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utilitycaster · 6 months

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Wizard Breakdown Tracker: Echoes of the Solstice

You know it, you love it, it may return on an as-needed basis for Campaign 3 now that Allura has entered the narrative and we know the fate of Caleb, but no promises: it's the Wizard Breakdown Tracker! As a reminder, I now include PCs because I make the rules; wizard NPCs are included on the very scientific basis of "do I have something I think is kind of funny or meaningful to say" so as always, if I left someone off, it was on purpose specifically to annoy you.

Astrid Becke: well her boss is missing, Caleb has expressed concerns in private to Beau about all of the Assembly, apparently the king is bedridden and has been for some time, and I suspect news of unsealed things being unsealed gets to her quickly; even if she isn't aware of the events in Blumenthal yet, she's about to be. Also, it's the apogee solstice. 8/10; ever the opportunist, it is a good time for her to try to become head of the Assembly, but also shit's gone real sideways.

Eadwulf Grieve: lost his title of hottest mage (men's division) to one Fjord Stone during the last Nicodranas County Fair and has been sulking ever since but more importantly the temple of the Raven Queen is doing Not Great Bob as of like an hour ago so a rare Eadwulf stress moment. 7/10.

Planerider Ryn: just lost her arm...but is unaware of it, so that's probably helping. technically cannot be calculated because she is a rock but spiritually like an 8/10 and that's only because she is remarkably unflappable; she just witnessed the Malleus Key and that should drive anyone up to a 10.

Allura Vysoren: has absolutely sensed a disturbance in the force weave and I'm sure Kima's feeling some bad vibes from Bahamut right now, but rather like Ryn she actually has some degree of sangfroid, a concept unheard of in the entire continent of Wildemount. 6/10.

Yussa Errenis: have you ever dealt with like, an ER Nurse, and unless something is actually exploding or someone is actually bleeding out they're like "yeah it be like that sometimes"? After you've been sucked into the Cognouza Hivemind while trying to do your silly little arcane investigations nothing short of the Calamity will ruffle you. He's an elf; he knows this solstice is wonky but also he knows this is Someone Else's Problem. Also Jester's left him alone for a whole 24 hours? Incredible. 2/10 and that's really just because he's still a little cranky about the disappearance of his blast scepter. As always: never change, king.

Prism Grimpoppy: by my calculations she's discovering that she's actually fucking incredible in combat right now. 0/10, she's doing GREAT.

Pumat Sol and sure, fuck it, Oremid Hass: I suspect the Zadash Wizard Contingent is dealing with some wild unsealed shit from the time of the Julous Dominion and they can't get in touch with anyone in the capital, but it's probably manageable. 4/10. On edge but not too bad.

Ludinus Da'leth: oh did your little plan to unleash the god-eater go a touch sideways? were you unprepared for the possibility of fucking all of magic? did you think it was going to be easy? did level 9 "Fuck Up Airship" and level 8 "Shield Against Werewolf" fail to save your bitch ass? As we've seen, he'll scramble and recover, unfortunately, but it's a well-deserved 9/10 right now. I love to see a plan fall apart.

Trent Ikithon: OH this motherfucker has LOST IT in prison. Like...he was able to put together a pretty elaborate situation, to be clear, but also he's gone bugfuck nuts and does not really improve. I think he's already broken down from the start having clearly been planning this exact scenario from the moment of his imprisonment honestly given that he appears to be going off of the frissons he picked up from Caleb and Essek shortly before he was captured, but regardless: he definitely ends it at a 10/10. Stuck in an egg for eternity, if he's even still a separate entity from Omentis. A well-deserved fate if ever there was one. Get fucked lol.

Veth Brenatto: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha 10/10 you know she watched Luc leap through the teleportation circle as it closed and has been shrieking loud enough to be heard at the Chateau.

Luc Brenatto: the arrogance and naivete of youth insulate him initially, but Aggy's demise probably spikes it to a solid 6 minimum and it's definitely 9 during the battle. It goes back down pretty quickly though; see Caleb's entry.

Caleb Widogast: he keeps it together pretty well, honestly! Still I have to imagine he's kind of at a 7 or so this entire time with occasional spikes to 9 (NEIN) throughout, and I wouldn't fault him for finishing up the Blumenthal Brunch and then quietly locking himself in a soundproof tower room to scream, cry, and throw up for a while. Indeed, I would encourage it; Caleb should go have a good cry and hug a magic cat for a couple hours until he feels better, and then come back down to find that everyone except the clerics but DEFINITELY including Luc has implemented Spontaneous Apogee Solstice Oktoberfest to celebrate the demise of Trent, the engagement of Fjord and Jester, and the general experience of being alive, and is varying degrees of extremely wasted. This will of course bring him back up to like 7 as he realizes he has to return a hungover teenager to Veth and then goes down to a 4 or so when he realizes the clerics can fix that and Veth will probably be so glad that Luc is alive she'll ignore the rest of it.

Essek Thelyss: Our international drow of mystery looms large in the narrative, but does not make an appearance, which makes this premise extremely funny. I assume he's feeling kind of rough given that the Dynasty wizards are well-attuned to leylines and I would imagine he picks up that Sending isn't working and was broadly aware Caleb was going into danger, so he's certainly stressed, but Trent doesn't actually seem to know Where in Exandria is Essek Thelyss and is merely threatening blackmail. Honestly while we're at it, we don't know where Essek is because I wouldn't put it past Mr. Geometer Owner to have been at a solstice nexus and to have possibly experienced his own Solstice Shunting. In fact I assume Essek is blissfully unaware of these specific goings on re: Trent and is just experiencing The Anxiety for all of the previous reasons. (1d6+3)/10.

Known Gem Wizard Hotsauce Lutefisk: Hmmm. Things becoming unsealed, you say? The uninvited guest list (The Real Gelidon, Isharnai) for The TusktoothStone-Lavorre wedding may have gained an extra entry.

#i'm gelidon i'm the real gelidon and all the other gelidons are just shapechanging #critical role #critical role spoilers #wizard breakdown tracker #mighty nein #echoes of the solstice

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ao3commentoftheday · 5 months

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Asking the hivemind for some advice here: I have this fic. It was for an exchange fest like over two years ago and I never finished it and have felt kinda shitty about it ever since. The problem is that I hit a huge wall and I have absolutely no idea what happens next. I like what I've written, and I have some Vague Thoughts about how it should end but I'm not thrilled about them, and I have no clue how to get it from where I stopped to where it could end. I've tried writing out of order, I've tried thinking about what *doesn't* happen, I've tried all kinds of advice from answers on AO3COTD and elsewhere to get my write on and nothing is working.

I guess my question is, should I post it anyway? Throw myself upon the mercy of the fandom? Solicit ideas from readers (if it even gets any)? I really would like to finish the thing someday, but I don't know how. I'm pretty much the world's slowest writer on a good day, and this fic has me stuck hard.

Thank you for this blog and all the time and words you give to us here <3

Oof. That's a rough spot, anon, and I've definitely been there before.

When you're that stuck on a fic, you have a few options:

Stop writing it. This one wasn't meant to be, and that's okay. Take what you can from it to bring to the next fic, and let it rest.

Look at your initial premise - not what you've written, but rather the setup for the story itself. What would be a good payoff for that particular setup? There could be a dozen different answers. Pick one that works with what you've already written and edit what you need to before progressing to the end.

Take what you've already written, and instead of making it longer make it shorter. There might be a really good oneshot or shorter fic in the midst of however many chapters you've got. Dig the diamond out of the rough and let it shine.

I also like your idea of crowdsourcing it from your fandom. I've done that for beginnings before, but I don't think I've tried it for endings. I think that could be a really cool way to solve your problem.

I know how shitty it feels when you've planned to give someone a gift and you just can't manage it. Since it's been so long, I'm guessing it's not really expected anymore, though. Sometimes we need to forgive ourselves for the things we wanted to do and just couldn't get done. Especially considering the world as it is - and as it was over two years ago.

Well, blog? What do you think? Have you got some ways for anon to move forward?

This post is also on Dreamwidth over here.

#asks and answers

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ordinarymothman · 1 year

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somebody wanted me to make my own color theory post so here it is:

every guide to "color theory" i've ever been able to find is just this information and nothing further. just different presentations of these few types of combinations, sometimes with a little evopsych sprinkled in. at this point they really shouldn't be calling it a "theory." that implies there's a systemic logic going on, and if that were the case surely there would be some explanation beyond "vibes dude, trust me". (those color sets don't even look particularly Nice relative to other possibilities despite covering most possible combinations. there's certainly no way to prove any of it anyway.)

feels like some art school hivemind intent on believing that there's some complicated genius behind choosing colors, some whole topic of study to learn, when really there's just... colors and people who think that their opinions on colors are scientific. what really gets me is that it's presented as an essential topic to learn in order to make Good Art™. but, well, you really can't learn it all because most of it is vague implications with no substance, so everyone's a fake artist in the end by that metric.

so if you see these things around all the time surrounded by cryptic hints that there's "so much more scientific stuff" behind it and it's starting to make you feel like you're living in a simulation and starting to butt up against the edge of the world building, don't worry. it's not really important. it's just cultural associations and personal opinions (with a little pseudoscience) loosely assembled into mildly helpful guidelines. so go make art your own way, use or don't use whatever guidelines you find helpful. and try not to get discouraged by weird art school premises that don't actually have any "theory" backing them up anyway

#not even important just a pet peeve #i am forced to have opinions on this for professional reasons #but in professional settings im not allowed to be honest

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femmefatalevibe · 11 months

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Do you have tips on how to be emotionally mature?

Remember that everyone is ultimately out for themselves. They don't think about you and your choices as much as you think they do. Make taking care of yourself and advocating for yourself your #1 priority. While you should be respectful and show empathy for others' circumstances, your life is meant to be lived for you.

Don't take people's comments or actions personally. Almost none of their responses are a reflection of you or your character. Most people's actions are a reflection of how they see themselves. When people reveal their true colors, believe them. Proceed with this information in mind – whether it's a friendship, professional opportunity, romantic endeavor, familial tie, etc.

Set boundaries and non-negotiables for yourself. Don't overextend yourself to seek approval or validation as a means of dictating your self-worth or value to others. Learn to trust your gut instincts, and remain mindful of your energetic limitations. "No" is a complete sentence. It is not selfish to stick to your non-negotiable habits (bedtime, workout schedule, etc.) – these practices are a sign of self-respect and self-love. Speak your mind (with tact) and stand your ground. You owe it to yourself to live the life that you want.

Know that the only constant in life is change. People and opportunities will come and go with age. Enjoy the moments and experiences you get to enjoy with others or alone. Relationships are meant to last for a season, a reason, or a lifetime. Not every impactful connection is meant to last a lifetime, but you shouldn't invalidate the lasting impact of certain temporary connections – they most definitely can change your life.

Remain selective about those you allow into your life and the company you keep. Embrace the quality over quantity approach when it comes to choosing the individuals who deserve to be in your inner circle. Don't disclose information you wouldn't want in writing to those who have yet to earn your trust. Cut ties unapologetically with people who choose to tear you down or disrespect you. You win in life when everyone you're close to is supportive and committed to cheering each other on in all of their life goals/milestones.

Learn to accept and explore discomfort. Growth requires change, and a side effect of change is discomfort. Accept that the circumstances are presenting you with an opportunity in life to level up. Breathe and take things one step at a time. Sometimes, you don't need to know the big-picture meaning of the conversation or task in front of you. Focus on what's in front of you – using good judgment and critical thinking skills – and figure the rest out later.

Set your future self up to win. Eat a healthy diet, move your body, save and invest, read books, build your professional and social networks, and upskill professionally and interpersonally, go to the doctors annually (all the major ones – primary care, dentist, gyno, dermatologist) or whenever an issue presents itself to nip it in the bud early.

Remain curious. Don't act on baseless assumptions. Ask someone about the intention or emotions behind their actions before creating a conflict or making accusations. Accept wishful thinking for what it is – especially when it comes to romance and professional endeavors. A job offer doesn't exist until it's signed and sealed in writing. Relationships come with exclusivity, clear and regular communication, and no issues with public knowledge or a title.

Reframe mistakes and failures as life lessons. These opportunities inspire self-reflection, performance evaluation, and introspection. Use these experiences to help you map out your next moves and strategize your actions toward success.

Creating life milestone timelines is useless. We all have our own history, circumstances, goals, and personalities. Individuals born in each given year are not a hivemind. Don't compare your journey to others. We are all on our own paths with different significant milestones at different points in our lives.

Embrace your desires. Indulge your adult self and inner child. Explore the pleasure of getting to know yourself – your likes, dislikes, values, preferences, and turn-ons/turnoffs in every area of life. Allow yourself the time, space, energy, and resources you need to satisfy your authentic self. Don't compromise your identity for the approval or praise of others. Learn what you want and be unapologetic for satisfying your own needs. Discover, experiment, play, test, learn, and re-evaluate as needed. Gamifying your life helps free you of societal expectations of what it means to be a certain age, gender, or personality based on your nationality, profession, sexuality, socioeconomic status, etc.

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ofallthingsnasty · 8 hours

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Remember basement wife taking care of a litter of kittens? I just had a thought of what would happen if the little babies started hissing whenever Crocodile is near

Since newborns can’t see or hear and can only rely on their noses, they definitely smell him when he’s nearby (bro’s constantly smoking so it’s hard not to notice his smell bleh) And since he does not smell like “mother” he gets a bunch of toothless hiss and spits…very scary

Imagine a little pile of baby beans hissing at him like squeaky toys

post referenced

Oh my god, that's so cute, I love those 'from feral to cuddly kitten' videos, the little hisses... My heart...

Oh goodness, they may not be able to see but they sure as hell recognize him. Booming steps that make the floor shake and that sharp smell of cigars - it's just too much for sensitive little kitten noses. Stinky's presence is oppressive and he takes mom away, takes those gentle, warm hands and food with him whenever he comes. Of course they don't like him. Your smell changes, too, whenever he's around - they can tell you're just as scared of him as they are, suddenly sweating, those comforting hands getting clammy, acrid with nervosity. Instinct and mom are telling them to be scared of Stinky, so that's what they are; with all the ferocity 100 grams of fur can afford. And trust me, the moment they open their eyes and put a face to that terrifying thing they hate him even more - they're just so small and he's a giant, a stinky, stinky giant.

Crocodile barely notices it at first - and when he does, he can't really find himself to care. They take you away from him, that's what bothers him in that moment, that you have to pour all of your attention into tiny, ungrateful creatures. But he agreed to this, allowed you this little piece of freedoom; so he just scoffs and curls his lip at that hivemind of fur that has decided to see him as the enemy. The moment they get more agile, wander off (and into his space, sometimes), is the moment that changes. When there is suddenly an angry kitten screaming at him from under his desk, he finds that he's actually lethally annoyed by these thankless scrubs that hog his wife and can't even shut up for a moment. It's some sort of anti-symbosis from that moment on - with the kittens hating his guts (big, scary, smelly man who mom fears is the number one threat in their lives) and him narrowing his eyes at the little shits that are marginally larger than dustbunnies and like to pee on his shoes. He never touches them, would never take out his anger on them - not when he has you, when he can simply spank your ass bloody over not watching your spawn closely enough to keep them from ruining yet another good piece of leather. But it's nothing a fresh cigar and his trembling wife over his knee can't fix.

#still. the kittens are gone the moment they are old enough to be adopted out #maybe he lets you keep one. the calmest one #aaaa the thought of kittens hissing at him... i can't... so cute 😭💕#thank you for this 💕💕#/one piece #/crocodile #fem reader

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olivia-anderson-fanfic · 2 months

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Dancing 'til the break of dawn - Pt1

(TWST zombie apocalypse au for all your crack-fic needs)

Yuu would like to make one thing very clear: he did not start the zombie apocalypse on purpose.

In fact, he would like to argue that it – probably – would have started even without his help! Yeah, so he might have accidentally fed and housed a zombie cat because he had mistaken it for a very unfortunate stray on its last legs, and the zombie cat had bitten his parents, turning them into zombies, which kickstarted the apocalypse… but how did that zombie cat come to be? Hm? Hm?

The apocalypse was inevitable! He swears!

But, uh… he would admit that maybe taking in Grim was not the brightest decision he had ever made.

Or maybe it was an amazing plan. He hadn’t yet been attacked by a zombie. He was pretty sure that the zombies were a hivemind of sorts, and since he was nice to Grim they were all cool with him… or something. Maybe he was just uniquely disgusting to the point where no one wanted to eat him. Which was a weirdly insulting thought to have, so he preferred to believe that Grim was doing him a heck of a solid.

Which had its own problems. Had he accidentally sacrificed the entire human race for the sake of saving his own skin? Because that would be, at least, the tiniest, littlest bit messed up, he thought.

He rubbed his weird zombie cat’s head. Grim was a strange looking thing, with green skin and a face that was visibly on the verge of rotting. However, Grim was still a cat, Yuu was pretty sure, and therefore he deserved all of the love. He opened his arms, smiling when Grim readily hopped into them for the sake of pets. The texture was close to that of a hairless cat, save for a tiny patch of moss on the end of its tail, which looked soft, but Yuu had no intentions of touching it. Not right now, at least. Maybe if this zombie apocalypse survival stuff got too hard he would give in to temptation despite the very high likelihood that it could end in him getting infected.

Maybe tomorrow would be the day, he mused absently. After all, he was running low on supplies. He’d need to leave the safety of this random apartment and find a convenience store or something of that nature sometime soon, otherwise he’d starve to death.

But he didn’t wanna. Do you know how hard it is to find a store that hasn’t already been ransacked? Would you want to have to evade groups of humans who had taken to cannibalism way too quickly? Do you think it’s easy to explain to people that, actually, the zombie cat isn’t parasitic and lying in wait until it can kill you? How good would you be at ignoring the screams of people being eaten by zombies? Like, really, his life was so awful. You would think it was karma or something! He would like to reiterate that he does not deserve this! The zombie apocalypse was not his fault!

He groaned and flopped down in bed with Grim, burying his face in a pillow. It smelled off, slightly dingy, but he wasn’t going to complain. It wasn’t like the old owner had known they were going to have the most uninvited of guests. And he couldn’t file a complaint, anyways, because chances were they were dead already.

He huffed and pressed a kiss to the top of Grim's head.

"Make sure to get a good night's sleep, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow," he mumbled. He wished he could say it was more to himself than anything, since he was aware that it was very weird to talk to a cat (a zombie version of a cat, no less), but... no. He was talking to Grim.

And Grim, to his credit, purred like he understood and settled down to sleep.

Yuu continued to stay awake for only a few moments more, his eyes remained trained on the ceiling as he pieced through his plan for the next day.

He ended up drifting off out of pure boredom before he had even finished planning his route.

It wouldn't matter anyways, though, surely tomorrow would be just another day.

Yuu sighed lightly as he trudged down the street. Zombies were avoiding him, as usual. He liked not being eaten, so this was nice.

The summer heat was not nice, though. He glowered at the orange skies above him as if he could will the sun to leave him alone already. It did not listen to him, which was disappointing, but he would live.

Probably. Hopefully.

He’d have an easier time living if Grim didn’t insist on being carried everywhere like the diva he was, because Yuu had seen him walk a few times, the lying prick, but fine. Whatever. It wasn’t like the ability to use his hands was necessary during an apocalyptic scenario or anything.

He was left to grumble incoherently as he continued on his search for a store that was still stocked enough to bother breaking into.

He found one… far sooner than he’d thought he would.

Suspiciously fast, actually.

He looked at Grim.

“What do you think, buddy?”

Grim blinked his one eye at him lazily.

This was practically a glowing endorsement! No zombies inside!

He deserves this, really.

He looked around for something to break the glass. It wasn’t difficult. He set down Grim despite the cat’s whining so he could pick up an abandoned brick. There was a dark red stain on the corner of it.

Ewwwwwwww. It was sticky.

He threw the brick at the glass door to the convenience store with probably a little bit more force than was entirely necessary. But, in his defense, it was gross to touch.

It wasn’t even worth it in the end! Because, the second he stepped towards the door, winding the cloth of his shirt around his hand so he could widen the hole enough for him to step through without injuring himself, the automatic glass doors slid open.

Yuu blushed. “Good thing no one saw that, right?” he said to Grim.

Grim, who he was beginning to suspect might actually know what he was saying, gave him what one could only describe as a raised eyebrow. Considering the cat only had half a face, making this expression was actually quite the feat. Yuu wasn’t sure how he felt about the effort the zombie put into making sure that he could accurately interpret how unimpressed he was.

He sighed, picked up the zombie again, and stepped inside.

The place looked like… well, just about any place in the apocalypse. Blood stained just about everything, rendering the food labels largely unreadable. The emergency lights still worked, but only barely, flickering more than the lights in a B-list horror movie. What had almost definitely once been a person was slumped in a corner, though it was almost unidentifiable now, its clothes missing and its guts torn out.

Yuu set down Grim so the zombie could go and have a snack.

Grim didn’t leave his side, instead he stayed close to his heels.

This, really, should have tipped him off that something was wrong. Grim never turned down the opportunity to eat.

Yuu, though, was too busy rubbing his thumb on a canned food label, trying to figure out what aisle he was currently in, to notice.

No, it wasn’t until Grim started growling lowly that he looked up.

A boy with a shock of messy red hair and clothes that were painted with way too much blood for it to only have been his own had been trying to sneak up on him. He had a knife out, and Yuu didn’t think that there was anything that needed cutting anywhere nearby.

Yuu shrieked and threw the can of beans at him. The redhead stumbled backwards, cradling his head, mumbling curses under his breath.

And then his expression twisted into a scowl. His grip tightened on his knife.

He took a step forward.

Grim hissed, baring fangs.

The redhead only spared a halfhearted glance down at the cat before turning his attention back to Yuu, who was scrambling for another can to throw.

And then the redhead did a double take.

He screamed and backed up a few steps, only barely stopping himself from dropping his knife in his surprise. “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAT?!”

Yuu hesitated for just a moment too long. “Uhhhhh nothing is wrong with him.”

“THEY'RE GREEN?!”

“And you’re white but I wasn’t going to say anything about that,” Yuu sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

The boy spluttered. “First of all. I’m Japanese. Everyone here is Japanese. We’re in fucking Japan. Second. Of. All. Humans can be white! Cats can’t be green!”

“Explain Grim then,” Yuu argued.

There was no response. The boy was too stunned to speak. Because he had realized that Yuu’s logic checked out perfectly, no doubt.

Slowly, the redhead ran a hand through his hair. He pulled on a few strands, hard, seemingly trying to make sure he wasn’t asleep, or in some weird fever dream, or that he hadn’t been bitten and was now going insane… he didn’t seem to be all that glad to realize that everything in front of him was actually very real.

He sunk a little in defeat, leaning against a nearby shelf and eyeing Yuu warily, but at least he was no longer openly hostile. “What is wrong with you?” he asked, somewhere between exasperated and genuinely curious.

Yuu frowned. He was not sure he liked this line of conversation more than discussing Grim. Grim was green, after all! Out of the two, surely Grim should be getting all of the attention.

But he was pretty sure that saying that out loud might be considered ‘hypocrisy’, and despite the fact that this guy had definitely tried to kill him, he didn’t want to seem like a hypocrite in front of him!

Wait a second.

“I’m the weird one?! You were trying to kill me!”

Grim didn’t look particularly happy upon being reminded of this fact.

The boy didn’t seem happy that Grim wasn’t happy, because he immediately paled and rushed to say that, “No, I wasn’t!”

Yuu looked at the knife in his hand.

He cleared his throat and dropped it. He tried for an innocent smile, as if that would somehow make Yuu forget what he had literally just watched happen. “You know, I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

“Because you tried to stab me,” Yuu said flatly.

He stuck his hand out. “C’monnnn, what’s a little stabbing between new friends?”

Now, Yuu should absolutely not take that hand. Someone that had almost stabbed him once would almost certainly attempt another stabbing in the future.

But he had started talking to a cat, as of late. A zombie cat that you could argue (to much success) that he had made the much worse decision to befriend in the first place. And that had turned out fine. For him, at least.

So, he jumped at the opportunity for a new friend. He grabbed his hand in both of his own, shaking it with what was almost definitely way too much enthusiasm.

“I’m Yuu.”

“Ace…” the redhead said. He tried to pull his hand away, but Yuu was half convinced that he would turn tail and run if he did that, so he held strong. Ace looked mildly bewildered by the entire situation. He looked at the zombie cat at Yuu’s feet for a few moments. The cat did not seem all that pleased by this newfound friendship – the way he eyed the pair’s interlocked hands spoke volumes. “I don’t think that they like me.”

“He doesn’t like anyone,” Yuu said, shrugging.

Ace hesitated, briefly. His eyes flicked over Grim a few more times.

Realization sparkled in his eyes as he realized what, exactly, Grim was.

He looked at Yuu again, something appraising in his gaze. Something wary.

Without looking away from Yuu, he reached his free hand into his pocket. He pulled out a scrap of mystery meat and dropped it on the floor for Grim.

Grim sniffed it, once, before eating it.

Ace breathed a sigh of relief when the cat gave him what was unmistakably a nod of approval.

(And then visibly had a crisis over the fact that he was, apparently, looking to a cat for approval.)

~~~~~~~

Pt2>

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst fanfic #twst yuu #ace trappola #twst grim #i just feel like ace is the type to become a cannibal after like 3 days in the apocalypse. idk why. he just has the vibes #anyways. im v burnt out and need a dumb lil fic to mess around with #and i love zombie apocalypse aus #so yeah

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yourlocaldisneyvillain · 7 months

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i would like to be in and foster an online environment in which discussions abt controversial topics can be handled civilly without ppl ganging up and sending an influx of anon hate. i think internet in general is a space where ppl love to be outraged and i want to challenge that. that's partially why i wrote this fic. i am tired of purity culture and of fandom/online hivemind. in a fandom where a lot of ppl clearly enjoy age gap ships, i say, what makes one better and more "morally correct" than another? what makes a sugar mommy au better than a college student x teacher fic? so many fics featuring dark themes are popular in this fandom (don't wanna name any names bc i don't wanna get anyone involved), but THIS is the one ppl are upset about?

i wanna ask a question -- is it possible to write a fic where ppl are NOT morally pure but still somehow manage to live and find happiness? why is it forbidden to explore those themes in fiction? when you look at ppl in real life and how weirdly their lives shape up, and how ppl are flawed and make mistakes and live unconventionally or sometimes immorally or unhealthily, doesn't that interest you? in a sense that you would like to read about it? explore what goes on in the minds of these ppl/characters?

ppl forget exploring a theme in fiction doesn't equate to condoning it in real life. each individual has to use their own best judgement when consuming a piece of fiction. i assume everyone reading my fic is an adult (as i write fics intended for adult audiences) and can form their own opinion.

i would like it if people could use their reading comprehension and critical thinking skills when reading my fiction, without me having to put up exact and specific 1826372929392 word disclaimers, so ppl's fragile feelings wouldn't get hurt. would it really be okay if i wrote in all caps before the story WEDNESDAY IS 22? you could have read the first paragraph and figured that out. i tagged it as teacher-student bc it's playing with the concept, even if they are not a student/teacher in the timeline of the story. i use implied underage sex as a tag bc in the 2nd chapter, and repeatedly throughout the story i reference larissa and morticia's relationship, that has occurred when they were underage. i mention that they engaged in sex. it is only mentioned, and not explicitly described. do you need me to write all of that out under the title in order not to send anon hate and clutch your pearls in disgust? or can you just read the story and decide if it's for you or not?

i implore you to read all of my works as a story, without attaching a moral judgement to characters' actions. if and when you do attach a moral judgement and form an opinion, pls remember those are fictional characters, and i am an author exploring certain themes bc i can and it interests me to do so. i want to write unconventional stories, controversial stories, romantic stories, funny stories, horror stories, i want to explore everything. everybody who reads is invited to look at them as a piece of fiction they can enjoy or not enjoy, and nothing more. i hope to take you on a journey that leaves you with something to remember, good or bad, but impactful.

from now on, i will probably write longer works and venture into darker themes (next thing i'm planning is murder mystery/thriller). there will still be fluffy pieces, but i just want to push myself out of my comfort zone. i would like to associate with fandom ppl who are open-minded and can read a piece of fiction without going ballistic. if you look at things black and white, you likely won't like my fiction -- and that's okay.

however, if for any reason you want to send me hate, you will absolutely be blocked. i am a person, and i do not deserve insults and rudeness in my inbox. it's easy to feel empowered and feel like you're fighting for A Cause (TM) and attach the Bad Guy etiquette to a single person. that can feel like you're solving something. esp when ppl accuse me of promoting actual p3dophilia -- that's a cause everyone can get behind. banish the evil p3do apologist!

i am a victim of child sexual abuse, that went on all throughout my formative years, and into my adult age, simply because i thought that's how it must be. that experience has scarred me beyond belief. i don't want to share the details. it's not smth i'm sharing for pity points, nor do i need anyone's sympathy. however, it is an experience that has shaped who i am, and perhaps for that reason, combined with other things, is why i'm drawn to certain themes in fiction. i don't owe anybody an explanation as to why i choose certain topics, but since there have been idiots in my inbox who have accused me of harming victims of minor sexual abuse, i feel compelled to say something. fuck you for using a group of suffering ppl to support your own flimsy arguments born out of puritanism and inability to cope with heavy themes in fiction.

you are absolutely welcome to CIVILLY discuss your opinions about the fic with me -- off anon, exclusively. but i know nobody will, bc this isn't about the actual contents of my fic, this is about the delicious morally righteous thrill of a witch hunt.

enjoy the fic. i will post next wednesday.

#personal #i will produce my own garbage and also consume it

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fleouriarts · 7 months

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drew this cute little screenshot i had from feud 8... i really care them

#hivemind tv #riley savage #graydon weaver #my art #fanart #2023 #finished #[slaps the top of this drawing] this bad boy can fit so many random edits into it #drew this at 3am. thought 'well im not happy with it but i probably looked at it too long'. woke up and immediately noticed 1 billion rando #things i wanted to fix #whatever i think it looks fine now. i really need to start forcing myself to take breaks while drawing #cus otherwise i do everything in one go. and sometimes its good. and other times im like 'wow i dont like any of this'#BUT I THINK I LIKE THIS NOWWWW WHATEVER WHATEVER please enjoy

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sundial-bee-scribbles · 1 year

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Haha Ollie's like that *internally* I'm bad at explaining lmao- but on the outside I agree he'd be rather quiet. The dazedness is kinda the reason he's fine with Moke having a Moment™. He's just kinda sittin there while Moke's in full panic mode like “...?” -🌟

these two are my braincells are at any given moment i s2g

one just "..." and the other just fcking panicking like "HOLY SHIT THE WORLD IS FUCKING ENDING HOLD ON HOLD ON"

#ask #flower hivemind au #IM JOKING AHKJNKN #but yes yes. and shhh dont worry your explanations seem p good/clear to me!!#i just might have shitty reading comprehension sometimes 😭 i sometimes read things wrong and realize later like '...fuck'#ollie the star anon

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the-valiant-valkyrie · 2 months

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every year zoraxis has an annual potluck. caliente always brings stuff that he grilled. sometimes its burgers or hot dogs, but normally its chicken skewers because thats everyones favorite. hivemind brings his honey cupcakes. fabby also brings desserts but she's way more varied. she never brings the same thing twice. daniel brings two salads; a potato salad, and a seasonal salad. they taste fine, but there's clearly no love put into them. john always gets something catered and no one ever eats what he buys because he cheaps out every year. solaris can only make one dish without burning it into obscurity. that dish is stew. thankfully everyone likes her stew, so she's allowed to bring it. anna used to bring the best god damned mac and cheese you've ever eaten. post her 'death', fabby makes the mac and cheese. it's good, but it isn't the same. x-ray always made the worst, most scariest fucking jello salad and thats the reason why zor ended up killing them. are you taking notes this is going to be on the test

#ieytd #this is true btw..... source my beautiful mind

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smokeygrayrabbits · 10 months

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I am once again on my inhuman vash soapbox shouting into the void about how vash is a little critter posing as a dude. he does not naturally Human™ he just imitates the people around him to act human.

picking up their mannerisms and making them his own. turning himself not only into a patchwork of scars and metal, but also of the people he's met.

theyre lives are so fleeting and so beautiful, he works them into himself to let them live on. taking the art of their passions and experiences and mapping them onto himself.

after all, plants aren't individual. not really. they function as extensions of a whole. a hivemind not unlike the root systems of the Aspen groves that once dominated the landscapes of earth.massive and connected and immortal through their community, their likeness.

but humans are. they're single and fleeting and wonderfully individual. each of them unique from the others, no two alike. this gives them power, knowledge and passion and drive that a plant like vash could never imagine. but it also makes them tragically small specs on the sprawling plains of time. their lives burning hot and bright and fast like the fireworks rem showed him videos of as a child.

vash burns slowly. less of a firework and more like a stick of incense, leaving every where he walks bathed in a haze of power and smoke and destruction. cleansing and blessing the ground he walks on, the lives he touches.

vash can't make their lives longer and he's tried. pouring energy into their bodies as they lay dying at his feet in a desperate plead for them to stay please don't leave me. their body's are so much softer than his. weaker and unguarded. even their cells are soft and delicate, letting the energy he pours into them slip away like water over stone. he can't save them from themselves, but he can preserve their memory in himself.

if someone, say for instance a nosy old reporter, watched an angel like the good well meaning stalker they are, they might start to realize that vash repeats things. not obviously, not right away, but later.

a unique saying from a shopkeep a few towns back might roll off the stampedes tongue one day, and then again a week later.

or a specific quirk to his brow that looks just a little too much like that gangster from last months incredulous face at being put in a confession booth mid shootout.

sometimes if a well-meaning and slightly stalkerish old reporter kept a reallyyy close eye on a particularly sleepy or drunk outlaw, they might notice that with every drink his mimics get a little closer to copying in real time.

bottle green limps slamming down on counters in the same way that darker scarless forearms do 12 drinks in with their sleeves rolled up.

drunken giggles taking on the familiar snort of a younger newbie on a late night.

if a very attentive and only slightly tipsy stalker looked to the twiggy outlaw to their side, they might see him taking the same pose over the bartop as the stalker is wont to do.

Roberto is a reporter, and a little stalkerishness comes with the territory, and he thinks the mimicing is adorable.

#vash the stampede #trigun #trigun headcanons #trigun stampede #nicholas d. wolfwood #trigun wolfwood #trigun stampede meryl #trigun roberto #roberto d niro #vash is adorable #and a little critter #roberto thinks hes neat #98 trigun

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darubyprincx · 8 months

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Doc chronic ilness/pain that man works too hard or he has to take his mech arm off for pain/fatigue reasons and is trying to do shit anyway even though he needs rest. Also have this song it's related in my brain https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=0hEQi-cmnQY&si=SBkzpTLoj12w4Yw5

He's also a system 2 me <3 hivemimd supremacy

(that is a girl-tier take on the hivemind whats it like having a huge brain)

Doc sighed frustratedly as he tried and failed once again to weld a piece of metal with one hand.

The Hivemind had been cajoling him to take a break and rest, dammit, especially since the whole reason he was working with one hand at all was because his arm had started to dig into his shoulder and sting and it was going to draw blood soon if he hadn't tossed it aside with a low growl and his vision was blurry and his back ached and his muscles were leaden and-

You need to take a break, They hissed. The Hivemind's constant bee buzz in the back of Doc's mind tickled sometimes, but he'd gotten used to it over the years.

"It's fine, guys," he muttered with a small chuckle that he didn't quite feel. He always responded out loud when he was alone. It was easier than having distinguish between his thoughts and Theirs, anyways, and They could hear. "I'm just tired, that's all."

You're about to burn your finger, a quiet solitary voice chimed in, and Doc snapped to and adjusted his grip on the welder before dropping it and veritably growling with frustration. He felt the muscles in his legs start to work, and he desperately fought to stay in the chair. "Guys. Guys! It's fine! Let me- give it back!"

No, They hummed smugly.

"We only grind here, remember?" said Doc through gritted teeth, finding himself standing up suddenly as the buzzing in his mind grew louder. "Twenty-four seven."

Can't grind forever without taking a break, said the Hivemind, sing-song. You may be the G.O.A.T, but you're still mortal, and that means you have to sleep sometimes.

"No," said Doc, losing his grip on the chair and, briefly, his vision, as he saw from a distance (it felt like) himself going to the closet, his hand opening the door and grabbing a blanket, then shutting the door and walking over to his bed. "Dude, give my body back. I was in the middle of a project, guys."

You can finish it tomorrow, said one voice.

Or next week, suggested another. Anyways, no, you're getting a nap.

"One day I will kick you guys out of here and you will have nowhere to go," mumbled Doc, who was now tucked into bed. "No one to come home to."

And you won't have your 73,492 braincells, They responded cheekily. No, make that 73,493. Another one just joined the Hive. Good night, Doc.

The last thing Doc remembered before he passed out completely was a vague sense of grudging affection towards the Hive that populated his mind, and a chorus of quiet laughter that was laughing at him but for him at the same time.

#ray's tag #answered #mcyt #hermitcraft #docm77 #i really like this idea actually. might do more with it later #writing #thanks for the prompt! i also agree with every single one of your headcanons. u r correct.#this oneshot was sponsored by every single time someone else up here has taken the reins and gotten our fatigued ass into bed

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