#like yeah they're all going through it but for the most part they're being relatively mature about it

[unproduciblesmackdown]

more info, via a couple of reviews:

"Is this the best, most exhilarating, most close-to-perpetual dancing ever to grace the Goodspeed Opera House stage?

It certainly could be.

The new stage adaptation of “Summer Stock” at the East Haddam theater has plenty to recommend it in terms of the canny script and the hummable songs. But it’s the dancing that leaves the biggest impression.

The show is jam-packed with choreography from Donna Feore, who also directs, that is thrillingly executed by the cast.

We’re talking: Gravity-defying kicks. Head-spinning turns. Male dancers lifting and tossing and catching the female ones. It runs the gamut from Cossack-dance athleticism to soft shoe grace, tap precision to Lindy hop energy.

How the cast manages to sing after executing these (literally) breathtaking numbers, I have no idea.

And how do they make it through two performances on some days? Amazing.

Also amazing: the fact that they do all this on Goodspeed’s small stage without making the space feel cramped.

So, yes, the dancing is phenomenal. But there’s more to the show than that.

This stage version of “Summer Stock” — which is enjoying its world premiere at Goodspeed — is inspired by the 1950 MGM movie starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Writer Cheri Steinkellner, though, has reimagined the piece in many ways, making it better, stronger and propelled by a more modern sensibility. (Steinkellner’s writing credits range from “Cheers” to the Broadway adaptation of “Sister Act.”)

The foundational story, though, remains the same: A no-nonsense young woman named Jane is trying to save her family farm. Her actress sister (named Gloria in the version at Goodspeed) brings her compatriots to the farm to rehearse a show. Jane first spars with and then starts falling for Gloria’s beau Joe, the production’s director.

Steinkellner has also changed up the score, to great effect. While some tunes from the movie remain, she has pulled others that are in the public domain (such as “Accentuate the Positive,” “Paper Moon” and “It Had to Be You”), and she has woven them perfectly into various plot points and important emotional moments.

As director, Feore makes sure the whole enterprise has a dynamic spirit. It’s a story and a production that brims with optimism and cheerfulness.

Leading the cast is Corbin Bleu, who became famous with his work in “High School Musical” and has gone on to star in several Broadway shows, as Joe. Bleu is a true, and truly talented, triple-threat. He has a warm, welcoming presence as an actor; he also brings an authority to Joe so you believe he’s someone the actors respect and will follow. Bleu’s singing is strong and lustrous, and his dancing — particularly his tremendous tap ability — is … wow.

Arguably the biggest scene-stealer here is Veanne Cox, as the wealthy, snooty owner of huge property surrounding Jane’s. The way she trills dialogue can turn anything into a punchline. She can wave her arms about as her character repeats “l’amour” and generate audience laughs. When her character falls for the egoistic actor Montgomery Leach (played by J. Anthony Crane with Barrymore flair), Cox burbles with girlish romantic giddiness.

Danielle Wade does her own take on the Judy Garland role. She gives Jane a swagger and a tough façade that reveals a more human self during the course of the story. Wade’s most important feature is her voice, which is potent whether she’s finessing a ballad or powering through a big number. While she can’t compete with Garland’s renowned version of “Get Happy” (who could?), Wade does a good job in the number — choreographed and costumed in an homage to the original — that serves as the culmination of the production.

Arianna Rosario gets to play an interesting arc at Gloria. At first, Gloria seems to be a blithe, self-centered actress, but she later shows that she is quite the problem-solving producer. Rosario makes the transformation believable, as if Gloria is finally letting her real self come through.

The scenic design by Wilson Chin suggests the various elements of a Connecticut River Valley farm in the 1950s while still allowing room for the cast to burst into all of those big dance numbers. And the costume design by Tina McCartney provides a fun and functional take on country clothing of the era.

I will say that the second act could be tightened up (we don’t need to see so many beats of the rehearsal process), but, in total, this “Summer Stock” is sensational." [source]

(hooray for most directly explaining gloria's overall arc)

and the next review:

"A throwback to the golden age of Broadway and movie musicals, "Summer Stock" is a timeless, inspiring song-and-dance tale of good deeds, fairy tale showbiz, classic romance and backstage intrigue played out to such dazzling effect, you want to freeze frame it, take it home with you and watch it over and over again for pure fun and a let's-put-a-smile-on-your-face endorsement. This is Goodspeed Musicals at its best - old-fashioned musical entertainment designed to deliver by the bucket's load, stir the senses, rhythmically intoxicate you and dance up a continual storm of good cheer that's guaranteed to leave you breathless.

Animated. Airborne. Magical. Sweet-natured. Fresh-faced. Dance happy. It's all here, wrapped up in shiny gold ribbons and signature colors that complement and complete the picture with a technicolor flourish, a big bang and an internal logic that flows with appropriate style, stamina, full command and intent.

Adapted to the stage by Cheri Steinkellner, "Summer Stock" replays that popular let's- put-on-a-show conceit where everything rests of the big opening night, the box-office intake, the big kiss between the leading man and the leading lady and how a complete unknown saves the day right before the final fadeout. Here, struggling Connecticut farmer Jane Falbury decides to let her actress sister Abigail and her actor friends from New York use the family barn as a rehearsal space for their brand-new Broadway bound musical in exchange for doing the daily farm chores to raise enough money to keep the business from going completely under. One slight problem. During rehearsals, Jane finds herself falling for the show's handsome director, Joe Ross, who, happens to be engaged to the show's leading lady - her sister Abigail.

Staging "Summer Stock," director Donna Feore ("Chicago," "Billy Elliot," "A Chorus Line"), who doubles as choreographer, creates a loveable, intoxicating show that reels you in, grabs hold of you until the final curtain and lets you fall in love with every little detail, surprise, plot twist, joke, visual gag, one-liner and tilt of her jolly agenda while she articulates every element of this musical story with thrust, warmth, spin and splendid articulation. Directorially, she pulls it off spectacularly. No wrong moves here as "Summer Stock" catches fire with a spark, a gusto, a shine and a 1950s mentality infused with plenty of imagination, originality, style and flair.  More importantly, the production never loses sight of its origins, its functional plotting and its love of musicals of yesteryear despite well-intentioned doses of kitsch, takeaway humor, giddy backchat and story arcs right out of the MGM library of backlot moviemaking.  Feore, free spirit that she is, fuels the musical with a sharpened wit and sentiment that works especially well as does her decision to let "Summer Stock" remain rooted in the period from whence it came in terms of staging, development, expression and interaction. 

Moving from screen to stage," "Summer Stock" retains only four songs from the 1950 MGM musical. The addition of several new songs to the original version of the score turns the two-act musical into more of a showstopping event and adds clarity, luster and vintage spin to its already proven material, its let's launch into another song and dance routine blueprint and its firm grasp on characterization, story evolution and its happily ever after conclusion. At Goodspeed, there are 28 important, recognizable, smartly placed musical numbers. They are:  "Get Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again/I Want to Be Happy," "Accentuate the Positive," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Always," "Always (reprise)," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Dig for Your Dinner," "Me and My Shadow," "Howdy Neighbor, Happy Harvest," "Red Hot Mama," " 'Til We Meet Again," "You Wonderful You," "June Night," "Some of These Days," "Joe's Dance," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (reprise)," "It All Depends on You," "Always (reprise)," "Everybody Step," "Lucky Day," "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," "Hinky-Dinky Parlez Vouz," "It Had to Be You," "Get Happy (reprise)" and "You Wonderful You (Finale)."

Musical director Adam Souza ("42nd Street," "Cabaret," "Next to Normal," "A Grand Night for Singing," "Because of Winn Dixie," "Rags") grabs hold of the "Summer Stock" score and allows it to breathe, gesticulate, excite, envelop and rhapsodize with the golden age sentimentality of MGM movie musicals and the timeless, larger-than-life spirit of old Broadway. Here, every song matters. Every song is important. Every song travels down memory lane. Every song is tuned to the max with sweet, centered, warm-heartedness. Every song fulfills its intended purpose. All of this is complemented by the strong, flavorful sound of Souza's orchestral team, all of whom share his tremendous sense of theatricality, musical interlude, impassioned communication and delight of the actual musical itself.  They are: David Uhl (bass), Sal Ranniello (percussion), Liz Baker Smith (reed 1), Andrew Studenski (reed II), Travis Higgins III (trumpet) and Matthew Russo (trombone). As with other Goodspeed musicals, Souza doubles as conductor and keyboardist. As "Summer Stock" zings and pops, pretty music every song unfolds with a contagious orchestral musical glow, matched by the splendid musicality of the entire cast who address the catchy, homespun music and lyrics with perfect harmony, rhythm, phrasing and nostalgic commitment. These elements heighten the on-stage mode of the production, its progression from Act I to Act II, its send offs, its pastiche and its electrifying, barn-raising influence and thwack.

As with any big stage musical, choreography is key to a production's success, its fluidity of form, its artistic expression and its accompanying dance routines. Here, Feore, as choreographer, gives "Summer Stock" a highly personal touch of invigoration and speedy excitement that is tipped and generated with wonderfully elongated inspiration, stamina and determination. This is star quality choreography that peaks, shines and tilts with clever build ups, catchy dance steps and bold, concentrated rhythms, moves and beats that joyfully celebrate 1950's musicals in all their technicolor glory.   As storyteller and dance interpreter, she brings great dimension and scope to the piece using techniques, styles, descriptions and an enriched canvas of thoughts and ideas that make their mark most engagingly. Everything that happens on the Goodspeed Musicals stage has been beautifully blocked, rehearsed and staged with such thrust and individuality, no two dance numbers are alike. In fact, once "Summer Stock" catches fire, there's no stopping it.  Creating a freshly minted fusion of moods, tableaus, lifts, twirls and swirls, Feore pays homage to the actual vintage look and mindset of the musical, its dance-friendly art form and its free-flowing feel of excitement and exhilaration. Hands pop. Arms move heavenward. Dancers smile and glisten as they passionately ignite into joyful visions of sweetness, passion, frenzy and syncopation. Everyone is lost in the moment illustrating the traditions, the conscience and the power of musical theatre, giving and getting the most out of Feore's phenomenal, ovation-worthy choreography. Trained, drilled and confident, they each get a chance to shine - and shine they do - all making strong impressions that will live long in memory.

Making his Goodspeed Musicals debut, Corbin Bleu, as Joe Ross, a character originated by Gene Kelly in the 1950 film version, creates a "Wow!" song-and-dance-man factor chock full of charm, personality, self-confidence and full-beam, champagne delightness that astounds, cajoles and sparkles with leading man gait and luxury like no other. No matter what he does, he's a proverbial triple-threat (i.e., a player who excels at acting, singing and dancing) who makes everything that happens on stage feel fresh, spontaneous, real, raw and very much in the moment. It's in his eyes. It's in his moves. It's in his expressions. Exhibiting a sweet, contagious rapport that extends far beyond the footlights, it's the performance of the year and one that Bleu exudes with a Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire aura of showbiz savvy, knockabout whimsy, graceful athleticism and sterling encapsulation. "Joe's Dance," a solo dance number in Act II performed by Bleu only furthers that notion.

In the role of Jane Falbury, a role made famous by Judy Garland in the original "Summer Stock" MGM musical, Danielle Wade lights up the Goodspeed Musicals stage with a breezy, intuitive musical comedy performance of real warmth and spirit that is a constant joy to watch. Veanne Cox, cast in the role of the wickedly devious Connecticut farming magnate Margaret Wingate, is jaw-dropping brilliant, using humor, music, dance and melodrama in divinely daft and glorious ways that prompt applause and laughter whenever she's in the limelight. It's a scene-stealing performance so seamlessly entrenched in glee and fiery abandon, Cox, would be the ideal choice to play narcissistic Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen in the 2024 summer presentation of "The Prom" at Playhouse in Park in West Hartford. I'll personally deliver the contract. Other memorable performances are delivered by Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Henry "Pop" Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil Filmore), Will Roland (Orville Wingate) and J. Anthony Crane (Montgomery Leach). A musical escape brimming with delightful songs, engaging performances and full-beam dance numbers, "Summer Stock" is not only a bubbly tonic for theatergoers of all ages, but one that kicks nostalgia into high gear with uncomplicated bliss, fizz and vintage sparkle. It sings. It dances. It pops. It dazzles. Like "42nd Street" which played Goodspeed Musicals last season, it overflows with Kelly/Astaire lightness, punch and precision, sunny vibes and well-played exactitude. The energy displayed here is fast and furious with first-night exhilaration and thrill paired especially well with Corbin Bleu's charming star turn, Danielle Wade's joyous "Get Happy" abandon and Veanne Cox's well-prepped, icy cool villain. This is musical theatre of the highest order - infectious, irresistible, glorious. Its leave-your-troubles-at-the-door/Let's-put-on-a-show mentality accelerates with sparkle and cherry pie goodness. And boy, do we need it now!" [source]

(the reference to jane's sister abigail uses the film's names: abigail becomes gloria in this production, which is the name of abigail's actor in the film, which also mirrors how the role of herb is now phil, also the name of herb's actor in the film)

(also shoutout to providing A Full, Chronological List Of Songs. noting that according to another interview, intermission would be between "you wonderful you" and "june night")

[coquelicoq]

these french people are more prudish than i was expecting. right now a major source of drama is that one guy takes off his shirt sometimes. uhhhh...okay. you guys literally have public nude beaches but okay.

[bonebabbles]

Ivypool's Heart: Finished

Just completed reading the new super edition! I'm pleasantly surprised by this one. Overall, this was a very good book, MUCH better than the past 3 which were some of the most boring and unnecessary entries to the entire franchise.

If you were on the fence about this one, I'd recommend it. Just take this warning; it does the Warrior Cats thing where it harps pretty strong on parenthood and nuclear families being a borderline essential part of life, including a ton of bashing on how uniquely horrible this makes the Sisters.

If you can get past that, it's a pretty solid story about grief that makes some really fun additions to the WC lore, including the wildcats, StormClan, and a broad expansion to the afterlife system.

Meandering thoughts below the cut;

One of IPH's biggest flaws is pacing, but it's not nearly as bad as the past 3 SEs.

Not to mention, this is a pretty small SE. If you're ever bored, it won't last long.

Before the book introduces the Wildcats, it REALLY meanders. It'll pick up, but you will have to wade through relatively uninteresting scenes of the cats traveling and talking about their feelings unprompted.

A lot of "quicktime events" happen out of nowhere to fill pages with cats running away from random bullshit.

There's a horse carriage, an apple picker, dogs, weasels, foxes, a storm, traffic, humans, boats, sandwhiches. It's endless. My eyes glazed over during most of these scenes.

I know a lot of people were dreading Ivypool being nasty and unreasonable during this book, but honestly? I was hoping for it and didn't really receive it.

I find her most compelling when she's holding a grudge, acting on her anger, and generally working through messy issues. But aside from her just thinking about being annoyed or angry, she's really not snappy at all.

I feel like there could have been a lot more interesting and organic conflict between Icewing, Dovewing, and Ivypool's personalities instead of boring Quicktime Events. In fact, I felt like Icewing and Dovewing were kind of underutilized.

The conversations often feel quite stiff, especially in the first half. Everyone is very understanding of each other, respect boundaries and knows not to push too far, resolve their personal issues very easily, etc. It's kinda... unnatural.

Personally, I found that disappointing because I WANTED to see the cats actually process their grief over the course of the book. Watch them act out, maybe get in an fight or two and resolve it for the sake of the mission, have them come to a greater understanding of each other, etc.

Because Icewing and Dovewing are both so motherly and gentle and we're in Ivypool's POV, we don't really get to see them process their grief because of that.

They're not TOTALLY neglected though! I just... wanted more from this group.

However. I wanted LESS Rootspring.

I understand he's there to process the loss of Bristlefrost with Ivypool but god, every time he was on screen I wanted to push him aside and talk to Icewing lmao.

Stop trying to sell me "cool, mellowed from grief" Rootspring. He's a silly little hyperactive man and you will never be able to convince me otherwise.

As a silly little hyperactive semi-manthing myself, it would have been a lot more cathartic to see a clown like me going through grief. Not to mention just generally make for better chemistry with the group.

Between Ice and Dove who are already quite chill as characters, Whistle could have used someone more goofy to bounce off of.

I REALLY didn't like the whole implication that Rootspring is going to move on from Bristlefrost and "find a mother" for the kittens he wants so badly, though.

Erins PLEASE remember that adoption exists. He does not need a wife to be a dad. I'm beaming myself directly into your brains and telepathy-ing directions to the nearest cat adoption agency

aaaaaand on that note.... yeah. I did not like the way that this book leaned so hard on the whole "nuclear family" dynamic. Ivypool has had like two major interactions with her husband and one JUST happened in this book.

It especially bugged me that they leaned into Ivypool having been a very active mother, when we saw very little of that in the ACTUAL book. It wasn't even mentioned that Fernsong was allegedly the primary parent of the kittens when they were young.

But... I was able to look past it and just accept the book in a vacuum. There's a lot of good here.

Like the wildcats.

While I'm still wary of these being Scottish Wildcats and reserve my misgivings about the misuse of species that are very unlike domestic cats... I LOOOOVEEE the culture they've set up for them

I LOVEE the way that individual spirits reach out to the kits, guiding them through life

I LOVE the connection to StormClan

I LOVE their idea of the elements and general spirituality

And I LOVED the fact that a big part of Ivypool coming to terms with her grief was the expansion of her worldview. The way that she realized the religion she was raised with is quite small, and that there is an immense beauty in coming to understand other cultures, accept their advice, and see the world as they do.

I just wish the book had been able to tie that to a flaw that Ivypool has expressed since her very introduction back in OotS-- that she's smallminded.

It would have been a FANTASTIC way to really tackle and address that flaw, and pay off literal decades of set up. I really wish she had been messier in this book because of that!

But, digressing.

I'm over the moon that the team's actually playing with the series' spirituality! After such a long time of them outright avoiding some of the weirder elements in the series, like Rock and Midnight, it's exciting that they're finding some freedom in making new magic lore for themselves.

Hopefully, in the next few super editions, we'll be able to get some more insight to StormClan and the Wildcats.

The book really hits its stride in the second half because of this, and the ending chapters are actually fantastic. Some of the best stuff that's come out of the series (on purpose) in a loooong time.

[thechekhov]

Chekhov Reads Dungeon Meshi: CH46

D....dark Laios?

I mean, you DID consent!

The fact that ghosts can pass through walls and take other things with them... it kind of elicits another type of organism. Like, what can pass through cell walls? What other parts of the body can just yoink stuff from one place and bring it to another?

Congrats! It's all just been a dream!

I'm sorry what the SHIT?!?!?

Well, I-- .... yeah, I GUESS.

Though it looks more like one of those carousel horses.

I think this is probably still inside the dungeon. Very... DEEP. Inside the dungeon.

What? WHAT?! These things are like regular animals down here???

Oh, I--hm. I see.

Ordered by WHOMST?

Is this just an entire society of (humans??? ghosts?) that lives here in the dungeon deep? Is there still a king under the mountain? Are the rumors of the king dying not true at all?

........or are these people and descendants of adventurers who came in but were never able to leave? And the fact that Senshi points out that none of them are old.... are they ageing?

Laios, Senshi n--...... welp. There they go.

Bless this man and his absolutely non sexual obsession with monsters. But.

Izutsumi, who is a human-level intellect beastkin (though she's low on wisdom and patience....) is being very.... beast-ly and soft here. She's being magically compelled, presumably, to chill the fuck out.

Which means all these monsters are also under the same effect? Isn't that a little fucked up? They're basically under a permanent drugged effect.

Also. Hm. 'short lifespan' is....relative. Short lifespan compared to what? Immortality?

Orcs know this place exists....?

These people planting things for fun means they're absolutely trapped here like spirits.

Keeping up appearances for. Whom.

These poor people have no new incomers to talk to, huh.

Oh, I uh---- ................ hm. THat's not at all what I was imagining either.

Fashion is cyclical after all I guess....

Mmmmm. Mmmm-hmmmMMM.

WHEEEEZXE

Knowing I've finally hit these two absolutely iconic panels... amazing.

......I guess it can only do so much to make her docile...... she still doesn't like Laios.

Why does he look familiar...?

....so Derghal had a son. And a grandson. So then why is there a bid for the throne...?

Laios. Laios, is milking the minotaur the ONLY thing you did? Or was there more to it? Laios.

It's interesting. That bartender said he was 600 when he started his now-400 year old ale. So. That means they're 1000 years old.

That means that they're about as long lived as elves? Haven't gone mad yet. But that's still a long time.

That's kinda worse, yeah, but a loss of the self is a type of death, in a way...? So....

The most throwback of all time.

Actually, I feel like that's been there for a while, although it didn't always look EXACTLY like a lion's head. I feel like the little living armor he keeps in there made it that design? But how would it do that on purpose?

this is what it looked like some chapters back. Yeah, it's been sculpting into a lion's mane for a while now.... Ohohohoh playing the long game are we? 👀

Ah, it's not a wolf. How tragic for you, Laios. It'll never work out.

Also, damn, those wings sure be lookin like Falin's very non-dragon wings. What a wild coincidence. I'm sure that doesn't mean anything. :)

laughing hysterically. This poor guy can't get a break. He's been running from responsibility and inheritance for his entire life and it still catches up and trips him purposefully.

There is definitely a certain amount of tragedy there, yeah. These people aren't asking Laios for help because it's easier. They're legitimately stuck in a nightmare scenario. Unless you're someone who can get pleasure from other avenues, living all that time without the basic needs will drive a person mad. Elves live just as long, presumably, but they're still able to eat, I assume.

I'm honestly more surprised they're all as sane as they are.

.......King of Forgor.

[pia55tri]

Plz share wag/hab Carlo, TP Carlos, RB Carlos with the class plz

i was only going to share a few bits bc they're all very messy wips, but i talk too much, so... (please talk carcar with me tho, i will always welcome it)

WAG/HAB carlos

the longest of my wips, with the longest timeline (starts in 2021...)

super self-indulgent. they get together relatively early in the timeline, and then spend the rest of it being disgustingly in love.

carlos sees first oscar first. there's a f2 quali in the same city as his tournament, so he goes. he switched his career and started playing golf professionally a little later than most, but he's raced his whole life. it's in his blood. he knows when he's looking at a great driver on the track. so he stays through the session and ends up seeing oscar piastri take his helmet, and then his balaclava off. his hair poofs about his head, and carlos is sold. he is endeared, charmed. he thinks that he'd like to see more of this young man.

they meet some race weekends later in barcelona. carlos has now been to a few of oscar's races, has cheered for him even. oscar doesn't recognise him — he isn't a fan of golf, after all. oscar is still riding the high of a good race and a new trophy to his name. it's the endorphins and the adrenaline rushing through him that makes him more outwardly happy than he'd otherwise be. it's also why he doesn't shy away when a handsome stranger congratulates him for a brilliant drive.

“I just think you’re brilliant,” he says, with his big brown doe eyes and plush lips pulled into a smile. Like he means it. Oscar doesn’t know what to do with that. He continues earnestly, “I believe that you’re going great places. That you’ll be a Formula One World Champion someday.”

Oscar laughs. “Yeah? You know a lot of World Champions?”

The outrageously handsome man smiles wider, looking even more outrageously handsome. Oscar wants to file a complaint to God himself for sculpting him. “You could say that I know enough World Champions quite well.”

they get together in early 2022... oscar becomes a test driver... carlos climbs the world ranks... summer breaks and off-seasons are spent together... carlos teaches oscar how to play golf... racing each other in the sainzes's estate... oscar moves to monaco and takes carlos with him...

while oscar is a test/reserve driver, carlos still visits the track, but doesn't linger in the alpine hospitality. instead, he bothers his only close friend there — max. max, of course, finds it all to be hilarious. (“I don’t think I’ve seen you so often since you quit,” Max observes one day as he enters his room to find Carlos laid on his sofa. “Do you just miss me or do you get too lonely when loverboy is busy?”)

the wag/hab part comes after oscar is signed to mclaren and suddenly there are more cameras on him and his entourage. carlos can be often found around the mclaren hospitality or garage, and it's always a treat when the cameras zoom in on him. he's also not shy about posting on his socials when he's with oscar, not shy about sharing oscar's post-race posts either.

tl;dr: au where carlos is a pro golfer, and oscar is the same. in 2024, oscar is a race winner and carlos is an olympic athlete and also oscar's gorgeous friend who's always in the paddocks. all sorts of worlds are colliding, and those with the eyes to see are Looking.

TP carlos

short and sweet (hopefully?)

au in which carlos comes out of a retirement no one was really expecting (least of all himself) to join his old team as their team principal.

oscar is new to the grid. he'd signed literally just before carlos was kicked, so they haven't intersected yet, not really.

so oscar doesn't know what to think of their new tp, who's just a bit too young and too handsome and too there.

Oscar doesn’t know what to make of Carlos Sainz. He knows him, of course. He knows every Formula One winner in the last few years, and even before then. He’s seen Sainz on magazines, on the television, on his phone, and even on Lando’s. Carlos Sainz is a familiar figure to anyone who’s touched Formula One racing in the last half decade. But that’s Carlos Sainz, the handsome Ferrari driver. 

This is Carlos Sainz, McLaren’s new TP and test driver. It is an absurd situation, but everyone in the team is seemingly happy to have him around. It makes it exceedingly obvious, how young Oscar is, and how new he is to this space.

carlos is a very hands on tp who values driver input in every step of the process. he's also already rather familiar with oscar's teammate. this means a lot of meetings, phonecalls, and late night meetings with room service...

RB carlos

essentially, an au where things are just slightly different.

in which carlos grits his teeth and sticks through toro rosso until a rb promotion.

oscar signs with mclaren. that same year, carlos sainz, jr. becomes the 2023 wdc, the second spanish driver to do so in the history of the sport.

more or less a character study (?) of how it'd be if carlos stuck with rb despite everything. in this au, he's less friendly with the other drivers, more serious (not that he isn't already hh), and just generally a little exhausted all the time. his two closest friends are max and charles, and spends time with other drivers through their association only.

oscar piastri, however, is not the bright-eyed rookie carlos had been expecting. there is Something about him, and suddenly carlos is interested in someone outside his racecar, outside his very tight circle. carlos is so intrigued and so charmed. oscar is reserved, subdued, quiet. but there's a sharpness in him, a harshness that comes out only, it seems, when carlos rubs him the wrong way on track. it makes carlos wants to peel away his layers, see who he is beneath the pr training and the papaya fireproofs. maybe even beneath those.

oscar doesn't really like sainz. he knows he's spanish racing royalty and lando has put him on this pedestal as one of the greatest drivers ever, but he's just... a boring bloke. a vicious driver, sure. handsome with a nice smile, but rarely with anything behind it. serious. a little sad. he's winning races — and ruining oscar's, while he's at it — so really, if anyone should be upset, it should be oscar and not mr perfect.

max — along with charles and lando — is of the belief that they could be good together. meddling ensues.

tl;dr: carlos and oscar Noticing each other, but not doing anything about it until their friends catch on.

[system-of-a-feather]

is there anything you wish youd known about DID-specific therapy before you started? sorry if thats weird or vague, i just finally have a therapist that treats DID and im both nervous and relieved about it, so i guess im just wondering if you have advice as someone who has made so much progress with your own DID

God yeah there is a lot honestly. Like there are a lot of general rules of thumb that I've seen get mentioned here that I can say are usually really good things I found to be mostly true in my experience like

Persecutors are frequently demonized and they can be INCREDIBLY hard to work with, but they are incredibly important, often are parts that are capable of having the most growth and tend to add the most to the system once you figure out a good way to communicate and work with them; that said, don't push anything you aren't capable of handling, if they are being too much, safety first; just remember that they're probably some of the best allies you can have should you make things work with them; there is little stronger bonds - both between parts and as a whole - formed when you can befriend and trust someone / the part of you that you've always hated / avoided. Loving persecutors is self love and self love is important for healing

While keeping track of your parts can be helpful, try not to obsess and fixate on trying to find all the parts and figure out when and where everyone came from. It can become overwhelming (especially if you have a lot of parts), you might find parts and things you aren't ready to deal with if you try to look too hard, and it can take away from the important processing, bonding, communication, and present issues you might be facing as a whole

Its okay to relapse on maladaptive behaviors, especially if it keeps you safe and/or from relapsing or starting potentially more risky / dangerous / harmful maladaptive behaviors. Two steps forward, one step back, it's still progress so try not to be hard on yourself. Struggling and fumbling is part of recovery, you aren't bad, or wrong, or uniquely "broken" or anything for struggling through recovery. Recovery is just fucking hard and engaging with it at all is a really amazing and powerful thing.

Integration =/= Fusion. Integration is just improving and increasing the communication, connectivity, and fluidity of information and coordination of parts. Integration is inherent in any form of DID treatment.

On top of that, I think some of the ones I don't see talked about as much would be...

Splitting, while often assumed to be a negative thing and a result of trauma (true and sometimes!), can be very healing when you look at it from a larger lens. This isn't to say that you should want to split or seek to make new alters as a coping mechanism, because I'd probably say in most situations that is probably not healthy. This is more so saying that if your brain wants to / needs to / does split, its okay to just let it happen. Trying to actively prevent splits can cause a lot of emotional / trauma overwhelm and risk crisis states and honestly, sometimes its easier to deal with two (or more) contained and stable parts than it is to deal with one complex and unstable part. Likewise, sometimes it is easier to be two (or more) contained stable parts than it is to exist as one complex and unstable part. Splitting sometimes - and often is - a mechanism to maintain stability and keep life for all parts within a relative "window of tolerance" that you can function in. Splitting isn't a moral failure or a recovery failure or anything special. Splitting is just part of the journey of recovery and a lot of people split after they start recovery cause it can be a pretty hard thing to go through. You aren't alone if this happens and it is just part of the process and journey.

Similar to that and something that we've been talking on this blog a lot and trying to spread...

Fusion does not have to be a final thing. Fusion does not have to be a huge and notable event. Fusion can last anywhere from a few minutes, to a few hours, to a few months, to forever depending on what works for you. If a fusion isn't working for you or isn't sticking, your brain will likely re-split and if it doesn't, you can always actively try to undo it and we've done it multiple times pretty successfully. Fusion ALSO isn't anything special, it's something that just happens. Fusion and splitting are two sides of the same coin and really aren't anything as permanent or anything that carries any inherent value to it beyond what it means to you as an individual / whole.

And probably one of the things that I was the most astonished by

You don't actually have to process all your trauma to be at a place with your DID where you are considered to be "in remission" or to even reach functional multiplicity / final fusion. A lot of the meat of DID-focused therapy and recovery and improvement to life is not as much in the trauma processing as much as it is in the stabilization period; that is just to say, the main meat of growth, recovery, and improvement is found by working with your parts to establish an internal support system, internal trust with one another, and deeply getting to know each of the parts. Of course, trauma processing will happen along the way, but you can get EXTREMELY far with recovery simplly by focusing on the stability of the system, how you each support and communicate and coordinate with one another, and dealing with the trauma topics that come up in the immediate present. A good way to think about it is that the stabilization period is essentially creating a strong foundation and a strong base so that you feel secure and confident navigating basic day to day life with a lot of internal love and support and the trust that you and your parts can support eachother through a SHIT ton of stuff. If you can develop an internal relationship with your parts and your system that is very strong and built on trust and care, then dealing with trauma and adversities become WAY easier. Thus it can be a lot easier to postpone any heavy trauma processing that is not actively relevant and actively necessary to help improve internal relationships until AFTER you have a stronger and more secure realtionship with your parts. Thus I would suggest focusing on the present issues, the things parts are feeling and experiencing in the moment, and addressing those rather than trying to uncover every secret and trauma that you may or may not remember. If the trauma is something you are ready to deal with and it's relevant, your brain will bring it up when the time is right. Trust your brain thats protected you thus far and kept you alive thus far to let you know things when you are ready to know it, but also don't be afraid to ask parts for help if it does share more than you are ready. That's just to say - Don't Dig for information you don't want to know, but if something comes up that you don't feel equipt to deal with, its completely okay to seek internal or external help to try leave it behind. Again, especially early on, the focus should be on stabilization rather than trauma processing.

And just a little small one about online spaces and what not, but try not to worry too much abotu whether your experiences with the disorder align with others, or if you look "fake" or what not. A lot of recovery will look like things people who don't know better would think is "impossible with DID" and online spaces tend to be a place where a false image of what things "should" look like is kind of developed. Whatever you experience is what you experience and is inherently a real and true experience. Don't try to force yourself to fit into the expectation and boxes of others as it will often slow down your progress.

[liyazaki]

"specially abled" and "disabled" are absolutely, unequivocally not interchangeable terms. & yeah, it actually is that deep.

I wish my autoimmune disease made me specially abled instead of regularly ill. I'm a pro now at managing constantly-changing treatment regimens, coordinating monthly (if not more) doctor visits & endless bloodwork, but alas- that's not a superpower. it's the day-to-day reality of living with a disability.

I can only speak as a someone who was relatively healthy before I got sick, but the mourning period I went through was brutal. getting diagnosed with an incurable disease brings a metric fuckton of grief with it, requiring a huge perspective shift.

I'm an intensely independent, self-reliant person- sometimes to my own detriment. unsurprisingly, coming to terms with this new reality was no small task.

when I was finally diagnosed, I made a playlist (my go-to coping mechanism). I played one song on a loop because of its namesake line, & it still packs an emotional gut-punch for me: "I needed to lose you to love me."

I was angry at my body for 'failing' me- for having zero control over such an all-important outcome (my health). I had to reconcile myself to the reality that my life was different now. I had to lose my old view of myself to love the new version that needed more sleep, more sick days, more accommodations.

it took me years to get comfortable using the term "disability" to help describe what's now a big part of my lived experience (especially since mine is invisible). it went from being a foreign term I could've never imagined using for myself to my bridge to self acceptance.

(note: I have my own complex relationship with the term, as do most people. I’m talking about the harm in equating terms here, not implying that anyone should use these words to describe themselves. that’s entirely up to the individual.)

there's nothing romantic about my disease- a quality that "specially abled" imbues for me. do I- & all disabled people- have special abilities, valuable experience & unique skills? you bet your ass we do. one has absolutely nothing to do with the other.

every person has the right to choose the terms they're comfortable with to describe their experience. for me? treating "disability" like a dirty word 1) glosses over (if not entirely erases) the very real, life-altering struggle inherent to my condition, & 2) muddies the waters, potentially making it even more difficult for disabled people to get the accommodations we need when we need them.

using terms like "specially abled" isn't some evil, awful thing, though. if anything, it tells me that the person is trying to be delicate & respectful with their word choices. I genuinely appreciate that, even if it's misguided (in my opinion).

when in doubt? listen to how people describe themselves. honor them by using the same descriptors (unless they tell you otherwise). choose to believe people when they tell you how terms affect them.

forgive yourself if you don't always get it right- who does? perfection isn't the point- effort is the point. kindness is the point. respect is the point. how we get there is as varied as people, but it starts with the words we use.

[itsastrobixch]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS PART 5 🌹Chiron in 1st house people can't seem to relax in pictures. They always either seem tensed, drawn like a bow string in photos.

🌹Lilith in 4th in my opinion isn't just not getting along with the women in their family, but being and growing up alienated from their relatives and family. They loose touch with their ancestral roots or there is some sort of shame associated with their identity in that regard. It's like they almost try to reject that part of themselves when presenting themselves to others. they are ashamed of, in this case, anything to do with certain facets of their family.

🌹Count yourself lucky if an air sign comes to you with their problems, and ask for ur opinion. They may seem confident, just like fire signs and like they can handle it all on their own, but while fire signs bulldoze through the issue without thinking twice, the air people have come up with 1000's of ways this scenario could play out and are internally freaking out lmao

🌹Mercury aspecting Neptune people are either excellent liars and manipulators ( in the sense they can manipulate any situation to their advantage) or they suck at lying and everyone knows when they're bluffing. It's usually indicated by the positive or negative aspects, both planets make.

🌹I don't know where the bad rep about having Natal mercury Rx and communication comes from. people say They turn the influence of mercury inwards, an in some ways, yeah true. They may make the individuals think things much more thoroughly before they talk, Make sure their point is clearly communicated etc etc. This actually makes them an excellent communicator. It doesn't interfere with the expression of mercury in my opinion. For that, we have to look at the sign mercury's present in and the aspects it makes.

🌹Sun conjunct Mercury people usually read a lot, and the sign it conjuncts in can show their favorite genre or the themes they may like in their books. For ex : I have it in Libra and of course I'm a sucker for those sweet sweet romance and Smutty novels.

🌹Libras are NOT pushovers. we need to emphasise this more lol. They will look like they're fluttering around here and there trying to decide on something. But in actuality they have already decided and they just weighing the pros and cons of that. Yeah they are an air sign but they're cardinal air. You can't convince cardinal people to move a fingernail if they don't wanna lmao

🌹Uranus and or Mercury in 3rd house, the house of mind, have a lot of ideas. But they're all either scattered or they come and go in a fleet, with the person not even conscious of it, much less process it and write it down. But sometimes their ideas are electric and revolutionary, especially Uranus, solving stuff in very unconventional ways and surprising everyone with their eccentric genius.

🌹If an air sign texts u DAILY, keeps in touch with you DAILY, then they love you lmao.. they take a minimum of 3 to 6 business days to text people back..so if they do it daily, consider yourself occupying a high position in an air signs life 😂

🌹Venus - Neptune pisces venus 🤝 Venus Pluto scorpio venus : Falling for unattainable and elusive people and giving them more chances than they deserve.

🌹The ascendant of your ascendant persona chart also determines some of your physical features, it's not just your asc that determines your physical structure, and your ascendant of your ascendant persona chart isn't just how people see you. The sign your ascendant persona is in will contribute some factors in your appearance too. Along with the planets in 1st house if u have any.

🌹For example a sag rising with a Taurus in their asc persona, will have good thighs and legs but will also be very curvy and soft, with full lips and some venusian features.

🌹 Venus Pluto and scorpio venus people, being in love is their addiction. Not the person they fall in love with like most people assume, but the feelings their lover evoke in them, the way they lose themselves in their partner, and become one with them, that is their addiction.

🌹word of the wise : don't argue with people who have personal planets in Virgo. You'll be humiliated and proved wrong. Straight up. They don't get into arguments which aren't logical or which they aren't sure they'll win. So they go in prepared and armed. They're masters of rubbing Salt in the wounds

🌹 this is just a theory, but hear me out. Our 1st house and the planets in them have a large influence on our appearance. But..i also think, our 6th house plays a part in it too. Our 6th house affects our appearance too but in am indirect way. Our 6th house rules our health right and under that comes our weight, likes and dislikes in terms of food, our BMI etc.

🌹 case on point, me. So I'm a Sagittarius ascendant, and I have good hips and thighs. But I'm not tall. And I'm very much curvy. Although sag rising tends to produce that too, I've a fuller venusian figure. And i have Taurus in 6th house.

[equallyshaw]

thanksgiving in the hamptons | little lion au! ↠ luke hughes x ovechkin oc au! ↠ au masterlist! ↠ also idk why i never mentioned it earlier, but lions mom is lily lin. italics is russian. warnings: drama + fighting, kinda all over the place + rusty writing. word count: 4.4k

the season was well underway for her dad and the hughes brothers, as well as liona's junior year at nyu for fashion and marketing. it also marked a year since liona and luke had met for the first time at the party that dawson mercer had thrown, and a year since the two officially got together. this would mark the first time that luke had gone to something that was thrown by her family. though, thanksgiving was a relatively small occasion for the part russian and part britian, her small family and extended family always came together. this getaway had been happening for 12 years at this point, before sasha was born. her friends and her mom had been coming up with their parents to the hamptons during the summer for years and always ended up spending the most time at this one in particular.

when liona's mom heard about ellen and jim coming from michigan to celebrate the holiday- she offered luke and his family to come join them, and the hughes accepted without a second thought. her mother and ellen were excited to get to meet one another and hopefully get to know one another over the few days. they both knew how important it was to liona, for them to get along. when liona came up to michigan during the summer time, her and ellen spent ample time together and she absolutely adored the blonde woman.

liona, her mom, rainn, chris and sasha made their way up in her mom's suv towards the hamptons after leaving Thursday evening for the house they had been renting for 12 years at this point. her father and the rest of them would be arriving by plane tomorrow from dc and new jersey. sasha sat in front next to her mom, while rainn took the front row seat and then it was chris and liona in the back, like old times. they were an hour in to the drive, and still had an hour and a half left until they arrived. rainn and sasha were fast asleep by the time chris and liona began to speak softly in the back, "has luke met your dad yet?" chris asked as she pulled out her ear buds after dying and dug through her bag for her chord headphones, she nodded as she looked towards him. "yeah...why?" she questioned once she saw her nod register within him. he cleared his throat, "uh nothing nothing." he said looking out of the car window. her eyebrows creased before placing a soft hand on his that rested between them. he looked down at it, and then back towards her. "whats up?" she questioned now pulling her's back and shutting her book, the fourth wing. he shook his head looking up front and then back at her, the music her mom was playing was loud enough for her not to hear much while driving. "nothing i promise, i was just curious. but what does he think of luke?" he questioned with a slight grin, and she cracked a bit. "good! i mean for the most part...he definitely is a little closed off just because of - of how we ended but i think they're good for the most part. i also think that because of uncle geno being in love with luke, gives him some ease, but i don't know. i guess we'll find out this weekend." she said shrugging and chris nodded. they had had a somewhat hard breakup before freshman year of college. chris had been slated to head to Harvard for four years (before transferring to columbia for his sophomore year, for the spring semester), the two had broken up because of the distance, but chris just wanted her to be free to explore and have fun, while not feeling like she had to hold herself back because of being in a relationship and it hurt him beyond belief, to let her go. he thought they were high school sweethearts and would have been together for years to come. after an extremely difficult year away from his friends, he transferred. and had hoped the two would have found one another again, but as luck would have it- she met luke.

chris nodded softly, "you know i'll never forgive myself for how i ended things and how abrupt it was." chris explained and liona nodded, "i know, and yknow i forgive you for it. i know you had the best intentions for it." she said giving him a close-lipped smile. "besides, i wouldn't have met luke if we had been together still. for whatever reason it was meant to happen." she said before putting in her headphones and returning to her book.

the five of them made it to the lakehouse, and as soon as liona made it to her designated room, she texted luke that they had made it. the two of them hopped on facetime five minutes later, and she made her way outside towards the pool out back, that overlooked the private beach. "good evening kai." luke said adjusting his pillow and she smiled, "evening pookie." she grinned before flipping the camera around so he could see the waves coming in on the shore. "i can only imagine the view during the day he said, as she turned the camera back around towards her. "its to die for. have some of my fondest childhood memories up here." she hummed before yawning. "long day at work?" he questioned and she nodded, "the kids i nanny were giving me the hardest time this morning and they just drained me." she said rubbing her eye. "well, i wont keep you my kai..." he paused to yawn himself, "i cant wait to see you tomorrow." he said with a smile. the two hadn't seen one another in two weeks due to his very early road trip, which made this weekend even sweeter since they'd actually be together and spend some quality time with one another. "i know me too...you sure you don't want me to pick you guys up?" she questioned and he shook his head profously, "no. don't worry about it, spend time with your family. i promise we are good." he said and she nodded before they hung up. -

the following morning her father flew in, and liona was there to pick him up with sasha. despite sasha not being blood related to him, he had always treated her like his own and they absolutely adored one another. a few summers ago, liona took the time to really teach her russian and sasha loved to converse with him while they were around their mom since their mom knew little to no russian. thick as thieves, those three were. "alex!" sasha screamed in russian, as he walked up to the curve in the small airport near the hamptons. he held his arms open as sasha ran up to him and he lifted her up. "you keep growing young one." he laughed in russian, to which sasha rolled her eyes and the two of them began to walk back to the car. alex ruffled her hair and she swatted his hand away. "hey dad." liona smiled as he pulled her in for a hug as well, and he kissed the top of her head. liona took the flowers from him as he spoke, "hi lioness." he responded as he pulled his suitcase into the trunk. alex hopped in the back seat as sasha and liona took the front, and the three of them settled on a coffee shop to stop before driving back to the house. "so you excited to see luke?" sasha quipped and liona was quick to give her a 'warning' look but sasha only giggled. "see how things go." he said in broken english and liona only rolled her eyes. "alright." she hummed before pulling up to the drive through. "get coffee for mama." alex said from the back seat and liona added the last order.

a little while later, they pulled up to the house and chris was outside waiting to help with alex's luggage. alex hopped out and quickly shook chris's hand, which led to a bro hug. "hows columbia?" he asked chris as the two of them headed towards the trunk, "good! glad to be in the city again and finishing this year. for good" chris explained, and alex smiled widely. "year early?" alex clarified and chris nodded, before alex laughed. "always knew lion could have learned a thing or two from you." he said loud enough for liona to hear it as she entered the house. great, she thought. back to comparing the two, she grimaced thinking of how he'd always compared the two, and always thought chris was the guy to know and be with. "coffee for me?" her and sasha's mom smiled as sasha handed her her's and liona set chris' down on the counter. "ofcourse!" sasha smiled.

"what are you baking?" sasha questioned as the two males walked in, and alex and their mom made eye contact. "hey alex." she said giving him a quick hug, "hi lily." he smiled and she took the flowers from him with a smile. "very kind of you." she said quickly going to find a vase. "pumpkin pie." chris explained and liona nodded looking at the directions. sasha headed off to do some reading while alex went to wash his hands to start the second dessert, medovik which lily had been making since liona was a young girl. it was one way she would help honor her daughters heritage, even if she couldn't stand alex. "need help?" chris questioned as liona had began to wash her own hands to help, and she nodded. "the more the merrier." she hummed before pressing play on her mom's phone for music.

etta james filled the first floor as 'fool that i am' began to play. liona swayed to the jazzy music, as chris took his spot next to her's. the two worked in silence and tandem. lily walked back in and began to help alex, and soon enough they were in the process of cleaning dishes. chris found liona's gaze, as 'sunday kind of love' began to play from the speakers and liona giggled. the two of them had loved to play this song and dance to it, when they were together. chris held out his hand, and liona grinned taking it. his hands found her hand and her lower back, as the two sang the song whilst swaying. alex and lily smiled to one another, as rainn walked into the kitchen. "pops!" she said clasping her hands on alex's shoulder before moving over to the fridge.

chris and liona sang the words to one another, like old times, and during the music break, he spun her around which caused her to giggle. the song ended and dancing in the moonlight now came on. unbeknownst to them, gavin and sean walked through the front door along with the hughes after taking flights and trains to get here. "your faves are here!" sean announced as he entered the kitchen. he froze and gavin walked into him, as he spoke to the hughes family. "man-" gavin began but froze himself as he saw lily and alex conversing at the sink, and then his eyes landed on chris and liona who were still dancing with one another. along with rain who was eating a snack. "is that medovik?!" gavin questioned loudly, and all eyes found him. liona quickly stepped away from chris, and turned right as luke stepped into the kitchen beside sean and gavin. a huge smile erupted on her face, and made her way over to greet him and his family. "hi!" she said to all of them as her mom shut off the music. "welcome to the hamptons!" she added, looking at all of them and then back at luke. "hi guys! would you like a tour?" her mom swooped in and all of them nodded. "cmon ill show you around!" lily said beginning to walk off towards the other end of the house, as luke and liona stayed put. "let's head to my room." she said softly, pulling her with him towards the stairs.

they made their way up the stairs and headed down to her room, and she let him walk in first. "how was the flight?" she questioned and he shrugged setting down his bag near the door. "not bad, jack just got on my nerves this morning." he chuckled laying down on his back. she laid down next to him on her side, propping her head on her hand. "well im glad yall made it in one piece." she hummed pushing a long lock from his face. his gaze shifted towards her, and she leaned in to give him a quick peck. "im glad you made it." she whispered before kissing him once more.

_

it was now thanksgiving and the families sat down at the long, wooden table. the two families had gotten along rather well so far into the trip, and that made liona's heart soar. knowing they got along well, was a very big thing for her. she sat down next to luke and across from chris and rainn. luke and her hand found one another's under that table quickly, before helping pass the food around. comfortable conversation washed over the table, and the conversation turned towards discussing school and how the group of friends were doing with their studies. "im good! im going to be starting my year long internship with conde nast this janurary." liona said with a small smile on her face, "are you excited for it?" ellen asked and liona nodded. "yes! id always hope to work there in some sort of fashion and interning there is a dream come true." she gushed, and ellen smiled widely. "oh! chris is it true your graduating this spring? alex mentioned that you were fast-tracking your under grad?" her mother questioned chris as gavin asked something about columbia. "yes! ill be done this may and then hope to travel around europe for a bit." he said shocking the friend group, as they had no idea. "wait what?" liona questioned softly, referring to the europe part. "ever the smart one." alex remarked tilting his drink towards the boy who smiled. "that's so cool bro, i think gavin and i were heading to Britain for a study abroad. we have to get together!" sean exclaimed and the three boys made commitments to meet up. liona sat there looking at chris, feeling somewhat pissed. he'd never said anything, and he always told her everything. even despite the breakup.

"what? trying to find a way to one up him?" sean joked causing the friend group to laugh, as they thought of how the two of them always went head to head with academics and other competitive things. liona's jaw tightened as she bit back her sarcastic remark, "the two of them used to be each other's competition in everything. growing up next to one another always brought out the worst in them, always having to be on top of it all." alex joked filling in the hughes family, "which is always how their relationship worked." alex added before realizing what he had said, out loud for that fact. sasha choked on her lemonade, as liona stood up abruptly and pushed her chair back, so she could walk out of the room. "lion!" her mother called for her, but rainn was already on her way after her.

liona walked out the back door and towards the private beach, with rainn on her tail. liona felt tears prick her brown eyes as she crossed her arms. her father always found a way to jibe at their relationship and how it ended, and that he always thought that they should of gotten back together. it seemed as if he never gave luke a 'proper' chance, even after a year.

"hey-" rainn said putting a hand on her friends shoulder, but she pushed it off. "you okay?" she asked softly and liona made a tsk noise. "okay? okay? you think id be okay with my idiot of a father bringing up my relationship with my ex who he has always thought of as the superior one and would always be the superior guy to anyone else i date? he embarrassed me in front of everybody!" she screamed at rainn. rainn didn't take offense, because she'd be just as pissed if her dad did that. "i don't understand how he shoots himself in the foot after making so much progress with me! and my mom!" she yelled at no one in particular, before screaming out to the sea. rainn frowned before looking back at the house, where she knew they were all watching. liona sat before wrapping her hands around her knees and perched her head watching the waves. rainn began to walk off to give her space, and back up to the house. she walked inside facing the friend group, hearing lily and alex yelling at one another up stairs. "ahh who'd a thought?" she said sarcastically referring to them upstairs as she noticed the hughes family standing in the kitchen, and smiled softly at them. "her dad is an ass." she exclaimed and they all hummed in agreement. rainn walked over towards the hughes and they all turned towards her, "hey...im sorry to bother but i think you should go see lion." she said looking at luke who nodded and immediately began his way towards the back door. "good luck." sean remarked as luke opened the door, and he paused looking at him. "she's sour when her dad pisses her off." gavin explained, and he nodded before walking out.

liona had been crying since the moment rainn walked back towards the house and as soon as luke heard her sobs, he jogged towards her. he sat down without a word and pulled her into his chest, trying to comfort her. "im sorry." she sobbed and luke shook his head, pressing soft kisses to the top of her head. "he does this every time...one step forward and then takes three steps back." she said frustratedly, as luke pulled her in tighter and she curled up to him. "he always feels the need to somehow make jabs or comments at me about chris because he feels as though i was wrong for breaking up with him." she remarked and luke's eyebrows furrowed. "i thought he broke up with you." he said peering down at her. she nodded, "no he did, but chris never had the heart to tell my dad that, that first christmas back from school." she remarked and that made luke angry. "sometimes i feel as though he never wanted me as his child, but chris." she said barely above a whisper and luke's heart broke. "there's no way in hell that is true." luke said softly pulling her chin, so she could see his face. "he would be an absolute fool, kai. an absolute fool if he ever thought that. but he loves you kai, even if none of us understand or always believe it, but he does." he said with a soft smile. "but you're not wrong, he is an ass but he's a stubborn one that i know you absolutely adore and cherish." he said tracing her chin softly. she nodded, knowing he was right but she was beyond angry with her father at the moment.

"you are the strongest person i know, cammie." he began with his nickname that meant strength and resilient - honoring the russian chamomile flower that was her favorite. "you bloom in the midst of trying times despite it all. you bloom despite hardship, and that in itself is beautiful. this is just another one of those times, i know you'll come out on the other side." he said slowly in russian. the way the words flowed and rolled off his tongue, brought warmth to the girl's heart. "i see my little lion lessons have paid off immensely." she softly remarked causing him to chuckle. "that and the pretty penny duolingo charges me monthly." he added, and now she laughed. "you don't know how much that means to me, your effort does not and will never go unnoticed." she began looking up at him as her hand found his cheek, "means the absolute world to me." she smiled before pulling him in for a deep kiss. his hands found her back, bringing comfort to her.

they pulled away after a bit, resting their foreheads against each other. "just forewarning, when we go back in there i may rip my dad's head off....in russian." she warned and luke nodded. "your mom and him were already going at it upstairs when i walked out." and that made liona sigh. she could already see them fighting in her mind, and that made her shift in his arms. "where was sasha?" she asked and luke looked back down at her, "she was on the other side of the house with her airpods in." he said and that made her frown. sasha had rarely seen her mother yell, and fight with her dad. so on the off chance that they did, liona always made sure she was out of the house or doing something to distract her.

"we should head in." liona said standing up and looking back at the house, and luke nodded. liona held out a hand for luke to help him up and then headed back up the path, still holding each other's hand.

luke opened the door for liona, and she stepped inside. she smiled softly at the hughes that stood in the kitchen still as ellen made her way over to her. "im so sorry you had to hear all of that." liona apologized and ellen waved her off, before pulling her in for a hug. "you ok?" she questioned softly and liona nodded. "yeah..this happens sometimes i suppose." liona said shrugging and ellen gave her a small frown. "were going to be heading into town to get some dessert, and i think were staying at a hotel too before flying out tomorrow. you are more than welcome to join us." and liona smiled. "thankyou...i might join you guys for some dessert in a bit. i have to speak to my dad first but i have a feeling my mom is gonna want to leave tonight with sasha and i." she explained and ellen nodded. "well let us know and we'll be there anyway we can." ellen comforted. "i appreciate that very much, sincerely. ill let you guys know." liona smiled before heading towards the dining room, and saw her friends conversing.

they all looked back at her, with long faces. "im fine. i promise. about to go rip my dad a new one." she remarked heading past them, "hey were gonna leave tonight. were gonna get a rental car and go, if you want to join." sean explained and liona nodded, "thankyou. im gonna see what my mom wants to do." liona said and the group nodded.

she took a deep breath as she stood in front of the stairs, and once she exhaled, she walked up.

her parents weren't fighting anymore, and liona began to search the rooms to see where they were. she opened up her mom's room, nobody. she opened up the extra bedroom, nope. next, she began her way toward the room her dad always got. without thinking anything of it, she opened it without knocking and she froze looking at the scene. no wonder they had grown silent.

her parents heads whipped towards her in shock, as she took in the scene before her. she couldn't wrap her head around them being close to each other, let alone being in each other's arms and looking as if her dad was comforting her mom in some way. and once she looked at her mothers face, she saw that it was puffy. "oh my god." liona breathed, and took a step backward. "liona-" her mother called right as she sped off to her room. "oh my god- oh my GOD!" liona screamed as she began to push her clothes and beauty bag into her weekend tote. "lion-" she cut off her dad, "don't you dare speak to me - either of you!" she said zipping her bag. "please sweetie-" her mother said taking a step forward, to which liona squawked at. "to think i was coming up here to give you an earful...and to see that?! what the fuck are you thinking!" she cried, bringing the back of her hand to her mouth. she shook her head as alex took a step forward, "no. you have told me over the years how much you have hated him and how much you can't stand her. and now this? no. i wont be apart of this, whatever this is because the two of you have never gotten your shit together for me, for the sake of your child." liona exclaimed.

"darlin-" she cut off her dad, "no! its my turn to speak." she remarked as she threw her bag over her shoulder, "my whole life has been at the expense of your relationship and your incapability of getting along. so apologies for me being uncomfortable seeing you two close like that. my sincere apologies for reacting a certain way to this shit show." liona spat with anger seething from her body. "cancel my flights for christmas to dc." liona breathed before walking past the two.

she made her way down the stairs, and her friends were waiting for her at the bottom. "ill explain later." she said as she locked eyes with luke who had let his family go ahead in the uber they called. luke took her bags and they made their way out to the rental car, his family had rented for the weekend. liona settled into the front seat, bringing her knees to her chest and looking out the door window.

"im here, always. if you want to talk." he offered as soon as she turned on the car. she peered over with a small smile.

||

her insta:

UM

hehe

i hope you all enjoyed! pls like and reblog if u did (:

[reimeichan]

God it's definitely super weird for me to read through things related to DID experiences that are just. Painted in a negative light????? And not just by others but even like, the others in my brain and the stuff they post can sometimes get so sad and woe-is-me and stuff. And for the most part, for me, I've not really experienced my DID as a negative in my life. Like yeah sure I experienced a lot of trauma growing up and it absolutely sucked and it probably says something about me as an alter that I can kind of handwave that away (relatively speaking), buuuuut also I remember for me being really excited as I was going through my own syscovery back when I was 12 years old or so. And yeah, I did kind of think of DID in a "friends in my head" kind of situation, but more than that it felt like stuff finally made sense for me! Oh, so that's why I sometimes say things I don't mean. That's why my friends tell me I said something the other day that not only do I not remember but I also now vehemently disagree with. That's why I feel like I can never make up my mind and why my brain is so noisy all the time. So much of my life and my experiences suddenly fell into place that I felt a huge sense of relief to know that what I was experiencing actually made sense! I can't relate to anyone who talks about living with DID as if it's some sort of curse they're struggling to break out of. For me, knowing about my system and my DID has been a huuuuge blessing in my life and a source of so much joy for me.

I dunno, I just... I know this isn't even an abnormal experience online, but I know a lot of people who see posts by people who don't feel all doom and gloom towards their disorders as, idk, making light of a serious thing? And I'm not trying to do that! I just want my experiences to be able to live equally beside those who do struggle with their DID. I mean... I share a brain with people who don't find joy in our diagnosis. I get it. But there's also those of us who are happy that we exist the way we do. And I think it's important to have room for both sides of the spectrum in the community, and for anything in between or even outside of it.

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

So what is your opinion on fanfictions where Blake parnets are swingers. To be clear there no cheating or sercets they tell each other everything. I like the idea because I imagine that the Faunas and the LGBTQ+ have to work together at some point to get rights in Rement instead the creators just saying Homophobia doesn't exist. I thing it has both sexy and interesting potential. Sorry this isn't a writing promt. Unless you can get something out of this then please do what you want.

Don't apologize for not sending in a Writing prompt! I love conversation!

I love The Idea of open relationships in Faunus Culture! Genuinely, I understand why CRWBY did what they did with the faunus plotline, which doesn't justify it's many failings, just to say I get it.

I would appreciate if we got more information on Faunus Culture(S)

Which is part of the reasons why I'm writing the Sharc AU.

I want to know what Culture was destroyed, forgotten, twisted because of Humans fighting with Faunus.

Show me Tidal Faunus that lean heavily into the idea that the whole village is a family, where 'Marriage' is a concept only recently introduced by Humans.

I want to hear about the Panther Faunus that once ruled large chunks of Anima, with their legion of Arthropods, primates, and other Jungle Dweller Faunus, and their connections to their wild, dense homes.

Scavenger-Faunus that preform ritualistic cannibalism as death rites to further the Cycles of Life, and forever carry a piece of them.

I feel like someone with more extensive Knowledge on Indigenous peoples could write a compelling character around the idea of being Two-Spirit and how that may affect Aura - Because there is literally someone with two souls inside him, so whose to say Oscar's the only one?

Faunus with high rates of intersexism, and ones that naturally transition in Females (Like clownfish) or get more masculine as they age (Like Peahens losing their brown coloration) Faunus that go through Parthenogenesis!

Humans, as a species, have relatively low sexual Dimorphism. The bone structure of Males to Females is next to none, especially when compared to practically any other animal.

Most others have baculum, some males are fucking tiny compared to females like anglerfish.

There is, notably, a difference in ability - Blake has better hearing than her teammates, Ilia can camoflage better than any one else, prehensile tails are useful.

It was never going to be a perfect allegory for real world things when there was notable differences in functional biological endeavours - to the point where Splatoon did racism better the RWBY.

So embrace that Difference.

Show me how the differences between cultures based on how their physical traits and their environs.

Courting rituals that involve finding and retrieving certain foods to prove that you love someone enough to endanger yourself for their happiness, sports that can only be done with Claws or Fangs, dances that need the dancer to have a prehensile tail.

The limits are near boundless. It all depends on your knowledge, Imagination, and Confidence.

So yeah. I like the Idea of Faunus working with LGBTQ+.

And also the Idea that Ghira and Kali are Swingers, whether or not that comes from their 'original' culture,or if they're just like that.

[bones-of-a-rabbit]

infodumps abt a new au idea (the demon-familiars au, or the un-familiars au)

TL,DR: Reader is a witch/wizard hired by a town to handle a poltergeist/demon problem (Vanny has a cult and is trying to summon demons lol), but they aren't very good at being a witch/wizard and after a bunch of 'throwing things at the wall to see if anything sticks' and absolutely nothing working, they, in a panic, kind of accidentally summon Sun and Moon, who are equally shocked to see them and after a bunch of staring at each other like ?????????? reader ropes Sun and Moon into helping them and hides them in plain sight as their 'familiars' until they've taken care of the demonic cult problem, promising to send them home as soon as things are ok again. PLOT TWIST THEY GET ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER AND KISS PROBABLY HAHAHAAAAAA

(the long initial ramblings/brainstorming i did w the space aces in discord is copy-pasted below, if anyone wants only vaguely coherent ideas n concepts abt this au and ur willing to torture urself, go nuts w it ig lol)

taken directly from the space aces discord, i present: the reason all of my aus are barely coherent and somehow overly thought through and barebones all at once, as shown by the following example (unfamiliars au edition)

weird silly demons/familiars Sun Moon au where Reader is a (less than talented) amateur witch/wizard trying to lie themselves into a position of relative security (bc theyve had to move three different times bc towns shun n drive away witches/wizards that proves to be unhelpful) and they werent actually trying to summon sun n moon so they end up getting them involved in their scheme but oops there is some kind of other demonic threat that is actually a big problem and oops oops now we have to seriously work together to not get killed by the other eviller demon or the cult summoning it while also fooling the townsfolk into thinking that u r competent and have everything under control

Sun and Moon, a couple of demons just chilling when suddenly summoned to the material world: what in the heck Reader, having just performed a spell/ritual they've never read the instructions for backwards and facing the wrong cardinal direction: SHUT UP AND PRETEND TO BE MY FAMILIAR FOR A MINUTE OR WE ARE BOTH GONNA GET KILLED, BURNING-ON-A-CROSS STYLE

hhhgj i just had. a rlly sappy idea for the 'familiars' part

basically like. witches n wizards naturally end up casting their own 'summoning' spell for their familiar at some point, most of th time when they are really starting to understand and control their magic? so to see a witch or wizard without one it's like 'wow they're a beginner' or 'something is wrong with them, why dont they have a familiar??'

so Reader asks Sun n Moon to pretend to be their familiars partly bc 'uh oh i summoned two whole entire demons without even meaning to i have to make this look intentional' and 'if i have a familiar the people will assume im a Real Witch/Wizard and respect me more'

and at one point when they r getting to be like, actual friends instead of 'weird roommates', Sun gets curious bc ofc he does

Sun: Soooo,, we're your pretend-familiars? Reader: Yea Sun: Sooooooooo,, do u not have a familiar? I've never heard of a wizard with no familiar Reader, visibly upset/disappointed (in themselves): Yeah, well, it turns out it's only the witches and wizards with actual skills that can summon familiars. So. Couldn't tell you if I've got one or not, I've never managed a proper summoning spell. Sun, foot in his mouth: oh,, Reader: Yep.

and then later. It turns out. There are ways to make a demon into a familiar! Turns out in the distant past some wizards used to make demons they frequently summoned for spell/magic services into familiars bc it was way easier than just doing the entire summoning ritual every single time

but at this point, Reader and Sun n Moon are close enough to be good friends, and Reader doesnt want to force that kind of permanent connection on them, they probably just want to go home, theyre probably sick of being here and being around u, and,,, u get the idea

and Sun n Moon dont wanna force that kind of permanent connection on YOU bc what if ur sick of them, or ur tired of feeding and housing them or putting up with their jokes n bickering, or maybe after everything u really dont want anything to do with demons!!!

so there's a lot of sad pining that none of them know abt

bc ofc they r all idiots in this au sorry thems the rules

and then at some point there is some big threat/place they have to go to, or maybe Reader gets injured in a fight, idk take ur pick, anyway in a heat of the moment panic Moon is like 'HEY U WANT US TO BE UR FAMILIARS RIGHT??' and reader like barely conscious is like 'w??? yea??????' thinkin he means the pretend thing theyve had going on

anyway spur of the moment/'im doing this to save ur life bc i love u' familiar binding spell/ritual performed BAM now ur stuck together

and when everything is calm again n the fighting is over reader looks at Moon and is like 'so ur like,, my actual familiar now,,' and Moon, sweating bullets, unsure if this is rlly what u wanted or if u went with it out of fear of dying, is like 'yyyyyyyyyes?'

and reader starts bawling their eyes out and kisses him bc this is like. th dream scenario to u

anyway reader n sun n moon are th worlds least likely wizard/familiars combo but somehow they r absolutely unstoppable together thank u for coming to my tedtalk

[saline-coelacanth]

So a little note about Leo's character that I wanna talk about is the fact that before becoming a ninja, he had a very normal life. He doesn't really have major drama with his parents and they're both alive and well. He never really had anything majorly traumatic happen to him, he just grew up as a normal kid. Sure, he grew up in Ninjago so there were a few disasters that he knew about, but for the most part his knowledge on the ninja is very limited simply because he was never too interested in them. The only thing that could be considered "not normal" about Leo was the fact that he was extremely good at art.

So then we cut to the merge happening, and yeah things are a bit weird and different now, but after some adjustments, Leo's life is still about the same. He still has his family, he still has his art, it's just now there's frog people, snail people, and other new species walking around. There's also the fact that Leo's been able to move paint across a canvas without using a brush or anything, but that's probably normal, too, right?

But then suddenly one day, the ninja show up nearby to fight off some crook, and one of them notices Leo. He notices how Leo is able to manipulate the colors on the canvas and says something like "this seems like an elemental power". Leo denies this, saying all artists get to this point eventually after enough practice, but this green ninja insists that it's an elemental power. So he offers to train Leo, saying that powers like that could be used for the greater good, and Leo doesn't really know how to say no. So even though he's not too fond of the idea of training to be a ninja, he goes with it anyway.

So he trains with the ninja, he learns the basics on how to fight, but he still can't get a solid grasp on his powers. And even then, being the Elemental Master of Color doesn't sound too useful in a combat scenario. But he keeps at it because the ninja seem optimistic and if Leo really does have these powers, then yeah he should probably be using them for good.

And then the entire world gets in danger. Leo is thrust into a world-ending level threat with the wolf warriors and Lord Ras wanting to bring back some ancient evil that would definitely cause major problems for the merged realms. He sees the ninja getting easily defeated by these wolf warriors, he sees Lloyd having full on panic attacks, and Leo quickly realizes that he is in WAY over his head. He doesn't want to help save the world, he's nowhere near strong enough to do that. But he still doesn't have it in him to say "No, I can't handle this." He keeps going because that's what everyone else wants him to do.

And yeah, things are relatively fine in the end. He's still alive at least, but Kai got sacrificed and as far as Leo knows, he's as good as dead. But the other ninja seem so... calm about it. Definitely sad and upset, but also like they've been through this before. And that just makes Leo even more terrified, because how common is it for the ninja to witness disaster after disaster? What has he gotten himself into?

So yeah, Leo's whole character is based on the fact that he has had a normal life his entire life, and now he's suddenly been thrown into the main story, which he was NOT prepared for. And a lot of his story does focus on him learning how to be more brave and learning to trust his own abilities because he CAN be a good ninja and a great hero, even if he thinks he's not cut out for it. And yeah, I mainly just wanted to ramble about Leo because I like him a lot and people seem to like him as well.

[73chn1c0l0rr3v3l]

if you're willing to share, i'd love to hear your thoughts on adoption/found family/people being weird about it. the way things ended up in that episode felt kind of off to me and i'm still trying to put my finger on why.

I'm writing this with a headache, so please forgive if it is a bit meandering.

I'm also going to state up front I am not talking about the adoption industry & all of the shitty stuff involved in that - I'm talking about my own experiences as an adoptee.

First things first: people are Weird about adoption. There's this assumption that people are default genetically related to their family unless stated otherwise, there's the assumption that people will want to be connected to their blood family, there's this assumption that biological family is always the best answer. I think a lot of people have a lot of default assumptions about what family IS & what it means, & they get uncomfortable if you question them.

There are 2 adoption narratives - either your adopted family is horrible & you find your biological family & stuff is Better, or you leave your horrible biological family to get adopted into a family that is Better. There's nothing for "i won't ever have access to the biological family, & I don't entirely relate to my adopted family either," or "my biological family loves me but I can't be in their lives because our values are too different but I don't actually like my adopted family but they're who I grew up with" or even the very succinct "they both suck, okay?" There's a huge variety of experience, & I feel like a lot of the nuance gets lost on people who don't relate for whatever reason.

It's one reason the Timeless Child resonated with me so hard? Because yeah, sometimes you don't know who you might have been & you mourn it, but you can't be anyone but the society that raised you. On a more personal level... well, Tecteun very intensely reminded me of my mother, & I was rewatching Flux (including That part) the night she died & uh... certain parts of that sure were familiar.

It's really frustrating as someone who is currently sorting through some VERY complicated family feelings - my mother (my actual mother, the mother who raised me) died in September. My father - the man I grew up with - died in 2012. I haven't heard from most of my family since then - I didn't hear from most of my family when my mother was dying, which happened over months. I haven't heard from my father's family in more than a decade at this point. They were not there when I was suffering as a kid, they were not there when I needed support as a teenager, they were not there when I was coming into myself as a young adult. Family to me isn't a thing that you WANT, because what's the point of it? I understand it's a different thing for other people, but these things are never one size fits all, & I resent them being treated as such.

If you came up to me & said "you can travel with the Doctor through time & space & you get a SPACE DAD or a SPACE MOM" I would run very fast in the other direction. I've got parents. Depending on how you look at it, I've got more than the usual set that most folks have. I don't want a replacement or an additional parent - I want to grieve the ones I have, untangle the feelings I've got about them. I want people in my life who care about me, who I care about - friends, lovers, mentors, partners, & all those other relationships that you don't have names for. I like it when things don't slot into place neatly.

Which leads me to my issues with found family as a trope. My main issue with it is that it treats the whole thing as very... one size fits all. That everyone *wants* to be part of a family with a mom & a dad & a grandmother & kids. Versus wanting to be in a polycule, wanting to be in a friend group, wanting to be part of a community. I feel like with the ending of the Giggle, it was slotting the Doctor (& Mel) in the parts of a traditional family - they're the aunt & the uncle now! Not blood related, but still having a designated Place. Which possibly ties in to people being weird about adoption, since merely being Not Blood Related somehow makes it different.

I am, admittedly, also allergic to labels. My only label irt my sexuality is queer, I do not have a gender, I have stepped off the various spectrums & am just... me. What I like about the Doctor & their relationships is that most of the time they're in that same grey area? Is the Doctor Sarah Jane's lover? Her best friend? Her avuncular old uncle figure? Her mentor? They all apply to varying degrees, but they're all also valid, & I love that.

I could also talk about my SPECIFIC issues with how it was done in the giggle, but most of that comes down to taste, & we all know that varies from person to person to a much greater degree.

I am also not telling off people who do like found family & those dynamics- I'm really glad there's so much space for so many interpretations! I'm really glad there are so many different enjoyments to be had!

... I'm not sure if all of this entirely made sense, but thank you for letting me ramble a bit.

[goodluckclove]

I'm writing a new thing!! I don't really need advice I'm just excited about starting it. They're gay and one of them's a shapeshifter the other has a culturally engrained fear of shapeshifters given that as defenders of the wilderness/ basically very local gods they tend to fuck up anyone who's in their space. I also dong know how to start books which is an issue my beginnings are always weak. How do I start a book. Do I describe the sheep? He's a shepherd btw which I think is fun because the shapeshifter often takes the form of a wolf or coyote. It's also set in a relatively high fantasy setting (no elves and shit just weird magic and a different landscape) that vaguely corresponds to the late 17 or 1800s (they've got some guns i think, they ride horses and trains might exist). How do I start a book. What do I start with. Where do I start. There's no real solid beginning I've got in mind, just a dude trying to take his sheep over a large area on his own. Help please I do actually need advice

Well you see, Ghostie, everyone knows that the first sentence of a novel is the most important part of the entire story. It has to contain the main character's name - in fact, it has to contain the names of every character in your cast - and it has to provoke intrigue and resolve it in a satisfying way without being a too long and jesus christ i can no longer keep up this bit.

I'm annoyed by people who say you need to have a super profound first line. I mean, they're good when they happen. If you can think of one that's great. But if you can't you aren't fucked right off the gate. If your first line isn't something people will get calligraphed onto canvases to hang on the walls of their boring houses (Is this a thing? Did I just make up a type of person to hate?), it doesn't mean your beginning won't be good.

You want to hook the reader. That's what all the guides say, right? They describe a person picking your book off the proverbial shelf and leafing through the first page to see if it's something they'd be interested in. That's solid, but then some go on to make it seem like you have maybe ten words before they either buy the book or toss it across the room in disgust. I'm not saying this is never true. I'm just saying that, personally, that type of person is probably not someone who'd be interested in me or my stories to begin with.

Usually when I'm considering a new book I'll skim the first few pages and then a bit throughout the middle, just to see if I like the prose. I do not put that much weight in the beginning, but it's always a good sign when the general scene feels purposeful. It doesn't have to be a car chase/diamond heist/sex scene/murder. I read someone somewhere saying that you have to start with something exciting and it took like an hour off my life I was so angry.

Here's one out of a billion angles to tackle this puzzle from - where does the story start for you? What is the inciting incident to the inciting incident? This feels like something easy to answer, but oftentimes what you come up with might feel a little inconsequential.

A beginning scene - like, for instance, a prologue centered around only sheep and coyotes - does not necessarily sound interesting on its own. But in a world where shapeshifters usually take on those forms it both sets up the world and establishes a mood. You can play with how much information you give people in the world.

Using my book as an example because I've been watching my editor @hoard-sweet-hoard react to it in real time, at one point he commented that he didn't know if the Eddie in my initial prologue is the same guy as the Edgar in Chapter One. And I was like yeah man that's the whole goddamned point of the book you tiny little king of fools. I wasn't at all that mean. I made a really good sandwich for dinner so I'm feeling extra rowdy. But the point is that I focused less on the action and more on the feeling it would create in the reader.

With that mindset the action doesn't really matter. If it's mundane it can be comforting, or tiring, or numbing, or eerie, or unnerving. If it's far removed from the world we know it can be fantastical and whimsical and sexy, maybe? I don't know. God that sandwich was good. I'm getting really into bagels lately.

Also, from purely the perspective of a writer, you might think of a better beginning midway into the draft. So you can also go back and make a weak start much stronger. You can skip the beginning entirely if it's really fucking with your life. Come back to it later. Who will stop you? Me? I don't even know how to find you. And if I did, you could easily kill me. You have that vibe and I am very clumsy.

Also also start posting excerpts when you get going because that shit sounds rad as fuck.

My bagel had egg and bacon and a hash brown patty and caramelized onion. Man has done a lot of sin, but it is almost neutralized by the insight we once had to caramelize onions. They have a unique flavor that I can only describe as eating the house of a beloved grandmother? Or maybe just the way that house makes you feel?

Yum.

[sadlynotthevoid]

Has anyone read "Becoming popular through the "All Villains" variety show" (link to english ttl here)? Because it's fcking hilarious.

Anyways, I love the concept of a show were all the participants are hated infamous people who got invitations to said show based only on how much they're disliked. I also love how the audience gets so inverted on them, despite how they were watching just to laugh at them at first.

And that made thought, what about a modern fantasy lcf au where ogCale gets selected to go to a show like that one without his knowledge?

The world would be more like lcf/pre-war tboah world, but with more technology and entertaiment culture on it. Like, magic just dance, arcades for all kind of races, various magical music related devices (not, it's not me wanting ogCale to dance, shut up), economic versions of record tools, etc.

And the audience of that program would be not only ordinary people, but higher beings too. I was thinking of gods, but you can put constellations if you want too (i know little to nothing about orv, so, it's up to you). I was thinking that the interaction with the audience would work kinda like that, floating messages and stuff.

The selection of the participants would be:

Half of them are chosen by voting of that world's habitants. That's how ogCale got selected. Some people (dirty nobles) thought it would be funny to watch him make a fool of himself, the rest (normal people) jumped on board because curiosity or for fun and giggles.

The other half are voted by higher beings and habitants from other worlds that have access to the show and system for whatever reason. Adin is one of them. In part because they want him to suffer, in part because they want people from there to TAKE A DAMN HINT.

Idk about the others participants, maybe some ocs, maybe other characters. Some of them actual bad guys, some of them not (that) bad.

Some shenanigans we could have

•The show requires their participants to live there until the end of the season. So, Cale draggs Hans to stay with him because he needs a babysitter for his cats. Cue, Hans, On, and Hong mocking Cale everytime they appear.

•At the presentation of the participants, Cale, face in blank, stares at the camera with the most dead gaze, and says "I was brought here against my will", takes a sip of a bottle, "basically abducted" completely calm. He's drinking tea, btw. He doesn't drink irresponsiblely infront of his kids.

•The host of the show trying to convince Cale to try whatever challenge they have to do. He goes from reasoning to pleading to bribing him, because Cale won't try it unless he thinks it's fun or he can get something out of it.

•In this AU, Bassen was already named official heir of the count title and Cale had taken care of his corrupted relatives some time before the start of the show. So, he doesn't need to act like trash anymore. He didn't say anything tho. He's just doing whatever he wants, but he's kind of a loner by habit. It's difficult for him to low his guard around people (besides the kids and maybe his siblings). However, as a result, whenever something is happening, he's just commenting the wildest or sassiest things from the side. Or the front. Doesn't matter what's happening, he states facts as makes observations as if he wasn't involved whe he pretty much is.

•*Wild poisonous lizard monster appears from nowhere*

The other participants: *panic, fight, fly response*

Cale: oh, look, it's prince Adin's cousin.

The host, from the safety: ooh, you seem to have quiet a problem there.

Cale: yeah, they have two poisonous reptiles now.

•Cale's bs detector went off from the very first moment he saw Adin. He doesn't know what's up with that guy but he doesn't like it. He tries to avoid him at all cost and pulls the petiest shit towards him at the same time.

•Adin: Nice to meet you. I'm—

Cale: —going back to the other side? Yes, please do that.

•Everyone noted that the trashy young master dislikes Prince Adin, but no one knows why. So they start making up theories and trying to reunite hints from their interactions. The most popular ones are A) the childhood friends-to enemies one, B) the one about them being love rivals for Prince Valetino's hand, and C) the one about them being rivals for Prince Alberu's love.

•When the host asked about the matter, Cale response was—

Cale: hm? Oh, he just buzzes my bs detector.

Host: I— what?

Cale: My bullshit detector. Have you ever met someone and just, immediately realized that everything that comes from their mouth is *beeep*? That you must not trust on them, no matter what? That's it.

Host:...I see. Out of curiosity, how precise is your, uhm, "bs detector"?

Cale: it has never been wrong. There was this time—

•The Soo's are part of the "habitants from other world" group. Choi Jung Soo is the most active one out of the three.

•Cjs outted himself as Choi Han's nephew by accident. Cale's instant remark— "Choi Han, come pick up your kid". He knew cjs was an adult.

•Venion ended up as one of the program's contestants due to some anonymous people spamming votes to mess with him. Just kidding. The culprits are the Henituse siblings + Hans. Bassen was mad at him, so Cale suggested it. Lily joined because "it's not fair that they have fun without her". Hans recorded everything for later.

•Alberu likes to watch the show to distress.

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That's all what I have for now. Feel free to add more or write it.