parents or family in this au?

Yui has a biological father and Crowley as her adoptive father.

Thoughts on Quartz?

Yui knows who she is and doesn't initiate conversations with her, but she'll be friendly if she sees her.

Thoughts and their relationship with Azul? Where did they meet?

Yui and Azul met soon after they arrived at school. They were both

Relationship with other characters?

On good terms with most of the student body and is seen as a reliable figure to confide in and ask for advice. Yui is a friend to almost everyone, but has almost no close friends.

Jamil:

Yui's very much in love with Jamil and is wholly intent on making dating and staying with him. Both of their responsibilities keep them busy, but they make time for each other. Yui recognizes that he has other admirers but won't let that stop her from shooting her shot. She often sees a pink haired student, Astrid @cheerleaderman , near Jamil and isn't quite sure how to feel about him. She doesn't mind him, and knows about their crush on Jamil too, but she can't help but enjoy their company. Yui would feel guilty if she won Jamil's heart and made Astrid sad but hasn't figured out why they also intrigue her or why she wants to spend more time and gt to know them better too. (She hasn't figured out that she's Poly yet)

Vil:

Yui speaks with Vil often both as friends with similar interests and as top models.

Crowley:

He sees her as a daughter and while he doesn't know the full extent of her past he is willing to protect and defend her reputation and safety. Initially he did mainly see Yui as a means to boost himself up, but made an effort to get to know her and build a good relationship with her.

Lilian by @sillyslipperybananapeel:

Yui likes her energy and enthusiasm in the club, she doesn't have too many opportunities to hang out but tries to when she can. She often tries to steer Lillian away from those who try to take advantage of her and gives her advice on the regular to help whatever social situation she's in and help boost Lillian's standing.

Grade/Year in school?

Yui is a 17 yr old sophomore.

Goal in school?

Build a steady reputation, valuable connections, and make good on her deal with the Headmaster, as well as make some friends and experience an atleast semi-normal life.

She's framed for murder, what's Yui's reaction, and does she know Quartz did it?

To be framed for murder this would have to be a route where Quartz doesn't befriend Yui or betrays her. In the first option Yui controls the rumors for the time being and was likely already suspicious of Quartz. During this route there is nothing tying her to the murder and she can probably prove her innocence. Yui wouldn't panic and would be all the more efficient in taking Quartz down. However, if Quartz is able to avoid being caught for long enough it could lead to the Headmaster expelling Yui to protect his reputation. Unfortunately, that doesn't do much as the two would still be working together behind the scenes and Yui would use her connections to trap Quartz from outside of her school life, and Yui would alert the Headmaster that Azul is the target and make Quartz's goals a whole lot harder.

In the case that it's the second route where Yui is betrayed it's a bit different. Yui likely would've given Quartz supplies that could've been used to commit the crime or let Quartz borrow an item that could be placed at the crime scene (would be a dumb move, befriending Yui can grant immunity). Now the chance of Yui being expelled are amplified and it would in turn amplify her hunt for evidence. Seeing as Yui knows Quartz in this route the investigation wouldn't take long and Yui would be very willing to force a confession out of Quartz after a betrayal, should the previous method not work.

Yui sees a weapon in Quartz's pocket, does she report it?

No, Yui does the same thing and has also sewed many pockets into her skirt, even putting a second layer on it. She would likely go out of her way to avoid punishing Quartz for it in solidarity. You scratch her back, she'll scratch your's. As long as Quartz doesn't rat her out that is, not that she'd get in trouble anyways.

Where is she during school? Where does she eat?

Yui is moving around the school, helping students, she looks for good shots to include in the school newspaper. Sometimes she's seen in the science lab trying out an experiment she thought of. Yui has a vast knowledge of chemicals and reactions that can be uses to her advantage and can sway the narrative in the newspaper about any strange happenings around the school.

Yui eats in different places due to her busy body habits, it's usually where she was doing something or a place nearby. Occasionally she'll skip lunch to keep working on something and eats in the Headmaster's office more times than expected. Crowley has her do small amounts of paperwork that is really just helping the dorm leaders with their jobs and acting as an unofficial secretary, but most of these jobs aren't that busy and are mostly an excuse to spend time together.

What are her grades in school?

Straight As, overachiever. Yui places her worth in her accomplishments, prestige, and her value as an asset, she'd accept nothing less.

General lore:

– Was born the daughter of a well off brothel owner.

– She has a genetic mutation that makes her hair and eyes vanta black and her skin alabaster white. Yui was highly valued because of this and her father raised her to be a Tayu from as early as possible.

– Yui was taught the ways of nobility and recieved an extensive education that especially focused on trade, making connections, commerce, contracts, and charm. Ensuring that she will never take less than she deserves. She can spot any loophole and lie from 5 miles away.

– Due to many threats on her life and attempted kidnappings Yui was trained to get stronger and is also incredibly flexible.

– when Yui was 13 her father tried selling her off in an arranged marriage for less than she was worth so she ran away and lived on the street for 3 years. Her experience there led to her making many allies, shady and otherwise, and helped her fighting skills. Yui is ruthless in a fight and will fight until her last breath. She's unpredictable and will fight dirty using her strength and flexibility.

– Yui met Crowley when she was 16 and bargained her way under his wing. She struck a deal with him in which she would boost his reputation and make his name prestigious if he took her under his care. Leading to her becoming his (secret for now) adopted daughter.

– Yui is also working as a top model for Luxe.

In this au:

– Yui's now 17 and a sophomore. She made quick work of becoming a reliable acquaintance with the dorm leaders and their vices, as well as most of the school. She's known for giving great advice knowledge no matter what the topic (if befriended she can supply objects and give great tips for getting away with murder or covering it up with her connections. However, Quartz would have to prove herself to be a better asset than Azul for Yui to be okay with killing him).

– Sabatoge or trying to ruin her reputation won't work because of Yui's uncanny ability to swing things in her favor no matter what.

– She has a high self esteem and a balanced yet unshakable pride. Due to her upbringing, Yui sees her worth as a person tied to the prestige and accomplishments she can earn. If Quartz could present Yui with a business deal worth her while she could gain immunity, but if she gets on Yui's radar she'd have a very hard Rival to deal with and could encounter some problems outside of school life along with suspicion.

– She isn't afraid to get her hands dirty if she sees Quartz as a threat and if Yui's ambushed she'd use her powerful voice to alert almost the whole school of an attack and even if Quartz completed the kill she would likely get expelled.

Elimination methods:

Messing with one of her experiments and putting her in the hospital. Teaming up with someone else to kill her.

What she has in her bag:

– Steel yarn, in case of self defense and she needs to strangle or restrain someone.

– hidden knives, self defense and dirty work

– sewing needles, practicality and as discreet hard to remove weapons

– phone, active on it as a model. The kind of internet personality that overshares and yet you still know nothing about her

– hairpins, she likes wearing them and, again, as weapons if need be

[aayuuwrites]

Writeblr Introduction...

Hey there, fellow adventurer!

Hey there! I’m Aayu (he/him), a newbie writer who spends a little too much time lost in fantasy worlds, building new adventures & stories, trying to create poetry that doesn’t always rhyme [oops! (ᵕ—ᴗ—)]. I’m here to share my writing, learn from all of you, and maybe even get lost in a few collaborative projects along the way. I’ve got a lot of ideas buzzing around in my head, and this space is where I’ll bring them to life. 🌟

A little bit about me:

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 19

INTJ / INFJ

Aries

Craves a whole lot of coffee! (⊙ _ ⊙)

Anime nerd ⎚-⎚

A fantasy-loving, world-building enthusiast

Sometimes you may catch me daydreaming about characters from movies and anime's who don’t know how to stay out of trouble...

Open to exploring any genre (but I mostly live in fantasy, fiction, poetry, and short stories)

Obsessed with adventure, complex plots, and creating characters who feel like friends (or enemies... depending on the day) >ᴗ<

Always here for tag games, writing prompts, and collaborating with other creative souls

What you’ll find on my blog:

My WIPs: From magical realms with strange mythical beasts to strange lands with lots of mystery, I'm always working on something new (and sometimes not quite finished, lol)

Poetry and Short Stories: Because who doesn’t love a little variety, right?

Collaborations: Let’s team up! I’m always looking to write with others, so feel free to talk to me in my inbox!

World-building and Adventure: Expect a lot of random world-building lore and the occasional overly-dramatic character monologue shit!

Introducing My WIPs:

1. Sherlock of Another World Genre: Fantasy / Mystery / Reincarnation / Magic Summary: A young boy, once a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, is reincarnated into a world resembling the late Victorian era—only this world has an undercurrent of magic. After a fateful accident, he wakes up with his memories intact, determined to carve out a place for himself as the world's greatest detective. But this world is not full of political intrigue and societal drama; it also hides arcane secrets and mysterious forces that blur the line between logic and the supernatural. With his razor-sharp mind, well-stocked with knowledge of the methods employed by Holmes, he seeks to solve crimes that no one can. From the weird magical occurrences to secret societies controlling the arcane energy of the world, he weaves through an intricate web of riddles that may be more than he had in mind for himself. Will he turn out to be the Sherlock Holmes of this new world or will the magic and danger prove too much even for his brilliant mind?

2. The Eternity Clock Genre: Short Story, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Philosophical Fiction Summary: A small village in India’s Western Ghats, blending rich culture and mystical timepieces.

PS: Still working on some ideas so this section will be updated soon!

A Few Fun Things About Me (Besides Writing):

World-building is my like my jam. If I’m not writing, I’m probably mapping out cities or figuring out a character’s backstory or finding some inspiration to write from somewhere (and yes, I get really into it).

Music and Books are constant companions. I love finding the perfect inspiration to match's the mood of my stories.

I crave movies and animes—always on the lookout for something new to watch, even if my list is getting a little out of hand. (ㅅ´ ˘ `)

THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME!

Feel free to reach out if you want to scream about your WIPs, OCs, books, or any shared interests! Always up for a chat! 💬✨

[eruscreaminginthedistance]

Okay so. I've been sitting on my full first impressions of the game until after the gameplay reveal, cos I know shit can get twisted in marketing.

I was NOT a fan of the trailer. The vibe was off; I cringed a lot; it gave a off very bog-standard hero team saves the day kind of vibe which I inherently dislike because it seems like Dragon Age has just given up on giving you the freedom to be a bastard, or any kind of character that isn't on rails to be everyone's favourite boy. It also failed to bring any dark fantasy to the table. BUT I know from experience, namely the DA2 trailer (not the CGI one. the other one), that marketing is intent on making Dragon Age look like the goofiest shit possible to appeal to the dregs of society (normies). I watched it. Hated it. Moved on to life stuff.

Now with the gameplay reveal out of the way, I have some more solid takes on everything we now know about the game overall.

Things I liked:

The companions all look pretty cool; I've been excited for Devrin for years now, and seeing that he's a Dalish Elf as well as a Warden is quite exciting to see; everyone else are also not only well designed but don't feel like rehashes of our previous companions (apart from Harding)

The return of multiple weapon sets. Thank fucking god. This may even make archer a viable build again. Also I noted that you only have a set number of arrows which the UI tracks, which I'm a huge fan of

The look and style of Minrathous. I like that Bioware is showing their hard work in coming up with a unique area based entirely around magic-tech and I think the result looks great; I am really intrigued by the dark panopticon vibes and hope that becomes a major theme going forward

Different demon designs. I hope there's a bit more variation as the game progresses, but I liked little details like the Pride demons having some kind of armour aesthetic

Dialogue wheel. No notes; she's here, still the same comforting presence as ever. Praying with fingers crossed that it doesn't turn into a super bland protagonist situation like Inquisition

Choosing a faction in character creation that isn't locked to one's race; this one is a really cool idea and if origins don't come back it can be a decent alternative if the reactivity to your choice is the same as in the prologue

Things I didn't like:

Action wheel. Like. I'm a PC person, so I have no idea what the final UI will actually look like for me. But Bioware hasn't elaborated on their UI style at all and if Inquisition is anything to go by, I'm stuck with shitty console-centred UI for the whole game. I would rather just have the ability bar back, for my sanity.

The two-person companion limit. It automatically restricts people into a specific party build depending on their class and I hate that

The Mass Effect-style gameplay. Party tactics was a HUGE draw to the DA series for me, and is what got me into retro RPGs in the first place. Seeing it replaced completely to the point where we can no longer manually manage our party is a huge disappointment. I am willing to keep an open mind, just because I love Mass Effect that much, but it hurts knowing for a certainty I'm never gonna engage with Veilguard like I did with Origins or 2 as a result

The voice acting. Was this an out of date take, or did everyone sound super flat to anyone else? Especially Neve, who didn't seem to know what she was reacting to, just really wooden. It was disappointing, cos I love her voice overall. Wasn't a fan of Rook's voice but I don't plan to play a man anyway

The breaking pots method of looting. This is gonna feel like such a nitpick but I immediately pulled a face seeing that cos I could TELL some suit somewhere asked the Bioware team to "make it more like breath of the wild" and now for some reason it's not dynamic enough to just click on a crate and choose what loot to take; now Tevinters are storing exactly one (1) random health potion in decorative clay jars around the city (more likely than you think!)

The aesthetic of the veil and spirit stuff so far; it's just all a bit bright and noisy, doesn't really grab me as something fun to explore or fight (again, I'm an Origins girly so I'm biased)

Harding coming back. I know she's cool and everyone likes her and I like her too. In Inquisition. This is just a preference, but if I'm gonna start a new game as a new person I don't want to be inheriting pre-bought friends from the last protagonist ://

Things I HATE:

Why does everyone look like play-doh; it's disconcerting.

Like guys I know DA2 is having a renaissance but I don't think anyone was getting nostalgic over everyone's pudding faces.

Everything put out so far has basically crushed any hope I had for this becoming Dwarf age :/ No new dwarf characters, no mention of Kal-Sharok, Harding being the only dwarf companion basically confirms that dwarves will be unromanceable AGAIN. not a fan

TLDR: This is still definitely not a day-one buy for me. The series has just strayed completely from the genre and format that I loved about the previous games into a full action RPG derivative of games from four years ago. Without the focus on party tactics and the low-tech, dark and gritty worldbuilding from the first two games it just fails to excite me. It looks too much like other games for me to really register it as a Dragon Age game.

I love the story and the world of Dragon Age though, so I do still intend to buy it when it goes on sale, but this is definitely a "wait and see the reviews" situation for me, which is a first when it comes to this series :/

[dearlyd3parted]

the bed wars hacker (˚0˚)!!- 01 chat he's hacking (written parts)

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋

the stream starts, viewers and donors already going up, as the thousands of viewers start to flow in. yn is smiling in her usual streaming place, a cozy background behind her as she adjusts her headphones and sakuya is connected into the stream.

y/n: "hi guys!" -reading the chat as it goes by, when sakuya connects smiling into the camera- "saku!! hi!!"

sakuya: (waves to camera) "hi ynnie and ynniecraft! it's been so long since i've been guest by myself!"

chat:

randomfan1: THEY ARE SO CUTE IM IN TEARS

mincraftluvr donated $5

randomfan2: WE ARE SOOOO BACK

randomfan3: ARE THEY STARTING SOON?

★gojofanboy gained top donor title!

randomfan4: GOJO FAN BOY ALREADY TOP DONOR IM CRYING

y/n: "saku, i think it needs to be like this more often. your brother causes too much uproar when he's here. i asked him if he wanted to join but he rejected me pretty hard..."

sakuya: "is it because i'm here? how mean..." -sakuya pouts, his eyebrows furrowing a bit- "i'll have to confront him for that..." -sakuya says with a small grin-

y/n: -you stare at him a little intrigued, slightly concerned before laughing it off. "okay...! let's join hypixel, yeah?"

you both join a server, making your ways into bed wars duos, where the both of you will be competing against other teams of two. a few eager fans trickle in who join in hopes of competing against you, but nonetheless it's looking to be a fun stream. especially when you and sakuya get assigned the color pink and get reasonably excited about it.

the game begins, with you and sakuya splitting up. his goal is to protect your own pink bed, while yours is to destroy other team's beds to eliminate them from the game.

as the game begins you make your way through the map, fighting with opposing teams and taking out beds as usual, commenting back and forth with sakuya.

that is until you see a player from the green team fall from their island, all on their lonesome.

"um...someone's new here...," you say through giggles to sakuya. watching from the distance as the player regenerates.

the player, penguinkai, as his gamertag reads runs straight out of his base, equipped with a mere wooden sword as they still make their way to you regardless. you watch in a mixture of shock and amusement as they slowly build a bridge over to you, falling a few more times in the process, and it's clear to you they have never played bed wars, or possibly, minecraft in general.

"it's like he doesn't even know how to jump!" you tell sakuya, deciding to have fun with it as opposing teams kept themselves busy in eliminating each other.

penguinkai finally reaches you, but misses almost every hit as you take him out, and you continue to kill him for nearly the next 5 minutes (but mostly, he's taking out himself, somehow giving you his own sward in the process). your live chat finds it as entertaining as you slowly close in on him, all his efforts to stop you going in vain.

with his teammate fighting with another team, his green bed is left defenseless in his care. you're about to start to break into the protecting blocks surrounding it, when penguinkai regenerates again, but this time he returns with armor and a weapon and...he kills you?

you are brought back to your base, and stare in confusion at the webcam, sakuya noticing that you had died for the first time in the whole match. "ynnie...what happened?" he questions with a shock in his voice.

"the noob that sucks, he...killed me?" you say, gathering items and running back to the green base only to find penguinkai has managed to rack up a few kills, and is now holding a much better sword in his hand, even using a scaffolding a method to bridge over to you much faster.

for the next few minutes, a battle unfolds between the two of you, with penguinkai not letting you get close. somehow, the player who could hardly jump or walk properly, was using techniques that took you time to master when you first started playing. and it was hurting your ego knowing all your viewers were seeing it. it is then that you finally look closely at his ranking, and discover he has an amethyst prestige, levels 900-999...only one rank under you. the gears instantly align in your head as you speak.

"chat...is he hacking?"

sakuya immediately gasps, and the chat bursts into an agreement as the battle continues. after a bit more, you are able to break into his base, and eliminate his bed, eliminating the green team from the game.

you quickly move on to fight with the only remaining team, leading to a win for you and sakuya. but for some reason, it tasted sour knowing you almost lost it to an alleged hacker. you and sakuya started running over the match, all the signs leading to him being a hacker.

"that was so embarrasing," you say with a sheepish smile, "one minute i was saying he sucks and then he actually kills me. even if it was only once."

sakuya nods, the chat still blowing up. "players like him always get banned eventually, we'll have to look into him after stream."

the stream continued, but the buzz of the hacker never died down and you had a feeling that it wasn't the last you'd be hearing of penguinkai.

______________⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ⋆_______________

soobin watched as the server number was leaked for the night's stream, and he had a sinister, sinister, idea.

normally, his best friend/roommate/minecraft addict, huening kai, would never let him play any online minecraft game. seeing one of his favorite streamers play it always made him want to as well, but kai claimed it was too difficult and soobin wasn't ready considering he could barely handle survival mode (with cheats on), and kai's answer never changed despite any begs.

before he knew it, he was up and in kai's room opening minecraft on his pc and typing in the server number. kai not being home yet was the perfect opportunity, and truly, how hard could it be?

he managed to be lucky enough to get in, and as the game began, he waited anxiously, reminding himself what the W A S D keys did, and pulling up the ynniecraft stream on the second monitor.

low and behold, it was that difficult. not only was the map and all its details foreign to him, playing the game as good as he watches you doing it proved to be a lot more complicated than it appeared on stream. his other teammate was nowhere to be found as soobin fumbled around in the base, no clue where to begin as his heart raced at the thought of you being in the same map, but his heart really raced when he heard you laugh at someone falling off the map and turned to the stream to find his base in view.

he swallowed his fears and figured this was his chance to play with his favorite streamer as well as impress you. using some building blocks and a wooden sword, he prepared to go to battle, hoping to at least get one hit in but...a manslaughter ensued. every key he pressed did the exact opposite of what he wanted to do, and it was so damn difficult to not fall off the map.

he became a sweating, focused, mess as he tried his best, listening to your quips and bickers about him, not even daring to read through the chat. he hadn't even noticed how long he had been playing until.

"soobin! what are you doing?!" kai asked as he burst inside his room.

soobin backed away from the computer, his chair getting pulled back as kai watched his monitors in horror. "i...she was playing bed wars, i wanted to join..." soobin confessed.

kai's face went pale as he looked at the viewer count, a total of 400,000+ watching the twitch stream. "oh god, don't tell me that many people have been watching you get murdered on MY account..." kai dreadfully said, his eyes trailing back to soobin.

"i didn't know it was that hard!" soobin said as kai pulled him from the chair, sitting down to start playing himself. "i'm sorry! it's not that bad!"

"maybe not that bad for you, people think this is me!" kai said. quickly taking control of the game and managing to barely protect the bed in time.

they both watched in silence, a thick tension in the room before your voice broke through...."chat, is he hacking?," and it was all it took for kai to look at soobin with a dark expression.

none of them could say much, but eventually you beat kai, listening to the entire conversation that followed before moving onto the next game, before kai finally turned around in his chair to look at soobin white as a ghost.

"choi soobin, i'm gonna kill you."

______________⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ⋆_______________

[theladyelara]

Death Note 'The Game Begins' Remixed

Hello! I'm gonna start a little series about rewriting/remixing the English Death Note Musical songs. Most of the edits will be based off input from the Japanese versions of these songs! (plus some added literary analysis from an English major :D) The melody and arrangement I'm leaving exactly the same! All we're doing, is trying out some new lyrics. Let's begin!

Now I love The Game Begins in English, but the Japanese goes for a very different message. In English, TGB paints L as a very detached, emotionless computer (fr the computer references always felt like a bit much…) and it mostly explains his approach to cases—all cases—and showcases his skill and enthusiasm for solving another puzzle. 

The Japanese, on the other hand, comes out swinging as a psychoanalysis smack down of Kira’s ideology and way of thinking, at which point L personally vows to bring him down with the hook, ‘you’re an eyesore, so how about I play a game with you’. Notably, L sings this song directly to Kira, using the ‘you’ voice the entire time. It’s personal, emotional, condemning. 

Empty your mind of any theories Till all the facts are in Here’s something new, intriguing series Ripe secrets held within

The minor edits to the first verse give L more personality beyond ‘computer’. There’s the implied enjoyment of an intriguing case, and ripe secrets, which I feel falls more in line with who L is as a person. The lost lines, ‘start at the end of all your queries, to learn where things begin’ feels redundant enough to cut, plus I also never really understood the motif of working backwards in this song, except to justify the next lines which I left because they’re great. 

You analyse by working backwards Effects reveal their cause For even perfect crimes have perfect flaws A child’s rage is Kira’s calling He calls it ‘justice’ still I lie in wait, instead of stalling To find the point of thrill I poke and prod to find a weakness Where the bend becomes the break And make the most of Kira’s first mistake

Here we try to get more into L’s estimation of Kira. He spends much longer in the Japanese delivering better cut-downs which the original English lacks: ‘the ideal you are presenting is a cross of lies’, ‘you’re only lightly tracing the surface, conceitedly thinking you understand everything’. At least here in the edit he gets to call Kira a child, and deride his justice. This also is a nod to the deduction he makes, that Kira is a childish person. Again, ‘point of thrill’ gestures towards L’s personality as someone who enjoys the puzzle, like a game, which is the point of the song. I left the back half of the verse, because I enjoy it greatly. I think it is important to establish L as hypercompetent, and he is a little detached.

The game begins the same way Our course is set, we’re in for all Something about you moves me But I know I’ll still see you fall The game begins

The lost lines mostly reinforce the computer motif throughout the original, and just illustrate L’s method and determination.  The edit ‘in for all’ can reinforce the game symbolism, as well as the later ‘the die is cast’ line. Either way, this edit line goes to showing L’s determination as well.

The next line ‘something about you moves me’ showcases L’s more personal investment in this case, sort of accepting Kira as his rival and investing enough to risk his life for the first time on this case. This heightens the personal stakes, and builds up the relationship between L and Light. Then the final line brings it back to L’s confidence, assurity, and skills. 

He thinks he owns all information He’s certain he’s ahead Anticipate his adaptation Untangle every thread Some little thing, some minor detail You’ve overlooked and then I will be waiting here again

Again, the lost lines don’t do much other than use the computer motif and make L sound smart. Here the edit tries to get more character building for L, especially in contrast with Kira. At least here I get more derision in, but i just want to highlight the Japanese lyrics cause booiiii ‘While you’re flying the flag of your majestic ideals, you’re prancing about toying with people’s lives. You’ve long since abandoned any sense of fear, you poor fool, so let me show you a taste of Hell'

The game begins the same way Our course is set, we’re in for all Something about you moves me But I know I’ll still see you fall The game begins the same way The chase is on the die is cast Connecting bits of data Until I chase you down at last!

Only note here, I choose ‘connecting bits of data’ instead of ‘I sift a thousand pixels’, simply because we’ve lost most of the computer references, so I thought the first sounded more natural without that support.

The game begins!

I think the edit strikes more of a balance between the English and Japanese, but perhaps I’ll make a more substantial edit to more closely translate the Japanese, because the Japanese lyrics are truly delightful. I still really like the English version, and there are some turns of phrase that I enjoy, but perhaps some other time I’ll kill more darlings.

Lmk what you thought, and stay tuned for more!

OG English Lyrics

Japanese Lyrics

Japanese Lyrics (Japan 2015 production)

[samethstarr]

1 year as a Sonic artist :)

I wasn't going to share this because I find it painfully embarrassing, but a friend told me someone else might find it inspiring so here we go, I guess. Today it has been exactly 1 year since I started making Sonic fanart.

The first was a simple Sonic Frontiers picture, I believe a friend of mine had recently finished their play-through so we were constantly geeking out over the game. As a result of posting art into the fandom, I was starting to peek into the community a little more and I noticed that the IDW comic fans were freaking the heck out. Issue #55 had come out and I kept seeing these panels from it:

I had seen Starline a few times before and was mildly curious about him, but my first impression of him was that he was a comic relief character. I thought people liked him because he was comically extra. But people were talking about how messed up he was and I was intrigued because he had clearly died at some point and left some sort of mess for everyone, serious enough that the heroes and villains were teaming up to deal with it.

The art for this issue is amazing and combined with the realization that Starline was actually a kind of serious villain, I just HAD to know more. Once I started seriously reading the comic there was no more hope for me, I was hooked. I did some fanart of Starline in January and people loved it, which made me even more interested in the community. I like positive attention and Starline fans are really really really nice to people who feed them. Shoutout to Starline fans for being so awesome to newcomers.

It was a bit of a one off for me skill wise, but I put a LOT more effort into it than I had put into anything else for a long time. The attention I got motivated the heck out of me. I felt appreciated.

I ended up joining several communities, I've made friends, I've done 4 Bumblekast thumbs, I got accepted into 2 zines, one of which I completed a 5 page comic for and the other one is probably one of the coolest things I have ever drawn in my life and I can't even share it here T.T

But the biggest thing starting Sonic fanart did for me is it got me practicing and studying. Not just drawing pictures and improving after each one; I was drawing with the intent to build skill, not to create a final result. I seriously wanted to work to improve.

My main goal for this year ended up being figuring out an effective method for learning how to draw characters and objects on model in general. Not just Sonic characters, any character I want.

I improved a lot with technique and my eye for color has improved a little too. I've got a knack for technical drawing, so I pick up things like perspective really quickly, but I have a difficult time making things look organic and I still struggle with that, but I am getting better.

What I'm gonna need to focus on for the next year is looking like general composition, dynamic poses, and expressions. With the amount of improvement I've seen this last year, I'm curious what kind of skills I'll have this time next year.

[thewritingcoroner]

Hi~! Happy STS!

Are there any non-POV characters in your WIPs whose perspective you think it would be interesting to tell the story from? What are the biggest ways your WIP would change if you did that?

(from @tisiphonewolfe)

Hi Tizzy!! I'm going to answer this quickly and return your question asap, while I am still sober lol. I have a wine crawl with a couple of family members because it's my aunt's birthday! We got the VIP tickets so I expect not to be around much today ;)

To answer your question, I find picking a POV character to be one of the hardest decisions before starting drafting. I usually have a small cast of characters by the time I'm ready to draft, but choosing who tells the story changes not just the story but how it's told!

For example, At The Moon's Whim, I was originally going to either alternate perspectives or go with Alessandra. At first, I wanted to use the queens ignorance to the common folk experience as a method of building up the world. But in the end I decided that I wanted to go with Bellamy's perspective because she has the common folk knowledge to navigate the world, but lacks the perspective to effectively navigate the political intrigue plot that drives a lot of the events of the story.

It's also a romance. Bellamy's internal monolog just seems to fit better because of who Bellamy is. She's observant when she's interested, but otherwise doesn't care if there's not a reason to care. It makes for an interesting bit of tension/unreliable narrator because Bellamy won't notice when the object of her affections feels the same way about her because of their situation. Alessandra shouldn't feel these feelings about Bellamy, so Bellamy misses a lot of the details that Alessandra exhibits that the reader will pick up on because they have that narrative distance.

Whereas, Alessandra is a politician. Not only is she incredibly attuned to people's emotions and motivations, she's also trained to think about why they think and feel the way that they do based on what she's observed. Alessandra will know about Bellamy's feelings for her long before it makes sense to reveal to the reader. So I chose Bellamy's perspective.

I go through this process for every wip I have! Sometimes it's an easy decision, sometimes I waffle on it for a bit. But yeah, that's what it looks like in my head allllll the time!

Thanks for the ask and keep an eye out for an ask in your inbox shortly! :)

[woozysloth]

(Image: Screenshot of a reddit conversation. First User: They should make an anime based on current TCG, where they summon Digimon like yugioh instead of training one. WoozySloth: Interesting thought, though I think the fact that Digimon are sentient, talking friends/partners is kind of a staple of the anime. Maybe if that could be mixed in somehow? I don't know enough about the mechanics of the game to say how, but say if the Mons were like players on a sports team, getting traded, benched, etc.) This convo made me think, and though I never really seem to find the time/motivation to write fanfic these days, I thought I'd spitball a bit anyway, for fun. Predictably, this came from a post about the use of Card Slash/Digi-Modify in the Digimon Tamers series, so that's made me think of it with those characters. The rules wouldn't really be based on any particular TCG, because I don't know the rules to any of them and I'm very lazy. SETTING: 202X or 20XX - this would almost be my idea for a Tamers equivalent of Adv.20 The Digimon Card Game has become massively popular, ever since they started using 'holograms' for their official tournaments, only useable in certain designated buildings. This makes matches quite the spectacle across different ages and even over international borders - for certain reasons, despite making money hand over fist, the special equipment has never been set up outside of Tokyo (and even then it seems limited to an apparently arbitrary area). No one understands quite how the technology works, but it's a matter of huge intrigue. It is possible to acquire eyewear that lets you interact with your 'cards' outside of a match, but it's often rather expensive. Speaking of price though, tournaments have begun to give out fabulous prizes, which is a cause of joy for many children and yet more speculation from many adults - despite this incredible technology, the expenses for it seem incredibly small? The prize this year? A wish. ANY wish. There is, of course, an unsavoury secret at the centre of all this. THE GAME Tamers will field up to three Digimon, though most will really only use one or two for the majority of a match. What modifications they're allowed to use and what level they're allowed to bring their Mon up to is determined by the tournament they're competing in or by mutual agreement between the opponents. Digimon will start at Child level, but what they evolve into would be, I think, more determined by method than by what other monster cards the players have. That latter concept is a little hazy for me, but I'll roughly sketch it out here. If Agumon uses a lot of physical attacks, he might evolve into Tuskmon. If Greymon evolves via its Tamer sacrificing allies to it, that's probably a SkullGreymon, or maybe a viral MetalGreymon if those allies were virus machine-types, let's say, whereas vaccine MetalGreymon will come around from using modification cards on Greymon. But the option of using different types of evolution cards might be simpler than this. Ultimately, the Digimon that evolves is still the same Child you started out with, if slightly changed, which is important as the 'cards' do have distinct personalities which develop more with usage.

Adult and over cards are used more for their attacks than as field monsters, particularly as there's a difference between field monster cards and 'just cards'.

The other major development in the card game is that certain cards can be interacted with through your smartphone or special eyewear. The AI for most of these cards is pretty simplistic, but it seems like the Digimon who get talked to and used the most start to talk more and more, with more complex interactions. How strange... CULUMON A new mascot for the franchise, and the 'referee' for most official matches. Culumon is a bit divisive in the scene, especially as it will sometimes change the rules of a match to make things more 'fun'. It also 'wanders' around, sometimes interacting with people who have the right app or eyewear, and with their Digimon too if they have some. This is considered quite lucky, and most people (especially kids) are happy to play and talk with Culumon for a while if it happens by. Culumon's a friend to all children, and definitely not an incredibly sophisticated piece of spyware, Culu! THE COMPANY: 'Hypnos'

Supposedly they're named after a god of sleep because they 'make dreams come true' but...what? They showed up with their amazing technology and have gone from strength to strength ever since, but they haven't expanded nearly as much as they could, seem to still have like three employees and they're all super weird. Why does their Head of Advertising dress and act like a government spook? TOURNAMENTS There are various brackets, cups, etc. These all have their own rules, and by and large the competitors are children aged 10-14. This is because there is often an age limit, but also children under 10 tend to find the matches a bit intense, and it looks a little 'undignified' for adults and older teenagers to compete against children, or at least that's the perception.

The settings for the tournaments are mostly confined to the aforementioned 'special' buildings, but sometimes they'll set it in the streets or out in a greener area for special occasions - it seems really easy for them to set up as long as they don't stray too far from the Tokyo Metropolitan? What's that about? (I might change this location bit, for interest) Previous winners of the very highest brackets are Ryo Akiyama, who hasn't been seen in public since the game series he asked to be in came out, and Ruki Makino, who made her debut year running an IceDevimon-focused game that made several children cry, and seemingly asked for nothing when she actually won. Apparently she just likes to crush dreams, though now she does so with a Renamon-focused game. Ruki's the favourite to win this year, but who knows? Lots of things can happen in the fast-paced, dog eat dog world of children's card games.

Characters will get their own posts - next up I'll talk a little about Takato, I think.

[ireceived-p8250000]

September 22-28, 2013

Sunday:

I started working on graphics, but it was difficult at the start. Frustration simmered as I struggled with the software. Needing a break, I picked up Nick Joaquin's "Culture and History." The rich narrative drew me in, and soon I was engrossed. After reading Esquire, I started following Erwin Romulo, intrigued by his insights.

My parents, always looking for new experiences, sought some spa treatments. I couldn't shake the feeling that these treatments seemed a bit scammy, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

Monday:

Classes kicked off with an experimental session. The thrill of discovery buzzed through the air as we delved into our projects. The transition to computer tasks was smooth, though there was a hiccup with the Ecology class schedule, forcing us to move to a new room. The shuffling of papers and hushed conversations filled the hall as we adjusted to the change.

Tuesday:

In Abnormal Psychology, we watched a movie about the life of Freddie Mercury, igniting our love for "The Queen" and "Bohemian Rhapsody." The class felt more like a cozy movie night, with everyone exchanging excited whispers and sharing insights.

By the second week, classes were becoming more serious. The initial excitement settled into a steady rhythm of lectures and assignments. The weight of the workload began to press down, but I was determined to keep up.

Wednesday:

We had another sample experimental session to learn methods from statistics. The meticulous process of setting up experiments and analyzing data felt both challenging and rewarding. The hum of concentration filled the room as we applied our theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios.

Thursday:

Philosophy classes were fascinating, thanks to the engaging instructor. My deadpan humor added a touch of levity to the otherwise intense discussions, earning a few chuckles from my classmates.

Here's the twist: as we were moving classrooms and teachers, I was texting Mansoor. I found myself in a new room beside the gym, sitting in the front row. Suddenly, someone called my last name softly. When I looked up, my eyes widened—it was Sir Apollo. He just stared at me. I gave a faint smile but felt a wave of nervousness wash over me. My heart raced as I struggled to maintain my composure. He sported a new haircut, a standard men’s 1 by 1 cut, undershaved. His mustache and beard were cleanly trimmed. Every ten minutes, I felt his gaze on me, a silent reminder of our complicated history.

"I'm still young at 34, so we are all young people here," he said, his voice carrying a hint of self-assuredness.

My heart seemed to expand, wanting to jump out of its cage. Robbie, who I didn't particularly like, sat beside me. After the class, I pretended to be interested in his beef with another student, Anthony. Robbie’s arrogance made him an easy scapegoat, keeping Sir Apollo at bay.

Should I drop this class? It’s too late. What would I say? That we crossed ethical boundaries? He crossed ethical boundaries, not me. The thought gnawed at me as I sat in the library, finishing my second task for the week.

Friday:

Another lecture and experimenting in the class. Computer Science was proving to be really fun. Some classmates were Korean, adding a diverse mix to our group. I still practiced the violin to avoid stagnation, losing myself in the familiar melodies.

I learned from Paolo about Jiu-Jitsu or Aikido. I asked if I could try, and he said I could. He gave me the info, and after class, I went to check it out at the YMCA building. Signing up immediately, I chose two times a week—Mondays and Fridays at night from 6 to 7. The thought of learning a new martial art was exhilarating.

Saturday:

In Abnormal Psychology, we received our final requirement: to make a documentary movie. I was paired with Divina, Ally, Angela, Bonnie, and Jane. Once again, I found myself as the default leader, a role I was becoming accustomed to.

Of course, I had to attend my Rizal class. Still seated in front, I could feel Sir Apollo's eyes on me. We exchanged glances, each one charged with unspoken tension. During a small essay writing session, I handed in my work, and he discreetly gave me a post-it: “Let’s talk.”

I stayed for a while, and Robbie did too. He waited for me because we were going to drop and reenroll in the Ecology class together. I told him I’d follow soon.

So I stayed. Sir Apollo pushed the table nearer, making the space between us more intimate. I felt like I was being reprimanded by my teacher, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Sir, I think it's better we don't talk about it," I started before he could speak. He gave me a big smile, one that softened his stern features.

"I wanted to apologize. I lost control, sorry. Gusto ko lang kausapin ka and tell you it’s okay. Hindi ko na uulitin especially this situation of ours. Let’s continue having a good term, okay?"

I smiled and nodded yes, relief washing over me. I said goodbye and left, my heart still racing.

I dropped and reenrolled in Ecology, then went to our classes. The encounter with Sir Apollo left me feeling like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I kept thinking about it, replaying his words in my mind. After class, I went to the mall with Mansoor. I liked him, but I couldn’t understand the feelings I had for Sir Apollo. I tried to refocus my attention and feelings on Mansoor. I mentioned my Aikido class, and he liked the idea.

[theselfdoubtdiaries]

Dear Fran,

So I've been on Skopelos for about 10 days now and I've already had plenty of moments of doubt and needing to walk away from things. Im writing today because I feel a bit stuck. Well I did when I was trying to upload the photos and now I don't because I just had a chat with my new Maltese friend about my work and I think we figured out how to continue. It wasn't a conceptual thing (this time) but more of a technical, being able to build in the round kind of problem. Anyway, moving forward now.

So some things I've been working on: trying to upscale my specimens. This was one of the first things I did, partially to get myself grounded in the studio and used to working with the clay. It worked, and the photograph on the left is some of the results. I don't know if I enjoy the lack of translucency, but it was an easy clay to work with. I also think they somehow lose their intrigue or movement a bit as they get larger. Or maybe as I get used to the clay and the process and the climate and everything they get more methodical and therefore less intuitive? Not that I plan how I want them to look but I do find myself going for particular types of pieces or sizes or textures and then I think they lose something a bit. Does that make sense? The less experimental they are, the less alive they seem. That sense of play without thinking is perhaps what I mean.

Anyway, I of course spent several days not liking what I made because I didn't like how it came out of the kiln, and now seeing them in photos again, I do. So during that time I've been experimenting with the red clay, which is very soft and creamy. I've also been trying to reconcile with the fact that I think I prefer clay before its fired. In terms of sustainability this isn't a problem, but I get uncomfortable with idea of having nothing left to show at the end of it for all my time and work....like there will be no proof of my ideas or things that I do with my life if I don't have something tangible, physical and concrete to show for it. I'm sure my psychologist would have a few things to say about that.

As part of a way to move through the blockage, one of my red clay experiments has been trying to do a hanging sculpture. So i started building around a piece of steel that I hung. The second photo is a detail of that. Just using really soft clay I started adding on to the wired and then began pressing in, very gently, the shards and tiny scrapings I'd already made. Side note: I really like stretching out slabs an dropping them on an angle so they fold like fabric. But then I hate them when they're fired. But stretching clay by throwing it around on a table is fun. I feel like there is a bit of a trend of semi- violent processes being fun emerging.....hmmmmmmm

I'm really glad to hear that PIN was a good decision, I think putting your work out there as much as possible is good because it creates the opportunities for feedback, especially from people perhaps outside our usual circles. Which is always a good thing I think. You never know what might resonate with you....And how great is it that the botanical thing has evolved for the better now? Im sorry that whole thing put you in a funk but also what an unprofessional dick. Anyway, you get to be overseas soon and make new weird shit too!

I still haven't resolved if there were reasons other than economic ones for the invention of the burial shroud but I think I am still interested in rituals surrounding death and the dead and what we leave behind. I don't actually know much about Greek funerals or how they've evolved so I should probably examine that, but recently I've been taken with the idea of an offering bowl. There was a particularly stunning one from the archeological site in Akrotiri on Santorini, and I cant get it out of my head! Its so simple the shape, and I cant find anything on the meaning of dolphins in Early Cycladic decoration but I still love it. I think I want to create a grotto/nymphaeum experiential space that is somehow also a homage to my dad and the aspects of nature he taught me about? Or perhaps the a homage by way of an experiential ritual space that is a celebration of nature and the way i view it and/or interact with it. I think that's a better way of putting it? But it's scary to write about because I don't think I've ever said these ideas out loud to anyone, not even myself. So the idea of telling you, even in this form is making my stomach turn a bit. I am hungover a tad though. Anyway its really windy which is making me not want to be in the studio because my eyes get irritated from all the dust and my shit blows everywhere. BLAHHHHHH. Zephyrus (Gk. Ζέφυρος [ Zéphyros ]) is blowing with force today.

Lets chat soon xxxxx

Zoe

[chirpingchorus]

EPISODE 1: OH GOD THE ANIMATORS HAVE A BUDGET NOW.

(everything is. smooth.)

Jokes aside, I do prefer the old style. That's just me being used to watching older anime.

The voices sound familiar. (I'm watching sub.) THE VOICES ARE THE SAME!!!!!

Okay, this intro looks dope. Nice chords!

I get the intro hype, this is good!! Like, I don't think I'll be skipping it anytime soon.

TOUKAKOUKAN!!!!!

They. Don't really explain anything that's going on? With alchemy and stuff? They just did all the fun 03 ep. 1 reveals in about thirty seconds. I can't imagine watching this not knowing anything about this show.

It's so crazy hearing their voices say new things. I'm fairly certain they're the same actors, but I thought people complained about them changing? Maybe that's dub only.

Ohhh, Mustang is so smug already. And we're already introducing new characters...

Why doesn't Hughes know them yet??

Ed doesn't lash out at the "insult" this time. interesting.

I'm surprised Hughes waited this long before showing us a picture!! Still, this is an awful lot to be throwing at us in the first episode.

Okay, I know they do it a lot in the first episode of both shows, but I think this episode has been 50% "Ed is short".

Ed making an excuse for the armor, huh. Don't think he ever did that in 03.

Oh, it's Kimblee. I hear he's a lot better in this show. Again--a LOT to be showing us in the first ten minutes! If they keep up this pace once they're all done with the parts 03 covered, I'll be getting lost.

I actually think it's good to introduce Hughes a bit earlier than they did in 03 if they have to kill him off sooner.

AL HAS A LIST OF THINGS TO EAT WHEN HE GETS HIS BODY BACK. THAT'S SO SWEET.

Why is that in English.

Why is he so much more excited this time!?!?

Darn it, my /very legal viewing method/ has stopped working. I'll think while I wait. Not sure how I feel about introducing the backstory of the Elrics later than the first few moments. I doubt this episode would've gotten my attention like the first of 03 did. Still, maybe this has its benefits, and could build more intrigue.

Okay, we're back.

Good to see Ed's still rattling off percentages.

Is. Is that. Armstrong. ALREADY!?! How does anyone watch this as their introduction to the series!!! He looks so serious. And also like he's wearing mascara.

Aaaaand we're buffering again. I can only stare at Armstrong's face.

Found another /legal viewing method/.

Why is Armstrong explaining to us what just happened?

Okay, starting early on in this show with the gag of people's faces on objects they transmute. Noticed this with Ed's spear earlier.

The Flame Alchemist and the Ice Alchemist. Gee, how will this one end?

Roy's face, haha. I can see why people watching this version like him more.

Aww, and Al makes the same noises when he runs.

"Simultaneous alchemy reaction". What is that. And we're bringing up the Philosopher's Stone, too, because there wasn't enough to remember.

Oh, Al looks even cooler beating up people with this animation style.

This... Is very much a shounen.

He wants to freeze the city. Like a Pokémon villain. HE'S LETTING THE ICE CARRY HIM ALONG, HAHA!

Once again, Al looks so darn cool.

Woah! Those red things belong to scar!

WHY ARE WE INTRODUCING THE BLOOD SEAL IN EPISODE ONE! ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE!!! At least this guy explains it for us. Not sure how I feel about that. And then we get our flashback, lots of yelling. Scene seems a lot brighter than the one I know.

I'm not sure who this guy is, but it sure is cool to watch the Elrics beat him up!

Bringing up the rainy days gag already? Oh, hello, King Bradley. At this rate, I'll be shocked if I don't see Winry, Sheska, and Terminarcher by the time the credits roll. Okay, and this guy is dead. ENVY? WAS THAT YOU??

Who's this old guy.

Glad we're mentioning Bradley's son a lot earlier, even if it's yet another character to maybe keep track of. I don't think he does anything in this show like he did in 03, but still.

FLOWERS FROM ARMSTRONG. This is the funniest I have ever found him, right now. For a single moment. And then the muscles gag that I'm lukewarm to.

LUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need you to know that I typed all those out individually.

At the credits. Oh, so this is the art I saw in that video! I thought someone just commissioned it. It's cute! More English in the comics.

Song is alright. AWW! THE BOYS!!!

Next episode: Grandma's making soup tonight!

OVERALL THOUGHTS: It wasn't terrible or somehow way better than 03 like I was afraid it would be! I'm still so glad I went with 03 as my introduction, because this is a lot to handle. I don't think I would've enjoyed it at all if I didn't already know most of these people, to be entirely honest. Sometimes characters will elaborate when they really don't have to? Or maybe I just think they don't have to because I already know a good amount about how things work around here...

Still glad I watched it, because AL'S LIST OF FOOD TO EAT WHEN HE GETS HIS BODY BACK. That is SO PRECIOUS.

Okay. I'm going to watch Brotherhood. I'm going to be so brave about watching this new show. I'll try it out and form my own opinions.

(I have to talk to myself like a parent trying to get their toddler to eat vegetables... Or drink milk, perhaps.)

I'll try to keep all my thoughts in this reblog chain so I don't clog the FMA tag with my reactions to each episode, but they'll still be tagged on my blog, so followers who filter out the tags don't have to see them. (Though, if you've filtered the tag, how are you seeing this? Oh, well.) Because it's an RB chain, though, I won't be able to ramble in tags like usual, so there will be a lot of text in these.

Okay. Starting episode one. Being very brave.