#self disovery

[that-dreaming-dragon]

How I do Self Discovery in Regards to my Alterhumanity

About 1/5 of my own self journey is through meditation.

But 2/3, which is the majority, was from art. me free-drawing (drawing without thought and let the brush do the talking) or just playing around with ideas and then sit down to contemplate with them. I would dub it is a form of meditation as well.

1/2 of it was from talking, discussing, joining discussion with others about alterhuman identities stuff.

And whatever not overlapping? Those just happen by chance or random happening like when I read a fic, watch a show, or showering and day dreaming. Noemata is a lot of that for me, as I don't have memories to work with for my kinself, nor for my other 'types. The only one that have memories to work with is my kardiatype, but I've only had one vision, one dream, and maybe a couple other vague sense of noema when I try to write stories about him.

Just to give perspective on the ways self discovery can work instead of having only meditation as the one solution

[fazgoo-connoiseur-1987]

both the fnaf AUs I've fleshed out so far have just been elaborate excuses to get Bill to transition this is important.

[hjemne]

I'm on the brink of collapse but am powering thru to write transmac vashwood sloppy toppy and LR & WW hangovers and I have absolutely no clue how it's going to fit in with the rest of this fic that I wrote 7 months ago and it's no doubt out of character both canonically and within the fic but also I'm making myself laugh

(nsfw snippets under the cut)

"I don't, like, have a dick. Well, not a dick dick.”

“Spikey, I am genuinely fascinated to know what that means.”

Vash snorts. Loudly.

Wolfwood has never been more enamoured.

[...]

“Mr Saverem I am quite literally on my hands and knees begging you to show me your not-a-dick-dick dick.”

Vash whistles. “Now that’s a whole lotta dicks. You gotta be careful talking like that or people might start thinking you’re... gay.” He mouths the last word, eyes widened in mock-scandal and ending with a gasp.

“If you’ve somehow got multiple dicks I think my brain might actually start melting out my ears.”

Vash actually barks out a laugh at that. “You sure it hasn’t already? How do you think testosterone works?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think I ever really thought about it before today.”

“Well, I hope you’re ready to learn.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” he goes to raise a hand in mock salute, then pauses half-way. “We’re ridiculous.”

“I think it’s just you, actually.”

[...]

“Vash whatever-your-middle-name-is Saverem,” Nicholas hears himself say above the roar of blood in his ears, “I have literally never been so turned on in my life and if I can’t get my mouth on you in the next 5 seconds I think I will actually explode.”

[...]

Nick draws small, haphazard patterns on Vash’s back, fighting the exhaustion that threatens to drag his eyelids shut.

“In the morning, ’m gon do so much googling. ’M gon be the world expert in testosterone, you have no idea.” Vash smothers his laugh against Nick’s shoulder, body quaking as he continues his diatribe.”I’ll read all about every-” he breaks off in a yawn, “everything.”

“You’re very conscientious.”

“Nhuh, ‘m just ver’ dumb.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“So mean.”

“Just the worst,” Vash agrees, pressing a kiss into his shoulder.

[chickpea0]

u were so right abt puppyre jesse pinkman maybe u could do a puppy jesse moodboard!!! :3

Folks, I present: Jesse Pupman

Thank you very much for requesting this, I had a lot of fun lol. Jesse is such a good character and I love him to bits. I'm also submitting this to the petre/animalre contest that @theregressionlibrary is doing! Yay! Hcs below the cut :>

For starters I think he would unconciounsly resonate with working/obediant breeds. He really does want to be well-behaved and play by the rules but that's never worked out for him (caugh undiagnosed ADHD/ASD cough). He's a natural follower probably partly because he's been taught that he's always 'wrong' by so many figures in his life, though he can lead quite well when it's called for but he doesn't see himself as a leader. I think he usually gravitates to collie, alsation, shiba, jack russel types but he doesn't really care about breeds.

Doesn't really remember when it all started but he became very aware of it once Walt reentered his life. He had it rough before but good gravy.

He's often in a constant state of survival which doesn't let him slip or be any kinds of vulnerable until he feels safe. But to a certain point his brain just gets overloaded and does a force shut down, leading him to go pretty deep into doggy mode.

It's a big mix of comfort, stress, turmoil and dissociation but it does help him get through things, even if Jesse is a bit ashamed of it. He does quite like it when he can enjoy it though. I truly believe with an outlet/coping mechanism as strong as this, he could have escaped a lot of the show lmfao.

Alternative timeline: he embraces his regression, moves to "Oregon or whatever", starts a new life, does a lot of self disovery and maybe even meets a caregiver/guardian figure.

Still a lot of angst from his journey so far but he's like, safe. Yo.

I do think he would benefit from finding someone really caring though, and open minded. It'd do a lot of good for him to be able to meet someone who doesn't riducule him and instead forms a healthy, balanced bond with him.

And who buys him puppy chew toys (because those ones are softer on teeth)

btw when he's puppymode he has the biggest most expressive puppy eyes. if you care.

[divider]

[the-lonelybarricade]

Are their any fics of Rhys childhood with his sister and mother? Or how he met Az and Cass in the war camps?

Ohhh this one was wonderfully niche and I had so much fun trying to hunt these down! I had trouble finding very much with Rhys and his sister, but I hope you enjoy these fics!

Batboys in the Illyrian Camps

Is The Sky On Fire by @ofduskanddreams - When Azriel is first taken to Windhaven

The Fall by Illyriantremors - the first time Azriel meets Cassian and Rhys

The World Beyond My Cage by Rhysand_vs_Fenrys - Another fic of Azriel being brought to the camp for the first time. This one made me so emotional, I highly highly recommend.

Remember. Respect. by thewraithsofmorhogg - The tale of Azriel earning his siphons. Gave me CHILLS.

The Intimacy of Brushing Teeth Together by fearsparks - Were you expecting to recieve emotional damage from a fic about the batboys brushing their teeth together? I sure wasn't

Illyrians and their Wingspans by librarian_of_velaris - fluff of the baby bats bickering

Summer by an orphaned account is a little self-disovery fic about the batboys and Mor during a summer in the Illyrian camp

Of Halfbreeds, Bastards, and Brothers by DillyDilly45 - The meeting of Rhysand's parents and the first time Azriel meets Rhysand and Cassian

Two bastards and a Halfbreed by theoverlyenthusiasticwriter - The story of the batboys meeting each other for the first time.

Batboys: The Early Years by jmk7139

My Strong Boys and My brothers by ladybookington

quantus tremor est futurus by jeweltone - the night Azriel was taking in by Rhysand's mother

BABY BATBOYS: A NEW ARRIVAL by Gwynrielsimp (includes Rhysand's sister!)

how to gain a brother by cloudboi - the day Cassian was adopted by Rhysand's mom

The Blood Rite by Illyriantremors

Brothers by Emilia3546 - Batboys take on the bloodrite

Sunlight Like Delicate Threads by gopeachllama - Azriel's first flight

Fallen Leaves by AcrossASeaofStars - young bats playing in the woods

Of These Dreams & Nightmares by Nightbug4576 - an in progress multichapter about the batboys in their youth

Shadowsinger by swamp_witch100 - Azriel's origin story

Tradition by tothestarswholisten - the origin story of the anual batboy snowball fight

Rhysand's Childhood In Velaris:

Aliferous by brekkfast - Rhys and his mother go on a late night flight

When We Were Young by VaperwaveBiscuit - the time Mor and Rhysand went sledding down the stairs in the HoW

Hide and Seek by Ourbooksuniverse - Rhys playing hide and seek with his little sister

Wings of Lost Dreams by archeron_queens - Rhysand's sister's story

A Mother's Love by aqueentorattlestars - Rhysand's mother has a nightmare

General Pre-Canon Fics:

A Dreamer in a Court of Nightmares by starswholisten - a Mor focused fic that delves into how the Court of Dreams was formed

Had Me A Blast and We Gotta Stop Doing This by thewraithsofmorhogg - How did Cassian get banned from Summer, again?

The Choice by Illyriantremours - The fallout of Rhysand and Azriel finding out Mor slept with Cassian

The Incident by Fanfic4fun - Another take of the Cassian x Mor incident

Can't Sleep by tangledinmysoul - adult batboy (B)romance

Foolish Bat by Cheesegromit9000 - the time Rhysand was foolish enough to invite Amren to his bed

By the river's edge by an orphan account is the batboys discovering Rhysand's sister and mother's dead bodies 💔

Detached - A Rhysand Fic by eliniel - After finding the heads of his mother and sister floating down the river to their camp, Rhys is alone with his thoughts in the cabin that was his childhood home.

A Court of Song and Shadow by haleyspeed - a story set 500 years before canon centering around Rhysand's sister

It's Not In My Blood by catatonicatnap - the story of the day Rhysand and Tamlin became High Lord

[bambirex]

Really love your Quinntana stuff. I have a prompt - Quinntana start a fwb relationship after the two time thing. Quinn has a sexual awakening and is insatiable after that and can’t get of Santana. Santana loves it and she tries showing Quinn through physical means that there’s potential for more than just fwb feelings :)

Thank you 💕

Warnings: implied/referenced sexual content

**

After Quinn has gotten a taste of what Santana jokingly called her "sweet and spicy lady love", she found herself unable to get enough.

Almost every second night, she ended up in Santana's bed. It was such a new, freeing experience: to not have any expectations before her, to never having to worry about what her partner might think of her. With Santana, she could be herself.

They pretty much tried everything and more under the Sun, and it still wasn't enough. Quinn used to think she had a low libido, but now she had to realize she was simply having unsatisfactory sex. Sleeping with Santana made her feel way more in touch with her own body, and her feelings as well.

It took her quite some time to finally be able to admit it, but now Quinn was more than certain she was actually a lesbian.

When she mentioned this revelation to Santana after another round of hot and sweaty lovemaking, Santana chuckled, the pride evident in her eyes.

"Well, I'm really glad you came to your senses," she purred, running a hand through Quinn's hair. Quinn leaned into her touch happily. "And some people say pussies aren't powerful."

Quinn snorted and swatted at Santana's side, but she couldn't help but grin. Maybe it was some sapphic bewitching, or just maybe she just grew into herself with Santana's help; all the same, she was happily continuing her journey of self-disovery.

*

They didn't exactly discuss what was between them, but in Quinn's eyes, it was a sort of friends with benefits situation. After all, they could still tell each other everything and could go out for drinks together. And sometimes they ended up between each other's legs.

Strangely, Quinn always thought friends with benefits shouldn't involve feelings. Yet, after every time they had sex, Santana cuddled her and massaged her back, and sometimes Quinn wondered what it all meant.

Sometimes Santana would randomly kiss her on the cheek in passing, or give her hand a tentative squeeze when they walked in the streets, almost as if she wanted to hold her hand.

When they were just hanging out, Santana would still place a gentle hand on Quinn's leg, or wrap an arm around her shoulders, even if she didn't want to have sex.

Even during the deed, she would hold Quinn's hand and kiss her so tenderly, that Quinn questioned whether they were still inside the limits of a friends with benefits relationship.

Quinn knew right well that Santana sometimes had trouble voicing her needs; despite being brutally honest with other people, she often couldn't tell how it was when it came to her own feelings.

But Santana's love language was physical touch, and Quinn was aware of this, too. Now, if she took this into consideration, this really put their new relationship in a different perspective.

When Quinn one day asked if Santana thought they could ever be more, Santana, of course, didn't give a straight answer.

But her clinging to Quinn like a koala was pretty much all the answer Quinn needed, anyway.

[mmaurysiek]

so, more concept notes on the de-aged Carmilla fic

young Carmilla looks about 12-14yo to a human eye

still a vampire, still has a prosthetic eye - de-aging didn't inverse irreversible conditions; if it had, we all know what Jonny would do with that

the de-aging itself happens off-screen, by unspecified means

young Carmilla has no memory of the in-between events, but may suddenly remember stuff upon reaching the age when that memory had initially happened

the place where the de-aging had happened put young Carmilla in a local foster home

all Carmilla's emergency contacts are wanted by G-Pol, so none is used as intended

young Carmilla follows the trail of documentation, learning even more out-of-context detail about the future self than the penitentiary and foster systems divulged in the several years since the de-aging

#

initially, Aurora responds to the correspondence the same way as to the earlier G-Pol's bait attempts

some detail convinces Aurora that this might be a real deal

Aurora talks it over with Nastya, Ashes, and Brian - and together they decide to check it out, with an expectation that it's another fake / bait attempt

it's not a fake / bait

young Carmilla essentially stowaways, on misconception that this is home & family

Aurora is no place for a child, even an immortal one

shenanigans ensue

#

the crew doesn't find out all at once, and while they have different reactions, young Carmilla forms different "first" impressions

they keep forgetting that young Carmilla is a teenager, and young Carmilla is caught between having to personally figure out what's going on - and being expected to act like an adult self without knowing what that adult self would do - and getting pre-emptively threatened or buttered up by some crewmembers

almost nothing makes sense, but "at least" the "roles" of this dysfunctional found family are somewhat possible to figure out (Marius is having a field day >:D)

young Carmilla is also making very puzzling "self-"disoveries - does one's older self count as self, really?

young Carmilla overhears Ashes and Brian talking about leaving young Carmilla with Scuzz, amongst other things, which drives the sense of being unwanted closer to home than the thing where a lot of them have been obviously avoiding young Carmilla

#

it's in that state of dynamic that their lot accidentally cross paths with a certain Doctor and younger Jonny, from back when it was just the two of them

the duo hitchhike on Aurora because they've had suddenly found themselves on the run from the authorities again, it's a subject of debate whose fault it was this time

the back-in-time Doctor Carmilla and younger Jonny seem to be getting along like a house on fire, to the consternation of most of the crew, who only knew them much later

shenanigans ensue

#

(i'm very open to ideas and input)

also, here be some doodles:

[sidlavie]

The Naked Man

 On a typical Monday night, you can find me safely tucked away in my cocoon of an apartment. Paris in the fall is normally blistering, the wind is howling, the rain coming down. Nothing is better than cozying up in your favorite chair with a good story, magazine,  or a great movie to watch. Nothing that is except the prospect of cozying up with someone else. I met V two weeks ago when having a…

[indiarightnow]

Sunshine in my rucksack

Sunshine in my rucksack

Travelling in my backyard, I rediscovered waterfalls, fresh fruits, the moons of Jupiter, solitude As privileged as it sounds, the pandemic ‘trapped’ me in the mountains; I was home, like everybody else, only with fresher air. I took it in my stride for a decently long time until the travel itch resurfaced, which I desperately tried to drown in routine. While everyone I knew was experimenting…

[faustandfurious]

Hello! I know you loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and I'm wondering if you read Piranesi and if so, what you thought of it? I love hearing your thoughts about books!

I'm very hesitant to say too much about Piranesi because it's one of those books you ought to know as little as possible about before reading for maximum impact. Since you didn't specify whether you've read it yourself or just want to hear my thoughts because you consider reading it, I'm giving a non-spoilery answer here and adding some spoilery thoughts under the cut.

Piranesi is one of my favourite books from the past few years, I had no idea what to expect, but I knew Clarke wouldn't let me down because honestly she could publish her shopping lists and I'd still read them. It's very different from JSAMN, but it has the same sense of wonder and mystery to it, and I love how it manages to be both bittersweet and full of hope at the same time. The beginning is slow-paced and you don't really know what's going on, but that only makes it so much more satisfying when the puzzle pieces start clicking into place. Piranesi's journey is one of self-disovery, and the best way to experience it as a reader, is to follow along on that journey without skipping ahead.

(Spoilers from here)

I had so many theories about what was going on, from the very beginning I thought Piranesi was an AI gaining consciousness and Ketterley was a programmer who asked him to gather data for him, the House being the AI's visual representation of the dataset it was working on. This was mostly supported by the Batter-Sea interaction between the two and how much it reminded me of the questions a computer scientist might ask to gauge an AI's degree of self-awareness, and also by Ketterley treating Piranesi like a tool for data extraction. The name Piranesi, with its connection to architecture and engineering, sounded exactly like the kind of name a computer scientist would pick for an AI, as a private joke.

Anyway, I was wrong and I didn't mind being wrong, because the fun lay in thinking of the theory, not in being proven right.

Also, the last diary entry "it began to snow", where Piranesi/Sorensen is back in the ordinary world, makes me feel the way I always feel in the last few weeks before Christmas, when the snow and the darkness are heavy, but there is still so much light everywhere.

My only complaint is that, given Sorensen's Danish heritage, it should have been Sørensen (though he may have changed his name to make it easier for English speakers to handle).

[aeligsido]

Damian Wayne! (Ask game)

Thank you for the ask, darling!

-

First impression: I'll be honest, I think I discovered him with fanfics lmao. I can't remember what I thought about him except that maybe he's a brat/interesting. BUT i do know that the first comic of him I read was Lil' Gotham, and I immediately thought he was adorable in it. A baby.

Impression now: Well, he's still a baby, and a very interesting character, that's for sure.I really love exploring him despite the fact that weirdly enough, he's not in my fav characters xD Like, I love him and all, I just love more characters more odfihviu. But yeah. My baby. He deserves better than what DC gives him.

Favorite moment: This time he beats up the Joker lmao. I haven't read enough of it yet but I really like his moments with his pets bc it's always so cute and soft.

Idea for a story: I actually have a lot! One that I really want to write is with Damian & Harper (Row) where they talk about being LGBTQ+ and Damian makes a few self-disoveries.

Unpopular opinion: He shouldn't become Batman, he shouldn't take control of the League of Assassin (but those aren't that unpopular i think), and most of it all he shouldn't become the new Nightwing after Dick. Damian's character is all about being born for carrying legacies (Ra's and Bruce), and his character's arc is all about breaking free from these expectations and legacies. He doesn't go through all of it just to shove him another legacy in his face. (Like, I get where people come from, about how it should be about choosing your legacy or whatever, but i really,,,,,, really despise the idea lmao.) Also same for Damian being Flamebird, it just doesn't work for me lmao.

Favorite relationship: I really like his relationship with Tim bc it's all about growing closer over time,,, idk it feels like a nice brotherly relationship to me. Too bad the reboot cut it in the middle :pensive::fist: I also adore Damian & Steph's relationship. Like, she's his big sister, no question asked, and they're just dofhviud i don't have word,,,,, but yeah they're my favs.

Favorite headcanon: He grows up to be a hugger! There's canon basis for it but I just really really love this idea.

-

Character ask game here!

[plutoswrath]

This isn't an ask per se but I wanted to share my thoughts. I always felt conflicted between placidus vs whole sign system,okay..maybe not always. At first I didn't even look at WH. Placidus was like the golden rule for me bc it made sense at that point of my life, tat I didn't even consider any other alternative. I liked how it added a unique character to people's chart.Like not all cancer risings r the same bc they have diff house cusps, interceptions maybe and thus diff ways they react to life and it's experiences.

Placidus made me a 11H sun and that resonated bc There was a brief period of my life at that time where I was Funny, social, surrounded by many online friends. It was like the answer to why I always felt like my true self with friends and much happier than any other relations.

Years later,as if quick flash of a firework, all that fun n spark faded as friends drifted away and I was left all by myself.

At the same in my astrology journey, I learned abt many types of charts and different ways to practice astrology. After reading many compelling posts from experienced astrologers and people's experiences, I decided to try out WH.

At first I didn't resonate with it at all. Made me sun in 12h, with no planets in 11th. I was always an introvert with big imagination but I couldn't come to accept tat I am a 12H sun and a few other placements. But then again my IC made a lil more sense than placidus IC. Unable to choose between the two, I put it aside to use only for transits.

Until, this year I seriously gave WH a go for natals.and the more I use it, the more I can see it being right. I've also come to accept I very well could be a 12H sun. Maybe always has been, and that brief period of popularity could just be an exception from some wild solar returns.

In a weird timely coincidence, this is my 12H profection year. I've come to think if Maybe tats why I could come to face and accept my 12h ☀.Or maybe bc it reflects my current point in my life. If so, it'd be interesting to see if I would change my thoughts next year 😄.

Idk how to conclude this message prettily, I just thought it was interesting my 12H profection brought an era of peace with its coincidence and wanted to share this with you. I apologize for making it too long.

-🌻

Don't apologize please! I think it's so sweet that you decided to share that experience with me!

I personally think it's very normal that as we continue our practice of astrology, we will possibly grow to like and appreciate various methods of practice and also change them. The topic of which house system is best to use is a very common question I get and I think especially newbies asks themselves a lot, and I think it couldn't be better explained than with the example you gave: it's really just a preference that possibly changes over time as we as a person and our insights and outlooks on life change, our self and astrology changes as well, because at the end of the day, astrology is tightly bound to our method of interpretation and drawing conclusions.

I personally think that different house systems can give us a different and more versatile glimpse of ourself. I know there are people who can't relate with their or other people's natal chart when it's placed in a different house system, but I think as we never stop growing as a person (or better said, we shouldn't stop growing as a person), there is a high chance that possibly one day you will. Which is why I find it even funnier that you made your discovery for your fondness of the wh system in your 12th house profection year!! I think it's just another big indicator of how astrology ties our whole process of being and 'becoming' together! Comong back to my the use of different house system, for example in the wh system my Sun is in the 11th instead of the 10th (placidus), which I can understand at first, but given the fact my Sun is nearest to my MC, Chart Ruler is in the 10th and I have my Leo Venus in the 11th conjunct my North Nodein placidus, I can see a reflection of how important my friends and a community I belong to and can express myself in freely is to me. For me personally , it makes sense that maybe not every house system, but most can feel relatable to us, at least for to an extent! And of course, as we discover more of ourselves, we find other, more relatable and efficient methods to continue our search for self disovery and the discovery of the universe.

Loved your insight and experience, thanks again for sharing! x

[stabletwooriginals]

CHAPTER FOUR: Perspective

LittlePip had the bright idea of looting a building she is way too underleveled for. That's not really a Gamer Joke, as FoE really does seem to take a lot of rules and mechanics from the Fallout games. But it's also funny.

Her opponents are the classic brain-bots we know from the games, made more horrifying with the simple detail of sounding like children. "Come on out. We only want to kill you for trespassing!" also reminds me of the turrets in Portal.

This is also where we get our first reference of the zebras as the enemy, via the intercom playing an ancient, automated message. Oh, and the first mention of the Minstry of Technology too!

The Mr. Handy equivalent of a plasma weapon is said to look like a unicorn's horn. That's cool.

While trying to escape on collapsing catwalks we get the first instance of self-levitation! That's a creative use of the canonical ability unicorns in the show possess. I'm not even sure if a unicorn levitaed *another* pony in season 1. But I think they never levitated themselves? This also gave me flashbacks (or rather flashforwards) to all the cool stuff LittlePip can do later with her levitation, I'm excited to get there.

 Oh fuck me with Celestia's forehooves!

The first instance of a PipSwear! Now, I love them. They are iconic. But heck, gosh, darn it if they don't sound awkward when said out loud. Which kinda makes them not work as swears, in my opinion. But for me, they are dumb fun and sometimes that's enough. Her remark that she picked these exploitives up from the raiders is a nice touch. That she keeps them up and builds on them is all her, though.

IRONSHOD FIREARMS How do you like *them* apples?   I didn't get it.

So, I am not a native English speaker. I know this saying, but I was curious where it comes from. *Apparently* that's not really known, but according to this article the phrase was used like this in 1895 already. However, it was also used to refer to anti-tank granades in World War I, for their apple-like appearence. Since granades also look like apples in FoE, I will take the risk and say that I think I do get Ironshod Firearms' slogan.

The anti zebra propaganda found in the factory overmare office is both creative and glossed over. The slogan ("Better Wiped than Striped! Join the Equestrian Forces Today!") is heavily reminicient of the German rhymes of similiar racist nature from the world wars. And the depiction of the zebras as some dark creatures with evil glowing eyes is over the top, but only a reread might reveal this as the neon sign it is, as the zebras have not yet been introduced as the enemy force properly.

In the overmares office Littlepip finds a ton of useful items, from spark batteries , a StealthBuck and gum (which could be the first instance of MintAls, altough not called such, as LittlePip doesn’t know them yet (and if they aren’t, she finds some later in this chapter in an abandoned camp under a bridge), to the one, the only: little macintosh. This revolver will become LittlePips iconic weapon that she keeps until the very end of the story. Presumably made for or at least by Applejack, so this also gives Littlepip a neat little tie to one of the original shows main characters.

Hacking the terminal LittlePip discovers that she could have opened the safe she picked with a bobby pin remotely from there. Intentionally or not, this is a dig at Fallout 3′s design philosophy of giving you several ways to open locks, making only learning one of them enough, while skilled characters are left feeling a bit overqualified.

Leaving Ironshod Firearms, LittlePip admits to having given up on finding Velvet for now and being set on just exploring the world instead. Again, very Fallout 3 in my book.

Past a playground that became a graveyard for little ponies (dark!), she finds a “Sparkle~Cola” vending machine. This becomes LittlePips favorite drink and when I first read it, I was super happy about that for some reason. The book keeps mentioning how she sipps on carroty cola sometimes and every time I remember thinking it was a fun detail. I have no idea why.

Resting on a bench closeby we get a description of this poster:

(Art by Droakir - DeviantArt)

First mention of the Ministry of Morale, first instance of Pinkie Pie and a really fun description of how her graying mane makes it look like a candy cane. Like the poster on the zebras, this is also great, classic propaganda writing. Obviously it is a reference to the episode Green Isn’t Your Color, but while I feel that it is referencing some real life propaganda, I do not know a specific one.

Watcher suddenly is back, helpfully explaining that the MoM is “another well-meaning idea that was so much better on scroll.” What a fitting description of pre-war politics in FoE.

Getting jumped makes LittlePip call back to the slaver, that complained about sprite-bots sneaking up on ponies. If I recall correctly this will be one of the biggest sources of fun in FoE: Callbacks like this, that help paint the world in your mind by connecting the dots for you. Im certain some find this aspect annoying, as they rather enjoy doing that work themselves, but as a casual reader (of a very long story) I always welcomed it. I will also stop pointing them out from here on, unless they strike me remarkable in other ways.

A quick reminder of the raider armor she is wearing and some foreshadowing how it makes her look like “a nightmare pony”, before Watcher offers that she needs to find her virtue. This will be as important as in the original show, but also almost take LittlePip until the end of the story to really figure it out. Right now, she doesn’t quite believe him and his connection to the sprite-bot drops. Now we get a different voice from the radio the sprite-bots play, when Watcher is not in control of them. Similiar to President Eden of the Enclave in Fallout 3. This however, is Red-Eye, altough not named yet, giving a motivational speech about the posibility of rebuilding Equestria. Naturally, this confuses LittlePip even further, having seen no trace of any leaders or reconstruction efforts.

Well, technically she has seen slavers, so, unbeknownst to her, she actually has seen a part of Red-Eyes plan.

But it gives her the idea to look for settlements and actually finds one in the distance. A undamaged looking caravan is moving away from it, all in all a great disovery.

While a fun and memorable scene in itself, what follows is meant to reflect a corner stone of LittlePips character. As she approaches the settlement she gets mistaken for a raider by her barding and shot at. Remembering the caravan she collects her strength and stands up to her agressor, threatening to kill them if they attack the others. This reveals the misunderstanding -- her attacker thought she was endangering the caravan -- and LittlePip exits the chapter loosing consiousness from her insuries.

Footnote: Level Up. New Perk: Egghead -- You will add +2 skill points each time you gain a new experience level.

What a chapter! While it might feel like not much happened, so many pivital and iconic elements were introduced here. Even if a lot weren’t named yet. Like Calamity! It does feel weird that LittlePip just admits on giving up on Velvet like that, though. On my first read I didn’t mind, because I just enjoyed how similiar the experience felt to playing Fallout 3, which I liked more than any other entry at the time. Now it seems odd, but there are a lot of other things to focus on and enjoy in this and the coming chapters.

[weird-hag]

🌊OCEAN POTION 🌊

Hey that rhymes

A potion to harness the power of the sea. I find the sea to be a very universal energy, it is both calm & powerful. Embrace your freedom, let your hidden treasure/potential shine, self-disovery, spontaneity, get in touch with your emotions, and let your wild side out. 🐬🧜🏼

🧜🏼Materials🧜🏾‍♀️

*some items may be eliminated/added, this is just my personal version*

Full Moon Water 🌊

Sea Salt 🐚

(1 or All) Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Pearl, Lapis Lazuli, Hag Stone 🌊

Crushed & Whole Sea Shells 🐚

Sand 🌊

Seaweed and/or Moss 🐚

Jasmine Essential Oil 🌊

Blue Lotus 🐚

Rolled Paper with water element (written in blue ink) 🌊

🐬Method🐋

Before making, place the crystals in whatever vessel your using to charge it, then take them out ⚓️

Mix the (crushed) sea salt in with the moon water (if you have real sea water you can add a bit, but I’m landlocked) 🐋

Add the shells and sand⚓️

If you have mini crystals of amethyst, clear quartz, aquamarine, add them in too 🐋

Add moss/seaweed and lotus ⚓️

Draw a sigil or the elemental sign for water in blue ink. Roll up the paper and put it in there. 🐋

Basically, you just put everything in a jar and shake it up, but take your time and use intent⚓️

🌊Uses🌊

*Use as you see fit, these are just some ideas*

Put a few drops in a spell bottle

Carry a small amount in a vile with you 

Pour a bit into a bath

Soak a piece of paper, let it dry, write a sigil or rune

Just use it to represent the ocean, place it on your altar

🦀 Tips & Notes 🦀

This is not a consumable potion!

It helps if you have real sand, real shells, real seawater, but don’t let that stop you. I live in the Midwest, far away from any ocean, but I still practice sea witchcraft.

I’m a Cancer, but you do NOT have to be a water sign to use this/ feel connected to the ocean (and don’t let anyone tell you different ;) 🦀

Play ocean sounds & music while making this. Here’s a playlist I made for all you sea witches: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wkFXlzmUj14kYSecRd55c?si=lKQG9A7LQFiDja9smC90BA 🌊

[trulymadlysydney]

1/3 Just to add to the love boner concept. Imagine that just like he said in the interview with Zane he got his heartbroken. As we know from his song he's used to being used for fame and money, being cheated on and toxic relationships (bad communication and trust issues). All which took a tole on him and made him be a bad person at certain times and at points made him hate relationships and love because he always bad luck with them which made him not trust/be upset himself as he said but

2/3 but with you its completly different. You start off as bestfriends but there was always a spark between you to which you both couldn't deny He doesn't question your trust, loyalty, and your character because you've been straight up honest about what you want and how you learnt from your past relationships as he is with you. As he's learnt from his previous relaionships and self disovery and so have you which makes your relationship really healthy. Always discussing issues if you have them,

3/3 always being honest about your feelings about things regarding your relationship and if someone tried to make a move on you and it put you off. As he's sitting with you listening to you talk he just thinks about all that and how grateful he is to be blessed with such an intelligent, beautiful, kind hearted and funny gf and such a healthy, amazing sex-ridden, and beautiful relationship. Because he really thought during his heartbreaks he would never have that but he does and he's so happy.

----

oh............... my god.... oh my god? i’m going to SOB?

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

Hidden Truth part 3

Summary: Arthur plays his own game more and more, and makes a grim disovery.

Warnings: Angst

It was just an ordinary day. Work was easy to the point of boring. You were glad for that, able to come home with at least some more energy than usual. You’d figure you could give Arthur a break from cooking tonight and take him out to the steakhouse that night for a lovely dinner.

The plan was set in your head as you unlocked the front door to walk in. Across the living room you were able to spot him with ease, standing just outside the patio doors, taking a puff of a cigarette as he seemed fixated on the sky.

You smiled and headed over, pulling back the door to step out. He glanced at you.

“Hey you,” you greeted. “How was your day?”

For the first time, you noticed the troubled look on his face. He exhaled a steady stream of smoke as he flicked the remnants to the concrete before stomping it out. “Hey Y/N.”

“You okay?” you asked, your brow furrowing as you placed as hand on his shoulder.

He didn’t respond to your touch, didn’t pull you into a kiss like he usually would. His eyes were steely, his lips set into a hard line. His gaze fixed to the ground. “I need to…talk to you.”

Your heart skipped a beat. The emotion in his voice told you something was wrong. “What is it?”

He gestured that you would go back inside and you followed, stepping back into the living room as he shadowed you, pulling the door shut. As you turned to face him, he stepped back, giving a small sigh as he appeared to ponder on his words.

“I…” he began, swallowing. “I was playin’ more of the game today. Played for a while.”

Confused, you folded your arms. “And we established that it was okay now, so…”

“That’s not what I meant,” he murmured, beginning to fidget somewhat. “I…found out somethin’.”

“What?”

Arthur didn’t answer at first, his eyes glancing toward the TV, the PS4, and back to you. “That I…I’m sick.”

“Sick?” you repeated. “What do you mean?”

“I have Tuberculosis, Y/N.”

Your stomach flipped uncomfortably as the silence that followed roared between you. After a moment, you found your voice. “But, you can’t- you’re healthy!”

“I thought so too,” he sighed sadly, his voice trembling as he gave a bit of a cough at the end. “Till I coughed up some blood earlier.”

“But how do you know it’s that?” you asked, although anything that meant coughing up blood wasn’t something that could be cured with just some cold medicine.

Now that he mentioned it, you did seem to notice how often he’s been coughing as of lately. You assumed it was from the cigarettes, tending to his vices but slowly trying to convince him to quit. Or maybe you thought he had allergies. Sometimes he’d wake up in the night, trying to be silent for your sake but you felt the rumble of his chest through the mattress.

“I…me in the game, I went to a doctor. He told me,” He explained. “Said I should…just rest.”

Your insides felt like they were on fire upon hearing this news. Tuberculosis was a death sentence during his time, and even now with modern medicine it could still cause complications. But that didn’t mean you couldn’t do anything about it.

“Come with me.” You stated.

He blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Come with me,” you repeated with a firmness in your voice. “We’re going to get a second opinion.”

Arthur looked as if he wanted to protest, as if in disbelief that any doctor could cure him. You’d once explained how many deadly diseases were now preventable in this day and age, and you hoped this wouldn’t be any different. He just had to trust your word on this. You tugged on his hand, allowing him to follow you to your car.

You were thankful urgent care was open, and the waiting room wasn’t completely full. Upon hearing the possibility of infection, you and Arthur were quickly moved to a more isolated room. A long conversation with the doctor ensued, ending with both of you having a blood test due to your exposure. Even though you yourself didn’t feel sick, the bacteria was very contagious. The two of you sat quietly in the room after the doctor and nurse left. Arthur leaned forward, placing his face into his hands. His chest shuddered as he let out another cough.

You frowned, wondering why exactly the symptoms just started out of nowhere, especially during a turning point in the game. Was he possibly tied to his alternate self somehow? Avoiding digging deeper into the already perplexing matter, you turned and placed your hand on his thigh comfortingly.

“Arthur, it’s treatable,” you said to him. “You won’t die.”

“But you’re probably sick too,” he groaned without moving his hands. “I…I’m so sorry.”

“I feel fine,” you reassured him. “And even if I was, we both can overcome it.”

In reality you were a little nervous yourself, but you couldn’t tell him that. From how often you two would cuddle and kiss, there was no doubt the bacteria could reside in your system. You’d never had to manage with something with such severity to your health before. You were just glad you weren’t alive in Arthur’s time to have a legitimate fear over death and disease.

“I hope so.” He grumbled, his voice barely even a whisper.

You weren’t sure how much more time had passed before the doctor returned with individual charts. He confirmed Arthur’s suspicion; he indeed did have Tuberculosis. The way Arthur’s face fell broke your heart.

“And you, Miss L/N. Well…you don’t seem to have it in your system.”

The shock caused you to sit up straight, a fast reaction that settled with the tiniest bit of relief. “Really?” you breathed.

The doctor nodded. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful. If anything it might be best if you avoid prolonged contact until Mr. Morgan is cleared up.”

“Wait, how’s that possible?” Arthur asked, the image of sadness wiped clean to replace with confusion. “Y/N and I…well, we’re always ‘round each other.”

“Some people are more prone to disease,” the doctor explained. “Some people can be immune to it was well.”

You sighed, leaning back into your chair. Quite frankly, you weren’t sure how you’d react if you were tested positive. Sure, you had health insurance. The antibiotics wouldn’t have been a big deal. Yet the one part of your mind tugged at that very real possibility.

The doctor moved on to speak about Arthur’s options, explaining the course of treatment and approximately how long it would be that he’d be on medication. Behind his blue eyes, you could only see the confusion grow. Antibiotics hadn’t been invented in his time, it was a completely new concept to him. But the tug at his lips indicated that he was understanding that this wasn’t a death sentence.

You left a little while later, happy for answers but your savings account significantly lighter. You silently cursed the American healthcare system; having to pay so much for Arthur’s side of the visit. Soon after you drove your way to the pharmacy to pick up the medication.

The whole day felt surreal; as if you were dreaming. Arthur was quiet the entire ride, his gaze fixed out the window. You were definitely not sick; a surprise to both of you. Somehow Arthur still seemed to be processing the entire ordeal, maybe in complete disbelief that he was handed a cure, or even the fact that you remained healthy.

You reached home, Arthur silently following you as you walked in. You wanted to say something to him, although unsure of what. You had to remind him that it will be okay from now on.

He made his way into the kitchen, sitting down at the table as he stuck his hand into the bag to produce a bottle of pills. He scanned the label quickly before scoffing and putting it down. “Can’t understand half of this…” he mumbled. “This is supposed to cure me?”

“It will cure you,” you assured, sitting across from him. “Have some faith, okay?”

Somehow, his stoic face cracked with a slight chuckle. “You sound like Dutch.”

A smile of your own appeared on his face, thankful that he was able to laugh. “Is that a good thing?”

“Right now, yeah,” he said, picking up the bottle again. “If what you’re tellin’ me is true, that these things can make me better again, then I might as well. ‘Specially since you ain’t even sick.”

“Guess I’m lucky,” you reached over to grip his free hand gently. “You’ll get through this, okay? It’s gonna take a while, but you’ll survive.”

He responded by squeezing your hand. “With you, I’m sure to.”

---

Truth be told this didn’t turn out as angsty as I thought it would? With Arthur in the modern world he has virtually every medicine available to him despite the reader’s bank account OW