#lightbox fail

[manymantids]

I bought a cheap light box and thought I’d test it on my huntsman’s 💚 they’re not the best shots but it was a nice taking out the Old Man and the Sydney Huntsman.

Giant Banded Huntsman 🤎 “Old man” I’ve had him for ages now :)

And my grumpy Sydney grey huntsman 💛

I love my boys, they’re very handsome critters despite their angry dances!

[mama-qwerty]

Little and Broken

Eclipse pressed himself flat against the wall as he peered into the living room. The lightbox (teevee Silver called it) was on, and colorful images flashed across the screen.

Silver and the human woman sat on the couch, with the hedgehog snuggled up close to his mother. Her hands ran absently through his quills, and every now and then he would turn his nose to nuzzle against her side.

At first, Eclipse wasn't interested. They watched that teevee almost every night, sometimes laughing at what they saw, sometimes crying, sometimes cheering. He didn't understand—they were just some sort of transmission. He'd seen similar ones on the Comet—feeds of various planets the Black Arms were studying to destroy more effectively. (Even though they were the strongest warriors in the galaxy, they still didn't want to waste effort and energy in an attack that could be won in a simpler way.)

He didn't get the appeal. Or how they could become so invested and reactionary to the images. It seemed silly.

The darkling had stayed in his little closet, trying to ignore the noise from the other room as he napped. But then, certain bits of dialogue came to him, and his curiosity got the better of him.

"Monstrosity? What you see before you, is the first of a new species. I call it, Experiment 626."

Eclipse's brow furrowed. He poked his head out through the blanket acting as the door to his 'room'.

"He is bulletproof, fireproof, and can think faster than super computer. He can see in the dark, and move objects 3000 times his size. His only instinct, to destroy everything he touches!"

The darkling crawled out from his hidey hole, making his way to the archway between the kitchen and living room. This was sounding interesting. It sounded a lot like him! A creature created to be a fierce warrior! To be strong and capable and formidable and—

"So it IS a monster."

That stopped him in his tracks. Monster? No, he was created to be the best parts of the Black Arms. This, well, whatever it was on the teevee was also created to be strong, to be a warrior. That's not a monster.

Eclipse slid against the wall, being careful to stay out of sight as he watched the events on the screen.

"And as for that abomination, it is the flawed product of a deranged mind. It has no place among us." "The council has banished you to exile, on a desert asteroid."

That word made Eclipse's heart clench. He wasn't quite sure why he was on this backward mudball of a planet, but he'd always thought it was for some secret mission. Some valuable scouting mission for his father, the great and powerful Black Doom. It's what helped him keep his sanity in those early days.

But late at night, he thought of that word. Banished. And part of him whispered that that's really what happened. He'd failed his father one time too many, and now he was sent away. Banished to die alone on this pathetic planet, full of pathetic humans.

He tried to push that thought away.

On the teevee, Experiment 626 managed to escape. Eclipse watched with wide eyes as the ship he stole headed toward Earth.

Keep reading on ao3

[leofwines]

i want to get a lightbox to animate traditionally i think just fucking around with pencil/paper might be easier and more stimulating than any digital program, which ive failed to understand countless times now or maybe it’s another ambition i’ll never follow

[phighting-bean-husbandry]

Been a while but us clerks here are back with a new update: We got the bed cave like we said we would get, and well, while we convinced the traffic bean to move them (the lightboxes), we ended up getting one of those baby gates because the other beans keeps insisting on investigating and we don't want to stress the poor thing further (i swear i think some of the "squeaks" they exanged with the other beans were mixed with a cuss or two; Mini-Zuka keeps trying to act as a mediator to avoid any bean fight while BanHam keeps trying [and failing] to steal the baby gate while we try to keep it in place). in other notes, i think there's another pod nearby (at least a mile or 2 away) because while we were talking to our supplier, they told us they saw a biograft (a Zeta model to be more specific) being dragged away by a bunch of orange colored beans in the way here, they couldn't see clearly due to the snow but we ended up in the theory of a bionapping happening in the route here. and a last note, the group living outdoors are starting to hiss at something (can they hiss? i need to do a double check 'cuz been a while) on direction towards the forest, we don't know if it's related to point 2, but if the another pod nearby theory is true, we could use some tips in avoiding an invasion.

Oh dear. Definitely make sure the gate doesn't get stolen or messed up.

Hm... I'm unsure on what bean could be committing the Bionapping. My best guess is Coils--they do tend to be rather hostile towards Biograft, and commonly have orange mixed with blue.

Beans can in fact hiss! I'd recommend setting up some visible cameras (don't even have to be real, honestly). Most beans who want to get in without being caught will avoid places with any kind of security system.

[sean97ww]

Shanghai MSD Film for Modern Hospitality Environments

As architects and lighting designers search for new ways to enhance ambient light in built environments, Printable Translucent Film  has become a favored solution due to its ability to both transmit and shape illumination. At Shanghai MSD International Trade Co., Ltd., the film is developed specifically for precision printing and seamless integration into modern lighting systems.

The film’s semi-opaque properties allow it to scatter light softly across surfaces, creating even brightness without harsh hotspots. This makes it an ideal material for backlit ceilings, LED signage, and architectural lighting features in commercial complexes. When printed with UV-curable inks, Printable Translucent Film retains vivid colors and crisp details, maintaining visual appeal over time even under strong artificial lighting.

In hospitality venues such as hotels and lounges, the film is used to produce illuminated murals or custom-printed lightboxes that shift the mood of the space. Designers can play with gradients, shapes, and branded elements to deliver immersive visual experiences. Because of its light-weight and flexibility, Printable Translucent Film can be installed on curved panels or ceilings where traditional rigid panels would fail.

Transportation hubs such as airports and subway stations also benefit from the application of this film. It is commonly used in wayfinding systems and digital display diffusers where consistent illumination is critical. The film’s durability and flame-retardant qualities, available in select MSD variations, make it a safe and long-lasting solution in high-traffic zones.

Shanghai MSD provides custom lamination options to increase moisture resistance and print protection, enabling use in spa facilities, bathrooms, or humid climates. These value-added services distinguish their offerings from standard stock films, giving clients enhanced longevity and tailored performance.

The company’s strong emphasis on production quality and surface uniformity has made it a trusted supplier for design firms and OEM manufacturers alike. With Shanghai MSD’s ongoing innovation in translucent film production, lighting designers have more freedom than ever to fuse function and beauty in their projects.For technical specifications and custom order inquiries, visit: https://www.shanghaimsd.com

[smileymoth]

Its abt to be comic book drawing lockdown for 2 days in a bit . I will have to turn mt glass table into a lightbox and if that fails well. Guess im sleeping at work tonight

[cliftonsignsandawnings]

Keep Your Signage Sharp: The Importance of Sign Service and Repair in New Jersey

Your business signage works 24/7 — attracting customers, promoting your brand, and guiding people to your doorstep. But what happens when it starts to fade, flicker, or fall apart?

In the competitive New Jersey business environment, well-maintained signage is not just a luxury — it's a necessity. Damaged or neglected signs can send the wrong message, reducing customer trust and hurting your brand’s reputation.

In this post, we explore why sign service and repair is essential, the most common issues to look out for, and how Clifton Signs and Awnings helps New Jersey businesses keep their signage sharp, professional, and performing at its best.

Why Signage Maintenance Matters More Than You Think

1. First Impressions Are Everything

Your signage is often the first interaction a customer has with your business. A cracked, dirty, or unlit sign can instantly reduce credibility and make your business look outdated or even closed.

2. 24/7 Brand Visibility

Exterior signage like channel letters or LED lightboxes work around the clock. If part of the lighting goes out or the graphics fade, your message becomes unclear — reducing the impact you paid for.

3. Local Competition Is Fierce

With businesses competing block-by-block in cities like Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson, clean and eye-catching signage can help you stand out from competitors who may not prioritise upkeep.

Common Signage Problems That Require Professional Repair

If you notice any of the following, it's time to call in the experts:

Flickering or burnt-out LED lights

Peeling vinyl graphics or paint

Cracked or broken sign faces

Loose or unstable mounting hardware

Faded colours due to sun exposure

Missing letters or uneven illumination

Whether it’s a small storefront sign or a massive pylon sign, these issues can quickly escalate if not addressed.

Types of Signs That Benefit from Routine Service

Different signs have different needs. Here are just a few that require regular care:

Channel letters (especially illuminated ones)

Monument signs

Pylon signs

Awnings and canopies

Interior directional and office signage

Dimensional signs and acrylic logos

Benefits of Regular Sign Service & Repair in New Jersey

✅ Longer Lifespan

Routine inspections and repairs extend the life of your signage, saving you money in the long run.

✅ Improved Safety

Loose wiring or failing mountings can become safety hazards. Regular service ensures your signage stays securely in place.

✅ Better Brand Image

Clean, well-lit, and sharp-looking signage shows customers that you care about your business and their experience.

✅ Compliance with Local Regulations

Some New Jersey municipalities require illuminated signage to be functional at night. Regular maintenance helps you stay compliant.

Why Choose Clifton Signs and Awnings for Sign Repair in NJ?

At Clifton Signs and Awnings, we understand how critical signage is to your business’s success. That’s why we offer fast, affordable, and reliable sign service and repair across New Jersey.

Our services include:

LED retrofitting and replacements

Electrical troubleshooting

Surface and structural repairs

Repainting and re-lettering

Scheduled maintenance plans

Emergency repair services

We work with all types of signage and offer tailored solutions to get your brand shining again — literally.

Conclusion: Keep Your Brand Looking Its Best

Your signage is your silent salesperson — working rain or shine, day or night. Keeping it clean, functional, and eye-catching is a smart investment that reflects directly on your business’s image and success.

If you're noticing wear and tear or want to schedule a routine check-up, don't wait.

Contact Clifton Signs and Awnings today for expert sign service and repair in New Jersey. Let’s keep your signage sharp — and your brand even sharper.

[etherarts1]

Jewelry Photography Fails: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Jewelry photography is an art that requires precision, creativity, and attention to detail. Whether you’re a jeweler showcasing your latest collection or a photographer specializing in this niche, capturing the perfect shot can be challenging. Even with the best intentions, common mistakes can turn a stunning piece of jewelry into a lackluster image. Here are some frequent jewelry photography fails and tips on how to avoid them, ensuring your photos shine as brightly as the pieces themselves.

1. Poor Lighting Choices

One of the most common mistakes in jewelry photography is using improper lighting. Harsh shadows, overexposure, or uneven lighting can ruin the brilliance of gemstones and metals. To avoid this, invest in soft, diffused lighting that highlights the jewelry’s details without creating glare. If you’re shooting at home, natural light near a window can work wonders, but for consistent results, consider hiring a professional jewelry photography service that uses advanced lighting setups.

2. Ignoring the Background

A cluttered or distracting background can take the focus away from the jewelry. While creative backdrops can work for styled shoots, a clean and simple setup is often best for e-commerce or catalog purposes. White background jewelry photography is a popular choice because it keeps the focus on the piece and ensures consistency across your portfolio. If you’re shooting on your own, use a lightbox or a plain white surface to achieve this effect.

3. Overlooking Details and Focus

Jewelry is all about intricate details—whether it’s the cut of a diamond, the texture of metal, or the craftsmanship of a design. Blurry or out-of-focus images fail to capture these elements, leaving viewers unimpressed. Always use a macro lens to get sharp, close-up shots, and take multiple angles to showcase the piece comprehensively. If you’re in Atlanta and need expert help, look for a jewelry photography Atlanta service that specializes in capturing fine details.

4. Over-Editing the Images

While editing can enhance your photos, overdoing it can make the jewelry look unnatural. Excessive retouching, oversaturation, or unrealistic reflections can mislead customers and damage your credibility. Stick to subtle adjustments like brightness, contrast, and color correction to maintain the authenticity of the piece.

5. Neglecting Proper Styling and Composition

How you style and position the jewelry can make or break the shot. Avoid placing pieces in awkward or unnatural positions. Use props sparingly and ensure they complement the jewelry without overpowering it. For example, a ring can be styled on a mannequin hand or a velvet stand, while necklaces should be arranged to highlight their length and design.

6. Skipping Professional Help

Jewelry photography is a specialized field that requires expertise and the right equipment. If you’re struggling to get the perfect shot, it might be worth investing in a jewelry photography service. Professionals have the skills, tools, and experience to avoid these common pitfalls and deliver stunning, high-quality images that elevate your brand.

By avoiding these mistakes and implementing these tips, you can create captivating jewelry photos that truly reflect the beauty and craftsmanship of your pieces. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or seeking professional assistance, the key is to focus on lighting, details, and composition to make your jewelry sparkle both in person and on camera.

[24hrsallnews]

Sree Vishnu has announced his next project, #SV17 is an investigative thriller

We will read about, "Sree Vishnu has announced his next project, #SV17 is an investigative thriller." Sri Vishnu's most recent movie was Om Bhim Bush, which received high praise. The upcoming SV17 film will mark Sree Vishnu's 17th film in his career. Swag is the next film starring Sree Vishnu. Hasith Goli is the director of the film Swag, which features Ritu Verma, Sri Vishnu, and Meera Jasmine. Light Box Media shared it on social media and wrote, "The amalgam of Chills and Thrills along with intense madness awaits you in this HUNT #SV17 takes off under @Lightboxoffl and #PicturePerfectEntertainment's banner A @HussainShaKiran Directorial" A great glimpse of the film is being seen, the film will be an investigative thriller.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Taran Adarsh (@taranadarsh) The film has reached a completion rate of 60 percent in terms of shooting. Unfortunately, the title of the film remains unconfirmed at this time. Fans eagerly anticipate the release of the glimpse video, which has generated discussions, excitement, and high anticipation after providing a glimpse into the film. The film is directed by Hussain Sha Kiran, and produced by Sandeep Gunnam and Vinay Chilakapati under the banner Lightbox Media and Picture Perfect Entertainment. The music in the film has been given by Kaala Bhairava.   Read More - The new look of Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa starrer Phule has been released. - Srikanth Movie trailer out now - The ultimate guide to Tillu Square: A must-watch film for romantic crime comedy fanatics - Yash joins hands with Namit Malhotra to produce 'Ramayana' - Aranmanai 4 Trailer: Sundar C's Aranmanai 4 releases in cinemas globally in April - Gabru Gang Teaser is out now - Romeo movie Cast, Release Date, Director and other - Dukaan movie review: The concept is intriguing but fails to achieve its maximum potential. - Bahar Aa Chaman Prakash: The first film from Namashi's production is here! - Pawan Kalyan met Chiranjeevi during the filming of Vishwambhara Read the full article

[nitrosodiumfmp]

Sinister City Might Not Be A Good Idea (right now)

Right now, my three possible choices for the project are Sinister City, Dark Fantasy and Zombies. Not creative names, but they are pretty clear on what the subject is. Well, just recently, I've thought about how Sinister City might not be a good pick for a few reasons. But to do that, I need to compare it to the other ones. Dark Fantasy is effectively a dungeon crawler - you enter the level and fight your way to the end, sometimes exploring side areas for loot. It's interesting, artistically unique (somewhat) and intuitive. Because it's built about a core aspect (an easily traversible level and enemies) it can then be expanded as much as you want. Think about Toxic Waters; it's what I'd call a system-based game, the enemies and puzzle components and hurt triggers are all moving parts which can be slotted together and customized. There were only four levels, but there could've been forty, just by using the game's systems in creative ways. Dark Fantasy would be the same. If you've got moving doors, and chests with loot, and patrolling goblins or whatever, you can then reuse those aspects in loads of different ways. Zombies would be the same. If you have the zombie AI, and a basic combat system, you can then make loads of levels based on spinning those components in unique ways. It's what the teachers always said was a key part of game design. Think about Super Meat Boy, and how it uses those spinning saws in loads of different ways. It's just one asset, with a pretty basic mechanic (touch it and you die) but it was reused and reapplied in ways you wouldn't immediately think of.

Sinister City isn't gonna work like that. Because exploration in the "strange environment" is the entire focus, and then a mystery plot that wraps around that, the environment has to preside over everything else. If the gameplay loop on top of that is literally "read note, discover clue, go to new area, read another note" it's not too interesting. It also requires having an interesting mystery to propel the player to, well, play it. And if there's no other focus to the game, it might as well just be an animated video. If a game doesn't use its interactive element in an interesting way (i.e. having an actual gameplay loop or telling a meta-story about choice or whatever) it has failed at being a video game, that's why I don't like artsy walking simulators like Edith Finch. But that's a tangent and a story for another day. If I made Sinister City, the environment and the mystery would be at constant odds with each other. Everything would have to be unique and built for a single purpose, otherwise it'd get boring. There are no moving parts to be reused in interesting ways - the environment would be incredibly static, with only doors to open and notes to read. If the environment exists without the mystery, it's an art-book you read with WASD, and if the mystery exists without the compelling environment, people will be bored and not want to explore. Here's an idea for a bit I was gonna do. Basically, in the City, there are these "lightboxes", which act like security cameras and spotlights. They'd be made in Maya or something, just a hollow cuboid with some rods in the opening.

At some point you'd go to a lightbox factory, and you'd find out that dissident citizens are being beheaded, and re-wired with lightboxes, to act as reanimated law enforcement.

Kinda cool, right? I built the City from the ground up as a place filled with mysteries, but would these all relate to you chasing the Man In The Hat? It's all surrealism, so anything fits. Nothing's too weird for the setting, but at the same time, does it fit into the actual game, as well as the setting? I'm not sure. The lightbox factory, and the note, and all the half-built lightboxes that'd scatter the level, and the lightbox-headed enemies, that's a lot of effort for a one-off thing. These aren't like Toxic Waters components where you could use them in different ways, they just aren't. The environment of Sinister City might be really good, a strange place that exists beyond space and time, beyond awake and asleep, beyond reason and thought. But having the gameplay loop be a wild goose chase, and having the environment be massive and disjointed just won't work. Not everyone will want to explore, not everyone will be captivated by it. Yeah, maybe someone will play the game to immerse themselves in the weird city, but most people want something to strive for in a game, rather than just wandering through alleyways and reading notes. This style of drip-fed storytelling is something I've lifted from childhood favourites like BATIM or even as far back as Bioshock, but those games had you doing something between listening to the latest audio log. Sinister City would be like if you were playing Bendy, and you loaded up Chapter 3, and instead of working for Alice or doing any of the errands, you wandered around the entire level finding audio logs that maybe give you an idea on what to do next. The ending would come when you pieced together enough evidence to know where to go for the finale, if you even made it that far.

This is not a good gameplay loop! I can see myself spending multiple days just building the map, and because it's all bespoke one-off pieces, if I wanna remove something, that's loads of my effort wasted. Who's gonna want to playtest this? How do you test gameplay loops and player-world interactivity when there... isn't any? It doesn't matter that ooh, you walk up to a note and press E and you can read it, it doesn't matter that doors slide open when you interact with them. You can't substitute game mechanics for things that might've been advanced in 1996 - no, I think even that's overselling it. (System Shock had already come out. Oh, I'm digressing again.)

It's not worth changing the gameplay loop either, I don't think. Even if you're being hunted by those lighthead guys, what'd be your objective? Any of the themes hinted at through the mystery plot would be snuffed out, and all you have left is surrealism. I don't think making a level that's purposefully convoluted and weird-looking is enough to pass the FMP. It'll also be a pain to build for all the reasons above.

The Zombie game will be fun because I like zombies, and I haven't tried a forested environment yet. Dark Fantasy could also work, because I like the aesthetic, but both of these games have a core gameplay loop to be built off. You know how I compare game design to a lasagna, how it's all about making different levels of stuff? Sinister City would be akin to getting your ingredients, placing the lasagna tray, adding one single lasagna sheet, and then chiseling a Romaneqsue statue out of marble, and shoving it on top. It doesn't matter how interesting and artistic it looks, nobody's gonna eat that. Also, you wasted ages making the fancy statue, so you don't have time to finish the lasagna. You could probably sum up each of my games thus far with a lasagna anecdote.

Toxic Waters was like if I made a really nice lasagna, but didn't have time to add a garnish.

Overdeath was like if I wasted all my time making spaghetti, just had time to reconstitute it into a really crap lasagna, and slap a piece of processed cheese on top just in time for it to qualify as a lasagna.

Sweat Pursuit was if I started making spaghetti, quickly rectified my mistake, and then spent ages stressing over the fact that I couldn't find my ingredients, despite making a great lasagna by the end.

The fact that I can foresee my ideas not working is a goddamn virtue. No matter how cool Sinister City *looks*, you can't substitute it for good game design. It's gonna be zombies in the forest, or goblins in a dungeon. Probably.

[speed-seo]

Video Outside the Viewport Fast and Easy Solution. No Plugin

Fixing the "Video Outside the Viewport" Google Seach Console Errors If you're seeing "Video Outside the viewport" errors in Google Search Console, it means some of your videos are not fully responsive to users screen sizes when the page loads. This usually happens when the video player is lower on the page and users need to scroll down to see it. The good news is; you found the easy fix: 🏆 Solution: Enabling Responsive YouTube Embeds Simply add one line of code to your theme's functions.php file: Step 1 - Log in to WordPress admin and go to Appearance > Theme Editor Step 2 - Click to edit the functions.php file Step 3 - Add this code: add_theme_support( 'responsive-embeds' ); Step 4 - Save changes👍 Your YouTube embeds in WordPress posts and pages are not responsive due to your theme not supporting responsive embeds. However, You just found the good news - fixing this issue is that simple! The Core of the Issue: Theme Support for Responsive Embeds Recently updated WordPress themes often don't call the "responsive embeds" theme support function. This results in YouTube videos staying static in size, instead of resizing responsively for mobile devices. While it seems the new Gutenberg editor is related, the root cause lies with themes not enabling responsive embed support. So calling this function is the key to fix non-responsive YouTube embeds. This will tell your theme to support responsive embeds across your site. Embedded YouTube videos will now resize responsively, ensuring proper display on all devices. Extra Help for the Video Outside the Viewport GSC Issue! Enhance YouTube Embeds with Plugins While WordPress supports embedding YouTube videos without any plugins, there are some handy plugins that add extra functionality: 📼 Lazy Load Videos This lightweight plugin delays loading video embeds until the user clicks on them. This speeds up load times, improving site performance. 📼 YouTube Gallery Plugin Want to showcase videos on a dedicated page? This plugin lets you create YouTube video gallery pages to highlight your channel or playlists. 📼 Video Gallery - YouTube Gallery Another gallery plugin, this one focuses just on YouTube videos. It has responsive layouts to showcase your videos on any device. 📼 WP Video Lightbox Make your videos stand out by displaying them in a popup lightbox. When users click a video, it expands to fullscreen with a blurred background. 📼 Testing Plugin Compatibility As with any plugin, be sure to test how they interact with your theme. Check that your responsive YouTube embeds continue working properly with any additional functionality added. These plugins might will give you more options for showcasing YouTube videos across your WordPress site! Closing the Case Embedding YouTube videos in your WordPress site is a great way to enhance content and engage visitors. However, if videos fail to resize or display properly across devices, the user experience suffers. Luckily, implementing responsive embed support is a straightforward one-line update. By adding the recommended code snippet to your active theme's functions.php file, you enable fluid responsive YouTube embeds site-wide. Videos will then scale gracefully to match any screen size. We covered compatible plugins as well, for additional video gallery, performance, and display options. With the right theme support enabled, you can confidently embed YouTube videos knowing they’ll contribute to—not detract from—your website's reliability and visit quality. Smoothly responsive video embeds improve engagement and keep visitors focused on your content, boosting your WordPress site’s credibility and authority over time through optimal on-site UX. Read the full article

[mama-qwerty]

Little and Broken

This started as a little Shortie for an ask from @wingsofthesun and instead turned into THIS.

(Who is Callie?)

~~~~~~~~~~

Eclipse pressed himself flat against the wall as he peered into the living room. The lightbox (teevee Silver called it) was on, and colorful images flashed across the screen.

Silver and the human woman sat on the couch, with the hedgehog snuggled up close to his mother. Her hands ran absently through his quills, and every now and then he would turn his nose to nuzzle against her side.

At first, Eclipse wasn't interested. They watched that teevee almost every night, sometimes laughing at what they saw, sometimes crying, sometimes cheering. He didn't understand--they were just some sort of transmission. He'd seen similar ones on the Comet--feeds of various planets the Black Arms were studying to destroy more effectively. (Even though they were the strongest warriors in the galaxy, they still didn't want to waste effort and energy in an attack that could be won in a simpler way.)

He didn't get the appeal. Or how they could become so invested and reactionary to the images. It seemed silly.

The darkling had stayed in his little closet, trying to ignore the noise from the other room as he napped. But then, certain bits of dialogue came to him, and his curiosity got the better of him.

"Monstrosity? What you see before you, is the first of a new species. I call it, Experiment 626."

Eclipse's brow furrowed. He poked his head out through the blanket acting as the door to his 'room'.

"He is bulletproof, fireproof, and can think faster than super computer. He can see in the dark, and move objects 3000 times his size. His only instinct, to destroy everything he touches!"

The darkling crawled out from his hidey hole, making his way to the archway between the kitchen and living room. This was sounding interesting. It sounded a lot like him! A creature created to be a fierce warrior! To be strong and capable and formidable and--

"So it IS a monster."

That stopped him in his tracks. Monster? No, he was created to be the best parts of the Black Arms. This, well, whatever it was on the teevee was also created to be strong, to be a warrior. That's not a monster.

Eclipse slid against the wall, being careful to stay out of sight as he watched the events on the screen.

"And as for that abomination, it is the flawed product of a deranged mind. It has no place among us."

"The council has banished you to exile, on a desert asteroid."

That word made Eclipse's heart clench. He wasn't quite sure why he was on this backward mudball of a planet, but he'd always thought it was for some secret mission. Some valuable scouting mission for his father, the great and powerful Black Doom. It's what helped him keep his sanity in those early days.

But late at night, he thought of that word. Banished. And part of him whispered that that's really what happened. He'd failed his father one time too many, and now he was sent away. Banished to die alone on this pathetic planet, full of pathetic humans.

He tried to push that thought away.

On the teevee, Experiment 626 managed to escape. Eclipse watched with wide eyes as the ship he stole headed toward Earth.

~X~X~X~

"This is you. This is your badness level. It's unusually high for someone your size. We have to fix that."

Eclipse wrinkled his muzzle. Experimen--Stitch, wasn't bad. That was how he was created! It was just who he was. Changing him meant making him be a different person. That wasn't fair. That wasn't right.

He didn't like the humans in this transmission. Not at all.

~X~X~X~

"Look at him Lilo, he's obviously mutated from something else. We have to take him back.”

“He was an orphan and we adopted him! What about ohana??”

“He hasn’t been here that long!”

“Neither have I! . . . . Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten.”

Silver laughed at this part, pointing to the teevee.

“Look! That’s just like what happened with us when Eclipse came!”

The woman laughed a little, nodding. “Yeah, that’s kinda the gist of it, isn’t it? You were all about keeping him and I, well, needed a little convincing, didn’t I?”

“You were just mad because he bit you.”

“Oh, and that was so unreasonable!”

The two laughed a little more, and Eclipse looked on from his hidden spot near the archway.

The hedgehog was right. That was very similar to how it played out. To be fair, the darkling still wasn’t completely sold on the idea of staying here. His arm was healed, but the weather was getting colder outside. He’d never survive without shelter. And the human had welcomed . . . well, accepted him into her home without any demands for repayment or compensation. Sure, he couldn’t fight or hurt anyone, but that was a small price to pay for warm shelter and a full belly, right?

That word kept repeating through his head, though. Ohana. The older human in the transmission didn’t seem to want to keep Stitch, but the little one was insistent they did. Because of ohana. Family. She saw Stitch as family, even though he caused trouble, and had only been there for a short time.

His eyes wandered to the couch. Silver was like that. He had wanted to help Eclipse from that very first night he’d appeared, trying to snatch food from their trash. And the hedgehog was so happy to have Eclipse here now.

But the woman wasn’t as sold. Just like the one in the transmission. She was more wary of Eclipse. She was more interested in taking care of Silver, like the one in the teevee was all about caring for her sister. They were just the same.

It was strange how similar it was.

~X~X~X~

“This little girl is wasting her time. 626 cannot be taught to ignore its destructive programming.”

“This is interesting. 626 was designed to be a monster, but now, there’s nothing to destroy. You see, I never gave him a greater purpose. What must it be like to have . . . nothing? Not even memories to visit in the middle of the night.”

Eclipse stared at the teevee with wide eyes. Was that . . . was that like him? He had been created as the Black Arms’ greatest weapon. A prince to the most dangerous and destructive race the galaxy has ever known. His entire life, since he was hatched, has been dedicated to fighting, destroying, being stronger and better than everyone and every thing else.

But on this planet, he didn’t have to fight. He didn’t have to destroy. He didn’t have to earn his right to exist, or suffer the consequences of failure.

He was still allowed to stay here, even if he didn’t prove his strength. He was still allowed to eat, without having to fight others for the barest morsel.

But if he didn’t do what he was created for, what did that make him?

The only difference was, Eclipse did have memories. But they weren’t exactly the type he wanted to visit in the middle of the night. Because they hurt. And were scary. And reminded him of just how much of a failure he was.

~X~X~X~

The humans were on the beach. Riding some sort of boards on the waves in the water. They laughed and had fun together. Stitch watched them.

Eclipse watched, too. His gold-on-black eyes flicked to the couch, where Silver and the woman sat. Silver leaned closer, and the woman reached down to pull him closer, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She rested her chin on the top of his head, and a smile curled the hedgehog’s lips.

Stitch reached for the little human. Wanting to be included. Risking a return to his greatest weakness. Just to be part of their family.

The darkling stared.

~X~X~X~

“I hear you cry at night. Do you dream about them? I know that’s why you wreck things, and push me.”

“Our family’s little now, and we don’t have many toys. But, if you want, you could be part of it. You could be our baby, and we could raise you to be good.”

“Ohana means family. And family means nobody gets left behind.”

“But if you wanna leave, you can.”

Anger stirred in the darkling. He hated this transmission. He shouldn’t be wasting his time watching this—he was a weapon, a warrior, and should have been spending every moment training to be stronger. Better. What did this transmission do to help him? Nothing. He should just head back to his closet and rest, so he can get up at first light and restart his training. He’d gone too long without it, and knew his father would have found that disgusting and unacceptable.

He should. It was what his father would want.

But he couldn’t move.

His eyes moved back to the teevee. And he hated himself for being so weak.

~X~X~X~

“L-l-lost.”

“I’m lost.”

Eclipse nearly ran into the room to break the teevee. He hated this. Something was stirring deep within him, and he didn’t know what it was, but it made him angry and sad and scared and his stomach twisted and clenched.

His eyes burned with tears and he grit his teeth to keep them away.

Weapons didn’t cry. Weapons didn’t feel sad or scared. Weapons fought. Weapons won.

The darkling clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from screaming.

~X~X~X~

“Waiting.”

“For what?”

“Family.”

“Aaahh, you don’t have one. I made you.”

“M-maybe I could . . .”

“You’re built to destroy. You can never belong.”

That thing stirring inside Eclipse surged, and he swallowed down tears. Bit back sobs. He never should have started watching this transmission. It did something to him, and he couldn’t stop it, couldn’t control it.

The thought of breaking through the glass door and running off into the night flashed through his mind.

But he couldn’t.

~X~X~X~

A heartbreaking separation. An unlikely alliance. A daring rescue.

Stitch, this little monster, this abomination, this creature who was only created for destruction, became a hero. He found his family. Found his purpose. Found his place.

“This is my family. I found it, all on my own.”

“It’s little, a-and broken. But, still good.”

“Yeah. Still good.”

And now the feelings within Eclipse couldn’t be contained any longer. They churned inside, pushing their way out, whether he wanted them to or not. Tears rolled down his cheeks, soaking his muzzle and dripping onto the floor as he held his head. Sobs barked through his throat, and he scurried back to his closet, curling up with his tail wrapped around him.

Silver and the human appeared, identical looks of worry and shock on their faces.

“What’s wrong??” the hedgehog cried, his hands yanking on one of his long head spikes.

“I dunno.” The woman knelt in the doorway, looking like she wanted to touch him, but hesitant to do so. “Eclipse? What’s going on? Are you hurt?”

Worried. They were worried about him. They heard him crying and came running to make sure he was okay.

Both of them. Even the human.

He squeezed his eyes shut, curling up tighter.

“Go away!”

He wanted to scream it, bellow it, turn and lash out at them. How dare they. How dare they make him feel this way. He wasn’t supposed to feel. He was only supposed to hate. To conquer. He didn’t want to feel like he could relax, and be comfortable, and not worry about being beaten or starved or punished for not doing just the right thing.

Because that was wrong, all wrong. His entire life was about strength and fighting and being better and never, ever, ever disappointing his father, even though he seemed to do it all the time. Even when he tried his best. His best was never, ever, ever good enough.

“Hey,” the woman called, shifting to sit on her ankles. She glanced over at Silver and encouraged him to do the same. “Hey, shhh. Take a deep breath, okay?”

Why should he listen to her? She wasn’t his guardian. His caretaker. His m-mother. She was Silver’s and that’s it. She only cared about him, not Eclipse. She only begrudgingly allowed Eclipse to be in her home, taking care of him only out of obligation, because that’s what Silver wanted. She didn’t want him here. She didn’t care.

“C’mon, deep breath,” she said again, her voice soft and soothing. “Focus on that for me, okay?”

He didn’t want to. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to just lash out—to slash and bite and punch and kick. He hated these feelings and wanted them gone.

But he found himself pulling a deep breath in, and letting it out slowly, following her lead. She smiled and said soothing words to him, continuing this slow breathing.

After a few more breaths, Eclipse’s tears slowed, and he uncurled, but kept himself in the furthest corner from them.

“Better?” she asked, a little smile on her lips. Eclipse turned away, but nodded once. “Good. Are you hurt?” He hesitated before shaking his head. “Okay, also good. Do you wanna talk about it?” Another head shake, this one more immediate. “Okay, that’s fine. You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable. But both Silver and I are here if you change your mind.”

Eclipse grunted in response. He wouldn’t change his mind. What could he say? The transmission they were watching made him feel things? How stupid. It was stupid.

“How about some ice cream?” Silver asked, flicking his amber eyes between Eclipse and his mother. “That always makes me feel better after I get upset.”

The darkling turned slightly, an eyebrow raised. He wasn’t much for the sweet foods Silver seemed to like, but ice cream was something he could tolerate. Even if it was cold. He gave the hedgehog a little nod.

“That’s an excellent idea, Bug,” the woman said, pushing herself to her feet. “C’mon kiddos. Ice cream makes everything better.”

Silver quickly followed after his mother, a big smile on his lips. Eclipse slowly crawled out of his closet, watching as they gathered bowls and spoons.

This world was nothing like his home on the Black Comet. These people were nothing like the Black Arms’ or Black Doom.

But maybe . . .

Maybe that was okay.

~~~

Like this? Check out my other snippets. Reblogs are appreciated!

[changes]

Tuesday, December 20th, 2022

🌟 New

Tumblr Live is now out to all users in the United States (iOS and Android apps only, for now).

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Added some styling to the ALT button on blog themes for images under 300 pixels wide. They should now sit below the image on most themes.

🛠 Fixed

Fixed an issue on web where clicking on a tag starting with an asterisk could lead to an empty page.

Fixed an issue on the blog network where high res images sometimes wouldn’t show in the lightbox.

Fixed a performance issue with the post footers on web. scrolling should be a little smoother!

Fixed an issue on mobile web that could cause scrolling to feel jumpy or jittery when post truncation is enabled.

Fixed a bug in the post editor on web that could result in you losing your last edit if you were on the markdown or HTML editors and clicked on “preview.”

Fixed some color palette issues in the “Edit appearance” page and in blog view.

Fixed an issue where the ALT button on blog themes could fail to display the image’s description when clicked.

🚧 Ongoing

Nothing new to report today.

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[magalidragon]

Hi bby, for the ask game.

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

🎃 Do you write fics for certain holidays? Which is your favorite holiday inspired fic?

Bonus (cause you know I'm greedy 🤭)

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

Thank youuu!

Because I know you love it. 🥰

Let’s do this!

🥺: Any interaction where Jon props up Dany and encourages her or supports her no matter what she’s facing. I get so emotional and want to scream 😂 I also have to say any time a b��bé is involved with those two.

🎃: Hahaha easy answer— I LOVE holiday fics. Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Halloween, Flag Day….give me a holiday fic and I’m in Heaven. And my fav holiday fic? Really? We all know it’s “bad santa” 😂 Those beans are my fav.

🤲: Oh I wish I had more of a snippet to post but you know it’s been bonkers 😂😂😂 from “Priceless”, chapter 2.

"You're doing it wrong!"

"No, put it there!"

"That's not right, stop!"

Jon threw his hands in the air, irritated beyond belief at his ex-wife. He was just trying to <i>help</i> and here she was tearing apart the map, subjecting it to chemical tests and gods knew what else to see if there was something else hidden on it. They were going stir crazy to begin with, since it had been over a week since they set off for the search and were finding nothing near the coordinates that the map indicated.

He growled at her. "I'm trying to help you, so check <i>there</i>!" He jabbed linen glove-clad finger on the parchment corner, where they'd attached the newest piece to complete the map. Dany, on the other hand, was insisting on combing the upper corner that had already been studied, because she said any code would be there, based on past Valyrian maps with codes.

"You're not helping, you are in the way!"

The yacht stateroom they'd turned into a lab was too small for both of them and all the equipment she'd dragged onboard with her. He made a face. "Fine. I'm going to go dive, we're finishing the sonar sweep of the area."

Dany sniffed, returning to the map. "It won't be there."

He didn't disagree with her. The map was hiding something; he just couldn't place it. He stood beside her silently, staring at the bottom portion. He narrowed his eyes on the jagged tear that separated the map he'd grown up with; with the new piece added on. Dany had adhered it together via some sort of material, the lightbox it was placed on shining up through the thin paper.

Except it was darker there.

He pushed his glasses down from where he'd used them to keep his hair out of his eyes, zeroing in on that section. He ran his fingers on the corner, brow furrowing. After a second, he stopped.

He felt like he was being watched. And not like Ghost watching him when he took a piss or walked around naked.

Very slowly, he lifted his eyes, and spotted her. Oh, she was trying to hide it, but when he put his glasses on she’d paused, and started looking at him. He chuckled.

Oh Dany. Dany, Dany, Dany.

Jon was going to have fun with this.

[phantasyreign]

Theme03: Qinni Han

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[hyphenmanship]

Are we done recapping this year's colossal #fails 'coz I have an entry riiiight heeere #lightbox