#stripe squad

[freaky-flawless]

The implied dynamic of Gen 1 Toradeen is just so funny to me. They supposedly can't stand each other and yet:

They're both on the cheer squad.

They play soccer together.

They play softball together.

They have a hero and villain dynamic.

They started a whole band together.

[hetagrammy]

I'm really partial to the idea of visual storytelling through clothing, and I really like the concept of the whole Immigrant Trio experiencing it

When Molly first comes to America, through the 1850s she was constantly wearing black. Like to the extent that people on the street frequently mistook her for a widow. By the 1860s she started to get into more of a half mourning stage, not quite out of it, but incorporating colors like dark purple and blue into her clothing again. Then it's the late 1860s, the war is over, and she and Alfred go on their railroad adventure. She's in rough, mismatched clothing that helps her masquerade as a gender she isn't, but behind it she's still herself. She's trying to find and understand herself, but is coming to terms with the only way she is able to do that is in a new place where she can break down and build up again. It's after this point, and as she's joined by new friends and a lover that she starts taking on her old habits- lighter, warmer greens, lilacs, teals and blues.

Tolys first comes to America layered up and his clothing is tight. His waistcoat is always buttoned, his tie looks like it's choking him, his sleeves are always rolled down. He's almost too formal at points. Over time his clothing gradually starts to loosen around the house- his waistcoat is unbuttoned, his bow is looser, he lets his hair down when he's not working. He's living in a place where he's afforded the time to do this, and more importantly he can trust in the people around him to allow him that.

Lovino is almost the opposite. He comes to America with few possessions on him, including articles of clothing. He's plain, partially to do with his financial state and partially because he's trying to avoid home baggage. The exception of course is his cap, which is emblematic of his identity and acts as a bit of a connection with Molly (for whom the style is also culturally significant). As he's there and builds relationships he didn't anticipate, he accumulates more (items Molly knit or embroidered for him, clothing he's borrowed from Tolys, knick knacks he found for himself, etc.) Rather than layering per se, he gains more detail because he allows himself to form those bonds and he treasures them and his experience in spite of its rough beginnings. In a similar manner to Molly, he also starts to take on hints of color in his clothing again, especially reds and yellows.

Alfred is a special case because he's relatively consistent except for his breakdowns. He tries to be fashionable and trendy, but he's always got one thing out of place like a mismatched tie. He always looks really put together and professional, because it's what he's supposed to be masquerading around is. Then when he goes on his western breakdown adventures his clothing becomes even more mismatched, simple, and at times oddly fitted on him like a child trying to put on a shirt too big for them. Even though it peeks out under normal circumstances, it shows fully he is a bit of a child under the fresh and put together veneer.

[taudad]

Howdy all!

I’m planning on having color designations on my Crisis Suits to easily differentiate between the different loadouts from a distance but I’m not sure on which color should represent which build

This will be secondary colors to the ochre of the T’au sept I have as the main armor and the white Sept markings as seen on the armor below

Please vote for your favorite and spread it around!

[blackbirdsnonsense]

Me when the company gets us together to do "team building exercises".

[rhymeswithfart]

Some old concept drawings of the Moebius version of the original FF (or in this case, Suppression Squad)

[kakusboyfriend]

who remembers gyrian. the meteor couldnt kill him so obivously my adhd cant either

[ilovemesomevincentprice]

Vincent Price during filming an episode of The Mod Squad (1969)

[ironchef13]

A Miracle at Monster High (A Monster Mirabel Story Idea)

Here's another Encanto crossover idea for anyone to consider, it goes a little something like this.

Mirabel, seeing her magical family take a picture without her only confirms that she has no place in the Amazing Madrigals perfect image. So, she does what she thinks is best, packs her things and leaves while everyone else is celebrating in Antonio's new room (failing to see the cracks along casita). Mirabel, finally reaching the mountains that protect Encanto is suddenly attacked, and bitten, by a wild jaguar. the Miracle sensing Mirabel in danger makes a last-ditch effort to save her, and magically teleports her out of Encanto. Mirabel then wakes up in front of a massive, and somewhat creepy looking building. she also notices she looks completely different. she has fuzzy cat-like ears, a tail and is covered in spotted fur, like a jaguar. She is then approached by Miss Bloodgood who explains to her that she is in Monster High, a school for all sorts of monsters. She offers Mirabel a place to stay in one of the new dorms and allows her to enroll in Monster High, which she happily accepts. Mirabel then proceeds to make friends with Frankie and the ghoul squad while learning to embrace her new life as a monster. Meanwhile in Encanto things start to go downhill. Turns out saving Mirabel caused the magic to weaken and the madrigals are falling apart trying to find Mirabel. As Alma tries to make everyone forget about Mirabel and get back to their duties to the community (kind of like what they did with Bruno) Bruno suddenly appears, finally having had enough of Alma's treatment of everyone. In a burst of courage and anger he calls out Alma for running the family into the ground with her ridiculous expectations and how he hid in the walls of casita for ten years thinking the family would be better without him but then finding out it didn't. He then says how he had one more vision after Mirabel left and found out that she will have a better life away from the people she once called family and that they only have themselves to blame (leaving out the part that she became a literal monster). That outburst from Bruno causes Casita to collapse and the miracle to break, leaving the madrigals to pick up the pieces of their broken family. Will Mirabel ever see her family again? Will the magic ever return to the Madrigals? Will the Madrigals ever accept Mirabel's new form? What will the ghoul squad think of all this? Guess we will have to wait for someone to write this story and find out.

Monster High is about embracing what makes us different and celebrating our "Freaky Flaws" as they say. And I think Mirabel is the perfect example of this, being the only one born without magic in a magical family. Plus, whenever I hear the Monster High song "Search Inside by Catty Noir" I immediately think of Mirabel.

[crystalskies42]

Muffin Eating a Muffin

Muffin: *Eating a muffin* Dad, if I'm eating a muffin, does that mean I'm eating myself?

Stripe: Nah, mate

Muffin: But why?

Stripe: Are you food, Muffy?

Muffin: ...Yes

Stripe: Muffin NO-

Socks: *Takes a bite of the muffin*

Muffin: AH! SOCKS! YOU'RE EATING ME!

[figureskatingcostumes]

Katharina Müller and Tim Dieck's Suicide Squad costumes at the 2022 Olympic Games.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3 and 4)

[goldiipond]

Thoughts?

i dont know. thats scary

[random-autie-fangirl]

Have you all ever thought about character teas for Frisk, Chara and Asriel (and maybe MK)?

What would each tea heal for their friends?

What does the tea look like?

What does it taste like for everyone (since the taste can change)?

[blackbirdsnonsense]

Just a fun little idea that came to me today.

She sure has come a long way, hasn't she?

[hellotailor]

armand’s costumes are such an interesting data point re: his nebulous sense of identity.

when analyzing any costume, there are always many factors to consider: the setting, the character’s personal taste and economic constraints, storytelling concerns like tone and genre, etc. with armand, we also need to remember that he’s 500 years old and violently disconnected from his human origins. everything he wears has an element of disguise, selected to blend into a new environment.

armand was enslaved as a child in 16th century delhi, and barely remembers his mortal life. unlike louis - who can return to new orleans after 80 years and reconnect with his past - armand has no home to return to. his whole backstory, even his name, is rife with traumatic subtext, leaving him with an obsessive need for structure and control. this adds an extra layer of meaning to costuming choices that initially seem like straightforward menswear. 

armand’s 1940s wardrobe is very put-together - primarily three-piece suits and coats that make him look wealthier and more formal than louis, who is purposefully dressing down. most of these outfits are tailored to bulk up armand's frame, leaning into the "maitre" persona. and like his business-casual dubai wardrobe, he always leaves his collar open. when i interviewed costume designer carol cutshall, she described this as a symbolic power move, signalling that he's an apex predator who doesn't need to protect his throat.

my personal interpretation is that while armand clearly likes to look good, he has a complicated relationship with attractiveness. he doesn't always want to draw attention. his color palette is shadowy (black, grey, brown, olive green), and he’s much less flashy than the other Théâtre vamps. however when he’s feeling confident and flirty, he becomes more of a power-dresser - for instance his hunting outfit with the big coat and sunglasses, or his habit of wearing kohl.

interestingly, most of armand's 1940s costumes set him apart from the coven. the Théâtre vampires dress like cabaret performers, embracing a lot of period-specific styles. by contrast armand is more timeless and neutral. in fact, due to the relatively minor changes in men's suits over the past 100 years, there's a lot of overlap between his wardrobe in the 1940s, '70s and 2020s:

the rest of the Théâtre squad share an unofficial uniform of boldly clashing monochrome patterns with pops of bright color. meanwhile armand has a very plain wardrobe, emphasizing the image of him as a businesslike authority figure surrounded by zany artistes. he only wears subtle stripes on a few occasions in the '40s, reflecting the recurring prison motif we see in lestat's trial suit and (most famously) the dubai penthouse bedroom:

if we ask the question, "what does this person like to wear?" there are easy answers for lestat, louis and claudia. we understand their tastes, and the motives behind them. but armand is more enigmatic. we can recognize through-lines in his wardrobe, but his "taste" is dominated by whatever role he's currently decided to embody, whether that's a parisian theater director or a real estate mogul in dubai.

the times when he appears to have the most fun with clothing are when he steals a pair of sunglasses from his human dinner (!) and when he's pretending to be rashid. in other words, when he's explicitly performing for an audience. "real armand" is still a mystery.

(i may write more about armand's dubai wardrobe later, but for now, you can find all of my iwtv costumes posts on this tag!)

[charliemwrites]

Hybrid AU with Ragdoll!Reader and Siberian-mix!Konig

Reader is a rescued cat hybrid that Laswell's sister in law has been taking care of for the last 3 months. When she meets this little ragdoll kitty, so bright and friendly and curious, she immediately thinks of the 141. Hybrids have a lot uses in the government. Sometimes combative, sometimes therapeutic. The 141 could use a companion animal, given the close call Soap recently had and the general trauma the whole squad has.

With the kitty's permission and cooperation, they assess her as a possible therapy placement. She tests so well and so high that Laswell (again, with consent) immediately starts paperwork to place her with the 141 before even bringing it up to Price.

He's a bit skeptical at first. Even without being a combat hybrid, their jobs are high stress, very dangerous, and not very stable. But Laswell convinces him to at least meet Ragdoll.

They do introductions at the sister-in-law's house, where the kitty will be most comfortable. Ragdoll takes one sniff of him and starts purring like a little engine. He's visibly surprised, and Laswell can barely hold back her grin as the kitty climbs into his lap. They spend the rest of the afternoon discussing arrangements while his new hybrid naps because obviously he can't say no now.

Price becomes her primary handler. They move her to his barrack and give her a week to settle in, but she's not a skittish thing by any means. Wants to follow him everywhere, curls up in his bed, meows sadly at the door when he leaves her alone. It becomes clear very quickly that the usual introduction manuals are too slow for her.

Kitty meets Kyle next. Again, instant purrs. She presses her cheek into his palms, then wriggles her way closer to brush up against his cheek. Lets out a little "mrrp!" when he stutters out a pleasantly surprised, "hello there." She nibbles at the brim of his hat and grins when he gently redirects her, chirping at this fun new friend.

Two for two, Price and Kyle decide to introduce her to Simon and Johnny. They let her explore the common room first, get comfortable, and then call the other two in. Kitty watches from behind Price as Simon and Johnny enter.

Johnny is a dog hybrid with Simon as his primary handler. Price has faith that his sergeant will behave well with the new kitty, but he's not sure of what her reaction will be. Johnny's obviously, visibly excited, tail wagging, but Simon gets him to sit and wait while she makes the first move.

It takes absolutely no time at all for her to pad out from behind Price and approach. Simon goes first, offering a hand. But she barely even sniffs him before cuddling up to him, pawing curiously at his mask. He lets her, clicking his tongue when she dislodges it a bit, but then he gently nudges her towards Johnny.

His ears are perked forwards, tail still swishing. Kitty's ears are twitching, eyes big and curious. But her tail is up and curved curiously, not even a little fluffed. She gets in real close to his face, sniffs, then bumps her forehead against his chin. Which is when he loses patience and licks a big stripe up her cheek. She mews indignantly, ears going airplane mode, but thankfully doesn't swat at him.

It literally couldn't go better. She's a perfect fit.

Over the next few months she settles in with them happily, an absolute dream of a hybrid. Not very verbal, at least through human speech, but perfectly communicative and incredibly friendly.

She chirps whenever one of the 141 enters a room, has a different tone for each of them. Purrs if one of them so much as looks at her, all slow blinks and little smiles. Chitters when she sees them running outside through the windows.

Even grooming is relatively easy. She lets them brush out her floofy tail without much fuss, only trying to retreat if they catch a tangle. Readily gives up her hands to trim her claws. Even opens her mouth for them to brush off her fangs after raw meals.

She curls up with Simon on bad days, warm and purring, breathing little puffs of air against his collarbone. Lounges with Kyle after hard missions, nuzzling against him while he pets her soft ears. She spends hours upon hours in Price's office, curled up on his lap while he does paperwork or talks over the phone, kneading biscuits into his stomach.

Her friendship with Johnny is maybe the most surprising. They play wrestle just about every night, rolling around on the rough carpets in the common room and nipping at each others ears. She'll pounce on him, little teeth flashing, but almost always get bodied by his larger stature. The others will let them play until one of them - usually Johnny - gets too excited and makes the other yelp. At that point, Price or Simon will usually scoop one of the hybrids up and tsk at them for getting rough.

She's the 141's precious kitty, sweet and friendly and outgoing. The whole base knows her, though she's never far from one of her boys. And they know what it means if Ragdoll doesn't like someone.

It's rare, which is why it raises neon red flags. The first time is a new recruit that reaches to pet her without introducing himself first. She twists around on him, but usually even that would be recoverable. Except when he keeps trying to touch her, she gets a whiff of him and hisses, scrambling away.

The guy doesn't last long.

It happens again a few weeks later with a nurse meant to be giving her checkup. She gets low to the table, tail poofing up, and growls low in her throat. When the nurse rolls her eyes and tells Price to just hold his hybrid still so they can get things over with, he knows instantly that his little ragdoll was right to react that way.

With that in mind, it's no surprise that no one trusts Philip Graves when he visits their base and she takes an instant dislike to him. He introduces himself correctly, but she still hard reverses away from him, nose scrunched up. Ears back, tail fluffing up, she slips behind Price and glares from around his arm.

Problem is, Graves is used to dog hybrids. He's great with them. Kitties... not so much, even with a manual. Ends his week at the base with a couple of proper bite marks and an itchy scratch on his hand.

Given her reaction, Simon and Johnny aren't too shocked when he betrays them in Las Almas.

When a team from KorTac is scheduled for a joint assignment, the 141 is bracing for a similar reaction. Especially because they have their own cat hybrid - some big mixed breed.

Kyle even suggests keeping Ragdoll inside for initial introductions on the tarmac, but they all know that's not actually viable. Their kitty wouldn't talk to them for the rest of the day if they left her out like that.

So Price double checks that her little bell-collar is on and brings her out to meet the KorTac team.

Their cat hybrid is even bigger than expected - no wonder he's a combat placement despite being a domestic breed. He keeps his face hidden behind a big black hood with cutouts for his ears, fluffy tail slightly tangled-looking.

Price hasn't even finished introductions with the KorTac team when she makes a rolling little chur noise, bright and curious. The bigger hybrid zeros in on her instantly, ears flicking. She pads out from behind the captain and slips away before he can catch her. Any calls for her to come back are fully ignored.

She trots right up to the Austrian and mrrps again, pausing mid-step, waiting for a response. The other hybrid doesn't respond - at least he doesn't seem to.

"Sorry, kitten, but he doesn't really do the cat noises," Declan tries to tell her. But he's also ignored, and no sooner has he spoken than she's getting into the other cat's space, continuously making little "brr" noises.

And then to everyone's shock, he's bending down to greet her in return, nuzzling her cheek and forehead through the hood. She starts to purr, pressing up close, tail swishing lazily. A noise erupts from him, deep and rough, rattling in his chest. Johnny jumps and snatches at her shirt, dragging her back to the safety of their team.

She mewls sadly, arms extended to reach for him.

"He's growling, Doll," Johnny corrects, arms curling around her middle. For the first time ever she starts to wriggle. "He's too big for you to mess with."

"I... wasn't growling," the Austrian pipes up. "I apologizes if I caused alarm."

Johnny shoots him an incredulous look.

"Then what was that?" Kyle asks, confused.

"I don't... often purr."

Price takes one look at their still-wiggly kitty and the Austrian leaning towards her, as if wanting to follow, and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Shit."

[theghostlygossipblog]

Copy Cats!

Cleo and Ghoulia scientifically engineered a winning routine, but somehow Toralei got a hold of it! The turncoat shared it with Smogsnorf Academy; they stole our routine!!! How will our ghouls possibly recover from this??