#and the only two that are relatively healthy (that are friends with mc and most notably helped him) are part of this branch

[mx-paint]

Seeing someone claim a book is "pro-genocide" and knowing that the part of the book they are referring to literally could not have a louder message of "anti-genocide" if it fucking tried.

#all bc they seemed to have come to the conclusion that the people that were saved. were 'russian coded'(???????????) #synopsis: a clan causes trouble and kills a lot of people but people fight them off and end it #the clain is now dispersed and the people that used to belong to that clan (this branch a notable group of doctors sick elderly & children) #and the only two that are relatively healthy (that are friends with mc and most notably helped him) are part of this branch #the branch gets put into a open air prison and are tortured and killed until the mc comes to help the remaining members #and then the remaining members (except for his adopted son and technically one of his friends who is now undead survives) #are all killed #so to recap the only remaining person from the clan is a child who doesnt even remember any of them except for his cousin and the mc #(the mc not being part of the clan) #and this person decided the best way to describe it. was to be pro genocide. #the clan. being the genociders? and the people that killed them out of war by hold them captive and torturing raping and murdering them. #were not. #.end synopsis #i think i know what they were trying to go for but to staunchly say that it was pro genocide and then also admitting that they support it. #its weird as shit 🙃 #and i get where they were trying to come from. but they also made up a line from the novel to explain why they came up with this #like they said that 'every clan member thought the war to be nothing' was in the novel. #and the person that said this. was somebody that hated the clan (for good reason) and was mad about how easy it seemed for them #but for a novel thats key message is about how rumours can ruin somebodys life esp if they dont have anyone trying to help. #its. obvious they skipped the messaging and went right to assuming based off their own morals

[choices-binglebonkus]

Flanderization is the process in which a complex, fleshed out character gradually gets reduced to one or two traits through oversimplification. While present in varying degrees across certain Choices series, Flanderization is most present and potent in The Royal Romance/Heir/Finale.

Pre-Flanderization

MC: A newcomer to court who’s hella oblivious but incredibly resilient and willing to go out of her comfort zone for her friends. She is fiercely independent and free-spirited, something that each character she meets in Cordonia comes to respect her for. She has her silly and ditzy moments, but she's usually good at behaving in a relatively civilized manner when she needs to be. She is no stranger to hard work, and this greatly helps her adjust to courtly life.

Liam: A crown prince and eventual king as of book two who longs for freedom while also grappling with his role in the monarchy. He CONSTANTLY struggles with his desire for freedom and levity versus the leaden weight of the crown, though his sense of duty usually wins out in these internal battles. More than anything, even his own longing for freedom and independence, he wishes for the safety of his people and the prosperity of Cordonia.

Hana: A prodigy who has been forced into rigorous classes on etiquette and courtly skills since young childhood. She is remarkably talented, though incredibly humble, and is always happy to help teach others when they need assistance. She is very meek and doesn't like confrontation, and often struggles to stand up for herself, but ultimately grows stronger and more confident as the story progresses, eventually even standing up to her demanding parents. Ultimately, she wishes for the agency to choose her own path, whatever that may be.

Drake: A commoner who has long struggled with his place in the Cordonian court, regardless of his friendship with the prince and his father's service as a Guardian of the Realm. He is gruff and jaded from his negative experiences and poor treatment by nobles and royals, which only worsens when his sister disappears. He fears the prince will eventually forget about him, or worse, will be embarrassed by him, because he is merely a commoner. He is teased by his friends for his lack of courtly knowledge but does eventually take time to learn courtly customs for the sake of the prince's image. Regardless of these fears and his bitterness, he is a loyal friend with a heart of gold and a healthy dose of humility.

Maxwell: A younger brother to the Duke of Ramsford who feels he is a screw-up and believes he is rightfully overshadowed by his much more responsible brother. He is carefree and fun-loving and sometimes a little absent-minded, but he has moments of wisdom and true helpfulness sprinkled throughout. He is goofy when the occasion calls for it and is always happy to indulge in a wild party, but can just as easily embody seriousness and solemnity when need be.

Olivia: A catty duchess who clings to the prince as a result of his kindness to her during the most traumatic time of her life as a small child. She is devious, two-faced, and extremely petty, often starting arguments or going for low blows just because she can. She is not used to people standing up to her, which ultimately mellows her out, though she is still aggressive at times. Particularly pressing situations let her fierce loyalty to king and country as well as her competency in combat shine through despite her initial struggle with her identity as a Nevrakis, who are known for their betrayals and scheming.

Post-Flanderization

MC: Constantly flies by the seat of her pants and somehow makes it through the most dire situations unscathed. Her silly side stops being silly and starts being unapologetically idiotic. Of course, despite her bumbling nature, she's still seen as a dangerous threat by the Via Imperii, a top-secret society that has ruled parts of the world for over two millennia. (Flanderization began in TRR book 3)

Liam: Primary trait is his sense of duty to his kingdom and his people, yet his ability to rule and prevent chaos and upheaval is terrible. He has no competence to match his promises to his kingdom. (Flanderization began in TRH book 2)

Hana: She is still remarkably talented, but the extent of her talents grow to be utterly unrealistic. She also occasionally has instances of incredibly dark or violent dialogue that in no way fit with her character ("I'm sorry Olivia, I only kill when absolutely necessary") that really throw the reader and sometimes even the other characters off. (Flanderization began in TRH book 1)

Drake: Still gruff and jaded and grumpy but to a slightly higher degree. He is also clowned on and made into a meme by his friends and the Cordonian public. (Flanderization began in TRH book 1)

Maxwell: Loud, annoying, obsessed with parties and dancing, clumsy as hell, and almost comically self-absorbed. (Flanderization began in TRR book 2)

Olivia: Much more frequently aggressive, constantly goes on about knives, hidden blades, and spy missions. She is still loyal to king and country, but her personality has been reduced to that of a human weapon. (Flanderization began in TRH book 1)

#needless to say #trh was a rough patch for a lot of the main cast #olivia nevrakis #king liam rys #king liam #drake walker #hana lee #maxwell beaumont #the royal romance #choices the royal romance #choices trr #trr #choices trh #the royal heir #choices the royal heir #trh #choices the royal finale #the royal finale #choices trf #trf #choices stories you play #playchoices #choices stories we play #pixelberry #pixelberry studios #playchoices fandom #choices stories you play fandom #choices stories we play fandom #long post

[mortuarywriting]

Tell us about your Ruiner Fic 👀👀

-Left Charlie

oh my god I'm So Normal about this one.

Lemme blurb first:

You were never a third child, never one to truly run with the Creeps- you were just the mask for a Third Child your host family was hiding.

Two textbooks, one in the local dialect and one in your native language? Well, if the local one was left at home? That's just you being more familiar with your mother tongue, you'd grow out of it. That your tenure in the city as a student abroad kept somehow getting extended? That was suspicious but Karma greased wheels and paperwork equally, and you were a way to keep their dirty secret covered and themselves look better.

They didn't know that the both of you thought it was bullshit. That he was biding his time to slink away. That you both knew if he'd been born a girl like his two sisters before him he'd've long since been gone- if not immediately given up.

But you stayed, and you studied, and you excelled because what else was keeping you safe? It was only after you got accepted to all the right schools he slunk off, his limit reached as your relative freedom cemented.

So, as you studied, you did what you could. You looked for him in the most obvious of places, and of course you found him.

Third Children with nowhere to go flock to the Creeps. Birds of a feather and all that. But he was the friend you had, and you were stubborn.

So you did what you could and somehow (honestly you wouldn't have gambled your odds in a casino, stakes too high but you were so in over your head-) an agreement with Nerve of all people was struck. Must've been a good day or maybe it was that you brought real food- not something half synthesized and flavors an artificial suggestion.

You bring food for the lot of 'em, you can pass peacefully. You stop coming by and they'll go see why. You tried very hard not to give them a reason to hunt down where you live.

not sure if I'm gonna switch gears from insert to an OC, I'm still on the fence but! Premise!

You don't run with the creeps, you run adjacent to them and keep them decently fed and healthy. Unclear what field the MC is gonna be in like professionally, but this obviously is something not everyone knows about.

Then we get the change of management in-game, and MC runs into Puppy. Then gets concerned because "wait, if your mask doesn't come off are you eating? How are you- do you have a port? You can't just ignore this function or your body is gonna fail get over here-"

Just strong arming this giant dude into sitting as you figure out what the fuck they did and making sure he won't just keel over after his mission is said and done.

Then the actual figuring out what the future holds starts! Hence the title- Heal, Puppy c:

#rambles from the morgue #God I'm so fuckin normal about this game jesus christ

[infinitestaging]

in the final workshop episode of BEYOND INFINITE, the remaining twenty-seven contestants will be given the opportunity to train their vocal skills alongside industry professionals, as well as perform a song of their choice to help them advance to the next round. stay tuned, because this episode and extra special guest will perform on the BEYOND INFINITE stage!

the pressure has now started to truly build amongst contestants during this final workshop episode. as we are greeted by MCs Jackson and Sohee the contestants are visibly fidgety in the background. Jackson tells the camera that the studio is full of healthy nerves and a competitive excitement, which the contestants agree with by giving their applause.

at the start of the week, contestants met up with famed ISE idols Hyejin of SUG★R and Evie of LIMIT/LESS, who are both powerful vocalists in their own right. the contestants are once again extremely excited to see the special guests of this week, with many of the girls saying that Hyejin was the reason they wanted to become an idol in the first place. the two girls divide the contestants in groups of two, where Hyejin will train them in controlling their breath and achieving steady vocals, while Evie will give the contestants a crash course on being able to sing the crystal-clear high notes that Evie had become known for over the years.

the contestants who start out training with Hyejin soon find out that she, on top of being a famous idol, is an incredibly hard worker, and expects the same from the contestants. she takes them through a series of tough drills meant to warm up their entire bodies. when Hyejin finally announces the contestants can take a break, Haneul and Sooyoung collapse on top of each other with a heavy sigh. by the end of the first day, all of the contestants in Hyejin’s group appear to be dead tired, but still remain extremely thankful for the opportunity to train with her.

in Evie’s group, the girls are practicing vocal runs and warming up their vocal cords in preparation of attempting the high notes in various LIMIT/LESS songs. Eunchae and Minji both struggle, with Minji going so far as to complain about the length of the day. while Evie only smiles in response, there is some annoyance evident in her face. most of the contestants train diligently, however, with both Cho Jimin and Lee Yoonah showing off their exceptional vocal skills. 

once the groups switch it becomes even more evident that Jimin and Yoonah stand out from the rest of the group, excelling during Hyejin’s warm-up and impressing everyone around them. Hyejin makes sure to compliment them personally, which leaves both girls blushing. in turn, it also becomes apparent that Minji might not have the right attitude, as she begins slacking off and even rolls her eyes when Hyejin speaks at one point. 

Evie’s group has a relatively easier time with their workshop, with all of the contestants showing true skill and dedication to their training. it also becomes evident that Evie is just as sweet as everyone thought—or maybe even sweeter—as she jokes around and laughs with the contestants, and even gives Haruka a pep-talk when she starts doubting her vocal abilities.

the two groups of contestants are combined again during the third day, and all of them are asked to pick partners to perform a duet with on the main stage. notably, Jimin pairs up with Jiwoo, and while the two had not been seen having any notable interactions previously, it's clear that they have become good friends behind the scenes. Haruka pairs up with Yoonah at Yoonah's request, as they are two of the highest ranking contestants so far. Haneul and Sooyoung also pair up, showing off that they have also formed a friendship in the past weeks. Minji pairs up with Jihyo, but this is only because they are the two contestants left.

the contestants are allowed to pick their own songs for the final performance, and they are also each given one one-on-one session with either Hyejin or Evie, who give the contestants feedback on their performance of the song and how they can improve. Jimin and Jiwoo decide to sing 'monster' by SUG★R, and Hyejin tells them that they should feel free to make their own version of the song. it is clear that the two contestants have a lot of fun practicing with Hyejin present, and she compliments the duo on their skill and attitude.

we go back to the main stage, where the duos will perform their songs in front of the jury. many of them impress both the jury and the viewers at home with their skill, and some even with their significant improvement. Yoonah and Haruka sing ‘narcissistic’ by The Archetypes, and soon in the performance it becomes clear that Yoonah is not trying to sing with Haruka, but is instead trying to outshine her. the judges do point this out to her, but in the end they more so praise Yoonah’s vocal skills, while telling Haruka that she paled in comparison to Yoonah.

Minji and Jihyo choose to perform ‘ride with me’ by BUTTERFLYEFFECT. the two girls start off strong, with a solid harmony before Jihyo’s first verse, but when Minji attempts a high note it’s clear that she runs out of breath quite quickly, and she simply cannot keep up with her partner Jihyo.

before it is time for the final judge’s scores and the rankings, Sohee announces that two special guests will perform on the main stage, welcoming both Hyejin and Evie out onto the stage. the two of them come together to perform an unreleased song by SUG★R titled ‘move me’, with fans both in the audience and online losing their minds over the unexpected duet.

when the audience quiets down again after a lengthy applause, the jury is ready to reveal their scores as well as the final ranking of the episode. viewers, clearly influenced by Minji’s attitude in during the episode, gave her barely any votes, causing her to rank last. Yoonah, however, was not punished for the way she treated Haruka, and ranked first for her second week in a row. 

the jury gives Minji some final feedback, but she does not seem receptive, only quietly nodding and silently bowing once to the camera before exiting the stage. MC Jackson, seemingly stunned by her behavior, makes sure to thank the jury and the viewers in Minji’s place, after which Sohee reminds the viewers at home that they can participate in the voting through their ENCORE app, as well as keep an eye on the rankings throughout the weeks.

What did the viewers think of this episode? be sure to leave your thoughts here, and don’t forget to tune in again next week to see which of the contestants remain in the running!

#fictional idol community #*BEYOND INFINITE

[thethingsididnttellyou-if]

You know is not healthy to still think about it, but you can't help yourself. Their absence still weighs heavy in your heart, even though it's been five years since they're gone. Why did you come back to this cursed town again? Why didn't you go somewhere else while you recover financially? Maybe, you should stop running away, maybe, you should finally confront the ghosts of your past... That's the reasonable thing to do, right? But are you ready?

The death of your best friend was unexpected and too much for you to handle. Immediately after your highschool graduation you left Barranca, the city you grew in, to go to study in Lima and with the mentality to never come back. Now though, it's 2021, and the pandemic hurt your financial situation to the point that you had to break your promise and go live at your mom's house again. This game is set in the years 2021 and 2016, traveling through MC's present and past. Help past MC to overcome their insecurities, discover new feelings and live unforgettable moments, and be alongside present MC in their journey to overcome grief (or not) and face the things from the past they were trying so hard to avoid.

- Play as a woman, man or nonbinary!* (*Since the concept of nonbinary in Peru is relatively new, past MC will be closeted. Though, you can tell the characters you're closest to that you're nonbinary)

-Play as gay, straight, aromantic, biromantic and etc!

-Explore Peruvian culture and live in a small city (that MC will derogatorily call town) where everyone knows everyone's business.

-Learn to move on and accept the present or get stuck in the memories you can't forget.

- MC has a semi-set personality but the decisions about their life and their thoughts are totally up to you!

- Your best friend's death isn't the only thing you need to heal from... Explore complicated family relationships, too.

- "MC" Juro Serrano (aka Little Nuñez): That's you! You're a little snarky and sarcastic as a teenager, and as an adult, you are part of the team that sees the glass half empty instead of half full. Will you change for the better or for the worse?

- Delia Serrano Nuñez: Your mom and the owner of one of the most recognized bakeries in Barranca, a sweet and cheerful woman even though her life wasn't as sweet as her or the cakes and pastries she sells. You always had a good relationship with her but since you decided to live alone in Lima, you never visited her in Barranca, so the bond between you two has strained quite a bit. She also expects you to take on the family business when she passes away but, is that what you want?

- Mrs. Darío: You spent a lot of time with her as a teenager. As an adult, you know nothing about her where abouts or what happened to her.

- Mr. Hernando Flores: Owner of one of the most famous flower shops in Barranca. The last thing you knew about him is that him and his wife divorced. Oh, he's also Nayer's dad.

- Nayer Flores Pinela (F/M- RO): You wish things would have been different.

TBA!

#interactive fiction #if wip #grief/mourning #book #I don't know what I'm doing #Tumblr is complicated #or maybe I'm just dumb

[therappundit]

Top 10 Rappers of 2020

The finish line of this long, surreal year is finally upon us...which means that it’s time for me to throw down the gauntlet in the ‘Best of 2020’ frivolous list race!  🙌

*Just to be clear*: this is a list of MCs who I believe turned in the best overall performances in 2020. ***This is NOT a list of the my top 10 favorite MCs***, or even who I believe to be the best MCs in the world at the moment...these are simply dope artists that put forth the strongest, most consistently interesting and important (to the genre) high-quality work in the perilous year that was 2020. 

If you think your favorite MC was slighted....well, Michael Jordan is the greatest to ever play the game of basketball but even he didn’t win MVP every year, right? I encourage you to write your own list - it’s a cool way to dap artists that are too often overlooked by industry websites, and share the music you enjoy with others that may not have given the record a spin otherwise.

Even if 2020 didn’t bring you the “instant classic” you had been hoping for, I think it’s hard to deny that this year really had impressive depth when it came to showcasing some of the most diverse music that the genre has to offer.  I can’t speak for music in general - sadly I’m just The Rap Pundit, not The Music Pundit - but I can say that it has been an impossible task to keep a playlist less than 500 songs deep at a time, because for every truly great release in 2020 there seemed to be 30 very good releases. 👌

So how did I come about these 10 MCs (and Honorable Mentions)? Before you get huffy about who I snubbed (and that is pointed directly at my jury of older head peers that consider themselves tastemakers, but also haven’t opened their minds up to any new takes on rap styles since the year 2000)...here are the five chief pieces of criteria that I put into finalizing my list:

- quality (whatever lane you’re in, how often did you ‘own it’?)

- quantity (at least 10 very good-to-great songs released, and 3-4 verses that stand out as a ‘must-hear’ for any rap music fan)

- consistency (not just 4-5 great features and a few forgettable solo tracks, will I want to keep at least 7 or 8 of your own new songs released in 2020 in my rotation for 2021?)

- impact (are you so vital to the type of rap music you make that if you stopped rapping tomorrow, there’s no one else in the game that could fill that void?)

- “it” factor (are you carried by a co-sign or an elite production team, or did you bring a style/talent to the table that could carry a record in and of itself?)

Got it? Then here we go...

1. Conway the Machine

I hope 2020 was the type of year that Conway the Machine had been hoping for since he first began his journey with rap music. After years of scraping and hustling towards music industry recognition (and not just cult figure status), at year’s end we see Griselda’s top Lieutenant holding down a rare balancing act: champion of underground hip-hop, and most requested feature by any mainstream rap star looking to add some tough-talking muscle to their album.

While much of Conway’s content has always been driven by surviving an attempt on his life in 2012, much like 50 Cent, Conway’s way with words and perspective manage to elevate the quality of his material to a higher tier than most. And where - at least in his heyday - 50 Cent benefited from an indestructible super-villain persona, Conway’s success can be greatly attributed to a larger-than-life heart.  With every braggadocious act of gunplay, there are moments of gratefulness to still being alive to share success with his brethren, as well as a painful longing to be with close allies that are no longer with him (at least not in the physical form).

Above all else, in 2020 Conway the Machine did what he has always done throughout his career: delivered well written, passionate bars about coming up in an impossibly challenging environment and coping with loss...only now his craftsmanship and understanding of how to channel all of those feelings into a more polished final product have yielded the most well-rounded solo project of his career in From King to a God. Progress is a slow process, but the long and winding road has finally taken Conway a step closer to that G.O.A.T. status he will hopefully continue to reach for...

Best Evidence: FKTG, and a countless number of scene-stealing verses alongside rap acts ranging from deep underground to household names

2. Freddie Gibbs

I don't use the word "sauce" all too often (this may actually be the first time), but if there was any MC guaranteed to bring sauce to any rap record right now, it's Freddie Gibbs. 

Forever existing somewhere between gritty gangsta and syrupy old soul, the flavor that Freddie brings to every verse is malleable enough to work on virtually any type of record, which was certainly proven in 2020. Anyone foresee a Gibbs & Alchemist Grammy nomination heading into 2020? It’s a testament to how high quality work, through consistent reliability and dues paid, can elevate a project from underground niche following to critical acclaim. While his work with Alchemist may not reach the lofty levels of his heralded collaborations with Madlib, Alfredo represents the best that “quarantine music” can offer...two talented friends saying one day, “hey we should finally drop a full tape together, why not?” - and then BOOM, it happens.

Too many fail to remember that Gibbs already has a long accomplished body of work behind him...so the fact that he may just be entering his prime now, is scary.

Best Evidence: Alfredo, Machinedrum’s “Kane Train”

3. Boldy James

Comeback MC of the year, and no it is not close (but big shout-out to Grafh, another dope MC who had an amazing year).

I'm old enough to remember when folks like Roc Marciano and Ka were seen as sleepy, monotone rappers with little hope of reaching permanent rap icon status (flash-forward to today, and they are widely consider geniuses). For some, the quieter, less hook-dependent approach to making rap songs, was....well, not great rap music. They were wrong then and they’re wrong now, but similar to how the coolest, smartest cat in the room is rarely the loudest, it can take some time and patience before everyone learns what’s what. Time is what is required to appreciate Detroit’s Boldy James, a veteran that has been through it - both in terms of the ups and downs of the music business, as well as the streets through which he draws his stories and inspiration.

Boldy makes it seem all too easy, rapping his verses with the cool, casual tone of telling old stories to a close friend over drinks. Dropping multiple projects (with one still to come) in one year can often lead to over-saturation. Even the most dedicated fans/stans can begin to feel less enthusiastic about new releases when they have already received a healthy portion of more of the same...but most rap fans are not necessarily Boldy James fans. Boldy fans (much like Roc Marciano and Ka fans) are already aware that knowing what type of material to expect from your favorite MC can be a blessing if that MC takes pride in the execution of the final product, rather than the noise leading up to it. 

The beauty of his collaboration with The Alchemist (big year for that guy, huh?), The Price of Tea in China, is that it celebrates the more subtle nuances of boom-bap, proving that great MC and producer chemistry can trump the “shock & awe” of more uptempo rap music. The shock in Boldy James’ lyrics sits within the detailed descriptions of the cold world he grew up in...so monotone or not, how can any music could be more gripping than that?

Best Evidence: TPOTIC, Manger On McNichols, a long list of consistently perfect feature verses

4. 42 Dugg

I would say this is more of a longterm investment rather than the celebration of a rapper already within rap’s inner circle, but 42 Dugg didn’t just steal the show on every feature this year, he also displayed maturity in his ability to craft well-rounded, high quality rap singles. I’m talking joints that work just as well on the street tape level as they would at the radio level. That is especially rare to see from a rapper that is still relatively new to national conversations. 

So much more than just a co-sign of Lil Baby and Yo Gotti, the Detroit eastsider has already proven that he can craft a full solo album with the swagger of a far more seasoned MC. 42 Dugg combines a Boosie-esque, "oh you think you’re better than me??” chip on his shoulder with the unpredictable bombast of Lil Wayne. What he may lack in punchlines he makes up for in musicianship, his voice bringing one of the most nimble touches to trap music that I have heard in a long time. 42 Dugg music is hard and soulful, with the natural hunger of a rapper that knows me might be one smash away from superstardom. By this time next year, I’m betting he will be. 

Best Evidence: Young & Turnt 2 (Deluxe), features on high profile records like Lil Baby’s “Grace” and “We Paid”, and a growing stream of attention grabbing solo loosies

5. Rome Streetz

In 2020 it was almost impossible to be an underground MC with a great project unless you landed a Rome Streetz verse. 

Rome has been bubbling for a while now, but in 2020 he unleashed an onslaught on the game. At times he seemed like the hardest working MC in underground circles, busting his ass to not only make as many appearances as possible, but also to own any song he guested on. He raps like every verse might be “the one” that gets him a huge contract, and that’s a level of hunger and consistency that will likely land him more than one huge contract someday. In spite of that laundry list of strong features, the young Brooklyn MC still managed to release multiple dope solo projects, all flashing a rap style that feels at once a throwback and the fresh voice NYC rap needs. 

Rome is clearly from the same school as many of the New York City greats, because he has the capacity to deliver dark, potent bars with the sharp intellect of a Harvard lecture (think AZ before “Sugar Hill”). While he sounds most at home when he’s rhyming over instrumentals that run more coldblooded than a horror flick, it’s easy to picture him popping up in more places in 2021...if that’s even possible.

Best Evidence: Noise Kandy 4, Kontraband, The Residue, and at least 50 incredible features with a who’s-who of the underground’s finest

6. Stove God Cook$

No one saw this coming....well, maybe Roc Marciano, Lord Jamar, Busta Rhymes and a few more NYC heads in the know - but I guarantee you, no one else saw the Stove God coming!

Bar for bar, no MC owned more rewind-worthy rap quotables in 2020 than Stove God Cook$. Dropping a solo debut with VERY little fanfare and zero features (apart from the steady, reliable guidance of Roc Marciano - low key one of hip-hop’s most reliable producers), a slow bubbling word of mouth campaign on social media eventually got Stove God verses exposed to more and more high profile ears. Such a grass roots campaign is rarely seen...I mean, a rap album slowly becoming a critical darling simply off the strength of more and more random folks discovering the music and Tweeting about it, as opposed to the buzz being calculated before the product??? It feels almost too good to be true these days, as early reviews of Reasonable Drought typically lead with something along the lines of, “hey, have you heard of this album? I have no idea who this is, but it is 🔥🔥🔥”

It has often been said that Roc Marciano has a lot of “sons” in the game, implying that Roc Marci gave birth to a style that a whole generation of underground MCs run with today. So it’s ironic (or perhaps highly appropriate?) that the next level of progression for Roc might be to have a protege, a young Jedi to carry on the tradition on Roc’s own terms, and become the next new star to be embraced by the old heads. But Stove God isn’t a clone of Roc, or anyone else, he’s simply one of the most exciting artists to hit the NYC underground in a generation. Everything from his word choice, to his fresh references and sense of humor, to his delivery and the way he structures his verses, feels like a collection of “firsts”, there’s simply no one sounding like him. And if his work in 2020 is any indication, he will continue to be in a league of his own for years to come.

Best Evidence: Reasonable Drought, spotlight snatching features alongside Roc Marciano and Griselda’s finest

7. Lil Baby

Once viewed by some as just another “Lil”, Lil Baby had been rollin’ coming into 2020, but by the end of 2020 it’s clear that he has arrived at the forefront of rap music’s most reliable hitmakers right now. 

A must-have feature on any rap album reaching for max exposure, Lil Baby’s dexterous flow, charisma, and pen that is significantly sharper than early reports indicated, made him one of the few shining stars in 2020 to consistently deliver good rap music to what in any other year would have been considered smash hits in any club.

What makes Lil Baby’s music standout is that he could easily be a “cookie cutter” MC, phoning in verse after verse just to get another check, but instead he continues to bring it - trying to squeeze in an extra catchy lyric, maybe flow in a way that breaks up a verse to make it stand out from the pack a little more - and even when he is featured over cookie cutter beats that sound like every other trap inspired beats that came before it, Baby seems eager to prove something. I think that’s what I like about him - he’s on a short list of mainstream-bred Young Thug disciples that seem to really want to put the work in to becoming one of the greats. 

Best Evidence: I mean...did any rap star have more songs in circulation this year? Dude was everywhere, but “The Bigger Picture” got his name officially into the lyricist conversation (even though personally I don’t even think it’s one of his more impressive records - at least not stylistically)

8. Westside Gunn

No one denies that the Griselda Records team had a banner year, yet somehow the vocal leader of the group managed to drop a handful of dope projects without receiving credit for being a great MC in his own right. Great artist, great album curator, great business man - sure, but great MC?? That credit is rarely given to the FLYGOD. He might not even understand how natural he is as a solo MC, waxing unpredictable flows and half-bars that stick in your mind in place of catchy hooks or predictable song structure. He might call himself an artist first, but I still call him one of the most prolific rappers today (regardless of whether he retires after the ball drops).

I can’t believe I have to tell rap fans this in the year 2020...but......you all know that message and punchlines are just part of the art of rapping, right...and not the only thing that defines who is a dope MC and who isn’t?? Play any solo cut from Westside Gunn and filter out the “doot-doot-doots” and stream of conscious hooks and what you are left with is one of the most distinctive voices in rap music, attempting off-kilter flows and phrases over some of the most impressive production in rap music today, and to me that sounds like my kind of rap music. What the Buffalo floor general lacks in diversity of subject matter he makes up for with a relentless imagination.

That’s why it’s not all that surprising to me that Westside Gunn enjoyed more mainstream attention in 2020 than he ever has before. All he needed was a window of exposure and he certainly capitalized on it, pitching his sound and his vision in all the right places, without compromising his style or vacating his lane. So strictly as a MC, I would consider him the Young Thug of the east coast underground scene, and if 2020 does turn out to be his final year of recording solo projects, I am thankful that he already has a long list of quality projects with high replay value to revisit again and again. But don’t wait - give this man his flowers now.

Best Evidence: “Euro Step”, “Rebirth”, “327″, “Shawn vs. Flair”, “Michael Irvin”, and YES he even had a more than worthy verse on “$500 Ounces” alongside Freddie Gibbs and Roc Marciano

9. Benny the Butcher

Who else is more reliable to deliver a dope feature verse than Benny?

By now you must be muttering at least a few things about me, so let me just make two points: YES, I am a big fan of Griselda records, but NO I do not consider that an unreasonable bias because even on paper according to a large variety of sources, it’s clear that Conway, Boldy James, Westside Gunn and Benny are true specialists when it comes to the quality of the work they distribute. Its not a fluke or a trend, they’re just that good at what they do...I have been saying this for almost 5 years now, but in 2020 the rest of you sleepy heads finally just stopped hitting snooze.

Benny the Butcher already possesses the writing capacity, attention to detail, and skills of observation/personal reflection to put himself within special company as one of the nicest pens in the business today. But in 2020, he dialed things up even higher...or perhaps word of mouth just finally caught up with the rest of his peers? The tribute to the classic Roc-A-Fella era that was his Burden of Proof project with Hit-Boy helped expose Benny to a much larger audience, and it has been beautiful to see so many more folks quoting and sharing his lyrics on Twitter, because I recall when he had about the same amount of Followers that I do, because it wasn’t all that long ago (I just hope they go back to experience all of his prior work - I’m still partial to his incredible verses on “Shower Shoe Lords” and “Pissy Work”)! 

In my not so humble opinion, I do think some of the more dramatic pomp and circumstance on the BOP album was more suited to a Rick Ross or Meek Mill than Benny, so I’m actually more excited to hear what Benny has in store for 2021. He truly sounds at his best over more minimalistic production that lets his lyrics fill the spotlight...but still, tracks like “Timeless” and “Legend” do remind me of some of my favorite moments from old JAY-Z albums...blasphemous, maybe, but true.

A shot to the leg last month seems to have done nothing to slow his momentum, so if you didn’t board the bandwagon by now, you are inexcusably late.

Best Evidence: Burden of Proof, mercilessly slaughtering every verse on every Griselda projects, and a ton of show-stealing features

10. Drakeo the Ruler

What a journey it's been for the L.A. rising star. 

Flexing a penchant for placing local slang into his music and delivering dark verses with a clear sense of humor, it's easy to see the appeal of Drakeo's style. If Thank You For Using GTL was an inspiring attempt to do anything possible to keep his buzz going (in that case, recording his verses over a prison phone), the quick release of We Know The Truth shortly after he regained his freedom seems to have given him a 50 Cent-esque teflon aura at the moment. 

But this is about more than just Drakeo himself, it’s about what he represented before incarceration, and what he represents now. As one of the more visible forces in a new generation of west coast hip-hop, Drakeo was a few key features away from exploding onto the national scene. Now after surviving his ordeal, likely with a great deal more to write about, his ceiling has only been raised - and along with his growth potential, so rises the potential for the current rap scene out in L.A. right now. Mark my words: by this time next year Drakeo’s flow will be one of the most flagrantly jacked flows in rap music coast to coast.

A sincere welcome home from the rap world, Drakeo the Ruler. Hopefully the worst is now behind you. 🙏

Best Evidence: We Know The Truth, Free Drakeo, Thank You For Using GTL

*Honorable Mentions*:

Che Noir, Ka, Ransom, Billy Woods, Royce Da 5′9″, Jay Electronica, Fly Anakin, Curren$y, Lil Uzi Vert, Roc Marciano, Skyzoo, Black Thought, Tee Grizzley, Your Old Droog, Flee Lord, Lil Wayne

#Best MCs of 2020 #Best rappers #Conway #Griselda #Boldy James #Benny The Butcher #Westside Gunn #Lil Baby #Roc Marciano #Ransom #Stove God Cook$ #drakeo the ruler #Che Noir #Freddie Gibbs #42 Dugg #Rome Streetz #Your Old Droog #Curren$y #Grafh #Skyzoo #royce da 5'9" #Ka #Billy Woods #Quelle Chris #Mach-Hommy #lil uzi vert #Fly Anakin #Mutant Academy #Rigz #Lil Wayne

[icharchivist]

Hi same nonny as usual haha! You asked for my thoughts on the spring troupe so now that I've finished the summer troupe debut I'm going to knock out two birds with one stone! I liked summer troupe a lot more then spring troupe. Not that I didn't like spring troupe! I just think that they didn't really communicate with each other?

The only reason why sakuyas issue with swordfighting was resolved was because masumi happened to be eavesdropping on a convo with the director, and why someone knew about itarus injury was because of citron noticing. I'm not saying there was no communication at all these two issues just. Bothered me so much the swordfighting one a lot more then the injury. The thing that bothers me about the injury is that itaru wasn't like. Told off for not telling anyone about his injury. Cause he could have seriously damaged his foot or something. I get that in the future there's probably going to be character development for itaru that lets him open up more to his troupemates. The swordfighting one just felt like a cop out to have a "moment" between sakuya and the director instead of having sakuya discuss that stuff with his troupe (which, bleh do not care for the characters flirting with the director at all. wish it wasn't there but I get why they do it.)

Despite my griping I did really enjoy spring troupe! They were fun! They just felt less trusting of each other then summer troupe at the end of day. And I get that char Dev will prob happen bout that but still haha. That's my thoughts on spring troupe! I could just be horribly misremembering the entire episode but oh well!

I know I said I'd also do summer troupe in this ask but it's already horribly long and I'm writing this on my phone. I'll get to that later. Thanks for reading my rambling that has not been proofread at all or edited. Hopefully it makes some sense hahaha. Thanks for introducing me to a3 it's tons of fun.

aaahh thanks for sharing!!!

honestly i kinda get where you’re coming from. I really love Spring, but it’s especially now in insight of their development. On first read, i think the thing especially was that the chapter was more about setting up some of the most major issues of the universe (the debts, the way  to arrange themselves in that new environment ect..) that therefore the characters issues may be not as focused as the others chapters?

(also for character flirting with MC there will be only 2 in main stories that do that a lot, one of which is Masumi, and the other isn’t much flirting as just hopelessly in love. Not much we can do about it but honestly once you move on from spring if this really holds you down, it will ease off at least, even if there’s a few thingss here and there stil)

Summer was the moment i really fell in love with the game, i really, really adore Summer’s dynamic and it was just. so good to go through.

As for the things you bring up about Spring, on one hand on first read i think i get you, but yeaaaah in insight of all we learn about the characters, it’s really not that far fetched ahah.

For Sakuya imo it’s really just that he freaked out because of his abandon issues and i don’t really see him discussing it with Spring yet at this point? Like. Sakuya is terrified of not being good enough and being abandoned as a result, like all of his relatives ever did. So he tries to compensate. When Masumi just brought up that they’ll just replace him, i don’t find it far fetched that Sakuya freaked out about it and failed to explain it to Masumi at the time. 

Those very same issues also lead Sakuya to hold on everything bad ever to himself. The reason he opens up to Izumi, more than her just coming to him there, is that she already proved before that she wasn’t willing to abandon him, if only by how she took up the theater because of his passion to start with. And, just, timingwise. 

And i think Sakuya wouldn’t have taken reassurances from his others troupesmates who have already made clear they believed in him, because i think Sakuya would be more crushed with the idea that they’re just being polite and kind with him. Because he knows he’s failing and the others’s way to reassure him would probably have made it worse. He needed reassurance 1) from the director who at this point has already started to be giving more constructive critisms, 2) Masumi, who’s the one who caused those insecurities by the fact he doesn’t hold back. But i don’t see him reach of to Masumi with how hostile Masumi has been to everyone up until that point. (i have more thoughts but that’d be me overreading it too but dKJFDLKF a3 makes my brain go brr)

As for Masumi, this kid has serious communication issues (only child with no friends and no parents around? oof) and i don’t think he would have reached out to Sakuya or even figured something was wrong otherwise.

Are those just easy way out for the writers? maybe, but that’s just how writing is isn’t it? if you want to make even some “artificial” conflict, you need to make it believable why this conflict exist even in the first place. 

Honestly the swordfighting issue doesn’t strike like that to me, and those are all about things that are shown in the Spring chapter itself, but i suppose since i also know those things are expended on, it does add a layer of “this was made with depth for their characters in mind” imo.

Also i think if Masumi hadn’t eardropped, Izumi would have talked to him about it, being the mediator and all of that, and i think Masumi would have understood then. I don’t think Masumi was unwilling to understand, but that he lacked the groundwork to understand it. and we mostly were spared from having to repeat the scene with Izumi telling him about it.

Idk if i see Sakuya managing to tell it to Masumi even after this talk? I think Sakuya is the kind to take all of his pain in silence and assume responsibilities for everything that goes wrong, and i don’t think he would have felt comfortable opening up with that, especially since, as he tells Izumi, he genuinely feels like *he’s* the failure about it (and as Izumi tells him, it’s not his fault if others people don’t try either. Sakuya was made to believe that he had to take full responsibility when a relationship doesn’t work because of his relatives, and i think he was set on doing the same with this Massu’s situation, and the reason he could share it with Izumi is because she’s not the person he’s taking responsibility for). On top of that, Sakuya remains Masumi’s elder, and Sakuya does want to be someone people rely on - he wants to be a big brother figure, and i think he wouldn’t have wanted or known how much of this responsibility he could share with Masumi knowing that. And i don’t think it’s healthy! but it’s perfectly understandable from Sakuya’s perspective and the specific way he shoulders responsibilities because i will fistfight his family his family sucked.

As for Itaru, on this one we only got the reveals about how deep this lack of trust Itaru had for people ran only recently, so imo early on you just need to take it at face value and hope when you get to know more, it’ll click. Realizing he doesn’t want to be alone anymore and wants to be more with Spring is a turning point from this set up about him, so he can only develop from here.

For why no one really told him off about it, i guess i can understand the grip ahah. imo i think everyone worried already enough that he was talking about leaving the company this was the priority to discuss and i do think talking about his ankle at that point may have not worked with the pacing of the emotional moment. I wouldn’t have minded seeing some of them being more worried about it in general though.

In the end the thing with Spring is that aside from Tsuzuru, they are all people who come from background where communication isn’t their forte. Sakuya fears he’s never good enough, Masumi never even had to face how lonely his life had made him until now (and i think he specifically lashes on the director because it’s the first time he feels like he wants a connection with anyone in his life and he doesn’t know what to do with it. I find his obsession creepy imo but i also see where it’s coming from), Itaru has severe trust issues and rather be solo in general, and Citron hides a lot about himself.

and i think, we have Tsuzuru has never been really alone ever, and he takes a lot of responsibility, (though there’s a few things about his background we learn later that shows he still has similar struggles than the rest of his troupe regarding some.. broken connection, which he vagues at in the Spring chapter (... which is something i only noticed on my reread knowing that so i wouldn’t blame you for not catching it))  but he’s also trying to do things for himself for once in his life. Ultimately he knows how to communicate more in general but he has that going on for him, and especially, i think his way to communicate or connect may be too foreign for the rest of the troupe for a smooth connection off the bat.

All of them are trying to connect in their own ways coming from those complicated feelings they have about connection imo... and i do find it fascinating. 

I see Spring a lot like, the kids who had to grow up too fast and the adults who are unhappy with where their adult lives have taken them and the expectations pushed upon them who yet are trying to cope on their own mostly because they have reasons to feel unsafe otherwise. (Tsuzuru is a bit in between imo bc he’s not “unsafe” yet and he’s already taking himself back in hands with the expectations things, but anyway, i am. trying to keep it short, believe it or not) And they’re still navigating where that leaves them as people, and where that leaves them in their connection with others, and especially with each other because in the end they’re all yearning to connect especially with one another, and just don’t know how to reconcile this desire with who they have been all this time to cope through all of this.

All of this is present in the Spring intro chapter but ^^” i could imagine that without having the full picture those aren’t things that may be easily picked up as important for their characterizations. But honestly there’s a throve of details in the writing to flesh them out when you know where to look and i find it fascinating. (but also i like. relived this chapter 5 times, 4 of which after i’ve seen most of their development, and my first read is so long ago i think i just overthink everything DLKJFDLKF and like, Spring was one of my least favorite at first read bc i struggled to connect with them, so it’s not like i don’t get you, it’s just. nowadays, spring is care spring is love and i cry over their intro chap a lot.)

Anyway i guess i get what you felt still, but, idk maybe i feel strongly about it ahah, i like the way the characters stand out from one another even in the moments that are probably just.. stupid, but in a “they wouldn’t know how to do better because of what’s holding them back” way.

i feel like “lack of communication” is a problem every troupe have to various degree and for different reasons, but the whole thing is about trying to figure out how to fix that and work it with them. Some are more forward than others (like, Summer, mostly because Tenma and Yuki are stubborn and loud and straightforward in their own way)(”than others” i have so much to say about this i’m holding back dLKFJD) but i think it depends also a lot on some thematic it wants to tackle and the spirit of the characters in each troupe. It changes as the story progresses but yeah after all, they are all strangers. And while the game mentions they have a few months to prepare for their play, it was reckoned that every play takes one month to prepare, so it doesn’t really give a lot of time on their first play to really figure out everything they need to work on.

Spring, in essence, as a season, is about blooming back after Winter, after sadness and hardship, and learning how to slowly open up again. So imo their intro chap have to reflect that slow progress for them. While Summer can afford to be more loud, straight to the point (and even there it’s not always easy), Summer is full of learning from their mistake, living in the Now, in the Moment. So their season thematic reflects a bit in their intro chap at least. (ofc they all grow from there though but that’s still interesting imo).

anyway i rambled LDFJDLKFJFDLK

I didn’t mean it in a way to say your reading is invalid though!! sorry if it feels that way, i’ve tried rewriting it a few times DLKFJDLFK i just have a lot of emotions about Spring and the points you mentioned made me think about some stuff about it. 

ANYWAY

if you want to share your thoughts about summer too and the rest you’re always welcomed o7 i’m glad you’re still enjoying your stay, and i hope you’ll keep enjoying the ride!

And Take care!

#ichafantalks a3 #Anonymous #ichareply #long post for ts #i'll huh go back to see if i can put a readmore somewhere brb

[sometimesrosy]

I have bouts of unhappiness from time to time, now more frequently than not. For more than a year, I haven’t talked to friends because of COVID and confinement. All of the friends I talk to are online, but there’s no human contact. One of them is spanish, so we never talked any other way. The others are mostly my boyfriend’s friends with whom we talk on discord. I only see my mom, grandma, boyfriend, and my cats. I work at a study center, but now even the kids I talk to through zoom because of a new confinement. I’ve been feeling pretty low and without a drive in life. I stopped reading, I stopped bullet journaling, I stopped writing, I stopped watching movies and tv. Recently I’ve started streaming video games, and honestly it’s the only thing that keeps me doing something outside of work, but I wonder when will I give up on it too. I’d like to blame this on the confinement, but even before we had it, I had already isolated myself from people. It’s really easy to feel lonely, to feel like I can’t connect. I know it’s not depression because I’ve had and I hit rock bottom then, so I know I’m better. I lost friends along my life, but most of it was for the best. I have found a life partner that treats me 100% well and who gave the best kitties I could have ever asked for. I have a mom that does anything and everything for me, a grandma that cooks for me, a house with fast internet. I have a job and students that like me. And yet, sometimes I feel like I’m here doing nothing? As if I have no purpose? I have so many interests it kills me to never be satisfied. I honestly think this is my problem. Anyway, I’m so sorry for the rant. I just felt I needed to let it out somehow. I know tomorrow I’ll wake up fine, but next week I’ll have another day like this. For now, I’m going to bed and cuddle with my boyfriend and kitties. I just wish I could change my perspective these days I’m feeling down. I don’t need to have a purpose, I don’t need to commit to hobbies. I don’t need to expect something of myself when I don’t even know what it is. Thank you for “hearing” me out. Please never delete this blog!

So here’s the thing I want you to remember:

You are living through unprecedented times. The pressures of a global pandemic, national upheaval, cultural revolution and environmental extremes have us ALL on edge.

When you take stock of your life, as you have here, you can see you’re doing pretty well. You have love and family and work and security and safety and the best kitties in the world, right? You KNOW depression and this isn’t it somehow.

And yet, you seem to think that you have to look for *your* problem, the reason why *you* particularly are feeling this way.

Nope. It’s not you. There’s not something wrong with you that isn’t wrong with everyone.

Now, I’m not a therapist, I’m not making a diagnosis here, but before this pandemic thing, there was a lot of upheaval in my life and I worked through it, leaving me in a really good position to ride out this global disaster that I wouldn’t have been in before. I mean it wasn’t good, but it’s like I experienced it before everyone else so am already on the way to healing from it while everyone else is falling into it. So from my experience and the research I have had to do for my own health and well being, what I think you’re experiencing is ANXIETY.

I think that because you told me you stopped doing the things you love, reading, bullet journaling, writing, movies and tv. That happened to me too. I mean aside from hyperfocusing on writing. It was rather stressful to STOP reading for me. And I kept feeling like something was wrong with me, then I discovered that not being able to focus on reading is actually a symptom of anxiety. And it’s common now. The world feels out of control and you feel like you should be doing something to fix it, only you can’t, and focusing on the things that are part of your life feels insufficient. You’re overwhelmed. Actually, there’s probably a bit of depression in there, too.

But I do know that I needed to read and watch COMFORT content. Something I’ve already read, or a literature genre that wraps everything up neatly in the end. For me, Historical Romance, because I need the Happy Ever After and I need the problems to be distant enough from my reality to not affect me. In fact, when I read a book that touches on traumas that are too close to real for me, I get tense and can’t continue. (I had this problem last week with a romance set in the civil war. I just can’t handle fictional racism and brutality in my escapism book when I’m trying to escape IRL racism and brutality. I think it’s because the MC was traumatized by it, where in the other books in the series, the characters were fighting it. Anyway, good books, The Loyal League Books by Alyssa Cole, the last is just hitting some of my triggers.) 

Still, I find myself unable to read science fiction or fantasy. I can ONLY read romance. It’s very weird for me, because I love SFF. But my brain is struggling to handle all the real life chaos, and there’s really no room in it right now to have comprehend the big thoughts and new universes of SFF. So when Bridgertons showed up, which is my perfect genre right now, and which I’ve already READ multiple times, so it isn’t even new material for me, THAT is the kind of thing I can watch. Superhero shows where I already know the characters. Fanfiction where it’s just two characters falling in love over and over again.

I dont’ mean to talk about myself, but as an illustration, I wanted to show you. You are overwhelmed and your brain wants to rest. Video games seems to provide that. Okay! Keep doing that. Just like I finally had to sign up for kindle unlimited so that I could zoom through all the romance books for comfort reading without having to buy new ones all the time.

This is how you are coping.

And if I read your ask right. You’re a teacher. I dont’ know what kind of teacher or if you’re irl or distance teaching, but I do know that the stress of teaching in this pandemic is INCREDIBLE.  Shoot, normal teaching is demanding enough, add the pandemic and OUCH. So I think you should recognize that you are a front line worker in keeping society running. You honestly don’t need to have a higher purpose than that... if you feel like you need to be DOING something important. You already are. 

Everyone can only do what they are capable of. Some people are in politics, some people are developing vaccines, some people are stocking shelves, some people are teaching, some people are raising kids, some people are volunteering. You don’t have to do it all. Find your place in your world and accept that you are contributing.

What you need to do right now is to take care of yourself. You MUST have time to relax. Value your family and boyfriend and kitties, just like you say. Rest, relax. Do NOT burn out. Stay healthy. That is important especially now. Eat right and drink water and sleep enough. 

I think you’re right. It is a matter of your perspective. You’ve forgotten that your life has turned upside down.  You’re expecting activity/energy levels from yourself that you had before the world was a flaming dumpster fire. But so much of your current energy is going to surviving in that flaming dumpster fire. 

EVERYONE is trying to survive right now, even when we have relatively comfortable situations. Recognize that and give yourself a break. 

#survival #anxiety #depression #pandemic #deep breath and go play some video games cuddle your cats and hug your boyfriend

[danceworshipper]

The Family Business AU: Part 1

Part 2

I'm finally getting around to writing something! This story is an AU where my main mcs, Gracie and Tessa Chiva, were raised in R their whole lives and are only just now, at the age of sixteen, starting to have doubts. I'm not sure how long the story will be, but I've been toying with the idea for a while now and I couldn't stop myself from writing it any longer. The basic background info is that the twins' maternal grandmother, Lorraine Black, founded R while her four children were still relatively young. In canon, her children weren't really on board, but in this AU all but one stayed with her. Clarissa, the twins' mother, never truly approved, but saw what happened to her brother and decided abandoning her family wasn't worth it. If you know my mcs, you'll know that while Gracie and Tessa are technically identical twins, Gracie has alternate coloring to her from a curse that happened in their first year (Tessa has dark brown hair and dull green eyes whilst Gracie has bright white hair and unnaturally bright green eyes, and is much paler). In this AU, that still occurred, however the curse was staged to give them a reason to go into the vaults as their brother never did, and she has no negative side effects from it. The 'Jacob' character has been renamed to Vance, just because I honestly don't like the name Jacob, Gracie and Merula are together, Tessa is single and newly the captain of the Slytherin quidditch team, Rowan is the prefect because she deserves it, and the two additional mcs in the story belong to @gcldensnitch and @weirdcursedvaultkid!

The Great Hall always felt so loud and bright on the first day of school. Even on the days the whole family was gathered together, their grandmother's dining hall was never as noisy as when the whole of Hogwarts was sitting eating dinner together. It made Gracie's head pound, and Tessa wasn't faring much better. If only their mother had listened to their pleas to drop out of school - but alas, Clarissa was firm in her belief that they needed to complete their education despite being next in line. It's what they deserved for asking the parent who had been a Ravenclaw during her own time at Hogwarts.

Of course, education aside, the twins really did need to stay in school. Them dropping out now would raise too many questions, especially with the two of them so invested in the Cursed Vaults. Besides, they would miss their friends. The friends that they'd been lying to since they met them. The friends that were now in terrible danger.

The twins had different thoughts about their lies. Tessa felt much more guilty about it, always having been the more empathetic twin. She especially felt guilty about lying to her best friend, Colette Belrose, whose older brother Jacob was someone Tessa saw rather frequently while Colette herself had no idea what he was up to. It reminded Tessa of how she had no idea where her own brother was, and if he was okay or not. He had run away from home directly after graduating and hadn't contacted his sisters at all. R had placed him high on the 'wanted' list. Seeing his name still there, not crossed out, was the only way Tessa and Gracie could have hope he was still alive.

Gracie was better able to justify her lies to herself. How could she continue to be trusted by her friends if they knew she was a member of the very group they were trying to take down? How would they react if they knew that she hadn't been cursed in her first year, but marked as the next leader? In order to protect the people Gracie cared about like Rowan and Merula, she needed them to trust her, and they never would if they found out about her lies now. It wasn't like she could tell them even if she wanted to; the secrecy oath she swore when she was eleven made that impossible. She suspected that was the only reason Vance hadn't told everyone before he ran away. You didn't break the oath by leaving. You broke the oath by dying.

This very oath, while necessary for R's security, was something that the twins were growing to despise. Lorraine, their grandmother, the founder and current leader of R, had laughed at them when they screamed and cried about Rakepick torturing Merula while the group was in the Portrait Vault the year before. Rakepick was just playing her part, Lorraine said. It didn't matter how close Gracie and Merula were, because in the end, Merula was an enemy to R and their mission, and would be treated as such. If Gracie wanted Merula safe from R's members, she'd have to convince Merula to become one.

This was the twins' goal this year. Between working on the final Cursed Vault (that the Hogwarts students knew of; the twins knew it was, in fact, the second-to-last), they were determined to convince their closest friends to join up with R for their own protection. How they would do that without being able to tell their friends about their family, they didn't know. But they had to try.

"Tessa!"

Tessa's head shot up as Colette sat down on the bench next to her and threw her arms around her. Colette had a smile on her face as she pulled back.

"Your hair is so long now!" Colette exclaimed. "I love it!"

Tessa smiled back weakly. "Thanks."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just not used to the noise yet," Tessa responded truthfully. "It's not very loud back home."

Colette squeezed Tessa's shoulder in comfort. "You'll be used to it in no time."

Gracie watched the exchange and sighed. Rowan was a prefect, so she was off making sure the dorms were ready for the new students who would be coming in, and Merula was nowhere to be found. Merula had been off all summer. Having the Cruciatus curse cast on her had caused her to become even more determined than ever to prove herself as powerful, and it left their relationship wanting.

Gracie plugged her ears as the chatter around the hall grew even louder, feeling Tessa lean closer to her. The first years had just entered the Great Hall to be sorted. Hopefully Rowan would be here soon.

----------------

Dinner had been miserable, just as it always was during the first week or so. The twins never truly appreciated the quiet at home while they had it. Rowan had finally arrived just as the last first year was sorted, still catching her breath but beaming from a job well done.

"The Common Room is sparkling," she had told Gracie. "And I scented the candles with a faint hint of orange, just for you."

Rowan was so good. She cared about Gracie more than almost anyone else, and though she was nerdy, weird, and awkward, she was one of the most incredible people Gracie had ever met. Rowan was the one Gracie was most desperate to get on R's side. As much as she loved Merula, Rowan had been Gracie's friend from day one. Losing her would hurt the most, she was sure of it. Rowan had to be turned.

Tonight, though, Gracie had to find Merula, or else she'd likely stay out all night. Rowan said she had seen her out of the Training Grounds blasting the dummies to pieces, so that's where Gracie went after dinner was over.

The night sky was clear, and the air was nice and warm, a welcome change of scenery as Gracie let her stress wash away for just a moment. Staring at the stars always made Gracie feel less anxious. The stars didn't care what happened to her. She was nothing but a speck of dust in the universe, and nothing she ever did would matter. It was a comforting thought.

"Are you just going to stand there, Chiva?"

Merula was now standing next to her, looking at her with a cold expression.

"Hi," Gracie said softly. Every time she saw Merula she was caught off guard by how pretty she was, even when she was angry.

"What do you want?"

"You missed dinner."

"I wasn't hungry."

It was a bad lie. Gracie held out the plate of raspberry tart she had been able to sneak out, and Merula took it without a word.

"What were you doing?" Gracie asked.

"What do you think?" Merula jerked her head toward a group of dummies, two of which were still lying on the ground in pieces.

Gracie sighed and pushed her hair behind her ear. "This isn't healthy, love. I want to get back at Rakepick too, but you're running yourself ragged like this. We've barely spent time together recently."

At those words, Merula seemed to deflate just a little. She had another bite of tart before answering.

"I know."

They stood without talking while Merula finished her tart. She didn't say thank you, nor did Gracie expect her to. Merula just vanished the plate and crossed her arms.

An owl hooted in the distance. Gracie wondered if it was a school one or a wild one.

"Train with me," Merula said suddenly.

Gracie shook her head. "It's late. Come inside with me."

"Duel me once and we can go in."

"You're the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts," Gracie teased, enjoying the way Merula rolled her eyes even as they lit up. "You have nothing to prove to me."

"Just one?" Merula asked again.

And Gracie was never able to resist. "One."

----------------

"I've already been asked by three different people when I'm going to be holding tryouts," Tessa whined. "It's the first day back; can they not wait a single second?"

"Apparently not," Liz said, leaning back against her headrest. The two were sitting on the bed, catching up. Liz hadn't been able to visit for the second half of the summer as she had been on vacation in Canada, so they had a lot to talk about.

"I snuck out of the hall to visit everyone in the Reserve," Liz continued. "You need to come with me tomorrow so you can see how much bigger the thestrals are. Victoria says hi, I think. I still can't see her."

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I want to see how beautiful she is! You keep saying she's the prettiest thestral you've ever seen but I don't have a point of reference."

"Take my word for it, Liz, she's gorgeous."

Liz frowned. "I wish seeing the death of a pet counted. It's like even magic itself thinks creatures are less than humans."

"But if seeing the death of a pet counted, Thestrals would never be able to live in peace because then nearly everyone would be able to see them," Tessa reasoned.

"I cannot believe Hogwarts uses them as carriage horses. Thestrals as carriage horses! What disrespectful prick came up with that?!"

Tessa glanced around the dorm as Liz carried on with her rant. Gracie wasn't back with Merula yet. Colette was talking with Rowan and Alex Vega, happy as could be, completely unaware that twenty feet away from her Tessa was trying to figure out how to recruit her to the very wizard cult her brother had abandoned his family to work for. And what about Alex? Would Tessa and Gracie try and get Alex too? Alex was in danger; she had gotten involved with the Vaults a few years ago and now spent a lot of time with Ben, someone who, at the end of last year, made quite an enemy of himself in the Portrait Vault. If only he had stayed a spineless coward, he might have been safe. It might be the only circumstance Tessa was displeased with someone's personal growth.

Ismelda was sitting by herself, skimming through this year's History of Magic textbook. Ismelda was probably the safest one in the room, having never really helped the Vault hunt or done anything that would anger R. She mostly just kept to herself. Ironically, Ismelda was probably the most likely person to be willing to join R.

Liz snapped her fingers in Tessa's face, making her jump.

"You look scared," Liz stated, blunt as ever. "It's okay, you know. Dumbledore knows now that Rakepick is evil. She'll have a hard time finding us to try and hurt us."

She was kind of close, Tessa thought, but that wasn't quite it. It wasn't like Liz could know Rakepick would never, under threat of death, ever hurt even a single hair on Tessa's head other than under strict orders for cover.

"Yeah, I know. But it doesn't feel right."

Liz elbowed her in a way that was probably meant to be encouraging. "We're a team. No one is going to hurt you on my watch."

That only made Tessa feel worse. Liz would never say those things if she knew who Tessa really was. Salazar, how was Tessa ever supposed to convince Liz to join R? Rakepick was in R; no one at Hogwarts would ever consider being on her side. Besides maybe Ismelda.

The door finally opened to reveal Gracie and Merula. Tessa watched her sister accept Alex's hug, looking just fine. How did Gracie do it? Did she really believe she could change her friends' minds, or was she just better at hiding her emotions than Tessa?

You're too sensitive. Leaders have to be able to step back from their emotions and look at a situation rationally. If you can't do that, Tessa, you can never be a leader.

She didn't want to be a leader; Gracie could do that. Tessa just wanted to be good enough to be worthy of being the leader. She wanted to stop being second best. She didn't want to be Tessa, Gracie's twin sister anymore. She wanted to be Tessa, her own person. It wasn't like her Quidditch skills would matter in a couple of years when she had to work for R full time. Maybe she could talk to Diego tomorrow; she needed to get back into her dueling training.

Merula stomped off to talk to Ismelda after having been convinced to hug Alex as well. Gracie spoke with Rowan for a moment before they both came to join Tessa and Liz, leaving Colette and Alex fawning over Colette's cat together.

"I beat her," Gracie told Rowan, then turned to address the whole group. "Merula made me duel her again."

"Isn't she ever going to get tired of getting her ass kicked by you?" Rowan joked.

"She won't stop bothering you until you let her win, you know," Liz told Gracie.

"She'll know I let her win and then she'll be even more mad."

Gracie looked over at Tessa, who had drawn into herself. Tessa felt the Legilimency link they shared open up.

You okay? Gracie asked.

I'm scared.

I know.

Gracie paused to laugh at something Liz said. Tessa attempted a chuckle. She didn't know what Liz had said.

We can do this, and if we can't, we can protect them. No one is going to get hurt. I promise.

You can't guarantee that.

"I'm tired," Tessa announced, closing the link and standing up.

Gracie stood and pulled Tessa into a tight hug.

"I love you," Gracie said.

"I love you too."

Tessa, having already changed into her nightgown some time ago, climbed into her bed and shut the curtains, ignoring the concerned looks from her dormmates. She'd feel better tomorrow, she told herself. She was just tired and it was making her worse. That was all. It wasn't like she had to turn everyone by the weekend; the first proper "attack" Lorraine had planned was over a month away, and it was less of an attack than a "scare the kids" bit. They'd be fine. She had plenty of time.

"Did something happen at home?" Liz asked quietly.

What hadn't? It was a better question, but no one knew that.

"Our grandfather is sick," Gracie lied, hoping she'd remember to tell Tessa before someone said something tomorrow. "He'll probably be fine, but he's old, you know? He was still in pretty bad shape when we left."

Rowan made an odd face, but it was gone before Gracie could even process that it happened.

"I'm sure he'll be okay," she said.

"Yeah, he's made it through dragon pox, he can handle this," Liz nodded, yawning. "I might go to bed too."

"Yeah, it's late," Gracie agreed. "I still have to get changed though."

Rowan perked up. "You'll like what I did in the bathroom. Pretty tough bit of magic, but I think it was worth it."

"Really now?"

"Mhm. Here," Rowan said, holding out Gracie's toiletry bag before she could even open her trunk. "I got it out for you, and your nightgown is hanging above the heating stone so it'll be warm."

Gracie felt another surge of guilt wash through her. "You're the best."

Rowan grinned. "Come on, I want to see your reaction!"

What Rowan had done in the bathroom was charm the mirrors to look like the surface of a calm lake. When Gracie put her hand out to touch it, it rippled.

"This is so cool!" Gracie exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her troubles.

"I know! And when you want it to be solid so you can see perfectly, you just tap it with your wand and say sile, like so."

Rowan tapped her wand against the mirror to demonstrate. The water-like surface stilled and became clear as a regular mirror, as if it had never moved.

"Libera."

Another tap, and the mirror once more began to flow gently.

Gracie ruffled Rowan's hair, earning a smack to her wrist. "How long did that take you?"

"The first one took a good ten minutes," Rowan admitted, smoothing her hair back down. "After I got it it was easy to do the others."

"You did this in all the rooms?"

"Of course I did!"

"You really are incredible."

Rowan beamed. "Thanks, Gracie. You want me to wait up for you?"

Gracie shook her head. "It's okay, I have to wait for Merula anyway."

"Ooooh, you're gonna cuddle?" Rowan taunted.

"Oh, shut up!" Gracie laughed.

"You never cuddle with me."

"Did you want to cuddle?"

"Not really," Rowan conceded. "But maybe if you held my hand once in a while I'd feel better."

"Get out."

"Night!"

----------------

Both twins had a nightmare that night, a dream full of blood and tears that made them wake up with a scream.

#hogwarts mystery #my writing #the family business au #gracie chiva #tessa chiva #man I hope this gets a few reads at least skskg

[that-scouse-wizard]

oooo 🌋 and🩸for all your mcs?

You got it, thanks for the ask! Under the cut because it’s quite long.

🌋 - What’s your OCs temper like? Are they a slow boil, or an instant explosion?

David

It depends, if he gets compared to Jacob, chances are it’s an instant explosion. If it’s not a comparison, more likely to be a slow boil. During and after second year, he takes his anger out on training dummies either with a bludger or with his muay thai, letting that aggression out in a healthy manner.

Amelia

She’s fairly placid, doesn’t have much of a temper so I’d say slow boil. That being said, there has been one occasion where Amelia has snapped. Once in her fourth year (David’s sixth), she confronted Jacob about coming back to Hogwarts as the DADA teacher. In their ensuing argument about David, Jacob says, “Look, Amelia. The people I and David are facing have killed girls younger than you for far less reason. David is my brother so-” 

*CRACK* 

Amelia, angry tears in her eyes, hand outstretched after slapping him: “HE’S MY BROTHER TOO YOU SELFISH BASTARD!”

Cledwyn

Definitely quick to anger, the only exceptions being towards his three surviving brothers, Edryd, Ianto and Berwyn. The former two due to his bad relationship with them, knowing better to anger them and Berwyn because he’s the last member of his blood relatives who’s actually decent to him.

Faith

She doesn’t initially have good control over her emotions, she responds to taunts quite often. It doesn’t help that she becomes frustrated when she feels she’s not good enough at something, especially her hydrokinesis. As she matures, she gets better control over her anger, which also allows her improve her powers.

Reuben 

He often stays level-headed, tries to be a peacekeeper sometimes, usually shrugs off taunts, insults or anything that aggravates him. However, he dislikes the Ministry and will absolutely fight someone who praises the ban on dragon breeding (in my headcanon it caused a surge in the value of anything related to dragons and even led to the extinction of a dragon species I made up, the Irish Ironhead).

Marigold

More slow to boil and even then if she’s angry with you, you’re likely to be on the receiving end of a snarky comment. Otherwise, tries to keep up appearances in polite company.

🩸 - Does your OC believe in blood being thicker than water? (meaning family relationships and loyalties are the most important).

David

I’d say no, while he has loyalty to his family once his relationship with them improves, for a while David’s friends were his family so he understands the importance of being loyal to people who aren’t blood-related to you.

Amelia

I’d say yes, after her father died and she was scarred from the car accident that killed him, it was her family who really got her through everything. The Booths are very much tight-knit, to the extent Amelia was a bit put out by her mother bringing Matthew (David’s father and her future step-dad) home at first.

Cledwyn

Yes and no. Cledwyn is very much proud of his heritage and even of his family’s history as werewolf hunters. That being said, the only blood relative he has any loyalty to anymore is Berwyn, the second youngest of the seven brothers (Cledwyn being the youngest).

Faith

She believes family is important, a lesson she learned from her dad. After his death in a fishing accident, her powers awoke, giving her a reputation as a cursed child and subsequently ostracised her from her mother and  two siblings. While she might one day forgive her siblings, she’s not forgiving her mother. Luckily, she did get a found family in Cledwyn, Reuben and Marigold.

Reuben

Again, yes and no. He doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents as they tried to force him down the path of an auror. His maternal grandparents on the other hand, a lot more supportive of him, so he’s very much loyal to them.

Marigold

In contrast to most Slytherins, Marigold has no loyalty to her family whatsoever. She knows they see her maledictus abilities as a tool/weapon for them and Ministry to use. While she enjoys the benefits of polite society due to their wealth, she desires complete emancipation from the rest of the Sterlings.

#harry potter hogwarts mystery #hphm #jacob's sibling #david willows #amelia booth #hphl #hphl mc #cledwyn ironwood #faith renner #reuben willows #marigold sterling

[mx-paint]

Seeing someone claim a book is "pro-genocide" and knowing that the part of the book they are referring to literally could not have a louder message of "anti-genocide" if it fucking tried.

#all bc they seemed to have come to the conclusion that the people that were saved. were 'russian coded'(???????????) #synopsis: a clan causes trouble and kills a lot of people but people fight them off and end it #the clain is now dispersed and the people that used to belong to that clan (this branch a notable group of doctors sick elderly & children) #and the only two that are relatively healthy (that are friends with mc and most notably helped him) are part of this branch #the branch gets put into a open air prison and are tortured and killed until the mc comes to help the remaining members #and then the remaining members (except for his adopted son and technically one of his friends who is now undead survives) #are all killed #so to recap the only remaining person from the clan is a child who doesnt even remember any of them except for his cousin and the mc #(the mc not being part of the clan) #and this person decided the best way to describe it. was to be pro genocide. #the clan. being the genociders? and the people that killed them out of war by hold them captive and torturing raping and murdering them. #were not. #.end synopsis #i think i know what they were trying to go for but to staunchly say that it was pro genocide and then also admitting that they support it. #its weird as shit 🙃 #and i get where they were trying to come from. but they also made up a line from the novel to explain why they came up with this #like they said that 'every clan member thought the war to be nothing' was in the novel. #and the person that said this. was somebody that hated the clan (for good reason) and was mad about how easy it seemed for them #but for a novel thats key message is about how rumours can ruin somebodys life esp if they dont have anyone trying to help. #its. obvious they skipped the messaging and went right to assuming based off their own morals

[edda-blattfe]

I fully support Mal x Vil x reader/MC that's top tier. Your universe brain is blessing the fandom with that. Now I'm imagining Vil finding excuses to go to the Diasom dorm to see Mal and MC... I bet it's study sessions between the dorms initially, but Epel and Rook see the way he is with Mal and MC and know exactly what he's doing almost immediately. It's not long before they say stuff like "we understood today's lesson, you go on ahead tho" just so Vil can be more alone with them

~Ehh, thank you love!~

Ooh! I love the way your mind works!!! Mind if I go ahead and share some relationship headcanons for this trio?

Malleus x Vil x MC Pollyship Headcanons:

- A few details on this MC. Both Mal and Vil are strong willed, decisive, manipulative, and dramatic individuals with a horrid tendency to wallow in their negative emotions rather than find proactive ways of dealing with them or seeking help from others. For these reasons, I believe MC would have to be a rather laidback and open minded person. They wouldn’t have to be plain per say, but just not as dramatically flamboyant in comparison to their romantic interests. It would also be a load off of the boys if MC is honest, maybe a little blunt, and genuine; in this case, they wouldn’t feel the need to manipulate MC, being comfortable enough to let their guard down. Since the boys are lacking in emotional intelligence, it would fall to MC to pick up the slack in that department; thus they’re also gonna need to be observant enough to recognize when their boys’ are in a foul mood, be quick to analyze the situation to identify the source of their discomfort, and think of a healthy way to help them deal with those emotions. So, to summarize, this MC is: easygoing, open minded, relatively modest, honest/blunt, genuine, intelligent, observant, analytical, and tactful. Also gonna toss in curious and sharp, just for the he’ll of it. MC is in Diasomnia, because: a) that’s how Des’s scenario fits, and b) Malleus would the most difficult of the two to get close to, so earning his friendship first would be key to beginning this polyship. Moving on now.

- It didn’t take long after the first years’ arrival for Mal to notice MC, as they were already proving to be an excellent student. From what he’d gleaned from Sebek’s retelling of class, MC always paid attention and took notes during lectures, almost always answered every question pertaining to the subject of study (both from the professors and fellow students) in a clear and concise manner, and never shied away from their schoolwork. Malleus observed them from a distance, just to be sure if they were really worth his time, before finally approaching them. He was cautious in his initial introduction, not wanting to terrify the little creature too terribly with his oppressive aura. Much to his surprise, they didn’t seem all that deterred, in fact the exchange and following conversation was rather pleasant; so much so, that Mal continued to visit with them. Gradually their conversations became longer, deeper. It was easy for the draconic fae to relax around MC, since he realized that they weren’t the type to use personal information against others. In time, Malleus came to think of them as a good friend.

- Vil, on the other hand, didn’t give MC much thought for the better half of the semester. Outside of Malleus occasionally mentioning them there had never been an opportunity for them to catch his eye, especially since they didn’t really stand out in a visual sense. That changed during one of the school mock battles. This particular event required every able bodied student to group up into teams of 3-5 students all chosen by a leader. Naturally, Malleus got first dibs and chose Lilia, Vil, and MC for his team. The Pomefiore dorm leader attempted to convince his dear friend that someone a little more experienced than a first year would probably be a better choice, but Mal would hear nothing of it; Vil found out why soon enough. Just as they did in school, MC paid close attention to Mal’s strategy briefing and wasn’t afraid to ask questions or suggest alternative plans if things didn’t work out in their favor; it was impressive, even to Vil. The event went over quite well for them, the four person team overcame their opponents through mutual cooperation and tactical precision; in an odd way, the whole practice was kind of fun actually! Afterwards they went to the cafe to celebrate, there Vil and MC finally got a chance to talk. The two of them got along pretty well, and became fast friends.

- As Des said; Vil began using group study sessions to spend more time with Mal and MC...which Rook and Epel caught onto, then suggested he just go ahead by himself. Malleus was relieved at this news; not that he doesn’t like the other Pomefiore members, but he’d much rather spend time with just MC and Vil...you know, alone.

- At first the three of them mainly hung out during study sessions, which somehow evolved into training sessions, eventually makeovers and trips to Mr. S’s Mystery Shop.

- Let’s say that MC isn’t familiar with doing their hair or makeup. Vil happily designates himself as their cosmetics instructor, Mal occasionally pitching in as his assistant when he can. Despite succeeding in teaching MC their ways, both of the boys still enjoy doing it themselves.

- Mal started growing noticeably possessive of the other two, growling if someone seemed to stand too close or placed a hand on them in an all too familiar way. While Vil began fussing over their appearances, not in a nitpicky way, just fixing their hair or makeup more often; he even lent them his favorite product. None of this raised any flags for MC, who gradually became more comfortable initiating physical contact; leaning against them, laying their head on the others’ shoulders, sometimes even wrapping their arms around them.

- Like In @twistedwonderlandimagines Vil x Malleus headcanons, Mal was the first to realize that he liked the others as far more than just friends. They were in his dorm room, Mal watched as Vil brushed MC’s hair on the bed, adorably content with being there. “I love you,” Mal confessed nonchalantly. It was barely louder than mumble, but it was enough to make the others stop dead in their activity and stare at him questioningly. “Both of you, I mean.” Vil and MC glanced at each other, “Like,” MC spoke slowly, “platonically? Or...” The look on Mal’s face made the answer quite clear. Vil cleared his throat, MC shifted to view both of their companions. “Ok then. Let’s...uh, talk about this.”

- And So, they did. It was a little awkward at first, but in the end, they all agreed to try dating. At first MC and Vil thought they were just supposed to share the dragon. But, soon became very aware of their own feelings for each other, which led to more awkwardness as they attempted to sort out how that fit into the relationship dynamic. Of course, Malleus isn’t blind and, just as he did with the confession, blatantly told them he didn’t mind them dating each other too, maybe even preferred it, if it meant he didn’t have to watch their confusing little game any more. There ya go, crisis averted.

- Turns out that their relationship didn’t change all that much. They still enjoy all of the usual activities, only now there’s some intermittent cuddle sessions and kisses being exchanged. Mal has since decided to move his study time to his room, since there he can sit with both of his darlings. *debates whether or not to describe how they make out* *vetos due to excessive blood rush**maybe with a little peer pressure...*

- It’s an unspoken rule that MC is the designated comforter. Whenever zone of the boys are feeling stressed or under the weather, they’ll just latch on and soak in MC’s affection. If the third person comes in, MC will hold out an arm to welcome them; It’s very rare that this doesn’t end with all of them nodding off in a cozy pile.

- Once they’re all comfortable enough, group baths become a thing. Vil brings in his favorite shampoos and conditioner, along with sweet smelling bath oils and plushy towels. Mal loves it when MC uses their nails to gently scratch his scalp while working the shampoo into his Raven locks, particularly around the base of his horns. They all secretly enjoy pressing their cheeks to the others warm, damp shoulders...It’s just a really sweet past time.

That’s all I have for now. Feel free to add on more headcanons if y’all like!

#dear god #i wrote this #i think i got a cavity from exposing myself to this sweetness #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland mc #twisted wonderland headcanons #vil x malleus #malleus draconia #vil schoenheit #disney twisted wonderland

[brynwrites]

Last week I posted about @byjillianmaria’s new book, The Songbird’s Refrain. 

Click the link or read below!

Last Tuesday was the book birthday of Jillian Maria’s debut, the stunning supernatural suspense The Songbird’s Refrain!

I had the privilege of reading this story while it was still in its earlier beta stages, and it’s been a joy to watch it grow from a not-so-shitty rough draft to an absolute piece of art.

So if you’re looking for an awesome, creepy YA with some good old fashion gal pals growing magical life-stealing feathers, you’re in for a treat!

PURCHASE THE SONGBIRD’S REFRAIN

ADD THE SONGBIRD’S REFRAIN ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a mysterious show arrives in town, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Brighton is both intrigued and unsettled. But none of the acts capture her attention quite like the blue-eyed woman. Locked in a birdcage and covered in feathers, the anguish in her voice sounds just a little too real to be an act—because it isn’t. The show’s owner, a sadistic witch known only as the Mistress, is holding her captive.

And she’s chosen Elizabeth as her next victim.

After watching the blue-eyed woman die, Elizabeth is placed under the same curse. She clings to what little hope she can find in the words of a fortune teller and in her own strange dreams. The more she learns, the more she suspects that the Mistress isn’t as invulnerable as she appears. But time is against her, and every feather that sprouts brings her closer to meeting the blue-eyed woman’s fate. Can Elizabeth unlock the secret to flying free, or will the Mistress’s curse kill her and cage its next victim?

MY PERSONAL REVIEW

This book is a blast, with a hint of creepy, a dose of suspense, and a nice dollop of fluffy wlw.

Despite nearly the entire story taking place in the same basic location, the plot never feels slow or aimless. The mystery is engaging, constantly pulling the reader forward with new hints. The MC goes through a wonderful character arc and is very easy to root for, the villain is just as easy to love to hate, and all the side characters have interesting personalities and impact the plot. The prose is generally simplistic, with some minor disruptions like repeated words, but holds great, impactful lines as well.

Overall, a wonderful fall read, with a heavy focus on healthy relationships, believing in one’s self, and choosing love.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Jillian was awesome enough to answer a few questions for me…

Where did you first get the idea or inspiration for this novel?

The earliest version of this novel was actually a fanfiction! But it’s changed a lot since then–the entire bird/feather motif didn’t exist, there were a lot more characters who didn’t really contribute anything, the love stories were less fleshed out. I think the biggest changes happened from around the 70% mark onward, but everything’s changed a little bit.

Where and when do you typically write? Do you have any pre-writing exercises or habits that help you get into the mood?

I tend to write after dinner, but lately I’ve been sneaking in more writing on my lunch break, too. I don’t really have any habits or exercises, but I do tend to schedule my day in advance, so I always know exactly when I’m writing. Generally I dedicate the 7:30-8:30 block to writing, although sometimes it gets moved around. And on weekends, I’ll schedule more writing time.

Who was your favorite side character to write in The Songbird’s Refrain?

It’s really hard to pick a favorite! They were all super fun in their own way. Maybe Violet, though. She probably had the easiest voice out all of them to write, and required very little editing. Just deleting an f-word here and there when she decided she needed to use three in one sentence.

If you had to set The Songbird’s Refrain in a popular alternate universe (like the world of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Hunger Games, etc), which would you choose and how would your characters fit in there?

Oh, gosh, what a great question! I definitely know my character’s Hogwarts Houses, so… let’s go with that. Elizabeth is a tiny shy hufflepuff with a crush on the cute Ravenclaw girl who is always reading romance novels and doting on her cat, but doesn’t get the courage to talk to her until a mysterious threat arrives, wearing a dark mark and a red dress… I don’t know, something like that!

What’s something (or multiple somethings) you wish you’d known about writing before you’d started The Songbird’s Refrain?

You’re going to wind up changing lots of things during the drafting process, so don’t worry so much about sentence structure until you’re relatively certain you’re going to keep that chapter the way that it is! Seriously, I could have saved so much time..

Do you have a new project you’re working on now that The Songbird’s Refrain is approaching publication?

There is, but I’m not sure if I’m going to publish it under the Jillian Maria name, so I’m keeping it a secret 😉 But my next big Jillian Maria project is going to be another f/f YA novel about two girls hunting treasure in a small town forest! Technically this is a second draft, but I’m changing some pretty major plot elements and it’s got me really excited. I’ve got it outlined and about one-and-a-half chapters properly drafted right now, and am hoping it’ll be ready for its first round of beta readers after that!

What are you most proud of in regards to The Songbird’s Refrain, whether that be a skill you picked up while writing it or a scene you didn’t think you could conquer, etc?

I think that the themes of the book are really solid. I’m really proud of how everything sort of ties together in the end, because that’s something I really admire in other writers but always have a hard time replicating. It took several drafts, but I think it got there! Also, Chapter 28 always makes me cry. I think that’s a pretty big accomplishment.

While The Songbird’s Refrain is an amazing book, there’s always more to be learned as a writer! Is there something you’re working on improving in your writing right now?

Pacing is always a struggle of mine, so that’s something I think I’ll be working on indefinitely, from now until the end of time. I’d also like to make my writing process a little shorter–it took many, many drafts to get The Songbird’s Refrain to where it is now, and I’d like to improve as a writer so that I can get more polished drafts on the first or second try.

Can we get a picture of you and your writing buddy Sadie? 🙂

Of course! As you can see, she is very helpful.

Jillian Maria enjoys tea, pretty dresses, and ripping out pieces of herself to put in her novels. She writes the books she wants to read, prominently featuring women who are like her in some way or another. A great lover of horror, thriller and mystery novels, most of her stories have some of her own fears lurking in the margins. When she isn’t willing imaginary people into existence, she’s pursuing a career in public relations and content marketing. A Michigan native, Jillian spends what little free time she has hanging out with her friends, reading too much, singing along to musical numbers, and doting on her cat.

You can find her on goodreads and her website.

#the songbird's refrain #new books #ya fantasy #Book Recommendations #author interview #book review

[relevy]

Hey y'all it's been awhile and most of the people on my old taglist are dead have ghosted. Comment on this post if you would like to be tagged on anything related to these wips (and which wips you would like to be tagged in)

The Hawthorn Throne/The Bear King

The myth of King Arthur re-imagined as Historical Fantasy told through four unexpected points of view. First, in The Hawthorn Throne, Riona a bi (same & other) poly woman who has lived most of her life as a social outcast because of her unnatural healing/divination abilities. Also in THT, Aidan: A non-binary Druid who is on the run from their past on a virtual treadmill. What’s else in it? The slowest of slowburn romances, wlw, ace characters, aro characters, characters of color, Jewish characters, disabled characters, plague, etc. Second, in The Bear King, we are told the story via Mordred (the conventional antagonist of Arthuriana, twist!) and Ghada (a woman from Aksum - now Ethiopia- who becomes a knight). What else is included? Gay characters, ace characters, disabled characters, characters of color, healthy relationships, Saxon Berserkers, etc.  Adult.

The Book of Enosh

Not a whole lot being done on this one atm BUT, another historical fantasy about North America during the ice age. Enosh has just been made chief of his tribe when a wasting disease takes most of the herd they rely on for food throughout the harshest parts of winter. He must lead his tribe south to new food sources and in the meantime suss out the mystery of his delivery via owl to his parents and confront the wolf god that killed his best friend. Features a trans MC and a disabled character as a love-interest. Adult.

Otherworld

Again not a whole lot going on with this right now. THT/TBK are kind of dominating my time. Anyways. Zoe is shipped off to an uncle she’s never met when her Mom’s ovarian cancer hospitalizes her. Cesar, Zoe’s Uncle, is a proffessor of Literature at a small college in a rural town and beyond a shared love of books and Judaism the two newfound relatives struggle to connect with one another. When Zoe is lured into The Otherworld by a tricksy Pooka she must not only confront the demons of her trauma, anxiet, and depression, but the literal monsters of the world of folklore. Middle-Reader.

This is not a Space Western

Hey Rachel, how about you write something fun? Ok. Fine. Here’s a currently untitled WIP that has nothing but the barest of plots, an aesthetic, and a playlist. What is it going to be? Imagine if Han Solo were a lesbian (who makes the galaxy’s best Moonshine) forever in love with a bad ass bi woman named “big boss” who runs a casino. The two are reunited under dubious circumstances and I won’t spoil the rest but it’s going to be great and fun and NOT SAD OK. SHEESH. Adult.

#writeblr #writing #writeblr community #writing wip #relevy writes

[thearcanaheadcannons]

Mc polyromances!

Asra x mc x julian:

Pretty dang frisky tbh. Lots of teasing, and probably a fair amount of squabbling between Asra and Ilya that MC will need to stop. Julian would be very romantic, constantly trying to woo MC and Asra. Asra more often than naught blocks these attempts by saying something that would flusture both Julian and MC, and would usually lead to a more intimate scenario. Asra would be very relaxed most of the time, feeling very comfortable with MC and Julian. Bedroom times would be very spicey, of course. Asra and MC would probably both end up teasing and dominating julian, or, when MC is the submissive one, Asra will dominate both partners. There would be a lot of pillows talk, and sweet nothings said during this time.

Asra x mc x muriel:

TOnS oF CuTenEss. Super sweet, lots of cuddling and many "I love you"'s going on for sure. Pretty slow going, but very supportive and just all around adorable! There would be very little conversation, all three of you quite content with each others company. But when talking did happen, it would be a lot of hopeful wishes for the future, and jokes shared. Bedroom scenarios would definitely vary depending on the situations, but Asra and/or mc would probably lead the way. Muriel would be a bit too nervous. Occasionally, asra would be perfectly happy just watching the other two, and then the next time they would end up pampering Asra.

Asra x mc x nadia:

MC would be teased constantly, Asra and Nadia would team up to make MC as embarrassed as possible (never going too far to make MC uncomfortable though). Also very caring, lots of deeply sentimental and emotional conversations late at night. There would be a lot of cuddling, but it is almost never innocent. Nadia and Asra will almost constantly have suggestive undertones, that aren't exactly subtle. Often times, onlookers will become flustered just watching you three send gazes at each other. No one ever seems to mind. In the bedroom, it gets very hot, literally. Or sometimes very cold. A lot of magic will be used, and heavily encouraged by each other, Spicing up the situations dramatically.

Asra x mc x lucio:

Oof, doubtful that this would be healthy (sorry lucio fans!). There would most likely be a fair amount of fighting between Asra and lucio, mostly about mc. In the bedroom, it wouldn't so much be loving as it would be them trying to prove they were the best lover. So that would definitely be pretty exciting. Lots of possessiveness happening, but in a way that mc probably wouldn't mind.

Asra x mc x portia:

Magic adventures! Tons of them! Asra and Mc's magical talents clearly lead to magical things, and with portias love of adventure and fascination with magic, magical adventures are a given! Very cute as well, lots of flirty teasing and compliments, and a decent amount of red faces. Bedroom scenes would probably be lots of soft touchings and holding back for the first while, then it would probably get pretty exciting and more erm, energetic.

Julian x mc x muriel:

This one would have a rough start for sure, probably very awkward. Eventually, MC would find a way to smooth everything out, and it would become very cute. MC would probably need to lead the way with this relationship, while Julian and muriel follow happily. Not a ton of cuddling, would probably steer towards chaste kisses and stolen touches. In the bedroom, it would be different every time. Muriel would probably be a bit more rough with Julian, and a lot gentler with MC, while Julian would do his best to please both.

Julian x mc x Nadia:

Lots of fliratuous remarks, definitely lots of teasing as well. There would be plenty of late nights staring at the stars and getting into deep conversations or really silly ones. Lot's of games, and other entertaining activities. Bedroom scenes would be very fun, each person would probably switch from being dominant and submissive at different times.

Julian x mc x lucio:

whOo boy, very spicy and exciting, definitely very kinky. There would be very few moments of sentimental talk, most of it would be implied. There would never be a dull moment, in fact it would probably get pretty exhausting. Julian would always be getting the three of you into trouble, and lucio would always cause the three of you trouble. Expect many fight scenes, mostly in bars in other countries tbh.

Nadia x mc x muriel:

Unexpectedly, there would be a lot of conversation. The three of you would get into conversations that would last for hours, usually about theories and such. There would be times where one would create a conspiracy theory as a joke, and then it would be taken to a more serious level and you all would try to find a way it could be true. Bedroom times would be very slow-burning, and passionate, muriel may even possibly lead from time to time.

Nadia x mc x lucio:

Nadia and lucio would probably make quite a few snide, sarcastic jabs at eachother, but mc would keep the two civil with each other. Lots of garden walks, elaborate vacations, and MC would be spoiled rotten. Every event would be very fancy, Nadia and lucio would want to show MC off. Bedroom times would be super spicy and kinky, nadia and lucio would definitely take there time and tease MC. Nadia would make sure things didn't go too far, Lucio would probably try to take things too far. But, both would be very doting and loving towards MC, and to a lesser extent, eachother.

Nadia x mc x portia:

Tons of touching, cuddling, kissing, very physical and cute. Pretty public as well, but in a way that makes any onlookers go "awe, cute." Even if it is a little more than cute. Lots of light, happy conversations, that occasionally hint at deeper things, but no one aside from you three would understand. Anytime one gets overwhelmed, you three would "vanish." Not really. The three of you would actually just find some nice comfy secluded spot to take a breather and relax for a moment, sometimes by talking, cuddling, even just silently enjoying each others company, and of course the occasional spicy moment if the day calls for it. Bedroom times would be very loving, lots of teasing, the occasional giggle, and pretty extreme at times. Occasionally, it would last for up to two whole days.

Muriel x mc x lucio:

Another difficult one. Very rough, very kinky for sure. Lucio would be very proud of Muriel and MC, and constantly brag about you two, effectively embarrassing both of you. Muriel would be very reserved and quiet, very rarely speaking. In the bedroom, it would get pretty intense, MC would definitely have to keep lucio under control and somewhat contained. The three would eventually find a balance, and it would be smooth sailings from there, relatively speaking.

Muriel x mc x portia:

Super cute, Muriel would happily go along with portia and MC wherever and whenever. There would be many late night, moon lit excursions that portia would convince you all to go on, and Muriel would end up suggesting a place that he really enjoys going to. "The Animal Befrienders" would be this trio's name, because no matter where you three go, you always end up making friends with animals that you find or that find you. Bedroom scenes would be very interesting, to say the least. At first, there would be alot of confusion as you all tried to figure it out, but eventually you all would relax and just go with the flow. Muriel would actually probably end up leading eventually, with a lot of encouragement and coaxing from MC and Portia.

Portia x mc x lucio:

Lucio would be very very very flirtatious. At times, it would be almost uncomfortable, but portia would quickly shut it down if it got to that point. This trio would be very interesting, any onlookers would be fairly bewildered and confused at the sight. Lucio would not be aloud to take you two to any extravagant thing, or give either of you any super expensive gaudy accessories. Portia and MC would be very... Humbling for lucio. He would learn that he doesn't need to spend a ton of money, or have all the attention on him to be happy. There would be a lot of simple and cute adventures they would go on, portia would show the two of you all the hidden passage ways she knew about, surprising even lucio. Bedroom times would be very slow, hesitant at the start, but once the boundries are learnt, things would heat up very quickly.

Note:

So this one is super long, sorry haha! There are a few crack ships for sure, but I wanted to include every combination so no one would be left out! (Except Julian x mc x Portia cause that's kiiinda incest and I ain't about that) I clearly got carried away with some of them; originally each poly was going to be described using only one word! All the poly's involving lucio are either after his redemption arc, or an au where he isn't totally, ya know, evil I guess. I am down to write drabbles or short fics about any of these groups if any of you guys want to request them!

#the arcana lucio #the arcana julian #the arcana nadia #the arcana asra #the arcana #muriel #asra x apprentice #asra route #asra the magician #nadia x mc #nadia x apprentice #nadia route #portia route #portia x mc #portia devorak #julian devorak #count lucio #lucio #asra #mc #headcannons #headcannon #cute

[heartofsnark]

The Bidder’s Cum (Headcanons)

Note: Some friends and I on discord have talked about this, but I wanted to do a bit more research and make an official headcanon post. Also, I wrote this and searched for it while sitting next to my mom, so please appreciate how awkward that was for me.

Eisuke, our resident pancake man, you know what makes cum taste good; sugar. He also likes sweet fruits, like strawberries, which is healthy natural sugar. However, caffeine can make it a bit more bitter and a more concentrated flavor. That being said, I still feel it would balance out to him having cum on the sweet side since lets be honest he likes sugar milk more than coffee. He manages to be short of sickly sweet most of the time. On days he’s going on a particularly strong sugar benders, it’s like swallowing melted sugar. He’s mostly healthy, so his cum is fairly normal in terms of thickness and whiteness. Gets a bit thinner as he’s with his mc, as he’s cumming more often.

Soryu, not sweet but not bad. He eats extremely healthy which is good, but I imagine it’s also protein(egg) and vegetable heavy over fruits, which adds more bitter and salty undertones. I also imagine it’s thick and has a kind of strong smell, nothing unbearable but proteins tend to do that. It’s also thick because, well, he doesn’t cum a lot at the start of his story, so lots of build up. It lessens a bit once he’s having sex regularly with his mc, but he also just naturally has kind of thick cum and has large loads.  

Baba, maybe it’s just him being a bartender but he seems to socially drink a fair amount, more so than a lot of the other bidders it seems. Alcohol is not great for the cum taste. He also eats a fairly balanced diet, cause he cooks for himself, with some preference for indulgent food. I imagine he likes lots of seasoning and herbs, not sure why but I do, which usually means his cum is alright as long as he’s not in a garlic kick. Overall, I feel like his cum balances out to be pretty normal, definitely more of a salty taste, bit more bitter when he’s been drinking. Not particularly thick, but not thin either.

Ota, I think it was said in a special story that Ota is a fan of French food, which according to a brief google search is dairy heavy. Not great for the cum. Leaves a more musky smell and bitter taste. I’m also gonna say it’s on the thinner more watery side, not because he’s necessarily cumming a lot, but because he goes with eating a lot when he’s caught up in his art. I also don’t imagine he cums a lot, like his loads aren’t huge or thick. Unless he’s been pent up a lot or has gone a while, a tissue or two is probably enough to clean up after one round on his part

Mamoru, my absolute love, holy shit his cum would be disgusting. You know what really fucks with the taste of cum? Cigarettes. Our chain smoking old man would have such bitter salty cum. It would smell strong as well, musky strong smell and he cums a lot of it. His cum is definitely thick as well. He leaves his partner an absolute mess after any session. RIP his MC the first time she blows him, for her sake someone better slip him some pineapple. Please.

Rhion, his diet I imagine is a bit inconsistent. Most of the foods at his wonderland tea parties are sweet in nature, but he does like shepherd’s pie and can be persuaded to eat certain vegetables. I feel like his cum would be the most of a wildcard, sometimes its more sweet and other times it’s a bit saltier. I can’t bring myself to ever say it’s gross though, cause I refuse to call anything about this boy gross. The consistency might be a bit more, well consistent, usually pretty average in terms of thickness. His loads are a little on the larger side and he has some, uh, distance as well. He’s one of those guy’s who can cum and some will manage to make it all the way across the room.

Luke, did he just cum or did someone splash MC with water? I joke, I joke, But, given his diet, I can’t see his cum being much of anything at first. He just does the bare minimum of taking vitamins and drinking tea to survive at first. So, I’d say at first his cum is very thin and watery, not much taste, maybe just a slight almost synthetic chemically taste (from the vitamins). Once, he’s slowly starting to eat more it will get a bit thicker and get more noticeable flavor. In a substory he is shown to like pineapples and pineapple juice, which would make his cum really sweet when he’s doing that.

Shuichi, he likes super strong coffee which is not good for the taste of his cum. He likely has a really balanced rigorous diet, given his tendency to like things in order and organized. Plus, his health is likely important to him to a certain degree, if only for his political career. Consistency wise, his cum is on the thicker side and his loads are fairly large. Definite noticeable smell and bitter under taste, but nothing unbearable. While he isn’t to the point of having sweet cum, he’s on the less severe scale, I’d say more bitter than Baba’s or Soryu’s, but he’s not pushing into gross territory like a certain someone.

Hikaru, I don’t know much about in terms of his diet. I haven’t read him yet, but I’d feel mean if he was the only one left out. He doesn’t like milk which is good, since dairy is bad for cum tastes. I imagine he eats relatively healthy, given he’s an assassin, like you should probably be in decent shape. So, might be a cop out because I know the least about him, but I’d say his cum is pretty average. If he eats healthy vegetables and drinks espresso’s like Shuichi (which I think he does, but I don’t actually know), that would add some saltier and bitter tones, but if he avoids milk it might cut down on some of that. So, I’ll say he balances out well.

#kbtbb #kissed by the baddest bidder #eisuke ichinomiya #Soryu Oh #mitsunari baba #ota kisaki #mamoru kishi #rhion hatter #luke foster #shuichi hishikura #hikaru aihara