#today's flat fellow is the original

[bevsdee]

it's Flat Friday!

happy friday :)

inspired by this post :)

[captain-hawks]

liability

levi ackerman x f!reader

summary: the tables are turned when you save Levi during a mission, nearly getting yourself killed in the process. he's furious, but you don't quite understand why.

word count: 1.6k

content: feels, confessions, kissing

“What the fuck were you thinking?”

You startle as the heavy wooden door to the room bursts open, hinges groaning weakly in protest as Levi strides in, slamming it just as hard behind him. The warm glow from the small lantern sitting on the desk beside you contrasts sharply with the cold steel of the eyes it illuminates when he comes to stand before you, everything about his posture conveying the extent of the anger roiling dangerously inside of him. 

Carefully closing the notebook you were recording field notes in for Hange, you let go of the pencil in your hand and try to ignore how uncharacteristically ruffled Levi’s hair is, as if he’s been repeatedly dragging his hands through it. You quell your urge to comment on it—because any other day, you’d make a remark just to get a rise out of him.

But you know better than to poke the bear right now, not when you’re well aware you’re the origin point of the fury that he’s outright shaking with. A trail of dried blood remains crusted to the side of his face, matching the dark stains along the torn and tattered remains of his dark green cloak. 

He almost died today.

And so did you.

“That you were about to be Titan food if nobody stepped in to help you,” you offer in a flat tone, arms crossed over your chest.

Levi clicks his tongue against his teeth in annoyance, swiping a thumb across the cut on his bottom lip as he continues to level you with that piercing stare. “I was fine,” he snaps.

He was two seconds from being torn to shreds by the three Titans that cornered him while he fought to re-engage his malfunctioning ODM gear, and if you hadn’t come ricocheting through the trees to distract them, humanity may have very well finally lost its strongest soldier.

You tell him as much, throwing your hands in the air in exasperation, and he takes a step toward you, borderline shouting, “I told you to stand the fuck down.”

He had.

You’d locked eyes with him the moment you careened through the thick cover of the branches, had clearly heard what he shouted at you the moment he realized what you were about to do—and you’d promptly ignored his command.

“I didn’t hear you,” you shrug, though you both know it for the bald lie that it is.

He moves closer.

“I’m your Captain, and I gave you a goddamn order.”

“It was a shitty order. You would have died,” you retort.

Levi nearly closes the distance between the two of you, your back pressing against the wall behind you as the toes of his boots scuff against your own. With one hand splayed flat on the surface beside your head, his breath is hot on your face as he seethes, “You almost died.”

A Titan had grabbed you, almost crushing you to death in the process as your fingers fumbled for purchase on your sword, hoping that your last remaining blade would hold out. You hadn’t had time to think through a solid plan, your body having jumped into action without a second thought the moment you realized Levi was well and truly fucked when you could no longer see and hear him soaring through the air. So you’d acted on pure instinct, buying Levi the precious moments he needed to get his gear back in working order, and he’d then immediately killed the Titan that had you in its grip.

It was fine. You both survived.

Barely.

You’d hardly had time to say a word to Levi afterward, both of you caught up in rejoining the main fray of the battle alongside your fellow Scouts.

“I’m fine,” you counter, turning your head to the side to break the intense eye contact.

Levi grasps your chin, turning your head to face him again, mouth set in a hard line. “You’re reckless,” he growls. 

You sigh in annoyance, fighting a losing battle to temper down your body’s reaction to Levi’s close proximity, the whisper of his body heat like a beacon to your tired, weary bones. 

Right.

So maybe your reckless decision wasn’t just made out of the goodness of your heart as a Scout, but also was heavily inspired by one inescapable, undeniable fact—you’re in love with Levi Ackerman.

Your crush had been innocent enough at first, a bright flare of feelings sparking to life inside of you the first time you watched the way he effortlessly operates on missions. One would have thought that, as you became familiar with his cold and merciless demeanor up close, his piss poor attitude with you and your fellow Scouts would help quell the frantic beating of your heart every time he was in your proximity.

But that wasn’t the case, not at all.

Rather, you found yourself even more drawn to him, craving the few and far between moments when you’d catch him letting his guard down. The moments when, despite his scathing remarks, it was abundantly clear just how much he cared about each and every member of the Scout Regiment.

The moments when you saw just how far he’d go to protect those closest to him. 

And when you found yourself transferred to run under Levi’s command, stamping down on the inconvenient, endlessly smoldering embers of your laughably unrequited crush only became more difficult as you were forced into even closer quarters with him than ever before. The only thing that helped after that was Levi’s unfailing tendency to express one of only two emotions toward you at all times: stark indifference or annoyed exasperation. 

Unable to formulate a smart response to snap into the scant space remaining between your mouths, you mutter, “You’re reckless, too.”

Levi places his other hand on the wall on the other side of your head, effectively caging you in, his hair brushing against your forehead. “Well you can’t be,” he seethes.

“I’d argue that your life matters more than most of the others here,” you offer plainly, meaning every word.

“Not to me.”

You roll your eyes, “Self-deprecation doesn’t suit you, Capt—”

“Your life matters more to me,” he cuts you off roughly, voice nearly breaking.

If it weren’t for the steady pressure of the wall holding you up, you would have swayed. “What?”

One of his hands curls into a fist, his eyes falling shut for a moment as he takes a deep, steadying breath. “I was furious when you were switched into my squad.”

Yeah, he’d been downright incorrigible for days.

“I noticed,” you comment, deflating slightly. 

Your life? The lives of your fellow Scouts, of all of you. 

Of course.

“That’s not what I…” He stares at you, eyebrows knitting together, a strange expression on his face. “You don’t know, do you?” Stormy slate softens to the soft gray hue of the skies after a storm as his eyes scan your face. 

“I know that I annoy you to no end and you spent weeks petitioning Erwin to move me elsewhere,” you roll your eyes.

“Because my feelings make me a liability on the field with you under my command.”

Blood rushes in your ears, and your next words are so tentative, so small, “Your feelings?”

Levi pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly underestimating just how unbelievable the words coming out of his mouth are. “I can’t think straight around you,” he chokes out, his forehead falling against yours.

“But you…” you trail off, trying to reconcile the conflicting meaning of what he’s saying with what you’ve come to believe for so long. 

“I’ve been trying to avoid this, how I feel, because it wouldn’t be fair to you. It’s why I…act the way I do around you.”

Idly, you wonder if it’s actually possible to forget how to breathe. “What do you want, Levi?” you ask quietly, carefully placing a hand over his chest, his heart beating steadily behind his ribcage. 

He covers your hand with his own and murmurs, “Something that would be really goddamn selfish in the grand scheme of things,” glancing down at the winged emblem on his jacket.

“And what if I want you to be selfish?”

A sharp inhale from Levi is your only warning before he cups your face in his hands and brings his lips crashing into yours. 

Your body sinks into his embrace as he wraps you up in his arms, fingers splayed possessively along the small of your back, pulling you flush against him. He kisses you hard, like he’s trying to convey everything that he’s been holding back, every touch he’s denied himself in your presence. 

The cinders in your chest ignite, burning hotter with each press of his plush lips against yours, each nip of his teeth along your bottom lip. His fingertips are a searing brand on your waist as he grasps your hip, tugging out a small, needy whine from your lips in return, and his warm, answering chuckle has your legs threatening to give out beneath you. 

You both freeze suddenly at the sound of two rapid knocks against the door, followed by the sound of Hange calling out, “Hey, did you want to go over those notes?”

The look Levi gives your notebook, innocently sitting atop the table, is downright scathing as he barks out, “She’s busy.”

“Levi?” Hange asks, tone brimming with curiosity.

“We’re busy,” he exhales, tilting his head up toward the ceiling in annoyance.

The answering noise that leaves Hange’s mouth can only be described as complete and total delight as they laugh before walking away, footsteps pointedly loud as they make their way back down the hallway.

Realizing that you had actually noted a few important things regarding new discoveries on Titan behavior, your eyes stray back to the notebook, uncertain. “Are you sure I shouldn’t just…”

“Absolutely not,” Levi cuts you off brusquely with another searing kiss, tugging you toward the bed in the corner of the room. “You’re mine tonight.”

— likes, comments, & reblogs are appreciated!

[faeriekit]

sorry I need to lose my mind for a couple paragraphs:

THIS old man is WHITEPASSING.

So, if you're wondering how the hell this dude is Whitepassing, please note that this is restricted to a single comics run rather than All Alfreds in the Known Multiverse™. Anyway, I was reading the Dark Knights of Steel vol 2 of my own accord (and against the better judgement of friends) because I apparently enjoy suffering when I got the to the "Alfred has secretly been J'onn J'onezz the whole time" schtick and my brain turned clean off.

Because. Implications.

To start, when they draw J'onn as himself as opposed to his "Alfred" disguise:

J'onn is still drawn with what look like typically "Black" features, albeit with a few Martian overtones: high cheekbones, a broad face, a flat, wide nose. His "Alfred" form is distinctly differently structured with a narrow face, sharp nose, etc etc. Couple that with a backstory explicitly referencing escaping from a war and attempted enslavement, this is a pretty strong attempt at an allegorical Black alien, even if, uh, you know. It's also Alfred. (And yes this is all ignoring that J'onn is usually portrayed as Black; I just wanted to see if his allegorical Blackness still held up in this particular comic run.)

And there's a lot to be said here about the long and storied history of having black caregivers raise privileged white children and the racism embedded therein but that's not what's happening!! As far as I've gotten (and this is as far as reading vol 2 of the dark knights of steel compendium, and only vol 2), Alfred did stay beside Bruce ever since Bruce's parents kicked the bucket, but.

No one else knew "Alfred" was a nonhuman.

Not Bruce. Not his friends (if he has any). Not his fellows in the army, nor anyone else in the entire world— because due to the inherent prejudice of the setting, everyone he knew would quite possibly turn their back on him or turn him in if his true history was revealed. The world at large was prejudiced against him and non-humans like him, and the solution was to hide or otherwise obscure both history and origin so that he could move freely without repercussions. Even Bruce in this run, the only guy "Alfred" is with at all times, is shown to be prejudiced against non-humans and explicitly hostile. Hiding is shown to be not just necessary, but the only surefire way to survive the Plot™.

So, uh. Just to make sure everyone is on the same page, do y'all know what Whitepassing is...? Ever since White people started bringing slavery to the shores of the new world in the 1600s, people were pretty quick to discover that as long as you were born light enough, people would no longer harass you for doing dangerous and scary things like wanting to own property or to stop being held captive and forced to do hard labor or wanting to keep your own kids. It was easy to do! Provided, of course, that you could 1) escape your circumstances in some manner, 2) give up every person you ever knew, including all friends, family, and references to thereof, and 3) pretend you're someone else for the rest of your life without ever breaking your own cover.

You may be thinking, wow, this sounds horrible and traumatizing! Sure does, and that's because it is! But it's a pretty well-known part of the Black community even today, because if you could pass, you had an infinitely better chance at making enough money to live. You could feed your kids. You could save up to own your own home. You could get a career that didn't physically break you down or disable you.

Passing is giving yourself as good a chance to live as anyone else could ever get, and all it costs is everyone and everything you've ever known. Of course people chose to pass. Of course people choose to pass even here and now.

And you know what? As soon as J'onn reveals his nature, someone close to the throne takes advantage of the knowledge to immediately kill him. Fucked up. It's notable that, in some way or form, J'onn J'onzz, Martian man from outer space, is always human-passing, but the sheer implications of being explicitly depicted as Whitepassing, even if only accidentally, blew my brain clean open.

Imagine passing in a world completely foreign to you. You don't know their customs. You don't know their language at first. You have to learn to adapt. You can't say your true name or show your true face, or everyone will know who you are— what you are. Eventually, you learn to let people close to the mask you've made, but you can never relax with them; you can say your wife is dead, but they cannot hear her name, or they will Know. You can tell them your child died in your arm, but you can't tell them where, or when, or why.

You raise a child to adulthood. They do not know your true form, and you pray they never will.

You tell them the name appropriate for their society, and that is what they call you.

Anyway. This old man is Whitepassing. I feel so bad for him.

(It's important to note that while this part of the storyline doesn't seem to go anywhere that wasn't plot relevant, that somehow didn't stop it from manifesting in the middle of this medieval aliens comic. Which. Wow. What a move.)

[neomel]

Alrighty fellow insane sonic fans i have something very cool for you today: a WORLDBUILDING theory!! this is something that's been kicking around in my head for so long that i forget it isn't something I've shared with many others yet lol

[ This post primarily covers stuff from Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Advance, and ignores Sonic Chronicles and Sonic Pocket Adventure as they have been struck from canon (see: Encyclo-speed-ia) ]

[ It should also be noted that this theory is built on the idea that "the world" as depicted in Sonic Forces is not accurately depicting the entire globe, but rather depicting Eggman's takeover of just the island archipelago where the animal cast lives (South Island, West Side Island, Mirage Island, Northstar Islands, Angel Island) as to explain its geography and lack of human characters ]

Right! So, a big theme in the environmental design of the original Sonic Adventure was having the Sonic cast sort of "cross over" into the human world more - the wording on this was initially nebulous, but with updated translations and clearer official word recently, we now know that it means that the "human world" is moreso like a mainland populated by humans that exists separately from the animal-inhabited island archipelago of Sonic 1, 2, CD, 3&K and Superstars (see: Sonic Origins). My immediate first point of comparison - of all things - is something like the first Madagascar movie, where the lemurs are able to be a fully functioning society in a region completely isolated from humans.

Except it's not quite like that movie, is it? We see in Sonic Adventure (and further in Unleashed, 06) that animal characters like Sonic and c.o are able to exist just fine within the human world, to where Amy has flat-out moved into Station Square. Big and Tails, too, have settled down by the Mystic Ruins close to where Angel Island (sometimes) crashes down by, Rouge owns a club in Sonic Battle - you get the gist. Animal characters, the majority population of the islands as we see in Forces and the IDW series, are able to migrate into the "mainland" human societies, but it appears to still be a rarity, likely not even something everyone has the opportunity to do (Big might've been born on Angel Island, Tails and/or Sonic can fly any of Sonic's friends to wherever they want to go, etc.). The most contact humans have with the animal world is through the Mystic Ruins site, or Eggman using his excessive wealth to fly in and try and effectively colonize the islands as we see in Sonic 1, 2, Superstars, CD, 4.1 and 4.2 (for note: CD, 4.1 and 4.2 take place on the same island of Mirage Island)

Sonic Adventure 2's level select is obviously to be taken with a grain of salt as a stylized take on a world map, but it seems to infer the same thing that Origins' main menu and Angel Island's close proximity to the Mystic Ruins both corroborate - the island archipelago inhabited by the animal characters seems to be quite close to the mainland "United Nations" landmass, most evidently close to Rouge's Route 280 level. And given how often Eggman lays his sights on the islands as a primary target for his schemes (Heroes may well also be taking place on the islands, as Seaside Hill is confirmed to be near/on South Island), it would make sense from the United Nations' POV to try and make access to the islands more accessible. For example, to enable easier import and export of goods, help citizens evacuate from possible disaster (eg. how the Metal Virus in IDW described how it was impossible to evacuate to anywhere else but Angel Island), and so on - a way to connect the two societies more smoothly only makes sense.

With ALL that context and preamble out of the way, this is my theory, and where Sonic Advance finally comes into the picture:

Radical Highway in Sonic Adventure 2, and later Neo Green Hill Zone from Sonic Advance, were together depicting a brief attempt to connect South Island to the United Nations mainland.

You may think this is a bit of a nutty conclusion to draw given how little of a story Sonic Advance actually has, but I think there's a lot we can glean from just the environmental design of Neo Green Hill Zone alone. Compared to the original Green Hill Zone, and most of the levels in the Classic Sonic games that aren't just flat-out urban cities/facilities seemingly built under Eggman's control (Star Light, Spring Yard, Chemical Plant), Neo Green Hill Zone's touches of human infrastructure are far more...friendly, for a lack of a better word. There's parasols and wooden scaffolding, a grind rail or two along paved sidewalks, yet the natural beauty of the area is left entirely in tact. Nothing about it appears like Eggman's work, yet it is quite evidently structured for human interests, for tourism and walking/biking rather than all the funky ways in which Sonic's animal cast are comfortable moving around. Then there's of course the name: NEO Green Hill Zone, as if it's reinvigorating the idea for a fresh new facelift, re-marketing it!

But how does all that connect to Radical Highway?

Radical Highway (and Mission Street by extension) have a quirk unique to them when compared to almost all other urban city levels in the series - as you can see in the image above, they're themed around still being under construction. Compared to a level like Lethal Highway from Shadow the Hedgehog (or the aforementioned Route 280 from SA2) the holes and gaps in Radical Highway are presented as being specifically because the winding roads are still under construction. You can see this on the level map above too - Route 280 and Route 101 appear to be part of a long, linear, already-finished stretch of road, wheras the area of Radical Highway and Mission Street is filled with gaps, inlets and breaks in the road. Route 101/Route 280 already appear to fill the function of letting people cross between the two city areas depicted on Adventure 2's world map...so then, what exactly is the construction and general wobblyness of Radical Highway for?

Well, let's look at Sonic Advance again: Specifically, the end of the Neo Green Hill Zone stage, and the way the game progresses immediately thereafter:

The natural beach environment of Neo Green Hill Zone Act 2 suddenly bows out before the Eggman boss fight to give way to something quite interesting: A red bridge extending out from the island's coast. The bridge's architecture doesn't quite match that of Radical Highway, most notably using tall suspension wires hooked up to some off-screen upper portion of the construction, but I think the idea alone is fascinating enough: This is drastically more modern architecture compared to the rickety wooden bridges otherwise seen in Green Hill Zone. We're still a bit unsure of if Advance 1 takes place before or after Sonic Adventure 2, but if it's before - it may also be possible that the work on this bridge began on the South Island end of things *before* the mainland Radical Highway-end were finished with their work, with the idea of joining the two bridges somewhere in the middle.

Let's again also consider where this bridge takes our characters in Advance - to Secret Base Zone, a shockingly urban facility which we still don't really know the location of. Sonic and c.o need to zip-line into its entrance, with a background that only features light and buildings far off into the distance - is it possible that the Secret Base exists sort of like an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, inbetween South Island and the mainland, as some sort of production facility for the UN? Regardless, it serves as a pit-stop in the Advance campaign - after it, we can pretty cleanly chart a roadmap for where the cast travels. Casino Paradise's ocean background seemingly depicts it as being part of the coastline (bottom left of the SA2 map), Ice Mountain is pretty clearly meant to be another area of Ice Cap Zone given how it leads to the Angel Island Zone - which is, in reality, a dilapidated Sky Sanctuary. Effectively, the campaign seems to go from South Island, to the bridge connecting South Island to the mainland, to a coastside Vegas-like casino wonderland built by Eggman, which is near the Mystic Ruins and thus near Angel Island by extension (it may be connected to Night Carnival from Sonic Rush?). And all of it connected thanks to the works of a bridge, seemingly set up in Adventure 2 with Radical Highway being under construction, possibly with the goals to connect the two core parts of Sonic's world.

Whew! That's pretty much all the words I have, and I've now reached the max cap of images per posts. I truly don't know how many Sonic fans care about these granular details and concepts about the environment of Sonics world in games from 20+ years ago, but I hope it got some gears turning - and if there is some merit to this, it may further get you wondering as to why the path connecting the two was seemingly cut off in the end? Given the cityscapes we see in Forces and IDW, it's possible that this mutual relation between the two worlds lasted for a fair while - what could've possibly led to that bond being broken? Maybe Unleashed breaking the world apart had something to do with it...

Thanks for reading this far if you did - and feel free to add your own ideas or things I might've missed in all of this!

[silverbladexyz]

Christmas Cuddles with Dazai

Sooo here is my Christmas fic for this year :D Enjoy ❤

The image does not belong to me. It belongs to it's original owner.

TW: None. Gender neutral reader

Dazai was in a dilemma. The worst kind of dilemma possible to ever exist to mankind- no, to ever exist in the entire universe.

The day had started just like any other normal Christmas day; with the two of you staying up until midnight the previous evening to bake Christmas cookies together. Then you went around exchanging gifts with your fellow colleagues at the Armed Detective Agency, wishing them Merry Christmas. Lastly, you and Dazai had had a private Christmas dinner together, complete with the lovely sights of Yokohama and each other's company.

Then, Dazai had drawn out from his pocket a small gift for you, and upon unwrapping it, revealed itself to be a plushie that you had been eyeing for months.

The plushie lay snugly in your arms as you cuddled it tight, refusing to let it go for even a millisecond. Dazai wouldn't lie- he did find the plushie cute and all, yet why did you seem to find it much more worth your attention than him? And on Christmas, nonetheless. A special day solely meant for the two of you.

It was partly his fault for getting the plushie, but he just couldn't stop himself from wanting to see that adorable overjoyed look on your face when you saw what he had bought you.

He pouted childishly, opening his mouth. "Y/N-"

"Isn't it cute, Osamu? It's almost as cute as you!" You gleefully held the plushie out to your lover, who blinked.

"I could cuddle it forever!" Bringing it back to your chest, you hugged the plushie tightly against your chest, almost squeezing it flat. You were about to nuzzle into the furry stuffed toy, and sigh in contentment at it's sweet smell.

Only for it to be pried out of your hands and set aside on the couch.

"O-Osamu?!..."

Lean, strong arms wrapped around your waist. Dazai buried his face into the crook of your neck, the soft black locks of his hair slightly tickling your skin. He gave a small exhale, seemingly content to remain like this for as long as possible.

You smiled a little, encircling your arms around him. One of your hands found its way into his smooth tresses, gently stroking his head. None of you said anything for a while- the peaceful silence was enough for the both of you.

"Were you jealous that I was cuddling the plushie instead?"

Your teasing tone caused Dazai to look up with a cute pout on his face again, his hold on you tightening slightly.

"I was not! Instead... I was just thinking how cold my beloved would be if I wasn't cuddling them instead! Especially in this freezing weather!~" He buried his face into your neck again, placing a soft kiss on the exposed skin.

"Sure thing, pretty boy~" You giggled, feeling Dazai slightly smile in response to your reply. He knew that you secretly loved his cuddles anyways.

"Luckily for you, I'm feeling quite generous; so you may cuddle me as much as you want today~"

You planted a small kiss on the top of Dazai's head.

"Merry Christmas, Osamu."

I felt like it was a bit rushed, but I hope you guys liked it! Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone 💖

@circinuus @dazaiyohane @ruanais @sariel626 @oldworldpoolhall @yuugen-benni @ghosak

[jheseltheunswerving]

The Sad Truth About Bill Cipher

Originally posted to the Gravity Falls Amino in September, 2017.

There seems to be this common misconception that Bill Cipher is this sympathetic, remorseful antagonist. So, today I’m here to remind everyone that Cipher is an insane psychopath that should never be trusted.

Let’s start with how much he’s lied. He tricked Dipper into letting him possess his body, he lied to Ford about why he wanted the portal built, and he tricked Mabel into giving him the rift. These are just a few of his lies over countless others.

He is a bully, to say the least. My personal favorite example of this is this scene.

"I, um, I- DO IT, kid!  Do some brilliant thing that takes me down right now. Whaddya got, Pinetree? Everyone’s watching! DO IT!”

Now let’s talk about how murderous he is. He tortured Ford through electrocution so he would tell him the equation that would collapse the barrier keeping Bill and his friends from spreading their weirdness around Dimension 46. He was set on killing Mabel “just for the heck of it”, and there is a high probability that he killed Wendy’s mom.

A Tumblr post from user dilfiisms pointed out that in the episode “Not What He Seems”, a yellow ribbon can be seen on that back of Manly Dan’s truck. This might be referencing the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program.

dilfiisms then went on to pointing out what Bill said about Wendy’s mom in his AMA, “WENDY’S MOM HAS GOT IT GOING ON. SHE’S ALL I WANT AND I’VE WAITED FOR SO LONG”. This is a reference to the song “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne, but it also suggests that Bill had some kind of connection with Mrs. Corduroy’s death. We know for sure Wendy’s mom is "no longer with us”.

In the official Journal 3, Mabel attaches a note written by Bill she found in the car on the way back from the theatre after the events of “Sock Opera”.

Bill was planning to kill Dipper’s body and frame it as a suicide. He could have done just that with Wendy’s mom.

Here’s a prime example of Bill’s instability. He burned his own dimension! The question is, why?

"Flat minds in a flat world with flat dreams.” Based on what Bill said about his dimension in his AMA, “Edwin Abbott Abbott has a decent idea,” (Abbott wrote the book Flatland), it is possible Bill played a similar part to A Square who tried to convince his fellow two-dimensional shapes of a three-dimensional world. Despite all his efforts, however, he failed and was imprisoned for mentioning the existence of a three-dimensional world. If Bill had to deal with something similar in his dimension, it’s understandable why he got so frustrated.

There is also a page in the official journal describing a two-dimensional world Ford visits during his thirty years on the other side of the portal. At first he mistakes it to be Bill’s birthplace, and theorizes that Bill came from a similar dimension.

Notice the key on the side of the page. In this dimension, circles are upper class (much like how circles are considered the “perfect shape” in Flatland) and triangles are lower class. If this was the case in Bill’s dimension, then it might explain his thirst for power. As a triangle, he had no power in his dimension. All that built up frustration is probably what pushed Bill over the line.

The Axolotl’s message is likely to blame for all the wrong impressions of Bill. I won’t be reciting the whole thing. By now, everyone should know it, and if you don’t, look it up. I’ll only mention the lines that are relevant.

"Misses home and can’t return.” This line has misled the lot of us, myself included. I didn’t understand how Bill, the perfect psychopath, could possibly miss his home or regret what he did, and that’s because it’s not possible. Psychopaths have no conscience. They can only miss something when that thing provided them with immediate supposed gain. Which only further confused me because, if his dimension was so flat and limiting, what would Bill miss about it? The answer is actually simple, despite how long it took me to figure it out. Praise. Not necessarily from other shapes, but perhaps from his parents.

Here's a part in the journal where Bill's parents are briefly mentioned:

Bill wouldn’t miss his parents because of a genuine relationship he had with them, but because they praised him for simply being in their lives. Ever since he burned his dimension, Bill gets praise solely for his power, but it’s likely he didn’t always have that power.

Psychopaths love praise. They don’t want friends, they want worshippers. That’s why I’m calling bull on his message in the journal, “CURSE THE AXOLOTL EVERY CONSPIRACY IS TRUE”. He was just trying to win over empathy. Psychopaths do that too. Pretend to feel bad for what they’ve done so people will forgive them and give them multiple second chances.

"Blame the arson for the fire." Talk about a six word story. I have seen several theories that Bill didn't mean to burn his dimension. That it was all some kind of accident. Quite the contrary, actually.

Arson: (n) The criminal act of DELIBERATELY setting fire to property.

So, there you have it. Bill Cipher is far from a sympathetic antagonist. Evil does not have boundaries, and anyone who thinks it does is making a big mistake.

Having said all that, Bill Cipher is still my favorite character. He's the most interesting and entertaining villain I've seen in stories, and I can't wait for the Gravity Falls graphic novel which will hopefully give us more insight about him.

2024 Review: This is the first of two posts from the Gravity Falls Amino I plan on posting here. While most of the information still holds up, a lot of it is outdated. Stay tuned for the second post which is a bit more current.

[whorekneecentral]

kinktober - day 11: shower sex// j.s

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Fem!Reader

Warnings: alcohol and the consumption of, shower sex, penetrative sex, fingering, little bit of teasing, oral (m!receiving)

Word Count: 1,200

Author’s Note: sorry for the last minute change! I couldn't come up with anything for the original prompt :) 

kinktober 2022 masterlist 

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Jake had a long day, he wanted nothing more than a hot shower. Maybe his want for you is a little more than that.

The practice was completely fucked. Maverick kept getting on his ass and now that Rooster was back in his good graces as the golden boy, Jake was on an out. 

Today was just an off day for him and he wanted nothing more than to see you. He skipped the after training hangout at Penny’s bar and drove straight to your place. He called you on the way over. 

“Hello?” You picked up, he could hear how noisy it was on your side. “Hi honey, I'm on my way home.” 

“Okay, I'll be a little longer. Just have to finish up with a few patients and check these labs and I should be good. I’ll call if anything comes up.” 

“Sounds good.” He tells you, and you end the call. 

You and Jake had been seeing each other on and off since he first got there. You never put a label on it either, just friends that helped each other out. 

When he wasn't on base, he was at your place. To be completely honest, Jake was basically living there. He referred to your house as home and whenever you're on your way home, you would call to see if he was there. 

All his clothes hung in your closet, aside from the couple pieces he kept on base with him but other than that, you kept all of his stuff. You had the spare key to his truck, you were listed as his emergency contact and his next of kin, you were the one by his side when he had his crash during his first year. 

When you think about it, it was like you two were married. 

Except the team didn’t know about you and no one in your life knew about him.

His fellow pilots knew he disappeared from time to time and as much as Jake loved to blab, he never did about you. 

You were his secret and his good girl. 

Jake used his key to go in, kicking off his boots by the door before walking to the kitchen to get a beer. The fridge was empty, which meant you had been working late nights again but that was fine, he’d order something for you two when you got home. 

Right now he needed a shower, so he walked down the hallway to the bathroom. The beer was sitting on the counter and he left the door wide open as he got into the shower, the warm water relaxing his stiff muscles, but not better than your massages could. 

Jake pulled his truck into the garage which meant you had to park on the driveway. His boots tossed carelessly by the door and you could hear the shower running when you shut the door. 

“Jake!” You shout, walking down towards the bathroom. The bathroom was steamy from how hot he had the water running. 

He couldn’t hear you or he did and chose to ignore you. You hopped up into the counter and took a swing of the beer before reaching over to turn on the bathroom fan. 

Jake sticks his head out from behind the curtain, “oh hi sweetheart.” 

“Why is your truck in my garage?” You ask, spinning the beer bottle on the counter. 

Jake’s brows furrow, “it’s going to rain.” 

“Exactly. I drive a convertible.” You remind him, waiting for him to connect the dots. “Oh shit! Right, sorry. I’ll move it when I get out.” He tells you, flashing you a smile before going back to his shower. 

Might as well join him, save water or whatever it is they say. 

You strip off and get in behind him, wrapping your arms around his torso. Jake turns around to look down at you, “I won’t get out of here to move your car in time.” He tells you, leaning down to kiss you. 

“Oh well, you can clean it after then.” You smile, now on your tiptoes to kiss him. Jake’s hands rest on your ass, pulling you flat against his chest when he kisses you. 

The warm water runs over his shoulders, spilling down onto you before Jake turns you, the two of you standing directly under the water. He takes another step, leading you to rest your back on the cold tile wall. 

Jake’s hand shifts to rest on your hip, giving it a squeeze before moving down to pull your leg up a bit to rest on the edge of the tub. Your head rests on the wall when Jake slips two fingers into you. 

Your hand gripping on his shoulder, “Jake fuck- oh, that, do that again.” You ramble out in one breath, chest heaving, Jake’s fingers curling upwards. 

He loved when you praised him, telling home. how good he makes you feel. Jake brings you just to the edge of your orgasm before he stops, moving his fingers to your mouth. 

Before you could complain, Jake had pushed his lips past your lips. “Suck,” He tells you, feeling your tongue lap his fingers. Meanwhile, Jake’s other hand is wrapped around his cock, rubbing it along your slit, slapping on your clit a few times. 

“Jake,” you whimper, eyes pleading with him, “god just fuck me.” You beg, your hand wrapped around his wrist. 

“Hold on baby, patience.” Jake tells you, hooking your leg on his hip instead of resting it on the ledge. 

Jake pushes into you, his name falling from your lips like a prayer. His lips met yours, a hand resting on your hip to keep you up as he fucked you, your body welcoming him like he belonged there. 

There was something about coming home to you, being in the shower together, homely and sweet and domestic. 

Jake’s other hand rests on your cheek, pulling your focus to him. “I love you,” he whispers against your lips. 

“Hm I love you,” you say back, your hand resting on his jaw. 

He can feel you squeezing his cock, your eyes fluttering closed. Jake smacks your jaw lightly, “look at me,” he tells you. “If you want to cum, open your eyes.”

You give in, your eyes opening a little and Jake’s thrusts are sloppy, you know he’s just as close as you are. A few more thrusts and you’re over the edge, calling his name as you do. 

“Where?” He asks, his head on your shoulder and you know it’s not gonna last. You push him off of you, sinking onto your knees. Jake gets what you were doing, putting his cock in your mouth when you open it. 

He pulls your hair up and away from your face, “you’re so perfect, god I love you.” He mumbles, another string of praise falling from his lips as he cums. 

Jake helps you up, giving you a kiss before wrapping his arms around you. “You know I do love you, right? I’m not just saying that because I was fuck-” “I know,” you cut him off, “I love you too, Jake.” 

“Good,” he smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead. 

----

taglist: @timetoracewrites @diorleclerc​ @lickmeleclerc @daydreamingleclerc @halsteadssneakylink @Mashtonbunny @Mashton_Bunny @amsofftrack​ @ads-skywalker-leclerc​  @allisonxf1​ @making-it-big​ @ruledchaos​ @skarlettmikaelson​ @charles-dimple​ @miniminescapist​ @venuschicc​  @romanjbittenbinder​  @earfquak3​  @hypermess​ @choppedroadcolorapricot​ @ellalovesvettel​  @deviltsunoda​ @jeannebmnt​ @pedrohoe04​ @d1amianodavidhands @elegantleclerc​ @lostinketterdam​ @dragon-of-winterfell​ @givemeasainz​ @princessbetsy123-blog​ @logischeroktopus​  @wonderwoman292​ @valkyrie418​ @batmanslittlelover​ @d0ntjudgemy50shades​ @ricsaigaslec​ @ferrarifwendvale​  @ellabellabus07​ @lovelytsunoda​ @bisexual-desi​ @freddoneptune​ @crookedcreationstudent @oultonparks​ @sebastchin​ @starlightleclerc​ @perfectsublimekid​ @fishtankcleaner1000 @strawberrypaul​ @defnotsobbing​ @ifancycharlesleclerc​ @angstyturtlewitch​ @apocalumpse​ @molliemoo3​ @pleasedontfollowimlost @sk8jeon @zig-zzag​ @supertrashheropasta @sainz-leclerc​ @rhaeszn @coffeehurricanes​ @symmi​ @angeluvvv​ @somanyflippingbooks​ @simpforpierre​ @hopelessluvrs​ @user143859 @chilisainz55​ @takktolya​ @anonymip​ @beepbeepanna​ @em-idk-123​ @shiftingwh0r3​ @mimisshhrri111 @justmeandmyfuckeduplife​ @lewisthoughts @Bouncyballs001 @carronyaflowers​ @sugarmelonwater​ @buendiabebeta​

[alainamama17]

100 Days of Music-Music Challenge

Day 77 (11/5/23)

Happy Sunday fellow Tumblr-ites. Tis that time for our music challenge for today.

If you can't guess by the calendar up above, it has something to do with our theme for today.

Share a song or songs that you love that have either a month or a day of the week in the title.

September in the Rain - Dinah Washington

When October Goes - Barry Manilow

8th of November - Big & Rich (YouTube wouldn't allow me to post the original video for it because "The following content may contain graphic or violent imagery." So, I had to choose one that it would let me post.

November Rain - Guns N' Roses

Cold December Night - Michael Bublé

I chose months, but you don't have to. It can be months or days of the week. Your choice.

@worldleaderpretend1969, @biggreenhouse, @lusnicky, @delightedobserverintraining, @words-music, @prbworld21, @flat-in-life, @secondlifep, @interestedin-life, @chaotic-music-collector, @a-lil-jaded-1, @musiclandoux

All are welcome to play along with us.

[nifflering]

Part two Beware spoilers for life on mars series one and two

Hello, hello, hello (some brainrotted fellows will understand this reference) Welcome to another edition of

*me rambling at you about life on mars (the UK version)*

Most important thing: this is my interpretation/analysis.

So, these are my personal, quite uneducated opinions. Also: I bought the series on DVD. No one will be safe.

Today, we'll be talking about the usage of colours in lom in general. If I do start and finish a rewatch and find some interesting scenes – I will add my commentary on them.

Like I already said many times before – there aren’t really many scenes in 2006/2007.

The shooting script of the first episode (I found it while floundering around on the waybackmachine) originally includes a scene in Sam and Maya’s appartement. (Context my beloved: Sammy boy is being kind of an ass, too busy with his job to solve his issues with Maya. She attempts talking to him but fails. I don’t know why they deleted it, because it would have really provided more context to their relationship and – most importantly, for my cause, a sneak peek of their apartment – I imagine it as very clean and kind of impersonal, a few personal touches, Maya’s attempt to brighten up the place. I think they’re both really busy, they started decorating but then Sam became DCI and he got too busy to use the apartment for anything except for sleeping. #Overwhelmed king)

Anyway, let’s take a look at.... a shot that to me represents a big theme of the show and some ✨️colors✨️.

After Sam gets hit by the car , he wakes up in this construction site with a poster of the soon to come high way. An image of the Future.

There’s a really distinct difference between the colour palates. The “future” sky is a nice light-blue, not a cloud to be seen, with some touches of orange and green. Everything is all white, clean and perfect – and it’s all coming soon(er or later).

Of course, it’s a very idealized version of the future. Because it’s how Sam perceives it – at this point in time, he’s very desperate to return.

(Just look at the scene where he first gets contacted through the math programme through the TV. The way Sam crawls towards the TV….. SIR, YOUR ACTING CHOICES. PLEAAASEEE.)

But it’s still surprisingly accurate. However, the idealistic picture of the future is quickly shattered, if you consider that – let’s squint our eyes - to see little Sam’s limp body lying on the ground. Surprisingly, in the 1970s we don’t really see a person being hit by a car (as far as I can remember - except Sam ofc)- But – let’s be honest in 1973 the streets are just every ground that is remotely driveable on.

The past still contains traces of those colours, mostly orange as seen in the dirty underneath the bridge. The air is heavy and greyish, trash and building material is littered on the ground.

The only bits of white are the high-flats in the background, but they are far far away.

Those buildings and streets are still being built – everything’s in flux. Things can change. But, should they? Sam is generally really unsure in that whole department but that’s the thing about it:

We never actually find out, (side note: I haven’t yet seen ashes to ashes) if Sam’s choices actually make an impact in the present. It certainly gives you the impression – his father staying away, his mentor teaching him those lessons, Maya’s birth, etc. etc.. But does it really matter in the end?

Or is it just all in his head? Is he still Sam Tyler in a hospital bed in 2006 or is he an amnesiac Sam Williams in 1973 on an undercover operation?

In the past, there are several buildings – bound to Sam Tyler’s identity, and which I will be further explaining in another ramble.

Let’s get back to colours. Two examples where a similar concept applies: The interrogation room and the general office space of the police department.

The room is flooded with light – courtesy of the huge windows (side note: privacy??? What’s that?). The situation is very transparent as the interrogation is literally being recorded. The person being interrogated has their whole support team with them, including lawyer, social worker and psychiatrist. This scenario is as by the books as you can get it.

I also really like that little shot of Sam adjusting the pens, character go brr.

Same thing in the general offices – a 2010s fever dream with all those clunky computers – which school computer lab have you magically transported me to?

Imagine the absolute horror that Sam feels when he sees the past police department.

Look at it

Without considering the lighting and furniture, the room looks sort of modern – it has a lot of windows and could be causing the same effect as the interrogation room on a visitor.

The officers are working diligently and carefully through every case and issue – investigating every clue and they never rest until they catch the perpetrator.

But that’s wishful thinking - In reality (at least in the past)the room is tinged with brownish yellow lighting, there’s no order to the tables, paper strewn all over the desks and even spending a second in this room will lead you to smelling like smoke for the next 55 years. I would faint. And I’m not even talking about the consequences of not being a white straight guy….

This police department doesn’t even have an interrogation room, they also rarely record any interrogations (leaving a lot of room for interpretation or using some creativity to catch the suspect or get an important lead) and mishandle, don't notice or even collect crucial evidence.

In the lost and found

Even asking for a lawyer – leads to being laughed at and insulted by the literal governor of the department. It’s quite dark and very cramped – it’s quite private – so no one will notice you beating up an innocent person….

But I still feel the office feels very lived in.

There’s a giant dart board, random trophies, dirty dishes strewn about… Good luck getting your case solved. Where’s the evidence that could solve your murder? It’s probably buried under some spicy magazines and a bunch of cigarette buds.

For all the time the police spend at the office, they sure do know when to stop and start going to the pub.

One scene in the later seasons – in the episode about the false imprisonment of the teenager who murdered his younger girlfriend, Gene Hunt is determined to catch her killer for good. He’s made a promise to her father and he’s willing to do almost everything to make his city a safer place (any means necessary). He urges the police men to do anything they can, work day and night and not sleep a wink until they’ve put the right person in prison.

And then, he peeks at his watch and drops everything because they need to get drunk in the pub.

and that's it, hope you enjoyed :)

BONUS: have some cinematic shots

For u @roxannepolice <3

featuring: desperation, isolation and crippling loneliness

lom 1

lom 2

[phoebe-delia]

Hey phoebe!! I love all of your taylor swift songfics!!

How about some drarry for 'Delicate'? I think that would be fun to write (and read)!!

<3<3

Hey Yuvika!! @purplehotmess. Thank you so much, my lovely fellow Swiftie!!

So here's the deal. I've technically done this song before. BUT 1. It wasn't all that fleshed out. And 2. Because of that, I've actually been meaning to give it another go. I think there are themes to the song I didn't explore as much. Not shading my original; but I love this song and think it fits Drarry SO well and I want to it full justice.

And yes I know I’ve written. Like. So many fics like this. In this setting. In fact I’m pretty sure there’s a scene in YAIL almost exactly like this. But also. It’s one of my favorite things to both read and write. And I’m trying to get into the “two cakes” mindset. So here’s some shameless fluffy floofness. Cw: very brief mention of grieving a loved one.

And with that, all that's left to say is this: 1, 2, 3 LET'S GO BITCH!

Raindrops clung to the grass beneath their limbs. They were propping themselves up on their forearms, legs stretched out in front of them. They knew they were making their robes damp, but it was worth it for the view at their feet of the moonlight spilled on the Black Lake. It was quiet, save for the chirping insects Harry couldn’t identify by sound alone.

“Harry, I—“ Draco hesitated, and suddenly pressed his lips together, glancing away.

Harry turned onto his side to face Draco. “What?”

“I—just wanted to know what you thought of Binns’ lecture today.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “You know you and Hermione are the only ones who don’t nap during his class. What were you going to say?”

Draco closed his eyes a moment, seeming to collect himself before he spoke again. “I think we should talk. About tomorrow.”

Harry frowned. “Graduation? Did you forget what McGonagall said during rehearsal? She’ll call us up, we get our diploma, and sit down. Pretty standard, I think.”

Draco gave him a flat look. “Not the ceremony, you dolt. What happens after.”

“The reception?”

“Are you being dense on purpose?”

Harry huffed. “No! I’m just confused as to why you’re being all intense about this.”

Draco signed, tilting his head back, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Harry’s eyes were drawn to it for a moment before flickering back up to Draco’s face. “I’m asking about what happens after we graduate. With us,” Draco gestured between the two of them.

Harry froze. They hadn’t talked about this. He hadn’t thought about it, if he was honest with himself. He’d been too wrapped up in enjoying Hogwarts without worrying about imminent death, and falling into this—thing—with Draco to think about his future beyond deciding not to decide. He had Grimmauld Place and a regular mind healer—so he’d figured he at least had the bare minimum covered. He just assumed Draco would fit in there, somewhere, in the hazy picture of the rest of his life.

“What do you want?” Harry asked.

Draco looked away again, eyes pointed at the lake in front of them. “I was hoping you’d go first. I’m not good at this type of thing.”

Harry chuckled. “You think I’m much better?”

“Well you’re a Gryffindor, aren’t you? At least Slytherins are known for saving face. Are you telling me you can be brave enough to consistently tell death to fuck off—but not to have a vulnerable conversation?”

Harry smiled, amused. “Pretty much, yeah.”

Draco huffed. “That bodes well for this, then. Glad I brought it up.”

Harry let out a laugh. “Well, since you were brave enough to start this, I guess it’s only fair I continue it.”

Draco nodded. “Yes. Go on.”

“Give me a minute! So impatient.” Harry grinned at Draco’s eye roll.

They say in silence for a few moments while Harry thought, and Draco was clearly trying to appear nonchalant while he waited. Harry was surprised that it didn’t take long to decide what to say, but he gave it just a second longer—seeing Draco try and fail to be subtle was too much fun.

When he spoke, the words came out as easily as if he’d been planning them for months.

“I think we’ve come a long way. Both in the time we’ve known each other, and just in the last year. I know we’ve known each other all that time but I don’t think I ever really knew you until we stopped hating each other.

“I enjoy you, Draco. I like you; I like knowing you. I like being with you. I liked being your friend at first. I really like being more. I like that our close friends know, but that we got to explore this with some privacy. I like what we have, and—“ Harry reached over and took Draco’s hand, which gave his a light squeeze— “I don’t want it to end just because we’re going into the real world. I don’t know what I want to do other than renovate Grimmauld, keep going to therapy, and spend time with the people who are important to me. And that includes you.”

Harry let his words hang in the air a minute; let Draco take it in. Wide gray eyes studied him, and Harry tried not to blush under the scrutiny.

“Er, your turn,” Harry stammered, retracting his hand, suddenly shy.

Draco didn’t respond for a long moment, looking at Harry blankly.

“Well! Say something!” Harry huffed.

Draco swallowed. “Do you want—are you saying—”

“I’m saying I want to be with you. Properly. I want to hold your hand in public. Take you on dates. Go to the cinema—”

“What’s a cinnamona?”

“It’s—it’s fun, trust me. I want to show you so much. I want you to show me things, in return. I want us to be together. As adults.” Harry shrugged. “Just us.”

Draco let out a shaky breath. “I—Harry, I’m not…I’m not good enough for you. You’ve got to know that. Being together in public would bring you immense backlash. It would be—”

“Worth it,” Harry said, making his eyes meet Draco’s. “Absolutely worth it. The angry letters would make great paper to potty train our Crup.”

Draco let out a laugh. “Oh, we’ve got a Crup now?”

Harry nodded, grinning. “Yes we do. His name is Mr. Fluffsworth.”

Draco laughed again, a bit softer. “How are we to have a Crup if we don’t li—” he cut himself off, cheeks flushing.

“If we—oh,” Harry trailed off, letting silence settle between them. But it didn’t take long for the words to come, for honey-sweet certainty to flood his body. “Move in with me.”

Draco looked at him, stunned. “W-what did you just say?”

“Move in with me. We did well enough sharing a dorm; we’ll have a whole house now. And it’s not like we’ve got to pay rent, since it’s already m-mine,” Harry cleared his throat against the surge of grief and pressed on. “Move in with me.”

Draco swallowed. “How can you be so sure?”

“I just am. Draco you make me so happy it scares me,” Harry said. “But in a good way! The best way. I’ve never been so happy to be so terrified, I—”

Draco reached over and cupped Harry’s jaw. “You’re rambling, love. It’s alright. I understand.”

Harry sagged in relief. “See? You see what you do for me? Move in with me. Please. Please say yes.”

Draco stared for a long moment, as if trying to find something in Harry’s face, and then laughed again. “You are the strangest person I’ve ever met.”

Harry quirked a small, hopeful smile. “That’s not a ‘No.’”

Draco laughed, grin growing as he said, “Yes, yes, you absolute maniac, I’ll move in with you!”

Harry grinned and tackled Draco into his back, kissing him breathlessly. They finally pulled apart for air, but stayed close, foreheads pressed together.

“On one condition,” Draco whispered. Harry felt his chest seize with momentary panic before he saw the smile on Draco’s lips and in his eyes.

“Anything.”

“I get to name the Crup.”

[mino-diabolik]

Five Years of Mystic Tsukinami

This August it’ll be five years since I created Mystic’s blog. And since I’ve reached the 500 followers mark not long ago, I thought I’ll compile a few fun facts and others about the blog and how Mystic’s character developed through the years into the rampant, chaotic-horny, grinning Founder you all know today! ✨

Origins

I started this blog in August of 2018 thanks to the encouragement of a good friend and fellow Kino-lover, @munarisblog! I only interacted with the Hispanic community of DL’s fandom at the time, writing in Spanish all the time.

I’m not very sure when, but as friends started being less and less active, I turned to putting out content in English and getting myself out there by sending the first ask/starter to other blogs. Through which I acquired incredibly mutuals and people I very much consider friends today ✨

Designs

The first ever imagery of Mystic’s design I had to show for was manga-clips and Picrew depictions, as it was what everyone was doing back in the day.

The manga clips, I used even up to a few months ago, but the Picrew avatar is very, very old. So, if you recognize it: Congratulations, you’ve been in this hellhole for quite a while LMAO

I later received the opportunity to obtain a proper sprite for Mystic! It being made for me by the talented @/lavendel081 ✨

I believe these were introduced some time in 2018/2019. Don’t quote me on that, though. I’m not quite sure, but pretty confident it was very early on. I’m still greatly thankful to Lavendel for offering to make this sprite of Mystic for me back then.

Moving to the present, summer 2022, I got in contact with Lavendel once more in order to properly commission new sprites for Mystic. The finally product—which, fun fact, were coincidentally done by Mystic’s birthday on the dot lol—are the Mystic you interact with presently.

As for Mystic’s other forms, I’ve only shown his wolf form. Which I will present here in both their past and current versions—

I’m the future, I plan to make (at least) a sprite for Mystic’s owl form :D

Character Development

I was going to say I didn’t mean this as in dumping trauma on him, but that’s a lie lmao

In the beginning, Mystic was very much a flat character with very little interesting attributes to him, besides the fact he was an OC descendant of the Tsukinami. His personality was very much based on Shin’s back then, aside from a few aspects that would be considered extremely out of character today.

Early-Mystic used to be extremely shy and easily flustered, being (and forgive me for the wording lmao) a virgin who had no experience in love whatsoever. That is to say, Kino was his first-everything back in the day. Not to mention, he was your typical prince-boy that never had to lift a hand for why he wanted. That is to say, he was pretty whiny.

The current version of Mystic I have today is the abso-fucking-lutely opposite. Sleeps around, trauma based off past relationships, flirty, emotionally-unavailable, outgoing—you get it.

Not to mention, a lot of his backstory is based off the very vague notes I had of him during his early stages. Back then, I knew he was a prince, but truly had no clue where I was going with the Owl Clan and their lore. What you see today is the most detailed his backstory has ever been.

Routes appearances

Oh my god, I cringe just thinking about it. The very first version I wrote of Mystic’s LE route is very much what I described of his character during early-stages (refer to the inexperienced, easily flustered virgin fellow). It was a mess. He was so boringly weak, I could have made him a human and there (mostly) not had been much difference.

The Mystic I’ve depicted in his (in-progress) Dark Fate route is the kind of character Mystic is presently, and who is much like the canon that should be followed.

This post isn’t all that impressive (I’m still considering making something else that includes my followers/community), but I thought it fun to make something that could trace back to the very beginning. I’m really thankful for those that have been here for a long time, but also you guys that have just arrived months, or even weeks prior.

I’ve met incredibly writers and characters through Mystic, with whom I hope to be able to continue interacting with ^^

I’m not very good at this kinds of speeches, so I won’t stretch this out any more;;; Thank you once more, and stay tuned for more! ⭐️😈⭐️

[aeoki]

Seven Bridges - Hate Control: Chapter 14

Location: Tanabata Fest Stage Characters: Tsukasa, Ritsu & Arashi

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ&lt; At that time. Near the ES building (“Tanabata Fest” Venue 6). >

Tsukasa: Eek, where is that damned beastly howl coming from!?

Ritsu: Don’t say that. Manners. …The entire area has gotten pretty noisy ever since “Tanabata Fest” began – maybe the doggies or the kitties are excited and making a fuss.

Tsukasa: “Tanabata Fest” this year is on an unprecedented sense of scale. This may be the largest national Event aside from “SS” that takes place throughout the entire country.

Ritsu: It probably is – Anzu sure came up with something interesting.

“Tanabata Fest” was originally a school-only event. Sure, it was an “S1” where visitors could come and watch, but it was just an event held on Yumenosaki grounds.

But Anzu made improvements to “Tanabata Fest” – in other words, “Neo Tanabata Fest” – and it’s now a large-scale festival that involves the whole local region.

Arashi: What was the reason behind phrasing it in such a lame way?

Ritsu: Wow, Nacchan’s definitely in a bad mood today. We’ve got an electrifying Nacchan.

Arashi: Can you not make it sound like I’m some sort of carbonated drink?

Ritsu: That’s just my preference. …Anyway, as a condition, Anzu couldn’t let “Tanabata Fest” fail no matter what.

Tsukasa: The producer and the one responsible for “Tanabata Fest” is Anzu Onee-sama, after all.

Things were already underway so she couldn’t pretend nothing had happened.

Ritsu: Yeah. It was harassment from the “Peace Party” people who don’t think too fondly of Anzu. Actually, it was just a flat-out attack.

She sure did a good job dealing with all of that.

Tsukasa: Heheh ♪ And the plot states that we “Knights” are the ones who gallantly saved Onee-sama who was in a predicament!

Ritsu: If anything, I think we were the ones who drove Anzu into a corner. It’s all because Nacchan wasn’t like her usual self and was all whiny and said she didn’t want to take part in the school’s “Tanabata Fest”.

Thanks to that, they couldn’t get all of the performers together and the event was close to failing.

Arashi: …………

Tsukasa: Don’t say the things you don’t mean, Ritsu-senpai.

I believe I made the right decision – and the best one I could – back then as the king of “Knights”.

It’s not your fault at all, Narukami-senpai. I did take your opinion into consideration, of course, but the responsibility for “Knights’” actions falls to me.

If anything, it feels like you’re trying to take that responsibility – the crown – from me, so I’m somewhat angry at that.

Arashi: You’re such a good child, Tsukasa-chan.

Tsukasa: Don’t call me a good child; call me a good king!

Arashi: You’re so adorable ♪

Ritsu: Good king ♪ Good king ♪ Nice king ♪ Handsome king ♪

Tsukasa: Don’t make fun of me! I’ll really get angry!

Arashi: Ehehe. Anyway, the proposal for “Tanabata Fest” was very close to ending in failure, but Anzu-chan worked really hard to revive it, huh.

She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. I always knew that was the sort of girl she was.

Ritsu: Indeed. “Trickstar” are a bunch of pervs and monsters who get even more motivated the more they’re driven into a corner.

I want to learn how to do that too since I tend to give up right away.

Tsukasa: Yes. Let us learn all that we can from our Rivals.

Arashi: But how did Anzu-chan cheer up so suddenly? It looks like her encounter with NEGI-chan had something to do with it, but did she take such a liking to her?

…As I thought, do they understand something about each other that only fellow girls would?

Ritsu: Nacchan, you’re such an idiot for a change.

Arashi: What? Who’re you calling an idiot?

Ritsu: Sure, it looks like Anzu did take a liking to that NEGI person.

But she’s not like Secchan whose motivation levels go up and down depending on his personal likes and dislikes.

Arashi: Can you stop using “Secchan” as some sort of slander?

Ritsu: I’m just guessing but maybe Anzu saw that NEGI person like this:

Like they were similar. They’re both girls who are doing their best in this male-dominated society.

She realised there are people who aren’t giving up and are doing their best to fight.

So she also thought that she couldn’t give up and got motivated.

I’m not Anzu. She’s taciturn and doesn’t tell anyone what she’s feeling, so it’s just what I think, though.

Arashi: I see… NEGI-chan was the one who cheered Anzu-chan up.

That’s amazing. No, it’s frustrating… NEGI-chan became Anzu’s idol in the most correct sense.

She gave Anzu-chan courage, comforted her and gave her a push on the back. She turned her negative feelings into positive ones and made her smile.

She made her life sparkle and shine, with her singing and dancing.

She could sympathise with her own way of life and made her feel like she wasn’t alone.

I too want to be “someone like that” for Anzu-chan – no, for the whole world.

Ritsu-chan, Tsukasa-chan, I want to be an idol too.

Tsukasa: Why say that now?

Ritsu: Everyone feels the same way, Nacchan~ That’s why we’re in a unit together.

Arashi: That’s right.

Ehehe. I should stop sulking, remember the spirit I had when I first started out and do my best ♪

(…I'm sure that's the version of me the person who departed from this world fell in love with.)

(............)

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[adventuressclubamericas]

Flat Phryne’s adventures on the way to Miss Fisher Con 2023 continue! This week, she’s been spending time with a couple members in Nashville, TN!

Their first stop was the State Capitol Building before paying homage to her fellow Great War veterans at the World War I statue at War Memorial Plaza.

Then it was a quick cuppa on the way to Printers Alley. This area had been a hub of publishing activity (reached its peak in 1915), before becoming home to Nashville’s nightlife.

From there, they made their way to historic Ryman Auditorium, original home of the Grand Ole Opry and still a vibrant live music venue today. The Ryman played a huge part in Nashville becoming the Music City. From there, they made their way to Legends Corner (a famous bar where music legends go after awards shows), and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Of course, they had to take in the Nashville skyline including "The Batman Building." From there it was down to Music Row. That's where they found the two statues and RCA Studio B.

After that they visited the Nashville Public Library to learn about Votes for Women and how Tennessee was the last vote needed to ratify the 19th Amendment. They also visited Centennial Park to find the votes for women memorial, and meet their favorite warrior goddess, Athena, inside the Parthenon.

Finally, they paid a visit to the Murfreesboro Airport, where they found a Twin Otter and a Piper Aztec. Flat Phryne absolutely adored Nashville and can’t wait to visit again!

Where will Flat Phryne turn up next? Stay tuned!

[ev713art]

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Kofi

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What I will do:

Anime, Video game, cartoon, TV, etc. character "fanart"*

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What I can do but will take extra time as it is not my usual style:

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What I will NOT do:

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*Certain characters are under strict copyright when it comes to selling art. Please understand this condition and respect the original creators' wishes.

[mariacallous]

Just over a week ago, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan boasted that, all things considered, things were going pretty well for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East: “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades,” he told an audience at an event hosted by the Atlantic. 

That assertion tracked with the bench of top diplomatic officials focused on the Middle East—or lack thereof. As Washington worked to extricate itself from decades of costly wars in the region to focus on a revanchist Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ramping up global competition against China, numerous key senior national security posts overseeing the Middle East have sat empty for months or even years. Few in Washington raised alarm bells about it. Those who did were, for the most part, politely ignored.

The massive assault on Israel by terrorist group Hamas—the deadliest attack Israel has faced since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War—has thrust the Middle East back to the forefront of U.S. national security. The Biden administration, caught flat-footed, has leapt into crisis-response mode. But the number of seasoned and Senate-confirmed top officials to lead that response is sorely lacking.

At the time of the deadly Hamas attack on Israel, Washington’s closest ally in the Middle East, the United States had no confirmed ambassadors to Israel, Egypt, Oman, or Kuwait. The State Department’s top counterterrorism envoy position has sat empty for more than two years, the top human rights envoy position—the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor—has been unfilled for the entirety of the Biden administration, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has not had a top Middle East official in nearly three years.

These statistics offer a snapshot into how Washington’s hyper-partisanship is infecting foreign policy and serve as a preview of how numerous empty posts could hobble—though not entirely derail—the Biden administration’s ability to craft an effective response to the developing war between Israel and terrorist groups in the Palestinian territories.

“The State Department isn’t [the Department of Defense]: We don’t have weapon systems; we have diplomats, armed with experience and hard-won expertise,” said Alan Eyre, a retired senior State Department diplomat. “Not having Senate-vetted and -confirmed ambassadors in the field during a crisis is like fighting a battle with needed weaponry sitting in storage.”

The mostly empty bench is due to a nearly broken Senate confirmation process, where nominees have languished in limbo for months or even years due to the “new normal” practice of Republican senators placing sweeping holds on all nominees for different agencies over policy disputes with the administration. On the Pentagon side, hundreds of senior military posts are on indefinite pause due to Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s blanket hold on nominees over the Biden administration’s abortion access policies for the military—including senior officials at U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East. At the State Department, Republican Sen. Rand Paul has held numerous nominees over access to documents on the origins of COVID-19, while fellow Republican Sens. J.D. Vance and Ted Cruz have also previously issued holds.

Republicans, meanwhile, blame the Biden administration for not working to meet them halfway on policy disputes and dawdling on congressional outreach and Senate Democrats for not prioritizing floor votes on national security nominees that could override these blanket holds in an otherwise jampacked Senate schedule.

The end result is an under-equipped team composed of many lower-ranking officials in acting capacities fighting the biggest fire that part of the Middle East has seen in years—a crisis that could derail the Biden administration’s efforts to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. In public, administration officials insist their team is well-equipped to respond to the crisis and support Israel. In private, they concede that they’re starting this diplomatic offensive with serious handicaps.

All top Pentagon, USAID, and State Department posts, including ambassadors, require a presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. Unfilled posts are still covered by lower-ranking officials in acting capacities. But those acting officials don’t have the gravitas, legitimacy, or access in foreign capitals that a full-fledged ambassador has, no matter how skilled and experienced they are.

One senior career diplomat with decades of experience compared a well-rooted U.S. ambassador in a foreign capital to a seatbelt in a car: something that’s nice to have in normal times—until there is a major emergency, when it becomes absolutely necessary. On the crisis in Israel, the effects of this empty bench may be hard to discern from the outside but are still likely to gum up the works in Washington’s interagency process and hobble a more effective response in the region.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, decried the lack of confirmed officials. “This is an all hands on deck moment in history, and the administration needs a Senate-confirmed American diplomat present in every capital in the region as soon as possible,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

The House side, which has no say over nominees but outsized power on any new funding the United States could prepare for aid to Israel, is facing a crisis of its own after a small faction of far-right Republicans ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“I look at the world and all the threats that are out there. And what kind of message are we sending to our adversaries when we can’t govern? While we’re dysfunctional? When we don’t even have a speaker of the House?” lamented Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in an interview with CNN on Sunday. McCaul said Republicans needed to quickly elect a new speaker to begin ginning up support—both financial and political—for Israel, in response to the ongoing crisis.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, now chaired by Sen. Ben Cardin after Sen. Bob Menendez stepped down amid a corruption indictment scandal, is preparing to rush a confirmation hearing on Biden’s Israel ambassador nominee this week, three Senate sources said, though no official announcement has yet been made. Biden’s nominee, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, could face grueling questioning from Republicans on the Biden administration’s policies toward Iran, but Democrats want to expedite his confirmation, nonetheless.

A similar scenario played out more than two months ago when another crisis caught Washington off guard, that time in the restive Sahel region of Africa. In Niger, a military coup in July derailed the West’s burgeoning partnership with a West African government seen as central to counterterrorism campaigns in the region. The U.S. ambassador nominee to Niger, seasoned diplomat Kathleen FitzGibbon, had sat waiting in Senate nomination limbo for nearly a year. In a rare spurt of ex post facto efficiency, the Senate rushed to confirm her, but only after the coup leaders had cemented their grip on power.

Murphy and others in the Senate hope that Congress can set aside partisan politics to confirm senior diplomats for the sake of national security.

[thedo0zyslider]

Old King of Mesa's Past

Empires smp fic, 1k words. AO3 Link

When Jimmy woke up that morning he wasn’t expecting..whatever the hell the day would soon bring him. 

The day started out normal of course, most of his weird days started out normal. It was never Jimmy, or his beloved Tumble Town, that made them abnormal. Iit was always the other empires who infected his life with their weirdness. And “other empires” usually meant Joel and Sausage. Though Oli did occasionally pop by. But Oli wasn’t only bringing weirdness into Jimmy’s life, he was just a weird guy in general, and every empire got their own little taste of Olipeilgo strangeness. 

 Today, and by extension everyday that week, seemed to be both a Joel and Sausage weirdness day. It started originally when Jimmy had started offering other emperors vacation homes in his empire. And no matter what Fwhip said it was totally not a scheme to get other people to build his empire for him. Absolutely not. Maybe part of it was Jimmy’s desire to actually have people in his empty town, but he wouldn’t admit that to anyone, not even himself. 

Now to be fair, Jimmy had invited the weirdness into his life this time. He knew Sausage was frankly one of the best builders the world had ever seen, and he wanted some of that glorious Sanctuary architecture in his own empire. So he’d invited Sausage over to build his own little vacation home. His fellow emperor had done quite a great job, somehow even better than Jimmy expected. He made the house look like it was straight from Sanctuary, while still fitting in with the rustic, wild west aesthetic of Tumble Town. It made Jimmy’s own builds look like, well, shit in comparison if you asked him. 

When he’d placed his third vacant plot down, Jimmy knew that Joel had to build there. It was the perfect location, isolated from all the other homes in the surrounding area by a small section of water. It was like the sky god’s own empire in the sky, away from everybody and kind of a pain to access. Jimmy also thought it could be a chance to strengthen his newfound friendship with Joel. He much preferred what they had now to the constant teasing that used to define their relationship. 

When he invited Joel over to be build he expected something more…Stratos-esque. Jimmy had expected something made of quartz and gold, not a small castle made of terracotta and decorated with azalea bushes. 

“Joel?” The Sheriff called, pushing his hat up and keeping the brim of it out of his vision. “Joel?”

“Jimmy!” Joel's voice came from inside the new building. The god’s tone sounded…friendlier. Usually Joel greeted him with a flat voice and blank expression, like he cared not for the Sheriff's existence. Like Jimmy was just a mere mortal beneath his feet. Jimmy tried to ignore it. Maybe he was in a good mood because of Hermes or something. 

“Uh, ya know Joel i love the new building, i really do, but what’s with the sudden style change?” Jimmy asked, waiting for his ally to emerge from the vacation home

“Whaddya mean, mate?” Joel asked, finally leaving his new house. “It Mezalean style-” The brunette cut himself off at the sight of the Sheriff, and Jimmy himself was quite surprised by the other man's appearance. 

The God was, apparently no longer a god? Joel had gone from being about twelve feet tall, though he shrunk himself a bit for convenience sake, to a more normal height. Jimmy guessed he was now about five foot nine inches. He was also no longer wearing his toga, now in a bright purple suit jacket, with a green sash across it and bright gold accents. He was also wearing pants, which is something Jimmy had rarely ever seen Joel wear because well, the toga. Joel also now wore white gloves, another odd choice. He couldn't really summon lightning from his hands without ruining the gloves, now could he. The green stripe in the brunette's hair was now slightly hidden by a crown. It was probably the one thing of the whole outfit that made the most sense. Joel would love to have a crown for himself. It was one of the weirdest outfits Jimmy had ever seen, and Sausage had a lot of weird things in his wardrobe. 

Some part of Jimmy, a part buried deep down, was flooded with nostalgia. He felt a very brief wave of familiarity at the now shorter man in front of him. It was like he was seeing an old friend he hadn’t seen in years, hundreds and maybe even thousands of years. The man in front of him felt like an old friend that part of his soul had been longing to see. 

“What. Are. You. Wearing” Jimmy was brought out of his thoughts by strange Joel questioning his own outfit. 

“Uh? My usual outfit?” Jimmy responded. It was more of a question than an answer. 

“No, no, no.” Shorter Joel said. Jimmy had decided he was going to call the other man shorter Joel. It made the most sense to his brain. “You’re normal outfit is that green suit, with slime all over it and that stupid cod head.” 

“I’m sorry? Cod head?” The Sheriff was absolutely bewildered now. “Like a dead fish?”

“Well I don't know if it's a dead fish, you never specified.” Shorter Joel retorted. “Ya know, you’re the codfather, my best friend, my brother-in-law.” 

“You’re what?” Jimmy exclaimed.

“Lizzie? My wife, your seabling?’ The strange person pressed further, only confusing Jimmy more. This was not his Joel. 

“Lizzie, you mean the cat? And what’s a seabling?” Jimmy spat, getting a tad frustrated. Who was this guy? “You’re usually a god.” 

“A God? Damn, I wish.” That was the most Joel thing this Joel look alike had said the whole time, minus the fact that he was very clearly not a god. Jimmy was fumbling for an answer, staring at the other man. He was really trying to ignore more longing and nostalgia that had come on when the strange man had mentioned the cod head he supposedly wore. 

In the time that Jimmy was silent, the strange alternate Joel seemed to notice the mesa looked different. “What the bloody hell is all that?’ he asked, pointing in the direction of many more Tumble Town structures. 

“It’s Tumble Town, my empire.” Jimmy answered flatly, giving the other an unimpressed look. 

“What the devil is a Tumble Town? And your empire? Where’s Mezalea” The shorter scrunched up his nose in disdain. “Where’s my palace?” 

“Listen dude,” Jimmy began, already out of patience. “I don’t know what a Mezalea is, or where your palace is, but it was certainly never here. I think you got the wrong Mesa, buddy.”

“Apparently.” Joel snorted. 

“How’d you even get here?’ Jimmy asked, a little bit curious.  

“I dunno mate. I was just going about my day and suddenly I woke up over there,” Shorter Joel pointed to a cave near the house he’d built. “In that cave in a small pool of water.” 

“I just…felt like I had to build this house, so I did.” The brunette finished, shrugging his soldiers. “Honestly I'm as baffled as you are mate.” 

“Nice to know we’re both confused.” Jimmy sighed. “I didn’t even know there was some sort of magic pond here.”

“Well, you learn something new everyday.” Jimmy laughed a little at that. Maybe Shorter Joel wasn’t so bad. He still wanted his Joel back though. “You think if you, i don’t know, got back in that pool you’d leave?” 

“Maybe. I’m gonna find out too. This empire is much too…brown for my liking.” Shorter Joel scoffed at one of Jimmy’s worse builds. “I prefer my own empire.”

“Was that a compliment or an insult?” The Sheriff glared at the shorter man. Maybe new Joel wasn’t that great actually. 

“A compliment, you’re a bit better at building than my Jimmy.” The strange man called over his shoulder. He didn’t even say goodbye, just walking towards the cave he’d pointed out earlier. 

The Sheriff made an annoyed huff, watching him go until he could no longer see the bright purple of Shorter Joel’s suit jacket. He hoped that magic pool or whatever worked, because he was not going to go check on it. This was a problem Jimmy wanted nothing to do with, no siree. He could leave weird, dimension hopping Joel’s to Sausage, the actual dimension hopper of the server.

The magic pool of water did seem to work though, as a few hours later his Joel was back. The god was talking about that Mezalea place his shorter counterpart had mentioned. Jimmy guessed they had swapped places somehow. He kept it at that, not wanting to think about alternate versions of himself and his fellow emperors. Especially not one where he was related to Joel of all people. It seemed like one of those topics that would give him an existential crisis and a headache. 

Speaking of headaches, the sky god gave him one very quickly. He was simply not going to accept that he was short in some reality. Jimmy took over an hour trying to explain the day's events to him, mostly because Joel had started an argument and Jimmy, ever prevocable, had argued back. 

At least he got a unique looking build out of it.