#now you expect me to somehow magically develop interest

[flyingcookiegumtruckthing]

Random but like should I re-download snapshot.

I kinda removed it from my phone but didn't delete my account lol. So like 2 years ago when I got news of a3! English shutting down, I deleted snapchat to make more room on my phone for the game files. I tried to go through the character and event stories on twitch to like. "Preserve" the English version of the game. It was not very organized and I barely got anything done lol.

Then! Dragalia was shutting down, so i tried to kinda do the same thing. Dragalia was like 14 or 16 GB. So I kept snapchat deleted lol.

So I finally got the stupid corpse of the game off my phone and on an external hard drive, plus my save file from that game file extractor program someone put on github. I removed random photos from my phone and put them on an external hard drive. I finally have free space on my phone.

So should I re-download snapchat to see what my irl friends who I have not been in communication with for the past 3 or 4 years since covid lockdown lol. (My snapchat is for irl friends/college and high school classmates only.) (But also not having pressure to post stuff there for the past 3 years has been nice. But also I've not seen my friends for a very long time lol)

[shinjisdone]

Any food scraps on Yandere riddle with a physically affectionate reader who despite being the teasing kind gets flustered easily?

Ok this is interesting. As much as I gush over Yandere Thorfinn and put Riddle above S Tier, I actually never thought of any of the TWST charas as Yanderes myself. I enjoy reading them as yanderes (especially Riddle!) But I never put any thought of how I would picture them as Yanderes. So yeah, these will actually really be food scrapes ;^^ hope its ok!

Yandere!Riddle With An Teasing, Affectionate But Easily Flustered!Reader

Ok. So. Yandere Riddle.

There are many variations but the one I see the most is an possesive Riddle who expects his object of affections to bend to his rules. It's the only correct way to be, the right way to live and the perfect way for Riddle to (consciously or unconciously) have a hold over them.

This is great but for me personally, I think it clashes with his character development on how he realizes that those rules are not supreme and that they have always somehow hurt him. They have hurt others. And unfortunely, he let his mother be his puppeteer in a regard, no matter how much he loves her.

So I think Yandere! Riddle would be someone who would try to not only guide but also protect. Find a way to not be hurt by those above you while still not straying from the path and falling into a rabbit hole.

I think in order for Riddle to even be a Yandere for you, you really have to be close to him. A childhood friend like Trey or someone he feels open and comfortable enough to call a very close friend.

So when you come in being affectionate and teasing, Im sure you'd have to be close to even feel comfortable doing that to and around someone as stern and not-so-sociable as Riddle.

Affections, yandere or not, are a bit startling to him. He does do physical contact but not to show 'affection' but to show 'proper ettiquette'. When someone offers their hand, he shakes it. When someone wants to join in on the tea party, he pulls the chair out. And when one wishes to be guided, he offers his arm, as the very scholared and upright student that he is, and teaches those in need of rules.

But high-fives, hugs and kisses are too...unfamiliar to him. Riddle will startle and blush a deep, crimson red before demanding what all of this is supposed to be. Why are you doing such things...out of nowhere?!

He doesn't know what to do in These situations...

But when it's from you, he realizes it is not so bad...

The scowl disappears and he notes how lighter his chest becomes even as his heart is skipping a beat. Not one but few! And more he realizes!

It's...good? And short and sweet like a strawberry tart...

Nevertheless how much he tells you to knock it off or silently endures indulges in your affection with a red face, Riddle will be very hesitant to show any affection back. It might take months.

You can teach him. But is still too much of an unfamiliar territory for him.

And teasing? Yeah, don't.

In this case, Riddle will feign anger but his face is just as red. He will pout and tell you to stop. He doesn't know what to do. If it were anyone else, it'd be long off with their heads. But this is you and you aren't just 'anyone'...

However, if one day he magically manages to fluster you? Things change.

It is...surprising. But so tenderly sweet. Your face flushed and your lips quivering, trying to avoid his gaze. The tables have been turned.

Riddle will experiment what he can exactly do to make you fluster. He sees it as payment and has a certain glee of Schadenfreude with him that starts off harmless.

When he realizes that you tease others, that you show affections to others and that others can fluster you...thats when he gets a bit insecure. And possessive.

There was something special about flustering the teasing one but now people like Ace seem to do so much easier. All of them can see your flustered, charming face.

Everyone gets a hug and a flick of their nose. You are one of his closest friends yet it doesn't...feel like it anymore.

Wasn't Riddle special to you?

Isn't that why you did all of that?

He puts you on a pedestal...sees you above the rules, protects you and wants you to have a safe and healthy life here in NRC. He would never do anything to upset you, let alone reign down the rules that have hurt him.

You can have all the tea and tarts you want. He'll allow you to come to any Unbirthday Party in whatever outfit you wish. You can hug and...kiss him, he doesn't mind it if it's you!

But he does mind that others get the same treatment from you.

Perhaps...one day he might create a new rule. Not officially, he isn't stupid. No, it'll be subtle without anyone raising any suspicion. Without you realizing that he wants your attention to be on him only.

'Do not tease anyone. Do not act inappropiatly at Heartslabyul grounds. Especially not guests'.

[sweetbunpura]

Okay but the thing is… Malleus ISN’T controlling the dreams?

That’s been a HUGE misconception due to him offering to give Lilia a good dream when he came in at the end of his dream. But he doesn’t actually control them at first.

His power is giving them their happily ever after dream at the time he cast the spell.

We know this because why would he have given Lilia that dream? The dream full of suffering where his best friend died and he was in the middle of a war? But it was still his FAVORITE MEMORY because it was Malleus’ birth. That was NOT Malleus’ choice. That was NOT his influence. Malleus wanted to give Lilia his happiest moment, and his magic delivered, no matter how horrible that moment might have seemed to others.

Because Lilia’s happiest moment was also surrounded by some of his worst. Can’t have sunshine without storms and all that.

Now when it comes to Floyd - the problem is, he DOES have ADHD like CRAZY. So the dream WAS fun for him. It WAS what he wanted… at first. The magic worked as it was supposed to. But Floyd’s definition of what was a great dream, a great happily ever after changed. Which meant the good dream became a terrible one.

But he was stuck in it, because the magic didn’t change with him, Malleus’ magic didn’t WORK with Floyd. It gave him ONE dream. It wasn’t expecting Floyd to get BORED of his “perfect” world. Which is how we got that really sad situation.

Another thing that kinda proves that Malleus does not control the dreams unless he directly involves himself, like with Lilia’s dream, is that he has ALL of Sage island asleep and under his spell.

He doesn’t know all of the students at NRC or all the people on Sage Island. So how could he have possibly known what their ideal HEAs were if he’s never met them? He doesn’t. But his magic works with their minds to give them that, just like all the students we know.

So… from what I can tell, Malleus actually isn’t controlling the dreams at all unless he comes in and interferes directly. His magic literally gives the dreamer what they think is what they want in their perfect world. It’s obviously NOT, in the long run, as they are all finding out, but that’s not the point lol.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am still very, VERY interested in what the Savanaclaw students are gonna dream about, because honestly? The twst devs really seem to fuck Leona over. They keep giving him the short end of the stick and like to have characters be mean to him for seemingly no reason. So I’m wondering if they are going to continue this trend and make me SUPER FREAKING MAD or actually give Leona the development that they have continuously hinted at throughout the ENTIRE GAME and actually let him shine for once.

I somehow doubt it, but a girl can *snorts* dream.

Anyway, sorry for the long ask! Just wanted to add my 2¢ about the Malleus dream issue!

You're all good!

I'm just piecing stuff together from what I saw based on Floyd's POV and we don't know the full extent from Malleus' UM. While Floyd's was sad to see, my son needs enrichment, we get moments like Kalim and Jamil's fist fight that made us go:

And the cursed image that is Buff Epel.

So Malleus' magic most likely skims the dreams of the person and makes up the dream from there. But yeah, my now largest issue is Leona's dream given his relationship with Mallues.

But I will admit, it's funny to not only see these dreams, but to figure out some of what we speculated was right.

TWST Devs out here looking at the fandom and taking down notes.

...But this book and Malleus' actions have made me like him a little less. I really wanna see the aftermath tho, cause Crowley can keep the other 6 overblots hidden, but Malleus' was worldwide, you can't hide that.

[bunnyreaper]

i still get jealous

pairing - gabriel reyes x f!reader, minor niran prukamanee x f!reader wc -  1414 warnings - flirting, jealousy, mild sexual content notes - niran crush is developing but... i can’t cheat on my baby gabe so here is the product of that... ill add a follow up chapter... eventually? also on ao3

"Hello there."

A smooth, eloquent voice cuts through your thoughts, diverting your attention from spectating the bartender to the man that's appeared at your side. When you turn, the last person you expect is the VIP, the man of the hour himself.

"Oh, hi!" You offer him a bright smile, somewhat taken aback by how radiant he is close up, and how he somehow manages to appear delicate and imposing at the same time. "Niran, right?"

His handsome face splits into a grin, his eyes lighting up with joy. "The very same. I assume you've heard of me?" He purrs, as if the entire party isn't dedicated to his arrival.

"You're all anyone will talk about around the base." You reply, taking a quick sip of your drink.

New arrivals are always welcomed with open arms, especially when they seem to be gaining adoring fans at an alarming rate. 

When Kiriko was brought to the base, everyone was happy, but with news of Niran's arrival, most of the women and plenty of others were going absolutely nuts. 

As he takes a seat next to you, his scent catches up to you—uniquely floral, a good balance of delicate notes and unforgettable aroma.

"Good to know that I've made quite the impression." He sends a wink your way, which you hate to admit makes you blush. 

You sip desperately at your drink, hoping the alcohol will chase away the fact that, from a purely objective standpoint, he's incredibly attractive. 

He looks good in pictures, but you never quite got the appeal until now, as he sits before you and steals your attention. "I'm sure you're more than used to that." You comment teasingly, as you know there's no way he's clueless about the effect he has on people. 

"Perhaps." He chuckles, an angelic sound leaving his lips. "You never told me your name." 

"Y/N." You offer, giving him your hand to shake, more as a formality and act of politeness. 

"A beautiful name for such a beautiful flower." He coos, a certain look in his eye as he takes your hand. Peaking through fluttery lashes, he presses a kiss to your skin. "It's a pleasure to meet you." 

"You too, Niran." As you begin to laugh. 

Indulging him with some seemingly harmless flirting was one thing, but he was clearly a man on a mission. 

This would make a great story later. 

"How are you enjoying the party?" Niran asks, cutting through your thoughts once more. 

"It's nice, I'm a little dead on my feet from extra training today, but, commander's orders..." You sigh, giving him a shrug and a smile. 

He leans in, coming even closer into your personal space, in a way you find both amusing and suffocating. 

"Your commander likes to work you hard?" He asks, a genuine spark of interest in his eyes. 

"Oh, you have no idea." You giggle, taking more sips of your drink.

In fact, you could say the Commander has it out for you personally. 

"I can help with that." His voice is flirtatious once more, and the offer takes you by surprise. 

"Oh?" 

Niran leans back, a beaming smile on his face as he conjures a sparkling, ethereal pink rose, before he offers it to you like he would a lover. 

"It's so pretty." You gasp, fascinated and transfixed by the display. 

The flower sits gently upon his fingers, magically persisting despite having appeared from nowhere—you've obviously not seen his use of Biolight in person before.

"Take it. You'll find you feel quite rejuvenated." 

You hesitate, wondering about the implications of accepting the rose, and yet fascinated by the chance to experience its healing effects for yourself.

You reach out and take the stem, and as you cradle it between your fingers, the pain in your muscles seeps out of you. "Wow." You gasp. 

"Am I interrupting something?" 

You don't need to turn to know Gabriel has chosen the perfect time to make his appearance at your side. 

"No." You supply quickly.

"Yes." Niran speaks at the same time, and you can't help but laugh. 

"Niran, this is Commander Reyes." You fight to keep the smile off your face, finding some amusement in both the realization Niran is about to have, and the jealous waves rolling off of Gabe. 

"Oh, the martinet you mentioned earlier." He retorts, without skipping a beat, and yet the smile he directs at Gabriel is perfectly polite. 

You thread your arm around Gabriel's waist, pulling him closer to your side. You welcome the feeling of him so close. "And... my boyfriend." 

"Oh!" Niran gasps, and you expect his expression to fall, yet his smile seems to beam wider. "Well, I suppose it makes perfect sense that such a beauty would be spoken for, and by such a fine specimen, too." Niran's sultry gaze turns back to Gabriel, unperturbed by the frown on the older man's face. 

"He is fine, isn't he?" You giggle, your hand slipping down to squeeze his ass teasingly. 

"Doesn't sound like that's what you were saying earlier." Gabriel mumbles as his gaze breaks with Niran's and he faces you, a quietly annoyed look in his eyes. 

"Well, you are a hardass too." You laugh once more, and keep your hand on the aforementioned hard ass. 

"You make quite the couple." Niran comments, seemingly leaning in to both of you. "Are you open to another?" 

A choking sound leaves you in an instant, as Gabriel's eyes go completely wide—shock is not something you're used to seeing on him.

"Uh, we'll get back to you on that." You reply, struggling to hold back your laughter. You rise from the barstool, and thread your arm in Gabriel's as you intend on tugging him away. "It was nice meeting you, Niran." 

Your tone is polite despite your clear intention to leave.

"You too." Niran grins, still unperturbed, his eyes flicker to Gabriel once more as he offers the man one final sultry look. "Both of you." 

You and Gabe weave through the throngs of people until you make it to a more secluded area of the room. 

Gabriel still looks a little taken aback. "Did he start flirting with me too?" 

"I... think so, yeah." You respond before finally letting free your laughter. 

"Huh." He comments absentmindedly, before he turns and tugs you closer to him. He peers down at you, a questioning look on his face. "I didn't know you were into prettyboys." 

The way he says prettyboys is quite clearly derisive. 

"What gives you that impression?" You giggle, really taking pleasure in Gabriel's possessive display. It's not the worst he's been, or the most dramatic, but it still riles you up nonetheless. 

"The doe eyed look you were giving him, your little giggles." His jaw tightens as he talks. 

You know he trusts you fully, yet you also know there are just some emotions that overwhelm him easily. 

"Somebody's jealous." You coo, as you rest your hands on his chest and cast him a cheeky look. 

His arms wrap around you, holding you tight and close. "Not jealous, territorial." 

"Don't worry, my real type is still tall, dark, handsome, and called Gabriel." You beam up at him, as you truly wouldn't even consider actually entertaining anyone else's affections.

In the arms of your love, you feel completely at home. Looking up at him now only reminds you that you're right where you belong. 

"Good to know." He replies, then begins to haul you away by your arm. "But just in case, I think you need a reminder." 

"We're ditching?" You ask, as you struggle to keep pace as he heads back through the crowd.

He comes closer as the two of you move, his head dipping down beside your ear. "Oh, you'd rather stay at the welcoming party of your new friend?" 

"No Gabe." You still him for a moment, as you return his whispers. 

"Good." He grunts, resuming your journey once more.

When you're out of everyone's earshot and on your way to your quarters, Gabriel slams you into the wall of the hallway. 

His hands come to your waist, pressing you in as he traps you against the hard surface. His eyes are dark and stormy.

"I'm gonna fuck you until you forget his name." He growls. "And your own." 

He presses his growing erection against you, as he comes to whisper to you once more. 

"My name will be the only one you remember." 

[arcadekitten]

Currently on a Witchywool brain rot…. Hurggh I love em so much 😭❤️ How do you keep creating such interesting and unique dynamics to ships? Like, becoming obsessed with a bloodthirsty anthoropomorphic sheep and his star witch girlfriend playing god was NOT what I expected when I first played SnD, but here we are 💀

I have a few questions about them that I’d like to ask, if that’s alright!

1) We know that Stella came in from a shooting star… but where did she come from? What are her origins? I read in other posts that she was made out of concentrated stardust and that she came from an entire race of star people… is it alright if you can elaborate on that more?

2- Similarily, does Stella, Lambchop and the other characters have family or something? And if they do, are they going to be introduced sometime? Or will they just be unimportant NPCs?

3- If Stella and Lambchop ever enter a romantic relationship, how would everyone react? Especially Ruuuby; will she be upset at Stella, or will she accept it (after a lot of tears?)

4- Relating to the last question, how would they get together first? Would Stella develop romantic feelings and confess to Lambchop (probably in a VERY sweet and romantic gesture ❤️) or would it be something else that’ll bring them together?

5-What are their feelings about each other and the relationship in general? And what would their dynamic be like? Would it change much from their original friendship, or would it remain somewhat the same except with more physical affection?

6- What are their love languages for each other? (Gift Giving, Quality Time, etc…) As in, how would they show their love for each other?

7- And finally… what would their wedding be like? ;D

I am SO, SO SORRY if this is too much!!! 😥 It’s just that… well, I’d like to write a fanfic of these two someday… and since these two have less screen time together I am STRAVED for content about them, not blaming you, ofc!!! I absolutely love your work and it’s totally understandable that with the amount of time and effort you put into your games that it’s already amazing that you keep finding time to draw them together and create additional content for em! It’s just that I’d love to see more of these two and understand their characters better so that I can write them accurately, if that makes sense :D

So thank you for taking time to read my silly questions (and hopefully answer them if you’re not too busy) and I wish you a good day!! 😁

I'm so happy you like them!! Now you can brainrot with me!! ♡♡♡

I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability!!

Perhaps not at this instance but, time permitting, maybe I'll be able to expand it just a bit! I will say though that star people come in all genders and probably dress in similar ways to how Stella does! (So, like...lots of magical girl inspiration haha!) ===

I haven't thought much about it! Stella for sure doesn't have parents--she was born from the stars! As for Lambchop and the others, it's a mystery! ===

I think everyone would be a bit surprised, but happy for them! I answered once in another post that if Stella and Lambchop were to pursue a romantic relationship, Stella would try to set-up Ruuuby with somebody else to try and dampen the blow. If that didn't work, Stella would explain to Ruuuby very gently that she and Lambchop want to be together. Ruuuby would cry, upset that Lambchop doesn't like her, but would be happy for Stella because she loves Stella and wants her and Lambchop to be happy too! ===

I'm hoping that perhaps I can explain this a bit somehow in some of the arts I make of them! I can't see it ramping up to the level of being a game (especially because I don't want to take away from the themes of the original--and I've got other stories I want to make too!) but I think it might be a mix of a confession and something else. ===

If they were to officially get together I don't think it would change too much about their dynamic, but there would be a LOT of physical affection. Lambchop especially would be very clingy, always wrapped around Stella. Calling her things like "My Stella". They each have their own houses but I'm sure Lambchop would invite himself over to Stella's for a "sleepover" a lot, where they're forced to cuddle on her not-big-enough-for-2-people bed to fit (not that they're complaining) ===

I feel as though their love languages are like a mix of gift-giving and quality time, in their weird twisted ways. Lambchop kills people so Stella will have something to fix. Stella fixes everything so Lambchop will have something to ruin again. They might not even fully realize they're doing it, but they do it! ===

Oh their WEDDING? Well, I think it would be a happy one with all their friends, more or less! (Though probably with a lot of disagreements on how to go about it...) I think Stella also, being from the stars and all, might not be used to the concept of dating vs marriage so she might have to get herself accustomed to the idea. Also Lambchop wears a top hat, 100% === I hope that satisfies! And thanks again for your kind words!! ♡

[mrgladstonegander]

please tell me everything about dt47 (?) gladstone

dt47!gladstone is named Oliver Oca!

He grew up in Barnevelder Town (not equivalent to Duckburg) along with Frankie (and his siblings), Phoebe and Percy (Fethry, Della, Donald)

I do think his parents died and that he's taken in by Ludwig, but i haven't really thought about the logistics of it (and it's never gonna be plot relevant for what i have planned so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

He has similar experience to O Lucky Man and other comics like it where he feels lonely and that people just want him for his luck, and how his house is more of just a place to store the things he wins. HOWEVER, Oliver has issues with being passive and letting his luck handle things. If something seems to be going badly, it'll probably end up fine somehow, so while he'd rather avoid being in those sorts of situations, he wouldn't really do anything to get out of it. If people are using him for his luck, he just goes with it, because there's not really any harm in it, and things get good for him anyways*

(the exception to this is DT47's equivalent to Gal for Gladstone, where Umbra (Magica) tries to use him to get to Graham (Scrooge))

*stole this from Angones saying that he likes everyone because that's like. An interesting twist that gives him depth (bad coping mechanism).

** you know how stories make gladstone consider character development, only to get immediately distracted by a thing his luck is waving in front of his face? yeah imagine that but as a really shitty coping mechanism

With how his luck gives him things, he doesn't really have any attachment to objects (except to his hat. He's matching with Frankie :) ) because he'd probably just win a replacement anyways. There's no point in decorating a house if he's always on vacation or just using it to store things. (Definitely gives away the things he doesn't need. His house would probably be good for dumpster diving now that i think about it LOL)

He'd also rather be passive about things because then he avoids responsibility. nobody would really expect anything of him, and he's probably more comfortable with people attributing anything he does to his luck (because the man would die if any attention was on HIM)

The root of his character development is gardening. Because after a few houseplants die due to negligence you start to feel bad, lol. And if you have a garden, you care about the house that's connected to it, and if you know you're actually going to be in the house often, then you'd start decorating it. You can't just move on, you actively have to take responsibility.

but the actual breaking point for his character development is post-phoebe (because he's not being told anything about it, so he can't do anything), when he gets trapped in the casino. Because it forces him to confront if he's actually fine with not doing anything if he is given a comfortable life, even if it's alone

also, he's a foil to Luna (Lena) with how she wants to separate herself from magic, while he doesnt. among other things (spoilers)

TLDR: dude is the most passive man ever who would ever live and would rather do anything but self-reflection unless forced to. his identity is inherently mixed up with his luck. hobbies can SAVE you

[atarahderek]

So I saw Wish tonight...

Here are my first impressions:

While the animation is quite beautiful, as one would expect from the Mouse House, the storyline is serviceable, the songs are a standard mix of pretty good and pretty meh, and the villain is actually quite enjoyable, those elements just don't carry the film. The storyline is only serviceable. And not like Moana serviceable, where you can still enjoy being immersed in the world, drawn in by the memorable characters, and walk away with a hyperfixation on Polynesian navigation (or was that just me?). It was...entertaining enough...but left me feeling like something was missing.

Which is ironic, because they tried to cram everything into it. That was their mistake, really. They wanted to make as many references to other Disney films as they possibly could, and most of them felt shoehorned. The only reference that felt genuine to the world was basing Asha's seven closest friends on Snow White's Seven Dwarves. Everything else just felt forced. Magnifico made several puns in a row that all directly reference Disney properties, and they were just corny. So bad they came back around to being funny. But I'd rather they be funny for the right reason. And some of the references were so obscure that the vast majority of viewers aren't going to get them (e.g. Little John the bear, who is just called John).

I went into the movie knowing what the basic plotline was: Well-intentioned King Magnifico created an island nation where he hopes to protect everyone and their wishes from destruction, but as his power grows, he becomes corrupted by it. Asha, discovering that Magnifico is hoarding wishes, decides to start a revolution. It's actually a good commentary on government accountability, how easily power corrupts, and why you should never ever EVER give all your resources and rights away to a government that claims to have your neighbor's best interests at heart. Basically, this movie is anti-socialism. The characters voted their way into that system and have to effectively shoot their way out. Magnifico wants them to believe that he (i.e. the state) is the highest power there is, and no one is allowed to question that. Which is a great commentary. It really is. But it falls flat because the message gets muddied. The Aesop gets broken. Because while Wish says there is a higher power than a human-built and human-operated state, that "higher power" is...stardust. And if that's not corny enough, that stardust is said to be in every one of the characters, if they just "believe in themselves." So in the end, Asha's "higher power"...is human-built and human-operated. Yep, the movie tried to get theological, and it completely screwed the whole message up until it came full circle to the message that man is the highest power, and you shall bow, mortals, before whoever holds the wishes, be it an orphan king or a peasant who has an in with the orphan king's ex-wife. The writers could've avoided screwing over their message by developing their magic system more thoroughly and building an entire fantasy religion for their fantasy land, as so many other writers have done countless times over, so that it's still established that there is a higher power that transcends anything man can build, and therefore those who are oppressed by tyranny can look to that power to help them break free. But that would've taken time away from the big Easter egg hunt they wanted to set up. So their movie's message is a very atheistic, "Put your hope in nothing at all, because nothing is more powerful than politics." And the reviews show that people aren't fooled into thinking that that's somehow inspiring. It's a depressing message, and no amount of sparkles poured on it is going to make it any less so. It's just going to make it cringe worthy.

Now, if you can overlook that bit, or take the "stardust" to actually refer to the image of the God who made the stars, then you can see this movie as allegorical for faith overthrowing tyranny. But you have to squint. You can make this movie a case of Death of the Author, but you'll have to shoot the author yourself (metaphorically, Tumblr; don't give me grief just because you're so literal). If you manage that, what you have here is actually a lovely and entertaining little film.

Now for what I liked about the movie: Magnifico was actually the reason I kept watching. I do like how they showed his descent into villainy, rather than making him a straight up villain from the start. He had good intentions and was quickly corrupted by the power he wielded, even though he wanted to use that power to protect his people. He ended up inflicting the very thing he feared most on his people, becoming the hypocrite every well-intentioned extremist is. His villain song can't hold a candle to Scar, Frollo, Facilier or even Zira, but poor songs notwithstanding, he does deserve a spot among the Disney villains of legend. And we get to see him become that villain in a manner that, though a bit rushed due to the time constraints of the medium, nonetheless felt very natural and realistic.

My biggest complaint with Magnifico's character is not actually with him, but with Queen Amaya, who is not a villain and was shocked and appalled when Magnifico became one. She didn't get enough time to process that. She basically went, "Welp, he's evil now, so I'm gonna side with the teenagers and then file for divorce. Gonna really enjoy that alimony, too." I would love to have seen her express a mixture of sorrow, rage, regret and a desperate last grasp at hope for restoration--all the standard emotions that come with grief, especially over the loss of a relationship--but all I saw out of her was indifference. We got to see Alma ugly cry over losing her husband before going on to lead her own little magical kingdom; why couldn't we have that for Amaya? Pedro only ceased to have a physical heartbeat. Magnifico's very soul died. One would think that would be cause for even deeper grief from the loved ones left behind. I'm aware that watching your innocent spouse get carved like a turkey really piles on the PTSD, but what about discovering your spouse is the one doing the carving? Would that not hurt just a wee bit more?

All in all, this film is worth the price of admission, but only for the matinee. You won't be missing much by waiting until it hits Disney+. This is a movie that has a good shot at becoming a cult classic in a decade or two. But it's not going to find much love until then. The talking cat sequel from the Shrek franchise is always going to overshadow this film. Guess there's currently only room in the fans' hearts for one hybrid animation Spaniard trying to keep a wishing star out of the hands of a magic hoarder.

Also, if Dalia doesn't want those Magnifico cookies, can I have them?

[candyskiez]

Hello tell me about your OCs and how they work pretty please :)))))))

I'm taking this as an excuse to talk about my newest story because I can. This is very WIP. It will get more developed eventually.

This takes place in a universe with gods that are shit at their jobs.

The Gods took too many magical resources  from one of their planets to create new ones. They have some schemes and plans but in a lot of ways they're just spoiled brats who take too much and go “oh no, I'll just make a new one!” They're assholes. They take too much of…idk smth that stabilizes magic I'm working on it. 

1. Something bad is happening and has been for a long time now. People asked the gods for help. The gods promised them help in the form of a chosen one. So people waited, and ... The chosen one doesn't come. One lady gets sick and tired of it because everyone's fucking dying and noboies doing anything about it, so she decides FUCK this, I'm gonna fix it myself. I think she gets a group of people with her at some point but haven't decided. One of those people is her friend Lola.

2. The thing is this chosen one is a literal child. Like. A literal child. This child has been being yelled at to grow up faster so they can save the world for years now and no progress they make is enough, because they have to be as good as an adult but they *aren't an adult yet.* They're a kid. All this massive pressure on them is taking a severe toll on them. If they fail something, it's "they don't deserve this honor" "people are COUNTING on you" "this is what you give us? After years of nothing?" , and if they get it right, it's "Took you long enough!" "Where were you when we needed you?" Nevermind that they're a *child.* Their name is Laika.

3. I think there's. Idk some powerful magical or spiritual people in charge of preparing them for it, but they're not. Good at their job. Like they're excellent with their magic but none of them were prepared to help a child. Some of them fail Laika out of genuine mistakes and want to help but just...don't know how, others are unfairly bitter at this child who has powers they don't know how to control and is in an environment that's constantly triggering them to spiral.

4. The lady for a long time resented the chosen one and upon finding out Laika is a literal child flips her SHIT. I have no idea how it gets t this point but I do know there's a scene where she's talking to the gods in a fucking rage

Magic goes absolutely haywire and causes like plagues instead of healing magic, warps crops, spells going screwy. Etc. The gods want to focus on more profitable worlds so they focus on more interesting worlds. But Gods are fueled by belief, so they needed to keep the world from losing faith. They half ass making a chosen one and cut so many corners. Because of this they're just a lil kid. And also like. No experience. Some vague ideas but they're just some kid.

CAST:

Lady named after an astronaut: Teacher, snarky but loving. Extremely loving. Saw so many kids screwed over by the system. Treated like dog shit by the parents and the system. Has this insatiable need to fix things. Became a teacher to fix things after learning how shitty Lola's childhood was but couldn't do shit. When the worlds going to hell she gets sick and tired of sitting on her ass and gets up to do something or at least figure it out.

Lola: Astronaut names best friend. Disabled somehow. Was treated like the dumb kid all her life. Either gets pity, condescension, “you can actually do it, you're just too lazy”, accused of stealing resources, or shit like that. Shes expected to be soft and gentle and kind all the time, but eventually gets fed up and drops the persona and just. Shatters. Shes pissed. She's been pissed her whole life. Her arcs gonna be about disabled anger.

Laika: Chosen one. They got issues.

The gods are a metaphor for capitalism. This is a story about the inherent trauma of living under capitalism. I will develop it more...eventually

[talenlee]

3e: The Love Potion

We’re all kind of on the page that ‘love potions’ in stories are probably bad, right?

Those things that you could buy in 3e as a cheap, disposable magical item?

It’s one of those tropes from history that people used pretty freely up until like, even until 2013. Gravity Falls featured an episode about a character using a love potion, and then realising it was a foolish plan and going to undo it, only to find that, y’know, maybe it was an okay idea after all. And that was Gravity Falls, a cartoon I like. Shock! Horror! And that’s a bad trope and all!

Love potions show up in stories all over the place, and that makes them an iconic trope and I feel like they go through a sort of life cycle. In their oldest appearances — as I remember and are filtered through the mind of a boy like me — the love potion is a solution to a problem. Then, as things get a little more protestant, a little more puritanical, love potions tend to be set up in the first part of the story, and then developed and dismissed in the second part. Love potions are a thing you think will solve your problems, then you find they don’t.

There are a lot of reasons they can fail. They can fail because you find out that the person you love-potioned, you don’t actually want them in love with you. They can fail because you find out that the potion doesn’t make them love you the way that you imagined. They can fail just because love potions aren’t real but now you have to consider what it meant that you tried. They can fail because they have to destroy the way the person you were interested in order to work, somehow. And of course sometimes they can fail because you mess up their application like spilling it on a bird or something.

Lots of different ways that ‘the love potion’ is a setup that gets subverted. In fact, so much so that, especially in reset-heavy pulp media like sitcoms and weekly dramas, love potions fit the mould really conveniently. The subversion means that the characters undo the love potion by the end, and that’s that. It’s a tidy little plot loop, and the form it’s poured into handles it just fine. Makes sense.

Why can ya buy ’em?

Look, 3rd edition was a hungry beast. It needed content, content, content and a lot of what it needed never made sense to me. I did not think I needed as many versions of ‘human, but ugly and weird’ as the game books provided me. I never needed the flying mount rules, or the keep rules. They were nice, ostensibly but they weren’t useful, because they weren’t focused on the game played by players and instead on a sort of systemitising the world. This is a reasonable thing for a system to do when it wants to do it, I’m not criticising them for the choice, but that the choice put the way D&D 3E was built at odds with the way I expected to play it.

You’d see this throughout supplements, in Dragon Magazines and soft cover splatbooks; sometimes there was a cool idea that the game could do and that cool idea ran headlong into the system’s design. A gladiatorial campaign? Cool idea, here are maps and opponents. Oh, the system isn’t designed to make one-on-one fights very interesting for the uninvolved parties and dying represents an immense debt? Hm, sounds like the real thing this system needs is loans and banking. Oh wait, but if you’re doing gladiatorial fighs, how do you get loot from enemies? You can’t loot the bodies, that belongs to their stable! There’s got to be a payment system!

And thus we return to the love potion. The love potion was in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (and SRD, even now!) because it’s an obvious trope, the item works in a simple, easily explained way, and it fills some inches in the book that needs so, so many inches filled. The item is built by a formula, it works to a rule and it kind of rests on a leyline of things D&D 3e doesn’t do very well.

First of all, the item gives a save. Well it has to right, because otherwise it’d be overpowered. But saving throws aren’t like, narratively coherent things. They’re there to defend you from attacks, but ostensibly, they’re there to represent how well your body resists things changing it (which was why you can resist healing spells and, in some cases, are called upon to do so, which is, yes, dumb). Don’t worry, though, the DC is really low: Only a DC 14. Which means an ordinary human with nothing heroic going on has about a 30% chance to ignore it and it lasts for 1d3 hours.

Thus we position the elixir of love perfectly badly. It’s a magic item that an adventurer can buy in bulk, that they never would care about, that represents life-deforming mind control, but not for very long and not very well. It promises what a love potion in a story is, but delivers instead a very crap charm spell, which is the closest thing it can approximate to love because the game system wants to try and systemitise love without dealing with how incredibly overpowered love is. There’s no category of ‘minor effect’ or ‘story beat’ for magical items, which need to be built to instead, operate the way adventurers expect adventurers to work.

The Elixir of Love doesn’t actually represent anything particularly heinous. Nothing out of type. It’s a love potion, but because it sucks it’s not that bad, and nobody would use it, except because it sucks, and that it sucks isn’t because of the story needs but because of the way the mechanics of the system handle items. It’s the same wonky stuff that permeates 3e. Systems aren’t immune to this. My favourite system isn’t immune to this kind of thing!

Still pretty funny way to waste a year’s wages for a normal person.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[duckapus]

letitsnow :)

When we last left our heroes, they had managed to get the fifth Wonder Seed and reach the next Zone...at the cost of several of their friends and their ride. We now see them trudging miserably through the snow in the dark of night, with Mario carrying Root so she doesn't have to struggle to keep up, desperately hoping they reach the next seed, or at least shelter, before they all freeze to death.

And, as if they weren't getting shit on enough already tonight, the weather is starting to kick up into a blizzard. As you might expect, this is a problem, especially since they already weren't equipped to handle the calm weather.

All too soon it proves to be too much, and they all begin to slow down and eventually collapse, too tired and cold to remain conscious. Somehow, despite being both part plant and part snake, Root is the last to fall. And just before she does, she sees a light in the distance, and what must be a half-dreamed heavily cloaked figure approaching with it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she wakes up, she's laying on a beat up red couch in what seems to be a cave, wrapped in blankets. She looks around, finding other mismatched furnishings, and a vaguely familiar looking man engulfed in a thick fur cloak.

(you'll have to imagine the cloak. And yes, his sword is transparent, it's a Whole Thing)

He looks up, as if he can sense her gaze on him, "Ah, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Root thinks that over. While her rapidly developing invulnerability hadn't fully protected her from the cold's immediate effects, it apparently had at least prevented any lasting damage, at least from what she remembers of how the aftermath of being That Cold is supposed to feel, "...Hungry, I guess?"

The man hums and nods once, "Understandable. Come, your allies are in the other chamber discussing plans."

That gets her up. She follows him out to the cave's entrance (and the glimpse outside reveals that it's now day, and it's overcast but the blizzard is done), where Sig and the adults are sitting around a fire talking. Meggy's the one who spots them.

"Root!" she jumps up and runs over, pulling the kid into a hug, "Oh, we were so worried! Thanks for looking after her Schezo."

He just huffs and walks past her, apparently not interested in pleasantries, and now that everyone's there they begin to discuss what's currently happening.

Apparently, they collapsed just outside Schezo's cave, which according to Sig is where he already lived before the whole Wonder Effect thing, and they're just a few minutes walk from what's supposed to be Primp Town but is currently some sort of ice fortress. That's where the seed is, and although they don't know who's in charge they do know who they're in charge of, as icy versions of Primp's citizens and Melony can be seen patrolling the grounds.

Since they don't really stand a chance against that many mages, much less the actual demigoddess, in their current state, their best option is stealth (because that went so well for them last time). Schezo will also be joining them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

What follows is...well, it's basically Mission Impossible On Ice. There's several close calls, until they eventually reach a throne room, where the cyan Wonder Seed is embedded in the top of the throne. When they're in the process of digging it out, the fortresses master arrives.

" Step away from my throne, you fiends!"

The group is stunned for a moment...before Mario doubles over laughing, "Are you kidding? That one old hobo guy!?"

"Stop laughing at me! I am the king of these lands, and I will be treated with respect!"

This does not help, "Man, and I thought you couldn't get any crazier!" he continues laughing for a few seconds, before he's forcibly stopped by a blast of ice magic from the old man's hands that encases his head in a block of ice.

"On the contrary, Mario, I'm more lucid than I've been in decades. Finding that Wonder Flower was the best thing that's ever happened to me! No longer am I a senile old fool, wandering aimlessly and serving as the butt of every joke! Now, not only is my mind clear, but I have power! Authority! An army of magical soldiers at my command!"

As he says this, the soldiers in question pour into the room, surrounding the group.

"Old Man Hobo is no more! I am now OLD KING WINTER! And I'll stay that way, even if I have to doom the rest of the Kingdom to oblivion. Guards! Get that seed away from them at all costs!"

And so the fight is on...and it's late and I'm still not any good at fight scenes so we're just gonna skip to them being outside, Wonder Seed in hand but getting worn down fast.

Marcy calls out from where she's struggling to fend off some sort of fish man, "It's no use! There's too many of them, and even if we get away now they'll catch up long before we reach the barrier!"

Kamek swears under his breath, "She's right, we need a miracle, or at least a vehicle."

As if in answer to their prayers, a car horn blares over the din of the battle, and what appears to be a tour bus on tank treads barrels clear through the crowd, then stops with a 180-degree skid and deploys a pair of cannons from the sides, which fire a barrage of Bullet Bills that clear the field further, and a turret rises from the roof and shoots Bob-ombs.

As the powder begins to settle, the bus is revealed to be for "Phineas and the Ferb-Tones" and the door opens to reveal the brothers themselves inside, with Phineas in the driver's seat, Ferb by the door, and both in winter clothing.

"Get in, quick!"

Not needing to be told twice, everybody piles in, with Ferb helping them up since the treads make it a bit awkwardly tall. When he helps Root up, the two of them see that one of her hands has become blue, but wordlessly decide to save that unfortunate reveal for when they're not in the middle of all this chaos.

One they're all inside, Ferb shuts the door and Phineas guns it, heading straight for the barrier between the Winter Kingdom and Muppetopia. 4 comes up beside him.

"How are you guys here!?"

"You know how after your ship went down you lost contact with Sage?"

"Yeah."

"Well, after that happened, Bowser decided to see if there was anything he could do to help. And it just so happened that Ferb and I were in his Zone when the quarantine shield went up, and we'd managed to stay unconverted this whole time. So he recruited us to find you guys, and we built ourselves a sweet Battle Bus, headed over to your last known location, and followed your trail here."

"Uh, guys?" everyone turns to look at Cubot, who's staring out the back window, "I don't want to alarm you, but Melony's on our tail and coming in fast!"

Sure enough, there's Melony, and not only is she flying fast, she's accelerating! Phineas kicks the bus into high gear and pushes the pedal all the way to the floor (well, figuratively speaking. he's actually using a remote control. he's not old enough to drive after all), and Ferb fires everything they've got, but she's just plain faster and stronger than anything they have. And the barrier's getting ever closer, but it's just not enough.

Cubot folds down into his cube form and quakes with fear, "We're not gonna make it!"

Root stares down at the spreading blue on her hand, before balling it into a fist and glaring at the back window with determination, "Oh, yes you are."

Meggy's the only one close enough to hear her "'You?' Root, what are you planning?" Root ignores her and starts running towards the back of the bus, "ROOT!?"

As she runs, she shouts back, but not to Meggy, "Ferb, the door!"

Dutifully, if regretfully, he hits a button on his own remote that opens the back door, and Root leaps out before anyone can stop her, tapping into her powers in midair, with her converted hand very conspicuously getting covered in ice armor instead of white scales, and slams said hand into the ground when she lands, causing a massive tangle of white roots to burst out of the ground from either side of her and engulf Melony.

"ROOT!"

As the door closes once again, everyone turns to Ferb with varying levels of rage and confusion, "Why would you-"

He cuts them off, "She was converting!" As that sinks in, he sighs heavily and looks down at the floor, "we both saw it when she came in. She would've had to stay behind anyway. I'm sorry."

And, well, there's not really much to say to that, so the group just ends up taking their seats and riding on in a tense silence.

Next stop, Muppetopia.

[justanotherfanfolks]

Thought: includes spoilers for Book 7 (JP) and speculation for the next update

So there's been something I've been thinking about since Book 3. Something that I would've expected to have been translated into its story, but it never was. But if they actually were planning on using it, I think they were saving it for this moment. Ok, let me explain.

Now, I'm an EN player, so I haven't sat down and watched an entire translated playthrough of the more recent updates. This is because EN is right on JP's heels and I want a bit of surprise when I actually get to it. However, I'm only human so I do indeed see some spoilers that give me a general idea of what's going on.

So from what I can tell, when trying to wake up the Overblotters, they get pulled into another dream. And in this dream, what plays out is basically the bad route of their plans. Vil actually poisons Neige. Jamil actually banished Kalim a year ago and has the dorm and Azul under his control. It is rough and dark.

So what about the other Overblotters? For Leona, obviously Malleus gets stampeded, but can it go worse? Right before he overblotted, he was already attacking his dorm, will Book 7 play both of those out even worse? What about Riddle? I'm confused about him because major conflict in Book 1 stemmed from his and Ace's relationship, but they seem to be on better terms now. Do they go back to their incidents regardless of character development?

But anyway, I want to focus on Book 3. Now, in Book 3 before Azul overblotted he was ripping the magic out of everyone in sight (except for Leona and Ruggie who were just standing there like 👀). Then the Tweels showed up (kind of concerned) and he asked them for their magic. Kind of interesting, he didn't just grab it on sight. Maybe because they are allies. But when he asked, they rightfully went "uh, no? You aren't using contracts, we all know better than that. Take a chill pill, you're acting kind of cringe" and then Azul started yelling about taking all the magic and Overblotted.

So when I first heard Azul overblotted (before reading Book 3) I was wondering what his breaking point would be. So of course, I thought of what Ursula's breaking point was before she went all huge. And if you watched the Little Mermaid, you know what I'm talking about. You know, this scene:

So, you're gonna tell me TWST made characters based off of Flotsam and Jetsam and WASN'T planning on killing them off in front of Azul (Ursula)? Ok maybe not KILL, but something in a similar vein. Like, it's right there, ripe for the angst picking. So, my theory is that something bad is going to happen to them in Azul's Overblot Bad ending dream. Whether it's by his hand or someone else's, whether it's the dream versions or the real ones, this scene has to be referenced somehow, mark my words!

[madamefeu]

hi I have a couple things I would like to ask

I know your feelings on fruits basket are quite negative by looking through you blog ( completely valid not judging) But I am curious as to what you did like about it? And aside from not giving Akito a redemption arc what else would you have liked to see changed?

Concerning miraculous what are your thoughts on ships like the love square ,lukanette, kagaminette, adrinino, lukadrien and alyanette?

And if you could make any changes to that show what would they be?

Side note you are absolutely right about Andre the ice-cream man he is insanely creepy, he is a grown adult and yet he acts like a bratty kid throwing a tantrum when things don't go his way. Such an unnecessary character.

Thank you for reading.

When I watched Fruits Basket as a teenager, I really liked the found family aspect of the show, and seeing how Tohru bonded with Yuki and Kyo. Things went to shit when it steadily became clear that Tohru was going to become the Sohma family’s therapist, and that instead of going to therapy, or addressing any of the issues that the main characters had, they all magically got better after a couple of pep talks from her. I also hated the fact that all of the characters were paired up, usually with other members of their own family, as it left no room to the imagination for shipping. The heavy levels of incest within the family are disgusting as is, but the story of Tohru’s parents was somehow even worse. Why is almost every parent in Fruits Basket horrible? The fuck kind of parents would kick their fifteen year old daughter out into the arms of a grown man who claimed to want to marry her? And the worst part is, we’re expected to think that this inappropriate relationship between a fifteen year old and a grown man in his late twenties is not only acceptable, but also romantic, and it’s treated like ‘true love’. NO. Katsuya Honda was a CHILD RAPIST. Statutory rape is still rape. The entire show deserves to be shoved into a trash compactor. Nothing can save it. Nothing can redeem it. Nothing.

As for miraculous, I hate the love square because I hate the way Marinette treats Adrien, and I hate the fact that Adrien is reduced to being her emotional support pet. Adrien’s ‘nice guy’ behaviour when he’s Chat Noir is also disgusting. To be honest, I don’t really like any of the main ships, or anything involving Alya and Nino. None of them interest me, and none of them have any meaningful development or impact. It frustrates me because the show started out with so much potential, but it’s now gone to shit. Chloe deserved a redemption arc, Zoe shouldn’t exist, Marinette should be less of a Mary Sue, and Adrien should be his own dang person, and not reduced to Marinette’s sidekick/emotional support pet.

Man this went on longer than I anticipated but I hope that answers your questions lol

[itsclydebitches]

I want someone to explain to me how the heck Blake ended up dropped nearby Weiss when she fell with Ruby?? Shouldn't, logically, she be closer to her? Or do we just say "it's fake wonderland, logic no longer exists". Also how did they all find each other but not find Jaune. Not complaining, exactly, that he's not made an appearance just... confused by it. (Would be hilarious if the writers somehow forgot they even dropped him to begin with.)

I think the explanation for that is in the Volume 9 sneak peek we saw a... year ago? A while, anyway. The one where we get the events of the finale from Ruby's PoV. When she falls Blake sorta disappears after Ruby looks away for a moment, then she winds up in the in-between place with the floating orange orbs (which are a strange detail ngl), Neo shows up, they fight, Ruby throws her off, and then Neo just kinda hovers there menacingly until she too fades away. Ruby then wakes up on the beach alone.

So yeah, it's an "explanation" in the sense that the story seems to have gone, "Magical voids mean we can just have everyone wake up wherever we please, rather than tackling the more challenging structure of keeping those who fell together." Honestly, I'd much rather Ruby wake up and forge an actual relationship with Blake + deal with Neo without the rest of her team than, uh, meeting a mouse.

As for Jaune, who knows. More convenient plotting where the team stumble across each other quickly--as in, the first episode or two given the theory that our trailer isn't showing much beyond that--but for inexplicable reasons he remains lost? Does it have to do with the fact that maybe they aren't looking for him if Weiss assumes/hopes he made it to the portal? Or the reigning theory: Jaune is an antagonist of the Volume, changed by Wonderland, and thus is actively avoiding the girls?

Personally, I'm not persuaded by that though, for a couple of reasons. 1. It would require a Wonderland where both space (falling in different places) and time are seriously wonky, given that Jaune fell last, but is presumably warped by Wonderland long before the girls even wake up. I mean, it's possible, especially given our inspiration, but it's way more confusing/messy. 2. If Jaune were the antagonist I would honestly expect them to hint at that in the trailer. Given his popularity across much of the fandom and the writers' own interest in his character, that seems the perfect way to hook a lot of fans after the long hiatus. And 3. The theory revolves around Jaune being the knight which yeah, tracks in an aesthetic sense (sword and shield) but the narration of our presumed antagonist is a woman and the shot from the back that the trailer gave us 100% looks like a woman (as RT would design one)/not like Jaune/I'm pretty sure that's her long hair up in a bun. The theory was more plausible back when the knight/armorer/whoever she is was only wearing a helmet.

Really, I'm not sure what to make of Jaune's lack of screentime in the trailer. Again, it could simply be that they only picked scenes from the first 1-2 episodes, but it feels like we're already struggling with the problem I pointed out all the way back in Volume 8: by having Jaune kill Penny and then fall into the void, RT created a situation where he has to be at the center of the next Volume's emotional journey--you can't just ignore what he did + his presence in Wonderland--but simultaneously, Jaune shouldn't be the focus when this is otherwise a Volume about our title team working through their own doubts. Now, we're seeing that precise push-and-pull in the fandom. Some fans are horrified that he didn't show up. How can you possibly ignore Jaune right now?? Meanwhile, some are relieved that he didn't show up. Good, this wasn't supposed to be your Volume anyway. RT really backed themselves into a corner with this one, imo, because if Jaune's journey gets a lot of focus we'll be right back to, Why is he Mr. Character Development when all four girls are RIGHT THERE, but if they don't do enough we've got more, Love that you introduced these HUGE plot points and then did so little with them. If Volume 9 centers the emotional journey around finding Jaune and comforting him over Penny's death, we've got a problem. If they mostly ignore his actions and focus on the girls, we've got a problem. It's not that RWDE folk are refusing to be happy about what's put up on screen (as I often see the more protective fans claiming), but rather we recognize the mistakes made in the past that are now leading to more issues.

[isfjmel-phleg]

April 2023 Books

Moongarden by Michelle A. Barry (reread)

The character arcs and themes are so drastically different from those in TSG that I'm inclined to call this one a retelling only in the basic premise of there being a secret garden. That's not necessarily a criticism; just go into this one managing expectations accordingly. The second time around I found this one a bit of a slog for me. There were a couple of interesting supporting characters, but I didn't really connect with the protagonist or even the plot in general. The worldbuilding is interesting, but it wasn't enough to make me want to seek the sequel which is coming out later this year.

The Runaway Robot by Lester del Rey

I forget which one of you recommended this one, but it was delightful. The robot narrator was endearing, and for a book its length and intended audience, it had quite a thought-provoking examination of the nature of humanity and a society that treats sentient beings as less than human because they're robots.

Disenchanted and Transformed by Megan Morrison

Morrison's worldbuilding is striking, and her retellings of fairy tales inventive (to the point that the Cinderella retelling is practically unrecognizable thematically). I didn't find the more political plotlines very interesting, but the characters were more complex than those of a typical middle-grade book.

When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr

I enjoyed Parr's first book, but this one was less interesting to me personally.

Lost and Found by Sarah Prineas

Sequels to The Magic Thief. I liked them well enough but am not especially invested.

The Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket

This one isn't very long and is more of a contribution to the Lore than furthering of the plot, but the love letter ("I will love you if I never see you again, and I will love you if I see you every Tuesday...") is the highlight, both darkly humorous and rather poignant.

The Painted Garden by Noel Streatfeild (reread)

Maybe this isn't Streatfeild's best children's book from a technical perspective, and it is definitely flawed, but the way the narrative interacts with TSG is quite thoughtful. You can tell that Streatfeild loved and understood the book. The story is also fascinating culturally and historically: a glimpse of late 1940s California from the perspective of British children. Streatfeild is fascinated by every detail of daily life, and it makes the world of the narrative quite rich. (This is downplayed quite a lot in abridged versions, such as the American edition titled Movie Shoes, but the abridgment does have the advantage of eliminating a lot of the material that didn't age well.)

The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

I liked this one, but it somehow wasn't as much of a page-turner for me as the first book. I am looking forward to reading the next one. Stroud's style is a thing of beauty.

The Crystal Snowstorm by Meriol Trevor (reread)

The premise of this one is fascinating, but I wish Trevor had developed her young protagonist more! I got the sense that who she really wanted to write about were the adults.

This was an interlibrary loan from the Library of Congress (these books are so hard to find that that's what I had to resort to), and I meant to finish the series but am opting not to after finding that the beginning of the second book wasn't to my taste.

Gravebooks by J. A. White

Refreshingly did not suffer from Middle-Grade Sequel Syndrome (i.e. the first book was charming and original and the second is somehow a lifeless slog). It was a worthy successor thematically to the first book.

The Mystery of the Gulls by Phyllis A. Whitney

Not one of Whitney's stronger mysteries but had an interesting setting.

As for comics, I haven't been reading anything new steadily since I was concentrating on screenshotting a series I've already read (so I don't have to put myself through scouring the entire thing whenever I need a panel for reference), but now I'm moving on (slowly) to screenshotting early Tim Drake material, including some issues that were new to me. You guys might get some of those panels inflicted on you at some point.

[billconrad]

How’s That Book Marketing Going?

    My book marketing effort has been a dismal failure thus far. The present plan is to write more books and beg for reviews, and when I have 100, I will use Amazon’s paid promotion services. I know this awful plan does not involve social media or professional advertisements.

    What was my initial plan? I expected Amazon, Kubo, Barns, and Nobel to promote new authors with gusto. It is in their best interest to turn them into best sellers. Yeah… That is lottery ticket grade, wishful thinking.

    What else did I expect? Honestly, I hoped to find a magic lamp. Many marketing experts can promote something simple, like a book. All an author needs to do is go to website X, pay $50, and BAM! The experts take care of everything. Instant book sales! Woo-hoo! Money in the bank! More wishful thinking.

    The problem is that if someone has money, others will take it. Why should book promotion be any different? I located many marketing sites that promised success for pennies. Unfortunately, the services they offered were laughable. Even worse, they blast people with spam, which angers them. Plus, these sites offered no metric of success and no guarantees—the textbook definition of wasted money.

    Every self-published author faces the same marketing wall. There are millions of old and thousands of new books, with one hundred coming out daily. This vast array of solid titles competes for the reader’s attention. Remember that readers also like eating, social media, television, sports, movies, exercise, work, family, travel, and other costly activities. Somehow, a self-published author must break through that entire spectrum to convince a reader they should click “buy it now.”

    For example, a reader could purchase The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy (an excellent read) or Interviewing Immortality (An astounding book. Trust me, I wrote it.) by an unknown self-published author.

    The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy is a well-written classic that everybody should read. Why would a reader spend hard-earned cash on a self-published nobody? Another possibility is to purchase a six-pack of Diet Coke. Let’s think this through. Go with the established author because it is a sure bet to be entertained. “You have purchased The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy. Thank you for choosing Amazon.” Good choice.

    Will I ever sell over three books a month? I believe in myself, and the few people who read my words provided positive feedback. This sentiment encourages me, and I have a positive writing future ahead of me. Blah, blah, blah. Answer the question. Alright, alright. The path I have chosen is difficult. Marketing is a skill that I have put little effort into developing.

    What I am missing is a bubbly personality and advertising drive. What if I took the leap and spent money on a billboard with my books? Yeah, I will get right on it…

    I have never been one to give up, and I see success in my distant future. What I need is to be more engaging and spread my wings wider. I am not on Twitter (X), Instagram, YouTube, or any other site, and if I expect any success, social media needs to be part of my core plan.

    I did have one idea. Pay a YouTuber to promote my book. Lots of people promote works through YouTube. It’s fast and easy. Girrrrr. I’m not too fond of that option. Too much risk. Too much money. Girrrrr. I’m in the way of my success.

    You’re the best -Bill

    February 03, 2024

    Hey book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

    Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

    Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

    Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

    Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

    These books are available in soft-cover on Amazon and eBook format everywhere.

[meadow-dusk]

Albums I Loved in 2023

March: Greendale (2002)

Greendale has been with me for a while. I tend to listen to it on road trips, long stretches of uninterrupted time which are perfect for this album that really exists in story format. A concept album, perhaps in name, but it feels less like a cohesive narrative and more like leafing through a family photo book that survived in the rubble of a disaster along with someone who peripherally knew the people in the memories captured in these songs.

Neil, of course, is our guide and narrator. I like the way his voice changes form now and then to give a unique sound or personality to the characters on the album (especially the sometimes ornery yet righteous Grandpa), but I never felt removed from him and his own viewpoint. After three or four times of experiencing it this way, something really interesting happened: I realized developed a kind of sympathy towards all of the characters in this story. Even if they only "speak" for a measure or two, they feel rounded out and real. A little more of that humanity is revealed with every listen, and I feel that volumes of possible interpretations could actually be written about this record, mostly constructed around simple yet driving blues riffs. But I will not write them. I am content to allow the mysteries of Greendale to continue to exist. They don't have to be immediately understood for one to appreciate the high points of the record. "Sun Green" alone is reason enough not to leave this one out of the conversation of Neil's great works throughout his career.

Scattered throughout what strikes me as a story of justice and privacy and peace are beautiful sentiments for which appreciation is almost earned but also somehow felt instantly. Among my favorites are "a little love and affection in everything you do will make the world a better place with or without you" and the simple but poignant "share your lovin', and you'll live so long," which gets more tragic on each listen. Otherwise, I don't mind how there's a handful of parts that still leave me scratching my head...like the bit in "Leave the Driving" about an explosion going off on a computer across the world...or why Carmichael's wife Lenore can't know about the contents of his locker...or who's singing or receiving "Bandit" (does it matter? It's almost the crown jewel of the record. Listen to the live take above, and try not to let the hope for good things in your own future overwhelm and terrify you with its own immensity).

Anyway, I intended to be brief but as usual that didn't happen. This kind of feels like it could be one for the ages. I remember so many encounters with it that it's gotta have something truly magical to it. Next time you're out on the road and have ample time and thought to devote, I highly recommend driving to Greendale.

HI so I know it looks like I skipped February. What happened was the thing I was clinging to was not an album but a bootleg recording, and the whole thing disappeared from the internet again. So there was nothing to really post. If it ever surfaces again, expect me to be vocal about it. Also I was writing my own stuff for a while and that's a very different kind of language...anyway, as a result it's been a while since I've done one of these, and I feel rusty.