#snippet of a scrapped concept

[eighteenthofoctober]

There is no price he won't pay

[introboy]

So so excited to share my @mcytblrholidayexchange gift for @follow-the-compass-home! My concept was to combine a bunch of prompts together into one AU.

The premise is a modern-fantasy roommate situation where Tango, Bdubs, and Etho live together in an apartment. The only issue is that none of them are human, but they're all trying desperately to blend in, even though they don't really understand humanity as a concept.

More information can be found below the cut, and an introductory fic snippet can be found here (x)!

Downstairs Neighbors AU

Prompts used as inspiration:

Focus on Tango, Etho, and Bdubs

Include Boatem

Story told from Grian's perspective

Hybrid/inhuman AU

Angst with a happy ending

Emphasis on character dynamics

Here's a summary!!!

Tango, Etho, and Bdubs found each other by looking for roommates on Craigslist. They live in a 4-bedroom apartment together.

Tango is a spirit who wanted to interact with the world in a physical sense, so he built himself a body. He's basically just a ghost possessing an android (but unlike ghosts, he was never alive; he came into being as a fully-formed spirit). He doesn't adhere to normal bodily necessities like food, water, or sleep, which is convenient but also heavily concerning from an outsider's perspective.

Etho is a specific kind of shapeshifter called a mimic. He doesn't have a true form, but can copy the shape and mannerisms of most living creatures. The only constant across all of his appearances is a scarred left eye and white hair. Unfortunately, it takes practice to nail specific species characteristics, so he often forgets what he's supposed to look like and falls into uncanny valley. He wears a mask to cover his more noticable facial slipups.

Bdubs is some sort of plant creature (he doesn't really understand it himself). He has a perfect internal clock and sleeps, without fail, for 12 hours every night. He spends a lot of time in the unoccupied bedroom-- he uses it as a makeshift greenhouse, and it's filled with grow lights and humidifiers. He loves taking care of houseplants, but it's also a cover for him to spend time under the grow lights. Without enough light & water he gets lethargic.

Bdubs, Etho, and Tango, henceforth referred to as BET, all assume that the others are human. But since none of them know how to act human, they continuously pick up stranger and stranger habits from each other.

BET are close friends with Impulse & Skizzleman, who live together across the hall. Their upstairs neighbors are Grian, Pearl, Mumbo, and Scar, who are also besties with Imp & Skizz. BET and Boatem don't know each other well, but Grian especially thinks his neighbors are really odd.

Like BET, Grian is not human, and neither are the rest of his roommates. But they all know about each other, and Grian especially is really good at knowing how to act natural in public places. He's an avian shapeshifter, who can take the form of either a scarlet macaw or a human. Unlike Etho, both forms come equally naturally to Grian, and the shapeshifting process is a lot easier for him.

(Imp & Skizz are not human either-- they are a demon and an angel respectively. But, like Grian, they're really good at blending in when in public.)

One day, Grian gets injured on a flight and accidentally ends up on BET's balcony instead of his own. He's too disoriented to shift back into his human form or fly away, so Bdubs and Etho find him outside their door. Tango calls Impulse over in the hopes that he knows how to fix the random-injured-parrot crisis, but the only result is that Grian and Impulse start to truly take note of how strange their neighbors' living situation is. Incidents like the one pictured above arise (i.e. everyone finding out that there is not a singular scrap of food to be found in the entire apartment).

Ok that's all the rambling I'll do in this post, but I hope you enjoyed! Happy holidays!!

[incognitopolls]

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[syckubota]

illustrated some comic pages based off some writing i have. sketches and flat ink process (alongside a long-winded info-dump) below :)

I'm a little shy about it, but I've been getting into fun self-insert stuff lately. Fallout 4 is truly a dating sim game...

The character in this comic is supposed to be fairly reflective of real-life me, but there's sort of an alternate-universe catch to them; They're like a time capsule of the me in October, 2024. So, there's certain bits of wisdom and knowledge, of which I that have now, that they don't. Essentially, they're prone to making blunders, and still have personal developments to make. I've been having lotsa fun exploring this concept!

The premise of my writing/story is that in another universe, on October 23, 2024, they wake up in Sanctuary Hills, October 23, 2287. This version of me is from our world, so they are heavily under-prepared for surviving the wasteland, and their only advantage is the fact that they have decent knowledge about the Fallout world (due to their fixation on it). They have to navigate this much more brutal environment, coupled with their personal vices and difficulties, including but not limited to the horror of being mysteriously ripped out of their own world. Their social-psychological struggles inadvertently leads to them deciding that lying about their origins was the best course of action. This alternate me initially white-lies about being a psychic, until it spirals out of control and they end up having to break the truth to everyone they've lied to. Nate is also released from Vault 111, and this alternate me has the honors of spoiling the Institute's grand looming scheme, after a bit of convincing.

The specific context behind this scene/snippet depicted in the comic, is that this alternate me hired MacCready, to not only have an experienced wastelander backing them up, but to also, hopefully begin assisting him with his struggles. They let it be known that they have (an unspecified amount of) knowledge about his life, but they still lied to him about where they were coming from, just how much they knew--and--their plans to help him. This me was also strongly in denial about their fascination and affection for him, so they were actively fighting a crush the whole time. They were hoping to help him and get on with their life elsewhere, and hopefully with someone else.

This alternate me planned to clear out the warehouses and to collect scrap for land development, with MacCready's help. They end up explaining a bit about their Minuteman-aligned land development goals, and unintentionally let on that they knew about MacCready's tragedy. When MacCready realizes this, there comes an awkward tension, because he is left blind-sided trying to process everything, and this me is extremely worried he took the information poorly, and may refuse their offer to help. This alternate me feels the need to be avoidant with him, and decides to get the job over with, the sooner the better.

However, since this alternate me was distracted with being evasive to their hired help, they had gotten careless, resulting in a heavily bleeding wound.

For further context, and before I continue, MacCready already sort of felt like he could resign his social-emotional walls to this alternate me. This was due to the fact that they already knew quite a bit about him, but didn't do anything to betray/exploit him. This alternate me also invited him to ask for whatever information he wanted back from them, to keep things fair and square. So, as a result, over the day he'd gotten to know them, he already felt some sense of kinship with them.

This leads back to this scene. MacCready simply offers to check and wrap up the wound (thus the vodka, rag, and bandages). This alternate me is already confused as to why he's being so friendly already, and they have some conversation, but it inadvertently leads back to the awkward tension they were feeling earlier; this alternate me comes clean about how much they actually knew about his life, and their intentions to turn things around for him, but they still hide the exact details of where they truly came from, unsure if it was the right time to do so.

MacCready understands. Taking their word, he truly believes this me was a person from his world, blessed with 'the sight', who was going out of their way to find the solutions to the near hopeless issues that had been eating away at him. Instead of feeling scorn or disturbance, he's glad to be understood, and have a way out of the hole he's in--it is an insanely cathartic thing for him, and he expresses his relief and gratitude accordingly. But this me knows that they were still lying to his face about their own past, and feels that their acts aren't deserving of such high praise. Instead of being able to fully appreciate his gratitude, they carry an immense guilt for their disingenuity, alongside deep humility about themself. There's nothing like being the cause of your own problems.

Anyways, TLDR: I turned myself into an original character and I'm torturing them here! 😁

to further explain why this alternate me didn't just stick a stimpak in themself so they wouldn't have needed help checking their wound:

stims are expensive. YES i know Boston is a stimpak trove but bro just got here...

stims were originally intended as healing aids, and this alternate me realistically needed stitches first. It was also the only wound they got; nor was it severe enough to call for one right away. YES i know that's not how the game treats stimpaks, though.

[consolecadet]

Tagged by @specialagentartemis!

Rules: In a new post, list the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

My writing folder has subfolders for each project, not individual files, but here they are. If something has a tag on my blog, I'll link it.

2170 (2011-2013 novella, 2018 thesis film rewrite/adaptation, might totally revise into a new novel some day)

Adaptive Daydreaming (2021 short story draft-in-progress)

Adventures of Skull (ca. 2013 concept)

Alexes (ca. 2014 concept)

Apocalypse story (ca. 2009 concept/characters)

Cold war story (ca. 2009 concept/characters)

Colonial Goose Company Ltd. (2020 short story draft)

Crime drama/NaNoWriMo 2018 (2009-2018, multiple unfinished and completed novel drafts, this is where Gareth is from)

Dynatrend Copy Center (2014 short story draft)

found poems 2 (2017 found poetry chapbook) (you can see found poems 1, "uncomfortable", here)

Greasy Vampire Lawyers (2012 concept), with @cryptiq

Jasper and Liam (ca 2007 characters/concept/story scraps)

Not a Virtual Simulation, formerly This is Not a Vampire Story (2012 story scraps, 2024 novel draft)

Neural Feedback Loop (2020 short story draft, currently revising!)

Sciatica and herniated disc tips (2020 guide)

The Transformation (2021 short story outline)

Venice (2013 short story draft)

I won't tag 17 people but I will tag (participation of course optional) @melleonis, @saxifraga-x-urbium, @hypokeimena, @abyssaldyke, @definitionsfading, @tadpoleconspiracy, @cryptiq, @absolutely-basted, and @sealcontent

[maaskuline]

A FUN FACT!

a LOT of the way i try to portray Johnny's personality in my writing is highly inspired by the series creator's own descriptions of his personality, specifically from the Johnny Bravo 2nd Season Bible — which WERE the original plans for Season 2 of the show, before the creator Van Partible sadly got fired from his own show and replaced with a different writing team. and while i do love the season 2 - 3 we ended up with in its own right, and still incorporate much of it into my depiction of Johnny (like his connection to Carl and Pops, little backstory things, general inspiration, etc), i do also try to stick a little more closely with Van Partible's specific vision for Johnny in terms of personality and decision-making in threads!

so here's some snippets from it that i often use as reference for my version of Johnny >:)

( Holly O'Hair, the man with no name, and Jim Dandy are all characters that never really came to be due to the changes. I personally used Holly O'Hair as VERY big inspiration behind my depiction of Sandy, so I've got her general concept down, just with a different name! ) ( The man with no name served as the basis for Pops in the show, which... I guess you could argue Pops IS a man with no name too lol, since I doubt that's his real name. ) ( And Jim Dandy was actually going to be what you see as Donny Osmond's guest appearances in the show, only in Season 2, he would have been given his own character & name. However, Jim Dandy was scrapped, and then served as the basis for Carl instead! HOWEVER... I actually have my own version of Jim Dandy as well! :) He just has yet to be revealed right now, as I still develop him. You can bet his FC will be cartoon Donny Osmond from his appearances on the show though. )

( BIG on the "Hey, HE doesn't even know that" part. Johnny does not have any self-awareness at all in most of his decisions, lmao. The man's got problems that need to be addressed, but the thing is — how is he supposed to address them when he doesn't even know the first thing about them? Especially when it comes to his mental health or subconscious behavior, Johnny would likely not be able to tell you WHAT'S going on in his own head. )

( Also very big on the, "He never seems to give up, even through rejection after rejection." I think this specific aspect is kind of what sets Johnny apart from, say, your stereotypical incel type of guy. Lots of people would probably expect someone like Johnny to grow offended by being rejected by women over and over — and that's not to say that Johnny can't EVER feel some type of way about it — but it shows that his thought process is a little more complex than that! He takes rejection in stride, and is quick to move on if he knows he's wasting his time. )

( OK, SO. It is because of this very paragraph that I actually go back and forth on whether or not Johnny would take steroids to gain his build, lol. The main reason I've had him deny it whenever he's gotten anons about it is because I don't really know much about steroids myself, and I'm afraid if I take that step and actually make him a steroid user, I'm not going to be able to portray it very well without the right knowledge on it. I'm afraid it might be a slightly sensitive topic, so I just wanna make sure that if I DO portray it with him, it's done very carefully. So, for now, I'll just kind of leave that up in the air — I'll have to put some research into that at a later date! ) ( On another note, this paragraph reveals a LOT more to Johnny's mindset than what's on the surface, imo! I think a lot of fans tend to take Johnny's muscle-y build & his working out for what it is, and assume that he simply enjoys those things — which makes perfect sense! That would probably be the most obvious thought process for most people who choose to work out, after all; they do it because they enjoy it. But funnily enough, that actually isn't quite the case with Johnny! Maybe he does still enjoy it to some extent, but that's not the main reason he does it. He does it out of NECESSITY, or at least that's how he treats it. Like a chore! He's LAZY. If he could spend most of his time just sitting on the couch and watching TV, he would probably prefer to do that over working out any day, but he knows he can't do that, and has this image to upkeep. )

( iirc, on the occasion that Johnny IS seen to drive in Van's seasons of the show, it's typically in his mama's car, which is bright pink! But more often than not, he seems to choose walking over driving... even though he DOES like driving and cars. Which is just a little clue that leads me to believe he probably just... doesn't wanna drive HIS MAMA'S car, specifically. Probably BECAUSE it is pink and not very "manly" looking. )

( One major clue that makes me believe that Johnny has some form of depression, and/or being undiagnosed neurodivergent — he has a distinct lack of motivation, no interest in a career or moving out or being financially independent from his mama at all. The expectation hangs over him, but he just can't seem to live up to it. Add this along with the few jobs that we DO get to see him briefly work in the show; just about every single time, he messes up and gets fired or kicked out by his employers. I'd say it's very likely that this lack of motivation towards finding a job is likely DUE to these consistent firings and rejections, leaving him with a negative association with the workforce in its entirety. Relatable! But unfortunately, the fact of the matter is, he can't rely on his mama forever... so, he really does need to figure WHAT he's gonna do with his future in the event that she is no longer around. )

( I think it's worth noting that Johnny tends to project the qualities that he sees in HIMSELF onto other people, and that's typically what he'll find attractive in a romantic interest. So for instance here, since it's said that Johnny "fancies himself to be the strongest, bravest, coolest, chivalrous, most capable guy on the planet," those are also traits he subconsciously looks for in a partner — someone who is strong, brave, cool, chivalrous, and capable! ) ( And Johnny being a family man! I think this is actually one of the biggest unspoken tragedies of his character. The show never really touches on anything serious like this, but I think it shows a lot to Johnny's inner psyche that he's described to be "big on family," and yet the only family he really HAS is his mama. And his mama is wonderful family to have! But that's IT. That's all he's got. And it also kind of puts one line of his from the movie into perspective as well, when he grows close to Pinky & Shinky and says, "They're like family to me." I always say: general rule of thumb is, if someone doesn't have a family of their own, they will often project that onto the people around them — they'll CREATE their own family. Which is also grounds for lots of "found family" tropes to be had here! Especially whenever Mama Bravo's time finally comes to an end, and Johnny has to go on through life without her. )

( SO THIS ASPECT OF HIM ACTUALLY PLAYS A HUGE PART IN HIS THREAD INTERACTIONS HERE!! Johnny will RARELY ever learn his lesson just from words alone. He needs ACTION. Your muse could try to tell him what he's doing wrong all day long, but it probably won't really accomplish much when he has the attention and memory span of a goldfish. This is also why I say Johnny needs lots of room to make mistakes in his overall character arc; even as he grows as a person, that doesn't mean he's ever going to be perfect by any means. He NEEDS to make those mistakes in order for him to actually learn! )

[hotshotsxyz]

Tease Tidbit Tuesday

tagged by @shyaudacity tysm <3

okay so i wrote like 95% of a fic back in 2021 which i proceeded to scrap after the end of season 4 bc it didn't work anymore BUT i always liked the concept so i'm currently working on rewriting it entirely (which is good bc upon rereading it was... not great). anyway here's a little snippet!

A hand lands heavily on Eddie’s shoulder and he jumps, splashing coffee all over the countertop.  

“Eddie,” Buck says.

Whatever teasing remark he might’ve made about Buck’s sudden appearance dies on Eddie’s tongue. Buck sounds panicky. Scared. Eddie whirls around to face him, and his expression is all the confirmation he needs.

“What’s wrong?” He doesn’t even try to stop his concern from bleeding into his voice.

Buck’s eyes dart around, like he isn’t completely sure where he is. “Eddie, what happened?” he asks.

“I don’t—” Eddie allows his eyes to wander, looking for some sign of physical injury. It takes several seconds for him to register what Buck is wearing. “Why are you in turnouts?”

A strangled approximation of a laugh escapes Buck’s throat. “What the fuck,” he says, seemingly to himself.

“Buck, what’s going on?” Eddie asks, his worry growing by the second.

“I—” Buck starts to speak but is interrupted by the station’s alarm.

It pulls Eddie’s attention away for a split second, and when he looks back, Buck is gone. What the fuck is right.

i have no idea who's writing right now or who's already been tagged so no pressure tags:

@sibylsleaves @nymika-arts @moonlightperseus @lemonzestywrites @dorkydiaz

@hattalove @clusterbuck @mellaithwen @fcntasmas (sorry these are 12 hours later I didn’t know they changed how tags work 🙈)

[factoryfileshorrorseries]

The Factory Files: A Mascot Horror Series . . .

[ 16+ Blog for Gore & Violence — Minors Proceed at your own risk I will not be liable to your choices/actions this is your only warning �� No DM’s ESPECIALLY under 18 — Comments / Likes / Reblogs / Asks are Welcome ]

Factory Files Vol. 1-5

Five Nights Before Dawn / Echoed Escape / Infected Within: Breached Archives / Radio Waves / Circus Row

Vol. 1 / Vol. 2 / Vol. 3 / Vol. 4 / Vol. 5

(More info listed in each description, these are the cover arts for each volume)

Series Synopsis . . .

A ten year passion project that has been carefully cared for and curated for the enjoyment of each fandom. An epic story that features the Five Nights at Freddy’s Franchise, Poppy Playtime, My Friendly Neighborhood, and Indigo Park.

Drawing from the lore we hold so dear to our hearts in order to create an epic tale of murder, grief, revenge, and most importantly love. Illustrated and written by yours truly, join me on my adventure as I attempt to write hopefully one of the best crossover fan fictions of all time!

About the Story:

Hello, hello! My name’s @cookiecrumbles52 and welcome to the Factory Files Blog! Down below will be all of the links to our most important posts. Please feel free to leave a like and a comment if you enjoy what you see!

🐻 🐰 🐤 🦊 ☎️

I’ve been working on “Five Nights Before Dawn” since I joined the FNaF’s fandom in middle school. Back then there were a million names and a million ideas that never made it past the notes app on my phone. And really over time it became something amazing when I had the brilliant idea to make a Crossover Au with not one, but three other mascot horror games.

In an attempt to get myself to actually write the dang thing I’ve created this blog to get the hype going as I know many of you fans have been dying for some new content! That being said every now and then you’ll get snippets of what’s actually being written within the descriptions of my sketches, illustrations, and overall dorky doodles.

I try to keep to a normal posting schedule but I won’t promise anything as I’m running several other art blogs, writing & illustrating my own novels, working a part time job, and really just trying to survive life. But I figured since it’s already been ten years I might as well give it another go!

I’m always open to new ideas especially for ongoing projects like Indigo Park, so if you have anything please give me a shout and maybe your ideas will make it into the story!

That being said if it wasn’t for the fanbase I don’t think I’d be typing this all out at 4:33 in the morning. Seeing what people can create out of nothing has always been inspiring to me and every year I try to better myself with what I make so I can pass on what I’ve learned onto newer fans. Keep creating, that’s all I’ve gotta say, because someone somewhere is watching whether you know it or not!

Links:

Meet the Cast

FNaF’s / Poppy Playtime / Indigo Park / My Friendly Neighborhood

Lore Bits:

FNaF’s / Poppy Playtime / Indigo Park / My Friendly Neighborhood

Polls:

Oc’s:

FNaF’s / Poppy Playtime / Indigo Park / My Friendly Neighborhood

Memes:

Story:

Vol. 1: FNBD (FNaF)

Vol. 2: Echoed Escape (Poppy Playtime)

Vol. 3: Infected Within: Breached Archives (FNaF: SB)

Vol. 4: Puppets & Parlors (MFNH)

Vol. 5: Circus Row (IP/FNaF/MFNH/PP)

Writing Scraps:

[ DO NOT REPOST, ALL ART & CONCEPTS WERE MADE BY ME — This is a FNaF’s / PoppyPlaytime / My Friendly Neiborhood / Indigo Park AU, in no way is this canon to any of the OG storylines or Lore. ]

[redroomreflections]

Changing Tides Snippet ✨

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader

Note: this is just a small snippet to see if I should scrap or keep going. It’s about Natasha and R’s daughter getting really sick. Totally a crying fest. It has like two different povs so that’s been hard to get down.

The family gathered around the table, laughter echoing through the cabin's warm interior. Lark and Veda, their swimsuits still clinging to their damp skin, were beaming with the energy of their swim. Lark, however, shivered slightly, catching your observant eye.

Your voice soft and motherly, noticed Lark's chill and draped a warm blanket around her shoulders. "You're freezing, sweetie," you said, your protective instinct always at the ready.

Veda, ever the picture of defiance, declined the offer of a blanket. She was too busy digging into her burger, her appetite seemingly insatiable. Lark gingerly removed the pickles from her burger, gently sliding them over to Veda, who eagerly savored each one. The act revealed the clear distinction in their personalities. Veda perched with her legs pulled close to her chest, the very picture of casual and cool. Meanwhile, Lark, the meticulous one, swung her legs beneath her chair as she methodically disassembled her sandwich before artfully reconstructing it.

You and Natasha exchanged a quiet, knowing glance as you watched your daughters. You couldn't help but wonder if hot dogs might have been a more fitting choice for Lark, whose meticulous nature extended even to her mealtime habits.

Natasha, ever the voice of reason at the table, couldn't help but notice Veda's ravenous appetite. "Veda, slow down," she advised, her eyes filled with concern for her daughter's well-being.

However, it was you who playfully defended Veda's hearty meal. You chuckled and said, "The girls practically swam Olympic lengths out there. Veda needs all the strength she can get."

Veda's lips curved into a warm smile as she acknowledged your defense of her, though she also took heed of Natasha's gentle warning. Her pace slowed, and she ate as if she were raised with table manners.

Natasha, who had been rushing around the kitchen, finally settled into her seat, a contented smile on her face.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Veda leaned in, her expression a mixture of curiosity and a hint of playfulness. She wiped ketchup from her mouth with the back of her hand. She only took a napkin when you tapped at her knees in reminder. "I have a question," she announced.

“We may have answers,” You shrugged.

“Where do babies come from?” Veda asked. Her nonchalance about it let you know she was completely serious. Lark, who’d only been half listening, raised her eyes. Seems she was interested in the answer too.

The question hung in the air, creating a moment of silence as you both exchanged surprised glances. Natasha was momentarily taken aback, her motherly instincts causing her to hesitate. You, on the other hand, seemed more amused than flustered, a subtle grin touching your lips.

Veda's question about where babies come from was a classic childhood inquiry, but it still caught you off guard.

“I feel like we’ve had this conversation several times,” Natasha tilts her head.

“Yeah, but not for real,” Veda shrugged. Veda's insistence continued, her determination unwavering. "I'm gonna be ten next year, Mama. Double digits. So I need to know the real truth."

Natasha took a deep breath and began, "Well, sweetie, most babies come from a very special process where a tiny cell from a woman and a tiny cell from a man come together to create a new life." She kept her tone gentle, aiming to explain the concept in an age-appropriate way.

You couldn't help but chime in, a playful twinkle in your eye. "It's like a puzzle, you know? Two pieces fitting together perfectly to make a baby."

Veda's brows furrowed in thought. "So, like a really, really small puzzle?" she asked.

You nodded with a chuckle. "Yes, a very small, intricate puzzle. And it's something beautiful and magical."

Veda seemed satisfied with the explanation, her curiosity appeased for the moment. "Okay, because Billy and Tommy told me it was called sex.”

You in the middle of taking a bite of your burger, had a near-comical moment. You almost choked on your food, your eyes widening in surprise as you coughed.

Natasha, quick to react, helped you take a sip of water to clear your throat. As you caught your breath, you couldn't help but shake your head in disbelief, your amusement evident.

“What’s sex?” Lark chimed in with her inquisitiveness. She had been just as confused by Veda's question and wore a quizzical expression on her face, mirroring her sister's curiosity and bafflement.

“Well,” You sighed, wiping your mouth with a napkin. “To talk about it, we’d have to go into detail about a lot more.” With a playful smirk, you began, "You know, girls, when you grow up, there are some pretty interesting changes that happen to your bodies. You begin to grow.” You gesture. “It’s sometimes happens all at once. Like���"

Veda, covering her ears with her hands, interrupted with a cringe. You’d informed her about periods the year before and it traumatized her ever since. "Mom, I don't think we need to hear this right now."

Lark, equally uncomfortable, followed suit by covering her ears. "Yeah, can we talk about something else, please?"

You couldn't help but chuckle at their reactions, your intention all along to make them squirm a bit. "Alright, alright," you relented, switching back to a more suitable topic. The girls sighed in relief, their expressions now reflecting their gratitude for returning to safer, more innocent conversations. Even if Veda was the one to begin it all.

[spectralsleuth]

You- you have my brain doing loop de loops with your ice and fire emduo cross over! You know the priests are gonna have words about these strange beings. Also male/presumed male Kristin aspect? You got me kicking my legs on the bed like a school girl at all the juicy lore potential

I'm glad you're enjoying it!! I really love Techno and Phil as characters and concepts, with all the different narrative lines both the CC's and fans have invented. Putting them in a high fantasy setting is an absolute dream, and I have REALLY been wanting to write some Game of Thrones/ASOIAF fic.

HERE'S SOME SNIPPETS that I haven't/might not put in yet! Kristen and aspect related. Scraps, if you will.

Philza stared at her. “Where?” “I don’t know,” Kristen shook her head. “Somewhere I can’t see. My presence here is limited, the magic is weak. I can reach through the Seven somewhat, but it’s not enough, and it’s not me,” she paused. “Well, not entirely me.” “What is it here again— the Stranger?” Philza asked thoughtfully. “Well, I know how you like getting to play the big strong man sometimes,” he said, pretending to flutter his eye lashes at her. She grinned back and pushed against his face, laughing. “More like you enjoy it.”

And,

Her hair was long and dark. Not quite black, not quite brown, or gray, but some graveyard color between all three, with a veil the exact same color and shimmer as the Void draped around her wide brimmed hat. With her bent over him Philza was included inside the sanctuary it created, and he found himself grinning helplessly up at her. She smelled like lilacs and funeral flowers, like fresh turned earth, and like that same electrifying scent of ozone that Phil could smell on Techno occasionally, when the man was truly upset. Just seeing her caused heat behind his eyes these days, his throat tightening up. Techno said it was because he was a sad, cringe old man, but Kristen said she thought it was sweet. He missed her, when she was gone. “You dropped us,” he said, accusingly, playfully, reaching up to tangle his fingers in her hair and draw her down. “Oopsie,” she said, dimples deepening with laughter, and she let him pull her mouth down onto his. They kissed only a moment, before she was pulling back and murmuring against his mouth, “We don’t have a lot of time, Phil. I have things to tell you—“ “One more,” Phil begged, trying to look sad, and beseeching. It worked every time, and he could see her softening. “...Fine, one more,” she sighed, and she did kiss him once more, deep and thoughtful. Her mouth was cool, like the underside of a pillow, or the touch of a cloud. Phil always felt cleaner after she kissed him, like all his worries were being scoured away, and it made him hum approvingly into the kiss until Kristen was giggling, and could no longer keep the shape of it together.

[mothervonmayhem]

Battle of the Bands

Hobie, Miguel, Gabriel, Gwen and 1st person pov OC / MC

New Adult magical realism AU (obvi) brain worm that has grown from a 2-shot screenplay for some fun comics into a monster. This fic is like Tremors in my brain.

The summer before college MC, Gabriel O'Hara, and Miguel O'Hara go on an international road trip with their metal band, Neon Requiem. Destination? BandFest, the Battle of the Bands in London guaranteed to secure the winning band a record deal. They meet other ATSV characters along the way.

No mention of Y/N / Reader, written from 1st person POV. Self-insertion is made easier by fewer details about the MC.

Notes on language: Tried my best here, if you are a native speaker of French, let me know if the MC's French is unnatural and I will love you forever.

Romance, angst, and poorly understood music concepts are often written as having a distinct visual component because I am an artist first. <

@pinksugarscrub @the-kr8tor I DID THE THING!

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Chapter 1 - “Vous êtes maître de votre vie et de vos émotions, ne l’oubliez jamais. Pour le meilleur et pour le pire”

The Rusty Nail's neon whir and raucous rhythms had been muted to a melancholy hum that evening, it was a ghost town, the emptiness of the dimly lit bar echoing with decades of unfulfilled longings. I nursed my drink, letting the smoky burn of liquor etch contours of quiet contemplation onto my throat as I surveyed the handful of kindred souls keeping solemn vigil. Life had been feeling heavy, and I needed to write, to make art, and to get lost in music.

At the far end of the bar hunched a beautiful wraith, his slim, angular frame sheathed in torn denim and studded leather. Something indefinable shimmered around him, unsung poetry, snippets of melodies, a symphony I could see and hear and almost touch. Drawn like a moth to the lambent glow of the music, I slid onto the stool beside the ethereal punk spectre. In my mind's eye, I crowned him the prince of punk, a fairy tale rebel.

Our bodies brushed intimately in the cramped space, raising ghosts of sensation along the exposed skin of my fishnets. "Wozzat, luv?" he murmured, kohl-rimmed eyes flickering over the point of contact with a soldering heat.

Mon dieu, {My God} Had I spoken my admiration aloud? A flush crept up my cheeks as I scrambled for a response.

"Désolé. Je répétais quelque chose pour ne pas l'oublier… Need to write it down before I lose it," {Sorry. I was repeating something so I wouldn't forget it…} I mumbled, a flimsy excuse for my wandering mind.

Fumbling through my bag ,I pulled out my tattered notebook, fingers trembling as I scribbled down a scrap of verse inspired by the punk's incandescent presence beside me. I scribbled my observations in hasty strokes. The dying light of day bled into night, a liminal space that begged for a soundtrack. I could almost hear it, a melody just out of reach, shimmering in the smoky air.

"The liminal light of late afternoon, yawning into early evening…" I muttered, pulling on the strings of the melody, trying to draw it back to me. "I don't want to be loved for the things that I don't do. I don't want to be just a pretty face, I want to be a work of art…We are all just works of art."

The jukebox fell silent, making my mutterings around sift and strange, slightly unhinged---but the punk prince remained---his gaze heavy on my skin. I met his stare, unflinching. Unabashed curiosity flickered in eyes, wide brown and doe-like, framed by lashes so lush they seemed to blur the line between masculine and feminine, earthly and ethereal. I found myself dizzied by warring impulses - to flee this unsettling intimacy, or be consumed by it wholly.

He was a changeling, gorgeously androgynous: part punk Mona Lisa with a Cheshire cat grin, part Jean-Michel Baptiste, part force-of-fucking-nature. He made me feel like a background character in his story, could be a punk fairy princess, and I would be the dragon. My thoughts raced, fragments of poetry and half-formed desires. I scribbled faster, chasing the threads of inspiration, but a nudge from my prince brought me back to earth.

Snatches of poetry, raw and unfinished, that I urgently longed to refine on the page before they dissipated like the last wisps of smoke in a spent ashtray. But the punk's aura dragged me too deeply into devotional reverie. I glanced up apologetically as my concentration scattered, the thread of inspiration slipping through my fingers once more.

The bartender had sprouted up directly in front of me, and she eyed me expectantly. Her hair was a shock of blue curls and silver streaks shorn close to her scalp, it made her eyes seem more gray. Her skin etched with lines that mapped out the years like a roadmap. I felt the familiar pang of a poem lost to the ether.

"Un…Jack Daniel's, s'il vous plaît," {A…Jack Daniel's, please} I said, no longer able to filter its lilt from my words, as I wasn't paying attention to dulling it.

"Blimey, that's a proper choice, innit? You 'ere for the battle of the bands event this week, love?"

"Oui, how did you know?" {Yes, how did you know?}

"Just a…sense," he demurred with a wicked grin. "Call it a punk's intuition, darling. I'm in the mix too, y'know."

The bartender chuckled as she set my drink down. "You mean because everyone is here for Bandfest? Don't listen to this one, lovey, he's incorrigible. The crowds will be in later on, but you're a bit early."

"Shh, Roz. Who's up tonight?" The prince asked, a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Oh, you want insider information? What's in it for me?"

"Givin' away free tattoos, could autograph yer arm, love."

"I'll pass, thanks. The brackets are up in an hour anyway. It's Night Terrors vs. Death Rapture, Blood Prophecy vs. Cherry Bomb, Spider Punks vs. Neon Requiem…"

"Why are the punk bands going up against the metal bands?" I asked, just as the prince inquired about Phantom Pulse.

"There wasn't a lot of quality competition this year, or that's what the sponsors said, so they automatically advance to the semifinals since they won last year."

"Bollocks!" The prince cried, his outrage palpable.

"Oi Punk, you don't want to sign with Vic Luna at Zenith Music Group, anyway."

"Tu…ne le fais pas? Mais pourquoi?" {You…don't? But why?} The words tumbled out, my curiosity getting the better of me. At her blank stare, I repeated the question in English, heat rising to my cheeks.

Roz leaned in, her voice low, "Look kid, it's complicated…"

The prince rolled his eyes, a sneer playing at his lips. "Betrayed a lot of good bands."

"You don't need to remind me, Punk, I lived through it. Despite the changes at Zenith Music Group, they still organize the annual Bandfest, which showcases both established and emerging talent in the punk and metal scenes. The event is highly respected within the community and provides a platform for bands to gain exposure and connect with fans," the bartender continued, her words stilted, rehearsed.

"Ay, and they are the sponsor bringing in your crowds." The prince's voice was sharp, laced with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"The only time we're out of the red, punkass. We'd have to shut down if it weren't for the Battle." She said heavily, "Which is the greater evil, we are a place of refuge for several members of the community, not just you."

"You don't need to remind me Roz, I'm living through it. Right, I'll stop ragging on the corporate sods for now, until you have some plausible deniability." He raised his hands in mock surrender, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.

"There's a good Punk." Roz smiled, sliding him another pint before retreating.

I made a mental note to warn my bandmates about Vic and Zenith's sordid history. We were in this for the music, not the money, no one played metal for the money--but it never hurt to be cautious.

"Roz is like the den mother of the London punk scene, a living testament to grit and resilience, and screaming yourself hoarse at basement shows. Dream t'be like her when I grow up. To listen without judgment, offer advice without preaching, and know when to slide a shot of whiskey across the bar and when to cut you off. She has a way of looking at you, really seeing you, like you matter… like you are more than just another face in the crowd." His voice trails off, heavy with emotion. He blinks and shakes it off.

"Can I see it?" The prince's voice cut through our lost thoughts, his fingers reaching for my notebook.

I clutched it to my chest, a knee-jerk reaction. "Can you look into my very soul, like Roz?"

His smirk widened, that Cheshire cat grin that set my heart racing. He nodded, a challenge in his eyes.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he purred, and I felt my stomach flip. I repeated the phrase in my mind, first in French, then in English, just to be sure I'd heard him right. Wasn't this some flirty idiom?

"You have a book of poetry somewhere hidden in those skinny jeans, mon ami?" {my friend?} I ask, hesitant, double-checking his meaning. He flirts like others breathe.

In lieu of an answer, he produced a sharpie from thin air. Before I could protest, he had my arm in his grasp, his touch electric against my skin. I shrugged off my leather jacket, baring my arms to his ink-stained fingers. Roz chuckled as she set another drink before me, clearly amused by the prince's antics.

"You'll need it…I see you took this wanker up on the free tattoo offer. Don't let him draw any on your arms."

"Any? …Any what?"

"Wankers," she clarified with a laugh. It clarifies nothing, I need to study my British slang.

"I would not mar the flesh of such a beautiful and willing participant, Roz. Kindly fuck off," the prince mumbled around the sharpie cap clenched between his teeth.

Between the verses he scrawled, he peppered me with questions, his voice a giddy whisper.

"So, who's your poison, love? Which bands get your motor runnin'?"

"Ah, j'adore Rammstein, Gojira, et bien sûr, Motörhead. And so many others, doesn't even scratch the surface. Et toi?" {Ah, I love Rammstein... And you?}

"Proper choices, those. For me, it's the classics - Sex Pistols, The Clash, Buzzcocks. Real raw, in-your-face stuff, y'know?"

I leaned in, excited, but too close. I nearly jumped as my lips grazed the dusky shell of his ear. "Ah, un homme de bon goût! I've seen the Buzzcocks live, you know. Pure chaos, c'était incroyable!" {Ah, a man of good taste! I've seen the Buzzcocks live, you know. Pure chaos, it was incredible!}

"No bleedin' way! Metal chick like you? I'd give me left bollock to have seen the Sex Pistols live. But I did catch The Clash back in '07. Changed me life, it did."

"Lemmy, sans aucun doute. The man's a legend!" {Lemmy, without a doubt.} I declare into the bar.

"Oi, don't go disrespectin' Johnny, now! The bloke's a punk icon, 'e is!"

"You're a punk icon!" someone shouted from the back, but the prince waved them off with a grin.

"Oh, I didn't catch your name," I said, with a sudden shame, my brow furrowed.

"Everyone just calls me Punk. You can too. Just not dirty punk, we don't want to come to blows, do we, love?"

"I'd kick your ass, mon ami. Pas grand chose à donner, mon petit prince des fées… eh mon prince dégingandé, right? I would not describe you as petite even if you are skinny." {I'd kick your ass, my friend. Not much to give, my little fairy prince… eh my lanky prince, right?}

Miguel was at my side in an instant, all rippling muscle and furrowed consternation. "Carnalita, {little sis} why did you sneak out on practice just to drink in this hellhole?" he rumbled, disapproval lacing every sonorous word. Tenderness faded a bit.

I met his gruff chiding with an insouciant toss of my hair. "Salut, Miguel. Ça fait longtemps." {Hello, Miguel. It's been a while.}

"Is that Jack? No puedo mas… Carnalita…This shit is bad for you." {I can't take it anymore…little sis...}

"Je nais etre rond comme une queue de pelle. Tu es vraiment un trou de balle quand tu dis des choses pareilles!" {I would be round as a shovel handle. (Idiom, essentially she is saying ~ I was born to be drunk) You are really a dumbass when you say things like that!}

Miguel's grumbling stream of Spanish reprimands washed over me as I settled into our familiar dynamic - the tender yet terse cantata of friend and protector that had composed them score of our relationship since childhood. For all his bluster, I knew every arrhythmic cadence encoded Miguel's steadfast affection.

Only Gabriel's soft interjection could salve the rising discord. "You worry too much, Miggy. We've been practicing all week."

He cast me a plaintive glance, silently pleading for conciliation, and I grudgingly obliged with an internal eyeroll. "Qu'il aille se faire! C'est vraiment chiant tu te rends compte." {Let him go fuck himself! It's really annoying, you know.}

Heedless of my saucy french asides, Miguel merely drew a fortifying breath before continuing in that maddening timbre of unrelenting reason. "Gabri and I could have come out with you. You shouldn't go out alone in an unknown city - it's not safe for you, mi carnalita."

The prince leaned towards us with a lazy smirk, "S'not that serious. The Rusty Nail is safe enough." He paused as the bartender snorted in agreement before continuing, "We're keeping the lady safe, mate…you can trust me, I'm one of the Spider-Punks."

Miguel simply sneered at the prince's proffered handshake, dismissing it out of hand. "You have arms like sticks. How would you keep her safe?"

The punk's smirk widened as he shrugged. "Ah, one of those. Never skip leg day, eh bruv?"

I strangled a guffaw as Gabriel hastened to run interference, engulfing the punk's hand eagerly. "We've heard of you guys, the local punk band, yeah? Your drummer is…gahh…Ah-Mazing! You think we could meet?"

"You call that punk noise "rock"?" Miguel scoffed. "Metal is where the real skill lies…Real talent is in the complexity, the technical skill. Metal pushes boundaries, takes you to new places. Punk's just three chords and an attitude."

I rolled my eyes. At this rate, I'd have to drag Miguel out before he started a brawl.

"Ah, mais non, Miggy. There's art in simplicity too. Punk, metal, it's all about the energy, the message, non?" {Ah, but no, Miggy. There's art in simplicity too. Punk, metal, it's all about the energy, the message, right?}

Miguel grunted, but squeezed my hand.

I stood, motioning for him to lean in close. "Allez, let's save the competition for the stage, d'accord? I learned some things about the record company. We should talk in private." {Come on, let's save the competition for the stage, okay?}

The prince unfolded himself, towering over me. "Tell you what, mate. Let's settle this on stage. We'll let the crowd decide who's got the real chops," he challenged.

Gabriel chimed in, "Pero, mana's right, Miguel." {But, sister is right, Miguel.}

Miguel looked ready to explode, but Gabriel's eyes held him in check.

"Music's music. Let's just focus on putting on a good show, and maybe we can learn something from their band, eh?" Gabriel said.

The prince leaned in, lips grazing my cheek. "Aye, love. Can't wait to teach your wall of meat here a thing or two. How about we give 'em a show they won't forget…later?"

I grinned, "Oui! A collaboration? Here… Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard…mais, pour vous. I want it back later." {Yes! A collaboration? Here…It doesn't break three duck legs (Idiom ~ It's nothing special) …but, for you. I want it back later.}

The lanky punk sauntered off, his studded boots leaving faint trails of glitter on the barroom floor. Miguel's scowl deepened as he watched him depart, fists clenched tightly.

"Is that your poetry notebook?" he growled, voice rumbling low.

"Yes, I traded it to the punk faerie for these tattoos, I smirked, revealing the vine-like scrawl of ink now adorning my flesh like raised scars from whipping brambles.

Miguel's face darkened further, storm clouds gathering at my words. "The one you never let anyone touch or read…"

His voice strangled to a whisper, and I could not parse the complex calculus of emotions flitting behind his eyes

Gabriel placed a calming hand on his brother's arm.

"Easy, hermano {brother}. He's not worth it," Gabriel said in a soothing tone.

"Be nice, Punk is a good guy. I like him," I countered softly, a warm glow blossomed within me as I realized my entire arm was now a crawling garden of sentences entirely in French.

Miguel opened his mouth, undoubtedly to unleash a heated retort, but Gabriel cut in, "Should we go look at the brackets to see who we're facing?"

"It looks like my entire arm is covered with quotes from The Little Prince, which happens to be my favorite book. It's actually quite a sweet gesture," I said softly, fingertips grazing the raised words like treasured runes.

With renewed curiosity, I examined the ink quote now etched on my skin: "Vous êtes maître de votre vie et de vos émotions, ne l'oubliez jamais. Pour le meilleur et pour le pire." {You are the master of your life and your emotions, never forget that. For better or worse.}

I didn't mention the lone scrawl that could have been a phone number hidden amidst the literary foliage now vining my limb. Miguel was in full-on Dad mode, and I didn't need to add fuel to that particular fire.

"I already know the competition for the quarterfinals, we don't need to waste our time. Come on, manos {used as slang for brother}, we're going to kick some ass!" I giggled brightly, elated at my new 'tattoos' scrawling up my arms. I didn't put my leather jacket back on, I didn't want to cover any of it up.

Miguel's glare never wavered, his eyes fixed on the far side of the bar where the prince had disappeared into the crowd. "Don't tempt me. Let's go, carnalita {little sister}, time for practice."

With a resigned sigh, I surrendered to my brothers' insistent tugs, allowing them to lead me from the Rusty Nail. But the punk prince's parting words still reverberated through my mind like the lingering notes of a siren song. Later, he had purred, that single hushed syllable seeming to contain all the intoxicating lure of a siren's call - equal parts velvet promise and brazen challenge, twined inextricably into an enchantment I could not resist. The whole damn bar was a sailor's nightmare.

[ogzieoggleton]

Hello. If any of you can recall that crystallised rewrite/au book I planned in making, I have a poll for you.

Ideas here: Poll (it's the first story concept btw)

And the early snippet of the story here!!

((Context for this decision to be implemented is below))

Context:

"What..?" He asked, more like jugded, bitterly-

'sure' he thought. 'Saved a village..'

"Like that even happened!" The boy waved a dismissive hand, refusing to believe the man had saved the innocent and been rewarded- surely he had taken it by force..

"I am telling you. If you refuse to belive it then so be it! But I shall jot waste my time explaining a story you are not willing to hear! Of you want to waste my time, just leave now!" He demanded, turning around once more to reorganise his books by content now, huffing as he set them aside properly and rang the little golden bell for his own amusement. "After all, we are closed."

"Actually, we have important business to dicuss, brother." Wu stopped either the oni or the green ninja from getting ahead of themselves with their jumpy conclusions, pulling out the scraps of warnings from his pockets. "These letters- these warnings.. did they come from you?"

Garmadon turned to his sibling and snatched the pieces of paper from him, eyeing them up with curiosity. "These? I suppose I mught have.."

[lookanartdweeb]

Ok here's my thoughts on the Sonic 3 trailer that

✨️No one asked for!✨️

Pros: I'm excited! The animation looks amazing! Shadow looks so cool. I really liked his "You're a colorful bunch" line that killed me. The AKIRA BIKE SLIDE LET'S GO?? Uhh, also Gay rights between Stone and Eggman lmao. Would love to see the concept art behind a lot of this cause it's actually super colorful, and I'm really excited to see the inside of the arc and the forest/jungle! MARIA, I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE! Her actress is so funny I have to see her performance. I actually was not a huge fan of Keanu being the voice for Shadow (Sorry I'm a hater) I genuinely was hoping for more...voice actors from the past or something but from what I heard it doesn't sound bad! ALSO CHAO WORLD BEING LIKE A CHUCK-E CHEESE TOOK ME OUT 😂

Cons: okaaay, so it wasn't one by one of Sonic Adventure 2 but I remember the director saying they were trying to morph that and Shadow's game together for a movie (I have to find the tweet) so it's interesting but I'm a little sad about it. No Amy or Rouge showing wad VERY disappointing I was very excited to see both or one cause I LOVE MY GIRLS 😔 so it's sad I didn't get to see them but fingers crossed they are just hiding them or something (let me be delusional) I know they didn't allow any actual music but even like a small snippet of Live and Learn would've gotten me SCREAMING also I'm a little nervous about the music cause I remember the guy working in it (cause it's not just Crush 40) was like ....a very badly well known music guy who was talking about using AI so hopefully I'm proven wrong that they scrapped his AI bullshit.

The story is a little confusing from the trailer but hey it's a trailer! They didn't show us a lot and I mean I have hope that they are gonna blow me away but yeah! Thanks for reading! 🩷🤗

[kestrel-bee]

I just finished ISAT, and. Wow. I am in shambles after Act 5 holy FRICK

Okay, now that I’m done, time to dump all of my thoughts out at once, because I NEED to talk about this game holy crap

(spoilers abound from this point, don’t read if you are interested in playing for yourself)

(CW for discussing religion-related struggles with sexuality, if that’s something that bugs ya)

Okay, for starters, I just want to talk about how well executed this game is.

The gameplay was interesting and not too hard to understand while still being unique and fun, the illustrations and art style was really cute and charming, the character designs are recognizable yet creative, the writing is entertaining and made me love all of the characters in a very quick fashion, and the story overall was just FANTASTIC.

Literally my only complaint is that i had a tricky time adjusting to how sensitive the controls were when walking. Maybe it works better on desktop, but I was playing on the Steam Deck, and the only other platform I can play on is Mac, which this game does not support.

But honestly this ended up being a nonissue, I figured it out pretty quickly and after an hour or so I had the controls down to pat.

I also love how they handled the concept of a time loop, and the slow descent of Siffrin’s mental downfall. The way he started getting so desperate at the end, clinging to every scrap of hope he could find was heart wrenching.

Act 5 was KILLER, omg, I was so wrecked over it I had to take a break to calm down 😭

It’s not often a piece of media evokes THIS much emotion out of me, holy crud.

To talk about some of the characters,

I LOVE me some found family fluff, and boy oh boy was I fed, they’re so wholesome, they’re all so skrunkly 😭

I loved the little snippets of representation in these characters, with Odile being mixed race and attempting to connect to her roots, and Isabeau’s very trans-coded backstory. And yk, the multitude of gays and lesbians throughout the game XD

Even though that kind of representation doesn’t resonate with me personally, I still like to see it.

But oh man, Mirabelle’s cutscene in Act 3 hit hard. I myself am aroace and religious, and marriage was always something I felt was expected from me.

As I got older and realized that romantic attraction wasn’t really something I feel for people, I tried to convince myself I was attracted to a good friend of mine who had a crush on me, which obviously didn’t work out.

I’ve always had a hard time identifying with womanhood in the way my church has always portrayed it as, so having Mirabelle talk about her faith related struggle with her asexuality and identity was such a comforting representation for me.

Another thing, I can’t tell if it’s intentional or not, but I love how neurodivergent coded they are?

Like, we have Siffrin, kinda touch averse and quiet,

Odile who doesn’t like change and needs her routine alone time to recuperate after every floor,

Mirabelle and Isabeau, the funny noise appreciation squad, the hyper-empathetic duo who would always get over hyped over things together,

And while I can’t think of a specific example for them, Bonnie is always there matching Mirabelle and Isabeau’s energy.

Not to mention the frequent amount of times the latter 3 would repeat each other (echolalia) when saying something fun or happy. (Like the “Pie Smell!” candle).

Do these things on their own make them neurodivergent? No, but the way they’re consistently written like this feels very intentional and I love it.

Anyway, whoof, that was very long, but TLDR: this game was PHENOMENAL, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know

[x-on-the-calendar-business]

ryan ross iceberg tier 3

tier 1, tier 2, tier 4, tier 5, tier 6, tier 7, tier 8

into the waters:

cricket and clover:

also known as the cabin album, this is the scrapped album that panic! wrote in 2007 when they locked themselves in a cabin in nevada (hence the nickname). according to a tweet from jon, 14 songs were written for the album, only 3 of which ever saw the light of day [i]. however, this tweet seems to have been deleted.

one song was folkin’ around, which of course made it onto pretty. odd.

another was nearly witches, which made it on vices & virtues, but the demo version is very different from the official version. you can listen to the demo here [ii].

the last song that we know of from this album is it’s true love. this song was performed once in 2007 at summerfest; unfortunately, the quality isn’t the best [iii]. however, this song still gives good insight into what the album would’ve sounded like, which is very different from fever but similar to pretty odd (although sources state the album still sounded very different from both previous and future works) [iv].

the album was intended to be a concept album, with each song leading into the next story wise. it would tell a love story between two people named cricket and clover [iv].

in 2018, jon also tweeted that he found some cricket and clover demos at his dad’s house, but it seems he does not have the authority to release them [iv]. genius also released a number of song titles, but jon also said that those names were not accurate [i].

we also have this image of ryan’s handwritten lyrics for songs unreleased from the album.

besides these small snippets of information, it’s safe to assume this album will remain lost to time forever, unless someone gives jon the permission to leak the demos (please).

i’m afraid that i:

on the 2006 summer tour, and specifically on live in denver, panic! covered karma police by radiohead. this entry refers to a part of that song in which ryan sings the line “i’m afraid that i.” ryan fans became obsessed with this clip and it’s taken on a life of its own.

you smell like a slut:

this also references a clip from the live in denver dvd. rather than explaining it, i’ll just let the video explain itself.

the moat:

in 2010, ryan tweeted at one of his friends that he could “float in [ryan’s] moat until he gets settled,” implying that ryan has a moat around his house [v].

i also found this panic! confession, but i’m not sure of the legitimacy of the claim nor of the house in the photo actually being the home ryan lived in (i hope it wasn’t) [vi].

eta: i think that actually is his house because in a podcast, he talks about how people have shown up to his house and made him scared to even open the door for the mailman :( with that being said, i removed the original image because i don't feel comfortable having a pic of his house in this (idk if he still lives there, but regardless). it is still in the source i linked if you're really curious, but it should go without saying that no one should show up to his house.

it’s the end of the electric guitar era:

this is a clip from the documentary, the calendar business, in which ryan says he was so frustrated with one of his guitars. so, he said “it’s the end of the electric guitar era” and burned it.

i’ll also link the full documentary here because it’s an interesting watch itself! [vii]

coachella:

for a few years, ryan went to coachella. i know he was definitely at 2015 and 2016, but also maybe 2011 and 2013 [viii].

he was also pictured with cristofer drew at one of them (nevershoutnever) which doesn’t mean anything significant; it’s just an interesting tidbit to me because nsn started my emo phase lmao

gabe saporta:

my king.

gabe saporta, formerly of midtown and cobra starship (both incredible bands that you should check out), was an absolute icon of fueled by ramen bandom. in the presplit days, he and ryan were buddies, as were most bands on that label, but after the divorce ryan got to keep gabe. they used to frequently post on instagram hanging out. we don’t really see them together much these days, but to be fair, ryan disappeared from the internet and gabe is the father of two kids. so i’m sure they’re still friends offline!

there is also this absolutely iconic friends or enemies interview that gabe did with ryan that everyone should watch here [ix] (also guy ripley saying “delicious” in the background at the end means everything to me).

eta: this post was made before gabe made all of those zionist comments about the genocide in palestine, so i feel i should clarify that he is no longer my king and it's free palestine and fuck israel forever :)

vicky t:

victoria asher, professionally known as vicky t, is another former member of cobra starship. she and ryan did hang out in the presplit days of course, but also some in the post split days. it seems she remained friends with all of panic! though.

however, vicky is extremely problematic and transphobic, which is detailed more here [x]. she also works with britney spears these days, and from what i can tell, britney’s fans do not have good things to say about vicky. but this is really not the place to dive into that.

keltie and jac podcast and books:

so kitty from glee and two of ryan ross’ exes start a podcast…

seriously though, keltie knight, jac vanek, and becca tobin run a podcast called lady gang, and ketlie and jac have discussed ryan on it before. in this interview from 2017, they say that they met because of a mutual ex, saying, “he was kind of known for a minute” and, “we don’t speak the name; it’s like voldemort.” [xi]. they also say they’re not sure if he’s still alive, and well…valid. in a tumblr post from 2018, an anon states that keltie talked about selling ryan’s clothes in an episode and that she and jac were saying mean things about him [xii]. also, in this podcast episode from last year, jac and keltie talk about ryan from about 05:25 to 08:10; they wonder if he has a girlfriend and what he is up to now, and keltie talks about how she regrets being messy in the relationship and writing her book, and how she tried to contact him when hobo died [xiii].

i’ve already talked about it some before, but in 2010, keltie released a book called “rockettes, rockstars, and rockbottom.” this book has an entire section dedicated to her relationship with ryan called “the dreamer” – the dreamer being the alias she uses to refer to him throughout. when describing the beginning of their relationship, she talks about how young he was very often, saying he was still a child and that he had a hard time passing for even 14, amongst other examples. as i said in tier 2, the age gap in their relationship was important because of the power dynamics, as evidenced in the book. from what i gather from the book, their relationship was messy, codependent, and, for lack of a better word, toxic. keltie is allowed to talk about her life, but it doesn’t sit right with me that she went into intimate detail about their relationship when ryan is such a private person. ryan was definitely not innocent in this relationship either, though; they both had their issues that they needed to work out on their own rather than keltie trying to fix ryan or him wanting her to. luckily, as i said before, keltie does regret writing the book at least.

if for some reason you’re interested in reading her book, you can find it for free here [xiv]. you just need to make an internet archive account and check it out hourly.

(also a side note that i did in fact listen to lady gang and read keltie’s book for this entry, so please at least give me kudos for that if nothing else)

5th member of 1d:

on march 25, 2015, zayn malik left one direction, and so naturally, people wanted to fuck with their fans. someone edited the official 1d wikipedia page and added ryan under their list of current members. 1d fans on twitter subsequently had meltdowns, exclaiming “WHO IS RYAN ROSS” (i mean c’mon they were in an emotional, vulnerable state). ryan ended up changing his twitter bio to say, “NOT in 1D” and made a tweet about it [xv].

scholarship:

when panic! was first getting its start, ryan received a full scholarship from the university of nevada las vegas for writing. however, he dropped out after one semester to focus on the band, which his dad did not approve of.

he talks about it in live in denver from 58:45 until 59:18 [xvi].

the boy who blocked his own shot:

this is song by brand new off their 2003 album deja entendu (fuck jesse lacey). it’s on this iceberg because ryan loved this song and posted about it on his lj a lot, along with the rest of the album. i know he specifically quoted another song, okay i believe you but my tommy gun don’t, as well.

blinkexists@aol.com:

when ryan was a teenager, this was his email. in fact, it is the email he used to communicate with pete wentz. pete talked about it in this interview with mark hoppus, starting at 02:00 [xvii].

moulin rouge:

this is a movie musical released in 2001 that ryan was obsessed with and one of his favorite movies. i don’t really have any other source for this than trust me bro, but i promise it’s true.

original singer for panic!:

when panic! first started, and even when brendon initially joined the band, ryan was the singer. however, they heard brendon singing back up during brand practice one day and asked him to be the singer rather than the guitarist.

ryan and brendon talk about it some in live in denver from 38:46 to 41:23 [xviii]. specifically my favorite quote from this is, “it felt right to have confident sounding lyrics behind a confident voice.”

(also i’m trying to be objective throughout this but let me just say this for context and transparency: i hate brendon urie LMAO)

guitarist ryan ross declined to be interviewed:

in 2015, billboard published this article for the 10 year anniversary of a fever you can’t sweat out [xix]. they reached out to multiple people to interview for the article, including brendon, jon, pete wentz, producer matt squire, manager scott magelberg, and bob mclynn. underneath this, it says spencer and brent could not be reached. it also says, “guitarist ryan ross declined to be interviewed.” people just thought it was funny because he would decline. he is living the hermit life for real.

so that’s all for tier 3. next we move onto a deeper layer, when i really feel like we get into some stuff the average fan wouldn’t know, which i am excited to delve into. gonna be honest though, it’s gonna be a long one.

tier 4

references:

[i] https://panicatthedisco.fandom.com/wiki/Cricket_%26_Clover

[ii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfsssP9lwII

[iii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNE4U5Yy-BE

[iv] https://lostmediawiki.com/Cricket_and_Clover_(partially_found_scrapped_Panic!_At_The_Disco_album;_2007)

[v] https://failross.livejournal.com/61466.html?thread=1787418

[vi] https://panicconfessions.tumblr.com/page/138

[vii] https://vimeo.com/164855487

[viii] https://twitter.com/search?q=ryan%20ross%20coachella&src=typed_query

[ix] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGe0fR5OM80

[x] https://ocalaghan.tumblr.com/post/157422369150/vickytransphobe-master-post

[xi] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEwgcmUJbkE

[xii] https://pathetic-at-the-disco.tumblr.com/post/171494458406/keltie-talks-about-selling-ryans-clothes-in-one

[xiii] https://www.podcastone.com/episode/LG-QUICKIE-Not-Gonna-Lie-Part-2

[xiv] https://archive.org/details/rockettesrocksta0000coll/mode/2up

[xv] https://www.altpress.com/one_direction_fans_think_ryan_ross_is_joining_the_bandand_theyre_furious/

[xvi] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLWcbA2fhHI&t=3466s

[xvii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLD8sHVgEnA

[xviii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLWcbA2fhHI&t=2326s

[xix] https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/panic-at-the-disco-fever-you-cant-sweat-out-oral-history-pete-wentz-brendon-urie-6707864/

[1425fivefive]

Hiii i’ve just binged all the afterburn snippets u posted (no idea why tumblr hid these from my timeline btw kinda mad about that) and im feeling feral! U don’t know just how excited i am for it!! It reminded me of learned behavior and honestly who cares about a uni degree and quizzes and shit when i could spend my time rereading and analysing every sentence in that masterpiece of literature!

I was just curious, since you’re a writer i look up to as one of the best in fandom space in general, what’s your writing process? Like do you just get a vague idea and build it up as you write with more vague ideas of how it’s supposed to go? Do you make a proper outline and plot out scenes and major plot points/character arcs? Like what is your writing/editing process?

I’m just curious to know tbh i myself have been writing in fandom for a few years now but i feel really stuck and frustrated where i am, so when i see writing as good as yours i am in awe and wanna like dissect ur brain (in not a creepy way i swear!)

Sorry for the long ask and you don’t have to answer but thank youuu for writing for this fandom <3

hi!! this ask is so lovely, i love talking about the writing process

for me, it really varies by fic. most of the time when i'm writing a short fic (capybara cupid, intricate rituals), i'll have a premise or a line of dialogue, and then i'll just see where the fic takes me. i don't have any outline or "plan" going in other than wanting to explore a particular concept or theme. i'll maybe do one edit for spelling mistakes/grammar and then hit post

with long fics, it's very different. i'll talk about afterburn just because that's the one that's freshest in my brain. i went in knowing i wanted to write about (1) oscar signing a long-term contract with mclaren and (2) lando leaving for ferrari right before 2028. i then sat with it and thought ok, why does lando leave. what happens over 2025-2027 that leads him to the point where he'd actually be ready to leave. and i started thinking through championships and races and oscar's characterization more, and then i started writing with a vague idea of the major "scenes." i knew abu dhabi 2026 and singapore 2027 was going to be big races right from the start. i knew something happened at zandvoort in 2027. but the specifics were sort of vague to me. once i start writing, usually, i get a much clearer idea of everyone's dynamics and how a particular scene will work. often i end up abandoning certain pieces of dialogue i'm really attached to just because once i actually start writing, the dialogue doesn't fit with the characterization. i'm extremely, extremely ruthless in cutting things i think aren't working

anyway, once i have like 60-70% of the fic done, i start going through and editing more substantively. i'll move scenes around, scrap scenes, add new ones where i think they're needed. i think it's really important to let go of things that feel "wrong" even if you like the writing or scene conceptually. just put it in another tab of your gdoc and save it there. you can come back to it later and maybe rework it into something that suits the fic

i also think it's really valuable to think about paring your writing back to its essentials. so often i see fics that are extremely long where essentially nothing happens. that's totally fine if that's what the author's going for, but i think trying to get your writing "punchier" is a good exercise in figuring out what words you "need" to tell a story. i was talking with a friend recently about how i try to stay away from metaphors and similes most of the time because i think it slows down pacing and often dips into cliché

so anyway, my writing process for long fics is: premise -> vague ideas of scenes -> start writing -> start writing a more detailed outline -> keep writing -> read through the fic to figure out if scenes are working/what needs to be deleted or added -> keep writing -> final edit

i hope this is helpful-ish!