#I just started infodumping a bit and now they said they might look into it Im gonna explode /pos

[chisatowo]

I might have just convinced one of my party members to get into bandori so uhhhhh pog

#rat rambles #band posting #I just started infodumping a bit and now they said they might look into it Im gonna explode /pos #also infodumped abt eternal gales a biy and a differemt party member showed interest which makes me rly happy :D #we didnt get to play today but we still chatted so Im happy abt that #I love talking to them sm I should rly try talkinf to them more outside of dnd #it like just occured to me that I indirectly gave them acsess to my tumblr fuck #its alright if they find me its not the end of the world #also yeah this probably means no art stream today unforunately sorry yall fkfndjdnd #but maybe after dinner if I have the energy for it #I might wanna spend that energy writing character info tho since I told them I would for the eternal gales cast djfndjdnt

[hellishboots]

top ten reasons why you should vote for the ramshackle trio in the @obscure-skirmish showdown

sponsored by my huuge special interest and infodumping tendencies

pls read it i put a lotta effort and time into it 👉👈 (but ig the tl;dr is im incredibly autistic abt zeddy and her work and i really want them to win)

first off, who are these guys? skipp (the blonde-ish happy one), stone (the skrunkly emo boi), and vinnie (the pirate gremlin) are three hobos who do whatever they can to survive on the streets. pickpocketing, other kinds of theivery, murder, and general mischief. anything goes! the world theyre in is old-timey (@zeddyzi, the creator, has described it as walking into an antique shop). it was originally a comic on webtoon/tumblr, and now its getting an animated pilot sometimes! isnt that cool!?

so, do you like hobo children? the found family trope? little guys? amazing, unique art? funny characters? ramshackle has all of that and more!! so much more!

onto the actual list :3

reason #1: the comedy. ive already said this but lemme elaborate on it a bit more here. if you like comedy w heart, ramshackle might be the thing for you. the trio is just some dummies (endearing) doing dumb things together and they love each other and just waahhhh look at themm

reason #2: the art. just,

look

at it. zeddy mostly uses what i like to call a dirt color pallete. im just using more colorful examples bc i can. fun fact, my art style is heavily influenced by hers, and she also inspired me to draw a lot more. you should vote for that right?

reason #3: im really autistic abt ramshackle 🥺 and, and if you dont vote for it 🥺🥺youre being ableist🥺🥺🥺 /j (obviously vote for who you want to lmoo)

reason #4: uhh, i think im talking abt zeddy more than the actual ramshackle trio, so ehm, skipp! a happy-go-lucky air mandolin-playing apple enjoyer

he eats apples whole, core and all :0 also since he has no money he plays the air mandolin (and keep in mind this isnt rlly recent info so maybe its not canon anymore hehe, i dont rly see timestamps on posts). hes so dumb and sweet, youd vote for him right?

reason #5: stone. where do i start? hes a sopping wet pathetic emo whos addicted to monster energy, ciggies, and the weird goo leaking outta the old shack downtown (ok that one may not be... confirmed. yet). he also somehow has most of the fandom simping for him

reason #6: vinnie! the money gremlin! whos also vaguely pirate themed! and may or may not have stabbed someone in the dick (theres a post abt this but i cannot find it 😭)

if you dont vote for her, she might stab *you* in the dick. just sayin.

fuck. reason #7: i put a lot of effort into this propaganda post

🥺👉👈

reason #8: do you honestly need any more reasons for that? i just feel like if this much propaganda wont sway you, nothing will

reason #9: are any of these technically reasons? or just me seeing an opportunity to infodump abt my favorite thing and swooping in?

reason #10:

please.

#monke.maks #i am zeddys biggest fan <-(has a huge special interest on her and her work) #ramshackle #propaganda #ramshackle sweep!!! #long post #polls #tumblr polls #2023

[elviraaxen]

ive really been loving the pacing of your story and i enjoy the concept and the bits that have been released about the plot! youre doing really well, and i admire it greatly!!

ive been having trouble figuring out an overall plot in my own work, i just have character ideas and the vaguest idea for a storyline. i try to just write but then i usually end up taking a break (re: dumping it) because i don't have anymore ideas for how to complete the plot. i've laso been curious about how you go about writing for a comic (do you write then do thumbnails? do thumbnails then go back to figure out dialogue? a third thing?) so i was wondering if you had any advice or resource tips for writing? both for comics and for overarching plots, if that's okay

if you don't have any ideas tho, no worries. i was just curious. good luck with Felt World! i love everything that's coming out so far, thank you for gifting us it!!

Oh thank you so much!! I can't say I'm a comic book artist at heart because I really don't have much experience, I was only an illustrator for a short while and never wrote anything myself, but learning from past mistakes (i.e. I don't stick to plans), I've so far done this and it seems to work:

I'm one of those that don't like to plan strict layouts for the entire thing, because chances are I will not stick to it, so what I've done for felt world is just write a sketch for the overarching plot, the b-plot and c-plot, with rough estimates in what order I want the major plot points and settings to be. My current sketch looks like this;

(which is done in Miro) and as you can see there aren't that many plot points, because I want to have the wiggle room to come up with something on the spot. And also, my comic focuses a lot on interpersonal relationships, character development, and themes rather than the plot, which means it needs to be concise or else the comic is gonna take 6 million years to finish.

And now,, I think this might just be how I work, but I think it's easier to be creative when you have strict restrictions rather than all the choices in the world.

for me, personally, I restrict an update of 10 pages tops, because instagram only allows max 10 images per post! This means I have to 1) fit all I want to say in 10 pages, 2) it has to be concise or else I infodump on readers, and 3) I have to answer some sort of question within the update, or else I said nothing and I start over.

As for scripts, I tend to write one or two sentences of what's going to happen for the update, and then I get to thumb-nailing and sketching right away! I come up with most of the dialogue on the spot too.

And also, I think what's most important, is that you take your damn time! If you aren't immersing yourself in your own world, how do you expect your readers to do the same?

I'm very much a believer that the stories you are telling are something that comes to you naturally if you just sit with it and listen rather than demand that it makes itself known to you. When I brainstorm for felt world I quite literally sit in my bed and go "omg!! And then what? :0" TO MYSELF LMAO as if I'm not making everything up myself! I think that's extremely important that your story is engaging to you first and foremost!

And as for more practical tips

carry a notebook with you or use your notes app AS SOON as you get ideas to write them down! No you will not remember, lol.

set rules of what you're not allowed to do with your story so that you don't fall into lazy trope territory! You can do that when you brain storm, but finesse the story post brainstorm to just make it.. smarter.. if that makes sens For example, don't kill your gay characters, don't make sensitive men the butt of the joke, don't make your women fight over men (unless it's the point), etc.

set physical restrictions! For example, max amount of pages per upload, max amount of pages for the whole story, max amount of characters, etc.! That literally forces you to problem solve, which by definition is creativity! Like, oh you can't do this the obvious way? Do it the creative way! That's way more fun!

I could probably go on, but this is too long already! But I hope it at least helped somewhat!

#asks #comic tips

[dangerous-advantage]

why is usagi yoimbo so fucking good? (an analysis.)

usagi yojimbo is one of the most interesting, well-told, intelligent, heartfelt stories i have ever read. it's stories are nuanced and likable, supported by characters and relationships you root for.

it's simple, balanced, and when things get serious, you feel it.

and if anyone had recommended it to me, i probably wouldn't have read it.

(spoilers for usagi yojimbo: volume two; jizo. fair warning: this will probably go long.)

i picked up uyv2 on a whim. i wasn't really planning on reading it, and if i did, i didn't think i would particularly like it.

but it was related to my current hyperfixation (they didn't have 'the last ronin' in stock, which was what i was looking for), and it was a special day, so i thought, "fuck it, i'll buy this."

a couple days later, i finished it and immediately needed more. yada yada, tale as old as time.

but what exactly made it so good? a lot of people will get into media and be hooked by the very first installment. usagi yojimbo, for me, required a little bit of faith.

i started with uyv2: issue one, aka 'shades of green.' if you're a tmnt fan, this is a great jumping off point, because it lures you in with tmnt lore all while putting intrigue in your mind about what these other guys are doing, i guess.

there are callbacks to past comics that might interest you by creating a greater sense of lore and history. you'll find yourself eventually wandering back and maybe reading the next installment, just because.

this is very good, because the next installment following the shades of green arc (at least, in the usagi yojimbo saga: book one') are the "side stories," which will stick in your mind until your thoughts are overtaken by the funny rabbit guy, and you give in.

i love shades of green as much as the next guy, but damn, those side stories fuck. even if you didn't give a shit about the turtles and only read the stories (and maybe the origin tale), it is my belief that you would know basically everything you need to know.

jizo is what originally "hooked" me. in the og comics, it was a side story for the first part of the shades of green arc, which was ingenious, seeing as it's fucking amazing.

in my humble opinion, jizo is an example of sakai at his best. it's eight pages long with three panels per page, each following the same composition. its so simple, and yet, throughout my read-through of volume two, i found myself returning to it again and again.

it starts off with an image of a road, with a series of travelers passing by. a woman toting a small stone statue brings it to the edge of the road and starts on an iconic sakai infodump, with might disinterest some, but fully delighted my autistic mind!

(here she is, by the way.)

she explains (by talking to the statute) that said statue is a representation of 'jizo-sama,' "guardian of the souls of lost children. her son was murdered five days ago on this very road, and the ones responsible, a party of bandits, have not yet been caught.

her hope is that by praying to the statue, nobody else will suffer the same fate.

she also explains some lore-- that the souls of lost children are "doomed to pile stones in the dry river bed of souls." by offering pebbles at the statue's base, she hopes to ease her sons' burden.

she then leaves, noting a chill in the air, and promises to bring back a coat for the statue the following day, in order to keep it warm.

now, by all accounts, this is an example of bad storytelling. just info-dumping is uninteresting to the audience, and clunky. well, here we are reminded that actually, if your story is worth telling, nobody gives a shit if you commit "writing sins" (see 'lord of the rings' for more examples of this. yes, uy is good enough to be compared to lotr.)

but anyway, the day progresses. there are lots of fun details in these scenes --

--like this guy ^, who we meet/meet another person akin to later on in volume two (music from heaven). we also see a couple of people make offerings on their way past, which is nice (:

night falls, and with it comes-- holy shit-- its the funny rabbit guy again!

he's alone, just passing by. he doesn't even seem to notice the statue on the side of the road.

we then get some of my all-time favorite uy panels, and a perfectly-executed scene showcasing some of usagi's core beliefs and character.

so the bandits (yes, those bandits) attack. and usagi five-v-one's them. the guards come, clean things up, etc etc. more usagi characterization shines through. and usagi leaves.

all the while, jizo-sama observes.

but wait. if you're anything like me, you might notice a small detail between in two frames.

that's right-- the statue of jizo smiles. which could be creepy in any other context, but its only for a single panel, so you might assume it was just a quirk of the artwork on that one page.

but, no.

in the morning, the woman comes back.while wrapping the statute in a coat, she says, "huh? your expression has changed-- you look more at peace-- but that's impossible! isn't it?"

she ultimately decides not to worry about it, but does mention that it'll probably cause more people to be willing to give offerings as well. which leaves us with our final panel.

so. what exactly does jizo accomplish?

well, a lot of things. it sets up worldbuilding for the more 'mystical' side of uy, introduces us to sakai's ability to make you feel like you've been punched in the gut in a good way, and characterizes usagi using only eight of the twenty-four panels that make up this story. in which, he doesn't say a word.

but beyond that. why does this work so well?

for me, a part of it is the inversion of the idea of "fate." let me explain-- in a lot of stories like this, there's this underlying trope of the "chosen one" or that things will end up a certain way. while these stories aren't bad, i generally find myself uninterested in the idea of beings beyond our comprehension pulling the strings for characters that are "special."

these characters are chosen ones. they're supposed to know everything that will go down, because they're important. whether or not fate actually plays a part, you get this idea that they were always supposed to be 'chosen,' in some way or another.

uy doesn't do that. while there is some "meddling" implied, it's not because usagi is the specialest boy ever. he's just some guy making his way through japan while trying not to starve. just... figuring himself out.

in thise story, the only people who know the full extent of the narrative are ourselves and the statue of jizo. the woman shows no indication that she's heard of the bandits' capture, and for usagi, this is just another night.

it's meaningful because we get to see all these parts of the story come together, while knowing we are the only ones this is meant for. this isn't a grand story or some epic of old. it's just a small, intimate moment of retribution.

the gods-- or, in this case, jizo-sama-- doesn't care about heroism outside of this moment. it's left vague whether or not the statue or any being it represents put this moment into fruition. if anything, it could just be a coincidence, and the statue is smiling at in gratitude.

regardless, it feels so much more meaningful than if it had been done any other way. usagi is just a character traversing these lands, weaving in and out of stories, many he will never know the full extent of. and that feels real. genuine.

i do think that this changes a bit, later on in the comics, but this beginning sense-- that usagi is just travelling through a greater world, pulled this way and that for no particular reason (unless otherwise noted) is very refreshing for a series like this.

jizo does a lot of other stuff, too-- like that core characterization i mentioned above-- but this post is long enough. i wanted to get more into other aspects of why uy is so good, but there's just so much, and honestly, you should read it yourself if you haven't already to find out what. (at the very least, read jizo-- it's short, but very, very good.)

i might do more of these for the rest of uyv2 and how it hooked me, but for now, i this this works well enough to begin answering the question of why this series is so good.

(okay, i caved-- the core characterization is his unwillingness to fight unless it's necessary. now, go read jizo!)

#tw blood #blood #yes btw that is leonardo #another win for the leosagi community /lh #long post #tw long post #analysis #my writing #my analysis #usagi yojimbo #uy #undescribed #i was gonna do an entire thing but like.... maybe some other time. #i have stuff i should be doing instead lmao (though this was fun) #less picture this time guys i'm sorry #i just didn't want to bog it down with stuff i felt it didnt need #unedited #sorry about that but i really should be writing my fic lmao

[stardusthuntress]

It will all be tagged "zenith writes" to make it easier to find.

NEW! taglist poll!

I write for the Clones of Star Wars x reader. You may request a GN!reader version of anything, OR if you spot something offensive or problematic and would like to (politely) let me know that there's a nicer way to phrase it, my inbox is open! Or if you want to pop in and say hi, dm me!

I just write when the inspiration hits. Mostly using this as my emotional processing system - just gonna write it all out. Shouting my nerdiness and pain into the void, maybe one day it will shout back (in a good way, hopefully). Thought others might relate and or have similar comfort mechanisms, so here's my work if ya wanna bother to read any of it!

Key: (consider ALL below to be NSFW, 18+)

* = smutty, even if mildly so, expect mentions of arousal and the like at a minimum

NEW FOLLOWER CELEBRATION!!! There's 111 of you now!!! (STARS that's a LOT!) And you guys decided you want more of my 'Right Attire' set! So that's what's in the works! That being said, FYI the title might change...

...and back to your regular programming!!!

The Bad Boys of Clone Force 99

Sergeant Hunter

* What Does Beauty Look Like? (female!reader) one-shot, implied smut!

* the Right Attire (AFAB!reader) one-shot, smut

ARC Corporal Echo

* a Gala-ctic Evening (female!reader) one-shot, but featuring a smutty *Part 2!

* Hot... in So Many Ways! (femaleMandalorian!reader) one-shot, but will eventually have a smutty part 2!

Crosshair

To Speak Without Words (female!reader) mini-series, WIP

Somebody to Lean On (female!reader) one-shot, hurt-comfort (NEW)

Tech

What Does Real Love Look Like? (female!reader) one-shot, but I couldn’t resist making a *Part 2! With a happier ending that’s starting to get a little smutty!

* Turn Ons (gn!reader) drabble/imagine

EnigmaTech (female!reader) mini-series, WIP (Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, ...) my Tech lives AU! (he lives, but they still gotta go get him, and Cross, and Omega, with reader's help!)

Concealed in a Touch (gn!reader) one-shot, touch-starved comfort fic! (NEW)

All

* Strong Women (female!reader) drabble/imagine - individually, but in one post

Triggered (female!reader) one-shot - deals with body dysmorphia, angsty comfort fic, all the boys being sweet towards reader

The Boys in Blue - the 501st

Captain Rex

Angel Eyes (female!reader) one-shot, Rex is flirty because it felt like it fit him in this scenario! Reader is Chiss (look up Thrawn if this is new to you!)

Ancient Remedies (female!reader) one-shot, I guess it's a hurt-comfort, but Rex is the injured one and your job is to keep him from leaving medbay (NEW)

Additional characters coming soon!

Credit Where It's Due:

Bad Batch boys dividers by @/djarrex

colorful dividers by @/saradika

(hyperspace headers/footers are my own)

Other

Lore rants: look for the tags “stardust rants” “zenith rants”, “infodump”, and “sw lore”

Science: I'm a space scientist by trade, so I have moments when I need to let my science out a bit. Those moments will be tagged as "secret scientist" and "Stardust rants" because my username is in fact, a pun. I could tell you more, but then it wouldn't be a secret, would it? ;P

#masterlist #zenith writes #the bad batch #tbb #tbb tech #stardust rants #secret scientist #Captain Rex #oh captain my captain #sergeant hunter x reader #tbb tech x reader #arc echo x reader #tbb arc echo x reader #TBB x reader #EnigmaTech #a gala-ctic evening #crosshair x reader

[nehswritesstuffs]

For the "500 words or less" director's cut prompt, which I missed because of the holiday: this 409-word bit of TTOU chapter 31 that surprisingly does not include Nicola, as much as I love her, but does include my favorite confused and well-meaning alien blorbo.

“Walsh’s sister is in government and her brother-in-law was private-sector for a long time,” Fajr explained from the front passenger seat. Gordon was driving, leaving her free to talk without the fear of distraction. “I don’t remember precisely what either did, since I’m not well-versed in those parts of Human society, but it’s been able to help them afford this neighborhood without an issue.” “No one needs to be that well-versed in Human society,” Malcolm assured her. “Her sister’s probably a high-ranked civil servant, impossible to get rid of no matter the government, and he’s probably some energy-sector or banking fuck. I met so many back in my former life that they all blended together after a while. You don’t need to worry about them.” “I might, but that would all depend on what happens during the debriefing.” The satnav instructed Gordon to turn and he did so, pulling into the drive of a house more grand than what was likely all four of their salaries put together. Once the car was parked, they got out and went to the front door as a group, where they were greeted by Walsh herself. “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” she said, ushering them in. Looking over her shoulder, she then shouted into the house, “They’re here, Nick! Four of them!” An unintelligible shout answered her and Walsh brought the guests into an elaborate sitting room, where tea was already laid out. “Sorry about the pretenses, Kate. Nick’s place isn’t exactly what most people would call humble.” “You’ve been able to recoup here—that’s what counts,” Kate replied. “Oh, you remember Fajr Bismuth? She’s now our Head of Security and Surveillance.” “I thought Frank still had a few years left on his contract,” Walsh said, pouring tea. “What’d you do to convince him to step down?” “He didn’t,” Fajr said. She tried to keep eye contact with Walsh, but couldn’t. “Frank Hughes was one of the first people the insurgents killed upon capturing Mainframe UK. I… I couldn’t save him.” “You saved others though, from what I’ve heard, and we can’t fault you for doing all you could,” Walsh said. “He’d be proud to know you’re his successor.” “You think so?” Gordon asked, relief in his voice. “There are some people who are upset that it’s not me.” “Do you want the position?” Walsh asked. “Not yet; eventually, but Fajr was next in line.” “Then let it be Ms. Bismuth.”

AAAHHHHH YEAH THIS BIT more about this bit under the cut.

Have a fic excerpt you want me to break down? Go ahead and let me know!

Okay, so, this bit! I wanted to keep the possibility of Nicola and Walsh being not-related while also teasing it for as long as possible, which brings us to Bismuth being the one who is giving the infodump. If Malcolm did any sort of looking-into Walsh's sister's background then he'd know instantly what was going on, but for now it's just this posh as fuck neighborhood with Walsh going "yeah sorry my sister's place is kinda extra".

'Cause here's the thing: Nicola Murray is rich. She and her husband both have high-paying jobs, can send multiple children to private school, and she seems to have just the right amount of reality disconnect in relation to others while still caring about people to insinuate that she's always been on the wealthier end of things. Shit, it's implied that her husband makes enough that she doesn't have to work, but does anyhow for both self-fulfillment and because she loves helping people. It also wouldn't surprise me if she and/or Mr. Nicola came from money to start, since this is also the UK we're talking about. So yeah. Posh as fuck.

And then Walsh is there! Doing some more misdirection bc Beck and Nick being nicknames for ladies in male-dominated jobs isn't anything, nooooo. I found it really important to me that we expressly lay out Walsh and Gordon's acceptance of Bismuth as the successor to the Security Head's role for a lot of reasons. Here's what we know of Fajr Bismuth thus far:

She is a Zygon.

Her grasp on Human culture is... strained at best.

They just are recovering from the Zygon Insurgency, where Bonnie and Company murdered a bunch of UNIT people including the man Fajr is replacing. The amount of symbolism there is intentional.

She is supposed to be the new Head of Security. So, being in charge of preventing something like that happening again. Everything depends on her loyalty to the Tripartite, which is not exactly something in good standing at that moment.

Her name is awesome but it's also very specifically non-English. It's a feminine Arabic name that means "dawn, beginning", and is a time for observant Muslims to pray during the morning twilight (fajr and four other daily prayers are part of the Five Pillars/Ten Practices of the Religion in Sunni/Shia Islam). Her having a name that can be a Briton's, but is not considered British is symbolic of her status as someone who is stuck between worlds and cultures as someone who might actually be named Fajr would. It is just as intentional. Bismuth just was also an element near [Themba] Astatine on the periodic table that I thought sounded cool with Fajr, since I like giving Zygons elemental names.

So now you've got all of that, and we're in this posh as fuck house, having a conversation with someone who very well could lobby to scuttle the concept of Bismuth having such an amount of power, especially with the resistance that has been seen within the other Departmental Heads. Like, if anyone can make or break this position for Bismuth from within Mainframe UK, it's Walsh. It was her command that was obliterated. She's the one with potentially the biggest stake in that game when it comes to whether another Human heads Security or a member of the extraterrestrial species that caused the entire mess to begin with... and... she... just... accepts once she has all the pieces she needs. You have to remember that Walsh is on a mental sabbatical--once things were over she had a fucking breakdown. Her approval means a lot.

...and Gordon's a good boy he's not gonna fuck this up for Bismuth he knows better than that.

#ooh cool finally got into a space where I can answer some asks this is good #The Thick of UNIT #fajrbismuth #Fajr Bismuth #replies #meme replies #we love Bismuth she is so tired and needs such a pay raise even though she's already paid really well #but yeah there's a lot going on with Bismuth and that probably has something to do with why she's such a good fic-original blorbo #we stan a confused extraterrestrial who looks so unfortunate in her natural state

[cantsomeoneelsedoit]

Ch 49: It's All Ours

Using this panel instead of the chapter cover bc I don't like how many Sean spoilers are on the cover but also because I can't get enough of this dynamic duo pose. Look at them! They just reunited and they're ready to take on the world!

The chapter opens with a post-mortem Sean infodump:

Not being able to see while using the power is a huge disadvantage! How was he doing murders and robberies without being able to see?

Sean using his ability for crime goes back to what Andy said in Ch 22:

He was recruited by a street gang, then by Under. Poor kid! If the Union had gotten to him first, he could've had a better ending.

The lines about, "Rip captured him and forced him to join Under" and "grafting a third eye to his forehead under Rip's orders" explain why he wanted to outshine Rip at Under. It also implies Under is in a hurry and rushing to get their team together.

His concern about seat rank is pretty moot though. Like, the world is going to end soon, so who cares? Does he even know about the Loops and Ark? I wonder what Under told him!

Rip: "He died, but he kinda sucked..."

Damn, Rip is cold as hell. I get that he and Sean weren't exactly friends, but still. Is this how they would've treated Chikara, too?

I think the Rip's callous reaction to Sean's death is what sets off Fuuko's nausea here. The realization that someone just died might not have been so sickening if Under wasn't so blasé about it.

But Fuuko's been through a lot lately! Beyond seeing Sean bisected and Anno Un dismembered, she witnessed all the losses in Andy's past and just saw a battle featuring two guys who use their bodies like blood jet skis, so she's actually held it together pretty well!

Andy's reasoning is, "better him than you," which really clashes with how Fuuko views the world. The story started with her wanting to die just so she wouldn't harm others. Her selflessness and compassion is one of her defining traits! She always tries to see the good in people. So for Andy to tell her to "get over it" seems a bit disingenuous. He knows she won't just get over it. The best she can do is to try to postpone her feelings for now and keep trying to make the world a better place.

Fuuko is suddenly confronted by a very normal child in a bunny suit who wants her gun.

Bunny/Backs snatches Fuuko's gun with her bunny ear, and Fuuko slaps some Unluck into her.

And the gun is absorbed into the bunny costume in a sort of Blob-like absorption or assimilation process?!

But Bunny/Backs falls into a crack in the floor caused by Fuuko's Unluck! They're still fighting in Anno Un's house, which has been halved by Dead-Line btw.

Rip's reaction to what happened to Bunny is similar to how he reacted when Sean died. Rip doesn't even check to see if Bunny is OK! Fuuko's expression is a mix of shock and disgust, but look how she handles it:

Instead of trying to kill Rip, she tries to understand him and bring him over to her side. She believes they share a common goal and can minimize the suffering if they work together. It's a lot like how she acted when she first joined the Union in Ch 9⬇️

And in both cases, Fuuko's attempts to make peace were met with harsh realities: Juiz telling her that they had already gotten 98 Rules added, and Rip telling her that his goal isn't to kill God. Both times, Fuuko was lacking information about the true goals of the organizations.

I don't mean that Fuuko is naive or a Pollyanna, but she IS an idealist. Naivete implies a sort of "ignorance is bliss" stagnation mentality, and she doesn't have that. She's always looking for the best solution to any situation in order to improve the world around her. That's why it's so difficult for her to stifle her feelings when she sees Rip acting unconcerned about others.

Finally, we have some more substantive goals than "Under is just mad at the world and wants to punish normies."

Rip explains Under's various goals and goes on to say that he would work with Fuuko if she gave him info about Ark, but otherwise he might as well kill her. Rip only seems to care about people he can use.

Oh snap. Not only does Anno Un know what he's trying to do, they're telling him that it won't work and that Latla will die! And why does Rip want to ride Ark? Time for a flashback.

They both blame themselves, and they're both Negators. Did their abilities awaken at the same time?

Rip wants to have another chance to save Leila from dying! And just like that, Rip switches from being a villain to an antivillain. He's got a sympathetic cause and wants to atone...It's just that his methods are a bit suspect.

Damn, Rip has already lost his legs and some life span for this goal?! That's both impressive and horrifying. He's so blinded by his love for her that he can't see the point of caring about others (or the larger issue of killing God so he doesn't have to live this way).

But Latla feels the same way! And she arrives on a motorcycle frame attached to an electric motor? We get a better look at it in the next chapter.

Autumn is heading their way because it's been attracted by Andy's thick, long, and satisfying BOOK. Can they all work together to capture Autumn, and will that still count for the Union quest?

We have six Negators taking on Autumn. Do they have the right combination of skills to take it down?

Masterpost

#undead unluck #overreading undead unluck

[real-live-human]

Requesting that you talk about Finch

sniles at you.

ok so first up: a disclaimer that finch has had and likely will continue to have her story rewritten in pretty significant ways, so. no promises as to how much of this stays accurate or will line up with whatever i've said in the past. also secondary disclaimer that in the interest of getting to write more i will be making this more or less a completely comprehensive infodump on everything i have on her at present, so who knows how organised it'll end up.

so! the very basic introduction is that finch is a kholo - the term being taken from pathfinder 2e's renamed gnolls, but basically think big anthro hyena people. she was initially a dnd character, and i still have her set in a broadly medieval-fantasy-ish world, although she isn't really bound to the specifics of any published rpg system or setting these days. she's on the short and scrawnier end for her people, but still damn big next to a human, and in addition to being a skilled fighter, has gotten by thanks to (somewhat poorly-defined) magical abilities. (more on that later!)

finch's life can more or less be characterised by both being a victim of circumstance, and tending to not make very good choices. one older detail i'm debating whether or not to keep "canon" is that basically, when she was born, a disease swept through her clan, killing a lot of cubs and new mothers. while obviously nobody could really blame her for that, it did lead to people considering her to have been born under a bad sign, so to speak. either way, her early life was... not great. while fairly communal and focused on supporting everyone in the clan, kholo culture can also tend to be a bit of a meritocracy where anyone who isn't "pulling their weight" gets looked down on. finch, as the runt of her litter and permanently affected by the aforementioned childhood illness (if we keep that canon), was just never as big or strong as others her age. this also led to a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where others' disdain for her caused her to isolate herself, which in such a community-focused culture, did not improve anyone's opinion.

what changed was another kholo named blackthorn (just thorn when she met finch - kholos get their second and eventually third names at major milestones). she was a mirror of finch in a lot of ways - well respected, strong, one of her generation's up and coming hunters. for reasons nobody else could really explain, the two actually got on really well together, and blackthorn came to be the one person finch really considered a friend. finch was still not broadly popular, but through a mixture of social connections via blackthorn and actually believing that maybe she wasn't destined to fuck everything up, things started to look up for finch. she gained status as a reasonably talented hunter, and despite remaining a bit of a black sheep, became somewhat more respected, if not always liked.

from her status as my official Angst Character, you will not be surprised to learn that this did not last. something happened - in earlier versions of her story, she gets a family member killed on a hunt and spirals right back into self-doubt, but i'm not too sure on the specifics as of now. regardless of what it was, finch's good fortune and reputation began to turn. i mentioned that kholo society's focus on supporting the clan as a whole has its darker side, and eventually finch came to be seen as a threat, having become more reckless and endangered her clanmates while out hunting. blackthorn found out that the oussla (essentially the leading council) planned to put her on trial for these charges, and told finch as much.

she took this about as well as you might guess. finch had been meant to be taken to trial the next morning, and so that night, just before dawn, she tried to slip out unnoticed. blackthorn caught up to her, and this led to a confrontation. blackthorn was convinced that she could vouch for finch and talk the oussla down from the usual penalties of execution or exile, but finch was sick of trying to rely on the clan's rules. when finch refused to stay, blackthorn tried to stop her, the two got into a brief fight, and after injuring blackthorn, finch managed to escape into the night. she would never see her clan again.

unfortunately, life outside the clan is not particularly easy. as i mentioned, the details of the broader setting are still pretty blurry, but humans and whatever other sapients exist tend to be disposed to see kholos as monstrous, or even outright demons. so finch managed to get by in self-imposed exile, although not without frequent conflict with human society. eventually, in a scrap with some soldiers after being caught stealing food, she was very nearly killed - she took a spear-butt to the head, was knocked down, and by all rights should have been skewered then and there. what changed her fortune this time could not have possibly been blackthorn.

time seemed to stop, and the entire world was coated in a haze of ash and smoke. a figure appeared out of the smoke, and although it was impossible to distinguish as more than a blurry silhouette, finch could swear it sounded just like blackthorn. it told her that if she wanted to survive, to not die at the end of some human's spear in a back-alley in the middle of nowhere, it could help her - but only if she let it. by all rights, she probably should have been more hesitant of it, but it sounded so much like her, and she wanted so badly to believe that blackthorn had found her somehow, that she accepted. an instant later, as the spearman tried to finish off his quarry, she seemed to dissipate into smoke for just a moment, long enough to flow up past his weapon and get her teeth into him.

this is where we get to her poorly-defined magic, mentioned earlier. the thing-that-is-not-blackthorn seems to have granted her some ability to phase in and out of solidity, vanishing into smoke and dust just long enough to slip past all manner of dangers. what exactly the being-that-could-not-have-been-blackthorn gets out of this "deal" is unclear, partially intentionally on my part, and partially because i have yet to work it out. using this magic too much does seem to take a toll on finch's health, burning through her own energy, but any strict benefit to that-which-she-desperately-wants-to-think-is-blackthorn is unclear. however, if it wasn't already obvious, it absolutely is not blackthorn - it may be some sort of amalgam of all of finch's guilt and fear and anger taken metaphysical form, or perhaps it's something entirely distinct from her, just taking the form of the only friend she ever had to manipulate her! the possibilities are numerous.

i. thiiiink that covers everything? there's a few miscellaneous notes i could add (like how finch is still just finch whereas thorn became blackthorn represents finch's disconnect from her own people, having never had that naming ceremony, or that i am partially ripping off how spirits work from a webcomic i really liked about 10 years ago) but if you want to know Who Finch Is and What's Her Deal, i'm pretty sure this covers it all. many thanks for asking :3

#asks #godmybackhurts #finch #she has been consuming my writing brain for the last couple weeks since i started rewriting her story and such #if i do not supply her enrichment (writing) she starts gnawing out through my skull

[poisonouspastels]

i rlly want to learn more ab ur herobrine, feel free to use this as an opportunity to infodump about him, id love to hear anything youd have to say :D

YESSSS ok so. idk how many people have seen me rambling abt Herobrine prior so I'll start off with. The basis for him ig? SIDE NOTE I REALIZED HOW MUCH I WROTE THAT I ACCIDENTALLY SURPASED THE CHARACTER LIMIT ON TUMBLR SO I WILL ADD THE REST ON A REBLOG. SORRY FOR WRITING FOR SO LONG ANON I HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR OVER AN HOUR. ALRIGHT Herobrine was spawned into the new world roughly about one year after Steve and Rana (who were not quite themselves yet) did.

(He is hidden in this image... Right in the middle!)

He was one of the few "players" (so to speak, they aren't in a game but that's the term I always use for them) that was unfortunate enough to spawn in solo as compared to the usual 2-3 amount. Paired with the accompanying starter chest, he managed just fine for a bit, but as the title of Minecraft would imply, he would start having to venture into the caves for resources. His first encounter of remnants of the older civilizations were the abandoned mineshafts. Though the scattered carts and chests were full of things like spare rails, EXTREMELY stale and molded bread, and even some old seeds, his main fascination came from the structure itself. Who made this? Who were the people working here before his arrival? Where did they all go?

This wouldn't be his main priority initially, but it kept digging at his mind. Especially regarding an old book he found within the mineshaft, still topped with a red ribbon and an insignia he had never seen before, let alone the text inside that was nothing like the Commonspeak they all knew at spawn. As time went on, he would find more remnants of the past in different places, and would eventually end up living in the caves almost 24/7. He DID resurface every now and then in different areas to get any mandatory supplies, but usually it would be short lived. At some point though, he did see two people living amongst themselves, one with darker hair and one with a slightly brighter red, and would sometimes watch them from afar... At least, until he'd eventually run back off without a word when he worries they might see him. He's by no means been outcasted from society, but after having no contact with the rest of humanity for so long, things are a bit strange for him. A bit of a recluse he is. The old books he found were always at the top of his interests in this mystery. Some were more basic than others, those were usually the ones that gave him clues as to how to decipher this mystery language. Others were more glossy and "fancy" in a way, undoubtedly well protected against the elements despite all odds. As if they themselves were enchanted... With time he would push himself to try and fully figure out this language, how he could tie it in with Common and go from there. And he did eventually make a breakthrough! "Galactic" he would learn it was called. Herobrine actually carried a book of his own around, a journal he would write discoveries and notes within, usually tucked into a tattered backpack that by this point had definitely see better days. He'd actually practice writing the language in it to get a better grasp of how it worked, so much to the point where eventually writing with it would entirely replace writing in Common for him, nearly forgetting it with time. The only thing ever off after a while about the Galactic language was pronunciation. After all, no one was alive to really SAY these words how they were initially supposed to be said, right...? How would he have known better? Still, this never stopped him from persisting. His curiosity would eventually get the better of him regarding these enchanted books. He had looked at them prior, but the main thing that confused him was the lack of coherent words. I mean, these were words of some sort, undoubtedly, but none he could tie back to anything in Common. Despite this, he would still try. No possible way he would most of this right, nor know for certain what even just a page worth does, but he would never know unless he went for it. It burned.

#minecraft #herobrine #MY MANS GETTING LOREDUMP LETS GOOO #mc au #part 1 lolll

[winterpinetrees]

The Gap Years - June 11th

The road trip kids wake up on the first real day of their adventure. Plans are considered, elf society is rightfully mocked, but mostly I just infodump. :)

i am beating back the cringe emotions with a stick. this is the cringe website. let me post about my homegrown blorbos, brain.

June 11th 2019

Lakeport, California

The realization of where he is and what is going on hits Brian in waves.

He’s a good sleeper (he travels enough that he has to be), but this doesn’t seem to be his room. Brian lifts his head and his chest hurts, and it’s not a falling off of a dirt bike/surfboard into a tree/sandbar at a frighteningly fast velocity type of hurt either. He winces, and his arm hits something else.

Ah. The second realization. He’s sharing a bed. Contrary to popular belief, he does not do this very often. Light is already pouring in through the curtains, so it doesn’t take Brian long to realize that the other person is Clay. He still looks asleep. That makes sense. Brian has always been an early riser. He sits up in bed and looks around. Cheap curtains, beige walls, a blurry photo of a lake? They must be in a motel. Yes. He’s just graduated high school and now he’s going on a road trip with his friends. Brian swings his feet onto the ground and stands. He walks to the bathroom, but sees something else on the ground between the two twin beds. A pile of clothes? He approaches. It’s a person under a blanket. That’s when he remembers the magic, the sword slash, and the blood that might still be under his fingernails because he refused to spend half an hour washing it off like Lady Macbeth. The person on the floor is a prince. Brian is responsible for his safety and by extension the fate of the world. How the hell did he get here? (He enthusiastically volunteered, that’s how.)

Over the next few minutes, Brian cautiously wakes up both of his friends. They have some things to discuss that they don’t want Marin to overhear. They move to the other side of the small room and gather in an awkward huddle.

“We are harboring an alien prince,” Clay types out onto his cell phone. He guessed that elves had very good hearing, and convinced everyone else to do the same. “We need some plan for if he turns on us. He can control our minds”.

They’d asked Marin last night if there was any visible sign that someone had been charmed. He said yes, but only if the charmed person was aware of it, which never happened unless the attacker was overconfident or rushing. Not very reassuring.

“Like what? There’s very little we can do about that”. Sierra replies. She is typing on that infamous computer, and doing it very quickly.

“Maybe we agree to talk to each other and call out weird stuff? S, we've already been doing that“. The girl nods. Clay was taking forever to type anyway.

Brian understands. He's the only one who's trusted Marin at all. “So the plan is to be skeptical of everything”.

“That way we'll be aware of anything that is changed”. Clay wears glasses that are a little too big and stubbornly refuses to do anything with his long brown hair. He looks perfectly ordinary, a bit disheveled, and it’s entirely on purpose. He puts the phone down and starts speaking. Apparently, this bit isn’t classified. “What do we know so far?”

Among other things, they know that Prince Marin Sondaica is 86 years old, stuck in between physical adulthood at 81 and full social adulthood at 108. (Just like how they’re all old enough to vote and drive but not drink or be considered separate from their parents). The elf world is parallel to theirs, with the capital existing in the same place as San Francisco. It’s a single global dictatorship with two associations of noble families fighting for control. Marin's family was reasonable enough, but Gens Mercuralis did a coup and is trying to take over the world. They should have a year or two until elves become common knowledge and the status quo collapses.

Then Sierra adds what she knows from years of university lab internships and overheard conversations. If you see a flash of color, especially green, prepare to run or fight or die. Magic is enough like radiation that a modified geiger counter can tell you if danger is near. Elves seem to avoid fighting underground. They’re very careful to not get caught on camera.

Brian turns his head and sees a cat’s eye glow in the dark. Their new friend is awake. Sierra and Clay seem to think there isn’t anything special about Marin, but he knows better. Brian is very familiar with how people move, and Marin is just a bit too quick. More than that, he moves very quietly. It reminds him of how he’s heard friends talk about parkour (land quietly, work with your body, reduce the impact on your joints), and he wonders again just how fragile elves are.

The prince approaches the group and they talk. They need a plan to stay alive, and they’re kind of a mess. Marin explains that they shouldn’t be attacked unless they are either alone, or somewhere elves can plan an ambush and keep things secret. It’s counterintuitive, but they need a human shield. Marin also has some ideas about elven settlements in the human world that might be sympathetic to them. Elves who love wild humanity will probably oppose the new government’s plan. Unfortunately, that means that Ishtar has probably sent soldiers to subdue them. Every visit will be a gamble. They might find allies, but they could also very easily get killed. Maybe it would be better if they traveled on their own for a bit.

...

So they get in the car and drive again. They eat breakfast at the most crowded place they can find and drive towards a hardware store where Sierra can buy a geiger counter. They come up with a system. Brian drives, Clay rides shotgun with the concussion rifle under his seat, Sierra googles things and tinkers with the geiger counter, and Marin tries his best to cast a more permanent illusion over the car. They listen to music from whatever radio stations they’re driving by, pester Marin with questions about his past, and plot a jagged course up California.

“Who else was in the human world when the coup happened? If you can switch between worlds so easily, there must have been some other people who got away”. Brian is a student of history. He knows a bit about how coups go, but mostly he's just curious about the magical society next door.

Marin stares out the window at miles and miles of farmland. “I can’t be sure. Genus Sondaica had over twenty people in it before the coup, and four of them were about my age. Those are the ones that were most likely to escape. We’re old enough to defend ourselves, but not influential enough to be primary targets”. His voice is very level. “But our genus also has allies. Each of those has even more people, but there’s no way of knowing who’s… left.”

A few seconds pass before Sierra speaks. “Yeah, but who was here before the coup? You didn’t know anything had happened, remember? You just brainwashed us for fun. Who else would do that?”

“The only one I'm certain of is Zerada Adust, my betrothed”.

Woah. Hold on a second. Brian knows that the elves have a hereditary noble class, but his betrothed? “You're betrothed to someone?”

“Ah. That’s not a Western concept anymore, is it? Most of the high nobility are betrothed to someone. It is important for keeping the nobility strong”.

Brian blinks. “Arranging marriages to try and keep an elite class 'strong' has caused some pretty big problems on earth”. Like, the fall of several dynasties.

Sierra rolls her eyes. "Marin, if you're using how messed up your society is to avoid talking about your girlfriend, it's working".

He looks around at the car. “Magical power is mostly genetic,” he adds as if that makes the statement more acceptable instead of less.

“And that's eugenics. That is also not good. Clay, are you still in favor of the elves taking over the world?” Brian adds. He does not know what to do with this information.

She laughs. “And they’re a monarchy too, remember that?”

“I was under a lot of stress!” Clay replies. "Between that and proposing a quest, I think what I said was a lot more normal".

Brian laughs to clear the air, but it sounds fake. Despite his family history, He doesn't believe in taking the easy way out. There's nothing wrong with choosing to stay and fight. They can't afford to be fighting now though, so he lets the conversation continue and keeps his eyes on the road.

#by me #my oc stuff #the gap years #writing that *is* #the road trip

[thecoolertails]

Now that I know you like Fred Jones a whole lot, I want to know your opinions on the rest of Mystery Inc. :D Also, what do you think of Scrappy, Flim Flam and Vincent Van Ghoul?

oh i am so glad you asked! i love all the main 5 members of mystery inc! fred's my favorite of course, but the rest aren't that far behind (infodump incoming)

velma was my favorite as a kid (i was dorky kid with glasses myself) and she's still such an icon. i probably like her the best in where are you, what's new, and zombie island/witch's ghost-- sweet, smart, and enthusiastic, rather than being more sarcastic or reserved. OH and i love how they made her semi-nonverbal in a pup named scooby-doo! she's an autistic legend just like fred

daphne's adorable, i especially love her characterization in be cool scooby-doo, she's so chaotic but is also the heart and soul of the group. i still really like her original and #girlboss characterizations as well though! i love how they ended up giving her so many different talents and interests to make up for how undefined her personality was originally, so she has so many cool hobbies like surfing and martial arts.

shaggy's great too! i think how good he is hinges heavily on the given writers grasp on comedy, but i also think he's at his best when he has some depth beyond just being comedy relief (early 00's live action and be cool are probably my favorite versions of him, followed by the gold key scooby-doo mystery comics and where are you).

and of course i love the good boy scoobert doobert himself! i prefer a more doglike scooby, rather than more recent iterations that have him act a lot more like a human, but sometimes it can be done well. i found be cool's scooby to be really funny and likable despite being more humanlike, probably because they don't have him talk a whole lot, but when he does it's usually in dry one-liners and it just kind of works.

as far as scrappy goes, im kind of in the minority in that im kind of neutral on him? i think he has a lot of potential as a part-time member of the gang (the whole concept of "scooby's baby nephew who fears no man or god and really REALLY wants to punch a ghost (and also looks up to scooby and thinks HE'S really brave)" is absolutely hilarious. that being said, i haven't seen anything with scrappy in it as an adult (not counting the 2002 movie), and as a kid i didn't prefer the shows with him in it, ESPECIALLY the ones that didn't have velma and fred (but mostly because of velma). i think i just saw that velma wasn't in those ones and saw it as a personal slight lmao, i was like really offended asdjfkdjf. i think it was a mistake for them to go all in on scrappy (and the extended doo family) like they did, where they kind of sacrificed the original gang and formula for something new, which didn't really stick for most people. scrappy saved the scooby franchise, but also almost ended up destroying it once it started to kind of revolve around him (luckily it was saved by a pup named scooby doo). but, because i refused to watch the movies and shows from the "dark era" as a kid, its kind of a literal dark era for me in that i really don't know that much about it and have seen very little. it's high up on my list of scooby media to watch though, and i might detour from mystery incorporated to look into some of that soon.

but ANYWAY lol, long story short i think scrappy has potential and doesn't deserve all the hate he gets, but as he is he's not really my favorite, and even if he was done well, i wouldn't want him to be a permanent member of the gang, because i think the chemistry between the original 5 is so good. i wouldn't be sad personally if he never returned, but it'd be nice to see him come back as long as he was done well.

i've never seen the 13 ghosts of scooby-doo, so i'm not really familiar with flim flam or vincent van ghoul! well, i saw a little bit of van ghoul in mystery incorperated, but idk how similar he is to his original counterpart. it feels like it doesn't count lol

anyway scooby-doo autism moment over, thanks for giving me an excuse to infodump about my current hyperfixation haha

#love these guys sm #living in my head rent free (positive) #my posts #scooby-doo #velma dinkley #daphne blake #shaggy rogers #scrappy doo

[mental-health-monday]

Deescalating Anger and Tension by Going in Sideways

A bit of a weird post for this blog… I’m a new(ish) parapro, and have often found it difficult to get some children to follow directions by directly addressing the issue… so I tried a few different things.

In my brief time working in this field, I’ve found some kids are kind of like oobleck (bear with me): if you go into a situation too fast, they’ll resist with equal force and form a hard barrier; but if you go in slowly, at an angle, they’ll be more inclined to listen.

Useful for parents, childcare workers, educators, or yourself…

1.) Pick out a word they said and randomly tell them a fun fact. Expound upon it.

For instance: One kid said something like “You’re so stupid and no one cares about you, you’re weak like an omega wolf” to another kid as an insult, which got another kid asking about what “omega” meant. I took that as an opportunity to infodump about the Greek alphabet, explain the etymology of the word “alphabet,” then tell them the Hebrew translation “aleph-bet.” They were fully intrigued. Whenever they’d start to get mad at each other again, I’d drop another fun fact.

It didn’t entirely stop the insults from flying; but it stalled them from throwing punches (or chairs or desks) until the teacher got there, who was able to straighten them out better than I could.

2.) The fidget toy.

Gently pull the distressed child away from the child who is teasing them (tell the other child to back off in a firm voice). Let them cool off a bit. Ask them how they’re feeling and affirm them. Talk to them if they want to talk, or remain silent if they don’t.

Quietly pull out a fidget toy (I recommend a Tangle because it’s more visually appealing), and start fidgeting. Wait for them to look at it. Ask if they’d like to try. If they agree, let them borrow it; if not, leave them alone (you kind of have to read the room pretty accurately on this one). If I do get the kid to borrow the fidget toy, I find they’ll usually calm down within a few minutes and it’s super effective.

I’ve found this one works best if they’ve never seen you with the fidget toy before; because the second time you pull it out they’ll know it’s for their benefit which may put them off. Some kids will ask for the fidget toy if they’re stressed out, which is always a good sign.

So basically, it’s potent; but use it wisely.

3.) Ask “What are you thinking right now?”

Pretty self-explanatory. If a kid looks like they’re reaching the boiling point and are about to hit another kid; try to get them to verbalize their feelings, and maybe it’ll get them to think about the consequences before doing anything like they’re thinking. Always say “It’s okay to feel angry; but we shouldn’t hurt people,” or some variation thereof. Don’t push too much though. Make it clear you’re there for them without necessarily taking sides.

4.) Point out the environment.

Once a couple kids were absolutely refusing to come back in from recess. It was a hot day outside, so I remarked “Don’t you want water? It’s really hot out.”

“No water.”

“You guys are all gonna be baked potatoes if you don’t go in; it’s HOT. I might just have to get some cheddar, sour cream, and bacon bits so I can eat you. I love baked potatoes. Yum.”

“We’re in the shade. We’re not hot.”

“Well I’m not in the shade; and I can’t go in until you go in, and it’s too hot for me out here. Guess I’ll become a baked potato, then.”

They went inside shortly after, complaining it was too hot outside. Basically use a lot of repetition so they start feeling the effects, and maybe start considering, “Hm… maybe they’re not just blowing hot air.” (or whatever the kids call hot air nowadays)

5.) Ask another kid for help.

Sometimes a kid might be anxious around adults, and won’t want to hear from you at all. They may be at risk of running away, and your close (but necessary) presence would only trigger them to do that.

I was having a hard time getting [Kid A] to come in to tell their account of what they saw two other kids doing which led up to a fight. They didn’t do anything themselves, and their behavior was probably caused by a fear of having to go to the office to tell their side of the story.

I wasn’t about to chase this kid because 1.) it wasn’t right in this situation 2.) they had a history of eloping, and 3.) they were too fast for me to catch if they did elope

Enter [Kid B], who is friends with [Kid A]. They’re wondering what’s wrong, so I explain, “Hey, your friend is a little scared of having to go to the office to tell about a fight. Can you tell them for me, that they’re not in trouble, and the office just wants to hear what they saw.”

It worked. I thanked [Kid B] and gave them a school reward ticket.

#mental health monday #deescalation #anger #parenting #childcare #neurodivergent children

[hot-take-tournament]

sorry if my take sounds deeply incomprehensible i just kept going back on submitting it and knew if i didn’t ramble it all out in one take i was gonna chicken out again LMAO

don't worry about it at all!

i think an incoherent infodump every once in a while is good for the soul!

look, if we're being totally candid -

i have pretty severe adhd comorbid with bipolar disorder, which i do my best to mask - yeah yeah, i know you're not supposed to, but i doubt i'll ever truly shake the shame, especially given the things i've done as a result of failing to mask, both online and irl (the latter being much, much worse) - so i've resolved to do it for the rest of my life

i did talk a little bit about what i was like on my main blog here, which you might need for context:

(speaking of which, please don't actually follow or even go to my main blog just because you like this one - i'm 100% fucking serious. i'm a very different person over there to the point of being almost unrecognisable, even to myself - and i guarantee that side of myself wouldn't recognise me either; we're like two parts of a very fucked up whole. so for that reason i want to keep these two blogs separate; like i said, i'm bipolar, so that's where i let the venom out, and when i feel joyful again, i come back here. i'm more active here anyway, to the point where i basically consider this my main blog now - i mean, my bio isn't even up to date over there)

the point is although i plan to mask for the rest of my life, even i'm partial to an unprompted infodump or oversharing session every once in a while

that's the reason i want this blog to be a safe place for people to vent/infodump/just share their wildest takes anonymously, while still having a little fun by making it a tournament - it's partly to atone in a cringe kinda way, but also because this dumbass site has actually been a huge source of support in some of the darker points in my life

it's almost ironic in a weird way - i spent so much time targeting other people for their mental health problems, but when i had some of my own i came crawling back to those same people. maybe karma does exist lol

no, i didn't ever interact with any of them; but just lurking on their blogs and reading their posts helped normalise what i was going through when i felt so alone after receiving my diagnosis; though it was always in the back of my mind that maybe a year earlier i would've seen those same posts and done my level best to make them feel like shit for it just for the sake of a little dopamine hit

i'm a proud airhead, but i'm not naive - i'm not going to lie to you and say that tumblr is a safe space, partly because nowhere on the internet is safe, partly because i've read some of your takes and they terrify me, but mostly because i'm living proof of how awful this site can be

but i do want to at least create one semi-safe place on the internet after ruining so many other people's

jesus i'm fucking crying that's new lol

anyway sorry for taking your incoherent infodump and exchanging it with one of my own, that's probably more info about me than you ever wanted to know

but i hope this provides a little context for why i decided to start this blog

the point i was actually trying to make, because i'm pretty sure i never actually responded to what you were saying - never feel embarassed to submit anything! trust me, i totally get it; but i promise, even when i make jokes about some unhinged takes, it's all light-hearted, and if it ever comes across otherwise, please let me know! <3 <3 <3

i'm gonna take a quick break, i'll catch up with you all again later

#i'm absolutely serious about what i said about my main blog #that's now a tournament rule #although if you stumble across it in the wild - i've had two posts go viral - i guess it's fine #but strictly no jumping from this blog over to there #tournament updates #asks #tournament info #tumblr

[raccoon-eyed-rebel]

Director's commentary on Taking cues please 👀

Also, I take every bit of information about 179cs, of course 😘

Whahah ok so this is a little long...

I'm laughing just a tiny bit because there is exactly NO commentary available for Taking cues! I watched that video, saw what @captainsy-cookiemonster said about it, opened a doc and just rattled that down in maybe 2 hours tops? There was no thinking involved in making that at all - only the horny.

Now 179CS... God why do I need to think about this so hard because I could talk about that series for hours probably?

I slightly regret tossing EIGHT of the boys in that house, because I can hardly keep up with my own life, now I'm also managing their agendas, and honestly, I feel like I need an assistent!

I made Elena left-handed on a whim, and then I had to look up whether left-handed violins exist. (They do, although 'left-handed violin' would be a misnomer, because you already hold violins in your left hand, that being said there is virtually no good reason to use one, especially when you play in an orchestra or whatever because it turns into a logistical problem to have your bow arm be your left arm! Also, you can't just play a normal violin reversed, because it's not a symmetrical instrument.) (I'm sorry for this very concise infodump on violins.)

I have special things planned for NYE, and I might try to write some (if not all) of it from the perspective of the guys? There's some interesting stuff coming up w/ Marshall, that I can't talk about yet, because I don't want to spoil that particular storyline. I do predict that y'all aren't going to like me for some of the NYE things I have planned....

I have a half-finished essay in my drafts about August and Anjelica's relationship. The first chapter with them started of kind of strong, and because the series is structured (hahahahahaha ok...... I'll never go as far as calling that 'structure' again, sorry) the way it is, there haven't been a lot of details given about that yet. NYE might change that! I know the dynamic is quite heavy, but I just wanna assure everyone that Ange needs whatever happens between them as much as August does.

Some commentary on some of the characters that may or may not be new to people: Mike has ADHD, both Sherlock and Elena are autistic. Elena is bisexual. She's not my only queer character, but I can't talk about that yet... Dani has anxiety issues.

Eh... I mean I'll take any and all questions about this series, tbh, so if you anyone is wondering about anything....

#answered ask #179cs

[sawdusst]

The Rainmaker Heist Chapter 6 (Coroika Pirate AU)

wow i cant believe we've got 6 whole chapters of this thing. i'm gonna be honest i also couldn't make up my mind for this chapter as well-- i should probably start planning these things out better ;-;;

this chapter was eh for me, i feel like i couldve done better but there wasn't really much i had in mind here. but after this chapter is when i have things mostly figured out, this one was kinda meant to be a filler thing so-- yeah :/ sorry if its a bit of a mess

Here is the link to the main thread for other chapters + infodumps!

enjoy and thanks for reading! :D

Word Count: 1,430

====== [ ⚓ ] ======

[Keep Sailing] 

“Captain! Wake up!”

Gloves opened his eyes and was greeted by the bright sunlight hitting the deck. He looked around groggily, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He woke up on the hardwood floor with a tattered blanket draped over him. 

“Oh, good morning,” Gloves mumbled. He yawned and stretched, “Is it morning already?” 

“Captain, I don’t mean to alarm you,” Clips began, “But there’s another ship perpendicular to us, coming over to us. You might want to have a look.”

“Great, is Hivemind back or something?” Gloves mumbled.

“Luckily, no,” Clips replied, handing Gloves the telescope, “It’s the Chartreuse Pirates. They’ll block our path if we don’t turn around now.” 

Gloves sat up with confusion. He sighed with a twinge of frustration, but laughed it off. He extended his hand, taking the telescope from Clips. “I can’t catch a break around here, can I?” 

He looked through the telescope as the ship that was heading towards them. His gaze trailed up to the black and yellow-green flag that waved wildly in the wind.

“Oh, would you look at that,” Gloves laughed, “It really is the Chartreuse Pirates. I wonder how Rider’s doing, I haven’t heard from him since the whole S4 thing. Man, that’d be hilarious if he got himself captured again.” 

Gloves handed the telescope back to Clips. He walked to the front of the ship, propping his foot up onto the bow of the ship. The rest of his crew followed him. As the other ship slowly pulled closer to theirs. Most of Rider’s crew was standing near the side railings of their ship, everyone but the Captain himself.

“What a surprise seeing you guys out here,” Gloves said with a smile, “Long time no see! I’ve missed you guys. Where’s your Captain?”  

“Our Captain’s in his cabin,” Bamboo Hat replied, her arms folded across her chest, “We’ve been busy these past couple of days.”

“Really? What have you guys been up to?” Gloves asked, then pointed finger guns at the crew, “My crew and I are going to go after the Rainmaker once we find out where it is! It’ll be so cool, I’ll have to show ya when we’re—” 

“We are?” Half Rim asked.

“Yes, yes we are,” Gloves replied, then looked over at Bamboo Hat. “What about you guys?”

“The Rainmaker, huh?” Bamboo Hat responded, “I’ve heard about that, I think our Captain wants it as well—”

“What’s all the commotion out here?” 

The door to the cabin was now open and out stepped a yellow-green colored inkling with a black coat. 

“Captain Rider! Long time no see,” Gloves exclaimed.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Rider mumbled, “I thought it was someone important. What do you want?”

“Nice to see you too,” Gloves replied, “I figured you’d be ecstatic to see me. How’ve you been?”

“Oh you know, the usual,” Rider answered, “We recently captured another pirate, but so far talking to him has been a pain in the neck. At this rate, I’ll probably just drop him off at an island or something. I’ve been trying to get information out of him for the past week.”

“Woah, cool!” Gloves responded, “Who is he? How’d you manage to get him? My crew and I just escaped another pirate ship just the other night.”

“Shady of the Wireglass Pirates,” Rider began, “I wasn’t sure at first, we found him near the docks, running away from salmonids by the shore. I’d recognize him anywhere. I had my crew look for their ship, but they couldn’t find anything. It was odd.”

“You mean you actually— have one of them on board with you?!?” Gloves stuttered in disbelief. Then, he lit up with excitement, “I want to see him!! I’ve been looking for the Rainmaker, I wonder if he could tell me anything about where the rest of his crew is!!”

“Tch, good luck with that,” Rider scoffed, “None of us have been able to get him to say anything. He’s not much of a talker. We’re better off just throwing him overboard.”

“Oh come on,” Gloves laughed, “You’re not great at talking to people anyways, I bet I could get him to start talking.”

“Riiight.” Rider rolled his eyes, then turned to leave. “Well, it was nice to see you, we should get going—” 

“Do you think I could meet him?” Gloves asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Alright!” Gloves cheered, then looked back over at the rest of his crew, “You guys wait out here. Turn the ship around while I’m gone so we don’t hit Rider’s ship. I’ll be back in a few!” 

Rider exchanged a look with his crew. "No— We should really get going—"

"Pleeeasssee??"

Rider sighed heavily and shrugged. “Fine. Hop aboard.”

Gloves took a step back. Swiftly, he leapt across and jumped onto the other ship. His leather boots hit the wooden floorboards with a loud thump. Gloves then followed Rider to the ship’s cabin. He happily skipped down the steps. 

“So, where are you keeping him?” Gloves asked.

Rider pointed to the end of the hallway, where there were a few iron bars propped upright. 

“Right over there,” he replied, “This ship used to belong to the royal fleet, we’ve had a space for any prisoners but we haven’t had a chance to use it until recently.”

The pair walked over to the iron cell at the end of the hallway. Gloves tilted his head curiously. There was a cyan colored inkling that sat inside the cell, staring at the ground. He wore a tattered white shirt and a black flap cap which covered most of his face.

“Hey! You must be Shady!” Gloves said excitedly, he walked over, “My name is Captain Gloves! What happened to the rest of your crew?” 

“What’s it to you?” The latter replied with a monotonous voice, “That’s none of your business.” 

“Listen, your crew’s probably worried about where you might be—”

“That’s debatable.” Shady rolled his eyes. 

“I really want to know more about the Rainmaker,” Gloves continued, “Rider here does too. Maybe he’ll let you go if you tell us where it might be, I’ve heard your crew’s the one holding onto it. We could work together.” 

“I’ll pass,” Shady mumbled.

Gloves frowned with disappointment. He rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.

“We could help you find your crew, if you—”

“Oh, I don’t need your help finding them,” Shady interrupted, “I have a small idea as to where they might be. But, as I mentioned earlier, that’s none of your concern.” 

“I told you he wasn’t telling us anything,” Rider muttered, “We’ve tried almost everything. He probably doesn’t even have the information we need. It could just be another false chase.”

Gloves looked back over at Shady. “Your captain was the one who Black Labeled my friend. Because of whatever the heck you guys did, my friend can’t battle anymore— he hasn’t been able to for the past few months.”

“That’s a bit vague,” Shady replied, “My captain’s Black Labeled a lot of pirates. Nothing I can do anything about.”

“Barreleye,” Gloves said, “I thought you two were friends, but apparently not.”

Shady’s expression changed. He almost had a look of shock, before he brushed it off. He stared at the floor. “How am I supposed to know what happened? You’re— You’re asking the wrong person.” 

Shady then glanced up at the other two. “Both of you are lost causes. Neither of you know when to leave people alone. I’ve already told you, you’re not getting anything out of me. You’d probably get more value watching paint dry.” 

Rider sighed with frustration. “Perhaps we were being too nice before. We should just throw you overboard.”

"Then do it," Shady mumbled, "I'm surprised its taken you so long to think of that."

“Now hold on a second, Rider,” Gloves interjected, “You do realize if you throw Shady into the ocean— the Wireglass Pirates aren’t going to take this lightly. If they found out you did that, they’re going to destroy your ship and everything with it.” 

Gloves then raised a hand in opposition, “You guys should at least just leave Shady somewhere, at least you’re not charged with murder on your hands.” 

“First off, don’t tell me what to do,” Rider scoffed, “Second, he’s no use to me at this point. You might as well take him, I’m sick of him. We probably don’t even need him to find the Rainmaker.” 

Shady laughed to himself, leaning against the wall with his hands rested behind his head.

also, it is with a heavy heart that i have to say we are nearing the end of The Rainmaker Heist 😔 This choice here will determine how the final battle goes :] I think I have about-- 2 or 3 chapters left, idk yet.

sorry for the bad-ish chapter :/ i hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless

thanks for reading! have a great day/night ! <3

#coroika pirate au #coroika #splatoon

[kravchikfreak]

Ok Here we go:

Janai

Viren

Amaya

Sarai

Khessa

Go!

i wrote the text the day i recieved the ask (a week ago? two?) and i even draw some pictures but i had them on my pc and i was too lazy to turn it on again after i turned it off las time (two weeks ago? one?), so i'm posting the answer only now cause i finally made myself to turn it on so i can give you some pics too. anyway here we go, the text i wrote a week ago (or maybe two):

awww so many! thank you! okay, let's do it in another order

khessa and janai. well, they're just racist. okay, i should have said their family is really racist. to be honest all adult chars are pretty racist in this au (except for maybe sarai and amaya's parents and tiadrin's and kazi's parents), but janai and khessa's parents are extremely racist, therefore their kids are pretty bad too. i'll cut janai some slack, she's like 6 she doesn't understand. khessa is a kid to, 10-12 isn't this old, but she's still.... eh. she definitely uses some slurs and doesn't think that humans are people too. she'll be pretty upset when she'll learn her little sister befriended a human. but before that she'll fucking hate that elven teens are obligated to go to human school. and given that some teachers in human school are racist too... well, khess would hate it when one tome some human girl will start to defend her [khessa] in front of racist teachers. as for janai, well, she has angry issues, duh. and also she doesn't like to be bitten, who knew!

(no pics here, i'm lazy now)

sarai. she's just... aaaaaaaah. the best. the queen, even without a crown, even when harrow isn't noble either. she's not racist in slightest, her parents raised her well. she also would like to befriend an elf or two. maybe it'll be her who'll defend an elf girl from fucked up teachers. also she used to translate into ksl everything that is said in amaya's presence, even if amaya isn't interested in the conversation, even if amaya looks away at the moment. only times sarai breaks this rule of hers - is when viren starts cursing.

amaya... well, she's amaya, but little dor now. she likes to fight, but only for good reason. just as sarai, she isn't a racist in slightest, but she really hates how elven kids treat human kids. she'll have a fight the first day in elven daycare (cause while elven teens go to human school, human kids go to elven daycare). also she bites people (it's not my idea, but i'm using it. and i don't quite remember who's an author, so credits to whoever came up with this. i love it)

(lazy pic)

and viren. oh my precious boy viren. he's just... something else, you know. he's just... okay, i forgot i was going to give one fact per ask or something and not every info i have in one infodump. so i'll do it for viren. one fact about him: he likes to swear in front of amaya, he thinks it's funny to teach her bad words (or maybe he likes being hit by sarai? who knows)

okay i can't do one fact only. another fact: he'll convince the gang (harrow and sarai, and amaya as a bonus plus one) to go study elven wildlife, and they'll find a little wild inferno tiger, and the gang will have a bit of a trouble cause while viren is my little precious boy, he's still a bit of a dick and, as a child, he's also a bit of stupid. what i mean is, he'll think it's a good idea to poke tiger with a steak and tease it

(not lazy pic cause i love my boi viren i can't just not to go all-in when i draw him)

AND ALSO i have a little story of amaya and viren. but i wanna post it separately. stay tuned (i wanna provide some drawings for it as well, so it might take some time or should i say some years)

also, thank you again very much!

also i'm still open to more questions

#tdp kids!au #viren #amaya #sarai #janai #khessa